"Sure! I'll beat you there, or my name's not Meliandri Chastain Lillifeet!"
= = = = =
On the deck, Melli scowls. "Yeah, I've got a question. If Veronica's going to be leading, how does that work for our race?" She winks, laughs at her own joke, then shakes her head in the negative. "No, it's clear. Let's get to it. I've got fight in my blood!"
Tempest sneers at the comment about her "spark," but refrains from snapping back long enough for Krine to move on. Results speak louder than words.
Still, there is talk of competition, and that she can not pass up, "A race, is it? And what if you both get left in my dust?"
Brother MacLaren will also grab his armor and take the time to don it.
"You'll get no competition from me in a race. I will try to Bless us all before the fighting starts and I'll make it over as best as I can."
1=Ellie, 2=Jasper, 3=Melli, 4=Tempest, 5=Veronica
Veronica Veronica
With the + 2 cover Veronica's has AC 17, hit, - 4 HP Since veronica's earlier post said she did have shield activated I'm going to place her AC @ 19 + 2 for cover, would that be correct?
1=Ellie, 2=Jasper, 3=Melli, 4=Tempest, 5=Veronica
Tempest, Ellie, Melli
With the + 2 cover, all miss
Smirking when Veronica commented that everyone could 'handle themselves in a fight' Krine turned to Melli expecting a legitimate question. When the haflfing asked her frivolous question, the Master Gunner, turned and began to walk away, "Fine you blasted lubbers will succeed or fail, no sweat off my back. I've got other business to bloody well attend to."
As the ships draw near, the crew can see the sharks swimming in the water drawn by the blood of the pigs ‘Fishguts’ and Jasper had thrown overboard. Hearing Riaris Krine yelling loud and vulgar at the crews manning the ballista, as the ships begin to fire at each other. Ballista bolts and crossbow quarrels streak from ship to ship, the occasional arrow passing overhead as well. Peppery Longfarthing can be seen on the Foredeck beside Harrigan waving her arms, apparently calling the fog. As the ships near, projectiles fly towards the towards the 'Wormwood'. An errant crossbow quarrel flies towards Veronica, ricocheting off her shield at the last moment. Other quarrels fly towards Tempest, Ellie and Melli some closer to their marks, some further away, but none striking.
True to Krines word, a thick fog begins to settle in, the shadow of the merchant ship drawing near. The shapes of bitter Rahadoumi sailors, willing to sell their lives cheap defending the ship. As the fog closes in around them, our five intrepid sailors can hear the yells and curses of the pirates mixing with those of the Rahadoumi sailors the sounds of grappling hooks landing on wood, the sound of planks falling across the gunwales and the occasional splash in the water as someone or something missed its mark.
The AP says that the pirates begin hurling grapples and lowering planks to board the 'Man’s Promise'. Sadly, it doesn't appear that the aft of the boats are near enough for our heroes to use planks. The AP lists that the hero's may climb or jump across to the other ship. I would like to add 'swing' to this as well. Jump is five or ten feet depending on launch point, acrobatics roll of 5 or 10 respectively, fail you end up in the water.
If you are going to climb or swing, you must first throw the grapple Throwing a grappling hook requires a ranged attack roll, treating the hook as a thrown weapon with a range increment of 10 feet. The 'Man's Promise' rail or rigging is AC 5. To 'climb over we will follow the same rules as from the 'Boarding School' the rail is ten foot away, so the AC is 5, [i]Once the hook is set the PC must tie off the rope as a move action then shimmy along the rope, requiring DC 15 Climb checks. As an aside, the rules say climbing a regular/unknotted rope is DC 15, they also say climbing a knotted rope is DC 5. I believe it would be ok if a savvy sailor took a couple of rounds to knot the first ten foot of a rope, that would give them the opportunity to use the 'knotted' rope climb check of DC 5. Just a thought.
The final option will be swing the rigging is 30 ft up I'm assuming your throwing from the rail, so the AC is 5 with a -4 to the attack. The rope should not be tied off, so a move action to 'swing' across. An acrobatics check or strength check of 10, fail by - 4 you end back up where you started. Fail by -5 or more you end up in the water.
