((When it’s her turn…)) Ash turns towards the boat, and, with another burst of incredible speed, makes a determined swim directly for the small boat...

If she makes it to the boat, she greets the dwarves and climbs aboard. Then she turns swiftly back, to level her crossbow at any monsters still chasing them.

Ben, the PPE chokes on the water when you insult it. (-4). When you grab on to Ess shoulders, he says "Yeah bro, no way he's beating me!"

Korrik, you jump into the water exactly as awesomely described and swim up under the closest PPE. The first staff attack misses, but the second doesn't. It's your hand that does the most damage though, actually cutting into the creatures lower abdomen a bit as it lets out its insides into the sea. Its limp corpse then slowly starts to sink. (-20, dead)

The humanoid spider swims 15 feet for its movement, away from its fallen floating comrade and then tries to shoot a web at Ash. I'm not going to make this at disadvantage because of the nature of the ranged weapon. In my mind it's very similar to a net, which does not suffer the disadvantage penalty for water.

24

The sticky web smacks into Ash.

Ash, you're restrained. You can make a STR check as an action to break the webbing. 

Ash is up!

Round 7: Half-orc, Ess, Bimz, Ben, Korrik, Humanoid Spiders, Ash

map is updated

((Don't recall if Kay had movement left, but he's staying below the water, tracking the other PPE above him as the first one slowly drifts past him.))

Ash turns to swim for the boat, but is suddenly hit by the webbing and restrained. “Urgk! Argh!… Grrrrr!”, she manages, as she attempts to break free…

Strength check: 18  

If that gets her free, she’ll swim at double-speed towards the boat…

((Kay's movement was maxed out but no prob about him being underwater, that's very cool!))

((Kay, consider yourself unseen for next round as both enemies are focusing forward on the boat and not behind them.))

Ash, you have no problems breaking free from the webbing and then proceed to swim the 60 feet towards the boat. 

Round 8: Dwarves, Half-orc, Ess, Bimz, Ben, Korrik, Humanoid Spiders, Ash

• Nothing new happens this round. 

The dwarves in the boat see Ash swimming towards them and the boat moves 15 ft towards Ash. Ash, the dwarves yell to you "ahoy there! Get in! We've got to get ye all back to the ship then the heck outta dodge!"

((Ash, you will not need any type of check to climb into the boat next turn as you have climbing speed.))

((The others will need to make an athletics check to climb in the rowboat, with advantage should the dwarves be in there to help you.))

The half orc dashes and is able to swim 40 ft towards the rowboat. He yells "YES KRELL MAKE IT! HELP KRELL!"

The dwarves see him by now and shout "ORC! ORC! 'TIS GONNA CAPSIZE US! COME ON LADS, SWIM! SWIM!" as they then call out to all of the party including Ash even though they said lads. 

The dwarves on the rowboat have no weapons. 

Ess, now with Ben holding onto his shoulders, starts to try and swim and drag Ben along using his swim speed. He's got advantage still on STR checks due to bulls, and this will be an athletics check as it's pure swimming. If he succeeds, he will be able to use his normal movement. If he fails, he will only get half and it will be like he does not have swim speed. (still pulling Ben either way)

Ess athletics: 6

XXXXXX

After seeing the web attack against Ash moments earlier, Bimz decides to get a safer distance away and decides to fly up 40 feet in the center of all of the action. He sends to Ben swim! swim! 

Ben is up, and then Korrik who is unseen if he remains underwater for an attack. 

Map is also updated. 

Round 8: Dwarves, Half-orc, Ess, Bimz, Ben, Korrik, Humanoid Spiders, Ash

Forgot Ess STR advantage, here's the other d20 19 

He crushes it. He swim-dashes and is able to pull Ben 60 ft.

Ben is up!

Round 8: Dwarves, Half-orc, Ess, Bimz, Ben, Korrik, Humanoid Spiders, Ash

Ben pats Ess on shoulder,

"Good! I'm going to swim the rest of the way and give everyone a hand up. And make a new friend."

Ben swims the rest of the way and lifts himself in.

Athletics: 18

((Not sure if Ben can make the boat without a dash? If he can he'll cast charm on the orc.))

To the dwarves,

"The half-orc can ride, we'll take responsibility for him. Our halfling will swim and most probably beat us back."

((Persuasion needed?))

Korrik peers back behind him at the ship and the tentacled creature grappling it, then kicks forward at the PPE.

Staff Attack: 18 Damage: 11
Staff Attack: 17 Damage: 7
Punch Attack: 22 Damage: 8

If he finishes it off, he'll use the rest of his movement to swim underwater towards the swimming orc fellow, ki-dashing if he didn't need his BA to attack.

((SORRY ALL! Our house is half done, halfway back to real life!))

