"Might be best if Kragg takes the lead with these Strix." Kaldan rumbles. "I've heard they really don't like humans!"
"As for the other two groups, I'm for dealing with the Sahuagin first, they take after sharks too much. They'll be sniffing around as soon as they find out there are people here."
Lara nods in agreement with Kaldan. "I'm not sure how long we'll have before they figure out there are people on the island again, so we shouldn't delay."
Trekking through the wilderness you encounter a swarm of centipedes, posing little challenge to you but providing a solid reminder this island is far from tame.
The Ershrani Reef is a sprawling series of twisting, serpentine ridges bristling with a vibrant rainbow of sea life. Tall stands of vermilion kelp drift in the ocean currents, schools of tiny fish glitter like a spray of silver knives as they swim past, and the multicolored symphony of coral polyps, spines, and pillars create an otherworldly landscape. In the distance, the dark hulk of a wrecked sailing vessel stands out against the sea of life and color.
Thame was amazed at the beauty of the scene in front of the group as it found the eastern shore of the island, though he kept his features carefully neutral, scowling slightly as a wizard should at all times. The magician scanned the area for signs of threats, but otherwise let the more talented trackers take point, ready to back them up with sorcery should it be needed.
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The perimeter surrounding the Ershrani Reef is a series of coral ridges that abound with sea life. While the sahuagin are voracious predators, they do little to sea creatures generally below their notice. Schools of small, silvery fish twist in and out of the reef along with groups
of tiny, harmless jellyfish. The reef itself lies 15 feet below the surface of the water, close enough that natural sunlight can spill down from above during daytime hours, though much of the reef and the water around it are cast in dark, shifting patterns of shadow and light at all times of day.
These scaly humanoids have a long, fish-like tail. Their arms and legs end in webbed claws, and its piscine head features a toothy maw.
Four sahuagin swim the perimeter of the reef keeping to the darker shadows, making a leisurely circuit around the wreck of an ancient looking vessel and quickly spot your boat as you approach.
Knowing that they are going to deal with the sahuagin Kragg calls upon his god to grant him miracles that would aid them in surviving in the water. My friends, Abadar has blessed me with the ability to enable 3 of us to survive underwater for 4 minutes at a time. It is it much but it should give us some time to scout an area or perform some quick exploration.
As they get closer to the area Kragg looks out wondering just how large of an area they had to cover. This May take longer than we expect and will have to spend a few days till it is all explored. Before he can continue on though he is distracted by the sahuagin coming towards them. Be ready all...here some come.
"Ah, here come the welcoming party now," Trieste snickers. She pats Kragg on the shoulder. "I'll be fine for a while," she says with a smile. (Apparently, she recently won a bet with Kaldan that involved her holding her breath for over 10 minutes.)
I'll take some of that thanks Kragg." Kaldan agrees, getting ready to move into the water and deal with the Sahaugin.
If there is time Kragg does give Kaldan Abadar’s blessing to breatheunderwater for a few minutes.
Trieste is casting touch of the sea on herself if she has time.
Kragg's "bar," such as it is, has proven to be very popular among the colonists. It's pretty skeletal, but a watering hole is a watering hole. At the moment, there hasn't been time to stock it with games of skill or chance that are so common in taverns, but that doesn't stop patrons from playful competition. Who can lift what, who can drink more, or faster, that sort of thing. One of the games involves folks taking bets on who can hold their breath the longest. What with a big rain barrel right outside, it's easy enough to dunk someone's head in, and loser buys drinks.
One minute 10! hollers one of the men. Oh, please, 1:20. 1:30! 1:35! Bah, no one will beat my record of 2:18, and I'll buy drinks for anyone who can, said Anya Sandstrider proudly. Nobody spoke up for several seconds. "I'll double it," says Trieste with a laugh. "No fair! You can't use magic!" yelled Anya. "Oh, I won't. I promise. 4 minutes, 36 seconds, fair and square." The whole room broke into whispers. Can she do that? Won't she die? She's a witch! That was the one that bothered her. Even after everything they'd been through, she still didn't completely fit in.
