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SKULL & SHACKLES Chapter 0: MURDER aboard the THROATY MERMAID
Our story so far:
Innocent passengers aboard a ship bound for the tropical port of Sargova, they are caught up in a murder of a high ranking ambassador and had to search the ship for clues. Ambushed by mutineers, they save the ship and have a drunken feast in celebration…
PART 1: SHIPWRECKED ON THE SHIV
Slowly, sluggishly, you swim to consciousness.
You are prone on a soft bed of sand. Grit is between your teeth and your mouth is dry and foul. A warm breeze caresses your back, the sound of surf washing ashore is not far away, and you realize you are shirtless.
Suddenly, an agonizing pain shoots through your leg. Starting up with a scream, you look around and you see yourself and other of the passengers of the Throaty Mermaid strewn about a sandy beach, a couple of piles of luggage of what you think is your stuff, and a large number of creatures that surround you.
They are small crustaceans; armored, with multi legs, claws and what looks like a scorpions stinger. One just bit a chunk out of your leg.
And, of course, you have no weapons.
Round 1______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Your characters current status is SICKENED (Basically a -2 on everything you do).
Shaedeen manages to push herself part-ways up off the sand, looking every bit the pissed-off Kitty after an unwanted bath. When she notices she's shirtless, the girl tries hard to remember the previous night:
The danger drives her to action. Hopping to her feet, Shae scrambles to the equipment pile, only halfheartedly trying to hide her modest bosom.
PART 1: SHIPWRECKED ON THE SHIV
Slowly, sluggishly, you swim to consciousness.
You are prone on a soft bed of sand. Grit is between your teeth and your mouth is dry and foul. A warm breeze caresses your back, the sound of surf washing ashore is not far away, and you realize you are shirtless.Suddenly, an agonizing pain shoots through your leg. Starting up with a scream, you look around and you see yourself and other of the passengers of the Throaty Mermaid strewn about a sandy beach, a couple of piles of luggage of what you think is your stuff, and a large number of creatures that surround you.
They are small crustaceans; armored, with multi legs, claws and what looks like a scorpions stinger. One just bit a chunk out of your leg.
And, of course, you have no weapons.
"OWIE!" Sunny exclaims as the local wildlife takes a sample of her tanned self.
"Quit IT!" She slaps away at the offending pinchy appendage.
'Damnable bottom feeder!' Thurden shouts, kicking his leg to remove the offending creature. The dwarf hustles to his feet and rushes toward one of the more stable looking luggage piles.
Wakening from the sounds of his complaining mates, Reijo spits out a wet mix of sand, seaweed, and saliva. Grumbling and grimacing (well, more than usual) at the disgusting taste in his mouth, he slowly opens his eyes. Wondering where his shirt and armor went, he flexes his lean muscular build while turning onto his side. He begins to take in the bright beach scene...
"SON OV'A...!"
Immediately the salty sailor jumps to his wobbly feet on being bitten. His heel lands hard on the stinging crab-like creature, crushing it underfoot.
Round 1 complete______________
Shaedeen manages to push herself part-ways up off the sand, looking every bit the pissed-off Kitty after an unwanted bath.
Hopping to her feet, Shae scrambles to the equipment pile, only halfheartedly trying to hide her modest bosom.
"OWIE!" Sunny exclaims as the local wildlife takes a sample of her tanned self.
"Quit IT!" She slaps away at the offending pinchy appendage. [ooc]But her slaps are ineffective against the hard shelled critter.
'Damnable bottom feeder!' Thurden shouts, kicking his leg to remove the offending creature. The dwarf hustles to his feet and rushes toward one of the more stable looking luggage piles.
If he can, Thurden will attempt to climb up to get away from pinching claws.
[ooc]As he moves, he attracts attacks from the Euripterids around him.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
Wakening from the sounds of his complaining mates, Reijo spits out a wet mix of sand, seaweed, and saliva. Wondering where his shirt and armor went, he flexes his lean muscular build while turning onto his side.
Immediately the salty sailor jumps to his wobbly feet on being bitten.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
His heel lands hard on the stinging crab-like creature, crushing it underfoot.
Attracted by the motion, several follow Shaedeen up to the pile of luggage to attack.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
Three of the four around Reijo attack him, while the last one tries to dig itself out of the sand.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible extra crit damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
The four that were around Thurden follow him up to the base of the luggage, then start climbing up to him.
Round 2______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Now that you are in combat, at the top of your round make a Fort save DC13 to burn off the Sickened condition.
