Selena sighs.
Here they go again. Talking about 'strategy'.
"I...guess that Aibek's right? I really don't know anything about things like this." the half-succubus says. "Tough, Foxy, I don't know if it's safe to change into the captain and go talk to them. Maybe stay on the deck to trick them so we can get closer, but anything else sounds too dangerous: if they were sent specifically to stop us, they probably have an idea of what we can do, and they'll be wary if anything seems strange...I guess." she concludes, a little uncertain.
As the others prepare for the attack, Selena notices Ayreth going below deck, probably to free the slaves. "Ayreth! Wait for me!" the half-fiend shouts to the white-haired woman, running to her. Carefully walking around the puddle of blood that was the late captain, she moves to Ayreth's side.
"Ouch" Selena mumbles to herself as they travel below deck, holding her arm. With all that happened after the battle, she forgot that one of slavers hit her.
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Ayreth smiles as Selena joins her, and cheerfully says, "That went well, don't you think? And it sounds like there's three more out there for us. Should be fun." Noting Selena's gesture, she offers a glowing hand. In direct contrast to her previous statement, she says, "Oh, I can take care of that. You should be more careful."
Her eyes remain watchful as they descend belowdeck.
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He guessed they were all settled on things, no point in giving his idea words.
"I agree, Mihara it is to dangerous. Even if you were not an imposter, they would not fold. They are already committed and only the threat of their own losses would dissuade them at this point. Also I would suggest at least the captain be granted the ability to see through the fog as well, sense he will be leading his own ship. How will we split our group?"
"I can't wait!" Selena grins back, Ayreth's cheerfulness making her forget the captain's remains for a moment.
When the oracle moves to heal her, the half-succubus concentrates to let Ayreth's spell work without problems.
"Thanks!" the half-fiend smiles to Ayreth, kissing her on the cheek after her wounds start to close.
"Uh, just so you know, I can only cast that one on myself. If we don't have another way of looking through the mist, I can't help." Azri said as she returned from locking up the slavers. That was most of why she'd been taking a lookout position earlier.
Mihara stops to think for a moment, putting down the hat she'd stolen from the captain.
"You're right. It probably wouldn't be very safe if I went out on another ship in disguise. Hm... maybe we could use the fog's cover to trick them into thinking the slavers took out our ship, and when they come, expecting no resistance, we'll get the drop on them."
"They have wizards with them, they could very well be in magical contact. If we wait for them, we could end up having three ships worth of enemies converge on us at once. With or without the deception. If we attack one ship directly, then we at least have some time before the other two come along or the chance to silence the wizard before they can summon the other two."
Aibek continued to race towards the back of the boat and continued until large clawed hands were bracing against the back on the ship, amber eyes staring into the fog.
Aibek can make out the fog is made out of three half spheres. But judging by the shape, you may have some idea where to find each.
Redbeard shrugged. "The better a jump we get the better our chances."
Below decks is...unpleasant. The slavers do not seem to consider slave hygiene a priority, and each bench seems to use a simply bucket for there needs, if that. Judging by the smell and look of the deck even that isn't allowed during rowing. The smell is stomach churning.
On each side twenty big men and women, mostly humans and half-orcs with the occasional member of another race, blink owlishly. At the far end a man kneels, the whip he used to motivate the rowers discarded to one side.
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Ayreth recoils at the conditions below deck, covering her mouth and nose. She blindly clutches at Selena's arm. She looks over her shoulder and her voice, muffled by her hand, pleads, "Emmitt, please." The black cat nuzzles at her comfortingly before concentrating for a few moments. The surface of the floorboards below Ayreth's feet slowly begins to become clean.
Ayreth touches the silver ring on her thumb, saying, "Solas." The ring begins to glow with a silvery light.
Steeling her resolve, she uncovers her mouth and points at the kneeling man and then in front of herself. "You. Come here. Give me your name if you wish for a chance to keep it."
The man moved over. "I am Kilk, mistess." He glanced at somewhere around Ayreth's stomach. "I assume you are the new owner of this vessels?"
~~~~
Whitebeard glanced at the people on the decks. "Alright, my orders are still in effect. What do you want to do with the deck ornaments you have collected, and the ship you've captured?"
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Ayreth looks at the keys in her hand. "Yes, Kilk, I suppose I am. Take these keys and free the rowers. You are to have a new crew." She holds out the keys to Kilk and turns to Selena, smiling wickedly at the potential for poetic justice. "Selena, my dear, would you please inform Captain Whitebeard that we have found a place to store the crew of this ship?"
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Judging by the brands, Kilk is himself a slave. It's not unusual for trusted slaves to be put in charge of other slaves. He likely genuinely believes that he has been captured and his ownership transferred to you.
"Don't you think we should maybe let them know they're free?" Mihara whispers to Ayreth, "I'm pretty sure they'll be that more eager to help and in good morale if they know they've got a life of freedom to return to once this mess is over."
