looks at her credulously for a moment before deciding that if she'd intended to try to trick him or force him to free her, she probably would have by now and , still... looking over at the Tenguin he sees him steeling his mind against intrusion.
if I start doing anything particularly unusual, which, at least for now, includes opening that grate, please do slap me around a little
that won't be nethethary she tnterrupts you as soon as you speak before you finish your thought. I'd thimply rather hear your wordth through your own mind than anotherth thoughth. Tho, are we thrill detherving of merthy and a meathure if dignity, or ith your charithy revoked conthidering our occupathion? she asks, extending a slender human hand for some food.
Edit
You passed Thoyoitu. Goandi, you are affected by Detect Thoughts. So please note your surface thoughts in addition to dialogue
I am still a hobgoblin, whatever else I may have become; I don't particularly believe in mercy or charity, though I think mercy may believe in me but I won't hoard food I can't use, it's impractical he begins passing down food to her.
so you're pirates... how did you end up here, and where do you come from, I've never seen people like yours?
People like mine? by that I athume you refer to my fathe. she pulls back the blanket cowl and reveals her dark human face, framed by thick black dredlocks, with a deformed animal snout rather than a mouth. I'm human ath any. I wath blethed with thigh fathe and thilenthe in my youth, among other thingth. Ath for our path here, my companion thpeakth truth. We thailed a thip we capthured to port. The Drow took uth at night.
And you didn't see it coming, fortuneteller the hob snaps.
Akryat here theeth thith thituathion, not ath a blething hidden in adverthity, but captivity and thlavery. But perhapth you will have a hand in changing thith dithmal fate? the snouted woman suggests.
"That's it, I'm opening this up!" Thoyoitu tries to pry the grate up.
I'll be opening up the grate in a minute, unless anyone says something =]
Thoyoitu unlocks the grate and the hobgoblin climbs out I'll remember this mate, he says with a wink.
With that he slides Goandi's Scimitar out of his sheath. looks at the blade and says, C'mon boys an' girls! Ship's ours! Giving Goandi a shove and walking toward the stairs to the main deck.
The others crawl, Thankeekindlymisters! Iain'gonna bekillinya a ratfolk says happily.
Shut it Tickle an identical ratfolk says with an identical voice, slipping out right behind the first.
Much apprethiathion, Tengu, the woman says through uneven teeth, allowing others to pass him. I have then great thingth to come from you Thoyoitu. But have care in the dethithons you make. Many will rely on you. as a few short humanoids crawl out of the pit as well, finally followed by an Orc, a Half-Orc and a Human The Ork boys helping the human woman out.
”No Killing the bird men! you hear Akryat shout as he climbs.
After a bit more discussion, Well, I'm glad that all this messiness is behind us. Tamerand says to the Captain. I appreciate your intervention, Master Desula. Clear heads are certainly valuable. I do look forword to our future busine--
Just then a Hobgoblin weilding a scimitar charges out from below deck, and swings along the Rigging, driving the curved blade into the Captain.
Deckhands scatter as two rats rush out followed by a couple Orc. Oh gods, Captain! No, please don't hurt me! the noble shouts throwing his hands in the air. calculating as he sees more new faces pouring out of the hold.
How did - The captain wonders aloud as he sees the hob climb from the hold. . . His eyes widen and he doesn't have time to move,
for
Gack, Sonofab&+!&! Who let you bastards out! The captain shouts, reaching for his Cutlass
To arms, take these bastards, kill em all if you have to!
The Mate draws a blade to try to flank the Hobgoblin but the Hob's already moving back.
Do you hear something going on up on deck? Lela asks.
As Doctor Flint replies, No, not really, nothing out of the ordinar- the sounds fo fighting and alarms erupt. What in the hells? he snaps, unslinging his Musket and securing his bayonette.
Lela looks at Victor and the doctor, currently unarmed, and then glances around for a weapon. You will pass through the Bunk area where Goandi and Thoyoitu are in order to get to the Deck.
"what the?"
