Annoyed at the elemental next to him, Aedorn decides to switch tactics, and after kicking at it once more, looses a pair of arrows at it.
Round 6
Morthos continues his assualt.
Tatya turns her baleful gaze on the triton near the ship.
Alazandaru's strikes against the elemental and dolphin both hit, succeeding in damaging the creatures. The triton's blow looks severe, his movements sluggish as he raises his trident defensively before him.
Aedorn manages a glancing blow against the Triton caster, barely penetrating his defense. "A pitiful attempt!" He calls out.
Morthos deals a blow to the elemental on deck, fight still within the creature. Bostarg attempts to strike a blow of his own but the elemental's smaller stature helps him avoid the gnome's lunge.
Tatya hexes another of the tritons in the water, a curse from the hells upon it.
T5 W
The conscious sailor in the water draws a dagger and attempts to impale the elemental creature before him, a well aimed blow nearly taking it's life as the dolphin rolls in the water, taking the strike in the flipper instead.
The sailor by the deck reaches down for his sword, not willing to leave his back turned to the watery creature behind him. Reaching down, he carefully rolls away from it's strike and moves away from the creature, trying to get away from the edge. "You're not pushin' me in too, devil water!"
Both of the southern of Odenkirk's men sink two arrows into the creature to the south. At least, that's what they believe. One arrow strikes the creature's shadow, unable to tell the difference between it and the real thing. "The sea be hiding them!"
Odenkirk cleaves the water elemental in front of him with his axe, yelling at the sailor. "I SAID SHOOT THE DAMN FISHMEN, NOW, BEFORE I THROW YOU IN!"
OM1 Drowning DC10
OM6 Swim
OM6vD2 ;
OM6vD2 CC ;
OM1 Stabilization
OM2 Stabilization
WE8vOM3 AoO ;
OM4vT4 ; ;
OM5vT4 ; ;
OKvWE8 ;
The triton leader chants another quick prayer, restoring more health to his companion before moving towards Alazandaru's direction. "You shall pay for the crimes you have committed against my kin! Pull back!"
One of the tritons swims around Alazandaru and flanks the man with his dolphin ally, dropping his crossbow in favor of his trident as he moves. Yet his maneuver fails to connect. . The wounded triton only retreats away, backing away from the rogue slowly.
The triton on the swimming sailor strikes the man, a cut across his arm, minor but another wound in the man. To the south of the boat, more crossbow fire is exchanged, the ship taking this blow as well.
One of the dolphins manages a strike against Odenkirk's waterlogged man, the other a strike against Alazandaru .
TN
T5vAlazandaru ;
T1vOM6 ;
T4vOM4 ;
D2vOM6 ;
D1vAlazandaru ;
Morthos is relentless in his attacks versus the elemental.
As the elemental drops, Morthos turns to face a new foe. So caught up in fighting one elemental after another, he just now notices Alazandaru is nowhere to be seen. "Where is Alazandaru? And I do not want to hear he has fallen." He asks aloud as he steps toward the edge of the boat.
Round 7 Actions-
A small pool of red spreading around him from his many wounds, Alazandaru fought on just long enough to skewer the irritating dolphin on his right hand dagger with a powerful thrust and then disappeared beneath the waves as he slowly swam towards the ship, spitting blood.
Alazandaru finishes the dolphin with a lethal strike into the creature's underbelly before diving back under the surface, escaping the triton's gaze.
Bostarg and Morthos both strike at the rapier, Bostarg's lunge enough to put it into Morthos's blades path, ending this creature.
T5 Per
Tatya glances into the dark water, having no idea where Alazandaru is, and shakes her head. "No, he was pushed," she tells Morthos dryly. "I cannot heal him without touching him -- and I'm not going in after him. Aedorn, the caster!" She glares at the triton who had been summoning the elementals and is now approaching their side of the boat.
Tatya hexes another of the creatures, though he proves resistant to the curse.
The conscious sailor in the water stabs at the dolphin, injuring the creature.
The two southern men continue firing arrows at the triton to no avail. Odenkirk and another sailor pound at the elemental, Odenkirk landing a powerful blow.
TN W
OM6vD2 ;
OM1 DC11
OM2 Stable
OM3vWE10 ;
OM4vT4 ; ;
OM4vT4 ; ;
OKvWE10 ;
Nodding at Tatya, Aedorn shoots two more arrows at the head Triton.
Aedorn fires two arrows at the leading triton, one managing to sink into his defenses. In response, he moves over to the unconscious triton, preparing to heal the wounded creature.
The tritons move, the southern one scaring a critical strike to one of the soldiers, wounding him deeply. The one in the water by Tatya's hellish lights impales the swimming sailor.
The remaining dolphin waits, both sailors in the water not moving.
T1vOM6 ;
T4vOM4 ;
T4vOM4 CC ;
Aedorn launches two more arrows at the casting triton.
Alazandaru could not resist the urge to strike at the spellcasting Triton and his dagger lashed out through the waves and rammed into the sea folk's upper body mid-cast as he resurfaced.
