Determining that it would be unwise to simply take the Captain on to Sargava, his original destination, you tack around to the north and make for Port Peril. A few days after you took the Kurstav, however, you encounter another ship at sea...
"A ship thar," shouts the lookout. "She looks to be a Sargavan fisherman. I can't make out her name just yet, but get me a bit closer and I can." Ten minutes later as you close the distance, "aye, she's a keelboat sir, the Elten Baide by the paint on her prow. She's got nets out and bringing on some fish now."
With Sandara on the other ship, the question becomes "what will you do?"
"Well, who's hungry?"
Ethron points to the flag bearer. "Signal the Kurstav. Tell them ship spotted, we're going in for a frontal assault. Have them flank at the next cardinal direction."
Alessandra looks scornful. "A fisherman?! So we're what, stealing anything now, is that it?"
The half-orc teenager looks sulky. She was hoping for a more challenging target - as far as she's concerned shooting fisherman is akin to shooting fish in a barrel.
The half-orc teenager looks sulky. She was hoping for a more challenging target - as far as she's concerned shooting fisherman is akin to shooting fish in a barrel.
We must save the fisherman from being attacked by net fish! Chaeanath says gripping the railing of the Chimera Who knows what they could do once they board!
The Kurstav signals her ascent to the orders, and you can see Captain Quinn as she directs her ship. Sails raise, the rudder turns, and she switches onto a new heading to head in for the kill against the slow moving fishermen.
Several volleys of shot and arrows having leapt out from your two ships to rake the deck of the unfortunate fishing ship.
As your ships close in and crash together on either side of your prey, you see the blood from man and fish alike strewn about the deck, unsure where one ends and the next begins.
The few remaining crew above decks seem in no shape to resist your boarding action, and you find the captains mangled body pinned to the deck by a ballista bolt fired by the Kurstav.
Your men begin cheering, as they work to steal the boots and fillings from the dead and the dying.
"That felt a little too easy...Hey! Boots are fine, but leave the fillings alone!" Ethron shudders a little at the sight of the captain's body. "Ok, that's a little unsettling."
Ethron looks for the man he assumes is in charge now that the captain is dead. "Oh wait, fishing vessel. No first mate." Well that was a bust.
"Greetings. I am Ethron, Inquisitor of Cayden Caylin and medic aboard the Chimera. We come seeking fresh hands for our crew. Who's willing?"
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Chaenath looks at Ethron a bit oddly. Yes, it was a fishership. You didn't know? She looks at the terrified fishermen and tries to put them at ease Sorry. We thought you were.. being attacked by fish pirates?
An elderly fisherman with some apparently severe wounds struggles to his feet and points to a boy of no more than 12 summers, "he'd be the Captain now, what with his father being dead. You won't find any likely pirates aboard this boat, mostly old men and boys fishing to feed our families. Take what you will, we've fewer mouths to feed now, but more widows at home."
A quick count finds three of the twelve crew aboard were killed during your barrage. Only two of the sailors came through uninjured.
"Ohhh....now I feel bad."
Turning to his companions, Ethron speaks to his closer compatriots in private.
"We should do something for them. Maybe give them some food or money or something?"
Alessandra doesn't have a conscience: on the streets where she grew up, that's a luxury that'll get you killed. Still, as she surveys the mess, she feels... something. She's not sure what, but it's more than just the disappointment of not having had a challenging fight.
"Let's not do this again. Hitting people who don't fight back isn't as fun."
That's as close as she is likely to get to an admission of guilt.
So really, what's the plan here guys? Gank the survivors and take their stuff? Help the survivors back to port? Take their food and water and leave them to rot?
The only thing this ship has onboard is roughly 50gp of caught fish, which is now a bit bloody, but still edible.
+1 for 'leave and never speak of this again'
Chaenath looks about at the terrified sailors. She casts a Healing Hex on all the injured fishermen and then whispers to the others Maybe give some of our plunder to say ah, sorry?
Alessandra looks scornful. "Witch, puh-lease - word of that gets out, we'll never hear the end of it. A girl has to think of her reputation, you know?"
Witch, puh-lease
Chaenath shrugs. It'd been a passing thought anyway. Swum dashes past her with a tasty looking fish clamped in his mouth and jumps back onto the Chimera. Oh well. Words will have to be enough. Soo-Reee. she follows her thieving Otter back onto their own ship a he starts chittering happily and digging in.
Witch, puh-lease
"We can't just leave them! They're fishermen, and weak ones at that! All we did was make them weaker!" He watches the otter skitter off with a fish, sighing in exasperation. He looks over at Alessandra. "If we bribe them to keep quiet will you be satisfied?"
"I find myself in agreement with Alessandra about giving away our plunder, and I wish to ensure our crew's safety and well being above all others. To that end, I'd have us take enough food for every man to have one good meal, no more, no less."
