Dekket looks around and curses on his tongue as he draws his rapier and moves to attack one of the creatures, taking a few steps back after trying to stab it.
Initiative: 6
Movement : To E10 ( at the diagonal of the bottom left creature I have near. If that's not a bad guy then go to G10 and if not just move and use his BA to dash and hit the first creature he sees)
Attack: Attack: 11 Damage: 17
Rest of the movement ( if any remaining): taking 10 ft ( or 5 ft depending on remaining movement) away from the creature he attacked. ( They cannot take AoO if he has attacked them)
Vaken freezes in fear at the sight of the enemies."Where's my staff? I don't even have a weapon on me."He starts having flashbacks to the day his friend Gamul was killed by a tiger. Of how helpless he was. Just like now, watching his friends being attacked. "No, no! Not again!" Vaken could see everything clearly. He could recall everything about that day down to the smallest detail, the tiger, Gamul lying there dead. He remembered everything... everything. Wait, if he remembered everything... everything about that tiger...
Letting out a roar that starts off in Vaken's voice and ends in the tiger's, Vaken wildshapes into a tiger as he steps forward and pounces on the first monster he sees.
(OOC: Sorry DM, I'm not exactly sure who's what and were. I was going to say over one and down two but now I'm convinced that's a weapon not an enemy.)
Claw: Attack: 16 Damage: 10
Bite (if pounce lands): 21 Damage: 5
Tiger info if needed:
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)
Speed 40 ft.
Pounce. If the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the tiger can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
As the battle aboard the Shore Shark is joined in earnest, cries of fury and pain ring out through the night air, carrying over both the deck and the surrounding ocean waves in a tumultuous symphony of conflict. Amidst the swaing lantern light, those of your crewmates pressed hard by the hostile boarders defend themselves as best they can, while the majority of the others heed their own common sense and the calls of the First Mate to stay focused on the task of controlling your vessel... your lifeline. The initial onslaught begins to turn into a genuine fight as the surprise element of the savage attack begins to fade, giving way to anger and a grim determination to punish these raiders for daring to attack YOUR ship!
Her blue and white checkered bandana flapping in the wind and her hard eyes darting occassionally to the nearby attackers, it is clear from her shouted orders and maintained presence at the helm that First Mate E'strue is intent of providing a source of order and stability during the otherwise chaotic madness of the attack. However, as the Shark continues to cut through the rough seas, bouncing up and over, or sometimes just through, the white capped waves, something causes the First Mate's eyes to widen even as the veteran sailor begins spinning the wheel hard to starboard as she shouts out above the din of battle and the buffeting wind,
"Those not fightin', keep us under sail! FULL SAIL! These bastards will not 'ave us today... and I SWEAR that they'll regret ever layin' eyes on the Shark!"
[OOC] Any PC who has a passive perception of 14 or more may read the below spoiler. Other PCs may make a Perception check (as their action on their next turn if they wish to) and read the below spoiler on a result of 14 or more:
Your eyes follow the First Mate's stare out into the darkness of the night beyond the prow of your besieged ship... and then you see what caused the experienced officer's actions and orders. Still hundreds of feet away, but closing quick, you see the vague outline of a low, rocky island, bare of vegetation but with an abundance of sharp ridges and jagged crests. Within a small bay seeminly surrounded by shoals you also make out the outline of a sleek, two masted ship... though that outline suddenly takes on more detail and form as lanterns aboard the previously unseen vessel flare to life, even as both of the ship's sails are loosed from their ties to fall and be sent billowing by the gusting wind. In that brief moment, you also catch sight of scurrying forms aboard that still distant ship, just before your gaze is yanked back to the battle unfolding aboard your own vessel.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
As your assailant draws back his weapon in preparation for another stabing attack, you throw a bolt of fire towards his torso but are disheartened to note that the magical assault seems to cause little or no harm, sputtering out harmlessly against the still dripping, scale-like blue-black armour of the creature.
You step around the uninjured creature towards the mizzenmast, but are taken aback by your attackers sudden twist and lunge as it attempts to stab you once again, though a shouted warning from the nearby First Mate and your own quick reflexes cause the strike to go wide, missing you by some margin.
