Skull & shackles (Inactive)

Game Master DBH

Niobe folds her arms and glances sideways at Callidora, then back to Marnir. Obviously the captain - commodore? admiral? - has this youngster well in hand, buuut... having six more ships in the fleet could turn this from a small operation to actual hunting of Chelish warships.

"Number of ships doesn't matter, it's how they sail and how they fight that counts," Marnir says. "Tell me more about these ships, their crews, and their captains. If I think they're worth joining the fleet, then we've got ourselves a deal." He looks expectantly at Aiger, waiting for the man to explain what he can offer.

I don't expect a full accounting DM! I just want to make sure he's not offering us six rowboats full of landlubbers.

He does have ships with seasoned sailors, the one thing they have in common is a run of bad luck. Which was the reason they joined up with Aiger hoping to get his mum's sword back. It was a symbol of luck for superstitious sailors. Numbers wise they are equal to the other fleets you've recruited. Only their morale is low. A victory or two will have them working well again.

Everyone finished shopping? It's a big battle at your island next. Might pay to have your new allies come along.

I'm done shopping for now.

"Sounds like a win or two would do your lads no end of good," Marnir suggests. "We've got ourselves a deal I think, though there is the matter of us actually getting hold of your mother's sword. It's still at the bottom of that tower, guarded by some sort of nightmare from beyond our world. Once I've got it though, it's all yours," he says with a grin.

"Now, if you and your fleet are looking to start reversing your run of luck, I've got a proposition for you. We're just heading north to defend our island against a rat bastard of a man, and we could always use a few more experienced shipmasters along with us. If you're at a loose end, perhaps you'd like to see what we can offer you and your lads on the Isle of Empty Eyes?" Marnir asks, perhaps pushing his luck a little with Captain Aiger.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35 Just in case.

Aiger thinks about it, but the reason he thought he needed allies when dealing with you is your reputation. You are a rising captain with a tough crew, and a string of victories.

He agrees quickly to coming with you and hurries off calling orders to his captains.

Everyone ready to go?

Niobe loops an arm around Callidora's waist and says, "That was pretty simple! I guess the promise of plunder and glory really does go a long way."

"Cap'n, what kind of magic do you think we should prepare for this battle? I have some spells that will foul up enemy ships... but only a few."

Marnir shakes Captain Aiger's hand to seal their deal before the man hurries off to his own ships.

"I'm less worried about their ships, and more about the bastards on them. Whatever you can do to contain and control Harrigan's crew - blow them away, blast them with lightning, pelt them with hailstones, that sort of thing," Marnir replies.

"In the meantime, we need to contact every friend we've got to protect our holdings. Hey, you!" Marnir calls out, pointing at one of the stevedores loading food onto the Drake's deck. He motions the man over as he quickly scribbles a note onto a scrap of parchment. He folds the note over and reaches into a pocket for a gold piece. He hands both to the slightly stunned looking half-elf. "Find Captain Fairwind, as fast as you can, and hand her this note. Understand?" He waves the man off before turning to Kung. "I want us off this dock within the hour, first mate. Bash whatever skulls you need to make it happen."

Once we're underway I'm going to use sending via Spell Kenning to contact Arronax Endymion and Captain Norva to alert them to the attack on the Isle of Empty Eyes and ask them to make best speed to assist. If the chase takes more than a day I'll do the same tomorrow to contact our other allies (the names of whom I've forgotten and can't find - the other two captains we gave ships to).

You set a fast course and a day out from the Isle of empty eyes you see a fleet ahead of you, closing on it you see eight ships, and the Wormwood leading them. So 9 ships.

Profession Sailor roles for maneuvering. And tell me what you doing for spells and preperations?

Profession (sailor): 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (13) + 25 = 38

Marnir hears the cry from the lookout as Harrigan's fleet comes into view. He deftly handles the Drake, moving her into the most advantageous approach. "Signal Captain Aiger, tell him to follow our lead," he calls to the nearest bosun's mate.

"Let's hope we've got a few more friends already in place," he says hopefully to the officers as he begins to make ready for the fight that Harrigan is likely to start.

I've not got a lot of spells relevant for ship-to-ship combat, but I can begin to prepare myself with heroism and see invisibility, and a heroism for Kung. Other spells will follow once we get closer.

Niobe & Callidora?

Niobe chews her lower lip a moment and says, "That's a lot of ships. I can do a little damage if we get close enough for me to blast them with magic... flame strike, freezing sphere, and fire snake. Plus some lightning. That should set some sails aflame! In the meantime let me put stoneskin on everyone."

