Bhaakon's Capture the Flagship

[Bhaakon]

http://i1230.photobucket.com/albums/ee498/Bhaakon/shipwrecked.jpg

If it wasn't the first likely prized you're seen in more than a month, you probably would have taken heed of the shifting winds, the rising seas, or the bruise-colored clouds on the horizon. But gold does strange things to a person's judgement. Especially when there's none in his pockets and a big pile of it sailing hard for the storm-smudged horizon.

Being the proud sea-dogs you are, you naturally assumed that the Chelaxian blockade runner--any idiot could recognize the lines of a light frigate from House Thrune's ship yard, despite the deceitful colors streaming from the masthead--is fleeing from you. As it turns out, it was merely making for cover: safe anchorage in the lee side of a nearby island. It made it. You...didn't.

There are hundreds of islands in the Shackles, from sandy nubs barely peeking up from the depths to mountainous jungle isles big enough to host full-fledged cities and hide lost civilizations. One thing they all have in common is being poorly mapped. Accurate charts are dearer to the locals than firstborn children, and most wily Shackles navigators would sooner lose a leg than put their horded knowledge of hidden coves, beneficial currents, and safe passages down on paper. The Chelish were fortunate enough to find a gap in the reef, or they somehow knew were to find one. Your navigator didn't know, but at least he had the good grace to go down with the ship when a knob of coral split its keel. Half a bell later you're bobbing in the ship's launch, twelve survivors from a crew of forty, crowded in between half a ton of salvaged cargo in a boat designed to hold ten men, in seas big enough that you can only make out the island for a split second at each crest.

"Bloody 'ells, me blisters 'ave blisters!" Croaks the ship's cook, a leather-skinned Taldan who isn't going to see sixty again, between pulls on the sweeps. "'Ow far now?"

Distance can be tricky on the water, but you think another 15 minutes of rowing should do it.

You catch a fleeting glimpse of a bat-winged figure in the clouds above, a draconic shadow fighting mightily against the gale to reach land. It must be Luna's wyvern, let lose to make its own escape just before the ship went down.

The storm has whipped the normally crystalline water into a gray murk, but you think you catch sight of something long and mottled brown slithering just below the surface, with dagger-length teeth and an unblinking eye the size of a saucer peering back up at you.

It's a giant moray eel, an ambush predator notorious for gobbling up drowning seamen and grabbing fishermen as they haul in their catch. Anyone unlucky enough to be caught its jaws is quickly torn to shreds by a second set of teeth lining its gullet. It's completely aquatic, and likely won't risk attacking anyone unless they're foolish enough to stick a limb out over the water.

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Nadia looks over at the aging cook, then motions for him to stand before taking his place.
Get your breath back, and get some water in yourself. Can't have people passing out at the oars.
She settles in where he had been pulling and takes up the oar.
Put your backs into it men! We need to get to safety before this tub capsizes or we'll be joining the navigator for a swim!

Activate Taskmaster's Presence. Allies within 30ftgain the benefits of the Endurance feat and a bonus equal to my Cha mod (+4) as a morale bonus on saves vs fatigue, disease, compulsion, or sleep, as well as Craft and Profession checks.

Additionally, throwing out a Diplomacy check, since I saw mention of those in the Skulls and Shackles ship descriptions
Diplomacy: [roll0]

[Desril]

Luna

Not one to be overly upset by the simple loss of a ship, Eris couldn't help but feel for the men who went down with it. And hopefully our friend can make it somewhere safe. I'm sure he's strong enough to fly in this, but in everything that happened we didn't have time to do more than unlock the cage...

Kestal, on the other hand, seemed to be quite irritated at the loss of what little treasure they'd accumulated. Exposure to the elements didn't bother her in the slightest, but being stuck on a dinghy in a storm was irritating. Let's just do something about this storm. We can clear it up with a snap, why are we wasting time?

Actually, that's a good point. I'm sure the crew could use a break from the storm... Speaking up, the better half calls out to the survivors. "We're going to try and ease up this storm a little, but it's going to take a bit of concentration on our part, so just make sure we don't get capsized or anything, alright?!"

....wait a second, you just wanted us to cast a spell so you could try and seduce the crew didn't you?!
It's a win-win, why complain about it?


Spending 2 spell points to use Greater Weather and reduce Precipitation and Wind severity down to 0. Duration is concentration with an effect centered on me out to long range.


