Blood and Gold IC

[Tycho42]

Sword nods, succinctly, and begins to make his way upwards, dagger ready in front of him.

[PartyOfRogues]

Zahnan follows the rest of the group up the stairs, grabbing the dart he threw from the body of the crew member.

[Ramsus]

Captain Xyrryn Sapphirica Aquatic Half-Elf Bard AC: 13 HP: 30/45 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 Concentration: -- Xyrryn continues singing while her crew continues making music, trying to lead an intimidating "yeah, we're intentionally warning you we're coming" aura to the group as they proceed. Though at least part of it is just because she doesn't want to stop singing in the middle of a song.

[Inmate XIII]

As you move up to the next deck, you notice that Kappa left out a rather significant detail in his report: parts of the ceiling were on fire, and the room was starting to fill with smoke.

There are plenty of bodies strewn about, some unconscious and some dead, and from the spilled rations on the floor and the relatively even numbers of prisoner and crewmember bodies, it seems like the fighting started when the crew was sitting down for a meal.

The fighting seems to end as you appear, a small group of prisoners on the far side of the room disappears to the top deck, while another group of slavers finishes their scuffle with a dragonborn prisoner by cracking his skull open with their clubs.

Bruised and bleeding, they turn to you wearily, weapons raised for a fight, but hesitating.

Spoiler: OOC

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Four slavers thirty feet away. Three of them, two humans and a dwarf are bloodied. The fourth, a wood elf, is hurt, but not yet bloodied.

[magnorun]

Lowering his weapon and putting his other hand up in a non-threatening gesture, Pollock yells to the sailors "You've got two mates still alive and unconscious on the next deck down, plus these one's up here; stow your clubs and we'll let you save them, or risk losing to us and condemn them to burn alive."

[Tycho42]

Sword seems to recognize the tactic, but still moves off to the side, his dagger low ready to strike at the first sign of hostility directed towards them, in violation of their offer of mercy.

Spoiler: Actions

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Readying an action to move and strike the nearest slaver if they continue any hostile action to us.

[Inmate XIII]

The slavers glance at each other, then the humans and the elf turn and run to the top deck The dwarf seems like he intends to still fight, but finding himself alone, throws down his weapon, and follows them up.

The sounds of fighting are ringing ever louder from above.

Kappa reports that there is a melee on the top deck. The prisoners are fighting the slavers, who are fighting a group of Icewind raiders and several fires have broken out. The slavers seem to be winning , or at least holding their own and he recommends you join the fight soon.

[magnorun]

Yelling after the retreating sailors, Pollock bellows"Ugh, I said throw down your arms and help your mates, not run like cowards!" Turning to the group he says "I'm not leaving anyone to burn alive, slaver or not. I'm going down to get those two we left; I'd appreciate it if you all checked up here for any survivors before we press on." And with that he ducks back down the stairs at top speed.

[Bobthewizard]

Scrape Tabaxi Warlock AC: 13 HP: 30/45 Spell Slots: 1 / 2 Grasp of Deep: 2 / 4 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 14 Conditions: Exhaust 1 Scrape walks around the room, subtly waving his hands "Pagkalagot" and the flames around him extinguish. "Let's put out the worst of these fires, then join the fight above. But we need to get up there quickly or there will be more fires." Spoiler: OOC Show Casting prestidigitation to put out the fires.

[Tycho42]

Sword looks around, weighing the risks before bounding up the stairs to try to get the lay of the top area. He wants to assess where he can make the biggest impact, ideally looking for a slaver leader.

[Ramsus]

Captain Xyrryn Sapphirica Aquatic Half-Elf Bard AC: 13 HP: 30/45 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 Concentration: -- Xyrryn gives an annoyed sigh as she has to stop her song before it's finished to deal with... whatever this is. "I don't see the point. I assure you if nobody else does, I'll be tossing them into the sea. Death by drowning is no more pleasant than by fire. Their kind made sure I learned that up close an personal." she comments bitterly.

[Bobthewizard]

Scrape Tabaxi Warlock AC: 13 HP: 30/45 Spell Slots: 1 / 2 Grasp of Deep: 2 / 4 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 14 Conditions: Exhaust 1 After extinguishing the biggest fires, Scrape tries to call out to Polluck, but isn't sure if the Tortle hears him as they run in opposite directions. "Polluck, there's no time to tend to the wounded right now. We need to win the battle first." He then follows Sword up the stairs, preparing for the chaos above.

