"Definitely the boat, my friends. Speed, for one. But also I'd rather not trudge through the challenging terrain."
I'm onboard with the boat, if we can crew it.
The pact is struck. The Saltmarsh town council provides you with a keelboat and two sailors to crew it. The five of you, plus Oceanus and Bimz, set sail in the morning.
The weather cooperates. It is a pleasant day at sea. Bimz playfully explores the small boat eventually finding a perch on the mast.
From out of the sun, a flock of predatory birds steaks out of the sky and attacks the tiny dragon. The aggressive red birds all work together and it is the fifth bird that spears Bimz with its beak. That bird and Bimz falls to the deck--Bimz is dying!
1. Alisanne
2. Baghotir
3. Bloodhawks
4. Venn
5. Caelius
6. Belwick
7. Oceanus
Alisanne is up, Baghotir is on deck. One Bloodhawk is on the deck with Bimz. The other 4 are flying overhead at a range of 25 feet.
Seeing Bimz fall to the deck, she sings out calming words to the pseudodragon. She then rushes over and tries to stab the bird and scare it off.
The bird is too fast, but Bimz shakes himself awake and startles the bloodhawk off of him! He will enter Init just before the hawks.
Baghotir will buy some scale mail (50gp) to wear while on the boat. With it he'll still sink like a stone, but he'll have a couple minutes to swim back to the surface, rather than a certain drowning with his plate.
While on the water, he'll wear his scale, reducing his AC to 16.
Baghotir rushes forward to the poor dragon, drawing his warhammer as he moves. He swings on the bird hassling the dragon.
(guided strike)
He swings hard, but with little accuracy, so he summons the power of his god to ensure (he hopes!) a solid swing doesn't go wasted.
- - -
The Blood Hawk tries to fly away, dodging Alisanne's rapier but nearly goes right into Baghotir's warhammer and dies instantly. The dead hawk falls to the deck.
There are shrieks overhead and blood hawks dive towards Baghotir
, Piercing Damage.
Hawk 2:, Piercing Damage.
Hawk 3:, Piercing Damage.
Hawk 4:, Piercing Damage.
The Hawks all dive and attack Baghotir, seemingly holding a grudge. Baghotir takes 22 Piercing Damage all in all. Both Alisanne and Baghotir get Opportunity Attacks.
Baghotir takes his opportunity attack.
- - -
One of the Hawks dies by Hammer on the way back into the sky!
Alisanne stabs at a passing hawk.
Bimz flies out of the way, bobbing and weaving through the fray.
Another Bloodhawk dies! Shish-kabab style. The sailors salivate.
The Bloodhawks... ... Driven mad with bloodlust wheel about and dive to attack Caelius.
Miss
All attacks miss.
Venn is up. Opportunity Attack from Caelius as the birds swoop back up into the sky.
"Blasted!" Venn unslings his bow and takes aim.
He takes out a dagger and hurls it at a bird!
for
Venn with amazing luck and aim... Kills another blood hawk, it's twitching corpse falls to the deck. Venn is free to claim his dagger.
There is a shriek of pain and grief, and the last remaining Blood Hawk flys away. The party is victorious and each adventurer earns +20 Experience Points.
Oceanus takes a moment to, in Elven with Venn translating, tell everyone that these are Blood Hawks, aggressive, ill-tempered sea birds that hunt in packs and use their needle sharp beaks to impale prey. Like many pack hunters, they have advantage on attack rolls if allies are also in attack range of their prey.
The journey continues and the party soon lands at the familiar point along the coast where the weapon sale occurred.
As you sail close with the light of day, you see that you are close to a promontory. There is an obviously well-travelled dry track that disappears into the marsh interior.
You also see another track running up to the middle elevations of the promontory, where it disappears behind a clump of tall grasses and brightly flowering shrubs.
As you approach, one of the sailors also points out that there is a sea cave on the northeastern tip of the promontory. The boat could fit and you may be able to make landfall there.
The sailors will drop you off, but will not disembark. They intend to stay with and in the boat and wait for your return. They will stay within sight and pick you up when you're ready.
Baghotir takes a short rest to heal up a bit.
He'll then ply a spell or two to top up before they hit land.
Fully healed, and rested, he looks to the shore carefully. "Anybody see a welcoming party?"
Seeing no danger (I presume) he'll change his armor from the scale mail back to the plate now that they're going to be on land a bit. He leaves the scale in the boat rather than carry the heavy stuff!
