The Outlaws minichallange entry, story courtesy of me as well as
the large ship (with
the cabin interior). The dock is Zach's (you'll need to let me get it somehow man...),
the micro Drakk's, and
the landing place is Fritzix's.
Outlaw Story Update - Troubles in the West:“Things are going entirely as planned, dear
Retsinis, you need not worry at all. After we seize the fattest of the islands as well as the fattest of enemy merchant ships we’ll have a monopoly of the islands – come, tell me you don’t think this whole fleet not enough for these simple tasks? I hope they are, for I didn’t go through all the trouble of getting my sea-legs again only to be defeated! And the
Black Peacock has never before known defeat on the seven seas.”
“Yes, my lord retired just in time to avoid the uprising Black Bat who-”
“Clearly stole his name from my own!” exclaimed Ramsey, obviously annoyed by the Jokers cool sarcasm. “Do not doubt my capabilities as Admiral, Fredrick Retsinis.” He turned and walked into his cabin.
This short colloquy took place on board a huge ship of a foreign cut, chosen by Admiral Ramsey or the Black Peacock for his flagship, Black Thunder. He liked the sleek look and the interesting sails, all forged by the well-known ship maker Rend Blak in an attempt to be different from the much more common schooner type vessel (footnote:
In addition to being a different type of ship they had onboard a slightly modified type of giant crossbow. Rand collaborated with a blacksmith and weapon maker on this one, and he explained it thus:
“You see, all these large ones are bulky and we can only fit one or two on the prow or in the waist of even large ships. But the new ones, although they have the exact same mechanism and projectile, are confined to small black tubes and we can have dozens on board! The only slight drawback is that they don’t shoot as far, but since we should get close quickly it won’t matter.”
So they had placed three rows of these weapons, one on each level of the ship, along with a couple of extra.). From this flagship could be seen many more ships which, although in design they varied a good deal, all had one similar thing: they were flying the black flag of the outlaws. These composed Baron Locklear’s fleet, headed by his good friend and councilor Admiral Ramsey (footnote:
The always generous Black Peacock kindly offered the Minotaur ‘Goldhorn’ this post of honour but was promptly refused, much to his astonishment. So he donned a black suit (and white feather ‘to add contrast’) and set out to get back his sea-legs back.).
Lord Malfangarm and
Lord Malcus Casarain were the fleet’s Vice and Rear Admirals, respectively. A few other important personages were part of the fleet as well, some joining with a ship or two. Their mission was to sail to the new lands, known as the Great Western Isles, and there plant colonies as well as seizing all they could from their enemies.
The voyage began prosperously, all were pleased at the promise of great riches and the weather was very fair at the start so they were making good headway.
But the Joker shook his head after his retreating Admiral.
“Well, I’m your loyal man, Ramsey, if ever you need one!”
Then he went back to his own ship in a small boat.
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Sometime later a few men got together in Lord and Vice-admiral Malfangarm’s cabin. Not least among them were, Lord Malcus Casarain, and Frederick Retsinis. They all turned to the later with an air of expectancy.
“Well?” Malcus growled.
“Patience,” returned Fredrick, “I have succeed in finding out if he is thinking about such thing, and he pretends to be not in the least worried.”
“Then the coast is clear!” Malcus grinned – but one of the lesser leaders spoke up.
“Did you not hear he pretends? Besides, mightn’t we gather a few more on our side before we strike?”
“And,” took up the sixth and last of the room’s occupants, named Cain, “the coast is most certainly not clear; behold those dark clouds!” he peered out the window.
“It was a metaphor, moron!” Malcus returned impatiently.
Cain shifted angrily at the insult.
“Well, to answer the other question, we can’t at all.
Grub-Tongue and Keeler, both quite unfriendly I know, are the only others to have even two ships under them and besides most of the captains – aye, even one of Keeler’s – are with us. What say you, Joker?”
“I tell you he only pretends. Likely he understands the threat very well, and his spies could be here right now even!”
“Then,” Malfangarm spoke up for the first time, “the sooner the better! If every instant our endeavor is imperiled the more with the possibility of betrayal ‘twere best to be too soon rather than to late – when we are all in the brig! But, is it true that a storm is upon us? This could be the perfect opportunity – with the ships all scattered we could overpower our enemies piecemeal! Now back to your ship lest you be trapped here!”
So the conspirators quickly scattered to their ships in order to prepare for the coming storm.
