[WFRP] Gold of the Phantom

[goblinpaladin]

Dairuin et al

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The elf folded his arms across his chest, and tilted his head very slightly toward the pregnant woman. The way these humans treated their women, as lessers and as bearers- and then without regard for the dangers involved in pregnancy! He understood why his people abandoned this feral continent. Although, the opportunity for profits and adventure...

Dairuin spoke up, modulating his tone -his Estalian companion now seemed more equal than hired sword- "Your man has been well treated, of course."

[-Sentinel-]

Dairuin & Co

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"I certainly hope so," said Velasco. Then, thoughtfully: "Did he tell you why we need him? Did he tell you about the Phantom?"

Renard

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"It seems the negotiations are under way," said Giulio, squinting. "There's someone in a blue dress. Must be the admiral's wife."

[LCP]

Renard

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"She's safe, then," said Renard. That was good. He had never been very big on honour, but you had to draw a line somewhere.

"Keep the new recruits below decks," he said, calmly. "We don't want anyone with a spyglass over there noticing we are suspiciously over-manned, eh?"

[goblinpaladin]

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"We are here to secure the young lady you have there," said Dairuin smoothly, gesturing with one hand. "Whatever business you have with the one-footed human is your own."

[Guardsman]

(Finding out that I was not on the boat that was sent to retrieve the woman I guess I'll correct my mistake by just keeping my posts to being on the Captains ship)

Scallywags and Squire on deck

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Sir Henrik finding it rather difficult to discern exactly who the woman was troubled him, regardless it was a woman in need in Mannan's domain. He stayed on deck till told otherwise and remained watchful of the situation. There was always a possibility of a fight at sea between Captains.

The Squire looked over to another watching Sailor and gave the man a nudge to get his attention. Pointing at the woman the heavily armoured squire asked his fellow "So who is the woman they're receiving? Either she's with child or she needs to stop eating." Sir Henrik wasn't really good at jokes, he never had been.

[-Sentinel-]

OOC:

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(Finding out that I was not on the boat that was sent to retrieve the woman I guess I'll correct my mistake by just keeping my posts to being on the Captains ship)

What? I never said you weren't on the rowing boat... I assumed you were, since you volunteered.

The rowing boat

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"My own business, eh?" said Velasco mildly. "Oh, but it stops being just my business if Rico told you about the Phantom. And, knowing that slippery little bugger, I have to assume he did. He told half of Luccini, after all."

He took an appreciative look at the Elves' bodyguards, then another at the Vixen, waiting upwind out of the Osprey's reach.

"You seem to have a good crew, a fast ship and a smart captain. But I can't let you get away with what you might know. I'm sure you understand."

Two of the galleon's cannons not-so-subtly turned a few degrees toward the rowing boat.

"Go back to your captain," said Velasco with a lazy grin, "and tell him I have a job for him. He must come here in person, with his ship. Then we'll negotiate the terms of his employment... as well as his share of the treasure, when we pull it out of the sea."

Some of the pirates stared at their captain in surprise, but none of them made a comment. Only Felicia let out a snort of contempt.

The Vixen

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Under Vasco's orders, the new recruits promptly retreated below deck, their faces filled with apprehension.

"Captain," hissed Giulio, "things are getting tense. The other ship's pointing a pair of cannons at our negotiators."

[Guardsman]

OOC

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Really? Because I remember there only needing to be 4 warriors on the little rowboat and counting before I ever volunteered I was number 5. It's fine really I'll just wait on the Vixen till I am required.

Scallywags and Squire going under? Oh my

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Sir Henrik went below decks with his fellow sailors because he was told to and to obey the Captain was to please Mannan. From the distance he saw...cannons? Of course no one could trust bloody pirates as they were better off dead.

[LCP]

Renard

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"Calm, Giulio. We have what he wants. You really think he is going to blow away the only thing keeping us from sailing off?"

Of course, one couldn't always rely on others to act rationally. Renard refrained from mentioning that, were that to prove the case, he would happen to come into a one hundred percent increase in his share in the Vixen.

That hardly figured in his calculations at all.

[goblinpaladin]

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Dairuin's right eyebrow raised a few inches. "My. So the tale that turned your man into the -what is the word?- stock of laughter? laughingstock, of Tilea has some grain of truth to it, after all? Fascinating."

