Aghon half-heartedly swings the bottle again, trying to keep Aretta at bay and keep her guessing. Sorry Jordan, this bottle isn't even really here, and if I tried to give it to you it would disappear. He then turns to Aretta and offers her another of his patented debonair grin'n'winks, knowing that at this point they do more to aggravate her than anything else. While he's grinnin' and winkin' he takes another step back.
* * * COMBAT ROUND 2 continued * * *
Aghon's swing fails to connect or deter Aretta from advancing. The cleric's second debonair grin & wink earns him a second punch to the face from the angry pirate . An instant later, Bansion's face goes all confused as the gnome's spell takes effect and apparently claims her.
"No need to have that pretty face marred by a bottle smash," the grinning gnome says to his latest bodyguard.
Sandara Quinn suddenly rushes down the stairs, stopping when her progress is blocked by the singing woman seated there. Sandara crouches down, taking in the battle royal with surprised eyes that swiftly turn angry.
"I knew you were up to some...."
Her words are cut short as she cries out in pain. Behind her, further up the stairs, you can make out the bottom of a long sailor's coat. Someone has seized a handful of Sandara's flowing red hair and yanked her painfully up out of her crouched position. Even as you watch, she's pulled back out of the hold.
* * * COMBAT ROUND 2 continued * * *
The long-legged pirate Culder just bashed shows either incredible bravery and/or foolishness—or is just plain crazy—because instead of retreating, the woman grits her teeth and prepares to attack the big man; those who catch a glimpse of her wide, intense eyes likely believe her to be the latter. She throws a punch at Culder’s face and follows it up with a sneaky kick directed toward his stomach or groin. Both blows connect (the second, fortunately, a bit higher than the Hargrave family jewels), causing the Captain to grunt in pain .
The dark-skinned fellow who’s hung back earlier now jumps into action, flanking the halfling and aiming a punch at the side of her head. He, too, connects and the cheap shot sends the tough halfling lass slumping to the floor, unconscious.
The woman on the stairs turns her head and winces a bit as she sees Sandara dragged away, but then her attention returns to the brawl and she continues to sing to inspire Team Mean. She seems to be in no rush to join the actual fight, however.
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Jarvis continues his shanty, raising his voice in response to the other group's singer. As he sings, he looks around for any lit lanterns or loose chunks of wood that could double as a club.
vincent scratches his chin for a little bit after hearing the offer set by the cleric and the lack of one set by the lady that approached him last night dang i was hopeing that one side could at least help me in my search by getting me off this ship
with that he steps behind culder, and flex's his hand causing electricity to dance around his hand. he looks back to the cleric. i've never been a fan of takeing a gamble and with that he presses his hand against culder, causing the electricity to sink in, after a moment it forms a suit of armor made of crackling electricity around him. so don't make me regret gambling on you
Culder acknowledges the bandana-wearing sailor only long enough to give him a glare that seems to say 'You'll get your wish soon enough!' before swinging again at the leggy pirate woman, trying to knock her out of the fight. Again he connects savagely , and amazingly the woman remains standing, though from the glassy look in her eyes she's out on her feet.
Unfortunately, the angry sailor nearby takes advantage and catches Culder in the jaw with a swift right ; Vincent's magic doesn't protect that high up, and Culder's knees buckle as he crashes to the floor. The sailor throws a triumphant grin back to the dark-skinned man, calling out, "Told ya I could take him!"
The half-orc briefly escapes from Fatty's bearhug only to be wrapped back up a moment later. The dwarf with the mashed nose briefly considers going after Vincent but then takes out his frustrations on a closer target, kicking the unconscious female halfling hard in the ribs .
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"Culder may not've been picky in his choice of opponents, but at least he's man enough to take'em on by hisself!" Jordan says, running up to the sailor that felled the large pirate. Trying to take advantage of the sailor's distraction, Jordan throws a punch at the sailor's jaw, similar to the way the man just took out Culder.
Stepping up to the man, Jordan gives a near-suicidal grin. "No women's skirts to hide behind here, mate."
Shite-slinging bilge whores! Jarvis yells in his head as he watches Culder slump down. This isn't normal. We did nothing wrong and this goes WAY beyond the norm. I guess that means other normal rules are safe to be ignored also! A smile crosses his face as he hurries across the cabin to where Culder has fallen.
As he stands behind the fallen sailor, he blends the words of a spell into his shanty. As he finishes the invocation of powers, he reaches out and touches Culder's head, allowing healing magic to pour into him.
Aghon sees a window of opportunity and steps up behind the bandana man that Jordan is currently locked in melee combat with. He swings his conjured bottle with all his might.
