(1874-07-05) Vengeance Pt II: Battles of the Northern Ocean
Vengeance Pt II: Battles of the Northern Ocean
Summary: Part of the Aequor Navy is caught along the coast by a massive White Hall invasion!
Date: 2018.07.05
Related: None yet?
NPCs: {$npc}
Players:
Tavi  Mercy  Hraelfmir  

Northern Ocean - Aequor
Eh … lots of water!
Thursday the 05th of Juillet, 1874 IE.

The Crown Princess of Aequor put one foot on the railing of her mighty Gallant. The ship was burning but was still afloat. Still in the fight. They had come from the East, and her Squadron, on the way to support the Zephyr Legion against what they had thought was a managable force had been intercepted. The battle was fierce, but it felt for every ship her squadron had sunk, two more took their place.

The Squadron, once ten ships in strength, were down to four. It had been a powerful Squadron, comprised totally of Gallants, they had crossed the T's of the incoming White Hall fleet and let loose with a volley that shook the waves of the Northern Ocean. But no matter how many times the Cannon and Carrobalista had fired, the enemy still came. Many of the White Hall ships simply dancing under the volley, nimbly dodging the cannon and bolts that exploded on and in the waves. Until eventually the White Hall ships had closed and eventually began to board.

They racked the decks first with carrobalista fire and fire bows. Then threw grapnels and baorded. The fighting had been fierce, and had taken all afternoon. Eventually four of her ships had broken through and she called the flal back. Retreat. So while her ship burned, and her crew fought the fire, and the ships in the Royal Escort Squadron fought their own fires and pumped water, she watched the other ships sink, or be captured.

The Crown Princess of Aequor, Atreis al'Ramar looked south, and there she saw smoke.


All along the coast of Aequor, Royal Squadrons, Individual House Squadrons, and any ship along the coast are attacked and over run. White Hall ships move expertly and strike quickly along coast of Aequor ….

The Zephyr Legion had assembled a makeshift fleet consisting of Merchant Ships and House d'Juilano's own battle squadron. Five Galleys, Four Caravel's and eEleven Minnows had answered the call to add to the squadron. Further, d'Armaz had sent three frigates commanded by Sir Tavi Deverout on the HMS Salty Bitch.

The squadron sat anchored in the water, clustered in formation around the Admiral's ship. As the bell tolled Five and Thirty, a sailor in a crow's nest cried out, "ADMIRAL! Enemy Fleet ahead!" A pause. "I count thirty, no Fifty Vessels!"

Reist stood on the prow of his Long Ship and smiled. The plan the Man in Red had helped him organize had come to fruition. Even as he moved toward the intended target, hte relif vessels for this pitifil fleet had been intercepted. The Grand Fleet of Ragnessen moved undetered forward toward Southern Aequor. He smiled and took a bite off an apple. "Signal the Fleet." he said to the man just behind. "Sink them. No survivors. No prisoners." He took another bite and dipped his head toward the Aequoran ship even as Medium Ships and Small Ships streamed past him. He smiled as they went to the north and south of the enemy flotilla. "Now." he took a final bite of the apple and threw the thing into the waves. "Send the longships down their throats."

The Aequorian Descanda, the 'Typhoon', and the Kentaire Singular 'Kraken's Seduction' (both under the command of Commodore Hraelfmir Halfborn) are out to the edge a little distance from the Aequorian vessels. The Four Corners Privateer Captain turned Commodore in the Aequor Navy, has been scouting along the coastline to watch for raiders and is just now coming in towards the Admiral's ships.

As the White Hall ships have been spotted, full sails are out. Every scrap of cloth to bring the two additional ships in to join the fight, arriving from the north of Mercy's position along the coast. Will the White Hall ships cut him off or will the flank his position as well?

Signal men high up in the mast of each ship are trying frantically to make contact with Mercy's ships and request orders. Meanwhile Hraelfmir is donning his armor and shouting orders, "Make ready th' cannons 'n ballista! Prep th' chain shot but do nae load it yet - we nae be close enough!" The ships cut through the water as sailors above shout down how many White Hall ships there are, their positions, sizes and direction.

The Admiral stands on her main deck as she watches the formations. "We have thirty five ships if everyone is accounted for, including the commodore, send the signal, I want the commodore to cut off the north, send fOUR ships with him, south I want d'armaz, send three ships with him." That means six and six norht and south, leaving her with twenty FIVE. "The call will ride the center, I want fifteen sloops and darters with me, hit and run, full canvas! The rest of you hunker down and ready your cannons, anyone that get's inside our little circle, sink them! Ten ship bulwark!" She says as she makes her way to the command deck. "HOIST THE COLORS LADS, FOR KING AND COUNTRY! ANYONE NOT WORKING BETTER GET READY TO SWIM! She says as she moves to take the wheel herself, "NEST, FIND ME THEIR COMMAND SHIP." She says as she intends to ram the bastards."

