Cap'n Voodoo's Freebooter PBP

Game Master voodoo chili

Dibbs gives Zoss a wink, and looks to stump his way up the gangplank. Said to Jimmer, but loud enough for Dingus and Kaul to overhear he ventures "Probly best ye make first introductions eh?..." thinking the reason self-evident to the clean-jawed Taldan.

Jim strides up the gangplank, tosses off a reflexive salute to whatever colors are flying at the moment, and addresses the most authoritative figure of the lot on deck. "Ahoy! We're your passengers for this little voyage. Though if you're needing a hand or three we can oblige there, as well."

Kaul stands listening, then chuckles to himself as Jim mentions "lending a hand";

"Hur. One. Three. Mechanic-cal-lee... Hur-hur..."

"No need for salutes here, though I understand old habits dies hard," Captain Drake gives Jim a nod of recognition as a fellow former Navy man. He is a tall Taldan with long black hair now silvered pulled back and crisply tied, shaved though a thin mustache remains. The belt and baldric over his great coat hold an array of tools and weapons though they don't hinder his grace as he moves around the poop deck supervising. "Your crew are already serving well." He gestures to the rigging where Lola, Drake, and Ella can be seen working and down to deck Ed, Grund, and Onzo help out with ropes and supplies. "You should see to your quarters and make sure you have all you need. We'll be departing shortly."

Jim catches himself before he can salute Drake and smiles, shaking his head. "Aye, Cap'n. We'll get ourselves squared away, and once we're at sea we should discuss ways and means."

Stumping up behind Jimmer Dibbs cocks his head and raises an eyebrow "Another cleanjaw... bloody hell, no respect fer hirsuteness nei more. I'm Dibbs, an I'll take yer crow once we're floatin.... when's chow?"

The Captain looks up at the high perch. "You may have to convince Syncapit to give it up." A tiny dark head peers down at the mention of the name and then seems to shake side-to-side before retreating from view. "It's probably a good thing if he comes down time to time actually."

Kaul also perks up at the thought of chow. In his new guise he flashes a crack toothed smile;

"Kaul. Good at choppin'... Reckons I could lend a claw... er paw... in the galley? Hur..."

Dingus comes aboard without saying much, but nodding at anyone who looks his way. He carefully watches his overly large chest of clothing as it is brought aboard and carefully stowed so that he can access as needed.

"I dinnae take up much space... I'm sure we'll get along."

Finally, everything is secured, the crew of the warship is in place, and the busy work continues of towing Black Dragon out into the harbor and getting her underway. The gusty winds make maneuvering a little more difficult, but finally Twik Island passes off the starboard and the ship weaves though the reef and out into the open sea and Captain Drake sets a course SE toward The Smoker. The foremast bears the crimson flying hourglass banner of Freeport and the mainmast, Roberts' personal banner of a great horned black dragon skull.

As things settle, Captain Drake turns to his guest officers. "Do you have a banner yet? We've a mast undressed."

Waits for Dingus to strip off...

Being met with blank stares, Captain Drake shrugs. "You should put some thought into it before you start raiding." The weather remains fair and breezy ensuring that the journey is swift and uneventful. Three days later, you pass the unmistakable burning height of Mount Keeba and soon spot the north coast of Shark Island off the bow.

Log: 7 Neth, steady winds. Shark Island spotted.

Maybe a plain black flag?

Dibbets puts another gobbet over the rail and into the foam as he cracks his neck. Squirreling eyes he sees Mount Keeba... and spits again for good measure. Grimacing he shakes his head before turning to stump out t'wards the rest of the mateys. He blathers "She's a fine ride... but hard tae enjoy it wi' sights on what's comin eh?"

Maybe a plain black flag?

Monkey Skull and Crossbones would be apt ;0

Kaul nods his noggin in agreement and eyes the crows-nest.

"Hur. Want me to go up there and relieve Syncapit o' his duties?"

Jim grins and shakes his head. "Mate, as hard as this may be to believe, on this voyage we're passengers. There's nothing we have to do save get ourselves ready for the wet work on Shark Isle, and I, for one, plan on making the most of the opportunity." Still, the Taldan can't help a wistful glance up at the steering deck.

ah, of course you have a flag. I've got it on my wall : ) Jim- I believe Kaul is referring to the squatter in the crow's nest.

