As the spear bites into Anatha's abdomen he feels something inside him sag. There is a sharpness, followed by a warm floating feeling. Sounds sharpen, and with a distant thought he realizes that the other ships are either in dire straits, or have navigated their way out of danger.
Is this how I end? Fish food for some kind of squid monster?I don't want to die.
Realizing that trying to Get up would leave him open for the killing blow, Anatha instead drops his bow and pulls out his shield. He curls up to try to hide as much of himself as possible under the wood that suddenly seems very thin to be trusting his life with.
Help! I don't want to die!
Kaylee's vision narrows as her heart pumps with wild abandon. She thrashes about trying to get loose, to get free.
Grunval takes down yet another squid goblin as the fight rages on. As Hanzir stands up and swings wildly with his greatsword, the Grindylow attack him:
After Hanzir looks up from his swing, it appears one of the Grindylow is missing a head and has become a fountain of blue blood. Another tears at is left arm with it's spear. Chunks misses with his bite, but Gnixgnox’s axe strikes true, removing another Grindylow. Kaylee’s wild flailing allows her to break the grapple between her and the Grindylow.
Many of the Grindylow on the ship take full withdrawal actions to jump into the sea, seeing almost half of their comrades are dead. However, those near Kaylee attempt for one last time to drag her into the see with them.
The Grindylow begin moving you off the side of the ship. Kayla, make an acrobatics check to try and grab something and either an escape artist or CMB check to break the grapple while you are being dragged by 4 Grindylow.
Alayne, Calvin, and Joe move to attack the Grindylow. Calvin misses, Joe stabs one, but doesn't down it, and Alayne slices a head off.
Grunval focuses together his power and takes aim at a monster grappling Kaylee
"I'll teach you Grindylow to poke your head above the waves!"
Maybe I'll need to work on aim
Seeing how crowded it is around Kaylee, Hazir will charge straight ahead, like a wild boar of course, and try to chop down the nearest grindylock he can
"Come back here and take your medicine, you sniveling, stupid, sons of sea cucumbers!"
Gnixgnox stows his axe, dismounts, picks up his lance, and re-mounts.
Anatha is still shaken by his own near death experience. He shakes beneath his shield for a moment before realizing that the squid tentacles are no longer surrounding him on the deck, having retreated.
He grabs his bow from the deck and stands up slowly, taking in the situation around him.
"Kaylee! Hold on!"
With his second move action he will stow his shield again so that he has both hands free for his bow next round.
Kaylee successfully struggles free of the Grindylow, but is barely grasping the edge of the railing, hanging outside the ship over the sea. Grunval misses with an air blast and Hanzir with a swing of his greatsword. More of the Grindylow withdraw from the ship, but two remain attached to the ship on the outside, trying to slash at Kaylee’s fingers with their spears, and one is hanging onto her legs, trying to drag her down.
Alayne, Calvin, and Joe move to attack the two Grindylow that tried to stab Kaylee, and one of them dies still stuck to the deck with it's tentacles but the other takes a dagger to the arm and simply jumps into the water.
Anatha will move in next to the other crew members on the railing, giving him an angle from above on the grindylow that is trying to drag Kaylee into the sea.
"Let her go!"
Taking a deep breath he lines up his shot. His aim becomes preternaturally steady as he draws his arrow, and fires.
EDIT:
Kaylee gets a leg free enough to try kicking at the thing still clinging to her as she tries to get her other hand on the rail.
Grunval focuses again and attempts to correct his aim.
"DAMN!"
Another's arrow strikes the Grindylow and is squeals in pain, but continues to hang on. Kayla begins to struggle upward, not quite making it past the rail yet. Granville misses with his air blast.
Alayne rushes to the side of the deck and begins to pull Kaylee up by grabbing one of her arms. Calvin and Joe get their blades ready as Kaylee rises onto the deck. Seeing the situation, the Grindylow lets go, falling back into the water.
No more Grindylow are seen living on the ship, but plenty of carcasses remain. Within a few seconds, the rest of the crew pours onto the deck, with weapons on hand, looking around for something moving but only finding a mess of mangled squid goblin bodies strewn about the deck.
The Captain shouts over the noise:
"What the hell happened here?"
The Captain shouts over the noise:
"What the hell happened here?"
"Do grindylows have asses? They must, right?
"I'm not going to check, though."
Anatha leans against the rail tiredly, glad to see that Kaylee is safe.
We were attacked captain. Some of us faired better than others. He wobbles uneasily on his feet.
I heard something coming from the other ships during the battle, I don't think we were the only ones that saw the attention of those Grindylows. Someone should signal the other ships, see if they need help, sir. Also, I think I might need help...
His grip on the ship's railing is white with effort, as if the ship itself is the only thing holding him up.
Once she realizes she's safe, Kaylee's legs give out. Her entire body shivers as she hangs onto the rail and gulps down mouthfuls of air. She'd nearly died. If she hadn't been lucky enough and quick enough to grab the railing, she'd likely be drowned and in the process of becoming the little monsters' dinners.