Wild Magic (10%) [roll0]
Skilled Casting (DC 20) Perform [roll1]

[Bhaakon]

The old cook tries to hide his heavy breathing as switches places with Nadia, a difficult maneuver on the overloaded launch, but they manage it without falling over the side. He settles down atop a sea chest and begins baling out accumulated rain water and sea spray with his beat-up old chef's toque (which, he swears to anyone who asks, was earned in the galley of the Grand Prince's own pleasure yacht).

His job becomes considerably less futile when Luna finally manages to get the wind and rain under control. The sky is still charcoal-gray and the wave taller than man, but at least there's no longer a constant stream of airborne water threatening to swamp the longboat.

All the perception DCs are 4 lower with the improved weather. I've already edited them to reflect this.

[jamieth]

Aiko, Unfettered Priestess

A young priestess who, let's be honest, was in no way a salty dog, but joined this... enterprise only to combat slavery in the shackles, struggled with the oar as well; sadly, there was no one who could really swap her; the boat offered only two positions of rest, and the aging chef certainly needed one, and Luna was busy enough as is... not to mention was even more frail than Aiko herself was. Still... Aiko bended over the board to catch a breath, and... Oh no. Whatever that thing was, it certainly didn't look good...

"Please people, endure just a bit more!" Aiko called out, showing the example, "There's a land just in front!"

Ah, why not - I'll roll Diplo too: [roll0], +2 against those who can be romantically attracted to Aiko, +4 for those who might be sexually attracted, stacks if both apply

[Hattish Thing]

Captain Rick Brutal:

Land! Did someone mention land? Oh finally. The Ex-Caption of the Sylvan Sea-Witch, a proud vessel now sinking towards the bottom of the sea floor. The Captain sits near the front of the rowboat, his brows furrowed, his rather large yellow hat flapping this way and that in the strong wind, until Luna finally banishes the rather unpleasant storm. Now, looking a little bit less pathetic, the sopping wet Rick continues to row, panting and wiping some sweat off his brow before gazing towards the land pointed towards. The captain speaks, for indeed, he was a captain still, "T' island be straight ahead, only a little bit more effort and we'll be thar, an' safe from these foul and accursed seas! Don't worry, me friends, your brave captain be here t' ensure ye will all survive, ahaha, befor the night is over, ye may even end up better than before! Now put yer backs into it 'afore we all end up taking a dip in, ye bunch of gut-aching sea wretches!"

"We've lived through far worse than just a bad spot of weather and an angry sea with naught but a smile on our faces, mark my words, Rick Brutal and his dread crew will certainly live to tell this tale!"

---

With that, Rick smiles brightly and raises his left hand for a second to let out a reassuring cheer! "Huzzah!" As he looks around, the confident smile remains up, but the Captain begins to somewhat doubt himself. One minute he was one the deck with a bottle of gin in hand, then there was that awful sound, and suddenly the whole world was topsy-turvy, and now here he was, on a less-than-legitimate looking dinghy in the middle of an angry ocean. Those were good men back there he lost. Good, strong sailors.

Rick would rather be anywhere else in the world right now, preferably with a bottle of gin in his hand.



Perception: [roll0]
Knowledge Nature, if needed: [roll1]

[Bhaakon]

The slackened storm and the promise of imminent landfall spurs the flagging rowers to redouble their efforts, but straight-line speed doesn't help much in steering the overloaded boat safely through the chop. The waves only stack higher as you near the beach, and begin to curl menacingly over the transom. As you pull within a long javelin throw of land, two waves merge to firm a rogue that threatens to upend the launch entirely.

Profession (sailor) or driving check from whoever is steering, please. And a Reflex save from everyone (just in case).

[Hattish Thing]

Captain Rick Brutal:

As Rick looks overhead and notices the rogue waves rising up high, he takes a quick look down at the lonely little ship he's cramped his crew in, then once more to the tall waves that seem to glower with an almost malevolent look towards the small vessel. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, the Captain stomps a bright yellow and white boot down upon the boat, standing tall and beginning to shout to his crew, and for a brief second there's panic in his eyes and a slight crack in tone, before he resorts back to his lower, and much more heroic sounding voice. "Rogue waves!" He shakes his head and moves to steering position, before calling out again. "Rogue waves, Rogue waves! Did ye here me or didn't ye, get in formation! Oh, come on now! Be ye sailors, or be ye just a bunch 'o skirt-wearin', cargo-thievin' bilge swillers!?" There's a stern sound in his voice, but it's said with a friendly tone as well, Captain Brutal was used to speaking to his men in this way.

The Captain looks forward now, quickly making use of his genuine nautical talent to attempt to guide the little ship through the waves, reaching one hand up to hold his large hat to his head as the results of his sailing prowess make themselves apparent, before quietly making a quick prayer to his god, Cayden, all traces of his buccaneerish accent gone as he speaks out of earshot of the others. "I'd rather not die today..."

