Swamped

Tell him that once he's finished, you're going to punch him in the face. Tell him that you'll punch him as hard as you can regardless of what he says. Catch him off guard. You're the one in control.

edit: Note that you don't actually have to do that once finished. You can be bluffing and the effect will be somewhat similar

Then again, whatever fool idea Ash has isn't worth a moment of your time.

"I don't care," you say. "Say whatever you want, the only answer you're getting from me is a punch in the face. That's what you've earned yourself."

"I suppose I can't be too surprised you hate me that much," Ash says. "But at least hear me out. If you-"

"Don't care."

You get up and start walking forward.

"Your choice, then."

Ash steps back and slams the door. You rush for it and grab the knob as soon as you can, before he has a chance to lock it.

The door pulls away ever so slightly before you hear a distinctive click. But now Ash is trying to pull it back to his side.

You don't know how the door works. Will it stay locked if he shuts it? Wait... if that's how it works, why didn't he lock it ahead of time? Maybe he doesn't know either.

But before you can think of how to puzzle that out, you feel the whole ship shake, and the slightly ajar door gets flung all the way open. Ash goes flying into the room; you had yourself braced better, so you barely manage to hold your ground.

What in the hells was that?

You don't have much time to think about it. You just rush out before you can be locked in again. Not that you have any idea where on the ship you even are...

Wait. Why is there a big hole in the wall?

More importantly, what in the hells is that thing on the other side of it?

Shout, "Shit, that was a bluff! Didn't expect it to turn into shipwreck!" and try to get to Ash. I mean, you want both of you to survive, here. Probably.

That doesn't sound good. Maybe you shouldn't figure out what's in the hole. Imitate Ash and jump into the room too.

You don't even know what you're looking at. You can't get a good enough look to tell if it's a beast or a machine, or something else entirely.

You just know that you don't want to be near it. And if you do have to fight it, well, you'd rather not do it alone. Even if your only options are Ash and a quiet kid who clearly isn't trained to fight.

So you run back in. Ash is just picking himself up.

"When did you get so strong?" he mutters.

"Wasn't me. Something made a hole in the wall. Didn't want to hang around long enough to find out exactly what."

"Outer wall or inner?" Ash asks.

"I don't know! All I could tell is something was there. And I assume it's a problem for both of us."

Ash doesn't respond. He just steps out, and then rushes back in.

"Seems to have hit us from outside. I can't tell what it is either, the clouds are too thick. What I can tell is, it's probably too big for us to fight, especially considering we don't have many weapons on hand. The kid had a pike, but we took it away, and your mudpike is confiscated too. And I lost my sword before even coming here."

"Sounds to me like we should go to wherever you're keeping those," you say. "Is Long's staff there, too?"

"Yes. Carma took the slicer, though."

"Then let's go. You know this ship, you lead the way." You're not happy about it, but it's not like you have a lot of choices right now.

Ash heads out, and you follow, with the quiet kid trailing behind. Thankfully, he leads you away from the hole.

"It's actually faster to go the other way, but I think you can understand why I'd take this route," Ash says. He looks around a corner, and suddenly stops.

"What's wrong? You see something?"

"I'm not sure what I'm seeing," he says. Well, that's helpful.

Looks like you'll need to check for yourself.

It's a kaleidoscopic mockery of reality. Carma is standing on the ceiling, but also she's on the floor in front of you, locked in combat with something indecipherable.

You can immediately tell why Ash was having trouble describing it. It's like you're seeing several things at once. As though the hallway were covered in mirrors reflecting each other.

Somewhere in all that mess, you can see Carma. In multiple places, actually. She seems to be fighting something, but whatever it is, it's even more muddled by the... illusion? Distortion? Whatever this is.

You're starting to get a headache as you look at it, and that gives you a faint idea what's going on. You run back to Ash.

"The wizard who sent me here said something about the, um, what did he call it, the ethereal pathways being dangerous to traverse without a gateway. That if you were conscious, it would be extremely disorienting, to the point of nausea. I wonder if that's what's going on over there."

Ash just looks at you for a moment.

"I think you're going to have to explain that a little more slowly."

"I don't entirely get it myself, but apparently, when you magically go from one place to another, if you don't use a gateway you go through a much less safe route, which is really bad for the senses. We had to go to a lot of trouble to figure out a way through it to get here, and... never mind. Point is, the headache I was starting to get from trying to make sense of all that reminded me of what he said."