The elf nodded to one of his companions. "I suppose we should relay the Signor's generous offer to Monsieur Capitan. Else those guns shall fire, he shall murder us, Rico will be slain, the hostage, and this will turn into a profit-free mess..."

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Obviously I'm trying to get him to reconsider. (1d100)[30] [Fellowship: 49, Dealmaker bonus: 59]

[Gunther]

Estalian Honor

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Don Juan found himself slightly taken by the captain's Estalian origins. He had assumed the seas to be filled with nothing but Tilean whoresons, and the sight of another Estalian on the high seas made the Diestro slightly worried. Here he was, about to backstab another Tilean. By the orders of the man he had, for the moment, pledged himself to- but a man is just as responsible for the orders of his commander as the commander himself.

He responded to the man in a stream of Tilean, knowing full well that- an an Estlian Diestro- he was both honorable and a warrior.

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"You speak the truth, it does seem a bit of waste in hindsight." He admitted to the man, "Perhaps, when my service with this man is complete, we may discuss new employment? I am, after all, simply another piece of newly hired muscle to this man."

He gave a gracious bow to the man, "I see you are a man of both wisdom and sense." He said, nodding to his companion, "It is only fair that we return to the captain and tell him of your new terms. The woman's fine treatment thus far only lends credence to your honorable intent thus far."

He lowered his voice an octave before nodding to the man at the oars, "We should be gone and back to the Captain soon. He has not kept the woman well-treated for nothing: If anything, he likely suspects a double-cross on our part. We should do as he says for now...I may have an idea of how to resolve the captain's thirst for gold."

[-Sentinel-]

Dairuin & Co

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OOC:

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WP test for Velasco to resist: (d100)[16]

(By the way, Goblinpaladin, your Dealmaker bonus did not apply here: I consider it a Charm test, not a Haggle test. Not that it matters in this case...)

"I call," smirked Velasco.

Dairuin stared at him blankly.

"I call on your bluff, Elf. And never play Five Knives against me if you want to keep your pants. See, even if I blow your boat to smithereens, your captain won't kill the only man who knows where the Phantom sank. Now go back to your ship. I'll deal only with your captain, and not before I'm sure he has Rico."

In Estalian, he told Don Juan:

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"I'm sure I could find you a place on my crew. I lost too many good fighters recently."

[goblinpaladin]

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Dairuin spread his hands and inclined his head. "Very well. I shall return to the captain, and see what is to be said."

[Gunther]

Don Juan tipped his hat to the man, smiling before he made his parting words,

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"An offer I shall keep in mind! But for this voyage, at least, I have put my bid with my present captain! As a Diestro, I am honor-bound to remain with him- though I shall be certain to search you out once we return to port! Please do not be a stranger, senor, and take care of yourself!"

With his final words said, he took the oars of the rowboat. Such an undignified task was really more fitting of one of the other mercenarian, but he was fine simply with departing. The negotiator's skill evidently could not dissuade the captain- which was fair enough, firing upon them hardly would afflict the captain. Just four less bodies in his plan to backstab Juan's fellow Estalian, and a rowboat lost. In all likelihood, he would mourn the boat more than the bodies lot.

Thus was the way of the sea.

[Bowerbird]

Svanhildur growls, glaring uneasily at the Diestro. Given his apparent low opinion of anyone not Estalian, and the fact that Velasco is Estalian, she feels disinclined to trust him speaking privately with the enemy. For all she knew, he could have already betrayed them, but she keeps her mouth shut, not wanting them to appear divided infront of an enemy. She stares daggers as the perfumed man makes to go for the oars, sitting down in the rowers seat before him, and starts rowing back to the Vixen.

[-Sentinel-]

OOC:

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Unskilled Row test (half Strength) for Don Juan: (d100)[45]

It quickly became obvious that the diestro had little rowing experience. Why he would choose to sit at the oars was anyone's guess. Rolling her eyes with annoyance, Svan shoved the incompetent Estalian aside, took up the oars and rowed the small boat back to the Vixen.

[Gunther]

The Diestro, with the return of the raft, was not offended in the slightest at being removed from the oars. Though he was no oarsman, he had simply taken them in the interest of getting back to the Vixen with due haste.

