#darkgatefortress

It's just a trod, be it by sea travel or foot, the Silver is the Silver right? only this is more a current of Silver rather than bricks or smooth pass way

Piper can't help it, she's up leaning over the rails and letting the silver salt spray splash up at her

Yet, 'just a trod' is like saying 'just a breath of freeze air' or 'just the perfect sunbeam'... tension washes out of the Kithain as they enter a less banal space. And what was unusual becomes usual, what was unheard of becomes seen. Over the side of the Rimrunner, with its clanking lanterns and dark wood panels that threaten to fall off... there are dolphins already joining in, silver as the trod path itself. They make their chatter to each other and to Piper , or so it seems, though she cannot quite understand it. Not yet. She knows they are happy and they welcome her.

She whistles happily back at them.

The light from above dances along the waves... and beyond the trod current she can see other signs of adventure and danger. Great Leviathens cast upward shadows to the surface somehow, she can see a pirate ship in the distance perhaps lost forever off the silver... and never to be rescued less one become lost themselves. The right of rescue does not demand you end up needing rescue either. The Dolphins she whistles at reward her with back flips and other fancy acrobatics, putting on a show!

The captain can be heard happily calling out orders. There's a cadence to those, and the response of the crew.

The RImrunner looks sinister, and yet, the crew seem like good folk

Sometimes she wonders what it would be like... to wander off the silver and become immersed once more in the dreaming... but no, her life is in the real world now.

Indeed, she knows Siv feels the same pull. Everytime THEY go out as a trio... ha, as a family of five now, Siv lights up as if she never wants to go back. But she always does, and Piper knows why. Rivervale, HER Rivervale, Left Siv , but Siv is still a troll, and trolls don't abandon loyalty even when things have changed. She's talked about maybe moving elsewhere... and here on the waves, Piper remembers what she told Siv, about how through the sea ALL the world was in their reach so she didn't have to worry

Piper feels wetness on her cheeks as she thinks of Siv and her family, so far away. "Oh... seawater." She lies to herself.

A dolphin splashes water at her, as if to call her on her lie, but it's good natured

She laughs, waving at the cetacean as it swims past

Inky joins her, "Aren't you worried about fallilng off, and plummeting out of the silver to your doom and never making it to land again?"

"Nope." She says, confidently. "My loves would find me. Someday, somehow, some lifetime."

"Daaww... now I want to push you over just so I can watch that movie" She says truly touched

"I'll drag you with me." She says, glancing at Inky's tail with a grin.

"Yikes" she grabs at her tail and holds it "I don't have even one love to go find me if I get swept over... I've got a cousin who might steal my play list"

(Perception plus Alertness)

/roll 3

They both enjoy the dolphins and the sea, Inky is easy to talk to , as are most pooka.

Then, the whistle from above blows sharp and brisk three times!

"Danger, we have an enemy ship coming upon us!" The Captain yells "Every crew to their station!"

Piper strains to see which direction the ship comes from!

The ship waits before them, coming in fast... the pirate flag born on it unashamedly! And they sing .... beautifully!

"Raise the flag of piracy, sing the song of victory
Glorious in battle are we
We've never known defeat, we never will retreat
We live to hear the cannon roar
And terror is our sempahore
Victoriously loathsome are we
We rob the rich, the poor; then steal a little more

Victory; we fight to win
Victory; is ours again
We are the scourge of the land and sea
Beastly pirates are we

Masters of the briny sea
We'll go down in history
Couragous men who live by the sword
We deal in treachery, the kings of lechery
Raise the anchor, trim the sail
We raid tonight if winds prevail
Invincible we fight to the end
United to a man, we need no battle plan

Victory; we fight to win
Victory; is ours again
We are the scourge of the land and sea
Beastly pirates are we
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It's so pitable a sight, to see them walk the plank
They squirm and cry for mercy regardless of their rank

Victory; we fight to win
Victory; is ours again
We are the scourge of the land and sea
Beastly pirates are we

Victory!"

Piper can't help but laugh , impressed by the cajones on these pirates as much as by their singing.

"It's Captain Showboat" One of the crew says "You best get below, Miss Piper! They steal musicians and conscript them to do his peformances and piracy!"

"Ha! Okay." She hurries across the deck, heading for the port below.

"What do they do to beauticians?" Inky asks with alarm and wide eyes?

"Come along!" She hauls Inky with her!

"Oh, you're probably safe, they'll just steal your stuff. Not like hair dressing is important to piracy theatre" , a crewman grunts as he strains on the rope.

"The hell it doesn't!" Inky is offended even as she's hauled off "Do you know how much work goes into coifs in a well run theatre performance I... I mean, the profesional ones..." Insulted the pirates would not consider her worth concripting she yells out "I thought they were PROFESSIONAL PIRATES, not some suburb side project.... I... yoinks" And down Piper gets her to the port below

While they wait below, they can hear the sound of cannon fire to the 1812 overture... damn that is some precision music even if it's missing

Piper can't help but hum along

"We're going to be ravished... well, I'll be ravished, you'll be asked what level of Soprano you are"

The music is getting closer!

Indeed, they can hear the captain himself!

Piper huffs and takes position in front of Inky, ready to headbutt anyone who tries to come down that porthole!

Damn his voice is GORGEOUS

"A LITTLE ravishing might not be so bad" Inky sighs, then blushes "Right, get a hat pin and go to town" She grabs one

Focus!

Just as it seems the pirates are ready to board, they can hear Captain Shi calls out "MARIAH! By Bargain! By Blood! By Sacrifice of tears! BLOW just my ship, and hold back theirs!"

(Dex plus athletics please)

/roll 6

/roll 4

The Rimrunner lurches as a hurricane level howl surrounds it, drowning out Showboat's song! And causing Inky to nearly fall on her ass, fortunately, Piper's time on the Narwhal has not gone without gains, and the nimble satyr not only doesn't get knocked back by the acceleration, she grabs Inky and keeps her from getting knocked down!

A voice calls out "We're getting clear, Captain! Sails are holding..."