FLUFF: Jammers: Turns 5 & 6 Chapter 1

The Past Adventures of my Jammers PBEM game.

For me, one of the joys of PBEM gaming is the ability to revisit the
old adventures by reading the turn summaries. I think they make great
fan fiction.

This game has been going on since September, 1997. I thought folks
might enjoy reading the old turns in order, as fluff fiction. I know
I post the current turns as fluff as well, but the past turns were,
well, six years ago and new list members, as well as some old, may
still enjoy getting the old reads in their mailbox once per week. If
not, let me know and I'll stop sending them.

This was a fun battle to play out! It was a great way to kick off the
game:) I especially liked they it allowed me to demonstrate my
favorite house rule, that helms explode with wild magic when
destroyed.

To give folks an idea of how much is still to come, the game is now
in Turn 23 of Chapter 7. Chapter 1 has 30 turns...

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

IC:
Round 10:
On the bridge Leera watches the battle apprehensively,  there are still
maybe 15 pirates on the eelship's maindeck.

Seeing only a few of the designated boarding party actually boarding the
captain orders"BOARDERS AWAY! COME ON YOU LAGGARDS,  LETS TAKE THIS PRIZE"

Holland sends his ball of fire rolling around the Eel's maindeck,  keeping
the pirates from getting organized.

"Deigatt!  I'll take the pikeman," Kain exclaims as his second foe
approaches, "take this dirty fool."
"Aye, mate Kain. He seems too hafraid to come close to me, this
pikeman." Deigatt replies.

Trusting Deigatt to guard his back, Kain lunges towards the pikeman, trying
to get inside his weapon's reach.  He grabs the shaft of the surprised
pikeman's weapon as he lounges,  shoving it upward he steps in and stabs
his shortsword deep into the pirate's stomach.  The pirate collapses,
grasping his stomach as he vainly tries to keep his life from draining
away.

Deigatt swings his axe at the pirate indicated by Kain, letting Kain take care
of the pikeman who'd wounded Deigatt's leg. His nostrils flare and his
breath is heavy as he swings at his opponent, barely able to control the
fury that has been ignited by his wound. The newcomer barely parries his
axe and backpeddles, a look of fear on his face.

Leaping across onto the eelship, Talus mutters some liquid arcane syllables
and makes a gesture.  A vivid fan of bright colours spring forth from his
hands for a distance of twenty feet,  spraying from inbetween Deigatt and
Kain.  The pirate facing Deigatt,  and the two clambering up the ladder
behind him are caught in the spray and fall to the deck unconscious.

Seeing the two humans running up the steps towards his position,  Grigree
leaps onto the ballista. As they're  about to reach the top, Grigree jumps
off and glides down to the main  deck,  above their uselessly swinging
weapons.

Raken takes his leave and jumps to the eel,  readying his scimiter as he lands.

Fidalie leaps off the FLOWFISH on the starboard side and lands lightly on
the curving hull of the eelship.  His wakizashi out and ready he sees that
none of the pirates are paying attention,  as they are focussed on the
crowded battle on the eelship's sterncastle.

Seeing that Radick does not have any more shots at such a close range,
Billy moves towards a position opposite Grigree. As he goes he says, "I
think we're out of a shot. We should stay here, but I have something to do
first. Keep out of trouble and protect the catapult!"

Radick doesn't reply,  instead he draws a throwing axe and waits for an
opportunity.

Italapate suddenly steps up next to the captain,  who has drawn her cutlass
and is preparing to leap across onto the eelship's sterncastle as soon as
there is room.  he grabs the pouch tied to her waste and slit's it off with
a praciticed knife flip.  "HOLY SMOKE!" she yells in surprise as Italapate
barely dodges beneath her surprised,  instinctual backswing with the
cutlass.

Round 11:

Holland conjures an orange glowing orb,  which he hurls at the densest
batch of pirates.  His orb slamms into the ground at their feet,  bursting
into flames which the immediately catch on the ship's deck,  which begins
to burn slowly.

Kain sees the pirates on the maindeck begin to rush the ladder now that
Holland's first flaming ball is gone. A savage looking 1/2orc suddenly
leaps up the ladder (steping on the bodies of his own men),  his cutlass
weaves a tight dance as he meets Deigatt amd Kain calling behind him "SLAY
THAT IMPUDENT MONKEY AND GET UP HERE!"

Deigatt furiously attacks this newest pirate,  but his attack is easily
parried.  He takes a light slash across the chest for his trouble.  Kain's
shortsword fails to land on the 1/2 orc either.

Moving up the railing to board the ship, Talus pulls a pair of throwing
daggers from his belt and swiftly throws them at this 1/2 orc, both throws
miss by inches,  landing on the deck behind.

Grigree joins in the fray on the main deck, his second sword ready for
defense. Five or six pirates,  hearing the 1/2orc's commands jump at him,
cutlasses out.  The first to get in close gets a savage slash from
Grigree's sword,  cutting open his check which bleeds freely the pirate
stumbles back.  The next one in has his attack parried by Grigree's other
sword.  The next two prove to much,  one leaves a deep gash in grigree's
left calf.  The other advances for the kill.