Breaking the tension with a laugh, Kaldan yells, "Tell you what, Tri. You double THAT and I'll buy your drinks for a month!", daring her to try anything that long, probably thinking she'd laugh it off and back down. "Ok, 'dan," she said sarcastically. "You're on." Kaldan's face never looked paler. "Umm, Trieste, you, ah, don't really... you aren't really gonna try that are you?"
Trieste pulled a chair up to the barrel, stepped up, took a big breath and slid into the barrel, completely submerging herself except for her hands (which she left on the edge so nobody could accuse her of cheating with magic). At 10 minutes, 4 seconds, she rose out of the water, brushed her hair out of her face, and said, "One month. Sorry, pal. That was one offer I just couldn't pass up."
Thame sat in the boat with the others as the vessel rocked gently in the shore waves as they drifted close to the reef. As the other spoke of the approaching sahuagin, the wizard hazarded a glance over the edge and spotted the sea creatures, as well. Sighing at the prospect of having to get in the water to deal with the dangerous foes, the illusionist nevertheless turned to Kragg. "If Abadar will see fit to keep me alive another four minutes I would be grateful." Then Thame started going over his small list of prepared spells in the hopes that one of them would be a difference maker.
Lara curses softly. "Well, unless you've got something to make my bow work underwater too, I suppose I'll be working on my swordsmanship."
She winks and adds, "Breathing underwater will definitely help with that."
The group splits up moving to either side of you.
With a bit more time available to them Kragg casts air bubble on Lara. Thame I will get to you next. I was hoping you wouldn't make it into the water though.
Casting her spell, Trieste and Jobert slide into the water. With her dagger out, she begins to swim towards the creatures, but stops herself, recalling how that got her into trouble in the past.
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For now the figures seem to be waiting for your move.
Hmm, most unexpected. Well, what the hell?
Trieste has never been good at diplomacy, but she decides to give it a shot anyway.
Yes, definitely not an expert diplomat. Perhaps one day she'll work on that.
As it currently stood Kragg waited for any of his other spells to see what was needed. He only had 1 more air bubble miracle left this day and wanted to save it in case they really needed it.
Kaldan slips into the water close to Trieste. Since the Sahaugan aren't attacking he waits to see what transpires?
With a nod of thanks to Kragg, Lara unsheathes her longsword and slides into the water as well.
ith two of you now in the water the 4 rush forward and attack. Each pair working together against you.
Was it something I said?
Trieste is happy to meet their charge with her dagger.
Kaldan will strike at the same Sahaugin as Trieste.
Thame's eyes bulged as the sahuagin suddenly rushed forward to attack as some of his allies went into the water. He glanced sidelong at Kragg, his sense of self-preservation screaming at him to not accept the spell of water-breathing or to jump in the water. Seeing his companions fighting for their lives, however, the wizard calmed himself and nodded for the dwarven priest to continue.
With the attack on Kragg does indeed cast the spell on Thame to let him into the water. He then gets out his bottle of air and prepares to jump in to aid his companions.
Lara moves to engage one of the fish-men with her sword.
Jobert disappears from sight in the shadows of the reef, Trieste and Kaldan dispatch one if the attackers with their combined might.
Lara leave a deep gash on her foe.
Blood is now thick in the water as you struggle against the sahuagin.
@Kaldan
@Trieste
@Lara
Not ablet o swim like the other krqgg stays in the boat and uses his longspear as best he can. More than anything though he tries to distract the sahuagin facing Kaldan.
Aid another if possible for Kaldan to hit apparently not
Lara takes another swing at the fish-men.
With a sigh, Thame slipped over the side of the boat and into the water. After a second to let the disorientation of being underwater and not drowning pass, he surveyed the scene around him to determine where he might best be useful. The wizard fired off a ray to try to blind one of the fishmen, but his aim was thrown off.
