Tales of Aequar: Runite's Rise IC II

[CoffeeIncluded]

Jadeite gives his best innocent angelic expression (which is a frighteningly convincing one) before following Alim and Badger to the source of the shriek.


It's belowdeck, dark, with only the occasional everburning torch to light the cabins. Jadeite and Alim have little trouble navigating the dark, but Badger occasionally stumbles in the half-light, especially since the ship is more obviously creaking and swaying belowdeck. Still, the wood is tight; there's no chance of a leak being sprung.

As they go into one of the many supply rooms, they see a halfling woman with curly red hair, trembling and brandishing a long wooden pole at a dark shape in the corner. Looking more closely, as their eyes adjust, Badger, Jadeite, and Alim see Kheel hunched over two barrels, both torn open with their contents spilled onto the ground. He's sitting in a barrel's worth of spilled gold pieces, while devouring strips of salt pork, the contents of the second battle.

[Athedia]

"Why was he left alone down here? If Leif hears about this..." Badger left the sentence unfinished as she gestured for someone to fix this disaster. Gently she made her way to the halfling woman, hands held up to show no harm. "Did he hurt you? If those barrels are yours I am sure we can figure something out. I will personally make sure he is closely watched for the rest of the journey, even if I have to deal with it myself." As she said this the boat lurched again and she quickly took a swig of the potion, grimacing as the liquid coursed through her body.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"What--is--that--THING?!" the woman gasps out as Badger tries to calm her down.

"Kheel, what are you doing?" Jadeite hisses in Draconic and Hemlock just hisses as Kheel tears another large bite out of the salted pork.

"Meat! Meat and shinies!" Kheel says through the dried meat hanging halfway out of his jaws. At least he's keeping his tail curled up behind him, where nobody could accidentally scratch themselves on the venomous stinger.

[Athedia]

Badger sighed and watched the wyvern gleefully eating the salted pork. "An overgrown scary looking child. He is a witness in a recent crime and we are the fortunate souls who get to babysit him until his guardian is healthy again." For some reason Badgers cheerful tone seemed fake and grating.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Having devoured approximately a half dozen pounds of dried pork, Kheel proceeds to lick the salt off his claws and the inside of the barrel with his long forked tongue.

The halfling sailor just looks at Kheel, then at Badger, then at Kheel again.

[Draconi Redfir]

"Yeah... you go do.... eye'll watch things here..."

Elsee groans as she put the bottle to her head after taking a quick drink of the foul green fluid, she was pretty sure it was just for seasickness wich this wasn't, but screw it, better to try and fail then not try at all right?

[CoffeeIncluded]

After ushering Kheel into Elsee and Alim's now-cramped cabin, the rest of the first day passes with little incident. There's rather less salted pork for dinner than there would have been, but nobody's starving so things work out okay. The nights are warm and oddly quiet, nearly cloudless with skies dusted with stars. The twin moons of Aequar are both nearly full, one waxing while the other is waning, and it's thankfully easy for the sailors to navigate.

The next day the waves are somewhat choppier, their tips starting to turn frothy and white. Walking along the deck, the rest of the group can see Jadeite hunched over the railing.

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Spot and maybe listen checks, please.

[Athedia]

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Spot: (1d20+8)[19]
Listen: (1d20+8)[12]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger can hear Jadeite muttering something in Elven, and then the sound of him throwing up behind his draped veil of hair.

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"Reduced to this..."

She also sees something on the horizon, getting closer.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger and Elsee see the shape moving closer to them, and soon enough Jadeite and Sora can see it too.

It's a ship, a decently sized ship, limping towards them. The ship is in terrible shape, and looks worse the closer it gets. The masts are heavily damaged, with one completely smashed, snapped and fallen over like a twig, crushing the room beneath it. Portions of the railing and hull are charred and chipped and in some cases completely broken through, exposing dark rooms inside. These charred spaces look as though a fire broke out on the ship, in several spots, but in very specific and localized spots. Is it even fire at all?

Regardless, the ship is in such terrible shape that it's a wonder it's still able to move forward. And move forward it does, sailing towards the group and the ship at the same pace. And when the ship's only a couple hundred feet away they can see about a half dozen figures standing by the busted railing, leaning out and looking out to the group.

[Athedia]

"Either pirates, or those in need of rescue. But with that damage even pirates would want rescue."

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee glares at the visible individuals on the other ship and slowly draws her Kurkri as she hides herself behind a small wall serving as the guard rail to prevent people from falling overbord. She didn't like the look of that ship, something was glaringly wrong with it...

