The Seawraith gains on the barque moving closer throughout the day. As the Seawraith gets in close enough to read the name on the ship, Truewind, you hear a sharp crack and a boulder comes flying through the space between the two ships, launched by the catapult mounted on the barque. The stone flies and crashes into the side of the Seawraith with a sharp crack.
"Well that kind of welcome is worthy of a few arrows I'd say."
Bill pulls his bow from off his shoulder, then takes aim at the opposing ships pilot.
Garavaen steps away from the wheel, bringing up his crossbow and pointing it at the sailor manning the wheel, "Concentrate fire, lads and ladies," he suggests, then begins blocking out the world, leaving only his crossbow and his target with a bit of mental effort before gently squeezing the trigger.
Davina wasn't sure what else she could do of use as they closed, she couldn't cast her shuriken spell yet, they wouldn't last long enough, she looked around for a crossbow, hopefully one easily at hand, in the hopes of being able to at least make some of the sailors on the opposing ship duck for cover.
The two ships close, the Seawraith quick enough that the catapult is unable to fire again. Crossbows from both sides are leveled and the Seawraith gets close enough to start boarding.
Seeing the ships are going to get close enough to board, Bill takes another shot, this time at an enemy crossbowman.
Then puts his bow away and readies himself to move on to the opposing ship.
The ships close and the twang of crossbow bolts resounds in the air as boarding planks are lowered between the two ships. The crew of the Seawraith begins to cross over.
Bill's shot flies true and takes out a crossbowman from the Truewind.
As the sailors begin to skirmish, the captain of the Truewind, surrounded by several of her sailors stands on the aft-castle fending off boarders.
*****************Round 1****************
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 1, 8, 6, Astein
Seeing the Captain, Garavaen raises his crossbow and focusses his will, using his determination to burn away all the obstructions between him and his target... then pulled the trigger.
for
The Marines all look they're waiting for the fight to get to them and are starting to form a protective wall around their captain. Garavaen's shot sails through and strikes the Captain on the shoulder.
The crew of the Seawraith starts to swarm aboard the deck, and engage with the rest of the Truewind's crew.
Bill moves across the boarding planks towards the captains group, but stops short of actually reaching them. "So who's gonna be first?" he grins.
With the ships closing the last distance and coming together Davina cast her last preparatory spell. A trio of fiery shurikens appeared orbiting her head as she prepared to move aboard the vessel they had attacked.
The first marine sees Bill standing there with no visible weapons and grins holding his cutlass and looking down at it, "Your funeral, piker. All ye brought was flesh to a swordfight." The marine comes forward, taking a swing, and Bill grabs his wrist, spins the man and pulls his arm up painfully behind his back, with one of Bill's meaty hands wrapped around his throat. The marine's only response is a strangled "Gurk.."
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 1, 8, 6, Astein
Davina saw a chance to strike a potentially lethal blow to the enemy crew. If it were up to her she wouldn't kill any of them, but she knew that for her crew to live some of them must die. It just worked out that their captain was the perfect target. She began to cast again, the same spell as before, while she reached her position and, upon completion, she sent a blurring streak of fiery shurikens as two new ones, and then one of the originals, flew at the captain of the opposing ship.
Three of Davin's fiery shurikens streak from their normal position around her head, travelling towards the captain. Two punch holes in her jacket, but do little other damage, one of the, strikes a scoring hit along her arm, the rip in the fabric of her sleeve showing cut and burned flesh beneath.
The ship's captain, takes cover behind the capstan, away from the ranged fire of the Man's Promise. Swords clash, and grunts and screams from men on deck are heard, as well as some splashes from men or items on deck being tossed overboard.
Two of the marines on the port side of the ship move to lend their grappled compatriot some help. Each approaches with a short sword, trying to find an opening in the grappling duo. One manages to sink the tip of his thrusting blade into Bills bicep.
Two other marines, seeing firey shurikens go whizzing by, fire at Davina. One bolt sails harmlessly by, but the other lands a solid hit in Davina's chest.
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 1, 8, 6, Astein
***********Round 1 cont**************
Marine1 0/? Grappled
Marine2 0/?
Marine3 0/?
Marine4 0/?
Marine5 0/?
Marine6 0/?
Marine7 0/?
Marine8 0/?
Captain 10/?
Bill 29/36
Davina 17/22
Garavaen 32/32
Ri'el 23/23
The grappled marine tries to break Bill's hold, but the burly fighter has too strong a grip on the man's arm and neck for the seaman to break free.
Two crossbow bolts go firing over the heads of the crew onboard the Seawraith, their intended targets not easy to determine the shots were so bad.
