Journey to Enlightenment II IC

[Horatio@Bridge]

--The Reefs, territorial waters of Azrahan--

An uncanny silence reigns over the remnants of the great sea battle. Gulls circle over the wreckage, occasionally diving to take a tasty morsel. Lynne and Sails-With-the-Tide had been passing nearby, following the tides on a journey to where they did not know, when the sounds of the battle had caught their attention. Now, in the aftermath, they sailed through the wrecked ships in search of survivors.

A low groan draws Lynne's attention. There, tangled in the rigging of a half sunken ship! The man looks to still be alive!



That would be Pius.



--Port of Azrahan, the Jail--

KRAKATHOOM!!! A wave of dust billows through the air in the wake of the explosion, triggering a coughing fit in Aran where he is crouched low against one wall to avoid the chaos around him. His eyes narrow as he peers through the dust, trying to see...yes! The explosion had knocked a hole in the prison walls, giving him a chance! He darts for the hole, sliding down the rubble into a smoke-filled alley behind the jail. Peering carefully into the street, he checks to make sure that the coast is clear before making his way to the docks. Everything seems fine, but just as he's about to step out a piercing whistle catches his attention. A battle scarred woman crouches in the alley across the road, two men huddled behind her. She gestures toward a building down the street, and Aran follows her gesture to see a Wood Aspected Dragonblooded crouched on the roof of the building, eyes scouring the street for any enemy soldiers he can cut down from his sniper's nest.



The people in the alley across from Aran are Anastazia, Kaphros, and Kite.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind sat dutifully in shorts at Ocean Wind's helm, her mainsail and jib raised to steer them out of the current they had been coasting on. It was Lynne who had heard the first sounds of a battle, but it was Sails-with-the-Wind who had suggested they investigate. He now had come to regret that choice as he had to carefully pick their way through the hodge-podge of wreckage - they probably wouldn't find any survivors anyway. Looking down at his blue-green shorts and the white cotton shirt he had deposited over one foot he began considering a new plan.

Thankfully he remembered how badly most of his plans went and so gave up planning and instead got back to picking their way through the wreckage, readjusting the patch over his demonic eye as he did so - wouldn't do for it to come off now. The shuffle disturbed his messy blue hair and made several places stick right up as they were caught by the leather straps of his patch.

Since it's Lynne who saw him, I didn't want to go "Oh! Look! Something you saw and heard that I now see and hear too!"

Edit: But I did want to put something.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius
Groaning weakly, Pius' eyes fluttered open. As the world around him slowly swam into shape, his vision focused on a lone ship slowly picking its way through the wreckage.

Are those... Azarhdian colors?

"Help me..." he groaned weakly.

[Ridai]

Lynne

The tall woman stands silently on the trimaran, her body effortlessly adjusting to the motions of the boat as she looks for survivors. A small part of Lynne didn't care about investigating the aftermath when she heard the sounds, but Sails-with-the-Wind didn't exactly have to persuade her, either. While she enjoys quiet days and nights on the sea with a gentle wind blowing her black hair, the atmosphere surrounding them is eery, reminding them that Creation is unfazed by the loss of many lives. Still, the stunningly beautiful woman looks calm as she looks for survivors, strangely enough finding something soothing in the silence.

Still, a sign of life in this floating graveyard immediately captures her attention. It's surprising to her that her friend didn't notice the man before her (considering her habit of not paying much attention to her surroundings, something she is trying to change), but she quickly finds the source of the voice. Quick, sure steps carry her over to Sails-with-the-Wind and she gently puts a hand on his shoulder while pointing the other towards the ship wreck. "Over there." Lynne can't help but show a little smile. She is still deeply impressed by Sails-with-the-Wind for saving her a month ago and taking care of her, so she is excited to follow in his footsteps during this situation.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Absorbed by the task of steering the ship through the flotsam covered patch of sea he was startled by Lynne's hand. Looking first at her hand his eyes followed her arm up to her smiling face - it was nice to see her smile, not least because it suited her - and then along her other arm and beyond. At first all he saw was a half-sunken ship with its rigging jutting out of the water like a compound fracture, but then, squirming in it he saw him. Sails-with-the-Wind took a hand off the controls and gave her hand a light pat, "Ay see 'im." He sounded eager as his other hand pulled at the controls, turning the ship around in a graceful arc.

Getting up he padded his way over to the line that led to the foil under the ship and double-checked the knot that held it out of the way. "Get ready ter br'n 'im aboard." He called out as he clambered over to pull the mainsail and headsail down so they didn't just sail right past the man.

[Ridai]

Lynne

"Aye aye, captain," Lynne answers with a wink, grabbing a sheathed knife by it's strap and hangs it over her shoulder. Moving towards the Ocean Wind's edge, she gets ready to free the poor man and get him to safety.

Last minute character change: I removed Carouser because I think the most important part of it is either experience or mentality, so it's mostly an advantage of Lynne's old self. Plus, I think her stats already clearly show her social graces, ability to hold her drink etc. I'll get the last point of Lynne's Enthralling Maiden Style and another dot of WP instead.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius
As Pius lies groaning and groggy, he feels a cool touch and the weight of a knife pass through his bonds. For a moment, he stays still, gathering his wits, then tentatively flexes his hands to confirm his freedom.

Turning around, Pius prepares to thank his rescuer. Despite the torment of the past few hours, he feels confident that he still has enough of his courtly wits around him to give his rescuer the thanks they deserved.

Perhaps some sort of reward would be in order... After all, my rescuers would certainly be in danger of losing their li-

Pius' half-formed thanks die in his throat as he stares dumbly at the gorgeous woman standing before him.

"Is... is this the Afterlife?"

Even as his words leave his mouth, he flushes slightly, aware of how silly he must sound. As he is about to make an apology, though, a second thought strikes him as suddenly as the first.

Grabbing Lynne by the forearms, he pulls himself up with a crazed strength born of desperation.

"The battle!" he gasps, forcing the words from his heaving chest and cracked lips. "How goes the battle!"

(OOC: Should we all agree on a common tense to write in? I suggest present since the opening post by the GM seems to be written in that style.)

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne smiles warmly at the man as he is searching for words, watching his rather cute reaction. While is startled by his sudden change of behavior, wincing as he painfully grips her forearms, she still remains collected to help the man calm down. With a sympathetic look on her face, Lynne looks him into the eyes and speaks with a soft voice.

"Shh, easy. We just arrived here and you are the only person we found here so far. You must be tired, please come aboard the ship, I'll help you get your bearings." She gently puts her hand on his arm. Lynne could easily free herself from his grip, she isn't exactly a delicate flower after all (even though she could easily make someone believe that), but it would only cause more stress. "I am Lynne. Would you mind..." She throws a quick look at his hands.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius

"The only one... I'm the only one? Oh gods, oh gods..."

Shuddering, Pius releases Lynne and buries his face in his hands, crying out in anguish. In between his sobs, half-formed words spout from his clenched teeth.

"Everyone... dead... because of me..."

Presently, the sobs cease and Pius looks up at Lynne with the blank, dead gaze of a man who has lost all hope. Disoriented by the trauma of the past few hours and his grief, he will let Lynne lead him wherever she chooses.

[Ridai]

Lynne

A small part of Lynne tells her to leave the man alone in his suffering, but she chooses to ignore it, instead hugging him tightly and caressing his head and back. She throws Sails-with-the-Wind a sad look and patiently waits for the man to calm down, relatively speaking. Once the sobbing stops, Lynne looks deep into his eyes, her face sympathetic to his pain. She won't tell him that everything will be fine or something similar. No one wants to hear something like that. "Come." Softly holding his hand, she carefully leads the man onto the Ocean Wind and inside the trimaran, so he doesn't have to look upon the wreckage anymore.

Giving him a seat and a blanket, Lynne squats in front of the man. "Can you tell me your name?" After patiently waiting for an answer (or continuing if none comes), she asks: "Can you tell me what happened here? Maybe some of your men made it to the city." She doesn't force an answer. If the man doesn't want to talk, she respects his decision.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius

Pius stares into the distance, eyes fixed on some far off point on the horizon, heedless of Lynne's words.

After a long while, he begins to speak - yet even though his lips move and throat mutters words, the vacant look in his eyes and dispassionate tone of voice give his listeners the impression that he is not talking so much to them as to some unseen voice of his past.

