The sudden heel of the ship causes Fang to whine and Olla sits down hard before regaining her feet, but the bow comes around in a smooth arc before falling into line to cross just behind the hornet. As they close, the Captain pushes a steady roll back to starboard while maintaining his line so that the guns can still be brought to bear. Taz cackles in tactically induced glee.
Xisco barks out the range (notice = 8, +2) Tooly’s shot is a tad early, and even at this close range it goes just underneath the target. The Wildling, though, is ready for his shot and his careful placement puts the lead ball right on target with the rear windows of the main deck, passing through the rudder on its way. (Tooly’s shot: 5-1(depth perception)+2 (xisco spotting)-2(unsteady platform)-1(high relative speed) = 3, miss); (Blendin’s shot 10 + 2(xisco) +2(marksman) -2+2(steadyhands/moving platform) -1(high relative speed) = 13, raise). The lead ball (damage roll 6,5,1,5,2 + 1 = 20 AP 4 vs 15(2), effectively 13, hit with raise, 1 wound. Out of control roll: 4-1, failure. Listing a point to starboard. Critical hit. Rudder.). Wung’s gentle ‘pat’ of congratulations rattles his gunner’s brain in its skull, but conveys his orcish pride in serving with the little fellow (+1 benny for the awesome shot dude).
The elven ship continues its turn to starboard, bringing it frighteningly close to the with port rail.
The other two vessels are now closing from the port side. They gain slightly due to the change in the Olic’s direction.
ooc: position at the end of round 2 with round 2 turn order. You can load your guns as you see fit.
Q of diamonds Elven sloop 3, port aft, 10, 0, starboard, 10, closing
10 of Diamonds Elven skiff 1 “The Hornet”, port, 1, 1, bow, 8, closing
7 of Spades Elven skiff 2, port, 9, 1, starboard, 10, closing
7 of Clubs Olic. Current speed is 10.
The two distance vessels continue approaching at full sail.
The sails of the Hornet flutter as she cuts speed to gain maneuverability. Her helmsman is able to parallel the Olic (6 after mods, no raise to boarding attempt) and boarding cables are thrown from every hatch and window to try and gain purchase on your ship. The crew moves frantically with knifes and axes, attempted to cut the lines. But for each severed elven rope, another 2 seem to appear. The ship lurches as she is pulled in by the crew of the Hornet (Throwing roll 7 vs. Group Agility 4, grappled.).
ooc: position at this point in round 3. You can have loaded your guns as you see fit during round 2’s reload. Boarders are not revealed enough to grape with impunity and gaining an angle to hit them will be difficult at this range but they aren’t in full cover either. You could also choose to attempt to break the grapple. This will not require the entire crew, but gets harder if people don’t act in concert. I’d request a command decision be made by the captain and will go with that, but feel free to chime in if your character is going to do something specific. If you chose to go to boarding combat, we’ll switch to realtime guns and swords combat scaling.
ACTION TAKEN Elven sloop 3, port aft, 5, 0, starboard, 10, closing
ACTION TAKEN Elven skiff 1 “The Hornet”, Paralleled, grappled.
ACTION TAKEN Elven skiff 2, port, 9, 1, starboard, 10, holding
7 of Clubs Olic. Current speed is 5.
If Wung is up for it, Blendin would like to load the cannon with lead once more and take a shot at the grappling ship (is this possible?) unless the captain orders other wise.
ReplyDelete--------------------------------------
shooting: 4, benny: 12+2=14
I forgot to subscribe. Sorry for the extra post.
ReplyDeleteTooly finishes loading another lead shot, too busy cheering at Blendin's excellent shot to feel too bad about his own. When the elven ship heels about and begins grappling, he curses loudly. "TOO CLOSE!"
ReplyDeleteSnatching up his breastplate and sliding it on without bothering to close the side catches, he charges to the rear deck of the Olic, jacking the slide on his flame gun. Leaning out, he sights along the barrel at the ropes tethering the ships and pulls the trigger.
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OOC: If there's a practical or gameplay reason Tooly can't torch the ropes, let me know, and I'll do somethig else.
However, it seems to me the flame gun shoots about the length of the ship, the ropes are all hooked on the rail (any in the rigging or sails would pull free easily), and the farther they are from the muzzle, the broader the flame cone. At the very least, burning a lot of them should improve the de-grappling roll, eh?
He's aiming to get as many ropes as possible, but slightly away from the ship so the flame cone doesn't hit the side. Shooting out a hatch or window or gunport, that would actually be easier than shooting parallel, anyway.
Agility 5 to put on the armor while moving.
Weird science 6 to light 'er up.
Shooting 10. Both dice aced, but the d6 had a better follow-up. Waste of an ace.
Damage 13 on 2d10, 17 with extra d6. With damage like that, I should have aimed for the damn ship.
"Cut the ropes! Break away," Gardner yells. He tries to pull the ship away once the ropes are severed.
ReplyDelete-------------------------
Boating 8
ooc: I’m putting Xisco to work cutting ropes with the Tooly and the crew. Blendin can fire his shot without Wung’s help at this range. Tooly’s cutting tool is unorthodox, but it makes up for the wildling’s help with a knife or axe, and then some. There is some risk associated with using a flamethrower between the two ships – but such is life in the Void.
ReplyDeleteBlendin stays at his post carefully turning the cranks to center his barrel on the fast approaching ship now tethered to the Olic while the rest of the crew hurriedly grabs knifes and axes to try and cut away the ropes. The dwarf chooses a rather characteristic approach.
ooc: Here’s how I handled this situation. You’ve already failed avoiding the grapple, so you’re a bit behind. Instead of doing another opposed throw vs. agility (which seems wrong at this stage), I’ll say there are in effect 7 ropes that need to be cut to free your ship (one for each opposing crewmen that threw a line). The NPC crew will each get an attack against the ropes, and each PC who chose to will get an attack. A successful cutting or piercing attack (remember, inanimate objects have a parry of 2) means you damage 1 rope, a raise means 2. Damage in excess of the ropes’ durability (elven silk has a durability of 5) will cut it. Tooly’s attack will damage 1d6 ropes, and has a 1 in 6 chance to set each ship on fire. Gardner’s boating roll will strain any remaining lines (they break on 1 in 6 or 1 in 2 if there are less than half the lines remaining). Blendin is going to blast their ship to the Burning Skies if he can, so he’s got no time for rope cutting.
Oola pulls a bone dagger from her belt, and chops viciously at the nearest lines, but the bone dagger breaks into shards (fighting roll: 1) without marring the lines. Taz has a small stone handaxe, and chops down furiously (FR: 2, hit, damage 16.) severing his line. Wung doesn’t have a bladed weapon, and instead swings his heavy maul against the wood the grappling hook has grabbed hold of (fighting roll: 2, hit, damage 17 vs. 8). The boards crack away, taking the hook with them. Medicus has a small surgical blade made of silver, and is working diligently at a nearby rope (FR:1) but his blade turns against the strong fibers of the rope, dulling it.
Xisco’s rib blade is easy in his hand, and he strikes lightning fast, but not clean enough to severing the nearest line (FR:3, Damage: 3). Fang begins chewing on one of the lines, well aware of the danger to his master, but the fibers don’t fray under his teeth (FR:5, Damage: 3). Tooly, in desperation lights up his flamecannon, and points it to aft trying to get as clean a shot as possible (d6 roll says you hit 2 lines, 5,5 on the setting ships on fire rolls, so no ships burning). Flames destroy two of the lines, but 3 still remain tightly tethered.
Blendin touches off his cannon (hit with raise, damage 6, 4, 2, 4, 2 + 1 = 19 vs. 13 effective, hit 1 wound. Out of control failed, ship lurches away from the shot. Ropes are strained: 1,2,1, two ropes break. Critical hit, hull, no special effects.).
