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Angling his head back toward Atia, "I'm going after the officer." Joran then strides over to him, and raises his greatsword up high before bringing it down hard.
"I DID offer you a chance to surrender. Why do you want the blade instead?" Terry sounds honestly confused, before he tries to put the pointy end into the man he's already injured. "Enough of you have died already. Seriously."
This time he misjudges, though, as he reaches up to attack, and the blade catches loose cloth from the pants leg instead of flesh.
Seadreamer moves up beside Terry.
Need a hand mate?
He then attempts to take the legs of the sailor in front of him.
BAB, STR, Bless, PA
Low bad
2 Hand, PA
Then at the other sailors
You should just give up now and you might be spared.
:⁂: "Well, don't ask me. I have no idea."
Lanni walks farther down the ship towards the cabins. He finds an Elven woman there glaring at him. "Uh... Are you the one that Corporal Smiley wanted me to ... Oh hey, you have a Harrow Deck. That's so cool. Can you do a reading for me?" He bounces on his toes for a second. Then looks around at the ship again. "Well, maybe later." :⁂: "Healing. Right. Dingbat said that you need healing."
Cass had pulled the bolt free of her shoulder, and had just finished drawing a card with one of her healing spells to use upon herself when the odd little gnome walked over. Still, the wound was only partly healed and could use some attention.
She looked at Lanni and smiled faintly, in spite of the battle raging around them. "Corporol Smiley?" she asked, bemused. "And who might you be?" His mention of Dingbat led her to glance up, and she saw Scourge approaching closely behind a one-eyed fellow whose hands were up in a surrendering fashion. They would be here in a moment. "Be careful, little friend. 'Dingbat' is very dangerous and might not take well to being called such," she warned quietly before the others arrived. It didn't sound like a threat to Lanni, rather, it seemed a genuine warning. He realized the woman was, on some level, frightened of the man who'd sent him over here.
Scourge arrived, following behind Mateo. "What are you waiting for, fix her!" He looked to Mateo. "You, wise move. Just sit here out of the way until the fighting's done. If anyone threatens her, you keep her safe. And if you even think about harming a hair on her head, I'll find a worse fate than keelhauling for you, and I'll cut your toes off and feed them to you before I get around to it. Understand me?" With that, he hurried off to fall in with the the big man, presumably the Wormwood's captain, who was heading towards the deck of the other ship.
Cass looked to the two new men, waiting to see the sort of people they were.
Meanwhile, aboard the Promise, Des was doing her part to try and help, calling upon Desna to grant Terry sure strikes against their foes, and making sure he didn't remain alone. Sandara stood with her back to Des's, keeping an eye out for anyone coming for the other direction. Terry misses a strike against the sailor who persists in fighting him. The fellow scoffs as Dreamer cuts down his friend beside him.
"Right. I've heard of the Wormwood. And I've heard of your captain's reputation. None of us are making it to day's end alive, so I plan on taking some of you bastards with me." He swings a blade at Terry in a downward chop, but it misses badly.
On the other stairs, a giant, terrifying dire rat suddenly assaults the ankles of the officer, missing the man with its attempted bite but startling him all the same. Perhaps more startling was the huge man with a greatsword running his way as Joran closed the distance to him. The blade came down inches to the side of the dodging officer and took a bite out of the wood of the railing by the steps.
The officer and the man beside him exchanged crossbows for melee weapons. The officer attacked the rat at his feet while the other fellow tried to kill the big pirate and defend them both, and the man uo on the aft deck fired another bolt at Joran.
Another bolt flew towards Joran, this one slicing through his side as it grazes him. A couple inches to the right and it would have sunk into vital organs, but as is, he barely registers it. The officer manages to skewer Atia's rat badly, but it still clings to life by a thread, ready to attack again.
Captain Harrigan strides onto the deck of the Man's Promise, Plugg at his side. Harrigan and Plugg rush towards the Promise's captain's cabin.
Atia, Dreamer, and Terry notice a sailor from the Promise sneaking up behind Harrigan, blade at the ready, moments away from striking at the captain...
Scourge arrived, "What are you waiting for, fix her!"
"Sorry, sorry." Lanni takes a second to look at the butterfly pendant and read the inscription at the bottom. "With the power of Desna, be restored."
Lanni watches Scourge leave. Then turns back to Cass. "How about Sir Stompsy, then?
"I am generally known as 'that crazy gnome', but if you want to be boring you can call me Lanni. So what's your name, and what is Sir Stompsy's deal with you? He seems a bit overprotective. If he didn't want you hurt, why would you even be on the deck of the ship during an attack in the first place?"
As much as I don't want this
Seadreamer calls the warning out as he slices sideways with his axe to clear the top of the steps.