The Luggage pile has everyone's armor and weapons, as well as others not familiar to you. You can grab a weapon as a free action when you move next to it.
You can also pick up an improvised weapon anywhere on the beach, in the form of a random piece of driftwood, a heavy glass float, a big conch shell, etc.
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Kitty lives up to the nickname Reijo gave her, looking every bit like a cat playing with a nest of vipers. The lithe young lady dodges almost a dozen attacks, only getting grazed by one when she first makes her sprint to the equipment pile. She grabs a rapier to better defend herself.
Seeing four of the things hunting her personally--and many more up and down the beach--the teen comes to the conclusion she might need rescuing. Snatching a cutlass from the pile and yelling, "Head's up!" she tosses the weapon Reijo's way. Taking a careful step away from the swarming sea creatures, Shaedeen aims a quick stab at the nearest one to the south.
for
Still feeling woozy, Thurden aims an icicle at the closest encroaching crustacean before scooping up a conveniently placed scythe. Seeing his high ground offering him less protection than he'd hoped, he hops down off the far side.
A veritable profusion of cuss words fume forth from Reijo's mouth as the euripterids claw and chunk away at his bare flesh. The shirtless tempest growls like a mad sea dog, rage boiling his blood. The anger burning away all grogginess, he hammers with two clenched fists at the same creature into the sand, as if attempting to send it straight to Tian Xia.
Wobbling to her tanned feet Sunny bleerily looks about the sceen.
"Here... who done let tha' dinner come ta' us?" She wonders out loud, deftly skipping away deeper into the surf.
Seeing that there's more than enough of the weird crabs for every one she shakes her blond mop to try and clear her thoughts, even as she bends and simply begins to spash water at the nearest crab-thing.
"GO-WAN! SHOO!" She yells at the scittering critters.
"Here! I dun't think them types a crabs can be swimmin'!" Sunny calls, giving people an idea of where they should be heading to get clear of the nipping pincers.
"Get in'a water away from they's nippers!"
Round 2 completed______________
Shaedeen dodges almost a dozen attacks, then grabs a rapier to better defend herself.
Snatching a cutlass from the pile and yelling, "Head's up!" she tosses the weapon Reijo's way.
Taking a careful step away from the swarming sea creatures, Shaedeen aims a quick stab at the nearest one to the south.
Still feeling woozy, Thurden aims an icicle at the closest encroaching crustacean before scooping up a conveniently placed scythe. Seeing his high ground offering him less protection than he'd hoped, he hops down off the far side.
The anger burning away all grogginess, he hammers with two clenched fists at the same creature into the sand, as if attempting to send it straight to Tian Xia.
Seeing that there's more than enough of the weird crabs for every one she shakes her blond mop to try and clear her thoughts, even as she bends and simply begins to spash water at the nearest crab-thing.
"GO-WAN! SHOO!" She yells at the scittering critters.
"Here! I dun't think them types a crabs can be swimmin'!" Sunny calls, giving people an idea of where they should be heading to get clear of the nipping pincers.
"Get in'a water away from they's nippers!"
The shellbacks trailing Shaedeen start climbing the pile of luggage, but she has the high ground now.
Two shellbacks get after Reijo.
for a possible damage.
for a possible extra damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
One shellback gets after Sunny; she is correct as they don’t seem able to swim, but they can scuttle along the bottom quite well.
The four shellbacks follow him around the luggage to attack Thurden.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible extra damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
Round 3______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Your characters current status is SICKENED (Basically a -2 on everything you do).
Now that you are in combat, at the top of your round make a Fort save DC13 to burn off the Sickened condition.
The Luggage pile has everyone's armor and weapons, as well as others not familiar to you. You can grab a weapon as a free action when you move next to it.
You can also pick up an improvised weapon anywhere on the beach, in the form of a random piece of driftwood, a heavy glass float, a big conch shell, a coconut etc.
Sunny moves into deeper waters, hoping that she being able to swim 'above' the critter helps against it some what.
Thurden, worn down by the onslaught of pincers, begins a staggering retreat.
Still sick and disoriented, Shaedeen tries to stab at the nearest attacker.
for
His flesh ripped from the onslaught, angry Reijo spots a sleeping crew member nearby.
"HEY WHAZZYERNAME!! WAKE THE BLOODY M*^%#^$^(&!#G HELL UP!!!"
Kicking sand at him for more emphasis, he carefully steps up to another crustacean. He then pummels it into a crabby patty.