+froll/vs: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. Reist's 4 FATE dice plus 5!

+froll/vs: Mercy got -1 -1 1 1 plus 2 for a total of 2.

+froll/vs: Reist got 1 0 1 1 plus 5 for a total of 8.

+froll/vs: Reist wins!

+froll/challenge: Hraelfmir rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. difficulty 2, getting 1 -1 0 -1 plus 2 for a total of 1 and a Poor result!

+froll/challenge: Tavi rolled 4 FATE dice plus 1 vs. difficulty 2, getting 0 -1 1 -1 plus 1 for a total of 0 and a Terrible result!

+froll/challenge: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. difficulty 2, getting 0 -1 1 1 plus 2 for a total of 3 and an Average result!

Tavi stood at the wheel of the Salt Bitch and whistled. "Well." He said looking at his first mate, a buxom lass he had picked upf ro the position and a few others. "This is a right mess." He eyes the red head who simple nods her agreement. He hadn't managed to convince her of those other positions. Yet. She made it clear it wasn't ever going to happen.

A man could dream.

Samantha frowns. "I ain't seen numbers like this since the Great Raid." She looks to Tavi. "I'd say we should just run and leave these d'Juliano to their fate, but we won't outrun thsoe White Hallers. Not the Smalls and Mediums anyway, maybe the Longs if the winds are with us and against them."

Signals begin to flash across the fleet and Samantha relays them to Tavi He grits his teeth and spins the wheel. "Alright Boys and Girls!" He calls out to his crew. "The Admiral is sending us into the soutehrn tit! Let's suck on it and make these White Hallers Die eh mates?"

The Crew Cheer. However in his haste he didn't organize the other five ships in his battlegroup. Leaping into position and moving to prepare a broadside….

The ships that Mercy has ordered to come out and join Hraelfmir's two ships are slow to get under way, having to turn themselves to the north and tack up the coast to meet the White Hall ships flanking. There is nothing to be done about it - it will take them time to get into any position to assist.

Hraelfmir keeps shouting orders, then stops at the railing with one booted foot planted within it and lifts up his spy glass to have a good look. He scowls, then swings the glass around to scan over the White Hall vessels. His heart rate has picked up a little bit in anticipation of a great fight. One which might cost him his ships and his very life. He has faced White Hallers at sea and in Four Corners before. He knows all too well the quality of their fighting.

"Hurry it up, ye butt ends of horny dogs! Ye lives depend on it!" The spy glass he snaps shut and puts away, striding across the Typhoon's deck to shout more orders, "Signal the Kraken tae keep off me port flank! Have her stay back a ship's length so she can manuever but be wary o' her be'n cut off from us! Choose us a smaller ship tae ram there," he points, picking one out, "'n fire upon those we pass! Make ready!"

As Mercy watches the formations, she feels a shiver down her back. "I'll go out like a pirate, by the one I wont quit." She turns to her cabin girl and places a seal skin case around her neck. "Your the best swimmer I gt, get into a rowboat and back to land, make for New Kashmir, make sure that case reaches Lord Reynard or lady Antina, I don;t expect to return home." She says as she looks at the wheel. "STEADY AND FORWARTD, CHECKER PATTERN LADS! LOAD THE GUNS, ALL HAND READY!" She says as she steady's the wheel and looks out at the oncomming enemy with a very determined look. "WE'LL TAKE AS MUCH OF THEM WITH US AS WE CAN, AND BE WIT HTHE ONE AT HIS SIDE IN THE AFTERLIFE." If Mercy even merits such an afterlife.

The Mast cries down to the Admiral, "They all look a bloody like! They all fly the same damn flag, and they all … There's ten damn Longships Admiral, one of them!" The flustered sailor cries franticly panning the horizon with a Partharian Looking Glass. The White Hall ships are fast. The northern and southern ships move into position and wheel to charge at the two battlegroups Mercy dispatched to try and slow or dispatch them. The Ten Longships slowly plod forward. The White Hallers, cutting through the waves are stoic. No cheers. Merely determination. Battle was serious to the. This was their life. If they die they know they go to the Hall of their Gods and Drink and tell stories of their bravery. There is no fear in any face seen.

The two fleets converge and there is a sudden tension as weapons are made to bear ….

+froll/vs: Tavi rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Tavi got 1 1 0 1 plus 2 for a total of 5.

