Drake grimaces a bit at Kaul's implied interest in eating enemies. "I hear the kuru eat the hearts of their enemies, and other parts; I don't think that practice has done anything to improve that lineage though."
"So this is the place then?" Drake asks speculatively. "Syncopit can help Dibbets in planning defenses. His kind is known for their trap cunning."
Kaul grumbles at the notion his words are in poor taste;
"Hur. Wurn't meaning raw like... Meant a fillet with some sauce or such... I ain't a bleedin' savage!"
Syncopit and Dibbets put their knobby heads together to plot a bit and then send a work detail below to bar port holes and others to grease rails.
"I got one more o' them sound burst spells still in me head, iff'n I can git a bunch o' sea devils bunched together...an' a couple o' other spells iff'n there be a big boss to take down," Corliss informs the others. "Plenty o' healin' left, too. Garn--forgot to heal up Kaul's shark nibbles. Here ya go...."
With the ship secured, there is little to do but wait for night. The sailors sharpen their weapons and eat a light dinner before waiting below decks for the hero's signal. Above deck, the bay darkens as the sun sinks to the west. Corliss mends most of Kaul's wounds and takes cover to watch what occurs and offer aid if needed.
As he makes preparations with Syncopit, he broaches a few ideas with those that'd listen. "Reckons we furl the sails and set us wee bastards above wi' bow an booms, strip what riggin twixt mast an deck we can so tha bugger cannae foller us above. Keep tha big bastards on deck, just a few sentries anna others lurkin jus within bulkheads an cabins like."
"Keep tha o'erboard nettin set though, lay out tha feckin welcomes mat an 'ope tha bastards use it - funnel em a bit if we ken. We'll be needin light as well when they comes - Corliss, mebbe if ye come tae riggin wi' me tae start we ken lay doon some indifference onna shackle an set it swingin frae each mast? - that way we keep tha topsides bathed inna bit o' glow."
"Reckons Kauly an Jimmer an a few o' tha other bigguns ken make wi' tha guttin. Other longshanks like, get pike or spear? - fence 'em intae tha killin zone on deck?" snorting an spitting a gobbet of phlegm into tha salt "Part frae that... any chance o' a nip an bowl o' tucker afore tha carnage an blood?"
Corliss follows Dibbets to the rigging but seems blank-faced and ignorant about the whole 'indifference' bit. If it's a light spell the halfling wants, Corliss can and will deliver.
While the rest of the crew gets the ship set to receive guests, Jim catches a short nap so he's ready to face the long night without getting too tired.
As Jimmer slumbers and Dibbs' and Corliss head topside, a blood hungry Kaul paces the deck muttering and chuckling to his axe.
All is in final preparations after the sun sets. Dingus levitates himself up into the spars where Dibbets and his kobold confederate already wait. Next Corliss is lifted along with other mates who've volunteered: Zossrov, Ed, Lola, Swabbie Drake, and one of the Dragon Crew. The rest of the crew gather just out of sight: twenty in the galley, ten in the officers quarters and fifteen in the hold ready to follow the first wave on deck. Kaul and Jim remain on deck serving as watch.
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With everyone lurking behind hatches or tucked into the furled shrouds overhead, Jim and Kaul take places at bow and stern. They switch occasionally to hit midship stations in between. Kaul's darkvision first reveals the triangular fins cutting the still surface of the bay with increasing frequency though Jim soon notes the rushing splashes of hungry sharks lunging toward the ship as well.
Dibbs takes his pausing lying face down on a spar, balanced by dropping his knees onto furled sails below. He keeps free hands, though tucked under near his armpits are the rigged shackle that'll hold light and his blackpowder armnament. Unable to sign to while away, he mentally hums a bawdy ditty.
The low sounds of the sea are interrupted by a menacing, strangely accented voice from the dark water off the port side. "Ship, what are you doing here?"
As the fins circle and break the surface with increased regularity, Kaul draws the deck crews attention with a malevolent grin.
When the strange voice hails them, the brute mulls replying, then thinks better of it, knowing others have a better way with words...
