[4E] A City Alone IC I

[Rakaydos]

Looking through his notes, Draj spes his old dowsing ritual. There being no harm in trying, he begins to channel the spell, trying to seek out the drow.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

The thri-kreen hunter adopts a non-hostile, silent stance and keeps a certain distance to maximize the effectiveness of captain Kriv's words. However, his antennae are always alert and his four hands are ready to draw one of his crossbows in case of an unwarned attack.

He twitches his antennae when Kriv introduces him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Readying a Clever Shot (with Multiple Arms to quick draw my crossbow), but it's just for precaution. Adopting Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx stance.

Also:
· Perception: (1d20+15)[28]
· Insight: (1d20+10)[18]

[Nightgaun7]

It's a sweltering day, the sun beating down on the crew as they work hard to complete their tasks. The wind falls off, the waves die down, and Melora's Bounty slides through the water slowly. Wavelets lap at the hull, a fish leaps and falls back with a splash, and the smell of the ocean is stronger in the still, humid air.

Hakka sees a few distant sails from his vantage point in the crow's nest, ships sailing to or from Great Hope. The ships sailing in are larger, and the ships sailing out are smaller. The faint line of sails still visible in the harbor is slowly growing.

Draj tries his old spell, with no luck. He remembers One-Eye telling them about other failed attempts to divine the location of the drow, and wonders if he might discover by what means they shield themselves. The thought is intriguing...

Kriv waits for Janaga's reply. After a minute, she mutters, "Who's DEN?"

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Kriv chuckles at Janega's question, "Stick around long enough and you just might meet him. Anyway, are you settling in fine? Is there anything that you need in order to do your job? Components, mice, cabinboys, etc? I must admit I have no idea how sorcery works - I usually leave that to Draj."

[Wdwune]

Hakka

Once back on his spot at the crow's nest, he pays attention to any ships he sees, but without getting careless in his watching duties. He waves his forelimbs to Kriv as if indicating there was nothing new to report except some ordinary ships; but his eyes and antennae are alert for any drow sighting.

[Rakaydos]

Draj walks up to the captian and growls, "I need someone keelhauled."

After a brief misunderstanding, he makes it clear that he really wnts a second set of watchsanders, beneath the waterline- and that he can provide a ritual to allow them to survive what is normally a lethal punishment.

[Meltheim]

Kriv

"Well, if you need anything, I'll be topside." Kriv walks out of Janega's room, shaking his head in frustration as the half-orc refused to engage him. As he ascends the steps to the deck, he is met by Draj. Though not usually shocked, his eyes widen at the wizard's initial request. Then he nods, smiling toothily. "I see, hmm. Yes, that could work. Do you have what you need for the spell? I will see if we can round up a few volunteers." He turns to continue walking, then pauses, turning back to Draj. "Good thinking on that. Creativity is what will get us to victory in this fight, I think, since all other efforts have failed."

Kriv acknowledges Hakka's wave with the barest of nods - the two of them having worked together long enough that body language was sufficient. Kriv continues his patrol, finding a few men doing drills. "I am in need of a few good swimmers. You're not likely to drown, but skill in the water will only help you. Yes, you, you and .... you. Report to the Gnoll by the stern - he'll take care of you." Kriv gestures back toward Draj's direction, hoping that the few he selected don't accidentally approach one of the other Gnolls in confusion.

Walking over to the railing, Kriv looks out. The breeze almost lifts his hat off his head for a moment, though he is able to catch it before it goes flying. With the salty air in his face, he feels truly at home. With any luck, we'll find and defeat the Drow without incurring much loss, this time. he though to himself, whimsically.

[Nightgaun7]

The sun takes a long time to set this time of year. Dark purple streaks of cloud on the horizon, a vibrant orange that slowly shifts to a clear dusk blue, and glittering points of starlight around a new moon make a beautiful sight, lifting the hearts of the tired crew before they go below decks. The night watch sees a few flickers of distant lightning beneath the clouds as the sun sinks behind them.

Melora's Bounty sails slowly across the languid sea, the oppressive humidity of the warm air giving way to dense fog as a cool breeze from off the starboard tack comes up. Conversation among those on the night watch is sparse, and the few sentences Kriv can heard from his position by the wheel are muted and fragmentary.