+froll/vs: White Hall got -1 1 0 0 plus 2 for a total of 2.

+froll/vs: Tavi wins!

+froll/vs: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 4 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Mercy got 0 1 0 1 plus 4 for a total of 6.

+froll/vs: White Hall got 0 0 1 -1 plus 2 for a total of 2.

+froll/vs: Mercy wins!

+froll/vs: Hraelfmir rolled 4 FATE dice plus 3 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Hraelfmir got 0 1 0 1 plus 3 for a total of 5.

+froll/vs: White Hall got 0 0 -1 1 plus 2 for a total of 2.

+froll/vs: Hraelfmir wins!

Mercy frowns as she calls the order to fire, they didnt even sink one. She isn't happy about it as she watches them turn and fire, taking out two of her ships. "Brace! port turn, starbord side, reload and fire, break their line! PORT SIDE, LOAD AND WAIT FOR MY MARK!" She says as she doesnt look happy. "The whole world is against us, we wont survive, if not thease, then those new commers, impeirals, and blood drinkers and rug fuckers! TO THE LAST! steady lads!"

Fire.

Fire drapes its'ef over the Northern Ocean as the Zephyr Legion and her makeshift fleet try to hold the line. However outmanuevered, the White Hallers slide in, and begin their deadly dance. Letting fly with Carrobalista's that slam into hulls and explode at water lines or more typically, his the decks, the explosive shafts filled with nails, and sharp bits of metal that fly in all directions and shred sail and crew alike while spreading fire and fear as well.

Several White Hall ships are hit in the Northern Battlegroup. More than one sinks, or flips from the impacts. One even explodes as the magazine of Carro's are hit sending fire in all directions. But still they come on.

In the south it is worse. The out manuvered and out numbered forces are swarmed, the White Hallers moving to board, while also firing their Carro's and Fire Arrows as they close in.

The main line squares off against the Longships. But these prove their sailor's valor and skill, almost appearing to danc ein the waves and avoiding for the most part the shots coming in on them.

Tavi cries, "FIRE!" And the Salty Bitch let's loose. Sending Cannona nd Carro into a small ship fast aproaching and shatteirn it, while secondary volleys rake and damage a second. He frowns as the enemy keeps coming.

"Captain!" Samantha calls. "Two of ours are running."

Tavi turns and fires a Hand Cannon toward them. "YA BLOODY COWARDS!" He then turns back. "Keep firing! Signal the group to Hold the Line!" He narrows his eyes. He always loved the sea. He just didn't think he'd make a very good body in it….

The Descanda 'Typhoon' rams right into one of the smaller White Hall ships - it was fast but it realized the Typhoon's intent a little too late and then didn't have enough room to manuver out of the way as the ships of the two fleets closed like the jaws of rabid animals! Timbers splinter and snap like the sound of breaking bones, the cry of men and women as they dive or are thrown from their ship, the rest scrambling to do what they can. The Aequorian Descanda fires her artillery when Hrealfmir gives the signal, doing much damage to another White Hall ship! The crew cheers and then works hard and fast to reload on that side. The other side of the ship is ready as soon as they have a target close enough. The sea slides beneath them along with the broken remains of the smaller ship.

The Singular, 'Kraken's Seduction' with her female Captain with her long grey braids looped over her shoulders, follows Hraelfmir's orders. Staying off his flank and firing her cannons. Smoke puffs out and the smell of expended black powder fills the wind even as the sun sparkles sharply off of the water.

One of the conscripted merchant ships Mercy ordered north to support the Commodore's ships lags, ablaze and listing. The others are still coming, joining the fray.

Hraelfmir climbs the aft deck and leans well out for a better view, one hand to a rope, and pointing, "Ram another! Keep moving! Do nae let them board us! Prepare tae fire portside!" The starboard is completing their reloads. Then he orders his First Mate at the wheel, "Take us 3 degrees easterly for a better broadside. Do nae pull tae far ahead o' the Kraken."

+froll/challenge: Tavi rolled 4 FATE dice plus 1 vs. difficulty 2, getting -1 0 1 -1 plus 1 for a total of 0 and a Terrible result!

+froll/challenge: Hraelfmir rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. difficulty 2, getting -1 1 0 1 plus 2 for a total of 3 and an Average result!

+froll/vs: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. Resist (asshole)'s 4 FATE dice plus 5!

+froll/vs: Mercy got 1 0 1 0 plus 2 for a total of 4.

+froll/vs: Resist (asshole) got -1 0 -1 1 plus 5 for a total of 4.

+froll/vs: Mercy and Resist (asshole) tie!