[OOC] Still RND2. Sorry, Hambergler, but I've got to take your first attack roll which is a miss. Moving to F7 means stepping beyond the melee range of your attacker, which also opens A'ro up to an AoO: Attack: 7 Damage: 8MISS
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Vaken freezes in fear at the sight of the enemies."Where's my staff? I don't even have a weapon on me."He starts having flashbacks to the day his friend Gamul was killed by a tiger. Of how helpless he was. Just like now, watching his friends being attacked. "No, no! Not again!" Vaken could see everything clearly. He could recall everything about that day down to the smallest detail, the tiger, Gamul lying there dead. He remembered everything... everything. Wait, if he remembered everything... everything about that tiger...
Letting out a roar that starts off in Vaken's voice and ends in the tiger's, Vaken wildshapes into a tiger as he steps forward and pounces on the first monster he sees.
(OOC: Sorry DM, I'm not exactly sure who's what and were. I was going to say over one and down two but now I'm convinced that's a weapon not an enemy.)
Claw: Attack: 16 Damage: 10
Bite (if pounce lands): 21 Damage: 5
Tiger info if needed:
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 37 (5d10 + 10)
Speed 40 ft.
Pounce. If the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the tiger can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Actions
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
As you transform and your now bestial *ROAR* echos across the deck, the target of your fury has just enough time to turn away from the cloaked tiefling woman that he was menacing to see the leap of his impending doom as one massive paw reaches out with razor sharp claws to shred the creature's armour and flesh. As your powerful blow lands, the green-skinned aquatic pirate stumbles before being bowled off his feet by the impact of the rest of your tiger form's weight. Flailing impotently beneath your muscled mass, the creature's eyes widen in terror as your massive maw descends to clamp down around his face, completely engulfing his head in the process. The only sign that the raider still lives is the weak kicking of his legs as he raises both hands to grab at your massive white and black striped head.
[OOC] RND2. Very nice backstory tie-in, Gambit! :) K6 strength save 4 to avoid being knocked prone and becoming subject to your bonus action bite. FAIL K6 is now prone and takes the additional 5 slashing damage in addition to the 10 piercing damage. Ouch!
Sorry, I know large scale battles like this can be confusing, especially since this is the first one of these ship battles we've done. You were at F15, but are now standing at E14 and are attacking the enemy standing at D14. I'll see if I can work out how to post larger maps, since I'm sure that would help (me as well as you guys). Happy to clarify individual PC, NPC or monster positions as needed prior to you guys posting your actions. I added the number/letter grid markers in an effort to help and am definitely keen to improve clarity in that area.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Kayhurriedly clambers down the rigging as fast as she can while trying not to draw any unnecessary attention. Near the deck, she swings around the rigging dropping down quietly behind the creature assailing the deckhand as she draws one of her shortswords.
bonus action : stealth action : dash movement : Kay to H10
Hurriedly descending the mainmast in near record time by leaping from spar-to-lanyard and sliding down lines and jacobs ladders with abandon, you still somehow manage to land nimbly and silently behind the target of your attention, even as the tall, broad shouldered pirate lifts his bloody trident to finish off your severely wounded elvish crewmate Aezil. The injured sailor weakly waves her own weapon in resistance, but her faltering stance and desperate stare make her dread all too apparent.
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D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Overhead you hear the uncertain and clearly alarmed voice of the halfling Fillian call out,
"Ahh, attackers, Mr. Navigator! All across the ship, Sir! What should I do?"
"Not to worry Fillian! You keep an eye on them from above and shout if they get behind anybody!"
Kestrell uses a bonus action to inspire Kay: "Hey Kay! Let them have it and make them run away!"
Then Kestrell will cast Phantasmal Force on the creature in front of him, and make make the illusion of an identical to Kestrell fencer 1 space below the creature, so it thinks we have it pinned against the side of the ship. The illusion will continue taunting the creature and feinting with his rapier.
OOC: This round the illusion deals 1 psychic damage to the creature. The creature can use it's action to examine the phantasm with a DC14 Investigation check to realize it is an illusion. If not, the creature treats the phantasm as if it were real.
OOC: 1d6 Bardic Inspiration to Kay to use by adding to an attack role, saving throw or skill check after the roll is made but before the outcome is known.
"Ahh, yes... yes, sir! I'll do that. I looked for signs of a boarding boat or more of them looking to climb aboard and can't see either, sir. There's a big one of these creatures down on the maindeck, sir. Bigger than the rest, I mean."
