Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession21"

Revision as of 08:07, 5 April 2010

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Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Except on First Age ships? Though their soak is too high for it to matter. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Correct. )

Monkey . o O ( Ah, well, it that case..... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Should make fights go a bit faster... )

Monkey says, "Alright, men! The chase is on! Arrrr!"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Lightning Ballistae have already used half their shots before they need to be serviced. )

Captain Kaizoku boards the Corona and runs up his command flag, taking the helm himself.

The Storyteller . o O ( The enemy ships are (arbitrarily) about 10 successes away from your ships. )

Monkey says, "Forward! Reef the sails for tacking! Watch for their arrows!"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( What pattern are they in in relation to their command ship? Guarding it or all just running for land? )

Monkey . o O ( 10 successes = 500 yards = Short? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Fleet arrangements: The four triremes are heading northwest (with the wind at their backs) in a straggling line. All are taking water and will sink within an hour unless patched. Three are now relying on sail, the third still working with rowers. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, Short naval range. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What is the arrangement of the Solar Wind Fleet? )

Monkey . o O ( Ah, wind changed. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Fleet Group One is the Corona and Stormhammer, with the Stormhammer ahead and to the right of the Corona by 100 yards or so. )

The Storyteller . o O ( ? I thought I said the wind was coming from the SSE. )

Monkey . o O ( Currently 17 motes (personal) and 1 WP down. )

The Storyteller . o O ( ...okay... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Down 6 personal 17 peripheral and realizing that you can commit motes from peripheral to no ill effect. )

Monkey . o O ( You did say SSE. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Same general direction, more or less... )

The Storyteller . o O ( CK, how about the other ships in the SWF? )

Monkey . o O ( They're all heading for some rendezvous point. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( They are falling back together, back the way the fleet came, heading to the rally point at the closest landfall. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 'kay. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Let me resolve that one real quick, then. )

Monkey . o O ( Is the Realm's flag ship rowing or sailing? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sailing. )

Monkey . o O ( Once it's Stormhammer's initiative, let me know. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is it possible to use the XL roller with auto successes? )

Monkey . o O ( No. That one you'll have to add manually. )

Monkey . o O ( The level of programming required for a dice roller to be able to parse such a request is not trivial. )

You rolled 9 dice on nail repair check and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Well then. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK. Wits + Sail then? The Captain is activating Salty Dog. )

You rolled 9 dice on kerrigan sail home check and got 3 successes.

You rolled 9 dice on kerrigan sail home check and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, Wits + Sail. And you're using the revised Salty Dog, correct? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, so 3 autosuccesses on top of the results. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Sail and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... that gives you 9 successes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, roll your Wits + Sail to figure your speed. )

Monkey . o O ( Doesn't somebody else sail Stormhammer since I'm manning the Bow? So, David, what's that guy's Wits+Sail? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, well, in that case... )

You rolled 6 dice on that guy's sail and got 4 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He's a generic veteran sailor, 7 dice I think. )

The Storyteller . o O ( and now the Realm scum... )

Monkey . o O ( Remember to adjust for yacht's speed and maneuverability. Just a reminder since all the other ships are triremes. )

Monkey . o O ( I noted a few days ago that Stormhammer is better built than a trireme, with better HL. )

You rolled 7 dice on trireme run away and got 3 successes.

You rolled 7 dice on trireme run away and got 5 successes.

You rolled 7 dice on trireme run away and got 4 successes.

You rolled 7 dice on trireme run away and got 4 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, triremes are fast but fragile. )

The Storyteller . o O ( average that at 4 successes... adjust for crew and ship... the sailing triremes get 1 success each, while the rowing one gets 3. So the distances are now: Kaizoku-triremes 2, Monkey-triremes 7. )

The Storyteller . o O ( On the subject of fragile triremes: it's all those oarlocks... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Long turn, combat sequence 1: Captain, what's your action? )

Monkey . o O ( Isn't there a bonus for the side with more ships? Wait, nevermind. )

Captain Kaizoku has all the weapons on the Corona aimed at the trailing Realm ship. "Surrender and you'll be spared!" he calls out in a booming voice, Hydros on the Lighting Ballistae, Razor Leaf on the Implosion bow and ordinary sailors on the sailcutter and ballistae. He won't fire on them... yet.

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Cha + Perform check. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is Majestic Radiant Presence in effect still too? )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Cha + Perform and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( So at least they won't shoot back much. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Give me a second. )

The flagship backs oars, slowing in its flight. From the stern, you can see the squadron commander, resplendent in black jade armor, looking back at the Corona. He raises a bullhorn to his mouth and shouts across the waves, "What guarantee do we have of your honor?"

Monkey . o O ( He got you there. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( "My honor as a Solar" likely won't fly with this sort of commander... )

Captain Kaizoku motions to the weapon crews to move their guns off-target some. "My word is my honor!" he calls back. "Sinking you would be the easiest course, but I am giving you a chance... what do you have to lose?"

The commander shouts back, "I cannot surrender, but I offer you a trade: If you defeat me in single combat, my squadron is yours. If I defeat you, you permit us to leave in peace. Agreed?"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That's the flagship commander speaking then? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( He's lucky you're not a literal-minded Eclipse, too... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, yes... wouldn't that burn house V'Neef... )

Captain Kaizoku calls out "Very well, so let it be! On my deck then!"

Monkey . o O ( That's a lot to bet. Do the other Realm captains agree? )

The captain shouts, "Very well!"

