The Blood Runs Cold (Warhammer Fantasy Vampire Pirate Quest)

Reader mode
Celeshiro said:
Said twins turned to one another at the exact same time and let out matching amused snorts. "No, we certainly aren't those twins. We're not that high up on the rung, for one."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Would be really crazy if we managed to randomly run into T&T like this, but these twins are pretty cool too and I'd like to see more of them.


Celeshiro said:
So she surprised you then by presenting one with a sincere shake of the head. "Thanks for the offer, but honestly? Keep your gold and glory." Her accent thickened in that moment, the full pronunciation of the harsh north coming forwards. "I don't give a damn about the reason or cause at all. I happen to share the attitude just getting paid for jobs that come my way instead of signing up to any long-term affair. So if you want my skills, you better hire us all for a job. We'll do it, get paid, then that's that.

"And I'll be right behind the Admiral the entire way."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Looks like our merry band has grown on Lydia and we're the only long-term arrangement she's gonna commit herself too. While the thread hasn't paid her much mind in comparison to the others, I always did have a soft spot for her in my heart.
Celeshiro said:
"Your crew? Your...Druchii, right?" He slowly recalled with a scowl. "Bah, I have a good idea. Has to do with that bastard."

"What?"

He glared your way fiercely and shook his head. "Don't mean anything, but it's none of your business. Just an old promise I made, that the Reaper will claim his due."
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
And the mystery deepens, I wonder who this Black Reaper is looking to collect from?
Celeshiro said:
But for now, your main curiosity was just exactly how much gold you were going to earn.

(Total Gold: 1000 Gold)
(Crew Share: 120 Gold)
(Officer Share: 480 Gold)
(Admiral Share: 400 Gold)

+400 Gold to Personal Inventory (1559 +400 = 1959 Gold)
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yet another successful payday! I think we've just about recouped the gold Marienburg drained from us.
Celeshiro said:
It was admittedly getting a little unwieldy now to be commanding so many ships personally, so perhaps it was time to talk with one of your experienced officers about a promotion to captaincy. There were certainly a few good candidates, from the sleeping genius of Ingfried to the unwavering determination of Lydia. Angleica naturally shouldn't be discounted either, her background perhaps lending itself well here but it would mean you losing out on her presence on Myrmidia's Vengeance. The same could apply to any of your other officers really, all of them faces you've grown attached to.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
A valid discussion to be had: who shall be the first Captain in our fleet?
Celeshiro said:
"The first one to just...accept it. Aside from Ingfried, but she could literally sleep through an army sacking a Temple of Sigmar and not give a single care about it afterwards." Likely because she's still nursing a grudge against Him for what happened with her sister. "I really do try and insist that one should only bare steel if one is prepared to die and yet so many still do so against me! Thusm I must take it seriously in turn! I honor their choice and hold nothing back, even if it means striking them down to win," Leos rambled and you simply rolled your eyes.

"My good sire, you are talking about the lethality of dueling with an Estalian," You drawled and had the satisfaction of seeing him do a double-take. "In my homeland, you duel and either slaughter each other messily or become sworn brethren through thick and thin.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
With such strong feelings about honor and dueling, something tells me Leos is gonna be juuuuust fine in the Southern Realms
Celeshiro said:
Better yet, your destination is Sartosa, where Estalians mingle with some real lowlifes to truly become some of the worst clumsy killers out there. So if you're worried about that bloody reputation following you, then take heart that it'll only be a boon there."

"I'm surprised you haven't mentioned Tileans there, considering their also bloody reputation."

"I thought I mentioned lowlifes?"

Onboard Myrmidia's Vengeance, Angelica's eyebrow twitched and she paused mid-prayer. "Feels like the Admiral just volunteered being a practice target for some new miracles of Morr," She mumbled.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
:lol::rofl:

Apparently when you join Admiral Carolina's crew, you get a sixth sense for whenever she thinks about you.

[X] [Scythe's Skull] Take it into your fleet.
[X] [Azure Fortune] Sell it in Port.
 
[X] [Scythe's Skull] Take it into your fleet.
[X] [Azure Fortune] Take it into your fleet.

Guess which one we will give to Angelica once she becomes captain?
 
I want to sell one and keep the other, but the people voting that way are selling the one with the cooler name... I guess I'll abstain.

BTW, can we ask Leos to spar with us?
 
