Plundering for the Black Market

he harbors of Vesper, Trinsic and Moonglow are reporting a large number of Pirate sightings in the nearby waterways. Simultaneously, a great number of attacks on small merchant ships and fishing boats working out of Vesper and Trinsic have also been reported. Loss and damages have been estimated in the excess of 70,000 gold pieces.
Most of the goods stolen were armor and weapons, but magic potions are also being targeted. It seems that the Buccaneers know far too much about this ships' cargo. They always pick out those ships with the highest profitable cargo and the lowest garrison. The Harbormaster and ship owners have come to an agreement about measures against the Pirate attacks, though what exactly these measures are is not clear. Most certainly, they will include a call to arms in defense of the local watercraft.

To gather wares and contraband for their Black Market, the United Pirates of Catskills had the support of a stranger, who spied out the routs of the merchant ships for them. In public he stayed undercover, and nobody knew about the spy's real identity.

However, Horkin from the City of Moonglow had a suspicion, and he tried to interrogate the pirates he met around the bay, to find out more about the identity of this spy. Most pirates were not very cooperative, but when you make an offer high enough, the greed for gold might loosen some tongues...

The pirates had received the news, that a shipment of valuable cargo was going from Vesper to Trinsic, and they knew it would pass the passage between Buccaneer's Den and the small island. What they didn't know though was, that for some reason aboard of the merchant ship were strong fighters to fight back attacks of pirates.
Silence lay on the strait of Buc's Den, and only the cawing of some tropical birds could be heard from the nearby jungle. Two dragon ships had been placed across the strait to block off the shipping route of the enemy. The pirates hid on deck of their ships and awaited nervously their prey.

Suddenly the sail or the merchant ship appeared on the northern horizon. The scoundrels made their explosion bombs ready, and grasped their weapons. Silently the vessel came closer, when suddenly the tillerman noticed the blocked off passage and stopped only some yards away from the two pirate ships.
"STAND AND DELIVER OR DA DEVIL HE WILL TAKE YE!" shouted Sambal Dragor, and set the enemy ship on fire. Suddenly the shouting of the other pirates and a fierce rattling of weapons could be heard across the strait. Explosions cracked and Fireballs shot over to the pirates, as an army of skilled fighters from Yew appeared unexpectedly on deck of the merchant ship. The battle was fierce. Sails were burning, and black clouds of smoke darkened the sky above Buccaneer's Den.

Pirates were boarding the merchant ships, and knights were boarding pirate ships. Weapons clashed and screams echoed across the strait, and suddenly it was quiet again. The merchant ship with its guards had been defeated. Five heavy chests were looted and plundered from the ship's hold, and the pirates cheered on their victory. Now they had enough wares to sell them on the Black Market they were planning to open up soon.

Later when they returned to the Red Skull Bay, they noticed though that the whole setup had been a trap. The chests contained nothing but fish steaks!

However, the Black Market took place as planned. Pirates had set up their market stands on the docks of Buccaneer's Den. Here they were selling their contraband to landlubbers, and not few people managed to make a good bargain and acquire wares for a low price.

07/2000

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