With only 1 rope still tethering the ships together, Gardner spins the wheel hard away, in hopes it will break the last rope before new lines can be added (break on 1-3 on d6. Rolled a 4). The final rope holds the ships together long enough for the elven crew to pull open the hatches, and the oakthorn aboard unsheathe their weapons as they charge into the Olic’s gundeck with a cry from their sergeant of “For the Queen!” and a bloodthirsty growl from his troops. The crew appears to be making ready to follow them over.
And so ends what may be the worst series of rolls in role-playing history. Switching to swords and guns, in round by round format. Currently, 1 rope holds the two ships together.
Boarding action: Round 1
ReplyDeleteKing of Diamonds. Blendin, Aft, Olic gundeck
Queen of Spades. 1 Oakthorn Sergeant and 1 oakthorn, bow, Olic gundeck
Jack of Hearts. Tooly, bow, Olic gundeck
8 of Diamonds. 2 Elven Oakthorn, aft, Olic gundeck
6 of Hearts. Xisco, midships, Olic gundeck
6 of Diamonds. 1 Elven Helmsmen, hornet helm
4 of Hearts. 3 Elven Crew, hornet, midships
4 of Clubs. Gardner and Fang, Aft, Olic gundeck
Olla, Taz, Medicus, and Wung, under Gardner’s control on his card. Midships, Olic. Olla is unarmed and unarmored, medicus’ dagger is still functional, just not much of a weapon. He is also unarmored. Olla does however have access to two Songpriestess spells: boost/lower trait, and healing. Both have smarts range, and can affect anyone aboard the Olic.
LR: Tooly's cannon is loaded, so Blendin can fire it in one round instead of 3, if you want.
ReplyDeleteXisco will actually use his steel dagger for the rope cutting.
ReplyDelete------
Don't worry about rerolling damage
ooc: fair enough.
ReplyDeleteSam, I'd like for you to take control of capt. drawlight, fang, and the crew for the interim. He is out of communication for a few days. He specified that his goal is to flee the engagement at best speed once boarders are repelled unless a 'golden capture opportunity' exists. I'll let you figure out what that is.
Blendin will take control of Tooly's cannon and take yet another shot at the grappling ship.
ReplyDelete-----------------------------------------------
Shooting: 2, Benny: 11.
OOC: Just to keep things moving, I'll post. If Blendin sinks the ship, or the sergeant and oakthorn do something drastic, I'll retcon.
ReplyDelete------------------
Tooly jacks the slide on his flame gun and fires at the enemy ship.
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Shooting 13
If he has an angle, he'll aim for the base of the rope holding the ships together (notice 7). If there's more than one, now, or if he can't see it, he'll aim for any Oakthorn or crew still aboard, preferably any groups, but he's really shooting at the ship itself.
Damage 18. 19 if extra d6.
Thank you, law of averages, for some decent rolls.
ooc: sorry for the delay - crazy night. I'll try to update this evening. Blendin, you will have to engage/disengage to get past the nearest oakthorn - in case that's a consideration. You could use an agility trick to try to get by without drawing attacks, I imagine, but you'd suffer a MAP on it and the cannon shot. Given your small size I figure there's a fair chance you'd get by safely regardless, but if you want to do something different lemme know.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the guns were below deck, thus avoiding the boarding pirates. I guess I'll make the attempt, drawing my new knife in case I can't get away to fire the cannon.
ReplyDeleteOOC: The Ollie is a small ship, just one deck with a roof and a hold beneath. Wouldn't climbing aboard be an action for the elves, though? Because if they climbed over last turn, they had to dodge my flame.
ReplyDeleteooc: no, you lost the next round of ship-to-ship initiative to them. They boarded during their ship-to-ship turn, but rather than give them 3 more turns to brutally slaughter you with swords in ship time before allowing you to respond, I switched to 'realtime' with a new character-based initiative order.
ReplyDeleteI guess I could have given you your portion of the boarding time (1 round), but that didn't seem quite right, so GM fiat or whatever. I am letting weapons be readied and whatnot for free this round as consolation - for instance, blendin's drawn dagger won't cost him a MAP on his shot.
Frankly, if the dice wanted you to be boarded so bad as to have you guys lose that (rather ridiculously easy) repel boarders task, then you've earned a good ol' fashion boarding fight.
look at it this way: Ironwood swords for everybody! or you die. one of the two.
And I'm looking forward to the hilarious possibility that blendin/Tooly sinks them this round, stranding the 'marines' aboard your ship.
OOC: I suspected something like that. I suppose it's the fairest way, to give a free boarding action to the boarders if they win the roll. I'm also amused at the chance of sinking their ship with them over here, which is why I'm shooting it. That, and because I can.
ReplyDeleteAny chance of a diagram or some visual aid to show the rope(s) and everyone's positions?
Blendin darts forward past the clumsy (FR:2) swipe of the flowery oakthorn. He makes his way to the cannon, taking a quick shot. However, at this range, and with his skillful timing, the shot finds its mark (DR: 4,3,4,6,4+1 = 22 vs. 13 effective, hit with 2 raises. Oh daddy. Wrecked. Boarding line automatically snaps. Benny to Blendin for ‘single handedly’ taking out a ship with his mad cannon skills.)
ReplyDeleteThe blast of the cannon is followed by the groan of timber with a series of sharp cracks as the spine of the vessel bends beyond its limits. The deck beyond your viewports bends upwards, before splintering as the ship sheers away, shedding bits of rig and timber as its begins its inexorable descent. The elves’ cries of terror seem less than confident in their god’s merciful intervention. “The lil’ bastard knows his way round a cannon, I’ll tell you that.” Taz smirks beyond his growing mustache as he prepares for the onslaught from the elven soldiers on deck.
While they notice the loss of their vessel, it does not seem to distract the oakthorn from their task. “This is our ride back to Roseport, brothers! Hold fast and our brethren will be upon them!” The sergeant, with thicker bark hide than the others and a small wooden shield on his arm slogs forward, swinging mightily at the dwarf in a flat arc. It clangs loudly against the dwarf’s breastplate (FR: 7 vs. 4. Hit. bypass roll on a 1 in 6 due to limited time strapping it on: 4. No effect. Damage roll 5,5 = 10 vs 10. Shaken). He rings like a bell, and the wind is knocked out of him. The Oakthorn nearest the sergeant, covered in thin vines, charges up the wall of the deck, slashing down at Taz from an unusual angle. The swipe slides past his rib blades’ hasty parry, catching him squarely across the breastbone. The mate collapses in a heap. (7 vs. 7, hit. Damage roll 7,6 = 13 vs. 6. Incap).
Tooly attempts to regain his composure (Vigor Roll: 5 – went ahead and did this since you’ve got no bennies right now.) and seems to be coming around.
The other two Oakthorn swing into action. The flowery oakthorn turns to meet wWng with a downward slash from his ironwood blade. His strike is deadly precise; there may be nothing that Medicus can do for this crushing blow. (15 vs. 6. Hit with raise. Damage: 16 vs. 6. Incap.) The final thorny oakthorn gives a smirking glance at the glowborn and the doctor before turning to rush Xisco past the brazier. He blade remains at his side, instead spray a dozen tiny spines from his flesh (SR: 3, miss). They stick into the bulkhead beyond harmlessly.
ACTION TAKEN Blendin, bow
ACTION TAKEN Woody Sergeant (bow) and Vines the oakthorn, midships (hanging upside down)
ACTION TAKEN Tooly, bow, unshaken now.
ACTION TAKEN Flowery (midships) and Thorny (midships)
6 of Hearts. Xisco, midships, Olic gundeck
4 of Clubs. Gardner and Fang, Aft, Olic gundeck
Olla and Medicus, Midships.