Vote closed New
  • Voting
  • New
  • Voting
    • Celeshiro said:
    Scheduled vote count started by Celeshiro on Apr 25, 2024 at 1:32 AM, finished with 18 posts and 16 votes.
    Click to expand...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    I am confused. Are we taking both ships? The vote only shows the Skull.
     
    This is the full result.
    Adhoc vote count started by MrRageQuit on Apr 27, 2024 at 7:10 PM, finished with 24 posts and 16 votes.
    [scythesskull] [azurefortune]
    Click to expand...
     
    Zauberin said:
    That's weird. Shouldn't it be showing the Azure Fortune vote as well? Just scrolling up I saw four or five voting for taking it.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    If the wording of a vote option is the exact same as the wording of a vote option in a different vote in the same update, then the tally will consider them to be the same vote and count them as one.
     
    Bah, just realized I forgot about the aim high/low mechanic for the last battle. Probably threw me off that escorts don't have to worry about that.
     
    Turn 28.0, L'Anguille New
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] [Scythe's Skull] Take it into your fleet.
    [X] [Azure Fortune] Take it into your fleet.

    Arriving in Bretonnia was, you reflected, certainly an experience in itself. You were fairly sure by how novel this all felt that you had never been to the kingdom of chivalry before, so this first exposure was a mix of both the new and bizarre. Because for all the popular skepticism that the last bastion of chivalry was simply a backwards nation, it just wasn't that clear cut.

    The harbor Myrmidia's Vengeance and the other ships of your fleet slipped into was surprisingly expansive, a sprawling collection of piers which offered sanctuary to a variety of ships from the gentler powers of the Old World. It was quite a modern layout that any veteran sailor could instinctively relax in, yet just beyond the immediate shore district in the city beyond, you could see the traditional and antiquated medieval style prevalent in the buildings. Wherever you looked, you could see architecture that has surely not been updated ever since the Empire achieved the miracle of gunpowder from their Dawi allies, and perhaps even older. There was even a brilliant white castle just over there, with soaring towers that stretched into the skies to impress the common folk but hold little modern tactical value.

    It seemed that were you to venture further than the immediate naval district meant for trade, you truly were stepping into a past where knights once truly were the star of heroic tales.

    "Feels like I should be watching out for windmills," You murmured and nearby Octavia gave an amused snort at the common Estalian joke. "Though the city seems to go on and on, almost like a sprawling urban center like Marienburg. This can't be the norm."

    "It isn't!" Medb explained, raising a hand to shade her eyes while she sat on the railing to get a better look. "From what my big sister told, the Duchy here is basically this singular great port, then deserted pockets of farmland sandwiched where there's something to grow. It's basically Bretonnia's answer to the Empire's port."

    "Which means that it's going to get even busier around here now that the Empire has that back," You considered with a hum. "Wonder if that means Bretonnia would park their famed navy here then."

    "Maybe, but I think that it's currently supposed to be docked in Aquitaine." Your quartermaster frowned. "Last I heard at least, but it was quite recent."

    "Dare I ask how recent?'

    "Just a few years, give or take."

    "Of course," You sighed and shook your head. "Please never decide to take a short vacation, as for you I'm sure it'll be defined as a few decades. Maybe even a hundred years."

    "I think then we'd mortals be all dead by then. So would you instead grant the privilege to us short-lived humans instead?" That came from Angelica as she and Lydia emerged onto the main deck. Notably, there seemed to be a travel pack slung over both their shoulders and that earned a curious look from you. "Ah, so I need to give my report to the Witch Hunters in the Empire…"

    "And I also happen to need to travel to Marienburg to see if old Zoska is still hanging about. I want to have a chat with her about some old topics," Lydia mentioned and patted Angelica's shoulder. "So, we'll travel together for safe travels. Only makes sense."

    "I see." You mulled on the idea and glanced to see Medb shooting a smug grin. "Fine, we'll take a brief break in Medb's timescale. Meaning a little longer than normal, at least until you get back. You will be back then right?"

    "Yha," Lydia promised and raised her bandaged fist in affirmation. "Enjoy the rest of the stew I cooked with the rest of the expired supplies. Should keep your bellies filled for a bit."

    "Si," Angelica swore with a knightly salute. "We will return before you know it."

    "Good. But I'll ask one last job before you depart." You gestured to where the dockworkers were pulling in your flagship. "Have a chat and see if you can get our fees waived on the way out."

