[With all your passengers safely below deck, your mighty pinnace stands to face the peril of Captain Leon and his lackies. After a not-so-successful intimidation tactic, they're closing in. At least the fog is still obscuring your ship. And your shot on theirs too, for that matter.] [Session Start.] * Shan is standing at the side of the ship, where she was talking to the other guys moments ago. "Virgil. Can you make this fog stationary?" Of course. * Shan nods. "If we do that and cut off our other magic, they ought to believe we're still inside the fog. We can escape." [There are faint shouts coming from the direction of where the ship was. It sounds like it's bustling with activity as they turn about.] [Ship order: V-Flagship, Your ship, V-Sloop 1, V-Sloop 2.] * Virgil nods. "Simple enough." * Nasira bounces a little on the balls of her feet. She looks more excited than anything. * Shan nods. "Let's do it. It should buy us some time." [Anything Virgil does to alter his spells will take place after V-Sloop 2. Otherwise, your ship goes at once.] I hope you guys can man the ship through rough seas. I'd sooner chance that than a battle with three warships. Besides, they'll have the same problem. Besides, we need only navigate the rough seas until they figure out our ploy. Then you can return control with your magic. ( Change one of those besides to an "And" ) [Your ship's turn. Everyone who made it sees a fuzzy outline of a ship coming towards your location, not directly, but close enough to becoming a threat.] * Shan makes her way hurriedly over to the wheel. "I'll take over here, if you need to concentrate." Please do. * Shan does! * Virgil lets her! [One of Lucas's men peeks out from below deck. "Boss wants to know if we're firing or not."] We're holding fire unless the other ships manage a pursuit. [He nods. "I'll tell 'im that. Thanks."] [He disappears. Like ninja. Ninja pirate. Wait, there are no ninjas and you aren't pirates. Wait a minute.] ... [Shan manages to turn about and try to get past them. The fog remains where it is, though it shrinks around them. It looks like Virgil manages it so the flagship is just inside the radius, so they probably don't notice.] Think it's gonna work, boss? [All those who made it notice one ship hasn't entered the fog yet. Since the weather's stormy (and it's hard to see all around the fog anyways), they might not have seen the shrinkage, but they still might be trouble if they spot your ship.] [They move. Your turn again.] * Shan continues sailing. "They're bound to notice sooner or later. But maybe this will buy us enough time." Should, especially if I hamper their movement if they come to us. * Naiya watches the fog. Worryingly. * Shan nods. "If worse comes to worst, Nasira can set them on fire." [Shan continues to sail and reaches the end of the fog. The ship starts to lurch as it hits the stormy waters. And you feel what the *real* weather is like. It's not pleasant. Lightning flashes across the clouds. And water falls from the sky! Eek!] * Shan is used to this kinda thing. [Shan actually does feel more at home in the storm, yes.] * Naiya blinks a bit at the booming thunder and wet rain. She seems more comfortable, somehow. [The other ship starts to turn about in pursuit. The two ships in the fog haven't seemed to turn to pursue yet, though it's hard to see them at all, so you can't really tell.] * Nasira whistles as she watches the rain and lightning. And gets poured on. But she doesn't seem to mind, even though she'll probably catch pneumonia. * Shan glances back, frowning. "Well, the odds are a little more even now. Let's gain some distance." [Enzo is still being a little a little rigging monkey, making sure the ship is all a-go-go.] Tell Lucas to prepare to fire. ( Tell Lucas to prepare a meal. ) [Your ship.] (Tell Lucas to prepare UR MOM) [In case you didn't know.] * Shan continues driving away!. (/me sets up Virgil the MOM!) ( Take off every mom. ) (MOVE MOM MOVE MOM MOVE MOM MOVE MOM YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DOING WHEN YOU MOVE EVERY MOM) (* Nasira KILLS YOU ALL) (AND UR MOM) (OH SNAP! DID YOU JUST GO THERE?! *snaps three times*) ( AND UR LITTLE DOG TOO. ) (... Great, now I'm imagining Virgil as a black woman. It so doesn't work.) ( Zeg? Die. ) [Shan manages to keep the ship steady. For being in the midst of a storm, it's fairly smooth. The other ship is to your starboard stern. They're keeping up, but not gaining enough distance to fire, yet.] [Virgil starts to notice the strain as the fog spell reaches near the end of its range. It's going to start dispersing if it stays stationary.] Our ruse is working, they're still trying to dispel the cloudbank over there. It'll be going away soon enough anyways. We're reaching the edge of my influence. They shouldn't be able to see us easily in this storm, though. * Shan nods. "As soon as it does, put the wind in our sails." That's heartful news. As soon as we're far enough away from the other two, we'll take care of this one. 'course. [The other ship starts turning within firing range. There's a warning shot from the cannons. It lands a few dozen meters from your starboard side.] * Shan frowns. "Better make that now. Even if they can't see us, they probably heard that." Hey, if we take over a ship, that's an upgrade, right? If it doesn't sink first, I suppose so. Although I'd be wary of sailing into port on a Vithril ship. Change the colors on the flag! Who's gonna know? I don't think it's so simple as that... but never mind that now. * Lucas comes up from below decks to see where they're getting shot at *from.