The Chronicles of Inthandonia, Part 4: The Wizard Wars Ocean Encounter The great wizard Bolgaradol Smekter is mostly remembered in the public mind for his heroic exploits during the Wizard Wars. What is generally less well known is that for a time he was also a pirate. During the years 923 to 930 NC the great Darthan Navy was conducting a war against a loose alliance of Deggian pirates in the Southern Thanic Ocean. These pirates hailed from the southern Deggian penninsula known as Grohl. The coastline of Grohl is rocky and steep and pierced with many hidden coves and small fiords, a perfect haven for pirates and buccaneers. From these small hideaways the Grohlian pirates in their fast ocean-going dhows preyed upon the heavy and slow merchant ships that plied the trade route between Blarrum in Deggia and the market ports of southern Darthan. This is a translation from the Captain's log of the Darthan Warship Revenger which was charged with the duty of protecting the merchant fleet. "Date: 3rd Wanderers Day in the Month of the Water Queen, of the year 927 NC. Shortly after 8 bells this morning the lookouts spied smoke and the sails of two vessels hulldown on the horizon bearing east by north-east. With a very favourable wind the Revenger was able to close the distance in short order. Crew was called to stations when it became clear that a merchantman (later identified as the goods ship 'Seahorse" of Port Blarrum) was being harried by a small dhow full of Grohlian pirates. As the Revenger came up on the two stationary vessels the Grohlian Dhow turned to run. Then a most extraordinary thing occured that I am at a loss to explain. Revenger is a mighty 3 masted Capital warship which should, by all rights, have easily overtaken the much smaller pirate vessel - for though the Grohlian Dhows are small, sleek and fast in a tail wind - they are slow and unweildy when tacking into any sort of head wind. Thus, with a firm southerly behind us Revenger clearly had the wind and weather advantage as well as the size and speed with which to easily overhaul the Dhow. I still cannot credit nor believe that what happened next was not the result of some powerful magickal intervention because the Grohlian Dhow turned directly into the wind - a position in which sailing theory demands she should have been all but helpless - and then danced away at a great clip, running straight into the southerly breeze, fully three timers faster that Revenger could sail in prime conditions. The Dhow seemed to fair skip across the waves, at times seeming to be as much above the waters as in them. A tall bearded man, garbed in black stood at her rail and I believe he was the sorceror that drove this potent spell, gifting the pirate vessel with speed that I had never before beheld in any vessel on the seven seas. Furthermore we loosed two broadside volleys from the starboard guns at the Dhow whilst she was still midrange and presenting an easy target. I myself saw the cannon shot actually veer away from the pirate vessel, clearly under the influence of some powerful warding spell.   With no wizards of our own aboard the Revenger we had no choice but to endure the most vexatious sight of a prey that should have been easily won, instead dance impudently away against the wind!" Captain Palev Krammik, Master, Darthan Warship Revenger. *** The big ship is the "French Warship" from Cornucopia.com, the little ship is mine modelled in trueSpace. There's a little bit of post work, mostly spray and waves. Any comments most appreciated, thanks.