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[D&D 5E] Whispered Curse, Day 60- Offshore/Abbott of the Eternal

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Posts

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    As the last of the masked men falls, Arno and the wolf pack howl to the smoke filled skies. "Argh maties, don't you feel like right swashbuckler's now? By the gods this is living, daring rescues, impossible odds, and secrets to unmask. And to think I was going to spend the day getting a mud treatment."

    Watching as the crowds start to disperse, Arno begins to be intrigued by the possibility that the fires are a cover-up, not an accident.

    "Barnabas, you mentioned before that the Queen must have seen the brewing powder keg, and I'm sure she's secured and protected well. But look at how quick and far gone the East and West are. That's boxing in the Prince's dogs, the opposite of what they would want if they were trying to surround the Queen. So that means what they really want must be out there. I'm pumped and ready to douse this whole area with rain, I say we focus here and find out what they don't want us to see behind the smoke. I've been in 3 high stakes fights while fires swirled about in the past month alone, you can trust my instincts here. Though I'd like your input on if we should start East or West. What would be the prize the dogs might want about here?

    And crew, you'll be tasked with helping out anyone we find stuck in the fire swept areas, wolf pack guard the crew and use those sniffers of yours to find survivors."

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    The ragtag posse (which has grown in number; now ten strong men and women!) nods, grumbling appreciatively and taking readily to the Rak'ta's leadership. This group is restless, determined: proud, and riding high on the excitement of taking their City back, one bit of boardwalk at a time...

    Barnabas's mulls over Arno's question, his face registering searching puzzlement as he reaches into his snuff pouch. "Prize...what prize...East and West..." Sniffing the powder from out of his cupped thumb, the priest's face lights up with understanding, and he looks over at the Rak'ta in sudden shock. "The "Big Batteries"...they're after the city's cannon arrays!"

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack sticks his head back into the ship, "I'm going to see if I can help the folks across the street, maybe distract their attackers long enough to let them get away. Head off without me, I'll use a stone to come back!"

    With that he climbs back up and leaps to the next boat over- better safe than sorry, don't want to attract too much attention to Oaky McOakface.

    Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Helping!
    Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Not getting stabbed!
    Geth, roll 1d20+7 for Returning to the boat!

    Helping!:
    1d20+4 23 [1d20=19]
    Not getting stabbed!:
    1d20+4 15 [1d20=11]
    Returning to the boat!:
    1d20+7 20 [1d20=13]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    THE SS OAKY McOAKFACE
    Oak finds unsticking the wheel to be even less trouble than dragging up the Ship’s anchor had been. By simply picking up the entire apparatus (until it threatened to crack the boards below him), and forcing the wheel to the left, hand over hand, the rudder beneath suddenly frees itself with a loud, satisfying *POP*! The Barbarian growls with quiet pride to himself. Their departure was going smoothly, everything considered! Just a few moments more, and they would slide away from the boardwalk quietly; safely out of distance from the swarming crowds. Things finally seemed to be going the Shifter’s way…


    Jack, of course, had other plans. As OAKY departs from the walkway, the young man hops across the raggedy-jib boom, and slowly climbs up the nearby remnants of an abandoned Schooner. Making his way to the top of the main mast, Lucky Jack seeks out a familiar rope….there! Taking the mastline in his hand and seeking out the black-robes in the crowd below, Jack taps into his inner wolf, and lets out a long, loud *H-O-W-L*, before throwing himself down the rope and into the crowds below!

    The Shifter’s swan dive is breathtaking, nearly perfectly executed!…but, slightly misjudged, as he makes his landing atop a dueling Union Man and Prince’s Dog with a back-breaking, aggressive *THWACK*, knocking both combatants out cold on the ground!

    Jack goes to work quickly! *HOWLING* once more, Lucky Jack gains a bit of space from the pushing crowds, and uses it to drag both comatose fighters to safety. The berth has also given the trapped teenage lovers a chance to catch their breaths. Hastily beckoning them over, Jack hands the rope to the young maiden and gives her a boost up, followed by her beau. The two silently thank Jack on their climb past, as they pull themselves to safety aboard the abandoned Schooner. Before they’ve even reached the deck, Jack is already off into the crowd, seeking out the fallen guard from FIRE+WATER…

    The young lad is half-climbing, half-tunneling through the masses of people! The pandemonium is making it hard to think, and the blaze from the fire is starting to add to the almost overpowering heat and sweat in the air. More than once, the young Shifter finds himself accidentally caught on sword hilts, or half –trampled beneath steel-tipped boots as people swell and push past him. But his perseverance finally pays out, and as he drags the fallen guard to safety back across the road, the remaining men up above *FIRE* a few warning shots just above heads, and the crowd begins to clear for a moment around the smoking entrance…

    The fallen guard, with a few slaps, soon comes back to his senses. His eyes come back to life…and then for a moment, they stare at Jack in terror! “You…” he says, shaking. “…but…you…saved me?”

    From the horde of teeming, running pirates around, black robes with masks are pushing through, converging towards the fire and the front door of FIRE+WATER. The guards above are telling them to hold…telling them to back off…but the instigators, taking their weapons in hand, are making their way through the crowd anyway, towards the now crouched pair. One in particular is calling out to Jack through the noise, trying to get his attention: “Mr. Lucky…hello? Mr. Lucky?