“Tis only a squall,” Malfangarm told them as they left, “but it’ll suit us well enough. Take on any opposing ships near you!”
“More than willing,” Cain grinned. He had a grudge against Keeler and he may as well settle it while doing his duty, he figured.
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Meanwhile, in the Black Peacock’s cabin…
“As I told him, everything is going to plan. But only so far! That any or every one of these men surrounding me wants my position is clear. They use my leniency toward the other factions as an excuse to raise trouble. But they are outlaws, they could not work together for anything and who could tell how long the next admiral could last?”
A man burst in through the door at that instant.
“Sir, there are bad clouds approaching fast, we are in for a gale if I’m not mistaken!”
“Very well, signal to the ships to keep a course straight through the storm for the islands if they can, that should bring us back together when it blows out, or passes over.”
They both went on deck together, and soon the clouds darkened everything while the seas shook violently. None of the other ships could be seen, but they might be near for all that, so a sharp lookout was kept up to avoid collisions.
After some time the admiral returned to his cabin and got in his bunk. Soon after a dark figure appeared outside the window. How he got there only an outlaw assassin could tell, but now he opened the window and leapt quietly in. He stalked up to the admiral and hit him on the head as he opened his eyes. Then he closed the window and threw him out, following quickly after. A few more hours elapsed after this, and then a man came down and after knocking several times jumped in.
“Admiral, the storm’s almost cleared – but where are you? Has he gone on deck?” he rushed out but returned in an instant with more men.
“Why look,” cried one, “he must ‘ave fell out the window!”
“I don’t believe it,” stated another, and hastily searched the cabin, but the dark figure had been too clever to leave a sign to betray him and nothing was found.
“Confound it, I reckon he retired for a reason,” growled one, “but this is a bad thing for the fleet…”
“What’s a bad thing for the fleet?” roared Malfangarm leaping down the stairs, “where’s the admiral? Are ye all loyal to me?”
They all stepped back astonished.
“Well? Tis in your interests, as above’s all in my possession now.”
The men all nodded, none wishing to die for a dead captain.
“Then tell me where the admiral be?”
“The admiral’s fallen out of that window, sir.”
“Well… what did he do that for? That leaves me in charge anyhow. Now come on deck and tell the rest what you’ve found!”
So the word went quickly round the ship that the admiral had fallen out of the window, and none could debate it, nor that Malfangarm ought to be the next admiral.
However, Malfangarm himself wondered greatly what had befallen Ramsey. He knew he could never have fallen out of the window, and obviously no other ship had attacked. Still, he decided to ask the others when they met up, but for now he returned to his own ship after setting up a new captain on the Black Thunder.
“Any other ships been sighted yet?” he asked his first mate.
“Only one: on the Southwest horizon. I believe it is Casarain’s, sir.”
“Casarain… see if you can signal to him to join us.”
“Aye, aye sir! He’ll not see it till we get closer though.”
Malfangarm thought for a second and then made up his mind.
“Forget that then – let us instead withdraw and sail around the fleet. I wish to be the first to reach the new islands, moreover an encounter with Casarain could prove nasty.”
Now from Casarain’s ship one could see nearly the whole fleet, and all the leaders of the mutiny save Malfangarm had just gathered in the cabin at Casarain’s command.
“What news?” asked Retsinis.
“I have blown Keeler’s ship out of the water, and he himself is in my brig,” Cain boasted.
“While the Black Peacock appears to have been defeated Admiral Malfangarm,” Malcus sneered, turning from the window were he had stood with a spyglass.
“And what of Grub-Tongue?”
“His ship has not been sighted since the gale, so the entire fleet is now in our possession. That being settled you can leave, gentleman: I doubt not Admiral will call us when he is near enough for signaling.”
The three men departed and Malcus snapped his fingers. At this a man in a black cloak walked in.
“Bring him here! Former Admiral Ramsey, I brought you here when the ever greedy Malfangarm entered your cabin to do you harm and seize the fleet (which he has done now). It is clear he does not know you are here yet, but he is looking high and low. Soon this ship will be searched too, and then he will seize you and kill you without a doubt. But, I am ready to release you before that and to give you back your ship, where all the men are loyal to you – if: you then sail quickly back to Locklear (your ship is the fastest of the fleet, so you needn’t fear pursuit), and when you get to him you inform him that Malfangarm has seized the fleet. Also, of course, that the Baron’s loyal friend Casarain saved you from said villain’s grasp and set you at liberty, and that the cost of this is a mere three hundred gold pieces and a high position in the new lands.”
