Post by McGuffin on Aug 11, 2010 15:04:42 GMT -5
*A news story detailing the harrowing stories surrounding Rum Beard's attack on Suzail quickly becomes a best seller.*
The following facts where gleamed from the interrogation of wounded and captured pirate raiders, as well as accounts given by various adventures along with a few unnamed sources.
Rum Beard is a near legendary Captain that has been sporadically free-booting and pirating through out the Dragonmere for nearly a decade aboard his ship the Umberlee's Rum.
Pirates captured from RumBeard's ship explain that he has recently had a change in his attitude. They describe his attitude before the change as crafty, clever, and cunning, providing easy victories through decisive action with minimal risk to himself or his crew. After each incident he was quick to give out shares and shore leave to his men and so they became fiercely loyal to him.
Several moons back his attitude changed significantly. The sailors that knew him say that he has become obsessed and driven by the capture of treasure, specifically gold. They used to take a ship then rest and enjoy their spoils before going out to seek another prey. These days they take ships one after another and with increasing risks and recklessness. This change in attitude caused their treasures to swell but the reckless and risky action was costing the pirates more in lives and repairs. This frustrated things and so the ship never seemed to get enough of the yellow metal to please Rum Beard.
As his attacks on shipping increased the crown took notice and dispatched an unnamed investigator to attempt to infiltrate and locate Rum Bread. The following additional insider information was gathered by that unnamed investigator who managed to join Rum Beards crew while they where at port in the city of Moonever. The investigator quickly learned that Rum Beard was collecting a great deal of gold for some purpose unknown but didn't think it was intended to be shared with his crew. After several relentless raids on ship after ship the Umberlee's Rum put to port in Valkur's Roar for repairs. The captured pirates tell of a mysterious adventurer clad in dark full plate who came aboard the Umberlee's Rum during this time.. His heavy metal foot steps on the deck, waking the crew as he stomped along carrying a small but heavy chest and large map sized scroll case. This visitor went in to Rum Beards cabin where they disappeared for an extended meeting.
After the repairs to the ship where complete it set sail and headed a short distance up the coast where Rum Beard sent a few men from his crew off on some inland mission to negotiate with a group of bandits near there. While those crew men where away a group of adventures came along the road side and found Run Beard waiting for the return of his crew. Rum Beard told the adventures that his crew as overdue and he feared they where captured by bandits. The adventures went to rescue his crew but instead found the pirate crew negotiating with bandits and had to fight both forces. The adventures crushed the bandits returned to find Rum Beard gone leaving only a note for his crew to meet him at the next task.
Having learned that Rum Beard was forging an alliance between bandit groups our unnamed investigator managed to capture proof of this in the form of a sealed letter from Rum Beard to a bandit leader. However when he tried to slip away to deliver the proof one of Rum Beards associates, a man named Galmeek, chased him down. They battled in Greatgaunt where three adventures killed Galmeek and assisted the unnamed investigator in delivering the proof the Arabel. If not for this proof the Royal Navy would not have put four heavily armed war ships in the port of Suzail, disguised as merchant ships to ambush the pirates nor would they have had the Royal Fleet prepared to decimate Rum Beards retreating fleet after the attack on Suzail.
Shortly after that Rum Beard, him self visited the Mistwood Bandit camp and negotiated with them. He was discovered there by a pesky druid who simply would not take a hint and leave. Eventually Rum Beard himself forced tired to end the druid but he managed to escape to the safety of fellow adventures just outside of Greatgaunt.
The ship then sailed to Suzail where Rum Beard hired some fumbling dolt to attempt to capture the Sunite priestess Miranda. A few adventurers intervened in this man's attempt. He panicked and in his panic he simply attacked Miranda.
The unnamed investigator learned of Rum Beards attempt to kidnap Miranda and managed to let the Sunites know that he was planning a second one. After some clever maneuvering of a number of adventures the second attempt to kidnap Miranda was thwarted ending with Rum Beards ship damaged and forcing the a delay in his plans to attack until after the Mid Summer Festival.
After this second failed attempt to capture Miranda, Captain Le'Pepitte Heirlaun of the Heirlaun's Luck met with Rum Beard. The two exchanged words and Heirlaun went freelance. It's believed that he found out about something that Rum Beard was keeping hidden from everyone else. Heirlaun ordered his crew break away from alliance. His men where greedy and wanted to stay for the gold Rum Beard had promised and threatened to mutiny, so in order to appease their greed Heirlaun had them raid Greatgaunt where there where rumors of more gold. Adventures in Greatgaunt managed to break the pirates and destroy the Heirlaun's Luck by setting her ablaze with a fire ball.