From his place atop the mast, Hakka sees little beyond the softly glowing lamps at bow and stern. The world is reduced to the deck of the ship, and even that is obscured by tendrils of fog rolling across it beneath him. He sees Janaga poke her head up from the hatchway the lead belowdecks and look around, then make her way towards the stern.

Draj, having spent some time carefully preparing his ritual, must contend with the crewmembers Kriv selected, who are extremely reluctant to go over the side even with the benefit of his water breathing ritual. They insist that that they might get eaten by kraken, that it will be too dark to see, and that the barnacles will shred them. "And what if the rope breaks?" asks one.

DEN comes out of his reverie briefly to ensure he can leap into action when the time is right, then returns to his trance-like state.

Sathris perches on the bowsprit, enjoying the few specks of spray that manage to reach him as he clings to the forestays and leans out over the water, looking at the lantern light dance over the wavelets. He notices a rat clambering along the outer railing of the beakhead.

[Rakaydos]

Draj has little time to contend with their complaints, instead relying on a powerful Suggestion spell to turn them to obedience. "There is no danger you cannot handle as warriors of the Great Hope. Should the elves or kracken strike, signal up the line- my fellow stormravens will join you momentaly. Hold the Line."

Arcane Mutterings: Use arcana in place of a Diplomacy check: (d20+21)[35]

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Kriv watches Draj with the crew, happy that they are doing so well at following his orders. He could hold a command post if he really wanted Kriv muses to himself, thinking about what little he knows of Gnoll hierarchy and Draj's prowess in the field.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

Since Hakka's vision is more limited, Hakka uses his antennae sense and explorer feats to help the ship's navigation. His antennae allow him to intermitently expand his sense of touch in a 50-feet radius during 6 seconds every 5 minutes, and his explorer training makes him feel connected to the true north.

He climbs down from the mast up to an altitude where so that Kriv and the closest ones can see him and keeps one of his lower limbs pointing to the north, while saying: "North."

Spoiler: OOC

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Still on Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx stance.

Use Antennae Sense power. This power gives me blindsight 10 for 1 round, but I will use it every 5 minutes (after short rests). If needed, I'll make a Perception check with my blindsense: (1d20+15)[29]

Also, my explorer's theme features allow me to always detect north, so I think Hakka will be useful with the Melora's Bounty's navigation.

[Laserlight]

There's a brief mutter from a crate on deck: "Then The Chaksi Came The Bay Of The Moon Was Black With Ashes And The Thousand Stair Was Red With Lifeblood." The mutter fades into inaudibility.

[Nightgaun7]

Brought around to the general idea by Draj's spell, the crewmen Kriv selected talk the plan over among themselves. After a bit of discussion, a couple of the sailors venture the idea that while trying to walk along the bottom of a ship in motion would be impractical, being towed along behind might work. "But what're we to see below? The drow be aboard a ship, aye? And it's night, little to see beneath the waves but much that might see us..." Another speaks up, "I'll not be bait for a sea serpent!"

Sathris is entranced by the guttering, dancing lantern light - until it goes out. A gust of wind or errant spray? Unlikely, for a ship's light...perhaps the dense fog has made the air too damp?

Hakka keeps up his vigil. He tracks Janaga as she moves, furtively, around the deck, avoiding the others crew members as best she can.

Kriv, keeping an eye on things from the stern, is a little startled by Janaga's head poking suddenly over the edge of the poop deck. She climbs up and approaches him quietly. "Foggy night..." and, under her breath, "Natural. No bad magic - in fog."

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Nodding in response to Janega's assessment, Kriv adds, "Thank you, I have no mind for this sort of thing. Give me an enemy in the open, or one dumb enough to let me get the drop on him. I do not like being the prey." Kriv pats her on the shoulder and gets up, making another lap around the ship. He tries to keep moving, when possible, so that any potential enemies cannot sneak up on him too easily. Between his own paranoia and Hakka's ever watchful eyes, Kriv is sure the crew is well covered.

[Meltheim]

Kriv

"Blast this fog, natural or not" Kriv says to nobody in particular. "Hakka - light her up" he shouts, giving the signal for LIGHT SUNRODS to his ally in the kreen's nest as the other crew members have started calling it. Just as practiced, a series of sunrods soon light up, bathing the ship in light.