You hardly have the time to look up pressed as you are, but the somewhat steadier tone of Fillian's voice seems to indicate the calming effect your words and instructions had on the young sailor. You do catch a glimpse of Kay's form, almost hurtling down from the rigging above towards the maindeck below. The deadly sail monkey sends a barely preceptible nod in your direction as she passes out of sight. Summoning the strength of both your magic and your will, you reach out and seek to implant the desired images in the mind of your enemy. Clearly feeling the intrustion of your arcanely directed focus, the tall, kelp-haired raider shakes it's head furiously from side-to-side, even banging the haft of its trident against its head in a seeming attempt to clear its mind. His efforts seem to have been successful, as his angry green eyes rise to fix you with a hate-filled stare as he draws back his weapon for another strike at you.
[OOC] RND2. K3 intelligence save 6 to avoid becoming subject to Kestrell's phantasmal force. Success. K3 manages to resits the effects of Kestrell's spell. Very unlucky.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Ferris had been focused on providing aid to the foredeck but the call from the First mate drew him back. He looks briefly and sees that the majority of sail monkeys have been tied up in various battles. Foregoing his plans, he uses his enhanced jumping to go up and over the barrel lip and down on to the lines, manuevering deftly to comply with the call of full sail, jumping great distances to and fro to make up the time.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
A'ro lets out a breath of relief as he misses the attack, in an instant he pulls a twig from his pouch as he begins to mutter words in primordial launching a line of lighting at the being that swung at him as he cast Witch Bolt at the enemy.
OOC:
Witch Bolt at 2nd level: Attack: 10 Lightning Damage: 13
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kestrell growls in disgust when he sees his spell doesn't land. "Back to the basics!" he thinks to himself before he whispers "time to run" to the creature in order to cast Dissonant Whispers at K3.
Kestrell notices the tiger suddenly tearing into the creature and shouts "That's the way, show 'em you're a tiger! Show 'em what you can do!".
OOC:
K3 must make a DC 14 Wisdom Save or take 11 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction to move as far as its speed allows away (not onto obviously dangerous ground). 1/2 damage and no movement on a successful save.
Vaken gets a d6 Bardic Inspiration. Add it to an attack roll, ability check or saving throw in the next 10 minutes. Can be used after you make the roll but before you know the results.
You all feel the Shore Shark turn sharply as she lurches hard-to-starboard, the newly made caraval reacting quickly to the insistent and skillful control of the First Mate who remains at the helm as she shouts out,
"Keep those sails full above! Gunners ready the ballistae! The rest of ye kill these dogs and throw'em back into the sea that they crawled out of! And someone go wake the rest of the crew... I want all hands on deck, NOW!!!"
The now angled deck of the sharply turning ship causes a few attackers and crew below to almost stumble before they manage to right themselves, as Ferris, Freya and Fillian give the sails every bit of their attention and efforts above. Wrestling with one of the raiders on the poop deck not far from the First Mate, the dragonborn Druhut heaves with effort as he puts his considerable strength into shoving the pirate towards and over the aft rail, sending his opponent back into the sea with an audible *splash*.
Seeing her attacker go down beneath the weight of the suddenly appearing tiger, the wounded Herzhay calls out that she's going for munitions, before running past the massive cat and his prey to dissapear below deck yelling to alert the ship's off-duty complement of the attack. Clearly torn between following orders or attempting to defend himself from the towering pirate nearby who draws back his trident for another attack, Herzhay's blue-skinned companion bravely opts to prepare the ballista, cranking the winch and loosening the forward deck clamps allowing for angled fire. Tangled in the fearsome raider's net, your Ship's Mage futilely works to free himself from its hooked confines, but seems to only entangle himself further.
Slumping back and grabbing the rising portside rail to keep from falling prone, the badly injured sun elf Aezil waves her weapon in a weak effort to ward off the bloodied weapon of her attacker, while the dreadlocked Enzio desperately prepares the portside ballista for use, all the while shouting out for the rest of the ship's crew to wake up.
[OOC] RND2: I'll respond to Ferris and Dekket's actions, post the pirate's actions, then we're onto RND3. If you haven't already posted your RND3 actions, please do so.
The angle of the sharply turning Shore Shark will make all movement aboard subject to difficult terrain rules for the next two turns to anyone who doesn't have the sailor background.