Rum Beard then hired some guy to go and try and find something in the wreckage of Heirlaun's ship, however he didn't get the chance as nosey adventures ran him off and discovered a curious map in the wreckage of the ship. Several adventures from Greatgaunt chartered a ship and traveled to Moonever where they investigated the curious map found in the wreckage.
The druid had come to tell the Sunites of his Rum Beard encounter near the Mistwoods having been asked to do so by the unnamed investigator. The Sunites asked the Strategists and the PDK's to aid them in an expedition to investigate the Mistwoods. While they where away, the renegade Zentharim wizard Elfaxnafar, recaptured Miranda and took her to another ship. The expedition party, using teleportation magic, raced to save Miranda before the pirates could get away with her thus thwarting a third attempt to kidnap her.
Several brave adventures took a second journey to the city of Moonever in an attempt to gain more information on Rum Beard. They learned little other than the fact that the pirates knew about the four disguised Royal War ships in Suzail harbor.
The captured pirates reveal that Rum Beard devised a clever trap mechanism and hired some adventures to sabotage the Royal Navy ships. The trapped ships where not supposed to blow up until the pirates started their attack however for what ever reason they went off early. This was a fatal mistake for the pirate raiders as this gave the city time to call upon the aid of adventures from across the land.
Later it was discovered that a few chivalrous adventures who where patrolling the docks had discovered another adventurer floating in the water who had been nearly beaten to death. Its believed that he stumbled upon the scene of the saboteurs at work. This lead them to investigate the scene and they soon discovered a string in the water leading to a ship in the harbor. They boarded the ship and discovered the powder kegs for the ship's cannons had been trapped. Unable to disarm the complex trap the adventures roused the crew and captain and they quickly abandoned the ship. As the sailors of the doomed ship clamored over the side someone back on the docks yanked the string. The adventures barely escaped with their lives as the first ship exploded. One after another strings where pulled and the ships exploded.
The City of Suzail and the Crown of Cormyr thanks all of these unnamed heroic adventures who through out this story risked their lives to save one ships crew and threw off the pirates plans enough to rouse the countries adventures to come and stand up to the pirate menace snatching victory form what otherwise would have been sure defeat.
To all of those unsung hero's of our land, brave, bold and true. We the people of Suzail salute you.
Currently there is an on going investigation in too the identities of the saboteurs. The Crown is offering a hefty reward any information leading to their arrest.
The unnamed investigator assures us there is an action being prepared to capture Rum Beard and Elfaxnafar before they can be any more trouble.
*The author of the news story is unkown at this time.*
The following facts where gleamed from the interrogation of wounded and captured pirate raiders, as well as accounts given by various adventures along with a few unnamed sources.
Rum Beard is a near legendary Captain that has been sporadically free-booting and pirating through out the Dragonmere for nearly a decade aboard his ship the Umberlee's Rum.
Pirates captured from RumBeard's ship explain that he has recently had a change in his attitude. They describe his attitude before the change as crafty, clever, and cunning, providing easy victories through decisive action with minimal risk to himself or his crew. After each incident he was quick to give out shares and shore leave to his men and so they became fiercely loyal to him.
Several moons back his attitude changed significantly. The sailors that knew him say that he has become obsessed and driven by the capture of treasure, specifically gold. They used to take a ship then rest and enjoy their spoils before going out to seek another prey. These days they take ships one after another and with increasing risks and recklessness. This change in attitude caused their treasures to swell but the reckless and risky action was costing the pirates more in lives and repairs. This frustrated things and so the ship never seemed to get enough of the yellow metal to please Rum Beard.
As his attacks on shipping increased the crown took notice and dispatched an unnamed investigator to attempt to infiltrate and locate Rum Bread. The following additional insider information was gathered by that unnamed investigator who managed to join Rum Beards crew while they where at port in the city of Moonever. The investigator quickly learned that Rum Beard was collecting a great deal of gold for some purpose unknown but didn't think it was intended to be shared with his crew. After several relentless raids on ship after ship the Umberlee's Rum put to port in Valkur's Roar for repairs. The captured pirates tell of a mysterious adventurer clad in dark full plate who came aboard the Umberlee's Rum during this time.. His heavy metal foot steps on the deck, waking the crew as he stomped along carrying a small but heavy chest and large map sized scroll case. This visitor went in to Rum Beards cabin where they disappeared for an extended meeting.
After the repairs to the ship where complete it set sail and headed a short distance up the coast where Rum Beard sent a few men from his crew off on some inland mission to negotiate with a group of bandits near there. While those crew men where away a group of adventures came along the road side and found Run Beard waiting for the return of his crew. Rum Beard told the adventures that his crew as overdue and he feared they where captured by bandits. The adventures went to rescue his crew but instead found the pirate crew negotiating with bandits and had to fight both forces. The adventures crushed the bandits returned to find Rum Beard gone leaving only a note for his crew to meet him at the next task.
