The word is wrong, maybe you have a better word for it in your tongue."
Chumtooth nods and moves to follow Satinder out of the cabin.
He pauses and nods to Alwen. "We must show strength to the crew. If we are weak, they will fall upon us like sharks."
He continues to speak with Satinder in Kuru as they leave.
"I will spar with you. Though my way of fighting and hers are not similar. Perhaps you should secure alliances with other members of the crew, as a precaution. If she wins, she may decide you need to swim, also, except we will be many many miles from shore."
"That seems fair. Chumtooth can keep the ship moving until time for the deciding trial."
When Ayaki asks about speaking alone, Dantes says "Sure. Let's walk. I need to head to the kitchen anyway to start an inventory."
"Excellent! Glad to see that we can be reasonable about this." Alwen grins at the group. "In the meantime I'll see to it that the ship will be running smoothly."
Really, Alwen was secretly pleased with everything - he had no aspiration to captaincy, but that both of them sought him as their first mate really secured his position on the ship. He'd certainly enjoy it while it lasted.
Ayaki has asked Dantes to identify the bracers and dagger she carries from the caves.
Bracers spellcraft
Dagger spellcraft
"Listen here my friend. I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye but I want you to know my best interest has always been for the group. You have had excellent ideas, and I want you to know I respect your martial prowess. That's why I want to ask you two things: could you spar a little with me?" Satinder asks, almost nervously.
"And second of all, I would like you to know that I do not intend to make Ayaki walk the plank, if she loses tomorrow. She has made mistakes, but we all have much to learn. I simply ask that you speak up should she chose the other option for me, in case *I* am the one that loses. What do you reckon?"
"Listen here master dwarf. I would like you to know that I do not intend to make Ayaki walk the plank, if she loses tomorrow. She has made mistakes, but we all have much to learn. I simply ask that you speak up should she chose the other option for me, in case *I* am the one that loses. What do you reckon?"
She looks around, something on her mind.
"By Calistria's marvelous ti ts, I hope she does not win. I can see this boat going straight into the mouth of a Kraken, if she is left at the handle. Am I the only one that can see this?"
"Ayaki is a strange one. She does not behave in expected ways. Her attack on the ship was like a Kuru child crashing through the brush after a piglet. It was rash and poorly planned. Stalking prey and striking swiftly and silently is the best way to hunt, for an angry sow may be there to defend the piglet. Many Kuru bear childhood scars from this lesson, and some learned the lesson for a mere moment before perishing."
The elf takes her aside, grasping onto her and showing her a dueling form that he was familiar with from long ago. He adjusts her posture by pulling her thigh or pressing her hip and adjusting her torso, before then showing her how best to come out of it attacking. "My last captain, before being conscripted to this vessel, was a master duelist herself. Three times I saw fools challenge her to take her place, and three times I saw her strike them dead in a matter of seconds."
He pauses to glance at Satinder. "Ah, though don't worry. First blood is one of those fancy honorable forms where you don't murder each other. But you do need to make a clean hit that implies you could have killed them if you'd followed through."
When Alwen lays out the rules, Dantes will use detect magic to make sure they have no magic on them, and he'll watch closely for any signs of spellcasting.
Chumtooth uses the bosun's whistle to call the crew to order. He motions them to spread out, and form a circle.
"No one interferes with the fight," he says with a menacing growl in his tone. He stares around the circle with a fearsome scowl. "No. One."
Satinder comes to the fight, dressed in her armor and with her boarding pike in hand, the rest of her weapons across her body.
She has similar marks across her face as the ones Chumtooth has.
"You all know me, and you all know Ayaki.
We will fight to see who will be the better woman, and who will take control of the ship. Nobody interferes, as this is a fair fight, and not to the death."
She looks around the crowd.
"Whoever wins will have the full support of the other, no matter what."
She cracks her neck and her fingers, and thuds her wooden leg on the floor.
"I am ready, master Alwen. Let us begin." she says with a decisive tone in her voice.
|
Drawing my rapier from it's sheath and getting in to a fencing stance
Satinder, Tis be you're last chance to back down now. I'll let you have First mate if I win, or you choose to back down right now
Well, now I know for sure you and Chum are sleeping together,since you dress alike. I hope that he didn't keep you up all night so that you are well rested. I do want a fair fight
looking around at the crew now
No one is to interfere with this Duel! Satinder, and I have agreed that no matter who wins that, that person shall take control of the ship. I vow to be a loyal pirate to her if I shall lose.
"Idle talk and banter Ayaki about sex.. And that coming from a woman who ran topless through the bar not a month ago?"
She looks at Chumtooth, and grins.
"Two people can share a connection without f+!~ing, you know? Learning to speak a language, helping them in a fight, saving their lives and being thanked for it. It creates a bond."
At some of these words, her eyes scream at the kitsune but she remains calm.
She spits on the ground, an indication she is ready.
Chumtooth listens to the two women snipe back and forth about his supposed activity and gives a deep rumbling chuckle.
