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Post by SouthWestern Traders on Apr 23, 2018 7:17:37 GMT
Off the southwest coast of Albion, some twenty eight miles away from the Dumonian peninsula, there lay the isles of Scilly. To most of the world, these were merely insignificant distant isles that few had ever heard of and none ever ventured to. Yet their distance attracted religious hermits, who in turn attracted curious scholars. With hermits and scholars, the local economy grew beyond mere fishing and survival, as such persons often required expensive and difficult to get products, some of which were made locally, the rest of which was shipped in from elsewhere. Although sparse and ascetic, that was enough work to give rise to a few successful fishing villages that knew the isles and their reefs, and hosted the occasional trade vessel at their ports.
Like the rest of the south of Albion, the isles of Scilly were crucial to the Southwestern Traders. From these isles the guild recruited some of its best captains and sailors. The treacherous reefs and isles unnerved many, but the sailors of the guild had long ago learned to navigate them such that even their greenest crew knew of the dangers, and knew to rely on local knowledge and experience. Being able to round the southern cape with more ease than most had long helped the guild succeed at trade through shipping. This was not to say the isles were safe to the guild’s sailors, just that they were better at navigating them than most; the isles and their reefs remained a danger, particularly in storms.
This spring the danger was not to the guild, but rather to any interlopers in the region. A fleet had gathered from north and east, berthing in the sheltered bay of the largest fishing village. Trade vessels had brought in many supplies both for the fleet and for the locals, so the sudden influx of visitors was received with slightly less hostility from the insular locals. It was strange for them to get this many people, so they were quite happy that it was to be a brief visit. They were happy to be hospitable, because a week hence that whole fleet was set to sail off to raid.
Walking along the shore of the bay in which the fleet had anchored, Elyssia and Victor surveyed the fleet from afar while speaking in confidence away from any prying ears or eyes. Spring bloomed early on the isles of Scilly, thanks to the warm waters that graced its shores and the warm, harsh and salty winds that blew from the south. They were surrounded by a cacophony of colours so intense some people swore they could hear the colours, smell the rustle of the grass, and see the scents in the air.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Victor said, “Old flagships alongside freshly joined wood. Master navigators sailing with eager greenhorns.” Elyssia murmured in agreement, “Mmm.” She stopped in her fur uniform and inspected the ships.
“Lilly’s arranged for our supplies, and if we need more we can fish for food and collect rainwater; though we shouldn’t. I figure we have enough for three months without waste. Punishment for wanton waste is to be five lashes for the first offenses, ten for the second, twenty thereafter. Try to be gentle Victor; these men are going into battle and they can’t fight if they’re injured. Unless you don’t trust them to be fight, I need them to be ready for battle.”
Victor nodded, “Understood, but I won’t be soft.”
“That’s quite alright. Just spread out the lashes over a few days if you have to, or defer the punishments until the second offense. Embarrassment is a powerful tool.” Elyssia instructed, “This isn’t going to be an easy task, and I suspect many won’t make it home.”
Victor agreed, “It won’t be. Raids never are; not for the raider nor the raided.”
“But you agree with this course of action?” She asked, “You will defend it before the council when they question why I risked the fleet?”
Victor didn’t hesitate, “I do, Admiral. I think the risk to the fleet is far greater if we do nothing. Every season to lose fifty to a hundred sailors, sometimes a ship or two, and to have to repair damaged ships… Before next winter, even if we fail, we’d suffer the same by their hand with nothing to show for it. But now,” He looked out at the ships, “Now we act to defend our own. Not just these ships, but every fishermen, sailor and trade ship that plies these southern seas. You’re right; many may die. But the fleet will prevail, the guild will prevail, and fewer will die than if we did nothing.”
“Thank you, Victor.” Elyssia said, “I’ve received word that an officer from Bayard will be joining us. I trust in the judgment of my captains, and as Commodore I’ll leave you to command the fleet in battle. As Admiral, I will rally these sailors to the cause, I will lead them and keep morale high.”
“Captain Torsen and his crew will be responsible for navigation, but I’ve made sure that the charts and direction have been shared with all, in the event that a storm draws us off course.” Elyssia acknowledged the real risks of sailing the high seas. “I’ll sail with him, so that I might be a guiding light for the other ships to follow.” While hardly a magical person, the blood that coursed through her veins and that demanded she lead the sailors also helped her do so. As she had done before, she would once more be a guiding light in the night or in deep fog, this time to a fleet that would follow her into battle.
