Skulls and Scallywags - The Changing Tide Team 2

Game Master DarkestHeart

Whoops, my bad.

Spending a moment to gather the waters again, Lucien looses another blast of high pressure water at the sailors on the sterncastle.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

...unfortunately, he misses terribly.

Lucien blasts the hull with another torrent of water, and the Wormwood sails ever closer now, the two ships colliding momentarily and sending shockwaves throughout. Mr. Plugg nearly falls over but quickly grabs the railing and steadies himself on his feet. As the mist parts for a moment, it becomes obvious that a group of Rahadoumi sailors guards the Aft Deck. With the two ships adjacent, Krine shouts commands over at the team.

"Now's yer chance! Toss a rope to the aft deck and slaughter 'em all! Take the wheel at the sterncastle and kill anyone who tries to get away!"

Master Scourge whips the deck. "YOU HEARD 'ER! GET GOIN!" Several officers attempt to toss ropes and lower planks across to the Man's Promise and shout a barrage of expletives and warcries as the battle heats up.

To get across, you must succeed at a DC 5 ranged attack roll, treating the grappling hook as a ranged weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. Once set, you must tie the rope as a move action, then shimmy along using DC 15 climb checks. Other PCs can use one PC's hooked rope. For the more acrobatically inclined among you, you can attempt a long jump and try not to fall into sea :)

Link to Map

___
Man's Promise, Round 5
Jaska and Kragor may act
Rahadoumi group 1
Bleepos, Lucien, Sasha
Rahadoumi group 2

"Get across, I'll cover you." Jaska aims at the closest target on the aft deck. (The blue one) She releases an arrow in hope that it reaches the target this time.

LongBow+Bless+Justice+PBS: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
1d100 ⇒ 94

Taking a grappling hook, Lucien swings it across the gap.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Wouldn't you know it. I could auto-succeed a skill check, but the one place a Natural 1 fails...

Cursing in Aquan, Lucien begins to pull the rope back for another try. "If not for the bloody shark in the water, I'd just swim over." he mutters.

Kragor swings the grappling hook around and around before releasing it towards the other ship, watching it sail in a perfect arc to land on the afterdeck. Pulling the rope tight he takes a moment to secure it to the Wormwood's rail, holding the two ship's together.
Attack roll (ranged, touch): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

(Waiting for the Rahadoumi group 1) ;)

Jaska manages to find a spot through the fog and gets a line of sight towards the sailor with the blue bandana, but he ducks below the railing in time to avoid it. Lucien can't quite bridge the gap, but Kragor manages to toss and tie the rope with ease, creating a bridge between the Wormwood's poopdeck and Promise's aft deck.

Luckily, they also have 50% miss chance since they're shooting from inside mist and can't see you any more than you can see them

Four Rahadoumi sailors fire their crossbows, and all four bolts fly far up into the daytime sky. The blue and green-bandana'ed sailors rush towards the rope as they see the hook dig into the Promise's deck. "Oh no ya don't, ya filthy f~~!s!"

Bleepos and Sasha are up

Using [url=http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/rogue/archetypes/paizo---rogue-archetypes/pirate/]Swinging Reposition[url] if possible - please let me know if not. It's very "cinematographic", let's say! Taking 10 on the climb, going towards blue:

The goblin feels at home on the ship environment, and quickly charges completely out of line, making turns and using masts, ropes and rigging to get to the guy in front.

Attack (Rapier): 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 13 Adding charge and expert boarder... That's probably a miss, though
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Wow, my damage was going to be very impressive

After his movement, Bleepos does an extra quick movement of 5-foot diagonally towards the other ship, landing on the stairs.

If this insanity worked, then my AC is now 19 - 2 = 17

That's definitely allowed. That's the perfect ability for this scene!

Bleepos dances up onto the masts of the Wormwood, flipping back onto the rigging and using his momentum to somersault across to the Promise, where he lands and slices at a Rahadoumi merchant with his rapier. His speed throws him off and the sailor hops over the blade.

"Yer not gonna get me like that, damn green skinned freak!"

Sasha is up

Sasha glances at the opposition, must keep them from escaping she thinks.

She quickly moves to get a visual on the closest longboat.

with a wave of her hand the ropes supporting the boat begin to knot up to prevent any easy escape.

casting animate rope to knot up the ropes to lower the long boat

Climb check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Kragor shimmies across the rope mooring the two ships together like a spider monkey from his home Mwangi jungle. Landing on the deck of the enemy ship he quickly draws his cutlass and stabs at the nearest sailor. He'll attack the blue sailor between himself and Bleepos.
Attack roll (flank, higher ground): 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 28
Attack roll (confirm critical): 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 17
Damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 6 = 10

Sasha magically winds up the ropes holding the boat, making it much more difficult for the sailors should they attempt to flee on one.