"Well, if we've still got this ship by the end, I suppose nationalizing it would be good." Azri mused, looking around. "There might even be opportunities for skilled captains by the time we're done with all of this... but that's for later. If the slaves here are willing, I'd like to ask them to row the ship for just a little bit longer - they're not totally free just yet, and I think they'll be willing to work if they realize that helping us increases their chances of actually making it to freedom."
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Ayreth jumps in surprise, not realizing Mihara followed. In contrast to her previous commanding tone, she gives a sheepish smile. "You are absolutely correct. I had this idea of them being freed and giving a rousing speech. I don't know where that came from." Ayreth definitely looks embarassed.
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On deck Nigrum rubs his chin in thought, which seemed to take ages to sprout any hair. Something that came to mind when he looked at the captain's large and full beard.
"Captain can you spare any of your own crew for our new ship? I doubt former slaves could handle everything and I would sooner put the slavers to the sword then trust them to pilot the ship of their captors."
Selena nods at Ayreth, giving one last glance below deck before rushing up the stairs: Ayreth and Mihara would surely handle the situation better than her. She was happy for the slaves to be finally free, but the half-succubus really didn't know what to say.
Running up on the deck, the half-fiend refers Ayreth's words to the others. "So, what's the plan then?" she asks, peering into the fog.
Whitebeard nodded. "We can keep both ships in fighting trim. If we manage to capture all three it'll be a stretch, take some extra time to get us into port...but that's assuming you wish to capture, not to disable or destroy." The dwarf stroked his red bristles thoughtfully.
"Oh, definitely capture." Azri said immediately. "They'll come in quite useful in the future - the more resources we have, the better off the city will be." Besides, she kind of liked the idea of sailing into the harbor with each of them standing on the prow of a ship. Why sail in casually when you could start by making an impression the city was unlikely to forget anytime soon?
Kilk does begin unlocking the slaves, although he seems confused and uneasy. Many of those he unlocks seem uncertain as well.
At the slaves' uncertainty, Mihara turns to Ayreth and whispers. "Mind if I have a few words with them? They look concerned; I think they're under the impression we're just new slavers."
Sensing the frost in Ayreth's voice, Mihara bows respectfully.
"On second thought, you go ahead. Please forgive me for overstepping."
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Ayreth smiles gratefully at Mihara, the iciness melting away instantly. She steps up, putting one hand behind her back while the other, still illuminated by the Light spell, gesticulates animatedly as she speaks.
"This ship was a slaver ship and you were slaves upon it. I say 'was' because it is no more. My companions and I have defeated the slavers and the ship is now ours. You are now free men and women, and if you wish, will be new citizens of Khalharum. For that is our destination, the City of Seven Towers. Khalharum will be a beacon for freedom.
Our journey may be dangerous, but we will do what we can to see you safely to the end of it. We ask, not demand, that you help us sail there. It is your choice. I intend for the previous slavers to be the new rowers. If you choose to help, I ask simply that you follow the orders of the more experienced sailors that will be on this ship. This ship, which will henceforth be known as Saoirse Bhean, the Lady of Freedom!
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Aibek tilted an ear towards the conversation while keeping amber eyes on the half domes of fog. A smile crossed the enlarged mouth, "I do like and fully support the idea of capturing them all, for many reasons, though obviously the safety and well-being of your crew will be the top priority, Captain Whitebeard, but I am not against the extra time if it means their safety and potential resources." Aibek voiced over a shoulder with still amber eyes on the coming boats, hoping the capture would not be more trouble than they were worth even if sounded like fun to continue to hunt these disgraceful hunters...
The galley slaves looked around and at each other. After a moment one said, "Lovely idea, mistress, but assuming there are enough of the slavers left to take all the positions they have neither the training nor the endurance nor the timing to be much use. So long as we're in danger we'll take the oars. You can teach the slavers to be slaves when we have time."
~~~
Whitebeard nodded. "Capture, not kill. Got it. We'll do what we can. As I said, I have no desire to harm slaves."
Azri nodded - she appreciated the good sense the captain was showing. Azri had no problem with hurting people when she thought it was necessary, but by the same token, she had no particular desire to hurt them when it weren't necessary. "Well, let's not just wait for them to come to us." she said, punching a fist into her palm. "They're gonna have casters, right? I'll see what I can do to shut down their ability to cause trouble for us."
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Ayreth laughs delightfully at her own folly and presumptuousness. "So be it. A choice that I did not foresee, but a choice nonetheless. It will be as you say. However, I will see this place clean, at the very least." She indicates the radius of clean floorboards spreading out from her feet.
"And how is your food rationing? There will be no need for water rationing. In fact, where is your water storage? And can you accept Kilk driving the pace?" Ayreth takes a moment to wait for answers, realizing that she is firing off a lot of questions.
