Can't let Grommesson get hit by one of those; I'll never be able to stop him from falling, she thinks. She targets both rear ballistae if possible in the 20' radius, one if not, as she covers the rear of Hestram's ship in black tentacles.
Then she keeps climbing.
Argor emerges onto the deck, followed quickly by Thrassk and Gianluca, to see Cladissa and Grommesson suspended slightly more than halfway between the two ships on a harpoon rope.
Cladissa tries to concentrate enough to cast her spell without falling off the rope.
Her tentacles erupt from the enemy ship, and successfully grapple the soldiers who were operating the harpoon guns. However, now the area at the end of the rope she and Grommesson are climbing is in the midst of the tentacles.
Initiative:
Party 14.6
Enemy ship 10
Randomness 0
Argor looks over the controls and quickly deduces how the ship operates before grasping the steering wheel and guiding the vessel towards Hestram’s ship.
Cladissa keeps climbing. "Grommesson! Don't get into the tentacles! You can climb just as well as I can, so work your way around on the outside of the hull!" she instructs.
Meanwhile, the tentacles writhe and squeeze.
Under Argor's instructions, Thrassk takes to the rigging to help pilot their ship. He is able to make them pick up even more speed.
Gianluca's eyes go wide as he sees how quickly Argor makes sense of the complicated flying mechanisms.
"Your mind is truly a marvel, Argor. I'm glad that we are allies against this threat."
With Argor's instruction, Gianluca does his best to help them gain speed...without much success.
Adril’s airship whips violently side to side in an attempt to throw off the Pathfinder's harpoons.
Whoa, getting dizzy, Cladissa thinks as the rope stretched between the two airships is twisted upwards. She keeps her focus on the climb, letting her tentacles keep their writhing grip on the gunners.
Thrassk continues to hop through the rigging, tugging on lines at Argor's instruction.
And Argor brings the ship level with Hestram’s.
Gianluca shrugs and says, "Well, we done want those to I have all the fun, eh?"
He tries to close the gap but finds he still can't quite get a handle on the controls.
"Psst, Thrassk, got any tips for me?"
"Lessss sssex, more practissse," Thrassk calls down.
”Gianluca, honey, this is port, that is starboard. Does that help?” Adrenia says, giving Gianluca a little help.
In a matter of moments with the team working together, they pull up close behind Adril's ship as Cladissa and Grommesson climb to the edge of the tentacles.
Seeing the airship behind her regain control and altitude, Cladissa abandons the rope and uses her broom to keep from plummeting to the ground. She then reaches out and touches Grommesson, bestowing upon him freedom of movement.
::There! The tentacles won't touch you now! You can move right through them!:: she explains.
Gianluca chuckles at Thrassk's jibe, and then (at Adrena's comment) groans and corrects course. "Oy, thanks. I knew something was off there."
Seeing that the Pathfinders are almost upon him, Hestram apparently decides that running is no longer an option. His airship suddenly loses power and begins a rapid nose dive. The harpoon from Kol Voss's ship tears free from Hestram's ship under the sudden torsion, taking several planks of the hull with it. Cladissa and Grommesson swing back under their own ship like a pendulum at the bottom of the rope as it falls free from Hestram's crashing ship. Seconds later Hestram's ship ploughs into the icy red sand with a tremendous crash. The sound of wooden beams splintering into thousands of pieces accompanies the sight of a huge plume of red sand being thrown forcefully into the air. Once the dust clears, the Pathfinders see several corpses thrown from the wreck laying on the ground.
As Argor, Thrassk and Gianluca pilot their own ship down towards the wreck, they see six figures scramble from the wreckage. The people on foot are no match for the ship's speed, and the group is able to quickly overtake them and land in their escape path. As the Pathfinders leap or fly from their own ship to the ground, they see Hestram dragging the badly wounded princess, and surrounded by four guards. "Ah, the traitors arrive. Your disloyalty to me is so disappointing. The Society is about to enter into a Golden Age under my rule! All you had to do was play along!"
