The interior of the ship was full of light.  While the guest and crew converse, wind cuts through the night outside.  It was dark, the moon a mere sliver in the sky.

The sound of wind and water is cut by a loud growl outside.

"Ship!  SHIP!  Are you there?!"

...

Outside, on the dock, were two people.  One, a small halfling earthfoot with shaggy hair and metal, layered armor.  Aside a taller figure with feline features.  "We need to get aboard!  Quickly, quickly!"

The talker, the shorter of the duo, was already looking for rigging... anything he could use to try and get aboard.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:32, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

"Ay-up, sounds like we've got visitors," Rosa says as she dabs her mouth with a napkin. She heads out on deck, grabbing a lantern on the way. She sees the two people on the dock and her first thought is, a dog and a cat, how cute. I wonder what their parents think?

She looks beyond them to make sure they're not being chased down by a mob, then eyes them up some more. They don't look harmless, but they don't seem threatening either. She gestures for Hugh & Dolph to get the gangplank ready, but not to deploy it just yet. She says to the newcomers, "I'm the captain. Who are you? What's got you rushing about in such a hurry?"


The Darkmaiden's Dance is a well-made, fine-looking ship. The outer hull is made out of a sleek, black wood, while the inner timbers are from a polished warmer redwood, some of which has been subtly carved into geometric shapes or comically gruesome figures. The deck is scrubbed clean, the ropes are tightly coiled, and the sails are neatly furled.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/nqgn...ens%20Dance.jpg?dl=0
This message was last edited by the player at 02:10, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

Although Tylluan hears the shouts from the dock, he doesn't immediately react. Instead he continues eating his food. I wonder what new annoyance this is. Can I not finish a meal without some interruption? After a few more bites, he lets out a frustrated sigh and steps outside to see what is happening. I had best see what is happening. I want to leave this boring place, and I won't tolerate anything that prevents me from doing so, now that I've paid good coin for passage.

He steps up to the railing and stares at the mismatched pair below. Well, this is an odd pairing. What sort of threat has thrown them together, I wonder. Tylluan cranes his neck and looks down the dock, toward the island itself. His keen night vision pierces the darkness, to see if there is any apparent threat that might endanger the ship, and therefore his means of leaving the island.

The young feline woman cocked her head to the side a moment, then lowered her hood and looked up to the one that announced that she was the ship's captain. "I am Murleena the Shadowcat, Moft here..." She said as she thumbed towards the dog. "...has need of you and your crew to search for a vessel that has kidnapped some friends of his." She stated matter of factly. "He has hired me for the same purrpose because of an uncanny knack I have that's native to my kind."

The she looked towards Moft a moment, then back to the Captain. "He can tell you the rest."

"Kidnapped, you say? Well, that is bad news. I'm not sure I can help you though; I already have a paying passenger and we're heading south to Doghelm." She frowns. She would like to help, but she already has a course plotted. She asks, "Which way was the ship heading? If it was heading south  we'll be happy to help you, but otherwise you'll have to come to some sort of arrangement with him." She gestures to the big black bird that followed her out of the galley.

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 3):

Light hears the voices and dons his head covering to conceal his cyborg features before going up on deck to see what all the hubbub is about.

He thought the voice sounded familiar, there before him next to some kind of Catfolk was the earthfoot halfling with the dog head, replete in almost full plate he had met briefly in Welk's.

'Moft? What brings you to The Darkmaiden's Dance? Wait... Kidnapping?'

He looks to the one with the doggo warrior.
'Murleena, huh?'

He looked to the Captain and heard her out. It was true that Tylluan had 'first dibs', and none of them really knew much of anything about Moft other than a brief encounter with him in the bar while Light was looking for drinks to restock the ship's stores with.

Still, the thought of leaving someone in danger when they might be able to do something about it -even if only to give them transportation to and from- made him feel a bit sad.

The large island villager crossed his arms but looked in Ty's direction waiting to see which fork in the road the owl man would take.

"Well...  That's for this one and that one to talk about than. I'm just a set of hired eyes, since mine can see in the darkness better than any." She stated matter of factly as she thumbed towards Moft, then pointed towards the Owl-man.

Moft, the little knight, takes half a glance at Light Vessel.  But his eyes pull away and he looks to Rosa.

"But... you are the only ship that can leave the harbor!  There's no one else that can catch that thing!"  Moft scurries over to the ship, waving his arms.  "The town... can cover your supplies, but those... those clerics!"  He took a moment to calm himself, his fist bumping against the side of the boat lightly.

"They came when the sun was coming down.  We thought they were getting supplies, but they were taking people.  They took the elder who runs the fruit market, the diver and all his wares, others besides.  By the time people realized there was a kidnapping, the ship had already left.  We don't even know why they did it, the cowards acted in hiding."

He looks over to Murleena.  "Can you get up their ship, see where it might have gone?  Before it gets too far away!"

Tylluan listens impassively as the earthfoot frantically explains what has him so agitated. Those priests again. This is the second time they have annoyed me. I am very close to becoming angry. He fluffs out his feathers and sinks his beak down to his breast as he thinks. What sort of god do these fools serve, that allows them to act in such an inconsiderate manner? Still, this is no business of mine. Even less so, since I am leaving this island. The fate of its people means nothing to me.

He raises his head and focuses on the small knight, intending to assert his prior claim on the ship's services, but hesitates. Still... these priests have inconvenienced me. Why shouldn't I do the same to them in kind? It will teach them to be more well-mannered. Also, we may go somewhere interesting. The only reason I chose Doghelm to begin with was because it was the destination of that ship, the Tempest. One unknown destination is as good as another, as long as I don't have to pay further.

He blinks his eyes and turns to Rosa. "Captain? Perhaps... Perhaps we should assist them. I am in no hurry to reach my destination, as long as there are no additional fees." He glances at the catgirl and mentally chuckles. "Can see in darkness better than any"? How amusing. She has obviously never met my people.

"I can Moft. Watch, and see why I am known as the Shadowcat." She then takes a few steps back into the shadows of some nearby crates, and in an instant is simply gone in a swirl of shadow.

[OOC: So she will shadow step to the crows nest. Then scan for the ship in question.]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Sun 09 Jan 2022.

In reply to Murleena (msg # 10):

Upon hearing that they've taken Farisha, Light's nostrils flare, and his brow creases.

'Sounds like someone needs to respect their elders better.'

He didn't want to risk discovery, but people were in trouble, the kind he and the Darkmaiden's Dance crew and passengers could likely get them out of.

When the cat woman vanishes, he starts looking around.

Rosa looks from Tylluan to Light to see what they think. She's glad that Tylluan isn't quite as selfish as he seems, and even Light thinks chasing down a heavily armed ship is the right thing to do.

She turns back to the two newcomers, but before she can give them permission to come aboard the cat says she can get on the ship, then vanishes. Startled, Rosa looks around, then up, and spots the cat up on the crow's nest. She calls out, "Hey cat, next time wait for permission to come aboard, or risk getting thrown overboard!" She shakes her head and gestures for Hugh & Dolph to lower the gangplank for Moft the Dog.

When he's aboard, Rosa says, "I saw where they were going; I watched them leave. At first they were going south-east, but then when they were almost out of sight they turned northwards. Also you should know they've got cannon. We don't, but we do have some other tricks up our sleeves. Still, this is going to be dangerous."

She turns and addresses the crew. "Ok people, looks like we're going to have to finish dinner later. Light, cast us off; Hugh & Dolph, get that sail up. Cat, you stay up there and make sure we're not going to hit anything in the dark." She wets her finger and sticks it in the air. "Not much wind, but enough to get going. It'll pick up when we're out of the harbour." She heads to the sterncastle and takes the helm.

"I have a name ear's! Call me Murleena, Shadowcat, or Shadow! Not CAT! Or I swear I will call you ears until the day YOU die. And good luck throwing me overboard EARS." She stated flatly, displaying claws, tapping the railing of the crows nest. "And lastly, HE'S my boss as he hired, not you."

Crew snap to business, readying the ship to go.

"Thank you!  Thank you, ma'a- captain!"  Moft scurries aboard on his smaller legs, going up the offered gangplank.  "Well, be nice up there!  We can't afford to offend the captain, the situation is not good!"

Moft heaves himself up, looking over to Tylluan briefly in surprise.  But his focus is on Rosa again.  "Um, yes.  They have cannons?  I saw they had some defenses, but... it sounds more dangerous than I thought."  He balls his fist up, but looks back to Rosa.

"That's good!  What you said about where they went, I mean.  Er... Murleena!"  Moft starts shouting upwards.  "Murleena!  Look northward!  It sounds like they are circling 'round Faq U's island!"

The ship slowly moves out from harbor, beginning a journey after a troublesome enemy...

"Offend the Captain! Ear's called me a cat as if I'm some four legged pet!" She growled out. "How would you feel if she called you dog Moft? I'm not even that rude! I have at least that amount of manners!"

She mutters something to herself, then begin's looking northward. "Circling around to where though, is there a cove on that side of the island they could hole up in? Or another island up there that's unused by Faq U's people?" It was obvious she was not from here.

Tylluan watches the byplay between the others, having said what was needed. He stares up at the catgirl up in the crow's nest for a moment and clicks his beak sharply. So impetuous. Even I know that a captain's word is law on the seas. He turns around and walks back toward the galley. "Now that things are decided, I am going to finish my food. If you need my assistance, you know where I will be, yes?"

Back inside, he takes up where he left off, fastidiously picking up food in his beak, before tossing back his head and swallowing it. The Captain was not lying. Her cook is very good.

Rosa throws up her arms in surrender. "My apologies, Murleena, but know this; I am the captain. If you can't accept that then get off now while the shore is still in sight!" She sees Tylluan head back into the galley and wonders if she should have sent the owl up into the crows-nest instead of the pussy cat. She sighs; it's going to be a long journey. She concentrates on getting out of port, alternating between manning the helm and helping Hugh & Dolph with the rigging.

In a free moment, she says to Moft, "That's very nice armour, Moft, but you best be careful whilst  aboard a ship. I don't want to go swimming after you!" She chuckles. "You and your sharp-clawed friend can bunk bellow decks. There are some free hammocks down there. It's obvious which ones are Hugh & Dolph's." She looks to the horizon, and asks him, "So, what do you know about these priests? Have you encountered them before? They have a fire-powered ship. I wonder if they have any other tricks up their sleeves?"

Moft just grunts at Murleena, but Rosa's answer supercedes anything he was going to say.  He let out a brief laugh, finally, at Rosa's jab.  "Yes.  Well, I'll keep aboard."

He glances over at her, still looking stiff... angry.  But he was thumping his hand on the side of the ship.  "...Neh, I'm afraid not.  Welk did, some, Farisha a bit, I think.  They're out from Damasto, aren't they?"  He scowled a bit to himself, then he looked over at Rosa.

"Fire-ships, you say?  Welk said something of that.  They burn things to move.  Dangerous to use, but they move with great strength.  ...the ones he heard about were used by the military, in Damasto.  The priests... I don't think they were a part of them?  They are sometimes seen in Zamgree, even the Belkas and Tronkset too."

From above, Murleena can begin to make out the waters.  The dim moonlight was not much help, but looking northward... she can make out a sails of a ship moving northwards indeed.  It's come around alongside the island, moving steady.  It's not straight-due north, but it's hard to tell where at this angle.

But now the pursuit was on...

She mutters something about respect under her breath, but leaves it at that.

After a few moments of watching the northern horizon she watches the other ship for a moment, then looks down towards the others puts two claws between her lips and whistles to get their attention. She then points towards the ship.

In reply to Murleena (msg # 19):

Light watches the two women's personalities clash, and raises an eyebrow.

He was tempted to say something, but the Captain seemed to have everything in hand, and Tylluan was headed back to the Galley to finish his meal.

Light didn't like leaving the Galley unattended with strangers in it, much less anyone else bar maybe the Captain.

The catgirl could do some kind of relocation trick... Possibly magic or some kind of wild martial art technique? Rather than reassure Light, it made him a bit more wary of her. Especially if she made it a habit of popping up uninvited willy nilly.

Rosa looks up when Murleena whistles and gives her a wave. She jumps on the railing on the stern-castle to get some extra height, then holding a rope in one hand and her spyglass in the other, she looks in the direction that Murleena was pointing. She's expecting smoke to be billowing out from the priests' ship, but she doesn't know how it works. Maybe it's just running on sails now?

Now that they're out of the harbour, Rosa changes to the black sails. Hugh, Dolph and her spend a good 15 minutes rigging the sails and getting their angle right to maximise the effect of the wind. Their speed really picks up when they round the headland and feel the full force of the ocean winds.  She wonders though if it is enough to catch the priests' vessel. If they're just running on sails now then Rosa feels they might just have a chance to catch them. But what will they do once they have caught up with them? What can they do against a ship armed with cannon?

Taking a careful look, Rosa saw... not much.  It was night, and dark.  The moon was hidden in the clouds.  It took a good while, Rosa searching.  Finally, though, there was enough moonlight to see a hint of maroon.  The maroon sails were barely visible in what moonlight there was.  It wasn't much...

But it was something.

The black smoke wasn't visible anymore, and Rosa didn't see anything but the sails.  With her ship, the Darkmaiden's Dance, she -could- catch up.  But as she thought, what would it mean next?

Using the shadows in the crows nest, and then shadow stepping into them and out of some shadows on the deck. "...if you can get me close somehow Captain, I can get on there without them knowing. Depending on how they have them shackled, I could pick the locks and have them in the drink for you to pick up before they are the wiser."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:27, Wed 12 Jan 2022.

Timing is everything when looking through a spyglass when you are on a ship. You bring up the spyglass just as you are cresting the wave, then you lower it and hold on tightly to the rope as the ship drops down into the trough. Finally she manages to catch sight of the ship's sails. It's not much, but it's enough. She jumps down and puts away the spyglass. She adjusts their course by a degree and calls out for Hugh & Dolph to tighten some ropes and loosen some others.

Rosa hides her surprise when Murleena steps out from the shadows. She likes her idea and asks, "How close? If my plan works I'll be able to sail us right up behind them without them seeing us."

"About fifty five feet or so." She said with a simple nod as she continued to look over the captains shoulder towards the other ship. "If we can't get that close, purrhaps your owl friend might be able to get me a bit closer if need be, and I can use the shadow of his wings to step through."

In reply to Murleena (msg # 25):

Meanwhile, in the Galley, Light is watching as Tylluan finishes his meal and starts putting some of the leftover stir fry into a bowl for himself to eat.

He sets aside a few bamboo cups and a bottle of some clear water as well as a small bottle and starts to fill one of the cups with the water, before putting ten drops from the small bottle into it, then looking to Tylluan.

'Would you like some flavored water to wash it down with?'

'There are other options of course, though if The Dance is going into a potential skirmish it might pay to keep a clear head.'

Rosa says, "Fifty five feet? That's about the length of the ship. That's close." She considers Murleena's suggestion and nods. "Tylluan isn't my friend, I only met him today; but perhaps we can convince him to fly you over to the other ship? Let's go below and ask him." She gets Hugh to take the helm and Dolph to keep watch from the crows-nest, and she asks Moft to join them in the galley. She's starting to feel peckish again. Hopefully Light hasn't cleared the table yet.

As she enters the galley, she bows and says, "My apologies, Light, for upsetting dinner. We're on our way now though and we've got hours before we catch them. It's time to discuss how we are going to do this. My plan is that we sneak up behind them and catch them by surprise."

As she picks at some food, Rosa asks Light Vessel, "Light, when we get closer, can you create a shield of darkness in front of us to block their view of us?"

She then asks Tylluan, "I know you are just a passenger, but perhaps you can lend a … wing? When we are close, could you fly Murleena over to their ship. You don't have to get too close." She refrains from saying just how close. "Murleena can then shadow jump onto their ship."

"Meanwhile, the rest of us sail right up behind them, grapple their stern and board them, while Hugh & Dolph stay behind to man our ship."

"Sounds like a plan?"

"Once I shadow step to their ship, while you guys are doing your thing, that should give me enough of a cover to shadow meld and then go below decks to find the prisoner's and free them." She said with a nod. She was giving out her two main abilities to people she did not know, but to her this was a situation that warranted it.

Then she looked towards Tylluan. "I would not ask for this from you, and I am sure the Captain would not either, if it didn't have a good chance of working. We truly need your help in this."
This message was last edited by the player at 06:10, Thu 13 Jan 2022.

Tylluan finishes his meal and settles into himself with a sigh. "That was a delicious meal. My compliments to you," he says to Light. He blinks his eyes at the question. "Flavored... water? Do you mean tinctures? Or like when sailors squeeze lemons or limes into water to ward off scurvy? If it's something else, I will try it. Put some in a shallow bowl for me, so I can drink."

When Rosa and Murleena walk in, Tylluan is scooping liquid out of a bowl with his beak. He leans his head back, allowing it to slide down his throat. He pauses and stares at the two. Of course they need my help. Unless I have missed something, no one else on this ship can fly. Especially at night. He clicks his beak while he thinks. "These priests have been most disagreeable. I will not allow such an insult to stand. Yes, I will help. In fact, I am best suited for what you want. I am nocturnal. My plummage will blend in with the darkness. And I, like the rest of my people, fly silently, once I am on the wing. Unless they have some means of seeing in the dark, they will not see me."

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 29):

Light is already prepping more bowls and cutlery for the Captain and the others, happy to have seats filled ready to sample more of his cooking.

'Captain... What happens when you do get there? They may be kidnappers, but that doesn't mean we can just kill them for it. Even self defense doesn't need to end in a body count, right?'