    The beaten guard, pulling himself to his feet with the butt of his rifle and a concentrated effort, turns towards the encroaching assailants. Taking a deep breath, the man unshoulders the gun, raising it to bear down the leader of the Black Robes. He turns once back to Jack, and nods with gratitude. “…they would’ve had me, without you. I won’t forget that. Me and the boys’ll handle the fire and this rabble….*NOW GO!*” The man pushes Jack back into the crowds: away from the fires; away from the black masks; back to the “safety” of anonymity among the fleeing masses…

    Pushed and prodded by the crowds, and the black-robes in heavy pursuit, Jack fishes around the leather pouch for a Stone. Carefully snaking his arm up above the swarm of people along with his neck, Jack finds SS OAKY MCOAKFACE, departing unharried into the distance. Cocking his arm back, the Shifter stares at the mast, *HURLS* the Stone as he hard as he can…and mere seconds later, finds himself skipping and falling, face first, across the deck, finally landing with a dull *THUD* at Oak’s feet. Ta-da!


    CENTRAL CHAFF
    Arno’s posse ready themselves to hold the Old Towne Road from here. Four of the wolves take to Barnabas’s side, while the remaining three come to heel next to Rak’ta*Arno.

    Down the alleys: Smoke. Fires. The Drumbeat of steady, ceaseless running from across the City reverberating across abandoned planks. Distant screams, cutting through unnaturally empty walkways. To the East, a large scurry of shadows, hissing and catcalling. To the West, looming figures, the streets quaking, but otherwise silence.

    Barnabas loads his gun, and turns with fierce determination. “Well then…best not to waste time. Pick yer’ poison, child, and let’s be on with this!”

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    "Quite the heroic entrance," Urixes smirks, helping Jack to his feet. "Think you can steer us to someplace that isn't on fire? Maybe swing around towards the Curse, make sure she's still in one piece?"

    He turns away, activating the stone again. "Arno, you still alive? What's going on over there?"

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Face-down on the rotting planks, Jack gives a thumbs-up. He's okay! Getting pulled to his feet he straightens out his attire (did the fancy new get-up get damaged? Oh no, is that a tear! WOE IS JACK!), then looks at Urixes with stars in his eyes.

    "I... I get to steer the boat?" Eeeee! The Captain never let him steer the Curse, no matter how much he asked (and begged, and offered treats, and pretended to be other people for)!

    "Aye aye!" Towards the Curse it is! This day is turning out better by the minute, why, at this pace he might end up with his own fleet by the time the sun sets.

    "Ensign Fusspot, please assume lookout!"

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    "Poison is a very good choice of words. Ok, I'll go West, you go East. Anything goes too badly, regroup here. Sorry I won't be able to do much about the flames on your side, but considering the amount of smoke it would cause, it might be for the best. Well, time to leave the frying pan!"

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    WEST MURDERER’S ROW
    With a final wave to Barnabas, Arno and their three dogs descend to the West; towards the quiet, looming figures in the smoke and fire filled alleys…


    SS OAK
    The SS OAK, all hands aboard, pulls away from the end of Cutthroat’s Alley. By the time the black-robes make their way to the edge of the boardwalks, looking for Mr. Lucky, its far too late. The rusty tub departs quietly, unhindered, to the south…

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack is having the time of his life, even though the ship is not that grand and the speeds are certainly nothing to brag about, "Hey, you think we can squeeze between those two? I bet I can make it work."

    Geth, roll 1d20+7 for Not Crashing
    Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Riding The Line

    Not Crashing:
    1d20+7 23 [1d20=16]
    Riding The Line:
    1d20+4 16 [1d20=12]

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    "Easy boys, it's all going to be ok. Good boys, stay close. What'cha see?"

    Geth roll 1d20+7 for perception to see through the smoke
    Geth roll 1d20+4 for the goodest boys

    perception to see through the smoke:
    1d20+7 16 [1d20=9]
    the goodest boys:
    1d20+4 18 [1d20=14]

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak keeps his eyes peeled around the ship, any movement attracting his attention. Things were dicey, and they needed to expect the worst.

    Geth, roll 2d20k1+3 for Perception
    Geth, roll 1d20+3 for Survival

    Perception:
    2d20k1+3 23 [2d20k1=[20], 16]
    Survival:
    1d20+3 19 [1d20=16]

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes gets to work below decks, freezing the leaks closed for now until he can get a better look at things. Whether that look would be through his eyes or something else was still uncertain...

    (( Using Shape Water to freeze enough water to plug the leaks temporarily. Meanwhile, let's see if any sealife is willing to cooperate. ))

    Geth, roll 1d20 for Animal Handling
    Geth, roll 1d20 for Insight

    Animal Handling:
    1d20 16 [1d20=16]
    Insight:
    1d20 14 [1d20=14]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    WEST MURDERER’S ROW
    Arno moves quietly through the fire and ruins of the alley, keeping wary eyes out for moving figures as the Wolves surround them defensively and the smoke fills the air.

    This area clearly must’ve been one of the first hit. The destruction is thorough. Everything is broken, twisted, or burning. The plan must’ve been to hit the west and east ends hard enough to drive the crowds away at the same time, box them in (that would explain the swell of people crushing each other down Old Towne Road earlier).

    As Arno passes beneath an overhead jib boom, they can make out figures around the corner just up ahead. A giant is among an array of cannons, ripping at the weapon’s housing under the direction of a nearby, fancy looking gentlemen. Their craft, a subtle, covered vessel, bobs in the waters nearby.

