VIPs (Map Edition)- Marlowe the Magnificent, Iron Mike
These are your named, background'ed NPCs. The crew also contains as NPCs: x10 random Far Aeston soldiers, x10 roughly committed Lizardfolk, and x10 random mooks and sailors (among which Black-Toothed Bart, Twitchy Joe, and Dead-Armed Steve may be numbered). The odds of these NPC pools being exploited and used for fodder as the game progresses is roughly equal to the odds of random, unnamed plane survivors being eliminated from the TV show LOST as the plot demanded
“…We’re basically the most important part of the ship!” explains Victor.
“Ex-actly, that’s what I been saying this whole time…” follows up Gary.
“…Cleaning, Tarring the Deck, Watchkeeping, Cargo Management, Deliveries, *Message* Deliveries…”
“…place doesn’t work without us, period, plain en’ simple, right Victor?” says Gary.
“…Right, Gary. Y’know, up until recently, we did basically the same thing over in Far Aeston, but for the Governor’s Mansion…and, just like back home, a lot of people give us Deckhand-types shit, act like we’re less than…”Victor and Gary look around conspiratorially before saying the next bit. “…If people only knew it? Nothing happens aboard this ship, that we don’t get wind of first in one way or another, right Gary?” Gary nods solemnly.
Deckhand, please roll a 1d20-1 for “This Place Doesn't Operate Without You”. In addition, Urixes, roll me an additional Perception check, to occur immediately after today’s shift
As soon as the Whispered Curse was out to sea, Urixes gained a certain spring in his step. Not enough for him to crack a smile, but it was clear that this was where he wanted to be.
"Indeed," Urixes says, listening to Victor and Gary with his trademark grimace. "If a ship is a body, deckhands are the blood. I look forward to learning everything you two can teach me."
Geth, roll 1d20-1 for Deckhanding
Geth, roll 1d20 for Perception
"...gotta leave yourself a path out with the tarrings, man...how you plan to walk out of that corner there, without getting your boots through it?"
"You left it a bit splotchy, too, see? There...and over there. Gotta make sure you're laying it on thick, and even, like that."
"It's alright, you'll get the hang of it! Just takes practice. Not so easy though, what we do, eh?"
[Urixes gains a level of proficiency as a Deckhand] JACK
As Jack and Oak have their discussion, Jack's eyes glance out over the sea. Day Three. It's been clear, beautiful skies since the morning of your departure. You're out over mostly unbroken ocean, dotted with the occasion rock outcropping, or tiny beach. There's one right now, actually...a very small spot of land, giant big boulder in the middle, surrounded on nearly all sides by big juts of rock sticking out from underneath the waves. Huh... that's strange... there's a colorful pile of rags out there on the beach, hiding in the shade of the boulder. Wait, did the pile of rags just...roll over?
"Well, let's just say I've been on some pretty... boring... voya..." His voice trails off, eyes locked on the distant target. His sight might not be as good in this form, but it's still pretty good. Wait, it moved.
"Oak? Do you see that?" He points at the horizon, blindly feeling around for the nearby mast and pulling himself up higher, eyes never leaving the tiny dot, "Um. Man? Overboard?" Louder this time, "Man overboard! I think."
Hanging onto the mast from a few meters up he points at the target.
Pirates rush to the railings. Following Jack's pointed arm, they peer out over the ocean, some bust out spyglasses...cries of recognition ring out along the deck. Yeah, that's a person alright! The pirates loudly shout and wave arms at the figure, but it doesn't respond or move again.
Captain Arabella is one of the first leaning out over the Quarter Deck with her spyglass. She whistles as she observes the waterlogged pile of rags. She snaps her spyglass shut, begins to bark orders. "RIGGERS, READY A LONG BOAT!" She leans over the railing at Jack, "Hey Bullseye, time to pay back that arm you owe me. Get ready to load up, you're heading out there." She looks around the ship; locates Oak, Irah, Arno. She indicates them to Jack. "Bring the rest of the, uh...Wild Bunch with you...it might be some kind of a trap. VICTOR." Victor runs up and snaps to attention. "Victor, the new Deckhand, the Tiefling? Send him up. He's going with." She leans out over the railing, staring with trepidation at the distant spit of land.
