(My apologies, Ressys added to the initiative order)
Qidira and Ressys both recognise the creatures as Sahuagin, fishfolk who dwell in the seas of Wildemount. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal villages. They are a predatory, piscine race that ventures from the ocean’s black depths to hunt the creatures of the shallows and shore. Though they dwell in the deepest trenches of the ocean, sahuagin view the entire aquatic realm as their kingdom and the creatures in it as blood sport for their hunting parties.
The large dire wolf waits at the side of the ship for the boarder to reach him, alongside Kotarthe goliath. Both will be in reach of a different sahuagin raider, but neither will be within 5ft of the other’s target.
Brandonwaits on the other side, looking down at the advancing raider as it claws at the hull for handholds. Soon it will be within his deadly reach...
Qidira waits until she has a good angle to fire at an advancing sahuagin, loosing her bolt as soon as the finned wet head appears over the edge of the ship. Her bolt sinks deep into the creature’s neck, somehow avoiding vital organs and pathways, but nonetheless wounding it badly.
The creature’s scream arrives at the same time as the group’s held attacks. The dire wolf form of Ressys takes an entire attacker’s head in his mouth, clamping tight and crushing its skull. His mouth fills with salty blood before he releases the dead creature back into the sea from whence it came.
Kotarbrings his weapon down on another attacker (Suhagin 2) and wounds it in the shoulder, but it keeps climbing.
On the other side of the deck, Brandonswipes at the emerging raider and leaves a deep gash across its chest, splitting soft armour plate as it goes. (Wisdom save 13 )
Dark tendrils of divine energy wrap around the creature's head, but it steels itself against the effect and presses onwards.
(Qidira’s held action processed at the start of this post for narrative reasons)
The sahuagin reach the deck, using all their movement.
S10, fighting off Brandon’ssmite effect, vaults onto the deck beside the warlock and thrusts its spear towards him.
Spear attack on BrandonAttack: 12 Damage: 2 piercing
S2stands on the stairs above Kotar, although their height difference leaves them almost face to face. Chagrinned at being wounded by the goliath, the sahuagin tries to repay him with its spear.
Spear attack on Kotar Attack: 19 Damage: 8 piercing
S11, gurgling slightly from the bolt wedged in its neck, sees that the gnome who shot it is out of reach. Instead it looks down at the dwarf on the deck and attacks Durnham instead.
Spear attack on DurnhamAttack: 17 Damage: 7 piercing
The sailorin the crow’s nest fires his crossbow at S11, trying to finish the wounded raider and reduce the number of incoming attacks.
Light crossbow attack on S11Attack: 14 Damage: 2 piercing
Thbe bolt sinks into the sahuagin's shoulder, making him yelp, but he stays focused on Durnham,
Below decks you hear the sound of sailors rushing to join battle.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the spear flashes towards Durnham, he spins his staff and shouts “Deflect!” The spinning staff glows a soft gold as the spear flashes against a gold wall of translucent force. The wall crackles and dissipates after absorbing the blow. (Reaction: spell cast Shield)
Recovering from the deflected spear thrust, the staff continues spinning before Durnham slams the end into the deck bellowing, “Arcane Rocket!” The top of the staff glows bright red as 3 glowing red arrows fly out of the top of the staff right at the creature in front of him dealing 232 Force damage. Action: cast magic missile
(if the creature dies to the first or second arrow, any remaining arrows will go towards the Creature Brandon wounded.)
Assuming the creature dies, Durnham moves south 5 feet to be closer to his allies and tries to remember any stories he’s heard about these creatures from the fishermen and women in Palebank, he knows he’s heard about them but he tries to remember if there’s anything they are scared of or weak to. 23 History check
5 Archimedes initiative
Archimedes flies down above and behind the two creatures on the north end of the ship, ending about 15 feet away from them over the sea.
Ressys spits out the head of the attacker and again howls as the body drops into the sea. Seeing Brandon across the deck engaged in combat with one of the sahuagin he bounds over, his natural pack instincts putting himself into a position of advantage. He then bites at sahuagin 10
Movement west (left) 5 feet.
Attack: 10 Damage: 10 piercing
If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Are you using flanking as an optional rule? I can't recall.
As the piscine creature comes aboard Kotar moves his shield and unleashes his blade in a diagonal cut against the invader’s shoulder. A strike far lighter than the goliath had intended. Enough to make him regret his choice of not using the glaive or the maul. No time to fix that, he thought as the creature in front of him attacked back. At least not if he wanted to keep his offensive.
