Elven Navy Delta Squad: Thought Taker

[Old Fezziwig]

Akodo winces when Marcus says "the ship and its remaining will probably belong to us" — he can't help but think that regardless of what just happened, that the drakkar does not by any stretch of the imagination belong to us — Lareth has more right to it than we do. Such a typical assumption of the ruling class. Despite his misgivings, Akodo remains quiet. This is not the time or the place for that sort of thing.

 

[perivas]

"Unless we can reach a holding facility for the pirates in a relatively short time, I suggest we access the talents of Thought Taker to assess to intent of the remaining pirates. With that information, we may be better able to determine a course of action," Amanu suggests.

 

[GruTheWanderer]

Thought Taker replies telepathically. He suggests you scuttle the drakkar, for no one but the truly desperate would buy such a vessel at any spelljamming port. The gold and silver should be enough to make repairs. He then states that if any of the raiders are in critical condition, he would be happy to put them out of their misery. The voyage ahead is long, and he does not wish to diet unnecessarily. If no wounded captives are available, he will claim the corpse of the cleric.

While you discuss arrangements, the crew gets underway, temporarily lashing the two ships together. Hector sets course for the asteroid indicated by Lareth. He suggests hanging on to the drakkar until they reach the asteroid, as the combined mass of the two ships will keep the air fresher (and it is easier to keep the prisoners on the drakkar than stuff them in the cargo area).

 

[Mirth]

When the flayer's thoughts enter Chjargal's mind, his immediate reaction is to cringe. He quickly recovers, trying not to let the illithid have access to his innermost emotions. Realizing that he's already failed before he'd begun, the bugbear reaches into his belt pouch and slowly rolls the two pearls around and around in his hand. Then he goes onto the drakkar and begins pulling off material to use on repairs for the moray.

 

[Keia]

Marcus, clearly uncomfortable with the diet of the mindflayer, will motion for one of the troops or crew to deliver the corpse of the cleric to the mindflayer.

Marcus will assist in making everything ready to deliver the boarders to their asteroid as soon as possible. He will look for second opinions on the scuttling of the ship.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Akodo shrugs at the mind flayer's dietary needs — judging from what the others told him, if Thought Taker is feeding on the captives, that means that he's not feeding on Delta Squad. A hungerless mind flayer is a happy mind flayer and that's good news all around.

 

[perivas]

Amanu stares disappointedly at Thought Taker, but then merely shrugs at his suggestion. "As long as the others don't object, I won't either."

 

[garyh]

"And you claimed to be different than the rest of your kind," Theryndil said to the Thought Taker.

 

[GruTheWanderer]

Thought Taker ignores Theryndil's comment as he returns below decks to consult with Elaine. Before long the captives are secure aboard the drakkar, watches are assigned, and repairs are underway. Chjargal does an excellent job repairing the wooden moray, although it is less responsive than the living plants which make up elven ships.

In two days time you reach the asteroid home of the barbarian raiders. It is an immense rock, big enough to support a diverse ecosystem. Lareth directs the landing of the drakkar ten miles from the tribe's village. When the captives have all been unloaded (and one of them has been untied), the drakkar returns to the moray.

Lareth unloads the drakkar's helm with the help of the sailors, Marcus, and Grillon. Then Amanu sets it aflame and the moray moves away. You watch the burning ship consume itself and fade from view as you resume your course in search of Thought Taker's artifacts.

 

[Mirth]

Double-checking his repairs, Chjargal wipes his brow with the back of his hand and watches intently as Amanu sets the drifting drakkar ablaze. He continues to stand on the prow of the moray and stare at the flames until they are a speck on the far horizon, all the while bemoaning the loss to the forest that gave of itself to make the ship.