*************round 1 cont************
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 1, 8, 6, Astein
Bill shoves the man hard towards the railing of the ship, trying to tip him overboard.
************Round 1 complete************
Astein glares at the opposing captain and locks gazes for a moment, but the captain shakes her head and levels her crossbow.
**************Round 2*****************
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 1, 8, 6, Astein
Bill and the marine continue trying to slip and maintain holds, and the marine manages to slip an arm free with a look of triumph, as Bill hits the back of his knees, causing the marine to stumble, and then shoves the man over the railing of the ship.
One of the marine's near the stairs furthest from Bill fires a shot at Ri'el as the captain of the opposing ship, and the bolt lands a solid shot to Riel's arm
Marine1 0/? splashdown
Marine2 0/?
Marine3 0/?
Marine4 0/?
Marine5 0/?
Marine6 0/?
Marine7 0/?
Marine8 0/?
Captain 10/?
Bill 29/36
Davina 17/22
Garavaen 32/32
Ri'el 18/23
"Cya", Bill calls out as he turns back to the remaining marines. "Who's next?"
Davina felt the bolt slam into her chest, piercing into her painfully. She frantically sought cover and ducked into it before pulling the bolt free with a cry of pain. When that was done she concentrated and called upon a surge of heavenly fire, sending it into the wound which healed completely. She knew that was the only time that trick would work today but it was best used now when she had the time to do it.
Init: Garavaen, Marine 5, Bill, Davina, Ship's Capt, Marine 3, 4, 2, 7, Ri'el, Marine 8, 6, Astein
The captain raises her heavy crossbow and levels it at the man that shot her, but her attempt to stay in cover spoils her aim and the bolt goes sailing over the Seawraith.
Conchobar comes up to Ri'el with a small salute, which seems awkward, and he lowers it, almost embarrassed as if he didn't know if he should. He clears his throat a bit before addressing Ri'el, "Well, Captain, I can help with the fight from here, and still manage to keep the ship in a straight line if you'd like to join the fight."
The two marines still facing off with Bill both stab at Bill, but the big man slaps the blades away without allowing either to connect.
Two other marines reload and fire their crossbows at Davina, but neither comes close to the mark.
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Ri'el nods to Conchobar.
"Astein's captain, but I appreciate the offer. Take the wheel," he says as he steps aside, keepign one hand on the wheel till Conchobar has it in his hands.
"Alright, let's see about getting us our payday..." he says as his hair begins to lengthen and whip about him. Ri'el utters an incantation, and his skin begins to harden to the texture of a tree's rough bark.
The two other marines on the other side of the captain fire at Garavaen and Davina, the two bolts coming close, but sailing by to stick in the masts and gunwales of the Seawraith.
With her injuries treated Davina began chanting and popped up sending another set of fiery streaks across the decks at the enemy captain. The last of her existing shurikens went flying across right after them at the same target, she could only hope that she hit this time. Her volley done she dropped back into cover and hoped she wouldn't get hurt too badly.
The flaming sphere comes into existence as flames from nearby lanterns seem to flow together under the captain who tries to jump out of the way, but is engulfed by the flames. Davina's shurikens fly in after, striking the captain in the chest. The captain drops to her knees, and calls out to her men, "Stand down, we're no match for these pirates, no sense in dying over anything we're carrying." The order is repeated across the ship, and soon the sound of blades clattering to the ground rings out shortly before a cheer from the Seawraith's crew. Shortly after, the battered woman, held up by two of her marines looks at Astein, "What is it you want?.
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Astein dismisses his spell before fire gets out of hand on the ship.
"Bill, get some crewmen with you to keep this lot bound and under watch. The rest of the officers with me as our dear captain here shows us what we have below."
He turns to the crew of the other ship.
"We are neither slavers nor cutthroats. Cause no trouble, and this all won't be so bad."
"Aye captain."
Turning to the marines, "Toss your weapons in a pile here for now. And you two, feel free to throw your friend a rope before a shark gets him. An if you resist, I'll bust some teeth out."
Bill then motions to some of the crew of the Seawraith. "Once they toss down their weapons, bind 'em up."
Garavaen keeps his crossbow raised, adding, "Don't be getting any clever ideas about refusing Bill's suggestions... We're not fond of files that think themselves too clever..."
With the sudden end to the fighting Davina finally realized just what she'd gotten herself into. She knew this wasn't the kind of behavior she should be involved in, taking from others as they were now doing, and what's worse she was choosing to do it. She knew this was a dishonor to her ancestors but at the same time she knew not finding her sister and bringing her home was an even graver dishonor. She also knew, that by being a part of this, she could put a break on their excesses and keep the crew from becoming too bloody, too violent. She could only hope that her ancestors would forgive her for what she was doing.
