There be lootin' to do - Skulls & Shackles

Game Master Spazmodeus

I'm assuming there's been enough of an alarm raised that we heard it in the 'master bedroom'... if not, ignore this post

Arhiel leaps to her feet when she hears the alarms... "Sounds like the sahuagin have launched their attack... I've got to go, they'll need me." She rushes out of the room and to the walls.

2 rounds of double moves to get to the roof, 1 round to cast mage armor and look for danger.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Oh, that's right. We can double move. Let me check the map again.

EDIT: Okay. I think I may have it. I think my earlier move actions may have taken longer because I'm not sure where the door to the roof is on the map. If it's the south opening in B11, then I can make it within at least 2 rounds.

Diana can come down a flight of stairs

Okay. Now I see the stairs to the roof. For some reason, I had trouble reading these maps. Now that I know that where the path to the roof is, I recounted and I can make it within two rounds of double move actions. So, for my round three action, I would like to do the Perception check that I originally rolled.

Isaac, Arhiel, Jaina, and Edward (bot) rush up to the roof of Tidewater Rock, while your crew, rousted from their slumber, hauls their rears to their battle stations. As you all get to the top, you see Diana directing the siege crew to fire--again--at the longboats approaching the tower. Arhiel and Diana can see the longboats moving through the fog, one figure standing in the front of the boats and making gestures that look like they're summoning the fog. One of your crew's bolts finds its mark, eliciting a cry amid the splintering wood, but the other sails off into the fog.

As the longboats approach, the standing figure--female, you can tell now--at the prow of the foremost boat raises her hands and weaves a different gesture. With a sudden roar, a blue lightning bolt springs from her fingers and smashes into the door! The door holds...for now, and she begins to gesture again.

COMBAT! ROUND ONE

Seeing that the situation is dire, you leap into action! Jaina staggers slightly, clapping her hands to her ears at the noise of the thunder.

Everyone but Jaina is up! You can use the map, but note that the longboats are 30' south of the southern edge of the tower and also 65' down. There are a bunch of pirates in each boat in addition to the figure throwing lightning bolts, but all have concealment due to the dim light (20% miss chance).

Initiative
Arhiel, Diana, Edward, Isaac<------
Enemy leader
Jaina
Your crew and foe crew

Combat Map

Sorry guys.

With the dim light, Edward casts dancing lights to illuminate the battelfield.

"We need some proper sight. Alright siege crew, they're all yours."

Arhiel tries to disrupt the caster by plowing a few magic missiles into her, ruining her concentration (if she's not actually casting, oh well, she'll still take the damage I hope)

mm dmg: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4, 2) + 3 = 12

Can I assume the other actions, including Protection from evil and Bless have been cast?

Diana adds to the lighting condition by casting Faerie Fire on the caster and those around her (5'radius burst), removing the miss chance and making it darn hard for them to hide. if you rule that the FF does not remove the miss chance then change her action to Glitterdust where she hopes to catch both the caster (primary) and the person stearing the longboat.

Target the caster. She is the main threat! Diana encourages.

As she does this she tries her best to direct her siege weapons.

Profession siege: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

Isaac scowls as he draws his shortbow. He moves to the southern edge of the tower to get ready to fire.

@Diana: yes, your other spells are cast! @Arhiel: ...that was misleading language on my part, but since your goal is clearly to disrupt her casting why don't we say you ready the magic missile against her casting?

ROUND ONE (cont'd)

As Isaac takes out his bow and gets into position, Edward summons a small bundle of lights and Diana casts a spell that actually lights up the leading woman and three of her companions with a dim but nonetheless persistent glow. Arhiel readies herself and, as she sees the other woman preparing to cast another spell, looses a flurry of magical bolts at her! The other woman, taking by surprise, staggers slightly in the longboat and the electrical energy gathering in her hands fizzles out. She glares up at all of you...

And Jaina is up!

Initiative
Arhiel, Diana, Edward, Isaac
Enemy leader
Jaina<----
Your crew and foe crew

Combat Map

Round 1: Actions
Full-Round Action: Start running for the first floor!

Jaina grimaces briefly. "Don't really have any range. I'll head back to the first floor in case the bastards try to enter!"

She turns and starts running back down the stairs.

ROUND TWO!

