Pirates of the Aether

[PersonMan]

Aimari is silent as the loud dwarf meets the captain. The bit of walking they had done in the underbelly of the city had been nice, a fresh change of pace from ship life. She was still glad to be back on board, where there weren't dozens of strange foreigners everywhere. The familiar swaying of the ship was something the mage hadn't been expecting to want to feel again, but she was glad it was back.

Everything was normal. Well, as normal as it could be in a foreign land, on a foreign ship full of foreign people.

[Wordplay]

Kieran doesn't see Aimari, or doesn't notice her, as she blends into the shadows - he's rather more struck by the appearance of Rok.

'Ah, good tae see ye lad. I'm glad ye got back tae the ship safe. I was goin' tae ask ye tae gather any o' the crew that hadn't returned, but I've checked the roster, and it seems they've all returned'.

So, sorry tae have bothered ye. However, whilst ye're here, I wanted tae ask ye, have ye ever manned the cannon before? I have a little gun drill in mind fer the morn'.

[Lentrax]

Night fades into day, and before you realize it, morning has arrived.

Preperations continued through the night, as provisions and neccesities were loaded aboard and stowed away.

As the first rays of dawn shine over the deck of the Lady's Gambit most of the crew is already on deck, and those that are not were the members on night duty.

[Wordplay]

For a brief moment Kieran is awake, in bed and blissfully rested. Then it all comes back to him.

I'm Capt'n o' this ship, a nation o' people think I'm a magical holy warrior sent from the Gods, people I've never met are likely tryin' tae kill me again, and I'll probably never see me family again.

Kieran swears loudly.

I cannae even have a drink tae take off the edge. Ah well.

Kieran walks out onto deck.

'Get those supplies below! Master Goodman, get your shift up there and unfurl the sails! Stoke those fires Master Cockcroft'.

Kieran sets about the crew, issuing orders and seeing that the ship departs in good time. After they set off, Kieran calls out

'Officers meetin' in me cabin. Fetch in breakfast too, we'll take it there'.

[Techwarrior]

"Aye captain, I'll grab breakfast for us.
Erin goes down to the kitchens, grabs breakfast for the officers, and then heads to the Captain's quarters.

[Wordplay]

If the lad's going tae be an officer, he cannae do menial jobs like that. The men expect a clear hierarchy - tae ken where everyone stands. Once you lose respect, it's gone, and it's nae possible tae win it back...

Perhaps I should have a word with him.

When the officers are gathered in the cabin for breakfast, Kieran fills them in.

'Alright, we're shippin' intae dangerous skies. I fully expec' tae meet this Destroyer, and gain the measure o' her. The warnin's we've been given are cryptic at best - some o' them more akin tae childrens' songs. We can expect attack from high magecraft, and sorcery, as well as conventional forces, and I expect things that we have'nae seen before.

Now I suspec' ye're wandering, what's in this fer us? Well, firstly, free resupply and repair from the people o' Serzai, and the freedom o' that port. With a safe home port, we can practically keep the ship aloft ferever. Second - whatever we can loot from the Destroyer. As I said, we're likely to see dangerous things, unseen before - tha's risk, but there's potentially big profit. We're effectively Serzai sanctioned privateers.

Besides tha, I ken some of ye relish the chance fer action, some adventure...'

Kieran's eyes linger on Maia and Erin.

'Well, ye'll certainly get tha'. I hope ye dinnae get more than ye wish. If tha' dinnae tickle yer fancy, we have also the comfort of serving a good cause, and the chance tae learn much about the world - I expect we will be findin' much in the way o' lost spellcraft'.

Kieran's spares a glance for Arryl and Lynn.

'So. I will need a report from the casters on the disposition o' their spells. After breakfast, I intend tae run a gunnery drill, tae make sure our crews can reload fast, and hit accurately. Rok, perhaps ye might go and ready the crew for the drill as soon as ye've eaten. We'll heel to, and set up some target balloons.

Erin, I'll need ye tae report on the state of our weaponary. How is our new engineer settling in?'

'Alright, that's the order of the day. Any questions?'

[Lentrax]

There is a knock on the door. "Captain? Two healers just showed up asking if the position offered offered by Lady Maia is still open."

[Wordplay]

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Cutting back to earlier.

'Aye, send 'em in'.