[Riggers are raising a Long Boat to the side of the ship. Jack, Oak, Arno, Irah and Urixes (hereafter referred to as "The Wild Bunch" by Cap'n Ari, unless you guys come up with something she likes better) are headed over to the tiny island on a recovery mission. As you all load up and head over there (it's about, a football field and a half away from the ship, but The Curse can't get any closer due to shallow rocks sticking out all over this area), please give me an Initiative roll. Feel free to interact on the ride over: there's no immediate danger...at least, none until you guys make landing...]
Irah grumbles and resolves to a: for for a swim and b: roll in the dirt to restore her normal earthy odor. She also considers having Alkono poop on Urixes
[Alkono lands a few yards away from the body. It darts around, on edge and ready to take flight again at the first sign of trouble. The island is maybe just big enough for everyone on your boat to stand together...no larger. The island is surrounded on all sides except your approach by large, akward rocks jutting out of the water. The pile of colorful rags lies in the shadow of massive boulder. It's collapsed next to what might've been a campfire once, and there are piles of fish bones everywhere.
Irah channels her Mage Hand through Alkono, giving the body a poke in the ribs. The man suddenly jerks up, leans over. A veritable flood of sea water is expunged from his mouth, his nose- twice, three times. The man, eyes hazy, clothes ripped and salt soaked, makes a feeble attempt to look over at the bird before he collapses over his arms, out again already. His breathing is strained and unsteady]
Lucky Jack, Bullseye, he's just collecting nicknames left and right today... "Aye aye!" He salutes, careful to swing his good hand around to do so. He follows everyone else to the boat, hopping over the railing into it. He sits down, talking to no one in particular, "If this is a trap it's a very convoluted one..."
Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Initiative
He leeeeeans out of the boat to get a better look and takes a sureptitious sniff to see (well, smell) if anything is coming off the person. Why isn't anyone talking to them?
"Hey, buddy, you all right?"
Jack quickly leans away when the water pours out of the man, "Erm, I guess not..."
((OOC: Refreshing the forum all day long at work, now in time for dinner it all pops off...))
((just a heads up - Alkono is genderless. They/them/it. Magical 4 eyed osperycrow gives no shits about gender and will aggressively poop on you if you try and gender it!))
Oak follow's Jack's pointing just as the rest of the ship seems to do the same. Soon enough, they're all loaded into a longboat to go investigate to find a man collapsed. A single poke and he's spitting up water. "Poor fellow. Wonder how he got here. Puking up that water, makes me wonder if he started drinking the sea water, maybe he ran out of everything else."
so for clarity. We are all on the island. Bird did recon, mage hand touch body. But as yet nothing else happened. All waiting for initiative to start. If no combat incoming I'll do a medical check.
((OOC: My understanding was that there was barely room enough on the island for our whole party to stand sardine-style, so Jack's still in the boat. Chunkier people can act as island bait, he'll stay safely on a rickety boat where absolutely nothing can go wrong))
OOC: Go ahead with the med check! Just got home from errands, finishing up the kid's school right now, and then gonna post up your current situation and the battle map just as soon as I possibly can!
Edit- There's enough room for everyone to just barely stand comfortably on the "island". There is a similar amount of space (but slightly more cramped!) on board the Long Boat. It'll make more sense once I throw up the map!
Arno begins to administer CPR to the waterlogged pile of rags. After about thirty seconds, you get him to cough up a good amount of water again. He lies back weakly, his eyes only slightly open, and he is weaving in and out of consciousness. This man is barely alive: his clothes shredded almost beyond use, his skin sun-baked and cracking, his growing beard tangled with fish scales and kelp. Wait a minute..do you know this man?
