Echoes of Dreams Departed

[Reltzik]

OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?429510-Echoes-of-Dreams-Departed-%28OOC%29&p=19570737#post19570737)

Recruitment Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?427117-Eberron!-Pathfinder)

The sun rises on a cloudless, too-warm morning. Syberis glows golden slightly north of zenith, an alien place for it to be and a sign of the passage that the Water Chariot made into southern waters a week ago. Seagulls follow hopefully in the wake of the House Vadalis barge, and under their cries a chorus of birdsong from the nearby jungle shores of Xen'Drik can occasionally be heard. The long, broad, sail-less barge is being pulled by... something... under the water, something no passenger has ever clearly glimpsed and which the barge's Captain, a stocky dark-skinned human woman with a mechanized darkwood leg, a dragonmark covering most of the right side of her face, and the unlikely monicker Fishbait, refuses to name. (Unless "my pretties" can be called a name.) The cables attached to these unseen motive entities creak and strain, and despite the doldrums the Water Chariot makes a speed that can be rivaled on the water only by a House Lyrander ship. Captain Fishbait is in a good mood, cheerfully pounding on passenger doors as she makes the call to morning mess. "We're speeding up!" she declares to everyone who will listen (and everyone who won't). "My pretties have the scent now! We'll have them caught by midday!"

Morning mess is a ration of stale biscuits and watered grog, paid for in the cost of passage, supplemented by spiky, golden fruit fetched by trained foraging birds from the coastal jungle. These have been on the menu for the past four days and Captain Fishbait insists they will ward off scurvy. Regardless of whether this is true, they serve to ward off the awfulness of the biscuits, even if they taste more like bland cucumber than anything else. The old Xen'Drik hands eat them cheerily enough, laughing at the newbies, "Northpaws", who initially didn't quite know what to make of the exotic fare. The more (or less) helpful veterans have informed the Northpaws that these are called blowfish fruit because of the terrible venom in the horned barbs. Eating the rest of the fruit is safe enough, they warned, but anyone incompetent enough to puncture their skin with the hard spikes would be dead before a day had passed. This was empirically proven false two nights ago by one unfortunate Northpaw, who suffered nothing worse than extreme anxiety and a redoubling of the cheerful, obviously-false warnings of agonizing death at the spikes of the fruit.

The passengers are a diverse and divisive bunch. Most of them are on the same mission, more or less, which is cause for both unity and discord. A new set of ruins from the ancient giant civilization of Xen'Drik has been uncovered, and exclusive reports from the Sanghuin found their ways into the solitary hands of a Wayfinder agent in Stormreach. Not long after, considerable bottles found their way into those same hands, their contents found their way into the owner of those hands, and the secret found its way into additional ears. Seeking to repair the damage, the Wayfinder bound together all the diverse factors to whom he had let slip knowledge of the ruins into a single, not-really-unified expedition, and so forestalled an all-out race for the prize.

The quietest of the passengers are the team from the Arcane Congress. Five in number, they had started taking their meals in their shared cabin after their youngest, a halfling apprentice, fell victim to the blowfish fruit. Most of them are standoffish, all of them are Northpaws, and speculation runs rampant about what (based on their pinched expressions) the local diet is doing to their digestion.

They stand in stark contrast to the band of adventurers in the employ of Morgrave University. All veterans of Xen'Drik, they represent the most energetic and exuberant parties on the boat. If the boundless, constantly-yapping delight of a puppy might be given humanoid form, it would look like these three. They drink heavily, delight in telling Northpaws the most gruesome tales of the horrors awaiting all and sundry in Xen'Drik, and to say they partied all night would be to suggest they stopped during the day. Though open and welcoming, their exuberance had worn thin by the third night. The Congress's team had declared them little more than looters and mercenaries, an accusation to which the Morgrave team had cheerfully toasted and even more cheerfully drank. The Water Chariot's crew has been antagonized by this group more than any other, until Captain Fishbait finally found SOME threat (gods alone knew what) sufficiently blood-curdling to stop them from poking around the forbidden areas of the ship, pawing at unwilling crew, and throwing rocks at her pretties.

The third faction of passengers are... SOME group from Stormreach. Six in number, they are very clannish and quick to feud with anyone, in the way of people overly sensitive to slights against their dignity and constantly trying to earn a respect they feel they never had. Sparks, conflict, and brawls instantly broke out between them and the Morgrave crowd, ending only when Captain Fishbait had banished them to opposite ends of the barge. It was an arrangement the Stormreach crowd took to naturally, even going so far as to chalk a line across the center beam of the ship to denote their turf in no uncertain terms. Where the Congress is going to the ruins to collect artifacts for research, and Morgrave is here for profit under the veneer of research, the Stormreach crowd dispenses with the veneer entirely. Their purpose is pure, unadulterated greed.

The crew is doing its best to stay above the fray and quietly wagering amongst themselves how long the unity of this expedition will last.

Then there is a fourth faction, made up of the individuals not along for profit, who have bound together less out of common interest or common purpose and more for common sanity. Nicknamed "the Twelve" for the large number of House representatives amongst them, they are actually five and have no formal backing from The Twelve in Karrnath. They include: a quiet, withdrawn human merchant from House Orien, here to market at likely-inflated prices any supplies forgotten in the rush to get underway; a cheery halfling from House Jorasko contracted to provide medical services; a dragonmarked half-orc of House Tharashk who spends most of her time watching birds and has made it clear that she will be available for hire on a daily basis to the highest bidder; a gnome from the Library of Korranburg, along to document any finds and survey the ruins but to claim nothing; and another gnome from House Sivis, who through some manner of arrangement or another is prepared to notarize finds and draw up certificates of authenticity at no cost, provided the Librarian is permitted to examine and document them first. As none of the Twelve are there to acquire artifacts from the ruins, they do not represent competition, and so as much as anyone save the ship's crew could they represent a neutral party.

Our heroes are the final faction on board, the one known to the others as the Stragglers, and they are seen as the cause of much of the expedition's troubles. As is often the case in such tales of woe, the heart of the problem is a woman. Her name is Faith d'Leret. A former Cyran noble, made into a refugee by the Day of Mourning, she now works diligently trying to figure out what happened to her nation, over the objections of her uncle, the titled head of her family in New Cyre. Hoping to learn more about the magical technology at work in Cyre on that day, she has trekked to Xen'Drik, where it is rumored that technology was originally invented, myriads of years ago. She had put together her own team to join the expedition, a team that particularly grated on the Stormreach crowd on this boat through some sort of clan feud that no one spoke of. And then the Stragglers had shown up, each seeking d'Leret for their own purposes.

Ebony il'Wynarn and her warforged companion, Spade, came to ask d'Leret some questions about her research into Cyre's fall. Jakob, a smaller-model warforged, had been sent to arrange a meeting between her and his patron. Finally, Dravos, a half-orc warrior in holy orders of the Sovereign Host, and Wren Perryn, a human warrior in holy orders of the Silver Flame, had teamed up to contact d'Leret in an oddly ecumenical joint mission. They had all arrived and made contact with Faith d'Leret within a few hours of each other. Based on at least one of these meetings, Faith decided that she needed to back out of the expedition, and went to inform her team.

At which point, her team kidnapped her and raced out of Stormreach on a swift boat, in an obvious bid to reach the ruins before the expedition they had deserted.

The expedition organized a hasty, premature departure in an effort to catch them. The Stragglers negotiated their way onto the team in hopes of rescuing d'Leret, an objective which not one person in the rest of the expedition shares. If anything, the others blame her for involving the deal-breaking dogs who have thrown everything off-schedule, and are not likely to show her much charity when or if they find her. Much of that animosity has transferred, through that ancient jurisprudential principle of guilt by association, to the Stragglers themselves. They've been treated as their own faction, and their shared goal makes them one, but they have been slow to join together.

The disunity of the expedition is made worse by the fact that the Wayfinder who organized the whole affair and who is still its official leader could not be found before the various factions insisted they could wait no longer to begin pursuit. The obvious solution of searching the city's brothels, taverns, and gutters in-between was a non-starter. It was Stormreach, after all. Might as well inspect every grain of sand on the beach.

Now, with breakfast finished and Captain Fishbait insisting that the chase is drawing to a close, the Stragglers meet together, finally banding into a group in their shared exclusion from the rest of the expedition, to discuss what has brought them here and their plans to rescue Faith d'Leret.

Expect PMs shortly detailing why your characters were contacting d'Leret. The motives I posted here are what's generally known; you may have more secret motivations unknown to the rest of the party.

[Ganis]

Jakob settles his backpack, trying to make sure it has settles properly while looking out at the jungle. The sweet smell of nature, the sea, the complete lack of modern civilization. Ugh, why O why did I come all the way out here. I could have been in a nice garden, or arboretum back in Sharn, but No, I needed to come here. The armpit of the world. Well, I could be worse. At least the others seem to have a bit of manners so far. I hope all this nature comes out with a good cleaning.

He looks the others over once again, "Are we all ready to put those ruffians in their place once we catch up to this, so called, expedition?"

[Super Evil User]

Wren sits cross-legged, closing her eyes and humming in meditation. She opens one eyelid and smiles.

"Now, now." she says to Jakob. "No need to judge them so hastily - it is our fault that their schedule's the way it is, after all. It's understandable why they might be so mad at us."

"And anyway," she adds, "we're here for a reason, right? If I wanted to go relax, I sure wouldn't have picked Xen'drik."

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos, who is standing in a position oddly reminding of a guard in watch (even if he doesn't have his weapon in hand), nods at Wren's words, and comments: "Regardless. It's nice to work with you again, Wren."

