JesseLowe/PirateMonkeySession24
- Back to Session 23
The Storyteller is feeling pissy.
Captain Kaizoku says, "What's wrong?"
The Storyteller lists: A, got summonsed for jury duty. B, had a good friend get pissed off at tabletop game on saturday. C, had Tony dis the language rules I spent all morning on.
Captain Kaizoku says, "That's a goodly load of stuff to be pissed over. :<"
The Storyteller is listening to Flogging Molly, tho, and that's cheering...
Captain Kaizoku says, "You're quite likely to be dismissed from jury duty after only a few hours waiting though."
You say, "True. And I did just buy a laptop, so I'll have something to do meantime. And it's a day off... I hope."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Well, I'm guessing you're a well-informed person who keeps up on the news in various media... such people tend to get dismissed quickly in my experience."
The Storyteller . o O ( Plus I'm a libertarian socialist. )
You say, "Or at least, that's what I'm going to say."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Got any T-shirts to that effect?"
The Storyteller hmmms.
You say, "I probably could by the time it rolls around. Maybe I should ask Bill Stoddard."
Captain Kaizoku says, "I can't think of any libertarian views that are concise enough to fit on a T-shirt in a pithy way though..."
You say, "Your honor, I believe that the courts have no legitimacy, as they are the result of a hegemony established by the abuse of capital!"
You say, "D'you think that would work?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "Maybe a bit TOO over the top. Say you supsect it instead."
Captain Kaizoku says, "I've been thinking over the direction the Captain's plans should go with regard to the choices you lay out... they all have a lot of merit..."
Captain Kaizoku says, "But taking over a city would require ruling it in person, and that plays away from his strengths and eliminates the mobility that acquiring naval power provides."
Captain Kaizoku says, "I thought 'why would people want to follow the Captain, or any Solar wanting to bring back the good old days? Taking over a city by force of arms or personality doesn't speak that highly of the Solar (unless it's a REAL tyrant, and there are too many, that I've seen)."
Captain Kaizoku says, "The Captain's been thinking about bringing back the Solar Navy, in name and deed, and starting a 'charm offensive.' Doing heroic and helpful things because it's the right thing to do, and to give people a reason to believe in and support his cause, to have deeds, not just words, to point to."
You say, "Before I forget: You (and Monkey) both get an extra 2 xp. Remind me to tell him when he shows up." TonyC materializes out of thin air.
The Storyteller . o O ( Charm offensive has a whole different meaning in Exalted. )
Monkey . o O ( Yo! I'm not that late after all. :) )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Speak of the devil! )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It can be a charm offensive with charms! )
The Storyteller drones, "Lucifer, sometimes called Satan, or Beelzebub, is known for his myriad schemes..."
jetman [to TonyC]: Monkey gets two extra XP.
TonyC [to Apollonian]: Re: Linguistics. I agree with you that the standard language rules of Exalted is not satisfactory. Your fix is opposite the way I'd do it though. It isn't a big deal though, given that with charm, the issue can be sidestepped easily. So I'm dropping the topic.
TonyC [to jetman]: Nice, but you aren't the GM, so it isn't legit until Jesse says so. :)
Apollonian [to TonyC]: Thanks. How would you do it, though?
jetman [to TonyC]: I predict with 100%% certainty he'll allow it. :)
Apollonian [to TonyC]: I just got finished telling David that you each got an extra 2 xp from last week.
TonyC [to Apollonian]: A modification of something I saw in... was it Werewolf or Vampire? Basically, you start with one language. One dot give you two. Two gives you 4 languages. Three dots, 8 languages. And so on.
Apollonian [to TonyC]: Ah. Someone suggested that on rpg.net, where I put it up for comment. (It sank quickly...)
TonyC [to Apollonian]: Two extra XP? For what? Not that I'm complaining.....
Apollonian [to TonyC]: I figure the raid on Scarlet Fortress was really a Critical, not a Major, mission.
jetman [to Apollonian]: It may be too late to find out now, but I'm wondering how those 125 troops just happened to by lying in wait...
Monkey . o O ( What 125 troops? Ragara's? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Good tactical thinking on the part of Barada. e.g... )
jetman [to TonyC]: Yes, those. And you mean poor planning on the Captain's part from his brain spasm?
V'neef Ragara . o O ( Hm. My nemesis has just captured a fleet, but it and he have been badly damaged. Where's the closest place he can get naval stores _and_ embarrass me? Aha! Scarlet Fortress. I'll send one of my henchmen there to trap him.)
TonyC [to jetman]: Oh that. Yup. It's the brain spasm.
jetman [to Apollonian]: Of course, his best planning was still foiled by the Captain's worst...
Monkey . o O ( Barada is probably thinking right now that he ought to send _two_ henchmen next time. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I wonder how many he has left? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It'll be the two who draw the shortest straws, that's for sure. )
TonyC [to jetman]: So, what do you suggest for Monkey's next XP purchases?
jetman [to TonyC]: He is the stealth guy, by default at least...
jetman [to TonyC]: But the idea of flinging livestock by hand could be very useful too.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( By the way, are there any books with some decent Performance charms? The whole of the tree in the basic book is not so much a speed bump as a washedout road. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Huh. Hadn't really thought about it, to be honest. )
The Storyteller checks castebooks Dawn and Eclipse.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( There are a fair amount in Zenith, but the Captain doesn't NEED to seduce someone's husband or hide his gender. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Lessee... Dawn has Commanding the Ideal Celestial Army, General of the All-Seeing Sun, and Ideal Battle Knowledge Prana. )
TonyC [to Apollonian]: What? I thought Rout-Stemming Gesture and Respect Commanding Attitude are considered good charms.
The Storyteller . o O ( Eclipse has... nothin'. )
TonyC [to jetman]: Re: flinging lifestock. Actually, although I didn't say it, I was thinking about flinging people too. Including Kaizoku
jetman [to TonyC]: Respect... would be good for street preachers and artists, but it doesn't really help with leadership that much. None of them are really big.
Apollonian [to jetman]: I see.
jetman [to TonyC]: And I was just looking at the FF VII AC trailer with Cloud flying upward sword first and wondering how to do it...
Apollonian [to jetman]: So it's more just that the Performance tree doesn't have a lot of decent mob-swaying and leadership Charms?
Monkey . o O ( Tiger Warrior charm is pretty much the ultimate though. )
jetman [to Apollonian]: They're very specific in nature, compared with the more general Presence charms.
Apollonian [to TonyC]: Ah.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes, Tiger Training and Heroisim Encouraging are quite good, but along the way... )
Apollonian [to jetman]: Have you looked at Masterful Performance Exercise? And more particularly, at Heart-Compelling Method?
Monkey . o O ( Okay. Let's get started. Monkey has 1 week extra. Presumably this is spent teaching Kaizoku Archery. Still need two weeks before that's done. After that, Poo Flinging Strike. )
The Storyteller . o O ( One more thing before that -- no, make that two. )
Monkey . o O ( Yes? )
jetman [to Apollonian]: Hmmm... Since the Phantom charm was on the way to those, I thought of they were more for singing and dancing than leadership. Perhaps I wasn't looking at "performance" broadly enough.
