Batango's page

Not to make matters worse, but this seems a well enough time for me to withdraw as well. Like CHH, I'm feeling a bit spread thin on the boards when coupled with my not finding a whole lot of time as of late to contribute. I'd like to focus on the other campaigns CHH started before this one and my own. Fortunately, there's a lot of arcane characters in this group already. Also, I don't think Batango would be real on board with the good-natured style of piracy things seem to be heading towards. It's been fun so far, and I hope the rest of you get to continue and have some great adventures.

Strange, this gameplay thread didn't update for me before..or perhaps I clicked it at some point and forgot. Regardless, the action you had me do was probably more beneficial than anything I would have ended up doing that round, haha!

I can't seem to load the maps right now, so I'm going to wing it this turn.

Cursing as the rats surge over him, Batango's eyes focus on the gremlin hanging from the railing. With a wicked grin the witch pushed his way out of the rats once more, batting his way through with the lantern. Once he is clear of the vermin, he points up at the gremlin and rasps out a single word. "Release!"

Cast command on the gremlin, commanding that he "drop" the railing, hopefully resulting in a plummet. Will DC 16 to resist.

HP: 11/17

Batango grunts as he is overwhelmed by the rat swarm, but manages to keep his head as the vile vermin surge over him. Batting them away as best he can, he pushes his way out of their midst and regains his composure. Knowing that his magic is virtually useless against the swarms of rats, the witch looks around for a torch or lantern to use against them.

Use my turn to get to any torch or lanterns that might be in the room.

Fort vs. Filth Fever: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Fort vs. Distraction: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

HP: 15/17

Making spellcraft DCs for adding the following spells to Tabook (it will take a total of 7 hours to do all 4 of the spells, which I assume I have over the two days? If possible, I'd like to hold off on trying to give Tabook knowledge of black tentacles...it is the spell I want the most and is a higher DC, and I'd like to be a bit more skilled in spellcraft before I attempt it.

Enlarge Person (DC 16) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Hypnotism (DC 16) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Alter Self (DC 17) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Vampiric Touch (DC 18) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Cool.

Batango drinks nothing as the others around him slip into drunkenness. The old witch is far too suspicious to have his wits stolen in strange places, surrounded by strange fellows. The last time he had imbibed heavily, he woke up pressganged on a ship under some terrible folks...Regardless, when the rum gremlins appear, he feels as though he has shared a few bottles with Kroop, vision hazed and steps staggered.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 minus whatever penalties from Touch of Gracelessness.

Batango remains on the ship during the rest of the group's interactions with Hake. Cloistered in his quarters, he gets to grinding fragments of the whale skull into a fine powder, preparing it for a magical beverage for Tabook.

The only spells I can teach to Tabook with the skull-scroll are enlarge person, hypnotism, alter self, touch of idiocy, vampiric touch, and black tentacles. Color spray, blur, daylight, and slow are not on the witch spell list, and I already know touch of idiocy. If no one else minds, I'd like to try and add the enlarge person, hypnotism, alter self, vampiric touch, and especially black tentacles to my spells known. Doing so requires a spellcraft check for each spell, and failure means I do not get the spell and the scroll is lost. If Atajay or Raven would like the pieces (assuming we can fragment the skull into pieces) holding color spray, blur, daylight, and slow, I'll gladly part with them.

As the night goes on, Batango makes it out of his quarters after having studied the whale skull for some time, and picks his way through the festivities, studying all who carouse before him. He still did not much like the idea of taking would-be enemies into the crew, but that sun had set and he sees no good point to stoke that fire. He merely consigns to stay out of their way.