[Athedia]

Badger eyed the small goblin as she disappeared behind a wall. Well might as well check if they were honest or not. After all better to have a little warning before they attacked, and if they did, well she was feeling better from the potion and didn't want that to wear out before they were done.

"What ship are you? Where are you from?" Badger shouted across the open water.

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Disadvantages of being on a computer at night at home. The cat decides that this is the perfect time to socialize with me. EVEN THOUGH HE HAS HAD ALL DAY! And he just almost deleted this post after I typed the exclamation point.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger's question seems to be lost on the wind. As the ship closes, the group can see nine figures, all wielding various weapons and tattered armor.

And as they get closer, the group sees the sailors on the heavily damaged ship hoist a flag on the one remaining mast. The flag is black, with a stark white skull and crossbones emblazoned on the front.

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Map and initiative coming in a bit.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Badger's yell broke Artorias out of the half-concious state he had drifted into, carefully leaning over ghe edge of the Crow's nest Artorias cursed as the unmistakable black flag came into view.

He quickly drew his glaive while mentally preparing for the battle to come.

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I forgot to post my readied maneuvers, is it ok if I use the following set:
Sudden Leap
Steel Wind
Rabid wolf strike.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Five of the pirates fire their bows as one as two (a halfling and human) wait and an elf steps back and casts a spell. The pirates are not aiming at the group hanging by the railing, but at the ship, and all but one hit. And as they hit the wood of the ship, the group sees that there are strong wires attacked to the bows, lashing one ship to the other. And the pirates are using this to draw themselves into the merchant's ship.

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Attack: (d20+6)[11]
Attack: (d20+6)[24]
Attack: (d20+7)[9]
Attack: (d20+7)[20]
Attack: (d20+7)[24]

Initiative:

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Surdrak: (d20+3)[11]
Jadeite: (d20+2)[17]
Badger: (d20+4)[5]
Sora: (d20+2)[10]
Artorias: (d20+2)[21]
Elsee: (d20+4)[14]
Alim: (d20+3)[21]
Pirates 1: (d20+1)[20]
Pirates 2: (d20+2)[17]
Pirates 3: (d20+3)[13]

Initiative order:

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Artorias and Alim
Pirates 1
Jadeite
Pirates 2
Elsee
Pirates 3
Sora, Surdrak, Badger

[Athedia]

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sorry about this since but since it is hard for me to get on the forums for a few days i givecontrol of badger to coffee

[Silverraptor]

Sora ducks down, panic setting in.
"I don't get it! Their ship is practically a wreck, why would they attack us?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Precisely," says Jadeite. "They want the ship."

As the ship gets closer, the group can see the pirates--two humans with short bows, a human with a longbow, two humans with longbows and long swords, a Half-Orc with a greataxe, an elf in robes with a parrot on his shoulder hanging back behind the rest of the group, and a halfling, the holy symbol of Tiden the water god around his neck, racing to steer Their damaged ship towards the groups.

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my notes are on my laptop so I can't update until I get home.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Artorias drops the glaive and draw his bow' knocking an arrow he aims towards the elf with the parrot and let's his arrow fly.

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Attacking the elf, which I assume is at (14,K) which means he is within my longbow range.
Attack (1d20+6)[20]
Crit confirmation (1d20+6)[15]
Damage (1d8)[8]

"Get the casters first!"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Artorias's arrow strikes true, slamming just below the Elf's shoulder and knocking him off his feet with a muffled shout. His parrot takes to the air, squawking something obscene as the elf, blood dribbling from his mouth and the wound, staggers to his feet.

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dont need my notes to know that hit, and hit for a lot. Elf mages generally aren't the most durable v

Alim is up.

[Devmaar]

Alim runs to a position alongside Elsee, drawing his sling he launches a stone at Ro2.

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Could you tell us what the abbreviations for the pirates mean Coffee?

Knowledge: Local (1d20+10)[22]

Attack (1d20+7)[27]

Damage (1d3+3)[6] (cunning insight)

Knowledge Devotion adds +2 attack and damage and I'll go roll a crit confirm

[CoffeeIncluded]

Alim's stone smashes into the lean archer's forehead with a resounding crack, leaving a welt trickling blood. The archer growls.

The halforc moves back, draws a longbow, and fires it at Alim. The two burly humans in half-plate shoot their longbows at Artorias, realizing that he probably poses the greater threat.

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Half orc (B) attacks Alim
Attack: (d20+5)[8]
Crit: (d20+5)[15]
Damage: (d8)[8]

F1 attacks Artorias:
Attack: (d20+6)[23]
Crit: (d20+6)[18]
Damage: (d8)[4]

F2 attacks Artorias:
Attack: (d20+6)[11]
Crit: (d20+6)[25]
Damage: (d8)[8]

The half-orc's arrow skates above Alim's head to lodge itself nearly an inch deep into the wood behind him.

