Rough seas have rocked and soaked the fleet, driven by storms howling across the narrow sea, storms that sage old sailors say mean autumn has come to the world. Many of the men have been greensick aboard the ships, passing sleepless nights in cramped, crowded conditions. Sails have torn, spars have snapped, and the fleet has been blown apart on different courses.
So the Black Dread is left with the cog, the Just Maid, and they have joined together to effect mutual repairs, for the galley has been taking on water, while the foremast of the Just Maid fell away and needed to be cut. So does dawn find them… dawn, and two large galleys of two hundred oars each, their striped hulls revealing them to be Lyseni. Official vessels of the Free City? A merchant’s trade vessels? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Either way, they spotted the ships by the morning light, and out came the oars to bring them nearer, and nearer, and nearer still…” to Elmer.
Standing in the forecastle, the Stormbreaker helps to cut away the forespar from the beleaguered Maid. His large form easily shifts to accommodate the rough waves. Sailors watch the imposing figure of the Baratheon knight and comment, “He’s been to sea, that one.” Paying them no heed, Sarmion helps to bring the ship to order.
Pausing, only to wipe his brow and take a cup of water brought him by his squire, Enfren, son of Lord Bar Emmon, he looks at the horizon. There he spies the stripped Lyseni hulls.
Looking across the decks to the Captain where he confers with the Captain of the Black Dread, he shouts, “Looks like we may have company! Friend or foe? What make you of them, masters?”
Weak sunshine plays over the Lyseni vessels now that a fresh wind has shredded the lowering stormclouds. If these are merchant vessels, they are unusually well guarded. Scores of men can be seen crowding the decks, steel glinting here and there. There is no attempt to hail the two Westerosi ships; instead, the oars propel the Lyseni vessels forward ever faster and thin cries can be heard from the men there.
Elmer is standing on the deck too, the big man lad in his usual leathers, half his face still puffed up from in hinjuries, and his stiffness of movement might show that a couple of his ribs may be broken. As the Lyseni ships approach, he comes to stand by the Stormbreaker. “They couldn’t be such fools, could they?”
“Most like they do not see a ship of war, Ser Elmer,” Sarmion says with a grin, “They see a maid ripe for the plucking… but this Maid has steel in her! To arms, boys! They’re making to board us!”
He steps lithely over the deck, using his hands to catch himself as the waves cause the deck to writhe suddenly. Soon, he returns with his hammer and shield upon him, but no other armor. Other men scramble for bows and other weapons, ready to repell the boarders.
The Lysene hulls are now near at hand, one can see a large black-skinned summer islander with a grapple in his hand swinging it, ready for the cast.
Drenched and cold Luthor climbs the ladder from the hold of the Black Dread, where he had been working with the crew to patch the hole in her hull. His movements are quick and sure, despite the rocking of the deck, and he seeks out his healer, who has been set to patching sails.
“I see you didn’t drown,” greets the healer. “If only just.”
“Thank you for your concern,” Luthor replies with a quick flash of teeth. “I was about to go to the Maid and see Burton…” his words are cut off shouts of ships having been spotted.
Moving quickly to the rail Luthor spies the two Lyseni vessels, and his eyes pick out the steel glinting on her decks. He turns back to Watty. “Go below and get my sword and shield, and rouse the men.” The healer ducks below decks just as the Stormbreaker’s shout to arm can be heard above the sounds of work and the waves.
Across the narrow gap between the two Westerosi ships, the Iron Serpent can be seen on the Black Dread’s deck, conferring with the First Mate there. Unlike many of the other Reachmen on deck, there is no unhealthy pallor to him, no unsteadiness in his balance; but then, ironmen are born to the sea.
When the striped hulls appear, he breaks off and steps to the side of the deck, shading his eyes as he stares across the Just Maid at them.
The First Mate joins him; as the Lyseni vessels speed up, there is a brief exchange between them. The sailor backs away, then turns and takes off at a run. He can be heard calling men to arms and they begin to respond swiftly. The Iron Serpent watches a moment longer; then he disappears belowdecks.