Billy stops against the railing across from Grigree and furrows his brow in
concentration. Suddenly, one of the pirates rolls his eyes into his head
and falls over, fast asleep!

As the action continues, Raken backs up the boarders.  He is frustrated in
his attempts to cross blades because Deigatt and Kain still block the path
forward.

Radick is equally frustrated,  with no catapult shot,  and no clear shot
for his handaxe.

Fidalie runs along the curving hull of the eelship with practiced grace.
Seeing Grigree surrounded by enemies the catman leaps across the railing,
his wakizashi slashing down across the back of one of those facing Grigree.
The pirate drops like a sack of Maztican potatoes.

As the Captain yells "WHAT IN THE ABYSS ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!" and grabs for
him, Italapate dives overboard, through the gravity plane.  When he reaches
the apex of his "fall", Italapate grabs hold of the bottom of the Eelship,
and barely manages to avoid falling backwards again.  He crawls towards the
front of the Eelship.

Leera watches Italapate's act with astonishment from the bridge.

Round 12:

Holland sends two black mystical missiles flying at the 1/2orc,  the strike
him solidly in the chest,  and he stumbles back for a moment.

Letting a slow breath escape his lips, Kain thrusts his
shortsword toward the 1/2orc he's fighting,  who almost casually parries it
after taking the magic missiles in the chest and then equally casually
sinks his cutlass into Kain's stomach,  twice.  Kain stumbles back against
the railing and slowly slides to the railing,  blood seeping through his
fingers.

Deigatt furiously attacks, his battleaxe slashes a cut in the pirates side
but it looks minor.

Talus leaps past his fallen friend, with his dagger in hand. The half-elf
seems to have forgotten his short sword in the heat of  battle.  Talus
rushes the 1/2orc and stabs at him with his dagger,  striking his arm and
leaving a deep cut.  The ruby on the pommel of his dagger seems to glow.

Raken watches from the otherside of the eelships' catapulkt,  unable to get
forward due to the minotaur..

Radick sees an opening and hurls his handaxe at the 1/2 orc,  but the throw
goes wide.

Grigree continues to dodge around,  unhampered by his wounded leg he cuts
down another pirate with his longswords.  His style seems quite compatible
with Fidalie's,  as both leap and slash,  never staying in one place yet
always landing out of each others way.

Gripping the railing hard until his knuckles turn white, Billy continues to
stare in  great concentration at another of Grigree's attackers.  This man
starts to sag,  but shakes his head and reenters the battle.

Italapate reaches the port "eye" of the eelship and places the pouch near
the viewport of the Helmroom. He then lights the pouch with a strike of
flint on his stone tomahawk and scampers back to the otherside of the keel.

Lt Sands says to Leera,  "Take this wand,  the command word is "sabra",
and use it to help the boarders,  it fires magical missiles."  he tosses
her a small ivory wand he typically wore on his belt.

Round 13:

Arcane syllables trip off Holland's tongue,  a moment later a huge mass of
grey,  sticky webs covers the ladder and passage upto the eelships catapult
deck.  The 1/2 orc and pirates behind him are completely entangled in the
viscous strands.

"The half-breed's shaking hus too easily," Deigatt bellows. "He must be
protected by magic! Talus, Radick, keep him from Kain hand let hus hope
Holland has more of his missiles ready!"
Deigatt leaps from the catapult to the deck proper, hoping his great
form will frighten the pirates down there.  In midair Holland's webs
materialize,  and Deigatt lands in the middle of the strands,  in moments
his great form is fully entangled as well.

Facing the half orc, Talus continues to use he dexterity to dodge blows that
would cleave the head from his shoulders.  Seeing a break in the defences,
Talus sidesteps a blow and stabs with his dagger, stopping himself just
soon enough to avoid the webs.

Quietly cursing at the Half orc, Raken's face lites up with inspiration.
Grabbing an bucket of sand from the deck, he empties it and begins an
incantation.  "Holy Celestrian, may your awsome might quench this humble
traveller's thirst."  The skin quickly fills with water.  He looks down
in time to see the webs engulf the pirates below.

Kain remains slumped against the railing where he fell, not having moved
since.  His left hand remains clutched around his stomach, Kain's right
hand lies empty upon the deck. His shortsword is a few feet away, having
fallen from his grasp as he stumbled and fell.

Radick watches for an opening with his second hand axe in his hand. He
contemplates boarding but realizes that there is no place to go at this
time. He steps back and replaces his hand axe in his belt.

"Maybe I should have stayed up with the ballista," Grigree mutters to
himself.  His sword slashes down a pirate.

"Hey, Grigree! Why don't you haul Mr. Sleepyhead overboard. He's just in
your way," yells Billy. "And I can't keep this up forever," he mutters.
Billy sheaths his shortsword and takes  out his crossbow.

Grigree doesn't turn his gaze away from the attackers as he yells back. "I
will, as soon as --" <he blocks another sword thrust> "--  these two armed
men give me the chance."