“Let’s get back to the ships. We need to leave before the end of the week, if this raid is to get underway.” Elyssia commanded.
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on Apr 26, 2018 18:56:33 GMT
"Post a lookout," Elyssia said, "I want an eye on the horizon; we need to know if this wind is going to pick up." A youthful greenhorn accompanied by a young sailor were sent up to a nearby hill as spotters. The sailor knew what he was looking for in the distant waves, while the greenhorn was sent with him as a runner.
"Admiral?" Captain Torsen asked, "Orders?"
Elyssia thought about it for a few moments, "Haul the ships onto land. Over there they'll be as far away from waves as we can get them, and as sheltered from the wind as these isles allow. As much as I'd like to get sailing, we won't get very far if the wind shreds our sails and capsizes our vessels."
The wind was blowing fiercely across the wind-swept isles, more fiercely than usual, but not quite as hard as a storm. Still, it had been a quiet week before that, and the more experienced sailors and captains were concerned about the wind picking up as fast and hard as it was. Occasional gusts of wind had flags and banners snapping in the wind, like the sound of a whip instructing animals to be compliant. Rather than argue with nature, Elyssia was choosing to comply.
Captain Caedan, recently assigned to a new ship, had given orders to his crew and came up to speak with his Admiral, "If I might ask," he shouted over the loud gusts and blowing wind, "How long do you want us to wait for?"
"As long as it takes," Elyssia shouted back to him, standing but a few feet away, "A day or two at most, I think. We'll make good time once the wind subsides, Captain, just make sure your crew and ships are safe and ready to go when the weather lets us."
Victor was busy organizing the haul of the ships onto dry land, positioning them in safe shelters where they might easily be pushed back to sea. Planks of wood had been found and laid out to simplify the matter, but it was hard work all the same. Thankfully, the fleet had many strong sailors to help with the task and the greenhorn hadn't come back yet with any word of warning about the wind getting any worse.
"Admiral," A different greenhorn came up to her, "A trade vessel just came in. They have a message and visitors for you."
"I'll take that, kid," Elyssia told him, taking the letter albeit not reading it just yet, "Send the visitors to the village, I'll meet them there, then go help with the ships. They're going to need more strapping young lads to haul those ships up." She motioned for Captain Caedan to follow her to the village, rather than go to the ships. Victor and the others were taking care of that anyhow, and she needed Caedan's help to read the letter.
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Post by Godfred Thraw BayardsKing(GT) on Apr 27, 2018 21:04:59 GMT
According to news coming in bits and pieces but quickly, by pigeons and friendly friends and informed networks of informants ...
It would appear that 6 hooded horsemen, 5 according to other sources, but wearing armor of war on the 4 horses following them, heading towards the south would have been seen with Elmet, then with Alined ...
Some soldiers or nobles having crossed their paths speak of Bayardais, with good manners some speak of a woman, others deny ... In any case, in both cases, they claim to have seen the yellow and green banners and emblems with the wild boar, a symbol of the Royal family of Bayard ... Others claim that a part of these balsons were orange-yellow and green, cut into 2, one representing the wild boar again, the other a mountain with a snowy summit overhung by a setting sun ...
It could be a secondary branch of the royal family ... a branch of the west given the setting sun ...
Apparently, the Bayardais were at the rendezvous, there would be the noble, perhaps a cousin of the king, they would not be discreet and have safely crossed the patrols of soldiers without being disturbed, a sign of their high birth. Now are they 5 or 6 and would there be a wife?
The admiral will know more on their arrival ...
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on Apr 30, 2018 17:58:36 GMT
Entering the thatched hovel, they closed the wooden 'door' behind them. It did it's job well-enough, but to call it a door was generous to say the least. The people of the isles of Scilly led 'rich' lives, but were not wealthy, nor all that well-supplied for the most part. They had to be resourceful with what they had and what they were able to acquire and produce. Save the various, sparse isolated abbeys and manors here and there, mostly from far-too-rich nobles and abbots with a penchant for getting far away from civilization, the isles were poor. And how many abbeys and manors were on the isles could definitely be counted on one hand, even considering that at least half of them were relatively unknown and well-hidden away, known only to a few select persons who needed to know or happened to know.
So the noble Bayardians were stuck with having to shelter from the wind in this thatched hovel, the home of a widow whose husband had been lost at sea. The widow got what she needed from her fellow villagers, family mostly, and in turn she helped raise the village young. For the week that the fleet was here, her duties had shifted from helping raising the village young to keeping the young sailors in check, a task for which she was well-suited. Her demeanor could put fear into the most rowdy of sailors, and many of them received a stern reminder of the consequences of drowning at sea.
