GM Agent's Skull & Shackles

Game Master Heaven's Agent

Cecic, his mind drifting in the monotony of the days, his goal to escape the cat or worse. On hearing an instruction, his head looks up, what really, something different to do."Aye, aye I'll go." and off the halfling scurries, down to the galley.

He tugs at the big Human's arm, "Come, Come quick, Plugg wants us to go to find whatever's stowing away in the bilges. I assume he means us to kill it or capture it if it's worth something. Best take some precautions, what could have stayed as a stowaway for so long without us having discovered it before?" he muses aloud.

Šeherzada's Knowledge (geography) check, Day 4: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Šeherzada's Perception check, DC 10: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Šeherzada's memorised spells for Day 4:
Level 1 (2+1): mage armor, touch of the sea, gravity bow (specialised spell)
Cantrips (3, at will): acid splash, ghost sound, prestidigitation

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I am presuming that there are no penalties going to be levied for Lucky's pillaging of the quartermaster's store, as a result of GM fiat? If that is the case then Šeherzada will take her equipment back, and will use her crossbow down in the bilges. Her spell selection presumes she retrieved her equipment on Day 3 (or there would be no reason to memorise gravity bow).

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Šeherzada listens to Cecic's explanation of their course, shivering as he mentions Ashaq. That doesn't sound pleasant for anybody.

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Later, when Tibbs comes up on deck, Šeherzada happens to be standing by with a message for the Captain when she delivers her report. She chews her lip at the gnome's mention of filth spirits.

Šeherzada's Knowledge (local) check to see if the creatures sound familiar: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

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After Plugg tells the newcomers to head down to the bilges and get rid of whatever is down there, Šeherzada follows Cecic to the galley to pick up Strom on the way through.

She looks at Kroop, passed out in the corner while perched on a barrel, dangerously close to falling off. She walks over and straightens him up, resettling the chicken on his head as she does so.

He doesn't seem like a bad feller, she says to Strom as they make their way down to the depths of the ship.

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Before she heads into the bilges, Šeherzada draws her crossbow and loads it. Now, she says quietly. Let's see if we can work out what we're dealing with...

Šeherzada casts dancing lights and roams them up and down the bilges, just above the water level, while holding firmly onto the ladder with one hand.

Are we going to ret-con that Šeherzada took her gear back when it was offered?

Lucky gathers his weapons (as well as the rest of the liberated acid) and meets the others at the hatchway to the bilges, his crossbow loaded and his rapier at his hip.

"I heard Tibbs say something about a snapping filth spirit, whatever that is," he says softly. "While I hate to disappoint the first mate, let's try not to get killed."

Such pretty sparkles, lady. Allow me to shed a little more light.

Mawimbi will cast light on his holy symbol

Strom, surprised but happy to see his friends and the mission they've been assigned, answers the slight woman, "He's not bad at all, I think he'd actually be a good person to have around, if he'd stop drinking himself to death!" The large man stops at his locker to pick up some of the recovered items. Having already started wearing his armor (which he still wears beneath his blood and grease stained apron he forgot to remove), he needs only to strap on his buckler, secure his scimitar, and a small, sharp axe. He grins as the familiar weight of his gear settling on his person, and hurries after the others. Arriving behind them he chuckles, "Whatever's down there has got to be more exciting than gutting fish, let's get to it."

Strom starts forward to lead the way in, following the floating lights. He tries hard not to show he's more nervous about the source of illumination, than the unknown menace in the bilges.

The light from Šeherzada's spell illuminates the dark confines of the bilge, reflecting off the brackish water in eerie patterns. Nothing looks out of place as Strom climbs the ladder into the Wormwood's lowest hold.

Strom, I'm going to need a Perception check. Everyone else can make a Perception check as well, but from the trap door you suffer a -4 to the roll.

Go ahead and roll Initiative.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Strom peers into the gloom, shadows dancing around in magic light.

