Unbinding the Fetters - Disciples of Master Gond (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

"Chase The Ripples."

Cassadar looked up from the large, chest-high tub of seawater that had been produced to give The Harrower a not-quite-understanding expression, one eyebrow arched at the dubious imagery that those three words called to mind.

"Don't look at me like that. I said 'Chase The Ripples', and that's what I meant." She was perched on the edge of the tub, literally perched, the balls of her feet and toes the only thing keeping her in the squat that she maintained evenly, despite the rolling of the ship. A colorful harrow card was being passed between her fingers, and damned if he didn't see the face on it change with every other rotation...

Frowning, Cassadar turned his eyes back to the surface of the tub and watched the ripples that the rocking of the ship sent through it, observing them as they crossed, and crossed again, the tilt of the ship enough to cause an occasional splash. "Chasing the ripples" seemed a futile effort on the surface, but there had to be a deeper meaning to it, perhaps... Something that he was missing.

Whatever it was, it did not come immediately, and determined as he was to figure out this challenge-- for a challenge it certainly was-- he knew it was going to take some time.

Thoughtful, he looked up to see if The Harrower had any more hints, but she was gone.. So instead, he pulled himself onto the edge of the tub in emulation of her (with more wobbling) and stared into the water, considering the problem.

* * * * * * * * * *
(Days Later)

Cassadar had been near the tub so long, some of the initiates and shipmates had taken to calling it "the elf's tub". At all times of the day, the elf could be seen near it, if not atop it, staring down into the water in contemplation. From time to time, he would reach out and touch the surface of the water, as if following something eyes narrowed in thought.

Eventually, his occasional touches to the surface of the water became more than one, and it came to him after he had given in and took the order literally.

He realized that after a couple of touches, the ripples would intersect, and enough touches done rapidly would have the ripples converging upon a certain point, and if the strength of the ripples were consistent with each other, he could send out another set of ripples that canceled them all.

He looked up to see The Harrower watching him from one side of the deck, idly shuffling the cards of her deck. "About time", she said as one card blew free the face on it showing , then halted before it could blow off of the ship, returning back to her deck. He caught the image of someone reaching towards the sun in the sky on the card before he allowed an accomplished expression to show on his face, lifting himself off of the split he was in to place himself just above the water.

Just then, the ship tilted in his direction, and much to his dismay, the tub decided as well... He wound up on the deck, drenched in old seawater, and the tub nearly atop him.

...The Harrower's chuckles drifted by on the seabreeze.

He is a slight Chelish man with relatively unbroken skin "Feh, we're getting bored and soft sitting on this boat with naught to do but sun ourselves...."

Javi hops off the rail where he'd been tying a knot he'd seen some of the mini mariners using on the rigging. "Whatcha have in mind?"

Gorak has been spending a lot more time shapeshifted than normal. Though he still doesnt talk much he will take to wing and scout. If he sees anything interesting he returns and still in avian form reports what he finds before taking off again. It''s apparent that he's enjoying this new ability.

... and it's also the reason the crew has taken to calling him Polly. :D

... and it's also the reason the crew has taken to calling him Polly. :D

Anyone who does it within ear shot is going for a swim. I won't let them drown, but I will scare the crap out of them.

"Hey Polly." Nisk says with an infuriatingly smarmy grin as he drops to the deck nearby. "Maybe you should be training then?" He says with a bit of a distracted air as he looks around using his Anja once more.

Replying to Nisk "Heh, in my opinion if all a swordsman does is sharpen his steel it will eventually grind away to nothing. To be honed it must be used in anger... or at least friendly competition..." dangling a verbal hook in the water to see if it might be taken. Before giving Nisk a slightly condescending smile "Unless you're too busy sharpening your steel on your own?"

Gorak in bird form looks annoyed at Nisk for a moment, but grins an odd birdy grin when (Voice's character) verbally riptoses him.

Javi leans back on the rail, "So you're saying you've played with your own sword so much that it's dull and you want to play with ours? I don't know, man, I'm not sure we know each other that well."

The Chelish man gives Javi a smile in good humor.

Shaking his head at the young initiates: Perhaps you should talk to the MASTER OF THE BALLENWOOD. I am sure he would accept your challenge.

Sorry for the lateness, works been crazy and a little writers block.

The Bear awakens from his hiberantion at the word of challenge, he springs to the closes outside area and shouts in a menacing tone, "WHAT WEAK WILLED CREATURE DARES CHALLENGES THE CHAMPION OF BALLENWOOD!!!" And stalks towards the group.