One of the arrows fired at Artorias gets stuck in the crow's nest and leaves barely more than a scratch, doesn't even break skin, but the other punches a hole through the top of his forearm.

[CoffeeIncluded]

With a grimace, Jadeite pulls himself up off the railing, and fires two orbs at the elf in the back.

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magic missile
(d4+1)[3]
(d4+1)[3]

Both orbs slam into the Elf's throat and with a rattled noise, he hits the deck, unconscious.

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elf sorcerer had 13 HP. That put him at exactly -1

[CoffeeIncluded]

The larger human with a longbow in studded leather armor nocks two arrows and lets them fly--one at Jadeite, the other at Artorias.

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Arrow 1 at Jadeite:
Attack: (d20+5)[24]
Crit: (d20+5)[13]
Damage: (d8)[3]

Arrow 2 at Artorias:
Attack: (d20+5)[21]
Crit: (d20+5)[9]
Damage: (d8)[4]

Both arrows hit their targets, Jadeite staggers a few feet.

The elf gurgles; his throat is starting to turn blue.

The halfling cleric looks back at the dying spellcaster, figures that he's probably not going to actually die in the next second, and continues steering his battered ship towards the merchant galley.

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Elsee's turn.

[Draconi Redfir]

Elsee remains hidden behind the wood serving as a guardrail for the ship, occasionally peeking up to grab a quick glance of the pirates. Without a ranged weapon she really wasn't much use in this type of fight. Once one of them boarded using those ziplines of theirs though, she was in.

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readied action to sneak attack the first pirate that boards the ship, staying hidden for the time being. Most likely will only get one attack, but I’ll roll two just incase a pirate shows up either right next to or only five feet away from her.

Attack 1: (1d20+6)[22]
damage:(1d3+2)[3]
Sneak attack: (2d6)[8]

Attack 2: (1d20+6)[10]
damage: (1d3+2)[4]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Elsee runs and hides behind the railing, twirling her blades and waiting for the right moment to strike.

The two remaining pirates fire their shortbows at Alim and Artorias.

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Ro1 attacks Alim:
Attack: (d20+7)[8]
Crit: [roll]d20+7[/roll
Damage: (d6)[5]

Ro2 attacks Artorias:
Attack: (d20+7)[9]
Crit: [roll]d20+7[/roll
Damage: (d6)[5]

Both arrows are fired weakly--perhaps the archers are thrown off balance as their ship lurches towards the party's--and harmlessly splash into the water.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Badger's seasick and in a foul mood. "Oh, big mistake!" She raises her shortbow and fires two arrows at the other ranger--she recognizes the combat style as similar to her own.

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Attack: (d20+7)[15]
Crit: (d20+7)[19]
Damage: (d6+1)[7] (9 because of favored enemy)

Attack: (d20+7)[11]
Crit: (d20+7)[19]
Damage: (d6+1)[7]

Heheh, these rolls look familiar.

One misses, but the other buries itself in the ranger's leg.

Surdrak simply grins, sharp and toothy, as a low chuckle arises from deep within his chest. He seems to stagger back, then launches himself forward and launches a red-black tendril of...something...towards the cleric.

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Attack: (d20+6)[7]
Damage (halflingbane): (4d6)[11]

I have no clue how to play a warlock. Please tell me if I screwed up.

Surdrak's enthusiasm fails to compensate for his aim, and he misses. Wildly.

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Sora's turn, then Alim and Artorias's.

[Silverraptor]

Sora focuses, holding her amulet tightly in her hand.
Astrid, Bless my friends in this fight!"

(In case it wasn't obvious, she casted Bless.)

[CoffeeIncluded]

As Sora casts her spell, Alim, Artorias, Jadeite, Badger, Elsee, and Surdrak feel themselves surging with a sudden rush of courage.

Just then, the hobgoblin sailor from before runs out from belowdeck with a loaded crossbow. He says, "I don't care what the captain said, I'm not leaving you guys to fight these pirates alone!" Though he's clearly not used to combat, he still manages to level the crossbow and fire it at the pirates.

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Attacks Ro2, and he's affected by Bless as well.
Attack: (d20+3)[17]
Crit: (d20+3)[16]
Damage: (d8)[5]

The hobgoblin whoops as his bolt just manages to punch a hole through the pirate's armor.

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Devmaar and Dusk, you guys are up!