"What did you just--"
Electricity behaves a little differently underwater. It still works, though. The shadowy figure twists around the bolt. The invisible creature clearly does not, but the bolt still passes through with little resistance. If it's undead, it may be ghostly and not entirely physically present.
Hissing angrily, the invisible moves closer, water rippling around it, a stream of bubbles issuing from it as it moves. Jagged pieces of the broken deck suddenly hurl themselves at Merian. She mostly avoids them, but there are just too many to avoid entirely.
"No, get the mouthy one!" A jagged stone hurls towards Zarina. It doesn't hit her, but it hurls towards her. She can't help but notice that the ghoul gives her wayfinder an apprehensive glance before he darts towards her. On the way past, he bites Knab.
[ooc]Everyone has access to this special action during this encounter:
Activate—Report, Cooperate ◆ (auditory, emotion, manipulate, mental) Requirements You have a wayfinder; Effect You brandish your wayfinder and call out to an undead Pathfinder enemy within 30 feet. Make a Diplomacy or Pathfinder Society Lore check against the target’s Will DC. On a success, it takes a –2 status penalty to Strikes and DCs until the end of its next turn. On a critical success, it is also slowed 1 on its next turn. If you have an archaic wayfinder, you gain a +1 item bonus to your check.
◆ Averill's Orders. An ally can immediately make a Strike Miss
◆ Swim
◆ Strike Knab , hit for
Zarina, Knab, Merian, and Dr. Ripfang's turns. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC)
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-29)
Zarina (78+3/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (84/92)
Dr. Ripfang (82+3/82)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (87/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
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Like a sunken chest, Knab feels his feet into the sand and shifts his weight with a micromovement - one he knows will differentiate his strike from pretty sure to nearly a knockout - and gives the captain the old one-two!
◇) Automatic Knowledge vs Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul
◇) Devise a Strategy vs Averill Quint
◇) Known Weakness vs Averill Quint
~) Mastermind Racket
◆◆) Strike x2
~) Critical Specialization: Brawling
◆) Parry w/ Kin Ward
↺) Inspired Stratagem
Keeping his clan dagger near, he says a short prayer for his sorcerer friend in front of him - a gleaming glyph protects the man.
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Zerina is in the form of a mermaid. She also has Quick Swim and Natural Swimmer and with the +5 she has at least a 20ft Swim Speed.
She brandishes her Archaic Wayfinder towards the approaching ghoul
before swimming around in an attempt to flank with Knab but doesn't quite make it (5ft short)
She stabs it with her spear anyway.
Rest in pieces, bucko
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Dr Ripfang makes a bit of progress forward in the water, before mixing and chucking a Sticky Algae Bomb at Purple.
Dr Ripfang's bag pops open as a little organgrinder monkey, that looks to have been made out of spare parts pops up and hands Dr Ripfang a Smokestick, Dr Ripfang promptly breaks it open, filling the nearby area with smoke, protecting himself and his allies.
Knab knows that the occult whispers of a ghoul like this can carry a curse of compulsion. It's not quite mind-control, but if he manages to whisper in someone's ear (which would require grabbing them or otherwise limiting their ability to move away) they might have a little trouble remembering that he's not on their side...
More obvious than that is that there are downsides to being able to breathe water. For example, if the Pathfinders weren't breathing right now the foul stench of rotting flesh emanating from the man wouldn't be able to affect them. Although then they'd be drowning, so there's a tradeoff to consider.
Punching things underwater is a little difficult, but Knab seems to have the hang of it. Something thick oozes out of his mouth and nose. It isn't quite blood, but it might have been at some point.
The ghoul is too focused on Knab to even see Zarina's wayfinder. He notices her spear in time, however.
Dr. Ripfang's bomb is surprisingly hydrodynamic, but doesn't quite connect. It bursts near the creatures, but the contents dissipate in the water too much to have much of an effect.
Smoke works underwater just fine, of course.
Merian stabs the ghoul, and her magic cuts gashes into his side. He howls with rage, but he certainly can't take another hit like that.
One of the shadows twists through the intervening water. It makes a grab at Merian, and she's prepared--but it doesn't lay its hands on her body. It reaches down and grabs and her shadow, which she wasn't expecting. It tears it away, and now there are two of them.
Now separated from its original owner, Merian's shadow turns on her! It manages to touch her once. It doesn't seem as powerful as the first one.
The other ripple in the water moves a little closer. This time jagged stones and pieces of wood hurl themselves at Zarina! Most of them hit.