'Plus, if they were sent by someone else, who's to say there won't be more of these High Light priests coming back to do it all over again once this lot is gone? Maybe we should find out what they're after and destroy or take it away so that Faqu is no longer in danger. Which works better if they have members of their group survive to pass that on to whoever sent them so they have no reason to return there anymore.'

He looks at Murleena.
'Are you any good at being sneaky?' He didn't want to assume just because she reminded him of a cat that she was adept at it, even if she could teleport or what have you.

'We should at least find out specifically what it is that they're after, so that we can fit any future plans around what to do to stop these guys.'

"Shadow-meld? That sounds interesting," says Rosa. "I imagine there will be guards or crew bellow decks, so I hope you are very good at sneaking. Free as many prisoners as you can and get them to overpower the priests once they hear the rest of boarding the ship."

She gives Tylluan a nods. "Thank you. Once we board it would be great if you could swoop in, grab a priest and drop them overboard."

She considers what Light Vessel has to say. "I don't plan on killing any of the priests - any that we knock overboard we will pick up later - but they are kidnappers, so a certain amount of roughhousing is acceptable. Once we secure the ship and free the prisoners we'll question the priests once we and find out what they were doing, then we'll let them scurry back to whatever hole they came from, and hopefully they'll think twice before kidnapping other people."

Tylluan swivels his head and stares at Light. Well now. This one has a good idea. Of course, any idea that lowers my personal danger and requires the least amount of effort to be exerted on someone else's behalf is a good idea. He ruffles his feather as he inwardly chuckles.

"Perhaps some scouting to ascertain the disposition of crew and prisoners would be in order, yes?" He bobs his head toward Murleena. "If this one can get belowdecks without raising the alarm, I can circle the vessel and survey the layout of the upper deck and locations of the crew. Then we can compare observations and formulate the wisest course of action, yes?"

"There are very few better than me at sneaking." She said with a nod, replying to them all as a couple of them had asked her the same question.

"And yes, Shadow Meld. Would you like to see?" She asked Rosa, simply.

"This is something to consider everyone, the longer I am doing things below decks on that ship, the longer anyone might need to be above decks causing a diversion. I could likely find what they are upto, and then start working on the prisoner's after." She explained. "The other options is, I free the prisoners, and get them to help you overpower the priests, I could use that moment of chaos to find clues. That way if something happens and you and the prisoner's have to flee the ship we can still flee with evidence."

Moft looks up at Light.  If anything, he was watching the group talk, shifting on his feet.  He was ansy, trying to remain calm while the group discussed.  When Rosa pipes in, talking about freeing the prisoners to fight, his eyes widen and he pipes up.

"We... we can't make them fight!  It's... just a bunch of old women and men.  A half-dozen lot, maybe half are in any shape.  They aren't fit... may have broken bones from their kidnapping.  O-or otherwise injured."

He thumps his little fist against his hip.  "But... beating them, yes.  If you have a brig, we may be able to give their leaders to others."

Murleena considered for a moment Moft's words. "Mister Tylluan, I have another idea that may require your assistance. Considering what Moft has said if I can get the prisoner's off the ship and into the water, can you retrieve them and get them to our ship?"

Rosa says to Tylluan, "Having you scout out their ship first is an excellent idea. See how many people are above decks, and see if any are keeping a good watch. Then on your second trip you'll take Murleena. Is that ok? I don't want to tire you out. Later on it would be great if you were swooping around while the rest of are boarding."

She says to Moft first, "I'm sorry, I didn't realise the prisoners were so old. Why would they want to kidnap them at all?" She then says to Murleena, "I like the idea of you freeing the prisoners and getting them to jump into the water, but even that might be too much for them. Hrm..." She raps her fingers on the table as she thinks. "Try freeing them first and get them ready for a quick getaway, just in case. Don't get into a fight below decks though; but if that happens bring it up on deck so we can support you."

Rosa sounds confident (perhaps overconfident?) "I'm sure that if we surprise them and attack them with much gusto and flamboyance we'll quickly cower them into surrender. Tylluan will be swooping about and knocking people overboard; Murleena leaping from the shadows and hissing and scratching; Light will be blinding them and tossing them overboard too. Don't worry, we'll fish them out afterwards. I'll be creating bangs, smoke and flashes. No doubt some will attack us with clubs, so I'll have to shoot them, but I'll load my pistols with buckshot so it shouldn't hurt too much."

Finally she says to Murleena, "Perhaps you could give us a demonstration of this shadow-meld ability you have?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:20, Sat 15 Jan 2022.

Tylluan gives Murleena a lazy blink of his eyes. Is this what it is like to work with others in a common task? This... this changing of courses of action? How does anything actually get done in a timely fashion? Of course, when I act, I do so after considering possible outcomes, so perhaps this is the same, but scattered between additional minds? Aloud he merely says, "Of course I can."

Tylluan listens as Rosa further embellishes their course of action. "That seems like a sensible way to begin. Once we are within sight of their ship, I can fly circles around it to see where the people are, on deck."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:57, Sat 15 Jan 2022.

"Getting them into the water, one at a time, might be a good means of escape for them. But never more than one at a time in the water because of their age." She nodded, agreeing that all in the water might be to much, but one at a time might be good. "Trust me, few hate water more than I do."

"Sure, I can demonstrate it." She said with another nod. A quick look around the room for where the shadows were and were not, caused her to give herself another nod. Finally she would step into the shadow, as she did so her body would slow disappear into it. The more she stepped into the darkness of the shadow, the more she would disappear into it until finally, she could not be seen nor heard at all, in any way.

It took a while, particularly for Light, Tylluan, Moft, for the crew to discuss.  But the ship had a ways to go to reach their target.  With dark sails up and lights low, the Darkmaiden's Dance crept up towards their target.  The maroon-sailed ship, wide berth and all, was too slow... and distance closed all too quickly.

Over the night air, there was sounds coming from the larger ship - hammering, talking, the occasional shout.  The ship was surprisingly active, lights moving across the deck as people were moving about.  Something was going on belowdecks, as a loud noise, like a heavy rumble... or heavy fart... rattled every few minutes.  Small bursts of smoke rose up occasionally from unclear cause, and there once was a dim roar from the ship's belly...

Rosa was left to guess, once-again, how many aboard there might be.  Were these people moving 'round shift?  Or was it only this active for something going on within it?  When were they expecting to sleep?

Furthermore, the ship had turned again.  It had began moving east while the Dance closed in, changing its heading entirely... coming up towards a set of smaller islands that came off Faqu's islands' back.  It was a near thing, but there was no indication that the Dance had been seen.

And their target was slowing.  It was coming near those islands.  A set of ruins, old stone buildings weather-worn and blasted by the beach, sat in the moonlight.  ...Including an old tower once used to signal ships.

The Dance nears.  Near enough for a bird to take flight, anyway...

Rosa watches Murleena fade into the shadows. "Impressive. That will certainly come in handy."

Rosa goes out on deck to check their progress, then heads back inside. "They've changed course and it looks like they're heading to a small island with some sort of ruins on it. We can catch them before they get there, but maybe we should wait? They've got a big crew. We're taking a big risk boarding them – though I still think we can pull it off – but it might be easier if we wait until they're ashore. Murleena will have a much easier time scouting them out, and Tylluan can do some overhead passes too. If they take the prisoners ashore I think we'll have a chance to rescue them unseen. So, it really comes down to boarding them in a big and bold display, or sneaking around on land and hopefully not being seen. What do people think?"

Tylluan blinks as Murleena fades into the darkness, but says nothing. Quite an unusual ability. I wonder if she learned it, or if it's some inborn talent. Magic, perhaps? I suppose it doesn't matter in the end, as long as it's of some use.

On deck, he waits and watches with the others as they gain on the ship. "That ship certainly is a noisy thing, yes? We are close enough now. I will fly around them to see what they are doing. If they are talking loud enough to be heard from here, I will be able to understand them once I am closer. My people have exceptional hearing after all. After I return, we can decide based on what I discover."

Without waiting for acknowledgement, Tylluan unfolds his wings and flaps his way into the air with powerful sweeps. Once he reaches a sufficient height, he tilts his wings and makes for the priests' ship.

Tylluan takes off into the air.  Disappearing silently into the night, he finds it no trouble to get overtop the strange craft, avoiding intermittent plumes of smoke.

From above, he can see flickers of light and flame from the ship's center - some sort of cargo hatch?  There is a gun deck, but below that deck is something else... where the cargo should be?  Whatever is on that floor is setting off strange light and flame, and Tylluan can see people scurrying up and down a steep stair going to that level.

Cargo hatches... should go all the way towards the cargo level, but heavy wooden doors seal it off at the gun-deck level.  Not up top?  It looks like different construction from the rest of the ship.  It looked like there was crew to operate that part of the ship, whatever was going on down there, as well as crew for the sails.

The craft had a name marking on it, "Twelfth Beacon".

It also had a landing party.  Tylluan could see a group of figures gathering on deck, prepping a ship.  Indeed, the ship had already begun lowering sails and preparing to lay anchor.

Ahead, there was a string of tiny islands and rocky mounds that came off the larger island.  Remnants of stone buildings poked out of the surface of the water, as well as a large tower that was once for watching... and signaling, if there was trouble.  It was this rocky shore that seemed to be their objective...

Tylluan glides lower, trying to pick up what people are saying, to get a clearer idea of what they may be up to. It's clear they are planning to go ashore, but I'd like to find out WHY they're going ashore, if possible.

OOC:
PER Roll:
Hearing PER: 17-
Roll: 8

While Tylluan is off scouting Rosa changes their course to a more south-easterly setting. She goes down to half-sails and plans to skirt the small island and find a quiet bay or beach where they can anchor. She tells the others, "There's too many crew on board. We're going to have to be crafty and rescue the prisoners when they're on the island."

She asks Murleena to keep watch in the crows-nest. "I can barely see where we're going, so I'm relying on you to keep an eye out for white water and breaking waves and to make sure we're not going to run into any rocks or submerged reefs."

Tylluan wheels overhead.  It's hard to hear much... for a normal person.  But he has the advantage of being far from normal, and the ship's noises already have begun to stop.  Indeed, the rumble stops with the ship, and after the splash of the anchor noises settle down.

Two boats were being set out.  In addition, there was something that looked like a raft or float.  Crew were gathering on the deck, and there was some shouting and talking.  They were wearing red robes, but many had them hanging open... some sort of workclothes underneath were the standard.  They were wearing largely some sort of vest jacket with pouches, and toolbelts, as well as some sort of harness.  "Anchor's dropped!" "Water's stable." "The hell happened to the dive gear?" "Prisoners coming!  Where's Grey?" There was another shout, someone scrambling up from the gundeck below.  "Equipment's ready to be hauled out, but the rail mechanism's still damaged."

Despite whatever was going on, another group was coming up from the quarterdeck.  These ones were talking with the others, checking things, and waiting while other crewmembers began lowering the boats.  They also carried long things that looked like hooked poles of some kind, a sharp spear-tip set at their top.  With this group, coming in the back, were three figures... an old woman and old man, their hands bound in front of them, rope leading to a tall but lean man... unfamiliar, but wearing a robe that had yellow and gold patterns around his shoulders and hood.

He seemed to be an authority, as others looked up to him... briefly.  Yet much of the activity, the chaos, still continued on even as this leader moved up towards the boats.

In reply to Atlas Blue GM (msg # 45):

After finishing his Galley duties and closing up, Light goes above deck to get his own take on things. The sea breeze and sound of the waves at night brought him a sense of calm despite the current events going on with Farisha and the others.

He made his way to the bow and looked out across the water, letting his cyborg eye's red mode sharpen his focus, as it and his regular eye slowly adapted as best it could to the starlit night.

Should he go with the rest of the crew and potentially reveal his cyborg nature to the High Light, or stay with and guard the ship?

He didn't want anyone to get hurt, even if they were bad enough to take elderly people hostage... yet friends don't let friends get hurt.

His hand gripped the tea towel at his side.

He drew in a breath and held it before releasing it.
'Guess I'm in for better or worse.' he said to no one in particular.

Once Tylluan is sure the prisoners are being moved, he silently banks around and flaps back to the ship. He swoops out of the darkness and lands on the deck near the others, and shakes out his feathers. "They're taking the prisoners ashore. I'm not sure what they are doing, but I think it has something to do with going underwater. They mentioned something about... diving equipment, whatever that is." He looks at the Captain and blinks. "Some of them are armed with some sort of spear. A hooked pole with a spear point at one end. There is also a man with gold ornamentation on his robes. He looked like he was the leader."

Murleena nodded to Rosa. "Alright, I can do that." Then with a step back into the shadows she was gone in a wisp of darkness, walking out of the shadows of the crows nest keeping an eye out for anything.

Upon Tylluan's return she would perk an ear up at what he says. "...UNDER the water? I hate ABOVE the water, now we have to go BELOW it?"

Rosa pilots the ship to the leeward side of the island, dropping anchor at the first vaguely suitable anchorage spot. She tries to get to within 50 feet of land so Murleena can shadow-hop to shore, otherwise she'll have to use the row-boat like the rest of them. She uses her astrolabe and makes a couple of notes in a small book. She says, "It's two hours to midnight. Gather your gear and dress in something black..." She looks at Tylluan and Murleena. "...and I'll dress in something black. Let's scout the place out and see if we can figure out how to free those prisoners. I want to sneak onto their boat too. I've got an idea about how we can create a big distraction." A big grin spreads across her face.

She goes to her cabin and gets changed, putting on black cotton trousers, a black corset and a black coat (and even black knickers if anyone dares to ask). She ties her hair back and covers it with a black silk bandanna. She sheaths her sword, tucks her two flintlocks into her belt, and drapes her bandoleer over her shoulder. It has pouches which contain spare cartridges of dragon-powder and bombs that flash or go bang.

Hugh & Dolph have lowered one of the row-boats over the side. She rows to shore anyone who can't get there their own way.

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 49):

Light grabs a dark blue sarong he uses to wait food sometimes and swaps his regular green one out for it.

He gets his Battle Chef wares together and some rope with a grapnel and boards the rowboat.

'I'm not that sneaky, so I'll be further back. Signal me if you need help, I'll do what I can.'

He asks Tylluan if he can spit any good vantage spots to watch/'snipe' from that are far enough from the High Light in case he can offer some cover fire... despite having no apparent ranged weapons on him.

Tylluan shrugs. "I don't plan on getting in the water either. It takes forever to dry my feathers out." Inwardly, he sighs. How did I allow myself to be a part of this debacle? I just want to travel, and enjoy life, and indulge myself in all ways available to me. Is that too much to ask? I suppose it's my own fault for being helpful.

When Light asks if he knows any good vantage points, Tylluan blinks. "I was focused on the ship and what was occurring on board. I suppose I can see if there is anyplace that affords a good view of what's going on, once we know where they are going."

With the Dance sliding as close to shore as they can afford, Rosa got the rowboat ready.  From here, they would have to take it to shore... except for Tylluan.  Even if the Tytonian wasn't interested in what was going on, he was invested in making sure this captain made it back in one piece... and to dole out some punishment to boot.

Light, Rosa, Murleena, and Moft take the rowboat ashore.  Moft was silent for the discussion of the plan.  If nothing else, he seemed ansy, angry.  He wasn't in a clear mind, and he knew it.  His fingers stayed near his weapon, and waited.

They came ashore.  It was late, more than 2 hours until night's mid.  The moon gleamed, but it didn't give them much to work with.  Fortunately, most of them only needed that much.

Further up the shore, towards the ruins, the rowboats had come ashore.  They were heading back, both of them, while the group gathered on the shore's edge.  Light can see two prisoners, both looking old... Farisha's old frame was recognizable, but her face wasn't visible.  They were bound with rope, surrounded by almost a dozen of these priests.

Many of them were pulling out strange equipment from the long 'raft' that was rowed up to the shore.  The rowboats were heading back... and there was a figure with some kind of gold-marked robes, moving next to the two prisoners.

Whatever they intended, they were getting set up to start.  There was still some time yet to prepare...

Murleena just stared at the 'small' boat for several long moments before she boarded it. Once in the thing she would sit on the floor of the thing, knees to chest, so that she did not have to see just how much closer to the sea she actually was now. "...if I had to be on a boat, I like bigger boats better. Ships, yes ships." She muttered to herself.

She'd peak up now and then, but just enough so that she could see the shore and not the water.

In reply to Murleena (msg # 53):

Light watched Murleena's reaction to being on a rowboat with a tinge of sympathy. It had to be tough on the catfolk. He feels a bit guilty for not offering to take the oars before Rosa grabbed them, but instead keeps an eye on Moft and Murleena instead to ensure neither of the landwalkers end up in the drink.

Once to shore, he hops out and begins pulling the rowboat up and securing it while the others debark, holding it steady for them so their shifting weight doesn't lead to any easily avoidable injuries in their haste to once again gain land.

Upon noting Farisha as one of two hostages brought out with their entourage, Light's cyborg eye colour shifts to Green beneath the covering.

Once they're onshore Rosa organises their marching order; Murleena in front, Rosa a few paces behind, then Moft, then Light bringing up the rear. She asks Tylluan to scout around and works out a few simple signals if he spots danger; one hoot for us to keep our heads down, two hoots if there's danger nearby, and a whole lot squawking if the jig is up and we better run.

Rosa stays low and tries to keep to the shadows as she follows Murleena up the beach. When they get to a good vantage point she stops and gets out her spyglass. She whispers to the others, "They're unloading … something. What is it? I need a closer look. And there are the prisoners. I still don't know why they took them in particular. That man with the gold markings looks like a leader. Target him if it comes down to a fight. The rowboats are heading back. Have they finished unloading? Are they leaving already?"

