Bleepos shall sail with Bessie. - the goblin finally replies - Ship will make haste. Then we will get back and reunite for grand wedding!
The small green creature laughs openly, showing his quite, quite dirty teeth.
The next morning the teams split. Orslaw hops on the Goblin's Prize and heads for the Rock with Bessie and Bleepos. Guillaume and Beket head into town.
At town...
Do you head into town with a crowd of pirates or just the two of you?
At the Rock...
Two days later the Goblin's Prize sails up on the Rock. Upon landing you are ushered in to find that Mardus Siggs, the grandson of the cook and butler of the Rock, has been wounded. The Rock was attacked by some sahuaghin. Mardus was out with the goats when the creatures snuck up. One of the guards rushed out to assist and saved Mardus' life but lost his own.
Besmara gifts me with healing. I will share this gift of the Pirate Queen with Mardus. Have you had issues with the sahuaghin previously? Were they raiding for the goats, or did they seem to be after the people? Do we need to take action against them?
Bessie will examine Mardus's wounds and cast suitable healing spells.
At the Rock...
Mardus is very grateful and is able to get up immediately after he is healed. Sergeant McCleagh says the attack seems to have been targeting the occupants. They savaged the guard, Hugh, who saved Mardus and fled before the other guards and McCleagh responded. No animals were killed.
Orslaw makes a quick round to make sure everyone else is good and there are no more immediate issues from sahuaghin before going in to greet his betrothed with his condolences over the Hugh and news of the team's victory. He'll work out any needed details for the tower, the captives taken, and what help they need at the Rock.
Afterwards, he'll check around and see if they have any ideas on where the sahuaghin are coming from or why they may be attacking.
Only good sahuagins are salted and breaded. - says Bleepos, not really kidding in his tone.
Beket would stroll down from the lighthouse with a swagger in his step, his poorly kept teeth on display with a wide smile. Overhead, Rytys flew quietly and lazily while watching its master walk towards the down with a band of cutthroat pirates at his back. He looked over at his captain, giving him a nod of support as they reached the town's outskirts.
At the Rock...
Lady Smythe thanks Orslaw for his news. As was already considered, she has misgiving about sending all of the former occupants back to the lighthouse but thinks a couple would be good. They would already know the town. She could switch out a few of her guards here to man the lighthouse with two of the original defenders. She asks if you would be able to provide some men to help man the lighthouse since she knows it can hold several. Typically, they take a payment for lighthouse operation at the small port and a set of pigeons can be setup to notify the rock of any prime vessels headed south. The lighthouse is protected well enough she does not feel you will need as many as Harrigan had stationed there.
A check of the area shows no signs of sahuagin. Later, that evening, Mardus is headed back in after closing up the chickens and giving the goats some fodder for the evening. When the guard opens the door a group of sahuagin surge up out of the surf and rush to attack. The ship is anchored out in deeper water with Orslaw, Bessie, and Bleepos sitting down to dinner with Lady Smythe in the Rock.
At the lighthouse...
Sauntering into town with a large group of pirates, Guillaume and Beket find no issues. The town elder approaches, bobbing his head as he walks up. "What can I do for you good sirs? I take it you are the new owner of the lighthouse?"
At the Rock...
There is a loud cry from down below. There is trouble afoot.
"Aye, that's right, by the blessing of the Pirate Queen. Did you have much interaction with the 'house's former masters?"
"Nah, they would come down periodically to get supplies. The men would wander into town every fortnight, raise a little trouble, spend some money. Shall we expect the same from your men?" the older man asks Guillaume.
At the loud cry, Orslaw quickly rushes that way with a call to Bleepos and Bessie, as well as any guards he sees in route.
Bleepos eyes open wide, and he rushes on all four behind the corsair.
It seemed that the town had a reasonable relationship with the crew that once commanded the lighthouse; tolerating some mischief in return to them spending coin. Beket remained quiet, standing behind his captain with his arms folded.
Bessie immediately follows her boys. Little does their foe realize that they face the blessed of the Pirate Queen.
Whatever it is lets keep it pinned on the stairs, I will keep you in the fight with the healing of Besmara!
McCleagh follows everyone down. The other soldiers are alerted and move to the doors. Those at the arrow slits fire their crossbows as do the guards on the roof. The sahuagin force their way into the door. Another guard makes it to the bottom just as one of the others falls to the ground. Those at the arrow slits and the roof continue to fire at the creatures. Orslaw finally reaches the floor with the ladder to the bottom when he hears a scream and then another call out for help from down below. Does he continue to the bottom floor or give it up to the attackers?