Did your PC meet the Fancy Gentleman in Far Aeston?
Because this is him. Or, at least it used to be...the Fancy Gentleman you met in Far Aeston had a mustache, but was otherwise clean shaven. That beard is at least a couple weeks growth. And the expensive clothes he'd been wearing are nearly unrecognizable now, save for the brilliant colors. Also...how could he possibly have been driven this far out to sea? Something isn't adding up here...
As Arno brings the man back around, the others look warily around the island. Oak shuffles his feet, crunches on some fish bones with his boot. Stepping off them a little ways, he accidentally splashes into the water a bit...and his leg brushes up against something dead, and scaly...
*Ugggh!* It's not just fish bones all over this island... there's a fishman body just off the Beach! And then, as Oak notices one floating fish body just under the water, he notices another...and another...
From off in the distance, on board The Whispered Curse, a warning horn sounds out, a deep loud sustained sound that you know means trouble.
As Jack, Irah, and Urixes look around them, the waters just off Arnishian Rock begin to churn in every direction...the churning waters descend upon the island...
Grey- Difficult Terrain
Blue Line- Shallows
I- Irah
J- Jack
U- Urixes
O- Oak
A- Arno
G- Gentleman
1-9- Koh Tao
Initiative Order:
1. Irah, Urixes
2. Arno, Oak
3. Jack
4. Koh Tao (13 AC)
"Hey! I still have your hat. How did you get out here?"
Hearing the alarm, Arno pulls up his shield. Even he knows better than to let her guard down near Koh Tao.
You say I bring him around, would healing bring him to his feet? Or is this just exhaustion?
Thinking since we all got above the baddies, we can just post action, so we don't have to wait. If healing gets fancy on his feet, I'd do that. But if not, frostbite on #6 dc 13 con. 1d6 cold and disadvantage on attacks for the round if failed.
OOC: Arno's CPR just rendered the Gentleman conscious, after what was probably a near-death situation. *Theoretically*, a heal could get him to his feet and fighting again, but that wouldn't happen until next turn at the earliest (ie he would not become active until round 2). The choice is yours!
Some of the sickening palor fades from the Gentleman's face, but he's still very shaky. He nods in a sort of reactonary, unthinking way, as Arno very painstakingly helps him to his feet. He looks up at Arno now, seemingly for the first time.
"I... that's my hat." He smiles rather weakly at Arno, still not having taken in the totality of the situation. "You....*I* remember you!"
((OOC: I'm going to bed, so insert the action into my initiative slot!))
Lucky Jack spins around as the water begins to boil around them, "I refuse to take responsibility for this!" Of course, he is the one that spotted the island... He hurriedly scrambles atop the rock in the middle, grabs an arrow from his quiver (Edgar & Sons Outfitting & Supplies™) and holds it half-nocked.
"These are enemies, yeah? I should fire?" Odd look at Arno, "Wait, you know the random person we just happened to bump into in the middle of the ocean? Boy, you get around..." Eyes back on the approaching threat he takes aim at the closest Koh Tao (9), pulling back on the bow and wincing at the pain in his hand.
Geth, roll 1d20+6 for Longbow Shot
Geth, roll 1d8+3 for Longbow Damage
Irah moves one square to the north, lets out a scream of challenge, withdraws a javelin, and hurls it it straight at #2
As she does, Alkono dive bombs the fishman, distracting it
Geth roll 1d20+5 Jav
Geth roll 1d20+5 JavAdv
Geth roll 1d6+5
(Irah has RAGED, and alkono is using the help action, so she's not yet reckless attacking. Also i screwed up my +dmg, - that's 3 from my str, +2 from my rage damage, so it should have taken 11 damage. reminder i'm resistant to all physical damage while raaaagin')
[Koh Tao #2 and Koa Tao #9 suffer *sickening* body blows as they begin to surface above the waves. Blood flows openly in the waters now as they approach. Each is now at approximately 1/2 it's intial health]
"You see?" Urixes calls, "I told you something smelled fishy."