[LeoMidori]

Spade was giving his check over everything in his possession, a routine of his from his days in the Cyran military. He was glad to do so, ensuring everything worked as well as could be expected and every little thing was in place. He was constantly worrying over his sword or his musket, especially his musket, as it had seen better days. He was happy to be away from Sharn's constant rainfall or the worrying proximity of New Cyre to the Mournland but was dismayed when he heard Stormreach could be even hotter and wetter than Sharn and possibly even more dangerous than his former home country. He hoped neither of those were true, not just for his sake and his somewhat battered firearm, but mostly for lady Ebony. He secured everything in place on his person, finally tying both of his bandannas over his head and his white eyes focusing on his lady in question while his calm but deep voice spoke.

"While I'd like to give the ruffians a solid thrashing I hope I don't need to. On the other hand, we'll probably have to. I'm also not happy we're called "Stragglers; I get enough crap in Breland over who I am." he said bitterly, having not especially enjoyed his journey here, looking to his thumb and index finger as he marked off some dusty buildoff from his hand. He looked to the other three Stragglers with curiosity, then calmed himself somewhat, looking to the young blonde woman of the Silver Flame "Glad you're taking this seriously. I was worried for a moment I couldn't count on anyone here aside from myself and the Lady. I hope I can trust you to get Faith back to safety with me."

He looked to the smaller warforged and the half-orc, "Of course I hope I can trust the two of you as well. I have a feeling you've seen at least some action in your time?"

[Tuvarkz]

"I quite like the name Stragglers, actually. Aren't we all in the eternal pursuit of an Ideal or objective, always moving forward to reaching it, but never quite doing so, falling behind?" The half-orc decides to not answer the subtle insult the warforged made to him.

[Super Evil User]

"Grim as always, Dravos." Wren smiles. "I like to think otherwise: that there's a way that we can all reach our goals. It's just a matter of effort and luck."

The girl turns to Spade. "Very well: it's an honor to work with you too. And know that I hold no animosity towards your kind."

[Yabex]

Ebony stands from her chair, leaving her pack on the ground near Spade, and walks to the railing of the boat. She leans on the railing with both arms and sighs.

"At this point I just want off this boat as soon as possible. I don't know if it's the food or the smell of those idiots from Stormreach, but I'm going to be sick if I have to spend much longer on here.Ebony turns to lean on the railing with her hips, now facing the group. "I know we are just getting to know one another, but first impressions are important and that fact that your all NOT caked in filth says a lot compared to most of the other people on this boat."She glances at Spade and cracks a one sided smile. "I'm happy to have some civil people to work with."

[Super Evil User]

Great, a snob. She should have been around during my trip to the Eldeen Reaches, that'd have been really fun for her. thinks Wren. She never could stand those wealthy types, whose lives seemed so comfortable and privileged and boring. Still, the fact that the girl's here probably meant that she wasn't to be underestimated.

Wren uncrosses her legs and stands up, stretching. "Well, it's nice to meet you too, miss." she says, not a hint of her distaste for the other woman's attitude in her face or tone.

"Oh, by the way, my name's Wren Perryn. For those of you who don't already know." she says, looking at Dravos for a moment while saying that last sentence.

Firl's a kook, but he's probably right about whatever's going on. This is bad news. Wren decides to wait and see if Dravos wants to discuss their reasons for rescuing Faith. She doesn't want to be too presumptuous, after all.

[Tuvarkz]

"Dravos, ordained defender of the Sovereign Host." As he says the words, the half-orc makes a mental note of not risking himself to protect the snob or the larger warforged. Wren is a nice person and the smaller warforged, while obviously not entirely satisfied with where he is, seems to be able to handle it without annoying the others. His savior would probably get mad at his decision, but would just say something like baby steps first.

[LeoMidori]

Spade would have raised an eyebrow to the half orc if his face was permitted to do so, simply deciding to lightly cross his arms atop the table, "Seems a touch pointless to argue the philosophy of a name that was thrust onto you without consent. I am Spade, second lieutenant musketeer of the 21st Cyran Warforged. The lovely woman behind me is lady Ebony, whom I've been under charge with since Mourning."

He lightened again, his posture and face almost manages to smile, "Nice to meet the both of you. I'm sure we'll get along fine."

[Ganis]

Jakob chuckles at the exchange, "Well, I'm know as Jakob. And while I can't guarantee it will be more nutritious, I can alter your food and drink to taste better if that would help. " and with a small flourish, pulls a small card from a sleeve that reads,

Jakob
Butler Extraordinaire
At Your Service

"I must say I'm more concerned about our mutual friends health and well being more than the ruffians right to loot. A fair lady like her shouldn't be dragged off against her will. But it does lend itself for a dashing man to swoop in and rescue her. You up for the challenge, Sir Dravos?" and after a few more motions, you notice he has produced a crude wood plater, with what looks to be thin sliced biscuits, but brightly colored with various motivational messages on them, and offers them to the fleshy non-construct members gathered.

"This will at least taste amazing. Still trying to get the presentation down right, don't mind the misspellings."

FYI, I normally associate the use of Italic to represent thoughts/inner monologging, as he doesn't actually complain about being here, just thought it strongly.
The various effects, IE card, platter, etc, is just creative use of Prestidigitation to make some crude items and color/flavor things. The Biscuits will taste like some sort of cake if your wondering.

[Tuvarkz]

"Dashing knight?" Dravos laughs at the idea, and says: "I'm more like the monster that protects a tomb from being defiled." He does take one of the biscuits, and obviously pleased by the flavour, grabs a second one as soon as he is done with the first.

[Super Evil User]

"This dashing man wouldn't be here if it weren't for me, so let's try and keep that in mind." Wren takes a biscuit.

She looks back to Dravos. "And if you're a monster, then I suppose I'm the witch that keeps the tomb?" Wren stares into space for a moment and imagines herself cackling on a broomstick. Not in a thousand years.

She chews on the biscuit. "And wow, these really are very good biscuits."

[Reltzik]

One of the Morgrave University team -- a willowy, unwashed woman with a nose like a beak -- comes over as close as the chalk line will allow. She's grinning, obviously excited at the prospect of action. "Captain says this raft will catch their fine ship by noon," she calls out. "But I'd wager three to one that this water chase will end at least two hours before that.. and it won't be in our favor. There's no way they only got this far before the wind died on them, and that means they made landfall. We've got a footrace ahead of us! You'd be wise to have your gear in order and be ready to set ashore the moment this scow's prow touches mud! Wouldn't want you straggling behind! And keep your socks clean!"

Laughing, she moves on to deliver much the same message to the Arcane Congress team... prefaced by the honorific of "Hey Pricklefaces!" Their faces do, in fact, prickle at being addressed so.

Had to put in some IC action to justify the OOC post, right? The OOC Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?429510-Echoes-of-Dreams-Departed-%28OOC%29&p=19570737) is now up. I've posted some posting conventions rules there, and I suggest you read them, because if you've got strong objections now's the time to voice them.

[Super Evil User]

Unchanged.

Wren stands up. "I hope this is going to be good..." she says in a low voice, to no-one in particular.

"And you! Would it kill you to be polite every once in a while?" she shouts at the Morgrave University team. This wouldn't be the first time she did, either: the team had acted like children since the start of the trip. And, like they had done those other times, they were likely to ignore her again. Wren had to remind herself that not too long ago, she was not unlike them.

N/A

I hope I'm doing my best to portray a nice LG character...

[Yabex]

"Thank you for the introduction Spade. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Ebony munches on a biscuit and watches her new companions. Jakob seems like quite the gentleman, a very welcome trait in a place like this, and Ebony has always been more comfortable around warforged. Wren seems like an outgoing and nice person, but Dravos made Ebony a bit uneasy. Maybe it was how he seemed always on guard. She didn't feel threatened, just a little intimidated.

"I agree with you Jakob, I'm very concerned about Faith's well-being. Thank you for that delicious treat by the way." Ebony walked over to her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "I don't understand why she would back out of the expedition though. Especially after she'd come this far..."

Maybe something spooked her She thought.

[Reltzik]

"No, but it won't kill me NOT to, either!" the Morgrave woman shouts back, clearly in a joking mood. "You're Northpaws! Come back from this expedition alive, then we'll respect you!" As blatant lies go, this one is especially blatant. They've shown zero respect to anyone, be they old Xen'Drik hand or green Northpaw.

Possibly the most irritating thing about her is she's RIGHT. It isn't ten minutes later that a crew-woman perched at the prow calls out ship-sighted. The deserters' boat is coming into view around a coastal bend. It's been drawn up on the shore (less a beach and more of an earthen berm with some low points between the first of the jungle trees), made secure, and then abandoned.

Captain Fishbait doesn't, in fact, land the Water Chariot. But she does let free the pair of paddleboats which have, until now, been secured as outriggers. These hold a dozen people each, and require only one crewman to operate them. Their flanks are dominated by pairs of side-mounted paddle-wheels, which are operated by four magebred turnspit dogs per paddleboat.

There is a brief fuss over who goes over in which landing craft, mostly on the subject of who is stuck with the Morgrave University team. The Arcane Congress team ends up with them, because they're the ones least likely to capsize the boat by drawing steel. In any event, the Morgrave team is more intent on laughing at the dogs than harassing their shipmates. The Stormreach team and the Stragglers head over together, which isn't exactly friendly, but the Stormreach crew is content to eye the Stragglers in intense, belligerent silence rather than make any trouble. Most survivors of their first few days in Stormreach recognize that look from... well, most people passed on the street. The one that weighs the content of your money pouch against the strength of your swordarm. Here it's more automatic or pro-forma than truly speculative. The Stragglers' money pouches aren't visibly bulging, and their weapons are in plain sight.

The Arcane Congress team, clearly irritated past tolerance by the Morgrave University crowd, disembark quickly and forge ahead up the rise. They're not trying to race ahead, so much as put some distance between them and the pests. The Stormreach crew alerts and glares at them as their own boat comes up to land, but relaxes slightly as they realize that the Congress's team isn't going past the first rise. As second boat draws in, the first boat pulls away and heads back to the Water Chariot to fetch the Twelve and those of the ship's crew who will be assembling a base camp.