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Initiative 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Cecic his nerves electrified by the adrenaline coursing through his veins feels alive in the moment, though he finds it difficult to concentrate on watching the progress of his friends.

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Whoops! On re-reading, I wasn't very clear about where Šeherzada is. I meant that she will have climbed in through the hatch, and be around a foot above the water, on the ladder, with a leg hooked through the rungs so that she can have two hands free if she needs to.

That's what I get for posting while falling asleep. : \

Of course, if everyone else is staying up in the hold, then they're going to have a hard time getting past Šeherzada on the ladder, so she might as well be directly in the bilges with Strom so the others can come to our rescue when the inevitable happens. ; )

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Šeherzada grimaces at the feel of the brackish water swirling around her toes. Let's get this over with, Strom, she says in a stage whisper, from her position near the base of the ladder.

Šeherzada's Perception check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Šeherzada's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

The big man hoists his spear, and checks the buckles of his leather armor. His holy symbol glows with a warm light.

Initiative 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
perception 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14

As you watch the reflection of the magical lights in the bilge Strom, Šeherzada, and Lucky all note that several creatures are partially concealed by the water. They begin closing in on the sea reaver as he stands in the hold, and two dire rats erupt from the area at his feet. Strom manages to avoid the incisors of one of the over-sized vermin, but the second sinks its teeth firmly into his calf (2 points damage; please make a Fort save). Several sets of eyes look up at Šeherzada hungrily as they seem to glide through the water.

Surprise Round (Map Link)
Strom, Šeherzada, and Lucky get to act in the surprise round. Strom is standing in water that rises to mid-calf, while Šeherzada is standing on the rungs of the ladder just above the water line. Lucky is at the top of the ladder in the lower hold alongside Mawimbi and Cecic. The water is deep enough that the dire rats benefit from concealment.

Initiative Order
19 - NPCs
15 - Cecic
12 - Lucky
12 - Šeherzada
07 - Strom
07 - Mawimbi

"What's going on Lucky?" the halfling asks tapping his feet not knowing or hearing anything from down below.
Just so you know I've been here.

Sorry, Cecic and Mawimbi, surprise rounds stink for those who fail the check, and I took longer getting the update done so I could set up MapTool as a game aid. It should prove extremely useful in helping me keep track of things.

Surprise Round
Strom bellows in surprise, pain and rage as the water erupts in vermin, managing to get out a short warning before letting his rage consume him, "Huge Rats!"

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
While his powerful body tries to fight off whatever the rat put into it, he lifts the small axe and slashes at the rat to the south with a howl of anger, aiming to take the vermins head off.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22. Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

A quick look around shows Šeherzada she's surrounded. Thinking that the most important thing is to get the others into the hold--and quickly--she elects to forego her magic to free up the ladder. Then, faced with a rat menacing her, she decides she has little choice but to try to fend it off. She switches her crossbow to her left hand, and then calls upon her innate power to create a weapon from her own body.

ACTIONS
No action: 5ft step northeast, directly above Strom. She will jump off the ladder if she has to.
Swift action: battleshape a gore attack. If it's okay with you GM Agent, I'd like it to manifest as her arm elongating and shaping itself into a long horn, like a narwhal has, rather than horns on her head.
Standard action: attack the dire rat that will now be to her west.

Šeherzada's gore attack: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15
Concealment roll, low is bad: 1d100 ⇒ 51
Damage: 1d6 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Breathing hard as the adrenaline courses through her, Šeherzada raises her crossbow and attempts to keep her arm hidden from Strom. No point in worrying him further, she reasons.

The battleshaped weapon lasts for one round, so it should disappear at the beginning of Šeherzada's next turn, and therefore be available for attacks of opportunity during the rats' turn.

FYI Zada, I think your first action is in the surprise round. So a movement or a standard, but not both. Although, when re-reading your post, it appears you may have posted both your surprise round and your Round 1 actions in one post. Is that correct?