Sunny deftly swims over the scuttling critter and races back towards the beach and the pair of pincer weilding menaces menacing some of her fellow crewmates.
Round 3 complete ______________
Thurden, worn down by the onslaught of pincers, begins a staggering retreat.
at 0 HP, hopefully none of them hit their AoO's...
Still sick and disoriented, Shaedeen tries to stab at the nearest attacker.
His flesh ripped from the onslaught, angry Reijo spots a sleeping crew member nearby.
"HEY WHAZZYERNAME!! WAKE THE BLOODY M*^%#^$^(&!#G HELL UP!!!"
Kicking sand at him for more emphasis, he carefully steps up to another crustacean. He then pummels it into a crabby patty.
Sunny deftly swims over the scuttling critter and races back towards the beach and the pair of pincer weilding menaces menacing some of her fellow crewmates.
Waking at the sound of the fight, and the nips of the pincers, Gelik awoke with a cry.
Swinging the creature around where it grasped his hand, he scrambled to his feet and used one Euripterid to club another. One went down, but the other still had a hold of his hand.
The fellow you never saw before also awoke with a cry. Rolling to his knees, you see him bring the heavy manacles he was shackled with down on another Euriptid, crushing it like a bug.
Yhendorn awoke, and promptly rolled to his feet. He turned around and around, not knowing what was going on.
The unknown woman near Sunny also awoke, jumping to her feet like a cat.
The raggedy warrior, Ishirou also woke with a cry. Siezing the arm of the Euripterid that clawed him, he tore it out of its socket and stabbed the creature through its own shell.
Sasha abruptly rolled to her feet and used her own high heeled boot to crush another one.
A dog charged out of the tree line and started to bite and harry one that had been nipping at No-eyes.
No-eyes wobbled to his feet, chuckling. ”Got ye now shellback!”
One Euripterid nipped at Gelik.
for a possible damage.
One Euripterid scuttled over to attack the shackled man.
for a possible damage.
One Euripterid scuttled over to attack Reijo.
for a possible damage.
Two Euripterids climbed up to attack Shaedeen.
for a possible damage.
for a possible damage.
The two Euripterids in the tidal pool get into a fight with an Octopus.
One Euripterid attacks Ishirou.
for a possible damage.
One Euripterid attacks the dog.
for a possible damage.
Four Euripterid’s follow Thurden to the tree line, but can’t catch him.
Round 4______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
The Luggage pile has everyone's armor and weapons, as well as others not familiar to you. You can grab a weapon as a free action when you move next to it.
You can also pick up an improvised weapon anywhere on the beach, in the form of a random piece of driftwood, a heavy glass float, a big conch shell, a coconut etc.
Seeing her plan's outcome Sunny bounces with glee. Spinning about she glomp-hugz first Yhendorn and then the other lass.
"Did ya see that? They all went 'Plop' down in'a waters!" (^_^) Sunny exhuberantly waves a tanned arm at the hole down which the crabby things went.
She looks about at the state of play regarding every one else on the beach.
"Uhm.... Which way should we go?" She asks, absently scratching at her blond mop. Then she notices her freind Sasha still battling one of the bug-ers.
"Hey now. None a that!" And she races over to help.
Thurden continues to stagger through the foliage.
Shaedeen continues to stab down at the creepy critters from atop the northern luggage pile. To Reijo she yells, "Why don't you use the cutlass I tossed you? Especially after I didn't hit you with its sharp end!"
for
"'BOUT BLOODY TIME YE'S ALL GOTS UP ON YER ARSES!" he hollars at the waking crew.
Reijo stares intensely at Shaedeen. Looking back to where he was, he indeed sees the cutlass, standing upright in the sand. This only seems to make him angrier...
"I DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' CUTLASS, 'AT'S BLOODY WHY!" he fumes aloud.
With a mad look in his eyes, he closes in on another euripterid. Grabbing it swiftly from behind, he lifts it up over his head. A loud crackle reverberates across the beach as he body slams it right into a nearby driftwood trunk.
"We'll be feastin' on crab legs fer the next bloody three months! Haha!" he announces in a madly jovial tone.
"Ain't that right, Blindey an' Waterwerks?!" he looks around, "Where'd Waterwerks go?!"
Round 4 completed______________
Sunny bounces with glee. Spinning about she glomp-hugz first Yhendorn and then the other lass.
She looks about at the state of play regarding every one else on the beach.
