Difference between revisions of "JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession25"

Revision as of 09:03, 3 April 2010

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You say, "Gotcha."

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( A quick question... how much of Ash Rose Island was a shadowland? The horbor itself? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Harbor, even. )

The Storyteller . o O ( All of it. It's not a very big island. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And what's the process like for de-shadowing a Shadowland? Long and hard, even for Solar mages? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Gimme a minute to check. )

TonyC [to jetman]: The quickest canonical way is the Solar Circle spell Benediction of Archgenesis. One day and one night.

The Storyteller . o O ( Quick, he says. )

jetman [to TonyC]: Well, getting that level of sorcery is going to take a lot more than a day...

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It struck me that the place would make a good naval base for the Solar fleet, once the dead were cleared out of it... good location, nice harbor, couple of manses... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And taking it sticks a fork in the eye of the Mask of Winters. )

TonyC [to jetman]: A less sorcerous ways involves salting the boundaries, and then making large-scale public works to bring life near the border. Bit by bit, the shadowland will be pushed back. This method takes years, minimum.

The Storyteller . o O ( It's slow. "By mingling the soil on the borders of the shadowland with that from fertile places, by holding festivals celebratory of life on teh bordermarches, and by replacing local vegetation with wholesome growth, the living can nibble at the edges of a shadowland. This normally causes the shadowland to recede slowly, about 10 yards per year. However, these efforts can push it back as far as a mile per year if the mortals are massifely industrious or if sorcerers employ demons or elementals to do huge works." )

TonyC [to jetman]: Salting the boundaries actually isn't necessary, but it's a cheap way to ensure that hungry ghosts don't eat your workers.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, the slow way's no good, as the previous occupants will take offense and strike back for sure. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm going to get my coffee. While I'm doing that, take a quick look at the fleet page. You've assigned the lightning ballistae and the Essence cannons, but not fire projectors or implosion bows. You also need to figure out which crews are Blooded, and which are Veteran. )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: So, when will the T-Rex warstrider, Thunder Lizard King, make an appearance?

Monkey . o O ( Have you decided which fleet you are going to target? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Ragaran trade )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK, an Implosion bow and Fire Projector on the Nimbus... can the biremes mount weapons? It wasn't mentioned in the writeup, so I thought not. )

Monkey . o O ( More specific, please. Carrying what? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Tribute from the northern lands going to the Realm. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( All the biremes have full Veteran crews, as does the Stormhammer... that's 38 )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The rest are split up among the rest of the ships... 3 each. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh and that includes 10 vets on the Corona's full crew. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and if you hadn't noticed already: /PirateMonkeyTimeline has, in italics at the bottom, the shipping schedule that Nellens Mirar gave you. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Ah, I had not )

Monkey . o O ( David, that's what I was referring to in my question. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I see. I was expecting the Realm to extort better tribute. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( First things first, and the first on the list, since the grain and fruit can be eaten. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, the thing is... you can only extort what somebody's _got_. Can't squeeze blood from a stone. On the other hand, canny satraps aren't going to make it widely known, even among close allies, which ship is carrying the king's ransom in jewels -- which could easily fit in a small pouch in the captain's chest. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( True, true. )

Monkey . o O ( And if a gem or two goes missing, who will know? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hence, trusted captains... and shipboard spies. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The inspector with Gem-Touch Detecting as a charm... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Though, to be honest... really valuable, small stuff like that is probably sent over in a yacht crewed with House Dragon-Blooded, demons / elementals, or a sorcerer with Stormwind Rider. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( WHere's Scarlet Fortress on the Creation map in relation to Cherak? Can the first two fleets be hit? )

Monkey . o O ( I'm sorry, but an Exalt as a dock inspector? Surely he must have committed a terrible sin for Heaven and Earth to punish him so. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The power to cut off the hands of greedy captains must be some small compensation... )

Apollonian [to jetman]: From Scarlet Fortress to Cherak is a sailing distance of 290 miles.

Monkey . o O ( Speaking from experience, eh, Kaizoku? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Aheh. )

Apollonian [to jetman]: Depending on how far from the Cherak coast you go, you'll be on the main shipping route for either to the Blessed Isle. I think it's on the Creation map I've put up...

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Where is that? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Ah, there. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Whoops... my computer doesn't like that format. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oops. I forgot. The jpg version is huge. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( First thing... the Captain will ask the Northmen if they're up for some naval raids as troops.. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Go to http://www.profantasy.com/library/dpv.asp to download the viewer for CC2 maps. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No dice. No Mac version. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And... Are you still at the rendesvous point, point B? I'm assuming we're going to pick up right after your meeting with Nellens Mirar. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. )

Monkey says, "Kamsa! Captain Kaizoku is going raiding! He offers you the chance to participate as fighting sailors. Tell your brothers and sisters the news. Talk to any of Solar Wind Fleet's ship officers to join."

The sun is still low in the Eastern sky as Captain Kaizoku talks to the captains of the Rahkamo Clan. Around the breakfast fire, still chewing on bread and venison, you parley.

Monkey . o O ( Ponders striking out for White Pine and see if the other groups managed to get their little empire going. )

Captain Kaizoku lays out his propositon to the Kamsa family heads as such: "Your people are fine warriors and mine are fine sailors... the new ships I have acquired are perfect for raiding slow ships laden with plunder from this land headed for the bloated Realm... My ships will carry your warriors to them, where they can fight and take plunder!"

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm not sure what's going to happen next over there. Based on current personalities and conditions: They set up an expansionist, fascist state that implodes when everyone limit breaks more-or-less simultaneously. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Captain, make a Charisma + Performance roll, +1 stunt die. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Cha+Perf and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Since there's now 6 Solars involved -- four of whom have Conviction Virtue Flaws -- it'll be pretty spectacular... )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( At least there were no fumbles. )

Monkey . o O ( They need to learn from real world history. To keep the state going, they need an outside threat. Or two. Or lots. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Where is all this detailed, BTW? )

TonyC [to jetman]: Oh, we're talking about Jesse's RL group.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, they've _got_ that. Sort of. The problem... the problem is -- well, you know how you guys are doing? Okay, now imagine if there were three times as many of you. I think their next step is going to be knocking over Greyfalls. Hell, last session they managed to burn half of it down _in passing_... )

jetman [to TonyC]: Ahhh! I thought it was a story element from White Wolf.

