Part I: Welcome Aboard Poseidon's Fury
Twas a fine morn when behind a storm cloud our first mate saw what he thought to be the glowing eyes of a sirens call. The Raid. "All hands on deck", I shouted as me meager crew scrambled to grab what supplies and treasure we could afore we turned about. I plotted the course to crows nest fortress as me crew lowered the sails and spun out.
"Capn the clouds are breaking" Cook called from the crows nest. I knew our head start was over and that the eyes peering beyond the horizon would beckon all crews and captains across the waves.
But the wind was on our side "full billows ahead!" And it was not long before Poseidon’s Fury made it to port and we unloaded me first mate CD and Cook to turn in our loot. With a ghost crew of two we went on, watching ledger reports of our days work slowly roll in. A good haul.
It was not long before we crested the edge of the spire and the Merc we hired flushed white, "Capn 6 ships ahead".
"How many sails?", running bellow deck I double checked our supplies coming up with the battle plan as we approached the fort.
"Coming aboard capn" Cook called
"3 galleons and 3 sloops all heading towards the fort. Closest North tracking South East on intercept." I grabbed the helm amd shuddered with excitement.
"It be a fight then!" CD shouted. Always quick to a fight he ran to the riggings to keep the wind.
"They are turning in, and it looks like two of the sloops are already fighting."
"Get stocked up, main mast to half, if they want a fight we will show them our might."
We were upon them. They fired the first few shots but missed as I turned behind them. Crossing behind and "Fire!". Unleashing hell CD blasted their captain from the helm as Cook ripped into their mid deck and the Merc fired off into their lower deck. They had to be taking on water. I turned to the starboard side and lowered the sail we continued to unload into them and adjusting the sails kept us in range as we pulled along side. "CD, you know what to do mate" He lept from the mast and grabbed the galleons ladder. "Hold fire, adjust sails" we turned out to the cries of the galleon behind us as CD slaughtered them. I watched as the bow dipped below the waves. It was over and we hadn't received a single hit, a good omen for the battles to come.
Merc mantled the crows nest again, "One sloop down, two left and still two galleons. The sloop that got the other has anchored full sails and looks to be running repairs. One galleon is at the fort and taking fire for now and the other is coming in from the North side".
Running another inventory. We only had 150 some cannon balls left, plus the 10 that CD had taken from the poor souls behind us. Not bad, but with that Galleon docked we would need to blow them out before taking the fort. No easy feat to win against a resting Galleon. "Half mast all sails" We slowed to a crawl as an ominous tune rang through the air. I turned to the sloop. "Two borders ready, lets restock." CD and Cook readied themselves. "30 to drop". The sloops sails rose and we saw someone try to raise their anchor, we took fire. Cannonballs slammed into the side of our ship, "they aren't too bad" but they only hit one shot below deck and the remaining damage to the mid deck was of no concern.
CD fired "knocked him off the anchor, they're sitting ducks". We turned in Cook shot of 6 shots, loaded CD and fired. Before he jumped in the water. One of their crew jumped in swimming towards us. Gunpowder. I turned out to get away as cook killed the scallywag. CD finished off the remaining crew as he was bailing water and we claimed our second kill. I rose the sails and pulled up. 5 red barrels floated to the surface with CD and Cook, "looky what I found!"
We quickly loaded up explosives turning again towards the fort. "The other sloop is running" Merc called.
"Aye, it probably is in their best interest too. Sails to half, I'll lower rear to full, stay ready to pull the front".
"PULL IT!"
Cannon fire rained in on us as we pulled broadside to them. Merc rushed below to do damage control, CD jumped in carrying a red floatation device to give to the enemy crew, Cook and I were on the cannons rotating to keep the balls flying. "We are taking on water Merc cried"
I rushed below to help bail water leaving Cook to slam them before we got out of range. I ran back to the helm. Going into a lazy turn before bailing more water. I heard two explosions rip through the air. "Border!" Cook called ripping into the poor soul with his blunderbuss. I checked the far ladder and saw another fool trying to sneak onto our ship. I readied my cutlass and cut him down. That leaves 2.
