Caleb put the spyglass to his eye once more. The white pinprick of sail made a barely-there ruffle as the wind continued to pick up. He studied the approaching ketch for a few more moments, then lowered the glass.

He set his jaw and reached out to the words that hung in the air before him.

New Adventurer's-Level Quest: Attack and board target ship as a Corsair for the first time. Accept New Quest? YES / NO

The screen vanished as he touched YES.

“All right,” he announced, “we’re going to take that ship.”

Sienna grinned, while Shaw stamped a forepaw against the deck in approval. Tavia sighed, resigned to what was to come next. Donal remained at the helm, but his face shone in anticipation.

“Shall I have the crew beat to quarters?” Sienna asked. “I can have them ready for action in less than–”

“No, not yet. Even with the wind picking up, it’ll be a while before that ketch gets anywhere close. And I don’t want to go in cannons blazing, either. Better if we can take them by stealth, board them suddenly. We show up with enough force, they’ll surrender without a fight.”

“Lir be praised, no one will argue that. What’s your plan?”

I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve come up with one, Caleb thought wryly. There is something that needs to be done very quickly, though.

“Shaw,” Caleb said. “Can you get aloft without the other ship seeing you?”

The griffin squinted towards the distant ketch with his great golden eyes.

“Aye, ‘tis possible. But only if I leave soon, and with haste.”

“All right. I'm hoping that our plan keeps casualties down to a minimum, but we need a backup. Stay aloft until we board that ship. I want to keep you hidden until the last.”

“Thou wishes me to be thy ‘trump card’ once more?”

“Sounds about right, big guy. In fact, if the boarding goes well, just remain where you are, out of sight. Swoop down and go into action only if you see us run into stiff resistance. Then you do what you’re best at.”

Shaw nodded and snapped his beak in excitement at that.

“Bide,” Tavia said, as she stepped over to the griffin. “If you’re called into service, then I take it that you’ll be placing yourself in the thick of any fighting.”

“Indeed!” Shaw agreed. “Thou hast described my greatest hope.”

“Then allow me to give you something that shall place you at an advantage.”

With that, the unicorn moved to touch her horn to the griffin’s flank. Her horn glowed soft gold. Shaw jerked as if he’d received a shock of static electricity before Tavia withdrew.

“Did thou dost cast magic upon me?” the griffin asked, as he patted his fur where she’d touched him. “I feel no different.”

“I’ve gifted you with some protection,” she replied. “Hopefully it will be enough.”

Caleb squinted at Shaw and saw to his surprise that Tavia’s gift was significant enough to show up on the drake’s Character Sheet.

Name: Grimshaw of the Reyka Pride, Reykajar Aerie Class: Barbarian Alignment: Chaotic Good Griffin-Specific Specialties: Flight, Swimming/Diving, Wilderness Survival… Barbarian Sub-Specialties: Persistent Rage, Intimidating Presence, Unarmored Attack Existing Buff / Debuffs:

Physical Abilities Reduced by 25% from Age-Related Limitations. Physical Abilities Further Reduced by 4% from remnants of multiple wounds to torso and wing.

Received Temporary Paladin-Specific Defensive Enhancement:

50% Resistance to wounds from all distance and bladed weapons

33% Resistance to crushing, burning, freezing, and acidic damage

25% Resistance to mind control and most poisons

15% Resistance to any exposure to disease

Potential Buff / Debuffs: Ennui.

Caleb let out a low whistle.

“That’s pretty significant, Shaw. So long as it lasts long enough for us to bring that ketch to heel. How long does this protection last, Tavia?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I’ve never tested it on any being but myself, and that was just before going into combat. I can only cast it once before draining my power significantly.”

“Well, hold off on using any further magic right now. We may need your powers during the fight, or for healing afterwards.”

“Yes, Captain. I shall.”

Caleb looked back to Shaw. “Okay, you’re up. Literally. Good hunting, my friend.”

The griffin nodded brusquely in reply. He leapt into the air from the quarterdeck, spreading his wings as he did so. A few massive wingbeats, and he banked around towards the aft side of the ship. He skimmed the sea at wavetop level, gaining speed until he shot skyward.

“I must hand it to him,” Tavia acknowledged. “Shaw does know how to make his entrances and exits with flair. Now, what do you want me to do, Captain?”

“Once we get within easy spyglass range,” Caleb said, “I want you below decks.”

She snorted and tossed her hair. “I did not want this fight. But I shall not be shunted aside during any form of combat. My honor shall not allow that!”

“I didn’t mean you should stay out of the fight. It’s just that we’re going to approach this ketch as one of the Sea Vipers’ loyal fleet units. I don’t think the presence of a unicorn on deck is going to help me sell that.”

“Hmph. As much as it pains me, I suppose that I must agree.”

“And what might you wish of me, Captain?” Donal asked.

“Bide a moment,” Caleb said, “and I’ll let you know.”

