From its place behind Jylla, the monstrous Eidolon took just a few moments to look over the situation, its alien eye looking to understand the plans and habits of mortals...
However, just as beings of the material plane often had trouble understand it, it wasn't always so good at understanding them, either. Crouching low, the Eidolon darted around the group, using its naturally high speed to bring it through the opening it had seen and arrive close enough to threaten the pirates (L8). With no hesitation at all, the creature lashed out at Pirate 3, its claws raking out to cut deep into the person that dared threaten its caller.
for
It wasn't the most powerful blow the creature had ever delivered, but on the other hand, its natural strength made even its weakest blow a heavier strike...
Meanwhile, Luca herself continued to huddle back inside the cabin, not entirely sure what was going on but hoping things were going in their favor...
Logan reels at the hard blow that was landed on him and amazed at the quick attacks of the pirates!
with combat Expertise and fighting defensively also rage, with rage
with combat Expertise and fighting defensively also trait bonus and rage, with rage
In the brief moment he has to pay attention to it, Tyrus notes that never in all his research has he heard of a creature like this, nor even of anything like it.
Dante's powerful swing goes awry, though the pirates he is facing seem surprised at how swiftly his sword moves, no doubt wondering how such a youth's movements could seem so deft - and why he isn't bleeding from the blow he took.
The strange creature that serves Luca bounds across the deck and joins the line of battle, swiping at one of the men attacking Dante and tearing flesh. Startled, the pirate gives a yelp and switches targets, opting to swing at the creature. The other pirate's continue their attacks, save for the one Logan had put on the deck - he tries his best to roll away from the combat.
Only the blow against the captain lands. Meanwhile, Logan laughs at the prone pirate's attempts to escape and swipes his greatsword through the man's neck, just short of severing his head. Tyrus circles around one of the pirates so as not to draw his attention, and with a surprising graceful motion plants one hand firmly on the man's back.
The pirate feels cold shoot through his body, but fortunately manages to avoid further ill effects.
Jylla lands a killing blow across his enemies gut, just underneath the armor, and a fraction of a second later Logan spits the man upon his greatsword. The brutality of it sets the pirates back a bit.
The rest of the swirling melee is less decisive as blows are taken, received, and avoided.
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19 | 7 damage to Eidolan)
Luca/Eidolan[18] (Shield on Eidolan)
Pirate 3[17]
Pirate 4[17] (5 damage)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11]
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage)
As yet another 4 pirates swing onto the ship - this time at the other end - everyone hears the pirate Captain, Norren, call out again.
"Jylla! You know you cannot win this! Tell your people to surrender, and they will live!"
For the briefest of moments after they down a couple of the boarders, Jylla glances towards Logan. His eyes seem to invite advice even as his body begins to twist towards the other attacker.
Though none of the fighters can spare the attention to look, out of the corner of everyone's eye is the pirate ship drawing inexorably closer, pulled by the grapples. No doubt a flood of pirates still awaits on the deck of the big vessel, ready to swarm over as soon as the decks are near enough to jump...
Things were getting out of control fast. Things were quickly turning against them. They needed to turn the tides or they were going to get washed away in a sea of pirates. With renewed resolve Dante gauges his opponents. They easily dodged his first attack because he telegraphed it too much. This was his first real fight since the assassin. He couldn't panic. He had to fight smart. After defending against their retaliation he brought his sword around to the right and waited for the right moment. When Tyrus moved behind one of the pirates he saw an opening. He briefly thought that a bold move from someone who didn't seem martially inclined but it was enough to distract his opponent. He a mighty Hyah, Dante swung with incredible force.
: 2 for flanking.
The monstrous creature stalking the decks let out another fierce growl, darting forward and opening its jaws wide to rip at another foe that had entered its range (Pirate 6). While its last attack hadn't been fantastic, this bite was as hard as the creature could make it - which was saying a fair bit, considering it was noticeably stronger than the average human.
for
Finished with that, the Eidolon darted back towards the cabins (F8), intending to block the way... or at least get ready to tear apart any pirate that might be trying to get in.