She trains her spyglass on the ship and tries to figure out if they're staying or getting ready to leave.

Tylluan watches the others climb into the boat and head for shore. He clicks his beak in thought for a few moments, before launching himself into the air with a single powerful flap of his wings. With a little altitude, he stiffens his wings and glides to the shore, landing ahead of the boat and waiting for them to arrive. Such a small, fragile-looking thing. My way is much better, he thinks smugly.

While Rosa gives orders, Tylluan stares at the activity up the beach. Even with his superior eyesight, it's difficult to see what exactly is going on. It would help if I had some idea of what sort of equipment they were using. Unfamiliarity doesn't allow for informed planning. Once she is done, he bobs his head. "Yes. I can fly silent enough so they will not know I am there. I will return when needed." He takes to the air with a flap and flurry of sand and disappears into the darkness.

Tylluan will flap intermittently, to maintain altitude and speed as he scouts the area. He uses what cover is available to obscure his presence, although in his experience very few people have enough sense to look up to insure their safety.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:57, Tue 25 Jan 2022.

"I can get closer, if you want." Murleena whispered idly, as if the task was nothing for her to accomplish.

"That would be good," Rosa says to Murleena. "You go ahead and we'll slowly follow behind. We'll stop at the edge of darkness to spy on them for a bit."

Rosa plans to get closer but will stop at 100 feet or more away in the shadow of some trees where they can spy on the priests without been seen.

Reaching land was the first step in an uncertain journey.  Rosa organizes... to the best of her ability.  Moving up closer, they find a vantage point on the small island, using clusters of trees and rocks to get close by.  Close still being hundreds of feet away... but better than it was before.

To get closer, they would have to wheel to their right, coming through the ruins of the buildings.  Those, however, are mostly fallen apart... and there's not as much cover.  They... also have the problem of having a small handful of the priests poking through them, holding small lamps as they poke around.

Or, they would have to take quite a swim.

Tylluan, however, takes to the air.  Soaring overhead, he easily takes in what Rosa was beginning to assess...

The two rowboats are heading back, only a couple people on each.  They are bringing back the carrying raft too, it looks like.  The group on the shore are gathered by the rocks and water, where the buildings meet the waves.  The two prisoners have been brought in, and Tylluan can hear snippets of conversation even from overhead.

"How deep were you..."  The leader seems to be the one doing the talking.  The rest of the priests were gathered around, but security was lax.  If anything, they seemed more concerned with setting up a large... thing, something of pipes and metal, by the shore.  As they work on putting it together, others have begun searching the ruins of the buildings nearby.  Some are even wading into the water, peering about.

At this hour, though, there was little to see.  And, as the rowboats arrive at the ship, the crew on deck were already bringing up... camping equipment.  Tents, and cases of what were probably food and water supplies.

They were planning on staying a while...

Rosa has a great plan, but it has one major flaw in it; it requires the old people to run. Maybe it will still work if she creates a big enough distraction and if they can hobble away fast enough? Chaos and confusion – that's the key.

"It looks like they're staying here for the night. They're making … something." She trains her spyglass on it from time to time as she tries to figure out that they're constructing. Maybe it's alter to some dark god? "My plan is to swim out to their ship and create an explosion on it. That ought to distract them enough so that Murleena can free the prisoners and lead them, hopefully without being seen, back to the ship. Light and Moft can cover their retreat in case things get rough. If things get bad I can 'distract' them from behind then make an escape via the sea."

She scans the priests again with her spyglass before saying, "So, we either start now, or we wait and see what they are doing."

Tylluan comes gliding in out of the darkness and lands with an audible thump, rocking forward to absorb the impact. "They are settling in, but they have already been doing something over there. I heard one ask another how deep they'd gone." He fluffs up his feathers and shakes from head to tail to settle them. "Could they be after a sunken vessel of some kind? These priests don't strike me as the sort to be interested in monetary gain, however."

Murleena would use the shadows to Shadow-port even closer, getting as close to them as she could. Then she would go a step further and meld with the shadow's to get right in with them to hear everything that she could. When she had a moment, she would move closer to the 'strange equipment' that they pulled ashore to get a better look at it so she could describe it to the others.

In reply to Murleena (msg # 62):

'Could be anything. Lets just stick with it and find out what we can.'

Light tries to hang back still, going no closer than 100 meters for the time being, sticking to whatever cover he can, mindful of anything that his clumsy feet could step on to the best of his ability.

Rosa chews on her lip as Tylluan speculates on what they are doing. "I don't think they're diving underwater.... I don't know what the Hades they're doing. I think I better do a bit of scouting too. Back in a bit." She slips off her jacket and boots, wraps her pistols in waterproof cloth and tucks them securely into her bandoleer, then she silently slips into the water. She takes a few deep breaths then disappears under the water.

She swims over to the boat, only occasionally coming up for air. She keeps an eye out for sunken vessels, but she doesn't expect to see any. When she gets near, she takes a final breath, then swims under the boat and examines it from bow to stern, looking at its rudder and for anything unusual. She then surfaces in the shadow of the ship, and with only her head above the water she examines those mysterious panels on the side of the ship.

Still in the shadow of the ship, she spends a minute or so watching the priests and trying to figure out what they are making. She then slips back under water and swims back to the others.

Tylluan watches Rosa peel out of her clothing and wade into the water. Humans are so odd. Isn't she concerned about possible dangers in the water? Or is she accustomed to such, since she lives most of her life on the seas? I certainly hope she is. If she gets herself killed or eaten, how am I going to get to my destination? And will whomever is left provide me with a refund, since the agreement won't be fulfilled?

He waits for a few moments, but nothing seems to be happening. "I am going to circle the area, to see where possible approaches may be. Tell the Captain I will return when I'm done." Once again, Tylluan flaps silently into the night, and circles around the priests' encampment at a wider distance, to see if there is anything of interest.

Three move out to search, leaving two behind.  In the night, Light has Moft for company... and the sight of the camp being assembled further up the island.

Tylluan takes up to the sky.  Sweeping overtop of the forming camp, he surveys the area with ease.  The island is oblong, bean-shaped, with sparse forest, rocks, and mostly has some rocks and the ruins of a small would-be town.  The ship was pulling up supplies from belowdeck, the rowboats and raft coming in.


The camp was busy.  People were tearing open supplies that were meant to be sealed for weeks or months, laying out food, water, unrecognizable bits and bobs meant for equipment repair.  Even that much Murleena can figure out.  There's conversation, but much of it focused.  Deciding where supplies should go, how much oil for lanterns, if there was enough food.  That wasn't the only think being talked about...

"D'you think there's more down there?"  "That's where they found it, yeh?"  "Yeah.  What's down there?"  "Dunno.  ...kinda skery."  "Yeh."  One of them turns his head, and Murleena sees narrow irises like hers scanning the area.  The 'earthfoot' reaches a furred hand up to scratch at an ear under his hood.


Rosa hits the water with a splash.

The darkness beneath the water was not helpful, not for scouring below.  But she does glimpse, through glimmers of moonlight, actual structures below... the ones closest to the top might have been part of the village, but it looks like there's more down... deeper.  Quite a bit deeper.

Coming up for air, she tackles the boat next.  Her eyes catch sight of faint wording on the vessel's bow - 'Twelfth Beacon'... but as she goes under, the name didn't describe the strangeness of the ship.

Beneath it, twin spears extend back of the aft of the ship, strange, long, metal, sprouting curved petals.  The rudder is large, reinforced, metal as well.  Some kind of alloy she doesn't immediately recognize.  That spoke to expensive construction, that was for sure.  The back of the ship had a handful of pipes coming up the back, like chimneys.  It had an anchor, which was as much a reassurance as anything else... and the sides, the coverings, were like what she'd expect for a pirate vessel.  It had cannons, but ones that were concealed.  The covers matched the same wood as the rest of the craft, which was a shade darker, redder, than what she'd expect most wood to have... and actually darker than the wood used on the deck.


Light hasn't heard anyone come back yet, but he catches sight of two faces... an elderly man, and elderly woman... wearing familiar clothes, Farisha.  Both are being sat down on stools, ropes being tied around their legs to bind them to the furniture.  He can't tell much about them at this distance.

Then there was a faint rumble from the camp.  The strange thing they were working on rumbles loudly (as Murleena nears), making a whistling noise out of the top for a moment like that of a kettle.  The clerics were pulling some kind of soft pipe off of it, flopping it down onto the sand.  Moft lets out a surprised growl.  "What in the stars is that noise?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:13, Mon 31 Jan 2022.

Murleena's eyes narrowed upon noticing the other cat there. This was not good since night vision was common for her race. Still, it wouldn't help him see her though as long as she stayed to the shadows.

She'd start a bit when she heard the noise, that was not something she'd heard before. It only made her curiosity and mission and the more important now. So she would continue to get closer to the strange machine, while staying to the shadows and keeping her shadow cloak up for as long as possible.

Rosa examines the back of the ship as best she can. She gives the curved petals a turn. They remind her of Archimedes' screw which can be used to lift water out of a hole. Perhaps these spiral oars somehow provide propulsion for the ship? She traces the pipes up the back of the boat, wondering what they are for. She has no idea, but they will make a good place to plant explosives.

Whenever people are back she tells them what she found and listens to their reports. She sums things up by saying, "Buggered if I know what they're up to."

"So, should we disrupt their plans and try to rescue the prisoners now, or should we wait and see what they're up to first? I'm inclined to wait and see. Later on they might be asleep or distracted enough for Murleena to free the prisoners without them noticing, then we all just sneak away."

She looks out over the water, and says, "I wonder what's down there in those sunken ruins? I'd love to go diving here during the day."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:37, Mon 31 Jan 2022.

Tylluan eventually tires of his aerial observation and heads back to their meeting area. On the way back, he sees a shimmering silver shape gliding through the water. A fish? Well, of course it's a fish. It's in the water. I'm hungry again, too. I don't usually get this much exercise, after all. He tilts his wings and angles lower, until the fish is just in front and below. He plunges his feet into the water and latches onto the back of the fish with his talons, before lifting himself higher. He clicks his beak in satisfaction. Excellent. I doubt that chef will cook it for me under the circumstances, but fish tastes good raw, too.

When Tylluan returns, he has a large fish clenched in his talons. He settles to the ground and snaps his wings closed with an air of satisfaction, standing with one foot on the flopping fish. "I have returned. Other than the ruins, there is not much of interest on this island, and those aren't very interesting either. This is just a rock in the water."

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 69):

Light sighed.

'Too many unknowns. We could guess til sun up at this rate and still be wrong. I still think we need more information, but seeing Farisha and co tied to a chair like that, disrespected like that...' he presses his lips together in frustration.

'If we can learn more, we do that, but if the opportunity presents itself, in a way we can get them out clean, then we go for it.'

Moft looks over at Light, nodding once.  "...These guys, they got to be dealt with.  But we have to save them first."  He looks over to Light, then to Rosa.  "...The rest of the prisoners must still be on the ship.  They'll be the hardest to free.  Maybe... when we are ready, we could use the rowboat... if we can get it close to the ship, and sneak them aboard it?"

Murleena stays in the shadows as she catches sight of a similar someone.  The cat-person was a bit lankier and taller than those around him, but moved with the others.  He was helping with this device, which had strange pipes and portions to it.  The more surprising part of it had some kind of long tubes being pulled out on it, flexible things that were being pulled out and were easily the largest part (technically) of the machines.

The project looked to be three-fold.  They were searching the ruins... setting up this machine... and setting up the encampment.

A good half of the people, also, look somewhat tired and haggard.  As she watches them, they were moving quickly but simply, looking worn.  Speaking lowly, they moved with practice... and fairly numb exhaustion.  As the camp area was set up, the tired ones were already sitting down and just laying out on the sand and stones or inside a large tent that was set up.  The rest were waiting for the rest of the supplies to arrive...

The cat, however, does not.  And he was sticking around the machine, and the prisoners... which was also by the command crew.

Rosa sighs and agrees with Light; they don't know enough and they are way outnumbered. She nods at Moft's suggestion of rescuing the prisoners on the boat, but the wind has gone out of her sails. She's no longer feeling gung-ho; now she's just feeling disheartened, tired and a little bit cold. Also, the thought of Tylluan ripping into and eating that raw fish that he just flopped down on the sand is making her feel a little bit queezy.

"Ok, we're not going to get anything done this watch. We need to wait for them to settle down and go to sleep. Our best best bet is to try something an hour or two before dawn. I'll head back to our ship and grab some blankets and food, then we can take watches while the rest of us get some sleep."

"If Murleena ever comes back, ask her to scout the ship and find out how many prisoners there are."

If they're not in a good place to make a camp she suggests they move further back along the beach, otherwise they can just stay where they are and keep their heads down while they keep watch on the priests.

If there's no better idea, she heads back to the ship.

Tylluan occupies himself with eating his snack. He uses his beak to sever the fish's spine to stop it from flopping around, before tearing a large slab from the side. He throws his head back and opens his beak wide to swallow it down. He repeats this until nothing is left but a skeleton with a few scraps left. "Well, that was satisfying. Fresh fish is delicious."

During his snack, he watches Rosa's return with mild interest. At least she's still alive, if a bit chilled. "If you want someplace a bit more sheltered, there are ruins not far from here. They're on the lee side, away from the cove where the priests are."

When Rosa suggests returning to the ship for supplies, Tylluan sighs. "Since we are not going anywhere, and I am getting no closer to my destination while we are doing... this... I will lend a talon. If... If it will save time, I can fly back to the ship for what you need. Or I can carry one of you in my talons to the ship so you may gather up what you want and bring it back here."

Rosa says to Tylluan, "A more sheltered place would be good, but only if we can still watch the priests from a nearby vantage point." She looks around. "I guess everywhere is nearby on this island... Ok then. If it's sheltered enough we could even make a small fire."

She waves off Tylluan's offer of help. "No, it's ok. I want to grab a few other things from the ship too. Besides, I know where everything is; it will be quicker if I go. You get some rest, or just continue to scout and watch the priests."
This message was last updated by the player at 04:47, Mon 07 Feb 2022.

Tylluan bobs his head in acquiescence. That suits me just fine. After all, I'm supposed to be a passenger, not a crewman. The only reason I'm a part of this is because those foolish priests have made themselves an obstacle to my continued travels. Aloud, he says "I will show the rest where the camping spot is. It will be in a place where we can still observe the priests without them knowing."

Tylluan fluffs his feathers and turns to the others. "Come along. I will show you where we are camping." He turns and heads through the sparse vegetation, toward a pile of ruins on a low hill.

Murleena would finally make her way back to the other's, staying to the shadows and well out of site. She did not like the development of one of her kind being there. That changed the dynamic considerably.

Finally she would step from the shadows next to Rosa. "This is not good, and good at the same time." An odd way to start a conversation.

"The device first...  It has strange pipes and portions to it. The oddest thing about it though, was also the largest part I'd say, it has these long flexible tube things that they were pulling out of it." She said with a small nod.

"Next... At least half the people look haggard or tired. Even though they are moving quickly, they look worn. That we could use to our advantage." She said nodding again.

"Lastly for the good...  They are looking for something 'down there' from what I overheard in discussions. I assume that by 'down there' they mean below the water. They mentioned finding 'it' down there, whatever 'it' is." She said scratching her chin.

"Now for the bad...  There is one of my kind there. That's not good. We see at night without parallel except for by his kind." She says pointing to Ty. "But that being said our other senses are very sharp as well. Sight, smell, touch, hearing." She said with a nod. "Add to that, we do not need weapons. We are born with them, and are quite lethal with them." She said displaying her claws.

"My guess is the device is something to help them go under the water, maybe?" She asked, scratching herself behind one of her ears in confusion at the idea. "That possible?"

Rosa is a little worried about the cat-person in the priest's camp. "We better not light a fire then. We'll just have to keep our heads down and use blankets to keep warm. Luckily it's a nice night."


Rosa ponders Murleena's description of the strange device. "Were there cranks or bellows? Maybe it's some sort of device to pump air underwater? I've read of such things, but never seen one in operation. Maybe they're planning on exploring the ruins underwater? I think I'll go diving in the morning and have a little look around myself."

Rosa heads back to the ship, returning a little while latter dressed in fresh clothes and carrying a  short spear, blankets and some food. (It might take a second trip to the row-boat to bring everything back.)

"Have a bite to eat and get some rest. We'll rotate short watches and make our move an hour or so before dawn. See that bright star up there? We'll get moving when it's touching the horizon."

Tylluan listens as Murleena reports her observations to the Captain and the rest. He fluffs his feathers in a self-satisfied way as she acknowledges his visual acuity. Very... perceptive... of her. I wonder if she's aware that my hearing rivals my eyesight as well.

He's content to allow Rosa to outline their course of action, since it's more trouble than he wants to deal with. "strilhome is a chilly place, so anything that dwells there can endure colder temperatures. As long as my feathers are dry, the cold will not be a problem." Tylluan blinks and swivels his head to look at the others. "Those who need to rest should do so. I can find a vantage point and keep watch in the darkness. My dark plumage will allow me to blend in with the background."

Unless someone has something to say, he flutters up onto a higher point in the ruins and settles down to watch. He fluffs out his feathers to maximize their warmth, and sighs. So boring. I suppose this is necessary to insure we survive long enough to at least get me to my destination.

Unfortunately for Rosa, this wasn't going to be an easy situation to just 'wing' and stylishly end.  Laying out the initial plan, Tylluan's generous offer was a rare thing for him... not that there was literally anything else for him to do.

Murleena's return gives them the last bit of intel they could gather.  Murleena didn't see bellows, but there was a crank... and the device itself did not look completed.  The next set of supplies were covered by a large canvas, and were long, bulbous, heavy... too big for boxes.

