Prologue 3: Pirate Attack

Act 1, Scene 3: Pirates Surprise at Early Dawn

• Greyswift now forcefully rocking with the jarring of the Black Flagg
• A giant hole seems to be crushed into its starboard hull
• It's taking on water at an alarming rate...
• Did you leave anything below?

FINISHED PHASE OF THE BATTL:E

• Pirates have been swinging across, landing on the deck, and slashing with their cutlasses
One deck-hand--the one named Del-has already been slashed, killed, and pushed overboard to the steely waves below

Caravel and Longboat approach (soon after start)

Right away, a caravel is seen approaching from the shore direction... at a strong clip

• "A noble and voluminous caravel, fantastic even from this far distance, clips rapidly from the east, directly approaching the two floundering ships--an enormous ship of gleaming wood and many sails.
• Flies a flag that's hard to make out, a black flag but with silver markings.
• [later a "flag" silver piece, one on either side of an ancient Anta "D" rune... an angular 'D' with an arrow pointing forward (for Desrenti)]
• Boat lets up sail less than a 1/2 mile from the scene.

15 rounds later is slows to a stop... See "Dobo's Longship" below

NO LONGER: he Captain remains on deck with his oily locks and breaded beard, calling out wicked encouragement to his crew...
The message:
This is all or nothing boys! This is it! Our lives and riches depend on it! Rob, steal, kill, pillage, ahoy!"
But now ship on fire, motivated by desperaate greed: Hops on the Dinghy with remaining crew member (he will go and get his crossbow) (he will be looking for Twig)

THE CURRENT PHASE OF THE BATTLE

The Black Flagg, at incredible clip, has bashed the Greyswift and punctured it. The Odd Party has shot flames into the pirate ship

Greyswift Takes on Water


Sinking: Water saves DC13 flat check every round to try to sink the ship... 10 failed rounds and it flouners under
Lurches every four rounds (Save DC15 or be Flat Footed)

And The Black Flagg is on fire

• 
  Every round, flames make flat check: DC10 to spread, or DC10 to catch fire, after spreading 10x it will overtake the pirate ship...
  When pirates (or someone) operates the Bilge Pump, the DC is 14

Pirates will realize they should be defending their own hold, as this ship has little for them...

FLAMING BOLTS FROM ABOVE: What the... (it's Twig!)?




Next Phase of the Battle:

• The Captain and one lesser pirate are escaping in the dinghy to port, trying to maneuver around Twig's ice, which blocks parallel to the Black Flagg, and toward the fore. The two of them are attempting to flee, UNTIL (THIS ROUND) THEY SEE THE CARAVEL AND DOBO DESTRANTIS LONGSHIP APPROACHING

• So they will attempt a surrender, rather than fleeing the scene in this way. OR. They will fight to the death with no mercy, because death is better than what the Destrantis would do.

• Because if the Desrantis see them fleeing, they will be hounded and die a horrible death. This is a last shot for them.

T[he pirates are in the pay of the Desrantis, and the loss of this gold would mean their death.]

In the Dinghy: LOOTE

(pirates fleeing with loot:) See treasure notes

DOBO DESTRANTI'S LONGSHIP

Puts down anchor And 10 rounds later a longboat launches, Takes 15 minutes to reach the scene

• A sleek longboat galley-ship, of dark laquered wood and gilded planking, with a brass fiddlehead prow, and one single sail. Clearly moves most by person-power, or by orc power in this case. Its flag bears that same design (as above): [the Desranti family]"

• Six orcish looking men, chained to the mast, row the boat with sigle-minded strength. when the boat pulls up, you see that they are chained tightly to the mast... "ORC BRUTE (rank and file)" in MMP2e

• Four 10' tall persons of thick flesh and enormous bulk look at you with little stupid, belligerent eyes (know as ogres?), arms crossed or droopig ape-like, enormous hands flexing with belligerence ("OGRE WARRIOR" in MMP2e, with only a fist-bash for melee)

• (Might send them on board immediately to rescue the gold and quartz)

• Amidst the four ogres, there is one man, black hair slick, face clean-shaven, eyes shrewd and narrow, perhaps in his late twenties. Black shirt and pants of cotton cover a trim, athletic build, and stylish leather boots shine. To complete his outfit, this person has a flowing black cape. The [Desranti emblem] is embroidered in silver at his breast;

• Dobo Destranti Mafiosa, cool and brisk, commanding... will try to get everyone's attention...
• Not wasting time, just pull up alongside the hull of the ship and start bashing away with huge mallots, despite any smoke
• Will bash in the hull within 1d6+4 minutes.... as the deck and above burn

• Then send all four ogres off the longship: Slop, Stokk, Blopp, Stikk to board the flaming pirate ship and retrieve those three things

• "The gold is ours; it's time to stop this foolishness". [Meghumosos ("giant men"), fetch the arks]

The odd party will be simply attacked and destroyed if they resist, otherwise knocked out by ogres

BURGGA KRUGG'S NARRATIVE when the FIGHTING IS DONE:

(crystal ball smoulders and emits smoke as she narrates, and coughs and burps up swarm vomit, wipes her mouth on an old lace handkerchieff. Pictures can be seen in the ball as she speaks, vaguely.)

