"Too slow!" Captain Testain berates her crew members. Before hopping from the prow of her ship to the railing of the Cult's, the captain bends over to grab a crossbow made out of bone from somewhere you can't see. Now on her prey's vessel, she stands amid high flames as if they weren't there, aims the crossbow at a nearby victim, and releases the bolt. It is easy to see that she has no formal training on the crossbow, and her relaxed stance would lend itself much better to close-quarter combat. Nonetheless, she laughs maniacally when shooting the ranged weapon, clearly enjoying both its novelty and the pillaging of another ship.
-> Bone Crossbow vs. Kobold#1 {BQ-56}: Attack: 18 Damage: 6 piercing.
The poor Kobold disguised in bones and mud will never see the irony of being hit on the temple by a bone crossbow bolt (Kobold#1 takes 6 piercing damage and is DEFEATED). Unlike every non-bloated individual on The Third Dracholich, Captain Testain does not seem bothered by the sulfuric stench coming off her pirate crew.
(Utar is up next. Please start your turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Feel free to also roll a d4 of fire damage on a failed save).
Utar can't help but take another gulp of air as he gasps from pain (Utar takes 3 fire damage).
The cleric then decides to finally introduce Lightbringer to the fight, but the ache in his lungs prevents him from swinging his mace properly. Utar remains at his spot, prepared to redeem himself for the failed attack.
She can feel the hot air entering her lungs, but withstands any harm this time (Ixas failed the save but takes 0 fire damage). Performing the same hand movements as she did a moment ago, she calls forth a bite of frost to form around Graxx's elbows.
The barbarian feels the sense of cold on his elbows growing in intensity and even forming ice crystals around the joints (Graxx takes 4 cold damage). Graxx knows that it will be difficult to raise his sword in the immediate future (disadvantage on the next attack).
Ixas is not done. She shapes her free hand as if ready to scoop some water and moves it in an upward manner while screaming a single word in Draconic (Neya understands it to mean "Quicken!"). A rapid wave rises from the ocean below and splashes against Graxx. It continues across the upper deck, also hitting Neya and the nearby Bloated Pirate.
-> DEX saving throw {DC 15}:
Graxx: 12
Neya: 9
Bloated Pirate#1: 6
Damage roll: 13 bludgeoning
Graxx braces for the impact but the force of the wave still hurts (Graxx takes 7 magical bludgeoning damage). The water does not lose any of its momentum as it travels across the upper deck. With her back turned to it, Neya does not see the water coming, and falls prone (Neya takes 15 magical bludgeoning damage). The nearby Bloated Pirate is completely washed away. He falls off the boat to its death, or so you hope (Bloated Pirate#1 takes 7 magical bludgeoning damage and is DEFEATED).
Ixas does a flourish with her sword, inviting Graxx to retaliate and assuming that her magic served as a reminder to the Sky Pony that she is the Captain of The Third Dracolich and has no patience for mutiny.
-> Scimitar vs Bloated Pirate#3 {BR-52}: Attack: 11Damage: 3 slashing.
She forgets to hold her breath and grunts as she swings her blade. The attempt is misguided, and her careless is punished by a burning sensation in her insides (Cultist#2 takes 4 fire damage).
(Graxx is up next. His first attack has disadvantage because of Frostbite. Please start your turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Feel free to also roll a d4 of fire damage on a failed save).
The water that buffeted Graxx across the face was enough for him to feel the magic of the crone's drink leaving his body (no more temporary HP). The pain is only slight, but the barbarian is eager to enact revenge.
Holding his breath once again, Graxx finally gets a chance to slice the cultist captain, just like the voice in his head tells him to. Ixas cannot avoid the blade's first swing, but uses the momentum of the impact to spin out of the way of the second attack. She does all of this while still keeping her balance on the ship's railing (Ixas takes 15 magical slashing damage).
NOTE: Moving mechanics explained in the spoiler box within this post. Doozey is not shown in the map as he is behind the door.
(Neya and Doozey are up next. Neya must begin her turn by rolling a straight {DC 11} CON saving throw each. Doozey has effectively shielded himself from the toxic stench by shutting the door behind him).
(@Lerus: Opting to forgo the check this time around.)
For Doozey, a small eternity passes prior to him finding the resolve to suck in a deep breathe, concentrating once more. "Remember our training... Remember training... Remember..." After a few whispered repetitions, the stoutling fished out the Healer's Kit, and began rooting around for a salute. Despite knowing it to the likely filled with bandages at most, he would try to fin the one waterdown healing potion or whatever herbs might've been gathered for his borhter.
