Garcin is coming also, he's not willing to send a man into danger he is unwilling to share. Garcin, Bavol and Vicente form a trained group with Bavol as point and Garcin as leader. Bavol is wearing metal armor, Garcin has the armor of quality. Vicente has the choice of the enchanted leather jack or metal armor. As I understand trained group rules, it doesn't really matter which?
Julia will check using both Second Sight and Sight Beyond Sight to look and hear around the local area, including areas out of normal sight and hearing.
Second Sight: Per 5 + SS 7 + roll 8= 20!
Sight Beyond Sight: no roll, costs 1 might, using sight and hearing within Vision range.
Vincente takes the enchanted leather, still not trusting metal armor on a ship. Then, despite his misgivings, he joins the others to meet the Pirate Queen.
Given the change Frederic will cast “Gift of the bears fortitude” on every grog t. This will add+3 to their soak. He will take a short rest between each casing if needed.
Normally this is on Range Per but due to his flexible Formula magic Frederic can cast it in touch.
In this case he needs a 3 on a die so maybe this causes the loss of a fatigue level. If that would happen he will rest before casting the next spell.
OCC: Do we have the ransom on board?
Antonius look for a faerie aura and regio on the island, and look for signs of agression from the pirate crew. When someone has translated, he will ask for the following to be relayed to the Pirate Queen:
"We have the funds to pay the ransom, however the silver might or might not be on our ship. We are not business associates of your prisonner, nor share his blood, but we might be willing to pay if your merchandise is worth it. We wish to speak with him ourselve before we make up our minds, as mind esteemed colleague already stated."
Aura: InVi 2 (no gesture, no words, divide by 5 for no fatigue)
Regio: InVi 20 (no gesture, whisper, formulaic) in 5, vi 23, +2 sta -10 no gesture & whisper, + die roll + aura
OOC: Its a little late but I think Tayma would fit in here. If only because of Garcin and [left]this post[/left]. I was planning on bringing it up when we got back to the covenant but the quest was complete before that point. Can we just say she has gone unmentioned so far, but is on the ship?
"If you want to speak with him you can travel with me back to my island. Or you can take my word that he is alive and we will arrange the exchange. You will select one of the nearby islands and hide the ransom on it and return here. I will hide the prisoner on a different island, and then we will inform each other of which Island we chose, that we can then go and find what we hope to receive."
Julia is able to find the queen's ship, and also notices that it does not creak the way boats tend to do as the wood shifts in the tides and waves. There is no sign of the merchant.
Garcin is ready for a fight. "These pirates are gonna betray us as surely as the sun rises in the east. And when they do we're going to go through them like a scythe through wheat. Be ready on my mark."
The group will be be in position and ready to defend the magi.
"If they betray us they'll probably do it by lying about the island the merchant is on. If we want to have someone talk to the merchant before we agree I can volunteer." Tayma whispers to Garcin in response to the prediction of betrayal and the Queen's offer. "If they do try and betray whoever goes I'll be the best able to survive and escape."
Calm down Guys!
We are here to check if we want to help this poor merchant.
If we slaughter them we will not get the change to check if the Merchant is worth all this effort.
Antonius remembers Nicolae talking about faeries and stories and roles, so he decide to try something, not sure if what applies to shelma-durath also applies to faerie pirates:
"Ah this is a very tempting ! Visiting the hideout of a Pirate Queen. I must say, that if I go there, I might be tempted to attempt to spirit the prisonner away from under your nose in a very daring rescue to avoid paying the ransom."
VIncente looks up to heaven and sighs softly. So this is how it was going to end. Killed by faerie pirates because Antonius couldn't keep his mouth shut.
We will make the exchange on a small flat Island where everyone can see everything.
We will land on opposite sides each party brings 6 men.
Two from your side bring the hostage, two from or side will bring the ransom to the midpoint of the Island.
We chat with the hostage while you cont our silver. If both sides happy your two men go back with our silver and our two men leave with the hostage. If one side isn’t happy…. (dramatic pause) Blood will flow, men will die, ships will burn and a pirate queen will cry (cold smile)
"Very well, Circe. We shall go to your island to see if than man is worth the fortune you are asking for; however, I will need your word that our crew shall not be served as a delicacy nor our ship captured while we do so. In exchange for your protection, we can give you several barrels of the finest alcool we currently have in our hold. What do you say?"
Later that afternoon, in the captain's cabin, all the magi, Vincente and Bavol assembled around a table with map and navigation tools:
"We need to decide if we want to pay the ransom. We do not have to; we could go on the pirate Queen's island under the pretense of wanting to have a talk with Mattheus and then free him. But that would be riskier. Any ideas on how to possibly achieve that goal?"
OCC:
We get there, get the pirate drunk with the alcool, sutbly free the captive under the cover of the night and then sail away at sunrise ! Who is in ?
"Well, now they're ready for the double-cross, it'll never work," Vincente grumbles. "They're probably over there right now plotting same as us, only they're plotting how to betray us."
"Well," begins Garcin, "It wouldn't hurt to go through the motions of a ransom. With magically created goods, it's not like we'd lose anything. But I now this type. They'll go through the motions too and betray us in the end. Go ahead and try what you want, it will all end the same."
Antonius may recall Garcin's feelings about pirates. It is clear the topic is closed to him, but he is still willing to follow your lead.
The pirate queen tosses her head. "No. You will pay the ransom under our terms, or someone else can pay the ransom. Or not. Just because this merchant man is still alive does not mean he must remain so."
In the small round on board of the Pisces:
Well that sounds like we have to follow the Pirates to their island! Once there we may be able to speak with the merchant and maybe free him. Or, if needed we may find a way to exchange the ransom for the Merchant without being betrayed. In any case it´s good to know the location of their island.
What they propose is they will take one person to their island to see the merchant, then bring that person back to confirm he is still alive. Or you can take her word for the fact he is alive.
