Noro watches the horizon for the ship they are tageting but also keeps a weather eye out for addition ships, possibly a military escort.
based on her knowledge of the sea nd sailing she tries to best guess how long till they will be withing range of the other ship.
Noro's best guess places them within combat range mid-morning tomorrow.
Noro continues her work trying to coax as much sail and speed as she can out of the sails. at this time completely unaware of the situation below decks.
Narwhal takes a swing at Sarenth as he rolls by, but the splashing water causes him to missjudge and the dagger strike misses. His follow-up blow slashes short as well. Narwhal growls and starts spitting curses under his breath.
"the blade drops or you do, Narwhal! Make quick and choose, swabby!"
"Stifle yer ego or breathe water, Narwhal!"
Narwhal takes another nasty gash on the cheek from Isabella. For the first time since you met, he actually looks a little scared. He looks between the two of you and suddenly dashes for the stairs!
Narwhal misses a step, shakes his head, and mentally powers through the spell.
"Oh hoho NO you don't, you slimy scallawag..."
Isabella steps after the retreating Dwarf, doing her best to stop him in his tracks with a furious barrage of swings, but twisting on her wound brings a cringe, and her focus falters for a moment before attacking.
The day wears on slowly, and the target ship creeps ever closer. She spots the Wormwood a few hours into the chase and her masts bloom new white flowers of sail, but her fat hold isn't a match for the sleeker, triple-masted predator at her stern. The nights activities consist of battle preparations. The ballistas and the light catapult are hauled out of storage and set up. The ship's officers are up on the poop deck all evening with Captain Harrigan.
Durvin- you are let out and given water. Sandra tends to your wounds. The reason given is they want everyone fit to fight by morning.
"Now that was refreshing. Oy Sarenth, you sporting any new breathing holes, or was the baby Dwarf too slow for you?"
She moves to pick up the unconscious would-be assassins out of the water and rest them against the wall, rather than leave them to drown in their sleep. Dagger or no, she knew the consequences of killing a shipmate.
"'Spose we need to think up a way to handle the officers, eh? They won't take kindly to havin' their cronies red with lashes in the morning."
"Oh, I don't know. Don't suppose all the red welts from the lashes they took'll pass off as bites, mate. Might be better to just deal with it outright. Least then we won't be lashed for lyin' too."
She moves to pick up narwhal and carry him out, but then looks at the ladder and back to her unconscious burden.
"Hmmm...might need a hand with this one. Not exactly a bag of tubers, now is he? I've half a mind to just leave them here and let Scourge do the retrieving."
Disappointed by the lack of fighting and impatient to taste combat, Reck turns in early for the night to be well-rested and ready to kill a m$@&$$&%##%$ tomorrow.
Seeing reck skulking about a bit upset she knows just what will cheer him up. as reck heads to the bunk area Noro follows him to the bunk area.
[Reck[/b] she calls to him. when he turns around Noro head-buts him good night...
The night is passed with a chorus of whetstones, small hammers, and muttered battle rituals. Most of the more seasoned pirates smoothly follow a pattern of preparations and show little sign of nerves. The recently acquired pirates vary. Sandra follows a ritual heavily focused around her queen, Besmara, while Shortstone keeps checking and re-checking his gear.
Sleep is just as varied. Some people stay up all night on deck or in the rigging, including "Barefoot" Toppin who spends the night up in the lower sails. Others sleep as though they're already dead. The siege weapons stand ready and guarded by a sleepless Raris Kane.
At dawn, the name of your prey, the Man's Promise, can be made out from the white lettering across the wide stern. An hour later, the Captain gives the order to make ready.
Raris Kane gathers youall together on the poop deck and orders Noro, Your group is to secure the enemy poop deck and wheel. Under no f*^*~•g circumstances should you *#^#s allow the aft boats to touch the water, am I clear!
Durvin is feeling better after a good night's sleep and being allowed out of the box. He is not eager to speak to any of his new friends, and his silence is a little odd. He prepares for the upcoming fight, constantly squirming and adjusting his armor and rapier, the two looking to be getting in his way more than giving him comfort for the fight ahead. He looks a little more comfortable stringing his bow, but not much, his dislike of the necessity for killing fairly clear. To the master gunner's instructions, he just nods his understanding.
Earlier that morning, the captain ordered two hogs brought up, cut their throats, and tossed them overboard to attract sharks to the party.
At 200 feet out, two small ballistas on the Man's stern castle upen up, trying to hit the Wormwood's rigging. The first bolts hit only air. Raris starts to roar profanity-laced orders and your forward ballista opens fire in return with a THUMP that resounds through the deck. It is eerily quiet as the distance closes.
Noro's only prep is putting on her light leather armor an she slips on a pair of gloves to protect her hands as she feels she is about the introduce them to lots of faces today.
she looks to Reck, you know what? my problem ish I have two fishts, and most people only have one face she says with a smirk.
noro is too caught up in prepping for boarding than worrying about much else.
she watches the bolts sail across the sky to splash in the water.