"My name is Pius Ignavo. I am... was... an officer in the Azarhdian Navy."

"Up until a few weeks ago, I thought it wasn't such a bad deal. War is hell, but a smart man with a fast ship can stay far enough from the action to make it seem a lot more tolerable."

"It's funny, isn't it? I can't even remember what the war was about anymore. We'd been skirmishing with Wavecrest for as long as I can remember, but must have done something to piss them off big time, because they called in House Pelps...."

Here Pius' voice trails off again, and it is another short wait before he resumes his story.

"I'd thought I'd seen it all, you know? I've even seen some Dragon-Blooded in my time, though always from a good distance away and with 5 rows of ships between us. But the Realm's forces were different."

"There were so many Essence weapons... when they fired their first salvo I swear their discharge blotted out the sun. And the Exalted... so many of them... everywhere... cutting us down like straw."

"We lost most of our fleet fighting a forward defense in the waters around White Coral Reef. 'The Battle of Red Reef' - I believe that's the name they're calling it in the Realm now, if our captured dispatches can be believed."

"Those of us who made it out retreated here, before Azarahara itself, to make our last stand. I never really expected that we'd win... I just thought if I played my cards right I could get my men and I out alive."

"Then I saw one of their siege-pieces, a huge Essence Cannon, completely unguarded. I knew if we went for it my men and I could take it out, but we'd never make it back out."

"I've never been a hero, and I've never pretended to be one either. Wherever trouble was, you could count on me to be running away from it. But I don't know what came over me..."

"I thought... I thought maybe I could do something useful at last... go down fighting in a blaze of glory and maybe save a few lives while doing so. My death I was prepared to accept, but I forgot it wasn't just my life I was gambling with."

Here Pius begins to tear, and his voice cracks slightly from thirst and the strain of speaking.

"A Dragon-Blooded officer sunk my ships... then laughed and watched as his men slaughtered my floundering men..."

"My men... they trusted me to keep them alive, no matter what. Many of them volunteered to serve under me for that very reason - they didn't want to be heroes, they just wanted to get home safely to their families."

"And I failed them. Pius the coward got bit by the bug of heroism at last. And it's not like I even was a very good hero. Judging by what I've seen, and the lack of fighting or survivors you say you've observed, the city's already fallen."

"If this wasn't my life, it'd make a blasted good comedy!"

Breaking out into manic laughter, Pius sweeps his hand towards the smoking sky.

"And you know what's funniest of all? I survived! I actually survived! Pius the coward survived fighting the combined forces of the realm when better men died! Pius the coward who's always first in a retreat and last in an advance! Pius the gods-damned frikin coward!"

Collapsing to the deck, Pius bursts into tears once again.

"How I wish... I wish I'd died with them... That way I wouldn't have to live with my conscience."

Closing his eyes, Pius gives out one final, massive, sigh. After a few indeterminate moments, he opens his eyes, and grins at Lynne weakly. Despite the pain hiding behind his gaze, he almost seems like his usual good-humored self.

"Any chance I could get some water? I'm thirstier than a desert raiton with a burning fever."

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne listens attentively to what Pius has to say, watching him pour his heart out. "Of course." She gives Pius a warm smile and fetches him some water. She watches him drink in relative peace for a while before she speaks up again.

"What are you going to do now? Despite what you said, you strike me as a decent man, there is no shame in wanting to keep those you care about alive and well. You have received a second chance, a chance to set things right, to honor those loyal to you. And I think you are not someone who would squander such a chance, Pius. I really do." Lynne feels that in some points, Pius' and her story are similar, and he showed her a glimpse of who he really is, what makes him tick. She speaks with confidence, with the wisdom of someone who also received a second chance. Then she suddenly gets up.

"But for now, you should rest. No ifs or buts, otherwise I'll be forced to take drastic measures. Unless..." She shows a mischievous (or charmingly innocent?) grin. "you want me to take drastic measures."

[lostlittlebear]

Pius
Grabbing Lynne's proffered water, Pius downs it greedily, dousing his parched lips and throat. Nevertheless, Lynne's words still provoke a marked reaction on the young man, causing him to spill water all over his salt-caked uniform. The girls he'd known in Azahara were never this... forward.

Blushing furiously, Pius struggles to regain his composure.

"I wouldn't care much for that, Lady, but if you give me some time I'll... I'll..."

Stifling a yawn, Pius feels waves of stored-up fatigue wash over his body.

"Do excuse me, I seem... to be unaccountably... zzzzz..."

Pius' eyes flutter shut, and he stretches out on the deck, asleep. Discussions about future plans will have to wait until the young warrior sleeps off the fatigue of weeks-worth of near constant warfare.

(OOC: Loving the RP, Ridai, but I think we need to give H@B a chance to get on with the plot and deux ex machina up our meeting with the rest or we'll still be stuck on this Scene come December. xD Rest assured we can continue this once more plot gets underway - and it does seem to be Pius would be exhausted after a day floating in the waves, after all.)

[Ridai]

Lynne

Seeing Pius' reaction, Lynne laughs heartily and infectiously, without a trace of malice. Once he is fast asleep, she comments "Poor lad." and gets him to a safer, more comfortable part of the Ocean Wind. Once she is done taking off his jacket and boots, neatly securing them next to him, Lynne tucks him in with the blanket.

"That should get his spirits back up a bit. Rather cute, too," she says as she rejoins Sails-with-the-Wind and returns to looking for more survivors.

I'm really enjoying the RP, too. I guess I'm pretty eager to support new games as much as I can so they don't lose momentum. I wonder what's the hold-up for the other four, though.

[Sanguine]

Aran

Unarmed getaway with a dragonblooded archer working sentry. Fun.

Crossing the street and stepping into the alley Aran crouches by the three people. Brushing his sea green hair out of his eyes he whispers. "Don't suppose any of you know a way to the docks that doesn't pass by our friend from the Realm? I've got a boat docked their and if you guys can get me to it, I would gladly give you a lift out of her."

Truth be told Aran couldn't be certain his boat was still there, however Samuel and the rest of his crew would fight tooth-and-nail to keep the ship their if it came to that.

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia

Anastazia shrugs. "Not entirely, but there are plenty of back streets and alleys. I can get about halfway there for sure, but I'd have to guess after that. And he won't be the last sniper we see." She looks at the other two men. "Do either of you know this town better than I do, or will I need to scout us a path?"

She wasn't sure that she believed this man--it didn't seem likely that someone escaping from prison would really still have control of a ship--but she wanted out of town enough to take the gamble. Of course, getting there would be the riskiest part, since it was doubtful that any of them knew how to sneak.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind had stood by the sails throughout Lynne's comforting of the survivor - what was his name? Pius? Yes, Pius. He had nearly intervened, but Lynne proved a very capable nurse as she calmed him and led him off into the main hull. She'd better not have put that wet man on my dry bed., he thought sourly as she came back up; though truthfully, he was feeling jealous somebody was taking the attention of his only friend. "Ay suppose - fe a 'alf-drowned rat-th'n." He answered back as he got them underway again, lifting the sails and then taking his place at the helm. "Jammy git..."

[Ridai]

Lynne

Cocking her head and putting on a coy smile, Lynne teases her friend a little bit. She continues to savor the opportunity to lighten the mood and the feeling of saving and caring for someone, gaining a greater appreciation for what Sails-with-the-Wind did for her. Still, it isn't fair that only Lynne gets to enjoy herself. "Don't worry. My hero always comes first." She hugs her friend from behind and rests her head on his shoulder for some time.

Wow, Sails-with-the-Wind's speech patterns really give my English-speaking skills a workout. :smallbiggrin:

Sorry, I'm trying to stop until the next update, but I can't help myself. :x

[Horatio@Bridge]

As Sails-with-the-Wind turns the ship to pick his way out of the battlefield, the exit to the harbor comes into view. Where the seas had been clear and open before, suddenly a Wavecrest ship had moved in to the far end of the battlefield! It was far away for now, unlikely to be able to close through the wreckage very quickly, but it was in a good position to run the Ocean Wind down once they exited the battlefield.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Tide

Sails-with-the-Wind savors the physical contact, leaning his head against her. For a moment, if he just closed his eyes, he felt he could be back with Remy watching the sun on its descent, the final rays of light warming their forms as they lay on the beach. He would almost see her face as her head rested on his chest as she smiled down at him. That particular smell of the ocean wind that day drifted into his nose, mingling with Remy's own personal scent - it was a local flower she somehow turned into a perfume, he could never remember the name of it or her method, but he loved the smell all the same.