Which, unfortunately, isn't far enough away to avoid being heckled. "You should really leave the boy behind!" the woman from Morgrave calls out to them, as the other boat is making land. "That blowfish fruit poison is serious business! He's sure to die if he leaves the base camp!" One of her male companions calls out, "He's not that safe here either! Send him back to the barge and swaddle him up and maybe then he'll have a chance!"

[Ganis]

"There is always the distinct possibility she decided the dangers out weighed the reward, as you can't spend rewards if you don't make it back with them." and with the last biscuit gone, he gently tosses the platter overboard, at which point it simple fades away. "Cold feet normally happen when you have a realization, or you forgot your socks. Both are troubling when it happens." and nods at Dravos, "Monster or Witch, doesn't matter, a common purpose unites more hearts than coin. Hearts tend to win more battles as well."

Seeing the others securing their gear, he pulls a bolt case out of his backpack and hooks it onto his belt, while checking that his straps and other securing devices are in the right order.

[Super Evil User]

Wren decided to keep quiet. She might be willing to defend a couple of greenhorns, but talking to folks like the Morgrave crew was like convincing an otyugh to go on a diet. She contents herself with muttering bitch under her breath and diverting her attention elsewhere.

She puts on her backpack and hides her short sword in one of the many pockets of her monk outfit.

[Tuvarkz]

"Hearts do win battles, but it's cold logic and tactics that win wars. Of course, a war in which you win all the battles is better." Dravos gives a smile, trying not to make it a scary one, and then suggests: "I guess we should also start preparations for a camp, if anyone brought tents. I'm fine with sleeping under the night sky with my bedroll, though."

[Reltzik]

It's mid-morning, right now. The landing site is a stony beach. The waters are apparently at high tide, according to the sailors, and there's little room on the beach itself. The Arcane Congress team gathers on top of the earthen rise, peering into the jungle, not liking what they are seeing, and gathering together for discussion. The Stormreach crew and the Morgrave crew each send one person to the kidnappers' ship (little more than a glorified rowboat with a lateen sail), and one person each up the rise. They all stay a distance away from each other and from the Arcane Congress, less out of respect and more out of turf rights. The Morgrave team seems a bit different now that they've made landfall. More serious, more focused on the task.

"It's a bloody salt swamp!" the Stormreacher on top of the rise hollers back. This prompts a rush of Stormreachers and the last person in Morgrave up the rise to look at the terrain ahead.

"Yes," one of the Arcane Congress says, in a loud voice apparently used to the lecture hall. "It's a phenomenon which has been written about extensively. Trees tolerant to having their roots permanently immersed, notably mangrove, can take seed in low, flat estuaries, especially near broad deltas that may spread over hundreds of miles. Over the centuries silt builds up about their roots, giving rise to these earthen berms which have the appearance, and for navigational purposes the effect, of a coastline. The inland continues to flood with salt water with every tide. Strictly speaking it is a wooded estuary, rather than a proper swamp, but regardless it produces a unique and exotic biome full of fascinating flora and fauna... what are you doing?"

The Stormreachers and the Morgrave University team, without a word of coordination between them, have begun gathering dead wood and driftwood from near the landing site. "We're building rafts!" the Morgrave woman answers. "We're not wading through that muck!"

"It's just seawater and mud," the same speaker says, again in that loud, lecturing tone. "Completely harmless! Here! My staff sinks no deeper in it than my knee! We've no need to waste time on fastidiousness!"

The Morgrave and the Stormreacher who had been inspecting the kidnappers' boat return to their respective groups to report. The Stragglers are close enough to overhear the Stormreachers.

"Here for two tides, three at most if they landed at high tide. They must have sailed like devils until becalmed and then put oar to water with a passion. No cage nor pen nor even iron loop to secure a chain. They must have taken d'Leret with no opportunity to plan or prepare. Either rented the first boat they could or just stole one. I'd wager she's dead the moment she's led them to the site."

"I dunno," another one says. "She was dumb about contracting them, but she's an old Xen'Drik hand and when she's not braving the continent she's been living in Stormreach for, what, three years now? No Northpaw, at any rate. I'd guess she's making herself useful doing things like washing clothes, cooking, things like that. Give them a reason to keep her alive, maybe an opportunity to escape. They probably wouldn't even chase her if it came to that, not once they'd found the ruins. No reason to."

There follows a brief discussion in which odds are settled on and a bet is made on d'Leret's life. (3 to 2 against.)

"Then why are we dallying about here for playing shipwrights!" the leader of the Arcane Congress demands. "They've got thirty-six hours lead on us! You saw the basalt rise from the barge just as we did, and they might well have made the trek already! We should be pushing forward through the swamp as swiftly as possible!" The directions to the ruins have not been widespread knowledge up until this point, kept tightly guarded by the leaders of each faction, and this is the first indicator the Stragglers have had of what landmark to make towards.

"We don't want to get our socks wet!" the Morgrave woman shouts at them.

"Bah! A proper application of simple cantrips can dry and clean clothing in an instant! We, at least, came properly staffed and trained to deal with the eventuality! We're forging on ahead! Feel free to try to catch up once you've finished wasting time here!" And with that, the Arcane Congress team descends the far side of the earthen rise and begins wading into the swamp, prodding cautiously ahead of them with their staffs to avoid any unseen deep spots. The water comes up only to mid-thigh on them (mid-chest on the halfling apprentice).

"Shame about the kid," one of the Stormreach crew mutters.

"Nothing we can do about it," another answers, with an indifferent shrug. "Besides, he got poisoned. He's doomed for sure. No point fretting about the inevitable." And then they begin setting up a betting pool on how long it will take the kid to die.

To be clear, it's expected that the Twelve and the ship's crew will establish a base camp at the landing site and stay put while the rest of the expedition pushes forward to secure the ruins. I've been giving mostly opportunities for opening chatting and scenery-establishment up until now, but here's your first major choice. Loiter around here, perhaps lashing together crude rafts like the Morgrave and Stormreach teams? Or forge ahead like the Arcane Congress team? Or perhaps invent a third option?

[Yabex]

After overhearing the conversation on the beach, Ebony curses under her breath. I didn't think we were THIS far behind. I hope we aren't too late.

As some delve into the swamp and others begin to build rafts, Ebony's eyes fall on the kidnappers boat. It seems small enough. She turns to spade and the others.

"Do you think you guys could give me a hand with that boat?" She points toward the kidnapper's boat. "We can all fit in that and lifting it over to the swamp should be faster than building a raft. What do you think?"

[Reltzik]

The boat might, indeed, be small enough. There's a chance of it bottoming out, and for the mast to catch on branches. You'll probably lose some time to these problems, but it might be less time than goes into making a raft.

EDIT: There's not enough room for EVERYONE, but all the Stragglers should be able to fit in with room for one or two more.

[Tuvarkz]

Well, at least she has a good head thinks the warder, and motions for the two warforged to go give him a hand as he walks towards the boat.

[LeoMidori]

Spade looked to his patron, nodding and walking to the boat, "Right away Miss Ebony."

He came to the front right corner, his two fingered hands scooping up under as he looked to the half orc, "Ah, thank you for the help. I think this would be the best way to go. We need oars, but I can use my shovel for one once we're in the water." he spoke, lifting slowly, the plating around his upper arms loosening and his forearms tightening, coming up from a crouch.

Actions, Strength check as needed. [roll0]

[Ganis]

After looking around for a moment, he makes his way over to the boat to help the others. "There is a small chance they simply left the boat here and continued up the coast. Can any of you track? I'm more interested if they kept going up the coast, as the others would have trampled any tracks into the swamp at this point." and tries his best to help move the boat.

Strength check: Will take 10 to assist if that's ok, if not, here is the roll [roll0]
Dead Sexy!

[Reltzik]

Spade and Ganis between them manage to start dragging the boat towards the rise. But most of the work is done by Dravos. With extensive muscle power and a bit of help from the two warforged maneuvering the boat's bulk, he gets it up atop the rise.

"Clever," one of the Morgrave crew calls out. "If you don't get stuck in the mud. They call it a mire for a reason, you know!" Both they and the Stormreach crew are working rapidly getting their rafts lashed together. The race is definitely on.

No strength checks needed, it's handled by your lift and drag-behind stats. You've got options for oars/poles, and have considered removing the mast, but aside from Spade's spade you haven't followed up on those options yet. Of course, the water's shallow enough you could probably just walk behind and push the boat, but that would defeat the purpose.

[Super Evil User]

Wren looks up at the trees. "Hm. Spade, do you think we could use the branches up there instead of your...er, your spade?"

[LeoMidori]

The warforged chuckled as he carried the boat, "Use whatever you need. I'm already set, but I can use my sword if we don't have anything else to cut them with."

[Ganis]

Jakob will point out some appropriately shaped wood and after playing with a metal rod, saws them down to start whittling them into more oar like shapes with his dagger, this will take some time, but after about 22 minutes of work, he will have 4 oars

He will use his anytool to craft the oar/10 ft poles with. Crafting check will be at +7, so 17 for taking 10.
That gives him 17*12, 204 (for a week) /5 for days, /8 for hrs, /60 for minutes. So, 0.085 sp (0.85 cp) a minute. 24 minutes gives 2.04 sp of progress, for 2 sp for the cost of 4 of the 10 ft poles.

Sorry for the convoluted crafting system the game has. I figured 10 ft poles would be pretty close to oars as I didn't see prices for oars

Busy crafting for about 24 minutes in character

[Reltzik]

Ten foot poles are probably a better choice than oars, given how shallow the water is. You can use poles to push against the bottom like a gondaleer.

Okay, I'll let others try to aid that with a crafting check (untrained is fine). Also, that saw will be handy for removing the mast.

