You sail away from the ship, watching as the sailors, none of whom chose to switch their allegiances, return to their fishing ways -- this time, getting their captain out of the brine.
As you put some distance between you, Fishguts approaches Capt. Budos.
"Cap'n, not meaning no disrespect or nothing, but maybe we're not quite ready for the Rock yet. I like the idea of trying to crack it, but we're still barely crewed up and half of them ain't too happy about the way that last raid went. That whole circus thing? They didn't sign up for that. Maybe we should see if we can get some better plunder, maybe find a village to raid or something. Add some more crew, get them some gold in their pockets. They want someone to follow, but you gotta show us all you can do more than get rid o' Plugg and Scourge."
Brood offers a nod in agreement with Fishguts. "The man makes a lot of sense when he's sober, Captain. The Rock's a fine goal, but one we likely need to work up toward."
Gezza nods slowly in agreement with Brood. "Perhaps a fine prize or two to show the crew the rewards for choosing better officers?"
Cargas is too busy bo'sunning to be at this conversation, but if he was, he would be nodding vigorously.
Nim starts regretting their latest haul, as he remains largely below deck, trying to suss out his organizationals as quartermaster. The fish smell, however well preserved, is not a smell he's grown accustomed to, yet.
Magilla watches with complete indifference, aware of the half-orc's minor frustrations below deck, while the ape continues to saunter the upper decks, gauging the smells of the working crew, and beginning to exert his male dominance by overseeing without contributing to the wellness of the pack.
"We don't have a map that says 'treasure here', we keep sailing towards the Rock and keep looking for opportunities for piratin'."
You continue to sail on, making your way along the coast, where you can see a small village just up from the shore.
"Maybe worth trying to raid, Captain?" Fipps points out as Fishguts begins getting ready to serve dinner that evening. "Maybe they got something better than this fish!"
"Raiding simple folk, is that what we are? Let's go with 'trade' instead of 'raid', we got plenty of fish, and maybe if we're nice to them they know of some fat merchants sailing our direction. Who's in for a Trading Party, I'll lead the way." Bud tries to display confidence, but he worries that his crew might be more bloodthirsty than plain thirsty.
Gezza speaks in an undertone to the Cap. "Captain, we have a crew of bloodthirsty scoundrels looking for plunder. We can keep them from killing except in great need, but a raid on a village might take their minds off fish today, fish tomorrow. And a little looting will up our reputation. Rep's important, but when you're building it, sometimes you have commit some minor war crimes."
Cargas nods in agreement.
"At least give us the chance to raid for some pigs. I'd like to make another batch of my delicious hot salted ham water. It kind of grew on me," Cargas notes.
"Besides, if someone gets hurt, it's *their* fault for resisting. And if no one resists, then it's their fault for not fighting back. See?"
Brood watches the exchange, still taking his measure of his fellow officers and captain. "I've got no problem slicing bellies and spilling guts, Captain. But I draw the line, and I think we should draw the line, at pressganging anyone. I'm out to kill Harrigan, not become him." He takes a breath, renewing his perpetual frown. "But this talk of a trading party sounds like a waste of time. You've a strong and violent crew, as Redfingers points out. Put that strength to work and give that violence an outlet."
Nim bolts upstairs to the upper deck, hearing the excitement, and readying to tackle the next point of business. "A raid, eh? What's the plan? Better not be a fishing village. We've already got enough... fish." He heads back down the stairs, readying the weapons for all the sailors readying to board the boats, and hit the shores.
The voice in the back of his head growls in anticipation. Magilla growls, too, but only from unease, as he senses the restlessness of the crew.
Gezza motions for the officers to huddle. "Listen, I'm with the Captain. I have no taste for killing innocent souls. But the crew needs an outlet and if we don't give it to them, there's liable to be violence here. Let's sail close and get a sense of the village. If there's possible plunder, we'll keep the crew's bloodlust to a minimum and use your theatrics to put on a good show, eh?"
