dammit... we ain't likely t'get nothin' outta this fight... only ones out here t'get killed is us... too late t'turn back now I s'pose...
Culder frowns then charges forward with Korabrand to crush some skeletons...
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Culder looks for an opportunity to move into a flanking position with the half-orc and swings his anchor again...
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Culder's anchor smashes apart the last remaining skeleton on the pier, earning him an appreciative nod from Korbrand. The half-orc issues a growling sigh and mutters, "Ain't easy bein' the lady's bodyguard when she runs off like that." He motions to Beliza dancing with the skeletons on the beach and then rushes back along the pier toward the beach and his employer.
Meanwhile, Moina and Jordan again both fail with ranged attacks against the bony undead. The last two "lively" skeletons close, one engaging Beliza on the beach while the second stalks along the sands to the south, making its way to the land-side of the pier.
Aghon closes distance so he can channel energy on the four skeletons that are surrounding Beliza. Then raises his holy symbol and calls down the thunder of Hanspur. Eat hot divinity undead sons of b!tches!
Aghon's divine power makes short work of the three ancient, decrepit skeletons, instantly blasting them into bone dust and shards. The newer skeleton survives the attack--barely--though its bones are now badly cracked. A rapier lunge from Beliza to finish the undead sadly misses the mark.
Rolled an attack for Beliza in a previously edited post; she missed.
Culder moves back towards the skeleton at the land-bound end of the pier, stopping ten feet from it.
garbage plan this was... no payout, not a man dead t'leave unclaimt boats behind, not even a one watchin' t'tell th'tale...
Jarvis scoots around, putting the cracked skeleton between himself and Beliza. Saying a little prayer to the winds, he lunges out, stabbing at the creature with his little rapier.
Korbrand's a bit torn between duty to his employer and the proximity of the skeleton at the end of the pier, but when Culder closes on the undead and Jarvis connects with but fails to harm the skeleton threatening Beliza, the half-orc gives the Captain a nod and turns his attention toward the battle on the beach. He hops off the edge of the pier, hustles up, and hacks at the skeleton, but it manages to dodge what would have been a deadly strike.
Culder quickly finds that his fear of no one witnessing the group's heroics may be a bit misplaced: other combats are breaking out on the nearby docks and along the shoreline as more and more undead (mostly old and decrepit humanoid skeletons) continue to surge out of the surf and sailors from moored ships and islanders defend themselves against the threat.
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[dice=Perception]1d20+6
Moina closes a bit on the skeleton on the pier and shifts to one side to have a clear shot at the undead...and then dribbles another sling stone ineffectively along the wooden dock.
The skeletons are much more accurate with their attacks: Beliza's rips the woman with each of its claws, badly wounding her . The other one steps up to Culder and catches the Captain with a swipe from its claw .
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Culder snarls at the skeleton that has wounded him. He considers letting go and really laying into it but decided against it. With some semblance of control he brings his heavy anchor around and attempts to shatter his bony adversary with it.
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Culder's smash pretty much atomizes the skeleton, sending pieces of its bony frame flying off the pier...some probably traveling further than poor Moina's sling shots.
The pier suddenly shudders slightly and creaks and groans sound from underneath it. A pale tentacle about twenty feet in length suddenly lashes out from underneath the dock at Aghon, the nearest target on the beach. The tentacle moves strangely, more or less in a straight line until it nears the cleric; then its end curls as it prepares to seize its target.
You see a pale giant octopus underneath the pier. Some of its great tentacles are grasping the pilings to help pull the thing along. Many of its tentacles seem damaged, as though they've been gnawed upon by lesser fish.
While you're on the pier you have cover from the octopus's attacks.
Jarvis shakes his head as he sees Beliza catch a slash from the skeleton and then his eyes go wide as the octopus tentacle comes lunging out of the water. Flicking his eyes over the group, he moves to get behind Beliza. Reaching out a hand he mutters some words and feels the warmth in his fingers as healing magic flows from his fingertips into Beliza.
You noticed that the undead octopus both moved and attacked you in that round...not possible for your typical lumbering zombie. You're guessing this may be one of those unusual "fast zombies" you've heard about, capable of quick movement and not limited to one clumsy attack per round.
Feeling her slinging skills are not working out for her right now Moina will move closer to the others and prepares to help, "Is someone badly hurt?"
As the tentacles fly through the air she will reflexively throw her arms out in front of herself, propelling a blast of air to defend herself(or someone else) from it.
Feeling the ground tremble underneath his feet, Jordan takes a running jump off the pier onto the sand below. No longer concerned about the skeletons, thanks to his companions, Jordan turns to see the octopus underneath the pier. Let's try and get your attention, why don't we? he thinks. Feeling a sudden gust of wind blow towards Aghon, Jordan takes a few steps to plant himself in the sand. Aiming for the slimy beast, the archer calms his breathing, and lets an arrow fly at a tentacle.
Aghon reacts in shock as a giant tentacle sweeps toward him with uncanny speed. He has just enough reaction time to stab at it with his trident as it attempts to grab him. Help! He yells to no one in particular.