As the boat rose up, he searched for the captain, a plan firmly forming in his mind. The man's glaring appraisal from his fellow boatman was nothing he hadn't seen before: Estalian was a language few could appreciate the full glory of. Compared to piggish Tilean, it was obviously likely to drive people mad that such a beautiful language could exist.

"Capitan! Capitan!" He shouted from the boatside, "They wish for you to come yourself, with the ship!"

[LCP]

Renard raised his eyebrows. On hearing Dairuin's report, he shook his head.

"Well, Velasco may wish all he wants - it will not make his wishes come true. If he thinks I will run the Vixen under his guns, where he can takes what he wants by force, he is sadly mistaken."

He turned to Vasco. "Signal the galleon. Invite Velasco to row over here himself. If he wants to see Rico for himself, then we will let him - on our terms."

[-Sentinel-]

As if grudgingly, the Osprey took a while to answer the Vixen's signal.

"Here they come," said Giulio quietly, pointing at the rowing boat being set afloat. "Looks like they have Lady Romano. Shall we fetch Rico?"

[LCP]

"They're bringing the lady?" said Renard, approaching the gunwale and peering at the approaching boat. "Hm. There's a surprise."

Turning to the deck, he shouted for the crew to make ready to receive Captain Velasco. "All new hands below decks! Keep out of sight, you sons of dogs." He paused, turning to Vasco. "Stow Wilhelm somewhere, too. We don't want that old sot blurting out anything important."

Turning to Giulio and Svanhildur, he nodded at the two mercenaries.

"Fetch Rico. Tell him nothing."

[-Sentinel-]

At Vasco's orders, two of the sailors dragged a protesting Wilhelm below deck, while the very worried-looking Rico was brought outside, shuffling on his misshapen leg.

"What's happenin'?" asked the navigator, his voice trembling. "I know we ain't in the Isles of the Sirens."

His eyes widened at the sight of the Osprey.

"Who... who's that?"

The tone of his voice made abundantly clear that he knew full well who it was. He began to shake uncontrollably.

"No, no, cap'n, you can't do that," he sobbed. "I can lead you to the Phantom, I swear... You'll be rich, you an' all your crew... Please don't leave me into their hands..."

[LCP]

Renard shook his head.

"I am tired of this, Rico. What is next, you will sell us the gold at the end of the rainbow?"

He nodded towards the approaching boat.

"The Admiral has paid us a hefty fee for the return of his wife. That is not hearsay, that is not stories, spun by a desperate man to save his hide. No, monsieur Rico, that is fact. That is solid." He paused, raising his chin a little to look down his nose at the club-footed man. "Not to mention that the lady is heavily with child, and I am a man of honour. Unlike some treacherous weasels I could mention."

He slapped Rico on the back.

"We all have to deal with the consequences of our actions, monsieur. When we are back in Luccini, I will spare a prayer for you." He glanced skywards. "Not that I imagine Manaan is particularly fond of double-crossing navigators."

Walking away from the captive, he motioned curtly to Vasco.

"If he keeps chattering - gag him."

[-Sentinel-]

The rowing boat approached the Vixen, its progress grindingly slow against the wind. Giulio was right: at the prow of the boat sat a tall, black-haired woman in a blue dress, clearly several months pregnant. Three heavily armed pirates shared the space on the boat: a burly Southlander at the oars, a one-armed Norseman at the back — and, facing Felicia Romano, a young woman (a girl, really) with copper skin, dark hair tied into a loose braid and a purple tricorn that concealed her features.

At the girl's command, the Southlander stopped rowing just a dozen yards from the Vixen. The girl rose to her rather unimpressive full height and took off her hat. With her round face, wide eyes and dimples, she looked the very picture of innocence. One could almost be fooled, were it not for the cutlass and pistol she wore at her hips.

Rico paled even more at the sight of her.
"Oh no, not her, not her," he whimpered, stumbling back.

The girl in the rowing boat either did not notice Rico or chose to ignore him.

"Vixen, eh?" she said with a sunny smile. "Who's your captain?"

[LCP]

Stepping up to the gunwale, Renard removed his hat with a sunny smile of his own.