"I'm okay," she mutters, trying to calm her racing heart, "I'm still alive. I'm okay."
Gnixgnox lifts one of the grindylows' tentacles slightly with his lance and then thinks better of it. He shakes his head and lets the tentacle drop.
Hanzir will help Kaylee get back on the right side of the rail and then come out of his rage.
"We were boarded by these Grindylock."
"Fast little buggers these!"
He picks up the nearest dead Gridnylow like a grisly rag doll for emphasis.
"I didn't get to kill as many of them as I'd like!"
And then tosses the dead Grindylow overboard with disgust.
"But we were lucky too. None of us were killed."
"I think we did our duty sir. We protected our vessel"
The Captain looks around, taking another moment to take in the situation.
Good job he says, addressing you in particular.
Anybody who needs healing should see Alvin. The rest of you gentlemen see to the disposal of the bodies.I’m going to send a messenger to the Pluton to take stock of our situation. it’s unlikely they got overrun.
Jaspar bursts on deck, panting heavily.
What in the name of Grom happened here?
The Captain continues as if he hadn’t noticed Jaspar
Myself and Harvey will accompany Jaspar to the Pluton. Alayne, I entrust the Maribosa to you in my absence.
Alvin, a gnome with shockingly red hair steps out from the crowd. W-Who needs healing? his shaky hands carry two bags within them. You hear various medical supplies shift around within.
EDIT:
As the Captain and Alayne row towards Pluton, you see some grindylow try to tip the boat over. The massive weight of Jaspar along with Alayne and the Captain's swift jabs of their oars seem to keep them at bay till the rowboat arrives at the Pluton.
Gnixgnox searches for any possessions the grindylow corpses have before Hanzir tosses them back in the water.
Alvin draws several flasks of red fluid from one of his bags and offers them to the wounded. They burn your throats on the way down.
Whatever Alvin put in those flasks, they worked.
Roll a DC 15 Fortitude save to prevent getting your tongue burnt and being unable to talk coherently the next time you speak.
Alvin takes an iron out of his bag, mixes a potion from two separate vials, and then carefully pours it onto the iron. It heats up red hot. T-This’lll only hurt a b-b-it he says, approaching Anatha, the iron shaking in his hands. I just need to c-c-cauterize it for a s-second.
After a while, the Captain, Jaspar, and Harvey row themselves back to the decks, with each of their lips curled into a frown. When they climb themselves back on deck (Jaspar is lifted with pulleys.) the Captain addresses the entire crew:
It seems this Grindylow attack was more coordinated than we may have thought. Each of the ships have been attacked.
He pauses,
The Pluton was hit worse than us, most of their fighting men have been heavily injured and a few have died. To make matters worse, the Diademe was not able to completely fend off it’s share of the Grindylow. Aboard the Pluton we were able to see that the Diademe was completely overrun with Grindylow. They look like they are breaking in below decks where we think the crew are camped out. Unfortunately, attempting to save them would be nigh impossible with most of the soldiers on the Pluton out of commision. Therefore we plan to continue our trip to Altheria without them. He walks off to his cabin. The rest of the crew uneasily murmurs amongst themselves, still above decks.
"Over'un? How many boes hat mea'? We fenbeb em off prebby weh. Sureby we have ebough fiwin' meb 'oo 'ake be sip back!"
By the time the captain returns, Kaylee has mostly recovered from her brush with disaster. The fate of the Diademe, though sends a chill down her spine.
"What happens when we sail these waters to return home," she asks as she resumes her vigil. The answer that came to mind, caused another chill to run down her spine.
Grunval looks as though he would protest the leaving the ship but can't form the words and waits for his mouth to heal.
Ironically, Hanzir came out of the fight without a scratch.
He passes on the medicine.
But still gets a giggle from the others reaction to it.
"Can we salvage the Diadem at all?"
"If the Grindylow there are all below decks, wouldn't it be easier to
kill them by picking them off coming out of the hatches?"
"At least they won't have the element of surprise on us again!"
Alayne seems to have made her way to the deck at the front of the ship as she bellows to the rest of the crew:
Our countrymen lie on the brink of destruction and we are going to do nothing? No, we would be f+$~ing cowards not to do something. Those squid shits ran at just the eight of us on deck, a larger force could easily take them on. Not to mention the heavy casualties the little f+@!ers must have taken on each ship. I say we relieve that f!$!ing ship, just as they would have done for us!
A few crew members seem to be agreeing with her but then you see Harvey climbing up the deck next to her and he begins to speak:
I saw the devastation these things caused to the Pluton and its crew. Men with their guts spilt on the decks, blood stains of those who were dying as they were dragged into the sea. I'll bet the Grindylow who got away from us and the Pluton went to the Diademe, where they would find more of us to kill. Not to mention defying a direct order, this mission would get us all killed.
The crew seem swayed by both sides, uneasily talking amongst themselves.