Nope, there's no move action in there. A 5ft step is no action, so can be taken any time, and battleshaping is a swift action, so can be taken once per turn. In total Šeherzada has taken a swift action (battleshaping) and a standard action (an attack action). Have I missed something?

Nope! :) Just updating my understand of the 5' step as a non-action. annnnd check! The swift action I was clear on. I was going to 5' to the north, where you're moving, but didn't think I could. Next time I'll remember, so thank you!

Cool, no probs! : )

I'm a slow drunk! No worries, I'll be ready for the next round. May the dice be ever in your favor.

@ Šeherzada: You wish to modify an ability so that it occupies a limb it would otherwise leave free? I think I can allow that.

Šeherzada pushes off from the ladder, landing in the brackish water of the hold. As she does her hand and forearm lengthen and twist to form a spear-like horn that impales and kills a rat. The wizard prepares to face additional vermin as Strom answers the injury inflicted to him by cleaving another rat's head from its neck.

I'll generally give a full 24-hours to post an in-combat update. I will treat the character of anyone who hasn't posted at that point as an NPC, attempting to base the character's actions on past behavior. The exception to this will be the surprise round: if you do not post before I conclude the surprise round, your character will have failed to act upon whatever cue began combat.

Since there is still time in that initial 24-hours I will hold off a while longer to allow Lucky time to respond. Sometimes this will cause the update to roll over into the following day, as it might in this instance; I had an extremely stressful and busy day, and am considering going to bed early. Additionally, as this is the first time I have brought this up I will NPC Lucky this one instance if he does not post before I begin the next round of combat.

Surprise Round

Lucky brings his crossbow up in a swift movement, and releases a bolt at the rat nearest Strom.
Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 and damage 1d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (5) = 9

Acting quickly from the top of the ladder, Lucky fires a crossbow bolt into the hold. His aim holds true and another rat floats dead in the water.

The three remaining rats close on the Strom and Šeherzada. The sylph manages to avoid being bit, but Strom suffers more damage from one of the vermin (3 damage; roll another Fort save).

1st Regular Round (Map Link)
It's possible to descend into the hold as a single Move Action with a Climb check (DC 5). You can remain on the ladder as Šeherzada was earlier, or end your movement in an open square adjacent to the ladder. The first one to move from the ladder to an adjacent square in this manner, though, is going to draw Attacks of Opportunity from all three rats.

As an aside, rats find sea reaver to be delicious.

Those with higher init, you could wait (delay) until some rats have been cleared out of the way, *wink wink* *nudge nudge*. Also Agent, the newest map link doesn't reflect Zada's NE movement or any dead rats. Shouldn't there be some?

Round 1

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Hardly fazed by the next vicious attack from the vermin at his feet, the Reaver's red-tinged gaze turns to his next foe and a growl escapes his throat, even as his axe swinging for its spine.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 and Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Try refreshing your image cache; the map has been updated from the surprise round.

Cecic pops his head through the hold and seeing the rats around, calls upon Besmara to move one of the rats out of the way. The dirty bilge water starts to rise in front of Strom creating a wave that crests white foam before washing over the rat, pushing him away from Cecic's friends.

Surge 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 to push the rat in the A11 square as far to the left as possible.

Cool! Worked that time without having to update my cache. But whatever happened I'll take it! EDIT: :oS it was my firefox button to block all images, comes in handy at work... unfortunately I forget it's on sometimes. hehe.

I really hate to post with these rolls, but...
Climb 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Acrobatics 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 Damage 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (3) = 5
Dropping his crossbow, Lucky draws his rapier and grabs the edge of the hatch with his free hand. He swings gracefully down through the hole and drops down, slipping on the slimy bottom of the deck and awkwardly balancing himself with a stab at the nearest rat.
That should put me in the square to the NW of the ladder, flanking the rat with Šeherzada. If I survive the AoOs.

Move: Climb down, move to a free square 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Spear attack on a rat 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
damage1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

By my estimation and knowledge of general dire rat stats, that makes the rat Cecic surged away the only one left? Although nobody has made concealment miss chance rolls.