"If Aya..you..win, will the new captain wish to claim a night with..me…as a prize?" he asks Ayaki in a tone that is neither mocking nor overtly genuine.
"Chu..I am best at two things...killing is the other one!"
He gives a loud gutteral laugh.
Satinder chuckles at Chumtooth's comment.
Satinder's eyes remain icey cold as the fight starts. She weighs the boarding pike in her hands and she beckons Ayaki to come at her, if she dares.
Satinder waits for the crowd to hold their collective breath, and then steps forward, a spring in her stride.
She focusses her anger as Alwen taught her, and tries to see her mark like Chumtooth did.
"You'd better learn to be quicker, Ayaki." Satinder says as the boarding pike curves down from up high, attempting to slice across her chest.
Standard action: attack, nothing to add or substract. She is flatfooted though, so armor 13.
Move action: move within striking distance.
Swift action: Ranger's Focus +2 (1/day) (Ex) +2 to hit and damage focused target.
And guess who that target is going to be? ;)
Satinder waits for the crowd to hold their collective breath, and then steps forward, a spring in her stride.
She focuses her anger as Alwen taught her, and tries to see her mark like Chumtooth did. Her eyes remain icey cold as the fight starts. She weighs the boarding pike in her hands and she beckons Ayaki to come at her, if she dares.
Ayaki holds her rapier forward, in a practiced fencing stance, waiting for a few seconds as well. And then she blinks, and the boarding pike curves down from up high, slicing across her chest in a devastating blow that knocks her backwards.
As Ayaki struggles to straighten, blood begins to seep through her armor, and those standing closest notice how she struggles to remain on her feet. And then her hand twitches, either in pain or surrender, and the rapier falls to the deck.
A few whispers go through the crew about bringing a needle to a knife fight, as they wait for Alwen to proclaim a judgment.
Satinder looks around, she herself a bit confused that she sliced so neatly through her defence.
She looks at Alwen and Chumtooth, a look upon her face that could not be expressed in words.
She remains ready for a counter-attack, should this only be a ruse to trick her, as she herself tried so many times.
Maybe her one-on-one with Plugg was based on a lucky few hits?
I assumed she would be tougher.
Alwen actually seemed slightly surprised at this outcome - he'd certainly expected the duel to go longer than all that. He glanced around at the crew and really hoped that those who were making side bets on the outcome wouldn't feel cheated by the quick result.
"Satinder is the winner - and if any of you want to contest that, feel free to step into the ring with her!" Alwen barks mirthfully.
"The Captain is named. Satinder Morne commands. Sa...she will name the off-ee-sahss," Chumtooth says, breaking the stunned silence.
He turns to face Satinder, gives her a nod of acknowledgement.
"A swift, clean strike; worthy of a hunter. Well done."
"...Captain," he adds after a moment's pause.
|
It takes several days of hard sail to reach Rickety Squibs. Rounding the tall headland reveals a hidden cove at the mouth of a wide jungle river, its sluggish brown waters staining the waters of the blue sea like an ugly bruise. A series of docks has been built upon this estuary, with buildings concealed beneath the overhanging limbs of the jungle beyond. A wooden watchtower stands upon the promontory of the headland, carefully concealed among the trees to provide a clandestine view of the seas.
As the Man's Promise sails past the headland, a checkered flag of yellow and red is raised above the tower on the promontory, and an answering flag of blue is hoisted upon a yardarm at the docks ahead. A number of humanoid figures emerge from the shaded buildings and gather on a pier. A small, single-masted longboat soon sets out from the boathouse on the estuary to meet the Man’s Promise, and its crew hails you, asking you to drop anchor to discuss terms.
Chumtooth shields his eyes against the harsh sun with a hand, and does his best to make out what sort of people are on the longboat. He holds his harpoon in the other, ready to cast it at the first sign of hostility.
After the fight, Satinder turns around and faces the crowd, her face painted and her breath only slightly out of rythm.
"This is it! This is the moment a new captain rises, and a new crew rises with her!"
She looks around, seeing the others standing behind her.
"This was an honourable match between two honourable fighters. At least, as honourable as pirates can be!" she says jokingly, slapping Ayaki on the back as she gets back to her feet. Her eyes go over the people gathered, and she fixes the gaze of the tallest, strongest man in there, apart from Owlbear.
"Now, if any of you lot reckon you will get the same chance and maybe consider challenging me, I would strongly advise against it!" she shouts as the threatening voice in her tone is very obvious, turning around and looking at Chumtooth and Alwen as they puff their chests.
Her tone drops to a softer one as she continues: "I want you all to know that you are my crew, my family, and I will strive to keep every man here alive and well. However, we all want to make money, and earn ourselves fame and disrepute, so let's not fool ourselves. People will die, and we will be doing some killing aswel
Those that do not agree with me as captain can leave the ship as we reach the next port, no grudge from me. But those that stay, will obey me and my seconds."
She turns around, her spear pointing towards everyone behind her in turn.
