Isaac coasts the Shrike closer to its prey, with the assistance of Jaina's navigation and Alabaster barking orders to the crew. As Edward urges them on, Diana's crews reload and fire once more! This volley is less well-aimed than the first, perhaps because the crew is excited and rushing, but two of the ballistae still strike home, bringing down another mast. The Rahadoumi crew finally manage to return fire, swiveling two ballistae mounted on their aft deck to fire at you. One bolt misses, and one glances off the ship's side, wood splinters flying. Your prey is starting to move westward, though they're severely hampered by the damage to their sails...on deck, you can see a number of them surrounding some large object, clearly doing something involved.
---------
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,620
Isaac sees the enemy ship fleeing slowly. He shouts out, "Hang on! I'm turnin' 'er into th' wind! We'll turn again fer pursuit! One o' ye tak' my spyglass! See wha' tha' thing on their deck is! Diana! Keep th' pressur' on 'em! Wha'ev'r they hav' planned, sabotag' it!" He spins the wheel, turning the Shrike into the wind.
ARhiel takes teh spyglass and tries to make out what's on their deck.
plus whatever bonus the spyglass gives.
Jaina keeps up the current-finding work.
Edward keeps encouraging the crew until the Shrike gets into fighting range.
Focusing all the drive she can bring to bare Diana orders her crew to fire at the unknown mechanism on the enemy deck.
Isaac, Jaina, and Alabaster continue to work the crew, and Isaac wheels the ship around into a strong headwind as he realizes that the Rahadoumi ship is threatening to pull away (albeit slowly). As the damaged vessel continues to pull away, Arhiel pulls out a spyglass and investigates the deck...
Diana and her crew act keep loading and firing, although in their new position the aft catapult is cut off by the Shrike's sails. Ballista bolts thud into the side of the Rahadoumi ship, although one falls short; the crew on the fore catapult, though, having gotten a sense of their aim now, loose a massive stone that flies through the air and crashes down amidships among the knot of men and women on the deck with a crunch! There are screams from the ship as it returns fire, one bolt narrowly missing the Shrike while the other smashes into its bird-shaped figurehead!
As the Rahadoumi ship slowly lumbers away, sails in tatters, you can all see a horse-sized figure launch itself from the deck...as you watch, the strange, ungainly creature flies toward you. It lets out a roar as it approaches: a beast with a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. Its tail ends in long, sharp spikes!
Manticore: HP: 49 | AC/T/FF: 17/11/15 | Fort +9 Ref +7 Will +3 | CMD: 24 (28 vs. trip)
Shrike Morale: 3
Sanbalot Morale: 1
-----------
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,557
"Look out they've got a..." She spots the creature launch itself into mid-air... [/b]"Never mind, you can all see it now... it's a big winged horse-like thing![/b]
Diana, maybe aim at that!"
She concentrates but a second or two, and points at the creature, aiming a trio of force missiles at it...
Not in the wildest tales in Riddleport, had Edward heard of whatever is flying up there.
"Holy heck....", as he repositions himself at the mast to see it more clearly.
With a serious presentable threat, Edward starts a verse of perseverance and survival.
We've a new target lads. Hit it with all that can bare. Diana directs her siege to fire on the flying creature.
Arhiel recognizes this creature as a magical beast known as a manticore! She's heard tales of such from Rahadoum and other dry, desert lands. Although probably originally a magical experiment, they've since become a self-propagating species. They're fierce predators with a human-like intelligence (well, a fairly dim human, anyway) that love to eat meat, particularly human flesh. They're clumsy fliers but can still be vicious in the air; they can send a shower of tail-spikes at opponents when they want to, almost like a porcupine.
Jaina looks up from the water to see the beast the Rahadoumi have brought to bear coming at them.
Her eyes widen... and a huge grin appears on her face as she squeals with glee.
"Are we going to fight that? Please tell me we're going to fight that!"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Isaac sees the giant beast fly from the Rahadoumi ship and his jaw drops. "Besmara's t***s! Wha' th' f**k is tha'?!" As Jania gets pumped about fighting it, Isaac quickly spins the wheel. "Ye can figh' it iffen it lands on th' ship! Bu' I'd rath'r not hav' tha' happen! Fire at th' thing!"
Isaac brings the Shrike streaming through the waves toward its prey...which also brings it closer to the flying manticore! Diana's ballista crews swivel their massive weapons upward and loose bolts against the beast, but such a small target is hard to hit with a ballista...all three bolts splash into the water. And it's too close for the catapults to target! Arhiel's missiles, however, slam home into the beast. It roars in rage and swoops over your ship, snapping its tails toward you as it does. A hail of arms-length spikes rain down; Jaina's armor deflects one, and one plunges into the deck not far from Diana, but Edward and Arhiel are both stabbed by the natural spears! Arhiel's is a shallow wound, but Edward's looks more serious. The Rahadoumi ship continues to do its best to sail away, even as its ballistae fire ineffectually at you.
