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Chapter 3: Jolly Cruise

Objective Defeat enemy

Destroy them all

Opening

narrator
The Cerulean Crescent, a treasure trove of unexplored lands and means to riches,
a lawless territory not under the control of a state or nation.
It is the land of hope, where one can set out to find their fortune, yet equally,
it is where hope is taken.
The young and unqualified Captain places her hopes upon these shores,
so laden with the blood of its settlers.
oriana
Must be a really fascinating cloud you're staring at. What's on your mind?
ellerie
Just harbouring some reservations about what's to come. I know little about what to expect, apart from worrying rumours.
oriana
To you this may seem like the wilderness, but for me, this is a homecoming.
The suffocating laws and oppressive walls of the Capital have nothing on the freedom of the Crescent.
ellerie
It seems like a small tradeoff for being able to sleep soundly at night.
oriana
It's not as bad as you think. In recent years, the Crescent is more settled, and the major factions are at peace. Maybe you'd find a new home here.
ellerie
There is still much I have to accomplish on the Mainland.
This whole journey is a means to an end.
oriana
I hope you can find what you seek.
(Tower approaches.)
tower
Albatross Point is on our starboard.
We want to make a wide berth, lest we be beset by certain folk.
ellerie
With our luck so far, I will eat my lance if we don't have a run in.
(Yvette approaches.)
yvette
There's conflict on the horizon! Seems to be pirates engaging a merchant ship.
ellerie
There it is. How does the situation look?
yvette
They seem to have taken some serious casualties on both sides, but the merchants are obviously getting overwhelmed.
(grins) We're absolutely jumping into this one, right? Captain?
ellerie
Hand me the spyglass. ... Damn, that's quite the amount of wyverns.
oriana
It seems that aerial piracy has only gotten worse since we've left.
Pomelo really had some foresight in fixing up that old ballista.
yvette
That's because I spent ages badgering him about it.
Now I can shoot these big lizards out of the sky!
ellerie
Even with the ballista, we're fairly undermanned. Should we push our luck?
tower
I would never advocate for excessive risk, but if it's within our power...
oriana
Reputation is the lifeblood of the adventuring business.
This should be a quick and easy way to raise ours.
ellerie
It feels like little reward for such risk.
tower
Are you really willing to leave these poor bastards to their fate, when we can make a difference against this rabble?
yvette
(serious) I've been itching for a good throwdown, especially since I missed the last two.
You can't deny me this one.
ellerie
Alright, alright, I've been outvoted. Let's turn the ship around.
(A lone freelancer is surrounded by priates.)
telon
Not even giving me a fair fight... Fitting, of a craven.
d. p. corky
Hate to break it to you, but maybe someone called Dread Pirate doesn't care about fair.
You have the nerve to sneak into my ship? Deckhand, cut him to ribbons. Make it slow.
telon
(closes eyes) ...
(A lackey approaches.)
pirate
Captain, a ship we saw earlier is rapidly approaching us.
And they don't look like they want to share biscuits.
d. p. corky
I don't like this.
Attacking us with their numbers indicates they're either competent, or foolish,
and I don't want to be making any bets. Tell the wyverns to all charge, now!
pirate
About that, Captain... They're on strike.
d. p. corky
What.
pirate
They're demanding hazard pay and better wyvern feed.
d. p. corky
Oh for the love of-
(Big Berd and Locust stand amidst the pirates.)
big berd
Loc, you look beat.
locust
Damn right I am. I can't believe we went through all that and only nabbed some ale.
big berd
Can't bring home the goods every time.
locust
How do those villagers have nothing more expensive than ale?
big berd
Judging from the quality of their dwellings, it was a mistake to expect anything more.
locust
I suppose so. You go ahead with the ale, big man. I'm going to take a short rest, while the pirates finish looting these merchants. Maybe I'll find some scraps.
big berd
Stay safe.
(Big Berd leaves the battlefield.)
(A pirate goes belowdecks and finds a woman in one of the ships.)
pirate
Hey, they've got a lady down here!
chalice
I don't suppose you are here to rescue me, are you?
pirate
Now missy, don't be-
chalice
I've heard all this before.
(sighs) What a string of misfortune.
narrator
Only the NPC units holding items need to survive for rewards.
Human bow users can all operate ballistae, which prevents canto.