When he can, the old witch approaches the new captain while she is alone, Tabook balancing gracefully on his shoulder. He hands a morsel of clam meat to the otter as he throws a rope of hair out from in front of his grim eye and looks her over once. "De tides have certainly transmuted, de currents shifted. What once was is no more, and here we stand, atop the mound under which we were so recently buried. What is it, that ting dey say on land to sound as if dey are knowing of de true ocean? Ah, yes, 'de sea is a fickle mistress.' Ha." he snorts. "Now you stand at de helm of dis crew, motley as it is. Scallywags and skullduggers, most of dem, not dat such tings cannot also be sailors. But most of dem were not born for a life at sea, rather chose it on a whim or to escape some fate. Dey can grow to learn, perhaps...dey are still so young, many of dem. Meaning no offense. I have no qualms with you being captain. I have seen many captains in my day, have served beside several. Some goodly folk, but most were pirates. You're different; even a blind man could see such a ting. I have not seen much mercy on ships such as dis, and as captain you are free to give it if you are wishing, but be cautious. On de one hand, you may win dese...sailors...to your cause, your side. Ours, rather. But on de other, you threaten to coddle dem, to take de fear, or de fight out of dem. Your speeches are rousing, for a certainty, but I wonder - is it a crew of pirates you mean to lead, or a crew of adventurers? Pirates murder, pillage, despoil. Don't let Plugg or Scourge or dis lot fool you - dey more play at pirates, by my eye. Adventurers, well...such a vague term, but, adventurers travel, fight monsters, collect treasure, take rewards..perhaps on de surface, sounding similar, but a fin cutting de water could be a dolphin as surely as a shark."

"I know we do not see so much eye to eye on existential philosophy, but I would implore you to take my advice to your mind. If we are to be pirates, we need to be pirates. If you show too much mercy, as I said, you might win some support, but to others you will look weak..might be to some of this very crew, and certainly to other captains of other pirates. I am both capable and willing to commit to a life of blood and pillage, as I am sure much of the crew is, though for differing reasons, I am sure...if you are ready to lead such a life. You can only avoid it for so long. Harrigan will be looking for us, altered ship or no. And I am sure he will not be de only one looking to pick a fight. You are a bard, yes? You may have heard de story of Captain Vereno Twinrivers, but I shall speak of it nonetheless. Captain Vereno Twinrivers of de Distant Wake was a pirate with de fastest ship of his time. He would rob taverns and brothels, and even send his crew sneaking up de sides of ships in de dark of night with grapples and boot-spikes to plunder dem whilst everyone slept. Captain Vereno Twinrivers cared not, for he knew none would catch him. He and his crew were a jovial lot, always avoiding danger, running ahead of it. Dey would drink and sing and dance on de decks under de moon, boasting of plunder. One day, Captain Voreno and his crew happened upon a great sea serpent who had a mighty hoard of treasure on a small island. De crew waited until night when de serpent slept along de shore, and snuck onto de island and took for themselves de serpent's treasures. When de serpent arose, it bellowed in anger and gave chase to de Distant Wake, tail thrashing all de way. But de ship, she was too fast. On de deck the crew and Captain Voreno danced and laughed, even as de serpent roared out dat it would never give up de chase. Captain Voreno yelled back "Then we will never stop sailing and never slow down, and you will die of exhaustion!" And so dey sailed for days upon days, weeks upon weeks, never seeing de serpent behind them. Dey even slowed to capture supplies from other ships, and dey would boast, de serpent could not even catch them as they pirated others. Finally, after months of swift flight, de Distant Wake saw a geat shadow above, and was splintered apart by de slamming of de serpent's tail. Dey had gone so fast and so far, dey had come up behind de serpent even as it chased dem, and met ends in his gullet."

"A silly tale, surely, but in it there is some good advice. Only can be so much flight, or so much laughter and frivolity. For a pirate, danger is always behind, and always ahead. And in de real world, de danger is oft much more horrible den greedy sea serpents. I have kept you too long, captain, but I have said my piece. Your decisions are yours by right, but I hope you will take someting of what I have said to heart. Still, a few grains of wisdom left in me. Or else, just esoteric ramblings of an old man." Batango gives Quara the first and only genuine smile he has given since the start of all this, and he offers a short bow to the new captain before heading back to his quarters.

