A Deadly Encounter at Sea

[Asinjin]

Details of the battle for Valdis will earn xp

[Zunder]

We were set up by two Viper Clan ships, both more heavily armed then the Rose.  Both at approaching at a 45 to our direction of travel, and both in front of us.  Flight wasn't and option as they would both have been windward.  It was decided that we would try to delay one and deal with one.  The First Mate Rin road Tsu out to the port most ship and used some of the alchemists remedies to dispose of a 5 foot disk of their hull (The Red Serpent).  The First Mate harassed the repair crews with arrows. The Rose moved to engage the the starboard most ship (Silver Serpent).. choosing to pass each other in boardside. 
   The First mate left the Red Serpent and was able to close on the Silver Serpent in time while cannon fire was exchanged between the Rose and Red Serpant at range.  The Rose's prepared with magic, and both magic, arrow, and bolt was exchanged this time with the Silver Serpent.  As the fight began with the Silver Serpent Rin used a Termite Paste to make a hole in the gun deck and boarded the ship, fighting the crews to try to help the Rose survive.  The Position of the Rose shielded it from fire from the Red Serpent, now many yards off the port bow. 
  As the ships lined up at speed a Sonic Boom rocked the Silver Serpent, stunning their gun Crews.  The fight up to commenced with bolts, and spells, and harpoons.  The canon on the Silver Serpent remained silent until we passed them and were in the open.  However they fired two salvos destroying the aft-castle of the rose as we made our escape.  The Rose was only limping along.
  Again we called upon the First Mate and her whale.  She rode the while and used Termite Paste on the rudder of the Silver Serpent, and used a Anchor Token on the other.  The Anchor Token moors a ship where it is for a day, unable to move.  Soon after we left them behind, we found a storm off in the distance.  Flying creatures were noticed in the clouds. 

[Zunder]

After the battle, Veronica's formerly nice and cute tight camo outfit is covered with blood from sewing up wounds, her hair is pulled out of it's style abd fruzzt, she and broken a nail bailing out the ship.  Her fingers hurt (not afraid to tell anyone about that) from sewing the patches in the sails and the tributes to the fallen comrades.  She sighs loudly as we approach the storm and she gets visibly nervous about being on the seas in a storm. "oh.. I don't like this should says." 


Once Claude starts giving the orders and points out the flying thing.. she looks ever more concerned.. " I think we need a bigger boat " and she moves below deck

[Asinjin]

The day after the battle, the captain gives a report to the entire crew:

"We are all sad today.  Although we survive, we have lost friends, some forever to the deep and some that remain with us, forever scarred by the battle.  For them we mourn, but for ourselves we must stay true and hold to our task.  You acquitted yourselves well.  Against a seasoned adversary twice our number in ship, crew, and cannon; we fought them to a stalemate.  It was our first battle as a ship, as a team; against two pirate crews that have been at sea for years.  Yet we sailed away while they remained anchored at the mercy of whatever may come to them.  We were hurt, but they more so by our arrows, bolts, harpoons, cannon, and spell.  Our ship will soon be repaired and the story that will be told is of how a smaller, newer corsair ship outmatched two veteran ships of the viper fleet.  The damage to their reputation is invaluable.  Moreover, my reports for the other corsairs are that much like the tsunami tactic, their ambush of the fleet did not have the results they had hoped.  Our good ship, The Pride of the Rose, sails forward to continue our mission.  So do not cheer today, for our dead deserve respect, but soon, and for the rest of the voyage, cheer our grit, cheer our spirit, take pride."  He step back for a dramatic pause before Valdis gets a nod to order everyone back to work.

[Asinjin]

Doctor Garet gives the casualty report:

Arty the Gunner's Mate - dead
Gnearly the Carpenter's Mate - dead

Felji the half elven Seaman - arm destroyed
Terry the Master Mariner - arm destroyed

Able Seaman Joe - blinded

After giving the list, he says, "The crew acquitted themselves very well during and after the battle.  We rushed in to heal the wounded and kept the damage to a minimum.  Midshipmen, doctors, prelates all rose to the occasion."  Garet is not happy, but certainly has a confidence and pride about the efforts.

[Asinjin]

Carpenter Kyle reports: "While we have enough to repair the ship currently, there is little wood left to make any other significant repair expect for the extra mast when this is done."

He is one of the most somber crew members, having lost the mate.  He report is short and he leaves quickly after giving it to the officers.

[Zunder]

Veronica makes little stuffed pirate ships with the embroidered name of Silver, and Red Viper on them.  She holds crossbow and archer sessions.  "Next time they won't escape" To... build moral for those sessions she dresses in tights and a red tutu.  With a revealing corset black corset.  She yells " If you can shoot with these distractions, you can shoot during battle" (bluff check)

[Asinjin]

Valdis finds it much easier to get volunteers for practice.

[Malchia]

At one point during the two days of repair, with the captain's permission of course, Chase calls the crew to a memorial reading for the fallen shipmates.

-Haiku's by Chase Stillwater

"Gnearly Gnoghitall"
Repairing our ship.
Mending.  Fixing.  Till the end.
Now one with Smofarf.

"Arty"
Loyal gunner's mate.
Defending our vessel's pride.
Laid to rest at sea.

[Asinjin]

At one point during the two days of repair, with the captain's permission of course, Chase calls the crew to a memorial reading for the fallen shipmates.

-Haiku's by Chase Stillwater

"Gnearly Gnoghitall"
Repairing our ship.
Mending.  Fixing.  Till the end.
Now one with Smofarf.

"Arty"
Loyal gunner's mate.
Defending our vessel's pride.
Laid to rest at sea.

The captain is happy with your contribution and Kel is impressed.

[Asinjin]

Cannon Master Howey reports, "One cannon lost.  The others are all in fine working order.  Our supply of ammunition is ample."  He is clearly distressed with the loss of the cannon, and is inconsolable for several days.

Howey is a plateauian human in his mid twenties.  Gabriel has learned, and the other do to a lesser degree, that he is an expert in cannon design.  In fact, the long guns of the Pride were designed and built by him.  He often grills Gabriel, and to a lesser degree the gunner's mates, about the cannon.  He has a near singular focus.  Among the crew, his closest friend is Kyle the carpenter.  They seem to have known each other for several years and been on at least one voyage together.  He also talks with Tomis the Cooper.  Howey is a tall thin man.  He has the tanned skin of an outdoors man.  His hair is dark and are his eyes.  He dresses for work all the time and gives little concern to his appearance.  He has run afoul of the sailmaker and her fashion on several occasions.  It becomes clear he is a tinker by his work ethic and skills, and now by his tools.  He has several automated tools, which all operate by crank.  The two you have seen are a belt sander and the nail gun.

[Asinjin]

Carpenter Kyle is another human Talpan.  In his early twenties, his expertise is in larger wood construction.  He is of average size, but a fit individual.  You have seen him climb and swim better than most of the non-sailor crew.  He was quite chipper until Gnearly death. 

[Asinjin]

Steward Theo is yet another Talpan human who interacts the most with Claude of the characters.  He does little shipwork of the seaman, but with the loss of Gnearly, he helps the Carpenter.  He is also seen helping the other skilled crew on occasion; the cooper and the cook.  He hesitantly asks to help Veronica.  His daily routine leads you to believe he is a little skilled in everything.  He is a man in his early 20s, short and thin.  He has brown hair and freckles that grow more visible as the voyage grows longer.