Duty Session 528: A Pirate's Life For Me

Pirates. You can't live with them. You can't live without them.

Which is why Kotono is seeking help in taking them out. This is one Spriggan who is not afraid of anything, even the thought of walking the plank or... who knows what else pirates do?

As Kotono waits for the others, she proceeds to do some stretching to get herself warmed up and ready to go. After all, nothing would be more embarrassing than pulling a muscle during a battle, right?

Goldenblade is geared up for another foray against the suspected pirate lair site. She's been several times, and is beginning to question whether the intel is right or not. But the party has discussed what needs to be done, and it looks like we have it covered as best we can. She does one last check of her gear, not that she needs to because the game doesn't really support leaving stuff on a shelf at home. The wonders of Inventory. Swords, armor, belt with stuff, backpack, cloak, badge from Westelande.

"All right," she says, and with a steady tone, she says, "We /almost/ had this planned out /last/ time. Does everyone have their gear and stuff and their plan for our initial search?" She looks around to each player, and says, "I'd really like to find that lair this time. We know the caves are mostly underwater and -filled- with giant crabs. They're not /too/ tough, so don't worry about them much, I think. Frankly, the hardest part each time I've been down has been the overgrown vines in the caves. We may just be better off taking it slow through there, it blunts blades like nobody's business."

Where there are pirates there are samurai, ninja, and undead. Occasionally there is a magical girl in the mix, but only if the title permits to be extra long. Enter one Soujiro Seta, taking up the Samurai slot of the token trope title. He keeps a happy smile on his face and a hand over the hilt of one of his katanas to get the full 'wandering samurai' look down. Oh hey, a breeze, perfect for making his kimono and ponytail waver. Waver waver. Wavers. Sign your waivers before entering this ride.

One look over the gathering point and there is nothing there to see.
But by the time one's gaze passes back a second time, there's a foxwoman standing there, parasol resting upon one shoulder and tails curled about her legs. True to her mystical vulpine nature Daiyu has managed to walk up at the point no one was looking in her direction. "There is no wrong in being properly prepared beforehand. Especially for a search."

Pirates huh? Well here was Gwen and she had a new outfit that would be good for fighting likely very high speed foes. Right? Pirates are the western counter to Ninjas if she got it right. She's got a poofy blouse on with a choker, white bows adorn the wrists a white tabbard is ab9out her waist with a big white bow on her back. Black thigh and short boots finish the outfit off.

(OOC https://i.imgur.com/F4Uttl1.jpg Mystic Knight Gwen!)

"Time to find some pirate booty and kick it!"

    And of course, where there is Kotono, Miyako is rarely far away. While Kotono stretches out, Miyako sits on a stump nearby, guitar in her lap as she plays.

        When the wind's away, and the wave's away,
        that crazy old fool will go out on the bay,
        Dodgin' the ledges and settin' his gear,
        and come back when the wind drives him in.

        But he knows full well that the fishin' is done
        His credit's all gone, and the winter is come
        Yet sure as the tide will rise and run,
        He'll go back on the bay again....

    She pauses as she sees others approaching, it seems it's about the time to get heading off to search for pirates again. "Hello again, friends. I have to agree with Gwen, we really need to find that bloody lair entrance. I for one intend to put an end to this bit of idiocy."

    Undead pirates? Treasure? Saving ships from raids? What's not to like!

    Mizuki's wearing her sea armor during the trip, high boots, buff coat and wide-brimmed hat keeping the ocean spray off, but she switches to her usual ninja outfit once they're ashore. But before she goes looking for the entrance, she's drawn to Miyako's song, eyes closing, listening. She smiles, "That was really good."

    As for finding things... "I've got my nose, as usual! Although, the smell of the sea is pretty strong here... Maybe that's not the best way to find a pirate lair."

    The cat's eyes fall on Gwen for a long moment, looking her up and down. "...............Are you a... knight, from Disgaea? Man, I haven't thought about that game in ages."

    The camera briefly cuts to somewhere, somewhen, Sam setting his phone down and an Etna wallpaper behind the app icons.

    

The island seems simple enough, but odds are there's traps lying in wait. As well as possibly secret passages. Of course, they're not going to be lying out in the open, so some strategy is going to be necessary here.

"OK, everyone try to look for a way in, and be careful! We don't know what the pirates are capable of!" Kotono draws her blades as a precaution as she sets about looking for a way to get into the lair of the pirates.

Soujiro Seta takes a look around for tracks of the pirates. He is a samurai, not a tracker, though, so he commits himself to looking around. Here. There. Everywhere. No avail.