"Please."

[roll0]

[Bhaakon]

It so hapens that death is not in the card. Whether desperate skill or divine intervention, the good captain of your overloaded dinghy manages to carve across the face of the wall of water without capsizing and ride the rogue wave right up onto the beach.

Exhausted crewman pour off the longboat as its keel hits sand, more than one bending down to kiss the ground in an unseemly display of landlubberliness (let their disgrace not be compounded by naming them). Those with their head screwed on straight begin hauling the boat beyond the reach of the surf and unloading its contents: a week's worth of ship's biscuit, two bricks of flayleaf, a crate of dried meat, enough crossbows, gaff hooks, boarding axes, and cutlasses to arm everyone in your band twice over, a small keg with enough fresh water to last you two days at normal rations, a large keg with enough rum to last a day and half at normal rations, a waterproof bullseye lantern with eight pints of lamp oil, the ship's silverware, a sea chest with eight common buoys, an anchor, three hundred feet of hemp rope, a full set of signalling flags, four oilskins, ten oars, and whatever personal effects each survivor managed to grab while escaping.

Among the surviving crew are the decrepit cook (currently hugging a leather satchel that, you assume, contains his cutlery and prized spices), the assistant artillery officer (his immediate superior having thought this was a great opportunity to learn how to swim), the two riggers who weren't on duty when you hit the reef (most of the rest were thrown from the masts on impact), three marines (technically they have odd jobs on the ship, but everyone knows what they're really there for), and the cabin boy.

You know, you swear the cabin boy's makeup is running in all this water. And is that stubble on the top of his foot? Wait a minute...

The island itself isn't terribly impressive. A wart of limestone sticking a hundred feet or so clear of the ocean, perhaps a league long and half that wide, and surrounded by sand. Trees are few and scraggly, grass common and coarse. What it lacks in civilized accommodations it makes up in bird guano. The best thing that can be said for it is that it's big enough to screen your safe landing from the view of the Chelaxian frigate. Or so you assume, since you can't actually see it, either.

[Desril]

Luna

Doing her best to keep the storm at bay for the surrounding hundred meters or so proves to be somewhat taxing on Luna, but not so much that she can't do a quick scan of their surviving crew, inventory, and check for shelter. Somethings were best left to the captain to deal with, but for the moment, while she held the storm at bay, it was best to act quickly. There are risks though, we should talk it over with the others.
Fine, be that way, but sooner or later we're going to have to take charge.
Maybe, but for right now, the men need a known leader, messing with the chain of command now will cause problems.


Moving over to Rick, Luna divides her attention between holding back the wind and rain and trying to talk quietly enough to the captain that not everyone can overhear. "We can't stay here. We can hold back the storm for a while, a few hours if we have to, but we need a ship and there's a perfectly good one nearby. We need to hit the Cheliaxians hard and fast while they're stuck here."

[jamieth]

Aiko, Unfettered Priestess

Aiko barely had strength left to step over the boat's side and fall onto the sand, staring at the sky... it only laster for half a minute at most, though, as she found strength to force herself to get up and look around. The fact that we got here was a miracle in the first place, to hope that we made it unscathed would be simply arrogance... "There's no beauty in injuries", she whispered, "Arshea, give me strength to fix that..."Channel Energy for [roll0] points of healing, +5 to those who accept Seductive Channel.

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Nadia glances at the pink haired woman, then lowers her voice to match.
Captain, she's right. We need to take that frigate before the storm calms enough for it to leave. I doubt this rock will have enough food or water to keep us all in good health for long enough to build a proper vessel, even if any of us had the training.

[jamieth]

Aiko, Unfettered Priestess

"Miss Luna, lady Nadia..." Aiko shakes her head, "please be realistic. People are exhausted - no way we'll even get to the ship in such conditions, let alone capture it... Instead, we should focus on getting a proper rest... You don't have to worry about food and drink, I'll be able to provide that, but as for shelter... Miss Luna, is there anything amongst your powers that could help us with it?"

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Nadia shakes her head.
Please, Aiko. Just Nadia, I've told you that before.
She looks over the battered remains of the crew.
Normally, I would agree with you. But I really don't think any of us want to end up stranded here.
She glances at Luna.
You weakened the storm around us, right? Could you strengthen it around the Chelish ship, perhaps? Give our men time to recover before they can leave? Otherwise, it might be best to press our assault while we can take the element of surprise. They'll be as worn out as we are.

