Unfortunately for the adventurers the huge creatures hide seems almost impervious to their blows.
The shark bites hard at Aurelian and this time its teeth smash past his blade, tearing the swordsman open and leaving him bleeding heavily. The great shark seems to almost suck the blood from the water and its wounds begin to close!
The sahuagin stabs at Tettia, its spear throwing off her concentration! Luckily for her she's had lecturers who were far more off-putting and she successfully casts the spell. The creature then wheels to face Ashlyn who approaches like a missile!
HP 20/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 2/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects:
Aurelian barely manages to scratch the creature as he slashes out with his sword again, the pain of the bite momentarily throwing him out of his sword form. His instructors' voices crying in his head, he quickly regains his center, and prepares for the sea beast to strike again.
Ashlyn focuses really hard at the water in front of the sahuagin.... After a good, long, STARE a trident made of force appears and tries to skewer the fish-man!
Tettia bubbles a sharp word at the threatening sahuagin and with a flash of bright light, she attempts to distract the creature.
The trident jabs the sahuagin hard and the creature oozes a little thick blood.
Tettia suddenly fills the immediate area with light and the deep racer recoils in surprise!
"Anybody know what this is?! Tougher than a normal shark unless I'm mad-- hells and bells, I'd almost swear that it's healing," Jenner cries out. He swings again with his axe...
"It's a magically enhanced evil shark," Tettia blurbels out as she attempts to dodge the trident being thrust in her direction. "While someone's bleeding, its healing."
That said feel free to double check my maths, I may well have gotten something wrong.
Sarine continues her attack against the shark. "We'll just kill the monster faster than it kills us!"
Sarine and Jenner kick into high gear, slashing their way through the great shark's skin. More dark blood spills into the water, muddying the fight around them. Unfortunately Aurelian is also bleeding and the shark seems to be feeding on it!
The shark turns on Jenner, deciding that dwarf is on the menu for the evening!
A terrific bite savages the hardy dwarf and his blood joins Aurelian's in the water for a moment before the shark draws it in greedily.
The sahuagin attempts to stab Ashlyn again but is still blinded by Tettia's spell and the spiritualist easily dodges.
Tettia sees something swimming towards you at a mighty pace from behind the ship. No. Three somethings!
HP 18/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 2/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects: Bleed 2
"No, you silly fish. You should try to attack Aurelian Fache. He is the bigger threat, and you will not choke on all the hair that his friend Jenner has!" the swordsman taunts the shark creature.
He attacks again, letting out a loud cry of success as his blade pierces the creature's skin to try to frighten it , then preparing to parry if the creature turns its attention back to him.
Ashlyn's magical trident continues attacking the sahuagin.
Then she casts a spell and swims forward, right up to the sahuagin.
"HELLS AND BELLS," Jenner snarls at the painful bite. "Abadar! A bit of help!"
Teeth gritted, Jenner hacks back at the shark with a certain grimness. "We've got more incoming, my friends... I'd say that those of you who can should flee, but we won't outswim what lives in the water naturally. Stand and fight, together!"
The sahuagin takes advantage of Ashlyn's distraction to stab at her! Her sudden closing prevents the blow landing however.
Feeder -74
Deep Racer -10
"I don't know what to do ... " Tettia's voice trails off into what would negatively view as a whine.
She begins casting towards the incoming group.
But trying to target the spell and still watch the trident threatening her is too much for the academician.
Just as Tettia is intoning the words to her spell she recognises the leading swimmer, Koloshkora! The locanth seems to have brought reinforcements!
"Courage, Tettia!" Jenner calls, too busy with the massive shark to have registered details of the approaching group.
"Yea!" Tettia cries out and thrusts her hands skyward when she see that the group is getting reinforcements. "Help is on the way!"
"This fish is tough. What did they do to this thing?" Sarine growls as she continues to attack the beast.
Koloshkora and her reinforcements, Vraska and another locathanth like herself close the remaining distance as the water naga casts a spell.
The deep racer shakes her crested head violently, but otherwise seems unaffected.
The feeder in the deep switches targets again, apparently wanting as much blood in the water as possible as it savages Sarine.
Only one blow lands but Sarine's blood joins Aurelian's in the water as the shark greedily consumes it once again!
HP 16/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 2/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects: Bleed 2
"No, you silly fish, it is Aurelian Fache you want to try to eat. Though you are probably too dumb to know he will give you indigestion!"
Despite his taunts, he's starting to feel a bit weak as he continues to bleed, but nonetheless, he slashes the creature again with another (weak) yell, and then resumes his guard stance.
"Good, we could use some help!" Sarine exclaims as the shark takes a large bite out of her.
Aurelian punctures the shark's thick skin and a sudden gush of blood floods the water as the huge beast thrashes.
Ashlyn's magical trident continues attacking the sahuagin.