Spoiler: OOC

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[PartyOfRogues]

Zahnan follows the rest of the group upstairs, surveying the battle

[magnorun]

Dragging the unconscious sailors behind him, Pollock sees that most of the fires have been dealt with, right before noticing the group heading up to the next deck. Doubling his speed, he drops the two bodies at the foot of the stairs and follows the party, ready for another fight.

[Inmate XIII]

As the group approaches the stairs, they are forced to stop short as a pair of combatants tumbles down, landing hard on the deck. A slaver, wielding a light crossbow lies lifeless, his chest impaled with a pair of shortsworts held by one of the Icewind raiders. The raider grins at the group, blood pouring between his teeth before rolling off of his victim with a death rattle, revealing a pair of bolt shafts protruding from his chest.

The group quickly gathers up and passes out the weapons along with a case carrying 17 additional bolts, before charging up to the top deck.

---

Now in the open air, the group has their first chance to truly survey the situation. Confirming Kappa’s reports, the Frontier was attacked by a pair of longships crewed by raiders from Icewind Dale. One of the ships rammed the Frontier, and got stuck, initiating a boarding action that the raiders didn’t seem quite prepared for. The slavers responded to the boarding of their own ship by boarding the raiders’ vessel, and now the fighting was on the deck of both ships. Further away, the second longship lashed itself to the stern of its sister and its crew joined the fray. Somehow, despite their lower numbers, the slavers seem to have the upper hand, and might have even won by now if it weren’t for the escape of the Frontier’s human cargo.

More pressing to our group however, is the action on the Frontier’s own deck. Utter chaos. There seem to be no true sides in the battle, as the prisoners, slavers, and raiders all vie for control of the deck. Occasionally, one of the combatants will abandon the fight, jumping into the water to try their luck swimming to shore a mile away.

Making matters worse, the mute tiefling the group was jailed with stands on the bow railing, hurling handfuls of fire at anyone and everyone, with little regard to the fact that the ship is built from very flammable wood.

Spoiler: OOC

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Nearby the players, a group of four slavers is beating a pair of fallen prisoners, they are 10 feet away and have not yet noticed the player’s presence.

Pollock requires an additional turn to dash to reach the deck.

[PartyOfRogues]

Zahnan quickly fires a shot at one of the slavers’s backs, firing at another with his cannon

Spoiler: Rolls

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Crossbow:
(1d20+2)[11]
(1d8+14)[17]
Cannon:
(1d20+7)[8]
(2d8)[3]

[Tycho42]

Sword hurriedly grabs the two shortswords from their victim, placing the dagger at his side, through a piece of fabric. He tests the weight, briefly, of each blade and frowns, an unusual sight for a crow. He put the better of the two into his left hand, and the other in his right and crested to the top of the deck where the chaotic scene unfolded.

After a moment’s survey, he darted towards the slavers, beginning the intricate dance of steel that was written in his soul.

Spoiler: Actions and Contingencies

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Sword will make three attacks total, two regular and one as a bonus action. If some combination of his attacks kill a slaver, he will move the remaining attack to another. He will use his reaction if necessary to add +3 to his AC

Attack 1 - (1d20)[12](12) + 8 = 20; Damage (1d6)[5](5) + 5 = 10

Attack 2 - (1d20)[2](2) + 8 = 10; Damage (1d6)[6](6) + 5 = 11

Bonus Action - (1d20)[12](12) + 8 = 20; Damage (1d6)[5](5)

If someone needs him to provide flanking he will try to do so, as well

[Bobthewizard]

Scrape Tabaxi Warlock AC: 13 HP: 30/45 Spell Slots: 1 / 2 Grasp of Deep: 2 / 4 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 14 Conditions: Exhaust 1 Happy to give all of the weapons to the others, Scrape makes his way above into the chaos. Upon reaching the deck, he decides to start defending the other prisoners as best he can. He yells to no one in particular, "Let's kill our slavers, protect the other prisoners, and try to help the raiders." Which of course is obvious to the party, but hopefully some of the prisoners and raiders hear him and don't attack us. He first looks around to see if there are any slavers next to the edge of the ship or in the rigging that he might be able to knock off with his blasts. If he sees no opportunities for that, he sends his two blasts of shimmering, watery force at the slavers next to Sword, hopefully knocking them back. Kapa, still invisible, looks for someone who might be a leader for the Icewinders, looking for an opportunity to help Xyrryn convince the raiders that we are on their side. Spoiler: OOC Show If Sword sees the opportunity to knock slavers off the ship with his repelling blast, he will do that. He would also look for a chance to knock any slavers out of the rigging above. Otherwise, split the Eldritch Blasts on two of the slavers in front of us, Repelling Blast on both blasts to push 10' each, Lance of Lethargy on the first hit to slow it by 10' #1 (1d20+7)[12], damage (1d10+4)[13] #2 (1d20+7)[21], damage (1d10+4)[13] Kapa stays invisible, looking for an opportunity to help Xyrryn. If Xyrryn tries to persuade people, Kapa will whisper in their ear things like "You should listen to her," or "That seems like a great idea." For the next round, Scrape is also looking for an opportunity to use Gust of Wind (60' long 10' wide, STR save or pushed back 15'). If he can get 3-4 slavers and no others, especially if he might be able to knock more than two off the ship, let me know and I might use that at some point instead of Eldritch Blast.