“ouldnt be such fools,coz? We will be fools,if we wouldn’t take them seriously”-Burton Crakehall says grimly . He is standing near Elmer and Stormbreaker, in a long cloak of wolf fur and a matching surcoat,over his usual black chaimail. He slowly inspects the ships with his only eye-today covered by a black eyepatch-and spits with disgust.His right palm is caressing the curved hilt of his sword “Pirates! Just our luck!”
Grapple hooks fly out and snatch the gunwhale of the Just Maid. To the starboard, other grapples take latch on to the side of the Black Dread. Hoots and shouts of triumph erupt from the pirates as they swing over. The two ships are boarded!
Elmer :chuckles to himself. “Oh. I’ll be taking them seriously all right, but they must have seen that we’re not merchant vessels. Or is there some disease in the air, that began with the Dornish to start attacking Westerosi armies? Oh shit!” he yells as the grappling hooks appear and he draws his sword. “At least this time it won’t be that snake Martell!”
“Bwhahahahah!”
“Bwhahahahah!” the big summer islander laughs as his bulky black form swings over to the Just Maid. In either hand he holds a boarding axe and he swings them around in wide cutting arcs bringing death to those who come before him.
A few sailors are cut down and he roars with triumph, “My name is Jhaxo! And when you mess with Jhaxo you be dead for sure!”
A lean, Qohorik strides through the crowd of pirates on the deck of the Lyseni ship as she comes along side the wounded cog. Spying her name plate, he laughs stroking his plaited beard. “The Just Maid!” he crows in the bastard Valyrian of the Free Cities. “Let’s get on her then!” he shouts to the men around him. Hooks are thrown and taking one of the lines, the man, Trago by name, swings aboard, landing easily and then taking his strangely curved pole-arm in one hand begins cutting a swath through the fleeing Westerosi sailors. “Die, dogs of Westeros!” he shouts.
“Up and at them, you whoresons!”
With a prodigious roar, a giant of a man swings across from the Lyseni ship onto the Just Maid’s deck, one of the first to board. The axe he wields seems like a toy in his hands—but even more terrifying is the curved spike sprouting from his steel codpiece!
He clubs the first sailor to reach him to the deck, then buries his axe in the second’s skull. More pirates swing across behind him as he clears a space for them. A third sailor rushes him and he grapples the man close, then thrusts his crotch forward, burying the spike on his codpiece in the unfortunate man’s stomach, then ripping his stomach open with a jerk.
Just behind the fat summer islander a slender pale figure swings over. He bears an arakh and hisses as he cuts down men. As their arterial blood splashes across his face he sticks out his tongue and makes a noise like a snake.
Just then, he spies the man in his wolf fur cloak and lashes out with his scythe like weapon.
Xaro attacks Burton with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
The flurry of swords being drawn and of visors being lowered by the Westerosi knights might not be what the pirates expected. And a battle is just what Elmer has been looking for, after getting soundly beaten in the sands of Dorne. Maybe the sea will be carrying better luck. He sees the Qohorik and his heavy blow aims at the man’s head.
Elmer attacks Trago with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
“None so fierce!”-Burton,like a lion-or,rather ,a boar,attacks his assailant-one of the first pirates to set foot on the deck.He makes a couple steps back ...and then suddenly lungs at the man with arakh. Moving swiftly ,he advances his adversary,protecting his face and chest with an oaken shield,that is decorated with a Brindled Boar emblem. Finally,he is near the pirate and his sword,with a whistling sound,cleaves through the air…
Burton attacks Xaro with his sword…
...and has his blow intercepted by Xaro’s shield.
The Qohorik curses in Valyrian as the Westerosi sword opens up his scalp, sending blood flowing down the side of his shaved scalp. Eyes flaring with anger, he dances back away from the swordsman, and gaining some distance, swings his pole arm to return the favor.
Trago attacks Elmer with his polearm…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Bringing up his shield just in time to save his life, the pale Qartheen pirate hisses with pleasure, “You’ll make fine dining! I will pluck out your other eye and eat it… though you will be blind and cannot see me, I will shit it out into your mouth!”
All this he says as he dances around the deck to find an opening in the Crakehall’s defenses. Suddenly, he lashes out with his arakh looking to cleave Burton’s sword arm from his body!
Xaro attacks Burton with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Burton is driven from the saddle!
On the Black Dread as well, the boarding attempt has started; the other Lyseni ship has brought itself alongside and blood stains the deck already as the pirates cross over.