Trieste stabs at the nearest sahaugin.
If there are none in reach Kaldan will ready to attack when one closes.
@Kaldan
@Trieste
@Lara
They thrashed about wildly in the water clearly unfazed by the attacks of your party.
Reeling from the sahaugin's bite, Trieste tries to stab the creature again.
Jobert, sensing her stress, decides it's time to strike. He swims up underneath the sahaugin
and goes to bite him in the leg.
(+2 if he has flank)
Frowning as his ray didn't even come close to hitting the darting sahuagin, the wizard drew his dagger and closed with the one nearest him, hoping the creature would focus its attacks on the clearly more capable Kaldan.
Kragg does what he can in the boat to keep it near if the others need it while still trying to attack the sahuagin.
to hit for
The Taldan takes another swing at the fish-men with her sword, but the water slows the force of the blow and the overgrown tadpole easily avoids it.
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Kaldan, Trieste and Lara all miss their targets. Kragg scores a big hit on the one closest to him, and surprisingly both Thame and Jobert draw blood.
Speaking of blood, the blood in the water seems to be making these critters that much more vicious. their eyes roll back in their heads and they attack in a frenzy
@Lara:
@Kaldan:
@Kragg
Round 4, the party may act
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Kaldan HP: 9/33 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Thame HP: 22/22 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Lara: HP: 6/28 - AC: 17/12/15 Status:
Kragg HP: 18/31 - AC: 19/10/19 Status:
Trieste HP: 19/30 - AC: 19/10/19 Status:NPCS:
sahuagin 1: hp -21 | AC: 18 | Status = dead
Pink sahuagin: hp -9 | AC: 18 | Status
Yellow sahuagin: hp -9 | AC: 18 | Status
Green sahuagin: hp -10 | AC: 25 | Status
Trieste might be a little revved up by the blood in the water as well. She also knows that it's very unsafe to remain in that circumstance. She stabs at the sahuagin closest to her.
Jobert also goes for a bite again.
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Finding little room to maneuver, knowing he has little to offer in the way of melee combat even with his lucky hit, and seeing his companions taking multiple hits, Thame started to engage in spellcasting, arms waving frantically as bubbles escaped his mouth as he forced the words to the spell out against the encroachment of the water he was breathing.
Relieved that the spell went off as desired, the illusionist lunged forward around Lara, trying to tap the fishman threatening her, Kaldan, and Jobert.
Lara breathes out the words to a spell, and suddenly there are multiple copies of her swimming about in the water.
Trieste scores a major blow on the closest enemy, killing it. her little companion gets into the action as well, doing a bit of damage. Thame touches the same sahuagin that Jobert bit, doing more damage to it
Kragg touches Kaldan, releasing healing energy into his body
Lara attempts to cast Mirror Image on herself, but the creature next to her bites her hand:
Luckily it doesn't actually injure her, and several copies spring into existence.
the same Sahuagin moves into a flanking position and flails at the group of Laras
the second one attacks Thame who just did damage to it
Everyone in the party may act
Global Condition: None |
Global Condition:
Kaldan HP: 17/33 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Thame HP: 22/22 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Lara: HP: 2/28 - AC: 17/12/15 Status: mirror image (2 images)
Kragg HP: 18/31 - AC: 19/10/19 Status:
Trieste HP: 13/30 - AC: 19/10/19 Status:NPCS:
sahuagin 1: hp -21 | AC: 18 | Status = dead
Pink sahuagin: hp -9 | AC: 18 | Status
Yellow sahuagin: hp -13 | AC: 18 | Status
Green sahuagin: hp -23 | AC: 25 | Status dead
With the graceful speed of a dolphin, Trieste circles around (avoiding AoOs) the melee to come at the flank of one of the sahuagin. (yellow)
(yellow)