Take some fish AND pay to keep quiet. Everyone is happy! Chaenath claps her hand. Other than the fishermen we maimed and crippled and killed of course she continues thoughtfully and then raises her hand and shrugs.
Alessandra growls. Humans. No wonder they rule the world when they look out for each other like this. Of course they can just leave them - she offered to recruit them, they said no, work here is DONE as far a she's concerned. No one gave her anything when she was growing up on the-
Ah. That's not true, though, is it? Tor spotted her, became her friend, pulled her up out of the mud. She'd have died years ago if not for that. What would he think to see her now, robbing fishing vessels? She can see that arch raised eyebrow and that drunken grin (she's just realised why she finds Ethron so annoying sometimes).
"Fine. Stupid humans. Do what you have to do to feel better. Argh!" With a scowl, she stomps away. "This conversation is over. In fact, it never happened. Let us never speak of it again."
On to port then?
The Chimera sails into Port Peril uneventfully. You left the Kurstav out at sea because Captain Quinn recommended not taking such a recognizable and unsquibbed ship into port.
In the port, Chaenath confirms the directions to the local office of the Aspis Consortium.
Within Port Peril, you have the usual opportunities to sell plunder, boast and brag about your exploits, etc. Remember that when selling Plunder, we’ll count you as selling 1 less than what you do, and the assumption is that is the crew’s share of the plunder. Port Peril qualifies as a “Metropolis” on the chart from the Plunder rules. Remember, best to get a stack of plunder and sell once, so make your prisoner for plunder exchange before selling your plunder.
Also, if you intend to get the Kurstav squibbed, remember to save cash for that endeavor.
Most anything you want can be bought here, with the usual % of success, so roll those yourselves, and be honest you scurvy dogs!
Questions?
Alessandra's eyes - her whole expression - are a mystery as their ship ploughs its way into the harbour of Port Peril. This is the city she grew up in; until a few short months ago, it was her whole world. And there are very few happy memories. And most of those involve her friend/confidant/teacher Tor, who fell to his death almost two years ago. Shame you didn't stick around, see what I've grown up into, she thinks sadly.
But it is not in her nature to be maudlin, and a moment later she shakes her head, grinning broadly. "Right, let's do this place! Ethron, you go find some recruits, people like you, damned if I know why..." she does her best to glower at him, but her heart's not really in it.
"The rest of you, come on. We're going to sell this lanky streak of %$£%£&^ back to the Aspis crew."
So saying, she grabs her weapons and gear and moves out, ready to face whatever the day wants to throw at her.
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"Aye, ransom this feller first, then have sum shore-time. Fresh meat 'n beer! Ah, me tummy's growlin' already. An' me bags could use sum emptyin', heh heh" Rogar laughs heartily, tapping both his coin purse and his groin.
Later that night, Rogar sits in harborside tavern. In his table he has gathered more or less young men and women who could be swayed by the lure of gold one can make in the open seas.
You take the Aspis Captain to a "ransom broker" in the town. Ransom brokers have the obvious function of providing for safe, confidential, and mostly guaranteed anonymity of both parties in a transaction such as this. Once you have paid the fees, and the ransom is worked out, you end up clearing 1000gp in ransom on the Aspis Captain and a few others that decided they were more loyal to the Consortium and didn't want to work for you. He regularly spits and threatens the eternal hatred of the Consortium on you and your crew for defiling the Consortium!
"An' me bags could use sum emptyin', heh heh" Rogar laughs heartily, tapping both his coin purse and his groin.
Alessandra makes a face "Eeeew. That was not a picture I needed! Fine, if you have to go, take a local girl's advice and use the brothels in that direction. Do NOT, whatever you do, go that way." She points. "Nothing there but pox and violence." It also happens to be where Alessandra grew up, but she stays quiet about that part.
The girl does her bit to take part in the negotiations, but is slightly subdued throughout, and glad when it ends. Once they've concluded their business she slips through the door and vanishes.
Alessandra is barely aware of where her walking feet are taking her as she traces her way through the back streets of Port Peril. Walking without paying attention is incredibly dangerous in this town, but she has enough about her that nobody tries anything. It is only when she gets there that she realises this was her destination all along: this is where Tor fell to his death, nearly 2 years ago - misjudged the jump across the street when they were fleeing pursuit. Nothing she could have done.
Cloak wrapped about her, the half-orc girl leans against the wall, lost in thought. She'd been maybe just a little in love with him, the glamorous older noble youth who never even so much as looked at her that way. She snorts. Why would he, when he had the pick of the town's women? She was just his bodyguard and co-conspirator. Fun time, though...
Hardened killers don't have slow leaks around their eyes; it's bad for the image. With a final sniffle, she pulls herself together and goes in search of things to buy.
"I'll use this as a good moment to swell the ranks, so to speak."