Raiders of the Inner Sea: Yo! Ho! Yo! Ho!
 

"We got 3 sheets to the wind captain, any more and we're likely to shear off our mast."

"I said give me four." Captain Rose said. She pulled her captains hat down to keep the stinging rain out of her eyes. She measured the grappling hook's cord in her hand. She tied her end off onto the railing with a perfect knot.

The Alban Galley had sprouted extra oars in an attempt to gain extra speed.

"We're in firin' range capn'" A sailor missing an eye said to her. She nodded with indifference. Two of the ballist on the front realeased the grappling harpoons with explosive precision. The pirates went quickly to work on reeling in their catch. Soon however one of the lines came back.

"Fire another Line." the captain said. She leapt onto the beam of the railing. as her ship rolled in the storm. Her right hand spinning the grappling hook. Her right holding firm onto the rigging.

"Aye Captain." The third Ballista fired it's grappling harpoon. The Alban Galley jerk ed again. Soon she could see the whites of the legionairies eyes. They fumbled with their pilum and several were thrown at Captain Rose. She threw her Grappling hook and caught it in their sail. She tugged and it caught on the beam.

"If they look valuable take them alive. Kill the rest." She ordered. She swung on the hook line crossing the distance she drew her rapier midswing. She landed on the deck in a crouch. She looked up into the eyes of several fearful Alban legionaries. She smirked as she reached for her throwing knives.

Jennette clung to the crow's nest, deciding against trying to fire more crossbow bolts to the enemy deck when Captain Black Rose boarded the enemy ship. Given the weather, the tilt of the ship, and her own lack of skill, she didn't want to make a mistake and end up shooting her captain by accident. So she mostly kept her eyes on the ocean.

Urgan tied the prepared rope to the end of his harpoon. Launching it across at the opposing boat he landed it in a poor fools ribs. The man let out a scream as a peal of thunder shook the timbers. The sound of the mans death of course, lost. Urgan pulled sharply and the man caught against the railing. The harpoon then popped out and shot back to his hand. An eager young sailor came up behind Urgan and readied to jump. Urgan flat palmed the new boys chest and sent him back to the deck. "Keep with the ship." He shouted. The sailor was too inexperienced to do any good on the other side, and would likely get himself and others killed.

Moving with a smooth movement only a life of sea combat could train in. He propelled himself to the opposing deck. Launching his harpoon at a pile of weighted nets. The harpoon held fast and Urgan kept a leather clad hand on the rain slicked rope. He had secured the other end of the rope onto an upper deck; and the difference in height allowed him to slide down it smoothly. He landed and rolled on the deck, Before he could rise two men were upon him. He quickly spun on the deck kicking out his feet tripping the two. Then with a sharp kick he was up onto his feet sliding his blades out of there sheathes.

Wind screamed in Mary's ears. Her lips curved into a smile as she heard the sounds of approaching battle. This was a good-sized vessel they were boarding. The plunder should be interesting.

She threw the grappling hook across the gap. She felt it sail through the air; felt the rope go taut in her hands as it caught. Grinning, she gave the rope a tug. It was firmly caught in the other ship's sails.

She leapt into the air and flew across the chasm, leading with her boots. Her feet hit an enemy sailor in the chest and he went down like a rock, the spectacled pirate on top of him.

Twin hatchets were drawn from her belt. Now the fun began.

Hidden within the torrential rain and darkness, high up amidst the sail masts, stood Thomas. The scarf wrapped around his neck and shoulders flew about in the rushing wind, hiding everything but his eyes. His piercing blue eyes looked down at their opposing ship. Even the milky white one, which everyone assumed was useless, scanned the victims below.

"Another Alban ship raid. She's getting quite partial to these."

There was a long rope tied to a grappling hook held in his arm. After a small jump, Thomas began to plummet down to the deck below. When he was at a good height, he twirled the rope in his hand and launched it. The grappling hook connected neatly to a sail. He felt the rope get taught, and then began to swing in a long arc. With a twist and a release, he was tossed off the rope and landed lightly on the deck of the Alban ship. His left hand went down to his hip, keeping his sword handle covered.

