Cap'n Voodoo |
Vors' question hangs unanswered in the air as Smollet squints into the darkened jungle and then yells a warning. Only the pair are outside the main cabin as the southern bank suddenly glitters with sparks and a hailstorm of burning arrows falls upon the grounded riverboat.
Keelhaul Kaul- 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Madman Jim- 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Dingus- 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Night raiders-1d20 ⇒ 14
Vors is struck twice and Smollet once despite his windy cloak as about half of the score of inbound arrows land on the deck. A moment later they flare up spreading fire over the stern as more arrows rain down.
Surprise- Vors- 7, 1 pierce; Smollet- 8 pierce
R1- Vors-3,3 burn and 6 pierce; Smollet-6 burn and 5 pierce
Round 1
Kaul
Dibbs
Jim
Dingus
R2
Night raiders
Dibbets |
Round 1: 13/32 HP
Muttering "Feck this" Dibbets draws a deep breath and exhales a thick and pungent wall of solid air. Seeing beyond the end of one's nose becomes a struggle as the halfling implores "Bail mateys, we stand an die or we run an 'ope tae feckin live" and the halfling follows his own orders - leaving the keg of liquor behind (which will likely result in a fairly impressive accelleration of the fire shortly) and stumping in a jagged line Northwards and away.
Obscuring mist to cover the retreat, then begin to scarper.
That's more than half of Jim and Dibbs HP gone in a single stroke - and the tub's on fire. We have near zero ranged capacity (outside of Dingus, who's even easier to pincushion than either Jim or Dibbs).
We run, we might live... well you guys might - Mr 15ft foot speed might be in trouble...
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Round 1
Kaul bellows in anger and lets fly with a speculative javelin to allow the others time to bail;
"Run lads! I'll keep 'em busy like!"
MW Javelin (Ranged): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
I like Java: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Cap'n Voodoo |
The rest of the crew barges out of the cabin as the sounds of the skirmish are heard. Bigget moves to the starboard rail ready to pierce any foe that appears in the mist. Vors and Smollet head the other direction taking cover behind the cabin and patting out their scorched clothing.
Two lean figures, a head taller than Bigget leap onto the boat with one of them taking a javelin in his gut. They are hard to make out in the thick fog and at first Bigget mistakes them for wooden creatures. Then he realizes that they are covered with a husk of bark and leaves similar to Tum-Bobo's ward, but the leafy bark also serves as very effective camouflage.
Estabo and Rafe emerge from the cabin just as the raiders thrust short spears at the orc. "Jungle Elves!" Estabo yells. "Swim to ze other side! Zey will not cross ze reevah!" The fog swirls around him as he charges across the deck and over the port side.
Now Bigget can see the long tapering ears and big dark eyes of the bark skinned creatures as one stabs him with a feathered short spear. Arrows whiz over the boat, but are hindered by the screening mist. Thankfully, the spreading flames seemed suppressed around the coconut blessed half-orc. Kaul-7 pierce, fire resistant
Round 2
Kaul
Dibbs
Jim
Dingus
R3
Night raiders
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Round 2
40/47 HP
Instead of reaching for his precious Lopper the wounded thug has an epiphany of sorts when he spots the similarities between the elves camouflage and his own coco-nutted hide...
Kaul reaches instead into his nut -sack and pulls forth Tum Bo-Bo in all his nutty glory bellowing his exultations as he does;
"BELAY YER JABBIN' AND BEHOLD THE GREAT TUM BO-BO! ALMIGHTY SPIRIT O' THE JUNGLE, AND I, HIS MOST LOYAL O' A'POSTLES! BELAY! AND GAZE UPON HIS MIGHTY NUTINIFICENCE!!!!"
Cap'n Voodoo |
Rafe reaches the halfling through the smoke and fog leading Wu Fang behind him. He's a good boy! Bigget's booming voice is heard over the crackle of flames and war shouts from the jungle then the halfling, boy and loony leap overboard and are quickly swept downriver by the warm dark waters.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Holding the nut idol high and aloft Kaul hisses a whisper to Tum;
"Help out yer a'postle Tum! Show these savage long ears yer great power!'