So here's an attack roll, a miss chance roll, and two damage rolls:

1d20 ⇒ 10
1d100 ⇒ 36
1d6 ⇒ 3
1d8 ⇒ 3

The miss chance roll is good, so I should be right to carry on.

If the rat adjacent to Šeherzada is still active:

Use battleshape (gore) attack again:
To hit: 10 + 0 = 10
Damage: 3 = 3

If the rat adjacent to Šeherzada is unconscious/dying/dead:

Drop the battleshaping, level the crossbow in both hands, and fire at the rat Cecic surged away.
To hit: 10 + 3 = 13
Damage: 3 = 3

I think those are all going to miss anyway, but what the heck. : )

The Bilge water surges up, hurtling a rat to the hold's far wall where the ship's timbers halt its movement. At the same time Lucky ducks into the hold and getting nipped by a rat in the process (3 Damage; Roll Fort Save). Striking at the creature that drew his blood, Lucky skewers another rat.

Šeherzada's arm and hand revert to their normal form as the sylph quickly aims and fires her crossbow at the rat across the hold, but the bolt lodges itself firmly in the timber above the rat's head rather than find its mark. Strom turns his axe against the rat currently menacing his feet, but the vermin manages to avoid the sea reaver's swing. Mawimbi has joined the others in the bilge, however, and even as the rat avoids Strom's axe it is pinned beneath the waterline by the druid's spear.

The remaining rat seems unphased by its unexpected trip across the hold. It closes once more, this time attempting to bite Mawimbi, but is unable to find the man's flesh.

2nd Regular Round (Map Link)
Šeherzada's assessment is correct: Only a single rat remains in the bilge, and it is attempting to gnaw a hol through Mawimbi's shoe. And his foot.

Unwilling to wade into combat or try to shoot her crossbow into the close combat between Mawimbi and the rat, Šeherzada elects to wait and see what happens.

Delay action until everyone else has had their shot.

I am sorry my friend. You have upset the balance; there is no place on a ship such as this for your kind. Send my regards, please. says the druid before slamming the spear down into the remaining rat.

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

On his turn-and if the rat is alive...

Strom steps quickly to Mawimbi's help, steps south and west till he can strike at the small creature. He chops at the thing, a quick, violent motion.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 and Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

With the fighters engaged in a fight with the last rat, Cecic shouts down, "I'll wait til you've finished that rat off, then come up here and I see if I can make those wounds better. Don't think you'll be OK if you continue to stay in that dirty bilge water with nasty wounds."

Defer action

Both Strom and Mawimbi attack the remaining rat, but their weapons are unable to find the creature's body beneath the water in the hold. Lucky (NPC) makes his way quickly around the mast and manages to score a hit against the vermin with his rapier.

The wounded rat attempts to bite Lucky, but its strength seems to give out as it does and it splashes into the water dead.

End of Combat
Updates over the next few weeks may be sporadic as I take care of things for the start of the new school semester and work out my new schedule.

Strom holds his breath as he looks over the rest of the filthy hold, eyes wary of movement. Seeing none, he closes his eyes and takes a deep shuddering breath, seeming to almost deflate a little as he relaxes. Looking around he asks, "Everyone ok?" He looks down at the rent in his own flesh even as he asks, nose twitching at the noxious odor.
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16

No problem!

Šeherzada looks over at Strom.

I think Cecic is probably right about staying down here. You should head up and let him look you over.

Šeherzada hitches her crossbow back on its sash and draws her dagger, cutting off the dire rats' tails as proof of their demise.

After a few seconds Strom seems to regain his strength, climbs the ladder and sits against the wall, tilting his leg to get a better look at the bites.

Allowing for more to get healing if they come up, so I don't have to wait for everyone to post before Cecic does and hopefully speed up the pbp. If you don't like this approach the I'll go back to waiting for al the posts to appear, before doing party heals through channeling. Also will roll all channels, even though a player may stop the channeling before the end, just to save time, any unused may be used channeled later in the day and rerolled.