Daiyu is a scout, but she's better at canvasing a large area that searching for clues to a specific person or path. So despite her best efforts walking up and down along the path, she doesn't have much luck. "I... would not expect pirates to be so apt at such a concealment," she admits, tails twitching with frustration.

    Miyako at least knows what to look for, this time, and there are bits and pieces of traces here and there... but she has no more luck with it than her previous attempt. "Yeah," she offers to the Fox. "This one is -really- well-hidden. I hear nobody's managed to actually find it yet."

Goldenblade nods to Kotono as we get to the island and start looking for the entrance. Nothing turns up immediately, but like last time, there are false leads and fake trails, and she follows one, it seems, that leads us to a hidden entrance, but when she slips her ninja tools into the lock and twists just so, the false door opens into another blank wall. She sighs, says to Daiyu, "If they were not so good, they would have been dealt with long ago, I think."

It's time to attempt to find the entrance the bad news is Gwen isn't much of a tracker okay she's got none. She really should listen to Shiruba more often. For now though she'll attempt to use a firebolt to help light up any possible traces of the entryway.

    Once the search begins, Mizuki starts near the cave entrance and sniffs around for the scent of pirate, trying to find a trail -- or perhaps a subtle wind current that indicates the crack of a secret door... "This way! I think I've got something! Follow my nose, I'm way better than Toucan Sam!"

    She ends up at a wall, feeling around for a crack. "I swear I smell an air current... but I can't quite find it..."

Kotono tries her best, since she knows she can achieve anything if she puts her mind to it.

Unfortunately, positivity isn't enough.

Kotono thinks she finds a hidden switch... but it's just a plain hole in the rocks. "Damn it, why me?"

As a result, the team has to make their way into the cave. Kotono grabs a stick and, with a little improvisation, lights up a torch. "I hope there aren't any pirates waiting to get us down here. Then again, I've got two blades instead of just one!" She chuckles.

Goldenblade makes her way into the cave, and says to Kotono, "I've never seen any pirates in the cave. They -could- be here, but I don't think so, unless they're just hidden lookouts." The cave and underwater path are familiar by now, and she takes the small flask from her inventory. A half-twist of the lid, and she puts it in her mouth, the lid anyhow, and slides under the water without worry, swimming easily with the current and a full air meter.

"Or they don't want to risk dealing with us directly." Daiyu frowns slightly as they come to the water filled passage. "... I apologize for any damp smells when we emerge," she murmurs. She's got a lot of fluff that's going to be wet with those tails. But she uses an enchantment to form a bubble around her head to help hold air and then dives in.

    Into the caves they go. It's cramped, but cats are good at fitting in small spaces. What's less good is that it's so damp, and dark, and mazelike. A wrong step gets her a soaked foot. She can't produce *constant* light with her flames, so her immediate surroundings routinely flicker into darkness...

    She doesn't exactly have a head for mazes. Frustration builds fast especially when she has wet fur. "Ugggh, I *wish* my nose had led us to Froot Loops instead of a maze..."

"Like an Easter Egg event. Pirates in a pirate cave," Soujiro says as if having pirates /in/ a cave for pirates is an elusive event. It seems silly but here the party is: No pirates. So maybe he is onto something here! Souji logic. Also the same logic that has him using his divine blade as a light source. Which is extremely effective. Darkness beware.

    Miyako nods, "Goldie's right. Last time there was nothing but a giant crab. I hope you're all prepared to go swimming." She sighs and starts up her Bubblehead Charm, to help her deal with the flooded zone. "Next time, you piratical losers! Next time!"

Gwen says "Toucan Sam, you are not."

Gewn comments but she's no tracker, so she says nothing else on it. AS the groups goes onwards and she'll make with the air magic to try and sense which way the should go for following the local air currents.

Kotono brings up her spell runes and conjures an air spell which provides her with an air bubble that allows her to travel under the water with ease. "I love magic. It doesn't always work, but when it does, it's worth it!"

She makes her way through the water with the others and comes upon a spot of the cave where it seems there's a blockage in their way. "OK, it looks like we're going to have to get this debris out of our way before we can move forward." She stretches her arms and tilts her neck from side to side a few times. "This won't be easy, but I'm sure we can do it!"

"We should work quickly before something comes and traps us down here." Daiyu snaps open her warfans, and after enchanting them makes several rapid slashs to cut through the rubble lying about.