    …the pair haven’t noticed the newcomers yet, deep and rushed as they are with their destruction. But, just before Arno can decide how to approach, a part of the jib boom overhead comes loose and separate; falls! The Changeling doesn’t notice what’s happening until the very last moment, but one of the wolves, sensing the danger before he can even see it, jumps up and shoves Arno out of the way, just as the Giant arrives crashing down from overhead!…

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    SS OAK

    OAK
    Oak keeps a keen watch over both the city and the deck of his new Ship, eyes darting from Chaff to the railings, hair standing on end as the fires rise and shouts of terror and wickedness ring out through the smoky afternoon skies.

    - The guards at FIRE+WATER seem to have taken back the street at the corner of Cutthroat Alley (or, just as likely, the Black Robes fell back), but they now have a new problem on their hands: fire is spreading through the block, consuming the cheaply built housing and licking at the base of TIck Tock Tower. It’s a good thing you all left when you did…

    - As you float south, you make out a handful of Ogres among where the fire is heaviest, tearing out artillery components from a Cannon Array at the direction of a group of fancily dressed looking pirates. Some of the Black Robes run through the (mostly abandoned) area. The two groups briefly stop; salute one another. And then the Black Robes depart to the South, threatening violence at the top of their lungs as they reenter the crowds, waving scimitars and whips overhead.

    - Oak hears something, a dim roar, coming from somewhere within the city. A beating of wings, accompanied by a faint screaming noise, and always followed by the sound of mass panic from the citizens of the city. Something is up there, flying about Chaff, terrorizing the masses…

    - It’s mostly clear aboard the SS OAK herself. It seems you all managed to pull up anchor and flee before most had even realized what was going on (ships and skiffs are pulling away from the place just now, taking off in every direction from the once-safe haven). But wait…upon closer inspection, Oak finds they have a few “hitchhikers” who somehow managed to drop a line upon your main deck and deftly snag the railing. Upon one line, Oak finds a tether, connecting a skiff which glides along behind your own, its crew pressed to the planks of their craft and attempting to remain silent and unnoticed. Upon the other line, he finds a rope attached to a hook, and at its base (just above the water, floating along behind you) is a small, gruff looking child; the same one you saw overshoot the crowd earlier and land in the water. The tiny creature is shivering, and possibly looks injured.

    URIXES
    Urixes closes his eyes, and lets his mind sink down, down into the waters: feeling around for signs of life, any eyes that can see from underneath what surface dwellers cannot.

    - An Octopus hides along the ocean floor, covering itself in sand and rock, trying to stay as hidden as possible. Above and around, the sea has gone mad. People from the city are frantically taking up anchors, or falling into the waters, or fighting and dripping blood into the waters. The Tritons and Merfolk have retreated to the safety of their underwater enclaves, hidden within the rocks and seaweed. The Expanse here is clearing out: predators are coming.

    - An Eel, braver than most, darts around the outside of a rock outcropping, trying to get a look at what’s going on. The creature makes out a ship going by overhead: a rusty bucket, with several large, gaping holes beneath the underside (Urixes now knows the parts of the Ship which need patched: with this knowledge, he can concentrate the ice walls in *just* the right areas and keep this tub afloat just a bit longer) It also sees a tiny human, kicking their legs beneath the Ship, trailing blood into the water. At the sight of the blood, the Eel darts back into the rock, finding a good place to hide

    - A minnow, foolish and fleeing, swims before the SS OAK, frantically trying to find a place to escape from the impending predators and the maelstrom within the waters. Floating ahead towards the Ark, the little fish takes account of the ship’s bulbous bow; keeps an eye out for nearby dangers. The minnow finds it can make its way around the Ship by keeping close…but oh! No! Not too close: right there, embedded into the side of the boat like a lump of barnacles: a swelling mass of Grey Ooze, festering like a boil upon the boat, just waiting to scrape off onto another appealing that might float by.

    JACK
    Jack is killing this! He’s starting to get mad that he’s never got to take the Ship’s Wheel before now. This is how the pros do it!
    Back in town, the citizens of the city are just now getting to and unhitching their boats, and Jack is already picking up knots of speed, is forty feet out from the boardwalk, and breezing by the watercrafts hitched together nearby! Upon his shoulder, Mister Fusspot *trills* with pleasure, filling the air with a discordant mix of beautiful birdsong and mad screams from the riot nearby.

    At this rate, the Wild Bunch will be to the Ark and around the city in no time at all! It’s strange through…even though they’re now coasting along at a pretty steady pace, Jack feels a bit of a pull on the Wheel, like something wasn’t quite right with the steering on this ship still. Or, possibly, you caught yourself on something heavy, and it’s dragging you off course and slowing your exit…

    As Jack puts twos and two together, the craft suddenly lurches for a moment and spins to port, as Jack accidentally *kisses* off the side of someone’s vessel! He can hear a cry of pain and surprise from inside the main cabin, and a pirate (who had clearly been napping until just now), emerges, rubbing his bruised forehead. His back to the currently enflamed city, the napping man turns to the SS OAK and shakes his fist, cursing the pilot’s incompetence! “Ya’ sounsuvbitches!” the man yells out, somehow still unaware of the state of the city behind him.

    Before you all, the large frame of the Ark swings into view. From the city suddenly comes the sound of a bloodcurdling, otherworldly shriek, followed by screams of horror. Besides everything else tonight, there’s some terror in the skies, that seems to be helping to egg the riot on…

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    Urixes dashes up to the deck, looking for the rope with a small humanoid attached. "Got a straggler," he calls to Oak, "I'm pulling them up. Blood's in the water and predators are on the way. The sea is scared."

