Johnathan Rooke's Story

Johnathan Rooke

This place is too cheerful..., Johnathan thought to himself, as he pushed his enchanted 'lightweight' cart along the docks to the ship. Many of the cases on the cart were packed with components and materials for crafting weapons and armaments, from steel ingots to tools of smithing, packed amongst his clothing and various disguising articles of bric-a-brac. He also had hidden away an assortment of small blades (daggers, swords), that he might be able to turn for a quick price, or use for special occasions.

Determined to raise the minimal amount of suspicion, he ignored the royal boarding party and kept his head down as he approached the gangway. Showing his pass and glancing up at the guard on duty, he continued on up the gangway on to the main deck, and made his way down the stairs to the third level passenger deck, where his cabin was meant to be situated, ignoring all of the servants and stewards who greeted him on his way. Opening the door to his cabin, he quickly wheeled the cart in, and closed the door tight behind him.

He breathed a sigh of relief - the first part of the big game plan had gone successfully - he was now on board the ship. From here on out, there was no turning back, and he knew this. Taking a moment to glance out of the porthole, he took a good glimpse of the land he called home, for what could be the last time, before starting to unpack the majority of clothing and trinkets that were in his luggage. Once that was complete, he would be able to start working out how he could establish a clientele on the ship.

Amaco

Waiting for this day to come seemed like a lifetime to Amaco. Everyday it was continual nagging from her leaders about going over the plan, and how she needed to channel her "nice girl" side. The other Mongrels would tease her, "Be a nice kitty cat, Mac, and you'll get a big fish from papa." Of course, this only provoked her and they either got a mean jab to the ribs or a rude remark, demoralizing them. They would just laugh and walk off, leaving Amaco to stew in her annoyance. She didn't quite think of herself as hotheaded. She could control her anger if she needed, she just never had the need to before. She seemed to always be surrounded by rough "people", if you could even call them people.

She watched as a few people made their way to the docks. First the princess, and oh she looked delicious, then someone she assumed was royalty. He had servants following him. Amaco couldn't tell, and she didn't particularly care. But you need to... she internally chided herself. Someone like him could be important. And now he was talking to the princess. Even more interesting. She scanned the docks again, looking for more of the future crew. She saw a body guard, or at least what she assumed was a body guard. She couldn't be quite sure, but she made a mental note to either avoid him, or get on his good side. Either way, she knew she would need to act the sweetest around him were he to talk to her. A man with white hair and an eye patch was walking and singing with a group of men following behind him. No doubt he was the captain. She sniffed the air and was displeased with the aroma. She twitched her nose and let out a low snarl. What is that? She sighed and stood from her perch on the roof of the hotel she stayed in the night before. Amaco knew that she needed to be on that ship as soon as possible. Being the navigator, she would need to meet the captain and at least a few of the crew members. It wasn't necessary to meet the princess, but she was hoping to talk to her today.

As she made her way through the street toward the Fallen Angel, she saw Rooke, a renown blacksmith, pushing his cart up onto the ship. The corners of her mouth twitched. She had no idea he was coming on this trip. Oh the boys won't be too happy about this, she thought and a smirk found it's way onto her lips. He made some of the best weapons she'd ever seen. Some of the best anyone had ever seen, for that matter. Of course, with her low profile status in the Mongrels, he wouldn't recognize her. Amaco had never purchased her own weapons. She remembered her handcrafted weapons hidden safely in her bags and the thought struck her that he would recognize his own handiwork. She decided to ditch them the first chance she got. She realized he might remember who he had sold them too, and put together her affiliation with the Mongrels. She'd just have to buy new.

