Iron Heroes: A Saga of Might

[mfloyd3]

Xoria has been quietly splicing rope in a corner of the deck. She gathers Vela and Olmar by eye, trying to pull the group together.


OOC: A few points:

1) Xoria would have been cagey in her conversations with Punketah, implying she was a librarian at the Royal Library who became involved in a political intrigue that went badly. She absolutely does not want him knowing she was nobility. She would have swapped tips with him in a reasonably honest way, in the tradition of sorcerers who don't want to give up anything without getting anything in return. She would be using her social skills to try to keep Punketah thinking about magic and not about Xoria herself.

2) How close to the coast do we think the ship is? And do we still have the dinghy? If there's a chance they could make it to the shore, this might be a compromise with the crew.

3) Xoria is listening to all news of Zor, but not asking many specific questions. In particular, she wants to learn about Lord Corran, but never asks a specific question about him.

 

[Walking Dad]

Olmar
Defense 13 (FF13), HP 34/34, F +5,R+4,W+4; Ini +2 ; Fury Pool 2/12; DR 1d4

"Thrown to sharks? Are they your totem? Do you want appease them? If so I would suggest sick crew members. Not healthy ones. That would be bad idea. Even worse if you wanted to throw out Olmar or his friends." Olmar simply states, his arms folded before his barrel-like breast.

[sblock=OOC]

Intimidate +5, if needed.
----

Reserve Points: 34 / 34

Pick (gripped with both hand and Power attack 1):
1d20+4 - 1d6+6 - 20/x4

In berserker rage:
1d20+5 - 1d6+8 - 20/x4
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[Dr Simon]

[sblock=Xoria]
Well versed in the verbal fencing of the courts of Zor, Xoria has little difficulty dealing with Punketah. He seems to be angling mainly for magic techniques, and initially isn't certain that she was responsible for the illusion. Although he holds himself up as the only civilised man on board, his cabin tastefully decorated, he may have more carnal designs on Xoria's company too.

For his own part, Punketah is equally cagey about his origins, hinting at an earlier life in the city of Sardonyx, between the Wastes of Gizan and the Forest of K'Dakra in the east. He claims that his magic comes from the gods of the east, names that Xoria associates with demons; names like Kesh the Jewelled Serpent, Engala, Gatherer of Darkness and Akresh, the Thunder on the Mountain.

There is little she can glean concerning the situation in Zor, other than the fact that Overlord Corran has clawed his way to a position of supreme power over the other noble families by bribing, assassinating and blackmailing his rivals out of the way.

The ship, currently, is in the open sea between the northern part of the great archipeligo and the southern shores of the northern continent. It is about a week either way until landfall.
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"See what kind of animal we are dealing with?" says Bjorn. "These mountain barbarians kill off the sick and wounded. I say enough of this savage and his witch-women!"

"Belay this foolishness!" replies the captain. He points over the port bow to dark clouds looming on the horizon. "We've got a storm comin' in fast, there's no time for throwin' blame, get to work you poor excuses for sailors."

Grumbling, Bjorn and his followers begin to prepare for storm conditions.

Although Sigurd tries to skirt around the storm in rolls in fast, rain lashing the growing swells of the sea as the Sea Ghost is tossed this way and that by the fury of the weather. A green fire begins to play around the masts.

"Look! Witchfire!" shots Bjorn over the howling wind. "This is no natural storm! I told you those strangers were bad luck!"

"I think this has another cause," says Punketah, standing calmly amid the chaos not far from Xoria. His voice is soft but somehow carries over the wind. "And that doesn't look promising." He points to a dark cloud of moving shapes flying through the air towards the ship.

"Razor gulls!" shouts Sigurd.

"Hm," says Punketah. "And heading our way, by the looks of things. Most unusual."

"You there!" The captain singles out Xoria, Vela and Olmar. "My men are going to need to handle the ship. Prepare for attack!"

