[One Piece: Eternal Quest] From Strange Beginnings

shepsquared

Hopeful Fool
The horizon glows a soft mix of purple and red as the sun sets, marking a new start of business for the inhabitants f Port Cross. As the Desert Stone Lighthouse starts to illuminate the seas, the last of the fishing fleet returns to the western docks of the port. The disembarking fisherman don't even look at the majestic form of the Royal Nix, flagship of the Riacarn navy, as they are used to it's pointless finery.


Just to the south of the docks is the start of the Brevin District, home of the famed Midnight Markets. A bewildering array of lights, stalls and performers will fill the district as it grows dark, but this early in the night there are only the leftover merchants who sold produce at day and some early risers setting up their stalls or looking for an end of day bargain. On the eastern side of town lies the marine base, and 3 blocks from there is the Sunken Norwegian, most infamous bar in the city. Already smoke drifts out of the door as its occupants drink, smoke and gamble the night away. On the northenmost point of the Port lies the Winter Palace of the royal family, permanent home of Prince George and most opulent building in the city. Between the Palace and the first of the western docks lies the Desert Stone Lighthouse, built centuries ago from stone that today can only be found by digging beneath the sands of the desert to the Port's south. Little do the inhabitants of Port Cross know that on this night, destiny has come for them, and no one's lives would ever be the same again.

Your character is either in one of the locations I described, eg: disembarking a fishing vessel, climbing the lighthouse, at the market, outside the marine base (or inside), looking at the palace or drinking. Describe what you're doing and where you are. Also, please note your character name and title at the top of your post, eg:


Captain Tacita 'Fader' Taiki, Human Specialist/Pirate


First Mate Fiona of Serpentstone aka Lady Blade, Human Swordsman/Navigator
 
Captain Drakil "Deepfreeze" Ceredryn, Human Brawler/Pirate


While looking through the few open stalls, Drakil happens across a particularly large fishman who seems to be baking bread or some other pastry type food. Taking a moment to guage roughly how large the fishman is, he guesses about 10 feet, and immediately realises that his small boat would not be capable of fitting such a large man. Drakil takes a seat on a nearby stool at another stand to sit and think how he could aquire a larger ship.
 
That Crazy Guy Laughing In the Hold - Victor "Lunatic" Thanos Human Specialist/Scientist


Huh thing looks kind of pretentious... victor muttered to himself, referring to the Royal Nix wonder if they even use it...


looking to the south he decides to grab some food from the midnight market.


Oy Lurtz come on, we're leaving and then he leaves to go there
 
"Five String" Jim, Human Specialist/Musician


The mood was high in the Sunken Norwegian. People filled the damp room with it's own kind of atmosphere. The sounds of glass against glass, people yelling and laughing and the occasional thing breaking filled the room.


In the dim light sat a man strumming some sort of decorate string instrument, feet leaning on his table and with a smoke in his mouth. He cracked a wide smile on his scarred face, exhaled a cloud of smoke and moved his fingers over the strings, a quick tune penetrated the sound of the bar. Many a head turned as his fingers ran over the strings at an incredible speed and a nice uplifting familiar tune filled the bar followed by a few people who started singing along.


His dark eyes followed from the unfamiliar crowd to the barmaid's cleavage to his own hands as he played an especially hard part without much difficulty due to his deft fingers. The barmaid went over to his table and said some words incomprehensible through the music while pointing to the leftovers of the extravagant meal on the table. He leaned up without stopping his playing and whispered to her, which led to her turning red and slapping him over the cheek with a force that made him fall on the floor. The music stopped abruptly and was replaced by laughter.


The barmaid waved a big burly man over from the desc, who grabbed the baffled musician by the collar and dragged him out the front door and threw him on the ground. "People who can't pay, can't stay. We'll let you go for this time but don't get back anytime soon you bum" he said and slammed the door behind him as he went back into the bar.


Jim uttered a short "tch", got up from the ground and brushed the dirt off his clothes and banjo. He smiled and felt the red mark that lingered from the woman's hand as he walked out towards town with the sun setting behind him.
 