The closer she got, the stronger that strange smell got, and soon enough she realized what it was. Werewolf. The thought seeped like poison as she fought a scowl. It was strong, and there was something different, but she credited it to all the other creatures that must have been boarding, or soon to be boarding the ship. Mac shook her head slightly, and lowered her hood as she boarded the ship. The feeling of leaving the land had little effect on her. She had lived in many places, and so home was honestly where she lay her head at night. Growing accustomed to ship life wouldn't take the girl too long. As she neared the princess she smiled, and pulled her hair over her shoulders, hoping to look softer. She wasn't wearing her normal attire. Today she was sporting tan pants and a loose white top, complete with her black cloak and black boots. She didn't want to seem too menacing on her first day. She was over thinking things a little. A lot of people wore all black, and sometimes even face masks. She saw the captain and the one who smelled like a Vampire.. No. Dhampir. She scrunched her nose at the captain but decided to bury her hatred for wolves, for the princess's sake.

"Hello," she said curtly. She bowed at her waist to the princess, then nodded her head to the dhampir. She wasn't sure exactly who he was, but she wasn't going to risk any disrespect this soon. Just as Amaco was going to address the captain, the one who she had assumed was a body guard pulled him aside to speak. She was relieved she wouldn't have to talk to the filthy creature, but soon realized she was alone with the princess with nothing to say. "My name is Amaco and I am the navigator," Mac said, faking a bashful smile as she pulled a map from her side bag. She unrolled it slightly before it snapped back into place and she replaced it in the bag. Not wanting to take up too much of the princess's time, she excused herself politely and began wandering the deck, slowly making her way to the ship's head. Mac decided to wait for the captain, Elcid was his name, she remembered.

Amaco was temporarily amused when she saw the draconian and the red haired boy. The bed crashed on the deck, and she flinched slightly, wondering if it would have caused any damage to the deck. She put it out of her mind when the red haired boy began yelling at the other boy. She smiled, hoping it would turn into a fight. Much to her disappointment, the red haired boy backed off, and was soon cheerful, wondering where in the world he was. She turned her attention to the monkey-like man and wondered whether there was such a thing as weremonkeys. Although she had never seen one, or heard of one, she assumed everything was possible. He seemed to be very powerful, considering his jump and climb onto the ship. He explained to the red head where they were, and she once again put her focus on the captain, who was still talking to the guard.

Johnathan Rooke

The smell of wood and ash seemed to linger around his cases, as he moved some of the more valuable materials into a hardened case with a lock, and stowed it away under his bunk. With his unpacking completed, he decided it would be best to get the layout of the passenger floors, and most importantly, work out a way to gain access to the ship's forge - otherwise he would need to improvise with his low level knowledge of magic.

He headed out of his cabin, securing the door with a basic tamper ward, and made his way through the decks, noting exits and hiding spots that he could find.

Eventually, he emerged on the main deck, stunned that the ship was still docked, and he decided to take a seat in the middle of the ship, overlooking the ocean, admiring the beauty of something so simple and relatively unchanging.

---

Kaleb offered a wry smile to the Dhampir, and glanced towards the Princess. "Her highness can be most persistent, and when she sets her mind to something, it is nigh on impossible to change her mind. We will follow her into the gates of hell, if we must."

Having returned from his brief chat with the Captain about the state of the ship and his crew's readiness to sail, he turned his attention back to the Princess, who had been engaging in conversation with a young woman who was now making her way towards the ship's gangway. Drawing closer he could hear strange voices singing more shanties and soon, a half dozen figures arrived, carrying a four-poster bed.

... of course he isn't awake yet...

There was no need for anyone to explain this extravagant entrance, although he silently commended Zane's ability to sleep through what could easily have been a typhoon. As the figures dropped the 4-poster bed, he feigned ignorance of the red-headed boy's late arrival, and turned his gaze back to the ship. Soon after he heard an almighty clank as Zane tripped over a bucket lying on the dockside. Kaleb breathed a slow sigh and turned towards Zane.

"You know, I did at least pretend not to see you arrive, Zane... Why are you so late?!" He wasn't actually that angry - he knew that Zane would have turned up sooner or later, but this is not the privacy of the castle - any sign of weakness in the Princess' guard that could be exploited should not be tolerated, especially when there are only a few people who can be trusted wholeheartedly - one day, Zane might realise this, but not now, Kaleb thought to himself.