[sblock=OOC]
You have a couple of rounds to prepare before the razor-gull swarm is upon you. Olmar and Vela have never heard of razor-gulls, Xoria knows that they are large seabirds with sharp bills and a nasty temper at the best of times, but usually only attack humans if they are near their nests or if they are scavenging food.
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[Walking Dad]

[sblock=OOC]
Olmar will get his pick-axe and spends the rest of the time to stoke his fury (full-round actions).
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[Dr Simon]

[sblock=ooc]
Forgot to mention that there are other weapons available on board - scimitars, spears and light crossbows are all available for use, although to be honest most of you are best with what you already have!
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[mfloyd3]

"Punketah is right," Xoria tells her companions quietly. "These creatures would not normally attack a ship unless they were truly desperate. And unless they have a roost on a small rock somewhere near here, they are far out of their range."

The sorceress focuses her mind, making ready to summon her energies. "Kill as many of them as you can as quickly as you can. If it seems that they will overwhelm us, I will try to startle them long enough for us to regroup."

She gestures to the ship's raised forecastle. "Should we make our stand there?"

OOC: She'll want to start firing off eldritch bolts as soon as she thinks she has reasonable odds of hitting one of them. Also, does she know or can she guess some of these creatures' natural enemies?

 

[Dr Simon]

[sblock=ooc]
Xoria doesn't know of any specific predator for razor gulls, and her knowledge of such things seems to be lacking (rolled a 3). Perhaps some kind of shark or toothed whale?
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[Shayuri]

Vela looks where directed and frowns. "Birds," she says with disapproval, "What am I to do, fly after them?" With a shake of her head she adds, "I will need a bow and some arrows to thin them out as they approach."

She seems less than pleased with the crossbows, perhaps feeling they take time to load that would better be served by staying mobile, but accepts one and some bolts and takes her place at the ship's rail, ready to start firing as they enter the weapon's effective range.

 

[mfloyd3]

Feeling naked and exposed, Xoria attempts to provide herself some magical protection.

OOC: Attempting to cast Veil of Trickery at Level 2 to blur her image. Gives her a 20% concealment against all attacks that require a to-hit (ranged or melee). Requires 6 mana.

DC for Channel check: 11, Illusion Mastery 2 for base

Her features now shifting and blinking about her, Xoria takes up position at the railing beside Vela.

 

[Dr Simon]

Xoria manages to focus on her magic despite the howling wind and the pitching deck. Her image blurs, and she has time to fire off an eldritch dart before the gulls reach the ship. To her satisfaction, several black-feathered bodies drop into the sea wreathed in blue flame.

Vela, meanwhile, fires the crossbow as fast as she can, dropping a bird with each hit. Towards the stern, Punketah calls up a shimmering shield of energy, then you hear him call upon Lord Akresh. Lightning erupts from the sky, but falls beyond the flock of razor gulls.

Olmar, meanwhile, feels the red mist start to rise as the shrieking flock draws closer. And then they are upon you, slamming into the side of the Sea Ghost like creatures possessed, cawing and croaking, the noise and stench would be overpowering if it weren't for the storm winds.

[sblock=OOC]
A couple of rounds before the gulls arrive.

Xoria - blur image, one eldritch dart 11+5=16, hits for 1d6+4=7 damage.

Vela - two crossbow attacks 15+6-2=19, hit for 1d8=3 damage, 16+6-2=20, hit for 1d8=8 damage.

Olmar stoke fury, for 2 full rounds gives 8 fury tokens.

Initiative for round one:

Vela
Xoria
Gull swarm
Olmar
Punketah

(the other sailors are trying to sail the ship and will play no part in the fight unless engaged)

The storm conditions apply the following effects:

• -2 to ranged attacks (except magic)
• Balance check DC 10 in order to move more than 5 ft, step or fight without -2 penalty.
• Concentration DC 15 for any spellcasting (I made them for Xoria above, it's not obvious if she needs to do so for eldritch darts, I think not).

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