Swing and a miss! Aghon puts so much force into the blow that he lets go of all fine motor skill and misses wildly.
that's it... no more kid gloves with these sh!t-sucking bilge rats...
* * * COMBAT ROUND 3 * * *
The wild scrum continues unabated!
Jordan moves to avenge Culder while Jarvis scurries forward to heal the big man. Mr. Banner finds out that the sailor in the bandana has a few tricks up his sleeve: before Jordan can land his shot, his opponent flicks out a lightning jab in his direction, clipping him . Jordan strikes back with equal force . Aghon steps up to flank Bandana Man, but his swing with the magic bottle misses the mark. He gets another chance to bash someone a moment later, though, when the leggy female pirate tries to stagger carelessly out of combat toward the stairs .
Meanwhile, the gnome dandy and the charmed Aretta Bansion step back away from the brawl, where the gnome asks her why she and her friends are attacking the new recruits.
"Scourge's orders," she says with a shrug before turning and giving Aghon a sour look. "Plus, I just wanna belt that smug SOB."
Although Jarvis's healing spell is able to bring Culder back around, the dusky-skinned fellow immediately takes a cheap shot, stepping up and planting a boot in the side of prone Culder's head .
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Vincent steps back , past the gnome standing next to culder he then looks over to the dusky pirate i hate haveing to talk like a barbarian but lets hope this works and brings his hands to his mouth and cups his hands and yells "OY! FROM WHAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT FROM THE BRASSER UP ON THE STAIRS, YOU'VE BEEN PLAYING BACK GAMMON WIT' SOME OF THE LADS, THERE ANY TRUTH TO THA'T OR SHE SHIITE' THROUGH HER TEETH?"
"Enuff," an angry and only partly coherent Culder declares. Slipping on his brass knuckles he slugs the dusky-skinned scoundrel square in the knee.
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"Naw mer frackin' 'roun'... nanyone come a'me 'n' I'll bloody 'em up fer real!"
Aghon swings his conjured bottle again this time at the leggy girl trying to escape the fray.
And once again misses wildly. He mumbles to himself, Damnit! Guess I need a little more time aboard to get m'sea legs under me.
Aghon's swing again goes far wide of the mark and the leggy pirate wobbles over to the other woman seated on the stairs. The bard casts a spell that seems to heal some of Longlegs' damage.
When Vincent makes his scandalous allegation, the jaws of most of the veteran pirates drop in shock...but their eyes turn toward the lady bard, not the man accused.
"I said no such thing!" the pirate bard stammers. Dusky glares at her with undisguised hatred...giving Culder a golden opportunity to bash the inattentive man square in the knee with his brass knucks. Dusky howls in pain, hopping around repeatedly shouting a word that almost rhymes with knucks.
Unfortunately, the rally is short-lived as Bandana man, taking full advantage of the fact that Culder's prone and vulnerable, punches the Captain hard in the temple , again rendering the powerful man unconscious. The dwarf rushes forward to take a swing at Jarvis, growling, "Not again, ye little bilge-rat!" The dwarf's fist connects and Jarvis sees a few stars .
Jape's unable to escape Fatty's embrace.
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Now, now, so much anger. Let's add the light of forgiveness to this scrum. Aghon says and then channels the healing energy of Hanspur, mentally excluding leggy and Bandana Man from the burst of healing.
After summoning the wave of healing he looks right at Aretta, and, yes, glutton for punishment that he is, grins as wide as he can, winks, and says, There, don't say I never gave you anything.
Jarvis smiles as the pulse of magical healing flows over him, easing the pain from the side of his head. Not content to just sit there, he takes a step to the side away from the angry dwarf and pushes more magical healing down into Culder.
Now now, so brutish. I think we've had a happy enough welcome, eh gang? Let's get topside, grab ourselves some air and we'll revel about this over rum tonight?
* * * COMBAT ROUND 3 * * *
Again the tide changes, as Aghon and Jarvis bring their healing powers to bear. Culder, Jordan, and the battling she-halfling all regain consciousness (though all remain prone for the moment--.
The gnome dandy asks Aretta Bansion what all the violence is supposed to prove.
"It's to put you new meat in yer place...an' make yas report late fer duty."
When the gnome hears this, he calls out to the attacking pirates, echoing Jarvis's words that perhaps everyone should stop brawling and just report on deck for the day's duties.
"The hell with that!" spits Longlegs, holding the side of her face that Culder bashed. "We've got the big one down! Finish him, take out the healers, and this day is ours!"