Before he could recover his posture from the swing of the longsword, the fish man launched an charge of his own. Understanding that it would hit him7, the fighter hardens himself, quite literally. The endurance of stone, the wisest of his tribe used to call this ability. Some would go as far to say that it was a power they inherited from the giants of old. How much of truth the idea held he had no idea. As far as he knew his people didn’t even have a creation myth - no god claimed to have made them.
“Let’s see how much damage you can take!”Kotar shouted in common. Out of the languages he knew it was by far the more likely for the piscine assailant to understand. Looking the foe in the eyes, he tried another cut.
As Kotar’s swing begins, Durnham’s vision doubles for a moment and he sees Kotar swing from one direction but It’s… wrong somehow. Durnham shakes his head and mutters to himself… “No, that’s not how it happened… I remember from my dreams….” Suddenly things shift and Kotar is swinging again.
Durnham’s arcane shield coalesces just in time to deflect the incoming attack. His return salvo punctures the sahuagin through the chest twice and propels it against the side of the ship where it slumps, dead. Durnham’s third and final dart arcs away from the target, somehow sensing the futility of expending itself there, and instead loops overhead to strike Brandon’s opponent in the shoulder.
Looking at the dead attacker before him, Durnham searches his memory for the stories he has heard from the folk of Palebank.
@Durnham:
You never saw a raid yourself, but the fishers would sometimes come back with stories of cut nets and slashed sails; the sahuagin were renowned more as thieves and nuisances than true attackers, owing to a reluctance to pick a fight they did not absolutely know they could win. You recall Elro telling you of a time, early in the village’s history, of an actual raid by the fish folk against the nascent settlement, but that the Glassblades saw them off in a pitched encounter. He said that it seemed as if the raiders lost their nerve as soon as the battle tipped even slightly against them. He also noted that the sahuagin were particularly ruthless against wounded opponents, seemingly enraged by the scent of blood.
Ressys spits the dead sahuagin into the sea and moves to assist Brandon. He gnashes his teeth at the badly-wounded attacker but it manages to dodge his bite.
Over on the starboard forecastle steps, Kotarresists most of the incoming attack with the renowned resilience of his heritage. His retaliatory strike leaves a deep wound in the creature’s thigh, the goliath oblivious to Durnham’s experience of deja-vu.
(Archimedes’ turn, then Brandon)
Map (incoming sailors will appear in the area next to Durnham):
Archimedes dives at Sahuagin #12 on the left side performing a flyby, flapping in its face attempting to help Durnham and his allies before flying out over the water again about 15 feet above the deck level of the ship.
(With the help action the next attack against that creature should have advantage)
@DM would Archimedes' distraction also be sufficient for Qidira use Sneak attack damage on the creature if she attacks 12? Trying to sort out my next move.
Archimedesswoops down on the sahuagin at the front of the ship, causing it to flail and stumble, presenting an easy target to anyone attacking it this turn.
(Archimedes must stay within 5ft of the target in order to provide Help to an ally. This will be sufficient to grant Qidira advantage, and therefore Sneak Attack)
(Brandon next, then Qidira)
(Edit: As per discussion OOC, Archimedes can apply Help and then move away)
Eyes blazing, Brandon knocks aside the fish creature’s spear with his shield and attacks it with a long upwards stroke with his longsword.
Attack: 12 Damage: 11 plus 4 psychic damage. WIS save 13 or be frightened.
Seeing Ressys move next to him in his Dire Wolf form, Brandon is content to remain in place, focused on the attackers coming from the stern of the ship.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the sahuagin lashes out at the owl, he leaves himself exposed long enough for Qidirato line up a shot. Her aim is true, although the bolt seems to nick a piece of armour on its way to flesh and loses a good deal of pace. Nevertheless, the bolt sinks deep into the attacker's torso, eliciting a roar of pain and anger.
Clutching at his wound, he looks up to the source of the attack and sees a small gnome wrapped in rigging with a good vantage point over the battle below.
