"Calm down sis! Don't be a d!ck!"
"Calm down sis! Don't be a d!ck!"
Kat struggles in Puku's vice-like grasp
Kat mumbles into Puku's giant palm to no avail. In frustration she tries biting his hand.
Kat attempts to chomp on Puku's hand
Kat bites her own tongue instead!
Rules for casting while grappled:
The only spells which can be cast while grappling or pinned are those without somatic components and whose material components (if any) you have in hand. Even so, you must make a concentration check (DC 10 + the grappler's CMB + the level of the spell you're casting) or lose the spell.
Grease has somatic components so you won't be able to cast it without breaking grapple.
You also have -4 to your Concentration check and 30% spell failure rate at the moment due to being p!ssed.
This effect has a set duration so you will be wanting to escape and expediently bring an end to your life until I declare the effect has ended.
Kat takes 1 point of non-lethal damage!
Kat bucks and thrashes in Puku's grasp but to no avail.
"Be easy girl! It's okay! Are you okay?" says Shelkie. Fear and concern are writ on her face.
A few punters watch with bemused interest.
And it looks like "Uplift" Frewen (the Sergeant) is hurrying over.
Second round of grappling begins, Puku's turn again, would you like to:
- release the grapple
- turn it into a pin
- inflict subdual damage to Kat
- start dragging her away somewhere
- just maintain the Grapple
The Mysterious Stranger thinks the half-orc probably has the situation with the woman in hand, but is concerned at what the redcap might achieve.
Having seen the heavy-handed operations of law enforcement agents before, being aware of the prejudice within which half-orcs are often cast, and having enjoyed the spectacle of the drinking game so much, the Mysterious Stranger will attempt to intercept the Sergeant.
Knowing better than to grab or obstruct a law enforcement officer, the Mysterious Stranger will attempt to persuade the sergeant to leave these two be.
"Good Sergeant!" he begins in a voice fit to grab his attention, "This is simply a domestic matter! These two good friends are acquainted from way back, and the common law might best be served by leaving the fearsome orc here to sort out matters with his currently unhinged and vicious lady friend, rather than bringing the law into the conflict! Let us see how the spectacle unfolds."
The Mysterious Stranger is endeavouring to invoke souch legal terms as he knows to give the Sergeant excuses not to involve himself, by intimating that this is "just a domestic", and dropping the hint that the gigantic orc and his visious lady friend might turn on him if things go pear-shaped.
The Mysterious Stranger has Diplomacy +8 and Profession: Law +5.
If he fails, he knows better than to persist, and will attempt to melt into a surreptitious spot.
Rules for casting while grappled
Yeah I looked up the rules for this and all of her spells have a somatic component so there really isn't anything she can do other than try to break the grapple
BUT she doesn't know that, she's TRIPPING BALLS so I guess she'll try anyway
This effect has a set duration so you will be wanting to escape and expediently bring an end to your life until I declare the effect has ended.
I suspected as much. Perversely, I'm kind of enjoying this now
Kat will use her escape artist skill (3) to try and break the grapple next turn
Kat struggles in the giant's grasp, screaming into his palm
"LLLLHHHH MMHHH GHHH! MMM GHHHHHH FHHHHH!MHHH HUHHUHHHUHHH MHHH HHHH!!!!"
Yes it does!
Can the Mysterious Stranger move away from the fracas to a spot where few will see him cast a Grease spell under the Sergeant? If he can see a spot he'll do that. Otherwise he'll try the diplomatic route:
"Good Sergeant!" he begins in a voice fit to grab his attention, "Plainly the noble orc now has his good friend the lady in hand! He will bring order to the situation and ensure that nobody is hurt!"
Can the Mysterious Stranger move away from the fracas to a spot where few will see him cast a Grease spell under the Sergeant?
SESSION RECAP 8/5/2013
Puku and Kat both sampled a single drop of the mysterious and potent Tincture of Velsharoon, and each was affected in profound but quite divergent ways. Puku was suffused with feelings of power and invulnerability... whereas Kat became uncontrollably suicidal. She staggered forth to attempt a swan-dive from the prow of the ship onto the rocks below, but was restrained with little effort by a superstitiously raging Puku.