Intimidate:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

"Ok Ok," Nisk says, smiling at Javi and the man's verbal sparring. "I am Nisk, and what form of competition were you thinking?" The half-elf holds out an arm to shake and then laughs at Torgus' approach. "Go back to sleep Bearish one."

To everyone but Torgus: Hmmm. I understand that they have large pine forests in the Ballenwood. Perhaps what Torgus actually won was that he is the Champion of Balls of Wood, and he feels the need to compensate for his pine nuts.

Smiling as there is interest shown "Well we were thinking, we could set up a ring and get some proper sparring going... or, a race over, around, under and through the ship... no holds barred" eyes twinkling with excitement.

The sparring would be two on two (though I'd run all three bouts simultaneously).
The race would be chase type rules - though with attacks and combat maneuvers permitted against opponents.

Javi's smile widens, "Oh, I'm game. You pick the poison. Fight or flight."

Torgus replies back to Nisk, "I think I will Nisk, cause now that I think about it why should they get a shot at a champion. They need to earn they way up to me, so you and Javi play nice with these ones HAHA!" He sits back and after he hears the dwarf's comments he stares straight at him with a serious look that slowly turns into a smile followed by his thunderous laugh, "BWAHAHAHHA, IT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR! HAHA! I LIKE YOUR STYLE DWARF!" He slaps the dwarf on his back.

Nisk notes his rival's smile and returns with a devlish one of his own. "I'd love a little scrap or a run. How would we manage the course?"

Nisk - not sure what you mean by manage?
I'd set it up as a chase but with the obstacles stated up front and known. Then you'd race off against the Chelish bloke and a few of his friends.
Or - you go for the bouts and get a chance to try out your new powers :)
Current count is the Bear asleep and two on the fence...

Frakdar walks over to the rest of the group and cracks his knuckles. So, is somebody looking to be sore tomorrow?
I am up for either, prefer the bout, but either is fine.

While he was not going to get i the way of any of the competition that the others would be engaging in, he was not going to offer himself up as an opponent unless sides were uneven, perhaps.. He was content to simply watch things as they unfolded, learning by observation in some cases.. Perhaps after a few instances, he would test some of those observations to refine them.

The chelish man perks up and smiles "Bout it is, we'll clear a spot on the deck while you get your teams together. Two on two ok with you folks?"

Hands up for some bout action - please nominate teams also :)
If you don't want to, you don't have to.

Javi's in, as is Nisk and Frakdar, it seems. Torgus seems to be a 'no' and Cassadar is a 'maybe'. Gorak, you in or out? Once we know that, we can coordinate some teams.

Gorak will play if anyone wants him on their team. ;-)

I will join you Gorak. What should we be? The Beast and the Blaze. You can almost see flames flickering in Frakdar's eyes as he contemplates some real sparing.

"SCREW YOUR RUNNING GAMES, I WILL WATCH TO SEE IF ANY WORTHY OF FIGHTING WITH ME! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! GO WASP GO! BWAHAHAHA!" Torgus roars his commentary and cheers.

Torgus will sit out he don't care for races nor un-worthy challengers haha!

To the elves and orcs. Perhaps when we make port, we could find a Kellid sized muzzle.

Javi looks over at Nisk with a smile, "Looks like it's us, then."

"Figures, they have to have at least one team that's pretty to look at." Nisk says, taking Darkfang off so as to avoid hurting anyone.

Why thank you for your compliment Nisk. I never expected an elf to call an orc and a dwarf pretty.

The chelish man calls you over to the foredeck where a circle thirty feet across has been cleared of detritus, though a mast spears upwards from it's centre. He smirks at Nisk "You can leave on the claws if you like, we'd not deprive you of the crutch if you need it."

The two teams from the initiates are formed. The chelish man is joined by a woman also from cheliax, both with lithe athletic builds. The other two are both muscular Taldan men, with beards and long hair drawn back into a braid.

Team 1: Nisk and Javi
Team 2: Frakdar and Gorak
How do you want to split the opponents up?

Makes no difference to me. Although the stick figures will be easier to grapple.

Gorak's eagle form melts leaving in it.s place that body of a great ape with a roughly gorak-like face. Goram-ape grins.

Javi smiles over at Frakdar, "So I guess we'll leave the 'stick figures' to you, then. Nisk, how do you feel like bustin' on some beards?"

Big guys against me and Nisk, thin guys against Gorak and Frakdar? Could be a recipe for disaster, but then again.. .who knows?

"Well they do get a lot of padding, but I think we'll be fine." Nisk grins looking at the big guys. "Surround and destroy."

