Zorg will take a step back and hurl his dagger at the lobster-creature. He then notices a very pretty seashell on the sand by his feet.
"Ooh! Opalescent!"
Given a brief moment to think, ('Thanks Noonan!'), Sidhon considers what creature the mudbugs might be - and how edible.
Sorry Zorg-- you are grappled by Thing 2. You'll have to escape him first.
~~~
Gilraen takes a valiant swing and misses.
~~~
Sidhon suddenly recognizes the creatures' description, from long nights listening to tall tales.
They are Reefclaws, an aberrant sea creature- Part giant lobster, part giant eel. They have 2 claw attacks and are feared for their grappling proficiency. In addition, they are rumored to fight thru their death throes to give one final attack. This last may have been the part that tipped Sidhon off.
And yes... their claws are treasured for their succulent lobster-type meat. Although the rest of their aberrant flesh is rumored to be distasteful.
Zorg wriggles in the claw of the creature, trying to slip free, all the while cursing in Goblin.
Zorg squirms and curses mightily to no avail.
Sandara debates having her octopus attack the reefclaw, but doubts it can do real damage. Being too far to try anything else, Sandara pulls out a heavy crossbow and fires.
And the bolt flies wide.
Round 2
Sidhon (23) (-7 hp)
Thing 1 (23) (unconscious)
Thing 2 (22) (grappling Zorg)
Noonan (20)
Gilraen (18)
Zorg (12) (-2 hp, grappled)
Sandara (3)
Sidhon, You're up.
Sidhon races around to the far side of the reefclaw, casts 'corrosive touch', and tags the beast open handed.
Sidhon attacks with a sizzling spell!
(If I understand correctly, the Reefclaw is also "grappled" and loses 2 to its AC, making its touch AC 10.)
And his crackling touch hits and fizzes against the monster's carapace. The reefclaw chooses not to take an attack of opportunity, and instead continues to squeeze Zorg.
(It seems the lobster woulda gotten extra bonuses to hit something its already grappling, but I can't find rules on that. Only the -2 to attack while grappling, and the targets -2 to AC while being grappled. A wash. If anyone has a better understand, please esplain.)
The Reefclaw attempts to squeeze the life out of its tasty morsel, while simultaneously dragging it into deeper and safer waters.
Miss!
Hit!
The reefclaw will drag Zorg into square N12. The water is about chest high on Zorg, but it is deep enough for the reefclaw to swim away next round.
~~~
Noonan, Gilraen, and Zorg-- you're up! You
You can all post your actions, but I will treat them sequentially in that order.
Zorg continues to struggle against the creature, hoping its recent brush with acid will make it easier to escape.
Noonan wouldn't be too concerned if it weren't for the fact that the thing was heading back into the water with Zorg...
Noonan runs to flank
and swing at that thing with his Greatsword using Power Attack
Swinging:
Damage:
Is it now harried with 4 of us on it?
Noonan and Gilraen take mighty swings and cleave the air. We'll write the story to say they were attempting not to hit Zorg.
Zorg spits and hisses and struggles mightily, and yet still finds himself in the claws of the creature.
Not wanting to waste a round reloading her crossbow, Sandara moves closer to the party and channels healing energy to everyone within 30' of her. Sidhon and Zorg, I'm looking at you. (Fortunately?) the reefclaw was uninjured and does not take healing.
Round 3
Sidhon (23) (-3 hp)
Thing 1 (23) (conscious again, but badly hurt. GM/Sandara's oops.)
Thing 2 (22) (grappling Zorg)
Noonan (20)
Gilraen (18)
Zorg (12) (-2 hp {lost 4, gained 4}, grappled)
Sandara (3)
Sidhon, You're up.
Sorry Sidhon, yes, you did get your original damage on Thing 2. Originally 5 damage, now 1.
Your missile hits of course, doing another 2 damage for a total of 3 to Thing 2.
Thing 1 is still pretty badly damaged and crawls slowly towards the water as well.
Thing 2 drags his tasty prize into the water and swims 20 feet down. (This would provoke an AoO from Sidhon, except he's not threatening with a weapon.)
Noonan, Gilraen, and Zorg, you are up!
At this point Zorg begins yelling as he struggles to wrest himself from the thing's claws. That is, until they go underwater, at which point he has the sense to close his trap.
