"Now, do you think this is a wise thing to do? Moving in in the boats? Will we not make a target that is easily hit by someone who might have missiles to expend? Should we not try to persuade that person (if it is a person) to come to here? So that we can attack on the firmer ground if we have to?"
"Aye. Mebbe tha's in right of it there Ynyr. Not sure as how we'd do that mind. Reckon Brigid lass would answer swift prayer? Holds chance taking dear, she does."
Healaugh listens politely to his old friend while trying to fit Ddraig's legs into the rather small boat.
"Just put knees to ears and tha'll be fine Ddraig lad ... or would be if tha hadst ears ..."
Ddraig looks a little worried about being crammed into a rowing boat.
"Friend Healaugh, I am somewhat concerned about our boating excursion. If we capsize, you are all likely to float; however, with my plate armour I am likely to stop sinking only when I reach the bottom."
Fabes DM
Fabes - what's the weight limit on one of these boats? I'm no marine engineer (though I've got a friend who is!), but I'm somewhat concerned about whether putting something like 400lbs of dragonborn (in armour with his kit) in a 3-man rowing boat will cause it to capsize, irrespective of whether or not enemies take any action against us! Any thoughts?
"Reet. Make another plan then."
"Dinnae be such a big lassie-lizarrrd!"
"Heh! A Lassarrrd!"
"Boats are gud, sea is gud, bonny forr takin a ship."
Nechtan then glances sideways at Healaugh, "Nae like a pirrate tho.."
Nechtan is now smug that his superior manliness is being shown.
Fabes DM
"Eee tha's funny lad, Nechtan. Got reet way with words."
Healaugh looks on his protegee with pride and then gets back to business.
"If there's no other ideas, reckon we'd best stop messing about and get into boats. Nechtan, tha'd best travel with Ynyr and mesen. Ddraig, Darvyl and Greylan can take other boat. All be watchful now for arrows and the like."
Healaugh marshals his companions into the boats, and the group is on its way, with some trepidation. Grudingly, the dragonborn stows his armour in the other boat.
As you make your way closer to both boats, you can see that the raker is being patrolled on deck, not by a person, as you thought, but by a creature made of metal and wood, at least 8 feet tall! It doesn't seem to be paying any attention to you as you draw closer, but moves up and down the deck of the ship.
You can see a rope ladder, which will provide access to the deck, where the creature patrols.
As the boats draw closer, Healaugh squints up at the strange patrolling thing. Out on the water, he feels more at home and knowledge comes easily to him.
Healaugh
"Bit o' caution needed here lads. Thing up there's construct ..."
Healaugh outlines what he knows about the thing.
"Happen Sweet Inge be in spell-casting line herself," he speculates.
Healaugh
Fabes
The halfling rapidly shares as much information as he can given the difficulties of whispering between two rowboats.
"Reckon we need a bit of plan here," he concludes dolefully.
"Reckon we need a bit of plan here," he concludes dolefully.
"Ddraig, Nechtan, and I hit it until it falls down, while the rest of you attack its master from range?" Darvyl offers helpfully.
"Aye. Can try that. Not time for music, seemingly. Reet. Watch how thing walks and get ready to climb ladder."
Regretfully putting aside his hopes of including hurdy-gurdy music in the plan, Healaugh takes Darvyl's advice.
Coming close to the ship, you hear moans and cries of despair as if of many people in the hold of the ship.
Coming close to the ship, you hear moans and cries of despair as if of many people in the hold of the ship.
Healaugh scans the horizon and looks very grim at the sounds of distress coming from the ship.
Healaugh steers the rowboat to the left of the ships stern and looks at the array of oars.
Eyes narrowing, he turns to Nechtan and Ynyr.
"Going to try running along oar and getting t'back of fancy thing up there. Canst manage bit of distraction if needful can tha?"
Gesturing to the other rowboat, he trys to suggest that they sail to the prow of the ship and embark there.
Fabes
DC for scrambling up an oar, kind sir?
It has stopped in the middle of the boat, watching the group.
Extracting a length of rope from his pack, he ties it carefully around his waist and waits for a moment to see if anyone has a better plan.
"Bonny plan! I sha' follow! but withae the sissel."
"Reet. Tha'll not be needing it. Be tied to ship like, so tha's can climb up."
Before embarking on his exploit, Healaugh leans precariously across the rowboats and hands over piles of dragonborn sized armour.
"Happen tha'll be needing this Ddraig lad. Our Greylan can help with straps."
Fabes DM
Acrobatics to scramble over the oar onto the ship (1d20 10=11)
In his haste, Healaugh plunges headlong into the sea. "Pull me out tha gurt fools..."
Fabes DM
The Group 1
OK, team - 50 rounds to put on my armour is a ridiculous risk to ask you all to take - essentially you'll be a party member down for what, I suspect, will be the entirety of the fight with the construct. So, save some healing for me ...
Ddraig sighs, in the manner of one at ease with his fate, and, drawing his sword, climbs up the rope ladder onto the boat , leaving his armour behind.
The Group 2
On the basis that it's just watching us at the moment, I don't think it's sensible to attack it with must me on the boat, lest it decide to move over to where Healaugh et al are trying to make an entrance, and to start smashing oars. Once we're all on the boat, then we can all attack simultaneously. Does that sound like a plan?
Ynyr has spent the last few minutes grumbling to himself in the way only a man like Ynyr can.
"Now did I not say this was a silly idea, no? And do you think it is now? Now, will you move out of the way Nechtan? We need to get him back to the dry, now don't we?"
Ynyr helps Healaugh back into the boat.
The people in the other boat hear a loud splash, as of someone falling in the water.
Healaugh shakes the water out of his eyes.
"Don't doubt you're in reet of it Ynyr, but still has to get up there. Others is waiting."
Ynyr looks at the boat, looks at himself and tries to judge the chance of him successfully climbing into the fray without following Healaugh's previous example. Finally, he look as the spot that Healaugh has just vacated and conjures an arcane springboard and uses that to gain a place on the ship. He will, hopefully, land in I5. (He can jump 3 squares from the springboard). Then to Nechtan (assuming that all of this works):
"Now Nechtan, do you want to jump on the boat using the board? Or do you want to follow Healaugh, but I don't mean into the water first, now do I? I mean to the big boat, do you see?"
Undaunted, Healaugh tries once more and this time, understanding what he has to do, almost effortlessly clambers up and onto the ship. Ynyr bounces on board with the aid of magic, now that there is some room to maneuver.
The guardian turns to look at the interlopers, its metallic visor flares red and it moves to attack...
Healaugh gawps at the sheer size of the thing.
"Eee, tha's big one. Might want to hurry it up lads ..."
"Now didn't I say this was a bad idea? Now just stay calm won't you and I'm sure your singing will do us all wonders won't it? What do you think it is?"