The lizardmen have been down in the caves before; there's old lava tubes and such, it's a honeycomb. They think the caves link up to the pyramid somehow; though they never went up there much.
"I shall need time to pray before we enter the lizardmen caves. There are spells which I have never needed that Kelanen may offer. I am a poor swimmer, in this armour but you have a good idea."
He goes to take a rest and prepare his magicks then turns, "perhaps we could wait to the fleet to leave as well?"
"You know the cauldron made the red lizardmen, could we face more of them soon?"
"No...I doubt it. The cauldron was a 'gift' from the Resurrection Man, that snivveling cur-dog of Orcus." says Crocodile Smile, a lizardman champion, now wearing the mail of one of Firebutt's men.
The lizardmen have been down in the caves before; there's old lava tubes and such, it's a honeycomb. They think the caves link up to the pyramid somehow; though they never went up there much.
"Well, that's....half an army, if we go in without the pink skin fighters," says Croc'. "Their lungs would drown out downside."
"True. Unless..."
It's like 100 dudes.
"That's a lot of money, and I think that underwater, the sahuagin would rip the men to shreds..."
"Me think, we no worry about fish men. Guitar Boy, him no see fish men in town, so maybe them no check see what pirate men do, maybe them no see or care. Me say we sail in like you say, make trouble and kill big pirate quiet. Me want kill goblin pirate - me no like him. Then we bring in other boat, scare off other pirate, like Beetle Boy say. Maybe that make big noise, bring up fish men, but pirate already we deal with, we kill fish men. Or maybe we look at Pi-rah-meed - maybe place for fish men, we get them there, no have to swim.
"Perhaps we go back and check. Guitar Boy good at talk, him s%+@ at fight and sneak. We maybe look at place again, make plan."
Beldan shakes his head. “Amazingly I agree with Gittik. I don’t like the idea of fighting the gods only know how many fishmen and sharks and whatever else they have down their in their own domain, even if we can breath under water. They’ll still have the advantage down there. Even if we do need to go down to deal with them at some point, I’d prefer to have a pirate-free base above to retreat to if needs be.”
"That'll work too. Let's get our pirate disguises and set off on the Hellwind. We'll stay in touch with the mechanical owl."
Right on; what time of day do you wanna roll up there?
"Wake me up when th' killin' begins, laddies."
<Stig, sweating rum, flops into a coil of rope on the Hellwind and falls asleep.>
Elgan nods.
"Ah still t'inks dat we maht have n' easieh tahme if'n we went undeh. But yeh iz right, we don' know how many Sea-devils 'er dere. Ah'm jes' worried dat dey maght be able teh block us frum retreatin' if'n t'ings don' go right."
He takes a final look around, nods once more, turns and runs to the edge of the ship. He dives over the side in a perfect "T", shimmering into a wicked-looking Osprey with a mean beak and even meaner-looking claws. With a few strokes of his wings, he gains altitude and shadows the Hellwind as it departs, keeping an-birds-eye view out for anything headed their way. Or in their way.
“A’right, well lets go in there with just the one ship – maybe the Hellwind? – crewed by a full complement of the most piratey looking sailors we can find from the crews – including all of us of course. Maybe we shuldnt take any lizard men though, that might just cause trouble … Probably doesn’t much matter to me what time we get there, might depend on what Tom thinks in regards to tides and such. But I s’pose if we get there in the morning most of the pirates will likely be passed out drunk,” he spares a glance at Stig, “whereas if we get there at night they’ll all probably be well on the way again. Either could have its advantages I suppose…”
Pip will make another persona for the Hellwind's entrance. Halfling, but with scars, tattoos and a long fu-manchu moustache.
"Jes' call me Stubbs." He leers as he stumps about the Hellwind's deck
Altai nods at Beldan. "Good points. We might as well get there early, I guess."
think so
>>>>>Viper Map Refit<<<<<
Bumping forward....
The Hellwind slinks off into the night, to arrive shortly before dawn at the Viper's Den. It's a tense, though uneventful voyage.
The Hellwind approaches the entry to the calderra; somebody does soundings off the front. It's pretty nice and deep. At the very front there's a rickety rowboat, with two "guardsmen" snoring in a drunken stupor off to the side somewhat. On the walls to the entry, there are hanging cages, steel grid, coffin shaped, each containing a moaning undead corpse of some sort; zombie maybe; they show signs of predation by seagulls.
The guards awaken; one of them jestures to the area on the map where ship five is...there's no ship there right now. The other one seems to recognize something about the ship and makes a Cuthbertian religious sign akin to crossing one's self...he's too shocked to do elsewise but gawk.
Altai gives the drunks in the boat a wave as the Hellwind sails past.
