Though quite injured White Lightning does the Truffle Shuffle to the side, angling to maneuver around behind Blue and into flanking. He then attempts another swipe at the metal bird for good measure...
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Victor somersaults past the metal bird before it can react, avoiding its potential opportune attack. Pádraig tosses a cloud of shimmering dust that coats the creature's eyes, and its wild cries could only mean that it's been blinded.
Geoffrey takes advantage and slams the creature again and again with his mace, though he finds metal on metal is only somewhat effective in damaging it.
Similarly, Rosebud's arrows bounce off the creature, but Morvena's elemental's Most Electrifying Fists do zap and shock the bird's metal body. And her Morvena's force missiles knock loose a dozen metal feathers.
When she's up, Elia twirls her pistol and glowers at the creature. "Hey, bird brains! Get lost!" She aims specifically at the green bird's head and opens fire.
"Nice shot," the Captain smiles. "If there's one thing I cannot stand being up on my ship, it's uninvited guests!" He rushes around the stairs leading in, and throws his body against the stymphalidies.
.. And you watch as the metal bird goes off the side of the Scourge of Belial and into the sea.
There's some wild thrashing from the port side of the ship, the Stymphalidies' beak peeking up out of the water as it attempts to fly its way out.
As for other bird, it seems Elia Nones' shot caused it temporary brain damage, as it simply whacks itself with its wing.
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Pádraig
Geoffrey
Victor
Issil (-16, bleed 1d6)
Rosebud (Divine Favor)
Captain Cassius Sargaeta (-16, bleed 1d6)
Blue (-40, in the ocean) & Green stymphalidies (-14, hovering @20 ft. above deck)
Elia Nones (-12, bleed 1d6)
Morvena & White Lightning (-19)
Crew (Troop subtype)
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Rosebud flies around the mast and lands on Captain Sargaeta's shoulder. She uses her spell-like ability to cure some of his wounds. "Nice job, Cap'n, shoving the bird overboard."
Geoffrey glances overboard at the drowning bird, resisting the urge to dive in and finish it off. Instead he gauges the threat of the other bird and, shrugging slightly, moves closer to Morvena ready to protect her.
Not particularly inclined to chase after Blue into the sea, White Lightning instead zips up into the air to engage Green...
"Ah! Godspeed, friend elemental," Morvena calls out as her summoned ally engages Green - and makes himself the creature's likely target. Still, she had no intention of letting him face Green without some manner of backup and she wiggles her fingers once more...
A bit surprised, but still quite amused, a smiling Victor moves over to Issil, draws out his freshly minted healing wand, and tries it out on the bleeding Ruby Tart. When in doubt act like you've been there, and apparently when it comes to healing wands Victor has been there...
"Hey flower bud, you seem pretty good with that bow, how about you keep it pinning that bird up there?" He bobs his head towards green.
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Issil grunts when her mace doesn't do as well as she hoped. Then she turns down to see Victor.
"Huh? Oh, thanks Vic."
She shakes her fist at the green bird. "If you won't get down here, and my fire doesn't work... Fine! I'll cheerlead."
She focuses inward and casts Moment of Greatness. She does a quick twerk in step with Pádraig's music. "Alright everyone, make it count!"
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With one stymphalidies overboard, Pádraig, Rosebud, and Victor use the opportunity to heal their companions, Captain and First Mate included, stemming everyone's bleeding.
Morvena sends her lightning champion up at the creature, and it wallops the metal-bodied with a small burst of electricity. The arcanist lets fly four magic missiles that blast one of its sturdy chest plates off.
There's more thrashing on the port side of the ship, and Victor watches as the stymphalidies slips underwater, its heavy body weighing it down.
"This one might be a little smarter, now that he's seen his friend walk the plank," the Captain says, looking up at the flying creature and drawing his scimitar.
Nones blasts it again with her pepperbox, only one of her shots penetrating through its wing.
The stymphalidies indeed retaliates on the elemental, and the elemental vanishes, exhausted of life force. The bird then flaps its wings wildly, ascending and moving to the opposite side of the ship.
