Of Sport and Profit (SOLO)

Corone was not currently at war with any other nation that meant the Letters of Marque were only written for pirates and the occasional rogue captain. The money was easy most pirates being cowards and black guards but like any other repetitive task if done too many times in a row people get burned out doing it. Cains crew, the crew of the Peregrine being a prime, crack crew were never the less beginning to become burned out of pirate hunting. Not to mention the Corone stockades were becoming over crowded from all the pirates captured by Cain and company.

It was about time for a change of pace even if for a brief time. Stepping out of his great cabin Cain looked over the Peregrine a beautiful ship, lovely lines, bluff bow. Her decks had just been holy stoned white, swabbed and flogged dry. His crew a mix of whalers, smugglers, former pirates and mercenaries had been hand picked and trained for years now.

The crew seemed tired, they knew through absolute repetition that Cain would order that as soon as the ships stores were finished being loaded to weigh anchor and set sail for the trade lanes to hunt pirates. The looked on as Cain called the boatswain to the quarter deck. "Mr. Grimhand, when the stores are loaded, weigh anchor and set all reasonable sail for the Leviathan Archipelago." Cain smiled and winked at the orcish seaman.

The crew began to smile the Leviathan Archipelago was in the opposite direction of the trading lanes where pirates hunt. Even better it was the edge of whaling and fishing waters. Just that much of a change in pace was enough to really boost the crews morale and they were once again eager to sail.

Of the ninety or so crewmen Cain had under his command fifteen of them including himself were former whalers and experienced in such business; some were harpooners, others were cutters, skinners, lancers, or rowers. With the rest of the crew playing to their apparent strengths there was enough experienced whalers and other crewmen for four boat crews, two processing crews with some rotation. But even with good organization the crew would need some practice before whaling would start in earnest.

Once the Peregrine arrived at the Leviathan Archipelago he the crews up into their new whaling posts keeping in mind who worked together well and who didn't. His own crew included himself as harpooner/ boat captain, Mr. Grimhand as lancer and four able seamen as rowers and line handlers. Mr. Agon the tifling lead another cutter and the Firestorm brothers rounded out the boat captains.

For the next week the Peregrine stayed with in the islands and began to hunt for sharks. Hammer heads, tiger sharks,s blue sharks and the prize of them all the great whites.

Spotting a school of sharks was fairly easy. Sharks were for all intents and purposes lazy and hung around places where whale carcass's were dropped into the ocean and fed off of that. Cains cutter was the first to be lowered into the water only by about a half second. The tiflings jolly boat was was next and both boats stretched trying to be the first to throw their harpoon Mr. Agon shouted "Stretch it out, this might be the only time to wipe our captains eye!"

Cain's eyes spotted the shark first and he stood up hefting his harpoon and threw it. The harpoon arced through the air the rope uncoiling smoothly and striking home into the sharks side just behind its pectoral fin.The shark took off on a run line running out and snapping taut and started to pull the boat fast enough to produce a bow wake, a most impressive feat. Cain ordered "reverse your stretch! Tire it out! Mr. Grimhand haul on the line!"

Mr. Agon's crew had also harpooned a shark but instead of it making a run it charged the jolly boat nearly knocking Mr. Agon and his lancer out of the boat. Luckily enough the pair landed on their rowers in a comical fashion. The tifling shouted orders with the rowers and his lancer working to defend the boat while he threw another harpoon into it.

Cain's shark began to tire and for good measure he threw another harpoon into it and helped Mr. Grimhand haul the shark closer to the boat. Soon as the shark was thrashing along the side of the cutter MR. Grimhand took his lance and drove it into the sharks gills several times. It thrashed and jerked nearly capsizing the boat but eventually it died and the cutter returned to the boat along with the similarly lucky tiflings boat.

Cains shark was a fifteen foot long hammer head shark whose skin was a light grey nearly white. The tifling started clapping "Sir I wish you joy on you beautiful first catch congratulations. But I think ours might a wee bit bigger!" he shouted in joviality as a twenty foot long great white was hoisted out of the water.

It was the Firestorm brothers turn next with both teams of boats taking turns rowing out and retrieving sharks.

The crew on board the Peregrine had now began to get busy, shark skin was sold by the pound but it needed to be removed from the shark with care. The first thing that needed to be done was for the sharks to be hoisted on the deck, to do so a line was fastened around the sharks tail and the entire creature was hoisted out of the water. Gaff's and boarding hooks were hooked into the sharks mouth to pull them aboard.

