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Post by ArtoriusRex on Mar 26, 2016 16:35:14 GMT
Having arrived in Portchester, Saewine is quick to offload his skeins of wool and sell them at market. He heads into town, and advertises once more that he is searching for twenty good men and true, for sailing between the Horneys and Portchester. He also brings news of the situation in Godenburgh, relaying it to all that are interested, putting it about that the Bishop is hunting those of Pagan persuasion, and according to rumour, nailing them to bits of wood like Theos.
He bids his companions farewell for now. Once the sailors for the Horney Jarl's boat are found, Saewine will fill the rest of the boat with foodstuffs, and set sail once more for the Horneys.
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Post by Admin on Mar 26, 2016 16:49:50 GMT
With help from his crew, Saewine beats, cajoles, and otherwise entices the men into the boat. A further twenty men are roused out, mostly lubbers, a few fishermen interested at the prospect of a stable income, and they are crammed into the tub.
With the all the men aboard, there is little room for extra vittles, 7 bushels are squeezed in for 7 crowns.
Total cost of the affair:
-7 - Sale of 5 skeins of wool
7 - 10 bushels of victuals
5 - consumption, fees, and recruitment
Total cost 5 crowns
He coasts off on the tide, and makes for Big Horney... the journey is uneventful, taking 2 and a half days with the fair Nor'easter blowing but a wallowing boat.
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Post by ArtoriusRex on Mar 26, 2016 16:57:26 GMT
"Right! Lovely! Here we go, then..."
Once the voyage is done, Saewine turns to Osric, the truly seaworthy companion.
"Now, Osric, I will want you to captain the Jarl's longboat for me. Naturally, you're worth more than the wages I've been giving the rest of the men, so I'll bump you up to three crowns a week on top of your food. Does that sound agreeable?"
Saewine also sees to the Jarl. He makes the announcement that he's arrived with men for the boat, and will seek to sail to Portchester once the Jarl is happy to continue with the agreed work.
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Post by Admin on Mar 31, 2016 20:05:26 GMT
As Saewine makes his way into the harbour, he notes that there are 3 more longships moored by that offered to him, and there is a great deal of activity on shore, raising a new cross-tree for one, splicing the rigging on another, armed men milling about aboard and ashore.
He is kept waiting for some time in the Jarl's longhouse, he can hear raised voices, but cannot make out what is being said.
When he is finally admitted to see the Jarl, he seems agitated, yet excited. "Saewine, you have the crew for the boat? Good, good. We need them. What news from Godenburgh?"
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Post by ArtoriusRex on Apr 1, 2016 20:16:56 GMT
"My Lord..." Saewine bows, "... Seems to have matters other than sea trade at mind."
"Regardless. There appears to be some unease in Godenburgh. I was advised to leave by a Theist Deacon before my crew and I were brought before a Bishop, and executed for our alleged paganry. It would seem that there is some discontent with this Bishop. It's believed that this Bishop has poisoned the King's mind with ill advice."
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Post by Admin on Apr 8, 2016 20:48:21 GMT
"Hmm... That little bastard. Is this why I've not been getting any shipments then? Well, where will you be bringing my supplies in from, if you can't touch at Godenburgh?"...
"Oh, you didn't happen to see how many ships they had? Just out of curiosity"...
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Post by ArtoriusRex on Apr 10, 2016 12:21:23 GMT
Saewine points towards Osric.
"I did not count ships, my lord, but if necessary, I can send Osric to sail by Godenburgh under the pretence of fishing with my ship. He still has nets, and will bring the produce here. For myself, I'd intended to make for Portchester. Supplies are plentiful there, if a little further away."
Saewine casts a furtive glance at the ship being assembled. He thinks to himself that if all the Jarl's dreams and ambitions came true, Godenburgh would soon be open to pagan trade.
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Post by Admin on Apr 10, 2016 13:32:19 GMT
"No need for that, I've a few of my boats here, I'll send one of them... If only Aelfred would get back with the Isenwind. But never mind. Carry on."
During his time with the Earl, the men have flogged the stock, and are ready by their boats... awaiting Saewine's decision as to who will command which.
The longboat is an impressive vessel. A single, twenty foot, mast with a large square sail. Room for twenty oars each side. Capacious, yet with a fairly shallow draught, and room for the crewmen to rest under the waists.
You note that you could probably stretch a piece of canvas along the forestay, give here a bit more thrust in lighter airs and might bring her a few points closer to the wind.
Although she is technically destined to ply supplies to the Horneys, you note with satisfaction that she is no mere traders vessel, and could carry quite a crew, if required...
Much of the victuals are required aboardships for the crews, but you manage to sell 10 none the less for a healthy profit - earning 20 crowns.
The wages and such cost 2 cr for Osric, and 9 for the rest...
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Post by ArtoriusRex on Apr 10, 2016 14:15:19 GMT
OoC: Has the Earl's ship been loaded with the promised wool and salt lamb?
"Oh, this WILL be a treat!" Saewine exclaims, rubbing his hands together a lá Khazar. He points Osric to the Gwenhwyfar, and bids him captain it to Portchester.
Soon, Saewine is aboard the ship. He gives Osric orders to stay as close as he can to the Earlship, and that he will not try to outsail the smaller boat; safety in numbers.
Technically, Saewine was now a commander of a fleet. His grandmother often told him tales of the Remans, passed down from her mother, a Bretan prostitute. Had the Remans remained, Saewine would have been an Admiral, maybe even a Commodore. Think on that! A true and noble counterpart to Artorius Rex, Remano-Bretan Emperor, and supposedly Saewine's great grandfather, if his great grandmother could be believed. Though she did sleep with half Artorius' army.
Putting such thoughts from his mind with a sour grimace, he set to work, and gave the order to cast off for Portchester.
OoC: I'll deal with the extra sheet in Portchester.
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Post by Admin on Apr 12, 2016 19:30:15 GMT
His cargo laid in, and men at the oars, the Earn slips out of the harbour and out into the offing. With a full complement, she could travel against the wind, but with her skeleton crew, she hauls her sail and makes her way east to weather the isles and tack south to Portchester, Gwenhwyfar in tow. It does not take long for the Earn's vastly superior sailing to completely outstrip her little cousin, and by the afternoon her sails need to be reefed to allow the noble tub to catch up.
An awkward spring blow from the north forces the fleet to strike soundings off Little Horney for a few days, together with a boat of tar out of Portchester, making its way to the continent. The skipper happily mentions the valuable venture he has, bringing fir down the Humber to be turned into tar, and exported throughout the south...
After the gale has blown itself out, with wind turns into the south, wafting with it the first warm air of summer, and the little squadron coasts into Portchester, one week later.
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