Victor look around the room for a weapons of sorts and reassigns him into giving the doctor his scalpel.
"careful doctor! You stay here with the bodies. I sense trouble brewing up."
Victor rushes top deck, but not before grabbing a tiny bottle which reads
"REMINDER.DO NOT THROW AT FRIENDS."
Victor claps his hands together as he scurries down the corridors muttering a prayer to the father of alchemy, then he downs a tiny bottle of his plague.
Aye! That's why I got these. I ain't hidin' below while there's fighting ta be done! flint says, taking the briefest moments to check his ammo and make sure his firearms are primed. Ya ever see one o' these babies in action?
Flint is definitely a fighter at heart, may have even learned to stich up those that fell cause he wasn't one to go down easy.
Thoyoitu, coming out of shock, finally speaks up "If we can tame these guys, we'll be pretty well off. For now, gather up anyone you want to save into the room my Tengu are staying in, alright? I have a plan." Thoyoitu leaves to gather up his friends into their cargo hold they live in, hoping to contain as many friendlies as possible for safe keeping, gathering up any weapons he finds along the way to arm his friends.
sighs, Goandai shakes his head sadly and quickly runs after the throng to overtake the snouted woman, tell me you'll spare any passangers and members of the day crew who lay down arms. revenge is one thing and justice something else, but i won't allow purposeless slaughter and most of them had nothing to do with your capture.
The wolf faced woman gives Goandi a toothy grin, course we will. How would we thail the thip if there wath no crew left. she says, placing a hand on your shoulder. Tho we will defend ourthelveth from them that take armth againtht uth. You may with to warn any other frienth not to croth our fighterth.
I'll update again tonight. Any other actions anyone wants to take?
Goandai does his best to systematically find the members of his group as well as the two non-drow crew members with whom he's had any significant contact with and informs them that the attackers, while not necessarily justified, have a legitimate claim of revenge and have reassured him that they won't harm non-combatants. he also informs any passengers he comes across.
after these priorities, he tries to convince any remaining crew members to lay down their arms.
at the same time, he does everything necessary to keep Nekare` heeled and looks for a weapon he can use.
Goandi
First up from the lower Decks is the Horus Flint carrying a musket at the ready and Pistol in-hand. He sees the group of smaller prisoners and points his pistol at the small woman. Don'e move. And keep it shut Tilly, or I sweat you'll get a bullet!
Add-in Victor
As Victor comes up form the lab/sickbay, he can see the good doctor pointing his Pistol at a child-sized woman, backing up the stairs. Two other smallish humanoids stand near-by cowering until the man disappears up the stairs into the melee on deck. The small woman collapses to the floor quivering, and turns to look at you with fear in her eyes.
Desula
Please make a Will-Save!
Actually, make TWO!!!
Thoyoitu,
You are able to gather your people. They aren't really well-trained fighters, and do better in groups with superior numbers anyway. So they get themselves below decks through hatches and such.
Victor keeps his distance from the woman and his weapon drawn and pointed at her.surely the crewman had good reason to do so.
"hello? Who are you and what are you doing on the ship? Ummm don't mind the weapon, I'm just as nervous as you are."
Victor, lower your weapon, yours too... are you the ship's doctor? nothing is what it looks like, we've been caught between two warring pirate crews, and it seems these folk were among the prisoners bound for the underdark I spoke of this morning.
"slaves? Underdark? Two warring pirate crews? Did you start this?"
Victor yelps, horribly paranoid.
He keeps his weapons trained on the woman
"there must be some good people on this ship! But I want answers!"
strictly speaking, no; Thoyoitu did. I was just there and didn't try to stop him because there's a legitimate grudge here.
As for good people, I'm not so convinced there is such a thing, just different needs and conflicting points of view. Other than the slavery bit and possibly a certain amount of malnourishment I don't think there's been anything evil going on, anyway
The Doctor glares at Goandi, keeping the pistol firmly trained on the small woman. He then looks up the stairs, Dr. Adustus, watch these four. And if the little woman opens her mouth, shut it for her. You hear me? he snaps, not trusting Goandi, but needing to get above decks.