((Ben, forget about that action to climb in the boat, because with Korrik killing the humanoid spider as you'll see below, combat will be over. The half orc will automatically be persuaded by Ben and the dwarves also agree with a roll of 20, so I think at this point combat will be over.))

This is how it plays out:

Ben, your muscles accentuate when you push yourself up into the rowboat with apparent ease. One of the dwarves says "BAH! FINE! We need to get out of here NOW!" and they both make room for you. 

Korrik, both of your staff attacks connect and you see the creature give way to death as it starts to float lifelessly in the water. (the BA was needed as it took the second attack to finish it). Eventually now out of combat you'd make it to the rowboat and the half-orc.

Actually before we get completely out of combat, Ash and Korrik please let me know if you are going to be onside with what Ben has presented here (the half-orc riding back with the dwarves to the boat, Korrik swimming, etc. 

The half orc is persuaded to come with the party in the boat from earlier, and the dwarves are ok with what Ben has said again based on his min 20 persuasion. 

Ess might say to Ben "Uhhh bro you sure bro???" but then he'd eventually get in the boat, or swim back to the ship since he also has the swimming speed. 

Ash can climb automatically into the boat, so there's no rolls required other than the half orc's check to get into the boat, with help. 18 and he barely makes it which makes sense given his current HP......

OK, let me know if Korrik and Ash are onside with all of this, then I will describe the next sequence of events. If not, let me know and what each of you will do. 

(if still in combat) -> Round 8: Dwarves, Half-orc, Ess, Bimz, Ben, Korrik, Ash  

((Ash is totally happy with all that. And happy to be out of the water and on their way back. How long is the row to the ship? Minutes or hours? She is concerned for Korrik, in the water, and will keep checking overboard for anything in the water. She will also whisper to Ben, looking away from the orc to hide her lips and the sound from them (and anyone else). “We should be cautious in case this one is, ‘in… fes… ted’!”. She gives him wide eyes to make sure he’s got that)). 

((It is minutes!))

((I don't believe Korrik has been told not to kill the half-orc, so he'd be catching up to him with lethal intent next....))

((Hmmm, I guess Bimz did send a no sign and fly over the half-orc... so Kay will swim under him and maybe just caress its leg with the end of his staff to put the fear of tentacles in him. Speaking of, what did Korrik see when he glanced back at the ship while underwater?))

Ben will smile disarmingly at the half orc,

"A pleasure to meet you and to offer a hand in your time of need."

He will send to Bimz to send to Ash, Kay and Ess,

<Wait, we'll ask him what he knows then decide.>

On the mention of being infested Ben will give the orc an inspection.

Medicine: 3

As soon as they all get aboard he'll cast charm on the half orc and ask,

"Wait, don't I know you?"

If needed he'll wave the captain off for the moment but they are probably pretty busy getting the fork outta there.

If things seem to be going well, Korrik will swim over and surface near Ess.

"You keep an eye topside, I'll keep an eye on things below the water, yeah bro?"

He'll submerge then, keeping an eye on the octopus behind as well as glancing around and ahead. If all seems to be good, he'll swim to the front of the boat and have them toss him a line to help give a tow.

((Ok I think I'm just going to jump back in from right where we left off - let me know if I missed anything!))

Prisoners returned + 9  /  04:00AM  /   The Soul of Winter

Korrik, as you caress the half orc with your staff underwater, he thinks that some creature is trying to bite his legs and he even more frantically flails around! You can see once you surface that he's trying to board the rowboat, and the others all seem ok with this so you assume Ben's arranged something already.

Korrik, when you glanced back at the ship from underwater, you now get your first look at what exactly is thrashing at the ship and attempting to take it down. It is indeed some type of giant octopus. It's tentacles are trashing the ships underbelly and also gripping it as it continues to try and sink the ship. 

This is kind of what you see, minus the sub of course.

Ben, the half orc responds "Yes yes help Krell!" and he looks quite relieved now that he is on the rowboat.

Ben, the charm magic takes hold!

The half orc grunts and says "Uhhhhhhh. YES! You member of Lolth tribe! I didn't know you on ship all this time! BAH! Matters not! Krell thought all was lost! Let's go!"

...and he would actually help row the boat, he's much stronger than either of the dwarves. They are reluctant at first but in the moment given what is gong on around them they eventually let the half orc help. 

Korrik, Ess responds "Yeah bro you know it my underwater home boy! Let's gooooo!" and he starts to front crawl like a boss towards the ship.

Korrik, you remain underwater and see the octopus continue to take down the ship. You also hook up a rope and help tow the rowboat although you notice it's going at a good speed with the half orc helping with the rowing. 