Communal stoneskin for buffing, holding on to damage spells for when we engage!

Communal stoneskin?! Nice!

During the extended pursuit, Callidora, aided by Cioldryss begins an hour long ritual of chanting and dancing, call upon primal elements of nature and drawing to herself the power of the storm. Finishing only a little while before the enemy nor first sighted, she rejoins the others glistening with sweat from her exertions.

"For the next 4d12 ⇒ (4, 10, 2, 6) = 22 hours, the weather is mine to command, out to 2 miles in any direction. I can make the sea of very inhospitable place for them." she says with a wild grin.

Weather Contol hex (what season are we in?)

I'll open with hitting their fleet with some nasty weather, and they'll have to deal with it continuously. Once we get close enough wwon the wand of lightning bolt, will be my main weapon until actually in boarding range.

Kung gets ready the only way he knows how, bouncing back and forth from leg to peg-leg as his casters apply spells before he has to start resisting them.

We will play out your battle with the enemy flagship. The result will effect morale in the other ships. Callidora keeps them hampered while you go for the Wormwood. The season is currently late spring.

Fleet combat is a different mechanic which we won't go into this time. It will become important soon!

Profession Sailor & Perception rolls as your ships come together please

Profession (sailor): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Perception: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34

Callidora keeps them hampered while you go for the Wormwood. The season is currently late spring.

hehehehe. Spring - Tornado, thunderstorm, sleet storm, or hot weather. Guess which one they're getting first.

PERCEPTION: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

Kung fashions his traveler's any-tool into a spyglass. Standing by Marnir, he helps guide the captain along the best path to approach the Wormwood.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (17) + 15 = 32
Profession (sailor), aid another DC 10, savage sailor, traveler's any-tool: 1d20 + 11 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 3 + 2 = 17

Only Kung & Marnir were on the Wormwood at the start. So it's their knowledge that I needed.

Kung scans the Wormwood and sees a woman he doesn't recognize at the helm. There is no sign of Barnabas Harrigan?

He does recognize Riaris Krine, the Wormwoods Master at arms cursing orders at the crew manning the ships weapons.

Waiting for Marnir.

Profession (sailor): 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (8) + 25 = 33 35 with Kung's aid

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29

Marnir looks out across the enemy fleet and sees the Wormwood. Hauling on the wheel he turns the Drake towards Harrigan's ship while Cally's magic causes havoc among the other ships.

"I can't see Harrigan on deck," Marnir says, confused as to where the bastard might be. "I hope this isn't a feint."

"You no worry; Kung no faint! Not ever never!"

[dice=Profession (sailor)]d20+25 35 with Kung's aid

[dice=Perception]d20+20

Marnir looks out across the enemy fleet and sees the Wormwood. Hauling on the wheel he turns the Drake towards Harrigan's ship while Cally's magic causes havoc among the other ships.

"I can't see Harrigan on deck," Marnir says, confused as to where the bastard might be. "I hope this isn't a feint."

"A feint with nine ships? If that's a feint then Harrigan somehow got a fleet too powerful to ignore," says Niobe. "We have to respond to this threat to the isle regardless. Harrigan will turn up. Hopefully after all of his ships go to the bottom!"

As Marnir easily out sails the Wormwood's unknown captain and brings the Unchained Drake alongside with aplomb you can see the enemy fleet struggling with Callidora's weather magic.

Captain Aiger has seen his chance and his fleet has attacked two ships on the other fleets flank.

Even more heartening is the sight of several more ships heading your way from your island. They bare the flags of one of your captains. Captain Kyra Sallaman on the Unmastered. Your Rahadoumi captive turned pirate.

New map up top. Fleet flagship. Place yourselves where you wish to be on your ship, and give me your first action. You have a surprise round due to beating their Profession sailor roll. The enemy captain is the red icon.

"He's a vile and crafty son of a kraken, who knows what he's capable of doing now that he's had time to prepare?" Marnir replies, knowing that Niobe hasn't experienced Harrigan's malice like he and Kung have. The sight of the Unmastered, along with more ships bearing Captain Sallaman's flag gives him even more hope. "Looks like Krya's done well for herself," he says with a smile. "Signal the Unmastered," he calls to one of the nearby bosun's mates. "Thank her for her assistance, and tell her drinks are on me when we've cleared these dogs from our waters."