Orslaw doesn't hesitate but slides down the ladder with his falchion in hand, looking for the cries for help. He aims to immediately move to cover them regardless of how many sahuagin are before him.
Lets go have some fun! Bessie says to Bleepos as Orslaw disappears through the floor. She gets ready to follow the goblin into the fray below, ready to heal the boys and fight off whatever is below.
Guillaume shrugs. "Well, I can't say. We're here on behalf of Lady Smythe. She wanted this place back. Now she's got it back. How she runs things is really her call. Once her people arrive to man it we'll be on our way."
Orslaw drops through the ladder hole and closes the gap with the invading sahuagin.
At the lighhouse...
"Well sir, it is good to have her back." The elder says. "This last crew was a bit rowdy. Will you have something to eat or will you be keeping to yourself?"
Bleepos climbs down, and immediately attacks the enemy by him - going with his usual defensive style. He actually loves biting sahuagin, so the enemy can see he's licking his lips as he does so.
Bessie follows her boys, using the ladder to go down, and drawing her light crossbow at the bottom. She sees the guard that has fallen, and the sahuagin assault force. Her boys are outnumbered 3-1 for combat troops. But, the sahuagin don't have Besmara's divine support, and the Pirate Queen shall have their blood - at least Bessie says a silent prayer that is the case.
Besmara, the odds are stacked against us, please let me keep my boys in this fight, I know with your blessings they can prevail!
Do the sahuagin seem to be paying attention to the fallen guard, or are they focused on the Peril Crew now?
Orslaw quickly slides down the ladder, then moves to stand above the fallen guard. He slashes his newly acquired magical falchion across the bodies of two of the fish creatures. Wordlessly caught up in the action, he begins hacking through them.
McCleagh and the soldier following both come down the ladder and move past Bessie. Orslaw manages to cut down the first but his sword skips off the next creature's scales. Bleepos takes a nasty bite out of the nearest sahuagin (the sahuagin were already in combat so they have full Dex). Most of the fishmen seem to fly into a frenzy (those who are injured anyway) and attack the defenders. Bleepos manages to evade the claws and teeth of his attacker. Orslaw is not so lucky and he is shredded taking numerous claws and bites (21 dmg). McCleagh manages to avoid the attacks from his fishman.
Round 1 (although combat was going already, we'll start tracking from after your initial engagement)
Sahuagin
Bleepos <==
Orslaw
Bessie
Mccleagh
Soldiers
Bleepos insists in his defensive crane style and jumps to take another chomp at the Sahuagin.
Peril Crew does not fall! Bessie moves around the soldier into an open space where she reaches out to touch Orslaw. There is an anger in her voice, a raw rage the Peril Crew has heard when they enter battle and Bessie's boys are wounded.
Amanxeba abucayi! The white tendrils of Besmara's healing powers flow from Bessie to Orslaw.
Orslaw cries out in pain as the fish creatures tear into him, but he remains focused on covering the downed men. Seeing another man further into the room and having allies around him, he focuses on clearing the middle of the room.
Orslaw cuts the first sahuagin deeply and he drops the second. Bleepos gives another nasty bite causing his collapse as well. McCleagh manages to get in a good swipe but the beast manages to keep its feet. One of the soldiers steps up and puts down the sahuagin Orslaw wounded. Two of the sahuagin tear into the soldier and goes down from several wounds (15 dmg to his 14 hp). Orslaw is clawed once (dmg 4) and again McCleagh's armor keeps him from getting injured.
Round 2
Sahuagin done
Defenders <==
Bleepos moves north and attacks the enemy to his east.
Orslaw keeps slashing through the scaly creatures and trying to clear the middle ground. "Bessie, any chance we could get some healing for our allies on the ground? Let's push 'em back boys!"
Now that you are healed, that is my plan! With that she raises her tattooed forearm, Amandla wesiteshi! she invokes the power of Besmara to heal the living, and a golden glow of energy pulses from the symbol of the Pirate Queen.
Orslaw drops another fishman and cuts the one just to his north severely. Again, he and the soldier work as a team as the man's thrust with his spear kills the wounded beast. Bleepos gets in a good bite though the sahuagin does not fall. McCleagh seems to be having some issues with his large sword in tight quarters and misses. The healing burst seals up most of the remaining cuts on Orslaw, recovers two of the soldiers, and stabilizes the third.