Meanwhile, rough and boisterous locals continued their revels. Paladin-Sergeant "Uplift" Frewen decided that the consumption of eldritch necromantic liqueurs was one act of depravity too many, and ordered his men to shut down the bar and clear the place out, while he tried to wrest the Vial of the Tincture from barkeep Shelkie's grasp.
The local roughnecks, emboldened with booze, resisted the Paladin's strong-arming and soon a chaotic bar-fight was in full swing, with the locals lashing out at the Paladins, each other, and Our Heroes.
Kat escaped Puku's grappled and lurched again to the prow of the ship, but was stopped again by the bodyguard Larsen, who was moving to the gnome Hershel Farrar and his goblin companion to safety. This brief check gave Puku his opportunity to grapple and pin Kat once more, ultimately hog-tying her in with some rope that had been looped over his shoulder THIS WHOLE TIME.
Meanwhile, a tipsy Apparicio, a rich out-of-towner on his first night in Andersport, elected to show "these rubes" a thing or two by summoning Infernal Ponies which, lacking any clear enemy to attack, mostly stood around.
Various locals were taken out in the rootin'-tootin' melee with more than one taking a dive over the railing for one reason or another. Shelkie was able to keep the Vial safe from Sgt. Frewen by lobbing it to barmaid Retullah in a near-perfect throw. Regrettably for her, Retullah later dropped the crate of rare booze, with the Vial of the Tincture rolling to the feet of some unsavory ruffian.
Meanwhile, Apparicio cast Grease and summoned further Ponies, including one that blocked the stairwell, preventing Larsen & co's attempt to leave unmolested. The aforementioned ruffian noticed the priceless Vial of Velsharoon's Tincture at his feet, and, with great enthusiasm but very poor Wisdom, elected to knock back the entire contents. Soon he was thrashing and juddering on the spot.
Puku worked his way down to the stern cabin, carrying the trussed up Kat, and gave her into the care of Eloise and Leyland who were hiding out there. Inquisitor "Scourge" Meesham had emerged on deck to intervene in the Chaos... suddenly the Tincture-drinker was dramatically and fatally transformed into some kind of magic skeleton! At first, many folk continued to enjoy their Saturday night punch-up oblivious... until the Skeleton put a hand through one guys head and kicked the goblin maiden Nabb Toh halfway across the deck, (fatally?) disabling her.
The locals stampeded to escape, but Inquisitor Meesham and his Paladins rallied to attack the cackling magic skelly, ably assisted by Apparicio's surprisingly competent Infernal Ponies, and yet another summoned beast, a Celestial Eagle. The skeleton inflicted considerable damage to Apparicio with a supernaturally cold b!%&! slap... but the enraged stairwell pony soon crushed the laughing undead's skull with her bludgeoning hooves.
The moment of victory was short-lived however, as 6 seconds later, in a whirl of bone-shards the skeleton reformed into two, smaller skeletons! The battle resumed with Paladins and Ponies milling around the two wicked things, occasionally slipping over in Apparicio's Grease (which didn't seem so hilarious any more). Puku charged in and smashed a stool over one small skelly for excellent damage, it was then finished off by that same mighty Pony. The other skelly was glorious one-shotted by the vengeance of Iomedae when Merciful-Judgment Reed took it out with a Smite Evil. The two skeletons exploded into dust, which now mingles with the wash of blood and exotic liquors on the deck.
Also, a local man was struck dead by a random donkey kick from one of the Infernal Ponies.
Current status of Named Characters:
Meesham, Frewen, and Paladins: present, thinking "WTF". A couple of the paladins are injured.
Larsen and the gnome Hershel Farrar: run off
Nabb Toh the goblin maid: lying in a pool of blood
Shelkie and Retullah: present, very upset
Puku: present, still under the effects of the Tincture
Kat: in the cabin with Eloise and Leyland - still under the effects of the Tincture.