Anyone with who has a passive perception of 14 or who uses their turn to make a perception check and beats DC14 may read the below spoiler:
As the Shore Shark heels over and begins her arcing starboard turn, you manage to cast a glance out towards the rocky island in the distance even as you continue to defend your vessel and crewmates. Despite the chaos going on around you, you see the sleek twin-masted ship (now at full sail) slicing through the shoal riddled waters of the tiny bay, preparing to emerge into the sea beyond. Clearly the ship was well ready to launch at a moment's notice, is being handled by crew knowledgable and experienced with navigating the trecherous waters of its home anchorage. The silhouettes of dozens of armed huminoid figures can just be discerned scampering about in the vessel's rigging and lining it's rails, their blood thirsty jeers and shouts barely audible over the wind and battle sounds aboard the Shark.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Ferris had been focused on providing aid to the foredeck but the call from the First mate drew him back. He looks briefly and sees that the majority of sail monkeys have been tied up in various battles. Foregoing his plans, he uses his enhanced jumping to go up and over the barrel lip and down on to the lines, manuevering deftly to comply with the call of full sail, jumping great distances to and fro to make up the time.
Heeding the words of the First Mate, Ferris furiously performs the work of two or more men as he works the masts topside, scaling the rigging, swinging from line-to-line and jumping prodigiously from lanyard-to-lanyard. The sharp eyed lookout still tries to keep an eye out on the distant ship and the battle raging below as he works tirelessly to keep the ship under full sail, while also shouting the occassional warning to his crewmates below regarding the Shark's extreme maneuver and movements.
[OOC] Due to Ferris' natural explorer feature, no one in the party takes any movement penalties for the difficult terrain mentioned in my last post. :)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Growling as his ally is pushed off the poop deck into the sea, the lone remaining pirate atop the aftcastle casts a hate-filled stare at the First Mate and helm, before he tries to skewer the flame throwing A'ro with his trident. More of the genasi's blood leaks onto the deck as the marauder's blow lands.
The pirate facing Kestrell, howls a wet-throated battle cry as it again seeks to draw the blood of the ship's Navigator, succeeding as the sharp points of its weapon stab painfully into the officer's side.
As the dwarf Argrin tries to square up to defend himself, the kelp-haired raider that he is facing continues trying to slay the Engineer, but the points of the raider's weapon are deflected by the dwarf's concealed chainshirt.
Sensing that a kill is at hand, the pirate that Kay just dropped down behind ruthlessly strikes at the injured gold elf with his weapon. Even as Kay rises behind it, the attacker finishes the weakend sailor with a final, merciless thurst.
The shreaded and prone enemy that was unexpectedly savaged by a tiger somehow manages to stumble to his feet and and weakly thrust the tines of his trident into the haunch of the menacing beast
The largest of the raiders standing near the portside rail looks with contempt at the tangled Ship's Mage as he takes a long stride forward, before visciously stabbing twice at the blue-skinned sailor working the portside ballista. While the first strike misses, the second stabs fatally into the young gunner's neck, killing him instantly.
[OOC] RND2:
Koalinth 2 attacks A'ro with his trident: Attack: 9 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT K3 vs Kestrell: Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT K4 vs Argrin: Attack: 13 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. MISS K5 vs Aezil: Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT K6 vs Mazin: Attack: 8 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT The Koalinth Sergeant attacks Darrow twice with his trident: First Attack: 19 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. MISS Second Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
Ouch! That's a killer batch of attack rolls, with a couple of crits to boot. Because the dice bot is not parsing damage rolls for some reason, damage rolled in order below: Vs A'ro: 5 Vs Kestrell: 9 Vs Aezil: 12 Vs Mazin: 4 Vs Darrow: 16
Virt is still restrained, K1 was pushed into the sea by Druhut and Herzhay has left the deck.
*A brutal round of attacks by your foes, with 3 PCs hit and 2 NPC crew slain. >_<
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
Dekket tris to repeat his tactic, trying to stab the enemy and move back to avoid retaliation.
( OOC: Attack: 6 Damage: 13 )
(Edit: Well that's tragic... he certanly need to practice some swordmanship... )
Stabbing the thin blade of your rapier towards the hulking, kelp-bearded pirate that just murdered your crewmate, you are dismayed when the surprisingly agile figure side-steps your attack. The large green-skinned marauder laughs grimly as he rips the tines of its weapon free from the throat of the dead sailor and turns towards you and the tangled Ships Mage.
[OOC] That finishes RND2. Starting RND3. Please post your actions now if you haven't done so already. If your previously posted actions are changed by interceding events, feel free to edit your previous posts before it reaches your turn in the initiative order.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
A'ro lets out a breath of relief as he misses the attack, in an instant he pulls a twig from his pouch as he begins to mutter words in primordial launching a line of lighting at the being that swung at him as he cast Witch Bolt at the enemy.
