This was both Kharash and Nafus first time at sea travel and they weren't looking forward to it. Boarding a bhaglah with the rather lovely name of ' Akide ' with a rather dubious captain one Ibn Muttabah, who saw potential in Nafus light build and brightened when Karash made it known he could fight.

Captain Muttabah made known that the Gulf of Marazid was not easy to navigate with coral reefs and rocks just under the waterline near the coast.

" Storms are common, as are pirates who waited patiently for ships with rich travelers to rob and kill."

" Ships were weak in a storm, the planks are stitched together with cords. Moreover, the winds can keep us from reaching our destinations. Truly our lives are in the hands of God."

.................

Captains Jounal Three days into the journey:

"We traveled on this sea with a favoring wind for two days, but thereafter the wind changed and drove us off ... course... The waves of the sea entered in amongst us in the vessel, and the passengers fell grievously sick."

Eventually the ship had to head for shore, undergoing repairs in a small fishing village on the southern edge of the Kaikhuran Desert.

Sailing onwards and around the coast of the Sultunate of Opalar and into the delta of the River Isis to the city of La'Atmar.

La'Atmar was a city built on a rocky shoreline with its southern side exposed to a river mouth and the sea. The harbor was surrounded by stone walls and sea gates for protection.

La'Atmar charged a tariff or tax on all the goods that came through this port. Ships brought spices, medicinal herbs, dyes to color cloth, iron, steel, Minji silks and cottons, pearls, cowrie shells, Khitain pottery, Mungodan ivory, fruits and lumber.

From La'Atmar the ship sailed across the Deeps of Rasakna and down the coast of Mungoda this time. The weather conditions were right for the trip, and it was an easy journey for the thirty man crew who had begun to warm to the two newcomers by now.

The trading ship made its way down the east coast of Mungoda stopping at small towns to trade for Mungodan goods such as ivory, gold, myrrh to make a fine skin oil, animal skins, frankincense and fruits.

They continued southward and fifteen days later they reached Paru, the busiest Mungodan port.

The captain was well known here and the crew was made welcome guests of the local chieftains. This feasting and meeting of important people continued for about a week before the ship continued southward to smaller trading towns.

There in the seldom visited settlement of Qalha, whose inhabitants feared something called The Bird Kings and warned them against going further south, they observed a busy market with merchandise from Minji, and along the coast they saw pearl fishing boats.

The captain traded the rest of his goods for bushels of pearls and with the crews blessing they sailed east......

A night into the journey under a bright full moon there was a sudden call out from the lookout about a ship rapidly approaching from the south.

It was low and brightly coloured with three hulls and on the two outer a dozen men rowed with broad leaf-blade paddles.

On the central hull stood six figures dressed in mantles of iridescent feathers and great crested helms...but they were not helms...and those six were not men.  The folk of Qalha spoke of Bird Kings...it seemed they were about to meet them....

“By the Prophet!” Nafu curses as he looks about for somewhere to hide, figuring he would best to try to get the drop on whomever or whatever these things are.

Once in hiding he will awkwardly draw the fine scimitar and prepare to sell his life dearly.

At the sound of the commotion, Karash gains the bridge and is soon alerted to the incoming, three-hulled ship. He squints his eyes trying to catch more details of the strange feathered figures. He looks around for Nafu, but the man is nowhere in sight.

He rushes to seek audience with Captain Muttabah. "My Captain, can we outrun them with the sails of the Akide? Are the winds in our favour?"

He turns once more to observe the strangely shaped ship. "Hmm... A dozen rowing... Six strange creatures in the middle... Our crew outnumbers them, should it come to blows. But... are they hostile?" he thinks out loud, his hand tightening around the grip of his weapon.

" We can try, By the Illuminate."

" We outnumber them, yes. But my men are not soldiers."

Five of the hulking iridescent plumed figures advanced to the bow of the trimaran and drew enormous plum-leaf shaped blades from where they were strapped to their backs.

" I would say they seem to be hostile."

The ship tacked hard across the wind but the trimarans fevered rowing did not abate as they drew within 30m of the ship angling to intercept.

He nods and starts walking along the bridge, calling out to the various crew members, "We must slow them down... arrows! Bows! Crossbows! Anyone who has any, make yourself known! We can try firing at the rowers. That's their strength right now"

"Come on, brave sailors of the Akide !! We haven't sailed this splendid ship this far, just to become prey to a mere row boat!!" he calls out, trying to boost some courage.

Emboldened by Karash’s stirring speech, Nafu sheathes his scimitar awkwardly and pulls out his sling loading a smooth stone into the pouch.  Scampering up to a vantage point on the deck he whirls the sling around and around and then let’s the stone fly at the closest rower.

OOC and with a 19 that’s a miss! $&@!
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Fri 14 May 2021.

A number of crew pulled out recurved laquered reed bows and fired, two of their shafts struck home and one of the rowers slumped over dead.

The trimaran slowed very slightly but it was still gaining....

Karash rushes to the archers' side, encouraging them.

"Do not give up, prepare a second volley of arrows! They already have slowed down some! Come on, mighty archers!!" he shouts at the top of his lungs.

In reply to Karash (msg # 9):

Urged on by Karash Nafu loads another stone and sends it whizzing towards the towers with deadly intent.

OOC 18:09, Today: Nafu rolled 8 using 1d20.  Sling shot.Not sure if that’s a hit. Maybe he hits but not the one he was aiming for?!