Apparicio: present, stunned mullet
The Scholar (name unknown): lying knocked out towards the stern of the ship
Orto: knocked out by the Tincture, lying on the deck this whole time
Lenny: absent since earlier
Orna Goodgrace: absent since earlier
In addition the following are also here:
three unconscious rubes
four ponies (temporarily)
an eagle (temporarily)
and a man who likes ponies
There are many consequences from the evening's events now to resolve! I will get to that later... in the meantime you are invited to describe immediate actions of your characters.
Kat screams and struggles at her bonds
"THE UNIVERSE WANTS ME TO DIE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Puku addresses the milling Paladins, "Hey baldheads, youse better have alook at some of these munted fullas! They look like they could use a heals eh!" the Orcish Savage's eyes look weary and bloodshot, his powerful rage having subsided along with the present action. Nonetheless a strange corona of battleship grey energy continues to dance about him magically.
"Hey Orna! Come give us a hand sis, some of these folks are f*cked up eh!" He bellows
Puku steps around one of the infernal ponies and crouches down to inspect Orto... "Hey bro, wake up bro..." Puku gently slaps the finer Orc on both of his smooth unblemished cheeks. "You have to take us to Mel now you dick."
Puku rolls an untrained heal check!
"Hey Orna! Come give us a hand sis, some of these folks are f*cked up eh!" He bellows
As Puku bellows into the night it occurs to him that he hasn't seen her for a while.
No response is forthcoming.Sergeant Frewen and the Inquisitor are in hushed and urgent conversation while the other Paladins check and stabilise the fallen.
A couple of them look askance at Puku but they leave you alone for the moment.
Puku steps around one of the infernal ponies and crouches down to inspect Orto... "Hey bro, wake up bro..." Puku gently slaps the finer Orc on both of his smooth unblemished cheeks. "You have to take us to Mel now you dick."
Puku rolls an untrained heal check! 1d20+1
Orto seems to be out cold. Like REALLY out cold, catatonic. He does not respond in any way to Puku's prods and pokes. Puku rolls one eyelid back and can see that the man-orc's eyes are rolling and twitching, as if in response to things unseen in the waking realm.
Yolande Shelkie and Retullah move over to you, Shelkie is limping on a sprained ankle, and is supported by the bruised and greasy Retullah.
"Caiden piss upon it! This would've been a night to remember, eh green man? But now it's a night I'd rather forget."
She spits off the edge of the ship.
"Ol' Shelkie had to push it too far again..." she mutters to herself. "This might be the end of me, green man."
Meanwhile...
An Infernal Pony lifts its tail and a slurry of steaming crimson Infernal Pony sh!t slaps onto the deck.
Inquisitor Meesham interrupts his exchange with the Sergeant and casts about with a look of intense irritation.
"Who summoned these Ponies? Someone get rid of these thrice-damned Ponies!"
"Kaaaaaaaa!", quoth the Celestial Eagle.
Apparicio will dismiss the summoned creatures: ”Return, my minions, to whence you came.”
Their work was done. More than done! That damned fool who attacked one of the ponies probably didn’t deserve to die for his sins--or at least not that particular sin. The last thing Apparicio wants is for some other fool to get killed by another of these mighty beasts, and he doesn’t want a whole new fight to start because somebody becomes his enemy, or attacks one of the ponies.
When did ponies become so deadly? He had summoned ponies because they were mostly harmless. And yet.
Still. There’s no good in hiding the source of the ponies. Somebody’s sure to have seen him at doing the business, and he doesn’t want to be caught out lying at this stage.
If at all possible, Apparicio moves quickly to the goblin, Nabb Toh; letting the goblin die would be bad, rescuing it might help his cause later. If said goblin is still alive, he will ply him with a Potion of Cure Light Wounds, trusting this more than his (untrained) Heal: 1, or the helpfulness of paladins and inquisitors, and then call for medical assistance, in a clear voice.
”Can someone help save this hapless by-stander! We don’t need another death from this debacle!”
If he’s got a moment to spare from trying to save Nabb, he’ll turn to the inquisitor and declaim:
“I called this mighty troupe of ponies--and a blessing it was, too, for it was they that nailed that undead monstrosity and his progeny.”
Shame about the infernal steaming pile, but.
"Caiden piss upon it! This would've been a night to remember, eh green man? But now it's a night I'd rather forget."
