Gherkin's Games: May 2021

Read the previous installment here

Into the Vohuon Ocean

It is the 6th day of the Imp's departure from Port Stolm, and the 20th since leaving Gradsul with the Enterprise. They are following a southerly course around 60 miles off the East coast of the Amedio Jungle; the weather is clear aside from some light clouds and the sun beats down warming the waters near the surface.

The wind has shifted direction, from a brisk Southwester to a light breeze from the North. At times one or more of the Imp's complement spend a while airborne. Cerys taking "Bat" for a fly; her pixie attendants Echo and Pumpkin stretching their wings; Louteah going for a flyabout; or anyone else skilled or brave or foolhardy enough to hang on to Crystal the Griffon, which Cerys will be willing to loan out.

At times, Sufyan will request a rest stop for a while so he and his fellow Janni can escape the claustrophobic environment of the Imp and go for a fly about. Their flying speed is not that great and unlike the other fliers they can't keep up with the Imp even at cruising speed.

Technical note: the Janni could, of course, pop off to the Elemental Plane of Air at any time via Plane Shift. This is not as straightforward as it sounds though. Plane Shift is inherently inaccurate. On their return to Oerth, they could end up anywhere up to 500 miles in any direction from their intended destination, and they have no Teleport capability so rejoining the Imp will be difficult.

Around midday, vessels are sighted ahead on the open sea. A large number of vessels, and as the Imp and her crew draw closer it becomes apparent that some vessels are trading blows, shooting at each other with ballistae. Cerys casts Telepathic Link on Louteah and she flies on ahead, being their fastest flier.

Louteah reports an apparent pursuit in progress with a smaller group of larger, heavily armed vessels chasing a flotilla of smaller ships many of whom are just fishing boats, though a few of these smaller vessels have weapons and are fighting back. There is a stricken vessel whose sails and rigging are on fire and she has fallen behind the rest of the fleeing vessels (either that, or this ship was leading the pursuit). As Louteah watches, she sees one of the pursuing vessels starting to turn in on what could be a collision course with this ailing ship as its occupants battle to extinguish the flames.

Meanwhile, Dray Turini has been casting an Augury, asking his divine patron Zilchus for some indication as to whether there is profit to be had from becoming involved in this conflict. He unrolls his rune mat and says a prayer over his coins before casting them on the mat.

Holy Symbol of Zilchus

"Zilchus shows us there are two sides to this conflict; there is potential for profit to be made either way, if we choose a side to assist. Though there will be moral considerations of good and evil for some in our party, in deciding which side to align with; that will outweigh maximization of profit." Dray sighed. Isn't that always the way?

Jess decides to take action. She hands control of the vessel to Samson Marcher (who is a little more seasoned than Kantelleki when it comes to combat maneuvers) and exits via the airlock having cast Fly on herself. She follows hard on Louteah's heels towards the action zone.

Dray begins casting some spells on a few people who will sally forth with him in search of the profits that Zilchus has signified; preparing them with such magics as Water Breathing. His bodyguard Emmun; Earl Whitewood; and Quaenas Lorlann. Tsai Ying will join them but her magical glassteel helm already grants her aquatic capability.

Once Dray has finished his preparations, the team he is leading move to the airlock, where Cerys awaits, Batazoax coiling about her in snake form. "If you are all quite ready...let's venture forth. Once outside Bat here will go full size. All grab hold and we'll swim to the surface together. I'll provide you with some transportation once we are out of the water. I'm heading for a different target."

Earl: "Just to clarify, miss...is it this sea monster of yours we are grabbing hold of, or you?"

"You could try to grab hold of me...and see what happens."

In the event, he wisely decides not to take that chance.

They surge upwards and emerge into the sunlight. They see the vessels bobbing on the swells around 500 yards away, smoke and flames rising from one of them.

Cerys rises fully up out of the water under power of magical levitation, and makes a series of mystical gestures as she utters words of eldritch power. A misty cloud blooms in open space before her, and emerging from that cloud...a Djinn.

Mubizaan the Djinn

"Mubizaan, I apologise for such inconvenience as this summoning may cause, and implore thee to serve my will for a short time. I hope I have not interrupted some moment of intimacy or family joy. Your aid in battle is needed here. Tell me, how fares your commander, Captain Ezkabar of the court of Al-Shafari?"

