"Okay, so with Davina's aid then Ri'el and I both swim out at dusk, while the rest of you draw as much attention as you can get, get them to chase you on foot back to our own ship."
"Once we've done our sabotage Ri'el flys back to join you, and I make a swim back with the aid of this trinket." Bill taps his pirate's eye patch. "I'll meet up with you downriver somewhere and we make our getaway."
The group waits until dusk, waiting any last minute instructions before Bill and Ri'el hit the water.
"I don't normally carry a knife or blade, anyone willing to lend me one for this little expedition? Something to cut the ropes with."
Garavaen says, "If we're doing this at night, I can darken part of the ship to help obscure our approach also."
"If you can do so without there being obvious magical interference with the light, please do."
Garavaen nods, "Think of it more as deepening the shadows that are already there."
Garavaen casts darkness on a bolt and fires it against the hull of the Dominator, creating a dark shadowy area near the anchor-chain and the water.
Bill swims the distance to the ship from the shore to the middle of the bay, slowly approaching the area of darkness created by Garavaen. He's able to carefully climb the anchor chain and the sterncastle to the cabin windows above. The windows are, however, shut and locked.
Garavaen follows Bill, "My sight is a bit better than yours."
Bill works his way back over to Garavean and Ri'el. "Locked." he whispers. His arms are beginning to ache a little from clinging to the side. "Garavaen, I'm going to need to borrow your dagger. Give me a little time to get back over to the sterncastle, then the two of you climb up into the darkness and cause however big a distraction you can come up with. Give me twenty seconds if you can, then get out of here."
Bill bites the dagger between his teeth, then works his way back to the sterncastle, taking a quick look through the window.
He then positions himself so he can quickly kick in the window as soon as the others start making a ruckus.
Garavaen slides the weapon over to Bill, then nods, "I imagine I can handle a distraction up top. I have two pints of lantern oil and some tinder.... and boats do so loathe fire."
He starts climbing the chain, then begins counting in his head, Let's give Bill the time he needs...
Bill manages to make it back up the rope without a problem, and shortly thereafter hears a satisfying crash and whumph sound as a lantern breaks on the deck and the oil catches fire. Bill hears a cry go up from atop "FIRE!! accompanied by a number of footfalls going up stairs nearby. The window crashes in without to much trouble, and Bill finds himself in the middledecks of the ship. Following what he surmised of the ship, he heads forward and finds the tiller closet, making quick work of the ropes that control the tiller. The tumult upstairs is still going on, but you hear an authoritative voice calling out above the din, "This is a busted lantern, and not one of ours, someone is trying to burn the ship, and I want him found!" The sound of feet thudding on the deck are easily heard, but as of yet, they seem to be concentrating mostly on the topside.
The main task done Bill climbs out the window and drops into the sea with a loud splash. He holds though, not yet swimming away, Time to leave Garavaen and Ri'el.
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Ri'el sticks around with Bill and while he sabotages the tiller, Ri'el casts produce flame to start a fire and further ruin the mechanism. If he can find anything flammable like old rags or sails or oil, he will put those around the tiller mechanism to worsen the flaming sabotage.
"Wouldn't do to let them fix this just by reattaching a few ropes, I reckon. They're gonna have a nasty surprise once they realise the fire up top is only a distraction, and the real party is down here," he muses. [b]"With the mechanism burnt, should take a few hours at least to get the mechanism back to functional, and that's assuming they have a skilled carpenter on board in the first place.
However, he does not jump straight into the water with Bill, instead waiting at the window to see if Garaveen needs help with his retreat.
However, if Ri'el finds himself discovered, he will immediately cast Raven's flight and take a run action to fly towards the shore.
Garavaen whispers, "That's our cue to go... but I have another trick up my sleeve..." He concentrates for a moment, and causes four small torchlights to appear in the shadows in the fore of the ship, then wills them to move slightly, hoping to attract the crew's attention to make his climb back down to the water considerably less... stressful.
The splash below seems to make some of the marines perk up, but soon a cry of "Over here! rings out from the fore of the ship, and many of the Marines move towards Garavaen's dancing lights. The small group swims back to the shore and begins the trek back to their ship.
Arriving at the 'Wraith, the crew eagerly awaits news of their foray.
Still feeling a little tired from the swimming and climbing Bill reports in, "They should be disabled for a few hours at least, maybe a bit more. Let's get out of here while we can though."
