Giantslayer: The Hill Giant's Pledge [IC]

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar looks at the other two and says, ”Right. Then I guess we grab Abenor and the four of us can handle this. Galakhar can lead us where we need to go. I suggest we stay in pairs in case someone is mentally compromised.” He looks for confirmation from the others before proceeding.

[lostsole31]

"What about Cici?" asks Galakhar to Aasgar and Gharmez.

"Oh, her?" interjects the captain. "Yeah, I have her 'helping' Gashnakh in the kitchen since I figured the old guy would want to be part of your Stowaway Task Interdiction ... or STI. Really, though, she's watching him to make sure he isn't mind-fuddled to do anything else harmful."

[BuckGodot]

"STI? Quick thinking. I like it. I'll go find Abenor and bring him into the loop. Meet back here." and he goes to retrieve the elf on the... The elf.

[lostsole31]

Aasgar gets Abenor. Do you have anything private to tell him, or just show back up with the others?

[BuckGodot]

I bring him up to speed in everything that’s happened… but I do tell him that I found it odd that Galakhar delayed everything…
”I suspected that he may have fallen victim to the control of this person as well, but now I’m not sure. I feel like we’re walking into a trap…”

[lostsole31]

Abenor shrugs. "I always think everything is a trap. How do you think I survived so long?"

Abenor, Aasgar, Gharmez, and Galakhar are together now.

[BuckGodot]

”By having me as a friend, of course. Anyway, I suggest me and Abenor confront the stowaway while you two cover any exits. Sound good?”

[lostsole31]

"Actually, that's a terrible idea," says Galakhar. "This is not an innocent stowaway to be poisoning us. Your big hobnailed boots would clod right into any booby traps they may have set up. I can do a safety search first, and Gharmez can be behind me covering down with her crossbow. You big bruisers can chill in the back. I only know of the one entrance - the smuggler's hatch."

How do you (all, Gharmez included) feel about that plant.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar looks first at Abenor and then to Gharmez for their reactions.

[lostsole31]

"Sounds fine to me," says Abenor, who shrugs in that aloof, elven way.

And now all eyes are on Gharmez.

[Admyral]

"I love this plan! I'm glad to be part of it! The venomous maar won't get past us all!" Gharmez exclaims with maybe a little too much enthusiasm.

[BuckGodot]

”Then let’s make it happen.” and he grabs his axe and turns to go.

[lostsole31]

The captain will escort them down, leaving the coxswain temporarily in charge, to open the rear area that holds the currently sedated girallon in its cage.

"I don't want to even know how you knew about this place," says the Captain to Galakhar, "but it sounds to me like you know where the hatch to the bilge pump room is."

And with that, the Captain walks back to oversee the upriver hauling of his keelboat.

Galakhar opens a very well-concealed hatch, and the four of you head down, with Galakhar asking Abenor in the back to shut that hatch.

It's dark down here. Abenor draws his katana with its blue glow, but with the elf and dwarf staying behind so Galakhar can do a safety search covered by Gharmez, the older man asks her, "Any chance we could get a little holy light on the situation, my dear?"

[Admyral]

Gharmez pulls a copper coin from her pouch, touches it gently, and says, "Abadar, show us the way." She then hands the glowing piece to Galakhar.

She then holds up her crossbow, and checks the various mechanical bits for readiness, and then loads a bolt.

Spoiler: Spell

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Cast Light Orison

[lostsole31]

Right now, the party is in the Smuggler's Hold (A13). Shelves along the walls of this compartment keep the ship’s more questionable cargo safely above the water that frequently floods this area. Bloodtusk is currently carrying no contraband, so this compartment is empty. A flight of stairs to starboard climbs to the secret trap door in the armory (A12) and a shorter set of steps descends into the narrow bilge (A14) that runs along the boat’s keel.

As the two of you steps down to the lower platform, there is a door leading to the bilge, and Galakhar doesn't really take the time to look around, and yet he casually points out something. He mutters, "Alarm snare. Looks more like a ranger trap than an urban rig."

He casually disarms the alarm, and then carefully opens the door that reveals the bilge beyond. This 5-foot-wide corridor stretches for 80 feet between two doors. The corridor is filled with sludge and muck to a depth of 2 feet, and counts as a shallow bog (costing 2 squares of movement to enter a square).

He only gets in before he sees and disarms a ranger snare trap. "Yup, definitely dealing with a trained hunter ... a trapper, at least," he remarks softly to Gharmez.

Gharmez, any comment?

Aasgar, do you step down to the bilge door to see or anything? What do you have in hand?

[BuckGodot]

Seeing that the rest have gone through, Aasgar will enter but only go so far as to be able to guard the exit, axe drawn.

[lostsole31]

Abenor follows, on the stairs leading down to the bilge entrance.