**INCAPPED**
Taz and Wung
diagram in progress.
ooc: and diagram up.
ReplyDeleteWhen personal combat is immigrant, Xisco returns his dagger to his belt and draws his rib blade and buckler (and stops cutting).
ReplyDeleteIf he can do the following without a MAP he does. If not, full defense.
Xisco looks worried for a moment and looks like he is about to flee, when he spins about and scrapes some ashes from the top of the brazier with his buckler and flings them into the eyes of the nearest Oakthorn (want OTT, but if get OTF too, that also good) (trick).
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Fang leaps at the nearest Oakthorn, while his master, cognizant of the two still closing ships, takes action to set a course away from them, before preparing for hand-to-hand combat.
The splash of ashes hits the oakthorn squarely in the face, and he doubles over to brush it free from his eyes (5 v. 1, shaken, -2 parry until his next action.). Fang charges forward to take advantage of his injured state (7 vs. 5, hit) but his teeth do not make it to their target (3 v 7 (armor ignored)).
ReplyDeleteooc: I also need olla and medicus to act on this card. Tooly or Xisco, since you're first up, either of you can take control of them if you like. so, 2 actions each. Here is turn order.
JOKER Tooly, bow.
Queen of Hearts, Xisco, midships, Olic gundeck
(ACTING ON XISCO'S CARD) Gardner and Fang, Aft, Olic gundeck.
(ACTING FOR LAST ROUND AND EITHER XISCO OR TOOLY'S CARD) Olla and Medicus, Midships.
10 of Spades, Flowery (midships) and Thorny (SHAKEN, -2 Parry) (midships)
10 of Hearts, Woody Sergeant (bow) and Vines the oakthorn, midships (hanging upside down)
10 of Clubs, Blendin, bow
reshuffling deck.
Olla cries out as Taz goes down under the powerful blow. Her fingers play her lute despite her tension and she murmurs a song or prayer, and Taz stirs.
ReplyDeleteTooly catches his breath from the blow and smirks, "Silly you, you brought a sword to a firefight!" (intimidation). He steps slightly to the side to get an angle, his flame gun aiming past the two oakthorns and out the open hatch. The trigger clicks an instant before the jet of flame roars across the two elves and out into the Void.
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Using Olla's action for last turn to heal Taz, and her action this turn to heal Wung if Taz is better. Retry on Taz if not. Don't know her dice. I'll let Sam control Medicus
Took a chance and tried an intimidate MAP on the sarge. The d6 loved me. Intimidate: 16+2-2=16
Tooly's aiming to hit both oakthorns but shooting out the big hatch to avoid lighting the ship if he can help it. Shooting 11+2-2=11. Damage 10 on 2d10. 12 with extra d6.
Blendin speaks to his little friend, "You ready for this?" Blendin runs toward the starboard cannon and as Tooly's flame's flicker out, yells, "Tooly! hold on to that Cannon!"
ReplyDelete"Let's see if we can blow these leafless twigs off the ship, shall we?!"
ooc: fun stuff, players. I should always include a more detailed map like this - it gives you options and keeps things more lively in the combat. Bennies for the 3 of you that are around - Gardner, I'm sure, will get a benny for something upon his return. I'll update with results after Xisco and co get their action.
ReplyDeleteMedicus dashes towards the bow, flailing his arms, diving over the cannon, and throwing whatever is in his reach that he can heft towards the closest Oakthorn (smaller ammunition, empty liquor bottles, spare tackles, et al.)
ReplyDelete--------
Xisco steps so the brazier is between him and OTT and performs the familiar motions for Deflection.
Fang jumps at the closest Oakthorn and attempts to drag him to the deck (Not sure if this is still OTT or OTF now).
If the ship can mind itself on course away from the other elf vessels, Gardner will step aside, draw his pistol and aim. (If not, he'll keep manning the helm like Captain Barbossa during the climactic fight in Pirates 3).
Medicus will keep with his impromptu bombardment, while trying minimize his exposure to retaliatory responses.
OOC: The skipper's got a pistol, I think he can steady the wheel with one hand and fire it--or steady it on the wheel.
ReplyDeleteAlso: Xisco (and to a lesser extent, Gardner): What the hell is wrong with you? We have not one, but TWO mystical, ethereal weapons, one of which bypasses armor, and they're sitting in a TRUNK while you use a piece of a bird to fight the elite infantry of the Skies. Really?
...sorry, had to get that off my chest.
The oakthorn sergeant thinks back to a time when he was a boy, and his whole village burned. Terror takes hold (16 vs. 3 +2 on next action against, which is the flamer shot, Shaken.). Tooly’s flamecannon launches an inferno at his targets, which react too slowly.
ReplyDeleteThe sergeant huddles to the floor as the fire envelops him and the vine covered fellow appears unsteady from his perch among the rafters (1 wound OTS, Shaken for OTV). A large hole appears in the door, taking over half of it into oblivion. Flames lick at the edges, and a small, but dangerous fire is started (Fire roll: 1.)
Olla strums her lute and sings softly in her tongue, but her voice cracks. She retunes frantically, and begins singing again. Taz begins to stir, reaching for his fallen sword, skittered a few feet away.
Medicus tries to dive beyond the cannon, but gets tripped up on a loose coil of rope (AG: 1). He tries again (AG: 1) but it appears he is more tangled than first thought.
Xisco’s nose begins to bleed (Casting Roll: 1. Apparently I’m getting them out of my system this round.). Gardner steadies the wheel with his pistol leveled and tracking his target. Fang darts forward, continuing his assault on the thorny oakthorn (FR: 7 vs 5, hit, DR: 6, no damage). It appears the thick hide of the oakthorn is too much for his jaws to handle.
The flowered oakthorn turns his attention on the biggest threat, and charges the dwarf to aid his comrades. He aims his sword at the dwarf’s arms, hoping to knock his weapon clear (6 v. 4 after mods, hit. Armor check, success, hits the jacks, full armor. Damage roll: 30. 3 aces. Motherfucker is the word you’re looking for.). The blow crashes along the shoulder, splintering the armor of his left arm to pieces. Tooly sees his cannon spin from his grasp as the world darkens and he falls to the ground (incap, I assume that benny is gonna be soaking shortly. Good thing you have a healer.).
The thorny oakthorn straightens (8, unshaken now), seeing the dog chomping away at him. He chuckles, ignoring the pooch, and brings his blade down mightily across Taz’s back. Prone and unarmed, he is unable to avoid the blow (DR: 17) and is still once more.
The sergeant stumbles, but appears to be more alert. His hide bears the scars of fire from the dwarf (unshaken, but cant act). The vine covered oakthorn finds himself again (8, unshaken now) and charges along the ceiling to strike down at the wilding. In a feat of daring do, the wildling avoids the stroke with a well-timed parry of his dagger.
ooc: blendin’s up to finish the round. Round 3 will be:
8 of Hearts, Woody Sergeant (1 wound) and Vines the oakthorn
6 of Hearts, Flowery and Thorny
5 of Spades, Xisco, Gardner, Medicus and Fang.
4 of Spades,Blendin, bow
3 of Spades, Tooly, If not still INCAPPED, Olla.
Good luck. Map updated.
ooc: oh and assuming you survive this, I just got the new SS book. I'll let you know what I think.
ReplyDeleteSoak roll: 8 So...1 wound, shaken?
ReplyDeleteBlendin better take someone out or we're in trouble with them going first.
ooc: yup, 1 wound, shaken. You are disarmed, which means its on the dummy sling for now I imagine. you can ready and fire at normal MAP.
ReplyDeleteI already made a post for this round:
ReplyDeleteBlendin speaks to his little friend, "You ready for this?" Blendin runs toward the starboard cannon and as Tooly's flame's flicker out, yells, "Tooly! hold on to that Cannon!"