BAB, STR, Bless, PA
Low Bad
2H PA
If the slice brings the sailor in front of Terry down, he will move to get the crossbowman in melee.
If it doesn't Dreamer will try to shift to get around behind the sailor.
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Atia moves near Joran still, trying to pick a spot that is not inconvenient for the large man and his powerful swings.
"Try again before you go, little friend," Atia says to the rat, frowning. It hadn't been much help, but hopefully that would change...
Atia then fires off a Magic Missile at the officer.
She allows herself a small moment of satisfaction and then takes a second to glance around the battlefield. She takes note of the sailor sneaking up behind Harrigan and is trying to decide, in that split second, if she wants to warn Harrigan...but 'Dreamer takes care of it, so she just points at the Sneaky Sailor as a way of "assisting" the effort.
As a bolt manages to slice him along the side, Joran simply looks down at the wound before returning his focus to the officer. Catching sight of Harrigan coming aboard, "You'd better surrender or you're all going to die," the barbarian warns, bringing his sword back around and down towards the officer's shoulder...
...and practically cleaving him in two! Cringing a little, "Damn. I did warn you though."
Once things seemed to go more in their favor, the oracle felt more comfortable using her spells.
What wasn't comfortable was seeing Harrigan again. Her bright eyes would give him a hard stare. One that made her oblivious to whatever may have been coming his way. Not like she was going to help him either way.
Her focus was on the sailor. Her fingers curled at the direction of her target, and their weapon would begin to burn to the touch.
"I am generally known as 'that crazy gnome', but if you want to be boring you can call me Lanni. So what's your name, and what is Sir Stompsy's deal with you? He seems a bit overprotective. If he didn't want you hurt, why would you even be on the deck of the ship during an attack in the first place?"
"Call me Cass." She wasn't sure about telling this new potential friend details that might find their way to the wrong ears, so she kept the rest of her answer vague. "He has an unhealthy obsession with me, the kind that can become dangerous quickly. He does not know I don't return the feeling, and I'd like it kept that way, or someone is likely to be hurt."
Harrigan, hearing Dreamer's warning, spins around and rams his blade through the would-be-ambusher's chest, the man sliding off the bloody sword to die on the deck. Harrigan looks over at Dreamer and nods in recognition, before he and Plugg break into the captain's cabin, out of sight.
Dreamer's axe takes the sailor engaged with Terry in the thigh, and the man screams in pain but remains standing.
Atia's rat bites the officer, successfully this time, and Atia's missiles thunk into the man's chest forcefully.
Des attempts to make the officer drop his sword, heating the metal red hot within seconds. Given the man is engaged with the rat and Joran, he growls with the pain but maintains his grip on the blade, hand blistering.
"He has an unhealthy obsession with me, the kind that can become dangerous quickly. He does not know I don't return the feeling, and I'd like it kept that way, or someone is likely to be hurt."
Lanni looks back over at Scourge thoughtfully. "Interesting." :⁂: "Of course I'm not going to tell him. That would take all the fun out of it."
He looks over at Mateo. "I'm sort-of sorry about getting us captured. But it looked like it was either captured or killed. And I can't do anything for your injuries now. I'm out of spell power."
"Well, you've chosen a hard end. I was hoping to work with you, but I'm not going to the sharks . . .."
And Terry sticks the body on the deck instead of either sailor. "You can still surrender."
Seeing the plight of the man fighting off Dreamer and Terry, the man still up on the sterncastle fires his crossbow at Dreamer...but his shot goes wide.
The man fighting Terry hears his words, and looks down at the wound in his leg. Harrigan's reputation was terrifying, but so was the prospect of dying in the next few seconds. "Fine. Fine." He tosses his blade down. "I surrender." He puts his hands up.
The officer tries once more to kill the rat, but he misses the wily little monster.
The man fighting beside him looks at Joran with fear, but won't turn tail with his commander right beside him, so he takes a half-hearted swing at Joran, nowhere close to connecting.
You all hear the sounds of steel on steel from inside the cabin nearby.
Taking a cue from Terry and the others, Atia decides to try convincing them to surrender, as well. She steps around Joran and dispels the rat with a snap of her fingers, holding another magic missile in the palm of her hand threateningly in case the officer decides not to acquiesce to their request.
"Stand down, man. You have to know when you're fighting a losing battle." She tries to put authority in her voice, but finds that a tinge of desperation bleeds through and overpowers it. Perhaps that would help her cause, as well.
The oracle took a bow at the surrendering sailor before getting close to the action. She concentrated harder to try and get the officer to drop the weapon.
You got him terry?