The Storyteller . o O ( First, take (another) look at JesseLowe/Linguistics. I changed it so that, for every dot you buy in Linguistics, you get your current rank in LPs. I.e., if you have Linguistics 2, you have 3 LPs, 1 from the first dot you bought and two from the second. So at Linguistics 3, you have 5 LPs, at 4, 9 LPs, at 5, 14 LPs. Does this sound reasonable? )
The Storyteller . o O ( The reason I bring it up now is, if it does sound reasonable, both PCs need to pick an additional language. )
Monkey . o O ( Sure. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Looks OK. )
Monkey . o O ( How does LP is spent again? )
Monkey . o O ( 1 LP = basic. 2 LP = ? 3 LP = ? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Cool. The second thing is, I'm in need of a break from gaming for a week or so. In brief, my tabletop group had a near meltdown this weekend, and I'm feeling worn out. So I'd like to skip next week and resume on the 22nd. Oh, and... it's Mardi Gras! Heh. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( two is Expert and three is Legendary. )
The Storyteller . o O ( 1 LP = basic fluency. 2 LP = talk like a native. Goin' beyond that in terms of fluency takes a Specialty. )
jetman [to Apollonian]: Of course. And this naturally means a cliffhanger ending today. :)
Monkey . o O ( Ideally, it's cliffhanger every week. :) )
Apollonian [to jetman]: Mm. I've been shifting more and more into a "reactive GM" method over the last few months, so I dunno...
Monkey . o O ( Alright, take a break, and give away lots of beads. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Let's see... the Captain's getting Perform +1, Essence Gathering Temper, Solar Counterattack and Respect Commanding Attitude... Doesn't look like enough spare time to get his Solar Retribution combo. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Has the captain thought about grabbing Ready in 8? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and tonight's Mardi Gras. )
The Storyteller goes looking for a Bourbon Street webcam. All the boobs, none of the stink.
Monkey . o O ( It is? Well, I hope you gave away lots of beads. :) )
Monkey . o O ( Nevermind. The webcam sounds a far more superior method. )
The Storyteller has been down Bourbon Street a week after Mardi Gras. It reeked even worse than normal.
Monkey . o O ( So, who does Captain take to the meeting? Just Monkey? Or the whole fleet? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... I hadn't considered that Charm. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And no, just the Stormhammer, for subtlety. )
Monkey . o O ( Subtlety = A honor guard of twenty, and a yacht armed with a First Age weapon. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Which is much more subtle than the new Unconquered Sun flagship, yes. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Fleet status: By this time, all the triremes have been repaired. You're still sadly lacking in oarsmen, though. You've also just about exhausted the nearby wilderness and fishing waters of food, so it's definitely time for the Solar Wind Fleet and the Rahkamo clan to move on. )
TonyC wonders when Jesse is going to pull the Return of The Scarlet Empress plotline.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, and the Captain is putting four points in to improving his Appearance, as the power of the Sun straightens out his face. )
The Storyteller goes to get his coffee.
TonyC considers trying to convince the GM to let Monkey take Legendary Appearance.
Monkey . o O ( Naah. )
Captain Kaizoku has two of the Triremes stowed on the new Tender (Renamed the Unconquered Sun) and has the Biremes operating on sail alone. He has had Snarling Wolf training their new boon companions of the North in sailing a trireme of their own, with the plan to present it to them shortly.
The Storyteller . o O ( Heh. That should be entertaining... )
The Storyteller also picked up Fair Folk this weekend. Shaping combat makes his head hurt.
Monkey . o O ( The thing is, Tenchi syndrome bores me. The series was fun at first, but after the original OVA, I got bored. Similary, I suspect I might enjoy playing out App 6 for a few sessions, but then I'll just get bored. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Though Tenchi doesn't move around the way Monkey does. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The abandoned girls could start a cult or something! )
The Storyteller . o O ( Hate to see the kind of girls Monkey could attract with App 6. )
TonyC [to jetman]: You want to watch Photon. Photon has Str 5 instead of Dex 5, but it's closer to Monkey than Tenchi. Photon also has an Int and Manip of 1 but maxed out Charisma and Wits, so I suspect Photon has been twinked more than Monkey.
Monkey . o O ( The answer, just as in Tenchi, is all of them. And some more. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Even the Scarlet Empress, even! She got bored with the occult thing... )
The Storyteller . o O ( I was thinking the Lover Clad in the Raiment of Tears... )
The Storyteller . o O ( But anyway... )
Monkey . o O ( Right, anyway. :) )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And in looking at the ship writeups, the two new triremes will be sailed, with the biremes being ferried in the Tender, as that allows for better crew use and more speed. )
The Storyteller . o O ( BTW, feel free to update the fleet page. Note the slightly changed crew roster, which is because of casualties. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( One of the captured tris was scrapped for parts... )
The Storyteller . o O ( See, this is the kind of thing I forget... )
The Storyteller . o O ( Oof. Also, I misremembered dates. It's not the day before Calibration. It's a month before. Check the timeline if you like. So, it's the 28th of Resplendent Fire, RY 768. And speaking of that, I might change the seasons around a bit... see CrownedSun/Seasons for what I'm thinking about. )
Monkey . o O ( Ah, I've been wondering where Resplendent Fire went. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Updated the names on the ships. )
28th of Resplendent Fire, RY 768. The Stormhammer has been sailing all the day, and now her destination comes into view on the horizon. It is a barren stretch of land on the coast of Cherak, north and west of the city of Scarlet Fortress. The anonymous note, deposited by arrow on the deck of the Nimbus, marked this as a meeting place, but the lookout sees nothing on the shore or the sea. It is late afternoon, and the sun blazes in the sky, cloudless save on the southern horizon where a passing storm moves toward the Blessed Isle.
Captain Kaizoku says, "We are not going to meet a friend, Monkey, but an enemy of an enemy."
Monkey says, "I hear some people consider that the very definition of friend."
Monkey says, "Shall we set ashore, Captain?"
Captain Kaizoku shakes his head. "Common cause is not the same as friendship. I can see a time we might even battle alongside the Realm, but they would not relent in their efforts to stop our cause before or after..."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Yes... but there."
Captain Kaizoku points to a spot 300 yards from the most obvious meeting point.
Scanning the shore, the lookout spies a sandy beach capped at either end by ancient stones hewn by the hands of men or gods. This is the spot marked on the map, and seems a safe enough harbor. Around it are no hiding places, for the land slopes gently upward some hundred yards until a sharp cliff twice mast-high interrupts the slope. What little vegetation is here is of the short, grassy variety. The beach itself describes a gentle crescent almost a mile and a half in length, terminating at either end in a huge pile of stone, obviously once carved but now eroded and battered by the surf into unrecognizability.
The Storyteller . o O ( Do you beach the Stormhammer, or drop anchor some distance out? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( It doesn't have any launches, does it? )
Monkey . o O ( Kaizoku wants to drop anchor some distance away. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Well, it's got to have a dinghy, at least.... )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, Falling Razor Leaf is along too, as a gunner. And yes, offshore and taking the dinghy in. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And he's been instructed on some hand signals for support firing. )
The Storyteller . o O ( I'd say it has whatever you want it to have for a ship's boat, within reason. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( No, no, he's staying on the Stormhammer. )
Monkey . o O ( I won't be surprised if there's not even a dinghy. Ancient times. Cut corners. Cheap mortal life. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( To fire the Implosion Bow. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Them oars and a small sail both. )
The Storyteller . o O ( By this point, you can have instructed whomever you want in the Solar Wind Fleet's signal system. )
Monkey directs the Stormhammer near the spot three hundred yards away.
The Storyteller has over six days worth of mp3s on his hard drive... Yeek.
Monkey says, "Somebody prepare the boat. We're landing."
Monkey says, "Captain, who do you want to take with you?"
The surf here is rolling but not rough, and the swells begin cresting some twenty yards from shore. The wind is from the south, bearing the tang of the sea near land. Working with practiced ease, the Storhammer's crew drops anchor just out of the surf and prepares to lower the ship's boat. Razor Leaf stands by on the implosion bow, scanning the western horizon.
