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Bugbear in the Playground
Join Date: Oct 2010
Gender: 
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Re: The Blacksea Scourge! [Exalted 2e, character sheets]
Session Two
In which the Guild's payment is sent, a wrongdoer is dealt with, and a friendship is built on vengeance promised. Plans for the next step (and explanation of the Creation-Ruling Mandate system) begin...
Summary
Spoiler
Five small scenes occurred during this session; they are included here in the order they were played out, but Scenes Two, Three, and Four were begun simultaneously In-Character. Scene Four, however, lasted longer In-Character, allowing for Scene Five to have Gratis and Iodannus already present when Atlas and Wyndham arrive.
Scene One - The Lasonde
As the sailors of the Black Dahlia fished up those floating Windslave Disks which they could, Iodannus and Gratis took a small boat back over to the Lasonde. Climbing up, they spoke with the Captain again briefly, and made a new agreement: The pirates would leave the rest of the cargo, and the captain of the Lasonde would do what he could to ensure that they were not pursued for taking the crates and Windslave disks. Bound together by their shared experience fighting the undead, the two ships part on more or less friendly terms.
While sailing back to Vapaas, the three Pirate-Lords discuss exactly how many Windslave Disks they can send to the Guild. Atlas is in favor of trying to undercut the Guild, Gratis believes the disks to be enchanted coins rather than true artifacts, and Iodannus is not quite sure how much he fears the Guild - does he side with Atlas for profit now, give the Guild extra, to be sure, or give exactly what they asked for?
In the end, Iodannus is confident that the Guild's information is probably accurate - after all, they knew more than enough to send out pirates after this - and it's best to send exactly what was asked - no more, no less. As he is the most expert, the others submit to his recommendations.
Upon the return to Vapaas, the pirate lords split up; Iodannus to handle shipping out the Windslave Disks, Gratis to visit the 'mayor', and Atlas to smoke even more opium and relax.
Scene Two - Shipping Preparations
Iodannus, knowing exactly how many disks to send, has them loaded into a crate to be handed over to the Guild; filled with flour and a small secret compartment, as well as a note in the common Guild cipher for the area noting that the payment agreed is inside. As the share of the disks being retained will be guarded by only Gratis's most loyal crewmen anyway, he sees no advantage in trying to assign anyone else as security; the guards would be the most likely thieves if he did. As he walks back towards the Black Dahlia, he hears the slam of a man against a wall, and breaks into a run...
Scene Three - Laying Down the Law
Gratis, pleased by both the promises that the strange cargo is astoundingly valuable and the forthright conduct of the Lasonde's captain, finds the mayor discussing matters with the sheriff. Apparently, a man has 'challenged' Gratis - more accurately, one captain has been punishing the crew of another captain without so much as informing the man. By the laws of Vapaas, there are two main trials: Combat and Debate. The worst crimes, such as this, are sent to Gratis - and so far, Gratis is undefeated.
Gratis decides to deal with this captain now; the gruff man has a perfectly-kept Navy captain's hat, a trophy, and has been punishing anyone and everyone who insults it.
As Gratis prepares to simply punch the rather prideful captain in the face, the captain manages to surprise the Pirate Lord - by getting in a punch at Gratis first. The man is fast. Unfortunately, Gratis has dealt with fast men before - catching the captain's arm with ease before defenestrating the criminal across the thin street outside, into the outside wall of the nearby building. The man falls into a manure cart, but his hat is rescued and claimed by Iodannus in the street below - with a bit of dirtying up and a feather, it is worthy of a Pirate Lord.
Scene Four - Vengeances Joined
Atlas has no such practical aims; he simply heads to "The Opium Den" - so called because it is the only one in Vapaas. And for that matter, a recent addition; until the arrival of Atlas there'd not been enough of a market to warrant a dedicated den. Dropping into a haze by means of his luxurious Yasal Crystal pipe (and, obviously, quite a lot of opium) he is all set to relax. An interruption arrives in the form of a scruffy-looking man in thick black priestly robes, carrying two bladed boomerangs on his back and a fire in his eyes rarely seen. He makes a simple declaration to all inside:
"Who'll give me a ship to kill the Navy with?"
Inclined by drugs to humor the man, Atlas begs him sit down, and asks for an introduction - and a reason for hatred beyond the mere opposition of piracy.
Silver Wyndham, as the man was named, explained - his village had been a small one, and honored their ancestors. It was no cult, nor veneration of ghosts - merely prayers, that the next life might be a better one. This was fine, until one day a Prince of the Earth arrived - a man named Peleps Deled. A mere five steps into the town, he declared his purpose: Deled had heard of the heresy in the town, and was here to cut it out. Slamming a fist into the wall of a nearby building, he began to systematically tear through the buildings - and the people. No words could sway him, as he continued through the thirty-seven men, women, and children of the village - killing mothers and children, men in prayer and all else alike.
Wyndham escaped only by being behind Deled when the destruction began, and running as far as he could... Only to be told at the nearest shrine, that there might be nothing that could be done, for Deled had technically done nothing wrong, as a Prince of the Earth. Wyndham refused this, and charged out of the shrine, finding his own place in an anonymous field to fall to his knees and pray for the vengeance he knew was deserved.
Following the visions of the god who answered his prayers, he has come to the West, to begin a campaign to burn out ALL of House Peleps for accepting and creating such horror.
Peleps Atlas blew out his opium smoke, and mentioned calmly, "You know, my full name is Peleps Atlas."
Wordlessly, two war boomerangs, sharpened and with lethal intent, are drawn.
"And I agree with you. I came here because my family only cares for their precious Princes... Everyone else, it's just like..." Opium smoke. "They're not even people. When I didn't Exalt, why, they tried to kill me! My father protected me, but I saw that it was time to leave... And seek revenge against such a house as well." Opium smoke. "But there's one good one; my sister, at least, Trisha, doesn't need death. Every other one, I'll help you kill. My father is long dead now."
There is a tense moment. Will Wyndham accept this form of penance - is seeking blood enough to redeem blood? In time, his decision is made: "I accept your offer."
And so, both set out for the Black Dahlia, to announce their plans, developed in a haze of vengeance and opium.
Scene Five - The Plan is Shared
The final scene begins with Gratis and Iodannus chatting idly on the Black Dahlia, overseeing the maintenance of their prize flagship. Atlas and Wyndham approach, and Atlas begins to excitedly explain that he's found a new pirate - this rather scruffy, violent-looking 'priest'. As Wyndham starts moving to board, Gratis understandably has the plank raised - and Wyndham responds with a chakram, startling Gratis' men into dropping the plank partway. Now in a rather more tense standoff, Atlas explains the situation, and Wyndham offers his services with one price only: Attacking the Navy.
Eventually, Gratis and Iodannus accept, and Wyndham is carefully allowed aboard.
Plunder and Victories
Spending and Losses
Actions in Progress
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kazyan
I think we can pack it up and move to a different thread. aetherialDawn has won this one.  |
Avatar by me - sketch of Skywing.
Last edited by aetherialDawn : 10-19-2012 at 06:09 PM.
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