Mortimer gazes silently at the Admiral for a moment "I am going to suggest to you a very old and tried war method. Put yourself in your enemies position. You are being attacked by what appears to be a single ship with powerful transmutation magic helping its offense. If you vastly outnumber the single vessel, what would you do to bring it down?"
"Academic. I would attempt to swarm the vessle. However, if I do my job right, and you lot do yours. Every ship in the harbor will be disabled and every captain fighting or dead. There will be no order and therefore, no resistance."
"Also, when you question my leadership or ability, I prefer you do it with some gall. I do not approve of tip toeing in any form, Wizard."
The Vice-Admiral is serious. He is clearly displeased to be questioned in this way, but you can tell that he has respect for those who would question him.
Mortimer cocks an eyebrow "Next time I shall be blunt. Forgive my good manners"
The Vice-Admiral nods sharply. "Good. Now, all of you get out. I need to sleep. We should arrive in 2 days with good wind."
Erasmus salutes and retires.
Mortimer inclines his head and leaves, having a mental conversation with Biel on his way out No flattery needed here. He won't take s*#! in any way shape or form. Well I suppose I could try that, just being blunt. Since he is also a caster I probably won't confuse him either
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Freedom's Eagle slices through the water, her unerring course bringing her ever closer to her destination. As the sun reaches the zenith on the third day, a sailor in the top sails cries out, "Land! Land! Land!"
An island slowly takes shape on the horizon and the Vice-Admiral halts the ship well out of sight from shore.
He gathers his crew and explains their orders quickly and seconds later, the whole ship is alive in motion.
Trintan beckons his fist.
"This is Port Ardus. It is a free isle and so our attack will not start a war with any nation. That being said, some of these men and women are among the most prominent business people in the world. Their demise will be felt and revenge will be sought. That is the hope anyway." He smiles. "We cannot hope to be truly free until the world knows the freedom we have made. These gathered will apose that freedom. Harden your hearts men and do not fear. You do good work today."
"My intelligence speaks of underwater caves on the west side of the island that come up under the keep. This will be your entrance." He produces a scrap of parchment with arcan symbols, latitudes, longitudes, and mathematical equations. "Mortimer, study this carefully for you will direct the teleportation of this team. Make your way into the keep and destroy life and property. Do all you can to cripple this evil trade. Fight your way to the beach, and when you're done, use this to return to the ship."
Trintan hands Mortimer a bronze ring set with a brown stone. He then leads you below decks to a secret closet wherein an arcane circle is drawn on the ground. It glows a light purple.
"Any questions?"
A yellow flag raises in Mortimer's head The high powered dimension door, and now teleportation. He is certainly a more powerful caster than I. Mortimer takes the parchment and nods, looking over it. He takes a moment to understand the magic of the bronze ring, followed by the purple circle. "I'm impressed by this, but now's not the time to discuss arcane matters. Is there anybody of note, names or physical descriptions, that we should specifically target, be wary of, or avoid? How powerful are there casters if they have any? And should you be overrun, what is our contingency plan?" As Mortimer speaks he casts mage armor on himself.
"I know only who might be present, and I doubt you'd get names from them. The best thing to do would be to take a captive or two as soon as possible and press them for all they know, then eliminate them."
"If Targ the Twice Taken is present, he cannot be allowed to escape."
Trintan lays a hand on Mortimer's shoulder. "I know you worry about the strength of my position. That ring has three charges. Coming to the ship will require little to no effort, but with some skill, you can direct youselves elsewhere if needs be. I know you will do your best whatever the situation."
Mortimer takes in what he said, then nods with conviction "Yes sir" He looks at the others "I am ready whenever you are" He begins double checking his verbal and somatic components.
Ingvar bangs his fist onto his brothers armor making sure it settles before nodding to Mortimer. "Aye. We be ready. "
Erasmus grins, cracks his neck to each side, does a few jumping excercises, and nods to the admiral! suddenly regaining his composure.
We are ready at your word, sir.