The Iron Serpent has reappeared, armed now and wearing a breastplate. He takes that first rush with the first mate and the others to have responded swiftest. Other pirates cross, but for the moment the Westerosi hold.
More Reachmen rush on deck and Dagur, clear of the fighting for a moment, glances across at the Just Maid, then grabs the shoulder of the nearest man at hand—Luthor: “Take them across! We will have more up here.”
And with that, he plunges back into the fray.
Elmer parries the long blade of the polearm whith his mailed gauntlet, but with a curse he pulls back. The damn pirate knows his trade and there’s a long gash up the Crakehall knight’s arm. He sees his cousin driven away and he attacks fiercely trying to show the Qohorik why it’s a mistake to attack knights.
Elmer attacks Trago with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Armed with sword and shield Luthor nods sharply as the Iron Serpent returns to the fighting just as quickly as he appeared. “You heard him,” he barks to his men. “To the Maid!”. With that Luthor and his band of sellswords make their way to the planks running between the ships. Luthor crosses at a run, the Riverlander may not know the sea, but he knows boats and how to keep his balance on their shifting decks. His men, are less quick, and soon Luthor is deep in melee aboard the maid without support. And if that wasn’t enough, he finds himself face to face with a giant of a man, with a spiked codpiece. “For the love of…” Luthor curses, then with nothing else he can do, attacks, stabbing quickly at the man’s side, keeping his shield between them.
Luthor attacks Estarion with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Another cut, and more blood trickles down the Qohorik’s head. Still he seems un concerned as he carries on his assault, feinting with the butt of his weapon, then coming around to slash the knight before him with the blade. “May the Black Goat feast upon your soul!” he shouts as the blade whistles towards the him.
The giant roars in triumph as he dispatches another sailor, battering his face into bloody pulp—then roars again, this time in outraged pain as Luthor appears from nowhere and deals him a blow that slices through his leather jerkin and draws blood.
“Come here, whelp!”
And he reaches out to try and grab the Rivers knight with one meaty hand while he brings the axe down with the other.
Estarion attacks Luthor with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Trago attacks Elmer with his polearm…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
Elmer ducks with amazing agility, groaning as he feels his broken ribs torment him, but this is not a time to be fretful. His sword comes up in a backhand slash aimed at the pirate’s chest, and he yells. “The West! none so fierce!”
Elmer attacks Trago with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Trago is driven from the saddle!
Seeing the Qoohorik fall, the Qartheen springs into action. He hisses in triumph, his face splashed with the blood of his kills, “You Westerosi are easy to kill! I will skull fuck you to death!”
He swings his arakh in a vicious arc at Emler.
He swings his arakh in a vicious arc at Elmer.
Xaro attacks Elmer with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Pain. That’s about all Luthor can think about as the axe finds him, and cuts him deeply. His clothes already wet from the sea, are now wet with blood as well. Hadn’t he learned this lesson in Dorne! With a roar of pain and fury, he tears himself out of the giant’s grip while at the same time making another thrust for the man’s chest with his sword.
Luthor attacks Estarion with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Estarion is driven from the saddle!
Dagur takes Estarion.
The heir to Crakehall feels that he is losing his balance.Pirate’s blow was not so strong, but the slippery deck has done its job. Burton tries desperately to keep from falling into the rushing waves, and at the last minute grabs for one of the ropes.He manages to do it -only his cloak flies into the water.Then ,with a quick glance,he finds his enemy-the Quartheen pirate-and with a roar assails him,thrusting with his blade at his head-just as he attacks Elmer.
Burton attacks Xaro with his sword…
...and merely strikes a glancing blow!
Luthor takes Trago.
“Good! You did not drown! I want your eye!” the Qartheen hisses as Burton’s unlooked for blow takes him in the back.
He cuts down on the other Crakehall, his arakh thirsty for blood.
Xaro attacks Burton with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
At Sea: The Just Maid
The creak of wood, the splash of water, and the noise of sailors and the occasioal flap of sails re constant companions on this great cog. The Just Maid, a grandiosely-named cog out of Tarth, has seen better days, but it’s spacious enough to hold many men.