Neya waits a second for the ship to stop rocking and then rises. With a few quick hops, she lands next to another pirate, this one smelling strongly of ozone. He turns too slowly to see the imminent danger. Neya punches his bulging gut once, opening a large wound (Bloated Pirate#2 takes 6 magical piercing damage). The pirate recovers and blocks the monk's second attack with his curved blade. She then readies herself for incoming attacks.
Away from everyone else's view, Doozey tries desperately to revive his closest friend. Within his healer's kit, he finds a set of herbs that, when rubbed together, function faintly like smelling salts would. It is worth a shot. The halfling performs the act repeatedly but the trick is not doing the job. Deep inside, Doozey knows nothing within his new kit can restart a heart...
The pirates follow their captains orders relentlessly:
-> Scimitar vs. Neya: Attack: 12Damage: 6 slashing.
-> Bite vs. Kuo-toa#1 {BQ-52}: Attack: 23 Damage: 8 piercing.
-> Scimitar vs. Utar: Attack: 24 Damage: 8 slashing.
-> Bite vs. Cultist#2 {BS-53}: Attack: 23 Damage: 6 piercing.
Neya's patience and preparation pay off as she easily ducks away from harm's way. Utar is not as quick, which earns him a new cut to the right thigh (Utar takes 8 slashing damage). The cultists fare even worse, both falling to their enemies' strikes (Kuo-toa#1 takes 8 slashing damage and is DEFEATED; Cultist#2 takes 6 slashing damage and is DEFEATED).
The two victorious pirates then cock their heads upward and begin sniffing the air. One of them approaches Utar slowly, stepping on flames but clearly not being harmed by them. The other ventures a quick jog, reaching Utar all the same.
-> Bloated Pirate#5's acrobatics check: 4 (well, he is a pirate, so the mechanics don't apply as explained here).
Captain Testain has a big grin of satisfaction on her face. Looking around through the flames enveloping her, she sees Graxx fighting Ixas on the upper deck and deduces the tiefling's rank. She has had to put down her fair share of mutinies in the past. Testain raises her bone crossbow once more and aims at the opposing captain. She pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. She looks disappointed at the contraption and only then realizes that there is no bolt loaded onto it... She sighs as she notices that the already loaded piece of ammunition for her first and only shot was all that she had on her. She flicks the ranged weapon onto The Third Dracolich's deck and pouts.
Not one to let details bother her for too long, she draws two of the many blades she carries on her and dashes towards the upper deck. One blade is longer than the other in a clearly mismatched set. She yells at Graxx as she approaches: "Move rabble! A captain can only be taken down by another! Then this ship becomes mine! Another conquest for Captain Reece Sar Testain of the Audacity!" She reaches both Graxx and Ixas without much problem.
Carelessness seems to be a defining trait of hers. In her approach, she opens herself to opportunity attacks from both Neya and Utar.
(Utar is up next. Gotta start your turn with another {DC 11} CON save with disadvantage).
As Captain Reeve flashes past, Utar extends his arm, utilising her movement past him to provide the impact into the head of the mace.
Attack: 12 Damage: 11
CON save from the acrid air: 19
As the bloated pirates close in around him, Utar smiles ruefully remembering his earliest instructions on entering the service of Torm: "You can't protect them if you're dead." and "You can't protect a fool from himself."
Deciding to stick out of this situation, Utar puts his weight into his shoulder, barging a pirate out of his way to disengage from this fight. Moving in a flurry of arms and legs towards the upper deck of the ship (BS,60).
As Captain Reeve Sar Testain whooshes past them, Neya and Utar both see the opportunity to land a blow on her. The cleric extends his magical mace hoping the captain cannot avoid a collision due to her own speed... but she does just that. She begins to goad while still moving but is interrupted by a swift kick to the rump, a courtesy of the resident monk (Captain Reeve Sar Testain takes 11 magical bludgeoning damage).
Remembering to hold his breath this time, Utar analyses his precarious condition and decides he'd be most helpful if he were to follow the running captain up the steps. He uses his shoulders to efficiently disengage from battle and maintains his balance to arrive at {BS-60}. Captain Testain is at {BR-63}.
Seeing that her crew is no more, captain Ixas, the Wearer of Purple, says the same Draconic word Neya heard earlier ("Quicken") and creates a bubble of pure Darkness around herself. Captain Testain, Graxx, and Utar are all enveloped in thick shadows as well. Not even the half-orc's darkvision helps him see through it, and hence, all who are within the bubble are effectively blinded.
