Just a few hours ago (Brittainia time), I went out upon the high seas with Capt. BootStrap (aka "Boots"), my fisherman, and Bishop, my fighter. We had not been out more than 10 or 15 minutes when the waters began to boil beneath my ship, The Nautical Dream II. It was a Deep Sea Serpent that Boots had snagged. In a flash, Bishop, with his armor and katana at the ready, took over command of the ship as he ran to the starbord plank. Shouting commands, he possitioned the ship facing East, with the foul beast on our starbord side, and engaged the creature in battle. Though the foul beast had scales as tough as the best-made armor, and many nicks were to be made in his sword, Bishop was in a struggle for his life. Standing right next to Bishop, Boots began administering bandages at a harrowing rate. Afraid for his life, as well as the life of Bishop, Boots knew that he must stand firm. After what seemed like a lifetime, Bishop was gaining on the serpent from the deep. The beast had numerouse wounds where the katana had found it's mark. There were two spots on the creature where a scale had nearly come off. And although the creature's teeth and it's razor-sharp tail, would oft find their mark, it seemed that for every bandage applied by Bishop to himself, Boots was applying nearly two bandages. It was in this fashion that Bishop was able to remain in fairly good health, for a while at least. Suddenly, all the color went out of Bishop's face, as he stumbled and nearly dropped to his knees. His whole body was fraught with pain. Quickly regaining his composure, Bishop dropped his shield and katana, and with a wave of his arms, he uttered the phrase: An Nox. His color quickly returned and in an instant he had re-armed his shield and katana and resumed fighting the Deep Sea Serpent. More time passed, and the writhing creature of the deep was beginning to show signs of wearing out. The resolve of Bishop and Capt. BootStrap was strengthened. At times, Bishop's injuries would become quite severe, yet somehow, the two, working together were able to keep Bishop healthy enough to continue. Their luck was soon to change. Once again, the color went out of Bishop's face and he stumbled. This time, he immediately dropped his shield and katana, in order to cast the curing spell. This time, nothing happened. The creature, seeing it's chance, struck ever harder and more fiercely. Bishop's body was trembling; he was unable to apply bandages to himself as he was in such agony. Boots did not possess the skill to cure poisons, and every time he would apply a bandage to Bishop, it would do no good. Bishop tried several times to cure himself. but with each failure, the serpent seemed to strike harder. Finally, as his life was nearly gone, Bishop again spoke the words: An Nox, and as his color returned, and he picked up his shield and katana to resume his battle, the Deep Sea Serpent struck. Bishop dropped to his knees, then slumped over and fell onto the deck of the ship. He was dead. Seeing his friend's wounds take their toll on him, Boots had to make but one quick glance to the tillerman. Before Bishop's body hit the deck, the tillerman unfurlled the ship's sails. The sails caught the wind and the ship was on it's way to Skara Brae, the nearest port. Boots knew that time was very crutial. The trip into port seemed to take longer than it ever had before. Boots had to get his friend to a healer so that his spirit could take physical form once again. But on the way to port, Capt. BootStrap spied something that sent chills clear down his spine. In the distance, he saw a Kraken, one of the most evil creatures upon the high seas. Boots had been secretly longing to see one of these beasts for nigh on ages now, but he had to get Bishop to port. So they sailed on. As The Nautical Dream II neared the breakwaters of Skara Brae, Capt. BootStrap saw another creature he had not seen upon these waters. He saw a Dolphin, swimming towards the ship. Boots smiled, and as much as he wanted wanted to slow the ship's speed to allow the Dolphin to swim in the ship's wake, he knew that time was still too short. He had to make the best time he could. Upon reaching the docks of Skara Brae, the ghost of Bishop made it's way off of the ship and into the healer's structure. Moments later, Bishop was back on the ship and was able to retrieve all items from his corpse. Thanks to the swift actions of Capt. BootStrap and the tillerman of The Nautical Dream II, the ship was able to pull away from the Deep Sea Serpent before it had a chance to pluck any of Bishop's valuables.
FOLLOWUP After making a few necessary repairs, and restocking our supplies, the salty crew headed back out to where Bishop had fallen to the foul beast. Much time had passed and the creature had managed to heal nearly all of it's wounds. But Bishop's and Boot's' resolve were streangthened more than twofold and before the creature could turn to face the pending onslaught, the small ship slipped into possition and Bishop began slashing at the beast with a fervor he had never before felt. His hatred of the beast fueled his attack. In little more than half the time of the previous battle, the Deep Sea Serpent lay dead across the the side of the ship. Bishop made short work of carving the beast and removing the treasures it had hidden within. Then, after shoving the carcass overboard, The Nautical Dream II and it's valliant crew headed back home where they would feast on the meat of their conqured foe.