Anatha drinks his medicine. "Ugh...that tingles the tongue going down doesn't it?" It's then that he notices Alvin heading towards him with the brand.
"No, I think I'm fine now...the medicine really helped. I'm fine. I said I'm... The brand sears as it touches against the wound on his chest.
"Was that really necessary?"
About that time Alayne and Harvey begin discussing whether or not to defy the captain in an attempt to reclaim the Diademe. Anatha considers before siding with Alayne.
Speaking with confidence, Anatha strides forward, picking up one of the fallen Grindylow spears as he does. "But don't we have an obligation to our fellow sailors? If it had not been for the two of you one of those Grindies would have finished me for sure, and Kaylee would have been dragged into the sea much like the crew of the Pluton. We help each other. That's what makes us better than these beasts. I say we go. I might not be able to do much, but I would rather do what I can than go to sleep knowing that I didn't do anything."
Those looking at Anatha notice that he seems taller, more forceful than they had gotten used to. It is surprising.
Hanzir, siding with Alayne, mutters
"I want to kill some more of those watery little shits!"
"It doesn't sit well with me to abandon anyone one when we have a chance to change their fate. We should help them."
"I don't even think this is up for discussion! This ship is full of people traveling into the unknown to face any challenges that will keep our trading post from thriving, and that doesn't change just because we haven't reached our destination, yet!
"There are some despicable, blue-snouted mongrel squids on that ship that need some stabbing, and it's high-time we stopped not stabbing them!"
"What is there to discuss? The captain gave an order. To go against that order is to commit mutiny. Even I know that," Kaylee mutters from where she's walking along the rail, keeping watch.
Alayne moves to speak again:
"I am going to go to the Diademe whether the rest of you come with me or not. Anyone else who wants to come kill those mongrel bastards are welcome, So who's with me?"
A silence follows briefly...
A crewman in the crowd says,
"F!*+ it, I am."
Around 8 other crew members step forward to show there support of Alayne.
Harvey looks at Alayne and then says,
"I won't stop you, but I am not here to die."
Some of the crew also begin to step back and return to their cabins below deck.
Alayne and those who voiced their support stand and plan.
Kaylee continues her watch, her orders, her emotions, and a lifetime of being beaten down warring within her.
What do I owe them? If they'd been with Vlak, they'd probably laughed and treated Kylee and I the same as the others. But it's the right thing to do. I should go help. The captain ordered us to stay, though, and I'm still on watch. It doesn't matter anyway, they're probably already dead.
Hanzir will join Alayne and the others to help out in the Diademe.
"I didn't come here to die either."
"BUT if those little shits think they can win, more will come."
Then, addressing Kaylee, with a pleading look:
"Gnixgnox and Grunval killed more Grindylocks than either of us!"
"We can thrash even more of them with your bow than without."
"They almost got the best of us. That just won't do!"
I think saving them is the right thing to do but makers help us if the captain doesn't understand.
"Anyone have a good idea how we are going to get to those other ships? I don't know much about the sea but unless we come up with something soon we'll have passed the other ships by such a great distance that they'll be ghost ships not worth our efforts by the time we reach them."
"If any of them want to stay, let them. The Maribosa might get attacked while we're rescuing the Diademe."
Gnixgnox addresses Alayne. "How many rowboats can we use, and how many people are going? And do we have grappling hooks to board with?"
The sun peeks her head out from the horizon, dispelling the blue tint of morning and casting rays of light across the deck. With the fog gone, three dinghies are clearly visible hanging off of the boat. Alayne, Alvin, Siv, Pinky, and Calvin among three other people remain abovedecks.
The Captain slips on deck quietly and speaks in a hushed voice
If you’re going to save the Diademe, understand that you may lose your life. There's a fine line between idiocy and courage. He stares each one of you in the eyes. Also, you need to leave now. Before the boat drifts too far away. Or the survivors get killed. Alayne smiles, On it, Captain. She moves to one of the dinghies, then starts cranking it down into the water. Siv does the same to another rowboat. Alayne and co jump into the boats. She turns Are you idiots coming or not?
Grunval hops into a dinghy.
"Let's save who we can!"
Gnixgnox boards the dinghy.
Hanzir gets on the Dinghy.
"I'm ready to thrash those sneaky shits!"
Anatha joins Siv in his rowboat.
I hope I don't regret this decision..
When Hanzir jumps into the dinghy, he unknowingly loops an arm between Kaylee's back and her quiver and brings the distracted archer along for the ride.
"ACK!"
She spends the next few minutes trying to catch her breath from where it had been knocked out by her rough landing.
"Good of you to join us, Kaylee!"
"You're speechless with excitement!"
Hanzir will prop her upright in the boat to help her get her breath back.
Crew members begin to fill up the other rowboat as you begin to sail toward the Diademe. The five of you are on one boat along with Alayne and Calvin. The other boat contains seven other crew members. Each boat is equipped with a grappling hook attached to some rope when you near the Diademe.
The boat sags in the dark waters under the weight of its occupants as it sails through the night.