Rawiri's turn. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC, +1 circumstance to AC)
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-110, bloodied)
Zarina (57/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (37/92, Enfeebled 3)
Dr. Ripfang (82+3/82)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (87/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Nothing seems to happen. Perhaps Rawiri isn't quite looking directly at where the invisible undead spirit lurks.
The remaining shadow glides through the water to strike at Dr. Ripfang. It reaches for his shadow past the smoke--and successfully jabs at it and then tears it away!
The good doctor's shadow acts much like Merian's, turning on its former owner. Unfortunately for him, it's much more successful in doing so.
Kamil's turn. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC, +1 circumstance to AC)
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-110, bloodied)
Zarina (57/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (37/92, Enfeebled 3)
Dr. Ripfang (41/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
Calisro’s voice reverberates through the water. “The pearl’s luster is starting to fade! Unless you can breathe water, you only have a few more minutes to get the chest and get back on deck!”
Something ripples in the water, as some of the debris kicks itself up and hurls itself towards Rawiri! Arcing around Kamil and through the obscuring smoke, every last bit misses entirely. A jagged broken knife also hurls itself towards Merian, but she's an expert at moving though the water and it also isn't close.
The ghoul cackles as the slashes at Merian while she can't defend herself. It's a brutal hit, but she manages to pull away--he can't hold her. Scowling, he settles for cramming the dead fish into his mouth and tearing into its flesh with his sharp teeth.
Well. At least the Pathfinders learned why he was carrying around a dead fish?
Kamil, Zarina, Knab, Merian, and Dr. Ripfang's turns. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-90, bloodied)
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC, +1 circumstance to AC)
Zarina (57/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (17/92, Enfeebled 3)
Dr. Ripfang (41/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
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That also means they're difficult to damage, though .
They'll become full-fledged shadow monsters if the victim dies, but they'll become ordinary shadows again if the victim recovers from the strength drain--that should only take a few hours.
They'll become full-fledged shadow monsters if the victim dies, but they'll become ordinary shadows again if the victim recovers from the strength drain--that should only take a few hours.
As Zarina is momentarily distracted, the ghoul bites her and ruins her spell.
Kamil, Knab, Merian, and Dr. Ripfang's turns. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-90, bloodied, Reaction used)
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC, +1 circumstance to AC)
Zarina (28/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (17/92, Enfeebled 3)
Dr. Ripfang (41/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
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Merian feels her strength being sapped, but she has no intention of retreating.
vs flanking
She reserves some of the energy for Arcane Cascade.
She'll say something Demoralizing to the ghoul.
vs Will DC
"It doesn't taste as good since you sapped all my strength, does it?"
It's not particularly demoralizing.
She does hit, though. The ghoul is looking as rough as Merian is feeling.
Kamil, Knab, and Dr. Ripfang's turns. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Green Averill Quint, Aquatic Ghoul (-100, bloodied, Reaction used)
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC, +1 circumstance to AC)
Zarina (28/78)
Knab (88/106)
Merian (17/92, Enfeebled 3)
Dr. Ripfang (41/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
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◇) Devise a Strategy vs Averill Quint
◇) Known Weakness vs Averill Quint using
~) Mastermind Racket
◆◆) Strike x2
~) Critical Specialization: Knife
◆) Parry
↺) Inspired Stratagem
Knab carves the good captain clean in half - inky black stuff suffuses a cloud of what-was-once-blood all around him.
"I'll hold them off - you grab the chest!" he instructs!
As Quint falls (or, well, drifts), the remaining undead Pathfinders look a little uncertain. Without their leader, they too are adrift.
Kamil and Dr. Ripfang's turns. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Kamil (72+3/72, +1 status to AC)
Zarina (28/78)
Knab (88/106, Parrying)
Merian (17/92, Enfeebled 3, +1 circumstance to AC)
Dr. Ripfang (41/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
Kamil's turn. DC 21 to Swim. Remember that, thanks to the pearl of depths, everyone's proficiency rank for Athletics checks to Swim increases, so you're Trained even if you aren't, and if you are proficient you effectively have a typeless +2. And if you have an actual Swim Speed, you get +5 to that Speed.