He rushes out before Goandi has a chance to explain to Victor what happened. The little woman in question, Tilly, cowers, remaining silent, seeing the sharp blade, and fear in Victor's eyes.
The big-nosed deafen man gives Victor a squinted look, Take it easy, friend. We been captive below deck, and just want our freedom. So take tha blade off Tilly, an relax, eh? he looks Victor up and down, then at the stairs where the doctor went, and glares at the Ratkin, daring him to make a move, glancing at his third mate, a halfling.
Desula
The sound of the fight quickly fade to silence, and as you attempt to question what is happening your tongue trips on your fangs. FANGS?!?! You don't have fangs! Yet there they are, along with a dog snout! Your face, it's horribly deformed!
Thoyoitu leaves to steal weapons and that bag of food Goandi had, and gathers whatever passengers he can find, crew or otherwise.
Desula,
You feel a spell licking at you and glance across the field, a necromantic curse, and no illusion. There you see a woman dressed in rags, shrouded with a ratty blanket for a cloak. The cowl falls away revealing a dark-skinned southern human with thick black dreads and a lupine snout. She looks at you and gestures a spell, Oracle's Burden and the curse from which she derives power fall upon you robbing you of your hearing and transforming your fine and handsome chin to a canine maw. She is clearly a strong caster, and clever to have taken your voice in a way to hamper you spellcasting.
Goandi, Victor
The halfling makes a quick calculation, Good Sirs, please allow me to introduce myself Tavis Fink, charmed. Now our dear Hob said, we were captured and to be sold into slavery by the drow, something I'm sure you would find odious. So of course we've revolted. But It appears you are friends with this fine fella along with the Tengu, and were the ones to release us. At this point it's more your benefit to work with us. If yo do nothing and we fall, you will face Il'zavan's wrath same as if you help us. But if we succeed you will either be welcomed with open arms, or seen as indecisive and be less trusted. Fink suggests, eying you and your blade, and glancing back at Goandi to see if he readies to make any moves.
Lela climbs up from the lower deck and stops cold. Goandi, are these the slaves you told me about? Lela asks, her voice quivering slightly, Was Akryat with them? The Hobgoblin? Or the Demon-girl? her eyes widen in fear, hoping the answer is no. Fink and Tilly as well, not having anything to say.
On Deck
Nekare leaps around on deck, not sure who to bite or not, but annoyed as two crewman grabbed her leashes and are holding her tight. The Tattooed man and his remaining crewman look around as the Tengu seem to vanish and the rest of the crews fight.
The twin Ratfolk seem to have gotten their hands on blades and are fighting back to back. They are avoiding flanks but act in concert, a devastating whirlwind of steel distracting and slicing, blood flying. They manage to consistently avoid the flanks the drow are trying to set while staying close. The two Drow are slowing down the longer the fight wears on.
The two Ork are moving along the deck with the human woman and are fighting against a couple drow and the first mate, but the orc are holding their own keeping the Drow at bay and fighting with weapons collected by the woman.
The Pilot keeps the ship controlled, ready for further fighting while the Drow Captain and the Hobgoblin slave fight. The hob Holds his own against the captain as the captain tries to keep fighting as well as throw a few spells, which largely fail due to attacks and random chance while the wolfscarred oracle slings spells further hampering the fighters. That is until the Doctor arrives on the scene!
Victor lowers his crossbow.
" forgive me, I'm rather confused by all this my name's victor."
surprised by Lela's arrival and answers without thinking
yes and yes, they were among the slave cargo, why? and how come you never mentioned you knew of other prisoners when I told you of the slaves?
Oh gods, she's here? Lela's eyes widen in terror. Akryat is one thing... But I didn't know it was THEM! I didn't know what was in the hold, I thought it was a beast o' some sort or barbarians when you said slaves, but if it's this crew? Goandi, they're Pirates. Part of one of the most dangerous crews in this ocean. If I'd known it was them. . . Lela is freaking out about this particular development.