Zorg, I'll count that as your move action. You can still attack, which is strangely only at -2. (And his AC is -2 because he is also grappled.)
If Noonan gets an attack of opportunity as the thing turns away from him and walks away here's a swing with the Greatsword and Power Attack
damage:
If Noonan doesn't have this attack of opportunity, he'll swim after and attack the lobster holding Zorg.
Swim check:
If she gets one:
damage:
Regular attack:
damage:
In sequence:
Zorg's Escape check vs the Reefclaw's CMB:
The Reefclaw still has Zorg grappled even with the +4 Zorg adds for danger.
Noonan *does* get an Attack of Opportunity, since he was flanking in the prior round. His attack hits, and he badly wounds Reefclaw 2.
Noonan You could either strike from land or swimming. Swimming you'd have to make a successful swim check, which you have. Either way it looks like you would have a -2 to hit, and do 1/2 damage. So you can make another roll if its pertinent after everyone else's turns.
Gilraen: Why a d3? Are you hitting unarmed? If so, remind me if you have improved unarmed strike. Otherwise you can't take an attack of opportunity.
In either case your regular hit, hits! And knocks the reefclaw unconscious.
Zorg can now successfully hit the reefclaw, as its unconscious. You can use a move action and a DC10 swim check to try to swim back to shore.
Sandara will try to rapier Reefclaw 1 as it tries to escape. And misses badly.
Noonan Let's say your AoO was against #2- the one swimming away with Zorg. Successful. For your turn why don't you give an attack roll for #1, which is trying to get away?
[ooc] Yup, improved unarmed [ooc]
[ooc] Yup, improved unarmed [ooc]
What I get for posting before caffeine.
attack of the one getting away:
damage:
"Oh no, no, no. Today it is eat or be eaten, my succulent friend."
Sidhon casts 'acid splash' at reefclaw#1, then wades out to (unnecessarily) help Zorg to shore, and retrieve the body of reefclaw#2.
,
"C'mon matey, these are plenty big eatin' crabs."
Gilraen's brave and barefisted efforts had some impact on the critter, but the shell was tough to crack.
Zorg missed his captor, but achieved his greater goal of returning to land.
Noonan first swing gutted the Reefclaw holding Zorg, and helped free him, but his pivot to attack the escaping reefclaw missed by inches.
Sidhon knocked the escapee out with a sizzle.
And taking no chances, Sandara coup de graced it. Ye'll not get away this time, mate.
When all said and done, you manage to retrieve 4 fine looking claws. And with a little while longer, you'll fill your pots with crabs.
Now how to get your bounty back to the ship?
"Once we get everyone healed up, I've got a spell to help with swimming - but I can only use it once a day. If we figure a way to attach the pots together it might be best if I use it on you, Noonan. You not only are the best swimmer, but are also the strongest and could take all the pots back and we could just worry about getting ourselves back without drowning. I could cast it on someone else, but I'm not sure that with the weight of the full pots it would really help. What does anyone else think?"
As they're detaching the claws from the reefclaws, Sidhon considers whether there is a portion of the beasties that might be used as a floating tub - perhaps large backplates that could float?
Zorg speaks up after catching his breath from the ordeal. "I also have a spell like that." After a second's pause, he hastily adds, "Um... Aaar!"
Sandara speaks up. Aye and I also have a spell to help some move better thru the water. Perhaps 'tween us, we can manage not ta fight off these beasties only to drown on the way back.
Zorg, aided by his stalwart companions, manages to tie a bizarre rigging of pots and crab claws to Noonan. You would think all this would weigh Noonan down, but it only slows him slightly, like trinkets dragging behind a wedding carriage.
Gilraen'll cast on Sidhon - he seemed to have the toughest time.
Sandara will cast Slipstream on Noonan, giving him another 20' to his swim speed, so its back to 40'/round.
Sandara's Swim Checks
Sandara's strokes are strong and sure, with one small pause for breath.
'hey - this is kinda fun with some help. I could get to actually enjoy this.'
Swim checks:
Swimming:
Swimming:
Swimming:
Swimming:
So all of you make it safely back to the ship, amidst the jeers and cheers of various shipmates. Noonan lands on deck with a flourish amidst all the odd pots and claws dangling about him.
Kipper and Narwhal and Fipps moan and pay up bets they'd placed hoping you'd get eaten by the reefclaws.