[Tuvarkz]

((OoC: Aid Another check))
[roll0]

[Yabex]

Ebony waits for the House Orien merchant to arrive at the base camp. After allowing him a moment to settle, she walks over to him.

"Hello, I don't believe I have introduced myself. My name is Ebony. I seem to have forgotten to pack a saw. I don't suppose you have one for sale?"

[Reltzik]

The Merchant introduces himself as Lanigan d'Orien. He does indeed have saws and paddles available. The saws, because he was bringing ashore equipment for helping to set up the base camp. The oars, because he overhead about the brine swamp before he finished packing aboard the shore boat. He's charging 6 cp per oar, and 1sp for a saw. Ebony knows that both are overpriced. The saw seriously so, and the oars only slightly so. Presumably, that is because he can see that you can improvise oars easily enough from your surroundings, but can't do the same for saws.

Good choices of actions, everyone. I'm going to rule that it's a lot easier to produce crude, functional poles for maneuvering the boat than it is to produce well-hewn, 10ft poles for delicately poking buttons for ten feet away. All together, it will take you 5 minutes to get underway if Ebony buys the gear, or 10 minutes if she doesn't.

[Yabex]

Ebony decides to buy two oars and a saw despite the high prices and thanks the merchant for his wares.

-2 Silver -2 Copper

She quickly walks back to the group, not wanting to waste anytime. As she approaches the boat, Ebony tosses the oars into it. "I Bought some oars to save time." She turns to Spade. "Spade, can you help me saw the mast off the boat while Jakob crafts the poles? I got this saw too."

I hope I've used the status block correctly. I wasn't sure if buying things was something you want us to keep track of in those sorts of blocks.

[Super Evil User]

Wren approaches Ebony. "Anything I can do to help?"

[LeoMidori]

Spade nodded, "Right away Miss Ebony. Everyone else get some poles, we don't know how deep the swamp is going to be." he spoke, stepping inside the ship and grabbing the other end of the saw, "A bit pricey, isn't he? We have to get moving, so your money will be worth it."

[Yabex]

"Wren, if Dravos and Jakob don't need help with the poles, why don't you spot out the clearest path across the swamp? We should be ready to go anytime now, it would be a shame to risk losing our head start by getting stuck on something."

Ebony and Spade begin to saw off the mast. "I'd pay three times the price if it means finding Faith any faster. We are way farther behind than I thought and I'm getting worried." Ebony spoke between breaths. Clearly it was a lot of work for her to saw the mast off, but she was determined and focused.

[Tuvarkz]

"We are progressing...just fine." says the half-orc, as he tries to not hamper the warforged's progress with his own clumsy handwork.

[Super Evil User]

"Alright." nods Wren. "Let's see if we can..."

Wren peeks out, looking for a clear path.

Perception: [roll0]

[Reltzik]

The water of the brine swamp is difficult to see through. Tides keep the silt perpetually stirred and opaque, and mats of greenish stuff cover much of the surface. The scent is something terrible. However, a clear path can be seen: That taken by the Arcane Congress team. Not only have they cleared an obvious path through the scum with their passage, but something bio-luminescent is glowing faintly in the wake they left behind. It won't be the BEST path, because they'll be favoring shallow water and even patches of dry land that they can find, but it's better than nothing.

Even with all the Stragglers aboard, the boat displaces only a few feet of water. You still bottom out within the first hundred yards, but with a bit of experimentation you discover it's easy enough to heave yourself off the mud bars without even leaving the boat. Repeated encounters prove time-consuming and irritating, but before long Wren's figured out the signs of soil close to the surface (ripples getting more severe as they pass over the bar), and you have fewer difficulties. There's a weak current, caused by the tide going out. The mats of algae-scum seem to be secure (except when disrupted by your passage, or that of the Congress's team), but fallen leaves, small branches, driftwood brought in by the last high tide, and other detritus is slowly making its way out to sea, carving faintly glowing paths through the scum.

The jungle closes overhead. Soon the sky is little more than a few patches of blue between leaves. Within another twenty minutes of travel, the jungle develops a second canopy and even that glimpse of the sky is gone. Diffuse light still filters through, greenish and dim, providing enough light to see by, but it's still a dim and gloomy scene. Vines are rampant, climbing every trunk they can and dangling between trees. They grow thicker the deeper you get, some as thick about as an arm and sending runners down directly into the water. Occasionally they tangle the boat and must be hacked away, and it is a very good thing that the mast has been removed. The bio-luminescent trail seems to positively glow in this light, mixed sparkles of blue and gold. The stench improves slightly as you move away from the ocean, less brine and rotting seaweed, but it's still pretty noxious. The heat is somewhat improved, but the humidity is intolerable. The jungle is teaming with wildlife, and you are constantly hearing a wide array of bird cries and shuffles as they flit through the branches. Bugs are everywhere, and fish regularly break the surface to snatch up a quick snack. Frog croaks come from all directions, and at one point you pass a swimming sloth, slowly drifting through the water and grazing on the mats in sedate contentedness.

From behind, you can occasional hear the shouts of the Morgrave University team. Apparently they're underway as well. They're not close enough to make out words, but from the tone they're tossing various japes at the Stormreach team, who are presumably keeping pace.

After about an hour's travel, you come within earshot of the Arcane Congress team, close enough to hear one windbag constantly lecturing the others on the flora and fauna. Also, close enough to hail with a shout.

[Ganis]

Jakob motions towards the sounds of fun facts and figures and whispers, "Do we want to continue to follow them or blaze a trail? If we need to get a vantage point for navigation, it might be wise to have someone climb up to get reoriented. Just a thought."

[Super Evil User]

"I can do it, if everyone else decides it's a good idea." Wren whispers back.

[LeoMidori]

Spade eyes over to the other groups with suspicion, taking a moment to start loading his musket, "We should keep our distance... for now. We should try and get a better idea of our position before moving any further."

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos just nods, since he agrees with what others have said and is not sure whether he can lower his own voice enough.

[Reltzik]

Okay, so you're stopping and climbing up to try to sight the landmark? This will probably be easy, given the vines. Who's going up?

[Super Evil User]

I volunteer, if no-one else wants to.

[LeoMidori]

With his tonfa easy to grab off of his belt, Spade climbed the vines slowly, his legs grabbing around with his knees at whatever he could while his arms pulled up in single, methodical draws of his body.
Taking 10 on the climb checks, bringing each result to 14. This [roll0] is for the Survival check.

[Super Evil User]

A little of the old Wren comes back, and she smirks.

"Heh, . Watch and learn, all of you."

Climb checks: [roll0] [roll1] [roll2]


Survival: [roll3]

[Reltzik]

Wren's attempts to show off run afoul of some unmentionable slime clinging to a tree trunk, and she slips and slides trying to find purchase and discovering that certain handholds break off easily. Fortunately, the mangrove root system provides a dry platform to fall on, and she doesn't end up doused in swamp ick. Perhaps learning from her lesson (or perhaps not), she proceeds to climb more adroitly.

Spade's methodical approach gets him to the top first, and he gets a good view of their destination.

The basalt rise is quite visible, but it's also only the high point of a long basalt ridge. There's no foliage atop the ridge -- or, it looks like, at the ridge's base. So long as you don't get outright turned around or start walking in circles, you'll make contact with the ridge at some point, and from there navigating to the rise will be easy. The Arcane Congress crew is navigating a bit south of where they perhaps should be, but that will also get them to the ridge faster, where travel to the rise might be easier, so perhaps that reflects intentional decision rather than an error.

Wren doesn't get to the top of the tree with the same single-minded focus as Spade. She only gets atop the first canopy.

The branches here are thick, thick enough to run along if one has good balance and doesn't hit a patch of slime, and they overlap and intermesh with the branches of some of the neighboring trees. It doesn't look like a perfect network for travel, though; there are broad gaps where the branches are flimsier and probably can't support a person's weight. But that's not the most interesting part.

There's a nice little hut up here in a hollow of the trunk, woven in with lots of living vines to look natural. Wren almost had to stumble over it to see it, and she could almost think it were natural, save that whoever was occupying this place last left behind a broken obsidian knife.

(I doubt either of those spoilers will be secret for LONG, but I figure the players could have fun articulating their findings to the others.)

[LeoMidori]

The warforged takes his time descending the tree, brushing off his clothing as he gets down and starts speaking, "Looks like the Arcane Congress people are ahead of us. We should just keep going how we are, but head slightly more in this direction", he says with a motion of his arm aiming slightly more South, sitting down and getting behind his oar, giving Wren a bit of a nonplussed look, really just his stoic face, "And what were YOU doing? Did you want to fall and break your person?"

[Super Evil User]

A few years ago, Wren would have demanded a fight with the warforged right then and there for even thinking those words. But before she can let out a string of colorful words, she bites her tongue and ends up weakly hmphing Spade.

After a short silence, Wren decides to speak up. She stands up and brushes herself, trying to save face.

"There's something up here you guys might want to look at first."

[Tuvarkz]

"Let us see, then." Dravos then subsequently starts climbing the tree
[roll0]

[Yabex]

Ebony smiles at the exchange between her warforged companion and Wren. After a moment of staring at Wren, Ebony puts her hand on Spade's shoulder and lifts herself to her feet. "Well done Spade." She says as she makes her way to the tree side of the boat.

Ebony looks up the tree, judging the height she will have to climb. She speaks to Wren without shifting her gaze from the tree. "Let's see what it is you've found. I hope it's not more slime." Ebony walks carefully up most of the side of the tree, until she vanishes and reappears crouching on a branch in the canopy with one hand on the trunk for support. It isn't until a moment later that she realizes that her hand is in a glob of slime. Great. I shouldn't have opened my mouth.

Walking up the wall with Up the Walls and then finishing the assent with Nomad's Step.

