After the Pirate Queen (Spring 1221)

Retired Play by Post Campaigns Ars Magica 5th Edition: Ad Astera per Aspera
21

"Flavius, I nevert had extensive encounters with neither faeries nor pirates, but I will trust your judgment. Perhaps I can discern how they came to be on this island, if they used a faerie regio that is."

Antonius scan the horizon around the Pisces, and then pay more attention to the island where the pirates are assembled, while maintening concentration on the spell Piercing the Faerie Veil.

"Julia, always had a knack for seeing things how they truly are... is there anything we don't yet see we should be woried about ?"

The magi looks back at the Pirate Queen, at the crew and then Flavius:

"Hum... I don't think they would agree to come on this boat, when they are safe on this island and we would be immensively vulnerable there. Flavius, as you know it was my responsability to insure that everyone in the caravan was safe; if what the sailor said was true, that they can fight with grievious wounds as if they were nothing, then the men we would bring with us would be in great danger. Here, at least, they have strenght in numbers."

He thinks for a while and then continues:

"I cannot bring myself to bring this many men to their certain death, shall our encounter with the so-called Queen become a fight. You, however my fried, can handle yourself in a fight, more than any knight I have ever met. With my help, you will have additional protections. I suggest this, me, you, Julia and Vincente or Bavol will go in the row boat and meet the Pirate Queen. If we cannot reach an agreement, or if things escalate and we cannot save this Mattheus, let us fall back to the Pisces however we can and sail away as fast as we can back to Malta."

In any case, Antonius will ward anyone going to parlay with the Queen against faeries, taking some time in between to castings to catch his breath. He will also ward himself and Julia against metal weapons.

Antonius: ReVi 20 Base 20 Per +2 sun, ind (the guideline has 3 "free" magnitudes) Protects against might 25 faeries
Flavius, Julia, Grog(s) : ReVi 20 Base 20 +1 touch +2 sun, ind (the guideline has 3 "free" magnitudes) Protects against might 20 faeries.

total: 71+ die + aura + 8 penetration

Antonius, Julia (metal): ReTe Base 5 (, +1 conc, +0 target +2 Metal)

total: 35 + die + aura

22

When you get to the island the Queens nature is made transparent, not only by those who may be able to see her for faerie, but by the fact she addresses you in Romony.
"Do you have the ransom?"

23

"Do you have the Merchant? How should we know he is still alive? Maybe you had him for dinner already?"

24

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.

25

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.

26

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?

27

In italian, to the ship captain:

"What did she say ?"

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

28

"She's talkin' in Romany," Vincente replies. "She wants to know if we have the gold."

29

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?

30

OOC: that works for me

"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.

31

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.

32

"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."

33

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.

34

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."

35

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.

36

The pirate queen smiles broadly "Fair enough, but if you try and fail we will be ransoming both of ye. On Separate islands."

37

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) :smiling_imp:

38

"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 ?

39

"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."

40

"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.