Once she had gotten over the initial vertigo and airsickness, Fareeda had been in the habit of sleeping late ever since the voyage in the airship began.

Once awake, she made a point to avoid attention and to stay out of the way as she knew next to nothing of being a sailor or engineer though she occasionally sang soothing magical songs to make the tasks of the crew a little easier. Fareeda was on deck dressed in blue and red silks and marveling at the coastline of Chult.

"Tis rather breathtaking. So many beautiful trees. There is nothing like this anywhere in Calimport unless its a Pasha's tended garden. Oh, certainly there are forests in the far north, but it was too cold for my tastes."

She took a deep breath and gave a content sigh.

"The air is also exotic. I can smell the jungle from up here. I can only imagine what it will be like once we land."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Sat 05 Nov 2011.

Lambrac gave his considered opinion. "Oh, milady, I'm afraid it will be hot, damp, sticky—no, not in a good way—smelly, loud with the buzzing of insects, thick with mosquitoes that will suck our blood, flies that will devour us alive, and all manner of creepy-crawleys, such as spiders and centipedes, that will lurk underfoot and jump on hand and face to sting and bite with venom. Every wound and mosquito bite runs the risk of infection by some terrible and gross disease. And that's not including the various dangerous beasts and savage tribes, who may either eat us or take offense to our trespass." He felt it worthwhile not to sugar-coat this.

"But fear not, milady. I'll protect you."

Jibril takes another sip from his steaming mug and adds nonchalantly as he gazes upon the jungle. "Or you could just do what I have done and have packed a tent with a mosquito net, along with plenty of insect repellent."

"I am so relived to hear about that, gentlemen. Still, however dangerous the jungle is, i still think its beautiful."

"It would seem Fareeda and I are the only two unfamiliar with this region - good to have so many knowledgeable allies," Abbas noted complimentingly in reply to the points raised.  "Perhaps we can speak with the Professor about stores on the ship to ward against the insects as you suggest, if they are such an issue.

"Are there particular dangers in certain areas, or are the poisonous and disease-carry bugs, tribes, and beasts spread throughout?  Any terrain issues of which we should be aware?"

"I am not familiar with Chult. Though, I am familiar with the jungle," Thaniel adds, turning to Abbas and smiling at his light humour.

"In any event, we will become well acquainted with this land soon enough."

"But surely there must be at the very least an trading outpost or such near where our final destination will be? To learn about the land, one must learn all about its people as it is their advice that we would have to depend on before we begin our journey. Correct?"

Krogan grinned.
I, too, have no knowledge of this place, just experience in wild lands.   Still, it should be fun.

The Professor frowned at Jibril's question, his moustached lips twitching like a rodent. "Well..." he looked around from horizon to horizon as if expecting someone to be listening in. "I suppose now we are clear of the city I can tell you more of our...goals. Hmm."

"We seek an ancient temple of sorts, a huge construct located deep in the heart of the jungle", he smiled knowingly, "Iscarion. Dedicated to Ubtao, the God-king of this realm, it once stood as a vast beacon amongst the wild lands he had created. It was a place where all sentient life could take shelter from the vicious cycle of life and death in the jungles around them. Druid circles tended the canopies and deeproot labyrinths of the Vastwood, priest sects guided the masses in worship of the Great Father and all were united in the glory of life and creation."

He paused to smirk, his head slowly nodding as he remembered the tale, "All was well. For a time. None know what happened - perhaps the untamed hordes of the jungle united to purge the temple, resentful of order being created where there should be only chaos, perhaps the residents simply abandoned Iscarion's stone halls to return to nature's unforgiving but nurturing embrace, or - more likely - it was the God Ubtao himself, punishing his followers for some forgotten wrongdoing.

Whatever the reason, Iscarion stands now as nothing more than a ruin, its once sacred halls reclaimed by the jungle it once sought to control. The location of the temple was thought forever lost, indeed some thought the ruin completely swallowed by nature's gaping maw - not so. I know where the ruin of Iscarion lies and, better, I know what lies within."

The Professor looked around from person to person, seemingly gauging whether to trust the group with what he was about to say. "Mmm. It is said the halls of Iscarion gleam with nature's truest bounty - priceless artifacts, magic and treasure that would make the most Ancient of Wyrms blush. Among these riches is one object of immense power, a relic as old as Toril itself. This is what I am here for. This is what I seek. It is named..."

His voice trailed off suddenly as he squinted into the distance. His eyes narrowed, then widened in recognition. "Baravar's beard there's more of them! Gods not again!" he shouted, almost tripping himself as he made for the helm. "Ham, Jens, to arms! All of you to arms!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Wed 09 Nov 2011.

Following the Professor's eyes, you spot two black dots in the distance, emerging from the backdrop of one of the stone pillars. As they began to draw nearer their shape slowly formed. There were two of them, birds of some kind - huge birds, you realise as a sense of scale becomes clear, their wings rising and falling in long, lazy arcs.

And They were heading full speed for the Scilandar...

Ham and Jens appeared seemingly from nowhere, working frantically over the ship's operating systems. The ship groaned and hissed as she began to lean to starboard. Jens gestured frantically at the ballista that was stowed on the ship's prow and to a large chest beside it.

It seemed that without even having reached land, trouble had already found you.




OOC: Initiative rolls please. Post any preperatory actions - one standard action. Note that if your init roll is lower than 10 you will not react quickly enough and gain no pre-combat action.

The ship is 10 foot wide and 40 feet long from stern to prow. The ballista takes a full round to load, or a standard action with two people working it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:10, Wed 09 Nov 2011.

