Chapter 1: Seeds of Destruction

"You are correct, Captain, ours is a merry band of space oddities!"

♫
For I'm sailing with Elaina Sartell
Far above the world
Planet Oerth is through
Is there nothing I can do?
♫

The broad shouldered autognome looks at the expanding crystal plant as it takes over more and more of the planet. Knowing what it could to the passengers he releases a careming field of mental energy. It should be enough to stop panic and hysteria from getting started.

As people settle in, Imti looks around the deck for any lost or misplaced items, reasoning that someone might have dropped something in the rush.

"I wish it were under better circumstances, but it's nice to meet fellow travelers," Captain Sartell says with a smile.

This One's spell washes over the crowd, lowering them from a near panic to simple worry and fear. Imti walks through the crowd and spots a stuffed rabbit on the ground. She can hear a child nearby crying for "Mr. Fluffers".

Imti marvels at the stuffed rabbit, its discardment borne of the traumatic evacuation of the only home it might have ever known. "She'd love this," Imti whispers to herself.

She uses her non-broom to sweep the toy closer to herself, then picks up the rabbit to try and surreptitiously slip into her pack.

"Ziggy, I believe this crowd could use some of your touch to keep them calm and give them reassurance. We've just airlifted them from their homeworld; they are going to need a lot of attention." Apart from his concern for the people, another thought crossed Quaxiver's mind as he worked his way through the refugees: did any of the thugs slip on board as well? Quaxiver tried to see if anyone was behaving suspiciously or trying their best not to stick out too much.

"Captain, where will we be headed? I imagine the rest of this world would be equally affected by this disaster."

"Say no more!"

Ziggy strums a soothing chord on his instrument and sings a song for all aboard the Moondancer.

♫
As the world falls down
I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you Valentine evenings though we're strangers 'til now
We're choosing the path
Between the stars
I'll leave my love
Between the stars

Wasn't too much fun at all
But I'll be there for you-ou-ou
As the world falls down
♫

The little girl, who can't be more than four years old, who is crying for her bunny feels a presence behind her and turns around just in time to see Imti holding Mr. Fluffers out. She grabs the toy and squeezes it tightly before hugging Imti around the legs, "Thank you, nice lady!" she says before turning around and skipping away.

As far as Quaxiver can tell, there are none of the thugs on board, but it's hard to tell for sure. Several of the men look like the rough sort, but it's equally likely that they're just sailors or dock workers.

Ziggy's song, combined with This One's spell, finally seems to calm the crowd fully.

"We're heading to the Rock of Bral," she replies, "It's Moondancer's home port. Hopefully someone there will have some idea how to deal with those vines."

The ship slows as another vessel comes into view, approaching the Moondancer from astern. The pursuing vessel looks like a giant moth with wings made of iridescent crystal, similar in color and luster to the crystalline vines that ravaged your world. You can just make out figures on the other vessel's deck scrambling to arm the ship's mangonel.

"Astral elves," curses Captain Sartell, "and they don't look friendly. Best ready yourselves for a fight."

Imti briefly wonders how little children might fare in the Fortress of Memories, but that line of thought dissolves as the captain speaks of their destination. She fishes her star map from under her shirt and produces a flame in her hand to project light through the tiny crystal pendant, turning the facets to reveal different patterns and charts until she can find the Rock of Bral and determine its position and distance relative to the Moondancer.

So caught up in her reflection of astral travel, Imti barely hears the warning in Captain Sartell's voice. "Ready for flight? Aren't we already flying?"

This One finds two of the commoners who looks the least afraid.
If there is going to be trouble, I will cast a spell on you, that will give you the breath of a dragon and you will be able to breathe cold or lightning. Stay near us..
He points to the rest of the party. Can you do that?

What the - Why would a Star Moth class ship be attacking them? "Captain, if you are in some sort of trouble with the astral elves, now would be a good time to tell us about it before we risk ourselves needlessly." Quaxiver looked to the galleon's armaments, "Man the stations!" He declared loudly, while realising that unless those on board were familiar with ship weaponry, they would be unlikely to be able to help with the weapons.

"I think the risk is already ours, Quax!" says Imti, finally realizing what's going on.

She turns to the mother of the child whose eyes are too good for this world and says, "Don't mind him, it's his skin condition that makes him kinda... you know. But anyway, can you, like, help me get these folks below deck? There's a bit of rough sailing ahead." Imti uses her broom to try and direct people to the stairs leading to the cargo hold and get them out of sight.

Well, minus the two individuals with impending mouth problems. "No, you two stay next to the Tin Man. Congratulations!"

Several of the tough dockworkers on board remain on deck, but they have some of the older men herd everyone else below deck. "I don't know anything about these astral elves, but they're gonna learn not to mess with us," one of the men says, drawing cheers from the others.

"A FIGHT," Elaina corrects Imti. Her eyes move to Ziggy's ears for a moment, but she doesn't say anything about him and his heritage, "I'm a bit surprised you don't know more about the astral elves, to be honest. Pirates and thugs, most of them. Maybe they aren't as bad in your part of space, but they're a menace in all the parts I've been to."

"Their ship is faster than ours," she says, judging the rate at which they close the distance, she turns to you all, not even thinking you might refuse to fight, "Fire when they're in range!"

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" asks Imti, hustling over to the mangonel to figure out how to manage the device.

Hey Zig. I can counter incomming spells, and I think I should be focus on that and lets you do the hypno trick
Then the gnome takes out two loadstones and starts a minute long spell

"What, more trouble? And right after we've put these folks at ease! Why must everything turn into violence?"

Ziggy blows raspberries.

"Astral elves, eh? While it's true my species has produced many a scallywag, not all of us are ne'er do wells. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. Shall we hail them, Captain? I can help smooth things over, sue for peace?"


♫
All our friends
Now seem so thin and frail
Slinky secrets
Hotter than the sun

No peachy prayers
No trendy rechauffé
I'm with you
So I can't go on

All my violence
Raining tears upon the sheets
I'm bewildered
For we're strangers when we meet
♫

"Those who are sailors, or familiar with weapons, come with me!" Quaxiver figured that amongst those at the docks whom they saved, some of them ought to have some experience in manning the weapons. He waved them towards their mangonel, and gave them instructions as quickly as they could understand him in order to load the bolt in order to fire!

"So much for parley," mutters Ziggy as he watchea Quaxiver fire the Moondancer's weapon. "To arms, then."

With the star moth too far away for even his magnificence to reach, Zig decides to use his awesomeness to inspire Imti instead.

♫
I, I can remember
Standing, standing so tall
And the guns, shot above our heads
And we danced, as though nothing could fall
And the shame, was on the other side
Oh we can beat them, for ever and ever
Then we could be Heroes, just for one day
♫

Imti wonders if the mangonel's ammunition is flammable. As the weapon is loaded and prepped to launch, she tests her curiosity by producing a magical flame in her hand, then touching the heavy projectile.

A few of the humans on the ship follow with Quaxiver and begin helping him with the siege weapon. The mangonel releases its payload, a heavy stone. It crashes into the oncoming ship and you see the hull crack at the heavy impact.With no chance of escaping, the Moondancer makes a wide sweeping turn to head back toward the star moth. The opponent launches an attack from their mangonel, but the swerving of the Moondancer causes them to miss. The distance between the vessels shrinks somewhat.



Notes
Moondancer: 400 / 400
Star Moth: 376 / 400

Distance: 470
Long Range (Disadvantage) for mangonels, ballistae, and longbows