As the first gaff was hooked into the hammer heads mouth the shark came back to life and bit down hard on the gaff and began thrashing about sending the deck crew stumbling about before it flopped on deck and started to jump around snapping at the crew. "Lance that bugger! Haul him off the deck!" The leader of the deck crew ordered.

Eventually the hammer head was finally and truly dead and the crew could set to work skinning the creature. From its bottom jaw to its ventral tail fin a slit was cut allowing the viscera to easily be removed leaving meat, bones and skin to be processed. Additional slits were cut along the fins intersecting with the main cut and then carefully the skin was removed from the meat expanding from every cut before it came off in one whole piece. The skin was set aside for more delicate hands to scrape the pieces of meat and fat off the skin and then have it slathered in tannin the acidic by product of acorns, which turns the skin to tanned hide.

The meat was next unlike fish which only have to be filleted sharks have different cuts of meat including steaks, fillet's, and the tail made a good roast even if it all did taste fishy. The meat would be pickled or smoked or at least salted leaving the boiled jaw bone to be displayed on the side of the Peregrine. Anything that couldn't be eaten or used was dropped over the side.

As sharks were hauled in by the boats others were dropped over the side in a medium paced rhythm until sunset. Seagulls, albatrosses, puffins and other sea birds began feasting as did bull sharks, dog fish, and other scavengers looking for a free easy meal.

By the end of the day the crew was tired, happy and sitting pretty on several bails of shark skins. It was time Cain thought for his crew to hunt bigger pray!

Next on the list were whales not the mighty sperm and humpback whales, the crew was not ready for such an undertaking but he felt that they could at-least start working themselves up to the larger more valuable pray. What Cain had in mind for their next day or two of hunting were the larger dolphins the killer whale, narwhal and maybe if things are going well the mink whale.

There was not much fat on any of these whales, but there was meat, skin and a lot more bones than what a shark could provide. Knowing this Cain directed the shark to waters where the ship would encounter such creatures. Large determined animals that were highly intelligent, entirely different beasts compared to sharks.

The Peregrine slipped silently through the ever cooling water while several look outs and even more volunteers watching fore whale sign. Then on the main top there was a cry "On deck there! Whale Sign, two points off the starboard! She blows She blows!!!!"

Boat crews were already scrambling and orders were being shouted when Cain stepped out bellowing "Lower the jolly boats! Ready my cutter!" Cain had dressed himself into something more appropriate to whaling a sail cloth vest and slops held up by a piece of marline. The cutter was already being lowered into the water when Cain dropped into the boat. When the cutter hit the water Cain hollered "stretch it out! Stretch for the whales!"

Mr Agon's crew started to out strip Cains cutter as the tifling leaned forward hefting his harpoon when all of a sudden the whales breached. Black and white toothy whales killer whales! They leaped out of the water soaring over Cain and Agon's heads and splashing into the water soaking both boat crews. "Keep pulling!" Cain shouted as the pod of whales rushed by the boats.

Cain split the two Firestorm brothers crews to assist between Mr. Agons and his own hunting crews. Two boats to one whale was always a good idea and for the bigger one it would be upwards of all four to one whale. Cain looked over the pod and selected a large killer whale out of the pod a big bull "follow that one! Stretch it out!" he ordered and both his cutter and Rizlands boats began chasing the orca at an angle.

As Cain's cutter closed in on the massive bull killer whale Cain rose hefted his harpoon and threw it letting it fly in a high arc and it drove it self all the way to the haft into the killer whale. The killer whale performed a rolling turn and charged the cutter pulling fathoms of line came hissing through the eye of the rope guide and then went slack as the orca charged Cain's boat. The killer whale hit the cutter causing it to capsize the line attached to the the killer whale wrapped around Cains leg and he was pulled under.

The killer whale decided to dive with Cain attached as the experienced sea captain maintained his composure. The problem at hand was that he could not hold his breath as long as the killer whale, even a wounded one. The solution was easy in theory just grab another breath but in practice nearly forty feet below the surface now it was quite tricky. Reaching into the rope that worked as his belt he retrieved a knife and began cutting at the line binding his leg. The line gave way and Cain scrambled back to the surface. After a rasping gasp for air precious air he looked around and gathered a count of his personal crew.

Two of his rowers were being helped by Rizland Firestorm and his crew while the other two rowers and MR. Grimhand were already working to right the cutter. Cain swam to his cutter and ordered "Heave! Heave like your lives depend on it!" cause in all honesty their lives all depended on it.