Kragor, two of the sailors act before your next turn, and that square would be taken. However - you can keep all of your awesome rolls. If you want, you can still move onto the rope and stab him while you hang there. You'll provoke if you try to move through them.

The thick mist blanketing the ship remains, obscuring the view but the sound of cutlasses clanging and bodies hitting the deck or falling into sea is heard constantly.

Man's Promise, Round 6
Jaska and Kragor may act
Rahadoumi group 1
Bleepos, Lucien, Sasha
Rahadoumi group 2

I had posted that before I realized there was a second wave of sailor's still to act.
I'd like to avoid forming a conga line on the rope so Kragor will take the AoO's and, if possible, end up in the square between the orange and purple dudes, turning to attack the purple one. Just subtract out the +2 for flanking, but add +1 for the Bless I had forgotten about (if it's still active).

Oh, yeah, I forgot about Bless too in my impressive attack doing 0 damage :)

Aiming at the same sailor, Jaska tries again to bring him down.

Longbow+Bless+PBS+Justice: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Bless 15 rounds left

Jaska lobs an arrow at the purple sailor, but alas, the layer upon layer of mist throws her aim off.

Kragor masterfully climbs across the rope and is subject to four slices as the angry pirates stab for the half-orc. He dodges left and right, avoiding the first two attacks, but the third pirate stabs his short sword into Kragor's shoulder. The fourth cuts into the air as Kragor slips through. Kragor turns and lops the purple sailor's head off with the might of the Pirate Queen behind his blade. The human head rolls off deck while the body slumps over and bleeds profusely from the neck stem. 7 damage to Kragor, and one very dead Rahadoumi sailor.

"Ya f@&@er, yer gonna regret that," the blue sailor glowers as he moves towards Kragor and cuts him across the chest. Green's short sword smashes into the deck as Bleepos dodges his attack, Red sets up Kragor for a flank but gets distracted by stray crossbow fire. Orange charges Kragor and bull rushes him up against the deck's railing. "I hope ya know how ta swim!" 8 damage to Kragor

Bleepos, Lucien, and Sasha may act

Bleepos approaches the enemy pirate he's flanking with Kragor and unleashes a barrage of sneak attacks.

Attack (Rapier): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 12 Bless, TWF, Flank, Expert Boarder
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) - 1 + (6) = 7

Attack (Short sword): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 16 Bless, TWF, Flank, Expert Boarder
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) - 1 + (4) = 7

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 7 Bless, TWF, Flank, using natural attack together with weapons
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) - 1 + (6) = 7

Terrible attacks! Lol. Versus the blue guy. At least my AC is back to 19

Bull rush AoO: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Oops, forgot the miss chance.
Miss chance 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 52
Question. Does the Bull Rusher also get the 20% miss chance?

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Glancing at the rope, then the gap, then the rope again, Lucien shakes his head. "Besmara take your rope-climbing" With that, he takes a running start and leaps the gap. Pretty sure there's enough room for a running start, that roll oughta be high enough

Landing at the base of the stairs, he stabs at the nearest sailor (yellow) with his boarding pike.
Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Crit confirm:
Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Sasha makes her way across the gap via a boarding plank but the obscuring mist prevents her from seeing the other long boat, as well as getting a view of any enemies that may be trying to provide back-up.

have I mentioned how much I dislike the use of obscuring mist in this way?

she can barely make out one of the enemies and she fires a bolt of black energy at him.

magic missile damage on yellow: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

I know, Sasha, I don't much like the writers' choice of putting endless fog over the ship either, but there is a defined ending to this battle even if you keep missing. I think their goal was to encourage the players to board and get into melee range.
I also hate to say it but you can't use magic missile on a target that has total concealment as you can't see it to target it. You could get within melee range although it would provoke, or instead use a melee weapon/crossbow. Let me know what you'd instead like to do.

I think the premise is that the ships will sail out of the fog cloud within a few rounds.

I know, Sasha, I don't much like the writers' choice of putting endless fog over the ship either, but there is a defined ending to this battle even if you keep missing. I think their goal was to encourage the players to board and get into melee range.

I also hate to say it but you can't use magic missile on a target that has total concealment as you can't see it to target it. You could get within melee range although it would provoke, or instead use a melee weapon/crossbow. Let me know what you'd instead like to do.

If there is no target then Sasha will stay back where she was. an un-armored sorcerer in melee? yeah...no thanks, and if I cannot target with a magic missile I cannot target with a crossbow.

Sasha has no targets, and cannot see the other ship, she stays put until it is safe for her to cross.

at this level, Sasha is not that daring in this situation. if it was just darkness, and her darkvision was usable she would move in. besides she has had way to much go wrong for her this voyage so far.

