Even as Dante begins working the sails, the deckhand is already grabbing a rope to swing to the main mast. He leaps, but his grip fails him. He plummets to the deck, breaking his spine as he strikes.
Auntie Mab moves around the deck like a shadow in the night taking out two of the undead monsters, and with a wink to the remaining deckhand a third falls.
The enemy is too strong though. Guns erupt from the burning ghost ship. The first 3 punch a hole in the hull and start fires below decks. The second three herald the end for the maritime band.
With two concussive blasts, Draglin and Gloom are vaporized. What is left of them is consigned to the deep somewhere over the port rails.
The wind picks up considerably.
Auntie Mab is horribly wounded by the second blast and falls against the port rail.
With a third blast, Jahred along with the last deckhand are riddled with burning splinters, lying dead on the deck.
The wind strengthens even further.
Dante and Max begin to despair. Even as fire is engulfing Max, four zombies clamor over the starboard rail. Two of them charge headlong into Auntie Mab, finally bringing her down, the life drained from her body as the gruesome undead surround her, heedless of the flames, and the second death that they will surely bring.
The wind begins to howl and the briny waters below the ships begin to bubble like a caldron over a fire.
In like manner, two more zombies slam into Max, wounding the valiant fighter even further.
A fifth abomination manages to climb up the mast in an attempt to unseat Dante, but the ranger pulls his feet out of the way just in time
Max, however is not so lucky. From skiffs of the starboard side of
The Beacon, the drowned wretches unleash blasts of psychic power that finally undo the fighter, who falls to the deck amid the flames that are now being fanned by gale-force winds.
Only Dante and Virgil are left. Dante struggles to hang onto the mast as the wind rips the binding ropes from his hands, and fills the foresail full.
The Beacon lurches forward, but toward what?
Cheers go up from the throng of zombies aboard the ghost ship. Some of them even appear to be waving.
To the fore of
The Beacon, the ocean begins to pitch in enormous swells. Walls of water spout a hundred feet or so into the air in enormous arcs that appear to form some sort of aquatic tunnel, drawing
The Beacon down into it.
By now, the winds are so great that they begin to shred the sails, and Dante finds himself atop a twenty-foot mast that is swaying more than fifteen feet from side to side. Finally, the unspeakable occurs. The mast below the ranger snaps under the strain, sending him down toward his companion amid the flames that still rage on the deck. Falling timbers pummel them both, until everything goes black.
OOC:
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Not my picture. Referenced from the liked site.
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[sblock=Auntie Mab's Actions]
Auntie Mab:
Standard: Gloaming Cut
Target: DO at P,-1
Attack:
1d20+16+2(hidden)=23 vs AC for 1d4+2+2d8(SA)=11
Effect: Shift to R,-5
Auntie Mab is hidden
Command: Deckhand at S,-1 Spear
Target: DO at T,1
Attack:
1d20+17=33 vs. AC for 6 damage
AP: Gloaming Cut
Target: DO at N,-5
Attack:
1d20+16+2(hidden)=25 vs. AC for 1d4+2=5 damage
[/sblock][sblock=Deckhand on the Foresail]Move: Swing to Mainsail
Athletics:
1d20+8=10 Fail[/sblock][sblock=Enemy Actions]
Boats Move (See Map)
Ship Gun 1:
Target: Gun Deck on
The Beacon
Attack:
1d20+18=19 vs. 25 def Miss
Ship Gun 2:
Target: Gun Deck on
The Beacon
Attack:
1d20+18=37 vs. 25 def for 6d12=56 fire damage to ship hull (66 fire damage to Gun 1 on The Beacon)
Gun Explosion:
1d6=2 - No Explosion
Ship Gun 3:
Target: Gun Deck on
The Beacon
Attack:
1d20+18=20 vs. 25 def Miss
Ship Gun 4:
Target Square: O,-3 (Gloom)
Target 1: Gloom
Attack 1:
1d20+18=38 vs. Reflex CRIT and Gloom is pushed to Q,-5
Target 2: Draglin
Attack 2:
1d20+18=23 vs. Reflex and Draglin is pushed to R,-6
Target 3: Max
Attack 3:
1d20+18=32 vs. Reflex and Max is pushed to P,-6
Damage:
6d12=33 fire damage
Zone damage:
1d6=3 fire damage if a creature starts its turn in N,-4 to P,-2
Ship Gun 5:
Target Square: R,-1 (Virgil)
Target 1: Virgil
Attack 1:
1d20+18=35 vs. Reflex and Virgil is pushed to T,-3
Target 2: Jahred
Attack 2:
1d20+18=32 vs. Reflex and Jahred is pushed to S,-3
Target 3: Deckhand
Attack 3:
