DM Bloodgargler's Heroes of the Shiv

Game Master BinkyBo

Piendy wakes up, and hovers by Garborn..
"i think there's somethin we need to yell out so's we don't get hit by *snort* lightning"

A solid perfect circle of dark clouds is now above your heads.

"Um...Try calling the snake gods name! The ritual might be dedicated to him!"

Are these snakes a swarm?

"Mugambi, you are supposed to know how to talk with gods.And do it quick!!!"

"yes", said the DM as tension mounts.

Ok, who can do anything against swarms? I cannot!!!

Truk has the clasp. He'll make short work of them.

Oi,Ydersius! Take this poison as a offering! And keep these snakes offa us!!Gatherine hollered.

After Gatherine speaks, a hole opens in the clouds directly above the group on the butte.

Piendy gets in close next to Garborn... "Ydersius! That's it!" slapping his forehead.

Another hole in the clouds opens above Piendy and Garborn.

"Is that supposed to happen?"

The swarm of snakes closes in. Then... lighting comes down from the sky. Curtains of blinding light come down all around you.
In the blue-tinged flashes, you see the snakes in various stages of bursting from the lightning strikes. A red mist hangs from the exploded serpents, and hovers closer to the stones with each brilliant flash of light.

The pyramid in the center rises more... a dark swirling mass pushes it up.
You feel a tremendous weight... unnatural gravity, and see the water level drop in the bay... in a perfect arc radiating from the butte... several hundred feet in diameter.

The water level continues to drop until the pyramid reaches the top of the standing stone structure. The lightning converges upon it in one bright pulse. The lightning then stops... the clouds disperse naturally, but the pyramid continues to hover, and the water stays low.

The water is low enough you can see some of the uneven floor of the bay. Most of the area is filled with tide pools of the remaining water. A few dozen feet from the butte, you see a small frigate with a snapped mast. On the wall of the far cliff near the ship, is a large iron door with more snake styling on the surface.

Truk grabs the girls protectively as the lightning strikes and the ground begins to quake.

Once the water's settled and he can see down into the bay, the big orc laughs for joy.

"Ya did it! Do ya see? Let's get down there!"

...We alright?

Gatherine blinked from where she had clamored onto the halfork's shoulders,her bosom pressed into his head.

Syndlara weathers the sudden storm staring at the sky. After the danger seems to end, she looks around. "Let's go," she agrees, hopping down from the butte to move toward the sunken ship.

You look over the edge and see Syndlara has not broken both of her legs dropping down. You also notice the sloping trail next to the waterfall leads down to the shallows.
Near the trail you see another cave. Water is draining from it, and you see a bloody third of a shark start to slip out with the flow. It is the yanked back... you only see a quick flash of the flying chupacabra as it pulls its meal back inside the cave.

Syn acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30 no damage from fall

Truk climbs down and gestures for the party to follow.

The big orc fishes out another vial and oils up his muscular torso before heading into the cave.

Gatherine cautiously joined the others in advancing to the the cavern,waddling steadily with Sneezy Dragon after she dropped from Truk's shoulders.

Iolana follows enthusiastically,sword in hand.
"I'm coming"

"G...good thing you spoke up Piendy, you saved them...t...thank you."

Can Garborn also join the others now?

>image of area after ritual<

Yep

The ship is in surprisingly good condition... Other than the snapped mast and cannonball shattered hull, and in spite of having been underwater, it looks to be in better shape than any of the other wrecks.

The name on the side is not in common Taldane "Doundri Gonsun"

Profession Sailor: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Iolana looks at the ship while going to the cave.She is obviously try to guess if it can take the sea again.

"Doundri Gonsun....The Lazy Comet, it looks in surprisingly good conditions too, nice to see a ship again,even this way."

Truk moves toward the ship's deck.

"Let's check it out."

There is a path which is just wet... other areas around the path are about a foot deep. The tide pools look like they are a few feet deep.

Algae, urchins, and flopping fish cover the path.

Piendy yells out triumphantly "Low tide mates! Look alive and swab your battens!"

Truk ignores the at least partially mad mephit and closes on the deck.

He keeps an eye out for anything dangerous.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

The exposed lower deck looks about as sturdily uncomfortable as possible. Supports criss-cross every 5 or 6 feet.
Sand and silt covers the floor of the lower deck, and there are several bundled large items and crates toward the aft.

The steps up to the top deck are straight in front of the hole, and appear undamaged.

Iolana wanted to know if the party can repair it with materials from the isle.

