"One... " she pauses to listen to the man, "Crew draw your swords." she provides instruction to her men, and plan to have a nice talking to them later about sitting with open mouthed hesitation in the face of battle. Then turns back to the talking one "I don't care, if you have a weapon when I reach zero, you die..." she pauses for one more second and then fires at the nearest one who is not quickly trying to get rid of everything. She figures a gun blast is enough of a sign to her people to get to fighting.
"I'll belay the killing order for a moment and give you lot time to think. And while you do my men will keep their Loaded crossbows trained on you." then she will wait patiently until they have surrender or her people are ready with readied actions of their own, then she'll shoot any enemy who is still armed.
Saph looks at the Captain. Her eyes are cold and murderous. Her form becomes that of a changeling hag. She then turns her twisted gaze to the man who deserves death most.
“Those who want to live will throw down their arms, now. We will take no slaves and kill none who surrender. Except you. You die no matter what. You, and any other guard who has betrayed his crew—because no matter how low I’ve sunk, a traitor is worse than whatever monster I’ve become.”
Saph gives the helmsman a look.
If she has to spell it out for him, she will. Or maybe her words to the guard just now were enough to convince the helmsman that the traitorous guard will die, and it is in the helmsman’s best interest to be unarmed and out of the way. He might want to tell the people he cares about to do the same, and let the guards pay for their treachery.
Does she really need to say all that? Or would it be good enough to say, “You would save a lot of lives if people knew that the Night Talon is especially harsh on those who reverse a surrender, and it’s to our benefit that those who do surrender live to tell the tale.”
While the Talon's crossbowmen reload, the guards on the other ship move over to the top of the ladder to the hold, keeping their crossbows at the ready while they move. "Listen... we're still tryin' to surrender the cargo... we just need to know you ain't gonna chain us all up or sink us once we do..."
"I give you my word, but that means naught to you. Oh, but the day will be pleasant for us either way, gentleman. Of that I assure you. Yours only goes rosy One way." the raven-haired captain says before looking across her quickly reloading crew, counting off in her head as one by one they get ready and aim. "Any second now..." slight irritation creeps in her voice as she waits, telling herself reloading drills will now become a daily event.
"Guys, don't let stubbornness turn fatal. There ain't no profit in killing you." Aersten stands ready as he addresses the other ship's guards, if the Captain gives the order he'll be ready to get into it.
Hedy lets the tension hang for another second, only the sounds of waves and the ambient ones of the ships in general (oh and one singing dwarf)... and then she fires on the nearest crossbowman (or woman).
Aerin steps up to where she can see those on the other ship, all her pirate instinct tells her to go over to the other ship and show no mercy. However this is not her father's ship and she is not in charge here so she patiently waits until there is a clear signal to either attack or stand down. In the meantime she readies a spell as she moves closer to the edge of the ship.
Once Gentleman Jim takes the wheel Murillo moseys over to lean on the rail while Hedy finishes her conversation with the enemy crew, making sure he's not too close to the captain.
Losing the Captain and the first mate in the same volley would be a real shame. At least these idiots speak common, though.
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The stillness on the decks as the officers and crossbowmen of both ships stare each other down seems to drag on for days. Suddenly everything crashes into slow motion as the hammer of Hedy's pistol starts forward. A dozen bolts start sliding forward down the length of the merchant-guards' crossbows, all aimed at the captain. Ten more jump to life on the crossbows of the Talon's raiders. Icy mist gathers around Aerin's hands as Aersten lurches forward towards the ship's rail. A second report echoes after Hedy's pistol as Azadi squeezes off a shot as well.
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The captain's bullet sails between two of the guards and sinks into the spokesman's chest, lighting him on fire, and suddenly time swings the other direction and in the blink of an eye: Azadi's bullet hits the helmsman in the neck and sends him dropping behind the sterncastle wall; a dozen bolts whiz past Hedy, several coming too close for comfort but none actually hitting; ten more bolts collide with the group of guards, two sticking into each of the front three men; a cone of ice and snow blasts across the other deck, leaving frost on nine of the guards and killing both one of the men wounded by bolts and the flaming spokesman. In the midst of the chaos, Aersten leaps from the Night Talon but misjudges the distance and slams his belly against the merchant ship's rail; fortunately, he's able to catch himself there.
Saph lets out a yell and leaps at the nearest guardsman—and she will only target men. Watching the sailing master die horribly was a harsh reminder of the woman Saph refused to become, even as a slave. She sure as hell won’t kill anyone other than the twelve guards. Maybe if she breaks a man gruesomely enough, the rest will throw down, and all of this insanity can end!
As soon as her other foot touches the deck, she lifts off again, rising fist first!
She follows through, her uppercut striking with both fist and elbow!
Then—if the enemy has fallen—Saph lands on his face, and stomps hard!
Paddy uses a hanging rope left purposefully to be used in boarding. He grabs the rope and swings over.