Ship's Doctor - Rob "Smiling" Charon human brawler/doctor


after disembarking from a fisherman's boat on the opposite side of the port as Victor, Rob turned to the fisherman behind him and said Hey Thanks for giving me a ride:)


now where too next


look at the palace, nah too dark. what about the midnight market, not enough money. actually i'm kind of hungry so i think i'll go to the Sunken Norwegian. Master Black said that they have gumbo to die for:)
 
Jimbo "Flame Blade" Hughes, Human Specialist/Navigator


A fisherman's boat sails into the docks of Port Cross, docking safely as a young man jumps out of the boat, throwing a bag of money onto the deck of the ship, leaving in a hurry. Jimbo looks around nervously before proceeding into town with a wide grin on his face: His adventure begins now.
 
Diona "Hammer" Irons -- Human Brawler/Pirate




Breathing in the smoky air of the Sunken Norwegian, Hammer had just finished setting her nose back into place, and was following that up with her second bottle of booze. Just as she was stretching to see if the bruises from her last fight had finished clearing up, the music suddenly stopped. Frowning briefly, she cast her gaze around the room. On the bright side, the bruises had faded, thanks to the booze she used part of her winnings to buy. Offering more than a few glares at unwanted stares, she watched a burly bouncer throw the musician out. Deciding she didn't feel like listening to the typical hushed grumble of conversation places like that held, she instead chose to take her bottle and make for the door, pulling one suspender back to place on her shoulder as she stepped out the door. Peering out into the colorful light of dusk, she saw where the musician was walking, and called out, making her way toward him. "Hey! You! Musician!"
 
"Five String" Jim, Human Specialist/Musician


Jim turned around as a response to the call, His long black ponytail following his motion. He held his hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun and saw the woman coming towards him. Seeing her cuts, tattoos, metal knuckles shining in the evening sun and bottle of clear in her hand he wondered wither turning tail would be a better idea. "Hm?" he muttered, awaiting her next action to decide what to do.
 
Diona "Hammer" Irons -- Human Brawler/Pirate





She was in a good mood, thoroughly liquored up and still smarting in that delicious way a good fight brought on, so Hammer simply smirked, tilting her head to one side. "How'd ye managed to get kicked outta the Norwegian?" Reaching up into the headband of her tattered hat, she palmed a coin from it, waiting to see his response before she decided if more music was worth paying for.
 
Benjamin "Benji" Plunkett Human Marksman/Marine


The smell of salt water and fish guts had seeped into the Marine's clothes, but even so, he wore the uniform proudly, marching down the streets towards the eastern part of town. Despite his foul-smelling state, Benji immediately made a beeline to the Marine base to go ahead and report his ability and willingness to work.
 
"Five String" Jim, Human Specialist/Musician


Jim's smile went away. "Seems that not having any coin on you makes you less of a customer" he said while eyeing the shining gold piece in her palm. "You look pretty nicked" he said "though the fact that you're standing probably means that you won". Opening a small room in the banjo, he pulled out another cigarette and lighted it by twisting a tuner so a small flame appeared, "so what brings a little fighter like you out on these parts?".
 
Azeila "Untouchable" Lycopis - Kuja Rogue/Bounty Hunter


As a small ship drifted in to port amongst all the fishing ships that had moored for the night, a young girl leaped out from the front of the boat and landed gracefully on the docks. As she started to take a look around, she noticed a man with a banjo staring off with a woman who looked like she'd just been beaten by a small gang. "Let's go surprise 'em Natch" she whispered to what seemed to be a large snakeskin scarf wrapped around her neck, when the 'scarf' hissed in response though, it became clear to anyone watching her that the snake was indeed alive. Azeila snuck up behind the man with the banjo and began pulling faces from behind him in an effort to make the scary looking woman opposite him crack a smile.
 
Vorgol, Fishman Chef


"Fresh bread, shachi," the booming voice that had become familiar to so many regulars in the midnight markets called. Its owner fit the timbre of the voice almost perfectly: deliberate and expansive. "Cakes and pastries to delight all the senses. Grab a bite to eat while you seek your heart's desire, shachi!"