"Chumtooth, you will be my bosun! Be strong and merciless.
Alwen, you will be my first mate! Be strong and wise.
Dantes, you will be my quarter master. Be strong and clever.
Ayaki, you will be my Master-at-Arms. Be strong and fast."
A very soft pause follows before saying: "And as much as we all love our cook, he will stay on as such, though he will have to do without my capable hands."
She draws a dagger, spins it around and sheaths it again.
"NOW GET TO WORK!!" she shouts as loud as she can, before going into her cabin.
"We have somewhere to be, someone to see, and the tides wait for no man, nor woman!"
As the sails are furled and the anchor is dropped, Chumtooth drops the rope ladder over the rail and waits as the longboat approaches. He leans on his harpoon like a walking staff, and waits for the customary request to come aboard.
With genuine affection, Dantes pats the cook on the shoulder and says "We will get you a new assistant now that I'll be quartermaster. But until then, I'll continue to help out as much as I can." With that, Dantes will set off to conduct an inventory, whistling tunelessly as he goes.
|
|
"Ahoy!" the longboat signals. "Permission to come aboard and discuss terms?"
There are seven humans aboard the longboat; six are armed with dirks, and the seventh is a short, stoop-backed old man with a leathery, weatherworn face, watery blue eyes, and a halo of frizzy white hair. It is he who speaks for the boat.
"Granted," Chumtooth replies, giving the men a chance to size him up.
Toward the center of the deck (so he'll be out of sight of the longbow approaching), Dantes casts Mage Armor on himself. Then he'll cast Detect Magic and slowly move to the railing as he concentrates so that he can scan the boat.
|
|
"Thankee, boy," the old man says, clamoring aboard. "Heh. Yer a biggun, ain't ya?"
Almost immediately, four of the men disperse over the deck, inspecting the vessel. Two remain with the old man as he conducts his own inspection tour. He mutters to himself as he walks the deck, looking at the ship from all angles. Finally, the men regroup before Satinder.
"I can squib her, Cap'n. It'll take eight days to complete the work, and will cost ya 2,000 gold pieces. I'll need to see the money up front, and we'll provide room in the commons fer you and yer crew. I guarantee my work, and when I get through with her, her own builder won't recognize 'er."
Alwen takes a closer look at the approaching longboat as well as the men on the pier. He takes a moment to recall the etiquette involved in a place like this one.
"I can squib her, Cap'n. It'll take eight days to complete the work, and will cost ya 2,000 gold pieces. I'll need to see the money up front, and we'll provide room in the commons fer you and yer crew. I guarantee my work, and when I get through with her, her own builder won't recognize 'er."
Chumtooth speaks to Satinder in Kuru, trying to keep his tone level and emotionless.
"What manner of spoils do we have in the lower room of the ship? Is it enough to meet this one's demand?"
Satinder faces the man, while listening to Chumtooth speaking the Kuru language.
"My name is Satinder Morne, and I will do business with you but only if I know your name." with an open face but a stern voice.
"Let's talk in my quarters, sir. I'm sure we can work this out." she says, quite amicably and with a likeable tone to her voice.
--
"Quartermaster, what say you? Could the loot in our hull encompass this two thousand gold pieces?"
|
|
"Ah course, ah course. My mistake. Rickety Hake, at yer service."
He follows Satinder into the cabin. Once inside, he speaks again.
"Now, if ya be needin' a little help with the price, I'm a reasonable man. If ya have any persons who ya'd rather be rid of, I'll take 'em off yer hands at 50 gp a head. An' if all else fails, I'd be happy to be a shareholder. Ya pay me a third of yer plunder each month until ya've paid off an amount equal to 3,000 gold."
"Renege, and I'll make sure that everyone in the Shackles knows the true name of yer vessel and I'll put a reward on yer heads so large that yer own mothers will turn ya in. Course, what I'd do is downright kind to what the captain ya liberated this ship from would do to ya, I expect."
Dantes considers the notes on the inventory he's been taking, running quick mental calculations on its market value.
Alwen is very accomodating to the men who've come along with Rickety, though he keeps a watchful eye on anything suspicious they might be doing. He also asks a couple questions of them.
"I suppose we'll find a supply depot for rations and any other essentials we'll need to load onto our ship, yes? I don't suppose there are a few sailors around here looking to sign on to a vessel either?" It didn't hurt to have a few more hands for grunt work than they needed - especially considering potential crew losses from the many, many forms of death the sea could inflict upon unwary men.
"It sounds like a few good options, mister Hake. I believe we will have to look through our resources and we'll come to some sort of agreement, I'm sure. Let us start with a deposit of 1000 gp, and agree to meet you again in a couple of hours? That should give our new quartermaster some time to rummage through the hold, and me some time to see who I'd rather be rid of." she says with a chuckle, and holds out her hand.
"All in all, I would like to come ashore if that's okay with you. Get the lads some sort of distraction, and us some time to find new crewmembers to replenish those who have fallen. What say you?"