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Pádraig
Geoffrey
Victor
Issil (-10)
Rosebud (Divine Favor)
Captain Cassius Sargaeta (-8)
Blue (-40, drowning) & Green stymphalidies (-49, hovering @40 ft. above deck)
Elia Nones (-3)
Morvena
Crew (Troop subtype)
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Rosebud draws her wand of cure light wounds and follows the captain, trying to keep him in the fight.
Issil grunts as she realizes she doesn't have the right weapons for the job. She stows her mace away and casts Shield of Faith on Victor.
"Come on everyone. Make some noise!" And Issil leaps into the Pirouette of Paradise to bolster Pádraig's music.
"Come on now seeds n stems sparkle pot, fill that bird full of wood and fletchings already! Us ground pounders can do the healing!" He shakes his head in annoyance and moves ahead, drawing a dusty, barely used hand crossbow and fires at the distant mechano-bird.
Geoffrey watches the bird gain altitude and nudges Morvena on her arm. "Get ready here it comes!"
"Hmph...I know just the thing to cook this metal goose," Morvena smirks as she calls to mind the incantation and the magic, holding it in her thoughts and her hand until precisely the right moment.
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Victor aims properly, and hits the bird, but finds his bolt only bounces off its body.
The bird swoops down towards Morvena, and she uncharacteristically horks up a ball of goop, spitting at the creature. While it manages to shake off the excess, its movements do seem hindered. Geoffrey uses the opportunity to smash the creature's wing with his mace, but it doesn't like that very much, so it attempts to bite him back!
.. But Geoff evades its metal maw.
While Nones reloads her pepperbox pistol, the Captain rushes over towards the bird. The crew continues to pepper the foe with arrows, many of the shots managing to sink through to its flesh.
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Pádraig
Geoffrey
Victor
Issil (-10)
Rosebud (Divine Favor)
Captain Cassius Sargaeta (-8)
Green stymphalidies (-64, on deck)
Elia Nones (-3)
Morvena
Crew (Troop subtype)
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Seeing the bird finally on the ground and Geoffrey able to flank with him, Victor concentrates and sparks begin to fly from his fingertips. He steps up and as soon as Geoffrey flanks he reaches for the bird. Bolts of electricity jump from his fingers right up the avian's cloaca.
"Hot dog!" He grins.
Geoffrey doesn't waste any time here as he steps us and proceeds to go to work on the bird.
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"Whoever said that spitting is unladylike obviously was not aware of the wonders of Adhesive Spittle!" Morvena cackles, obviously pleased with herself. She falls back a pace to allow the melee fighters plenty of room to do what they do best, drawing out the wand that had been gifted to her by their supporters a day or two prior.
"Mm...time to test this out, perhaps?"
Issil draws her mace again. "Well well, Mister Fire Immune. We meet again!"
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Right before Morvena can activate her wand, Geoffrey and Victor tag team the big metal bird from both sides, smashing and clobbering its body until the deck is littered in metal feathers and parts. The creature soon collapses from the excess damage, and there's no further sign of the stymphalidies that slipped underwater...
The crew cheers wildly as the bird faints. "That'll teach ya ta mess with the Scourge of Belial! Ha-ha!" One sailor fires another arrow at the dead bird - just for fun.
"Bah, just when my backswing was getting good." Issil pouts. "Stupid fire immune birds..."
Rosebud buzzes around the deck, tapping Issil, Elia, and the captain with her wand.
"Hey! Watch the mask." Issil is caught off guard when Rosebud taps her with a wand.
"ARRRGGHH!" Nods Victor in is best pirate impersonation as the crew beats the dead horse. "So are those metal birds common around here or were they sent by someone to harass us?" He asks the Captain, as well as the others of the group this important question, before he moves on to the more important business "So when and what's for dinner?"
In the mean time he tries to get himself a guided, or not so guided tour of the ship to see what sort of interesting things he can find.
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"A handy companion to have," the Captain smiles at Rosebud. "I had seen such birds as these before, though not for some time. They're birds of prey, and we happened to pass by their patrol at just the wrong time. I bet Thrune would hire them," he jokes.
The crew disperses back to their stations as the afternoon wears on, and strong gusts carry the ship hastily northwest up the coast of Vyre Island.
Nones doesn't seem very interested in giving Victor a guided tour, only warning him to stay away from the trapdoor in the hold and not to go anywhere he knows he probably shouldn't go. It doesn't stop him from checking the place out, in any case.