Naah. There's a few guys passed out with some ladies on the dock. There's one real old guy fishing off of the end of the dock (not Pip's buddy). That's about it, until a guy strides out of a building. He looks finely dressed but ragged; merchant's robes; he strides up to where your boat pulls up to dock.
"Good morning, good yeomans. You have the pleasure this very dawn of meeting the gracious personage of none other than Portias Merovanchi, of the Sasserine Merovanchi's. I have a business proposition for you, if you're interested." He twists his curled moustache around one finger. He's tall, lean; when his hard-traveled clothes were new they were rather valuable. He doesn't look at all hung over.
knowledge: bardic 10 general 15 (Riese, due to his mercantile background, gets a bardic 10 roll for this one).
“Arrr,” says Beldan, putting on his best pirate voice. “We’ll be hearin’ what you be sayin’ and suchlike and so forth. Me hearty.”
"Boss can I eat him? can I? can I?" adds Oso rolling his eyes and gnashing his teeth.
Pip weaves a little smouldering punk into his long droopy moustahces for their entry.
"Arr, an yeh be havin' the pleasure of meeting the toughest crew of scalywags to sail Jerkela Bay!" He cries to Merovanchi
Elgan-Osprey lands on the top of the mast as the ship sails into the harbor.
He keeps a birdie-eye out for anything going on.
Elgan can see, about 100 feet away on the boardwalks,
"Ah, yes....I can see that....you are a rough sort of lot." The Merovanchi continues; "well, I find my self, shipless, here....." he glances at the comatose scalawags and their evening flowers; sneers a bit..."and I should like very much to acquire passage back to Mother Sasserine. You, having just arrived and in eminent posession of a ship, and hopefully wise enough to trust me when I say the getting is good right now,....might probably be my ticket out of here."
spot d.c.10
Oso waits sharpening his cutlery for dinner. He looks around for a large pot, large enough to cook the noble in.
Looks at Oso haughtily; "um, yerrs....well, what say you good yeoman?"
"We'll think about it. We'll be in port for a day or two first, though."
He suddenly loses his composure, barking at you;
"I DON'T HAVE TO OR THREE DAYS, YOU NIT...."
then he checks himself.
"I....you must understand, sometimes; I don't have time to explain. If I'm curt with you, it's only because time is of the essence.
I have money. Friends. All those things......."
he looks melancholic now,
"and more, in Sasserine..."
...
I have money. Friends. All those things......."
he looks melancholic now,
"and more, in Sasserine..."
Stubbs chuckles
"How much money you got Mr. Fancy?"
“Weeel,” Beldan drawls in his pirate voice, adjusting his tricorn hat. “Like me esteemed piratical colleague here says, we have business here in port for a day or two at least … so unless it’ll take you that long to explain, I think you do have time to explain it after all. Someone trying t’ kill ye? For enough cash and a good enough story we may let you – ye – seek sanctuary on our boat – ship.”
He looks at you all; sighs....
"I knew that trying to reason with your type would be futile."
He starts casting.
Init; beat a 13.
He's at H21. Battle stations, if you please gentlemen, on the Hellwind...
Any questions about the map, let me know; there's little boarding ramps to the doors of the huts across from the ship.
“You. Did. Not. Just. Do. That.”
Meh; it's you guys...
"annal nathrech....uthvas bethadd.....dochyel dienvay...."
Beldan starts in E24.
“Bastard.” The young thief has obviously taken offence to this guy. He grits his teeth, puts his head down and charges forward over the gangway, trying to knock the guy back off the wharf.
"Your stupidity boggles the mind, Merivanchi. What could possibly lead you to think that casting a few spells will get you onboard the Hellwind any faster? And now, by challenging us in broad daylight like this, you are forcing us to kill you in order to not look like pansies. Make peace with your gods, as you will see them surprisingly soon." Altai runs up to the forecastle and blasts the inbred doofus with fire.
Beldan--
charges to g22. You notice that the spellcaster is translucent. You can see through him. You can stop if you want to not impact; reflex save d.c. 10 to stay on your feet in g22.
Altai can reconsider if he wishes; his spell hasn't necessarily happened yet.
I guess you could run Aubrey for the nonce.
Reflex save: 2 … +10 = 12
The look of surprise and shock on Beldan’s face is comical as he realises just before impact that the wizard is not actually there. He tries desperately to pull up … and teeters on the edge of the wharf, toes hanging over the water, arms windmilling.
....still on initiative; just to let you know...
The caster seems like a ghostly apparition to Beldan. Sunbeams from the rising sun over the side of the calderra stream straight through him.
Altai can reconsider if he wishes; his spell hasn't necessarily happened yet.
Seeing Beldan's action illuded, Oso casts his most powerful spell at the disembodied spellcasting aristocrat.