Batango walks up the Kroop and clasps the cook on the shoulder. "Glad to see you yet live, my friend. I would be willing to assist you in de kitchens if you are in want of any aid."

As Batango hears the new name of the ship, he makes glances at Penta and Atajay, noticing their reactions. He merely shrugs, seeing this name as no better or worse than any other. "Names mean nothing to de sea. Words matter not. Deeds matter."

The witch gets the scroll-carved whale skull off of Arven and takes it to his cabin to study.

So, witches can teach new spells to their familiars via scrolls by burning the pages to ashes and brewing a tea or some such for the familiar to imbibe...would I be able to powder the skull and achieve the same?

That is fine with me. Batango has no real interest in being leader, preferring a more advisory role, with his experiences and learning in various bits of knowledge, and from having filled that role in his earlier years..he also likes being a "spymaster" of sorts, or at least having an ear in all corners of the ship through his use of enchantments and such.

Batango spits on the deck. "Why give dese fools quarter? We were offered none, no choice on serving on dese ships. Kill dem now, I am tinking. Each enemy we leave alive is a possible knife in de night. Purge de questionables, and sleep better for it."

Of course, his advice might not generally be popular..

Without even thinking about it, Batango's dagger is in his hand. He glances down at the blade, thinking on how precise he had been with it on the island. Ghouls, grindylows..he had nestled accurate strikes in the lot of them. Furrowing his brow, he casts a sickly stare upon Shivikah, wincing from the cut the fellow Mwangi had just given him. But instead of using his grim powers, he thrusts his dagger at the enemy's throat.

Dagger: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

HP: 13/17

"If I was your father, I'd have cast you into de sea long ago...but it is never too late for discipline. I said be gone." Using the pearl of power to recall Command and cast it again, attempting to make Scourge flee. Hopefully this time actions speak louder than words! DC 16 to resist.

At the snap of his allies letting loose, Batango turns abruptly and points his hand, fingers curled, at Scourge. "And how de tides turn upon you! Be gone, wretched beast!" Cast command on Scourge, forcing him to flee from my as far as possible for the next round, will save DC 16 to resist.

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

That whale skull is a bit heavy for me to lug around and stay in a light load...any kind soul willing to shoulder it for me for the time being? I know with normal scrolls they can be burned/ground up and made into a tea and be given to a witch familiar to learn, but would the same go for the skull? Grind it up into a powder and stick it in a tea for Tabook to ingest? Bone dust, parchment...who's to say?

Batango does not know what to think upon the return of the party, and blinks at Plugg, genuinely confused. With one hand shifting to the hilt of his dagger and the fingers on the other dancing in preliminary arcana, he leans over to Quara and mutters to her in Aquan during Plugg's welcome.

Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Batango raises a brow to Quara and turns his eye on her for a moment before looking away and producing a morsel for Tabook. "Perhaps all you say is true, but, ah, every truth is different for every being. Oh yes, every ting is having its own power and weakness, but only be confronting dese weaknesses and chastising them will one mitigate and overcome dem. You see, de patron of whom I speak, is not so much a being as it is a force, and dis force is in turn a reflection of myself. My punishments are my own. And in dis world, no greater power is there than that of de self - not magic, nor gods. De sea is all dat you say, to be sure, but to de sea I am inexorably linked...and in so, perhaps I am having of a different understanding of de deep. If I wanted to sings song at it, I would be a minstrel; if I wanted to swipe swords at it, I would be some swashbuckler. But I am a witch, and de sea resonates in me with fear and void, cold and withering, darkness and death. I went into seclusion, became a hermit twenty years past, when many of de rest of you were cubs, to reflect on dese grim tings. I have spent many years understanding my power, and my link to de sea, and it has led me to a path of power with rewards and punishment both...for what is life if not a series of rewards and punishments. Is courage not a punishment for fear...is joy not a punishment for despair? Every reflection is having two sides. You may gaze into the mirror of fancy and fervor, but my waters show a different way. Yet, I am not so ignorant to believe dat power and purpose cannot come from cooperation, from de abilities of others. All of us together have shown to be a palpable force, and so our reflections should not matter to any but ourselves." The old witch stands and wrings some water from his hair. "When we return to de ship, Plugg and his lot should be well aware of dis palpable force." Walking off, he goes over to investigate the items, working a bit of his witchcraft over them, and one by one he mutters an identification.