Vorgol scratched his prominent stomach, a thoughtful, pondering scratch, as he peered around at the early arrivals. He always set up early, so as to snag the spot right near the front of the market, coveted among the food vendors. His stall was small and inexpertly put together, by someone for whom carpentry happened to other people, but there was already a steady influx of customers. Each one was greeted by an enormous, toothy smile. All around him, the other vendors began to set up shop, their cries mixing with his own.


He caught a tall, blue-haired man regarding him coolly a little earlier, but that didn't mean much. It wasn't as though he exactly blended. The man had taken a seat at one of his competitor's stalls, and Vorgol called out to him.


"You know, I've found that bread usually tastes better if you actually eat it, rather than staring, shachi. Here." He tossed a small pork bun to the man. "On the house if you tell me what's got you so introspective."
 
Drakil "Deepfreeze"


"Well, I'd been thinking to myself that I could do with a good cook about, and I've heard good rumors about you from the people passing by. My problem is, I only have a tiny little vessel and I doubt a man of your... stature.. would fit comfortably." Drakil stands and strides over to Vorgol while taking a bite of the bun. "This is quite good, you're a man of considerable talent." Drakil leanes his shoulder on Vorgol's stand while pointing to the Royal Nix, "I was thinking that ship over there might have a little more breathing room. I plan on 'negotiating' with the people who own it and sailing off with the thing. So how 'bout it, care for a little adventure?"
 
Vorgol, Fishman Chef


"I appreciate the tact, shachi, but it's alright. I know I'm not exactly small," Vorgol said, laughing a deep belly laugh. "Never trust a skinny chef: They don't taste their own food!" As he spoke, he nudged a pink rice cake, rosehips carefully arranged to form a heart on top, with his tail, sending it sliding down the counter to a giggling young couple. In the same motion, he used an oversized bread paddle to flip several loaves of bread, crusted with some sort of savory cheese, directly from his portable oven and onto the plates of a waiting group of street urchins. Anyone paying attention would notice that, while Vogol never accepted direct payment from the customers who came to watch his bakery acrobatics, each would, when they were done eating, throw some coins into a small dish at the end of the counter. It apparently operated on a “pay what you think the food is worth” system, because the bowl was already on the verge of overflow.


“Adventure, you say, shachi?” he continued, pouring a thick, creamy soup that smelled vaguely of shellfish into a bowl of bread and presenting it with a flourish to an elderly woman who smiled toothlessly at him. He beamed back, then turned to the captain, arms crossed over his apron and resting on the curve of his belly. “I’ve found that adventure lies right here, in serving the people of this port. I provide a much-needed service, shachi.”


He looked slightly contemplative. Finally, he shrugged.


“Though...my mentor always said that travel broadens the palate as well as the mind. And I've never stolen a ship before.”
 
Drakil


"Well, I plan on talking to a few more of the colourful people around town before I actually take the thing. After all, a crew of 2 people isn't much of a crew at all!" Drakil laughed as he stood up and re-adjusted his coat, "I'll come back in a little while when I've gathered a few more people of similar intrest. Until then, keep up the good work, you certainly seem to be popular." As he said the last few words, Drakil began walking back in the direction of the docks where he could see a few people staring at each other and what appeared to be a very large snake wrapped around a suspiciously scantily clad woman.
 
Vorgol, Fishman Chef


"That it isn't. I will be here, shachi," the fishman called, throwing the blue-haired man another bun for the road. This one had some kind of fish in it, flavored with sesame and wasabi to give it a bit of a kick. He turned back to his customers and resumed cooking, humming thoughtfully to himself as baked goods both sweet and savory flew every which way.
 
"Five String" Jim, Human Specialist/Musician


Jim gave a surprised yelp as his face was suddenly pulled on by surprisingly strong hands. "Hey what do you think yo-" he tried saying as he turned his head around but stopped mid-sentence and turned his head back quickly giving a polite cough, red to his ears after having looked right down into the cleavage of a very lightly clad amazon.