Urixes extends his hands, firing a blast of eldritch energy from one palm while raising his other to summon one of his trusty tentacles. Both aim straight for the nearest enemy...
OOC: Casting Eldritch Blast at #4, and summoning a tentacle with my bonus action in the square directly west of #4, which will also attack the same target. If the tentacle hits, #4's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of my next turn.
Geth, roll 1d20+5 for Eldritch Blast
Geth, roll 1d10+3 for Force Damage
Geth, roll 1d20+5 for Grasp of the Deep
Geth, roll 1d8 for Lightning Damage
Posts
Captain Arabella – Half-Elven, Female Warlord/Bard (“Geena Davis”)
First Mate- Conrad Burgess, Human Male Ranger (“Inigo Montoya”)
Second Mate- Ishmael, Goliath Barbarian Male (“Andre the Giant”)
Third, Fourth Mates- ?
Cabin Boy-?
Quartermaster- Valtari, Tiefling Female Rogue
Bo’sun- ? (Half-Orc Male Barbarian)
(Pilot),( Sea Artist), (Weatherworker)- ?
Gunners- Calvin Jenkins, Shin (Kitsune), ?
Carpenters- Oak, Jack, Aloysisus, Fiver (Lapine), ?
Strikers- Killian (Old Hunter), Irah, Arno, Ril (Aarakorra), ?
Riggers- Bluuurg (Grung), Rax, ?
Deckhands- Urixes, Gary and Victor ("Wedge and Biggs"), ?
Cooks- Michael, Calree Burrowes (Halfling Female Druid)
Bards- Bern, Eilbis (Eladrin Female Bard)
Surgeon- Hugo (Human Male Cleric)
VIPs- Governor Mitchum, [David, Jared, Aaron Edgar], Constance and “Pretty Kitty”
VIPs (Map Edition)- Marlowe the Magnificent, Iron Mike
URIXES
“…We’re basically the most important part of the ship!” explains Victor.
“Ex-actly, that’s what I been saying this whole time…” follows up Gary.
“…Cleaning, Tarring the Deck, Watchkeeping, Cargo Management, Deliveries, *Message* Deliveries…”
“…place doesn’t work without us, period, plain en’ simple, right Victor?” says Gary.
“…Right, Gary. Y’know, up until recently, we did basically the same thing over in Far Aeston, but for the Governor’s Mansion…and, just like back home, a lot of people give us Deckhand-types shit, act like we’re less than…”Victor and Gary look around conspiratorially before saying the next bit. “…If people only knew it? Nothing happens aboard this ship, that we don’t get wind of first in one way or another, right Gary?” Gary nods solemnly.
Deckhand, please roll a 1d20-1 for “This Place Doesn't Operate Without You”. In addition, Urixes, roll me an additional Perception check, to occur immediately after today’s shift
"Indeed," Urixes says, listening to Victor and Gary with his trademark grimace. "If a ship is a body, deckhands are the blood. I look forward to learning everything you two can teach me."
Geth, roll 1d20-1 for Deckhanding
Geth, roll 1d20 for Perception
"...gotta leave yourself a path out with the tarrings, man...how you plan to walk out of that corner there, without getting your boots through it?"
"You left it a bit splotchy, too, see? There...and over there. Gotta make sure you're laying it on thick, and even, like that."
"It's alright, you'll get the hang of it! Just takes practice. Not so easy though, what we do, eh?"
[Urixes gains a level of proficiency as a Deckhand]
JACK
As Jack and Oak have their discussion, Jack's eyes glance out over the sea. Day Three. It's been clear, beautiful skies since the morning of your departure. You're out over mostly unbroken ocean, dotted with the occasion rock outcropping, or tiny beach. There's one right now, actually...a very small spot of land, giant big boulder in the middle, surrounded on nearly all sides by big juts of rock sticking out from underneath the waves. Huh... that's strange... there's a colorful pile of rags out there on the beach, hiding in the shade of the boulder. Wait, did the pile of rags just...roll over?
