"I'm not ready to give up this tub". "We've spilt too much blood on it already". "Kaul!!!, throw him in the blood". "He's already proven he can shape wood, maybe he can close up some holes".
Kaul mugs a anglerfish grin and rolls Tum Bo-Bo in the blood;
"Not much o' a sacrifice fer ye Great One, but once we catch up with them traitors they'll be more be-fittin ones fer ye!"
The night is still and dark beneath a sliver of moon. Dallian and company took the only skiff, but you could likely gather enough flotsam together to float to shore.
Half-Hitch responds to Dibbets, "I think it was the whole-sale slaughter that got them running. Reefrunner goblins are better scavengers than raiders. I just tried to warn them away. I imagine they saw the others rowing off and thought the ship was abandoned."
"I can't believe that bastard Dallian scuttled us. Dibbets, can you make out the ship he's making for?"
Tum-Bobo wallows in the goblin blood a moment soaking it into his rough coconut hide. He answers Kaul instead of Dingus, "De ship is broke. Big opening in de bottom. Tum-Bobo cannot fix it."
Perception:
Dibbets scarpers to best vantage and takes a long weather eye towards the horizon.
"Bah" Dibbs proclaims as he spits a gobbet into the brine.
"Cannae make out much, but she's a prissy ship wi' black sails. Might be an elvish cutter by the looks." as he stumps back to the others. "She's a fair way off in the mouth aught the bay."
Half-Hitch squints beside Dibbets. "I can't see a thing me'self. An Elven cutter with dark sails though. Not a common set-up. In fact, the only ship of that description I can think of is the Thresher Shark, Red Aesha's ship. The captain is a true belle dame sans merci as the elves say, an elven maid as cruel as she is beautiful. It might be an act of kindness for Dallian to leave us to drown if that's the case. I'd rather not drown though, so mayhap we should focus on getting ashore."
Jim looks angrily into the darkness where Dibbets pointed. "I don't like the idea of those poxridden bilge rats gettin' away with marooning us, but I'd rather not come closer to this Red Aesha than we are now. 'Sides, someone spelled th' cabin door shut, and I've had my fill o' hostile magery for a while. There's not enough wind for us to ground Finn's Fortune, I fear, so let's to the barrels and rope."
Suiting action to words, Jim starts gathering gear and items that can float. "Kaul, you'll have to be our eyes as we make our way in. I'll try to use the ring--mayhap I can pull us to shore."
"Well if the b$!&@ is in wi' Dallian, then I've a mind tae make her tha bonne dame, sans tripes" with a quick touch to his dagger. "But feck all is gonna happen unless we gets busy."
Dibbets starts helping Jim fashion a flotsam and jetsam raft.
Nodding at Jim's words "Aye, I'd prefer to float in under dark. No need tae give a beacon fer the buggers to home in on"
Kaul nods at Jimmer's savvy;
"Will do. These piggy eyes are good fer sumthing hur! Hate tae remind yea's all but I said them Dalliwags weren't fer trusting! Wisdom o' Kaul hur-hur!"
He turns his gaze to his carved idol
"O' great one - hope ye enjoyed the gobbo-juice... Wonder iffen ye can have this tub beach on shore? Save us all getting wet like..."
The bloody idol looks a bit annoyed to be interrupted from its revelry. It glares at Kaul, "Shhh. 'M digesting!" The bow of Finn’s Fortune quickly begins to rise as the stern begins slipping under the sea.
It won't take much effort to get everyone to land; the sea is calm and the goblins will be reluctant to engage again at the moment. The main difficulty is the distance which although not great would be challenging for weaker swimmers.
Dibbs gets Kaul to put Mara to work and cut him a length of the gangplank to use as a kickboard. With that he drops soundlessly into the brine and starts to make for shore.
Dingus seeing the inevitability of sinking, packs everything into his waterproof bags, and tries to make sure they have extra air captured inside so they float. Confident that his growing friend can swim on his on, he'll let him go to either make his own way ashore, or float on top of Dingus. He'll also look for anything else to help keep him afloat.
Profession Sailor.
Swim Check
Swim Check
Swim Check
Swim Check
Swim Check
Swim Check
Swim Check
*Plus any bonuses from flotation devices.
Then in the moment everyone's been waiting for...Dingus strips naked and jumps into the sea.
Kaul stows all his gear and places the blood-slick idol into his waterproof bag.
"Innyer go Great One. Will ave ye onshore afore long! Anyone whose gonna struggle hollar and let me know, Ol' Kauly will be taking it easy an can lend ye a paw"
He then drops Dibbswise into the big drink and begins a slow, slightly comical orcy-paddle stroke towards land...
