Sir Blut

He is always seen wearing a white sailor's blouse and trousers, frequently smoking herbs from his pipe.
He wears a belt with a scabbard and his cavalry saber in it, and dark brown leather boots.

I was born in a small village situated between a sea and a mountain range. 

The day the outsiders attacked was a sunny day in Spring, a time when everything was covered in green. I was 16 years old that day.
The alarms sounded, simple bells placed atop a short tower in the village square.
The lookout reported a fleet of ships on the horizon. The masts bore no flag.

As brittle as our defenses were, they were prepared.
We only had about a dozen cannon, and just over twenty able-bodied guards to defend the village.

The ships carved through the waves like butter. My little brother was on the beach as the flagship fired a warning shot. He died instantly. Wretched men stormed through butchering every soul they saw.  I galloped through the town slashing as many attackers as possible as I escaped. For all I know, the only survivors were me and my Midnight.

Midnight's coat was as black as the night is, his mane radiantly shining. He was the most beautiful horse I had ever come across, and the fastest too. Unfortunately, horses aren't great at climbing mountains; the invaders found me at the base of it.

After a good beating, I was put in the brig of the flagship. A dirty man with one eye, his menacing grin showing four or five teeth shoved me in my filthy cell. I heard the sound of Midnight struggling with the crew who attempted to restrain him. A good strong horse would fetch them a pretty penny. For my people, a horse is priceless transportation, cover, and companion.

Chapter 2

A metallic rock, glowing with a golden atmosphere lay in the corner of my cage. I picked it up, studying it carefully. Suddenly I felt my limbs being pulled and torn apart torn, then darkness. My next memory is sitting, back against an oak tree in a town square.  Midnight had nudged me awake. I looked around disoriented.

I felt the stone in my hand and it seemed to be vibrating gently. It felt like I drank a thousand beers the night before. A torrential stream empties the contents of my stomach and when I recovered, I stood and mounted Midnight.

Leading Midnight across the square, I received strange looks from the townspeople. Here and there people were pointing and whispering. Guards rounded the corner and confronted me.

I"What is your business here?" one of them demanded.
"I ...I don't even know how I got here! What's the -"

"Search him!" They yanked me off Midnight and patted me down.

One of them held something they took from my pocket. 
"What.. ?," he said, examining the shining rock. He gasped.
"Arrest the witch! he commanded.

Two men restrained me. The one that held the rock beat me as I resisted; blackness.

Chapter 3

It was difficult to crack my eyes open. A cell.. This one was at least nicer than the one on that ghostly ship.. It had a straw bed. A desk under the window with a splintery chair.
I stood on the desk, peering through the bars of the window. I saw nothing but a stone wall directly in front which seemed to stretch for miles. I wracked my brain and reflected on the past few days, figuring I might remember a clue as to why all of this was happening.

"We've been waiting for you"

I jumped up and hit my head on the ceiling. I straightened myself out. An ancient fellow in the neighboring cell with a long, white beard laughed at me. He donned a shabby robe and what I thought looked like a jester's hat.

"Come with me!" called he with the silly hat slightly falling off.

"You've gone mad..." said I.
He waved his hand. I found myself sitting on a log outside a small cottage and I felt the same as at the town square. I started wretching violently and not having eaten since my village was massacred, nothing but my stomach acid would come out.
When I got myself together, I asked the man, "How did we get here? I just want to go.." 

"We can help you. We are your allies. Let us help you."

Marilyn put something in my hand and it looked like the magic rock, but the vibration was gone and it lost it's shine. He explained he was one of the greatest sorcerers of all time, and wanted to train my mind to unlock lost potential. Why? I don't know. I still don't know who "we" were.
I kept asking whom the "others" were, but instead of telling me he said that one day I would be ready to understand, that I was meant for something great, and he would train me to unlock my full potential.
I got up steadfast and ran away. I wasn't going to get arrested again or go to hell for witchcraft!

Chapter 4

A year passed by my lonesome. One night after excessive drinking, I got in an argument with a stranger. He challenged me to a duel with sabres, which went on for a good half hour. We realized neither of us could best the other, had a laugh and went back in the pub for more drinks. That was the beginning of my friendship with Miec. He was a knight of the King's Hussars heavy cavalry and helped me to join, though this was an elite force only for noblemen. 