A break gave Rosa time to freshen up and resupply.  Tylluan takes off to watch over the camp, while Moft reluctantly begins to un-assemble his armor - a flat and simple set of cloth padding under it over his furry body.  He was small, and quite frail in comparison to the fully-sized figures like Light or Murleena.  But he seemed confident, and the armor looked solid... if small.

A cold camp.  The ruins on the hill were further from the beachhead the priests were using, and helped against the wind.  In that space, they rest... and wait.

Night passes.  The camp below is finally built.  Daylight is still a couple hours out.
 Silence has fallen below.  Camp activity is almost gone.

Instead of a watch, or pacing themselves, the group looked to have been in a rush.  Now, they were crashing, with only a handful of remainders still awake.  The rest... appeared to have an all-nighter (and then some) to sleep off.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:40, Mon 14 Feb 2022.

'So what IS our plan? Are we raiding the camp now that the majority of those High Light guys are taking a nap, boarding the ship, or a bit of both?' Light asks.

He felt like he should be on the rowboat headed to the ship, if that was still part of the plan, yet still felt like being in the "save Farisha" part of the plan.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:00, Tue 15 Feb 2022.

Magic in the world of Atlas Blue was most commonly found in the strange flora and fauna of the world.  That, and the existence of strange artefacts.  While some few craft magical tools whole, many others simply refine the elements they find out there - strange rocks, curious plants, other things that can be used in the creation of... whatever.  Typically limited use and expended, tools powered by local curiosities may require travel all the way to the locale to get more...

And not everything is so orderly as to be easily 'gardened' - they may not have seeds, or their offspring not following the same magic.  Or they may be particular and hard to grow.

Then there are artefacts.  Old legacy items from past civilizations, it is not rare to find the occasional fort or remains of a settlement.  Capable of more than curiosities and magical trinkets and tools, they are longer lasting (and useful ones are quite valuable)... and rarer.

Of course, enterprising explorers tend to search ruins for valuable objects.  Harder is to find things under the water.  Finding relics for the serious entrepreneur is a matter of going where others can't easily reach.

Rosa remembers that Faqu had been settled originally by explorers from Piquo, making the journey up the Aifla Archipelago.  But this had happened a long time ago - it's where Faqu had gotten the name, but the people living there now?  Not the same.  And it looks like, out back here, there was a small village that once had been... Piq-ese?  There had been stories of villages in Aifla being swallowed by a sea monster, a long time ago... greatly exaggerated.

Rosa wraps herself in a blanket and gets a few hours of restless sleep. Sometime after midnight she wakes up and starts mulling over a plan. A few hours before dawn she wakes up everybody and tells them her plan:

"We divide into three teams; Murleena and Tylluan will be on the beach team, Light, Moft and I will be on the row-boat team, and Hugh & Dolph will be on the ship team.

The beach team's mission is to rescue the two prisoners. Murleena, get into position first and wait for the signal, Once that happens, get the prisoners down to the beach.  There you will either sink or steal the priest's row-boat. You'll then either row, shadow-step, fly, be carried, swim, or whatever over to our row-boat, or to the priest's ship if we need help there.

The row-boat team will stealthily row up to the stern of the priest's ship. I'll need a couple of minutes underwater so I can set up my bombs, but after that Light and Moft will board the ship from one side and I'll board it from the other. We'll quickly detain any crew and rescue the prisoners. Light will then be able to magically lift people into our rowboat, and Tylluan might also be able to carry anyone who's willing to be flown in his claws..." She looks at Tylluan, shrugs and says, "Hey, I'll give it a go sometime... But in the mean time, I'll be on the fo’c’sle, and if any of the priest's on-shore try to get to the ship, I'll be able to dissuade them with my pistols and bombs.

"Meanwhile, Hugh & Dolph will have brought the Darkmaiden around the headland and they will be sailing past us at quarter-sail. As you all row out to our ship, I'll light the fuse and swim after you guys, and then we'll all get away … and live happily ever after. Hooray!

She pauses for moment, rubs her chin, and muses, "Of course, the other option is that we wait and see what they're digging up, then steal that as well as rescuing the prisoners. That will be slightly riskier to do.... but hey, I'm up for it." She looks around to see if anyone is up for a little stealing too.

"If we're going to rescue the prisoners tonight we have to get moving now. The rowboat team will have to get back to our ship so I can quickly tell Hugh & Dolph what to do, then we need to row right around the headland. Tylluan, you'll take to the air and watch out for our signal. We'll wave a flag when we're ready to board. You can then give a loud hoot and Murleena can make her move. You then help her as much as you can while we seize their ship. Avoid fighting as much as possible. Keep moving. Rescue the prisoners, get to the shore, get to the ship. Don't stop until we're full-sails and sailing free.

Now, is everybody ready to move?"

Tylluan keeps a watch over their camp, swiveling his head around to make sure nothing sneaks up on them. I must say; this is NOT what I envisioned when I left home. Seeing new places? Yes, I suppose, but NOT the sort of new places I thought I'd see. Meeting new and interesting people? Well... these people are certainly new, and so far at least some of them seem interesting. Fun and excitement? Well, there's not much excitement at the moment. I am bored and this whole kidnapping business is not much fun. He flexes his wings, then his claws, to keep himself limber.

When Rosa and the others wake, he joins them. He listens as the captain outlines her plan, and bobs his head in acknowledgement. I suppose I should let her lead, since she has probably had more experience in these matters. I had enough food and toys stolen from me by others of my kind when I was growing up, however. He finds his blood warming with the prospect of snatching prey from the priests, even though he didn't plan on eating it, or ripping it to shreds in mockery. Now it's MY turn to take something. Wait! Is this... an adventure?

"I can swoop in and snatch one of the prisoners. As I start my dive, I will let out a shout to let Murleena know it is time," Tylluan says aloud. As long as the prey- , I mean prisoner, does not struggle unduly, there should be no lasting damage."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:02, Wed 16 Feb 2022.

Moft rises, a hint of a growl on his voice.  "Yes!  Let's worry about what they are digging up for after.  They don't get to keep ou- er, my people."  He looks over to Rosa, finished with putting on his armour (but not his helmet or shield).

Dolph and Hugh would be ready for their end of the plan.

And the camp below?  It was largely slumbering.  The two were still out, with a couple figures standing nearby.  Minimal guard.  Even the leader seemed to be gone - retired in one of the tents, though it wasn't clear which.

And the priests' ship waited quietly, their rowboat ashore...

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 84):

'I'm not sure about swooping in to grab the elderly, they could be too frail for that kind of extraction... Maybe as a last resort.' says Light of the fly and grab plan.

'What are bombs?' He had never seen or heard of bombs before, or explosives for that matter, having come from a relatively peaceful island village whose biggest dangers were ocean predators, other people and the elements.

He looks to Moft after the Earthfoot corrects himself about our/his people.
'Today... They're our people too.' he says patting the doggo halfling on the shoulder.

In reply to Rosa's question about whether they were ready he checks his Kitchenware and adjusts his bandana so his cyborg eye is now visible.

'We've done all the prep we can, and our customers are waiting, anxious for us to serve up our entree... Let's cook!'

"If the one of my kind shows up, don't get close to him. My kind will tear you to shreds in a toe to toe fight." She said with a small nod. "And my kind rarely wears armor, we do not need it. Luck is on our side to such a point that it is our armor." She said again with a nod.

Then she looked towards Rosa. "So I'm supposed to get into position, wait for the signal, then free the prisoners and get them to the beach. At which point, I just leave them there and I head to the boat and help you?" That part seemed a bit...weird to her.

`Tylluan tilts his beak up haughtily. "I assure you, I will not damage the one I take. I will pause long enough to warn them what is transpiring."

He listens to the others speak, then bobs his head in agreement. "I have no intention of fighting if at all possible. I'm an entertainer, not a warrior."

Rosa says to Murleena, "What I'm saying is get them to the beach then somehow get them to our ship. There's a number of ways to do it but I'm not sure which way is best. It all depends on what is happening at the time. I suggest you start rowing if no other option is available, but I'll leave it up to you." She leans over and says in a lower voice, "But if things get too dangerous it's ok to abandon the prisoners and get yourself to safety."

She says to Tylluan, "Excellent. Once you get the first prisoner perhaps you can go back and grab the second one from the rowboat? Hopefully Murleena will be close enough to the priest's ship by then to shadow-hop over to it. Oh, and don't forget to sink their rowboat, Murleena."

Rosa says to Light, "Bombs are a little bit of fire magic that I do. You'll see."

Finally she says, "If anyone gets separated and has to make a run for it, head to the western most point of the island (the opposite side from where we laid anchor) and we'll pick you up there."

"Now, as Light says, let's cook!"

"Okay. I think I got this." She said with a simple nod. "And I'll be sure to sink their rowboat. You watch yourself against their cat. You do not wanna fight him hand to hand, you see him, shoot him or just run. Though I'd love to know why he's here."

Moft looks appreciatively at Light.  "Thanks."  But as Light removes his hood, he does a surprised yip.  "What... is that some sort of helmet?"  He peers up at Light, glancing once at Rosa at the mention of 'fire magic', but he otherwise looks up.  "Let's... cook."

----

Outside, sunrise was still a couple hours away.  The camp was quiet and sluggish - the prisoners were moved to a campfire that was kept by a couple of the priests.  The cat, it seemed, was one of the few still moving around, settled down by both the prisoners and the machine.

Large bellows stuck out of the side, and other equipment was left around it.  This included six large pieces of armor-like objects, all left near the edge of the shore.  Whatever crew that had been involved was sleeping in bedrolls - they didn't even have tents set up for most of themselves.  Instead, it covered the equipment, and possibly a couple of them were sleeping alongside the boxes and gear.    There was easily two dozen ashore, probably closer to thirty including their leader and the few that kept by him.

Team one heads for the shore camp.  Team two is heading for the boat.

The ship had more of a guard out.  Three people were on the deck, but none higher.  They were moving around, keeping mostly to the quarterdeck and the back of the ship.  They carry a lantern as they move around, occasionally looking outwards but mostly keeping an eye on the ship.  One seems to always be up on deck, but the other two disappear below for long minutes at a time... easily trackable because of the lights.

The anchor is down, and the ship waits in the darkness...

Before they all set out on their assigned tasks, Rosa adds the final touches to the plan; "The signal will be a big flash of light."

Rosa mutters a silent prayer to the gods as she takes one of the oars, and with Light's help they row towards the priest's ship. She stops rowing a few times and takes out her spyglass to check on the movements of the priests. She gets them closer to the ship, but stops them at a distance where she figures they will still be hard to spot.

"Damn. They're keeping better watch on the ship than expected. But that's ok; we can still surprise them." She judges the distance between their boat and the priest's ship and takes a guess at how long it will take her to set her bombs in place. "Ok, give me ten minutes then row as fast as you can to the ship and board her. Use your darkness magic to obscure your approach. Board the ship from the bow anchor rope. I'll come up from the stern anchor rope and let off one of my flash-bangs to signal the others and blind the priests for a few moments. You do the same with your magics. We'll subdue them with our dazzling display of might!"

She takes off her boots and contemplates taking off her trousers too, but decides to leaves them on. Who would be crazy enough to fight in a corset and panties? She slips into the water and sets off towards the ship. Halfway there she dives underwater and doesn't surface again until she is in the shadow of the stern of the ship.

She had prepared her bombs earlier, tying together the twelve charges and attaching longer fuses to them, making them into six pairs total. She packs them into a shoulder bag and adds in some lengths of cord so she can tie them to things.

Once she gets to the priest's ship she starts ties her bombs to the ship. She ties a couple to the propellers, then ties the rest to the piping at the back of the ship. Some charges are just above the water line, while the rest are below it. She braids the fusees together and wraps them around the pipes. If the pipes are climbable, she will wrap the fuse around the pipes right up to just below deck level, otherwise she will leave the end of the fusees a bit above the water line. It doesn't matter if the fusees get wet – they burn underwater, though it's bloody difficult to light them underwater. She doesn't light the fuses now – she will light them once they leave the ship.

Once all that is all done, she takes a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. She checks to see that Light and Moft are close to the ship. If she can't see them she just really really hopes that they are really close and ready to act. She gets out one of her flash-bangs and grips it between her teeth, then she shimmies up the stern anchor chain. Once she's right near the top she'll throw the flash-bang onto the deck, and then with a barbaric yorp she leaps aboard the ship and brandishes her two dragon-pistols. "Hands up! First one to move gets a blast of dragon-fire!"

---

Her 'bombs' are sealed clay pots that are about the size of a drinking cup, and they are packed full of explosive dragon-powder. A short three-second fuse pokes out of the top, but she can tie a longer fuse to it to make it go off later. The fuses are thin cords that are coated in dragon-powder infused wax. The bombs can be paired together to make a slightly bigger bang.

Her Flash-Bangs are smaller shot-glass sized pots filled with dragon-powder and magnesium. They don't have a fuse; instead they explode with a blinding flash and a loud bang when they strike a surface.

Bang Bombs:  Blast 4d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius Explosion; +1/4), Trigger (Fuse; +1/4) (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), Range Based On Strength (-1/4), 12 Boostable Charges (-0) 2 charges can be used together for a 6d6 explosive blast.

Flash-Bangs:  Sight Group Flash 4d6, Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1/2) (30 Active Points); OAF (-1), Range Based On Strength (-1/4), 16 Charges (-0)

Flash-Bang to Hit. OCV 6
5

Flash-Bang damage. 4d6
16

Pre Attack; 18 PRE +1d6 striking appearance
14
This message was last edited by the player at 17:19, Tue 22 Feb 2022.

In reply to Moft, Light looks the Earthfoot in the eye and states:
'Helmets you can take off.' with a brief sad expression on his face.

He flinched a little at the injury that necessitated the cyborg part of his head. Done by the same organization responsible for cleaving his skull open in the first place.

---
Light rowed the boat out as the captain instructed him to, then ten minutes after she dove into the water to set up her bombs, he resumed rowing the boat around to the Bow anchor side of the ship as instructed.

If any of the sentries on watch spot the boat, he uses his Telekinesis to smash them against the side of the ship to try and knock them out.

He Telekinesis lifts Moft up onto the deck prior to ascending the anchor chain so that someone is ready to defend his ascent.
This message was last updated by the player at 03:52, Wed 23 Feb 2022.

Tylluan takes to the air again as the Captain puts her plan into operation. He circles the priests' campsite, lazily flapping his winngs just enough to keep him aloft at the proper altitude. When the flash and report appears on the priests' ship, he angles over into a dive, silently descending to where the prisoners are being kept. I suppose the captain thinks stealth and surprise are mutually exclusive things. He mentally chuckles. At least I'm not bored now.

He swoops down and hovers just above the prisoners, appearing suddenly out of the darkness. "Have no fear," he says, trying to reassure the two people, "I am here to rescue you!" Tylluan extends his talons and tries to gently grasp the woman, thinking she will be lighter and easier to carry. After grabbing the prisoner, he lets out a loud hunting call to signal Murleena.

Rolls:
Grabbing: -1 OCV, -2 DCV.
OCV: 5
14:28, Today: Tylluan rolled 13 using 3d6 ((4,3,6)).

Murleena does what she is best at, and stealthily moves to the camp then through it to the prisoners. While Tylluan is grabbing the one she will whisper to the others. "Stay quiet and follow me to the beach. We're getting you out of here."


02:11, Today: Murleena rolled 5 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,1,2.  Stealth 13-.

Moft... just looks confused.  Sad, but confused.  But he nods to Light.

The ship crew move out.  As does the rowboat crew - nearing the priests' ship with the smaller rowboat isn't beyond their skill... with the right preparation.  And that preparation apparently... was a distraction.  Rosa mutters to which gods may be listening - hopefully many, as she and Light row... and then, as she swims.

Preparing her sabotage, Rosa's prayer was hopefully heard.  Because this was a big ship, with big cannons, and a large crew.  She didn't know how good they were for a fight, but she didn't want to find out.  Leaving her 'surprises' on the propeller, then the piping at the back of the ship.

The pipes, while not sturdy enough to support her weight, were still strong enough to hold the bombs.

With the fuses ready but unlit, she began to move up to the deck!  With a loud BANG!!... the attack begins...

--

Light sees the flash.  With a bit of his power, he lifts the halfling hound into the air.  Moft lets out a faint yip, scrambling a little as he gets onto the deck... Light following by anchorchain once his charge arrives.

---

Meanwhile, Tylluan flies.  The camp is a simple thing, and he comes down by the campfire with ease.  "Wha?"  The old woman squints and reaches up hastily to the talon.  The grizzled man behind her was lean, tanned with the sun, but still had some bearing of strength about him.  When Murleena whispers, he nearly jumps out of his skin.  "WH-"  He spun quickly and nearly swallowed his tongue at seeing the cat-girl.  Hurriedly, he nods.

Nearby, two priest guards... did not react.  Not at first.  Because they were both standing up, looking towards the flash and boom at the ship.  "What the cursed was that??"  His companion nods, looking out in that direction... and then turns his head and blinks at Tylluan.  "Wha?  HEY!"  He pulls out a short stick with an iron cap on it - a kind of simple club.  "Intruders!"

---

On deck, there was a muffled scream as the flash goes off, with the accompanying boom leaving them blinded and confused.  As Rosa brings out her pistols, she hears a 'yip' as Moft scrambles up onto the deck... and the people look up.  It looks like the three priests on deck threw themselves to the ground at the flash, and now were glancing up with wide eyes.

None of them volunteers to get up... but Rosa hears noises and shouts from below.  "What happen?"  Light, meanwhile, just pulls himself onto the deck...