He immediately began to take stock of his energy levels and considered what magical resources he had available. In particular, he looked to his Debuffs and remaining unspent XP points.

Existing Buff / Debuffs: Innate Charisma increased 5%, Abilities Reduced 1% by hunger, fatigue Unspent XP 225

He immediately felt a surge of confidence. The Debuff he’d been dealing with since he arrived in Jaladri had been practically eliminated. Better yet, he had some spare experience points available to boost a spell with his XP Edge ability.

The three bars indicating his Physical State, Stamina, and Magical Energy were at full, or so close to it that it didn’t make too much of a difference. Caleb looked through his available spells and gave some thought to what might suit his needs.

In truth, there wasn’t much.

He didn’t see anything of immediate use under Craft with Iron.

Magnetize Needle

Locate Metal Shard

Hold Metal Shard

Mend Forge Crack, Minor

Extend Forge Crack, Minor

Sense Value of Coinage

Caleb figured that Sense Value of Coinage might be helpful after a battle – assuming they won it – but otherwise, he was out of luck.

He eyed his Weathermancy spells just as critically.

Call Up Mist

Move Fog

Thicken Clouds

Wind Cast, Minor

Wind Shift, Minor

Dancing Lights

Most of what he had available wouldn’t work unless he burned through some experience points. There wasn’t any mist or fog available to work with, and he didn’t see how thickening the clouds was going to help in a ship-to-ship fight. Even Dancing Lights wouldn’t be much use in the daytime, even if he spent XP to enhance the spell.

No, he concluded, my best bets are the Wind Cast spells. In fact, I already know what I want to do with them.

“All right,” Caleb said to Donal. “Keep us on a bearing that will bring us within a dozen yards of the enemy vessel. Adjust your course as needed when we get close enough.”

Donal threw him a surprised look. “Only a dozen yards? That’s going to be too far for easy boarding. Even if we had grapple-hooks ready to bear!”

“We don’t want them thinking that we plan to board. Only that we’re wanting to talk. As for those remaining yards, you leave that to me and follow my orders when they come.”

“Aye, Captain, I’ll do my best.”

Caleb glanced skyward to the top of the mainmast. It shone bare in the sunlight. He thought back to the Stone Angel when he’d first seen the frigate sitting at the dock. She’d had a scarlet pennant bearing a grinning black skull fluttering atop the mainmast.

“Sienna,” he asked, “do we have any Myrkur flags aboard?”

“We found one in the ship’s stores,” she said. “I was saving it for us to burn once we reached land.”

“Cancel any plans to torch it for now. Let’s get it fluttering at the top of the mainmast as soon as possible.”

Sienna went down to the main deck and called for the lookouts. Then she retrieved the Myrkur banner from the ship’s stores and placed it in Ethan and Aiden’s hands. The two youngsters took it without question and immediately began the long climb up the ropes.

He and Tavia watched them as they ignored the increasing height below. In a few minutes, they’d gotten the blood-red pennant secured at the mast’s summit. It unfurled and waved in the wind as they shinnied their way back down to the deck.

Caleb went back to the spyglass. The ketch altered course slightly as the breeze switched a few points east. The banner that flapped atop her mainmast was a match to the one that he’d just put up.

Praise be to Lir and Danu, he breathed. That makes this so much easier.

“What be the word, Captain?” Sienna asked, as she rejoined him on the quarterdeck.

“Only good news, for once,” he replied. “That’s a Myrkur ship out there. Perhaps a merchantman in their employ, bringing goods or ship stores to Deephold Port.”

“I suppose that would at least make some sense,” Tavia agreed. Her tail continued to swish in thought. “But they should have put these goods onto something besides a coastal vessel.”

“It’s possible that whatever’s on board is wanted very urgently,” Sienna pointed out. “And they could’ve run out of the proper ships.”

“It’s possible...”

“The point still remains,” Caleb said firmly. “That ketch is a Myrkur ship, and there shouldn’t be any objection to sacking anything belonging to them.”

“Of that, you can be damned sure,” Sienna agreed. “The enemy’s colors are on our mast now. What’s our next step?”

“All three of us are going below and assembling the crew. Pass the word to beat to quarters, but quietly. I need to assemble two armed boarding parties. You’ll be leading one of these, of course.”

“Of course. And the other?”

“Tavia,” Caleb looked to her. “Unless you object, I’d like a fighting paladin leading the second group.”

At those words, Tavia’s ears perked up and she relaxed her tense body stance.

“Of course I shall lead,” she said. “It shall be an honor.”

“As for who’s going to be in the boarding parties,” Caleb continued, “I want whoever can use a sword and pistol. And whoever wants a piece of payback against the Myrkur.”

She let out a chuckle as they headed down the steps and towards the below-decks passage.

“If you phrase it like that? As Lir and Danu are my Gods, you’ll have more volunteers than you know what to do with."