Jammers:Turn 43, Chapter 5 Summary

The Ongoing adventures of my Spelljammer PBEM game.

Comments, questions always welcome:)

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

IC:
Nothing seems to be moving on the asteroid within view. The galley pulls up
alongside the peak of the asteroid and the gangplank is set down.

An invisible Talus comments, "Lets get this over with," with an air of
resignation in his voice before heading down the plank with the other
scouts. The young half-elf keeps a light hand on Billy's shoulder to keep
in contact.

Kain says, "we'll get back to you as soon as possible," and the sound of
his feet hitting the ice can be heard slightly. A small piece of ice
disappears from the ground and reappears over by the tunnel entrance of the
'ground' floor.

Billy also picks up a small piece of ice. It soon reappears next to the
piece of ice that Kain dropped. "Let's keep together as best we can,"
whispers Billy. "Maybe we should hold hands?"

"Indeed, we should do.. ahh.. something like that," Kain whispers back,
"though I'll follow yours and Talus' lead. I won't.. ahh.. be able to find
traps and the like as you two can." After a moment, Kain's hand find's
Billy's arm and he latches on.

Hand in hand, the trio move into the cavern mouth and begin exploring...

Back on the ship...

"Milken has shown himself to be no fool," Deigatt says. "He will suspect
nothing hother than that we have sent hinvisible scouts when he sees we
have  set down hour plank but not debarked. So will the gnome
hillusionist."

"You read my mind Deigatt." Ferric replies. "I suggest that the landing
party debark now as well and take up a defensive position until the scouts
find them.  Maybe you will get lucky and they will even come out to play
instead of making you hunt them all down. The ship can pull up out of the
envelope and prepare enough ropes for everyone so that if need be we can
toss them down and lift off hauling the lot of you up once we are safe."

Holland turns to Deigatt, "What do you think Deigatt?"

"Hit his the more haggressive hoption," Deigatt says with a shrug. "But we
should do hit quickly hif we do hit. They may well have
hearing-over-distance spells."

Holland says, "Alright, assault team, move out! Deigatt and Ives first,
Grigree and Nilaroo last."

As her friends prepare to disembark, Leera steps close to Holland and gives
him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be careful."

Holland's hand steals up to his cheek, his head turning he makes eye
contact with Leera and nods his head.

His axe in hand, Deigatt moves quickly to the gangplank. At the top of it,
he stops suddenly, but then Ives's bulk propels the minotaur forward and
down the gangplank. Fortunately, the invisible scouts have already moved
out of his way.

Trundling forward with a pistol drawn and his plain white shield up Ives
has a smile creaking the corners of his lips. Heading out after Deigatt
Ives weight causes the gangplank to bend with his weight, but the giff
quickly moves off and onto the ice.

Raken follows the giff off the ship and takes a position near the edge of
the peak. He draws his cloak close around him, both to keep in the warmth
and keep his drawn sword hidden.

Dhebun grips his sword hilt, though he leaves the weapon sheathed. He
pauses, as if to add some remark, but instead turns away and regards the
asteroid with grim resolve. As the chosen warriors move swiftly down the
gangplank, Dhebun swallows hard and disembarks.

Allagan follows Holland off the ship.

Grigree waits as his crewmates disembark, then motions for Nilaroo to go.

Nilaroo nods and follows the team out, arrow nocked but not drawn.

The hadozee then jumps lightly onto the railing and off on the other side.
He glides down next to Ives and quickly loads his crossbow. With his weapon
loaded, he points it towards thenearby opening, but continues to scan the
surrounding area with his eyes.

Once the team is off Holland says, "Form a circle, missile weapons if you
have them. Watch all directions." Holland pulls a starwheel from his belt.

Allagan settles into a half crouch watching away from the entrance.

With Ives on his left, Deigatt peers into the cave and takes a few sniffs
of the air.

Nodding wordlessly, Ives kneels and extends his large shield forward
securly in his left hand. Aiming over the top of it with his pistol Ives
watches for trouble.

Quickly joining the circle, Dhebun draws his shortsword and glances warily
from side to side.

The group are standing just outside the topmost cave on Iceberg. No one
seems to be moving in the cave mouth opening.

Holland says, "Watch the ice and snow for signs of footprints, indicating
invisible pirates."

"Should we start down the side soon?" Raken asks. "Don't want to sit up
here and freeze."

Holland shakes his head, "Lets move out of the direct line of fire of the
entrance, but we need to keep an eye on it and on the lower levels. Who
knows, maybe they will come to us.."

Allagan moves so he can watch the north entrance to level 2.

Grigree moves with the group to the side of the entrance.

Nodding Ives gets up and moves first and heads to where Holland indicated
where the boarding party was to move to.

"Nilaroo hand I can henter this cave," Deigatt suggests. "Hand the rest hof
you can move down to the next level. We can meet hat the next hentrance
down."

---------------
<Back on ship>

After the party has disembarked, Italapate pulls in the gangplank. He waves
and grins, as he wishes the attackers, "Luck." He signals to Ferric, "All
clear, retreat to assigned position."

As Holland and the rest move off, away from the ship, Leera turns to Ferric
"We should get into the air soon, we're too easy to attack here."

Ferric nods and gives the needed orders, soon the ship is moving up and
away from Iceberg, leaving the atmosphere.

As the ship takes off, Leera stands near the hatch nearest the helm. She
turns slowly, scanning the heavens. After a moment, she walks to the
railing and looks down.

'Pate goes below to the galley, to see Oquid. "Everyone's gone, now, if you
want to come back out to the deck. It's a lot more interesting up there
than it is down here. That's where I will be if you want to join me."

Oquid is looking at the food, "Would you mind if I eat something?"

Italapate smiles, "No, go ahead."

Italapate retreats to the deck once more, going into the hold first to tell
Robert, "Let me know if he gives you any trouble," he nods towards the room
Jax.

Upon returning to the deck, Italapate takes up a vigilant posture. He scans the
skies, as well as the entrance to the deck from below.

Freneth, standing on one of the spars, nods greetings to 'Pate as he
returns to the deck. His hand loosely grips one of the lines, as he watches
Iceberg. His well oiled leather armor glistens as a stray ray of light
reflects off of the ice of the astroid.

Seguld begins to move about the vessel's deck. His head remains down, and
his feet drag slightly as his limp becomes more prominent. He moves from
ballista to ballista and confirms that each is in working order. Finally he
settles in to the rear ballista and proceeds to load the weapon. Finishing
the ballista, Seguld draws forth his pistols and reloads them as well. With
an almost pained expression on his face, Seguld draws about his arquebus
and slowly reloads that weapon as well.

--------------------
<In the Caverns>

Meanwhile, down in the caverns, Talus, Kain, and Billy have been descending
a curving tunnel deeper into the mountain of the asteroid. Coming around a
bend as the tunnel levels out, they see over a dozen pirates in a large
cavern.

There are two giff, a handful of orcs, and the balance are humans. All have
their weapons ready and are watching the cavern the trio are in, as well as
another opening beside it which leads back out on to the asteroid's
surface.

Date/Time: 1:20 am 11th day of the 7th Month, 5049 OC

Paul Westermeyer,  westermeyer.3@???.edu
Phd Candidate, History, Ohio State University
Instructor, Humanities, Columbus State Community College