Quest for a SHIP! Part 2

[Dracos]

4/18/2009 6:04:11 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/18/2009 6:06:11 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   At the end of the last adventure, the rowdy and yet still unnamed group of pirates had gone about inquiring as to where work and relations on merchant ships could be found.  As far as work went, it seemed to lead to no other door than Aziz at the moment, with no one willing ti hire a group of unknowns alone to help guard their ship and none of the other mercenary squads seeming interested at a glance.  Chatting around
4/18/2009 6:06:11 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   though they also heard that the merchant Zalim was expected in a couple of weeks...but had a history of being late.
4/18/2009 6:09:39 PM <Elladan>   "So.. It seems we can either get.. Ugh.. Day jobs.. Or we take up with Aziz. At least until Zalim shows up.. Any other thoughts?"
4/18/2009 6:09:54 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   During the week that they searched they stayed at the tavern of the Rising Sun in Nasrad, currently sitting there as they discussed things.
4/18/2009 6:10:48 PM <Marcus>   "Well, we could always sell you to the waitresses around here. I'm sure you'd enjoy it, and we make money."
4/18/2009 6:11:33 PM <Elladan>   "Ah, yes, but alas, that would be a one time investment.. For afterwards, you couldn't pry me from their clutches, nor would I want you to, I imagine."
4/18/2009 6:12:35 PM <Glubtz>   "I propose whatever it is we do, we do it fast.  Menchi and I need our bonding time.
4/18/2009 6:12:47 PM *   Elladan shudders.
4/18/2009 6:13:09 PM <Elladan>   "I think you take your love of Menchi a bit too seriously. And a bit too far."
4/18/2009 6:15:09 PM <Marcus>   "What do you -do- with the beast anyway? I don't think it's gotten even more amiable since we captured it," Marcus asks.
4/18/2009 6:15:27 PM <Elladan>   "Marcus."
4/18/2009 6:15:30 PM <Elladan>   "Friend."
4/18/2009 6:15:38 PM <Elladan>   "Are you sure you want to ask that question?"
4/18/2009 6:15:45 PM <Glubtz>   "I read to it, I think in time he'll be smarter then the rest of you uneducated lot."
4/18/2009 6:15:47 PM <Elladan>   "He could actually tell you."
4/18/2009 6:16:09 PM <Glubtz>   "And I take it hunting.  Haven't seen a rat on the ship in some time have you?"
4/18/2009 6:16:23 PM <Marcus>   "I've seen some new holes around the ship..."
4/18/2009 6:17:31 PM <Kythaine>   "I thought that was from Glubtz experimenting."
4/18/2009 6:18:19 PM <Marcus>   "Experimenting with the beast? I dunno," is the pirate's shrugging response.
4/18/2009 6:18:56 PM <Elladan>   "Alright, back on track. Aziz?"
4/18/2009 6:22:46 PM <Marcus>   "It's the best offer we've had, even if it isn't what we had back home," Marcus points out with a small grimace.
4/18/2009 6:24:17 PM <Elladan>   "Yeah. We have to start somewhere. One way or another, we have to get some kind of backing since we're unknowns here."
4/18/2009 6:24:56 PM <Kythaine>   "Actually, we made better money working for the Cartographers."
4/18/2009 6:25:37 PM <Elladan>   "Yeah, but the cartographers don't really give us much oppertunity for getting a new ship in a short amount of time."
4/18/2009 6:26:13 PM <Kythaine>   "And how does working for Aziz provide that?"
4/18/2009 6:27:38 PM <Elladan>   "Working as a guard for a ripe target almost ensures we get attacked. We get control of an attacking ship, and wheedle Aziz into letting us keep it. Granted, I imagine he'll want to strip it clean before he'll agree, but even then we'll be in a better position than we are now."
4/18/2009 6:28:18 PM <Elladan>   "It's not like we have the convience of options here."
4/18/2009 6:28:42 PM <Kythaine>   "So we're scrapping the plan to have Captain Darcyan help us gain a ship?"
4/18/2009 6:31:01 PM <Glubtz>   "Settle down Menchi, I'll get you some rats soon enough."
4/18/2009 6:31:39 PM <Elladan>   "Well.. No. But, anything we can get our hands on *now* will only benefit us later. Say we do manage to get a hold of a ship. Any ship. It's just that much more firepower to lend towards a bigger target. And if we end up getting a better ship with Darcyan's help, we can sell the old one for supplies and equipment."
4/18/2009 6:32:16 PM <Marcus>   "Uh, Glubtz? 'Menchi' isn't here....They wouldn't let us keep him in the inn, remember? Wild animal and all that?"
4/18/2009 6:32:55 PM <Elladan>   "Either way, we need to do something in the mean time. Having a ship is all well and good, but we're also going to need a crew and supplies. We don't the cash to fund anything right now."