Dibbbets' climb to the crow's nest reveals a rather entrenched lookout. The small black-scaled head with tiny horns and a snout peers down and its eyes glint suspiciously behind dark goggles and it hisses a warning for the halfling to back down or he'll set off a trap.

Kaul overhears and offers his assistance.

Dibbs waves down Kaul... for the moment and addresses the creature directly "Ye do that an me matey there'll take offence like. He's nae much fer talkin... prefers a more visceral discussion iffin ye takes me meanin. Hows bout we starts wi' introductions like. I'm Dibbs... yer?"

Once he learns that his immense pallet of skills is not wanted at the moment, the cheerful sorcerer marks out his own quarters, and begins to admire and rearrange his garments into outfits for the coming journey. He'll spend his downtime on the journey, socializing; mending, cleaning and altering his clothing collection; and refining his master plan for conquering the world with his serpent folk army.

"Syncopit and this is my nest. Stay down there with the pinkies. Only dragons allowed up here. hisssss..."

Dibbets doesn't move back, but doesn't move forward either. Holding his ground he muses squinting "Roight... an what makes ye a dragon then eh? I ken fly... I dinnae breath fire, but I breathes wind... jus what's yer criteria?"

"Kobolds have dragon blood." Syncopit bares his fangs and scratches at a horn with a claw. Then the kobold tilts his head and peers more closely at the scurfy halfling. "You can fly, not just fall?"

Dibbs shrugs and nods at the same time "Aye... ish. I ken turns tae mist an fly up an around a whiles. I dinnae hae dragon blood though... more rum in these veins eh. T'be honest I'm better at tha wind sh1te" calling on his protective buffeting winds as a means of proving a point.

Syncopit looks unconvinced by the wind display, "If you can fly, then you can easily avoid my traps; but if you have to climb, then you deserve what you get." Then he withdraws back into the crow's-nest.

Curious enough to give it a go, Dibbs lets go of the ropes and channels Gozreh's indifference through his nethers to go mist and drift up and above the crow's nest. He takes a look to figure out where best to reconstitute himself...

Dibbets' cloud-eye view of the nest reveals the black-scaled kobold sprawled on a layer of warm sand which covers the floor of the low walled perch. The golden cat-like eyes blink behind the goggles at the sight of the misty peeping tom and Syncopit sits up and scoots to make room. "Ah, you were telling the truth. Well, I stand by my word, you are welcome to come up here when you like. Maybe not a dragon, but close enough."

Cool scene betwixt Dibbs an' Syncopit btw

Kaul cranes his no-neck to see what transpires up the mast. When no explosions or expletives can be heard the thug grins to himself, then agrees with Lopps that some rest is in order.

The thug-in-thug's clothing lumbers to his bunk to grab some shut-eye.

" Maybe not a dragon, but close enough."

"... but least you're not a gnome. I hate gnomez," Syncopit finishes. He treats Dibbets with grudging respect over the next several days and shows the halfling where to avoid the greased spars, cut ropes and hidden spikes around the nest.

Captain Drake looks relieved that peace reigns high above deck. Drake confides to Jim, "Kimble is responsible for that creature. Roberts and the crew thought it a suitable mascot, but I don't trust it with all the traps and sneaking around at night. With Kimble AWOL again, I was concerned we might have a problem."

*******

When the look-outs call that Shark Island is in view, Captain Drake turns to Jim again. "So what is your plan? Do you have an approach to old Moak Harbor in mind?"

"I'm thinking we stay out of sight of the harbor. Do you know of a cove where we could put in close to shore? The draft on Dragon likely makes for few such, though a man can hope."

Cool scene betwixt Dibbs an' Syncopit btw

Kaul cranes his no-neck to see what transpires up the mast. When no explosions or expletives can be heard the thug grins to himself, then agrees with Lopps that some rest is in order.

The thug-in-thug's clothing lumbers to his bunk to grab some shut-eye.

Does that thug's clothing include the feather boa that Dingus let him BORROW!! before we boarded?

Dingus sticks hi nose into the conversation about landing on the island. "Perhaps we should have someone take us ashore in the dinghy under cover of darkness, or out of site of the port. We can arrange some signal perhaps if/when we're ready to leave".

"Aye, mate. My thoughts as well, but I'd caution that a dinghy's vulnerable to the sea devils in a way that Dragon isn't. That's why I'd prefer a shorter trip."

