The return voyage to the isles of the Leviathan's Reach had taken some days to organize and make the journey back to purge the nest of piracy. They'd been careful to bring only six smaller vessels, after the last experience: nothing larger than a longship, in hopes that the Anchorfish wouldn't bother with them. Whether for that choice or for blind luck none can say, but they manage the crossing without encountering any gigantic fish. The mist that often hangs over the chain of islets is present, but thinner than in their first visit, letting the dark coastline materialize out of the grey morning air.

Three ships of the expedition had rounded the lightly wooded islands from the north, setting scouts ashore without being detected. The lead scout (Emily) brought back word to the main fleet that the pirate camp in their cove amounted to perhaps two hundred souls, roughly half of them free. In addition to the four small ships they'd rowed out in before, the abandoned hulks of perhaps ten further sailing ships are beached in the cove, some rotting, others converted into living quarters, all in varying stages of disrepair.

In the course of scouting out the camp, a pair of lookouts in a crude watch tower had been eliminated, giving the poised attackers a free approach.

A mission to kill pirates, and is it any wonder House Kennex sent people? Because House Kennex (well, not the house, but Zoey) did, and so Ian and Wash are here, and Ian's ready for a fight.


Emily is one to recommend a diversion from the ships coming on at a frontal assault while the rest land and go across ground so they can flank the figures on the island. "I think this is the best way possible. Keep them thinking they need to defend the beach while our people on foot sort out the problem from behind and only once they realize we are already landed and attacking, those on the ship can approach. We will pin them together there at their beach with no where to go."


Wash is here in someone else's ship. A Kennex vessel, but still, it's not the Bounty or the Candlelight, which is all that matters. At least he's sober. "That sounds like the Kennemir assault. Do they have hostages?"

"Not much would be better for getting their attention than a Kennex ship coming for them," Ian remarks, after hearing out Emily's plan. Then he looks to Wash, the more experienced seaman, for his take.


By coming over land the way I suggested, we will have the higher ground as well, giving us a greater advantage. It would flush them out of their homes and those that lag behind, will be easily taken care in our initial push. That being said, no hostages but slaves," Emily remarks, the scout narrowing her gaze as a questioning look arises from the mention of 'Kennemir' and then she merely shrugs.


"Tell me about the anchorfish again?" Wash asks. "Because if the story is at all like I heard, a seaward assault may not be worth the advantage."


The Bloody Baroness has joined this expedition midway through. Scheduling conflicts, head-of-house affairs, et cetera. Still, it's curious how when the time comes to eliminate pirates, the schedule conflicts have suddenly dissipated into thin air. Clad in mostly-black armor, Ember maintains a gaze that seems sharper than most swords. "Indeed," she nods along with Wash. "Few successful attack plans ever begin with 'Assuming that the giant fish is asleep...'"


"It attached to the larger ship, which was a cog but we only brought the longships which do not pose this problem." She remarks, starting to become a bit anxious in the need to make decisions. "So that will not be a problem to draw their attention from a frontal assault to allow ground forces to move in."


"Alright. Kennemir went well. Load up the forward oars so that it isn't immediately apparent that the ships are half-manned." Wash agrees. "I'll be with the ships."

Ian give Wash a dry half-smile. "Besides, if the fish wakes up, that could turn out to be pretty interesting."


Emily just glances at Ian at the mention of the fish waking up but she hmmms instead of saying something. "Not sure fish sleep, but then I am not one familiar with the sea," she remarks. She nods though once the decision is made. "I will go with those by land as I am not a sailor, I can help guide those on land back the way Lord Eswynd and I came from to give us the best spot to approach them by land."


Wash offers to command one of the longships. "The point is to keep them engaged without letting them bring their full force to bear until the ground forces engage. So we should row for them, then let the wind take us aback if we need to buy the ground force time to close."


Ember is almost studiously quiet, in the way she observes the conversation. Her eyes turn this way or that to regard whoever's speaking, but the hand on the pommel of her sword seems to say everything about her intentions. "Think of a boat as being land," she offers to Emily. "Merely land made of wood, that rocks to and fro under your feet."

Ian nods to Wash. "I'll stay with you. I can take the lead if we wind having to actually engage them."