[Reltzik]

Davos and Ebony get up the tree with minimal difficulty, at least up atop the first canopy. Jakob... we'll say minds the boat, unless he also tries to come up.

[LeoMidori]

Spade and Jakob in the boat on their own felt... off to the warforged, him looking over to his shoulder with everyone else climbing up,"Hey, would you mind telling me what's so interesting? Or should I find out what it is on my own?"

[Ganis]

Jakob makes sure the boat doesn't wander to far with all the comings and goings. Since he can already see the "Nature" that is starting to cover the rest of them, and his confidence in not making it up there very easily, decides to wait on the boat. He does keep an eye on the water around the boat though, as he thinks this would be the prime opportunity to have some crazy pickled monster pop up to terrorize the heroic ladies so the Mighty Dravos and Spade can save them, letting the ladies swoon as they fall into their arms... Jakob's thoughts may have wandered a bit there. Just a little.

"Don't have to much fun up there, we are suppose to be beating the others, not planning their victorious return. But if we do need to, I think we should look into some sort of banners, maybe some streamers. Color the food green, that kind of thing."
Perception check at 17, from taking 10
His BG would make this make a lot more sense, but I haven't posted it due. Its more fun this way.

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos explains, trying to not raise his voice too much: "There seem to be some passageways on the trees, like a travel path. Also, there's this hidden hut-thing."

[Yabex]

Ebony makes her way to the hut and looks around.
Perception check to investigate the hut [roll0]

[Super Evil User]

Wren decides to join Dravos and Ebony, ascending more carefully this time around.

Taking 10 on all Climb rolls, leading to a result of 12 for all of them.

[Reltzik]

Yabex, Leo, and Tuvarkz may all peek at Wren's spoiler.

To clarify, the branches don't show signs of being artificially laid down or woven together or magicked into bridges or anything. To all appearances, they're perfectly natural... just perfectly naturally convenient. They'd probably be faster than the boat or wading IF you knew them well, but they're kind of a maze of strong-enough-to-support-weight versus -not, so they'd be much slower if you didn't know them simply because you'd lose time trying to figure out the right route.

[Yabex]

After looking around the hut, Ebony picks up the broken knife and places it in one of her belt pouches. Ebony then walks down most of the side of the tree, then teleports into the boat beside Spade.

"There is some kind of den or hideout up there. I found a knife too. We should be careful, what ever was up there might be able to travel along the trees. I think we should get moving." Ebony begins to wash her hand in the water as she waits for Dravos and Wren to descend from the tree.

[Ganis]

Jakob nods, "Well, I'm not sure why anyone would leave a knife around here, or even live here. We should just get moving though, to much dawdling will just let everyone else catch up. I would rather press our advantage with the boat and get ahead." and scoots back to the front of the boat to keep an eye out.

[Tuvarkz]

Aware of his own weight, Dravos slowly climbs down, descending into the water before getting into the boat, rather than just jumping down.

[Super Evil User]

"Maybe you're right." Wren says, mostly recovered from the blow to her pride. Besides, I've made one bad decision too many today anyway.

Wren descends as carefully as she ascended.

[Reltzik]

The Stragglers resume poling their way inland, adjusting course slightly south. You're still closing on the Arcane College team, and will pass within about 50 feet of them unless you go out of your way to avoid them. Soon you're close enough to hear their leader droning on about the local algae mats and its natural healing properties, which are causing the gold and blue sparkles you see when its torn, and is explaining how such-and-such explorer ruled out magic but had yet to determine wither it was wholly natural or partly psionic. He goes on regarding the subject at length in as dry, technical, and pedantic a manner as possible. Most everyone else on the team is ignoring him, but the halfling apprentice breaks in from time to time with a butt-kissing compliment or gratitude for being educated.

As you close, one of the team spots you and points back. "Why didn't we think of that?" she mutters, indicating your boat. Another team-member gives a half-hearted wave as the Stragglers near closest approach, torn between politeness and fear of fraternizing with the enemy.

"Bah!" the leader replies. "They'll be grounding out more than they'll be moving when we get further upwater. I'm surprised they haven't foundered on a mudbank yet. Now where was I? Ah, yes. It's even been speculated that the fibers of the mats form a simplistic yet extensive precognitive neural mesh that-"

Just need to know what interactions, if any, you're going to initiate with this group. Also, it's best if everyone checks the OOC thread regularly.

[Ganis]

Jakob waves back with vigor, "How is the lecture coming? You are making good time so far. Have you guys seen any natives besides the plants?"

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos just makes a simple wave to the members of the Arcane College, but as Jakob speaks, he says in as a low voice as possible to the rest of the people in the boat "Don't tell them about what we found in the trees yet. If anything, they will likely slow us down. We can always find out the whole matter by ourselves and then tell them the full story."

[Super Evil User]

Wren smiles and waves, but says nothing.

[Yabex]

Ebony doesn't wave but cracks a polite smile and nods her head. She is trying to hear the interesting lecture that is going on.

[Reltzik]

"Bah, there's no natives, it's completely trackless wilds!" the leader calls back. "And the lecture is going fine EXCEPT FOR THE INTERRUPTIONS! Now, where was I?"

"Master," the halfling apprentice says, taking advantage of the interruption to ask a question without interrupting. "Why are the sticks and logs moving like that?"

"What? Oh! There is a very weak current here, less than we can easily feel. This is actually a very broad, wide river running into the ocean."

"Yes Master, but why are some of them moving one way and others moving a different way?"

"Because, Apprentice, there are a great many forces at work. There's the natural draw of the water, the ebb and flow of the tides, the effects of unseen contours and channels beneath the surface. All of these will combine in unexpected ways to make the current behave in manners chaotic, confusing, and counterintuitive. You will discover backwashes, ripple currents, undertows, and even small whirlpools."

"I see, Master," the halfling says, idly extending his staff to poke at a log that's drifting towards him. "Very eddy-fying."

The master is unaware that this is a pun. The halfling is unaware that the log that has drifted close enough for him to poke with his staff is actually a crocodile. Spade, Dravos, and Jakob DO see that the kid is about to get nommed. Their call if they intervene or just continue on and leave him to the fate that all punsters deserve: being immediately devoured by surprise ravenous predator attack.

If I haven't screwed this up: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing

Legend: Most of the swamp is the green algae, roughly 3-4 feet deep, half speed to move through and there might be hidden hazards beneath the surface. The dark brown patches are places where the soil breaches the surface and can be moved across normally. The tan squares are mangrove trees, with the trunks surrounding their root systems. The roots spread out from the trunk about 5 feet above the water's surface, forming an uneven platform around the trunk, before they go underwater. Your boat is to the rectangle to the south.

AL is the arcane team's leader, AA the apprentice, A1-A3 the rest of the team. The C represents the crocodile, with the capital C being the square occupied by its head and the lower-case c the one occupied by its tail.



Currently we're in the SURPRISE ROUND. You may take standard or move actions, but not both, and no full-round actions.

Initiative (surprise round):
Spade: [23]
Baddie 4: [17]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Baddies 1-3: [5]

Initiative (once we hit normal combat):

Spade: [23]
Ebony: [22]
Wren: [21]
Arcane Congress Team Extras: [19]
Baddie 4: [17]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Baddies 1-3: [5]
Leader: [1]

Status notes: The entire Arcane Congress team, Wren, and Ebony are SURPRISED. Baddies 1-2 and Baddie 4 are successfully STEALTHED and you don't know what or where they are. Baddie 3, the Crocodile, is partially submerged and thus benefits from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat.


Leo, Spade gets to act first. You have 30 hours from the timestamp on this post to post an action. Otherwise, you will delay action and Baddie 4 will act.

[LeoMidori]

"What a blowhard... I'm glad we didn't get stuck with the man." Spade sighed, exasperated at the constant lecturing already even only being in earshot for a couple of minutes. Spade had seen and been taught by this type before in the Cyran military, but at least he had been taught about more interesting things than algae and currents. Suddenly the warforged sees the young man poke a crocodile and he stands from his seat, immediately grabbing his musket, "GET BACK!" he yells over to the kid, readying a shot.
The order of moves I'm doing is that I'm loading the musket, if it isn't already, and taking a shot at the head of the crocodile. I'd like to occupy the space that Ebony is in currently, so unless the boat is moved/moving that space is perfect for taking a shot in the next round. Clearly I can only do one thing this round, so loading the musket or drawing it this round will suffice.

[Reltzik]

While the boat does indeed have some drift, the algae presents significant drag, and unless someone keeps moving the boat forward it will stay put. Possibly because I don't want to bother tracking that.

Of course, the crocodile might NOT stay put.

In any case, Spade readies his weapon, which I'll go ahead and say was loaded because you're in a potentially hostile situation and experienced soldiers like to have their weapons primed in potentially hostile situations.

Baddie 4 does something you don't know about, which makes sense, because you don't know about Baddie 4.

Dravos is up next. 30 hours from this post's timestamp.


Currently we're in the SURPRISE ROUND. You may take standard or move actions, but not both, and no full-round actions.

Initiative (surprise round):
Spade: [23]
Baddie 4: [17]
Dravos: [7] <----------
Jakob: [5]
Baddies 1-3: [5]

Initiative (once we hit normal combat):

Spade: [23]
Ebony: [22]
Wren: [21]
Arcane Congress Team Extras: [19]
Baddie 4: [17]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Baddies 1-3: [5]
Leader: [1]

Status notes: The entire Arcane Congress team, Wren, and Ebony are SURPRISED. Baddies 1-2 and Baddie 4 are successfully STEALTHED and you don't know what or where they are. Baddie 3, the Crocodile, is partially submerged and thus benefits from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat.

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos, caught on the wrong side of the boat, stands and moves to get off on the other side of the boat, his weapon braced against a possible charge of the enemies.

[Ganis]

Jakob hand becomes a whirl of motion with various wooden parts reassembling themselves into some sort of oversize crossbow. Pointing it in the general direction of the college team.

