Heroica RPG - Quest #40: The Strivvian Job

[CMP]

Atramor barely had time to open his mouth to speak to Lorenzo when one of the men alerts them to an enemy ship. He sighs. This was eerily similar to the ship ride over 20 Quests ago. McCafferey eyed the orcs from the railing, while he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Slavers, eh? I think we should board them. The initiative can make all the difference in these sorts of attacks. Orcs or not, I doubt it'll make a difference in the long run."

Edited September 9, 2012 by CallMePie

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall sighs, "Captain, what makes ya so sure they be slavers? Have ya encountered them before?" Skrall was not anxious to attack his fellow brethren, but he was not to be made a slave himself if they were in the habit of enslaving their own kind. On the other hand, perhaps he would be in a more agreeable position if they were only after human slaves.

"Yer majesty, perhaps they are only after human slaves and would think nothin' of an escaped Ogre. If that were the case perhaps I could assist in the surprise by jumpin' overboard in order to appear to be escapin'. Then I could lure them on board here with talk of how easy of a prize ya all would make and how yer barely armed and other such untruths."

[Zepher]

Boomingham laughs in the Ogre's face. "No, Ogre, you will not be swimming over to them and helping them board this boat. There is a little game I like to play called tactics, and allowing them onto this boat unscathed with an accomplice does not figure well into that game. The best battles are the ones where there is zero chance of losing an ally's life. We set them aflame before they can touch us, and cut them down when the survivors try to board. It will be quick and efficient and hardly a battle."

[Waterbrick Down]

Ignoring his desire to give the laughing Paladin a good clocking on the head, Skrall smirked, "Well then, I'll see about helpin' the fiery Miss Nyx in settin' their boats ablaze." Skrall requests a jar of oil and a torch if one can be found, in order to start launching flaming bolts at the slaver's boats. "Captain, if yer wrong about those bein' slavers I'll personally see to it that ya descend the gang-plank to our destination one limb less." Skrall turns back to Boomingham, "Now then yer majesty, shall I fire a warnin' shot past the bosun's ear?"

Edited September 9, 2012 by Waterbrick Down

[Pandora]

Nyx's eyes open wide as Ellaria hands her the Aquamarine

"Ellaria, really? It's so beautiful, and I can just feel how much I can do with it... Would you like this fish-stick thing in return? I know you can't use it, but you could sell it, and I don't find myself on that many boats. Not usually, anyway and it'll have to be after I finish beating seven bells out of those slavers, so it might be a bit bloodstained, and it'll probably still smell of fish, but if you want it...?"

Nyx leaves the question hanging as she hears Boomingham request some arson

"I don't mind whether we fight them on their boats or on ours, but we'd better make sure we win as I have no idea how to sail, and I doubt any of you do either. If the final decision is to fight them here, I'll happily fire off a fireball or two to set the boats on fire, and when those have done as much damage as possible, I'd be happy to try out this new shiny gem and see if I can't drown a few with a strong wave. It's all worth a try, but we are definitely sure these are baddies, aren't we? I don't want to set fire to a boat-load of Orcs if they're good guys. Actually I do, I really do; I just wouldn't want to get caught, and I have a strong feeling I'd get caught, what with everyone watching and everything, and I'm really trying to be good, I really am."

[Zepher]

"Now then yer majesty, shall I fire a warnin' shot past the bosun's ear?"

"Glad to hear that you'll be staying near at hand, Ogre. I much prefer you where I can see you. As for a warning shot... why bother? Slavers deserve no warning. Their warning came when they took up their profession." There is a flash of light next to the Paladin that only he and Skrall see. It fades away just as quickly as it appeared. "Bloody ocean. I thought it was deserts that were supposed to make you see things. You may fire when Nyx does. Wait for her signal. Thank you for serving well, Ogre."

Boomingham nods curtly to Skrall before turning to Nyx. "I thought this might appeal to you, m'lady. I'm ready whenever you are. Keep that aquamarine at the ready - if they tether their flaming boats to our's, you must put them out immediately. I predict I shall one day go down in a blaze of glory. I'd prefer if that day wasn't today."

[CMP]

"Boomin'ham, I doubt these slavers would be so dumb as to not carry around bail buckets. The fire probably won't last long...though I suppose it's worth a shot. Wish Angry Seaweed was still here, he'd drag 'em down to the seafloor... Do ya' think we could try and keep one alive, for interrogation and such?"

[Pandora]

"Captain, are you absolutely sure these are slavers and that they mean to do us harm?"

[CMP]

"Captain, are you absolutely sure these are slavers and that they mean to do us harm?"

"They're wearin' black hats, Nyx. All of them."

[Pandora]

"They're wearin' black hats, Nyx. All of them."

"Uhm, so's our captain. And some of their hats look a bit... shiny, but maybe they've got cold heads?"

