Motteditor's Skull and Shackles PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

"Get yer head on dwarf" Bud snaps at the porter, "They might have finished the repairs already, we've been gone near two days ourselves. If we give them water and then leave again we're likely to find no ship when we get back the second time. None of them swabs is truly loyal yet and they still ain't above doing something foolish. Put down that water and pack up yer courage, we're hunting squid goblins this afternoon and let's hope our mates are still alive, we need that cleric. After that we head back to the ship, by nightfall if we can make it."

just RPing, tactically Carcas is right that we should go in with full strength, but Bud will totally point that finger at him for the rest of the campaign whenever Sandara asks why she has two peg legs because we waited an extra day (squid gobbos be hungry!)

Just to make sure it's clear you've only gone about 24 hours. I think you guys should have at least one potion too, don't you?

Cargas grunts.

"She's dead and drowned, Capt-tain," Cargas growls back. "Unless he's a halffish, not a halfling, she can't breathe underwater. Let her go."

"If you'd like to go in now, then go without me. I'll be happy to porter water for the day."

I'm hoping that with it having only been a day so far AND the fact the crew has been violently reduced in number that we're ok spending an extra day on the island without risk of being marooned. As for potions, if there are any, Brood doesn't have one otherwise he'd hook you up, Cargas!

"Doesn't matter. We should bleed those *#*(#*#$* regardless. I'd prefer today, but I can live with tomorrow."

Thanks Mott, we should have the cure moderate wounds potion and two unknown potions, let's have Gezza check the other two again and Cargas drinks the moderate wounds potions now, then we battle the squid gobs

Spellcraft Potion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Spellcraft Potion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Nim pushes Magilla to move forward, but for the bug bites, and the sore neck, the ape pushes back, knocking Nim over. "Alright, alright! Hands off, I got it." He gestures at the animal, who grunts, then follows the others close enough to stay more in front than in back.

Magilla makes several pig grunts when any of the others get within arm's reach. He seems more focused on positioning within the group. Nim stays back a bit, surveying their approach.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"So, do we try and flush 'em out, or follow 'em in? I'm not so good in the water. Neither is Magilla."

Gezza, you think one's a potion of cure light wounds, and the other is a potion of blur.

"So, do we try and flush 'em out, or follow 'em in? I'm not so good in the water. Neither is Magilla."

Cargas pauses, unsure what the party is doing. He looks at Budos to make a sensible leadership decision and is ready to do what he knows is the correct thing: start hauling water.

As Cargas stalls with a tub of fresh water on his back, Budos looks to the rest of the crew. They stand ready, but weariness sits behind their eyes and bug bites mark the lot of them. They're a small, ragged band already and losing even one would deal a severe blow to their chance of sailing away from the reef.

"Ah hells, the porter is right, back to the ship with water. We'll attack the squid gobs in the morning after we eat and sleep well. We're gonna scout it real quick, so we can plan our approach this evening, then we start hauling."

Bud leads a quick planning mission to the closest tall tree where he climbs to a vantage point that allows him a good view of the cove. take 20 on both climb and perception for 30 climb and 24 perception, use spyglass to scout the area

Cargas nods at Budos, and goes back to doing what he does so well: porting.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22 Prof (Porter) - Gotta use my mad skillz while I can. You've never seen porting this good: respect!

After the water is ported, he will sharpen his axe and search the ship for a pointy/piercing weapon to use underwater.

Nim moves to cover Budos as he moves forward to scout, keeping his bow out, arrow nocked. As the other half-orc climbs the tree, Nim stays low to the ground, watching elsewhere as their captain focuses on reconnaissance.

When he's done, Nim tucks his bow away, and helps as best he can with returning fresh water to their ship. He takes a certain amount of pride in restoring the water stores, their home. He claps backs, and makes a show of their commitment to the health and well-being of his fellow shipmates.

Magilla gets used to boarding and deboarding the littler boat for the bigger boat. The rocking in the water of the smaller boat keeps the ape on edge. He seems visibly relieved to gain the deck, which, to him at least, feels more stable for its immobility.

Nim and Magilla ready to tackle the squidies when the others are.

Budos climbs down from the tree with info from reading the DC 20 perception check we missed earlier a grim look and a toothy snarl. "Those little buggers did take Sandara, one of them is wearing her hat." Still, the rookie captain leads his team back to the ship to replenish the water stores and restore their strength.

That night in the captain's cabin, around the thick oak table illuminated by candlelight, Budos calls upon his officers to lead. "We could take the skiff 'round the eastern beach and push through the jungle, or we could ride it all the way into the cove. I'll be honest with you lads, my experience is limited to working a dock where a half orc was half a man, my skills are lacking and I need each and every one of you to lead when yer sure of the path forward. Can we agree to that?"

