[Adventure] A Call for Lovers (DM: jbear Judge:Lord Sessadore)

[Nemesis Destiny]

Seeing the situation turning on a knife edge, Sabynha decides that now is the time for action. Heedless of her personal safety, she continues the Vistani Dance of Blades, launching herself into the jeering pirate ranks, hoping that her gambit will pay off for her fellows, and the poor prisoners.

[sblock]Theme power benefit: +1 to attack rolls

Junk crew attack on Sabynha: 1d20+5=7, 1d6+3=4 Miss. haa-ha! /nelson

Minor Action: Song of Serendipity - grant an ally +2 on an attack roll if I hit with an MBA

Standard Action: Attack junk crew 1d20+7+1=12, 1d6+4=6 frelling MISS

Action Point -> Standard Action: Attack junk crew 1d20+7+1=23, 1d6+4=8 that's better; HIT. Crew takes 4 damage, and Sabynha grants Rain that much-needed +2 to hit, making her attack hit as well. It will actually do 7 damage against the crew since it is a close burst and they are vulnerable 2 to close and area attacks. Crew should now be at 10 / 60 hp.

Free move two squares, adjacent to Themes.

Move Action -> Minor Action: Pop last Skald's Aura heal on Themes: spend a surge and gain an extra 1d6=6 hit points.[/sblock]
Her brash move seemed to pay off; she dove into the pirate crew, insulting their inability to hit a little girl in a skirt, flailing away with ineffective swipes of her own. They must not have been expecting such a move, as they gave ground to her vicious assault. Sabynha continuted to press on, however, and the astonished pirates defences crumbled. She caught one in the leg with her gypsy blade, and swatted another in his now-uglier face with the edge of her buckler. Sabynha's distracting display gave Rain the chance she needed to catch them off guard.

Sabynha's deadly dance twirled her closer to her fallen ally. She didn't like Themes much, but it was plain to see that he was better than these Yakuza pirates at least, and a friend with swords would be welcome right about now. "Themes! I thought you vere some kind of tough pirate - quit swabbingk the teck vith your face, and show this jakuza who's bozz."

 

[jbear]

GM: Update: Crew now have 10/60 HP Themes is no longer dying at 13 HP Crew Aura Attack vs Rain = 13 vs AC; Miss Crew now only does 1d6+1 dmg Sabynha wins an Auto Success on her next skill check for having made the DM laugh out loud with "quit swabbing the deck with your face". Cracked me up! You can all make free Nature rolls to realise the imminent danger of the ship being about to sink. Or at least one of you.

 

[Son of Meepo]

Wat heads down the towards the rear of The Dolphin.

"JOVEN! HEAR MY PRAYER! PROTECT MY ALLIES FROM YOUR WRATH!"

Winds begin to flow around Wats' allies and the prisoners, protecting from the oncoming storm as if they stood in the eye of the hurricane. The shugenga's tower begins to crack under the strain of the winds, but the shugenga is safe. The crew however, is not so fortunate, they are swept in all directions, smashing into every part of the sinking ship. The winds blow towards the final member of the pirate crew, sending the unfortunate soul off the ship and down to the bottom of the sea. As the winds subside, Wat addresses his allies.

"THE JUNK IS TAKING ON WATER! Take the prisoners and return to the Dolphin!"

In a gesture of defiance he addresses the captain of the junk.

"You and you're caster are doomed to your fate at the bottom of the ocean! Surrender now and we may yet show you the mercy you would not willingly show those whom you've plundered!"

