[Story] Warped

[The Quartermaster]

Clouds gathered above Booty Bay; the black masses that filled the sky weren’t to be taken lightly. The position of Booty Bay made it highly susceptible to the sheer force the ocean carried. The last time such an anomaly sent the oceans above and over the port was when Deathwing reared his head and sent the world into chaos. The residents of Booty Bay learned from the first time tragedy struck and were quickly trying to batten everything down.

Bruisers scurried about, trying to keep control on the hectic situation, to no avail. “We’re gonna die!” shouted a Goblin as he packed his belongings into a large crate hitched to an abnormally small Kodo. A medley of yells and curses came at him like a cobra bite.

“Shut it ya’ sniveling rat!” spat an Orc who was placing tarps over his shop. He was quite old but that did not stop him from making sure his shop was secure from any harm. “Last thing we need ‘round here is a complainer!” he called.

The Goblin sneered as he rode off and up the ramps; he was doing his best to quickly get out of the deathtrap that was Booty Bay.

Just as the Goblin made his way up the ramp, Aaren had been making his way down. “Where ya’ goin idiot! A storm is gonna hit this place! You’ll be dead before nightfall!” the Goblin yelled as he rode off. Aaren did nothing more than exchange a glance with the Goblin. He had little care for what the greedy mongrel had to say.

Making his way into the heart of Booty Bay, Aaren looked into the distance. The Goblin was right. A massive storm was indeed heading this way. “Guess I should find a place to stay for the night…” Aaren muttered in Thalassian as he secured the hood over his deformed face. His eyes shifted to the right, to a sign that read Salty Sailor Tavern. “This’ll do…” Aaren said, rather displeased. For him to stay at a Tavern was completely against his normal views, although he wasn’t about to get caught out in the rain.

Securing that his face was well hidden, Aaren proceeded into the Tavern, only to be greeted with an onslaught of yells and drunken shenanigans. Spotting an open seat at the back end of the tavern, the Wretched scurried past the other patrons to his seat. “Can I get you anything?” chimed a female voice, seconds after Aaren sat.

Eyeing the female waitress from beneath his cowl, Aaren nodded. “I’ll take just a little bit of Sweet Nectar… I am not that thirsty…” he said, sliding several silver coins towards the waitress. The waitress snatched the coins and quickly about faced, scurrying off. Aaren remained in his seat, keeping his eyes on the window to his left.

“Hahaha!” cackled a Dwarf from his own stool. “Ya’ just got beat outta some silver!” he called to Aaren.

The Ranger glanced at the Dwarf through his cowl; just enough so the Dwarf could see the confusion on his face. “Why is that?”

The entire tavern busted out into laughter. “That’d be Catelyn the Blade! She’s sly and it’d only be a fool who trusts her!” the Dwarf called. Aaren remained silent, his eyes meeting the door where the sly woman had just exited from.

“If you all will excuse me…” he said as he left the room. The entire bar was silent. They were all stupefied that a traveler would be so quick to start a fight with Catelyn the Blade, let alone during a dangerous time like the one they were in.

~~~~

Upstairs, Catelyn sat alongside her comrades, the four of them sharing a laugh at her prize. “The fool thought I was a Waitress, you believe that!” she called. “And the funniest part is… he asked for Sweet Nectar!” All four of laughed as hard as they could; their faces gone red in disbelief.

“Indeed… It’s quite funny…” Aaren spat as he appeared from behind Deeg the Dwarven pirate. The other three pirates quickly leaped back from their seats, drawing their weapons on impulse. “Hehe…don’t worry, I won’t kill him… yet” Aaren said, placing a dagger against the Dwarves neck.

“Willing to kill for a couple coins?” Catelyn said with her blade at the ready. “I didn’t know there were beings out there that are that desperate…”

“Says the woman who uses cheap tricks to steal from weary travelers…” Aaren said, slowly pressing the dagger closer to the Dwarves neck.

“Aye… Catelyn, just give’em his silver back…” Deeg whimpered.

Catelyn glanced at the two other Humans at her side, unsure of what to do next. “You’re choice…” Aaren said, beaming a cynical grin at the female pirate.

“Fine then,” Catelyn said as she lowered her weapon. Fishing into her pocket, she pulled out a meager 10 silver coins and tossed them onto the table. “Take your money…” she spat.

Aaren smiled at the woman before grabbing his coins off the table. “Not so fast!” Deeg called, no longer held up by the poison-coated dagger. Grasping Aaren by the collar of his hood, he yelped as the hood fell from his head.

All four of the pirates quickly stepped back, fearful of what was before them. A pale skinned, sickly, scrawny being covered in a heavy leather cloak. “W-What are you?” Catelyn asked.

“I’m the result of a fools mistake…I am a relentless monstrosity that will stop at nothing to become what I once was,” Aaren said, slowly lifting his hood back up. “I am a warped shell of my former self…”[COLOR="red"]