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Message: <blockquote data-quote="redknight" data-source="post: 1043846" data-attributes="member: 6796">Part DeuxThis segment was written by the player of Sinos Galley..As the unnatural cloud formations rolled across Pirate Isle four of the youngest members of the Blue Rouges dashed across the sweeping grasslands towards the light tower. The shining beacons were nowhere to be seen. Without their guiding lights the safe return of the Albatross would be in grave danger. The foursome recent strangers to each other were thrown together in the single task of helping the lead ship back to port.Leading the way was William Flint. He’s the only male heir of the Captain. Worry outlined his face as thoughts of his father and his ship crashing the rocks below. Next to him was Rinaldo. This young dangerously handsome swordsman recently crossed swords with William over the honor of Captain’s Flint only daughter, Karen. The fight came to an unresolved ending due to the intervention of the newest shipwright of the Albatross, Sinos Galley. Galley was more of a bookish sort who didn’t want to see any harm done to young William. There was no anger or bitterness in this encounter and the three new friends soon met up with the fourth member of this troupe at Paula’s Tavern. Her name is Trisha, a young fetching maiden who showed some capable magic during an encounter at the bar. Heading for the lighthouse, Trisha was explaining her mystical roots. She came from Cardainia. Her mother was a sorcerer and her brother studied the clerical teachings of Solrion. Due to political unrest cause in part by the Dorando Empire, the family took flight. Sinos added his own story of how the Dorando Empire fleeced his family of their shipping company. It was apparent that the shared hated for this outside invader bonded the small group even closer. Before they reached the lighthouse a shadowy form emerged from the tree line. A large muscular man approached. His clothes and shaved head drew instant recognition. This was the sole survivor of the encounter back at tavern. Expecting another go around swords was drawn. The former attacker now raised his hands in peace. They circled the adversary and demanded explanation. What they heard did not bode well. “A dog carrying a bone will not bite… I carry a bone.” he began, “Please forgive this unworthy servant. I am Akhim. I don’t want to serve with Black Molly anymore. I don’t want anything more to do with her or her inhuman crew. When traveling amidst wolves, one does pose as a sheep. I apologize to attacking you, but if I do not act as one of them, they would realize that I was their enemy”William spearheaded the questioning. He first pressed for who this Black Molly was. The stranger went on to explain that she is a sea hag who brought her company to Pirate Isle with the intensions of robbing it of a legendary treasure. Everyone doubted this story as none of them have heard of this booty. But the man continued, “She has a map. I swear. She divided her numbers in three. The first were to gather up supplies and stay with the ships. The second was to secure the lighthouse and gather insurance. The third were to stay in town and report any activity. William pressed, “Insurance. What type of insurance?” “The light house, they control it now. And imprisoned there are the Captain’s wife and daughter.” The young Flint’s eyes raged with hate as he pressed forward, “That’s my mother and sister you’re talking about.” Rinaldo placed a restraining arm across William’s chest, “Not now. We got to think what the best plan of action to freeing them is.” Logic returned to Captain’s son as he stepped back. The man quickly picked up his story. “Your mother and sister are being held in the basement with the light-keeper.  There are two guards watching over them. There are four guards in the lobby, and two guards patrolling the perimeter. Upstairs is Black Molly and with her witch and two more guards.”Sinos stepped in with a question, “And what of this treasure. I have never heard of this. It’s on the island you say. So where is it?”  “It’s in the cemetery. It’s at the grave of the Unknown Pirate.” The four young adventurers thought it over. They accepted the strangers word and aid..Visibility was now ten feet. All were wondering what to do next. At this point the man introduced himself as Akhim.  At noontime he was to report back with the guards. A plan was starting to take form. Trisha announced that she wanted to rest and meditae on the events ahead. Rinaldo suggested that he retrieve the clothes from Akhim’s dead patriots and use them as a ruse to gain entry to the light house. Sinos wanted to go back to his quarters and fetch his crossbow. Everyone went their separate ways and agreed to regroup at the tavern. High tide came in at 10:30 that night as the pirates shared a table at the Paula’s Tavern. Sinos arrived not only with his bow but also with Dr. Fautus. The good doctor was an older gent who served Captain Flint at the island. He was quite talented in brewing up magical potions, healing elixirs, and dispensing sage advice. His first words of wisdom were to discourage the group’s initial plan of scaling the lighthouse. That was a foolhardy course of action. He advised a frontal assault with trickery. It was highly dangerous but the plan had seeds of success.He brought with him healing potions and vials of exploding fluids. He instructed them with a good nights rest and an early exposition on the morrow. Some healing droughts were downed at the table and the rest were divvied up for the next day’s events. The night went by uneventfully. As the group slept in their respective