... Lopper whispers a due response, urging the thug to invite the fish to the kill-platter...
The half-orc stifles a chuckle at the canny axe, and delivers the message:
"U-Hur. Waitin' on you... We got problems with navigations like... Shipments 'ere..."
In the darkness, Jim grins silently and waits.
The croaking voice responds from the dark. "We deal wik White Moon ship. She not overwater no more. Who are you?"
Dibbs raises an eyebrow... but doesn't add voice to Kauls. He hopes that the half-orc's particular way with words is enough to entice the finned ones aboard...
Kaul tilts a no-neck as he listens to the watery voice;
"Hur. White Moon got 'erself sunk... we got charged wi' the delivery like... Iffen ye ain't interested we'll make sail... iffen ye are we'll make sale... Hur-hur-hur..."
"You are Pirates. Whak do you wank for goods?"
Corliss keeps silent...though he can't help but wonder what sort of carnage-inducing goodies Kaul might be interested in trade.
Dibbets shifts his position on the spar to get an oversight of what's happening below, narrowing his eyes in the twilight to focus on the water...
Kaul grins, tilting a scarred head toward his sage axe and nods;
"Hur. Ye got any more o' them shark teeth necklaces? Seen some o' the White Moon crew with 'em afore. Would like me one o' them...."
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The late waning moon hasn't risen yet and the stars give meager light even for Dibbets' sharp halfling sight to see much. However, he hears something, as do the others in the rigging, or someone splash loudly off the port side opposite Kaul's conversation. The voice off starboard chortles foully, "You wank shark keech around neck? Deal."
Dibbets-
Keelhaul Kaul-
Madman Jim-
Corliss-
foe-
Jim can't see much, but senses a pair of dark, dripping forms near the port railing.
Everything happens at once. Jim gives the order to strike up the lights and Dibbets, Corliss, and Dingus comply illuminating the deck with a conjured light from above centered on each mast. The light reveals the pair of devils that have successfully crept aboard. The tall sharklike humanoids. They are crouched low by the railing, black eyes over a wide, toothy maw; webbed claws holding rustproof cutlasses for close quarter combat rather than the typical trident; and a long tail with a dorsal fin that flares at the end in a fish tail.
The Taldan advances towards the boarders, blade out and crackling. "Not very friendly, hey? Kaul, let's show them some proper Freeport hospitality."
Everything seems to slow down... ... ... ...
then Jim finally moves. He charges one of the sahuagin sneaks and though it isn't a terribly accurate strike, his buzzing rapier is sharp enough to pierce the scaly hide deeply. There is a zipping sound from the starboard as crossbow bolts fly up at the yard arms. About a dozen bolts with wickedly barbed heads like hooked harpoons fly at the sailors hanging on the mast. Fortunately, no one is hit, but only two hooks fail to catch in canvass or wood. The lines are pulled taut as they begin to bear the sea devils' weight.
Jim easily parries the cutlass and deflects the jaws of the wounded sahuagin, but its partner slips behind slashing and biting.
As the attack moves into full swing, Kaul does the same he rumbles into melee with the sharkers and brings his hatchet to bear;
"Hur... Gives me me necklace ye dogfish!"
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Kaul catches the fresh fishman from the side leaving a gash in the sahuagin's side.
"Got a spell fer them sharky-men," Corliss announces to Dibbets. "Might be able to temporaily take out multiple foes...but I needs to get a bit closer first...."
Jim snarls at the one who hit him, "I'll see your guts for that!" Though it won't be me doing the spilling.... He takes a quick step out of the flank (and to put the offending sea devil between him and Kaul), then tries to spit the other one.
Leaving the two aboard to the longshanks already a bloodied, Dibbs repositions to brace and ready with musket against those who'll be approaching via crossbowed lines...
...to Corliss on the other mast a ways distant Dibbs narrows his eyes with furrowed brow and mutters "Eh, what'd 'e say?"
Up in the furled sheets, Dibbets and Corliss get in more secure positions on the lowest yardarm nearly twenty feet above the deck and prepare for the boarders. Corliss shares his spar with Zossrov and Ed, Dibbets with Lola and Swabbie Drake, and Dingus with another sailor.
