one

[kingsroads]

There is a new door near the ship's cabins. I do not know how it got there, only that there it is. That door leads to an apartment I let in Venice. I know this is no replica, that this is no dream, because of the darkness around the apartment. That darkness is a fairy's curse—one that should have arrived when I did and prevents me from returning home to England. Why would I dream up my own curse?

As none of you are magicians, the darkness should not harm you. If any of you are magicians, that is a fact you should have told me earlier and you should keep away from it.

Do not eat or drink anything you may find in the apartment as any food or drink that remains is most likely poisonous. They are herbal poisons, nothing magical, but please do not give Mister Goodsir work that can be avoided.

As the tuunbaq has not let up in it's kidnapping of new arrivals, I shall be leaving the ship to challenge the fiend within the hour. Likewise, on a personal note, I wish to stop it before it finds a way to torment me further.

[ There's a series of scribbled out words, like Strange was attempting to start a paragraph before giving up on showing some feelings entirely. ]

It cannot

I refuse to let it

If I lose

I will communicate with you as long as possible, though I suspect the chill will soon prevent that from happening. Please do not follow me. I wish to see no one on this ship be hurt.

Jonathan Strange

Comments

[una_persson]

Strange, you damned fool, what do you think you're doing?

[kingsroads]

What I should have done the moment I first arrived.

[una_persson]

What you should do is listen to the captain and not go anywhere.

[kingsroads]

I'm afraid that won't happen. The tuunbaq has already stripped me of my magic once. I need to make my move before it decides to do so again.

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier's already yelled this down the corridor, but just in case Strange didn't hear his lovely voice...]

Mr. Strange, you are not to leave the ship. Do you understand me? Do not step foot off the ship! That is an order, damn you!

[kingsroads]

[ Time to disappoint Crozier! ]

I'm sorry, Captain. I have to at least try.

[goingtobeunwell]

[It's always Disappoint Crozier Time]

I will lock you in the damn hold if I have to, Mr. Strange!

[kingsroads]

I doubt your hold can confine me for long. And honestly, I'd rather not break your ship.

aaaaand here he comes

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier's already out of the Great Cabin and rushing down the narrow corridor, hoping to find Strange before he can leave.]

Mr. Strange, where the hell are you?

[kingsroads]

[ Crozier spots Strange as he's closing the door to his Venician apartment. There's an air of determination around him as he steels himself, takes a deep breath...and oh hell, there's the captain.

Strange's mood is tense, yet determined. ]

Captain Crozier, I don't want to harm you. But I am leaving this ship, no matter what you say.

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier drops his hands, hoping to reason with him first.]

Don't do this, Mr. Strange. If what Ms. Persson says is true, this version of the creature is a monster from a nightmare. Whatever we do know of it cannot prepare us to face it. Please, don't purposely put yourself in harm's way.

[kingsroads]

And if Ms. Persson's theory is false? [ Strange snaps. ] What makes her theory about dreams more plausible than my theory about our kidnapping? She has experienced her Limbo, I have experienced fairy kidnappings, both of us have our lives to back up our theories!

[goingtobeunwell]

[Two can play at this shouting game, and Crozier's a little scary when he yells.] And if it's false, it's still the same bloody tuunbaq that slaughtered my men! It's own shaman was rejected by it!

You do this, and you'll die. And if Ms. Persson is wrong, then you don't come back. For God's sake, don't be a fool!

[kingsroads]

[ Well, that yelling isn't a side of Crozier that Strange has seen before. He visibly tenses, but still holds his ground. ]

But if I don't do this, then we all shall certainly remain here, trapped for who knows how long. I know what it is like, Captain. To be separated from your loved ones, not knowing if you'll ever see this again. I don't wish you all to share my fate.

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier softens, but only for a moment. Something's harmed this man. He's more broken than he lets on.]

Take it from the dead, son. It's better to be alive and mourn your loved ones from afar than the alternative.

[He steps forward, intending on grabbing the magician and hauling him to a room with a lock.]

[kingsroads]

[ As Crozier steps forward, Strange takes a step back. He gestures to the wooden floor of the ship, murmuring slightly under his breath. ]

I'm sorry, [ Strange admits. And he really is. But there's no way he's going to let Crozier stop him now.

