The Game

Frick watched in mute fascination as the mast snapped in two as the ships collided and became entangled. People screamed all around him, some jumping overboard, others totally unsure what to do. He hesitated for a moment, then grinned, shrugged, and leaped overboard. Struggling against the water, weighed down by his armor and pack, Frick swam frantically for a large piece of board nearby. Slinging pack atop it, he held on for dear life. Blood thundering through his veins, he smiled despite his seemingly insurmountable odds, This is what it feels like to be truly alive! he thinks to himself.

Tossed about, helpless against the might of the sea, Frick had no choice but to hold on and hope that he survived the night. Hours passed and Frick eventually lost consciousness, unsure if he'd ever wake up.

It had all happened so fast. At the approach of the pirate vessel, Ygne felt the thundering of her heart and the blood surging through her veins, preparing her body for a fight she would not forget. Her hands itched to wield her blades and drive them into some pirate throats. Her dreams had been dashed however, by the coming of this cataclysmic storm. The sound of screams, splintering wood, and the cacophony of rain, sea, thunder and wind all around her left Ygne feeling disoriented. What do I do, she actually thought for once, not typically giving herself the time to think before she acts. She could not fight anything here, nor hide from it, and she looked around with a confused expression. The sailors and tradesmen were abandoning the vessel as it began to roll starboard and pitch back from the disastrous collision with the corsairs. Ygne grasped onto the port railing, struggling to keep her balance aboard the slippery deck as she came to a conclusion.

This isn't how I die, she thought with a gleeful realization. She was Ygne, and Ygne was meant for something great. "You hear me now!" She shouted defiantly toward the sky; toward the gods, "This isn't how Ygne d-..!" Her words were cut off by the sound of splintering wood so loud is sounded like an explosion. She felt a white-hot, intense pain upon the back of her head for a split second, and the sudden weightlessness of free-fall, before all went black.

Ryte sits in darkness, hidden amongst the ship's cargo, letting the rhythm of the ocean sea mask the sound of his breathing. I've set out on a mission and I completed it, I've killed the man that wronged us...I'll be home soon. It's only a matter of wait... His thoughts are cut short by a sudden jerk of the ship. Water starts to pour in Just my luck I stowaway in a ship that gets routed by pirates. I will not be found cowering in the dark.

Ryte grabs his pack, flings it over his shoulder, and runs to the top of the ship's deck, sword ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. His battle-ready face fades as his eyes meet with reality, a storm to end all storms, ships in mid collision, and yelling all around him. To add to his shock, a woman's voice catches his ear "MAN ABOARD OUR SHIP!" she bellows. She was right, he was the only man aboard the ship. In an attempt to gain the upper hand and catch her off guard, he responds back "I promise you, I'm the prettiest of ladies." before sprinting for the ship's side...and does a beautiful dive off of it into the choppy waters below.

The brawny woman ignored the rain and wind that whipped at her hair and clothes. Their prey was near, and the Captain had steered the ship in for the kill. Elspa's job was simple; cross over to the other ship and sow havoc and discord to let the other grapple the rail and prevent the vessel's escape. Already the scent of blood filled her amber eyes.

The Sea Witch lurched upon the waves, sliding sideways with the wind. Elspa rode it out almost out of habit, focused as she was on their target. Soon, the distance would be close enough that she could leap across, and she lowered her stance ready to charge. Tightening her grip on her rain-soaked shield, her other hand lashed to a battleaxe, Elspa's excited howl was drowned out by the raging storm.

Suddenly the ship pitched forward, nearly catapulting itself onto the other vessel. Elspa thought it a neat trick of the captain to bring the boat so quickly around, and she sprinted forward to time her leap. Ignoring the splintering of wood around her, ignorant of the shattered mast above, she hurdled over fallen sail, planted a foot upon the rail, and soared into the air.

