Baas runs to the end of the deck where Sykala jumped and holds on to anything that helps him keep his balance and looks out to see if he sees any of his friends.
Keliwyn takes a place next to Baas and yells for somebody to bring him a rope.
Round #5 Fippin heads towards the stern of the ship to fetch his rope from where the party's gear has been stored.
Balance- 1d20+4=10
That will take his full round since he fell on the deck the round before.
Round #6- Fippin should be able to get to the side of the ship and throw out a line.
Whether it was due to the electrical shock -- which hurt Ixius half as much as it hurt the gargoyle -- or whether it was surprised to find this human could swim better than most, the Kapoacinth loses its grip on its prey. It doesn't look like it is going to surrender Ixius so easily though. It thrashes about in the water and prepares to grapple Ixius again.
Those on the boat: there are some mooring lines and an anchor at in the area between the paddlewheel and the cabin.
Whether it was due to the electrical shock -- which hurt Ixius half as much as it hurt the gargoyle -- or whether it was surprised to find this human could swim better than most, the Kapoacinth loses its grip on its prey. It doesn't look like it is going to surrender Ixius so easily though. It thrashes about in the water and prepares to grapple Ixius again.
A jolt of electricity courses through the water and the creature loses its grip on Ixius.
Ixius swims as fast as he can back toward the boat and tries to get back on it.
.
As Ixius swims backwards away from the creature, it tries to grab him again. Ixius strikes out with a claw.
Attack of opportunity (1d20+3=17)
Ixius then casts shocking grasp
If the Spellcraft check succeeded and the creature is in range then the touch attack does
If the Spellcraft check failed, then the roll is a normal attack
Ixius, you will get an AofO as well as your attack this round. Sykala, I'm going to rule that electricity (magically) discharged in water hurts a grappled opponent half as much and an adjacent opponent 1/4 as much unless someone wants to hop in a swimming pool and do an experiment to prove me wrong ;-)
Bull rush Ixius (1d20+5=20) SWEET! Nice Roll! Think that's at least another 10' to your move Ix.
Ixius sees large jaws emerge from the inky depths to close around him. Instead of biting down they just hold him and he feels the rush of water as he is thrust swiftly to the surface of the river and closer to the boat.
Rolled this if it's pertinent: AOO for river creature coming up from behind Sykala (1d20+5=9, 1d12+3=8) She misses with her tail slap.
If you successfully grapple an opponent, you must continue to make a check each round, as a standard action, to maintain the hold. If..." Ooops. There it is. Now I am clear. That was its action.
.
Chuol will take a look to see if he can reach Ixius or not. If he can, he will attempt to pull him onto the boat (using his trident to try to reach out to Ixius if possible). Otherwise, he will help Fipping throw out a line.
As Ixius swims backwards away from the creature, it tries to grab him again. Ixius strikes out with a claw.
Attack of opportunity (1d20+3=17)
Ixius then casts shocking grasp
If the Spellcraft check succeeded and the creature is in range then the touch attack does
If the Spellcraft check failed, then the roll is a normal attack
Ixius' head bursts above the surface of the water less than 20' behind the boat.
The creature is not anxious to let go of its prey so easily and especially is not willing to surrender it to some other predator like the one that just flashed by towards it spitting lightning. The Kapoacinth grapples the sorceror, dodging Ixius' claw attack but then getting shocked by a burst of electricity. 'What's with all the lightning today?' it wonders as it maintains its grapple.
Damage from being grapple or under water? You weren't close to taking damage from being under water. It is really hard to drown people in this game. I've tried.
Whether it was due to the electrical shock -- which hurt Ixius half as much as it hurt the gargoyle
Chuol will take a look to see if he can reach Ixius or not. If he can, he will attempt to pull him onto the boat (using his trident to try to reach out to Ixius if possible). Otherwise, he will help Fipping throw out a line.
Chuol throws a line to Ixius. It is within Ixius reach.
Damage from being grapple or under water? You weren't close to taking damage from being under water. It is really hard to drown people in this game. I've tried.Whether it was due to the electrical shock -- which hurt Ixius half as much as it hurt the gargoyle
Ixius sees a rope in the water and grabs hold of it with all his might.
Fippin isn't a lot of use, but will take an aid other action to help Chull haul Ix out of the water.
Sykala waits to strike the river creature with her lightning until it tries to continue it's grapple thus disrupting it and freeing Ixius to get on the boat.
Lightning arc touch attack to disrupt river creatures grapple (1d20+5=25, 1d6+2=4)
Crit confirmation (1d20+5=13, 1d6+2=6)
Kraka-KOW! Lightning explodes from beneath the water surface.
Does Ixius suffer damage from the crit conformation too as I wasn't aiming for him? That should make his grapple a bit harder.
