Percival lunges forward thrusting his dagger at the rat that bit him.
Percival and Radval don´t hit their targets, but Jaina again kills a rat and Randall hurts one severely.
The rats move and one of them becomes brave, moving all the way up to Radvall and attacking him. ONly Lilli seems save at the moment.
The power of Lilly's healing fixes Jaina right up. She gives her an appreciative look & a quick "Thanks!" before taking a swing at the rat biting Randall.
Her swing goes wide.
Randall again kicks at the rat attacking him and misses badly.
Percival slashes at the rat he missed earlier with his dagger.
Seems Percival is able to skewer the rat and she doesn´t arrive at Radvall.
Once more Radval lets loose another ray of frost; the beam of utter coldness snaking its way through the air and at the water the rats are using to hide themselves.
While Jaina and Randall both miss their targets, Radval and Percival hit well. Percival instantly kills a rat as he pierces her heart.
Radvalls ice bolt hits the rat through the water instead of freeying it as he intended.
http://beta.ditzie.com/49193/5344886e6ccd1Map[/url]
The two rats left attack again:
Round 4
Randall winces in pain as the rat manages to pierce his boot leather and draw blood That's going to need to be looked at once this is all over". Angrily he lashes out with that self same boot.
Interested in ending the fight as fast as she can, she walks over and punches at Randall's rat.
Lilly will move into the best position that she can to assist Jaina with AC.
Aid another
But not used to fighting with her, probably only gets in the way.
Yet another beam of frost was launched from Radval's outstretched arm, no longer bothering with freezing the water, he just focused on killing his targets Two more...then I can leave his place Thought Radval, the smell threatening to kill him before his foes did.
You easily finish off the left two rats and find yourself standing in the bilge now, kneedeep in water, 6 dead rats around you. The walls are seamed by some crates and barrels and you can see the pump in the other corner.
Jaina smirks as she takes in the sight of six dead rodents of unusual size.
She turns to Lilly. "Good job there, Sunshine." She gives her a friendly tap on the shoulder before turning to Radval. "You too, Wisp." She nods at Percival. "Nice knifework, Dandy."
She starts back up the stairs from the bilges, intent on resuming her line work. She gives one last compliment out: "Good kicking, Squeezebox. Might want to get your foot looked at, though."
And I'll need to have my leg looked at too... those were some nasty bites I took.
With that, she heads above deck.
Randall looks at Jaina askew before smiling "Not too shabby yourself, Flamehair." Randall quickly retorts back "Where did these things come from? they weren't down here last time I was. Maybe we ought to look for some kind of nest just to make sure there aren't anymore and we get sent down here again after getting flogged for not doing the job right the first time." With that Randall will begin to search the bilges for any signs of more rats or anything else that might be down here.
Corpses floated above the water and Radval never thought he'd ever be glad to see such a sight, finally he was free to leave his place I'll lock those pirates in here when we take this ship over... the teenager clenched and unclenched his fist several time as his feet splashed towards the exit.
Jaina smirks as she takes in the sight of six dead rodents of unusual size.
She turns to Lilly. "Good job there, Sunshine." She gives her a friendly tap on the shoulder before turning to Radval. "You too, Wisp." She nods at Percival. "Nice knifework, Dandy."
She starts back up the stairs from the bilges, intent on resuming her line work. She gives one last compliment out: "Good kicking, Squeezebox. Might want to get your foot looked at, though."
And I'll need to have my leg looked at too... those were some nasty bites I took.
With that, she heads above deck.
"I am not a wisp" He replied, his tone overly serious Looked at? Could the rats have poisoned them? Considered Radval before turning around and walking towards Randall and placed his hand on the older man's shoulder abruptly, a soft crack of arcane energy could be seen surging from Radval's hand into the bard's body. Without a reply the pale sorcerer walked to Jaina and placed his hand on her forearm, a similar stroke of arcane energy moving into her body as well.
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Even though it was dirty work, Percival joined Randall in his search. His words did make some sense.
"Its a term of endearment Radval, a nickname if you will. If anything you should think kindly on the fact that she likes you enough to jest with you... I mean you have seen how quick she is with those fists."