The sahuagin advance from the aft of the ship, four of them making contact with Brandonand Ressys. They attack with dripping spears, two against each stoic defender
Attack 1 on Brandon Attack: 21 Damage: 3
Attack 2 on Brandon Attack: 15 Damage: 4
Attack 1 on Ressys Attack: 19 Damage: 3
Attack 2 on Ressys Attack: 23 Damage: 10
Sahuagin 2 stays in contact with Kotarand tries to run him through. Interestingly, the piscine attacker seems enrages by the sight and scent of Kotar's blood from his wound sustained in the first exchange.
Attack on Kotar Attack: 22 Damage: 2
Sahuagin 12 seeks revenge on Qidira and throws his spear at her (disadvantage for range)
Attack on Qidira Attack: 12 Damage: 6
Sahuagin 1 next to him, however, sees the effect that the intervening owl had on his colleague and throws a spear at Archimedes (with disadvantage for range)
Attack on Archimedes Attack: 13 Damage: 5
The sailor in the crow's nest fires his crossbow at Sahuagin 4, trying to help Ressys
Attack on S4 Attack: 21 Damage: 5
Another sailor emerges from the hatch next to Durnham and slices at S2, trying to aid Kotar
Attack on S2 Attack: 10 Damage: 3
Both attacks hit, and more sailors ready themselves to climb up and join the fight.
Ressys rolled initiative of 19 earlier and a nature roll of 14 to try and determine what kind of creatures they were back in post 714
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/110002-a-party-of-strangers-dm-grubamcd?comment=714
Qidira studies the creatures and tries to remember if she's ever seen or heard of anything like this. nature 16
Using my Inspiration to reroll my attack above in post 721. Attack: 22 Damage: 10 Target is #11
Initiative order: Ressys 19, Kotar 19, Brandon 13, Qidira 9, Sahuagin 9, Durnham 4
(My apologies, Ressys added to the initiative order)
Qidira and Ressys both recognise the creatures as Sahuagin, fishfolk who dwell in the seas of Wildemount. Coastal settlers refer to sahuagin as “sea devils,” for sahuagin have no compassion in them, slaughtering the crews of ships and decimating coastal villages. They are a predatory, piscine race that ventures from the ocean’s black depths to hunt the creatures of the shallows and shore. Though they dwell in the deepest trenches of the ocean, sahuagin view the entire aquatic realm as their kingdom and the creatures in it as blood sport for their hunting parties.
The large dire wolf waits at the side of the ship for the boarder to reach him, alongside Kotar the goliath. Both will be in reach of a different sahuagin raider, but neither will be within 5ft of the other’s target.
Brandon waits on the other side, looking down at the advancing raider as it claws at the hull for handholds. Soon it will be within his deadly reach...
Qidira waits until she has a good angle to fire at an advancing sahuagin, loosing her bolt as soon as the finned wet head appears over the edge of the ship. Her bolt sinks deep into the creature’s neck, somehow avoiding vital organs and pathways, but nonetheless wounding it badly.
The creature’s scream arrives at the same time as the group’s held attacks. The dire wolf form of Ressys takes an entire attacker’s head in his mouth, clamping tight and crushing its skull. His mouth fills with salty blood before he releases the dead creature back into the sea from whence it came.
Kotar brings his weapon down on another attacker (Suhagin 2) and wounds it in the shoulder, but it keeps climbing.
On the other side of the deck, Brandon swipes at the emerging raider and leaves a deep gash across its chest, splitting soft armour plate as it goes. (Wisdom save 13 )
Dark tendrils of divine energy wrap around the creature's head, but it steels itself against the effect and presses onwards.
(Qidira’s held action processed at the start of this post for narrative reasons)
The surviving suhagin go next.
Initiative order: Ressys 19, Kotar 19, Brandon 13, Qidira 9, Sahuagin 9, Sailors 8, Durnham 4
(Added sailors’ initiative of 8)
The sahuagin reach the deck, using all their movement.
S10, fighting off Brandon’s smite effect, vaults onto the deck beside the warlock and thrusts its spear towards him.
Spear attack on Brandon Attack: 12 Damage: 2 piercing
S2 stands on the stairs above Kotar, although their height difference leaves them almost face to face. Chagrinned at being wounded by the goliath, the sahuagin tries to repay him with its spear.
Spear attack on Kotar Attack: 19 Damage: 8 piercing
S11, gurgling slightly from the bolt wedged in its neck, sees that the gnome who shot it is out of reach. Instead it looks down at the dwarf on the deck and attacks Durnham instead.
