Eleuterio cries out as the shark's teeth finally find flesh. "Away with you!", the paladin cried out, laying a hand over the wound. Holy warmth encompassed him, and the pain of the wound lessened. He grabbed the rope to the Man's Promise again, and tried to climb once again.
"The starboard boat! They are trying to flee!"
Checking to make sure his cudgel is secure, Chum attempts to swing across the gap.
"Drop to the deck, you three! Surrender!"
Chum alerted me to something most disconcerting: several of the enemy were trying to get away on one of the longboats! As that was strictly against orders, I deigned to do something about it.
I withdrew from the sailor who I had been engaging, and went down to the main deck to confront those who would flee the field of battle. I brandished my rapier menacingly. Now see here, gents! Give up forthwith, and you won't be harmed!
The boat is securely fastened, but it will likely take little time for experienced sailors to get the boat free.
Vault! Leu! Quit playin' with the sharks and get yer clangy metal ass up here!"
Seeing the men attempting to escape, I reach in to my pocket once again, and chant, "Nil Non Nodis," before turning my attention back to my opponents on the sterncastle.
At long last, all four of you are on the enemy ship together, as Eleuterio finally manages to scramble aboard the Man's Promise and Chum displays surprising skill as he swings across the gap to land on the opposite deck as well. While it takes all of Eleuterio's energy just to collapse onto the nearby ladder between the main and aft decks, Chum still has the chance to turn his lightning against another one of the Rahadoumi sailors, and sears the man with a full-strength bolt. Artevious moves to confront the men, and although he does put a moment's hesitation into one of the sailors, the others don't seem impressed. On the sterncastle, Evril turns his attention from the foes in front of him to try to delay the men's departure as well - grease suddenly covers both the deck and the boat, causing the sailors to slip and the ropes they are untying to become far harder to grip.
One man falls to the ground, and scared, sizzling and prone as he is, simply surrenders. The other two continue working to try to untie the boat.
Some of the knots give way, but the boat is still fairly firmly tied to the ship.
Elsewhere, on the aft deck, one of the remaining sailors rushes forward to try to stab at the newcomers; although he was first heading toward Chum, he spies Eleuterio as he steps closer, his eyes widen and he hisses, "Priest!" as though it were the vilest curse. He stabs down at the prone paladin with surprising fury.
The paladin is lucky, however - the man's rage seems to deprive him of any accuracy, and he only manages to chip the wood on the nearby railing.
Up on the sterncastle, the two crossbowmen aim their weapons at Evril, although one has to take a step back to avoid exposing himself to the Andoren's rapier. Both weapons twang, almost in unison, as their deadly bolts fly toward him.
One bolt slices his arm, while the other misses only due to the drifting fog obscuring the man's vision for a precious moment.
Chum takes his cudgel and swings at the sailor attacking Reis.
I couldn't believe the cheek of these sailors! They were so keen on leaving the field of battle, two-thirds of them simply ignored me and set about untying the longboat, despite my brandished rapier.
Again, I say stand down! Either turn and face me or surrender, but you may not launch that boat! I instructed, as I stabbed again at the one who wasn't awash in a slippery substance.
One bolt slices his arm...
Gah! Right then. You have my attention.
Evril slashes at Eleuterio's attacker, wounding him badly - although it's not enough to stop him, the blow weakens him enough that Chum can easily finish him off. Artevious' blow against the sailor is enough to distract him from his task, and he turns his attention toward the cavalier. Evril moves across to the crossbowman who shot him, but the man blocks the blow with his crossbow and takes aim once more.
Eleuterio pants and collapses to the deck of the Man's Promise, the shark bite still painfully throbbing. His eyes flick open when he hears the blade bite into the railing, and a man looking down at him with fury. "Stop!", he said quickly. "I am not your enemy!"
As the man pulls his blade free, he raises it again, but his eyes bulge wide. The man drops to the deck a breath and a half after his sword. Behind him, Evril and Chum stand, their weapons red with the man's blood. "Damn it all to hell, you fools!", he cries, standing at last, drawing his own blade. "This is our chance! We ally with the crew, aid them in repelling the boarders, and sail back to civilization! We can be free!" He sees the two rough men harrying Artevious - who he notes is positively beaming at the chaos of battle - and rushes towards them. "Stand down! We are not your foes!"
Standing up and moving to S5, drawing my blade as I go.
Confused, one half-elf looks at the other, "Now they've both gone mad. I'm sure the fellow grovelling on the deck won't agree..."
I could scarcely believe the words coming out of Eleuterio's mouth. While I was elated that the soggy pirate had finally climbed aboard the Man's Promise, his shouting seemed, well, dare I say, rather mutinous.
