War Preparations - Part VI - Tenebris Harbor

Discussion in 'The Library' started by Boris Mondragon, Dec 7, 2016.

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  1. Boris Mondragon

    Boris Mondragon Avatar

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    "Captain, you almost had another episode like the one in Serenite, fortunately the partial transformation happened on deck and not back there in Numinous Gleann dock. This time it seems you were able to control it and after a brief consultation with the cowry shells, the spirits say all is well. They say you will be able to fully control it as time goes on".

    Boris listened to Razulah's words. He had complete trust in this man and his otherwordly contacts. The afternoon sun was setting as they passed the Quel coastline and turned north toward the Bay of Storms.

    "Captain, Etceter to our east" It was one-eyed Jack yelling from the crow's nest. "Josephus, take us into Etceter at nightfall". Boris kept an eye out on the horizon and on Marak who was leading them from above. Suddenly, Marak kept going north and Boris turned to Josephus once again "Forget Etceter for now, Marak wants us to follow him". "But Captain he is leading us to Tenebris on this course". Boris snapped back at him "I do not care if he leads us to the pits of hell, follow his lead".

    The lights from Tenebris Harbor were now visible and two ship were anchored close to the coast. There was heavy fog between the "Dragon" and the anchored ship two leagues ahead and Marak landed on the main deck quietly. Boris walked up to the blue dragon "You led us here for a reason. When I set the fire on the east coast of this town, I want you to attack their ships, Damage the main mast. Dwalin, soon as you see Marak hit their main mast i want you to blast both ships out of the water. Razulah, get the boat ready and come with me"

    The "Dragon" took advantage of the fog and anchored on the east side of Tenebris allowing the small boat to be lowered with Boris and Razulah. Shortly thereafter they concealed the boat behind some large rocks on the shore. There was a battle ongoing and when Boris looked through the spyglass he noticed bandits engaged in combat with Satyrs. They waited for the battle to subside and noticed the bandits had taken a faun to the center of Tenebris shore. They tied the faun next to what appeared to be a small blue dragon.

    Now it dawned upon Boris as to why Marak wanted to come here so quickly. These bandits had not only taken over the town but it also looked like a staging area for future expansion. Boris was about to light the fire on the nearest hut when he also noticed others lurking in the shadows. These were neither Bandits nor Satyrs. Could they have a stake in this town? He motioned for Razulah to stay still with a closed fist hand signal. They would wait to see what these mysterious folks would do before they acted.
     
  2. Bow Vale

    Bow Vale Avatar

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    It was a lucky day for three worms. By wiggly good fortune they had escaped being hooked and drowned and now as the sun was setting in the west and the cool spray coming off the rocks was a little less appreciated their captor decided to show some mercy emptying them from their glass prison into a patch of soil amongst the rocks, as she packed up for the day. The act of mercy, it surely was, she could just have easily thrown them in the water or left them to die within their jar to be found all withered the next time she came to her favourite fishing spot just outside the harbour town of Tenebris. Pondering to herself on how this act might be interpreted by the oracle, the always watchful but little understood entity that felt obliged to offer insight and reward to its subjects a sight of two large ships under sail came into view around the headland through the sea mist that’s always seemed to come in at around this time of the evening.


    Grabbing her rod and jar and bow and quivers, she scuttled behind the rocks to appraise the situation. Likely it was just traders or fishermen but having been part of this world and its weird laws of probability for many moons, likely or even most definitely could just as easily be a snowballs in hell chance. Best to be cautious, like she did keeping her distance from the bandits who mostly run the town nowadays. If it wasn’t so good fishing here she wouldn’t bother, but she knew that her nimble foot and good eye was more than a match for those drunks and cutthroats and enjoyed taking the risk and the fish from under their red bulbous noses.


    Unusually the ships made anchor away from the docks and a small craft that was lowered headed towards not the town, but to her. Had they seen her? Surely not, she had hidden herself at first sight of them, shuffling around in anxiety, but knowing she couldn’t make a break for it now as the boat was just landing on the shore, she felt something squidgy and wet between her bare toes…Ewww…she'd stood on one of the worms she had freed earlier. Looking down to wipe the worm from her foot she noticed something else was bare as well as her feet. Hardly daring to look, she glanced over the rock to where she had decamped for the day, there on the ground 30 feet away in plain sight was her coconut bra.

    'Oh Oracle Boricles' she exclaimed under her breath, what was she going to do, she couldn’t rush out and grab it, no chance, but….as an idea hatched in her mind, she knew she was only going to get one chance at this, grabbing her rod and unhooking the hook from the eye, locating one of the worms from earlier, which was going to be needed for the extra weight in order to cast that distance. Gingerly looking over the rock, she noticed both of the boats occupants had their backs to her as they were pulling the boat up the shore to the rocks 50 feet away, this was her chance. Quickly she casted towards the coconuts, aiming just past them and hoping that the hook would snag them as she reeled it back in. Her eye honed over many years of sending feather and wood to its target didn’t let her down, the hook snagging on the string between the cups, slowly she reeled them towards her until they were within her grasp. With a sigh of relieve she stumbled back behind the rocks, her heart beating so hard she was sure they would hear. There she waited, as quiet as she could, listening for any signs of having been located by the strangers as one little worm as quickly as he could buried himself into the soil.
     