He smiled almost wanting to tousle the young man's hair. Even though their were not that many years between them, He reminded Percival of his little brother back home.
"I did have a question there Randall, I dont suppose you have aims on the fiery headed Sandara? Not that any lass here has been particularly interested in me..."
He added with a smirk while he rooted through the sludge.
Jaina pauses at the entrance to the upper decks, catching Randall's nickname for her.
Flamehair? ...I suppose it's better than 'Mad B**ch.'
She turns and pokes her head back into the bilges.
"That's the priestess' name? Can't say I've had time to meet her." She sits on the stairs.
"Designs? Can't say as I've had much free time to consider it, although I wouldn't say no. Although she strikes me as the one to be doing the "designing", if you catch my drift. Not that I won't try and persuade her. But if you wish to try as well, well may the best man win"
Even though it was dirty work, Percival joined Randall in his search. His words did make some sense.
"Its a term of endearment Radval, a nickname if you will. If anything you should think kindly on the fact that she likes you enough to jest with you... I mean you have seen how quick she is with those fists."
He smiled almost wanting to tousle the young man's hair. Even though their were not that many years between them, He reminded Percival of his little brother back home.
A jest? Maybe she finds it funny...but if it means that we are growing closer as a group, fine she can call me wisp Radval sat on the stairs glad to be away from the waters of the bilge, then the sorcerer's eyes shifted into Percival's direction, noticing the genuine smile the man had on his face.
"What is so amusing?" He asked in a neutral tone.
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You remind me of my youngest Brother Gaheris back home, he too is too serious by far. Worse things I suppose to have happen memories of home. That and I have found the one ship in the ocean evidently where my natural charms have failed me. Besmara's blessings are a fickle thing indeed. As to chasing after Miss Sandara I think I will leave her be for now. Give you boys a shot first eh? Sporting of me I think."
He said chuckling again. The one thing that might be noticed was that he was certainly less upset than some would be for a man whom was pressganged a few days ago.
Jaina takes some time to look at her leg. The bites have been healed up, but she appears to be rather paranoid about potential diseases those rats were carrying.
She reaches into her pockets and pulls out one of the rum rations she stashed, as well as a rag.
For the next ten minutes, she alternates between scrubbing the bite with the rag and dousing it in rum.
Ain't field medicine grand?
You remind me of my youngest Brother Gaheris back home, he too is too serious by far. Worse things I suppose to have happen memories of home. That and I have found the one ship in the ocean evidently where my natural charms have failed me. Besmara's blessings are a fickle thing indeed. As to chasing after Miss Sandara I think I will leave her be for now. Give you boys a shot first eh? Sporting of me I think."
He said chuckling again. The one thing that might be noticed was that he was certainly less upset than some would be for a man whom was pressganged a few days ago.
Silence came over Radval, he didn't expect an answer such as this, and hadn't considered that his attitude that he'd been warned about by the wizards he stayed with, actually made someone think of a better place than...this. Radval didn't know Percival that well as they had barely talked since they began their chores on this ship, but now maybe he'll try to learn more of the chelaxian sailor.
"I hope you meet him soon" Said Radval as he got up from the stairs and turned to leave the bilges.
You notice the manacles on the wands of the bilge, as it doubles as the ship´s brig. The poor fellow you saw executed on the first day spent some time down here you heard. Also you see that there are large cobwebs on the ceiling with some large spiders, but they seem intimidated by so many people down here.
The rats must have come out of some crates standing around here, you can clearly see their bite and scratch marks on them and small holes which surely weren´t there from the start.
A number of discarded crates and boxes packed with straw lie in the bilges, among which can be found a suit of leather armor, three heavy maces, and 12 sp. In addition, a buckler, a masterwork handaxe, a vial of holy water, a tanglefoot bag, two tindertwigs, and 21 gp turn up in the dark waters.
Your job here is finished and you can report on deck, but perhaps it would be wise to hide some of the items you found first.
After tending to her rat bites, Jaina opts to head back above deck rather than risk being caught taking any of the found gear.
She has work to do anyway.