As Jaina dashes for the stairs, realizing that things might get hair down there, the crew of the longboats put their backs into their oars and the foremost one runs up against the Rock's stairs! You can see (thanks to Diana's light) that several of them are pulling out boarding axes and other tools to break down the door--Jaina's concern is not misplaced!

Your own crew are presumably starting to man the barricade below; the siege crew up top, now fully mobilized, launches projectiles down at the longboat still fully on the water below (though they're too close to use the catapult). One group fouls the ballista in their haste, and the other one just barely misses, but the last strikes true, punching a hole in the enemy's boat!

Everyone but Jaina is up!

Initiative
Arhiel, Diana, Edward, Isaac
Enemy leader
Jaina
Your crew and foe crew

Combat Map

Norv, i guess we're 40-50 feet above ground level? A little hint on the map of where the enemy is at in relation to us would be nice...since spells range..... :P

Edward starts inspire.

Sorry. You're 65' above "ground" level. The boats are immediately adjacent to, and then 15' south of, the southern wall (also where the door is).

EDIT: don't have time to add things to the map now but will later today or tomorrow. Sorry!!

Isaac scowls at the sight of the invaders making ready. "I be takin' one shot at this. Iffen things ge' desperat', then I be joinin' Jania to defend th' barricad' Diana, keep th' pressur' on 'em!" He then draws an arrow on his short bow and fires at the nearest invader.

Attack (range, inspire): 1d20 + 5 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 - 2 + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Isaac's arrow elicits a cry of pain from down below as Edward encourages everyone to keep going.

Diana? Arhiel?

Spells up: Bless and Protection from Evil

Since the enemy attacking the tower are too close for the catapults can they fire upon the ship? And how many long boats are there?

Diana will target the caster and those around her with a Glitterdust spell. DC 16 will save or be blind. Take -40 on stealth either way.

Arhiel readies a magic miss Ile to target the caster agsin, if she starts casting.

mm dmg if cast: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (3, 4, 1) + 3 = 11

ROUND TWO (cont'd)

Diana conjures a burst of blinding gold dust around the enemy captain--the woman below manages to shield her eyes and looks up again, furious, but several pirates around her yelp and grope at their eyes. She moves her hands to cast another spell, which brings down Arhiel's wrath. She shrieks in rage and you can see her glaring up at Arhiel...

But Jaina's up first! Just going to keep running?

EDIT: Forgot these...

Initiative
Arhiel, Diana, Edward, Isaac
Enemy leader
Jaina<----
Your crew and foe crew

Combat Map

Yep. Pretty much.

ROUND THREE!

As Jaina continues pell-mell down the stairs, you can see the buccaneers below surging up the steps. The sound of an axe hitting the door reverberates, but they don't seem to be having much luck so far...Meanwhile, your siege crew have found their rhythm, and while the catapult stone splashes into the lagoon, two bolts deal crippling damage to the second longboat!

Rest of the party's up!

Initiative
Arhiel, Edward, Diana, Isaac<-----
For leader
Jaina
Both crews

Combat Map

Edward casts grease on the 10ft by 10ft surface by the door.

Reflex DC 15.

Btw Norv, how many enemies are within 30ft of me?

While congratulating her siege team she continues to guide them and fires her own crossbow at the caster below.

mwk underwater heavy crossbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 + 2 = 221d10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Arhiel readies another magic missile to use on the caster if she tries again... eventually one or the other one of them will run out of spells, lol

Isaac growls as the enemy pirates begin hacking at the door. He drops his shortbow and runs down to the stairs, making his way to the barricade.

Double move actions to move a total of 120 feet.

Sorry for the delay--busy weekend!

ROUND THREE (cont'd)

Edward casts a spell that summons a slick of oil to coat the stairs of the tower, throwing several of the buccaneers below into confusion! Isaac begins his dash down the stairs as Diana takes a shot at the spellcaster with her crossbow. The bolt flies true--but it shatters against the woman's shoulder, splintering without doing any apparent damage!

Arhiel readies herself to spell the woman again, but your opponent, glaring upward, dives gracefully off the side of her boat and disappears into the water, quickly vanishing beneath the waves!

Jaina's up...still running? Just have to check in. :P

Initiative
Arhiel, Edward, Diana, Isaac
Foe leader
Jaina<------
Both crews

Combat Map

Yep. Still running. However long it takes to get to where the buccaneers are breaking in.

