Gazing at the Captain as he enters the room, Sae lets her mind go still and then focus completely. She can sense that the terror Richards feels towards this man is entirely justified. Impostor or not, 'Hailstorm' is truly dangerous. He will have to be handled carefully. Sometimes, however, careful handling actually requires taking the risk of a delicate probe.
After a moment, she raises an eyebrow and speaks.
"Good. I am looking forward to it.
I do hope you will pass my test, and prove yourselves worthy of my services."
The captain chuckles, the sound echoing hollowly inside his metal mask.
"You have courage, elf," he says. "That is good. You will need it when you face Black Bart."
For Sae:
With your Insight check - You can't really read the masked man well... but you get the sinking feeling that there is more to his claims than a common charlatan trying to scare superstitious sailors...
With your Eye for Detail - There doesn't appear to be anyone or anything else in the room of note, at least not physically, but you notice that the Captain's ring sheds a very faint light. Your eye is drawn to it, and this is what it looks like:
You remember Merrigar had a similar ring, a ring of mind shielding that he claimed he had received from Captain Hailstorm during the dwarf's tenure as a member of the pirate crew.
“I promise I’m not that light headed when did ‘not just die’ in the last few hours.”He said laying on the ground. Still numb. Should I start to worry? “Name’s Emrys Goldenleaf. Merchant… Former merchant with the Ivory Guild.” He had to feign some loss from the situation. “Would it offend you if I asked who your lord is? Most of my prayers go to Dallah Thaun.”All halflings, to some degree, honored Yondalla for she was the mother of their kind, Arvoreen for he was their protector and Cyrrollalee for she blessed their homes. All rural villages paid homage to Sheela Peryroyl. Those were the gods of Emrys’ boyhood and they still had his faith, but it was The Lady of Mystery he admired the most. She had the right nature to help a trader.“And about why he got you the spell…”
The warlock told the cleric about the upcoming trial, about what could be expected there and about the spellcasting undead. He suggested casting the magic over Bart as soon as possible and went to sleep. A day and half of rest were enough for him to heal his injuries and boredom was starting to set by the time the vessel was boarded. The appearance of the so-called Hailstorm, with his face hidden behind an iron mask, fitted all too well with the theory that the man was an impostor simply using the name of a dead man like a weapon.
“I believe I can speak for everyone when I saw that we are very much interested on not becoming shark bait. Shall we start?”
“I have heard tales of your trial, captain. And as someone very much interested on not becoming shark bait, might I ask if we can have our weapons back?”
Within a few hours you all are in the brig of the flagship... on the very handwavy basis of the pirates don't consider you 'real' prisoners and they just need you to get the okay from 'Captain Hailstorm' and have you partake in the trial before you can officially join the crew, they did not confiscate your equipment. The Princess Serenity is towed along behind the two pirate ships, floating lazily in the water with one or two pirates acting as a skeleton crew (no pun intended regarding the Deathlocks).
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The Captain spends a few more moments studying all of you, then nods, seemingly impressed.
"Very good," he says. "Let's hope that your valor remains in the arena... Commander Richards, get them ready to meet Black Bart."
It seems that the Captain is done talking with you for now, as he turns to leave. Commander Richards watches him leave, only breathing freely again when the Captain is gone.
"Well lot, you heard the Cap'ain, it's time for ya to meet Black Bart..." the Commander says uneasily once he's sure that 'Hailstorm' is gone. "Do me a personal favor, would ya? Put on a good show... last thing I need right now is for the Cap'ain ta think that half my crew got slaughtered by incompetents."
If there's nothing else that you need to do or say, the Commander opens your cells and leads you to the deck where Yevelda a few other pirates (along with a Deathlock) are waiting to escort you down the gangplank and to the the crumbling fortress that will serve as the arena.
"Looks like lot are 'bout to join the crew," she says with a friendly smile. "Best of luck, friends. I'll be rootin' for ya."
It takes you a few minutes to reach the fort, where dozens of pirates are standing on the walls to watch the show. Many of them are jeering and shouting as they see you. The Captain sits above the arena in what was once a guard tower, watching you intently as your the pirates who escorted you in close the arena door behind you... I will give you 1 round to prepare before Black Bart enters.
Map (Bart isn't in the arena yet, I just put him on the map to show where he will enter):
Initiative (I've decided to start rolling the initiatives myself to save time and get action started quicker) Black Bart: 8 Areleo: 12 Emrys: 18 Sae: 9 Sayyida: 8 Wade: 8
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Initiative (I've decided to start rolling the initiatives myself to save time and get action started quicker) Black Bart: 8 Areleo: 12 Emrys: 18 Sae: 9 Sayyida: 8 Wade: 8
Initiative -
Emrys Areleo Sae Sayyida - Bart - Wade
You have 1 round to make any preparations and position yourselves before Bart enters, then we will begin round one. Post your first turn in any order; when combat actually starts characters on the same side can take turns in any order so long as they're in the same 'Initiative block' (so, Emrys, Areleo, Sae, and Sayyida will be able to act in any order, but Wade will have to wait for Bart before taking his turn)
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Sayidda allows the fury and power of the ocean to wash through her and brings up her blade in anticipation.