Goldenblade climbing out of the water, clothes and armor soaked, she leaves a trail of water as we follow the passage further until we reach a dead end. "Ah, the old passage blocked by a cave-in trick," she says, doing her best Don Adams, impression. Which means nothing, because Don Adams didn't do the Japanese dub of Get Smart, and of the American players, are any even old enough to remember? But it amuses her, and she starts setting aside the stones, building up a support pillar from the debris, so that the roof is supported before we clear too much of the debris away.

Soujiro Seta sees the blockage and considers what would be the most challenging way to approach it. Clearly it is with his BARE HAND. Not hands. Hand. One of them. The samurai goes to taking the debris away one handed as his form of training(tm) in the combatless dungeon. If the challenges are not there, you make some for yourself! It isn't getting the passage cleared quickly, but he is enjoying himself and getting a good workout in the process.

Gwen says "That should not be an an issue." As Gwen notes about the things in the way. She'll head up and just start to brute force her way through this. Gwen is a very strong lady and she's not even trying to hide it here.

    Goldenblade is doing a voice. Mizuki isn't *entirely* sure why, but plays along: "Will MAD's sinister plots stop at nothing? But I don't think my computer book will help with a cave in, Uncle Gadget... or wait, since I'm a were fang does that make me Brain? Oh well..." She turns towards the cave-in and begins, well, earthbending. "If anyone's good at building mines, just tell me where to set up the supports! Go go Gadget Earth Magic!"

    Miyako side-eyes at Mizuki's impression, but just shakes her head without saying anything. "Oi! Weasley! We're coming through, just hang on in there!" She grins and starts grabbing at rocks, a whisper of magic molding them into handles to make them easier to lift away from the rockslide. "Is Lockhart still out cold?"

Kotono tries her best at picking up the rocks and debris...

Only to wind up straining herself and having to pull back. "I didn't warm up enough or... I dunno..." Kotono rolls her eyes. Fortunately, the others seem to have things in order, so when they're done, Kotono proceeds through.

Now they're stuck in a forest of seaweed? "Yuck!" Kotono says while holding her nose. "I hate seaweed! Let's deal with this fast, shall we?" She draws her blades.

Daiyu pats Kotono on the shoulder. "It is okay. I have this." She takes one of her caustic gas bombs and tosses it amongst the seaweed. It erupts with multiple hissing sounds, and the seaweed quickly wilts and withers away as the hot fumes burn the moisture out of the aquatic plants rapidly.

Seaweed! The ultimate in regenerative training dummy plants! Soujiro takes to his katanas and gets practice swipes in. Again. Again. Again. Something to keep sharp while people with alchemy or herbicide takes care of the /root/ of the problem. Does seeweed have roots? Thoughts the samurai does not have as he happily whacks at dem weeds.

Goldenblade looks confused as Mizuki references a series her kids were a bit too old for when it came out in Japan. "MAD? Er, nevermind." Her Don Adams is apparently not so good as she thought it was. That's too bad, he was really pretty funny. In a making fun of the cold war sort of way. "My kids never saw Get Smart, come to think of it. Which was a shame, the movie that came out in the nineties wasn't bad."

And then it's the overgrown foliage, and she sighs. "This is what I was talking about before. It'll take forever to slog through, but I think we're just going to have to take it slow. Rushing ... well, it's too thick to rush." Sword in one hand, whetstone in the other, she hacks one stem, runs the stone along her blade to re-sharpen it, then hacks another. This is going to take forever, but it's the best she can do.

    Mizuki blinks at Goldenblade. "Ohhhh! Get Smart! I didn't see much of it, but I get the impression Inspector Gadget was basically the same thing for kids. The same guy was playing basically the same character..."

    Plants! Mizuki huffs, and she puffs, and she tries to burn it away with her fire breath, but... it's soaking wet. She makes a lot of steam and smoke...

Gwen is now pushing on ahead as she's dealing seaweed, a deep dark part of her just wants to use fire. Sadly she know it won't work here and she does not have the skill to make up something to hack through the thing so she's going to try what she knows about herbs to try and make something to work on killing them. It doesn't go well it goes comeically badly as she gets tangled up in the Seaweed. "HELP!"

    Miyako grimaces at the sight of the forest of seaweed. "Yeah, this is the same as last time," she grumbles. She pushes on into the forest, muttering to herself as swings of her sword just barely push some fronds aside, almost never actually cutting through. "Kudzu of the sea. I am so very having sushi for dinner tonight, just to say my piece to it."

Sometimes, the best method of dealing with things isn't always the best after all. Kotono tries to cut through the seaweed with her blades...

