With the cloud of fog hinder vision on the pirate ship the Hunter archers have a difficult time finding and hitting targets.  Hails of arrows from both sides litter the sky as they seek the blood of their enemies.  The npc hunters on the hunter ship's main deck waiting for the first pirate to fall and make room for them on the other side of the railing.

Hands decides to jump between the two ships as they grappled and landed on top of an npc pirate on the pirate ship's main deck; wresting his cutlass weapon away from the pirate. All of the reamining npc pirate crew in the adjacent area turn towards Hands with weapons drawn; ready to take him down.  The fog limits Hands vision to just 5 ft around him; obscurring everything around him...

On the quarter deck of the pirate ship the pirate captain and helmsman are put on the defensive as several hunters cross over the railing and form up for an attack; taking several arrow hits from pirate archers up in the pirate ship rigging.  Varal's anger building within him and begins expressing his passion for combat; intimidating those around himself.  "My, my boys.  All this for little o'me?  I'm touched."  You here the female pirate captain say as she draws a rapier and short sword from her belt.  She calls out to her crew, "Mister Roberts, to the quarter deck if your not too busy sightseeing."

Just then two small pale blue skinned humanoids with sparks of electricity coming off their bodies come flying over pirate ship quarter deck railing near the edge of the fog bank and flittering among the rigging nearby and the fog bank for cover.  "Look at the ugly blue monkey having a tantrum." You hear one say as the other replies, "He is rather funny looking, now isn't he."



Those on the pirate ship main deck hear a low based hum sound that becomes a shrilling screaching sound five times and then going silent.  This happens twice in a row...

OOC:
Pirate ship main deck still effected by cloud of fog; reducing vision to 5 ft.

Gildor: 1 arrow hit total damage 5; moved to the pirate ship quarter deck.
Varal: 2 arrow hit total damage 4; moved to the pirate ship quarter deck.
Umbril: arrow attacks miss you; moved from the rigging to the hunter forcastle.
Hands: Leaps into the middle of 9 npc pirates on the pirate main deck and wrests a cutlass from a pirate.  Vision impaired to 5 ft around you.
Chula: Unsure; caught in a net on the hunter main deck.
Duke: Unsure; currently at the railing of the hunter ship main deck next to pirate ship. Hiding behind the railing.
Jonash: Unsure; effected by Doom spell.

npc hunters:
 -forcastle: 2 npc hunters move to the pirate quarter deck to support Gildor & Varal.
 -rigging: 9 npc hunters providing ranged attack support.
 -main deck: 10 npc hunters trying to move to the pirate main deck.
 -quarter deck: captain and helmsman fighting two pirate npcs on pirate ship forcastle.
===============================================================================
Pirate ship main deck still effected by cloud of fog; reducing vision to 5 ft.

npc pirates:
 -forcastle: 2 npc pirates retreating into the fog bank for cover.
 -rigging: 9 npc pirates providing ranged attack support.
 -main deck: 10 npc pirates defending pirate main deck; attacking Hands now.
 -quarter deck: captain and helmsman defending against 2 npc hunters, Varal, & Gildor.

Post your round 1 actions/attacks please...

Vraul attacks the Captain of the pirates.

Attack: 28
Damage: 16

Gildor moves right after Varul, he runs across the deck taking evasive action as he goes to get into a flanking position. He attacks with one of his thinblades but to no avail, maybe all the fancy footwork through off his aim.


09:44, Today: Gildor Inglorion rolled 12 using 1d20+11. attack (Flank Captain).
09:42, Today: Gildor Inglorion rolled 20 using 1d20+11. Tumble DC: 15

Duke pops up again, once more hurling a spell from his scroll in the general direction of where the captain from the pirate ship is...

OOC - Your dice suck. :P

09:58, Today: Duke rolled 2 using 1d8. OoA Damage.
09:58, Today: Duke rolled 12 using 1d20+3. OoA Captain.

The little giant looked at the nine men facing him. A grim smile formed on his lips making his scarred face twist unnaturally. ”Oh good. More fun for me.” To the surprise of the men facing him, Karal tossed the cutlass overboard. That would be one less weapon that the pirates would use against him and his shipmates. Before the cutlass splashed into the water the warrior grabbed out to disarm the next nearest foe!

OOC:
Dodge feat: Hands will Dodge the pirate with the biggest weapon.
11:16, Today: Karal Enzoe aka Hands rolled 14 using 1d20+6. Disarm nearest foe.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Wed 08 Nov 2006.

Umbril dashed toward the railing nearest to Hands.  He threw himself into space, trying to follow the other man's jump.

22:07, Today: Umbril rolled 17 using 1d12+9. Jump check.

