Chapter Text
Largo Clearbrook peered out across the deck of the Bloom just as the mouth of the Chionthar came into view, signaling to the anxious crew that rest was soon to come. Excited shouts came from all hands as the pleasures of Baldur's Gate rose to the forefront of their minds. Many of the sailors were already planning to swarm The Blushing Mermaid and Sharess' Caress as soon as they came ashore. For most of the crew, Largo included, Baldur's Gate was home.
For Largo, however, the relief of being home was mitigated by a slight apprehension; he would probably have to visit his parents, and despite his month at sea on the Bloom, he knew that his parents would be just as angry about his departure as they were the day he left. Not to mention the other Banites in town who would love to have a few less-than-kind words with an apostate, Largo thought to himself.
He forced himself to push thoughts of revenge-seeking followers of Bane from his mind and savor the moment. Right after landing, Largo planned to join his fellow sailors at The Blushing Mermaid for a crew member's retirement party, and he felt that such an event would be the perfect way to reacquaint himself with the city, allowing himself to enjoy its charms while putting off his more pressing concerns, at least for a night.
His enjoyment was cut short, however, as the ship approached the river's mouth, signaling to Largo that his primary duty as shantyman was about to begin. The rowers lifted their oars and the sail handlers took up the halyard in preparation for the strong easterly wind to gather its strength.
Largo, too, took his place facing the line of sail hands, and took a deep breath in preparation to set the rhythm. He began a steady tune, one he had learned well over this last month:
Come all you young fellows who follow the sea,
Way, hey! Blow the man down!
And pray pay attention and listen to me!
Give me some time to blow the man down!
The sailors looked to him as they began to join in. Largo began the second verse:
Blow the man down, bullies, blow the man down,
The crew responded,
Way, hey! Blow the man down!
On the first beat of each measure, their arms, heavily tattooed and muscled over years of experience rigging sails just like this one, heaved in unison on the halyard, slowly raising the sail inch by inch as it began to catch the wind, driving the boat inland.
Largo continued in a young and clear voice, making sure to keep the beat steady for the sail hands:
Blow the man down, bullies, pull him around,
And came the crew's response, less young and less clear, but enthusiastic nonetheless:
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Largo loved this part of the job. Music had always brought joy to his life, and inspiring others through song was always an aspiration of his. His previous time singing in taverns allowed him to indulge in some of this, but never as much as he had liked. It had often felt like entertainment without purpose, and while that in and of itself was a noble pursuit, he found himself wanting more. The somewhat transient nature of the traveling bard's life wasn't exactly fulfilling either. Largo always found himself riding into a small town or village and performing for a tight-knit community, but he never got to be part of that community for more than a couple days. So when he heard about the job opening for the Bloom's shantyman, he jumped at the chance to join a ship's crew, despite the merchant vessel's less-than-upstanding reputation.
After his first month at sea, however, he wasn't so sure that the Bloom was the right fit for him. He had never been too interested in being a sailor, and the job had turned out to consist far more of heaving ropes and loading cargo rather than singing shanties. His 3'1" halfling stature, somewhat chubby physique, and overall lack of strength didn't exactly help him with the more athletic tasks either. The biggest problem for Largo, however, was that he never really seemed to fit in with the rest of the crew. Granted, a single month isn't enough to form deep relationships, he thought, but he had hoped to have something more than a series of relatively friendly relationships with coworkers. They were all nice enough, he supposed, but there was no one in the crew he would call a close friend, no one who worked to establish a closer relationship with him, not that Largo was any good at that himself.
It was this uncertainty that led to some of his anxiety about reaching Baldur's Gate. He could always resume his travels throughout the Sword Coast's hamlets and towns, making a comfortable living performing in local inns and taverns. Alternatively, he could risk trying to find another ship who needed a shantyman, although opportunities like those were rare; most crews had at least one person who could sing, and it's not like a ship needed a (somewhat) experienced bard to lead the shanties.
Largo shook off his indecision and brought his attention back into the present, putting his all behind the shanty once more. After all, it could be my last shanty for a while, he thought. He began the next verse with all the force and passion he could muster:
And now, my fine boys, we are round the rock,
Way, hey! Blow the man down!
And soon, oh, soon, we will be in the dock.
Give me some time to blow the man down!
Then all our hands will bundle ashore,
Way, hey! Blow the man down!
Perhaps some will never to sea go more...
Give me some time to blow the man down!
As the crew finished hauling the mainsail, the city of Baldur's Gate came into view. Their task completed, the sailors looked upon their destination with excitement. Largo and some others went below deck to gather their things and prepare for their short shore leave. Largo donned his flute and rapier—it was never a good idea to go unarmed in Baldur's Gate—and stowed his few other personal effects in his pack.
As Largo returned aboveboard, the helmsman was smoothly guiding the ship into dock. There was still a small amount of unloading to do, and Largo helped out as much as he could, suddenly eager to get into the city proper. After the last box was unloaded, Largo took in a breath of the fresh sea air, taking in the bustling city. It was only when he started towards The Blushing Mermaid that he heard the screaming.
The nautiloid silently descended over the city in what seemed like an instant, transforming an almost tranquil afternoon in Baldur's Gate into a throng of chaos and terror. The ship's colossal tentacles obliterated all structures in their path, grasping at people both inside the buildings and those on the streets. The crowds scattered and ran, but the slow and the unlucky were unable to escape the carnage; any who made contact with the tentacles were immediately transported into the holding pods of the nautiloid, held for whatever nefarious purpose the mind flayers had devised.
Largo froze as the sight of the nautiloid loomed through the dust and crumbling buildings. He felt the cold hand of terror clutch his heart, but his halfling bravery refused to let him remain frozen in fear for long. As the mind flayer ship quickly approached the docks, Largo panicked, finding no route of escape to either side of him. He felt his breath catch in his chest as a single gargantuan tentacle razed the ships beside him. He turned to dive into the sea as a last-ditch attempt at escape, but his efforts were fruitless against the blinding speed of the tentacles. He dove at the water, yet even before he made contact with the surface, the giant appendage was upon him, rendering him unconscious.