Giantslayer: The Hill Giant's Pledge [IC]

[lostsole31]

The captain laughs at landlubber Axewielder's very off assessment of what the job entails .... because he takes him to the forecastle, which other than the crow's nest is the most elevated part of the keelboat ... and is where soundings are made.

Spoiler: Gharmez

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Roll a STR or Profession (sailor) check, followed by a CON check. If you don't have Profession (sailor), you can still roll a straight-up WIS check in its place.

Spoiler: Aasgar

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For soundings, roll either a Profession (sailor) check (or a WIS check) or a Perception check.

[Admyral]

Gharmez listens closely to the instructions and takes her place on the rowers bench.

Spoiler: Technical Info

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Wisdom Check in place of Profession(Sailor) (1d20+4)[7]
Constitution Check (1d20+1)[17]

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar watches carefully and follows instructions as given.

Spoiler: Technical Information

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Perception Check: (1d20+10)[15]

[lostsole31]

By focusing on the Coxswain's instructions and watching the others instead of just on brute force (like Aasgar did), Gharmez does a passable job of rowing, and does so efficiently enough to note be wrecked by the end of her shift. Aasgar gets flustered with his instructions, but his keen senses still help him when his lack of knowledge fails him, and he does Captain Bloodtusk says he does alright. The NPCs do well at their given jobs.

That night, as the previous nights, the keelboat puts ashore and ties off. Abenor works on his own swordplay and tactical acumen. Galakhar gets herb knowledge from Cici (for the kitchen) while he in turn tutors her on some alchemical manufacturing tips. Kurst takes time to tutor Gharmez and Aasgar on how best to track orcs.

---

Fireday, 12 Pharast 4715 AR
Weather: 65/ 45 F. Dry.

Does anyone prepare anything differently today for their dailies?

[Admyral]

Gharmez will switch her prepared spells to Protection From Evil, Detect Evil, Comprehend Languages, Air Bubble, And Sanctuary. She leaves the 2nd level Cleric and Ranger spells as is.

[lostsole31]

Recognizing that spring is having its say, Gharmez no longer prepares group-wide protection, but settles on a different mix of prayers and spells.

Meanwhile, Aasgar releases his veils from the previous days and concentrates. Since there is a saboteur onboard, it would be helpful to find things that others might overlook. Saboteurs usually have strong emotions that lead them to such dire actions, and that is what Aasgar focuses on, creating a monocle over his eye in which impressions flit across the surface.

Spoiler: Unlock OOC

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You have unlocked the minor veil relic seeker's monocle.

Of course, saboteurs are in the habit of breaking things. Dwarves, on the other hand, are usually trained in making or fixing things, so Aasgar concentrates on a way to bring Torag's gift to his hands. Ripples of akasha in the shape of gears and cogs constantly turning form mesmerizing patterns on his hands, allowing him to repair items using his essence.

Spoiler: Unlock OOC

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You have unlocked the minor veil hands of the mender.

Now it is time for the more powerful veilshaping. A saboteur hides their deeds in the dark, but what about a hero who can hide from evil using the light, like a raptor that dives towards its prey from the sun? While Aasgar, especially heavily armored, is not stealthy, yet there might be need of such power in the future and he suffuses his body with the ability to be harder to discern, especially in sunlight or similar bright light. Perhaps if he is captured one day or without his armor....

Spoiler: Unlock OOC

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You have unlocked the body slot veil luminosity of the lurker in light.

Finally, sometimes the old ways are the best, and Aasgar concentrates on his connection with the earth while he is on this accursed floating deathtrap. Gleaming plates of polished stone surround his flesh to protect him from harm.

Spoiler: Unlock OOC

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You have unlocked the chest veil slot shaitan's earthen armor.

Everyone having taken care of their morning routines, the keelboat weighs anchor. You aren't on the river very long at all ... Abenor and a fellow orc are still taking in the morning catch ... when there is a tremendous noise of splintering wood from the rower's hold.

Begin Round One ...

R1T29-26: ....

R1T24: There is a slurred but intense growling and bestial roar and the sound of a man screaming in pain.

R1T23: ...

R1T11: Gharmez, you are the only one of the group in the hold as you are one of the rowers. You are stationed in the forward-starboard section, and something creates a shower of shattered wood throughout the aft portion of this deck from the double doors to the aft that led to you-know-not-where. You turn to look and see a large, white-furred monster on the main plankway, but from your lower position it is hard to get too much detail. What do you do?

[Admyral]

Gharmez curses, "SPILLED COINS! What is that THING?!?". She moves around the bench and up the stairs to the center plank way to get a better look. She readies her earth breaker.