[sblock=Actions]Move: To other end of ship near Shugenga Tower.
Minor: Religion (1d20+7=23)
Standard: Astral Wind (Crew w/CA; Shugenga Tower; Shugenga; Damage) (1d20+4+2=16, 1d20+4=21, 1d20+4=6, 1d6+4=7)
Result: The Crew is HIT for 7+2 damage.
The Shugenga Tower is HIT for 7-5 damage
The Shugenga is MISSED.
Crew Saving Throw (1d20=4)
Result: The last crew member FAILS to save and goes overboard, dealing 2 damage, destroying the swarm.
Free: Nature (1d20+4=17)[/sblock]

[sblock=Wat's Stats]Wat - Half-Elf Invoker 1 Passive Perception 14, Passive Insight 16 AC 16, Fort 15, Reflex 13, Will 15 HP 21/28, Bloodied 14, Surge Value 7, Surges 10/10 Speed 5, Initiative +0 Action Points: 0, Second Wind [] At-Will Powers: Astral Wind, Divine Bolts Encounter Powers: Thunderwave [x], Thunder of Judgement [x], Shining Symbol [x], Channel Divinity [] Daily Powers: Silent Malediction [] [/sblock]

 

[Daeja]

"Are zhey well?"

"They're not going to be dancing any time soon. They need our help," Zuri shouted as she saw gypsy woman whirl away into a dance with her blades. She could hear her shouting at Themes over the sounds of battle.

Zuri starts when she hears Wat's shout. She looks around, evidence of the rising water - or sinking ship - in the 'suddenly' soggy deck.

"Crap," she curses, turning her fingers to the ropes holding the second man. She has to wipe them twice on her loose shirt, cleaning the blood from them, but she does manage to unknot them all, letting the man gratefully stretch his muscles.

While the battle is no longer raging all around, the Dolphin looks so far away, with the water sloshing over the deck of the junk. Zuri glances around for a solution, spotting a rope dangling from above. A quick yank on it suggests that it will hold *some* weight. "We'll find out just how much," she says to the first man she freed, waving him over before biting her lower lip and assuring the second man, "I'll be right back." She very carefully does *not* look at the man trapped beneath the mast.

With one of the prisoners latched to her like one of the barnacles on the ship's hull (or so she thinks, not realizing what the physiology of a barnacle actually is), Zuri fashions a quick loop to hold. With a deep breath, she swings them out over the deck to the railing.

The prisoner releases her, and Zuri tries to assure him, "Someone will help you across!" before using the rope to swing back to the second freed prisoner.

By now her muscles are aching and her hand is starting to burn from where the rope slides against it. Adrenaline races through the Eladrin's system, and she offers a hand to the second prisoner, "Hurry, we need to get off the ship before it sinks!"

With the second prisoner holding her in a death grip, Zuri again swings towards the railing of the junk, eager now to get off the sinking ship. The muscles in her shoulder scream, but she manages to hold tight, landing gracelessly, water splashing up around her.

She rotates her arm, expression grim as she realizes she'll pay for the heroics later. Her hand looks nearly as raw as her shoulder feels, but that doesn't prevent her from looking back at the third prisoner, trapped beneath the mast. Is there time to go back for him?


[sblock="Actions"]

Minor - Thievery to release a second man
1d20+9 → [12,9] = (21) SUCCESS - second prisoner freed

Move - Athletics to grip a rope to swing to the edge of the ship with one of the prisoners - DC 16
1d20+7 → [11,7] = (18) Success!


Standard to Move - Athletics to grip the rope and swing *back* to the
two prisoners. DC 12
1d20+7 → [9,7] = (16) Success!


AP - Athletics to grip rope and swing to the edge of the ship with a second prisoner - DC 16 (or higher because of increasing implausibilty)
1d20+7 → [18,7] = (25) Success! (High enough that I would think increased DC for repetition shouldn't affect it)

I definitely got a giggle out of imagining my rogue soaring back and forth over the ship as a one-woman transport.
[/sblock]

 

[treex]

[sblock=OOC]Do I get a new set of actions or just stand there? I've never been downed before in DnD and wasn't sure before about being downed and healed. I'm fine either way, though [/sblock]

 

[Son of Meepo]

OOC: You made your death saving throw, so that is the end of your turn. Next time, you should wait to go until everyone else has acted just in case someone has healed you, because that way you get your actions.

 

[LordGraz'zt]

Calling upon hellfire once more, Kartuus points towards the structure defending the shugenja.

The fire sputters at his hand for a moment, before flaring and flying true, but only leaves minor scorch marks on the wooden barricade as a thin drop of blood falls from his nose upon the sea washed deck.

