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[color=7FFFD4][b]“Hmmm, it’s a fast one, Captain. Sloop, about 70 feet, and I think I see spells on the mast. I don’t think we’ll make it back to port in time with this one.”[/b][/color] Phazmun said to his captain, a burly man with a moustache any sailor would be jealous of, curled up and down in an almost S-like shape. It was only most fitting for the captain of the [i]Sea Serpent[/i], as he himself said. [color=84848f][b]“I wasn’t planning on it, Chief. We have no man-at-arms, there’s no way we’d fare well in a full-frontal attack. And even if we'd make it back to port, the harbor’s defenses haven’t been the best since the last time pirates got to her.”[/b][/color]

[color=7FFFD4][b]“So what is your plan? Make a break for it, safety in numbers?”[/b][/color] The captain shook his head. [color=84848f][b]“No, we meet them headlong. We draw them away, give 'em the biggest challenge we can, and the others a chance to get away...”[/b][/color]

Phazmun snickered. [color=7FFFD4][b]“Never saw you for a hero.”[/b][/color]

[color=84848f][b]“... then we give ourselves up for ransom.”[/b][/color]

[color=7FFFD4][b]“Grand.”[/b][/color]

[color=84848f][b]“No arguing, Chief Mate Phazmun. And look alive, we’ve got some pirates to outsmart!”[/b][/color] 

[color=7FFFD4][b]“Fine,”[/b][/color] the Dragonborn grumbled as the captain ordered the alarm bells to be tolled in a pattern coding a message to the other boats. Turning to the rest of the crew, Phazmun started barking orders. [color=7FFFD4][b]“Crew! Offload our valuables to the rowboats and head for the other ships! Helm! Make sail and turn to starboard, hard! We’ll meet them headlong, and give the others a chance to escape!”[/b][/color] He paused for a moment, and stroked the graying scales on the underside of his maw. [color=7FFFD4][b]“And shave some of the mahogany into tinder and stuff them with the rum! If the [i]Serpent[/i]'s gonna be captured, the least we can do is give them a fiery surprise…”[/b][/color]

The captain smiled. [color=84848f][b]“Now we’re talking.”[/b][/color]