With everyone still abuzz from the attack, Nim inquires with Budos. "So, we double the watch, and we guard Sandara with our lives, eh? We really could use better equipment and better markets. Where we headed?"
"Good work lad, those fish men won't tangle with us if we keep giving them the boarding axe." Bud claps Gezza on the shoulder as he stomps up top to check out the situation.
"We're headed to the Rock, maybe they got a market for gemstones." Growls Budos at Nim's query, "but yer right about guarding Sandara, tell our Master of Arms to keep her close and keep an eye on her flank."
Pleased with the overall piratin' Budos makes a few rounds on the boat to be sure all the sailors will survive and that no more fish men are sneaking aboard. He does pull one of the dead creatures out of the kitchen as Cargas protests and the other pirate's souls cheer silently.
Nim nods, unsure about the destination, but trusting in his crewmates and captain to see their purpose set. He scrambles for sleep, then shuffles into the quartermaster's digs after sun-up, so he doesn't worry about the noise of metal and clatter waking crew.
Cargas scratches himself, tosses the bodies of the fishmen off the side, and goes back to bed.
"Wake me if you need more blood spilt."
You continue sailing on with little of note the first day. The second day is passing similarly when a cry of "Sail, ho! arises from 'Ratline' Rattsburger in the crow's nest.
Before the sahuagin's corpses are left as chum in the water, Brood returns from his patrol of the vessel and is sure to recover any weapons the raiders might have had, adding them to the Double M's armory.
As Ratline calls out the sighting, Brood catches his eye from his spot on the deck and gives the lookout a simple, approving nod. He then turns to Budos, waiting patiently for the captain's decision regarding how they approach the unknown vessel.
"What flag are they running?" Budos calls, then thinks of an equally important question. "What flag are we running?" Seeing no flag hoisted he calls to Nim. "Put something up for a flag, a pair of red longjohns if nothing else, but make it bright and colorful and the more cluttered and confusing the better."
the captain shouts to the crew, "This be yer chance to show ye'r real pirates, not just lubbers in a stolen tub. Remember yer training and be hungry for their loot. Wait on my order, not a man fires a shot or throws a hook until I say."
"Gezza, what's the other ship doing? Brood, get the boarding gear in position and remind the men that yer the leader in combat. Nim, when yer done with that flag stay by my side, our story is that we're a traveling circus, can you and Magilla sell that? Someone go wake Cargas and tell him we need blood spilt."
Brood looks long at Budos, "You mean to do to them what Harrigan did to us?"
"Not at all, they'll get a choice, a fine performance from our traveling circus for the goods of our choosing, or we'll take everything including their ship. Harrigan never offered entertainment in place of conflict."
Brood's eyes narrow for another long moment before he finally nods. Satisfied his captain wasn't in immediate need of exsanguination, he set to his appointed task of preparing the crew for a bountiful haul, splitting them into two groups and, within the groups, individual pairs.
"I've got four rules if it comes to bloodletting. Mind your surroundings. Stick with your partners and watch each others' backs. Subdue any faithful you find, but spare them. And above all, do as I say when I say it." He looks the crew over, holding their spears and tridents and such with a cold, steady glare. "Got it?"
The crew nods, many of them with excited grins at the prospect of piracy after several weeks of frustrating inaction since the capture of The Man's Promise.
You begin closing in on the other ship, realizing it's a keelboat, a Sargavan fishing hooker, when the opposing captain apparently spots you and begins fleeing.
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Cargas wakes from his after nap to react the preparations in dealing with the other ship. He even busts out his old shield, keeping it strapped to his back in case it is needed.
Cargas runs up to get orders from Capt'n Budos.
"Not at all, they'll get a choice, a fine performance from our traveling circus for the goods of our choosing, or we'll take everything including their ship. Harrigan never offered entertainment in place of conflict."
Cargas looks puzzled for a moment, then busts out laughing.
"No, really. What are you intentions, Capt'n?"
"Put something up for a flag, a pair of red longjohns if nothing else, but make it bright and colorful and the more cluttered and confusing the better."