    As he pulls at the rope, he calls out to Jack as well. "Watch out for the Ark. Grey ooze on the hull. If that stuff gets on us this will be a very short trip."

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    The swing of the Ogre's club slams into the wolf, causing it to burst into ether. "Barkley no! Pupper, Woofer, make him pay. "

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack gasps at the man's yell- how did he know?? He's wearing the hat and everything! He quickly readjusts the wheel to compensate for the sudden drag, "The Ark you say? Gotcha, taking a wide berth, but something back there is yanking us around, something bigger than a child..."

    He feels the griffon cower against his neck as the shriek issues from behind them, "Whoah, the heck is that? Is that a dragon? I knew we shouldn't have given up on training our own!"

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    edited November 2021
    Oak notices the two lines, and in the same moment, Urixes moves towards one of them. He glances quickly over the side, seeing the lone straggler Urixes was talking about, and moves to the other line.

    He tugs at it, getting the attention of the attached skiff, then yells out. "Ya have three seconds to make your case," He raises his axe up and set the blade next to the line, " else I cut ya free."

    AustinP0027 on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    edited November 2021
    Jack's attention is divided between steering the ship and the sound above them. What is that? Then more bestial sounds still from the docks around them, "Boy, it's getting real rowdy out there..." And here he was worried about being bored.

    Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Wisdom Check
    Geth, roll 1d20+4 for Survival Check

    [edit] I don't think Jack is allowed to make any dragon-related rolls ever.

    Wisdom Check:
    1d20+1 4 [1d20=3]
    Survival Check:
    1d20+4 20 [1d20=16]

    Glal on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    It’s…disconcerting. This whole riot, carnage, social-breakdown: has somehow felt very familiar to Jack. He hasn’t been able to put his nose on it quite until just now, but with the growing calls in the distance (Cat/Bird/Wolf/Elephant/Dog/Weasel/Shark/Octopus/a Dozen others that sound vaguely familiar, but off-putting and strange)…the clash between “Wild-Kind” and “Dogs” in the city…the cacophonous noises in his ears finally ring into immediate, bestial memory…

    It’s all just a pissing contest! This whole farce of a riot! They’re trying to “mark” with violence/weaken/claim Chaff between themselves, after they bring it to its knees…Prince’s Dogs, Shifter-Kind, Outsiders and Infiltrators alike! Whoever lasts longest or pisses the loudest wins, and (it seems), with whatever machinations they’ve built before you got here, the “Dogs” are currently the frontrunners! They’re looking to “own” Chaff…and everything that comes with it, out here on these cursed waters with only their flying Prince to rule…

    Jack grunts to himself, with a simple, satisfied understanding of primitive nature. Humans are only large, talky animals , after all, when you break it down!

    Overhead somewhere, the flying terror within the crowds roars from once more! Without a single other thought, Jack knows intrinsically and immediately: that’s their bird! Bring it down, and we bring down the whole operation!

    He has never been more convinced of anything in his entire life. The screaming thing is their herald, and must die if Chaff is to live

  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    "Ah hells," Urixes curses as he lays the half-elf down on the deck. "Every time we think we're out, they pull us back in."

    Leaving the larger burden to Oak, Urixes concerns himself with wounds and blood.

    Geth, roll 1d20 for Medicine Check
    Geth, roll 1d20 for Animal Handling Check

    Medicine Check:
    1d20 17 [1d20=17]
    Animal Handling Check:
    1d20 1 [1d20=1]

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    The Ogre falls to the ground, unable to stand against the savage fury of the wolves attacks. Knowing their options are limited due to the need to keep the other wolves upon this plane, Arno hops over the fallen Ogre and jumps into the water. I'm not one for brawling, but if I can get their boat away from them, I might just strand them on a burning wreck. A bit of distance to wear them down is a good thing too. Wish Oak and Jack were here, they're a lot better in a melee.

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack hmmmmms, "Hey guys, I think if we take down that screamer in the sky this will all calm down. Someone wanna take the wheel while I see if my arrows can reach it?"

    He looks Urixes' way, adding with some reluctance, "Unless you've some magic to take it out with?"

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Geth, roll 1d20+3 for Insight
    Geth, roll 2d20k1+1 for CHA

    Insight:
    1d20+3 10 [1d20=7]
    CHA:
    2d20k1+1 7 [2d20k1=[6], 1]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    WEST MURDERER’S ROW
    From beneath the pack of wolves, the prone Ogre slowly, wrenchingly finds his way back to his feet. *ROARING* with rage, the giant lifts his Greatclub high overhead…and attempts to bring it down hard upon the skull of Pupper!
    Geth roll 1d20+6 Greatclub (Pupper)

    Geth roll 2d8+4 bludgeoning
    The Shifter upon the cannon battery catches sight of Arno as they *SPLASH* into the waters below. Growling with frustration, the canine looking Wild-Kind retrieves a pair of roughly-engineered flintlock pistols from within both of his sleeves. He turns back briefly to the Ogre currently tugging at the base of cannons. “Hurry it up!” the man hisses with insistence. “We got movement! Were supposed to be well out of here before any trouble showed up!” The Ogre doesn’t respond with words, but from where its crouched, makes a loud, awful straining noise from deep within its throat, and one of the cannons is torn from the array! The Ogre *BELLOWS* triumphantly!

    Stepping to the edge of the platform, the dashing shifter points his guns into the water, and attempts to draw a bead on the quickly moving shape below…
    OOC: Disadvantage on both shots (shooting into the water/ shooting a quickly swimming target/ murky and churning ocean etc. etc.)