    The Morrite gave a faint smile and nodded. The moment the gangplank was extended, she and your Surgeon were the first to disembark to meet with the harbormaster, an individual you suppose was a knight that had perhaps feasted a bit too much on the bounties of the sea. They certainly didn't radiate that same aura like the Grail Knight had done back when you were discussing the fate of Marienburg.

    (Port Fees: 25 +12 (Diplomacy) +16 (Angelica) +0 (Bretonnia Indifferent) = 63)

    It looked like the harbormaster weren't swayed by Angelica's talk, though you noticed that they had stowed away whatever ledger they had. Your Troop Officer grimaced and glanced to you before rubbing her fingers together and you sighed, understanding the hand signal. The fees were non-negotiable and the best you could get was just your visit not being logged.

    Already, you could feel your new ships burning a hole in your purse and hoped to make something out of them.

    Escort Fees: -20
    Ships-of-the-Line Fees: -80
    Crew Upkeep: -80 (Maintenance)
    Total: -180 Gold

    -180 Gold has been deducted from Personal Inventory (1959 -180 = 1779 Gold)

    Current Location: L'Anguille

    Thirst: -3 +1 (Turn Growth) = -2/10
    Supplies: 34 -0 (Turn Crew Consumption) = 34/42

    While you are in port, you decide to split your attention between up to six activities:

    Carousing the Taverns
    -[ ] [Carousing the Taverns] Drunken sailors: Make the rounds in every drinking hole, let others subtly know that your ship of free brothers and sisters has openings, with every occasional payday being more than what some would earn with a lifetime of honest wage. It might attract a few more willingly to eagerly join up without even thinking of asking for a signing bonus.

    -[ ] [Carousing the Taverns] Tales among fellows: Get some drink in you and swap tall tales about your fortunes with other customers at the taverns you frequent. Who knows, perhaps their stories would be less fantastical bragging and more subtle indication of hidden talent you could hire.

    -[ ] [Carousing the Taverns] Job gossip: Talk to the barkeeps and bartenders to see if any of them happened to know of promising leads to high-paying jobs across the world. They interact with all sorts of folk, and said folk might know other folks who want somebody willingly to do whatever for coin.

    -[ ] [Carousing the Taverns] Drinks on you: Spend some of that gold of yours to sponsor free drinks to any who steps through the taverns for a while. Get the town singing praise of your name that might trickle upwards perhaps. (Costs 50 Gold)

    Browsing the Markets
    -[ ] [Browsing the Markets] Secure supplies: Spend time to navigate the landscape of scrupulous and dishonest merchants to try and secure a deal ahead of time for cheaper or discounted supplies for when you finally need to get underway.

    -[ ] [Browsing the Markets] Juicy profits: Listen casually in on the various transactions going on in the markets of the port, and see if you can identify a pattern. Perhaps a very juicy pattern of some merchant bragging about a trade fleet for a significant amount of loot.

    -[ ] [Browsing the Markets] Rumors of nations: Listen in and try to discern what is happening on the world stage between nations. Perhaps therein lies opportunity within the machinations of these states.

    Working the Dockyards
    -[ ] [Working the Dockyards] Talk to carpenters: Talk to carpenters ahead of time and try to secure cheaper services or discounts for your ship. It's not guaranteed to work, but it might help.

    -[ ] [Working the Dockyards] Ship Repairs: Some of your ships may be damaged, and you should probably repair those before going back out. (Will only cost one action regardless of how many ships are being repaired)
    --[ ] Specify Ship: Specify Damages

    Myrmidia's Vengeance
    1x Aft Mast (80 Gold)

    Imperial Tithe
    None

    Cothique's Bouquet
    None

    Spear of Mathlann
    None

    Scythe's Skull
    1x Forecastle (80 Gold)

    Azure Fortune
    None

    Total estimated repair costs: 160 Gold

    -[ ] [Working the Dockyards] Ship Modifications: Consider if you wish to upgrade or modify any of your ships at this time. (Each ship being modified will cost an action)
    --[ ] Specify Ship

    Prowling the Night
    -[ ] [Prowling the Night] Sate the Thirst: Go out on a moonlight walk and find some unlucky unfortunates who you will feed from to quench your throat and put you off from going insane.

    -[ ] [Prowling the Night] Spy on Locals: Discretely hide in shadows to listen in on private and sensitive conversations, of which usually concern very delicate local matters of regional affairs that could be to your advantage.

    -[ ] [Prowling the Night] Seeing the Sights: Have a little fun in life, go out with a bunch of your officers to just enjoy life and explore the world a bit. Maybe get a little drunk and find some trouble on the way. It's the small things worth living for.