When the healers are shown in Kieran turns to them.

'Greetin's. I'm Cap'n Kieran o' the Lady's Gambit. Have either o' ye ever ploughed the Aether before?'

[Lentrax]

Boh of the healers affirm that they have sailed on ships before, though they also both say that they have never been aboard a military craft before.

[Wordplay]

I wonder how they got aboard the ship? Perhaps Maia let them aboard last night...I hope they check out - I dinnae want any spies o' Sun-Jun aboard.

'No military service? Have ye ever taken a splinter out o' a man? That's the usual injury in a sky battle - canon fire smashes the hull - men end up punctured with pieces o' galewood the size o' yer arm or bigger. I expect we will see combat soon. D'ye think ye can handle it?'

Kieran looks to see if they blanche.

'Well, not much we can do about it either way. Ye're aboard, and I dinnae have time tae turn back. Welcome aboard. Ye'll be paid fer this voyage, and if ye do well, and ye still wish tae remain here, we'll keep ye both on'.

'What names would ye like me tae enter ontae the registry?'

[Lentrax]

Neither of them seem to show anysigns of being sick.

The half-elf speaks up. "Captain. Many healers have to spend part of their apprenticeship in service to one military or another. How can we not? Would the people have us stand by and do nothing to ease the suffering of those beyond saving? I should think not. We may have never served aboard a military vesssel, but we have seen terrible wounds before."

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I missed the one line with the words 'set off' in it. I really need to do a better job with the reading. Oh well. Best you take them both anyway.

[Wordplay]

OoC

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Hopefully now my confusion makes more sense! I'll just pretend Kieran dealt with them earlier or something.

'Aye. Just wanted tae make sure ye knew what ye were lettin' yourselves in fer. I'm glad tae have healers aboard. Our Chaplin can perform miracles, true enough, but he is but one, and I've over forty men and women under me command'.

Kieran looks severe.

'And I intend tae see that they all make it home tae their families. Including ye. However, I can offer nae guarantees. Welcome aboard'.

Now ye're part o' me crew.

After he gets the healers names and the officers meeting, Kieran returns to the main deck.

Alright, Rok, Erin, get up a target balloon! Heave to! Put a reef in those sails! Prepare fer a gun drill!

[Lentrax]

The next week passes without event, several ships passing close enough call out news of a massive grouping of Aethersharks to the east, but nothing along your course and heading.

Drills take up most of your time. Gun drills, Repelling boarders, Hand to hand training, and practice at spellplay, occupy most of your time.

Occasionally you hear a cry from the crow's nest of approaching ships, or a call of storms ahead. Nine days out of port and the call comes down from the nest:

"Spellstorm ahead! 'Bout sixty miles out, closin' fast! Big one, Cap'n! Came from nowhere!"

[Wordplay]

'Master Cockcroft! Get the tops'ls and the royals furled, and get two reefs in the rest o' the sails!' Kieran bellows at the bosun supervising this shift.

'Healers, below decks!'

'Chaplin Arryl, a spell of command winds, if ye please. I ken ye won't be able to counter t'storm, but perhaps ye can ease our passage somewhat'.

'Rok, get belowdecks and chain down that canon! I dinnae want it shiftin' about in the storm'.

'Officer Maia! Take the kite and get a wind speed readin''

'Lookout! Which direction is it in, and what's its headin'? Any chance we can go over it?'

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Profession (Sailor) (1d20+5)[18]

At last, a problem I can see. A problem I ken how to handle.

[Techwarrior]

Erin had been attending to one of the other crewman's blade, not the Captain's he hadn't asked him to look at the sword since he became Captain, but another's. Erin hears the Captain screaming for people to 'attend this' and 'brace that' but he didn't even pretend to understand it anymore. He was NOT a sailor. Ah well, this sword didn't look to be in all that bad shape, one doesn't sharpen a sword like that sailor had asked him to. Maybe he should find out his name. Be a bit easier to give it back later. Anyway, no one sharpens a sword, though the edge on this one was shot. That wouldn't be too hard to fix, Erin picks the blade up and begins to grind it to re-edge the sword...

[Lentrax]

Crew began rushing across the deck to brace the ship for the storm. "She came from nowhere, sir! It's nothing I ever seen! She is spreadin' out! We can' avoid it!"