The reason I've added the 'swing;' if you jump or climb, you end up at the rail. I guess it is possible to attempt to jump from the ‘Wormwoods’ rail past the other rail, obviously that would be added to the distance of the gap. If you swing, I will allow you to 'land' an equal distance from their rail as you were from the 'Wormwoods's' rail when you threw the grapple. The original math is if you throw from against the ‘Wormwoods’ rail your momentum will carry you to the rail. If you throw from off the rail 5 ft (35 ft throw) the attack is -5, 10 ft (40 ft throw) -6, 15 ft (45 ft throw) -7, 20 ft ( 50 ft throw) - 8. Does that make sense?
Remember when you land on the 'Man's Promise' you will be flat footed.
As the ships are closing, Brother MacLaren will first cast Longstrider on himself. That gives him a base speed of 50', or 40' in armor, so a +4 for making the Acrobatics checks to jump.
He then casts Bless, including not only the party but also any of the crew within range.
And just because the opponents are Rahadoumi, he will ham it up a bit.
"GREAT AND HOLY CAYDEN CAILEAN, LET US SMITE THESE HEATHEN INFIDEL UNBELIEVERS WITH HOLY POWER AND STABBY SWORDS AND THEN HAVE DRINKS AFTERWARDS!
WOE UPON YOU, UNBELIEVERS! YOUR TIME IS NIGH!
LAST-MINUTE CONVERSIONS ARE WELCOME!"
He has his rapier and tankard in hand, and his tankard is full of ale.
When it does come time to cross, he will make a running leap if he can. That would be Acrobatics at +2 (the +4 from speed canceling out the -4 from armor), against a DC of 5.
Avg 9.8
Rahadoumi Sailors
avg 8.6
Hearing the overly loud prayer of the Caydenite, the Sailors watch as Mac launches himself over the rail onto their ship. Growling and pointing, "Get that Zealot!"
As the ships close, Ellie casts a spell over her ammunition pouch. This thing takes much too long to load. But no sense wasting bullets if I don't need to. Then she loads her pistol with a lead ball that instantly replaces itself. Feeling confident, she stows the weapon again and grabs a grappling hook. "ATTACK!"
Melli stands atop the Wormwood's deck, rapier in hand. She doesn't really have much to do until it's time to throw herself across, but when she does, she makes her jump aim for as close to the enemy ship's wheel as possible. She lands, blade out, next to one of the Rahadoumi sailors, on the stairs.
If purple swings and misses, I'm stepping into his space and giving him a -4 on attacks against people who aren't me using Underfoot Assault. If he tries to leave that space, or if he leaves my threatened area, here's me AoO.
As the ships get closer, Veronica starts preparing to board the enemy ship. She starts off with a simple protective spell and the air seems to briefly shimmer in front of her - just in time for a crossbow bolt to deflect on the magical invisible shield.
She ponders her boarding options and decides that swinging across is her best bet in getting to the action as quickly as possible.
As she lands on the other ship's deck, she quickly focus some magical energy on her handwraps, in case the enemies close in before she manages to draw her cutlass.
The Rahadoumi's eyes widen as the wild half elf swings across on her rope, dropping in their midst.
While Melli uses the distraction to spring across the gunwale, the nearest sailor growling, "I got you now, girly."
Not to be out done, Veronica also tosses her grappling hook into the rigging, and drops in beside the fierce halfling. The sailor standing on the aft deck looking less confident.
As the ships close, the wind around Tempest seems to build, swirling her hair and clothing upwards. Flashes of light start to appear in her hair, as lightning within storm clouds.
Starting in the back of the pack leaves Tempest unable to jump across until the others are already there. Still, she takes aim at hte narrower part of the gap and launches herself over.
Once landed, electricity arcs off of her skin as she brings her hands together, focusing a mass of lightning between them before allowing it to lash out at the sailor that Melli and Veronica are working on.
As the pirates swing from the rigging and jump over the gunwale, Tempest is the last to join the rag tag group, but the first to draw blood as she blasts the nearest sailor, who's attention shifts momentarily from Veonica to the sylph.
The Rahadoumi sailors do their jobs and defend the merchant ship. The wounded sailor growls at Melli, "Don't you go no where girly, I'm comin' for you next." Dropping his crossbow he draws the short sword and slashes at Veronica.
As the nearest sailor on the Stern castle also drops his crossbow and moves to fill the gap at the top of the stairs to prevent the pirates from moving further on the helm. Smiling a gapped tooth smile at Melli, he slashes at the halfling.
