"Heave to! ye heared the Cap'n!"
Try as the crew might, no amount of searching yields results. Before long the fog rolls out, and there is no sign of the Deathknell.
Well that wasn't the LEAST bit foreboding. ONWARD!!!
Slappy waits till the officer meeting after dinner and a round of rum. Making sure that none of the crew is listening.
Cap'n, brothers I think we need to prepare. It can't be good seeing a ghost Slappy does air quotes on the word ghost ship. This ghost ship is toying with us. I want to take heed to the warning and prepare. Kiltem if ya need ta pray for spells, lets pray for some that's good against the non living. We've fought them before, so what did we learn? I would prefer not to use fire out here on the sea. Cap'n, Ko what's can we wargame out our playbook?
Ko considers with a furrowed brow, "Based on the way it was moving, I think we have to assume that it doesn't obey the normal rules of wind and sail. In other words, we won't be able to maneuver against it. I think we have to assume that it will catch us, and then try to enact whatever dark fate it has in mind for us. Lucky, if know any more of the legends that might help, please tell. Regardless, I think our best option is to lay in wait for them. We could hide beneath the decks and lay traps...ambush them when they come aboard."
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"Hmm, I wonder if I remember anything useful."
Ko can't think of anything more, but the crew seems to like his plan. They're also a bit nervous. You definitely all get the sense that their confidence in you is pitted directly against their animalistic fear of the ghost ship.
Art reads this, and decides to try to Change Their Attitude with his rousing charismatic speech.
Faugh!! You think I'm afeared of shades? SHADES?!?! Har! They attack the mind, the spirit--and our spirit is STRONG!! They do not attack us as individuals. They attack a school of PIRANHA! Let them see what is in store, we'll send em straight to the Abyss!
He pauses for 2 beats, turns to the crew and shouts
Slappy waits till the officer meeting after dinner and a round of rum. Making sure that none of the crew is listening.
Cap'n, brothers I think we need to prepare. It can't be good seeing a ghost Slappy does air quotes on the word ghost ship. This ghost ship is toying with us. I want to take heed to the warning and prepare. Kiltem if ya need ta pray for spells, lets pray for some that's good against the non living. We've fought them before, so what did we learn? I would prefer not to use fire out here on the sea. Cap'n, Ko what's can we wargame out our playbook?
Hmmm... Most of my spell deal with the living, things with in the natural order... The druid shakes his head as if not really understanding strange spirits. I'll meditate on it.
Lucky tries to help Art sway the crew by starting a chant,
"Pirates!
Piracy!
Piranhas on the high seas!"
Slappy decides to turn on the charm even while feeling a bit nervous himself of the supposed upcoming fight with yet more undead.
"Ya skallywags hear da Captain! Lets use the day to our advantage prep this ship for being boarded. Let us get our prayers to Besmara, and Papa Storm, and give this foe our absolute best, let em sleep with Davy Jone's locker.
When he can find a break. Slappy talks to Kiltem I know you enjoy you taking on animal forms, but can you control the weather near us? Have Papa Storm keep some clouds and rain near? Have him energize any lightning you call down when needed?
Lets prep fall back points if needed, and canalize any foes with boxes, and I can cast grease to slow them, or make them prone. Crew with long spears to porcupine any in our funnels.
The crew is subdued on the third day. The time passes dreadfully slowly. As the sun begins to set, everyone is on edge. The pep talks from the day before have a clear effect on them as it's less fearful, and more an air of wanting to get this over with.
With the coming of evening, a nor’easter off the Eye sweeps across the Fever Sea, bringing a front of high winds and a purplish-black sky. Even before nightfall, the hurricane lamps must be lit to pierce the gloom. As the ship rides up and down with the swells and sporadic rain lashes the deck, the strained clanking of a bell can be heard once again coming over the water. A red ship’s lantern shines in the darkness as the dark bulk of a derelict whaler looms out of the night.
It is time!
Kiltem feels the storm all around him and gives a fierce smile. He calls out to Papa Storm for his gifts
Casts Call Lighting
PREPARE TO BOARD!! We're finishing this RIGHT NOW lads!! TO AAAAAAARMS!!!
he's going for speed...
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Get that corvus ready! Boots on their deck, and knives to their neck!!
The Pirhana lets the ghost ship close. Within a few hundred yards, spells aboard begin to fly. The Death knell then dives into the water!
The entire ship dives like a dolphin below the inky water! Shouts come from all over the ship. Then with a roar the Deathknell breaks the surface on the other side of the Pirhana! Aboard the ghost ship stands a party of six undead; mindless, evil undead with rotten, bloated bodies and slimy greenish skin. They wear the soggy remains of their former sailor’s garb, now dangling strands of seaweed. Their stench is overpowering. Behind them stands their leader. Wordlessly he rings the ship's bell. The sound of the bell is otherworldly, and it vibrates your bones as it rings.
It's also the order to attack!
