Lilia cheerfully jumps up as there is a letter to read. Remaining silent for a moment as she reads, she continues with a cheerful, sing-song voice Let me look this up for you. I'll have a look in the ledger to see if we have a request.... She open a large book and says hmm... yes... just a sec... it's here! Yes, the Kat Season is indeed expected. Let me sign out a rowboat for you, and locate a pilot. I'll just move over here... she continues her verbose treatment of the request ...and sees who's available on the pilot roster. Ah... Zigil is available. Good. She looks up from the book, and says If you'll excuse me for a moment, I'll just get the pilot to come over here, and we're good to go! Sounds good, no?
The sounds of splashing water returns to the room as the halfling shuts up and leave the room.
She returns with a dwarven woman. Zigil. I'm your pilot. Here's the deal: rowing is your job, navigating this tub safely through the graveyard is mine. The ship will be waiting outside of the graveyard, because they're not allowed to enter without the guidance of a pilot from the guild. You secure the ship, and I'll board when it is secure - and not a moment sooner. Are we clear on this?
Absalom’s harbor is an inky, shifting landscape of shadows at night, illuminated only by the city’s lights, the waxing moon, and the distant blaze of the Absalom Lighthouse on Pilot’s Island. Eventually, a three-masted ship with white sails comes into view. It’s just over one hundred feet in length, and its bowsprit is a weatherworn representation of a canine-headed mermaid. The crew is busy as they await an escort through the Ship’s Graveyard. A rope ladder hangs from the rail of its starboard to a foot above the waterline.
Ariward and Orphin aren't deceived by the ruse of renaming the boat kAt Season, and notice how the extra letters have been sloppily painted onto the bow. There's also folded yellow sails on deck, which are the tell-tale sign of Okeno pirates.
The ladder is affixed firmly. The dwarven pilot says They're probably expecting two sailors and a pilot. They've already put out the ladder to let us on.
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"Right, business" Svetlana states, matter of fact.
She draws a couple of items from her pack. "We're going on board a ship, things might go wrong. These are Air Crystals, you chew 'em and you can breathe rather than drown. This is a Potion that gives you a Touch of the Sea, you'll swim like a fish even in a ton or armour... doesn't give you gills though. I'm placing them here...these are healing, this is spider climbing. This is a wand - allows you to heal like a Devil for those who can use it" she demonstrates which pouches "Things go to custard you know where they are, if I you are in trouble and I throw you something you now know what it is"
"I can see in the dark just fine, so don't worry about whether I need light or anything"
Svetlanas eyes then glow red for a moment.
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"I have my own potion for better swimming, just in case", Ariwards shuffles his possessions and puts one potion on top of his belt pouch, "I'd like to have your connections in Society to get some of those air crystals later, they are pretty rare as I understood. But please, keep that devil healing thing of me - I don't want to have any debts to a filthy brood."
He puts his shield on his shoulder, and fixes glaive on a strap.
"If no one minds, I'll go second with Svetlana", he said, thinking "this way I might protect everyone, before she rushes into a fight, where problem could be solved by couple of words"
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Svetlana looks a bit surprised at Ariward "I didn't pick you as Chelaxian, but as I already have the blood of that filthy brood in my veins I have fewer qualms" she offers cheerfully.
At the last minute, just before she is about to climb the ladder, she pulls out her shining wayfinder, rubs the dragon embossed on its cover, and triggers its magic.
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Ariward's noded: "Everyone fights it's own demons. Some are born with bad heritage, but strive to do things rights, despite of all odds. Personally, I am fighting with temptation to use all power available to bring world to justice and beauty. Anyway, as I said, I don't want to give a chance for wily devil than require me pay him back for moment of my weakness."
He took out of his belt pouch a potion, decorated with crossed yellow and red ribbons, and drinks it, saluting to Svetlana: "No offence? Let the beauty protects us as we are striving to protect the beauty."
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"We're here for the same reason then. You want to defend beauty, and so do I. We both stand guard at the castle of civilisation; you maintain the vigil protecting the beautiful gardens of the inner courtyard and my calling is to stand on the ugly outer walls and defend those instead. Regardless, we both want the same thing, the preservation of order, the protection of the innocent, and to keep the peace so that joy may prosper and lovers might be the only thing roaming the gardens in the night" She looks at the ship "Lets get up that rope"
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Marra rolls her eyes, "You two must have fun family reunions. Climb the ladder ."