Gezza motions, once, and the officers obediently gather around him in a huddle awaiting his directions. The plan is clear, logical, and likely to appease the restless crew. For the health of the Murderin' Murder, Budos knows what he must do. "Lads, I've done a poor job of leading this crew. What sort of captain doesn't know how to hoist the jibdoodler or paddle the swankdankler. Truth be told, I don't even know what a crobnobbler is or when it's tight enough? Gezza here is yer leader and a fine one at that." Budos takes the captain's hat from his own head and places it on Gezza's brow. "Gezza, I promote you to captain. If you'll keep me on the crew I'd like to say aboard as expedition planner and treasure mapper. The crew needs a full time mapper, you can never have too many maps."
Brood shoots Bud a frown. "None of us know what that crap is."
Gezza smiles. "Very well. I'm Captaining, for now."
Gezza stands a few feet apart. "I'm your Captain now, lads. Let's take a swing past that village and see what we're dealing with. Hoist the colors, lads and let's let them stew when they spot us!"
With Gezza's encouragement, Nim retrieves Magilla, then produces a whip. By the landside, the half-orc begins cracking the whip, its sound unmistakable. With each snap, Magilla roars. On cue. The whip's sound is all that's required for the gorilla to roar, and the two circle each other, as Nim occasionally looks to land to gauge how much noise is truly merited to project the mighty beast's bellows.
Satisfied that Magilla will continue a couple more roars, he spirits downstairs to retrieve his bow and gear, then returns topside, and waits for further orders.
Gezza stands a few feet apart. "I'm your Captain now, lads. Let's take a swing past that village and see what we're dealing with. Hoist the colors, lads and let's let them stew when they spot us!"
Cargas looks from Budos to Gezza, wondering how the captain's hat moved so quickly, and how it totally avoided his own beautiful dwarven head. He shrugs as he sees that no one else seems to mind.
He offers a final salute to Budos (a middle finger tapped from his forehead), then moves his salute to Gezza, flicking his middle finger forward at the end.
"A'ight new Capt'n, we'll fly the Red Fingers, we will," Cargas says, running off and giving more orders. When the ship is on its way, he will go down to don his leathers and get his shield.
"Captain," Fishguts interjects as the crew scrambles to follow the new captain's orders, "If we attack a village as soon as we're spotted, we'll probably face everything they can get. Might be better to sail on and then return after sunset. A nighttime raid might catch them as they're in bed."
You spill out of the boats, the crew letting out cheers as their feet hit dry land, while barks from the village's dogs start rousing the populace and make them aware of your arrival.
"Kill only if you must. Anyone caught raping will be keel-hauled! We're here for plunder, mates, not for blood. TAKE WHAT YOU CAN, DAMN THE REST!" Gezza cries out, and realizes he has no good piratical weapon to hold aloft dramatically. He resolves to change that.
"Hit the wooden buildings, leave the huts. No one keeps good swag in huts. Haul away what you can carry and take the choicest bits." Gezza will point toward the farthest wooden roofed building to the west and leads his band of cut-throats there.
Cargas attaches his shield once they get off the boats, intent on protecting his men should the villagers resist or try to avoid being raided. His war axe is out and ready to go as well.
"Someone get me some pigs. Gunna wanna eat some ham after all this raidin'," Cargas bellows at a few pirates.
He bangs his axe on his shield as challenge to whomever might resist.
Nim and Magilla fan out, targeting the dogs, hoping to either cow them or run them off. Nim's whip is at the ready, and he moves towards the nearest, laying out a sharp crack.
He draws Magilla in his general direction, pointing to the rooftops, and expecting the ape to get clear of the ground.
"Alright, no unnecessary killings, got it. Fresh water, fresh food, and whatever ain't nailed down, got it."
Brood's feet hit the ground and the cutlass leaps into his hand almost unbidden, additional arcane power curling up the blade. The elf scowls at the hounds and, realizing there wasn't any way to silence all of them quickly enough, he spared a moment to draw upon some of his defensive magics.
HP: 27/27
AC: 22 (21 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +4/+4/+4 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 1/6
Tidewater Hydraulic Push (1/day): [ ]
Besmara's Blessing (1/week): [ ]
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, flare, read magic
Level 1 (2+1) - magic missile [ ], shield [X], shocking grasp [ ]
Level 2 (0+1) - frigid touch [ ]
Ongoing Effects
Shield (1/3 minutes): +4 AC
Arcane Pool (1/10 rounds): +1/+1 (stacks with cutlass' existing enhancement bonus)
Bud grimaces as the pirates swarm over the village. Turning his axe in his hands, he adjusts his grip to strike with the flat of the blade and not maim the innocent fishermen. "Spare them dogs too, lads, we can take their gold, but leave a man his best friend." Bud moves forward to the nearest barking dog and prepares to strike if it attacks.