So the rowboat is about 250 feet from the Soul of Winter. Korrik and Ess will make it to the ship no problem along with the rowboat. As this happens you all notice that the giant octopus is quite engaged with the Wave Widow and you see now that it seems to only be focusing on bringing it down. It doesn't seem to be focusing on the Soul of Winter. 

As you all arrive at the Soul of Winter, you see dwarves frantically running around on the deck, yelling and swearing and throwing you down ropes. There will be no checks to climb up as there's so much help from the crew they are basically lifting you up. 

They look oddly at the half orc but help him nonetheless. 

If you look back at the Wave Widow, you see it now slam on its side as the octopus half emerges from the sea and really grips it now with all of its tentacles as it starts to bring it completely underwater!!!

So once you all get aboard the Soul of Winter it is very frantic. Ben, Bimz has landed now on your shoulder and is gripping you tightly. You get a ping from him feeling that he just wants to go home and is getting really stressed from all of this.

The ship starts to move away from the sinking Widow, and is headed home and the waters slowly but surely start to get calmer.

The dwarves realize that their ship is out of danger from the octopus as they set course back to Marshswamp.

You would be sent below to the same quarters that you were in on the way here, along with the half orc. The dwarves would NOT like this but again with Ben's min 20 persuasion they'll be ok with it.

Will you question the half orc now? You have the hour with the spell active. 

The half orc will be in your cabin the entire trip unless you arrange otherwise. 

The trip back will take 4 days.

During the trip back, you all level up to 6!

I will level up Ess's sidekick level as well ASAP.

Congrats everyone! That was awesome... sorry I had to have that pause there, I was really trying to get it in before my painting but hey, at least we're back!!

So yeah let's do the RP with the half-orc as he's charmed along with any other inter party RP during the trip home and then after that you can level up to 6 and then I'll kick off the return home post. There will be no encounters on the way back.

I assume you will be returning to Aubreck immediately upon return? Or, to the Snapping Line Inn? Or will it depend on the time?

THANK YOU - LET'S GO!

((I am guessing that Ben knows generally who Lolth is? If not religion: 6))

"Krell! My friend, I didn't recognize you in the all chaos. You understand, I'm sure."

Once they are onboard he'll say to Krell, as he strokes Bimz,

"Krell let me introduce you to my friends." He point to each as he names them, "Ess, Ash and Stumpy."

He gives Bimz a pat,

"And this is Bimz. They will take you down to the cabin, I will be right there. I need to have a word with the captain."

Once the half orc is gone he'll have a quick word with the captain or first-mate,

"Sir, well done there. Unfortunate with the whole giant sea-life eating the ship though. In any case, you surely saw the half-orc that accompanied us back? He is not our friend and I suspect he was in league in some way with the spider monsters infesting the Widow. I've convinced him we're his allies and he has said he is part of a 'Lolth' tribe, which makes his connection to the Spider Queen all but a certainty. Once we've interrogated him, I suspect he'll need some other...accommodation until he can be turned over to the proper authorities. If you understand my point?"

---

Down in the room,

"Krell! Tell me what you've been up to, how'd you end up on a destroyed ship in the middle of the ocean? It's a long trip back, so don't spare the details!"

He waves to the others,

"Don't worry, they can be trusted. We're all big fans of the Queen of Spiders here. Especially Stumpy."

He gives the other three an 'AREN'T WE' look.

((Okay with that religion roll I am going to assume Ben knows a good deal about Lolth...))

((Yeah, after seeing that, Korrik is acting with a bit more haste, he'd definitely be trying to tow or push the boat along faster.))

"Oi, that's right, I'm Stumpy. Used to be a human. Me and Ben here got hit with the same shrinking curse, but we got to pick how we got shrunk. I chose height, Ben chose length and girth."

Korrik otherwise plays the part of the chummy new acquaintance, but stays ready should the charm fail.

"Bring back memories?", he asks Ess and Ash.

As they're talking, he'll pull out the rings and rub some of the grime off them, internally debating before slipping one over each of his middle fingers.

Even Ben snorts at Kay's colorful comment.

"It was admittedly hard to find a pair of pants that would fit properly before, now they're just snug."

He gives Ash an apologetic look,

"In any case, what have you been up to lately Krell?"

Korrik grins at Ben.

Ash is very pleased get out of the other ship alive, and be safely aboard this one, and sitting in their chambers below deck.

She looks like a mummified- or skeletal-cat though, because all her fur is all slicked, wet, and stuck down against her skin.

She’s hung her leathers up to dry, and in just her shirt and under-things she’s wrapped a blanket around herself and is sitting, shivering and cold, looking miserable.

As she warms up though, she starts to chuckle at Ben and Korrik’s banter and tries to forget the horror of the other ship!