While not an experienced sailor, even the knight can understand the potential for peril the Dolphin is now in.

Shouting to the party and any crew aboard the junk, "The wreck is going to drag us under - pull back to the Dolphin!"

The knight then turns to the crew aboard the ship.

Calling upon his past experience as a battlefield commander he spurs the crew to action, "Pull yourselves together men! We will not be spending tonight on the sea floor - prepare to disengage!"

[sblock=Actions]Standard: Gift to Avernus 7 vs Ref = MISS!, REROLL, 16 vs Ref = "HIT!" for 7 - 5 (for Resist All) = 2 points of damage.

Shugenja Cover = 10/12 HP
Kartuus = 13/23 HP (lost 1 HP for Gift to Avernus reroll)

Nature Roll = 9

Move: Will move away from the edge of the ship to a more central position on the Dolphin.

Minor: Shout to the party and crew - if Diplomacy was needed = 17.

I do not want the crew to do anything specific just trying to get their heads in the game and get ready to get the Dolphin out of here - with or without the rest of the party and crew if they do not get across soon.[/sblock]

 

[jbear]

OOC: You made your death saving throw, so that is the end of your turn. Next time, you should wait to go until everyone else has acted just in case someone has healed you, because that way you get your actions.

GM: Yes this is the best tactic when you are dropped below zero, definitely.

 

[jbear]

As pirates fall beneath Sabynha's blade towards the fallen Themes, she opens up a path for Rain to surge in behind her, slashing through enemies along the way. Sabynha's magic pulls Themes away from the edge of death, sealing the worst of the wounds he has suffered. Just as he stirs and the Junk Captain looms over him, fury at his defeat burning in his eyes, Rain manages to get just close enough to lay her protective Aegis upon his mind, offering her fallen companion a moment of distraction and a glimmer of hope staring in the face of a bloody vengeance.

Zuri meanwhile scoops one of the prisoners beneath her arm and swings him back to the safety of the Dolphin where he collapses. Relentless she swings back, freeing the knot of the second prisoner with the twist of her able fingers as Wat moves along the edge of the Dolphin to unleash a blast of divine wind that decimates the remaining pirate crew and batters at the structure of the tower protecting the Shugenja. Just as Zuri is about to swing the second prisoner to safety, oblivious to what is going on behind her, the junk's cook suddenly appears from the stairs, charging with a bloody meat cleaver aimed at her head. Wat raises his hand and a sudden wind picks up the surprised man and flings him overboard with a splash. Zuri swings the prisoner to safety unmolested.

Kartuus unleashes his own dark magic upon the shugenja tower which buckles but holds. He stirs the crew to action with a command. One of the sailor's strikes at the rope with his blade, cutting all the way through and freeing the Dolphin from the grappling hook that held it.

The battle lost and with water pouring aboard the junk, the shugenja decides enough is enough. However, seeing his captain about to be outnumbered two to one he decides to even the odds. Rain suddenly feels her head explode with stars leaving her unable to properly defend her fallen comrade. The shugenja then drops from out of sight, disappearing into some inner entrance that must head into the flooded interior of the junk.

The Junk Capian seeing a fleeting chance for revenge, bellows: "You and your people chose the wrong side in this affair, Lah'nun! Death to all who defy the Yakuza! See you at the bottom of the Locker"! His deadly blades flash out towards the vulnerable genasi pirate, and Death rubs her cold hands awaiting to see if she will have another soul to take with her to the Shadow Realms. His blade descends but luck is on Theme's side. The strike too hurried, merely cuts into muscle and not vitals. The second blade descends whistling with death but the luck of the Lah'nun holds, the blade instead splintering wood next to Themes' neck and not his soft flesh. With a growl of frustration, the Junk Captain takes two steps back and leaps over board into the water, reappearing a good distance from the ship and swimming for his life alongside the cook and three other sailors, headed towards the other Yakuza junk that limps its way towards the action.

Only our heroes and the dying prisoner remain on deck of the junk, but water continues to pour in, and if they do not leave and get the Dolphin away from the sinking boat it could spell disaster.