Mr. Reis, I'm afraid that's how it works, you see. We board their vessel, and thus we become their foes. It's all part of the great drama of being a pirate. Honestly, I'd have thought you understood this, I explained while keeping focus on the sailor who turned and drew steel.
"Stand down! We are not your foes!"
Oh. That was your plan.
Keeping my rapier leveled at the two crossbow-wielding sailors, I reiterate the paladin's offer, Your call, men. Help us throw off our shackles and keep your ship, or drop your weapons and possibly keep your lives. What'll it be?
Chum stares at the Andoran. They're all mad! Would it be too much to ask for them to at least agree in their madness?
Eleuterio rushes toward the sailors trying to flee the vessel, crying out in hopes of finding allies - but his hopes are dashed when both of the men respond just as the previous sailor did, with disgusted cries of "Priest!" One still struggles with the knots, but the man Artevious thought would be his foe turns instead to slash at the paladin offering friendship.
The cut is sloppy and Eleuterio barely needs to even knock the weapon aside, but the other man's work seems to be progressing, with most of the knots undone by now.
Up on the sterncastle, the nearest sailor pulls back from Evril's blade and then both men fire on him again.
Even at this range, though, neither one seems able to effectively hurt the Andoren.
Chum looks back and forth between his allies, madmen all, and decides that the Andoran shouldn't have to take on two at once. He heads across the ship and up the stairs to come up behind the crossbowmen before taking a swing at one of them.
I couldn't quite understand how so many people could be mistaken, on either side. No, he's a pirate! I corrected the wayward sailor who incorrectly labeled my good friend Eleuterio. Is there something in this fog? It's really quite simple, actually. We are taking your vessel, preventing your escape, and woe to any who resists! Honestly, I can't see how this can be any clearer! I chided.
As I spoke, I jabbed at the one attacking Eleuterio.
Up on the sterncastle, the nearest sailor pulls back from Evril's blade and then both men fire on him again.
"That's pretty much what I expected, to be honest. Very well, we'll do it your way."
Apologies, Master Seaborn. Figured I would give these lads a chance. For their own sakes, and that of our oath-bound friend.
The slight half-elf shrugs, "You may all be mad, but at least you're not the ones trying to shoot me or stab me."
Chum continues his impressive slaughter, driving the crossbowman to a bloody and unconscious heap on the deck. Evril's stab at the last crossbowman is less effective, however, as what seemed like a well-aimed thrust goes just barely awry in the swirling fog.
Below on the main deck, Artevious proves his rapier is almost as effective as Chum's club, doing in two strikes what Chum accomplished in one: bleeding badly and unable to stand, the sailor who stabbed at Eleuterio gives up his attempt to flee, hurling aside his blade and collapsing next his already-prone comrade. Only one sailor is still trying to make his escape on the jolly boat.
Eleuterio is shocked at the vitriol behind the two Rahadoumi's attacks, effortlessly parrying the blade that swiftly followed the curse. Confusion openly plays across his face as he struggles to figure out what has occurred. Perhaps they think it a trick, he reasons. A ruse to drop his guard, while my ally strikes from an unseen quarter.
"I swear to you, upon my honor, I am not your foe! Will this assuage your doubts?" He kneels down to the Rahadoumi who fell to Artevious' blade, and closes his eyes for a moment. Warmth flows from the center of Eleuterio's being into the fallen man, and some of his wounds heal. "Please, sir...I beg of you. Stand down." His eyes silently plead with the man struggling at the jolly boat.
Lay on hands on the guy that wants to kill me, and won't be persuaded, even by this kindness. Such is the plight of the paladin!
LOL! Well, that makes me feel a bit better.
The man on the deck actively twists and turns, trying to avoid Eleuterio's touch as though avoiding a plague-carrier. The man screams when the paladin touches him, and although his wounds close slightly, he still scrambles back away from Eleuterio as though in fear of his life. The other sailor looks as though he might draw his own blade and attack as well, but at the last moment turns and scrabbles for the knots once more.
Okay. Now I was extremely perplexed by the actions of Mr. Reis. I had reduced one more of our foes to a quivering mass, yet he insisted on adding insult to injury by using some kind of magics against him. However, his words were exactly the opposite of any sort of menacing piratical talk. It seemed like he was almost pleading with him.
I had no time to puzzle out this predicament, however, since the other sailor was about to undo the final ropes to the jolly, in direct contravention of my orders. Thusly, I struck out at him again with my bloodied rapier. Huzzah!
The boat comes free, dropping down to the water below. With a look over his shoulder, the man glares daggers at Eleuterio, but turns away again and prepares to jump into the vessel.