"It looks like a ship designed to ram and board.It won't be comfortable as a passengers ship, but if it can be fixed that is hardly a problem."

Possibly. It looks like your best chance yet.

Truk looks around.

"Do ya think this thing is watertight? I'm worried it'll just sink once the water rises again."

"I think it can take the sea again,but we'll need to repair it and fast.The problem is it should be moved from here if we have to work on it.Unless that tide-lowering ritual lasts for days."

Now that she mentioned it, it comes to her mind.
"Right! How could i forget this detail.Anyone got any idea about how long the water will stay this low?"

Iolana tries to guess how long the ritual's effects will last,and if it depends on natiral factors or purely magical ones
Profession sailor: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Syndlara shrugs, more interested in the nearby caves--particularly the one in the cliff-face with snake-sigils all over it--than the tides. She mounts the stairs toward the upper deck, drawing her scimitar just in case. "I'm going to check out that cave while you figure out whether she'll float," she remarks.

Gatherine followed Syndlara,waving her pistol excitedly.Wait for me!

"We shouldn't split girls.It isn't like the ship is going anywhere,we'll try to figure it when we are finished with the cave."

Iolana joins Syndlara and Gatherine,walking carefully.

"You other guys aren't coming?"

Briefling remembering the sight of Iolana's nude form, Truk grins and follows. "You ladies ain't goin' anywhere without me."

"Um...yes, we'll be r...r....right there.
C...coming c...captain?"

Mugambi gathers his armor at the shore and after patching it back together joins the others in the former lake below.
Impatient, always sooo impatient He mumbles to himself as he finish strapping his plate on.

Garborn has spent nearly a decade on the island, and it had honed his senses and his sense of perception to a degree that only constant danger to one’s health can achieve.
As such, he could not help but overhear Mugambis comment.
Shyly, he leans as close as he dares, (which is not much and whispers back.
"They are...v...v...very y...young are they not?"

Think so, but one never knows with da other races. Mugambi whispers back to Garborn while looking at the elf and dwarf maids. Or maybe Mugambi just feels old myself. That too, curse dis island.

Its hard ta lose home, but I found new one. It was good, life was good at da ships. Now Jenivere is wreck. Crew dead, friend Alton dead... captain dead. Eve dead. Everything gone. Mugambi has to start over for third time and leg still hurt. Makes one feels old. The tribesman says a little lost in his own memories.

Iolana couldn't help but hearing Mugambi and Garborn whispering.
"I'm sorry if you feel this way Mugambi, but i may add that not everyone which looks young may feel such.I'm only 20, but had to act like someone much older at 16, had to endure torture and imprisonment and the death of everything i held dear, twice. You cannot decide when terrible things will happen, only whether to be overwhelmed or fight back."

Following the snaking path of driest land, Truk'tosh and Syndlara are first to see a very large black sea urchin on a ridge of the tide pool in which the ship sits.
Its spines are huge.. disproportionately large.

>map<

yellowish is just wet, blue is at least a few feet deep, the greyish brown is one or two feet deep.

Truk jabs at the enormous urchin. ”Uh, is that normal? I’ve never seen one that size.”

Piendy didn't join us?

"T...tasty...but I've...I've never seen one quite so...h...h...huge.
...
Of course...I seldom come to t....this area. Not for...y...years now.
...
I guess."

"Be careful...err...Truk, some of them can...fire their spines"
I think that's right...or am I imagining things again?

Does it look hostile?

....Wish Keekaw was here.He did know how to cook seafood well.Gatherine eyed the oversized sea creature wistfully.

As you all come within view of the large urchin, its spines lower and start to bunch up on the side facing you.

yes forgot to add Piendy to the map.
I guess it looks hostile... as hostile as a sea urchin can look.

So much for Syndlara going to the top deck of the ship. ;P

"...Definitely hostile. Take cover!"

Peering around at the shallow water and her lack of height,the dwarf maid considered her options before coming to a decision.

Gatherine started to scale the side of the beached ship,leery of ending up as a pincushion laced with venom.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16Perception
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12initiative
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21Climb

"There isn't much to cover behind around here, except the ship.Use ranged attacks if you have them."

Mugambi nods and pats Iolana's shoulder as they walk down to the wrecked ship. When she calls for an attack his hand moves instinctively to the empty scabbard at his belt where his dagger used to be. F#%€!!! He quickly ducks behind the ship's hull for total cover.

Is round 1 already on?
Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Iolana,being already behind the ship's fore,sheates back the scimitar and prepares the bow.
If the combat hasn't already begun,otherwise she'll only change weapon and stay where she is for round 1.