[sblock=Mechanics]
Crew +4 vs AC16 Grappling Hook Rope=20;Hit: Rope severed (3/3 hits)
Shugenja Daze +6 vs Will of Rain=15;Hit: 4 psychic dmg and Dazed TENT (unable to use immediate reactions)
Junk Captain Atk 1 +8 (+2 CAdv -2 Marked) vs Themes=17;Hit Damage=7 Junk Captain Atk 2 +8 (+2 CAdv -2 Marked) vs Themes=10;Miss (talk about life flashing before your eyes!)
Prisoner 3 Save vs Death=10;Success
[/sblock]

[sblock=Summary]
Crew cuts through Grappling Hook rope at Kartuus' command; The Dolphin is free to navegate.
Shugenja hits Rain with Daze for 4 psychic dmg and she is Dazed TENT. This leaves her unable to perform Immediate Actions; Shugenja abandons tower.
Daze effect ends on Captain Peg
Junk Captain double attacks Themes but only one attack hits for 7 dmg; then he abandons ship.
Prisoner 3 makes death save on his turn (1/3 fails)
[/sblock]

[/sblock]
[sblock=Status]
Kaartus 13/23 HP AP used
Sabynha 23/28 HP AP used
Rain 22/31 HP Dazed TENT
Wat 21/28 HP AP used
Zuri 16/24 HP AP used
Themes 6/24 HP AP used

The Singing Dolphin 1/8 hits;
Captain Peg 8/24 HP; Bloodied
First Mate Bilge 20/22 HP
Crew 18/30 HP
Cannon 1: Used (0 crew; ); Requires Recharge
Cannon 2: Used (1 crew; 1 sailor: Requires Recharge

Junk 1: Crippled (out of the challenge)

Junk 2: -2/3 Hits left Crippled (out of challenge)
Grappling Hook 1: Used (freed)
Grappling Hook 2: Used (freed) (3/3 hits received)
Shugenja: 22/22 HP
Shugenja Cover 8/12 HP
Junk Captain: 63/112 HP
Junk First Mate: 0/38 HPDead!!
Junk Crew: 0/60 HP Destroyed!!
[/sblock]

GM: Round 6: Escaping the down tow of the sinking junk! Rescue the prisoners from the Junk and bring them aboard the Dolphin alive; 1 success/Prisoner rescued : Success! 2 Rounds left before the Junk sinks and drags the Dolphin down with it! Must make a successful Nature check DC 19 to get the Dolphin far enough away. Allies can supply navigator with a reroll on a failed check using DC 19 Athletics, Acrobatics, Thievery to do boaty things or Religion/Arcana to do Magicky things or Charisma based skills to do inspiring things. Minor Quest: Challenge: Rescue Dying Prisoner Added: The third prisoner is alive, just barely. His body is trapped under the fallen mast. Athletics or Dungeoneering DC 19 as a move action required to Free him or 2 PCs both at DC 12 . No limit to the amount of attempts per round. Current Status: / Successes / Failures Challenge Complete! Now you just need to get away safely!! Prisoner 1 9/22 HP left Free and on board the Dolphin Prisoner 2 6/22 HP left Free and on board the Dolphin Prisoner 3 -3/22 HP left Trapped and Dying Failed Death Saves 1/3 Added to Boarding Junk below: Reaching Prisoner; Freeing Prisoner; Escaping with Prisoner Note: Junk 2 is now side by side Boarding: DC 8 Athletics or Acrobatics; Fail = You make it but fall Prone Movement Restrictions gone.

