Part I: Boarding Vengeance

The member 'Artimus' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'D6' : 5, 2

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#2 'D6' : 3

Fellowship - The 30th of Auguste - 10:00 PM

The clink of swords and armor spread quickly about the Vengeance II, armed soldiers patrolling the deck as Gehruz instructed the anchor dropped and the great ship sat warily in the dark seaway.

Darkness had encroached upon the ship, and now the swinging lanterns clad around the masts created a tense ambience as Brahnzik's men doubled up their watch in the evening in anticipation of another orcen raid.

Garvan moved swiftly through the decks, tending to the minor wounds of their compatriots. One man had received a sword to the stomach, and Garvan knew by the glazed look in his eyes that it was all too late to tend. With as much compassion as could be mustered in these dark times, three others aided him in affixing the cannonballs that would carry him to his watery grave.

Nevertheless, the fisherman's efforts were not lost on the crew, and they thanked him with a momentary relief from sullen eyes and deep-set frowns.


Midnorton and Artimus

Midnorton slid lithely into the floating dinghy over the leather rope that their assailants had used to board, grappling hooks sunk deeply into the wood of the Vengeance II. Artimus followed closely behind, inspecting the damage to the ship.

[Artimus, Wit (Ship Inspection) results]:

The mariner could sense nothing amiss, structurally, though it was dark and his knowledge of the structural integrity involved in the bow of a boat was on the slim side.

Midnorton felt the dinghy rock as he jumped into it, the small short-range oar-powered craft bobbing alongside the much larger ship. He wrinkled his nose, the smell of blood and filth permeating the pirate's vessel.

[Midnorton, Search check results]:

The boat was of high craftsmanship, however, and was certainly not built by the brutes that had inhabited it. Fouled meat, of unknown origin, set a vile stench from a cloth bundle in the bow of the boat. The sight of it was terrible, and with further inspection he noticed the telltale crimson regalia of an Imperial soldier's garb, torn into shreds and used to store game meat. Looking more closely, Midnorton noticed a crest etched into the gunwhales; the imperial signet of Altdorf, capital city of the Empire.

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The Vengeance II will rest in the channel until first light, and then carry on its voyage.

-LK

EXP: +100 to all, including Wulfric (who posted, but was sadly a day behind...deleted post)

+1 GDP to Artimus for the creative combat!

Garvan wiped at the sweat beading across his brow and his hand came away smeared with red.

The deck of the Vengeance had become a grissly scene. The clamor as men and boys suited up for another potential forray with the Orcish assailants quickly overwhelmed the whimper of the wounded laying about the deck.

As he made his way back to his companions at the bow of the ship Garvan glimpsed Midnorton and Artimus slipping over the side of the ship to dissapear in the darkenss. Wulfric and Gehruz stood nearby,

"Bloody well stupid dropping anchor at a time like this if you ask me."

Wind tugged at his robes as the fisherman hung his polearm from his back.

"Gehruz. Mayhaps we should keep moving. Im not fixin' to be made captain but seems to me sittin' here dead in the water like a swollen gull is askin for trouble."

Garvan peered out into the darkness. No lights, no noise, no visible foe. Despite all this he still felt unsettled.

"Ah hell. Maybe we scared the bastards off." A half-hearted laugh escaped his lips in attempt to shake the worry from his mind although Garvan was not certain they were alone out on this cold sea...


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'Spose Garvan will just chill on the deck for an hour or two and keep guard. If we seem fine after a bit he will retire to his cabin. Isnt a whole lot to do but if the other party members want to do somethign drastic he will join in.

Midnorton climbed back up the rope to return to the Vengeance II to report his finding.

He approached the captain, “Captain. The dinghy belonged to an imperial ship of Altdorf. However, I don’t think the orcs came from another larger ship. The signs show they have been living on the ship for some time.”

With his report done, Midnorton went below to get some soap and wash off any stench of orc he might have gotten on him before he returned to the deck.

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

Midnorton will help repair the ship and help the crew by talking to any that needs ’counsel’.