---

(Tylluan and Murleena can go before the two priests... Rosa and Light technically aren't "in combat time" yet, but I will treat it as such for now)

Light pulls himself up onto the deck. He clicks his dial to change the eye lense from Green to Orange, and gestures to Moft to lead the way towards the nearest way down into the ship, but signals the Earthfoot to hide with him out of sight in case High Light members suddenly emerge to investigate the flashbang on deck where Rosa is.

'Give the High Light time enough to get drawn up on deck to see what's going on over in Rosa's direction, it'll help us evade discovery for awhile down below.'

Once things appear to be clear, they head down into the belly of the beast intent on heading for where the prisoners are being held.

Light will do his best to evade discovery while below where possible, trying to step aside of anyone's field of vision where possible.

Anyone who does see the two of them gets an Sparkle (Sight Group Flash) for their trouble.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:47, Wed 02 Mar 2022.

Murleena would whisper to the prisoner she had whispered to before. "Go for the beach. Now. Tylluan there will pick you up from there."

"Tylluan, I'll cover your and their movement from these two." She said as she nodded to him.

Then she looked at the pair of guards, extended her claws, and hissed loudly her feline ears going flat against her head as she suddenly took a threatening position between the pair of guards and the prisoners.

[OOC: Doing an obvious PRE Attack. Trying for some intimidation here.

22:29, Today: Murleena rolled 12,2 using 4d6,1d3 with rolls of 2,2,6,2,2.  PRE Attack.
Rolled for crap. Got a 14 on my PRE attack.

Can I be lucky? I do have luck!]

Tylluan gently grasps the woman in his talons,while glaring at the guard. Without bothering to say a word, he pumps his wings and lifts himself and his passenger into the air. The effect is eerily silent, except for the hiss of swirling sand from the downdraft. He raises up far enough to keep out of reach of the priests and banks toward the beach and the rowboat waiting beyond. Pitiful humans. Unless any of them have weapons capable of reaching me, they have no hope of catching me.

Rosa waves a pistol at the priests lying on the deck, and says, "Stay down if you know what's good for you." She covers them with a gun as she looks around. Light and Moft are covering one of the ways down, so she decides to 'block' the other ladder leading down. She pulls out one of her smoke bombs. She bangs the end against the wooden railing then tosses the bomb through the hatchway "Let's smoke them out!" She says with a slightly manic laugh.

When the first priests emerge, she waves a pistol at them, and says, "Lie down over there if you don't want to go swimming with the fishes."  She says to Light, "And toss them overboard if they don't cooperate!"

---

Her smoke bombs are pottery tubes that are small enough to fit in one hand. They are stuffed full of black dragon-powder that's packed around a wick soaked in white dragon-powder. To set it off you strike one end of it hard; that ignites the matches which starts the wick burning which causes the black dragon-powder to smoke profusely. Once ignited, they spit and hiss for a second, then both ends start spewing out thick black smoke, which causes the bomb to spin and tumble around. The bombs can spew out smoke for about 5 minutes and fill an area about 40 feet across.

Smoke Bomb:  Darkness to Sight Group 6m radius (30 Active Points); OAF (Bomb; -1), Range Based On Strength (-1/4), 4 Continuing Charges lasting 5 Minutes each (-0)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:48, Tue 01 Mar 2022.

Light gets himself ready as he gets up on deck.  The routes going down, unfortunately, are being occupied by priests scrambling to go up!  Moft looks over to Light, then at the three priests on the patrol.  They were still staying down, wide-eyed and worried.  But they, too, heard the sounds from below.  One opened his mouth, then thought better of it at Rosa's ready weapons... and the presence of Light and Moft.

Rosa's craziness probably didn't help!  Her laugh brought out a whimper, and someone shouted "lookout!"  There was thumping below, then coughing as the smoke erupted from it.  Surprisingly, they don't come up!  At least not that way.  Smoke rolls out from around the edges of the hatch - enough for her to confirm the effectiveness of her bombs.

Instead, there was thumping around belowdecks... and there was a loud thumping noise from the center of the deck.  They were removing a bar or something sealing it from below.  Atop of it... there was a bar securing it too, currently helping keep it shut.

Then Rosa hears sounds from the door nearby.  Ah, the doors into the area below the quarterdeck almost certainly had stairs.  And she can hear the sounds of people running up them, both by the door near her and the one across the width of the deck...

---

The shore rescue team had a much simpler problem.  Two priests who were on guard, now looking at the owlfolk.  Tylluan simply glowered at one, taking off with Farisha.  The old woman gasped, holding Tylluan's claw tightly... and they flew.  The priests yelped, one stumbling with his club, but Tylluan and Farisha were airborne long before he arrived at their spot.

The second one paused, club in hand, staring at Murleena as she bared her claws.  Backing up half a step, he shouted.  "WE GOT A RAAAAIIIIID!!!"  The old man cursed, looking up after the owl, then around desperately as the camp began to stir... "There's no place to go but up the shoreline!"  He started to run, even though either direction along the shoreline had the sets of tents and bedrolls where people were waking up...

There was some scrambling as people surge awake.  The first few seconds were bleary-eyed blinks, about half the crew ashore, from the looks of things.  Some were making noises in the storage tents, but most were in bedrolls, sitting up and getting a bleary-eyed look around as the old man ran.  But a handful were scrambling to their feet, grabbing at anything nearby...

The priest near Murleena still stayed back, wide-eyed and wary at her claws... even though trouble was now coming for her!

Rosa glances at the main hatch with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation as she wonders what the thumping sound is, but then her head whips around as she hears stomping feet coming up from below the quarterdeck.

Great!? ... My plan seems to be working. I did want them all on deck, right? I just hope Light is good at tossing off priests – ha!

Rosa runs up the starboard ladder and gets onto the quarterdeck. At the top she jams another smoke grenade under a pile of ropes. That should hold it in place and the smoke should hopefully cover the starboard half of the quarterdeck and stop people coming up that way. She runs over to the port-side ladder and waits for the priests to emerge from the doors.

As they emerge, she shouts, "Plant your faces on the deck, you maggots, if you know what's good for you!"

She has a pistol in one hand and a flash-bang in the other. A the first sign of trouble she'll throw down a flash-bang.

---

Persuasion 14-. 15
OCV 5
DCV 7

Tylluan carries his passenger in his talons and heads for the beach and the rowboat. Midway there, he begins thinking. If the idea is to safeguard these people, wouldn't it make more sense to get them someplace truly safe, instead of that little cockle of a rowboat? It won't take much more effort to get them directly to the captain's ship, and they won't have to worry about being tipped into the water or being attacked by anyone who might see them bobbing about like a duck on a pond.

He ducks his head to look at the old woman with his gleaming eyes. "I am taking you to the captain's ship. You will be safe there. Just do what the crew tells you to do, yes?" Tylluan banks his wings and pumps them vigorously to increase his speed.

OOC: Tylluan will go non-combat speed once he's far enough away, so as not to risk being shot down.

"Then do it. Tylluan make sure you get him, and I'll make sure to stay between him and the cultists!" Murleena moves to stay between the male prisoner and the cultists, keeping her eye on the cultist that has been watching her. Ready to strike should anyone come for either her or the prisoner she is freeing.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:43, Wed 09 Mar 2022.

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 103):
Light wondered what was up with the cargo hold noises, but there was still the hostages to think about. He had wanted the below deck High Light members to get up on deck before the real fun started, but now that the Captain had hurled smoke bombs down below, he was concerned about the hostages once again.

'Guess I'm going down into that eventually.' he says as he shifts the lenses to Red, then nods to Moft, before heading to the stairs down into the smoke, Meat Tenderizer in hand, probing about with it ahead of him for opposition.

Should he feel anyone before him, he grabs them and tries to force them up top to where he can see them clearly, just in case they're a hostage, as he doesn't want to risk harming anyone, least of all those he came to save.

Rosa's plan was working!  Except for the part with Light.  With a nod to Moft, Light plunged into the darkness of the lowerdecks, moving down a steep set of stairs.  Forging into the smoke and darkness, he hears the sounds of feet moving in different directions.  Most, though, were moving either up stairs somewhere behind him... or into the back of the ship.  Is that where the prisoners were?

He was in a wooden hall belowdeck, another narrow stairway in front of him.  Smoke billowed from the smoke bomb, making it hard to see in any particular direction.  Behind him was probably the area that was below the quarterdeck - the hall back there is short, and hits a turn and a number of doors.  But in front of him was a hallway running the length of a ship, another branching off across the width.  And along the hall, towards the center of the ship, there were slats in the wall.  And a large doorway right beyond them, into the darkness of the hold...

That dark chamber must be the center of the ship.

And then Light heard, behind him, an angry voice.  "Who are you?!"

Rosa heard the incoming priests.  Ugh, it sounded like a lot!  A number of sounds... were still under her.  Heading back further.  Or up the ship.  To the rudder?

But others were coming onto the deck.  The doors to below the quarterdeck throw open - the nearest to Rosa first.  There is a priest in front, holding a thick wooden plank.  It's not a shield - it looks like it was part of some kind of construction.  The priest behind it just seems to be holding it out, filling the door and shouting.  "Who's out there?!  What's going on?"

The door across the width of the ship opens next, a robed head poking out... and then jerking back in with an oath.  "What's going on?!  We're being raided by some crazy lady!"

---

On the shore, things were almost as chaotic.  Tylluan takes to the skies.  It would take some time, but a minute or two was worth it to truly get his charge to safety, right?  The elderly woman nods.  "Y-yes.  Thank you!"

Above, he can see the camp is a mess.  Most of them were sleeping in some of the small half-buildings, in bedrolls.  Others might have been in the supply tents.  But while most of them were able to take in what was going on... there was only Murleena and the old man.  The old man, running, earned glances from confused priests.

"I think... the prisoner's escaping!"  "Hey, what's with the earthfoot?"  "What's the shouting about?  I don't see nothing..."

Rosa laughs manically as she stands there dripping with water, her long red hair plastered to her face and chest and looking a little like blood flowing from a head-wound. "Crazy? Crazy!? Ha ha! You damn well better believe it!" She throws down a flash-bang in front of the priest who called her crazy. "Now, do as I say or you'll find out just how crazy I am! We're only here for the prisoners. Release them now and we'll leave you alone. Refuse us and you'll regret it!" She laughs madly again as she throws down another flash-bang, but this time in front of the priest just below her. She looks away at the last moment, but she still sees a bit of an afterglow from the bright flash.

"Release them now or suffer the wrath of Rosa the Red!"

--{Too much? Maybe...}--

Light turned towards the sound of someone yelling at him and switches lense color again, this time to yellow. He uses his Shut-Eye power to fill the corridor as best he can with a 2meter diameter yellow colored metal-like sphere anchored to the walls and floor.

It wasn't strong, but it might delay the enemy long enough to allow Light to slow down his pursuers while he searched the place for the hostages.

'Sorry, I left something on that I need to attend to, so I can't really afford a break right now.' he says, as if he'd been stopped by a customer.

He continues down the slatted wall corridor, searching for hostages, but ready to create more Shut-Eye spheres to delay or even contain his opponents.

"Keep going. Tylluan will be back for you soon!" Murleena called out to the prisoner she was helping. "Head for the rowboat!" She said as she pointed, hoping the path to it was clear enough.

The priest screams as the flash goes off, collapsing to the deck.  From her position -atop- the quarterdeck, the priests trying to exit are in danger of getting caught in the back.  Indeed, the first few are already on the ground, the improvised shield clutched before the lead... who was in no mood to do anything but hide behind it.

Moft growled, but his menace was not at all noticed, not compared to Rosa's demand of them to answer her call.

"...T-they'd be aft.  But... what can you even do?  We could barely get them aboard-"

There was a muffled crash down below, the sounds of something heavy hitting wood and of metal clanking on metal.  She can tell there are people just inside on either end of the deck below her.  They've gotten back a little from the door, but there seems to be something else going on as well...

---

Light sees a broad-shouldered man, the largest of the priests he's seen.  He's leaning down a little for clearance in the belowdecks, looking at Light with some surprise.  He's coming out of a room directly behind him, where the hall terminates and makes that sharp turn.  With all the smoke billowing out, the figure squints a little... but not enough that he doesn't see the unusual (or rather, more normal) attire of Light.

"Who are you?  You ain't with the construction crew..."

---

The old man nods, running frantically.  He was saving his breath, but he seemed to be in surprisingly good shape, racing along the shore without stumbling, just using the moonlight as he ran.

"There's someone helping him!  Grab her!"  The two priests that were on watch were chasing after Murleena, one of the two gesturing wildly into the air.  "Flyin'!  One of them is flyin'!  A stone flies past Murleena, missing her wide.

But while the old man was racing ahead, she can see that they are still going to be cut off... there's four of them that were sleeping by the shore that are now up and looking around.

At the very least, they look unarmed...

---

Tylluan flies higher.  He was out of arm's reach, but still visible to the eyes.  Farisha is craning her head to look down and around, looking wide-eyed with wonder and terror.  Tylluan can see Murleena and the old man are fleeing down the shore to the ship - headed in the same direction as him.

His plan must have been the better plan after all!

He's still climbing, starting to move off after Murleena and the old man - he had gotten a head start, but had spent a lot of that getting above the situation.

Here, he can see the duo below, see them racing ahead but in danger of running into a small group of the crew.

He can also see people scurrying about in confusion - many went to check the 'thing' by the shore, and the tents.  The one with the uniquely-trimmed priest robes has come out of one of the tent, flanked by two figures - one lanky and tall, the other short and squat.  They seem to be still surveying the scene... just as Tylluan was doing!

Rosa is satisfied that the priests are sufficiently cowed for the time being, though she figures they will make a move sooner rather than later. The muffled crash from down below is also a bit worry, so she decides to keep moving. She scoots over to the side of the ship that's not wreathed in her smoke-bomb and has a quick look over the side to see if they're opening any portholes. She glances at the ropes as she heads back towards the other side of the ship, and she takes up position just next to the smoke but still having a clear view of the main deck. Pistol in one hand and smoke bomb in the other, she keeps an eye on the central hatch and whatever is making that crashing sound. Perhaps it's Light having a fun time below...?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:51, Tue 22 Mar 2022.

Light wastes no time using his Yellow Lense Power (Shut Eye) on the floor where the broad shouldered man stands, A projection of light shines from the Eye-Borg's currently yellow eye before forming an opaque 2 meter sphere of metal seeming matter, that much like real life barriers, blocks any light through it, as if someone had just tossed that area into a big round ball.



'That's funny, because I made you this.' the Islander says as he tries his best to move around/past the High Light type hopefully now residing temporarily inside the bright yellow shining sphere.

He hurries on to check for hostages to rescue.

Tylluan glances beneath his wing at the priests he's leaving behind on the ground with a sense of smug satisfaction. If you want to catch me you'd better learn to fly, you silly groundlings. He flaps his wings to continue onward, seeing the masts of their ship where it sits at anchor on the other side of the island.

He looks below at Murleena and her charge, seeing them running toward the beach and the unexpected guards. Why in the world are those people there? Humans. They never do what you want them to. Tylluan briefly entertains the idea of swooping down to assist the catgirl, but thinks better of it. I am not used to being in these situations, but I would guess diving into combat while carrying the person you are trying to rescue is not a wise idea. I'd best get to the ship first. Then I can return to help if they still need me.

Murleena considered for a moment. "Keep heading towards the rowboat. I know they are in the way, but trust me." With that Murleena would quickly duck into a shadow, only to appear behind the group of four that were blocking their path to the beach. Once there she will strike out at the closest of the four priests if possible!

[OOC:
00:07, Today: Murleena rolled 7,6,4 using 3d6,2d6,1d6 with rolls of 1,1,5,3,3,4.  Claw Attack.

To Hit: Rolled 7, so hit DCV 11.
Damage: 6 Bod, 18 Stun.]

Rosa quickly checks for trouble.  The glance down doesn't reveal any cannons, thank goodness.  It looks like they haven't discovered her ship.  Smoke is billowing out from below - curtesy of her smoke bombs likely.  The chaos from it was keeping them busy.

Three patrolmen were on deck.  The one who had been poking out the doorway with the 'shield' had pulled back, but now was edging back out... this time with what looked to be friends.  Above themselves, they were carrying the improvised wood.  Slowly, in a group, four of them were moving out... covering the angles facing Rosa.

Moft hesitates, moving to approach the 'wood box' from the open angle.  Uncertainly, he glances up to Rosa.

From the door on the far side of the shift (starboard), what comes out is much simpler.  Three people carrying long pieces of metal and wood, acting as a kind of shield as they move out onto the deck...

...Neither group is headed for the stairs to the top deck where she is, but for the group hiding on the ground.  That does mean Moft is getting vaguely surrounded.

======================================================================

"Guh, hey!"  There was a faint 'whump' as the big man moves forwards, only to collide into the 'ball'.  There was a confused thump... then more hard thumps, as Light moves on quickly.

He's below the deck.  Below the aft, if he was sure.  There was still smoke out here, and confusion.  He can see a ladder to the room above him, where he hears voices hissing and talking.  "We need more rope to hold the planks!"  "A shield would be better."  "The survey group is supposed to deal with stuff like this!"  "Sh!  She's above us.  Shut up if you don't want to get shot."  "Look!  They're almost to the guys..."  There's sounds from the other side of the ship, feet moving up and down ladders quickly.  Moving to the above floor, and then below.

Where he is right now, he can see several large groups of material have been stowed - metal largely, though there's a pile of wood squarish pieces that seems dwindlingly small.  Below, however, he hears coughing...

