Giantslayer: The Hill Giant's Pledge [IC]

[lostsole31]

R2T21: Gharmez will make her way through one of the open forward hatches and just begins to move up the port ladder.

R2T20: Galakhar looks at the dwarf who is almost off the ladder. "Dragons, eh?"

R2T19: Sounds of battle from near the top of the port ladder Gharmez is traversing.

R2T16: Aasgar, what do you do?

Enemies on deck/ in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar completes his journey down the ladder and looks at Galakhar and sighs.

"So I hear... Let's go get them."

And turns and hurries towards the deck drawing his axe.

[lostsole31]

R2T16: Aasgar completes his journey down the ladder and looks at Galakhar and sighs. "So I hear... Let's go get them," he says, before turning and hurrying aft while drawing his axe. He ends up port outboard of the stables, and sees Kurst several feet aft with his bow. Aasgar follows what Kurst is looking at, and he sees a large dragon with blue scales carrying one of the horses away, heading relative west. He thinks he sees some type of ruckus well aft on the ship, but up above in the crow's nest, another one of these blue dragons is attacking Cici in the crow's nest. However, the dragon way up there is about half the size of the one out over the water with a horse in its mouth.

R2T15: The alpha dragon opens up speed, even though it is weighed down by a horse, and performs a run action to the west. It is easy to lose it because it is flying into the sun that is now low in the sky.

R2T14: Galakhar leaves the galley, but moves along the starboard gunwale.

R2T13: Aasgar sees the dragon above peel away from Cici and dive bomb Kurst, biting the man in the upper arm for 6, while whipping wildly with its tail.

R2T9: Kurst steps back, drops his bow, readies his shield, and draws his sword.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T27: Abenor quick draws his wakizashi, changes his stance made for TWF, and then teleports to the forward side of his foe, but this time manages to catch his foe in the back for 12.

R3T22: Cici concentrates on a spell and a flaming sphere drops on Blue and burns it 11 fire as the sphere is entangled in the air with the dragon.

R3T21: Gharmez, a single MA brings you to the map, a second MA brings you just up onto the deck. Do you grab your hammer as you move?

Red on deck, Aasgar in the hole ....

[Admyral]

Gharmez draws her hammer as she moves up to the main deck.

[lostsole31]

R3T21: Gharmez draws her hammer as she moves up to the main deck, bringing Gharmez in flank with Abenor with what must be one of the creatures in question. With graceful wings and wide fins, this sleek dragon looks equally well equipped to glide through sea and sky. It is about 8' long, and probably weighs somewhere ~ 700 lbs.

R3T19: That same dragon (Red), not enjoying the flank it has found itself in, snaps defensively at Abenor and Gharmez as it tries to get out of there. As it does so, Abenor makes a brilliant stroke down its side for 20 as Gharmez swings the unfamiliar Agrimmosh. Red manages to jump off the port side of the ship and then begins flying aft.

R3T16: Aasgar, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Blue in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar dashes to the blue beast and planting his feet firmly swings his axe at the creature.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

MA: 20' west
SwA: Enter Valiant Keeper's Stance
Attack using Risky Strike: (1d20+12)[26]
Damage: (1d12+16)[19]

[lostsole31]

R3T16: Aasgar dashes to the blue beast and planting his feet firmly swings his axe at the creature, landing right in its head for 21. It's a devastating blow, but not enough to drop it.

R3T14: Galakhar double moves from around starboard and does a tuck and roll to come up and flank with Aasgar.

R3T13: Furious, the blue dragon hisses and spits at Aasgar and Kurst. Both targets are focused and agile, only taking 6 acid each (or in Aasgar's case, to his DDP). The dragon then tries to move away carefully, but Aasgar's axe bites it in the upper chest for a brutal 18, dropping it, with Galakhar providing the misericorde strike.

R3T9: Kurst comes out of initiative, as he's not going to try and do the fallen weapons shuffle.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T27: Abenor lets his weapons clatter to the ground as he races aft along the port side while taking out his bow. He shoots, hitting the dragon in the rear claw for 9.

R4T22: Cici delays (coming out of initiative) ...

R4T21: Gharmez, is there anything you think you can do?

Red on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez is going to move 5' to the rail and switch to her crossbow and take a shot at the blue dragon hovering over the water.

Spoiler: Technical Info

Show

ATK(1d20+9)[29]
DAM(1d10+1)[2]

[Admyral]

"What a fortunate shot!!", Gharmez yells.

Spoiler: Critical Damage

Show

(2d6)[9]

[lostsole31]

R4T21: Gharmez moves to the rain, drops her hammer on deck to switch to her crossbow. She takes a shot at the blue dragon hovering over the water, with the bolt piercing its upper foreclaw to continue into its chest for 20. The thing falls out of the air to splash into the water.