"So... you think the ship is being magically transported? Then why would that hallway be affected while we're fine over here?"

"I don't know! I'm not a wizard!" As you say it, a thought strikes you. "But is Carma one?"

"Well, she's used magical objects. I don't know if she'd call herself a wizard, though."

"Maybe that's the difference. Maybe something's causing that weird effect to happen around wizards. She seems to be handling herself just fine in there, from what I can make of it, so it might not even be doing anything to her personally."

Ash mulls over this a bit.

"Okay, I'm not entirely sure anything you've said so far has made sense, but magic's probably involved, so who knows," he finally concludes. "But suppose your guesses are right. What are we actually going to do about it?"

He's got a point there. You're not quite sure what your next move is.

Ask the quiet kid if they have an idea.

You notice that the quiet kid seems even more nervous than usual.

"Something wrong, kid?"

They don't answer, unsurprisingly, and Ash quickly steps in.

"He's been raised in a city that worships a man who calls himself 'the Master'. Apparently, the people of that city are considered 'blessed' and this blessing involves not allowing them to speak and not allowing most people to speak to them, which is why they're called the Silent Ones. So, basically, every time you or I talk to him, he's terrified. It goes a lot better if Carma talks to him, since he still recognizes her as important."

"That gives me a lot of questions, but as far as why this kid's having so many problems, it explains a lot," you say. "Saw more than a few like this in the Marshguards. They were raised as servants to very religious noble families, taught a lot of rules, and obedience was the biggest thing to them. Mantis tended to handle them, but I heard a few stories about his overall technique."

"Do we really have time to give this kid therapy?" Ash sighs. Gods, that's so typical.

"Gotta start somewhere. Let me try something, all right?"

Ash just shrugs.

"It's not like I have any better ideas."

The way Mantis handled kids like this was, he realized that they needed rules to understand the world. So he gave them a bunch. The thing was, a lot of the rules didn't make any sense. It was just a way to get them back on their feet for a while.

Then, after he thought they were ready, he'd arrange a situation where they couldn't help but break one of his nonsense rules. He'd show up just as they realized what they'd done, and he'd tell them that it was all right. The rule didn't really matter.

Thing is, that takes time. Months, sometimes years. Mantis said it was a matter of trust, fundamentally. Do it too soon and they'll believe your made-up rules over you, and they'll end up worse than when they started.

And you just met this poor kid. You do want to help, but it's not going to be quick. And in the short term, you just want to get him communicating.

Well, you've got the start of an idea here. The only thing this kid knows how to do is obey rules. So if you want to get him to do anything, you need to give him a rule. That's what he understands.

How can you best make use of that?

Set up a task-small reward contract.

“Speak to me. Tell me exactly what happened."

When you boil a rule down to its simplest form, you usually end up with one of two basic forms.

The first is, "Do something wrong, and you get punished." And this kid probably has a lot of experience with that one. So maybe you should focus on "do something right, and you get rewarded".

And specifically, what you want this kid to do is talk. Or at least explain things. Talking, in particular, seems to freak them out... but what about drawing?

You reach into your pouch and find a pencil and notepad. Perfect. Now you need a quick doodle... has to be something the kid will recognize.

The Master. He's probably the guy the ship's figurehead is based on. Well, it might freak the kid out, but it also gives you a shot at claiming some authority. You might need that to get anywhere.

You don't remember the face well enough to do anything detailed, but you get the overall shape down, and you show it to the kid.

The kid immediately stands to attention. It freaks you out a little - it suggests he's been taught to do that. Who teaches a kid to stand to attention like a goddamned soldier?

But you've got to work with what you have. The kid's ready for an order, so you need to give him one.

You tear off the sheets you've actually used, and hand the kid the rest of the notepad, along with the pencil.

"Can you draw?" you ask. "Make shapes, like I just did?"

The kid seems confused, but starts touching the pencil to the paper. After a few minutes of experimental scratching, he seems to understand what it does, if not entirely how it works.

"That's what draw means," you explain. "And if you draw something that shows me what you're thinking about, I'll let you keep those."

You fully intend to let him keep them anyways. But he's not ready to understand that.

He does, however, seem to understand the instruction. You feel a little bad for taking advantage of how little the kid knows, but at least you're moving things forward somehow.

After a moment, he holds up the paper for you to look at. So what's this he's drawn?

Buncha triangles? What the heck.

It's a lot of triangles. He's just covered the page with them. You can't make any sense of them.

