Post: #1

Brower stood at the helm of the Storm Chaser. The banks of the Reik were a distant smudge in the green moonlight. The mask creaked, and all was well upon the ship.

**********************************

Below deck, Peter sat around a table with the Council.

"The Captain intends to to sail his vessel to the docks that used to service Drakenhof," explained the Blood Knight to the other Vampires."

"It is likely that the Carsteins have fallen back to the keep. However, the question remains to be answered; what are we to do when we get there?"

Post: #2

"Chill them all, raze their keep, skin them alive and send their heads on a platter to the Sigmarites?" suggested Geralt. He was immediately answered by a chorus of Ayes from Todd, Lovette and even Toby doing their best scurvy sea dog impression. Geralt's scarred face twitched in a snicker.

Todd's mind was not entirely on the matter on hand however; he could not shake off the thought that the captain of the ship had an uncanny resemblance to himself...

Post: #3

Dismissing the light-hearted comment from Geralt, Helena let her concerns be known,
"I think it's safe to say that we will be gravely outmatched if we approach them and they are hostile towards us. It might be appropriate that we send out scouts in an attempt to glean some information about the von Carsteins' current situation. If Count Simon did indeed go forth with his great plan during this geheimnisnacht I am sure that it will not have gone uncontested by the Dark Lord - perhaps they are just as shattered as the rest of the Council is?"

Post: #4

"As much as I would like to agree with you, we are in a difficult situation," the Duke said to Geralt, "the damned Carsteins have the armies to hold us at bay for a very long time if not indefinitely. We all have various forces, but summoning them into battle against the Carsteins under the current situation would be very tactically unsound."

His fingertips drummed on the wooden table as the Duke considered things,

"I believe Lady Helena's suggestion would be most sound. We need to know how they currently stand, whether the Count's plans came to fruition, and also whether there any still loyal to the Council. We still don't know what happened with the Mistress or her daughter, and perhaps there are some Carsteins who disagree with their lord and can be of help to us?"

Post: #5

This time it was Todd's turn to speak, though he seemed slightly more distant than usual

"As much as it pains me, I understand the necessity of having the Carsteins around. However, if you want a Carstein to enter their ranks and report back to us information I can think of only one candidate." He said, turning to look at Lucia.

Post: #6

As he turned to look at Lucia, did the Duke, Victarias, and even Auberviller who was stood by the door as guard.

"Would that work?" Victarias asked, "the Carsteins must know Lucia was captured. If they know anything about her relationship then they will guess instantly her reason for being there. She could be putting herself at risk."

"It may be a necessary risk," the Duke said, "we need to find out how things stand before we can decide on what action to take." As he noticed Todd's vacant expression, the Blood Knight looked at him, "Lord Todd? Is something amiss?"

Post: #7

"Of course I will do anything I can..." began Lucia, before Peter sammed his fist down on the table.

"No, I refuse to allow you to risk yourself like that," he stated, "You have been locked away for many years and have no influence amongst your family."

"Besides," continued the Blood Knight, "We do have another potential ally amongst the Carsteins. Saul despises Simon for his arrogance. Perhaps he could be persuaded to aid us?"

Post: #8

Jason Spoke as he sat in the corner his features shadowed as he broke his silence after much thought about the von carsitens
"To once again, ally ourselves with the Von Carstiens is to invite this same treacherous situation we face now. It seams to me that all the power In this council is handed over the the Von Carstiens. I would rather a truce until this war is over then we will part company, unless they give us incentive to stay that is."
__________________________________________________​_______________________________


As Jason and the other council member's spoke down in the captains chamber Harrindir was looking over the ship. He recalled days when he and Jason, fared the seas of the new world recalling the memories fondly. As he walked the deck and looked to the country side the terror the ship had caused made him smile slightly as he turned to thoughts of the council and his bloodline and wondered where Rick and Markus were.

Post: #9

Todd blinked as the Duke's words brought him crashing back to reality.

"Yes...there is something I must find out. I'll be right back, but until then Mrs. Lovette will represent me. Excuse me." He rose, giving Lovette a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he headed up onto the deck. Her smile in return was entirely ignored.

**********

Todd found Brower at the helm of the ship, and soon his constant pacing around the captain got to the point where it couldn't be ignored

"Oi mate, what ye lookin' at?"

His only response was to lunge in quickly. Brower shrunk back in alarm, and one hand drifted to the pistols on his belt but Todd halted with his face a hair's breadth from Brower's own.

"Don't you think we look alike?" He breathed into his erstwhile ally's face.

Post: #10

Brower shrugged.

"Aye, maybe, but what of it lad," replied the Captain, his hand still on the butt of his pistol.

"Where were ye born?" he asked the barber.

Post: #11

Markus stood at the front of the ship, draped in his black cloak. He did not feel the need to go to the meeting, Jason was his voice in everything anyway. he looked over the waters at the dark horizon that lay before him, like his future it was uncertain.
/And somewhere out there she is... Queen of our bloodline... Vile wench.../ he thought of the lahmians and how entranced he was of their beauty and of a distant memory now a hundred years past.
He was brought back as he remembered the challenge ahead, this for him was all a precursor to his vengeance, /Jason must have a good reason for all this.../ the air around him grew colder.

