Ashrem tosses the grappling hook across and catches the railing well this time. He quickly ties the end off on the railing of the Wormwood and deftly climbs across to the stairway directly across the water. Once aboard the enemy ship, he whispers his thanks to the Pirate Goddess and prepares to fight.
Sandman barely makes it across.
Looking at the sharks cirling underneath, Allende says a little prayer to Besmara before climbing over to the enemy ship
Besmara heeds his call and he scampers along the rope to the other side.
Allie arrives onboard the Man's promise seconds before the others. She attacks one of the sailors at the ships helm. The sailor, already badly hurt by the stone fired by Ashrem is all but incapable of defending himself and falls to Allie's blade.
One of the surviving sailors is armed with a heavy crossbow which he has just finished reloading. He fires at the shapes coming over the rail in the fog but misses. The bolt whistles past Allies ear and sticks into te Wormwoods mast with a thunk. The other sailors charge you and try to push you over the side.
As the sailors charge them Sandman swings his flail at one of the attackers. The metal weight smashes into the side of the sailor's head, caving it in. The Sailor drops dead at his feet.
Allende attempts to get his rapier between him and the charging sailor
but he doesn't get the rapier up in time.
Ashrem steps up next to Allie and hurls a dagger at the sailor standing alone across the ship.
The other charging Sailor slams into Allende knocking him off his feet and over the railing into the sea!!
Ashrem's dagger strikes the sailor in the leg causing him to cry out and drop his empty crossbow. He and the sailor that pushed Allende overboard draw shortswords and prepare to defend themselves.
Allie somersaults past the sailor, landing behind him atop the ballista.
"Surpriiiiise!" she cries jubilantly, as she drives her blade towards the back of his neck.
Drawing another dagger, Ashrem throws another blade into the distant sailor before turning at the rails and shouting. ""
Sandman still had his grapple hooked to the ship. When he saw Alende go over the rail he gritted his teeth and tossed the line over the edge after their overboard crewman. Alende was an able sailor. If he got to the rope fast enough, he'd be clear of the sharks.
Then he extended his hand and sent a pulse of lethargy toward the man on the far side of the deck.
Amamer fires her crossbow at the sailor non engaged in melee, and runs to the rail and hops across onto the other ship.
With a cry of alarm Allende tries to clamor up the side of the ship.
but he is having difficulty.
The enveloping fog lifts briefly and you can see the full length of the Rahadoumi ship. You can also see Captain Harrigan and two other officers from the Wormwood forcing there way through to the captains cabin below you.
One of the sailors, struck twice by daggers thrown by Ashrem turns an flees down the stairs to the main deck and disappears into the fog and general Melee. The other Sailor swings at Alle with his shortsword. A swing Allie is easily able to dodge.
"Captain, behind!" Sandman warns, sending a wave of dream energy towards the man sneaking up on Harrigan.
Captain Harrigan hears sandmans shout and turns in time to see his would be attacker slump unconsious to the deck. He turns back and give Sandman a nob before continue on his way.
Seeing that the last pirate is surrounded and not likely to last long, Amamer calls on her distant genie ancestor to help her help Allende, a few flakes of snow falling from her fingers in the tropical heat.
[spoiler=Readied attack]
Allie deftly dodges, then strikes again at the remaining sailor:
+
With a cry of thanks to Sandman, Allende tries to pull himself aboard with the rope.
The rope does its job and Allende (hopefully) finally arrives at the fight.
The fog has once again closed in around the ships hiding the ongoing battle from your view and muffling the sound of steel striking steel and the cries of the injured and dying. Allende is able to pull himself dripping over the railing of the ship unharmed by the sharks patroling the dark water.
"Allende, get down!" Ashrem cries out as he draws another blade and throws it at the last remaining sailor.
Ashrem's knife catches the sailor in the throat and he goes down. He will not be getting back up.
"Soooooo, it looks like we've taken the the wheel. Now, we just make sure nobody takes it back, right?" Allie says, hopping down from the ballista and running down the starboard flight of stairs and turning back again to stop at the ship's wheel.
She rests her free hand on the wheel as if intending to steer it, looking out over the mist covered ship.
"We have you bo-at!" she shouts in a mocking sing-song voice. "Come and take it back, if yer man enough!"
Sandman ran to the other side of the stern castle, jumping down the stairs to thud heavily onto the landing.
Embarrassed, Allende soggily makes his way to his support position next to Allie. He blesses Allie just in case.
"Oooo...that tingles," Allie says with a wicked grin as the small wave of divine magic flows over her.
"You look a bit soggy. Didn't lose anything to the sharks, did ya?" She smiles and bumps him playfully with her shoulder.
"Nothing but my pride. But you're welcome to check." Allende replies with a wink.
There is a tremendous boom and the ship heaves violently beneath your feet. towards the bow of the ship you see a tremendous gout of flame shoot into the air.
"OUCH!"
Sandman managed to roll with the blast, a lifetime spent on ships keeping him stable with unexpected lurches.
"What was that? Did someone set off the powder? Everyone alright?"
Ashrem was bending over the corpse retrieving his dagger when the explosion rocked him off his feet.
"What the...!"
"Typical," Allie says with a roll of her eyes, and a wicked grin. "Get men too excited and they go off when things have only just gotten started." She remains on her feet, moving easily with the rocking ship.
Allende sways unsteadily but stays on his feet. "What was that!"
Seconds later several Rahadoumi sailors stumble out of the fog they are headed for the ships starboard boat. They seem intent on escaping.
Allende summons up a roiling wall of wind that smashes into the center sailor.
He misses horribly.
Allie vaults over the rail, landing in a crouch on the deck below. She springs forward towards the group of sailors, lunging at the nearest one with her short sword.
"Rrrrawrrr!" she says with a crooked smile and a hiss.
+4 more if opponent is considered flat-footed.
+ if opponent is considered flat-footed.
Sandman wrapped a knot of dreamtime around one of the sailors heads with a wave of his hand.
One of the sailors slumps to the deck asleep. Allie completely misses the sailor she attacks.
Amamer jumps to her feet, favoring her bruised bottom and calls on the spirits of the waters.
Ashrem rolls down the steps and comes up on his feet. Moving over a few more feet he prepares to launch his own vortex of buffeting winds at the middle sailor.
The center sailor calls to the other. I'll hold them off! get the boat free! drawing his shortsword he swings at Allie. The sharp blade opens a long cut on Allie's forearm.
The other sailor works on freeing the boat so they can escape, but his hands are shaking and he doesn't make any progress.
Allie hisses, and slashes back at the armed Rhadoumi.
"Hurts, Huh? Now, surrender or die!" she says to the sailors.