Meanwhile, within the depths of the cabin, Luca was crouched down and listening to what she could hear of things from outside. It seemed like more and more pirates were arriving... and the light in her eyes began to dim again as the consciousness of alien beings considered sending forth another ally... but such beings couldn't be manifested for too long, and the intellect settled down... for now. Perhaps more relevantly, though, it also seemed to be waiting for something else to occur.
"Why don't you two duel like men, rather than sending wave after wave of your own men to die?"
Realising they are about to be swarmed Tyrus withdraws towards the passenger cabins
lashing out at any pirate that tries to stop him
Unable to tell if the pirate captain is making an honest offer, or if he is attempting to deceive them into dying more easily, Logan looks up and meets the man's eyes for a brief moment before looking away and raising his sword to keep the nearest boarders from getting ideas about his distraction.
"Why would we trust a pirate?" Logan shouts, obviously for Norren's ears, even as he steps forward and attempts to put another pirate down, the lust for battle still singing in his blood.
The new arrivals close in around the crewmen, battering at them.
With a surge of skill and strength, the ancient forms of the sword style named for his family come as easily to Dante's muscles as walking. His greatsword flashes, and his enemies fall – one cut very nearly in two.
Luca's creature sinks its teeth deep into another foe's arm, drawing a yelp of pain and alarm. Then, somehow sensing new danger nearer its ward, it withdraws back the way it came – inviting a swipe from the pirate it had just savaged.
... and lands a surprisingly sound hit on the beast. Following this, though, having just been bitten by a four-legged nightmare of teeth and claws and seeing his fellows dropped by a seemingly green boy, the man stumbles backward in fear.
While Tyrus shouts his chidings to the open air and removes himself from the heavy fighting, Captain Jylla attempts to shove the nearest enemy across the railings and into the water, and everywhere else the fight continues thick and heavy.
A crewman falls, bludgeoned into unconsciousness by his attacker. Jylla manages to push a pirate into the water several feet below the deck - which turns out to be fortunate for the man, as Logan's blade whistles through the air where his neck had been moments before.
Norren [26]
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19 | 7 damage to Eidolon)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11] (Swimming)
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage)
For a brief moment after Tyrus and Logan shout their chidings and taunts at the pirate captain, both sides seem to wait tensely for a reply even as they trade a few more blows. Then Norren's voice rings crystal-clear over the din.
"Men, step back!"
As one, the pirates leave off their attacks and give the crew and passengers the barest of space. Their weapons still held at the ready, it is obvious they could return to violence in a heartbeat.
Some of the passengers look up to meet Norren's eyes as he stares unblinking onto the deck of the Wavechaser - first at Tyrus, then to others.
"A duel is for a matter of honor, old one; your captain has not earned it. And you trusted a pirate the moment you set foot on that ship, boy," Norren answers Logan. Then he looks to Jylla. "What'll you tell them, Jylla? Do I keep my promises, through good and ill?"
Jylla looks back with an expression that is at once angry and subdued. "Aye."
Norren nods. "What'll it be then?"
Jylla turns his back full on Norren and looks to the others on his ship - his crew and his passengers.
Luca pressed herself up against the door, gazing across the space towards where the others were. Behind her gaze, however, lurked something very alien... and very unhappy with how things were progressing. It, at least, considered allowing the girl to fall into the hands of pirates (and probably slavers) as a Bad Thing, though her powers hadn't developed enough for it to send the warriors it wanted to provide. Instead, it simply focused its attention on the area outside, reaching through its link to Luca and preparing to send another guardian should things look like they were turning for the worse... or simply blast the mind of the leader of the pirates and decapitate their leadership.
Luca's Eidolon, meanwhile, was crouching before the door to bar entry... and had no intention of allowing anyone to pass.
I hope that makes sense, basically focusing on the PCs part of the battle and merely mentioning the effect they have on the other part of the battle.
Then I read on and see you have done something similar.
Round 4
Since he is still raging and the blood of warriors is coursing through his body he must fight. But a plan formulates for he is still a strategist. He steps forward and speaks with much strength, "The captain may have been a pirate but I am not, let me fight in place for the safety and freedom of the crew, guests, and ship." He continues to step forward and readies his attack holding his greatsword with both hands beside his chest.