Nim nods affirmatively. He bolts below, and scrambles for anything that resembles flag material, preferring color and size. Should it happen to be the captain's bedsheets, so be it. A couple of quick stitches, and both he and Magilla ascend the riggings, getting something up and waving.
Hitting the deck, he remains close by the captain. "Not sure how we can embellish the number of performances we can assemble, but Magilla can put on an act, and I can throw daggers and brandish whips. Pretty sure the others can invent their own acts, should it come to that." He looks from Gezza to Brood, to Cargas. Then he shrugs his shoulders. "Pretty sure, yeah."
Content with Brood and Bud sparring intentions, Nim realizes the target ship is already veering away, despite his best efforts to sport a non-denominational flag. "Oh, well."
He sends Magilla up into the riggings, establishing a higher vantage point from where to help navigate better. He stands nearby the helm, and helps as best he can.
"No, really. What are you intentions, Capt'n?"
"Really, that's my intentions, we'll take what we want and do it without bloodshed if we can. A man backed into a corner will fight with ferocity, but a man that is left a route of escape will take that option more often than not. Follow the plan, and follow Brood's orders if we get to combat." The captain holds a stare on the dwarf long enough for him to realize that is the plan.
"Not sure how we can embellish the number of performances we can assemble, but Magilla can put on an act, and I can throw daggers and brandish whips. Pretty sure the others can invent their own acts, should it come to that."
"We just need one act, Magilla wearing their captain's hat and loping around our ship acting like a captain. We're setting the prices for the show."
"Brood, if combat starts focus on their captain and officers. If we loot then leave the coins in the pockets of the common sailors. We're building a reputation here and we need those men to tell our story."
Budos yells to the crew,
From his place at the wheel, Sicarius nods at Budos' instruction.
He gives Nim a plaintive look, the expression barely any different from his typical frown, before turning his attention back toward chasing down the fleeing vessel.
HP: 27/27
AC: 18 (17 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +4/+4/+4 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 0/6
Tidewater Hydraulic Push (1/day): [ ]
Besmara's Blessing (1/week): [ ]
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, flare, read magic
Level 1 (2+1) - magic missile [ ], monkeyfish [ ], shocking grasp [ ]
Level 2 (0+1) - frigid touch [ ]
Ongoing Effects
"Really, that's my intentions, we'll take what we want and do it without bloodshed if we can. A man backed into a corner will fight with ferocity, but a man that is left a route of escape will take that option more often than not. Follow the plan, and follow Brood's orders if we get to combat." The captain holds a stare on the dwarf long enough for him to realize that is the plan.
Cargas nods, only somewhat understanding. As a brawler who rarely backs down from a fight, he expects bloodshed because that's all he's ever known.
Cargas gets his axe ready and goes to find Brood.
From his place at the wheel, Sicarius nods at Budos' instruction.
Profession (sailor): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 2 = 13
"Wait, no, don't ride the jib on the main hook! Oh, wait...that's not *so* bad, but you need to watch the cross ferals down the poop flank!" Cargas helps and opines, waiting for the performance to ensue.
It's a close race, but thanks to Nim's help (much more than Cargas'), you manage to close on the Elten Baide after a day's sailing despite its attempts to get safely back to Sargavan waters.
The quarry cuts to the west as you try to cut it off, coming at it from the northwest, about 180 feet away.
Smirking as the Elten Baide's retreat is stymied by a large, errant wave, Brood seizes on the opportunity. As the other vessel struggles to right its heading, he leads the Murderin Murder in quickly, narrowing the gap.
Steering deftly through the waves, slicing in and out of approaching crests, the elf manages to keep the sails full, closing the distance even further.
Chuckling as he finds his rhythm and can feel the Murder respond to his every nudge, Brood brings the vessel bearing down upon the Elten with unexpected satisfaction.
Cargas moves away from 'helping' Brood and back to bosunning while there is time. He bosuns like no one's business, making sure the crew is ready to help Brood in any way needed and is ready for the potential performance as dictated by the Capt'n.
Gezza hangs back, keeping a weather eye on the other ship. However he stops when he notices the bosunning that Cargas is doing. "Damn fine bo'suning. Damn fine." he admirs.