Manticore: HP: 39 | AC/T/FF: 17/11/15 | Fort +9 Ref +7 Will +3 | CMD: 24 (28 vs. trip)
Shrike Morale: 3
Sanbalot Morale: 1
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,557
----------
Arhiel, Diana, Edward, Jaina
Edward grits his teeth as he is hit, and clenches his fist as he casts a CLW on himself.
Arhiel takes cover and starts summoning
Keep up the fire men. Diana encourages, hoping for a lucky shot. Catapults continue fire on the enemy deck!
The oracle readies a spell to spoil the creature's aim. After the rest of her party acts she will cast Obscuring mist on herself, so that no one within 20' of her can be targeted.
Isaac watches as the creature rains its spines down on the ship. He growls at the creature. He says, "I wan' tha' thing tak'n down! Bu' stay on yer toes, men!" He glares at the enemy ship. "As fer ye b******s... MAK' WAY!!" He spins the wheel to try and make the enemy ship more vulnerable.
Jaina gets ready to dodge more spears fired by the creature. "COME DOWN HERE! I WANT TO HAVE A GO AT YA!"
As Isaac dives toward the opposing ship, the other captain seems to panic slightly and the ship stops swerving away. It's still sailing east, though--you're keeping pace with it easily, but unless you close the distance more quickly you can't get in range to grapple. Arhiel begins summoning as Edward heals himself, Diana summons a cloud of fog, and Jaina summons a cloud of mist that envelops the main deck, even though you're quickly sailing out of it.
Your siege engines fire again and again--without Diana's guidance, the catapults' stones only sink into the water around the Rahadoumi ship. The ballistae have better luck--two bolts slam home in the enemy ship--but none at all in hitting the manticore. The opposing ship, for its part, returns fire, one of its bolts punching a hole in the fore deck of the Shrike! The manticore, with a roar of rage at the mist covering its prey, swoops low and toward the sound of Jaina's voice--thudding to the deck mere feet from her, it roars aloud and snaps at her fog-shrouded form, but Jaina twists away from its teeth.
-----------
-------
Manticore: HP: 39 | AC/T/FF: 17/11/15 | Fort +9 Ref +7 Will +3 | CMD: 24 (28 vs. trip)
Shrike Morale: 3
Sanbalot Morale: 1
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,497
Knowing that they will sail out of the protective mist any minute Diana directs her siege engines again. Light ballistae at the beast. All others at the ship to clear their decks. she orders and then gives guidance for the shots. The fog seems to have her off her mark though and her guidance helps less than usual.
Keeping his inspiring verse up, Edward squeezes a spell between lines.
Isaac faintly sees the creature landing on his ship. He growls out, "Someon' tak' th' wheel!" He then draws his cutlass and moves to engage in melee, making sure to (at least for now) keep out of reach of it's attacks.
Arhiel finishes her summons and celestial eagles pop into existence.
All three birds beset the manticore, two flanking it, the third, just attacking as best it can.
Overall, they do decidedly poorly, so Arhiel follows that up by casting a magic missile at the flying enemy.
Jaina cracks her knuckles, grins wildly, and throws a heavy punch at the manticore before her!
Alabaster swears and seizes the wheel from Isaac as the captain descends to the deck, sword drawn. As the ship cuts through the waves toward the Rahadoumi ship, it clears the mist and Diana's siege crews take aim at their targets once more--but several of them refuse to fire. "I ain't about t'fire at a beast that's on our own deck!" one of them hollers. "We'll hit our mates if'n we miss!" The two catapults reload, but at this point your ships are too close together for the large one to fire, and the small catapult's stone sinks into the ocean beyond its target.
On deck, Edward chants a spell and the manticore suddenly staggers, letting out an angry roar. The three eagles swooping around it manage to land a few hits, but Arhiel's missiles are clearly more effective--and Jaina's punch catches the creature square in the jaw, sending it reeling! It lunges at her and, though both of its claws miss (swiping at the air as though it's confused), it closes with her and sinks its teeth into her side! The deck of the Shrike quakes as two more ballista bolts slam into the hull.
------
------
Manticore: HP: 10 | AC/T/FF: 17/11/15 | Fort +9 Ref +7 Will +3 | CMD: 24 (28 vs. trip) | pugwampi's grace until round 12
Shrike Morale: 3
Sanbalot Morale: 1
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,497
The eagles attack again:
Arhiel casts another magic missile
Jaina flinches as the beast bites her, but all it really seems to do is enrage her further.
"COME ON! THERE'S ONLY *ONE* OF ME!" She roars as her fists fly...
Arhiel's eagles land one or two hits that leave the manticore staggering...and then Jaina's first blow lays it out flat! The crew cheers as the massive beast crumples.
Edward smiles as the Manticore drops. Not forr long, however, as there was still the other ship.
"Heads up guys, we're not done yet!"
Arhiel sends the eagles to the other ship, they might have a round or two left to harry their captain and crew before winking back to where they came from...
