Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

If the judge gets close I will hand him the axe then attempt to pull myself up. If not, I will try to safely put the axe on the deck then pull myself up.

Just slap the side of the axe against my face, it should stick.

In some cultures, those actions would mean you two are betrothed. Or at least, 'going steady'.

Judge, treat the glop as a tanglefoot bag with a Silence spell (DC 15) cast on it.

Yeah, not very nice.

Meanwhile, the lizard gets its attack on Dren! Unfortunately, I'm on a keyboard with no brackets tonight, so I can't roll dice. Dren, would you roll for me? The lizard attacks at +8, and if it hits you'll need to roll a save.

Save vs bag of glop: 1d20 ⇒ 3 <-- now all I can do is summon creatures, oh well.

Meanwhile, the lizard gets its attack on Dren! Unfortunately, I'm on a keyboard with no brackets tonight, so I can't roll dice. Dren, would you roll for me? The lizard attacks at +8, and if it hits you'll need to roll a save.

Have Jax roll ...

:)

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23 ow! as the lizard bites him.
save 1d20 ⇒ 17 Most likely this is a save with any of my bonus'. How much damage?

Just 1 point of damage! And you made your save, so whatever the lizard does (Grumblejack doesn't look so great), he's not doing it to you.

Forgot the lizard attacking Dren! I won't use Scorching Ray on that unless it has like a level in gunslinger.

I will offer it a snack of a juicy Force Missle d4 +2 ⇒ 6

DM I am trying to help Dren against the lizard.

'We need to kill that thing and get Grumblejack some aid.' Cуровую will move towards the fallen ogre to assist anyone can move him towards the halfling.

Hopefully Dren or the captive can be of help here.

"I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea what a monster you've just removed from the world." The halfling's voice is weak and feeble, yet he speaks firmly and clearly. "Yet he was only the servant of a greater evil still. Captain Odenkirk is a man of blood and greed, who has bargained with forces of darkness. Will you act against him as well?"

Meanwhile, Captain Odenkirk has had just about enough of all this. He roars at the men, "Get up, you miserable maggots! Attack him!" Two of the sailors stand up and throw whatever comes to hand -- an axe and a knife -- at the speaker.

1d20 ⇒ 14
1d20 ⇒ 19

Apparently, whatever the speaker did to keep himself protected has worn off. It only lasted until he took a certain sort of offensive action -- in this case, trying to wash you all overboard.. So, in addition to the 14 points he's taken so far, the speaker now takes another 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 more.

But the Captain is far from done! He lets out a blood-chilling war scream and charges across the wet, blood-stained deck. When he reaches the edge of the ship he simply leaps off it. Acrobatics check...1d20 ⇒ 11 yep, he's good. As he soars through the air, he swings his two-handed axe and 1d20 ⇒ 20

...

well.

Confirm crit: 1d20 ⇒ 7 yep, that'll do it. Greataxe is triple damage, right? Yes. Yes, it is.

See, I figured the Captain would probably hit, and wound the Speaker, but not kill him. Then you guys would have an interesting situation with the Captain in the water, and all. But it seems Captain Odenkirk is -- as they say in Homeland -- not a man to challenge lightly.

"You threaten MY SHIP, fish-man? You dare threaten ME?" The Captain soars through the air, axe in hand. "I'll KILL YOU! ARRRGGGGH!!!"

6d8 + 33 ⇒ (7, 8, 6, 5, 7, 7) + 33 = 73

SHCHUK

The Captain hits the water with a tremendous splash. A moment later, there are two gentler splashes as the two pieces of the speaker fall into the water, one on either side of the dolphin that he'd been riding.

Of course, come the day, the Captain could crit and do 73 points of damage against one of you. So there's that.

(Being a DM has its ups and downs, so it's important to always focus on the positives.)

The lizard, which is clinging to Dren's chest, suddenly pauses and freezes in place. Then it flexes, stretches... and retches like a cat coughing up a hairball.

HWORRRRRK *gak*

What the heck? Well, Knowledge checks for three of you. No, wait, four! The halfling has a rank. Here goes.

1d20 ⇒ 12
1d20 ⇒ 16
1d20 ⇒ 2
1d20 ⇒ 2

None of you has any idea what's going on. However, whatever the lizard just did, it was a FRA. So you can attack it if you like. (Or try to talk to it; that works too.) Note that it's clinging to Dren's chest, so a 1 on a melee attack will hit him instead.