Turning to Janega, Kriv asks, "Janega, see if there anything you can do with respect to the fog, either to make it go away or to use it to our advantage. Visibility will be a weapon if we're going to have a chance with these Drow. I'm going to make another round and check on the ship's combat abilities, and I expect an answer when I get back."

Kriv walks with his hands clasped behind his back, an awkward motion for one of his bulk, and checks in with the hobgoblins about the capabilities of the ship if it came to a fight, and how they could improvise what they have on board for a possible siege. One hobgoblin jokingly suggests something involving powder kegs and the ship's anchor being used as a mast-breaker, while another says the pickaxes and rope could make passable grappling hooks, in the right hands.

[Rakaydos]

Draj, a long hand at sea travel, had his book opened to the "Control Winds" Ritual sshortly after the fog came up. he took his time casting it though... t was unlikely to be needed immediately, but clearing the fog would be important soon.

[Laserlight]

DEN rouses from his trance when he hears the marines drilling in the ship's waist near him.
Judging by the sounds, someone has flung a cask over the side, and archers are lighting fire arrows and shooting at it.
Others are maneuvering as melee squads, with their corporals cursing tiredly.
There's a call "Ready grapnels! Grapnels away! No, you misbegotten limpwristed pathetic excuse for a kobold, you're supposed to throw the cursed thing, not let it drizzle out of your hand like the drool out of your mouth! Haul in! Coil line! Now again, ready grapnels! Grapnels away--over the rail! Over over over! Not into! Those sunrods cost money! More than you're worth, maggot!" followed by a few choice expressions.

DEN listens carefully, adding a few phrass of hobgoblin profanity to his database.

[Nightgaun7]

The crew's training is coming to an end for now as Kriv finishes another lap of the deck and climbs up the ladder to the quarterdeck. The charred barrel is reeled in and arrows plucked from it - one of the Mul has done particularly well, Kriv notes. The hobgoblins are trying to cram more of their hard-won wisdom into the tired new marines as they slump along the railings, eating their tack and guzzling thin beer. The grappling hooks are all re-wrapped around belaying pins, ready for action. One of the Mul on the quarterdeck, clearly receiving a vision of vengeance from Moradin, is sketching on a scrap of paper and muttering madly - something about making balls of slow-burning matchwood for the thunderer to fire. Other Mul are in front of the thunderer ports in the fo'c'sle after carefully cleaning their beloved contraptions. Kriv isn't sure how effective they'll be in the coming battle, and makes a mental note to talk to the Mul about how best to employ the war machines.

Spoiler: Kriv - passed Int check

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Thinking about what DEN said, you hit upon the idea of tying sunrods to some of the grappling hooks. They should help illuminate the drow ship somewhat if it comes close enough to get hooked, and they'll be harder to dislodge than ones fixed to javelins.

Draj is talking about his plan with the crew Kriv sent him in the waist. He hears Hakka chittering briefly in the "kreen's nest" and smiles to himself. Janaga is preparing to cast her spell. As he stands at the railing and looks to the fo'c'sle, he takes a moment to say a prayer to Kord, asking him to strengthen the crew for the coming fight.

-----

Hakka, high up on the mainmast, is the first to feel the result of Janaga's invocations. His antenna tremble slighty in the weak breeze at first, but the wind swiftly comes up from astern to fill the sails. Melora's Bounty begins to pick up speed through the water. The heavy fog begins to clear.

-----

Perched on the bowsprit, Sathris watches the keel ride through the small bow wave. He looks up and around, seeing the wisps of fog dissipating. As he looks back, one of the Mul lounging next to the heads bolts upright and stares into the fog. "What was that?!" The other Mul, startled, also stand up and peer into the dimly lit fog. The first Mul points in the direction of whatever he saw, but Sathris can't make out anything. He asks the Mul, "What did you see?" and the reply makes his down feathers tingle - "A face in the fog...with fangs and red eyes!" Sathris takes action with alacrity, hauling himself up the lines running to the foresail from the bowsprit until he's within Hakka's line of sight. He gestures briefly, alarm, before sliding back down to resume his watch.