[sblock=The Dolphin]
[sblock=Defenses] AC 18 REF 14
Hits: 1/8 before being crippled (Bloodied = 1 fail; Crippled = 2 Fails)
If the Dolphin is crippled it will be boarded by the crew of each non crippled junk [/sblock]
[sblock=Using the Captain and crew
Captain: AC 16 Fort 14 Ref 14 Will 13; 12/24 hp
Steering ship (Move Action 1/turn): Nature +8
1st mate: AC 15 Fort 14 Ref 13 Will 12; 20/22 hp
(Move Action 1/turn) Nature +6; Athletics +8
Crew: AC 14 Fort 13 Ref 12 Will 11; 23/30 hp hp (swarm Vulnerable 2; Range, melee ½ dmg)
(Move Action 1/turn)Acrobatics +6; Athletics +6; Endurance +6; Thievery +6
(Minor Action 2/turn); Requires Charisma based check DC 12 or DC 19 if bloodied: Melee or Ranged attack: +4 vs AC; 4 dmg Requires Charisma based check [/sblock]

[sblock=Fire the Cannons]Aim the cannons: Minor Action: Strength DC 8 or Thievery DC 12
Fire the Cannons: Dungeoneering or +5 vs AC 17; Success by 5 or more= Crit: 2 Hits
For each person manning a cannon Recharge chance increases by 1 (max 3 people)
Extra Effort: 1 person per cannon can spend a surge and make Athletics of Endurance check 1/round
DC 12: Reroll Cannon recharge DC: 19 Reroll Cannon recharge with chance increased by 1
Cannon 1: Used; Crew: 1; Recharge
Cannon 2: Used; Crew: 1; Recharge [/sblock]
[sblock=Ram a Junk]
Align the Dolphin: Nature or +3 vs REF to align the side of a junk 1/round; Requires 3 successes before 2 fails in a row; For each success by 5 or more add 1 hit to damage caused to the junk. Success
Aid Alignment: Athletics, Endurance, Acrobatics or Thievery (max 1 of each per round) DC 12; each success provides the aligning of the Dolphin with a +1 bonus
Ramming a Junk: Requires Alignment; +10 vs AC; Hit: Causes 3 hits worth of dmg and 1 to the Dolphin; Miss: Causes 2 hits of dmg and 2 to the Dolphin. If the hit achieves 5 hits of dmg the Dolphin carves cleanly through the junk: Bonus Dmg:
[/sblock]
[sblock=Boarding a Junk]
Boarding a moving Junk: Jumping to moving boat DC 19
With some type of rope DC 12
To a crippled or rammed junk DC 8

Reaching the Prisoners: Requires (1) Athletics or Acrobatics DC 12 (move action)
Otherwise it takes 3 move actions
A successful melee attack vs crew wins 2 move actions
A successful ranged attack vs crew wins 2 move actions for on board ally

Freeing a prisoner: Minor Action Requires Thievery DC 19 Standard Thievery DC 12
or Hack through rope (minor action): Melee attack vs AC 14; requires 3 hits
Moving a Prisoner: Moves required as per getting on board and to prisoner except whoever is helping takes a -4 penalty to attacks, defense and skill checks while aiding escape;
* If 2 PCs aid escape this penalty is reduced to -2.
* This penalty can be reduced further by a (minor action) Endurance check DC 14 or or a Charisma based check DC 19 to get him to cooperate despite his wounds: Reduce penalty by 2

Subdue the Junk crew: Requires captain and first mate to surrender
Reaching the Captain or First mate: Requires (1) Athletics or Acrobatics DC 12 (move action)
Otherwise it takes 3 move actions
A successful melee attack vs crew wins 2 move actions
A successful ranged attack vs crew wins 2 move actions for on board ally
Carving through the Crew: (Swarm) AC 15 Fort 12 Ref 13 Will 12 21/60 HP (Vulnerable 2 to close and area attacks; ½ dmg vs ranged/melee attacks)
Aura: Each PC that starts their turn on enemy boat is attacked: +5 vs AC; 1d6+6 dmg
Special:For each 10 dmg the crew receives its damage is reduced by 1 (cumulative)
Bloody the Captain: AC 17 Fort 14 Ref 15 Will 13 HP 63/112 +8 vs AC; 1d10+6 dmg; 2 atks/round
Special: The captain surrenders when bloody
Bloody the first mate: AC 16 Fort 13 Ref 14 Will 12 HP 0/38 +6 vs AC; 1d8+4 dmg and +4 vs AC; 1d4+4 dmg
Special: The first mate surrenders when bloody
[/sblock]
[sblock=Outrunning a junk] Guide the Ship: (1/turn) Opposed Nature rolls; Requires 3 successes before 2 fails in a row; each junk counted separately.
Aid Swift Sailing: Athletics, Endurance, Acrobatics or Thievery (max 1 of each per round) DC 12; each success provides the Dolphin with a +1 bonus to outrun the junks
Prayer for Favorable Winds: (Minor action 1/turn) Religion DC 19; Force junk to reroll nature check
Protecting the Navigator’s mind: (Minor action 1/turn) Arcana DC 19; Stunned condition becomes Dazed or Dazed condition is removed. If navigator is unaffected then this provides a +2 bonus to Will defense.
[/sblock]
[/sblock]