TonyC [to jetman]: Actually, given that you have a fleet, consider self-promotion to Commander. Or even Admiral.
Captain Kaizoku stands on the bow of the launch, alert for trouble.
jetman [to TonyC]: There's something the Captain is going to do first before he takes that promotion, but it is in the works. Monkey will have to become a captain at that point, too.
The Storyteller . o O ( Or he could go by what the Realm calls him: Bastard Kaizoku, as in "That bastard Kaizoku sank another fleet!" )
Monkey . o O ( Eeek! Responsibility! Run Away! )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( When the depot is found, only Monkey and the Captain will be able to command those ships, so... )
Monkey says, "Captain? Who are you taking with you?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "Just you, Monkey. If it is trap, I don't wish to risk anyone else."
Monkey says, "Aye, Captain."
The Storyteller . o O ( BTW, any Exalt can command a Light First Age Warship. It's the heavies that are the sole domain of the Solars. I'd probably rule that an Abyssal can handle one as well, with sufficient tampering with the control system... )
Captain Kaizoku instructs Razor Leaf "Fire a shot in the water near where you see any approaching groups, Mr. Leaf, to warn us."
The Storyteller . o O ( Is the Stormhammer flying any colors? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Not yet. )
Monkey says, "Alright, scumbags. You know the drill. We'll be back by sunset."
Monkey hops down to the boat and waits for Captain Kaizoku to descend.
Captain Kaizoku nimbly hops into the launch, not rocking the boat in the least.
Given the short distance, Monkey doesn't bother with the sail. Instead, he grabs a pair of oars and rows the boat to shore.
Captain Kaizoku stands up near the bow, confident but cautious.
Monkey stops rowing once the boat hits sand. He then jumps out to pull the boat to shore. <splash> "Whooh. Cold."
Captain Kaizoku leaps from the boat to shore without getting his feet wet, hand on the hilt of his daiklave. "Hail the shore!" he calls out.
The Storyteller . o O ( Whoops. Thought you were writing the response to that. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Are you? )
Monkey ties the boat to a convenient rock.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I'm done. )
The Storyteller . o O ( 'kay. )
The Storyteller . o O ( The captain's chekcing to see if anyone's ashore, right? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Got it. )
Only the crash of the waves and the rustle of sea-grass in the south wind answers the captain's hail.
Monkey says, "Nobody around here. Let's walk to the place."
Captain Kaizoku waves Monkey forward and advances to the center of the beach, heading to the spot.
Walk walk walk.
The Storyteller . o O ( To clear up a misperception: The entire beach is the spot. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Then he goes to the center of the beach, then the far edge. )
Monkey . o O ( Well, we'll go from one side to the other then. Just in case. )
Monkey says, "Think we've been stood up?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "No... they made a considerable effort to set this up Monkey. And they will want to make a dramatic entrance after we do to impress us."
It's a long wait, and a chilly one as the temperature drops with the sun in the sky. Walking along the beach keeps the Solars warm, though, and as the sun touches the western horizon, they hear the boom of the Stormhammer's implosion bow. Looking up, they see the bolt strike the water near the southern tip of the beach. Some miles out, they see the white sail of an approaching ship. It reflects the red sun prettily, but flies no banner that can be seen.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( What kind of a ship? )
As she draws closer, you can see that she's a blue-water merchant. By her lines, she might be one that was in Scarlet Fortress three weeks ago... By the time she drops anchor, well away from Stormhammer and the implosion bow, the sun has set, casting a few forgotten rays over the horizon, and the pale face of the changing moon can be seen in the southeastern sky.
Monkey says, "Captain, I better tell the Stormhammer to wait a bit longer."
Captain Kaizoku waits patiently near the edge of the water as the ship comes closer. "Keep an eye on the cliffs behind us Monkey. And yes, signal them.
The strange ship lowers a boat into the water. It's like the Stormhammer's boat, perhaps a little larger. Only two people crew it, and one bends to the oars while the other sits in the stern. They draw up the boat some hundred feet from your own, and jump out.
Monkey nods and signals the Stormhammer to wait for another two hours.
The Storyteller . o O ( What extra languages did you guys pick? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Riverspeak. )
Monkey . o O ( Riverspeak! )
Monkey . o O ( It's the obvious choice. We were there. So we ought to absorb something. )
Captain Kaizoku holds up his right hand by way of greeting.
The Storyteller makes a note to add bit about immersion teaching to Linguistics page.
Monkey . o O ( Put examples too. )
Monkey stands a few steps behind Captain Kaizoku, watching the boat. (The cliff? Oh, that's fine. The cliff isn't going anywhere. It'll still be there when I turn back to it later.)
The smaller of the two forms -- a woman, you see now -- raises her hand in response. The two trudge toward you through the sand. The man is large, dressed in tunic and trousers over which he wears a breastplate. At his side is a straight sword, though he's careful to keep his hand away from the hilt. His face is broad and guarded. The woman is a foot shorter, but walks larger. She's clearly the dominant one of the pair. She wears a long coat that covers her from neck to mid-calf, of beautifully worked silk. A fur cloak overlays that, and her brown hair is held back by jewelled combs. She is shod in boots. She has no obvious weapons. Both she and her companion have the features of patricians of the Realm, refined and polished by years of ruthless political maneuvering and careful cultivation.
Captain Kaizoku gives a shallow bow, not taking his eyes off the pair. "A good evening to you" he says, not using any title, merely courtesy.
Monkey waves his hand and says, "Hi!" with a smile.
The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Perception + Socialize roll. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Captain, you get an extra 2 dice. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 6 dice on Per No Soc and got 1 botch.
The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, and what language are you using? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Arg. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Damn. You have terrible luck. )
Monkey . o O ( Low Realm. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Having seen them, High Realm )
Monkey rolled 2 dice on Per and got no successes but no botches either.
Monkey . o O ( did you add the two extra dice, David? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Roll Appearance + Presence, too. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yes. No socialize. )
TonyC has reconnected.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Firing up HPM! )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on App + PRe and got 6 successes.
Monkey rolled 5 dice on App + Pre and got 5 successes.
The Storyteller . o O ( Well, that's a damn sight better... )
The Storyteller . o O ( You've each got a pool of dice equal to your successes to add to social rolls for the rest of the scene. Like Tactical Instincts. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( OK! )
Monkey steps forward and introduces himself. "People call me Monkey. And this is Captain Taiyo Kaizoku. I'm sure you've heard of us. Are you the one who invited us here?"
The man stops a few yards before reaching you, while the woman continues on a few paces until she is within easy speaking distance of the Captain. She returns his bow with one of equal depth, which the captain recognizes as the bow of a superior to an inferior.
You rolled 8 dice on reaction roll and got 5 successes.
Apollonian is now locally named Nellens Mirar
She speaks in High Realm:
You say, "Greetings. Do I have the honor of addressing Captain Taiyo Kaizoku?"
Captain Kaizoku gives a nod of his head. "Indeed you do. And whom do I have the honor of addressing?"
You say, "My name is Nellens Mirar, of House Nellens, of the Realm. This is my aide, Cabarios."
Cabarios nods in acknowledgement.
Monkey . o O ( What do I know of House Nellens and Mirar? Cabarios? )
Captain Kaizoku gestures back to Monkey. "I am sure you have heard of my number one, Monkey..." he says. "Now... you have extended a most unusual invitation, and I have theories as to why, but you know your needs best..."
You say, "What do you know of my House, Captain?"
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Likewise... )
Nellens Mirar . o O ( just a sec... )
Nellens Mirar . o O ( Make a Wits + Socialize roll. Captain, you get an extra two dice. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 5 dice on Wits+Soc and got 1 botch.