Being well trained, the sailors on the sterncastle lift their crossbows each calling a target and firing. Targeting the pirates in the rear then dropping their crossbows and moving down the steps drawing swords to support their fellow crew members.
The sailor on the far side of the aft deck, wanting to provide a flank for the pressed sailors on the stairs, moves down the far stairs drawing his shortsword and attacks Mac.
Tempest looks to her left, smirking as the sailors move to flank. She steps back, past Ellie, and into the fog. Walking purposefully, if not swiftly, she intones as she goes.
"Doom-ed sailors, knowing not
How their path, to ruin wrought
Too late they know, their death is near
No time to run..."
"THE VOICE IS HERE."
As she finishes the rhyme, she steps out of the fog, unleashing a coruscating blast of colors over the three sailors moving to flank.
[ooc]Casting Color Spray. DC 16 Will save or:
2 HD or less: and then
3 or 4 HD: and then
5 or more HD: stunned 1 round
Too close-quarters to use her pistol effectively, Ellie pulls her rapier from her belt and hoists it into the air. "For the Wormwood!" she shouts, weaving her magic into her words like she had so effectively in the bilges. As she does so, her allies' hands and weapons glow faintly with a blue light.
Melli finds herself stabbed and glares at the offending sailor and the crowd on the stairs. "Now this is a fight!" She stabs at purple, looking to make a gap in the blockade atop the stairs.
As Tempest works her way through the fog, she calls out of the fog in a sing-song rhyme. The three Rahadoumi sailors see a colorful burst of colors, then see no more as they drop to the deck unconscious.
Ellie inspires her companions, the blue glow aiding Melli as she stabs the Sailor who'd tried to take her gold. Bleeding he puts his hand over the wound, staggering in disbelief.
Brother MacLaren steps next to Veronica and attacks the only Rahadoumi he can reach - the one bleeding heavily.
"Have at you!"
He stabs with his sword.
"And have some more!"
He smashes the tankard into the sailor's face.
Thrusting his rapier through the guard rail, Maclaren runs his weapon into the man's groin up through his chest cavity. As the Disabled man drops to the ground dead, Maclaren, much to the dismay of the other Rahadoumi sailors, smashes the deadman's face with his copper cup.
Quickly stepping forward where the now dead sailor just stood, Veronica delivers a swift punch to the sailor in front of Melli . While she does so, she tries to cast a spell and weave it into a second punch, inspired by Ellie's account of her fight with the snake some days ago and how she managed to imbue her strikes with raw magical energy.
While in theory it sounded simple enough, she was too focused on getting the spell off and less so on the punch delivering it, and it misses by a wide margin.
Over the din of the battle you hear the Rahadoumi sailor audibly moan as he sees his comrades in arms fall under the sing-song voice hidden in the mist. Making matters worse, Veronica punches him in the face, ringing his bell. Clearly concussed, he then looks towards Melli, somehow blaming her for all the world's problems. "This is your fault!" Trusting his fellow sailor to cover his back he thrusts the shortsword at the short halfling.
"You killed Ralphie and smashed his face!" Declaring the other Sailor, his voice a high pitched squeal, (we assume from the adrenaline) thrusting his short sword at Veronica who had stepped over his dead friend.
As the fog clears, the sites of the combat join the sounds, a Rahadoumi sailor wrestling with a pirate, both falling overboard, as they scream knowing there are sharks in the bloody water. The image of Riaris Krine screaming 'Fire' as chain-shot from the ballista rips through the merchant ships rigging. Moving across the deck, towards the cabin below the aft deck, Captain Harrigan, His boatswain's-Mate Patch Patchsalt and the Surgeon Habby Quarne moving quickly after him.
Unsurprisingly, everyone but Melli, who seems to be distracted by the accusation, sees the lone Rahadoumi Sailor, shortsword raised, rushing towards the exposed back side of the captain.
As the blue sailor's swing misses, Melli laughs, then immediately steps inside of his reach. In fact, when she's done stepping in, she's practically on his toes! "It's all your fault, being right here right now!"
After stepping under the Rahadoumi, Melli stabs at his comrade, green, trying to catch him in the hip or stomach!
"Captain! Behind you!"
