To Raid San Zanita: Chapter 8

[Obadiah Jib]

Chapter 8:  Death or Mercy

You have been challenged to a duel by Black Edward Ehresmann, the Quartermaster of Neptune's Daughter who also accused you of being a traitor. 

If you refused his chance to clear your name with a duel you are marooned on a small island amid the Florida Keys with your meager supplies and a leather bottle of water.  You loose -10 to your Pirate Code score.  Your shipmates sail away taunting you with obscenities and reminding you of your certain death.  While your life doesn't end on this little island this part of the story does.  How you make it back to Port Royal is your tale to tell.  The end.

If you accept the duel El Toro de Blanco is contacted and both ships anchor off a small island.  Long boats from both ships are launched to the island bringing the crews ashore to witness the fight.  On a small strip of gravel and broken shell beach an area is cleared for the site of the duel.  You even see that the Spanish captive has been brought ashore to and given a shovel to dig the grave for the loser of this fight.

Mister Gallant's usual jolly demeanor is absent... he too has heard the stories that Black Edward is a Master with both sword and pistol!  In most duels the person challenged is allowed to select the weapon type to be used in the melee.  However in the Articles of Neptune's Daughter it clearly states that the Captain chooses the method of solving the dispute.  Captain Gilbert calls for a pair of gaff hooks, wicked iron tools used for unloading cargo.  You have heard tales of pirates who have lost hands in battle only to have them replaced by a skilled surgeon with a gaff hook.

You are handed a hook, a heavy, ugly, weapon that will make this a bloody nasty duel.  Black Edward is also given a gaff hook; his face cold and without emotion.  A pistol shot is fired and duel begins.  Black Edward Ehresmann moves in quickly in effort to end the duel early.  You circle him and manage to sink your hook into his thigh drawing first blood!  Black Edward, limping dripping blood punches you with his left hand and feints toward your head.  You feel a sharp pain as his hook slices across your waist.  You take 1 wound unless you have the Miscellaneous Weapons skill at the Master level. If you do have the Miscellaneous Weapons at the level of Master you parry his hook with yours and take no wounds!

Black Edward shuffles to one side and then swings a high strike toward your head and throat.  You see this trick and drop under his blow and slam your gaff hook into his belly and draw it across the puritan's body.  Black Edward sinks to his knees, blood washing over the sand, and looks up at you.  For the first time you see an emotion in his eyes...fear!  He whispers a single word to you.  "Mercy". What do you do?  Spare his life or end it upon the beach?

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

I give him a grim look and slowly shake my head in the negative.  But in the end I show him a bit of mercy by making his death swift.  As I walk away from his body that is now laying face down in the sand, I throw the reddened hook off to the side.  Then I say a few words to no one in particular...

"No second chances.  I'm that sort of a man."

[Lady Amy of York]

" Mercy, I show no mercy  to  your  kind, "  I reply.    I turn and as injured as Black Edward is, he tries one last attack on me.  But i sense his presence  and  turn around much faster  then he  can  move  and  fire  my pistol   at him, putting  a end  to him  for  good.

[Welsh Wench]

I look at him and calmly say in my best Port Royal Valley Girl voice,
'AS IF'!

Then I re-enact this scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oGVruN5VRI

Think of me as a feminine Alan Rickman.
Complete with being dressed all in black but I have on that new hat I bought.  

[Capt Spleen]

*Looking into his feared eyes*
".....BlackE, No, the name is DungeonSpleen"
*As I walk away from him with my eye on 'im over me shoulder...*
"Ye should have said, ... PLEASE!"
I turn quickly and:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZBua3vcByY

I look at his crew and say "uollright! Who be next?"

[Charlotte Rowan]

What can I say, I have a soft heart. I grant him mercy.

[Blue66669]

Looks like this one is MINE!!! No mercy.

One soul please, and I'd like it gift wrapped.