As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, Caleb was greeted with a massive cheer.

“Hurrah for Captain Ledger!” the cry went up, from the assembled men and women. “Hurrah! Hurrah!”

Eyebrows raised, he looked around as the rain continued to fall from the dark gray sky. His crew and the former prisoners lined one side of the deck. Some off the Spitfire held swords or now-spent pistols in hand, while the newly freed men had grabbed anything to hand they could use – deck cleats, rope ties, even pieces of broken deck planking.

The few remaining members of the Disgraced Damsel’s crew lay along the opposite rail. Each had been restrained with a pair of cuffs. The entire group had been linked together with one of the long chains Caleb had seen used below.

As for the other Myrkur, their bodies lay scattered about on the deck. The continuing rain pattered down upon the bodies, washing the deck planks pink. His Quest Window blinked as it was updated with a new screen.

Adventurer’s-Level Quest: Board a Myrkur vessel in a way that both inspires your crew and takes out the immediate opposition. Corsair-related abilities restored to 75% for the next three days, after which they shall begin to decline. STATUS: COMPLETE

Well, that’s something at least, Caleb thought wearily.

Sienna and the Murray brothers looked exhausted, but unhurt as they continued to cheer. Tavia trotted over to him. Her golden mane was tangled, and she favored one forehoof, but she ignored that as she looked him over.

“You’re hurt!” she exclaimed. “If that’s your blood–”

“Aye,” Shaw said, as he came up from behind. “ ‘Tis an awful sight, but the Captain claims that his wounds are mere scratches.”

“I doubt that!” Sienna added, as she joined them. She bit her lip as she saw Caleb’s torn shirt and pants leg. Each cut was rimmed with dried blood. “Captain, you’ve got to let me take you down to see Doc Harper.”

“At ease, Quartermaster,” Caleb said, though not unkindly. In a lower voice, he said, “The combat below, where I killed Malum Kane, advanced me a couple of times. Apparently, it’s helped replenish my magical energies and my health.”

“I’d still like to check your wounds,” Tavia insisted. “Even if they are superficial, some are still open when they should be closed.”

“Your magic should be reserved for our more seriously wounded,” Sienna flared. “I can take care of the Captain if need be!”

Tavia cocked her head at that, unsure as to the reason behind Sienna’s outburst. Caleb looked between the woman and the mare. The moment threatened to become awkward, but just then a new sound came from off to one side.

The sound of greetings and friendly reunion.

The Murray brothers, along with Ferris Pender, were laughing and crying as they embraced the four closest freed prisoners. Yet more astounded greetings and halloos! came from several other members of Caleb’s crew. Before he knew it, both freed prisoners and crew off the Spitfire were embracing, laughing, and crying.

“What on Avalon is going on?” Caleb demanded.

“Captain Ledger!” Ronan Murray shouted, as he brought one of the former prisoners up to him. “I know this feller! This is Charlie Inver, we did a fishing run out of Whitespire years ago!”

“Pleased to be meetin’ ya, Captain,” the man said, bowing low.

“And I know this big ‘un too!” a woman from Caleb’s crew crowed, as she hugged another man freed from the Damsel. “And this little ‘un next to him as well!”

“I do know some of these people,” Sienna breathed. “If not in person, at least in passin’ by the lane, as we say.”

As we say? Caleb blinked. Does that mean we just rescued…

“Are these folks Arrenmar?” he asked aloud.

“Aye, Captain Ledger, or at least it’s close as shoutin’,” A tall, skinny man with a mop of unkempt curly hair stepped forward. Blood dripped from where Kane’s bullet had grazed the back of his hand. His voice was calming, and it had the same slight lilt as Sienna or Donal’s. “Me and the others, we’re from the Roshannons. That’s the next set of isles over from the Arrenmars. Lir and Danu as my witness, that makes us kissin’ cousins.”

Caleb nodded. “I remember that you tried to grab one of the swords down there, to help me fight Malum Kane. That was a brave move. What’s your name?”

As tall as he was, the man straightened up an extra inch at that.

“The name’s Decklan Patrick,” he gestured with his good hand towards the other freed prisoners. “The men asked me to speak for ‘em. So first off, thank you for savin’ our hides from those damned cultists!”

Another cheer went up from all those assembled. Caleb inclined his head to all those looking over to him. Patrick went on as soon as the cheering died down.

“Captain, most all of us were captured when the Myrkur invaded the Roshannons and the Arrenmars. Some, they sent directly to Irongrasp to feed upon their souls.”

“It’s what happened to us, that’s for sure,” Sienna murmured.

“Then the Myrkur sent groups off to different islands or distant shores. Harvesting lengths of hemp, spinnin’ jute for canvas, diggin’ for gems, and the like. All of us off the Damsel were sent way up north to chop down timber to use for masts an’ planking.”

Caleb turned that over in his mind. Interesting. Sounds like the Myrkur aren’t about to pass up slave labor to use for extra sources of cash, or to create naval stores for their fleet.

“But all that changed,” Patrick continued, “when the new Komtur arrived.”

Even though it was still spitting rain, Caleb’s throat felt abruptly dry. “Malum Kane.”

“None other. He showed up out of nowhere one night, looking a quarter-dead and half naked, then demanded to speak to Komtur Gortak, the commander of our little prison camp. I don’t know what was said, but the following morning Gortak was dead, and Kane was in charge. We’d already been chained into labor details and worked until our hands bled. But now things got worse.”