As both parties face off on the pirate quarter deck the pirate captain shakes her head in resignation and positions herself between the barbarian and his next target as human shield after mumbling something under her breathe.  No one is going to win this fight; not and still have enough men to crew a ship properly.  We're too evenly matched..., she thinks to herself.  In a commanding voice that makes people hesitate and take notice of her and her words the pirate captain commands to everyone, including the hunter crew, "Stand fast!! Everyone will hold their actions!!  I demand to see your captain at once!"

She pauses a little as everyone senses something monumentous is about to happen and the future is about to be rewritten...

The Hunter captain makes his way to the Hunter ship's forcastle to address the pirate captain in resignation; as if he too had drawn the same conclusion.  "I'm listening, Captain Blackmane.  Make it quick!", he responds.  Every member of the Hunter crew mimics

A flicker of respect passes across the eyes of Captain Blackmane at the recognition of her name.  Did you seek me out then on purpose since I don't believe in coincidences?  "I'll make a bargain with you, captain.  Spare this ship, myself, and it's crew and let us go unharmed, and I will give you something of value in return."

The Hunter captain considers for a moment.  She is a small fish...  "The name of your employer and his base of operation.

Figuring this was going to be asked she shakes her head "no".  "You know I can't give you that.  I and my crew would never find work if it got out that we turned on our employers and you know that.  However I am willing to give the name and location of a major slave trading operation in the area that goes against even my principles."  She chuckles a little and smiles.  "I know it sounds hypocritcal of me to see considering my line of work and yes, I do collect cargo and intelligence from the ships we take, but we don't traffic in slaves or necromancy.  That is dispicable.  As I am sure you agree?"  She pauses to gauge the reaction of the Hunter captain who looks around the immediate area at the tactical situation of the moment; taking note of the flying beings among the rigging with trepidation.  Hearing of a slave trading operation in the area was of interest to him on principle alone.  "I'm still listening, Captain Blackmane.  What did you have in mind?"

YES!! He bought it...If this guy is as good as he appears then I will have one less enemy in the world...  "A raid on his base of operations and haven and to make sure that isn't used for such a purpose ever again.  What say you?"

The Hunter captain responds, "I agree to your bargain and should have to remind you what will happen if I find out that you're lieing to me."  He then swings aboard by rope to the pirate quarter deck and approaches Captain Blackmane; tension increasing on both sides.  Captain Blackmane sheathes her swords and extends her hand to the Hunter captain.  "I keep my word.  You can be sure of that.  Besides this really does need to be done."

The Hunter captain grasps her hand; sealing the bargain.  "Varal, collect our wounded and return to our ship.  Make preparations to get under way.  I will join you shortly.  Captain, if you please." and motions with his hand towards Captain Blackmane's cabin.

She nods and starts walking that way.  "See to the wounded and make ready to sail once we are done.", she says to her helmsman.

The Hunter and Pirate captains make their way to the captain's cabin and are there for only 10 minutes...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:08, Mon 13 Nov 2006.

Varul shakes his head as if confused or in a daze then shouts, "Everyone back on board our ship....we have slavers to kill."

Karal stands in a fight ready stance for a long moment even after the captains have finished their negotiation. He waits until one of the nine pirates backs away before relaxing his guard. When two more turn to go Hands feels comfortable turning his back on them and finding a rope to climb back over to the Shoalrider. He looks disappointed but says nothing.

Gildor returns to the ship.

Umbril shook his head, but followed the captain and mate's orders and returned to the ship.  He stood ready in case of treachery from the pirates until his duties called him away from the rail.

"Well, that really did not go well." Vraul admits.

”Relax Varul.” Karal’s deep bass voice sounded from the quarterdeck. ”As long as we keep those pirates close we can break their heads after they help slaughter the slavers. We get two good deeds done.” He busied himself recoiling rope that had been used in boarding the other ship.

As the two crew follow the orders of their respective captains, gathering the wounded, returning to the ship, and preparations to get underway both captains watch over the proceeding with a critical eye; knowing both crews were disappointed with the outcome of this encounter and looking to quench their thirst for blood.

The two ships are soon ungrappled and sails unfurlied.  Shouts from the sailing master to the sailors ring out from the main decks....  The fog bank gently lifting from the pirate ship's main deck area.

As the two ships gather movement along the quarter decks to pass each other the Hunter captain yells out to Captain Blackmane in passing.  "I'll see you in three days."

After a safe distance between the ships had been achieved the captain turns to Varal.  "Gather all the specialist in my cabin for a meeting." He says in an emotionless command voice and walks to his cabin.  The calm before the storm...

Vraul does as he is order and walks are the ship ordering all specialist to report to the Captains cabin now!