But he wasn't, and Lynne wasn't.

"Wuvcrest!" He shouted as he quickly moved the ship away from its trajectory out of the floating debris littering the battlefield, his dream smashed by the sudden impact of reality as he spotted the ship; no time for him to feel guilty for enjoying the moment with Lynne, but not with Lynne. The ship was in a good spot to tear Ocean Wind apart if she tried to make for the open ocean even with her speed. Damn!, he exclaimed within his mind as he wheeled the ship about and out of its trajectory out of the flotsam field. They'll probably think we're reprobate scavengers come to pick the bones of the dead...

He took a deep breath, he was panicking from the sudden appearance of another ship. They might not think anything of the sort, they could be here to do what they were doing: helping survivors. There wasn't any reason to panic, yet. All the same though he kept the Ocean Wind in the flotsam field and out of their range. "Lynne, ay think we might need Pius up and about." He wasn't sure what he was thinking, but he certainly didn't have a plan - that was the only comfort he had.

[Ridai]

Lynne

In moments like this, Lynne is never sure what goes through her friend's mind. Feeling his heart beat faster, there is the faint thought (or hope?) that it is caused by his affection (or desire?) for Lynne. Judging by what Sails-with-the-Wind told her during the past month (and his nightmares, although she pretends not to notice to make it easier for her friend), however, this is most likely not the case. Unsure whether she should keep quiet about it or put herself in the forefront of his mind, Lynne always feels a little bit of envy.

Shocked out of her thoughts by the Wavecrest ship's appearance, she simply nods to her friend and moves into the trimaran. Shaking Pius in his makeshift bed, Lynne puts a finger on his lips once he is awake. "Shh, a Wavecrest ship is approaching us. Get ready, Sails-with-the-Wind and I will try to get us out of this, maybe we can end this peacefully. If you have any ideas, please tell us immediately." Making sure Pius understood everything (he is very tired, and rightly so, after all), Lynne heads onto deck afterwards.

"Are you able to outmaneuver them, maybe get them temporarily stuck between the wreckages? Otherwise, I could try to convince them we were just looking for survivors. Do we have anything to signal them that we want to talk?" Lynne looks mainly to Sails-with-the-Wind, but she is sure Pius also heard her.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--In the city--

Anastazia leads the small group back into the ruined back alleys. The bombardment had choked several small passages full of rubble but had opened others, so Anastazia was able to move the group the half distance she'd promised without incident.

The group is in a large house when they encounter the first enemy patrol. The patrol is picking its way slowly along the rubble-strewn street outside, and have not spotted the four adventurers looking at them from inside the house. These are Wavecrest soldiers, about a fang of them, and they do not seem to be led by any Dragonblooded.



A fang is about five troops, so it's just a small squad.



--On the water--

The Wavecrest ship hangs out signal flags. "Heave to, and prepare to be boarded" is the message they convey.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Seeing the flags and no reaction from Sails-with-the-Wind, Lynne keeps looking towards the former as she adresses Pius. "Pius, take off your uniform and hide it. Wrap yourself in your blanket and act unresponsive." She looks to her friend next to her. "I'll get us out of here, no matter how." Briefly and reassuringly squeezing Sails-with-the-Wind's hand, she wants him to heed Wavecrest's signal as she moves to meet whoever will board Ocean Wind.

Sails-with-the-Wind can see his friend seamlessly transition into a role, a mask that will hopefully give her an edge. Lynne assumes a strong, yet relaxed stance, her hand resting on her hip, a confident smile on her face. As if by accident, strands of her black hair fall in such a way that an onlooker's attention might be drawn away from her face for a moment, something she could exploit to distract or punish in combination with the strength and sensuality emanating from her. The young woman looks every Wavecrest soldier into the eyes as if she sees much deeper than one might think, but before they enter, she briefly turns back to Sails-with-the-Wind and winks. Under the mask, Lynne is still the same woman he saved.

Yes, I am totally stunting the first impression Lynne conveys with the full strength of her social attributes and Enchanting Features to make it hard for them to concentrate and to catch them off-guard later. Do you want me to roll Charisma/Appearance + Presence (+ bonus dice from EF)? :smallwink:

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind was about to launch into an explanation for a detailed escape plan he had thought of as he sat at the helm silently. Luckily Lynne's actions put an end to that ill conceived notion quickly, and instead he set about heaving to the ship - and making sure his weapons were just inside the main hull where he could sprint for them easily.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius
Still bleary-eyed from his interrupted sleep, Pius nonetheless springs into action with the expertise of a well-trained soldier. Making sure his bow and firewand are still wrapped in their waterproof leather sheath and lashed to his chest - where they had resided all through his near-death experience - Pius does as Lynne tells him to, silently praying that this incident will not degenerate into more of the mindless violence he had lived his life trying to avoid.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Having put his weapons in a place close to reach Sails-with-the-Wind came up and almost immediately fell of the boat for the shock of what he saw. Scrabbling hard to hold onto the hard hull and wing nets his mind acted on instinct. "Dibs." He gasped breathlessly as he rolled onto his back on the wing net - his eyes entranced by the vision of Lynne he saw, a sight no mere mortal fool could resist.

[Horatio@Bridge]

A line of marines on the incoming ship all gape at Lynne as they approach the trimaran. An officer, standing at the end of the line, clears his throat.

"Pardon, ma'am," he says, blushing slightly. "I'm afraid you've wandered into a warzone. I'm sure you're probably not involved, but we've got instructions to detain and search all unidentified ships to make sure that they're not carrying enemy combatants."

[Ridai]

Lynne

While the marines' reactions tell Lynne how she is doing and how to continue from there, Sails-with-the-Wind's further strengthens her confidence and enables her to fully focus on the task at hand. "My, my, a true officer and gentleman," Lynne comments, sounding (seemingly) impressed while giving the officer her full attention.

"I understand completely, these are truly grim times, after all. We were looking for poor souls in need of help and did not know we were trespassing, I appologize." Showing a sympathetic expression, she folds her arms, subtly emphasizing her more enticing features, since the men before reacted so strongly, combined with a slight bow.

"However, I would feel guilty if I wasted even more of your precious time by making you search our little trimaran. I am sure your expertise is currently in high demand, but I understand that it is your duty. As an alternative, would you, perhaps, like me to come aboard to question me in private?" Lynne smiles coyly, cocking her head, eyes ever fixated on the officer, letting him notice that she examines him once in a while.

Trying to get the hang of social stunts. Completely untreaded territory for me, so I hope to get better at this as the game progresses. The fact that Lynne has a lot of inherent qualities and talent helps in terms of effectiveness, though.

Manipulation + Presence (Deception 1) (+ Enchanting Features and Silver Tongue if they apply)
[roll0]

edit: 16 successes! What is going on, normally I have completely rotten luck! xD

[lostlittlebear]

Pius
In other circumstances, Pius would have readily feasted his eyes on the beautiful woman before him, but in these circumstances even Lynne's beauty could not distract him from the horror of capture and combat. Whimpering softly, he buries himself deeper into the folds of the protective sails, the gruesome fate of his men playing itself out again before his tightly shut eyes.

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia

Anastazia looks around the room, hastily finding hiding places. "We need to hide, quickly, or they'll find us." She points out the hiding spots she saw. "You, hide there, you there, and you here. Can any of you fight?" She helps them hide, making sure they aren't visible. Then she takes her own hiding place. It's the most exposed of the four, but it also offers her the chance to come out quickly if she needs to fight.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Anastazia, inside the town--

The fang of soldiers outside splits into two groups, three soldiers checking houses on the far side of the street while two soldiers move over to check the house you're hiding. They move cautiously, staying within range to support each other, as they prod the rubble and search for any sign of troops waiting to ambush them.



The soldiers will roll Perception + Awareness against your Dexterity + Stealth. As there are two of them, they will have limited cooperation, so there is a 1 die bonus on this attempt.

[roll0]

[Horatio@Bridge]

--On the water--

The officer blinks twice as Lynne's offer sinks through to his brain. It takes a couple of more moments as he rationalizes his decision, then he gives orders to his men.