Nim watches from the deck and from above, as he switches his sight back and forth. He tries to see their decks, and what kind of resistance they may put up, as Brood manages to bring them closer.
"No way they're gonna believe we are earnest circus performers, the way we're pursuing 'em." The half-orc appreciates the elf's ability at the helm, nonetheless.
"We are desperate for an audience, to be sure." Gezza grins at Nim.
You can see some sailors massing along the starboard rail of the ship as you approach, but the captain pours on the speed, accelerating to try to get past you!
When the crew of one ship wishes to board an enemy ship and attack its crew, they must first grapple the other ship. To grapple, the two ships must be within 30 feet of one another (in other words, they must be in adjacent squares on the battle mat).
If only one pilot wants to grapple, she must make a combat maneuver check against the target ship’s CMD, using the base CMB of the ship plus the pilot’s sailing skill modifier (or Wisdom skill modifier if she is using that ability to control the ship) as the total CMB of the grappling maneuver. If the check is successful, the target ship is grappled.
Breaking a Grapple: The pilot of a grappled ship can attempt to break the grapple by making a combat maneuver check against the opposing ship’s CMD, but at a –4 penalty. If the check is successful, the crew has cut the grappling lines and the freed ship may now move as normal.
Boarding: Once two ships are grappled, a crew can board the other ship. The pilot with the highest initiative can choose whether to board the opposing ship with her crew first or wait for the opposing crew to board her ship. Characters boarding an opposing ship are considered flat-footed for the first round of shipboard combat, due to the difficulty of climbing over the ships’ rails and finding footing on the enemy deck.
Brood's eyes narrow and flash in the glittering light as he brings the Murder bearing down relentlessly upon the Elten Baide. Then, with uncommon skill, he brings their vessel up along beside the fleeing ship. He shouts an order to the rest of the crew as they eagerly await the call to board. "Grapples ho!"
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The ship's grapples latch on to the Elten Baide and you pull alongside the ship before its sailors can cut all the lines!
Gezza moves to join the boardin', should the boardin' be called for. In the meantime he slips a couple spell components into his hands and waits for the captain's inspiring speech.
"Really, that's my intentions, we'll take what we want and do it without bloodshed if we can. A man backed into a corner will fight with ferocity, but a man that is left a route of escape will take that option more often than not. Follow the plan, and follow Brood's orders if we get to combat."
Cargas prepares to board, or, at least, looks at the Capt'n still wondering what his intentions are.
"You going to say a few words, Capt'n? Are you going to start the circus?"
the captain yells to the Elten Baide.
The dwarf captain shouts a derisive laugh.
"Suck eggs, pirate! You'll not be taking our ship!"
The battle is fast and furious, though the outcome is never in serious doubt as you're far better armed than the other crew, who only have a couple members that seem to have any combat experience. Even though your own crew remains small, no one seems to suffer any wounds that Sandara's divine power can't heal.
Brood stalks through the captured vessel, nodding to those of the Murder's crew approvingly for a raid well raided. As he observes some of the dead defenders though, he shakes his head as he looks to the dwarf captaining the Elten Baide. "Captain Budos made you a generous offer. You should have taken it."
Gezza will do his best to subdue them without killing them, using his color sprays, but if they get slain, they had their chance to surrender without violence. Still, afterwards Gezza moves among their crew first, stopping any bleeding before helping the enemy crew.
The dwarf captain spits at Brood.
"Go to Hells, elf. Maybe I should've surrendered, but that'd mean people die when they don't get our catch!"
Budos surveys the looting of the Elten Baide, making sure that the captain and officers have their quarters and persons thoroughly searched while leaving the crew members with their few coins and possessions. After the loot has been secured, Budos directs the dwarf captain and his officers to the rail and a plank extending over the sea.
"You should have gone with the 'Circus' option. Now you officers get to walk the plank, then we sail away and if yer crew wants to haul you back on board they may. Hear that lads?" Budos addresses the defeated sailors of the Elten Baide. "It'll be yer choice if you pluck them from the sea, their fates rest with you. Now cheer up lads, you've met The Murder's Sailing Circus and lived to tell the tale." Bud turns a wicked grin on the dwarf captain before nudging him over the plank. "Hope you treated yer crew well.
