video; un: nautaboat

[nautmagical]

Afternoon!

[It's a rather boisterous greeting, from a man standing on a very icy dock down in Darcmouth. Long coat buttoned up to his chin, hat securely in place on his head. His... face is just plain covered in tattoos.]

[Seemingly ignoring the cold, he gestures to a hunk of ice behind him. Wait, no. Is that - that's a boat. Despite the fact the ship is entirely encrusted in ice, he seems rather upbeat, pleased, even.]

I've been told - [There's a slow drawl to the words. And a hint of an accent. Like he'd belong in the Caribbean.] - the locals've no use for this particular ship.

Unfortunately...! The mechanisms of her are a mystery to me. She's not a sail in sight. So I'm looking for capable hands - clear the ice, put up sails, and the like.

If you've any experience at sea, I won't say no to that, either. What's a captain without crew? [He shakes his head, ruefully.] Though I doubt there's many sights to be seen on this particular sea.

Comments

audio; un: padlocks

[enblightened]

Hm. Quite the undertaking, Captain, but if it has mechanisms, no doubt several here could assist.

I could lend a hand in a few respects, if you wish.

[nautmagical]

I should hope. Such a vessel is unfamiliar to me... and I'd thought I'd seen everything set to float.

I'd be a fool to turn down assistance. Long as you're not bothered by a bit of cold.

[It's fucking freezing, but whatever, we'll downplay it.]

[enblightened]

Due to my... condition, the cold does not bother me as much as it would an average man.

I will be there. Give me a day and time.

[nautmagical]

Ah, I see. Handy, that.

[Look on the bright side about your doggy side, Bigby.]

Tomorrow, perhaps. Light's getting low, and it'll be far too cold for any sort of ice removal.

[enblightened]

It does occasionally have its uses. I will give it that.

A wise decision. Working in the dark would be foolhardy indeed.

[nautmagical]

Indeed. Hate to run her aground once she's free of ice... such a waste.

[Plus, you know, people could slip and fall into the water. And not everyone can swim like he can.]

I look forward to your assistance.

[enblightened]

I will attempt to not disappoint.

Until then, Captain.

[nautmagical]

I very much doubt you will.

Unless you drown. Then I may be a tad disappointed.

[Bruh that's not funny.]

[enblightened]

[Maybe it's not the best humor, but he still lets out a soft huffed noise of amusement. Then again, he's been around worse gallows humor.]

I would be disappointed in myself in that case.

[nautmagical]

Not to worry. Should you slip and fall in, I'm well acquainted with swimming after men gone overboard.

[Thankfully it'd just be on the docks...]

[enblightened]

Of that I've no doubt. Still, I ought to be fine, I imagine.

[nautmagical]

Very well.

I shall see you soon, then.

video; un: seeingtheworld

[schoolingfish]

It's frozen...I've never been anywhere cold enough to freeze the ocean before. I'm not sure if I can even get into the water when it's this cold.

[Which Luca definitely seems a bit disturbed by, which might not be surprising since Vasco's seen his true form.]

I'd help, but...I mean, I have a lot of experience with the sea, but not really a lot of experience with boats. And the sea here is weird.

[nautmagical]

A rare happening, to be sure. Haven't seen it before myself, but stories among the Nauts speak of it.

[There's nowhere they haven't explored, after all.]

Not to worry. If you've a mind for it, we can always use a cabin boy, once the ship's sorted.

[schoolingfish]

Oh, I could do that! Maybe. What's a cabin boy do?

[He's assuming it's a fairly easy job if it doesn't take much knowledge of ships, but he figures it might be a good idea to check.]

[nautmagical]

Run messages to the crew, make deliveries... a dozen other small tasks that always need doing.

[It's not very hard, no. Especially on a ship that probably will have a radio. Not that Vasco is familiar with what a radio is.]

[schoolingfish]

Oh! Yeah, I could do that!

[nautmagical]

'Course you could!

