Azlain wraps his gloved hands around the sail line and slides down toward the deck, drawing his sword as he descends then kicking off the mast and twisting in the air to fall down practically on top of the beast with a vicious downward thrust.
Azlain dramatically ends the remaining wolverine with a vicous slice to an artery.
A column of smoke continues to pass from the rear of the galley as the fire continues to burn. You can see some burning spheres being heaved over the side and can hear cursing on the deck from this distance. The catapult is turned by slave labor and is pointed to the stern, but the angle of the deck makes for an extremely difficult shot at the crewman at the 300 foot range.
Windfavor continues to tack back and forth to keep speed in the reduced wind.
Good work, Azlain! You saved your fellow's life!
Seltyn is impressed by the masked warrior's power. We've got to get you on their deck with that sword.
Wil, can you get Thalas conscious? We're a little short on healing, at the moment. Talon, keep shooting. They won't have anyone left on deck by the time we get there...
Also, Seltyn has an idea for how we can get on the big boat. Enlarge Wil, letting him load and fire the ballista every other round. When we close, he can grab onto the other boat, and we can use him as a rope of sorts to climb up on it. Wil climbs up, and Seltyn dispels it (or not, depending).
That all depends on how fast we're closing. If Windfavor's busy tacking back and forth, even Seltyn can borrow his bow and take some shots at +6. The more we shoot, the better. Keep them busy dodging our arrows, and thinking there are a lot of us.
Once we're close enough (140'), Seltyn has spells to cast. Until then, rain Hell on 'em. Neutralize the catapult and make them worry about putting the fire out so we don't have to. Let's undo some evil. I'm sure that boat would be useful to the people, too, if we can take it.
All the wolverines are dead, Thalas in unconscious, and there is a stern chase to go after the galley.
It will take two to reload the ballista. But we are basically out of combat.
Distance to stern of galley is about 300' and slowly closing. The constant tacking by Windfavor to keep up is making for difficult shots even given the extreme range.
Initiative was this:
TalonBannermaiden
Seltyn
Wil
Azlain
Wolverines (enemies, in general)
Thalas
We need more info before we act again. Get Thalas up, then load the ballista. Hopefully, he can heal himself up to full before we get there.
Enlarge person It's a mixed blessing...
Aim for the downed hag. She's not dead enough, yet.
"Understood Seltyn!"
Wil stands at the center of the ship in a way he can catch everyone in his healing burst, as he readied himself he bows hike head in prayer to the Father of elves. A great burst of energy covers those nearby, filling them with a warm feeling of their True Fathers love and healing devotion to his earthly children.
If his healing burst wasn't enough to raise the mighty Thalas then Wil kneels beside the cleric placing his hand on his shoulder and focusing his healing energy to fill the unconcious cleric with the Father of elves healing hand.
With Thalas up Wil turns to the banner maiden and waves her forward. "Assist me now and let's reload the ballista. Talon take out their siege engineer, without him they won't be able to hit us and try not to wound any slaves. We will need them soon as well..."
With that he moves to reload the ballista and hopefully fire at the enemy if there is time...
Azlain moves to reload the ballista while the healers concentrate on the wounded.
Thalas opens his eyes
message: Thalas, heal yourself as best you can. Our god has given us this book. Let's use it.
Seltyn is speaking out of turn. He's got a spell up that lets him do that, as "leader." Crosstalk is essentially free, but we act in initiative order. I think it's the bad guys' turn.
Windfavor slowly closes the distance when the catapult on the rear of the galley releases another shot.
Although they were aiming for the mast, the flaming missile impacts nearby .
squares
Although the aim is off, the missile impacts just inside the port rail leaving a hole in the deck and a fire along the port side of the ship.
"So...m'name be 'Suny' in'a speakin' of folks, whut be yours?" She asks of those around her, all the while subtly testing the chains that hold her in place.
Seltyn tells Flambeaux to use the waterbuckets to douse the flames, and to ask for help if she needs it.
He approaches Thalas. Heal up, my friend, but help me figure out this book, too.
He puts all his know-how into auguring what the book can do for us.
If Flambeaux can't put it out right away, he'll leave the book with Thalas and help her.
Flambeaux
"I can come hard left to put some fire below the waterline, but that will cost us some time to come completely around."
"Uhhhr..." groaned Thalas. Still Staggered, it was all he could to heal himself.
HP 20/27
AC 19 Touch 11 Flat 18
In Hands: Left - Shield, Right - none
Spells Remaining: 2nd - 0/3 1st - 3/4
Conditions: Bless, Elven Banner, Prone, Staggered
Go ahead, Admiral. We'll take care of the catapult crew.
"Admiral! We've got this!" Is all Wil can yell as he throws water on the growing flames, assisting the banner maiden and allowing the others to focus on what they are doing. Being burned to the waterline didn't sit well with him however and his efforts proved worthwhile as he used some water from the water barrel to fight the blaze.
