GM Poisonblade |
Prologue
Four of the Six players Boarded in Cheliax. PCs who boarded there are Blythe, Angada, Ralismit, and Harper. Linard came aboard at Corentyn. This is something everyone would know, The sixth player has to get back to me on this detail.
The passengers are summoned for their evening meal. Over the few weeks you have been on board the Jeinvere this has become something of a staple. From the lively conversation, to the bold stories told by either the Captain Alziandru Kovack, or the admirable violin playing of his first mate Alton Devers each night has been a delight. You are joined by the first mate, the captain, a gnome by the name of Gelik, a red hair flirty woman by the name of Sasha, and a pale woman you have not spoke with but you know that her name is Ieana. Like usual Ieana is eating with her nose in a book.
For the last few dinners they have not been as robust and joyous as they were. You have been sailing south for several days and you are expecting to reach Sargavan port within several hours on the morrow.
There is rumored to be other passengers on board but you have not met them. Aside from the crew there is a least one prisoner, bound for trial in Eleder.
Kovack, stairs blankly into space eating his meal without enthusiasm. Alton is visibly tense, again.
Alton to Kovack. Pardon ser, but have you sent the meal to the prisoner?
Kovack, stairs for a second longer, blinks looks disturbed and says No, not today.
Alton, drops his fork with a crash. Did we feed him yesterday?
Kovack, looking perturbed. I do not recall.
Alton gets up from the table and leaves the room.
posting pics of the npcs soon, aside from that the floor is open
Linard Toivan |
Linard glances disapprovingly at the Captain as Alton storms off, but says nothing. In his mind, it is strictly not a passenger's business to interfere with crew dealings, even if there is a clear tension between the captain and the crew. He sighs and continues eating, trusting their professionalism. After all, in a single night he's going to be off the ship. He tried to stop himself from thinking about seeing Eleder again after all these years, as it made him overly excited, which was not good for digestion or the sleep.
Angada |
Angada will be finding a quiet place to try and watch through the night. The way it was casually shrugged off about the care of a passenger has made Angada not want to be in a cabin for the evening. He did not care for the thought of being trapped with no recourse. No matter the crime, the prisoner should not be treated that way during transportation.
Harper Montajay II |
Harper continues eating the fine meal. He has spent most of the night flirting with the lovely red haired woman, Sasha.
Why captain...looks like you have angered your first mate. Who is this prisoner anyway?
Harper flashes a charismatic smile at the captain curious as to what could be causing the crew so much tension.
GM Poisonblade |
@ Blythe -
The captain looks at Harper and calls for wine otherwise ignoring his question completely. Odd and rather rude seeing that he looked at the Bard when he was being spoken too.
A rotund cook comes around offering another helping of stew and wine.
Sasha is sitting close to Harper, laughing and teasing with a hand in his lap and a hand around her flagon. It hasn’t been emptied yet this evening and she is rather drunk. Sasha is a handsome woman with bright red hair, pale freckled skin, and a quick wit. She seems to missing a finger. She does quite well to hide the fact, yet glimpses can be seen.
Sasha @ Harper. Drink up lovely, we are nearly to port I want to have a bit of brightness before we get to the dreary Eleder.
Raxilsmit |
Dot
Used to being a spoiled plaything, Raxilsmit is having trouble with the ships fare, and picks at his food. He eyes the wine being passed around, and thinks of happier days with a forlorn look on his face. He seems to be accepted on the ship if not embraced...it seems anyone is accepted for what they can do on the open sea, not for what they are.
He notices the captains seeming miasma.
DM
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 Sense Motive...is something wrong with the captain?
Blythe Merovingian |
Blythe picks at her food, listening to the talk of the table. Sea voyages will never seem to do well with her, and this food was...lacking. She sipped at her water gingerly, having added a few leaves of mint to it. She had been subsisting on this for days now.
Harper Montajay II |
Harper turns his attention away from the captain. Hmmm...didn't expect a response, but now I know there is some kind of trouble with the prisoner. Either way, it is fun to make the captain squirm.
Harper smiles at Sasha and then winks as he finishes off his flagon of ale, A little brightness would be nice gorgeous. Being a lady's man at the Academy, the banter between he and Sasha appears natural. It's nice to spend time with someone who matches my wit. So many dull and ignorant people in this world. Her looks don't hurt either. Harper smiles to himself at the thought of that while trying to avoid looking at her missing finger.
As he puts his arm around Sasha, He addresses the monk: Don't have much of an appetite dear?
GM Poisonblade |
@ Raxil
Gelik, the gnome dressed in rose colored silk, yauns and excuses himself. I am dreadfully tired, I dare say its time for bed.
