Guild Wars 2

Ahoy! So ye wish t’ hear the tale o’ ole Cap’n Ripclash?
Well I’ll tell ye. It all happened in the year 1321, ‘n our cap’n, bless his cold black heart, was runnin’ circles around the powers that be. Grab yer rum ‘n sit down ye yellow bellied scoundrels, as I won’t be repeatin’ meself! Lest it stir the ghosts that make bay around our fair port…

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english : Here’s part of a story I wrote recently. I was pretty happy with it, and it’s plotted out to be a short story of about 6 chunks of 1500-2000 words. I don’t currently have a catchy name for the story, so I’m stuck with the amazing title I have at the moment. If there are any major lore errors, I’d love to have them spotted out, as being as close to the lore as possible in my short stories is something I try to strive for, as I find it enjoyable weaving tales that ‘could have been’. Obviously I’ve had to invent a thing or two here and there however! Regardless, hope you enjoy the first part.

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“Uuggh. It appears the journey has once again upset the careful balance within my abdomen.” Bruff clutched his stomach in apparent pain while panting.

“Not again. Seriously Bruff, why did you become a sailor, of all things, if you get sea sick?” Lance laid back against the side of the deck, relaxing in the few moments that the crew actually got to relax. He was used to this display from Bruff, having served with him for the last few voyages from Garenhoff to Lions Arch.

“You wouldn’t understand, bookah. One must—” he proceeded to throw the contents of his stomach casually off the side of the ship and into the glistening blue water below. “—always follow their passions.” He wiped his mouth with a hankerchief, also casually, like he’d been through this a thousand times. He returned the hanky to his shirt pocket before finishing his sentiment. “And mine is ships.”

“The name is Lance, by the way. Try using it sometime. Regardless, I get that. I do. But you could’ve been on shore, fixing them, building them, whatever…”

Bruff rolls his eyes with a loud sigh. “Clearly that is not even remotly the same thing.” He turned to face the stern of the ship, looking behind the Krytan trade vessel that they served upon. He placed his hands on his hips and with an air of majesty continued to speak. “I find myself infatuated with the wide ocean. Why, there is nothing more intoxicating to me than to be on the sea, on a ship, preferbly with a little asuran inguinuity that makes it far superior to any Human or Charr vessel and-” He suddenly stopped, causing Lance to lift his head up and see what was wrong. Bruff never stopped talking once he began.

“Huh? What is it?”

“I believe we are being followed. But I am not sure why.” Bruff pointed out to the waters beyond the stern of the ship. Lance stood up and squinted.

“Huh. Seems to be flying the Lionguard colours. Probably is just a patrol.” Lance concluded, before setting back to his resting position.

“With full sail and making a beeline directly for our ship? Curious.”

“Maybe they’re in a hurry? I don’t know.” Lance shrugged.

The voice of their captain overrode their thoughts. “Alright you lot, back to work! I want those decks sparkling brighter than the Seraph commanders own pretty armour. And make yourselves bloody presentable for once in your lives! – looks like Lionguard patrol will be passing us shortly.”

The crew all kicked up instantly at the sound of the captain, rushing to do their duties be it rigging or swabbing. However, they all jolted to a stop just as quick when the sound of cannon fire resonated closeby.

“What-?!” the captain yelled. “Who was that from?!”

The man in the Crows nest yelled back. “Sir , the Lionguard ship!”

Bruff turned to Lance. “A warning shot. Most curious.”

There was a silence for a few moments before the captain finally spoke again. “No sail men. We’ll see what they want. We’re not breaking any laws. They’ll see that.”

The crew obeyed, bringing the ship to a stop as the Lionguards came alongside to board. The ship blotted out the sun, covering the humble Krytan trade vessel in a pertubing darkness. Tensions were high as a charr larger than any Lance had ever seen before stepped aboard his ship with a resounding thud.

“Lionguard? Captain Mardin here, Krytan Treasure Fleet. Is this an inspection?” Mardin inquired politely.

The charr growled and let out what seemed to be a laugh of a sort. “You could say that.” He seemed to scope out things with a keen eye underneath his trademark Lionguard hat.

Mardin was clearly annoyed at the lack of explanation. “Well? Is it or is it not?”

“By order of the Lionguard, I’m requisitioning all of your cargo. For defence against Orr.” The charr growled the words out in an almost rehearsed manner.

( had to split the post up, lol, alot less length allowed than I thought! )

“I’ve not recieved any such orders from either Krytan or Lions Arch high command. You’ll do no such thing until Queen Jennah or Commodore Lawson have requested as such.”