Having learned that Rum Beard was forging an alliance between bandit groups our unnamed investigator managed to capture proof of this in the form of a sealed letter from Rum Beard to a bandit leader. However when he tried to slip away to deliver the proof one of Rum Beards associates, a man named Galmeek, chased him down. They battled in Greatgaunt where three adventures killed Galmeek and assisted the unnamed investigator in delivering the proof the Arabel. If not for this proof the Royal Navy would not have put four heavily armed war ships in the port of Suzail, disguised as merchant ships to ambush the pirates nor would they have had the Royal Fleet prepared to decimate Rum Beards retreating fleet after the attack on Suzail.
Shortly after that Rum Beard, him self visited the Mistwood Bandit camp and negotiated with them. He was discovered there by a pesky druid who simply would not take a hint and leave. Eventually Rum Beard himself forced tired to end the druid but he managed to escape to the safety of fellow adventures just outside of Greatgaunt.
The ship then sailed to Suzail where Rum Beard hired some fumbling dolt to attempt to capture the Sunite priestess Miranda. A few adventurers intervened in this man's attempt. He panicked and in his panic he simply attacked Miranda.
The unnamed investigator learned of Rum Beards attempt to kidnap Miranda and managed to let the Sunites know that he was planning a second one. After some clever maneuvering of a number of adventures the second attempt to kidnap Miranda was thwarted ending with Rum Beards ship damaged and forcing the a delay in his plans to attack until after the Mid Summer Festival.
After this second failed attempt to capture Miranda, Captain Le'Pepitte Heirlaun of the Heirlaun's Luck met with Rum Beard. The two exchanged words and Heirlaun went freelance. It's believed that he found out about something that Rum Beard was keeping hidden from everyone else. Heirlaun ordered his crew break away from alliance. His men where greedy and wanted to stay for the gold Rum Beard had promised and threatened to mutiny, so in order to appease their greed Heirlaun had them raid Greatgaunt where there where rumors of more gold. Adventures in Greatgaunt managed to break the pirates and destroy the Heirlaun's Luck by setting her ablaze with a fire ball.
Rum Beard then hired some guy to go and try and find something in the wreckage of Heirlaun's ship, however he didn't get the chance as nosey adventures ran him off and discovered a curious map in the wreckage of the ship. Several adventures from Greatgaunt chartered a ship and traveled to Moonever where they investigated the curious map found in the wreckage.
The druid had come to tell the Sunites of his Rum Beard encounter near the Mistwoods having been asked to do so by the unnamed investigator. The Sunites asked the Strategists and the PDK's to aid them in an expedition to investigate the Mistwoods. While they where away, the renegade Zentharim wizard Elfaxnafar, recaptured Miranda and took her to another ship. The expedition party, using teleportation magic, raced to save Miranda before the pirates could get away with her thus thwarting a third attempt to kidnap her.
Several brave adventures took a second journey to the city of Moonever in an attempt to gain more information on Rum Beard. They learned little other than the fact that the pirates knew about the four disguised Royal War ships in Suzail harbor.
The captured pirates reveal that Rum Beard devised a clever trap mechanism and hired some adventures to sabotage the Royal Navy ships. The trapped ships where not supposed to blow up until the pirates started their attack however for what ever reason they went off early. This was a fatal mistake for the pirate raiders as this gave the city time to call upon the aid of adventures from across the land.
Later it was discovered that a few chivalrous adventures who where patrolling the docks had discovered another adventurer floating in the water who had been nearly beaten to death. Its believed that he stumbled upon the scene of the saboteurs at work. This lead them to investigate the scene and they soon discovered a string in the water leading to a ship in the harbor. They boarded the ship and discovered the powder kegs for the ship's cannons had been trapped. Unable to disarm the complex trap the adventures roused the crew and captain and they quickly abandoned the ship. As the sailors of the doomed ship clamored over the side someone back on the docks yanked the string. The adventures barely escaped with their lives as the first ship exploded. One after another strings where pulled and the ships exploded.
The City of Suzail and the Crown of Cormyr thanks all of these unnamed heroic adventures who through out this story risked their lives to save one ships crew and threw off the pirates plans enough to rouse the countries adventures to come and stand up to the pirate menace snatching victory form what otherwise would have been sure defeat.
To all of those unsung hero's of our land, brave, bold and true. We the people of Suzail salute you.
Currently there is an on going investigation in too the identities of the saboteurs. The Crown is offering a hefty reward any information leading to their arrest.
The unnamed investigator assures us there is an action being prepared to capture Rum Beard and Elfaxnafar before they can be any more trouble.
*The author of the news story is unkown at this time.*