( Preparation Round- BA- Activate Fury of the Tides. - As a bonus action, you bolster your attacks for 1 minute. Once per turn for the duration, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can choose to push the target 10 ft. away from you. If pushed into an obstacle or another creature, the target takes +3 bludgeoning damage. )
He answered Yevelda with a nod and a brief smile, his mind rehearsing his idea for the combat if nothing else to avoid thinking about their success in getting to that point. They had come too far to let a mind reading put everything to waste. It was a welcome surprise to find the arena empty. That meant they would have time to prepare at least one surprise attack. Even after the show we put at sea they believe we need the handicap. A thought better left unsaid, Goldenleaf understood well.
“So here we are.” He said to his companions as they were left on the tower. It was the first time he spoke since the Captain appeared. “As soon as Bart enters, I’ll cast Silence centered on him. This should stop his spellcasting but also set a target on me. In case he makes me drop concentration, Wade, I’ll count on you to leave him without magic.” But even that was no guarantee of victory. “There’ll be a 20ft radios from our target. If you guys manage to keep him there…”He said to Aerleo and Sayyida. “Then we may just win this.”
He said as his eyes filled with darkness, becoming bottomless voids. Black smoke erupted from the ground as an ethereal tentacle cracked like a whip. It stood by the entrance while as far behind as he could Emrys drew his arcane focus, assuming with it a one-handed ochs guard. Energy concentrated at its tip, the will to bend Weave and nature and bring forth the Silence.
Notes: Emrys uses his movement to take position as close to 60ft from the entrance where Bart will come from) as possible. He then spends his bonus action use Tentacle of the Deeps, summoning the tentacle by the entrance, and spends his action to ready the Silence spell to be cast around Bart from the moment he enters the melee range of any party member. (Spell slot and use of the Tentacles already marked on the sheet).
Areleo will try to pick up a shield if he could but outside of that he would move to the opposite side of Emrys to flank the Pirate. He will breath in the salt air and remind himself why he must fight and win.
(By the way, you're all free to make Insight checks if you want to try to glean any additional information from this encounter)
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(edited for clarity)
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
The captain chuckles, the sound echoing hollowly inside his metal mask.
"You have courage, elf," he says. "That is good. You will need it when you face Black Bart."
For Sae:
With your Insight check - You can't really read the masked man well... but you get the sinking feeling that there is more to his claims than a common charlatan trying to scare superstitious sailors...
With your Eye for Detail - There doesn't appear to be anyone or anything else in the room of note, at least not physically, but you notice that the Captain's ring sheds a very faint light. Your eye is drawn to it, and this is what it looks like:
You remember Merrigar had a similar ring, a ring of mind shielding that he claimed he had received from Captain Hailstorm during the dwarf's tenure as a member of the pirate crew.
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“I promise I’m not that light headed when did ‘not just die’ in the last few hours.” He said laying on the ground. Still numb. Should I start to worry? “Name’s Emrys Goldenleaf. Merchant… Former merchant with the Ivory Guild.” He had to feign some loss from the situation. “Would it offend you if I asked who your lord is? Most of my prayers go to Dallah Thaun.” All halflings, to some degree, honored Yondalla for she was the mother of their kind, Arvoreen for he was their protector and Cyrrollalee for she blessed their homes. All rural villages paid homage to Sheela Peryroyl. Those were the gods of Emrys’ boyhood and they still had his faith, but it was The Lady of Mystery he admired the most. She had the right nature to help a trader. “And about why he got you the spell…”
The warlock told the cleric about the upcoming trial, about what could be expected there and about the spellcasting undead. He suggested casting the magic over Bart as soon as possible and went to sleep. A day and half of rest were enough for him to heal his injuries and boredom was starting to set by the time the vessel was boarded. The appearance of the so-called Hailstorm, with his face hidden behind an iron mask, fitted all too well with the theory that the man was an impostor simply using the name of a dead man like a weapon.
“I believe I can speak for everyone when I saw that we are very much interested on not becoming shark bait. Shall we start?”
(Your weapons actually weren't confiscated):
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" Well then...lets get on with it. Death or Glory.", Sayyida muttered.
Post edited.
Wade looks this new person up and down. He is looking to understand if they are: Undead, celestial, elemental, fey, or fiend
Insight: 8
D&D since 1984
WIth an Insight roll of 8... you have no idea.
Are you using magic of any kind to try to obtain this information?
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Nope. Just my own feline instinct. (he he)
D&D since 1984
Sae nods once and returns to her stillness. If Hailstorm says no more, neither will she.