She spits off the edge of the ship.
"Ol' Shelkie had to push it too far again..." she mutters to herself. "This might be the end of me, green man."
Puku looks boggled as he stands over the unconscious form of Orto, the Orc's nostrils flare as he breathes a sigh of resignation through his lumpy porcine nose.
He turns after a moment, to answer the barmaids."Om Puku Savage, from up in the bush..."
Puku jabs his thumb over his shoulder indicating no direction in particular,
" I dont fink your finished cuz, thats just a bump on the leg, my mates will fix you up. I got stabbed in the neck and chucked off a cliff, I was allright eh!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
" I dont fink your finished cuz, thats just a bump on the leg, my mates will fix you up. I got stabbed in the neck and chucked off a cliff, I was allright eh!"
"That's not what I meant..." she sighs. "The Mayor's going to come down on me like a ton of griffin-sh!t for this. I'm finished in this town."
Inquisitor Meesham and Sgt. Frewen join you. Meesham has a weary look, Frewen - barely suppressed fury.
"Both these men partook of the same drink, is that not so?" ask the Inquisitor.
"Sergeant?"
He holds out his hand, and Frewen passes him the mysterious monocle.
Meesham holds it up to one eye and peers at Orto for a few seconds.
"This man has been drained of his mind's vitality... there's little we can do for him but hope it passes."
"It should clear by morning." says Shelkie glumly.
"Aha! Not the first time, wench, that you've dosed people up with evil elixirs --" Frewen begins.
Scourge Meesham holds up a hand for silence.
"A matter for later consideration, Sergeant."
"Excuse me, Master Puku." - Meesham holds up the monocle and eyeballs the big half-orc.
"Master Puku is, ah... largely unaffected." he comments after a few seconds of frowning scrutiny.
The Sergeant gives him a puzzled look.
If at all possible, Apparicio moves quickly to the goblin, Nabb Toh; letting the goblin die would be bad, rescuing it might help his cause later. If said goblin is still alive, he will ply him with a Potion of Cure Light Wounds, trusting this more than his (untrained) Heal: 1, or the helpfulness of paladins and inquisitors, and then call for medical assistance, in a clear voice.
”Can someone help save this hapless by-stander! We don’t need another death from this debacle!”
You crouch down and inspect the (female) goblin.
Blood is steadily leaking from a wound on the back of her head where it cracked against the railing. But you check for a pulse and find a weak heartbeat.Normally I will pronounce monsters and NPCs dead as soon as they're into negative hit-points, but in this case I gave Nabb Toh a chance to stabilise - and she rolled a 20 first try.
You lift the goblin's head and tilt it back to receive the potion.
Her blood-matted wig slides off a little and you see that she is bald beneath.
You tip the potion down her toothy maw...
There is a golden shimmer over her body and her wound anneals.
Her eyes snap open and she gasps in shock.
"Oh! Where's my Hershelstarks? Is he safe, is he safe?" she shrieks.
(Apparicio notices that her teeth are in perfect condition - unheard of for a goblin - and her breath is sweet like berries).
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
1d20 + 2
In Meesham's cabin, Eloise and Leyland have been attempt to soothe and care for Kat, to little avail. She continues to thrash and holler, and will not accept so much as a sip of water.
Meesham and Frewen enter, with Shelkie and Retullah hanging behind them.
Possibly Puku might be here too... I am writing these threads in parallel but in game time sequence, this happens after Meesham inspects Puku and whatever subsequent conversation may happen over there. Of course if Puku decides to throw one of these guys off the side of the boat it is going to totally f%*+ up my continuity.
Meesham holds that wondrous monocle up to his eye once more and looks over the hapless damsel.
"Your friend is under a geas! he exclaims. "I can't decipher the nature of it but perhaps I can ask..."
He kneels next to Kat, lays a hand on her sweat-drenched forehead and murmurs a prayer to Iomedae... rapidly, a feeling of calm pervades the room which seems to affect everyone, even the fretful Leyland noticably relaxes.
Kat is lucid again, though at the back of her mind she still feels a yearning towards oblivion, its urgency is much diminished.