Then she jabs at the sahuagin with her magical fist.
Jenner curses as he watches more weals healing on the shark's hide. "This is b&#%$@+s. It's healin' as fast as we're bleedin' alright."
Jenner pulses healing energy through the water, healing Sarine, Aurelian, himself and the shark. The pay-off is probably worthwhile as Aurelian and Sarine stop bleeding!
Feeder: -85
Racer: -10
"Thanks Jenner!" Sarine cries out, mostly still distracted by the enormous shark.
Tettia continues to try to avoid her opponent's trident while moving through the gestures of another spell.
It seems like too much to concentrate on, though, and the spell is lost in an exclamation of bubbly frustration.
Sarine lands another blow on the shark, reopening one of the sealing cuts. Without any more blood in the water the monster lashes out in a frenzy, biting at both Aurelian and Sarine!
Aurelian is able to dodge, but can't quite land a riposte as Sarine too dodges the shark's great jaws.
The sahuagin is battered by blows from Ashlyn as Koloshkora closes. Unfortunately after her hurried swim her blow is weak and easily parried. It ripostes at the locanth and lands a solid blow!
Vriskirsa casts another spell and the huge shark is pummeled by dark jets of water.
Sarine lashes out again and thrusts her blade deep into the sharks mouth as it attempts to consume her! The azlanti blade slides easily through flesh and muscle, and the huge beast finally slumps - defeated!
Seeing this the sahuagin lets out a cry of rage and pain!
HP 20/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 1/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects:
Aurelian, his wounds healed and the shark dead, swims quickly toward the sahuagin.
"Yes, you should cry," he burbles in the water. "Soon Aurelian Fache will cause you even more pain!"
Ashlyn's magical trident continues attacking the sahuagin!
Then the trident dissipates as the magic powering it runs out.
Ashly she jabs at the sahuagin with her magical fist!
Ashton punmels the creature and her magic leeches away what remains of its life. Silence and stillness return to the ocean depths.
Searching the remaining wreckage uncovers another magical necklace like the ones previously discovered and, in a locked stweel box which doesn't stand up to Sarines persuasion, a folded leather cloak of the manta ray.
"So ... we won?" Tettia says, looking around at the defeated enemies. "So, can we get out of the water now? My fingers are getting all wrinkled."
Jenner heaves an enormous breath as the shark-from-hell falls. It's a little awkward underwater, but he also claps Sarine heartily on the shoulder. "Damnation! I thought we were lost there for sure. Vriskirsa, thank you for the timely aid. And aye, Tettia, we won-- you perhaps see now why I don't mind askin' for pay. This diggin' up secrets is hard work, and dangerous. Let's grab what we can and get outta the water, aye. I want solid land."
"Yes, now we must go kill the skrags and the witch," he agrees. "Though perhaps we should rest first. You should not be so wrinkly. This boat is all yours, Vriskirsa."
"Yes, resting would be good. And drying out. And resting."
Jenner channels again, knowing he's certainly still sore and seeing wounds on others yet.
"Yes, you can come rest with Aurelian Fache," the swordsman says, nodding in appreciation as Jenner heals more of his wounds, though several bloody bite marks still mar his flesh.
HP 25/37; Hero Points 1/2
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Fort +2, Ref +7, Will -1 (0/1 set mind; 0/3 charmed life)
CMD 16 (18 vs. disarm)
Panache: 1/4 (0/1 deed reroll);
Effects:
Once the group climbs back onto the small boat, Tettia first checks to verify that her bag that she left was still intact and dry. She then sees about drying herself and the others with minor magic.
"So where do we go next? And please tell me there aren't any sharks there."
Ashlyn lets the magic fade from her hands and swims back up to the boat with the others. She climbs in and dries off in the sunshine for a bit. When Tettia dries her magically, Ashlyn grins. "Well that's handy! Thanks, Tettia!" Ashlyn puts the rest of her clothes on and properly equips herself.
"That was exciting."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Aurelian lets out a regretful sigh as Ashlyn gets dressed, pulling off his own shirt and hanging it over the boat's gunwale so it may dry out. He lounges back in the island sun, completely content.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Tettia seems occupied with inventorying the contents of her waterproof bag, but it's obvious to everyone watching her that she keeps sneaking glances at Aurelian's bare form.
Koloshkora and Vriskia surface alongside the boat.
"You fought well humansss." The naga hisses. "My thanksss to you for returning my home!"
"I say thank you too!" Koloshkora burbles. "We will certainly be friends now! I will bring some of my tribe to your village soon to open trade links!"
Wiping out the sahuagin and securing not only the locanth tribe, but also Vriskia as allies is a great and heroic feat! Your various artefacts recognise this and glow with power!
Ashyln's Ring can now cast Sanctuary and CLW each once per day. (Rings caster level is 1 + 2/triumph, so now 3).