Shootin' the cap'n.
Patch caught hold of the woman in the water and began towing her with remarkable swiftness out from between the two ships. "You're all right now," he soothed her as he swam. "I'll bring you on board our ship."
Round 7 Init 3
HP = 14/18
AC = 15
Weapon Equipped = Heavy Crossbow
Spells Left
1 5(5/day) Protection from Evil, Cure Light Wounds (DC 15), Detect Undead, Obscuring Mist
0 (at will) Purify Food and Drink (DC 14), Create Water, Light, Detect Magic, Guidance
Channel Positive Energy = 5
Status = None
Daniel aims and fires at the slaver captain.
The shots from both Hoga and Daniel find their mark and the captain falls down dead to the deck. The remaining pirates the were on deck appear at a loss for what to do with the loss of their captain and sorcerer first mate. A few start throwing down their weapons in surrender, two cut loose the long boat so that it drops in the water and clearly intend to try to escape in it.
Patch, you swim up to the woman with no trouble and tow her back towards your ship where you find a rope ladder that Jens has lowered down for you two. Also, when you get a chance to actually look at the young woman, you notice a resemblance to Lucianna.
Hoga will look to the captain for orders. He's decided to go along to get along, and won't waste arrows if the captain wants the pirates captured, instead.
Captain Ragnar bellows out: "Round up those cowards up for questioning and let's find out what has been going on around here."
Aye, aye, cap'n!
Hoga will join the others in doing just that.
Patch thanked Jens once they were aboard, then took the soaked woman to Luciana and the other girls. "I'll try and find you something to dry off with," he promised, but stuck around long enough to see Luciana's reunion with her kin.
Returning with a towel/cloth for the wet woman, Patch asked her why the pirates had targeted her town.
Patch escorts the soaked and shivering young woman below deck and as soon as they enter the hold that is now the women's quarters, Lucianna calls out, "Serephina!" and runs up to her, giving her a hug. Teeth still chattering from the cold, Serephina stutters out, "Luci?" quite obviously surprised to see the younger woman.
Lucianna then proceeds to give the short version of what happened to her and how she was rescued and came to be aboard your ship. When you offer her a towel, she turns to you and wraps her arms around you in a hug. "Thank you. Not just for saving me from drowning, but for helping to rescue my little sister."
In response to your question, "I heard the captain and sorcerer discussing how they were collecting on a debt that was overdue and that we were being collected as a kind of late fee."
The rest of you manage to round up the remaining pirates without much trouble.
Since the other ship is set up as a slaver ship, complete with a hold outfitted with plenty of manacles, you have no trouble locking up the remaining pirates aboard their own ship. After securing them, you turn your attention to the bodies of the captain and the sorcerer. Searching them you find upon the captain: a masterwork longsword, a regular dagger, and a ring (it shows up with detect magic as minor). On the body of the sorcerer you find: a ring and a pendant (both show up with detect magic as minor). He did have a dagger on him, but the young woman that was his hostage took it earlier when you fellows dropped him.
The former hostage still on the ship hesitantly asks you all if she can board your ship and check on her friend.
Captain Ragnar orders that the pirate ships anchors be lowered so that the ship doesn't drift off and prepare to sail closer into the harbor for a better view of what happened.
Daniel will stop his crossbow and examine the magical items while the others cover the pirates.
"Let us see what we have here."
All this rescuing pays less than piracy. But I guess it's basically the same. I mean we still get to steal everything from the other ship.
Lunthawg ignores the other hostage's questions and searches through the pirate ship's holds as quickly as he can to get an idea of what might be there before returning to his own ship.
Oooh, maybe there's still stuff left on the burning ships.
Patch grinned, pleased to be playing the hero in front of all the women. Leaving the sisters to talk under Signe's watchful eye, he went up to tell the others of what Serephina had told him, leaving puddles where he walked.
Seeing the last hostage on the pirate ship, Patch waved for her to come over to the Sea Dragon. "Who might you be, then, and can you tell us anything about this raid that we should know?"
Given that long dresses make hopping between ships a bit difficult, the young woman will require a bit of help getting onto the Sea Dragon. Once you get her over, she'll respond; "My name is Daria and it was a raid. What more is there to tell? Those bastards tossed balls of fire at several building, sending the whole town into a panic before coming ashore and taking everything that wasn't nailed down. When I tried to stop one from stealing from my parents store, they stole me too! Someone just grabbed me right from behind, tossed me over his should like a sack of grain and then just threw me into a boat. I'm going to have bruises all over from that."
Daria is clearly more angry than upset, you have a feeling that if she had any training she would have been out there swinging a sword. She may be 19 or 20 years of age with a typical pale Chelaxian complexion and long dark hair. The quality of her clothing suggests her parents are either wealthy merchants or nobles.
Patch shrugged. It didn't sound like Daria would help them unravel the mystery of the debt owed the pirates. "I guess you'll be wantin' to check on your friend. Follow me," he said, leading her down to where the other women were.
Then he returned to the deck to see what the others had to say about what he'd heard.