You slip down a set of stairs onto mid-deck level. You come across a room which functions as an armory and contains a weapon rack and chests filled with crossbow bolts. Another chest inside the armory is locked. Also at mid-deck level are the Captain's Cabin, First Mate Nones' room, and the Galley. At the lower hold, sixteen pillars support the ship, and hammocks are tied between the pillars and walls. You find a trapdoor behind the mainmast, and the lower hold itself is lined with lockers, all of which are locked.
Whether anyone else in the party goes with him, takes out the tanning oil while on deck, sleeps for the afternoon, or parleys with the Captain is another matter...
"That was a good bit of exercise," Geoffrey chuckles, clearly in a good mood. Sheathing his mace he turns to face his charge. "Morv, I did not know you could hurl a gob of acidic spittle from your stomach like that. Is that something you learned recently?"
"My official title is 'spiritual director', Captain." Rosebud clarifies for the benefit of those unfamiliar with her job description.
"Hey Captain, how does it feel to travel around the open seas?" Issil keeps up conversation with the Captain. Nothing in particular. Maybe there's a job he needs done.
"My official title is 'spiritual director', Captain." Rosebud clarifies for the benefit of those unfamiliar with her job description.
More like self righteous, annoying nag.
Victor heads off in search of.. well anything to pass the time until dinner.
Down below he does a thorough search through of the place, leaving the personal lockers untouched, knowing to not piss off the crew. He does check out the locked chest in the armory, just in case they need it verses another attack right? He quietly takes a closer look then tries to open it without damage.
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The Captain sets himself down, leaning against a barrel of nets when Issil asks him about the open seas. "I've been on the water since my youth, though I did not always serve the Chelish navy. It was something of a challenging time for me, having... run away from home, and I found myself aboard ships that pillaged and stole," he casts his eyes down on deck. "Yet, had I not been honing my sailing skill aboard pirate ships for as long as I had been, Her Infernal Majestrix would never have accepted me into her navy. The ends justified the means." He firmly says.
Nones clicks her pepperbox as she finishes reloading it, and holsters it. "I'll pretend I didn't already know that, and act like I'm judging you," the First Mate jokes, then she turns to Padraig. "Sure, let's see. Vyre sprawls between two rising hills, its shallow harbor protected by a rocky isle that is home to the city’s government buildings and defensive quarter. On a smaller rocky islet sheltered by the harbor looms - and let's hope you don't end up there," she snickers, "Is Dunrock Prison, one of the most notorious jails in the whole continent! The city is a tangle of wood and stone that opens here and there into sprawling markets. A haze of smoke lies over the city, and in a strange twist to most urban centers, the streets tend toward quiet during the day, when most of the citizens sleep off the previous night’s debauchery, and come to noisy and riotous life at night."
"If you spend a night visiting the wrong places, you probably won't remember it anyway," The Captain laughs. "Even once you leave, a wise man once said what happens in Vyre, stays in Vyre."
The chest is tripped to shoot a poison-tipped bolt at anyone trying to open it, but you find a small switch that disables the mechanism. After bypassing the lock, the chest opens, and inside are 12 flasks of alchemist's fire.
Victor laughs out loud when he sees the contents. He takes out some paper and ink and leaves a note inside That's it? Snoozefest.
He relocks the chest and rearms the trap before heading off to find the galley and some free snacks.
"Yes, something like that," Morvena waves dismissively in reply to Geoffrey's question. "I have been taking some instruction from Rexus when we are not otherwise occupied and I feel that my skills are better for it. Unlike prior instructors he was even able to explain the basics of illusion and enchantment magics in a manner that was...easier to grasp."
She frowns and glances away towards the open water. "Apparently those schools of magic tend to be more difficult to grasp for those who are not naturally gifted with a certain sense of cunning and creativity..."
As if proving her point, Morvena clearly feels a little inadequate when it comes to this topic and is doing a poor job of hiding it.
Morvena quickly clears her throat and turns her attention back to the other conversation at hand. "At any rate, it is a relief that no one was more seriously hurt just now. And that is a...fascinating description of Vyre, Captain. Are there any places that you would recommend visiting or patronizing while we are there?"