Dreamer steps past the surrendering sailor, and moves towards the one remaining with the bow.
Surrender or Die
Dreamer directs him to join the one with terry.
So be it
Dreamer brings his axe down across the sailors body
BAB, STR, Bless, Power
Low is bad
2H, Power
Terry looks at the injured sailor. "I think we understand each other. Move up past your crewmate and have a seat. Yep. Right there works.".
Terry moves up the stairs and takes a position where he can strike the man if he makes him, and he can see the rest.
"Keep the lady safe. Right. Not a bit of harm on her head." Mateo said with a nod, sighing as the man stalks away. The swashbuckler turns his attention to the woman he was directed to keep safe, even though the battle seemed to be going well in the Wormwood's favor.
"You certainly know how to pick them. Shame you like the...men in authority, I suppose. You're quite the pretty elf." You would swear that if the man had both eyes, he would've gone with a wink right then and there. He grin as his little comrade, shaking his head lightly.
"Do not stress about it, my little mad friend. I've got some drinks here to get me strong. Might as well drink them before they try to take it as plunder." Reaching down into his belt, he would pop out the small vial and drink back the red liquid inside. The taste of slightly-burnt cinnamon spread on his tongue and he could feel the aches and pains in his body slowly alleviate.
Tossing away the potion, Mateo quickly works on hiding the rest of his potions away under armor, clothing, and anywhere else he can think to hide them.
"Well, at least you remembered to bring things like that. Most of my stuff is still in my bunk on the Man's Promise. About all I have left is this," He gestures to his symbol of Desna, "and my flute. A couple of other rather valueless things too I suppose."
He pulls out his flute, sits on the deck and begins playing.
♩♩♫♩♪
"I'm sure they'll let us collect our thing. Carolita gave me that wonderful backpack and it is still stowed away on the ship. Maybe they'll let us take it before burning it down?" Mateo says thoughtfully as his friend begins playing music beautifully. Humming along, the swashbuckler leans against the wormwood's deck and relaxes. His fate belonged to the mercy of the gods and the wicked.
"You certainly know how to pick them. Shame you like the...men in authority, I suppose. You're quite the pretty elf."
Cass shook her head emphatically, not even registering the compliment. "I don't. I want nothing to do with him." She frowns, looking in the direction Scourge left, but then turns her attention to the new 'recruits'. "I'm sorry for what's happened to your ship. I'm afraid the men in authority on this one are the brutal tyrant sort. Keep your heads down, hope you don't get noticed, and do what they want."
--------------------------------
Joran cuts down the officer and the fight goes out of the other merchants on that end of the ship. The remaining sailors up on the aft deck and sterncastle surrender, following Terry and Dreamer's instructions and sitting by the rail after dropping their weapons. Plugg's orders had been to secure the area and it seemed you had done so successfully.
The battle was quickly turning on the rest of the deck as well. Shortly after your fight ends, Captain Harrigan strides out of the cabin below, Plugg in tow. Harrigan grips a bloody human heart in his hand.
"Man's Promise!" Harrigan booms, his voice cutting through the fog, which is beginning to diminish. He holds the heart in the air as he speaks. "Your captain is dead. If you don't wish to join him, drop your weapons."
There is a long, pregnant pause, and then the sound of men dropping their swords and crossbows to the wooden decks. The silence is broken by a gurgling scream, and all eyes shift to Syl as she slits a man's throat, a big grin on her face. She realizes everyone is looking at her, Harrigan included, and she drops the man's body and starts wiping her blade clean. "Sorry. Caught up in the moment," she giggles.
The captured sailors are paraded back onto the Wormwood, and a cheer goes up amidst many of the Wormwood's crew. Even those you've allied with are relieved to have won the day, with minimal losses -- poor Ratline was the only fatality among your shipmates.
The defeated men of the Promise, Lanni and Mateo included, are lined up on the deck, and Harrigan paces past them, their captain's heart still in his hand. "Any man among you who wishes to throw their lot in with my crew, step forward."
"The other choice being...?" Lanni mutters under his breath when the captain has walked farther down the line. :⁂: "Exactly."
When the captain turns around at the end of the line, Lanni slowly steps forward - without saying anything. Or looking at the rest of the surviving crew of the Man's Promise.
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Atia stands next to Joran, watching Harrigan's spectacle. She was thankful to be alive, but every time she blinked, she just saw the face of the man she had hit with acid just...sluffing away. She was beginning to worry that the man's scream would be in the back of her mind for the rest of her life.
Atia shivers, trying to shake the thoughts away, and rests her hand on the barbarian's lower back, seeking the comfort of human contact. She was not the praying type, but she hoped that those they absorbed from the crew of the Man's Promise proved to be a little easier to be around than Syl and Fipps.