The Storyteller . o O ( They don't have a choice -- he's their commander. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hey, he's in charge... if they protest, they get sold into slavery, right? )

Monkey . o O ( Only if he won. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Plus, either way, they get to live -- probably. As is, you could stand off in the Stormhammer and just sink them. )

Monkey . o O ( Yes, and they are aware of that. )

Captain Kaizoku says in a low voice to Hydros, Leaf and Wolf "I think their pride and honor are greater than their cunning now, but be prepared for a trick... guard the weapons carefully and have men watching on all sides of the ship.":

Monkey . o O ( Tactically speaking, the chance that this is a trick is significant. )

Monkey . o O ( But that's me, not Monkey. So I'll shut up now. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Which is why Monkey will be standing by off the bow ready to open fire... )

Captain Kaizoku goes to the other side and calls out to Monkey "We will attempt to settle this with a duel Monkey... stand ready at your current position should they break the truce, then open fire."

Monkey says, "Men, looks like we don't get to do nothing today. Too bad, but this ought to be entertaining to watch. Extra ration of rum for everyone!"

The Realm flagship lowers a small boat bearing the commander and a fang of marines. The marines row to the Corona and board on a ladder lowered by the crew, the Dynast first. They assemble on the stern, scared but putting on a good face. The Dynast looks more pissed than terrified, even faced with Anathema. He appears to be a middle-aged man of the Realm, weathered from the sea, with the stride of an experienced warrior and sailor. He wears black jade accoutrements -- a crushfist, hearthstone bracers, and a reinforced buff jacket.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, fudge... The Captain's lousy vs. grappling. )

Monkey . o O ( Hint, make sure not to get grappled. )

Captain Kaizoku has his arms crossed and his officers behind him as he meets the Dynast and crew. "Welcome aboard, Captain...?" he says in a serious but open tone of voice, his power burning around him from the spells cast earlier in the battle.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( You can't parry a grapple attempt, can you? )

Monkey . o O ( IIrc, you can. )

The Dragon-Blooded says, "I am V'neef Lahor Gull, of the Scarlet Justicar. As agreed, I challenge you to single combat, the prize my squadron or safe conduct."

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, you can. )

Monkey . o O ( One thing I notice is that you don't spend as much essence and willpower as you ought to. Those two resources are regenerates fast, so don't hesitate using it. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( If I have to use the new thing, that will change, he said cryptically. )

Monkey . o O ( Your HL, on the other hand, takes a long time to regenerate. And death takes forever. Although I suppose you could go Abyssal. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( The Walker would like that, wouldn't he? )

Captain Kaizoku replies with a formal bow of his head, though he doesn't take his eyes off the man. "Well bargained. This is a more civilized approach" he remarks, drawing his sword and holding it at his side, point down. "Have one of your men toss a jade bead in the air. When it hits the deck, we shall begin."

Monkey . o O ( Snake Pliskin would've done it different. :) )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I heard he was dead. )

Monkey . o O ( Kurt Russell is dead? No kidding? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No, no, Pliskin! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I suppose that joke was used more in the novelization. )

Monkey . o O ( Hah! Funny! Hah hah hah. )

Monkey . o O ( Just got it. )

The marines confer quickly, then one steps forward. He holds some kind of good-luck charm and gets ready to toss it. It's red jade, very small, and appears to be a dragon curling in on itself. He tosses it high in the air and it catches the sunlight, glittering as it falls toward the deck. It lands between the two captains with a soft -tak-.

On 1d10+7, you rolled 17.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 21.

The Storyteller . o O ( You first. )

Captain Kaizoku charges forward before the bead stops bouncing, golden blade coming up from the deck in a spray of wood shavings. He unleases a flurry of attacks on the rival captain, a high to low left to right, then right to left and finally down the middle series of slashes, testing his defenses, his expression impassive when it is visible past the golden arcs.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( three attack actions. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 1 stunt die )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 14 dice on Strike 1 and got 10 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on Strike 2 and got 6 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 12 dice on Strike 3 and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( He's gonna go into a full dodge... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 10 successes of 14 on the first one, yow. Then 6 and 4 on the later two. )

As Kaizoku's golden daiklave cleaves the air toward the Dynast, the Dragon-blooded moves aside like the bow wave of the Corona, water yielding to the terrible glory of the sun and in yielding, surviving.

You rolled 12 dice on full dodge one and got 6 successes.

You rolled 11 dice on full dodge two and got 5 successes.

You rolled 10 dice on full dodge three and got 5 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, hit with 4 and 1 successes. Soak is 8L, so roll damage )

Monkey . o O ( No Flickery-thingy? Unusual. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Strike 1 and got 3 hits.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Strike 2 and got no hits.

The Storyteller . o O ( And... roll init again. )

On 1d10+6, you rolled 7.

Captain Kaizoku 's first and best blow on the man's off side goes into rather than against his dodging, cutting a deep gouge in his armor, and the flesh below.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 19.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oy, he's _screwed_. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, yes he is. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What's your action? )

Captain Kaizoku brings his blade around in a circle after the rapid movement and to a guard position. "First blood is an accepted loss in some cultures..." he remarks offhandedly, in a humble fashion. Then he leaps high in the air, blade behind his back, bringing it forward right down the centerline of the water-blooded dynast... but he does not stop there, aiming a sweeping slash at his legs after he lands.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Two attacks. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 2 die stunt bonus )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And the Captain really doesn't want to kill this guy... )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 16 dice on High atack and got 5 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on Low atack and got 5 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Again, full dodge... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Important new rule: Never bring a crushfist to a swordfight. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Heh. He'd be fine if he had a reflexive defense Charm... Unfortunately, he's a sailor, not a duellist. )

Monkey . o O ( The guy either has a death wish (possible) or he has some strategem behind this. )

Staggered by the speek of Kaizoku's attacks, Gull staggers back, rolling aside from the first blow and jumping to avoid the second.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He's a prince of the earth, an unrivalled master of creation... Realm DBs have big egos and few object lessons from Solars... besides, Monkey should spot any (ahem) Monkey business. )

You rolled 11 dice on first dodge and got 6 successes.