The hafling quietly climbs up after the first two.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Hellion, Ariward and Marra climb aboard, and very little seems amiss to the crew on the deck. The first mate, flanked by two crew members, simply says About time. Which of you is the pilot?
The sound of a third person climbing up doesn't sit very very with the crew on top of the ship
What is this? A trick? A boarding party?
The half-orc crewman's eyes flash with hatred as he orders his two gnoll crewmen to attack.
Men, drive these invaders off the ship!
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Marra
Orophin
Ariward
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Half-Orc
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Cacumattus
Adrianna
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Gnoll
Gnoll
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Svetlana
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Ariward stepped forward to free up some space behind his back for others to join and to work back to back with Svetlana. He, was standing like a spring, ready to act on first opportunity.
"We come to bring you to justice. This ship is being held due to taxation issues. Surrender and put down your weapons! Otherwise, we will be forced to use ours."
enemy comes in threaten range with weapon
enemy provokes AoO standing with weapon
If he has no weapon, but other threatening stuff, like spell charge, than same roll for attack (+4 due to prone, -4 for non-lethal) and
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"So much for the element of surprise," Cacumattus mumbles under his breath, "so let's try the element of confusion." He makes a complicated series of gestures, and suddenly from the opposite side of the ship come the sound of several more people climbing ropes up the hull, accompanied by various shouts along the lines of "Let's go!" and "Get 'em, lads!".
The auditory illusion in place, he climbs the ladder to the deck.
Marra draws first blood as Ariward, Orophin and Hellion stand to the ready.
The half-orc moves up, and immediately gets cut by Orophin, then thrown on the ground by Ariwar
Cacumattus creates his ghostly sound, and the rearmost gnoll seems to be positively nervous about this.
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Cacumattus
Adrianna
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Gnoll (8)
Gnoll
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Svetlana
Marra
Orophin
Ariward
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Half-Orc (10) - Prone
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Adrainna hurls a javelin, and catches the gnoll in the chest.
The gnoll near Marra tries to stab the halfling with his spear, while the other gnoll throws a spear at Adrianna
--
Svetlana
Marra
Orophin
Ariward
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Half-Orc (10) - Prone
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Cacumattus
Adrianna
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Gnoll (8)
Gnoll (5)
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Ariward steps onto the wooden grid separating the two decks. It creaks under his heavy weight, and feel like it may give way any time. Ariward tries to disarm the gnoll, but the two-handed grip on the spear is too tight.
--
Svetlana
Marra
Orophin
Ariward
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Half-Orc (10) - Prone
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Cacumattus
Adrianna
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Gnoll (8)
Gnoll (5)
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The half-orc makes a satisfying 'crunck' sound as Hellion finishes him off, leaving only the two gnolls.
--
Svetlana
Marra
Orophin
Ariward
Cacumattus
Adrianna
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Gnoll (8)
Gnoll (5)
Half-Orc - Dead
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Adrianna and Orophin team up on the far gnoll, who don't stand a stand against the fury of the two. Adrianna slam leave the gnoll groggy, and Orophin's hit with the morning knocks him out completely, leaving him bleeding on the deck.
From the corner of their eyes, they see a flash of scimitar coming from Marra, and the last goblin sagging to the deck as well.
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"They still need to face the law", said Ariward, trying to stabilize bleeding half-orc, but wound done Svetlana's hit was so deep, that blood was pumping between his fingers.
Seeing that, his healing capabilities are low, he took out small wand and touched unconscious sailor. Blessed energy filled body and pirate was no longer dying.
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Seeing that she took a wound from the Gnoll, Marra uses her wand to heal the injury. The uses her healing skill to stabilize the Gnoll, "If you are going to waste healing to stabilize the prisoners, please tie them up first, otherwise we may have to fight them again."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Ariward manages to stabilise the dying half-orc. The half-orc carries two healing potions, as well as two thundrstones. The gnolls carry little of interest.
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Paladin looked at Marra's face: "My goddess blessed this wand so life could be safe. Because, when life is cut short, the world's potential for beauty is lessened. I still hope, they could be redeemed."
Ariward took healing potions after Orophin's hint and looked around to find a rope: "I will tie him now, when he is safe and then we can go down. Probably, we can find a mentioned captive Pathfinder"