"Hhhhh, Nature." such a heavy sigh as he thinking about how long it will take to do everyone's laundry after this.

Since Im pretty sure I can only ready/draw my weapon, that's what he is doing. If he can shoot as well, I'm including the rolls just in caseAttack at +5 [roll0], damage is 1d8 [roll1]

[Reltzik]

Jakob does NOT get to shoot. For bookkeeping purposes, I'll say you all drop your oars, poles, multitool, etc into the boat as free actions as you ready weapons.

The crocodile in question, unperturbed by warning shouts, lunges at the halfling. The halfling's scream of surprise is sharp and sudden, but he is the luckiest halfling for a mile in any direction. His staff inadvertently turns aside the crocodiles snout, and the snapping teeth miss him by inches. The crocodile thrashes about at the scene, still providing a target for ranged attacks, but counts as in melee.

The leader has time to shout half a word of his own surprise before he is beset by two additional crocs. No such luck for him. He gets out a brief scream before being dragged under in a flurry of spray, algae, and flailing reptilian tails. The algae's glow explodes into a constellation of gold and blue amidst this agitation.... and then quickly changes to glowing (yes, glowing) blood red.

Spade's turn.

So many math mistakes in the OOC channel. Accidentally added the charge bonus versus the halfling. Forgot the grab modifier entirely, but it didn't matter.

Updated: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 1

Spade: [23] <-----
Ebony: [22]
Wren: [21]
Arcane Congress Team Extras: [19]
Baddie 4: [17]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Baddies 1-3: [5]

Status notes: Baddie 4 is STEALTHED and you don't know what or where they are. Baddies 1-3, the Crocodiles, are partially submerged and thus benefits from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodiles 1-2 are at -2 AC until their next turn for having charged. Crocodile 3 (the southernmost) is in melee. The leader is submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead. The algae mat at that location is glowing blood-red.

[Yabex]

Ebony curses under her breath as she slides over beside Jakob to give Spade room to shoot.

"Get out of the water!" She yells at the remaining Arcane College team.

Ebony reaches for the crossbow slung at her side. As she brings it up to aim, Ebony begins to glow faintly purple.

I am using a 5ft step to move into H16. Then a move action to draw a crossbow and a standard action to cast Inertial Armor.

+4 AC (16 Total) -1pp (10 remaining)

[LeoMidori]

Spade took aim as he put a foot onto the edge of the boat, his arms lining up with his eyes along the front and rear sights of his iron and black painted musket. While well used in some places many parts had been custom fitted and retooled to make it a performance weapon. A puff of white smoke and a snap of a bullet with a brief and focused explosion makes the gun roar to life again, and the moment it is fired Spade takes to loading another round, rod, bullet and powder being pounded down skillfully with the speed few could wish to possess.

Taking a shot at the gator closest to me as specified before, moving to G16 first (5ft step), then reloading. [roll0] [roll1]

[Reltzik]

As Ebony manifests her power, an arrow whistles through the air, clips a vine about twenty feet to the northeast, deflects slightly, and misses her by a few inches before splashing into the water to the southwest. She's lucky; she hadn't managed to get her inertial armor up before the arrow came. Someone was WAITING for someone to cast a spell or manifest a power.

And Ebony and Dravos can both spot that someone. It's a vaguely humanoid figure covered head to toe in vines... or maybe it's some sort of plant creature? A vine elemental? Whatever it is, it's medium-sized, it's got a longbow, and is drawing a second arrow. It's perched in the tree to the northeast, about 30 ft up and quite a ways away. This thing's got a name, but you don't know it, so for now I'm calling it Vinny.

The apprentice shouts something about a sniper in a tree, which is kinda impressive given that he's got a face full of croc. (I'd say that isn't as bad as it sounds but it is actually worse than it sounds.)

Spade DOESN'T spot Vinny, and himself gets narrowly missed by the arrow (which he DOES notice) as he steps up and opens fire.

And it's an INCREDIBLE shot. The slug slams into the awkwardly-parried croc RIGHT at the waterline in what probably would have been a vital area if the crocodile had human anatomy. It gives off some sort of pain-snarl-roar sound that.... well is frankly loud and scary but might just be it being scared.

LOTS of blood. The algae in its square starts glowing blood-red as well.

Wren's turn! (She didn't spot Vinny either.)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 1

Vinny: [22]
Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Wren: [21] <-----
Arcane Congress Team Extras: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes: Vinny is STEALTHED and has not been spotted by Spade, Dravos, or Jakob. The crocodiles are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodiles 1-2 are at -2 AC until their next turn for having charged. Crocodile 3 (the southernmost) is in melee and has taken 11 damage. The leader is submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead. The algae mat at that location is glowing blood-red, as well as the mat around Croc 3. Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

[Super Evil User]

"Dammit!" Wren shouts. She expected this to happen, but she'd hoped that the fatalities wouldn't start until at least later in the expedition.

Wren jumps down and covers for Dravos, assuming a defensive stance. "I've got you covered!"

Moving to H14 in front of Dravos using my 15-ft movement (difficult terrain). Using a swift action to assume the Inner Sphere Stance.

Inner Sphere Stance grants +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 to Will saves. Tactical Presence gives everyone within 30 ft of Wren the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add her Charisma modifier (+2) to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

[Reltzik]

... I'll go ahead and say that Wren had Tactical Presence up prior to the start of battle because really, why wouldn't she? However that's the sort of thing you should explicitly lay out ahead of time in the future, both to prevent any chicanery and also to make sure everyone remembers the stat buffs. I'm also going to assume that Wren's counting the Arcane Congress team as allies for purposes of extending Tactical Presence to them unless SEU tells me otherwise.

The remainder of the Arcane Congress team (all hired bodyguards) bring up their shield, produce spears, and advance on the crocodiles, fighting defensively, to defend their dead or dying paymaster. Their overly-cautious attacks prove ineffective. One of them can't get close enough to the crocodiles to attack, and instead tries drag the leader free... with little success. The crocs have what might well be a literal death-grip on him.

None of them are defending the apprentice, who looks at the nearby spit of land... and the croc between him and it. Instead, the apprentice withdraws towards the tree to the southwest, perhaps hoping to take shelter among its roots or climb clear.

Dravos's turn!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 1

Vinny: [22]
Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Wren: [21]
Arcane Congress Team Extras: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7] <-----
Jakob: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes:

Vinny is STEALTHED and has not been spotted by Dravos, or Jakob.

The crocodiles are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodiles 1-2 are at -2 AC until their next turn for having charged. Crocodile 3 (the southernmost) is in melee and has taken 11 damage.

The leader is submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Arcane Congress Mooks 2 and 3 are fighting defensively, gaining +2 AC until their next turn.

Ebony has +4 AC for 1 hour, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos gives a wierd look at Wren as her positinioning prevents him from charging the beasts, and thus just moves past her, bracing his weapon for a potential charge.
((Action, move to H-11 and brace for charge as standard))

[Ganis]

Jakob braces himself and looses a bolt at the closest croc, before pulling a lever to drop a new bolt into place. Nonchalantly he picks up his multi-tool with his free hand. "Poor bugger, spent all that time reading, could quote us hundreds of types of logs, just not the ones swimming towards himself.

Just using my first roll, and then move to grab his multi-tool to stash next round.


Since Im pretty sure I can only ready/draw my weapon, that's what he is doing. If he can shoot as well, I'm including the rolls just in caseAttack at +5 [roll0], damage is 1d8 [roll1]

[Reltzik]

I'll take those rolls, Ganis, but in the future no saving rolls from before. It presents too much opportunity to pick whether to keep a good roll or reroll a bad one.

Jakob's bolt strikes true. That crocodile grunts in pain again and then dives underwater, submerging completely.

The other two attack the Arcane Congress bodyguards, both of whom go down under the grisly assault.

Vinny draws... its?... bowstring back and scans the battlefield, waiting for a choice target.

Ebony's turn!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 2

Vinny: [22]
Ebony: [22] <-----
Spade: [22]
Wren: [21]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes:

Vinny is STEALTHED and has not been spotted by Dravos or Jakob.

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

[Yabex]

Ebony was startled when an arrow appeared from her right and narrowly missed her. Luckily she managed to spot the thing that shot at her. Ebony changed her aim towards the creature in the tree. That must be what made the hut we found. I hope there isn't more of them. She squeezed the trigger and hoped.

Ebony fires at Vinny. Attack roll [roll0] Damage roll [roll1]
Move action to reload.

[Reltzik]

Ebony's shot falls low, sailing about three feet under the branch Vinny is standing on and vanishing into the distant swamp.

Spade's turn!

[LeoMidori]

The warforged cursed how far most of the crocodiles were, prepping himself to jump over the edge of the boat to inch himself closer... but haphazardly tripping over himself and finding far too much of himself wet. He stood up again, annoyedly checking over his weapon and moving forwards simultaneously.
Getting up again and moving forwards to square G12 or G13 if possible.

[Reltzik]

The crocodiles released the Arcane Congress team's leader to maul two of the bodyguards. The third takes the opportunity to drag his paymaster clear and roll his ravaged body face-up so that he can breathe.

Meanwhile, the apprentice forces his way into the root network of the tree, making it harder for the crocodiles to just charge him, and attempts to cast a spell. Vinny counters with an arrow, that lodges neatly in the apprentice's shoulder. The apprentice rolls his eyes towards the arrow, loses his spell, and seems about to faint, but is bolstered by Wren's aura of awesome. A heavy stream of blood rolls down from the wound into the water, where the algae also starts glowing blood-red.

Jakob manages to spot the attack... and hell, I screwed up on Dravos/Wren spotting him earlier, so I'll spot you that as well. Everyone in the Stragglers can now see Vinny.