Moving his hand over the bracers, "Dese would grant improved accuracy with a bow."

Over the driftwood wand, "A magical receptacle, it holds many uses of a spell to create illusory copies of de self."

Over the runed skull, "Rudimentary, but etchings of magic, to cast spells of disorienting color, hypnotic allure, increased size, changing of self, visual displacement, sapping of de mind, great light, draining touch, temporal lethargy, and tendrils of de deep."

Over the headband, "Dis would increase de wearer's force of presence."

Over the pearl, "To recall a memorized spell since cast..

Over the harpoon, "A magical weapon, which I am thinking would suffer no loss of might under de water."

Over the token, "Dis ting can transform into an anchor."

Spellcraft reveals all of them, so check the spoilers for the mechanics.

When Batango becomes conscious, he jumps with a start and looks wildly at his surroundings, his rope-like hair spraying water all around. Seeing himself in fresh air and safe, he breathes deep and relaxes a bit. "My gratitude, Quara...Last ting I am remembering is de vile sea gremlin poking at me...bah! De dark one below, he has punished me for weakness. But, I am alive, and thus must prove to him I am deserving of it...de powers of de deep come at steep prices." He goes on a bit more, rambling under his breath about the watery patron. "Though it is seeming we can return to de ship now that our wayward crewmates have been recovered...and back to business more befitting my own liking, I am tinking."

Are we making 1 general spellcraft check, or 1 for each item?

+6 HP
+1 Rank in Swim
+1 Rank in Knowledge (Arcana)
+1 Rank in Use Magic Device
+2 Rank in Profession (Sailor)
+1 Rank in Spellcraft

+2 2nd Level Spells - Spectral Hand, Touch of Idiocy
Favored Class Bonus - +1 spell for familiar (Chill Touch)

For my feat, I was wondering if I could take the monster feat Ability Focus and apply it to Evil Eye, which would give it +2 DC. It's vague, simply stating that it applies to a "special attack" whereas I suppose a hex is a "class ability" so your call.

those rolls included that bonus. I have a strength penalty, so it's a wash.

Batango watches wide-eyed as Arven is taken into the Whale's maw, and searches his mind for some tactic to assist the barbarian. Once more, he curses with a sour look, realizing he is out of magical options. With sharp sigh he snatches up his dagger and swims forward, stabbing at the creature with the weapon.

Dagger: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Dagger Confirm: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

As soon as Arven swims forward, Batango keeps close behind him and advances as well. He flashes another vile gaze at the monstrous grindlow, attempting to soften its strikes.

Evil Eye on the Whale again (should be in range now moving up behind Arven), this time for -2 penalty on attack rolls for 7 rounds. Will DC 15 reduces this to 1 round.

Sorry about the distance, in the first round when Penta said she'd move 30' forward, my aim was to move up 30' as well behind her, so I thought we'd be in range. Looks like the grindylows blocked us, though.

Unable to do much more to combat the grindylow brood at the moment, Batango pushes his gaze onto one of the closest squid-goblins, aiming to weaken its blows.

Evil Eye on the right of the two grindylows for a -2 to attack rolls. DC 15 Will save reduces the effect from 7 rounds to 1.