Round 8 Action-
Still making the best of a bad situation Alazandaru called out to the ship-
A rope, someone!
He launched a fresh attack, splitting his attention between the badly wounded Triton to his south and the one he had just wounded.
Alazandaru wounds greatly the casting triton, preventing his spell from going off as he calls out in anger. "You shall pay for this action, human!"
The triton watching for Alazandaru attempts to strike him down, giving out a raging call as he strikes forward with his trident, a strike off balance by his anger. Alazandaru dodges the blow with relative ease, then strikes both the wounded tritons, bringing them both to the verge of Pharasma's doorstep.
With the blow, the triton that just attempted to impale Alazandaru calls out.
The remaining dolphin swims below the surface, the remaining tritons looking to follow.
Odenkirk's men on deck move to aid their fallen companions while Odenkirk himself sees about the two who fell off to the north.
TN Conc
T5vAla ;
Unable to reach any other enemy, and having the possibility of losing another member of the group due to failure, Morthos drops his sword and pulls the rope out of his pack, throwing one end towards Alazandaru. "Grab on, Alazandaru!" He then wraps his end of the rope around his arm several times, grabs it with both hands, and braces himself against the boat. "Alright! Go when you are ready!" As soon as he feels a tug, Morthos secures himself hard against the boat and leans back strong, providing as much leverage as he can.
"Perhaps our captain can shed some light on the subject," Tatya suggests, her gaze flickering to Odenkirk's men on the other end of the boat. "While I expect hostility from Hell's enemies everywhere, there was no way our attackers could have known who we are to oppose us on sight, unless this boat and crew in particular are known to them. Alazandaru, take your time in retrieving the corpse. Bostarg," she goes on quietly, making sure the captain is still well out of earshot, "it seems an inefficient use of resources to heal men we will later be tasked to kill. If we must first see to Alazandaru and then tend to the least-injured first, these tritons may have done some of our work for us -- assuming Odenkirk is left enough men to crew the ship."
Aedorn sits on the deck, exhausted from the ordeal. "I...I'm sorry, my fellows. Never have my arrows been so untrue. It seems I must practice more to avoid a repeat of that dismal performance."
Aedorn sits on the deck, exhausted from the ordeal. "I...I'm sorry, my fellows. Never have my arrows been so untrue. It seems I must practice more to avoid a repeat of that dismal performance."
Tatya shrugs. "You ended up not cloven in two, so you've already done better than our last companion."
Several minutes pass by as you all tend to your wounded. Bringing up the body of the triton leader, it's found he had managed to survive, though he's severely wounded from Alazandaru's final attack. What you choose to do with him is your decision.
Kargeld Odenkirk comes over in a few moments. The anger on his face is clearly seen, a boiling rage barely contained below the surface. In his favor, he manages to contain most the rage, only abit of spittle escaping his mouth as he speaks. "We're not in good shape, not abit. One of my men went to Besmara this evening, drowned fighting those things. Two more are still ragged, though we've managed to keep 'em alive. A fourth will need the night to recover, both from wounds and fatigue. There's another cove a few miles back, I plan to backtrack and stay there for the evening, probably a couple days more. At least 'til my men are up. There's a town about 2 miles in if we need to resupply, though I'd rather not risk it if not needed."
His gaze has lingered on each of you for a moment before settling on Morthos. "I've never seen the likes of this before. Talirean soldiers, pirates, greedy merchants, seen all those. But an attack like this, summoning the deep itself against us, I'm starting to wonder the reason in continuing on."
It's obvious the captain is placing the blame for this on your soldiers, and is expecting some form of compensation for this setback.
- Trident (radiates magic)
- Sea Shell and Pearl holy symbol to Andoletta
- Sea Shell armor (Functions as a breastplate with the fragile trait)
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"Then you have never seen our foes before?" she asks a bit suspiciously. "Because I assure you we have never previously met their like to have earned their enmity. Calm yourself about your men, Captain. While I can do nothing for the one who drowned, I did not lie when I told the Talirean navy that I have some small gift of healing, though it surely does not come from their Inheritor." She starts to the far side of the boat to tend to the surviving sailors but pauses to say pointedly. "As for the reason in continuing on, surely it is because you have been paid to do a job?"
Morthos nods in understanding. "Captain, I do believe it is best you remember that the Cardinal has already paid you for your services. Surely you have not forgotten that?" He asks facetiously. "Now, regardless of what happens to your men or what we come up against, we have a deal; I fully expect you to live up to your side of the bargain. We are on a schedule that does not have time for you and your men to sit around for days just so they can feel better. They can be replaced. So, having said that, I highly suggest we continue on course. Is this understood, Captain?"
Odenkirk turns his gaze to Tatya as she speaks. The rage looks ot the point of boiling over until the offered healing, which seems to calm the man down, if only slightly. "That will indeed speed us along, though we still need to make repairs."