Wulfric stood unmoving on the deck. Between the bloodstained deck and the bruise-colored sky, he hung his head.

A few of the men roped up the casualty and weighted his boots with chains. They spoke very little, for none of them were Preists, and silence was the closest thing to holiness that they could offer. There was a splash, and he was gone.

Wulfric loosened an arrow from his bow and held it in his pale hands. They were not even calloused anymore - that was how long it had been since he'd felled a beast or enemy. Why had he not acted more quickly? Survival shared no bonds with timidness....

Wulfric stared into the grey weeds that snaked along the rocky bottoms of the shoreline, and it reminded the hunstman of Aureg's wild hair. Forget the nest - what was a seer for, if not for forewarnings and guidance?

The ship rocked, and the feeling was all wrong.

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Wulfric walks quietly into the lower deck, hoping to eavesdrop on Aureg - if there are no sounds, he will step in and question the seer about the orcs, will try to determine whether Aureg knew anything of the attack and if he had predicted it at all - also, if he can sense their intent in this specific location

The kiss of seawater caressing the side of the ship Vengeance was collecting like dutiful parishioners in the form of water droplets on the cheek of the mariner who dangled over the black water. Satisfied with the state of things at the port bowside of the vessel he returned aloft to the deck, climbing slowly hand over hand to be sure of his grip.


Artimus return the deck was marked by the stiff *clomp* of one boot, followed immediately by the second. The men were letting the anchor rode out. Lowering into the black the deep-sea mooring for the ship.


“ We are zetting anchor? Let uz not doddle. Did zhe orc not have a map or compazz, how were they going to get back to zhere vezzel? zhiz iz making lezz and lezz zenze.Oui, theze orc will be back for a zecond azzault, c’ezt vrai. Let uz either tow thiz zkiff wizh uz or zcuttle it, but we zhould change pozitionz at the very leazt. Do not miztake me, I would joyfully fillet every orc in the zea but we have matterz to attend. It iz my view that we continue on our courze .”



Artimus looks out into the ocean.



If no one has searched the orcs, artimus does so looking for any way they would have navigated



[ IMPORTANT QUESTIONS What is the visibility currently, what is the weather like, what side of the boat did the orcs come on, did the search of the bodies reveal any affiliation? If the conditions are not right for orc hunting Artimus suggests we continue towards our destination. unless our seer was on the fritz and these orcs were the blackness he sensed. in which case we need a new seer becase this one is broken. are we close to land of any kind, are we in an area where ships could hide?]

Fellowship - The 30th of Auguste - 10:00 PM

Artimus, Garvan, Midnorton

Midnorton strode across the decks, making his rounds amongst the soldiers and easing the tense disposition with his uncanny charisma.

Artimus gazed out into the blackness of the ocean channel, and as the hustle of men wound down into a quiet disposition of unease and guard, Captain Aurelik dismissed Gehruz from his post and walked over to the mariner.

"Well fought, Artimus," started the captain, the clicking of his tall black boots coming to a halt as he bestowed a friendly pat upon his shoulder.

"You and your mates sent those brutes packing to whatever hell their Gods call home. Blood hell, I'm eager to set sail out of here, but the guiding lights aren't sufficient to take us through this channel...too many rocks lurking below the waterline aught to run up on our hull and leave us sitting out for gull food."

Garvan wandered over to the scene, watching as Aurelik's sharp features reflected the dim lantern-light. Seabreeze blew in their faces, carrying with it the dying wisps of summer air, even on the frigid Sea of Claws.

"The channel we're in is narrow...unpredictable. Rocks all about, you know how the Claws can be. But I don't like what that bowman spotted. All three of the rowboats that set upon us were Imperial, and still waxed and dressed for a sixcrew of marines. Only two vessels come this far north out of Marienburg... The Emperor's Fist and The North Sword. Both are fine vessels, crewed by forty or fifty trained swords...and if we've got black orcs flitting around in their shoreboats there's aught to be a whole host of them nearby."