Monkey rolled 3 dice on Wits and got 1 success.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Good LORD. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Had more botches in the last three weeks than in all the other sessions combined. )
Monkey . o O ( It's alright. Everyone knows the House Nellens is one of the leading candidate for the throne, second only after Mnemon herself. :) )
Nellens Mirar . o O ( Well, captain, you can't remember a damn thing about House Nellens at the moment, 'cept that it's one of the eleven Houses of the Dynasty. Monkey, OTOH, remembers not only that, but that it's also the least liked by the other Houses as it has no Dragon-Blooded progenitor, and is primarily a patrician house that survived on the favor of the Empress. )
Captain Kaizoku replies "Enough. Your power is great, but your ambition is greater."
Nellens Mirar gestures self-deprecatingly, as if the Captain's assessment is gracious, yet too generous.
You say, "We are... not as powerful as we would like to be, that is true. As you have no doubt discerned, that is why I asked to meet you."
Captain Kaizoku says, "That is what surprises me... the taint of any dealings with the Sun would surely destroy any ambitions you have... satisfy my curiosity on that point."
You say, "Tainted dealings are one thing, power another. Survival supercedes both. The other Houses of the Dynasty seek to crush Nellens. Few of our house are blessed with the breath of the Immaculate Dragons, and this earns us the scorn of our cousins. Contrariwise, we desire ascendancy over them, for otherwise..."
Nellens Mirar makes a gesture like someone throwing away a handful of dust.
You say, "So it is not so great a sin to deal with Anathema."
Captain Kaizoku hmmmms. "Very practical of you... were you any other House, I would have no dealings with you at all, but your beliefs are the right ones for the future. Now... which house is about to strangle you with its naval might?"
Monkey is getting bored listening to people talking in high-faluting-speak and watches Cabarios for a minute, judging his capabilities, before yawning and turning back to watch the cliff. (It's still there, right?)
The cliff hasn't budged. Cabarios looks to be a capable fighter -- no match for Monkey, of course, but who is?
You say, "Peleps, of course. And V'neef. Who else has naval might? Which is where we may find a common interest. My House, like V'neef and Ragara, depends on trade across the Inland Sea to maintain its treasury. If this trade were to be disrupted, we would be crippled and easy prey for opportunists."
Captain Kaizoku says, "And yet you speak with one of the greatest threats to that trade... "
Monkey . o O ( Obviously. If you can't beat them, join them. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Wow, a whole House going pirate! )
Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, perhaps you should ask what's in it for you? )
You say, "Exactly. Better to befriend the wolf than antagonize him. Better still to set him on your enemies, that you might take their herds and flocks left untended. I can provide you with what every pirate needs: Information. In return, you can provide my House with what we need: safe shipping for our merchants. At least, safe from you."
Monkey . o O ( Speaking of houses, exactly which house is Kaizoku originally from anyway? )
Captain Kaizoku rubs his chin thoughtfully. "A tempting offer, to be sure... but you would have even more to gain by trapping a notorious pirate, would you not? And this is not something you can sign a contract to."
Nellens Mirar smiles.
You say, "Admiral V'neef Barada hasn't had much luck trapping you, has he? And he has more Princes of the Earth in his fleet than we do in our entire House."
Captain Kaizoku ho hos. "But he is not clever and desperate as another house I might know..." he remarks casually. "First... I'm sure you have some token of good faith with you to further pique my interest... Let me see it. Second... well, that in a moment."
You say, "Contracts are generally worth the paper they are written on, unless blessed by the gods. Among the people of the Eastern Threshold -- many of whom deal with us -- you have a reputation as an honorable demon. Whether this is true or not I do not know. But I will stake my life that you are not a fool to spite an opportunity. I offer this as a token."
Nellens Mirar takes a scroll out from her coat and hands it to Kaizoku.
Captain Kaizoku takes the scroll and opens it up.
You say, "This contains the shipping schedules of most of the Ragaran and V'neef tributaries in this area. If you look it over, you'll see that -- in response to the barbarians, I think -- most of their tribute ships will be travelling along an eastern route, to Pangu. By coincidence, that will run them near where we are now..."
You say, "I don't expect you to take this unquestioned, of course. Take the scroll, test the truth of it."
Captain Kaizoku says in a slightly wry tone "Just by coincidence. Now... some children of the Sun have the ability to bind a deal between two parties with a touch of power. Will you submit to my touch?" he asks frankly.
Nellens Mirar . o O ( Roll Cha + Presence. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 10 dice on something and got 7 successes.
Nellens Mirar . o O ( Ayup. )
You say, "I will shake hands on the deal, as the merchants of Nexus do. Will that suffice?"
Monkey . o O ( You do realize that even if House Nellens believe you have that ability, if push comes to shove, they'll make Mirar sin-eater and renege. )
Captain Kaizoku think It was more of a test of their sincerity and open-mindedness...
Captain Kaizoku extends his hand. "Very well. You have surprised me today more than V'Neef Barada has ever managed to do."
You say, "Before I seal the bargain, let us agree to its terms: I will provide you with information on the ships and merchants of Houses V'neef and Ragara -- and Peleps, if I can. In exchange, you will not prey upon the merchants of House Nellens. Deal?"
Captain Kaizoku shakes his head. "Perhaps you would wish to tell Ragara and V'Neef of this arrangement as well. If I avoided your ships completely, it would send a signal that Barada and others could not miss. Should you want this to work, an occaisional ship of yours may have to be taken... Keep that in mind. But that will be a pinprick to the wounds that your information will let me cut into our mutual foes."
You say, "Your warning is well noted. I will understand if a ship of ours is lost to you, say once or twice a season."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Very good. Now... how do you propose keeping in contact? An arrow during a raid is far from reliable."
Nellens Mirar shakes hands with the captain.
Captain Kaizoku returns the shake, with a firm grip, but not a painful one. "To our... mutually beneficial agreement."
Monkey . o O ( what's next then? )
You say, "Carefully, I think. If you must communicate with me, you can leave a message with the factor of House Margard in Onde Cliffs, though I ask you do so incognito. Likwise, you can send a message through a variety of merchants in Cherak, Tideholme, and... well, as it happens, I have a list. However you contact me, be discreet! And do not rely on other members of my House knowing of this agreement. The prey survives by not being heard and dies through foolish noise."
Nellens Mirar hands the captain another, smaller scroll.
You say, "Is there a way I may contact you?"
Captain Kaizoku takes the scroll. "There are certain spells I have access to that can send you a message. Should I require a meeting, that is how I will arrange it" he says. Thinking a moment, he adds "I will set up a message drop in the capital and check it once a month... the details will find their way to you."
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Monkey will get to use the puzzle box more often now! )
Monkey . o O ( Okay. )
You say, "By capital, do you mean Cherak or the Imperial City? Also, if the spell you speak of is the Infallible Messenger -- perhaps we should set a regular time. How about between sunset and midnight on the seventh and twenty-first of each month?"
Captain Kaizoku says "The Imperial City... and indeed, it is that spell." He lets the need for a regular time pass without comment, merely making a mental note as to the times. "Now... I wish to use your factors to sell my captured goods from time to time..."
Nellens Mirar hold her hand up.
Captain Kaizoku lifts an eyebrow.
You say, "Caution, Captain. Let us see how well the arrangement suits us first. The factors of the House may deal with a respectable -- or slightly less than -- merchant, but should they be discovered selling plunder from, say, House Peleps... I fear that there would be no more messages from me, for I would be dead or enslaved with the rest of my House. We are a cat among tigers."