But maybe Ash can - he knows at least something about where this kid came from. You show him the sheet.

"Got any ideas about that, Ash?"

"It's just a lot of triangles," he mutters, then pauses for a moment as a realization dawns. "Which, come to think of it, is what this kid's city looked like. Almost all the buildings were very triangular."

"Oh. So he's just homesick, then?"

Ash takes another glance at the sheet.

"That would make sense, but I don't think so. I think he's trying to get across the idea of a city for some reason, and as far as he knows this is what cities look like."

Hmm. Seems you might have to ask him to clarify with another drawing. But you'll have to think carefully about how to word your question.

Give him some symbols to work with. Circles for you, me, and Ash, an X for Carma. Is she in the city right now? Is that where the magic gateway leads?

"I don't quite understand this. Could you draw it again, but put us in the picture as circles?" You draw one in the air with your finger. "And maybe an X for Carma - the big lady. Where do we fit in?"

The kid draws another picture. The lower half of it is another mass of triangles, with three circles and an X above it.

"The city's below us?" Ash says, glancing over your shoulder. "That doesn't make sense. Carma specifically tried to avoid cities when setting our course. Didn't want to draw attention, whether from the Master or anyone else."

As he says that, you realize there's a significant gap in your knowledge.

"Hold on. Where were you even headed?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Apparently she was trying to transport us somewhere else, but the kid jumped in at the last minute and we ended up on this airship instead. So I know we're headed for our original destination, but she never explained exactly where that was."

"You don't think that might be a city? Maybe we've arrived?"

"She said to expect three days of travel," Ash says. "I mean, if your guess about a sudden transport is right, then I suppose that could shorten the trip, but there's a lot that it wouldn't explain. For one, how would it even happen?"

You think back.

"There's a storage room the kid was poking around in. I was hiding there and Carma yelled at him. Do you know what was in there?"

"No idea. I'm not that much in the loop, and there's a lot Carma is magically prevented from explaining directly. What are you thinking?"

"I'm wondering if maybe this kid was trying to be helpful and was looking for something in storage that could make a shortcut." You glance at the kid. "Is that what you were doing?"

The kid seems hesitant.

"Did someone tell you to look for something in there?" Ash asks. "Nod your head, like this, if the answer is yes. And shake it, like this, if the answer is no."

The kid pauses a little longer, then nods.

"All right, now it makes a bit more sense," Ash says. "Someone's been giving this kid orders remotely. We knew that already, but Carma was confident she could keep him obedient as long as she was nearby. Should've pressed her harder on that point, I suppose. Because I think this kid has brought us somewhere on behalf of his boss."

"Doesn't explain why this hallway's fine and that one's a mess, though," you muse. "Or what's down over that way."

"No. So we still don't have a plan."

Well. Maybe you've got enough information to make one now.

Let's go see what's in the storage room. We'll go back the other way.

"I think our best bet is to check out that storage room. See what else is in there. After we get those weapons back, that is."

"And how are we going to get there?" Ash asks. "That corridor is going to make us sick, and the other way involves going past whatever's beyond that hole."

"Yeah, well, whatever it is hasn't come this way. If it's not actively coming after us, we can probably slip past it."

"Fine, but you're taking point," Ash says. You're not inclined to argue right now. You can settle things with him later.

You start walking back, and soon come to the hole. Just as you approach, the ship starts shaking again. You grab hold of the nearest wall as best as you can and wait for it to stop, but it doesn't.

"What are you doing?" Ash asks. You turn back to look - he and the kid are just standing there. The entire world seems to be shaking around them, but they're standing still, unsupported.

On a hunch, you carefully edge your way back, and the shaking suddenly stops.

"I don't know what it is, but when I got over there, it felt like the ship was shaking. Worse than before, even. And when I looked back, it was just as bad, even though it didn't seem to be affecting you."

"Some kind of illusion, then," Ash muses. "Since you felt it and we didn't."

"Must be one hell of an illusion to shake that much."

"I had to close my eyes to walk through a door earlier, and I still had to fight against everything my senses were telling me. I wouldn't bet against it here."

You look Ash right in the eyes.

"Well, then. Since you're apparently the expert on illusions here, how do you recommend we get past this one? Just close our eyes?"

"If this is anything like the door, that will help, but it won't be enough on its own." Ash looks thoughtful. "I think it might have to do with what you believe you're doing. When I tried to push my way through the door, I was reminded of swamp muck, so while it was hard to go through, it wasn't impossible."