“This doesn’t come from them. Men, sweep the ship. Take anything of value.” The charr captain began to walk away back to his own ship.

“Aye aye, Cap’n Ripclash!” a Norn piped up eagerly, as other crew members of various races now also boarded the ship behind their imposing captain and proceeded to enter the cargo hold.

“What?! You can’t just take our cargo!” Mardin tailed the charr, his tone becoming angrier as his ship was effectively looted. The charr ignored him. “This is an outrage! This directly breaches the 1256 treaty! Pah! You Lionguards are just a bunch of pirates!”

“We’re naught but humble Privateers.” The charr turned on him and replied with a smile.

“Privateers?! There’s nothing legal going on here!” Mardin spat. “Queen Jennah will hear of this!”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.” The Charr suddenly pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Mardins face.

Mardin put up his hands in surrender. “You-! You dare!”

“I dare.” He pulled the trigger. He blew the smoke off his gun and put it back into its leather holster, then looked at the now completly terrified crew of the Krytan ship. “Now that I have everyones undivided attention, I want all merchantmen and noblemen to get on the left side of the ship. Sailors, you stay on the right.”

“Y-You won’t get away with this.” A timid human female voice spoke out.

Ripclash rolled his eyes. “And who are you?”

“F-f-first Mate Alissa.”

Ripclash walked directly upto the woman, each step a thunder as his great clawed feet thumped into the deck. Alissa was visibly shaking in his presence. Once he was close to her, he stared at her for a moment while she tried to stare back.

“Boo.” he raised his arms slightly and suddenly, but didn’t do anything more.

She screamed and covered her head with her hands. The Lionguard crew roared in laughter. Soon after, all of the crew of the helpless Krytan ship was ordered in the way Ripclash wanted them. First mate Alissa had been shoved onto a lifeboat, while all of the merchants and nobles that had the unfortunate fate of being aboard this ship were tied to the main mast tightly.

The menacing charr captain spoke out to Alissa below. “Tell your weak Queen that Lions Arch takes from who they want, when they want.”

“You risk war, Lionguard!” she yelled back and pointed, whilst standing on the small lifeboat.

“Yes, yes… Better get rowing now, it’s quite a distance to shore I hear.” Ripclash grinned, and the crew laughed again as Alissa began to row herself away from the scene dejectedly.

Ripclash went back aboard his ship along with most of his crew save for his first mate, Bodvar. He signalled to the lumbering norn. “Bodvar, press-gang some sailors into service.”

Bodvar nodded and approached the sailors that had served on the Krytan vessel. “Two choices fellas. You’re all able bodied sea men aye. So we Covingtons, we’re a democratic sort and we like to give ye a choice. Join us or join them.” he pointed with his thumb to the merchantmen and nobles.

Bruffs’ eyes widened slightly as he began to understand the situation. “Covingtons. Makes sense now.” he whispered, just audible enough for Lance to hear. Bruff decided to speak up almost immediatly after his revelation. “Very well, I choose to join. The bookah does to.” he pointed to Lance. The other sailors gave them hostile glances.

“Filthy Asura! Always ready to sell out..!” Bruff ignored them, while Lance gave an apologetic shrug.

Bodvar smiled. “And the rest of you?”

There were various shouts of disapproval. “Never!” , “We’re loyal to Kryta only!”

Bodvar let out a hearty laugh before turning and taking his new recruits aboard Ripclashs’ flagship, The Leviathan. It was an appropiatly named monster of a ship, sprawling upwards a hundred cannons from what Lance and Bruff could guess on first sight. It’s three decks towered imposingly into the sky, and was ever more impressive the closer the two got to it. Bruff could barely contain his shock as he clambered up to reach the top deck.

“Look at the size of this thing. How did the Covingtons commandeer such a ship?”

His question went unanswered. Lance looked back over the top deck to see how high they now were. He let out a gulp and finally replied to Bruff. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Bruff. Are we pirates now?”

“It was the only logical course of action.”

The last of the crew boarded The Leviathan, and the two ships gently drifted apart. The thick accent of the Charr captain boomed on the colossal deck of the ship.

“Men, you all know what to do!”

There was a response of sinister merriment. And then it became absolutely clear to Lance why Bruff chose to join the Covingtons. Lance had to cover his ears at the thundercrack of a full broadside of fifty cannons roaring at once, crashing into the delicate wood of the Krytan vessel and sure as anything killing the crew while the beaten ship sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

“Six gods…” were the only words Lance could muster.

(whew, that’s it for part 1.)

I really enjoyed this :]
Hope to see more!