"It's true, we can get more information from a witness than we'd get by searching your ship. Crewman, lower a gangplank so the lady may come aboard."

Once aboard, the officer bows slightly to Lynne. "I am Rosauro. It is a a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Please, this way to the cabins," he says as he leads her to the rear of the ship.

The marines watch sullenly as the officer leaves with the gorgeous woman.

"Ruttin' officers, they get all the best loot," a particularly rough marine says. He casts his one good eye on the trimaran. "I wonder if they've got anything else so nice on that boat. I reckon that if the lieutenant gets him some booty, we ought to get something from this too..."

The other soldiers seem to hesitate, unsure if their commander would approve of them boarding the the ship.

"C'mon, you louts!" the marine grouses. "Orders are to search any ship that comes outta the bay. Just cause the lieutenant is off interrogating some doxy don't mean we can be derilict in our duty!"

Given a proper excuse, the other soldiers nod their agreement, and they make ready to board the Ocean Wind.



The good news is, the Lieutenant is the only one that likely would have recognized Pius. Bad news is, now you've got a bunch of blue-balled soldiers looking for loot getting ready to board your ship.



Once in the cabin, Lieutenant Rosauro gestures for Lynne to take a seat. "Please, make yourself comfortable."

There's not much room in the cabin, just enough for a table with one chair, a dresser, and a cramped bed. There is a porthole on one wall, open to let the sea air refresh the room.

[Ridai]

Lynne

"Likewise." Lynne gracefully comes aboard now that the officer is practically eating right out of her hand, but she also notices the expressions of the other sailors. And she knows that her beauty often is a double-edged sword. Not letting the officer notice any of her concerns, she follows him to the cabin and takes a seat on the chair, crossing her legs and assuming a regal poise, despite her mundane clothes.

"It is a pleasant change of pace to encounter a reasonable gentleman once in a while, Rosauro. I normally go by a few nicknames, but please, call me Rebecca." Lynne gives the officer a pleasant smile. "As I mentioned, I do not want to delay you for long, since this is still a war zone, but I will try to answer to the best of my ability. Do I have your word that me and my friend, as well as our ship, are safe while you are watching over us, Rosauro?" She adds a bit of urgency to her voice so this won't take any longer than it needs to and also to appeal to his noble side, trying to ever so slightly tighten her grip on him. Lynne doesn't plan to exploit him, but having a navy officer as an ally and admirer could only help in the future. Still, she listens for any sounds that might come from outside that signify events taking a turn for the worse.

[lostlittlebear]

Pius

Pius lies still, watching the soldiers search the ship with a nervous eye. If it is possible, he will try to whisper a quick message to Sails, telling him to pretend that he is a convalescing friend. If a soldier stumbles upon Pius, he will let Sails do the explaining, but will let rip with his firewand at the first sign of trouble.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind watched and gritted his teeth as Lynne performed her dance. It wasn't new to him, he reminded himself as he got up and took position very close to his swords - he still didn't have to like it, he reminded himself as she and whoever that was went back aboard there ship.

Sails-with-the-Wind almost moved into action as he heard the rough-looking soldier talk. He couldn't help but imagine how neatly the cutting edges of his blades would slice through the tough gristle in his neck. Hearing Lynne's word about how she planned to get them out of this "no matter what" helped put him even more on edge as they searched his ship, and eyed his possessions. So caught up in his tension that he didn't even acknowledge Pius' existence.

It was the thought of Lynne aboard there ship that worked against his passion, keeping it in check. He'd hear that son of a whore though, and if he thought he'd survive the attempt he'd reincarnate with a permanently confused look.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--In the city--

The soldiers rustle through the rubble of the house. The move professionally, one checking potential hiding places as the other hangs back to keep an eye on the room as a whole. The searcher quickly and methodically checks the room, pushing over the table to see if anyone's under it, checking a cabinet to see if anyone's inside it, and peering into the rubble of the broken stairs to see if anyone's in there. He's just about to check the overturned china cabinet under which Kite is hiding when there's a clatter at the window. Both soldiers turn to it quickly, but there's just a raiton sitting in the window sill picking at its talons. It caws once when they look at it and then flies away.

"Clear!" the soldiers hear from their compatriots across the street, and the two soldiers glance at each other. Nodding, they exit the building and head back into the street.

The danger has passed for the moment, but there's still a lot of distance to the docks, and a lot of soldiers patrolling in between.



A Dex + Stealth roll will be sufficient to close the rest of the distance, but you can substitute another roll if you'd like. You're making it whether you succeed or fail, but I'm using the results to help me set the next scene.



--On the boat--

The soldiers roughly paw through the Ocean Wind, pocketing small bits of value like pieces of fruit and some of of Sails's better lures. One of them pokes at Pius.

"Oi, is this somebody you pulled outta the wreckage? Orders are to take any survivors into custody."

--In the cabin--

Rosauro paces nervously in the small room. He's obviously very attracted to Lynne and wants to take her up on her implied offer, but he can't bring himself to take the first move, whether out of an odd sense of honor or a fear of getting caught. He clears his throat.

"Yes, of course, they'll be fine," he says distractedly. He pauses for a moment too long, eyes wandering over Lynne's lithe form.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne looks intently at Rosauro, letting him know that she is very aware of his behavior. She puts on a slightly disappointed expression before she continues. "Ah, that is what you want to ask." She looks away for a moment as she pauses, as if telling him that she honestly expected only to be questioned. Enough so that he might think he insulted her. "I... understand, Rosauro, it must be hard to sail across the seas for so long without a woman's attention. But please, I don't want you to suffer because of this and what you're asking is... I can see you are an honorable man, so please understand my side of things like I understand yours."

Lynne knows her previous self would have had no problems with granting his wish to get what she wants, but in her current state it is a very last resort. She gets up from her chair and moves a bit closer to Rosauro, her eyes capturing his gaze and her hand softly caressing his cheek. "Still, maybe I can give you something to keep you company during lonely nights," she whispers. With that, Lynne suddenly kisses Rosauro passionately, embracing him tightly and letting him touch her (but nothing more). She can't help but feel ashamed of herself because of this and manipulating the officer in such a way, her previous and her current self clashing violently, but the need to keep Sails-with-the-Wind (and Pius) safe is stronger (and the thought helps).

After a while, Lynne stops. "I assume, despite our differences, the interview was to your liking?" she asks Rosauro, implying the end of their meeting and that he will let them go, like an unspoken order to an enchanted suitor.

Manipulation + Presence (Deception) + Enchanting Features + Silver Tongue
[roll0]

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind stuck himself inside his own head as he watched the sailors pocket small items from his ship. They probably thought he wouldn't notice and that even if he did he wouldn't make something of it. They were wrong, but he didn't make a scene despite that. If he confronted them it would go badly and he couldn't keep Lynne safe...

That's when they poked him, mid-thought. "Don't ****'n teruch me." He spat as he yanked himself away from the sailor. "And nah, ay didn't." It wasn't a lie, but that hadn't occurred to him as he eyeballed the man. "Gorrany uvver dumb questions?" Being antagonistic wasn't a smart move but he couldn't help letting his anger affect him.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Anastazia and Kite--

Having evaded the outer edge of the patrols, the small group of refugees makes their way through the wreckage of the streets and to the docks. Anastazia is able to lead them past the main line of pickets guarding the docks, bringing them within a short dash of the pirate ship. The ship is guarded by ten soldiers, led by a scarred man wielding a hefty hammer. Aran's crew is held on the docks, bound by ropes and guarded by three soldiers. The ship itself is moored to the dock by three heavy ropes, as well as by having the anchor lowered. Anastazia and the group are hidden next to several barrels, and are as yet unnoticed by the soldiers.



Thanks to that epic roll, you're able to get quite close to the ship indeed. So, you need to free the crew, unmoor the ship, and raise the anchor. What do you do next?



--Lynne--

Rosauro flushes in a mixture of shame and arousal. He looks to the side and backs away.

"Of course," he says quietly. "You may go."

--Sails and Pius--

The soldier glares suspiciously at Pius, but before he can say anything Lynne returns with the officer.

"Let these people go," Rosauro orders. "I've determined that they're not involved with the battle."