As if to prove her point, she stalks across the hold, cocking back her leg to unceremoniously boot Culder in the head. Although Dusky and Bandana try to warn her, it's too late--she's within Culder's range.
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* * * COMBAT ROUND 4 * * *
Culder tries to bash Longlegs in the knee as well, but the woman shows superior agility by hopping over the attack; instead of delivering her planned boot to the jaw, she tries to stomp down on Culder's crown, the crazy gleam again in her eyes. Dusky, too, tries to hit the big man while he's down. The blows seem adequately aimed and Culder steels himself for some more pain...but it never comes. The mage armor spell cast on him by the young sorcerer crackles briefly, turning both blows!
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Yes. In fact, Longlegs, Dusky, and the dwarf are also adjacent to you. (no AoOs for those three, but you'll still be a prime target when their turns come around again.)
vincent goes next to the gnome helping culder and puts his hand on his shoulder and drops his voice down to a whisper “keep your friend in check, and start gossiping, we stand a better chance when they are at each others necks”
with that he stands up and looks between the dwarf and longlegs, then looks back at the gnome. "i think you're right lad" looking back at the dwarf he yell's "STONESKIN! THIS THE ONE YEW SAID WAS CARRYING THE WASP'S STING, WHEN WE WERE ALL DRINKING LAST NIGHT, RIGHT?" pointing at longlegs
[spoiler = translation]translation: you said this is the girl you claimed she had an std correct?[/spoiler]
"Curse me fer a fool if I'd ever git caught drinkin wit' de finger-wigglin' likes o' ye!" the dwarf roars at Vincent. A bit belatedly, he realizes that perhaps he should've instead defended the honor of his comrade-in-arms. By the time he realizes this and looks in Longlegs' direction, the crazy in her eyes has shifted toward him. But only for a moment--soon she's again fixed on obliterating the new meat. You're all pretty sure she's filed something away in her memory banks, though.
The lady bard on the stairs is still singing. She's also gotten up from her seated position on the steps and is watching the fight with renewed interest from a crouching position.
The woman may have expected the fight to have been over by now, with her side victorious. Now that things have dragged out, though, she's more interested in the outcome. She doesn't seem worried that her teammates might lose; she seems a bit excited that someone was able to stand up to them as long as you guys have.
Culder rolls back onto his shoulder blades and tumbles to his feet, hoping to avoid opening himself up to attack...
Culder bellows, "I said, Enough!" Embracing his rage the now standing Cap'n punches the crazed woman.
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* * * COMBAT ROUND 4 continued * * *
Culder's roll doesn't fool Bandana Man, who takes a swing as the big man regains his feet; the fellow misses badly however, and winces when Culder smashes in the pretty face of Longlegs an instant later. The dwarf shows no such regard for the woman's fate, flanking Culder and delivering another punch .
Meanwhile, Jape can't wriggle out of Fatty's bearhug and the female halfling picks herself off the floor glaring in anger. Unable to reach the hated dwarf, she instead positions herself behind Dusky, itching for some vengeance.
As Jordan begins to stir, the gnome dandy--escorted by Aretta Bansion--moves past him, heading toward the stairs. "Excuse me!" the gnome says politely.
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As Jordan's eyes open, he winces at the pain running through his head. Seeing the hated bandanna man above him, he gets ready to swing, then thinks better of it. Making himself look as much out of the fight as possible, he speaks up to the pirate.
"If you're to switch to the winnin' side, now's your chance, mate," Jordan remarks, casually, "They said they're after the new meat, and that includes you, mate. It ain't too late t'side with your bunkmates and avoid some trouble."
Culder takes advantage of the dwarf's inexperience in fist fighting to sneak in an attack when it comes at him...
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Oh well, it's worth a shot. Aghon says as he swings the conjured bottle one more time, this time at the now flanked bandana man.
The Captain indeed is ready for the dwarf's attack and his fist makes its own statement before the dwarf's can . Culder bashes in not only the ugly dwarf's nose but his whole face! The bearded battler goes down like a ton of boulders .
"Winnin' side??!!" Bandana Man echoes when Jordan makes his request to switch teams. "Yer side's gonna be keelhauled if this lady or that dwarf dies!" Still, the fellow seems disinclined to continue fighting and more interested in getting Longlegs up on deck to a healer...when Aghon's magic bottle swings towards his head and the sailor has to block it painfully with his forearm .
Seeing things take a decidedly lethal turn, the gnome dandy and his escort Aretta make for the stairs; the pirate bard seated there allows them to pass and seems inclined to follow them shortly.