Mercy has flaires sent up, blue for follow her lead, and green for the ones in the back, the bullwark. Those green mean that the 'port' conflict, or Tavi's group, are in dire need, since her crow'snest man is calling out to her. She smiles. "FIRE!" She yells as she turns her ship, in a maneuver that looks more like a parthian dance than an arcadian blockade, called a death wheel, she and her ships go round about in a circle, as best as they can, to keeps a constant rate of fire on the now sideways facing ships, thus, the checker position from before, so no one crashes into each other.

Literally.

The Commodor's Battlegroup, spearheaded by the Kraken and the Typhoon manage to manuever in such a way that they prevent boarding and find themselves in good firing position.

But so are the White Hallers ….

Mercy's group, and the fleet in general hold the line. She can see the southern group simply being overrun. Two ships running, the three d'Armaz being boarded, and the remaining ships rammed and or being boarded. Those not engaged in Boarding are moving to hit Mercy's Flanks…"

Mercy frowns at the southern fleeet. "d'Armaz… I see how well your value of his majesty is, an inept captain and an inept offering." She says as she looks to her signaler. "Signal the bulwark, turn and fire on the whitehallers that broke through, everyone else, keep circling."

Orders are given to start turning the Typhoon and passed to the Kraken's Seduction now that they have passed through the hammer wave of the White Hall ships in the first clash. The Commodore keeps moving from one side of the deck to the other, using his spy glass as necessary and shouting orders. The two ships, Descanda and Singular prepare to fire again, reloads progressing as the angles change and ships manuever. Finally Mercy's additional ships are catching up and trying to lend support to Hraelfmir's two ships. Signals are being passed rapdily between them all to coordinate.

Smoke blows over the water and thus far, Hraelfmir's ships have taken little damage. "HOLD YE FIRE! WAIT FOR IT! WAIT FOR ME SIGNAL!" By this point Halfborn has drawn his light silver Cutlass with the hilt bound in the colors of House al'Mordran, holding it aloft and catching the sunlight in a brilliant slice of silvered steel. As the White Hall ships turn and his ships line up, Hraelfmir waits until they are in position for the best possible barrage upon their enemies…

"I think it's time we show these Easterners what three kinds of shit they're in." Reist says running his thumb along the edge of an axe head. He holds out a free hand is passed a bow and a hollow arrow. He takes aim and fires the thing.

There is a shrill whistle as it travles before it imbeds itself in the throat of an engin rushing past Mercy. The man falls over gurgling, legs kicking, the arrow making a strange gugle whistle before blood starts to pour out the end of it.

All over the battle the White Hall ships suddenly fire these arrows in two volleys. Some simply as far out into the waves, others in attempts to kill aequorans. The result is a shrill five minutes of whistling that can be heard despite the cannon, Despite the roar of explosions from Carrobalistas.

Suddenly form teh mast, "ADMIRAL!" The man slowly lowers the Partharian glass. He simply points unable to say anything.

Mercy's First Mate hands her her own Partharian Glass with an audible despite the batlte swallow of fear. If Mercy peers through that glass in that direction she sees a line of ships. A long line of ships heading for them. The largest of which easily recognized as Longships. They number 50 strong, while more than 80 smaller medium ships cruise with them.

Reist Ragnesson nods and smiles toward the Aequoran vessels. He'd have his kingdom soon enough.

+froll/vs: Tavi rolled 4 FATE dice plus 3 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Tavi got -1 -1 -1 1 plus 3 for a total of 1.

+froll/vs: White Hall got -1 -1 -1 1 plus 2 for a total of 0.

+froll/vs: Tavi wins!

+froll/vs: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 4 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Mercy got 0 1 1 0 plus 4 for a total of 6.

+froll/vs: White Hall got 1 1 -1 1 plus 2 for a total of 4.

+froll/vs: Mercy wins!

+froll/vs: Hraelfmir rolled 4 FATE dice plus 3 vs. White Hall's 4 FATE dice plus 2!

+froll/vs: Hraelfmir got -1 1 0 -1 plus 3 for a total of 2.

+froll/vs: White Hall got -1 0 1 1 plus 2 for a total of 3.

+froll/vs: White Hall wins!

Mercy looks out with her glass and frowns. "that makes 180… what did they do, clear out their fucking island?" She says as she closes her spyglass and turns to her signaler. "Call the retreat. 30 against one eighty is suicide." She says as her cannons fire over the ring of those damned arrows, she does make sure one of them get's taken and she can send it to Dertan Kaedon. maybe they can use this against their enemies. Watching as a longship is destroyed. She frows. "STARBORD ANCHOR, SWIFT TURN AND RETREAT, CUT THE CHAIN WHEN WE COME ABOUT AND FUCKING FLY LIKE THE WIND!" Cesare isn't going to like this, and quite possibly, the king is going to have her head, but she never expected this. "Signal d'Armaz and halfblood, retreat damn you!"