Comfortable that he understands the magic, Mortimer looks up to the others, then reaches in his haversack and pulls out a few wands "I'm going to give you all some defensive magic against evil. It only lasts a few minutes, but it might serve useful" He takes a moment to cast protection from evil on each party member. "Well let us head out than, no reason to delay" He stands in the middle of the circle, making sure everybody is placed correctly, then waits for the Admirals nod before casting the spell. He tells everybody to hold hands, then instead of the normal complex pattern of hand movements and words he simply begins chanting, eyes closed as he focuses on their target location. The world around them melts away, shifting pigments and changing into other shapes at the same time the temperature, lighting, smells, and sounds around them change.
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Time and space collapses inward on the four companions. For a split second, all four literally feel the weight of existence on their shoulders. The feeling passes as quickly as it came, thankfully, and now you find yourselves standing ankle deep in yellow sea-foam in a dank cavern barely touched by the sun.
The sound of crashing waves is near and jarringly loud. The rock on which you stand is pitted by the incessant waves that beat against them. The Stonecasts spot what could be a passage not 40 paces from your position.
The tide is an hour away, and this cave will be underwater until it subsides. 5 hours or so.
Mortimer mumbles Idurni and his cane starts glowing with about as much light as a torch. He looks around, satisfied they landed where they were supposed to.
Erasmus blinks, shakes his head and looks unsettled.
Everyone ready? I say we ought to get this plan moving.
Ingvar casts about holding his hammer at the ready. "We should have someone of light foot ahead and the others behind a ways back."
Erasmus nods and moves ahead, quietly.
Ingvar casts about holding his hammer at the ready. "We should have someone of light foot ahead and the others behind a ways back."
Of course, I'll need a light. Could you maybe make this coin glow?
Erasmus will move to the edge of the passage and stand to the side of the opening, holding the coin so that the light shines toward the ground so he can see where he is walking without sending it down the passage. If nothing happens, he'll tentatively aim the light through his fingers to scan the area from about forty yards into the passage back to the entrance where he is.
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Erasamus heads down the passage ahead of the others. For his caution, Erasmus is rewarded with leaping shadows that toy with his mind as his light source struggles against his closed fist.
Before going 80 yards, the swashbuckler sees a weather beaten ladder ascend into the darkness above. Suddenly the soft clink of chain and the low rattle of bristling spines fill Erasmus' ears.
Erasmus holds up his hand, trusting the brothers to see it, pulls out a dagger holding the coin in his left hand, and focuses on the sound, trying to determine it's origin.
Mortimer's eyes narrow at the sound. He inclines his head to Biel, who flies forward to Erasmus's shoulder
Biel lands on Erasmus, whispering in his ear "Should you need to tell them anything too complex for hand signals, just tell me"
Perception
Ingvar frowns peering up ahead his hands tightening on the haft of the hammer.
Savory? Is it referring to me? Two options, hide or fight. I don't like this darkness, but if it's already seen me, then hiding won't work especially if it can see down here like the brothers.
Erasmus relaxes his shoulders and swings the dagger to his right, letting the light of he coin shine outward, not hiding it like before.
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Erasmus' dagger strikes a shadowy face in the darkness with a sound like a stick rubbed over a washboard. The spines surrounding the serpentine creature's neck shielded the worst of the blow.
A stinger-tipped tail lashes out and pricks the swashbuckler in the calf and a viscous liquid runs down his leg. A quick check reveals that none of it entered the wound. Quite luckily, that brief duck to look at his injured leg carries Erasmus out of the path as pointed teeth snap the air where his face had moments before been.
Biel spreads his wings and flies down to harry the creature, nipping at it
Mortimer takes out a small bit of brimstone coated in iron, holding it between two fingers "Ignes muerta!" A globe of fire flickers into existence and rolls towards the creature.
Ingvar and his brother hurry along after the wizard their eyes drawn upahead where the voice seems to be coming from.
Mortimer runs up then shakes his head "Just back off, it's chained to the wall!"
Erasmus barks Roger that. and will moves out of range.
Ingvar hurries up in time to see the beast. "Well that do be an ugly beast. Want me to walk up and smash it down for ye? " He asks the wizard hefting his hammer.
"Perhaps in a moment" Mortimer looks at the creature "Were you the one who spoke a moment ago?"
Mortimer keeps his arms folded and nods with a stern gaze "I thought so. What are you guarding?"