"Aye, we be about a weeks sail from Kalmorni Island," said Barron von Black, "Ye will like Cedric Morgan, he be the leader of the village on Kalmorni Island. He's an ol' friend of mine, I actually used to sail with him before I was a captain. He always had the best rum."
"So ya knew him from a long time ago? That's good, I'm not sure me crew is ready to fight. They're still getting over Lurg's death. It took them two months to even start drinking again."
"Oy, that's hard for me to believe, a pirate not drinking, if not for Kittie, I'd still enjoy the drink."
Their conversation drifted as they began to reminisce about the days were they sailed together on the Blood Galleon, back when Skully One-Eye was just a cannon smith, and he had two arms.
"Oy matey," began Barron von Black, "Did I every tell ye about the time I gave Captain Albatross a barrel of frogs?"
"Aye, many times."
A strong wind began blowing into their faces, drastically slowing down the vessels.
"Oy, lads! Raise the sails! This head wind is slowing us down!" shouted Barron von Black to his crew, "Skully shouldn't ye be getting over to yer ship?"
"Nay, Me first mate always handles the day to day ship activities. I mostly just drink the rum."
"Arg, so that be why ye was lost without Lurg."
"Aye."
"A storm is brewing. This will slow us down."
"A storm? How can you tell? The skies are clear."
"A captain knows."
Moments later, black clouds began to form and the skies opened, unleashing their fury on the two ships. Lightning flashed and struck the main mast of the Blood Galleon.
"AYEEEE!" Skully One-Eye screamed, jumping behind Barron von Black to shield himself.
"No worries mate. Lightning always strikes the masts because of their mithril lining."
The storm raged from a day and a half. Tossing both ships around like dingys. When it was over, the ships had been blown so far off course, they were now two weeks away from their destination.
*****
Admiral Serathagar led Lurg down to the Fortress' docks. They passed many of the Navy's largest vessels on the way to Lurg's ship. Finally they stopped before a steel behemoth.
"Here she is," said Admiral Serathagar, "The Hyperion. She's the largest ship in the fleet, and she's yours."
The giant ship was three hundred feet long and eight feet wide at her widest point. She had seven masts, each one sixty feet high, with the main central mast a towering seventy-five feet. Each mast contained five massive sails. On each side she had forty standard cannons that fired twelve pound shot, but unlike the normal round cannon ball, her guns fired cone shaped shells, which were far more accurate then the round cannon balls and also traveled farther and could penetrate armor plating. There were an additional twenty cannons designed to fire the anti-personal grape shot, and ten cannons that fired chain shot used to knock down masts. The ships stern housed ten of the standard guns, but her bow was most impressive. The bow had two quad-cannons, which rotated after each shot, making them capable of instantly firing again, allowing for a massive amount of damage in a relatively short time. The figure head on the bow was a roaring lion's head. Halfway down the port and starboard sides of the ship where forty foot metal spines. There was also a set of spines on each side of the stern.
"She's faster then any ship in the world when she needs to be," said Admiral Serathagar.
"Needs to be?"
"Aye. Open the fins! he shouted.
The metal spines on the ship opened to reveal giant ribbed sails.
"When her fins are open her speed doubles. And by closing the fins on one side, she can make ninety degree turns, making her capable of outmaneuvering anyone."
"Amazing."
"Aye. The figure head is a cannon too. It fires a hollow round that can be filled with gun powder or kerosene, making it explosive. The round is capped with a wooden cone that ignites when the cannon is fired."
"When can I take her out?"
"Now. We've lured several small time pirates into the area. It will take sometime to get used to commanding your sailors. This vessel needs twice the crew of a normal ship because of her size.
Just then a soldier came running down the dock. He stopped infront of Lurg and Admiral Serathagar. He handed the Admiral a note and bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath as the Admiral read the note.
"This is disturbing," he said, "There is a change of plans. It appears that Barron von Black and Skully One-Eye are preparing to launch an attack on the village of Kalmorni. They are less then a week away. Even with your ship, it may take over a week to get there, but you have to try. Hmmmm, it appears that the Royal Navy has given you a promotion as well. Congratulations Admiral Lurg. Its time for you to leave."
"Here she is," said Admiral Serathagar, "The Hyperion. She's the largest ship in the fleet, and she's yours."
The giant ship was three hundred feet long and eight feet wide at her widest point. She had seven masts, each one sixty feet high, with the main central mast a towering seventy-five feet. Each mast contained five massive sails. On each side she had forty standard cannons that fired twelve pound shot, but unlike the normal round cannon ball, her guns fired cone shaped shells, which were far more accurate then the round cannon balls and also traveled farther and could penetrate armor plating. There were an additional twenty cannons designed to fire the anti-personal grape shot, and ten cannons that fired chain shot used to knock down masts. The ships stern housed ten of the standard guns, but her bow was most impressive. The bow had two quad-cannons, which rotated after each shot, making them capable of instantly firing again, allowing for a massive amount of damage in a relatively short time. The figure head on the bow was a roaring lion's head. Halfway down the port and starboard sides of the ship where forty foot metal spines. There was also a set of spines on each side of the stern.
"She's faster then any ship in the world when she needs to be," said Admiral Serathagar.
"Needs to be?"
"Aye. Open the fins! he shouted.
The metal spines on the ship opened to reveal giant ribbed sails.
"When her fins are open her speed doubles. And by closing the fins on one side, she can make ninety degree turns, making her capable of outmaneuvering anyone."
"Amazing."
"Aye. The figure head is a cannon too. It fires a hollow round that can be filled with gun powder or kerosene, making it explosive. The round is capped with a wooden cone that ignites when the cannon is fired."
"When can I take her out?"
"Now. We've lured several small time pirates into the area. It will take sometime to get used to commanding your sailors. This vessel needs twice the crew of a normal ship because of her size.
Just then a soldier came running down the dock. He stopped infront of Lurg and Admiral Serathagar. He handed the Admiral a note and bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath as the Admiral read the note.
"This is disturbing," he said, "There is a change of plans. It appears that Barron von Black and Skully One-Eye are preparing to launch an attack on the village of Kalmorni. They are less then a week away. Even with your ship, it may take over a week to get there, but you have to try. Hmmmm, it appears that the Royal Navy has given you a promotion as well. Congratulations Admiral Lurg. Its time for you to leave."
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