"Oh dread mistress, it is always a joy to answer the call of one so gracious and willing to exchange pleasantries, unlike typical summoners to the mortal realms who simply bark commands to slay this, create that, and so on. Captain Ezkabar fares well enough, and I am aware you and he are on excellent terms, but I am ready to serve in his stead....in any capacity you may desire, and at any time." Slight arch of the eyebrow.

Cerys laughs. "I wonder what your Captain would have to say about you making such an offer. Pleasantries and flattery aside, I am afraid I do not have anything terribly exciting to occupy your time, Mubizaan. Just convey these mortals at your swiftest pace towards the battle you see taking place yonder. We will be out of contact I think so follow this man's commands in my absence, or those of any other he delegates that authority to." She indicates Dray. "And do battle, or use such other powers as you possess, at their request also."

The Djinn bows deeply. "As you command, O mistress, so shall it be." He turns to the others, bobbing on the waves. "Now, if you please, all join hands....now, you sir, take my hand, that's it yes..." He closes his eyes in a moment's concentration and together they are all transformed into a vaporous form, ready to Wind Walk to the conflict zone ahead.

Cerys swings astride Batazoax, ready to ascend skywards. "Good luck everyone."

Beneath them, Samson engages full thrust on the Imp, and she powers forwards underwater.

Anything can happen in the next half hour!

By the time Jess arrives on the scene, the vessel Louteah saw making a turn towards the stricken vessel has rammed her on the starboard side; the ships are now in a grapple and there is a boarding action taking place with the defenders on the rammed vessel getting the worst of it.

Strategic Sea Battle Map and Vessel Identification Chart

Jess sees a vicious looking ogre lumber forwards swinging a greatclub about as a plucky group of defenders led by (as they will later learn) Watch Commander Vegner Wynton try desperately to hold the deck against the invaders. Hobgoblins swinging spiked chains advance on the ogre's flanks. A prejudiced assumption it may be, but Jess instinctively feels drawn to aid the defenders against this incursion. She lets herself drop abruptly out of the sky towards the deck and Feather Falls next to the beleaguered watchmen.

Captain Jess, Commander Vegner,

Hobgoblin Slaver, Ogre Pirate

"I'm Captain Jessica Del Rio, and I'm here to save you. Stand back." The ogre is caught off guard and in seconds, she unleashes a Lightning Bolt down the port side of the attacking vessel, roasting one of the hobgoblin boarders, and a line of piratical looking humans who were pouring crossbow fire into the defenders; meanwhile, a Quickened Web spell over the forward mast and bow of their ship traps a slew of other attackers. She ends the maneuver by lunging and stabbing the ogre with her elven thinblade. Which only makes it angrier, but still.

The commander and his men rally, their hopes for survival renewed. "Thank the gods, help at last!" he exclaims. Jess grins fiercely. But the ogre roars, and, despite strands of web hindering it, it swings at Jess in a rage. The fury of its sudden onslaught surprises even her and although she is nimble and well protected by magic it catches her a glancing blow that winds her a bit as she dances back. Battle has been joined!

There are still plenty of pirates aboard the attacking vessel ready to pitch in against this new threat, but then terror from the skies descends on them in the form of Louteah. As she flies down at them, the dragon-fear seizes them and all but a braver few souls scatter in a panic, some diving overboard in their efforts to escape.

Jess and Louteah intervene

A watching figure on the pirate warship, is Grennem Oceanshard. He has narrowly escaped being struck by Jess' Lightning Bolt. He realises that these people are going to be tougher to defeat than expected. At this stage, he does not know for sure that these newcomers are not associated with the refugees his band have been pursuing for the past couple of days before a change of wind gave them the advantage they needed to catch them with their superior oar-power. Regardless, reinforcements from their floating pirate palace, the "Maphistal's Glee", are called for. He produces a wand, and uttering a command word, vanishes from the deck of "Preys-On-The-Weak" to go and fetch some additional brute force to deal with this troublesome half-elf and her (reassuringly small) dragon ally.

Grennem Oceanshard

Light Raider "Poisoned Lightning" gets a surprise visit

Dray, Tsai Ying, Quaenas, Emunn and Earl have meanwhile been racing over the water in Wind Walk, courtesy of Mubizaan the Djinn. They see a vessel below, which is being rowed in pursuit of a fishing boat crammed with fearful people. The pursuing craft has a mixed crew; human sailors and artillerists, a couple of hobgoblins with spiked chains, and skeleton rowers. They are reloading their ballista ready for another shot at the already damaged fishing boat. If they breach the hull, the vessel will take on water and they will catch them for sure.

