077 The Not-Immortal Blacksmith II – The Big Ship Sailed
Isle of Golstran
8st of Aneal, the first month of snow
From the journal of Maxwell Smithson
We left Golstran this morning with the tide, on a ship bound for the western elvish coast. There will be several ports of call along the way and I’m sure we will get off and tour some of the cities. I hope to have some fun on the rest of this trip as opposed to working.
The ship we have boarded is called The Crystal Star and is what the captain calls a “Cruise Ship”. It is large. No, that’s not quite right, the ship is huge! With a length three hundred forty-seven feet and a beam of fifty-two feet. By the gods who aren’t assholes, I love ships.
According to the captain, the three masts are capable of holding a total of 23 square sails for a total of almost 32,300 square feet of sail. She moves fast. Apparently, there is a magical bit in the aft of the ship that can propel the ship forward in case of doldrums; it is slower than the wind and is mana intensive to run. I asked if I could see it, and was told NO. I can respect that decision as everyone deserves their secrets. I worry about Grendel looking into it.
There are five decks, berths for almost a hundred passengers, fifty odd crew, and still room for some hundred tons of cargo. Brianna and I have a cabin to ourselves and Grendel is sharing with Brandywine.
While I am busy exploring the ship, Brandy discovered the first bar on board, and got busy getting drunk. Grendel hit up the crew for gambling, and Bri got an “Elvish Massage”.
Today has been a wonderful day.
11th of Aneal
We have passed what Bri likes to call “My Islands” … Well, actually she calls the “Max’s Islands”. I don’t actually own them, but she says that doesn’t matter as I am the one in charge of them. Maybe I should gift them to her…whatever.
The sea has been a bit rough, with some waves breaking over the bow. Most other ships would have fled the storms by now, but our captain seems to know his stuff, and we keep floating. Sitting on the top deck and watching the storms cross the ocean has been the highlight of the trip so far.
I found the second bar yesterday and used it as a place to drink so I could get away from Brandie’s awful EXCELLENT singing. Grendel has learned a new game called “Checkers”, named after the checked board it is played on. He learned to play it properly it from a pair of old men in the depths of the ship, after they trounced him for almost all of his gambling profits. Old men are scarry. He calls them “Long Tooth” and “Curmudgeon”. Both men talk with a strange accent.
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Tomorrow, around noon we will be making port in Smootlevil, in the Cadow province of Garthia. I have heard there is a nice temple there to some god or other. I plan on visiting as it has been…several years since I’ve been.
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12th of Anael, Noonish.
Max, Bri, and an uncomfortable Grendel stood on the pier in Smootlevil’s harbor. Due to the draft of the large ship, they were at the far end of the pier, with some three hundred plus yards to walk to get to the shore.
Grendel, being Grendel, he was not thrilled to be out in the sun, especially with-it being noon, as opposed to a more reasonable hour, like after supper. He was also incensed at the new “fancy” clothing he was forced to wear. He had tried the “Buuuutttttt, Briiiii…” to no avail.
Stupid appearances to keep up. Stupid clothing you can barely move in. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. He thought when Max bent down and whispered into his ear, “Look at it like this, in order to case a target, you need to blend in with the crowd. This is just practice.” And suddenly, Grendel was smiling.
The trip to the cathedral took almost an hour, most of which was spent moving through crowded narrow streets. But finally, the trio arrived at their destination, the “Temple of the Holy Lover”. Upon arrival, the three looked over the front gate, with its three-pointed stars of love, and the (anatomically correct) hearts pierced by spears of love.
Bri was the first to speak, “While the craft of this gate is amazing, I do wonder why it is so graphic.”
Grendel nodded, already knowing what a heart looked like from previous experience. “Right? Even for me, the red paint on the spear heads is a bit graphic. As is the blood spatter.”
Max only nodded along, as he peered intently at the blood effects. “Actually, the blood effects are either a ceramic coating, or a burnished bronze.”
Off to the trio’s left a light laugh caught their attention. “You are quite correct, good sir!” A young man spoke, “It is actually a chrome/tin glaze, mixed and fired just right to get the perfectly proper shade of burgundy.” Then the man smiled, and the blinding white of his teeth dazzled the three. “Would you like a tour of the temple? It is one of my favorite places to tour, and I like to believe that I know it better than the guides do.”
Max and Bri exchanged a look, then Max spoke, “We would be delighted, Sir?”
“Oh, no sir to my name, I am Jack. Just Jack, I have no family name to drag me down.” Jack replied, flashing his smile again. “Now if you would follow me?” And he led them through the gate and up the wide avenue to the cathedral.
Hours were spent walking the halls and admiring the little traces of personal touches the crafters had left to show they had been there. Things like the carved mouse under the grand organ, and the exceedingly tiny triple ellipse inclusion on the most intricate stained-glass window above the great “Alter of Love” that they had had to climb six sets of stairs, bypass three monks, and crawl out on a ledge to see. All told there were sixteen different masterpiece marks scattered throughout the cathedral. Maxwell had an absolutely wonderful time. Bri and Grendel? Less so.
At the conclusion of the tour, the three were asked if they would like to join Jack for dinner, before they returned to the ship. “It won’t take too long, less than an hour, and according to the sundial, your ship won’t be departing for another three hours?”
Tired and hungry as they were, the trio agreed.