- - -
Why don't we check out that sea cave. It might provide us a bit of cover for our approach and give the jolly a place to stay out of harm's way.
Slight Retcon... The boat cannot fit into the sea cave. The mouth of the cave is 5' high over the waterline. You could be let off there. The cave appears to be shallow enough though you cannot be sure.
Peering closer at the sea cave, Alisanne reconsiders their next course.
Maybe that track through the middle of that promontory? I think the higher elevation may suit us better.
"I like the higher elevation as well. Let us discover what there is on the turf more like our own than that of our enemies."
He thinks, slowly perhaps, but he gets there, "Maybe we can find some allies to help us in our endeavor too. I doubt evil fish creatures make for good neighbors."
"We can check out the sea cave when the tide draws back in." Caelius motions for the higher ground as well. "If anything it will be a little further away from these sea-devils."
The keelboat drops you all off at the same point you remember from the weapons sale. The sailors promise to stay local, and they take the boat off shore to fish.
The Beach quickly gives way to marshland, and a dry path through it. The path is well travelled, and following it is easier than trudging through the muck. You are making good time.
Not too far from the sea, the canopy of twisted trees fills in, blocking out much of the sun, though patches of sky here and there keep visibility reasonable.
This marsh feels haunted, even in the light of day. You can't escape the feeling that you're being watched, and as you trudge along the path you begin to feel listless and just kind of done with all of this. Despite this, the marsh continues. Endlessly.
The trees are tall and sickly looking. They seem dead but continue to grow, like they're un-dead or... Something. And the bugs! You are plagued continually by stinging and biting insects. It seems as if you can't go a step without swatting or swiping. Welcome to The Hool Marshes.
You trudge along the Dunwater River and eventually make your way to a shallow ford where you can cross. The dry path crosses here and cuts north towards the promontory. From here at the ford, you can see the line of dry path cuts straight towards the promontory and looks to end at the mouth to a large cave. The path also forks to the left on a pathway that cuts around the promontory, clockwise.
Please make Wisdom(Perception) Checks. If you want to do anything, ask anything, make any other skill checks, now is a great time.
"Blasted flying vermin! This is unbearable," Belwick voices his displeasure at the trudge through the marsh. His attention is focused more on the bugs than anything else.
Bimz, think you could fly up and get an aerial view of the area? Give me a shout if you see anything out of the ordinary?
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Venn, massive blade on shoulder, leads the party forth, expecting danger at the Dunwater....
Baghotir looks about as they muck about.
Frog People spring from the water around you, Brandishing spears and croaking evilly. Uninterested in parley, they rush to attack!
Venn! You are fastest and are unsurprised. Caelius also is apparently ready, the seasoned soldier looks unsurprised at the attack.
Alisanne, you're also ready for this, but Bimz is shocked! The surprise coming through telepathically to you.
1. Venn, Caelius, Frog People, Oceanus (surprised), Baghotir (surprised), Alisanne, Bimz (surprised), Belwick (surprised)
Venn closes in, lifting his blade on high as he goes.
, but his swing is wild
Venn engages the enemy and Caelius... ?
Caelius points to the distance. "There are several more frogfolk over there watching. and even a giant toad." Caelius readies his shield as he advances slowly to give a good show to the spectators.
HP 28/28
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Short Rest Die 3/3
Action Surge 1/1
Superiority Die (D8; Disarming Attack, Sweeping Attack, Menacing Attack): 4/4
Caelius closes and scores a hit!
The creature in melee with Caelius misses with his spear but scores a hit with the bite attack for 4 Bludgeoning Damage.
The creature in melee with Venn misses with his spear but scores a bite attack for 3 Bludgeoning Damage.
Another creature leaps and attacks Oceanus and hits with both spear and bite. 5 Piercing and 2 Bludgeoning.
Frog Men leap twice to close into attack range with both Belwick and Alisanne--both need to make moves and dash actions.
The last frog man closes with Baghotir and misses with both attacks.
Oceanus is no longer surprised; Baghotir is no longer surprised.
Alisanne is up.
Alisanne whistles a quick dance tune, each note manifesting visually in bright gold tones, swirling around her body. As they do, Alisanne becomes increasingly transparent until she disappears... and reappears thirty feet away out of the river.
Alisanne continues the same jaunty tune, this time playing her flute to carry the music.
The frog man croaks in shock as Alisanne disappears! He makes some odd gestures in front of himself, as if to ward off evil.