Radvall exited his most hated area of the ship wordlessly and remained silent even when the stares of the pirates found him upon returning to the deck I hope they find use for whatever we found down there Thought the black haired sorcerer as he waited for whatever his capturers had to say to him.
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Percival, not one to let a good thing pass by gathered up the gear and coin and slid to their berths as quietly and nonchelauntly as he could.
He quickly put things into his footlocker and locked it slipping the key into his pocket before reheading up onto the deck.
"Oh what a glorious battle against rats. The little cheese-eating bastards fought gloriously you all should have seen it."
He said as dryly and sarcastically as possible flexing ridiculously on purpose in case any of the lasses where watching.
Randall tosses the handaxe over and over again testing it's balance before handing it to Percival "I think you'd get better use out of this than I" he says with a smile. Picking up one of the maces he hooks it to his belt "Let some poor dumb bastard try and take this from me and he'll have a few less teeth than he had before"
Taking the armor, Randall holds it up before Lilly, giving her a slight moue, "Well it not a fancy dress, but it'll do the next time one of these sailors decides to ask you to dance, if you know what I mean?" he says with a wink.
"Thank you". "I believe this will fit me, though I might find opportunity to drag it behind the ship for cleaning, to remove the smell".
Which will be Lilly's sneaky duty for tonight.
Jaina takes the offered money and stashes it before getting back to work.
"Thanks."
Plugg eyes you all suspiciously as you get back on deck, but says nothing, only sends you back to work again. The rest of the day is without incidents.
Jaina finishes up her duties, not paying Plugg any attention.
She takes her rum ration and nonchalantly walks back below decks to put it in her duffle.
Once she comes back above decks, she seeks out this 'Sandara Quinn' she's heard about.
Randall looks longingly into the mug of rum, his hands shaking. A look of resolve settles over his face as he forces his trembling hands to still and surreptitiously dumps his rum ration over the rail.
That night Randall will once again play his concertina for the crew, playing a lively tune designed to get the toes tapping and to forget about the aches and pains of a long days work.
After a couple of reels, Randall will make his way over to Crimson Cogward and sit down "Sorry about this morning, we never did get to finish our conversation before I was so rudely called away, but, you know, "when duty calls" and all that. So..what's your story?" Randall will spend the rest of the evening BS'ing with him, swapping stories, jokes, and whatnot.
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He took his shot once more grimacing at its horrid taste.
More annoyed than anything else with the day s events and the lack of most the females on board paying him not much attention he would take one last stab at the pretty red head Sandara.
I wont lie Beautiful, I honestly didn't expect true beauties aboard a vessal like this, Don't suppose you are looking for an amorous protector in this dangerous line of work? Im available if you need me."
He began with his best stunning smile. He was looming not that he meant to really, as broad and tall as he was it was hard not to loom a little.
"As hard as it might be to believe, I come from a noble line back in Cheliax." He added hoping maybe the title would be enough to sway her if natural good looks didn't.
On this night as well Radval slinked behind the shields of various shadows, pulled out his 'ration' for the night and watched as he did before several times as the liquid streamed down the bottle and into the sea. It has almost become routine to him but he still hated it greatly I am almost tempted to set the ship on fire and take my chances on a piece of driftwood...maybe I'll end up on that island again The latter part of his mental comment almost made him want to laugh...almost
Once he was done, he walked about the edges of the ship and tried to look for places where that would be of use if they started a mutiny, easily deal with people like Scourge with out anyone notice or even secret doors or entrances.
When the rest of her party comes back below decks, Jaina can be found sitting in her hammock.
She turns to Percival, leaning back in her hammock.
"So, Dandy, what's your story? I didn't have you figured for a sailing man."
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"Oh you know the life of the mid nobility, My eldest brother was married off to a name for money... the problem of course was the name was 21 years his senior. being the 3rd child I thought perhaps an endevor with a trade caraval might make enough coin to push back such a fate."
He began with a smirk.
" Everything was going well til a pirate hit the ship on the return trip from Rahadoum, I dont plan on going back til coin flows out of my ears. how about you miss Swift?
"Me?" Jaina lies down in her hammock. "Not much to tell. Didn't have the same luxuries as you, that's for certain."