There's a louder bang on his light ball.

======================================================================

Tylluan moves quickly now, reaching Rosa's ship.  Farisha gasps in relief as Tylluan touches down.  "By the wind gods, thank you."  She cranes her head back, her eyes still wide.  "Do what you can for that old fool, Ned doesn't deserve this either."  She cranes up to try and give him a faint peck of thanks, on a wing-arm likely.

The Darkmaiden's Dance was ready and crewed, Tylluan could see.  But they were uneasily silent, not drawing attention to the dark ship.

======================================================================

Murleena disappears into the shadows.  Easily, she finds herself in position, laying out a sudden ambush!  The priest shrieks and spins around, robes slashing into ribbons!  Beneath, a kind of boiled leather outfit that cuts some of the harm, but only some.  Surprisingly was the cris-crossing design of some kind of halter, and a belt of gear around the man's waist.  Hurt, he drops a long slender metal club, reeling in surprise as he staggers and spins around.

"Where'd you come from?!"  The others with him were looking back to her, starting to skid to a stop and return...

Her plan worked!  The old man continues to run past... of course, now she was the center of attention.

Light hears the chatter above, and after turning to face the Orb he'd already placed, creates a second one in front of that one, before ascending to see what the crew at the top of the ladder are doing with the things that sound like planks being put in place.

It wasn't his intention to dally, but if it at least gave the Eye-Borg Islander a clue to what the High Light were up to before he left with elderly captives in tow, it might at least answer a question before they parted ways.

The orb was off target forward-right of where he wanted it, though in the narrow passage hall, it likely made very little difference (or so Light hoped).

He makes a face as if he were biting his knuckles on his right fist should he hear any awkward reactions (such as the broad shouldered man being lightly -no pun intended- pushed aside as a new Barrier grows into position.

Tylluan back-wings as he reaches the Dark Maiden, to gently deposit the old woman on the deck. He gives her a nod as he stares with his golden eyes, before wheeling away and heading back to the beach, where Murleena and the old man are supposed to be. Perhaps I didn't have a clear definition in mind when I told myself I wanted to leave home to experience new things and undertake an adventure. Or is it that I wasn't clear on just what an adventure is. Whichever. I didn't expect it to entail hostilities, except maybe someone being dissatisfied with my performances.

"I came from Catsville. It's Caturday there, great day of Cativities." Came sarcastically from Murleena as she stood there at the ready. Once the old man was past she would dart away to join him. The goal was to get him to the boat, and the boat onto the water. Not stand here and fight.

With two simple gestures, Rosa signals for Moft to come closer to the stairs leading up to the quarterdeck and then to engage the enemy from that direction. "Keep your line of retreat open," she says, giving advice to both Moft and the priests. She keeps half an eye on him as he distracts one group of priests while she focuses on the other group.

She takes a few steps towards them then throws a flash-bang down at their feet. As it crackles and sparks she shouts out, "Get back you god-grovelling bum-bandits!" Then, just in case the flash-bang doesn't really do the job, she shoots one of them with her dragon-pistol. She only gives them one barrel, so it will just tickle a little. The gun makes more of a whooshing sound than a bang as it shoots out a whizzing ball of fire and a puff of white smoke. "I said get back!"

---

Skill levels on OCV.
OCV 8, DCV 5

Flash-Bangs:  Sight Group Flash 4d6, Area Of Effect 8m Radius.
16:08, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 8 using 3d6.  Flash-Bang to hit. – 8
16:09, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 18 using 4d6 with rolls of 6,6,3,3.  Flash-Bang damage. – 18

Dragon Pistols:  Blast 6d6
16:10, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 12 using 3d6.  Dragon Pistol to hit. – 12
 16:10, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 31 using 6d6 with rolls of 6,6,5,6,4,4.  Dragon Pistol damage. – 31

Light climbs upwards.  For a few moments, the priests looked too distracted to address him.

Down below, there appeared to be... stored supplies, not for sailing or even repair, but he'd swear for construction.  Much of it looks specific and specialized fittings, metal fasteners.  But also a bunch of planks, tools, some sort of tiling.  The fasteners weren't brass - this didn't look like it was meant for building ships.  But building -something-.

Up here, they were improvising.  They had banged some sort of metal things onto boards using nails and some of the fittings.  Someone else had a long metal tube of some kind, and they had packed and sealed the end except for a fuse.

They also hadn't actually put on robes, except for a few near the front.

Equipment was hanging off halters around their torsos.  Someone was wrapping bands of boiled leather around one of them, binding it down to be like a leather armor.

Then the one being armored looks over at Light... and blinks.

---

"Wha- Hey!"  The man turned, trying to chase after her.  One of the others running up skids to a stop near the injured one, getting down on his knees to check him.  As they run, Ned glances from the shore to the water... but they are starting to break past the group of priests.

"How do we get out of here from here??"  The Darkmaiden's Dance wasn't visible in the dark... not to his eyes.  But Murleena can see it... as well as wings lifting off...

---

Tylluan was on his way back.  He can see the two moving up the shore towards the ship, managing to keep ahead of a dozen or so of those priests.  It looked messy, but he should be fine getting there in time... and hey, the cat can swim to the ship, eh?

---

Moft almost doesn't catch the gestures, growling and swinging a short blade warningly.  Rosa tosses the flash-bang and it goes off with quite a bang!  The priests take cover from behind their shields... The barrel catches the edge of the shield and shoulder of one of them, earning a muffled scream of surprise!

There's blood.  As well as straps, and she hears a kind of clanking as a flimsy metal plate hits the deck.  Whatever kind of improvised armor he had was falling apart, and he was scrambling back.

Moft scooted up to the stairs, meanwhile, coming up next to her on deck.  "Yes, well."

"You!  What do you want, woman!"  One brave priest shouts, still keeping his head ducked behind his shield.  "Get off our ship!"  Another says.  Something clanks nearby... a tossed wrench.  It almost sounds less like an angry crew and more like a civilian riot...

Moft speaks up.  "The prisoners!"  The louder priest stammers.  "That... they'll be returned in a week!  We're busy with them!"

In reply to Atlas Blue GM (msg # 120):

Light (still on the ladder, with shoulders and above looking over) stands on the ladder rungs with a slightly raised eyebrow.

'Hi there, sooo what's with the boiled leather wrap? Some kind of weight loss thing?' he enquires, curious.

He's ready to dive for cover rather than dodge, back off the ladder and get moving further to explore the below decks for his real reason for being here.

Rosa was starting to get nervous about how many priests there were and what they might be capable of once they got their act together, but she seems to have impressed them enough with her swagger and bravado that they're now willing to talk. To start off, she pretends that she is not happy with what she hears. She rests one foot on the railing, leans over, and harangues them from above.

"A week? A week!? If you were going to return them why didn't you just hire them? I don't believe you. You are slavers and evil cultists and you are going to sacrifice them to your dark god! If that's not the case then prove me wrong. Bring the prisoners out here and show me that you mean them no harm!"

Just to show that she's willing to negotiate, she doesn't shoot anybody.

Tylluan's keen eyesight allows him to see the situation clearly as he flaps his way back toward the beach. I'm hungry again. All of this... this... work... is exhausting. A pity I couldn't just sing or play a tune as a distraction, but I think these humans aren't the type to be appreciative of my talents, yes? He sighs, even as he angles his approach to intercept the two fugitives. I hope that Light fellow will have something appropriately tasty once this is over. After all, I am a paying passenger and not some... itinerate mercenary. The very idea. Hmph.

"We get on the rowboat and start rowing out to that ship there." She pointed to the distance as they ran. "While doing that my friend will come back and pick you up taking you the rest of the way, then I will divert back to their boat and hop on board of it sinking this rowboat." She said as he motioned for him to get in.

Once in he in, she pushed it into the water, muttering about getting wet, then hopped in and started rowing for the Darkmaiden's Dance.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Tue 12 Apr 2022.

Tylluan flaps his way towards the shore.  Easily surveying the beach, he can see the confusion is starting to die down.  There are people shouting, but moving in a more organized manner.

People are pursuing the two prisoners.  Others are starting to move up the beach - evidently trying to figure out what exactly is going on.  And, it seems, some are making their way to the... shore-device.  But the majority of the attention was on a gathering on the beach.  A search was beginning... and someone looked to be lighting lanterns.

---

Cat hit the water with a splash.  The old man (Ned, though Murleena did not know that) didn't say a word.  He got in the rowboat fast, climbing into it and getting the oars into the water quickly.  With a sploosh, the oars began to move through the water... and there was a curse behind them.  Priests were reaching the water, but too late to even lunge for the little boat.

---

"A...Armour?"  The one being 'armored' says in response.  The rest have paused their efforts, both at assembing the improv armor and at mobilizing at the door.

"...Another intruder!?"  One grabs a piece of metal off the ground, brandishing it as a club.  A second brings around a wooden lid, leather straps bolted onto it as an awkward shield.  Several others bring up the same.

The tension breaks. "GRAB HIM!!"  There's a surge of bodies, about half a dozen, moving at Light.  Two cling to the door in surprise as the rest charge...

Light was a big man, but he moved fast.  Diving for cover, he got clear as the group tried to mob him.  They didn't seem combat experienced, but were making up for it with enthusiasm.

They probably weren't -that- dangerous though... just a multitude of irritation.

It also didn't help him find the prisoners... but it did look like the back of the ship was being used for storage.

---

Rosa leans in to give them hell.  "Eh?  Here?"  The ones with the shields are looking at each other.  "We'll-"

Below her, Rosa hears some sort of noise.  Muffled, eager shouting, and thumping.

Then there is a metal groan, a churning and huffing sound below... and the large doors in the center of the deck lift up slowly...

The priests need a little more encouragement. Rosa shouts at them, "Get them out here now or I'll send the lot of you to the bottom of the bay!"

She gets distracted by the groaning of metal and the churning and huffing of … something... She gets a smoke bomb ready as she watches the doors open. Maybe the prisoners are coming up? She doubts it. She moves a bit and crouches down so she has some cover and concealment. At the first sign of trouble she'll drop a smoke bomb right through those opening doors.

---

OCV: 5
DCV: 8
Smoke Bomb through the hatch:
Roll: 14
04:42, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 14 using 3d6. 
This message was last edited by the player at 18:44, Fri 08 Apr 2022.

One of the priests with the shield - the one nearest the door back down, utters a "Doing it!" and scrambles for the doors.

Darkness lies between the giant hatch doors - they block most of Rosa's view, too.  There was a muffled noise, like a thump, and then... a groan of metal.

Flickers of heat and fire come out of the double-doors, like there was a fire from the belly of the ship.

Moft lets out a yip.  "What in the deep seas is THAT?  Is the ship afire?"

Tylluan watches as Murleena and the human splash into the water and thrash their way to the small boat bobbing in the water. Well, that's convenient. Saves me the trouble of dealing with any priestly interference. Water is certainly not their element though. Look at all that useless movement. Flying is so much more efficient, not to mention elegant. But I suppose they do the best they can with what they have.

He wheels around on a wingtip when he reaches the rowboat and hovers in the air. "You are ready to be carried to the ship, yes?" he asks, staring at the old man. Without further chitchat he lowers his talons and wraps them around the man's upper arms, before unceremoniously hauling him into the air and flapping for altitude. He turns his beak toward the Dark Maiden and begins the short trip back to their vessel. I am going to want a substantial meal when this is over. Perhaps shark, marinated in olive oil and hot peppers. Not for weaker palates, I know, but I don't plan on sharing.

"I have no idea..." Rosa says. She's curious now about what's coming up through the giant hatch doors. She was going to throw a smoke bomb through the hatch, but that would block her sight too, so she tucks the bomb back into her bandoleer and pulls out a flash-bang instead. She doesn't throw it right away, instead she spends the time lining up for a clear shot and waits until she actually sees what is coming up through the hatch.

Once Tylluan takes the old man from the rowboat Murleena cringes, and grabs the oars tightly as the boats rocks. "...I hate water..." She muttered to herself as she began to row the boat towards the boat where Rosa was. Or at least to the shadow of it, and where she could see a shadow on the deck.

If she get's into such a spot, she'll kick out a hole in the bottom of the rowboat, near one of the edge of the boards where it'll be easiest. Then teleport up.

Tylluan comes down.  The old man, Ned, lets out a surprised noise at the silent bird's arrival.  He nods though, urgently reaching up.  He's plucked up easily by Tylluan - ferrying these people was a chore, but at least they were old and light.

The priests did not seem to be doing well ashore.  With him taking the old man, the only person left behind seemed to be capable enough - and the priests could only watch on the shore.

There was light flashing from the priests by the 'machine', on the beach.  Apparently trying to communicate with the ship... which was not communicating back.  Indeed, there were noises coming from that direction...

Rowing was not the cat-girl's preferred method of travel.  But she began to make her way back to Rosa's ship.  Began to row, except she saw something on the priests' ship.  Something that -glowed-...

---

The smell of smoke came up from below, alongside shouts of alarm.  One of the priests on the deck glances up at Rosa... the one she had winged in the arm.  He's bleeding but not seriously, and he is definitely keeping an eye on her... as are a couple of the others with shields.

The patrolmen, without the improvised defenses, were staying low, but even they were beginning to crawl away from the raised doors.  One of them finally shouts.  "BOILER'S ON THE MOVE!!"

A sheen of steel reflects the moonlight.  A scraping sound, like claws, come from the starboard side of the ship, and Rosa catches a glimpse of strange curves... like hooks, but with long flat fingertips.  From the belly, and from some sort of thing crawling out of it.  It's body's surface was dark, covered in soot, yet it glowed with red heat.  Whatever it was... pulled itself up onto the very edge of the deck, the deck's side-rail cracking under one of the silvery claw-legs...
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:12, Tue 19 Apr 2022.

"What shit-fire from hell is that!" Rosa gasps as the weirdly animated boiler crawls up from the hold.  "Light! Light! Get a move on!" She shouts even louder as she begins moving across the deck. She takes aim and shoots at the belaying pins where the rigging for the yardarm is tied. Small balls  of fire erupts from her dragon pistol as she shoots the ropes tied to the pins a few times.

If that's not enough to bring the yardarm and sail down on the thing, then she's going to have to draw her cutlass and start chopping at ropes.

---

OCV 7
DCV 6
Shooting the ropes : rolled 12 using 3d6.
Damage 6d6: rolled 23 using 6d6 with rolls of 6,3,5,1,2,6.

Shooting the ropes again if needed: rolled 9 using 3d6.
Damage 6d6: rolled 22 using 6d6 with rolls of 4,2,5,4,1,6.

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 132):

Oblivious to the yelling from the Captain above, Light calls into being yet another of his Orange metal spheres to block the crew members from pursuing him as he presses on in his search for hostages in need of rescuing.



'People of Faqu, where are you?' he calls out -with hands near mouth- in hopes that they can respond and will.

Light is able to trip up his pursuers - his light spheres seemed to be enough to keep the crew busy, giving him a chance to break off back down the stairs.  As Light searches and calls out, there was the creaking of wood and shouting of crew - his own voice cuts through them, but it only adds to the confusion of the priests.

For minutes, he isn't sure he hears anything.  But then ahead of him he hears a loud thumping.  Regular, like feet stomping on wood...

---

The boiler was on the move.  As Rosa starts to open fire, the priests on the ground shout... and scatter.  The ones on the deck run for the doors beneath her, likely to flee from the surface of the deck.  The ones with shields were scrambling back to the deck-doors... or coming in closer to the stairs.

Moft gives one of the shields a loud 'rap' with his sword, which earned a startled shout, the priest crouching and holding the shield defensively.  "I... have no idea what kind of monster that is!  We need to get the people below out of here!  Has your... cook-man found them?"

The boiler-spider-thing smoulders wood as it crawls to the edge of the ship.  Almost big enough to swallow a row-boat inside of it, the sides glowed with the heat of the thing, and the front was casting a reddish glow across the vessel.   Rosa's shots at the rigging-ropes was a challenge and a half - after the first miss, she manages to blow apart the ropes.  The yardarm lurches and falls...

A tremendous CRASH fills the air as the yardarm comes dowm, slamming into the side of the ship, and the huge... thing!

Tylluan pumps his wings with strong, regular beats as he makes his way back toward the Dark Maiden. His attention is mostly focused on completing the task at hand, though his thoughts ponder what he should do next. Once I deliver this human safely to the ship, should I go back and try to help the others? I am an entertainer, not a warrior, but I do have some skill with my talons and wings. That would be the... helpful thing... , yes? He sighs inwardly. I suppose insuring the captain and the others return to her ship will allow me to get on with MY journey. So the sooner that happens, the faster we can be done with all this nonsense. Why must things be so complicated?

Tylluan swoops in out of the night and backwings over the deck. He releases the old man's arms, dropping him the few remaining inches to the deck. He stares around at the crew while he hovers. "I'll be returning to make sure the captain returns and we can be on our way, yes? Be ready." He flaps harder, raising a miniature gale on the deck as he turns about and disappears into the darkness once again.

A broad grin crosses Rosa's face as she watches the yardarm comes crashing down on top of The Boiler. She hopes the whole thing will catch fire, or at least the ropes and broken beam will slow the thing down.

Rosa stays low and uses what cover she can as she fills the ignition chamber of her dragon-pistol with a full load of dragon-dust. She takes aim at the shoulder-joint of one of its front legs. Hopefully if she misses the joint she'll still hit the creature. She pulls the trigger and a big burst of fire blasts from her gun as she gives it both barrels open at full bore.

She then reloads her pistol as she studies The Boiler and tries to spot any weaknesses.