The Storyteller . o O ( 'course, a few sessions back, they killed the Dowager's only Deathknight, so she might come visit. )

The Storyteller . o O ( But back to _our_ heroes! )

It takes a day for the Rahkamo Clan to finally decide, but by evening, the clan has agreed to come along with the Captain on at least the first raid.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Say... maybe if we take out a couple more of the Mask's Deathknights, he might turn his attention to where he thinks the Captain is... )

The Storyteller . o O ( So far, you've killed... three? )

Captain Kaizoku smiles and welcomes the Kamsa to his efforts, and has Snarling Wolf introduce them to the biremes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( His naval person, his sorcerer... the airship captain was from someone else. )

Monkey . o O ( No, I think two. The other one was wounded but managed to escape. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And his general had his face rather messed up. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hrm. Snarling Wolf tries valiantly to teach his bireme how to shake hands, but fails. )

The Storyteller . o O ( David, have you updated the ships on the wiki? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Did Snarling Wolf have a terrible accident? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No, I'll take care of that right now )

Monkey . o O ( Anything elsee that needs to bee taken care of? )

Monkey . o O ( Darn stuck e key. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I don't think so. So. Sailing the ocean blue! Captain, where do you want to intercept the first target convoy? (Distance in miles from Cherak.) Second, how are you composing the fleet for sailing? Are you going to spread them out squadrons in a search pattern, or cluster them and rely on superior speed to catch up to the convoy if they're at a distance? )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: I'm telling you, after they take out the Immaculate Wyld Hunt and gobble up Greyfalls, what you should do is fast-forward a year and then spring Kaizoku and Monkey on them as competitors.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 50 or so miles out should to and, and superior speed will be the key, since all our ships are faster than theirs, along with the Captain figuring their best course. )

Apollonian [to TonyC]: Hoping they don't read this: I'm thinking that the Greyfalls thing will be harder than it looks, since the satrap will be a) A total hardass, and b) backed up by a Sidereal advisor who's taking the circle _very_ seriously. Like, Citrine Poxes of Creation seriously.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK, fleet page updated. )

Apollonian [to jetman]: 50 miles is just barely out of sight of Cherak, and only half a day's travel from the port. Are you sure you want to strike that close?

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm, closer than I thought. 100 ish then. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. That point is about 3 1/2 days' travel from where you are now. How long are you going to loiter on the trade route? )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( 2-3 days. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So you're leaving immediately. Let's roll. )

Monkey rolled 14 on 2d10

The Storyteller . o O ( Do you want to describe the fleet launching? The Rahkamo ships are accompanying you, crewed by the non-combatants. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No time like the present! I'm presuming the non-combatant Rahkamo stay with their own ships and the Red Lady. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( D'oh. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Nope. What if you don't come back? Worse, what if they're ambushed with no warriors? )

Captain Kaizoku stands on the prow of the Sun as dawn breaks behind him. "We now set out on a new venture! This is no longer a pirate fleet... you are part of something grander now!" he declares. "Long ago, the Navy of the Solar Deliberative fought injustice and evil on the seas... I commanded a fleet in that navy! This navy before me is as brave and true as any of the First Age! So I declare you are all now in the reborn Solar Navy! I am proud to lead you as your Admiral!"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Point. )

The Storyteller . o O ( I think that calls for a Performance roll... )

Monkey . o O ( I suggest spending WP. )

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And so I shall. 1 WP for Conviction... Per + Cha? )

The Storyteller . o O ( yes. )

Captain Kaizoku rolled 10 dice on Per+Cha+Conv and got 8 successes.

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yow! )

Monkey cheers, "Ei Ei Oh!"

The Storyteller . o O ( Nice! )

The gathered sailors and barbarians cheer, caught up in the captain's vision of a new age dawning.

Monkey . o O ( Change of name? )

Captain Kaizoku spreads his arms wide, glowing from his caste mark. "Now, to your ships!"

The Storyteller . o O ( keep describing it... )

Captain Kaizoku glows with the power of the Sun on the prow of the Sun, drawing his blade and pointing it to the sea. "The snakes who suck the blood of the lands around them await us! They are unable to stop the just light of the Sun from exposing them, and we will take their ill-had gains! For justice and for the future!"

Captain Kaizoku . o O ( How do you rename? )

Monkey . o O ( @localname me as x )

jetman has made jetman's local name Admiral Kaizoku

Monkey . o O ( @ln as x works too. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or if it was Commodore, he wouldn't have to change his monogrammed towels, but that's only a temporary rank. )

Monkey . o O ( Your monogram is TK, not CK. )

MonkeyP

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He really loves his job! :) )

Monkey . o O ( Getting some drink. BRB. )

On 1d100, you rolled 82.

On 1d100, you rolled 54.

On 1d100, you rolled 52.

On 1d100, you rolled 22.

On 1d100, you rolled 63.

On 1d100, you rolled 52.

On 1d100, you rolled 87.

Monkey . o O ( So, you handle the escort, while Monkey captures the cargoships? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... what needs D100s/ in Exalted? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Exactly. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The plan from there is to empty them completely and send them on to their destination... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Kaizoku, roll Intelligence + Sail three times, once for each day. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Salty Dog or Piracy spec involved in that? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Remind me what revised Salty Dog does. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Skill booster, +3 dice. )

Monkey . o O ( Salty Dog is scene long. I don't think you can use it to represent a whole day work. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Just piracy then? )

Monkey . o O ( I'm wrong. Salty Dog is day-long. )

Monkey . o O ( Spend the motes, I suppose. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Not even that, actually... this is a nav roll to get from point B to the shipping lanes. I'll say that Salty Dog does apply, though. In terms of scenes, this is a montage scene, with long swooping shots of the Unconquered Sun and the fleet, men in the rigging, etc. )

Monkey . o O ( Note that the version I'm reading is the official one, not revised. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on navigation and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on navigation day 2 and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on navigation day 3 and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And the new Salty Dog is Essence in auto-successes, duration 1 scene, not +3 dice. )

After sailing for three days, the fleet takes up station some ten miles away from the main shipping lane between Cherak and the Blessed Isle. By Kaizoku's calculations, the target convoy should pass through this area on the night of the 6th. It is currently afternoon of the 4th of Descending Wood.

Admiral Kaizoku has the biremes and Stormhammer practice formation movement, and consults with Saji and Hydros about the possiblity they may need to shoot down flying demons.

Monkey does his usual routine. Sleep, drink, scratch self, eat, stand watch. Repeat.

The Storyteller . o O ( You're in deep water, so you can't drop anchor. Therefore... Make another Int + Sail roll for station keeping. )

Admiral Kaizoku 's drill includes Monkey having to act in a commanding way.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on int+Sail and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( I'll bet Master Jaff has a blast with _that_. )

Monkey . o O ( Master Jaff has a better Performance ability than me. )

Monkey . o O ( In fact, you should see his Kaizoku impersonation. Uncanny. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Do you have a ship out as a scout? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, the Majestic Voyager, which is nicely bland. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Got it. )

You rolled 4 dice on something and got 3 successes.

Monkey . o O ( People follows Monkey because he's so lovable. In a sense, that's a way of commanding too. :) )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, but that's "We love to follow him and see what scrape he gets into next!" )

It's almost dusk on the 6th when the Majestic Voyager signals the Unconquered Sun through heliograph: 3 sails sighted -- large merchanters, bound southwest.

Admiral Kaizoku signals "Pursuit course" to the fleet... The Sun, Nimbus and Corona will englobe the ships at a distance while the Stormhammer and biremes close to capture.