[Desril]

Luna

Listening to both Aiko and Nadia, she responds to the latter first. "We could, but we would have to find the ship. A few hundred feet is as much as we can affect at once, and if we stop concentrating on keeping the storm at bay here, we won't be able to move the effect in case we need to relocate the crew. Still, it's not a terrible plan, assuming we can get close enough to their ship and the worsened storm won't wreck them. It might be safer to wait for that until it seems like nature is trying to let up though."

Looking at Aiko, she shakes her head. "We could repair any structures that get damaged, but any alterations we make with magic are going to be temporary, a few minutes at best. Turning a wood hut into stone isn't helpful when it'll revert back in less than an hour."

[jamieth]

Aiko, Unfettered Priestess

"If we decide..." Aiko hesitates before continuing, but decides it's better not to hide any options, even those that would go against her own wishes, "if we decide to attack after all, I could... I could make several people able to breathe underwater. Storm or not, there's no way our boat would be able to approach that ship unnoticed... but quietly sneaking from below... and the water must be calmer down there, right?"

[Bhaakon]

As you discuss your options, the other survivors go about, well, surviving. The marines begin looking over the weapons, sharpening dull cutlasses and replacing slack bowstrings. The riggers flip the longboat to keep it from filling with water when Luna tires, propping it up with driftwood to form a makeshift shelter. The cook takes stock of the food and water supplies, and orders the cabin boy to find wood for a fire (though how he plans to start one in the pervasive damp is anyone's guess). Anyone looking at the stump of a hill at the center of the island spots Luna's wyvern perched near the summit, messily devouring a large fish.

[Hattish Thing]

Captain Rick Brutal:

It's as if the gods above had willed it, for in no time after the small prayer had been uttered, the beach came close. As the keel of the small and battered boat rams into the beach, the startled Rick almost loses his balance and falls right off the side, but maintains his position, even managing to strike a vaguely heroic pose atop the ship before taking in a very deep breath and whispering to himself once more. "Oh thank the gods. I'm too pretty to die." As his crew file out off the boat, Rick steps off the front with a spring to his step, landing on the beach with apparent grace, before looking around at the crew around him and beginning to help out here and there, before finally taking a moment to step back and take off his hat, beginning to wring the rainwater out of his prized hat, his somewhat balded head revealed underneath. The Captain sets his yellow cap back on his head and adjusts his curled mustache, before speaking to the skilled men and women around him, his seadog voice there in all it's swashbuckling glory. "We did it, lads! Just as your good Captain knew ye could. Give yer salty selves a pat on t' aft, t' gods above know ye deserve it!"

Rick quickly looks over his belongings, making sure his powder is dry and ensuring that his incredibly valuable double-barreled musket, Glittergold, was as well-maintained as he preferred it to be. The dandy Captain sets himself down upon a nearby rock and sets his compass down upon another stone nearby. As he sits, he'll begin to load his musket, as is his habit. Never know when battle might strike, after all. It wouldn't do very well for his reputation for the great and renowned Rick Brutal to be caught off his guard! Suddenly, one of his companions approach him. He raises an eyebrow up towards Luna as she whispers to him, and the brightly-dressed man listens intently. He raises a finger and begins to speak, before he's unceremoniously interrupted by another crew member in the form of Nadia. Once more, he listens as he should and begins to speak before yet another surviving member of the once fairly large crew speaks before the Captain has a chance to. As she speaks her part, Rick stands up, his musket held in two hands, pointed towards the ground, the gold-paint shining off of it.

First, he turns and addresses Aiko, shrugging and replying. "Aye, let it be said that fer a man t' reach a status o' such fame and skill that I have, he must be a wise one, and t' wisest o' Captains knows when it be best t' trust his advisers, and when it be best t' stay true t' his heart. Though I see merit in your suggestions, I must side with your fellow crewmates. After all, I be t' Great Rick Brutal! Handsome and valiant master o' t' ship and sail, slayer o' sea monsters, and wooer o' wenches-a-many, savvy?"

"It would not do me legend well fer it t' end here, now would it? Rick Brutal, the great pirate captain, went t' Davy Jones' locker dyin' o' thirst on some lonely rock in t' middle o' gods-know-where, with nary a fight at all in him! What kind of great captain would I be then? No, we'll rest for a bit here and send out t' great winged thin' t' scout out for t' lost vessel, perhaps. And then, we strike! I want t' be three sheets t' t' wind sittin' in some cushy little chair, comfortably restin' me feet on t' desk inside that Chelaxian galleon before nightfall, and perhaps then maybe we'll even splice t' mainbrace a tad!"

"What do you say, men?!"