"That would be me, madamoiselle - although the elf gentleman who visited your ship, he would have a claim also. You speak for Captain Velasco?"

[-Sentinel-]

"I'm Raquel Velasco," she introduced herself. "Have you considered my father's offer?"


(OOC: It's under the earlier spoiler tags. Assume Dairuin told you about it.)

[LCP]

“Ah, monsieur ‘nyarion did say,” said Renard, maintaining his beaming countenance. “Unfortunately, I have very little wish to run my ship under your father’s guns, ma’moiselle. I am sure he will understand.”

He gestured for the crew to bring Rico forward to the gunwale.

“You wish to see your man; here he is. If you wish, we can conduct the exchange here and now. We have been sent to retrieve the good lady, as quickly and cleanly as we can, and that is what I intend to do.”

He clapped Rico on the shoulder again.

“This man, he is full of stories of sunken treasure and such. Myself, I think he is a weasel, and a liar. Of course, there must be something in what he says, or you would not want him back!” Renard grinned again. “But I ask of myself, do I wish to risk my ship, my crew, on this man’s word, when your father has such a grand ship with so many fine cannons? Non. I wish to claim the money the Admiral has promised me for the return of his wife. I am a man of honour, ma’moiselle, and I must honour my word.”

He sucked on his teeth, making a pensive face.

“But... I must think of myself, and my crew, also. I am sure your father is a fine man, but you will understand that I cannot trust him myself. Not with the lives of me and my men.” He gestured to the Vixen. “It was you who felt the need to kidnap the Admiral’s wife, mes amis. I feel you want this man very much, to do such a thing. Myself, I am only an errand boy. Half my payment, I already have.” He shook his head. “It pains me to leave a lady in such desperate straits, but if I must choose between the lady and my crew – that is no true choice.”

[goblinpaladin]

Dairuin folded his arms in his sleeves, watching the two humans. The girl was sort of attractive, for a human- a little thick around the middle, and far too short -and those ugly blunt ears!- but for all that, he could see why the pirate had sent her to negotiate.

[-Sentinel-]

Raquel's smile did not falter, but her eyes grew cold.

"Ah... I'm afraid my father isn't the kind of man who takes a no for an answer," she said, almost apologetically. "You may or may not believe Rico's story about the treasure, but either way, you got involved in this the moment you accepted the admiral's offer. You'd just be under a new employer, you know. One who pays more."

She caressed the handle of her flintlock pistol.

"Know what I think, captain? I think we both need the Clubfoot more than we need Lady Romano."

She slammed her pistol's muzzle against the base of Felicia Romano's skull. The noblewoman did not flinch, but paled visibly.

"What would happen if I blew Lady Romano's brains out, I wonder?" Raquel drawled with a maniacal grin.

[Xsesiv]

Gino surreptitiously moves off to the side, ducks down beside some equipment, pulls out his previously wound crossbow and trains it on Raquel.

Of course, he has no intention of turning this into a naval battle, and so he does not stand up and threaten her, nor does he yet fire.

[goblinpaladin]

The elf remained perfectly, eerily, inhumanly still. He raised one angular black brow, glancing at the human psychopath, and then flicked his eyes over to the other ship- the one well out of cannon range from here.

[LCP]

Renard raised an eyebrow.

"Well, firstly, we would have no reason to be here, so I think we would sail away. You can see we have the wind in your favour, ma'moiselle, and I would be very surprised if your father's ship could outsail the Vixen even if that were not so, with so many grand guns weighing it down. Captain Velasco, he might wish he had come himself, if you were to return with the lady dead and my ship... dwindling into the horizon. He might think twice about his confidence in his daughter's negotiating abilities."

"Secondly, I imagine the Admiral would not be too pleased. A man like that has a great many ships, and a great many guns of his own. Perhaps we would not be in his good books either, but you, I think he would come after first." He shrugged. "I already have half the coin I was promised, so it would not be a complete loss, and by the time he had caught up with you, I would be far away." He paused. "I didn't think much of Luccini anyway."

Lanois shrugged.

"A highly regrettable situation for all concerned, overall. How happy I am it is only... hypothetical." He gestured to Rico. "I assure you, I do not feel I need this man at all. You can take him here and now, if you will merely hand over the lady, and all this unpleasantness can be concluded."