Getting stiffly to her feet, "Auntie Geb" surveys the destruction, then catches Jezabel's eye.
"Strip the Mitrans of their belongings, and lash the ones still living to their mast, whilst I check their hold for valuables. Captain Odenkirk, I trust you have no objections to a fifty-fifty split of the booty between your crew and my force. Wraith will oversee the division."
"Timeon, that final blow was well struck. Consult with Wraith; one of these weapons might suit you better than that trident. Tatienne, come with me if you would, I could use your eyes. Jezabel, Balam...see what you can learn from the survivors. Find out how the captain recognized Tatienne, and how widely known her face is likely to be."
"Captain Odenkirk, how much time do we have to spare from our journey to clean up this mess? Will eyes on the shore have seen? Should we expect pursuit?"
Jezabel prances over to the survivors. With her hand still glowing with an ominous blue light, she grins. She sniffs at them. First one, then the other. Her smile widens. She lets her disguise slip away, curious if seeing her true face will scare them.
"Mmmm... You smell delicious...." she says in a sing-song voice.
Holding a glowing blue finger towards the first survivor she asks, "Where are you sailing from my dear?"
"Where were you headed?"
"How long are you expected to be gone?"
"Do you recognize my dear friend Tatienne? Or was it just your leader who knows her face?"
"And mine?"
"How widely known is she?"
Balam looks over the guards, like a harbinger of Doom. "Answer...". His voice echoes like the dead from deep within his helm
Captain Odenkirk takes the time to bring his axe down on Captain Sambryl's neck, finishing him off. Fixing Geborah with a glare, he says, "You don't give orders on my ship. Remember that, old woman. We can't leave any of them alive, and they know that. They likely won't answer any questions, since they get nothing out of it. They probably came from Estyllis - it's the nearest Talirean port this far north. We're too far out for anyone on land to have seen anything. Best sink the ship quickly and finish them off. They'll be useless for information. If you want to keep their Talirean gear, fine with me. I don't want any of it. It'll just mark us out that we killed them."
With Jezabel and Wraith interrogating the sailors, Grumblejack looks at the boarding ramp that is far too narrow for him and says, "Grumblejack prefer to stay on this ship."
Wraith finds little on the other ship - just a few weeks worth of provisions. There's a golden sunburst of Mitra's holy symbol mounted in the captain's cabin that could be worth something if it could be pried out.
The two living soldiers are quick to answer Jezabel's questions, with both her and Balam glaring at them. Both blanch at Jezabel's face. "We left Estyllis three days ago, and are due to report back in two more."
The other chimes in, "We're on a standard patrol, looking for smugglers and other criminals - no one has honest business north of the Watch Wall. Plus, those rumors of bugbears massing up there mean we need to be extra careful."
At the next question, they swallow and one says, "You and her are two of those who escaped from Branderscar - renderings of your faces are posted up in our barracks. We're supposed to keep an extra careful eye out for you. Plus there's a bounty - 200 gold each. That's enough to set a man up for life."
The other says, "They've probably been circulated all over Talingarde - if you want to live, your best bet is probably to flee to the mainland."
You have at least 2, possibly as many as four more combat encounters between here and by the time you reach the Fire-Axe's camp. None of you knows how to sail a ship or how to get there, and you can't communicate with his crew. Think very carefully if it's worth letting him heal naturally and possibly dying before you reach your destination. I normally wouldn't do this, but I don't want the game to get derailed if he accidentally dies and you have to take over sailing the ship, so I'm giving you a warning.
Also, spellcasting requires you to speak clearly and precisely and includes visual cues - you really can't cast spells surreptitiously without the proper feats.
Geborah gives the cabin's salty air a desultory sniff. "Ugh. Imagine living like this. And look there--that's gold, isn't it?" She eyes the Mithran holy symbol and smirks. "Typical. All that gold sunk into an idol to the god that won't let you grab any for yourself. Lend me your dagger, Tatienne--your arm, too, see if you can pry it out." Geborah rakes her nails into the timbers, digging furrows to expose the anchoring points beneath.