Elyssia and Caedan were welcomed by the old widow, and directed towards the guests, whom Elyssia had never met before. She introduced herself, "Welcome to the isles of Scilly. I understand your journey's been a long one, and I am glad you could make it."
"I apologize for the weather; it is not something that is within my power to control, I am afraid, and we must work around it." Elyssia said, "I imagine you have not yet been informed of our destination. It is true that we're sailing to conduct a raid, and so I presume you've understood the risks involved in joining us. However, our journey is going to take us far south into deeper seas, far away from the shore. This is not to be a raid on secret Slaver holdings, Eastern Trader pirate coves, or against Nemethian privateers; our target are the distant southern isles. I hope to sail before tomorrow's nightfall, earlier if the weather permits."
"The risks involved are considerable," Elyssia admits, "And while I will do what I can, I cannot guarantee your safety. I suggest you accompany me aboard Vigor. Its captain and crew are among the best Albion has, and they are used to catering to the needs and wants of men and women of higher birth." Elyssia pauses, "There will be fighting. My prior experience with Bayardians is that they are a hardy folk, and they adapt well to a life at sea, although I would still extend my condolences for the sacrifices Bayardians have previously made on my ship, and I hope you will not have to make such sacrifices."
"If you are not comfortable with the risks," Elyssia advises, "Then now is the time to tell me, and I can secure you safe passage back to the mainland. Once we set sail, there will be no turning back till our mission is complete."
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Post by princedemetrius on May 1, 2018 6:08:42 GMT
At the entrance to the widow's house The admiral saw that the reports were partly true. There were 5 yellow and green Tabard men representing a wounded and angry boar, with the coat of arms of the great family of Bayard, the Thraws, currently in power. One of them was wearing a mask, and an orange and yellow tabard symbolizing the same boar on the right, but accompanied by a snowy mountain in its center and an orange sun and bottom to left.
At the entry of the admiral, the first four men, seated, rose in half a second, placing themselves naturally and unconsciously in a square around the fifth, which then advanced, and they formed an open circular arc.
The man in the center spoke immediately, and said:
"I present myself Demetrius Thraw, adopted son of the King of Bayard, biological son of the fallen Duke of Dale direct cousin of the King.
I will immediately put you at ease, in the attack of my castle during the rebellion, there was a fire that consumed part of the cabinet where I was hiding then ... burning me horribly the face. Since then, by coquetry, I wear this mask painted permanently and beg you to accept it as my only extravagant request on your boat.
As I am very practical and I wish to hide this ugly face, I will tell you right away what you need to know about us as the person in charge of the expedition:
We all know how to swim normally ... for non-sailors ... we risk being a little sick because we are not used to crossings ...
My four companions, Armand, Didier, Ambroise and Rolland are the guard of the King, who does me the honor to entrust them to me for my safety, they are the Sacred Battalion ... With us it is natural not to hide that too otherwise it would be very rude because the magic is a lot of Bayardians, I have a form of Magic gift undeveloped but existing anyway, which reinforces the odd side when I meet, I am used to it, but as much to warn you ... I am a Bloody Paladin ... (Magical knight).
Our swords are at your disposal, we are good warriors, and we will seek to learn the marine skills, only our skills are limited to them for the most part.
We had a good trip from the north and the weather is nice today ... contrary to what the elves say everywhere, the forest we challenge them is not beautiful thanks to their magic or their skill, but thanks to the 300 days of rain in the year ..
We will leave and do according to your orders, such are the orders of the King. He promised you an alliance, you wanted to limit the number of envoys, I would say that he wanted to do the best he could by sending us !! "
He said, laughing under his mask, and tapping Ambroise's red bearded man's shoulder.
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on May 2, 2018 22:30:48 GMT
From the isles of Scilly, the fleet departed. The weather had calmed, the wind was favorable, and the crew were in high spirits. It would be a long journey, to be sure, but one for which they were well-prepared. Before too long, they lost sight of land, with only deep, black water around them.
For weeks they sailed. Even the worst of sailors eventually adjusted and stopped feeling seasick, else they wouldn’t remain sailors for long. Elyssia seemed unperturbed. If anything, the rolling of the ship seemed to make her steadier than ever, and she was in her element. Confident and comfortable among trusted crew, her orders were few, precise and effective; she left most day-to-day tasks to Vigor's captain, Torsen, focusing instead on making sure the fleet remained in formation and that Victor maintained command of his flank.