---

Perception Roll: rolled 14
OCV: 6
DCV: 8
To Hit: rolled 10
Damage 10d6: rolled 27 Stun 9 Body using 10d6 with rolls of 6,2,3,3,1,1,3,3,2,3.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:59, Wed 20 Apr 2022.

Light does hear the thumping ahead if him, like feet stomping on wood. Could that be the hostages trying to signal him as to where they were? He surged ahead towards the noise, ready to barge open a door if need be.

'On my way!' he shouts.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:37, Thu 21 Apr 2022.

Tylluan drops off the old man - he gasps, and crumples in relief at the landing.  The old woman was there too, as well as two of Rosa's crew.  One raises his hand in acknowledgement to the owl-man's orders - the dark-feathered one was apparently calling the shots!

It was easy enough to take off again, flying up into the chill night sky.

--

Light's shout was earning him more thumps and thuds.  He hears something else, a person down the hall and to his right shouting.  "BOILER'S ON THE MOVE!"  "GET THE EMERGENCY-"  Then there was a thunderous crash off to the right.

Hopefully, things on deck were going well!

Whatever was going on had the crew more than busy - that was no surprise.  He comes up to a room with a door that has been barricaded with a long wooden beam.  At the floor, there was a secondary panel of some kind, like a very low door to the ground.  It had been slid to the side a little, darkness coming from the gap.

The stomping was coming from there.

--

Rosa watches the yardarm and deck smoulder from contact with the thing.  There was a shout from the stairs - Rosa catches sight of the little Moft swinging at one of the shield-bearing priests, forcing him to stay back as the sword thunks at the shield.

The metal 'beast' was scrabbling on the floor, scratching at the surface but unable to move.  The loud 'bang' of a dragonshot hit misses its leg... but hits the side solidly.  It may not have been the hit she wanted, but there was a dent and gap in its side...

and fire and clouds poured through the opening!  Tongues of flame licked at the yardarm and deck, and hissing smoke was pouring out from the thing's side like blood from a wound.  Rosa could feel the hairs on her arm curling - even from over here, that hissing mark was hot!

--

Fortunately for the cat, she didn't need to row right up to the ship.  Just close enough... and it was pretty close as it was.  She sees something glowing with heat, unfamiliar shapes moving on the deck, and Rosa standing up at the top-deck.

And a flaming eye seemed to be glaring at her from the lower deck...

Rosa instinctively ducks when fire and steam erupt from the gap in the side of the metal beast, but she quite pleased with the result. She backs off for now, keeping low so that she can just see the beast over the edge of the quarterdeck. She keeps an eye on it as she reloads her pistol with a new cartridge of dragon-powder. It also gives her a little time to think and to 'revise' her plan. First thing is to get everybody off the ship.

She backs up to the where the captain usually stands – it seems appropriate – then she takes a deep breath, and in the loudest voice she can manage she bellows, "Everybody off the ship! She's going to blow!" Another deep breath, then, "Move yourselves, you brown-bagged clotpoles. Swim for you lives! She's going to blow!" Then, just for the hell of it, she throws a flash-bang high up and off towards the bow of the ship. Fireworks are always nice, and having something flash and bang overhead just adds to the chaos.

"..not good, not good." She would make sure that she was in the shadow of the larger boat. Then she would kick out of of the lower boards of the rowboat so it would sink.

Looking up to the deck, she would jump into the shadow of the larger boat, and roll out of the shadows onto the deck next to Rosa. "Miss me?"

Then at the sudden bright light of the flash bangs she hissed, literally hissed like a cat and covered her eyes. "HURTS!" She whines, then hisses again!
This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Fri 29 Apr 2022.

Light examines the door and then the smaller door below. Like a meal serving door for prisoners? Does the High Light make ships with the intent to hold people prisoner?

The thought made him sadden a little, but then he rubbed his palms together, and then clapped them on the long wooden beam, trying to get a good grip before trying to pull the beam away so it no longer blocked the door. He changes his footing to suit as well, straightens his back as best he can for better leverage.

'Shouldn't be long...' he says somewhat to himself as he begins to put his muscle into the task at hand.

Tylluan gains enough altitude to allow him to observe the priests' ship and encampment with his superior eyesight. His wings are beginning to ache a bit from the unaccustomed exercise, since he rarely has had to fly for so long. This had better be the last time I come back here. I'm not a forest warder or an albatross, after all. His eyes pick out the smoke and fire beginning to take hold of the ship that is his destination. Well now. It appears the captain has been busy. I hope she has enough sense to get off the blasted thing before it's completely immolated.

The wooden beam was heavy.  But Light was more than able to pull at the beam.  With a metal scraping noise, it was pulled upwards... and the door swings open.  Beyond it was a mix of people, looking nervous and eager.  One, a burly weathered fisherman, was holding a chair out warily.  A mix of older men and women and smaller figures, a fur-faced halfling badger (like Wilk) and others beyond them.

Some of them were faces he remembered from the market.  The man with the chair blurts.  "They grabbed us when the sun was comin' down!  We thought they were comin' for supplies, and they were bloody kidnappers!"  There was anger in his eyes, as was tears.

There was an old woman speaking.  "There was one of those priests, he held a thing.  We saw it, and then suddenly..."  There was more nodding.  "Light... and then the next thing?  We were being carried on the ship."

--

Tylluan comes for the strange ship - with the glow of something hot on the side of the ship, smoke starting to billow out of it, he could be sure Rosa was at work.

And it isn't more than a few moments before he spots Rosa, just as Murleena appears.  There's a brief flash of light from the deck and more shouting, but it wasn't enough to deter Tylluan.  He sweeps in just as...

--

The shouting reaches the lower decks.  The doors, still open, are filled with shouting - now Rosa's voice carries, much better than before.  There's the sounds of slamming doors, people shouting orders.

(Murleena can hear: "Lifeboats out!  Get a move on!"  "Save the artefacts!"  "I got the first box!  Get yer feet out!")

The yardarm shifts... rocking on the boat.  The thing spewed more hissing noises, and tongues of flame.  But it seems well and truly pinned.

On the shore, there was a gathering of priests.  They were watching what was going on the ship... and working on the equipment at the shore.

But the priests could only watch their ship smolder...

As her eyes recovered she would look towards Rosa. "They are getting lifeboat's out, and trying to save some sort of artifacts from the ship. I'm going to go see what I can find." Then she was suddenly back into the shadows, vanishing into them and going to see if she can find these, artifacts.

"Sorry!" Rosa says to Murleena, grinning broadly. "Did everything go well on the beach? Everything is going to plan here," she says looking around at the chaos of the smoke and the fire and the scurrying priests. She leaves them alone if they leave her alone.

Her eyes light up when Murleena mentions artefacts, then laughs when the black cat immediately vanishes. "You do that that then," she says to the shadows.

She pauses for a few moments and looks around. The metal beastie seems to well and truly pinned. For a moment she feels sorry for it, then she wonders if it is actually alive? Perhaps it's some sort of enslaved elemental? Her curiosity gets the better of her, and besides, she has time to kill while waiting for Light Vessel. She goes over to the railing at the edge of the quarterdeck and calls out, "Hey, Boiler! Can you hear me? Can you talk? What are you?"

Light smiled in relief.

'Found you!' he exclaims.

'Moft asked us to help rescue you, and my Captain agreed once she heard the story. Are you well enough to move? I've got a rowboat outside and once you're aboard we can get you back to our own ship and back to Faqu.'

His mind was already contemplating what he might serve the freed hostages on their voyage back to their hometown, such that he had to slap his face to stay focused on the matters at hand, namely escaping the ship.

If need be he will help carry a villager as they make a break for it.

Tylluan reaches the ship and observes the chaos on deck. The hissing, glowing... thing that's being held in place by a yardarm catches his attention. Now what in the Four Winds is THAT thing? Nothing good, I wager, since these unruly priests are its masters. Best I see where my valuable time will be best spent, yes?

He tilts himself up on a wingtip and glides in a circle around the stricken vessel, searching for possible problems for the captain and the others.

19:43, Today: Tylluan rolled 8 using 3d6.  Sight PER Roll: 13-.

Murleena goes below.  With her ears to guide her and her eyes to pierce the dark, she sees... numerous priests milling about the lower levels of the deck.  They were talking about some things she didn't recognize or understand, but some of them were starting to carry things up...

And then she hears a faint 'thump'.

---

"Moft?  Thank the stars and winds."  People are coming out, gathering around him.  "They took two others.  Ned'n... Farisha.  They went with their boss."  "We can row!  Just get us to the boat."

Light is able to get them to a nearby stair.  It looks like much of the crew was distracted, as he hears noises down below... and across the ship.  But not near them...

And so, he gets up to the deck...

---

The boiler, trapped by the yardarm, makes a rumbling noise... Rosa's words fall in the night to... nothing.  Moft looks at it, then to Rosa.  "Huh.  Is it not...?"

And then Light starts coming onto the deck, people starting to scramble up with him.  The prisoners!  Moft wordlessly runs over to them, waving in greeting.  "You found them!  I was about to..."

*

Overhead, Tylluan wheels in the air.  He can see the people streaming aboard... and the priests... scurrying belowdeck?  Most of them were going below.

And his eyes catch something else.  On the far side of the ship from Rosa, a lean priest leapt up onto the deck.  Landing smoothly, it looked at the mass of freed villagers near it... but didn't care.  Tylluan sees the priest simply jump forwards, diving down the large open deck-doors...

*

Light, surrounded by villagers, hears a 'woosh' overhead, a brief glimpse of something that disappears past the double-deck doors.  Someone throwing something, maybe?  But more importantly he could spot and see Rosa...

*

Rosa wasn't getting an answer.  That was kind of disappointing...!  As the yardarm rocks, rigging suddenly starts sliding through hoops.  There's a weird noise, and she notices something else.  The mainmast of the ship had... strange riggings and ropes.  As she watches, something like a metal yardarm without a sail begins to drop down alongside the mainmast.

On the far end of it looks to be some sort of long metal claw, dangling off ropes and above the open double-doors.

With a loud 'clack', the claw falls, dropping into the darkness.

And then, fire rolls out of the front-end of the boiler.  Fire rolls across the deck, and the bulk of the broiler pushes and rolls, the yardarm shifting.  The yardarm falls, towards Rosa, slamming into to the deck with a crash as it moves...

[OOC: Acrobatics roll? :3]
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:45, Thu 05 May 2022.

Rosa is not sure if she's glad or disappointed that the Boiler doesn't answer her. She shrugs at Moft, then laughs and points when Light comes up on deck with the prisoners. "There they are! Get them to the boat, go!" She roughly counts them and wonders if one rowboat will be enough.

Rosa watches as the derrick swings out from the mast and drops a clawed line down through the cargo hatch. Curious, she thinks. I don't like that. She gets a smoke bomb ready, but before she can  safely throw she has to dive out of the way as the yardarm that was pinning the Boiler down comes crashing towards her. She rolls out of the way, quickly looks around to make sure she's safe, then tries to lob the smoke bomb through the cargo hatch and into the hold.... but she misses and it bounces along the deck as it spews out black smoke.

She backs up but keeps a close eye on the Boiler. If it starts moving towards the prisoners she's going to have to do something drastic.

---

Rosanhi the Red rolled 11 using 3d6. Acrobatics Roll 13-

OCV 5
DCV 7
Rosanhi the Red rolled 16 using 3d6. Bomb toss

Tylluan sweeps his gaze over the ship to see where he might possibly be of some use. The big, metal... thing... is beyond my dealing with it. It looks too hot to touch anyway. No one seems to be moving toward the captain or the others at the moment, praise the Four Winds, but I can't believe they'd let us take their captives without trying to dissuade us.

He sees the priests retreating below decks and frowns. I am not wrong in thinking that is not normal, yes? Is the ship not as in danger of catching fire as I thought? I would think they would try to press their advantage of numbers in attacking the captain and the others, rather than retreating. I know I have an imperfect understanding of humans and priests, but, as I recall hearing before, regarding suspicious activity; this situation has the odor of week-old salmon.

Tylluan remains circling until an opportunity to aid the others becomes apparent.

Light emerges in deck expecting some resistance, in the form of the High Light, yet sees almost none of them bar the Boiler thing facing off near the captain.

Something had gone overhead and into the now open cargo bay and things were getting complex.

He almost waved at the Captain, but she was already shouting orders.

'Into the rowboat, its just over here!' he said as gestured towards where he remembered it being last.

As he looks over towards it, he looks briefly confused at the currently empty rowboat.

Wasn't Ty supposed to ferry hostages off the beach to it? Shouldn't there be someone there already? Had something happened to the Owl Man?

Murleena goes to where the priests were taking the thing's from, to see if there is anything else in the room.

Rosa rolled clear of the yardarm as it crashes to the deck.  She can feel the wood jump beneath her... a near thing!  Even as she shouts her orders, the derrick arm was... doing something.  Lobbing out a smoke bomb, she sends it... and it cracks against the edge of the doors, skittering across the deck!

Spewing smoke out around the Boiler, around Light... and the rescued villagers.

The villagers were... afraid, but undaunted.  Some seemed to know their way around a ship, because even through the smoke they made it to the rowboat.  One rowboat would not be enough - two would be crowded, but could work.

"Eldest first.  Me an' Leck will row!"  Light can see the others starting to move for the voices, the group crowding together with the noises, the shadows, and the smoke.

But above, Tylluan can see the obvious problem.  The side of the ship the Boiler went to is the side facing the coast... the same side with the rowboat.

And the Boiler was beginning to move - long, slender legs, shining metal tipped like that of a spoon, slid across the deck in a smooth-yet-odd shuffle.  It glided as much as stepped... and skidded, it's weight shifting on the large ship.

As it skitters and slides, villagers were struggling to get others onto the rowboat, not far at all from the thing with cherry-red sides.  Up until now it had moved (and faced) only the water... and the shore.

But now it's 'face', slotted glowing vertical lines like teeth, and a window that gleamed with flame like a single eye, began to sweep back across the deck.  Not towards Rosa, but towards the villagers, the origin of the smoke, and Light...

---

(Murleena... to come tomorrow!)

Tylluan stares at the massive construct, assessing the odds of his being able to affect it in any way. It's a big, hot, metal... thing. I don't want to use my claws on it. If my feet are injured it will impair more than my walking. It looks heavy enough to even withstand my wind gust. What to do, what to do.

Seeing how many prisoners are gathering near the railing, he realizes one small boat isn't going to be enough to get them all to safety. This situation is becoming more annoying by the moment. Are all of these people from Faqu? I'd better see if I can find another boat or two or they're going to end up in the water whether they can swim or not. Tulluan swivels his head, using his superior night vision to look for boats. On the shore, he sees the ones the landing party used to transport themselves and their cargo. Flipping over on a wingtip, he heads for the shore, to commandeer one of them.

"Oops," Rosa mutters, then laughs to herself as her smoke grenade goes wildly off course. No matter – it all adds to the fun.

She sees the Boiler shift position and start sliding towards Light and the escaping prisoners. "Oh no you don't," she mumbles to herself. She moves up to the fallen yardarm and uses it as partial cover. With a flick of a switch she fills the firing chamber of her dragon pistols. She takes careful aim at what she thinks might be a weak spot on the Boiler, then shoots. A gout of fire and white smoke bursts from the barrel and sends a burning bullet flying towards the metal beast.

---

OCV 7+1 for Set
DCV 5 + cover

Attack Roll: rolled 13 using 3d6.

Damage Roll: rolled 53 Stun & 16 Body! using 10d6 with rolls of 4,6,6,3,5,6,6,6,6,5.

Murleena disappears into the hatch-and-ladder nearby.  Belowdecks, the are sounds of people moving things, shouting, running back and forth.  With the rattling noises that were going on, it was easy to guess what was happening - they were scrambling to remove precious objects from the ship.

But that could only be a part of it.  How many 'precious objects' could this ship really be carrying?

Maybe it was a treasure ship!

There were other noises.  Clattering of something, like rocks, being carried up.  Muffled noises, of someone asleep being woken up.  Metal banging on metal.  A weird sound she can't identify, like rope grating on wood.

And a really alarming noise - faint 'tap tap tap' of running feline feet, bigger and heavier than her own, and to her right.  Right and down, beyond a slatted wooden 'window' to the ship's hold...

Light sees the ...thing... headed towards himself, the smoke, and the villagers.

He looks about for Rosa, and then points at the boiler.
'What in the Isles is that thing!?!'

His other hand goes to his skull dial as he switches his eye lense to Blue, the Eye-Lash... Just in case he needs it.

If it threatened the villagers still trying to get away or went for anyone else he knew, he might have to use it.

But he wouldn't be the first to resort to violence, even against some weird looking furnace on legs.

[ooc: Hold half action to maybe attack, but only if it makes a hostile move first]

Murleena stays in the shadows, invisible to all as long as she was in them. She would continue to the hold be weary of the sound of the cat on the move, even she did not want to meet that one. She just needed a..couple objects. One for herself to sell, and one for the others to use to figure out what this group was after.

Tylluan, watching over the captain (and chaos) was in an excellent position to recognize the other problem.  The lifeboat... they needed more.

There was the other lifeboat that the priests had brought out.  From a look-around, Tylluan can see it... in the water, about a hundred feet from the ship.  Weird, there was no one in it.  There was a couple of the priests, swimming towards it, while most of the others were gathered... well, by the shore, watching the state of their ship.

But while they were watching, they hadn't done more than get their lifeboat at the ready, setting it in the water with a few priests in it.

Maybe they were waiting to see what might happen.

Oh, but there was another one, wasn't there?  There was the lifeboat Rosa had used to bring the group ashore... the one that was currently floating in the water, not far from the enemy vessel.  Plus whatever else her ship, the Darkmaiden's Dance, might have.

