Jammers Summary: Chapter 2, Turn 18

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

Grigree jumps a minute after hearing Kain's wings whoosh so that the pair don't collide. Seeing that the cave mouth is no longer covered by illusion, the flying, invisible hadozee doesn't slow as he soars out of the night sky into the cavern.

Once Grigree lands on the ledge, Kain grabs a handful of dirt and dust. Seeing it still visible in his hand, Kain can be heard opening a pouch on his belt and dumping the earth in, the dirt becoming invisible once it's in Kain's pouch.

After landing on the ledge, Grigree fills an empty belt pouch with dirt and rocks. While working, he says, "Kain, hour long time. I look for Chalice. You help?"

"I'm going to try and.. ah.. land on the Ghost where there aren't any people on deck. That'll help mask the sound of my landing. If the ballistae aren't manned right now, I'll see about either fraying the line on one of 'em or maybe jamming the cocking lever. After that, who knows," Kain says uncertainly. "I'll.. ah.. just try to avoid as many people as possible, until the fight. Then I'll try to.. ah.. get to either the Captain or their priest."

"Good luck, Grigree," Kain whispers before taking off from the ledge.

Grigree studies the ship before jumping off the ledge, looking for an unattended spot to land. He sees a guard standing on the forecastle, next to the captain, and another high up in the crow's nest so he selects the main deck as his landing spot. Kain, independently, decides the same thing. they land on the deck with soft "thumps" which are lost among the background noise of water on wood and stone which echo through the cavern.

The Flow Ghost is moored so that her bow faces out towards the cave entrance, an anchor line runs from a captain on the forecastle down into the water, while two lines run from either corner of the stern castle to the wall where they tie off. Besides the Ghost, the galley is moored identically 20 yards away.

As quietly as he can, Kain climbs the ladder up to the deserted sterncastle, where he begins carefully fraying the cords with his knife.

Four doors are in the sterncastle, three the forecastle. A large cargo hatch opens in the main deck into the cargo hold below.

Moving silently, Grigree makes his way over to the stern castle doors. Seeing there are four of them, he makes a small dirty spot on the floor from his belt pouch in front of the port center door, and listens to see if anybody is inside. It isn't, and since no one's looking, he opens it and slips down the stairs behind it. At the bottom he finds what looks like the a mate's quarters, relatively disheveled. Two doors exit the room, one leading forward Grigree opens and finds the cargo hold, filled rolls of cloth and casks of some sort. the cargo hold looks to take up most of the space on this deck. The other door is locked, and though he tries Grigree can't pick it.

Returning to the deck, Grigree finds that all three of the other doors leading into the stern castle are locked, and his lock picking skills can't seem to defeat any of them. Frustrated, he sneaks up to the forecastle to await the arrival of the Star and prepare to destroy the forward mooring.

Kain finishes the ballista sabotage and then starts on the mooring lines.

Invisible, at opposite ends of the ship, both Kain and Grigree note that both vessels seem abnormally quiet, as if only a skeleton crew are aboard. The single watchman at the door that leads from the small docks into the complex continues to pace back and forth.

As the hour winds down and Grigree and Kain start to expect the Star, a loud bell clangs through the cave complex three times, a moment later perhaps a dozen men rush out of the forecastle amidships door and the cargo hold and crouch behind the forecastle so that their presence is not apparent to a vessel entering the cavern. Looking across, Kain and Grigree see similar activity taking place aboard the galley.

Hearing the bell and seeing the commotion on deck, Grigree pauses. He looks back at Kain's position, trying to see what he's doing, then turns his attention to releasing the mooring lines. With a few sharp, careful slices of his dagger he cuts the anchor cable through.

Grigree moves away from the released mooring lines and climbs quietly down the ladder behind the pirates hiding by the forecastle.

Round 1: On the FlowGhost: Grigree slowly and quietly draws his longsword from its sheath, and positions himself behind the pirate closest to the stairs, a man in chain bearing a spear who the other pirates called "Captain".

Kain moves as quietly as possible from the sterncastle to the main deck.

On the Star:

Leera waits the starboard railing, even with the beginning of the stairs leading down.

Holland stands fast, gripping the rail as the Star enters the cove, his black hair ruffling in the wind.

Talus stands on the main deck at the starboard railing watching the cave mouth approach, the only weapon he bears is the ruby-hilted dagger he carries everywhere. His shortsword in nowhere to be seen.

