Zephyr could speak for himself, so Jack would have to wait a post for his answer, but his display of elemental might was sufficiently impressive to ensure the surviving pirates were on their very best behavior as they were herded together and tied up to prevent any last minute shenanigans. The freed captives were given blankets and some of the food Flora had brought and settled down out of the way while the crew moved about putting the Hel's Blessing back in order and covering the body of their captain.
Koa stepped forward and quickly drew the attention of the five huddled pirates, peppering them with questions. One skinny man with a pegleg looked at his fellow captives and then shrugged. "In those islands," he said, nodding to the dark shapes that loomed black against the sunset. "I'll draw y'map if y'promise t'let me live." The other pirates suddenly straightened up at the bargaining and suddenly the young Dragoon had several eager volunteers.
"Two! They've both got eight guns and crews o' fifty!"
"Aye, but one's out o' the water for repairs after that last merchant gave 'er a broadside afore she boarded 'em," another added. "An' t'other is out scoutin' a route 'round Stormbreak."
Hadama watched them from the side of the ship atop his water column, ignoring the sharks at the feast below. "So the base is currently unguarded," he rumbled thoughtfully. "At least by sea." He turned his attention briefly to Flora with a tilt of his head and a gleam of appreciation in his eyes for her own intimidation tactics as the pirates paled and huddled together, begging Koa to spare them. "The channels between the islands look narrow, and we do not know the shallows." He glanced east to a rising moon; not full, but still quite bright. "We should start now. Once it is dark we will have to go much more slowly."
Though they could make use of that, too. A pre-dawn attack should catch the pirates at the base asleep. The mermanta moved to confer with the first mate and the rest of the crew, setting the Blessing in motion to sail into the islands.
Flora's question of the pirates was met with nervous shakes of their heads as they denied any good loot. "We were s'posed t'be stealin' from you," one wit whined. "Th'captain had some swag, but she... she..." She had been et, and whatever treasures she'd held were in the belly of one shark among many currently in the water.
It was getting late and there was no need to drag out the inevitable conclusion. The Blessing sailed slowly and as she left the sharks behind Hadama returned to the water to guide her, communicating with the Attuned on board to pass directions to the helmsman so they could avoid the reefs and sandbars between some of the isles. One of their pirate captives pointed out landmarks and led them to the base, hidden away inside a vast cave that yawned behind the peak of one mountainous islet. Ghosting in, they did indeed catch the remaining pirates unawares and quickly subdued them and freed those merchants that they'd kept alive as servants.
They returned to Torchline victorious, and Hadama sent a force of mer and human guards back to lay a trap for the third ship that remained at large.
Thank you for participating in this PQ+!! I hope you had fun! :D Feel free to make closing posts and I'll archive it once the last person wraps it up with a Fin!
Koa stepped forward and quickly drew the attention of the five huddled pirates, peppering them with questions. One skinny man with a pegleg looked at his fellow captives and then shrugged. "In those islands," he said, nodding to the dark shapes that loomed black against the sunset. "I'll draw y'map if y'promise t'let me live." The other pirates suddenly straightened up at the bargaining and suddenly the young Dragoon had several eager volunteers.
"Two! They've both got eight guns and crews o' fifty!"
"Aye, but one's out o' the water for repairs after that last merchant gave 'er a broadside afore she boarded 'em," another added. "An' t'other is out scoutin' a route 'round Stormbreak."
Hadama watched them from the side of the ship atop his water column, ignoring the sharks at the feast below. "So the base is currently unguarded," he rumbled thoughtfully. "At least by sea." He turned his attention briefly to Flora with a tilt of his head and a gleam of appreciation in his eyes for her own intimidation tactics as the pirates paled and huddled together, begging Koa to spare them. "The channels between the islands look narrow, and we do not know the shallows." He glanced east to a rising moon; not full, but still quite bright. "We should start now. Once it is dark we will have to go much more slowly."
Though they could make use of that, too. A pre-dawn attack should catch the pirates at the base asleep. The mermanta moved to confer with the first mate and the rest of the crew, setting the Blessing in motion to sail into the islands.
Flora's question of the pirates was met with nervous shakes of their heads as they denied any good loot. "We were s'posed t'be stealin' from you," one wit whined. "Th'captain had some swag, but she... she..." She had been et, and whatever treasures she'd held were in the belly of one shark among many currently in the water.
It was getting late and there was no need to drag out the inevitable conclusion. The Blessing sailed slowly and as she left the sharks behind Hadama returned to the water to guide her, communicating with the Attuned on board to pass directions to the helmsman so they could avoid the reefs and sandbars between some of the isles. One of their pirate captives pointed out landmarks and led them to the base, hidden away inside a vast cave that yawned behind the peak of one mountainous islet. Ghosting in, they did indeed catch the remaining pirates unawares and quickly subdued them and freed those merchants that they'd kept alive as servants.
They returned to Torchline victorious, and Hadama sent a force of mer and human guards back to lay a trap for the third ship that remained at large.
Thank you for participating in this PQ+!! I hope you had fun! :D Feel free to make closing posts and I'll archive it once the last person wraps it up with a Fin!