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One kill amidst the defenders and the only kill was attributed to him. A frown had spread across Mateo's face; not due to the circumstances but how relatively one-sided the battle had been. No wonder the pirate hunters from this nation did so poorly when their sailors could barely defend themselves. He had expected better.
"Perhaps the pirates were just that much better. This captain seems like quite the dangerous type." The man thought to himself as Harrigan walked down the line. The swashbuckler thought about what little he had heard from pirate hunters and sailors back in Osento about a man named Harrigan and his vessel, the Wormwood.
A dangerous and sadistic captain with a ragtag but violent group of pirates at his beck and call. Truly one of the best representations of the worst that the Shackles had to offer. A kinder or gentler master would've done well for the man but he was here to get away from Cheliax and their murderous, vengeful houses. What better way than with a group of fellow murderers?
Mateo would step forward just a moment before Lanni stepping out, his head held high with confidence. He looks over to the gnome and if he looks back, he gives an imperceptible nod of his head. It was better to live as a bastard than die an honest man.
Harrigan holds out his arm for those who stepped forward to join the rest of his crew -- a dozen others had stepped forward with Mateo and Lanni, the remaining sailors sneering at the quick betrayal. Harrigan turns to address the men and women of the Wormwood.
“All right, you scurvy tars! You’ve done a right good job by me — we’ve got a second ship now, and she’s quite a prize from the looks of her. You all have the rest of today and tomorrow off. Drink up and enjoy!"
"I still have only one crew, though. So here’s the plan — the Wormwood will sail on to our planned destination while we...'break in' our new shipmates here, with the spoils from the Promise in our hold. Mr. Plugg will pick a skeleton crew to sail the Man’s Promise to get squibbed."
“As for these fine fellows here” — Harrigan gestures at the remainder of the captured ship’s crew, who neglected to step forward — “some of them will no doubt be worth a hefty ransom from their families. And for the rest, if the life of a pirate’s not for them, they can spend the rest of their lives at sea!”
Harrigan grabs one of the Rahadoumi sailors and throws her overboard to the accompaniment of cheers and laughter from Fipps and his flunkies.
Seadreamer looks with disgust as Harrigan throws the first sailor over.
By the gods, a quick death from blade or bow is one thing. Being thrown overboard just due a whim. I should not have yelled.
He gathers his crew, and looks at the two new additions who have attached themselves to Cassandra.
He then leans on his Battleaxe
Before I let you go, I want to have a word with the two newcomers.
He waves his hand behind him in the general direction of the Capt'n throwing people overboard.
I know most of you know this, but this is more for the new ones.
If you have a problem, bring it to me, and I will try to get it sorted out. Don't do anything that will have you end up in front of the capt'n else you end up like one of those poor sailors.
He then turns back towards the rail, to watch what else Harrigan does.
Lanni takes note of which of the crew is cheering and jeering, and which are looking on uncomfortably as the remaining sailors from the Man's Promise are thrown overboard.
He approaches the Dwarf that seems to be both somewhat in charge and still has a moral compass that functions properly. "So if I've got this straight, we are partying here for two days while the Man's Promise sails elsewhere. And then what?"
"I'm Lanni, by the way. Lanni Talimbi. A junior Cleric of..." He checks his pendant again "Desna."
As Harrigan makes the barely unstated life or death offer, Terry has zero doubt what the second option will be.
He looks towards the men his group took prisoner. Keeping his hand down at his waist, and the motion smaller as a result, he rolls his wrist several times, trying to indicate they should move forward. He has a slight frown on his face, wrinkles in his forehead, and his eyes are opened wider than normal as he does so.
He stops for a second and mouths the words "work with", and then repeats the wrist roll another 4 or 5 times.
---
Later, he seeks out 'Dreamer. "That fight was horribly one-sided, right? Can we make a case to take the new guys through some basic weapons training so that they will be of more use to us in the next fight than they were to their captain in the last? Dead crew don't take prizes, after all."
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Atia stays quite attached to Joran's side, still feeling a tad shaken by the boarding and Harrigan's subsequent speech. Now that their attachment was very public, there seemed to be no point in hiding her small, affectionate touches to Joran's back or side or arm. She wasn't, however, stupid--she didn't feel the need to call undue attention to their relationship with more than that.
She feels relieved that they have some time to "celebrate" -- and especially relieved that she is no longer among the newest on the ship. Perhaps these new people would divert some of the officer's attentions.
Normally, Atia would want to greet the newcomers; however, she did literally melt the face off of one of their shipmates and wasn't quite sure how to greet someone after that. 'Sorry about your killing a bunch of your maybe friends! Welcome to our ship!' Yeah, right... Atia thinks, nervously avoiding eye contact with both Mateo and Lanni.
