Colonizing the Dark Continent (For Weiss Ritter)

[Xatarias]

Milly almost flinches as you pull yourself from your defeatist melancholy and are brazen enough to lean in for a kiss. She remains rigid for only a moment before softening into your embrace and kissing you back with equal parts relief and affection. Then the pirate pushes against you and disengages, letting you breath freely and aching for her touch.


"Uh uh, I'm still mad at you Master Brightland. Don't think that making puppy eyes and acting all sensitive is going to get you off easy. You're going to have to work if you want my fine ass anywhere near your bed again."


Somehow you knew it was never going to be this easy. Now that the emotional crisis has passed, Milly has firmly entrenched herself in the righteously outraged territory of lovers' spats. You're still in the dog house. Knowing how hard-to-get Milly normally presents herself, you can only guess at what it might take to earn her forgiveness.


"I suppose I can't reasonably order you to stay away from "that other woman", can I?... Speaking of which."


Milly stomps over to the entrance and calls in Telai, who hesitantly arrives, clearly apprehensive about entering into a lovers' quarrel. She gives you a look that clearly asks where she stands in the tangled mess that is your love life, but Milly gives no opportunity to clear the air, pulling over a table and plopping down with the air of one calling a meeting to order.


"I figure we should get to work on our plan of attack.," She states imperiously. "The men are clearly still reeling after Nat's little announcement, but we can't afford to sit around twiddling our thumbs until they get their heads screwed on straight."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel melted into embrace and kiss. The warmth and softness banished what little remained of the crushing tide of dark emotions from his mind. As Milly pushed him away, the rational part of his mind was able to start functioning again. Perhaps...not at 100% efficiency in the wake of that intimate moment, but still.


"I know. I didn't think it would and that's not what I meant by all this at all," The young Brightland said with a slight sigh. Honestly? Even if that breakdown had...somehow resolved all the complications in their relationship in a way that wasn't incredibly unhealthy, getting Milly or anyone else into his bed would have been the last thing on his mind about now. An emotional crisis involving visions of his loved ones being broken down into living toys and tools for his enemies had not exactly put him in the mood.


...It was still going to be one hell of a problem for the three of them to try and sort out, to say nothing of however Cynthia might plan to weigh into it.


Nathaniel could only offer Telai the briefest of uncertain glances before Milly unilaterally declared their strategic meeting active.


"Right..." The scholarly merchant took his seat at the table with a slightly more confident air. "I'm inclined to think finding a solution to the Forest Folk issue should be our top priority. I have some thoughts on how to fortify Newport and would like to see whether our men can be trained to resist the Gift in any way, but those things should probably wait until the morale is steady. Meanwhile, if the Forest Folk decide we're enemies, we'll have to fight tooth and nail to not be restricted to the coasts and whatever we might have been able to accomplish with the silk deal is lost."


"If their warchief is to be believed, their leadership is going to be in a deadlock over whether or not to uphold their part of that bargain if we can't sway any of their council to our side. I have a feeling their population may be similarly divided. Still, all we really need, I suppose, is to ensure they aren't actively murderous towards us or the Hillfolk for the foreseeable future."

 

[Xatarias]

"Still, fortifying the town might not be the best way to foster goodwill with the squirrels. I realize that we're sorely outnumbered and we don't want to get caught with our trousers down-" Telai glares at a suspicious cough from Milly before continuing. "It doesn't serve our purpose to be completely unassailable while making no money. Small as we are, the company requires funds, something we don't have an unlimited supply of."


"We need more information about the political situation in the forest and where the Hillfolk stand amongst it all. A diplomatic mission needs to be sent into the jungle even if it risks aggravating the Forestfolk."


Your thoughts go to your other assets. The farmland you secured from clearing the forest is currently a smoking crater-filled battlefield. Making it suitable for agriculture will be a serious undertaking. There's also the stock of lumber you secured early on. The supply would be invaluable in constructing your base and other fortifications, although you're fairly certain you could sell the material to the locals at a premium what with half the town being leveled.


"We've also got an issue on my end," Milly hesitantly says. "Cynthia bought off my crew and has my sloop impounded at the docks. When the fighting started, she made it pretty clear that my siding against her would have repercussions. I tried to misdirect her, but she must have saw through it and sent some goons ahead to stop me from setting sail. What's worse, she's got the paperwork saying I defaulted. She might actually own the damn thing now... Technically."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel nodded in agreement with Telai's assessment and tried not to flinch when the tension between her and Milly made itself known, however briefly. Still, the pair were tolerating each other well enough to hold this meeting. He couldn't complain about what his romantic rashness had led to that much.


"What is the status of our funding, anyway? Did our forces lose anything when they were forced to withdraw?" The young man glanced to Telai with a slight frown.


