Chapter 1: First Meeting

The sound of Admiral's voice accompanied by the absence of the sight of him makes the advancing pirates stop in their tracks.

Morgan, in a whimpering tone, pathetically calls out, "True it is. It be Admiral's ghost 'ere for 'is revenge after the Ring put 'im down!"

As he touches Tarron, Admiral can feel the pain (caused by Reaver piercing the half-elf) surge through him and then dissipate into Reaver. Immediately afterward, Admiral can feel life force summoned by Reaver move through him into the fallen pirate. As Reaver moves life force through Admiral and spares the dying Tarron, Admiral's mind is flooded by a momentary flashback. Just after Morgan broadcasts his insight, the hole through Tarron's back recedes (under Admiral's invisible hands). Blood stops gushing onto deck, the half-elf pirate coughs out loud, and he begins to breath. Yet, he remains unconscious.

Tasya can see the invisible form of Admiral lean next to and stabilize the pirate through his touch...somehow.


Tasya's Invisibility Cloak, Time Worn: 4:00 min:sec
Admiral's Invisibility Potion, Time since ingested: 3:30 min:sec

Admiral--Current HP: 27, Temp HP: 7, Spell Slots: 2/2, PP: 2/3, Pact Tally: 28/400

Admiral sighs. "I’m not a bloody ghost, Morgan. I’m just invisible." He stands up and shakes himself dry, carelessly splattering those nearby— Jin and Morgan mainly— with seawater. He wishes he could shake off the invisibility too. It’s becoming more of a hindrance than a help at this point. "Now, I understand that the first mate was playing at captain in my absence, but I’m afraid poor Tarron is currently lying face-down on the deck in a pool of his own blood so, unless you’d like to join him, I suggest you all take a moment to think very hard about who your captain is, aye?"

If none of the pirates are moving in to attack Admiral, Tasya creeps over to where Jin is standing on the deck and whispers close to him. "Jin. Its Tas. I am here too. Mischa is on the other ship." She still holds her crossbow ready in case this all goes sideways.

Tasya notices Jin's sudden halt upon hearing her voice. Knowing him well, she see's him begin to piece together an understanding of the situation. He looks at Tarron's fallen figure, weigh's Admiral's words floating on the air, and those of the pirate Morgan. Tasya recognizes the caution in Jin's eyes, understanding his motive to conceal her presence from the nearby pirates. He makes no visible acknowledgement of Tasya. He only whisper's, "Tas" with a profound sigh of relief.

...

The pirates remain still at Admiral's loud words, unsure how to react. Even the group escorting Sherwood to the brig hold up at the hatch, forgetting to restrain the peg-legged pirate.

A moment later, as if Admiral's wish comes true, he feels the odd feeling effect of the potion recede. Morgan says, "Sailor's shame! 'Tis you Captain Admiral. No ghost be ye!"

The pirates on the stairs drop their weapons.
Tasya's Invisibility Cloak, Time Worn: 4:30 min:sec
Admiral's Invisibility Potion, Time since ingested: 4:00 min:sec

"Good choice," Admiral purrs in response to the clatter of swords hitting the deck. He isn’t sure how willing his crew will be to follow his orders right now, but there’s only one way to find out. "Throw a gangplank over to the other ship," he commands. "We have guests to welcome aboard. There’s food and water belowdecks too. Take half of it and bring it over to the Whisker. Leave the other half."

Jin quickly reacts to Admiral's order and says loudly for all to hear, "Captain Admiral is wise to welcome these guests aboard and receive more food and supplies for our journey. We must make haste with this transfer and not linger in these waters too close to the mainland."

He then whispers quietly to Tasya, "Is Mischa okay?"
Tasya's Invisibility Cloak, Time Worn: 5:00 min:sec

After Jin's prompt, the Whisker crews' stunned looks fade from their faces as they snap to work on Admiral's orders.

Sherwood pushes his way through his brig escort and hastily hobbles toward the aft stairs.

He looks up and addresses Admiral. "I could never understand what old Ezber saw in you. But I may be startin'. Your show of resilience is unexpected, but admirable." says the gruff man.

"I concede...Captain Admiral." Sherwood opens his hands and nods his head down in a shallow bow-like gesture. He then looks up and inquires, "But what of yer first mate? Shall he bleed out on deck or will you let me tend to his wounds?"

Admiral narrows his eyes but steps back, inviting Sherwood to approach and tend to Tarron’s wound with an impatient wave of his hand. He is silent for a moment, trying to come up with an appropriately scathing response, but no glib retort can properly articulate his hurt and anger. Instead, he asks quietly, "…Was the whole crew in on it? Did you all know what Tarron was planning?"

Sherwood limps up the stairs and makes sure Admiral sees his open hands as he passes by. He kneels next to Tarron on his good knee. "Turn 'im over Morgan!" Sherwood barks. Morgan awkwardly responds and does what Sherwood asks and shifts Tarron's limp figure.