OOC:
Witch Bolt at 2nd level: Attack: 15 Lightning Damage: 11
Perhaps feeling a little over confident at having twice wounded you, your adversary steps forward and raises his weapon high... just as a blast of scintillating purple-white lightning arcs down to strike the adjacent pirate, staggering him a step and leaving trailers of steam rising from the now badly burned creature's body.
[OOC] RND3: HIT - Koalinth 2 takes 11 points of lightning damage.
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D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
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Dekket looks around and curses on his tongue as he draws his rapier and moves to attack one of the creatures, taking a few steps back after trying to stab it.
Initiative: 6
Movement : To E10 ( at the diagonal of the bottom left creature I have near. If that's not a bad guy then go to G10 and if not just move and use his BA to dash and hit the first creature he sees)
Attack: Attack: 11 Damage: 17
Rest of the movement ( if any remaining): taking 10 ft ( or 5 ft depending on remaining movement) away from the creature he attacked. ( They cannot take AoO if he has attacked them)
PbP Character: A few ;)
A'ro continues to move closer to the wheel, as he looks for any enemies in the area launching a Fire Bolt at any he may see.
OOC:
Move to F7
Cast Fire Bolt: Attack: 16 Fire Damage: 5
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
Vaken freezes in fear at the sight of the enemies. "Where's my staff? I don't even have a weapon on me." He starts having flashbacks to the day his friend Gamul was killed by a tiger. Of how helpless he was. Just like now, watching his friends being attacked. "No, no! Not again!" Vaken could see everything clearly. He could recall everything about that day down to the smallest detail, the tiger, Gamul lying there dead. He remembered everything... everything. Wait, if he remembered everything... everything about that tiger...
Letting out a roar that starts off in Vaken's voice and ends in the tiger's, Vaken wildshapes into a tiger as he steps forward and pounces on the first monster he sees.
(OOC: Sorry DM, I'm not exactly sure who's what and were. I was going to say over one and down two but now I'm convinced that's a weapon not an enemy.)
Claw: Attack: 16 Damage: 10
Bite (if pounce lands): 21 Damage: 5
Tiger info if needed:
Pounce. If the tiger moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the tiger can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage.
Campaigns:
DM - Waterdeep Dragon Heist PbP
As the battle aboard the Shore Shark is joined in earnest, cries of fury and pain ring out through the night air, carrying over both the deck and the surrounding ocean waves in a tumultuous symphony of conflict. Amidst the swaing lantern light, those of your crewmates pressed hard by the hostile boarders defend themselves as best they can, while the majority of the others heed their own common sense and the calls of the First Mate to stay focused on the task of controlling your vessel... your lifeline. The initial onslaught begins to turn into a genuine fight as the surprise element of the savage attack begins to fade, giving way to anger and a grim determination to punish these raiders for daring to attack YOUR ship!
Her blue and white checkered bandana flapping in the wind and her hard eyes darting occassionally to the nearby attackers, it is clear from her shouted orders and maintained presence at the helm that First Mate E'strue is intent of providing a source of order and stability during the otherwise chaotic madness of the attack. However, as the Shark continues to cut through the rough seas, bouncing up and over, or sometimes just through, the white capped waves, something causes the First Mate's eyes to widen even as the veteran sailor begins spinning the wheel hard to starboard as she shouts out above the din of battle and the buffeting wind,
"Those not fightin', keep us under sail! FULL SAIL! These bastards will not 'ave us today... and I SWEAR that they'll regret ever layin' eyes on the Shark!"
[OOC] Any PC who has a passive perception of 14 or more may read the below spoiler. Other PCs may make a Perception check (as their action on their next turn if they wish to) and read the below spoiler on a result of 14 or more:
Your eyes follow the First Mate's stare out into the darkness of the night beyond the prow of your besieged ship... and then you see what caused the experienced officer's actions and orders. Still hundreds of feet away, but closing quick, you see the vague outline of a low, rocky island, bare of vegetation but with an abundance of sharp ridges and jagged crests. Within a small bay seeminly surrounded by shoals you also make out the outline of a sleek, two masted ship... though that outline suddenly takes on more detail and form as lanterns aboard the previously unseen vessel flare to life, even as both of the ship's sails are loosed from their ties to fall and be sent billowing by the gusting wind. In that brief moment, you also catch sight of scurrying forms aboard that still distant ship, just before your gaze is yanked back to the battle unfolding aboard your own vessel.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
As your assailant draws back his weapon in preparation for another stabing attack, you throw a bolt of fire towards his torso but are disheartened to note that the magical assault seems to cause little or no harm, sputtering out harmlessly against the still dripping, scale-like blue-black armour of the creature.