"BEHOLD TUM BO-BO! BEHOLD HIS MIGHTY POWER!"
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
Jim speaks Polyglot, if that's what they're talking in.
The Taldan surreptitiously checks his approach to the edge of the boat in case he needs to scarper in a hurry, then drops to one knee facing Kaul and the little coconutty idol.
Cap'n Voodoo |
Jim creeps back around the cabin to see what Kaul is doing. The unchecked fires are growing slowly and the sailor can feel the heat on his face as the mist burns off only to be replaced by choking smoke. Jim kneels as if in worship of the elevated Tum-Bobo and at least the air is clearer near the deck.
At Kaul's urging, Old Wooden Head shouts back at the savage elves in their own elvish tongue and one nearly falls to his knees as well though it seems to be in affliction rather than worship. Whatever Tum said whips the elves back into a fury and the cursed elf's companion jabs Kaul while the arrows resume zipping over the ship. Another bark-skinned elf leaps aboard to join the fray.
Kaul-7 pierce
Round 3
Kaul
Dibbs
Jim
Dingus
R4
Night raiders
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Round 3: 33/47 HP
Kaul maintains his high grip on the exulted nut, but he finds time to swing his hooked paw at the elf brave enough to engage the apostle;
"Feckin infidel!"
MW Hook Hand (Melee): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
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"Time for arses and elbows, mate!" Jim grabs his pack and the looted bow and goes over the side.
Swim check, not including any loading penalty: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Cap'n Voodoo |
Kaul drives his hook into the neck of the injured jungle elf and he falls. As Kaul yanks the hook back out, the remaining weakened elf manages a jab that draws blood. Just when he looks not much longer for this world, three more tribal elves leap aboard and Kaul suffers another wound from the press. Kaul-3 and 4 pierce
With savage elves ahead, flames licking his heels and only the dubious assistance of Tum-Bobo things are looking a bit perilous for the half-orc. The smoked Nut curses at him, "Fool Apostle, it getting too hot. Get in de water!"
Meanwhile, Jim makes a perfect arcing dive into the river and quickly catches up with the others. Estabo has nearly reached the moonlit opposite shore, but Dibbets and Rafe are having problems. The boy disappears below the murky waters while Dibbets sputters worried that his floating kilt might be exposing his fishstick to errant nippers.
Round 4
Kaul
Dibbs
Jim
Dingus
R5
Night raiders
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Oh man Mark... ye do make me chuckle matey!
Round 4
26/47 HP
Deciding that discretion is the better part of valour, Kaul pouches the divine nut and leaps into the water;
Acrobatics?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Swim: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Cap'n Voodoo |
Kaul withdraws from the raiders ducking though the rising flames before diving off the port side into the river.
Kaul-6 fire.
In the river, Dibbets is dragged under by the struggling boy, but with Jim's assistance they all reach the shore where Kaul joins them shortly. Dingus is swept farther along before he reaches safety as well. Across the river, the flames roar higher and savage war chants are heard from the jungle beyond. Estabo and Dingus find you and once you've regathered, you retreat through the tall grass away from the river.
Dibbets |
Eyebrow slowly rising as Estabo speaks, Dibbets waves it off "Right... so we's jus hopin they dinnae come. Ye right Rafe?" asking to make sure the boy's in reasonable nick before turning at Kaul "Ye were late gettin off tha boat, what tha feck didja try?"
Seeing that all around were battered and bruised Dibbs begins to lay out some indifference before asking Estabo "Ye want tae see 'er burn? or ye right tae push on?"
I'll run through how many spells Dibbs has cast shortly and figure out how much indifference he can lay out.
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Soggy, singed and skewered the big thug eyes Dibbs with a scowl;
"Hur... I was showin' em the glory o' Tum... Figured it would give em pause like... Figured wrong! Hur..."
The thug grimaces at his cut and burned hide.
"Feck... One o' these days I gotta learn tae duck a little... hut-hur-hur..."
Dibbets |
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Spitting phlegm onto the ground "Yeah, well feckin nut ain't been worth sh1te since ye started prostratin tae it... so nei surprise there."
