After leaving Northrend’s shores it would be a several month journey back to the Eastern Kingdoms, a journey that the Sea Cutter had made many times before and that her crew was well used to doing at this time… only this time they were carrying some very unusual guests with them in the form of a group of giant spiderpeople known as nerubians.
Naturally, this was something that put most of the sailors on edge.
Thankfully for the most part both groups avoided and stayed out of each other’s way, one due to unease and the other due to not deeming it worth it to interact with the ‘lesser’ group in any way beyond a few individuals. Therefore issues only cropped up on occasion, and thankfully when they did it was up to the most diplomatic of the nerubians to help meditate.
“Just… try not to eat a live seagull in front of the sailors, they find it disturbing when they see you doing that since they are used to eating their food after its well dead,” Krivax, now in a Vizier form, which he was still getting used to, not helped by the ship’s constant rocking, explained to one of the Warriors who had taken to hunting the seabirds in the ship’s riggings to pass the time and to get a free meal.
“I fail to see the issue,” the Warrior defended themselves, idly whipping away some feathers from their mandibles.
“I know, it's odd, but for politeness’ sake while we are on their ship try to respect their wishes,” Krivax asked.
“Hmm, very well. I will be sure to kill the birds before eating them and doing so privately so as to not disturb our hosts too much… despite the fact they don’t seem to mind gutting fish on deck,” the Warrior mumbled the last part as he walked off.
“I just know there's gonna be another complaint of that nature coming up again later,” Krivax sighed as he went to inform the captain about how he addressed the complaint.
Feels like I’ve become an HR manager or something.
---
Life aboard a seagoing ship was something many of the nerubians had to adapt to in their own way as well since it was a very foreign concept to the spiderfolk who had never traveled beyond Northrend’s shores in thousands upon thousands of years, viewing the sea as a deathtrap at best… which even the humans transporting them could not deny for the most part.
It was paradoxically easy and hard to find their sea legs as while their legs allowed them to stay upright easily while the ship moved, sticking to its various surfaces, it did not prevent several nerubians from developing seasickness from the constant rocking of the vessel.
Also, most of the nerubians did not like sleeping within the hold of the ship like the human sailors did, finding the idea of sleeping so close to the water as madness, choosing instead to either sleep on the deck itself in spun cocoons like the slumbering spiderlord, whom the sailors were very happy not to interact with, within the riggings of the ship itself. The latter reminded the nerubians greatly of their great webbed roads in Azjol-Nerub, easily climbing up and down its ropes and even making nests between the masts.
This caused concern among the riggers and the captain for the risk of interfering with their duties, but a surprising answer found itself thanks to the careful meditation of Krivax and the members of the Explorer’s League. Namely, why not let the nerubians handle it?
Not totally of course, but rather teach them the basics on how to handle the rigging and let them do so under the guidance of the human crew. Not only were the nerubians fast learners, but their natural climbing ability allowed them to freely move within the upper parts of the ship without danger. They could act more quickly than the human riggers to the captain’s orders and surprisingly their webbing helped increase the efficiency of the ship’s sails by channeling the wind itself.
So did it become that the captain and sailors very begrudgingly ceded the riggings to the most part to the nerubians, for so long as they pulled their weight they kept their complaints down to a minimum and the spiderfolk could make themselves as comfortable as they could for the long journey.
That and few were brave enough to share their more private and rude thoughts into the faces of the spiderfolk directly.
---
“Not the worst passengers I’ve ever had… but I swear the crew is constantly muttering about mutiny behind my back at all hours,” Captain Preston muttered to himself as he found himself in his captains quarters with Oscar once more.
“They can learn to deal with it,” the merchant scoffed as he happily wrote down in his logbook. “Once we arrive home their share in everything will be enough for most to happily retire if they want.”
“Some things even gold can’t solve,” the captain answered back.
“Then clearly there was not enough gold involved,” Oscar pointed out. “Between the transportation fee, which the nerubians vastly overspent likely to make a point, and the trade goods in the hold, we could beggar some minor noble houses. This is not even mentioning the reward House Ashfort will no doubt give us for carrying a diplomatic envoy and the benefits that will no doubt flow into their coffers from that alone if everyone plays their cards right. This is a massive investment opportunity and I don’t want your men ruining that, Captain.”
“Easier said than done,” he muttered into this drink that he poured from himself.
“Make full use of Krivax and Masruk then, they are very agreeable by their peoples’ standards,” Oscar pointed out.
“Don’t worry, I have,” the captain agreed, finding both much easier to deal with than the rest of the nerubian party. The former being nearly overly friendly while the latter was refreshingly blunt and to the point. “The ‘Viziers’ are too stuck in their studies to care while the rest casually look down on us and only bother to chat when they want something.”