Monkey . o O ( Hmmmm. When ships can't drop anchor, they keep track of each other by lighting lamps. If we do the same, they'll notice us. If not, we risk getting separated or crashing into each other. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The Nimbus in front, the Sun in the middle and the Corona at the back. )

Monkey . o O ( How long before the sun disappears under the horizon and how far away is those three ships (50 miles?) )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Given speed 4 on the fleet. )

The Storyteller . o O ( You're directly south of the three ships, with the Voyager between the fleet and the prey. Distance is 40 miles, sun set is in half an hour (though there will be twilight for another half hour after that). The moon is waxing gibbous and there are no clouds, so it will be a fairly bright night. )

You rolled 4 dice on something and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and how is the fleet emblazoned? Banners, sigils on the sails, what? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain's flag (cobalt field with golden disk) will be run up for action, but that it so far... hasn't been time to customize the new ships. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Got it. So they don't know who's attacking them yet. )

Monkey . o O ( My assessment: without magic, there's no way we can catch up to them before dark. After dark, the risk of losing track of them is big. Even more if they chose to scatter. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( They'll figure it out... The Captain will light his banner up to signal the start of the attack. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Can we catch them with just oar power Jesse? )

The Storyteller . o O ( What'd I miss? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ooops. What did you last see? )

The Storyteller . o O ( You asked if you could catch them with oars. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We're wondering if the fleet can even catch up to the merchants. )

Monkey . o O ( Suggestion: ignore them and hope they'll ignore you. Make your best guess on where they'll be in the morning, head there, and resume chase at daybreak. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And that was all you missed. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, that's good. Well, they've spotted you, and are veering a bit further west in their course. )

Admiral Kaizoku calls out "Maximum speed!"

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Perception + Sail roll to determine the weather. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+sail and got 6 successes.

On 1d100, you rolled 76.

On 1d100, you rolled 77.

On 1d100, you rolled 90.

On 1d100, you rolled 12.

On 1d100, you rolled 82.

On 1d100, you rolled 73.

On 1d100, you rolled 49.

On 1d100, you rolled 64.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( This many good rolls means that some horrific fumble is coming at the worst time. )

On 1d100, you rolled 25.

On 1d100, you rolled 48.

On 1d100, you rolled 78.

On 1d100, you rolled 50.

The Storyteller . o O ( The next few days are probably going to be good weather, excepting that there's a chance of storm in a day or two. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Press on now, while it's clear and bright at night, and they have no time to prepare. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Also, wind is from the southeast, so you have the wind gauge on them. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Gentle breeze in strength. )

The Storyteller . o O ( We'll begin the battle, then. For this first bit, I'm compressing things a _lot_. Each roll is 10 minutes of sailing time. Roll Wits + Sail for the flagship of each group -- that's what we'll use instead of rolling individually. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Are you having the galleys row, or conserving the rowers strength till the climax? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Piracy for this? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes. )

Monkey . o O ( Consider using Calling the Wind's Kiss. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Pool for the Unconquered Sun is... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 9 )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And if it gets close, I will use the spell... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, duh... I forgot it can be used offensively. That'd save some Essence. Is one ship clearly the leader? )

The Storyteller . o O ( dammit... can't find the ref for speed. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah! )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and no obvious leader. )

The Storyteller . o O ( The Unconquered Sun's squadron rolls at -2 dice due to the U.S.' speed + maneuverability. )

The Storyteller . o O ( The Stormhammer's squadron rolls at +1 dice, likewise. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Activating Salty Dog. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make that +3 dice -- all the Stormhammer's sailors are Veteran. )

Monkey . o O ( Are we using Kerrigan or Monkey for Stormhammer's pool? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Who's the squadron's flagship commander? )

Monkey rolled 9 dice on (Monkey) and got 7 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( the Admiral. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No -- you've split it into two squadrons, right? The triremes and the tender are one, the biremes and Stormhammer are another... I thought... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, right. Snarling Wolf, then. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( This is why Monkey needs command training! He's got his own fleet already! )

The Storyteller . o O ( So... Kaizoku rolls Wits + Sail - 1 for the escort squadron, Snarling Wolf rolls 6 dice for the capture squadron. )

Monkey . o O ( Well, make the rolls. )

The Storyteller . o O ( and the victims all roll 2 dice to get away... )

You rolled 2 dice on Gaojing Sail and got 1 success.

You rolled 2 dice on Silver Cloud Sail and got no successes but no botches either.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Escort Sail and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( and three on top of that. )

You rolled 2 dice on Yongji Sail and got no successes but no botches either.

You rolled 6 dice on Capture Sail and got 3 successes.

The chase is on! With the wind to stern, the Solar Wind Fleet slowly closes the distance to the three Ragaran merchanters, fat cows pursued by lean and hungry wolves. By sunset, the escort fleet is a mere ten miles from the prey, with the capture fleet lagging a few miles behind.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll again, at +1 die for having the wind at your backs. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Escort Sail and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ack. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Escort Sail and got 4 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Sorry, and then the three autos on top of that. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll the capture fleet's? )

You rolled 2 dice on Ragaran sail and got no successes but no botches either.

You rolled 7 dice on Capture Sail and got 2 successes.

By the time the last beam of the sun has vanished under the Western horizon, the Unconquered Sun and her triremes are sailing alongside the Ragaran merchants, the triremes now rowing to the piping of their keleustes' flutes. (Distance is Long range, about 500 yards) The Stormhammer and the biremes are about two miles behind.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... this is a bit of a wrench in the plan. )

Admiral Kaizoku sends a signal to the Corona to fire a Lightning shot across the lead ship's bow.

Monkey . o O ( Just tell them to surrender, or else. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Good though! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( thought! )

The Storyteller . o O ( Describe it. )

The clear twilight sky is split by a crack of thunder as the Dragon-Blooded gunner fires a bolt of lightning from the First Age weapon. Water flies high in the sky, glowing from the charge of power forced into it. As the din fades the Admiral calls out with a megaphone "Heave to and surrender your cargo!"

The Storyteller . o O ( Riverspeak? Not that it matters... What else would you be saying after a shot across the bow? Heh. )

As the afterimages of the lightnigh bolt fade from your vision, you see panicked activity on all three merchant ships. Sails are reefed and they heave to with remarkable alacrity...

The Storyteller . o O ( brb )

Monkey . o O ( It's probably safe to describe both fleet closing in. )

Admiral Kaizoku has his heavy warships englobe the merchant floatilla, the Corona guarding the rear with its Lighting Ballistae. The support ships are kept close to the Sun until after the biremes have boarded and secured the merchants... when the situation is secure, the Admiral will shuttle over to the lead vessel.

Monkey . o O ( Assuming this goes without a hitch, what's next? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The next fleet in the next week. )

Monkey . o O ( Has there been any communication with the other Solar? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry about that. Back. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We left the day after we got back from the meeting, so no. )

The Storyteller . o O ( The boarding operations go quite smoothly. The Ragaran captains have no desire to test the Admiral's patience, not with a panoply of First Age weapons pointed at them. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Which now raises the question: What are you going to do with them? )

Admiral Kaizoku calls the Ragaran captains together (after personally searching each of their quarters. "Tell me..." he addresses them. "What do you think a fearsome Solar Anathema will do to you now that he has you at his mercy?" he asks them casually.

