No this looks to be the map to Cyrus Wolfe's legendary lost treasure. According to the stories, this is is guarded by something that the captain called from Hell, and every ship that has pulled into that cove to look for it has never been heard from again.
So we may not want to take the full crew, as this might be really dangerous.
"Nice. But first things first. Would you use your charm on some of the crew to find out what they wanted here? It is a bit much to believe in coincidence that after years of nothing we make a visit to the Rock and within a week they too." Besmara tells.
"I'll take a look if I find that on the maps." She grabs Isabella at her bikini top and drags her into the captains cabin.
"WE could be just puttin' her body in a barrel of brine to keep it preserved."
Estelle chews over not taking a few crew members but realizes it is best to do these missions with just the regulars.
"So we be leavin' now?"
Besmara takes a closer look at the sorceress' body and decides to drop it on the floor. Having it on the table would be more comfortable, but smearing the maps with blood is not.
Trying to remember where she saw that cove leads to nothing.
But systematically searching through the maps reveals the position.
"Yesss!" she says and marks the position and starts calculation a course from The Rock.
We could just skin the map off and tan it a little. Maybe a bit o magic to keep it from stinken.
Lito looks over the few crew left from the Thresher. And then with the help of the crew rounds them up and drags two of them to the into different storage rooms in the Rock.
Then he interrogated each individual seperatly saying:
You men cost me a number of guards and crew members, I'm the only thing standing between you and a shallow grave right now. Cooperate and answer my questions and maybe things will turn out well for you, but if you don't, well I assume the sailors and guards will both want their pound of flesh.
Why did your crew choose to attack us here and now. And don't tell me you were just following orders.
When did your captain get her tattoos ?
Why should I go through the effort of convincing the crew to let you live. What special skills will you bring me
And finally what was your captain looking here?
And don't even think of lying, if your and your companions stories don't match, I will probably leave you both to the guards to make you a plaything.
What else can you tell me about this greeen toothy guy?
Lito leaves the prisoners in their cells and heads back to gather the officers and his wife. Once they are gathered he relays what he found.
So it sounds like the sharkmen are not only behind the multiple assaults on the rock as well as the the guardian and of Captain Wolfe's treasure.
So I think we have two decisions before us,first what do we do with the captured crew? Do we restock the stones guards,, expand the town around here or add them two the crew?
Second, who do we send to take our vengeance on the Sahaguin and capture the treasure for us all.
Besmara scratches her head. Make pirates to land lubbers? And do we subcontract our pirating? with all the question marks over her face she looks a bit goofy.
"I be thinkin' it is all connected, we get to the island we be findin' green toothy guy and a treasure. Might even be savin' this ol' island a swell." Estelle is ready to head out to seek some vengeance.
Seeing the confused look on the Captains face Lito says:
Captain, thinking of only one ship is too small. If we really want to make it big we need to run a whole fleet. It would be best if each ship could operate independently, in small groups or as one huge hammer of a fleet.
That means having a place of strength to meet up, repair, plan our attacks and sell goods.
The Rock is a good start, but having more services here would be a good next step. Some place to squib ships, let the sailors blow off steam, and having some extra watchable that can swap out on shore leave would allow us to take longer voyages and not run the crews into the ground with constant battles.
The crews left here could also use the second ship to nab whatever plump prizes go by as well as assist in the defense of the rock. it would allow us to be working at two places at once.
People obviously have figured out where we are based out of, let's turn that to good use and give them a place for pirates to gather so we have a ready group to restock the crew if we take losses or gain more ships.
So get workmen here to make houses? More people like cooks,wenches and others?
"Great idea that is to extend our base. But as Noonan tells we would need to get some artisans from a bigger town. But to do squibbing? Don't you think the place is a bit too well known for that?"
"But for now we have no housing to start this, aye?" Besmara comments.
We should get Agasta involved in this discussion as she would have to be heavily involved in all this, but if we are just looking at housing and raiding from here, we do now have a second floating pirate ship. We could leave the majority of the crew here to raid and live on the Kracken, while a smaller strike group of us tackles the Sahaguin threat with the second ship.