You rolled 10 dice on second dodge and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Besides, it works this time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Speek? Sheeesh. )

Captain Kaizoku gives the man a little nod. "Impressive. I've seen Immaculates who did not dodge as well."

Monkey . o O ( I agree about big egos and few object lessons from solars. But there's plenty of other DBs who'd be more than willing to take him down a peg. )

Monkey . o O ( The fact that said Immaculate was an Earth and does not _need_ to dodge doesn't have to be mentioned. )

The Dynast does not respond. He's clearly shaken by the Captain's prowess with a blade and on the defensive.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Init? )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 23.

On 1d10+6, you rolled 16.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( There's no called shot to disable, sans a charm, is there? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah, disarming isn't really an option here, is it? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( except literally, which defeats the point... )

The Storyteller . o O ( you can subtract a success to do bashing instead of lethal here. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK. )

TonyC whispers, "Seems the low init is a big problem. Have one of the DB toss him harpoon or something."

You whisper, "He's not gonna win anyway... this is a DB with about 100 xp -- not anywhere near a match for a Solar with more than that." to TonyC.

Captain Kaizoku spins his blade in a circle before him, an elaborate flourish, then lunges forward, one leg ahead of him, the other stretched behind as he strikes at Gull's head... then moves his point six inches to the side, flips the Daiklave on its side and pulls it back, hitting the back of the man's head with the dull inner curve of his weapon.

The Storyteller . o O ( 1 die stunt bonus )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 17 dice on Strike and got 4 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Dang. )

TonyC whispers, "Speaking about XP, Monkey should have 8 more XP than what your wiki backup shows. That back-up was one from last year."

The Storyteller . o O ( He's gonna soak this one in an attempt to actually _do_ something in this fight. So roll damage -- soak is 13B )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 17 and only four hits, less one for the non-lethal... )

You whisper, "Okay" to TonyC.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 14 dice on something and got 4 hits.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Whoops, gah. )

The Storyteller . o O ( You had 27B to start with?! )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 3 dice on something and got no hits.

Captain Kaizoku 's blade goes just over the top of Gull's head, taking hair with it and leaving a warm breeze behind in its passage.

Monkey . o O ( Sukiari! )

Grinning, Gull lunges forward to seize Kaizoku by the neck and shake the life out of him.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( This looks like a job for Dipping Swallow Defense! )

You rolled 9 dice on clinch attempt and got 5 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on DSD and got 11 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, so much for _that_! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 15 and 11... overkill city. )

Captain Kaizoku sensed the pressure of light from the grinning Dynast's grapple attempt and brought his sword between his arms, using it like a lever to ruin the attempt, spinning backwards and out of reach.

Monkey makes off-hand comments to his crew. "Men, let that be a lesson. If your opponent is armed with a gauntlet, bring a big sword."

The Storyteller . o O ( Init )

On 1d10+6, you rolled 9.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 22.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... and your action is... )

Captain Kaizoku says "Your crews will not be well-served if you perish in this duel..." as he brings up his sword.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( One action... )

Monkey says, "On the other hand, the other guy has the right idea. If the opponent outreaches you, try to get inside."

Captain Kaizoku holds his blade across his body and then whips out the tip towards Gull's gullet... but in mid-swing he flips the sword over and slams the dull trailing edge into him instead of the sharp one.

The Storyteller . o O ( 1 die bonus )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 17 dice on gut attack and got 12 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Less one for non-lethal. )

Monkey says, "Of course, if you're fighting against someone of Captain Kaizoku's caliber or me, you might as well surrender right away."

The Storyteller . o O ( Jesus H. Christ. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh, dodge. )

You rolled 10 dice on dodge and got 4 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 17 and 12 that time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And that's still 13b soak... )

Monkey says, "Oh, he's pulling his blow. Still gonna hurt though."

Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 2 hits.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( How's he looking now? )

Captain Kaizoku pulls his sword back quickly from the blunt hit, leaving the rival commander gasping for breath.

The Storyteller . o O ( Not good, as it happens. )

Monkey winces in sympathy. "Tsk tsk. Captain Kaizoku must be feeling generous. That oughta spill his bowels right there."

The Storyteller . o O ( He's got a slash on one side, and a nasty bruise on his neck. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and: Init. )

On 1d10+5, you rolled 9.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 16.

The Storyteller . o O ( You first... again. )

Captain Kaizoku is not even breathing hard yet, and his small spectacles are still in place. "Honor does not demand you die today, and neither do I" he says firmly. "This is the power I have been holding back..."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 1 action. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Are you using social-fu on him? )

Captain Kaizoku holds his sword up high, the glow intensifying all around his body, making the onlookers cover their eyes from the flash. He brings the blade down in a weaving, split-S pattern much faster than his prior attacks.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( This is an attack... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Five dice of Excellent strike. )

Monkey . o O ( Five? If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing! :) )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I'm saving that for the big thing, in case he decides to fight to the death. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, he's persistent. 1 die stunt bonus. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 22 dice on something and got 14 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, nonlethal strike. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oy. Full dodge... again... )

You rolled 9 dice on dodginess and got 3 successes.

