The Adventures of Bronze Squad[IC]

[Firebeard]

"Almost there then?" Whiskeyjack looked around nervously. Without his flask he felt naked. Naked and sober...not a good combination. "Should've grabbed a backup" he muttered to himself.

The grizzled veteran looked around again. Something wasn't right. Yes, there could have been only one ambush site, but if he were running the show, there would be a backup near the docks, just in case.

After a bit of thought, he muttered a small prayer and a brief circle of blueish light emanates from his body, expanding rapidly before disappearing.

Spoiler

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Cast Bless on the group. Each ally gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects.

[Hawk7915]

"Right then, if ya'll agree, me and the priest and the doc are gonna go full tilt for that there boat on the counta' three...doc, you on the left, me on the right, and ol' Jeral there right in the middle. Little man, miss Ingol, watch our flank. "An old man, a priest, and a doctor walk into a boat...sounds like a bad damn joke, Ajax thinks to himself.

"One...two...

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Assuming no one speaks up, Ajax shouts THREE! and takes off, still ready to Shield Block an attack on the priest assuming he keeps up.

Obligatory spot check I can has?
Spot: (1d20+2)[15]
Listen: (1d20+2)[8]

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan smiled cheekily.

"I'd much rather watch Ms. Ingol, but I suppose I can do that."

His preperations were limited to preparing his Weapons.

[dangerprawn]

The priest urges his horse faster and races alongside Ajax and Whiskeyjack. The people on the streets rush out of your way and the sailors pause and stare at you, muttering to another.

The horses run across the cobbled avenue, making it to the ship. Jergal pulls back on his reins. "Whoa there, easy now." The horse slows and he walks him up to the wide boarding ramp. A lean and muscular half-elf man dressed only in a pair of dark breeches leans over the railing of the ship. His dark hair hangs down loose around his shoulders and a rapier hangs at his side. He looks down at you all, then back up the street where you came, then back at you. "Well, that was certainly impressive." He says, a smirk on his face.

[Hawk7915]

"Well, that's Maugrim's: we deliver, right? You must be Lucien, I think, and this must be Jillian's Revenge? We got yer cargo here, so if you want to get it...err...him...well, the cargo loaded under lock and key, and we can get a move on back, that'd be just super."

Ajax tries not to look too nervous as he eyes the docks and the area around them, and fidgets with his sword and shield for a moment before turning back to Lucien.

[Firebeard]

Whiskeyjack tried to calm his huffing and blowing horse as he gazed at the ship and its crew. "Is this your destination, sir?" he asked of the aged priest.

[dangerprawn]

The priest climbs down of his horse and pats its head. He looks up at the half-elf on the railing then turns to Whiskeyjack. "Yes, this is where I need to be." He bows slightly. "Thank you for your protection today. I will pray for Renault's safe passage this evening."

The half-elf smiles. "Ah, I always feel better having Tyr's chosen aboard. Makes me all warm and tingly inside." He grins and waves his hand towards the ship. "Please, sir, come aboard."

The priest glances at Ingol one last time and barely nods his head, then moves over to the gangplank and walks up on to the ship.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan, with complete seriousness, unclips the box from the side of his Dog, and hands it to the Half Elf. He then walks back, and saddles up again, giggling to himself.

"We done? I've got a lot of swearing to do."

[Firebeard]

"Let's get back to the camp. I wanna drink...and then I'm gonna kick Ruuka in the balls so hard I'm not gonna be able to walk for a week." Whiskeyjack rubbed a hand across his brow and then massaged the bridge of his nose. "Mebbe I need to find a spot of something before we get back."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan looked over at Whiskeyjack, shaking his head.

"Don't bother. This isn't Ruuka's fault. Maugrim's getting back at me. If you'd like it we can both go give him a straight shot."

Donovan gave him shrug.

"A quick drink might be nice. But Maugrim takes precedence."

[Hawk7915]

Ajax keeps his sword and shield ready, and mounts back up. "Well, this would almost have been a damn success if we hadn't lost Renault. You wanna explain the joke yet little man, or do I need to ask Maugrim? 'Cause I seem to have lost my sense a humor in that little scuffle."

Ajax turns to Ingol as he starts riding back. "Ya all right, girl? Near death experiences combined wit meeting ol' friends tends to be hard."

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan looked over at Ajax, his look turning malicious.

"Joke was on me, this time. Maugrim wanted me to think this was the Egg Run. The package just contains an Egg, nothing more. Supposed to teach us humility. I've done it far more times then I can count."

Donovan's eyes narrowed as he continued.

"So go ahead and laugh it up, old man. I've more then enough anger to go around at the moment."