“Well, if their claims of having a kingdom that is older than the high elves are true then that arrogance is only natural,” Oscar shrugged. “Just think of it like dealing with them in spider shape.”
“At this point that might be the most sane idea yet,” the captain chuckled. “Besides, I doubt any of them have the spine to really go against our guests, and our guests have been following the rules for the most part if nothing else.”
“Nerubians very much value rules and order I’ve found, it's a very pleasant aspect of them.”
“Here is hoping it stays that way until we get to port.”
---
The worst issue the nerubians dealt with while at sea was one that was rarely one back home, and that was… boredom. Or rather, a lack of tasks to do for the most part.
The higher castes were either slumbering or working in private, so that left the Weavers, Flyers, and Skitterers with a gulf of free time they weren’t sure what to do with.
The Warriors made due, using their discipline to constantly guard their charges or maintain their bodies, but the rest found a surprising pastime when they were not doing duties for leaders or the ship itself. It was an activity that the newest Vizier in the party had grown to enjoy during his diplomatic ventures, after all, something that had to be taught and how most nerubians did not even have a word for yet, and what better place to do it than in the middle of the sea?
Mainly, fishing!
“The stars are much starker on the open water. I never expected that,” Masruk mused out loud as he, Krivax, and several other nerubians cast their silk lines into the water, trailing behind the ship during the middle of the night.
Indeed, with no clouds in the sky and on a calm sea the celestial bodies were out in full force, something that awed the gathered nerubians the same way it awed Krivax and Masruk not so long ago.
“Indeed, pretty amazing, right?” Kirvax nodded along.
“I think I got something!” The group’s only sapient skitterer spoke up in shock as its line was being pulled taunt, nearly dragging the smaller nerubian off the ship until it stuck itself to the deck. “It's big!”
“Hang on then! Everyone, grab hold, and pull!” Krivax ordered as he, Masruk, Weavers, skitters, flyers, and even a few Warriors grabbed onto the line and slowly pulled their catch in.
Masruk made sure to end the creature swiftly with his spear.
By morning the captain would awake and walk out on the deck to find a shark of all things hanging from the main mask from a silk rope, the sailors gathered around it in awe and the nerubians in what looked like smug pride at their catch, and reacted by simply sighing.
“Well at least the cook will be happy,” he muttered.
---
“From the sounds of it I do hope to visit both your home cities when time permits. They both sound rather amazing,” Krivax said as he and Masruk once more settled down for their usual friendly chats with Trixie and Malzie. It was a rather regular occurrence over the course of the trip given their tight quarters and good relationship compared to the rest of the crew.
“We’ll be sure to give you a tour… so long as we give proper warning first of course,” Trixie laughed awkwardly.
“I would not mind sparring with a few of your warriors though,” Masruk pointed out.
“Hehe, of course, lad, I'm sure more than a few will be happy to trade pointers,” Malzie laughed.
“Good,” the Warrior nodded.
“Still, it might be a while before we can do so since it seems like we will be dealing with the human kingdoms first. Who knows how that will go since if the crew’s reaction is anything to go by our appearance will not be taken in stride at first,” Krivax noted.
“Most likely not, no. Humans… can be a mixed bag at times,” Trixie admitted with a frown. “I can get being afraid of something if it's honestly dangerous… but it seems like some humans can be rather hateful for the dumbest of reasons.”
“That is why you gotta step carefully around them until you get their measure, like feeling out the walls of a mine so you know it won’t collapse on your head if you walk it wrong,” Malzie nodded. “Most humans aren’t so bad though, just rather insulated since they rarely see a friendly non-human face most of the time. Usually they deal with gnolls, trolls, or some other nasty thing after all. Just gotta give them a chance.”
“Here is hoping we make a good first impression then,” Krivax muttered to himself as he got a faraway look in his eyes. “We might really need it…”
“Your mind wanders again,” Masruk said as he broke the silence that followed those words. “Do not worry over what you cannot control, merely what you can.”
“Yes, you’re right again Masruk, thanks for the reminder.” Krivax said with a smile, or what passed as one for a nerubian.
“You’ll have us too, at least for a little while, so try not to worry too much,” Trixie said with a thumbs up and Malzie with a nod. “Gotta see this through to the end after all.”
“Thank you, you two. It's good to know I have friends I can count on.” Krivax simply said.
And so their journey across the sea went, not as one huge epic, but merely a number of small events that while holding no great significance would still remain a part of all involved in some shape, way, or form.