Last round for that. ;)

ROUND FOUR

Tearing through the open doors on the second floor, Jaina hurtles down the last set of stairs--really a stepped ladder--into the ground floor. A motley mix of your crew and tower guards waits there, behind the improvised barricade. Overhead, she can hear more of them firing out of second-floor arrowslits, trying to pick off the invaders. The door is still intact so far...

But there's a splintering sound. One of the pirates on the far side has found his feet, and is hacking into the door with what sounds like an ax. The good news is that there are also distressed cries as all three ballistae up top land bolts in the second longboat, causing its crew to abandon ship as it crumples and begins to sink! The catapult crew cheer as well, as their second stone lands a glancing blow on the prow of the distant ship!

Good round for the crew--Arhiel's, Diana, Edward, and Isaac up!

Initiative
Arhiel, Edward, Diana, Isaac<-------
Foe leader
Jaina
Both crews

Combat Map

Keeping up inspire, Edward weaves words of a spell in them.

Casting sleep to go off near the door next round.

Arhiel readies to hit the caster with another magic missile if she shows up again...

Isaac continues to run to the barricade.

Double move to move 120 feet. I think I put my token into the right place.

Diana continues to encourage her siege crew while casting a spell at the caster below.

Admonishing Ray: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 = 274d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 4, 3) = 10

Confirm?: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 = 114d4 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 2) = 12

Diana, sorry if I wasn't clear--the caster is completely out of line of sight/effect, essentially hiding underneath her own boat. I'd hate to waste that...not crit, but good shot. Do you want to ready an action against the caster showing up again? Or would you rather unleash the ray on one of the fighters below this turn?

Edward finishes his casting of sleep, and has it go off in a 10ft radius, to try and put as many enemy pirates to sleep as possible, without hitting friendlies.

DC 16 will.

Keeping up inspire, Edward readies an action to cast blindness on the enemy caster, when she next shows herself.

Will ready. Much less worried about fighter types.

ROUND FOUR (cont'd)

As Isaac continues his descent to the second floor and Edward chants the words to his sleep spell (which will go off next round--that wasn't a round count! ;)), Arhiel and Diana ready themselves in cast the enemy caster appears again...

And they don't have long to wait. Suddenly, the woman explodes upward out of the water...flying. Despite the surprise, Diana and Arhiel both unleash their magic, and a clear bolt of force and three silver missiles slam into her!

Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3, 1) + 3 = 9

Although the missiles knock her slightly off-balance, she continues her upward glide, rage filling her face. "Keep blasting me with magic missiles, will you?! We'll see about that!" she snarls. As she approaches, she gestures with a claw-like swipe, and Arhiel cries out as something suddenly blacks out her vision!

Arhiel is blinded! O.O The flying caster is now on the map; she's 15' below the level of the battlements and 15' out from the southwest corner.

Downstairs, Jaina sees Rosie and a group of your pirates prepped behind the barricade, but the door hasn't given way yet. What does she do?

Jaina's up!

Initiative
Arhiel, Edward, Diana, Isaac
Foe leader
Jaina<-----
Both crews

Combat Map

what, no save?

Arhiel screams in surprise and frustration...

He rolled the save for you.

Round 4: Actions
Move Action: Stand alongside the rest of the crew
Standard Action: Total Defence: +4 to AC until my next turn.

Jaina moves towards the front of the buccaneers and adopts a defensive posture.

oh.. I didn't look in the spoilers... thanks

[iooc]But to be fair, didn't Arhiel ready to disrupt spell casting and not to simply target the caster when she is seen?[/b]

Diana blasts the flying caster again as she encourage her siege to fire again.

Admonishing Ray: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 = 244d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 1, 4) = 17

Also I miss-rolled my damage, rolling d4d instead of 4d6. So if you will allow:

Admonishing Ray Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 4, 2) = 14

We're getting a little discombobulated here, turn-wise--please keep an eye on the initiative tracker, folks! Diana, good catch on the ray damage. Arhiel, yes, remember that I typically roll saves for you guys to speed up play. If you'd all like, we can change that...but it will slow things down a tad.

Continuing...

ROUND FIVE!