[dangerprawn]

Lucien takes the box and bows with mock seriousness. "I thank you, sir." He stands on the gangplank and looks behind you. He leans forward a little, eyes squinting. "I do believe that those gentlemen may desire a word with you."

As you mount your horses and turn around you see riders burst out from the street you came down. They turn onto the avenue and start racing towards you, a dozen or more strong.

The priest curses and shouts "Up here, men! You can't take them all."

[Hawk7915]

"Oh gods damned son of a...yeah, little man, Whiskeyjack, get up there! I'll cover ya! Ingol, up and give me cover!"

Ajax stands at the gangplank, assuming a defensive position and twirling his sword with a flourish.

"Ya want a piece of me, after what jus happened to your little friends back there! WELL COME ON!"

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan looked over at the men and shrugged. If the old man wanted to get himself killed, it was his business.

"Alright old man."

Donovan turned and urged his Dog up the Gangplank. He leapt down, and looked over at Lucien.

"I think it is time to be casting off. What do you need done?"

[Firebeard]

Whiskeyjack leaped from the horse and pounded up the gangplank, drawing his crossbow as he went. Sliding around the forward railing, he popped a quarrel into the crossbow and leveled it over the railing at the oncoming riders.

[Hawk7915]

OOC:

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As soon as everyone else is aboard, Ajax will get on...he's a good bodyguard, but even he knows that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor . If I need to roll initiative and paste people/die a terrible, senseless death, let me know, otherwise I'm climbing aboard and drawing my longbow

[Firebeard]

OOC:

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Just as discretion is the better part of valor, cowardice is the better part of discretion. So Ajax bravely hid himself inside a brooom closet

[dangerprawn]

Lucien looks down at the halfling with a grin. "I don't suppose you like climbing...but if those sails were down we would probably make a faster escape than none at all." He says, nodding his head towards the main mast. At the crows nest it looks to be sixty feet tall and in the middle between that and the deck the heavy sails are tied with a rope to the mast.

Lucien shrugs and glances over at one of his sailors, another half-elf, though this one is only wearing a towel wrapped around her. "What's going on dear? We being boarded?" She asks, tucking her blonde hair up into a bun.

The pirate captain nods to another sailor and the man starts yelling orders at the crew, who promptly begin scurrying around the ship, getting it ready to sail.

The priest shouts down to Ingol. "Hurry up! They're almost upon you!" Ingol knocks her heels lightly against her horse and she rides up the gangplank, with Ajax close behind. Lucien walks over to the railing and pushes the plank with one foot, sliding it until it wobbles and falls over into the water.

The horsemen skid to a stop at the end of the dock. They're dressed the same as the ones that ambushed you in the alley. One raises his hand and makes a circular motion with it. Half of the horsemen pull out bows while the remaining half draw grappling hooks from their saddle and begin swinging the hooks in widening circles.

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It's the parties turn. We're just going to do party initiative. Easier that way.

[Firebeard]

"Not today sonny Jim," mutters Whiskeyjack as the old healer sights in his crossbow on one of the riders with a grappling hook. Trying to slow his breathing and steady his aim on the railing, he looses a quarrel.

Spoiler

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Crossbow - (1d20+4)[15]
damage - (1d10)[2]

add +1 to the hit roll if Bless is still active.

[Hawk7915]

Ajax moves as spry as he can on deck, tucking his sword away and stowing his shield in favor of his oak bow. He stands on deck and grins.

"Good, glad ya didn't run boys! So much more FUN this way, eh?"

Spoiler

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Attack:(1d20+5)[22]
[b]Damage:[b](1d8+2)[9]
Crit confirm:(1d20+5)[21]
Crit Damage: (3d8+6)[24]

And +1 to all those attack rolls if Bless is still up.

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan smirked at the man. The fellow had no idea whom he was dealing with, quite obviously.

"I think you might be suprised."

Donovan just stepped forward, the Shadows consuming him. He reappeared up on the mast, by the rope. He didn't bother trying to untie the rope, just pulled his Shortsword free, and just slashed at the ropes, a second shadowy blade striking as well.

Spoiler

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Shadow Jaunt to teleport 30 feet up. Shadow Blade Technique to attack the Rope.

(1d20+10)[17] vs the Ropes AC to hit.
(1d20+10)[16] Second Attack roll from Shadow Blade
(1d20+10)[16] to crit
(1d20+10)[17] Shadow Blade to Crit
(1d4+5)[9] Damage
(1d4+5)[6] Crit Damage
(1d6)[4] Shadow Blade Damage
(1d6)[1] Shadow Blade Crit Damage

Gaggle of bad rolls. I'll take the 17, and therefore only deal nine damage to the rope. If it is 4 inches thick or less, and I hit, it is severed.

