"Right, OK! I pissed you off.

Smokestealing is bad, and I have the skill.

Other than the rather obvious name I don't know what it does, or why it's bad."Woodrat was holding onto a chain that ran to the top of small mast on his raft.

Ozzy got the idea that the shimmering heat he saw in the triangular wedge formed by the chain and the mast was a sail of some sort.

Woodrat was half collapsed against the mast, and not looking like he wanted to do much else for a long time."I don't even know where to start with someone like you.

How did you get so strong and not know what your skills do? Makes no sense, even if you did fall out of Sky or the Junction."Ozzy spread his hands.

"I didn't have it before.

I was a butcher.

I worked with fire and smoke to cook food.

A smoke golem named Joe told me about Smoke Magic and I've been trying to learn to do what he does.

I spent a lot of time drinking liquid fire, and trying to move smoke around.

Nothing about stealing smoke.

But what do you mean by Sky and Junction? I came from the regular world I guess you'd call it."Woodrat thought for a bit.

"You had dirt there? Lots of it all over the place? And the wet stuff? Water? And some fire, smoke, and air?" Ozzy nodded.

"All that.""Then you come from the Conjunction.

Sort of in the middle of Fire, Sky, Stone, and Wet.

The cyclone that dumped you here came out of Sky, and now you're in The Smoke.

This place sits between Fire and Sky.

If you could swim down deep, you might drop into Fire.

Not for long though.

:) And if you had wings or a damn fine ship you might take a trip up to Sky.""But you're in The Smoke now.

New rules.

Best learn them fast.

One of those rules is people are a little nervous about someone that can steal that much smoke.

Who wants to sleep in a hammock next to someone that can drain them dry while they sleep? Makes people nervous."Ozzy considered that.

Would he sleep next to a vampire? "What confuses me is why I have the skill? Woodrat shrugged half-heartedly.

"Might never know.

The conjunction is pretty weird.

You said you worked with fire and heat.

Did you also work with smoke? Move it around?"Ozzy thought back to how Joe had taught him to move around smoke in the pit, and when they made bacon, infusing the meat with smoke.

"Yeah.

I think I might have.

Joe had me doing all sorts of things to get ready to learn Smoke Magic.

But I'm not even sure if this is what he had in mind.""Well, you'll have to ask your personal smoke tutor about that if you ever get back.

But I hope you can see my predicament a bit better.

You, my not-quite-a-friend are dangerous.

And I've lived long enough to be paranoid.

You need me right now.

You can't work wood, make chain or sail, and you're adrift in the smoke.

But what about later? Maybe you get low and I'm just some tasty morsel to keep you going?"Ozzy tried not to let the frustration he felt show.

"What if I swear some type of oath? Do they have that here? Any system recognized deals or geas or something?""Not out here.

Maybe if we were in one of the ports or enclaves we could find a lawyer or wizard of some kind.

But the only law out on the Smoke is Ship's Law, and as you may have noticed, my ship is a bit small." Woodrat swept his hand around in a circle, indicating the little raft.

He laughed.

"I suppose I could claim this as the Good Ship Splinter and sign you on as crew.

Pay is half the fish you catch.

You follow my orders and do all the work.

I'll be Captain and need extra rations because of the stress of my position." He slammed his palm down on the raft for emphasis and laughed.

Captain Woodrat has claimed the Good Ship Splinter!He offers you the position of crew, cook, first mate, second mate, and cargo chief.

Pay is half the fish you catch.

Failure to follow his every order will mean you gain the title of 'Mutinous Scoundrel'.

Do you accept his offer to sail the smoke for Glory, Treasure, and a Full Belly?