The SS Pierce II and the SS Algar, two war galleys, were escorting the Jivvin on its second voyage. These were both simple wooden war galleys, with black paint and simple masts. Adorned with five ballistas each, they would stand a fighting chance against anything attacking the Jivvin, considering that few things could take the Jivvin down alone.
�Come you pitiful slugs, we leave on time or we leave with a different crew, you all hanging off the side!� Needless to say, the Jivvin left port immediately headed towards the Forath Empire.
�Rhade! I must speak to Rhade!� Commander Ptith yelled shrilly as he boarded the Sea Grin. His short legs brought him across the expanded plank faster then any would have through possible.
�Ptith, show it down. What�s in the water?� Rhade asked, running up from below deck.
The gnome ran to her, took a deep, long breath, and quickly said, �Jivvin �n two galleys less then a league south, southwest. By Yatara�s grave, it�s big.� Ptith, exhausted, crumbled to the floor of the deck.
Rhade reacted immediately, turning to the wheel. �Sallmarn, turn south, southeast, then I take wheel.� Grabbing the shoulder of a passing crewmember, she ordered, �Raise the black �n emerald flag, and give orders to fire five arrows, one every five minutes. Go, now!� A black and green flag complimenting the sails on the SS Saltreaver was raised as Rhade arrived on the top deck. She nodded as a flaming arrow was launched into the air, then yelled in her most commanding voice, �Full sail, ready the ballistas! We take the Jivvin in less than one hour!�
�What in the nine hells is that?� Weksnait mumbled as he pulled his spyglass from out of his belt, extended it, and peered towards the Sea Grin. First, he noticed the Niar Su�aco pulling away form the Sea Grin, the he saw the black and green flag above its sails.
Weksnait jumped out of the cow�s nest and scrambled frantically down the rope ladder on the main mast. He sprinted across the deck, up the ladder, and straight to the wheel. Thrusting the spyglass into Slyan�s unsuspecting hand, Weksnait reported, forgetting to salute, �Admiral, sir, the Sea Grin is changing course and making preparations for battle.�
Instantly, the admiral had the spyglass to his right eye, staring at the Sea Grin. �Good man, Weksnait. Take the wheel, follow them.� Slay cleared his throat, and crisply ordered across the galley, �The Sea Grin is preparing for battle. Soon, men, we will be on the Jivvin! Load your bows and grab your blades, today we fight.� The entire ship roared in expectation.
Captain Kyr�Tal chuckled loudly as he lowered the obsidian spyglass. �Captain, sir?� a lieutenant asked uneasily.
�Lieutenant, black horn, blow now,� the captain commanded and within moments a loud blaring horn sounded through the clean air.
Weksnait turned toward the admiral and asked, �Admiral, what was that sound?�
Slyan barely turned, then replied, �The Jivvin, Weksnait, we�ve lost our element of surprise.�
�Captain, the SS Algar is taking in water fast, she won�t make it,� a member of the Jivvin�s crew reported as he pointed his black index finger at the SS Algar. The drow war galley had several ballista bolts dotting it�s hull, and had raised the blue and white flag, a signal of the drow navy that it was a dying ship. The SS Saltreaver plowed by it, ballistas already reloaded.
�Yes, and the SS Pierce II is barely fairing better,� the captain observed as the Sea Grin lowered its gangplanks to board the larger ship. The SS Pierce II, however, was not sinking, but the masts were shredded and most of the crew already dead or fatally injured.
Suddenly, wood shards were flying upwards, as a ballista bolt shattered, unable to break the adamantine armor. �Foolish pirates, they�ll never break this ship,� he laughed maniacally as the ten ballistas mounted on the Jivvin fired simultaneously, smashing into the SS Saltreaver and tearing the hull and masts in several different places.
�Fire one more round of the ballistas, then get anything important, than board the Jivvin!� There was no roar of expectation this time; however, as everyone knows the SS Saltreaver was a dying ship.