Cynthia certainly hadn't hesitated to swipe his quarters when given the chance, and they would need to ensure that their men were paid on time at least until the silks from the Forest Folk came through or another source of income was exploited to keep the company afloat. The farmland would take time to produce profits even without the expense of repairing the damage it had suffered, but the lumber could provide his expedition with a respectable infusion of cash if needed...and if the cost of being entirely reliant on a Lentani-controlled Newport for fortification with only Cynthia's isolated island fort as a back up for either of their forces could be stomached.


"Ah..." Nathaniel took a breath and pressed a hand to his forehead when Milly spoke up. Even setting aside his personal stake in what befell Milly, a ship like that under her command was an invaluable resource. Newport was not without other sources of commercial traffic, but with the Syndicate's connections and commitment to ousting him from power, he wasn't sure he could trust the shipment of anything truly important to anyone else but the red-headed smuggler. To say nothing of the benefits of having a mobile artillery piece.


"Well...we have common cause with her now, but I'll be shocked if she doesn't try to make up the costs she sunk into getting control of that vessel at our expense. Assuming she is 'gracious' enough not to try and fleece us completely..." Nathaniel glanced at Milly, fully expecting a confirmation and perhaps a remark that he was understating what the Lentanti dominatrix was capable of on the battlefield of business.


"Still, I don't see any alternatives to clearing that up except through negotiation. Is there anything she might need or want that we might be able to use in trade? I noticed the sabotage inflicted upon the cannons. If the Hillfolk are as talented miners and blacksmiths as I suspect they are, that may gives us something to work with."

 

[Xatarias]

Telai rubs her eyes, clearly fatigued after spending the better part of two days on her feet. Just looking at her makes you aware of your own weariness. Hanging unconscious from a rafter doesn't really count as a good night's sleep.


"Well I made sure our weaponry was under careful watch even when it was back at the Skittering Crab. When we started building the fort, the arsenal was moved, so we've retained most of our guns and powder. As for money," She shrugs, "I'll be honest sir, we're broke. Milly was in charge of what we brought in for the rum and..."


"And I locked it away in my safe... Hidden under the floorboards of my cabin," Milly finishes miserably.


Telai looks like she wants to comment on Milly's slip up, but has the grace to let it pass unmentioned.


"And to answer your question, the even if the Hillfolk could repair Cynthia's guns, we have to wonder what price they'll be asking for their labor and if it's worth rearming our most immediate threat. It's a little hard for me to stomach that those cannons somehow make us safer after they did a fine job of leveling our fort..."


"The men have been paid for the season, so they won't be begging for their wages. But they will be expecting to be fed, and there's only so much we can bring in foraging. Even with your help, we don't know much of what's good to eat around here. Not to mention that if relations with the locals have gone sour, picking berries might get you an arrow through the eye."


A moment of silence passes amongst the three of you, allowing you to digest what's been said.


"Things could be worse," Milly suggests weakly, "We could be dead from the Lentani shelling us."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel looked over Telai with a concerned frown. He'd almost considered being thankful for being knocked unconscious for an indeterminate amount of time since it spared him yet another restless night living out the Patron's exploits, now that he could acutely feel just how little rest that actually got him...


Being hammered back-to-back with bad news wasn't helping things either. Each statement almost hurt like a physical blow. It was enough to make his head start throbbing again, at least.


"That sort of thinking is why I wanted to save fortifying Newport that way for later," Nathaniel said grimly with a glance at Telai. Nothing in his tone or eyes was reproachful, though. "You saw for yourself what Agatha was capable of and what it might mean if her employer decides a stronger presence is needed on this continent. If that's how you feel, I can only imagine how everyone who isn't Drail might take us going out of our way to re-arm the Lentani forces so soon..."


"Still, if we have to defend Newport from one threat or another, it'll be nice to have something heavier than muskets to rely on. This...alliance we have isn't going to be taken very seriously if neither side actually does anything to help the other either. I'm not sure if Cynthia really understands what we may be up against, but she were out to destroy us outright she could have have a lot worse done to me before releasing me or my corpse back to you all. Of course, all that assumes the Hillfolk are capable of helping us repair the canons and that we can convince them to do so..."


Silence fell for a moment as Milly tried to spot the silver lining in it all while Nathaniel pondered.


"Proposal: we sell some of our lumber to Newport while it is a valued commodity to ensure our men have enough food to last at least until we can try to make peace with the Forest Folk. Before we leave to do that, we can at least try to get Cynthia to return Milly's ship and get a feel for her terms if she isn't. I realize there are concerns among both of you and the rest of the expedition over whether we can trust the Lentani forces, but it seems to me starvation rather than being shot is the most immediate threat we face. Without access to Newport, our forces can't sustain themselves whether we're besieged by Cynthia or some other foe. Any thoughts or criticism?"

 

[Xatarias]

Milly looks sorely miffed. No doubt she wanted you to storm the docks and reclaim her prized vessel, but she has the good sense of not proposing such a radical course of action. She frowns but nods in acceptance of your cautious game plan. The compliance of your normally flighty pirate companion makes it all the more surprising when Telai raises her hand with a bold suggestion.


