Sea of Blood 2: Harboring a Grudge

Beginning a few weeks after the conclusion of Sea of Blood, part two takes place when Rumania is afraid of their enemies seeking revenge for the events of the previous game, so they hire a small band of mercenaries to sneak into the capital of Tsukonia to destroy the remaining ships.

## Plot

A crew of six from various countries (Admiral Alligator, Pierre LePue, Rav Himapaat, Tom Arvin, and husband/wife team Christina Morrelli and Landon Cross) legally and simply entered Tsukonia, though all weapons they had were confiscated, making their mission of espionage considerably more difficult. Two of their number were still able to sneak in weapons, these being Pierre LePue who had gunpowder stashed inside hollowed out apples, and Rav Himapaat who had knives stitched into her epaulets.

No sooner had they entered Tsukonia, they were set upon by a roving gang of five highwaymen. The team hid in the woods and waited for the ideal moment to pounce, stealing the five horses, pistols, and gold from the robbers. One of their number (Rav Himapaat) was seriously injured in the fray, but apparently that didn't really matter to the rest of the team. As they entered the city, they chose to look for a bar rather than a hospital for Rav. Priorities.

Through a happy accident, it turned out the best (and most handsome) town doctor was walking into the bar at that exact moment, and was not only willing to patch up Rav on the spot, he was also quite taken with her. As Rav flirted with her newfound doctor man, the rest of the team struck up a brilliant plan.

Using the gold they had stolen from the highway robbers, they would find the dumbest and most inebriated men at the bar and send them to do their dirty work for them. As soon as Rav was healed, they set out down the street with a group of 47 drunken idiots marching straight towards the harbor. Happily for them, it was siesta time for literally every security officer in the city, so nobody bothered to question them. Even the handsome doctor tagged along, thinking it was a street party.

When they arrived the dock, they were shocked to realize that the fleet they had been sent to cripple was merely three ships, albeit first rate ships of the line. When they witnessed an accident involving the dropping of many crates of gunpowder on one ship, they immediately knew what they should do. Take the remaining apple bombs that Pierre LePue had, hurl them onto the ship that was now littered with gunpowder, and utilize the distraction to take over the two other ships.

The plan went off better than expected as the first ship exploded in a grand spectacle, leaving the crew of six mercenaries and 47 drunken idiots to easily overwhelm the two other ships. They escaped the harbor with nary a problem.

However, then came a plot twist.

Landon Cross and Christine Morrelli, in their desire to be pirate king and queen, had their ship (also staffed by Tom Arvin) open fire on the second ship (staffed by Alligator, LePue, and Himapaat). Seeing as their ship was operated by, again drunken idiots, so the firing was not successful. Rather, it literally backfired as the ensuing explosion damaged their own ship instead. After a brief but fierce struggle, the ship helmed by Cross, Morrelli, and Arvin was sunken, all three of them adrift in the open sea, while the ship of Alligator, LePue, and Himapaat carried on in its pleasant journey, to return to Rumania and collect their substantial reward.

## Characters

* Admiral Alligator
* Christina Morrelli-Cross
* Landon Cross
* Pierre LePue
* Rav Himapaat
* Tom Arvin

## Reception

Sea of Blood 2: Harboring a Grudge was notable for two reasons. It was the first sequel to a HILT game since The Conglomerate: Part II, as well as being the first game to begin with the character's weapons being confiscated, thus forcing stealth and subtlety to be part of the plot.

Of course, HILT players being who they are, the stealth and subtlety was immediately thrown out the window as they threw bombs, started riots, and caused general chaos in their target city.

But it was fun, and that's what matters.