Haakon is elsewhere, among the three Eswynd ships around the backside of the island, all sneaky like. The approach into the cove is unopposed, and with the lookouts removed and the ambient mist, surprise will be with them.


Emily chuckles at the offering, "And worms like fish? I have enough skill to not lose my stomach and keep my feet but the woods are where I call home. Each of us has our strengths," she smiles at Ember and then is with those that are making landfall.

Landfall where her boots will guide her nimbly across the landscape as she guides them across the distance once they are all in position.



Ember, as it turns out, sticks with Emily -- of herself and her twin sister, it is not the Baroness who takes the wheel of the Redreef fleet. She remains quiet during the guiding process, and her stare seems to grow more intense by the step, as if she's psyching herself up -- or maybe just psyching herself out.

"We will, we're half the force. We're just trying to maximize the impact our ground forces will have." Wash agrees. "Once the enemy shifts, we will make all speed to bring the forces to bear. Agreed. Let's do this."

Wash checked command + sailing at difficulty 60, rolling 12 higher.

One of the pitfalls in residing on an uncharted island where you are accustomed to having the initiative: you're not often prepared to be surprised. Without any word from their (very dead) lookouts, the trio of longships weave through the mists among the masts and skeletal shrouds of the derelict hulks beached and picked over by the pirates, reaching nearly the water's breaking point, before some voice is heard to remark, "Wait.. what the fuck?!"

Ian stands at the prow of the ship, and once it's clear that said ship has been noticed, he raises his voice, loud and commanding and (if someone were to have ever seen Aethan giving orders in battle) a really damned good Aethan impression. "PIRATES! LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS AND SURRENDER OR TASTE THE STEEL OF THE BROTHERS KENNEX!"

Emily checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

Wash stands up in the stern when the shouts of alarm start. "Oh cool. I'm still one of the brothers Kennex." He knows absolutely no Islander shav, but he yells out the instructions again in pidgin. "Surrinneez poro die-o shavos! Brer Kennex killo!" He waves his cutlass in their direction.

Emily checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 15, rolling 48 higher.

Ember checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 15, rolling 12 higher.

Ember checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 37 higher.


Swiftly do those coming from the back of the island move and when the calls start from the water below, Emily nods and begins to move in as she motions the others forward. She's quick, stays low and has her bow ready with arrow nocked but not drawn. The moment they come into sight of stragglers at the back of the encampment, she pulls up and draws, the creak of her bow sounding before she releases the arrow, slamming into the first unexpecting pirate.

As soon as battle engages, they are not going to have the advantage of stealth any longer and the Deepwood dips her fingers into her quiver upon her hip with the silver wing upon it. She draws the arrow free and sets it to begin her hurry forward for another target.


Ember wields a rubicund sword called The Blood of Redreef.

Emily wields Absolution, a short recurve bow.


When Emily gives the signal to go ahead, it's as though Ember was already moving, in a sign of either telepathy or bull-headed impatience. Where Emily takes a distanced approach and lets an arrow fly, Ember marches into the thick of it. It's not quite 'stealth' as most people recognize it when an arrow going through someone causes a commotion, but it's still how Ember gets in close enough to run one of the pirates through from behind with her rubicund blade. The Bloody Baroness, ladies and gentlemen.

At the shore, as the resident pirates rouse themselves, hastily begin to grab for weapons, and throw on scraps of armor (okay ONE MORE drink, *then* I'll out the jug down and draw my bow) that voice at the shore answers Ian, "...THE BROTHERS *WHO*?" By their arms and attire, these nautical brigands are Arvani, not Abandoned, as they scramble to form up Ina few loose mobs, sending a lonely few arrows out at Wash's ships, to no effect.

There's an ugly stereotype about Prodigals, that maintains they're all murderous savages, adept at deception, stealth, and all manner of cowardly tactics like ambush and backstabbing. And the truth is that not all of them are stealthy. With sixty Prodigal warriors emerging from the shadows of the light inland woods, Emily and Ember strike quickly, and among the rest, yes, many throats are swiftly cut and back stabbed. But stealthy? One among the warriors attacking the pirate camp from the landward side is Krarstin.

Emily checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(2) + dodge(2) at difficulty 30, rolling 4 lower.