:
the Groom stuffs his sword, crossbow, and coat into his gear bag, followed by his boots and clothes. "Dingus has the truth of it."
Finding/creating a larger piece of flotsam, he sets out over the side with his bag.
the Groom goes straight down as he enters the water. The water in his lungs leaves him not as buoyant as most people. But he soon surfaces as if expelled from the deep and sets out in a powerful stroke. He feels a stitch in his side after a minute and has a moment of panic thinking the Goblins were back. He powers through the cramp and swims to shore.
Jim gathers his gear into a barrel, if one can be found, and sets out for shore, pushing the barrel ahead of him. Before leaping into the water, he tries to activate the ring. "Here's hoping...."
If the ring doesn't activate, even in armor he only needs one Swim check:
Once ashore, he'll get the barrel above the wave line and go back for anyone in trouble.
Thankfully the night prevents you from yet another opportunity to view Dingus’ skinny near hairless form as he leaps into the water. The rest of you quickly follow making your way slowly toward the shore. As soon as Jim hits the water he feels his feet tingle and glancing down he is surprised to see his boots have disappeared and his feet have elongated into webbed flippers that help him move through the water with ease. With his enhanced ability to move through the water, Jim is quite able to help Dingus and Dibbets make it safely ashore. Half- Hitch swims quite well on his own apparently.
You finally reach the beach and lie in the sand taking a moment to catch your breath. In the dim light of the early morning, you can see that the sandy beach currently extends about 30 feet from the water to the dense wall of jungle. Over the sound of the waves gently lapping against the sand you can hear the faint barking of the sea lions out on the rocks and more alarmingly an occasional roar from deep within the jungle.
Jim looks sadly back at Finn's Fortune as it sinks slowly into the dark water. "Drowner's Cutlass, I hate to see any ship sink, especially one so yare as she was.
"What now, mates? I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm something of a fish out of water in the jungle. Half-Hitch, d'ye think Finn will send someone after us, an' we don't come back?"
Tilting his head to the side and thumping it to remove the water still lodged betwixt his ears. "Well iffin ye wantin we ken always be sendin him a howdy" as Dibbs fishes out the Bird token "Mind we only get one shot so iffin we take it she better be a bloody decent missive"
Half-Hitch purses his lips. "Well, seein' that the Fortune there was the entirety of his fleet, if he were to send help we might be waitin' a bit."
"I...see. Master Dibbets, perhaps sending word to Brother Peg-Leg might be a better use of that item."
Kaul shakes himself off and retrieves Tum Bo-Bo from his waterproof sack.
"Hur. By the sounds o' it we'll be lucky to see a rescue...lessen you count picking our bones out o' some beasts shit as a rescue! Anyone know anything 'bout this rock?"
Kaul sniffs the air, then scans the area, nighteyes glinting and kauliflower ears twitching ;
:
Scanning the beach, Kaul first notices the beach is totally clear of the flotsam and debris one would expect to find washed up. He can only surmise that the goblins regularly scavenge the beaches and he does find small footprints in the splash zone as well as some odd giant chicken tracks.
Dingus quickly scans the area, and finds his little man busily searching the edge of the jungle for edible rodents. "Soon, my little man, soon we shall find something to eat". He then unpacks all his goods from his waterproof bags, and finally puts his robe back on.
Dibbets has a quick peepsie at the shoreline as well.
Perception:
Before casting his gaze back out to sea, where the Fortune is likely still making it's last throes of life before it sinks to Besmara. "Fecking right pickle we're in now"
Responding to Jimmer with a furrowed brow: "What dya think Peggers is gonna be able tae do - even iffin we do get word tae him?"
In the growing pre-dawn light the bay remains calm and you can see just the topmost bit of the Finn's Fortune's main-mast remains above water from its new resting place. In addition to the constant noise of the sea lion haul-out, the calls of tropical birds grow in volume from the dense jungle behind you.
"We should probly get off tha beach, afore the she-devil's ship catches sight that we made it ashore" and Dibbs makes to stump just inside the edge of the jungle.
The other ship, however, is no longer in sight. It must have got under way while you were swimming to shore.
the Groom unpacks his weapons and clothes. He gets dressed and reloads his crossbow.
Settling his hat back on his head, "This rock? Raptor Isle...and we are in Dino Bay. He points to the large chicken-like footprint.
"We are going to need to find a defensive place to haul up and get our bearings."