Jarvis, seeing the fight fall out of the eyes of their enemies, stops singing and starts looking around for anything that can be useful to help bandage up the dwarf's busted face.
They may keelhaul us, but it'll be made perfectly clear that everything we did was in pure defense against scoundrels and roustabouts that came down belowdecks with naught a purpose but to force us to break one of the Cap'n's policies or the other. Any pirate worth his salt would rather have a crew that would hackle up at a fight rather than just get beaten, be late to quarters, and then not be able to do their damned bloody jobs. He says, voice full of vinegar and detest for what he considers a lesser class of pirate.
Dusky scowls down at Jarvis briefly before nodding. "Enough!" he calls, apparently ending the attack. As he takes off his shirt and tosses it to Jarvis to use as bandages, he tells Bandana Man: "Crimson--get Syl up on deck an' see if Red can heal her. Then tell her to get down here on the double!"
The bard on the stairs hears the orders and happily rushes up the stairs. Fatty and Jape cease their wrestling match and prepare to depart as well.
Culder takes a few deep breaths as he tries to calm himself (before someone does end up dead). Tucking his brass knuckles back into their hiding place he turns to Jarvis and Aghon and says, "best stop 'em bleedin' 'fore we break th'rules, but leave 'em out, like they meant fer us. That lot can clean up their own mess if they wanna stay outta trouble."
Straightening himself out a bit, the hulking man starts for the stairs to ensure he's on deck in time. Looking over his shoulder, he calls back to the two healers, "an' thanks fer havin' me back. Ye can coun' on me if ye need help; 'specially if it 'volves knockin' any o' these scurvy swine's skulls."
vincent goes up to culder puts his hand on his back and seemingly draws the cackleing suit of electricity back into him. sorry it doesnt last long anyway, so i could use what little electricity is left
with that he looks around, and seeing that the fight is over and that everyone is paying little attention to him like in the battle, he walks over those unconscious and checks to see what they have on them. al while humming a ghostly sounding tune
"Shipmates is still shipmates," Jordan mutters, just loud enough for Bandana to hear. Standing up slowly, Jordan moves to the injured pirate with moving Syl up onto deck. Meaningfully, Jordan glances around. "Still," he comments, nodding towards Vincent in thanks, "It's good to know who you can count on."
Aghon again channels the divine healing energy of Hanspur to make sure nobody dies, and to heal up what cuts and bruises his comrades took in the scrum.
Jarvis snatches the shirt that Dusky tosses to him. With a great show of effort, he manages to not rip anything. Instead, he rolls it up as best he can and just ties the whole shirt around the dwarf's face. Taking care to wipe his hands on the dwarf's shirt before heading up to the deck himself.
Good to make sure Culder is looking out for my back. Bad enough to have a violence-crazed control freak for a captain. If any of these poor excuses for sailors holds a grudge, I'll need someone with his stature to keep my arse above the keel. Still - if Scourge gave them this order, we're going to need to do something to rectify the leadership of this vessel before too long. I wonder.....
"Shipmates is still shipmates," Jordan mutters, just loud enough for Bandana to hear. Standing up slowly, Jordan moves to the injured pirate with moving Syl up onto deck. Meaningfully, Jordan glances around. "Still," he comments, nodding towards Vincent in thanks, "It's good to know who you can count on."
with that he looks around, and seeing that the fight is over and that everyone is paying little attention to him like in the battle, he walks over those unconscious and checks to see what they have on them. al while humming a ghostly sounding tune
The two unconscious folks are being tended to, so it'd be next to impossible to loot them. They all wear normal pirate clothing and about the only thing any carried is a small knife or dagger in their boot. It's likely they keep most of their personal belongings in the lockers along the walls of the hold.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure I mentioned those before. You each were given a small locker with an average lock and a key. Actually, the key part sounds familiar now--I think you were told not to lose it. :)
Aghon's healing takes care of any lingering damage to the party and does enough to bring around both Longlegs and the dwarf. Longlegs starts thrashing, ready to fight on until Dusky tells her it's over. The dwarf is barely conscious and needs to be helped up the stairs and onto deck.
When Scourge sees everyone spill out onto the deck for breakfast and duty assignments, he demands of Dusky, "What in Hell happened, Maheem?"
"Narwhal had a little accident on the stairs is all," the man lies flatly. "Knocked over a few other folk in the process."
"Red-fix 'em up," Scourge orders a very angry-looking Sandara Quinn, who wordlessly goes about her duty and heals up any lingering wounds.
Breakfast is very quiet this morning. Your group gets a lot of dirty looks from the pirates you thrashed, but many of the pirates not involved in the brawls are eyeballing your group speculatively.