Turn 3 (if D. P. Corky and Corkius is still alive)

d. p. corky
What's that good boy? You want a bone? There's some good bones right there, with plenty of fresh meat still on them!
(Corkius begins moving to attack.)

Turn 6 (if the Sky Scoundrels are still alive)

If D. P. Corky is alive

d. p. corky
Okay, fine! You wyvern riders can get your stupid hazard pay.
Charge! We're getting destroyed!

If D. P. Corky is dead

pirate
The Captain's dead and we'll all die if we don't act, salary increase or not! Go, go, go!

(The Sky Scoundrels begin attacking.)

If Locust is still on the field

locust
Zzzz... Hmm? The hell is happening? Time to get my ass out of here!
(Locust recovers from Sleep status and begins moving.)

When all pirates are defeated

tower
Have you noticed something very peculiar, Captain?
ellerie
I assume you are talking about the passengers.
tower
Yes. There seems to be a lot of people below deck, far more than there should.
The entrances happen to be rather well-secured? Quite odd, isn't it?
ellerie
I assume we will be having some interesting words with the captain.
(Milan approaches the crew.)
milan
Thank you, kind travellers!
Oh, to help a man in need. May the heavens look kindly on you!
ellerie
What kind of business do you run, Merchant? Surely not a passenger ship.
milan
Ah. Well you see, the Mainland's nobles demand discreet forms of labour.
No one would miss a few of these coastal folk.
ellerie
You're surprisingly upfront about this.
milan
You've clearly already noticed. It's simple business after all. I will ensure you get a share of the cut, brave adventurer.
tower
Captain, what more is there to say? Shall we carry out Elis's will?
ellerie
I'm no woman of the faith, but as a former civil servant, I can say this a very major breach of Mainland law.
milan
Why are your weapons drawn?
You can't, you can't! Are you not adventurers? Don't you respect gold?
tower
The heavens do not look kindly on you, friend.
(Milan and his bodyguards become hostile.)
narrator
All player units have been fully healed and can act again.

Conversations

Telon & Anyone

speaker
Hey, you don't seem to be one of them.
telon
...
speaker
They left you for dead, huh? Need a hand?
telon
They'll pay dearly.
(Telon charges off.)
speaker
Not a word of thanks?
(Telon roars and activates Inner Power.)

If Telon dies before recruitment

telon
Strength... Am I not strong enough, or was this inevitable?

Ellerie & Mince

mince
Hey Caps.
ellerie
That's a new one. Something the matter?
mince
I was thinking, we're running a tad low on supplies, especially in regards to meat.
ellerie
The journey took longer than we predicted, but it's not long before we can restock.
mince
We have a chance to restock right here.
ellerie
Do you really want to eat what those pirates have touched?
mince
I don't mean that, I mean fresh meat! I've always wanted to try wyvern steak.
ellerie
That's... Wyverns are incredibly intelligent and majestic creatures.
mince
So what? If we're shooting them down, what's the sense in not maximising our resources?
ellerie
If you really want to, I can't stop you.

Pomelo & Yvette

pomelo
The ballista all looking good?
yvette
You've done great, Pom. She's an absolute beauty.
pomelo
You're making me blush. It was only minor damage to the frame, nothing difficult to fix.
yvette
Don't sell yourself short. This looks as good as new! Why, I'd wager she'd shoot 10 tiles.
pomelo
Tiles? Is that a unit of measurement?
yvette
You don't use tiles?
pomelo
I've never heard of this one. Around how long is a tile?
yvette
The length of a tile varies depending on location, but here, I'd say, around the size of this barrel, but it'll be different elsewhere.
pomelo
I don't quite understand.
yvette
I'll explain to you later after we're done with this warm up.