[Jack, there's a person out there]
"Oak? Do you see that?" He points at the horizon, blindly feeling around for the nearby mast and pulling himself up higher, eyes never leaving the tiny dot, "Um. Man? Overboard?" Louder this time, "Man overboard! I think."
Hanging onto the mast from a few meters up he points at the target.
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Captain Arabella is one of the first leaning out over the Quarter Deck with her spyglass. She whistles as she observes the waterlogged pile of rags. She snaps her spyglass shut, begins to bark orders. "RIGGERS, READY A LONG BOAT!" She leans over the railing at Jack, "Hey Bullseye, time to pay back that arm you owe me. Get ready to load up, you're heading out there." She looks around the ship; locates Oak, Irah, Arno. She indicates them to Jack. "Bring the rest of the, uh...Wild Bunch with you...it might be some kind of a trap. VICTOR." Victor runs up and snaps to attention. "Victor, the new Deckhand, the Tiefling? Send him up. He's going with." She leans out over the railing, staring with trepidation at the distant spit of land.
[Riggers are raising a Long Boat to the side of the ship. Jack, Oak, Arno, Irah and Urixes (hereafter referred to as "The Wild Bunch" by Cap'n Ari, unless you guys come up with something she likes better) are headed over to the tiny island on a recovery mission. As you all load up and head over there (it's about, a football field and a half away from the ship, but The Curse can't get any closer due to shallow rocks sticking out all over this area), please give me an Initiative roll. Feel free to interact on the ride over: there's no immediate danger...at least, none until you guys make landing...]
Alkono takes flight and starts scouting, relaying info to Irah.
Geth roll 1d20+1 for Perception
Geth roll 1d20+1 for Perception adv
When they're close enough to the body, Irah can use mage hand to poke it from a safe distance, rather than rush in. she'll relay as much to everyone.
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"Good," he says to Irah, "Something smells even fishier than you. We need to be cautious."
Geth, roll 1d20+2 for Initiative
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[Alkono lands a few yards away from the body. It darts around, on edge and ready to take flight again at the first sign of trouble. The island is maybe just big enough for everyone on your boat to stand together...no larger. The island is surrounded on all sides except your approach by large, akward rocks jutting out of the water. The pile of colorful rags lies in the shadow of massive boulder. It's collapsed next to what might've been a campfire once, and there are piles of fish bones everywhere.
Irah channels her Mage Hand through Alkono, giving the body a poke in the ribs. The man suddenly jerks up, leans over. A veritable flood of sea water is expunged from his mouth, his nose- twice, three times. The man, eyes hazy, clothes ripped and salt soaked, makes a feeble attempt to look over at the bird before he collapses over his arms, out again already. His breathing is strained and unsteady]
Arno grabs a poll and some loose sail cloth.
"I heard the first one on new land with a flag gets to name it. This will be the first of the Arnishian islands."
Geth roll 1d20+2 for initiative.
Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Initiative
He leeeeeans out of the boat to get a better look and takes a sureptitious sniff to see (well, smell) if anything is coming off the person. Why isn't anyone talking to them?
"Hey, buddy, you all right?"
Jack quickly leans away when the water pours out of the man, "Erm, I guess not..."
((OOC: Refreshing the forum all day long at work, now in time for dinner it all pops off...))
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Which probably just means they hit Jack because jack's existence is suffering
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Oak follow's Jack's pointing just as the rest of the ship seems to do the same. Soon enough, they're all loaded into a longboat to go investigate to find a man collapsed. A single poke and he's spitting up water. "Poor fellow. Wonder how he got here. Puking up that water, makes me wonder if he started drinking the sea water, maybe he ran out of everything else."