    Geth roll 2d20+4 Flintlock (Arno)

    Geth 1d6+2 piercing

    Geth roll 2d20+4 Flintlock (Arno)

    Geth 1d6+2 piercing


    SS OAK

    URIXES
    Urixes quickly gets the wee thing stabilized: bandages up her cuts, elevates her leg, even managed to find a clean-ish pile of rags tucked below to use as an emergency blanket. The color finally returns to her cheeks, and her eyes open to peer up strangely at Urixes. The girl seems feverish; talkative, but as though from in a dream…

    “Oh…it’s you!” the injured orphan says with a shocked recognition. “I didn’t expect to see you out here for the party!”

    Reaching for Urixes hand, the girl beseechs the Warlock, “Listen, I have to apologize…I think we made a big mistake! The Changer with the stern face came and told us she was gonna play a prank on all the adults…wanted to rent out the very top of Tick Tock Tower for the best lookout. Said it was gonna be a hoot.”

    The little lady coughs. Urixes feels her feverish head, and goes to pull the blanket up over her shoulders. She unconsciously shivers. “Please…” she begs. “I know you told us to stay good…but it was just an awful lot of money…we’d be able to eat for a trillion years!” She bites her lip sadly. “We didn’t mean to burn the whole city down, or accidentally haunt it with a creepy bird…”

    The orphan girl closes her eyes, and her talk becomes more and more babble…something rambling and semi-incoherent about how she’d go and punch that Changer herself if she’d only known, but that it’s too late now. Even if you got through the fires and the rabble, you’d have to climb to the top of Tick Tock Tower…

    Before she falls asleep once more, the girl opens her eyes and finds Urixes’s face again. For the moment cognizant, she fiercely declares, “I knew it weren’t you going around doing all those bad things! Not after all you’d done for us!” Then she’s out like a light.

    Urixes takes a deep breath, attempts to refocus himself. Back to the situation at he, he uses his ocean-sense to feel about in the waters, and once again tries to get a feeling of things from the deep…

    9evq9sr1y7z5.png

    Hunter Sharks are beginning to fill the ocean below, descending on the city from every direction. The animals seek out stragglers knocked over the railings…boats low to the water for easy prey…signs of weakness from fleeing Ships, or the scent of blood…

    The SS Oak will be surrounded by them, and soon.

    OAK
    In just a scant few seconds after Oak tugs on the rope, several things seem to happen all at once.

    The great tarp covering most of the back of the small craft pops off, and flies away into the wind, and the occupants of the longboat are revealed!

    rufzg3fbxgee.png

    Eight Hadozee stand aboard the small craft, and have formed a cross formation which stands bears Crossbows and Long Guns beared (put not pointed), glaring daggers up at the held line. The leader in front, his own weapon currently still holstered, bares his teeth up at Oak, steps forward and yells out harsh commands:

    “We do nothing to you, Hairy Fella, but try to catch a ride out of the ruckus! We got wise and stashed away in here, but no oars…then we need to get out of the fire quick.” The Monkey Man looks back towards the blazing city, grunting with dissatisfaction. “You cut us free, you leaving us to die out here. We fuck you good for it! But you let us up? We watch your back; help you get out of the city, too. My men good shots. Very good.” Oak isn’t sure that that last bit didn’t have the edge of a threat to it…or how many of those weapons are currently loaded...

    JACK
    Jack is distracted from, literally, all sides. The cacophonous screeching overhead…Urixes (rather skillfully!) patching up an orphan straggler…the ocean starting to fill with a (rather alarming!) number of shark fins…. while the city burns behind you, and Oak is having an argument with the “thing” you’d been stuck on, which looks to be…a skiff full of Monkey Men, demanding admission to your boat?

    It’s enough to make it hard to steer properly, but Lucky Jack manages…as the commotion is ensuing, Jack is artfully guiding the SS Oak around edge of the Ark of the Exotic…past a bunch of ratty looking boats which likely make up the “neighborhood” of Rat Shit Tavern…down past the Kelp Carts you’d met at earlier, and now preparing to turn around Drummer Street and glide towards Hook’s End (and the Whispered Curse…)

    As Jack finally begins to tug the Wheel towards Starboard and sail around the southern edge of the city, he tries to get a firm sense of the surrounding area…

    Greatclub (Pupper):
    1d20+6 15 [1d20=9]
    bludgeoning:
    2d8+4 12 [2d8=4, 4]
    Flintlock (Arno):
    2d20+4 30 [2d20=17, 9]
    Flintlock (Arno):
    2d20+4 30 [2d20=17, 9]

    mrpaku on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Hmm. "Hey guys? I don't think those ships out there are going to just let the Curse sail off into the sunset. Do we have any means of contacting the Captain, see what the plan is?"

    This ride has gotten less fun now.





    ...Jack spins the wheel one way then the other! Ooooh sailing, he couldn't stay mad at you!

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak can't help but let a small laugh slip. Of course the craft dragging behind them would have giant gorillas on it. Chaff was starting to get ridiculous.

    He probably should take a moment to discuss it with Jack and Urixes, but time was short and he went with his gut.

    "Then get yer asses up here fast. We don't have all night to dance back and forth."

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    SS OAK
    The leader of the Hadozee drops his fatalist edge, and grins a crooked smile up at Oak from down upon the skiff. He returns the awkward laugh, throwing his head back and letting the sound ring into the night! “Oh-ho-ho-ho...Gladly, Hairy Fella!” Turning and giving his fellows a slight nod, the other monkey-men relax their shoulders, and (most) holster their weapons. A pair of the crew produce lines and hooks out from their belts, which they proceed to chuck up the sides of the SS Oak.