Blythe Merovingian |
Blythe sips her water, addressing Harper, "I do not want sea-men." The cabin becomes absolutely silent, as everyone looks around awkwardly. "This is how you say in your country...to not be sailor?"
Linard Toivan |
"You are correct, sir. Let us go to sleep and wake up to the sounds of arrival to the port of our destination", Linard replies to Gelik.
Linard makes a point of finishing everything he has left on his plate, displaying his honed skills in use of the cutlery, then wipes his mouth and stands up. "I bid you good night, captain. It certainly seems that you could use some rest as well." With a curt bow, he turns around and leaves for his cabin.
Harper Montajay II |
Tips his hat to the cleric. You are going to miss all of the fun sir.
Smiles at the monk while holding back a chuckle. Not a fan of ocean travel? We wil be on land soon enough. I find that a little ale settles the nerves personally.
Harper gently rubs Sasha's upper back after he responds to the monk. To Sasha: Care for another drink darling? I will get enough rest when I am dead.
Blythe-I spit my water when I read your response lol!
Angada |
Anganda climbs up whatever will not be in the sailors way to find a quiet place to enjoy the sea air. The tight enclosures is not something he will ever see as comfortable for living except when it is the storm season. He watches the stars and the people moving on the boat and gets comfortable for the night. He can sleep later but just doesn't feel like sleeping tonight.
Raxilsmit |
@ Raxil
** spoiler omitted **
Gelik, the gnome dressed in rose colored silk, yauns and excuses himself. I am dreadfully tired, I dare say its time for bed.
"Just a minute friend". "I'm ready to turn in as well". "Perhaps I could walk with you, and you could go over that off-color joke you told before dinner again". "I always mess up the punch lines".
Then when they are alone..."Did anything seem unusual about the captain to you"?
GM Poisonblade |
@ Raxilsmit
The gnome mutters something that is completely slurred. Then clears his throat, and says
Why yes he has, but what about those dancing bears behind you.
He staggers and rights himself by grabbing you. Suddenly your stomach lurches and a mighty belch threatens escape.
@Blythe
You notice nothing strange about Sasha’s room. There is a kukri lying on the bed. It looks very sharp. That’s when you notice the foul taste in your mouth.
@ Angada
How odd, looking over the crew you notice a number of them sleeping, right on deck. Suddenly you feel a lot more tired than you thought you were.
@ Harper
The room spins, perhaps that ale hit you harder than you thought.
At this time I need everyone to make a Perception check. In Blythe’s case this would be an additional Perception. Followed by a Fortitude save. The latter is not to resist, it gives a simple order to the opening of Chapter 1 Shipwrecked on the Shiv. Yes even those of you who are effectively sleeping. .
Perception Checks DC varies
Fortitude Save
When everyone has their Fortitude Save posted we will begin with Chapter 1
Linard Toivan |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
"Ouch. The food has not gone down too well. I better lie down."
The simple bed of his cabin was the last thing Linard remembered before a thick, heavy wave of unhealthy sleep overwhelmed him. Nausea came and went, bringing strange hallucinations, images, sounds of distorted screams and numbed pain. The waves eventually got calmer and more soothing, like an ocean breeze...
Nngara Erebrian |
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
The quiet tall dark skinned elvish woman who boarded at Port Peril and has spent most of the trip watching the shoreline pass by, watches quietly as the others socialize and attempt to gain advantages with one another. After dinner, she goes to the foredeck as she has on most evenings, anxiously watching the coast and knowing that as with her past trips, she cannot get her feet back on solid ground soon enough.
As she is sitting there watching the shore she suddenly realizes something:
I wonder why the captain was not partaking in the fare the rest of us had this evening, he usually does.
As this dawns on her, her eyes begin to feel very heavy as though she had drunk too much, even though she had no wine this evening.
I assume that this is a drug and not a sleep spell/affect as I am immune to them.
GM Poisonblade |
@ Nngara. Yes it is a story effect, something that you will get a chance wtith a knowledge roll on sometime in Chapter 1.
Our order of waking up.
Blythe, Linard & Nngara (at the same time) Angada, Raxilsmit, Harper
No one has there equipment just yet, unless state otherwise, and you still have spells in your memory. You are all suffering the effects of the Sickened Condition.
@Blythe (who is our Fortitude winner – take a point of damage)
You are soaking wet, your head is bounding, and that nasty taste in your mouth is threatening to gag you. A sharp pain in your foot wakes you, it is raining, and you are on a beach just a few feet from the high tide line. A body is impaled on one of the many jagged spears of rock jutting up from the shoreline. Looking at your feet you see two large pincers grasping the air before a sleek rust colored creature, while a finned tail bristling with a long, thin stinger rises behind. The small dog sized creature says
Dod-a-chock? Dod-a-chum!