When the moment is ripe, Hraelfmir shouts and slices the air as he drops the cuttlass downwards, "FIRE! Send'm tae feed the Deep!" Caroballista and cannons fire as one, the heavy decks of the Typhoon shuddering like a lover's climax as thunder claps the air with ordinance. The Kraken's Seduction likewise fires at the same time, and Mercy's ships, keeping up the heat north of the Admiral's position.

-JUST- as Hraelfmir's blade falls and his ship's crew pass on the order to fire, the whistling arrows begin to fall from the sky! The punch into the deck, striking crew. A woman falls from the rigging, her signal flags dropped as she falls from the Kraken's Seduction. The Typhoon is fired upon, carroballista shots impacting their hull! Marines are swept off of the deck, others wounded as the Descanda takes her first damage of the battle.

The Commodore has to grab for the railing at the shock. Hraelfmir shouts, "RELOAD! Damage report!" Men and women are running but many of them are fighting veterans and all is not the chaos it might seem. Except for the screaming of a boy, bleeding out on the deck. "Put that fire out!" Hraelfmir turns to look out over the water even as sailors up in his masts and rigging start shouting about a /new/ line of White Hall ships.

+froll/challenge: Hraelfmir rolled 4 FATE dice plus 2 vs. difficulty 2, getting -1 0 1 1 plus 2 for a total of 3 and an Average result!

+froll/vs: Mercy rolled 4 FATE dice plus 5 vs. Reist's 4 FATE dice plus 5!

+froll/vs: Mercy got 0 -1 1 1 plus 5 for a total of 6.

+froll/vs: Reist got 0 1 1 -1 plus 5 for a total of 6.

+froll/vs: Mercy and Reist tie!

+froll/challenge: Tavi rolled 4 FATE dice plus 1 vs. difficulty 2, getting 0 0 1 0 plus 1 for a total of 2 and a Mediocre result!

Mercy had called the retreat and looks to see some of her ships getting borded. "Signal their captains, I want the flash powder in their holds ignighted." She says with a ruthless tone, yeah, those men are dead either way, so why not take out some whitehalllers with her. "ORDER IT!" She says to her signaler as she reaches for a pistol. "Or I'll shoot you meself for treason!" She says as she turns to Her first mate. "Bessy, take my spyglass, and a musket, tie the spyglass to the musket and bring it to me. NEST TRY AND FIND THEIR LEADER… " Well, if she can;t kill them all, maybe, just maybe, she can kill one of them.

The order to retreat is reported from the Typhoon's rigging down to the decks. Hraelfmir curses and swears things that can blister even the ears of a seasoned sailor! Then he shouts, "Relay tae th' Kraken tae comply. Signal th' Admiral that we also comply, Gods damn it!" Even as the ships are given new orders to continue their turn and try to break free, weapons are made ready to try and fire again before they break away! The injured boy is grabbed, somebody dragging the youth's now unresponsive body out of the way so others can adjust sailcloth.

All around them ships are dying, people are in the water, arrows rain down from the sky, smoke billows and sail cloth snaps in the wind. With regret, Aequor's ships must try to live to fight another day - perhaps to harry the White Hallers as they try to make landfall upon the coast.

Nobody on the Admiral's ship ahs any idea which of the teaming mass of ships houses the enemy's Admiral. They all look like Raiders, one and all. Some have beards. Some have shaved heads. Some have long flowing hair. They all look rather cleanly though. Very well groomed. Lots of blonde hair over there. The Aequoran vessels begin to retreat, and soon Bessy hands Mercy the Musket. "Nobody has any idea Admiral. They all look a like the fuckers." She replies and spits to the side.

Reist plucks an apple from the bag near him and takes a bite. His eyes watch the Aequoran's run. He can hear sporadic cannon and more than a few Carrobalista's firing. A blue haze drifts over the Northern Ocean. A fog. A death fog Reist decides. The fog that signal's Aequor's doom. "Let them run." He says once he finishes slowly chewing.

The man near him nods. "What of those we have captured?"

Resist looks at the man. "I said no survivors didn't I?" As the man stares at him unblinking, Reist nods. "Kill them." The two words spoken softly, and calmly. The other man nods and begins to pass the orders. Reist sits down at a bench. Sighs contently, and takes a bite off his apple.

He slaps a man near him on the back. "It has been a good day." He then holds out his hand. "Apple?"

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License