The Pirates Campaign/Session 5

Preparing to board the ship:

* Aetherfish helps Normal Bob shoot another music video.
* Does Landydion join the expedition? Yes, with three large suitcases. Will be resident propagandist.
* Party heads to ship: Pirsig, Thefaren, Aetherfish & Landydion, Agnar, and Melon Tusk & Kyle

On the way to the ship:

* Pirsig and Agnar see a ‘monstrosity’ barreling down hill. Figure is running from children. It’s ACE.
* Aetherfish attempts to distract children with confetti and fireworks. Children are thrilled. “Look! It’s the Aethersturgeon!”
* Party approaches ACE. ACE is soulless and braindead, recognizes Agnar, Thefaren, and Aetherfish. Demands ramming prow from Agnar.
* Melon Tusk talks to ACE. Promises to look after and take good care of ACE.

Party arrives at ship:

* Ship not in ship-shape. Two barges stacked on each other with elegance of budget cruiseliner. Loaded with guns decks are not rated to hold. Named *the Antelope*.
* Captain wears an out of fashioned tricorne hat.
* Ship has poor quality etheric radar system, like a dowsing rod in level of sophistication.
* Thefaren convinces captain to let her ‘improve’ the engines. Current engineer lacks hands. “Looks like you could use a … hand”. Engineer asks Thefaren what qualifications are to work on engine. Thefaren claims to have designed the engine herself. Engineer grants Thefaren permission to work on engines. Thefaren cuts the brake line.
* ACE weighs enough that he affects the balance of the barge. Wanders off, gaining attention of several sailors. Sailors convince ACE to pick up objects, becoming loading crane.
* Agnar helps Thefaren with engines, producing gravity rune in the engine room. Extended critical failure range of engines by 2. May result in explosion.
* Engineer makes Thefaren official ship's engineer and leaves ship to save his own life.
* Aetherfish inspects ship. Crew is fairly green. Guns on lower deck are functional, guns on upper deck are not. System of metal racks and shutters can be used to protect crew from ether and boarding parties. First mate locked away in room that smells like opium. Ship’s cook/quartermaster is orcish woman, ex-orcish directorate. Chief gunner knows nothing about guns, is actually an accountant. *Antelope* is most overvalued ship in the entire Margravate fleet. Confident that torpedo bay could be used to fire ACE with some modification.
* Aetherfish checks ammunition available. There’s enough to fire each working gun five times

Ship casts off:

* Pirsig pulls out box and puts it over his head. Attaches radar to box and perceives the ether: 1) Sense the turning of the Pin Jump 2) Sense move of a fleet of ships, out in the Petty Kingdoms. Feel the tug of a gate opening/closing unusually strongly. Could be good cover for a raid. Planet of Witolm, sister planet to Tarim. Currently being liberated from Nipponese by ‘the other side’.
* What would cause the planetary gate to open/close rapidly? Null bomb (unlikely), etheric storm, occult event. Likely due to the recent appearance of one of the veiled masters.
* How large is the fleet? Around 500,000 tons. Moving away from us too quickly for us to catch up. Fleet is escaping through gate to Brass Cities territory.
* Veiled masters are cultists of the Elder Gods. Accepted that they have secret knowledge of elder gods. Have the ability to have servants move outside of ley lines. Veiled masters rule over Nippon states.
* Aetherfish convinces ship’s captain that going to Witolm is the best possible idea. Ship’s accountant additionally thinks there is a business case to be made in towing ships.
* Pirsig etherically cloaks the ship while plugged into radar, making it invisible to radar, but still visible to naked eye. Pirsig is convinced that being cloaked is always desirable.
* Agnar notices that Pirsig does not have a psychic presence.
* Aetherfish loads skiff with ammo and goes to find ACE. ACE tries to hide but fails. Aetherfish directs ACE to the torpedo room.
* Pirsig detects other ship sending out distress signals.
* Pirsig takes off mask and asks Tusk, “can ya fix this?” Tusk declares he’s fixed far uglier, but becomes obsessed: “we need to operate immediately, for the benefit of all mankind.” Pirsig declines, and puts his box on his head.
* Accountant on ship is ready to fire the torpedo (ACE) upon request.

Arrive at the ship sending out the distress signal:

* It’s a trap! Pirate ship emerges from behind. Likely contracted to work with Nipponese, but has now turned to piracy.
* ACE fired at the engines of the other ship inaccurately. ACE steers himself towards enemy ship.
* Thefaren guides the skiff towards the pirate ship and along its side. Witnesses strands of Nipponese soldiers flailing in the ether.
* Pirate ship tries to ram the barge and misses completely.
* ACE guides himself into the ship, landing on the roof, pierces through top of the hull. ACE is finally perceived by the enemy. ACE hears snarling in the distance and is shot at. Takes out one of the pirates.
* Aetherfish distacts crew on the bridge with performance.
* Wes’ new character is Ogodno. Thinks Aetherfish is currently on the bridge. Moves to attack the Aetherfish through biting. Looks like a mining rig with fur. Bites through window towards Aetherfish. Aetherfish dodges out of the way. A horrifying version of a gnoll, 9ft tall with the bite of a hyena.
* Aetherfish shoots Ogodno in the face. Ogodno attempts to attack Aetherfish with chainsaw and misses.
* ACE spots Ogodno in the distance and is very angry. Begins to cleave his way towards Ogodno.
* Thefaren spots a fighter bay on the ship with no fighters in it. Ships spots skiff and fires at it. Thefaren makes loops around the enemy ship, distracting gunners enough to allow barge to fire at the pirate ship. Pirate ship returns fire, but does not do well.
* Ogodno terrifies Aetherfish into switching sides to fight against the barge. Aetherfish boards ship with Ogodno. ACE witnesses this and registers Aetherfish as a traitor, while continuing to cleave his way towards the bridge.

Session was abruptly brought to an end by loud sounds coming from Christophe’s basement.