Tempest instinctively attempts to warn Harrigan before the sailor attacks, almost by accident. Additionally, she finds her arm snapping to extension towards the sailor, unleashing another blast of lightning at him.
Snapping back to her assigned battle, she steps over one of the fallen, drawing her dagger as she does.
"Ralphie's not the only one who's gonna get his face smashed today" Veronica grins as she aims a punch at her attacker , but gets distracted by Tempest's warning towards Harrigan.
With no spells that can reach that far, she instead focus on securing the wheel as ordered as fast as possible, so the team is free to help if needed.
Melli's retort to the Rahadoumi sailor, almost confuses him as much as her getting into his personal space. He expects her to stab him with her shiny little blade, but instead she thrusts it into his comrade in arms.
Realizing the Captain was in danger, Tempest calls out, the big man makes eye contact with the sylph giving a wolfish smiles as she sends a bolt of lightning into the fellows chest.
The Captain, not being the only one to hear Tempest call out; Veronica, distracted trying to figure out how to aid the captain, misses her pugilistic combinations aimed at the sailor who was already distracted by Melli's rapier.
"I'm on it, Captain."
MacLaren walks up to the man who had been trying to backstab the Captain and lunges with his rapier.
There's a lot power behind his strike, but perhaps not much accuracy.
Ellie rushes to the helm of the enemy ship, knowing if they can take that and hold it the battle is half-over. Seeing two of her allies still locked in combat, she draws her pistol and fires. "ATTACK!" she shouts, feeling a bit foolish but needing to say something.
BOOM! Even through the din of battle, Ellie's pistol reverberates throughout the deck.
The captain, nods at Tempest, then turns to Mac, watching as the cleric stabs at the sailor with his rapier, telling Mac, "He's all yours then."
Ellie moves through the chaos up the far steps, drawing her pistol as she encourages her fellow crewmembers. Drawing a bead on the Sailor she drops him where he stands.
The captain and his officers continue on their way, leaving the Rahadoumi sailor snarling at Mac. The sailolr he lifts his shortsword and thrusts it at the caydenite, but slices only air. While the lone standing sailor on the upper deck slashes at Melli trying to get her from under foot, but only manages to stumble.
As Captain Harington and his officers run into the cabin below them, our intrepid hero's realize they have almost accomplished the first part of their assignment as the chaos of war continues around them.
With only the one man left between her and the ship's wheel, Melli wastes no time in stabbing away at him. "Give us the ship! It'll be easier for all of us!" Unfortunately, her rapier thrust is knocked off-line by the two ships careening together for a moment, going well-wide of the man.
Tempest shrugs and kneels down next to the men she blasted earlier. Taking her dagger to the first one's throat, she gouges it open, "Find peace in the Boneyard, that you were denied here."
Less efficient than talons, but what can you do?
She points at the other one on the deck, away from her, "Can someone take care of him before he wakes up? I won't be able to get him in time."
Hearing Melli tell them to 'give up the ship' The Rahadoumi sailor's eyes widen as he watches Temptest free his fellow sailor from both his mortal coil and the threat of being pressganged.
Dodging the small rapier, he nervously responds, pointing with his free hand. "Why? So, you can slit my throat like Antony?"
Brother MacLaren continues his duel.
He delivers a solid blow with rapier, then tries to follow up with a tankard to the side of the head.
"I can't promise you'll be spared if you surrender. Not my call to make, but it's your best chance."
Ellie sheaths her pistol-- it would take too long to reload and she'd need a free hand for it anyway-- and looks at the unconscious man at her feet. "He's a good sailor. Surely we can use him instead of just slitting his throat?" Surely he would choose life as a pirate over death? At least, she hopes so.
Tempest shrugs, "If you want to tie him up, then go ahead. I find this easier."
"Can't speak for the captain or the rest of the crew, but as my friend said, we could use good sailors on our side. Might want to think it over. When you wake up."
Taking advantage of Melli's distraction, Veronica delivers another swift punch to the sailor, and tries yet again to follow it up with a second spell charged hit. With the battle seeming to be mostly over, she holds back on both strikes, trying to leave him unconscious and not dead.
Ellie's right - we could definitely use more skilled sailors at our side. Not sure our captain is going to go for it though.