[sblock=Yakuza Junks]
Defenses: AC 17 REF 14 FORT 14
Hits: Junks can take 3 hits before they are crippled
Shugenja: Each junk has a shugenja who focuses their attention on inhibiting the captain of the Dolphin: +6 vs Will; Hit: 4 psychic dmg and Dazed TENT (if target is Dazed then Stunned)
Special: target receives a -2 penalty to checks to navigate the ship while Dazed.
[sblock=Grappling Hooks At the end of each round the junks (+7 Nature) and navigator of the Dolphin make opposed Nature rolls; junks receive 1 roll per grappling hook attached. For each roll higher than the Dolphin’s they pull closer; If 1 ship pulls closer 3 times the crew can board the dolphin.
Unhook a grappling hook: Standard Action Requires Athletics, Endurance or Thievery DC 19
Hack away grappling hook (minor action): Melee attack vs AC 16; requires 3 hits [/sblock]
[sblock=Junk 1: Crippled]Hits 0/3
Shugenja: HP 22/22 Benefits from total cover: AC 19 Fort 17 Ref 18 Will 19
Shugenja Cover: AC 16 Fort 14 Ref 12 HP 12 Special: Resist 5 vs all dmg
Cannon 1: Charged; Crew 2; Recharge 5-6
Cannon 2: Charged; Crew 2; Recharge 5-6
Grappling Gun: +6 vs Ref 14; Encounter; Hit: 1 Hit and the Dolphin is slowed (-2 to Nature checks);
Grappling Gun: +6 vs Ref 14; Encounter; Hit: 1 Hit and the Dolphin is slowed (-2 to Nature checks)
[/sblock]
[sblock=Junk 2]Hits -1/3
Shugenja: HP 22/22 Benefits from total cover: AC 19 Fort 17 Ref 18 Will 19
Shugenja Cover: AC 16 Fort 14 Ref 12 HP 12 Special: Resist 5 vs all dmg
Cannon 1: Used; Crew 2; Recharge 5-6
Cannon 2: Recharged and Used; Crew 2; Recharge 5-6
Grappling Gun: +6 vs Ref 14; Encounter; Hit: 1 Hit and the Dolphin is slowed (-2 to Nature checks): USED
Grappling Gun: +6 vs Ref 14; Encounter; Hit: 1 Hit and the Dolphin is slowed (-2 to Nature checks): USED
[/sblock]
[/sblock]

 

[Son of Meepo]

Knowing well that his mastery of storms was overwhelming, as the captain flees, Wat shouts a warning to try to discourage further attacks.

"YOU TELL THE YAKUZA THAT THE CHURCH OF JOVEN DEFENDS ALL SHIPS FLYING THE FLAG OF COUNT VARIS!"

Wat had no idea if his posturing would work or if he could actually get his father to agree to such an idea, but he knew that when he returned home, he would try.

With the raiders out of the way, Wat tried to figure out how best to help. Though he might be able to direct the crew, he really had no idea how to crew a ship. So the young priest returned to trying to gather the divine winds to propel the ship away from the sinking junk. But the winds were a chaotic maelstrom right now, and he wasn't sure he would have enough time to set them right.

[sblock=actions]Free: Intimidate (1d20+6=10)
Move: To sails
Standard: Religion (1d20+7=15)[/sblock]