The captain frowned, "Like as much those boats were scouters. Lucky the Vengeance looks like a merchant vessel, else they'd have gone back to wherever they came from for more raiders. I suppose they figured they'd take the boat easy, blighted bastards."

Aurelik turned to Garvan and nodded. "There's a jetstream running north of us...I know you saw the dolphins feasting on those redfin schools this afternoon, fisherman. My theory's nothing more than the fancy of a man with the dangerous notion of knowing more about the sea than he ought to, but I'd say if these brigands are holed up in this channel, it's likely in a cove north of here. One of the skiffs that attacked us from the rear has a mast and sail upon her, and I've three-fifths of a mind to sail her out in this black hell to see if I can find any of the Empire's good men still alive."

Pulling a pipe from his longcoat, the captain packed it full of dry tobacco and struck a match, taking a deep drag of the sweet weed.

"Lord Brahnzik has ordered our leave at first light, and it's the sensible thing to do. Like as not, it'd be near impossible to find the Vengeance once I'd ridden out of her lamplight... still, the bloody brutes were rowing, for Gods'sake..."

The captain blew a cloud of smoke behind him as he waved them off, heading to his post at the forestay. Placing a boot upon the rails, he stared out into the ocean.

Wulfric

Wulfric stood outside the agape door to the storeroom where he could smell the musky incense the seer was burning. Quietly, he let himself in to the dank room.

"Mmmmm, the hunter hass returned, yes?" Aureg groaned groggily, a smile revealing blood-red teeth, stained from the foul-smelling herb that he stuffed in his mouth as often as he could.

Wulfric spoke with the Seer for a moment, asking him about the attack.

"Aureg can feel only the pull of Chaos, huntsman... these beasts are blood-driven, but they worship only their own orcishh kind. I could not see them, no." Aureg gazed over to the porthole once more, though only blackness was visible.

Suddenly, he laughed. A deep, throaty, painful laugh.

"This is the Ssea of Claws, Wulfric. Evil lurks in all corners."


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

The Vengeance II will stay docked until first light, and then will continue on its journey...

EXP: +100 EXP to all

-LK

He was sullen. The prospects of storming an Orcish lair in the middle of the night was enough to make a green boy piss his small clothes.

The humble fisherman was no hero, but still... If the tables were turned and Garvan was the plaything of some Orcish maid he too would want some rescue.

"Might be the Imps will reward us for saving their arses." Garvan didnt want to play the part of the big hearted knight and so chose his words to ensure his comrades otherwise.

"A fine excuse to kill some Orcs too." He spat off the side of the vegeance.

"What do you say lads?" His disposition now Raucous and unruly, "The captain has a good feel for the sea. If we take a skiff with another in tow we could fit four. Using the cover of darkness I bet we could be in and out before sunrise."

A smile crept to his lips and vigor flowed through his veins. He was not sure if it was the risk of death or the gallant deed that did it, but Garvan was excited.

"Captain! If we arent back by the morning," He vaulted himself over the side of the ship, hanging on the rope the Orcs had used to access the gangway, "Assume we're dead!"


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Garvan will begin preparing the skiff. He will choose the best one to setup sail and clear out any carcasses, meat, filth etc. He will tow a second skiff behind for any imperial rescues/spoils of war.

Using the captains advice they will sail up the jetstream (assuming his companions go with) and search for a likely cove for the pirates to be hiding in. Once they get close they will lower the sails and paddle in to help avoid detection.

Spot (wit) = 3D6 = 10
Sail (agi) = 2D6 = 7
Stealth (agi) = 2D6 = 5

Diceeee

The member 'Garvan' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'D6' : 2, 4, 4

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#2 'D6' : 4, 3

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#3 'D6' : 3, 2

The member 'Artimus' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'D6' : 2, 4

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#2 'D6' :
5

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#3 'D6' : 4

Midnorton sighed as he watched two of his companions prepare to set off for the possible orc hideout. He knew it was foolish, but he thought it was even more foolish not to follow his comrades into the depths of hell.

