The Ongebreidelde Ruin

[Leitz]

The heavily laden and almost totally unarmed fluyt "Ongebreidelde Ruin" shuttered as cannonball struck amidships port. Cries of fear and alarm spread through the half a dozen crew and hundred plus passengers alike; the night had been quiet, but everyone knew the pirates were still chasing them.

The ocean salt spray was strong above decks. Below, where an over packed lot of humanity shivered in dread, the stench of fear and voided bowels began to overwhelm the miasmic odor of those who do not travel the seas well. Dawn was an hour away, the pirates were well within chain and shot range, and few thought they would see the morning.

It had been an uncomfortable trip from the Iberian peninsula, the Captain's shrill screeches and the first mate's drunken roars obliterated any sense of adventure as they neared the new world. The Lady Maria Estrella Dominica Gabriella de Lopez-Etrenos and her underfed and over worked retinue comprised fully half of the passenger roster, and her luggage, portage, and corpulent self took up room that would have been another fifty paying souls. Of course, paying in what kind would be the question, most of them thought the road to perdition was less nauseating and treacherous. Her beloved and betrothed was "high up" in the administration of St. Augustine. "Very high", she was wont to say, whether or not anyone had the want to hear.

The "Ongebreidelde Ruin", Dutch for "Rampant Gelding", was simply called the Ruin among crew and knowledgeable passengers alike. The Captain was Dutch, and did not see the humor. His eyes were taken up by the powder blue of his favorite sea coat, and the waxed curl of his goatee. He was in full screech now, giving orders that no one could accomplish, and then contradicting himself with even more absurd commands. The first mate stumbled starboard as he tried to pull his cutlass from its scabbard. Roaring, he leaned over the rail and emptied his guts.

Peveril, "Blue John" is well aware of the pathetic nature of the crew, the only worthwhile member seems to be a salty old bos'n the rest of the crew refer to as Mad Dog. John got a far look at the pirate ship yesterday, and he does not know her flag or reputation. In these waters, it is said that pirates might be blood-thirsty and skilled, or no better sailors than those of the Ruin.

Jack "Mad Dog" Maddox knows this might be his last sail; the captain and crew are nothing but bilge scrapers, if that. He does know where the powder and shot are for the aft mounted swivel gun is, and he's made sure it could work at least once.

The pirates are closing, and preparing to board.

[Spearmint]

Peveril 'Blue-John'

Or Bleu-jaune as the Gauloise might call him. He suffers with central heterochromia, having sea blue eyes that circle an inner mass of gold flecked yellow. Like a sea surrounding an island.

The sea, a strange vocation for one born as far from the sea as could be possible, Peveril so named after the ruined castle that dominated the rugged Peak District of his rural homeland. Yet the yearning wanderlust reflection in his eyes mirrored the 'wild blue yonder' calling that only the sea or her sirens can give.

And so to buckle his swash upon the High Seas, perilous now with pirates approaching.

Blue-John (as most call him, he leaves his first name for close confidants) will call to Mad-dog.

"This Rampant Gelding will truly have her bollocks cut once they board us. Fending them off a forlorn hope unless we can hit their main mast." I will point to the aft cannon and rally any nearby, land lubber or passenger to come and lug the cannon shot and draw cannon upon its wheels into place, doing so by grabbing collar cuffs or slapping the side of my sword to chivvy them to help.

[shaidar]

Mad-Dog

Mad-Dog was fuming, and he always was at his best when angry. "All I had to do was to get to port and my debt would be paid...but the captain is an idiot and the first mate a drunken fool..." he scratches an armpit "...and I think I've got lice from the crew."

"This Rampant Gelding will truly have her bollocks cut once they board us. Fending them off a forlorn hope unless we can hit their main mast." I will point to the aft cannon and rally any nearby, land lubber or passenger to come and lug the cannon shot and draw cannon upon its wheels into place, doing so by grabbing collar cuffs or slapping the side of my sword to chivvy them to help.

Jack looks over to this "Blue-John", the only one on the ship that seems to be worth something, and the man spoke sense. He nods at him.