Initiative:
Blue Pathfinder Sentinel (-53, Bloodied, Invisible)
Kamil (72+3/72)
Zarina (28/78)
Knab (88/106, Parrying)
Merian (17/92, Enfeebled 3, +1 circumstance to AC)
Dr. Ripfang (51/82, Enfeebled 3)
Purple Pathfinder Defender
Yellow Shadow Spawn
Red Pathfinder Sentinel (Invisible)
Rawiri (86/87, Cursebound 1, persistent fire 1, shield)
Orange Pathfinder Defender
Grey Shadow Spawn
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"They're poltergeists!" Knab blurst, eyeing the field, his eidetic memory having loosed a "stone" from his "rock collection" "Invisible unless to Scare - weak of body, immaterial"
◇) Automatic Knowledge vs Sentinels
↺) Inspired Stratagem
"Dog paddle - like this" Knab shows the maximum cupped hand motion for swimming - his own wide dwarven hands able to displace a large quantity of water in proportion to the rest of his body.
With the treasure of the Whippoorwill secured in the hold, Captain Benarry calls the crew and assembled Pathfinders to attention. The setting sun throws her shadow across the deck. She kicks open the sealed chest. Within it, the glint of potion bottles and a curled map surrounds a lightning rod.
"We’ve got ourselves an adventure," she says. "This chest’s lock was tight enough it kept the ocean out, but I managed to ease my way in and found a map. Likewise, there were some potions that bottled the Whippoorwill’s final moments. Now we’ve found an inkling as to what she was doing all those years ago.
[b]"Based on all this, I figure the old crew picked up this artifact at one of the Ghol-Gani islands that pockmark the Eye. Navigation says we have a half day’s sail ahead of us. We’re setting the course now and will arrive quick as the winds take us. Be prepared to wrestle with whatever secrets the island holds."
Eando Kline furrows his brow before adding, "Do take this time to sleep. The isle’s been off-limits ever since the Whippoorwill sank, so we don’t know what nest of monsters we’re about to step on."
He herds the collected Pathfinders to rest up while the crew sails on. Among the hammocks and overstuffed quarters, the hurricane roars around the ship. The belly of the Snapdragon sways from the pressure of the storm throughout the night.
Just shy of dawn, Calisro’s voice booms through the hold as she orders, "Wake up, Pathfinders. We’ve got a tail—and it’s a big ‘un. Get into position!"
The scramble of Pathfinders reaches the top deck just as the creature comes into view—the great orca Abendego’s Squall. She stares at the Snapdragon with intelligent malice. The length of her body nearly overtakes the length of the ship, far larger than any whale has the right to be. This mix of hatred and power swims toward the ship.
She jumps out of the water as she closes the distance. Jutting out of her back near the dorsal fin is a harpoon. A chain trails off its handle. Each time the links clatter against each other, they glow an unsettling amber. This does not slow her in her desire for destruction. She arcs toward the Snapdragon; her mouth opens as she collides with the mast.
Eando springs from his position next to Calisro and commands, "Pathfinders, get into position!"
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After that tiring day, Zarina was grateful to grab a spare hammock and curl up for a good nights sleep. Somewhen, during that night, the ship's cat found her and jumped into the hammock to curl up on her.
The next morning, she looks over Abendego's Squall.
Somehow I'm not sure talking to her is going to work but, I'll try if you guys want me to.
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"Thar she blows!" yells Rawiri seeing the great beast as he prepares to fight it
"Release the kraken!" he yells command and then looks at Calisro "We don't have a beast of our own? How are we supposed to fight this? With clubs?"
Then he turns to Zarina "By all means, speak, sing dance if you think it would work"
Their leader gone, the remaining undead are more easily dispatched--and ready to flee, for that matter.
In addition to the chest the Pathfinders are able to recover the ghoul's archaic wayfinder and its slotted sprouting aeon stone.
The big 'un’s movement roils the sea around the Snapdragon and leaves a trail of frothing water in its wake. As it rises from the surf, it displays black-and-white markings over its fins and tail. Clearly, an orca has found the Snapdragon to be its target. A harpoon juts from behind the orca’s dorsal fin.
As she slams into the mast and cracks it, her flippers reach down to the top deck and pummel the sailors onboard. The rain pounds against the deck and the sky darkens as she pushes the Snapdragon deeper into the storm.
You've heard of Abendego’s Squall and knows that she’s an orca older than the Eye.
All PCs' turns.
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Dr Ripfang nods to Rawiri and mostly repeats the information shared "That Orca is older than the eye and she's got a harpoon stuck in 'er. I think she's trying to use the ship to get it out!"
It may be the hard way, but it's what Ripfang is good at as he rubs his pendant for guidance and tries to help streamline the ship in quick order.
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His three-hair combover drenched in rain, Knab steels his mind and puts his strong hands onto rope, drawing away to keep the sail at the angle needed to outrun the storm!