"Let's see if we can blow these leafless twigs off the ship, shall we?!"
JULY 22, 2010 11:10 AM
gotcha. excellent.
ReplyDeleteAs Blendin extends his arm forward towards his foes, a howling fury of wind passes through his fingers (push effect: 13” of push (holy crap!, that’s a double ace of range.)). The elves in front of him stagger under the blast and even Tooly, battered to the side, starts to slide towards the open door before he wraps his leg around a nearby pulley and rope (8). The sergeant grasps desperately for some purchase as he nears the door, but is pulled off his feet, sucked into the void. Instead of falling directly down however, he appears suspended in the air some distance from the ship, flailing helplessly in the Void; it seems he has been doused in loftoil. His vine-covered friend pins himself between paired rafters and weathers the storm safely inside the vessel (20).
As the wind dissipates, you note the fire has been blown out by its passing; or at least, the burning remnant is no longer attached to the ship (6 on burn roll, without mods). The remaining elves are ready to make their counteract. “Kill the abomination!” shouts the flowered elf, as he strikes for Blendin with both hands wrapped around the hilt (wild attack. He’s at -2 parry until end of next turn. Rolled a 1+2 = 3. Miss.) The wildling’s short stature helps him duck the angry blow. The thorned elf sees Xisco’s hand wavings, and decides he cannot risk whatever magic they mean to bring his way. “Mage!,” he alerts his companions in his native tongue, shooting a shower of thorn needles at him (Shooting roll: 2, miss). They stick into the brazier, sending up a puff of smoke from the warm coals.
The vine-covered elf decides his position near the door is to dangerous, and charges across the ceiling to strike down at Xisco. “They’re all tree-felling mages!” he responds to his ally in elven as he swings at Xisco, narrowly missing his shoulders (FR: 1, miss. Oh, btw Xisco, you’re shaken due to your magic fizzle, so you’ll need to recover that before acting (or reroll your deflection – need a 4 – it doesn’t matter to me)).
ooc: what a waste of initiative. Good job, goonsquad. Round 3 continues:
ACTION TAKEN Vines the oakthorn
ACTION TAKEN Flowery and Thorny
5 of Spades, Xisco (SHAKEN, 6 Bennies), Gardner (3 Bennies), Medicus and Fang.
4 of Spades, Blendin (4 Bennies), bow
3 of Spades, Tooly (SHAKEN, 1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
Let's use that benny to reroll. Got a 4.
ReplyDeleteXisco steps forward to engage the elves, but does not risk dropping his guard to take advantage of any openings he happens to see. (full defense, or whatever it's called)
Barbossa takes his shot.
Pooch tries to trip.
Jack Sparrow tries to untangle himself.
Blendin runs to the hold to grab his musket.
ReplyDeleteBlendin can take Tooly's musket, it's right there by the cannon ammo. Repeater, too, not that it matters for Blendin.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I thought Blendin moved across the ship, so Flowers would have been pushed, too. Meh, this way there's a musket close to hand.
Spirit roll 10. Woo!
ReplyDeleteIf Blendin takes Tooly's musket (which he should), Tooly will scrabble over to the gear pile and try to find the ethereal sword or crossbow, preferably the crossbow, if not both. If not, he'll grab the musket and cock it.
Blendin will grab Tooly's musket and aim at the nearest twigs head.
ReplyDelete------------------------------------------
If it is a minus four MAP to shoot, he will aim, if it is a minus two MAP, he will fire.
Shooting: 5 (without mods)
Might want to benny that roll, LR. You got 4 bennies, and with a MAP, that's likely a miss.
ReplyDeletebenny 3, benny 2, benny 9
ReplyDelete-------------------------------------------
Xisco steps forward warily. The captain arm follows his target, dangling from the ceiling above Xisco, The crack of his pistol is loud in the enclosed space and fills the area in front of him with powdersmoke (9, raise. Damage 9 vs 9 effective, shaken). The bullet spalls off the thick wooden hide of his target, and the elf staggers, reaching up to steady himself on the beams.
ReplyDeleteFang continues his assault, this time on the legs of his opponent (hit, test of strength to knockdown, 5 v. 6, no knockdown) but can’t bring down his quarry. Medicus frees himself, flopping down behind the cannon in relative safety. He scoops a handful of grapeshot from a nearby loading bucket, thinks better of it, and picks up the entire bucket.
As Blendin moves to pick up the musket, he is swatted by the flowered oakthorn, but his swift blow only clacks against his green-black chainmail. The wildling scoops up Tooly’s rifle, shoulders it in line with the elf, and drops him with a well-placed shot. (hit with raise on that last one. 14 v. 8 effective. Incap. Man, you guys need more wildlings on your crew I think.)
Tooly shuffles through the pile of stored gear, opening a few chests he thinks might contain the things he is looking for. He finds the crossbow, stored in a nearby box. As he picks it up and shoulders it, the string draws back and a quarrel appears in its race.
Olla continues her singing, directed at Wung this time, but her notes are flat and she gasps in shock. She frowns with concern.
The thorned elf’s curse is clear in any language, and he strikes without concern for his safety at the human near him (Wild Attack. 10-2 vs. 5+1 – your full defense roll, buckler. Hit. 6,6 = 12 vs. 5. Shaken, 1 wounds). The blow smashes over his raised buckler, and sends Xisco reeling with battered ribs.
Round 4 I believe.
ACTION TAKEN8 of Clubs, Thorny
6 of Spades, Xisco (5 Bennies, SHAKEN, 1 Wound, Soak pending), Gardner (3 Bennies), Medicus and Fang.
4 of Clubs, Vines (SHAKEN)
3 of Hearts, Tooly (1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
3 of Diamonds, Blendin (1 Bennies), bow
Should be a 4 (base)+2 (defend)+1 (buckler)+1 (piece of bird) for Xisco's parry (doesn't change result). Soak roll: 5
ReplyDeleteXisco tries stepping aside from the blow but is too slow; still he appears to miraculously be unharmed.
"Is that all you've got?" Xisco says as he repositions towards the starboard side of the vessel with respect to OTV. (Still Defending).
Gardner reloads and re-aims. Fang tries again.
ooc: no. full defense doesn't add a flat modifier, you roll a fighting roll and take the higher result. You got a 5 last round, and another 5 this one. Did forget the piece of bird - my bad.
ReplyDeleteGardner is reloading (takes 2 rounds. he can fire next at a map, but not with an aim)
Fang's teeth find purchase (14 after mods. Raise. Damage: 7 vs. 7, SHAKEN) and the elf cries out in pain.
The vined elf recovers (9) and swipes at Xisco's shoulders again (9+1-2 vs. 5+1+1. Hit. Damage roll: 13 vs. 6. SHAKEN, 1 Wound.) striking firmly in hopes this time the dancing human will stay down (which of course he won't because he's got a stack of bennies to soak with.)
Soak roll: 3; benny to reroll: 9. That's 2 left, right?
ReplyDeleteRight-o about Full Defense (missed it in the book when I was able to re-check)
Tooly fires the ethereal crossbow at the thorny elf as he shouts in pain. (Shooting 6, I forget the damage dice and don't have time to look them up.)
ReplyDeleteooc: Tooly hits, 2d4 damage. 4,3,4,4,2 = 17 vs 7, Wound. Soaking with a gamemaster benny, 4, Soaked. Unshaken.
ReplyDeleteTo keep this train rolling, I'll go ahead and put this up.
Blendin retains his Round 4 action. Other ships seem to be loosing ground on the Olic, by the way.
Here is Round 5.