You rolled 2 dice on Ragaran Captain Valor and got no successes but no botches either.

It's hard to tell through the chattering teeth, but the answer seems to be along the lines of, "Turn our souls into pretty baubles for his houris.

Monkey . o O ( That's an idea. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Do we even have any houris? )

Monkey . o O ( Not yet. Let's look for one. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Not... really... Most of the candidates are the sort of women who just wouldn't take that kind of job. )

The Storyteller . o O ( But what I was thinking was: The fleet has just captured three Large Merchant Ships full of cargo. How are you going to move the cargo? )

Admiral Kaizoku taps his boot lightly on the deck. "A good answer, but wrong... are you my enemies?" He waits for the shaking of heads and stammered denials. "Then I am not your enemy, and I do not make war on innocents. Your cargos are mine, but your provsions are left intact... continue on to your destination. Do not..." his eyes darken "return to where you just left though."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( We have a Large Merchant and 9 Coastal Traders that are largely empty. Simple. )

Monkey . o O ( What are the cargo? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Fortuitous Venture is a Blue-Water merchant, next size down. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Cargo is grain -- barley, wheat, and bulgur -- and dried fruit, mostly apples. Lots of apples. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Also, some assorted packages that are, basically, mail. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, I read "large" metaphorically. Well, we still have 10 empty cargo ships, plus all the troop space on the Sun that's empty. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Nothing interesting there beyond the sort of things you'd see people sending back home. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Then the mail gets left behind. )

Monkey casually pokes around each ship's captain's cabin.

Monkey . o O ( "Nothing of interest" is a perfectly valid answer. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Pretty much. )

Monkey . o O ( Let's skip forward. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Kaizoku: Figure about 300,000 cf of cargo on the three ships. (Gross estimate.) You have around 32000 cf of cargo space free on your ships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hey, are the captains greatful for being spared their lives? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hellaciously grateful. Still scared as all get-out, of course. )

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Spread this tale to other captains... "

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, hmm... half the space for wheat, half for apples and the rest into the sea. )

Monkey . o O ( You're wasting food! Didn't Kaizoku's mom teach him better than that? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( She had a much bigger pantry. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Suggestion: It'll take about a day to load up your ships properly -- and some Sail rolls -- so after you do that, just leave an escort to make sure the Ragarans dump the rest of their cargo, which will probably take another day. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What you really need to do is get enough sailors for prize crews, of course. )

Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku specifically wants to let them go. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes... empty merchants arriving will make a bigger splash than no merchants at all. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, I see! )

Monkey . o O ( Let's wrap this scene up, please. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Not that we don't need more crews, but it's military ships that will be taken as prizes... they can be sold or traded for merchant ships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I've done what I wanted... )

Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku wants to move on to the next tribute fleet. Unless you have a surprise, can we just sum it up in a paragraph? Because this is using up a lot of time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( So, we wrap up this raid. It's evening of the 7th of Descending Wood as the Ragaran ships sail on to the Blessed Isle, their wakes strewn with bobbing barrels and scattered grain and their holds all but empty. )

Admiral Kaizoku signals "Good work all around" to the fleet and sets course for the next shipment on the list.

The Storyteller . o O ( You have 4 days before they set out from Scarlet Fortress. It will take you three days to sail to Scarlet Fortress itself. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Where are you going to wait for them? And are you going to clear room for their cargo somehow? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( A little further out... 150 miles, since there's still some navy left in the Fortress. And there will be plenty of wheat and apple cooking on those three-four days, instead of sea biscuit. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. More stuff going into the sea. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The wine looks to be the best cargo for resale. )

The next few days pass pleasantly enough, save for a storm that rages the night of the 8th.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Wits + Sail to weather the storm. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Sail and got 7 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( ... a skipper brave and true. )

Under the Admiral's guidance, the fleet manages to hold station well, even when battered by the vicious north wind. When the four ships from Scarlet Fortress appear on the horizon, the fleet is prepared and springs into action like a well-oiled machine.

TonyC has reconnected.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Wits + Sail. Piracy adds. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Same drill as before. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Well, at least it's not just me. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 9 dice on Piracy! and got 4 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Making tea. BRB. )

Surprised, the V'neef ships -- one large merchant and three blue-water -- attempt to turn tail for Scarlet Fortress, but are cut off by the Stormhammer and the Nimbus. Once again, the Admiral treads the decks of the Dynasty's lifeline and casually severs it (to mix metaphors with wild abandon).

The Storyteller . o O ( How do you dispose of them? )

Admiral Kaizoku searches the captain's cabins for top-level booty and then summons them all before him again. "Now... what do you expect that the terror of the First Age will do to you?" he asks casually.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( What's the proportion on the cargoes? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Mostly wine, about three tons of good-quality granite, and a couple tons of wheat. )

You rolled 2 dice on Merchant valor and got 2 successes.

Monkey . o O ( May I suggest keeping the granite for Ash Rose Island? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmmm... that could work. )

TonyC wanders off to the kitchen again for habanero salsa and chips.

This batch of merchants is a bit braver than the last crew. They tell you that, you'd feed them lies to topple the Realm. Or sacrifice them to dark gods. That kind of thing.

The Storyteller . o O ( You have about two tons of space free on your ships right now. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Take all the wine, clearing out apples before wheat, and the granite. The rest goes down. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Some of the currently stowed apples and wheat will go over too, to make room for wine and stone. )

Admiral Kaizoku clearly makes a mental note of those. "Well, you are wrong... as you are not my enemies, I will not make war on you. But the Solar Navy cannot permit the trafficking of goods looted by your nation. Your provions have been left intact... return to the Realm... you may not return to the Fortress at this time."

The Storyteller . o O ( _All_ the wine? Okay. It will take up all the space on the Unconquered Sun and the Venture, plus two of the Rahkamo ships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The wine is (ahem) a liquid asset. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Groan. )

Monkey . o O ( back. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( You might even say it'd be easier to liquidate. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Having taken care of this convoy, what next? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Is it possible to get to Port Cailin and intercept the big, escorted fleet that leaves on the 17th? )

The Storyteller . o O ( It's the 13th of Descending Wood. You mean, get to Port Calin and then sail back? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 1200 mile round trip. No. The trip would take you ten days. If the captain wants to use that wind spell, the ship he's on could do it in 5 days, not counting harbor time. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The Captain can use that spell on two ships per day, continuously... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Suggestion: You could try to find an isolated place to cache goods on the Cherak coast. Alternately, you could head to Onde Cliffs, which is a five-day round trip for the fleet, not counting harbor time. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So, all the wine and granite will be placed between the Sun and the Venture and a mid-sea meeting place made. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ahhh. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I need better charts. Is Onde Cliffs a friendly or at least neutral port? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Neutral. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Which means they like money. Go to there to sell and store. )

The Storyteller . o O ( It's also one place where Nellens Mirar said you could leave messages for her. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Even better. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Right, make an Intelligence + Sail roll. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Int+Sail and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( So, 4 successes including Salty Dog? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yep )

Monkey . o O ( Port Cailin would be Lookshy? )

The Storyteller . o O ( That gets you there a bit faster: The fleet arrives in Onde Cliffs on the 15th of Descending Wood. Your arrival makes quite a stir, and a gaggle of officials and merchants meets the Admiral at the dock. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Port Calin would actually be on that peninsula that's north of Lookshy. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What do you want to do in town? )

Monkey says, "Land! Fruits that aren't apples!"