"I would appreciate to get more people here. There might even grow something like a social life here." Agasta comments.
Noonan scratches
A social life, lots of excitement and plenty of money. We lightly tax, drinks, brothals, gambling dens the market and fighting pits. That gives the crews a place to relax and enjoy themselves. The taxes go to cover the cost of guards and town improvements.
We should probably start with a tavern and a few houses for builders and whoever grows or catches the food. Once we have a stable base, we can start advertising it and attracting customers. But this is more your domain Dear, do you want to work to think up some plans while we tackle the Sahaguin threat? Lito asks his wife.
"Me mum was a wench at a tavern, but if ye call her a wench ye will be eating yer teeth. She can be runnin' a tavern that we get up and runnin." Estelle smiles at Lito
If you do that, then I wouldn't be able to get more food for Captain Pluck. Surely you wouldn't want to anger the great Captin Pluck'!. Lito says with a big grin at the bird.
*SQWAK!* Make you walk the plank chicken-legs.
"Get some carpenters and a shipload of wood. We'll plan what we put into the buildings until you get that." Agasta replies.
"Ye heard her, lets go shoppin' fer this ol' island o' yers there Lito." Estelle goes back to the ship to check on Flipps and the other crew.
So head back to Port Peirl or Deal with the sharkmen first?
Or do we split up and send most of the crew to gather supplies while we tackle the sharks?
"I'd say we go with all men and all ships after the sharkmen and settle that once and for all. They are a pest." Besmara tells. "We can go shopping afterwards."
Make shark soup. Turnabout is fair play.
Besmara orders to reef the sails and to anchor outside the archipelago. "We're entering their home turf now. How are we going to approach?"
Noonan scratches head. How we fight underwater?
The spacing is strange in that verse... I wonder if it is intentional.
"What do ye mean? How do we be assualtin' the island if there be only one way on ta it from here?" Estelle picks up a shield.
"Well, we could just sail in there. That would be the obvious solution. Or we land on the outside and go over land. Or we fly? At least pluck could do that. Maybe out resident mage can cook something up." Besmara replies.
On hearing him being talked about Chay looks up from where he is busy copying the new spells from the scroll into his spell book.
Captain I can't make any of you fly yet. I'm working on that, but the pattern for doing that still escapes me. But I could stop you if you fall, so if you wanted to try climbing the cliffs I could help there.
Or, If you give me a bit of warning, I could also make up to four people swim very quickly or be able to breath under water for a few minutes. The spell I'm thinking of creates a bubble of air, so I could put one on your gun and let you shoot that underwater.
I don't suggest we just sail in there. The stories say, a number of ships have been lost doing just that.
"We could also put the necklace to the test and I could try scout for us."
"If you think you can make it out safe again that would be worth a try." Besmara replies. "The more we know the better. Can you make him invisible?" she asks Chay.
Well yes.... but I don't think underwater it would work the way you want. I think he would be a big person shaped hole in the water.
"A hole is harder to see than I am." Trytton says shrugging
"Aye true" Estelle paces around the deck with the waiting.
Pluck ponders about making his move and assuming control when most of the two-legs are gone.
"Ok. That's a plan. Get Trytton set up and then we'll see how we proceed once he is back. How long will it take you until we shall assume, you're lost?" Besmara asks.
"Well how long does the invisibility last? I would like to be back before then."
It should last about 4 minutes or until you attack. So you can't lollygag in there.
"Let's go then." Trytton says as he indicates for Chay to cast the spell
The group heads up on deck and when everyone is all let he twists his ring and casts invisibility on Trytton.
We got any more water breathing magic?
If we wait until tomorrow, I can do that, but today I only have one spell to make you swim faster memorized.
If they are going to be asking for all kinds of strange magic, I need to start leaving a slot open so I can change up quickly...
The crew hears a splash as Trytton dives off the side of the boat. He focuses on his swimming, and soon the motion of the tail becomes natural to him.