Emerging from the cabin to catch the last of the interrogation, she nods in satisfaction.
"Well," Tatienne snarls as she hands the dagger to Geborah, "Our bounties will likely be much higher now."
Pointing to Jezebel, the relic hunter continues. "You're wounded, Captain. Best see to the ministrations of the young lady there."
"A patrol ship?" Jezabel asks the man with a wide grin. "How many patrol ships are there in this region?"
"What are their routes?"
"How long before a sunken ship will be noticed missing?"
Jezabel grins widely. "Last question, my pets." she leans down and whispers in their ears one at a time. "Would you like a clean death from my friend over here?" She gestures at Balam. "Or would you prefer I keep you alive and eat you on the journey? I rather enjoy playing with my food..." She leans back and licks her lips.
When she's done speaking with the prisoners, Jezabel uses her circlet to activate her magical disguise again.
---
If the Captain does take Tatienne's advice and come to Jezabel for healing, she smiles wickedly. "Well, hello handsome. Need a touch of healing? I'm happy to tend to you."
Geborah curses silently when Tatienne gives away Jezabel's healing abilities. My fault for not relaying the message to everyone. Ah well, perhaps he'll trust us more.
She delivers the golden symbol to Wraith. "Is it solid gold? Perhaps we could melt it down."
Seeing the fallen ship captain's sword in the loot pile, she bends over, wincing, to pick it up, then passes the heavy blade to Timeon. "A reward for that killing blow. It seems more your style, anyway."
After about 20 minutes, Geborah and Tatienne pry the golden holy symbol free from the decking.
The two sailors answer Jezabel's questions, "There's only one out at a time. We don't know the routes of any others. We usually depart Estyllis, then do a circle up to the edge of the Watch Wall, then back down to Estyllis."
To the sunken ship question, they look confused, then say, "We're due back in Estyllis in two days time. They may wait a day or two after that, but then it will become clear the ship sank. Does this mean you aren't letting us go?"
At the next question, they blanch, look at each other, and then dive for their spears.
-------------------------
Timeon returns Tatienne's trident and shield, then takes the sword from Geborah with a nod of thanks.
Captain Sambyrl
-potion of cure moderate wounds
-cloak of resistance +1
-masterwork longsword
-dagger
-masterwork agile breastplate
-heavy steel shield
-22 gp
Soldiers
-13 spears
-13 short swords
-13 daggers
-13 shortbows
-240 arrows
-13 leather armors
-52 gp
The Blade of St. Martius
-golden holy symbol of Mitra pried loose from the decking(50 GP) - good luck selling it, btw
-2 weeks of supplies for sailing
Jezabel takes an attack of opportunity on one of them, since I assume we would have taken away the prisoners weapons.
---
Hearing the guards words, Wraith paces back and forth. Resources are tight, can't raise them...sinking the only option at this time As his thoughts return to the task at hand.
"Captain, whats the best way to deal with the ship. Burn it or sink it?"
Handing the holy symbol to Geborah, Tatienne takes cursory note of the end of the interrogation - and the sailor's deaths. Approaching the captain, she gives the man a quick nod of appreciation.
"You handle yourself well in a fight, Captain. Nicely done." Giving Odenkirk an almost leering look, the relic hunter turns and makes her way back to the edge of the boat, and begins punching holes in the boat's hull at the waterline with her bardiche.
The fight with the prisoners makes Geborah roll her eyes. Ugh, that was avoidable. Not a month since they finished the Cardinal's training and already they're getting sloppy.
Since her instruction to lash the surviving sailors to the mast was ignored, Geborah makes sure that no other detail is forgotten. After Jezabel heals her and the captain, she points out that Tatienne has a minor wound as well, and offers to bind it for her.
She prods Wraith via Bonded Mind to check for magic equipment, and after he does, urges the others to divide up his healing potion and cloak--though Timeon has the captain's longsword, the wizard is welcome to equip the skeleton from the remainder. The rest of the sailors' and captain's gear she helps the Knot stash in crates from the Mitran ship and brought on the Frosthammer, before seeing to it that several holes are staved in the patrol ship's bottom. The corpses are unceremoniously dumped in the deep, and the extra food rations made available to the Frosthammer's crew as, if not exactly a treat, at least a welcome change from their own rations.