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Sell the wine & grain and warehouse the granite. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Int + Bureaucracy roll to get stuff done, difficulty 2. )

Monkey says, "Captain, we can probably hire someone to ship the granite."

Admiral Kaizoku says, "To where, Monkey?"

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 5 dice on Int+Bur and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( Ouch. )

Monkey says, "I don't know, Captain. But if you don't have any use for it, why not sell it instead of warehousing it. Since you aren't selling, that means you have a use for it, and unless there's something I don't know, I doubt you're using it here."

The Storyteller . o O ( The locals are very nervous about dealing with you -- it seems that news of your one-man war (so to speak) on the Realm has spread, and Cherak has made threatening noises to anyone they suspect of dealing with you. You could probably buy their cooperation, of course, but it will be expensive. )

Admiral Kaizoku says, "Astute deduction Monkey, but we won't be using it here, and where I do plan to use it is not someplace we can ship directly to... we will have to take it there ourselves, once this current business is done."

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( THIS looks like a job for... HPM! Who's the lead official blocking the way? )

Monkey . o O ( Sell the stuff cheap. We don't need the money. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, we do, but not too badly. Still, don't want to make it TOO easy for them. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Argis Mandan, the de facto mayor. He's a Realm sympathizer, but also greedy. )

Admiral Kaizoku presents himself to the man in his business suit from Lookshy. "We are both reasonable men, Mr. Mayor... I can understand your concerns about Cherak's unsightly threats. And yet, these are goods I just happened to find floating in the sea... salvage, there for the taking. They could not threaten you over buying salvaged goods... And if a fifth of the goods happened to stay with you and your officials for further inspection of their legitimacy, well, I can hardly blame you for being careful."

You rolled 1 dice on Mandan Temperance and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( roll Manipulation + Bureaucracy at dif 1 )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 9 dice on working the system and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( You've persuaded him. Roll Wits + Bureaucracy (or have Akbar do it) to sell the cargo. )

Meanwhile, Monkey and Master Jaff entertain the men in a local tavern. Why, the new comedy routine with Monkey playing the fool and Master Jaff being the straight man seems wildly popular.

The Storyteller . o O ( Any recruiting while you're here? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Sure, if there are interested locals. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Cha + Performance. Each success = 10 able seamen sign up on the fleet. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Say, is there a Large Merchant in port? )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Recruiting and got 5 successes.

On 1d100, you rolled 41.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That should bring every ship up to full crew. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No, afraid not. The largest ships in port (aside from your fleet) are a pair of Coastal Traders and a Blue-Water Merchant. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Except the Sun. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Ah, well. )

The Storyteller . o O ( What next? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Off to intercept! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The Transforming Crane fleet )

Monkey . o O ( Woot! )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Gimme a minute. Meanwhile, edit the fleet page to reflect how the crews are set up. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Done! )

On 2d6, you rolled 10.

On 1d6, you rolled 2.

On 2d8, you rolled 8.

On 2d4, you rolled 4.

Admiral Kaizoku hints strongly to Monkey that he will be a Captain very soon...

Monkey . o O ( These polyhedral rolls confuse and worry me. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Wits + Sail roll to get back on station in time. )

Monkey buys a tri-corner hat.

Monkey . o O ( I don't think there's a problem. Monkey should make a good captain. Not a great one, though. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( He'll be assigned a good yeoman and first mate, that's for sure. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Wits+Sail and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Plus 3. )

By dint of canny sailing and favorable winds, the Solar Wind Fleet is back on station on the Cherak-Pangu route by the morning of the 18th of Descending Wood. According to the schedule, the Transforming Crane convoy left Cherak yesterday. If you're correct, they'll reach your position today, perhaps tomorrow.

Admiral Kaizoku has the Voyager closest to Cherak as a picket.

You rolled 4 dice on something and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku informs the crews "Prepare for a battle... this fleet will have an escort of warships, and will not roll over quite as easily."

You rolled 6 dice on something and got 6 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Tactics time? )

Late evening on the 18th, the Voyager signals that it has spotted a sail. Soon enough, you all see it -- a trimaran boat, fast and maneuverable, arcing around and away from the fleet almost at the edge of visual range.

Monkey . o O ( Monkey's on Stormhammer, right? )

The Storyteller . o O ( I assume so. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. )

Admiral Kaizoku flashes Monkey to intercept it.

Monkey tells Kerrigan to give chase to the trimaran.

The Storyteller . o O ( roll it. )

Monkey . o O ( Ah, great minds think alike. )

Monkey . o O ( Whose? Monkey's or Kerrigan's? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Kerrigan's on the Nimbus now... there's a Vet with No Name in charge now. )

You rolled 11 dice on fast courier Sail and got 7 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( On the Stormhammer, that is. )

Monkey . o O ( Screw that, I'm taking over. )

Monkey . o O ( Spending WP for autosuccess. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And the Admiral's plan is revealed! )

The Storyteller . o O ( figure that the Stormhammer has a +3 modifier to the Wits + Sail roll. )

Monkey rolled 9 dice on Wits + Sail and got 4 successes.

Monkey . o O ( +1 autosuccess. )

The Storyteller . o O ( The courier's pulling away from, but still in sight. To catch up to her, you need five more successes than she's got. If she gets a total of thirty successes, she reaches the fleet. Also, night falls in an hour, and each roll is ten minutes of sailing time. So as it stands, you're 7 and 4. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Or blow off his sail with the Implosion Bow. )

The Storyteller . o O ( That's the 5 successes point. )

Monkey rolled 9 dice on Wits + Sail + maneuverability and got 8 successes.

You rolled 11 dice on fast courier Sail and got 7 successes.

Monkey rolled 9 dice on Wits + Sail + maneuverability and got 4 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( You close the distance a bit. )

You rolled 11 dice on fast courier Sail and got 8 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Not lucky this time. )

You rolled 11 dice on fast courier Sail and got 8 successes.

Monkey rolled 9 dice on Wits + Sail + maneuverability and got 3 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Failure. But! )

Monkey sails on anyhow. Wheee!

Still at least fifteen miles from the courier -- and thirty minutes before sunset -- the lookout on the Stormhammer shouts, "Sails! Sails! At least 16 ships, sir!"

Monkey says, "Ah, excellent. Let's keep them occupied, shall we?"