"Sir, I get that we don't want to aggravate Cynthia after we've secured such a tenuous peace but... From the sounds of it, Milly's ship is the specified collateral to be confiscated upon the default of her debt. Just because she owns the ship doesn't mean that Milly can't retrieve what possessions we have on it. Mistress Lentani might smell a rat if we ask permission to board the sloop, but if we showed up unannounced and retrieved something she didn't know existed in the first place..."


Milly's shark smile returns just when you thought you had her cowed.


"That's right! Oh come one Nat, this is for the good of the mission. We shouldn't have to compromise our defenses to fill our bellies. This way, we move forward on all fronts while we negotiate with the tree jumpers. The only one who loses is Cynthia and she's not been inspiring much sympathy as of late."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

A frown tugged at the edges of Nathaniel's lips at Milly's expression. It wasn't enough that he'd hurt her on a personal level, now she might have him to blame for making her a captain without a ship as well. All because he was so scared of a threat that was was probably distant and abstract to her.


What else could he do, though? Tearing apart a truce and tentative alliance he had only just established thanks to a "lucky" blow to the head and Cynthia's personal Gifted maid being on-hand just wasn't an option with Syndicate reinforcements on the way and a tribe of potentially hostile Forest Folk prowling the woods.


"Oh...?" Nathaniel visibly perked up in his seat at Telai's suggestion. This time a smile began to force its way across the young man's expression, one that was eerily similar to the roguishly predatory one Milly wore despite its much smaller size.


"She did steal my quarters and at least one of my notes. I haven't quite been able to do a full inventory of my equipment yet either, so I believe we might be entitled to that much..." Leaving aside the fact they had stolen the alcohol that made that money in the first place, albeit out of the justified fear that Cynthia intended to steal all of Newport, it seemed only fair!


"I agree, approve, and will offer whatever aid is needed to accomplish this."

 

[Xatarias]

Milly bangs the table with enthusiasm before crossing the room to the weapons rack.


"Alright, now we're talking! I'll get my rifle and clear a rooftop. We'll-"


"Considering a slipup might jeopardize our shaky diplomatic circumstances, I don't think taking potshots at your old crewmembers is the best course of action," Telai interjects, "In fact, I think Nathanial should run point on this mission."


Milly looks severely put out looking up from her richly decorated rifle.  The weapon's bore is positively massive, complemented by an obscene barrel length that no doubt made the thing very, very accurate. "This thing kills chauvinists" has been neatly carved into the side of its delicate ivory inlay- no doubt a personal touch Milly added after "acquiring" it from an unfortunate desert chieftain.


"And just when I thought you'd pulled that stick out of your-"


"This is the best way," Telai says firmly, "Cynthia has already shown Nathanial is more useful to her alive than dead. Her men likely have orders not to hurt him, giving us an edge."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Telai spoke up before Nathaniel could, but that just gave him more time to gawk at the rifle she pulled out. Gods, how had he not noticed that thing sooner?!


As far as instruments of mass slaughter went, it was beautiful. The design was inspired and certainly explained how Mllly could make such impossibly accurate shots even by the standards of master marksmen. He couldn't help but raise an inquisitive brow at the ivory engraving the buxom corsair had added to her prized musket. There must have been a fascinating story there. Probably one even more interesting than "I stumbled across a rich pretty boy in the jungle, kidnapped him, and carved my signature into his pistol once I had my wicked way with the poor lad!".


"That...could work..." Nathaniel leaned back in his seat, looking thoughtful now. "Besides that, I could claim I left something on your ship before...all of this happened that I need to retrieve if any of her men start asking questions. I'll probably have more leeway on that front than you, and if all else fails I might be able to use those powers of mine."


The very notion caused an uncertain frown to take root on the young Brightland's features. He hadn't exactly been able to test the limits of how much he could use his powers while remaining undetected. Claire had been quick to pounce upon him when he targeted the Lentani mercenaries, but that had also been a somewhat grand and unsubtle display. Would a quick Leave me alone be as easy to detect as a mass Die for me so long as they both remained in Newport...?

 

[Xatarias]

You agree, or rather convince Milly, to wait until nightfall when much of the ship's crew will be on the town whoring and having their fill of Newport's signature rotgut. Although this mission is planned to entail more subterfuge than outright violence, your pirate lover hasn't seem to gotten the memo.


Milly cuts a frightening figure, her normal colorful garb exchanged for tight-fitting black clothes and bandanas that covers much of her face and forehead. Her rifle is slung at her back and you glimpse the dull glint of several blackened throwing daggers spirited about her person.


"I haven't had fun with this cloak and dagger stuff since I crawled through the gunport of a galleon to set its magazine ablaze," Milly smiles fiercely, "I'll watch your back from the bell tower across the bay, if someone gets frisky..."


Telai looks up from the chess problem you set up for her- the amazon is making good progress despite her frustration with the game's intricacies. With the crew relieved from its duties for the night, she has made it known that she plans to spend the evening with you in conference. No one outside you and your lieutenants are aware of tonight's mission.


