Dain grumbles but hands over 2 gold.
Mahath has to fish around in his pouch a few moments before he is able to produce two gold coins. But he does so, a grimace on this face as he does so.
Slip pockets both payments quickly and nods to the group.
"I take coin over smiles. My boat deck will be ten feet below the maindeck of the ship with little cover. You better not be planning on getting me shot at."
I'll make sure to keep you covered in case there is trouble. He turns to the others. I suppose going at night is still the plan? My eyes can see through the dark so I can guide us.
Mal hands over 2 gold coins and nods to Drain, "I can see at night though not as well as you Dwarf. I agree by night it must be".
We best get a little rest then. Dain will catnap until the time to leave arrives.
Knowing the man, Garnst is willing to hand over the two gold. "Just be where you are supposed to, we will handle the work."
The smuggle shows you to a longboat and invites you aboard. The fifty four foot boat has a single sail mounted far forward and four oarlocks on either side. The wind is slightly favorable as you push off, and Slip uses a steering rudder to expertly get you underway as you sail toward the Blue Nixie under a near full moon.
As you close to within a hundred feet, you notice the sounds of footsteps carrying across the water. It appears there is a flurry of activity on the decks of the Blue Nixie. The masts are being rigged with sail and the sails secured. Slip comments: "It appears they are making preparations to get under way."
"Hasn't this vessel been at anchor for the past few days?" Mal asks no one in particular as he focuses his elven eyes on the ship.
Perception
Dain whispers. Huh, we better make this good then.
The boat begins to slip closer to the ship it is apparent a half dozen sailors are moving about on the deck. Four large lanterns are swinging from each of the high decks. To close without hailing the vessel would arouse suspicion if discovered, but then hailing the vessel would probably alert them to your presence.
Sneaking up on another ship on a moonlit night in a fifty foot sailing veseel does, at the moment, seem unlikely.
Slip asks: "Am I trying to tie up to her or coast in?"
Perhaps we could send our stealthy member sup first to secure a rope. Stealth isn't something I do well.
"I would say coast in but then I am not much of a sailor". Mal draws his bow and strings it, getting ready for what may well be a battle.
Mahath opens his out, then closes it. Opens it again to say something, but for once he seems at a loss for words. He too looks to the half-orc for any opinion on how to handle the approach.
With everyone looking to Garnstn, the half-orc says: "I say coast in. I will try to sneak aboard. If I'm clear, I will be in good postiion to sneak back to give the lay-out or take them out when the rest of you storm the deck. Either way it might give us a needed edge."
Sounds good to me.
Mal nods to Garnstn, "I will cover you as best I can".
Looking at the ship on the water, Garnstn thinks then adds, "I'm only so good at climbing... anyone have a knotted rope and grapnel?
I have rope. Dain hands it over.
Garnstn pulls a grappling hook out of his own pack and sets about tying large knots, each about two feet apart, in Dain's rope before securing the rope to the grappling hook. He tests the knots until he is reasonably certain it will hold his weight and be easy to climb.
"This will do... Should be no problems climbing it we get the grapnel secured."
With that he looks at this crew he barely knows with some concern, but the promise of more gold than he could really imagine has him eager. "All ready to row out?"
With that he looks at this crew he barely knows with some concern, but the promise of more gold than he could really imagine has him eager. "All ready to row out?"
Mahath licks his dry lips and nods. "Ready."
Dain nods
Mal eyes the ship warily planning on being the last to board in case cover needs to be given to his comrades.
Perception
As the ship closes to make a pass, the grappling hook is thrown the closest point, from about 20'. Slip uses and anchor to slow the vessel you are on to almost a standstill.
Once the hook catches, Garnstn begins to climb aboard. He tries to sneak...
Dain's head snaps up. We've been spotted, sentry going for main deck. He raise shis crossbow to shoot.
Mahath peers through the gloom and darkness trying to make out anything. With a sideways glance to the others on the team and his awareness of their keen sight in little or no light he silently hopes They'll let me know of danger if they see it...
Being rather new to this kind of infiltration, Mahath tries to stay out of the way of the others while they go about getting the rope ready and hooked. He will wait to climb until he is either the last one left to go up, or until one of the others (that he perceives is more experienced in this sort of thing) gives him some kind of signal that he should go before them.
As Dain speaks Mal releases his own arrow whispering, "Agreed, let's take him down master dwarf".
Longbow Attack
Longbow Damage
Garnst throws the grappling hook and pulls it until it catches as one of the sentries tries to slip below. As Garnst holds the tightened rope, both ships have people with missile weapons that are nervous, and it appears hostilities are inevitable. Mal shoots first followed by Dain, and their shots clatter off the cover offered by the decks of the larger ship as they attempt to hit the moving sentry. Garnst is holding his rope which reaches 20' to the higher deck of the stern of the Blue Nixie, and considers securing it and climbing across. Mal is pointing towards a form hard to make out in the poor lighting conditions as he fires.
Init
ORDER OF ACTION - Round 1
Mal shoot and missed
Garnst (secure rope and climb?)
Mahath
Dain shoot and missed
Kat
Enemies
If Mahath can see the guard above (he does not have darkvision or low light vision), he'll fire a force missile for damage. If he cannot see him, he'll cast mage armor on himself.
Garnstn attempts to climb to the ship.
Garnst secured the rope with a perfect square knot and continues up the rope, moving three quarters of the way to the ship.
Kat attempts to climb behind him. The sailors shout alarms, and much scurrying is heard. You hear voice yell with confidence:
"Anyone boarding this ship is a dead man!!"
Dain will allow the speeder people to climb first before he will head up.
Choosing to approach in darkness has turned into a mixed blessing. With the four lanterns placed around the ship and having a smaller vessel, there will be problems covering the entirety of the upper decks from the lower vessel. The voice has come from the lower deck, which is completely obscured from your vantage point. Many parts of the ships lower deck, and some portions of the upper deck are cloaked in shadows.
On the positive side--In the initial confusion, no one has approached the grappling hook, as to do so would expose the crew to fire from your ship. The crew was mostly working to get the vessel ready to go, but they seem to be preparing to defend themselves.
Unable to make it to the deck yet, Garnst and Kat here the scurrying of feet as the sailors move around on the stairway from the main deck to the upper deck, a few of the crew moving onto the top deck. The unmistakeable sound of multiple crossbow cranks is heard.
Round 2
Party in any order
Enemies
The elf grimaces, "This is not going as well as we planned".
Mal fires again.
Longbow Attack
Longbow Damage
Dain provides covering fire