She went to her captain as he called for the officers and said, "I'm ready." Then turned to the captain of the ship they'd attacked and looked the woman over in curiosity before she allowed her wings to unfold from where she'd tucked them down during the fighting. "You truly have nothing to fear from us if there is no further fighting. Out of curiosity have you heard anything about the whereabouts of the Red Temptress or the vessel Sea Witch?"
The crew of the Truewind capitulates, and you get no further resistance. The Captain, with the aid of some of her marines who help her stay standing, slowly makes her way down to the cargo hold. Her face pale and wan, and a hand pressed over one of the more substantial wounds she received. Once in the cargo hold you see crates, which revealed show mundane items, pots, pans, shovels, some sort of sifting machine, all things manufactured for what looks like a settler's outpost. All in all, a few tons of cargo
Your crew sets about transferring the cargo to your ship, which looks like it will take a few hours.
When Davina mentions the Red Temptress and Sea Witch, one of the crewmen from the Truewind looks up sharply. "Aye, I knows her. Both her and her damned ship. Was aboard the Double-Deal when we ran afoul of her. Damned ship came outta nowheres it did. Like it was some sorta ghost. The captain and her damned devil-woman sank the Double-Deal. Didn't even look for loot. Just came aboard, looked in the hold, and that red she devil ran our cap'n through without a sidelong glance. I tried helping the cap'n and all I gots fer me trouble was a scar. Red-Temptress likes ta be callin' it the "Mark of the broken hearted" He shakes his head, lifting his bound hands up to pull aside his shirt, revealing a bright red burn scar in the shape of a handprint over the left side of his chest, "Don't think she'd be much in a fair fight, not like what you lot gave us. They came outta nowheres."
Realizing the injured state of the captain Davina asked the woman, "Is there something I can do to help you Captain? I have some medical training."
"There, I can't do much more than that I'm afraid."
Davina was shocked at the fact she found someone who had seen her sister and she absentmindedly corrected his description of her as a devil-woman, "Demon-woman," She looked back at the sailor and saw his expression, "Her mother was a demon, a succubus." Her expression fell and she became somewhat distraught as she realized what he said she did. Her expression was one of horror as she said, "Nisha did that to you?!" She reached out cautiously and touched the scar before saying, "I'm sorry I failed you Nisha. I hope you can forgive me."
She stood back then and took a deep breath, placed both hands with their palms together and bowed deeply to the man, "On behalf of my Ancestors I apologize. What has happened to you is because I failed her, I failed to protect her and she has now come to this. I beg your forgiveness for my failure."
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Seeing that Davina is more occupied with the injured than with with aiding the other crew and begging forgivness Astein clears his throat.
"Davina, see that no one bleeds out needlessly here with Bill. The rest of us will see to the hold." He nods to the rest of the officers to proceed with him below.
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Ri'el stands back and lets his fellow crew-mates handle the situation, in part to gauge the moral compasses of his fellows and in part because of his own compunctions.
He feels a twinge coming from his familiar pouch as he observes.
"Yes Thali, I know. But we need to find our way in this world, and the Shackles are not so kind as to let us do that without trampling over a few others. Besides, we are letting them leave with their lives. I suppose there's a pragmatic wisdom to that too - I at least do not wish their family members swearing vendettas against us. Not least because I still have my own vendetta to settle..."
As he thinks this to himself, he spots Sandara making her way amongst the captives stabilising some of the wounded.
"And whatever the means, I will make sure that next time I will have the power to protect those precious to me," he adds resolutely.
As Astein beckons to the officers, Ri'el nods in assent, but takes a circuitous route to pass Sandara and share a stolen kiss with her before following Astein to the lower decks.
The captain is both surprised and grateful for the compassion shown by the SeaWraith, "I won't soon forget this." Whether she means the piracy or letting her leave with her ship, is uncertain. Soon enough the booty is transferred and the crew loses accounted for from volunteers from the Truewind. The SeaWraith sets sail again for Tiderock, just as the sun begins to set.
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Astein instructs the crew to take a few sails from the Truewind, enough to slow her without crippling her to make certain the Sea Wraith is far away before she makes her destination. The extra sails might proove useful if something happened to the Sea Wraith as well.
"Full sails, set course into the sunset! Double portion of grog with dinner tonight!"
To the officers he says, "I figure we sail this way a bit to make it hard to figure our true destination. Wouldn't do to have pursuit as we try to make Tiderock. Once the sun sets we can take our bearings from the stars and set a true course and they'll be none the wiser."