His reactive blow connects with rotten sea-creature flesh.
Aghon's trident finds a weak, gnawed spot on the attacking tentacle, severing it! Jordan's arrow likewise flies true, pinning another tentacle to the pier piling it was grasping.
Beliza thanks Jarvis for his efforts: "Leapin' into battle without a second thought AN' a healer to boot! Cap'n's got a decent crew, it seems." She then rears back and tries to kick the last skeleton in the neck, trying for lethal damage to end the fight. Instead, the skeleton claws her leg and her kick misses the mark.
"Not smart, Lady Odabio," Korbrand grunts as his mighty falchion lops off the last skeleton's head. "Let me deal with the octopus." With those words, he moves up to and a bit past Aghon, nodding at the cleric when he sees the severed tentacle squirming on the sand.
"I was going to order you to take care o' Mr. Grabby!" a grinning Beliza calls out.
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Weighing his options, and noticing that there may be some witnesses after all, Culder decides to leave the pier and engage the octopus...
He moves towards shore until he can safely drop down into the sand and then turns and heads back out toward the beast.
The water beneath the pier surges and froths: the stench of the undead octopus fills the air as it lashes out with its remaining functional tentacles. One slithers up onto the dock to threaten Moina while other ones target those on the beach: Culder, Korbrand, Jordan, and Aghon. Beliza and Jarvis are apparently beyond its reach at the moment.
Moina uses her druidic magic to funnel a blast of wind at the tentacle nearing her, but the breeze is too weak to affect the heavy limb. Culder likewise takes his readied action, bringing his anchor to bear.
Again, there's something 'off' about the undead octopus's attacks, like it's forgotten how to seize, coil, and crush its prey yet is trying to relearn this instinctive behavior. As a result, its attacks are clumsy and calculated, allowing each target a chance to strike first as the tentacles reach tentatively to find prey.
Korbrand hacks at an incoming tentacle but his blade skitters off the dense undead flesh. An instant later, he's being slowly crushed by the thing.
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As the first tentacle moves towards Culder, the grizzled sailor winds up and swings his heavy anchor hard at it...
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as the fetid tentacle clumsily grabs at him, he brings the anchor back around and tries again to smack it...
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Sweet Hanspur! I swear, I'm never eating octopus again. Aghon says as he stabs his trident at the rotting tentacle lashing toward him.
Culder's first swing gets nothing but air, but his second connects hard enough to break the rubbery tentacle off the undead octopus. Beliza yells that the creature must be a fast zombie of some sort, notoriously wonky to fight, but claims that any weapon should be able to harm the thing...if the hit penetrates the thing's tough hide. She screams to flank the tentacles, preparing to join the fight herself. Poor Korbrand finds himself swiftly yanked close to the octopus's core body.
Aghon misses with a jab from his trident and a tentacle seizes him. Jordan, likewise, is grabbed, and both men are quickly pulled across the sand until they're adjacent to the octopus's body, getting squeezed some in the process . The one reaching for Moina can't find her, as the dock provides her with cover.
Beliza fearlessly and foolhardily charges the octopus and its three captives, pricking yet another tentacle that emerges from the water to try to stop her. The tiny wound's nowhere near enough to keep the great undead creature from wrapping up the pirate woman and adding her to its collection of victims.
You notice that the octopus seems intent upon crushing anything it nabs with a tentacle, but that it also seems to be having a problem holding on securely to all its intended victims. (Spoiler-in-a-Spoiler: I'm using the -20 penalty to CMB for grappling multiple foes from the Grab rules, even though technically a zombie loses this ability).
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Seeing his compatriots snagged by the devilish octopus, Jarvis begins powering through a song of courage, floating ideas of power to his comrades. His voice rings out as he moves a bit closer to the crowd, just enough that they can hear him.
Head ringing, Jordan squirms, struggling to escape the rotten grasp of the octopus.
Jordan breaks the octopus's surprisingly feeble grip with ease, giving the other grappled heroes hope for escape and survival.
Jordan gags as the tentacles move around him, but is relieved to find the constriction is gone. Looking around, he sees his comrades struggling with the tentacles. Slinging his bow around his shoulder, Jordan's hand moves to the hilt of his sword as he ducks over to Aghon.
"After this, I think I'll need to get another another drink," he remarks, drawing his sword.
Culder considers charging another tentacle but decides that sticking with the same tactic seems more effective than risking being attacked when he moves... instead he hoists his anchor and once again prepares to strike and tentacle that comes his way...
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Aghon squirms and writhes to undo the undead octopus's grip.
But he is stuck fast, and feels the increasing constriction of the ropy appendage.
Ahhhhh! Help, again!
Korbrand easily powers free from the tentacle that snagged him and takes a cautious step in Beliza's direction. Even as Aghon despairs that he can't pull free, the tentacle holding him spasms a bit and loses its grip on the cleric. Aghon gives a half-tug and half-push and wins free of the weak tentacle .
The zombie octopus thrashes--perhaps in frustration--as most of its prey escapes for the moment, releases Beliza, and then snaps its tentacles again at its former captives, once more trying to grapple them in true (living) octopus fashion.