"Katerina," says Meesham, "I have gentled your emotions for now - we have but a minute before the storm is upon you again. Can you tell me the nature of the compulsion you are feeling?"
Kat is lucid again, though at the back of her mind she still feels a yearning towards oblivion, its urgency is much diminished.
"Katerina," says Meesham, "I have gentled your emotions for now - we have but a minute before the storm is upon you again. Can you tell me the nature of the compulsion you are feeling?"
Kat's red-rimmed eyes lock with the inquisitor
"There's been a mistake, I should have died in that hole. THE UNIVERSE wants to set things right, to put me in the ground where I belong. I wanna fly, just for a moment, before I die. Can you help me? Please?
She speaks in a hoarse whisper, her throat raw from screaming.
Kat's red-rimmed eyes lock with the inquisitor"There's been a mistake, I should have died in that hole. THE UNIVERSE wants to set things right, to put me in the ground where I belong. I wanna fly, just for a moment, before I die. Can you help me? Please?
She speaks in a hoarse whisper, her throat raw from screaming.
Meesham looks up at Shelkie.
"An unpleasant geas."The barkeep looks uncomfortable and scratches at her scalp.
Leyland gives Kat a drink of water.
"Katerina," Meesham says, "This compulsion will pass soon. For your own sake I'm afraid we must keep you bound until then."
"Does anyone have the arts to induce sleep? I would ask my alchemist but someone already induced sleep on him rather forcefully."
Kats' pupils dilate wildly, the self-destructive force seems to be regaining strength.
"Where's ORNA!? I need ORNA! She understands how THE UNIVERSE works! ORNA!! OOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! "
Kat lapses back into madness once more
(Apparicio notices that her teeth are in perfect condition - unheard of for a goblin - and her breath is sweet like berries).
Is Apparicio still convinced that Nabb Toh is actually a goblin? Perhaps some sort of cross-breed? A goblin/gnome cross? That would be weird... Never really paid much attention to goblins, though.
[i] "Oh! Where's my Hershelstarks? Is he safe, is he safe?" she shrieks.{/i]
”Why, yes!” Apparicio reassures the mysterious goblin, ”As best as I can tell he made his way out with Larsen. Things were exciting there!” He pauses, briefly. ”You are lucky to be alive. I think we all thought that necromantic horror had done for you, but the potion saw you right.”
He pauses. It seems rescuing the goblin was a good thing, in the long run--but things carry the prospect of getting weird quickly. So far that seemed to be all that Andersport offered. Weird.
”It’s time, I think, for some nourishment!” He’ll see if he can get himself a beer. He will see if can organise Nabb Toh some broth. If no-one is around to request it, he’ll see if there’s food on a table that the "goblin" can have.
He is keen to find out what is happening in the aftermath of the fight--he does not want his digs shut down by the paladins.
THE UNIVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Is Apparicio still convinced that Nabb Toh is actually a goblin? Perhaps some sort of cross-breed? A goblin/gnome cross? That would be weird... Never really paid much attention to goblins, though.
There no good match with a Knowledge Skill so I'll just make this an INT check...
Apparicio has seen pictures of goblins in children's books (he remembers one his father used to read to him, in which an unruly boy was transformed into a goblin by the goddess Desna). And in the flesh, he has witnessed them occasionally in his neighborhood of Absalom, raiding the garbage cart, or elsewise in the ruined part of the docklands, living in dens made from barrels and scrap.
He has a flash of insight - Nabb Toh looks like a goblin might if... she were raised outside of goblin society?
”Why, yes!” Apparicio reassures the mysterious goblin, ”As best as I can tell he made his way out with Larsen. Things were exciting there!” He pauses, briefly. ”You are lucky to be alive. I think we all thought that necromantic horror had done for you, but the potion saw you right.”
Nabb Toh affects to swoon.
"My hero! Oh, but my manners...! Umm..."Her tongue protrudes momentarily as her eyes roll up and to the left as she racks her memory.
"That's right: I! am! Nabb! Toh! a! maiden! of! Andersport! Pleased! to! meet! you! sir!"
She smiles toothily and strokes your leg for a couple of seconds like it was a friendly dog.