His point made, Bud pushes his team forward as he pushes a bottle of rum forward. "Them buggers have at least her hat and Sandara is important to us, even in ways I don't understand. Me mum raised me right and we must save her, Sandara is the essence of us. She's a priestess of Besmara, a goddess of the seas, and tomorrow at dawn we put everything forward for her. We'll each take a spear from the cluster we found at the stockade. In addition, someone is packing this handaxe, it's fine quality and a good weapon in a close fight." someone take the masterwork handaxe, Bud is not proficient "Gezza, you keep the healing potions, Brood you take the one for the blur effect. We have one goal, our lost mates, after that we return to the ship and get away from this cursed rock."

Through the evening Budos makes sure the watch is on alert and that his officers can fully rest and recover their strength. With a fresh crew and a plan of attack the captain assembles his crew in the morning and makes for the dark cove. "Have heart, lads, Besmara favors the bold and we'll crash like a rogue wave upon those squid-gobs today."

we'll approach the cove in the best direction per the scouting info from climbing the tree yesterday, good or bad as it may be

That night, Cargas searches the ship for a point/piercing weapon outside of his dagger. GM Motte, any boarding pikes around? We could use a few.

Budos sees high cliffs surrounding a cove, with a narrow hundred-foot-long tunnel leading to the deeper sea.

But before tackling that, you make your way back to the cutter with the barrels of water, and from there to the Wormwood, where you're greeted warmly by about half the crew and half-heartedly by the remainder. All seem to appreciate the fresh water, though.

You can see the repairs are about half done, but still clearly need another day or two worth of work.

Cargas, you can't find any boarding pikes -- Harrigan took them all -- but you have a number of spears you brought down from the stockade.

You think you could make it to the cove overland, but then have to descend the cliffs, or you could try to come in via water, though you don't know if you'd be able to get the ship through the neck. You also will need to decide whether you want to go at high or low tide

And Brood, I need another DC 13 Fort save or take 1d3 ⇒ 1 Con and1d3 ⇒ 3 Dex damage.

Gezza shares the nature of the Cure Light Wounds and Blur potions.

Gezza keeps quiet. He knows the odds of finding their lost shipmates is long, but hope springs eternal and all.

In the morning, Cargas grabs a slew of spears and offers them to everyone.

"C'mon, take one, you damn dirty, stinking ape," Cargas says, trying to get Brood armed appropriately.

Taking a spear for himself, he's ready to go hunt watergoblins.

"Aye, Capt'n, What now? You mean me to go get her corpse back? I swim good enough, I suppose."

Nim clubs Cargas in the shoulder. "You should talk about corpses. You've got experience on that side of the fence, eh?" The half-orc smiles broadly. He gladly accepts a spear, and nods to Magilla to get ready towards the skiff.

"What do you think, Cap'n? Low tide so we can walk in partways? Might give the tentacled basterds trouble."

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

As the group sits around the table in the captain's cabin back aboard the Promise, Brood's frown seems deeper than usual. That, combined with the beads of sweat gathering along his brow and the gray-pale that his skin has taken suggests that through the course of porting he'd developed a raging fever.

Wiping the back of one ashen hand across his brow, he shakes his head at the proffered potion. "Offal's spent more time on his back than up on his feet. He'd do better by it." He slides the potion across the table to the dwarf then. As the talk turns to when they should make their push, he shrugs. "If we knew when they slept, this'd be easier." He nods at Gezza's suggestion though, Low tide might also risk fewer of us drowning on the way in or out." He turns to look at Bud directly, "Though if you don't care particularly when we strike, then I say we go now."

Go ahead and take the blur potion, Cargas. Brood can pump his AC pretty good with shield.

"Low tide will mean the water is coming back in and we could get trapped. We go in while the tide is still going out, just past the half way point." an hour after the midpoint of the dropping slope on a tide table would give us 4 hours centered around low tide.

"We approach from the cliffs, no need to risk the boat in that cove at low tide and the squid gobs have the advantage in water. Grab yer spears and get ready." With the party assembled and a few extra coils of rope, Bud will lead them back towards the cliffs for the assault on the cove.

Gezza whistles and a large hairy legged spider slips out from under the decking. "Everyone, this is Mister Legs. Mister Legs is a friend from the bilges. He'll be going with me to help keep me alert. Wave to the nice people Mister Legs!" The spider extends one hairy leg in greeting.

Brood looks at the spider, then to Gezza, then to spider. Unsure how to really respond, he simply nods then rises to go prepare for their raid.

"Welcome to the crew Mister Legs, we need all the eyes we can get."