Below decks
Tilly relaxes a little, and Tavis Fink takes a couple slow steps closer and places a hand on her shoulder. No worries mate. I got Nuthin against yea for it, some upheval here. Miss, I'm not sure how yea know us that well, but if yea don't step out of line, we can vouche for ya with Akryat the little man says.
On the deck The man that appears to be the leader of the human group is frozen stiff after a simple gesture from the Wolf-faced woman, and the crewman is attacking but seems unable to lay a finger or sword on the woman. She, on the other hand has taken a vicious bite out of his shoulder.
The Doctor takes a knee and raises his musket, Firing a shot at the Pully on the Life boat. The blast of thunder rips through the air, and he fires another shot from the and the rowboat falls to the water with a splash. He then pulls his pistol and readies to fire.
Goandai goes to her and attempts to calm her as best he can,
yes, they are pirates, but so are the drow crew for whom you've been working up until now. I don't particularly see how this could be worse. Alright, Akryat seems to be a bit of a bastard, but this Demon girl, the wolf muzzled woman seemed reasonable enough and assured me that no one who threw down their arms would be harmed. What has you so frightened?
Lela looks confused, Wait, Demon girl or their Wolf one? You, Little man, who was with you? Lela asks more confused and verging on panicked at this point. She clearly didn't explain herself properly.
Tills opens her mouth to reply, the stops, looking at Victor's Crossbow, Tavis Fink instead chimes in, Nanna Sati is with us. She's no demon, but a Prophetess. Told us something was coming. But the Demoness is still with the Captain, and has become even more vicious than you seem to recall. You are certainly lucky she is NOT present.
now he's looking disturbed who is this demoness then, and if she's so vicious why work with her?
Goandi and Victor
Fink explains, She's the Master-at-Arms aboard the Albatross's Lover, our ship. She leads the boarding actions, and has more of a talent for taking prisoners than keeping then if you catch my meaning, he says drawing a finger across his throat. With a shrug, he adds, But she wasn't with the team that got pinched, although it's unlikely we'd have got ambushed had she been with us.
Desula
You move around the pockets of fighting to get to the Oracle who cursed you and attempt to throw a devastating illusion at her...
but your tongue trips over your teeth. She notices what you attempted and with a Vicious Bite, she tears the throat out of the crewman who's been trying to slay her. as he falls to the floor gurgling blood, she looks you dead in the eye, snarling, Don't you dare, little Withard. But you do dare!
And you get the spell off perfectly!
Which leaves her Stunned!
As she stands there, paralyzed, a bullet rips into her back, Jutht you wait, little half-breed she snarles as the stunning affect wears off and she turns focusing her attentions on Doctor Flint.
Elsewhere, the fight is not going so favorably for the Wyr'enshaad's crew. Not a Tengu in sight to help, blood is spattere about on the deck. Thoyoitu has found a safe spot in the larger of the officer's cabins and several Tengu are huddled there. Several more found other cabin rooms, and a few remain with the injured who are still unconscious.
The Rats have managed to fell one of he drow and joined with the Orc who have taken down another. The fight is fast turning against the Dark-elves. And the First Mate keeps looking at the broken pulley, apparently considering a hasty retreat. The Captain is having trouble dealing with the Hobgoblin. The spry goblinoid dodges the captain's spells and then charges in and viciously slices the Drow.
All appears lost until the great Half-Ogre bursts through the Captain's door. There is a cheer form the remaining Drow and the human woman cries out The Butcher!. The gentle looking cook charges the Orc and brings down his axe, slashing one of the Orc and nearly taking an arm off. An order from the wolf-snouted woman reverberates in the air and the half-ogre turns tail and rushes to the railing the Hobgoblin swings on a rope around the mast and drop-kicks him overboard.
I see how this is going. Tamerand says, and snaps his fingers. His two valets draw blades and rush the Captain. Sorry Tavian, but it's just good business to be on the winning side.