"Sure you 'ave," the lead soldier mumbles, but he follows his orders. He palms another orange, and then he leaves the ship.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne feels guilty when she sees the damage she has caused, even though she knows she had to do this to protect those she cares about. At times like this, she feels like she should be neither her former nor her current self, the things that haunt her in her fragmented dreams, that make it hard to fully control herself.

"Thank you." Lynne bows courteously and for a short moment, there is something incredibly pure and honest about her as she shows an apologetic smile. "I hope we will meet again in more peaceful times, not as strangers, but as friends. I really do." If she can harm with her words, maybe she can also soothe with them.

Lynne leaves the cabin with Rosauro and goes aboard Ocean Wind again. "I wish you and your men a safe journey, Rosauro," she says as a goodbye before she turns around, allowing Sails-with-the-Wind and Pius to see her radiant persona slowly disappear, leaving behind a withdrawn expression. Still, she looks to her friend and seeing him unharmed puts a small, warm smile on her face. "I think it is time to go, Sails."

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind heaved and hefted the the rigging and wheel just before the soldiers had left such that they had to dash the rest of the way or fall into the sea. The wandering sailor, satisfied with his vengeful prank, set the Ocean Wind to a course out to sea before making an account of just what toll he had paid.

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia

Anstazia looks at the ship and then back at its owner. "I don't know much about boats," she says quietly. "I also can't take on ten soldiers all by myself. Maybe the three if I have surprise, though I can't guarantee that, but not ten." She has a bow as well as a sword, and knows how to use both. "Can any of your men fight if we do free them? And can the soldier do anything to your boat to cripple it if they see us?"

[Horatio@Bridge]

--In the Town--

Aran thinks for a moment.

"The biggest problem is that the boat is moored in place. We'd have to get it free before we could leave. After that, we need to free my men. They can hold their own in a fight, plus we have some arms on board. If you can gain the ship, the gangplank is only wide enough for one person to board at a time. You'd be able to negate their advantage of numbers there. If you can cut the moorings, I'll sneak on board to retrieve my weaponry. Then we can meet by that pile of boxes there to rush the guards defending my men."

Kite listens in, nodding appropriately.

"I'm not a total loss in a fight," he adds. "I could probably take one or two of them myself."

[Horatio@Bridge]

--On the Ocean--

The thugs had done quite a number on Sails's supplies. They were picked clean of fruit, and there were several small but important tools missing. He could probably improvise replacements, but they'd need to stop for food and eventually find some place civilized to restock their gear. Not here, though...it was already thoroughly fallen. Although they might be able to use the chaos to make a quick smash and grab to get what they needed. At the very least, they might be able to pull into a cove away from the city and restock on foodstuffs.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne's tiredness seems to dissipate relatively quickly as she quietly tells herself not to relax while they are not completely safe. The more or less carefree time she spent with Sails-with-the-Wind couldn't last forever (unfortunately), so Lynne at least concentrates on getting what they need to do done. "Pius, do you know if and where we could gather some food outside of the city? Or if there is any way to get into the city unseen?"

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

It was with a stalking, hunting step that Sails-with-the-Wind left the hold after his inspection of the exact cost he had paid, and all for the honour of not decorating his boat red. Grimly he clambered about the ship, exaggerating his motions to burn his aggressive energy as he brought the ship from its seaward bound course. The ship instead made a wrenching turn - the left outer hull slamming into the sea while the right outer hull lifted itself up - and entered into a semi-circular course that would bring them around to the opposite side of the island.

Sails-with-the-Wind, caught up in his own wake of furious action, ignored Lynne and Pius. Instead of being social he fell into his old pattern and climbed the rigging to a small platform resting at the top of the mast. Barely a few feet across with the wind and movement of the ship it made for a perfect place for him to practice his style. It was up there that he isolated himself both with distance and with the iron walls of meditation.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Letting out a little startled yelp, not expecting something sudden from the ship itself, Lynne grabs onto the Ocean Wind as her friend brings it around. After a quick check for possible sources of danger, she sees Sails-with-the-Wind being clearly agitated. At first considering to ask him what's wrong, Lynne quickly bites her tongue and looks away as he storms by and climbs up the mast.

On the one hand, she knows she accomplished what was important, namely still being free, still being on the Ocean Wind, still being alive and well. But on the other, what she knows of her past self forces Lynne to question her decisions and she is responsible for infuriating her only friend. She has to ask herself if she was becoming more like her past because of forcing her way to handle the enemy ship, if she should have let Sails-with-the-Wind, the Ocean Wind's captain, decide on what to do, how she could repay him.

Lynne gently steers the Ocean Wind with her limited skills along the course set by Sails-with-the-Wind. There is nothing to be gained from brooding and Lynne knows this, but someone who never questions whether she is right or wrong and what her motifs are cannot be a good person. And everything is made more complicated because she is aware of what it means when so many thoughts are focused solely on one person other than herself.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne has been steering the Ocean Wind for a while now, constantly checking if Sails-with-the-Wind calmed down, but that hope seems to be futile. She can't just leave him up there, though. "Pius, could you hold the course?" With that, Lynne heads up to the platform.

Staying close to the mast, not wanting to test her balance while focussing on her friend, she waits a moment, hoping for a reaction, before she speaks with a soft voice. "Sails?" A brief pause. "I know you aren't happy about what I forced you into, but..." Still no reaction. It is a touchy subject and she doesn't know how he'll react, but apparently he doesn't respond to gentle methods. And, maybe a bit selfishly, Lynne is slowly getting fed up with him ignoring her.

"Sails!" She grabs her friend's shoulder and pushes him against the mast, immediately stepping right in front of him, her body almost touching his, planting both of her hands to his sides against the mast so Sails can't just turn away (and so she doesn't lose her balance from the sudden movement). Thanks to her height, she is face to face with her friend, her expression and voice hard and with a trace of anger.

"We are low on food, in enemy territory, and we need to take action now! We don't have any time! You are the captain, so act like one!" Having vented a little, she lets the words sink in while regaining her own composure. She softens her behavior a little, her eyes searching for a reaction in Sails-with-the-Wind's features. "Am I not your friend? Talk to me."

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

It was a tight fit on the platform that forced Sails-with-the-Wind to consider he steps carefully even before Lynne clambered up and got in his way. He tried to ignore her, hoping she would just get bored of being ignored and go back down but that was when she pinned him to the mast. He was in the middle of a set and her timing couldn't have been better as he slammed into the mast, off-balance and with her bearing down on him for answers he hated the wind for carrying that scent of hers to him.

"We're tak'n action rite now, this cose wul take us ter de uvver end o' de island, and inhabited islands tend ter 'uv scran grow'n ed dem er liv'n ed dem!" Sails-with-the-Wind ended up shouting as he tried not to let the smell of her control him. "And ye nah we're kiddas, but me past is mine, and ye nah dat tew!"

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne remains silent for a while, cheeks still reddened a bit from the short exchange, having never raised her voice at her friend before and vice versa. She is surprised but in a way glad to be shouted at, glad that Sails-with-the-Wind reacts, but something is off. And she has a vague idea what that is. "You don't have to tell me your life story, but you also don't have to shoulder everything by yourself, just as I rely on you. No one here will think lesser of you if you don't." Lynne lets go of Sails-with-the-Wind a little reluctantly and steps aside.

"I'm not here to be a burden to you, I'm here because I care about you." With her previous life apparently built around lies, illusions and false hopes, Lynne at least wants one aspect of her new life to be untouched by such corruptions.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

It took a moment of gritted teeth and looking at anywhere but her face before he said something. "Dat is de problem." He said. "It wuz scutty whun yous wuz juss us'n me ter svive afti ay fished yous out de sea." Keeping his face turned away from her he seemed annoyed, and angry, and more than a little sad. "Whun yous wuz..." Sails-with-the-Wind didn't complete his sentence out loud, but he did so in his head. When she was just somebody using him to survive, he could do something nice for somebody else and he liked that, but now they're more than just two people surviving. It made him feel guilty, not simply because he still loved his wife but because he didn't think he deserved somebody nice. At least, not yet.

Since they had become friends he'd been thinking that maybe if he did enough good his guilt would go away. Washed clean by the forces of karma somehow, but that just made him feel even more guilty for thinking he could make up for all that evil. He hadn't simply done horrible things, he had enjoyed doing them; enjoyed the power; the feeling of brittle mortal bones snapping like twigs in his grasp. The worst thing though was that he knew what Remy would have felt about it, but he was sure in his conviction that this path was the right one - it was sometimes only the thought of what she would say that stopped him from giving in to his anger.

