Diana orders her crew to prepare to fire, but instead of casting Bless she moves to be as close to her enemy while still being on the ship and fires two admonishing rays.
Isaac tosses his cutlass aside and draws his shortbow. He draws an arrow and aims it at the glittery enemy. He then lets it loose!
Edward was still in the riggs, and unable to properly attack.
If she is within 30ft of range for me, Edward tries another shot of weird words, unleashing a sonic strike from his throat.
Otherwise hideous laughter for will DC 17
Diana's admonishing rays fly unerringly and strike the fleeing wrecker, causing her to scream in pain...in between bouts of retching.
Similar to the ballistae bolts, Isaac's arrow was beautifully shot but when it appeared to be ready to pierce the woman's back, a magical barrier appeared and deflected it into the sea!
Still retching, the flying wrecker curses some more , then slowly flies further away from The Shrike, still aimed at the same nearby island...
Jaina climbs down to the deck and grumbles. "Damned wreckers and their fondness for driving people onto reefs..."
Now back up and ready, Gareth shoots with the light crossbow.
The shot isn't too efficient. He reloads it with another bolt to get ready for the next round, although the enemy might be a little further by then.
Now back up and ready, Gareth shoots with the light crossbow.
[dice=Attack]1d20+9
[dice=Damage]1d8The shot isn't too efficient. He reloads it with another bolt to get ready for the next round, although the enemy might be a little further by then.
I take it she was out of reach of the attack?
Hideous laughter had reach of 40ft.
Edward's vicious comedy rippled through the air, causing the flying wrecker to straighten up and take notice...but she shrugs off any effects, and got back to the business of retching up her innards...
Now Diana casts bless and gives guidance to her siege crew to let fly at the caster.
Diana once again exhorts her siege engine crew to re-load and fire again, pointing to where the wrecker hung in the sky.
One of the crew masters, after lining up his ballistae, comments to Diana, "Good t'ing she's agroun' M'am! Keepin' 'er nice an' steady!"
Then with a laugh, he nods to his fellow crew master and lets fly...
Three bolts soar up into the sky....two of which hit the flying wrecker with some force! But the tough pirate still lives!
Isaac launches another arrow at the enemy!
Edward climbs down to the deck.
The wrecker continues to flee, making her way through the air until she's actually over land. Dropping down to her feet, she immediately fals to her knees , retching onto the sandy beach...
Diana continues to direct her siege engines as the blessing of Besmara hangs in the air. Good shooting boys. Again!
The ballistae crews get to it cheerfully, each team competing for bragging rights!
Each crew master makes his preparations, then at Diana's encouraging words, fire their bolts into the air...
One bolt falls very short into the sea, another lands some 5ft to the left of the wrecker, causing her to straighten in surprise; she obviously thought she was out of harms way. Her surprise turns to shock as the last bolt slams into her torso, bursting out of her back and pinning her to the beach.
She struggles for a few moments before succumbing to her injuries...
The ballistae crew that fired the fatal shot leap up and down, crowing and shouting!
Timber! - yells Gareth, cheering as he is (still) reloading the heavy crossbow.
Well done me boys. An extra share o' rum tonight for the crew! Diana cheaers with her men. That will show these wreckers what happens to those what attack us from ambush. But this fight is not yet won. There is still the Wrecker's ship ta contend with. Load up and be ready.
If someone is more able to better swim, such'a person should dive tae' retrieve that flying wretch. - says Gareth, looking at the officers and crew.
Diana will create 14 gallons of water onto the deck to help put out the fire and prevent spread. Permission to retrieve that body captain?
Looking out at the wrecker's ship, now that all hostilities have ceased, you can see the the entire crew complement had been sent to attack The Shrike.
It's also now possible to ascertain the wrecker's ship's name...The Cutthroat.
Looking further, just past the reef you can see the remains of two other ships, one with only it's stern above water....is the Lady's Sting.
Isaac cheers as the wrecker goes down! At Diana's question, Isaac thinks before saying, "Ay'. Brin' 'er her'." When he spots the Lady's Sting, he points it out. "Ther'! Ther' be th' Lady's Sting!" He pulls out his spyglass and examines it, making sure there is nothing else waiting for his crew.
Edward walks over the deck, avoiding any traces of vomit the caster may have deposited while up above.
"Well, this sure proved to be a challenging start for the salvage operation."
Diana nods at Isaac, first casts Detect Magic, then activates Fluid Travel, and dives into the sea. Scanning for items dropped Diana will swim to the body and examine it for both life and magic. If the caster is still alive she will stabilize her before bringing her and all her possessions back to the Shrike.
Isaac scans the wreck of the Lady's Sting but sees that what's visible above the water line has been completely stripped of anything of value.