    The crude grapple-lines catch on the base of the railings with a practiced quickness. Moving as one, the simians immediately split into equal groups to pull upon the lines, and within no time at all, the small craft is close enough for them to scurry up the sides and almost instantly come aboard the Main Deck of the SS Oak (Oak thinks to himself that this group could have easily made more problems for the Wild Bunch, had they so chosen to…he likely made a wise decision not to make enemies of this particular troop of Hadozee, for the time being…)

    The leader presents himself to the three crewmen with a large, sweeping, ungraceful bow. “My name Bash. Formerly Bash-Long-Howl, of “Lemur’s Howl”. These seven are what remains of my crew.” He peers deeply into Oak’s eyes, trying to get a sense of the man. Grunting, he finally decides to address the Barbarian with a fierce, piercing sincerity, “You keep my boys safe, we better than golden. Hell, all get through this alive, and I owe you a boon! We watch your back; take your orders, on your ship. But, don’t take our help for granted, Captain Hairy…” Bash says, clearly having rehearsed the next bit: “For we are no one’s monkeys!”



    Jack finally pulls the group’s attention back to the immediate matters at hand. And he’s right…there are Ships out there, which seem to be lying in wait for anyone planning to leave the City. Watching patrols: each consisting of three Pinnance-type light boats, armed with a single, dangerous-looking cannon apiece, and a small (skeleton, but not literally) crew. The crews wear the now-familiar black-robes you’ve seen amongst the agitators within the riot. They’ve likely already noticed the SS Oak and the other fleeing Ship’s which trail in its wake, but yet they watch and wait…

    Gradually coming to the starboard lies Hook’s End, which seems to have maintained against the worst of the riots through a variety of methods:

    - Around one of the Shipping Warehouses, a fierce gang of Modrons are methodically patrolling the street, some armed with buzzsaws and drills, some flying about on impossibly small wings. Anyone approaching is descended upon by the bots en masse, and asked to state their business. Most brave enough to enter are driven out of the area through sheer numbers alone…

    - The Kobolds of the Shipyard hold strong on their neighborhood by periodically bombing parts of the water from the Decks of their Containment Crafts, or firing dazzling, streaking blasts of magical energy from homebuilt cannons towards any who dare wander towards the southern block, or encroach upon its Ships…

    - The point at the entrance to Hook’s End has been obscured completely by a Thick Purple Smoke, which billows out from somewhere around the area of Ozoro’s Herbal Remedies. Any who stumble into this cloud don’t come back; any who stumble out are giggling, childish, and soon fall and find themselves asleep scattered about the boardwalk…

    From her huddled pile of blankets upon the Deck, the feverish orphan girl begins to sing, half-in half-out of a dream: “Bu hu hu, they are coming for you…I can see three pirates on the oc-ean…Bu hu hu they are coming for you…”. The Hadozees, stationed along the Main Deck and weapons drawn, are made uneasy by the music, and begin to mutter between themselves. Bash, stoically, pretends not to notice. “At your ready, Captain,” he grumbles to Oak readily, eyes straight ahead and hand at his blade, waiting on a command.

    The Whispered Curse lies deep within the “safe” zone of the riot. Together, the Wild Bunch takes account of the waters around the Southern End of Chaff, and considers their options…

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooQPUYCOp00

    mrpaku on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    Ignoring the orphan girl's feverish melody, Jack focuses instead on the red and green bulb that seems to be swelling up over the Shipping Warehouse.... something, familiar about it. Lucky Jack ponders for awhile. Suddenly, the young shifter smiles, and nearly claps when it finally takes a shape he recognizes: why, it resembles nothing so much as the Pink Pollen you'd come across this last week, if it was somehow draped in leather and filled with air!

    0g6ofio7zjbt.png

    On instinct, Jack takes a look up into the sky, and sure enough: high above (but still low upon the horizon) sit many of the floating "balls", each holding a basket draping from the frame of the sphere, and a small group of citizens within. Some people are confused, some are scared. Some, taking advantage of the situation, are using the opportunity to fire down towards the situation below, or out towards the sound of fell-shrieking which still emanates through the smoky-afternoon skies...

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack lets out a quiet "Aww..." under his breath. They could have flown away! No one told him that was an option! He turns to Oak to complain, only to spot a collection of simians several times his size. Err. "Hello."

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    Pupper and Woofer fight valiantly on. Magical energy pours from Pupper's wounds, but the natrual desire to protect the pack pushes them, teeth gnashing and ripping at the Ogre's arms and legs. They circle their prey, moving to the creature's back without giving an opening.

    Arno surfaces for a moment, concern for their packmates drawing them up. "Stay away from my dogs!" Arno's magic courses, and water rains down, extinguishing the flames and creating a thick choking smoke.

    They then focus, feeling the strings of their conjurations, trying to feel the state of things, hoping they can take the time as they fall back beneath the waves.

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    Once more, the great brute falls to the growling, snarling pair of conjured wolves! The ogre curls into the fetal position and *HOWLS* in pain and frustration!

    For the moment above water, Arno hastily mutters the spell to Control Water. As they dive down underneath the craft tethered near the artillery array, a swell of ocean blue grows in the airs above them. The Ship overhead rocks back and forth as a magical jet of water *BURSTS* into the air, quickly extinguishing nearby fires and cloaking the block in a thick, black smoke.