-----

Hakka sees his kenku companion and his hand signal. He rounds the mast and chirps several times to alert Kriv to look to him. When he sees the captain's head turn, he repeats the gesture. The captain nods.

-----

Kriv immediately sends a couple of cabin boys scurrying across the deck to alert the crew. The men hunker down along the gunwale, all conversation and tasks forgotten, eyes peeled for any sign of peril. The night is silent but for the creak of rigging and timber, the wavelets lapping at the hull, and Janaga's muttered incantations, her casting trance undisturbed on the poop deck behind him. It's too quiet...I should have told them to act more normal...

One of the cabin boys returns, while the other heads below deck to rouse the crew that are asleep. Kriv quickly has the young lad scampering forward to find out what caused the alert. As the boy passes the crate DEN is in, one of the hobgoblins on the starboard side of the waist rises onto the balls of his feet and looks over the railing, head turning quickly, then gestures to Kriv. The dragonborn hurries over to the other side of the ship, but he's too late.

-----

Hakka also sees the hobgoblin move, and from his high position can see what caught his veteran eye. An especially dense patch of fog, at first glimpse, just above the surface of the water, but moving fast - and against the wind. Whatever it was, it quickly falls astern. The thri-kreen decides that he needs to tell the captain exactly what he saw, and begins dexterously descending the rigging.

-----

DEN stirs in his crate. The living wood that composes his frame feels slightly stiff, caused by the moisture int he air no doubt. He determines that action is near by the stillness of the crew and the speed of the ship. Peering through a slit in his box, he sees Hakka and Kriv with their heads together on the starboard side of the quarterdeck

-----

Draj too sees Hakka descend the ropes, spider-like, and moves to join his companions. As he pokes his head over the edge of the quarterdeck to join the conversation, the cabin boy that ran forward to ask Sathris what it was returns and tells Kriv about the macabre visage that appeared for a moment. The description triggers a dim memory...something he read in a tome on the undead...

Spoiler: Draj - passed Hard Religion check

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The pages of a dusty, little-worn libram turn in your head as you try to call to mind anything related to what the cabin boy relayed. After a minute, you dredge up the recollection of a section about those who committed horrible crimes and were judged likely to return as vampires; in an effort to prevent this, such beings were sometimes buried at sea. As their mortal remains rotted away in the depths, some were able to somehow mysteriously rise again in undeath. Weakened by the absence of a body, their spirits are said to be reduced to low cunning and insatiable hunger. Able to animate mist, fog, and ocean spray, they attempt to take whatever bodies they can find and, very rarely, one might return to land inhabiting a new corpse.

-----

Kriv too is thinking as he stares into the gloom mere feet from the tumblehome. A hobgoblin approaches from the port ladder, bringing word of another spectral face rushing past the gunwale to the stern. Kriv tells the cabin boy to move amongst the crew, telling all the men to look out for faces or moving fog. As the boys runs off once more, he turns to Hakka and says quietly, "Get back to your nest. We'll need your sharp senses up there." As his friend moves back to his place, he wonders what sort of entity is around them and what it wants. He sees a third raised arm on the fo'c'sle, this time following an arc from the stern forward. Half to himself, he says "Maybe some kind of pack...circling us...looking for weakness..."

-----

Coming out of his remembrance right as Kriv speaks, Draj opens his mouth to tell him about it. As he does so, he sees over the captain's shoulder and, with "looking for weakness..." echoing in his mind, he comes to a terrible realization. "Janaga - trance - weakness!" he barks, pointing at the sorceress. Deep in a reverie, controlling the wind, she is unaware of the danger. Phantom faces of mist, a half dozen or more, loom up behind her, wispy tendrils reaching towards her.

-----

Spoiler: Initiative

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Block A, you're up.

