Mortimer claps his hands loudly at the speech, but refrains from cheering at all. As they get invited he walks in and introduces himself, then says "That was a magnificent speech Vice Admiral, very inspiring"
All previous fun-and-games attitude that Erasmus has disappears when the Vice Admiral boards. Erasmus beams near the end of the speech, but his sense of professionalism keeps him from whooping like the rest.
Exactly. How are we supposed to react to the enslavement of the people of the world? People are being held against their will and bought and sold, and we're supposed to respect that? Let it slide? No, we need to fix this. The crimes of the slave-cultures have gone on long enough.
Ingvar stops and listens thoughtfully at the Vice Admiral's words nodding occasionally at the speech but soon was lost in the string of complex words for the most part he understood. "Down with Slavers".
"Well brother looks like he is the man we were waiting on. Check." Ingvar says casually as he stands moving a piece before he goes.
The Vice Admiral snorts at Mortimer's praise. "Indeed."
Dropping the pork ribs he had been eating, Vice-Admiral Trintan wipes his hand on a cloth napkin and gestures for you all to take your seats.
Before you is a modest spread of excellent food: pork ribs braised in a peppercorn sauce, mashed yams with hot peppers, a roasted chicken, and buttered broccoli.
"Please eat", says the Vice Admiral, "and tell me what you are capable of."
Mortimer raises an eyebrow at the Vice Admirals dismissal A man in power that doesn't fall prey to flattery, I like that. Mortimer gets a few bites of food on his plate and begins eating, making it clear he wants the others to start. When everybody else if finished, he sits back and starts explaining. "I do not know how familiar you are with the arcane, so do stop me if I'm over or under explaining anything. I am a wizard, as opposed to a sorcerer, so I have a wider range of magic at my disposal, although I do need to prepare which ones I intend to cast every day. I am also what we refer to as an Admixture Evoker. That means I manipulate magic on a raw and primal level. Some like to call us destruction mages" he takes a moment to sip his drink, letting the words sink in and any questions be asked "As far as my personal spells, I have a wide range of offensive spells for almost any situation. Some of the more potent ones are creating a shower of diamond projectiles or making a mans bones shatter" he doesn't boast this or try to intimidate anybody; it's simply a stated fact "And of course I have a few utility spells as well, such as short range teleportation, brief flying, minor illusions, creating light, and rendering people invisible"
Erasmus nods approvingly at the wizard's words.
In short I'm a sword fighter. I move quickly and cut viciously. I'm also a servicible sneak and breaker of locks - skills from pranks at the fencer's academy.
Mortimer sips his drink again, then adds "I also fluently speak fourteen languages. Most people don't have need of that, but it sometimes comes up"
Harkwyn grunts and curses beneath his breath ay his brothers move the listens to the Vice Admirals words with genuine interest. "Finally a man who looks like he can fight as well as he spits out speeches!" he growls to himself before rising to his feet, pounding his armored fist on his chest as the mans speech concludes.
He follows the others, namely his brother, the wizard and the young swordsman, into the captains quarters to meet with the vice admiral in private. His stomach growls loudly at the spread out he maintains his soldiers' composure respectfully. He waits until the long winded wizard and cocky man have said their piece before he plants his feet solidly and bows his head in respect to the officer before taking his seat, chair creaking underneath his tremendously heavy armored frame.
"Harkwyn of the Stonecast and this be my brother. We served a full term already fighting against the Thelkonese slavers and we both be skilled warriors. Ye nay want for two stronger arms, sharper blades nor stouter fighters than we."
Ingvar grins at his brothers prowess at words and chimes in "Sir to put it bluntly, I break things, he kills them m'lord." He chuckles and salutes evenly before leaning the massive hammer against the side of the room and sits beside his brother.
A single nod is the only response to each spout of accomplishment.
"I do hope, for your sake, that you do not overstate yourselves. Indeed, for I am making you the Eagle's fist. You four will be the vanguard of our boarding parties. Your job will be to remove captains and officers from play as it were. Do your job well, and I will give you an opportunity to bathe in glory. What say you?"
Erasmus gives an appropriate military salute.
I hope to do you proud, Vice Admiral, sir!
Harkwyn growls in affirmation and nods to the vice admiral eagerly tapping his heavily notched belt. "aye that sounds dam good to me sir, especially that bit about glory. Just point me axe at them and I'll remove their sodding heads."
Mortimer again notes the mans complete inability to be swain This might actually be a man I come to respect Mortimer nods, dropping the noble edge on his demeanor "Strike and shock team. Very good"
"Good. Now that is settled, you must have questions. I will not promise to answer them, but you may ask."
Vice-Admiral, sir! Are we to attempt to hide our identities as Amerysian soldiers, or is this going to be a fully-public sort of military engagement, with waving flags and cries of 'for the Freeland' sir?
"I have a few. What are our rules and restraints for engagement? Are we trying to keep the area intact, or is area destruction allowed? Do we give quarter if asked, or parley?"
"We will engage with banners flying, sailor. I want this slaver scum to know who's after them." He gives a dangerous smile.
"Prudent question, wizard. It will depend on the situation, but our primary concern if the safety and freedom of as many slaves as possible. That said, basting a whole in the enemy ship is likely too risky." He flashes the dangerous smile again. "At least until the slaves are safely away..."
Harkwyn chuckles darkly, cracking his knuckles loudly. "I be liking the sound of this more and more every minute Admiral sah" He winks at his brother and pats his axe lovingly. "Kill all slavers, free all slaves. But especially that first bit..."