Dren will slam his mind into the lizards...
* Gift of Madness (Su): You tap into the unthinkable void between the stars and cause a single living creature within 30 feet to become confused for 1 round. A successful Will save DC 17 negates the effect. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect.

Anyone have a knowledge check to see what it is?

Urgh. I don't know what that thing is, but if its the boneman's familiar it should give up now. Or it'll end up thrown overboard with his master.

The disgruntled scribe isn't too pleased with Dren calling him a fool..so he's going to swipe at the lizard anyway.

The black-bladed scimitar sweeps around, cutting twice.
FRA: Spell-combat; Shocking Grasp -> 5' step to Dren -> 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25 to hit for 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 and 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 1) = 6 electricity and 1d6 ⇒ 3 sneak attack.

Jax mumbles to himself and his blade lights up with crackling electricity, then he steps forward and plunges his blade toward the creature, quickly whipping it around to score another strike. Second attack. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28 for 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 with 1d6 ⇒ 6 sneak attack.

Note: I assumed he was able to flank with Dren, if not, reduce each attack by 2 and remove the sneak attack damage. (+4 dex, +2 bab, +2 enhance, +2 bard, +1 bless, +2 flanking, -2 spell combat)

did my knife hit?

Okay! The lizard tries to save: 1d20 ⇒ 12

oooh, it has a +4 Will save so it fails by 1!

Confusion check: 1d100 ⇒ 74 that's do damage to self. Hmmm... okay, I think I know what will happen. But first --

Hopefully we did enough damage to get mini Godzilla.

'Dren can you help Grumblejack? If not Jax let's quickly get him to our new ally.'

'Our thanks in assisting with that decayed flea carcass who was tormenting you. I ask you again, what is your name 'friend'?

Yeah, thanks for the assist. However, we can't break you out of there until we hit land. We don't know how to sail the ship.

Jax gives Cimu a look, hoping she notices what he left out of his statement and picks up on that. No need to tell him what we know about the Captain.

Also, sense motive on our friend from his last statements. 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

not that my knife needed to hit, but you know one does want to feel useful :)

Posted in ooc if the players can take a look.

Yeah, thanks for the assist. However, we can't break you out of there until we hit land. We don't know how to sail the ship.

Jax. Jax. Jax. Tsk! I am surprised at the lack of tack sir. Why mention that now as an opening?! Let's get him friendly and helpful first! Come on! You of all people would know that! Are you tired or hungry my cutie?

Cуровую is still trying to get her allies to help Grumblejack.

She casts Jax a reproachful look. Sometimes loverboy thinks with both his tails.

'What my friend meant to say was we want you out of there almost as much as you. And we plan to do that, but first we need to defeat the Captain and his close allies. That's why we came to deal with boneman.'

'Rest assured we will be getting you out of your prison, we were prisoners too once, so we understand what you are going through. Can we get you some food or water friend? A blanket perhaps? Healing for your wounds? What can we do to make your plight less painful and bearable?'

'I know its almost cruel to ask but you need to bare with this situation a little longer. Give us time to act.'

'We saw what you did a few days ago, you are indeed talented, you have many gifts and I can see why that foul Captain has kept you around friend, but why does he torment you such?'

Some assists here please Jax, Dren, DM any bonuses because we just removed the halfling's main cause of torment?

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Jax's attack on the lizard: 18 sneak attack -5 DR = 13 points of damage. It completely ignores the electricity.

Second attack, once again 18 - 5 = 13. Total 26 points! Okay, that's enough to make it lose its grip on Dren -- it's unconscious or dead.

As the Judge sees the speaker's body severed in half, he immediately directs the small water elemental to retrieve the body parts and any equipment that the speaker was carrying - tridents, etc.

I was just about to suggest that Judge, lol. Wow. At least player greed .. er, 'strategy' is universal.

"Lady, I will bear whatever is needed to bring that brute down. If he lives, he will leave a trail of treachery and blood and horror across the seas." The faint voice pauses. "But I forget my manners. I am sorry. Lady, my name is Nymphotis Cleadhoe, formerly of the Borough, now a wandering singer of songs. My friends -- among whom I hope I may count you -- call me Nimpy."

'Were it that we met under better skies 'Nimpy.' You can call me 'Zhilda.'