That Terry is a good idea. I will bring it to Plugg, and see what he wants to do with it. But for now, you can start on it using brooms. I don't think they will let us hand them weapons yet.
He looks at Lanni when the Gnome asks.
Seadreamer here follower of the makers clan.
But what will happen, is that you all will party here, and then some of the crew will be sent to man the promise while the rest stay on the wormwood. beyond that I don't know yet.
He grips the wrist of the gnome in a handshake, and then excuses himself to go bring up Terry's idea to Plugg.
Once the battle had been won, her eyes have returned to normal, and she became fully aware of the carnage before her. She hadn't had the displeasure of killing any of the sailors, but she didn't have the stomach to observe Harrigan or Syl's displays of wanton violence.
What she did decide to do was to check on the injuries of those affected by the battle. After such a battle, she knew the power of a friendly side to try and calm nerves.
------------------
Before Dreamer left to see the officers, she placed a hand on her shoulder to help take care of the rest of his injuries.
"You took it harder than the most of us out there. You deserve it more than most." Yet her eyes darkened a bit as she continues. "Harrigan's lucky you warned him, because Desna knows I wouldn't have."
With that left said, she left the dwarf's side, she sought to see Atia. "How are you holding up? That happened out there... it was pretty harowing." she folded up her own arms in comfort.
Lanni spends the rest of the time before dinner meeting the unknown people on the ship - at least the ones who don't seem to be completely insane or wantonly cruel.
"Hello, I'm Lanni. You were casting Cleric spells during the battle, yes?"
"Hi, I'm Lanni. That was quite the entrance. Not a typical way to board a ship."
"We met earlier. I'm still interested in that Harrow reading."
"Hello, I'm Lanni. Former Cleric of the Man's Promise."
To Joran: "You are rather intimidating in battle."
To Atia: "That is some pretty impressive magic you have. But you seem to be as terrified as I feel. What brings you to this pirate ship?"
"Hello, I'm Lanni. How are you today?"
He approaches Patch cautiously.
"Hello. You are one of the ship's officers, aren't you? My name is Lanni. What can I do for you?"
With that left said, she left the dwarf's side, she sought to see Atia. "How are you holding up? That happened out there... it was pretty harowing." she folded up her own arms in comfort.
"Well, I didn't realize a man was retreating and melted his entire face off," Atia says flatly, her face drawn in a frown. "But I didn't get hurt, at least. How about you?"
-------
Lanni spends the rest of the time before dinner meeting the unknown people on the ship - at least the ones who don't seem to be completely insane or wantonly cruel.
"Hello, I'm Lanni. Former Cleric of the Man's Promise."
To Joran: "You are rather intimidating in battle."
To Atia: "That is some pretty impressive magic you have. But you seem to be as terrified as I feel. What brings you to this pirate ship?"
Atia peers at the gnome searchingly and then just sighs and shrugs. "Um, thank you. About the magic." She glances up at Joran, then back to Lanni. "Well, I was drugged in a tavern and then woke up on the ship... so, happenstance brings me to this pirate ship, I suppose you could say?" She opens her mouth to ask Lanni the same question, but realizes it would be a stupid one, and just shrugs.
What she did decide to do was to check on the injuries of those affected by the battle. After such a battle, she knew the power of a friendly side to try and calm nerves.
------------------
Before Dreamer left to see the officers, she placed a hand on her shoulder to help take care of the rest of his injuries.[Dice=Cure Light Wounds]1d8+2
"You took it harder than the most of us out there. You deserve it more than most." Yet her eyes darkened a bit as she continues. "Harrigan's lucky you warned him, because Desna knows I wouldn't have."
Aye, he is lucky, and I was not really thinking of the affects. However, I am still for a change in management onboard. Can you convince the rest of the group that we need most of the crew to be successful in that plan
He grins slightly as the healing energy courses through his system.
My thanks, and praise to the deity that you follow
He then excuses himself to go see the officers and help with the shifting of wealth onto the wormwood.
"Well, I was drugged in a tavern and then woke up on the ship... so, happenstance brings me to this pirate ship, I suppose you could say?"
"Ah, so even less of a choice to be here than I was given. I got a completely one sided option to be here. You didn't even get that."
"I'm planning on having a Seance in the morning to remember and honor the dead. Do you want to join?"
Lanni
"Not a cleric actually," The woman cleric clarified. "I don't really know who gave me my powers, but I always figured it was Desna... and it seems like that's the source of your powers." She noticed and recognized the symbol on the gnome. She then let out a hand to shake.