The killer whale came around for another charge "harpoon!" Cain shouted over to the near by Firestorms boat, Rizland pitched over a harpoon and immediately upon catching the harpoon Cain rifled it at the charging bull killer well. The spear struck home and forced the whale into retreat dragging the Firestorms boat along with it while Cains rowers got back into position, retrieved their oars and started pulling towards the killer whale.

Cain grinned there was nothing like warm practice to get the blood pumping, his cutter crew was pulling on their oars so hard that they were bending chasing the whale and Rizland Firestorms jolly boat. Dipping his hand into the water he retrieved one of the harpoons that had been dumped out of the cutter and let his eyes focus on the killer whale. "Stretch it out!" he hollered encouragingly to his crew. "Come on!!!"

Looking over at Rizlands jolly boat he noticed that the line that was feeding out from it had started to smoke and was about to say something about it when Rizland ordered "douse that rope before it catches fire!" Water was splashed on the harpoon line as the chase continued. Every pull of the cutters oars got it that much closer while at the same time Rizlands jolly boat was pushing their oars making every effort to slow the massive killer whale down and tire it out.

At Cain's maximum range Cain sent his third harpoon flying. It struck home through its tail the harpoon line feeding through the front of the cutter at a rapid pace. The cutter crew pushing on their oars. The killer whale took a hard turn and dived, this made Cain grin a grim toothy smile the killer whale made a mistake. Finally the killer whale tired and began slowly to surface. Both boat crews began hauling the beast to the surface while at the same time pulling their respective boats towards the whale.

When the killer whale surfaced Mr. Grimhand drove his lance into its blow hole before rowing the massive creature back to the Peregrine to be processed.

The next day Cain ordered a holiday. There would be not whaling or shark hunting, the deck crews would take their time cleaning them selves up and also to doll up the Peregrine once more. The blood on the decks vanished under the efforts of holy stones and swabs, harpoons and lances were once again sharpened and fitted with fresh cordage. That evening Cain ordered all hands aft.

Cain did this from time to time to train his crew en mass or to give them a briefing before an action. The deck hands and waisters sat down while the forecastlemen, midshipmen and officers all found a place to stand along with their divisions every thing set up to see and hear their captain as best as possible. Cain stepped out of his great cabin and looked over his eagerly tired crew. His eyes caught his midshipman and asked "Mr. Agon, are you still studying for your Leftnant's board?"

Mr. Agon looked up, smiled and replied "Yes sir!"

Cain nodded and asked "Then you can tell me the length and weight of the Peregrine?"

Mr. Agon furrowed his brow and asked "With or with out stores?"

A valid question Cain thought and specified "With stores.

Mr. Agon closed his eyes and thought a moment before stating "The Peregrine being an Alerarian corvette when fully stored weighs in at one thousand three hundred thirty six hundred weight, twenty nine pounds and forty six penny weight...give or take a penny weight or two accounting for salted meats and....."

Cain laughed and corrected "In pounds please and no ounces or penny weights."

Mr. Agon flushed and re-calculated one hundred forty nine pounds six hundred sixty five pounds give or take a pound or two, and he length is eighty feet long not including the bow sprit."

Cain smiled "You're going to pass your leftenants board. Now..." Cain raised up a large prorate of a sperm whale and stated "A bull sperm whale will top out at one hundred thirty pounds and are about sixty feet long. The cows are a might bit smaller. These creatures are mighty, strong and can think better than some of this crew."

There was a few laughs but then the crews wheels began to turn. Their next pray was going to be sperm whales and they were going to be incredibly dangerous. Cain then spent the next several hours training the crew in how to go about hunting sperm whales.

The four boat crews would single out a bull and harpoon it with several harpoons and back their oars in separate directions and work to tire it out. If it charged the harpooner would throw their spare harpoons into the whales head and force it to stop its charge. All four crews will work together to bring the beast down and if any boat was dumped one would work to rescue the crew while the other two would fight the whale.

It was all really basic but the size of the prey and how dangerous it was out stripped every thing else they have hunted over the last several days.

The Peregrine glided through the wine dark sea as it closed in on the true leviathans, large whales powerful whales, beautiful and dangerous whales. The waters were almost foaming with so many whales passing through. On the outliers there where hump back and right whales, with the great blue whales passing close enough to the Peregrine to rock her with its wake. They swam gently but with them being such large creatures they still made a mess of the water.

The crew could hear all the different songs coming from such powerful creatures and all gathered on the weather deck to watch them pass. There was no real need for the look outs to shout "There She Bows!!!" but they were so excited that near every man on deck all shouted this in some for or fashion. Cain smiled and had the Peregrine sail deeper into the waters.

