A Corsair sail on the horizon [private]

[Gauls]

The 2nd cycle of Imperos, in the Season of Autumn,
Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum

It was Autumn which meant a rainy season in Sheria. These rains came with enough frequency that they could threaten a harvest but it gave a cool respite from the heating up of the weather. Luckily during the Sheria rainy season it was not yet warm enough to trigger any tropical storms or typhoons. This was lucky for there were travelers not just on the trade routes on land in Sheria but also on the route out at sea.

This day's weather was raining but the visibility out to sea was still good. From the southwestern coast just across the horizon came a sail. It was far out but approaching the coast with great speed toward the northeast. The normal trade routes ran parallel with the coast (north and south) but this ship was headed straight toward the shore. Closer and closer it came until it began to make a northward turn to run at a course parallel with the shore about 400 yards off. This was dangerously close and many ships would be afraid of running a-ground but this captain seemed confident he knew these waters well enough for that not to happen.

The vessel upon further viewing one could recognize as a corsair. It had three main sails that leaned backward in typical fashion and sat light upon the water which allowed it to enter very shallow waters. Fluttering from the rear flag pole flew a black flag with a red moon drawn in the center. It was a ship from the legendary Blood Moon Raiders.

The ship slowed considerably and cruised along the coast at that heading and speed. They were looking for something or someone.

[Gauls]

It wasn't long before the corsair found a cove that was hidden enough to give the captain a sense of safety. The vessel sailed into the cove at a very slow speed as a body hung over the starboard railing tossing a rope into the water ahead of the bow.

"She seems to be deep enough Sir!" the man yelled back toward the quarterdeck.

A Tigron with his orange coat of fur protruding out of a brown leather tunic and tan pantaloons stepped down from the quarterdeck and made his way stern. His clawed feet could be heard tapping on the wood deck as he walked. Though his claws were retractable, he preferred to let his feet paws relax and thus allow the claws on his feet to extend and tap while he walked. This was a dreaded sound to his fellow ship mates which always gave them a sense that the captain was always nearby and watching them. A great way to keep discipline. Another oddity of this particular tigron captain was the fact that a katta was even on a ship... that was on water. Nobody would expect to see a katta anywhere near a body of water much less making their living by working on a ship! None the less, this katta did just that. Just the amount of courage he would need to overcome his fear of water spoke volumes about this tigron's character and bravery.

As the tigron captain reached the stern of the ship, he leaned over the rail to look at the water.

"Still darrrk. Indeed it should be deep enough to get up rrrreally close to the shorrre." he said in a growling tone. "When we get as close as we darrre, put a dingy in the waterrr for ourrr delegation."

The man measuring the water was the first mate. He heard his captain's orders then barked out the shadow orders to the crew to get the ship into position and to get the dingy ready for launch.

[Gauls]

The vessel moved in as close as they dared without bottoming out and within minutes, a dingy was in the water with the captain and four crewmembers rowing it toward shore. Once they hit sand, the captain lept from the dingy without touching water. The schimitar on his belt rattled in it's bronze scabbard as he landed both feet as soft as... well, as a cat.

The tigron looked around sniffing the air then turned back to his crew mates who were dragging the boat in out of the water.

"Make a camp herrre. No firrres! We now have to wait on ourrr Orrrckon delegation. They betterrr not be waisting my time."

The group huddled in a thicket nearby to avoid being seen directly. These pirates were not welcome in most places and to see them hanging out on the shore like this is never a good sign. The light of the evening began to fade away when finally sounds nearby were heard. Popping their heads up over the brush they witnessed four goblins one leading a mule that was laden with a wood chest.

"Of course, I knew that they would not cross the Blood Moon Raiders!" one crew member remarked.

The tigron captain led his men out of the thicket and waved down the goblins. As they approached, one goblin who was leading the delegation stepped forward.

: In a squeeky voice :
"You mus' be da Tigron Captain of da Blood Moon Raiders. Da Gothmog Kitot Grogan Thrag sends his regards!"

[Steve]

The tigron captain led his men out of the thicket and waved down the goblins. As they approached, one goblin who was leading the delegation stepped forward and said in a squeeky voice,
"You mus' be da Tigron Captain of da Blood Moon Raiders. Da Gothmog Kitot Grogan Thrag sends his regards!"

The Captain hid his annoyance about needing to deal with a Goblin. He expected to deal with some of a stature equal to his, no Goblin could fit that requirement. The Captain eyed the chest, nodded and asked, "What else does the Captain send? We need to hurrry this. My ship is bottled up in a cove and herrre I am on a hostile shore. Get to the point."

[Gauls]

The goblin bowed a little to show his respect as he knew that he was not worthy to be speaking to someone of such high regard.