"Where was the island where we stopped for news?"
"That was Sentinel. True, that they could at least put out word to passing ships."
Dibbets pushes aside some vegetation to make his way into the jungle and comes eye-to-slit pupilled eye with a slender bird-lizard crouched on its hind legs and ready to pounce. It's about 5 ft tall with small forearms which dangle colorful feather that continue across its back and down to the tip of its whip-like tail. It also has very sharp teeth and a sickle-sized talon on each foot. Dingus who was tending his snake nearby starts as two more raptors emerge from either side of the jungle.
Keelhaul Kaul-
Madman Jim-
the Groom-
Dingus-
HH
Velociraptors
"Why couldn't it be called Little Chicken Island."
the Groom swings The Siren's Call round to take a clear shot on the bird eying Dingus (d/[-2]).
The crossbow bolt embeds in a tree as the creature leaps from the jungle. Its sickle claws punch into the sand where Dibbets had been a moment before and it thrusts its head forward with its long neck to nip the halfling.
The one closest to Dingus pounces on the sorcerer slicing him badly with one of its claws The remaining member of the pack leaps upon the hapless Dibbets also slashing him with a wicked claw
Having just finished stowing Tum Bo-bo for their jungle trek, Kaul draws Bess at the onset of the raptors and moves quickly to protect Dibbs;
Round 1
"Hur! Dinos! Always wanted ta see a real Dino-saw! Hur-hur!"
:
Round 1:
If nothing happens to change the picture before he acts, Jim draws his sword and steps up to attack the creature at D-1. "Wonderful. Mean chickens." Good thing I had the ring, so I could keep my armor on.
ETA: Forgot to update AC for the amulet.
Round 1:
Looking up at the newly arrived chicken-saurs Dibbets spits at one before taking a speculative swipe with the toothpick...
Quarterstaff: for
...before backing a step away from them.
Kaul enthusiastically charges the closest terrible lizard kicking up sand behind him, but he is beat by Half-Hitch’s hurled dagger that nicks the dino and causes it to whip around just as Kaul’s blade swings past missing.
Finn’s man calls out, ”Get to the water, they don’t much like swimming!” Dingus takes the advice and staggers backwards retreating to the water’s edge. Dibbets moves back flailing at the dino in front of him. Jim interposes himself between the raptor and the bleeding sorcerer and delivers an expert lunge wounding the beast.
There is a muffled sound from Kaul’s swag bag and he is suddenly covered with scratchy coconut husk.
the Groom holds his ground. "Get behind us Dibs!"
The raptors square off with their attackers. Jim parries the sickle claws of his dino, but the reptilian head darts in to nip his arm . Dibbets manages to keep his matchstick moving and fend off the slashing talons of his beast. Kaul receives a slash to his calf as his dinosaur kicks at him. .
Dibbets takes another speculative swing at the injured dino with his toothpick before warily stepping back again. He calls back to the Groom "Bugger bit me, jus tryin tae get sum blood back outa it"
Quarterstaff: for
Round 2
Kaul first winces, then mugs a grin at his new coconut hair hide and interposes himself between Dibbs and the chickensaurus flock;
:
Round 2:
"Mean, *tough* chickens...that's not good. Dibbets, haul ass back to the water! Me an' Kaul will cover you!" Jim continues to attack the one that bit him.
Dingus blasts a sidewinder missile at Jim’s raptor resulting in a shriek from the dino-bird. Jim quickly follows with a riposte that carves a bit of breast meat. The beasts prove too nimble for either Dibbets or Kaul to land a blow. Half-Hitch watches the action nervously and wades a little deeper into the tide.
the Groom moves to get a clear shot and be near the water. (to H/-1)
Wondering if he needs to drain the water out of his BFX, the Groom fires another bolt off into nowhere.
With fierce footwork, Jim dances across the sand and managed to dodge or deflect every strike from his quickly tiring dinosaur. Dibbets trundles backwards with his bird doggedly following and it managing to slash the halflings chest with a talon. . Likewise Kaul is bogged down in the sand and the death-chicken slashes a furrow across his thigh and grabs a mouthful of coconut fibre with a near miss.
With a hiss, Dingus unleashes his last snakedart into Jim's beast, but it still has some fight.
Round 3:
Grumbling sub-vocally Dibbets hauls ass back to the water, ducking in between Dingus and Groom and splashing into the brine.
Round 3:
Rapidly sizing up the tactical situation, Jim attempts to kill the badly wounded dino. One less to chase us down, and maybe the other two will eat it and leave....