Dravos is up.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 2

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Wren: DELAYING

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

Wren is DELAYING ACTION until her player resumes existing.

Spade's shot is possibly fouled by water. He must make a DC 15 reflex save to see if the shot is fouled. If he fails by 5 or less, that one shot is usable but has double the misfire chance. If he fails by more than 5, the shot is completely ruined. In either case, he may clear the shot exactly as if the musket was damaged by misfire.

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos kept moving forward, his weapon remaining readied against a charge.
((Move upwards to H-11, then brace again as standard))

[Reltzik]

Dravos moves up, and it's now Jakob's turn.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing

ROUND 2

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Wren: DELAYING

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -1 crossbow bolt.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

Wren is DELAYING ACTION until her player resumes existing.

Spade's shot is possibly fouled by water. He must make a DC 15 reflex save to see if the shot is fouled. If he fails by 5 or less, that one shot is usable but has double the misfire chance. If he fails by more than 5, the shot is completely ruined. In either case, he may clear the shot exactly as if the musket was damaged by misfire.

[Ganis]

Jakob clips the any-tool to his belt and proceeds to fire at the croc's again.

Plinking away. Attack +5 [roll0], damage 1d8 [roll1]

[Super Evil User]

Wren runs closer to the crocodiles. When she gets close enough, she throws a dart at the nearest one.

Moving to I11 and throwing a dart at the crocodile in squares I6-I7.

[roll0] for attack, [roll1] for damage.

-1 dart (noted in character sheet), Inner Sphere Stance grants +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 to Will saves. Tactical Presence gives everyone within 30 ft of Wren the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add her Charisma modifier (+2) to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

[Reltzik]

Spade confirms that his shot was not fouled by the water.

The remaining bodyguard draws a charge from one of the crocs and awkwardly (but effectively) gets his shield in the way.

Dravos also draws a charge. The beast swims forward, deceptively swift and agile in the swamp, and neatly dodges the braced spike of Dravos's lucerne hammer... only for Dravos to bring the bludgeoning head down for a solid hit on its hindquarters. It still has the wherewithal to continue forward and snap at Dravos, who neatly sidesteps, aided by Wren's aura.

Ebony's turn!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing

ROUND 3

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -1 crossbow bolt.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-2 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 3 left in his magazine.

-1 dart for Wren (on her character sheet)

Both crocs visible are at -2 ac from charging.

[Yabex]

Ebony makes a second attempt to hit Vinny.

To hit [roll0] Damage [roll1]

[Reltzik]

Ebony's quarrel drives home around Vinny's upper thigh. He/she/it gives a high-pitched scream of pain, almost dropping the bow, and reaches down reflexively to grab the quarrel. The hand emerging from the skin of ivy is slate-colored but very humanoid. Vinny almost falls out of the tree and instead slumps against the trunk, grabbing at a vine for support.

Spade's turn!

ROUND 3

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 1 bullet and 1 gunpowder charge.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -2 crossbow bolts.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-2 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 3 left in his magazine.

-1 dart for Wren (on her character sheet)

Both crocs visible are at -2 ac from charging.

[LeoMidori]

The warforged was thankful his musket was in working order... all this water was going to make his movements all the more important. He looks out at the crocodiles in front of him, deciding to take a shot at the furthest one's tail, terrified of shooting Dravos in the back.
Attacking the crocodile in F5. I don't know what modifiers to subtract. [roll0]

[Reltzik]

Spade is at -4 for shooting into melee... yes, even at the target's tail. So long as the target is threatening or threatened by an enemy it's melee. You'll get rid of this penalty if you take the Precise Shot feat. That's the only modifier really affecting Spade.

Modifiers that affect the CROC are: -2 AC from charging, +4 AC from cover (being mostly submerged), and natural armor ignored because musket. Cover and being in melee are what saved it.

Also, holy NPC critting Batman!

Showing the inaccuracy that made unrifled, muzzle-loading muskets nothing more than a hopeful experiment in the Cyran military, Spade's ball wobbles and veers right. It would have missed anyway because the crocodile's hindquarters dipped at the last moment in its effort to get better leverage against the bodyguard's shield, but to add insult to lack of injury it skips merrily off the water above the crocodile's tail and then two, three, four, five more times before plunging in hundreds of feet away, throwing up glowing gold and blue motes of algae with every skip.

But the very same move that brought the beast's hindquarters lower brought its head higher, and the bodyguard jams his spear directly into its eye. The crocodile roars in pain and redoubles its thrashing.

The apprentice tries to scramble out of the water and up into the root system, but between his small size and seriously wounded shoulder he doesn't make any progress.

Vinny's apparently decided that it's had enough. It shoulders its longbow, grabs a vine secured to the trunk against this very possibility, and swings away to the east. His/her/its path is miraculously unobstructed by foliage, even hanging vines, suggesting that it had been cleared ahead of time. The swing nets 70 feet of movement easily.

Dravos's turn!

ROUND 3

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles 1-3: [5]

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 2 bullets and 2 gunpowder charges.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -2 crossbow bolts.

Dravos is braced for a charge.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-2 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 3 left in his magazine.

-1 dart for Wren (on her character sheet)

Both crocs visible are at -2 ac from charging.

[Tuvarkz]

Dravos took a step backwards, roaring, and then slammed his hammer onto the crocodile with cursed might!

Five-foot step SW, then Encouraging Roar as swift (+2 morale to attack/damage rolls to all allies within 30 ft for one round) followed by Guard's Oath as standard. On hit, Will DC 16 or provoke AoO by any movement within the Warder's threatened area, including 5-foot steps. Additionally, free Intimidate check from stance.
Attack
[roll0]
Damage
[roll1]
Intimidate
[roll2]
Also, reminder that Encouraging Roar will still apply to any AoOs Kravor gets before his next turn.

[Ganis]

Jakob does an encore performance of shooting a croc, hoping to actually hit this time, as he is encouraged.

Attack! +7 [roll0], damage 1d8+2 [roll1], down a total of 3 bolts, 2 left in clip.

[Reltzik]

Dravos scrambles back under a flurry of crocodile teeth and claws, staving the beast back with a defensive maneuver from his polearm's haft, before bellowing a roar and bringing the head of the hammer down, hard, square between the beast's eyes. With a snapping crunch at least some of the massive bone plating guarding its limited brain buckles and its frantic assault comes to a jarring, immediate halt. For a moment it is motionless before slowly rolling over in the water.

With one crocodile either dead or as good as dead and the other submerged and gone who-knows-where, Jakob directs his attack towards the remaining crocodile visible. The shot is a decent one, lodging into the animal's shoulder blade and sticking there.

Wren's turn!


Big oops on my part, I forgot to move Wren forward on the map to I11, and then Dravos occupied the same square and then moved out of it and confusing. I've decided to fix this by placing her at G11. Totally my bad. SEU, tell me if you have a strong objection to this placement and we can try somewhere else.


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7DE66ZgmXDuAtnA0BLTDOGX9rURvFOX-6rn7ClFe4Q/edit?usp=sharing


ROUND 3

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles: [5]

Status notes:

The crocodiles 1 and 2 are partially submerged and thus benefit from IMPROVED COVER versus attacks from land or, in your case, from a boat. Crocodile 3 is completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 2 bullets and 2 gunpowder charges.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -2 crossbow bolts.

All friendlies save Dravos get +2 to attack and +2 to hit until Step 7 of next round.

Dravos has expended his Encouraging Roar maneuver.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-3 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 2 left in his magazine.

-1 dart for Wren (on her character sheet)

The croc closest to you is unconscious and possibly outright dead, because DAMN, DAT HAMMER.

The remaining active croc is at -2 from charging.

[Super Evil User]

"Hang on! I'm going to save your asses!" Wren yells to the Arcane Congress people still alive. She throws another dart at the remaining crocodile.

Moving past crocodile 1 to G8. [roll0] for attack, [roll1] for damage. [roll2] to confirm critical.

-1 dart (noted in character sheet), Inner Sphere Stance grants +2 dodge bonus to AC, +2 to Will saves. Tactical Presence gives everyone within 30 ft of Wren the benefits of the Die Hard feat, and may add her Charisma modifier (+2) to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

[Reltzik]

The dart would have plunged right into the crocodile, if that part hadn't been underwater. It penetrates the water and loses most of the velocity to it. It still hits the crocodile, but so lightly that the croc doesn't even notice.

However, the crocodile seems to have decided that this meal involves too many pointy things. It submerges and rapidly withdraws, heading north. Its movement can be tracked by Jakob's crossbow quarrel sticking up from its back to break the water, leaving behind a thin trail of glowing gold/blue algae.

All enemies are now incapacitated, hiding, and/or fleeing, but I'll keep things in initiative for a bit until it looks for sure that we're done with initiativey-type stuff. Which would make it Ebony's turn.


ROUND 4

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles: [5]

The crocodiles 1 and 3 are completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 2 bullets and 2 gunpowder charges.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -2 crossbow bolts.

All friendlies save Dravos get +2 to attack and +2 to hit until Step 7 of round 4.

Dravos has expended his Encouraging Roar maneuver.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-3 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 2 left in his magazine.

-2 darts for Wren (on her character sheet)

The croc closest to you is unconscious and possibly outright dead, because DAMN, DAT HAMMER.

[Yabex]

Ebony scrambles to load another bolt into her crossbow and fire it at the retreating vine creature. If she can stop him, she might be able to get information from him. Also she didn't want it making trouble for the group later on.

Attacking Vinny. -4 to hit for range increments. Attack roll [roll0] Possible crit confirm [roll1] Damage [roll2] Possible crit damage [roll3]

[Reltzik]

Ebony's crossbow bolt gets tangled up in a mess of vines before it even goes ten feet.

Spade's up!