Monkey says, "Take over, pilot. I'm relying on you to keep them within the outer range of the artifact bow."

Monkey rolled 5 dice on Limit Break (yay!) and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( What's the admiral doing right now? )

Monkey . o O ( About time. I mean, close to thirty sessions and I think only once I actually need to tally limit break. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Pursuing the pursuer. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Following Monkey's wake, figuring the scout will get back to the fleet in time. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Wits + Sail - 2. You need 30 successes to get within visual range of the prey. Each roll = 10 minutes, and you start at the same time Monkey did... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Activating Salty Dog. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Meanwhile, back at the Stormhammer: )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That's six. )

Monkey says, "And just to show you the range of the bow..... <boom> <splash>"

Watching the red sails on the horizon, the crew of the Stormhammer sees the trimaran they've pursued here signal to two others. The three form up and describe a wide arc as they circle back and sail toward the Stormhammer.

The Storyteller . o O ( Kaizoku, roll 3 more times to get back on timescale with Monkey. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 2 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 11 total )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 5 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 19 )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 6 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 28! So close! )

The Storyteller . o O ( You're in Short Naval range of Monkey, visual range to the fleet. Combat Time! )

Monkey . o O ( What's the vet crew sailing pool? 6+3=9? )

The Storyteller . o O ( yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( At least, that's the rough-and-ready answer. I'll stat up a veteran sailor this week. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Is the enemy fleet in in V. Long Lighting Ballistae range? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, admiral: roll tactics. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And no, it's not. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Tactical and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( It's about five miles away. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Short, now that many successes would help... )

Sitrep: The fleet has just spotted the convoy. Stormhammer is about two miles ahead of the fleet, and is being attacked by a trio of fast scouts. Make Per + Awareness rolls, both of you.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on No Awa and got 5 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( oh, my God. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( the Marukani are on the Stormhammer, Monkey. )

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 2 successes.

TonyC braces himself for David to botch on something super important.

The Storyteller . o O ( Looks like there are 22 ships in total: 10 Large Merchant ships, 4 Blue-Water Merchants outfitted as warships, and 8 Fast Couriers. What are you doing? )

Monkey . o O ( To sum the plan, we kill it and take its stuff. )

Monkey . o O ( Seriously, Stormhammer will rely on the Implosion Bow, hoping to outrange the warships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( This will get ugly soon... a lighting ballista has the power to vaporize a Blue Water Merchant in one hit. In the meantime, disabling shots on the sails are good, if Monkey remembers any tactical advice from the Admiral. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Got it. )

First Long Turn.

Combat Sequence One

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, you're at -2 on your Wits + Sail rolls since you've got three ships after you. They're rolling to close. Range is 70 successes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Admiral, you are 45 successes from Monkey, 115 from the three trimarans, and 170 from the enemy fleet. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( six. )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on Sailing closer and got 6 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hmm... I have a plan that will upset the whole apple cart and tactical system. )

The Storyteller . o O ( hang on -- making a matrix... what's the plan? )

Monkey . o O ( Excellent. I like upsetting the status quo. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Stormwind Rider. Drive-by slashing of ships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( His normal attack can cut a courier in two. )

Monkey . o O ( Do it! )

The Storyteller . o O ( It'll shred the rigging, if nothing else. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( and the Transcentant Sword Technique can cleave a Blue Water or Tender in twain. )

Monkey . o O ( Caution: You'll be a target for their ship's weaponry, and you're more fragile that ships. )

Monkey . o O ( than ships. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Stormwind makes it harder to hit, and they can't track a 100MPH target that well, I'll wager. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Besides, the scouts aren't armed. )

Combat Sequence 2

You rolled 11 dice on Fast Courier Sail and got 8 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku peers at the situation through his spyglass. "We have no time for this..." he says, motioning to the officer of the deck and Saji. "I will return shortly. Continue to move to intercept the main fleet."

Monkey rolled 7 dice on Sailing closer and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 4 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( that's 13 total. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Trimarans and Stormhammer are within Very Long Range of each other. )

Monkey . o O ( Well, the way ST works, that 100MPH speed translates into the dodge bonus given by the spell. )

Combat Sequence 3

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I thought that was the obscuring effect. )

You rolled 11 dice on Fast Courier Sail and got 5 successes.

Monkey . o O ( ST system abstracts a lot of things. Maybe Jesse will give you extra bonus. Maybe not. But the system as is doesn't care. )

Admiral Kaizoku steps to the prow... a circle of emerald appears behind him a moment and then breaks into pieces... he holds his arms out at his sides and summons the winds to him... a gentle breeze turning into a tornado vortex. He steps off the ship as the Stormwind begins and takes off with a wake, heading for the fast couriers.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on something and got 1 botch.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( That's what happens then the Captain leaves the ship. )

Monkey . o O ( They're too busy gawking at the sorcerous display. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Hm. Oh, that was on the sail roll? That's good. Um... the fleet slows momentarily to avoid getting caught in the Admiral's waterspout. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, still closing? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So, how fast can he close at this speed? )

Monkey . o O ( Yup. )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on Sailing closer and got 4 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Whoops, I guess Monkey was busy watching Kaizoku too. :) )

The Storyteller . o O ( Almost instantly. )

Admiral Kaizoku aims himself at the nearest Courier ship, drawing his sword and holding it out at his side, just above the water.

The Storyteller . o O ( Ranges are still Visual between the Fleet and the enemy, and Very Long between Stormhammer and the Trimarans. Next long turn... )

Second Long Turn

Combat Sequence 1

The Storyteller . o O ( Actions? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Can I attack a ship? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, you can attack the trimarans )

Monkey . o O ( Okay, Stormwind rider gives a speed of approx 145 yards per turn. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yeah. In the naval combat system, that works out to almost 3000 yards per combat sequence, if my math is right. )

Admiral Kaizoku flashes past the first trimaran, sending a wake over the open hull... he reverses direction instantly, using the wall of water as a cover for the long slash he makes on the right hull of the scout ship.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Per + Awareness )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on No Awa and got 1 success.

You rolled 11 dice on Trimaran Sail and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( The Trimarans close to Long range with the Stormhammer on this turn, as well. )

Monkey . o O ( Any ranged weapon a ship have facing the right direction (or can be turned to the right direction fast) can probably attempt to shoot Kaizoku down. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Admiral gets 2 stunt dice. He also notices that two of the trimarans have DBs manning implosion bows, one of which is shooting at him and the other at the Stormhammer. )

Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku gets to defend, on top of the obscuring effect increasing difficulty. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 18 dice on something and got 7 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( What's the difficulty? )

Monkey . o O ( 2 extra )

The Storyteller . o O ( Anybody remember if you can use Archery Charms with implosion bows? )

Monkey . o O ( Doubtful. )

The Storyteller . o O ( That is what I'm thinking... )

You rolled 10 dice on Implosion bow and got 5 successes.