Skipper Lothar Querd, Pirate Crewman, Skeleton Rower

Anatol, Commander of Skeletons

Dray commands Mubizaan to take them in lower over the Raider. Then as they come in closer, the decision is made: "Drop us on the deck and dispel your Wind Walk. We'll take this vessel."

Things happen very rapidly. They get the drop on the pirates and take them completely by surprise. Emunn slices Lothar's frock coat and shirt open with one great swipe of his huge falchion as it materializes out of vapour, leaving a red gash across his chest as he throws himself back in surprise. he grabs for his rapier ready to fight for his life against these interlopers, but before he gets a chance, Tsai Ying, focusing her psionic energy through her crossbow to increase its power, fires from the hip and a bolt pierces the pirate Skipper right through the heart, ending his career.

Meanwhile, Quaenas has taken a pirate by surprise, also, and drops him with a clinically executed shot from his longbow through the centre of his chest.

The hobgoblins decide to make a break for it. One is cut down by Emunn as he tries to dive off the side of the vessel. The other looks like he might get away, but as he swims for it Tsai Ying pumps a rapid succession of well-aimed bolts his way from her repeating crossbow of speed. The artillerists manning the ballista close by surrender.

Anatol, the commander of the skeletons aboard the Poisoned Lightning, does not fare well either, shot once by Quaenas and then harpooned in his escape attempt by Earl.

Dray commands the skeletons. "The power of Zilchus...compels you to serve me. Halt your rowing." And they do his bidding.

The remaining crewman immediately surrenders.

The Poisoned Lightning is taken

Dray decides to turn the vessel about and head towards another vessel, a light caravel to their south. They aren't sure at this point which side that vessel is on.

Hostile Takeover

During these events, Cerys and Batazoax have had time to fly upwards to survey the scene, get a visual fix on a warship on the south side of the battle zone, and Teleport nearby the vessel. Cerys activates her Dazzling Beauty (for effect really, though it would give a small advantage in a combat; but she is aiming to avoid that altogether). They then swoop in and land on the deck causing immediate terrified reactions from the crew to the sudden arrival of this monster out of nowhere and its awe-inspiring rider.

That "Game of Thrones" shit with a ballista won't work here

The vessel's name is "Joy of Damnation"; its master, one of the most vicious of halfling pirates to sail the Vohuon Ocean, Captain Stradrun Dolaho.

Cap'n Stradrun Dolaho. Aaaarrhhh.

Cerys fixes Stradrun with an imperious gaze as Batazoax bares his teeth, nascent electrical charge crackling in his throat ready to belch forth lightning.

"Hello boys. Nice boat. Think I'll take it."

The force of her will is supernatural and overpowering, even without the added incentive of her straddling a 10 ton mutant behir. For a moment, he thinks indignantly, This is a ship, not a boat. He realises one wrong move is liable to get him on a one-way trip into the interior of a behir's stomach, though, alive or dead, and this dame doesn't look like she'll take kindly to pedants. If she says its a boat, then it's a bloody boat.

"Anyone feel like.....arguing?" she says, looking around at the crew and then back to the halfling at the wheel. Her angry gaze scorches them like a foretaste of the eldritch power she could unleash against any who would gainsay her will.

"Okay, okay miss....no need for violence, huh? You've got us fair and square. I'll do whatever you want. Please."

"You aren't the commander of this fleet. I can tell that much from your gutless and immediate surrender, you worm. That large vessel?" She points. "Is that where your commander can be found?"

"Yes, yes...Kardos is there, he's our Admiral, we have to do what he says or else. He's responsible for....everything. He makes all the decisions, okay?"

"What of that vessel?" She gestures in the opposite direction.

"The Bloody Jewel. That's Muzgonk's sh....boat."

"One of yours? Pursuing those other boats?"

"Yes, yes."

A pattern glows on her skin, then rises outwards from her and transforms into a huge Air Elemental. She gestures towards the Bloody Jewel, dispatching her servant towards that vessel with instructions to sweep its crew off into the waters.

"Now turn your vessel about. I want you to head towards the big ship where your admiral is."

