Lucille looks from Cnut to herself and back, and gaze implying
Do I lugg him around or do you?
Cnut smiles and raises an eyebrow. ”I’ll take him. But you owe me one.”
Cnut picks up Djir and slings him over on shoulder. ”Hang on, and keep your head above water.” he says, before plunging in.
Locating a crab, Cnut swims over and bops it on the…top of the shell and sticks it in a cage.
Lucille blows Cnut a kiss, jumps in and, happy about being light loaded, the crew also being happy about her wearing some wooden armor, he trusty bec, and very little else.
"Aaaaah! This is kidnapping..." is all Djir gets out in protest before they hit the water. At that point, he stops squirming, realizing his only hope is to ride Cnut to victory (or at least to something that floats on it own).
Once we get to the reef, he will try to make himself useful by spotting and pointing out crabs...
1 rank +3trained +1 wis +2 racial +1 guidance (Cevanne)
"Down and to your left Lucille, there's one ducked behind a rock."
Samms had a completely rough time finding anything of substance before sighing. "I didn't think I'd be this out of practice. Still, I was hoping for some time outta that gods-forsakened ship. Especially after what happened yesterday..." She mind drifted off as she was deep in thought. "One more crab should be enough to fill the first pot."
Chisomo easily knifes through the water, her strokes powerful, if inexpert. She likely couldn't run down a fish, even in calm waters like this, but finding a crab is simplicity.
I should get better at this.
Together, the party managed to fill up their first pot. Samms suddenly had her entire head lift above her head. "Hey look. The reef is shallow enough for us to stand here."
It's from there that she spots some splashing in the distance. "I see someone... and he's under attack!"
Along the reef stands a man fending himself off against some creatures half his size.
1 rank+3 trained +4 int +1 guidance
"That's a bunch of reefclaws he's fighting..."
1 rank +3trained +1 wis +2 racial
Reeclaws? OMNOMNOMNONNOM
Lucille casts monkeyfish, then advances towards the man and the reefclaws
Lets show this buggers who is the Apex predator!
"Take that, you overgrown lobster." Randall shouts as he stabs at the reefclaw next to him with his dagger.
"Son of a B*!$$" he curses as the creature dives beneath the waves before he can strike.
Ratman, are these reefclaws intelligent enough to be effected command spells? Lucille speaks quickly as she paddles and swims reasonable fast towards the fight.
Chisomo dashes into the fray, water churning as she powers towards the reefclaws.
Randall spots the fishing party on the reef, jumping up and down waving his hands over his head he shouts "Hey, a little help over here!" Once he draws their attention he turns his to the reefclaws attacking him stabbing with his knife. He shouts for joy as his knife finds it way between the creatures chitinous plates, drawing a trickle of blood.
The blow does significant damage as the monk's attack dents its shell. It raises its claws to try and mount a counterattack, but that is brought to an end by Randall whose precise strike through the armor cause it to teeter on the edge of collapse.
It barely has any life left and it is stunned to boot.
Cnut wades up and attempts to bisect a reefclaw with his mighty axe (well, bardiche).
Cnut charges forward and strikes at another reefclaw, bringing that one on the verge of collapse. But it is at least well enough to attempt a strike at its original target.
Large, sharp pincers successfully latch onto Randall's shoulders and clamp tightly, dealing further damage to the man while injecting poison into his body.
The other aberration decides to sneak behind Chisomo for a bite.
A claw reaches out to Chisomo and grabs one of her wrists, squeezing hard to inflict further pain on the monk as well as release its toxin.
Samms charges forward in an attempt to cut off the reefclaw attached to Randall, but she misjudges her timing and misses the creature entirely.
Having been abandoned by his mighty steed, Djir tries to find a shallower spot; where he can keep his head above water without jumping off the bottom for every breath...
Seeing an opportunity to both charge and flank with Chisomo, Lucille charges green
DINNER TIME She shouts at the reefclaws, as she nearly turns the green one into Reefclaw-Shish-Kebab with her Bec de Corbin.
Lucille's weapon impales her reefclaw deep into its side. It remains moving, but it's yet another reefclaw that is barely alive by the party members' assaults.
Randall hisses in pain as the reefclaws claws sink into his flesh. He can feel his limbs go numb as the poison courses through his veins. "Get off me, you wanna be crab" he shouts at the reefclaw grapple him as he attempts to break it's hold on his shoulders
Once free he takes some time to catch his breath.
Randall is able to successfully break the grip of the pesky reefclaw.
Djir continues to watch the brawl from the cheap seats... In fact, he climbs up Arkhan's back for a) a spot above the water and b) a better view.
Arkhan sighs, as Djir begins using the 1/2 orc as a jungle gym.
As much as I can appreciate your caution, may I propose that you just stand by my side. I am not getting any closer to those oversized crabs.
The Druid then creates a storm burst at the crab grabbing the monk.
"Sorry Arkhan, but standing beside you doesn't get my nose above water..."
The sonic burst causes it to twitch... then lash out in a frenzy of claws, seemingly hell bent on taking anyone with them.
The reefclaw snaps viciously onto Chisomo, but after a few more seconds of struggling, it goes limp and motionless.
While the reefclaw can maintain a vice-like grip when grappling someone, holding on to such a move is a different affair. Randall is able to pull the creature off his shoulder.
Cnut takes another hack at the reefclaw he wounded, but misses.
Chisomo scowls at the blood slowly dripping down one of her arms, circling wide to find a place with good footing to stamp out the last reefclaw!