"And while you're monkeying around in the rafters, I suppose I'll be the own to make sure no one lets Cynthia know of our intentions before Nathanial's left." She moves her queen's bishop in what you surmise is the third best move available. "It's all going to depend on you talking down the ship's night watch, sir. If things go south, don't hesitate to signal the retreat. We can always find another way to make ends meet..."


Her implication that you aren't so easily replaced isn't missed by Milly, who glares at the sleekly muscled amazon, but makes no comment other than a eye roll and a snort.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel's gaze swept over Milly curiously when she emerged in her new attire. It brought back memories of the time she had clothed and equipped him to play the part of her dashing, gunslinging first mate...and how absurdly over the top his performance was until she started coaching. The overtly covert nature of Milly's clothing almost made him wonder if something similar was happening again, but he couldn't think of a better way to blend in with the shadows or maintain anonymity. As long as her trigger finger didn't get itchy or the pirate didn't decide to make him pay her back for all the emotional turmoil in blood at the last second, he probably couldn't have asked for a better backup.


"I appreciate it. You'll have to tell me the full story sometime. But...well, by 'frisky', I hope you mean 'directly threatening my life'? If things escalate far enough that we get besieged in that fort again, there's a good chance we'll be starved out in short order."


Nathaniel flashed the buxom corsair an apologetic look. After everything he'd directly and indirectly put her through, dampening her enthusiasm like this seemed almost uncalled for, but her and the rest of his entire expedition's safety was at stake here.


Glancing over Telai and the chessboard, he nodded at her progress with a hint of a smile. She was learning quickly! Maybe if they could carve out enough freetime for themselves, he would have someone he could enjoy a decent match with, or at least stop his skills from atrophying entirely. All this adventuring had given him food for thought on bold new strategies to test...


"Right. We're hardly going to be immediately doomed if I can't get past the guards and that money may not be going anywhere for awhile yet,"


The young Brightland nodded again at Telai and frowned at the exchanged between her and Milly. He said nothing, though. As uneasy as it made him whenever they clashed like this, he really couldn't have expected any better after the situation he'd engineered by not thinking things through in the Hillfolks' caves. So far, they had worked together well enough that there were no real complaints he could bring against either as their employer. As their lover...again, this was a problem of his own making and would be dealt with one way or another given time.


"Are we ready, then?"

 

[Xatarias]

Preparations complete, your two companions rise and you exit the compound. Milly scurries off into the distant shanty town, while you and Telai approach the docks at a more leisurely pace.


"Well she hasn't tried to shoot me yet," Telai remarks, watching Milly go, "Still, she hasn't been subtle about her opinion in regards to our relationship. I'm trying not to be obtuse about this, but if she keeps baiting me... I can't have her showing disrespect in front of the men."


You get the feeling that your stoic lieutenant has more on her mind than the respect of her subordinates. Professional as she is, Telai is only human and no doubt doesn't appreciate being constantly heckled by her rival in romance. Settling this conflict at least somewhat amicably might be a higher priority than you originally thought.


You soon reach the coastline, a pristine beachhead of white sand broken only by the crude boardwalk of the docks. You take cover behind a stack of barrels near a log-constructed warehouse and get a closer look.


The only ship in harbor is Milly's sloop and its deck is empty as far as you can tell from this distance. Two bobbing lanterns at the foot of the dock reveal the presence of at least two guards. It might be possible to enter the ship unseen from the water, or you could stick to the original plan and bluff your way in. Telai claps you on the shoulder and slips away to her pre-planned position in the nearby streets. Her presence will keep Cynthia uninformed of your infiltration for a time, but you need to get moving.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"I understand. I'll try to talk with her about all of this again once our immediate problems are solved," Nathaniel said calmly even as he inwardly suppressed a sigh and a frown. Telai couldn't look weak in front of her men and he was similarly bound to conceal the extent of his uncertainty and apprehension even from his lieutenants. Their trip through the forest and the breakdowns he'd endured before had probably eroded enough of their confidence in him already.


The young man's eyes flickered over the sea contemplatively before returning to the guards. He certainly hadn't done anything as dramatic as slipping in through a gunport to gut an entire ship from the inside out with one well-placed match, but all that fencing practice and physical conditioning had left him with a pretty firm understanding of how to be light and quick on his feet. At least in short bursts...when he wasn't being jumped by giants with greatswords...


Nathaniel nodded to Telai and stood once the southerner had enough time to slip into position.


He approached the dock with a hand raised to set the guards at ease. A bluff had the potential to go wrong even if he fooled these men and walked away with Milly's treasure without incident this night, but he could try sneaking through the water as a back up if needed.


"Gentlemen," Nathaniel would have said and nodded politely unless one or both of the guards happened to be women, at which point a more appropriate greeting would have been substituted. "I've been informed of the ship's potential change in ownership, but I left some...ah...personal effects in the Captain's cabin before the skirmishes began..." His eyes broke contact with the guards' and flickered about uneasily, as if searching for any others who might be privy to his dark secrets. A subtle but awkward shifting of his weight was fabricated as well.