As the Star enters the cave, Raken mutters a prayer to Celestrian. "Void Vine, grant me your protection," he mutters. He undergoes a dramatic change as thick, green vines encase his body. His face remains free of the vines, but thick, flexible vines cover every other exposed part of his body. Once the spell is cast, he walks up to the forward section of the Star.

Standing on the foredeck next to the ballista and the speaking tube, Nilaroo has an arrow nocked and ready as he quietly murmurs advice to Ferric.

As the ship enters the cave, Seguld stands by the ballista ready to fire as necessary.

As the ship passes through the cave mouth, Jamila offers a small prayer to her gods, "Hajama and Najm guide and protect us."

Deigatt stands near the bow, his axe held in his left hand and supported by the deck.

Ferric calls short, quick commands to Billy and Periander as they work the sails, lining the ship up with the cave mouth.

Italapate calls out "Just line me up boys, then don't screw me up. A straight in shot should do the trick!" 'Pate slows the Star slightly as the ship passes through the cave mouth and enters the brightly lit cave harbor. The Star splashes down just inside the cave as a wave of water is forced forward and laps at the cave walls.

Round 2:

On the Flow Ghost:

Hearing the Star splash down, Grigree swings his longsword at the back of the Flow Ghost's "captain". (O) Grigree's blade sinks deep into the man's side and he collapses to his knees as the crew stares in shock at the suddenly visible hadozee bearing a bloodied longsword.

Kain sees Grigree's attack and pauses, wondering what he should do now.

On the Star:

Leera waits the starboard railing, even with the beginning of the stairs leading down.

Holland quickly sends two black pulses of magical energy streaking towards the guard by the dock door as the Star floats forward into the cavern. The bolts strike the man down as he runs for the door.

Raken looks on with concern as the pirate ships come into view. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he mutters to himself. With some reluctance, he begins his second prayer. "Celestian, grant these men your blessing so that they might win glory in your name," he says, blessing spell upon those on the Star'S forecastle.

The crew of the galley suddenly appear, pouring out to take their battle stations. The bow ballista, which had appeared unloaded, is suddenly fully crewed and loaded, as if by magic. As a small, pea-shaped ball of flame shoots towards the Star the galley's bow ballista fires. The bolt slams into the Star's bow just above the waterline, shattering a few planks and sticking out obscenely.

The little pea-shaped ball of fire explodes on the forecastle, engulfing Jamila, Seguld, Ferric, and Nilaroo in its flames.

Caught flat-footed, Nilaroo takes the full blast of the explosion and falls to the ground with his fur burning.

Seguld also takes the full brunt of the blast and falls unconscious to the deck, amazingly, his pouch of smokepowder survives the blast intact.

Jamila goes down beside Seguld, also unconscious from the blast.

Ferric stands firm against the blast, and though singed calls, "'Pate, cut power!" so the Star doesn't slam into the FlowGhost.

Small fires burn across the Star'S forecastle, though the ballista remains loaded and intact.

Talus drops below the railing for cover.

Deigatt looks about in rage deciding on a target.

Italapate brings the ship to a halt while surveying the damage above.

Round 3: Grigree dodges back, drawing his second sword and trying to parry as two pirates, one with a morning star(5) and another with a 2-hnded sword(1) rush him. he takes a small nick from the sword but parries the spiked star.

Kain draws his shortsword and slips in behind the captain. As the man tries to rise Kain sinks his sword into his back, sending the man flopping forward onto his face.

Some of the pirates rush onto the forecastle, while others climb onto the sterncastle to load the FlowGhost'S ballistae.

On the Star:

Leera dives below the Star's railing as a flurry of crossbow bolts slam around her, on strikes across her hand, leaving a wicked gash which starts bleeding profusely.

Holland ignores a flurry of bolts and arrows which strike some sort of invisible shield before him and sends a mass of webs onto the galley's bow ballista and surrounding deck.

As the Silent Star grinds up against the Flow Ghost, Talus peaks over the railing looking for a target but has to dodge back from the arrows.

Raken dives to the deck for cover.

Nilaroo rolls on the deck putting out the flames on his body.

Deigatt rushes to the forecastle and starts putting out the fires with the small bucket of sad kept there. He ignores the arrows and bolts but doesn't take any hits.

Ferric, using the ballista for cover, fires his longbow twice but doesn't hit anything.

Italapate scans the harbor with his helm vision. He sees both enemy vessels are fully manned and ready for battle, and that a dozen or so archers are pouring from the cave door onto the dock.

Date/time: 11:03 pm 2nd day of the 5th Month, 5049 OC