Hoping for a last deck clearing shot before the ships grapple Diana directs her siege again.
Issac cheers with his crew as the manticore goes down. He then turns the opposing ship and points his cutlass at it. "Now, let's ge' our priz'!" He then moves to take the wheel.
Al hauls hard on the wheel and the Shrike comes up alongside the Rahadoumi trader. Several of the sailors on board look shocked to see their manticore taken down, and as three more ballista bolts from your now-recovered crew punch holes in the hull and rake the deck, Alabaster yells, "Get 'er! Grapple 'er!"
The grapples fall short, but they come close enough that you see the captain let go the wheel and come to the rail. She's an imperious but exhausted-looking woman. "Pirates!" she calls, in the clipped Taldane of a native Osiriani speaker, "If you can give me a guarantee not to harm my crew or myself, I am willing to surrender to you!" She gestures at the sails, and adds bitterly, "You know well enough that I am unable to fly, and without the beast we have little hope against your numbers."
Shrike Morale: 3
Sanbalot Morale: 1
Sanbalot Sails: 33 | 1,416
Diana orders her siege crew to load but to hold and not fire. She looks to the captain a smile on her face. That sounds like a reasonable request to me. Your orders, captain?
Diana orders her siege crew to load but to hold and not fire. She looks to the captain a smile on her face. That sounds like a reasonable request to me. Your orders captain? she calls.
Isaac looks at the enemy crew. Then, he turns to his own crew. With a nod, he says, "Very well, then. I, Cap'n Isaac Silv'rman' o' th' Silv'r Shrik', be acceptin' yer surrend'r!"
Since she cannot control them, to prevent further eagle attacks, Arhiel dismisses her summoned birds.
Edward stopped his inspire.
"Nice."
With the Rahadoumi ship no longer resisting, it's the work of moments to grapple it and pull alongside. The merchant crew throw down their weapons and wait, hands on their heads and scowls on their faces, as your people take their time enjoying the ransacking of the ship--including more than a few personal effects from the captured crew, though no one roughs any of the prisoners up. The captain watches you coldly. "I'm Captain Aisha Hamiyaz," she says, voice steely. "And this is the Sanbalot, bound for Port Godless. You'll find naught of great value below, but I imagine you'll find enough to cart away..."
The hold proves to be full of cloth, copper, and salt, and in just a few hours your crew have transported it all over to the Shrike. You've now got decisions to make: there's a captured crew and a badly damaged captive ship to deal with!
Isaac aids the crew in moving the plunder to the Shrike. When it comes to deciding on the fate of the ship and crew, the Captain gathers his officers in a meeting. "So, we be needin' to sell this ship. Howev'r, it may be difficult to be sellin' or be gettin' it anywher' du' to th' damage. Also, we be needing' to ge' to Tid'wat'r Rock to drop off our passeng'rs. Ther's also th' dead monst'r on our deck. Coul' try an' sell th' parts from it or be stuffin' an' mountin' it as a remind'r o' our victory. Thoughts?"
"I was about to suggest mounting its head somewhere the crew can see it, as an inspiring reminder of a successful battle. Finding a taxidermist to stuff the entire thing could be more time consuming than it's worth."
We have the plunder. I say we take the other ship's siege and reward the captain's good sense by giving her back her ship and crew. Diana councils quietly. Word will spread and others might be encouraged not to fight. As to the beast, I'm for dropping it over the side.
"I kinda like the idea of stuffing the head and perhaps keeping it on the wall in your cabin, Captain, or presenting it for mounting in the hall at the Rock. and yes, taking the siege weapons and letting them keep their ship and crew sounds like a good idea... get us a reputation as fair, make it more likely others will surrender to us in the future, even if we don't return all our prey, as that would be foolish."
You decapitate the manticore with ease, and after a few minutes' quiet discussion Isaac tells Captain Hamiyaz that she will be permitted to keep her ship and crew. The captain looks surprised, and then utterly grateful. "I knew that I was taking a gamble, surrendering to a pirate," she says warily. "I am pleased that it has paid...may you go forward in strength and conviction, and perhaps you may one day even civilize this lawless waste." She gives Isaac a deep bow. Your crew, especially given the tattered state of the other ship, seem quite content to make their way under sail with the contents of its hold and the crew's personal possessions.
Tidewater Rock is another two days' sail from where you intercepted the Sanbalot. The first day is clear sailing, but on the second a squall descends and ravages the Shrike. There are no serious incidents--just slippery decks and a loose chunk of rigging that whips across the deck and smacks the crew around. In the early evening, you pull into the harbor at the Rock, and you find Lady Smythee waiting on the steps to greet you. She looks happy to see you, but nonetheless reserved. "Greetings, my love. And Captain Silvermane," she says with a nod. "I spotted your sails from the top of the Rock. Come in, come in. I'm afraid I have bad news..."
Slippery deck
Lashing Rigging
Slippery deck