After so much time spent being flustered or thrust into situations where he could only stammer bashfully, Nathaniel liked to think he had enough experience to really do a good job faking those emotions.


"M-may I retrieve them, please? Some of the tools could actually be used by my expedition and if this vessel won't be going anywhere without Cynthia Lentani's permission, I'd rather have them on hand. Especially if we're going to stop the natives from going on a warpath."

 

[Xatarias]

The two pirates guarding the docks shift uncomfortably in their boots, having endured a hours of uneventful boredom. The stiffen at your approach, clearly recognizing you. These two were either warned about you in advance or were on board when you and Milly visited Cynthia's coastal lair.


(Charisma roll: 9)


They're certainly on edge to the point that they don't give your story much credence.


"Well, see'n how this be private property, we're not letting ya on deck without word from the new boss," Says the lead guard, fingers lightly resting on one of his many pistols.


"O' course, we could take a look for you," offers his companion, "Just give us an idea what you're look'n for, an' we'll see if it's on board."


He gives you a snaggle-toothed smile that no doubt was designed to set you at ease.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Shockingly, the guard's "reassuring" smile had the opposite effect. Nathaniel's eyes flickered back and forth between the two pirates with an uncertain frown just below.


Outwardly, he was a young upperclassman afraid of what rumors would start spreading like wildfire if two drunken sailors got a good look at the evidence of whatever kinks he'd been indulging in with their former captain in her personal quarters.


Inwardly, he was rushing to draw up a new plan. There were sailors who'd been bought off by Cynthia. He couldn't trust them to not try to profit at his expense the moment they realized there could be money in it for them one way or another. Carrying an entire safe around was out and while the Gift was a powerful trump card, it would do more harm than good here unless he could subdue both these men without them remembering the incident or their comrades and Claire learning of it.


"That won't be necessary," Nathaniel said with a sigh that was not entirely feigned. "I'll see if we can make do until things are more...stable between our groups, and if not I'll ask her permission as discretely as possible,"


If there were no objections, the young Brightland would have turned on his heel and faded back into the night...or so it would seem as he slipped back into the shadows to observe the guards and their light as soon as it was all a respectable distance away. He would wait to see if they moved to alert their fellows or fell back into bored indifference once a long, uneventful night seemed to stretch out before them once again.


If the latter happened, and only if the latter happened, Nathaniel would have tried to silently enter the ship through the water. He was starting to feel uneasy about all this. Not just because of what could happen to him if he got caught, but...well, he'd been disappointed by the Forest Folk warchief's reluctant to even tolerate the Hillfolk while a common threat loomed over them both and felt a bit of pride at managing to set aside his and Cynthia's family feud to cooperate against the Syndicate.


...Yet here he was, trying to covertly reclaim some of the money earned through their prior squabbling for power in Newport because he couldn't trust his "ally" enough to just ask for it? It wasn't quite that simple, Cynthia had already taken quite a bit from his expedition and he doubted Milly and Telai would have been amused if he tried to put his foot down, but...still. Unless he elected to abandon this entire operation, he wasn't going to be able to lecture "Scruffy" with the same fervor as before.

 

[Xatarias]

The guards seem to be conferring for a time before one of them leaves the docks, headed in the direction of Newports central district. He doesn't make it passed the first house when a shadowy figure dart behind him. There is a dull thud and the man goes limp, tumbling to the ground before being dragged discretely into a nearby alleyway. Well if you were concerned about this whole affair escalating before...

 

[Weiss Ritter]

All the doubts created by the clash of Machiavellian realism and the ideals he should have been living up to were crystallized the moment Nathaniel saw one of the guards leave only to felled by his (too) trusty backup. A report to Cynthia that he had approached Milly's vessel in the dead of night to retrieved some mysterious package would have raised some rather justified suspicion but that was something he could probably diffuse. This, though? That man was going to wake up with memories of being jumped by an unseen assailant conveniently  right after noting suspicious Brightland activity. Whether he recovered Milly's money or not, even the most tenuous claim to innocence was going to be lost if he didn't get on top of this now.


Nathaniel tried to preposition himself into the alleyway as stealthily as he could. Presumably, Telai and the unconscious sailor awaited him within.


"I'm strongly considering ending this subterfuge now," The young man murmured to his ally. Assuming all was well, he would have knelt down before their captive and reached out with his mind with as much speed and discretion as he could manage.


He just needed to confirm what the guard's purpose in leaving his post was, then see if it was possible to cover up this violent diversion in his memories. Replacing it with something relatively innocent would be ideal. I heard something suspicious and went into the alley to investigate, but some debris conked me on the head. Maybe? Newport was structurally unsound enough at the best of times, must less in the wake of a small war, for that to be not entirely implausible if he could plant some fallen wood nearby...

 

[Xatarias]

Telai looks up from rifling through the sailors pocket, incredulous at your appearance.