[lostsole31]

R1T11: Gharmez curses, "SPILLED COINS! What is that THING?!?" She moves around the bench and up the stairs to the center plank way to get a better look, readying her earthbreaker as she goes. The scene only gets more horrific as she gets a much better view of the monster. This four-armed, gorilla-like creature, covered with matted white fur, roars in rage as it rears up to its full, towering height (8' tall, ~ 800 lbs.).

R1T7-6: ...

R1T5: Aasgar, in the distance, you hear a monstrous roar. The captain has a look of fear, and he seems to have a sense of something as he says, "Quick. The rower's hold. Bakkara must have gotten free. Try not to kill him, but my crew is more precious than he is. Go!"

Aasgar, what do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar nods draws his axe, and heads toward the rower's hold.

[lostsole31]

R1T5: Aasgar nods and draws his axe while heading toward the rower's hold. He gets right up to the galley door that Galakhar had just opened for him.

R0: The half-orcs all squeal in terror. The one that seems to have been bitten tries to dodge and duck in self-defense to get away, displaying a surprising gymnastics ability. The other aft rower - the one that was on the starboard side, likewise ducks out of the way. Those two crewmembers both try to go along the outboard - more slowly because of the rowing benches, but not wanting to become a target on the plankway. Coxswain Halrex also musters forward with the gathering crew members. "Somebody get that damn door open!"

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T29: But Galakhar doesn't wait for the dwarf as he leaves towards the sound of trouble himself.

R2T26: In answer to the half-orc prayers, Abenor opens first one, and then the second hold door to help speed traffic along. "Everyone topside!" he yells. "We'll handle it from here."

R2T24: With all of the tasties now out of reach, blood dripping from its maw where it had gotten a taste of a rower, the white ape looks around, vision along the plankway obscured but it scurries forward perhaps to cut off the fleeing meals. Getting to the mast, it holds from the mask and rower's walkway to stabilize itself and then bite again at the half-orc it tasted before, snapping its jaws as the half-orc ekes out of the way.

R2T23: Gharmez sees Cici just rounding the corner from the port ladder into the hold. Cici then rushes past Gharmez, stopping just in range of where she could be struck. "Gharmez, any idea what that could be?"

R2T11: Gharmez, what do you do? The mast is thick and brawn, making things hard to see downline of the plankway.

Kurst on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

"I haven't seen it yet, but it is sure causing a fuss!", Gharmez replies to Cici, as she moves around the mast prepared to strike.

Spoiler: Technical Info

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Move up to 25' around the mast.
If able, attack the monster with the earthbreaker. ATT: (1d20+8)[21] DAM: (2d6+4)[9]

[lostsole31]

R2T11: "I haven't seen it yet, but it is sure causing a fuss!"Gharmez replies to Cici as she moves around the mast, finding herself uncomfortably close to the monster which is half-climbing along the mast and side of the walkway. This four-armed, gorilla-like creature, covered with matted white fur, roars in rage as it rears up to its full, towering height (8' tall, ~ 800 lbs.).

R2T7: ...

R2T5: Aasgar continues being very dangerous over short distances, lagging some 15' behind Galakhar as the dwarf is passing the stables.

R2T0: Aasgar sees the port ladder from his vantage on the main deck as some rowers are on it and just getting topside. Down below, the lone rower is desperately fending off attacks while making a poor share of being acrobatic across the rowing benches, but finally manages to just barely escape a bite, move forward, and start traveling up the ladder to the walkway.

The coxswain calls out from the forward compartment, "If there's any chance you can subdue it without killing it .... please do so!"

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T29: Topside, Galakhar continues to move aft, seemingly getting into a combat stance while drawing his rapier. Instead of going for the closer ladder with all the half-orcs coming up, he ducks out of sight to the starboard.

R3T26: Abenor travels 30' aft down the coxswain's walk, changes his fighting stance, and then disappears suddenly from right behind Cici to reappear just as suddenly just aft of the monster while drawing his katana on the attack, slashing the monster along the lower back for 30. The monster yells out a roar of pain and surprise.....

R3T24: .... and ignores his former prey to focus on this pesky, similarly white-haired antagonist. Abenor manages to fend off bite and three of the claws, but one claw grazes him in his lower left arm for 4 mod.

R3T23: Cici steps back out of reach and casts a protective spell on herself, and her whole form is briefly outlined in a light blue shimmer before that disappears.

R3T11: Gharmez, you are staring up at this monster, which now has a more solid purchase on the plankway. What do you do?