"Once they get those fires out we should investigate. Some of these ladies will want to make sure their families are ok and I have no doubt the authorities will want to talk to the prisoners we have taken."
Patch looked a little ill at the mention of going to the authorities, but didn't protest, instead waiting to see what the others would say.
Another debtor. Seems like every pirate on the sea owes somebody.
As the day wears on, the girls will come above deck with all of you and watch as all the fires are eventually put out. Lucianna is clearly distraught at seeing what's happened to her town while she was away and Serephina attempts to comfort her even though she herself is still rather distraught after learning of her brother's fate from Lucianna.
Ragnar doesn't want to risk taking his ship into the harbor for fear of running into sunken ships, so he will suggest that you all use the longboat if you wish to investigate the town.
Yay, longboat. But boo that the fires are gone.
With that Lunthawg will climb into the longboat.
In. Hoga prepares to head ashore in the longboat, too.
Daniel will carefully unload his crossbow before slinging it over his back and climbing into the longboat.
"Let us locate the authorities and let them know we have captured or killed those responsible for this."
Deron nods and climbs into the longboat.
Daria, Serephina and Lucianna all insist on going with you and unless you resort to physically stop them, they get on the longboat.
Patch goes along as well, rowing them expertly through the wreckage.
Given the amount of wreckage floating around the docks and not knowing how close to the surface any sunken ships are, Patch decided to head the longboat to a stretch of beach a short distance from the ransacked town.
Dragging the longboat far enough on the beach to ensure that it doesn't get dragged back out with the tide, your group head up the shore to the town. As you approach the edge of the wall of the town, you are approached by two men in soot-stained and bloody studded leather armor. "Come no closer and state your business quickly or leave!"
Hoga will let his more charming companions do the talking.
"Be at peace, we mean no harm. We are returning kidnapped women and have captured the raiders responsible for this attack."
The men visibly relax at Daniel's words and lower their weapons. "We thank you for saving them and for defeating the pirates. I'm sure it will do folks here good to see them swinging in the breeze, though personally, I'd like to just lock them up in their own ship and set it afire. Well, come along with us and we'll escort you all to the town guard barracks. It's made of mostly of stone so it didn't burn like most of the other buildings."
The two guardsmen then lead the way into the town and to the barracks. Along the way you see the remains of the pirates handiwork. Smoldering and charred buildings with crying families standing outside of them, bodies of townsfolk and the occasional pirate just laying in the street. Everyone you see appears either injured or at least soot stained. It appears that the pirates attempted to cause the maximum amount of damage and injury that they could without any regard to gender or age.
Soon you find yourselves standing outside the barracks and one of your escorts darts off inside and returns in just a minute with the commander of the town guard. He looks over your group, including the rescued women. "I'm told we have to you to thank for capturing the devils that attacked us and set fire to our town. My name is Janos Daro and I'm in charge of the town guard. I'd be more than happy to take the pirates off your hands and deal with them properly."
"It is a pleasure to meet you Captain Daro. This fine crew were instrumental in the capture of the dogs that attacked your fine town. Although we were going to set them on fire and let Gozreh deal with them, cooler heads prevailed and we brought them here for you to dispense justice unto them."
And collect a reward of course.
We have a girl who belongs here. Can we verify this?
Janos nods, "I know Miss Daria and I will have my men escort her to the church. It's where we've been gathering all the civillians for protection and to assess the wounded. The other two lasses look familiar, though I can't recall their names. Your father is the Lord of that estate just northeast of town, correct?" Lucianna and Serephina nod yes at his question. "I'm sorry that I can't spare anyone just yet to escort you there, but I need my men to make sure the town is secure first and apparently I have some prisoners to take custody of. I believe some longboats escaped the fire, I'll have some men row out and fetch them here. They will be executed of course, though it will take some time to rebuild the gallows. I will go to the church after arranging to have the longboats sent out and speak to the Mayor. You lot surely deserve something for your help, but it will be up to him to decide what."
"We appreciate that Captain. While you are securing the other civilians we will escort Lucianna and Serephina to their house. They are no doubt eager to ensure the safety of their relations and as you have no men to spare we will take on this small duty before returning to assist you further."
Let's be going, then. Lead the way, ladies!
Hoga bows, waving his hat around like a right proper gentleman.
Looking a bit relieved at having escaped a meeting with the law unscathed, Patch became more his cocky self. He even offered the women an arm, which was probably the height of his conception of mannerly behavior.
I bet we'll get a huge reward for saving the girls. Riches, here I come!
Deron quietly accompanies the others. He seems quite uninterested in the fate of the women.
You are going to pay us for the pirates you're taking from us, right?
Lunthawg will walk with the group regardless of the response, seeming clearly focused on payment for goods and services rather than caring about the condition of the town, though he seems content to wait for them to fix things up.
Janos nods to you, "You are certainly welcome to escort the young ladies to the Montaevia Estate. I'm sure they can point the way there for you. By the time you return back I'm sure I'll have arranged something with the Mayor for you, plus you may get to watch some hangings. It's the only proper way to deal with pirates and lowlife scum."