Meanwhile,  Fidalie continues to pirouette and slash with his wakizashi at
the pirates about him.

Italapate crouches low to the keel, attaching the climbing claws he carries
to his hands.  He nearly fell during this stunt, and he needs the advantage
of the claws.  He slices his forearms and chest with his tomahawk, not
deep, just enough to draw some blood.  He takes the blood and smears it
war-paint like on his face, uttering a small prayer to the Trickster.

A figure clad in full plate armor exits from below decks at a run and
rushes upto the forecastle.  The armor is pure black; the helm the obscures
the wearer's face. The newcomer carries a long staff that glows a deep,
pulsing red.

Round 14:

Holland slumps slightly from the strain of casting so many spells in a
short amount of time and with a determined look draws his dagger in case
any of the pirates try to board the _FlowFish_

Deigatt tries to fight free from the webs, punctuating his swings with
loud, savage grunts.

Realising Grigree and Fidalie are badly overmatched against the half orc,
Talus leaps across the eelship's stairwell to the deck below.

"Mind if I...swab the deck?" Raken says to the minotaur, emptying the
contents of the bucket right in the face of the webbed half orc.

Blood flowing over and between the fingers of Kain's left hand, he stays
sprawled against the railing.

Radick leaps across and lands in a rolling crouch on the eelship's catapult
deck. Finishing his roll with a swipe from his axe he sets himself into a
defensive posture.

Grigree continues to fight defensively, positioning himself between the
pirates and the ship's rail.

Fidalie is hard pressed still by four pirates, as he backs against the
oppisite rail.

Billy moves onto the Eelship and loads his crossbow, waiting for a clear
shot.

The smokepowder explodes with a bang that echoes through the airenvelope,
filling the air with soot and smoke.  Italapate covers his head as best
he can as smoke and debris fly overhead.

The black-clad newcomer reaches the forecastle and surveys the scene on
the eelship.  It seems to make a decision and raises its staff.  Then a
huge fist thunders into its side,  hurling the figure across the deck.  As
the captain follows up her blow to interogate this new danger to her ship
the figure gasps "I'm on YOUR side! It's Leera!".

Round 15:

Holland watches the display with the armorclad stranger,  then suddenly
says to the Captain,  "Its an illusion,  Captain,  it is Leera."  the
Captain grunts in annoyance,  then climbs aboard the eelfish to help with
the boarding.

Deigatt continues to fight web, punctuating his swings with loud, savage
grunts.

With no offensive spells left, Raken kneels to help Kain.  "You outa be
more careful," he smiles as he begins another incantation.  "Great
Celestrian, grant me the power to heal the wounds of this fallen warrior so
that we may continue to fight in your honor," he says as his hands glow,
curing the worse of his injuries.  Kain's bleeding stops and he wakes,
though his wounds are still grieveous.

Trying to focus his eyes as he struggles to a sitting position, Kain says,
"My thanks Raken."

Radick dives down the stairwell  and again rolls his body into a tight ball as
he lands. His axe whips out from his body as he quickly engages his
enemies.

Grigree continues to fight defensively, his back to the rail.  Talus
suddenly comes up from the side,  sinking his dagger into a pirate's side.
The pirate turns surprised before sinking down in pain.

Billy raises his crossbow and sights in on the pirate who fell asleep.
This pirate suddenly wakes up,  as he rises Billy sends a crossbow bolt
slashing into his thigh.  the man collapses holding his thigh and
screaming.

Italapate leaps into the helmroom, blood covering his chest and arms,
painted on his face. He takes in the room.  Thousands of slivers of glass
lie around the the room.  Two bodies lie on the floor,  but two figures
remain standing. One Italapate recognizes as a short, massively built
Grommam.  A loin cloth wraps its way around his midriff, the rest of him is
covered in dark auburn fur.  The other is a middleaged human male,  brown
hair and wears typical sailor clothing.  he holds a dart,  likely taken
from the bandolier of such across his chest.

Italapate takes on the most deranged visage he can imagine. "Me am BoneDust
of the Azuposi. Me hate wizard! Me kill wizard!"  and advances towards the
human.

Leera, in the black armor, surveys the scene as she rubs her incredibly
sore and bruised side.  A decision is reached and the staff flashes as 2
magical missiles streak off.  They bury themsleves into the chest of one of
the pirates on Fidalie with a crackle of energy.  he drops dead to the
deck.

Many of the pirates on the main deck become disheartened,  they begin to
fight defensively and might accept quarter if its offered.

Date/Time: First half of the 4th Month, 5049 OC
I had not yet started keeping careful count of time.
--
"...And nobody is to be killed at all, if it can be helped. Keep your
tempers and hold your hands until the last possible moment!"
"But if there are many of these ruffians," said Merry, "it will
certainly mean fighting. You won't rescue Lotho, or the Shire, just
by being shocked and sad, my dear Frodo."

Paul Westermeyer,  pwestermeyer@????????.??.com