Then, a second later, those closest to where Ixas was standing in plain sight up to a moment ago feel the slash of a dozen of blades:
(@Grx: Graxx does not get advantage in this DEX save because he cannot see in the darkness, canceling the effects of Danger Sense).
Although they can't see the attack coming, only a few additional nicks are gained (Graxx takes 2 force damage; Captain Testain takes 2 force damage).
(Graxx is up next. Though both captains were right in front of you an instant ago, you can see nothing but darkness now. Also, the air is clear around you at the moment, so no saving throw required for that).
Graxx pokes his sword forward, towards the direction he thinks Ixas was. At first, his blade catches nothing, but a second thrust results in some resistance and a grunt of pain. Graxx does not know who he just hit, but he can at least tell the grunt did not sound like one of Utar's (one of the two captains takes 13 magical piercing damage).
NOTE: Moving mechanics explained in the spoiler box within this post. Doozey is not shown in the map as he is behind the door. Area shaded by a red circle represents Darkness;
(Neya and Doozey are up next. Neya must begin her turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Doozey mustn't).
"Too slow!" Captain Testain berates her crew members. Before hopping from the prow of her ship to the railing of the Cult's, the captain bends over to grab a crossbow made out of bone from somewhere you can't see. Now on her prey's vessel, she stands amid high flames as if they weren't there, aims the crossbow at a nearby victim, and releases the bolt. It is easy to see that she has no formal training on the crossbow, and her relaxed stance would lend itself much better to close-quarter combat. Nonetheless, she laughs maniacally when shooting the ranged weapon, clearly enjoying both its novelty and the pillaging of another ship.
-> Bone Crossbow vs. Kobold#1 {BQ-56}: Attack: 18 Damage: 6 piercing.
The poor Kobold disguised in bones and mud will never see the irony of being hit on the temple by a bone crossbow bolt (Kobold#1 takes 6 piercing damage and is DEFEATED). Unlike every non-bloated individual on The Third Dracholich, Captain Testain does not seem bothered by the sulfuric stench coming off her pirate crew.
(Utar is up next. Please start your turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Feel free to also roll a d4 of fire damage on a failed save).
CON save - 4 Fire damage - 3
Gasping in pain following the bite attack, Utar swings Lightbringer instinctively at the head of the nearest pirate.
Attack: 10 Damage: 11
If the pirate is defeated, Utar will back away to BS,58. Staying put if not to not encourage opportunity attacks.
Acrobatics 18
Utar can't help but take another gulp of air as he gasps from pain (Utar takes 3 fire damage).
The cleric then decides to finally introduce Lightbringer to the fight, but the ache in his lungs prevents him from swinging his mace properly. Utar remains at his spot, prepared to redeem himself for the failed attack.
(Ixas and her gang go next).
Ixas breathes in a bit more of the hot, foul air. Being at the edge of the ship, she finds it easier to do so:
-> Ixas' CON saving throw {DC 11}: 19 Damage: 4 fire.
She can feel the hot air entering her lungs, but withstands any harm this time (Ixas failed the save but takes 0 fire damage). Performing the same hand movements as she did a moment ago, she calls forth a bite of frost to form around Graxx's elbows.
-> Graxx's CON saving throw {DC 15}: 20 Damage: 10 cold.
The barbarian feels the sense of cold on his elbows growing in intensity and even forming ice crystals around the joints (Graxx takes 4 cold damage). Graxx knows that it will be difficult to raise his sword in the immediate future (disadvantage on the next attack).
Ixas is not done. She shapes her free hand as if ready to scoop some water and moves it in an upward manner while screaming a single word in Draconic (Neya understands it to mean "Quicken!"). A rapid wave rises from the ocean below and splashes against Graxx. It continues across the upper deck, also hitting Neya and the nearby Bloated Pirate.
Graxx braces for the impact but the force of the wave still hurts (Graxx takes 7 magical bludgeoning damage). The water does not lose any of its momentum as it travels across the upper deck. With her back turned to it, Neya does not see the water coming, and falls prone (Neya takes 15 magical bludgeoning damage). The nearby Bloated Pirate is completely washed away. He falls off the boat to its death, or so you hope (Bloated Pirate#1 takes 7 magical bludgeoning damage and is DEFEATED).
Ixas does a flourish with her sword, inviting Graxx to retaliate and assuming that her magic served as a reminder to the Sky Pony that she is the Captain of The Third Dracolich and has no patience for mutiny.
Edit: Neya's concentration check {DC 10}: 16
The last human cultist on the boat tries to get an upper hand on another one of the attacking pirates:
-> Cultist#2's CON saving throw {DC 11}: 3 Damage: 4 fire.