Block A: Hakka, Sathris, DEN
Group 1: Corruptor, Chillborn 1, Chillborn 1
Block B: Kriv, Draj
Group 2: Vampiric Mist 1, 2, and 3

Spoiler: Map & Terrain

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Fighting Tops
On Melora's Bounty, there is a foremast fighting top and a mainmast fighting top.
When firing from the fighting top to the deck of an enemy ship or other much lower enemy, range brackets are lengthened by half. For example, if using a bow with a 10/20 range bracket, the height bonus would change the brackets to 15/30. In addition, enemies that are below the level of the fighting tops have a harder time getting cover. Return fire from below has a correspondingly harder time reaching and hitting characters in the fighting tops. The fighting top does prevent characters in it from firing at targets beneath them, however. For example, if Hakka is in the mainmast fighting top and there is an enemy in S10 or V13, he can't shoot them while standing in the fighting top.

Note that line of sight from the fighting tops is heavily dependent on sail state and orientation of the ship and target. If you have any questions about whether or not you can see something, ask OOC.

Rigging
Getting up to or down from the fighting tops requires a move action combined with a DC 10 Athletics check to climb the rigging (at a cost of 2 squares per 5 feet). If you fall while climbing the rigging, you get a +5 bonus to the Athletics check to catch hold due to the large number of available handholds.

The distance to the foremast fighting top is 8 squares, and you must be on the forecastle (squares H9, I9, G10 or G13, H14, I14) to begin climbing to it.
The distance to the mainmast fighting top is 10 squares, and you must be in the waist (squares N-P18 or N-P23) to begin climbing to it.
Assuming you're climbing normally and using your full turn to do so, it will take two turns to ascend or descend to the fighting tops, with a couple of squares left over.


Stays
Ropes that help hold the masts steady, it's possible to use them to slide rapidly from the fighting top to the decks below. As long as you have a free hand, you can use one standard action to move from the fighting tops to the deck. However, doing so is difficult. You must make a DC20 Athletics or Acrobatics check to slide safely. If you fail, you take falling damage as if you fell from the fighting tops.

Ladders
- cost two squares to ascend and one to descend.
- can begin climbing on one turn and finish the next.
- grant combat advantage while climbing.

Ladders in the middle of the Main Deck lead belowdecks if you wish to go there.

Doors
- appear as blank rectangles in the middle of solid black lines.
- Cost two squares of movement to go through
- Door on quarterdeck leads to captain's cabin, stern door on main deck leads to officer quarters and mess, bow door leads to the galley and thunderers

[Laserlight]

DEN

"Pre Battle Alert. Possible Threat At Range But No Hostile Units Detected Aboard Ship. Stand By."

DEN readies his gouge across his chest and presses again the crate lid, making sure it's loose. Once it's off, he can be across the waist, or up the companionway and onto the fo'c'sl, in just a few strides. Careful not to knock the lid off just yet, he flexes elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, assessing readiness.

There may be an opportunity to go to Battle Reflex soon, to carry out his orders, to crush and to slay. Do the electro-magic impulses twisting through the labyrinth of the machine mind correspond to what humans call "hope"? It is impossible to say for sure, but the red lights in his eyes brighten.

Spoiler: Actions

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Perception <roll>1d20+12</roll> to decide whether a target is available.
Ready Action: If a target comes within Charge range or Kriv orders it: charge. Move up to 5; attack 16+1 for charge vs AC, 2d6+9 damage and Mark.

Note that the lid of the crate is facing toward the bow.

[Nightgaun7]

Vampiric Mists

Spoiler

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The creatures of mist coalesce and disperse, flowing forward as they do. The bolt fired by the startled crossbowman on the stern passes through their insubstantial forms with little apparent effect. The faint phosphorescence common to many undead becomes more apparent as they fly towards the railing. As they flow over and through the railing, the first tendrils from the closest horror reach the crossbowman, who immediately pales, and the mist that engulfs him glows a little more brightly.

Spoiler: Traits

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Siphoning Presence (cold, necrotic) Aura 1
Enemies can’t spend healing surges in the aura. When an enemy ends its turn in the aura, it takes 5 cold and necrotic damage, and the mist gains 5 temporary hit points.

CORRUPTOR ONLY
Siphoning Presence (necrotic, psychic) Aura 1
Enemies can’t spend healing surges in the aura. When an enemy ends its turn in the aura, it takes 10 necrotic and psychic damage, and the mist gains 5 temporary hit points.

Insubstantial
The mist takes half damage from any damage source, except those that deal fire, force, or radiant damage. When it takes fire or radiant damage, it loses this trait until the start of its next turn.