Before long, Jordan's sent off to the galley and Mr. Plugg and Master Scourge give the riggers and swabs their daily duties.
Day #2 Task: Line Work: Hard work hoisting and lowering sails, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) check or Dexterity check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
DAYTIME SHIP ACTIONS
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a job’s daily task.
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC.
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and briefly explore one part of the ship (the PC can make a single Perception check or other skill check with no chance of detection).
Shop: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9).
Shirk: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can take 10 on a single perception check or other skill check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
Co-Workers (2): A barefoot human woman who keeps to herself when not nervously looking between you and your other co-worker…your archenemy, Maheem (Dusky).
Day #2 Task: Upper Rigging Work: Work in the upper rigging, 50 feet up, requiring DC 10 Climb checks, followed by a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or Dexterity check.
DAYTIME SHIP ACTIONS
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a job’s daily task.
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC.
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and briefly explore one part of the ship (the PC can make a single Perception check or other skill check with no chance of detection).
Shop: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9).
Shirk: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can take 10 on a single perception check or other skill check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
Co-Worker: The nasty, cyst-covered dwarf with the oft-busted nose who punched you pretty damned hard in the scrum at dawn’s bell.
Day #2 Task: Hauling Rope and Knot Work: Tying and untying knots in the ship’s ropes and moving heavy coils of ropes from one part of the ship to another, requiring a DC 10 Profession (sailor) or
Strength check. The PC must also make a DC 10 Constitution check to avoid being fatigued at the end of the shift.
DAYTIME SHIP ACTIONS
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a job’s daily task.
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC.
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and briefly explore one part of the ship (the PC can make a single Perception check or other skill check with no chance of detection).
Shop: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9).
Shirk: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can take 10 on a single perception check or other skill check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
Co-Workers (2): Your two co-workers were also targets of the pirate brawl this morning: the muscled halfling lass (who introduces herself as Rosie Cusswell) and the gnome dandy (the incomparable Conchobhar Turlach Shortstone). It quickly becomes apparent to you that the gnome is quite smitten by the sometimes foul-mouthed halfling—he does more wooing than working.
Day #2 Task: Runner: Passing messages to the crew and officers of the Wormwood in all parts of the ship except officers’ cabins (areas A4 and A5), requiring a DC 10 Acrobatics check and DC 10 Constitution check. Failing the Constitution check results in the PC being fatigued at the end of the shift. A PC with the Run feat automatically succeeds at this task.
DAYTIME SHIP ACTIONS
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a job’s daily task.
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC.
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and briefly explore one part of the ship (the PC can make a single Perception check or other skill check with no chance of detection).
Shop: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9).
Shirk: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can take 10 on a single perception check or other skill check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
Co-Worker (1): A mostly friendly human male named Jack Scrimshaw. You only see him occasionally when your paths happen to cross. Since runners are sent all over the ship, you can choose nearly anyone if you choose to take the Influence option or explore any area of the ship if you Sneak (other than the captain’s or officers’ quarters).
Day #2 Task: Cooking: Assisting Ambrose Kroop in preparing the day’s meal. If Kroop is sober (which he IS), no check is required. If Kroop is drunk, this requires a DC 10 Profession (cook) or Intelligence check. (So basically, Jordan’s can do whatever action he pleases, with no chance of performing badly enough to warrant punishment at Bloody Hour…unless he’s caught going someplace he shouldn’t be.)
DAYTIME SHIP ACTIONS
Work Diligently: Gain a +4 bonus on any one check for a job’s daily task.
Influence: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and attempt to influence a single NPC.
Sneak: Make normal checks for a job’s daily task and briefly explore one part of the ship (the PC can make a single Perception check or other skill check with no chance of detection).
Shop: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and visit the quartermaster’s store (area A9).
Shirk: Take a -2 penalty on all checks for a job’s daily task and take time exploring one area of the ship. The PC can take 10 on a single perception check or other skill check, but must make a check to avoid being discovered.
Co-Workers: Ambrose Kroop
Jarvis cricks his neck a bit after the man flies flatly to Scourge. Once he makes his way up into the rigging, aside from one little misstep, he sets to his duties. He decides to try influencing the dwarf if possible.
Hell of a scraper mate, even if y'are a bit dirtier a fighter than most pirates would be in a shippie fight. Glad we could all come to some - amenable - terms earlier, eh?
He decides to try influencing the dwarf if possible.
"Ye been in a scrape 'r two b'fore, ain't ye?" Culder asks, trying to see if there's any grudging respect for his combat ability that could potentially be used to influence Maheem...