The clouds ahead begin to loom and spread. They begin to change hue, sharply and violently changing their color patterns, as they shift through the darker colors of the spectrum. Lightning flashes throughout it, as do flame and chunks of rock.

The storm is approaching and spears of flame and bolts of lightning lance out at the Gambit.

[Wordplay]

'Calm down yer fools. Master Cockcroft! Get yer watch under control'.

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Charisma check (1d20+2)[10]

The current shift should be the only ones movin', an' almost all o' them should be in the riggin', nae on the deck. Discipline's terrible, they're only thinkin' o' themselves

'Get in the riggin, ye fools, or get belowdecks! Get those sails fixed, and then attach yer safety lines!'

If they dinnae furl the sails, now, we're all going down'.

'Casters! Get a dispell into those clouds!'

'Lookout! Get down from there! Ye're too close to the lightening rod!'

Kieran walks to the mainbrace at the base of the mainmast, and draws a glass of rum. Then he walks to the side of the deck and uses his dagger to draw blood. Kieran adds a few drops of blood to the rum, then splashes it down the side of the ship in the customary sacrifice.

'Lady preserve us. Lady take me'.

When the men have their safety lines attached, Kieran attaches his.

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Use rope (1d20+6)[7]

[Lentrax]

Lightning strikes the Lady's Gambit, causing it to rock. Some of the men already in the rigging cry out as they fall, but their lines keep them from hitting the deck. Most of those on the deck fall or are thrown back from the violent impact.

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Reflex Saves everyone.

[Techwarrior]

(1d20+1)[12]
Erin is belowdeck.

"What in the name of Bahamut is going on up there!

[Space Lawyer]

Maia is belowdeck, checking her arrows when the ship rocks.

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Refelx save: (1d20+7)[11]

[Lentrax]

Erin would still have heard the calls of a storm ahead.

Erin and Maia are both thrown to the floor of their cabins as the Gambit rocks beneath them.

"The storm is surrounding us! We can' get round it!"

[Techwarrior]

Erin begins to tie down weapons, tools, and the like after getting back up. Afterwards he attempts to go help Rok tie down the canon.

[Wordplay]

Kieran's standing on the decks amidships. As the storm mounts and the deck starts to pitch and roll beneath him, his blood quickens. As the men snap to their tasks and the ship's tossed about in the turbulence, Kieran's excited, and starts to smile. Riding the storm, he feels more alive than he had in years.

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Reflex save (1d20+7)[22]

[Lentrax]

As the ship pitches and rolls with the currents of the storm, the Captain of the Lady's Gambit stands firm. As though rooted to the deck, he continues guiding men back to places in the rigging, giving orders to the salty dogs who've seen more than one spellstorm in their day.

And just as quickly as it began, it is over.

[Wordplay]

'Any wounded, sing out! Get them tae the healers!

Hold fast men. If it come come and go that quick, it can come back as fast. Keep the safety lines on, unless ye're going below with wounded.

Master Cockcroft, head-count, if ye please.

Master Wainwright, get the Erin and the new Engineer and prepare a damage report'.

Huh. Lady's blessing. Looks like that's another one I owe ye.

[Lentrax]

"No one missing, sir!" Comes a cry minutes later. Not long after that, your new engineer comes up on deck.

"Och, tha' was a wee bit o' a gale, eh? Well, nothin' seems ta be needin' mae skill. If ya be wantin' I ken keep workin' on our new baby."

[Wordplay]

'Good tae hear. Aye, return tae workin' on our new weapon. Thank ye, Master Engineer'.

'Well done men. Seems we have the Lady's favour! Tonight we'll splice the mainbrace! For now, look alive!'

An ordinary spellstorm? Or an early attack from the destroyer? I wonder...

[Space Lawyer]

Maia runs up on deck. She is wearing thick goggles, a leather helmet, and a leather coat lined with fur."Captain, is everything all right?"

[Wordplay]

'Seems tae be...sudden spellstorm...I'm wonderin' jus' between ye and me whether it was entirely by chance...do ye happen tae have any divinations ye could cast?'

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Spot Check (1d20+1)[11]

[Space Lawyer]

Maia's expression turns to dejected sorrow, and she peers at the deck. I am sad to say my Captain, but I have no spells that could determine such a thing. Those sort of spells are beyond the capability of any on this ship, as far as I know.