As they sail away from the sinking ship, Geborah mentally critiques her own performance. Any plan where she nearly gets gutted has room for improvement. Still, their first encounter with the outside world could have gone worse.
"I think you should do more to disguise yourself in public," she tells Tatienne as she binds their wounds.
Balam finishes off the other guard - both are now dead with their fellows.
The Captain grunts at Wraith's question and says, "Sink it - far less likely to be found that way. You burn it, the charred wood might wash ashore, and someone might get suspicious."
Tatienne notes the Captain wearing hide armor and his greataxe, of course, along with a couple of throwing axes. The Captain snorts and says, "Bah! Talireans are a soft bunch - easy prey."
As damage is done to the Blade of St. Martius, the boat begins to sink and, eventually, falls beneath the waves, along with the corpses. It will be a few days before its disappearance is noted, and they may never find the truth of what happened to her.
Your journey north continues, past the Watch Wall. Now, you have truly crossed into the Savage North.
Tatienne sits quietly and lets the girl tend to her wounds, gazing at the countryside as it moves slowly by. "Thank you, darling. I agree, it seems during our training our images have been sent across the kingdom. Still, using the circlet presents us with a larger problem to disguise, so we'll have to find a helmet for me when the chance presents itself. Or not travel with the ogre in the future."
Looking back at the countryside, Taty silently chides herself for not buying a blank book and writing implement when they were in Talingarde. This journey should be recorded for the histories.
"Captain, do you have any parchment, ink, and quills on this ship? I'll pay a fair price, of course."
Jezabel sings a melodic dirge in a strange languages as the ship sinks. It quickly transitions into a creepy tune about corpses dancing under the waves.
She grins as the journey gets back underway.
Geborah approaches Jezabel after the fight. "The Compact binds us all to divide treasure equally, and you've not claimed your usual spoils from this fight. Take this, so that the terms are satisfied." She presses the dead patrol captain's cloak on the witch.
The healing potion she takes for herself. "Bought with my own blood, I'd say."
Jezabel grins as she slips on the cloak. "Why, thank you, Auntie."
Due to Odenirk and his crew being human, the Frosthamar typically stops for the night. A couple of days after the encounter with the Blade of St. Martius, after the Frosthamar has stopped, Grumblejack is looking over the side of the boat and he says, "Look, gray fishy things! And a fish man!"
All except Wraith, who is busy with his skeleton, Timeon, who seems to be brooding, and Odenkirk's men who are setting about their nightly duties, looks and sees the three dolphins Grumblejack pointed out, as well as the fishman - who looks to be a triton. It's at that moment that four water elementals suddenly appear on the deck, and all pandemonium breaks loose.
Timeon draws his sword, and looks about in confusion, awaiting orders.
Jezabel pouts at the sight of the water elementals. Not a drop of blood among them! She supposed she could always attempt to drink them, but that didn't sound very satisfying.
With a wicked smirk, Jezabel drives her fist into the torso of the nearest elemental
Geborah's eyes narrow at the sight of the triton. Perhaps the massacre of the St. Martius crew was witnessed after all. She steps quickly to Odenkirk's side and speaks in his ear, not so loudly that she can be heard by the creature in the waves below the ship.
"We don't want that creature to alert more of its kind. Take my advice, captain--have your men fire volley arrows at it before it can escape beneath the waves. My people can deal with these water spirits easily enough."
She then raises her arms and invokes the blessings of Asmodeus on her allies.
"Timeon! The figure in the water! Smite it with your bow!"
Surrounded! Fear rises in Tatienne as soon as the elementals appear on the Frosthamar's deck, three within striking distance of the relic hunter - not a good tactical position to find oneself in. Forcing the fear down, Taty pulls her flail and lashes out at the one closest to Timeon, her weapon's spiked head spraying water across the squire as it punches through the elemental.