At night, the officers aboard Vigor dined separately from the crew, inviting the Bayardian Prince and his retinue to join them. Mead, meat, cheese and various vegetables, mostly cold, was usually served. It was a step above the biscuits and meat the regular crew got, and there was more variety in the meat and cheese too. Elyssia joined in the toasts, but held off from drinking, which seemed to require immense willpower on her part.
During the day, Elyssia explained to the Prince and his men the various functions of the ship and crew. The crew were among the best and could easily demonstrate their technique when requested. Some held specialized positions, but none held any vital position by themselves. The ship’s carpenter was the best man at fixing anything, primarily relying on a barrel of tar and wooden shims to caulk the hull, but any sailor could do it if need be. Vigor’s surgeon, a unique position not found on other ships, was one of the only positions none other could do. However, he was not critical to keeping the ship afloat.
Beyond food and weapons, the ship’s supplies included many spare parts. Ropes got frayed, snapped or broke and had to be replaced. Sometimes barrels outlived their usefulness and became too leaky, and were then stripped for parts. Sails risked breaking in harsh weather, and having at least a spare was crucial. After that, it became patchwork.
One day, as the sun was setting and Elyssia was getting ready to announce suppertime, a spotter at the ship’s bow cried out, “Ships ahoy!”, and thus supper was cancelled. “Everyone up!” Elyssia bellowed out, “Full sail, weapons ready, and I want four torches on the aft; three starboard and one port.” As the sailors began scrambling, Elyssia repeated herself “Everyone up! It’s going to be a long night!”
The other ships lit up torches on their afts as well, in unique patterns that would identify the vessels to each other in the dark. In the distance, the enemy fleet sailed to meet the guild fleet on the open seas.
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on May 2, 2018 23:24:02 GMT
With night approaching, the ships joined battle. A flurry of flaming and smoking arrows exchanged between the vanguards of each fleet. The arrows largely left each vessel unharmed, but it reduced visibility and demanded a reaction to put out flames before they spread and caused real damage. Vigor’s crew remained steadfast and unpanicked; others would not be as disciplined. With smoke rising into the night, Elyssia gave out a deft order, “Yellow banner! Signal a sharp port side turn towards the enemy!”
The signal spread through the fleet, from one to another, letting the captains and Victor know the change in the order of battle. It was a gambit that assumed the enemy fleet was holding course and expected the same, and it would take advantage of the smoke to disorient them. Sailing through the smoke, more arrows were loosed both starboard and port against enemies on either side.
The gambit largely worked; though further orders in the chaos of battle would be a challenge to issue between ships, that same chaos meant some of the enemy stayed course while others diverted. Thus split, their numerical advantage was mitigated, as the guild fleet held together. Eventually, the enemy would rejoin the battle, but maneuvers at sea took time to effectuate.
Vigor ran alongside and sideswiped a vessel that had tried to ram it. Locking the ships together, Captain Torsen ordered “Haul us free! We need to stay in formation!” while Elyssia drew her sword, and others around her held up spears and shields. Some sailors got to work, rowing hard on the free side to move the ship forward (albeit also towards the enemy). Others hauled rope to shift the sails and counteract the rowing, and catching the best wind. Prince Demetrius and his retinue would soon find themselves greatly needed. Indeed, perhaps the boarders would be frightened at the sight of the Prince's face?
The enemy boarded with a contingent of naval raiders, intent on killing crew, damaging the ship, or even capturing it. Battle soon began.
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Post by princedemetrius on May 2, 2018 23:43:37 GMT
Demetrius and the Sacred Battalion looked like bastards, apparently of a certain age for the battalion, they seemed sure of them all the time ... except for armand the first week ... who vomited more that of reason, and received the mockery of his comrades repeatedly ...
The Bayardians had insisted on bringing all their equipment, insisting on taking their horses before they were told that it was not happening ... They still had several bags with 9 horses, 4 of which were meant to carry their campaign items, which they had finally left to the villagers in day care.
Among other things, apart from a few blankets and other camping equipment, they took on spare clothes, climbing ropes, torches, coats of mail for everyone, lighter leather armor, shields and armor complete for Demetrius, who would only put it on the ground, all were equipped with cutlasses, short bayardian swords, crossbows with two full bundles of tiles ... and 3 lances javelots each ... apparently Francis de Bracy had told them that for big fish fishing it could be useful ...