To the rear of the vessel, the rudder deck rises high to a pavillion covered with a great awning bearing a stormlord’s banner, and above it a pennon with the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen. Long, streaming pennons affixed to rigging and masts bear the same figure. Within the shelter of this awning, the ship’s captain consults with the pilot. There, as well, is a steep and narrow ladder leading to the lower deck. To the fore of the cog is a great forecastle, which can be reached by a weather-worn ladder.
Elmer catches a shield thrown by one of his men and manages to stand on his feet as the other pirathe’s curved sword hits it with a blow that would kill a lower man. “Fool!” he yells and then sees Burton at his side, dripping wet. “Welcome back coz!” he yells, almost merrily and tries to cut the Quartheen down.
Elmer attacks Xaro with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
The giant’s roar turns into a gurgling wheeze as Luthor’s sword sinks into his chest. Dropping his axe, he plucks at his chest in disbelief. He paws at the Rivers knight, the spike on his codpiece wobbling as he staggers back.
And then he is at the railing and slowly falling back over it into the sea, the last sight of him, that magnificent blood-stained spike jutting up.
“You have power! I will enjoy drinking your blood and taking that power from you!” the Qartheen hisses at Elmer.
He stabs a feint at Elmer with his arakh then cuts upward savagely.
Xaro attacks Elmer with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
A slender Lyseni lad appears as if out of nowhere, slippery as an eel as he dodges between two pairs of fighting men. He appears at Burton’s flank, and clenched his short spear white-knuckled, thrusts viciously even as his gaze skitters about nervously, trying to watch for an attack from every direction at once.
Tommo attacks Burton with its spear…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Burton is rocked back in the saddle by Tommo’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
Luthor breathes a relieved sigh as the giant, and that horrid codpiece he wears, sinks beneath the waves. Though his moment of relief is short lived, and he is quickly back into the fight, calling for his men, now aboard, to follow him.
He doesn’t have far to go to find more trouble, and he’s soon before the Crakehall cousins. Seeing a fresh pirate attack Burton with a spear, he rushes to his aide. “Fire and Blood,” he shouts, as he hacks at the youth with his bloody sword.
Luthor attacks Tommo with his sword…
...and strikes it with a shattering blow!
Everyone seems to have forgotten Jhaxo and he’s not happy about it. “I need someone to fight!” the fat Summer Islander bellows, “You! Stop picking on my little friend!”
He charges across the deck on sandled feet and swings his boarding axes at Luthor!
Jhaxo attacks Luthor with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Luthor is driven from the saddle!
“My eye? Kiss my ass instead”-Burton bellows ,as the arakh cuts through the soaken linen of his surcoat.With curses,he throws himself at the pirate. The heir to Crakehall tries,at the same time,to hack the enemy with his blade and batter him with his shield-even as another brigand tries to kill the Crakehall knight with a lance.
Burton attacks Xaro with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
Elmer shakes his head at the sudden attack of the others and as the pirate keeps standing up, he yells. “Die, pirate!” he seems almost happy to be fighting at his cousin’s side again. His Sword stabs at Xaro’s chest.
Elmer attacks Xaro with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Xaro is driven from the saddle!
Sarmion takes Xaro.
The Lyseni youth wails in pain, jumping almost a foot as Luthor carves a bloody gash across his back. He dances away, turning to face this new opponent—but then, Jhaxo is there and Luthor is driven away.
Calling his thanks to the Summer Islander, Tommo turns his attention to Burton again, twirling his spear before thrusting for the Crakehall knight’s kidney!
Tommo attacks Burton with its spear…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Burton is rocked back in the saddle by Tommo’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
“No! My feassssst… Your eye! You blood!” Xaro gurgles as Elmer’s sword pierces his chest. He collapses.
Nearby the Summer Islander bellows, having driven Luthor from the ship, “You will pay for that, Pig!” His eyes roll in their sockets as he swings his boarding axes at Elmer.
Jhaxo attacks Elmer with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Elmer is rocked back in the saddle by Jhaxo’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
The Summer Islander’s strike catches Luthor completely by surprise, and before he’s fully aware of what’s happening, he’s clinging desperately to the rail his feet dangling over the side. “For fuck’s sake,” he curses and though his head is still spinning, he climbs back over the rail and onto the deck. Spotting the Summer Islander, and how can he not, the man is immense, Luthor sprints across the deck to give his aide to the Crakehalls once more. Thrusting the point of his sword for the man’s broad back.