Monkey says, "Hmmmm, he's doing something funky, but still holding back, I see."

Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on something and got 2 hits.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The hit dice are hot, the damage dice are not. )

Captain Kaizoku 's blade turned again, the flat smacking Gull's chest hard before it bounced away, leaving a trail of golden motes.

Monkey says, "No matter," and tips his head back to finish his rum. "It'll be over soon anyway." "Sail close and prepare to board the Scarlet Justicar. Don't attack unless you're attacked first, but I want to be on her board as soon as the fight's done. I don't want some overzealous officer destroying the logs and maps."

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll init. He's hurting badly, moving slowly as he clutches at his chest. )

On 1d10+5, you rolled 10.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 21.

Monkey . o O ( 2 more hits. )

Captain Kaizoku brought up his sword to eye level and whipped it down to his side. "Enough. You have fought well, but if I batter you into unconsciouness, who will guide your fleet back to shore?" he asks sternly, the power of the Solar Exalted strong in his voice.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Now it's social fu time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Any Charms? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Majestic's still active, so he can't say no... and Harmonious Presence on top of it. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Cha + Presence )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 10 dice on Cha+Pre+HPM and got 4 botches.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, my GOD!!!!! )

Monkey . o O ( Bwahahaha! )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hahhahaha! )

The Storyteller . o O ( that's worth saving... )

Monkey . o O ( That's it. He'll think it's the perfect chance to counter-attack. :) )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I don't believe that! FOUR bothces? )

The Storyteller . o O ( are you attacking this turn? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No, hold action for defense. )

Monkey . o O ( Heck, could be worse. I mean, it's 4 botches. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That probably uses up my supply of them for the next decade. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. You start to say that, but... Hell, I'm having a hard time coming up with a good way to handle four botches... )

Monkey . o O ( Have all the DB officers join the fray. )

Monkey . o O ( So, how many dice was that anyway? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Defeat is worse than death? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 10. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Instead of persuading him of the truth of your words, you restore his confidence -- if you're bargaining, you must fear something. He grits his teeth and lunges at you, set to break you in two. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He must have skipped the "mercy" class at his fancy academy. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What is this... "mercy" you speak of? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I'll be really at a loss if I blow the defense roll and get grabbed. )

You rolled 10 dice on clinch attempt and got 7 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on Defense and got 10 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( whew. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... )

Captain Kaizoku thrusts his sword at the deck and turns aside Gull's lunging charge handily, frowning now.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Init? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. )

On 1d10+11, you rolled 14.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 18.

The Storyteller . o O ( You first. )

Monkey . o O ( I'd like to inform you that that kind of botch happens at roughly slightly less than 5 in a million. )

Captain Kaizoku 's face clouds with anger now. "There are many martial qualities to the Dragon Blooded of the Realm, but I did not think abandoning responsiblility and stupidity were among them" he says harshly, spinning his blade point first in a wide circle and lunging forward in the spin, slapping Gull's flanks and head with the flat of his broad blade.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Let's hope that was like an innoculation then... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Three actions. )

Monkey . o O ( Exact number available on request. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a perception + socialize roll, CK )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Per No Soc and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and 2 dice stunt bonus )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on right side and got 5 successes.

Captain Kaizoku rolled 14 dice on Left side and got 6 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( At a guess he wants you to kill him -- that way he doesn't have to live with the shame of surrender, nor will he be susceptible to the eeeevil social wiles of the Blasphemous. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on Head and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Of course, he'd rather kill you... )

The Storyteller . o O ( full dodge )

You rolled 15 dice on dodging and got 10 successes.

You rolled 14 dice on dodging and got 5 successes.

You rolled 13 dice on dodging and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( One hit gets through with 1 success. Soak is 13B )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 3 dice on something and got 1 hit.

Captain Kaizoku drives the flat of his sword on Gull's already wounded left flank. "Is your pride so great that you would sink four ships rather than surrender and live?" he spits.

Monkey . o O ( Aaaah! Don't give him any ideas! )

V'neef Lahor Gull spits back, "Better to die free than live a slave!"

The Storyteller . o O ( roll init )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( They'll sink anyway if we waste time fighting... )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 20.

Monkey . o O ( Luckily, the common men will probably balk from going down with the ships. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, actually, the crews are taking advantage of this lull to do a bit of bailing and pumping. )

Monkey . o O ( Oh, they won't. Only the officers of Scarlet Justicar is here. And fixing and patching a hole does not require an officer. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh, no -- only the captain is on the Corona. The rest of the officers stayed on the SJ. )

Monkey . o O ( See. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Gull's init? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, sorry. )

On 1d10+11, you rolled 19.

The Storyteller . o O ( So close! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( How'd he get faster? Or is that a mystery? )

The Storyteller . o O ( +8 bonus from your botch. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Ow. )

Monkey . o O ( It's alright. Given the rarity of the thing, it'll only happen like, once per session. We can account and compensate for it. :) )

Captain Kaizoku narrows his eyes. "Shall I add foolishness to your 'virtues?' Wake up, man! Slaves are of no use to anyone... fighters are needed to hold back the tide of the dead and the fair folk!" he says, not giving into the misguided Dynast's wishes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( One action... )

Captain Kaizoku ducks down to the deck and spins, swinging the flat of his blade in a gleaming arc right at the lower leg of Gull, putting his all into the effort, frustrated at the thickheadedness of the man.

