"Let me guess," Tebati muses quietly. "There is nothing in the rules against bringing your own boat." She hears Jakob's question and answers, "You think a group of amateurs in fishing boats have a chance against the Shackles pirates, even working together? Fully-equipped ships of the Aspis Consortium do not welcome such an encounter. I say we do what we can to stay afloat and away from the pirates and try merely not to be the first team defeated. We still hold the lead in this competition; if we keep our distance, we can retain it. When the signal horn sounds, we move away as quickly as we can; I can call up a mist around our boat that will make it difficult for them to target us from a distance."
"You think an unskilled crew can evade a fully crewed pirate galley? And I suspect they will have a target in mind. And no I don't think we have a chance but together we have a slightly larger non-chance than we do alone. But I defer to your wisdom. Please take the helm."
Jakob finishes a second note and ties it to a quarrel
Note "It seems our alliance was warranted. Contacting Mercenaries. Try to get the word out. This ship attacks one it attacks all. ~ Jakob
Turning back to the others Qhude sees Jakob furiously writing notes to be tied to arrows. Brow furrowing Qhude moves up to him and grasps his wrist firmly to stop him. "What words are you placing on these that you have not said out loud?"
Post explanation: Qhude laughs derisively "Where has your talk of alliance and agreement gotten you so far? Did not your supposed friend seek to put an arrow in N'Bellocq's skull at first chance? Are you so craven that your first instinct is to find another's skirt to cower behind?" spitting aside into the sea "Let the tsotsi lay plain their intent through action and we shall respond in kind"
N'bellocq has an arrow nocked but makes no move to attack. He keeps an eye on the Pirate galley.
"I can't see how the games continue at this point. But it would seem to perhaps be more of a matter of survival. I would think everyone realizes the treat of the galley. Might want to get a torch lit. If we concentrate our fire, there is more galley to burn."
"If we see one boat go down before ours, we are free to abandon the Trial and swim to safety," Tebati replies. She is ready to cast an obscuring mist if their boat begins to receive fire.
Jakob finishes tying down the note and loads the crossbow.
"Qhude, you are the best fighter among us. More than that you are the best fighter I have ever seen. I would back you against any enemy you could reach. However, that ship is likely armed with either balista that will put two yards of iron tiped spear through our hull or a catapult that can drop a hundred pounds of flaming death on us without ever getting in bowshot. We are out manned, out manouvered, and out gunned. As we are in the lead it is in the pirates interest that an 'accident' occour. If we are burning or drowning do to a 'tragic misunderstanding of the rules' I am sure the officials will be irate but the pirates will have just moved up in the rankings.
By trying to talk to the other teams I am simply trying to open up options."
Jakob holds the loaded crossbow at rest. "However I will take no action that the team did not consider wise so please, how do you propose to increase our chances of victory while we face a half dozen enemies and drift towards the open sea in a boat we cannot sail?
Setting his jaw resolutely, Qhude replies "If any others do talk, they will always keep one hand behind their back and likely holding steel. We can trust only in this" holding up his right fist "and these." sweeping that arm to indicate the motley group aboard their vessel.
"The way you speak you make it sound as though death is inevitable. If that is truly your feeling, then leap from this boat and make for shore cowed and with your tail between your legs. I do not seek death, but if it comes for me I will meet it head on and in defiance." holding eye contact a few moments after he has finished speaking before moving back to the bow.
"Send your message if you believe it the right thing to do," Tebati tells Jakob, not taking her eyes off the approaching galley. "But the rest of us defend ourselves. For myself, the boats that do not attack us need not fear us; I believe we will have enough to do to defend ourselves from those who fight us, without looking for battle unbidden."
"Don't you think that's a bit premature, Jakob? We don't even know what they're going to do yet. Besides, who knows what sort of penalty we get if we start shooting early--they just say we shot first, ignore the note and call us on it to the judges later. I say we wait and see," Ansha says, glancing at Jakob before returning her gaze to the pirate galley.
As the others talk, Kieran eyes the ship's wheel with a look of interest. "You know," he remarks to noone in particular, "I have been curious to see what it would feel like steering a ship. Not that I have ever done so, mind you. Still, although I know what I said earlier, if we are indeed to lose due to our lack of familiarity with sailing, then we might as well give it a try. What is the worse that can happen? Not simply lose, but lose spectacularly?"
Moving a little closer to the wheel, the half-elf turns to the others. "If you would care to choose a destination or target, I can give it a try to get us there once the Trial finally starts."
The small Swashbuckler ship continues to sail towards the galley, which looms ever closer to the small group of converted fishing vessels. The signal horn has still not been blown.