Loyalty and all that accompany it.

He checked his equipment and secured his bow and arrows before he climbed down the side of the ship to join the party of fools.

Midnorton looked at the two, “This is foolish, but all heroes are fools.” He gave a smile.

Aureg's reddened mouth sickened the woodsman. He had spent weeks now with Aureg in that den - and yet he now knew even less about the seer. Promises of vision had only churned out more questions for he and the company to digest.

Wulfric heard creaking on the top deck and excused himself quietly from the sweltry den. There was something to be said for forethought and predictions: experience alone bore answers. He whispered this as he left the cabin and wondered if the half-orc heard.

The smell of Aureg's herbs stayed in his nostrils until he looked down at his softened hands once again. A camp of orcs awaited them. Gripping the arrow between his thumb and forefinger, he squeezed tightly until a tiny spring of blood came forth.

The drought was about to end.

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Wulfric searches to pick up any crossbows and arrows the fallen orcs may have left and joins the company in the skiff

[Pre-Weekend total party post! +50 EXP!

+150 XP to all.]

-LK

Fellowship - The 30th of Auguste - 10:15 PM

The skiff rocked unsteadily as the fisherman jumped in her cabin, the mainsail hanging loose and groaning as her lines creaked back and forth in the darkness.

Wulfric and Midnorton followed suit, the lantern-light from the Vengeance fading behind them as they slid along the rope down her port side and into the skiff behind Garvan. Wulfric fingered the trigger of the hand-crossbow he had commandeered from their unfortunate enemies, as Garvan tossed overboard the trappings of the previous inhabitants.

Artimus was the last in the skiff, the mariner landing lightly next to the transom, his grappling hook at his side. A small barrel of blasting powder, he had taken from the cannon bay…and he rested it gently in the rowboat they had in tow.

Captain Aurelik appeared above them leaning over the prow of the ship;

"Gods, men. You're crazier than you look."

With a furrowed brow, he paused, and then continued;

"Lord Brahnzik has commanded that we raise anchor and set sail at first light. Don't tarry, fellowship…You've only a few hours."

With that, Aurelik's face settled into a grave frown and he disappeared onto the deck.

[…]

Fellowship - The 31st of Auguste - 11:00 PM

Darkness pervaded the boat as Garvan guided her northbound to the jetstream, the stars guiding his bow. The wind blew precariously over the Sea of Claws, spraying ocean up into their faces as the jib tightened and the mainsail kicked them over rolling waves and currents.

It was nearly an hour by the time the shoreline came into view, a silhouette against the clear sky. It was another in this chain of islands, a large landmass that was sure to play host to a variety of coves and inlets.

Garvan eyed over the sea as they approached, looking for anything of consequence;

[Garvan, Spot check results:

As they neared the coast, the air warmed and the moonlight shone down upon the little skiff making her way in. To starboard, Garvan's eye picked up on a tall, narrow silhouette jutting about in a recessed cove a kilometre away. It looked like a mast.

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The boat has come straight north, and in a cove a km away Garvan can vaguely make out what -might- be a mast. You're approximately 100 meters from the shore.

-LK

Midnorton whispered, “Ho… I think we have found our target.”

He looked at the one small keg of black powder they had and formulated a rough idea in his mind. “I don’t think we should try to actually fight any of the orcs. It would probably be best to sneak on board, place the black powder in the best location. Then light a fuse as we use our dinghy to get away. We might not be able to sink it, but if we could do enough damage to it, they will have no hope to catching up to the Vengeance II.”

Midnorton smirked, “But of course, the best scenario would be to do enough damage that the ship will get a gaping hole and sink.”

He looked at his companions to see what they thought and if they had any ideas of their own…

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[OOC: Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend.]

The minutes seemed to pass like an aching fever. Wulfric and the company waited for the dawn. It was quiet; tranquil.

That was soon to change.

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

[Wulfric agrees with Midnorton's idea]

The sea was eeriely quiet as their ship floated in on the black water. The whole party seemed to be holding the breath as they readied their nerves for the comming events.