You step around the uninjured creature towards the mizzenmast, but are taken aback by your attackers sudden twist and lunge as it attempts to stab you once again, though a shouted warning from the nearby First Mate and your own quick reflexes cause the strike to go wide, missing you by some margin.
[OOC] Still RND2. Sorry, Hambergler, but I've got to take your first attack roll which is a miss. Moving to F7 means stepping beyond the melee range of your attacker, which also opens A'ro up to an AoO: Attack: 7 Damage: 8 MISS
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
As you transform and your now bestial *ROAR* echos across the deck, the target of your fury has just enough time to turn away from the cloaked tiefling woman that he was menacing to see the leap of his impending doom as one massive paw reaches out with razor sharp claws to shred the creature's armour and flesh. As your powerful blow lands, the green-skinned aquatic pirate stumbles before being bowled off his feet by the impact of the rest of your tiger form's weight. Flailing impotently beneath your muscled mass, the creature's eyes widen in terror as your massive maw descends to clamp down around his face, completely engulfing his head in the process. The only sign that the raider still lives is the weak kicking of his legs as he raises both hands to grab at your massive white and black striped head.
[OOC] RND2. Very nice backstory tie-in, Gambit! :) K6 strength save 4 to avoid being knocked prone and becoming subject to your bonus action bite. FAIL K6 is now prone and takes the additional 5 slashing damage in addition to the 10 piercing damage. Ouch!
Sorry, I know large scale battles like this can be confusing, especially since this is the first one of these ship battles we've done. You were at F15, but are now standing at E14 and are attacking the enemy standing at D14. I'll see if I can work out how to post larger maps, since I'm sure that would help (me as well as you guys). Happy to clarify individual PC, NPC or monster positions as needed prior to you guys posting your actions. I added the number/letter grid markers in an effort to help and am definitely keen to improve clarity in that area.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
Hurriedly descending the mainmast in near record time by leaping from spar-to-lanyard and sliding down lines and jacobs ladders with abandon, you still somehow manage to land nimbly and silently behind the target of your attention, even as the tall, broad shouldered pirate lifts his bloody trident to finish off your severely wounded elvish crewmate Aezil. The injured sailor weakly waves her own weapon in resistance, but her faltering stance and desperate stare make her dread all too apparent.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
"Ahh, yes... yes, sir! I'll do that. I looked for signs of a boarding boat or more of them looking to climb aboard and can't see either, sir. There's a big one of these creatures down on the maindeck, sir. Bigger than the rest, I mean."
You hardly have the time to look up pressed as you are, but the somewhat steadier tone of Fillian's voice seems to indicate the calming effect your words and instructions had on the young sailor. You do catch a glimpse of Kay's form, almost hurtling down from the rigging above towards the maindeck below. The deadly sail monkey sends a barely preceptible nod in your direction as she passes out of sight. Summoning the strength of both your magic and your will, you reach out and seek to implant the desired images in the mind of your enemy. Clearly feeling the intrustion of your arcanely directed focus, the tall, kelp-haired raider shakes it's head furiously from side-to-side, even banging the haft of its trident against its head in a seeming attempt to clear its mind. His efforts seem to have been successful, as his angry green eyes rise to fix you with a hate-filled stare as he draws back his weapon for another strike at you.
[OOC] RND2. K3 intelligence save 6 to avoid becoming subject to Kestrell's phantasmal force. Success. K3 manages to resits the effects of Kestrell's spell. Very unlucky.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
Ferris had been focused on providing aid to the foredeck but the call from the First mate drew him back. He looks briefly and sees that the majority of sail monkeys have been tied up in various battles. Foregoing his plans, he uses his enhanced jumping to go up and over the barrel lip and down on to the lines, manuevering deftly to comply with the call of full sail, jumping great distances to and fro to make up the time.
A'ro lets out a breath of relief as he misses the attack, in an instant he pulls a twig from his pouch as he begins to mutter words in primordial launching a line of lighting at the being that swung at him as he cast Witch Bolt at the enemy.