4/18/2009 6:32:55 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Away on the ship, Menchi picked slowly at his metal leash.  Not very successfully though.
4/18/2009 6:34:59 PM *   Kythaine considers. "Now I'm understanding. We join Aziz, then try to make off with whatever pirate ship attacks?"
4/18/2009 6:36:12 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Considering from the side of being a pirate, only a truly weak group would manage to get caught ship and all.  They'd all be embarassed if something happened like that to them.
4/18/2009 6:36:14 PM <Marcus>   "Well, unless Aziz's ship is nicer..."
4/18/2009 6:36:19 PM <Elladan>   "If we can do so without turning Aziz against us, yes. We're small fish here right now. We need to get what we can together."
4/18/2009 6:37:20 PM <Marcus>   "Hrm...So any arguments about taking Aziz's offer for now?"
4/18/2009 6:37:35 PM <Elladan>   "None from me."
4/18/2009 6:37:40 PM <Kythaine>   "If we're going to get a ship out of joining Aziz, we are going to turn him against us.  He's not going to just hand it over as a signing bonus."
4/18/2009 6:38:05 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Aziz as they knew commanded about fourty men and two ships, though he didn't always send all of those on one trip, sometimes working for multiple boats.
4/18/2009 6:39:31 PM <Kythaine>   "I'm in, so long as we all understand this will make Aziz into our enemy."
4/18/2009 6:39:48 PM <Elladan>   "Like I said, we take what we can get. If he's unwilling, then so be it. We need capital right now, and we don't have many other options."
4/18/2009 6:44:50 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/18/2009 6:46:22 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   The next morning the group of them headed off once more to a small office along the edge of the Bazaar.  Soon brought inside to meet the bulbuous leader of Aziz' Mercenaries, Aziz himself, a towering fellow, though seemingly almost as wide around as he was tall with a scimitar at his belt.  He eyed them over carefully as he walked across. "So you are looking to join my company from the ad we had out?"
4/18/2009 6:48:52 PM *   Kythaine nods. "It sounds more interesting than crewing a merchant ship."
4/18/2009 6:53:13 PM <Marcus>   "It's one of the better job offers around," Marcus agrees. "Can you explain the job details further? Anything specific we need to know?"
4/18/2009 6:54:35 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   He looked over them.  "You seem like you've seen some combat.  Good, good...  Your job is whatever I tell you it is at the moment.  You get double pay and a share of the profits whenever we go to battle for a client.  For your first two months, you'll be apprentices, but when you've proven yourself, I'll double your pay grade."
4/18/2009 6:54:56 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   "I expect complete obedience though from everyone in my troop."
4/18/2009 6:55:11 PM <Elladan>   "What *is* the pay? And what about looting rights?"
4/18/2009 6:56:48 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   "We aren't looters, steal something for yourself and I'll toss you overboard." He eyed strictly.  "A share of the profits is whatever is dropped in combat minus any fees for repairing the merchant's ships.  The pay is four silver for now."
4/18/2009 6:57:01 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   *Per week."
4/18/2009 6:57:58 PM *   Elladan nods.
4/18/2009 6:59:51 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   "If there are any complaints, bring them to me.  Talk back to my officers and they'll swat you a good one."
4/18/2009 7:00:17 PM <Marcus>   "Alright. Anything we need to sign to make this official? Or just come and find out when there's work or what?"
4/18/2009 7:00:55 PM <Elladan>   "As a side point.. We're used to working together.. Would your officers take issue with us continuing to do so?"
4/18/2009 7:01:18 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   He brought up some documents. "Ah yes, and for your first few voyages, you're sailing with me personally.  Until I trust you, you don't get a whit of wandering.  Eh?  friends huh?  We'll see.  I don't havve a problem with it.  If you do well in battle, we'll talk."
4/18/2009 7:03:03 PM *   Kythaine nods.
4/18/2009 7:06:31 PM <Elladan>   "Sounds acceptable.. What about.. say, bonuses? If we go above and beyond? Like, perhaps capture an attacking ship intact?"
4/18/2009 7:07:06 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   He gathered their signatures.  "Alright, for the next two weeks, you're in basic training.  As much as you look combat ready, I'm not going to trust my men alongside you until you show it."  He eyed Elladan. "Hmph, ask again after you become a full member."
4/18/2009 7:09:48 PM <Elladan>   "Understood, sir."
4/18/2009 7:13:00 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   He smiled.  "Good.  Some troops around here may be pretty casual, but we're serious.  That's why we always have work.  Merchants know they can count on us to be professional and loyal."
4/18/2009 7:16:46 PM *   Marcus nods and looks over documents that Aziz brought over to make sure they say what they've been told so far. Well, as best as he can, with a quick browse.