: High tone voice :
"Sorry sir, da Gothmog Kitot an' Gothmog Ushtar ar' both busy wit a lil' bit of a Imperial problem I tink you mus' know. Dey say forgive sendin' little nothin's ta speak in him stead."

The goblin turned and motioned for the other three to take the chest down off the mule. They actually didn't try being careful about it, one goblin simply cut the leather strap that held the chest in place on the mule's back and the box came crashing to the ground due to it's weight.

"Stupid snot!" the leader snapped. "Pick it up! Quick! Can't you see da captain is in a hurry?

The chest lid did not open due to the big lock on it but the goblins were having a hard time picking it up. It was obviously too heavy for them. Even the lead goblin tried to help but it wasn't moving.

: Looking back at the Captain :

"Uh, dis da payment dat shud cover da cost of jur fleet's service fer 3 months. More comin' if da conflict last longer. It all shara coin wit a few gems taken as loot from Narim. Da gothmog kitot hope dis enough ta ensure you an' your mates will join us."

The goblins began to roll the chest on the ground end-over-end until it was at the tigron's feet.

: Goblin points at the chest :
"Wud da captain like ta see?"

[Steve]

The Captain was not at all pleased with the way the chest was handled. Once the chest was at the Tigron's feet, he said, "Open it up and then give me the key". Once that was done, the Captain put his hand into the coins to ensure that the chest was indeed full of coins. When he was satisfied, the Captain said, "Three months it will be. Tell him that we serve him well. By the way, how many ships does he expect?"

[Gauls]

The goblin shrugged and pulled out an odd shaped key. It looked like a simple twisted piece of metal but the goblin slid it into the large lock and opened it up for the captain.

: Watching as the tigron ran his fingers through the coins :

"Yes, yes, see dat we not scam ju! Da Gothmog Kitot trusting an' make sure dat ju paid nicely fer ju work!" the raspy voice cracked.

After the amount was verified the goblin handed over the key then stepped back.

"We count 70 ships out in da sea near Narim so far. Dey be blocking da port ta make sure no oders come in. Der no tellin' how many more comin' or dat we cannot see. Orckon hab no ships ta go out an' check."

The goblin was merely passing what intel that Orckon had hoping it would help the Blood Moon Raiders in a daunting task.

"Der maybe many more but Gothmog say dat not ju mission ta kill all da ships. Ju mission jus' ta stop da lil' ships from landin' more Imperials near Narim. Ju hab enough ships ta do dis?"

[Steve]

If it were not that the Captain disliked Goblins, this conversation might have been funny but he found it to be quite annoying. However, he had to deal with them in order to get this large number of crowns. The amount was enough to accept whatever losses resulted. He would use all 20 corsairs that were fit for sea and patrol off the Sherian ports, particularly off Taralon and Narim. Each would have launching weapons that were suitably disguised. He expected that surprise would be on side because the Orcs were not expected to have any sea power.

The estimate of 70 ships out in the sea near Narim was a good bit higher than what the Captain was ready to challenge. "You tell the Gothmog we going to stop any more ships from coming."

[Gauls]

The goblin cackled in delight that he had done something right for his Gothmog.

"Good. Gothmog say dat we keep messengers here at dis cove ta move message parchments from ju ta Gothmog Ushtar Vrassun Tallarak. Him command all da forces outside Orckon. Anytime ju wanna speak wit Gothmog, ju come here wit messages. We make sure dey git ta urak lines."

The goblin gathered and began to back off. They had accomplished their mission of acquiring the support and establishing this cove as their communication line to the Blood Moon Raiders. It was just a hope that it would be enough to stave off the tides from this particular front.

"We go tell Gothmog ju ready ta do duty for Orckon."

With that, the goblins gathered their mounts and departed leaving the Tigron with his payment.

[Steve]

With a lot of effort, the chest was carried to the boat and then taken to the ship. No one was complaining about that sort of labor. They would all be getting a share of some sort. The deal was sealed and now the Orcs had themselves a Navy. Time would tell just how good a Navy it was but its appearance would certainly be a surprise and likely to have an impact on what hostilities were coming.

[Steve]

The 3rd cycle of Imperos, in the Season of Autumn,
Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum

The lookout in the crow's nest of the Corsair spotted the the circle of rocks on sand that denoted the rendezvous point. He called out, "Landing site dead ahead". The Conning Officer called to the Leadsman for continuous soundings and then to the Master of the Tops to take in the sails. Once the Corsair was as close to shore as was deemed prudent, the anchor was dropped and the cargo was loaded onto smallboats to be ferried ashore. The evolution was swift and sure, time was of the essence.

Once the war materiel was delivered to the Orcs, the sails were unfurled, the anchor raised and the Corsair proceeded seaward at a smart speed.