Conchie pipes up on your behalf tho. Zees reefclaws, zay should make zee captain very happy, yes? He motions for Caulky, the cabin girl, to go tell the captain.
Within a few minutes the Captain himself appears. When he sees the crabs, his expression brightens. And when he sees the reefclaws he gets the biggest grin you've ever seen on him. Well yes, this is bounty indeed. Well done lads, well done. Which one of ye's the cook? The weird elf? So be it. Well done. Take these here down to Fishguts, and make sure he makes a proper job of it. I'll be eatin' well tonite. Here, take these. See? Competence is rewarded here aboard the Wormwood! He scowls at everyone else, and then grins and rubs his hands gleefully as he walks away.
Caulky runs up and gives Gilraen a potion of cure moderate wounds, and 3 potions of cure light wounds from the captain.
Tonight our hardies are celebrated with song, and encouraged to tell (and embellish) the tale. Fishguts manages to sneak a little crab into the general stewpot, although he definitely saves the reefclaw for the captain.
Make a DC 10 fortitude save for your Rum Check (or other check to misdirect the rum. Also let me know of other actions you'd like to take. I'll give you a little time to post before moving on to tomorrow.
Zorg will gladly accept one of the minor potions (pocketing it rather than using it), and just as surely accept his ration of rum for the evening after a better than average dinner.
However, being a little hurt from the reefclaw attack, he decides (uncharacteristically) to turn in early in the hopes of feeling a bit better in the morning.
Gilraen had intended to hit folks with heal spells before we started swimming. She said something about it, but never did the rolls. Guess she'll do them when she gets back to ship.
Zorg
Sidhon
Does that get folks back up?
Fort: - OK, what does that do to her?
She'll go ahead and tell the story:
Rum check:
Gilraen and Sandara healed up the group before the swim back. (otherwise a night's rest gets you 1hp per level.)
Gilraen gets besotted. It gives her the fatigued effect for 8 hours (a good nights sleep will end it). It also gives her +3 temporary boost to Charisma which makes her embellishment of the story even more entertaining. Conchie and Rosie add some music to the tale. Fishguts and CutThroat swing buy to have a listen, and everyone is vastly entertained. Except perhaps a few of your detractors, but they decide to keep silent for a while.
Eventually everyone lurches to their hammocks, and feel refreshed after an uninterrupted nights sleep.
DAYS 12 & 13
Everyone will be making ship repairs of one kind or another. The ship is still badly damaged from the storm. The relief at having survived, and the thrill at besting some tasty foes, fades again in the endless drudgery of cleaning, repairing, and maintaining the ship.
Riggers will be repairing the rigging.
Noonan make a DC10 profession sailor or Dex check, for each day.
Swabs will be sewing sails.
Zorg make a DC10 profession sailor or Dex check, for each day.
Sidhon will be continuing his repairs on the whole malfunctioning wheel-rudder system. The Captain wants to keep pushing on, he always conveys urgency about it, but you never hear why. But finally Plugg convinces him to pull up beside some reefs so the rudder can be addressed more effectively. There never seems to be formal acknowledgement, but when you go get the tools and show up to work on the rudder there is an unspoken acceptance that this is your job now. Hambly pops up to scowl at you every once in a while, and then disappears mumbling something about sawing logs. So even if you don't have his help, at least you don't have to waste time pretending to do something else.
Make a DC10 craft (ship) roll for each day. Still have 50 points of damage to mend.
Gilraen Luckily there is still enough crab and reefclaw left that you don't need to go fishing for these two days. But more food needs to be made. You'll spend half a day helping prepare todays stew, and half a day trying to put the galley back in order.
Make a DC12 profession (cook) or int roll for cooking each day, and
Make a DC12 profession (cook) or wisdom roll for cleaning each day.
Everybody needs to make a DC10 rum ration check for each night. (Or the diverted rum check.)
Let me know if there's anything additional you'd like to do each day. Refer back to ships actions under campaign info for ideas.
The hug from the reefclaw had been a bit uncomfortable, but after healing, food, booze, and then sleep, Zorg wakes up feeling refreshed and regales the nearby sailors with more sea shanties as he sews the sails. He's even so content that he will attempt to focus on one of them (preferably one who is currently neutral toward his group) and sway them to be a bit more friendly.
Each night after dinner, he happily takes his rum, but only once per night.
The second night, for some reason, the rum lands hard. Really hard.