4/18/2009 7:17:02 PM <Kythaine>   "About how often do pirates actually attack?"
4/18/2009 7:18:18 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   "Not very often.  If we see action more than once every couple of months, it's strange."
4/18/2009 7:19:16 PM <Marcus>   "Really? Damn....how do you keep the men busy?" Marcus asks curiously. "
4/18/2009 7:19:27 PM <Marcus>   "Are we allowed to spar or the like on the ships?"
4/18/2009 7:19:50 PM *   Kythaine looks at Glubtz. "And what about pets?"
4/18/2009 7:22:23 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   "On the ships?  Of course not.  While on leave, certainly," He smirked. "No pets."
4/18/2009 7:24:37 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/18/2009 7:26:21 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   The next couple of weeks were quite exhausting as Aziz' trainer ran them through the ropes, though they soon learned they were going to be guarding a caravan far to south east to Ixa'Taka that would likely keep them about three months.
4/18/2009 7:41:09 PM <Marcus>   "What are our chances of finding a ship? We know this is going to take a while, so if we're going to ditch, now's the time to do so," Marcus brings up once the group have a discreet moment to themselves. "I mean....three months. Can we afford that?"
4/18/2009 7:42:21 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   The group was gathered upstairs in a room in the tavern.  Their current pay now freely covering both food and living expenses.
4/18/2009 7:43:56 PM <Elladan>   "Well.. We've only got a couple options.. Try to contact Darcyan about it, up and leave, or try to work something out with Aziz. A temporary hold on the contract due to prior engagements?"
4/18/2009 7:44:39 PM <Marcus>   "I suppose the main question is, did any of us find any good ship we can use for our deal with Darcyan? Or just try to jack the merchant ship we end up on? We'd need to pray to the devil's luck to save everyone if we're going to stick with Aziz..."
4/18/2009 7:45:20 PM <Elladan>   "Or.. We can be backstabbers."
4/18/2009 7:45:59 PM <Kythaine>   "He'll be watching us closely since we're new."
4/18/2009 7:46:01 PM <Elladan>   "Have Darcyan hit Aziz's ships. He takes the merchant ships as his compensation, we get Aziz's ship."
4/18/2009 7:46:39 PM <Elladan>   "True, he'll be watching us, but we were never the ones who were going to be the threat, anyway."
4/18/2009 7:47:24 PM <Kythaine>   "It's worth discussing with Darcyan, but it is a bit more than we asked him to do."
4/18/2009 7:48:06 PM <Elladan>   "It is, but it's also offering him a lot more profit to gain from it than what the original plan was. Before, he'd just get what was on the one ship."
4/18/2009 7:48:32 PM <Elladan>   "This gives him at least one entirely new ship, and it's cargo."
4/18/2009 7:48:54 PM <Elladan>   "That's a pretty lucrative deal for doing something he was going to anyway."
4/18/2009 7:50:17 PM <Marcus>   "We've seen other merchant ships planning toleave at same time though, and we know security isn't what it's going to be with Aziz's bunch."
4/18/2009 7:50:43 PM *   Elladan shrugs.
4/18/2009 7:51:41 PM <Elladan>   "I'm not saying it's our only, nor even our best, option. I'm just saying it *is* an option. If we want to have a chance at Dyne before the kill him, we need as much firepower as we can get, as fast as we can get it. This is just one opertunity."
4/18/2009 7:53:45 PM <Kythaine>   "We're not going to rescue Dyne and the others with firepower unless we can get together a fleet bigger than the Valuans."
4/18/2009 7:55:49 PM <Marcus>   "In six months?"
4/18/2009 7:56:02 PM <Marcus>   "Heck, maybe less"
4/18/2009 7:56:28 PM <Elladan>   "We don't need to outgun their entire fleet. Just produce enough firepower to stun them long enough, fast enough, to get Dyne out."
4/18/2009 8:04:29 PM <Marcus>   "Okay, on the main topic, going with Aziz, notan option. Right? Pretty much, we either go against an unknown guard force on a different merchant ship, although we're certain they'd be weaker, or betray Aziz, and have a harder fight as well as reduce our chance of coming back, but have the benefit of surprise and knowing a bit about who'd be trouble," Marcus summarizes. "Now, I think we're better off not reducing our ability to
4/18/2009 8:04:43 PM <Marcus>   "So I'd vote for picking a different mark. We've had chances to look around."
4/18/2009 8:07:21 PM <Marcus>   ooc: "Now, I think we're better off not reducing our ability to come back here." <-- since it cut off apparently.
4/18/2009 8:07:52 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   OOC: Thanks Marcus.  FIX HERE IN LOGS
4/18/2009 8:07:53 PM <Elladan>   "New mark certainly seems easier."
