Grog'tial sighs as most of his crewmates continue to mill about uselessly below on the deck while the Denuvo comes ever closer, and then focuses on the lone watcher which he can already see patrolling on deck. Having had a first taste of their great speed, he does not intend to wait for any action or to see if any attempt at stealth or subterfuge is effective. He has his crossbow on a hair-trigger, and will shoot the watcher with a stake-bolt as soon as he gives himself a reasonable chance of hitting the heart, ideally even before the ship has come to a full stop.

Grog'tial will continue to shoot (using as many as 6 of his 7 stake-bolts) at vampirates as long as any walk the deck, and he can line up shots with a reasonable chance of hitting their hearts. As such, he won't attempt to shoot at vampirates moving swiftly, except when they're moving in a clear straight line (allowing to line up a shot for where they will be).

Grog'tial's first priority is the watcher, as that's the vampirate with a clear duty of sounding an alarm. Once he's become aware of the officer(s), they become his second priority.

Argy will board crossing the planks, just behind Mighty, with the objective of reaching the skylight on the stern castle. She will take a defensive position if combat arises, as she has not many chances against vampirates, but will help as much as she can with her pan and the torch. If the enemies are not alerted, she will try to force the skylight without much noise with the help of Mighty. Else, she can quickly blast it with one of the cupcakes.

Once it is open, we'll take a look before jumping in, to avoid jumping directly into a deathtrap. Besides, it would be better to jump in when others have entered through the door, so we break in from different entrances at the same time.

Durik whispered to Kyp
"Hey merboy, maybe ye de only one who can kil the dock's guard sneaky"

Durik then launched the grappling hook on the Denuvo' ropes and tied the other ending to our ship.
As suggested, he put old rags on the metal parts, to prevent noises if he missed.
Then he tested if the rope was solid and, if so, signaled the others that they could go up.

Then he was going to board the ship after the sneaky ones, unless they were discovered.

After he becomes aware of the combatants present on Denuvo's deck and the alarm being potentially imminent before the Ship even comes within the swing-over distance, Aylar prepares to teleport. He assumes that the Crew will first open with shots and therefore will adjust his starting position depending on the opening volley:

Once the watcher closest to sounding the alarm is hit and neutralized successfully, he will teleport to where the Officer is at, deeming him and his aide the higher priority after the watcher, positioning the portal either to their back or the side.

If the Officer, somehow, still standing and battle-capable after the attack, he will attack the Officer. If the Officer is neutralized by the stake-bolts of the Crew, he will move to attack the vampirate by the Officer, to prevent any possibility of help (stakes being removed from the heart, raising alarm and notifying the other vampirates that the Officer has been downed). If the Officer's companion is staked successfully, and there be no more vampirates in the quarters, he'll adjust according to the level of ruckus on deck.
If it's still relatively quiet, and watchers are unaware, he will drag the paralyzed vampirates inside the quarters. If the watchers are moving about, alarmed by the fire, he'll be ready to switch targets to any watchers still on deck, either attacking or baiting them into the line of fire.

In battle, his main priority is to use stakes, with cutlass being of use only for feinting and cutting. If an opportunity of an open neck presents itself, he may opt for a good sharp axe strike.

Count will enter aboard Denuvo via plank set up by Captain Baldbeard. If the main deck watcher will survive Grog'tial's shot, he will move towards him quickly with intention to finish him off by beheading with saber.

Then, if Aylar will be in trouble with officer(s) from the fore castle (e.g. first officer survived Pugwash's shot or there is more vampirates coming in sight), he will run towards them to help in fight.

Otherwise he will try to blend into shadows and move towards stern castle with intention of using surprise attack on watcher stationing up there. Either by sneaking on him (if he's unaware of what's going on; for example standing right at the end, facing the other way or if he spotted us but is keeping position/hiding behind cover) or jumping on him from concealment if he'd spotted us and be on the move towards us. If there's no way of sneaking whatsoever because he'd be already fully aware in the moment of boarding and rushing towards us, Count will engage in fight with him trying to lure him into good position for our marksmen or other crew.