  3. Boris Mondragon

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    The rowboat had been well concealed and both men looked at the pack Razulah had brought on shore. Two war hammers which Razulah favored, 6 daggers and two long swords. In addition there was flint and a small bottle of rum. Boris saw the furthest hut looking east and decided he was going to torch that one first but a strange commotion in the center of the beach caught his attention.

    He took the spyglass and looked, what he saw made his blood boil. A group of eight bandits had formed a circle as three other figures pressed themselves against the wall of a building. Razulah saw Boris clench his fist around the spyglass and mutter words in a language he had never heard before. He gave the spyglass to Razulah "Look at what these animals are doing for excitement". Razulah looked and his jaw almost hit the sand. Pressed against the wall was a Satyr fighter with many wounds trying to defend a faun who was holding a small blue dragon in her arms. The bandits were laughing while poking the Satyr with their lances. "We torch the hut later, this just got personal". Boris and Razulah crouched and inched closer to the group who had their back to them. The first dagger flew from his hand and embedded itself on the back of the nearest bandit's head. . His body slumped over and the second found the throat of the next bandit who turned towards them. Both men rushed the remaining four bandits as the Satyr fighter beheaded one of the two bandits left behind and made the other one back up away from them. Razulah crushed the head of the bandit nearest him and threw his other war hammer towards the second who was running away.

    He looked at Boris who motioned for him to keep a lookout with hand signal, The last two bandits were his. The first one rushed at Boris with a hammer and ended up missing an arm as Boris slashed with the long sword in his right hand. The other sword was thrust into the man's groin and twisted savagely as the bandit now laid on the sand in a puddle of blood. The other remaining bandit took advantage of the fray cocking an arrow which found its target in Boris' left arm. In his fury, Boris ripped the arrow out and threw another dagger at that bandit watching it lodged on the man's forehead. "Captain, your arm" said Razulah. "I will tend to this later". He ripped part of his shirt with his good arm and made a makeshift tourniquet with it.

    The small dragon had gotten away from the faun who had also been stabbed by the bandits as she tried to shield it with her body. Boris picked up the dragon and faced the Satyr who had his axe poised to strike him. Other Satyrs had now joined him and had their axes readied to join in if needed. Yet this did not stop Boris as he walked up to the faun and handed the small dragon back to her. The Satyr who had defended the faun and dragon motioned for the other Satyrs to lower their weapon. Boris did not know if they understood his language but he spoke to them anyway. "I am Boris Mondragon, I am here to destroy those that attack you and their ships. Leave me and my companion alone and we will not harm you nor the dragon".

    Boris turned his back and again saw a shadow near the rocks yet his mission was urgent. Both him and Razulah torched the small furthest hut and then mayhem erupted. Marak swooped down on each of the anchored bandit ships tearing the main mast into pieces with his claws, then he swooped down and landed next to Boris and Razulah. The Satyrs rushed over to look at the dragon and one of the older ones spoke "Mondragon, you are the one in our stories. They speak of a man who comes from the sea aided by a blue dragon. Ye are welcome here". Both Boris and the Satyr elder nodded to each other. "Take their ships and their contents. Arm yourselves as this battle has just begun".

    Boris and Razulah headed back to their boat yet he stopped once more. "Razulah there is someone in the shadows". "Captain we must go, let the Satyrs clean this up. We have others to warn". Boris agreed and both men climbed back in the rowboat. A short time later the rowboat was lifted and Boris gave the order "Josephus, take us to Perfectus Mori"
     
    Last edited: Dec 8, 2016
  4. Boris Mondragon

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    The "Dragon" sailed south by southwest. Boris had gone over the map with Josephus who agreed on the course with no deviation at this point. Port Phoenix, Perfectus Mori and Rats Nest where on the improvised map with a final stop at White Hart. "Lieutenant Bombardin, any of our black seagulls return yet from our next three planned stops?". "Nay Captain, none have returned as of yet. Do we alter the course?"

    Boris looked at the map then at the sky using the astrolabe. "Time is of the essence Lieutenant, We shall hold our planned course yet mayhaps those towns that have not answered are occupied with their own preparations or they do not trust us. After all we are pirates". He smiled at the Lieutenant. "Josephus, stay on course, if we do not get a reply as we near their town then we proceed to the next one"

    Razulah looked at Boris "Captain, can I take a look at your arm. We must cautherize the wound to avoid infection. At least that bandit arrow was not poisoned". Boris nodded and both men walked into this private quarters where Razulah removed the makeshift bandage used since the removal of the tourniquet. "Hmm, this does not look good Captain. The wound is deep and ripping out the arrow did not help at all".