Ashton merely faded away from view as Zane grabbed him, the real Ashton already walking back down the gangplank towards Eevie again, greeting with a small bow and a happy smile. "Highness; always a pleasure to see you, and it is the highest honor to accompany you on this trip." He said happily.

For the most part he ignored most everyone else, Zane, Sun, and anyone else. His armor gleaming lightly in the early morning sun, and his scales giving him that exotic look that made him seem.... more handsome than the average man, and his eyes making people think twice about being hostile.

He then turned to Kaleb and smiled, giving him a polite bow as usual. "Good morning, Sir. How are you today?" He asked before being distracted by Rose "Ah! Rose! So good to see you; did you enjoy my singing? I smelt you following me all the way here." He said, tapping his nose as he smiled at the female, his pointed teeth coming into view now as he did so.

He then turned around and examined the massive ship, tilting his head. "Erm....how does it float?" He asked, looking at it. "I mean....it's so large...and undeniably really heavy?" he turned around and shrugged, shaking his head with a playful smirk on his face.

---

Johnathan lay back on the chair he had settled in, thinking about all of the things that had led him to this ship. All of the hardships, all of the trials and work he had put in to make it here. In another life, he thought, this could have been a happy occasion. Now, he was embarking on the last stage of his life's plan - the revenge that he has so longed for.

He lay back and tried to remember happier days, when he still had a family. After a while, his thoughts turned to the blacksmith who had shown him kindness, and to the guards who had taken everything from him... He could feel his blood begin to boil at the thought of his mother's pain, surrounded by the flames that had taken her life, long before her time had come.

He thought of when he was just young one, and still knew his parent's embrace, their smiles... I know... this is not the path you had in mind for me, but... I can't let this go. I will repay the favour to those foulsome, high-nosed bastards... and once I do, I can sleep at last. I will find you. There is nothing left here...

Sitting up, Johnathan started to scan the ship, trying to find someone of interest - anyone who might make a potential sale, but he knew in his heart that it would be a slow process.