As Sherwood examines Tarron he addresses Admiral, "Nay, we knew not what Tarron had planned by openin' up the halfling brew. I reckon he slipped you something else too. 'Cause you were face down and out cold.

He asked us if it be you we wanted as captain, the one who brought the Ring down on us, or him, the one who could lead us to the spoils we deserve. 'Why should we stay marked', he says, 'on the account of Admiral, Ezber's pet?' The crew was reluctant, but he persuaded the lot and delivered you to the agents himself.

Dharzal woke from his drunk and when he found out the news, left the ship after you and Tarron. We haven't seen 'im since."

After another moment of examining the half-elf Sherwood concludes, "This one's wounds cut clear through, but they be amazingly stable already. Bleeding has already stopped. Don't know how, but I think he might see daylight again...be it after a good while of my nursing though."

While most of those above decks are focused on Admiral, Sherwoods, and the fallen Tarron, Tasya lowers the hood of the invisibility and appears holding her crossbow. It is still loaded, but not aimed at anyone.

When Tasya lowers the hood of the cloak and becomes visible, as she suspects, only Jin notices her.

"Tas, I can't say how relieved I am to see you and know weren’t apprehended at The Resting Dragon," says Jin in a quiet but elated tone.

"I see my cloak has proven useful," he continues before asking, "Mischa, she is safe then too?"



Tasya's Invisibility Cloak, Time Worn: 8:00 min:sec (the clock is paused for the cloak when the hood is down)

"Mischa is below deck on the other ship." Tasya tells Jin. "She's alright."

"Did everyone make it out of the cellar of the tavern?" She asks. "Stripe?..."

"Everyone did escape. There was a hidden way out to a side alley." Jin explains to Tasya. He then looks at her solemnly and says, "I’m sorry Tas that we had to leave Stripe. We can only hope that the Rajahadraja’s guards payed no attention to your friend."

Petalwing suddenly becomes visible on Tasya’s shoulder.

"Hi-hi. Safe-safe me too."

"Hello little one. That is good to hear," replies Jin to the sprite. He smiles at Tasya, "well, apparently you have another friend to look after. Or maybe this one looks after you."

Admiral’s elation and relief at the revelation that his crew had not been party to the betrayal is immediately spoiled by the news about Dharzal. "Dharzal is missing? We have to go back for him!" he says, though he knows it isn’t sensible. Jahore is crawling with agents of the Iron Ring and those Rajahadraja people that were after Tasya and Mischa and, for all Admiral knows, it could all be for nothing anyway. Dharzal could be dead already. Only Tarron knows what happened to him. Admiral resolves to ask the half-elf about it as soon as he wakes.

In the meantime, Admiral is anxious to get moving — to Elegy, or back to Jahore, or wherever the wind takes them. Leaving Sherwood to tend to Tarron (and oblivious to Tasya’s sudden appearance on the deck behind him), Admiral bounds down the stairs to supervise the transfer of supplies and to help the ragtag crew of the stolen Iron Ring ship climb across to the Whisker. "On second thoughts, bring all the supplies over. We have a lot of guests so we’ll need all the food and fresh water we can get, I reckon."

In response to Admiral's exclamation about going back to Jahore for Dharzal, Sherwood pulls himself up from his kneel and earnestly looks at the rakasta before saying. "Arr, that orc be a stubborn one, he be. Not a chance he'd be handin' ye over. I reckon if he crossed paths with Tarron on the hunt for ye, Tarron wouldn't have made it back to the Whisker, no siree. Aye, that cook must've tangled himself in some trouble while scroungin' around for ye, mark me words."

He sighs, "But sailin' back to the port? That be a reckless gamble. These circus varlets be fleein' from the law, which we'd be attracting the attention of. Also the cursed Ring might set their sights on our early return, and look to pry the tale from our lips about why we ain't out fulfillin' the duty to them Tarron swore on our behalf."

...

Helleena comes rushing out from below deck toward Tasya. "Tasya!" she exclaims on her way. "It is really you! I didn't believe my own eyes below deck. I'm so happy you found us! And the pirates are saying your ship came with their rightful captain. How?! "

...

While Admiral and Tasya remain engaged in their separate conversations, the Whisker crew works on Admiral's command. They put down two gangways between the ships. Briya leads the slaver ship crew onto the Whisker. Mischa and Taresh lead the pirate crew to the supplies in the smaller ship; the two of them, along with Skeev help the pirates make the transfer.

"This is Petalwing." Tasya introduces the sprite to Jin. "We happened upon each other in the desert, while Mischa and I were escaping the red guard." She goes quiet at the news Stripe had been left behind, but tries to belay her sadness when Helleena rushes toward her. "A fortuitous set of misadventures put Captain Admiral and us on a collision course to both escape our dire situations."

Admiral knows Sherwood is right, though it doesn’t sit well with him. There are far too many people aboard his ship right now to risk all their lives by returning to Jahore. Once he’s got them all safely to Elegy, he can go back for Dharzal. Dharzal’s tough, he reassures himself, He can handle a bit of trouble.