Jack and Tap both miss their targets by wide margins, the nature of ship battle somewhat new to them both, Kerruk's shot is a bit more accurate, and it thuds into the railing of the sterncastle, only inches from a sailor's wide-eyed face.
The sailors on the enemy ship take note of the missiles, and they turn their attention to your group to return fire. Four bolts come flying in, and 2 slam into tap - one in his chest and the other in his shoulder. He hits the deck, down and bleeding out. The other two shots get lost in the fog, missing their marks.
Belliott attempts a crossbow shot, if he can even see.
This damned fog will be the death of us
The bastards! Jack readies another quarrel into the crusty crossbow mounted to the gunwale. Aims at some shadows he thought he saw, and lets fly.
Hoping to see anything of advantage.
(Not sure what the damage dice should be.
Kerruk remains with Tap, partially shielding him with his own body and delivers another dose of healing potion.
Ouch!!! By the stars!
Belliott's bolt gets lost in the swirling mists, as does Jack's next shot. Kerruk spends quite a bit of time getting Taptap back up, while enemy bolts rain down upon the group!
Despite the pain of a crossbow bolt striking him in his shoulder, knocking him forward over Tap's recumbent form. Kerruk grits his teeth, holds his balance and keeps at his task of protecting and healing the downed Halfling.
Sandara! We need you here!
Kerruk, friend, stay down. We are getting slaughtered.
Tap looks.blankly into the mists. In a moment I will gather the strength to cast a minor healing spell upon myself. I just fear that we will have little left for the upcoming boarding maneuver. Tap chuckles.
Tap stays prone to avoid bolts, and softly sings a light healing spell.
GIVE ME A CHANCE UP CLOSE YOU COWARDS! I see no point in these puny weapons, and I will take a rest.
Belliott goes prone and takes as much cover as he can, waiting for the ships to get closer
Tap, I do not think that you will fare well boarding the ship in your condition. I would advise that you go below, except that no doubt it would be considered treasonous by our... captain. Instead, perhaps you can take the crossbows and cover us once we attempt to board. For now, let us stay low.
Jack takes cover as he can.
Well, Tap, I was hoping to avoid their further attention. But if you want, to, let loose. You might not die.
Though the second volleys fly out from Jack and Belliott, their trajectory is lost in the swirling fog, and no return fire comes forth. Sandara looks aside at Kerruk’s prompting, and rolls her eyes as if to say. “Really…already?” Nonetheless, she grips the ebony symbol of Besmara about her neck and focuses. Tap immediately begins to feel strength force its way back into his body.
As the ships get even closer together, the fogs move to envelop both ships, and the scene of battle grows even more chaotic. Flashes of light and steel in the distance, the clattering of bolts on the decks, screams of men and even a splash or two sound out from the unnatural mists. Being this close to the railing, you can see in the churning waters down below the long, sleek bodies and telltale fins of sharks, who have come to answer their dinner bell.
Jack’s shot flies out into the mists and a shout of pain and vile curse ring out soon after. A shot is fired back, but it is lost in the mists, coming nowhere near Jack and his fellows.
Encouraged at his success, Jack shoots in the general direction of his last shot.
Then loads, and fires again.
For possible crit damage
Tap stays prone for cover and aims his crossbow into the mists/
Kerruk fires his crossbow whilst muttering a somewhat garbled prayer to the spirits of the heavens, something about slings and arrows and defying the stars, a muttering that modulates upwards to a wild yowl as his first bolt strikes home.
Looks like some good shooting there fellow pirates
Shots from Jack and Tap pepper the enemy, and cries can be heard from the blanket of fog. A few shots return, but are errant and fly by overhead. Kerruk's shots also get lost in the deepening, arcane gloom.
Belliott remains prone and launches bolts at the enemy. He is not enjoying this, and can be seen turning redder and redder.
I need to get on that ship! I need a real fight!
Belliot! I think that thou hast slain a shark! Too bad there is no time to haul it up, for shark makes a tasty dish.
Belliott's shot, though true, flies through the fog and hits nothing but the shadow of a mast that he thought was an enemy sailor.
I'd rather feed this crossbow to the sharks. BLASTED DEVICE
Kerruk eyes Belliott warily, but says nothing, preferring to busy himself checking his armour and shortspears. This is not my fight...but if freedom awaits beyond...if I make it to the other ship at all, and do not end as fish food.
Let's hope, dear Belliot, that we all have more luck with the grappling hook than the last time. For my part, I will do my best to become a pirate, if only to impress the captain and avoid a keel-hauling tomorrow. And you, Tap? The fates have not been kind. You are hurt sorely already, despite all our efforts to heal you. If it were not that tomorrow you will be keelhauled, I would suggest that oerhaps you ought to find a place to hide? Or better? Use the opportunity to make some useful investigation aboard this ship?
As the final bolts clatter on the decks of the opposing ships, they finally draw close enough for the real combat to begin. By now, the fog is so overwhelming that all once can see from the ship is the opposite railing.
A roar from Krine signals the start of boarding actions, and the Wormwood pirates begin to hurl grapples and lower planks to board the opposing ship. More grapples and set and drawn to keep the ships tightly bound
Belliott cheers and grabs his ax and a grappling hook. He climbs up to the higher deck and hurls his grappling hook at the deck of the other ship.
He is overly eager, and less than successful.
What a fine time for this!!!
He enters rage
Although maintaining a - hopefully - safe distance from the eager Belliott, Kerruk follows him to the poop deck and grtabs a grappling hook, which he lobs towards the other vessel, without much hope or confidence.
Although his throw isn't as bad as he'd anticipated, it still falls short.
By the stars...does this ordeal never get better?
Jack gives Belliot a look, picks up Belliot's hook, and tosses it into the fog. It lands with a dull thud, and Jack quickly pulls it taut. He hands the rope to Belliot.
Belliot, climb!
The rest of you, throw! Its time to make some chaos.
YES
And gentlemen, do not feed the sharks.
That man throws an inch and climbs a yard.
Kerruk looks back at his hook, somewhat flummoxed. It landed? Well, how about that? Confounded mist.Maybe there is hope yet...
He turns to Jack with a snarling grin. Chaos it is, then!
Kerruk struggles with the slick rope and teeters at the brink of disaster.
Tap starts laughing uncontrollably.