Captain Kaizoku mmmms and nods. "Very good..." he says. "And know that should you become unwelcome among the houses of the Blessed Isle, I would take you and yours in."
Nellens Mirar nods graciously.
Captain Kaizoku says, "A boon, if you would... your assement of the situation on the Isle as it stands now... and how you think it will stand in six months."
You say, "You are generous, captain. The Isle?"
Nellens Mirar drums her fingers on her thigh.
Captain Kaizoku nods. "The Isle. Who will next sit on the throne of the Scarlet Empress?" he asks, with barely any irony.
You say, "Tensions are rising, and the struggle for the Scarlet Throne is growing more towards open strife. The Immaculate Order stays out of politics, aiming for stability. The Houses struggle among themselves, and some are edging toward alliances. A few enmities are already obvious -- all against Nellens, for one."
Captain Kaizoku says, "I see... as I suspected. Stability will not be maintained, however... I think we both can see that coming."
You say, "V'neef and Peleps are bitter rivals, of course. To stave off Peleps, V'neef courts Ragara, who responds favorably for the moment. They may end up in bed with Cynis, as well... they are the mercantile Houses. I would not be too surprised if they tried to draw in Cathak for military support, but Cathak is reticent in offering open support to anyone."
Captain Kaizoku says, "And the most likely successor to the throne you see is...?"
Nellens Mirar . o O ( Hang on, looking stuff up. )
Monkey . o O ( As of E: DB, Mnemon. )
You say, "Tepet is still reeling from its war with the Bull of the North, and desperately seeking allies. Some favor Ragara, but Ragara has no time for a wounded lion. Meanwhile, Mnemon and Sesus are front runners -- the Immaculates would doubtless favor Mnemon herself, but House Sesus has a strong hold on the Thousand Scales and connections with Cynis and V'neef. Ledaal is staying out of things, for the most part, and will probably throw its weight behind the eventual winner. Peleps is flexible, but will end up opposing V'neef and Ragara unless something very odd happens. House Iselsi, of course, can be discounted almost entirely -- no House would accept an Iselsi on the Throne."
Captain Kaizoku says, "And your own? Who will the strongest surviving trade house back when the knives come out soon?"
You say, "In six months? Alliances will be clearer by then, though conflict will probably not have broken into open war. If some parties have their way, it never will, and the struggle will be one of duels and assassinations. The alliances will probably be tripartite -- Sesus, V'neef, Cynis, Ragara, and possibly Cathak on one side. Mnemon and Peleps will come together, probably gaining Ledaal and Tepet. Iselsi will be destroyed, finally. Nellens will back Mnemon -- or rather, Ledaal and Tepet."
You say, "I would guess that things will not come to blows until the Empress' funeral, and Dragons only know when that will be."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Indeed, though I will want to know that as soon as you do... Now, is there anything else? The shadows of the night grow long."
You say, "I think our business is done. I will await your first contact."
Captain Kaizoku says, "I look forward to a long and interesting relationship""
You say, "So do I. Farewell, Captain."
Nellens Mirar bows, and walks back to her boat.
Apollonian is now locally named The Storyteller
Monkey looks back as he hears the conversation cease. "All done, Captain?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "No, things are just beginning Monkey..."
Monkey says, "Oh, that kind, eh. Well, shall we get back to Stormhammer where it's warm?"
The two representatives of House Nellens row back to their ship, which weighs anchor and sails south under the clear stars.
Captain Kaizoku nods. "Light up your caste mark for better navigation and let's be off. How much of the conversation could you follow?"
Monkey says, "Not much, Captain. I recognize some names, so I think you're talking about the situation at the Blessed Isle."
Monkey rolled 2 dice on Int and got no successes but no botches either.
Monkey says, "That's all."
Captain Kaizoku says, "A certain House wants their rival houses' shipping raided while their own is left alone, and they have provided information that will help us do that... whta they didn't realize is that we were not raiding their shipping in any case..."
Monkey says, "We aren't?"
The Storyteller . o O ( brb. )
Captain Kaizoku says, "No... House V'Neef is always our main target... do you understand why, Monkey?"
Monkey thinks... "Wait, is it because of the map thing?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "No, it is to destabilize the Realm... V'Neef is the smallest house, and if they are looking weak, others will prey on them and get stronger, too strong for their rivals to permit, leading to more fighting and so on."
Monkey taps his forehead with his palm. "I see. Brilliant plan, Captain."
Monkey . o O ( It's brilliant to Monkey anyway. With his Intelligence 2. :) )
Captain Kaizoku says, "Now, to get the latest information from our new associates, we will have to go to the Blessed Isle from time to time... With that puzzle cube you have discovered.""
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That just means he takes a lot of time to think things through! )
Monkey says, "Great! When do we start?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "Soon, but first we will see how useful this information is, by raiding some of these ships. Now that we have suitable boarding vessels, I'll want you to take command of one and lead the Marukani over the rail.""
The Storyteller . o O ( back. BTW, Eagle's Launch is about 2,800 miles from the Imperial City. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Hmmm... Need some good transportation then, or to move the cube. )
Monkey . o O ( That just means that I'll have to bring the other puzzle box to Imperial City. )
TonyC ponders giving Jesse a headache by suggesting we handle the moving of the box tonight.
The Storyteller . o O ( Oh, you can _suggest_ it all right... )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( What could possibly go wrong there? :) )
Monkey . o O ( Seriously, with common mundane transportations, e.g., a horse drawn cart, people travel about 50 miles/day. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Or two days via Stormwind Rider. )
Monkey . o O ( Ah, but Stormwind Riders require 1. Kaizoku being there. Which would be fun, given Known Anathema and Wanted. :) )
Monkey . o O ( (And 2. Spells attract attention. )
Monkey . o O ( Now, Monkey can disguise himself and Kaizoku, but really, with the kind of attention Stormwind Rider gets, I doubt the disguise will stand scrutiny. )
Monkey . o O ( Wanna try? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( There's a whole lot of wilderness on the Isle. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( But no, not yet... first we have to see if the information pans out, before going through the trouble of setting up the drop point. )
The Storyteller . o O ( So what are you doing while you have this discussion? )
Monkey . o O ( A chance for you to try your Navigation skill inland! In the night! At 200 mph! )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Rowing back to the Stormhammer and then sailing back to another harbor, to check for pursuit. )
Monkey heads back to the boat and rows Kaizoku back to Stormhammer.
The Storyteller . o O ( What harbor? Any random cove, or something in particular? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Random cove. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Wotcher. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And what's the nearest time/ship on the list? )
The Storyteller . o O ( checking timeline )
The Storyteller . o O ( A small convoy of three vessels should leave Cherak on the 6th, bound for Pangu. They're Ragaran, bearing tribute from Rivermeet District. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Possible to intercept? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Calculating distances )
The Storyteller . o O ( Sorry that took so long. Yes. Moving the fleet from point B, you could intercept their probable path -- the usual shipping route between Cherak and Pangu -- in under three and a half days and wait on it. Assuming your fleet leaves tomorrow, that gives you at least three days before they even leave port. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Are you going to keep Point B as a harbor, or find another anchorage? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Find another one, and set out immediately for the intercept. does the Rahkamo clan want to come along for booty? )
The Storyteller . o O ( You'll have to ask them. Meanwhile, on your voyage back to Point B from your meeting with Nellens Mirar... )
In the early hours of the morning, Captain Kaizoku is awakened by a gentle touch on his shoulder. "Captain, you'd better come topside," says the seaman standing by his hammock.
Captain Kaizoku is on his feet, blade in hand in an instant. "Wake Monkey" he says, pulling on his coat and heading topside, pulling out his spyglass. "What is the situation?" he asks the sailing master.