OOC:
Witch Bolt at 2nd level: Attack: 10 Lightning Damage: 13
Campaigns:
Wildemount: The Felderwin Irregulars (2020) - Balassar Silverstone - Dragonborn Fighter (Rune Knight) Lv. 5 | Rise of TIamat - Aiwin Aralana - Wood Elf Fighter/Ranger (Arcane Archer/Gloom Stalker) Lv. 9
Dekket tris to repeat his tactic, trying to stab the enemy and move back to avoid retaliation.
( OOC: Attack: 6 Damage: 13 )
(Edit: Well that's tragic... he certanly need to practice some swordmanship... )
PbP Character: A few ;)
Kestrell growls in disgust when he sees his spell doesn't land. "Back to the basics!" he thinks to himself before he whispers "time to run" to the creature in order to cast Dissonant Whispers at K3.
Kestrell notices the tiger suddenly tearing into the creature and shouts "That's the way, show 'em you're a tiger! Show 'em what you can do!".
OOC:
K3 must make a DC 14 Wisdom Save or take 11 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction to move as far as its speed allows away (not onto obviously dangerous ground). 1/2 damage and no movement on a successful save.
Vaken gets a d6 Bardic Inspiration. Add it to an attack roll, ability check or saving throw in the next 10 minutes. Can be used after you make the roll but before you know the results.
Tiger Vaken bites down again on the creature and starts shaking his head from side to side trying to do as much damage as possible.
Attack (w/Adv since he's prone): 24 Damage: 11
Campaigns:
DM - Waterdeep Dragon Heist PbP
You all feel the Shore Shark turn sharply as she lurches hard-to-starboard, the newly made caraval reacting quickly to the insistent and skillful control of the First Mate who remains at the helm as she shouts out,
"Keep those sails full above! Gunners ready the ballistae! The rest of ye kill these dogs and throw'em back into the sea that they crawled out of! And someone go wake the rest of the crew... I want all hands on deck, NOW!!!"
The now angled deck of the sharply turning ship causes a few attackers and crew below to almost stumble before they manage to right themselves, as Ferris, Freya and Fillian give the sails every bit of their attention and efforts above. Wrestling with one of the raiders on the poop deck not far from the First Mate, the dragonborn Druhut heaves with effort as he puts his considerable strength into shoving the pirate towards and over the aft rail, sending his opponent back into the sea with an audible *splash*.
Seeing her attacker go down beneath the weight of the suddenly appearing tiger, the wounded Herzhay calls out that she's going for munitions, before running past the massive cat and his prey to dissapear below deck yelling to alert the ship's off-duty complement of the attack. Clearly torn between following orders or attempting to defend himself from the towering pirate nearby who draws back his trident for another attack, Herzhay's blue-skinned companion bravely opts to prepare the ballista, cranking the winch and loosening the forward deck clamps allowing for angled fire. Tangled in the fearsome raider's net, your Ship's Mage futilely works to free himself from its hooked confines, but seems to only entangle himself further.
Slumping back and grabbing the rising portside rail to keep from falling prone, the badly injured sun elf Aezil waves her weapon in a weak effort to ward off the bloodied weapon of her attacker, while the dreadlocked Enzio desperately prepares the portside ballista for use, all the while shouting out for the rest of the ship's crew to wake up.
[OOC] RND2: I'll respond to Ferris and Dekket's actions, post the pirate's actions, then we're onto RND3. If you haven't already posted your RND3 actions, please do so.
The angle of the sharply turning Shore Shark will make all movement aboard subject to difficult terrain rules for the next two turns to anyone who doesn't have the sailor background.
Anyone with who has a passive perception of 14 or who uses their turn to make a perception check and beats DC14 may read the below spoiler:
As the Shore Shark heels over and begins her arcing starboard turn, you manage to cast a glance out towards the rocky island in the distance even as you continue to defend your vessel and crewmates. Despite the chaos going on around you, you see the sleek twin-masted ship (now at full sail) slicing through the shoal riddled waters of the tiny bay, preparing to emerge into the sea beyond. Clearly the ship was well ready to launch at a moment's notice, is being handled by crew knowledgable and experienced with navigating the trecherous waters of its home anchorage. The silhouettes of dozens of armed huminoid figures can just be discerned scampering about in the vessel's rigging and lining it's rails, their blood thirsty jeers and shouts barely audible over the wind and battle sounds aboard the Shark.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
Heeding the words of the First Mate, Ferris furiously performs the work of two or more men as he works the masts topside, scaling the rigging, swinging from line-to-line and jumping prodigiously from lanyard-to-lanyard. The sharp eyed lookout still tries to keep an eye out on the distant ship and the battle raging below as he works tirelessly to keep the ship under full sail, while also shouting the occassional warning to his crewmates below regarding the Shark's extreme maneuver and movements.