Mayhaps he could abscond with a lifeboat or two that way?  Or get her crew to send one?

---

Light and Rosa had a little problem.  Which was a big problem, boiling hot and sloshing about.  And it was sloshing - Light was close enough to hear it, as the thing moved to and fro.  Moft ran down to the villagers without a word, rejoining the villagers hurriedly lowering the lifeboat and raising his little shield.  If nothing else, he didn't intend to let that monster through...

Assuming he could do anything at all...!

Light readies his Eye-Lash as the boiler slides erratically across the deck.  Two villagers hurriedly lower the lifeboat, but the thing's flaming 'eye' is now on them.  It lurches forwards... and is banged upwards!  As if it's chin cracked right into Moft's shield.  The halfling is knocked backwards, right as Rosa's gun fires.

Readying a shot, Rosa takes a crack shot at the thing.  The powerful Dragon Pistol catches it in the side, the whole thing lurching as a hiss of steam escapes out of the thing's side!

---

Murleena was belowdecks, still sneaking around.  It wasn't hard to find the priest-crew.  Murleena sees a doorway spilling light into the dark hall of the ship, the sounds of cursing and rattling coming from inside.  A small storage room was here - three people were moving around it, two filling up sacks while another rattles keys on a chain.  On the sides of the room are a couple of crates with a number of small chests - strange ornate ones of various sizes, all set inside these half-crates filled with straw.  Padding for delicates?  Most of the chests seemed to be gone, though, with only these ones here dealing with it.

Up the hall, another door opens.  And a tall, cloaked figure steps out, holding an emblazoned satchel under his arm.

It's the fur-foot she heard about.

...
A lynx.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:32, Wed 25 May 2022.

Seeing the boiler advance, Light whips his head 90 degrees, a blue rush of energy sprays from his eye, and seems to arc in mid-flight, as if someone swung a bucket of water sideways in an effort to splash in a slight arc, before the blue energy smacks into the construct.

[ooc:
17:37, Today: Light Vessel rolled 19 (with 5 body) using 6 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 3, 4, 4, 1, 2, 5.  Energy Blast Eye Lash.

17:35, Today: Light Vessel rolled 7 using 3d6.  Eye-Lash at Boiler OCV 4. (hits up to DCV 8 if I figured it right)
]

Rosa gasps as the thing runs into Moft's shield. She's glad that her bullet pierced its shell, but by the looks of things it's going to need a hell of lot more holes in it for this thing to run of steam. But to make steam you need water, she thinks, so maybe if she shot it it the belly she could drain the water out it? Maybe it has some sort of valve to drain the water – maybe an arse with a plug? This is going to require closer examination.

She leaps over the balustrade and down on to the main deck. She scuttles around and heads for its backside. On the way she calls out "Moft, are you ok?" Then to the escaping prisoners, "There's another boat over that side. Get to it, or get in the water if you can swim. We'll rescue you!"

As she gets closer to the Boiler, she examines it, looking for any valves or oven-like doors, but she's and also just admiring the artifice of it. But it's also a monster, so she shoots it, aiming for the belly. She only uses a normal charge to gauge how tough it's metal hide is.

---

OCV 5
DCV 7
Perception roll (with +1 overall skill level) 14-. Rolled 10 using 3d6.

Attack roll: rolled 9 using 3d6. Hit 7 DCV
Damage roll: rolled 20 STUN & 6 BODY using 6d6 with rolls of 6,4,3,1,3,3.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:28, Wed 01 June 2022.

She didn't just hear about this furfoot, she saw him and was the one warning everyone about him. She was hoping she'd NOT be the one to meet up against him. A frown crossed her lips as she looked around for a moment considering if there are enough shadows for her to sneak in and grab something. Then she caught eye of that satchel. Something about it stood out to her.

Finally the girl would stay Melded with the shadows, and skirt the wall. Staying out of the light for as long as she can she will sneak behind the Lynx, then attempt to steal the satchel from him. If she has to go into the light she will stay low, and near the wall. If need be, she will use her claws to cut the strap.

22:33, Today: Murleena rolled 10 using 3d6.  Sleight of Hand 13-.
22:34, Today: Murleena rolled 12 using 2d6.  Luck Roll. 22:34, Today: Murleena rolled 12 using 2d6 ((6,6)).

Tylluan spies the drifing boat bobbing gently on the water near the enemy vessel. Clacking his beak with satisfaction, he swoops down and clamps his talons on the back of the boat. Using his wings, he propels the small craft toward where the prisoners are crowding the rail, waiting for their turn. "Get in, get in, get in!" he calls out. He looks up to where Light and Moft are holding the big crab machine at bay. "Once the first boat is full, I can push it away to get the people to safety."

A beam of light erupts from Light's cyborg eye, his head moving to snap the light into the bulk of the Boiler like a whip.  It cracks across the bulk of it, the thing careening again.  The villagers gasp at the sight... but the row boat is deployed.

Rosa hurries across the ship, maneouvering past the yardarm and racing across the main deck.  To where Light was... and the villagers.  "A second boat?  Back there??  We're coming."  Villagers look up from Rosa to Tylluan... and the group moves for the back of the ship.  "Bring the other boat around!  Get it around!  We'll board from back here!"

The villagers who lowered the boat look back to the moving crowd, but apparently aren't going to ask anything further!  They scramble down the ropes used to lower the rowboat to begin with.  As they do so, the rest of the villagers reach the side where Tylluan (and 'his' rowboat) is by...

...And while all this was occurring, the Boiler was finding purchase under its 'feet'.

Rosa doesn't get a chance to shoot, not yet, as just getting around to the other side of the ship... and eyeing up the boiler, takes valuable seconds.

Valuable seconds that were well-spent.  The crowd moves past her and Light, escaping the proximity of the boiler.  From looking at it, she can see that the front is only the flashy part of the thing.

It's belly was sloshing with water, and there was something below (on its belly?) that must be some kind of feed or pump or emergency drain.  Getting down there would be hard, but would get rid of all of the water inside...

The top has numerous valves and vents - some openings that look like they are meant to take-in water.  There should be pipes or tubes connected to these things, but they must have been yanked free... and each has some sort of safety seal that looks to have closed.

If anything, this Boiler doesn't have long to operate.

Except... it was moving.  That much was pretty abnormal.  Really abnormal.


[Light and Tylluan have another chance to act, to bring things up to phase, and then I'll handle Rosa's shot]
[I'll tackle Murleena tomorrow]

Light wondered briefly if he hadn't made a mistake. Was the Boiler alive? Did it have a choice? Was it simply protecting the crew?

What if he was making a horrible-

*LASSSHHHH!!*

No, there were Faqu Villagers at stake. He just hoped that if there were some innocence in the thing, that it didn't hold a grudge.

13:29, Today: Light Vessel rolled 9 using 3d6.  Eye-Lash agaiiiinnnn. (Hits DCV 5)
13:30, Today: Light Vessel rolled 23 (with 5 body) using 6 with the Hero (Champions) system.  Eye-Lash Blastoooo!!!

Tylluan flaps his wings impatiently as he waits for the last of the prisoners to drop into the first boat. Once it's loaded, he clamps onto the stern, sinking his talons into the wood, and begins flapping harder, moving the boat away from the priests' vessel and heading toward where the Dark Maiden lies bobbing at anchor. "Stay low and keep still as much as possible. The last thing you want is to find yourselves capsized and having to swim to shore."

Murleena was nothing if not daring.  Or maybe greedy.  And seeing the lynx-foot was the worst thing... but it still didn't stop her from trying!

And she had something else - the advantage of surprise.  She reaches out, managing a cut with her claw that makes the strap fall limp.  And with her greedy fingers...

Murleena snatches the satchel!  Claw marks rip through the exterior fabric as the lynxman snatches at the bag, wide-eyed.  He had been in such a hurry, he was caught flat-footed.  But his SNARL fills her ears as she turns and runs!

Oh, he was in hot pursuit.  And she was running like a mad thing, dashing through the cramped confines of the ship's dark halls...

---

With a sudden lash of light, Light hammers at the shape once more.  Meanwhile, villagers are getting down the rope.  It gives Tylluan the entertainer plenty to do - wide-eyed people are scrambling into the rowboat.  Thankfully many seem experienced with the water, and were settling down in the boat quickly.

The metal bulk creaks on its feet - it's taking a pummeling, but most of it is superficial.  Keeping it unsteady, and keeping it off its feet.  Rosa takes aim... and her shot crashes into her side.  It was nowhere near the blow of her first shot, sending it staggering.  Staggering, and now careening!  It slides into the yardarm, while half its legs slip and twitch in the open air.

Truthfully, it getting tangled in the yardarm is the only thing keeping it on the deck anymore.

As it turns though, its grated 'face' billows... and fire pours out of its its front!  It washes over the deck, smouldering and scorching!  Fire crashes over Rosa and Light, just reaching them...


[Rosa takes 10 stun, and is barely not stunned!  Light takes 11 stun.  Neither take any body.]
[And now, you guys are up. :3]

Light backpedals slightly from the flame breath of the boiler, -the pain more like burning his hands on a hot oven surface than anything that might leave a serious burn he thought- before drawing his Meat Tenderizer mallet in his right hand, for use next time. With the Captain also caught in the flash of flames, it might be time to change his attack method.

He'd blast it one more time, another neck swinging blue-glowing tendril streaks out and is bent in mid-air into the boiler.


20:14, Today: Light Vessel rolled 8 using 3d6 with rolls of 2,1,5.  Another Eye Lashing.
20:15, Today: Light Vessel rolled 24 (with 8 body) using 6 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 2, 6, 3, 2, 5, 6.  Eye-Lash III.

Rosa scrambles backwards and rolls out of the way as she avoids being incinerated from the blast of fire from the boiler. She feels the heat on face, and in a bit of a panic she pats her her head to make sure her hair isn't on fire. She looks over at Light Vessel and grins when she sees that he's all right too. "Close one!"

She calls out to Light Vessel, "Hit it again on the count of three. Push it overboard!" She fills the firing chamber of her pistol to the brim, then blasts it with both barrels into the belly of the beast.

---

Rosa is trying to synchronise their attacks and give the beastie a big shove overboard. They might not get their timing right this time around, but it will still hurt the thing.

OCV 5
DCV 8

Attack Roll: rolled 11 using 3d6. Hit DCV 5.
Damage Roll: rolled 9 BODY 30 STUN using 10d6 with rolls of 5,1,2,2,2,5,2,4,3,4.

"Lynx-boy's so mad at Murleena aren't you! But you'll never catch me, the darkness is my home. The Shadowcat lives in the darkness and the shadows!" And with that she would step into the darkness, becoming one with it only to reappear at the end of the hallway! Then she would round the corner and use her Shadow Meld to hide.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:09, Sun 12 June 2022.

Light was at least used to the heat - the Boiler was bad, but was it THAT bad?

Not if he didn't touch the thing!  He lashes out with his Eye Lash...

Rosa, meanwhile barely weathers the blast, but comes up with nary a burnt hair.  Just a little smouldering?  The shock of the heat is passed, but the thing was definitely still furious and fiesty.

As Light's eye lash hammers into the thing, Rosa aims another shot.  The attacks, while not together, level heavy dents into the thing's curved surface.  It was sturdy, heavy, but slow - each hit drove it backwards, knocked it around on its unsteady feet.

It was clumsy, dented, and it was leaking steam.  Whatever it did, it wouldn't be doing it any time soon... but it still belched fire just the same.

--

Murleena ran!  She was fast, but the lynx was just as fast!  He lunged after her, racing liek the wind... until she slipped around the corner.  With an angry roar at her words, he storms and slashes wide with his claws, cutting into wood with a crunch... and missing her, aiming further than she actually was.

Coming around short, he dashes down the hall further, snarling as he runs past... did he assume she's gotten ahead of him?

--

His talons are full - helping with the boat, helping the old people get down to it.  They were quickly loading it, while the others - more daring and more young - were hurrying down the boat alongside the Boiler.  There were still too many people for that little rowboat!

The group down there begin to push off, moving the rowboat around... to join the other at the larger ship's aft...  There, they clearly intended to help pick up more.

Rosa reaches for another cartridge of dragon-powder for her pistols, but her pockets are empty. "Shit! I'm out of shot!" she says to Light. She holsters her pistol and draws her cutlass. "Keep on hitting it - force it overboard! I'm going to..." What is she going to do?

First thing is she is going to get away from front and its fire-breathing mouth. She quickly circles around to its side and looks for anything still entangling it. She slices any ropes holding it back and dislodges any broken beams blocking it, but all the time she is ready to dive out of the way if it turns to look at her again.

Murleena lifted a brow as he ran past her. She would wait there for a long moment to ensure he was gone before she would move herself quietly. She had to get to the deck, and back to Rosa. This incursion was over, it was time to leave.

Light nods at Rosa, and his eye lens colour is switched to red before he places both hands about his Meat Tenderizer this time, swings his right leg behind him to steady himself then charges towards the boiler, EyeBorg eye glowing fiercely red as he sees guide lines visible only to himself plotting optimal paths for his Meat Tenderizer to follow through his swing, as it attempts real time course corrections for his arms to adhere to.

'Captain wants you overboard! Bon Voyage!' he says as the large Meat Tenderizer mallet, -crafted from Panaka Ironwood from the neighboring Panaka Isle not far from Hammerhead, known for its decent tradeoff between density and weight- smashes into the side of the Boiler.

[ooc]
21:05, Today: Light Vessel rolled 6 using 3d6 with rolls of 1,4,1.  Move Thru, OCV 5.
(using +2 from Red-Eye Overall Levels, and +1 for the Meat Tenderizer, -2 for the Move Thru Maneuver. Roll should therefore hit DCV 10 or less. Current DCV is now 2)
21:14, Today: Light Vessel rolled 30 (with 8 body) using 10 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 2, 3, 5, 4, 2, 1, 5, 1, 6, 1.  14m velocity move thru with Meat Tenderizer and 20STR.
21:16, Today: Light Vessel rolled 5 using 2d6.  knockback (deduct from 810?16? body).
*Because he has only bought Double Knockback on the weapon, does that mean only the 2 BODY rolled using the Tenderizer is doubled?
(hence why the DB total calculated as 10 rather than 16 if so)
Either the boiler got Knocked back for 10-5=5(x2m) or 10 meters, OR 16-5=11(x2m) or 22 meters before any knockback resistance or mass reduction etc.)[/ooc]

Murleena heard a furious snarl ahead of her a moment later.  The lynx was spinning about, charging back for her!  But she was still well ahead of the game, already moving off quietly while the 'beastman' tried to find her.

By the time he rounds the corner... she's already gone.

----

Up stairs and on the deck, Rosa and Light take on the struggling Boiler.  Moft was near the ship's aft, the last line of defense should the boiler (or any priests) come for the evacuating villagers.

The Boiler was slow, and that gave Rosa and Light the chance they needed.  Its legs were tangled against the fallen yardarm, and Rosa attacks the ropes and legs.  As the limbs push and scrape and twitch, they slip free of the deck...

And Light slams into the Boiler.  The mallet sends it sliding back just a few meters... which is far more than enough!  It's long legs slip past the edge, and there's a horrendous splash and hiss of steam...!

Just before this moment, Murleena gets up to the deck.  She sees the last brutal blow on the Boiler, sending it over the side... and the clouds of steam coming up after.

Silence.

The deck is clear - Rosa can see priests peering from the doorways and hatchways to below decks, but they all have improvised shields held up and are in no way attempting to come any closer.  The Boiler sunk like a stone, disappearing in the water.  The ship creaks, and even the frantic priests are silent.

A few long moments later, with the help of the second lifeboat, Tylluan gets the last of the villagers off the ship.  He can help the ships work their way away from the large craft, and as he does... he sees the priests ashore gathered and watching.

Just... watching.

Without a lifeboat, they were marooned on the edge of the island.

Rosa holds her breath as the Boiler teeters on the edge, then lets out a mighty cheer as it falls into the water. "Yes! A mighty blow! Well done."

She looks around and sees Tylluan getting the last of the villagers off the ship. "Ok, Moft, Light, Murleena; time to go. Get on the row-boats and start rowing. I've got you covered. I'll swim back." She stands by the railings and nonchalantly waves one of her (empty) dragon-pistols at the cowering priests as she waits for the boats to be loaded and to get away.

"No no! You come too! Murleena made big kitty mad! He catches he won't be nice! She took this from him, it must be important because he's been chasing me all over the ship! We all should go, and very very fast!" She nodded quickly, and pointed.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:23, Wed 29 June 2022.

Light looks a bit worried for the Captain, but she had survived thus far more or less unscathed (not counting a slight scent of burnt leather and singed skin reminiscent of intense sunburn).

With the boiler gone, the fight -if there was any in the first place- had fled the Priests and crew aboard faster than the Owl Man could fly.

The Hammerhead Battle Chef got into the second lifeboat and did as instructed, gripping the oars and then rotating them with all his might to get the rowboat moving. His eye shone green as he kept a watch on the Captain as he attempted to put distance between the evacuation vessel and the metal ship.

Rosa manages not to be startled by Murleena suddenly talking to her from the shadows, and she doesn't see what Murleena's invisible finger is pointing at, but she heeds the cat's warning. "Ok, go, go!"

She holsters her pistols and then nimbly leaps up on to the railing. She gives the priests a bow, then does a backflip off the ship, and after a single turn and a twist she enters the water with barely a splash. She swims beside the second row boat, easily keeping pace with it.

When Rosanhi leaps from the boat into the water Murleena will leap down onto the other rowboat. She then sits down, and peaks into the satchel as she drops her shadowmeld.