Three tremendous stones are launched from the rear of the Shackles vessel's galley; hurtling towards the Bounty Hunter vessel. Two of them are well off target, but the third seems to be heading right for it. Seeing the projectile coming, the Bounty Hunters all leap overboard- just before the ship is hit by the boulder. The former fishing vessel is utterly broken by the rock and shattered into pieces of wood by the damage.
Reacting quickly, Tebati...
"Dammit! Kerian! Turn to the hunters, there may be survivors!
Jakob takes aim at the Adventures ship and fires.
"Shimye-Magalla, wrap us in your cloak and hide us," Tebati pleads, her hands raising in supplication, as if to pull the mist up from the sea. "I suggest," she goes on quickly when the ship is wrapped in mist and she cannot even see the sides of it, "that we remain where we are; the mist will not move with me. And be ready to leap into the sea and swim, should they fling their stones blindly into the cloud. If you cannot swim, try to grab hold of a piece of the boat."
Ansha's eyes widen and she lets out a curse in a grating, unnatural language as she watches the Shackles galley open fire on the bounty hunter vessel. Too alarmed to notice her slip, she looks over her shoulder at Tebati. "This mist prevents us from seeing them as well. We should move out of the mist bank toward shore, I think. Keeping the mist between us and these pirates seems a wiser course of action than staying here where they can just row straight in and ram us--or lob more rocks til one gets lucky and hits."
Jakob's bolt slams into the side railing of the Avistani's ship, just before an immense mist appears from Tebati, spreading swiftly to cover the area. You can barely see your own hands or each other despite your close proximity on the small boat- let alone anything else happening.
Adding to the confusion- the signal horn can be heard, blowing not once but three times.
The triple blow of a signal horn is an order used by the local navy to retreat with utmost speed.
"So much for this being part of the Trial," Kieran remarks as he hears the bellow of the signal horn. "What we are hearing is basically an order. We are more or less being told to retreat as fast as possible."
"I think it would be a good idea to heed that command, yes?"
Knowledge (Geography):
Qhude verbally growls, obviously taking umbrage with being instructed from shore to retreat.
"Well, unless someone has a better idea," Kieran calls out ot the rest of his companions as he takes the wheel, "I think this is a situation where choosing the better part of valor is warranted."
"Here goes nothing," he mutters in almost a whisper as he tries his best to steer the boat towards the shore, at the same time attempting to keep the fog Tebati conjured between themselves and the Shackles Pirates' vessel.
"Well, unless someone has a better idea," Kieran calls out ot the rest of his companions as he takes the wheel, "I think this is a situation where choosing the better part of valor is warranted."
"Here goes nothing," he mutters in almost a whisper as he tries his best to steer the boat towards the shore, at the same time attempting to keep the fog Tebati conjured between themselves and the Shackles Pirates' vessel.
1d20 + 3
"Kerian, the mercenaries, you can save them."
"Kerian, the mercenaries, you can save them."
"We can't even see them," Tebati replies a little harshly. "And if we try to find them, we will leave the fog on the same side as the pirate vessel and be an immediate target. We must not waste the blessings of Shimye-Magalla, lest she turn against us." She moves to the tiller and does what she can to help Kieran direct the boat toward safety.
"And if I may point out that they were rather intent with putting as many arrows as possible in N'bellocq over here?" Kieran's words and the tone behind them are meant as both a reminder as well as indication that he finds Jakob's suggestion, although undeniably noble, somewhat out of place. "Now, how about you give us a hand? I do not know what I am doing anymore than the rest of you, I am sure, but maybe with a little help we might be able to get this thing to go where we want it to, namely away from the catapult-carrying galley manned by what are bound to be some undeniably nasty people."
The half-elf affords the others a sheepish look. "What can I say, verbosity is a sort of habit of mine when I am faced with difficult and potentially life-threatening situations," he says with a shrug and a chuckle.
it has been 10 years at least since he has been on a boat similar to this, but it was a slaver ship not the Pirates to appeared on that fateful day. Determined not to see a repeat, he does what he can to coax some speed from the sail.
"And if I may point out that they were rather intent with putting as many arrows as possible in N'bellocq over here?" Kieran's words and the tone behind them are meant as both a reminder as well as indication that he finds Jakob's suggestion, although undeniably noble, somewhat out of place. "Now, how about you give us a hand? I do not know what I am doing anymore than the rest of you, I am sure, but maybe with a little help we might be able to get this thing to go where we want it to, namely away from the catapult-carrying galley manned by what are bound to be some undeniably nasty people."
The half-elf affords the others a sheepish look. "What can I say, verbosity is a sort of habit of mine when I am faced with difficult and potentially life-threatening situations," he says with a shrug and a chuckle.
"What I don't know about boats could just about fit in this harbor but this might help." You see nothing in the mist of course but you feel cooler, like you are standing in the shade of a grove of trees. The sea heavy harbor air now carries the scent of flowers. For a moment there is birdsong.