"Lads..." Garvan whispered amongst his comrades, "May be we should search for survivors and attempt to salvage this tub before we go blastin her to the bottom of the sea."

With his hand resting on his pommel Gravan stared ahead intently at their target.

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Sorry for the quick post! work is busy...

So Garvan will climb aboard the vessel leaving his trident behind. He will take his sword for quick maneuverability.

Blasting the boat is a last priority for Garvan and will do so only if there are no surviors and defating all orcs is improbable.

*DICE*

Stealth = 2D6 = 6

Climb = 4D6 = I dont know! dice roller glitched out!

The member 'Garvan' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'D6' : 6, 2

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#2 'D6' : 3, 2, 3

Fellowship - The 31st of Auguste - 11:00 PM

With a plan formulated, Garvan guided the ship through the black water, stars burning bright overhead as they headed towards the darkened cove.

Torchlight appeared off in the distance, but as Garvan lowered the sails and they began to row in, they could see that it originated from the coast.

It was not long before they came in view of the sight, half a kilometer away. The mast belonged to a greatship for certain, but she did not bob in the harbour or the wind, for she was marooned upon a great island rock in the center of the bay. Half her hull was driven and dashed upon the landmass, which was a short row from the shore where a torchlit mass of wooden huts and structures sprawled along the beach.

Under the cover of darkness they drifted closer...

[Boat stealth check =
Garvan (pilot) = +6
No sails = +2
= 8 vs. sentry]

...the water washing upon their hull as silence pervaded the scnene. They were no more than 200 meters from the shipwreck now, and perhaps 1 kilometer from the shore where the shanty-town loomed.

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

OK fellows, so the boat is drifting closer to the large greatship that is dashed upon an island in the center of this bay.

The greatship is 200 meters away, and the shore where you can see structures and faint torchlight is no more than a kilometer away on the beach.

If you guys are leaving the boat for any reason, I need stealth checks. Stealth checks will be group challenges, so I need 50% or better successful checks to avoid detection (IE - 2/4 of you need to make it)

The ship's rudder -is- still in the water, however Artimus' examination reveals that the hull is likely extremely compromised in the front (large hole, perhaps), where it is upon the island.

+100 EXP for all posters

-LK

The scene was grim. The collosal ship dashed upon the rocks disheartened Garvan and his mind raced.

Were there survirors? Had Orcs somehow run the ship ashore? How many orcs would it take to strong arm an imperial war ship?

None of these could the humble fisherman ascertain. The camp speckled across the shore did not bode well however. The sails of their skiff now hung limp in their small vessel and the party silently slid their oars beneath the surface of the water.

As the floated closer Garvan broke the silence, "I suspect any survivors would be held captive in the camps." Water dripped from his oar as he pulled it from the sea. "The ship would make a good vantage point. If we can get aboard quielty and assess the camp from there."

He looked to Artimus who appeared to be gazing into the dark sea, perhaps the two shared an idea.. "We can use the cover of water to enter the ship undetected. If we could swim through the hole in the hull of this ship..." Turning his attention then to Wulfric and Midnorton, "The archers could cover from the top decks or even here about our own ship.. What say ye lads?"

*DICE*

Stealth = 2D6 = 6
Swim = 4D6 = 15

The member 'Garvan' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'D6' : 2, 4

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#2 'D6' : 5, 4, 2, 4

Midnorton followed Garvan’s train of thought and waited until their little boat close enough to the ship, before he gently slipped out of the boat and floated toward the ship’s gaping hole. Upon the arrival, he slipped through the hole and looked for the easiest way to get up on deck.

After he achieved that goal, Midnorton gazed out toward the settlement as he prepared he bow to provide cover for any possible escape route for his companions that will investigate the encampment.

He said loud enough for his companions to hear, but not enough to echo across the water.

“I am ready to provide cover…”

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Stealth Check:

[Roll#1: 4,4,1,1 = 10]