There right in the middle of the whole show was the sperm whales, the true leviathans large and aggressive. A pod, a large pod of at least a hundred whales with several large bulls and one large scarred one. It was missing an eye, had harpoons and lances in its head, one of its fins had become deformed and there where fresh squid sucker marks bigger than dinner plates running down the length of its body. It was a bull and was at least fifteen feet longer than its nearest competitor a younger bull still growing.

That great scarred bull was Cains target and the target for his entire crew. "Heavy harpoons and lances! Lets hunt some whales!!" Cain ordered as the jolly boats and skiffs were lowered into the water.

"Heave!" the oar teams shouted in tandem as the bots pulled toward their quarry. Every pull bent the oars of their boats and brought the teams closer to the scarred bull whale. "Heave!" one of the oars on Cain's skiff snapped! The skiff twisted throwing every one off balance and Cain went in the drink finally allowing Mr. Agon to pull forward and harpoon the massive beast first!

There was a cheer coming from Mr Agon's boat crew and the fight was on the whale took off away from Mr Agon's skiff. Cain not missing a step grabbed on to the side of his own Skiff. In one athletic motion Cain boarded the boat once again while at the same time a spare oar was passed to the empty handed mate and the chase was on.

Hefting his heavy harpoon Cain threw his harpoon it wizzed through the air and tuck into the scarred bulls tail. Both skiffs began backing their oars.

The whale began to dive and the ropes began to hiss and smoke as it passed over the line guide.

"Tie off another line!" Cain shouted urgently as the end of the line began to come close. The next line was tied off and the whale continued to dive. Then the line went slack!

Now that was the scary point in time. The whale was surfacing Cain's eyes went wide! "Back your oars pull like your lives depended on it! Heave! HEAVEEEE!!!!" The rowing team began rowing frantically. The whale surfaced hurt angry and vengeful creating a twelve foot tall wave completely leaving the water! There was a few blinks of an eye worth of time for Cain to react. He kicked up another harpoon, one that was not tied off, took aim and rifled it at the beast.

The harpoon drilled deep into the leviathans missing eye causing the whale to arch in a not so graceful way. When the beast landed every one watching could tell that he landed wrong. The sound the landing made sounded like a belly flop but much, much louder. The wave it mad nearly capsized both skiffs. The jolly boats finally closed in and sunk in two more harpoons with all four boats pulling in opposite directions

In spite of four boats pulling against the beast it showed no signs of tiring. The scarred bull banked and turned to ram one of the jolly boats. It tail could be heard under the water as it charged in a deep ~thump thump thump~ as it charged.

"Throw your harpoons! All of them!" He shouted at the jolly boat and to the rest "Pull! Your shipmates lives depend on it!"

The jolly boat's harpooner began throwing harpoons rapid fire into the scarred face of the beast while Cain did the same thing into its side tieing off harpoons as fast as the lancer could tie. Mr. Agon did the same as did the other jolly boats harpooner. In total twelve harpoons were embedded into the side of the great beast. When all ropes went taut the boats were yanked violently and the whale lurched narrowly missing the jolly boat.

The whale dove again and all four boats pulled back again this time it started showing signs of tiring. The ropes went slack but not as urgently as the first time and the boats began pulling. The heavy scarred beast began to steadily rise to the surface. The rush of the hunt, the trill of fighting so hard to bring down the beast made the team smile as the boats closed onto the creature. "Mr. Grimhand! Would you do the honors?" Cain asked stepping aside letting the massive orc felt the weight of his lance and thrust it into the creature for the final death blow.

The beast was tied off to the Peregrine, its blubber and fat was rendered into oil and is ambergris was harvested from it. Every part of such a great that could be used was harvested. Leather, bones, fat, ambergris and spermaceti all stored and processed. At the end of it all the four harpooners, and all four of the lancers each received a special pin about 6 inches long made of whale bone to adorn their vests or sea coats.

With a cargo hold full of salable supplies the Peregrine made her way back to port with a tired but happy crew.

Name of Thread: Of Sport and Profit
Type of Judgement: No Judgement

Rewards:

jdd2035 receives:
2992 EXP
726 GP

Inclusive of Althanas Day 3x rewards.
Inclusive of jdd's 10% EXP to GP ability.
As per request max amount of EXP turned to GP.

“Seaward ho! Hang the treasure! It's the glory of the sea that has turned my head.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island

All rewards have been added.