"You have any recommendation for what might work here, then?" you ask.

Meditation?

"For shaking? Not a clue. Not unless you can just clear your mind out entirely and ignore everything your senses are saying. But you'd have to be some kind of ascetic to pull that off."

"Or in a crate full of water," you muse. "But it'd be hard to get another one, and I'm not even sure how to get back to the one I arrived in."

"If we had your mudpike or Long's staff for support, that might help, but we'd need someone to get across first."

As you reflect on this, the kid in the guard uniform just suddenly walks past you, and goes down the passage as if nothing's happening. At the other end, he pauses and looks back at you.

"I think someone just volunteered," you say. "That kid must have some serious discipline."

"Or just doesn't know how to scream," Ash mutters. "Anyhow, I'll call out directions."

A few minutes later, the kid returns with the weapons. You and Ash make your way down the passage, with some difficulty; but having the weapons to lean on at least lets you make progress. Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the shaking stops. You and Ash take a moment to catch your breath and readjust to normality.

"Now we need to get to that storeroom," Ash says. "I don't think Carma told me where it is."

"And I don't know where we even are on this ship." You turn to the kid. "Can you lead us to that room you were in before, with all the boxes?"

"Hold on. We may not be done with these illusions," Ash interjects.

"Maybe not. But it's not like we can do anything to prepare for them before we know what they are."

"But we've seen that this Silent One seems to be able to get through them just fine. Which means we can ask him to bring us anything on the ship, provided we know where it is."

"And what were you thinking of asking him to fetch, then?"

A flame thrower.

A map?

"Marshall has one of Flame's throwing gloves," Ash says. "I pointed it out, but Carma didn't think she needed the help, and there's nothing to throw in the cell, so we didn't bother confiscating it."

"Well, the whole reason I'm here in the first place is to get Long and Marshall out, so I'm all for telling the kid to open their cell. But why is the glove such a big deal?"

"It gives us more options in moving things across the corridors. And I didn't say open the cell - Carma's got the only key for that."

"She doesn't trust you, huh? Can't say I blame her."

Ash gives you a displeased look.

"My main point is, that glove is an asset and the kid can get it for us."

"And how, exactly, is a kid who's afraid to talk going to persuade someone in a cell to hand over their glove through the bars?"

"With a message from you, of course," Ash says calmly. Gods, what a jerk.

"Not gonna bother for a glove that might be useful. If you've got something specific in mind, then maybe, depending on what it is."

Ash's expression takes a smug turn. Oh gods, he does have a plan, doesn't he? But what could it even be?

Using seduction as a distraction, so the kid can sneak in.

"Well, if you want to get them out, you'll need Carma's key," Ash explains. "And with that glove, an object as small as a key could go all the way down one of the long corridors. Much further than she can run in the same amount of time. Could easily give someone a headstart on opening the cells that way."

Now you're even more suspicious.

"That seems like a plan I'd need help with. I don't exactly trust you not to switch sides yet again, and I'm not sure the kid would go so far as to steal something from Carma. And I'm certainly not planning on being the one who gets close to her."

"Fair enough. Feel free to go ahead with your plan instead, I'm sure it's much better than mine."

Gods, he's so damned smug. As he always is when he knows you've got nothing to counter with.

Knowing Ash, he's got his own scheme for the glove and he's just having you grab it for him. Then again, since he doesn't really know any more about what's going on than you do, what could he even be plotting?

Well. You do need to get those two out at some point, and Ash is right that the glove could help you do it. Maybe you'll cross paths with Rider and then you can have an actual reliable ally here.

The important thing is that you're going to make sure you hold onto the glove. And, of course, not turn your back on Ash if you can help it.

"Okay, fine." You turn to the kid. "I'd like those things I gave you back for just a moment so I can write a message."

The kid seems a bit nervous, but hands them over. You'll have to be prompt in handing them back, in order to calm him down. If he thinks you can take back the notebook at any time, he might not see it as a gift.

First, though, you need to write this message. The contest of the request is simple enough - the more important thing is convincing Long and Marshall that it came from you and isn't some sort of trick.

But how can you do that? Okay, you've shared a few secrets with Marshall now, but you don't want to just blurt them out. Even if the kid won't reveal anything and Ash doesn't see the note, you wouldn't want to give too much away to Long. You'd have to allude to them in a way that would only make sense to Marshall. That or try some other approach entirely.