This was the first of the regular delivery of supplies to this and other prearranged sites along the coast.

[Gauls]

The goblin caravan arrived with a long line of mule and carts in tow. The group had arrived from the heart of the orkish lands to pick up the supplies that would field the hordes for another cycle. The caravan waited at the appointed location until the corsair sails were spotted on the horizon once again. The goblin leader of this group was familiar with the ships as those of the BMR as he had established the agreement between them and the pirates.

As the ships drew closer and began to enter the cove, the goblin leader gave the orders, "Mule an' cart to da beach!" he yelled in his high pitched voice.

With that, the other goblin in the group began to trail down to the beach area as close as they could without bogging down the carts in sand. Some carts that did bog down had groups of goblins pushing on all sides to free them as the others scurried down to the water to greet the rowboats as they came in.

The BMR crews and goblins worked feverishly to take the crates off the boats and load them onto mules and carts. It was a dangerous time to have the ships anchored in a cove, even a well hid cove.

Soon, the rowboats stopped coming and the BMR crew signaled shore that there were no more supplies to bring ashore. The goblin leader confirmed and saw the rowboats off from shore heading back to their ships. He stood there on the sand watching as the rowboats were taken in and the large anchors were drawn up from the water. The quick corsairs turned and headed out of the cove to rejoin their mates out at sea.

The goblin leader turned to his caravan which was now finishing up tying the crates into place on their mounts. He headed back up off the beach and to the head of the column. "Come on!" he yelled as off the caravan went back into the depths of the orc lands.

[Steve]

The 4th cycle of Imperos, in the Season of Autumn,
Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XIV Post Fractum

The Corsair cut swiftly through the sea toward the intended anchorage. The ship was low in the water, laden with cargo for delivery to the Orcs. The sails were full, a favorable wind and a following sea allowed the sleek craft to speed along. The lookout in the crow's nest used a long glass to scan the full 360 degrees of the horizon for other ships as they neared their destination. There was another lookout in the eyes of the ship, as well as one in the after part of the fantail. Each of them used a long glass.

[Alexis Sapientia]

"Mast on the horizon!"

The Aelyrian Fighting Ship Triumphant was at station off the besieged and sacked city of Narim, part of the force that had stayed at station at this very place eras long before, aided refugees at Aestas, gone to resupply at Port Constantine, and was back here again, doing what it was the Imperial Navy did best.

The Imperial Navy called it a blockade, whereas the less aggressive preferred to denominate it as a mere exclusion or quarantine zone.

"We shall beat to quarters!"

At that very same command, so did sailors run about, doing what it was they were assigned to when called to go to action stations, ensuring that there was a flurry of activity. Sails were unfurled to increase the frigate's speed, and as her captain stood on the quarterdeck to begin examining the area, so did the gunners below begin to prepare her main armament for further use.

"Make ready the port and starboard batteries!"

She was a massive frigate, carrying firepower that could shred a ship to pieces. Equipped with forty long guns, twenty port and twenty starboard side, each of them thirty six pounders, each gun having the power to fire a cannonball through a metre thick hull at less then one hundred yards. Large ballistas were mounted on each corner of the ship on large rotating disks, that were operated by two sailors, each capable of firing a bolt up to one hundred yards. Accompanying the firepower on the quarter deck were two smaller cannons, mounted on the fore and aft of the ship, aimed parallel to the ships hull with a range of about one hundred yards to match.

"Make ready the port and starboard batteries, aye, sir!"

She was surely a fit match for any enemy that crossed her bow.

"Bow and crow's nest lookouts! Tell me what you see!"

Her colors and battle flags fully flying, the Triumphant hoped to live up to her name.

[Steve]

The Lookout aboard Triumphant now made out two masts and the mix of square rigging as well as triangular sails. He called down, "Looks like a schooner. Still hull down."

What sees something is often seen in return and that was the case now. Aboard the Corsair the lookout called, "Ship off the starboard quarter, hull down, sails look big, target angle 010".

The Skipper of the Corsair looked aft but of course could not see any sign of the Imperial ship, nor had he expected to. He called out, "Get powder, cannonballs and grape shot to the after gun and the forward gun. Keep the guns covered." The after gun as well as the forward gun was covered by an enclosure that could removed quickly, an excellent disguise for a raider. Until the two guns were unmasked, there was no sign that this was anything other than a fast merchant ship. There had been no pronouncement of a blockade nor any indication of hostilities yet but this Captain survived this long because he took precautions.

After a bit, aboard the Imperial Ship, the Lookout noted a bearing drift to the right and what appeared to be a steady range. He called this to the Captain who then became aware that the other ship was faster but not headed directly away from Triumphant. After quick mental calculation, it appeared that the ship was headed toward shore, which was not yet in sight but not far over the horizon.