"Arrows!" Wash cries. "Rowers, full ahead! Beach her! Tero, Grante, Jer and Han. Shield wall when you hit the sand!" Those four men are choses for their size and durability. They'll protect the others as they disembark.

Ember checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 17 higher.


Even as her first target goes down hard with an arrow through his back, she is hurrying forward only to pick her next when the woman turns. THe bow lifts and with a concentrated pull she releases the arrow as it flies and pierces through his chest as he begun to turn on Ember. Her gaze narrows and she takes th emoment to assess how deep they are getting so they are not outflanked.

She glances back at the Baroness and then is drawing another arrow.


Haakon GM Roll checked strength(3) + slashy blocky(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 3 lower.

Ian shakes his head to Wash and gives a casual shrug. "I guess everything gets forgotten in time. Ah well." He draws his sword.


Ember does not glance back at Emily. At least, not during any of the moments where Emily is glancing at HER. That might be for the best, all things considered, because the look in Ember's eyes is one that few people probably want to take in. Her wide-eyed, fury-stricken, is-she-even-blinking stare makes her come off like some manner of monster as much as a humble sword-swinging Baroness, and perhaps that's what makes the difference when a pirate charges her -- she swings her sword, he swings his to block, and it's the pirate's hand that hits the ground, still clutching its weapon.

Ian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 75, rolling 28 lower.

Wash checked command + war at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Krarstin checked command + intimidation at difficulty 30, rolling 8 lower.

Out of the chaos, an old sea wolf moves from the shore and brush. Krarstin has an old cutlass on her hip, but it's the wicked looking battle axe she wields that looks like a monster's clawed hand she's brandishing. "Steel or silver!" the old woman calls out, giving perhaps an opportunity for someone to claim mercy. But the steely eye that looks at the prodigals doesn't have much compassion, it's cold like a shark.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(3) + slashy stabby(3) at difficulty 40, rolling 20 lower.

Ian checked luck at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Wash checked luck at difficulty 15, rolling 3 lower.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + archery(3) at difficulty 40, rolling 6 lower.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + archery(3) at difficulty 40, rolling 14 higher.

Wash checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 43 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + more different cutlass!(4) at difficulty 40, rolling 2 lower.

As the hull of the boat slides against the sand, Ian clamors out just behind the shield wall. He's not great on sand and definitely isn't going to be charging after anyone. He's still steadying himself when a wild swing goes clear over his head, catching his attention.

Standing in the stern is not just Wash showboating, one hand on the high tail of the back spur allows him to dodge incoming fire and right himself again without ending up in the water. It really looks like he could somehow see that arrow coming.

The pirate captain puts on his big brown pants on and charges towards Krarstin with his cutlass! She lifts her axe up as the metal clangs in the knick of time, glancing the heavy blow. "Steel it is, may the Sword and Wave judge this!" The old woman pivots as the two are trading attacks. "You fight good but you're fighting the wrong side. There's more riches available if you'd join my friends, far more than what you could catch around these parts!" She's looking for an opening as she's offering some diplomacy over steel.


Ember's attention is certainly caught by Krarstin's dance with the captain. Not so much so that she can't deftly step out of the way of an incoming sword swing. She makes it look easy, but the sword-slash scar running diagonally on one side of her face is a testament to the fact that it's not.

It's been a rough opening skirmish for the pirate crews of the Leviathan's Reach. A handful of captains are trying to get their people moving in the same direction, but pirates abhor a fair fight. One such captain drives at Krarstin, crossing sword with axe. "Your friends want my head on a biwspirit, old woman-" he retorts, with a slash. It wasn't an outright no, at least.

Among the scavenged timbers and sailcloth that form the shelters of the sprawling camp, roughly half are armed by now. Of the other half, furtive looks abound, some few are bound at the ankle, and others huddled together and hiding. At least one pair of unarmed folk clad in rags try to run into the woods, away from the fight.

Emily checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 20 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + dodge(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 15 higher.