As the ships close Marnir hands off the wheel to one of his helmsmen and hops down to the deck. He raises his axe in one hand as his other forms a mystical gesture. He tilts his head to the sky and roars "DRAKES, ATTACK!"

Standard Action to cast haste on everyone, Swift Action to use Battle Cry to give everyone within 30ft a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear for 1 minute, and the choice to end the effect to reroll a failed save vs fear.

Niobe aims for the sails on the enemy's tall ship, hoping to befoul its maneuverability and cause some problems on the deck. She raises her arms and utters something in the druidic speech, and a scorching column of fire blasts down from the heavens onto the vessel.

Flame strike damage: 12d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 5, 6, 1, 5, 5, 6, 6, 5, 6, 3) = 57

Since flame strike is a column, there's a good chance I can hit the sails and rigging as well as one or two sailors on deck.

Kung & Callidora?

Callidora quickly draws a wand, activating it to send a lightning bolt sizzling across the distance, straight at two of the enemy crew. She immediately drinks a potion afterwards, fading into invisibility as Cioldryss takes to the air, flying around the area to target anything approaching either mermaid.

Lightning Bolt (DC 16 Reflex for 1/2): 9d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 6, 6, 4, 6, 6, 2, 1) = 43

Kung, his peg-leg invoking its rhythmic beat, charges across the gangplank at the unfortunate sailor on the other side.

[dice=Lightning Bolt (DC 16 Reflex for 1/2)]9d6

Tha's a lot o' 6's!

100 points of damage from the merpeople! Nice work Niobe and Cally.

Niobe calls fire from the heavens in a column, striking the main mast and two of the enemy.

Niobe. What is the save on your Flame strike? I used 19.

ref save vs Flame strike Blue: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
ref save vs Flame strike Green: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Callidora points and dazzling lightning blasts two of the enemy crew.

ref save vs Lightning bolt Orange: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
ref save vs Lightning bolt Purple: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Staggering from the Lightning bolt Orange is nearly cut in half by Kung.

Still smoldering Blue staggers over and swings at Kung.
cutlass: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

His wounds causing his weak strike to miss.

Green takes aim with his longbow at the source of his suffering. Niobe.

longbow: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
longbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

damage + fire: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 3 + (4) = 10

The arrow striking with fiery damage.

Marnir & Niobe are up!

Sorry, save DC on that flame strike is 20.

Niobe retaliates against the archer by twisting her hand and causing his arrows all to twist and bend!

Warp wood, DC 18 Will.

Marnir's warchant rings out loud and strong as the battle between the two crews begins in earnest and he feels a surge of battlelust rush through him.

He sprints across the deck of the Drake, plants his foot on the gunwale, and leaps across the gap onto the deck of Wormwood. He runs up the stairs to the quarterdeck, ignoring the melee swirling around him on the deck, to confront the mysterious captain. He brings his axe slicing down towards her as his heart sings with joy at being able to enact his revenge on Harrigan and his sadistic crew.

No action needed to start raging song, Move Action to move 40ft, leaping the gap between the ships as I go (with an Acrobatics modifier to jump of +34 at present so I've not bothered rolling), Swift Action to use Arcane Strike, Standard Action to attack red.

Axe attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30
Damage: 1d8 + 29 ⇒ (6) + 29 = 35

will save vs Warp wood: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 :(

Niobe casts and her target curses foully as his arrows become a twisted knot of useless wood.

Marnir leaps to the other ships helm and brutally hacks into the other captain. Captain.

Purple scuttles across deck to the bow, joining Riaris.

Red hisses in pain and steps back. Casting a spell and disappearing from your sight. No need for spellcraft. She went invisible.

Kung & Callidora. Your turn.

Kung's sword becomes a blur as the full fury of his rage erupts on the sailor in front of him. "What. Get. Sign. Harrigan!" is the best taunt his mind can come up with in its current blood-dimmed form.

Assuming those attacks did the job... Kung steps over the man's bloody form, the rhythmic tapping of his peg-leg mangling the poor sailor's flesh even further.

Kung turns Blue into a red spray and cruelly step on the corpse as he moves further.

Callidora?.

Staring across the ships, Callidora locks eyes with the sailor that fired at Niobe. Locking eyes with him, the witch begins to sway, an entrancing, tantalizing movement that makes everything else seem utterly unimportant.

Seduction Hex (Su) DC 20 Will. (If the target is (or could be) sexually attracted to the witch, the save DC is increased by 2.)