Isabella is up with the sun; she shows signs of anxiousness and restlessness, and is almost constantly checking both her whips at her belt and her sword at her hip. Even when preparing for battle, her gaze lies squarely on the approaching ship.
As orders are issued, Isabella licks her lips as if they were dry from a desert wind, and watches the approaching vessel with a hunger in her eyes.
this is it, isn't it Dad? This what it was always like? You ever want it this badly? Or am I just not right in the head?
"You just 'ave t' 'it 'em twice then, won't you?" Reck comments as he makes ready for boarding. Bare-chested, he shrugs on his lamellar armor, pulling straps tight and checking the condition of the leather scales. To his belt he ties the pouch of spell components, and across his back he straps the spear he purchased from Grok.
Up on deck, Reck cracks his neck and his knuckles, running his tongue over his protruding teeth. Seeing Durvin's discomfort, Reck strides over and thumps the halfling heavily on the shoulder.
"Ready t' explain in kind words 'ow bad we need that cargo?" he says, mockingly.
As the ballistae open fire, Reck looks appreciatively at the destruction potential of the siege engines and their crews. Standing by the railing, Reck takes a boarding line in hand and makes ready to throw.
A few moments after the siege weapons begin firing, a volley of arrows and bolts leaps from the Man's Promise. "Badger" Medlar in the crow's nest has just enough time to call COVER! before deadly bolts start embedding themselves in the deck and bouncing off the rigging lines. After the first volley, the shots continue to rain in, though in a less organized fashion. There are several cries as bolts find marks, but the wounds seem to be superficial.
The Wormwood Closes fast, making up the 120 feet in just a few seconds. Peppery Longfarthing, the ships sail master, masterfully guides the Wormwood into a glancing collision course. Just before impact, she releases the wheel to Mr. Plugg and starts casting spells. Fog envelops the victim ship and cries of alarm can be heard as the Pirats brace for impact.
The Wormwood impacts the Man's Promise solidly, but not hard enough to cause structural damage. Instead, the ships rub together with a deep, rumbling sound that can be felt more than herd. It's effect is immediate. The Wormwood instantly dips in the ocean and slows to matching speed. The pirates waste no time in tossing grappling lines and laying down boarding planks. With a great cry the Pirates dash across the feet separating the ships, and the battle is joined in earnest.
Sarenth's prep for the battle consists primarily of pulling Skipper from her hiding place and stroking her neck as he studies his spellbook. As they begin to close with the Man's Promise, Sarenth casts one of his spells to protect his body. He waits to cast the other one until the last possible moment before they'll be in boarding range.
Durvin feels the ships collide, and figures that now is as good as any other time. Knowing full well how his shorter legs affect him, he circles around the back of the mast to give himself some room. Once he clears it he runs right past Noro and Reck, hops to the rail and leaps for all he's worth. Luckily he lands well past the rail on the stairs leading up to the poop deck, their target.
As Durvin lands, he spots an enemy crew member at the wheel through the swirling fog!
Reck squints and peers through the fog, trying to find a target.
Seeing a foe before him, Reck grins darkly, looks a moment into the future, and throws the grappling hook straight for the foe.
After the grapple lands on the enemy ship, Reck hauls sharply on the line to secure it and bind the ships together.
Seeing no opposition and trusting to fate, Reck hurls himself off the deck into the obscuring mist. As he flies, he summons a bit of his magic into his claws.
The moment before the ships collide is the longest moment in Isabella's life. All sounds are tuned out as she draws her cutlass; the sound of sliding metal seems to be the only thing she hears, until the rumbling crash of ships brings the world back into focus. As boarding planks are laid down, Isabella wastes no time crossing the gap, planting both feet on the enemy deck, scanning the thick fog for strangers emerging into striking range.
Noro follows quickly behind the whipping mistress of pain. (Isabella)
Just after you hit the deck the defenders rally to repel you. Durvin can see one man at the wheel when he lands. Just as Reck lands, two other men come out of the fog of the sterncastle and attack Reck.
The sounds of battle are echoing around you and out over the water. The ring of steel, battle cries, and the occasional scream of wounded men mix into a macabre cacophony. You hear one man hit the water somewhere off toward the bow, almost immediately followed by violent splashing and a gurgling crunch. The sharks accepted the Captain's invitation.
All three defenders swing, the one at the wheel at Durven and the two from the Stern castle at Reck, and all three blows are warded off by various bits of armor and a little luck. These men are clearly playing for keeps. You can also hear more voices in the fog. These three are not alone.
Landing on the deck of the prey ship, Reck fortifies his bite with magic as well and lashes out in a frenzy of tooth and claw at the nearest defender.
Hearing the sounds of combat from his right, Sarenth turns to see that his two companions are struggling with something unseen. He calls out the words to a spell to trip up the feet of the unseen opponents.