Those creatures that are unarmed and in rags are left alone, swept past as she notes who is giving orders. Pirates en masse are ignored for her target, looking to pierce the heart of the foe and steal their strength from beneath them. She has no witty retorts or offerings instead she has her arrows and the ranger is quick to nock and draw once she has her target. Some man growling orders that she looks to silence. But as her arrow flies he moves just to the side and what could have been a throat shot becomes a shoulder shot.

As the arrow strikes and holds she notes how shallow it is and makes a face, moving to stay out of range of others while she readies to strike again.


Emily checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 23 higher.

Ember checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 30 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked willpower(2) at difficulty 30, rolling 16 lower.

Wash will toss the anchor and leave the ship. I'll flank out left to help form the wall.


Ember takes her eyes off of Krarstin's battle with the captain, because she really has to focus here. She's already disarmed one pirate, and another is coming at her -- and Ember, stateswoman that she is, knows when she has eyes on her. What she does here will set the tone: is the Baroness someone who can be lured into a trick with diplomacy, or perhaps someone who lacks the resolve to see a grueling battle through...?

Ember takes a nimble step backward and holds her sword in a manner almost unconventional for a moment, so that she can adjust her grip, take the pommel in both hands... and as the pirate she's dueling charges, Ember swings the sword down in a horrific overhanded chop. 'Horrific' because of the noise it makes when the pirate's head is vertically bisected, and then the other noise, when Ember pulls the sword back OUT. She can't help but smirk, which combines with the look in her eyes to look... well. Psychotic, probably.

Krarstin checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 5 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + swordy block(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 19 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + kill the ninja(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 2 lower.

Krarstin keeps the person she's engaged with focused on her. It's a stalemate between them though, as cutlass swipes and axe blocks, and axe swings and cutlass deflects. The old woman though isn't yet slowing down, keeping up with the younger captain through tenacity.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + kill the witch!(4) at difficulty 40, rolling 12 lower.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(3) + stabbity stab stab(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 0 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + cutlass(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 10 higher.

Krarstin checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 9 higher.

Captain Cutlass 3 inflicted and Krarstin is unharmed.

Wash checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 27 higher.

Wash isn't a soldier, he is agile enough avoid attacks, but that skill doesn't let itself to holding a shield wall. Instead he leads his attacker away from the shield wall, letting his own sailors form up.

The two pronged assault on the pirate camp had the advantage of surprise and numbers. Experienced soldiers could see a way where such a divided strategy could fail, but the defenders lack either the skill or the discipline to achieve any successful resistance. The flight of non combatants into the trees increases, with a few pirates joining the flight. It's not a large island, perhaps four miles across and half that at it's widest point, so any flight is limited, but it's an instinct.

One captain duels Krarstin, another Ember, a third directs a push at the shield wall, and a fourth seeks to break through and reach their own beached ship.

Emily checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 28 higher.

Emily checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 32 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + what did i ever do to you emily?(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

There's a dodge as Krarstin ducks, her fur cloak moving a bit but it gives an opportunity and the captain's sword edge finds a strike on her shoulder! Thankfully it's the shoulder that has a bear's head fashioned out of metal, but the strike is felt by her. With this, Krarstin puts all she has in the next swing of her axe, a sound of her voice grunting as she swings but will leave her open if she misses or is blocked.


The idea is to keep them all landed and as Ember and Krarstin engage it is just far too much risk for Emily to take shooting at their paired foe. She instead takes a quick look along the field of battle only to dip low and hurry herself along the tent encampment towards the Captain meaning to take the boat. That arrow is drawn back to set fletching to cheek. The brief brush of it and she releases, taking the woman by surprise and right through the chest. The arrow gone deep and the slumping of the woman leaves Emily to believe she's done her in. No time to check presently.


Ember checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 24 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + slashy blocky(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 7 higher.

Ian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 22 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + slashy blocky(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 25 higher.


The arrowed captain coming at Ember makes the Baroness actually grin. This isn't a good idea, all things considered, because she's got blood all over her face and now she's going to end up getting blood on her teeth. It's nasty. Also nasty: the wound created when Ember sidesteps the captain and pushes her sword into him -- not enough to kill him, but enough to give him a kick down the road toward that point. The rest of the world might as well not exist to Ember, the way she circles like a shark.

Wash checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 7 lower.

