So where will we be heading next?
Callum helps load the plunder to bring back to the ship. "Aye. While this be a good haul," he says tipping his hat back towards the town, "it be but a pittance te what her Grace can fit in her hold."
After another few days you spot the Elten Bainde Sargavan fishing hooker (keelboat). It's not very big but could land a small haul in fish.
As the fishing vessel is spotted, Capricia approaches Manny. "How are our current provisions? Should we try to take this ship and its catch or continue on our way in search of a richer prize?"
We should still have plenty of food. We got stuff from Rickety's and the village.
Ci Ci doesn't want to voice her opinion, being the newest member of the crew, but she breathes a sigh of relief when Manny the Goblin informs the Captain that the crew has sufficient provisions. While she is eager to embrace her life as a pirate, and priestess of Besmara, she honestly feels like the poor fishermen deserved to be left to earn their modest, subsistence living. There are plenty of smug, rich marks out of the rolling waves of the Fever Sea more worthy of their wrath.
Capricia nods at Manny's response. "I thought as much. We'll let this vessel be and find another target more worthy of our time and effort!"
The day you come upon a couple of ships. Off to the east, a column of
black smoke rises into the sky. No land is nearby, so it
can only be a ship burning. Two miles away, the singlemasted
Chelish naval cutter, Famished Mane, has just
defeated the pirate brig Vorsfang.
"Single mast starboard, Cap! Red flag! Maybe Chelish." Nuts calls from the crow's nest once he focuses on the details. He keeps slapping the crows next from the exterior side to have people below pay attention.
Hmmm..the cutter could be easier pickens due to getting into a fight. Plus we can have two boats to loot!
"Anyone know anything about either of these ships?" the captain asks her crew as she wracks her own brain for any recognition there. "My inclination is to attack the Chelish ship while she's recovering from battle. Then we decide what to do with the Vorsfang and any survivors."
Ci Ci wracks her brains to see if she can come up with anything, but after a few minutes, she simply shrugs.
"I don't know any tales, Captain, but I can perform a Harrow Reading for whichever course of action you choose," she offers.
The Chelaxians are
now in the process of executing the surviving pirates by
locking them belowdecks and burning the Vorsfang to the
waterline. You are still about three miles away.
Well so much for extra crewmembers. Let's stomp the Chelish!
"Shall we come upon them from behind the smoke, or from the other side if mayhaps they be lookin at their catch rather than at tha sea?" Callum asks, taking the wheel and prepared to use his skills to drive the ship quickly towards their newfound, yet potential, prey.
Once you are within a mile of the two ships,
you can see the last few bound prisoners being escorted
belowdecks by Chelish marines as the fires begin to spread
across the Vorsfang.
Let's go keelhaul those blankity blank!
"Prepare to fire on these devil-worshiping heathens!" Capricia shouts to the crew. "Besmara's wrath upon these murderous cowards!"
"Captain, if I may. Besmara has granted me the ability to bestow a boon of either chaos or weather upon up to seven of my allies. The boon of Chaos will allow each recipient to touch his foe once and curse them with a moment of misfortune. The boon of weather will allow each recipient to throw a brief blast of wind and rain into the face of their foe. Either gift could shift the outcome of the boarding in our favor. Would you like me to beseech Besmara's blessing, and if so, which boon would you like granted?"
roll init
Nuts repeats his routine of making boarding hooks ready. "I'm coming for you, chelish scum!"
Manny teams up with Owlbear again.
Those chelish rats, can anyone make water to put out the FIRE??
Fishguts’ Advice: If the PCs attack, they can approach
with the setting sun behind them so the Chelaxians don’t
spot them until the PCs’ ship is upon them. If the PCs
attack the Famished Mane in ship-to-ship combat while it
is a sitting duck, they can choose the heading and bearing
of their ship before combat (though the marines aboard
the Famished Mane begin firing its four ballistae on the
second round of combat if the PCs opt for this approach).
Alternatively, the PCs can automatically grapple and board
the Famished Mane, catching the Chelish crew off guard.
In this case, the PCs gain surprise on the first round of
shipboard combat.
You are still about a mile away and can launch up to 4 light catapults if you wish.
After hearing Fishguts's advice, Capricia asks her nearby crew (including Nuts before he heads to a ballista) for their opinion.
"My first thought is that opening fire on the Chelaxians might get their attention away from whatever they're planning on doing to their captives," she begins uncertainly. "On the other hand, it might spur them to act quicker if they're going to eliminate them. Being able to reach the prisoners and get them to fight on our side would be really helpful to the cause...but that plan only works if they're still alive when we reach the Chelish vessel. Any thoughts?"
"Whatever kills the Chelish faster is my vote." Nuts states coldly, with a voice of silent determination. He continues to load the armaments.
You can let me throw lightning! Yes! Zap! Zap Zap!
"A moment of your time, mates," Ci Ci says, calling the ship's officers over, "and I will bestow the Sea B+!#~'s blessing upon us before we enter the fray!"
She directs the party to join hands in a circle.
"Besmara, send forth your wrath of storm and sea from the hands of these brave buccaneers into the faces of these Chelish Devils!"
Besmara's might flows into Cerise and out through her hands into each of her companions.
"Use her gift well, me hearties."
"It seems they be takin' prisoners o' the other crew. If they were going te kill 'em outright, they'da done so. Mayhaps there's more risk to them if'n we were te launch our assault at range with ther caterpults. I like Fishgut's alternative option where'n we board the ship an' give 'em a fright. More risk to us, but with us there, mayhaps the prisoners will take heart and rise up to aid in our assault."
Board em! That sounds good!
Catapult, light 550 gp 4d6 ×2 150 ft. (50 ft. min.) B 2 2 3
You are close enough to get oe shot off with your light ballista of which you have four. Your crew will help man them, but you will have to aim aim and fire them.
Ci Ci isn't sure she has the authority to do so, but decides it is better to ask forgiveness than permission when a boarding is in progress. She approaches the nearest catapult crew, and makes her best estimate on where the shot might land. She grabs the arm of the catch-release, and yells, "Step back!" to the crew. She takes a steadying breath, and pulls. "Loose!"
The halfling gives Cerise a thumbs up and starts the process of loading again.
Well, that is one. Maybe we can get the rest in gameplay?
Callum keeps the ship steady, closing on their target, preparing to turn to line up against the enemy ship's side to allow for grappling and boarding.
Manny wonder if he could launch himself with the catapult as he fires a shot at the foe
Cap'n Capricia seems a bit distracted as she tries to figure out the best way to engage the Chelaxians. She snaps out of her fog when Ci Ci gives the order to fire the ballistae, flashing the Besmaran a quick thumbs-up. She starts gathering other members of the crew to prepare for the eventual boarding.
Me too, brother being a pain to mom.
Well you are closing on the other ship, fire away with yer light balissita, all four of them!
Ci Ci runs over to one of the ballistas, and directs crew to shift it as she lines up the shot with the rigging of the enemy ship.
"Step back!" she cries out, then a moment later, "loose!"