"What are you... Sir, I don't think you realize the gravity of this situation. Lentani is counting on you being penniless and desperate. With our present resources we'll either end up begging for food, or skimping on our defenses and relying on what Lentani has prepared, and you can bet she's going to ask for more than gold in exchange for her helpfulness. If we're going to work with her, it needs to be on equal footing."


Telai is in full mission-mode, clearly agitated that her fellow "soldier" performing up to standards. While she's already admitted your cerebral to be particularly attractive, the stoic woman is a creature of action.


She catches your look of concern directed at the unconscious sailor. Unfortunately for you, you do not possess the psychic finesse to deftly swap memories- if such a thing is even possible. You are just as likely to turn him into a drooling vegetable as a bewildered man with a headache.


"People get jumped all the time in Newport. I'll carry this poor lout to the far end of town and steal his money and boots. You'd be amazed what people don't remember after a knock to the head. Besides, his friend back there will report that no one came or went and when they search the ship, nothing will be missing... Right?"


You can't help but glance at the surf as the dark water rolls in. At least there's a full moon out tonight.


Telai hoists her victim in a fireman's carry.


"You can do this Nathanial."

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel's jaw clenched at Telai's words, the conflict on his face plain to see. The amazon may have been a creature of action and perfectly in her element here, but this was grinding against some of the fundamental tenets he had been raised with. Not the cloak and dagger work itself, sometimes the ends really did justify the means, but the underhanded light it cast on an alliance he was trying to take seriously. When a contract or bargain was willingly made, you were supposed to keep it, damn it! As much out of principle as practicality to ensure your word actually meant something. Still...Telai wasn't wrong. He'd seen what a ruthless businesswoman Cynthia Lentani could be at the negotiating table, and if the stories Milly told him were true...


"Grah..." The young man sighed as his powers just...refused to move with the delicate precision he required. Whether it was a lack experience on his part or a limitation for all except a handful of uniquely Gifted individuals he couldn't say, but it was a frustrating failure all the same.


"Right..." Nathaniel forced his tone to sound neutral as he stood and faced the ocean. Unease still twisted about in his gut, but he silently advanced towards the water anyway. Whether it was an open window or a gunport like the one Milly herself had penetrated before, he intended to infiltrate through one of the unconventional and hopefully unguarded openings.

 

[Xatarias]

(Fortitude roll: 13)


The water is mercifully warm and surprisingly calm once you are a few yards out. You are helped by the fact that dock is constructed on a series of timber poles driven into the submerged sand. You don't swim so much as jump from handhold to handhold, freezing and ducking underwater whenever you hear the guard aimlessly pacing his post overhead. Close to your target, you push over to the last pole and cling to it. A small crab skitters across your hand, startling you.


The sloop is a open-decked vessel, meaning there isn't a gun deck for you infiltrate. You'll have to keep low, below the gunwale in order to remain out of sight while on board. The silver lining is that Milly's sloop sitting low to the waterline means that you won't have fair to climb. Scrambling up onto the dock and jumping the gap between ship and its mooring would be the fastest method, but definitely risky. Alternatively you could shimmy up the anchor chain, although it would mean swimming around or under the vessel's hull.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

"Nnh...!" Nathaniel jumped as a crab marched over his hand. His grunt would have been inaudible to anyone who wasn't intimately close to him, the splash of water being displaced by his sudden movement almost indistinguishable from the sound fo the waves endlessly brushing against the wooden supports, but to him the noises seemed to echo into the night.


When no gang of burly guards descended upon him, the young man forced himself to relax and continue on his way. There was something different about this stealth thing that set him on edge compared to exploring the wilderness or even dueling Agatha. Or perhaps he'd simply been too hyped up on adrenaline in both cases to feel this...electrified.


His eyes darted between the dock and the underside of the ship for a split second before a decision was made. The guard at the dock might have been moderately alert after his failed attempt to talk his way past, and he still didn't know for sure whether there were more sailors standing watch. The sea was calm and warm, swimming beneath Milly's ship seemed like a simple matter of holding his breath for a bit rather than fighting a strong current for every inch.


Nathaniel quietly sucked in two lungfulls of air before submerging himself fully and advancing beneath the waves.

 

[Xatarias]

(Fortitude roll: 11)


You pull yourself along the hull of the sloop, your fingers treated to the disturbing sensation of barnacles retreating into their shells. The time you estimated it taking to cross under the ship feels ten times longer now that you are actually underwater, but soon you emerge from the boats shadow into open water. The moon's light guides you back to the surface.


(Insight roll: 16)


Getting a good grip on the sizable links of the anchor's chain, you manage to hoist yourself level with the lip of the ship's deck. Peering over, it doesn't appear that any other crewmen are present. A grunting noise draws your attention overhead, but the silhouette of a prone figure in the crows nest and a rather loud snore assures your presence remains undetected.


The door to Milly's cabin is only a short distance away. In the distance, you can see the guard on the docks turn in his pacing towards shore. 