Hands drops what he is in the middle of and calls a deckhand nearby to finish it for him. The big human plods across the deck toward the captain’s cabin. The last time Karal was invited into the captains cabin was when he was hired on the ship and someone decided he would be a good “specialist”. But Hands never did find out what his specialist duties were supposed to be. After all he had never even been a sailor before he got hired for this voyage. Hands followed Varul into the captains quarters.

Once Varul is sure all the specialist are headed to the cabin, he will head there himself.

Gildor sheaths his weapons and heads to the Captains cabin. The Adrenaline from his almost battle beginning to wear off.

As the specialists make their way to the captain's cabin and take a seat around the table the captain watches the reactions and body language of each one.  They are not very happy about this... They are not in command.  "Have a seat everyone."

After everyone settles down the captain takes a seat.  The captain says in an even commanding tone that broaches no argument, "I know that many of you are displeased with how the day went to today and frankly I don't care.  What we're about to do is more important than taking out a small fish in a big sea, so get over it.  Quick."  He pauses and looks each one of you in the eye around the table.

"We have bigger fish to fry.  About three days sailing time from here there is a pirate haven along the coastal penisula of Chult.  There is a system of large caves there that are used to hide ships from sight and a base of operations for pirates and their raids.  Several pirates with ships are working together their and are quite an evil lot. They traffic in any thing that will turn a profit; from raiding merchant ships of rival merchant companies and selling captured crews into slavery in Calimshan or corpses to a necromancer."  He pauses to let that sink in for a moment.

"That's right.  No one will miss these people and rumor has it that this group of pirates attacked a wealthy merchant ship bound for Halaaru and are holding hostage several important people for ransom.  That is our mission.  To release these people and take them to Halaaru as well as take out this nest of vipers, so they are never in a position to do this again.

If you're worried about the truth of this information then be reassured.  It seems that Captain Blackmane has made an enemy or two of this pirate brotherhood, so I trust the information that she's given to me on this, and even if it was a lie then the curse upon Captain Blackmane should be kicking in right about now.  Are there any questions?"

Gildor thought about it fopr a moment and then decided that sometimes allowing the lesser evil to get away to take on a greater was necessary even right. No Captain, I personally have no questions. I follow where you lead, always.

"I am sure we are all with ye Capn," Vraul growls as he looks around the table daring anyone to disagree.

Hands had been a real rebel as a kid but his time in the Pit had cured him of that. Ever since his release the big brute felt his sense of the law snap to attention whenever he heard the sound of authority. In this case the voice of the captain. Karal would not question the Captain’s word even if he had said Bane and Cyric were wrestling on a remote island and it was his duty to try and stop it. ”Just one question, Captain; When we finish with the viper’s nest, we will finish what we started with Blackmane and her crew, yes?” There was an edge to his voice like the grinding of stones but it was easy to tell his wrath was meant for the pirates and held no ill will toward Captain Clarke.

"Assuming she keeps her word and I believe that she will the crew of the Desert Rose will provide a distraction for our attack.  If she or her crew get in the way then it's every man for himself.  Just don't get cocky, Hands.  This is a big haven.  It's possible that there will be 1-4 ships, complete with crews plus the Desert Rose and the usual guards and the like to maintain order among the prisoners and slaves.  That's a lot of people to defeat; 40-160 enemy plus noncombatants and it only takes one person to raise an alarm.  A necromancer also traffics with them and there's no tell if he brought any forces or not if he is there as well."

The captain looks around the room.  "Which is why this will be a commando stealthy raid and not a frontal assault.  Is that clear?  We take'em down one at a time; quickly and quietly, dispatching them as we go.  Since there is a water element to this attack we will split up into three teams.  Since we both can enter the cavern undetected underwater Varal and I will enter that way; creating as much sabotage as we can to enemy ships.

The second team will be Gildor, Hands, Duke, Chula, and Umbril.  This cavern system has an escape route from it with a concealed trail to a nearby town.  Your task will be to find that escape entrance as your entrance into the cavern system, quietly neutralizing the enemy as you make your way to the main cave entrance.  If the rumors are true and there are still prisoners and slaves within the caverns then releasing them could give us some allies in the fight.

The third team will be the rest of the crew and the Shoalrider.  There are several small inlets to hide a ship near the cavern entrance.  It will be the ship's responsibility to chase down any ships that get away and, if needs, be retrieve the second team if a withdrawl is needed.

I know this sounds like an impossible job, but I believe we can do this with luck and Valkur's blessing.  What say you?"

"I am with you sir."

"Aye Captain. It sounds to be a fine way to spend an afternoon. Searchin caves and splitting heads of pirates and slavers and worse." He pounded a huge fist into the palm of his other giant hand. "We'll not let you down Captain."

It seemed that the warrior now had another question. "Is there a timeline on this Captain? Do we have to have all the sea rogues ousted by a particular time? What happens if we do not meet the time?"