FLUFF: Jammers: Turn 7 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.

The players did the unexpected here, they took prisoners! I was glad
they did, usually getting players to accept a surrender, or surrender
themselves is like pulling teeth.

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 16:

Deigatt continues to struggle with the web, hacking at the sticky strands
and simultaneously imagining with no small satisfaction the body of
Holland suddenly engulfed in a huge ball of fire.

Seeing that Fidalie is in trouble, Grigree starts moving in a more
offensive manner -- swing both of his swords at anybody who comes near
him.  He starts to move over towards the tabaxi's position to help out.
As he starts to change his fighting style, Grigree grunts to the pirates in
front of him, "Surrender and you'll live."  They start to fall back away
from him.

Talus waves his bloodstained dagger at the pirates in front of him, "I
suggest you surrender now, otherwise we will be forced to kill you all."
  The half-elf voice changes to a low menacing tone, "Drop your weapons
now." They back away,  but none drop their weapons yet.

With Kain out of immediate danger, Raken grabs his blade and goes into
action.  He drops down to the staircase, and heads down the core of the
ship, pausing long enough to push open the doors as he passes down.

Radick glances about and sees no immediate threat. With a quick spin and
tumble he dives down the stairs to the landing below,  just behind Raken.
Again, his landing is in a tight ball with the axe whipping out to fend off
any surprise guests.

The pirates on the maindeck have start to back away,  not attacking,  but
not dropping their weapons either.  The 1/2orc in the web is yelling at the
top of his lungs for them to fight.  The Captain walks towards the web, her
huge cutlass in hand.  "'Pon my Soul,  you will order your men to lay down
their arms or I'll split you like a melon." she snarls in a (surprisingly)
low voice.

Leera straightens herself and, twirling the glowing red staff, points
it toward the pirates surrounding Fidalie. Two bolts of energy streak
off and strike a pirate in the back of the head.  The man drops,  dead.

      Gathering his wits, Kain sees that the others seem to have the
situation in hand.  Crawling the short distance to his shortsword, Kain
recovers his blade and slides it into the scabbard at his side. Getting a
handhold on the catapult, Kain pulls himself to his feet and slowly
shuffles towards the forecastle of the _Flowfish_.

Holland says down the voicetube to the helmroom, "Sir, do you have any
orders for me?" "Stay put" Lt Sands replies.

Meanwhile,  in the helm room of the eelsfish:

Italapate nearly laughs at himself and the damage he has caused.
Italapate moves
quickly toward the ornate, high backed chair in the center of the room.
Even more quickly,  however,  the human hurls his dart at Italapate.  It
strikes him dead in the chest,  bursting on impact with a bright blue
light.  As the light fades Italapate finds himself unharmed,  but enclosed
within a sphere of force, just large enough for him to fit in.

The dart throwing human then barely dodges as the Gromman swings chains
(attached to his wrist by manacles) at his head.

Round 17:

Deigatt continues to struggle furiously against the webbing and he imagines
the stranded body of Holland floating abandoned in space, his face slowly
turning blue as his air envelope becomes contaminated and finally
poisonous.

Grigree and Fidalie now stand side by side with Radick and Talus,  the
remaining pirates have retreated to the forecastle of the eelship.
Grigree says to the pirates, "I make my offer again.  Drop your weapons!"

Angry at the continued resistance Talus calls, "Last chance, if you do not
surrender, you shall all die."

Radick moves towards the pirates with a swinging battle axe.

The 1/2 orc cries "Damn it all,  drop your weapons.  We've lost." The
pirates quickly toss their weapons to the ground. Instantly the Captain
calls "'Pon my soul,  Mister Holland,  but I want this web off these men
now!  Radick, Talus,  follow Raken and secure the lower decks!  The rest of
you disarm and secure the prisoners."

The black-armored figure (Leera) leaps from the flowfish and lands on
the eelship.  She heads toward thestairs leading toward the helm room.

Gripping the railing of the _Flowfish_ Kain struggles up and over, groaning
as his stomach wound sends out a shout of pain.  Placing a steadying hand
on the catapult as he walks by, Kain slowly sits down when he gets to the
mainmast, resting up against the solid wood.

Meanwhile,  in the helm room of the eelsfish:

Italapate slams his fists uselessly against the sphere,  unable to escape.

The Gromman stalks the dart hurler,  a look of age on his face.  The human
tries to pull another dart but a chain slams into his side,  knocking him
against the far wall.

Raken continues down the hall,  opening doors along the way.  he sees no
pirates behind any of the doors he opens.

Round 18

Kain, sitting against the mainmast, draws his shortsword and sets it down
upon the deck next to him.  Trying to ignore the fire in his stomach, Kain
sits with his elbows upon his knees, and his hands covering his face.

Holland motions and the webbing disappears.

Deigatt shakes himself in anger and starts herding the formerly webbed
pirates towards the forecastle,  after having them drop their weapons.

Grigree and Fidalie carefully watch the remaining pirates, having them kick
their weapons onto the maindeck and step up next to the ballista.

Leera,  Talus,  and Radick rush down the stairs,  following Raken.  They
enter the helmroom just in time to see a large gorilla looking creature
snap the neck of a pirate with a blow from a pair of heavy chains attached
to his wrist by slave manacles. The room is a mess of glass shards and
bodies.  Italapate stands in the center,  surrounded by a glowing arcane
field of force.  The gorilla turns towards them, "Thank you for your timely
assistance, humans.  Shall we continue with the rest of these pirates?"

On the deck,  and echoing throughout both ships,  "LT SABBAGH! WHERE'S THAT
OTHER VESSEL?!?"  From his post by the FLOWFISH's ballistae he replies
"They've fled,  Captain.  must have had a backup helm."  The Captain says
"I WANT ALL THESE PIRATES SECURED BELOW IN THE FLOWFISH'S BRIG,  AFTER A
THOROUGH SEARCH!  THEN I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S ABOARD THIS VESSEL! 'PON MY
SOUL! LET'S GET MOVING!"

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