Once she's seaworthy, s'pose I'll put out another call for crew. Expect to see you answer, lad.

[schoolingfish]

I'll keep an eye out for it.

Video, UN R.BECKET

[righthemisphere]

I hate to be the one to break it to you but that's a tugboat. Tugboats don't have sails so you might be out of luck, there.

[nautmagical]

Tugboat? [Oh huh, that's a new term.] I've never heard of such a thing.

How's it move, without sails then? No place for oarsmen aboard...

[righthemisphere]

[Never heard.. who hasn't heard..

C'mon Raleigh. Stop being so waterside Alaskan.

Oarsmen, though.. ohh- This is some future shit to tattoo man. Right. Well you are in luck, meet Raleigh. A big fuckin history nerd with a boner for heavy machinery.]

Doesn't need them. The boat has a motor driven propeller on the bottom. One man can sail this vessel.

Not that I advise it.

Tugboats are used to pull or push larger ships in and out of port.

[nautmagical]

A motor. [Man, Raleigh they don't even have steam engines where he's from.] Some mechanical thing, I take it.

[Shouldn't be too hard to learn. He's a Naut, after all.]

Ahh... how ingenious. Wouldn't have to wait for the wind or tide, then. I like it. [Of course he does.]

It'll do! Soon as she's free of ice.

[righthemisphere]

I could help you with that. The ice and the motor. If you still need a hand.

[nautmagical]

Of course. Wouldn't say no to another.

Doesn't look to be an easy job, does it?

[righthemisphere]

[He laughs and shakes his head no.]

Nah, you'll need a whole team of coldbloods to dig that old girl out.

[nautmagical]

Or a very dedicated team with chisels.

[With a little amused nod.]

[righthemisphere]

That too. I'll swing by tomorrow morning bright and early and we'll get started?

[nautmagical]

I shall look forward to it.

audio; un: erwinsmith

[13thcommander]

I've never been to sea myself, but I'd be interested in learning. If nothing else, I can help with the ice removal.

[nautmagical]

Never? You're entirely serious?

[It's like this guy just said he walks backwards with shoes on his hands.]

I'll take any capable hands, though.

[13thcommander]

I come from a world where the sea was inaccessible to me.

[It's a long story. Explaining walking backwards with shoes on his hands would probably take a shorter amount of time.]

I take it you're experienced with ocean travel and exploration?

[nautmagical]

Inaccessible...

[The way he says it certainly makes it sound as if he'd been told the other man does walk backward. With shoes on his hands.]

I am a Naut - the sea is... it is as much a part of us as blood or bone. My whole life has been aboard a ship.

[So yeah, he's a bit experienced.]

[13thcommander]

How incredible.

[Which Erwin means with all sincerity! Living life on the water sounds fascinating.]

You'll have to forgive my ignorance to all this nautical. I can assure you that I'm a fast learner.

[A pause.]

What's it like, being out on the ocean?

[nautmagical]

Then you've come to the right man. Seeing as I appear to be the only Naut about.

[Can't have a better teacher than a Naut, in his totally not biased opinion.]

Ah - [Well that's. Sure a question. He pauses, rubbing at his chin.] - sooner be easier to describe color to a blind man. There is nothing greater, nothing as terrifying, untamed, familiar, as the sea.

It has been my life since birth.

[13thcommander]

[Considering he calls himself a Naut and Erwin has made the connection between Naut and nautical, that opinion is probably not biased at all.]

Do your people have land they call home? An island or the like? Or is your entire world out on the water?

[nautmagical]

An island, yes. Though, I've not spent much time there, myself. The longer I stay at sea, the better.

[Unless someone named De Sarde yanks him off on a quest...]

[13thcommander]

[Ugh, getting dragged off on a quest. THE WORST! Except Erwin is usually the one doing the dragging, so maybe he could appreciate the impulse.]

That's astonishing.

[Erwin is warming to this subject immensely.]

Clearly, I'll be learning about the sea from the very best, then.