Post: #12

"While Todd and I believe that your suggestion is ideal, I think it may prove nigh on impossible to win this war without the sheer numbers that the Carsteins will provide. We may have no choice." Mrs. Lovette spoke for the first time amidst a proper gathering of the Council, however diminished in size it might be.

"As for the informant, I can loan the Black Albatross for any long range correspondence needs."

**********

"Marienburg." Todd answered. He backed off somewhat to stay about an arm's length away from the captain before continuing.

"By the way, do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Post: #13

Vaskatchi walked up behind Markus as the ice radiated through him. Markus welcomed it, his sword at his side and his armor strapped at his back there was that could frighten him, but he knew better than to denounce fears uses. Vaskatchi spoke quietly as he joined Markus at the Bow of the ship looking out wards to the night before them.
"Markus, it is good to see you again. I feel like we haven't talked in centuries. Please tell me your troubles, I feel as through we are strangers to each other and this can not do, among brothers"
Vaskatchi's voice was cool and felt easing, but Markus was not one to be smooth talked and retained his cold stance as he looked out before them. Ghosts haunted his vision like demons,grasping out towards him, which was met with a cold stare.

Post: #14

"I thank-you for the offer of your mechanical creature, Lady Lovette," said Peter with a nod, "But I fear such a contraption may be a tad conspicous. I shall dispatch my raven to carry any message to Saul."

*************************************

"Marienburg eh?" mused the pirate.

Just then a distant boom rang out across the river. Browerdived to the ground, pushing Todd over with him. A cannon ball whizzed over their heads, before hitting a Zombie crewman who was tightening a rope. The undead sailor's torso exploded in stinking cloud of blood a rotting inards.

Qucikly getting to his feet and dusting off his frock coat, the pirate began issuing orders.

"Ready the cannon, prepare the boarding pikes. And hoist the colours," he yelled.

Behind the ship, two Imperial river patrol boats were coming up fast. Both were larger than the Storm Chaser. The closest vessel was flying the flag of the Templars of Sigmar.

The rest of the Council quickly appeared on deck, and prepared for battle. The crew raised the flag, and the black skull and cross bones snapped in the wind.

Brower turned to Todd and grinned.

"Because they both have inky quills, my distant cousin," he said calmly, as if they were taking a tour on a boating pond.

The captain took the helm, and turned his vessel hard to port. The Undead gunners let of a few lack luster shots, but they fell short of the Imperial ships.

"Hold fire, ye scurvy dogs. Wait for my signal," Brower yelled to his Zombie sailors, before turning to the other Vampires on deck.

"If ye have any tricks up yer sleeves, now would be the time to use them," he told them.

Post: #15

"Oh, I think I could manage a few... tricks as you call them, captain. How foolish of these humans to give pursuit to us, surely they must know of the powers bestowed on the world's nocturnal beings on this, of all nights? Nevertheless, their recklessness should not go unrewarded..."

With a gesture and an uttered incantation, Helena began to set the water in motion. There rested an untold number of corpses in the depths of the river and they answered swiftly when beckoned, rotting remains and spirits rising from the darkness to assail the vessels of the Witch Hunters.

Post: #16

As the events unfolded Markus turned to his brother "I'm sorry brother it seems we will have to continue this later" he said unsheathing his sword. He smiled and wraith spoke in his mind /Show them what we can do, feed me the humans blood!/ he stepped forward "If ye have any tricks up yer sleeves, now would be the time to use them," as the ships got closer he leapt, he hurled through the air a few meters until he was over the ship and came crashing back to earth, the crew were busy fighting off zombies and spirits with their silver blessed weapons and did not think to look up.
He landed on top of one unlucky soldier who had just killed a zombie with a smug smile on his face. His armored legs and the weight of him crushed the mans spine as they burst through the deck into the gun deck, the gunners looked over shocked at the grisly scene
/KILL THEM ALL/ the candles went out and all that could be seen below the main deck was the faint blue glow of his eyes. He moved quickly running to the nearest two gunners turning and slashing his blade across their throats, he proceeded to massacre the cannon crews screamed for mercy and for help but neither would come or be given, his killing frenzy left them all as bloody corpses, that eventually raised themselves of the blood soaked floor, "By sigmar fell demon I will banish you for your sins" came a loud yell, Markus looked to the stairs, their stood a warrior priest holding a hammer and a shield, both with the twin tailed comet.
Markus raised his sword in challenge to the man and with the power of wraith and the winds of magic he shot a bolt of pure darkness at the priest, the priest quickly raised his shield which deflected the spell but the force made his arm numb. Markus rushed at him, the sound of the mans ever increasing heartbeat was all he could hear as they clashed the priest raised his hammer to meet his sword but was not quick enough to block his sweep.
The priest lay on the ground hammer and shield to far to reach, markus raised his sword and plunged it down, severing the mans head from body.

