The Morlat Death-March
--------------------------------------------
[OOC]

The dark waters forced themselves against the sturdy planks curving around the side of the ship, seeking penetration into its belly. Seeking to plunder and consume the ship's captives and drag them into its own murky depths. However, the forceful waters should know that a watercraft built from the great Conce trees would be simply impregnable to the ocean's attempts. The boat shrugged off the living waters as they tried to cling to its underbelly.

Two layers of long rods were protruding from the ship's sides and plunging into the water in unison. Together, they then displaced the water, emerged from the water, and plunged back in. The ship had legs. Long slender legs that moved together. If a leg didn't move with the rest or skipped a turn, someone was beaten, and the leg would abruptly proceed with its scraping of the water's surface. The ship must keep moving!

Crag was exhausted and his hands bled but the cold numbed his pains and his thoughts. The cold winds had mercy. But not the oar. He heaved the oar forward, let it sink into the water, then he ripped it back towards himself. His shackles rattled and jingled as they gripped his ankles and connected them to his arms. He continued with the mindless paddling as he had been doing for the past six hours.

He looked over at his partner. Every oar was manned by two men. As long as the oar kept moving, the guards didn't mind the men sleeping. Crag and his man, Reldsmith, had taken shifts. It worked out well. Crag Hack would sleep and Reldsmith would rip at the oar. Then Crag would paddle while Reldsmith slept. It worked well until Reldsmith died.

Crag looked over at his friend, but didn't tear. Tears just freeze and distract. Reldsmith was dead since sunrise. Crag saw it coming though. Once you're sick, you stay sick. And paddling a boat for a week in freezing temperatures with seldom rations doesn't exactly cure ailments. Reldsmith had contracted some virus that had consumed some others on the ship within the past few days. He now slumped over on the other side of the wooden plank still wrapped in his animal hide blanket. Eventually one of the Morlats would come, sever the shackles, and throw Reldsmith overboard. Crag smiled at his companion and then focused on the oar.

Crag was lucky though (lucky in a very relative and contextual sense). He had already evaded many of nature's diseases that infected other prisoners. Previous to being forced onto the ship, he had skinned many-a-cow and built up a rather abundant supply of leather and hides to ward off serious frostbite. He was also placed on the second, lower deck which was covered from the storm, snow, and hail by the upper deck. Although, that didn't stop the icy winds from blasting through the large oar holes.

Background:
------------------

Crag Hack is one of many prisoners on a ship. The prisoners man the oars of the ship in pairs, and the ship has an upper and lower deck on which the prisoners sit and row the massive wooden oars from. The prisoners' transgressions range from petty theft to trivial violations against the Morlat government. Feel free to be creative.

The Morlat government is an Imperialistic empire that is expanding its frontier. They are expanding so rapidly, they are forcing prisoners to do their bidding where their army isn't. This has prompted thousands of very questionable arrests and imprisonments on the Morlat lands.

This ship is one of the first across the Bodril Ocean to start invading and claiming land of the Free Man's Kingdom. The prisoners are to, under supervision from Morlat officials, erect an outpost and military township where following ships can dock, regroup, and invade from.

Make a prisoner and seat yourself on the ship and grab an oar. We're headed towards the Free Man's Kingdom to supposedly do some bidding for the Morlats. Morlat officials and guards pace and patrol the ship while the prisoners mindlessly row the boat. If your prisoner stops rowing, he'll be whipped and/or beaten. Maybe killed. I'm going to be playing this mostly by ear. I've never really made my own roleplay.