He calls out to the crew "Come on you sea dogs, let's give these pirates something to chew on. No ship with Mad-Dog on is going to be an easy capture. Move to it!" he directs the men (with a little physical encouragement where needed) to where the powder and shot are and heads over to prepare the aft gun.

mad-dog.jpg (21.79 KiB) Viewed 8052 times

[jemmus]

Jean-Jacques Davout had known better than to ship with the ruin, but he hadn't had much choice. He was foreignor far from his home in the forest of Ardennes in Champagne province, and broke. And he hadn't wanted to become a sailor, either. But it was that and get out of France or be conscripted into the king's army for one of his endless little wars. War against his other kings (all of whom were his near or distant relatives) over who could tax the peasants and burghers of some barony or duchy or other. Petty wars-- but serious enough for a soldier who got shot or sabered through. And now here he was, on a tub commanded by a fool of a captain and crewed by a sorry lot at the very bottom rung, as sailors go, of a ladder that doesn't reach very high. Only the bos'n Mad-Dog and shipmate Blue-John were worth anything.

And now they were being overtaken by the pirates. He thought to take it on himself to unfurl the jib sails and shinny up and loose the topgallant. That would give them some speed. But the imbecile Dutchman had let the pirates get to within chainshot range, and that nasty stuff was hell on lines and unfurled rigging. Just a few volleys could leave a ship bobbing dead in the water. Davout kicked himself for not having just unfurled the running sails before, orders or no orders, flogging by the lot of scurvy crew members be damned. Late, much too late now.

Blue-John says, "This Rampant Gelding will truly have her bollocks cut once they board us. Fending them off a forlorn hope unless we can hit their main mast." And Mad-Dog says, "Come on you sea dogs, let's give these pirates something to chew on. No ship with Mad-Dog on is going to be an easy capture. Move to it!" The bos'n heads toward the aft swivel gun. Not much against a faster ship that can turn, fire a full broadside, and turn to pursue and still close range. But it seems the only hope. He runs to the little guns powder, fuses and shot supplies. He turns to the nearest three sailors. "You, grab and handle of this crate and hustle with it with me to the aft gun! You two, stop your barfing and trambling and grab that one and follow! And quick, like your life depends on it! Because it does depend on it! Speed! Or face blunderbusses, pistols and cutlasses!"

[shaidar]

Mad-Dog

Mad-Dog casts an eye over the aft gun, nodding in satisfaction as it seems that nobody has tampered with it since he last checked it. He looks over the see Blue-John and another sailor marshalling the crew to retrieve the ammo. He doesn't recognise the other sailor initially, then it comes to him, it was the frenchman, who he'd overlooked as the man mostly kept to himself, but seemed competent enough, if a little green, and he seems to actually have some fire in a pinch.

He chivvies the crew still further..."Move it, yah scurvy dogs! Get that ammo here and give me a chance to load or we don't stand a chance!" he then looks at Blue-John and the frenchman "Well lads, do either of you have any real experience with the gun? I can fire it if needs be, but it's not something I've had much need to do."

[Leitz]

These are much nicer than the Ruin you are on.
Upper view
Deck Plan


The Ruin rolled and swayed, her deck over full with hastily strapped down cargo and frightened bodies staring at the oncoming pirates. One of Dona Lopez-Etrenos' porters screamed and jumped overboard, considering the ocean deep a better fate than being a toy to the oncoming pirates.

Anyone attempting to Incite and/or Lead; roll you dice. Incitation (Resolve) comes first, your base TN is 10. Roll against each group in the NPC list. If you have a way to influence the roll, speak up! It could be worth an extra Unkept Die. To keep things moving along, go a head and roll, keeping the underscore in your macro. If additional unkept dice are given, you can substitute them. Once you have responses, you can Lead (Wits) with one extra Unkept Die. Different people can try to Incite/Lead, but don't try to Lead the same groups.

The Spanish priest drew his sword and backed himself against a tied down stack of crates. He did not seem fearful, and his hand looked familar with the blade.

Around the deck are lines (ropes), tied down crates, and grated hatches to below. On deep rolls, the deck is awash with briny spray.

[shaidar]

Mad-Dog

The four crew:

Incite (4k3): [_4d10]=(3+10+6+6)=25, that's 22, plus an exploding die: Exploding: [1d10]=2 for a total of 24

Lady Donna's porters:

Incite (4k3): [_4d10]=(7+5+7+1)=20, so 19

Freemason's

Incite (4k3): [_4d10]=(6+7+7+5)=25 = 20

Hopefully I'm doing this right. I'd go for the criminals but they're below and mad-dog is up on the deck?