The other vessel then rose up to meet her. The unexpected embrace of storm-drenched timber stunned Elspa as she crashed into the deck, falling to her feet. She rose up, smacking her shield with her axe in challenge, and discovered a boat with nary a person onboard. She turned just in time to see someone dive overboard, and began to realize the gravity of the storm around her and the conditions of both the Sea Witch and the boat she stood upon.

That was when the hull cracked open like an egg, spilling Elspa into the dark water. It was all she could do to hold onto her shield, using it to float precipitously upon the roiling waves. She maintained enough composure to ride the current, though it would be quite a while before she knew whether it would take her to land, or out into the open ocean.

Soon she felt the waves break, and sand and coral sweep her sodden boots. Elspa's adrenaline still rushed through her veins, this time in a panic as she reached land, searching bodies of those washed ashore for her packmates.

"MAN ABOARD OUR SHIP!" bellowed Maia over the howling of the storm and the crashing of timbers as the two ships collided. Are we bein' boarded by them tradesmen?! Jarveena wondered as she spotted the man sprinting across the deck. She drew her bowstring to her cheek but Leatha's command stayed the man's swift death.

"Leave 'im be, lass! We're done for! The Witch is finished! Abandon ship!" Despite her words, the captain strained against the helm in a hopeless effort to wriggle the Sea Witch free of the trading ship.

"Ain' leavin' wi'out ye!" Jareena spit out in her mangled speech - the result of having had her tongue cut out it seemed a lifetime ago.

"ABANDON SHIP, I SAY!" Leatha roared. "Do it, or I'll toss ye o'erboard meself!"

Jarveena swallowed any further protests and obeyed, planting her right boot on the starboard rail and diving cleanly from the poop deck into the roiling sea.

She didn't hear her beloved captain bid her a whispered farewell moments before the Sea Witch broke apart and sank into the icy water...

Frick looks around to see if his his glaive (or any other weapons) are nearby. Seeing the gash on the back on Ygne's head, Frick has to assume that, should it come to blows, she may not be much use at the moment.

Frick curses under his breath, then tries to move quietly over to Ygne to see if she's ok.

Elspa secures her gear, idly flicking blood and gore from her hands. Panting with exertion, she lopes down the beach, heading north along the coast to follow the trail of wreckage. She pauses only once to sniff the air and shake away the salt in her nostrils.

Jarveena gasps, and grabs for the dagger strapped to her boot as she rolls away from the man she recognizes as the man on the deck of the Sea Witch. But mindful of the approaching voices she stays low and peers over the edge of the debris.

Elspa only slows her pace to perform a cursory glance at the bodies to see if any are recognizable. However, at this time the priority is for the living, and she continues her trek with only a minor distraction to pick up a mug. There are many uses for such an implement.

Jarveena ducks back behind the crate and motions to the man - who must now become her unlikely ally - to stay hidden. "Zig trog'l'digh." She says, the words so mangled, Ryte is hard-pressed to understand them if he hadn't heard her voice before while on the Sea Witch. As if to clarify, she holds up the five fingers of her right hand, and her left forefinger. Rtye notes that save for the thumb, that left hand bears no other digits.

Jarveena gestures to the stranger's twin rapiers. "Ye any good w' tho'h?" She sheathes her dagger and readies her longbow, draws an arrow and checks the fletching. She doesn't intend to wait til the troglodytes are near.

Ryte stifles the jokes he wants to so badly make, knowing the dire situation he is in. He watches as the woman peeks over the debris and he stays silent awaiting for the outcome of her scouting. With a nod of understanding, he gets up from laying on the ground and into a crouch.

He smiles at the lady, draws his rapiers "As long as you're good with that." he slides out from the cover of the debris, putting distance between himself and the archers hiding spot, he calls out to the reptile creatures, hoping to get their focus on him and not his hidden "ally" "Over here, you overgrown geckos. Which of you wants to die first?" he draws his bow, nocking an arrow and releasing it towards a lizard.

OOC:

Taking my full 30' before calling out, assuming they don't spot me before then readying an attack if they get within melee.