Uncaring if its prey is awake it moves to take another bite of tasty foot.
Blythe can attack it before it does so
@Linard and Nngara
The dawn air rips in two as a bolt of lighting streaks the sky. Striking only hundreds of feet away from where you lay on a beach. Small hairs stand on end, the very air charged with energy. Various debris crashes ashore not five feet from where you awake. Small creatures a cross between scorpions and lobsters dot the landscape feeding on bodies (these are the same as the one biting Blythe). Another person lies near the two of you. The half-elven woman appears to be breathing.
@ Angada
You start awake. A pain in your side from lying on the corner of a trunk. A dagger is in your belt. A Tian man groans in his sleep on the sand at the base of the trunk, a pool of vomit spreading under him. Looking around you see several items about you – sacks, weapons, a few onions in a pile.
@Raxilsmit
Hearing the lightning and feeling the rain brings you too wakefulness, but the crunching and ripping of flesh snaps you alert. Head bounding, you rise to see a larger Sea Scorpion, about the size of a regular dog, rending the hand off a body. It notices you and is still ‘a-hungry’.
@Harper
Cold glass fills your hand. You awake to find your fingers curled around an empty wine bottle. Focusing past the glass you see a smaller Sea Scorpion interested in your foot as well, though it hasn’t had the courage to take a bite of bard yet.
Nngara Erebrian |
The Mwangi elf jumps to her feet and grabs the half-elven woman and begins to attempt to drag her away from the shore, and the scorpsters. As she does so, she calls out to see whether anyone else is alive.
Help, be there any living amongst thee? Anyone?
Strength (if necessary): 1d20 ⇒ 16
Blythe Merovingian |
Blythe kicks at the creature hard.
And you had to reference that god-awful SK book? Lol.
Linard Toivan |
Linard gets up but almost falls immediately as a searing jolt of pain threatens to rip his skull in two.
The ugly crustaceans cleared his mind of the questions which were racing to be asked. Those could wait until he was safe. He tried to avoid the creature's tail as he attempted to stomp it into the ground.
Atk: 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 1 - 2 = 16
Dmg: 1d3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 - 2 = 2
Angada |
Angada hurries over to the man and makes sure is in no immediate danger then starts to move everything up on the shore away from the tide being able to get it.
Where are we?: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 2 = 7
Is this far enough from the tide: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 5 - 2 = 12
Angada checks the trunk, the sacks, the weapons and tries to make sure what needs to dries is set on a sack spread out over the sand. Others might need help but survival means taking care of supplies over losing them so he sets himself to the task.
Got to keep a lookout: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 2 = 11
GM Poisonblade |
Angada, I am cool with you giving little titles to your rolls but you have to give me some reference as to what they are. You might know ‘Where are we?:’ means but I don’t know if it’s a Perform check or a Reflex save. Please post what it references (ie skill, save, attack) and your addition.
Oh Blythe I was prepared to give a hero point to anyone who called me on it, but as I like the book and your reply is negative…tsk. Ah heck I am only kidding. Good job, +1 Hero Point
Nngara – roll me a Perception Check DC 10, and then a Reflex Save DC 15. If you make the Perception you get a +4 to the Reflex.
Blythe raises her foot and strikes out, but the hungry monster skitters back just out of the way. Embolden by the taste of blood it lashes back, with two pinchers and its nasty stinger. Getting a good look at it, you think that it is some type of natural fauna.
Claw 1d20 ⇒ 8 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Claw 1d20 ⇒ 19 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Sting! 1d20 ⇒ 4 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 plus a DC 10 Fortitude save
Linard rushes the nearest Lobstrosity and kicks it with a crunch. By the throbbing of your foot, it is probably thinking twice about coming after you. But maybe not.
Claw 1d20 ⇒ 18 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Claw 1d20 ⇒ 15 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Sting! 1d20 ⇒ 3 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 plus a DC 10 Fortitude save
Harper, is about ten feet from his very own pint sized horror. Give me an Intimidate check.
Angada looks around, and realizes that everyone who seems to be alive is about five feet above the waves. There is plenty of flotsam and jetsam about. Taking an account of the man, he seems fine. Behind you hear the click clacking of chitinous joints.
Did-a-Cic?
Another crack of lighting followed by a terrible boom of thunder seems to shake reality itself.
Blythe Merovingian |
Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8.
GM Poisonblade |
Nngara Erebrian |
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 4 = 21 <-- extra +4 from beating the perception DC10
Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 <-- what, if anything, do I know about these things?
For future reference, I think the easiest way for Initiative is for the DM to roll it for everyone (just put it into a spoiler you can cut and paste from your PC). That way you avoid an entire round of asking the players for rolls each time we get into combat.