[Spearmint]

Peveril Blue-John

Blue-John: shoots Pistol: [1d10]=5 [1d10]=10[1d10]=3[1d10]=2 exploding dice? [1d10]=8

After rallying a few bodies towards Mad-dog, hustling them along at the point of his sabre, he remembers the 'unfortunate McG's', chained and restrained below in the Brig house. I push past flustered passengers and accessing the cordoned off area, busting any door with a hefty kick.

"Pirates off the stern. They intend to pillage, rape and murder.

To that wastrel Captain, you are just "cargo' exported at His Majesty's Pleasure to whatever fate justice has decreed. He has no care even to save himself let alone crew and passengers and waves your fate away to the press-gangs or Davy Jones locker.

I know little of your histories though as crew we found much merriment among your sea shanties and Puirt-a-beul. Mad-dog, John-Jacques and I think blaggard criminals would cuss and curse.

I intend to fight and die like a man not cower in the bilge as a rat, I offer you a chance to save your lives. Join us, desert or mutiny, the choice is yours and may God judge righteously between us."

To be fair, he is not really one for speeches and knows they could just be equally piratical and murderous as those running broad beam against us. But he offers a chance to them in hope they will reinforce the ship's present need for defence.

[Leitz]

The Scots cringed as Blue John kicked in the door to the small brig, and then brandished a pistol. Their erstwhile dungeon reeked of human waste and disease, the men had been locked in for the entire two month trip. As the air cleared slightly, Blue John was able to see the remains of their clothes and the open sores on their bodies. They were not sailors, and subject to the constant poor rations of the sea, but they had suffered badly in this trip.

Blue John's address.

One of the men raised his head and spoke clearly. "Our crimes are naught but being in the way of a lordling who thinks God himself is impressed by a human crown. We are few, and we cannot do much, but free us, and we will do what we can. If God wishes us to do more, then he will have to give us strength."

Blue John's pistol goes off with a "pfft...BOOM!" as the half inch lead ball shatters the lock mechanism. The men, weak but motivated, pull the chain through their shackles and crawl out of the cramped space.



Above decks, the swivel gun is primed and loaded. The crew, now ignoring both the Captain and the First Mate, have done an enthusiastic if sloppy job of reefing the sails. Geraldo has sent his Lady into her quarters, along with the ladies in waiting and the female Italian passengers. The latter group provided the Freemasons and Prussians with a dozen spare knives enroute. The porters have crate levers and carry rods for weapons, and the chefs are brandishing wicked sharp cutlery.

Sailors know the next move; the pirates will bring their ship alongside and their boarding party will swing across. If they want to sink the victim, they will fire a broadside. Otherwise, it will be a contest of blades and wills.


1. Blue John has a chace to reload his pistol before the boarding action begins.
2. Which PC is manning the swivel gun? Make a roll.



As the pirate ship closes, her guns are out and her crew are laughing and jeering. Half a dozen loud "booms!" roll across the shrinking distance between the ships; clouds of gray smoke hide the enemy for a moment, but the deck shudders in pain. The Ruin will not escape, and her remaining days in the sunlight are now measures in minutes.



PCs, post where you will be and what you plan on doing when the pirates start swinging across. If you have any actions to take before the boarding, now is the time for it. The next DM Action Post will be Wednesday PM, and will be the boarding.

[Spearmint]

Peveril 'Blue-John'

I will load my pistol and draw blade.

I have an idea, a grim one, but a feasible one, at least in his mind.

The pirates board, run to the lower decks and engrossed in the excesses of cleavage and bosoms, go to their natural plundering instincts.

Meanwhile we, characters & criminals dive overboard of the port side. Swimming underneath the keel of our ship, underneath the adjacent pirate ship and surface again on their starboard side.

We climb up, kill any remnant crew on board, cut the grappling ropes that bind ships together and sail away, taking the pirate ship as ours and leaving the Ruin to its fate.

any other ideas?

[jemmus]

Jean-Jacques eyed the Spanish priest with the sword. He mumbles under his breath, quite audibly (with a strong French accent), What kind of strange bird is this, ah hahn? A priest brandishing a sword, with the air of a confidant fenceur? Or should I have said "priest," with a little omphisance on the word? But all friendly blades, rum bottles already emptied, buckettes or swabs will surely be welcome in this fight.