With total concealment spells which targets a single creature but do not require an attack roll will not work (you can't see them to target them). Whereas attacks that require an attack roll assume you are firing blind into their square, hence the 50% miss chance.

The way I ruled crossbow fire into mist in earlier rounds is the same way the writers did for the Rahadoumi - a crossbow has a 50% chance of hitting the party/group of enemies, and then I rolled to determine who.

Kragor holds his blade out in front as the sailor runs at him, tearing deep into his flesh. Bleepos' short sword slides into the blue sailor's chest. He scowls and curses at the goblin as blood streams down his shirt. Lucien hops across to the Promise, landing next to the yellow sailor and pokes him in the thigh with his boarding pike. "Ow! Ya f*+@in' fish man, yer gonna die!" 9 damage to Orange, 7 damage to blue, 3 damage to yellow

Yellow angrily cuts at Lucien, but has his short sword plunge into the nearby mast.

____

As the slaughtering continues, the fog parts for a moment, and you notice Captain Harrigan and two officers rushing madly for the doors to the captain's cabin below the aft deck, slashing and hacking as they move.

The fog has parted on the Aft Deck for this round

Man's Promise, Round 7
Jaska and Kragor are up
Rahadoumi group 1
Bleepos, Lucien, Sasha
Yellow

Perception check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Kragor catches a glimpse of the Captain and the rest of the fight as the fog parts. Seeing the sailor sneaking up from behind, he shouts a warning "Cap'n look out behind you."
Turning to face the sailor who tried to push him over the railing he slashes at him with his cutlass.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

With too many of her allies on the other ship to fire safely, Jaska will grab one of the clubs in the box of weapons. Since her hands are full, she will try to jump over.

Not sure if I have enough actions for all this. If needed, it will have to wait for the next round.

Acrobatic: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

The sailor stalking Captain Harrigan brings his dagger overhead to stab him in the neck, but Harrigan hears Kragor's yell just in time, turns, and grabs his hand in mid-air, then shoves his cutlass through the sailor's heart. He slumps to the ground with blood pouring from the wound. Captain Harrigan turns to Kragor and nods in recognition.

Kragor slashes the orange sailor across the neck and he collapses from pain and blood loss. Jaska grabs a club and jumps over to the Man's Promise.

Jaska, your actions are fine. I moved your token for you.

The blue-bandana'ed sailor steps up and bull rushes Kragor.
Bull rush: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Kragor, roll an AoO. If you don't kill him, you will fall overboard and can climb back up next round with a single DC 10 Climb check.

I'll roll the two other sailors once Kragor takes his AoO so as not to have to retcon too much.

AoO: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Guess I'm going swimming.

Kragor is pushed overboard and falls into the bloodied water with a sploosh. DC 10 swim check to stay afloat

Red moves up towards Bleepos and stabs the little goblin in the shoulder, green tries to do the same but whiffs and nearly cuts his own arm. 6 damage to Bleepos

Bleepos, Lucien, and Sasha may act

Fog is still absent for the remainder of this round

Swim check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Why couldn't I have rolled that last time?

Bleepos yells an "ouch", and tries to repay the favor. He's fighting with slightly more expertise, trying to defend himself better.

Attack (Rapier): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 = 17 Bless, TWF, Expert Boarder, Combat Expertise
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Wow!

Attack (Short sword): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 = 23 Bless, TWF, Expert Boarder, Combat Expertise
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Wow! 2nd time is the charm.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 - 1 = 9 Bless, TWF, using natural attack together with weapons, Combat Expertise
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Wow! 3 times! I deserve a candy!

AC = 19 + 1 = 20

From the PRD; Minimum Damage: If penalties reduce the damage result to less than 1, a hit still deals 1 point of nonlethal damage. So at least you get to do some damage, I didn't get a single hit so far.

Stepping back, Lucien takes a hand off his pike and blasts the yellow-clad sailor with a stream of high-pressure water.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Can I use my move action to ready my pike against a possible charge? The rulebook has me a little confused. It says readying is a standard (I've already used my standard for the turn), but then says you can ready a standard, move, or swift action.

Right, so because you used your standard action, you can't ready an action. Readying an action is always a standard action for the current round, but you can ready either a move, swift, or standard.

Sasha tries to take advantage of the fog leaving. she makes her way across the plank to the other ship this time seeing a target she lets loose a blast of black energy at the closest enemy.

magic missile damage on yellow: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

As Red said, it always costs a standard action to ready, but you can use such standard action to ready a move, swift or standard actions

Got it. No readying, then.

