Knowledge(geography): <-- any clue what this area is?
You're in as near to badlands as you can reckon, there's no clear flags or signs of ownership and what you know of the area implies the village and fishing boats whose sails you can see are likely just trying to scratch out a living.
Depending on your luck they could be feckless fishermen, or flush with saltwater pearls or mined riches. Certainly can't tell from this far out, you'd need to get in nearer by sail or swim to know more. The idea does also strike that you're lacking a full complement of able bodied men and women folk.
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"A quick victory might be good for morale, but if the first bountiful haul we manage are six cod and an octopus it might blow back on us and make us look very very petty. Wouldn't do the reputation much good at all. Now on the other hand, if we sailed over all pleasant like, just for a bit of a check on the geography or somesuch, and then it was found that there was actually a bounty to be be had then who are we to question it?" Cedrick looks to his fellows. "The village or onward to the rock?"
"Send Shadow." Deader says with a shrug. "All we need to know is if she's riding low in the water. If she is, she's ripe."
"That sounds like a good course of action to me as well."
"Oh, I see now. Fishing boats. I thought someone spotted a trader or something."
"Wonder if anyone in that village is looking to get away."
Obi looks to the Captain: We can drop anchor and then Fish and I can swim in to search and give the village a look. Shadow can tell us general numbers, but she and I cannot speak clearly enough to get great detail yet.
Obi nods in agreement:
As you command Captain. I shall make course for the harbor.
She then calls to the rest of the crew.
All hand on deck, we are heading into this port. We sail under a friendly flag, but must be prepared for a less than friendly welcoming in these waters.
Deader had a number of projects he'd been working on, and one of them was finished. He handed the captain a small bundle with two folded cloths in it.
"Two flags, Cap'n. The black one's our raiding flag. The white one is our trade flag. If you dont like them, I can redo them. We have plenty of sail patches."
Deader nods crisply and jogs down the stairs to the main deck, passing the white flag off to a crewman, blowing a general muster on his whistle and barking at the crew, passing on the orders from the command deck. "All hands! We're moving into port! Run up the colors and look sharp!"
As Cedrick orders the white flag run up the mast, you see the fishing vessels take note of your ship finally and they begin to withdraw to the safety of the shallows at your approach. As you bring the Revenge as near to shore as you dare risk without chancing grounding her, you can spy that your presence has brought a guarded interest from some - though there are few villagers in the open... and those that are glint with the metal of armor.
Knowledge(nature):
Obi squints into the sunshine before turning to Cedrick.
Pearl farmers. We will have to be careful not to spook them or we will assuredly meet some armed resistance.
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Cedrick keeps things as orderly as he'd have expected any landing party of the Taldane Navy to perform, the men neat and disciplined, and the bearing and demeanour of the party authoritive and assertive but not aggressive.
Stepping from his jolly-boat, the good Captain Dragonne inspects the curious villagers.
"We thank you for your welcome and hospitality, I am Captain Dragonne and these are my fine crew from the ship Revenge, we have come to stretch our legs and perhaps top up fresh provisions and water, perhaps spend a little coin on local wares, and likewise look for any skilled men who might be interested in joining on, volunteers signing for a wage that is, our ship is free of pressers - every man signs the articles with free will and no duress, if you'd like to know more perhaps we can discuss the matter shortly and show you the terms, with the village officials blessing only, of course..."
Cedrick seeks out the 'elders' to ensure that he clears it with them before accepting new sign-ons. He takes care not to offend local customs, while at the same time trying to impress the tale of him and his ship upon them.
Diplomacy
Though the seaside villagers are wary at first, the genial approach pays dividends and you are received into the village. The cultural mix is reasonably varied, and you can see a few old salts that betray a life upon the waves in their past. Cedrick's spirited speech gives him favor to address the workers and sailors of the pearl boats as well as the few orchards and farms. Only a mild scattering of two hands worth of men attend, but Cedrick proves a motivated motivator, and earns the scratched mark of four of them to his ledger.