Garavaen smiles, "They got to the fire too quickly for it to spread, and I'll need a new lantern from stores, but we certainly showed that we're smarter and craftier than they are."
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"Oh don't worry, Garavaen, while you were distracting them with a fire up top, I made another fire near the tiller mechanism. By the time they discover that fire, it will have had quite some time to spread. Their tiller is going to take quite some time to fix, and that's after they put out the fire and assuming they have a carpenter and the materials on hand. I think we should be safe to make our break for it now. Let's not tempt fate by dallying."
Having stayed behind for the infiltration Davina was relieved to see everyone had returned safely. When Ri'el said they needed to move quickly and take advantage of the distraction caused by the damage to the rudder and the fire on the Chellish ship she nodded and quietly began to get the crew working on the needed tasks.
Garavaen says, "Agreed... though we'll still need to take on water somewhere."
During the wait for nightfall for the raid on the Dominator, Crimson and some of the others were able to fill the water barrel, and report that the Wraith is ready to sail. Under the cover of darkness, your ship floats along the current of the river and into the bay, with lights out and no sails unfurled. Once the ship is no longer being pushed by the current, the order is given to drop sail. The crew hastens to their task as quietly as possible, but as soon as the sail is dropped, much to the warning of Fishguts, the ship could be seen by a blind man. To your horror, you hear the call from the Dominator Sails in the bay!
Looking at the huge warship, you see a flurry of activity as the marines on deck start to rush to the large catapults, cranking them back, and aiming them in your direction. To your relief (and perhaps amusement) you see the pilot grab the wheel and spin, which leads to nothing more than the capstan spinning freely, clearly with nothing attached. The captain yells something at the pilot, and then turns to the gunwales, gripping them tightly, "Mark my words, I've got your jib now, and we will hunt you down like the curs you are!. The captain yells to the catapult team, Fire on that ship! Anyone that brings her to heel gets a 150 gold bonus!
The crack of the catapult arm coming forward reverberates in the air, and the rock arcs in the air, slamming down on the deck of the 'Bounty, and while cracks are heard, and clearly there is some damage that will need to be repaired, but nothing that will cause the ship an performance issues. As the Dominator founders, the Besmara's Bounty sails into open waters.
With the escape well under way Bill turns to Astein and Ri'el. "Well rather than stick around this area to raid one of the local villages, I say we best just be on our way to Tidewater Rock. Put some distance between us at that man-o-war while we can for now."
Garavaen nods, "I'd say Bill's having the right idea... the captain seems the type to carry a grudge -- and for all we know, they have someone who can magic away the damage we caused."
Putting sail to wind, the Bounty cuts through the water for the rest of the day. Many of the crew silent and determined, especially looking at the deep divot on the deck of the ship as a reminder of the close shave they had slipping by the Dominator. Even with the relative reserve, the crew seems in good spirits, and as the day wears on, the camaraderie of the crew starts the shine through, and several sea shanties start to break out, with Conchobar leading the singing with a surprisingly powerful voice. As the bloody hour comes about, tales of how the Dominator was foundered start being told, with only...minor...embellishments. The ship reefs the sails as a thick fog starts to roll in cutting visibility to only a few yards, and navigation to merely guesswork. From the gloom comes an odd, muffled...clank....clank...clank of a rusted ship's bell nearby, echoing oddly in the fog. The crew's merriment becomes muted both in its intensity, and because of the fog. It seems that everyone is holding their breath when the cry comes out Port Bow!!!
Suddenly the hulk of a ship looms in the fog off the port bow, its hull a rotten collection of greyish planks, stained black with age. Before the mists swallow the ship once more, the ship's name came momentarily into view on its worm-eaten bow -- Deathknell
Davina was relieved that they managed to sabotage the Dominator and flee from her without any real problems. She enjoyed the atmosphere as the crew celebrated and went around making sure that everyone was alright and there were no injuries or illnesses that needed to be dealt with. Everything changed though when the fog rolled in. There was a strange chill about the substance, something that just felt...wrong about it, and she felt her feathers ruffle and her skin prickle in dread when she heard the clanging bell. "I don't like this," she said, and then heard Ri'el's words and nearly panicked.
Somewhere, deep inside, Davina felt a wellspring of hatred come up and push away her fear. Something in her blood held a loathing for what was coming for them and she called out, "Don't let your fear show! It's a ship of undead yes but even the walking dead can be destroyed! We've faced grindylows, sahuagin, the damned crew of Cheliax, are we going to let the undead bring us down?" Despite her brave words there was still a quaver in her voice that did much to undermine what she said and coupled with the fact she implied the crew was scared ruined her efforts.