First move forward, second ready a precise attack on the captain when he comes forward.
with combat Expertise and rage,
with rage
AC 15
During the lull in battle Dante takes this opportunity to heal the damage to his...whatever this thing was. He gently rubs his thumb across the blade until a drop of blood escapes. It is quickly absorbed into the spell and carried to the gash the on the translucent armor.
When the spell is done the gash is completely gone. Dante then steps forward and looks directly at Norren. Jylla isn't a pirate anymore and that makes him significantly more honorable than your lot. And since his debt isn't owed to you, you have no right to take his life. If you want a duel I shall fight in his place. For him and the others.
Norren seems amused by the competing offers of a duel.
"That's not how we decide things on the open seas, boys. This isn't some eastern court." Then he glances behind him to the many men still left on the deck of his own ship. "Then again, it has been awhile since I've reminded these whoresons why they obey me. Eh lads?"
An eager roar rises from the pirate ranks, including those on the Wavechaser.
"Done, then. Choose one amongst you. If he can best me in single combat, I'll set you free -" here Norren points his blade at the captain, "- save for Jylla. We came for him, and his life belongs to me. Give him up, and we'll duel for the rest of you."
Luca quietly slipped out onto the deck of the ship, trying to avoid attracting the attention of others. Even if she had, she was just a little girl that was clearly unarmed, though somebody would have to know her fairly well to recognize that she wasn't in control of her own body... and she quietly moved across the deck until she was a ways behind Jylla and just a bit to the side. She certainly wasn't going to get between the pirate captain and the other man if they were going to fight, but the presence within her had an opinion on what the outcome ought to be... and it had basically no morals or concerns whatsoever for 'rules' or 'regulations' that said other people couldn't interfere. Basically the sole degree to which it cared was the possible risks to Luca, and that was why it had moved her body essentially right behind the pirate's opponent. It would be far more suspicious if his head turned all the way towards the cabins to look, but this should be fine. Her body would move a little more based on the movements of whoever would duel the captain (hey, spectators wanted a good view, right?), but it shouldn't be necessary to go too much further...
Dante looks over to gauge Logan. He took a nasty wound at the beginning but it didn't seem to bother him. In fact it looked he was ready to leap onto the pirate ship and lay waste into them. But he was also breathing heavy and Dante wasn't sure how much longer he could go on like that before exhausting himself. With as much coursge as he can muster he stands before Logan.
Rest easy friend, I can handle him. I may be out of spells but I am not out of this fight.
"No my new comrade it is time for for me to test my skills, to follow the sublime way, to grow!" He says through clarity of his rage, to take control and tame the beast within, to give it focus and that focus will be the other captain.
He steps forward his armor cinching as he goes, focusing his mind on the years of training he and his master ingrained into that boy years ago, this was the moment it would bloom or fail him. Still in a defensive stance he moves forward to strike the captain from the floor with his greatsword though his strike will not defend him well.
with combat Expertise also rage, improved trip bonus
As it becomes clear that Logan will fight the duel, Norren stands to the edge of his ship's deck. Something draws his eyes to the frail girl who has joined the crowd. He meets her gaze...
... Norren stumbles slightly and looks away suddenly. Shaking his head, he glances back to the other figure, who raises his hands in a series of obviously-arcane gestures. This done, Norren leaps to the deck of the Wavechaser and moves to Logan. The crew and the other pirates draw back out of their way, giving them space to move.
The pirate captain stares mockingly at his opponent, holding his heavy curved blade in a guard position.
"Not the smartest of the bunch, are ya boy?" he taunts. A moment later, he ducks effortlessly beneath Logan's attack.
Norren [26] (Nauseated for 2 rounds)
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19 | 7 damage to Eidolon)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11] (Swimming)
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage)
As Logan and Norren face each other on the deck of the Wavechaser, each side cheers for their champion.
Dante shouts encouragements and points out fault in Norren's defenses to through him off and distract him.
"C-come on, you can do it..." Luca whispered, hoping that their companion would be able to pull through and end this situation before even more people got hurt by the powers she couldn't control. She may have been frail and week, but there was no denying that she was cheering for Logan...