Cargas dances a dwarven jig in the blood of the melee when the fighting is done. He is happy to be alive, and swings his waraxe to and fro in accompaniment of his feets.
Eventually, he cleans his axe off on the shirt of a dead sailor and gets to looting. Those that can be saved are offered work on the MM, assuming the Capt'n is alright with that. Those that want a dingy and want to go that way are offered it as well.
"You should ave gone with the 'Circus' option."
"Yeah," Cargas nods his head, agreeing vehemently. "I thought it was a really bad and stupid idea at first, too, but now I think you should have enjoyed our circus. It makes sense now."
Cargas helps the Capt'n, yesmanning what needs to be yesmanned and doing what needs to be jeered over and smugged about.
The crew of the Elten Baide watch unhappily as you begin to loot the ship -- which ends up with your own crew looking unhappy as you discover nothing more than a hold full of freshly caught mackerel and hake that you suspect wouldn't be worth more than a few dozen gold pieces at port.
"Looks like we're eating fish for dinner," Cargas says, as he delivers the fish to Fishcuts but is too stressed about making sure everyone is doing what they should be doing (especially the new recruits) to stay and help gut the fish.
"Perhaps we should salt much of this so it stores longer? Not sure when we'll be in port again."
Gezza shrugs. "You heard the Captain! Either fish your officers out or let them float. It's your choice. Remember the next time you're offered a choice between life and death, encourage your officers to choose life." He shouts to the crew of the Baide.
Nim waves furiously at Magilla dangling a sailor above the deck. Eventually the ape gets tired of swinging the man by his leg, so brings him up to grab hold of the riggings.
Getting back to the deck, both Nim and Magilla look to calm the Murdrin' crew. "Hey, hey, our first outing, and gettin' paid in fish isn't a poor showing for our sailing! Our act needed rehearsal, so we'll be better versed when we have bigger fish willing to fight back!" Magilla sits down, and works at something buried in his left nostril.
Brood frowns at the meager spoils, but shrugs it off, attributing it to Besmara's fickle ways. Satisfied with the general results though, he returns to the Murderin' Murder pleased with the crew's performance.
"Take the fish we can use or salt, leave anything that would just spoil with them." Before he departs the captain appraises the fishermen for any possible new recruits.
Your haul transferred to the Murderin' Murder, you set sail. The crew that night seems to have split emotions -- on one hand, they're excited about your first, successful venture; however, the lack of anything really worth having stolen seems to depress their spirits.
"What now, Captain?" Aretta asks, a bit of an edge to her voice. [b]"Something more worth spending next time we're in port, I hope?"
Gezza frowns at Aretta's tone. "Belay that sarcasm, mister! The sea gives and the sea takes away. First catch was a dud but we're on a good ship with a good crew: we'll find a new prize and she'll make sure we prosper. After all, we're so damn pretty how could we not prosper!"
Budos slaps both Aretta and Gezza on the back and steps up the stairs to address the crew as the Murderin' Murder puts distance between them and the hapless fishing boat. "Good work, bad haul, sometimes Besmara is fickle. We continue on to the Rock just like we planned, there will be coins to go around if we stay the course."
Gezza grins. "Aye aye, Captain! To victory and treasure!"
Brood chuckles, though it sounds more like a grunt. "Besmara's always fickle, Captain." He shoots Sandara a glance at this, the look in his eyes saying without words, See? I've been paying attention.
With orders given, Cargas echoes them and puts the crew the work.
"You heard the Capt'n, we sail for the Rock! Let's go lads! Hoist the jibdoodler! Paddle the swankdankler! Tighten that crobnobbler!" Cargas shouts orders at random sailors doing his bo'sunning like no one's business.
"Swankdankler?" Gezza murmurs, moving to the Captain's side. "Gods help us, one day I'm going to figure out what he's talking about. I don't look forward to that day..."
Gezza shakes his head and heads off to make his rounds, checking the wooden ribs of the ship and keeping a weather eye on the horizon.