Talon's first volley of arrows at the catapult crew gets a devastating hit. The figure crumples. The Bannermaiden and Talon are having poor luck with the fire, but Will completely smothers his part. Thalas heals and the captain steers.
Azlain is at the ballista and gets the crank halfway back with the next bolt, and considers whether to aid the fire crew or finish loading the ballista.
The fire spreads wickedly except where Will was at work.
Talon then looses two more arrows and brings two more of the loading crew down. Three bodies are quickly tossed over the side of the ship, and it takes the lashing of whips to get the crew to keep pulling the basket down.
The fire is currently spreading faster than it is being put out.
More bucket action!
Thalas, still prone from the wolverine mauling and Staggered by the witch's magic, stands up as all he can do.
HP 20/27
AC 19 Touch 11 Flat 18
In Hands: Left - Shield, Right - none
Spells Remaining: 2nd - 0/3 1st - 3/4
Conditions: Bless, Elven Banner, Prone, Staggered
Wil comes at the next section of fire with reckless abandon as he tries to contain it by any means necessary. His earlier success gives him some hope that he may indeed contain the fire and stop its spreading but that would be upto fate in the end...
So...with 'Escape artist' type checks? Can one 'Take Ten' or 'Twenty' or even 'Thirty'?
Azlain continues reloading the ballista, trusting the others to handle the fire.
The bannermaiden fights the fire.
The fire is kept from spreading further on the deck as Will and Seltyn keep the fire under control.
Talon notices he has slowed the reloading, but more figures continue to pull down the basket to lock it.
Windfavor angles the Sprite.
"Can't let them fire at the same angle."
Distance closes to 240 feet. A single armored soldier is on the high deck behind cover. Five continue to bring the catapult arm back the last third to the lash of the whip.
The rest are out of sight.
More water.
Shoot 'em, guys!
Between Seltyn and himself they were keeping the fire contained. He hoped they had it put out before they reached the enemy ship as he wanted to aid in the fighting to come...
Talon's first shot misses, the second shot almost penetrates the soldiers armor behind the improved cover of the catapult. Azlain has the ballista loaded and ready to fire. The officer on the top of the high deck is calling out numbers to the catapult crew as the basket is locked in place and loaded. Due to the movement of the sprite, slight adjustments are made to the angle of the catapult, so it cannot fire right away.
The range closes to 200' and then holds as the oars begin to pick up. Due to the heroic efforts of Seltyn, Wil, and the bannermaiden the fire is contained and spreads no more.
The captain looks with concern as the fire is halted short of the mast and sail. "I take it we don't want to swing left and dip the port side into the water yet."
Barely more than shoulders and heads are visible from the armored soldiers (it would be a tough shot). The archers are not visible at all.
Seltyn checks out the catapult, looking for a weakness.
If you can hit the pivot axle with the ballista, and do enough damage, it could jam up the throw, and then they couldn't fire it accurately. Who wants to be enlarged, so we have a chance? You're all good shots. Azlain? Want to give it a go?
He reaches for his scroll.
Seltyn looks for weaknesses, but with the catapult set back and recessed, there is little to hit. Trying to hit one of the catapult beams sticking up at 200' would be an incredible shot and would definitely foul the catapult.
Wil waves to Windfavor, certain that if there was a time to dip the ship to the water level it would be now. "Whenever your ready Windfavor! I will keep it contained!" Now with Seltyn assisting Azlain, Wil directs the banner maiden to unfurl the banner as he goes to battle the remaining fire alone. "Thalas assist Azlain in his shot! Talon, keep those bas%^&ds pinned down!" With that said he desperately tries to keep the fire contained until Windfavor ca dip the ship and extinguish it completely...
Thalas casts Guidance on Azlain as the only thing he can do to improve the chances of the ballista disrupting the catapult.
Seltyn gets out the scroll and approaches Azlain. He'll cast it next round.
The bannermaiden is grimy and singed, but continues to beat on the fire with wet cloaks.
"The fire is increasing."
The catapult flings another piece of enchanted shot.
It misses wildly, but the fire is definitely not being beat back by anyone this turn.
Windfavor tries to fight it with his bare hands and his cloak with no success.
Everybody! Put the fire out!
If it's still burning, the single purpose of all our lives is to put it out.
Wil, having little success on his own continues to fight the now viewing blaze any way he can. With bucket, wet cloak or his bare hands as he tossed burning wreckage over the side and paid a heavy price for it...
Oh for f*$&s sake. Azlain cursed in his head, watching the others.
Grabbing a bucket, he waited for the spell to hit him. Once it did, he adjusted to the balance issues of his new height and dunked his now massive bucket into the water.