"I better go find Hershelstarks, he'll be so worried..."
She totters across the deck towards the stairs, straightening her wig.
”It’s time, I think, for some nourishment!” He’ll see if he can get himself a beer. He will see if can organise Nabb Toh some broth. If no-one is around to request it, he’ll see if there’s food on a table that the "goblin" can have.He is keen to find out what is happening in the aftermath of the fight--he does not want his digs shut down by the paladins.
Looking around the deck - it is in disarray, smashed furniture and similar wreckage is everywhere, there is a soup of unsavoury fluids pooled near the stairs in the middle of the deck. There is a tapped keg of beer nearby and you suppose you could pour yourself a tankard if you wanted to.
You notice the caterwauling of the ensorcelled woman cease for a time but it resumes just as you were starting to enjoy the quiet.
The young Paladin-Initiates are bringing the invalids together on the poop deck and seem to be making a temporary hospital of sorts. One of them spies something and draws up.
"Lo! Redcaps! Town watch coming!"
Apparicio looks inland and from the light of their torches can see about a dozen mercenearies, a couple of squads, hurrying towards the Captain's Repose. They are about 30m away across a stretch of open beach, the cliffside buildings of the town behind them.
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAA...ugh....BWAaaaaaa...ugh!"
Kat appears to have screamed herself hoarse, her cries abate and are replaced with racking sobs.
"Why wont...you..let...me....die...."
"Aw eh! Its the pigs!" The big Orc said noticing the approaching row of torches out on the beach. Puku dashed back to where Leyland and Eloise are still vainly trying to console Miss Crowley.
"Reckon we might have some troubs' coming this way, theres a whole bunch of dicks coming up to the pub eh!" Since leaving his forest, the tusker has been given no reason to trust in so-called figures of authority, and here doesnt seem like the place to start believing in the law.
" Sh!t, where's Orna at!" Without waiting for any sort of response from the rest of his party, he dashes out and down the stairs bellowing after Orna.
Kat's eyes snap open and she struggles into a sitting position, could she regained control of her faculties ?
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
"Aw eh! Its the pigs!" The big Orc said noticing the approaching row of torches out on the beach. Puku dashed back to where Leyland and Eloise are still vainly trying to console Miss Crowley.
"Reckon we might have some troubs' coming this way, theres a whole bunch of dicks coming up to the pub eh!" Since leaving his forest, the tusker has been given no reason to trust in so-called figures of authority, and here doesnt seem like the place to start believing in the law.
" Sh!t, where's Orna at!"
With little effort Puku hoists the bound form of Kat onto his shoulder, and bellows loudly, "Orna! Pull your finger out girl, we got trouble!"
With long bounds the Orc made his way through the debris of the maindeck, beckoning back to Eloise and Leyland for them to follow close. Upon reaching the steps up to the poopdeck, he hollered out to the Paladins who standing above at the railings."Hey you fullas, I like not the look of yonder approaching mob of vagabonds. I fear for the safety of this, my nepromangely innebriated friend!"
He slapped Kat on the flank and she croaked out again in incoherent anguish.
"Reckon if we wish to leave this party, over that there convenient rope, will you hinder our egress?"
Apparicio looks at the carnage, ponders the nature of law enforcement, and heads to his cabin, locking the door behind him.
With little effort Puku hoists the bound form of Kat onto his shoulder, and bellows loudly, "Orna! Pull your finger out girl, we got trouble!"
Master Inquisitor Meesham hurries out the cabin at the same time and eyes the approaching Redcaps, his mouth set in a grim line.
"Hold, friend Puku, let me speak with the guards. You have naught to fear."Puku does not appear to be heeding.
"They will equate flight with guilt, man! Hold!"
Puku, heed? (y/n)
With cautious, cat-like grace Puku carefully ascends the stairs to the poopdeck, keeping his gaze on the paladins in anticipation of any sudden treachery.
Yet he halts at the top, still with Kat slung ungracefully over his shoulder, and awaits the approaching mob.
Meesham moves to the railing and surveys the Redcaps as they approach.
"Ho there, churchman! Half the town cries havoc, what gives?"