-> Scimitar vs Bloated Pirate#3 {BR-52}: Attack: 11
Damage: 3 slashing.She forgets to hold her breath and grunts as she swings her blade. The attempt is misguided, and her careless is punished by a burning sensation in her insides (Cultist#2 takes 4 fire damage).
(Graxx is up next. His first attack has disadvantage because of Frostbite. Please start your turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Feel free to also roll a d4 of fire damage on a failed save).
Con Save (DC11): 16
Graxx grits his teeth against the cold and the invitation.
"WITNESS THE FOEHAMMER'S WRATH!" screams Graxx as he does as Ixas's commands and retaliates.
Graxx flares his elbows out but the cold binds him. He swings his blade recklessly twice to make up for the cold.
Attack: 25 Damage: 15
Attack: 14 Damage: 14
Roll For Advantage on Second Attack: 12
Disadvantage for con Save: 16
The water that buffeted Graxx across the face was enough for him to feel the magic of the crone's drink leaving his body (no more temporary HP). The pain is only slight, but the barbarian is eager to enact revenge.
-> Graxx WIS saving throw vs. Greatsword of Vengeance {DC 15}: 5 - curse flares up!
Holding his breath once again, Graxx finally gets a chance to slice the cultist captain, just like the voice in his head tells him to. Ixas cannot avoid the blade's first swing, but uses the momentum of the impact to spin out of the way of the second attack. She does all of this while still keeping her balance on the ship's railing (Ixas takes 15 magical slashing damage).
The resourceful tiefling immediately retaliates:
-> Graxx's DEX saving throw vs. Hellish Rebuke (2nd level) {DC 15}: 12 Damage: 20 cold.
The slight felling of cold the barbarian felt nipping at his elbows a moment ago expands through his entire body (Graxx takes 20 cold damage).
-> I'm foregoing the curse save here because Graxx is already holding a grudge against Ixas.
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 2
THE HIGH SEAS:
(Neya and Doozey are up next. Neya must begin her turn by rolling a straight {DC 11} CON saving throw each. Doozey has effectively shielded himself from the toxic stench by shutting the door behind him).
(@Lerus: Opting to forgo the check this time around.)
For Doozey, a small eternity passes prior to him finding the resolve to suck in a deep breathe, concentrating once more. "Remember our training... Remember training... Remember..." After a few whispered repetitions, the stoutling fished out the Healer's Kit, and began rooting around for a salute. Despite knowing it to the likely filled with bandages at most, he would try to fin the one waterdown healing potion or whatever herbs might've been gathered for his borhter.
Action: Use Healer's Kit on Biscuit.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
CON save [DC11]: 18
Damage:2Acrobatics check: 12
Picking herself up with a groan, Neya then moves (to VP-57) to try and thin the amount of pirates.
Unarmed Attack: 27 Damage: 6
Extra Unarmed Attack: 10 Damage: 6
She then readies herself for incoming attacks (1 ki point Patient Defense, dodge
Extended Signature
Neya waits a second for the ship to stop rocking and then rises. With a few quick hops, she lands next to another pirate, this one smelling strongly of ozone. He turns too slowly to see the imminent danger. Neya punches his bulging gut once, opening a large wound (Bloated Pirate#2 takes 6 magical piercing damage). The pirate recovers and blocks the monk's second attack with his curved blade. She then readies herself for incoming attacks.
Away from everyone else's view, Doozey tries desperately to revive his closest friend. Within his healer's kit, he finds a set of herbs that, when rubbed together, function faintly like smelling salts would. It is worth a shot. The halfling performs the act repeatedly but the trick is not doing the job. Deep inside, Doozey knows nothing within his new kit can restart a heart...
(Some NPCs go next).
The pirates follow their captains orders relentlessly:
-> Scimitar vs. Neya: Attack: 12
Damage: 6 slashing.-> Bite vs. Kuo-toa#1 {BQ-52}: Attack: 23 Damage: 8 piercing.
-> Scimitar vs. Utar: Attack: 24 Damage: 8 slashing.
-> Bite vs. Cultist#2 {BS-53}: Attack: 23 Damage: 6 piercing.
Neya's patience and preparation pay off as she easily ducks away from harm's way. Utar is not as quick, which earns him a new cut to the right thigh (Utar takes 8 slashing damage). The cultists fare even worse, both falling to their enemies' strikes (Kuo-toa#1 takes 8 slashing damage and is DEFEATED; Cultist#2 takes 6 slashing damage and is DEFEATED).
The two victorious pirates then cock their heads upward and begin sniffing the air. One of them approaches Utar slowly, stepping on flames but clearly not being harmed by them. The other ventures a quick jog, reaching Utar all the same.