Monkey . . z z Z Z
Monkey says, "Huh, what?"
It takes no spyglass to see what's wrong. The Stormhammer is enshrouded in fog, as thick as any Kaizoku has ever seen. From his position at the stern, he can barely make out the mast, and the talk of sailors at the bow is muffled beyond recognition.
Captain Kaizoku sticks the spyglass away and reaches out with his occult perceptions to see if this is some natural fog or a fell spell.
Captain Kaizoku says, "When did this come up? Just now?"
The Storyteller . o O ( Meaning... Charm? What? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Occult roll? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Okay, Perception + Occult. Difficulty is 7. )
The Storyteller . o O ( I know, ridiculously high... )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on Per+Occ and got 3 successes.
Monkey says, "Alright, cabin girl. I think my watch starts on sunrise, and judging from the dark outside, it's nowhere near dawn. So speak up."
The fog remains stubbornly opaque, even to the Captain's eyes attuned to the flows of Essence.
Captain Kaizoku walks up to the bow and brings forth the light of the sun through his caste mark.
The first mate says, "Aye. It sprang up quick as a breath about halfway through the watch. It's uncanny -- tisn't the season for fog on these waters..."
The cabin girl says, "Cap'n wants you topside, sir."
Monkey says, "Ah, that's a different matter then. Alright."
Monkey bundles up and goes topside. "Whooo, that's some fog."
Monkey says, "Reporting, Captain. Quite a thick fog, isn't it?"
Under the golden light of the sun, the fog seems to fade away for a distance of about ten yards. Wisps of it still linger at the edges of the glow, but in its brightest area, the air is clear.
Captain Kaizoku says, "Is it, Monkey? Or is it something more? Best speed ahead, Mr. Mate."
The first mate says, "Aye, aye, sir. Set the sail!" The crew jumps to his command, and the sail fills with wind, a gentle breeze from... the south? Southwest? It's hard to tell...
Captain Kaizoku says, "And stay alert on the sidess. Monkey, mind the stern."
Monkey says, "Aye aye."
Monkey jogs to the stern and tries to peer through the fog and shush anyone nearby so he can listen better.
Monkey . o O ( Not that it will help. :) )
The Stormhammer glides through fog, the sea lapping against her hull. The gray vapors part under her bow and caress her mast, and come together seamlessly in her wake. After a full watch, it seems that nothing has changed since the captain came on deck.
The Storyteller . o O ( Make a Perception + Awareness roll. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 4 dice on Per No awareness and got 4 successes.
Monkey . o O ( Okay, spending WP for auto-success )
Monkey rolled 3 dice on Per + Awa and got 2 successes.
Monkey . o O ( Nice roll, David. )
In the middle distance, off the port stern, you hear the tolling of a bell, muffled in the fog. It's a deep, mournful sound, like the temple bells of a ruined monastery.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Thanks. )
Captain Kaizoku hmmmms. "Make for the sound of the bell, Mr. Mate."
The first mate says, "Aye, aye, sir! Hard about to port!" The Storhammer curves around, cutting a wide wake in the fog and water... but as she points her bow towards the bell, the sound fades away with a cracked tone.
Monkey goes back to Kaizoku's side. "Restless ghosts, perhaps?"
Captain Kaizoku hmmms again, rubbing his chin. "Light up the stern, Mr. Monkey. Ahead one quarter, Mr. Mate."
Monkey goes back to the stern and flares his anima banner.\
The first mate says, "Aye, sir..." clearly unnerved by the fog and the bell.
The Storyteller . o O ( Who's on the ship again? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Razor Leaf, the Marukani and a full crew of veteran seamen. )
Monkey . o O ( Question: unnatural fog in the middle of nowhere is probably spirit or fey related. What skill is appropriate to figure out what to do to appease them? Or at least ask them what they want? )
The Storyteller . o O ( So about six sailors including the cabin girl, three Exalts, and twenty Marukani. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Occult, naturally. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Yep, sounds about right. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( And no spirit-related charms at all... )
Monkey . o O ( Ah, but you don't necessarily need charms. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( or Thaumaturgy. )
Monkey . o O ( Spending willpower for auto success )
Most of the crew is now on deck, gazing into the fog. At the bow, some of the Marukani are casting dice for jade bits, nervously glancing up at every throw. The first mate, the cabin girl, and Razor Leaf are all gathered at the stern with Monkey and the steersman. Kaizoku is at the bow, lighting the way with his caste mark.
The Storyteller . o O ( correct? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( If Monkey makes this roll, I'll eat my hat. )
Monkey rolled 3 dice on Int or Per + Occult and got 1 success.
Monkey . o O ( What does Monkey know? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( correct. )
Monkey says, "Well, I remember a certain ghost back in Threshold. And she said something about blood."
The Storyteller . o O ( Dammit, my mistake. It should be Lore. Regardless, I'll take that roll -- 2 successes. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Sensing spirits is a seperate roll from analyzing the fog? )
The fog tickles Monkey's memory... something his mother once said about the spirits of the sea, and the pirates of the southeast. "Watch out for fogs on the open water," she said. "Pour blood in the water to appease them. As long as they're not hunting you..."
Monkey takes one of his dagger and makes a small cut on his palm. "Spirits, ghosts, fey, whoever you are, you who created this fog. I offer you my blood and essence. Come out and speak with me. Make your concerns known and I shall try to address it.
Monkey . o O ( Funny, I was just typing that. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Spooooky! )
The Storyteller . o O ( What language are you speaking? )
Monkey . o O ( I was thinking Low Realm, but given the bit about what Mom said, change that to Seatongue. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Got it. )
Monkey . o O ( Actually, blood offering is pretty universal. )
Monkey squeezes his hand and lets drops of blood fall into the sea.
A patch of fog seems to coalesce around Monkey's cut hand, then fades away in the light of his anima. Perhaps in response -- perhaps not -- a sound comes out of the fog, off to starboard. Barely audible through the fog, it sounds like a slave ship, masts creaking and pitiful souls moaning in captivity. It, too, fades after a few minutes.
Monkey . o O ( It's the Flying Dutchman! )
The Storyteller . o O ( I'm going to speed things up a wee bit... but first, Captain, make a Wits + Lore check. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Can the Captain try to invoke the spirits with his Lore? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( D'oh. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 7 dice on Wits+Lore and got 1 success.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( double d'oh. )
Despite his long association with the sea and his knowledge of the spirits and gods upon it, the Captain can recall no lore of fogs and bells and moans.
Monkey rolled 4 dice on Wits + Lore and got 6 successes.
The Storyteller . o O ( Right, switching to "time passing montage..." Monkey, are those loaded dice? )
Monkey . o O ( On the other hand, the Sea People of the West knows exactly what to do in case of ghost ships. )
Monkey . o O ( Actually, I had a prior Astrology set up. )
Three watches pass and Stormhammer continues her voyage, though no one on board can say by now precisely what their heading is, nor where they are. Every so often, strange sounds float out of the fog -- bells, moans of despair, or mad laughter. The crew is getting badly on edge, and the captain has already had to defuse one fight among the gambling Marukani. Batu, the one the Marukani look to as leader, stands at the railing, tossing bits of sea biscuit into the ocean. The cabin girl stays close to the first mate as he paces nervously across the deck. Monkey stays in the stern, his anima casting warm and soothing light over the ship, at least for a few paces.
As the fog swirls and coalesces in the ship's wake, Monkey casts his mind back to his childhood in the West, and the tales of the shamans and priests of the perils of the deep ocean. Fogs were prominent in those, true, though not so prominent as the Lintha pirates, whose vicious escapades were much more interesting to the young Monkey than natural hazards.
