We did get lots of food at Rickery's, so we ok there.
"I liked at least half of your response, Cap." the halfling shoots a little smirk at Capricia, then returns to pensive mode. "Who governs these islands, anyway?"
Khalfani is the village elder.
"Aye. As Fishguts suggests, we can attack at night t' plunder a village with little resistance and less killin'. Slaves and the dead don't talk so, instead, we can strike fear into their hearts an' allow our name to spread."
Nuts raises his hand. "Yes, but... Are these people not out own? Who do they swear allegiance to? If any."
So how hard are we gunna come down on them? Shake em down for some tribute in exchange for 'protection' or turn slaver?
"Wholly up to them," Capricia replies to Manny. "If they want to just hand over some booty and send us on our way--fine. But if they choose to fight...well, we hit back and we hit back hard. No use wiping out a whole village though; that'd be one less target for us in the future."
what fishguts said, plunder and recruit
So, are you going at night or during the day?
Night
You will gain of surprise.
Okies, let's go beat em up and get our booty!
Buehler?
Manny rides on Owlbear's shoulders and tries to find someone to beat up.
Capricia wades ashore, staying close to Vikla. "Be ready to cast a light spell, else we'll be fighting blind!"
Whispers come from an invisible voice behind the two,"Ok, I will keep the light spell ready, I'm right behind you, anyone want invisibility?
Invisible? Then they can't see my magnificence!
Manny points at a building. Charge! Owlbear goes full steam ahead as Master and Blaster prepare to subdue the village.
Cast expeditious retreat and charge, sword drawn
Ok, on that note everyone roll init!
Nuts and Vikla flank the captain for protection. Vikla draws her rapier for a little extra menace factor as Nuts cracks his knuckles.
Nuts leans over to Capricia. "Perhaps we can make an attempt at some sort of an arrangement before it gets to violence?" he whispers.
Attack!!!
Callum draws his weapons and moves towards where the purported village protectors are located.
Though the captain's new to this sort of thing, she tries admirably to hide her inexperience and uncertainty. To Nuts she whispers tersely, "Maybe we take down a couple of guards but try to keep 'em alive...sort of a show of good faith? Then we parley once there's a serious resistance and try to work out a deal where we spare the villagers in exchange for some decent loot?"
All right, you are outside the building to the left. You can tell it is occupied. Let's continue in initiative.
Charge!
When Manny and Owlbear run into the building, Manny leaps from Owlbear's shoulders and does a flip to land on a table.
YARRRR!!!! Surrender! You have been boarded by Manny the Pirate King!
Lol
Callum moves towards the other nearby building to confront any who may occupy it.
Nuts
Capricia
Seeing Emerald, Manny, and Owlbear charging one of the shoreline huts, the captain instead opts to join Callum at another one nearby. Busting in with her rapier drawn, Capricia lays down her proposal. "This is a pirate raid, but it doesn't have to end in spilled blood on either side. Just give us about half your food and some shiny things and we'll be on our merry way without harming so much as a hair on your heads. Or we can do this the hard way...."
Yeah the 8 warriors are not set on having a fight over 1 point of plunder (made up of various trade goods and personal items.)
You find Cerise "Ci Ci" Barchetta tied up in the rear building. XP= 400 each
"What's your story?" Capricia asks the bound captive before claiming her as part of the plunder and removing her bonds. "Good new is you're free from those ropes. Bad news is you're part of a pirate crew now, and there's no telling the next time we'll make port. Until then...welcome to the crew of the Queen's Grace."
Ci Ci rises to her feet, and moves to retrieve her gear piled in the far corner of the hut. She rummages through the pile a moment, and comes up with a scrimshaw skull and crossbones.
”Bad news, eh?” she replies with a smirk. She proceeds to strap on her armor and weapons as she speaks. ”I guess one man’s chum is another man’s chowder. I’ve been waiting for the Besmara’s Luck and the Harrow’s Fate to steer me to my crew. This morning’s reading was favorable, and somehow I ended up tied up in this hut, probably waiting for a Chelish slaver to bid on me. Anyway, you found me first, and unless you’re a the kind of captain that bullies, starves, or cheats her crew, then being press ganged by you is the best thing that’s happened to me in months!”
She gives a slight bow, as if accepting an offer to dance. ”Cerise Barchetta, of Besmara. Most people call me Ci Ci. Might I know your name, my Captain?”
Manny nods in approval as the villagers have shown wisdom and handed over tribute.
"Capricia," the auburn-haired captain replies with a bit of a bow of her own. After a moment of consideration, she adds her family name. "Capricia Belacrest-Maxeme."
Nuts eyes the fresh meat with curiosity, but he understands this is not his place to speak. He remains by Captain's side, just in case.
Vikla, on the other hand, walks up, scans the woman top to bottom. "The Sea Banshee is with this one. We'll see eye to eye. After she explains how she ended up captured in this weakling of a town."
"People have a funny way of turning on a Harrower when the cards reveal an unfortunate fate. Let's just say the cards saw you coming, and they either didn't believe, didn't want to believe, or decided that I was bad luck, and needed to be sold off as soon as possible," Ci Ci replies to Vikla. "Anyway, outnumbered is outnumbered, and I'm not the Hurricane King, or one of the Pirate Lords, after all. I'm no more than a year removed from my life in the caravan."
Manny takes the supplies back to the ship while the others look over the newbie.
"A Harrower?" Capricia replies, arching an eyebrow. "Interesting....
To Nuts, Manny, Callum, Emma, and the rest of the raiding party she adds in a low voice, "Let's get our plunder aboard before these villagers decide to grow spines, eh?" She helps Ci Ci don her armor to speed up that process.
"My thanks, Captain," Ci Ci replies, as Capricia helps her with the last straps of her armor.
"I'd be happy to do a reading for you, after we're loaded up and underway, if you'd like."
Ci Ci waits just long enough for Capricia to reply or give a nod, then moves to help with rest of the crew with loading plunder.
The halfling moves to pick up some of the goods and starts loading a dinghy. His attempts at keeping a straight face are not successful. Clearly, something is bothering him. But Nuts soldiers on with his mouth shut.