* * Shan acknowledges him. "I fear we may need to see the power of your equipment sooner than anticipated, Mr. Smithson." [Virgil manages to drop it. As Shan anticipated, the other ships are starting to turn at the shot. The other ship seems to be having a bit of a hindrance with the wind. They're reefing the sails a bit more and breaking out oars.] * Lucas nods. "It looks that way. It's too bad we didn't have time to install the swivels, or I'd be able to show you what one of them can do right now." [Shan seems to be falling behind with the ship. It's a little rougher sailing from here. Fortunately, no one's thrown on their feet.] * Nasira wipes water out of her eye and watches, a bit impatiently. [Shan's hands start to feel a bit tingly.] * Lucas watches the other ship and waits for it to start moving in a direction he can shoot at it from if that becomes necessary. [The brig is turning at a slower rate than the other ships. The sloop is in pursuit, but quite a ways behind the other warship, who is trying to keep up against the wind.] * Naiya watches the other ships, worryingly. [There's another opening fire. Shan, evasive action.] [The cannon balls get disturbingly close to the stern of the ship. Fortunately, Shan's swift thinking saves you from a hit.] * Shan glances back again. "A little further..." * Lucas grits his teath and then makes his way to the one stern firing cannon. * Nasira steps forward and leans against the outer rail, trying to get a better look through the driving wind and rain. [The other ships have oriented themselves and are in pursuit as well. The brig, now that it's turned around property, seems to be gaining ground. The other sloop still lags behind.] [The one that is Virgil-tortured is still starting to lag.] * Naiya heads over to the cannon with Lucas. Better view. * Shan glances back again. "It's about time to start fighting." * Nasira grins at the sound of the word 'fighting'. * Lucas takes a potshot at the closer sloop with a perfectly normal cannonball. [The sloop takes a perfectly normal shattering on the main deck.] [And return fire. Sadly, their cannon shot is a bit further off.] ( Not sad for us! ) [Your ships turn.] * Lucas pauses in his reloading, to shake his head and murmur about poor sods with inadequate equipment, Naiya can hear him because she's down there with him and one of his men. Virgil, do you have enough power to keep them from catching us? I can certainly try. I need a yes or no. If you don't think you can do it, we should slow down and defeat this ship now, before the others catch up. [At that, the brig starts seeming to have problems. There seems to be a lot of commotion. There's some bellowing from the deck.] I'm holding the brig back, I'll try working on the last ship soon. * Shan nods, "Good." She raises her voice. "Everyone, prepare to attack!" [There's a whirring sound coming through the air. Tactics roll, all who can.] [No they do not have helicopters. They do, however, have chain shot whirring high above you. And it's aimed well. Shan, needs evasive action.] * Nasira grins more fiercely, her hair whipping in the wind. She keeps her eye on the approaching ship. [Shan manages to avoid two of the shots whipping through the rigging. Enzo, however, is dangerously close to one that whips by and starts to fall towards the deck below.] [Meanwhile, Lucas takes another shot. There is a loud hissing as it leaves the cannon and it's enveloped in a sheath that looks like a swirling vortex. The ball actually seems to curve through the air and make straight for the enemy sloop's mast. Those on watch duty can see the entire mizzenmast come crashing down and lean over the side of the ship. [Yes, the ship looks fairly immobile now. Two pursuers.] Nice shot! Very impressive. * Lucas calls up. "And _that_ ladies and gentlemen is why you need to purchase some of my cannons of your very own!" * Nasira laughs and calls down, "Hey, do you think you can shoot me out of one of those?" [The brig is nearing normal firing range. The sloop is starting to pull up near the side of it as it pursues you.] * Shan continues fleeing. "Now we'll continue to fall back. This should separate the remaining ships. ( Ooooor not? ) * Lucas makes with the reloading! [The sloop starts to falter and lag behind and doesn't manage to keep up after the brig after all.] [All of the sudden, there's a flash of purplish blue light in a dome shape around the brig, but it only lasts for a second as it shatters. The brig lurches forward and regains normal speed.] [The sail doesn't even flutter from the blast of wind. They're approaching fast.] Looks like they brought their own mage! The heck was that? How annoying. [Enzo, however, is dangerously close to the one that whips by. He gets knocked off the rigging and manages to catch on to one of the ropes, leaving him dangling above the deck.] [The line Enzo's dangling from finally comes loose. Enzo lets out a brief yell before he plummets.] * Nasira looks over. "Kid!" She starts running across the slick deck, jumping over uneven planks to do so. This will probably all end in blood and tears. [The brig starts to turn away from the shot. It still hits, but manages to take a small chunk off instead of a gouge. [And Nasira leaps up and catches Enzo easily, saving him from smacking the deck.] * Nasira jumps up, snatching Enzo out of the air! She comes down hard and barely manages to miss one of the poles. "I've *got* to give you falling lessons, Kid." * Lucas would be impressed if he had any idea that had happened, but instead he gets to work on reloading. [Them turning launches the front half of their broadside at you. 4 cannon balls stream through the air. Though two fall short, two are still heading for your boat. Shan, evasive action.] [The two balls slam into the back of the deck. The ship lurches forward even more and splinters go flying from the back of the deck.] * Shan grits her teeth. * Nasira helps set Enzo on his feet, then stumbles as splinters fly. She turns her eye towards the deck, surveying the damage. * Lucas fires a second normal cannonball at the brig, and after a brief flurry of activity has the gun primed for a second shot faster than seems humanly possible. When he takes it the gun belches fire, and then more fire back at the sails of the ship behind them. [The ship turns back on course to gain ground. 400 meters and closing. The ship takes the cannonball on the bow. The ship lurches to the side as it swivels away, narrowly avoiding the fireball, which splashes into the water.] [To be continued.]