Against the Slavers

The Vast

A limber lady approaches Said saying her employer had a business proposal to offer.

Said brings Brother Gates along to make sure no shady deals are being made.

The employer is a polite, foreign scholar wearing red robes and pretty tattoos. He explains to Said and Gates that he is worried that some of his fellow countrymen are engaged in harmful activities and that he would pay handsomely if this could be stopped.

When asked what exactly the foreigners are up to, Said and Gates are shocked to hear that the bandits are slavers! Led by a wizard no less! Outraged at this and impressed with the generous compensation they'd receive Gates and Said promise to bring justice to the evildoers while making sure that no shadow of suspicion falls upon their employer.

It takes only little persuasion for the rest of the band to agree and they set out southwards to locate the slavers.

While going about some errands in the bushes, Said is attacked by a scout from the slavers but eventually overcomes the villain.

With clues provided by this wicked fellow they ascertain that the slavers are further to the south. The heroes employ some local fishermen to sail them closer to the base of the slavers. As the journey goes on, however, Umberlee, the goddess of the seas takes offense at having two members of other clergies traveling across her domain without showing proper respect and storms buffet the tiny vessel until Said and Jaden proceed to swiftly use the captured slaver scout as a fitting sacrifice to the Bitch Queen. This mollifies the unpredictable deity and the last leg of the journey is quite pleasant.

They land close to a small fishing hamlet and Legolars finds tracks implying that the slavers have sent a large group inland. Said and Jaden set out to deal with this group while Rob, Rista, Gates and Legolars take on the main slaver base.

As the four companions creep closer along a series of ridges running parallel to the coastline they see a large galley and a camp based on the now ruined fishing village. Several cages seem to hold prisoners and some tents house the slavers. As he scouts the place out Legolars is almost discovered and enemy guards spy the hulking form of Rob against the sky as the big elf crests a ridge.

A makeshift plan is constructed, even as a score of villains set out to capture Rob (who is the only one they've spotted so far). Rob and Legolars are to ply their missile weapons in support while Gates take on the tent where the enemy wizard is likely to be. Rista acts as strategic reserve and attempt to free as many prisoners as possible.

Rob begins to shoot at the enemy's extreme flank luring them to swing away from where Legolars is lurking. Meanwhile Gates charge across the beach, reaching the large tent.

Even as Legloars puts arrows into the few remaining sentries and Rob is getting closer and closer to getting charged by the others Lars is struck my a lightning bolt from the galley!

Rista rushes back to save the dying elf while Gates charge into the tent.

Inside is a half-naked man with a sword accosting a captive girl. He takes offense at Gates interrupting the rape and proceeds to cut the bold cleric up badly with a single blow!

Meanwhile Rob gulps down potions of Haste and Bull's Strength as he prepares to take the enemy charge on.

Legolars and Rista are clashing with some sentries who've crept closer.

Rob is soon on the verge of being overwhelmed by the many enemies and only Rista's daring rush to his side and the use of magical healing prevents the untimely demise of the elven warrior.

Legolars spots the enemy wizard on the poop deck of the galley and a few well-placed arrows force the spell caster to take cover or die. Legolars turns his attention back to the sniping enemy sentries.

Gates, inside the tent, is fighting for his very life as the mighty captain injures him time and time again but in the long run the holy man prevails against his piratical adversary.

After a long and grueling battle where both Rista and Rob are injured more than once the enemies surrounding them panic and flee as more and more of them fall to Rob's heavy blows.

Legolars has managed to keep the wizard and the enemy sentries from doing any further serious harm, however. Nevertheless the wizard remains a great threat.

Gates casts Water Walking and enshrouds himself in magical mists and simply begins to run out to the galley. Rob and Rista makes use of one of the enemy's long boats and begin to row.

Gates soon manages to board the galley and his mighty, mist-endshrouded appearance intimidates the slavers who are fearful of attacking him, allowing Gates to reach the aft deck while swining his morning star about, hoping to hit the now Invisible wizard. Eventually the wizard is forced to reveal himself by launching spells at gates. This is what Legolars has been waiting for and swiftly puts an arrow into the enemy while Gates engages the villain in close combat.

Rob and Rista row closer but find themselves having all manner of trouble getting on board for fear of falling into the water and drowning.

The wizard is aided by the slavers who now are bold enough to try and swamp Gates with superior numbers while some of them begin to shoot back at legolars with a ballista. Legolars takes offense and begins to snipe away the crew of the ballista.

Eventually, however, Gates fells the wizard and the slavers panic as their leader is slain. they try to escape in the remaining long boats but Rista and Rob distupt their attempt to embark and the slavers try to swim ashore instead. There they are met by the vengeful villagers who beat all of the slavers to death with captured weapons and oars and tools.

Battered but victorious the four heroes come back ashore to await the return of Jaden and Said.

The latter arrive after a few days. They have defeated a further dozen-and-a-half of slavers as well as encountered not only a vicious villain wielding dual kukris, slain by Said, but Jaden took out a mighty minotaur with a single, well aimed blow! The captives of the slavers had been set free and Jaden and Said had acquired the services of a stout little donkey and a cart on which they had loaded a few hundred arrows, dozens of sleeping mats, foodstuffs and several serviceable tents from the slaver camp.