"I'm Destinie, but you can call me Des for short. You can say I'm blessed... and cursed with divine energy."
"Ah, so even less of a choice to be here than I was given. I got a completely one sided option to be here. You didn't even get that."
"I'm planning on having a Seance in the morning to remember and honor the dead. Do you want to join?"
Atia raises an eyebrow. "Mmm, your 'choice' was illusory...about as much of a choice as I had, I would say."
At his question, Atia perks up a tad with interest. "Ah, yes - actually, I would be interested. I find the occult fascinating from a magical theory perspective."
"I didn't get hurt either, though not for a lack of trying. Sandara watched my back while I was busy. As if I needed another reason to love that woman." she smiled shyly, but then frowned again.
"I didn't realize how bloody it could be. Not ev3n the trance could blot that out. I don't think you experienced this in Cheliaxian nibility either."
The men who surrendered to you on the sterncastle see Terry's warning and step forward when Mateo and Lanni do, expressions a mix of relief and horror as their more scrupulous compatriots are thrown to the sea.
Harrigan gathers up several of his officers and begins directing the transfer of goods from the Promise's hull to your own. You see the body of the Promise's captain dragged out of his cabin, bloody hole in his chest, before they throw him overboard.
Plugg glances at Dreamer as he approaches. "You did well today. Here, take the shares for your squad." He hands over a sack. "And a bonus for you, for your loyalty to the Captain." He handed Dreamer an amulet, explaining it was enchanted with protective magics. He narrowed his eyes at Dreamer, consideringly. "I'm to choose the crew for the Promise. I'm going to take you and your people, along with a few others. Make sure they're ready, and they know their place."
--- Rosie ---"Hello, I'm Lanni. How are you today?"
Rosie grinned at the gnome. "Alive, and a hell of a lot richer. Bout damn time we got some f$+*ing loot on this s&$+ty boat." She frowned. "Ah...sorry."
--- Patch --- "Hello. You are one of the ship's officers, aren't you? My name is Lanni. What can I do for you?"
"You can piss off." she said simply, distracted as she inventoried the goods.
She noticed and recognized the symbol on the gnome. She then let out a hand to shake.
Lanni shakes hands gladly. Then looks around for a moment and whispers, "To be completely honest, I'm not actually a Cleric either. But the butterfly pendant is quite pretty."
"Oh, hey, I'm planning a Seance for the fallen tomorrow morning. Do you want to come?"
Rosie grinned at the gnome. "Alive, and a hell of a lot richer. Bout damn time we got some f$@~ing loot on this shutty boat." She frowned. "Ah...sorry."
"Better than the alternative. This is the Shackles after all. If the sea doesn't kill you... "
"Everyone knows that."
--- Patch --- "You can piss off." she said simply, distracted as she inventoried the goods.
Lanni simply backs away slowly.
Make sure they are ready, and know their place. Aye. Aye
With that, he takes the sack that was given along with everything else and makes his way back to the wormwood.
Terry, Sharkbait, Destinie, Cassandra, Atia, Lanni, Mateo, Sandara front and centre.
He will then pass out the shares that were given to them.
Destinie, Hold these He passes her the potions.
Sharkbait, I think you will need this more than I He passes over the amulet. It apparently has protective magics in it.
Now be ready to move over to the promise. We are the prize crew for her to go get squibbed.
"I didn't get hurt either, though not for a lack of trying. Sandara watched my back while I was busy. As if I needed another reason to love that woman." she smiled shyly, but then frowned again.
"I didn't realize how bloody it could be. Not ev3n the trance could blot that out. I don't think you experienced this in Cheliaxian nibility either."
Atia quirks an eyebrow at 'love,' a small smile forming on her face, but says nothing in response to that portion. "I think you don't know much about Chelish nobility if you think that we aren't exposed to violence early and often, honestly." Atia chuckles darkly. "But no, myself, up close and personal like this? This is new for me. Only ever at a safe distance."
-------
Dreamer’s Call to Attention
-------
Atia glances over at the state of the Promise, still seeing it lashed to the side of their boat as the officers handle the distribution of goods. ”We, ah, still have the downtime the Captain promised before we move over, yes?” She asks, raising an eyebrow.
Yes, we do have that downtime, but at the end of it, we are the ones going to get her squibbed. So be ready
He then goes to his locker, and puts his stuff away.
He then re-joins the officers in transferring the loot.
Mateo watched with a concerned look as comrades were tossed to the sea, the more valuable ones taken as trophies. Their vengeful stares were met with a sorrowful and apologetic look. All the same, Mateo preferred to be the one not in chains depending on a loved one's generosity whether they would live or die. He knew well enough what the answer was.