Amaco

Amaco was still standing near the head of the ship, watching everyone go about their business and meet the people they would be spending the next year with. The girl glanced down at her feet and realized that she better go to her quarters and secure her things. The reminder of her weapons poked her mind and she decided she’d dispose of them in the cover of night. It’d be a shame to throw such fine craftwork into the water, but she had no other choice, or risk being exposed.

~~~~~~~
When she finally had her things settled in her room, she returned to the deck where the crew was still loading up last minute supplies, and checking all corners of the ship, making sure they were ready to set sail. She scanned the deck and her eyes landing on Rooke again. He was laying back on a chair by himself and she figured now would be a good time to talk to him. She wanted to get a jump on getting her weapons remade. She didn’t like the thought of having her resources restricted. Taking a deep breath of fresh sea air, and the scents of all the creatures on board, she quickly walked over to Rooke. He sat up shortly before she made it over to him. He was in the middle of the ship, and they were in perfect view of everyone, which made her weary. Amaco was very accustomed to the shadows, and living her life outside the eyesight of most other creatures in the world. Being this out in the open was new to her, but she knew she would get used to it soon enough. She leaned up against the chair next to Rooke and began fiddling with a loose hem on her cloak. She thought carefully about how she would address him, and what exactly she would say. Soon enough, she opened her mouth to speak.

“You’re Brooke right? The blacksmith?” She asked, purposely messing up his name. She wasn’t sure why she thought to do this; if his work were known, people from his parts would know his name. But why would a navigator need a weapon? The thought trickled into her mind, but she expertly ignored it and continued on with her introduction. “My name is Amaco. I’m the navigator for this trip,” She subconsciously grabbed the strap of her bag that she stored her maps in. Of course she wasn’t going to leave those in her cabin; she figured she’d be able to put them in the Captain’s Quarters, where they would be doing planning and such. “Anyway,” she continued, “I was wondering what kind of weapons you make, and how quickly you work?” She knew exactly what he made (at least, she knew he made exactly what she wanted), and generally how long it took him. But given that she feigned not knowing his name, there would be know way for her to know the answers to this questions either. “I have something specific in mind,” she said carefully and pulled a folded piece on cloth from her pocket. She handed it to him so he could inspect the details. She knew he was capable of making things like this, she just wondered how common it was for people to ask for them. She put her worry out of her mind and on her excitement for a new weapon.

---

The shimmering gaze of the sunlight against calm waters had almost put Johnathan into a trance. There was something so soothing about being on the water, that he just couldn't put his finger on, but knew was taking an effect - maybe it was the cool sea air, or maybe it was the gentle rocking of the ship - who knows? In his semi-hypnotic state, he hadn't really noticed the girl who had appeared at his side, and as she spoke in a soft voice to him, he almost questioned who he himself was.

He quickly snapped out of it, looked at her intently, and heard her out. Brooke? She knows my trade, but not my name... interesting... am I really that anonymous in this city? A slight smirk crept upon his lips upon receiving the cloth, as he tried to figure Amaco out, but it was short lived and replaced by an expression of shock, seeing the sword that she intended for him to make for her. This is a thing of beauty, he thought to himself, but who designed this drawing?... And why does the ship's navigator want such an extravagant armament?

Johnathan could not help but lick his lips lightly, having found so many questions and many more that hadn't even reached the forefront of his mind - he had found his first customer, but there was so much that needed to be answered. Taking a moment to examine the weapon plan, he raised his glance up to the eagerly waiting young woman.

"This... certainly is an extravagant piece you want to commission, miss. A special occasion, perhaps?" he smirked, before taking a deep breath. "A weapon of this complexity can take 2 or 3 days in normal circumstances to produce, perhaps less if my time was solely dedicated to it... but these are not normal circumstances, and it will not be cheap. I trust that you have some means of payment to offer me, otherwise we would not be having this conversation, correct? Oh... and by the way, my name is Rooke."

Amaco

Amaco watched as he inspected her drawing. He was smiling at first, but when he looked closer he seemed surprised. Mac tucked her hair behind her ear and waited patiently as he inspected her artwork. She had spent a while on this specific piece. She wanted it to be perfect. Ever since Forest had given her this job a few months back, she had been designing a very intricate blade to fulfill her duties.

Soon enough Rooke looked up at her and began speaking. He asked her the purpose, and how she intended to pay. “Yes, of course Rooke, my apologies,” she corrected herself. “It is a gift for someone dear to my thoughts,” For the lovely Princess, she thought as a smile spread across her face. “For a very special occasion.” Her death. She softened her eyes and looked at the drawing again. For quite some time now she had been imagining slitting the Princess’s throat, or cutting out her heart, with something just as beautiful and exotic as the Princess herself. Amaco thought it would bring a little irony to the situation. And who didn’t enjoy irony? Amaco reached into her pocket and pulled out a pouch full of gold. She gingerly placed it in Rooke’s hand. “I believe there is enough there to cover the price the weapon given the circumstances,” she stated, reaching into her pocket once again to retrieve a slightly smaller coin sack. “And this,” she placed it next to the first bag, “Should be enough to prioritize my weapon over what should come next to your business.” She was speaking carefully now. She didn’t have much gold with her, but this was the most important so naturally this is where she was going to put her money. Should she need something more she knew she’d be able to nick a gold piece here or there without raising suspicion. Besides, she was the navigator and she was earning her stay and meal on board so what more would she need to buy?