Then make a list, either horizontal, or vertical, listing the Init order. Bold those who have not gone, and then unbold them once they have acted in a round.
Ie: Initially - Nngara, Harper, Monster 1, Angada, Blythe, Raxilsmit, Monster 2, Linard
Ie: Later - Nngara, Harper, Monster 1, Angada, Blythe, Raxilsmit, Monster 2, Linard - after several players have gone.
Also, it is easier usually to group monster - have all the skeletons go on the same Init. If there are different types, split them up, especially boss monsters, or average the Init bonuses and make them all go at once.
I have also seen DMs average all the players rolls, but I do not like this technique as much.
Raxilsmit |
Raxilsmit snaps awake with a start. Seeing the carnage before him he calls for protection.
"Bruno...to me". Standard Action summon Celestial Riding Dog
Bruno
AC13, HP13
SPD-40
Bite +3, DAM 1d6+3
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 Bite attack (+2 additional if flanking can be achieved by summoning location)
1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 Bite Damage
GM Poisonblade |
@Harper
Unmindful of its prey’s loud squalls the creature charges, its deadly stinger coming to bare.
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 for 1d2 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 plus a DC 10 Fortitude Save. Taking 1 Dex damage if you fail.
@Nngara
Nice rolling. Thanks for the pointers. With the exception of this rather odd way of doing Initiative I am not far from your suggestion. This battle confused my table top group too.
Nngara remembers that these things are call Eurypterids, a vermin. There being several subspecies, which seem to be well represented on the Beach. The small ones either being young Common type or Orche Eurypterids. Some species can grow to gigantic sizes and are rumored to attack killer whales. It is also not uncommon for ships to populate there holds with the smaller type to kill off the rats as these natural crustaceans do not carry many diseases. Typically their poison is a neurotoxin causing nervous system failure within moments (Dex, Str, or sometimes Con Damage). She is sure they have no immunities, other than to there own venom.
While the Elven Mage is looking around and thinking, a flash of movement catches her eye. Gelik, the gnome from the ship is running right for you in a blind panic. You slip out of the way and he continues in his mad flight, stumbling on a chunk of drift wood he careens into a large boulder smacking his head badly. His little head opens with a soft wet sound, gushing blood.
@Raxilsmit
No flanking at this time. The beasty torn off the hand and is coming for you but is still about five feet away. Not to mention you have no weapon at the ready. Its turn was tearing off the hand.
A rift in space time opens and Bruno leaps through growling. The dog and the Common Eurypterid are equal size, but having no fear the heavenly canine latches on and shakes. Snapping off the metasoma Bruno still thrashes even though arthropod is quite dead.
Looking about several of the Jenivere’s passengers are having trouble with these critters too. A few are just feasting on bodies in the surf.
@ All
I will dump in a map of everyone’s location in a little bit.
GM Poisonblade |
Color code – this will be static to PCs and NPC Castaways.
Angada – Brown
Blythe – Yellow
Harper – True Green
Linard – Orange
Nngara – Purple/Violet
Raxilsmit – Blue, will include his summons too. The dog is near the shoreline.
Gelik – Rose
Sasha – Red
Ishiro – Sky Blue
Jask – Dark Gray
Areys – Yellow Green
Monsters – White, sometimes with other various ID tags inside the white dot.
Dead Things – a black X, treated as difficult terrain.
Specific to this map there is a Gray Square, which is a pile of various things.
I also did not include the non-combatant Lobstrosities or the various dead bodies. As that is just fluff for the purposes of the encounter.
At the end of each round I will post a new picture while in combat. We are not quite at the end of the round just yet. Blythe, Harper, and Linard need to response to a couple of possible hits.
In hind sight of posting the map, I should put a black dot in the Summons from PCs to tell the difference.
As we go along I will fine tune this for clearer definitions. Input is always welcome, and more often needed. :)
Linard Toivan |
Concentrated on avoiding the nasty-looking tail, Linard is unable to escape from the creature's pincers. One of them painfully hurt his big toe, while the other harmlessly clicked off his armor. -1HP
Letting out a short scream, Linard retaliates:
Atk: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11
Dmg: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Blythe Merovingian |
"Ow!" Blythe yells as a pincher slashes her calf. She shuffles quickly back on her elbows, backing away through the sand, almost running into Harper.
Harper Montajay II |
Harper looks around to see if Sasha is alive and then attempts to hit the vermin with the wine bottle.
Swift action to call on Nethys' luck: +1hit/dmg/skills
Melee attack with improvised weapon: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 3 - 4 = 10
I said get back you nasty little bastard!
Dmg: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
After the attack he rolls 15 feet away (towards Sasha if possible) trying to avoid the creatures full attack (acrobatics): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20