"What a fortunate shot!!" Gharmez yells.

Combat Ends!

[BuckGodot]

"Status check! Is anyone seriously injured?" Aasgar asks looking around and assessing the damage.

[lostsole31]

The acid damage from the caustic spit begins to show on Aasgar.

Gharmez assists Cici in doing triage on the party, and this is the wounded:
Aasgar ~ 95%.
Abenor ~85%.
Kurst ~80%.

Cici uses her healing hex on all three. Aasgar is now fully healed, and Abenor and Kurst have nothing a good night's sleep can't cure.

The captain orders everyone back to stations for maneuvering watch and in short order the keelboat is moored. Once moored, Captain Bloodtusk says, "Well done on killing those dragons, but the alpha got away with a horse. While you were busy, I had a smoke filter I put on the lens of my spyglass and clearly saw a cave where the alpha took the horse. It's actually not very far from here. I'm asking if you'll go and retrieve the horse. Maybe the dragon already killed it for a meal, maybe not. But losing a horse makes travel a lot harder once we begin heading up the other river."

Cici didn't know what type of dragons they were, but she describes what she does know ... as someone who has some basic understanding of dragon physiology .... to Galakhar. Galakhar tells you all he knows about the creatures from his observation and party reports.

Spoiler: River Drakes

Show

Yes, they are blue-ish, but they are not the true dragon known as a "blue dragon." These assailants were a lesser known category of dragons known as a "drake," and in this particular case they were "river drakes."

First, yes, they do belong to the dragon family. This means that pound-for-pound, they are extraordinarily skillful, tough, resilient, and immune to magical sleep and paralysis.

Most drakes are able to call upon a burst of speed when moving, which is how the alpha managed to get away so quickly. If Gharmez hadn't been able to shoot that last one out of the sky, it would likely have zipped out of there too quickly to follow.

A river drake is an all-terrain dragon in many ways, though its aquatic adaptations means it is a bit slower than a man on land. They are average fliers, moving at a decent clip but not as fast as a raptor like an eagle or even a crow. More like twice the speed of a man on open terrain. They can move as quickly in the water as a normal human on land.

River drakes can spit a caustic mucus in a very limited splatter area. The mucus is really an enzyme that while corroding everything is designed to help break down flesh. It is a very high viscosity that hardens quickly on contact with air, and if a person isn't careful not only take the initial shock of acid, but they get rooted to the spot while even hardened the mucus begins to digest them slowly. A river drake tends to recharge this mucus more slowly than a true dragon might with their breath weapon.

Given their caustic mucus, river drakes have a high tolerance for other solvents, corrosives, acids, bases, enzymes, etc.

Unlike the nigh impenetrable larger true dragons, the scales of a river drake protect them little better than the thick hide of any other animal.

Does the party gather to go retrieve the horse? The captain can't really make such a request into an order.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar is willing to go if the others are. Can’t have these beasts terrorising the waterways.

[Admyral]

Gharmez agrees, "If we are able to rescue the animal, we should surely attempt it. And to Aasgar's point, making the river safer would keep the trade lanes open."

[lostsole31]

The heroes head out in vengeance of horseflesh, with Kurst leaving Hope behind.

It was a low sun when the drakes attacked. And after the maneuvering watch and getting something quick in your bellies, it is now dark, so Abenor and Kurst lead the track, with light sources used as needed.

It isn't long before the pungent odor of fish entrails permeates the air near an open cave mouth. The beach outside the cave is littered with the remains of several marine animals, including the bleached skeleton of an immense crocodile. The area is eerily quiet and devoid of wildlife. However, a nervous whinnying is heard from within.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar whispers to the group, "I think it would behoove us to catch the creature in its lair since it can take to the air... Huh... A rhyme..." and he draws his axe. He then makes an effort to adjust his protective veils to help against acid attacks.

[lostsole31]

Aasgar finds he cannot shift his veils at this time. It really does take a morning of concentration as normal.

Abenor nods and agrees.

Gharmez, anything for you before entering?

[Admyral]

Gharmez says, "I've never seen a dragon horde before." She looks over her crossbow and grips it tightly as she walks towards the cave with the rest of the group.

Spoiler: Crunch

Show

No changes to spells or preparation.

[lostsole31]

Abenor leads the others in while keeping formation. Though he knows that the entire party is not designed for stealth, he does move at a pace and gestures for the party to at least to "try" to be stealthy. He knows Aasgar well enough to slow his own speed down so that even Aasgar (and the armored Gharmez) can still move half speed themselves to go slowly and stealthily.

He only moves forward 10' before he stops the party. Kurst is next to him, and Abenor points north as Ileor - Abenor's magical katana - just barely in dim light reveals the horse, but only to Abenor's elven eyes. Abenor holds his hand up to the others and moves in a little more with Kurst as the rest of the party filters into the spot they were told to wait at.

