D&D 5E Spell & Crossbones

[Quickleaf]

OOC: Point of clarification: I made a mistake having D'avard refer to Caillou as "The Bird." That Caillou is a kenku was supposed to be a secret. Instead, we ret-conned D'avard's calling him "The Tengu King" which is the name folks in Nassau have given him. D'avard probably doesn't know what Caillou actually looks like!

D'avard snarls in the moonlight intermittently obscured by wisps of storm clouds. "Well du Corazón, I heard Blackheart is rolling under the waters off the coast of New Spain. Maybe he should have learned to back down from a fight. But like daughter like father, n'cest pa (isn't it so)?" He cranes his head over his shoulder, issuing orders to the other pirates that are barely audible, as he takes both pistols from the sash around his waist and marches directly toward the front foor of the house on the hill as if he was not afraid of death. "Careful with your powder boys. We need the Tengu King alive!" Raising his pistols in front of him, the stocky corsair advances on the front door with one eye squinted.

Katerina, from her position closest to the door, sees D'avard advancing first and is quick to react, despite the unnerving confidence the man has...if he truly is a man at all.

*     *      *​

The slender Spanish rifleman slowly moves away from the musket lodged in the split palm tree. He eyes his English opponent with dark beady eyes that shine with sharp intelligence. Though he is most accommodating to Barrington's commands, he keeps his eyes on the Englishman as if he were analyzing his adversary for a sign of weakness or the slightest slip-up. "Three men against one, and still you prevailed. Impressive, señor. I suppose the drunken louts didn't put up much fight in their condition? Please, I have no intention of trying to turn the tables. You have me...dead for rights...is that the British saying? Though I have to wonder why you're out here while the self-proclaimed Captain is inside. Perhaps you had a recent discord?" For a moment, his eyes scan the ground to step over a root, but Barrington notices his eyes also glance to the side toward an open stretch thru the heavy jungle leading away from Barrington.

OOC: Initiative Katerina 4 D'Avard 4 Barrington 3 Caillou 3 Nia Steeleyes 3 Spanish Rifleman & Pirates 3/2 Old Zef 1 NOTE: When there's a cluster of PCs with the same initiative - like Barrington, Caillou, and Nia - those players can post in whichever order you want, or whoever happens to post first. Sort of semi-group initiative that way. NOTE #2: Lorelei, Magnusson, and Gunner Teague act on Caillou's initiative count. D'Avard - initiative 2+ 1d6=6 (6 >> +2) = 4 Pirates - initiative 2 + 1d6=5 (5 >> +1) = 3 Spanish Rifleman - initiative 2 + 1d6=3 (3 >> +0) = 2 PCs win any initiative ties D'Avard AC 12/13; HP 58 Pirates (6) AC12; HP 27 HP 27 HP 27 HP 27 HP 25 HP 16 Spanish Rifleman (Spy; MM) AC 12; HP 27

 

[Queenie]

OOC: Question about Kat's corset. It says I can squeeze into small spaces - can I squeeze and STAY in the small space or is it a "hold your breath" type of squeeze?

 

[Quickleaf]

OOC: It's meant to be a "hold your breath" type of squeeze. That fits the narrative of the item. If you tried to stay in a small space for longer, I'd probably look to the drowning rules to handle how long you could stay there before suffocation kicked in.

 

[Queenie]

"Get in your places." Katerina pulls her pack off her back as she slides into a dark corner behind a broken dresser for cover. She can still see out the front though a couple of broken slats in the window. She rifles through the bag and whispers with a smile, "And watch your step." She crouches to the floor and as quickly and quietly as she can she throws a couple of handfuls of ball bearings onto the floor. She stands back up and pulls her guns, aiming for the front entrance, waiting for D'avard.

Then she nods and says loudly, "Quick, everyone out through the door!"

 

[Kobold Stew]

The slender Spanish rifleman slowly moves away from the musket lodged in the split palm tree. He eyes his English opponent with dark beady eyes that shine with sharp intelligence. Though he is most accommodating to Barrington's commands, he keeps his eyes on the Englishman as if he were analyzing his adversary for a sign of weakness or the slightest slip-up. "Three men against one, and still you prevailed. Impressive, señor. I suppose the drunken louts didn't put up much fight in their condition? Please, I have no intention of trying to turn the tables. You have me...dead for rights...is that the British saying? Though I have to wonder why you're out here while the self-proclaimed Captain is inside. Perhaps you had a recent discord?" For a moment, his eyes scan the ground to step over a root, but Barrington notices his eyes also glance to the side toward an open stretch thru the heavy jungle leading away from Barrington.

Barrington listens to the man speak, but does not respond -- at least he tries not to give anything away. Why is he here, indeed."Don't run... you won't make it if you do," he says flatly. "Now sit."

Barrington is aware that D'Avard is making a move on the house. He'll be down at least one ambush position that he's not aware of; hopefully this will be enough to even the odds.

(OOC: readied action to attack if he moves or runs (I guess there'd be an opportunity attack as well?)).

 

[Unsung]

Caillou nods assent to the captain. "Change of plans, lads," he croaks, and glances back at Lorelei. They share a look. The bird dips his head, and tilts his gaze toward the lady captain.

Lorelei grins her assent, understanding. "Come come, boy. Time for we to make some noise, oui?" she says, clapping Magnussen on the shoulder, before rushing back up the stairs one more time in a cloud of green fabric. The kobold mutters in Norwegian, but follows, pistol in hand.