"A bad business!" calls Meesham. "But evil has been put to rest. Come up, men, and all will be made clear."
Soon several burly men are thumping up the spiral stairs onto the deck.
Though it seems some of the crew remain downstairs, out of sight.
The guards present a poor aspect, ill-shaven with unclean apparel and mismatched armor, only their grime-smudged red caps given them any semblance of a uniform. At least half of them might be drunk.
"Alright, check the place out!" says the captain, a squint-eyed cove with a thick black beard that fringes his jawline but leaves his cheeks smooth. He wears a splotched red sash which presumably denotes his authority.
"Two dead and many more injured, Captain Corzo." states Meesham. "Some of them still running away into the night. But the danger is ended."
Captain Corzo spits a stream of tobacco juice onto the deck.
"I'll be the judge of that you old fox! Right, all civvies, form up over here!" he says, vaguely indicating a spot at the base of the steps up to the poop deck.
One or two of the paladins hestiate.
"You whitecloaks too! You're civilians to me! In my town! Don't forget that!"
Meesham gives the captain a quick and economical account of the evening's events as the other Redcaps move around the deck examining things and opening and closing doors, seemingly at random.
More later but questions or actions welcome at any time...
Apparicio - you hear the sound of clomping boots on the deck outside your cabin. The door handle rattles - but it is locked. There is a pounding on the door.
"Town guard, open up!"
Apparicio opens the door as quickly as possible, keeping his hands where they can be seen.
"Good evening, guard; how can I help you?"
Apparicio opens the door as quickly as possible, keeping his hands where they can be seen.
"Good evening, guard; how can I help you?"
You open the door to see a slack-jowled Redcap with black bristles poking from his ears and piggy suspicion poking from his eyes.
"Out!" he says, and jerks a thumb over his shoulder.The guards seem to be gathering everyone together on the deck.
Meesham is continuing his explanation as Kat launches into a fresh bout of howling and begging for death.
Captain Corzo's characteristic squint relaxes momentarily and he glares pop-eyed at our hapless heroine.
"'Ere!" he shouts at Meesham over her bawling, "why you got this wench trussed up?"
The Master Inquisitor sighs.
"As I believe I explained some moments ago... this woman is under a geas, an enchantment which is compelling her to end her life. She is restrained for her own safety, until the spell lapses."
Corzo looks around at the faces of his men, incredulous.
"A GEAS he says! Well don't that just beat them all, eh boys?"
"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaa hoo hoo hoo!" yelps Kat.
"Fussakes!" barks Captain Corzo, "Kyrus, gag her!"
A tall man with lank blond curls poking out from beneath his red cap steps up and, with a little difficulty, does so.
Corzo begins to pace back and forth on the deck before you.
"And this magic potion that's at the root of it all... where'd that come from then?"
He spins on his heel and addresses the last part out his question to Yolande Shelkie, squinting furiously.
Shelkie holds his gaze a long moment before speaking.
"An heirloom, from my father."
"Aha! A keepsake from your bastard father, is it? Part of old Captain Anders' missing trove more like! And you, dumb b!tch, have kept it hidden from its rightful owners all these years, then wasted it in a single night and got two men killed, and this sorry kooze near as killed likewise!"
A slow smirk spreads across his face like mold on cheese.
"Mayor Tacey will not be pleased!"
He draws up.
"Right, you lot! This is a proper fukken tangle, and I'm ready for a kip, so I'll let our good Mayor make his mind up about this story and we can have his verdict come the honest daylight. For now, consider yourselves under curfew, you're none of you to leave the premises."
"Kynan! Your squad remains here on guard, see that these clowns stay put. Rest of you, quick round and then we're up to the big house."
"You churchmen - if I leave you your weapons, will you swear an oath to Iomaddy to obey my curfew and offer no insult to my men?"
"We do," says Meesham, and the Paladins confirm it. Though not all master their faces.
"You others, I've no cause to trust your word, so I'll make you an oath instead - I swear that if you act funny with my boys, you'll get a foot of steel in your gut and I'll thank the man who does it! And if you've weapons, we're taking them with us."
