Deep Water and Shoals - A Swashbuckling Campaign

[Uriel]

Nico sets down the preparation that he was about to combine with some other foul smelling mixture and looks up.
Gathering his Coat, the Dwarf heads above decks with a 'Don't touch that. Artimus!' thrown at the Howler, who was even then creeping over to get a look. The Monkey scampers out the portside window and up a small rope that 'somebody' had tied there to the deck above. When Nico reaches the Deck and sees the sailors (with a grinning Artimus hopping and howling in glee because he beat Nico there), he asks the nearest sailor, 'What's this about, my good Seaman?'

 

[Bob Aberton]

Nicodemus,

"Small arms drills, Mr. Arfaliunium," the sailor replies. "Mr. Swifthand's goin' to demonstrate proper use o' a blade wi' Lem Harvey as his practice dummy."

You see the small halfling pilot, rapier in hand, squaring off against a much larger sailor with a cutlass.

Malthas,

You toss the sailor a cutlass from the arms chest, then give the proper duelist's salute. The sailor, Lem Harvey, returns the salute somewhat clumsily, then springs at you in a straightforward jab.

You easily bat the strike away, and, as his momentum carries him stumbling on past you, you sidestep, and Quicker than the Eye can follow, you slap on the back with the flat of your blade.

Seeing himself defeated, he tunrs good naturedly and hands you his sword.

"Calypso's nighties, but yer fast," he says admiringly.

Then a wiry Espirantish sailor steps out of the shadow of the mainmast, where he had been conversing with the supercargo, Jonah.

"Mr. Swifthand! I challenge you, hey?"

(OOC: What exactly does Quicker than the Eye do, again? I can't find your character email where it had a description of the feats...It didn't really come into play in that last combat because you won initiative. But for next time, what does it do, exactly?)

Jonah,

Lupe nods.

"I would like that very much - but you return the original paper right away, hey? And tell no..." he breaks off, seeing the duel between the pilot, Malthas, and the sailor Lem Harvey.

"I could do much better than that ox," he says, somewhat contemptuously. "Mr. Swifthand! I challenge you, hey?"

(OOC All: I'll be gone for the next two days, just to let you know, and so will saFire. So I'm afraid that there'll be no DM Posts for a little while...)

 

[Xael]

Jonah nods again, waits for Lupe to leave, and makes two quick copies of the map. One for Lupe, and one for himself. He makes his own copy in drow language, and Lupe's copy in common.

OOC: Maps... more maps...

 

[dead_radish]

Malthas smiles at the sailor he just struck. "That is where speed overcomes force, m'friend. But if we can train you to strike accurately, someone as strong as you can surely drop a man in a mighty blow, whereas I would take several precise strikes. And did you see how I twisted the blade like so *demonstrates* when your attack came in? It is as important not to be hit as it is to hit."

He smiles at the others. "All comers are welcome, though only the first to strike gets the 10 gold. A sailor's pay can't afford much more'n that, to say. Each there after will earn one."

OOC: Quicker than the Eye - you make a bluff check vs your opponent's spot as a m-e. Anyone who fails does not see your next partial action. If it is an attack, the opponent is denied their dex against that attack.

Malthas sizes up the next comer, and prepares himself. (OOC: Can I make a roll to check to see if I can tell his lvl vs mine, which was discussed somewhere I can no longer find.... )

 

[Bob Aberton]

(OOC: Sorry I'm so late in posting, guys; I was gone Tuesday and Wednesday, and yesterday I had computer troubles. But anyways...)

Malthas,

The man is a wiry sailor, seemingly of Espirantish extraction. He is plainly dressed, and the rapier he holds is nicked and well-worn.

(OOC: I suppose you could make a Sense Motives check to determine his relative character level...Check Result 14, I rolled it myself to speed things up a little; I hope you don't mind.)

You circle each other on the deck, studying one another. You can, however, discover no obvious weaknesses in the man's stance, although he seems to be an inferior overall fighter.

He tenses to spring, but you get the jump on him, swinging the flat side of your weapon toward his temple. Tuaana smacks him on the side of head with its flat side. Then, you feint to the left and swing lower, aiming for his rib cage. But Lupe, his eyes sharpened by years of peering toward the horizon from the masthead on lookout duty, sees the feint and brings his sword up to block your real strike. There is a ringing clash of blades as he parries your strike, then leaps back and holds his hands up in surrender, offering you his sword hilt first.

"You have the first strike, Mr. Swifthand. But I am not so blind here as Lem, hey?"

Malachi,

As you watch the duel, you feel a breath of cold air on the back of your neck.

Looking away to the North-West, you can see a bank of high, coppery-colored clouds in the air.

(OOC: Make a Knowedge Nature OR Knowledge Navigation check)

 

[dead_radish]

Malthas smiles. "Do not worry, good sir - your attacks showed promise, and a definate grace. I have trained long and hard to gain my skill with the blade, and I have not half the skills as tar as the men on this boat - training is the key. You have a natural ability." He considers the group. "Does anyone else wish to challenge, or shall we begin the drills?"

 

[Uriel]

Nico peers at the clouds and frowns. Odd color, that, he thinks to himself.

 

[Bob Aberton]

(OOC: This is not the DM Post. This is a BUMP.

However, I'd like to note that anyone with Profession Navigator OR Profession Sailor can make a check to determine what the clouds are.

So anyone else with Profession Navigator OR Profession SAilor, you can also make a check to determine what is up with the clouds.)

 

[garyh]

Bimzoole: Prof (Sailor) Sailor check: roll 3 + bonus 4 = 7 = I haven't a clue.

 

[dead_radish]

Roll: 12+9 ranks = 21.

Hopefully that'll figure it out.