Kurst on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez, holding her weapon at the ready, will start singing a tune she was taught during her time at the counting house. She will attempt to calm the creature and stop it from attacking.

Spoiler: Technical Info

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Gharmez will cast Enthrall

[lostsole31]

R3T11: Gharmez, holding her weapon to the side to keep a hand free for casting, begins to sing a tune she was taught during her time at the counting house in hopes of calming the creature ...

R3T7: Kurst travels aft down the coxswain's walk while readying his shield and then taking out his longsword, passing Gharmez, and ending up between her and Abenor. "So, what's this about taking this thing alive?" he asks incredulously.

R3T5: Aasgar, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Abenor in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar continues towards the battle, muttering about how boats were not made with dwarves in mind.

[lostsole31]

R3T5: Aasgar continues towards the battle, muttering about how boats were not made with dwarves in mind. As he moves aft along the port gunwale, he sees Galakhar making his way down the starboard ladder.

R3T0: Half-orcs continue to stream topside.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ....

R4T29: Galakhar makes his way into the hold, and then starts down the forward-port rower's ladder.

R4T26: Abenor gives out tactical advice to try and keep people safe as he quick draws his Kyadrimme in his off-hand, and now blends a different component style into his current fighting stance. He performs a soft crit against one of the monster's four claw-hands, and utilizing a special maneuver so that he does 24 NL + marked, even as his wakizashi also scores a light crit at its groin for 19 NL. "It's okay," he says, "I'm causing it enough pain. Let me do submission combat, but the rest of you - unless you're trained - don't try to worsen your fighting style if you aren't good at causing non-injurious wounds."

R4T24: Something appears to be wrong with this monster, now that everyone (well, everyone there) has had a couple rounds to see it fighting. It is definitely acting .... loopy. It is powerful and quick, yes, but it also appears to be under the effects of something that make it unsteady. With Abenor's strikes it focuses its rancor against the snow elf. The monster bites at him but Abenor acrobatically dodges and moves back a few feet. Still, its arms are long enough to reach him, but his flashing blades keep him from getting hit.

R4T23: Cici enters a broad-limbed combat style and moves up next to Gharmez, glaring intently at the monster, but its rage and total focus on the elf keeps it safe from her slumbering stare.

R4T11: Gharmez, you finally finish your enthrall spell. The white-furred ape-monster and Cici definitely are enthralled, but not completely dumb-founded. Kurst just barely manages to resist the effect. Abenor seems to have no trouble ignoring the effect.

Gharmez, now what? Continue singing? Switch to speaking? Do you let the others know what you're doing?

Kurst on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Without dropping the spell, Gharmez will attempt to speak/sing the ape back to the aft hold where it came from. She tries to explain as she's doing this that they may be able to prevent the creature from being harmed.

[lostsole31]

R4T11: Without dropping the spell, Gharmez attempts to speak/sing the ape back to the aft hold where it came from. She tries to explain as she's doing this that they may be able to prevent the creature from being harmed.

R4T7: Kurst steps back carefully, sheathing his sword. He speaks soothing words to the creature. Gharmez recognizes what he's attempting, but also knows it is not a "combat speed" task, usually taking about a minute.

R5T5: Aasgar makes his way past two half-orcs (one of which is the coxswain) and around the corner of the hold to partially see the monster, and a little bit of Cici, Gharmez, and .... Abenor? Aasgar also notes he hears Gharmez' voice speak-singing with an almost supernatural volume, yet with a sort of lulling quality.

Spoiler: Aasgar

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Roll a Will save!

[Admyral]

Gharmez is going to attempt to coax the ape monster back towards the double doors to the aft of the ship.

[lostsole31]

Out of Initiative ...

The captain will come down to observe the goings-on. Meanwhile, Gharmez continues her enthralling speak-singing, as she assists Kurst in trying to communicate to its animal intelligence to go back to the cave. The captain himself will feed more drugged meat to the creature ... what Captain Bloodtusk calls a "girallon" .... and it snacks hungrily but glibly before nodding off to nap.

Once it is fully in sedation, the captain closes the door and produces a key, locking it. He shooes everyone out of this area, and only Gharmez and Kurst of the PCs were even allowed in this area, which is the armory.

CORR: The girallon didn't burst through the iron-bound double doors, but had to burst through the port wall of rower's banks.

The captain orders everyone back to their duties.

Gharmez, you go back to rowing? Aasgar, back up to the forecastle for soundings?

[Admyral]

Gharmez will make sure that there are no injuries among the crew and the party, then will resume her rowing station at the bench.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar will return to his station.

[lostsole31]

Gharmez only needs one burst to heal both Abenor and the one wounded sailor.