You rolled 10 dice on Implosion bow 2 and got 7 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Dodge? And did I hit the ship? )

Monkey . o O ( Dodge or Parry, or combine both with charm. Then you resolve your attack. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I dont' think you can barry an implosion bow. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yes, dodge, and yes, you hit the trimaran. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 11 dice on Dodge 1 and got 6 successes.

Monkey . o O ( The ship doesn't get to defend, although conceivably a hero could jump up and meet your strike mid-air. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 10 dice on Dodge 2 and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Crap. )

The Storyteller . o O ( DOdge successful. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Only one dodge needed -- the second implosion bow fired at the Stormhammer... )

Monkey . o O ( the second bow is aimed at me. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Whoops! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK, so that's... 18 damage to the courier. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Monkey, are you shooting back? )

Monkey . o O ( Of course. )

Monkey . o O ( But what happens to Stormhammer? )

The Storyteller . o O ( do that, and also roll if you're still closing )

The Storyteller . o O ( I'm going to describe everything once we do all the rolls. )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on closing and got 5 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Bow is accuracy 1 or 2? I'll assume 1 for now. )

The Storyteller . o O ( +3 )

You rolled 7 dice on ballista attack and got 6 successes.

Monkey rolled 10 dice on Implosion Bow and got 10 successes.

Monkey . o O ( And that's counting +3 accuracy. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Erg. I'm assuming Monkey was aiming at the other implosion-bow armed trimaran -- Kaizoku got the first. )

Monkey . o O ( Think of it as return fire. )

The Storyteller . o O ( 'k )

The Storyteller . o O ( that's two trimarans blown to bits, one missed implosion bow shot at the captain, and two hits on the Stormhammer which do.... )

Monkey . o O ( Oh, 2 motes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( .... a breach in the hull at dif 4 to repair. )

The Storyteller . o O ( and posing. )

Bolts of essence dart across the waves, searing the air with their passage. The center trimaran looses a ballista bolt at the Stormhammer, but it strikes the deckhouse to no effect. The trimaran to its port side punches a hole throught the Stormhammer's bow with its implosion bow, and water begins pouring in. Revenge is swift as thought, as Monkey shatters the trimaran's center hull with a bolt of his own, and its crew dives into the water just as their ship explodes. To the starboard of the trimaran squadron, Admiral Kaizoku splits it in two with a single stroke of his daiklave, sending crew and bits of ship into the air. The Dragon-Blooded on the trimaran's implosion bow leaps into the air along with the remains of his ship and falls into the Admiral's Stormwind...

Combat Sequence 2

Monkey says, "Evasive maneuvers! And somebody get that breach patched!"

Monkey . o O ( Mid-air kung-fu! Go Admiral! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Well, that's an impressive stunt! )

Sitrep: Admiral, you've got an angry Dragon-Blooded in the Stormwind with you. Monkey, you've got a serious hole in your ship. Finally, one of the trimarans remains, and they're getting ready to fire another shot from the ballista.

The Storyteller . o O ( Captain, your action? )

Monkey . o O ( Closing in with the rest of the tribute fleet. )

You rolled 5 dice on Stormhammer patch and got 2 successes.

Monkey rolled 8 dice on (6 Sail pool + 3 maneuverability - 1 hole) and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Difficulty is actually -3, from the extra successes. It's a hole in the bow the size of a barrel of ale. )

Admiral Kaizoku is moderately impressed by the skill and courage of the Dynast in making a last second attack of this sort and in getting past the winds... His words are swallowed up as he directes the Stormwind to the last remaining courier and leaps the Wind thirty feet in the air, twisting it so the intruder is pulled towards the bottom... he helps the man out with a slash at his midsection.

The Dragonblooded in the Stormwind dodges aside with a flicker of flame...

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( two actions... )

The Storyteller . o O ( roll the attack, +2 die stunt... )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 16 dice on sword strike and got 8 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Is that difficulty to repair or to maneuverability? Because if it's maneuverability, that 1 per hole cumulative over time. Next long turn, it'll be 2, so on. )

The Storyteller . o O ( difficulty is to both... no, wait. That difficulty is only for repair. )

The Storyteller . o O ( the maneuverability penalty is -1. )

You rolled 11 dice on Flickering Candle dodge and got 8 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( ... )

Steam rises from the clash of fire and water, clouding the Admiral's vision. The DragonBlooded falls just out of reach of his daiklave.

Combat Sequence 3

Monkey . o O ( Wait. Bow hasn't fired yet. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, sorry... neither has the ballista. Oops. )

You rolled 7 dice on ballista fires and got 5 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Target the weapon mount of the yacht. )

The Storyteller . o O ( okay. )

Monkey . o O ( Evasive maneuvers = +2 difficulty to hit on both sides! )

Monkey rolled 10 dice on Implosion Bow and got 8 successes.

Monkey . o O ( 2 motes, 12L version. )

The Storyteller . o O ( They got 12L -6L soak = 6L damage = no damage. You got 20L - 4L = 16L damage = destroyed trimaran. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Go ahead and describe. )

Monkey aims the Implosion Bow at the trimaran's ballista. The ballista fires, but Stormhammers veers sharply to port, and the ballista bolt hit and destroyed some railings to no ill effects to Stormhammer's seaworthyness. Meanwhile, Monkey leans hard to bring the Bow back into bear and channels the essence needed to power it. A ball of energy fires. Bullseye! The ballista and its crew are destroyed. Whoops, looks like Monkey set the energy level too high. The ball of energy also took out an good chunk of the hull and the trimaran starts sinking. <blub blub blub>

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, now... )

Combat Sequence 3

As he falls out of the Stormwind Rider, the Dragonblooded throws a pair of chakrams at the Admiral, steel slashing through the mist and wind.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Parry with DSD, or just dodge? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Up to you. You'll need a stunt to parry, though. )

You rolled 9 dice on chakram attack! and got 6 successes.

You rolled 8 dice on chakram attack 2! and got 4 successes.

Monkey . o O ( Suggestion: full dodge, and if fails, try parry )

Admiral Kaizoku lessens the magical force that keeps him steady in the eye of the Stormwind, putting the curve of his blade on the edge of the winds... causing it and him to spin around over and over, setting up a wall of metal between himself and the incoming blades.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( And I was saving that trick to cut up a ship, too... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( DSD dodge. )

Monkey . o O ( The thing is, unless the Air Aspect can fly, he'll have a long way to swim to catch up with you next turn. )

The Storyteller . o O ( It's a 2 die stunt. Roll it. )

Monkey . o O ( Of course, he's Air, so can't disqualify the flying thing. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 17 dice on DSD spin 1 and got 5 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 17 dice on DSD spin 2 and got 10 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( If he's air, he wouldn't have fallen out, no? )

The Storyteller . o O ( one attack, ping damage... )

You rolled 2 dice on something and got 1 hit.

The Storyteller . o O ( 1L damage, Kaizoku )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OK. )

The Storyteller . o O ( And... Monkey, whatcha doin'? )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on (6 Sail pool + 3 maneuverability - 2 hole) and got 1 success.