Bimz and Belwick are no longer surprised.
ROUND 2!
Venn
Caelius (Blessed)
Frog People
Oceanus
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
Fighting on his own outside of the Bless, Venn clenches his jaw for the duel.
With a quick phrase of ancient words whose meaning has long sense been forgotten, Venn moves like the Zephyr...
for
Venn is a Leaf of The Wind... And he scores a kill.
ROUND 2:
Venn
Caelius (Blessed)
Frog People
Oceanus
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
Venn's cut with the blade travels through the frog man's neck with enough follow through that he splash the water beyond. Before the head makes its own splash, he's around the other side with a quick word of encouragement. "Double up and let's make this quick!"
Caelius and Venn team up against the oversized frogs as he thrusts his blade at the leathery foe.
HP 24/28
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Short Rest Die 3/3
Action Surge 1/1
Superiority Die (D8; Disarming Attack, Sweeping Attack, Menacing Attack): 4/4
And Caelius scores a kill! Fee free to move, Caelius.
The Frog Men attack! Oceanus takes a bite for 3 Bludgeoning Damage.
Two Frog Men gang up on Baron Belwick. The Barron takes a Critical Bite for 6 Bludgeoning Damage, and two spear attacks for another 9 Piercing. Standing, but just.
The Frog Man fighting Baghotir misses twice!
All can hear a chorus of croaks in the distance.
Oceanus brings his trident to bear but can't find an opening.
Venn --Kill
Caelius (Blessed)--Kill
Frog People--Attempts to Croak The Party. No, I'm not sorry.
Oceanus --MISS
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
Alisanne draws her crossbow and looses a bolt at a Frogperson harassing Belwick.
Keep clear, Bimz!
Bimz heeds Alisanne and keeps to the air, flying in an erratic pattern.
Oceanus calls out
Alisanne scores a hit!
Venn--Kill
Caelius (Blessed)--Kill
Frog People--Croaking The Party
Oceanus--MISS
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)--HIT
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
Baghotir grumbles, as dwarves do, about being in the rear when all the action is in the front! Still, they're a team, and if he needs to plug the holes, then that's what he'll do.
As the frogs leap forward, they catch him by surprise as he's musing.
Once he can react, he does so quickly, drawing his warhammer and swinging on the frog who hit him. He holds off his magics and other gifts from his Lord, Silverbeard as he doesn't yet know how tough a fight this might be.
(bless)
His swing, while strong, is feeble. He looks embarrassed and mumbles a quick prayer under his breath to not suck so much...
Then a thought strikes him, "Maybe they're testing us. Try not to kill anyone."
- - -
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Belwick is unable to stop the bite, but quickly weaves a bit of protective magic to hopefully block one of the spear attacks.
"Better part of valour, and all that," he says, weaving another spell that envelopes him in silver mist before transporting him away from the immediate danger.
The baron completes a third spell, pointing a finger at one of the nearby frogmen before releasing a bolt of fire.
ROUND 3
Venn
Caelius (Blessed)
Frog People
Oceanus
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
As Per slack... Venn moves and attacks!
Rats that's a miss.
With one frogman out Caelius finds a small gap in between two of the frog people and makes a run for it as he slides his sword across one of their backs.
HP 24/28
AC 17 (+2 (19) w/ Shield)
Short Rest Die 3/3
Action Surge 1/1
Superiority Die (D8; Disarming Attack, Sweeping Attack, Menacing Attack): 4/4
Yes... You draw from Blue.
but you're armored and this isn't your first rodeo.
You score a hit on Orange, who doesn't have a lot of fight left. He takes the withdraw action and leaps over Caelius and lands in the muck 15' behind him.
MISS
MISS
Blue leaps over everyone's heads and lands next to his companions. He harasses Oceanus
MISS
MISS
MISS
MISS
Oceanus's defense doesn't falter, and he stabs out with his Trident. BUT... Not to wound. He launches into an aggressive series of strikes designed to keep the foes off balance.
ROUND 3 Continued
Venn MISS
Caelius (Blessed) HIT
Frog People --No, a MYTH! MYTH! MYTH! "Yes?"
Oceanus -- HELP VENN ATTACK BLUE
Baghotir (Blessed)
Alisanne (Concentrating on Bless)
Bimz
Belwick (Blessed)
Belwick repeats the gestures and intonations for his last spell, once more hurling a bolt of fire at a frogman!