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel flinched at the odd sensation of the barnacles pulling back into their shells, but didn't let it waste precious time and air even for an instant. He may not have been a sailor by trade, but he knew enough about ships to be aware of some of the parasites that tended to cling on and burrow into their hulls. The young man took care to apply only as much pressure to his hands along the hull as he needed to to maintain his momentum. Any more and he risked cutting himself on the sharp shells, a notion that the stinging salt water made even more unappealing.


A soft intake of air marked Nathaniel's reemergence. The anchor's chain was, thankfully, too large to be difficult to climb or easily wrangled. Perhaps he was getting the the hang of all this sneaking around? It certainly felt that way when his razor-sharp senses allowed him to pick out the snoring watchmen in the crow's nest and the turned back of the one remaining vanguard.


With the coast seemingly clear, Nathaniel pulled himself over the edge and slipped towards Milly's cabin with as much silence and speed as he could economically muster.

 

[Xatarias]

(Precision Roll: 14)


The boards beneath your feet give a wince-worthy creak but amongst the yawning of timber and flap of sails, it must not have been noteworthy to the guard on the docks, much less his coworker up in the crow's nest.


You enter into the dimly lit space of Milly's cabin and quickly locate the hollow space below the floorboards you were informed of before. Opening the compartment, the dial face of a safe is revealed in the moonlight. You dial in Milly's four numbered combination: 1, 2, 3... 4 ("Hey, I lost the manual ages ago. I don't how to reset the damned thing!").


A heavy sack within along with a few of Milly's choicer fire arms lie within. Opening the bag reveals the rum earnings- mostly silver coinage of various nationalities. Barely a quarter of your starting funds if you had to guess, but it should be enough to keep the engine of your operation running... It's also quite heavy.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel's heart skipped a beat as the wood creaked beneath him despite his caution. Once again his slip-up went unnoticed, either out of luck or it being not quite as dire as the novice sneak believed.


Once he was inside the cabin and certain it was deserted, the young man indulged in a relieved, heavy sigh. The job was only half-done at best, but still! He had made it this far.


1. *swirl*. 2. *swirl*. 3. *swirl back again*. 4. *click*


Nathaniel tried not to look or sound too exasperated even in the privacy of the cabin. Right after he had begun to look at Milly with something close to minor awe she revealed her code was this. More soberly, it was a reminder of how even as dashing a captain as her risked being caught up in Cynthia Lentani's strings...and probably proved that Telai was right to encourage him to proceed. If his raven-haired rival-turned-ally-of-convenience had set her mind to it, just how long would it have taken her to uncover this stash? Cynthia was as likely to get past this combination by accident as by design!


"Hrm..." The scholarly Brightland's brow furrowed as he got a feel for the weight of the sack. The firearms were a nice bonus that might even leave credence to his bluff from before if Cynthia tried to call him on it, but the heftiness of the load was a bit of a wrinkle. Hopefully one he could work around. Nathaniel drew the sack closed as tight as he could and fastened the most secure knot he was aware of with the cord after he pulled it free of the safe, spun the lock, and placed everything back as it was before. A few experimental tugs and pacing was performed to ensure he understood and had some experience with the weight of the load before the young man attempted to heft it over his back.


Crouching next to a crack in the door or one of the windows, whichever afforded him the most effective way to survey the guards while remaining in the shadows, Nathaniel searched for the next opening to exploit so he could get back to the anchor. A point would be made to avoid the creaking patch of deck this time.

 

[Xatarias]

You wait for the guard to turn and reach halfway down the boardwalk before cracking the door open and slipping outside. The view inside the cabin was too restricted to keep tabs on the man in the crow's nest, but you are relieved to hear his steady snores as soon as you make your exit. The most expedient method of returning to the water would be slipping over the side- of course that risked the resulting splash drawing attention, but if you kept a hold of the gunwale and lowered yourse-


drip, drip, drip...


You suddenly become aware of the steady fall of sea water onto the ship's deck near your left foot... You crane your neck and see Claire perched atop the boom of the ship, gazing at you unblinking. The maid must have entered the ship in a manner similar to your own because she has stripped to her smallclothes, the garment plastered to her lithe body and practically see-through having been thoroughly socked.


She realizes she's been spotted and gives you a little wave before leaning foreword, chin in hands... And goes back to watching you.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Nathaniel left the cabin with an adrenaline-fueled spring in his shadowy steps. Yes, he would have to be careful about entering the water with such a heavy load, but that was hardly an insurmountable problem as long as he was careful and didn't allow his grip to slip. The sack would surely weigh him down beneath the waves, but by his estimation that would just make walking along submerged shore easier while lightening his load considerably. If it slowed him enough for oxygen to become an issue, it would be a simple matter to weigh  down the heavy sack for a moment or two while he bobbed his head over the surface to-


drip, drip drip...


His body and mind both froze at the insistent sound. Seawater was dripping onto the deck...and it wasn't from his soaked form.