Then his eyes widened as he remembered earlier. He had wanted to give in to his anger but he hadn't, and not once had he thought of Remy.

He lifted his head then, thinking of defiance. Thinking of some way to get down from here and then somehow avoid her until they hit the beach, but his head sunk. It would be impossible. She could only be occupied by the new arrival for so long before she started thinking how she was going to try and pry into his affairs again. Not wanting to tell her anything, but knowing he had to tell her something he thought on his feet and came up with a stalling tactic. It might give him enough time to decide which of the two options he had in his mind was the right one.

"Or'rite, or'rite." He said in his thick accent, trying to sound defeated, but he doubted he was very successful. "Wa' do yous wanna kun?"

[Ridai]

Lynne

"I see..." Lynne looks away when Sails-with-the-Wind stops mid-sentence, lips pressed together, missing the signs of her friend's realization. She is not sure what to do, feeling lost as she vigorously resists part of her instinct telling her to just go ahead and seize him and another urging her to stop the conversation, to run away so that she doesn't risk corrupting Sails-with-the-Wind should she lose control.

Lost in thought and inner conflict, Lynne is visibly surprised when she hears her friend's offer. It takes her a moment to collect her thoughts. "Could you tell me what upset you so much? Was it the sailors ransacking the Ocean Wind or what I did or something else? That is all I want to know." Of course, the last part is a lie, told with a determined face and voice. Lynne knows it is none of her business and can't help but feel like she is handling something precious and incredibly delicate, not knowing what effects her actions could have on their friendship. Still, she doesn't want to appear uncertain and make things even more complicated for Sails-with-the-Wind.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind takes the moment to push himself properly upright against the mast behind him. "Ay 'ad a wife." He said, looking at Lynne. "Because o' me and me arrogance she wuz killed." He paused to gulp down a mouth full of air, then a second mouth full, and then a third before he continued. "Ay thought me and me swords could protect 'er, but me style wuz... is flawed, and juss as ay couldn't protect 'er dun ay couldn't protect yous now." His breathing quickened, the thought of how much work he still had left to do before his style was perfect enraging him. "Ay thought me style wuz ready, ay thought ay could protect somebody, but as soon as dee came aboard ay knew wa' would 'appen: ay'd die gasp'n fe air."

"Ay guess it juss hit a little tew close ter a sore spot, eh?" He offered weakly with a half-smile, but very quickly he put it away. He didn't like talking about it, and his sloppy attempt at self-depreciating humour just, well predictably, made him feel stupid.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne's eyes are fixed on Sails-with-the-Wind as he explains, moved by what she hears. Moving closer to her friend, she brings her talents to bear, guiding him into her gentle embrace, caressing his head and back, resting her head on his shoulder. "When you pulled me out of the water, I was weak, frightened, I felt lost in the endless sea around me. I clung to you as if my life depended on it, shaking and crying. You could have ignored me, made me your slave, raped me or worse and no one would have known, no one would have cared, but instead you took care of me. You treated my fever, fed me, you were by my side when I discovered what is written in the journal, who is was, when I woke up screaming from my nightmares. Sails, you have protected me in so many ways and you still do. Without you, I would have lost my mind and died and no one would have cared."

Lynne's voice is soft, soothing, her whole being radiating warmth as her hair ripples in a gentle breeze. "You gave me strength, courage, hope, the ability to smile again. The entire time I was on the other ship, I was afraid something could happen to you, but you endured and the thought of you allowed me to succeed. We are only human, we have strengths and flaws, sometimes we win against all odds, sometimes we fear the unknown and feel helpless."

Lynne moves her head back so she can look Sails-with-the-Wind into the eyes, showing that she is blushing and smiling gently. "In the past month, you showed me what a strong, humble man you are, despite everything you have suffered through, despite me often being difficult." Lynne looks away for a moment, her cheeks growing even more red and her face showing a little guilt. "I consider myself blessed by Fate that you saved me and that I can be your friend. We can look after each other, pick each other up again when things don't go smoothly." She plants a kiss on Sails-with-the-Wind's cheek. "Give it time, Sails. I'll try to a good girl in the meantime. And you should smile more often, it suits you a lot better than that brooding face."

In a way, it feels liberating to Lynne to say what she feels, without any hidden agendas or plans, not embarassed in the slightest. She isn't sure what her words might cause, having only her intentions to make her friend feel better, so Lynne is more than a little nervous as she waits for his reaction.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind stiffened uncomfortably as Lynne turned the barrel of her charm on him. To his credit, despite the bad signal his rigidness sent he managed to keep from squirming away. He knew Lynne was just trying to be friendly, but it still made him feel uncomfortable to be with another woman in such close and intimate proximity. Gulping a little as she finished, his outward breaths becoming a staccato beat as she tried to smile despite not wanting to. "Okay," he said around his smile. With a quick glance to his right he slipped off to the left while Lynne looked to see what he had noticed. "Banana." Sails-with-the-Wind said with confidence as he grabbed a nearby rope and rappelled down it to the deck.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Caught off-guard, Lynne just stands there for a moment, blinking. And then laughing out loud at their behavior, how absurd and surreal it got. "That's a good first step, Sails," she says to herself, having gotten a little revenge on her friend to boot. Lynne climbs down and leaves Sails-with-the-Wind alone for now, having gotten across her point and taken his mind off his brooding. Yet, unnoticed by her, a smile forms on her face for a moment, one that could only be described as unsettlingly predatory, only to be replaced by a more pleasant one.

Alright, time skip, please.

I sense that Sails and Lynne have a very strange and quirky future waiting for them. :smallbiggrin:

[Horatio@Bridge]

Sails pulls the Ocean Wind up to the small cove with practiced ease. A small beach is carved out of a rocky shore by a stream running into the ocean. It will take some clambering to get up the spray-slicked rocks to level ground, but this difficulty should keep any soldiers from interrupting their search for supplies.



I'll let you two decide who gets off the ship and goes looking for things. The ship should be fine, assuming you trust Pius alone.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne curses quietly as she examines the path, glancing at her thin arms that are still weak from drifting barely conscious through the sea and being wrecked by fever and nightmares after getting pulled out of the water. Maybe she was like this even before she lost her memories, but the little bit of pride Lynne possesses firmly denies this in favor of trying to fix the flaw in the near future.

"Sails, do you want me to come with you or stay on Ocean Wind? I could deal with a few soldiers, but..." I'm not much of a help when it comes to carrying weights and climbing with them, she completes the sentence in her mind, not especially liking that she might have to sit by the sidelines this time. The way western men think about women like her makes admitting this in front of Sails-with-the-Wind and Pius sting a little more, too.

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia
"Hmm. I might be able to sneak on board. I could probably cut the moorings if I do. Do you want me to do that before or after you arrive? I don't know how well the boat will stay put once I cut the ropes. I'd hate to drift away and leave you."

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

"Yis ter de second, but pius is com'n wi' me." Sails-with-the-Wind said with an authoritative tone after he had dropped Ocean Winds sea anchors over. "Nah offense, but ay juss dun trust yous." He says to Pius as he slipped on the harness for his hook swords - several leather straps that held the swords against his back but allowed him to draw them quickly - and then his blue buff jacket, though he didn't yet button the ornate jacket up just yet. Instead he began crawling up the mast to the little platform above before waving for Pius to follow.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne nods, trusting in Sails-with-the-Wind's decision. "Come back in one piece." After watching the two climb up the mast, she moves to a position a bit more out of sight while she watches over the ship.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Anastazia--

"Cut all but one," the captain replies. "Once you have that done, see about creating a distraction to get the guards moving. I'll rush whoever's left with my men and then we'll make a break for the ship. There should be some flame powder in the hold which would make for a great diversion. Just, please, don't burn my ship down."



Please give me dex + stealth to board the ship, then tell me what you're doing next.

Sanguine, if you're back, I'll need some roll to get ready to free your men. Dex + Stealth would work, but so would Strength/Dexterity + Athletics to close the distance rapidly once the diversion goes off.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Sails With the Wind and Pius--

The two sailors carefully make their way up the slippery rocks to the forest edge above. They're able to gather water and food fairly easily, but after about twenty minutes there's a sudden interruption.