Magilla takes an immediate interest in the spider, for its size and new accessibility. He grunts and moves to swat the arachnid.

Meatpaw, nonlethal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 for 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 non-lethal damage

Nim turns a lighter shade of green, as he realizes what the ape is up to. "Damn it, Magilla, lay off!!" He gestures madly as the ape looks like he'd enjoy taking a second swipe at Mister Legs.

The gorilla seems to heed Nim's warning, grunting, then following Brood from the room.

Ready for departure

Mister Legs twitches once and is still. Gezza looks slightly horrified, then checks him. "Knocked him clean out. I'll keep Mister Legs in my bag when he's not on duty." He nestles the spider away.

You take the cutter and land again at the beach, and after a couple hours arrive at the top of the cliffs overlooking the cove, which churns with dark seawater.

The cliffs around the cove vary in height from 40 to 80 feet DC 15 Climb check required to scale them. You realize the cove’s dark
waters indicate the absence of rocks below the surface, but the way the water's churning means swimming likely won't be easy.

Along with the narrow passageway to the sea, you can see a cave at sea level in the southern wall of the cliff.

Nim falls over himself to apologize to Gezza, spider knocks and all. "I didn't know Magilla was gonna do that. Please believe me. I'll work with him to make sure that never happens again. Your, uh, Mister Legs shouldn't have to worry about us like that. Really sorry about that." A little more wringing of half-orc hands, and Nim excuses himself, a little uncomfortable around a bilge spider that large.

...

Nim subconsciously remains between Magilla and Gezza as they take to the cutter. When they cross the distance to the cove/cave, he cranes his neck, trying to find the easiest route to follow the squidies into their lair.

"So, Bud. We climbing? Boating? Swimming?" Nim looks unsure about the swimming part. If they can approach the cave, still in the cutter, he'd prefer it.

Bud ties the extra coils of rope to hang down to the cave in the southern wall of the cliff. Two ropes run side by side and the ropes are knotted at even steps to assist in climbing. "Be ready, be aware" he cautions his crew, then leads the way on one of the ropes climbing down the cliff to the entrance of the cave.

two ropes should get the six of us there in three waves. Can we all take 10 or 20 as needed on the climb checks, or do we need rolls?

Cargas appears to agree with Budos.

"Yeah, we should head for that cave. Gotta git there," Cargas helps knot and secure the rope. He's happy to climb down first, because what's the worst that could happen?

Take 10 Climb = 18.

Budos and Cargas lead the descent down the ropes -- weeks at sea making it an easy enough descent down the ropes ... until, as they get to 20 feet above the surface of the water, they suddenly realize they're not alone!

Four insectoid creatures with two pairs of bat wings, a tangle of thin legs, and a needle-sharp proboscis fly out from a small hole in the cliff, two heading toward each of the climbers.

All but Gezza are up. No map, but assume two of the critters are within melee range of the pair. Rest of you can decide if you're on the ropes or not, since I moved ahead quickly.

You need both hands free to climb, but you may cling to a wall with one hand while you cast a spell or take some other action that requires only one hand. While climbing, you can't move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). You also can't use a shield while climbing. Anytime you take damage while climbing, make a Climb check against the DC of the slope or wall. Failure means you fall from your current height and sustain the appropriate falling damage.

On Rope? (1=yes; 2=no): 1d2 ⇒ 2
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Not exactly sure what the new troubles were exactly, Brood frowns from his place up at the top of the bluff. Glowering darkly and hoping the creatures weren't aware of him yet, he snaps off a shot from his crossbow.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20for: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Bud draws his dagger and slashes at the insects while gripping to the rope.

Dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Round 1, Init 14

Cargas, who was probably definitely on the rope climbing down, continues to climb down, quickly moving to get off the rope.

1d20 + 8 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 8 - 5 = 11 climb vs. DC 10

"Damn these insects are big," Cargas says, readying his spear.

How deep is the water here?

You're not sure until/unless you dive in, though as noted before you don't think there are rocks immediately below the surface.

Brood skewers one of the stirges, while Budos cuts another one out of the air, grinning toothily as it falls into the water below.

Cargas continues his descent, more rappelling down the cliff face than lowering himself, until he splashes into the water you'll need a DC 15 Swim check tom move in the water.

Waiting on Nim before the insects go...

Round 1, Init 13

Nim shudders to think of being on the ropes while the damnable flying things assaulted him. He produces his bow, and takes a shot at one of the aerial animals. He shoots at a creature well away from his dopes on a rope, hoping to lure it up and into Magilla's arm reach.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
for 1d8 ⇒ 7 damage

Nim kills another of the insect creatures, which falls into the water alongside Cargas as the third wings away, back toward another small opening in the cliff face.

