"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
Mariel sighs heavily at the sight of the dying half-orcs. When the fight is over, she hurries to the other side of the ship. She crouches next to one of the captives, leaving her blade on the ground by her side. She removes the gag from one of the captives and tries explaining their presence. "Don't worry, we are here to save you. We will get you out of here. We came looking for a woman named Cestis. She was abducted at an auction. Do you know her?"
Double move, remove gag, one action left for conversation. If there are any women among the captives, I will choose one of them to ungag and speak to.
I must say you seem to be a most impressive bunch, you seem to be far more effective and slicing than those fellows I explored a fortress with - surely a good thing for us arcane types to be around...
Ev goes over to the captives too to help and speak with them.
Yes, yes, we're here to help. I say what did you hear about this cult? Sounds most interesting a doomsday cult that desires to even destroy the grass - very thorough!
Ev although at times good with people can also have moments of real insensitivity!
The half-orcs have some helpful gear on them. Raevin finds four labelled potions of Cure Light Wounds, some gold, a key ring for the manacles and a wayfinder.
Upon freeing the slaves, they inform you that they don't know much. The ship members spoke exclusively in Orcish in front of them, but they did hear the name Luscilia a lot. "We were treated fairly nicely, I guess..." they reflect.
As you tend to the soon-to-be slaves, you hear some stoping around on the top deck before a shrill voice echoes through the ship. “Where in Asmodeus’s chamber pot are my bloody slaves? Orcs! Front and center! Now!”
Whispers I guess this is luscilla.... If we all rush up above and surprise her i could blast her with magical cold, but it would be good to do that before you sword types surround her, otherwise I'd catch you in the blast.
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
"I agree. We still haven't found Cestis, so we still need some answers. The best way would be to confront this Luscilla."
Mariel is lost in thought for a moment. "This remind me of the story about Ceredil the Fair, who was caught in a cave and beset by orcs. They thought they had him trapped, but he made a daring counterattack and prevailed... I agree with Ev that the best way would be to take them by surprise. I could join him and shroud about half the deck in fog, just as he launches his attack. That might give us some cover while making our way up the stairs, and will hopefully protect Ev from the worst of their assault."
Yes, answers, that's what we need...
There's a slightly disturbing light in Evaldane's eyes as he says that, you can almost sense the mystical energies rolling behind them, looking for a release.
That said, I did almost get eaten by a pair of rats... My magic works best when i have a clear field of frost - so i'd most certainly need you all right behind me. Mariel, the mist you speak of, wouldn't it interfere with our own attacks too?
don't want to hold us up, but is obscuring mist a good idea? won't it get in our way too much?
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
"Yes, it will. But it's only a small area. You would be able to walk up to the edge and have a clear line of sight. I'm just trying to prevent you from getting mobbed by whoever's up there. We have no idea how many there might be..."
I'm not sure, really. I'm not the most experienced from the tactical side of the game. My thinking was there might be a lot of folks on deck, all waiting for us to come out (with readied actions maybe?) If we have some concealment around the stairs, we can move out after the initial blast, disperse and 'even the odds'. Otherwise the first person to come up might just get mobbed and the rest will be stuck behind him/her.
You guys begin to discuss strategy and take a while, but it doesn't sound like there is any movement to enter the ship. In fact, the woman yells out once more. "Oi! Orcs! Bring me my slaves! I have business to attend to!"
You can barely hear the woman mutter shortly after that. "Where did they... go off to, those..."
I will say this. If you willingly put the Wizard in the front, I will not hold back from killing him.
sounds like there's a few of them, I think I should remember drakguld's lessons in his lexicon of dungeoneering and let one of you fine armoured types take the lead.
happy to step back and let others take the lead - sorry for slowing things down... Also just getting used to playing and working out how to use a wizard effectively.
I wanted to do something gruesome to strike fear in their hearts up there, but a rapier is a terrible instrument for quick beheading and I have no handaxe or anything.
Fingalad quietly makes his way up to the middle deck of the shape, rapier in one hand and longbow in the other. He nods at the others to indicate he will follow them up.
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
Mariel brings up the rear, picking up her blade as she gets up and keeping it in her hand. She motions the captives to follow at a distance, putting a finger to her lips to indicate that they should be quiet.
Fingalad rushes up the stairs, glances at the situation, then moves to the side of the ship, drops his Rapier to the ground, and then quickly looses an arrow towards the woman standing behind the zombie.
Crunch:
Notes: please place me 5' E of the grate on the top deck
In other news I actually have 0 panache because I don't have swashbuckler levels yet and so do not regain it from anything Rapier-related
Round 1 action: move action to go up the stairs and over to the grate
Free action to drop Rapier
Standard action to make longbow attack
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
Mariel stumbles up the stairs and moves up on the deck, keeping her back pressed against the cabin wall. "Slavers, and orcs ranting about the end times, and now zombies? Who are these people?" She looks at the zombie with that curious mix of horror and fascination.