Corkius

Combat

corkius
Awwwooooo!

Combat w/ Mince

mince
Fat and juicy, just how I like it. Hold still, it'll be over quickly.

Defeat

corkius
Yawp!

Death by Mince

mince
I'm thinking of a fine stew, but maybe a nice roast, hmmm...

D. P. Corky

Combat

d. p. corky
Tremble in fear at the name of Dread Pirate Corky!

Combat w/ Pomelo

pomelo
Avast, ye lily-livered landlubber! If ye resist, ye will be sleeping with the fishes!
d. p. corky
Let's see if your “humor” holds up to the end of my axe.

Combat w/ Tower

d. p. corky
Ha! One of you folk. My plate protects me from all magic.
You can't do a thing to me.
tower
Are you sure? Allow me to demonstrate my magic.

Combat w/ Telon

d. p. corky
Haven't learnt your lesson? Coming for another round?
telon
Die.

Combat w/ Raylin

raylin
I notice you've got a good few wyverns, but no pegasi.
Is it because your ugly mug scared them all away?
d. p. corky
You think some brat is going to get me riled up?
raylin
Oh, really?
I wonder if your mother regrets giving birth to a thing like you.
All those hopes and dreams, only to become a “Dread Pirate!”
It's one thing to be infamous, but with a name like that, you're a third-rate one at best.
Do you stay awake at night wondering how you got here?
You've burned any possible bridges to a hopeful future.
The most you can hope for is to spend your gold on drink,
and forget how pitiful your sad existence of a life is.
d. p. corky
I'm going to dismember you and feed you to the wyverns.
raylin
(grins) I knew I'd get there eventually.

Death

d. p. corky
I really do have the most atrocious luck.

Milan

Combat

milan
What are you doing? Please, I'll pay anything! Anything!

Combat w/ Ellerie

milan
You have no right to do this! Mainland laws do not hold here!
ellerie
Do we look like law-abiding citizens?

Combat w/ Telon

telon
We meet again.
milan
Please, sir, I have a family waiting for me back home.
telon
So did those who you took from our shores.

Combat w/ Reiker

milan
Look, kid! I've got gold, alright? It could be your-
reiker
Do you think I look stupid? I know Sis always says so.
Is that why you picked me to bribe out of everyone?
milan
No, I just mean you clearly look like an gullib- upstand-
reiker
I don't like being called stupid, wagon man.
Prepare to be stabbed extra hard for this.

Death

milan
My family, my future!

Locations

Ship's Hold

pirate
Arrgh! Please, have mercy! I didn't mean anything, I swear!
chalice
I'll spare your life, in Elis's name. Now, begone from my sight.
pirate
Ye- Yes! You're too kind!
(The pirate runs off as the visitor approaches.)
visitor
...
chalice
You're here to rescue me, right?
visitor
Yes?
chalice
Good, you don't want to end up like that other poor bastard.
I'm no fighter, so keep me in the back, okay?

Ending

ellerie
And that's that. Looks like we weren't able to save the poor merchant. What a shame.
oriana
We've found around a few dozen civilians in the “merchant” ship hold,
mostly women and children. They appear to be the main “cargo”.
ellerie
I'm aware the slave trade east of the Mainland was increasing in size,
but I never would have expected to see it in action myself.
oriana
Thankfully we interfered. I fear what fate may have befallen these folks,
regardless of who emerged victorious.

If Chalice survived or was not recruited

(Chalice approaches.)
chalice
I'm Chalice, a lowly disciple of Elis. We are deeply indebted to you.
ellerie
A simple task for skilled adventurers like ourselves.
oriana
Yes, skilled. I remember you. You're the tailor's child.
chalice
That I am. Forgive me, but your voice is not one I recall.
oriana
That is no surprise. I have not returned to Irinde in years.
Captain, since these folk were taken from Irinde's shores, it aligns nicely with our route for us to escort them home.
chalice
Elis looks favourably upon you for your charitable actions.
(Chalice leaves.)

