Raid on Nassau: 'Cockleshell Heroes'.

[onlyme]

Sorry, missed that update over holidays.

Geoffrey will attempt to help Coalfish catchup (assuming others agree) as he seems to be the better paddler. He will whisper instructions to the others.

[Spearmint]

Canoeing the South Bight. Andros.

Crayfish: the trio of roguish pirates decide to stall on investigating the caravel and instead kick on further into the South Bight. Zoggrot counsels Ferrol and Goldie to be focused on the job in hand. Several quick strokes take them across the harbour gap, beyond the wall. The dog yaps as they pass,.but the low profile and silent movement carries them unseen from the watchtower guards who gaze out to sea. Soon the hillside speckled lights fade and the near side left hand shore becomes the beginning of overgrown mangroves. The waves ebb less though the current through the Bight is still strong. You are carried in good time in the lee of the dense copses, mini creeks edging along the shore as numerous inlets. Long floating 'logs', equal in length to the canoe, reflect partially submerged eyes from the shadows. Saltwater gators nocturnally stalking the unwary. You pass them and head south towards an isolated Cay in the bights' channel.

Following behind: Coalfish and Codfish exert effort to bridge the gap between crews. Like the quartet before them, they paddle towards the headland turn and have a choice to navigate across the bight and around the island or sneak by the Driggs Hill harbour and watchtower.

Codfish, Coalfish observation and silence [1d20] = 2 [1d6] = 3 [1d20] = 19 [1d6] = 4

Rexlin paddles forward to assess the situation. Fishy and Alderhay slowly steering the canoe. Behind Geoff, Pocc and Stubble steer in their wake. All seems to go well until a guard on the harbour walls spies the movement and raises a lantern to shine light more clearly. He calls a fellow guard and together they peer over the wall pointing towards the lead canoe. "Hey Sidney, what is that lump floating by the kelp over there? A whale breaching, a crab?" The named guard mutters something inaudible but begins to strip a musket bore and prep a shot.

Meanwhile on Turtle Cay: the trio of canoes stall as Crabfish, Cuttlefish and Catfish encounter the strange mongrelman on the shore.

"Been named many things. Not all good or polite. A mothers love named me Rufus. I would shake yer hand but wouldna want to snip it off by accident." He tries a jest and clips his long claws together. They do look very sharp and capable of quick amputations. Rufus waves his hand towards the gallows.

"Smugglers, brigands. Suffered to dance a jerk for their 'smulduggery'. Buried some ill gotten gains to avoid paying the taxes. Paid the price instead. They dangle as a warning. I live in exile here, a warden of the Isle. The c@#t$ refuse me trespass on the mainlands. So you lost your ship? Ain't seen no native dugouts for many moons."

He raises a furry eyebrow on his leathery forehead as he inspects the group. He observes the native shamen, dressed more distinct among the party. "There be a sacred grove here, old Arawak place. Spirit singer haunts the place, tells you your future, reveals your past. Speak to her under the moonlight if you want. I could take you."

The hunched mongrelman gestures towards the cay interior.

okay next actions please.

Rex & Cove encounter to settle.
Siggard & Co decide actions with Rufus.
Zoggrot & Co are a mile inside the bight.

[Stirling]

Szmodics

will test and approve the bottle of rum while decisions are made. It seems an interesting proposition, everybody wants to know their future right. Still we have a task in hand and the rogue will empty the rum bottle and suggests, "Don't listen to his murmurings, Iggway. His future don't look too bright down the stock of this crossbow. Let's agree to 'put him to sleep and be on our way'. Never can tell from these inter-breeds what other threats are exiled here, marooned off the mainland."

[onlyme]

Geoffrey, unsure if they have been spotted but wanting to take no chances, stills himself and whispers to the others in the Coalfish to do likewise.

[Ahlmzhad]

Rene

Rene watches the interaction between the Great Mage and this strange creature. His right hand resting on his pistol handle, while his left deftly touches one of his blades. Not fully understanding the creatures words, but trusting that so far his intent does not seem to warrant action. He also gazes up the beach and to both sides of them in case other dangers approach whilst Siggard chats with the creature.

[OGRE MAGE]

Siggard watches with interest as the strange creature attempts to waylay one of his crew. He nods at Szmodics and signals for the canoes to shove off again and get back to their business at hand. (or claw)

“Keep an eye out fer the others, lads! We can’t hope to succeed without a full crew.”

He turns again to address the mongrelmen.

“Well Rufus, I bet some of us would surely like to see that someday, but we’re in a bit of a hurry right at the moment. We haven’t lost our ship, we’re in these ridiculous things on purpose.”

“We are helping to train the wet eared Gauloise cadets on the mainland. The head honcho there thought his little shits could use a lesson in humility, so he hired us to sneak in to board their vessel and capture their watchtower. If ye knew any good information that would help us sneak in on the sly, I’d be willing ya barter that for a few bottles of some better rum for ye when we return. Or if ye needed something else.”

Siggard sits back down and mans his paddle as he awaits the things response.

[GreyWolfVT]

Pocc stops as well and stills himself unsure of being spotted.

[Rex]

Fenis

Fenis waits to hear the mongelmans response to Siggard.

[Ahlmzhad]

Rene

He shakes his head as the mage sits back down in the canoe before he's pulled it off the beach, but excepting the fates he puts his back into it, and begins to move the canoe back into the surf.

[Zhym]

Zoggrot continues quietly rowing the canoe toward its destination.

[Bluehorse]

Rexlin

Looks at their situation and tries to think. Boys... I have an idea... but it is a stupid one... how good are you at pretending to be drunk fishermen?

[shaidar]

Alderhay

"Dunno, I've never tried, but it's worth a go" he whispers

[Leitz]

Stubble also makes himself still.

[Monsieur Rose]

Ferrol

With only a few backwards longing glances at the merchant ship, Ferrol silently paddles on. He makes a mental note not to fall in the water here.

[Bluehorse]

Rexlin

With that being the best go for it he could expect, he turns in canoe AWAY from their current heading, like they are trying to troll the shoreline. He then starts singing a bawdy Gaulese song about fishing for mermaids and taking them home. Hoping to ease suspicions from those on the wall that it is a group of drunks out fishing as well as serve as a proper distraction from those further along then they are.

Oh I cast my lure the longest of all...
To find the mermaid lass, slender and tall...
A sweet red hair girl of the sea...
on I can take home and keep just for me...

Followed by less masked lyrics of methods and intentions. He will even stand out at the chorus, his arms outstretched like he were doing anything BUT trying to sneak around. Innocent right? Just another drunk in a boat.

[Hotgoblin]

Iggway looks at Rufus inquisitively...I would like to, but not now...although I thought all the Arawak were gone!!!