    As the smoke billows forth, the two wolves In unison disappear into the clouds nearby: Woofer into the smoke directly in front of the creature, and Pupper into the smoke directly behind. The Ogre gets to its feet, and *ROARS* out an unintelligible curse at the canines! Moving warily forward into the area it thinks it last saw Pupper, the giant swings his Greatclub into the smoke and dark, hoping to get lucky and down another of the biting, nasty little creatures…
    OOC: Disadvantage from swinging into the Smoke Cloud

    Geth roll 2d20+6 Greatclub (Pupper)

    Geth roll 2d8+4 Bludgeoning
    Reaching out to the wolves down the block as they swim, Arno closes their eyes for a moment, and tries to get a feel for how Barnabas and the others are doing: A large crowd of the fancy suited gentlemen, exactly like the one who just tried to shoot you. Your Wolves surround the Priest: North, South, East, West, moving as one unit between them, keeping their backs to Barnabas and their teeth and claws to the enemies. The Dogs, once cocky at the overwhelming numbers, are starting to smell of fear. The old man keeps them at bay with saber in one hand and rifle in another, picking them off before they can come too close. The priest is shot once, twice, but maintains his feet, and gives better than he receives. Sensing slow-coming defeat, the Dogs meet eyes and wordlessly decide on a desperate course of action. Rising as one troop, the Dogs rush Barnabas and the wolves, looking to overwhelm them through sheer numbers… Arno’s senses fail, and their connection to the wolves is lost. Arno can feel the passing of some of the poor canines, although they can’t be sure of how many or how.

    The Changeling can see the boat lying overhead, just thirty feet away way. Arno grins, and their arms pump faster…but suddenly they’re jerked back, as something catches their ankle! They must’ve been distracted while trying to get a sense of Barnabas, and something managed to swim up on them suddenly from the side. Peering quickly back over their shoulder, Arno sees that the Fancy Suited Gentleman has dived into the water after them, and is making a grab for their leg!...
    OOC: Fancy Suited Gentleman is attempting to Grapple Arno underwater. Arno, please make an Athletics or Acrobatics Check vs. his Strength Check to shake him off!

    Geth roll 1d20+3 Strength Check (Fancy Suited Gentleman)
    Overhead, the Ogre busy at work destroying the battery is blissfully unaware of the battle underwater, his comrade bleeding out to wolves, or the smoke slowly creeping his way. Joyfully humming to himself, he severs the cannon apparatus from the center of the artillery and examines it, with a look somewhere between pride and curiosity…

    Greatclub (Pupper):
    2d20+6 11 [2d20=3, 2]
    Bludgeoning:
    2d8+4 15 [2d8=5, 6]
    Strength Check (Fancy Suited Gentleman):
    1d20+3 23 [1d20=20]

    mrpaku on
  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    SS OAK
    Jack pulls the tub hard starboard and back towards the City, aiming at a small jetty sticking out near the Shipping Warehouse that is abuzz with bots.

    Some grumbling comes from the Hadozee at the prospect of reentering Chaff…but the Wild Bunch’s instincts soon prove correct. The ships which had followed in the SS Oak’s wake hit the line of waiting Dog patrols, giving a wide berth and moving to peacefully sail past them. Suddenly, without warning, one after another the cannons on the patrol boats open fire! Blasting the fleeing watercraft with a heavy torrent of magical discharge, the three front most ships are immediately lit up from within! The boats begin to smoke darkly and start to sink into the oceans below, where the Sharks are already beginning to circle. The ships which were fleeing immediately behind them break off into at least dozen directions, fleeing panicked from the cruel enemy lying in wait…

    “Hrrmph,” Bash the Hadozee remarks rather apathetically, watching as the carnage unfolds. “Poor bastards. But better them than us, right?”



    The next few hundred feet to the jetty are unhindered by the busy Dog patrol boats. Gliding quietly back towards Hook’s End, the SS Oak soon arrives at the small dock adjacent the Warehouse. Upon the boat's arrival, a detachment of exactly a dozen Modrons break off from the main company to “greet” the Wild Bunch. Six fly, six walk the boardwalk; each is of a spherical shape, golden-colored metal, and with a single eye at the center of its body. The ground troops bear spears; the fliers each have a brilliant golden rapier in their right hand.

    2j4vw586cldf.png

    The bot’ at the front of the marching order stops, and plants its spears hilt into the boardwalk. Synchronous, the Modrons behind perform the same motion, and the spheres all come to a halt! Directly overhead, their fliers form a straight line across from the ship, tiny wings buzzing with the speed of dragonflies.

    “CRAFT UNRECOGNIZED! COMMAND: HALT!” the first Modron says in a tinny, unnatural voice. “COMMAND: KEEP YOUR WEAPONS HOLSTERED! COMMAND: ANY ATTEMPTS TO INCUR UPON MODRON-SPACE BEFORE QUERIES HAVE COMPLETED WILL RESULT IN YOUR TERMINATION!”

    The Modron immediately behind, stepping forward with a mechanical lurch, takes over. “QUERY ONE: STATE YOUR BUSINESS HERE! QUERY TWO: DO YOU CLAIM ALLEGIANCE WITH THE INTERLOPERS ATTACKING THE CITY?”

    The next in line steps forward and addresses the group: “FURTHER QUERY TWO-DASH-A: TWO SHIFTERS HAVE BEEN DETECTED AMONG YOUR CREW. ARE YOU SURE YOU DON’T BELONG TO THE INTERLOPERS ATTACKING THE CITY?”