He pulled his sword free, helenas spell was obviously effecting the newly dead but he doubted it could effect a headless priest, he turned and proceeded upstairs, were he kept hacking and slashing he reached the middle of the ship when he felt a sharp pain in his back, a silver bullet was lodged between his plates, penetrating the skins slightly he turned and dispatched the Templar with an angry vertical slice, he felt more dark energy as wraith let of another dark blast destroying the mast of the ship, which fell back onto the rear of the ship, crushing the helm and a few unlucky templars and some very slow zombies, but also served the purpose of hiding Markus from more templars.

the deck was utter chaos, Markus knelt under the flag as he took a moment to gather himself, he reached around and grabbed the bullet from his side, the wound healed and he snarled "Damn these men" he dropped the bullet and picked up the pistol.
He cut himself from the sheet and shot at the nearest witch hunter he could see, moving with the speed of a vampire he slashed at the bodies as he passed them, he reached up and grabbed at a lit torch, as he felt more bullets ricochet of his Armour, he quickly turned and with a long sweep of his sword, aged his at attackers till they were withered husks, he ran forward to the hole he had made and dropped the torch through, it didn't take long for the fire to grow and for him to move to the nearest life boat.
he was stopped shortly by a man he figured for the captains feeble attempt to stop him, Markus grabbed the man and through him up into the air. He climbed into a boat and cut the ropes holding it as it crashed into the water, he paddled a few meters from the boat as the captain hit the deck and broke his screaming body, he headed back for the storm chaser as the witch hunter ship exploded outward, the fire meeting various containers of black powder. Debris flew every were.

Post: #17

Sweeney Todd made the leap back onto the Storm Chaser shortly before explosions gutted the witch hunter vessel.

"Good work, lad." He said as he clapped Markus on the back with one hand, idly flicking away some of the blood on his razors with another. The get of Jason Nightwere might not have known it, but his assault on the witch hunter ship had not been alone and unsupported. Todd did not bother to raise this fact though.

Turning away, Todd strode over to Brower to speak with him. He got no further than "Very witty of you, -" when a loud scream cut him off.

"OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!"

**********

Anger flooded into Mrs. Lovette as the debris sent flying by the exploding ship, and the incoming fire from the other ruined several of her perfectly manicured nails and chipped at the thin layer of makeup on her face. The fires of Aqshy she channeled in her hands was a perfect embodiment of the rage she was feeling. As she gritted and gnashed her teeth the flames in her hands seethed and expanded until it took on a form that exactly imitated her own angry face, except that the burning simalucrum was several times larger than a man. With a swipe the burning head streaked across the distance like an avenging spirit before tearing out almost a quarter of the enemy ship in a massive explosion.

Lovett was not content with dooming the enemy ship in one stroke. Muttering expletives and arcane syllables alike, the air around her seethed with magical power as she pummeled the enemy into oblivion with a continuous barrage of spells from her respectable repertoire.

Post: #18

Jason stood silent looking over the destruction of the fool hardy witch hunter who had perused them. In truth he had not bothered to fight them knowing that markus needed the victory more than he did so instead he looked towards his get as a smile spread across his features and he returned into the ship to rest.

Post: #19

The Duke and Auberviller had watched as the other vampires swiftly destroyed the other two vessels. In close combat they were perhaps the most deadly on board, but at range all they could do was wait with the swords in their hands.

"Over before it even began," Victarias said from from his right, sheathing her twin blades, "but we are not far from Drakenhof. Whatever we are going to do, we need to decide now."

"Agreed," the Duke said, looking at the rest of the Council, "have we reached a course of action? Are we to send a message to Saul, to see how the land lays?"

************************

"That was very impressive," Auberviller murmured as he sidled over to Helena, "you are powerful indeed Milady."

Post: #20

As Brower turned the ship about and resumed his course, all eyes were drawn towards the prow of the ship. Rounding the next bend was nothing short of a small armada. At least a dozen river patrol boats were heading straight towards the pirate vessel.

But that was not the most pressing matter. A towering, clanking ship, its deck a good ten foot above that of the Storm Chaser was bring up the the rear of the Imperial fleet. The ship had iron clad sides, and was powered by two huge water wheels, like those on a mill. They churned and frothed the water. The strange contraption was bristling with Hellblaster volley guns and other stranger weapons. The ship was flying the flag of the College of Engineering in Nuln.

"Prepare to board," cried Brower as his ship approached the Imperial boats.

**************************************************​

As the Council's vessel neared the enemy, Peter grabbed a boarding rope and swung to the nearest patrol boat. Without his armour, he was far more nimble in battle than usual.

The landed on the deck with a thump, and drew his blade. He hoped that he could disrupt the front ships enough to hinder the ironclads progress. He charged towards the helm of the ship, hacking at sailors as he ran.

The captain of the ship saw the approaching Vampire and drew his own blade. He also leveled his pistol at the Undead knight.

I realise why Wallach hates those things so much, thought Peter with a wry smile as the lead ball passed through his left thigh.