Diana finds the wrecker dead, her lifeblood seeping into the sand. Whatever spell she had laid upon herself have faded, including the glitterdust that Diana had cast.
She is a half-orc, and Diana's extra perception reveals a number of magical auras among the dead wreckers's gear.
watertight engraved bronze scroll case ( contents magical)
1 potion
1 wand
1 magical cloak
a magical rope
masterwork falchion
masterwork light crossbow
bicorne hat
periscope
spyglass
As you examine the wrecker, you glace around at your surrounding and find you can just see the outline of a few huts hidden by nearby foliage.
Diana notes the huts but gathers up the caster's body and, walking on water, returns to the Shrike to report her findings. When she returns and reports what she saw she adds This wrecker seemed ta be heading for the hunts. Perhaps there is aid or protection for them there.
Isaac scratches his chin. "Hmm... Tha' migh' be wher' th' artifac' be. Bu' we may hav' troubl' ther'. Especially iff'n their ship doesn't reappe'r to be che'kin' in."
Isaac scratches his chin in thought before calling an officer meeting. "Alrigh'. Th' situation be this: We can be seein' th' Lady's Stin' an' we kno' tha' th' res' o' th' wreck'rs mos' lik'ly be in th' hu's. Howev'r, our ship be damag'd, we be injur'd an' lo' on spells, an' it only be a matt'r o' tim' until th' wreck'rs be gettin' suspicious wh'n their frien's don' com' bac'. So we be on a tim' limi'. Any ideas?"
Secure our ship. Secure the other ship. Load siege on both for bear. See if they come after us. I have a good number of spells left.
As the senior crew meet to discuss next steps , a number of crew members show up to provide reports.
Sandara Quinn pops in, looking exhausted, "Well, we lost 23 crew. The wreck'r crew that surrendered numbers 32...half of which have voiced their willingness to join The Shrike's compliment. The crew gave more than they took, counted 67 dead wreckers. That's it , I've got more injured to attend to..."
A few moment later, the carpenter enters, "She took quite the blow, Capt'n , but she was built right! Th' keel's still in one piece," he says, as the ship lurches a bit as the longboats begin to slowly pull The Shrike from the reef. The man scratches his head, "Some of the planks got split, the boys 'll have to be pumpin' day and night 'til we get 'er into drydock."
What do the captive wreckers know of the island? Diana wonders aloud.
Isaac turns to one of his crew. "Brin' us three o' th' wreck'rs. Thos' who be wishin' to join th' crew."
The crewman nods and hustles back out onto the deck. From inside the senior crew can head shouts and yell , then the thud of many feet approaching.
Several of The Shrike's crew has 'escorted' three of the wrecker crew, two half-orc and one human.
Thrust down on their knees before Issac and the other officers, they all begin babbling over each other, stating their new found loyalty to The Shrike, that they'd heard great tales of your accomplishments, etc...etc...
Edward looks sideways at Isaac, giving a short rolling eyes with a smile, in the 'oh boy...' sort of way.
Stepping nearer to the trio, he gives them a stare, as if into their very soul, to get them to quiet down.
His stare then drops with a mischievous shine in his eyes and a slight grin on his face.
"Reputation going around is great and all, but one at a time.", and he points to the right most of the three.
"You first.", and Edward steps aside for Isaac to question him.
"They're all yours. Make them squirm."
Isaac gives a smirk to Edward before turning to the rightmost wrecker. "Now, I be known' ye be pledgin' yerself to us. Howev'r, we be needin' som' proof on yer loyalty. Now..." The Captain points to the island and the huts. "Tha' isl' an' th' huts on it. Wha' do ye kno'? Yer Cap'n was tryin' to ge' ther'; so it mus' be importan'. Will ther' be anyon' comin' to look fer ye? Iff'n ye be smar', ye'd be tellin' us."
Two of the wreckers are cowed in to silence, but one still has enough gumption to speak up .
After a large gulp of air making his prominent Adam's apple bob ferociously, one of the half-orcs speaks up, "Beggin' yer pard'n, Cap'n, thankee you's fer lettin' us talk. Them hut's be'in fer Cap'n Kerala, she be'in none too fav'rd of livin' abord, if'n ya ken ? She wuz a gud Cap'n...'til she met up wit yuze all! Har! Har!" he laughs, exposing the horrible condition of his teeth.
He thinks a bit, then continues "We wuz all in the attack, sir! No able bodied left behin', wuz wat Cap'n Kerala always sed!"
He then settles back, hoping he'd said enough to save his life....
Edward, having seen plenty of rowdy boasters in taverns, gets a good read of the 1/2-orc.
"The guy is being honest.'
Isaac's perceptions fail him. So he trusts Edward's talents and judgement. "Very well then. Onc' we be takin' car' o' thin's her', we be investigatin' th' huts."