In contrast to the raucous merriment from just a few minutes ago, a pall of fear, and the silence that goes with it falls over the crew. The silence allows the uncertainty in Davina's voice to ring louder than it would have, and while it doesn't seem to undermine the crew's resolve, it doesn't quite bolster it either.
The ship travels slowly in the unnatural silence of the fog, and a few times you think you hear that odd clank of the bell, but fog plays tricks on distance, so you have no reference for how far....or how close...the ghost ship Deathknell may be.
The ship continues to meander through the fog, in eerie silence.
Bill clenches his teeth, refusing to give into the shivers crawling up and down his spine. "Three nights we have before they assault us, if the legends are true. Mayhap we find Tidewater rock before then and extend our stay."
Garavaen nods, "Can't say I hate the idea of shooting them from behind a solid wall."
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Ri'el does some mental calculations in his head, then sighs.
"Well, it would be good if we could do that, but the winds we need in our sails to reach there in a day will also be strong enough to tear our ship apart..."
"Have all the men arm themselves and prepare for battle tonight. Light duties for everyone for the rest of the day. We will need everyone to conserve their energy and strength for the battle. All weapons are to be loaded at sundown and full watch once the sun sets."
As night falls Bill strings his bow, keeping it in hand while keeping watch.
Davina didn't like what was coming, this wasn't something that she wanted to face and she had hoped they could just avoid it. Unfortunately she didn't believe that would be the case and felt her hopes fall when she had that fact confirmed. She spent the time below decks trying to rest before the ensuing fight and not getting much of it as she lay awkwardly in one of the hammocks that she still had troubles sleeping in due to her wings.
The next day passes without much trouble. Indeed an eerie calm sits about the ship, and the ocean, almost as if in anticipation of something. The day passes to the bloody hour, and dinner is served up to a subdued, and quiet crew. The rattle of dice and the shuffling of cards seems preternaturally loud in the comparative silence. Soon, clouds start to fill the evening sky as a nor'easter starts to blow in. The high winds start to whip the sails and shortly after, hurricane lanterns are lit to help pierce the gloom. The ship rises up one side and slides down the other as the waves hit, and sporadic rain falls in sheets on the deck. Thunder follows a lightning flash, and then *clank, clank*... The muted bell sounds over the water. Peering into the distance a red ship's lantern shines in the darkness, as the dark, rotting hulk of the Deathknell looms in the night. Besmara's Bounty runs with the wind, and the red light grows more distant till it winks out entirely.
A raucous cheer comes from the crew as the pursuer seems to have fallen away, but that cheer is shortlived as the red ship's lantern suddenly appears directly in front of the ship, coming down the slope of a storm swelled wave. The Deathknell slams into the side of Besmara's Bounty, and the whistle and clank of several grapnels sounds over the cracking of wood. Looking onto the deck of the Deathknell, the "sailors" of the ship are undead with rotten, bloated bodies, and slime covered greenish skin. The remnants of sailors gear adheres to their body, and the stench from these creatures is overwhelming. At the helm of the Deathknell stands another undead figure, dressed in rotting captain's clothing, hand on the ship's bell, continuously ringing it with the mute clanking sound.
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Ri'el casts barkskin as soon as the Deathknell comes into view and produce flame once impact is imminent.
"To arms, me hearties! They may not be still living, but their bones break all the same! Steel yourselves and face them head on!" he yells as his hair lengthens and writhes around himself.
"Garaveen! See if you can put a few bolts in that there noisome cretin with the bell, see if you can't break his skull and give us some peace 'n' quiet, eh?"
"Bill, to the fore, Davina behind me with Sandara. I'd prefer not to have them tracking their rot all over our ship, so let's take the fight to them!"
With the winds turning stormy Bill stows his bow. Not going to be much use in this weather. As the sea begins to surge he takes the precaution of tying himself to a life line.
With the reappearance of the Deathknell Bill is quick to follow Ri'el's command, rushing to where the grappling lines have hooked onto the ship and waiting for the two ships to come side to side for boarding.
Garavaen nods, "Aye, Captain. Let's see if I can't pin his dead flesh to that piece of metal. But let's light him up, first."
He points his finger at the captain, causing an outline of violet flames to appear around him... and any crewmen standing near him.