The party doesn't even have a chance to do more than that as a roar erupts from inside, causing the frightened horse to whinny.

Begin Round One ...

R1T27: "Unholy dragon senses!" Abenor spits. He looks to the party. "We'll cover Kurst's retreat. Kurst, get the horse out."

And with that, Abenor goes into his hunting stance and moves forward north and then west around a corner. His voice is heard echoing from within. "Eyes on target!"

R1T23: Another draconic roar is heard, followed by the sound of it spitting at Abenor.

R1T22: Since it can see light, the old warhorse bolts to the south where there are a mass of heroes. It doesn't run over the heroes, but is stamping away angrily, and can't be considered an "ally" for the purposes of movement as it is frightened and confused.

R1T20: Gharmez, what do you do?

[Admyral]

Gharmez will cast a veil of divine power over herself and move into the cave.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

Cast Protection From Evil: Target: Self
Move: 20' N

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Gharmez casts a veil of divine power over herself and moves into the cave, skirting around the scared horse that's stamping on the ground.

R1T19: Galakhar quick draws his rapier even as he gets into a fighting stance, drinks an extract, suddenly shrinking down to just under 3' tall, and then zooms along the ground to follow his lady.

R1T15: Kurst puts his sword away, and unlike some animals that might take a ranger longer to calm, he has already built a relationship with this one and is able to bring it to heel. Even though it has no tack at this time, he does a brilliant quick mount.

R1T13: Aasgar, what do you do?

Cici on deck, Abenor in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar adjusts his footing and moves north after Abenor.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

Enter Valiant Keeper's Stance and head north 20'.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Aasgar adjusts his footing and moves north after Abenor.

Spoiler: Maneuver

Show

Scything Strike

R1T7: Cici darts north and west (and south).

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T27: Abenor changes footing to slow down a little and disappears from Aasgar's sight. There is a sound of metal passing through hard scale and flesh and a draconic roar of pain.

R2T23: And that, followed up by more bestial noises of aggression that slowly give way to frustration.

R2T20: Gharmez, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Kurst in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez moves up behind Aasgar, ready to fire if she has a target.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

Move: 5' NE, 15'N
If able, Crossbow ATK: (1d20+9)[13] DMG:(1d10+1)[3]

[lostsole31]

R2T20: Gharmez moves up behind Aasgar. In doing so, her golden light shows the deeper cave entrance to the west that seems to then go south.

R2T20: Galakhar says to Kurst, "You're the best rider, lad, and the horse is already skittish. Guide him back to the keelboat. We got it from here."

Gala-midget then takes a sip of another extract before heading north himself, and gets in front of Gharmez while looking west.

R2T15: You see Kurst nod in understanding to Lil' Gal and then ride off (off map, and out of this encounter).

R2T13: Aasgar, what do you do? Sounds of battle to west and south.

Cici on deck, Abenor in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Asgard heads towards the sounds of battle as fast as he can.

[lostsole31]

R2T13: Asgard heads towards the sounds of battle as fast as he can. He turns around the corner to see the battle, and moves up next to Cici. Also, he enters a deep field of bones and other detritus that is difficult terrain that halts his progress.

R2T7: Cici enters her crane style stance and begins angling closer through the bone field. She takes out a shuriken and tosses it, but it bounces off of the tough hide.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T27: Aasgar sees Abenor dance with his daisho in hand, but particularly with the blue-glowing katana, almost glowing brighter like the moon before he attacks too aggressively, his sword stroke stopped by dragon scale and the extra blue dissipating. His attack failed, and preparing for the arrival of friends, Abenor tries to carefully move around to the south. Not so careful that the dragon doesn't bite at him, but then Abenor dances off of the dragon's snout and own body to help him move to a better position, shifting his stance to someting more defensive.

R3T23: The alpha river dragon seems to have learned from fighting Abenor, and isn't so wildly aggressive, but Abenor in his defensive stance is able to parry away the attacks.

R3T20: Gharmez, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez grumbles to herself, "I really need to buy lighter armor." She will move towards the western battle noises.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

MV: 20' W
MV: 10' SW 5' W

[lostsole31]

R3T20: Gharmez grumbles to herself, "I really need to buy lighter armor." She moves towards the western battle noises, seeing the full scope of the battle now.

R3T19: "No, milady," says mini-Galakhar who moves with her at first. "You are the primary buoyant and healer. We need you as protected as you can be."

He then stops behind a few paces to take another extract, and disappears from sight.

R3T13: Aasgar, what do you do?

Cici on deck, Abenor in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar moves south as far as he can through the bones but begins calling out tactical advice.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

MA: Attempt to move south 20' but understanding that the poor terrain affects that.

Maintain Valiant Keeper's Stance

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