A loud sound of rocks falling catches their attention, and up above they see an old man in a black cloak hopping birdlike from rock to rock as he descends the cliff. He's being followed by two Realm soldiers, though there's no sign of the rest of their unit.

--Lynne--

Lynne is left alone with her thoughts and the ship. All is peaceful and quiet, and then Lynne notices a large black bird circling lazily over the ship. It spirals down to the ship and then lands on the rail. It's a raiton, small and undernourished. It must have come from the battlefield, but been unable to shoulder in past its fellows to get a decent meal.

[Sanguine]

Sitting, Aran waits till the precise moment the heads of the guards turn towards the distraction. Then when the moment comes he breaks into a dead sprint. A rush of excitement flows through him as he runs, the sea air blowing in his face. Aran wasn't hiding or skulking, if the distraction wasn't brilliant he would be in trouble. But that's what made it fun.

Dex + Athletics channeling Valor

[roll0]

Willpower: 8/9

Valor Channels: 2/3

[Ridai]

Lynne

Even though it's just for a short time, Lynne dislikes the notion of being alone. Alone with disjointed shards of memories, doubts and trains of thought. Having little else to do other than waiting for the men's return, she grows more and more nervous. The appearance of the lone bird is strange enough and it usually feeding on carrion doesn't help either. Still it presents a little opportunity to take her mind off her thoughts.

After watching the bird for a small while, Lynne checks the skies if it truly is alone and then heads below deck, only to return with a small bit of food, small enough not to really impact their reserves. Sitting down again, she throws the morsel onto the deck before the raiton and just watches. "Eat quickly."

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia
Anastazia sneaks on board the ship, hoping that her inexperience with boats won't get her in trouble. Once she's on, she sneaks down to the hold. Cutting the ropes first might be easier, but if the flash power is hard to find, it could make them raise the alarm too early. But if she can find the flash powder, then cut the ropes, this might yet work.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--The Docks--

As Anastazia comes back up the stairs from the hold with the fire dust, a guard notices motion on the deck. He waves for a couple of his fellows to join him, and the three guardsmen start to head towards the deck.



bkworm, I'll give you a post to decide how to respond before I write a response to Sanguine's rush.



--The Ocean Wind--

The bird hops down, picking at the bits of bread Lynne had scattered for it. As it finishes, it looks toward Lynne, the light gleaming off its black eye like it were some sort of gem. The image stirs a memory in her mind, light gleaming off a black opal swirling through a haze of people...



Ridai, would you mind writing a short description of one of your memories, perhaps involving your rival?

[Ridai]

Lynne

Her could not be better from the balcony and the sight is glorious. It had started as a verbal confrontation on the plaza between father and son. "This will be the moment of my succession of you, father. You won't hinder me anymore and I will lead our family into a glorious future with Lynne at my side. I won't let you take advantage of her any longer." Those were the last of the son's words before his sword was unsheathed.

"Nonsense! Lynne is a proper lady and your lust shames not only you, but the whole family and her. I would never treat her as a concubine like you do and I will defend her honor if I have to!" The father shouted back and the fight quickly began, putting a blissful smile on Lynne's face, close enough to take in the fruits of her labour, but unseen by the men.

It had been easy to awake long-forgotten desires in the father when she first met him during a function, falling for her mere hours later and often inviting her into his home, ship and bed. The son was less of a challenge, but one sweetened by the fact that he had a proper Western fiancee prior to meeting Lynne. Although he scoffed at her at first, all it took was one bout of sparring to plant the seed of doubt. But where the father was convinced to be the one in charge, the son was consumed completely with desire for the exotic lady, the image (and smell and feel...) of her finding it's way into his every thought. Two very different perspectives, both convinced she truly loved only one of them and was the innocent victim of the other.

Excitement and arousal wash over Lynne. She had achieved new heights, successfully pitting father and son against one another with little effort. "She is mine!" The father raised his sword to finish his prone, bleeding son whimpering Lynne's name, the crowd around them appalled, yet intrigued, whispering and pointing and gossiping. Only then, the shocked wife stopped them. "Hello, Silk," Lynne whispers as she watches with amusement the climax of the scene.

The strong woman stands before her shattered family, his husband having openly fought his own flesh and blood for another woman, especially one so far away from the Western ideal. Her presence awoke intense guilt in both men, but Lynne had already poisoned them, both of them broken husks at this point. Satisfied, Lynne left the balcony, the last thing she clearly saw being Silk's face, that mixture of disbelief and fury and desperation. Another family would profit greatly from this display. It has been a while since the last time she had this much fun.

-----

Lynne finds herself lying on the deck of the Ocean Wind. Curled up in a fetal position, her mind was in chaos as confusion raged within, noticing tears and intense shivers. Frantically trying to regain her composure and sit up, a wave of arousal washes over her body, leading her to let out a small, helpless moan stemming from this, but also sheer terror. What just happened was just like her nightmares, but much more vivid, intense and real. And most unsettling of all, most familiar. What had been indirect discoveries through her journal and vague impressions in her sleep before now returned with a horrifying certainty. That other person, the other Lynne, is still inside her, still alive, indistinguishable from herself.

Unable to stand, Lynne sits with her legs close to her body, leaning against the wall, her eyes closed as she tries to calm down. Sails must not know of this.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Lynne--

"And why not?" Silk asks, her voice coming from the rails behind Lynne. "Do you think you will be able to keep your past from him forever? If he does not learn of it from you he will just hear it from another, perhaps one less sympathetic to your cause. Or is that what you want? Are you seeking to poison your relationship with your rescuer, to manipulate your own destruction as you manipulated that of so many others?"

[Ridai]

Lynne

Hearing the familiar voice, Lynne flinches hard, clutching her legs so hard her knuckles turn white. She doesn't turn around, unable to gather the courage, but the woman's image already appears in her head with parts of her barely recognizable while others appear crystal clear. A tall, muscular woman with a powerful build, blue hair reaching down to her neck and stern eyes of the same color. While other details become a blur, another part of Lynne distinctly remembers the matriarch's commanding presence, curvaceous beauty and most of all her smooth skin. And Lynne can only wonder why she knows the last part so well.

"I... no," Lynne answers weakly to Silk's chastising words, unsettled by the thought of how many might have fallen victim to her in the past. But her memories fail her, lurking somewhere deep inside her, along with whatever might be hidden there, waiting, watching. "I don't want to be alone with myself."

[bkwormlisa]

Anastazia

Uh, oh. Looking around quickly, Anastazia spots a folded sail. It's a windy day, so she grabs the sail and shakes it loose, leaving it where it will flap in the breeze. Then she quickly finds a hiding place, not too close, and hopes that she was in time.

[The Blue Guard]

It wasn't an easy climb up the sea slicked stone of the cliff face and up to the forested edge above, but the pair managed without the insanity the longer named sailor would have brought otherwise. Food and fresh water was also no challenge, and also went without flair as they gathered it up - fruits mostly, with nuts and some small game and poultry to mix things up between the otherwise boring collections of non-salinated water.

With the usual lack of warning something strange - though not so strange in the grand scheme of things - happened. A man wearing a black cloak was hopping from stone to stone like a bird down the cliff as he was pursued by a pair of soldiers from the Realm; likely some snippet of the occupying force or a cast-away from a decimated one, but given the state of their opposing enemy the second wasn't likely (even more so given the state of the survivor who had been a gibbering bag of nerves). Cautious of being seen retreating from the area and being tracked the sailor shifted himself down, using the natural cover to help hide himself as he watched, and motioning for his companion Piscus (or whatever) to do likewise.

OOC
Dexterity + Stealth: [roll0]

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Sails with the Tide--

The two soldiers seem oblivious to the pair of sailors hiding in the rocks below them, but the old man has sharper eyes.

"Help!" he cries out, waving at Sails's hiding place and incidentally revealing the hidden sailors to the pursuing soldiers.

--Anastazia and Aran--

The three soldiers move on to the ship to investigate the flapping sail. Seeing his best chance, Aran charges the pair of soldiers guarding his men. He's past the startled soldiers before they can react, and acting swiftly he cuts his men free.



Roll join battle! -- Wits + Awareness

Aran's crew: [roll0]

Soldiers: [roll1]



--Lynne--

Fabric rustles as Silk moves behind Lynne.

"Have you considered that he may have just as sordid a background as you? That he, of all people, might understand your need for redemption?"