He seizes on an idea hastily mentioned by Mad-Dog. But of course, b'sun! He seizes a coil of rope lying on the deck, discovers it's fouled by lazy or inept seamanship (or a potent combination of the two), struggles to find a loose end, finds it, sees that he'd have to pull it three yards through a coil to free it, then thread it through five others to free it.... Sacre bleu! Which idiot did this! He turns his head left and right and takes a step backward on his left heel, to widen the breadth of his withering gaze cast upon the other four seamen. He spots the other end of the coiled/looped/tangled rope and takes a different tack and hastily fumbles to find the other end of the rope. He pulls it almost free, threads it under one ring of rope, oops, here's another, and another. He springs up and wraps the end around a rail-mounted belaying pin, drapes the rope across a mast's lower crosstree, through a hole in the iron grate of an upper deck drain to the bilge (and the intervening lower passengers/cargo deck), and across other crosstrees and around other pins and between ship's rails posts. The result is a loose, swaying with the waves network mess of boot, calf, knee, neck and eye level sagging ropes. Except for a rectangular area around the aft swivel gun, 10 feet deep and going from starboard to larboard rail. Jean-Jacques whistles to above deck and below to the rescuer and the rottin Scotsmen prisoners.

Mind your heads and feet! And best look lively, yes I think so! Oh, and bring something with you! At least a shoe or some thing for fighting pirates! He looks around and recalls something about a nails. "I saw a keg of nails, stored in a most donkey-headed unlikely place of all....' His nose detects a smell, sniffs, and raises into the air. Mais oui!/dialog] The deck sailor dashes down the stairs to the lower deck, headed toward the galley.

Sailing skill roll for the lines?

[Spearmint]

PCs, post where you will be and what you plan on doing when the pirates start swinging across. If you have any actions to take before the boarding, now is the time for it.

I will fire my primed pistol at whoever charges me and duel any pirates. Not sure, since we don't have an array if cannons, that we can do much except fight. But if it is us three characters , six gaunt and starved criminals, a drunk priest and a couple of crew; that does not inspire me for a heroic defense if facing off against a couple dozen pirates who can set another broadside into our decks and main mast.

[shaidar]

Mad-Dog

Mad-Dog watches the frenchman, satisfied the man has the gist of what's needed he smiles and nods as the frenchman works.

Before settling into position for the gun, he scans the deck for a makeshift weapon, locating a suitably dirty swab and bucket he plops it down nearby the gun.

He will try and aim for the main mast or what he thinks will slow down the pirate ship most or make it's manoeuvres worst, based on what he thinks he can achieve with the limited weapon. Dice roll is in the OO thread. Once the pirates arrive he will do his best to engage what he thinks are the bigger threats, hopefully leaving the lesser threats to the less experienced defenders. He will suggest teams of two or three defenders.

[Leitz]

pirate_captain.jpg (106.58 KiB) Viewed 7872 times

The pirate captain stood on the quarterdeck, hand at the wheel, watching her crew and those defending the Ruin.

Mad Dog cut loose with the swivel gun as the rabid looking pirates yelled and grabbed their ropes. One poor soul quickly went to pieces, spraying blood and gore on the deck behind him. Angered and shocked, the pirates began to swing over. Blue John stood firm to resist the boarders, with half a dozen weak but determined Scots at his side. Jean-Jacques' ropes have entangled Captain Althuis, but some of the pirates head into the trap.

There are twelve pirates in the first wave. Their action is swinging over and getting aboard your ship. Mad Dog's use of the swivel gun was before the combat sequence started, so does not count as an action. You do not need to roll Panache this round, their action is spent. You can roll one attack, vs a TN of 10, for each point of Panache. If you choose to take one or more raises, and make your roll, you Knock out an additional pirate for each raise taken.

Go ahead and make your rolls. Jean-Jacques, roll 1k1 for the number of pirates entangled. They will need an additional round to free themselves, and are subject to attack, with a TN of 5. Mad Dog, take one extra Drama Die, I love the mop and bucket! Use them in the battle, if you hit, they go down. Blue John, you have no risk of flank or rear attacks, the Scots are making sure you are protected.

[jemmus]

Able-bodied seaman Jean-Jacques scours the approaching pirate ship with an eye on the crew members lining the rails. What a lot of riff-raff, he mumbles with rare optimistic satisfaction. Mr. Blue-John! I hasten to suggest that you maybe let loose your Scots criminals and miscreants dogs of war on them! Also, what happened to those Illuminati Freemasons conspirators below board? Do we think they can be trusted with a bucket or a swab?