1d20+18=29 vs. Reflex and Deckhand is pushed to U,-3
Damage:
6d12=45 fire damage
Zone damage:
1d6=2 fire damage if a creature starts its turn in Q,-2 to S,0
Ship Gun 6:
Target Square: R,-1 (Virgil)
Target 1: Gloom
Attack 1:
1d20+18=37 vs. Reflex-5 and is pushed to R,-7
Target 2: Max
Attack 2:
1d20+18=20 vs. Reflex+2 Miss
Target 3: Draglin
Attack 3:
1d20+18=36 vs. Reflex-5 and is pushed to T,-8
Target 4: Auntie Mab
Attack 4:
1d20+18=26 vs. Reflex and Auntie Mab is pushed to T,-7
Auntie Mab's save vs. falling overboard:
1d20=19 Ends at S,-7
Damage:
6d12=50 fire damage
Zone damage:
1d6=2 fire damage if a creature starts its turn in P,-6 to R,-4
DO at M,-5:
Move: to N,-6,+3
Standard: Bull Rush
Target: Dante
Attack:
1d20+7=8 vs. Fortitude Miss
DO at G,-2
Move: to N,-3,-1
Standard: Charge to O,-5
Target: Max
Attack:
1d20+16+2(Prone Enemy)+1(Charge)=33 vs. AC for 7 necrotic damage
DO at O,-2
Move: to H,-2,0
Charge: to S,-5
Target: Auntie Mab
Attack:
1d20+16+2(Prone Enemy)+1(Charge)=28 vs. AC for 7 necrotic damage
DO at I,-1
Move: to H,-2,0
Charge: to R,-5
Target: Auntie Mab
Attack:
1d20+16+2(Prone Enemy)+1(Charge)=26 vs. AC for 7 necrotic damage
DO at I,0
Move: to N,-3,-1
Charge: to P,-5
Target: Max
Attack:
1d20+16+2(Prone Enemy)+1(Charge)=37 vs. AC for 7 necrotic damage
DO at E3
Move: to M,-2
Standard: Erie Transfiguration
Target: Max
Attack:
1d20+16=24 vs. Will+2 for 11 damage
No secondary Targets
DO at E4
Move: to N,-1
Standard: Erie Transfiguration
Target: Max
Attack:
1d20+16=21 vs. Will+2 Miss
No secondary Targets
DO at F3
Move: to M,-4
Standard: Erie Transfiguration
Target: Max
Attack:
1d20+16=30 vs. Will+2 for 7 necrotic damage
No secondary Targets
DO at F4
Move: to M,-5
Standard: Erie Transfiguration
Target: Dante
Attack:
1d20+16=17 vs. Will+2 Miss
No secondary Targets
[/sblock] Dante is suddenly awakened by splash of saltwater. The sun burns into his eyes as he opens them to let in the light of a clear, late-morning, sky. Into the view of his still blinking eyes, the frame of Jahred's smiling face moves, shading the ranger's eyes from the sunlight,
"How'd you like that?" Virgil lumbers up to Dante and gives the ranger a long lick of greeting as the captain extends a hand to help him to his feet.
Rising, Dante can't believe his eyes. The Beacon is ship-shape. Her timbers and sails are in order, and the entire crew is alive and well, each doing his job as if nothing happened.
Auntie Mab is sitting by the rail and nods to Dante politely. Two of the deckhands are busy trying to revive Max, who seems to still think he is dead.
"Hey! Could one of you give us a hand!?"
At the rail, Auntie Mab and Dante are happy to see Draglin and Gloom safely treading calm ocean waters off the port side of
The Beacon,
"So where are we?" Auntie Mab asks,
"Is this heaven?"
Jahred shakes his head,
"No. Not by a long shot." The captain looks up at the sun, shading his eyes with a flattened hand,
"I imagine we're a day or two west of Rioc Alair," he shrugs,
"At least that's where we were when we came through The Hallway on our way to find you." He looks down at the rogue and the ranger, who both have dumbfounded looks on their faces,
"Ah! Yes. You see it's called Lauto's Hallway. It's a portal that can only be used by the dead. Once on the other side, your life is restored, with a warning, which I will now pass on to you: You must keep the secret of the portal. If you tell the secret to anyone who has not yet passed through the hallway, both their deaths and yours will be permanent." Jahred winks,
"You see, it is a true test of valor and honor. In exchange for your bravery, Lauto offers to transport your ship over a half-year journey in one night. I'd say that's fair, wouldn't you?" He sighs and leans over the rail,
"Now, what say we get your friends out of the drink."[sblock=Extended Rest and Rewards]Extended rest granted to all!
Rewards:
Rounding to 50 Drowned Ones: 150 * 50 * 2 = 15,000XP
Divided 5 ways, that's 3,000XP a piece[/sblock]
OOC:
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Again. Not my picture, but referenced here for its effect.
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GM: | Feel free to roleplay your interactions with Jahred and the crew, again, any questions you may have about your mission or what just happened or whatever you want to talk to them about.
I'll post the next encounter in a day or two. | |