Shaw’s beak worked back and forth as if suggesting mayhem. “Mayhap, how? Thy captors already had thy labor to put to their foul purposes!”

“Kane didn’t want labor. He wanted souls. Every night since he’s showed up, he’s taken one man at random to soul-drain. He left the dried-up bodies out in a heap for us to see, to kill our hopes. Someone must’ve sent him orders, as we were herded onto the Damsel. Since then, we’ve been sailing east, all while having our fellow men soul-drained. Or killed by the guards if we resisted. All of ‘em went over the stern, food for the sharks.”

Caleb felt sick once more. Kane had done this because of him. Because he’d needed to be stronger, to overpower his rival if they met again.

What’s more, these people he’d rescued needed help. The same as the native Arrenmar, they needed a new home. And a way to get there.

Danu did say that I’d find a purpose where the sharks gathered. Couldn’t this be part of it?

As if in answer, a new screen popped up in his Quest Window.

“One moment,” he said to Patrick, before turning to look at the readout.

New Adventurer’s-Level Quest: Encourage the Roshannon islanders to join your crew en masse. Doing so will increase the combat effectiveness and overall morale of your crew. It shall also open up new potential Quests, with all the good (and bad) that may result. STATUS: TBD.

Lir and Danu’s Helpful Hints:

We consider this a PIVOTAL decision in your career as a Corsair. While there are many advantages to having a larger crew, it is also more of a strain upon your command abilities and your subordinates, especially if they lack support. We encourage you to reflect upon how this may affect your actions in the future. For these reasons, we have allowed you to decide whether to accept this quest, rather than assigning it to you as usual.

ACCEPT PIVOTAL DECISION TO RECRUIT THE ROSHANNON?

(YES / NO)

Without hesitation, Caleb reached out and touched YES. The screen blinked and updated.

Adventurer’s-Level Quest: Encourage the Roshannon islanders to join your crew en masse. STATUS: IN PROGRESS

“What in Lir’s name is he doing?” he heard Patrick ask.

“Bide, bide,” Sienna said quietly. “No need to be a ripe cabbage, this is our Captain’s thing. I’ll try to explain it to you later.”

Caleb tapped into his Corsair Sub-Specialty of Charisma Boost. The familiar warmth was slightly less than what he’d felt before. But it boosted him and projected his voice with more authority, just as he’d hoped.

He stepped onto a crate that had been left out on deck. The rain stopped, and sunlight began to break through the clouds around them. Caleb took note of it and silently thanked Danu for a little stagecraft to help his message.

“What the Myrkur have done here is a crime. A crime against all human beings in Avalon,” Caleb stated, and everyone on deck fell silent. “Those of you who come from the isles of Roshannon, you should know: I was also captured and imprisoned by the servants of Myr. I freed myself from their dungeon, with the help of a heroic paladin and brave griffin warrior.”

He gestured to both Tavia and Shaw in turn before continuing.

“I am not from your world. But I have the craft of seamanship, I have the craft of magic, and I hate what the Myrkur stand for with every fiber of my being. So I’ve promised the Arrenmar who’ve chosen to be my crew that I’d find them a home, somewhere that Myr cannot touch them. And to sink or take any of the cultists’ ships, to boot!”

That got a rousing Hurrah! from his crew. The Roshannon also looked impressed, and a couple even looked eager to join in.

“Now, we’ve chanced upon you, the cousins to my crewmen and women. We fought to free you. Many of us have even shed blood on your behalf. So I ask you now: Will you sail with us? Are you willing to join us to hurt those who stole you from your lives, and to find a new home beyond their reach?”

To a man, the newly freed captives shouted: Aye!

Adventurer’s-Level Quest: Encourage the Roshannon islanders to join your crew en masse. STATUS: COMPLETE

“Then I welcome you aboard our ship, the Spitfire! As fellow Arrenmar, as fellow sailors, as fellow warriors against the darkness of Myr!”

Another round of cheers broke out. Caleb smiled and stepped down amidst the cheering. He called his officers over and then spoke to each in turn.

“Shaw,” he said. “Unless you’re too badly hurt or exhausted, I need you to get aloft. Let me know what kind of weather we have heading our way. And if there’s any more Myrkur ships lurking out there.”

“Aye, that is easily done.”

With that, the drake was aloft with a couple of quick downbeats of his wings. Around them, the new crew members gasped in wonder. The lad that Ronan had introduced to him, Charlie Inver, openly gaped at the sight.

To be fair, Caleb admitted to himself, none of them have yet seen a griffin or unicorn in action.

“Tavia,” Caleb instructed, “Take Decklan here down to see Doc Harper. Help her as best you can with any of the remaining wounded.”

She bobbed her horn. “Of course, Captain.”

“Aye, but bide a moment!” Patrick protested. “Your pardon, Captain, but I might be able to bring more of my abilities to aid your crew, not to mention’ more information.”

“That’ll have to wait,” Caleb said. “We need to secure the Damsel, or at least see what needs to be taken off her.”

“If you mean to sink this prison scow, that’d warm my heart!” Patrick moved to kneel before Caleb, grabbing his wrist with his good hand for a moment “But I beg of you, take all the pieces of parchment you can find in the great cabin. It might save yet more of my kinsmen.”

With that, he got up and meekly followed Tavia over towards the Spitfire.