"I have always put others before myself and this is a grand instance to continue to stay true to myself, yes some may call it stupidity but others call it bravery. May this be another step down my long path of the Sublime. Is this fight to the death or until one of us gives up?" He retorts back, briefly looking at those around him and feeling empowered by his charges. His rage continues, using the rest of it for the day, focusing it all towards Norren and trying to strike the man with his most powerful stroke.
with combat Expertise, PA, rage, and Cha bonus so far.
With the faintest of grimaces on his face, Norren barely keep out of reach of Logan's second powerful attack. A couple of his crew seem to wince at how close it comes.
Quietly Tyrus moves over towards Jylla.
Norren [26] (Nauseated for this round)
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19 | 7 damage to Eidolon)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11] (Swimming)
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage, 3/6 rage rounds)
"It ends when one of us falls and doesn't get up, by choice or no," Norren says. The mocking tone is gone from his voice, replaced by tight concentration.
Do we keep cheering?
*Edit I hope not.
I will make the posts as quick as possible.
Honesty at this point once he is no longer nauseated I won't be able to hit him without a natural critical if he has truely been nauseated.
Round 6
"Well we best get this show started then." Logan says as he grits his teeth bracing himself for the coming blow as he tries to strike the man before him keeping up full defenses then but still swinging with most of his force.
with fighting defensively, combat Expertise, PA, rage, and Cha bonus.
Though the palor of his face seems to be improving, Norren still doesn't make a move to attack yet - and he is just a fraction too slow to avoid Logan's skillful attack. The greatsword scores his side through his armor - which yields only with great difficulty, giving far more resistance than any normal leather should. The blow draws a gasp from some of his crew, though Norren himself only snarls as the blood begins to flow down his flank.
Norren [26] (Nauseated for this round)
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19 | 7 damage to Eidolon)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11] (Swimming)
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage, 3/6 rage rounds)
Drat... it hadn't been quite enough to help kill the pirate Captain, and things might be taking a turn for the worse soon... the forces guiding Luca calmly considered, then made sure that she was positioned behind the others and still had the ability to look across the area and see where the pirates were. Fortunately, it had implanted the powers within the girl very carefully. While it could use her to push forth servants as spells, it could also send servants without making any sounds or movements that would betray her as the source... and it thought this was a very good thing.
Round 7
"Is that flesh wound going to slow you down?" Logan taunts but stays focused on his adversary, still keeping his defenses up.
with fighting defensively, combat Expertise, PA, rage, and Cha bonus.
It takes a minute to register the new person in the crowd near Dante. Luca has finally crept up to the deck and is watching the fight intently. Or something is. Dante notices that something is off about her. When they first meet she seemed timid and reserved. Now their was an alien aura of determination about her. Dante mumbles under his breath and looks beyond the obvious into the world of the arcane. There. There was indeed an aura about her that was not her own. A blackness, but not malevolent. At least not towards him or the crew of the Wavechaser. He could see energy building as she readied to cast a spell.
She planned to summon something. Weaving through the crowd he approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder. When she looked at him he smiled winningly.
Have faith in our companion. And then he looked back to the fight and Logan's unfortunate miss.
Um. But be prepared. Dante tried to keep the smile but it was obviously strained.
Seeming to shake off whatever strange distraction had taken hold of him, Norren firms up the grip on his blade and lashes out.
His swing goes wide, though, as does Logan's return stroke.
Norren [26] (17 damage)
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11]
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (8 damage, 4/6 rage rounds)
"No more'n yours," Norren responds with a grin. It seems he's enjoying the contest now.
The two combatants leave off their taunts and begin to fight more earnestly. Norren abandons his reserved tactic and instead opts for powerful two-handed swings of his blade, while Logan continues to fight defensively against his apparently more-experience opponent. Both of them move with grace and ferocity - but for just a fraction of a moment, Logan finds his sword swinging too wide. In turn, this keeps him from avoiding the incoming swing of Norren's sword. The heavy curved blade rakes down Logan's shoulder, chest, and thigh.
Miraculously, Logan keeps his feet, even raising his sword for another attack - then, as all watch, his breathing seems to slow and his eyes roll back in his head. The burly man falls to the deck, leaving Norren victorious.