Spying the captain, Ian moves off in his direction. It's only a couple of paces, and from the way he stumbles over the sand just for those paces, it's pretty clear he's in no shape to go farther than this over shifting sand. It might be this uncertain footing slowing him down, or maybe the captain he's facing is really that good, but either way, his opening slash is neatly turned away, and with that their duel begins.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(3) + slashy stabby(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 1 higher.

Emily checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 14 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + desperation stab(4) at difficulty 50, rolling 41 higher. Haakon GM Roll rolled a critical!

Ember checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 30 higher.

Epic desperation stab 33 inflicted and Ember is harmed for minor damage.

Krarstin checked strength + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + oh noes(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 4 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked str(3) + skewer wash(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 5 higher.

Wash checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 30, rolling 34 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + stiletto!(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 38 higher. Haakon GM Roll rolled a critical!

Ian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 16 higher.

stiletto! 66 inflicted and Ian is unharmed.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + ow ow ow(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 37 higher.

Krarstin checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 45, rolling 5 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + ow ow ow(4) at difficulty 40, rolling 16 higher.

The stiletto wielding captain is fast, faster than even Ian can be with his much larger and heavier sword (it doesn't help that he's barely keeping his balance in the sand), so he just blocks it with his arm, instead. The hardened leather fencer's spaulder easily turns aside the strike.

Epic captain duel 33 inflicted and Krarstin is harmed for moderate damage.

With a shout, Krarstin wields the battle axe with two hands and brings it hard up into the middle of the captain, closing the distance between them with a rushed set of steps. The strike hits him hard, but the daring move opens her up for a counter and indeed that counter comes. The weapon of the captain finds purchase on the bare part of her back and shoulder, striking it deep which the old woman gives a shout in pain. But now the Tidelord and captain are locked physically.

Branimir checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 25 higher. Branimir rolled a critical!

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + oh crap(4) at difficulty 50, rolling 5 higher.

Branimir Has been hanging back, observing the battle from the woods. As the battle gets underway, he says a small prayer to the spirits of this land before unsheathing his sword. The familiar grip, the memories, the want for blood. He gives a loud, booming battle cry as he rushes the nearest high ranking pirate. The pirate fighting Krarsrin. With a single, smooth motion he runs the wretch through, and pulls his sword up and free in a shower of blood and gore. He grins wildly with the thrill of it. "Hope you didn't mind me cutting in, to turn a phrase." He calls out to Krar.

Wash is staggering around in hip deep water avoiding the strikes of a pirate that he has undoubtedly enraged with his pidgin-pidgin and laughing at the man's inept strikes. Well, deep water makes everyone a little inept.

The battle has grown bloodier as the defenders get more desperate. A reckless charge of a black haired captain seeking to drive a stiletto through the Sword of Stormward looks dangerous, but no blood is spilled. A hideously wounded pirate lands a desperation thrust on Ember, but her armor prevents the worst, and the bloodshed is light.

The bloodshed is not light for the final captain. It's a disheartening display as both Krarstin and Branimir strike the poor bastard, and resistance crumbles. The last knot of serious opposition is at the shield wall in the shallows, where Ian struggles with the black haired lady captain.

Also a fourth Captain caught a freaking arrow with her skull.

Emily checked dexterity + stealth at difficulty 30, rolling 23 higher.

Emily checked dexterity + archery at difficulty 30, rolling 37 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked dexterity(3) + dodge(3) at difficulty 50, rolling 24 lower.


As Emily's target does down, keeping the Captain from reaching the ship, Emily whips around and searchs for her next target. She remains fleet of foot, dodging around the figures that comes at her and then slipping around a tent only to see Ember hurt, blood her's or her foes is hard to tell but Emily does not take the chance.

She draws the bow and with the aimdown it looks towards the Captain engaged. She waits for the moment and releases her arrow that ends up taking down the figure before the ranger lowers her bow.


Ember checked command + intimidation at difficulty 20, rolling 30 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked composure(2) + willpower(2) at difficulty 40, rolling 8 lower.

Ian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 22 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + no stabby(4) at difficulty 30, rolling 21 higher.