Luthor attacks Jhaxo with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Elmer ‘s shield is cracked by the heavy blow of the mace, but he’s not one to dwell too much on such trivialities. His sword is red with blood and he grins widely. “You should have attacked helpless pirates, fools!” he yells and his heavy sword comes in a heavy cut towards the pirate’s head.
Elmer attacks Jhaxo with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
His wide nostrils flare as he nearly drives Elmer into the sea, but then a lance of pain shoots up his side as Luthor’s treacherous blow finds him. He howls and goes berserk!
He lashes out with his boarding axes, laying about him at Elmer and Luthor and anyone within reach!
Jhaxo attacks Elmer with his mass weapon…
...and misses by a narrow margin!
Jhaxo attacks Burton with his mass weapon…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
“You are asking for it,twit!”-Burton growls,through clenched teeth. Now wisely protecting the kidney area with his shield,the Crakehall knight retaliates. Raising his sword high ,he slashes furiously,aiming at the youth’s skull. It is a swift,sweeping swing…Clearly,meant to cut Tommo from the top to the waist.
Burton attacks Tommo with his sword…
...and has his blow intercepted by Tommo’s shield.
Elmer ducks gain as it seems that the pirate’s attack has been fouled up by his indecision on which of the Crakehalls to focus on. He laughs merrily and yells. “Let’s show this moron what it means to attack boars!”
Elmer steps forward, the big man apparently at ease on the rolling deck of the great cog and he feints a high attack, but swirls and his sword comes down, trying to cut the pirate’s leg off!
Elmer attacks Jhaxo with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Jhaxo is rocked back in the saddle by Elmer’s blow, but manages to keep his seat!
The captain of the pirates, this Lyseni affects the Pentoshi fashion of forked, dyed beard, each fork a different hue: red, silver, blue. He swings a heavy boarding axe with ferocious glee.
Screams, cries, curses in half a dozen languages ring along the lengths of the ships, the pirates fighting with terrible purpose, purpose driven by fear. Of what? Of their captain, a most unforgiving man…
... who has joined the fray, and with him his best and most dangerous boarders, vicious men from Yi Ti, Asshai, the Jhogos Nhai, Ib, and beyond. They disappeared below deck at one point, and blood-curdling screams could be heard as they fought their way to the holds, and when they come out… they’re fewer in number, but Salladhin Saan remains. Though whipcord lean, he’s tall, and his gilded boarding axe is heavy. He and his stalk through the upper deck now, and where men rush to face them, they’re cut down. It’s an unstoppable march, and Saan’s covered in gore from wrist to elbow, leaving the deck slippery with the blood which only slowly, slowly pours out the scuppers of the pitching deck.
But Tommo is too quick for the Crakehall knight. He slips under the blow, angling it away with his buckler.
“I will pluck your other eye like a grape!” he screams in a fine imitation of Xaro. But his bravado would be more convincing if his voice did not crack on it. Cursing, he jabs again with his spear, trying to find a way around Burton’s shield.
Tommo attacks Burton with its spear…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Another howl answers the cut to his thigh, Jhaxo looks behind him at the hideous din that heralds Salladhin Saan’s approach. His eyes roll furiously and panic drives his blows.
“I must kill you quick!” the fat summer islander pants as he cuts at Elmer with his boarding axes.
Jhaxo attacks Elmer with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Elmer is driven from the saddle!
Elmer ‘s shield is done for as the axe blows it apart ans the Crakehall knight tumbles against the railing, falling into the drink. Luckily he’s a good swimmer and it takes him a fee minutes to climb back aboard.
Forced away from the Crakehalls by the press of the battle, Luthor battles his way back to see both of the cousins fall to the pirate’s swords. Ducking past the mast, Luthor sweeps in, once more attacking the fat Summer Islander with his sword.
Luthor attacks Jhaxo with his sword…
...and strikes him with a powerful blow!
Jhaxo is driven from the saddle!
Thumping his chest triumphantly after he dispatches Burton—then stopping when it sets him to coughing—Tommo looks around for someone else to ambush.