"Yo ho
All togedder
Hoist de colas high
Heave ho
Tieves an beggars
Neva shall we die!"
Moments after the initial barrage Murillo vaults over the railing onto the other ship, drawing his rapier and closing with the group of self-proclaimed mercenaries.
"I'm glad you pox-addled morons passed on the offer," he shouts with genuine cheer. He fuels his next words with his faith. "Been too long since she's let me do my Queen's butchery. I'm going to feed you your own livers before giving what's left to the sharks!"
Much to their alarm, the guards quickly discover that the crossbows were the least of their concerns. Saph lands on the merchant ship and kills the two men within her reach in flurry of blows that culminates with stomping both of their heads open against the deck like ripe melons. The sailors, who had been cautious touching the hilts of their daggers quickly move their hands away at the sight of the blood and brains splattered across the deadly woman's blue legs.
Murillo follows that display up with a gleeful expression of his anticipation of some (further) butchery and the faces whiten with fear as fire rolls across the guards. For four of them, the flames burn out quickly, but for the other four they spread and ignite their clothing.
One of the sailors up in the rigging pulls out his dagger and drops it clattering to the deck below. "I chose surrender and trust your word, Captain!" he shouts over the din of combat. The other visible sailors all follow suit. Up in the sterncastle, Murillo can see the helmsman carefully drinking a potion while lying on the deck in a pool of his own blood.
Paddy charges forward and cuts down one of the smouldering guards.
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The seven remaining guards drop their crossbows and draw their cutlasses. Three frantically smack at the flames still burning them--two successfully extinguishing them--as the other four advance and begin slashing at the pirates. Miraculously, all four hit: three slicing into the master of arms , and one cutting open Murillo's arm .
"Saph!" Ronnie shouts as blood drips down her lover's side. Breaking away from where the other raiders are either working to place the gangplank or waiting to cross it, she runs to the side of the Night Talon and tries to leap the gap.
Unfortunately, in her haste she catches her foot on the Talon's rail and tumbles ass over arms into the water below.
Six of her fellow raiders swing the gangplank into position, and ten more begin moving as quickly as they dare across it.
As bolt fly, guns go off, ice streaks through the air, blood, screams, CHOAS! Hedy laughs with pure joy, before vaulting over to the other ship with such grace, dropping and rolling up to her feet.
"I'm good to my word, my good man!" she yells with a wink at the sailor who threw down his dagger. "Slavers deserve worse than death. Fools though, just deserve death. Everyone in between can go on their merry way." her pistol is out pointing at one of the men dumb enough to be fighting her crew and then BOOM.
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Seeing Ronnie go over the side and seeing that Hedy seems to have things on the other ship under control Aerin moves to the side of the ship, grabbing a rope as she does so. "Grab the rope and tie it around you!", she cries out to the lady in the water as she tosses one end of it as close to Ronnie as she can. Once Ronnie has it even a little secured Aerin attempts to pull her up.
Move Action: To the ship's rail.
Standard Action: Throw the rope.
Free Action: Calling to Ronnie.
Swinging himself over the railings, Aersten vaults onto the deck of the enemy ship. Landing solidly, he regains his grip on the pike, and drives it into one of the guards.
"Quitters get mercy. 'Heroes' get steel."
Piercing
Hedy gracefully leaps to the other ship and guns down the guard that's still on fire. Aerin throws down a rope vaguely in the general area of Ronnie splashed into the water. And, Aersten hauls himself over the rail and finishes off another guard.
Paddy waddles over to Saph and gives her a good smack on the back. "Well, dis be a fine keddle o' fish! Keep it comin' bawbag."
When Saph inevitably charges off, Paddy takes a slightly more serious tone as he looks at the brains and bloody under his feet. "Dat's gee-in me de boak, I tells ye."
"Neva shall we die...."
Saph basks in the glow of Paddy’s healing, then shouts furiously at the remaining guards, “Throw down or die! Except for those of you who struck me. I will kill you. Take me down first if you can!”
She does all in her power to make sure they can’t!
She summons her ki to speed her flurry!
If any of her foes fall, they are viciously stomped.
She’s grateful to Aerin for throwing a rope to Ronnie, but even more grateful Ronnie fell. To see me like this…!
"I'll not die before you and your lot are chum!" he growls in judgment of the man who slashed him, thrusting his rapier to return the favor. In support of his claim, the inquisitor's wound begins to close.
"Paddy! Secure the helm!" he shouts to the chanting dwarf.
"Dere ain't no 'elm, First Mate! Our ballistae turns it to matchwood!" Paddy yells back over the battle.
Murillo runs through the last of the men his spell had lit on fire, dropping him to the deck. Meanwhile, Saph's gorestorm continues as she drops three more guards and bursts open each of their skulls.
The final guard, truly horrified by the monk's brutality, desperately slashes at her once more in the hopes of killing her before she does him.
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He extracts some small revenge in the form of a deep slash across her belly, then promptly falls when Aersten drive his pike into him.