"Uhm.... Which way should we go?" She asks, absently scratching at her blond mop. Then she notices her freind Sasha still battling one of the bug-ers.
"Hey now. None a that!" And she races over to help.
Thurden continues to stagger through the foliage.
Shaedeen continues to stab down at the creepy critters from atop the northern luggage pile. To Reijo she yells, "Why don't you use the cutlass I tossed you? Especially after I didn't hit you with its sharp end!"
"'BOUT BLOODY TIME YE'S ALL GOTS UP ON YER ARSES!" Reijo hollars at the waking crew.
Looking back to where he was, he indeed sees the cutlass, standing upright in the sand. This only seems to make him angrier...
"I DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' CUTLASS, 'AT'S BLOODY WHY!" he fumes aloud.
With a mad look in his eyes, he closes in on another euripterid. Grabbing it swiftly from behind, he lifts it up over his head. A loud crackle reverberates across the beach as he body slams it right into a nearby driftwood trunk.
Gelik tried to get a handle on his Euripterid, but it was slinging him around too much for him to get his legs planted.
The shackled man swung on his opponent and missed.
Yhendorn just looked around after being glomped by Sunny.
The unknown woman just kept saying “Just stay away from me!” and backing up towards the surf.
Ishirou took note of the womans shout. He shouted out ”Lady Aerys! Wait!” and tried to break away from his opponent, but he was too closely engaged.
Sasha took a glance at the situation and shouted over at No-Eyes; ”We better rescue short stuff!” before running up to the luggage and grabbing somebody’s rapier.
No-eyes shouted ”Rightly so! Sic ‘em boy!” and clapped his hands. Another dog came out of the tree line and tangled with one of the crustaceans chasing after Thurden.
Three Euripterids kept after Thurden, even entering the tree line, which slowed them down a bit.
One nipped at dog 1 and missed.
Another nipped at dog 2 and hit, making it yelp.
One nipped at Ishirou and missed wide.
One nipped at the shackled man and missed.
The one grappling Gelik missed doing damage as it rolled around in the sand with him.
One climbed up onto the luggage and attacked Shaedeen.
for a possible damage.
Round 5______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
All SICKEND conditions have worn off now.
The Luggage pile has everyone's armor and weapons, as well as others not familiar to you. You can grab a weapon as a free action when you move next to it.
You can also pick up an improvised weapon anywhere on the beach, in the form of a random piece of driftwood, a heavy glass float, a big conch shell, a coconut etc.
Shaedeen tries to cut down the last eurypterid threatening her, but the equipment pile suddenly buckles underfoot, and her stab is both weak and wild. Seeing the gnome Gelik in danger to her northwest, she looks around the pile for a weapon sized appropriately for the small fellow.
for
Sunny wants to rush voer and help the doggy being nipped at but she's right here right now with the fellow and his critter.
*Smack*
Not wanting to get too turned around Thurden changes directions to follow the shore.
Contradicting what he just yelled at Shae a moment ago, Reijo swipes up his cutlass. He moves to encircle and flank the remaining creature attacking the teen. With a mighty overhead swipe, his blade smoothly cleaves right through its chitinous armor. The euripterid blinks one last time before its symmetrically cut body halves fall in opposite directions.
Overhearing the commotion about Gelik's struggle, his gaze meets the gnome. He turns like a mad dog baring its teeth, ready to charge its next prey.
Round 5 complete______________
Shaedeen tries to cut down the last eurypterid threatening her, but the equipment pile suddenly buckles underfoot, and her stab is both weak and wild.
Sunny wants to rush voer and help the doggy being nipped at but she's right here right now with the fellow and his critter.
Not wanting to get too turned around Thurden changes directions to follow the shore.
Contradicting what he just yelled at Shae a moment ago, Reijo swipes up his cutlass. He moves to encircle and flank the remaining creature attacking the teen.
Overhearing the commotion about Gelik's struggle, his gaze meets the gnome. He turns like a mad dog baring its teeth, ready to charge its next prey.
Desparate, Gelik reached out and grabbed the cutlass Shaedeen threw. He hacked at the Euripterid but only glanced off its shell.
The shackled man finally crushed his crustacean.
Even flanking with Sunny, Ishirou was having problems with his critter.
Sasha, having grabbed someones cutlass, rolled forward and neatly skewered a Euripterid.
No-Eyes first dog bit at one, but missed and then puffed out of existence.
His other dog flipped his Euripterid and tore its guts out.
No-eyes grabbed up a broken oar and chased after the Euripterids trying to run down Thurden.