As Morthos stands to speak, he meets the man's gaze. The words heard and processed, the Odenkirk continues to hold the gaze, finally breaking. "So be it. My men and I will continue on, but we are putting to shore tonight. I won't smash my boat because I can't see what's ahead. Unless you'd rather go from reckless to foolhardy? And I doubt as they are they'll help much in a fight again."
Tatya seems more comfortable touching the two limp and unconscious forms than the bloody, filthy men who can lay eyes on her as she approaches. Her distasteful duty carried out, she moves away as quickly as she can and back toward the more elegant end of the ship. "That's all I can do for the day," she tells Odenkirk, "but if they are still not well in the morning, I can do a little more for them."
Pondering it a moment, Morthos nods. "Very well. But we are off when the sun hits the horizon." Morthos then takes his leave of the captain.
Making his way over to Bostarg and their newly acquired passenger, "So this is the creature that foolishly decided to attack us. I'm guessing he has not given us a reason as to why yet?" He stares hard at the triton as he speaks, as if he's boring holes right through it.
Aedorn watches the discourse with interest, but makes no comment. He does lean over to his soggy companion however. "Alazandaru, you proved an able swimmer and fought well in the water. Are you sure you're all right? A swig of ale might warm you up a bit."
Bostarg then moves to the triton's leader where it lies still breathing raggedly. Pondering a moment before kneeling beside it and speaking a single word "Why?"
The triton's eyes flutter open for a moment, a testament to this creature's will. His black orbs settle upon Bostarg, though they seem to stare beyond him. "Andoletta gave me....visions. Seeds of...death....that threaten this land. I have failed...but there will be another. Clad in righteousness, armed with justice, he...will come for you." The triton gives a weak laugh as he slips back into unconsciousness.
"'Clad in righteousness, armed with justice,'" Tatya remarks dryly as she rejoins her companions. "How gaudy. Ought to see him coming a league away."
Bostarg stands from the cryptic triton "Mind turned to images from above... crazy bastard. At least we know that we've perked the attention of the righteous... surely that means we must be doing something right?" chuckling at his own jest. "I doubt we'll get much else use from him... to death?"
Tatya nods. "If the Cardinal's plans are such that Grandmother Crow is willing to throw her precious flock's lives away to oppose them, success would indeed be glorious ... and failure unforgiveable. We have neither the time nor the place to drive this one to cursing his angelic patron's name in despair. To death."
Morthos retrieves his sword and stares at the creature for a moment before quickly bringing the weapon high above his head in both hands and impales the creature through it's chest. Making sure the creature is dead, Morthos then jerks his sword back out of the triton, "To death," and then wipes it clean.
Then turning his attention to Tatya, "Grandmother Crow?"
"A ... 'term of endearment' by which the Empyreal Lord Andoletta encourages her servants to call her. I presume she intends to cultivate a false sense of family and belonging with which to inveigle her followers," she shrugs.
"Ah, I see. A fool then, nothing more. Much like the pathetic king himself." Immediately turning his attention toward Odenkirk, "Captain! Have your men remove this creature from the ship. His services are no longer needed and he is starting to smell." He deadpans.
Soaking wet as he brought the Triton aboard the boat after making his displeasure at the rather obvious suggestion clear with facial expressions, Alazandaru kept a detached distance from the interrogation and the captain's men.
He gave the Gnome a quiet nod of appreciation, Bostarg's spellcasting so subtle that he had not even noticed it until his wounds began to knit together.
Sat by the edge of the boat and staring into the water where he had fought so hard, he was a little surprised at Aedorn's presence. The Halfling was clearly a master at walking around with soft step. He turned and met Aedorn's eyes, his own gaze perhaps a little too steady.
An ale would be welcome. I am well. I had not intended to fight in the water itself, but the damn elemental gave me little choice in the matter. My first family were river pirates, fortunately for me. And unfortunately for our foes. Moloch would be pleased with the blood we spilt here, in battle.
The triton's body is disposed of and sent back to the depths of the ocean. The ship docks in the nearby cove, it's intended target, while minor repairs are made to the ship overnight. With little sleep given them, the injured men are ragged and in pain the next morning. Yet driven by the captain, himself driven by Morthos, they force themselves ever onward.
Two days pass, the crew doing their best to avoid you all, even moreso with the events of the battle still fresh in their minds. The monotony of the journey is broken for a short time when Odenkirk and one of his men, a man named Leif, nearly come to blows though what was said is not spoken of again. Leif does seem to spend more time with his eyes on the captain.
As the third day dawns, you awaken to Odenkirk wide awake, staring at the stars above. Breaking from his habit of silence, he makes a beeline towards Morthos, more open than he has been since you've met him. “We are a little light on fresh water I think. We are passing Seal Isle and there is a stream that feeds into the bay there. We’ll take on water there. I’ll send a party to the shore. Of course, that means we’ll spend a day in some of the richest fur seal hunting grounds all along this coast. I’m thinking of organizing a hunting expedition. Interested?”