As for more of the creatures come winging out two moving toward Cargas, two toward Budos, the final one of the original quarter tries to latch on to Budos, only to have the half-orc swing out of the way propelled by the force of his rope. And Bud actually gets an AoO, as it's not go reach and is moving into his space.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Party is up; one of the creatures is considered in melee with Budos. Cargas, don't forget I'll need Swim checks.

Brood curses as more of the creatures appear. "What, is this a nest or something? *(#&$%(@^." He loads another bolt into the cradle of his crossbow and takes a shot at one of the flying critters winging for Cargas.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19for: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Round 2, Init 13

Nim keeps up his assault from on high, aiming away from Budos, but trying to free his fellow half-orc from this unwanted attack.

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
for 1d8 ⇒ 6 damage

If more of the creatures clear, he signals Magilla to start descending.

Gezza whistles low. "Bugs. Let's see if we can weed a couple out."

Gezza stomps the ground and and a spear formed of wood erupts from the cliff and flies toward the nearest bug. Splintered Spear!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 for 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 damage and 1 bleed!

Splintered Spear uses 6/7 remaining!

Round 2, Init 14

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 Swim
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 Swim

Cargas treads water and waits for the others while he tries to keep his spear ready.

Readied spear.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 to hit;
1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 damage.

AC 14; HP 23/23

AoO, Dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Budos slashes down the remaining bug and then climbs down to the water level and the cave entrance. He keeps his dagger ready to slash at another bug if it gets close enough.

Dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Gezza's magical attack misses, but Brood has more luck, his bolt hitting the target and sending it scurrying back for the safety of its nest.

Brood slashes at the creature on top of him, cutting it in half, and then descends the rest of the way to the water as Cargas impales the closest creature to him.

Nim takes out one more, as Budos bats the last one away as it tries to land on him, and then quickly cuts it out of the sky. Not worth taking time for one more round of combat.

The rest of you are able to descend uneventfully down to the frothing water. The cave cuts into the cliffside, the water appearing to cover some of the floor, though you can also see spots that aren't submerged...

I'm going to assume you're entering the cave, as opposed to exploring the neck out toward sea. You'll also need some light source for anyone without darkvision. On the bottom of the map, you'll see a depth indicator; the red line indicates where the tide is right now.

Following the wet tunnel in some 60 feet, it splits to your left and right.

Brood would've dropped read magic and prepped dancing lights for a cave incursion, but his dumb-dumb player forgot to update his cantrips earlier.

1d2 ⇒ 2
"Any suggestions? If not," Brood regards each of the openings for a moment before shrugging and pointing to the right, "that tunnel looks just as good as the other."

Gezza nods. "Right's as good as left to me."

Cargas fruitlessly shakes out his beard and armor as much as possible when onto a dry patch, not yet resigned to the wet.

"Bloody hell," Cargas curses, keeping his spear at the ready, "You sure recovering the bodies is worth all this?"

He follows/leads Brood to the right.

"If it means gutting the squids that sacked our ship, then 'yup.'"

Nim and Magilla navigate the swimming with some trepidation, but both look glad to find shallower spots in the caves. "Of course they'd feel comfortable with hideouts like this. They've got the advantage in the water." The ape looks a bit out of place trying to swim.

Bud clutches his spear and scans the darkness ahead for signs of the squid gobbos. "Them buggers sneaked up on us earlier, maybe we can repay the favor." Continuing slowly, Bud pushes deeper into the cave.

oh gracious GM, will you retroactively allow Brood his Dancing Lights cantrip?

Dancing lights is fine.

As you turn to your right, you realize the tunnel opens into a wider cavern -- though a branch also continues further to your right. You also realize that the floor is covered with seaweed, which makes for slippery footing. This is considered difficult terrain across the board in here, unless I say something otherwise. The DC of all Acrobatics checks made to walk on such surfaces are increased by +5. Also, the waters are very murky, with a visibility of 10 feet. Unless otherwise indicated, Swim check DCs are 10 while within the complex.

Before you can further make out anything about your surroundings, a hail of spears come flying at your from more than a half-dozen grindylows in the cavern. Three of them hit Nim -- two in the upper chest! -- and he collapses, blood turning the dark water even darker. 18 hp total; dicebot ganged up on him One splashes harmlesly near Magilla but two more hit Cargas, though more glancing blows; one skitters off his head, leaving a bloody gash but not doing much harm 4 hp, though I don't know your flat-footed AC, so one of those may have missed.

Overall dungeon map is accidentally set up in the combat map, and can't fix that right now. They're 30 feet away, on the other side of a big patch of seaweed (that slightly darker blue. You'll need to swim to advance beyond the edges of the cavern.