The Storyteller . o O ( roll Cha + Presence again... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Chanelling Conviction. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Can I ch annel conviction on that? )

Monkey . o O ( You can channel any virtue on anything, provided the justification makes sense. )

Monkey . o O ( Except damage rolls. I think. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain is right and Gull is wrong, and he's sure of it. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hell, hang on a minute. )

The Storyteller . o O ( roll conviction. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 3 dice on Conviction and got no successes but no botches either.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( If this keeps up, it's going to trip the Captain's limit. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Dammit. No limit for you. )

TonyC laughs.

Monkey . o O ( Right, This definitely fits the limit break. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, there's lots of officers who went to the same school. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Anyway, yes, you can channel conviction on either of the rolls -- attack or persuasion. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Persuasion then. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on Conviction Persuasion and got 9 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 13/9 there. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmmm... roll the attack... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Stunt bonus? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, 1 die. sorry. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 17 dice on Sword Leg Sweep and got 13 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Ay! )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 17 and 13, so he'll pass out from the pain and ignore his words... )

The Storyteller . o O ( No dodge -- he's stunned by your eloquence... )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 11 dice on something and got 3 hits.

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, you knock him out. And I'll brb -- nc )

Monkey . o O ( So, what does nc means? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No Coffee? )

Monkey . o O ( Could be cheese. )

Monkey says, "Alrighty then. Marukani, prepare to board. Catch up with me when you can."

Monkey . o O ( Presumably Stormhammer was already closing in towards Scarlet Justicar. )

Captain Kaizoku swept Gull off his feet metaphorically and literally, knocking him towards the fang of marines, who catch him before he goes overboard. The Captain stands, spins his blade three times and returns it to the elaborate clip under his coat. "Call his first mate" he says in a commanding voice, addressing the troops.

The Storyteller . o O ( Back. )

Once close enough, Monkey will jump off Stormhammer and catches Scarlet Justicar's anchorline. He turns around to wave at Stormhammer, urging them to come faster, and climbs up. Once on deck, he nods to the Scarlet Justicar's crew. "I'm going to the Captain's cabin. My men will be aboard shortly to arrange the transfer.

The sergeant nods, and shouts across the water in High Realm to the Scarlet Justicar. He sounds a bit down...

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Monkey's not glowy, is he? )

Monkey . o O ( Nope. Although he has 1 mote left in his personal. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So you look like a mortal. Okay. )

Monkey . o O ( Imp. Bow is cheap in terms of motes. )

Captain Kaizoku asks casually "Tell me Sergeant, what does your education tell you an Anathema will do now?" He waves over the designated medic and points at the fallen Dynast.

Monkey . o O ( Note to self: keep eye open for Heavy Imp. Bow. )

The sergeant says -- nervously -- "Tain't go no education, m'lord..."

Monkey . o O ( Note to self: scratch that. Convince Kaizoku to get ram and some long/very long range physical weapon installed instead. )

Captain Kaizoku lifts an eybrow. "Oh, come now. A man like you has seen and heard more than some officers, I'm sure..." he says reassuringly, standing at the rail and waiting for the first officer to appear.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Cha + Presence not to look like a fearsome demon in human skin... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is that Against All Odds? ^_- )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 11 dice on HPM and got 6 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Not... really... )

The sergeant says, "Well, sir, th' monks say that, that a Blasphemous would get inside a man's head and make him worship false gods..."

Monkey . o O ( Quite apt, actually, )

Captain Kaizoku remarks quietly "If I had the power to twist a man's soul like that, would I have had to beat the captain there half to death? He was brave, but no match for my blade."

Monkey . o O ( So, what's in the Captain's cabin? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Remember Barada's cabin, quite a few sessions back? Similar setup. It looks like it's been quickly ransacked, though. )

Monkey . o O ( The question becomes, "By whom?" )

Monkey . o O ( The question becomes, "By who?" )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( By #1, no doubt. )

The sergeant says, "No sir, I reckon you wouldn't."

Monkey says, "Drats, not fast enough, I think."

Monkey . o O ( Well, what happens first? Captain's calling for First Mate. Monkey's looking for him too. )

Captain Kaizoku says "Think about that, when you have time... for now, I must get these ships to shore safely." He calls out "MONKEY! Find the first mate and assess the condition. We will drop these brave men close to point B!"

Captain Kaizoku raises his voice higher, calling out to all the other ships. "You men, sailors of the Realm! Your ships are forfeit, but your lives are not!"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( there's a PA system charm somewhere, right? )

The Storyteller . o O ( The (checks Savage Seas) kubernetes salutes Monkey, grudgingly, and says (in badly accented Riverspeak), "The ship is yours, sir." )

The Storyteller . o O ( Or you could just get a bullhorn... )

Monkey grabs the first crew member he comes across. "Excuse me. Who's the first mate and where is he?"

Monkey . o O ( Well, I typed that before I saw that. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That won't work over, say, a mile though. )

Monkey answers in Low Realm, "What was that again?"

Monkey . o O ( Monkey doesn't speak Riverspeak. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, it'd probably be a no-prerequisite Performance Charm. And the kubernetes repeats himself in rather better Low Realm. )

Monkey says, "Cabin's looks ransacked. Who did it and why?"

The kubernetes says, "Lord Sabirin went through it and took the log and charts before we parleyed. He's long gone by now, with that sorcery of his."

Monkey says, "I was wondering about that."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He must be good... I thought for sure he'd be out of Essence after two fairly big spells. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Demons, baby, demons. Or elementals. )

The Storyteller . o O ( The swiss army knife of spells. )

Monkey says, "No matter. We'll talk with you and the other ship's officers and we should be able to piece together near enough what his plan is. Not to mention Mister V'neef himself is in our brig."