Foggy checks o'er 'n o'er again the status o' the cannon balls, gunpowder, slow matches, nudes, chains, ropes on the gun deck. "Those feckless codpieces detected us from indoors too late! Those are the drums o' war!" Foggy grunted.
He has all the cannons loaded wit' half gunpowder pointin' t' the orlor deck 'n below t' splinter the Denuvo, but most importantly, t' nah hit his owns crew sneakin' fer the loot by accident. 'n he ain't worried by thar cannons counter attack, "I can make all our cannons sing at least three times afore they even reply", he firmly declared. "Bein' our ship smaller, exactly next t' thars, they'll needs serious adjustment o' thar tubes if they wants t' hit us. 'n then load thar cannons. The surprise factor be wit' us!"
He'll start a nonstop cannons fire as soon as the Fiend Fyre cannons, which the Ship controls, fire.

Personal weapons
Sharped cutlass and trident (no stakes as he'll crush or behead skulls).

Alright, actions then!

Larissa runs to her cabin to grab the borate powder she has,
once finding it, runs back to the deck & drops it
inside a barrel full of water. Stirs the mix with a rowing
Then asks the crewmates nearby to help her in a hurry to
cover as much wood of the deck (masts included)
with this special water
Me mateys: Being so close, they'll try to set our ship on fire,
& this retardand will fck their plan!

Once covered the deck, she follows her own action plan:
Boarding the Denuvo through both top masts

"08 Once paired to the Denuvo, she boards it
through both top masts (aided by the cursed harpoon IF needed)
disable by surprise any sentinel on their crows nest
As our living essenses have been already sensed,
Larissa will pour the garlic powder conveniently to our crew benefit
And throw daggers &/or harpoon to dangering threats to the mateys
on the battle ground (deck)
If things look under control (we are winning somehow),
she will land to the deck through ropes
(aided by the cursed harpoon IF still available)
to enter the captain's quarters & steal the chest
and get the hell out of there improvising her escape!

09 Once back on our ship, she'll help with the fire attack

(If possible please give a drink to this pirate alchemist, she's thirsty)

Mission 1, Denuvo Turn 2 (All Crew)
*CurrentTurn will end 7 PM UTC, 3 October*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXIfZHUL-G0

"Be it true that vampirates be ne'er feastin' on Felinoids?" Cap'n Rummyfangs was intrigued by Larissa's suggestion. "Are ye sayin' I am nah a threat t' 'em?"

Polly overhead him. "Vampirates nay be the same as Vampires, so nay be thinking the same holds true. Count Karnstein has experience of 'em, an' he be saying they feed by energy drain, not necessarily blood. One thing I know hold true though, they be afraid of fire the same as most all undead be."

The Ship dropped stealth and slid alongside the Denuvo and Cracker took flight to investigate the skylight as requested.

Pugwash sighted through his glass eye with a careful aim on the officer, having briefly noted Grog'tial starting to bring his own crossbow to bear on the deck watcher. On the fore yard arm Aylar released the rope and instead brought up the silver locket and thumbed it open, concentrating on where he wanted to go. In the mirror he saw not himself, but a rippling as if a pebble dropped into still water, and then the back of the officer right behind the first came into view.

(roll dice) Pugwash's bolt went home straight into the heart of the vampirate officer framed in the doorway the same moment Aylar appeared behind the second officer and slammed the stake into his heart from behind. Pugwash was already reloading when both officers exploded into ash. (roll dice) Aylar managed to leap backwards, but not before some of the ash covered him. Where it touched his hand, his skin spotted and blackened with the cold burn of death, and a few strands of his hair turned from blood red to white.