[Desril]

Luna

Right, I'd nearly forgotten why we accepted him as the captain.
Well, that and he's dashing.
That has nothing to do with him being in charge.
Speaking of being in charge, we should go make sure our pet isn't planning on biting the hand that feeds it.

While Rick takes care of the crew, Luna mentions to Nadia and Aiko, "We're going to go talk to Sting and make sure that he's not going to do anything rash while we're away. We'll probably have to bribe him though...looks like he caught himself something to eat so he should be in a decent mood, but we're probably going to have to promise him an interior room on the ship this time...anyway, we'll center the weather calming effect near him. It should hold for a few hours and free up our concentration to be able to join the assault."

Should no one stop them, they make their way over to the wyvern, setting the focal point of their spell roughly half-way between the beach and the dragon-kin. Time for you to shine.
You just don't want to act humble.
Of course not, why should I be?
Because being polite and kind and humble can get us further in life?
But where's the fun in that?
Aren't you the one who prefers to manipulate people into doing what we want?
Well yeah, but not by pretending that they're better than we are.

Bowing as they approach, Luna waits for Sting to acknowledge her before she comes any closer. "Vorq wux tepoha ehtaha creolnali d'nag, whedab stinger. yth ornla hefoc ekess apologize ihk tikil issues wux janik tepoha tepohada...it jahus vi ysik bisekim landing. shar yth tepoha bensvelk data. mobi ui tepohaic vi ship batobot ui karif tibyn ekess wer ir yth jahen using stuck tenpiswo tagoa di wer kepesk. coi ornla qe vin tiichi sjek wux jahen ekess widegoa ekess accompany udoka huena yth tepoha jusida coi."


"It seems you've found something nice, Dark Stinger. We'd like to apologize for any issues you might've had...it was a rather sudden landing. But we've good news. There's a ship that's far superior to the one we were using stuck here because of the storm. It would be an honor if you were to continue to accompany us once we've secured it."


Diplomacy? Or would this be bluff? I'm assuming the former. [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

The speech is a fine one indeed, and the surviving crew can't help but find themselves caught up Captain Brutal's promise of greater glories snatched from the very jaws of ignominy. They hadn't had much opportunity to discuss the possibility of mutiny--what with the rowing for their lives and all--but everyone knew that it was just plain bad luck to serve under a Captain who not only lost his ship, but had the ill grace to survive its sinking. An immediate, ambitious goal goes a long way towards inspiring confidence in Rick's leadership.

The bloodthirsty grins from the marines are a bit unsettling, though. One in particular, a middle-aged mountain of a woman with a mess of keel-hauling scars where her face should be, has always been a little too eager to wet her blade, especially with Chelish blood. You recall the mad dash for your dying ship's only long boat, and how these three had taken to bludgeoning their desperate crewmates in order to make sure the boat wasn't hopelessly overloaded. You have to wonder if the sinking merely brought out the worst in people or selected for the worst people.

Those Meeting with the Wyvern--------------------------------------------------

The limestone hill is a crumbly mess caked in rain-soaked bird droppings and egg fragments. You're fortunate that it's not steep, because only a fool would attempt to climb a face with no reliable footholds. As it is, you find yourself slipping and sliding back a step for every three climbed, a tiring exercise. At least Luna's magic--which is stretched to its very limits to encompass both your landing spot and Dark Stinger's roost--keeps you dry.

You find the wyvern picking over the remains of a reef shark, having devoured virtually everything but the jaws. It licks the blood from its jowls with its corpse-purple tongue and preens a bit at mention of its name, a ridiculous title it insisted upon. It yawns widly, showing its full array of teeth, before deigning to speak in its rasping, simplified dialect of Draconic. "Vi edilt, ehis throdenilt. Coi kiwiegic bensvelk ekess maulk tenamalo. Si tepohada agmasaon vergess. zyak drong mrith wer jiil hoinpic, soneir jiil hoinp rhyaex. Nomagqe kiri drong. Throden youwei woari."

A morsel, nothing more, though it feels good to hunt again. I had almost forgot. So long with the two legs, eating two leg meat. Maybe too long. Many things lost.

The dragonkin makes a show of scanning the island before settling on the Chelaxian frigate clearly visible from the peak--anchored in a sheltered cove a long bow-shot offshore. "Shar nomeno ui thric soyolir goawy ihk vi rookt. Si hullphir okh rhyaex ekess xiiva, vur vi thran ekess proper thaczil ornla qe drong. Si shilta widegoa mrith wux, ihk vi tairais. Halkvri wux ehtah vi desta goawy."

But this is no fitting place for a roost. I prefer real meat to fish, and a flight to proper land would be tiring. I will continue with you, for a time. Until you find a better place.