My dear friend died during a charge some couple of years later. I asked for discharge from the fine cavalry force as my depression got the better of me, but I had many years of service left that I was obligated to do. So I deserted and I traveled and spent a lot of time at the docks, observing the ships coming in and out of the harbor. I decided I had to leave this place and find a new adventure. I had saved most of my wages for a few years, save for drinking money and managed to buy a small ship.

I knew nothing of seafaring, so I hoped the men I find would compensate for that. "You all know why you have been called here. Who will join me in my quest for riches and glory?," I whispered in the dark corner of the pub.
The broken men signed their names on the list.

Chapter 5

The freedom of the sea suited me. I felt invincible.

My men had been partying the night away due to our last success and most were drunk as a skunk. The lords knows I enjoy a good drink myself, but didn't partake. It wasn't beneath me to share in all of the duties with my men. As I was doing my rounds on watch, the mutineers barged out of their quarters, armed with wooden planks. 

I pulled a flintlock out and fired it point blank and a man dropped.
"Belay this nonsense!" I yelled, confused about this sudden loss of loyalty.
Another pulled a dagger. Quickly I threw the pistol and pulled out another; holding it by the barrel. As he lunged at me I cracked his skull with the butt of the weapon. Adjusting to hold the weapon correctly, I cocked it back.

Abruptly, cannon fire erupted out from the distance. The main mast split in half and fell on most of the men. Then I nearly lost my footing due to another vessel colliding with the side of the ship, snuck upon us int he black of night. The King's men promptly boarded and arrested those of us that weren't crushed by the mast. I found out later the lookout had been blacked out drunk.

Chapter 6

I sighed a weary sigh. Another cell. 
I began looking around for a way to get out, to avoid the trial that would end in my hanging.
A rusty length of wire was in the corner. I picked it up and approached the cell door.
 The crew and the guard were fast asleep. I inserted the wire into the keyhole and jiggled it inside the lock. Just as I heard a click, the guard woke.

"Ay!"

He walked up to my cell and ripped the door open. He hit me in the side of the head with the butt of his musket. Dazed, I grabbed the knife stuffed in his belt and stabbed him in between his neck and right shoulder. As he fell limp to the floor, I took the musket still gripped in his dead hands, as well as the keyring, and ran out to the top of the deck. We were docked.

I threw myself on the docks, surprised no one chased me and it was deserted. There was a small pinnace docked. "Too easy..." I thought to myself, and since that was my only chance of escape I boarded her.
As I was untying the boat I saw guards running towards the docks shouting. I aimed the musket in panic and fired. A yelp and one of them held their leg as the other kept advancing. 

When I untied it the boat flew forward. Soon the port was far away on the horizon with the sunset.

Epilogue

After an hour of sailing, a huge maelstrom opened up, glowing with a ghostly green. I felt the stone in my pocket vibrating and I reached for it. It was glowing once more with a shine brighter than when I first laid eyes on it.

The vessel and I were swallowed by the sea. So this is how it ends, I thought to myself, breathless and closed my eyes.
I fell unconscious as I suffocated and had a vision. The old sorcerer appeared in front of me chanting in an ancient tongue, then switched to one I understood "We are..."
Next thing I knew, I woke up in what I know now is the first floor of the paper cabin. It was my mission to find out how I got here and return back to my world. In the end I chose to stay.

End

: Gljivoje greets Ouoar with raised finger
Gljivoje: (not middle finger :)
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Asthir: OMG, Chewy2 gives me positive honor! :D
: Asthir sicks Chewett2
: Sir Blut pokes Intrigue
: Asthir slaps himself due to day of tranquility
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  Eleyne trots a little to her right, an ear fixed at the dragon's direction
Draconas: *sighs* one meal will have to do
 Eleyne trots a bit further in the same direction, before stopping and looking at the dragon
Tal: I think he tries to mate with you.
Draconas: when i get my strength back horsy
Draconas: eww no
Draconas: she is no draca
 Lania wishes she had a third palm so she can triple facepalm
 Eleyne shakes her head and nickers in a way that makes her sound like chuckling

Draconas: that be gross

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