Mist Form
The mist can move through openings of any size. It can also enter other creatures’ spaces and end its turn there.

[Gavran]

Sathris

Turning away from his vigil, Sathris sprints across the deck, coming to a brief stop near the crate concealing DEN - "Something going on at the stern. I'm going to check it out. Be ready." - before hurrying on toward the back of the ship.

Spoiler: OOC

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Start: C21

Standard & Move:
Double Run: 2(6 + 2) = 16, -4 for doors/climbing = 12
Grant CA and -5 penalty to attacks til start of next turn.

End: O22


I looked at the map as soon as you invited me but I didn't really comprehend how long the ship was. :P Woulda had my turn in days ago if I realized it would just be running.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

Got it. The thri-kreen hunter noticed the misty things coming this way, so he draws one of his bows, aims and fires an arrow that hopefully will make the enemy step back. He hides in the nest as he changes his stance and plans his next move.

Spoiler: OOC

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As always, start with Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx Stance.

Free: Multiple Arms, change weapon to Duelist's Longbow

Standard: Clever Shot vs Blue Mist at CC3 (hopefully Chillborn Mist 2)
· Attack: (1d20+20)[25] vs AC (16 base, +2 CA (Superior Reflexes), +2 stance)
· Hit: (1d10+17)[21] dmg (11 base, +5 Draw First Blood, +1 bow expertise), slide target 3 squares back. Also, target has a -2 penalty to ranged or area attacks until the end of my next turn.

Minor: Change stance to Aspect of the Lurking Spider (+5 climb, +2 stealth, +2 dmg if I have CA)

Move: Shift from O5 to P5, and hide
· Stealth: (1d20+20)[30] (17 base, +1 gear, +2 stance)

[Nightgaun7]

As the Stormcrows begin moving the faces, half a dozen in number, sweep forward over the stern and attack. One flows past a sailor on the poop deck, whose wild cutlass stroke swishes almost harmlessly through the misty form. It glides along the side of the ship before coming onto the quarterdeck, luminescent eyes darting over the mortals before it. The other Hakka sent an arrow through darts back towards the other sailor on the poop deck, intent on its prey.

The most ghastly one swoops towards Janaga, still entranced by her casting, and engulfs her. Her form, a vague silhouette in the fog, contorts in apparent pain and screams once before straightening stiffly. Two points of light begin to glow blue, different from the sickly luminescence of the fog-beings, and small arcs of lightning begin to dance through the air around her as the mist fades.

Spoiler

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Mist Corruptor - Starts CC4, moves to Z4

Chillborn Mist 1 - Starts BB6, moves to W13
Takes 3 damage from OA of sailor.

Chillborn Mist 2 - Starts FF3, moves to AA3

Mist Corruptor is removed from play and is replaced by Janaga in the intiative order.

Block B, you're up.

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Keeping himself steady, Kriv bellows a furious roar as a divine light shines down from the sky, enveloping the creature. Kriv hurls his sword at the mist, shouting, "Have no fear men, for we shall burn away the fog as surely as the light of the GODS burns away the darkness!"

Spoiler

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Minor: Dragonfear vs Chillborn 1

Attack: (1d20+12)[30] vs Will
Hit: The target takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls and grants combat advantage until EoNT-Kr2.

Minor: Divine Challenge vs Chillborn 1 (Chillborn 1 is marked. If Chillborn 1 attacks anyone except me, it takes 8 Radiant damage)

Standard: Ranged Basic Attack vs Chillborn 1

Attack: (1d20+16)[32] vs AC (add +2 for CA if I hit with Dragonfear
Hit: (1d8+6)[8] damage

[Rakaydos]

Stepping over to the wheel, Draj threw a spell at the nearest spectral creature- a construct of Force that might be effective against an incorporal entity.

Spoiler

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(d20+11)[24] Cloud of Daggers vs nearest critter
If hit: (D10+6)[13] damage.
Zone- when the crtter starts its turn in the square, it takes 1 damage.