Only to wind up covered in the slimy, disgusting stuff.

"Blech! This stinks!" Kotono says as she throws the seaweed off of her before scowling. "I'll remember THAT for next time!"

As the group forces their way onward, only to encounter... a giant crab?!

"Is this the pet of the pirates or something?" Kotono asks in disbelief. Not wanting to wait for an answer, she wipes her blades before raising them again. "Regardless, we're going to take it down!"

Same as the last time! A big crab battle isn't going to be boring, what with all the shiny treasure fused to it. Soujiro anticipates it is going to do a musical number, but it never comes. It could be his warrior's intuition is getting signals from another realm! Nothing left to it but to crack this clacker up with heavy hitting stikes until it bursts like balloon. Maybe the /crab/ ate the pirates?!

Goldenblade huhs to Mizuki as she mentions Inspector Gadget, which she doesn't know at all. When it came to Japan, her kids were in their 20's, but a bit shy of having kids of their own, so her grandkids never saw it, either. It's a strange old world. The characters did share similarities, though Smart was a spy and Gadget was a detective. She proceeds forward, once we're past the foliage forest, and walk further along, winding our way through passages until we find /another/ crab. "Pet? No. There's like a colony of crabs down here, though. We could farm them and have crab salad for years, though."

That said, she vanishes from sight as the battle is joined, and reappears in a smoky haze behind and beneath the crab, thrusting a blade up into the crab's underbody with her opposite palm on the butt of her weapon, forcing it deep. The deadly strike from stealth costs the multi-health-barred boss most of one entire bar, but she draws her other blade, now, and will fight to burn it down the rest of the way.

"A pet to guard their treasure, by the look of it's shell." Daiyu strikes a pose. One of her fans ignites in flames. The other crackles as it freezes over. "Or because they cannot throw you to the sharks on dry land." The hulijing dashes into the fight, moving opposite of the samurai with her antipode charged weapons to keep the creature from being able to focus on one direction to attack.

    Mizuki tries to help cut Gwen free with her daggers. "So, you like Disgaea too, huh? ...Dang, there's another videogame series I'll never get to play again... I never actually finished the first one..."

    "A giant enemy crab!" Mizuki shouts, pointing her dagger at it. "Strike the weak point for massive damage!" She gives a puzzled look to Miyako, "Ah... have you done this before? We'll at least get some tasty crab meat, right?" And then she's stealthing away, waiting for tankier folks to get the crab's attention so she can do as she said and strike!

    ...Which she does, leaping from the darkness with shadows clinging to her blades as she stabs between its armor plates, "EDGE! OF! SHADOW!"

        OHHHHH, This is the place where the fishermen gather,
        With their oil-skins and boots and Cape-Annes battened down,
        All sizes of figures with squid-lines and jiggers,
        They congregate here on the squid-jiggin' ground

        Some are workin' their jiggers, while others are yarnin',
        There's some standin' up and there's more lyin' down
        While all kinds of fun, jokes, and drinks are begun,
        As they wait for the squid on the squid-jiggin' ground.

    As usual, Miyako deals with her grumpiness and disappointment with a song... eventually. She pays little attention to the crab, focusing on her music, letting the words speak of the fishermen who bring home such creatures for the market. Letting them build up her magic until with the conclusion of her song, it bursts in an orb of shadows around the monster.

Well there's a crab and Gwen just stares at it for a moment.

"This is some kind of ... Cave Demon..."

She'll get her weapon and shield ready. Dashing in with a speed that one might not expect from someone her size. She end up enaging the crab but it does not go well for her though it does go well for the party at the very least even as it comes to an end Gwen is muttering about some kind of Crab Battle.

    Crab Demon one could certainly call it. It's certainly large enough - and blinged enough - to qualify. But at least one Spriggan disagrees. "What do you think, all? Crab Musubi tonight?" Crabmeat and rice wrapped in seaweed... hmmmmm. Tasty.

        There's men of all ages, and boys in the bargain,
        There's old Billy Cave and there's young Raymond Brown
        There's Rip, Red, and Rory, out here in the dory,
        A-runnin' down squires on the squid-jiggin' ground.

Slish slash, she was takin' a bath...

OK, forget the bad song puns.

Kotono comes in with her blades slicing and dicing, and she's able to help take down that giant crab.

Together, the group manages to take down the giant crab, and Kotono breathes a sigh of relief. She looks to Miyako and comments, "Sounds like a great idea... After I take a shower first and get all this yuck off of me!" Apparently she can't find a better word for how she feels after getting all that seaweed on her.