Geliks Euripterid knocked Gelik down and bit into him hard.
Ishirous crustacean turned on Sunner and nipped her hard for 1 damage.
Another Euripterid came over and also nipped Sunny for 3 damage.
Two crustaceans caught up to Thurden, but missed the attacks.
Round 6______________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
The Luggage pile has everyone's armor and weapons, as well as others not familiar to you. You can grab a weapon as a free action when you move next to it.
You can also pick up an improvised weapon anywhere on the beach, in the form of a random piece of driftwood, a heavy glass float, a big conch shell, a coconut etc.
Sunny exclaims as the critter's claws take a piece out of her. She skips aside so as to not give the critter any more advantage than she has to, while still trying to finish the one attacking the fellow so that they can turn ther attention to the nippy one.
*Bop!
Shaedeen thanks Reijo for gallantly rescuing her...before remembering what a scalawag he is and covering her bare chest with one arm.
"I think I can help the gnome finish off the one to the north. Why don't you help Sunny? I thought I heard Thurden earlier, but now there's no sign of him!"
WIth that, the girl hops gracefully off the equipment pile, moves to the eurypterid threatening Gelik, and stabs at its ugly face.
for
The chase through the underbrush continues.
With a last frenzied effort, the last of the euripterids are smashed, eaten or driven off.
This leaves eleven half nekkid castaways on an unknown beach looking at each other under the warm rays of a rapidly rising sun. It promises to be a hot day. The sound of surf hitting the beach and the cries of the avians in the jungle behind you add to the alienness of the situation.
Sunny looks about.
"Here? Where's Thurden at?"
"Is every one all okeys?" She asks, even as she gently examines her tanned but nipped at self.
Before bouncing over and beginning to offer the shaking of hands to peoples she hasn't met yet and offering hugs to the people she has. (^_^)
The dark skinned man looked at his shackles disconsolately.
"Well met fellow passengers." He said ironically.
He looked around.
"Has anyone seen my jailor?" He asked curiously. "Handsome fellow. Uniformed. Drunk all the time?"
The dark skinned man looked at his shackles disconsolately.
"Well met fellow passengers." He said ironically.
He looked around.
"Has anyone seen my jailor?" He asked curiously. "Handsome fellow. Uniformed. Drunk all the time?"
As the metal and chains clink on the fellow's limbs register Sunny drops her offered hand of freindship. She leans closer and peers at the shackles.
"Hmmm... Maybe we can be workin' them thingys off,..." Sunny ponders...
Following a crashing and thrashing of foliage, Thruden deposits himself in the sand at the edge of the beach. 'I need my pack...' He croaks to anyone who will listen.
Shaedeen ignores everyone else until she's again fully dressed, armed, armored, and otherwise equipped.
The moody teen glances at the man in shackles appraisingly. "Who are you?" she demands. More to the point, she adds, "And why are you in shackles?"
Not really being able to do anythig to help the fellow in the shackles and with Shaedeen seeming to understand such people things better than her Elven self Sunny bounces off and starts trying to help other folks.
(^_^)
Reijo dives his cutlass into the sand and takes a breather for a moment as he begins to calm down. Though he looks quite bloodied and battered, he manages to continue standing, somehow.
Looking all around and at every half-nekkid castaway with a suspicious glare, he overhears the Mwangi man ask a bout a handsome, uniformed, drunken fellow. "Sounds like meself, except fer the uniform. In fact," He gestures around to everyone, "Ain't nobody in a uniform at the moment..."
He begins to spot and gather his own gear, taking slow strides, and wincing here and there.
When Thurden's croaking gets his attention, "Relax, Waterwerks. No need ta be boilin' up all'o these fine crab legs right aways..." Spotting the dwarf's pack, he tosses it to him anyway, wincing as he tosses.
His axe, dagger, and cutlass now belted, he grabs his new mail shirt and places it over a forearm for now. He spots the familiar sights of shirtless Sasha and also Bellamy. Catching her lovely gaze, he smirks at Sasha and waves her to come over to him.
"Huh." Reijo questions aloud as he picks up his pipe and lights it up. "The first question I be askin' meself ain't, 'what happened' or 'why's this mate shackled'? Our ship went down. An' we be castaways, of course. An' shackled or nay, ye's a castaway either way just like all of us."
With a smokey exhale, "The question I be wonderin' most is: 'who in the bloody hells took off all our shirts while we be sleepin'?"
*Giggles* (^_^)