From there on, things develop quickly

The ship Jess is aboard, "The Starfish", is rammed by another Light Raider, "The Pillager". More raiders attempt to board
Jess finishes off the ogre barbarian pirate, then turns and quickly dispatches Doretta Sourvale, Skipper of "The Pillager", who had led the boarding action and moved in to the attack.
Louteah meanwhile is also helping to hold off the incursion from "The Pillager"; panicking the human and hobgoblin crew, destroying half the skeletons with her lightning breath weapon, and crunching on the bones of the few skellies that get aboard.
Things are looking on the up and up for the defenders - but then Grennem Oceanshard returns by magic, bringing with him another two ogre barbarians who move in to attack Jess.
Jess tumbles nimbly past an ogre and stabs Grennem causing a grevious, but not fatal, wound. They exchange words, with Jess offering him a chance to surrender and work for her, while he turns out to have heard of her reputation, and suggests she might wish to join him serving under Kardos Daythorn - a name of some notoriety that is familiar to her from her Wild Coast days.
Louteah takes some hits! She is shot with a poisoned hand crossbow bolt by Krix Gaanos, a goblin pirate up in the rigging of "Preys-On-The-Weak", and suffers damage to her Constitution.
She is also walloped by an ogre barbarian. She starts to think maybe it's time to withdraw.
Cerys asks her how she is, via Telepathy. "Oh, so the big nasty ogre hurt you? Don't worry, I'm heading your way; I'll soon sort him out."
The defenders have some teeth of their own! Before Cerys' elemental gets far towards pirate Light Raider "The Bloody Jewel", the vessel is lit up by a Fireball launched from one of the refugee vessels. This destroys its skeleton crew and sets the vessel ablaze, though the crewmen are not all slain. The survivors set about putting out the fire, but the vessel is effectively dead in the water.
Cerys recalls her elemental. By now, she has grown bored already of sitting on "Joy of Damnation", and having ordered the halfling captain to maintain his new heading, she and Bat have flown off. The elemental catches up with them as they draw close to the trinity of grappled vessels "Preys-On-The-Weak", "The Pillager" and "The Starfish", where Jess and Louteah are battling.
The Imp has been accelerating towards a possible target for a ram attack, pirate War Caravel "The Demon's Lust".
This vessel has also been on the attack against Jess, having shot a Targeting Ray spell at her, and a heavy ballista bolt (neither of which found their target).
As "The Demon's Lust" approaches on the port side of "The Starfish"...The Imp breaks surface and the turret swings round. Pumpkin takes aim and fires an almighty disintegrator cannon blast at the enemy warship (good job it was an enemy warship ahead, because Pumpkin is gung ho and would have fired upon anything...). She completely destroys a section of hull.
The Captain, Stefania Malwyn, is competent and manages to command efforts to quickly shore the breach before the vessel sinks, but this occupies her time and will put the vessel at a disadvantage. With the Imp fast approaching for a follow-up ram attack!

Cap'n Krix Gaanos and Skipper Doretta Sourvale (RIP)

The battle for The Starfish continues

Dray and Friends Discover Boats Don't Move Very Fast, And Other Things

"The Poisoned Lightning" turns out not to live up to its name as its (literal) skeleton crew rows south towards where the action currently is. And rows some more. And some more.
Growing impatient, the Djinni Mubizaan is asked for further aid. He has used up his Wind Walk power for the day, but could carry some lighter people at his regular flying speed.
Dray commands Mubizaan to carry Quaenas and Tsai Ying southwards. Which he does.
They fly towards a Light Caravel. As they approach the vessel - "Sentinel" - they see and hear people arguing on deck.
A flamboyantly dressed gentleman is arguing with the captain of the vessel. He seems to be trying to assert his authority over the captain and order him to turn his ship away from the conflict and make an escape while their attackers are occupied. The captain insists however that he will not abandon The Starfish to her fate.
A noteworthy woman is also seen on deck, who appears to have a pet leopard.
Tsai Ying and Quaenas are both scratching their heads at this. "Are these the people we are meant to be helping? Or are they part of the bad people? Should we signal to Dray to Flame Strike them?" Neither of them seem to have the brain power to figure this out.
Mubizaan, who has no real understanding of the situation into which he has been summoned, is not much help either.
Tsai Ying happens to have an intelligent magic ring - her Item Familiar, in fact - that is smarter than her and has a better capacity to Sense Motive. It suddenly chirps up - "You dummies! These people are the ones we're meant to be helping. Give me strength!"