    Behind the Modrons, from within the Shipping Warehouse, another of the Air Balloons has finally been completed. Slowly, gracefully, it *POPS* out from the Ship’s Deck and floats upwards to join the others, a group of women and children holding to each other tightly and wide-eyed inside the basket. One of the bots’, noticing the Wild Bunch’s eyes drift upwards, lurches forward and frantically issues commands in that grating metallic voice. “ALERT! YOU DO NOT HAVE AUTHORIZATION FOR THIS PROJECT! AVERT YOUR EYES FROM THEIR PRESENT LOCATION! THERE IS NOTHING-TO-SEE-HERE!”

    mrpaku on
  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Jack's eyes go wide as they near the Modron brigade. They. Are. ADORABLE. He chin-nudges the griffon on his shoulder and nods at them, whispering, "Lookit! Metal birdballs!" Mister Fusspot continues wearing the one expression he always wears.

    Geth, roll 1d20 for History

    As the questions are issued he mouths them to himself, then, counting on his fingers, "We'd like a balloon to help defend the city. No. No. Can we have one now, please?" He beams and nods, that was easy enough.

    Geth, roll 1d20 for Performance

    History:
    1d20 6 [1d20=6]
    Performance:
    1d20 5 [1d20=5]

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    Geth, roll 1d20 for Performance Inspiration

    Performance Inspiration:
    1d20 16 [1d20=16]

  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    The three Modrons in front look at each other once each, nod in the affirmative, then turn back towards Jack consolingly.

    "SMALL CHILD," the first Modron asks, in a now higher-pitched tone."...ARE YOU LOST? ARE THESE (a small chirp, and then the tone becomes low again): TIEFLING/SHIFTER/HADOZEE (a buzzing sound, and the high pitch returns once more) HELPING YOU TO FIND YOUR MOMMY-AND-DADDY?"

  • zekebeauzekebeau Registered User regular
    Gotta keep this up for Barnabas, he's a tough old Salt but still needs his back up.

    Woofer and Pupper use their keen senses and teamwork, barking and growling to let the other know where they are, and to keep the Ogre off balance. While the giant doesn't fall, he still receives a bloody gash, and his deep breaths bely the coming end.

    Arno is about to give a woo of joy, having reached the boat and ready to move on to stage 2 of the rather disjointed and cobbled together plan they've devised of stealing the boat. But none of these guys want to die in a fire, hopefully with their exit removed and down an ally they'll be more willing to surrender, right?

    That's the thought, until the shifter grabs Arno, wrapping surprisingly strong arms around the changeling, hampering their swimming. Arno manages to squirm around to look the shifter in the face, and notices a distinct lack of gills. If the shifter is hoping Arno would panic at being held under, they made a big miscalculation.

    Arno rolls their eyes, cranes their neck, and shows off the flap of a gill slit to show the shifter they're wasting time. But still, help would be nice. And then, two shadowy figures catch the changeling's eye.
    Well, hello there my slick friends. Would you kindly assist me in removing this morsel from my back? He is a land thing, and cannot breath down here. An easy meal, his teeth and claws hindered in the water, and such sweet meat for you to enjoy.

    OOC: Level 2 animal friendship spell on both, Wis dc 15, failure is charmed. Also, Arno is fully capable of talking direct to animals for instructions.



  • mrpakumrpaku Registered User regular
    The eels peer first at the struggle, and then each other...
    Geth roll 1d20+1 Legally-distinct Giant-ish Eel "Float-Sam" (Wisdom Save)

    Geth roll 1d20+1 Legally-distinct Giant-ish Eel "Jet-Sam" (Wisdom Save)

    Legally-distinct Giant-ish Eel "Float-Sam" (Wisdom Save):
    1d20+1 17 [1d20=16]
    Legally-distinct Giant-ish Eel "Jet-Sam" (Wisdom Save):
    1d20+1 15 [1d20=14]

  • GlalGlal AiredaleRegistered User regular
    mrpaku wrote: »
    The three Modrons in front look at each other once each, nod in the affirmative, then turn back towards Jack consolingly.

    "SMALL CHILD," the first Modron asks, in a now higher-pitched tone."...ARE YOU LOST? ARE THESE (a small chirp, and then the tone becomes low again): TIEFLING/SHIFTER/HADOZEE (a buzzing sound, and the high pitch returns once more) HELPING YOU TO FIND YOUR MOMMY-AND-DADDY?"

    ((OOC: God, I lost it... <3
    And now I cannot shake the mental image of Jack wearing his Sunday best, sitting on the side with an ice cream cone in one hand and a balloon in the other ))

  • AustinP0027AustinP0027 Registered User regular
    Oak had been staring all around them as Jack steered them back towards the City. His eyes had caught various ships, but he found himself returning his attention to Chaff as he tried to scan the city for whatever was attacking. The blast of cannons drew his attention behind them, a frown appearing as the Hadozee unceremoniously decides better them than us. But it was the dock they landed at which kept him focused, as no sooner had they landed, than a number of Modron were standing in front of them.

    Within moments Jack had somehow charmed the Modron, which didn't really surprise Oak, but it left the rest of them in a bit of a spot. "We're not here to attack the City. We're here to resupply, and all this lot," he waves his hand towards the city, " decided they wanted to make a mess. I'd be happy to squash them back down if it meant the City gettin' back to normal."

    Even though the Modron tells them to look away, the Shifter looks up to the balloons of women and children, likely escaping. "Look, yer protectin' yer folk. Let us help out. Yer people are safe, the city goes back to normal, we both win."

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