Back on the Beach-----------------------------------------------------------------

The cabin boy returns with two arms full of fallen limbs from a copse of scrubby trees near the beech. They're not dry, but at least they're not as soaked as they could be. The cook is a man after his luxuries, first and foremost, and hadn't giving much attention at all to Captain Brutal's speech, but he's legitimately excited to see the wood. The cook--Nero, he called himself--cared nothing for glory, but he'd jumped at the promise of gold and first choice of any spices or drink you came across. Certainly no one could complain about his food.

He opens his satchel and starts removing bottles and jars--far more than should be able to fit in the leather bag, and even produces a stock pot with a folding rack to hold it over a fire. He sorts through the ingredients "Yes...yes, it's not too far gone. A stew it will be, curried goat haunch. I think, yes, I can make dumplings from the hard tack. But first things first."

He has the cabin boy pile up the wood and reaches for the lamp oil you found with the bullseye lantern. He dumps a full pint on his would-be fire, stops to consider, and adds a second. He reaches for a flint and steel and beings striking sparks towards the pile. As he does one of the riggers backs away, holding his nose and mumbling something.

Bleedin' cheap fish oil. Reeks like an trawler's smoke house and twice as sooty.

[jamieth]

, Unfettered Priestess
As Luna leaves, Aiko looks around warily and approaches Rick, "Captain... I'm sorry to get into tyour business, but those three -" she nods in the direction of the marines, not wanting to point obviously, "honestly... I don't want to say that, but they smell trouble. Perhaps... you could talk to them?" She isn't willing to suggest more violent solutions, of course.

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Nadia's eyes move over the remaining crew. She looks pointedly at the marines. That would need to be dealt with, but they would need every hand to take the frigate and manage the larger vessel.
Alright Captain, we're going to need a plan of attack. I'm ready to fight, but it might be best if someone got some information on how our enemies are deployed defensively. Meanwhile, I'll see to some of our equipment.
She scowls in the direction of the wyvern as it butchers the tongue of dragons that she knows by nature. She sets to work with her whetstone, sharpening her blade and any others that the crew will offer her.

Going to be using Hone Weapon (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EPARqt5jpie03MIXStgFrNK_si6g218bjT4TFbcizPY/edit) on Caex'thrichaurach. 10 minutes with a whetstone to give it +2 damage for the day, slashing and piercing weapons only. Depending on how long we're here, I'll sharpen up other people's weapons.

[Desril]

Luna

Listening with a courteous smile, Luna does her best to hide the twitching of her left eye as she tries to decipher what Sting was saying. 'Two legs'? YOU ONLY HAVE TWO YOURSELF! We have more limbs than you do! Why do we put up with this?!
Because even if he's a little dense, he's still amusing, and a true blooded dragon would require a bigger share.
I was being rhetorical!

Bowing, "Yth re tiichia, whedab stinger. vur, nomagqe, sjek wux kiwieg yth re xihuuliup, wux geou shala udoka ekess widegoa ekess kem onureth dout altiui svadrav wer ship tepohaic coanwor jusida zyak batobot yth janik desta coordinate. vur yth nishka ocuir zahae obtaining rhyaex batobot ui throdenilt soyolir ihk wux wer frevor tairais yth xurwk thaczil."

"Jaka, sjek wux geou sjaadur udoka, yth zklaen gethrisj xurwk jaunus batobot dout z'ar vessel geou qe jusida ti jikmadator."


"We are honored, Dark Stinger. And, perhaps, if you feel we are worthy, you will allow us to continue to train under your wing when the ship has been secured so that we might better coordinate. And we shall see about obtaining meat that is more fitting for you the next time we make land."

"Now, if you will excuse us, we must go make sure that your new vessel will be secured undamaged."

*****

Heading back to the beach, they only catch the tail end of Nadia's comments. "So, do we have a plan?" Turning to Aiko, "Yours was a good idea, but it might be draining if you were to give us all the ability to breathe underwater...and there's no telling how strong the currents are down there. If we aren't careful, we could be swept away into the maw of something ancient and monstrous. We won't oppose it though if no one has a better idea."

[Hattish Thing]

Captain Rick Brutal:

With a smile on his face, Rick reaches up to stroke one side of his rather substantial mustache, before his brow furrows as the pirate looks down upon his musket once more. If there was one thing the Captain truly felt bad for doing in this line of work, it would be the killing. At least with Glittergold he didn't have to get too close to all the blood and gore. At least by now he was somewhat used to the sight of flesh and bone caving in before his bright bullets, all painted yellow, of course. Still, there was always something very... empowering about it all. He shakes his head and frowns, looking out to sea. Rick locks those thoughts away in the back of his head, preferring to ignore the vague hints of bloodthirst in the back of his mind. Rick had sworn to himself when he started his sailing career that it would never be about the killing, only ever the acquisition of valuable and shiny objects, along with the furthering of his legend. Still, not every problem could be solved by waving your name around, and even Rick Brutal knew that. That's why he had the musket, after all.