(roll dice) Bellandra quickly grappled the Denuvo's deck railing and climbed her way over as quietly as possible to the side deck aft the quarterdeck stairs (roll dice) where she remained hidden for the moment, but noticed her limbs were feeling the slightest bit less mobile than usual.

Having heard Kyp's reference to his water teleportation ability, Durik whispered to Kyp, nodding his head towards the shoreline. "Hey merboy, maybe ye de only one who can kil the dock's guard sneaky." With that Durik threw another grappling rope and tied it off, motioning for others more agile that it was secure for them to climb, wondering why Dakka was becoming heavier again.

(roll dice) Grog'tial had carefully lined up his shot on the turning deck watcher, only to see the watcher turn back towards the officers as Pugwash's shot went home and Aylar staked the second. It had to be now, before the alarm was given! (roll dice) He squeezed the trigger and the stake-bolt went home, right in that sweet spot of the back he knew so well.

Captain Baldbeard hooked his boarding plank between the Denuvo's cannons for extra shielding while boarding, and Count Karnstein quickly used it to board. The Count, saber in hand was nearing the deck watch as he exploded into ash, taking Grog'tial's bolt with it. (roll dice) He fastidiously brushed the ash from his clothing and hair, and turned towards the last vampirate on deck, near the stern castle ready to engage him only to discover that instead the vampirate had entered the stern castle and closed the door behind him.

(roll dice) Pugwash's second bolt wrapped with a flier pierced the heart of the dock watcher and sent him flying forwards, ash drifting over the shoreline and settling in the mist.

(roll dice)Cracker returned to whisper to Mighty that the skylight was shuttered from the inside. (roll dice) Mighty plunked his own boarding plank down right between the Denuvo's cannons and the foot of its quarter deck's stairs and went across, using the Crab Claw to shield himself and Argy as they scrambled across and ascended the steps towards the skylight. (roll dice) Looking at the shutters, Mighty used the Crab Claw to punch a hole through the skylight and dropped an Anti-Vamp Gas Grenade inside.

(roll dice) Captain Baldbeard, hefting his cudgel, was about to step on the plank when the deck watcher exploded, he reeled back a moment but no ash drifted aboard the Ship. (roll dice) It was then Larissa, who had come back from her cabin and proceeded to mix a powder into the washtub of water left on deck (so Kyp could use it for teleporting back), upended it to drench the deck and the masts with the washwater solution, causing Captain Baldbeard to slip on the now soapy wet deck and dislodge the boarding plank as Larissa began to climb the rigging. (roll dice) Larissa's hands were slipping, and her strength was waning by the time she reached the fighting top.

(roll dice) Cap'n Barfdeck Rummyfangs had been taken aback by the explosion of ash as each of the vampirates died. He had about to leap across the boarding plank to back up Count Karnstein when his Felinoid reflexes had him leaping out of the way as Larissa wet down the deck and mast. (roll dice) Moving to secure the boarding plank again as Larissa began to climb the rigging, he stopped, looking across the way to the longboats on the Denuvo's deck. He blinked, not sure if he could trust his eyes as he sensed something at the peripherals of his mind. The shadows ... what were the shadows?!

(roll dice) Bhrigu carefully picked his own way across after Mighty and Argy, avoiding the mess and trying to figure out the whispers he swore he heard ... and was that shadow moving?

The door to the stern castle opened again, and out stepped a flamboyantly dressed vampirate, the previous deck watcher in his wake. "I be Captain o'the Denuvo, what be ...." He paused, sizing up Count Karnstein. "Ah, it be appearin' we have a visitor."