    Pursuing Leads
    -[ ] [Pursuing Leads] Delve into research: You have some recent inspirations that you want to follow up on and acquire in-depth knowledge of, through either hitting the books or chatting with the right people. (Can choose one or more. Each one will cost one action.)
    -- Combat Tower. Hit the records and take a peek to see how various ship engineers have wrestled with the concept of putting an actual tower on a ship without having it go under. Then see if you can do it to your own ship as well.

    -[ ] [Pursuing Leads] Family Reunion: Medb is on the lookout for finding her older sister somewhere in Bretonnia. Go with her and pray that this doesn't get awkward.

    -[ ] [Pursuing Leads] Under-City Trip: Thankit's got a hunch that perhaps he's not the only one looking for a certain individual, but it's going to require a descent down into the dark hidden underbellies of where the Skaven lurk to check. Accompany him to get a glimpse of their society.

    Available officers to accompany you out:
    -[ ] Ranger Medb, Waywatcher-Singer
    -[ ] Cutthroat Lydia, Fisher-Survivalist
    -[ ] Templar Angelica, Initiate-Acolyte
    -[ ] Merchant Ingfried, Shopkeep-Innovator
    -[ ] Musician Octavia, Acolyte-Witch
    -[ ] Bodyguard Thankit, Vanguard-Rogue

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​
    - Don't worry, the little break is just means a narrative longer passage of time. Enough so that Lydia and Angelica can have their interludes, then head back to board your ship again.
    - Medb and Thankit can seek out their respective next steps on their own if left unassigned, just don't assign them to a task then.
    - No supply consumption this turn thanks to Lydia's repurposed stew of slightly rotten supplies. Yum.

    12 hour moratorium to make a port plan.​
     
  • New
  • Threadmarks
    • Celeshiro said:
    Bretonnia
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Bretonnia used to be a colony of the High Elves before they abandoned it and returned to Ulthuan post-War of the Beard, which Gilles and his Breton tribe settled there after refusing to join Sigmar and his fellow tribes that would become founders of The Empire.

    And that they live next with the Wood Elves, who chose not to return to Ulthuan and set up shop with the spirits of the forests and all.

    Celeshiro said:
    kingdom of chivalry
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Too bad Bretonnia is just Monty Python: Grimdark Edition in a nutshell.

    Plus there's Lileath who posed as Lady of the Lake and was building up her army of demigod superhumans empowered by the Holy Grail imbued with her power.
     
    [X] Plan: Errands & Adventure
    -[X] [Carousing the Taverns] Drunken sailors
    -[X] [Browsing the Markets] Juicy profits
    -[X] [Working the Dockyards] Talk to carpenters
    --[X] Merchant Ingfried, Shopkeep-Innovator
    -[X] [Working the Dockyards] Ship Repairs
    --[X] Myrmidia's Vengeance: 1x Aft Mast (80 Gold)
    --[X] Scythe's Skull: 1x Forecastle (80 Gold)
    -[X] [Pursuing Leads] Family Reunion
    -[X] [Pursuing Leads] Under-City Trip
    --[X] Musician Octavia, Acolyte-Witch

    I'm putting Octavia under Thankit's mission because I think her reactions would be sorta funny.
     
    Last edited:
    Some_guy_161 said:
    [] Plan: Errands & Adventure
    -[] [Carousing the Taverns] Drunken sailors
    -[] [Browsing the Markets] Juicy profits
    -[] [Working the Dockyards] Talk to carpenters
    --[] Merchant Ingfried, Shopkeep-Innovator
    -[] [Working the Dockyards] Ship Repairs
    --[] Myrmidia's Vengeance: 1x Aft Mast (80 Gold)
    --[] Scythe's Skull: 1x Forecastle (80 Gold)
    -[] [Pursuing Leads] Family Reunion
    -[] [Pursuing Leads] Under-City Trip
    --[] Musician Octavia, Acolyte-Witch

    I'm putting Octavia under Thankit's mission because I think her reactions would be sorta funny.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Not sure if Drunken sailors is worth it, we can just buy them full price and instead do something like

    -[ ] [Carousing the Taverns] Tales among fellows: Get some drink in you and swap tall tales about your fortunes with other customers at the taverns you frequent. Who knows, perhaps their stories would be less fantastical bragging and more subtle indication of hidden talent you could hire.

    We are still looking for new good officers, all the more so now that the fleet has expanded.
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Back
    Top