Nathaniel looked up to follow the liquid trail. Every muscle in his body tensed and his eyes grew wide as saucers at the sight of Claire casually staring down at him. It was no accident. The young man's gaze flickered over her wet and scantly clad form long enough to all but confirming she had stalked him from the very shores...and then they lingered long enough to confirm that even a cold sea-shower wasn't quite enough to dampen his hormones.


He blinked, mildly stunned, when she merely waved at him. Nathaniel responded in kind, his lips pursing and his mind readying itself to communicate with the maid one way or the other. A glance towards the docks and the guard patrolling them ensured common sense prevailed over his curiosity. With the amount of time he had at his disposal measurable in seconds, Nathaniel once again advanced towards the edge of the deck, attempting to slip over it and into the water with as little fuss as he could manage.

 

[Xatarias]

You crawl over the side, weighed down by the sack of coins. Whatever your skill as a swimmer, your heavy burden necessitates a rather ungraceful submergence, and you hit the water with a fairly large splash. Hopefully your luck will hold out and the guards won't notice.


(Fortitude roll: 12)


What you didn't count on was the sheer physical challenge of hauling your booty underwater. With at least one arm occupied, and the unfamiliar weight fighting to sink you, you barely manage to such half a breath of air before slipping back under. You try to make for the shallows where you will be able to put your head above water, but it's hard going and you breaks for air become less and less frequent as your muscles begin to scream with fatigue.


About halfway to safety, you push up from the bottom of the seabed, following the submerged timber of the dock to the surface for another gasp of air. Pain suddenly stabs into your calf and you look down to sea a dark cloud swirling about your left leg. You're caught on something and likely cut yourself as well. The sensation of salt water rushing against a raw wound makes your mind go numb for a few moments. Unfortunately, those precious moments would have been better served working your way free.


Your struggles begin to lose vigor, and when you finally manage to tear your pantleg free, you are presented with the unfavorable necessity of abandoning your cargo, lest you sink with it to the bottom.


Something slips beneath the waves from above with barely a whisper, and you reflexively turn towards the disturbance. Sleek and fast, a dark blur cuts towards you and seizes your free arm, hauling you to the surface.


"Hold to me, but keep my arms free," Claire whispers, voice murky in your water-filled ear. "Kick if you can."


The soft-spoken psychic begins a graceful side stroke, hauling you along. You must be visible from the dock head, but the guard must not be looking at the water presently because no alarm is raised. Soon, you are deposited behind the cover of several sea-slickened boulder. Claire disentangles herself from you, rolling her shoulders and then pressing the water from her close-cropped hair.

 

[Weiss Ritter]

Apparently, there was a bit of a difference between his more scholarly calculations and understanding the limits of his physical capabilities. Perhaps the plan was fundamentally flawed or he'd planned to push his body's limits without really understanding what that would actually feel like. Nathaniel hadn't exactly been an armchair general since he came to this continent, but he was hardly a career soldier either.


Either way, there didn't seem to be a part of him that wasn't screaming beneath the waves. Dull but insistent pain sapped his muscles' strength while his lungs were sustained only by the trace particles of oxygen he could get from bopping above the sea a second or two at most. It felt like his body was kept animated more through sheer, if wavering, willpower than any physical strength on Nathaniel's part. He could do this. The water would only get shallower from here. He didn't even need to get the sack all the way out, just in a safe, shallow enough spot that it wouldn't be stolen or swept away long enough for Telai or Milly to-!


"Mph...!" Exhaustion muted the young man's cry of pain as much as his self-control when he felt...something slice into his flesh. Metal debris? A broken part of the docks? Some giant, malformed seashell? Whatever it was, it hurt, and snagged his pantleg. Some fierce jerks, carefully calculated so that he didn't cut himself deeper, tore the young man free of whatever seeming inanimate object had hurt him, but the triumph was a hollow one as he felt himself sinking beneath the waves. He didn't have the strength to jump or swim back to the surface, at least not with his prize in tow.


Nathaniel's grip around the sack tightened. He thought back to the disappointment in Telai's tone and expression when he started to get cold feet about the entire operation. What were she and Milly going to say if he turned up empty handed? After coming so close to making a nearly perfect getaway?


The last traces of air were starting to fade in his lungs. He...he didn't have a choice. Maybe...maybe one of them could retrieve the sack? It was risky, but with such weight combined with a calm surf, maybe-


Nathaniel barely had time to even comprehend that someone or something had jumped into the water with him. He certainly didn't have the strength or air to do more than tense and softly gasp when the deceptively strong maid seized him.


The Brightland complied with Claire's command, one arm wrapping around her while the other held onto the sack if that was feasible, and if not both hands would have done so while his mind rushed to commit the sinking treasure's location to memory. Either way, Nathaniel looked more like a beached fish than the scion of a powerful merchant clan once Claire deposited him on the shore. His lean muscles screamed for rest and his lungs for the plentiful yet precious air.


"Wh-why did you help a-and...how...how did you know...?" The young man coughed, expelling about half a mouthful of seawater as he limply turned his head towards the drying maid.