» Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:15 pm I clung to the railing like a madman, my knuckles turning a purplish white tint, as once again the queer notion of falling upside down swept through me. Dropping to my knees and resting my head between the slick boards in the railing, I prepared to retch the remnants of my guts over the side of the flailing ship. The bitter stung of acidic refuse burned the whole way up my [censored] throat as I vomited for the umpteenth time this night.
Groggily wiping my sleeve across my mouth, I let my head fall to rest between my thighs, the ship's violent rocking banging my forehead and nose against the rough sandalwood planking.
What in Sheogorath's name am I doing here, I thought to myself, I can't swim and we're going to capsize in this floating piss-hole.
Oh that's right, the wager. If I had known the trouble it would cause me I would have run screaming from that dingy backroom and not stopped till I was clear across the Empire. But I didn't know and, not having the foresight to bring a few cards up my sleeve, I lost that gentlemanly game of Red Septims. And so now I am on my way towards a mist shrouded island in the middle of the Pandomaic Ocean on a fool's errand to find some family heirloom of the thieving bastard Orlac. I just know he slipped in that Ace when no one was looking.
The boat lurched again sending me sprawling across the deck, a few men stumbling over my prone form and cursing profoundly. It was going to be a long trip indeed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ship slinked into the bay like a wet kitten. The storm last night nearly ripped the mast off and even with my limited maritime experience I knew that would have been the end of my ill fated escapade. After the helmsman got us secured in the makeshift wharf the captain turned to me.
"Good bit of fun last night, no? Well off you go, sir, I'll be back in a few days time. Got shipments to deliver and the like. Now don't give me that sour look, sir, I promise you I'll be back and besides, I hear there's a good sized town just down that road. Now off with you." He gave me a wink and a grin.
I just stood there open mouthed, speechless, he was leaving me? Alone? I hesitated, "Get on, sir ? I SAID MOVE YUR [censored]!"
I stammered something stupidly and slowly bent over my pack, drawing out the seconds until I was left stranded on the island. Apparently I was moving too slowly for the crew's sake and a boot to the ass later I found myself on my backbone and spitting out grit. I looked around for the first time since arriving. It was pretty bleak, truth be told. The beach I was squatting on was a far cry from the pristine, gleaming bits of luxury that I heard of from my cousin after his return from the Imperial City. A copse of grotesque bent and leafless trees stood just at the edge of my vision further inland and to my right was the dirt path that led to the sole town on the island. With nowhere better to go, I turned and followed the winding trail, the dust choking my nostrils and causing the occasional sneeze.