If Chalice died

(The freed slaves approach.)
young woman
Thank you, our brave heroes!
ellerie
A simple task for skilled adventurers like ourselves.
oriana
Yes, skilled. You're all from Irinde, are you not?
young woman
Up and down Irinde's coastline, ma'am.
oriana
Captain, since these folk were taken from Irinde's shores, it aligns nicely with our route for us to escort them home.
young woman
Thank you all, again!
(The woman leaves.)
ellerie
After our last stay, I've developed wariness towards coastal villages.
oriana
You need not fear Irinde. It is a welcoming place like no other.
ellerie
You said something similar about the previous village.
oriana
That was... I did not know the extent of their villainy!
But this is different. Irinde was once my own home.
Its chief, Oren, is a man well known for his virtue.
ellerie
I certainly hope so. As much as I want to sleep in a warm bed,
we should stay aboard for safety.
oriana
What we did today is not mere altruism. It would grant us goodwill with Irinde.
and open more doors. In this line of work, it's the difference between life and death.
ellerie
The good old reputation economy. I'll keep it in mind.
(Lindros approaches.)
lindros
No dice.
Only interesting things Pom found were love letters.
I almost feel bad for these pirates.
(He gives Ellerie 500 gold.)
ellerie
This is simply tragic. And the merchants?
lindros
You saw their unconventional cargo. We've got the civilians on board. It's a tight fit, but with half the crew missing, it works out. Tower's patching up the injured.
ellerie
A rather disappointing haul, but at least we got a good deed out of it.
Let's sail for better opportunities.

If Mince is alive

mince
Now this is a huge haul! Tonight we feast!
ellerie
I, I think I'll pass on this one.
mince
You don't blink when taking a life, but eating a wyvern is too much?
ellerie
That's not the same.
mince
Damn right it ain't the same. Your loss, Caps.
(The party gains a Wyvern Tail.)

If Telon and Chalice survived

telon
...
chalice
...
telon
Look, Chalice, I-
chalice
Telon Ironsmith, you absolute buffoon! Why, in Elis's name,
did you think working with the so-called “Dread Pirates” was a good idea?
How could you have ensured they fulfil their end of the bargain?
telon
The Chief and my sister weren't doing anything. I couldn't just wait.
chalice
Do you think you could do what the Chief can't? You should have trusted him.
telon
I was scared, alright? I didn't know what to do.
chalice
... I'm sorry, Telon. You went quite far for me and the townsfolk.
Just... Try and find a plan that's not guaranteed to kill you, next time.
telon
If only I was stronger, then the plan would have worked fine.
then I could have prevented this. I wouldn't have had to run away.
chalice
Being stronger isn't everything.
telon
On the Crescent, it may as well be.

Character Descriptions

Yvette
A capable archer and a ballistician. Always first into battle despite her reliance on ranged weaponry.

Telon
A moody and unapproachable young man with a fascination for strong rivals. I wager he's not going to live for long.

Chalice
A nominal member of the Sect. Bold and stalwart, odd qualities for a healer. I swear she has no problem seeing.

D. P. Corky
Stole some armour off a dead dread fighter. Hasn't shut up about it since.

Corkius
Corky's beloved companion, fought alongside him through thick and thin. How cool would it be if I had one?

Corky's Crew
Merry men who rob the rich (everyone) and give to the poor (themselves).

Sky Scoundrel
As it turns out, aerial piracy is actually a great idea. Provided one actually makes enough to feed a wyvern.

Milan
An unfortunate merchant who didn't spend enough money in hiring guards.

Hired Hand
Able-bodied fighters paid to protect their employer, and failing at that.

Villager
Not so harmless now, huh?

Locust
I could've sworn there was someone standing right here. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep.