Early in the second day you are awakened by the crew. Andon is at the helm and a ship has been spotted closing in on the Rogue's Respite. Andon has tried to maneuver away, but the approaching ship is faster than yours.
Starker heads up to the quarterdeck and keeps the mizzenmast between him and the approaching ship. He asks (in order of preference depending on who is up there when he arrives: Captain, Andon, crew) “How sure are we that they are hostile? How long ‘til they overtake us?”
Looks up the mizzenmast: is there a place where the mizentopmast is stepped to the mizzenmast lower than 60’ where Starker could perch if he can get there?
Cyrus scrambles up to the crow’s nest at the mainmast.
Mallinora is on the aft deck, telescope in hand. You see her jaw clench as she sights the vessel. “Mind spider design. They are Neogi.” She turns to Starker, “Always hostile. It is better to die fighting than become enslaved.” She turns to her crewman, “Sound the alarm and beat to stations. Prepare for action.” The crewman nods and rings the alarm bell. Running feet can be heard below. Armed crewmen arrive on deck. Three climb into the rigging armed with crossbows, one to each mast. There is a crow’s nest 60’ up on the main mast. The foremast and mizzen mast do not. Those men suspend themselves in the ropes of the rigging. Others gather on fore and aft decks.
”Our ballistae are not going to do much to dissuade them,” Mallinora confides in Starker. “We will win or lose here on the decks. Pray to your gods they do not have an umber hulk with them. Concentrate on the Neogi if you can. Their enslaved thralls are just a meat shield to them.”
Hoid is positioned by a mast. Might move to the opposite side depending on which side is closer to the oncoming ship and if they are using baristas or the like.
Kragen, hearing the call to arms, grabs The Judge and his shield along with crossbow and bolt case. Moves quickly to the deck, seeing Capt Mallinora, Hoid and Starker at the ready. Moves next to the mast, opposite Hoid. Loading a crossbow bolt, stands at the ready.
Prepares to ask Tyr to provide his Blessing on this crew.
Chadwick pops up from below, bow across his back trying to tie his hair back with his gauntlets under one arm and Glaive under the other.
"Aw man, I was just having a great dream about home too. Umber hulks you say. What are those?"
He peers out at the other ship. "By Tyr's flowing beard those critters are nasty looking!" He tries to measure the distance to figure out when they'll be in range of his bow. He hollars to Starker, "hey buddy, what's the range on those fireballs? Think you can blast them from here?"
Chadwick takes a position up front where he can help repel borders (unless we are the ones boarding). Does the side of the ship provide cover?
Once they get within 600 feet he'll start shooting at the neogi. If he can't hit them then looking for a fighter type.
Starker:”About a fifth part of the extreme effective distance of your bow. As soon as they are within my range I will attempt to soften them up with two rounds of fireballs. In case they enslave me before my spellcasting ability is depleted, someone should stand by to render me unconscious quickly as soon as their ship touches ours.
”Captain: which essential part of their ship is most vulerable to fire? Best if it is something that can hinder their motion.”
"Captain Mallinora, should we board or take up defensive positions? While I had some training in defending and attacking strongholds, ship to ship combat was not included in our curriculum."
He then tries unsuccessfully to figure out what a fifth of his range is, then figures he'll know it once things start exploding.
Starker finds half-cover behind the stairs to the stern castle. The aggressor ship glides through space closing in upon the Rogue's Respite silently. Andon continues to maneuver to escape but is unable to make more speed. The ship resembles the body of a spider with long mechanical arms leading from the bow of the ship. Mallinora puts her spyglass away and prepares for combat. She announces to the crew, "Stand fast and fight well! If they have an umber hulk, leave that for our me and our guests to handle. Avoid its gaze in close range or you will become disoriented. Pepper it from above with missile fire. They will surely have enslaved thralls with them as well. Those will be used as meat shields. The will likely attempt to grapple the ship with the arms on the front of their ship. A door will open from the rear of the ship to allow the boarding party to exit their ship. Their pilot sits on the top deck at the front of the ship, where the arms connect to the body of the ship. May Tymora smile upon us this day." Her crew responds with a resounding, "Huzzah!"
The Mind Spider is an enclosed hull. There are no exposed crew decks to be seen. "Save your magic for the boarders, Starker. That is how we win this fight," she yells. "Please don't burn my ship in your exuberance."
The enemy ship draws near and now is in extreme range for crossbow and bow fire.
Starker:”It’ll take me eight hours to swap out fireball for something less inflamatory. We may need to extinguish a few incidental fires after we extinguish our foes………huzzah.”
Chadwick will take a knee for more cover until a target is visible. Assuming they'll probably have arrow slits or the ship equivalent for taking shots at us.
-Update to post-
Can we see where they will be coming out from the rear of the ship, like a giant barn door or something? If so Chadwick will duck walk down that way so he's got a better view/shot (between shots of he has a target). If it seems like something an oil flask could be thrown through once open he'll ask for a crew member to bring up some flasks.
Early in the second day you are awakened by the crew. Andon is at the helm and a ship has been spotted closing in on the Rogue's Respite. Andon has tried to maneuver away, but the approaching ship is faster than yours.
The Rogue's Respite
Starker dons his Cloak of Protection, casts Mage Armor. (New, excellent CoP is an additional step to his pre-encounter SOP).
Once on deck he looks up. Is there a crow’s nest? Can Starker get up to a platform somewhere low but up along the mainmast?
Are we still traveling outside of planetary atmosphere?