Ace of Spades, Tooly (1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
Ace of Clubs, Thorny
8 of Diamonds, Blendin (1 Bennies), bow
4 of Diamonds, Vines (SHAKEN)
2 of Spades, Xisco (2 Bennies), Gardner (3 Bennies), Medicus and Fang.
The dwarf curses the "shrimpling ghost bow" and sets it down to rummage for the shrimpling ghost sword.
ReplyDelete-------------------
OOC: Nice damage roll for a little wee shrimpling crossbow. Darn those GM bennies! Still, the more bennies Thorny burns, the fewer the other ships have.
You can take this as next turn's action unless Blendin drops Tooly's musket or something really unexpected happens. Olla's going to try to heal Taz again if she can. She's really bad at that.
ooc: Olla's song doesn't stir the mate. It's a healing spell, not a resurrection spell, what do you want? Tooly finds the blade, and draws it singingly from its scabbard.
ReplyDeleteOOC: I thought death rolls were made after combat, and everyone was presumed alive until then. Well, RIP Taz.
ReplyDeleteooc: or maybe she just got a bunch of bad rolls. We'll have to wait until the end of combat to find out I guess.
ReplyDeleteooc: This musket is a repeater and doesn't require reload time, correct?
ReplyDeleteRound 4,
If so, Blendin will take aim at the head of the nearest elf and take a shot.
Round 5,
Repeat to the elf that poses the greatest danger.
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R4, shooting: 10 (no mods)
R5, shooting: 10 (no mods)
Blendin cocks the musket, and takes his shot at the back of the thorned elf (you do have to reload it, and you won't get an a imimg bonus, but at this range you're hit is still a raise. damage 13 vs. 8 effective, shaken, incap. GM benny to soak 6. no effect.) The thorned elf forgos attacking with his sword, instead diving headlong and attemping to take Xisco down with him in a wild tackle (9-2 vs. 7, grappled). Blendin ratchets the action, and seeing that Xisco is entangled, determines its safest to take his shot at the vined elf rather than risk shooting his ally. His bullet ricochets off a particularly thick portion of his hide (damage 2,2,2 = 6) and sinks into a nearby timber. The vined elf straightens (unshake roll 6, using benny to unshake this round.) and assesses his situation. With the old man busily reloading, he runs along the ceiling toward Blendin "I will free you, wildling!" covering the distance and swinging down at Blendin's head, missing narrowly but now he is too close to effectively shoot with the long barrel of the musket.
ReplyDeleteooc: Xisco can make a 'break free' fighting roll at a -4 penalty vs a TN of 6 if you wish.
Blendin can fire at the grappling guy past his melee opponent, but both the opponent and Xisco will provide a significant cover bonus to that target. Obviously, disengaging to fire is a possibility like always.
Xisco retains his Round 5 action.
Turn order for Round 6:
7 of Hearts, Vines
3 of Clubs, Thorny (GRAPPLED)
2 of Hearts, Blendin (1 Bennies), bow
2 of Diamonds, Xisco (GRAPPLED, 2 Bennies), Gardner (3 Bennies), Medicus and Fang.
2 of Clubs, Tooly (1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
So I’ll act after Xisco then. That’s some solid card drawing.
Xisco will look wide-eyed past the elf's shoulder and yell, " No! You'll hit me too!", and flinch within the elf's grasp. (Smarts Trick)
ReplyDeleteOOC: Since I'm going last anyway, and I have a few possible ideas on actions, I won't be posting until everyone's gone.
ReplyDeleteLR, may I suggest using your little friend on Vines? Assuming he doesn't knock you out first.
Xisco’s ploy doesn’t seem to fool the Elf (4 vs. 5). Instead, he tightens his grip around Xisco’s neck, but the thin human gets a gloved hand inbetween before much damage can be done (3 damage, no effect.). The vine-covered elf takes a double-fisted backhand swing, aiming for the wildling’s exposed back, barely connecting (6 vs 5 after mods). The bladetip cannot crack his chainmail (dr: 3, no effect)
ReplyDeleteooc: another stirring round of going first, enemies. You guys should always let them go first.
Blendin falls back on his butt and raises both hands toward Viney and yells, "Say 'ello to my little friend!!!"
ReplyDelete-------------------------------------------------
Has the bracelet got a name?
Vines is pushed back 6 yards, but keeps his footing. He's over the bow end of the cargo door.
ReplyDeleteYour bracelet always responds to queries on his name with a sound in your head like sailcloth ripping in a gale. It's somewhat difficult to replicate.
Tooly cackles in triumph as the upside-down elf staggers oddly back toward the open door. "Mmmm, roast Oakthorn!" he shouts madly, thrusting his flame gun at the elf once he's moved to an angle where the flame will shoot into the Void again. The glowing muzzle wobbles a bit as it lines up with the elf's eyes.
ReplyDelete-------------
Smarts trick, but readying the flame gun in the left hand with a MAP, so the sword's still ready in the right. I don't want to risk shooting the flamer with a MAP to ready with no bennies or I'd toast him now.
ooc: I'll go ahead and apply the smarts trick to vines - he's at -2 parry. Olla will use her bit o' magic to try and heal taz. Success, he starts to stir (Is currently unarmed and prone. His sword is on the ground by his head). She has 5pp remaining. Taz will be under Blendin's control.
ReplyDeleteTaz gets to wait till Round 7 I'm guessing?
ReplyDeleteGardner aims his loaded pistol at Vines, and shouts out a taunt, "What's the matter, afraid to fight the captain just because he's an old man? I'm not so old as the dirt you elves worship and fantasize about pleasuring yourselves with."
ReplyDelete-------------------
Taunt 4 (4 roll + 2 modifier -2 MAP) + Aim for next round.
Thanks for moving Olla. She'll try Wung next, of course.
ReplyDeleteJWW, welcome back. Shouldn't Fang be chewing on Thorny, though?
Oh right, I have a dog too.
ReplyDelete-------------------
Fighting 5, Damage 8
Vines hollers back, "Be with you in a minute, old man. I have to take care of this parasite first." in his native tongue (4 v. 5. lucky roll).
ReplyDeleteFang's snap closes on empty air.
ooc: WB JWW. Gardner is loaded, a bolt appears in the crossbow on the ground. Xisco still has his Round 6 action along with Medicus.
Going ahead and setting up Round 7.
Queen of Hearts, Gardner (3 Bennies), Fang.
Queen of Diamonds, Blendin (1 Bennies).
Jack of Spades, Vines (-2 parry)
7 of Diamonds, Thorny (GRAPPLED)
6 of Clubs, Tooly (1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
4 of Hearts, Xisco (GRAPPLED, 2 Bennies), Medicus.
Feel free to act(Gardner and Blendin) at your leisure. Updating map now.
oh, and as mentioned, Blendin, you have taz.
ReplyDeleteTaz groggily stands to his feet, gabbing his sword on the way up. (He is going to take position on full defense).
ReplyDeleteBlendin reloads his musket and takes a quick shot at Vines.
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Shooting: 7 (without mods)
the bullet cracks off his armored hide (DR:6)
ReplyDeleteDR = damage reduction or damage roll?
ReplyDeleteOOC: Pretty sure DR means damage roll.
ReplyDeleteSee, that's why I don't usually bother with tricks. If they go before you the next turn, you don't get to take advantage of the parry reduction.
right now it means damage roll. I imagine at some point (future or past) I('ll) use(d) it otherwise.
ReplyDeleteyeah, but tricks can shake a target on a raise, and have in this battle. I think tricks are pretty handy, personally.
With his shot lined up, Gardner pulls the trigger with deadly aim. Fang snarls menacingly at Thorny.
ReplyDelete------------------------------
Shooting 4 (benny to reroll 23 (8,8,5 + 2 aim)). Intimidate 6.
holy smokes on that shot. raise. Damage roll = 9 v. 9. Vines is shaken. 6 v. 2 on the intimidate - Thorny is shaken, grapple released. Fang has +2 for next action against.