Ok - Dibbs has cast 1 x 1st and 1 x 2nd today.
CLW for Dibbs x 2: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (7, 2) + 10 = 19
CLW for Jim x 2: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (7, 1) + 10 = 18
CMW for Kaul x 2: 4d8 + 10 ⇒ (2, 6, 1, 1) + 10 = 20
Makes it 5 x 1st and 3 x 2nd cast
Cap'n - does Estabo want to stay and watch his tub pass on, or is he happy to move?
Cap'n Voodoo |
Seeing that all around were battered and bruised Dibbs begins to lay out some indifference before asking Estabo "Ye want tae see 'er burn? or ye right tae push on?"
Estabo just shakes his head. "Ze Mwangi is not ze place for sentiment. With Hurg gone, eet was only a matter of time before ze engine she break anyway. Ze supplies are lost, but zat is ze cost of business. More important we get to Whitebridge quickly and find a boat back down ze river."
Dibbets |
Nodding approval at Estabo's lack of sentiment Dibbs muses "Well looks like we're goan have tae keep tae tha river anyhows eh? We leave off tha waters an who knows if we ken keep heads or tails o' which way we're headed... but I'm thinkin we should stay backs frae tha edge a tad... jus in case tha ekkyjay decide tae perferate us agin." looking around from matey to Cap'n to see if there is some degree of acceptance.
Cap'n Voodoo |
There seems to be some agreement that staying clear of the river for now is the best route so the crew hikes about the turn of an hourglass over the savannah before making a makeshift camp near some thorny trees. The night passes easily enough besides a couple biting ants and a loud roaring that wakes everyone up in the predawn hours. No terrible predator is seen though.
The next morning, the skies are clear besides the white smoke that still rises from the south where the Bon Ton Roller burns. You stretch your weary joints and prepare for the walk to Whitebridge.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
"Say, Cap'n? There's a chance we might happen into some folks in Whitebridge that we didn't exactly part on good terms with, one might say. We'll try to keep you and the boy clear, should things go sour on us."
Cap'n Voodoo |
The trade path is easily followed and fortunately, none of the fantastic creatures Estabo describes appear, but the hot sun beating down all day across the savannah is particularly grueling without a cabin in which to retreat. It takes a little longer than you expect and it is only on the afternoon of the third day that the patches of trees become larger and more frequent until you are surrounded once again by hazy jungle. Soon the roar of the Vanji fills your ears and drowns out the bird calls and the unending drone of insects.
The road leads to a clearing before the station and allowing a view from the shelter of the heavy green leaves. Whitebridge Station rises from the haze ahead. You notice a slight scent of smoke as a breeze rises further clearing your view. The river flows through a gorge where pilings of stone and enormous timber support a bridge some forty feet above the Vanji.
A large pier and tower rise downriver on the near bank. Slightly up river is a two story caravanserai. It is the bridge itself that commands attention, however. It arcs above the ruddy flow and bears buildings and fortification all along its length. The three serpent pennants of the Aspis Consortium flap gently over the bridge, but that is the only movement seen at what should be a bustling trade station. You hear nothing but the gurgling of the muddy river.
James "Madman Jim" Patterson |
"Feck this sidewise, can't we have anything go well? There's a curse on us, sure as anything." The Taldan brightens. "On the other hand, doesn't look as though we'll run into anyone who might be a problem, hey? Well, let's go see what's happened, and if there's anything better to eat than cheese...and anything stronger than water."
Cap'n Voodoo |
Upon closer approach, signs of violence become apparent. A small boat is sunk near the pier. Soot stains the walls of the caravanserai. Black flies congregate on a small pile of splattered viscera.
Estabo picks up a broken arrow from the ground. "Maybe ze elves already kill your enemies. Who were you looking for?"
"Keelhaul" Kaul |
Sorry laddies - been tied up at an SIT since yesterday... Pressure testing is a bore... but a time consuming one.
Kaul feels the stirring of his divine nut and pops him out for a better look-see.
"Hur. Dallywag will get his - good and proper... Whatcha reckons to all [i[this[/i] then Tum?"
The thug presents the coconut idol to one and all.