ROUND 4

Ebony: [22]
Spade: [22]
Arcane Congress Bodyguards: [19]
Apprentice: [13]
Vinny: [13]
Dravos: [7]
Jakob: [5]
Wren: [5]
Crocodiles: [5]

The crocodiles 1 and 3 are completely submerged and benefits from total cover.

The Arcane Congress leader and bodyguards 2 and 3 are submerged and potentially drowning, dying, and/or dead.

The algae mat is glowing blood-red in various places (shown on map).

Spade is down 2 bullets and 2 gunpowder charges.

Ebony has +4 AC for 2 hours, and is at 10/11 PP.

Wren's Inner Sphere Stance grants her +2 dodge bonus to AC and +2 to Will saves.

Ebony has -3 crossbow bolts.

All friendlies save Dravos get +2 to attack and +2 to hit until Step 7 of round 4.

Dravos has expended his Encouraging Roar maneuver.

Every ally within 30 ft of Wren (basically everyone except her) gets Diehard and +2 to Fortitude saves against death effects, fatigue, exhaustion and poison effects as a morale bonus.

-3 crossbow bolts for Jakob, 2 left in his magazine.

-2 darts for Wren (on her character sheet)

The croc closest to you is unconscious and possibly outright dead, because DAMN, DAT HAMMER.

[Tuvarkz]

((EDIT: As soon as it's Dravos turn if we keep using combat order. Also, Encouraging Roar does affect Kravor and his AoOs, and under the specifications of PoW he counts as his own ally.))
Out of precaution (and with the efficiency of he who has been made to execute similar actions over and over) Dravos makes sure the crocodile in front of him is dead for good.

[LeoMidori]

"Damned creatures..." Spade muttered, expertly loading his musket, powder and ball followed in a split second by the blunt ended stick and it getting readied as he trudged forwards, noticing the half-orc absolutely pounding the crocodile in front of him and smiling to himself, "Good swing, Dravos!" he spoke with actual encouraging satisfaction and positive inflection for a change.
Moving to square F12 and if not then G12 while reloading.

[Reltzik]

Spade rushes forward with his weapon now reloaded.

The remaining bodyguard leaves the body of the leader floating face-up and goes to rescue one of the bodyguards (the one further from your group), rolling her over so that she can unconsciously gasp for air. That leaves the last bodyguard face-down, but fortunately he passes his save versus drowning.

With that save made, the remaining bodyguard is sure to be saved as well, and with Vinny now hobble-running away along the branch-network and into the thick concealment of foliage, I'm going to end initiative.

Dravos brings down a careful and solid blow on the crocodile's throat, crushing its larynx, spine, and what's left of its skull. It's dead. It's possible that it technically has a pulse for a few more seconds, but it's dead.

[LeoMidori]

Spade took wet trudging steps forward, keeping his musket at chest level as he looked back to the rest of his team, "Good work everyone. Miss Ebony, you're well I assume?" he asked to his mistress specifically, then looking to the maligned and tattered Arcane Congress team, looking over them all, the bandana wearing Warforged looking about, still on edge as an experienced warrior would be, "Hail! Any casualties?"

[Reltzik]

The apprentice seems to be about to gather the strength to respond, but then slumps unconscious.

The final remaining bodyguard checks on the last survivor, rolling him over so he can breathe something other than water. "They're all breathing, for now. The Host alone knows how long that will hold true. I'm unharmed, but obviously everyone else is badly injured."

[Tuvarkz]

Kravor twists his face, as if trying to conceal displeasure, and then asks: "So, anyone good at patching up people?"

[Ganis]

Jakob prods the boat over to the collection of unconscious bodies. "I have some scrolls I can use to try and bring them around. It's at least a start." and he fetches a scroll of cure light wounds out to bring the leader back to lands of the conscious and living.

UMD +11 [roll0], 1d8+1 if it works, [roll1]

[Super Evil User]

Great. I just wasted darts and looked like an idiot, and now I'm even more useless.

Wren folds her arms and walks over the rest of the distance.

"Okay, what now?"

[Yabex]

Ebony picks up an oar and assists Jakob to maneuver the boat.

"Yes Spade, I'm fine. Thank you." As she gets closer to the arcane team, Ebony removes two Potions of Cure Light Wounds from her bag. "I've got some potions we can use on the badly injured. Maybe we should check their bags to see if they brought their own as well. First let's get them out of the water."

[Tuvarkz]

"Sounds like a good plan." As much of a bad impression Ebony had made on the half-orc at the beginning, her sound mind had inclined him to consider her a valuable ally. Saying that, he started to help the wounded members of the Congress into the boat.

[LeoMidori]

The warforged nodded to Ebony, putting his musket into the boat and guiding it while standing outside of it and still knee deep in the murky algae loaded water, his hands ready to reach for his sword or his musket again at any moment, "We're going to address some of your wounded. Bring them to the boat," he spoke aloud to the Congress team to make them hear clearly.

[Reltzik]

The red glow from the algae is gradually fading. What's more it's starting to regenerate, with the paths carved through it by people moving and the thrashing of combat sealing over and knitting back together before your eyes.

After a couple of attempts, Jakob gets the scroll to work. The leader gasps, chokes up some water he managed to swallow, hacks out some algae, and spits a few times for good measure.

Meanwhile, you get the boat over and the other casualties into it. Oddly enough, none of the other victims are DEAD, and none of them are dying. They all stabilized somehow.

From the west, where you came from, you hear the sounds of bickering from the Morgrave and Stormreach teams, getting louder as they catch up.

[Super Evil User]

Wren looked at the regenerating algae. "Does...it do that, normally?" she wondered out loud. She had been in many environments before, but never swampy terrain, or at least not long enough to remember.

[Tuvarkz]

"I think we should ask them once they wake up" says Dravos, pointing at the members of the Arcane Congress.

[Ganis]

Jakob shrugs, "No telling what is normal out here. Weird things happen out in the wilderness."

[Super Evil User]

"Maybe we should go. Did we get everyone?" Wren says, looking around for any other missing apprentices.

[roll0] just in case

[Reltzik]

Ebony obtains a first aid kits with bandages, cauterizing brands, tourniquet, numbweed, alchemical antiseptic, needle, thread, and soft sleep tea from one of the unconscious bodyguards including a pamphlet for their basic field medicine. Nothing fancy, just the steps soldiers might take to prevent the most common immediate causes of death that might befall their wounded comrades and keep them alive long enough to get him to a real healer. The pamphlet's not enough to make her a surgeon, but it is enough to allow a (possibly unwise) Heal check as if she had training. (But it provides no bonus and requires more time than a normal heal check would, because reading). Definitely not enough supplies to treat everyone. In theory the antiseptic might be valuable but in practice it got overproduced during the War. The stuff stays good forever if you don't broach the seal, it's got literally no other use save preventing common types of infected wounds (and it's not even strong enough to stop filth fever), and the market's flooded with it from soldiers pawning off their old kits to make ends meet until their crowns manage to find the money to pay their back wages. So it's dirt cheap, almost worthless.

Ebony also manages to surreptitiously obtain (if Wren doesn't make a fuss about it... I assume that's what the perception roll was?) what looks like a couple of journals from the halfling apprentice's pack. Hopefully they might contain maps, notes, or the like. But she doesn't have opportunity to crack them open and peruse them here and now, not if she wants to keep her pilfering a secret.

The leader's attention has been drawn to the glowing algae in response to Wren's question. "The specie has only been documented in passing, and those records are fragmentary and disinterested. Ancient Elven lore suggests that it has healing properties, and it is unsurprising that these properties to its own wellfare." He manfully manages to get that bit of lecture out before hacking a few more times, spitting, taking a long draw from his waterskin, rinsing his mouth out, and spitting. "More recent accounts observed the glow but not the effect of blood upon the coloration, and they all neglected to describe its horrific taste. Points I shall remedy in my next monograph. I think I shall even recommend its taste as a means of positive identification. No reason I should be the only one to suffer though that."

"Yeah, that's everyone," the uninjured bodyguard says. "Not counting the Stormreach weasels and the Morgrave yahoos."

[Tuvarkz]

Relying on common sense, Dravos asks: "Maybe it's not meant to be eaten?" While not a healer himself, he had seen embalms being applied onto wounds.

[Yabex]

"I'm glad that your all coming around, but I'm afraid we must keep moving." Ebony began to bring the boat toward the small patch of land nearby as she spoke. " I suggest that you head back to base camp and rest. You've all been through quite the ordeal."

Ebony turned to face the other Stragglers and smiled. "Would you all mind helping me get the Arcane Congress group safely onto the dry ground?"

[Super Evil User]

"No problem." Wren walks over to the nearest Arcane Congress scholar and picks him up.

Maybe I was wrong about her...

[Reltzik]

Dravos gets an earful about the philosophy of whether things have abstract, objective purpose and meaning. It's long-winded and would be interesting to someone with five times the vocabulary of the average person, if the person delivering it weren't clearly irritated.

Wren extracts the halfling apprentice from his improvised fortress of roots and gets him over to dry land. Those who are unconscious and injured are at least stable. Those up and about will have trouble transporting them... but then, maybe that's their problem and not yours.

The other two groups are nearly caught up with you. Are you moving on? You've got two navigational paths you've been considering -- a direct run at the basalt rise, or the shortest path to the ridge and then follow that to the rise in hopes that it provides easier travel.

[Yabex]

As Ebony glanced at the other groups approaching, she could feel the pressure to continue on rising. As quickly as she could, Ebony made sure all the arcane congress team was on land, then she approached their leader.

"Here take these and give them to your wounded, it should make the way back much easier. Sorry we can't help more, but time is of the essence and I've got this awful feeling Faith doesn't have much of it left." Ebony takes two Potions of Cure Light Wounds from her bag and gives them to the leader. She then quickly jumps back into the boat and waves for the others to join her.

[Super Evil User]

"Sorry we couldn't help much." Especially not me, great.

Wren joins Ebony in the boat.