Captain Kaizoku turns to address the crew. "Steady, crew" he says resolutely. "We have battled through the worst of man and nature alike, and won't be thwarted by a fog, thick as it is!"
Monkey makes a note to look up the Lintha when he gets back to the West.
The mate shouts out the next watch and flips the glass, and Monkey remembers -- once, in Abalone, before he hooked up with Kaizoku, he shared a drink and a bowl of chowder with a mad old sailor. Shidaki had once sailed for the Realm, and faced the Lintha in the Southwestern seas. He regaled the young Exalt with tales of the Lintha's demon-drawn ships, the savage cannibalism of their crews -- and of the strange fogs that beset his ship when they pursued a particular Lintha vessel along the Violet Coast.
His captain then had been a Peleps, hard, cruel, and strong as the Earth that was his Aspect. He hadn't bowed to the wracking fear and doubt that crippled the crew of his ship, and had guided the vessel even after chaining his crew to the gunnels for their own safety. After perhaps a week, perhaps two, the fog had vanished one pale, moonlit night.
Monkey thinks, "Yup, and teach them a lesson about not bothering the good folks of the Archipelago. I mean, honestly. Realm merchantmen, I can see. But fishermen?"
Monkey . o O ( Jesse, let me know when you're done. )
Monkey continues thinking, "A whole week of sailing in the fog would be so boring. I mean, the whole point of sailing to see what's beyond the horizon. When you can't even see the other end of the ship, that's like staying in one place, <gulp> forever!
At this point in the tale -- which Shidaki told Monkey twice before they parted ways -- the mad sailor always dropped his voice to a whisper, and told how the Peleps captain had been torn apart by tentacles that descended from the open sky and peeled the skin from his flesh, draping him over the sail like bunting at a festival. The ship had drifted for days, so Shidaki said, until found by some fishermen out of Abalone. Then he asked for more wine and drank himself into a stupor.
The Storyteller . o O ( one more bit. )
Monkey thinks, "And two weeks! Spirits above and below! Hmmm, I wonder if someone has told a tale about outrunning, or better yet, breaking a demon-bound fog."
Monkey had thought Shidaki to be a liar, but the young man who occasionally brought him chowder was convinced of the old-timer's veracity. "He's lucky," said the young man. "My father says the eristrufa spare no one. Maybe the captain was an offering. Maybe the Lintha called the demon off."
Monkey . o O ( Doesn't Blood and Sail has this very demon in the crunchy part? )
Monkey says, "Captain!"
The Storyteller . o O ( p. 112. )
Captain Kaizoku says, "Yes, Monkey?"
Monkey says, "I remembered something from back home. Back in the Archipelago, one notorious pirate family used bound demons to trap their prey in fog."
Captain Kaizoku lifts an eyebrow. "Really?" he asks, taking it seriously. "That would explains many things... in that case, let us shed some more light on the subject." The captain steps back and calls out "AKIYO TAISAN!" and flares his anima even brighter, bright enough to drive off demons with the holy power of the Sun.
Monkey . o O ( That's Akuryo Taisan. Get your Sailor Moon right. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( She never writes it down, so it's hard to check the spelling. :) )
You rolled 4 dice on Eristrufa Valor and got 3 successes.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Crap. )
Monkey waits for a bit. "Well, did it work?"
Captain Kaizoku says, "We shall see... In the meantime, help me set up a ward around the center of the ship, Monkey."
In the blast of Kaizoku's anima, the fog burns away -- only to rush back into the vacuum thicker than before. There's now a definite air of malice in the fog, wrapping around the ship and feeling like foul oil on everyone's skin.
The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, tasty tamatogi. )
Monkey says, "Maybe you can blow it away? Most fog can't stand a good win. Not saying this one can't, but could work, right?"
Captain Kaizoku says "Perhaps a more direct approach" as he balls his fist, bringing up a swirling cloud of Solar energy around it... he pulls back and punches toward the fog, sending the gust of energy into it.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Damage flare that time. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Roll it. (Not like you're going to miss...) )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 3 dice on something and got 1 hit.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Better than nothing... )
The mist vanishes like darkness under a candle where the bold of the Captain's anima touches it. The fog around the Stormhammer ripples and shudders.
Monkey says, "Captain, in the story I heard, the Captain gets eaten first."
The Storyteller . o O ( Hrm. Demonic tactics... )
Monkey says, "Perhaps we should toss someone overboard to appease it. I recommend myself."
Captain Kaizoku says, "Don't be silly Monkey. I will never yeild one inch or one drop of blood to a demon. Let it come!"
Monkey says, "That's exactly it, Captain. We're fishing a demon. We need bait."
Monkey puts his left hand on his chin, thinking, "Although the sailor did say it ate the captain. Maybe we should toss you instead, Captain?"
Captain Kaizoku narrows his eyes. "Why don't you tell me this story from the beginning Monkey?"
The fog thickens, streamers washing over the deck like a gray river. As the crew watches in horror, vapors coalesce over the stern, shaping into streamers, then tentacles of gray flesh, lined with suckers and barbed with claws. As the demon gathers itself into physical form, the fog streams into it, revealing pink sky in the east -- the coming sunrise.
The Storyteller . o O ( Phooey. MOO don't like that. )
Captain Kaizoku draws his daiklave. "Clear the deck! Mr. Leaf, stand fast at the hatch, Monkey with me!"
Demon Battle: Round 1!
Monkey says, "Well, I was in Abalone, getting a certain medicine on behalf of Kulahamena, our wise-"
The Storyteller . o O ( Roll initiative. )
On 1d10+8, you rolled 17.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Weapons? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Weapon bonus, that is? )
Monkey rolled 1d10+8 and got 11.
The Storyteller . o O ( If you've got it ready, and there's no reason not to. You may also have one scene-length Charm up already. )
Monkey says, "Look, you demon, can't you see I was trying to hold a conversation here?"
Captain Kaizoku rolled 1d10+14 and got 22.
Monkey . o O ( Alright, time to test the new charm. Distractingly Lewd Gesture. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( I dont' think I have any... well, the time for negotiations has passed. )
Monkey . o O ( Hmmm, one scene length? Flow Like Blood, obviously. )
Monkey . o O ( Distractingly Lewd Gesture. http://exalted.xi.co.nz/wiki/wiki.pl?MartialArts/MonkeyStyle2 )
Initiative Order: Kaizoku 22, Eristrufa 17, Monkey 11. We'll leave the crew and Marukani out of this, if you like -- they're scrambling to get belowdecks.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( As ordered. This is out of their league. )
Monkey makes a rude gesture involving his pants, his left hand, his big right toe, and both his ears. The actual gesture, due to the sensitivity of the audience, is best left undescribed.
The Storyteller . o O ( I see! Well, then. )
Captain Kaizoku charges forward, sword at his side... running up onto the side of the railing, trailing his blade over the encroaching tentacles, one two three before backflipping and taking up a guard position.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( multi-attack, three actions. )
Revised Initative Order: Kaizoku 22, Scandalized Eristrufa 12, Monkey 11.
The Storyteller . o O ( 2-die stunt to the Captain. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 15 dice on swipe 1 and got 8 successes.
Monkey . o O ( You know it's bad when the gesture scandalizes a demon. :) )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 14 dice on swipe 2 and got 9 successes.
Captain Kaizoku rolled 13 dice on swipe 3 and got 7 successes.
The Storyteller hates the way the spirit Charms are split up over at least three books.