[Nightgaun7]

As Draj's arcane daggers swoop around, slashing at the mist, more of the fiends come out of the fog around the ship and float low over the deck. The crew of Melora's Bounty bravely attempt to fend them off, but their boarding pikes, belaying pins, and cutlasses are ineffective against the incorporeal creatures. The misty beings coalesce for a second before releasing deadly waves of energy that leave those affected feeling numb and weary. One sailor, caught between two of them, is overwhelmed and collapses. Draj, standing near the man, is fortunate to be caught by only one wave.

Spoiler

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Vampiric Mist 1
Move to Q14 Elevation 4 (from waterline)
Close burst 2 vs Kriv, Draj, and Sathris; hits Draj, misses Kriv and Sathris
Draj takes 10 necrotic and psychic damage and is slowed EonT Vampiric Mist 1
Power does not recharge
Takes 6 damage from crew

Vampiric Mist 2
Moves to X9 Elevation 4
Close burst 2 vs sailors
Does not rechargex

Vampiric Mist 3
Moves to R9 Elevation 4
Close burst 2 vs sailors
Does not recharge
Takes 6 damage from crew

Hakka Sathris and DEN are go.

[Laserlight]

DEN

"Enemy Power Up Detected. Combat Reflex Engaged."

The crate lid clatters on the deck as the war machine steps out of his blind. He turns aft toward the noise, spots a target, and engages.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move: L22 > K22 (out of the crate) > L23 > M22 > N22 > O21
Minor: Magnetic Plate pull ("pull one creature within 3 squares of you 3 squares. If you pull it adjacent to you, it's immobilized (save ends)") on VM1, bringing it down to the deck adjacent to me and Sathris, next to the mainmast--P21.
Standard: Weapon Master Strike (1d20+16)[30]
Damage (2d6+12)[4][2](6) with extra dice for Brutal (2d6)[5][5](10)--18 damage halved is 9.
Effect of Weapon Master Strike is, UENT, if it shifts, it provokes OA from DEN.

DEN reaches out towards the spirit, clenches a fist and gestures as if yanking down. With a smell of ozone, sparks shoot from his armor and pull the mist creature down to the deck, within easy reach of blades. DEN waves his gouge through it and readies a backswing.

Open File: Battle Cries.
Random Select.
Execute.

"I Am Become Death Destroyer Of World's Best Salsa Recipe Five Pounds Chopped Tomatoes Three Cups Chopped Onions...."

Spoiler: Contingency: OA

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If VM1 provokes, or if it hits me (Strikebacks property):
MBA 16+1 Warforged Tactics + 2 Combat Superiority = [rollv]1d20+19[/rollv]
Damage is [rollv]2d6+9[/rollv] with extra dice for Brutal [rollv]2d6[/rollv]
If OA, target ends movement and is knocked prone.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

An arrow flies at high speed from the mainmast top, disrupting the movement of one of the mists.

Then, a second arrow flies towards other of the mists, this time from the foremast top. However, the arrow just hits the wooden floor of the vessel instead.

Spoiler: What Hakka did (Perception 33 to notice)

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Hakka noticed at least two of the foggy enemies to appear aboard. Dangerous. Very dangerous.

Using his bow, he fires an arrow to one of the mists closest to the mast. He then changes his stance before jumping suddenly backwards to the other mast top, hid there (next to other two sailors), fires a second immobilizing arrow and hides again.

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard: Disruptive Shot vs Vamp. Mist 1 (the one at Q14)
· Attack: (1d20+18)[36] vs AC (16 base, +2 CA)
· Hit: (1d10+13)[18] dmg (10 base +2 stance, +1 longbow expertise), target is dazed (save ends) and gets a -2 penalty on attack rolls with ranged/area attacks
· Miss: Half dmg and target is slowed (save ends)

Move: Mantis Jump, jump from P5 to I5 (without provoking OA), and use Cunning Sneak to hide after that with no movement penalty (effects last until the start of my next turn).
· Stealth: (1d20+20)[33] (17 base, +2 stance, +1 gear)

Minor: Change stance to Aspect of the Dancing Serpent

Action Point: Clever Shot vs Vamp Mist 3 (the one at R9)
· Attack: (1d20+19)[21] vs AC (16 base, +2 CA, +1 stance)
· Hit: (1d10+11)[18] dmg (11 base, +1 stance, +1 longbow expertise), target is slowed (save ends) and gets a -2 penalty on attack rolls with ranged/area attacks

End of turn: Shift 1 square to I5 (stance allows me), and hide again (without penalties)
· Stealth: (1d20+20)[32] (17 base, +2 stance, +1 gear)

[Gavran]

Sathris

Responding quickly to DEN's initiation, Sathris darts around the body of the mist and, hoping that whatever energies fueled this creature it could still have its attention split, thrust his dagger into its thickest coalescence.