Malcus stopped Ramsey as he began to rise at this, “no need to thank me, my dear Ex-Admiral, all was done out of kindness to you and the dear Baron! Merely promise what I ask and I’ll set you on your own ship this very night.”
“I’ll promise you those things on one condition, good sir. That you prove to me that what you say is true!”
“That Malfangarm has mutinied?” Malcus got up and pointed to the Black Thunder from which was waving Malfangarm’s flag instead of Ramsey’s.
“Very well, I, and Locklear as well, am indebted to you for your opportune rescue. I promise you all you asked for, and now I’ll take my leave.”
Casarain laughed, “You can’t leave yet, Admiral, my men would tear you in pieces on sight – then hang each piece on the yard arms!” He continued in a more serious tone. “Besides, I must have a down payment. Fifty pieces afore you leave this ship!”
Now Ramsey laughed, “You know very well I haven’t a penny on me, you think I sleep with fifty pieces of gold on me? But listen, this price too shall be paid – grudgingly, for the deal was finished – but very well, send this to the men.”
The former Admiral pulled a slip of paper toward himself and scribbled a note, handing it to Casarain.
Malcus glimpsed at it and scowled at which Ramsey grinned wryly and said, “You took me for a fool, did you? Fifty pieces you asked for, fifty you will get, no more!”
Later that night Malcus Casarain snuck Ramsey back on his ship.
“I kept up my end of the bargain, now you keep up yours. I don’t want to see your ship here in the morning.”
“Of course, Malcus, of course!” but nothing was further from the Black Peacock’s mind then a retreat.
Immediately after Malcus’ row boat was out of sight they turned and headed for the nearest ship. There he roused the people loyal to him and with them took it over, dispatching any who contested him. And so he went from ship to ship, until dawn, by which time half the ships were on his side. At morning, when Malcus Casarain realized his mistake, he gathered together the other half of the ships in a fever of a hurry, lest his side should be attacked before they were prepared. Fortunately for him, Ramsey was far too politic to destroy half of his own fleet, but at noon his ship approached his former rear-admiral’s bearing a flag of truce. The Admiral offered to decide who should lead the fleet in single combat. Casarain accepted, and a ship whose captain was thought to be neutral was selected for where the fight should be. So the two Admirals went on board it while their men watched from their own ship as the other’s deck was cleared.
The combatants began to circle each other, Ramsey cleverly putting his adversary between him and the aft hatch. Then, just as with a yell Casarain dashed forward to commence the battle a pair of strong arms grasped him and he was quickly pinned to the deck.
“You cheated!” bellowed Malcus in anger.
“I am outlaw, Malcus, and a pirate too,” replied Ramsey, “but I am I, like you, am generous when I can be, so I’ll let you take one ship and return to your home. But, it will be a ship with my men on it.”
Casarain saw that he had been outwitted and out-cheated by the clever admiral and had no choice but to obey. Soon the fleet and the ship with the former rear-admiral were miles away from each other, however despite all the efforts of the Black Peacock to unite his fleet many of the captains separated in order to be under Malfangarm when he was found. Some days after this the divided fleet of outlaws approached the first of the Great Western Isles. The men crowded forward to catch a glimpse of what would be their home for a long time… but as soon as they got amongst the islands more divisions arose. Some wanted to settle on the one island and others on another – Ramsey was about to get another mess on his hand, for whatever happened he knew that the fleet must not split up and thus make itself easy prey for whatever dangers were sure to await them here in these unknown lands. And suddenly a solution presented itself. A boat rowed towards the fleet with a message from Admiral Malfangarm. He claimed he had found a most inviting island with a perfect spot for a harbor-village.
“Come directly and all of you, men. This must be our first base on the western islands so it must be strong enough to protect against any number of attacks from our – if not already, yet soon to be – hostile neighbors.”
Then followed a short description of their landing and of the place in general. When Malfangarm’s adherents got the intelligence they set out at once being led by the messenger, and the Black Peacock adjured his men to follow quickly. Soon they gathered again near the bows of their ships and gave vent to a loud and wild cheer, for Malfangarm’s ship was calmly resting before a beautiful island with a splendid spot for a port.
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Hope you all like it!