Ember's duel with the captain comes a bit closer to being even, when her hard leather armor can only do so much to protect her. A flesh wound is just more blood adorning the Bloody Baroness, though, and it seems to energize her... just in time for arrows to fell her opponent before she can get her swing lined up. Ember takes a moment to stand over the dead captain, and her smile fades, now that her fight is over. Of course, now the pirates in the vicinity have to face down the idea of battling a FROWNING, blood-soaked, possibly-out-of-her-mind Baroness. And she knows that they know this -- which is why Ember slowly turns her gaze up and out, putting the fear into any of the pirates she locks eyes with.

Krarstin checked command + leadership at difficulty 30, rolling 17 higher.

Wash checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 30, rolling 3 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(3) + knife block(3) at difficulty 30, rolling 1 higher.

Without the ability to move easily, Ian's at a disadvantage against his faster opponent. An attempt to disarm her fails when she dodges to the side, but that's a nasty cut to her hand, at least.

Bran's sword thrust that turns that captain she was embracing into dead weight gets a surprised look from Krarstin, that's for sure. She turns her head, looking at the very large warrior and there for a moment, that steel cold eye of hers narrows as someone took her kill. A firmness of her lips as they're pulled in a flat line, but she then has a small smile. Wiping the blood off her axe on her forearm, she takes some of the heart blood of the fallen captain and streaks three finger trails in a wavy line over Bran's face and gives a bit of prodigal inspiration. "Your path is righteous, send them to their rest!"

Branimir checked strength + huge wpn at difficulty 20, rolling 17 higher.

Haakon GM Roll checked strength(4) + oh crap(4) at difficulty 40, rolling 8 higher.

Ian checked perception + investigation at difficulty 30, rolling 9 lower.

Branimir pauses in the pile of blood left by his blade and observes Krarstin. His widens as she marks his face with blood. War paint befitting a warrior, indeed. "As you ask, so shall I do." He says, giving her a one eyed wink. He takes a quick stock of his surroundings and charges, sword hefted, towards the pirate assulting the Sword he had met earlier.

Ian checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 1 lower.

Branimir checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 16 lower.

Ember checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 7 lower.

Wash checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 12 lower.

Emily checked perception at difficulty 20, rolling 2 lower.

The battle collapses into a full rout, with most of the pirates taking their chances with surrender. Roughly half of the camp's galley prisoners are still in place, looking fearful for their fate, until it becomes clear that their rescuers are Arvani of the Compact. THEN the hero treatment begins.

Taking stock of the camp afterward, while scouts and skirmishers scour the woods for prisoners and pirates alike, the count appears thus: 19 pirates dead, 57 surrendered, 91 galley slaves liberated, four Arvani-rigged Longships in seaworthy condition, and several tons of pilfered cargo, largely grains, common cloth, and hides.

Wash strides out of the water, sloshing his boots up onto the shore. "YES! I'm 10 for 10 on my staying alive in a fight strategy!" He gloats to no one in particular. "You know, the trick to winning any fight is letting the other person lose first."


As they take account of the surroundings, Emily helps round up those who surrender. She finds nothing of interest when she makes a search of the area and when she returns to the beach, she is clearly watching the gathered figures on the ground. Her bow set at ready she makes certain they think twice about making the wrong choice.

A hand passes through her hair, giving it a shove behind her ear before she hears the call of Wash. A snort leaves her and she glances down at the prisoner's, toeing one with her boot when they start to talk and merely gives a shake of her head.



Ember assists in the rounding-up of prisoners. It's a handy thing, to have a blood-slathered warrior-woman hanging around -- she just has to stand back and keep one hand on her scabbard, and it makes a world of difference as far as people suddenly finding their bravery.

Following the battle and making sure stiletto lady is disarmed (gods, ANOTHER knife?!), Ian trades his basket hilted sword for his cane, not that it helps him a whole lot. He stumbles over the shifting sand as he makes his way up the bloody beach.

Branimir wipes the blood from his sword on the clothing of a fallen pirate, which more or less works as intended, before sliding it back into its sheath. He gives a quick word of thanks to the Spirits for the victory, then cocks his head into the wind as if listening for a reply, staring out into the sea with a blank expression on his face. He shakes it off after a moment, and looks around the beach, searchingly.