Battle On Th' High Seas

[highseasmods]

Who: Anyone who wants to partake
Where: In the waters between Turvey Top and Ebony & Ivory
When: October 17th 2pm-6pm
What: Battle, mayhem, treasure and piracy
Warnings: Violence
Status: Very open!


Around 1:45pm, ships gathered in the waters between Turvey Top and Ebony & Ivory will see the gigantic Naval frigate, the Argustos, chugging through the calm waters to destinations unknown. Close by and running a little ahead on the wind is a Naval scout ship, caravel class, named Pantopes.

Sharp eyes will be able to spot the ships on the Argustos' tail, though, and the giant frigate will weigh anchor to prepare for the attack of the Corpse King and his five ship Armada, made of three caravels and two brig sloops.

The Corpse King himself has a brig sloop, Achlys and will be at the back end of the battle, providing cover fire.


Feel free to attack to your heart's content and loot wherever you wish. There's great treasures there for the bold and daring, and most unpleasant deaths for the unwary.

Comments

[letteropener]

[Celestia nods, then takes off in a fairly glorious spectacle of massive white wings. Without delay, she soars over the ocean that separates the ships, keeping a close eye out for danger.]

[letthestormrageon]

[Celestia flying, or spreading her wings, is always a beautiful spectacle, not just because of the fact that such actions would be amazing in any creature but because the princess always keeps a surreal air of elegance. In normal circumstances maybe Elsa would stare, but now they have other things to worry about -though she still takes a second to admire the view before joining Robin.

As soon as the giant palm stops, Elsa steps out of it without fear or second thoughts. A thin, but still thick enough to support her weight forms as soon as her foot approaches the sea. She turns to look at Robin.]

Ready?

[thetruehistorian]

[There's a moment where Robin glances at the waves, feeling her heart in her throat. But the ship will pull too far away if she hesitates, so she leaps for Elsa's ice sheet, taking hold of the young Queen with an iron grip and a wan smile. Elsa might feel Robin's hand tremble, but her jaw is set and her eyes are forward.]

Let's go.

[letthestormrageon]

[Elsa berates herself as soon as she remembers. Robin is always so careful and serious that at times she forgets where Robin's powers come from and what price she had to pay. While with Luffy it's easy to remember that he can't swim, that they have to swim for him if he ever falls into the water, with Robin she had... Simply forgot. And she can't even start to imagine how it must be for her now, to be so close to her biggest weakness, to be walking on top of it with only a thin layer of ice supporting her.

She doesn't mind the iron grip and responds to it easily, holding Robin's hand just as tightly herself, pulling the hands a bit closer to her. She can feel inside of her a small part panicking, worrying because right now, Robin's life is in her hands. Robin's safety depends entirely on Elsa, which is something that hasn't happened since Anna and her were little. What if she makes the ice too thin? What if it gets cracked by the waves too early? What if Robin slips and Elsa can't keep her stable? What if her powers start to go out of control and freeze Robin's hand?

But Robin's jaw is set and her eyes are looking forward, with determination. And she's standing there, on a thin ice sheet, trusting Elsa's power. So the queen shuts the voices out, ignores her own fear because right now Robin's is more important, and focuses on the task at hand.]

I won't let you slip.

[She turns and starts running, pulling Robin with her, keeping her grip tight and firm. She doesn't wave her hand to create the path, not wanting to attract attention by sending blasts of ice. Instead, the sheet grows larger with each step, she basically almost steps into nothing but water as she goes. And behind them the ice cracks and is devoured by the waves as quickly as they go. But the layer is firm under Robin's feet, Elsa makes sure of that.]

[thetruehistorian]

[It'll be fine, Robin tells herself. Kuzan would ride that stupid bike across the seas on a tiny little ice path a fraction of the width of the one Elsa's creating now and hardly break a sweat- metaphorically speaking, since who knows if a man made of ice even could sweat. Even so, Robin had to admit that Elsa's firm grip grounded her a lot more than she thought would be needed. As they run, she feels her heartrate leap, hears the small cracking sounds as the ice is broken up right at her heels. The smell of cannon fire, mixed with the acrid tang of airborne poison launched far away, the sight of the waves and the ships looming high above her head. All of it mixes together with a burst of adrenaline and danger, and she starts to grin, then laughs outright as they draw near to the ship and a series of cannons go off overhead, her voice drowned out by their report. Several arms reach out of the side of the ship just above the wake, ready to pluck both women out of the sea and help them scurry aboard as the ship comes about.]

[letthestormrageon]

[There's quite a difference between running across a calm sea and running across one in the middle of a naval battle. It's also different when one is running away from danger and when one is running right towards danger. Though, honestly, it's dangerous anywhere around the area at the moment.