Batango shakes his head at Arven while they swim. "Nay, aside from de cleansing of de healing hex, de deep patron gives me more to harm...my spells remaining, however, are of little use...I could weaken an enemy, but besides dat, de evil eye must needs suffice."

Upon reaching the cauldron and witnessing the horrific sights ahead, Batango's noted sour visage makes a grim appearance. "Monstrosities of de deep...if I were stronger, I might bend dem to my will, but for now..." He looks to Penta and Arven, counting them the frontline fighters. "Looking at de girth of such a beast, it would likely resist my attempts to weaken it, but perhaps its mind is weak. Cover me to get closer, and I might be able to soften its accuracy or defenses...closer still to de priestess and de pirate, and I might save dese unconscious forms from drowning, and give dem de lungs of de sea."

When Penta moves up, Batango follows. If he is within 30 ft., he uses evil eye on the Whale, giving it a -2 penalty to AC for 7 rounds. Will save DC 15 reduces this to 1 round.

0 - Mending, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue, Guidance. 1st - Ray of Sickening, Obscuring Mist.

Also unable to move past to give chase to the enemies, Batango simply attempts to drive his dagger into any remaining grindylows in front of him, feeling exhausted of other options.

Dagger: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Batango sports a sour look, disgruntled that his spells and abilities keep failing against these monstrosities. "Beh, dese are tings of de sea, resistant to my deep magics..." Rather than attempt another arcane tactic, the witch tries to distract the grindylow catty-corner to himself and Arven.

Aid another to give Arven +2 AC (Attack roll vs 10): 1d20 ⇒ 18

Batango reaches past Arven and gestures with his hand towards the closest grindylow near the barbarian. "Seas surge, and be gone with you," he mutters, instilling within the creature an urge to flee.

Cast command on the grindylow, attempting to force it to flee from my position as fast and far as it can go for 1 round. Will Save DC 15 to negate. Unfortunately an individual can only benefit from hex of healing 1/day, so I cannot heal Arven again.

Batango gives a sour look at the sight of the new group of grindylows and whips his hand around in the water, wreathing it with a haze of grey light. He moves further to the middle of the group so that he can get a view down both passages.

Cast touch of fatigue and hold the charge, move wherever I can to the center of the group.

Batango curls his fingers, the water around his hand bubbling in a bluish light. He extends his arm and opens his fingers as he plants his palm on Arven's back, imparting some of the sea's nourishment within him, healing a few of his wounds.

Hex of healing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Batango focuses his gaze on the grindylow closest to him, pushing his grim psychological effects onto the creature to weaken its defenses. The witch taps Arven on the shoulder and gestures to the one he has targeted, suggesting him to attack it.

Evil Eye on the grindylow next to Arven, diagonal to me. -2 to AC for 7 rounds, or 1 round with a DC 15 will save.

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Batango presses two fingers into Quara's clavicle, a single pulse of bluish-green light transferring from his digits into her throat. "Fill your lungs with brine, like de Fathomless One..." After administering the hex to Quara, he also applies it to himself, and Tabook, and submerges into the sea. He swims after the others quite expertly. While the older man shows his age on land, in the water he proves to be much sprier than his physical form would suggest.

Swim: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Seeing that the stirge has withered slightly under his gaze, the witch pulls out his knife and tries to hack the pest away, while Tabook also jumps at the beast.

Dagger: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17(I believe I get a -2 penalty for technically being grappled)
Dagger Threat: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Crit Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
Tabook Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1

Batango grimaces and looks down at the stirge attached to him, face twisting into a foul expression. He glares at the creature, pushing his powers of dread into the thing's consciousness. Evil Eye hex to give the stirge -2 AC for 7 rounds, or 1 round with a DC 15 will save He lets out a sharp whistle, and Tabook appears from the witch's pack. The otter chirps and leaps down at the stirge and tries to bite it.

Tabook Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1

While floating, Batango scowls at the bird-bat-bug flying after him. Summoning up his strange arcane art, he mutters a brief incantation and beseeches his fathomless guide, his hand becoming wreathed in a greyish light. When the stirge draws within reach, he reaches out to sap the vitality of his assailant.

Cast touch of fatigue, melee touch. Fort Save DC 14 or fatigued for 2 rounds.

1d20 ⇒ 7 A miss, I assume.

Batango walks forward to the edge of the cliff, looks down, and shrugs. "Dis is not a problem for me. De grim patron, he gives me powers of de air as well. I can descend dis safely without qualm. I won't need any potion, either. I can breathe under de sea, after a fashion."

Flight hex allows me to feather fall at will (though it only works on myself). With the Water Lung hex I can breathe underwater; it only lasts a minute, but I can use it over and over.

Batango creeps up behind the rest of the party and peers into the shack, covering his face with a hand to try and deflect the stench, and doesn't get too close to the door. "Alive, or filled with flies, I am wondering...Dis room is a bastion of illness and doom. Leave it be."

Out of town today and tomorrow, NPC as necessary.

"It seems as if someting...or someone...was quite interested in de cove over yonder. What dis means for us? Hm. Next target indeed...whatever gets us off dis island de quicker, I am tinking."

When Atajay calls out about the dead body, Batango lets out a pffft. "Are you sure it is actually dead? I've seen more moving corpses on dis island and less dead ones!"

Batango looks up into the trees at the retreating creature, sighing at yet another situation in which he feels inadequate. Aiming his crossbow up into the branches, he lets loose a bolt.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

I assume I also failed the save I made? SO I'll need some damage as well.

Batango follows along behind the group, feeling the effects of the island and its odious inhabitants preying upon him. Still, he does his best to keep up, and looks on at the stockade skeptically as Atajay and Quara talk. "Assuming de natives aren't all undead as well," he interjects.

Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Throughout the rest of the day and into the night, Batango keeps to himself, far to the rear of the group. He spends his time observing, formulating, calculating...he finds these new developments curious. Studying the exchanges between Penta and the others, he contemplates the friction. That the addition of one castaway could do so much to rouse the conflict of the rest of his makeshift crew...though, in his experience, such things were natural. Though he had spent much of the past several years in seclusion, his time on ships and serving in crews had shown him that all members of a crew were very rarely a copacetic unit. They were more prone to grudges and plots, rivalries and fights. Granted, the situation of Batango and his crew was somewhat different. Press ganged as they were, their camaraderie was of a different sort. He did not particularly find Penta offensive; perhaps he even shared some of her notions towards the others in a certain sense, but he was simply quiet about it. Quick tongues often were targets of quick razors.

Of their arguments, Batango has naught to add. He only watches and listens. Their talk of pleasure and gods are of little interest to him, but he makes note of their discourse regardless. Batango offered nods to Besmara in his youth, and perhaps he could not deny that She had gifted him to some degree, but now gods meant little to him. There is only He, the Deep One, the Darkness Beneath, the Grim Patron, the Fathomless Benefactor. That is the true power for him, and He has no philosophies to incite dispute or discussion. The creed of the Deep One is simple - the sea is all. The sea gives life and removes it; the sea creates world and erodes them away. The sea is both power and peace, both wrath and calm, lawful in its chaos. Batango needed no other, needed no gods. Gods could rise and fall, gods could be made and unmade, but the sea is eternal.

He does speak to Tabook at random intervals, muttering quietly in different languages. When fatigue takes him, he moves to a secluded spot of from the others to rest his bones, though when he passes them he sweeps an eye across their gathering, as if to read one final observation.

New spells for the day: 0 - Mending, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue, Guidance. 1st - Command, Ray of Sickening, Obscuring Mist

After pulling the dagger from the ghoul's back, Batango looks down at the blade awkwardly, as if he had not expected the knife to be effective at all. Turning to the final enemy, he only makes it half a step before it is done in, so he thrusts his knife back into its sheathe and walks over to the group, eying the newcomer suspiciously, curiously...

