Jammers Summary: Chapter 2, Turn 23

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

Round 16:

After finishing loading the catapult, Holland scans the GHOST to see how many people are on deck. He also looks over the Dragonfly trying to decide whether it is the same Dragonfly that he saw in the Wrighters dock the day before. Holland muses out loud concerning the Dragonfly, "Be they friend or foe?"

Kain grunts, "Depends on whether they think we have the thrice-blasted chalice or not." Having dropped the stone into the catapult's basket, Kain watches as Billy prepares to fire the catapult.

Holland says to Billy, "Aim true, my friend."

Deigatt continues to man the lines in accordance with Ferric's directives. He keeps an eye on the yellow dragonfly ship and shouts out "She's the dragonfly from Wrighters and she's still headed straight for us!"

Raken continues praying for spells, attempting to ignore the sounds of battle.

Italapate continues to climb toward the stars. He shouts, "Guys! The spirits of gravity are on our side! It takes three of you to run a catapult when we could be tripling our attacks by just throwing rocks overboard!"

The STAR continues to rise straight upward like a levitating mage.

Ferric bellows, "Full speed ahead Mr. Pate!" Ferric then shouts. "Let's see if we can get some open air why we figure out whose side that dragonfly is on. Get that catapult ready for another shot. We'll need the thing if we're to even the odds. Ready on the lines. If that fly is on our side we'll be coming around hard in a minute."

Talus continues to attend to the lines under Ferric's commands, hoping that he knows what he is doing.

Billy curses at the FLOW GHOST, which is rising straight up almost directly along the starboard side of the STAR and is too close for the catapult. The GHOST spins in place, slowly moving towards aligning herself with the STAR. less then fifty yards separate the two vessels and half a dozen crossbowmen and a pair of longbowmen fire from the GHOST into the Star's crew.

Two of the arrows bounce off of Holland, and the others festoon the side of the ship or weapons as folk duck for cover.

Billy turns to Holland. "Of course the Dragonfly is an enemy. It came from the same place as the other one didn't it?" Billy seems angry at himself for some reason. Holland and Kain hear him muttering, "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! A perfect pirate hide-out with lots of places to hide and instead of infiltrating the base where the chalice is most likely guarded, what do we do? Attack the boats! Why didn't I think of that before!" Billy's tirade fades off into disgruntled mumbling.

Grigree helps out on the lines.

Seguld sits patiently. His breathing is heavy, but his eyes are focused down the length of the ballista. He watches the horizon and waits, then suddenly senses the GHOST rising along the STARBOARD side. He and Jamila spin the ballista on her swivel.

Seguld pulls gently on the trigger and watches as the bolt shoots forth. He waits without moving as he watches his shot. The massive bolt shoots slightly high, an flies across the GHOST main deck, shattering the ships boat and dropping four of the crossbows with flying splinters.

Thrusting his right arm into the air, "Got Him!!!!" Seguld cries out. "That'llteachthebastard."

Leera ducks for cover as the arrows and bolts fly towards the STAR.

Jamila curses and drops to the deck as a bolt sinks into her shoulder. She calls to those with a better view of the island, "Can anyone see the other pirate ship that was at the dock?"

Round 17:

Holland stands by the catapult, ready to reload when needed.

Deigatt continues to man the lines in accordance with Ferric's directives. He shouts "Here comes the dragonfly, starboard of the GHOST!"

Raken continues praying for spells, attempting to ignore the sounds of battle and hits upon the hull.

Italapate continues to climb the STAR for the stars, rising straight upward while the ship's deck remains level and steady.

"Keep going full ahead 'Pate. Linesmen hard to Starboard. Ready Ballista" Ferric grunts as he works the lines on his side of the ship.

Crouched behind the railing to stay out of view, Talus eyes the rapidly approaching vessel. Choosing his moment he dips into one of the pouches on his belt, scattering a spray of sand onto the deck while uttering something under his breath. On the approaching ship four of the pirates collapse in slumber.

Billy and the catapult crew spin the catapult in preparation for the next shot. "Keep an eye on that Dragonfly... If it starts overtaking the GHOST we' may have to deal with it first. Unless, of course, we can put the Ghost out of it's misery with the next shot..."

Meanwhile, the GHOST continues her slow spin and comes into alignment with the STAR. A half-dozen of her crewmen rise up from where they dodged for cover from the splintering, ballista-shattered ship's boat and start tossing grappling lines across the fifteen or so yards separating the two vessels as they rise into the night sky.

Seeing this, Kain draws his boot daggers, waiting in anticipation of the combat.

Grigree grunts and draws his swords, moving to slash one of the lines.

Seguld scrambles out of his seat and crumples on the floor. His leg still badly damaged Seguld moves for the next bolt.

Jamila lightly pushes the little guy back into his spot at the weapon and gets the bolt herself, "You crank!" she calls, trying to stay low as more arrows careen into the STAR.

A long wooden staff suddenly appears in Leera's hands. From it erupts a bright glowing missile which streaks toward the pirate yelling orders on the sterncastle (the warrior who nearly ended Kain's life earlier). The missile strikes him in the chest with no discernable effect.

The dragonfly, clearly identifiable as the ship from Wrighters this close, flies alongside the GHOST, opposite the STAR. As she closes, a ballista fires across the stern of the GHOST, slamming into her sailmaster (the warrior Leera's spell it). Then 6 orcs suddenly appear on the Ghost's main deck.

Round 18:

Holland says quietly to Billy, "Blow that bucket from the sky!"

Deigatt continues to man the lines in accordance with Ferric's directives. He shouts "The Dragonfly appears to be an enemy of the pirates!"

Raken continues praying for spells, attempting to ignore the sounds of battle and hits upon the hull.

Italapate continues to climb straight up, the Dragonfly and GHOST match his rise exactly.

Ferric slashes one of the grappling lines with his blade.

Talus continues to tend the sails.

"We may have trouble on our hands, guys. But I think we should take the Ghost out of commission before dealing with the Fly." Billy continues to curse as the other vessels are two close for a catapult shot.

Kain hurls his two daggers at a pirate, slaying him.

Grigree slashes another of the grappling lines, leaving just three left.

Seguld fires the reloaded ballista at the GHOST, the bolt slams into her bow, shattering planks.

Leera fires her staff again, at the archer in the crow's nest. The mystical bolt downs the pirate.

Jamila starts to reload the ballistae with Seguld.

On the Ghost, the orcs slay everyone o the main deck quickly, then suddenly start going down themselves as the remaining two archers fire into them.

The priest, standing on the sterncastle, can heard yelling "Cut the lines! Cut the lines!"

Date/time: 11:18 pm 2nd day of the 5th Month, 5049 OC