Norren [26] (17 damage)
Pirate 11 [24]
Pirate 9 [22]
Pirate 12 [22]
Pirate 10 [19]
Dante[19] (Mage Armor AC 19)
Luca/Eidolon[18] (Shield on Eidolon, 7 damage to eidolon)
Tyrus[13] (Mage Armor, AC 16)
Pirate 7[13] (6 damage)
Jylla[12] (8 damage)
Yllaine[12]
Pirate 5[11]
Pirate 6[10]
Crew[8]
Vincent[8]
Lara[7]
Pirate[8]
Logan[3] (22 damage | -2 hp, 6/6 rage rounds spent today)
After his winning blow, Norren leans upon his sword, breathing heavily. He looks at Logan's unconscious form with a mixture of admiration and amusement.
"Tend to your man," he says to the crowd. "There's no need for him to die."
He then turns to his own men. "Check our boys for any still alive, and get them some help."
Then, back to Jylla. "It's over, Jylla. Your crew and your passengers will be spared, I give you my word on that."
At Norren's words Tyrus skitters over to Logan with surprising speed for a man of such girth.
Grounding his hand on the deck the Eldritch glow around his hand winks out.
Carefully he checks Logan's pulse...
"He's slipping away! Damnit - does anyone have a healing kit? If I just had some tools..."
Turning to focus on Logan he continues
"Logan! Don't die here, like this. Hold on!"
[spoiler=@Mercy]
If possible I'd like Tyrus on his next action to use his enhancement power to give Logan +2 con for a round. Should give him +2HP and - if he hasn't slipped further away - bring him back to woozy consciousness.
[/ooc]
A solid wall of people between Luca and threats that could hurt her was the sort of thing the Void liked. However, it wasn't quite ready to give up its grip on her consciousness - and it made no move to head over and aid the wounded man. It agreed that Logan's survival was good in the abstract sense, but Luca had never received training in such matters. Instead, the Void simply turned Luca's body and, with a surprisingly natural-sounding voice, turned to Vincent and the crewman standing next to him. "Um, c-can you do anything to help him?" the Void asked, sounding exactly like Luca as it pointed her arm towards Logan's body.
Years of practice had ensured it was actually quite good at this sort of thing.
Dante stands ready to fight next to Logan and Tyrus if the crew of the Wavechaser or Jylla put up a fight but will make no move to attack.
Success!
In Logan's last moments of consciousness he looked to see those he tried to protect.
With the tension of an imminent return to violence slowly disapating, both sides relax somewhat - the pirates with the confidence of the conquerors, and the crew and passengers of the Wavechaser with the fatalistic gazes of the defeated - or the clenched jaws of the defiant, according to their temperaments.
After swallowing the contents of a vial he pulls from his belt (which seems to greatly ease his pain) Norren calls out: "Those of you who were on this ship, you need not fear for your lives. Give up your weapons for now. So long as you make no trouble you'll stay unbound. You'll know your lot soon enough - but first I have more important business."
His pirates come around, collecting the arms of those they've captured.
Then Norren points to Jylla.
"Bind his hands and bring him here."
Tyrus clenches his jaws and looks away from Jylla. Callous logic suggests that his plan around a duel had simply saved every life but one.
Despite what he told himself though, he felt ashamed.
Deliberately he threw himself into his work, summoning (silently) his acidic companion to his side.
So... treat deadly wounds takes an hour. Tyrus can do it twice, at two charges a pop. Not sure how much time there'll be and how much of this comes through...
End result: +7 hp after 2 hours... unless someone can aid him, in which case +2hp after 1 hour and +9 (total) HP after 2 hours.
The strange creature that had been waiting by the doors had moved towards Luca by the end of the duel and sat next to her, growling slightly as the pirates approached the girl. It wasn't like she had any weapons anyway, and the beast was mostly reminding the pirates that whatever else might happen wouldn't do them a lot of good if it killed them first. It did not, however, decide to push things too far all on its own. It was Luca's misfortune that she couldn't quite be grateful for this - the Eidolon frightened her even more than the pirates.