[Scubacarrot]

"Absolutely, they are armed to the teeth, carry no sails and lay high in the water, meaning they don't make long journeys or carry cargo. Also, they are on ramming course with us. I am sure. Are you sure about your plan?"

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall notes the light, "Perhaps was just the sun shinin' off the sea wrong. Now then, black hats, armed to the teeth, no cargo, and no sail, sounds like yer regular orc pleasure cruise to me. But we generally don't go in fer the same type of pleasure as you chaps. No matter, as long as they don't have any mages with of their own, I think we'll be fine, just make sure those burnin' boats don't get too close to cause a problem on our end either Miss Nyx." Skrall looks around for the oil and torch to start loosing fiery bolts at the boats.

[CMP]

"Hold up, if they're gonna be rammin' us, we do not want them on fire when they do. I say we just let 'em at us."

[Pandora]

"Hold up, if they're gonna be rammin' us, we do not want them on fire when they do. I say we just let 'em at us."

"Much as I'd like to set them on fire, this is (unfortunately) a good point. Maybe I should just try out this nice new Aquamarine and try to drown a few of them before they get to us? A nice big wave that sort of flows away from us, so it doesn't rock our boat (ship? Is it a ship or a boat? I have no idea) and our boat stays on the water just fine. It might work, and it's probably safer than setting them on fire.

Or I could try to enchant their wooden oars with my Emerald and make them beat each other about the heads with them? Or Ellaria could turn their oars into flowers?

Larry dear, it's your choice, I'll do whatever you wish before the boats get here."

[Zepher]

"When you see a problem, you burn it out. Be ready to quench the fire if needed, but their boats will burn. Nyx, Skrall, whenever you two are ready, we are going into combat!"

[Rufus]

'Slavers! I'll not stand for this. Let's take them on!' Rufindel shouts. 'Preferably without burning ourselves in the process,' he adds under his breath.

[Pandora]

"Nyx, Skrall, whenever you two are ready, we are going into combat!"

"Okay (not ok-ey) dokey, fireball on the slaver ship it is then."

Nyx attempts a nonchalant shrug as she turns away from the team to face the enemy boat, but is in fact trying to hide the fact that she's grinning, rubbing her hands together and jumping up and down every so sightly.

[Waterbrick Down]

Skrall still searches for the torch and oil and if he finds them will start shooting off fiery bolts at the boats.

[Scubacarrot]

Skrall does not find sufficient oil to dip his bolts in, so that plan is a no go. As the ship gets closer, Nyx spends an Ether to throw a volley of fireballs at attacking ship, some fireballs hit the water, and a few hit the ship's bow, but the wet ship does not catch fire, and none of the Orcs seem to be bothered in a major way. The party stands helpless as the ship closes the gap between them and the Armory. The Armory's crewman have their cutlasses in hand, and so does Captain Lorenzo. It will be mere moments, before the sailors of both ship can virtually touch each other...

It's too dark to take pictures now. Tomorrow morning battle will be joined, Yarr!

[Pandora]

but the wet ship does not catch fire

"Well that's just poo. I shall spend the mere moments before the boats touch by trying out my Aquamarine and conjuring a large wave to wash over the Orc slavers (away from our boat, of course) in an attempt to drown a few of them.

And in the really unfair scenario that that doesn't work, I'll just have to beat the hell out of them when they get here. "

[Scubacarrot]

Nyx conjures up big waves at the cost of another Ether, but those waves do nothing but succeed in making the orcs wet.

[Waterbrick Down]

"Now would be the time for that Topaz of yer's Miss Nyx. I don't think those soaked orcs would appreciate a bolt of lightnin' right about now." Failing to find any oil, Skrall contents himself with ensuring he has enough bolts for the upcoming action.

[CMP]

"I'd just chuck my Bomb XX over there, but I don't think it's waterproof....lightnin' sounds good, though."

[Pandora]

"Now would be the time for that Topaz of yer's Miss Nyx. I don't think those soaked orcs would appreciate a bolt of lightnin' right about now."

"I have a feeling the elements aren't in the mood to cooperate, but maybe they will reward sheer persistence? Everyone's dry, right? We're insulated on this boat and nobody's standing in any puddles? Good."

Nyx carefully checks where she, her team and the rest of the crew are standing, to ensure that nobody's standing in any water. Once satisfied that there is no possible way that she can harm any allies, she prepares a Lightning bolt and aims it at the soggy Orcs, feeling the need to shout "clear!" just before sending it squarely at the enemy boat.

[Rufus]

"I have a feeling the elements aren't in the mood to cooperate"

'I think you may be right, Nyx. Something tells me we're going to have to fight them the old-fashioned way.' Rufindel surreptitiously backs away from Nyx, and makes sure he's not touching anything wet.