As he sits back down to ponder things, he glances back to see Luna leave. My, that one was attractive. If somewhat frightening. Though he had mastered some paltry tricks here and there from those of true arcane potential he'd met on his many travels, the thought of real magic, the kind capable of simply removing entire cities from the planet, or melting people in a burst of unnatural fire, truly frightened him. Rick sighs and recalls a story he'd heard from a loremaster he'd once met in bar some years ago, a man that had spent years of his life researching Thassalonian magics, researching the Runelords, ever sleeping, ever resting, hidden from the world. To Rick, that as far more frightening than even the tallest warrior in the thickest of plate armor. As he looks over Luna for a few more seconds, he frowns and looks back to the beach. Best not attempt to seduce one that could probably melt his brain at any second.

But damn, those legs though.

Then, the Captain's less-than-decent ruminations are interrupted by Aiko, who points Rick towards his marines. With a frown, he turns to speak to her once more. ""So certain o' this, be you? Hm. Well that certainly bodes ill for us all. Still, we're in no place t' start fightin' amongst eachother. I'll see if I can smooth thin's over after we take t' Chelaxian vessel. No wench alive, nor man, or... uh... orc? Orc, I guess, can resist t' charms o' Rick Brutal! You just work on helpin' me make aye we actually take t' ship..." He seems somewhat nervous about the whole ordeal, however, but uses his charm and incredibly air of confidence to hide his apparent wariness towards combat, and the thought of mutiny in general. He looks over towards the marines again, glancing past their unfortunately sharp looking weapons, and onto the faces of his crew.

Sense Motive on Marines: [roll0]
Bluff Check to Feign confidence: [roll1]

As Rick squints his eyes and looks over his marines, he breathes in deeply, before whispering towards Aiko, a sullen look on his face matched with a tone ripe with anxiety. "Aye... There's blood in that one's mind, red and rich as rubies and... um... red things. It'd be best t' keep this among t' officers, only. We needn't assume that just because one enjoys killin' that they mean us harm. But if... Mutiny be on t' mind o' those thar, can I trust you t' stand by me?" The Captain would have continued to speak, but Nadia speaks up. Rick nods solemnly towards Aiko once more before clearing his throat and smiling widely, his voice loud and bright once more. "A plan o' attack... I meself be a master o' nautical combat-isms, however many find meself lackin' in proper military strategies. Usually we just start hackin' away at t' people that aren't our own and eventually thin's work out. But you're a proper commander-ish type now aren't you, sir! Er, Ma'am. What would you have us do? I imagine thin's will be difficult t' get up onto t' damn thin' first o' all. But once we're aboard, I'm certain we can start takin' their crew once we're all up thar. Now that I think about it, we could probably do it with just t' few o' us, but then... I think it best we humor bloodthirsty members o' our little band before they find other ways t' humor themselves... Rick sighs and looks forward once more.

Rick begins to gaze towards the Cabin-Boy and the cook as he awaits and answer, smiling lightly.

[Bhaakon]

As Rick consults with his offices, the half orc makes a show of honing and testing the edge of her over-sized axe, running her thumb down the length of the blade and grinning slightly (or is it a scowl? Hard to tell with the tusks). It's her personal weapon, one you don't ever recall seeing her without. The long, cleaver-like blade is more reminiscent of a headsman's axe than any typical weapon, but no one has managed to tease out where she got the thing. There are notches in the wooden haft, two score of them evenly spaced, starting down near the butt and working their way a third of the back up to the head. There was a secret betting pool on what they meant before the ship sank and drowned the crew's bookmaker.

The cook strikes his flint and steel for a tenth time when a spark finally catches in the oil-soaked wood. *WHUMP* the flames flash out in a ball of fire that takes the cook's eyebrows and sends him toppling backwards to fall on his rump. The cabin boy immediately breaks out in impish giggles as the cook realizes the waxed tips of his foppish mustache are burning like candles and stuffs his face in the sand to smother the flame.

However humorous the scene might be, the thick belch of smoke from the oily accelerant is no joke. With the wind calmed by Luna, it rises straight up in a single pillar of highly visible black soot.