A pair of Mwangi brothers who show signs upon wrist of an earlier life as slaves, a local boy just of age who longs for the romantic life aboardship and a half-Garundi lass are those that join the crew. Taking your leave of the village you clamber back aboard, and though the seamanship of the new recruits is sorely lacking... you see enough promise to be worthy of your endurance. Remains to be seen how they'll adapt to the silent crew though...
Deader introduces himself to the new crew and points out the rest of the officers the haven't met, saying "I am your Bosun. Problems come to me first. I decide what to do with them from there. If I'm busy and it can't wait, it goes to whoever is crew chief at the time. Your problems do not go onto the command deck, and neither do you unless you are called by an officer. You can pick up your uniforms from the quartermaster. Get to know the Ms. Sandra and Mr. Kroop. Besides me, they're the only ones aboard who's job it is to give a damn about you. For the rest, you're gonna have to earn it. You have 15 minutes to stow your gear, change clothes and report for duty."
Obi will take the other shift from Cedrick so that she has the helm when the captain is not on duty. She will likely have a varied schedule as she expects to be called to the helm whenever anything is sighted. Probably the shifts will be:
Cedrick/Joneth(or whoever his replacement is) - Morning/early afternoon
Obi/Fish - afternoon/evening
Deader/Nachni - midnight shift
Although these are the general shifts, I would expect Obi to be at/near the wheel at all times she is not sleeping. Also, I would expect Cedrick to be on the deck except when he is asleep.
After Deader's speech the two Mwangi shrug and take them at his word and move to comply. The half-Garundi lass fixes him with a stare for a few moments, before shaking her head and moving away. The local lad is a little more direct though... and bounds up to Deader barraging him with questions benign, banal and curious. "Where's the command deck, who's Mister Croup and why does he give a damn? Whats the uniform? When's dinner? Why do you look strange?"
Deader grins at the kid and simply says "Questions are better answered with eyes than ears." and calls out across the deck. "Ms. Sandra! Take Mouth here to the Kitchen. Tell Mr. Kroop he has a new cook's mate."
Obi simply looks at the green recruits and shakes her head. She quietly says to Fish:
I am guessing that the fish will be having some of Mr. Croup's food second hand for a few days.
With that, Obi turns the wheel and directs the Revenge back out of the harbor and into the westerly winds.
"Hey, even Deader managed to come around as a cook's mate." says Nachni with a grin. "Perhaps Kroop will make him a master. He'll at least help him learn when to talk."
Deader grins nods. "I managed not to poison any of you. If he can keep from lighting himself on fire, he'll be fine."
"Cap'n whenever you're done yelling at the new swabs and want to get back to your cabin, let me know."
And then he disappeared down into the hold.
The new recruits settle in over the course of the day, but you do note that Kroop's new recruit needs to be helped from the galley to his bunk as he's fully cut on rum. Kroop just shrugs and grins, before hauling out the fish stew for the night. You've cut a little further from the shore to put the risk of banks and reefs unseen more distant and are sailing over open water with a middling wind that night.
Deader and Nachni hold court over the post-witching hour on board... when a cry rings out from a man on watch aforeships "Sea Devils!"
Stealth:
Perception (Crew):
Perception:
Zzzzzz...
"We have hostile boarders! There, by the rail! Follow the sound of the alarm!" Staying at her post, Nachni conjures the sound of an alarm bell ringing over the location of the green-skinned creatures.
"Mr. Haight, lead the charge!"
Bosun's whistles are designed to overpower the roar of the ocean in full storm. Deader dashes to the stairs leading down into the belly of the ship and lets loose with a Call to Muster that shatters the serenity of the night.
The ghoul-turned-sailor looked up from his duties, not particularly caring about the safety of the ship, but thrilled to have something to kill.
He dashed across the rolling deck his fingers splaying out and his mouth splitting into a savage grin.
The two undead grindylows were in the water cleaning barnacles. A mental command from Deader had them take position at the blade of the keel and look up at the intruders, hiding for now.
The scaled and devilish visitors take a few moments to ready tridents that were slung across their back as they made their climb and make ready for blood and death. The two crewmen that are unlucky to be sharing the deck recoil crying "Sea devils!"