-> Bloated Pirate#5's acrobatics check: 4(well, he is a pirate, so the mechanics don't apply as explained here).The cleric is basically surrounded.
(Captain Testain goes next).
Captain Testain has a big grin of satisfaction on her face. Looking around through the flames enveloping her, she sees Graxx fighting Ixas on the upper deck and deduces the tiefling's rank. She has had to put down her fair share of mutinies in the past. Testain raises her bone crossbow once more and aims at the opposing captain. She pulls the trigger, but nothing happens. She looks disappointed at the contraption and only then realizes that there is no bolt loaded onto it... She sighs as she notices that the already loaded piece of ammunition for her first and only shot was all that she had on her. She flicks the ranged weapon onto The Third Dracolich's deck and pouts.
Not one to let details bother her for too long, she draws two of the many blades she carries on her and dashes towards the upper deck. One blade is longer than the other in a clearly mismatched set. She yells at Graxx as she approaches: "Move rabble! A captain can only be taken down by another! Then this ship becomes mine! Another conquest for Captain Reece Sar Testain of the Audacity!" She reaches both Graxx and Ixas without much problem.
Carelessness seems to be a defining trait of hers. In her approach, she opens herself to opportunity attacks from both Neya and Utar.
(Utar is up next. Gotta start your turn with another {DC 11} CON save with disadvantage).
REACTION
Neya takes the opportunity to punish the pirate's impulsive decision.
Unarmed Attack: 24 Damage: 11
Extended Signature
As Captain Reeve flashes past, Utar extends his arm, utilising her movement past him to provide the impact into the head of the mace.
Attack: 12 Damage: 11
CON save from the acrid air: 19
As the bloated pirates close in around him, Utar smiles ruefully remembering his earliest instructions on entering the service of Torm: "You can't protect them if you're dead." and "You can't protect a fool from himself."
Deciding to stick out of this situation, Utar puts his weight into his shoulder, barging a pirate out of his way to disengage from this fight. Moving in a flurry of arms and legs towards the upper deck of the ship (BS,60).
Acrobatics 16
As Captain Reeve Sar Testain whooshes past them, Neya and Utar both see the opportunity to land a blow on her. The cleric extends his magical mace hoping the captain cannot avoid a collision due to her own speed... but she does just that. She begins to goad while still moving but is interrupted by a swift kick to the rump, a courtesy of the resident monk (Captain Reeve Sar Testain takes 11 magical bludgeoning damage).
Remembering to hold his breath this time, Utar analyses his precarious condition and decides he'd be most helpful if he were to follow the running captain up the steps. He uses his shoulders to efficiently disengage from battle and maintains his balance to arrive at {BS-60}. Captain Testain is at {BR-63}.
(Ixas is up next).
Seeing that her crew is no more, captain Ixas, the Wearer of Purple, says the same Draconic word Neya heard earlier ("Quicken") and creates a bubble of pure Darkness around herself. Captain Testain, Graxx, and Utar are all enveloped in thick shadows as well. Not even the half-orc's darkvision helps him see through it, and hence, all who are within the bubble are effectively blinded.
Then, a second later, those closest to where Ixas was standing in plain sight up to a moment ago feel the slash of a dozen of blades:
(@Grx: Graxx does not get advantage in this DEX save because he cannot see in the darkness, canceling the effects of Danger Sense).
-> Graxx's DEX saving throw {DC 15}: 7 Damage: 5 force.
-> Captain Testain's DEX saving throw {DC 15}: 17 Damage: 2 force.
Although they can't see the attack coming, only a few additional nicks are gained (Graxx takes 2 force damage; Captain Testain takes 2 force damage).
(Graxx is up next. Though both captains were right in front of you an instant ago, you can see nothing but darkness now. Also, the air is clear around you at the moment, so no saving throw required for that).
OOC: So sorry not sure how I missed the notification.
Graxx does not swing his sword recklessly for once due to the fear of hitting his half Orc friend. He extends the sword in the last direction of Ixas.
Attack: 17 Damage: 9
Attack: 22 Damage: 11
Graxx pokes his sword forward, towards the direction he thinks Ixas was. At first, his blade catches nothing, but a second thrust results in some resistance and a grunt of pain. Graxx does not know who he just hit, but he can at least tell the grunt did not sound like one of Utar's (one of the two captains takes 13 magical piercing damage).
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 3
THE HIGH SEAS:
(Neya and Doozey are up next. Neya must begin her turn by rolling a {DC 11} CON saving throw at disadvantage. Doozey mustn't).