Another 25' along the bilge walkway and again, with pitiful ease Galakhar finds another snare trap and disarms it.

[Admyral]

Gharmez looks around the floor just outside of the room for water, or dirt, or other detritus to spread in front of the door that Asgaar entered. "Just in case the rascal tries to escape invisibly," she says.

[lostsole31]

It turns out that because this is a smuggler's hold ... and a bilge room ... it's really dirty and mungy in here. That doesn't mean that the bilge walkway is technically "slippery" but it is not a pleasant place for someone with any sense of cleanliness.

While Gharmez did that, Galakhar advanced (to current position) and undid a third snare trap.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar will continue to keep watch at the door.

[lostsole31]

Galakhar finally makes it to the end of the walkway to the door. He turns around slowly and does a faint almost clucking-like sound with his tongue to get Gharmez' attention. He gestures for her to come closer, but slowly, cautiously.

[Admyral]

Gharmez moves slowly and carefully towards the door. She points at her readied crossbow with a questioning look on her face.

[lostsole31]

Galakhar concentrates briefly, lost in thought, then he turns to Gharmez and says. "There is danger here, but we'll be fine."

He draws his rapier and raps on the door loudly and forcefully. "A-hem! ..... A-hem, I say! I am...." he sighs, but then just nods at fate, "Galakhar the Gray, peerless swordsman. Behind me ready to rain death is Gharmez al'Demirah. Farther back to keep out of any nasty area surprises are Aasgar Axewielder, whose name speaks for itself, and Abenor Quentrias, relentless elven hunter. We ... are the heroes of the Battle of Trunau and slayers of betrayers, giants, orcs, and those creatures that will not sleep in deserved death. Your poisoning plan was puerile ... your toddler traps weren't even a test ... and you are a stowaway on Captain Bloodtusk's keelboat. Lest you wish to add yourself to those bodies we leave behind on our path to glory, divest yourselves of all weapons ... slowly open the door ... and yield to our capricious mercy!"

Pleased with himself ....

Spoiler: OOC

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That was a modified 5 on his Intimidate check, by the way.

... he looks back to Gharmez with a smug expression. "We may have to allow them time to change their pants. I'm quite sure I put the fear of Rovagug in them."

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar looks at Abenor, shrugs, and gets into a ready position.

[lostsole31]

Gharmez and Galakhar both look at each other when they both hear a woman intoning magic on the other side.

"Shield spell," says Galakhar before he looks past her and not trying to shout that ridiculous distance waves his arm for Aasgar to come forward.

Begin Round One ...

R1T23: Galakhar drops the copper light coin on deck, takes out some specialized tools, and begins to work on the door, easily unlocking it.

R1T18: Up some on the stairs, Abenor didn't see Galakhar's signal, and is just hanging around waiting (delay).

R1T17: Aasgar, what do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar shifts his stance, taps his friend's arm, and nods in the Galakhars' direction before dashing off toward them.

Spoiler

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SwA: Enter Circular Stance

SA: Move 20' forward
MA: Move 20' forward

[lostsole31]

R1T17-16: Aasgar shifts his stance, taps his friend's arm, and nods in Galakhar's direction before dashing off toward them, with Abenor following but not trying to overtake his friend.

Spoiler: OOC

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Red Zephyr's Strike.

R1T8: Gharmez, what do you do?

[Admyral]

"I think we have our answer," Gharmez says to Galakhar.

Gharmez drops her crossbow, and brings her Earthbreaker to readiness.

Adding, "Nice speech, though," she bursts through the door to attack the stowaway.

Spoiler: tech info

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If able to close the distance, she will attack with her Earthbreaker. [roll]1d20+8[/roll}

If not, she will move towards the stowaway as far a possible in a direct line.

[lostsole31]

R1T8: "I think we have our answer," Gharmez says to Galakhar as she drops her crossbow and brings her Earthbreaker to readiness. "Nice speech, though,"

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T23.5-23: Seeing Gharmez bristling to get through, Gal backs out of the way immediately to put his tools back in a small pouch. As soon as he clears, Gharmez steps up and opens the door wide and a big snake bites her left foot for 10. That bite holds, and it quickly loops around Gharmez to have her grabbed in its coils.

R2T22: From seemingly nowhere hits Gharmez in the soft nerve-filled area of her left elbow for 17. There is now a woman with a bow on the stairs, but Gharmez didn't see her come down, or even shoot the bow, but there she is.

R2T17: Aasgar, what do you do?

Abenor on deck, Gharmez in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar continues his forward momentum and, even though it is difficult to see, begins calling out tactical advice on how to deal with the enemies. Upon reaching Gharmez he assesses the situation.

Spoiler: Technical information

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SwA: Defending the Pride (Grant all allies w/in 60' a +4 morale bonus to AC for 1 rd.)

MA: Move east 20'
SA: Move up behind Gharmez

Assess enemies