Being let go to stand on the Wormwood's deck, his attention turning towards the the dwarf that approaches. It was a subtle movement when Mateo took a half-step forward, a bit of a protective movement over the gnomish man who stood behind him. While Lanni took stock of who cheered and laughed at the misery of others, Mateo looked over the dwarven man with his good eye and nodded. The dwarf's look of disgust was there for but a moment at the barbaric scene and it calmed the swashbuckler down somewhat.
"I see. If I have any problems, I'll speak with you then. You seem like you have a good head on broad shoulders." The man forces a smile to his face, ignoring the pleading cries of past shipmates before they're thrown into the bloody waters between the ships as best as he could. "Mateo Nikas. A pleasure, Seadreamer." The dwarf soon departed to deal with officer work, leaving the two men there to make their way along the ship.
Arriving at the side of the woman who had casted magic during the battle, Mateo let the gnome take the lead as he watched their collective backs. He listened in for a moment, clearing his throat after the initial introductions are made.
"My name is Mateo. A pleasure...as much as the situation can be called that." The man says with a mirthless little chuckle. He claps Lanni gently on the back, nodding softly. "That would be a good thing. Keep the souls at rest." The large man and the other woman he had seen cast magic approached soon after, his head dipping politely in greeting. "Greetings. I'm Mateo. I see I was fortunate to have been on my side of the ship when you all stormed on board." His voice was without scorn in it or judgement, even with the vicious melting of a man's face and the cleaving of another nearly in twain. There is a look that quickly crosses Mateo's face when he hears that Atia is nobility before it disappears a moment later.
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"Hi, I'm Lanni. That was quite the entrance. Not a typical way to board a ship."
"Thank you, Lanni. I'm Terry. As for that entrance, as you called it, well . . .. You have sailors who don't like being in the rigging, sailors who accept being in the rigging, and sailors who view the rigging as home. Those in that last group don't even think about how to move through the rigging, we just see it as a series of comfortable paths, and since rope swings well outside the breadth of the hull, the smarter can use those paths to cross when ships are close enough, or even at dockside. If you've done this for a while, you can even slide down the sails to swap between the paths that others might recognize." He shrugs and smiles. "It seems no more complicated to me than using his blade does Joran, or casting does to Atia. It is simply the way I get some of my things accomplished. I don't remember seeing you during the fight. What is it that you do?"
---
"I could use your help, Lanni. I want to improve the odds that the rest of the crew that came over with you will survive the next fight, so I want to set up some basic combat training. Can you help gather them up with brooms or mops?"
---
As the newly impressed crew members gather on the main deck with their implements, Terry moves in front of them. "I think we can all agree that the fight we just survived went very badly for the crew of The Man's Promise. The next time we get into a fight, the amount of risk I face to my life will depend on how well you fight. I don't like to risk my life any more than I have to, so I'm going to help you learn some of the basics of swordplay. After you've got the basics well in hand, some of you might wish to work with one of our better fighters on some specific methods that fit your capabilities. That will be up to you and them to work out those opportunities. Any questions before we get started?"
"Why me and not the big guy who cut your officer down? Because he's one of the specific method guys I was talking about. Those of you who want to focus on using brute force, size, and direct attacks will want to learn more specific things from him. AFTER you learn the really basic things I'm going to teach you."
"We're working with mops and brooms because the goal is to NOT really hurt anyone while we train, and we don't have a big store of training weapons. We just don't. Yes, we're going to have to focus on using a blade two-handed while training with these. The first time you have to block a hard, solid, overhead strike, you'll appreciate why. One handed fighting can come after."
"So, let's get started. Now, take the handle and hold it like this . . .." Terry is going to start with basic grip, and then move on to the 6 basic blocks (up, down, left higher/middle, right higher/middle, left lower, right lower). Lots of repetition. Some discussion about the grip and trying to knock the mop out of people's hands. I assume Mateo will stand out both as bored and well beyond these basics.
---
After seeing Mateo's effortless compliance with the lessons, Terry gives him a quick once over. The thick sword-hand wrist and calluses at the first finger knuckle, thumb pad, and heel of his hand providing a clear indication that the man fences. "You're obviously already a trained warrior. What's your name?"
"Glad to meet you, Mateo. You just graduated to helping instruct. The goal really is to get these sailors to the point that we can be confident when they are protecting our backs that they will do more than slow the enemy down. I would rather they survive, too. You may well get to further train any who show a more thoughtful approach."
She noticed and recognized the symbol on the gnome. She then let out a hand to shake.Lanni shakes hands gladly. Then looks around for a moment and whispers, "To be completely honest, I'm not actually a Cleric either. But the butterfly pendant is quite pretty."