It's not like Elsa can really "enjoy" it, though. She's too focused on running forward and holding Robin's hand tightly and close to her, ensuring that the woman is right behind her and safe. Everything else, from the cannons to the poison and the waves as they crack the ice behind them, is nothing but white deaf noise to her. Only when they get close to the ship and the arms reach out to help them climb does Elsa pull Robin ahead of her. That way she can climb first and thus get away from the water as soon as possible. It's also the only way Elsa has to convince herself that Robin is fine and that her magic didn't fail them.]

[letteropener]

[By the time they reach the ship, Celestia is already there, her head poking over the side to watch them ascend. Her trip had been, well, significantly quicker and more enjoyable than the other two had found theirs.]

[Still, she's ready for anything. A pair of her tinkered-with, enchanted guns hang in midair next to her, needing only a flicker of concentration to take aim at any foes that may come their way. For the moment, though, the deck is safe...]

[thetruehistorian]

[Robin leaps nimbly onto the ship, an extra pair of manos fleur giving Elsa a hand over the rail if she wants it.]

I sent a private message to Hawtrey before we left our ship. We all know how they act when we've received something new, so all we have to do is find a book acting similarly. My guess would be the stateroom, but it might not hurt to check other areas as well if it can't be located. It's possible he'll have it on him.

[She doesn't have to say how Very Bad that would be for all of them if it's true. Or if he's still in his stateroom.]

In any case, we have to hurry. None of us exactly blend in...

[letthestormrageon]

[Glancing over the railing once she's on the deck, Elsa sees how there's already nothing left of her ice path. She knew it was working as they ran, but part of her still had been a bit unsure, especially remembering what Anna had told her about Arendelle. Her attention returns quickly to Robin though, nodding calmly and hoping that, not only won't Hawtrey have the journal but that he won't even be on the ship for some reason.]

Should we split then? Both to search for it and maybe cause distractions if one is noticed?

[letteropener]

We have very little hope of subtlety -- particularly thanks to my presence here. [That isn't an apology, just an acknowledgment.] As strange as it is for me to be saying this, perhaps we should simply be direct and forceful about our intentions. I do not think anypony on this ship can stand against the three of us.

[thetruehistorian]

[Robin has her doubts about that claim. This man has been able to beat several other crews. But she smiles and nods anyway. Maybe it was the adrenaline high.]

Very well. Their captain uses poison powders, but perhaps he'll be a bit more cautious with his own crew in the fray. I'll draw their attention toward the stern, and we can hit them from behind.

[Honorable battle is clearly not a priority in Robin's book.]

[letthestormrageon]

[Elsa isn't very sure about how nobody on the ship could stand against them three, at the very least she's sure the captain would. But she's not going to be pessimistic and is still praying that somehow Hawtrey will be busy somewhere else.]

With the naval battle, he may not even be here if we're lucky. We should be careful with the poison just in case, I'm not sure he would really be the type to care for his own crew.

[And since they are taking a direct approach she conjures two snowmen, quite big and tough looking, ready to bodyguard them and help with the fight.]

[letteropener]

[The two of them need to have more faith. A world of grossly unfair options are available to them to exploit!]

Poison powders against the three of us would be a greater risk for his own crew than us, it's true. But if I were a captain who used them, I would inoculate my crew against them, so we should not count on that.

Perhaps we might gain an advantage if you coated the deck in ice? I can fly, and Robin can simply grow hands from the ice to hold herself if need be, yes?

[thetruehistorian]

[The two large snowmen were starting to draw attention. Before too many people started looking in their direction, Robin crossed her arms and clutched a swath across the boat, dropping a number of men and women unconscious and sending chaos rippling through Hawtrey's ranks.]

I've handled worse than ice before, yes.

[Another Robin rises out of the ground, giggles and winks at the three of them, and runs into the melee, her own arms crossing and duplicating almost like a dance.]

The state room ought to be just around the corner, provided this ship follows the common layout. Let's go!

[Robin moves around the wall of the aft cabin, hoping Hawtrey wouldn't have kept his quarters below decks.]

[letthestormrageon]

In that case, please let me bring them some early winter joy.

[She slams her foot down and in seconds the full deck is covered in a layer of slippery ice. With a wave one of the snowmen goes after Robin's double to provide further assistance.

She says nothing more before she sets off after the real Robin, for now keeping the other snowman close but ready to send it first towards more enemies.]

[letteropener]

If we encounter resistance, hold fast. I will tilt the ship, and put the ice to that much greater use.

[A faint corona of light surrounds the Princess's horn, and if they peer carefully, they might see it around her as well. A duster may be stylish, but magic is far better protection against projectiles.]