There is a crow’s nest on the main mast. It is 60’ up to that. It will take 4 rounds to climb up or down.
You are in Wildspace above Toril.
Hoid will move out of his cabin and onto the deck. Not sure whether the cabin exit is at the stairs or elsewhere.
Starker heads up to the quarterdeck and keeps the mizzenmast between him and the approaching ship. He asks (in order of preference depending on who is up there when he arrives: Captain, Andon, crew) “How sure are we that they are hostile? How long ‘til they overtake us?”
Looks up the mizzenmast: is there a place where the mizentopmast is stepped to the mizzenmast lower than 60’ where Starker could perch if he can get there?
Cyrus scrambles up to the crow’s nest at the mainmast.
Mallinora is on the aft deck, telescope in hand. You see her jaw clench as she sights the vessel. “Mind spider design. They are Neogi.” She turns to Starker, “Always hostile. It is better to die fighting than become enslaved.” She turns to her crewman, “Sound the alarm and beat to stations. Prepare for action.”
The crewman nods and rings the alarm bell. Running feet can be heard below. Armed crewmen arrive on deck. Three climb into the rigging armed with crossbows, one to each mast. There is a crow’s nest 60’ up on the main mast. The foremast and mizzen mast do not. Those men suspend themselves in the ropes of the rigging. Others gather on fore and aft decks.
”Our ballistae are not going to do much to dissuade them,” Mallinora confides in Starker. “We will win or lose here on the decks. Pray to your gods they do not have an umber hulk with them. Concentrate on the Neogi if you can. Their enslaved thralls are just a meat shield to them.”
(( Take position on the map where you want to be. ))
Hoid is positioned by a mast. Might move to the opposite side depending on which side is closer to the oncoming ship and if they are using baristas or the like.
Kragen, hearing the call to arms, grabs The Judge and his shield along with crossbow and bolt case. Moves quickly to the deck, seeing Capt Mallinora, Hoid and Starker at the ready. Moves next to the mast, opposite Hoid. Loading a crossbow bolt, stands at the ready.
Prepares to ask Tyr to provide his Blessing on this crew.
Gneuman takes position and asks Ajax to try to get a better look when the bad guys are close enough. "See if they have an umber hulk....or worse."
Ajax nods to Gneuman and disappears while flying up into the rigging.
(( Trolkarl and Chadwick to take positions. ))
Chadwick pops up from below, bow across his back trying to tie his hair back with his gauntlets under one arm and Glaive under the other.
"Aw man, I was just having a great dream about home too. Umber hulks you say. What are those?"
He peers out at the other ship. "By Tyr's flowing beard those critters are nasty looking!" He tries to measure the distance to figure out when they'll be in range of his bow. He hollars to Starker, "hey buddy, what's the range on those fireballs? Think you can blast them from here?"
Chadwick takes a position up front where he can help repel borders (unless we are the ones boarding). Does the side of the ship provide cover?
Once they get within 600 feet he'll start shooting at the neogi. If he can't hit them then looking for a fighter type.
Starker:”About a fifth part of the extreme effective distance of your bow. As soon as they are within my range I will attempt to soften them up with two rounds of fireballs. In case they enslave me before my spellcasting ability is depleted, someone should stand by to render me unconscious quickly as soon as their ship touches ours.
”Captain: which essential part of their ship is most vulerable to fire? Best if it is something that can hinder their motion.”
(Starker moves to the stairs to try to prarie dog it during the battle.)
Trolkarl begins moving toward Gnueman.
Hearing Starker’s comment, he stops,
what the… well it is a good point
Changes direction running to Starker.
Let’s protect each other and be ready for anything.
"Captain Mallinora, should we board or take up defensive positions? While I had some training in defending and attacking strongholds, ship to ship combat was not included in our curriculum."
He then tries unsuccessfully to figure out what a fifth of his range is, then figures he'll know it once things start exploding.
Starker finds half-cover behind the stairs to the stern castle. The aggressor ship glides through space closing in upon the Rogue's Respite silently. Andon continues to maneuver to escape but is unable to make more speed. The ship resembles the body of a spider with long mechanical arms leading from the bow of the ship. Mallinora puts her spyglass away and prepares for combat. She announces to the crew, "Stand fast and fight well! If they have an umber hulk, leave that for our me and our guests to handle. Avoid its gaze in close range or you will become disoriented. Pepper it from above with missile fire. They will surely have enslaved thralls with them as well. Those will be used as meat shields. The will likely attempt to grapple the ship with the arms on the front of their ship. A door will open from the rear of the ship to allow the boarding party to exit their ship. Their pilot sits on the top deck at the front of the ship, where the arms connect to the body of the ship. May Tymora smile upon us this day." Her crew responds with a resounding, "Huzzah!"
The Mind Spider is an enclosed hull. There are no exposed crew decks to be seen. "Save your magic for the boarders, Starker. That is how we win this fight," she yells. "Please don't burn my ship in your exuberance."
The enemy ship draws near and now is in extreme range for crossbow and bow fire.
Starker:”It’ll take me eight hours to swap out fireball for something less inflamatory. We may need to extinguish a few incidental fires after we extinguish our foes………huzzah.”
Chadwick will take a knee for more cover until a target is visible. Assuming they'll probably have arrow slits or the ship equivalent for taking shots at us.
-Update to post-
Can we see where they will be coming out from the rear of the ship, like a giant barn door or something? If so Chadwick will duck walk down that way so he's got a better view/shot (between shots of he has a target). If it seems like something an oil flask could be thrown through once open he'll ask for a crew member to bring up some flasks.