Demetrius still had two short swords and had a previous adventure of his family, two small potions of care and an amulet which he never separated ...
Demetrius seemed more attentive than the others to every task of Marin, no doubt, was he also destined to become a captain ...
Elyssia was surprised to see that she was giving orders in haste, the small band of Bayardians to be equipped very quickly in coats of mail (not on the legs) that they could remove if necessary in case of fall to the water. tie a rope and throw it into the water at the back of the boat ...
They settled down almost gay joking on the back castle near the bar starting to bend their crossbows ...
Demetrius approached Elyssia and asked him:
"Would you like us to move to another more decisive place? We are skilled warriors and we aim well, if you want to see us elsewhere you just have to ask, do not forget that we too are to your orders Amirale "
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on May 3, 2018 17:59:43 GMT
“Venez a ma cote; vos hommes peuvent harcele l'enemi a travers de l'eau” Elyssia responded in a rough Bayardian fishing port tongue. She had traveled much and spoke many languages and dialects, if only crudely in some cases. In this case enough to make an attempt at speaking in a dialect more familiar to Prince Demetrius. “Allons y!” she cried out, as the enemy boarded, and the fighting crew formed a wall to keep their shipmates safe from harm.
Bayardian bolts rained down on the opposing ship with terrifying efficiency. At first shocked by the ferocity of the boarders, the fighting crew soon rallied as they saw Prince Demetrius and Elyssia fighting side by side. Behind them, the noise of the fight was overcome by loud hauling shanties.
“Away, haul-away, we’ll haul-away, ho!”
The rowers and sailors struggled to break free the ship free, as the deck of Vigor was painted with the blood of friend and foe alike. At the aft and bow, wounded pirates found themselves tossed into the frigid sea. Gaps in the spearwall began to show, as some pirates cut down crew and tried to make their way towards the other side, only to be sent to the other side by a blade to the heart.
Finally, with a great deal of snapping wood and ropes, the ships broke free from each other. Not every boarder made it back to their own ship, as they jumped to avoid being left behind on a vessel full of angry, vengeful sailors. A few fought desperately, knowing capture inevitably meant death, and hoping to be the one to capture a ship all by themselves.
Elyssia and Prince Demetrius cornered one such boarder near the bow of the ship. Elyssia was standing precariously on the damaged edge of the ship, rope in one hand and sword in the other, trying to find an opening to lunge at the doomed pirate.
“Stay in formation!' she ordered Captain Torsen, “Lay down your arms, and I might deign to spare you!” she ordered the pirate.
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Post by SouthWestern Traders on May 4, 2018 18:24:07 GMT
The pirate in question didn’t believe in mercy, whether because he was himself a merciless bastard or other reasons. Thus he attacked, and Elyssia parried the strike. That left an opening for Prince Demetrius to pierce the pirate’s lung, killing the last boarder. The fighting was done and a battle was won.
While the ship’s dead and injured were kept on the ship for a proper burial at a later time, the bodies of the pirates, including the one recently stabbed, were unceremoniously dumped over the side and into the sea, so they wouldn’t be in the way. There was still a naval battle to fight, and proper burials for the dead could wait. Only the severely injured received immediate treatment, to prevent having to deal with more corpses on the way back.
The fighting continued throughout the night, and when dawn finally broke, the fleet remained unbroken. The pirates broke off their attack, sailing back from whence they came. The guild fleet convened, more specifically Victor and Elyssia did, sailing alongside each other and considering their options. The reality of the situation was that the ships had spent their spare parts, and many of the crew had injuries from which they needed to recover before they could work again.
Pursuing the pirates was not a viable option.
A decision was made to set sail for Albion. Now with more time, ceremonies were held to honour the dead. Their bodies would soon rot and the miasma would spread disease for sure. They were to be buried at sea. Among the notable deaths, two of the seven captains had died: Captain Neil Johnson had died from exsanguination due to a sharp wooden splinter getting lodged in his throat, although it would appear he also suffered two non-lethal arrow injuries before his death. Captain Jonathan Johnson had died from blunt trauma to the head, apparently while attempting to board an enemy vessel; it was only by chance his body had been recovered.
Beyond the deaths, there were a variety of severe to minor injuries and some illness. Overall, the crews would recover in time, and the losses were not catastrophic, except to grieving widows and mothers. But the fleet would make it home and it remained whole.
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