Although his sword jabs don't penetrate very deeply, Bleepos manages to poke the red sailor twice with his blades. Lucien's torrent of water is forceful enough to rip a chunk of the yellow sailor's skin off. He screams in agony as his raw tissue is exposed to air. "Yer like a walkin', talkin' water cannon... F+#!!" As he's recovering, Sasha blasts the wound with a black force missile. "ARGHH!" He nearly drops his cutlass but forms his resolve to get back at Lucien. 2 damage to red, 8 damage to yellow

... Or not! He turns and runs like hell. Restricted withdraw to the far end of the sterncastle

By the way, thanks for keeping your stat bars up-to-date guys! Makes it a lot easier for me to keep track.

Captain Harrigan moves deeper into the Rahadoumi Captain's Cabin with Mr. Plugg, indiscriminately slaughtering any rival officers in his way. At the same time, the fog returns.

Damn the fog.

Man's Promise, Round 8
Jaska and Kragor are up
Rahadoumi group 1
Bleepos, Lucien, Sasha
Yellow

Stepping away from the railing, Jaska aims for the legs of her adversary. Seeing the other one running away, she tries to get her voice heard over the noise of the battle. "Sasha, Lucien, can you head over to the other side and prevent anyone from using the ship's boat."

Club: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 1 - 1 = 15
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 53
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Climb check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
GM Red, is it full round action to climb up or only a move action?

I say move action.

Keep forgetting about the Power Attack.

Climb check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Kragor clambers over the railing, soaking wet. He glares at the blue sailor "You think that's funny, laughing boy? Well you'll stop laughing once I slit your throat."
Attack roll (bless, power attack): 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 1 - 1 = 18
20% miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 69
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

I assume Kragor will draw an AoO from climbing over the railing.

Jaska comes within an inch of smashing the green sailor's face with her club, and just when he thinks he's fine, she continues her swing and clubs his nose in. -6 to green

Kragor leaps over the railing and gets a scratch from blue's held short sword. His anger takes over and he slits the blue sailor's throat, adding to the growing pool of blood coating the deck. 2 damage to Kragor, blue is down

"Yer not gonna take me alive, greenface," the red sailor pokes back at Bleepos with his sword, but the little goblin dodges it.

"Haha, b~@+$, try that again, I dare ya!" The broken-nosed green sailor taunts Jaska as he slashes at her face with his sword, cutting a lock of her hair off but not much else.

Bleepos, Lucien, & Sasha are up!

Hah! Hah! Hah! - laughs the Goblin pirate, having way more fun with the deadly movements of enemies than he should - Yall shall feed the sharks tonight!

Bleepos five-foot-steps, tripping around with his wooden leg, and unleashes another barrage of attacks - this time against the enemy he's flanking with Jaska.

Attack (Rapier): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 + 2 = 17 Bless, TWF, Expert Boarder, Combat Expertise, Flank
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) - 1 + (5) = 7 Sneak

Attack (Short sword): 1d20 + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 2 + 1 + 1 - 1 + 2 = 21 Bless, TWF, Expert Boarder, Combat Expertise, Flank
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) - 1 + (2) = 5 Sneak

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 5 - 2 + 1 - 1 + 2 = 13 Bless, TWF, using natural attack together with weapons, Combat Expertise, Flank
Damage: 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) - 1 + (3) = 5 Sneak

If I die tonight, cook me with the chickens! - he yells happily to his flanking companion, Jaska.

Actually, because of my drawback and that Bleepos was next to me, an attack roll of 15 is a hit. Forgot to make the adjustment when I posted my actions.

Bless, 12 rounds remaining

Nodding his assent to Jaska's request, Lucien dashes through the mist and hops into the boat, daring anyone to try and take it from him.

Move to reach the boat, standard to ready an attack against the first enemy that comes into view. I go ahead and roll the readied attack, right?

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

As sasha takes in the battle unfolding, one of the enemy moves to the railing. we need prisoners, he should be taken alive she thinks.

as he is against the railings Sasha animates one of the ropes help by the belaying pins along the railing.

it entwines around the sailor attempting to entangle him.

animate rope and the red guy needs DC 14 reflex or become entangled by the animated rope

Bleepos brutally slices and dices the sailor with the green overcoat using his two weapons.

Sasha animates a rope next to her and sends it for the red sailor, but he leaps over it before the two ends can tie around his ankles. Lucien blasts a torrent of water towards where he saw the sailor run but can't quite see through the fog.

The yellow-tunic'ed sailor drops his sword and falls to his knees. "Please, I surrender! Don't kill me! I'll do anything ya want!"

__

The ship trembles violently as an explosion rocks the Man's Promise. Something combustible must have gone off below deck, and a badly bloodied and burned Kipper stumbles up from below. "S-sir, I's did it, I did..." he mumbles to Mr. Plugg, then collapses from the pain.

Man's Promise, Round 9
Jaska and Kragor are up!
Red
Bleepos, Lucien, Sasha
Yellow (?)