Spear attack on Durnham Attack: 17 Damage: 7 piercing
The sailor in the crow’s nest fires his crossbow at S11, trying to finish the wounded raider and reduce the number of incoming attacks.
Light crossbow attack on S11 Attack: 14 Damage: 2 piercing
Thbe bolt sinks into the sahuagin's shoulder, making him yelp, but he stays focused on Durnham,
Below decks you hear the sound of sailors rushing to join battle.
Durnham’s turn
Current map:
As the spear flashes towards Durnham, he spins his staff and shouts “Deflect!” The spinning staff glows a soft gold as the spear flashes against a gold wall of translucent force. The wall crackles and dissipates after absorbing the blow. (Reaction: spell cast Shield)
Recovering from the deflected spear thrust, the staff continues spinning before Durnham slams the end into the deck bellowing, “Arcane Rocket!” The top of the staff glows bright red as 3 glowing red arrows fly out of the top of the staff right at the creature in front of him dealing 2 3 2 Force damage. Action: cast magic missile
(if the creature dies to the first or second arrow, any remaining arrows will go towards the Creature Brandon wounded.)
Assuming the creature dies, Durnham moves south 5 feet to be closer to his allies and tries to remember any stories he’s heard about these creatures from the fishermen and women in Palebank, he knows he’s heard about them but he tries to remember if there’s anything they are scared of or weak to. 23 History check
5 Archimedes initiative
Archimedes flies down above and behind the two creatures on the north end of the ship, ending about 15 feet away from them over the sea.
Noob
Ressys spits out the head of the attacker and again howls as the body drops into the sea. Seeing Brandon across the deck engaged in combat with one of the sahuagin he bounds over, his natural pack instincts putting himself into a position of advantage. He then bites at sahuagin 10
Movement west (left) 5 feet.
Attack: 10 Damage: 10 piercing
If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Are you using flanking as an optional rule? I can't recall.
(Yes, flanking if you are directly opposite a friendly, melee only)
As the piscine creature comes aboard Kotar moves his shield and unleashes his blade in a diagonal cut against the invader’s shoulder. A strike far lighter than the goliath had intended. Enough to make him regret his choice of not using the glaive or the maul. No time to fix that, he thought as the creature in front of him attacked back. At least not if he wanted to keep his offensive.
Before he could recover his posture from the swing of the longsword, the fish man launched an charge of his own. Understanding that it would hit him7, the fighter hardens himself, quite literally. The endurance of stone, the wisest of his tribe used to call this ability. Some would go as far to say that it was a power they inherited from the giants of old. How much of truth the idea held he had no idea. As far as he knew his people didn’t even have a creation myth - no god claimed to have made them.
“Let’s see how much damage you can take!” Kotar shouted in common. Out of the languages he knew it was by far the more likely for the piscine assailant to understand. Looking the foe in the eyes, he tried another cut.
Stone's Endurance: 7
Longsword Attack (against creature 2): 10
Damage (against creature 2, if applicable): 7
(Using Inspiration to reroll the attack: 9)
As Kotar’s swing begins, Durnham’s vision doubles for a moment and he sees Kotar swing from one direction but It’s… wrong somehow. Durnham shakes his head and mutters to himself… “No, that’s not how it happened… I remember from my dreams….” Suddenly things shift and Kotar is swinging again.
(portent, replaces his roll with a 12)
Noob
Initiative order: Ressys 19, Kotar 19, Archimedes 18, Brandon 13, Qidira 9, Sahuagin 9, Sailors 8, Durnham 4
Durnham’s arcane shield coalesces just in time to deflect the incoming attack. His return salvo punctures the sahuagin through the chest twice and propels it against the side of the ship where it slumps, dead. Durnham’s third and final dart arcs away from the target, somehow sensing the futility of expending itself there, and instead loops overhead to strike Brandon’s opponent in the shoulder.
Looking at the dead attacker before him, Durnham searches his memory for the stories he has heard from the folk of Palebank.
@Durnham:
You never saw a raid yourself, but the fishers would sometimes come back with stories of cut nets and slashed sails; the sahuagin were renowned more as thieves and nuisances than true attackers, owing to a reluctance to pick a fight they did not absolutely know they could win. You recall Elro telling you of a time, early in the village’s history, of an actual raid by the fish folk against the nascent settlement, but that the Glassblades saw them off in a pitched encounter. He said that it seemed as if the raiders lost their nerve as soon as the battle tipped even slightly against them. He also noted that the sahuagin were particularly ruthless against wounded opponents, seemingly enraged by the scent of blood.