ReplyDeleteHoly smokes on that damage! Only a 9 on damage with 3d6+1? Darn popgun.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, about the tricks: Generally, I trust my gun's 2d8 or flamer's 2d10 to get a raise more than Smarts or Agility, which are only one die, and a raise on damage is much more effective. Not that tricks are useless, they're good if you're ganging up or do poor damage and need to shake before hitting to actually wound. I just do good damage. I'm like batman, a gadget-based fighter.
ReplyDeleteI decided since my new phone will post italics right, I may as well start doing it.
ooc: The first time I don't list damage... he rolled a 2,3,3+1.
ReplyDeleteWell, sure, you get 2 dice summed against a target that is usually 6-8, where but Smarts and agility are best of 2 dice as a contested roll against something that averages 3-5 for non wildcards. And unlike damage rolls, you can reroll bad ones with a benny. I'm not suggesting the party forgo attacks, I'm just defending the honor of a decent situational move. Say, if you don't want to set the ship on fire, for instance.
Yes, the benny factor was something I hadn't taken into account. I'd say that effectively balances the wounding power of going raw damage. And as you say, it's a situational thing.
ReplyDeleteSo we're waiting on Xisco and Medicus' round 6 action, then the Oakthorns "try" to unshake from LR and JWW's round 7 actions, then Tooly and Xisco (and NPCs) go.
ooc: correct.
ReplyDeleteSorry, had a question for BR, then a plane ride. Answer to question doesn't really matter anymore, given future actions, so...
ReplyDeleteXisco attempts to escape the grab (Agi vs. ___).
Xisco stabs at OTT. (Ineffective)
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Two or three rounds ago, Medicus was holding a bucket of grapeshot; I guess he should do something with it. Let's throw it. Then pick up something else...
Xisco, free from his opponents grasp, turns and strikes with his sword (7.v.7, hit. DR: 3,1. no effect.) His blade doesn't find purchase. Medicus takes a swinging heave with his bucket of shot (4,4,4,4,1-2 = 15. Raise. Damage 1,5. No effect.) Although the throw smashes into the Vined elf, it shatters on impact, dispersing shot all over the deck without further harm to its target. Medicus grabs the nearest item, a pouch of powder.
ReplyDeleteThe thorned elf shakes off his disorientation (6+2), and returns Xisco's blow (8 v. 6, hit. DR: 4,4 = 8. Shaken. Rolling 1st recovery for you since you're out and about - 2. Feel free to benny that.). His ally also recovers (7+2 = 9) and lashes out at the wildling that has given his crew so much grief. (1, rerolling with last GM benny, 7. Hit. DR: 5,5 = 10 vs. 9, SHAKEN.).
Prepping for Round 8, we have Tooly and Xisco still to take their round 7 actions (Xisco will stay SHAKEN without a benny to recover).
Then we have:
JOKER, Blendin (SHAKEN, 1 Bennies).
Ace of Hearts, Thorny
King of Diamonds, Tooly (1 WOUND, 0 Bennies), Olla.
Jack of Diamonds, Vines
10 of Diamonds, Gardner (3 Bennies), Fang.
5 of Clubs, Xisco (probably not SHAKEN, 2 Bennies), Medicus.
Reshuffling.
oh, and as before, blendin has Taz control.
ReplyDeleteBlendin holds up his left hand with his bracelet. "Feel my wrath!" (trick). With his right hand Blendin slashes at Viney with his new ironwood dagger.
ReplyDelete-------------------------------------------------
d6 to get rid of shaken right?: 5
Fighting: 7
Those rolls were without mods.
ReplyDeleteOlla sees the dwarf preparing to strike with his ghostly blade and plays a tune very different from her mellow healing spells. The discordant sounds are more appropriate as a background to slaughter, but the seem to be intended to do more. The dwarf flips the short, light blade around to an underhand position, concealing it behind his back and arm, and charges the elf clinging to the ceiling with the glowing muzzle of his flame gun, shouting "Hot poker time, Woody!" Rather than stab the burning barrel against the elf, though, he leaps to the side and slashes up and sideways with the blade.
ReplyDelete-----------------------------
Lot going on, here. Olla's trying a Lower Trait on Vines' vigor, unless I'm mistaken and it doesn't lower his hit points by one as well as dropping his vigor die. If that's the case, she'll boost Tooly's strength.
Tooly is trying a Smarts trick, then a wild attack. I figure the parry penalty makes up for the MAP, and has a chance to shake, plus it'll make him more vulnerable next round if (when) Tooly whiffs his Fighting roll as he is wont to do.
Letting BR roll everything, since he has to roll half of it anyway.
LR, you need an 8 after mods to unshake and act the same round. You may need to spend a benny if you want to stab Vines in Round 8. On the plus side, if Tooly's trick worked, you don't need to take a MAP doing your own trick. If we're really lucky, Vines may even be down by Round 8.
ReplyDeleteBut I can take just a single MAP if I drop the trick and just run in, right? If that is the case, consider the trick dropped.
ReplyDeleteTaz will also drop his full defense and make his attack on Viney.
Olla’s discordant note resonates in the ears of the elf, and he feels his strength leave him (raise. -2 dice to Vigor). Tooly charges in, menacing with his glowing gun (10-2 v. 1, Raise. Shaken, -2) and then strikes hard with his ghostly blade (5,1+2-2-1=5 v. 5. Hit. Damage : 3,3+2 = 8 vs 4. INCAP.), the blade piercing through his hide and jetting out his back in a spurt of green/black blood.
ReplyDeleteTaz turns from his current target and slashes at the increasingly surrounded Thorned elf (1) but his blow is muddled like his head, after the repeated blows he has sustained. Blendin regains his composure (spending your benny so that you may act). The tiny voice of the lizardling unsettles his target a great deal (5+2-2 v. 1. Shaken, -2 parry) and then he attempts to end his life with a weapon stolen from his master (7+2-2+1 v. 5. Raise. 2,4,1,3+2 = 10. INCAP.). The wood doesn’t break the flesh, but the hollow thock as it smashes into his ribs brings his target down.
With their opponents subdued, the crew looks about to assess their situation. The 2 elven ships are still some distance off, and bringing in sails in an attempt to bring aboard the oakthorn sergeant still struggling in the void. The Hornet is almost out of sight below. The ship is in need of repairs to seal the gundeck from the glow, and the port guns are unloaded. Olla does a quick check of the three remaining elves, “Alive, all of them. Shouldn’t come around too soon though.”
Taz straightens by his comrade, Wung. “He weren’t so lucky; the greenskin is with his fathers now.”
Medicus nods as he sees to Tooly’s arm, pushing it back into socket with a loud pop. It feels a great deal better already (18, wound healed.). The rest of the crew is battered and tired, but their scratches can wait until a plan is formulated.
Boarding combat complete. The ships are beyond range of ship-to-ship timescale rounds; in effect, you’ve escaped if you want. They may still give chase, but appear to be breaking pursuit for rescue operations.
In terms of loot, there are 3 ironwood swords; however these remain attached to their owners. You know from your time with Jay that while they live, they will retain their grasp on their blade until they give a release word to drop it. They bear little else; some scraps of clothing and such.
Wung, NOOOOOOOOOO! Now who will get knocked out the first round of every fight? He was the worst tank ever, but he was OUR awful, awful tank.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, Olla can't heal him? She should have 3 PP left.
-----------------------
Tooly eyes the battered, bleeding elves and the unmoving Wung. "Well, Blendin, little buddy, whaddaya think we should do with 'em?" The dwarf feels uncomfortable suggesting outright execution, but is too angry to suggest sparing them, even if they were to give up their swords.