She examines her battle-scarred fists. There's still some blood where she punched a rat or two. "You're my opposite in quite a lot of ways. Only child, ran away to sea when I barely had t*ts, spent most of my life on one ship or another."
She looks up at Percival, an eyebrow arched.
"Believe all that?"
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He chuckled 'mock' running his eyes up and down her. Well, I cant see why I should not believe it, I would imagine a life on the sea would explain how quick you are with those fists, or even how quick you were up the rigging, but I think there is more than that to you, but time will tell will it not?
Jaina smirks. "I suppose."
And time will tell if you eventually understand just how thoroughly imprisoned we all are.
Having literally stepped in to the conversation, Radval looked to the warrior with suspicion in his grey eyes Why do they want to know? Various visions of betrayals played in his mind, but he dismissed them with a shake of the head and a simple thought What would they gain if they knew? I doubt Kaven had friends that would want avenge him The matter finally resolved, the young man sat besides the fiery haired woman and Percival.
"A pirate captain took me as his personal slave after he killed my parents" He began his face baring no discernible expression "A chance came for me to take his life...I did" He added curtly, his right hand clenching into a fist "All who were left were me and another slave, she..." Silence came over Radval, his had slowly abandoning the fist it formed and an image of a red head falling into the angry waves flashed before his eyes "Did not make it, I was a cast away at an island before I ended up in a tower of an order of wizards, finally I came to Port Peril..." He waved his right arm at his surroundings "Then this happened"
The mention of a pirate captain causes Jaina to focus on Radval. She bites her lip slightly.
Maybe it wasn't, but maybe it was...
"This captain... did he look like me?" She asks Radval, one of her hands clenched into a fist. It's not with intent to punch, which is admittedly a bit surprising for her considering how often that's the case.
"Red hair, coal-black skin, eyes that burn?"
"No, no he did not" A bit of surprise could be seen on Radval's face as he turned to face Jaina, his grey eyes lingering on her crimson hair for more than normal Red heads, where ever I go...red heads surround me Thought Radval as an image of a girl with a comforting smile on her face accosted him.
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He watched the interplay of emotions over the young mans features carefully. The boy (well young man really) seemed to have it rough, and his lot didn't improve much. Though he wasn't Percival's responsibility, an extra eye keeping him from trouble wouldn't hurt.. besides he was used to being the focal point anyhow.
The fiery haired womans response to the story also took noting. She learned to use those fists like that for a reason, he certainly didn't want to earn her ire.
"You at least have had some small measure of revenge then. it seems Radval. We should be alright, I think Jaina's fiery fists of doom over there earned us a bit of respite from the crew since their welcoming party went well..." He smiled again clearly amused by their wake up call earlier.
"Good" He replied brusquely, before losing himself in thoughts and considerations of how to proceed from where they were; he had considered doing what he did on Kaven's ship by turning them against each other, but that plan meant danger to others who didn't deserve what the other pirates did and starting fires on the ship he firmly believed was a last resort If we landed at a port, some of the crew would depart...that should give us some room to act on any plan we decide on He thought before turning his attention towards Percival.
"Do you see our situation improving in time?" Radval's serious tone indicated that he clearly wasn't interested in any sugarcoated replies or farfetched scenarios.
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"Any situation can be improved with time and planning. History is rife with pirates reaching a certain level of wealth and prestige leaving the game so to speak, what happens to their crew then? Some pirates take prizes and those prizes are turned over to crew, Who knows, maybe one day the dreaded pirate Radvil will be plying his trade on the open waters." He shrugged.
"But its patience now, that's important, time to watch and learn and make friends. Who knows what tomorrow brings eh?"
Jaina visibly relaxes when Radval replies in the negative. She smirks a bit when Percival compliments her fists again, rubbing one on her vest.
The talk of their situation possibly improving, and pirates eventually retiring that causes Jaina's smirk to vanish.
"I think that if the Dread Pirate Radval had any sense--" She glances over at Radval. "--which he does, he'd leave the Shackles and find somewhere new to plunder." Jaina leans back in her hammock.
"Why compete here when you can start anew elsewhere?"
And maybe he'll actually escape the prison we're all in here.