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"Yeh, not interested in their meat, only their silence, which becomes less valuable, now that the village's catching wind of our presence. We should have put Cargas downwind."
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"If it's like any other trouble we've seen, he'll be face down in the mud soon enough, Nim."
Round 1
Magilla scrambles onto the roof as Nim and Budos advance ahead of their companions, quickly becoming the focus of two of the dogs, though Budos just as quickly knocks one of them senseless, nearly shattering its skull.
The other seems unpersuaded to turn tail by Nim's whip and lunges at him, jaws snapping on air, while two others come running in your direction. From the buildings, you can hear the sounds of people scrambling to grab their weapons.
Dog: 4 nonlethal
Gezza glances at the dogs and sighs. He casts protection from arrows on himself.
Bud moves to the edge of the larger building and readies another strike.
Brood steps in to flank the nearest dog with Magilla. As the ape draws the hound's attention, the elf lashes out with a quick slice of his cutlass.
HP: 27/27
AC: 22 (21 T / 11 FF)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +4/+4/+4 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 2/6
Tidewater Hydraulic Push (1/day): [ ]
Besmara's Blessing (1/week): [ ]
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, flare, read magic
Level 1 (2+1) - magic missile [ ], shield [X], shocking grasp [ ]
Level 2 (0+1) - frigid touch [ ]
Ongoing Effects
Shield (1/3 minutes): +4 AC
Arcane Pool (2/10 rounds): +1/+1 (stacks with cutlass' existing enhancement bonus)
The rest of the raid goes as easily as putting the first dogs down, and you quickly subdue the surprised villagers, making off with various trade goods . The villagers are distraught as you leave, though thankful they weren't taken with you, but allowed to continue their lives as best they can.
Even so, you're again left with an empty feeling, realizing your initial predations are equivalent to how you were treated when you were first brought aboard the Wormwood, victims to those stronger and better equipped than you. Meeting in the captain's quarters, you decide to aim your sights higher, figuring you can get greater riches and more renown from better targets, which will let you recruit more sailors for your planned attempt to crack the rock.
So decided, you set sail again, looking for worthy prey for the Murderin' Murder. It's not long before you notice -- as the sun sinks lower to the horizon -- a column of black smoke rises into the sky off to the east. No land is nearby, so it can only be a ship burning. Though you can't make out details from this distance, you soon realize that two ships appear to be locked together, with one clearly aflame.
A tension runs through the crew as they await your decision.
"If we approach with the setting sun behind us, they won't spot us until we're almost on top of 'em," Fishguts notes as he waits near the wheel for the captain's decision.
Nim paces the deck, straining to make out any details that will lend to swift and accurate decisions regarding which of the two, or both, will make a fine target. He allows his sight to travel to the ape's eyes above, looking for flags, or ship details, that he can communicate to his captain.
He begins to think out loud. "Looks like the two should wear each other down a bit, so our timing couldn't be better if they've been at it for a time. Two dogs bloodying themselves over a piece of meat, and maybe we can snatch it from both before they know they've been bested."
Cargas looks quite pleased with the two pigs he's liberated from their imprisonment at the hands of the evil villagers. He hands them over to Fishguts so that they might find the mercy of the cookpot.
"Good thing those villagers didn't object too much, we just took what they didn't want, you see?" Cargas grumbles, looking at the rising smoke.
"Hey, that there might be good plucking. And I know good plucking from the chickens I watched Budos #$@#ing," Cargas jokes at the old captain before turning his gaze to the new captain.
"So what now, Capt'n Redfinger? Shall we raise the red middle finger flag and fly that direction?"
"One of them must be a group of scurvy pirates, now that's something I can sink my axe into." Bud starts prepping the boarding gear with a new enthusiasm.
As you get closer, you can see the ship that is not aflame bears a Chelish flag, which flaps proudly in the breeze, though the naval cutter's sails are furled.
About a mile away, you start realizing that Chelish marines are leading a few bound prisoners belowdecks on the burning ship!
"So what now, Capt'n Redfinger? Shall we raise the red middle finger flag and fly that direction?" Cargas repeats, this time facing Gezza.