'Do you think you can help our fallen friend here? And as I asked is there anything we can do to help your condition for now?

Meanwhile, Sir Edmin is pulling himself back up on deck. (This doesn't require a check if you do it as a FRA.)

The four surviving fishmen, and their dolphin friends, seem confused and dismayed! They're not taking any actions this round.

"I know a charm that can slow the workings of poison. Bring him over here."

With the Captain overboard, the Judge looks to Xen:
Go downstairs and see where the rest are. It will not look like an accident if they are all down there. If they are done, get them up here.

Kill the other fish men! Someone throw Olaf a rope.

Diplo 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Xenfal calls to the men on board. He keeps up his inspire courage and heals himself

1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Jax shrugs and quickly starts to search the body while Cimu speaks to the halfling. "Let's finish this quickly. I am not at most eloquent when dealing with dread evil captains and their creepy, now deceased, shamans. Zhilda, can you make the body invisible? And can one of you disguise yourself as a merman? We need to get this body out of here. And that damned lizard too. Dren, feel free to take out your frustrations on the dead lizard..thing."

Jax will hide anything of use from the dead man on his person if its small, and in the pile of dirty rags if large.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Perception check to search the body.

Keep in mind Jax only has a 10 Cha :D He's just chatty when something/someone interested him. A dirty halfling isn't on the top of his "interesting" columns.

Just say one of the fish men snuck aboard and killed the old git, we can say we chased it away but it jumped over the deck. If I change into a fish man what is to stop me from getting attacked by the crew or the captain?

'Let's do it in an orderly fashion, first heal Grumblejack, then search the body and area, then get rid of the body.'

'Zhilda' will try to help the men bring the ogre over to the halfling, then cast Detect Magic and use Appraise or Perception to look for items.

Appraise 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

'Zhilda' will again offer the halfling any assistance she and the others can provide with his condition.

Dren summons a little bit of the darkness to guide his hands... Casts Guidance. then looks at his wounds...
Heal take a 10 to determine his injury
Treat Poison every time he saves I make a check to give him +4 to his save. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Treat Poison every time he saves I make a check to give him +4 to his save. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Taking ten takes a few minutes doesn't it? I don't think the captain's battle is going to take that long..we probably have closer to 3 rounds before someone comes downstairs.

"So we are to pretend that a merman that no one else saw, came aboard and got downstairs, used a slashing weapon with electricity to cut through the crew's boneman and then somehow escaped without any of us receiving wounds. ...I don't think the captain is going to buy that for a second. At least make his corpse invisible and let's throw it overboard."

Take-10 is a standard action, but usually cannot be done when under pressure. Take-20 is considered to take 20 rounds in the belief that one would end up getting a 20 once in every 20 rolls on average. (We all know that with the dicebot, it is more like 1 in every 100, but the rules are the rules.)

The Judge is correct. You can take 10 as a standard action when there's no pressure. You can take 20, but it takes 20x the normal time -- usually 20 rounds.

Whoops, this belongs here in gameplay.

You drag the ogre over by the halfling's crate. "This will slow the effect of the creature's poison. It won't cure him, but it will give his body time to heal naturally.. Did you cut its head off, by the way?"

Well that's wicked useful information!

"Cut off the what's head?" Jax immediately looks to the lizard and the boneman and draws his blade again. "Bloody hell, Dren you bloodthirsty fiend, you want to do the honor? Also, I still think someone should shapeshift and take him off the ship. Those curs of crew won't bother to attack you, we certainly won't and we can cause enough distraction that the Captain won't bother with you."

So use Perception, Appraise, and Detect Magic (cast by Cуровую) to search the boneman and his 'home' then Invisibility (cast by Cуровую) on his corpse (headless?) then as we get upstairs Vanish (cast by Jax) and Guidance (cast by Dren) on Jax as he throws the body over board?

It's best if we just keep quiet about the boneman and not even tell the crew we saw anything. We can just pretend it took us a minute or two (twenty rounds) to suit up and get ready.

Lastly I can Summon a Water Elemental downstairs to just cause havoc for three rounds to cause a commotion just as we get rid of the body as well as give some backing to the story that something attacked the boneman to cover our tracks.

Sure... Dren goes and saw's off the old man's head... It is always the vertebrae that causes the big slowdown on beheadings...luckily he is dead already so it won't cause a big mess all over me.