Piracy on the Sundering Sea
Sklavis Piracy Accounts 18th Third
Moon 707ATN
Duke Pietro Delacroix of Wardour.
To King Anghered of Azelad
Sklavis Port Azelad
18th Third Moon 707 ATN
Your Royal Highness,
As you will know I have been entrusted by King Eudes with carrying on
with the crusade in Hamora. This day I sailed out of Tikjolit with four Lymphads
carrying the crusaders, including many of your subjects. There was a strong wind
so we travelled fast. Around midday we encountered Victor FizValente commanding
two Azeladian Nefs. He was flying the Degollar flag and immediately made to
attack us. Not wishing to weaken our crusading strength I thought it best to try
and evade his vessels. Missiles were exchanged where I think we got the better
of them.. Then his Lamtotir rammed the rear quarter of my Lymphad Saint Gilbert,
seriously damaging both, such that they were like to sink! A fire missile set
afire the sail of the Evasofah, Victor’s second Nef. The Saint Fabiola assisted
my ship and we eventually stemmed the large leak with a sail and other paddings.
The enemy’s vessels being in a sore case, we effected our escape to Sklavis.
Here my lymphad is being repaired which is like to take a week. We suspect that
Victor FizValente will take his damaged Nef to one of the Elysia ports to be
repaired.
Your Respectful Ally Pietro Delacroix
To
King Eudes of Thentis
Sklavis Port Azelad
18th Third Moon 707ATN
Your Royal Highness,
Intent on taking those of our forces designated for the Monseigneur’s
crusade I led my squadron of four Lymphads out of Tikjolit this morning. There
was a strong wind so we travelled fast. Around midday we encountered Victor
FizValente commanding two Azeladian Nefs. He was flying the Degollar flag and
immediately made to attack us. Not wishing to weaken our crusading strength I
thought it best to try and evade his vessels. There was also the consideration
that we had many in our crews who had been fighting on Colombo’s side in the
recent war and it was not wise to test their loyalty overmuch. I ordered we all
turn to port and due to the training you gave us in fleet manoeuvres on the
journey out, the other vessels turned in sympathy,
almost as one. Missiles were
exchanged where I think we got the better of them. Then his Lamtotir rammed the
rear quarter of my Lymphad Saint Gilbert, seriously damaging both, such that
they were like to sink! Some men were thrown into the sea from the shock on the
Nef. A fire missile set afire the sail of the Evasofah, Victor’s second Nef. The
Saint Fabiola assisted my ship and we eventually stemmed the large leak with a
sail and other paddings. The enemy’s vessels being in a sore case, we effected
our escape to Sklavis. Our only casualty was the engineer Jaquenard killed by an
arrow.
Here at Sklavis
my lymphad is being repaired which is like to take a week. We suspect that
Victor FizValente will take his damaged Nef to one of the Elysia ports to be
repaired.
Upon receiving the Dock
Master’s report on the time needed to make the repair to the Saint Gilbert, I
called a council of war. This was attended by Duchess Angelique, Baron Giles Du
Rheine, Sir Francis Delacroix, Sir Richard Du Rheine, Sir Vero Riteous, Lady
Margeuritte Des Confettes, Prioress Temperance, Dame Perronel, and Friar Tuchfir.
I
told them about the amount of time expected before the Saint Gilbert was ready
to sail.
“Surely any who seek to fight us on the
Monseigneur’s Holey Crusade must be deemed an ally of the Chaotics Powers!”
declared Friar Tuchfir. “Why did we not fight them when we had the advantage?”
“My orders were to lead we crusaders up
to Hamora, not to continue with what seems to be a continuation of the Azeladian
Civil war. I hoped to bypass those Nefs. Alas that we managed it not!”
“In truth Your Grace I am somewhat of
the Friars mind!” said Baron Giles. “My Saint Fabiola was taken up with helping
you safely to port, but perhaps the Saint Melania and the Saint Amadour might
have attacked the ship whose sail was destroyed?”
“It was my belief that my husband’s
orders were to get as many of us as possible up to Hamora to fight the Crusade!”
declared Duchess Angelique, Commander and owner of the Saint Melania.
“I just followed the last order! I would
have engaged the Nef had I thought it the sensible thing to do!” added Lady
Margeuritte, Commander of the Saint Amadour and leader of the Alpenais
contingent.
“It is too late now for these
arguments!” growled Sir Richard Du Rheine. “We must decide what to do now.
Surely the three hale ships should proceed onwards, with the Saint Gilbert
following when she may?”
“This is a counsel worth considering as
those in the north may have need of us.” agreed Prioress Temperance. “There is
also the thought of the provender needlessly consumed if we all wait here!”