Monkey says, "That hole is dragging us down! Everyone not patching, start bailing!"

The Storyteller . o O ( penalty doesn't increase till next long turn. I figure you've got all the Marukani bailing, which is enough to keep the penalty down to -1. )

Monkey . o O ( By my count, 107 successes toward the rest of the fleet. )

Monkey rolled 1 dice on extra die and got no successes but no botches either.

You rolled 5 dice on Stormhammer patch and got 2 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Still no luck on the patch. We're gonna fast-forward a bit here... )

The Storyteller . o O ( Kaizoku, what's your plan? The Dragonblooded is now swimming some distance away from you, having fallen from the vortex. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Head to the heavy warships... )

TonyC grimaces.

Monkey . o O ( Just... don't skimp on your defense. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Per + Awareness roll. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Per Only and got no successes but no botches either.

Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 1 success.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I was going to say "botch..." )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay... looks like the warships have ballistae, catapults, and each one's got a pair of heavy fire cannon mounted alongside the keel pointing out from the bow. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Nothing on the stern? That he sees, at least. )

Monkey . o O ( Watch out for arrow storm. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Just archers. )

Monkey . o O ( Quick! Do a Jet-Li in Hero imitation! )

The Storyteller . o O ( the question is, which part of Hero? The last scene, or the bit in front of the calligraphy school? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Uh-oh, modem twitch. )

Admiral Kaizoku , having freed himself of distractions, heads to the nearest Blue Water Warship's stern, blade out... he does a rapid pass with his blade dipping almost into the water, aiming at the rudder, cutting a high wake across the ocean as he makes his attack.

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll it. Meanwhile, Monkey? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and of course they shoot at you... )

Monkey . o O ( Closing in and patching. )

The Storyteller . o O ( right. )

You rolled 5 dice on stormhammer patch and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( 3 actions, Hungry Tiger on the attack )

The Storyteller . o O ( Patched! )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on Sailing closer. and got 3 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Arrow shooty bits )

You rolled 8 dice on shooting admiral and got 5 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Penalty of 2 for the Stormwind. )

You rolled 6 dice on shooting and got 1 success.

The Storyteller . o O ( Dodge loses 2 dice because of arrow storm... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So... three successes needed on dodge -2? )

The Storyteller . o O ( yes. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 9 dice on Speedy dodge 1 and got 6 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Speedy dodge 2 and got 2 successes.

You rolled 3 dice on something and got 2 hits.

The Storyteller . o O ( 2L damage )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Hm? )

The Storyteller . o O ( never mind. I'm tired. )

Admiral Kaizoku is faster than a speeding arrow, leaving a sea of floating shafts behind him as he goes in for his attack on the stern of the first warship.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Any stunt bonus? )

The Storyteller . o O ( Roll the attack. +1 die. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on Sword Strike Astern! and got 7 successes.

TonyC notes that one of these days, he'll reach one of his build goal of making Monkey goes Mach 1.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( With Hungry Tiger, so that's... 25 damage )

The Storyteller . o O ( minus 10L soak. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Holed, but not sunk. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Yup. Move on or sink this one? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Move on... if they're all sinking, it's a bigger distraction. )

Monkey . o O ( Sink it. If just holed, they might patch it. )

The Storyteller . o O ( kay. Monkey, still closing? )

Monkey . o O ( Also, if you sink it, Jesse no longer have to keep track of it. Be kind to the GM. )

Monkey . o O ( Yup. )

Monkey rolled 7 dice on Sailing closer. and got 4 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku tears away the rudder of the ship as he passes, and a chunk of the hull with it, letting water in...

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( I need to use the big attack to sink a ship of this size, or I can give them something to think about while the attack fleet closes into Lighting range and they can sink them. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( OTOH... I'm good enough on Essence to do that three times. )

think speaking of the fleet -- it's still closing at a decent rate. Moving on to the next ship, yes?

The Storyteller . o O ( speaking of the fleet -- it's still closing at a decent rate. Moving on to the next ship, yes? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, describe. )

The Storyteller . o O ( again with the arrows... )

You rolled 6 dice on arrow swarm and got 5 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku was less than satisfied with his initial attack... as he turns to the next ship, he lets the daiklave dip into the wake... he feels the essence in the waves, where the water meets the air, and collects it... his gleaming blade extends to twice its length, three times... he pulls alongside the stern and drives the sword into it, through it... and then drags the cutting edge along the entire length of the ship.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( two actions, one dodge, one super attack. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So, same dodge? )

The Storyteller . o O ( attacking from the stern or the bow? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Stern to bow. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Cutting it in half along its length. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Attack first or dodge? )

The Storyteller . o O ( dodge first, then attack. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 9 dice on Dodge! and got 3 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( So, 3 vs 3, no hit? )

Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, I think it's safe to average out the sailing rolls to 3.5 successes per action. At 96 successes range, it should work out. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Sounds good on the sailing. Correct, no hit. )

The Storyteller . o O ( roll the attack. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Transcendant sword combo, chanelling WP to Valor for taking on a ship with a sword, +9 ES, Hungry Tiger and One Weapon. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( stunt? )

The Storyteller . o O ( that's worth two dice, I think. )

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 30 dice on Sinking the blade in! and got 17 successes.

Admiral Kaizoku rolled 30 dice on Dragging it along! and got 13 successes.

The Storyteller . o O ( Soak 10, HLs 12/24 )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( The first one did it. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Total destruction. )

The Storyteller . o O ( Okay. )

Monkey . o O ( There's no such thing as overkill. )

Admiral Kaizoku drags the sword from stern to stem and spins away... with no effect at first, so perfect is the cut. But the wind pulls the ship forward still, even as the bottom of the hull falls away from the top, and within seconds, both halves are beneath the waves.

As the captain pulls his sword from the bow quickly sinking ship, he sees a Dragon-blooded on the forecastle shaping Essence in all-too familiar patterns.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( This was the one thing I was afraid of... )

Monkey . o O ( Run. )

Emerald energy lashes out from the sorcerer, ripping the Admiral's Stormwind apart with a clap of the thunder. Bereft of the supporting wind, the Solar drops into the ocean like a stone, weighed down by his armor.

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Can I move out of the radius in time? )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( No. )

The Storyteller . o O ( No. You're right on top of him and the spell's instantaneous. )

Monkey . o O ( Switch spells! Start summoning an orca! )

Admiral Kaizoku has been in the water in armor before... his was crafted for just such an emergency, and he treads water...

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, I'm expecting sharks... )

The Storyteller . o O ( And, not to leave y'all on a cliffhanger or anything, but I've got get some sleep... )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Summoning takes 2 hours though. )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Arg! Cliffhanger! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Exciting though! )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: Good night?

jetman [to TonyC]: Be sure to drink your Ovaltine!

The Storyteller . o O ( That's good. 3 xp all round and I'll see you guys next week! )

Admiral Kaizoku . o O ( Great! See you then! )

TonyC [to Apollonian]: See you.

• On to Session 26