[Ramsus]

Captain Xyrryn Sapphirica Aquatic Half-Elf Bard AC: 13 HP: 30/45 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 Concentration: -- Xyrryn gives Salt a look and he nods and then stomps a foot loudly on the deck to get people's attention before Xyrryn loudly proclaims, "Icewinders, Luskans, and whoever else finds the Neveren dogs to be your foes this day! Unite and fight as one! We can peacefully work out the details of fairly splitting valuables later. After we ensure the Neveren harm no more of us and we have paid them back thricefold in kind!" Spoiler Show Persuasion: (1d20+11)[12]

[Inmate XIII]

As soon as he makes it to the top of the stairs, Zahnan fires both his crossbow and cannon at the nearest slaver without aiming, causing both to zing over the thug’s head. Sword, however, has better luck; he swoops in on the same slaver and drives both of his blades into the man’s back, cutting deep as the slaver howls in pain, dropping his weapon and falling to his knees.

Scrape, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to help out in the larger fray, and fires off a pair of Eldritch Blasts, each one knocking a slaver overboard.

Eschewing fighting for the moment, Xyrryn gives a rousing speech, attempting to bring the raiders and former prisoners together to drive the slavers off the ship. It doesn’t seem to have much effect, beyond making several of the closer raiders and prisoners seem to fight harder, and alerting the nearby slavers to the group’s presence.

---

The raiders turn towards the group, apparently deciding that they were the bigger threat than the two fallen prisoners. A fatal mistake, as one of the pair leaps to his feet, with the dropped club in hand. Winding up, he smashes it into the face of the slaver Sword had just mauled shortly before, sending the thug sprawling on the deck. The second, a halfling, jumps on the back of another, gripping for dear life.

The other three advance on the group, but one is punched harmlessly in the back of his head by a third prisoner and turns to bludgeon the man into submission. Of the two remaining, one rushes at Xyrryn and takes a swing, but the half-elf sidesteps deftly, causing him to only hit air. The other drives his club into Sword’s chest, but despite the solid blow, doesn’t seem to harm the kenku much.

As for the last, he struggles with the halfling, but isn’t able to dislodge his attacker.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sword takes 4 bludgeoning damage on a critical hit.

[Tycho42]

The club barely departs from the kenku’s chest before he slashes twice, the other arm raking the short sword across his opponent’s chest. The wound was not much, and Sword’s training was more than enough to keep him safe from harm.

Spoiler: Actions & Contingencies

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Attack 1 - (1d20)[19](19) + 8 = 27
Attack 2 - (1d20)[6](6) + 8 = 14
Bonus - (1d20)[18](18) + 8 = 26

Damage 1 - (1d6)[6](6) + 5 = 11
Damage 2 - (1d6)[3](3) + 5 = 8
Damage 3 - (1d6)[3](3)

If an attack hits me, but it would miss on an 18, I will use my reaction to make that happen

[magnorun]

Emerging from below deck, Pollock quickly takes in the scene. You hear him yell "Smoke bomb!" and make a throwing motion towards the three sided fray in the middle of the ship; immediately, a large black sphere of magical Darkness 30ft in diameter appears in the middle of the ship, so dark that not even those with darkvision can see into it's inky depths. He then moves to intercept the slavers to prevent them advancing any further on his more squishy comrades.