Tamerand's other companion joins in the fight and puts a dagger into Doctor Flint's back and the Oracle tears at him with vicious teeth.
The sly nobleman looks at Pyre and says, Once you see a sure bet, you've got to place it, otherwise you may miss a valuable chance. You hesitated too long, my friend The Nagaji stands un-harassed, still with his Greataxe in hand and unbloodied.
Dammit all. You'll pay for this Akryat! All of you will! the captain shouts.
With that he lunges at one of the humans that turned on him, leaping. He begins to change as he lunges through the air exploding into a Huge Great White Shark, enormous Jaws clamping around the hapless man and takes him overboard.
The First Mate seems to know when to fold em as well and withdraws, leaping over the edge. Any that look over see Butchy in the water climbing into the boat Doctor Flint shot down. The bleeding Doctor also rushes the side, glaring the backstabbing passenger makes another slice. the doctor falls bleeding over the edge and into the water.
Akryat the Hobgoblin lets out a hearty chear, echoed by the Orks and Rats that can be heard below deck. Alrght boys and girls, line em all up! Everybody on deck Ya hear?[ he shouts. Turning to the pilot he says, Good call little missy, manning the helm like a good little girl. Glad I didn't hafta gut ya
Desula
The remaining Drow drop their weapons and the Tattooed human crewman all get in a line. You too Halfbreed the wolf-snouted woman snarles at as she rubs her temple from the spell he hit her with. the other pirates all reach for fallen weapons, properly arming themselves
Pyre
Well what's it gonna be Lizard man? Akryat asks, walking up to you. Yer Clearly not for the Drow and Nanna Sati agreed that we wouldn't kill anyone that laid down arms, but you still got yours, makin me not so certain what your angle is huh?
Below Deck with Goandi and Victor
That sounded like Cody cheering and Akryat's givin' out orders. Good for us, bad for the Drow. So what's it gonna be at this point boys? Tavis Fink asks. Best we all be getting up on deck and fall inta line.
Thoyoitu
what are you and the Tengu going to do at this point as te fight seems over, and the Hobgoblin is calling everybody to line up?
victor sighs as heads top decks
he fiddles with the small vial as he does.
better to blow out than fade away
he thinks to himself. He pauses, looking for a structural flaw that might sink the boat if damaged, victor keeps his distance from everyone else
victor grumbles
he relents and heads top deck, worried about his future
Thoyoitu arms his Tengu, telling them to try to look like they can fight, and leads them up deck. He points at the guy calling everyone up with his dagger, "You! What the hell are you yelling about? Because, see here, I don't answer to you, or anybody else at this point. I freed you and your people, so pay me some respect, got that? Now, on to business. See, no one else needs to die today, and far too many have already given their lives because of my mercy. So, it goes down like this: We lock up any crewmen that resist, take this ship of ours to our destination, then send them on their merry way. Because I've got a vision, you hear? A vision of a glorious new realm free of raiding, pirates, and slavers. And I'm under the assumption that you're able fighters, but you're not great a great leader. Let me lead you. Lead you to freedom, wealth, glory. The world is there for the taking, if you've got the sense to follow me. So, what do you say? No one else dies today."
|
As the curse fades from his face, and he has his voice again he steps up.
Listen to the bird, for he is legend. This humble Tengu is THE TENGUIN!. A prince among his kind that up from the ashes to save his men from tragedy, and become a legendary among his people. These are but the humble retinue that follows close and in their wake a sea of people follow his lead. Heed his call for mercy and let no one else die today!
Goes to Thoyoitu and whispers, Please don't get us killed.
Pyre looks the goblin over, "Well Goblin man, my angles are my own and I am a passenger on this ship. Should something attack me I will defend myself but I wont take part in a internal struggle on this ship. I'm traveling home and plan on keeping my weapon with me for the duration of my travel. I owe you no ill will for I honestly have no idea what is going on. Clearly you and the former captain had issues and you won. I remain indefferent to the whole affair."