Caillou turns back to the boarded window, eyeing D'avard as the man stalks up the hill. Holding up one arm beside his head, the so-called Tengu King plucks a tiny roll of parchment from a hole in the hem of his coatsleeve. He crushes it between his fingers, releasing its power, enjoining the spirits of the dead to do his will this one final time.

Invisibly they rush over the dark grass to D'avard and the man nearest him, reaching out with crabbed and spectral fingers. Two dead hands reach out for two more soon to join their number.

...If they hadn't already, Caillou muses.

OOC: Hey, undead are a specialty of the house. The vengeful dead coming after Caillou isn't completely out of the question. Casting chill touch with the intention of finding out. Death domain's Reaper feature lets me target two creatures if they're within 5 feet of each other-- it did sound like D'avard and his men were spreading out, so if there's no second target in range, assume the second attack unceremoniously fizzles/fades out. Before I roll, does attacking through the boarded window impose disadvantage? I'm willing to suffer it if it does, but I don't want to roll four times without asking. Seems like that could be open to abuse. On a hit I'd also like to roll Insight, or possibly Perception or Religion, whatever would be appropriate to detect the effect of the spell, as it does affect the undead differently. As for my retainers: I'd like to have Lorelei and Verner snipe from the second floor window, but they fight defensively and don't stick their necks out if they can help it. I'm not sure how they'd be armed, apart from Verner having Caillou's pistol. Gunner Teague will back up Katerina as best he can, so his actions will depend on hers.

 

[Quickleaf]

D'avard advances with a savage grin curling on the corners of his mouth, firing at the window which Teague takes cover behind with one pistol, but the shot ricochets off the side of the house. He snarls and casts aside the pistol as if it has offended him, firing the one in his other hand which squarely hits the window, sending shards of glass and splintering wood over Teague's head and causing two of the planks to be blown clear off and clatter to the floor. The burly corsair is 60 feet from the house, long range for pistol fire.

OOC: D'avard fires both pistols at the boarded window which Teague is behind (AC = 11 + 5 for three-quarters cover = 16). He has disadvantage for long range. First shot: 1d20+4=7, 1d20+4=20 ricochets off the wood planks Second shot 1d20+4=15, 1d20+4=20 misses, but does damage to wooden planks used to board window, reducing it to half cover (+2 AC)

Meanwhile, the Spanish rifleman nods acquiescingly to Barrington, yet just as he is about to sit on a log at the Englishman's insistence, he  darts off toward the jungle, zig-zagging thru the palms.

OOC: Barrington gets his readied shot. And then he gets his turn. The rifleman is about 30 feet away, no difficult terrain. AC 14 (12 + 2 palm trees for cover).

OOC: @Unsung Yeah, D'avard is 40 feet from the nearest pirate, so the reaper's touch won't apply. No disadvantage for firing thru the boarded windows, treating them like arrow slits. And yes, you can totally roll Perception or Religion to determine the effects of chill touch and whether D'avard is undead on a hit.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Meanwhile, the Spanish rifleman nods acquiescingly to Barrington, yet just as he is about to sit on a log at the Englishman's insistence, he  darts off toward the jungle, zig-zagging thru the palms.

OOC: Barrington gets his readied shot. And then he gets his turn. The rifleman is about 30 feet away, no difficult terrain. AC 14 (12 + 2 palm trees for cover).

Barrington has no idea why the man would kill himself by running away. He is genuinely remorseful that slaughter is the only option he sees.

He fires [1d20+7=22, hit, for 1d10+3=4 damage]

 

[Kobold Stew]

Meanwhile, the Spanish rifleman nods acquiescingly to Barrington, yet just as he is about to sit on a log at the Englishman's insistence, he  darts off toward the jungle, zig-zagging thru the palms.

OOC: Barrington gets his readied shot. And then he gets his turn. The rifleman is about 30 feet away, no difficult terrain. AC 14 (12 + 2 palm trees for cover).

Barrington has no idea why the man would kill himself by running away. He is genuinely remorseful that slaughter is the only option he sees.

He fires [1d20+7=22, hit, for 1d10+3=4 damage], but only grazes the fleeing man's shoulder.

[I'm presuming that if he makes it 30 feet away, that Barrington does not get an opportunity attack? Or did he disengage? In any case, if he can make the opportunity attack, he will, to try to stop the man fleeing. 1d20+5=13 miss (? -- does he have cover yet?); if not, 1d8+3=7 damage as he leaves range].

Barrington pursues the fugitive on foot, closing the gap to point blank range again [30' move]. As he runs, the ground compresses comfortably under his feet, and his footing is sure. With a well-practiced gesture, his pistol is reloaded. He thrusts again with the blade of his rapier, but misses as he does so [1d20+5=11; no damage].

"You're a damned fool," Barrington says in a voice of pity. "You could have lived."

 

[Quickleaf]

After the pair of shots from D'avard, a surprising third shot rings out from the jungle ridge line behind the house.

Barrington's shot wings the Spaniard's shoulder but it doesn't seem to slow him down at all. He must be very dedicated, very foolish, or very confident. Perhaps all three. As Barrington closes the distance to the Spaniard, the wounded man begins sliding down a muddy embankment toward the house. Footing here is treacherous, and could make all the difference in which of the two reaches the clearing around the house on the hill first.

OOC: The Spanish rifleman disengaged as a bonus action, so no opportunity attack. Make a DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check for Barrington to navigate the muddy slope down to the house without slipping and sliding. Acrobatics check for the rifleman: 1d20+2=17 succeeds