"Play along?!?" Cladissa screeches as she floats down on her broom. "Did Auronee 'play along' as well? Is that why you turned her over to that ape lich for his sick experiments?"
Gianluca sighs. "Loyalty to Evil is no virtue, Hestram. Fortunately, we serve the Society and the Good.
"Now, your ship is destroyed and you're surrounded. Are you ready to surrender?"
Argor hovers down, glaring imperiously down at Hestram and his allies. "A Golden Age? Like you have provided these people you have conquered? Gladiator games for your own amusement and their people, their princess, in chains? That sounds more like a Dark Age to me. You know you cannot escape. Yield."
"Not likely. Time to see whose might will make right!"
looks and acts exactly like Adril, but something isn’t right.
Initiative:
Hestram 15
Guards 13.5
Party 12
Hestram draws a bow, and takes a shot at Cladissa and one at Argor.
"So Chorkak betrayed the Shadow Lodge too, eh? He did one of his experiments on Auronee, did he? Serves that arrogant b%**~ right. She always was too posh by half."
The guards step in front of Hestram and use their tower shields to form a shield wall around him.
::Something's not right about Hestram. I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps he's being controlled?:: she tells the group.
Seeing the guards form up around Hestram in a tight knot, Cladissa can't help but smile. "You all must be a bit woozy after the crash. So hard to remain clear-headed," she says with a smirk as she casts her spell.
With a roar, the beast who is Grommesson hustles toward the crowd of bad guys.
In a flash, Gianluca flies on honeyed wings until he's above Hestram, at which point he lashes out with his greatsword.
Argor allows the others to perform their tactics before calling in an overwhelming show of force. Four massive portals open up around Hestram and his minions, showing a picturesque image of rolling plains on the other side. And through them lumber out four ankylosaurs with bony plates that glimmer with metallic radiance. The ground shakes as they move onto the Material Plane, and instinctively begin hammering away at Argor's foes.
Meanwhile, Adrenia gives everyone a boost from Good Hope.
::Something's not right about Hestram. I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps he's being controlled?:: she tells the group.
Seeing the guards form up around Hestram in a tight knot, Cladissa can't help but smile. "You all must be a bit woozy after the crash. So hard to remain clear-headed," she says with a smirk as she casts her spell.
With a roar, the beast who is Grommesson hustles toward the crowd of bad guys.
Hestram draws a bow, and takes a shot at Cladissa and one at Argor. He misses Argor, but sinks a shaft into Cladissa's shoulder.
"So Chorkak betrayed the Shadow Lodge too, eh? He did one of his experiments on Auronee, did he? Serves that arrogant b$#&& right. She always was too posh by half."
The guards step in front of Hestram and use their tower shields to form a shield wall around him.
::Something's not right about Hestram. I can't put my finger on it. Perhaps he's being controlled?:: she tells the group. Seeing the guards form up around Hestram in a tight knot, Cladissa can't help but smile. "You all must be a bit woozy after the crash. So hard to remain clear-headed," she says with a smirk as she casts her spell. All five of the opponents appear to be dumbstruck by the enchantment.
With a roar, the beast who is Grommesson hustles toward the crowd of bad guys.
In a flash, Gianluca flies on honeyed wings until he's above Hestram, at which point he lashes out with his greatsword. He cleaves through Hestram's armor and leaves him with a massive wound across his torso.
Argor allows the others to perform their tactics before calling in an overwhelming show of force. Four massive portals open up around Hestram and his minions, showing a picturesque image of rolling plains on the other side. And through them lumber out four ankylosaurs with bony plates that glimmer with metallic radiance. The ground shakes as they move onto the Material Plane, and instinctively begin hammering away at Argor's foes. All but one of the dinosaur's clubbed tails bounce harmlessly off the shield wall. One of them manages to strike a guard in the helmet, momentarily stunning him.
Meanwhile, Adrenia gives everyone a boost from Good Hope.
Thrassk flies over and lands next to Hestram, behind the guards.