Unless you guys plan on invading elf and fey lands, there are a lot more ugly fat monsters out there than waifish thin ones.

Nodding acceptance to the pairings offered, the Taldans get ready to lead off the fight against Nisk and Javi. The chelish wait to take part in the second bout.

Ok, rules of engagement:
1) As with the pit fight, no-one starts flat-footed as everyone is ready for combat.
2) Pre-round 1, you can attempt an opposed Bluff / Sense Motive or Intimidate check against an opponent to get a leg-up in the first round.
3) The arena is 30ft across, with a mast in the middle and crowd around.
4) So as to not bog down, both bouts will be run simultaneously.
5) All damage is tracked as lethal, but no-one will be getting killed.

Fighting rinks

Please advise which square you want to start in and give me rolls for a Bluff / Intimidate contest if you want to start one.

I'll start in C6. No rolls to get a leg up as I think with my scores that will backfire.

I think that map is for me and Nisk, if I'm looking at things appropriately. You and Frakdar are fighting the thin male/female combo.

O6 for me. I think that Gorak meant L6 as we are fighting the flighty elves.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

O6 for me. I think that Gorak meant L6 as we are fighting the flighty elves.

Sense Motive: 1d20+9

yes, that. L6 will do nicely.

Javi will start in D-6.

Javi sidles up next to Nisk, trying to time his looks at each opponent in such a way that each one believes Javi is focusing on the other. He turns his head to hide his lip movements as he whispers into Nisk's ear, "You have a preference who we strike first? Tweedle-dee or Tweedle-dum?"

Bluff to make each one think he's definitely not going to be Javi's target -- and thus will hopefully be unprepared for Javi's onslaught. 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34.

Nisk will start in E6

Looking firmly and solidly at the opponent on the left Nisk makes a rather obvious motion toward him. "That one." He says, rather too loudly for such a secretive conversation.

Intimidate:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

At the same time his hand taps lightly at Javi's right side twice, trying to make it difficult to see for anyone else, but hopefully forceful enough to tell the fellow half-elf of his deception.

Bluff:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

I did not a social character make...

One other thing - the map shows staircases, but for the purposes of this bout it's flat deck.

Taldan Terrors:

The taldan that Nisk pointed out removes his shirt so as to fight bare-chested. He responds with a wry smile and flex of his muscles...
Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
...and Nisk gets nervous despite his intent to stay focused.
Effect: Nisk is shaken for Round 1 and 2

Javi gets a good feel that his deception has been successful, as the taldan's look between each other brows furrowed in confusion.
Javi can treat the opponents as flat-footed in Round 1

Action Tracker (Round 1): Javi, Shirted (C,3), Bare-Chest (F,3), Nisk

Chelish Challengers:

The man and woman don't really stretch before the fight, settling instead for merely shaking out their tension while shuffling from foot to foot.

Frakdar's eyes narrow and he reads between the lines to get an insight to their style of combat.

Despite his quick reactions, the chelish man pauses momentarily to allow his movements to be in unison with his partner. Delay action

Action Tracker (Round 1): Frakdar, Gorak, Man / Woman

Map

Gorak ape shuffles (charges) to the man and attempts to backhand him with his meaty fist.

-2 AC

Slam 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

I really can't seem to get anything but shit rolls with this character. lol.

Well, Gorak, they always say women and children first. I see no children, so the lady goes first.

Move to O3.

Grapple: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 I trip and stumble over a deck plank while approaching the woman.

Lol - what are the odds of two 1s. 1 in 400

Don't worry Frakdar - my record is three in a row.

Frakdar and Gorak move up to their opponents, but their actions meet with no success.

1000th post! WOOT!!

Javi explodes into the moment of confusion, circling wide right around both the mast and the bare-shirted Taldan, pivoting off his plant foot to drive his knee up not the man's sternum. If the sneak attack lands, Javi then immediately follows with a vicious two-knuckle strike to the man's eye meant to blind him.

Circling to G-2, relying on flat-footed to negate an AoO. But tumbling the last two squares out of caution (in case of Combat Reflexes or some such) - Acrobatics 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13.
.
Then attack, using Combat Expertise and (if the sneak attack lands) his immediate action to use Dirty Trick. :)
Cestus 1d20 + 9 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 - 1 = 13; Combat Expertise.
---> Damage 1d3 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (2, 6) = 10.
---> Dirty Trick 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 - Target blinded for 1 round + 1 for every 5 over the target CMD.

AC is 20 for the round.