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"You seem to have things well in hand, Ayreth." Mihara nods. "I will rejoin the others, and see how I can make myself useful," she nods.
She returns up deck just in time to hear the discussion continue.
"If only I could know where their leaders are, the fog would prove a great asset in getting the drop on them."
"Will do." Mihara nods.
"The former slaves have offered to help us by rowing until the ship is safe. They say the slavers wouldn't do a good job of it. I'm confident Ayreth has everything under control."
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As an afterthought, Ayreth reaches out and Kilk's discarded whip floats to her feet. "I believe this will not be necessary, however. Or am I presuming too much again?," she sincerely asks the de facto leader, the man that spoke up previously.
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"No, get rid of it." The man eyed it with disgust. "Kilk can keep the beat. He'll do. We could do with better food, but we get enough food and water...no point if your rower passes out on you, after all."
The two ships move together. With only Azri to spot for both vessels things will be difficult, timing and co-ordination essential. The first mate of the Lady Wave, a stocky gnome lady called Pazu Firespits, captains the slaver ship that Ayreth has dubbed the Saoirse Bhean.
As the two ships enter the fog they must close the distance between them to a mere fifty feet. Otherwise they would loose track of each other, and your plans require both ships to strike at once, to overwhelm and defeat the next slaver vessel before she can communicate.
But first, you must find them...
As they entered the fog, Azri kept a sharp lookout, intent on using her keen senses to track down their target.
Selena rubs her hands in anticipation as they draw closer to the enemy ship, drawing her Dan Bong and taking a battle stance.
Azri guides the two vessels through the fog towards the closest enemy ship.
The other ship spots you as you cut through the fog, but doesn't seem immediately worried. Instead, one of her sailors calls out, "Ahoy! Catch her nicely, did you?"
"Easy pickings," Pazu replied in a growl worryingly close to that of the former slaver captain.
Voices from the other ship laughed. They kept on laughing until they realized that both of the ships at your command were closing on either side...and the figures on each set of railings didn't look like slavers. But they were armed with guns. The long rifles barked as the command was given, and a volley of lead slammed into the slaver crews.
However, this wasn't a simple bait ship. Although similar in build to the other ship this one was a fighting ship, and had a bit more bite. As the alarm went out four teams ran to mounts on each side, and four big double hackbutt rifles swung to face there targets.
And in the front, one of the remaining slavers cackled as arcane light danced.
Azri had been standing relatively near the Captain, and she immediately fixated on the wizard as arcane power crackled around them. "Hey! Cackling is MY thing!" she said, calling on the powers within her. She pointed at the wizard and focused on it - and through pure will, she sent a bolt of blindness towards the enemy wizard, even though she'd already cast the spell today.
"...Huh. I didn't know I could do that." she added a moment later, looking down at her hand. This could be... interesting.
With the fog providing advantageous cover, Mihara opts to go for a high-value target, charging through the air straight for the slaver captain, aiming one of her ornate short swords to his chest.
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Ayreth crosses the plank, making sure nobody gets past her. Peering through the fog, she can just make out the slaver operating the hackbut closest to her. "Arm Spiorad." The giant bow appears again.
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Nigrum repeated his tactic from the most recent battle, this time he went for the ship's wizard rather then the captain. His comrades had that well in hand. So he would end that threat quickly before coming to their aid.
Dismounting with ease he drew Tsui and brought it down on the foolish mage. Had he not cast any spells so blatantly he would have been harder to find. This did not slow his blade regardless.
"Surrender if you wish to live."
Aibek began moving upon hearing the first voice calling out from the fogged ship. Amber eyes began scanning for the second boat, trying to estimate how much time they would have with the first ship before the next would come into visual or physical contact. Aibek's thoughts were on planning on how to give the others who were closer to the engaged slaver ship the most amount of time and protect the Lady's Wave.
Aibek held firm to keep amber eyes mostly on the far side to watch for other boats while being in pouncing distance of the back plank for anyone wanting to strike at this ship.
The initial assault fails. The wizard manages to stop Azri's spell and, surprisingly, dodge out of the way of Nigrums attack. A strange barrier deflected the blow. Mihara's strike on the captain missed, and the spiritual weapon on the gun crew failed too.
The slavers responded. Cackling the wizard still backed before making an imperious face an gesturing with both thumbs down.
The captain responded to Mihara's attack with a sneer. "En garde, peasant." Drawing a curved dueling blade he attacked in turn.
The hackbutt teams facing the Lady Wave remained where they one. One fired, downing a crewman. Another targeted Azri, who had the misfortune to be just within the long weapons range.
The ones facing the Saoirse Bhean responded to the boarding. The one to the rear removed it from the bracket, targeting Ayreth and operating the heavy weapon as a team.
The final heavy gun barked at the Saoirse Bhean, missing.
All four crews began to reload in a well ordered and efficient manner.