After that, it takes but a moment for the group to put the last two wounded sahuagin down.
"It is kind of you to offer sir. We would be happy to accept your hospitality."
In each location things settle. Guillaume and his officers sit down with the town elder while Bessie and her officers deal with the aftermath of the attack. Lady Smythe wishes to send Sgt McCleagh along with a half-dozen of your sailors and a half-dozen of the previous defenders to the lighthouse. Then it is a matter of tracking ship traffic and choosing targets. She recommends using the Rock for that and letting the lighthouse collect duties for lighthouse services rendered at the port.
With the fight complete, Bleepos keeps running around the sahuagin, somewhat measuring them and talking about cooking his famous "goblin paeja".
Bessie will use Channel Energy to restore the defenders and Peril Crew to full vitality, then check the sahuagin, are they armed or carrying any equipment? She tasks Bleepos with "taking care of the sahuagin". She doesn't care how, as long as they aren't left to rot.
She will then check with Lady Smythe and Sgt McCleagh: Are sahuagin a regular problem? Have they had issues recently? Have their been other recent issues?
Bessie agrees with the Lady's plan to manage the two locations, pending Captain Guillaume's final say: Take a half dozen of her men and a half dozen of our crew in defense of the lighthouse; and to the plan to use the Rock as a base and keep the lighthouse as revenue generating "safe" harbor for ships.
I nothing else occurs, once reunited she will fill in Guillaume and assuming he agrees to Lady Smythe's plan; Bessie will suggest that they need to recruit more crew to be effective fighting with both ships. Hiring some Siege crews for the ballistae would be helpful, assuming Nasifi stays on board to be the primary cannon gunner and manufacturer of gunpowder.
There were 16 pirates left after the fight at the lighthouse. If you give six of those and send six of yours then you would still net 4 on your ships unless Orlsaw takes them to reinforce the Rock which is down a man from a day ago.
The entire time that the crew is stationed at the lighthouse, Beket is anxious. He spends more time at the beach than the tavern, his mood souring quickly before wanderlust drives him into the waters to explore safely nearby. Only Rytys gives him constant company, the seascarred's bad temperament known to Captain Guillaume and it was a well-known secret that when Runetooth was feeling irritated, it was best to leave the strange druid be. He leaves the townsfolk alone as well, instead more interested in exploring the island than meeting its people.
Do you leave a skeleton crew at the lighthouse and sail back to the Rock or were you planning to have the Goblin's Prize return to the lighthouse?
Goblins Prize was to bring reinforcements and men loyal to Lady Smythe back to the lighthouse. Will suggest rotating the loyal here with some from there and replacing some from our ships that want some shore time with the rest.
Bessie is excited to set sail to rejoin the Captain and other Peril Crew!
However, before heading out Orslaw requests Bleepo's and Bessie's help in tracking the sahuagin back to where they came out of the water. If these attacks are becoming regular and more aggressive, we need to make sure we leave them protected before we go meet back up.
Bessie agrees with Orslaw's assessment that they need to secure the Rock from sahuagin.
It's easy to find where the sahuagin came out of the water, it was the closest point to the door from the water's edge which is about 20 yards at high tide. However, after that, it is near impossible to tell where they came from. Diving in the shallow harbor formed by the island that the Rock sits on shows there are no more current Sahuagin in the immediate waters.
When ready, assume you make passage back to the lighthouse. With McCleagh going to the lighthouse, do any of the officers stay behind with Lady Smythe?
Seeing that her captain of the guard is going, Orslaw offers to stay on site and work on security. "Please give my apologies to the captain," Orslaw offers to Bessie and Bleepos, "but those sahuagin could over run this place if they keep coming back in greater numbers. It'd suck sand to lose the Rock and Lady Smythe, so I'll fortify things a bit and make sure we are secure against any further attacks."
Orslaw will immediately begin working on reinforcements for the door and making sure the Rock is locked down well until the Peril crew make it back. He'll escort anyone in and out of the fort and make sure to keep that door secured against forced entry. On a whim, he'll also make sure there isn't a secret privy entrance that's unguarded as well.
The Goblin's Prize sails for the lighthouse and gets McCleagh and crew ensconced. This frees up the Perilous Pearl to head back to the Rock. After that, it is a matter of formalizing the marriage. Pirate marriages are not a huge affair but they are conducted by a free captain. This taps Guillaume to be the official for this particularly hitching. The marriage week is one of celebrations, all pirates love an excuse to drink and eat until they're sick. Then it is time for business.