------------------------
We definitely want those swords, probably for Taz, Xisco, and Gardner, unless one of you is going to start using the ghost blade. At this point, Tooly has appropriated the ethereal sword unless one of the humans demands it. He'll attach the scabbard to the ring on his breastplate so it hangs over his back.
Xisco will vehemently argue against executing the prisoners. If they are doused in lift oil (BR, is that a detect magic check, or maybe an awareness check?) he has no problem tossing them overboard. He won't try to physically stop anyone who carries out an execution, however.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to the ghost sword, unless it looks particularly unfashionable or non-mystical Xisco would take it. Personally I forgot about it when we quickly transitioned to Canopy.
"Killing them or letting them go? It will make no difference. This ship and crew are marked an very well may be hunted. However, a quick death to these three will relieve us having to fight these same devils again." (and gain us three new swords)
ReplyDeleteAfter a few quick sniffs, Xisco is reasonably sure that thorny has loft oil on him, but the others are less clear.
ReplyDeletefrom a str perspective I dunno how useful those d8 swords would be to you, but they are worth about 800 a piece on bridgeways if you can find someone who wants them.
"Well, we can't keep them on board, that armor can shoot spikes even if they're tied up. And anyway, what'd we do with them on Bridgeways? It'd be only fair to chuck 'em overboard, loft oil or no. That's the risk they took when they ganged up on us and boarded--and killed Wung. We should at least cut off their hands, though, for the swords.
ReplyDeleteUnless..."
The dwarf's face lights up with a look the crew is beginning to recognize. He has an idea. One that likely involves explosives.
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Blogger ate my post, gotta go to work. I'll post the idea later today. Are the elf ships still following to pick up the guys if we do chuck them overboard and they can float?
Blendin is all for killing them and taking their swords. He was simply trying to be diplomatic about it. If people insist on just leaving them behind, he will push a bit harder for their execution.
ReplyDeletethe elf ships are heading toward you generally speaking and appear to be pulling in sail to rescue the sergeant. If you tossed them out and they floated, they could likely be recovered by their allies in time.
ReplyDeleteThe dwarven engineer launches into his plan after checking that the elves sre out cold. "Now it seems to me that Blendin's right. Those elves on the other boats could be a problem later. On Bridgeways, even. I say we get rid of 'em.
ReplyDeleteSince two of our little friends will drop like logs if we toss 'em, it seems only courteous to give 'em some wings. While we're at it, we can leave a little gift for the ones on the other boats." He grins broadly.
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I propose we build some temporary hang gliders with spare spars and sailcloth, and tie our captives to them with a large amount of explosives hidden bewteen their back and the glider, rigged to blow when the glider is removed. If the ships survive, we can go take or sink them or take them and prevent future worries from these elves. At the very least, it'll mess them up, ruining sails and crew, maybe starting fires.
If the GM will allow it, I'll modify my Obscure gun to be two one-shot Burst flamers for extra punch and reliable ignition. Not that I would mind having it for later, but I try not to stockpile them and all. The gliders only need to last long enough to let the pick them up, and if they lose altitude, even better, since then we'll have an advantage if we counterattack.
This plan's rather aggressive and a bit costly, but if we capture and loot one of the ships, it'll be worth it. Even if we don't, it'll be worth it if they can't continue to harass us or put a price on us or something.
As for the swords, we can cut off their hands or convince them to let them go in exchange for their lives, though cutting would be simpler.
Assorted GM thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI'll rule that the obscure gun, since it was created this 'session', can't be converted for this purpose. However, I could see the flamer being rigged for use this way - it'd be lost of course and only work for one of the sails - but you can rebuild a new device given time and materials.
I imagine there are other ways to float them, seeing as I recall a number of people having windcharms or loft oil. You'd likely be able to purchase replacements on Bridgeways, assuming you survive to get there.
If you wish to proceed with the glider plan, I'll need Tooly to make 2 repair rolls for each glider. One roll will indicate materials consumption, and the other the 'quality' of the skysail. Difficulty will depend on what you intend to suspend for each one (that is, if you intend to hang all 3 and a barrel of powder from a single glider, it'd be harder than just one guy and a grenade size powder bomb.
I'll rule that assembling these skysails will take you 3d20 minutes each, if the non-gardner crew works on them.
You suspect that the elves will be out cold for awhile - it is unclear you'll be able to ask them to give up their weapons. also, it might be useful to ask yourselves whether you'd expect Jay to give up his.
The gliders are sort of essential to the plan as a way to conceal the bombs. Without the flamers, the odds of doing serious damage to the ships is reduced, though the crews might be in trouble. What's the typical crew of one of these ships, and how much damage could we expect from, say, 20 lbs of powder sttrapped to a oakthorn's back? Blendin should know the crew, and Tooly would have an idea of damage in game terms. Also, if we add some oil in there, what are the odds of setting the ships on fire?
ReplyDeleteblendin suspects the skiff has at least five but as many as 8, perhaps double that on the other ship.
ReplyDeleteYou'd expect that a bomb that size would do, 3d6 in a large burst template, as per powder explosives. In this case, I think I will count this as a heavy weapon, but since its undirected, it'll be less likely to do damage to the hull. With oil added, you have a 2 in 3 chance of starting a fire, which is the real threat to the ship in my estimation.
"I'm not going along with any killing or bombs. We can get away easy now and even though they deserve it for what they did to Wung they're no threat now and it falls on the victor to be merciful. If any of you want to do something like that I'm going to insist on a vote by shares."
ReplyDeleteDoes Olla have some kind of healing ability? I say we toss Thorny overboard with his loft oil, then we try to heal the other two enough to wake them up, with weapons ready and them tied up. Then I would offer them a trade (the swords for Gardner and Fang's windcharms). I'll go ahead and lay out what Gardner would say below and make a roll, but all of this is subject to us agreeing on what plan we're going to adopt.
"Now we're going to shove you two off the side of this ship in about a minute. I'm no killer, so I've got two windcharms here. Seems like those swords you're carrying are about a fair trade for these windcharms and the trouble you've caused. If you refuse, we're still going to shove you off so your comrades can pick you up and we can get out of here. Its not my fault if you fall. I offered a fair trade. I'm no killer." (Intimidation 9)
Olla has 2 more heals available before she runs out. Medicus seems inclined to shove them out and see if they float; he is very much against killing them while they sleep on account of fear of their ghosts or some such thing. Taz is going to go along with the captain's idea, whatever that turns out to be. Olla seems concerned to interject her opinion, given her provisional status with the crew.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, I think we have quite a few plans. I'll take it that JWW wants to do as he says above. What are the other votes?
The dwarf sighs heavily. "I don't like killing, either, skipper, but we didn't start this fight, and sinking one of their ships is only gonna make 'em madder. They know where we're going, and they know who we are. We'd all be safer if those pirates were all dead, and I reckon the Skies would be safer, too."
ReplyDeleteHe gestures to the unconscious oakthorn. "I don't recommend waking them up. Their armor can shoot even if they're tied. I think life with one less hand is more mercy than they deserve. If you want to give them your windcharms in exchange for their swords, that's fine, but giving them a choice is an unnecessary risk, just like letting the other ships chase us down at their leisure would be. I don't want to have to look over my shoulder the whole time we're on Bridgeways and who knows how long after.
Lets vote. I say blow the bastards up. We'll be safer and the Skies will be cleaner."
--------------------------
If we did blow them up, Tooly's more for disabling the crew and heavy weapons than sinking the ships, anyway. Large Burst would likely cover the whole deck of a boat if it went off in the middle, though, right? Any bonus for adding some grapeshot in there instead of oil?