Ressys spits the dead sahuagin into the sea and moves to assist Brandon. He gnashes his teeth at the badly-wounded attacker but it manages to dodge his bite.
Over on the starboard forecastle steps, Kotar resists most of the incoming attack with the renowned resilience of his heritage. His retaliatory strike leaves a deep wound in the creature’s thigh, the goliath oblivious to Durnham’s experience of deja-vu.
(Archimedes’ turn, then Brandon)
Map (incoming sailors will appear in the area next to Durnham):
Archimedes dives at Sahuagin #12 on the left side performing a flyby, flapping in its face attempting to help Durnham and his allies before flying out over the water again about 15 feet above the deck level of the ship.
(With the help action the next attack against that creature should have advantage)
Noob
@DM would Archimedes' distraction also be sufficient for Qidira use Sneak attack damage on the creature if she attacks 12? Trying to sort out my next move.
Initiative order: Ressys 19, Kotar 19, Archimedes 18, Brandon 13, Qidira 9, Sahuagin 9, Sailors 8, Durnham 4
Archimedes swoops down on the sahuagin at the front of the ship, causing it to flail and stumble, presenting an easy target to anyone attacking it this turn.
(Archimedes must stay within 5ft of the target in order to provide Help to an ally. This will be sufficient to grant Qidira advantage, and therefore Sneak Attack)
(Brandon next, then Qidira)
(Edit: As per discussion OOC, Archimedes can apply Help and then move away)
Eyes blazing, Brandon knocks aside the fish creature’s spear with his shield and attacks it with a long upwards stroke with his longsword.
Attack: 12 Damage: 11 plus 4 psychic damage. WIS save 13 or be frightened.
Seeing Ressys move next to him in his Dire Wolf form, Brandon is content to remain in place, focused on the attackers coming from the stern of the ship.
(As per discussion OOC, Archimedes can apply Help and then move away)
Initiative order: Ressys 19, Kotar 19, Archimedes 18, Brandon 13, Qidira 9, Sahuagin 9, Sailors 8, Durnham 4
Brandon swings his blade and splits the sahuagin’s skull from the middle of its jaw upwards.
(Qidira next)
@Althax - Thank you!
Pleased to see Durnham take down Sahuagin 11 and for Archimedes feathery help assistance, she aims her crossbow carefully targeting Sahuagin 12.
Crossbow Attack: 22 Damage: 3
Sneak Attack 5
As the sahuagin lashes out at the owl, he leaves himself exposed long enough for Qidira to line up a shot. Her aim is true, although the bolt seems to nick a piece of armour on its way to flesh and loses a good deal of pace. Nevertheless, the bolt sinks deep into the attacker's torso, eliciting a roar of pain and anger.
Clutching at his wound, he looks up to the source of the attack and sees a small gnome wrapped in rigging with a good vantage point over the battle below.
The sahuagin advance from the aft of the ship, four of them making contact with Brandon and Ressys. They attack with dripping spears, two against each stoic defender
Attack 1 on Brandon Attack: 21 Damage: 3
Attack 2 on Brandon Attack: 15 Damage: 4
Attack 1 on Ressys Attack: 19 Damage: 3
Attack 2 on Ressys Attack: 23 Damage: 10
Sahuagin 2 stays in contact with Kotar and tries to run him through. Interestingly, the piscine attacker seems enrages by the sight and scent of Kotar's blood from his wound sustained in the first exchange.
Attack on Kotar Attack: 22 Damage: 2
Sahuagin 12 seeks revenge on Qidira and throws his spear at her (disadvantage for range)
Attack on Qidira Attack: 12 Damage: 6
Sahuagin 1 next to him, however, sees the effect that the intervening owl had on his colleague and throws a spear at Archimedes (with disadvantage for range)
Attack on Archimedes Attack: 13 Damage: 5
The sailor in the crow's nest fires his crossbow at Sahuagin 4, trying to help Ressys
Attack on S4 Attack: 21 Damage: 5
Another sailor emerges from the hatch next to Durnham and slices at S2, trying to aid Kotar
Attack on S2 Attack: 10 Damage: 3
Both attacks hit, and more sailors ready themselves to climb up and join the fight.
MAP: