Three missiles fly from Lureene's wand striking the nearest ghoul repeatedly. It crackles for a moment from the eldritch impact before its feet slip out from under it and it crashes to the ground moving no more.
Without wasting any time, the succubus hurries out of the cathedral and into the dark, cramped fissure thru the rock. As the last vestiges of unlife slip from Captain Kovack's ruined form, he thinks, Yar, I hates ta see 'er go, but sure loves ta watch 'er leave...
Wary of the dwarf and his big axe, and of the cleric lass, Kovack tries to swing around and keep himself from being subjected to any unnecessary attacks or other compromising positions. However, he doesn't expect the Dwarven Inquisitioner, who intercedes on Lureene's behalf with a powerful swing of his weapon... which cleaves nothing but the empty air.
"Jus' ain't yer day, is it lad?"
As Kovack steps forward, Kovack's sickening stench fills Priyya's nose and she feels her stomach lurch in protest.
"Alright lass," he says to Lureene, teeth bared, "be a good girl 'n give the ol' Captain a taste o' those lips!"
With that, he pushes past the dwarf and gives Lureene a powerful 'kiss' that leaves her with blood streaming down her face and a chunk of her cheek missing!
At the far south end of the chamber, you can hear a loud hiss and the sliding of scale against scale as the huge undead king cobra begins to raise itself up, burning ruby eyes assaying the scene before it.
Rolls:
Fort DC 18 (stench) P 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 2 = 15 prot vs evil duration 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 minutes
Jason: If you are going to ready then you have to state specifically what you are doing when the readied condition triggers (i.e. melee attack, cast a spell, trip, etc). That means you should go ahead and make your attack rolls etc. then.
Darvesch takes Kovack by surprise as he slips past. "Oy! That be my piece o' ass there, don't ye be gettin' any idears shorty!"
He follows after, trying to reach Lureene when Darvesch turns to meet him, axe at the ready.
Rolls:
AoO 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 2 = 16 desecrate
Next Up: Enemies, [Darvesch], (Kovack); Priyya, Mal, Lureene, Alis & Company [Readied] (Delayed) Note: If there's no reply from Jason by the time I'm done with the ghouls then I'll NPC Darvesch's readied action for this round. It's already been 18 hours since his turn first came up.
As Darvesch moves away from it, the ghoul looming near him levels a powerful strike at his back raking across his unprotected scalp and neck with its filthy claws. Keeping his wits about him, he makes sure to give Kovack a wide berth before coming at him from behind.
With a grunt of effort, he swings putting tremendous power into an overhand chop... which the undead sea captain sidesteps at the last second. The dwarf's axe raises a shower of sparks as it strikes the floor.
Glancing behind, Kovack admonishes him. "Yar, ye be a bungler!"
A moment later, Priyya unleashes a burst of healing energy that very nearly topples the ghoul flanking Mal. Yet even as she steps up, as if in response the entire cathedral shakes like some great beast awakened from a long sleep. A blast of blood red energy radiates from the floor suffusing the entire room. In an instant, the damage to the ghouls is undone, even as each of you feel the tremendous power threatening to extinguish your life force. As the terrible ruby haze dissipates, you note movement from the pile of corpses and it seems to ripple as the desiccated bodies therein begin to fuse together into a serpentine coil!
"Ooh, I be feelin' like a new man! What ye say you 'n me lass?"
The giant ghoul injured by Priyya stalks out from behind its pillar giving a deep cry to its brethren in hiding. As it advances, it grinds Mal's light stick to dust beneath its heel. From the north end of the temple, three more undead giants approach, one charging at Priyya, another at Mal. The last one sneaks out from behind the next closest pillar and moves into a flanking position with the first around Mal — the injured one not wishing to risk either of the two warriors weapons just to get at the robed woman.
Further south, Captain Kovack squints against the brilliant light. Before him, there was an unpleasant looking dwarf with shiny armor skin, a hard axe and a sizable shield. Feh, 'twould take some work to come at 'is flesh. Yar, but this soft, pink 'n gold creature that 'ad appeared? Glowin' like the moon she was? Aye she'd make a fine feast, although he'd need to be gettin' to 'er afore the big lugs...
As a cruel grin spread across his scruffy face, a powerful stench, like something dredged up from the depths of the sea rolls forth from Captain Kovack like some terrible fog. Repulsed, but too stern to let the stench of some ghast turn his stomach, Darvesch manages to keep his breakfast down as the undead sea captain skirts around him to come at Lureene even as the giant ghouls tear into Malandraenas.
Suddenly your blood runs cold as you hear a familiar voice chuckle. "Ahoy there blondie, be a good lass 'n don't struggle. Jus' woke up 'n ye be lookin' right tasty!"
As Kovack approaches, Lureene feels a wave of sea-sickness wash over her from the captain's ghastly stench.