What he sees instead is Salladhin Saan approaching, and he jumps as if someone has applied a switch to his back. Frantically, he wades into the fray, attacking the first person he can see—which happens to be Luthor, even as the Rivers knight fells Jhaxo.
Tommo attacks Luthor with its spear…
...and has its blow intercepted by Luthor’s shield.
Elmer the dripping wet knight roars back on the deck as he climbs a rope ladder and he hasn’t let go of his sword. He means to attack the crazy pirate just as Jhaxo falls down. He yells and attacks the fellow who has downed his coz. “Die fool!”
Elmer attacks Tommo with his sword…
...with no result as the two warriors battle!
At the last second, Luthor’s shield blocks the spear thrust. “Seven Hells, I thought I was done with spears in Dorne,” he remarks as he shoves the point aside with his shield. Just in time too. As Tommo’s attacked by a dripping wet Elmer Crakehall. Honour having no place in a fight with pirates, Luthor stabs at the spearman while he fights with Crakehall.
The Crakehall’s sent sprawling by Jhaxo, and Salladhin grins a savage grin… only for the Summer Islander to meet his death with sudden brutality. He shows the warrior who killed him a savage grin, a row of gold teeth showing amidst his beard. “The fat man was slow,” the captain rasps in passable Common Tongue. “Try me, son of a dog!” He barks a brief command in Valyrian. His men step aside—and he leaps forward, boarding axe swinging wickedly!
Luthor attacks Tommo with his sword…
...and strikes it with a powerful blow!
Tommo is driven from the saddle!
Salladhin attacks Luthor with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Luthor is driven from the saddle!
The fat Summer Islander falls to his knees. It is a sad sound that rattles through the planks. He drops his axes and clutches his feathered cloak to him as falls to the deck, dead from the Rivers’ sword.
He looks over just as his Captain attacks his murderer, his white teeth coated with his own blood. The grin is fixed as the proud man named Jhaxo dies upon the deck of the Just Maid.
Facing one Westerosi knight was bad enough; facing two is a nightmare. Tommo backpedals desperately, managing to turn Elmer’s blow with his buckler—but that leaves him open to Luthor’s attack.
And he is spitted cleanly, sinking back against a barrel, then sliding down, leaving a trail of blood. His eyes begin to close even as Salladhin Saan appears to beat Luthor down.
Dispatching Tommo with a thrust of his sword Luthor turns to face the man who addresses him in accented Common Tounge. “If you like,” he replies in Valyrian. And then suddenly the golden toothed bastard is on him, swinging his wicked boarding axe. Luthor raises his shield, but the pirate captain is too quick and the deck rushes up to meet him as he falls.
The Lyseni youth’s pain-wracked gaze swivels to the last Westerosi knight remaining there, Elmer. And, thick Lyseni accent further mangled by the blood filling his mouth, he manages:
“I pity da foo’...”
Then, the light in his eyes fades.
“A fortnight’s rum ration, for any man who finds me a worthy catamite among these Westerosi shit-lickers!” Saan roars, as his axe strikes him, and Ser Luthor’s flung aside. He lifts the weapon up. Beneath the gore and blood, there’s gold, rich inlay and gilding over the blade, a weapon he must have had from some lord of the Free Cities, or perhaps some warrior from lands further beyond. He roars, and his pirates roar with him, driving terror into the hurts of those who survive and still fight.
The tide is turning against the king’s men, men who survived the brutal march through Dorne, and the king’s death, and a desperate race across deserts to find safety… only to die here, in the midst of the sea. Salladhin Saan turns to find his next foe, as his men spring into action, and the fighting is brutal and unforgiving now, as the pirates are like sharks when there’s blood in the water.
Elmer looks around as he was about to attack the young pirate again, but Luthor kills the boy, and is quickly driven back by the pirate captain. He grins as this is one worthy foe. “A good captain should keep his men froom dying like that.” he grins as he steps forward quickly, his heavy long sword trying to catch the Lysene’s neck.
Elmer attacks Salladhin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
With a roar, Salladhin plunges forward to come to blows with Elmer Crakehall, though he’s outweighed by the bulkier, stockier man. His boarding axe swings, and Crakehall slips the blow and makes a counter. Saan tries to recover, twists to throw his heavy axe in the way of the weapon—too slow! The knight’s castle-forged steel bites into his left hand as it grips the haft of the blade, and shears through the least of the fingers. It falls, and blood spurts, and Saan howls with pain and rage. He falls back, fighting all around him, his men howling their fury and their terror—Saan will never forgive!