Geth, roll 1d20+2 for Initiative
Edit- There's enough room for everyone to just barely stand comfortably on the "island". There is a similar amount of space (but slightly more cramped!) on board the Long Boat. It'll make more sense once I throw up the map!
Let's take a look here. Hey buddy, not looking so great. Doesn't seem like any fresh water, care for a drink? What happened?
Arno begins to administer CPR to the waterlogged pile of rags. After about thirty seconds, you get him to cough up a good amount of water again. He lies back weakly, his eyes only slightly open, and he is weaving in and out of consciousness. This man is barely alive: his clothes shredded almost beyond use, his skin sun-baked and cracking, his growing beard tangled with fish scales and kelp. Wait a minute..do you know this man?
As Arno brings the man back around, the others look warily around the island. Oak shuffles his feet, crunches on some fish bones with his boot. Stepping off them a little ways, he accidentally splashes into the water a bit...and his leg brushes up against something dead, and scaly...
*Ugggh!* It's not just fish bones all over this island... there's a fishman body just off the Beach! And then, as Oak notices one floating fish body just under the water, he notices another...and another...
From off in the distance, on board The Whispered Curse, a warning horn sounds out, a deep loud sustained sound that you know means trouble.
As Jack, Irah, and Urixes look around them, the waters just off Arnishian Rock begin to churn in every direction...the churning waters descend upon the island...
Grey- Difficult Terrain
Blue Line- Shallows
I- Irah
J- Jack
U- Urixes
O- Oak
A- Arno
G- Gentleman
1-9- Koh Tao
Initiative Order:
1. Irah, Urixes
2. Arno, Oak
3. Jack
4. Koh Tao (13 AC)
Hearing the alarm, Arno pulls up his shield. Even he knows better than to let her guard down near Koh Tao.
You say I bring him around, would healing bring him to his feet? Or is this just exhaustion?
Thinking since we all got above the baddies, we can just post action, so we don't have to wait. If healing gets fancy on his feet, I'd do that. But if not, frostbite on #6 dc 13 con. 1d6 cold and disadvantage on attacks for the round if failed.
Geth roll 1d8+3 for cure wounds
"I... that's my hat." He smiles rather weakly at Arno, still not having taken in the totality of the situation. "You....*I* remember you!"
Lucky Jack spins around as the water begins to boil around them, "I refuse to take responsibility for this!" Of course, he is the one that spotted the island... He hurriedly scrambles atop the rock in the middle, grabs an arrow from his quiver (Edgar & Sons Outfitting & Supplies™) and holds it half-nocked.
"These are enemies, yeah? I should fire?" Odd look at Arno, "Wait, you know the random person we just happened to bump into in the middle of the ocean? Boy, you get around..." Eyes back on the approaching threat he takes aim at the closest Koh Tao (9), pulling back on the bow and wincing at the pain in his hand.
Geth, roll 1d20+6 for Longbow Shot
Geth, roll 1d8+3 for Longbow Damage
As she does, Alkono dive bombs the fishman, distracting it
Geth roll 1d20+5 Jav
Geth roll 1d20+5 JavAdv
Geth roll 1d6+5
(Irah has RAGED, and alkono is using the help action, so she's not yet reckless attacking. Also i screwed up my +dmg, - that's 3 from my str, +2 from my rage damage, so it should have taken 11 damage. reminder i'm resistant to all physical damage while raaaagin')
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Urixes extends his hands, firing a blast of eldritch energy from one palm while raising his other to summon one of his trusty tentacles. Both aim straight for the nearest enemy...
OOC: Casting Eldritch Blast at #4, and summoning a tentacle with my bonus action in the square directly west of #4, which will also attack the same target. If the tentacle hits, #4's speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of my next turn.
Geth, roll 1d20+5 for Eldritch Blast
Geth, roll 1d10+3 for Force Damage
Geth, roll 1d20+5 for Grasp of the Deep
Geth, roll 1d8 for Lightning Damage