Harbor Plans
Denuvo Deck Plans

-----
Pugwash; Crow's Nest = 1 inked fliers he intends to wrap around bolts.
Grog'tial; Fighting Top = 2 stakes, 6 stake-bolts, twine.
Aylar; Denuvo Fore Castle = small sharp belt ax, 3 stakes, 2 smaller stakes, 1 Garlic Grenade.
Argy; Denuvo Quarter Deck = torch, two knives, a spoon, a garlic pepper grinder, Cure Disease broth.
Bellandra; Denuvo side Quarter Deck/hidden = 4 stakes; slightly less mobile.
Bhrigu; Denuvo Quarter Deck = 2 stakes, Saber of Repel Undead; hearing/seeing things?
Captain Baldbeard; Ship Main Deck = 2 stakes, 1 holy water; slightly clumsy.
Cap'n Rummyfangs; Ship Main Deck = 2 stakes, 1 holy water, 1 rope, 2 rum concoctions for adrenaline rush; seeing shadows?
Count Karnstein; Denuvo Main Deck; unaffected.
Durik; Ship Main Deck = lockpicks, matches, knife, stole 5 bandages from infirmary, 2 large stakes, 1 Garlic Grenade, Harbor Watch leather armor. (clothing to be patched after Mission)
Foggy; Gun Deck = Crow, 2 Bottles of 'Pirate Pete's Pain-Killin' Rum'
Gilius; Ship, below deck?
Larissa Ship Fighting Top = Pouch w/garlic powder, anti-slip boots, 3 Healing Potions, 2 Sleep Potions; weakening.
Mighty; Denuvo Quarter Deck = Cracker, Monkey, set of 3 different sized lockpicks, Harbor Watch leather armor.
Kyp; Ship Main Deck
Origi; Ship Main Deck = 2 fliers, 2 Garlic Grenades, VO Amulet; unaffected.

-----
Edit to clarify and answer a question: Larissa posted that she was mixing the borate into a barrel of water on the deck. The only barrel of water on deck at the time was the washtub where Crew had been washing up themselves and their clothes using the soap. It had been left on deck and was a source for Kyp to portal back to as indicated by Polly. Larissa mixed the powder into the washtub and would have had to upend it as the Crew were either already engaged or boarding the Denuvo, thus drenching the deck in soapy water and causing Baldbeard to slip. Remember that the vampirates "can be messin' wit' yer heads" as well as the environmental effect.

My apologies, I forgot to include the plans and map. I've been a bit behind today, thanks for your patience.

[Cap'n Barfdeck Rummyfangs - Boarding Crew / Aboard Ship]

As the ship approached its target and preparations for the eventual boarding of the Denuvo ship were underway, the crew were almost startled to see Cap'n Rummyfangs suddenly appear by their side. Most believed he was still lost somewhere below deck.

"Stealth be me middle name!" the Felinoid pirate let out a faint chuckle and winked at his mateys.

"Be it true that vampirates be ne'er feastin' on Felinoids?" he was intrigued by Larissa's suggestion. "Are ye sayin' I am nah a threat t' 'em?"

If Pugwash succeeds to take out the front officer, Cap'n Rummyfangs is willing to board the Denuvo ship first, after a careful sweep of this Felinoid vision to make certain that no other threats be hiding in the shadows. He would also attempt to swiftly hide the front officer's body as not to alert any suspicion of the Denuvo crew.

If Pugwash does not succeed to take down the front officer, then Cap'n Rummyfangs will simply wait near one of the boarding planks and keep a watchful eye for any other new threat that may hide within the darkness and alert his crewmates of any new danger.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***
Cap'n Barfdeck Rummyfangs: Felinoid pirate / +1 agility, stealth / -1 constitution / permanent +1 hit (unless stunned or incapacitated) / Rapier +1 strike chance / 2 x rum concoctions for adrenaline rush / 2 x wooden stakes / 1 x holy water / 1 x rope / 1 x "harmless" disguise / weakness: loud noises (except roar of the sea & ship's cannons)


> I was typing this text when you posted that the turn is over, bjgamer. You can ignore my post if you judge it is past the due time, I will fully understand. My apologies... Busy schedule lately. Tough for me to keep up as well as everyone else. ;)

Origi aims a careful grenade lob in the vicinity of the captain and the deck watcher. In the resulting confusion, she sneaks onboard the Denuvo using whichever planks or ropes are still attached. She tries to cast Invisible on herself: if successful, she enters the stern castle door quietly and tries to access the captain's quarters. If unsuccessful, she sneakily heads to the skylight and checks if it's possible to jump down safely. In case of combat, she wraps a flyer around the end of her rapier.