Surrounded! Fear rises in Tatienne as soon as the elementals appear on the Frosthamar's deck, three within striking distance of the relic hunter - not a good tactical position to find oneself in. Forcing the fear down, Taty pulls her flail and lashes out at the one closest to Timeon, her weapon's spiked head spraying water across the squire as it punches through the elemental. The elemental does not fall, however.
Jezabel pouts at the sight of the water elementals. Not a drop of blood among them! She supposed she could always attempt to drink them, but that didn't sound very satisfying. With a wicked smirk, Jezabel drives her fist into the torso of the nearest elemental. Unfortunately, the elemental seemed to flow around her fist, doing nothing.
Geborah's eyes narrow at the sight of the triton. Perhaps the massacre of the St. Martius crew was witnessed after all. She steps quickly to Odenkirk's side and speaks in his ear, not so loudly that she can be heard by the creature in the waves below the ship. "We don't want that creature to alert more of its kind. Take my advice, captain--have your men fire volley arrows at it before it can escape beneath the waves. My people can deal with these water spirits easily enough." She then raises her arms and invokes the blessings of Asmodeus on her allies. "Timeon! The figure in the water! Smite it with your bow!"
Tritons are a type of outsider native to the material plane. They are tied to the elemental plane of water, and as such, have the ability to breathe water and can easily swim through water. They have excellent vision, regardless of light level, and can summon either a single small water elemental or up to 3 dolphins once a day. Their preferred means of fighting within the water is to ride a dolphin by their opponents and strike with their tridents as they do so. They typically carry crossbows for when they must fire upon land or a boat.
Tritons within the seas around Talingarde are reclusive, not associating with the humans. They typically do not harass shipping around Talingarde, and are content to live and let live with the shore-dwellers. It is actually quite strange that one would choose to attack the Frosthamar.
Denizens of the elemental plane of water, water elementals are quite literally beings made of water. Their touch can extinguish non-magical fires, and they can attempt to extinguish magical fires. When underwater, they can form a deadly vortex, sucking their foes down even further. They grow stronger when in contact with water, as well.
All Elementals share certain traits - they do not sleep or eat, do not bleed, and cannot be poisoned, put to sleep, paralyzed, or stunned. They have no critical anatomy, and therefore cannot be critically wounded as men can. They do not have "facing", as it were, and cannot be flanked. They are not susceptible to the kind of surprise attacks favored by back-alley thugs and cutpurses.
Timeon says, "Right away!" and steps away from the elemental, drawing his bow. He then takes aim at the Triton.
But finds himself unable to loose his arrow at the triton - something prevents him from doing so.
Odenkirk's men give a cry at the elementals' appearance, and act with no cohesion or plan. Those with elementals near them draw short swords and stab at the elementals, while those not near draw out bows and fire at the triton they can see.
Those who target the triton also find themselves unable to shoot at him. Confused, they lower their bows. The sailors who struck at the elementals, however, prove to be quite effective in their panic.
Red Elemental - 4/22
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Seeing the archers balk at shooting, Geborah suspects magical defenses. A Sanctuary spell, perhaps? Could the creature be a priest? Her mind races back through the stories she'd heard of the tritons and their magic. They're summoners...but they can only summon once a day...
"Watch the waves! There's more tritons below, four at least! That one must be their leader--he has protections that the rest might not. Wraith, Jezabel, your sleep spells won't work on these water elementals, but they might on the tritons."
"Got it..." Wraith takes a moment to cast his mage armor on himself. Before drawing the scroll with the sleep spell.
With a mental shout towards Jeza, "I'll try the sleep spell you do what you do best!", with a wink towards her. He then commands his skeleton and familiar to defend him.
With a mental shout to the group, "Draw them in closer if possible, otherwise I might only get one or two!"
Mage Armor (3 hrs) - New AC 17
Seeing the archers balk at shooting, Geborah suspects magical defenses. A Sanctuary spell, perhaps? Could the creature be a priest? Her mind races back through the stories she'd heard of the tritons and their magic. They're summoners...but they can only summon once a day..."Watch the waves! There's more tritons below, four at least! That one must be their leader--he has protections that the rest might not. Wraith, Jezabel, your sleep spells won't work on these water elementals, but they might on the tritons."