Up on the sterncastle, the remaining crossbowman - caught between Chum and Evril - drops his weapon and draws his sword, stabbing toward the druid and his magic club.
The sailors continue to demonstrate their keen grasp of swordplay, however, and Chum just watches the stab go past.
For a moment, the fog clears, and up on the foredeck, you can all see Sandara and Crimson Cog fighting back to back, several fallen sailors around them and four more falling away, bleeding from several wounds. Cogward fights with a severe, intense expression, while Sandara is grinning like a madwoman as her rapier flashes in the morning sunlight. Then the fog closes again, leaving you with your foes.
... stabbing toward the druid and his magic club.
I will handle this persistent gentleman, Master Seaborn, I venture, while stepping next to the druid and preparing to cut off any attempt by our foe to follow him. See to the jolly, if you would.
I couldn't believe this fellow was going to get away! I couldn't let him. Not while I had something to say about it.
I grabbed ahold of the swarthy gent and tried to keep him from jumping overboard. No! You! Don't!
Chum salutes the Andoran and hustles toward the other two and the jolly. "Well, if he gets into the boat, we'll be hard-pressed to stop him - unless one of us is with him!"
Without another thought, the druid climbs into the jolly, brandishing his club to give the would-be escapee second thoughts.
Evril's cut manages to take a small slice from the sailor's arm but little else. As Chum moves to block the escape route in the jolly, the sailor on the sterncastle turns toward Evril with bloody resignation. Down on the main deck, though, Artevious tosses aside his rapier and manages to tackle the fleeing sailor, holding him firmly.
The paladin leaps into the fray with Artevious and the opposing sailor. "Even if my life be forfeit, even if the man I try to save would let me die were he in my place, if even one man escapes and finds salvation from it, then it is worth the cost!" He struggles in the fray, attempting to dislodge Artevious' hold on the sailor.
Not sure how you want to handle this, but a grapple check's probably the start.
Eleuterio tries to tear Artevious away from the sailor, and with the paladin's help, the man gets loose. Wasting no time, the sailor leaps into the jolly - only to confront an armed Chum staring back at him. Desperately, the sailor fumbles for his short sword, finally pulling it free and pointing it at the druid.
Up on the sterncastle, Evril and his opponent continue to exchange blows, cutting and parrying with great fervor.
Thus far, however, Evril maintains the upper hand against his foe.
On the main deck, just behind where Eleuterio and Artevious stand, the door to the captain's quarters bursts open, and Captain Harrigan steps out. He is covered in gore, and holds what looks like a human heart in his left hand while he flourishes the short sword in his right.
Eleuterio hears the captain's door open, and spins to confront this new threat. His scowl deepens as he sees Harrigan before him, gore-drenched, his hand bloodied from the organ he carries. "Monster," he intones. "What have you done?"
The slight half-elf brandishes his club, shaking his head. "You should have stood down. Or tried to swim."
Thus far, however, Evril maintains the upper hand against his foe.
"Now look," I confess. "I'm going to tell you something you probably don't want to hear. That man over there, the one with the beating heart in his hand? I'd lay even odds he's about to command us to throw the crew of this ship overboard to the sharks, dead ..." I lunge at the man, hoping to bring this to a quick end.
"... or not. In all honesty, it would probably be faster if you went ahead and threw yourself overboard."
It appeared to me that Eleuterio had gone mad, tackling me and allowing my foe to escape. While the sailor disappeared over the railing, I turned to him rather incensed, but I heard him cry out what have I done. Well, certainly, I was about to tell him exactly what I was doing and to then give him an ear full of what he was doing.
My words died on my tongue as I realized that Eleuterio was not addressing me, but Captain Harrigan, who had just appeared wielding a grisly trophy. Suddenly I remembered my impressions of Harrigan as a villainous character straight from the pages of my mother's novels, and there he was, in the flesh, looking every bit the black-hearted devil.
I saw the outrage on Mr. Reis's face, and something told me he was inclined to act upon it. In response, I drew my pistol.
Harrigan laughs, exactly as if Eleuterio had just given him a compliment, and turns to dive into the fog-shrouded fray once more.
For a moment, Eleuterio looks as though he was about to bound off into the mist after the bloody Captain, but a shout from the Rahadoumi behind him makes him reconsider. He sees Chum struggling to hold off the pirate from escaping, and he is torn on what to do. Does he help the innocent man escape, at the cost of Chum's life? Does he aid Chum, though he slaughter a man attempting to flee for his life? Does he do nothing?
He instantly discards that final thought, choosing instead to leap towards the fray. "No more bloodshed," he bellows, lashing his blade out towards the Rahadoumi. The strike is not meant for the man, but the blade he carries.
Attempt to disarm the sailor.