Monkey says, "So, tell me, the rowers, are they free men, slaves, or criminals?"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( A water elemental could allow for underwater travel quite handily. Oh, and how do the crewmen react to the annoucement that they won't all die? )

The Kubernetes looks peeved. "They're free men, of course! What fool would depend on slaves for rowers?"

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Perception + Performance check, CK, at difficulty 3 )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Per+Per and got 3 successes.

Monkey says, "Why, the rivermen, of course. Beg your pardon for the mistake."

The Storyteller . o O ( You get a general sense of relief, yet trepidation. There are worse things than death, after all. )

Captain Kaizoku has the crushfists stripped off of Gull and put into a bag, which he hands to the Sergeant. "Give those back when we are ashore" he orders, then assesses the state of the other three ships.

The Storyteller . o O ( Moving quickly, then -- I'm expecting someone to show up to work on the apartment tomorrow, so I think I need to knock off around three-ish... )

Monkey says, "We'll have to put all the officers in our ships' brig for the moment, kubernetes. No offense, but we can risk some overzealous hothead convincing the crew to try slipping away in the night. It'll be temporary of course."

Monkey . o O ( that's can't. )

Monkey says, "Hey, you could stay on Stormhammer. We got better grog than Corona."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The general plan is to sail back towards land, dropping all the sailors off at 20 miles from point B with some supplies. He has a wind-carried words sent to the barbarian head, saying a prize awaits them at (point b). The Captain will have the extra crew sail the other triremes there and turn them over. )

Monkey leans and whispers conspiratorially, "Personal stash. Don't mention it to the Corona's crew."

The Storyteller . o O ( All four ships are badly damaged. One of them -- the Crimson Lash -- lost most of the command crew to a lightning ballista hit. They all need to be pumped out and patched, which will take an hour per ship to get them to a safe level of repair. )

Monkey . o O ( Do that while sailing? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Or all at once, it's just an hour and there's plenty of crew. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So, aside from Gull, you're dealing with two other Dragon-Blooded captains, who are guardedly going along with their commander's deal. You can't repair while moving -- they need to be at a stop. )

The Storyteller . o O ( rolling patches... )

You rolled 6 dice on patch SJ and got 2 successes.

You rolled 6 dice on patch CL and got 4 successes.

Monkey . o O ( While we do that, I'll confer with Kaizoku. Question: how long will it take to reach land? )

You rolled 6 dice on patch RL and got 3 successes.

Monkey says, "Captain, a moment, please."

You rolled 6 dice on patch RW and got 3 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain has the other two captains brought over (wouldn't it be three?) one at a time to give them a speech and confuse them. )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Yes Monkey? What is it? What did you find over there?"

The Storyteller . o O ( No. The Burgundy Lotus sank along with all its rowers and marines, most of the sailors, and -- apparently -- its captain. Of course, if he was a water DB, he could just be trekking toward shore along the sea bottom. )

Monkey says, "Not much. Their Captain was smart enough to send his sorcerer away with his charts and logs before he parlayed."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( So two ships have sank then... )

The Storyteller . o O ( No, one. And one captain was killed by a lightning ballista bolt. So that leaves Gull and two others. )

Monkey . o O ( Plenty of time to save most of the men. )

Captain Kaizoku says, "I see... well, taking four ships is a greater prize than their charts... we know what their goal is here..." "

Monkey . o O ( Err, never mind. Now I remember which ship was Burgundy Lotus. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Ah, I forgot about the captain being KIA. )

Monkey says, "That's the very thing I'd like to talk about, Captain. I assume we'll be giving them the standard recruitment speech?"

Captain Kaizoku says, "No, a slightly different one, but I do not expect much to come of it Monkey... their leader resisted common sense much more fiercely than he did my blade. I think that sending them back into the Realm with a new opinion of Solars may do more damage in the long run."

The Storyteller . o O ( Distance to point B: about 20 miles, or half a day's sail with the damaged ships. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Stormhammer will be in the lead, with the Corona trailing, its weapons ready just in case. )

Monkey nods.

You rolled 3 dice on something and got 1 success.

Captain Kaizoku says, "Did you have another question Monkey?"

Monkey says, "If you want them to go back with a good opinion of you, Captain, simply beaching them is not a good idea."

Captain Kaizoku says, "Oh? What would you propose instead Monkey?"

Monkey says, "These people are free men. They have family and friends waiting at home. If you beach them, well, there's several hundreds of them altogether. Chances are, it'll take years before they all get home. Worse, the barbarians aren't exactly amiable to them."

The Storyteller . o O ( Checking map )

Monkey says, "We also lack experienced and trustworthy officers to crew all four triremes anyway. How about we let them have one or two ships, with provisions, so they can go home?"

Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, should've been using northmen instead of barbarians. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make an Int + Sail roll )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Who? )

Monkey rolled 5 dice on Sail + Int and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( either/both )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Sail+ Int and got 5 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( A quick glance at the charts shows that, if you sail straight north to shore from the battleground -- er, water -- you would be about 40 miles east from the town of Scarlet Fortress. )

Monkey . o O ( How many people did we capture anyhow? )

Captain Kaizoku says, "Letting the Northmen have them would be just, Monkey, considering what they came here to do. But they will not be marooned... we have taken only a small part of the fleet here, and Admiral Barada and many tenders are in the region. They will be picked up and returned quite shortly."

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh, gimme a minute. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( About 800. )

Monkey says, "Then tell Barada what happened and where to pick them up. Otherwise he might think we sunk them all and not bother looking."