Hedy looks about, seeing the remaining crossbowman gutted and bashed, just as she draws her rapier. She narrows her eyes at the other sailors, thinking but then shrugs and sheathes it again. "Relieve the others of their daggers, and gather then om the deck. No one else has to die today. Saph, grab a group, and keep watch the sailors. Murillo and Paddy grab the Helmsman and a few of our men and have him show you the rest of the ship especially the cargo. Aersten and Aerin check out the captain's quarters. Crow! Keep an eye out for other ships." Hedy starts giving orders now that the battle is over, in a hurry to secure the goods as quick as can be.
"Cap'n, d'ye care fer de ship 'erself? Be werf as much, may'aps more'n de cargo." Paddy asks
Aersten pulls his pike out of the man he'd almost pinned to the deck. Looking around he sees the men who are left have had a sudden attack of common sense. He turns to Sapphire. "I'll be quicker on 'em next time, sorry."
"Aersten and Aerin check out the captain's quarters."
Aersten nods sharply. "Aye." Before they head to the captain's quarters, he looks the man over briefly, specifically checking for keys or anything of that sort.
Whether he finds any or not, as he and Aerin enter the captain’s quarters, he asks the sorceress, "Can you do any..." He makes the magic gesture with his hands, "..that’s good for finding stuff we care about?"
Sapphire has obviously lost her s#~*. “It’s… fine,” she replies. The feeling of brains dripping down her leg disturb her. Hedy’s order seems to snap her into reality. Her gloves signal her students into position, each has a sailor to watch and an order not to senselessly kill.
She turns to a sailor. “Next time you hire guards, you will likely tell them what happened. I hope you will tell them why. They betrayed you. If they believed they were risking it all to save the people they were hired to protect, I would’ve knocked them out. But when they were ready to surrender to sell you out…
“I found that objectionable.”
Saph is confident the crew won’t start a third round. She goes to the rail to check on Ronnie. If Ronnie’s still in the water, Saph joins her!
Most of the sailors have already thrown their daggers down on the deck, but those few who hadn't yet promptly do so when Hedy commands the Talon's raiders to disarm and gather everyone. The helmsman rises shakily to his feet and removes his belt, allowing it and the rapier it holds to fall to the deck before he moves to stand with the gathering sailors. None of the Talon's crew spot any obvious captain and when Aersten moves to check the door to the captain's quarters, he finds it barred.
Saph moves to the side of the ship to check on Ronnie and finds her climbing up over the rail onto the deck. The soaked woman gives an embarrassed smile and then looks with concern at the deep cut across the blue woman's abdomen. "Are you okay?" she asks. "You should wait for everyone else instead of rushing in like... you're too easy to hit to charge into a crowd..."
None of the Talon's crew spot any obvious captain and when Aersten moves to check the door to the captain's quarters, he finds it barred.
Already a little annoyed, Aersten turns back to the crew of the captured vessel. Scowling, he asks them, "In the name of our newfound sense of cooperation, who's gonna tell me what in the Nine Hells is going on here? Your Cap'n barricade himself in his cabin before the fight?"
Aersten starts examining the door, see where an axe might have to get at it to chop through (i.e. can he go at the area where the hinges would be, or some such).
"He was in his cabin going over some charts," the helmsman answers Aersten, "I'm not sure when he locked it..."
"Oh, for... Captain! Yer opposite number seems to have turtled up."
Aersten raps hard on the door with the hammer end of his boarding axe. "Hey, you in there! You come out real peaceful-like and there won't be no more trouble, but if we have to come in after ya it won't be so good!"
Aersten gives the man a moment's opportunity to respond, but if he doesn't (promptly!) hear the right response, he'll start hacking through the door.
"Going in after him, Cap'n."
"And here I was thinkin someone got a lucky shot off and gunned down the bastard early." she shakes her head, in mock sadness. "Saph, keep a keen eye on those there, to make sure no one gets new stupidity now their fearless leader will be joining them." she takes a moment to reload her pistol and then nods to Aersten to bring it down.
Aersten starts chopping away at the door, while muttering to himself, "Now watch this, he's gonna come burstin' out like, nine feet tall, mountains of muscle, six arms, and horns..."
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When asked if she’s alright, Saph says, “I’ll be fine. Physically.”
Hedy’s order prevents Saph from saying more to her lover. She watches the sailors. She doesn’t think anything needs to be said.
Unless of course any of the sailors talk amongst themselves in a foreign language, thinking no one understands them. Then she’ll say something in that language. No threat will be uttered… just seeing what she just did and knowing she’s fluent in several languages should suffice.
Not sure what to expect when the door opens she stands watching Aersten and the door, looking over his shoulder and ready to cast a spell in case someone comes out eager to fight. She has her fingers splayed and anyone who knows magic recognizes she has Magic Missile ready.
Magic Missile:
Murillo singles out the helmsman. "Before you give me the grand tour: Is there another way into - and out of - your Captain's quarters?"