Durik was expecting a silent approach, but his mates went full on attack.
So, he decided to board the Denuvo too.
He avoided the soapy water and used a plank to traverse.

Once on the enemy ship, he decided that he had to stop any alerted crew coming up the stairs.
So he positioned himself near the closer set (above 11 on map, on the right side), ready to drop a crate, barrel or cannonballs (he quickly tested their weights).
However, he kept one eye and ear on the other stairs too, to avoid getting caught by surprise.

The captain seems to have left his quarters, so Argy is ready to go down. First, she ties a rope around the mizzen mast, so they can use it to descend safely and without noise (and use it to get out as well if needed). Once inside, she'll focus on getting the small chest, but if there are some small valuables she can pocket in the meantime, they'll be welcome.

When Might and her are ready to leave, she'll leave a "birthday present" on the captain's desk. It won't probably make much damage to the ship, but can serve as a good distraction and will surely piss the captain off. If it makes a nice hole, his private quarters will not be safe from sunlight anymore.

Grog'tial nods contentedly at his first shot hitting home so satisfyingly, and at the officers being taken care of. He lines up his next shot for the Captain's heart, and fires as soon as he feels he has a good chance of hitting. As before, he will continue firing stake-bolts at any vampirate on deck (or otherwise visible, e.g. in the Denuvo's fighting top / crow's nest) at a rapid pace, as long as he has a good chance of hitting - seeking out new targets if someone beats him to his current one.

Pugwash notes with satisfaction that his primary targets had been dispatched.

With some of the Crew on the Denuvo already and boarding continuing, Pugwash shifts to his secondary objective of deterring reinforcements.

Pugwash aims his crossbow at the Denuvo's forward stairs to the deck below, ready to shoot any Vampirate that ascends.

The first shot taken will use the holy water flyer bolt, in the hope that it provides additional deterrent - should Pugwash miss the heart, the internal burning caused by the flyer would still prove acceptable.

Any subsequent shot will of course be with normal crossbow bolts.

Should any of the Crew approach the front stairs to guard it in person, Pugwash will shift his attention to the dock, ready to shoot at any fleeing vampirates that may rouse the city against the Crew.

Count Karnstein shrugged off ash that moment ago was a deck watcher. He looked towards the fore castle just to see two more dust clouds there. Goin' well so far, not too well let's 'ope. Before he could turn around, sound of slamming door and turning the lock reached his ears. There goes the plan of taking this scoundrel by surprise. Ah, well, he might just locked 'imself in the death trap. While count was trying to decide what to do next, sound of the same lock and door reached his ears, and fancy looking character appeared in the doorway.

=====

"Evenin' Cap..." - Count didn't finish the sentence, as Grog'tial's bolt was already piercing through air. He will react accordingly to outcome:

If bolt will wound or startle Captain causing him to drop guard, he will try to use element of surprise and fiercely attack, aiming at Captain's neck if possible.

If bolt misses and Captain remains unfazed, he will taunt** him trying to engage in fencing duel. Not knowing creature's real strength, his fighting approach will be cautious initially with focus on defense and countering. He will try to lure opponent into position others could use to attack.

If Captain will try escape, he will pursue him if possible (not jumping overboard or climbing masts), unless he retract back into stern castle (which should be a trap at this point with grenade dropped in by Mighty).

If/when Captain will be killed, he will try intimidate deck watcher into submission.


** "Impressive clown outfit, rightly suitin' jest o' undead like ye. Say, couldn't find one fer men, though?"