"We are still taking on water, and fast” called Merc I saw Cook dump a full bucket over the side. Merc's hammer pounding in the background. I rose the main sail and adjusted the helm to match.
"Just focus on those repairs, we are coming in for round two."
"All buttoned up in the lower deck, 10 or so holes mid deck"
We turned the corner ready to fire only to see the galleon lurch sideways before sinking to the locker. CD standing on top of the Captains quarters with a chest of gold.
I pulled the rear sail and we came to a halt. Looking out to see the other galleon anchored, no doubt watching to see who would win and take the spoils for their own. "What were those explosions CD?" He was unloading his spoils into our supplies.
"After jumping into the water I saw someone from their ship doing the same thing. So I whipped out my buss and blasted him in the barrel. The explosion caught their ship and set off mine. In the murk I finished him off and boarded their ship." He smiled a wicked smile, "Oh and Cap, I ate their nanners."
We docked in at the fort. "Grab all the powder and stock you can." We were at 96 cannonballs and 54 planks. I knew they were coming back and we needed more.
"They still aren't moving" I looked over during a barrel run and saw that Merc was right, the other galleon was sitting right on the horizon, waiting.
By the end of the supply run we had 7 barrels and 132 cannonballs. We were still low on planks at a measly 66. We would need to use the barrels and completely destroy them if they came in.
I could hear the horns of war as CD and Cook killed off the skeleton defenders. "Their sails are shifting" The galleon was on its way. I called Cook back to the ship, CD could handle the hoard. Turning to starboard revealed our cannons facing the incoming ship so they knew we where ready.
1 minute out. CD returned to the ship, joining Cook, Merc, and I with a barrel in the crows nest.
30s, we jumped.
The waters ripped apart as we released our gift. I heard their anchor fall and the sound of steel ringing in the air. They had gotten half a volley off before we hit them. Merc swam back for repairs as Cook and I boarded in time to see CD drop below deck holding a banana. Cook followed him down and I saw someone run into the captains quarters, I gave chase. The wood creaked beneath my soles as the ship shuddered, it was sinking. A sword slammed against the doorframe near my head. I blocked his next two strikes and jumped back. "You'll have to do better than that." I came at him swinging, catching him twice before he blocked my third.
Again we separated, "The fort will be ours! Even if you sink is we will be back!"
I came in for a lunge pushing him against the table, "you can try" I pulled out my pistol and fired, "but your no match for me and my crew"
The ship tilted, water covered the floor and I jumped into the waves, Cook and CD beside me as we returned to our ship.
Our ship seemed a little low in the water as we frantically climbed the ladder.
The water had filled half of the middeck, "Son of a salty seadog!" Yelled CD.
"Don't let her go down!" we run to bail the water, Cook joined Merc trying to stem the flow.
"Its filling as fast as we can bail!"
"Just bail!"
The ship shuddered, and the water finally stayed down. Cook joined us in bailing, followed by Merc.
"You guys came just in time. I thought we were done."
CD and Cook jumped back to shore to fight the skeletons again as I climbed the crows nest. Pulling out my eyeglass I scanned the horizon. There was the faint glimmer of light on the horizon but no sails. "You did a great job mate, you can be sure to get a good cut of the booty. Maybe even more than your contract for your work."
"I've never seen such a brutal takedown, I'm just glad I joined your crew."
Drums and horns ripped through the air
"It's their captain. Shadows!"
Merc and I jumped ashore and rushed to their help right as the sun set below the horizon. We arrived to see CD dancing around the captains crew and Cook flashing a lantern at all of them. I lunged into the crowed taking out half the crew Merc followed suit and took out the remaining half. We turned to the captain and beat him down. He released a final hiss before disappearing into a puff of smoke and dust. A single key left behind.
