Our departure from Port Mansfeild was fairly routine, as such things go. Lord Sutton and myself had only the equipment we carried. The Sophie, as the ship was called, was a cargo ship, a caravel, and as such had only the bare essentials. The captain had a small cabin for himself, there was a kitchen, and a storage room for rations, where the cook had strung up a hammock to sleep. Everyone else, from the first mate, to us, slept in the forward berth. A wedge of space located in the bow of the ship. The cramped quarters were the home of twenty men, but only boasted enough space for ten hammocks. It was then that we discovered the joy of hot bunking. It was my first experience with this system of sharing a bunk with someone who was on duty while you slept. Then that person would come down, when you went on duty, and slept in the same hammock. From the expression on Lord Sutton's face when he found out, it was his first experience with such as well.

     The trip to All Clans Isle was supposed to last three days, with a decent wind. Instead the trip nearly eight days, and it was a sorry looking ship indeed which pulled into the harbor at All Clans Isle. Torn sails, broken decking, and only a skeleton crew left aboard.

     Our troubles began a day out from Port Mansfeild, a wicked storm catching us in the dead of night. The gale and wind came from nowhere, huge waves causing the ship to groan and heave. The captain had us remove as much sail as we could, for the masts were in danger of breaking. The storm drove us southwards, nearly past the Jade Isles. The torn sails were bad enough, and the calm dwarf who was sewing when we came aboard, by the name of Vetti, who was also the ships carpenter, was kept busy all night. The problems were just beginning, unfortunately.

     We were set upon by Sahuagin in the evening of the next day just as we were beginning to get underway. The battle which erupted claimed the lives of six of our members, and caused further damage to the hull. The battle was pitched, and I admit that even I had a few moments when I believed we would fall. Especially when the second wave of Sahuagin swarmed over the side. My blade and I were one that day, and any who stood in my way died. What limited magics I knew were used as well. The battle slowly turned in our favor, with Lord Sutton fighting by my side to clear the decks along with the rest of the crew. His two handed sword cut more than one of those sea devils in half.

     When it was all said and done ten of the twenty-two crew members had been captured or were dead. Four of the remaining crew were so seriously injured as to be on death's door. Leaving us only eight able bodies, none of whom were uninjured. I had a few cuts across my arms and a puncture in my thigh where a sea devil got in a trident attack. None of which were serious enough to put me out of action. Lord Sutton had taken a slashing blow to his shoulder, and was developing a beautiful bruise across his forehead from the butt of a sea devil trident. It took us both a while to realize that the hood to his cloak had fallen off during the attacks.

--------------

     The sailors who were left stood in a small group on the deck of the Sophie. Forlik, to Lauriene and Jean's ever lasting joy, was among those still alive when all was said and done. Jean had finished aiding Lauriene, and one of the crew, in binding the wounds of the others before he began taking stock of the ship itself. It was then that the silver haired elf realized that the remaining crew was staring at him. Lauriene was the first to figure it out.

     "Your hood." In a whisper even as she yanked said hood up over his head. The damage, however, was already done.

     "Hey, ye got silver hair. Yer a dragon!" Forlik was, apparently, more observant then he let on. Jean sighed and drew down the hood, no use hiding when Forlik was obviously not going to let this one go.

     "Yes, My name is Jean." He glanced towards Laureine and then back to the small tired, wounded gathering. All of whom seemed to be at a loss of what to do or say at that. With as good a smile as he could manage after that fight he said the first thing that came to mind. "Lets get out of here before they come back, alright?". That broke the shock, and the crew began moving.

     It was six days before the wounded ship limped its way into port.