He shifts his grip, left arm low, blood splashing all over as he swings the axe with just the one hand, in wide, scything blows that knock lesser men aside. And then—he charges, and that whirlwind axe plunges down at Crakehall!
Salladhin attacks Elmer with his mass weapon…
...and strikes him with a shattering blow!
Elmer is alone now with the captain and it seems that the rets of the pirates and sailors don’t exist for him. He laughs as he feels his hit find home, but the reply of the Lysene is no less biting. And added to the wounds inflicted on him at the Tor, he reels on his feet as the axe hits his shoulder, making him wince in pain.
Elmer spits on the deck and his eyes are slightly unphased. “Damn you, pirate!” he groans, and the massive knight finds his footing before launching again in an attack, putting all his weight behind his blow, cutting at Salladhin’s midsection, the whistle of his sword coming from the side.
Beside the Just Maid the battle on the Black Dread goes far better. There, both the Iron Serpant and the Stormbreaker fight, throwing back and crushing the pirates who have not their wicked captain to inspire their bloodlust.
Then, on the horizon, someone spots a sail. Then a flag. It bears a red dragon on a black flag. Men lift up their voices shouting, “The fleet! The fleet! We’re saved!”
But the battle rages about them on both decks.
Elmer attacks Salladhin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a swift blow!
“I will geld you,” Saan growls at Elmer, “and sell you to a fat Astapori who will turn you into his woman!” Blood splatters from the stump of his missing finger, and he shakes the hand from pain—a distraction that leads to Crakehall managing to cut him with a sudden slash of his sword. It’s all Saan can do to leap back, so that the slash across his belly is a narrow flesh wound. A flesh wound that stings, admittedly, as Saan bites back a curse, his face reddening with the effort.
A snarl, and he charges at the Crakehall, his boarding axe bruising the air as he whirls it around his head and then lets it slash out at the knight.
Salladhin attacks Elmer with his mass weapon…
...and has his blow intercepted by Elmer’s shield.
Elmer catches the bow on his shield and laughs. “Curse less and fight more, Lyseni bastard!” His eyes shine with battle fever as he sees the ships approach. But until then he’s still got a rabid snake to heals with. Oh, why does it have to be snakes?
Elmer pushes on, his massive bulk pressing forward, and using his sheer strength to push the pirate back. His sword whistles again, as he feints a heavy blow, but instead lunges to try to stap Salladhin in the chest.
Elmer attacks Salladhin with his sword…
...and strikes him with a hard blow!
Salladhin is driven from the saddle!
Sallahdin lunges, roaring, his men cheering him—
The sword thrusts home, and drives into his chest. He stumbles, a vacant expression crossing over his face. He falls to a knee, the axe falling, his gaze turning down to the blade as Crakehall drives it in. Anguish, and a hissing, “You’ve killed me!” gurgles up from his throat before blood, red blood, gushes from his mouth.
He collapses, and now the terror of his men is turned in a different direction, and though they fight as ferociously as ever, the tide has turned against them.
Elmer pulls his sword out of the Lysene’s chest and he roars, standing on the deck, covered in saltwater and blood. “Lannister and the West! Crakehall” he yells, leading his now more cheerfull men, driving them forward to push them into the sea.
The pirates flee from the Black Dread and the Just Maid in the wake of their captain’s death. Quickly they try to slip the grapples in order to escape the approaching fleet. However, led by the Stormbreaker and the Iron Serpant, those upon the Black Dread are not so lucky. Few remain to escape and their ship is captured.
Yet, things have fared worse for the Knights upon the Just Maid, only barely managing to defend themselves from the furious pirates and their behemoth captain. More pirates live to slip the moorings and push away to the South, looking for the safety of the Summer Seas.
Perhaps one among the pirates will rise to take Salladhin Saan’s place as captain, perhaps not. For now, the heroes of Dorne have one more victory to celebrate! They all cheer Elmer’s name!
Elmer delights in having his name chanted, and raises his hand to salute those on the Black Dread. Then he goes to offer the fallen Burton his arm. “Are you allright, coz?” he looks in worry