The evil underwater-dwelling gargoyle decides to call it a day. Until it can figure out where all this lightning is coming from, it's heading back to the bottom of the river.
The crocodile slithers onto deck after Ixius is safely aboard. She will stay in croc form until we are well on our way out of this area of the river. She will go back up to the foredeck and curl up there waiting out the storm. Any deckhands that get to aggressive get hissed and snapped at.
Ixius climbs back onto the boat, crawls under the pilot house, retches, and collapses with exhaustion. He watches with wonder as the Sykala-crocodile crawls past.
Ixius climbs back onto the boat, crawls under the pilot house, retches, and collapses with exhaustion. He watches with wonder as the Sykala-crocodile crawls past.
The boat, fighting against the current, does not stop. As soon as Faruq sees that everyone is accounted for, he yells up to Esteban to keep moving.
Faruq grins at the group of you "You need us just call. We'll be upstairs."
As Ixius is standing up, Chuol will slap him hard on the back. "Ha! You swim and fight good! De river will not take any of us on dis voyage!" At that he starts coiling the rope and looking how the storm is progressing.
Fippin looks at Chuoul.
"Are those things common in these waters? I don't want to have to deal with any of them again."
To the party, as he gets out the wand, which he keeps sheathed at his side.
"Who needs healing?"
Once Fippin is done handing out charges from the wand, he will go over and more closely inspect the corpse of the dead critter.
Fippin looks at Chuoul.
"Are those things common in these waters? I don't want to have to deal with any of them again."
Keliwyn collapses next to Ixius, and looks up at Fippin. "I agree, but we should have a plan in case they do pop back up. We just came periously close to getting wiped from the deck. And you, my friend," he says to Ixius, "If it wasn't for Sykala, you'd be done for, and f it wasn't for Baas, I would have followed you. We're both very lucky."
Fippin looks at Chuoul.
"Are those things common in these waters? I don't want to have to deal with any of them again."
To the party, as he gets out the wand, which he keeps sheathed at his side.
"Who needs healing?"
Chuol replies to Fippin: "I do not know if they are common, but I have heard many tales from my tribe-brothers of dangerous creatures in the waters around Mother Mwangi who cannot be cut by a normal knife. But it seems we have no ordinary knives! Ha!
Seeing Fippin pull out a wand and begin to heal, Chuol will do the same, putting his hands on injured companions , and once the hands are removed, some of the cuts and bruises have disappeared.
Chuol does originally get snapped at as she doesn't concider him part of the group yet but after his reassuring words that he means no harm she allows him to approach.
The boat survives the storm and continue up the river through the lashing rain. After about an hour and a half, the storm subsides almost as quickly as it appeared. There are a few moments before sunset for you to enjoy the coolness of the newly watered green before the heat returns. With the sun down, now, the heat is not as vicious as it is during the day.
Esteban finds the bend in the river where he had planned to shelter the boat and the crew emerges from the magazine below to help him.
The one crew member you had not yet seen climbs up from the engine room directly into the cabin. (A hatch in the floor, allows access to the engine room from the cabin.) At first you think you are being attacked by some strange creature but Hurg is a dwarf -- a completely hairless dwarf. You can say with almost complete certainty, that any hair the loin-cloth wearing Hurg had anywhere on his body has been shaved or sizzled off. "What're yoooo looking at?" Hurg asks defensively.
Sykala having transformed back when the storm abated stares at Hurg unabashedly obviously curiously studing him with wonder but does not respond.
"If it wasn't for Sykala, you'd be done for, and f it wasn't for Baas, I would have followed you. We're both very lucky."
"I know, I should be dead; I don't know how I am still alive; I should be dead." Ixius mutters.
A little while later, when he can stand again he goes into the cabin and sits, lost deep in thought.
After the storm subsides Ixius seeks out Sykala when she returns to human form.
"I am not sure what happened down there in the river, but when I was struggling with that thing there was something else in the water with us. At first I thought it was another one of those things, but then I saw the flash of lightning and realized it was helping me. The next thing I knew I was being pulled onto the boat. When I saw the crocodile crawl onto the boat I knew it was you down there.
"You saved my life, and for that I am eternally grateful, and am deeply in your debt. But I think there was more to it, because even with you help I should not have survived. That thing was big and it was strong, and I couldn't hurt it."
Chuol will have a sit down and enjoy the (relatively) cool night air, relaxing after a long day of work. He will keep an eye on the new members of the boat crew, watching their antics with a smile.
Sykala looks out over the river while she responds seemingly distant in her thoughts. "It not like skyfire. It run away. Gozreh need you. Winds tell me. Things are wrong here, you help change." Then she turns toward him with a smile, "Also, I like swim. Good reason go for one."
The two other crew members -- other than those you have met so far -- grumble as they lash down the boat and clean up the deck. You are not expected to help with this. They then cook the food and get mocked by Faruq for not coming out on the deck during the attack.