◇) Automatic Knowledge vs Pirate stuff
◆) Activate Bracelet of Dashing
◆◆) Steady the Ship
↺) Inspired Stratagem
Nearly toppling into the sea, instead, he swings wide around the ship on a long rope, grasping as the wind and waves batter him like a flailing wrecking ball, 270 degrees all the way around, righting the sail, and somehow landing on the other side, his boots salt-soaked.
He grins like he meant to do that!
Zarina also remembers that Squally has a habit of eating the masts off of ships.
Though she is a rather extraordinary animal, she seems to be an animal all the same. She doesn't respond to Thalassic--though she may not be able to hear much over the distance and the rushing of the waves and pounding rain.
The harpoon isn't an old injury--there's fresh blood. Once the orca gets closer, removing it may be the best way to calm her down. Though you'd need to know something about animals or a lot about treating injuries to try it on such a large, moving creature.
Meanwhile, Knab, Ripfang, and Rawiri are making excellent progress at fortifying the ship. Squally might actually be having difficulty catching up!
Kamil and Merian?
The big ‘un’s movement roils the sea around the Snapdragon and leaves a trail of frothing water in its wake. As it rises from the surf, it displays black-and-white markings over its fins and tails. Clearly, an orca has found the Snapdragon to be its target. A harpoon juts from behind the orca’s dorsal fin.
As she slams into the mast and cracks it, her flippers reach down to the top deck and pummel the sailors onboard. The rain pounds against the deck and the sky darkens as she pushes the Snapdragon deeper into the storm.
Abendego's Squall leaps over the Snapdragon as she catches up. She's clearly straining thanks to the Pathfinders' efforts in speeding up and fortifying the ship, but she still manages to leap over--twice--further damaging the rigging. Her fins slap down on the deck with each leap.
After three brutal hits in rapid succession, half the team seems to be down...
All PCs' turns.
Initiative:
Abendego's Squall (1 success, -2 to checks and DCs; Medicine and Nature can be used to Disable)
The Snapdragon (112/150; BT 75)
Knab (72/106)
Zarina (16/78, Clumsy 2)
Dr. Ripfang (47/82)
Kamil (0/72, Unconscious, Prone, Dying 2, Clumsy 2)
Rawiri (0/87, Unconscious, Prone, Dying 2, Cursebound 1, Clumsy 2, [persistent fire 1, suppressed while unconscious])
Merian (0/92, Unconscious, Prone, Dying 3, Clumsy 2)
Rawiri and Dr. Ripfang tend the wounded, and manage to get both Kamil and Merian back on their feet.
Ripfang also manages to extract the harpoon! After a brief shudder, the whale makes a sound that might be relief and disappears beneath the waves once more. She seems to have broken off her attack, at least for now.
And hey, it looks like a pretty nice harpoon!
The party has a brief respite.
Status:
The Snapdragon (112/150; BT 75)
Knab (72/106)
Zarina (16/78)
Dr. Ripfang (47/82)
Rawiri (39/87, Cursebound 1)
Kamil (34/72, Wounded 1)
Merian (15/92, Wounded 1)
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Ripfang passes out more mixed stained glass vials.
Ripfang will create/drink an infused Soothing Tonic for 30hp back over a minute.
Ripfang will treat wounds on Zarina, Rawiri, Kamil, Merian thanks to Ward Medic.
Status:
Knab (74/106)
Zarina (59/78)
Dr. Ripfang (81/82)
Rawiri (83/87)
Kamil (72/72)
Merian (62/92)
In the captain’s quarters, Calisro wrings water out of her hat. “We found these potions in that locked chest,” she says as she flops her hat back on her head. “I drank one and saw the Whippoorwill under attack from the beast that just hit us. There’s a dozen more bottles. Take some time and see if there’s more to learn.”
The potions discovered in the Whippoorwill’s hold are potions of shared memories that captured the final moments of Captain Kimma Atyi, First Mate Averill Quint, and the rest of the crew. As Calisro hands them over, she mentions they’re important last moments of the crew, so by rights they should go to the next of kin.
However, given the emergency the Snapdragon is in, she’ll make any needed apologies once they’re back on land.
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Well done Ripfang Zarina exclaims. I should recommend you for an award ((Hero Point that is)).
I should get one of those Pearly White Aeon stones but I got nowhere to put it she says as she drinks a healing potion.
After helping with the wounded, she casts Prestidigitation to dry off Calistro's hat.
((Spending last Hero Point))