On failed save, Fascinated for min 3 rounds/ up to 15 rounds if I spend a standard action each round

will save vs Seduction Hex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 :)

Green sneers back at Callidora. "Seen better!"

Yellow curses foully and heads towards the spell casters on your ship.

Dropping his now pointless bow Green drinks a potion and also goes invisible.

Marnir & Niobe may act.

"Wrong move," Marnir growls with a smile as the new captain steps back and tries to disappear from sight, his spell-enhanced vision outlining her perfectly.

I cast see invisibility as part of my pre-combat buffs, which sucks for her. Assuming she hasn't gone very far...

Marnir steps up towards her, warchant roaring, and swings his axe over and over, trying to cut down Harrigan's lackey.

Fast healing 4 begins thanks to Skald's Vigor, Free Action to continue raging song, Free Action to 5ft step, Swift Action to use Arcane Strike, Full Round Action to full attack.

Axe attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (9) + 22 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 29 ⇒ (3) + 29 = 32

Axe attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 29 ⇒ (3) + 29 = 32

Axe attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 29 ⇒ (5) + 29 = 34

The enemy captain falls in a bloody mess, a look of shocked surprise her last expression in life.

Red is dead!

[dice=will save vs Seduction Hex] 1d20 + 6; :)

Green sneers back at Callidora. "Seen better!"

Yellow curses foully and heads towards the spell casters on your ship.

Dropping his now pointless bow Green drinks a potion and also goes invisible.

Marnir & Niobe may act.

"Are you sure about that?" Callidora purrs, her swaying even more sinuous and inviting if possible.

Accursed Hex: Benefit: When you target a creature with a hex that cannot target the same creature more than once per day, and that creature succeeds at its saving throw against the hex’s effect, you can target the creature with the same hex a second time before the end of your next turn. If the second attempt fails, you can make no further attempts to target that creature with the same hex for 1 day.

will save vs bad touching: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 Ha ha ha!

Just your luck to meet a gay pirate.

Lol. C'est la vie

Niobe gestures and a blast of water hits the advancing Riaris Krine.

Hydraulic push: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Krine grits her teeth and is drenched, but stands her ground.

Purple is looking worried, spotting the death of the Captain. They do nothing this round.

Kung & Callidora can act now.

Argh, didn’t get notification from the board about new Gameplay posts! No worries tho.

Seems like a good opportunity to pause the combat and see if the pirates still want to fight us and all, what with their captain so very dead all of a sudden, but Kung's in the middle of a rage and his rage demands blood. No quarter!

As Kung says. Surrender looks good right now. Purple & Green certainly thinks so. They drop their weapons and raise their hands hopefully. Though Green has one hand on the gaping wound Kung put in him.

Yellow is the only one who wants to fight to the death. She charges Callidora with her boarding pike.

pike: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17 :(

The whole party may now act.

The one with the audacity to strike at Callidora gets hit with call lightning in retribution. Niobe lets out a fierce shriek and then a blast of lightning fires down from the clear sky!

Lightning damage: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1) = 7 DC 19 Ref save for half damage.

Seeing one of Harrigan's crew charge across the boarding plank towards Niobe and Cally, Marnir leaps down from the quarterdeck and charges across the two ships after her. His warchant is loud and furious as he rushes to protect the spellcasters. A bolt of lightning flashes from the sky just before he reaches Harrigan's crewwoman and he uses the opportunity to strike out at her with his bloodied axe.

Free Action to continue inspired rage, Swift Action to use Arcane Strike, Move Action to move 55ft, Standard Action to attack yellow.

Axe attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (20) + 22 = 42
Damage: 1d8 + 29 ⇒ (1) + 29 = 30

Confirm?: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (16) + 22 = 38
Extra damage?: 2d8 + 58 ⇒ (1, 5) + 58 = 64

There's no such thing as overkill!

Callidora smoothly sidesteps the attack as the woman tries to impale her. Even as she considers a response, time seems to slow down as she hears Niobe’s fierce shriek of anger, and the crack of thunder, as a bolt of lightning comes crashing down from the sky to punish her would be assailant. Even as the woman’s body convulsed from the sizzling electricity, Marnir’s axe cleaves her in half as his roaring warchant joins the thunder and Niobe’s rage filled scream, leaving Callidora spattered in blood, hair dancing in the wind and static, smiling to herself as she looks across at the remaining two crewmembers.

”You two made the right choice!” she says aloud to the survivors, "She made the wrong one."