"Here Strom, let me take a look at your wounds" Cecic takes Strom further from the bilge, and anyone else that comes up to have their wounds bound. until he says, "Yes, Yes that's better, I think I like the light here." He takes some rags and starts to wrap the wounds, as he does he call, "Renew your loyal sailors in their love of the sea and its bounteous rewards." with this the air seems filled with a deep smell of ozone from the fresh sea, a faint sound of breakers rushing towards the shore.

Moves the injured until they are far enough away so that his channels do not heal any rats.
Heal check 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 on Strom
Heal check 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 on another 1
Channels until either Strom tells Cecic to stop, or all the wounds seemed healed.
Channel positive energy 1 1d6 ⇒ 2 HPs healed now 2
Channel positive energy 2 1d6 ⇒ 6 HPs healed now 8
Channel positive energy 3 1d6 ⇒ 6 HPs healed now 14
Channel positive energy 4 1d6 ⇒ 4 HPs healed now 20
Channel positive energy 5 1d6 ⇒ 5 HPs healed now 25 ... this heal isn't required so it won't happen.

Strom marvels at the change in the air, and feels his skin tingling beneath the skilled bandages applied by Cecic, stopping the healing after two healing waves (Disregard if someone needs more healing). He looks over at the small cleric, the wonder still on his face, "That was amazing! Thank you. What manner of healing is this?" You can see the large muscles of his leg flexing and relaxing as Strom tests the recently sustained, and more recently healed, wounds. "How did those rats get in there anyways? Have they been here all along?" he asks those who have spent time in the bilges, his days being taken up by the kitchen.

Šeherzada finishes gathering the rat tails and heads up to the main deck. She approaches Mr. Plugg with the tails.

Rats, sir, she says by way of explanation, showing him the tails in her hand. Big ones, but we got them all. Shall I have the bodies thrown overboard?

What's the check for surviving/avoiding disease from eating raw rat? No sense in letting the rat meat go to waste, particularly when there are other pirates to impress with your toughness!

I believe that's the 'Amazing Goat-Stomache' check... pretty sure.

If you ask nicely, Cecic can cast Purify Food and Drink, which might help... he would offer if he saw you start to eat.

OK Strom, 2 Channels used so far today.

What's the check for surviving/avoiding disease from eating raw rat? No sense in letting the rat meat go to waste, particularly when there are other pirates to impress with your toughness!

It would require three checks against contracting Filth Fever (Fort DC 11), per rat.

Plugg glaces at the rat tails in Šeherzada's hand before looking her over with a critical eye. "Seem ta be you can follow orders. Might be a chance you lot will survive after all. Scourge'll be disappointed; he might end up losin' his bet." In response to your question the Garundi motions to the side of the ship and turns away, heading toward the foredeck.

I knew things were going to end up getting spotty, but I had no idea they would get this bad. I apologize for disappearing; my doctor surprised me with some recent test results, and I'm trying to make sense of it in addition to my finances and school.

Feel free to pursue any dialog or actions following your successful rat hunt in the bilge. When you're done I'll fast forward again.

Stroms still waiting on some responses... poor forelorn Strom.

Šeherzada nods and snaps a sharp salute at Mr. Plugg's back before heading below to gather up the carcasses (presuming Mawimbi isn't chewing on them...).

She takes them up to the deck and makes a show of tossing them over the side, one by one.

As she does, she muses on Plugg's comments. A bet? Presumably at our expense... Šeherzada resolves to see if she can work out what the bet was about--she relishes any opportunity to show Scourge up. Perhaps we can even part him from Mr. Plugg's confidence...

Strom, who had followed the slyph up, stops by her side as she tosses the tails overboard, speaking in a quiet voice, "Did I just hear Plugg say there was a bet out on us? No secret who thinks we won't make it, but I'm more interested in who thinks we will!"