Damned Shield..

...We left the infernal zone without more incident. Reboarded the Maelstrom, and were promptly visited by the sneaky agent of Zahki, Peirre. Not wholly trusting the Frenchman, we asked to board the Sunrise to speak with big Z hisself. Wherefore we learned more of his story, and where to go to hear even more. I be thinking he's not so evil as I'd first thought. We gave him his wampeter, and headed out to find and speak with a Chin priest about Z's curse.

The priest had an assload of info about the cursed dread pirate. We pondered this as we set sail back to the Sunrise and parts west.

Afore we got too sidetracked, as is our wont, I was able to remind the officers/crew of my own little curse/quest. In this I was aided with a demonstration as a ghost ship loaded with demons and a familiar minotaur appeared and launched their toothy, pointy and evil crew at us. I was singled out by the biggest, baddest, and ugliest demon I had ever fixed gaze upon. First thing he did was lash me with his flaming cat-o-nine-tails and draw me close enough to smell his feted breath, sulfurous as it was. This was fine with me for the time, as I was free to pummel him without having to chase him down, I didn't even attempt escape. Damn! he was hard to hit. In the end he ported out.

As we were sailing towards the Redlands I was clandestinely approached by the mad pirate Jenna, with a very concerned look upon her face. She confided in me that she'd seen Capt'n Winston with his hand down the britches of one of his favored orphans. This did not surprise me, but since it vexed Jenna I thought I'd look into it, she's a dear if misguided lass. Finding WVW jr, and getting him out of earshot was no trouble. I asked him about the apparent buggerydo Jenna had espied, and after a slight chuckle the Capt'n told me about his and the lads jest at Jenna's expense, and that it had been a pick pocketing exercise. With a nod and a wink I bid him g'day and went about my business. Jenna came to me later to ask what I thought. I played her along as I thought might amuse Capt’n and crew alike. It came to a riotous head when I convinced Jenna to openly and publicly confront the Capt’n about his alleged dalliances with the young lads. Hilarity ensued.

We finally got to the Redlands port of the Kings grand city, and came up with a plan that not only worked, but worked quickly and amazingly well. I unloaded the Kings shield to him promptly. Not to say there weren't a snag or two in the plans fruition, just ask the Elf maiden about that. New rule: never lie to someone who knows more than you do. Lies can bite.

Now that my personal mission is semi-completed I wandered down to a tavern and allowed the locals to take turns buying me drinks in exchange for tales of the open seas.

Sure I played the "I can step in, I can step out" game a few times in the coming days, but I wasn't the one who'd lied to the King.