Aasgar, while you are looking over the gunwale, the Coxswain comes up to the forecastle to speak with the captain. They both head off to the side, but underestimate your hearing...

Spoiler: Aasgar

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The problem is that the girallon got out because somebody unlocked the cage, not because it powered out of the cage. The captain and the coxswain are both speculating about a possible link between the sabotaged rail and the unlocked cage door. They assume the door was tampered with, because only the captain has a key.

Aasgar, as this was a private conversation that you overheard, do you PC Glow Power-Up and say something, or sit on the information for now?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar will keep quiet for now, but share the information with his teammates at the next opportunity.

[lostsole31]

It had been an eventful morning, and folks are at their stations except for Abenor, who tends to spend his time when not collecting the haul doing a variety of martial exercises or just looking out over the sterncastle to admire the view. The sun is drifting low to the WSW, which is nearly fully relative south to the ship - right behind it. Already, where the keelboat is to stop for the night is seen up ahead, and Galakhar and the boat's cook Gashnakh must be cooking up something good, as delicious smells waft everywhere a PC is located.

Surprise Round ...

S27: Abenor shouts out "Dragon!" in warning as he darts off the sterncastle, moving forward as he draws his bow, and shouting the warning again down into the hold as he heads amidships.

S19-13: Abenor gets hit by a ball of caustic acid, but was prepared and only takes 7 acid while not getting trapped in its stickiness. The crow's nest gets hit with a similar attack, but Cici and Lucette both use the crow's nest basket to fully protect themselves.

Begin Round One ....

R1T27: "Repel boarders! Three dragons amidships!" Abenor yells at the top of his lungs. Abenor shoots an arrow into the head of Red for 9.

R1T22: Cici feels that sometimes a voice is inadequate, so from her witch's pouch she takes a smal amber rod and casts a spell. A sharp, cracking report of thunder as heard as she sends a lightning bolt at the dragon at highest elevation that attacked her, lighting it up for 20 electricity, the first time she ever showed such power before. Still, she follows that up, "Repel boarders! Three dragons amidships moving forward quickly."

R1T21: Gharmez, you hear the sound of someone yelling something in the distance, followed by the same voice (Abenor's) having shouted "Dragon!" down the hole. More shouting on deck, and then it sounds like the sky itself has joined the battle. You had already been given permission (because of the last event) to leave your rowing station to tend to Repel Boarders! without wasting time asking permission. Then Cici's distance voice calls out Repel boarders as well. What do you do?

[Admyral]

"Looks like we are going to have a busy day!", Gharmez says to her rowing mates as she leaves the bench and heads up to the main deck as quickly as she can.

[lostsole31]

R1T21: "Looks like we are going to have a busy day!" Gharmez complains to her rowing mates as she leaves the bench and heads up to the main deck as quickly as she can. She ends her move 15' before the forward double doors.

R1T20: ....

R1T19: A dragon lands in a charging pounce towards Abenor, managing a light-crit tail slap at Abenor's right knee for 4 mod.

R1T16: Aasgar, from up in the forecastle, you happened to be skylarking, looking athwartships when these things came out of the blinding, setting sun to make their attack, noting Abenor has been hit with acid and tail. What do you do? Double move downstairs as far as you can go?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar double moves down as far as he can get.

[lostsole31]

R1T16: Aasgar double moves down as far as he can get, on the last bit of stairs of the galley. Galakhar already opened the door for him.

R1T15: Though not seen by any PCs at this time, a particular large member of the rampage flies over the stables to bite the old warhorse in the stables for 15, pick it up in his jaws, and continuing flying past the port beam and start heading aft.

R1T13: Blue was up much higher to strafe the crow's nest, but now has turned back around and dive bombs the Cici with a charging pounce, but she manages to deflect the attack.

R1T10: Lucette squeaks in alarm, and tries to be very small and especially unpalatable in Cici's hood.

R1T9: Kurst bursts forth angrily from the stables with bow in hand and shouts angrily, "You're mine, scaly demon!" as he shoots his bow. The arrow flies to hit the dragon's rear haunches for 15.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T27: Abenor drops his bow, gets into a "no-stance" stance, and then quick draws his katana in a slice that only gets deflected off of the dragon's hard scales.

R2T22: Cici tries to hard to end the fight quickly by putting the dragon to sleep, but it doesn't work.

R2T21: Gharmez, you are 15' from the forward hold doors. The coxswain had already rushed forward and opened a door for you to simply go through without having to stop to open it. What do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Red in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez will make her way through to open forward doors and up the port side ladder trying to move as far as possible.