Neither attack manages to even land on the reefclaws, their blows hitting harmlessly against the water. The two remaining reefclaws decide to surround the biggest hunk of meat in the group in order to weaken him as well.
Both reefclaws latch on to each side of the burly barbarian's neck. One claw is ripped off from him as it grabs a small piece of skin off him, but the other clamps down, as if it was trying to choke him. One of which is fighting as if from beyond the grave.
"Let go of 'em, you oversized lobster!" Samms has a more successful round this time, though she only manages to take a small chuck of armor off the opposing reefclaw. Still, it felt like it should have been the killing blow, yet the reefclaws fight on.
Lucille casts CLW (out of reach of a reef claw), moves over to Cnut (move) and heals him!
Keep up you big boy!
Arkhan watches with a satisfied grin as the reefclaw stop moving within his storm. The druid then begins to cause another Storm Burst to appear over one attacking Cnut.
The burst strikes the water next to the reefclaw, dealing no damage to it.
Randall stabs at the reefclaw between him and Cnut only to curse as the blade of his dagger draws a furrow across the beast armored plates but fails to do any real damage "You mother was a prawn!" he shouts in defiance.
Chisomo unlimbers her three-section-staff, using it as a brace for her forearms.
"Just clear out. I'll give them something to chew on while they bleed out."
Cnut didn't get the memo and brings his axe down, nearly slicing his creature in two. The reefclaw responded by dealing out its frustrations on the barbarian with a final thrashing.
Only one claw manages to hit, bit it twitches as it applies a good amount of pressure as well as some poison onto the barbarian's shoulder. Regardless, it has failed to take Cnut with him as it floats lifelessly on the water.
The remaining reefclaw decides to unleash its fury on the fisherwoman who attacked her.
One claw attack is dodged as Samms moved to the side. The other clamps down on her side, but her armor gives her just enough protection so that it's unable to grip onto her.
As for Samms herself, she complies with Chisomo's demands and puts up her defenses.
Lucille 5 foot steps away, but sees no way of setting up a flank on the remaining reefclaw (green) that attacked Samms
Her attack likely misses.
Her positioning should however provide for a flanking bonus should Chisomo move one north east of the remaining foe.
Arkhan wines at the near miss. The Druid frowns.
Can you folks stop splashing about so much. Miss my mark!
Arkhan is kind of tough to tell if he is joking, but the 1/2 orc does look a bit miffed.
He aims.
This time around, the burst of thunder and lightning connects, dazing the reefclaw and making life difficult for it in general. It has been brought closer to unconsciousness, but not quite yet.
Cnut is eaget to finish the job, but the clouds hanging above the reefclaw literally clouded his judgement, causing his attack to miss.
Chisomo continues to fight cagily, looking to leave no openings for the weakening reefclaw to find.
Only one of the hits connect, yet it is enough to stun the reefclaw to unconsciousness, weakened by the storm burst from earlier.
Lucille executes the reefclaws (10 foot reach) with pinpoint strikes away from where she thinks their poison glands are, once noone is next to them and then yoinks them humming something about
Good Eats, Good Eats!
Smiling, she turns to the newcomer
So, what is a charming guy like you doing in a place like that? Were you here by yourself?
Also, who needs some healing, I cant do anything vs their poison, but damage received I can reduce
Chisomo nods along with Lucille.
"Normally if you find someone bobbing in the surf they're a lot less comely, but we've had good luck with that of late."
Arkhan smirks.
Randall smiles at the ladies attention as he runs his fingers through his chestnut brown hair in order to make himself more presentable. "Well met. My name's Randall, Randall McNally, late of the Alabaster Albatross. She went down in a storm about a week ago. I was lucky enough to grab onto some flotsam and wound up on these God's forsaken rocks. I've been living on these crabs and what little rain water that pools in the nooks and crannies." He casts a quick spell and the dirt and blood stains slough off his clothes as he runs his hands over them . "Ahh, that's better. wouldn't do to meet my saviors looking like a vagabond, thank the Black Lady for your timely arrival. Anyway, the reefclaws were recent neighbors, but as long as I stuck to the reef they stayed in the sea. Guess they were waiting to finish off the crabs before they came for me. When I saw your ship I had to take the chance, but as soon as I dove into the water they swarmed out of their hidey-holes and forced me back. That's when you came in."
He looks over his rescuers paying closer attention to Lucille and Chisomo than Arkhan, Cnut, and Djir "But enough about me, how about you? What brings you to this little corner of the Hells? What's your ship?"
Let me deal with your wounds, I saw that you took some hits Mr. Randall
Reefclaws slung over her back, she approaches
Flames of passion, cleanse his wounds
As Lucille touches Randall feels a surge of warmth sweeping over his body.
Tadaa, as good as new, also, is that another dagger between your legs or are you really happy to see me? She says with a wink.
Chisomo, you think you can carry one of the reefclaws, Cnut the other one and me the third? Also, shall we return now and finish off the crab fishing?
"It is and I am." he responds with a smile.
Having caught a ride over with Arkhan when he swam closer, Djir is in a position to actually answer the man's questions: "The ship is The Wormwood, under Captain Harrigan. I suspect that if you want off this reef, it will be under the same terms as the rest of us are: as press-gang bait." He bares his teeth in what's not a smile and continues "Welcome to the pirate life lad. Soon you will know and love Plugg and Scourge as well as the rest of us do... In the meanwhile, I's sure you're well practiced at crab hunting by now, and we have pots to fill..."