Captain Drake nods. "The south coast of Shark Island is ragged with coves and fjords. Deep enough for the Sea Devils to find suitable, too. I don't think that even the Black Dragon will have much problem hiding in there. You said that you're in contact with the Groom; send him a message when you're done and he can tell Tarmon to let me know that you're ready for a pick up."

Dibbs gives Syncopit a wink after he reappears and takes in his newly opened digs with a degree of respect and without disturbing too much.

-----

"Iffin we's got tha need I ken always take a shifty out as a manta... scout about an make sure we dinnae gets rodgered frae below."

Does that thug's clothing include the feather boa that Dingus let him BORROW!! before we boarded?

Of course! Thinking he's sporting something like: Jesse "The Body" Ventura stylee ;)

Kaul lumbers towards the cabins sizing up the ship's crew as he does...

Was the plan for Kaul to remain incognito for the trip or just until we're clear of Freeport?

Was the plan for Kaul to remain incognito for the trip or just until we're clear of Freeport?

The shades make the man. Incognito just in Freeport

Captain Drake squints out at the water and replies to Dibbets. "I wouldn't go too far off in your scouting; as you know, Sahuagin are thick around here. We'll set a course for the south of the island and have you slip the dingy off just out of view of Moak Harbor. We'll sail past and find a hidden inlet nearby to wait."

sound like a plan?

"Keelhaul" Kaul wrote:

Was the plan for Kaul to remain incognito for the trip or just until we're clear of Freeport?

The shades make the man. Incognito just in Freeport

Huzzah.

After a brief kip, the group's thug returns to deck in all his scarred glory;

"Hur... Sound's like a perfect plan. Get us ashore and leave the rest to me and Lopps hur-hur-hur..."

Captain Drake trims the sails to take a leisurely pace through the channel between Shark and Nalt's Islands and moors the ship for the night at the north end of Devils' Sound. The Black Dragon gets underway in the pre-dawn hours to time the launch of the dingy just before dawn outside the entrance of the long inlet to Moak Harbor.

Log: 8 Neth, partly cloudy. Moak Harbor.

Dibbs scales to the peak and spends a goodly time charting the horizon by moonlight as they sail in the gray. He gives a farewell to the scaled denizen of the nest by way of simple nod and statement "Roight... I'll be off then eh?" before joining the rest on deck.

A gobbet of bloodied phlegm is coughed up, before he sees it foolish to send chum into the water and re-swallows with a grimace. He confides in his mates "I cannae see anythin frae tha peak... but thas probly cos it's dark as sh1te."

Kaul pats his mate's grubby shoulder with a stoic comment;

"Hur... You need's eyes like Ol' Kauly's mate. Tell ye what - ye can 'ave 'em once I's done with 'em! Hur-hur-hur! Eyes done with 'em! Hur!"

.. that descends into a hacking laugh...

The thug then pauses mid-chuckle and eyes the black with a scowl;

"Right then. E'nough hil-ar-it-ee. When we gettin' our blades red?"

"Somewhere on that island's a fight or three with our names on them, hey? Sooner we're ashore, sooner we'll get to them. Beach a ways away from the harbor and walk in, I'm thinking--sorry, Dibbets."

A rowboat is lowered over the side and the away team takes their places as their ship mates give low calls of encouragement. There is just enough light from the eastern horizon to reveal the wild jungle that lines the shores of the wide passage leading north into the island and the ruined settlement of Moak Harbor. The noise of waking birds and monkeys cover the faint gurgling of water along the hull as vessels, great and small, part ways.

Dingus looks closely at Kaul as he recognizes the sound of monkeys...

"Well, well, well. Back to the jungle it seems".

Kaul scowls at the snakeman's scrutiny;

"I's o'er the monkey thing..."

The thug's beady eyes fix back on the jungle as the boat glides toward Moak Harbour.

Jim squints at the approaching shore. "How about it, Kaul? Anything watching us that shouldn't be?"

Triangular fins break the water with unusual frequency as Kaul and Jim take turns rowing the boat over the dark water. The channel to the town is quite long and the sun has fully risen as the ruins come into view. First seen is an unusual lighthouse apparently formed from an ancient Cyclops' tower. The the rotting and half-fallen wooden structures above the rotting piers.

The thug watches the fins cut through the waters for a moment, then scans the shore features;

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19