Jaina rushes forward and stands with the rest of the crew, ready for an assault, should one come...she hears an ax thump against the door without doing much, then a voice snarl, "Outta the way!" This is followed by some creative cursing, and finally another ax slamming into the door, this one a better hit...but still the door holds firm.

Atop the tower, Arhiel screams (anything else?) while Edward finishes chanting his spell and sends two of the buccaneers below to dreamland! Turning toward the flying caster, he chants another spell against her, trying to do to her as she did to Arhiel. She claws at her eyes for a second, but manages to shake the spell off with an effort. She glares up at Edward and Diana. Cog tries to shoot her with his bow, but misses. Your siege crews continue to batter the distant ship as Diana looses another bolt of force and catches the caster in the gut. She's looking much the worse for wear...

Isaac and Arhiel have actions left to take before the enemy caster!

Initiative
Edward, Diana, Arhiel, Isaac<----
Foe leader
Jaina
Both crews

Combat Map

Isaac continues to run as fast as he can.

More double move actions.

I have no problem with you rolling saves, I just didn't see it... I'm good with what's happened...

Arhiel drops down to the ground, behind the parapets and begins casting a summoning spell, because her summoned creatures will have their sight, and not dependent on hers.

When the spell goes off, which will be the beginning of next round, she will have summoned: 1d3 ⇒ 3 celestial eagles.

Because she cannot place them where she will, she'll summon them near her and send them at the closest foes, which will likely be the ones at the base of the tower trying to break in the gates and because they will have to move before attacking, will each get only one attack on their first round.

ROUND FIVE (cont'd)

Isaac dashes through the keep as Arhiel, blinded, begins to summon celestial eagles to her friends' aid. The enemy spellcaster, still flying, snarls at Diana, "One down, one to go." Zipping up to a spot above the parapet, she intones strange words and gestures, and a massive sphere of swirling water appears out of nowhere on the parapet! Its swirling waters suck Diana into the vortex!

Diana takes 8 points of nonlethal damage and is entangled by the aqueous orb! Jaina is up!

Initiative
Edward, Diana, Arhiel, Isaac
Foe leader
Jaina<-----
Both crews

Combat Map

Round 5: Actions
Standard Action: Total Defence again.

Jaina glances over at Rosie. "Think we should open the door for the poor little s*@@s? They're clearly not strong enough to break it down on their own." She asks with a flippant tone.

ROUND SIX!

Diana pointed out that I should've rolled two saves for her hitting the aqueous orb, so here goes save 2!

Diana Ref DC 18: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 :( Sorry, Diana!

Rosie glances at Jaina and chuckles. "I'm sure those s@#&heads are pissing themselves to get their asses in here right now. I'm tempted, but I see no reason we gotta make it easy on the m@@@&#!%++&@s." Some of the crew around her and you don't quite seem to share your sense of humor about it, glancing at the door nervously. Another ax blade thuds into the door, this time coming all the way through. The man on the far side wrenches it out and grins into the crack. "Peekaboo!"

Up on the top of the tower, Cog curses and fires an arrow down at the crewmen below. Your siege teams continue to operate their weapons, although there's few targets they can reasonably hope to hit with one longbow directly under the wall and the enemy's ship so far out on the lagoon.

Diana, Edward, Arhiel, and Isaac are up!

Initiative
Edward, Diana, Arhiel, Isaac<------
Foe leader
Jaina
Both crews

Combat Map

Edward keeps up his inspire.

As he goes, he prepares for a special few words, that will lash out at the enemy caster when she starts casting again.

And i so do hope she doesn't decide to fly away.
Preparing chord of shards. When she starts casting, i strike a note that sends 2d6 dmg her way.

Escape from the Sphere: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 82d6 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4

Diana is unable to escape the sphere of churning water and continues to be battered while holding her breath. She takes 4 more nonlethal damage for a total of 12

ARhiel finishes her casting and suddenly there are 1d3 ⇒ 2 eagles circling the tower.. they dive bomb the closest target - the man with the axe at the door.

eagle 1:

to hit: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 26
dmg if hits: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5

eagle 2:

to hit: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 14
dmg if hits: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

eagle 1 confirmation:

to confirm crit: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 24
extra dmg if crits: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

She contemplates her options, and quickly runs through her known spells in her mind... deciding almost everything needs targeting, she immediately begins casting another summoning spell.

Arhiel, you rolled 3 eagles at your previous post. ;)