He takes to the food then with glee, enjoying his new position as a Vanguard against slavers even more now. He had been slightly hesitant at first, especially with their first term of service already behind them, but with the Vice Admiral giving them leave to finally put the axe down on the filthy slavers, he was all too eager to set out then and there.
Mortimer grins "Well I'll avoid fire for a bit then" he takes out a small notepad and writes something down, then puts it away "Well as of now that is everything I have to ask"
Erasmus nods and smiles in return. Understood, sir. He has a drink and eats enough to not be rude, and awaits dismissal.
|
The Vice Admiral takes his leave and retires to his prive quarters, explaining that you are all free to finish your meal and take your leisure for the rest of the night.
____________________
Sometime after 2nd bell on first watch, A call rings out for all hands to quarters.
Upone reaching the deck, the Vice Admiral can be heard shouting a heading to the helmsman. As the ships swings to her new course, you see a Thelkonese longship fleeing for the shoals of a craggy island, somewhere the heavy draft of Freedom's Eagle could not follow.
Vice Admiral Trintan shouts to his vanguard.
"Prepare! When get close enough, get over there and give 'em hell!"
Harkwyn looks over the railing at the longship at growls deep inside of his throat, tapping his meaty palm against the head of his axe in anticipation before he does the rest of his wargear and draws out his axe and shield before standing at the ready next to the officer. "ready admiral!" he barks out in fine military fashion
Mortimer leafs and puts down the book he was reading, then grabs his pack and winds up Biel, heading up to the deck.
Upon surveying the situation, Mortimer nods in response to the Admiral, then says "It appears they're heading for those shoals. If you want I could cripple their sails"
"Do it, wizard! Then get you and the men over there!"
Mortimer takes a moment to think about the situation and his spells "Consider it done Vice Admiral. Choose two men to go with me, it's all I can bring" Mortimer waits a moment, then takes out a small black ball covered in sulfur. His eyes begin glowing red, and he hurls the ball towards the enemy ship, shouting "Iegnas!" Instead of only going the distance of a normal throw, the ball condenses to a small bead and flies as if fired from a cannon. There's a short pause, then a roaring fireball explodes on their sails
Harkwyn steps forwards aggressively and clashes his axe on his shield. "Send me in admiral ill make those sorry sons of whores sorry they ever touched a slavers whip!
Ingvar stares out over the water gripping the war-hammer tightly. "Aye sir send me with me brother I'll cripple the vessel even more and let another boarding party catch up." Ingvar glances up at the other younger man. " No offense lad."
"Two will not do. Use this!"
From a sleeve at his belt, the Vice Admiral draws a fine piece of treated vellum and tosses it down to Mortimer.
"Take Erasmus too! Now go!"
Mortimer scans it quickly, then nods "Very well sir" he turns to the others "One drop of blood from each of you. Then get ready. The spell works quickly" Once everybody has given the blood and is prepared to fight, Mortimer nods "See you on the other side Vice Admiral. Trake eis tierda!" And a dimensional door opens up, instantly landing them on the end of the boat
Erasmus draws a dagger, pricks his finger with it grinning madly.
I suppose you'll have to have me with you anyway.
He draws his cutlass and readies himself to board.
|
|
With a windy rush, and a hallow pop, Mortimer and his three charges vanish and materialize on the Thelkonese craft.
The ship is 30 feet wide at its middle and tapers to a mere 5 feet wide at bow and stern. Maybe 80 feet long, it holds more than one might imagine.
Instantly the group is spotted and are set upon by the boarding pike wielding crew.
They charge across the open deck with surprising speed and attack with superior reach.
Mortimer breaths sharply as he gets a nasty bruise on his arm "Push them back and hold fast, I will send Biel if anything happens!" And with that he leaps off the back of the boat, only to appear a moment later as he flies above the battle
"Just like a mage to jump just when the gettin is good!" Harkwyn roars before
hacking at the two men in front of him once with his axe on the one that struck him and bashing the other hard with his shield.
waraxe
shield bash
Ingvar grunts in pain and before roaring angrily stepping back behind his brother to bring his hammer around in a viscous sideways blow.
Vital Power
If hit
Mortimer glances down at the trio, then looks at the man on the opposite end of the boat. He takes out a small, broken finger bone, and raising it up cries "Jiekra Dien!"
Erasmus will unleash a full attack on the man in P-4.
|
|
Harkyn badly bloodies one of the sailors, and before he can escape, Ingvar steps in and shatters the sailor's skull with his hammer.
The captain braces himself as he locks eyes with the wizard.
The captain feels bone strain and splinter, but he does not break. The effort of resisting leaves him looking a bit haggard. With a roar of defiance he shakes of the fatigue and draws a slender length of ash banded in runed brass.
His rage palpable now, he raises the wand at the wizard.
Mortimer feels his flight spell fail, and he falls!
The sailors, emboldened by their captain's decisive strike against the wizard, shift their positions and attack.
The Stonecast brothers sweep aside their attacker's blades with contemptuous ease, but Erasmus is not so lucky. He is pinked by two polearms.
Mortimer frowns as he looks at the wand I don't believe he's a caster himself, that was a good attempt but it lacked the power necessary
Mortimer turns his head sideways, saying with an amused grin "Oh not bad. Let's see if you can keep this up. Jiekra Dien!" and waves the bone again