Jim doesn't quite follow through on his threat, but shifts to get the poop at his back. The sahuagin turn their fury on Kaul as they go berserk at the scent of spilled blood even their own, and circle Kaul. Kaul takes a terrible wound from a frenzied cutlass and a slash to his side. A third Sahuagin sneak, perhaps the one that fell clambers over the port rails near them.
On the starboard, scaly claws appear at the rail followed by inky eyes and red finned ridges raised in battle fury. Three sea devils slip of the cleverly greased rail, but seven board.
Although no one has called for the rest of the Dragon's crew to join the battle, the hatches burst open to confused crew. Someone shouts, "Attack in the Hold!"
As he takes a couple of deep cuts from the deep-folk, Kaul bellows in anger and alert;
"FILLET 'EM ALL!"
He lashes out at one of his attackers seeking to return the bite with Lopper's own;
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"Dingus, speed us up!"
Corliss hooks one arm around the rigging, holding on for dear life, using the other to cast sound burst. He targets as many of the seven sahuagin to have successfully clambered over the starboard rail as he can catch in the spell's radius.
"That be the thunder!" Corliss screams at the invaders from the relative safety of the rigging. "Next comes the lightnin'!"
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Lopper sends a finned head bounding over the deck. Corliss targets a trio of sea devils near the hatch to the officers quarters. There is a loud pop which doesn't do as much as wished, but leaves one stunned as the crew rushes out. Up above, Dingus casts a spell and Jim, Kaul, Dibbets and several of the crew feel a burst of speed.
"Thanks, mate!" Jim spins to meet the newcomer, his blade dancing through a lethal set of thrusts. One is well wide of the mark, but the other two are more accurate.
Dibbets hears and understands Corliss' louder announcement and he follows with a blast of his own. The musket targets a sea devil creeping near the lifeboat. ; The creature jerks as it is hit in the shoulder.
Jim finds that the frenzied sahuagin is harder to put down and it takes two solid hits with the flashing blade to kill it. He steps threateningly toward the newcomer who swings up a smuggled crossbow and fires at the approaching sailor. It is a narrow miss as it is deflected to skitter off Jim's mail shirt. Dingus sends a trio of vapor vipers at the offending Seadevil wounding it.
The other sailward sailors fire down at the invading sahuagin with a shout. Their passion beats their skill in archery however as only Zossrov hits his target. More Freeport marines roll out of the forward galley while the the other hatch is a bit backed up as the sailors engage the seadevils. The stunned fishy foe takes a bad wound in the press. The injured Sahuagin fly into a frenzy. The one nearest the poop drops his blade and bites into a sailor tearing a far too big chunk of bloody flesh from him. The rest alternate between cutlass and fangs. Another sailor goes down in a spray of blood, a third is injured by a cutlass. More seadevils appear to be following on the lines, but even more horrible are the screams from within the ship that are heard even over the sounds of melee on the weatherdeck!
Invigorated by the bloodshed and Dingus' magicks, Kaul grins as from a mask of sharker blood;
"Hur. Best job in the world eh Lopps!"
He lopes toward the nearest Sahuagin laying into the fish-man with a frenzy of axe chops:
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Corliss starts chanting, intent upon following through on his threat about impending lightning.
"Hold 'em off up here, mate! On my way below!" Jim steps away from the still-twitching sea devil corpse and heads for the nearest way belowdecks.
Kaul's blood lust draws him across the deck for fresh fish fillets, but the creature's Aspis supplied shield deflects the blow. Jim jumps past the remaining sahuagin sneak and pushes through the galley hatch to see what is happening inside.
The archers above let fly again at the sea devils and two more suffer minor injury. On the port, the Dragon crew press forward killing an armored seadevil and injuring another. Three more crew bolster the effort. There's another fatality and injury among the crew as berserk seadevils slash and bite.
The sahuagin sneak follows Kaul as it draws its cutlass and prepares to back stab the thug. Dingus blasts it with another round of glowing green force snakes, but it isn't deterred. The shock of the arcane missiles ruin his attack however.