"Got it..." Wraith takes a moment to cast his mage armor on himself. Before drawing the scroll with the sleep spell. With a mental shout towards Jeza, "I'll try the sleep spell you do what you do best!", with a wink towards her. He then commands his skeleton and familiar to defend him. With a mental shout to the group, "Draw them in closer if possible, otherwise I might only get one or two!"
Odenkirk cries out something the native tongue of his men, then he steps up and lashes out with his axe at the water elemental before him.
The blow causes water to splash across the deck and leaves a massive gap in the elemental's frame that is very slow to begin refilling.
The triton gestures at the deck, and another elemental appears - this one behind Wraith at the bow!
Suddenly 4 crossbow bolts come flying out of the water, as the remaining 4 tritons reveal their locations.
Timeon takes a crossbow bolt in the shoulder, as does one of the sailors. The one targeting Tatienne missed far wide, and Geborah was barely able to evade the one attacking her.
The elementals begin to attempt to shove those aboard ship into the water! Fortunately, Wraith and Geborah are able to easily evade the attempts, as is one of the sailors. But one of the sailors is shoved overboard - as is Jezabel!
Red Elemental - 4/22
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Green Elemental - 1/22
Sailor 1 - 18/25
Timeon - 12/19
Balam lashes out at one of the elementals on the boat.
Unfortunately, he misses the watery being.
Two of the dolphins swim around the boat towards where Odenkirk's sailor and Jezabel fell in. As they come around they slam into each, bruising the two.
Grumblejack shouts, "Grumblejack drink you!" and swings his greatclub at a water elemental.
With a massive splash, the elemental dissolves into nothing but water as Grumblejack's club slams into it.
Though unable to fire upon the lead triton, the appearance of 4 others provides Timeon with more targets. He looses an arrow at the nearest one.
His arrow catches the Triton in the shoulder.
Red Elemental - 4/22
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Red Triton - 15/19
Sailor 1 - 18/25
Timeon - 12/19
Jezabel - 23/28
Geborah darts across the deck, weaving around the sailors in her path to get as close as she can to the mysterious triton leader. Raising her hands above the waves, she invokes the fires of hell on her enemies.
The wily priestess then ducks below the railing for additional cover from quarrels.
Jezabel lets out a surprised gasp as she falls into the ocean. The water's cold, and it knocks the breath right out of her. She gets turned around under the surface, with no way to tell up from down. She opens her eyes -- Gah! It burns! -- and frantically tries to find the sun or the boat. She flails and struggles up to the surface and grabs onto the hull of the ship, desperate not to get left behind. Clinging to the side of the ship, Jezabel tries to climb back up onto the deck.
But it's so slippery!
Tatienne loops the flail above her head and sends it into the elemental. Whether she hurt it or not, the relic hunter couldn't tell, what with the creature's strange physiology. Best to aim for center mass she thought, directing it towards the middle of the elemental.
May she take a standard action too? Or a second action to climb?
Tatienne loops the flail above her head and sends it into the elemental. Whether she hurt it or not, the relic hunter couldn't tell, what with the creature's strange physiology. Best to aim for center mass, she thought, directing it towards the middle of the elemental. She is just able to hit the center mass, dispersing the elemental with a splash of water.
Jezabel lets out a surprised gasp as she falls into the ocean. The water's cold, and it knocks the breath right out of her. She gets turned around under the surface, with no way to tell up from down. She opens her eyes -- Gah! It burns! -- and frantically tries to find the sun or the boat. She flails and struggles up to the surface and grabs onto the hull of the ship, desperate not to get left behind. Clinging to the side of the ship, Jezabel tries to climb back up onto the deck. But it's so slippery! Desperately, she tries again, this time finding purchase, and scrambling to hauls herself back up onto the deck.
A dolphin tries to knock her off as she climbs, but she somehow evades it.