Just as he was thinking "wait, was that a real snake?" he noticed the people around him staring with a frightened look on their faces. He looked confused at them for a second whereafter he looked down and saw the smoke, then the small flames coming from the part of his shirt where he had dropped his cigarette. He panicked, dropped his banjo and ran for the dock where he jumped into the dark seawater leaving a trail of smoke behind him.


About a minute later he came up from the water, looking less than amused and wet and cold to the bone, with a big burnhole in his shirt. He glared at the two women and picked up his banjo in silence with the sound of muffled laughter sounding from around the pier. This was not his best day.
 
Azeila


"ahahaha, you're a funny man!" Azeila started laughing, "Why would you jump into the water like that?"


As she said this, Natch began to his into her ear, causing Azeila to spin around and look at the tall blue-haired man approaching them.


"Hey, his coat looks like it'd be pretty warm, you should ask him to borrow it" Azeila said, beaming.
 
Jimbo "Flame Blade" Hughes, Human Specialist/Navigator


Just as Jimbo was about to leave the docks, he heard a scream following a loud splash, which caught his interest. He noticed a weird-looking man climbing up from the docks, soaked, and he burst into laughter, not stopping before he had approached the man and the people he was with: "Why would you jump into the docks like that? I'm pretty sure you're going to catch a cold."
 
Victor Thanos - Human Specialist/Scientist


walking past Drakil, Zombie in tow he notices a large baker. he goes up to him and says Um excuse me how much for a roll?
 
Vorgol, Fishman Chef


Two rolls, glazed with cinnamon and marzipan and stylized to look like seashells are immediately plunked down almost the second that Victor asks. When the rolls land, Vorgol has already turned away from the two to serve another group, a few unruly sailors fresh from the Sunken Norwegian, laughing about something or other, tongues loosened and breath fouled by liquor. They greet him like an old friend, and he responds with a nod of familiarity and his ever-present smile, heaping their plates with thin pancakes.


"No charge, shachi, for you or your friend there," he says, spinning once again and tossing a few strawberries and a fistful of coins to a grimy youngster of indeterminate gender. "Go buy more of those from one of the stalls. You can eat those ones, shachi, you look half-starved." Important business taken care of, he gives the newcomer and his friend his full attention. "Is this your first time at the Midnight Market, shachi? I've never seen you before."
 
[QUOTE="Unbridled Originality]Vorgol, Fishman Chef
Two rolls, glazed with cinnamon and marzipan and stylized to look like seashells are immediately plunked down almost the second that Victor asks. When the rolls land, Vorgol has already turned away from the two to serve another group, a few unruly sailors fresh from the Sunken Norwegian, laughing about something or other, tongues loosened and breath fouled by liquor. They greet him like an old friend, and he responds with a nod of familiarity and his ever-present smile, heaping their plates with thin pancakes.


"No charge, shachi, for you or your friend there," he says, spinning once again and tossing a few strawberries and a fistful of coins to a grimy youngster of indeterminate gender. "Go buy more of those from one of the stalls. You can eat those ones, shachi, you look half-starved." Important business taken care of, he gives the newcomer and his friend his full attention. "Is this your first time at the Midnight Market, shachi? I've never seen you before."

[/QUOTE]
Victor Thanos - Human Specialist/Scientist


accepting the roll Victor saysThanks:). and yes this is my first time in the midnight market or even Port Cross. i come from the island nation X-82
 
Vorgol


"X-82? I've never heard of that island. Any interesting local cuisine, shachi?" The fishman indicated to the man to keep talking while he whipped a set of tarts out of his oven and set them on a rack to cool. Turning once again to face the counter, he grabbed a huge cinnamon roll from his trays of baked goods and munched on it, leaning one huge arm on the counter and looking at Victor with interest. Behind him, the sailors had fallen silent as they ate the pancakes he had provided for them, relish evident on their faces.


“Is your friend alright, shachi? He’s very quiet.”
 
him? oh yeah he's fine. just a mindless undead. i really am not skilled enough to make a sentient zombie. as for local cuisine... well we tend to eat the brains of animals more often than other cultures tend to. a bit of a local superstition is that it makes one more intelligent
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top