Geoffrey sees Morvena's uncomfortable demeanor and clears his throat. "While I don't pretend to understand what you told me, I know that I have not seen anyone more beau...err...brave when dealing with those metallic birds! Trust me Morv, you are doing great!"
Issil grins and lets it slide. "Besides, spitting up gunk is more effective than spitting fire on those things. I was useless back there."
Morvena's expression brightens, though she doesn't seem to realize how transparent she's being with her own feelings.
"Ah, well...I do not know about brave - I believe that word better describes those who bear the brunt of the front lines - but I am glad that it proved useful."
Turning to Issil, Morvena places a hand on her comrade's shoulder. "Issil, I am confident that we would not be here today were it not for your own contributions. That said, your dedication to pyromania's cause will have its day, I am certain of it. The devastation to our enemies will be legendary."
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When asked about being a personal tour guide, Elia pulls her lips tight. "Hmm, that's a hard pass from me. At the end of the day, the Scourge of Belial still serves the Chelish navy, and I don't think we'll be sticking around Vyre too long."
The Captain nods. "If you managed to build a rebellion under Thrune's nose, I know you will do just fine in a city without such a... well, you know what he is." He hesitates. When asked about where to visit, Sargaeta turns to Morvena. "Other than Molly's The Seven Apples, you might also check out the Opal Market for shopping, or The Final Throw if you're more interested in gambling. Stay clear of Darakole Sanitarium and Heretic's Row. I think the names of the places speak for themselves," the Captain smiles.
You open the door to the galley... And inside is a pear-shaped man wearing a filthy, foul smelling apron. He's leaning over a cutting board, dicing up an onion, but drops his knife as you enter.
"AH! You must be the new apprentice! Bout time you showed up! Come on then, get over here and help me out. You're gonna cook this beef stew! GO ON! DO IT!" He points to a large pot containing a thick brown mixture that bubbles. Next to it are carrots, onions, potatoes, raw meat, and some kind of spice mix.
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"I see," Morvena replies, with a nod of understanding. "Hopefully our business will not require us to visit such locales within the city. On the other hand, it might behoove us to visit the Opal Market at some point during our stay as I expect Vyre's markest may be less...restrictive...in some aspects, than Kintargo's."
"Wait a minute," Geoffrey interrupts, "I thought we were going in as entertainers here...down on our luck. Wouldn't one of those less reputable hell-holes be exactly where we should go?"
"Yes but I do believe we can maintain our ruse without visiting the local sanitarium," Morvena replies. "As for this 'Heretic's Row'...I suppose we shall see," she shrugs.
"Regardless, the Seven Apples should be our first destination or very near to the top of the list."
"Agreed," Geoffrey nods, "Let's find the Seven Apples first. Hopefully it will be easy to find. Been the first time in another city and...this place doesn't sound like a forgiving one, if you make the wrong step. We had best be on," here he gives a pointed look to Victor, "our best behavior."
"Umm, yup that's me. Your new apprentice. I'll give you a hand, anything to get dinner on the table sooner."
Victor starts with getting a good look at the meat but he never was all that great of a butcher.. just a butcher's lazy delivery boy more than anything...
"So, if you were to do this would you start with the meat or the veggies? Maybe we should add in something sweet? Or we got some nice bread to go with it?" Victor moves around the kitchen like he's hunting up some ingredients, but mostly he's looking for a tasty free snack.
"Seven Apples. Makes sense." Issil shrugs. She looks over the sea.
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"That's right, get all the connective guts off! I don't want the Captain to make that stupid face he makes when he bites on something chewy!" The cook shouts. Taking a look around the galley, you notice a cookbook lies open next to him, and on the wall hangs a shiny iron grappling hook.
"Add the spices and the broth will be done, just gotta simmer the meat now. Should be ready by dinner time!"
While the cook is distracted, you rummage around the drawers. The bottom cabinet contains six bottles of Chelish brandy, three bottles of rum, and a jar of chocolates. A closer look at the chocolate wrappers reveals the new stylized S logo the Shellets had setup when they took over the candy shop back in Kintargo.
Unfortunately, when you look back up, the cook is standing over you with an angry grimace. "HEY! GET AWAY FROM MY STASH!"
The knife flies past your face and instead impales the wooden cabinet.
Rosebud ties her hair in a knot.
"Ready."