The Storyteller . o O ( Make that about 600 -- figure 25% casualties. )

Monkey . o O ( Okay, I know that Scarlet Fortress is a Realm satrapy, but Monkey probably doesn't know about the local geopolitics. It'll be up to Kaizoku to tell him that everything's under control. )

Captain Kaizoku smiles just a bit. "Perhaps one of his officers... he'd surely think it was a trap. I suspect one of these captains can carry words on the wind, but if not, they shall have the Realm informed through one of our own."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Beach them a few miles from the Fortress then, and give them a sendoff speech first. )

Monkey says, "Well, Captain. I told you what I thought. But it's up to you. I'll be heading back to Stormhammer now and make sure that, uh, the prisoners are secure."

The Storyteller . o O ( Sounds like a plan. So, let me make sure I've got this straight: The rest of the SWF sails to point B, while the Corona and Stormhammer escort the triremes to a landing point a few miles east of the Fortress. There, the captured Realm sailors and such are released with a sendoff speech pointing out how nice the captain is. Then the triremes, with prize crews, head toward point B. Meanwhile (hopefully), the northmen also head for point B to meet the Captain. Correct? )

Captain Kaizoku says, "You have done well here today Monkey... I know you will grow into a good commander."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, with a Wind-Carried Words sent to the northman's chief to help the process along. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Describing... )

First order of business once Monkey is back on Stormhammer. "Extra ration of rum for everyone! Including our guests! Wait! Sailors on watch are not permitted to drink his rum until he's off-watch! Cook!! Make sure of that!"

Captain Kaizoku addresses the sailors once they are all on the beach. "You men have fought well... but for what?" he asks. "Does the Realm have a strong Emperess to hold back the tides of the dead that are overrunning the scavenger lands? To fight the fair folk as they try to eat at Creation again? You have been told the Realm is the last, best hope for civilization... do the Great Houses fighting and growing fat advance that? Did an Ananthema twist your souls and kill you all? Think of what you have seen this day... speak of it... and if you do not like your conclusions, ACT on it!"

By the time the Corona sights shore, the sun is dipping toward the horizon. A steady wind has helped the fleet reach land, and now the prize ships nose into a sheltered cove. A fishing village lines the edges of the pebbly beach, and the inhabitants come out to gawk at the spectacle. The triremes beach in orderly fashion and the Realm sailors disembark, carrying their personal possessions. They stand in a mob behind their ships, watching as Captain Kaizoku's prize crews prepare to push off.

Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, did Kaizoku informs Monkey about releasing the prisoners near Scarlet Fortress? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Since he's in the lead ship, yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Charisma + Performance check, difficulty 2. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Spending a WP )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Cha+Per and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( Willpower was for auto-success, right? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, yes. )

Monkey informed the guests about the plan on releasing them near a Realm satrapy. Afterward, more drinking and gambling and dancing. The Stormhammer's guests are probably the only ones who'll be beaching out with a hangover.

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, make a Charisma + Socialize check, diff 3 )

Monkey . o O ( Correction: beaching out drunk. And spending WP for auto-success. )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Charisma and got no successes but no botches either.

Monkey . o O ( Failed. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, well. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Realm is more advanced in partying techniques. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm assuming that most of the officers were on Stormhammer. As members of the patrician class, they're more hostile, so higher difficulty number. )

Monkey . o O ( Ha! But Monkey knows songs and jigs they don't. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm, do they catch on that he's a Solar? )

Monkey . o O ( Only if they asked, or one of the crew let it slip. )

Captain Kaizoku makes sure to give Gull a respectful salute as he sails away.

The Captain's speech gets a lukewarm reception. After all, aren't the Blasphemous _supposed_ to be silver-tongued and black-hearted? Still, a seed is planted in a few hearts, and perhaps it will bear fruit in time. As the fleet heads back out to sea, the Realm seamen straggle inland. The villagers simply look on, and hide their sons and daughters. Gull stands looking out to sea, and returns the Captain's salute.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, Gull will be confused about his teachings, at least, since he can surely tell the Captain could have cut him to bits of he wanted to. )

Monkey . o O ( We got half an hour. Do we call it a night or do we move on to the northmen? )

Captain Kaizoku is satisfied with that, for the moment, and makes best possible time to the meeting spot, having the Stormhammer run a perimiter around the expanded floatilla.

The Storyteller . o O ( Well. I think we'll save the northmen for next week. However, we can figure out some other stuff now... like what you're going to do with four -- make that five -- damaged triremes. Which of the Captain's thousand plans comes out now? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Northmen were terribly out-shipped in fighting the Realm fleet... that is about to change. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He's going to make them an offer for a better base, territiory they can carve out for their own, rich land close to the Realm for raiding... just one little problem, but hardly a problem for stout fighter like they are. )

Monkey . o O ( But do they want to? I mean, the northmen could have a set-up similar to Viking raiding parties as opposed to Mediterranean war triremes. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Bull of the North is crowding out the honest Northmen, I hear. )

The Storyteller . o O ( speaking of the Bull, did you guys see the note on him on my wiki UserPage? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Besides, a trireme is a great viking longboat... if you just sail it, it's fast and has lots of room for booty. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That he's a Lunar? Yes. )

Monkey . o O ( Yes. I'm assuming that you are going to gloss over him until and unless we specifically request to encounter him. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Good. And yeah, pretty much. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( So the Captain will set up an alliance with these people, calling on them when he needs extra might and providing them with the benefits of a Solar patron in return. )

Monkey . o O ( I'm so tempted to find GURPS: Low Tech and do a comparison of triremes to longships. )