4/18/2009 8:11:30 PM *   Kythaine considers. "Easier, but less profitable." He shrugs. "I'll go with whatever the rest of you decide."
4/18/2009 8:23:46 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/18/2009 8:27:04 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Scouting about and mysteriously missing their departure time with Aziz, they decided on attempting to capture Allyn's traveling casino, a well guarded mark that had something important as Marcus noted: Over half of it's employees were beautiful women.  Alone, they were certainly never going to take that mark though.  The casino ship did not travel with any guard ships and was a ship suitable for a crew and passenger gr
4/18/2009 8:27:04 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   oup of up to a hundred, sporting around thirty guards as they discovered under the direct pay of the merchant Allyn.  Sporting heavy armor on the outside, it wasn't a fast ship, but could take a beating and travel through moderately fierce winds.
4/18/2009 8:31:09 PM <Elladan>   "That one definately sounds like a good one.. Though, we'll need to figure out how to bolster her firepower.."
4/18/2009 8:34:10 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   They'd gotten a blueprint from Kythaine scouting it out as a customer earlier, the crew mainly toward the outer walls with their rooms, the guards spread equally throughout the casino area and the top deck.
4/18/2009 8:37:37 PM <Elladan>   "Hmm.. Well.. To be serious for a moment.. We'll need to isolate the lower-level employees and customers from any sort of management or leadership type of individuals. Perhaps even charging the lower-level employees with organizing the customers? If we can do that, we can certainly make life much easier for us.. The guards will be hesitant to attack for fear of the customers getting hurt, at the least."
4/18/2009 8:40:42 PM <Marcus>   "We hope so, anyhow."
4/18/2009 8:47:23 PM <Kythaine>   "Perhaps we could take it over and continue to run the casino."
4/18/2009 8:47:49 PM <Marcus>   "You want to invite people onto a stolen ship? Madness..."
4/18/2009 8:49:17 PM <Marcus>   "Anyhow, we have a target. Do we assault it withDarcyan, or try to get on as casino customers and help capture it from the inside?"
4/18/2009 8:49:45 PM <Elladan>   "With Darcyan. It's our best chance for success."
4/18/2009 8:51:21 PM <Kythaine>   "Get aboard as customers.  Then when Darcyan attacks, we can suprise the guards from behind."
4/18/2009 8:51:44 PM *   Elladan nods.
4/18/2009 8:51:51 PM <Elladan>   "A sound plan."
4/18/2009 8:53:23 PM <Marcus>   "Let's contact Darcyan then," Marcus states as he stands.
4/18/2009 8:55:36 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4/18/2009 8:57:17 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   A few passed messages and they were off, tickets purchased as they went aboard the Allyn's traveling Casino, the Celebration.  The crewmen were jovial, though they insisted that all weapons be firmly stored with their luggage in their rooms and not brought into the casino section in any way.  It was a bit expensive but they got a couple of rooms near the forward bow of the ship.
4/18/2009 9:00:53 PM <Elladan>   "Well, the least we should do is stretch out legs and memorize the lay out. Get some food while we're at it."
4/18/2009 9:01:33 PM <Kythaine>   "Agreed."
4/18/2009 9:03:22 PM *   Elladan heads out, in search of food, women, and mapping of the area.
4/18/2009 9:04:03 PM <Marcus>   "Well, not a bad idea to split up. Just make sure we all gather up before the assault."
4/18/2009 9:04:15 PM *   Kythaine heads out in search of women, women, drink, food, and that other stuff Elladan said.
4/18/2009 9:04:45 PM *   Elladan heads with Kythaine.. Maybe he can help Kyth salvage whatever he tries with the first two..
4/18/2009 9:08:42 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Kythaine and Elladan made their way to the casino, where beautiful women were a plenty, both as customers and as dealers, catering girls, vendors, and dancing bunny girls.  It was quite a display...which helped explain the expensive tickets.
4/18/2009 9:09:37 PM *   Elladan clutches onto Kythaine's shoulder with a frighteningly strong grip..
4/18/2009 9:09:57 PM <Elladan>   "Kyth.. Kyth, I think we found The Glory."
4/18/2009 9:10:09 PM <Kythaine>   "The what?"
4/18/2009 9:10:31 PM <Elladan>   "The Glory. The Bounty. The Land of All That Is Holy."
4/18/2009 9:10:36 PM *   Elladan looks Kyth in the eyes.
4/18/2009 9:10:44 PM <Elladan>   "We found Titty Land."
4/18/2009 9:11:35 PM *   Kythaine chuckles.
4/18/2009 9:12:13 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   Marcus wandered his way to the deck, having seen as of yet, no sign of Captain Allyn, a sailor at the wheel.
4/18/2009 9:15:48 PM <Admiral_Dracos>   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~