“Why do we not take the three hale ships
and hunt out these Nefs wherever they be and destroy them?” asked Dame Perronel.
“Bearing in mind that as pirates, they will prey on our supply ships supporting
the Crusade!”
“The Lady has the right of it!”
supported Sir Vero Riteous of Perigord. {This is an example of the crusade
softening attitudes, Sir Vero being a fiercely orthodox Eruvian and Dame
Perronel a Barbaran heretic!}
I
spoke up against this, “Those nefs will have gone to a harbour in Chaotic
Elysia, possibly Sumeer or Elysa. At present we have an uneasy peace with them,
but I am very sure that they would aid the nefs were we to try to attack them in
port. I agree that there is no need for all of us to stay here, using up our
provender as the Holey Prioress reminds us. I will stay here and communicate
with King Anghered and the other allied states, warning them of the dangers the
Nefs pose.”
Duchess Angelique supported me, “Mine own ship the Saint Melania shall keep you
company good husband. My ship’s Captain has long told me that it is very unwise
for vessels to travel alone in the Sundering Sea. There are many dangers other
than pirates!”
I agreed “Yes, I have been told that
too! My decision is that Baron Giles shall command the Saint Fabiola and the
Saint Amadour and sail off toward Agetsu tomorrow, in order to join the
Crusade.”
Baron Giles nodded, “And have I your permission to fight any pirates that we may
encounter on the way? Thinking back to five years ago when my Saint Magdalene
disappeared, it seems that many vessels that were lost in the delta could have
also been taken by pirates. They are probably in league with the Larete Balokha
and must be destroyed!”
“Yes I concur!” I replied.
So
those two lymphads will sail out tomorrow wind permitting..
Your Obedient Servant Pietro Delacroix Dux
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Victor FizValente
I
sailed southeast from Sklavis to take up a position to intercept vessels going
to and from Tikjolit. My nef Lamtotir and the Evasofah sailed abreast. There was
a very strong wind from due east. Around midday 18th Third Moon
707ATN we sighted a flotilla of four Lymphads sailing in line ahead towards us.
They were not sporting dolphins so I signalled to the Evasofah that we should
attack them. It seemed that the enemy realised our intent as we neared them.
Making no attempt to parley, they veered to port as one, trying to evade us.
Perhaps keeping the Degollar flags flying was a mistake?
The Evasofah and my ship turned towards
them and with our superior speed I managed to ram the rear quarter of their lead
ship. Normally ramming has no great effect on heavily built vessels but in this
case the impact was so great that some of my crew were thrown off their feet and
others including Don Cresta off the ship into the sea. He sank like a stone but
the hornblower Elmeto managed to stay afloat and be rescued with a grapnel rope.
Those down below called that the bow was stove in and began frantically bailing.
The vessel had been knocked off course and smashed the boat that the enemy
Lymphad had been towing. Escudo Reggio FizValente called up from the hold, that
unless the leak could be plugged we were like to sink! Skipper Mardel said “We
must use the spare sail! We put it round the outside of the leak and plug any
parts where the water still comes in!”
Wizard Wazim had a better idea, using his magic to freeze the water in the
opening. This stabilised the leak so that we could more easily rectify the
problem with the sail. Meanwhile a fireball had set the sail of the Evasofah on
fire immobilising it and the enemy ships managed to sail away. Even when the
Evasofah’s sail was replaced the enemy were nearing Sklavis and we were in no
case to chase them. We sailed north to Vendola with the Evasofah sheltering us
from the weather as much as possible. Fortunately the sail with copious baling
kept us from sinking. At the port the Master carpenter said it might take two
weeks or more to rebuild the bow, depending on being able to obtain suitable
heavy timber.
In
the action we lost Don Cresta and three crossbowmen dead and two others wounded.
Games Master’s Account
As
so often this action did not turn out as I expected.
I was expecting hard fought ship to ship melees but did not get them. I
was not expecting the ramming damage inflicted although wind speeds had always
been less in earlier actions. Both ships would have sunk without having the
spare sail to plug them. Using the freezing spell to plug the initial leak on
the nef was a brilliant improvisation by Richard. In the very, very slow 2004
revision of the rules I decided to make wind speed indicator discs in the same
style as my Naval Napoleonic Rules. I spent around four days doing so and they
still are not perfect. I found it necessary to alter the wind speed dicing
system which Alan noticed was different from the old general weather rules.
Under those a 14” wind would be a gale! In a gale any combat would be broken off
as the ships would try to stay afloat and also avoid being driven toward the lee
shore. The strong wind needed a deduction of -1 to firing hits.
So the action fizzled out
after eight moves with five dead, one crippled and one wounded! However I have
decided that there are grounds for a smaller and probably more active sequel.
Sundering Sea Piracy II!