Thrusting his rapier into the sailor's shoulder, Mac tries to convince the man to surrender. Confused the sailor looks from Ellie as she sheathes her pistol, to Veronica who punches the sailor hard enough to knock out his front teeth as he drops to the deck unconscious.
Wounded and distraught the sailor fighting Mac drops his shortsword falling to his knees, he dejectedly lifts his hands. "I surrender, so's don't let tha' sylph kill me."
Increasing the chaos on the ship, an explosion rocks the Man’s Promise, as Kipper sets off a barrel of alchemist’s fire somewhere belowdecks. The sound of battle still ringing, Three Rahadoumi sailors appear out of the fog, hoping to board the starboard side ship’s boat.
Veronica shouts at the new group as she rushes over to the boat, finally drawing her (normal) cutlass on the way and enchanting it as well.
"I'm afraid we have orders to let no one leave on those boats. You're best option is to surrender."
Hustling down the steps, Veronica draws her cutlass, gripping her wrist with her off hand, she chops at the nearest Rahadoumi sailor. He turns, looking at her, then down to his abdomen grasping the wound to keep his guts from flowing out. He looks back up his eyes wide, then drops to the deck.
Melli runs across the deck right next to the starboard boat, sliding into a thrust at the sailor closest to the rowboat. "No you don't. Captain wants a word, or for you to be dead!"
Brother MacLaren continues to troll the nay-thiests.
Stupid Rahadoum.
"For the glory of Cayden Cailean and all the other good-looking gods!"
Melli easily moves between the fallen sailor and the 'ship's boat' stabbing the nearest sailor who seems to be focused on lowering the boat to escape.
While Mac also moves towards the final sailor, teasing the man about religion as he thrusts his rapier into the man's shoulder as he attempts to lower the ships boat with his fellow sailor.
Ellie rushes back to the deck to help her allies prevent the Rahadoumis from escaping. "Stop them!"
With no way to really help the others without possibly catching them in the wake of her magic, Tempest continues the unenviable task of confirming her kills. She turns and takes her dagger to the other sailor within her reach.
Seeing Ellie move towards him the wounded Rahadoumi sailor tries to grab the ropes of the ships boats with his left hand, while keeping his right over his wound. As she thrusts her rapier into his back, he lets out a moan his eyes going blank, dropping to the deck.
Meanwhile, Tempest plans to continue simplifying the job of taking prisoners, sending them on to Pharasma's judgement. However, her blade slips, giving the man a nasty cut on his chin.
Seeing the unconscious sailor start to stir after Tempest's attempt to kill him, the Rahadoumi sailor who had surrendered, calls out. "Juan, she's right beside you! Run!"
Meanwhile as he realizes the two sailors who were fleeing with him fall, the wounded Sailor, ignores the wound in his side, whines, "I just want to leave." grasping the ropes holding the ships boats pulleys and begins to untie them.
Stunned creatures are unable to act.
Shaking her head, Tempest sheathes her dagger and outstretches a hand towards the injured sailor, "Fine. Make it difficult, then." An arc of lightning follows.
Melli glares at the escaping man. How dare he try to leave! She half-stabs/half-slices at the sailor's arms, trying to get him to stop untying the boat. "Step back from the boat and I'll stop stabbing you!"
As stench of electricity striking the Rahadoumi sailor being 'difficult' rises up into the air, the sailor's eyes widen, looking from the halfling, even as she stabs him, to the sylph. Responding "I don't see that happening!" Even as he redoubles his effort to get off the cursed ship.
”Be reasonable, sailor,” Ellie tells him, pointing her rapier down at the deck. ”We’re going to take this ship. You can stay on it and join our crew, or you can try that and die. There’s no escaping this.” I wish there were, she mentally adds.
The sailor looks from Ellie back to Tempest, "You can have the ship, I'll take the dingy. That's reasonable as far as I'm concerned!" He continues pulling at the knot on the rope.
"We're not giving you that option. Like I said, your best option is to surrender. One way or another, you'll stop trying to get on that boat"
With a quick gesture and a muttered incantation, Veronica reaches out with a spell and tries to cloud the man's mind, hoping it's enough to make him stop trying to lower the boat.
As she casts, she takes a swift step forward over the body of the unconscious sailor she dropped with her previous attack, and tries to hit the remaining sailor. But she stumbles as she passes over the sailor's body and her swing completely misses her target.