[dangerprawn]

Lucien raises his eyebrows in surprise at Donovan's transfer and then merely shrugs. A sailor runs up to him with two blades in their sheathes. "Your weapons, Captain." The half-elf draws the rapier and dagger and nods to the sailor, who goes running back down below.

Both Whiskeyjacks quarrel and Ajax's arrow find their targets but neither drops their foe.

The horsemen archers on the docks shoot their arrows as the grappling hooks go flying and catch onto the railing of the ship. Arrows land all over the place, striking Lucien a glancing cut across his chest. Two arrows sink into Ingol's left thigh. The Priest was in the process of casting a spell when two arrows stick in his gut. He drops to a knee, breathing hard. Whiskeyjack is struck by two arrows as they pierce his arm.

The half-elf woman in the towel walks over to Lucien. "Would you care for some help dear?" She asks before snapping her fingers. A floating shield of force pops into existence next to her, hovering at her side.

The rope that held the sails together splits in two at Donovon's sword. The sails unfurl and immediately catch the wind, causing the ship to begin to drift slowly away from the docks.

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Whiskeyjack: 8 damage
Ingol: 6 damage
Priest: 9 damage
Lucien: 3 damage

Your turn, fellas.

[Firebeard]

"Damnation!" Whiskeyjack exclaimed as the arrows landed. One had barely grazed him while the other went right through the meat in his left arm. Yanking the arrow out, he was about to heal the wound when he saw the old priest writhing on the ground. "I didn't go to all the trouble to get him here just to let him die," mumbled the grizzled veteran.

Crouching low to gain as much cover from the railing as possible, he slid across the deck to the priest's side. Laying a hand once more upon the old man, he chanted a small spell of healing.

Spoiler

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Burn Shield of Faith to cast Cure Light Wounds.
healing - (1d8+6)[12]

[Hawk7915]

"Hey, ya big ugly mutts! Over here! Come on, are ya all a bunch of cowards. Give me yer best shot!"

Ajax draws his sword and shield again. He steps slightly closer to Whiskeyjack and the Priest, bringing his blade down on one of the hooks as he does.

Spoiler

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Draw my sword and shield. If I can get within range to Shield Block for our healer or the priest with a 5' step, I do that; if not I 5' step closer and hack at the nearest grappling hook:

Attack:: (1d20+7)[27]
Damage: (1d8+3)[7]

[Hawk7915]

The one time I actually roll a crit, it's against a rope and I forget my confirm roll

Confirm: (1d20+7)[19]
Damage: (2d8+6)[15]

[Tackyhillbillu]

Donovan just looks down from his perch, watching the ebb and flow of the battle while he caught his breath.

Spoiler

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Donovan uses adaptive style to refresh all his maneuvers, and stays out.

[dangerprawn]

The priest stands up from his knees. Thank you, son. With a magical word he weaves his hands and a glowing field surrounds him. Ingol hops off Amelia and rushes over to stand by the priest, firing an arrow at the archer that Ajax hit. The arrow sinks into the horseman's' neck and he falls out of his saddle.

The rope holding the grappling hook slices in two from Ajax's sword and the raider that was clinging on to it falls into the water. The half-elf lady places a hand on Luciens chest and whispers a word as a translucent field of force surrounds him. "Thank you darling. You should go finish dressing, this won't take long." With a kiss on her check he walks over to the railing and slices another rope. A second raider splashes into the water, and while the third begins to climb up the rope two more horsemen drop their bows and reach for their own ropes and hooks. Whirling it around their heads they launch the hooks and they latch onto the railing.

The archers open fire again, sending a flight of arrows towards the ship as it begins to drift away from the dock. A single arrow pierces the priests leg, but he merely grunts and shifts his weight. Another arrow slices across Ingols back as she turns to help the priest stand.

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There are seven archers left. Two have fallen in the water, one is climbing on the side of the ship, two more are trailing in the water, climbing up the ropes.

Priest 5 damage.
Ingol 6 damage.

Ajax - Shield Block is expended.

Action!

[Firebeard]

"Lass,' Whiskeyjack shouts at Ingol. "Do ya be needing some healing?" As he speaks, Whiskeyjack reloads his crossbow by touch and scans the docks.

[Hawk7915]

"Priest, stay down and stay close! We have come to damn far to have you dyin' now! Ingol, more supportin' fire! And YOU!", Ajax snarls, pointing his blade at one of the raiders coming up the rope. "You have a nice swim, courtesy of Maugrim's Mercs!"

Ajax slashes down at the rope.

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Well I've learned my lesson
Attack: (1d20+7)[14]
Damage: (1d8+3)[7]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+7)[16]
Crit Damage: (2d8+6)[14]