[Desril]

Luna

Grinning at the scene with the cook and cabin boy, Luna holds back the laugh, but the grin quickly dissipates as she sees the smoke rising. She takes a second to think, debating whether or not the power she'd need to call up to disperse the smoke was worthwhile, and decides against it. Guess we'll go with your plan then.

Going over to the rest of the officers, she glances in the direction of the Chelaxian ship, "They probably saw that smoke, with our luck. If they're not paranoid, they'll likely think we're just stranded here, maybe even stop by and try to rescue us when the storm abates, but more likely, they're going to be on alert for any suicidal attacks against their ship. We might still be able to make use of the element of surprise now, but it's going to be harder. It'll be better to go in hard and fast before they have time to prepare for us coming."

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Sliding the whetstone into her pocket, Nadia looks up. She rises, holding her blade to check the edge on last time.
Wonderful. And I doubt that rescue would be on their mind so much as capture. We need to move fast.

[jamieth]

Aiko, Unfettered Priestess

"Perhaps hide ourselves underwater after all? Or, maybe, leave several people here as a bait... Whether they'll come to save or capture, they'll have to disembark - how many guards do you think they'll leave at the boat? Two, three at most? Then, you'll be able to capture the boat quickly..." priestess suggests.

[Hattish Thing]

Captain Rick Brutal:

With a great sigh, Rick looks up as he hears that unfortunately familiar sound. That was a fire, he was nearly certain of it, he'd heard it a thousand times. The Captain looks up and glares towards the smoke before giving a rather stern look towards the cook as soon as he pulls his face out of the sand, beginning to chastise him in front of all the others. ""Dammit, you've given away t' element o' surprise, ye powder-wettin' sluggard. I ought t' give ye twenty lashin' o' t' cat fer that. Let it be on yer shoulders, if we lose more men t'an we would have before we gave away our position, their blood will be on yer hands, do ye understand? Away wit' ye, out of my sight, an' help the others prepare fer battle."

Rick then begins to speak to the others, sighing and holding his musket close.

His tone is firm, but still quite valiant as he faces his men, his stern voice fading into one of pride, dripping of heroism. He'll begin to shout out and raise his musket high, attempting to raise the spirits of his men. ""It seems that th' fates above be havin' a merry ol' time o' screwin' with our day, eh? Bah, this be... nothin' more than a setback. Jus' another minor difficulty, an insignificant bit o' muck stuck on the bottom of our collective boot, aha. We 'ill get through this. But enough o' me humor and anecdotion, fer now, men, we must go t' battle. Prepare yerselves, this will make us or break us. Now, don't look so glum. May I remind you, that t' any other group in aaaaall o' t' Shackles, this situation would be quite t' poor place t' be. But you all have somethin' different! Ye be t' famous Rick Brutal's crewmen! We do not run from a fight, nor stand around like scared milk-maids, now do we?! No! So grab yer cutlass, yer axe, yer crossbow, and let us go show t' world exactly what we can do, and on my word as a Captain, ye'll all be in the arms o' the prettiest women in all Golarian, wit' a flask of the finest rum available in less than a month's time."

"SO COME WIT' YER CAPTAIN OUT T'ERE AND TAKE WOT BE OURS. WAT SAY YE?!"

"T' WAR!"

---

Perform: Oratory: [roll0]

[Vhaidara]

Nadia Vorns, the Wardrake

Nadia shakes her head at Aiko.
I don't like the idea of splitting our forces. We'd just end up outnumbered on two front if we tried to assault the ship while they investigated here.
She considers.
But you do have a workable idea. Our fighting forces wait out of sight. They'll send forces to investigate the smoke, and then we ambush them here. Take out their scouting force, leaving only whatever guard force they left at the ship.

[Desril]

Luna

"You heard her everyone, those of you who can fight find somewhere to hide until the enemy is in striking distance, everyone else, look sheepish but make sure you've got cover. They probably won't chance bows in this storm but it never hurts to be prepared!"


....stealth? [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

The plan settled, you and your remaining crew rush to make ready the ambush. The fire is doused and buried in sand. The long boat is dragged away from camp, lest it be damaged. The riggers and marines find the best hiding spots they can on the sparse cover of the beach and qait for your command. The cook gets as far away from any potential danger as he can and still be in sight, while the cabin boy is sent up the hill to keep an eye on the enemy.


The Chelish aren't giving you much time. By the time cabin boy sprints up the hill to see what they're doing, they already have their longboat lowered and fully loaded. It won't take them long to row to shore in the relatively calm waters of the sheltered lagoon.

Do you want to ambush them as they land, wait for them to come to your camp, or hit them somewhere in between?