Geborah darts across the deck, weaving around the sailors in her path to get as close as she can to the mysterious triton leader. Raising her hands above the waves, she invokes the fires of hell on her enemies.
Their foes are caught off-guard as the fires of Hell roll over them, and they scream as they are burned by the fire.
Odenkirk's sailors, heartened by what appears to be a positive development, seem to rally their spirits somewhat, attacking tritons or dolphins in the water.
Their accuracy leaves much to be desired, however, as all but one misses the mark. The one who had been knocked into the water hauls himself up on deck with the practiced ease of one who is used to doing so. A dolphin tries to knock him down, but misses.
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Red Triton - 15/19
Orange Triton - 8/19
Yellow Triton - 8/19
Green Triton - 13/19
????? - 65/76
Sailor 1 - 18/25
Timeon - 12/19
Jezabel - 23/28
In battle--Geborah has learned--time can be strange. It can race ahead faster than eye and mind can follow, leaving you frozen as chaos erupts on every side. Or it can slow to a crawl, when missiles seem to drift through the air and the simple act of a blade being pushed into a body drags into a bloody, excruciating eternity.
This is one of the eternal moments. Crouched by the railing, she watches her allies struggle to clear the deck of the expendable minions flooding it, while the true enemies volley bolts from the water. Well, at least she's given the tritons reason to fear her--but what reason could they have for attacking? Is this an aberrant act of piracy? Or did the tritons witness the sinking of the Mithran ship and take offense?
It's important to know, she decides. "You, in the water!" she calls. "Humans and tritons have known nothing but peace for years! Why do you attack us unprovoked? Could this be a misunderstanding?" Hopefully, one or more of them speak Common.
Wraith and his skeleton switch places, and he unfurls his scroll of sleep and speaks its words, targeting one of the Tritons in the water.
The triton easily shakes off the attempt.
The skeleton strikes the elemental next to Wraith.
However, it fails to hit the water.
The tritons reload their crossbows, as the apparent leader shouts at Deborah, "We attack because your wickedness is known to us! We will not allow your dark blight to spread!" He then begins casting a spell.
He's casting Summon Monster II
The Elementals begin to attack those on the boat.
One elemental smacks Wraith's skeleton. Another hits Tatienne. The last smacks Grumblejack a powerful hit, with all its force.
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Red Triton - 15/19
Orange Triton - 8/19
Yellow Triton - 8/19
Green Triton - 13/19
????? - 65/76
Sailor 1 - 18/25
Timeon - 12/19
Jezabel - 23/28
Wraith's Skeleton - 4 damage
Tatienne - 20/25
Grumblejack - 21/30
Odenkirk roars and charges one of the elementals, swinging his axe at it.
The elemental disperses in a splash.
Balam continues striking at the elemental nearest him.
Unfortunately, he misses his attack.
The dolphins continue swimming around in the water, waiting for someone to be knocked in.
Grumblejack looks at the nearest elemental and swings his club at it.
The elemental explodes in a splash of water.
Timeon shoots an arrow at one of the tritons.
The arrow solidly hits the Triton's shoulder.
Orange Elemental - 18/22
Yellow Elemental - 17/22
Red Triton - 9/19
Orange Triton - 8/19
Yellow Triton - 8/19
Green Triton - 13/19
????? - 65/76
Sailor 1 - 18/25
Timeon - 12/19
Jezabel - 23/28
Wraith's Skeleton - 4 damage
Tatienne - 20/25
Grumblejack - 30/30
Jezabel staggers up onto the deck. She takes a step forward, flanking the water elemental with Balam. Wet and shivering she drives her fist into its 'head.'
Wet and shivering, Jezabel staggers up onto the deck and looks around. With no more watery beasts in sight she crosses the deck and peers over the rail. Seeing the tritons in the water, she pops open her scroll case and unfurls one of her scrolls.
Any immediate threat gone, Tatienne looks to the water, spying the triton in the midst of casting a spell. "It's a summon! Drop him!"
Letting her flail fall to the ship's deck, Tatienne pulls her bow and looses an arrow at the spellcasting triton.