"Hm, fortuitous, it is being, you showing up when do did. Strange also, I am tinking." He walks up to Arven as he speaks, a grey-blue light sparking to life on his hand. He places it on the Undine's back, imparting him with the rejuvenation of the sea. "How did you come to be here?" Upon hearing Quara succumbing to her wounds, Batango wheels around and steps to her fallen form. Kneeling down, he looks her over. "A grim affliction from de undead, I tink. I can do nothing for de stiffness, but de sea washes wounds..." His hand glowing again, he places it on Quara's forehead.

Hex of Healing Arven: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Hex of Healing Quara: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Batango surveys the scene, feeling at a loss; he does not often find himself in predicaments to which he has to answer or response to. The sudden arrival of the whip-wielding woman was certainly strange - fortuitous and convenient...interesting. The witch throws his crossbow into the mud, realizing that it is about as useless as his spells. He draws his knife and ponders for a moment on what to do. Quara is being attacked, but Arven looks worse off. Not that his knife would do much, nor did he have much strength to put behind it. Still, he reasons that Quara, like himself, can heal to some degree, so logic decides his actions.

He moves, cutting a wide circle around Quara and the ghoul, coming up behind the undead fiend in attempts to slash it.

If the ghoul is adjacent to Quara I believe I can move into flanking position.

AttacK; 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Use witch's magic to ravage this horror's body or mind

Evil Eye is mind-affecting, so unfortunately can't use it on them as they are immune. Then again, undead are also immune to any effect requiring a fortitude save, so I don't know if these are just different undead or things have been overlooked. All of my prepared spells are likewise ineffective against undead :(

"Bah, witch's magic has no use against dese creatures! I am needing living minds to manipulate...gods be damned - de savage one isn't moving!" Disgruntled by his ineffectiveness, Batango loads his crossbow again and fires at the ghoul closest to him. Certainly do not want to risk firing into melee and hitting Arven.

Crossbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Batango points his crossbow at the furthest ghoul, off to the right. He squints at it and squeezes the trigger, hoping he still remembers how to use the often neglected weapon.

Crossbow:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

"Undead! Bah and damn dis island...My magic is useless against tings such as dese."

During the surprise round, Batango loads his light crossbow with a bolt.

My repertoire of spells is largely mind-affecting (or otherwise living/humanoid targeted), and I believe Evil Eye is also. Looks like I'm an archer in this fight!

Batango sighs and shrugs. "Why can we not let it?" he says as Arven moves forward. "I have no qualm with dis tree or what is in de tent. Whatever it is is distracted, I am tinking. Let us pass without issue. I did not know our goal in being here was to crusade against de "evil" and dark." He sighs again as everyone else moves after Arven, though, preparing for whatever lies ahead. "Bah, fine, fine...let us all go play de heroes for good. Curses to that.""

As Batango brings up the rear of the group, he mutters to Tabook. "Where do dey tink my magic is coming from? Sunshine and angel laughter? From a dark place, it comes. A dark patron. Feh..."

Batango blinks. "Aye, I am aware we be having magic. Dat was not my meaning - I meant dat under normal circumstances, I would try to use de strange powers of dis area, take de might something like dis tree seems to possess. But tings such as dis require a sort of magic we are not having to manipulate, I am thinking. Dark shaman magic I foresee here. Black druidism."

At the shriek, Batango's eyes snap towards the tent. "A sacrifice? Or senseless slaughter?"

Batango stops short as well upon seeing the swamp and obviously malign tree. He blinks a few times and squints his eyes at the fetid scene before him and frowns. "What in de salty deep is dis. No simple tree, I am tinking. And what exactly hides in de tent...bah, dis is a dark sign, I tink. Best to hack it down and burn it. I would say make use of power if it is here to be had, but I am not skilled in such magic."