He eyes the sword-wielding priest and casts an appraising gaze. At last, he nods a slow nod to him show honor to a fellow fencer. Then dashes down to the ship's galley and it's distinguishable smell, narrowly avoiding several dangling overhead and under foot swinging ropes. He finds the smelled bucket of rancid pork, beef, chicken and goose grease. He draws a pistol from his waist, puts it in the ship cook's face, and smiles. Ah ha, Monsieur villein cook! I knew you were saving this lard to sell in the colonies! Instead of using it for honest ship cooking! Isn't that right?! Huh? Huh?! He lowers the pistol's hammer as the cook stands against the little galley's wooden wall, hands upraised against it. The sailor runs up the stairs to the main deck, bucket of grease in hand....

[shaidar]

Mad-Dog watches with satisfaction as the gun makes short work of one pirate.

As the pirates swing over to the ship he grabs the mop and bucket, sliding with him as he closes on the pirates

"Oh would you look at that! My fine lads have just finished swabbing the deck and now it's covered in filth from the boots of dirty pirate dogs!"

He uses the swab to pitch the bucket, and it's unsavoury contents, towards the head of one pirate:

Dirty Fighting attack (5k2): [_5d10]=(6+2+4+6+4)=22, so 12

He then follows up by smacking the head of another pirate with the soiled mop head at full speed:

Dirty Fighting attack (5k2): [_5d10]=(7+6+2+1+2)=18, so 13.

[Spearmint]

Blue-John

The swashbuckler shoots the pistol and duels

Blue-John: panache 3 [1d10]=9 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=6 Exploding Dice? [1d10]=6

If you choose to take one or more raises, and make your roll, you Knock out an additional pirate for each raise taken.

So my idea is simple, that in a V shape with myself at the apex, we advance, three McCrims' on either side. I want to aim for a raise as advised by Jemmus in the Combat thread.

As far as dramatic action, I want to cleave opponents either side, cutting them down one to a side so that they can be set upon by the chain swinging, cudgel bearing Scots.

Do I need roll anything else apart from this?

[Leitz]

Blue-John

The swashbuckler shoots the pistol and duels

Blue-John: panache 3 [1d10]=9 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=6 Exploding Dice? [1d10]=6

If you choose to take one or more raises, and make your roll, you Knock out an additional pirate for each raise taken.

So my idea is simple, that in a V shape with myself at the apex, we advance, three McCrims' on either side. I want to aim for a raise as advised by Jemmus in the Combat thread.

As far as dramatic action, I want to cleave opponents either side, cutting them down one to a side so that they can be set upon by the chain swinging, cudgel bearing Scots.

Do I need roll anything else apart from this?

For this round, Panache is not needed. The pirates swing over and attempt to get their balance, your side gets to attack. You need to roll for Blue John's attacks, each hit takes down a pirate. I'll roll for the Scots, and the more you take out the fewer they have to deal with. Note that for Tactics, you may want to keep your pistol un-fired, since it has range and lethality. Once you fire, it is effectively out of this fight.

[Spearmint]

If I need 4k3, could the above rolls be used as the four attacks.

Otherwise I will go for a 'raise' to try to take a few extra pirates out. Expressed below, so that you know how many raises I aim for

Blue-John: swashbuckling 4k3 vs one raise [1d10]=7 [1d10]=5 [1d10]=2 [1d10]=1 Exploding Dice? [1d10]=6

Which I think is zero achieved.

So a female pirate leader? I suddenly get the urge to try and impress her with my panache, charisma and 'joie de vivre', cutting down her brute squad.

[Leitz]

Using the above rolls (9,6,6,5) for your first attack gives a 21. If you chose one Raise that means you took out two pirates quickly and with a little flair. You have three attacks, and your second roll (7,5,2,1) gives a 14, a miss with one Raise taken. However, remember that you have 3 Drama Dice; they are something you can add to the total and they do not count against your kept dice.

Now, given Blue John's desire to impress the lady pirate, perhaps he took two raises? If so, and if he wanted to spend a Drama Die, the 6 could be added to the 14, giving a 20. That would be exactly enough, and three pirates would fall to his blade while he still had one attack left.

Further, since the DM of this game has been pretty emphatic about "cinematic action", perhaps once you give rousing encouragement to your Scottish clan, and colorful depredations to your foes, you could spend an action pointing your pistol at the pirate captain, blowing her a kiss, and then sticking the unfired pistol back into your sash.

Should you find it in yourself to actually post those colorful yet family friendly depradations, and let your voice carry to the lass upon the enemy quarterdeck, you would regain that Drama Die spent above, and still have three remaining.