B.M.A. [8/11/17]: Where They Get Got

Scream 'Fire!!!' as to draw out the attention of any active person(s) on the ship. Not recommended if you wish to stay on everybody's good side.

>Head down to the Galley, for that is where the food is

>You've probably not had a decent meal for a while, so why not check out the ship's kitchen and see if there's anything cooking?

Equip fancy hat, introduce yourself. Maintain eye contact for a lasting impression!

...actually, he's a hyena. But oh well, who's asking, they all look the same anyway.

Might wanna ask when's mealtime going to happen, you recently just ejected all that food in your stomach and you're famished like a typical lizard-person.

Vivian: Make a note to remind yourself to use your [ mystery entry] stat to sneak into the PILOTING room and OFFICER'S MESS later. You've got to keep in practice and hone your skills so you can Mysteriously Enter more inaccessible locations in the future. Not now, of course. At the moment you are entranced by Joe's magnificent bow-tie and his manly glower. The otter is a clownish imbecile. Let's listen in on their conversation with our [scrawny] stat! This should be entertaining.

“...no, it is not true what they say about hyena ladies. I wish people would stop spreading that absurd rumor!” the bartender says with a low, deliberate voice. You remember that his name is Joe - it does not sound like a traditional hyena-folk name, but you do not want to presume.
“Right, right, but is it really true?” The otter sounds lilting, like a playful melody. “Could it have been that you missed a spot? Or perhaps you're just telling me what the big boys have told you…?”
“For the record I have verified this personally and up close several times, and I wish you would stop making these baseless allegations. Now drop this subject!”
“Aw, but you're funny when you're grumpy!” The otter nevertheless turns away before Joe does something regrettable. He notices you.



“H-hi! I'm Vivian, pleased​ to make your acquaintance!”
“Oh no, the pleasure's all mine! I've never seen a face as pretty as yours before, it sets my heart aflame! Your wish is my command, oh beautiful lady, I will do anything you desire!”
“Ohgosh really?”



“Who knows! Stick around and we'll see if that turns out to be true or not. Let me introduce myself, Jan van Dijk the prince uncrowned of all thieves-”
“And liars.”
“-and liars, at your service!”
“Funny how royalty as yourself deigns to become the ship's cabin boy.”
“A-ha, therein lies the trick! Nobody pays attention to the coming and going of servants. We, the invisibles hear the juiciest gossip and witness the naughtiest secrets!”

Joe replies with silence and resumes polishing the earthenware jugs with angry strokes.





“I'm impressed if not flattered. Where's​ the rest of the crew? I’ve barely seen anyone around here.”
“That’s a funny story: when I - well, mostly I and some helpful friends - stole this ship from the Imperial drydocks we forgot to tell the crew on shore leave that we're taking her! We're fully stocked but otherwise running with an absolute skeleton crew. Don't worry, being able to handle it is the beauty of this ship!”
“Skeletons!?”
Jan’s eyes light up but Joe cuts him short. “It means a minimal crew.”
“Feh, and I had a good tall tale prepared too… Anyhow, the mopey girl is at the helm, our engineer at belowdecks, and the captain at officer's mess - speaking of which, I need to get this meal delivered. The others you have to find by yourself, catch you later!”

With that the otter departs whistling a jaunty tune and carrying a silver tray covered with cloth.

You pull yourself up on the table where Joe works.



“Hi! We’ve met before, I’m Vivian remember me? I just wanted to say that you look much fancier than the other guy!”
Joe glowers at you, trying to detect a hint of mockery but your sincere face wins him over. “Thanks. It’s what I was wearing when I was dragged along on this ship of fools.”
“Oh right, you were there too so I guess you couldn’t stay back home at Vanda either? You’re with the rebels, then?”
“Something like that. A word of warning: keep your distance.”
“Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to pry!”
“No, I meant that literally. These are my only clothes and I’ve worn them for two days straight.”
“I’m sorry I don’t quite follow?”
“My underwear situation is getting dire.”
“Oh! Sweating! That’s a thing you mammals do!”



“What do you want from me?”
“Sorry, I just wanted to know what you do around here?”
Joe sighs. “They put me in charge of victuals, seeing that I have experience in catering.”
“That means food, right?”
“Correct.”
“Could I then have something to eat..?”
“It is not lunch hour yet.”
“Pretty please?”
“No.”
“But I just barfed a lot! You wouldn’t believe how much came out of me!”
“Will you go away if I say yes?”
“Yes!”
“Fine, you can have the pan scratchings. Now make yourself scarce!”

I think we should head belowdecks and meet the Engineer!

Use your [small] stature to skulk and observe your prey new acquaintance before going in for the introduction

Your fingers itch with to touch that shiny alluring bowtie more than anything in this world, but the look on Joe’s face makes you hesitate. You rein in your sartorial desires - for now.







After nibbling on the crunchy fritters dripping with salt and fat you feel invigorated again. You thank Joe who replies with shooing noises, and head on the deck again.



The middle of the ship has three tall masts towering over you like the bald cypress trees back at the swamp, pale but shrouded in billowing sails instead of lichen and moss, the snapping of rigging struggling against the wind loud in your small ears. For some reason the lines controlling them are not tied fast to the deck structures, but instead disappear below the deck through brass grommets with some unseen mechanism reeling and steadying them.



Another strange structure towards the fore part makes you stop - a large iron pipe juts up from the belowdecks and wafts gently billowing white smoke. Someone saw it fit to build a chimney on the ship? Isn’t that a really dangerous thing to have on a wooden craft?



You climb up to the forecastle, as abandoned as other parts of the ship. Before your eyes spreads out the open sea, vast and without limits. Far in the horizon you can see stormclouds gathering, black and brooding, but for now the ship is gliding across a mirror colored ocean, cutting the sparkling waters effortlessly. She is a sleek, powerful beast carrying you to wherever you want to go - well, wherever her captain wants to go - and you feel an urge to get on the bowsprit, spread your arms and yell something about flying.

You do that.





Enough tomfoolery, time to see the engineer!

You go down one level. You find yourself on the gun deck, a large cavernous space lined with rows of fierce weapons of war, their brazen maws frozen in mid roar just waiting to be heard. You see no one else so you descend deeper into the belly of the ship. The next level is where the crew resides, including your cabin, the same one where the galley is located. You move past it down to the storage which has its entrance firmly locked, and finally below it lies the engineering.



You hear the sound of big machine, the heat of metal fatigue and smoldering coal blasting against your face. The space is cramped and filled with hissing pipes, coiled around massive crankshafts making slow, ponderous motion. At the heart of the space is the furnace, pitch black from soot and pulsing with hungry red glow.

You spy on the engineer.

(The mechanics are explained within the spoiler)



A dice roll is made…



Eww, she’s picking dead skin between her toes and eating it.

Are toe pickins really any more gross than the pan scrapins we just ate a few minutes ago? Maybe this is a grooming ritual among the whatever kind of people this engineer is. A frog? Engine room seems like an unpleasant environment for an amphibian; she must have terrible problems with her skin drying out .. and .. flaking .. riiight.

Vivian: Go back and enter clumsily, making lots of racket. See if you can manage to break something, in order to endear yourself. Engineers love repairing things; it's their whole reason for existing.