As she considered this she looked out on the water, wondering when they would set sail. The water was peaceful, and she thought she might like being on a ship. She hadn’t spent an extended amount of time on a ship before, but the sea had never bothered her. She was a strong swimmer, but being in the water was the last thing she wanted to do. As far as she was concerned, a werecat had no business in the water unless there was a large transportation craft made of wood separating them. After Rooke inspected the coins, Amaco smiled at him. “So do we have a deal?” She asked, then added, “And if it’s for some reason not enough, I will pay you the rest when I receive the blade finished to perfection."

---

Johnathan smirked as Amaco elaborated on the weapon being a gift for someone dear to her, and he could not be more intrigued to find out exactly who and what it was for, but there was still a lot of time. Taking the pouch in his hand, he carefully opened it to examine the contents - about a hundred Ryse galleons!

He exhaled deeply - Ryse currency hadn't been pressed for more than a century, but it was made of high purity metals, and was predominantly found in pirate stashes or noble's vaults. The metal in each coin was worth considerably more than 10 of our modern day gold coins. This would indeed be more than enough to cover the costs of the weapon, but not in the traditional sense. This voyage was not trip for profits - this was likely to be a one way journey, and Johnathan knew that - so this fine gold, with its affinity for magic, could be useful for enchanting weapons.

One question now dominated his mind: Why would a lowly sailor, be carrying such wealth on her person with this much confidence? He could not fathom it - there was so much that he wanted to ask, but knew that he would not get an abrupt answer in his favour. This young lass had found him, not the other way round, and she must have known him well enough to know of the level of craftsmanship required to forge this blade would be beyond some newblooded smith.

Who are you, Miss Amaco, and how do you know me?

As he closed the pouch, he found another smaller pouch being placed into his other hand. Weighing it, and judging it to be about a quarter of the size of the first pouch, he nodded slowly, with a slight puff.

"Aye, lass," he says, looking up at her with a grin, "I guess we do have a deal. I'll get started as soon as I am able to access the ship's forge."

One thing he knew for sure, was that this would not be the last meeting he would have with Amaco.

Amaco

Amaco smiled at Jonathan. He seemed equally pleased and intrigued by her payment. He appeared to be thinking before he finally looked up at her. He agreed to her deal and she hoped he would have it done soon. She couldn’t wait to know how it would feel in her hands. “Thank you, Rooke. And if I am pleased with your work, which no doubt I will be, you will be seeing more of me.” She smiled again at him and glanced around the ship. A much more pressing thought crossed her mind. Eventually there would be a full moon and she would be forced to find somewhere to change safely. Normally it wasn’t a problem. Sometimes the Mongrels would put her in the cellar, but other times they let her run around the forest, hunting all night. This was preferable, but without a pack for her to run with, she sometimes got lost and it would take a day or two to find her way back home. She knew the forest well, but her human form traveled a lot slower compared to the panther-human hybrid form.

She replaced her hood and began pacing the edge of the ship. This craft was ginormous and it would take a few days to explore the whole thing. Catching sight of the captain once more, Amaco stopped and watched him for a minute, before deciding to approach him. She still had a little more than a week before the full moon, and she figured there would be plenty of room below. She’d have to find chains too. And the supply of meat. I’m sure there will be plenty of fish, she thought and her stomach growled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten breakfast.

When she thought of the panther, her stomach churned slightly. She had changed so many times, she could almost feel the pain just thinking about it. But when she was the panther, she felt alive. She almost preferred it. That was only when she chose to change of course. During the full moon she couldn’t control herself. Amaco didn’t mind much though, she wasn’t afraid to rip anyone apart. In fact, she loved it. The panther loves it.. she thought, wondering where the desire to kill really came from. However, hunting wasn’t an option on this ship. No one could know her secret, and she definitely couldn’t eat anyone. She’d be overboard within the hour. Unless no one found out… she smirked.

Soon enough she was standing near Elcid and the smell of wolf was overwhelming. Now that she was so close to him she realized the different, almost stronger smell was coming from him. The aroma wasn’t necessarily bad, but both of her packs raised her to hate wolves. Before she was a werecat she remembered having a dog, but he died a few years before she turned. Her lip sneered unintentionally as she looked at him. “Captain Elcid,” she began and swallowed. Amaco started removing the maps from her bag to show him. “My name is Amaco Hana; I am the navigator for this trip,” she bit her lip to avoid letting a growl escape her throat. Mac adjusted her hood and stared at him, wondering how he would react if she just asked him what he was. With that thought she realized if she knew what he was so easily, of course he knew was she was. Suddenly fear sank in. If there was something different about him, he could be stronger than her. She stepped back slightly, and angled herself so he couldn’t see her face. “When are we leaving?” she asked, all of a sudden feeling very anxious to leave the shore.