rooms the foreboding mist grew in thickness around the island. The next day the fog hung like a death shroud around the group as they made their way to the lighthouse.Akeem took the point while William and Rinaldo hung back dressed in the dead men’s clothes. Further back Trisha’s fingers danced in front of her as she started to weave a spell. Standing next to her Sinos started to take aim with his crossbow. There were two guards standing outside the lighthouse. Akhim greeting them and acted like there was nothing out of the ordinary. As the group approached the guards noticed the two extra shadows in the mist. “Fools,” one yelled, “you’ve been followed.” Then all at once the attack was on. Akhim dove at the screaming guard as William sliced his cutlass at the other. The air suddenly reeked of magic. With no visible changes the battle ensued. Sinos missed wildly with his bow shot and Rinaldo charged the guard that side stepped Akhim.The large man tried again. Swinging his massive chain he slipped and fell on the dew covered grass. With guard’s flank exposed Sinos took aim a second time and scored a hit. Added to that Rinaldo struck home his rapier. A few steps over William Flint now stood at the dead body of his advisory. The surviving guard reeled back from his numerous wounds. Kneeling in the grass Akeem was the first to press on the attack. With one last swing of his chain the guard slumped to the earth. Silence fell over the scene. For the first time ever in these young people’s lives they not only witnessed death but caused it. The weight of these actions took a long time to be absorbed. They were transfixed by their emotions. Only Trisha heard a dead bolt being unlatched from the light house. Voices were eventually heard behind a now partially opened door. A disembodied voice was heard, “…I don’t see anything.” Akeem quickly bounded to his feet and tried to sooth his former allies, “It’s me! Akhim!. Spike here wants to speak to you.” The man inside stepped out to speak to the now dead Spike. The door opened and Akeem and William bullied their way in. Three swordsmen stood in the foyer. The Captain’s son found himself between two of them dodging and parrying. The third man was overwhelmed by the sudden rush of Rinaldo, a bow shot by Sinos and the dazzling magic of Trisha. Eventually the guards fell to their superior number, but not before scoring some damage on William and screaming a warning cry to the rest of the crew.“Kill the hostages” bellowed the third man before Rinaldo sank his rapier into his gullet. William stepped back from the attack and yelled, “Throw the sleeping powder.” Trisha reached into her sack and handed the vial to Sinos. The shipwright not wanting to hit any of his friends threw with most care possible. He took to the side of caution a little too far and lobed the potion across the room and out the window on the far wall. From this point William, Akeem, and Rinaldo stepped forward and under a blur of sharpened steel drove the two remaining guards to their deaths.Once again an eerie silence rose up after a deadly battle. Shocked into the action the group was stirred by a voice coming from downstairs. “That’s one of them” spoke a barely human tongue. “Mother” whispered William. And then it was a mad scramble to the metal grate in the flooring. Rinaldo was the first to it. Pulling it aside the swordsman bounded down the staircase. When he reached the footing he saw a huge half-orc standing over a slumped human figure. Jed the light houseman was no more. Chained to one side the room was a woman in her 40’s screaming for help. Before he could act a man with a sword in each hand jumped right in front him and attacked.The rest piled down the stairs. The two fisted fighter kept everyone at bay while his half-orc companion moved over to Mrs. Flint. He swung madly as the captain’s wife ducked from the assault. William did a ‘tuck and roll’ and flipped out of combat. He escaped the dual swordsman’s reach. Concentrating on Rinaldo the man doubled his attacks. The young duelist was overwhelmed and crashed to the ground. As the man loomed over Rinaldo he was hit with magic. Trisha followed up her spell with a well-placed dagger throw that plunked into the man’s chest.The half-orc attention was drawn from the woman as Sinos and William attacked him from behind. As they pressed their attack Rinaldo crawled to the far corner of the room and started to drink a healing potion. He sat there as the curing fluid seeped into his body. The two fisted swordsman started to climb the steps and close in on Trisha. The spell user turned and ran up the stairs leading up. Akhim followed her.With his back exposed and Rinaldo now on his feet the young duelist easily dropped the fighter from the steps. Seeing this, the half-orc roared “You killed Lucky Bob.” Rinaldo looked back at the beast and retorted; “Now he’s Unlucky Bob.” The beast yelled in pain and anger. He brushed back William and Sinos and charged. This left him exposed and both men scored hits. As his life essence was draining he finally reached Rinaldo. Near death he was no match for the now renewed duelist. Sizing up the creature Rinaldo smirked, “Tell Lucky Bob I said hi.” And with that he drove his blade through.Sinos was the first to reach Mrs. Flint. Although alive her wounds would eventually kill her. The shipwright pulled out the healing drought Dr. Fautus gave him and brought it her lips. William was right behind. “Drink it mom” the son said, “you’re going to be ok.” She gulped it down as fast as her body would allow. Her wounds started to lighten and her heartbeat became steady once again.</blockquote>

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