[Bobthewizard]

Scrape Tabaxi Warlock AC: 13 HP: 30/45 Spell Slots: 1 / 2 Grasp of Deep: 2 / 4 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 14 Conditions: Exhaust 1 Scrape laughs as he sees the two slavers fall off the side of the ship. This is fun. Despite enjoying knocking them off, Scrape focuses when he sees a few charge the group. He turns to those and tries to force a couple of them back with his blasts. Kapa, still invisible, continues to look for an opportunity to help Xyrryn convince the raiders that we are on their side. Spoiler: OOC Show Split the Eldritch Blasts on two of the slavers in front of us, Repelling Blast on both blasts to push 10' each, Lance of Lethargy on the first hit to slow it by 10' #1 (1d20+7)[10], damage (1d10+4)[12] #2 (1d20+7)[14], damage (1d10+4)[10] Kapa stays invisible, looking for an opportunity to help Xyrryn with any persuasion checks. Scrape continues to look for an opportunity to use Gust of Wind (60' long 10' wide, STR save or pushed back 15'). If he can get 3-4 slavers and no others, especially if he might be able to knock more than two off the ship, let me know and I might use that at some point instead of Eldritch Blast.

[Ramsus]

Captain Xyrryn Sapphirica Aquatic Half-Elf Bard AC: 13 HP: 30/45 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 Concentration: -- Seeing that she didn't manage to do much to sway the crowd as a whole, Xyrryn decides to take a different tack and confront a problem individual. "I'm going to go deal with that mad tiefling." she announces to the others. Then impossibly black smokey darkness appears in her way. Thankfully Kappa grabs onto her hand and helps lead her as she rushes through it. Largely ignoring the other combatants as she plunges through the darkness. Kappa detaches from her to make a loud noise from the other direction as Xyrryn emerges from the darkness and yanks on one of the tiefling's horns so that he has to turn and face her, still partially shrouded in darkness, as she glowers at him and practically growls at him, "Cut that pyromaniac **** out you idiot! We have to have ships to sail on after this fight ends. If we don't, I'll make sure you'll be the first to drown beneath the waves." Spoiler Show Dashing to the tiefling, through the darkness. Getting help from Kappa. Intimidate: (1d20+11)[19]

[PartyOfRogues]

Zahnan fires his crossbow at the slaver again, firing the cannon at someone he can knock of the ship with it.

Spoiler: Rolls

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(1d20+2)[12]
(1d8+14)[20]
(1d20+7)[20]
(2d8)[7]

[Inmate XIII]

Sword, now having completely figured out the combat style of these slavers lashes out again, this time at the one who dared hit him. He rakes his shortswords across the thug’s chest, once. Twice. Three times, sending blood splattering across the deck and the slaver toppling over backwards.

As the brigand hit the deck, Pollock thundered up from the stairwell, casting a sphere of darkness into the center of the deck. The effect is immediate. Fighting inside the sphere all but ceases, as combatants on all three sides begin stumbling out of the inky black, some right over the side of the ship.

Meanwhile Scrape shot off two more Eldrich Blasts at the slaver swinging at Xyrryn. The first missed, but the second caught the bastard in the side of the head, sending him flying backwards. He hits the deck hard and stirs for a moment before laying still.

Seizing the opportunity she’s been looking for, Xyrryn bolts. Weaving through the crowd, she dances around yet another slavers club before diving into the darkness and emerging on the other side to scream at the tiefling.

Lastly, Zahnan lets loose once again with his crossbow, catching the slaver distracted by a fellow prisoner in the lower back, sending the man to his knee momentarily, while his cannon knocks another slaver off the edge of the deck.

---

The slaver shot by Zahnan wheels around to charge at his attacker, but is intercepted by Pollock. Deciding to settle for the tortle for now, he swings twice.

Spoiler: Rolls

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attack 1: (1d20+5)[14]
Damage: (1d4+2)[5]
attack 2:(1d20+5)[21]
Damage: (1d4+2)[6]

Meanwhile, the slaver struggling with the halfling manages to pry the smaller man off his back and hurls him to the deck. Club raised high, he charges at Sword.

Another slaver breaks away from the melee, a knife in one hand, a hand crossbow in the other. He fires the crossbow at Zahnan, then charges at Sword, thrusting with the knife.

Spoiler: Rolls

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cb: (1d20)[14]
damage: [roll][1d6]
knife: (1d20)[5]
damage: (1d4)[4]

Meanwhile, on the other side of the deck, the tiefling grabs Xyrryn by the wrist and hurls her to the floorboards. Glowering at her as he hurls another handful of fire into the face of a nearby slaver, he then points towards the closer longboat. There, in the middle of the fighting, stands a figure in gleaming blue armor. Xyrryn recognizes him immediately as Mehmen Kalshi, the captain of the Frontier, a brutal man responsible for the horrid conditions aboard the ship.