"Oh, hey, I'm planning a Seance for the fallen tomorrow morning. Do you want to come?"
It was pretty, she thought. She nodded at the offer. "I will try to make it if I can. There's no telling what kind of activities may happen after a few drinks... do you drink?"
Atia quirks an eyebrow at 'love,' a small smile forming on her face, but says nothing in response to that portion. "I think you don't know much about Chelish nobility if you think that we aren't exposed to violence early and often, honestly." Atia chuckles darkly. "But no, myself, up close and personal like this? This is new for me. Only ever at a safe distance."
"If it makes you feel better, I have a feeling most of us will have plenty of time to forget what happened. Most likely with alcohol." The oracle added. "At least Joran seems to be having a knack at the pirate life."
--------------------Destinue took in the potions before turning towards the others. "It may be a good idea for some of you to take the potions in case I'm not around to help with your injuries."
When the other newcomer arrived, she gave a curtly in return. "It's still a bit new to us too, but it looks like we'll get to know each other some more in the new ship."
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When called to a training practice, Mateo eyes the broom in his hand with a look of exasperation and boredom. The men beside him were eager to prove themselves, either as good students or willing crew to the men and women that had slain their captain and those with stronger moral character.
During the practice, Mateo's lack of enthusiasm does not make it to his actual weapon. His grip is firm and in control and he naturally diverts back to one-handed after getting tired of being held back with the mop in hand. Every sailor that duels against him ends up parried with a knot on the forehead, the resounding thunk heard after each bit of fighting.
Mateo cocks an eyebrow as the half-elf studies him for a moment, the broom settled calmly upon the ground. His breaks into a small smirk as he nods softly. "Something like that. I'm the only one with a success on the defense for the Man's Promise. You may call me Mateo." The name was heavily Chelaxian and his features fit his homeland perfectly.
When he is told he had been graduated to teaching them, his eyebrow would raise all the more before he looked at the men they were training.
"No, I don't think I shall." He lifted a hand before he heard the complaints come in. "I was not taught in a school or by a master or a general. I learned on the streets and I learned quick because I did not want to die. When these men have steel in their hands and every failure will lead to a cut ear, a pierced stomach, a missing finger, then...then I can train them. Then they'll have fear guiding them, protecting them. Then they'll learn."
"Till then? Give them spears. Really simple, have a pointy bit, stick it in the other man. That's my suggestion. Keep the healers on hand and tested when the blood flows."
He notices the crazy woman crossing the deck for a moment, his grin widening as he looks back at Terry.
"Well, good luck sweeping!" He finishes off, making his way to join Syl by matching her stride.
"Well, my little violent poppy, it seems that we shall be shipmates. The gutting will have to wait for now. Celebrations are to be had and I can't imagine anyone better than the woman who stabbed me...thrice." Mateo says with a charm in his voice as he circles around front of her.
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"I could use your help, Lanni. I want to improve the odds that the rest of the crew that came over with you will survive the next fight, so I want to set up some basic combat training. Can you help gather them up with brooms or mops?"
Lanni shrugs. "Sure, I guess."
Terry is going to start with basic grip, and then move on to the 6 basic blocks (up, down, left higher/middle, right higher/middle, left lower, right lower). Lots of repetition. Some discussion about the grip and trying to knock the mop out of people's hands. I assume Mateo will stand out both as bored and well beyond these basics.
"Yeah, I really don't do so well with these heavier weapons." He goes into the kitchens and comes back with a ladle.
"Still not all that great. Not sure that an hour or two of practice is going to change that though. I'm gonna go and put this back in the kitchen before it is missed." Lanni goes back into the kitchen and returns the ladle. Then conveniently forgets to return to the deck to continue practicing.
Terry presents himself when called. Of course.
As the shares are passed around, he visibly relaxes. "Glad to have it. Nervous that is being distributed while at sea, before the loot is valued and sold. Thank you, regardless, 'Dreamer."
After being told they were going to be responsible for squibbing The Man's Promise, Terry's eyes flash big for a second, before he catches himself. "How far are we to take the effort? How long will we have? One of the most thorough ways to change the identity and even behavior of a ship is to rework the entire rigging. That's both slow and complicated, though. Would keep us away for a pretty long time." Terry assumes the subtext is unavoidable to those privy to other conversations held earlier.
As for Destinie's offer of the potions, Terry shrugs. "Sharkbait and 'Dreamer are obvious choices. I think I would want to have the other two kept handy in case YOU, or one of the other healers, needs saving. Doesn't matter how much healing you can provide if you aren't alive and awake to provide it. Right? Not really sure who would be better to hold them in that case, unless we just all know that you have them and where you keep them?"