    "Just stitch it, cautherize it, even cut off the arm if necessary. We do not have time to look for healers at this point and I trust your judgment". Razulah gave Boris the bottle of rum after he poured some of it over the wound. He also gave him a short stick to bite down on. Boris looked the other way so Razulah would not be able to see him react to the pain. The would did indeed show signs of infection yet it was effectively cautherized and the coconut/herb salve was applied to it then freshly dressed Time would tell if it healing efforts paid off or not. Boris was hell-bent on completing his mission regardless of what it cost.
     
  5. Boris Mondragon

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    The day had come and gone. As the sun was setting both Elysium and the Southern Longfall coast were visible. "Captain we are nearing the gap and near Grumridge. Do we dock there or continue?". "Josephus, go through the gap and then North towards Aerie. Unless we receive messages along the way which I am now beginning to doubt, we proceed north along the coast until we get to Harvest. From there I will go to White Hart to see Duke Stryder Sparhawk. We have his sealed letter that will allow me passage through the Wardens of the Forest."

    His arm felt better and he could feel the strenght return to it. Again he looked at the constellations through the astrolabe which revealed he had at least 7 more days to complete the mission ahead and arrive at Necropolis.

    Boris had hope though. Along his travels he had found assistance from Lady Catherine Rose, Duke William Serenite and Mr. Frederick Glasgow. He trusted their word and hoped the news of the invasion had spread quickly. Only time would tell if the Novian continent would be prepared.
     
  6. Audacity

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    "Ever notice that all of our important meetings are held in a tavern?," observed Kara Brae.

    "All our unimportant meetings are held here too," Phebe chimmed in as she danced behind the iron bars on the stage.

    Obsidian Tempest stormed behind the bar. "Where is that lazy bartender? Jar did you encourage him to slack off again?" Obs was the proprietor of the famous Evil Eye Tavern in Rift's End. "Just nevermind," he sighed, "I'll pour the drinks myself."

    "Who me?" a voice floated down dripping with mock innocence. Audacity looked up to see Jarikith perched on top of the gaint obsidian bear head that was mounted on the wall above the bar.

    Aud felt her heart swell as she looked around the room. The men and women assembled here were more than her neighbors and guildmates. They were her family. She had been sitting at the table carving fat little hearts in the worn wood with her dagger as she listened to Silis and Kvow work through the final details of their strategy over the last two hours.

    "All this talk of cabalists is making me so hungry," Dinsoo interjected as Obs dropped a pitcher of ale on the table. "When do we eat?" The resident cannibal flashed a wicked smile.

    "That's the spirit," Thadeus Crook added, smoke from his pipe circling his head. Fringe, Asbury, and Galmar banged their hands on the table in assent.

    All eyes looked towards the door as it opened to reveal a well dressed woman with a sparkling smile. "I think I found a friend of yours Audacity dear," Rhiannon said as she opened her jacket to reveal a black bird huddled inside. "He's brought you a meesage."

    Jar jumped nimbly to the floor and quickly read the message before turning to Aud. "Oh dear. Our friend, the good Pirate Captain, has gotten injured. Dwalin is concerned and has included their schedule in case you want meet up early and do your healing goddess act."

    Eager to be finished talking and back in the action, her eyes sparkled as Aud hopped to her feet. "That's my cue to go. I'll leave the details to you all," she said with a wave of her hand and a big grin.

    As she and Jar walked towards the docks, Silis and Obs fell in behind them. "You didn't think we were going to let you two have all the fun now did you?" Silis teased.

    Governor Kvow had beaten them to the edge of town and was busy filling in their guildleader, Davenrock, on the progess as Aud's group arrived. "We've put out the call and Travelers are all pouring out to every corner of the land to give warning. They'll be ready when we need them. Xeen Dread is running some tests and we'll know the most effective ways to combat the threat soon."

    Davenrock waved at the arriving group and smiled. "We will be ready when the time comes. You can count on it."

    Audacity blew a kiss to Kvow and Davenrock. "See ya soon." Then she nodded as Sil, Obs, and Jar stepped closer to her. With the Travelers mobilized and these three friends at her back, she felt like anything was possible. "Ok boys, let's do this thing." She closed her eyes and focused her mind. An instant later, her party had disappeared.
     
    Last edited: Dec 13, 2016
    Acred, Kvow Triumvir, Dinsoo and 4 others like this.
  7. Rhiannon

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    Rhiannon watched her beloved friends vanish once again. She thought about the choices made early in her life and wished she had chosen the path of a warrior so she could go with them. But they would spend more time resurrecting her than focusing on the task at hand.

    She slowly walked back up the hill from the docks just as it started to rain. Popping open her umbrella she looked around her beautiful town. Each of the houses here represented the lives that had come together and created such an amazing community. For a moment she forgot that those she loved were once again helping others and putting themselves in harms way.

    She stopped for a moment and then asked that the gods protect her brave friends. Then she went on to her shop feeling grateful for those friends...and the peaceful rain.
     
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