Round 1:
Lucky: Go
Art: Go
Ko: Go
Slappy: Go
Kiltem: Go
Enemy: TBD
(Always in surprise)
(+2 in the water)
LongStrider, GreaterMagic Fang on self/Kiltem. The druid also takes Wildshape form, big kitty
BarkSkin on the Capitan
Freedom of Movement on Lucky
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Round 1 actions
After the synchronous ohh crap from watching the whaler dive and then surface, Slappy focuses on the task at hand. The party knows whats coming, and they feel the spell infuse their body increasing their focus, and reaction. As the haste takes over they can hear the gnome's slight chuckle as he spots a few fish flopping around on the other ships deck. The fish be flippy and floppy the water is salty, between Kiltem and Ko your second death will be woe.
Slappy gets the party started, ending a long list of spells with a comedy routine.
Round 1:
Lucky: Go
Art: Go
Ko: Go
Slappy: Haste
Kiltem: Go
Enemy: TBD
- Round the First
- Current HPs:54/54
- Invisible
- Hasted
- Freedom of Movement
- Inspired
Lucky sneaks to the port gunwale and vaults over the edge, hoping to land in the enemy's life raft.
Sneaky sneaky
Ko makes a running leap across to the other ship.
Ko quickly sizes up one of the undead creature's shambling gait and strikes with his magically granted courage, size and alacrity.
Crit confirmation
Ko just barely makes it across, but it's good enough. He quickly turns on the nearest zombie with a studied eye. It's an easy hit for the man, despite the poor execution.
Round 1:
Lucky: Go Inspire Courage (+2), Haste, Freedom of Movement, Invisibility
Art: Go
Ko: Hit!
Slappy: Haste
Kiltem: Go
Enemy: TBD
Blue: 14
Current status: Haste, Barkskin, Inspire Courage (+3 hit, +2 damage, +4 AC)
Art sees Ko's brave jump to the enemy deck, but is too far away to directly help. Instead, he dashes to the nearer boarding plank, draws Tooth, and plants himself in a relaxed ready position to cover the plank.
Don't let Ko get swarmed! I'll hold here!!
He then eyes the nearest zombie, and gives him a salute & a sneer
Round 1
The druid in his large tiger form looks as a ten foot tall Ko hops over to the other ship. Long legs hardly needing to jump!
Hearing the Capitan calling for someone to watch the giant slayer’s back, Kiltem answer’s the call. Enhanced speed on four swift paws is just enough to get him there. He pounds across the corvus and swipes a dinner plate sized paw at the white undead sailor.
Attack
GMF claw
Art stands ready as Kiltem dashes in right away, easily reaching the other ship.
Tiger Kiltem's claws are extremely powerful, nearly tearing a zombie in half! The undead doesn't stop though, and nothing short of killing it will be enough.
Who knows what Lucky is up to....
The zombies oblige and move in. Cap'n Art skewers the zombie as it approaches, wiggling his rapier to maximize the damage. It's not enough to drop it though!
Instead of attacking with a weapon, it reaches out to try and grab him! but can't get a hold.
Two more come in, also trying to grab hold of the captain:
But Art is having none of it!
Two zombies go after Kiltem with their cutlasses:
for
for
One goes after Ko:
Miss
Whalebone Pilk hurls his harpoon at Ko. The end of the harpoon is tied solidly to the main mast.
but it goes way wide!
Round 2:
Lucky: Go (AoO on Pilk if you want it.)
Ko: Go
Slappy: Go
Kiltem: Go
Art: Hit AoO v. Green
Enemy: TBD
Green: 17
White: 19
Blue: 14
Round 2
Slappy flings out a familiar spell that just misses the Captain and hits his intended target. The deck gets extra slippery as a pool of grease affects the red and black zombies.
The still invisible gnome moves in order to keep everyone in range of his lingering performance.
The green falls in place, but the red zombie has no problem keeping his feet.
Round 2:
Lucky: Go (AoO on Pilk if you want it.)
Ko: Go
Slappy: Grease
Kiltem: Go
Art: Hit AoO v. Green
Enemy: TBD
Green: 17
White: 19
Blue: 14
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Art's brow furrows a bit at his positioning, but that's the only indication of any worry. He embraces the situation, and allows his muscles to fall into the magical haste. Nail appears in his hand like a blur, and like a blur he lashes out with both weapons!
Prioritize most wounded enemy first, which appears to be green. Any attacks beyond killing first target will go to Red first.
<--THREAT #1
<--THREAT #2
Good round for the Cap'n
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Art sets to work with his deadly display, weaving his rapier like a mad conductor! He drops green quickly. With another pair of attacks he drops a second zombie. With gun and blade he takes out a third!
The speed and efficiency of the kills will live on in the crew's stories for years!
Round 2:
Lucky: Go (AoO on Pilk if you want it.)
Ko: Go
Slappy: Grease
Kiltem: Go
Art: 2 Crit and a normal kill
Enemy: TBD
White: 19
Blue: 14
Round 2
The tiger attacks with magical speed, its hard to believe something so large can move so fast. FULL ATTACK!!!
