To Raid San Zanita: Chapter 10

[Obadiah Jib]

Chapter 10:  Landing party

You have been given a choice to claim one of Black Edward's personal possessions.  You can choose from a mortuary sword, a pair of ivory handled Portuguese flintlock pistols, or a gold ring set with an onyx stone.

If you choose the mortuary sword that was rumored to once belong to Prince Rupert you find it is a well made English blade.  The wire wrapped grip shows a little tarnish but otherwise the blade is in fabulous shape for seeing heavy use.  You believe that when you are armed with this weapon you just might do a little more damage to a foe that with a standard sword.

If you select Black Edwards twin Portuguese flintlock pistols with matching ivory handles you discover that they are unique, perhaps a one-of-a-kind set.  The pistols seem to be very easy to load and aim.  You believe that if you have the average level of skill with firearms that when you use these pistols it will be as if you were Exceptional in that skill.  If you have chosen Firearms at the Exceptional level you are considered a Master when armed with them!  If you are a Master with Firearms you believe you can now shoot the buckle off a Dutchman's hat!  And if you choose to take Firearms as your weak skill you will be of at least average if not better with these fine weapons.

If you choose to take the gold ring with the onyx stone you discover that the ring feels cold to the touch.  It is a heavy ring with a large darkly mirrored stone.  You know after just a few moments with the ring that it contains the "spirit" or "essence" of some otherworldly creature.  A malevolent creature who is trapped within the stone.  By wearing the ring you gain one extra wound you can take before dying.  Of course you feel that something is indeed waiting for you to die... maybe to claim your soul for its dark master?  Oh and don't think about loosing the ring because you can't...

---

You and the crew return to the two ships and head north along the coast.  A day passes and you rest.  Gilbert has only a vague idea of where the Spanish have built San Zanita.  The Indian natives told him to look for a deep bay with muddy coastal beach.  The presence of pirate ships on the coast will alert the Spanish and spoil the chance to surprise them.  Two scouting parties will be put ashore.  One scouting party south from Neptune's Daughter and a second scouting party north from El Toro de Blanco.  You are chosen to lead the scouting party from Neptune's Daughter.

The landing party under your control is a mix of buccaneers from Nevis and Port Royal along with a few of the puritan soldiers who joined the crew with Black Edward Ehresmann.  Ten men will accompany you ashore including your friend Mister Gallant.  Each man is given shot and powder for his weapons and enough hard tack biscuit and water for three days of travel.

You are set ashore amid a swath of coastline choked with a mangrove swamp.  You are forced to cut yourselves a path inland.  The sun blazes down upon your band of pirates as you fight the heavy swamp vegetation, the constant bite of flies and mosquitoes, and the leeches that grip to your submerged legs.  You have traveled for a few hours when you hear a gasp from the direction that Mister Gallant was cutting through the brush.  Perhaps a clearing you think as you trudge through the mire in his direction.  You see Gallant gripped in the jaws of some sort of huge, black, primordial reptile!  With a snap of its jaws it drags Gallant under the muddy water and consumes him!  As you turn you see more of these huge creatures emerge from the swamp.  Each beast as longer that the boat that left you at this evil location with a snout of twisted dagger length teeth!  You see even more of these brutes appear and surround your landing party!!! What do you do... command the men to fight these behemoths or flee for your lives?

[Welsh Wench]

I am a Sandwench..NOT A SAMMICH Sandwich.

Mama didn't raise no dummy---I don't intend to fit between two slices of bread and be a meal for somethng, slathered in mayo. A bit too kinky for me.

RUN!

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!

He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and p*ssing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge...

[Lady Amy of York]

Ring  for  sale  , real  cheap  !!   

I say,  RUN  FOR  IT !

I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to, to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too

Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Honey, you really tempt me
You know the way you look so kind
I'd love to stick around
But I'm running behind

Running on
You know I don't even know what I'm hoping to find
Running behind
Running into the sun but I'm running behind

[Capt Spleen]

Well now.....
Surrounded. Fleeing how? Past dagger toothed Reptilians? They may be dagger toothed indeed, but they are still reptiles, and reptile flesh i beleive can be hacked and shot to shreds pretty easily me thinks.
If we flee, they'll just grab us and have they're sharp toothed ways with us, BUT,..... if we give it back to em now that their suprise is up, we might have a chance of showing them what steel and shot n powder can do to lizard flesh.

To the men I say "Stand tall my brave fellows! We have no place to run,  Reptile flesh should come apart easily! Aim for their heads and neck areas, indeed we have the werewithall to give em hells fight and redeem our mate Gallant. For Gallant!!"

*into the fray i jump, leading the men*
Mortuary Sword in one hand, a rapier in the other ...... Slash Hack, Swash Hack Slash.......repeat furiously.......  

[Welsh Wench]

Yeah, well, just don't sit around, Spleen......

[Blue66669]

FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!

[Capt Spleen]

Yeah, well, just don't sit around, Spleen......

Some come here to sit and think
Yet others just to stoop and stink
I come here to hack lizard ballz
and hear the reptiles dying calls!

[Charlotte Rowan]

We cut the mangroves??? Oh, horrors.... Kayaking through a tunnel of mangroves to a bioluminescent bay was one of the most beautiful experiences in my life. I have no will to cut any of these beautiful trees. Plus, I'm not a huge fan of leeches or mosquitos. Therefore, I choose never to have taken that route in the first place, and land a bit further up the shoreline where there is a nice, natural tunnel and no toothy black lagoon creatures.