Mehmen, wielding a black warhammer, is making short work of any raider he comes across, and it becomes immediately obvious as to why the slavers have the raiders against the ropes.

Spoiler: New Info

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From now on, all PC’s can make their way to the longship. Reaching it requires 30 movement, and using your action to jump from the Frontier to the Icewind vessel. When you do, make a DC 12 acrobatics check (with disadvantage due to exhaustion), if you pass, you land on your feet; if you fail you make the jump, but land prone.

[Bobthewizard]

Scrape Tabaxi Warlock AC: 13 HP: 30/45 Spell Slots: 1 / 2 Grasp of Deep: 2 / 4 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 14 Conditions: Exhaust 1 Scrape looks over at the longship and sees the slaver captain in his blue armor swinging his black warhammer with deadly precision, and Scrape knows what he wants to do. If Olhydra wants sacrifices to the sea, I know who I want to send to her. Despite wanting to kill the captain, first he needs to clear a path to the railing, hopefully giving Zahnan a clear shot. Focusing on any slavers in his way, he turns to those and tries to force a couple of them back with his blasts, hopefully over the side. "Zahnan, the captain is over there, let's take him out. Sword, Polluck, cover us if you can." Kapa flies back to join Scrape, staying invisible up in the air as high as he can to stay out of danger. Spoiler: OOC Show Split the Eldritch Blasts on two of the slavers near us, Repelling Blast on both blasts to push 10' each, Lance of Lethargy on the first hit to slow it by 10' #1 (1d20+7)[15], damage (1d10+4)[10] #2 (1d20+7)[16], damage (1d10+4)[12]

[Ramsus]

Captain Xyrryn Sapphirica Aquatic Half-Elf Bard AC: 13 HP: 30/45 PP: 11 PIv: 9 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion 1 Concentration: -- Xyrryn gives the tiefling a dirty look as she gets up and walks over, only as close as she needs to, for Mehmen Kalshi to be in range of her magic. She begins singing a song her mother picked up around Icewind Dale. Something that should be a familiar tune to the raiders as its a raiding song. She focuses the song's magic upon Mehmen Kalshi so that it might demoralize him or give him a sense of looming dread. She also sends some of the magic to their kenku ally, to bolster his endurance. As this happens a little pulsating blue musical note appears floating around him that bobs up and down in time with her song. Spoiler Show Moving a bit, if I have to. Vicious Mockery on Mehmen Kalshi: DC 16 Wis save or (2d4)[7] psychic damage and disadvantage on his next attack. Bardic Inspiration on Sword: 1d8 to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw. When a creature adds one of your Bardic Inspiration dice to its ability check, attack roll, or saving throw and the roll fails, the creature can keep the Bardic Inspiration die. Note of Protection: Immediately after the creature rolls the Bardic Inspiration die and adds it to a saving throw, the creature can expend the note to gain temporary hit points equal to the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die + 5, provided the creature doesn't already have temporary hit points

[Tycho42]

The kenku plants his feet on the deck for a moment, and looks over to the other ship. In a second, he bursts into a run, racing over the deck and jumping forward onto the other ship. As he jumps, he lets out a warcry so that his companions note his position for their tactical decisions. He rises up in a slashing motion, darting towards the nearest cluster of slavers.

Spoiler: Actions & Contingencies

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Moving to the Edge of the deck
Jumping across - Acrobatics (1d20)[15](15) + 8 = 23
Using action surge to prepare attacks
Bonus action for second use of Fighting Spirit to gain 5 temporary HP which if I recall they don’t stack and to gain advantage on attacks.

Attack 1 (1d20)[7](7) + 8 = 15
Advantage (1d20)[19](19) + 8 = 27

Attack 2 (1d20)[7](7) + 8 = 15
Advantage (1d20)[16](16) + 8 = 24

Damage 1 (1d6)[3](3) + 5 = 8
Damage 2 (1d6)[6](6) + 5 = 11

My reaction will be ready in case I get attacked to increase my AC

[magnorun]

Seeing the others focus on the other ship, Pollock looks over and sees the head slaver laying into the raisers and slaves alike. He summons up his inner resolve and sprints towards the railing and launches himself across to the other ship.

Spoiler

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Spending my last Ki point to Dash as a Bonus Action (70ft speed) (2d20)[5][18](23) +4. If I land it I use the restof my speed to make it to the slaver captain, if I fail then I use my extra speed to stand and move 5ft closer.