"Shall we attack their backside like uh...uh...like...uh...you know..." Cargas rubs the back of his neck, uncertain how to finish his thought.
Brood storms to the wheel, not waiting for an answer. "Leaving folk to burn or drown chained in their hold? I don't think so." The elf scowls darkly, and makes to come up along side the Chelish ship. "Grateful new crew on the one ship, oily chum for the sharks on the other."
"Clear as crystal waters." Nim shoots Brood a green thumbs-up, looking forward to closing as quickly as they can, and catch the Chelish ship off-guard. Magilla snort-smells as he looks in the direction of fire on the water, unsure of the nature of the conflict.
Brood sails you in close, using the glare of the setting sun to mask your approach, and you surprise six Chelish marines on the deck of the Famished Mane as the ships grind together!
Round 1/2
AC = 17
HP = 20/20
Weapon Equipped = Longbow
Condition(s) = Aspect of the Falcon
AC = 16
HP = 34/34
Weapon Equipped = Meatpaws and Teeth
Condition(s) = Animal Aspect- Bull(+1 to Strength)
Shortly before they close, Nim whispers a prayer to Gozreh, bringing a slightly-birdlike look to his chin and sideburns.
With a quick look and grunt to the ape, Nim seems to alter Magilla, bolstering the creature's muscles, especially in his forearms.
...
He takes an initial shot across the bow, hoping to soften up one of the Chels, before sending Magilla over.
Magilla doesn't hesitate, once it's clear that he can leverage himself upwards and over.
Rounds Surprise, Init 7
"Ah, look at these dandies, would ya? Hardly worth our time, except that I hate dandies," Cargas says, completely forgetting about the origin of Gezza.
Cargas knows what to do with his waraxe, moving up in the surprise round.
WarAxe attack (two handed, PA, FFocus,FE):
[ dice]1d20+7+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+4+6+2[/dice] damage.
As the ships clash together Bud hurls his spear at the marines.
Letting the momentum of the throw carry him forward, Bud leaps across the decks and draws his axe before banking the momentum of his charge against a mast and careening into the sailor on the far side of the boat with his blade flashing.
Gezza holds aloft a borrowed cutlass and roars a battlecry. "Cry havoc lads and let's sink these naval bastards to the bottom of Besmara's sweet blue sea!" He then casts mage armor on himself...
Cargas: 11*
Gezza: 11*
Nimrod: 11*
Sicarius: 18*
Budos: 24
Antagonist: 23
Remembering the lessons learned while still on the Wormwood, Cargas goes to cross, this time the Murder's own sailors having launched grapples for you. Magilla quickly follows as Gezza casts a spell and Brood moves to launch himself across the briny divide.
Budos follows Nim's arrow, launching himself across and cuts down the marine opposite him in a bloody spray.
As he looks around, he hears cries from the other ship, its flames starting to lick higher and higher.
The startled Chelish marines move to engage you quickly, training taking over, and Cargas, Magilla and Budos soon find themselves under attack, boarding pikes aiming to keep them at a distance . Cargas and Magilla suffer wicked stabs, they they manage to hold their ground instead of being pushed off the ship.
M1:
M2: 3
M3:
M4:
M5:
Rounds 1, Init 7
"Oh, good swing, that one," Cargas says taking one on the side and stepping forward, trying to avoid flank. "Let's see if you can take a hit."
to hit; (two handed, PA, FFocus,FE):
damage.
WarAxe attack (two handed, PA, FFocus,FE):
[ dice]1d20+7+2[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d10+4+6+2[/dice] damage.
Gezza makes a single move toward the railing and tries to pick out the highest ranking Chel he can. for fire damage!
for an additional fire damage?
As the vessels close, Brood calls up a defensive spell as he rips his cutlass free and moves into position.
HP: 27/27
AC: 22 (17 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +4/+4/+4 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 1/6
Tidewater Hydraulic Push (1/day): [ ]
Besmara's Blessing (1/week): [ ]
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, flare, read magic
Level 1 (2+1) - magic missile [ ], monkeyfish [ ], shield [X]
Level 2 (0+1) - frigid touch [ ]
Ongoing Effects
shield (1/4 minutes): +4 AC
arcane pool (1/10 rounds): +1 to hit/damage