Anyway, we'll see how the vote goes. If we decide not to bomb them, Tooly will still insist on not waking them to negotiate for their swords. If Gardner insists, he'll stand out of spike range with his gun aimed.
the bomb assumes the inclusion of grape in it. So far we have 1 share for boobytrapping, 2 shares for trying to talk them out of their weapons and tossing them overboard.
ReplyDeleteOkay, my original plan was for a powder-only bomb for hull damage, but without the flamer, anti-personnel will do. Probably better anyway, though if it blows their roof off to leave them open to normal grapeshot, even better. If we go that way.
ReplyDelete"I hate to disagree with you captain, but that is the reason we own shares. It is imperative that we end this now, any way we can. We are not victors if we are being hunted. Trust me, I know. However, there is no way to know which ship will pick up which piece of kindling. If only one ship does the pick up and goes down we may still have the larger one to deal with. I'm not sure we can take that one on alone."
ReplyDelete"Tooly, is there any way you could obfuscate an approach by a glider?"
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Blendin wants to try to covertly board the skiff and use his poison to take out the small crew (yes I realize this is a really bad idea, but I gotta play the character) This will guarantee pick up of the others by the larger, more dangerous ship. If this isn't possible Blendin will reluctantly vote to just kill the elves currently on board after cutting off their hands for the swords. He doesn't want the entire crew to get killed out of bad luck.
Xisco votes for the captain's plan.
ReplyDeleteBy a narrow margin, the crew agrees to go along with the captain’s plan. After Taz secures the elves wrist and ankle with ropes, he drags them just a few inches from the open hatch. The crew has taken safe positions at a short distance, Tooly and Blendin holding their rifles steady on the targets and Fang a few feet away, low and rumbling, ready to pounce at the earliest sign of trouble.
ReplyDeleteOlla plays her tune, a soothing melody even to your ears. The two oakthorn begin to stir, while their thorned comrade lays beside them. As soon as they are aware of their situation with their eyes open, Taz steps forward, shield at the ready, and shoves the thorny elf out the hatch with a well-placed kick of his boot. They turn wildly to watch as their comrade bobs in the distance, still afloat, before returning their silent eyes to the captain.
Gardner makes his pitch, holding aloft the windcharms he and Fang usually wear. (9+2+1 v. 5 and 15) The blossomed elf is silent, but the vined elf laughs at the captain. He pitches himself over backwards into the Void, and drops like a rock before fang can grab hold of the ropes binding him (Agility: 4 v. 1). The blossomed elf studies you carefully and commands his sword to fall to the deck. His common is better than most as he speaks in even tones staring at Blendin over his, “You have no reason to believe me but I have seen the Raven, wildling. I wish that I could take back my stroke on your orc friend; I thought him capable of deflecting it. The dwarf’s armor appeared sturdier than it was, but it seems his arm has knitted, Alpha be praised. I had no choice but to strike; I thought it unlikely your crew could mount a meaningful defense and could not give myself up for a single wildling when there are 3 more that need me.” He glances quickly at Tooly, before turning his eyes to lock with the captains, and continues, “We are two days from Bridgeways. There are 4 more of my brothers aboard the Verdant Dream with her crew, eight total. The Scent of Harvest has no true soldiers, but a full complement including the leafwarden and crew, 16 of them. We left in haste to follow you, and our ships are low on supplies. It is likely they will port there, probably at the Trade Council port on Griffin’s mouth. The leafwarden’s hold has 3 wildlings, captured in the forests of Canopy and I mean to free them.
“If you pitch me out without my weapon, my brothers will suspect I have gone soft and I am likely dead. Your choice is to either let me keep it or take my hand instead! They will believe that. After your actions in Canopy, I believe you care for the safety of Alpha’s children. Don’t send me back to die, for then they will be lost as well.”
ooc: since you’re likely to ask, a bunch of behind the screen rolls. Tooly finds his demeanor hard to read, but he hasn’t spent much time with elves. Blendin sees that he’s awfully nervous, but his ship compliments are consistent with his own guesses. Gardner remembers the blows on Tooly and Wung, and he wasn’t pulling his strokes then. Xisco’s gambler’s eye says he’s bluffing.
"Aye Captain, I believe the stick has a point. If you insist on pushing him our into the void, we should at least take his hand before you give him that charm. Any chance I can call for a new vote about freeing those three wildlings now ourselves and saving our friend here the trouble of even returning?" The sarcasm is thick as it drips from Blendin's tongue. He is not one to believe an elf so quickly.
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ReplyDelete"This liar's no friend of ours... or the wildlings," Gardner says to Blendin.
ReplyDeleteTurning to the captive he says, "On my ship we don't inflict cruel punishments like chopping a man's hand off. Let's hope you can spin a yarn to your comrades better than you can to us if you want to avoid the same treatment from them. While you're bobbing around out there thinking about what you're going to tell them, also think of a way to explain to them that I consider our differences settled, but I'd be happy to settle them some more if they have a burning desire to lose more ships and men and prove themselves a further discredit to your race."
Gardner moves to pick up the ironwood sword and puts a windcharm on the elf and puts the other one back on Fang. He turns to Taz, "Boot him."
As to freeing the wildlings now, Gardner will vote no. "I'm sorry, Blendin, but its just too risky. We're still outmanned and outgunned. We'll report the ships as pirates when we reach the Trade Council picket. If they do try to come to Bridgeways maybe the Trade Council will capture them and free the wildlings."
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Intimidate 7. As an aside to Bacteriophage - the reason I don't use the ethereal sword is because I'm limited to d4 weapons by my strength. Unless it being ethereal makes it light enough for me to use. Any chance of that GM?
Tooly grumbles about only getting one ironwood sword as loot and having to watch his back in port, making comments about negotiating with pirates, but goes with the vote without any real argument.
ReplyDeleteOnce the elves are gone from the ship, he immediately sets to work blocking the open half of the hatch with sailcloth and rope and repairing any damage to the remaining door.
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JWW: It's a half-weight shortsword. Anyone can use it. Anyway, my original suggestion, back in Canopy, was that Gardner take the crossbow and Xisco take the sword. Since the crossbow auto-reloads, you could fire it, fire the pistol, then fire the crossbow again, reload the pistol, and repeat. It'd increase your rate of fire a bit as well as giving you damage against ethereal beings.
Tooly makes no claim on the crossbow, and will give up the sword to Xisco with a little persuading.
The elf goes out the door without another word, but smiles menacingly at Blendin as Taz’s boot is planted in his chest.
ReplyDeleteThe crew points the ship into the wind, but keeps an eye on the elf vessels as they collect their crewmen. It seems unlikely they mean to pursue, as they fall further and further into the distance.
Medicus sees to preparing the body with Olla’s help. The glowborn retches a few times, but is sure to do it over the side. They wrap him in his sleeping blanket, his maul and purse of cogs between his legs, and Medicus adds a new tattoo to his battered chest, a cracked shield to ask for the battlelord’s blessing.
The crew doesn’t say much as they put him over the side, but Taz asks for extra alcohol rations to drink in his honor.
end of the chapter. If you have something you’d like to add to the service for Wung, feel free. You’ll be on Bridgeways during the next post, so Captain, I’ll need to know where you intend to harbor the ship.
Advancements time. Each player is getting 3 points. Sam gets an additional (4th) point, for putting the train back on the rails back on Canopy. Xisco has his first advance for Seasoned. Let me know in the next post or by email what you want to do with it.
Bennies will be recharged, fatigue healed and so forth. I rolled for glowmadness, and even with the extra exposure no issues.
There will be a OOC/background post going up now, and then an ingame post following after I have confirmation of where you want to dock the ship. We can use the OOC to deal with bookkeeping, suggestions or questions and such in the interim.
oh, and what tooly said about both weapons is correct. they're plenty light for low strength characters.
ReplyDeleteclosing thread.