Spoiler: OOC

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Start: O22

Move Action:
Walk to Q21

Standard Action:
Sly Flourish vs Vampiric Mist 1
Attack: (1d20+22)[29] vs AC
Damage: (1d4+15)[18]
Sneak Attack: (2d8+5)[3][1](4)

End: Q21

[Nightgaun7]

Enraged by Draj's spell, the misty visage gnashes its insubstantial fangs as it closes in, undeterred by a sailor's club that swishes right through it. Wispy claws reach for the wizard, and as they wrap around his throat Draj feels paralyzed by bone-freezing cold. As his vision blurs, he sees the foe begin to glow. The light builds, and it shrieks in pain and confusion. Much of the mist is burned away, and the creature shrinks as it instinctively tries to withdraw from the blazing radiance.

On the other side of Melora's Bounty the other sickly-glowing mist whips around at the sounds of distress from its companion and floats towards the noise, flowing without pause around the bonaventure mast and through the poop deck's railing. It moves a few feet over the heads of those on the deck below, safely out of reach while it tries to discern what's causing the other such pain. Its mouth opens impossibly wide as it swoops towards Kriv, engulfing him in a cloud of needle-like foggy fangs. In defiance of their appearance, they tear into his skin and Kriv bellows in pain as some points instantly become so cold they burn.

Meanwhile, the crewmen are doing their best to engage the ghastly boarders. Groups of them surround several of the mists, most doing little enough. One quick-thinking fellow has whipped off his jacket and is furiously waving it, which seems to be having at least as much effect as any of the other weapons the men have. Along the stern rail of the forecastle, one of the hobgoblins is cursing at the archers, trying to get them lined up to deliver a volley of fire arrows.

With the mist clearing from the poop deck, Janaga is visible once more. In the blink of an eye, she moves to the railing overlooking the quarterdeck. Sparks spit from her mouth as she speaks an incantation, and a bolt of lightning forks out from her staff, shocking Kriv. The energy ripples through the mist creature tearing at him, and has enough power left to singe Draj's fur.

Spoiler: Janaga's Traits

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Lightning Shift
Janaga can shift two squares as a move action.

Spoiler: Janaga's Reactions

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Moving adjacent to Janaga may be hard to do at first

Spoiler: Janaga Possessed

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The vampiric mist possessed Janaga while she was in a vulnerable state, and it has total command of her body and powers. She's trying to fight off its influence, but without help she will quickly fail. While she struggles to resist, it can't use her full power.

To help her resist the influence of the undead horror, you can make a skill check.
Tell me what skill you're using and the reason you're using it, and make a roll. Good roleplay will net you a bonus.
Each check is a minor action, but you can use a standard to reduce the DC by 5.

Actions other than skill-checks may help as well. Be creative, and bear in mind the nature of the enemy.

Spoiler

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Sathris takes 5 damage from Vampiric Mist 1's aura,
Vampiric Mist 1 gains 5 temp HP

Chillborn Mist 1 starts W13, takes 1 damage for starting turn in Cloud of Daggers zone.
Moves to T13, OA by sailor misses
Attacks Draj, hits for 13 cold and necrotic damage and Draj is immobilized until the end of the mist’s next turn.
Takes 8 radiant damage from Kriv's Divine Challenge and loses Insubstantial until the start of its next turn.

Chillborn Mist 2 starts AA 3
Moves to V13
Charges Kriv, ends in T14
Hits Kriv for 15 damage, Kriv is slowed until the end of the mist's next turn.

Janaga starts Z4
Shifts to Y5
Hits Kriv for 16 damage, 10 (halved to 5) on Chillborn Mist 2, 5 on Draj.

Draj and Kriv, you're up.