Underneath the deck, away from where all the action was, Galen was leaning against the wall by himself, worried more about the pipe in his hand than the fighting with the Alban ship. To him, as a pirate for several years already, today's raid was just a routine run, and far less urgent than the fact that he didn't have anything to light his pipe with.

Besides, he thought, temporarily giving up the search for his tinderbox. I don't need to read our fortunes to know they'll be okay. They're just Alban, after all.

Three of her knives flew true from her rain slicked hand striking one legionair in the eyes and another in his throat. She crouched and drew another dagger. She dashed forward and drove the tip of her rapier into the heart of another legionaire. She ducked and parried the spatha of another Legionaire.

Captain Rose smiled, she blocked and parried with her sword. She drew close to the snarling legionaire and blew him a kiss to taunt him.

Urgan's heave of a flathand launched the boy onto his back, he landed with a sorrowful moan. One day he would be accepted, one day he would get on board opposing ships... one day. He remained on his ass for a few moments longer before a subtle strum of a lute caught his ear, he turned to see through the haze of rain and tears a face he had seen many times on the ship before, but this was to be the first time they spoke.

"One should not rush to death. When the time is right, death will find you. Then and only then it will be your time." The wind spiraled around Sanjuro who sat cross-legged under the mast, his head hung limply to one side as his eyes traced his fingers which drew up and down the lute manipulating its chords.

The boy pressed his knife into the deck prying at the wood below the water streaming down his face. "But if'n I choose to go to face death, then that be me choice." Even through the darkness his eye's pleaded to Sanjuro for permission, Sanjuro's fingers flexed instictively the song quickened in pace.

Sanjuro raised his eyes in a flash, "If'n it be your choice to die, then it be your time." The boy nodded to sanjuro, before drifting into the darkness towards the alban encounter. Sanjuro's eyes fell to the deck with its freshly picked groove, "I chose to die once too..." he plucked a final string, the noise died quickly amongst the metal clangs of blades and wails of death. "Turns out, its never a choice."

Jack smiled and took a long drag on his cigarette as he surveyed the battle from the deck of the Black Rose. The pungeant smoke brought the familiar smell of battle to his nostrils as the fine taste of Qin tobacco filled his mouth. He exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. It was time to go to work. He launched his grappling hook over to the Alban Galley and pulled it taut. He took another drag and flicked the cigarette stub into the ocean. Leaping, he swung himself over to the Alban Ship, his arm blades shooting out from their original positions nestled in his gauntlets.

Landing on the ship, he spotted one of the enemy sailors sneaking up on Black Rose. Casually walking over behind the man, he tapped him gently on the shoulder saying in a gruff voice, "you shouldn't sneak up on people." The sailor turned, only to be met with a chest. Casting him eyes upwards, they finally settled on Jack's face, which had a scowl on it. The young sailor's eyes grew wide and then glassy as Jack slit his throat with a swift movement of his arm. Joining the fray next to Black Rose, he smrked. "You really should watch your back more often Captain, or is that what I'm here for?"

Urgan moved like a dark ghost through the black storm. He made his way to his harpoon and cut the rope. Placing one sword away he picked up his harpoon and slid it into his back holster. Redrawing his blade he searched through the rain for men to fight. It wasn't long before he saw the cabin hatch. Urgan dashed quickly across the wet deck. His practiced feet moving confidently. Two men attempted to intercept him. But in his style he moved with no wasted effort. He jumped up and kicked the first man in the face. Then brought his far sword across to block an attack by the second.

As the first man staggered back Urgan pressed his advantage. Bringing his other sword across he slit the mans belly open. The fool hadn't even worn light armor. His intestines spilled out over the deck. Not one to leave a man a threat he quickly snaped his sword back the other way half severing the mans head. Urgan quickly spun around and dropped low bringing up his blade to block another attack. He then brought his other sword around to knock the mans blade away from his own. Then rising quickly he brough both blades foward in a double thrust. Peircing the sailor twice through the chest.

Tearing his blades free he continued through the cabin hatch. Jumping down into the darkness.