1/22 An Ogre's Woes

Maertock would appear to be leaning against his favored ship's mast as ever, the Captain of the Deep Company lazing about as he calmly watched his watch while waiting for the assembly of the necromantic triumvirate. It was going to be a productive meeting, naturally, but waiting was not something the reaver was good at.

Yet, he felt a bit of.....additional weight against the mass, an offset of his laziness and ambient comfort that would turn his icy blue eyes around to glance over at what appeared to be a towering ogre. Blinking steadily, the shadow shark would cackle with mirth at the consideration of a stealth ogre traipsing about making merry.

"Greetings and salutations big guy. I'd heard rumblings that some proper monsterfolk were turning their heads up at the beckonin' of the new era, my nephews Mori and Blight have offered such at the least. Still, children tell tall tales, but vision rarely lies this close."

The rusty cutlass of Saltspite remained sheathed by the seven foot sharkman's side; unneeded and comfortable in its place.

"I bet you got a helluva story. And I've got time before a meeting with my fellow dark sorcerors. Pull up a seat, tell me your tale big guy."

Black tentacles would emerge from the sharkman's form, dredging down into the sands to pull up and crack open a barrel of rum; setting it down upon the table with a small cup of nice tea for the ogre. It was clear Maertock was in better company with monsters than normal folk.
(Maertock Reave)
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 Covered in blood and cuts from dealing with a entourage of children, the ogre could be seen walking through the beach. Every step causing the nearby bottle to clink against one another. Truthfully, they had walked past the place multiple times, just never halting even when others were around.

Smurg wasn't one for pleasantries while passing by.

A halt was taken by the nearby Maertock however, his beady red eyes settling onto the fish captain.

It was another fish, another land fish...Just like the others, if he gathered him up, wouldn't they be able to use him to fish up the biggest fish?

A folly of a dream, one that took the lives of Mori and Blight both.

"...Talk much, Smurg no get." Having just dealt with an army of children, the rage that normally fueled the Ogres actions was nigh' gone. In fact, he didn't immediately find himself offended by the offered tea, instead a singular meaty finger found itself pressing down onto the tea cup...That immediately cracked and broke under the force, spilling everywhere.

No movements were made to even taste it, as Smurg enjoyed just breaking it well enough.

"What bigger fish want?" Words had entered one ear, and floated out the other, the large Ogre hardly able to remember even a few of the words that Maertock said.
(Smurg)
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 Maertock would lean back with a contented hum as a rotting, bloated octopi ambiently dredged its way up the shadow shark's form, slowly placing a cigar within his rows of serrated teeth as unseen strings of darkness flowed forth with animated intent. It was clear the octopi was not alive, but a cold, entirely black magic appeared to be ensuring they fulfilled the captain's laziness to a cue.

Ingenuity at its finest.

"Indeed. Some might say I even talk too much. But you see my large friend, talking confuses people while you go for the gold. It gets you what you need to know, and always makes sure your enemies never know what you're really thinking."

The Captain would nod softly at that, taking a long drag from his cigar supplied by the noble octopus of rot as minty smoke rose in ambient fumes from his dry, reddened gills.

"What I want? Well, beyond killing time, frankly I want this continent to be free of chains. Of big cities thinking they make all the rules. That's what I want, good chum. And though I grow older by the day, I will ensure this archipelago remains free in my own way."
(Maertock Reave)
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 If it was any other time, any other day. Smurg would have already thrown some dead fish, or sand at Maertock. Even now, a small urge was tingling deep in his chest, a remnant that wasn't fully gone from the earlier fighting. It was insanely difficult for their dull mind to resist the urge.

Which is why they began picking up the pieces of tea cup ceramic, and tossing it up into his mouth. Just eat and don't think about it, "...Smu-..." A long pause was given as Smurg started an attempt at talking. What was there to say? Their face was already turning red from just trying to process all the words that Maertock was giving out.

"Raaaaagh!"

The fall back plan response was activated, the Ogre turning, and suddenly jumping head first into the nearby saltwater. Steam could nigh' be seen flowing from where the water touched his head, and the blood that dirtied his form was wafting out with the tide.

With such a large leap, the ground shook, "..Me no! Need small black, small hard! Bigger fish no sense!" Complaints were being thrown out by the semi-fit throwing Ogre.