To Kierian
"Who they are and what they have done doesn't really matter. What matters is do want to be a person who would let someone drown. You have the wheel. Your decision."
Dropping the longbow she had strung and letting loose a string of curses in that same grating language, Ansha hurries over to the wheel as well, doing her best to aid Kieran and the others at navigating the ramshackle fishing boat toward shore. "That sounds like a deathwish to me, Jakob. We can't do anything for those people. Those pirates already have the wreckage ranged. If we get near there, we're just going to get ourselves thrown in the water too, and those men will still be without any rescuers!"
Dropping the longbow she had strung and letting loose a string of curses in that same grating language, Ansha hurries over to the wheel as well, doing her best to aid Kieran and the others at navigating the ramshackle fishing boat toward shore. "That sounds like a deathwish to me, Jakob. We can't do anything for those people. Those pirates already have the wreckage ranged. If we get near there, we're just going to get ourselves thrown in the water too, and those men will still be without any rescuers!"
[B]"So you would risk your life to kill them in battle but not to save them. That is a good thing to know about yourself."[b]
Grunting with the effort of trying to save their own skins, Ansha pauses long enough to give Jakob a exasperated look. "Will you shut up and help us before we're all dead, too?!"
Rounding on where Jakob's voice is coming from though unable to see him in the mist Qhude spits invective "Feh, it is a stupid calf who nuzzles a wolf and does not expect to be bitten. What you propose is not noble, it is simply foolish."
Intimidate:
I have no power here do as you will.
Jakob's bored voice drifts out of the mist.
Jacob will remove his armour and after removing a coil of rope his pack. Dm, any loose wood about? And do I have a rough idea of the direction and distance to the hunters ship?
Kieran begins sailing the boat through the mist with quite a degree of proficiency, aided by N'bellocq and Tebati. Jakob blesses the party with some kind of divine magic and just as your beginning to emerge from the mist you hear another behind you... It sounds as though someone elses boat was sunk...
"Cayden's hangover, Jakob," Kieran calls out to the other man, "you are not thinking of doing anything foolish, are you?"
Before finishing his remark, the half-elf is cut short by what sounds to be another successful strike by the galley's catapult. "Well," he comments as he wrestles with their boat's wheel, "that probably makes two boats destroyed. It also makes any attempt at going back and trying to rescue anyone even more futile."
"N'bellocq, Tebati," he says to the two Mwangi helping him, "keep doing whatever it is you are doing." He then turns to Qhude. "You, you are strong enough. Grab Jakob, lest he do something appropriately noble and heroic."
"Ansha? Master 'Beard? Anything you can do to tell me what is going on at the other side of that mist?"
There is an audible sigh as the rogue finishes talking. 'I am mostly in it for the fun, and barking order is decidedly not fun,' he thinks to himself with another, softer sigh.
I'm not sending me bearded lizard into tha water! Picklebeard protests, trying to help with the sailing, but getting caught up in various rope.
Dammit, i'm telling y'all, Dwarves t'weren't meant for tha water, t'ain't natural!
Failure
Considering Kieran's request for a moment, Qhude calls back "Eish! Let him do toyi-toyi if he is deluded to think it will change anything."
Qhude then tries once more to help Kieran sail the tub as best he can.
Dex check (aid another):
Further exasperated noises accompany Ansha's efforts to aid Kieran's steering of the ungainly fishing trawler. "I'm afraid that my senses are as blind in this conjured soup as are yours, Kieran," she says.
N'bellocq hisses as he tries to keep his balance in the rocking boat, "Lower your voices! The fog protects us, but our voices do not. And with a crocodile in the lagoon, one does not swim out to collect their friend's arm."
Perception to remember/locate the sinking hunters. . Whoa, whom the gods would destroy they first make mad with criticals.
As we clear he magical mist you see Jakob struggling to remove his leather and metal armor. There is a coil of rope at his feet.
To Kierian, slightly muffled "This is Scargava, we don't do noble and heroic."
Tebati shakes her head grimly. "Let him go, if he wills. He is not our charge or our captive. He must do as he thinks he ought." She returns her attention to Kieran at the helm. "Slowly, until we are out of the mist," she advises him. "We cannot see where we are going, nor can the other boats see us. If we collide with another boat, it will not take the pirates' stones to sink us."
You have a good idea of where the Bounty Hunters were when they were sunk, but that was over a hundred feet away even then.
The ship slowly emerges from the fog on the south side, shortly after Jakob has removed his armour. After an initial burst of speed Kieran is steadily piloting the boat back towards the harbour- and you don't see any of your rival boats as you happened to be positioned closest to it.
Qhude continues to assist Kieran with the sailing of the boat, chancing the occasional glance backwards to see if he can get a glimpse of what is occurring.