Monkey . o O ( Well, how many triremes are you giving? And are you giving them the cannons and firedust? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmm. (Gets Low Tech and Vikings off the shelf) )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Three of the ships and one of the cannons should set them up well enough to start with, and help cover our expenses. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Cannons? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Flame projectors. )

Monkey . o O ( Okay, from what I know, northmen aren't very organized. A chief could command, say, 200 men. Good for a trireme. So basically you'll need to make multiple small alliances. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Too bad we won't be able to use a trojan horse to seize a trireme tender, since word already got out that so many ships were taken. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And this seems to be a new alliance of Northmen, and desperate, from the sails on their ships, and condition of same. )

Monkey . o O ( On the other hand, there are a few bigger towns which might be organized enough. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( We'll have to get the story from the refugees to make more plans. And likely a trip back to Lookshy soon after, to take advantage of their shipyards. )

Monkey . o O ( Viking chiefs band together in times of war, or for a really large raids. But it's more like a gathering of equals. Of course, later on real kings do emerge. )

The Storyteller . o O ( re: trireme vs. longship. Trireme is a bit bigger, longship is better for long voyages. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And the grander plan was to move all the tribes down south near the dead-infested lands, to give Mask of Winters a distraction. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, now I remember. Two things: Heliograph signalling and weapon mounts. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( What about them? )

The Storyteller . o O ( first, on the heliograph signal system. I'm gonna say that the ex-Lookshy guys help CK develop a new signalling system -- they're unwilling to share Lookshy's system, since that would be disloyal -- but unless you take a linguistics specialty or language in it, you have to look the signals up in a quick reference book and transmit/receive rather slowly. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Then a few crewmen from each ship will begin to be trained in the new language every night, and a signal specialty will be established. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sounds good. As regards the weapon mounts -- I think you've overarmed the triremes, from a plausibility point of view. I'm going to work up a system for figuring out what you can equip a ship with, but for the moment, figure a trireme has space for one rotating mount (on the stern) and two fixed mounts (on the bow). Any more gets in the way of sailing the ship. )

The Storyteller . o O ( As it is, currently you have each trireme equipped with four rotating weapons, with crews of 4, 2, 2, and 1. )

Monkey . o O ( Note to self: ditch the trireme and get an AEGIS cruiser. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK. I wasn't even sure the Lightning Ballistae could be put on the Triremes, since it's a weapon the Tenders carry. )

The Storyteller . o O ( SS has 'em usually equipped with a single rotating mount (ballista or light powerbow) and two fixed mounts (fire projectors). )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Have to send a message to Suda about leads on the other two parts of the map to the shipyard. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I figure the lightning ballista is the size of a heavy ballista or light catapult. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, Lightning Ballista, Lt. Implosion bow and... well, the Sailcaster's the only thing that could fit in the slot, right? )

The Storyteller . o O ( figure a sailcutter is a bit larger than a heavy ballista. It's also listed on a standard trireme for the stern mount. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, and we have flame projectors to work into the scheme too. Well, doesn't have to be laid out now. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm going by crew size, actually... rough, but it'll do for now. I'll try to post it on the page soonish. )

Monkey . o O ( Does The Realm have any 1st age ships? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. One of them is Barada's flagship. )

Monkey . o O ( Well, that settles it. We find Barada, and we thank him for keeping the ship safe and operational for us. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( We'll need to eat away at his fleet a bit more to get close enough. )

Monkey . o O ( Nah. We just need to get on-board and smack anybody who doesn't listen to us. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Though the Captain doesn't recall the secret of such ships yet. When he does, then it'd be cake. )

Monkey . o O ( There's a secret? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That the power drive works when a Solar sits in the command seat. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( He didn't recall it when in Lookshy's first age ship. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, and the Captain is planning on building a pocket submarine too. )

Monkey . o O ( So we sail it the old-fashioned way, the way The Realm does it. )

Monkey . o O ( )

Monkey . o O ( So, next week, we meet the Northmen? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. And you each get 4 XP for this session. )

Monkey . o O ( I need more downtime. Can't spend the XP otherwise. <sigh> )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( As I said, a trip back to Lookshy after the Northmen meeting, for repair and refitting, so that should allow for some time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. Any questions or suggestions? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain needs to find Summon Elemental in some bookstore then... )

Monkey . o O ( Oh, that's easy. We'll just visit The Realm. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Without rolling, the Lighting Ballista will sink triremes instantly and bounce off first age hulls. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Say, that's right... we haven't messed with the cube lately. )

Monkey . o O ( Okay, I'll be heading out then. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And while I'm thinking about it... )

Monkey . o O ( Yes? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Any suggestions or desires for long-term stuff, like the direction of the campaign? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain wants to start getting better press for Solars, and undercut that tenet of Realm life, to help destablize it. He would hope to find more Solar allies for taking over the Realm too. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And cause and direct internal friction, pitting house vs. house. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, like that's hard... )

Monkey . o O ( I have several dates to keep. There's Ambassador, Still Moon, that DB sorceress. Also, Walker probably wants to have a chat with me, and I need to kick Mask's butt for scaring me that time he showed up. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And perhaps find a house to ally openly with, which will really mess things up for them. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hmm. I'd better take notes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, that's a wrap for tonight, then. Same time next week? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And hopefully we'll hear something from the Mistress of Raitons about what went down with her man betraying her. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yep! )

Monkey . o O ( Well, I should be on time next week. Can't guarantee it though. )

The Storyteller . o O ( See you all later. )

• On to Session 22