The rubbery arm previously attacking Moina sweeps toward the Captain, dodging both his attacks but failing to grab the big man; likewise, the tentacle attacking Korbrand dodges the half-orc's falchion swipe but narrowly misses snagging Beliza's bodyguard.
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Jordan's sword swings wide, even as the arm of the octopus goes rushing by.
Moina will keep trying to use her air blasts to deflect attacks.
Moina's timely wind blast helps Aghon escape out of tentacle-grab range. Jordan and Beliza, however, are still very much in the danger zone and come under attack. Neither can dodge the incoming attacks and both are again smacked and feel the squeeze of the tough, slimy appendages . Jordan's knocked unconscious, and when the tentacle that Moina's deflected with her magic suddenly and angrily slaps Beliza upside the head , she, too, joins the ranger in darkness.
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As Culder is reminded of the pain in his ribs, and sees Jordan and Beliza fall, he calls out, "Aghon, if you can channel hearing energy now would be a good time!"
By the time your turn comes up, there'll be three tentacles tops left (Korbrand scored a hit and a follow-up cleave, but I haven't announced it yet because a few folks are before him in Init Order, plus...it adds to the sense of drama/impending doom :)
Aghon moves close enough to channel energy on his unconscious companions, but still tries to stay out of range of the tentacles.
Hanspur, heal them! He calls, raising his trident, which acts both as a weapon and his holy symbol, summoning a wave of healing energy.
Culder smirks as Aghon's healing flows through him. "Thanks!" he calls out.
Rather than waiting to see how many of his new allies wake back up from the burst of healing, the grizzled sailor gives in to rage that has grown as they fell... Flying into a rage, he charges the nearest tentacle.
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Feeling energy flow into his limbs and light into his eyes, Jordan blinks for a moment, trying to remember where he is. Then he gags as the stench of rotted octopus fills his nose.
Feeling his sword still within his grip, Jordan brings it down on the tentacle with all his might.
Aghon steps forward and channels positive energy, healing himself and his wounded comrades-in-arms. Jordan and Beliza come to just in time to witness the awesome onslaught of the party's big hitters: Snarling in anger, Korbrand viciously hacks the nearest tentacle so hard his blade passes through it like a warm knife through butter and then cleaves away the tentacle squeezing Beliza as well! Not to be outdone, Culder strikes the nearest tentacle with such a mighty blow that the severed appendage flies over the nearby pier, splashing somewhere out in Crescent Harbor.
Jordan's kill-or-be-killed instinct kicks in and, perhaps inspired by the great deeds of the Captain and Korbrand, he hacks yet another tentacle off, leaving the zombie octopus only one.
Jarvis' heart soars as watches the fetid octopus fall apart under the brutality of Culder, Korbrand, and Jordan's onslaught. Letting joy sweep into his voice he continues his song.
Moina sees Beliza fall and hops off the pier to see if she is still alive. She holds her, "Beliza? C'mon we can't stay here."
She didn't know what she was doing but she willed Beliza to stand up again and felt magic flow from her. "Someone help me get her away from here."
The ugly bruise on the side of Beliza's face heals as Moina casts her spell, but the pirate has to blink her eyes a few times to clear the cobwebs.
"Thanks, Moina," Beliza says, sounding quite sincere. The woman's eyes clear and she asks, "Get away? Does the beast still draw breath?"
Korbrand gives a very Beliza-esque smirk and says, "No--the thing's undead. It's still movin', though, but we'll finish it off."
As Moina helps Beliza back to her feet, the quivering mass of the undead octopus shudders and rolls, and a great beak appears in the putrid flesh, snapping viciously at the vulnerable Beliza and then also tearing into her bodyguard .
Its last functional tentacle flails at the Captain, still mindlessly trying to grab and squeeze .
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Culder's anchor clips the grasping tentacle, but the tough, rubbery appendage goes with the force of the blow briefly before slithering back to and around the Captain .
Aghon calls on Hanspur to once again heal his comrades.
Be healed!
Thought this thing'd roll over and give up by now, Jordan thinks. Sheathing his sword and moving out of reach of the tentacle, Jordan moves back from the octopus and places an arrow in his bow. Sighting, he aims at the tentacle holding Culder.
Aghon again pours magical healing over the wounded, and Jordan's attempt at ending the fight fails as his arrow misses the mark. Beliza scurries over to the last tentacle and tries to semi-grapple it herself.
"I'll try an' hold it steady--you chop the damned thing!" she shouts to Korbrand, who nods grimly and stalks up to the tentacle, falchion readied. The thick appendage knocks the smallish lady back a step when she tries to grab it, but her bodyguard steps up and slices through the last rubbery arm, ending the fight.
There are still two barnacled skeletons nearby: one to the north (about 20 ft. from Jarvis, Aghon, and Jordan) and one about 25 ft. south of the pier.
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Moina turns to plink the new threats with her sling.
With his blood still boiling, the captain hits the sand running and charges the nearest still moving foe...
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