Knowledge Religion:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
She finally chants an old Elven song to bless her companions.
Move. Cast Bless (+1 to attack rolls and saves against fear). And maybe I'll recognize if we're dealing with a 'normal' zombie or something else. Also, the Light spell I cast on my weapon is probably still in effect? Duration is 10 minutes, I cast it when we got into combat with the half-orcs below deck.
Evaladene climbs the stairs to the top deck.
oh my, now I could blast the both of them with a cold wave, but, what if they stay standing... A bit too risky by half. Oh well, magic missile it is...
Ev steps over next to where fingalad is standing and with a flick of his wand sends a magical bolt at the woman. Sorril again opens his little throat and sends forth a ray of cold.
Fingalad takes aim with his bow and looses another arrow at the woman.
Crunch:
Notes: at the time of my posting, I believe the priestess is not engaged in combat (no shooting into melee penalty) and not enjoying soft cover from my attacks
Round 2 action: standard action to attack with longbow again
Did the first attack succeed and just not kill it? Or did it have no (or limited) effect?
Conlaoch steps to the side of the zombie, keeping the women close at hand as well. Then he continues to do what he does best.
First the zombie.
Power Attack, Cleave (-2 AC for round):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Damage:1d10 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Assuming that hits, then continue the cleave to attack woman.
Power Attack, Cleave (-2 AC for round):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Damage:1d10 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
--- edit --- I just realize those were both 20s! Confirm zombie?:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 Damage:1d10 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
Appalled at the sight of the zombie, Mariel strides forward, and slashes at the walking corpse.
Conloach, Bevek and Fingalad cut down the woman and the zombie in a flurry of strikes as Eveladane goes blind. Permanently blind.
The Pathfinders take a bit to breathe, but the weather seems to be turning sour. A rough wind gusts in off the harbor, blasting the rope lines on the Prancing Prince into a whip-crack frenzy as a quick examination of the woman lets them find two potions of cure light wounds, +1 halfplate, and a masterwork heavy flail. As the group divests the woman of her armor, a holy symbol falls from her sleeve: a perfectly round moonstone with the face of a skull carved into the front.
A letter flutters out of her pocket in the wind and flaps around, avoiding everyone's grasp before it flies off the edge of the boat. Luckily, Sorrill is quite quick and flies out to grab it, snatching it with ease in his talons.
"Meet with Cataclysm at Cooper's Warehouse in Naval Shipyards. Trap door covered by box with red frame.
-Love, Dalirio Teppish"
Kn.(History) DC 15 - Only Taldans:
The Teppish family once stood as the right hand of the Grand Prince, a family of wealth, power, and absurdly large holdings throughout northern Taldor.
A Teppish once sat in the governor’s seat in Cassomir Prefecture. A Teppish once led thousands in battle against the Qadirans during the Grand Campaign. A Teppish negotiated the Treaty of the Wildwood, guaranteeing Taldor a renewable source of druid-protected blackwood trees that would forever supply the empire with the ships built in Cassomir’s famous Imperial Naval Shipyards. The Teppish family’s power came to a close nearly 50 years ago when a series of rival houses launched attacks on their holdings and wealth, and even went so far as to assassinate several of the Teppish family patriarchs.
In just a few short years the mighty Teppish were reduced to laughingstocks in the Opparan social scene and were left with few possessions, even less gold, and no power at all. So the Teppish family did what any self-respecting Taldan family does when left destitute: they turned to a life of organized crime.
Their crimes were crimes against the state. They robbed treasury caravans, ambushed military convoys, even traveled deep into the Verduran Forest and sabotaged druid-guided logging operations. Slowly and methodically, they sought to destroy Taldor from within.
"Silver Crusader". Half-Elf Oracle (Spirit Guide) 6 HP 20/48 | AC 2421, T 10, FF 21 | Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +7 (+2 vs. ench.) | Init +0 | Perception +12, Low-light. Spells per day left: 1st 2/7, 2nd 2/6, 3rd 0/4. Active conditions: Lead blades, Shield of Faith.
Mariel looks sad at yet another dead body, before she realizes the seriousness of Ev's condition. She tries to comform the Elf as best she can. Don't worry, Ev. There should be a temple nearby. We'll get this fixed. I don't have any money to pay a priest, but this suit of armor seems magical. Maybe we can make a trade for it. It won't hurt to get inside for a while, too, with the weather that's coming up."
I'm happy to chip in some cash for the spellcasting services, if I can take it from the upcoming reward for this scenario. Also, for some reason I have the idea that it's late in the evening. I can't find it anywhere, though. Will we be able to find a temple that can help with Ev's blindness without trouble?
As Mariel messes around with the woman's armor, she notices the holy symbol. She turns it over in her hand, trying to remember whether she's seen this iconography before.