He clicks his fingers and a few of his men step forward to give everyone else a desultory frisking, even those unfortunates who were earlier beaten unconscious.
"We have confiscated weapons from these people already," offers Meesham (meaning the party). "Though not the lordling," he inclines his head at Apparicio, who is frisked twice as a consequence.
That's as much writing as I can manager for now - the train will continue further down the tracks soon enough, though like the lady in the Crunchie bar ad you have only to reach for the cord above your heads...
"MMMMM?! MMMMMMMM HMHMHMHMHMMMMM!!"
"Out!" he says, and jerks a thumb over his shoulder.
“By all means, esteemed sir, but it looks as though the party’s over.” As he returns to the deck Apparicio looks around and shakes his head. “It was quite something when it was in full swing, I can tell you!”
“For now, consider yourselves under curfew, you're none of you to leave the premises."
”Fine by me. I’ll just go back to bed—” begins Apparicio, but it is plain that Corzo has no time for that nonsense.
The touch of the Redcap who frisks you is decidedly lascivious! He grins at you, showing stinking brown teeth, as he cops a free one.
Apparicio has had worse, and is keen not start another fuss, but just can’t let things pass.
”Careful big boy,” mutters Apparicio to the Redcap, “If you get too excited something might pop.”
Apparicio turns to the others and notes, "It seems we are to be incarcerated together. I'm sure there are worse gaols."
Taking a moments break from glowering at the band of vagabonds cluttering up the deck, Puku addresses Apparicio,
"Kiaora, om Puku, this is Kat," He turns slightly so the red face of Kat is visible over his broad shoulder, "But shes a bit fukced eh. Hey were those your ponies bro, that sh!t was out of it!"
He turns slightly so the red face of Kat is visible over his broad shoulder, "But shes a bit fukced eh."
Kat's eyes are red rimmed and bulging
" MMMM MMMM HMHMMHMMMMHMHMHMH!!!!"
The guards go through the rooms of the inn quickly and with varying degrees of enthusiasm. One emerges from Apparicio's cabin holding aloft a morning star with a childish look of triumph on his stupid, grubby face.
"Here now! Hardly the weapon of a gentleman, eh boys?"
Some scattered laughter. They gather it up along with a short sword and a couple of daggers they found somewhere in the old ship.
Another Redcap clomps up the stairs with the goblin lass, Nabb Toh, slung upside-down over his shoulder. The red gleam of blood shows from a fresh scratch on his cheek.
"See here, Cap'n! 'Tis the sulphur-mite's doxie! She were hid 'neath a table in the barroom and looked to sneak out after we passed, but I took her unawares."
Nabb Toh's legs kick furiously in the air.
"Ain't nobody's doxie! I'm a maiden of Andersport!"
The guard slings her forcefully to the deck.
"Silence, monster."
Corzo's voice is slathered with contempt, and tobacco juice.
"I don't doubt you'll be safely biting the pillow in your grubby gnome's bed come tomorrow afternoon. Mayor likes to get his sulphur tax. For now - stay put with the rest."
Nabb Toh stands up, straightens her wig and dusts down her frock.
"I don't know WHAT you're talking about," she rasps. "Hmph!"
Half the guards, under Corzo, are gearing up to leave, while Corporal Kynan's lot take up positions guarding the inn.
A Redcap on the starboard side of the deck calls out in a tremulous voice.
"Captain?!"
You turn to see.
"Look there, Captain! Look!"
The night is dark, only the rush of the wind and waves disturbs the silence as all strain to catch a glimpse of... whatever is to be seen.
Then, a purple flash, over on the outskirts of the horizon, far out to sea. A pause, whispering wind. Another great flash, illuminating distant clouds in lurid tones of lilac, for a moment only.
The flashes continue, clustered roughly together, heartbeats apart. It is like watching a great storm from afar, but the colors, all wrong.
Several men murmur oaths.
"What is it, Captain?"
Corzo spits over the railing.
"That," he says, "is somebody else's problem."
"Move out!"
He leaves, taking half the Redcaps with him.
Kynan and one other Redcap remain on deck, the other four men who remained behind are downstairs somewhere. You seem to be at liberty, providing you do not leave the ship.