Famh Thrawn Fiadhaich - 'half elven' sorcerer (wild magic) 2, Sleeping Gods - A Dragon Warriors campaign in the Lands of Legend
Quspira Inirali - tiefling cleric (Life domain) 4, Painted's "He'll be the father of my child"
---RETIRED HEROES' REST HOME---
Sae Ivui Nailo - wood elf rogue (inquisitive) 5 , Sea of Death: Captain Hailstorm's Lost Treasure
Ryshraxea "Shra" Naranthi - tabaxi artificer 1, Nyx's Tomb of Annihilation - Group 1
The Captain spends a few more moments studying all of you, then nods, seemingly impressed.
"Very good," he says. "Let's hope that your valor remains in the arena... Commander Richards, get them ready to meet Black Bart."
It seems that the Captain is done talking with you for now, as he turns to leave. Commander Richards watches him leave, only breathing freely again when the Captain is gone.
"Well lot, you heard the Cap'ain, it's time for ya to meet Black Bart..." the Commander says uneasily once he's sure that 'Hailstorm' is gone. "Do me a personal favor, would ya? Put on a good show... last thing I need right now is for the Cap'ain ta think that half my crew got slaughtered by incompetents."
If there's nothing else that you need to do or say, the Commander opens your cells and leads you to the deck where Yevelda a few other pirates (along with a Deathlock) are waiting to escort you down the gangplank and to the the crumbling fortress that will serve as the arena.
"Looks like lot are 'bout to join the crew," she says with a friendly smile. "Best of luck, friends. I'll be rootin' for ya."
It takes you a few minutes to reach the fort, where dozens of pirates are standing on the walls to watch the show. Many of them are jeering and shouting as they see you. The Captain sits above the arena in what was once a guard tower, watching you intently as your the pirates who escorted you in close the arena door behind you... I will give you 1 round to prepare before Black Bart enters.
Map (Bart isn't in the arena yet, I just put him on the map to show where he will enter):
Initiative (I've decided to start rolling the initiatives myself to save time and get action started quicker)
Black Bart: 8
Areleo: 12
Emrys: 18
Sae: 9
Sayyida: 8
Wade: 8
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Initiative -
Emrys
Areleo
Sae
Sayyida
-
Bart
-
Wade
You have 1 round to make any preparations and position yourselves before Bart enters, then we will begin round one. Post your first turn in any order; when combat actually starts characters on the same side can take turns in any order so long as they're in the same 'Initiative block' (so, Emrys, Areleo, Sae, and Sayyida will be able to act in any order, but Wade will have to wait for Bart before taking his turn)
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Sayidda allows the fury and power of the ocean to wash through her and brings up her blade in anticipation.
( Preparation Round- BA- Activate Fury of the Tides. - As a bonus action, you bolster your attacks for 1 minute. Once per turn for the duration, when you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can choose to push the target 10 ft. away from you. If pushed into an obstacle or another creature, the target takes +3 bludgeoning damage. )
Round 1.
As soon as the Dragonborn enters Sayidda drives forward slashing with her blade.
Attack: 10 Damage: 8 + Divine Smite 6 Radiant. If struck Fury of the Tides is in effect.
Wade casts Bless at 2nd level on his four comrades.
He also readies his Yklwa to attack Black Bart if he comes in range.
D&D since 1984
Sayidda Bless- 3
( Still not going to do it.... )
He answered Yevelda with a nod and a brief smile, his mind rehearsing his idea for the combat if nothing else to avoid thinking about their success in getting to that point. They had come too far to let a mind reading put everything to waste. It was a welcome surprise to find the arena empty. That meant they would have time to prepare at least one surprise attack. Even after the show we put at sea they believe we need the handicap. A thought better left unsaid, Goldenleaf understood well.
“So here we are.” He said to his companions as they were left on the tower. It was the first time he spoke since the Captain appeared. “As soon as Bart enters, I’ll cast Silence centered on him. This should stop his spellcasting but also set a target on me. In case he makes me drop concentration, Wade, I’ll count on you to leave him without magic.” But even that was no guarantee of victory. “There’ll be a 20ft radios from our target. If you guys manage to keep him there…” He said to Aerleo and Sayyida. “Then we may just win this.”
He said as his eyes filled with darkness, becoming bottomless voids. Black smoke erupted from the ground as an ethereal tentacle cracked like a whip. It stood by the entrance while as far behind as he could Emrys drew his arcane focus, assuming with it a one-handed ochs guard. Energy concentrated at its tip, the will to bend Weave and nature and bring forth the Silence.
Notes: Emrys uses his movement to take position as close to 60ft from the entrance where Bart will come from) as possible. He then spends his bonus action use Tentacle of the Deeps, summoning the tentacle by the entrance, and spends his action to ready the Silence spell to be cast around Bart from the moment he enters the melee range of any party member. (Spell slot and use of the Tentacles already marked on the sheet).
Areleo will try to pick up a shield if he could but outside of that he would move to the opposite side of Emrys to flank the Pirate. He will breath in the salt air and remind himself why he must fight and win.
Wade nods in agreement.
D&D since 1984