An examination of the log reveals that the White Pearl's captain seemed to be suffering from some sort of madness that grew over the course of the ship’s final voyage. Earlier entries from previous voyages are precise in recording progress and events along the way, as are entries from right up until just after your arrival at Titan's Cove.
As you read further, the more recent the entries get, the less common they become—in some cases, several days are missing entries. What entries do appear are strangely short, focusing more and more on Ms. d'Adora with whom the captain seemed to have become obsessed. Several entries are nothing more than poorly written love poems to Ieana, while others bemoan Captain Kovack's inability to please her or keep her attention.
Near the end, the entries begin to take on a more ominous tone with the captain starting to complain that other members of the crew are eyeing 'his Ieana.' In particular, he suspects his first mate, Mr. Devers, is in love with her, and writes several times about how he wishes Alton would just 'have an accident.'
The final entry is perhaps the most disturbing, for in it the captain writes of how he's changed course for Reaver's Shiv at Ieana's request. He hopes that the two of them can make a home on the remote island, but also notes that the crew are growing increasingly agitated at the ship’s new course. The captain muses that 'something may need to be done about the crew' if their suspicions get any worse before he goes on about a 'clever idea' to distract them with a party.
For dinner that night, Vinzini prepares a feast serving up clams, pasta dishes, fresh bread, olives, deviled eggs, sea bass, crab cakes and more. The wine and ale flow freely too, particularly after Captain Kovack makes his big announcement...
"Lads n' lasses," he hoists a brimming cup into the sultry night air, "Ah've given it lots o' thought n' when we put inta Port Eldarion, Ah'll be hangin' up me hat n' lookin' ta raise me some sons n' daughters."
The crew is more than a bit morose at the news of their skipper's impending retirement but he waves his hat until he has their attention once more. "Na don't be givin' me none a that guff. A faller's gotta think 'bout tha future is all. An thinkin' Ah did ye see. So come when the White Pearl weighs anchor agin, yer new captain'll be one ye scallywags already know — Mr. Devers!"
Captain Kovack turns his gaze away from the monsters to gaze slack-jawed at the mage. "Woman, thar's na room nar time ta bring tha Pearl about. E'en if'n we did, got all the weigh o' tha Silver Sea pushin' agin tha hull!"
It doesn't take long before the main deck of the ship becomes crowded with off-duty sailors and a few who should probably be tending to other tasks. Vinzini the cook, First Mate, Alton, Sasha, even the standoffish scholar Ieana, and others turn out to see what's brewing. Captain Kovack seems amused by the little Fight Club that's brewing and calls out, "Jes be sure n' ye don't go hobblin' me whole crew there lad. Ye may be tha biggest feller on this here ship, but I got no problem puttin' ya ta work if ya git carried away!"
You wake to Captain Kovack's booming voice and the sound of activity on the deck above you. Before you can even clear the fog of the past night from your skull, the crew has cast off the mooring lines and White Pearl is underway, sailing into the sunrise and the increasingly strong currents generated by the maelstrom hundreds of miles to the south east at the heart of the Silver Sea.
Given how early it is and how late many of you were up, most of you simply pull the covers over your heads and roll over. However, between the increasingly tropical weather, and an incessant knocking at the door to your cabin, all thoughts of sleep are soon left behind.
'Lisa' knocks softly at Aerys' door and looks in to find the woman asleep and 'Sarah' reading a thick book with a look of interest on her dark face. She waves Priyya out into the hall, and then quickly closes the door and stands to the side as Ishirou lumbers past with a large trunk on his shoulder followed soon after by the captain and a not unattractive scholarly-looking woman that he is escorting.
The woman nods politely as she passes you, although Captain Kovack hardly seems to notice you are there. "Be my pleasure if'n ye be joinin' me fer supper t'night, Miss Ieana..."
"This be no schooner, Miss Ieana." He puffs his chest out and gestures to the rigging. "The White Pearl be clipper-built an' aye she is a fast one. None faster on the Silver Sea I reckon!"
The Captain hops down from the poop deck and again from the quarterdeck with the spirit of a man 20 years younger. He flashes his lieutenant a big smile and says, "Be a good lad 'n show our passengers about tha town. Ah'll help tha lil' lady here!"
Alton nods and hands the trunk to Ishirou who stands silently by and shrugs his shoulders before setting off for the lower level of the ship. Captain Kovack meanwhile offers the woman his right arm and says, "Welcome aboard tha White Pearl milady! We be bound fer Light's End an' Port Eldarion, but ye kin voyage wit us as far as ye like, Miss...?"
For the next several hours, all of you go about your business. Alis and Gelik swap stories while the gnome gives her pointers on how to really stick it to people. Priyya continues to help Aerys as the symptoms of the DTs grow stronger, and Mal continues work on his wilding clasp. Meanwhile up on the quarterdeck, Lureene and Sasha talk for hours causing more than a few distractions and they loosen their clothes on what ends up being the first real scorcher of 4210.
After a full day of sailing, you finally reach Titan's cove with a few hour of daylight to spare. When the White Pearl has finished docking, Captain Kovack announces, "This be tha last port o' call 'til we reach Light's End. If'n any o' ye aim ta stretch yer legs or conduct any bidnis ye best be quick."
The Captain grumbles something indecipherable under his breath as the gnome departs. He then clears his throat and says, "Miss Sarah is it? Gerrold said ye was a healer o' some sort. If'n ye kin help Aerys, sure as the sea is wet, 'twould be a right favor. Break 'er pappy's heart if'n 'e saw 'er like this."
"Arright, arright!" Captain Kovack waves his hands for everyone to give him a moment. "First things first, that lass ain't a member o' my crew, otherwise I'da put 'er in 'er place! But, her daddy be an ol' friend o' mine though so I told 'er she could pay what she could an' jus' work tha rest."
"That bein' tha case," he presses his finger into his palm for emphasis, and raises his voice, "I ain't puttin' my friend's lil' girl off in a strange port e'en if she is a thrice-damned drunk! I'll gladly change up yer rooms, or refund ye passengers yer fare at Titan's Cove if'n ye wanna git off, but that's the most I kin do. If'n ye gots any suggestions that don't involve beatin' Aerys ta hell or tossin' 'er overboard I'll be hearin' 'em. Otherwise, yet bellyachin' ain't no worse 'n 'ers!"
Captain Kovack's face wrinkles into a scowl. "Isshin, ol' pal, I ain't got me a brig, this here's a clipper ship, not a warship!"
When the constable runs a finger along the back of his teeth and then starts to reach for a citation book, Kovack sighs. "Look, aleas' gimme 'is story first."
He motions to Gelik and Lisa who happen to be standing nearby listening to the exchange. "I gots upstandin' passengers on this ship, if'n the feller's dang'rus I needs ta know!"
Noticing the shiner that Alton now has on his cheek, Captain Kovack shakes his head. "That girl... ain't sightly for a lass to be a drunk. Lock 'er in 'er cabin an' make sure there ain't no more booze stashed in thar! We only gotta deal with 'er so far as Port El'."
He then scowls and mutters under his breath.
Perception DC 20:
"Reckon we'll figure another way she can pay 'er way if'n she's too sotted to do an honest day's work."
The startled gnome looks aghast that the old man touched him, clucking like an agitated chicken. All the while, the short-statured sailor tends to his duties until he nearly runs over the gnome again when he dashes to belay another line on the opposite rail, this time dodging nimbly past 'Andre' who has already started pacing the deck with his trained 'hunting dog' looking for possible threats to his charge's security.
It is not long before the White Pearl enters the shadow of the sea cliff, at which point Captain Kovack shouts, "Ladies, Gents, an' erry one o' tha rest o' ya. Hold yer hats or kiss 'em good-bye!"
No sooner does the captain shout his warning than do the sails give a loud crack, the wind in the sea cleft snapping them open. Instantly, the White Pearl lurches forward, it's narrow hull clipping across the choppy water in the channel rather than plowing thru it like a galleon.
'Ellie' gives a cry of panick as her feet go out from her. Only Alis' quick reflexes keep her from kissing the deck or worse. Further forward, the smartly dressed gnome and Mal both stagger. The wall of the aft cabin catching the big man, while Felmor rushes forward to steady the stumbling gnome. Priyya manages to hold her own, although whether or not she managed to keep from chuckling at the others would later be a matter of debate.
As the sleek, albeit dingy-looking clipper practically rocketed from Malatesta's harbor, a look of exhilaration was clear on Gerrold and Lisa's faces. The White Pearl didn't look like much, but she had it where it counts.
"AAAaaahhhh!!! That's the stuff!" The captain takes a swig from a pewter flask and gives Gerrold a nod of approval noting his steady footing and keen gaze. "She put a whallop on a new seaman at the last port o' call. Feller wound up with a damn broke jaw 'e did! Least it looks like you 'n yer lady got yer sea legs along with the Loxphari there. You three sailed much?"
Felmor:
You realize that when the captain says, 'she broke his jaw,' he means the lithe half-elf you were eying and not the ship. He's trying to give you the heads-up to mind your gaze.
Rolls:
Reflex/Sailor Checks DC 15 A 1d20 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 4 = 23 sea legs F 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 L 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 M 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 P 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 Gelik 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Bluff 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Sense Motive DC 14: F 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 P 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
As the White Pearl approached the shadow of the Malatesta's sea cleft, Captain Kovack, a weather-worn old sea dog shakes his head and spits at all the commotion.
"Lady's Grace my ass," he grumbles.
The man turns his deeply tanned face, which looks like a leather sack with eyes, away from the spectacle and rubs his finger along the shadow of grey stubble on his jaw.
"DEVERS!!!" Even if he must be in his 40s, judging by his lungs, the captain is full of vim and vigor.