Once all is said and done, they invite you for a game of Farport. The rules, they explain, are like this:
(1) All players put in their stake -- 1 pp in this game.
(2) The captain rolls 3 six sided dice, keeping the highest.
(3) The captain may decide to 'head for the nearest port' by paying out the stakes.
(4) If the captain does not decide to head for port, all players must decided to surrender their stake or double it.
(5) Each player rolls 2 eight sided dice, keeping the highest. Players win if their highest 8-sider beats the captain's highest 6-sider. Ties go to the captain. The captain pays any player who wins (2 pp in this game) and takes the stakes from any players who lose.
Sykala looks out over the river while she responds seemingly distant in her thoughts. "It not like skyfire. It run away. Gozreh need you. Winds tell me. Things are wrong here, you help change." Then she turns toward him with a smile, "Also, I like swim. Good reason go for one."
"I would like to learn more about your god Gozra. I can't help but think it was only through his intervention that I am alive"
She waves her hand indicating the river and jungle. "Here you meet him everywhere. You learn much about Gozreh. I help guide. Gozreh not forgive for those foolish here." She seems pleased at his interest. "I have same happen. When small I on ship. It challenge Gozreh's Eye and sink. (A momentary sadness crosses her face as she said that last part) His breath push me to land. He show me way to live. I blessed by water and wind, now you have blessing too."
Fippin looks at Ix.
"Well my friend you did drink of Desna's blessed water today as well. I am certain that she was watching over you too."
Fippin looks to the his companions- "Tomorrow morning I will pray for a spell that will enchant a weapon. The enchantment won't last long, but if we have to face anymore critters like that, at least I can enspell Bass's earthbreaker or another weapon. That would have been useful our there this evening. Though I must admit that Desna's spiritual star knife did land some solid blows against the one critter."
Sykala nods to Fippin, "Desna, good friend have. Heal me. Help me have strength go after river creature. Star-knife very good too."
Sykala takes no interest in thier card game instead going once again to the foredeck (unless that's where they are playing and the goes to the aft of the ship) to enjoy the night breeze and sounds of the river and jungle.
The two other crew members -- other than those you have met so far -- grumble as they lash down the boat and clean up the deck. You are not expected to help with this. They then cook the food and get mocked by Faruq for not coming out on the deck during the attack.
Once all is said and done, they invite you for a game of Farport. The rules, they explain, are like this:
** spoiler omitted **
Keliwyn perks up at the mention of a game of chance, and is happy to oblige the crew.
Normally Fippin enjoys games of chance, but his mood after the encounter with the Kapoacinth is somewhat somber, and he doesn't want to let his guard down.
He focuses on making sure his companions are healed, and keeping alert for anymore nasties that might come out of the water.
Baas chooses not to play the game. And spends the evening looking out at the view, cleaning his weapons (which does not include Sykala), and being even more distant than usual.
The other crew members -- Danner and Speraggo -- get snide when they find out no one else wants to play. Instead of playing with Keliwyn, they slip back off to the magazine to drink without sharing.
Esteban and Faruq sleep in the pilothouse. Hurg seems content to sleep near 'me truelove, the 'eart of the Queen' -- the engine. Mosquito netting is pulled over the cabin, the pilothouse, the covered cargo area, and the topdeck. Sleep where you want.
Nightfalls.
The jungle does not sleep.
Several hours into the night you hear a terrified squealing that goes on and on.
Ixius is in the cabin.
"Do you hear that?"
Ixius is in the cabin.
"Do you hear that?"
Keliwyn is startled awake, and checks to make sure his sword is within reach.
"Yeah, I hear it . . . but as long as there's no splashing, I guess we needn't be too worried."
Sykala takes it in stride as part of the normal sounds of the jungle at night.
Knowledge Nature to identify source of squealing (1d20+10=11)
Sykala takes it in stride as part of the normal sounds of the jungle at night.
Knowledge Nature to identify source of squealing (1d20+10=11)
Sounds like a pig being eaten by something bigger than a pig.
She goes back to sleep.
Tarren:
Ixius is in the cabin.
"Do you hear that?"
Chuol replies: "Yes, fren. I know not what it is. But we should try to sleep for delong day ahead." With that, Chuol turns and tries to return to sleep.
He clutches his trident as he drifts off...
The night goes by without incident.
The next day, you continue up river. The paddlewheel turns furiously fighting the rain-swelled current. Esteban yells down from the pilothouse to Hurg in the engine room below "We need more power ya hairless maggot!"
Hurg yells back "I'm giving her all that I can. If I give you any more, she’ll blow!!!"
"I said more power!" yells back Esteban.
To which Hurg responds "Captain!!! she’s gonna blow!!!!!!"
They do this several times a day.
The heat is unbearable.
Nothing happens all day.
The heat is unbearable.