The smaller boat from the house, oared by Telemachus, Storm, Michan, Banan, and Panatix made its steady way toward the larger ship as though transfer of cargo would be taking place.

The group in the other craft--Wyn, Wick, Lenelle, and Westin--managed to row silently across to get into position toward the aft, port-side.

Wick moves to the fore of the boat, getting ready to grab ahold of the ship, if there's anything to which to grab.  He glances upwards, looking to see if there's a convenient place to try with his rope.  He'd been known to climb up the side of a ship using daggers, but it was a chancy thing.

For the group at the stern of the ship, they could see the line connected to the anchor, but that was a little lower than they might like to use.  There was not, however, an obvious anchor that could be seen for a rope from their side of the other ship--perhaps that might be different if they had been on that deck.

Westin looked at the hull of the ship towering up out of the water. This was the one part of the plan he had been unsure of, at least for himself. How he would be able to reach the deck of the ship was clear to him. What was clear was if he was going to get up there, he would need help. Spider climb. If only he had a spider climb spell.

OOC:
Can Westin see the deck or at least part of the deck well enough to target a sleep spell, either where they are at or during the approach?

"Damn! No simple way up. What about tossing a rope over the rail, and letting it drop back down here? I can hold it taut for Wick to climb, and then he can fasten it to the rail and we can climb up after him?"

Wick nods towards the anchor chain.  "Let's move over there, if I can get up that chain, I have a lot better shot at climbing up the rest of the way."

Wick's plan is to climb up the anchor chain.  From there, he can hopefully climb the rest of the way.  He'll take his rope with him and can hopefully anchor it to the railing (without being spotted).

Wyn quickly shifts the boat's position to where Wick pointed.
"How's this?"

He listens for any sign that the other boat has raised any suspicions on the ship.

Lenelle watched, for the moment. Likewise alert for any hint that anyone on the ship was starting to realize that company was coming...

Storm keeps a sharp eye on the situation, occasionally using his sense evil as a form of radar.

Using the anchor, Wick was able to get aboard the ship.  The attention, at least for now, seemed to be toward the landward side, and for the moment, he was unnoticed.

The group that had come from the house made their way steadily toward the ship.  For this group, here was the weakest part in their plan--as their pretense of being the smugglers would not bear much scrutiny at all.

Being well skilled, Wick quickly makes the rope fast and drops the lose end to those below.  Then he moves quickly to whatever cover is at hand.  If nothing, then he’ll huddle down against the rail, trying to minimize his silhouette.

As the smugglers row up to meet the larger ship, Pan will speak in neither a whisper or a yell, "We saw the signal, lower the pilot's ladder, we have news".

As the faux-smugglers approached, the pilot's ladder dropped to their boat as they came close enough.  Those on the boat could see two men on the deck, seeming to be waiting for them.

Wick could see two crew members on the main deck, though their attention was clearly on the approaching boat from the house.

For Wyn, Westin, and Lenelle, the line set by Wick for their ascent was ready.

Westin waited nervously for his turn to climb up the rope. Unlike Wick, he was neither skilled in climbing nor eager to be among the first to ascend the rope. Let the others climb first. He didn't want to get stuck halfway up and block others. He also might need a hand up.

He momentarily reflected on the set of events that had led him here. All for the want of a spell. He looked at the others, waiting expectedly. When his turn came, he would be ready.

Soon the rope ladder is deployed, Pan climbs up it, he is small, and light, and has excellent dexterity, so moves quickly.

Wyn quickly secures the rope to the small boat. He is about to ascend the rope but stops.

"You two go first...if am last I can steady the rope...and help push you up if you have any problems climbing," he whispers, with a smile.

Lenelle would climb at whatever interval was appropriate.

She wasn't too heavily armored; still wearing the same studded leather she'd worn at the outset of all these events.   And although the clergy were not a profession known especially for agility and coordination, her own was near spectacular. The daughter of an elf as well as a professional thief, it was in the blood...

Once Lenelle and Westin had it made it to the deck, Wyn checked the knot on the boat, and then quickly climbed up to the deck.

Crouching down with the others, he looks around to determine how many crew members were visible, and to see or listen how the members of the other boat were doing.

With everyone on deck now and, hopefully, not being noticed, Wick starts looking around and let's the others keep watch on the crew.  The main thing, what sort of cover is available and what are the options for getting below deck.  He also keeps an eye out for anything that might be useful, weapon racks, nets...

While the group in the second boat made their way aboard the ship with relative ease, they could see that they were on the poop deck above the main deck, near the rudder.  Two humans were at the starboard side, looking toward shore--fortunately, they had approached from the port side.

They could see at the front of the ship a massive shape which was undoubtedly the capstan, with three humans--all likewise looking toward the shore.

On the main deck, they could see a jolly boat lashed to the deck just forward of the mast, with two humans who had just dropped a rope ladder over the side.

---

Panatix made his way onto the deck, climbing the rope ladder, with Michan close behind.

"How much can you carry?" said one of the men who had dropped the ladder when he looked at Panatix.

Westin climbed up the rope with difficulty. Light as he was, he wasn't exactly strong. Fortunately, though, he was young, quite young for an elf, and he was extremely dextrous which helped quite a bit. Once he reached the deck he immediately took whatever cover he could find.

It occurred to him, he didn't know exactly what would happen next. Obviously, it would be best to wait until everyone was on board. It was likely, though, that someone in his group would do or say something to initiate the fight plus there was a good chance one of the smugglers would make a stray glance and notice them. Criminals were apt to look around when engaging in their illegal deeds. He looked up at the lookout nest.

OOC:
Does the lookout nest appear to be manned? Is there anyone else visible on the ship other than the 2 humans?

This message was last edited by the player at 20:25, Sat 29 Jan 2022.

Westin looked up to the crow's nest--while it was occupied, it seemed that the occupant was completely focused on either the house or the boat approaching from the house.

Wyn stays crouched down, and does not speak. Rather he points to Westin, wiggles his fingers, mimicking spell casting, points to the two sailors on the other side of the poop deck, and then puts his hands to the side if his head.

"She isn't fast, or big, but she's very stable, she'll carry more than she looks. What'ave'ya got for us tonight?"

Westin casts sleep on the other 2 men on the poop. Once cast he immediately crouched down out of view or otherwise hides.