Attack 1
Jaws of biting
Attack 2
GMF claw
Attack 3
GMF claw
Haste attack
GMF claw
Meanwhile, astern, Kiltem savagely attacks the zombies. the bite tears one zombie in half! The claw attacks quickly take out two more.
The crew shouts in exultation, but the officers know that this is too easy...
Round 2:
Lucky: Go (AoO on Pilk if you want it.)
Ko: Go
Slappy: Grease
Kiltem: Kills
Art: 2 Crit and a normal kill
Enemy: TBD
Blue: 14
Ko moves with surprising grace despite his size, sliding up to sandwich the lead undead between him and Lucky. He lashes out with magically enhanced intensity and speed.
1st
Crit confirmation
Haste
Crit confirmation
2nd
Crit confirmation
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Lucky bides his time, blade at the ready, to strike the undead captain at the Opportune Moment.
Twice Ko slashes the undead captain. The hits are powerful, and the second would have felled a man. Lucky stays hidden, prepared for the words and gestures of magic.
They don't come though. Instead the captain reaches out with his hand to Ko's chest. . His hand plunges into Ko's chest and begins to steal his breath!
Round 3:
Lucky: Go
Ko: Go
Slappy: Go
Kiltem: Go
Art: Go[/b]
Enemy: TBD
Pilt: 44
Round 3
The hasted tiger charges onto the ghost ship and pauses at the base of the steps. The druid speaks w/ his mind's voice NOW PapaStorm!
A huge bolt of lightning strikes down on the undead captain.
Call Lightning
reflex for 1/2, DC15
Round 3
The now visible Slappy is kind of proud at the lethality of the Piranah crew, but not totally trusting enough that he goes onto the other ship as of yet. As he moves a bit closer, he pulls out his drum. The beat is inspiring and and culminates with Kiltem's lighting. Slappy feels the power of the storm and the beat, it is almost as if he can inspire the storm to send another bolt down, but the magic isn't there yet.
Ko tries to cry out in pain, but the icy grip catches him mid breath. He struggles to resist its power.
Slappy tries to bolster the party as the others wreak havoc.
Kiltem brings down a bolt from the sky! It strikes the undead captain. The other sailors, all fighting lesser undead of their own turn to see the strike.
The undead captain wobbles and takes a stuttering step, but doesn't fall!
Round 3:
Lucky: Go
Ko: Go
Slappy: Bard
Kiltem: ZAP
Art: Go
Enemy: TBD
Pilt: 68
- Round the Third
- Current HPs: Max
"PIRANHAS!"
- Round the Third
- Current HPs: Max
"PIRANHAS!"
Lucky leaps into the air invisible, and strikes out with both of his kukris as he starts to return to the rolling deck. A plummeting and screaming rogue with kukris flashing pops into the battle suddenly, his face
for , , and 4 Bleed Damage per round.
• Target is Bewildered: –2 to AC, -4 to AC vs. Lucky for 1 round.
• Target takes 1 point of Strength damage
for , , and 4 Bleed Damage per round.
• Target is Bewildered: –2 to AC, -4 to AC vs. Lucky for 1 round (adds to duration).]
• Target takes 1 point of Strength damage
Ko studies the undead pirate captain, letting the chilling magic etch an icy intensity into his response. He leaps to the attack with his cutlass.
Full Attack
1st
Crit confirmation
2nd
Crit confirmation
Lucky's spell breaks as he delivers his first attack of the fight. Whalebone Pilk gives a shout of frustration. He turns on Lucky and whispers,
The bell on the Deathknell rings and the ship begins to dematerialize! Everyone rushes back to the Pirhana, Ko needing but a single stride.
Afore long, the ship is gone and the weather calms...
The crew celebrates the triumph, having destroyed the ghost ship! With a healthy rest, everyone prepares for Tidewater Rock upon the Windward Isle.
-----
Windward Isle is 2 miles long by 1 mile wide and is almost entirely surrounded by rough shingle and gravel beaches. The soil is rocky and barren, with thin salt grasses, scrub trees, and who knows what else beyond shore. Circling around, you find no good place to anchor. A tower rises like a solid block from the sea at the edge of this island. The pounding surf rolls around its base and partially covers the steps that lead up to its front gate. A few arrow slits pierce its walls here and there, and a single shuttered window opens high upon the face of the fortress. A roof of metal shingles rises from its battlements where sentries keep lookout and siege weapons stand ready on corner turrets.
Can we get to shore on the jolly boat?
Can we see any actual people? Or does it look deserted?
Perception
Survival
There's no sign of life on the island outside of the keep itself. (Indeed, Kiltem doesn't see anything larger than a capybara.) There is a light on in the main tower though, so someone is home.
It looks like there's a place to land the jolly boat if you wanted to approach and parlay. It looks like you could find a place to land and sneak too. Your call.