Monkey . o O ( Bah. All you need is Principle of Motion. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Which is what I'm looking up. )
Monkey . o O ( Core book. )
You rolled 8 dice on Eristrufa Dodge and got 5 successes.
You rolled 8 dice on Eristrufa Dodge and got 2 successes.
You rolled 8 dice on Eristrufa Dodge and got 2 successes.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Is there anything special about his dodge, or should I work out damage? )
Stunned by Monkey's antics, the demon finds its reactions slowed -- too slow to properly avoid the Captain's orichalcum blade. It writhes in mid-air as sword does its bloody work.
The Storyteller . o O ( work out damage. Soak is 6L. )
Captain Kaizoku rolled 8 dice on something and got 3 hits.
Captain Kaizoku rolled 12 dice on something and got 6 hits.
Captain Kaizoku rolled 10 dice on something and got 3 hits.
The Storyteller . o O ( You killed it. Describe? )
Captain Kaizoku siezed the chance caused by Monkey's distraction to flip over to the other side of the railing, driving his blade along the meat of the beast past the tentacles, dragging his gleaming blade through its flesh... deep enough to slice the fowl thing it two! As he lands, he flicks his blade out towards the sea, cleaning the steaming filth of demon blood off of it.
Monkey continues as if nothing happened. "As I were saying, this girl was sick, and Kulahamena, our wise-man, told me and Haro to go to Abalone to fetch a certain herb needed for the medicine. Kulahamena couldn't come, since the girl's condition was very bad, and he had to stay and tend to her. So he gave us the herb's name and description...," Monkey scratches his head, "Uh, I forget it already. Come to think about it, I never did get that herb. Luckily Haro found the right apothecary. But back to the story, you see, we were told to go....
The Storyteller . o O ( Fowl thing? Shame, shame... )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( if it wasn't such a chicken, it would have attacked before now. )
Captain Kaizoku stands up casually. "Was that the creature from your tale, Monkey?" he asks firmly. "And was there only one in it?"
Monkey says, "to Seven Colorful Lifes and get the herb. So I went there, and to my surprise, it was a packed tavern. Oh? What? Tentacles, check. Very likely the creature, Captain. I never saw the one in the tale though, so I don't know for sure. But the tale does mention only one.""
Monkey says, "Anyway, I was actually supposed to go to Seven Colored Leaves, although I didn't figure it out until much later."
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( So, the sky's cleared up? )
Captain Kaizoku listens to Monkey with one ear as he makes sure the creature is well and truly gone.
As the sunrise washes over the Stormhammer, the crew reurns to its positions, much relieved. The sky, clear now, is blue over the gray sea. The mate quickly figures the ship's position, and turns her bow back to the appointed course.
Monkey says, "So I asked the bartender where to find this herb. But he told me to buy something or leave. I couldn't leave without the herb, so I bought a tankard of ale."
Captain Kaizoku points his blade in the direction of the rest of the fleet. "Full speed ahead, Mr. Mate, and let's make up for lost time! Cabin girl, bring out a ration of ale for Mr. Monkey!"
Monkey says, "But the bartender still wouldn't give me the herb! So I started explaining how dire the situation was, when suddenly, the guy beside me said, "Kid, if you aren't drinking that, I'll drink it instead" and I went, "Hey!""
The Storyteller . o O ( And that's where we'll wrap up for the night. )
Monkey thanks the girl for the ale, "Perfect!" and continues on for quite a while.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Excellent. )
Listening to Monkey, some sailor remarked that it's amazing that a tale that took at most fifteen minutes in reality could take two hours in the re-telling.
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Next time (in two weeks), fleet elements will raid that three ship convoy to test this new alliance. )
The Storyteller . o O ( 4 XP each. Any questions, comments, etc.? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Just that the Poke of Doom seems to work better than using attack charms... )
The Storyteller . o O ( I'll mention that this was a good candidate for your Combo... if a bit underpowered... )
The Storyteller should knock together Power Combat stats for the eristrufa soon.
Monkey . o O ( Your combo would've taken it out in one slash. )
Monkey . o O ( Was there a ship around? )
Monkey . o O ( Or was the noises SFX from the demon? )
The Storyteller . o O ( All demon, all the time. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Now, who sent it? Or was it a random demon encounter? )
The Storyteller . o O ( that's the question, isn't it? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, that would explain why the Occult roll was so hard. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, crazy stunts here. http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/kung_fu_hustle.html )
Monkey . o O ( Oh, it's Chow Sing Chi. )
Monkey . o O ( It's bound to be comedy. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Looks like. )
Monkey . o O ( And he's making fun of The Matrix. )
Monkey . o O ( Anyway: comment. )
Monkey . o O ( We should get back to the first quest, the search for the naval base soon. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( That will either be very easy, or impossible, depending on Suda and the parts. )
Monkey . o O ( Because otherwise we'd be spending sessions after session taking out every single ship the Realm has and trying to ally with every little kingdom in Creation. Which is fine when we were 20xp to 50xp. But at 120 xp, we ought to try tackling bigger challenges. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( From earlier... "The Captain's been thinking about bringing back the Solar Navy, in name and deed, and starting a 'charm offensive.' Doing heroic and helpful things because it's the right thing to do, and to give people a reason to believe in and support his cause, to have deeds, not just words, to point to." )
Monkey . o O ( Stephen Chow :: Jim Carrey )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Having genuine Solar Navy ships would help with that... )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Crewing them would be a problem though. )
The Storyteller . o O ( I am guessing that this arc will run another four or five sessions. It depends on how quickly the Captain decides to make contact with the rest of the Kamsa, and what he does to win their trust -- or at least, get them to head over to bother the Mask of Winters. )
Monkey . o O ( Meanwhile, I need to figure out how to take on Juggernaut. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( The rest of them are heading in our general direction, right? And feelers have been sent out. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( as for Juggy, perhaps a breed of giant super-maggots? )
The Storyteller . o O ( Step one: Get more XP. Step two: Kickass warstrider. Step 3: Repeat as necessary with minions. )
Monkey . o O ( Kick-ass warstrider incompatible with MA charm. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( A Marine Warstrider with a paddlewheel on the back for propulsion would be handy. )
The Storyteller . o O ( It would, however, look exceedingly silly. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Well, I'm going by First Age tech... they don't have hydrojets... )
Monkey . o O ( Actually I think Kaizoku with his huge ass combo should take on Juggernaut. Me, I probably will have to settle with taking on the less impressive Mask of Winters. )
The Storyteller . o O ( I'd figure it to have a pair -- or quartet -- of wing-like fins on the back. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Oh, one thing... think of what firing an implosion bow underwater would do, range and damage wise. For the sub project. )
Monkey . o O ( A hover-craft warstrider! Nah, still silly. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Oh. )
The Storyteller . o O ( How about an eel-shaped war machine? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Warstriders have to be humanoid (if their pilots are), so that would have to be a vehicle... but it could be interesting! )
Monkey . o O ( A sub will, if we go if the theme so far, be a vehicle like a warbird, or Chariot of The Sky. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Ah, here it is: Creatures of the Wyld, pp. 77-78. The Brass Leviathan. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( But enclosed. And what I'm thinking of is a pocket sub for sneak attacks and covert actions. )
Monkey . o O ( As for underwater warstrider, honestly, I recall a Sail charm, or is it Athletic charm that lets people swim in armor. Add Feather Foot Style, and Eagle Soaring Technique, and you got a warstrider capable of operating in all three terrain. )
The Storyteller . o O ( Ay. Well, I'm done for the night. I'll see you guys in two weeks. )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( Where is Eagle Soaring? )
Captain Kaizoku . o O ( See you then! Take care and have a good break! )
- On to Session 25