The wood underneath Crozier starts to grow, trying to hold him down in place. ]

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier feels the floor rise up and he yells, throwing a hand out to the wall to keep himself upright.] Christ on a cross! Strange! What've you done?

[kingsroads]

[ The wood continues to grow, as if it is the roots of a tree. It tangles itself around Crozier's legs, trying to hold him in place, though the floor never grows higher than the man's knees. ]

The spell will hold you until I return. [ There's a pause before Strange adds, ] Or technically, the spell will break if I die, but I doubt that will happen.

Like I said: I'm leaving this ship.

[goingtobeunwell]

[Crozier stops struggling once it's clear he's not going anywhere.]

I hope you find what you're searching for.

[And he hopes someone else tries to stop him. It's a small ship after all.]

[kingsroads]

I hope I do as well, [ Strange admits.

And, with a nod in Crozier's direction, he turns to walk away from the man, headed towards the direction of the ship's deck. ]

[lieutenantsteward]

You are a foolish, stupid man, Mr. Strange. And it is you who will create avoidable work.

[kingsroads]

If you had the chance to free us all from this ship, don't say that you wouldn't take it.

[lieutenantsteward]

This isn't a chance. This is a foolhardy mission. A foolhardy, selfish mission.

[kingsroads]

Of course this is a chance! That thing is what's keeping us all here! I am giving us a chance to be able to return home, Jopson. To see our loved ones again. Surely that is worth the risk.

[ guess who still doesn't know about the whole Terror crew dying..... ]

[lieutenantsteward]

(Knife twisted a little too far!)

Good luck.

[kingsroads]

[ Yeah, this sudden turn of opinion is a pretty obvious sign to Strange that He Done Goofed somehow. But having no idea how he done goofed...maybe it'll be best to just leave this alone for now. ]

Thank you. I suspect I will need all the luck I can get.

[heyboss]

Mr. Strange, I think you're doing something real stupid, but I know I can't stop you. But when this is over, I do have something you should know.

(Because someone has to tell you about memory loss after death...)

[kingsroads]

Why am I the only person on this damn ship who can see the sense in my actions?

If you need to tell me something, tell me now.

[heyboss]

It won't matter unless you fail. I'm just hoping you don't.

[kingsroads]

That makes two of us, Doctor.

[nextrightthing]

Mr. Strange, no! You can't go try this, especially not alone! The tuunbaq isn't responsible for bringing us here, and you'll only get yourself hurt.

[kingsroads]

Of course it's responsible. Our kidnapping, our situation on the boat, blocking me from my magic on that 'cruise ship'...that isn't from a dream. That has to be the work of a fairy. And the tuunbaq is the only suspect.

[nextrightthing]

But the tuunbaq was here before any of us. It was harrassing the ships! If it had the power to kidnap people, why wouldn't it have done so before? It wasn't anywhere around the cruise ship, either.

[kingsroads]

How can you be certain it wasn't anywhere around the cruise ship? Did you check every corner? Did you cast off the ship into the ocean? And how do you know it didn't kidnap others before? The only information we know about the creature is from the crew of the Terror, it could have kidnapped hundreds of men before them!

[bestsir]

Did you not listen to a single word that I said?

[ Strange might hear a ruckus in the sick bay as Harry prepares to charge after him. ]

[kingsroads]

[ Strange's mental train of thought: aw hell ]

Mister Goodsir, I have already had to prevent your captain from in-disposing me. I don't want to do the same for you.

[ gonna at least give poor Harry a warning before Strange continues to break the ship. ]

[bestsir]

[ No response. Just more noises of what is in fact Harry trying to find something suitable to restrain Strange with. ]

[kingsroads]

[ Nope nope nope.

Strange sighs, places his hand on the wall of the ship, and starts casting a spell. It's really great that ships are made of wood because you know what's easy to magically manipulate? Wood. The wall around the door of the medical bay starts to grow becoming roots and vines which grow over both sides of the medical bay door, essentially trapping Harry in until he hacks them away / Strange drops the spell / Strange dies.

And hey, they're flowering! Look at those nice lovely flowers that are totally gonna wither and die in like, fifteen minutes. ]

I'll drop the spell when I return to the ship.

[bestsir]

[ Enjoy the sounds of Harry pounding on the door and actually almost swearing, Terrors. ]