"Talk much, like many small birds!"
(Smurg)
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 Maertock would watch the insensate display of the ogre with mild amusement, taking a long and considerate drag from his cigar as he took in the words of wisdom from the noble savage. Truly, it was a pinnacle of what a monster should be; a being of absolutes.

"Sense is rarely part of it these days; these are crazy times in a strange place. Sometimes one needs to just....let go of sense, leave it all to wild abandon and merrily stride forth, psyche undulating prismatically into the ether of the deep below."

The Captain would nod sagely at that, taking another firm swig from his cigar before offering a firm nod to the ogre, tossing him a bag of coin without another thought after the entertainment he'd offered.

"I'm going to give you shinies that can get food to plague my nephews, the small fish, until they become like me, big fish."

Maertock would gesture, releasing a wave of deep occultic shadow as the beach was swallowed by a cool, black mist. For an ogre, it might be just the thing a hot head needs to cool down.

(Maertock Reave)
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 {Item} Dropped a bag of 1255 Coins.
Maertock, also noting that the ogre required something to occupy his beastly jowels, would extend his shadowy arm as nothing less than a vast pile of masterfully cooked maki rolls extended from his inky, black form.

"And of course, free snacks. I am a master chef after all."
(Maertock Reave)
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 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 {Item} You drop Maki Roll.
 Splayed out in the water, just allowing himself to cool, their head raised to look back up at Maertock. With a plop, the bag of coin landed onto his large stomach, and some meaty fingers moved to open up the bag. Seeing the shinies within, a noticeable frown filled their face, only for him to flick it to the side.

Where it casually fell into his pouch, where even more coins were. In fact, Smurg was walking around with a decent amount of the stuff on his side, noticeably not giving a lot of care towards it.

"Undu-...preesma-..." Quietly the Ogre tried to copy a few of the extremely difficult words that were said, only to quickly give up. It was too hard, "Smurgle turn fish into gurgles...Use to catch biggest fish, biggest fish eat bigger fish." A bit unsure what 'nephews' were, or the small fish that he was talking about exactly they opened up another pouch on his side.

Inside was a bunch of just various dead fishes, in various states of age. It was pretty nasty, but thinking on what the fish man said, this is what he meant, right? Deal with small fish, until become big fish.

Never before he had though that the randomly caught small fish food, could one day turn into a big fish like Maertock, but now...Now he knew, they shouldn't eat or sell them, no, they should be allowed time to grow!

"Me understand!" Finally he understood what the man was talking about with their dull mind, and the offered Maki rolls were taken...Only to be placed with the piles of dead fish on his side.

Smurg better feed them, so they can become big like bigger fish! Not that he trusted the food for his own self.
(Smurg)
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 Smurg does actually feel a bit better when it becomes a bit more obvious that Maertock leaned towards the occult and shadows, it was pretty much what he was around every day after all.
(Smurg)
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 Maertock would blink steadily as he considered Smurg's words, before barking out in a sudden fit of laughter as he slapped his ashen arcanic plate with cheer. Now that was something for the books, he could already tell he liked this ogre.

"Close enough. Yes, the more you have, the faster they grow too. And cogs, knights, they hide the best fish. But worry not friend, there will come a time when all will make more sense again. You must lose sense to gain it, in a sense."

The shadow shark would snicker at that, taking another long drag from his cigar as he gestured a finger at the nearby fish. They'd appear to wriggle and actually spasm of their own volition before settling down.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Maertock Reave, Captain of the Deep Company, necrosharkster extraordinaire. And I think you're going places, champ."
(Maertock Reave)
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 Figuring out exactly what had been said to them, the large being began to actually get up and off the ground. They were sated with having finally figured out what Maertock said to them. Anything more? Was just flavor, nothing for him to really think hard on obviously!

"Smurg understand, go find small black." Briefly his large sights looked to the fish in his container, briefly pausing their movement as he saw the once dead fish jiggle a bit.

"No." Immediately their finger raised, then pressed down onto the wriggling bodies, causing a multitude of them to just turn into mush. One heavy nod was given to himself, and...Then Smurg started to just walk down the beach once again.

It had been a...Conversation? Or at least a half of one.

"Smurg is smurg, not Ogre." A final parting introduction was given, their way being made back to the Shadowmire.
(Smurg)
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 Maertock Reave says, "Until next time noble Smurg."