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne doesn't answer, biting her lip. She knows Silk is right, forcing Lynne to face just how scared she is. Trusting that Silk knows her unspoken answer, Lynne slowly gets back on her feet. The other woman probably is not real, but it doesn't matter to her, she has to ask. Taking a deep breath, Lynne turns around, the familiar face making her blush guiltily, yet she doesn't try to distance herself from the other woman. "Why are you trying to help me? Don't you hate me for what I have done to you?" Her eyes examine Silk's face and form. She can't shake the feeling that there is much more buried in her memories about the matriarch and frustration spreads through Lynne everytime she fails to remember.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Lynne--

Silk tilts her head curiously. "Who are you talking to, child?"

[Ridai]

Lynne

Caught off-guard, Lynne is at first visibly confused before all color drains from her face. The young woman stumbles backwards, seeking something to hold on to. Her eyes are shut tight, but the image of Silk has burned itself into Lynne's mind, not helping in the least as she breathes heavily and further struggles to regain her grip on herself that is slipping away so rapidly again on this day. After her head is buried in her hands for a moment, Lynne looks up again, hoping the hallucination is not there anymore.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind gritted his teeth in annoyance, but not at the old man for revealing their hiding place. Well, not just at the old man. It was because he had done the safer thing rather than the right thing, rather than that which Remy would have wanted him to do.

With fire in his eyes he drew his right hook sword and plunged forward - he only needed one for them. Racing straight at the oncoming old man he steadied his sword out to his right, turning his face so his hidden demon eye faced away he suddenly leaped to the left before colliding with the old man. His left foot planted itself on a nearby rock, scrunching up under his momentum before he launched himself right side on at the left soldier at an oblique angle. His hook sword flashing out before him without mercy, cutting the soldier up along his sword arm, twisting his body mid-air so as to land facing the pair.

OOC
Join Battle: [roll0]

Hook Sword Attack: [roll1]

Making a Called Shot, Fierce Blows, so I lose a die from my attack pool but gain two die for my damage pool. Not a bad trade off. Also, if the Stunt is two dice or more I'm going to spend a point of temporary Willpower using Daredevil.

Edit: Nice. I'm happy with my nine successes, so I'll not spend a temporary point of Willpower to double my stunt dice.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Sails-with-the-Wind--



Two stunt dice: [roll0]

12 successes! 3 DV, 9 extra, +2 for Fierce blows, 2 for Str, and 4? for hook swords?: 17L base damage, 3L soak for armor, 14L damage, don't roll against Extras but divide by 3, 4 levels of damage, he falls.

Join Battle for soldier: [roll1]

Soldier attack: [roll2]

Base damage 6L



The leading soldier hastily brings up his blade to block Sails's attack, but he is no expert with the blade. Sails's blade slips past his guard, slashing across his chest to cut through the metal rings sewn into his leather jerkin and tear a deep gash in his lower torso. He falls from the slick rocks, bouncing twice before splashing into the cold water below.

The other soldier, eyes wide, makes a swing for Sails. The swing itself nearly overbalances him, and he teeters on the rock.

--Lynne--

When Lynne opens her eyes, an old woman is sitting on the deck across from her, naked but for a cloak of raiton feathers. She smiles, the expression simultaneously kindly and predatory.

[Ridai]

Lynne

Lynne hopes that, regardless of who this woman is, she is real, the prospect of layered hallucinations being too unsettling for her in her current condition. Taking a deep breath, Lynne carefully stands freely again, at least trying to present herself in a more coherent and courteous manner, even though the other woman has already seen enough. "Is there... something you want from me?" She asks with hesitation, entirely unsure of her opposite's intentions.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Lynne--

The bird-woman gives a toothless smile.

"No, but there is something that you might want from me."

[Ridai]

Lynne

"...Can you help me become whole again?" This is all Lynne cautiously asks, something pushing her to not let even the smallest possible opportunity slip. She has to know.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind stares at the soldier as he rocks unsteadily on the island stone. It was never a fight, and as the wandering warrior deflected the desperate swing that fact becomes clearer. With a careful twist the hook sword caught the deflected blade, and stepping nimbly forward Sails-with-the-Wind moved into the soldier to shift his swaying weight the way he wanted it to move while his hook sword mercilessly tore the blade the opposite way.

OOC
I'm going for a disarming attempt, so I take a -2 external penalty (which means I lose two successes as opposed to an internal penalty which would lower the number of dice I roll by two), but because I'm using a hook sword my Accuracy pool gets an extra two dice - explanation for elucidation of what's going on. I'm also trying for some stunt dice which I will, no matter what, be doubling with a dot of temporary Willpower to help ensure that this guy cannot even dare to oppose me removing his weapon from him.

[roll0]

Gotta pray for a goodly number of 7s, 8s, 9s, and hopefully 10s now, so I'll be assumin' the position now. :smalltongue:

Edit: Nine successes again! Awesome. So once my stunt dice are in and accounted for it'll be time for him to roll his Wits + Melee vs. my successes after removing two plus his applied DV.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Sails--



Two stunt dice! [roll0]

Wits + Melee to hold onto the weapon: [roll1]

7 successes + stunt dice to hit, -2, -2 DV, but that still gets it!



The weapon goes flying free. Unbalanced by the strike, the soldier begins to topple off of his stone towards the pounding surf below.

--Lynne--

The woman gives a gap-tooth grin.

"Of course, my dear. But it may not be the way you expect it to be. Can you trust me to see this task through?"

[Ridai]

Lynne

"I... feel like I'm losing the grip on who I am. I know it will be painful, but this might be my only chance to fix myself and... Sails deserves better than what I am now. Please help me." The events of the last month and particularly of this day weigh heavily on Lynne and it becomes apparent as she speaks. Yet she'd rather face her past than hide away from the pain and slowly perish in uncertainty and fear.

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Anastazia--



Rolling for Aran: [roll0]

5 for crew
4 for Aran
2 for soldiers
2 for Anastazia

Tick 0 -- Crew
Tick 1 -- Aran (guards until tick 3)
Tick 3 -- Anastazia
Tick 3 -- Aran
Tick 3 -- Soldiers




--Crew, Tick 0, attack, Speed 5, DV -1--

With a roar, the crew surges forward. They quickly surround the two guardsmen, raining a hail of blows upon them.



5 attacks on each guardsman

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]
[roll10]

That's three hits on the first guard, felling him, and one hit on the second guard, mildly wounding him (technically three of those attacks botched, but the crew aren't important enough for that to matter).



Anastazia, you're next!

[Horatio@Bridge]

--Lynne--

"Good...well, then, if you are resolved...you will find your redemption in a treasure hunt."

The woman cackles, then the cackles turn to caws as she dissolves away into a raiton which flies away from the ship, leaving a few feathers to drift to the deck.

--Sails--

The soldier staggers, then in a lunge hops back to the next rock. He barely manages to catch himself, then turns his fall into a mad scamper to get away from the expert swordsman.

"Thank you, thank you," the decrepit old man says, bowing as he approaches Sails. "I do not have much, but please take this." He holds out a small torn square of canvas, produced from the folds of his cape. "It is supposed to lead to a great treasure. I was going to search for it myself in my younger days, but I never could get the money together to buy passage on a ship. Now I am old, but perhaps it will serve you better."

[Ridai]

Lynne

Watching the old woman laugh, transform and fly away, Lynne wonders whether she only wanted to mock and play with her. Being alone again, Lynne stares at the lone feathers for a while and goes back to watching the Ocean Wind, having nothing else to do. Noticing the disarray her appearance is in from the vision and the whole encounter, Lynne quickly fixes it while blushing because of how she reacted.

[The Blue Guard]

Sails-with-the-Wind

Sails-with-the-Wind stared at the retreating soldier, at once damning himself for not ending the soldier's life and convinced he did the good thing. Twisting his sword about in his hand he lifted up and behind his back, the blade sliding into place with practiced ease as the old man who had not five seconds ago been leaping from rock to stone like a frog thanked him. Listening to him the sailor hated himself for what he was about to do. "Listun, Ay uve gorra boat and Am leav'n soon, so if yous wanna come wi' me yous welcome."

It wasn't the smart move, not by any stretch, but then neither was fishing Lynne out or sailing into the flotsam to net survivors so it was at least normal for him.