• Judge not by appearances says Burgga Krugg; heed the tellings of Bunggo, the Master of Time
• Beware of the Empire; keep your mouth shut. Agree to their terms.

• OR
• Walk the city of spires, the city of lies, the city of Jack; it holds both shelter and danger.
• Bunggo speaks now
• Disregard words of Bunggo and end up in prison, or Dead.
I have more for you, if you would listen.
• A massive shift is here frieds, and shifting of power, a darkening of skies, a gathering of lies...
• The Gutter now; the gutter: bizarre, great treasures there of some kind, says Bunggo...
• The Palace is an Abyssal pit, deep within it an Abyssal pit; a seat of lies and corruption;
• The High Hill yields the lies; but across the valley the beauty of the ugly, a revolt of the impoverish and sick
• Enter the Gutter, Approach the Palace, or do your will.
• There are ruins beyond; I have seen you there as well...
• To the Palace; Your eyes keen, your approach humble.
• In the Gutter, the Options are many, young ones, thus have I seen
• You serve your own, but now you also serve Bunggo, the Master of Time;
• there is no escape, and no need for it
• Just move ito the future; the future; always the future

Bunggo's glass will be with you

So Listen now:

• Bunggo devours the past, like a starving dog on old meat
• Bunggo leaves her Stank in the air, holy Stank.
• Bunggo gathers the green smoke of sooth into the holy future-ball
• Bunggo does not forget.
• Your events are her prey, be careful. Your story is a... selection.

THE SACKING in the hold (first)... AND THEFT in the passenger cabins (if possible)

• (pirates begin to loot the hold, whatever belongings and cargo: two sacks of silver coins and some of the below put away
• A "Frost Vial": Test tube full of whisping cold vapors, like a giant frosty pill of glass. Strike >... Deals 1d6 cold; and 1 splash, target takes a 5' penalty until end of next turn
• A brass-guilded box of 10 silver crossbow bolts, and a case with a gorgeous, gilded oak-and-gold crossbow, magic (+1 for every shot)... looks like its never been used, inscribed with several Zephyran runes (Arcane; "sure shot")
• (mostly Zephyran wheat and barley, hardtack, corn, and three casks of beer)... the real cargo is the paying people

Maybe more treasure.
The pirate captain remains as well (call him "Boass", "Boss" in the Aligorian dialect.)

Minis for our characters: pirates: two "toughies" (drow minis) and the rest one color (different numbers): maroon or grey or red

pirate captain on his ship--two sword mini

2 mates (one Quoppa), (one Fense)... Green, different numbers (d6 and d8 1 Del (dead and thrown overboard)

• Captain Tizzy, holding his own with some skilled blade-play... bearded mini
  Derren Blackbear Falsani (soft-spoken and gentle, but now fierce in combat, obviously a skilled warrior of fighter...Grim determination... His face set grim, his battle-focus formidable)--blue die
  Burgga Kruff... plaingoblin mini (see right section)
• Raised from the dead: Zombie
• 
  
  
  **** but Frenz, Quopp put up a fight, Quopp is especially tough, dancig about with his dagger
  
  *** Tizzy holds his own, a decent hand of cutlass and short sword, blade-play, wants most to guard the hold, and find a means of escape
  
  ***Derren has grimly drawn his blue-metal sword, intent now on the fighting at hand
  
  

PIRATE TACTICS

• Two pirates seek to enter the hold and two or three to defend it
• Intent on taking as much as possible, and fleeing in the dinghies
• Want to Block off the stairs below deck to the hold and let the others sack it
• On to the Passenger cabins if possible

Next round, if any left: hook and swing (double speed)
The coming round the rest swing across, and pirates move to guard the hold

• BURGGA KREFF IN COMBAT

Green smoke dissipates over the course of two rounds Comes on deck in one round, raises the pirate dead, and uses it against them: a plague zombie Sneaks around, sustaining the spell... Then VOMIT SWARM at opportune time...
See to the left for dialogue