[OOC] Due to Ferris' natural explorer feature, no one in the party takes any movement penalties for the difficult terrain mentioned in my last post. :)
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
From that brief glance with a passive Perception of 16, how far away do I think the other ship is? And is it chasing us?
Growling as his ally is pushed off the poop deck into the sea, the lone remaining pirate atop the aftcastle casts a hate-filled stare at the First Mate and helm, before he tries to skewer the flame throwing A'ro with his trident. More of the genasi's blood leaks onto the deck as the marauder's blow lands.
The pirate facing Kestrell, howls a wet-throated battle cry as it again seeks to draw the blood of the ship's Navigator, succeeding as the sharp points of its weapon stab painfully into the officer's side.
As the dwarf Argrin tries to square up to defend himself, the kelp-haired raider that he is facing continues trying to slay the Engineer, but the points of the raider's weapon are deflected by the dwarf's concealed chainshirt.
Sensing that a kill is at hand, the pirate that Kay just dropped down behind ruthlessly strikes at the injured gold elf with his weapon. Even as Kay rises behind it, the attacker finishes the weakend sailor with a final, merciless thurst.
The shreaded and prone enemy that was unexpectedly savaged by a tiger somehow manages to stumble to his feet and and weakly thrust the tines of his trident into the haunch of the menacing beast
The largest of the raiders standing near the portside rail looks with contempt at the tangled Ship's Mage as he takes a long stride forward, before visciously stabbing twice at the blue-skinned sailor working the portside ballista. While the first strike misses, the second stabs fatally into the young gunner's neck, killing him instantly.
[OOC] RND2:
Koalinth 2 attacks A'ro with his trident: Attack: 9 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
K3 vs Kestrell: Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
K4 vs Argrin: Attack: 13 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. MISS
K5 vs Aezil: Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
K6 vs Mazin: Attack: 8 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
The Koalinth Sergeant attacks Darrow twice with his trident: First Attack: 19 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. MISS
Second Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. HIT
Ouch! That's a killer batch of attack rolls, with a couple of crits to boot. Because the dice bot is not parsing damage rolls for some reason, damage rolled in order below:
Vs A'ro: 5
Vs Kestrell: 9
Vs Aezil: 12
Vs Mazin: 4
Vs Darrow: 16
Virt is still restrained, K1 was pushed into the sea by Druhut and Herzhay has left the deck.
*A brutal round of attacks by your foes, with 3 PCs hit and 2 NPC crew slain. >_<
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
Stabbing the thin blade of your rapier towards the hulking, kelp-bearded pirate that just murdered your crewmate, you are dismayed when the surprisingly agile figure side-steps your attack. The large green-skinned marauder laughs grimly as he rips the tines of its weapon free from the throat of the dead sailor and turns towards you and the tangled Ships Mage.
[OOC] That finishes RND2. Starting RND3. Please post your actions now if you haven't done so already. If your previously posted actions are changed by interceding events, feel free to edit your previous posts before it reaches your turn in the initiative order.
Initiative Order:
Koalinth: 7
Crew 2: 22
A'ro: 21
Kay: 18
Vaken: 19
Kestrell: 16
Crew 1: 15
Virt: 15
Ferris: 14
Dekket: 6
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea
Tiger Vaken the large green-skinned on from behind (left 3 blocks), attempting to pounce (DC 13 Strength) on him.
Claw: Attack: 18 Damage: 11
Bite (if pounce lands): 6 Damage: 7
Campaigns:
DM - Waterdeep Dragon Heist PbP
Perhaps feeling a little over confident at having twice wounded you, your adversary steps forward and raises his weapon high... just as a blast of scintillating purple-white lightning arcs down to strike the adjacent pirate, staggering him a step and leaving trailers of steam rising from the now badly burned creature's body.
[OOC] RND3: HIT - Koalinth 2 takes 11 points of lightning damage.
D&D is a game, but it's not just a game. It's the ultimate storyboard, a campfire to share with friends, an imaginary call to imaginary arms and a ship to sail to horizons yet undreamt of...
DM Trevails Upon the Trackless Sea