================================
Hestram confusedly steps back and raises his bow at one of the guard's backs. Thrassk takes advantage and bites the former Venture Captain in the neck.
Hestram squawks once like a surprised chicken just before Thrassk's jaws rip his head from his shoulders. As Thrassk spits the head out, "Hestram's" entire corpse begins to rapidly melt into a puddle of icy water.
The northernmost guard stabs himself.
The next guard down throws down his weapons, stepping away from his confused companions. "I surrender! Don't kill me!" he shouts in Azlanti.
The next guard sways on his feet, dazed.
The last guard turns and attacks Gianluca with his glaive (unable to reach the closer opponents).
Oh. Simulacrum. Damn it.
"That one has surrendered, so do your best not to kill him. He's still confused, though," Cladissa translates to the others, as if his actions weren't obvious enough.
Though part of her is ready to abandon the fight to figure out where the real Hestram has gone, she goes ahead and targets another of the guards with her Ice Tomb hex to take that one out of the fight.
The dinosaurs continue to thunder away with their tails at the guardsmen that appear to be threats.
Meanwhile, Argor and Adrenia hold their attack as Argor calls out ”Gianluca! Recover the princess and get her to safety!”
Gianluca nods and reaches down to pick up the injured princess.
Then he flies with her back to his allies.
"Rest easy, Princess. We can heal you. In the meantime, do you know where the real Hestram has got off to?"
Once the fighting is over, the guards seem to be in awe of Thrassk. They ask his name, and then kneel and begin worshiping him as their new god. Princess Verrish looks at them with annoyance.
In answer to Gianluca's question she replies, "I thought that thing was the real beast. I'm sorry, I can not help you find him. We must return to Arl and secure the city. With the Starsword in hand the people will align under me, and we can bring Kol's vision to fruition. It's time for a change in Arl, and I will be that change."
Thrassk doesn't understand what the Akitonians are saying, or why they are worshiping him, and appears to be extremely embarrassed by the attention. He asks the princess, "What are they doing?"
"It was you whose blow slew the Beast. The Beast had convinced them that he was a god, and now that you have slain their god, you have likewise convinced them of your divinity."
"Eh?" is Thrassk's only reply. He edges slowly away from the Akitonians, doing his best to ignore them.
The beast who is Grommesson calms down when the last Akitonian is subdued.
He listens intently to the princess trying to understand what's going on.
Cladissa helps translate the Azlanti for everyone. She's relieved that the princess appears safe, but feels crestfallen despite the victory.
"Don't ascend to divinity yet, Thrassk," Cladissa says. "That Hestram was a copy. A magical simulacrum. Our task isn't done yet, and more of the Decemvirate are likely in danger."
She goes to the princess to tend to her injuries. "I'm a healer. Please, let me help." She lends her Regenerative Sinew, healing her injuries or ability damage, whichever she needs more.
She goes to the princess to tend to her injuries. "I'm a healer. Please, let me help." She lends her Regenerative Sinew, healing her injuries or ability damage, whichever she needs more. [Dice=Heal plus good hope]1d20+14+2
"I would appreciate that, thank you."
"Don't ascend to divinity yet, Thrassk," Cladissa says. "That Hestram was a copy. A magical simulacrum. Our task isn't done yet, and more of the Decemvirate are likely in danger."
"Fear not, the sssooner we are off thisss frozen planet, the happier I'll be." Thrassk shivers to emphasize his point. Even with magical protection from the elements, the cold is unpleasant to the reptilian man from tropical climes.
”Yes, we would be happy to return you to your city, Your Highness,” Argor says with a flourishing bow to her. As he stands he gestures to the airship and adds, ”do you happen to be aware of any records or data The Beast kept here on this world? As my companion stated, his campaign of terror and bloodshed does not end here. It continues on our world and we seek to put an end to it before he claims as much power there as he had here.”
"As I was kept a slave during his rule, I am uncertain what records he kept, if any. However, I will gladly allow you full access to Arl so you can look for yourselves."