Serephina takes the arm that Patch offers and with Lucianna following close behind, leads the group down the mainstreet and out of the town, passing out a different gate than the one you entered. This one lead out into the forest rather than down the beach. The dirt road is wide enough for a wagon to easily travel down and is well-packed.
After a couple hours of travel, Serephina leads you onto a smaller road that branches off the main road and explains that this road lead directly to her family's estate. After about another 30 minutes of walking the forest thins out enough that you can see a very large manor house sitting behind a tall stone wall. The road leads right up to a shut and locked wrought-iron gate and you can see four house guardsmen standing nearby it on the other side.
Serephina walks right up the gate, still holding onto Patch's arm. "Guards, open up this gate at once. We need to see my father immediately." The guardsmen clearly recognize her and were begining to move towards the gate to open it before she even finished speaking. "Of course Miss Serephina and if I may ask a question, should we still be prepared for any attack? We could see the smoke from the village and one of the cook's boys who was there on an errand came running back with tales of pirates. Your lord father had us bar the gate and keep watch for any potential attackers."
I hope there's some kind of reward involved...
"The attackers have been captured, you have nothing to fear from them. I would suggest you stay alert for any stray looters or others that wish to take advantage of the chaos caused by this scum, but that is your lord's decision of course."
Patch did his best impression of non-pirate-scum, thinking uncomfortably of what Janon had said about their fate.
The guards hold open the gate for your group and will bar it shut it again after you have all entered. The guardsman speaks again; "I believe your father is still in his private study my ladies. Do you wish an escort to him?"
Serephina replies; "No, Luci and I know our way and we are hardly in any danger." Serephina leads with Patch still and Lucianna follows closely behind. You cross the small courtyard with it's ornamental garden and fountain and enter through a large double door into the main part of the mansion. Ignoring the stares the servants are giving all of you, the girls continue leading you up the stairs, down a hallway and into what is obviously a study. Seated at a desk, looking over some ledgers is an older gentleman whom you assume to be Lord Montaevia.
Looking up at all of you with a great deal of surprise, he rises up, crying out; "Lucianna, Serephina!" and rushes over to embrace them both. Following yet another reunion and explanation of their captures and rescues, Lord Montaevia turns to you group, expressing his gratitude for rescuing his daughters and offers to reward your group. He also offers to throw a feast in your honor this very evening if you have the time for it.
I think I can clear my schedule, Hoga whispers to the others.
"A feast would be most welcome sir, we have been out at sea many days and it would please us greatly to partake of your celebration. We are most happy to be the agents of happiness in a world too often beset by sorrow."
Finally, civilization.
Patch bowed, his damp shirt sticking to his skin. "Twas an honor to be of service, as our mate here says. We wouldn't dream of taking the pleasure of hosting a feast from you. Why, I may even play a bit of music if the occasion arises," he offered brightly.
Finally, a reward!
While Lord Montaevia take his daughters to go see their mother and siblings, a servant he summoned will escort your group to a suite of rooms for you all to clean up before the feast. The servant, a boy of about 15, introduces himself as Cass and asks if any of you require a change of clothes or something anything to drink.
After about an hour, you hear a knock on the door to the suite and Serephina's voice asking if you all are decent for a female visitor. Whenever you announce that you are (or when you answer the door), Serephina enters followed by two boys (about 10 and 12 years old) whom she introduces as her younger brothers, Marcus and Denos. "I hope you guys don't mind, but they wanted to go ahead and meet all of you. Apparently sailing around and fighting pirates is a very exciting life to young boys. Mother isn't letting Lucianna out of her sight yet, so I thought my little brothers and I would give you a little tour around while the dinner preparations are going on."
Serephina will give a tour around the main parts of the house and the nearby grounds, stable and the orchard. During the tour her little brothers ask a number of questions about how exciting your lives are and how many pirates you've killed and if you've fought any giant sea monsters.
She will end the tour back at the house and take you all into the main dining hall, escorting you all to the table set in the middle of the room. Seated at it already are Lord Montaevia, his wife and Lucianna. There are seats for all of you as well as Serephina and the two boys. After being seated you are offered your choice of refreshment and as your drinks are being poured, two serving boys bring a large platter containing a whole roasted pig up to the table. Other dishes follow shortly and you are encouraged to help yourselves to whatever you like.
Daniel graciously accepts the change of clothes and cleans himself up as best he can. He gladly accompienies the boys on the tour but refrains from telling too many stories himself.
"Tell me Serephina, does the attack yesterday seem strange to you?"
I can understand marauders, and wanting revenge, but to capture two women from the same family? I think the fire was a coverup.
Having quenched his thirst with a good supply of ale, Patch was only too willing to tell tall tales about life at sea, proudly showing off his Eye of Abendego hand tattoo and "sahuagin-bone" birdpipes to the young boys. He keeps an ear out for Serephina's answer, though.
At the feast, Patch didn't need to be told twice - he dug into the food with gusto, as though he hadn't eaten in months.