Thaniel immediately reined in his focus and cast a simple but effective spell of protection on himself. He then looked about to see where he might best be placed to both stay out of trouble and assist the others.

Casting Mage Armor

06:25, Today: Thaniel rolled 14 using 1d20+3. Init.

OOC:
14:31, Today: Krogan rolled 23 using 1d20+3. inititive.

Krogan's Dragon Aura was "set" to Perception, so everyone within 30 feet gets +1 to Spot, Listen, and Initiative checks.


Krogan had some minor missle weapons, but knew his great strength might be better served elsewhere.
He helped unload and set up the ballista, though he was only good at the heavy lifting, rather than the technical things.  He knew about crossbows, but that was it.

Linni's eyes grew increasingly wide till they were two big green orbs as her uncle told his story, at the mention of such treasure a covetous smile accompanied her amazement. "We MUST get in there!" she yelped as the Professor rounded off his mission for them.

Linni readied herself as the creatures approached, "Nothing will stop us!"

---

_{OOC:
10:23, Today: Linni rolled 23 using 1d20+3. init.
Ready action: cast Lesser Orb of Fire on first creature to come within range}

"What?!" Jibril exclaims in exasperation.  "I haven't even finished my morning routine, including using the flushing toilet!"

Hastily finding a place to leave his steaming mug as he mumbles curses, he casts a protective spell upon himself.
___________________________________________________________________________

OOC:  Jibril rolled 15 using 1d20-5. init
      Casting: Mage Armor.

Abbas' examination of the ship's defensive capacities proved fruitful. As fast as Krogan and Lini were, the elf once again demonstrated the speed that had protected the party in Calimshen, even as his ears noted the professor's "not again" comment.

Swift dancing strides placed him into position before the ballista aligned in direction; a delicate adjustment, and he was firing even before Krogan was reaching with his mighty strength to reload the powerful weapon.  A rapid surge of the ship in attempt to reach cover, however, sent the bolt off from the intended flight path.

---

_{OOC:
3 ppl w/ nat20 Inits?  Strangeness.
22:25, Yesterday: Abbas rolled 26 using 1d20+6. init.
01:34, Today: Abbas rolled 11 using 1d20+8. ballista.}

This message was last edited by the player at 11:27, Thu 10 Nov 2011.

Leaning against the rail and oiling his crossbow, Lambrac had listened quietly to Hingleswip's account of Iscarion. He'd heard of it before, he was sure, slightly different tales under different names and in different places, but all ancient ruined cities swallowed by the remorseless jungle and still stuffed with treasure. As if the people hadn't grabbed all they could as they left, and hadn't come back for more shortly thereafter. The tales usually and conveniently left out the traps and the monsters that were left waiting in their place.

He was going back to Chult, back into the jungle, to play this game again.

He gazed around the group of adventurers: eager, talented yet inexperienced in the Chultan terrors. Well, it was nice knowing them.

A casual glance towards that dark continent had him seeing the dots in the horizon before Hingleswip raised the alarm, but he could make nothing of them at this range. He was already moving towards the ballista; he knew well how to work such a machine, and helped Krogan load a heavy bolt. "Lower two degrees, rotate left three degrees!" he shouted, sighting along the bolt at the winged creatures and correcting for wind, after seeing Abbas's first shot go wide.


OOC: Initiative 20
Spot 9 (including +1)
Profession: Siege Engineer 18

Fareeda didn't know what those winged things are from where she standing but the main point was they're big and hungry. So she kept near the door to the lower deck just in case her skills are not needed.

OOC: 22:26, Today: Fareeda rolled 5 using 1d20+2, Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:33, Fri 11 Nov 2011.

The mysterious winged creatures drew closer, every swing of their huge wings hurtling towards the Scilandar. As they came, so those on the deck sprung into action. Time to earn their keep it would seem.

Abbas was the first to act, springing towards the ballista. He quickly brought the weapon to bear, glad a heavy iron bolt was already loaded in the chamber. Aiming down the sights, he fired at the distant creatures; grimacing as the bolt arced down into the swell, its momentum fading well before it could reach its target. It would serve him well as a range finder, at least.

Linni and Krogan came next. The former ran to the gunwale, standing on tiptoes as she readied a fiery onslaught for the lizard-like birds. Krogan moved to assist Abbas, his huge arms easily hefting a second bolt from the chest next to the ballista. He had not used such a weapon before however and seemed unsure about where to put the huge quarrel.

Lambrac, on the other hand, was a man from Lantan, the most technologically advanced nation in Faerun. Operating a ballista for him was as easy as flinging a rock from the shore. He stepped forward, instructing Krogan where to load the quarrel and advising Abbas how to account for range and the strong southerly wind. Hopefully the second attempt would fare much better.
(OOC: Abbas adds +2 to the next roll.)

Jibril and Thaniel began chanting almost in unison, one in heavily accented Alzhedo, the other in soft-spoken elvish. They both pulled what looked like a small piece of leather from a pouch at their belts and crunched it tight in their fists. Their outlines shimmered for an instant before returning to normal.

The two flying creatures were barely a hundred feet away now, the details of their form much clearer now. They were nothing like birds, their leathery wings curved back like a bat's with reptilian skin and long, pointed beaks. With a wing span of at least twenty feet, they were truly massive and evidently none too happy about the Scilandar's presence in their territory.

One of them cried out with a piercing shriek, quickly mirrored by the other. Their directions switched, one turning to come past on the port side and the other to starboard.



Of the professor there was no sign and Ham and Jens seemed occupied in flying the ship. The cliffs of mainland Chult could not be more than half a kilometre away, their green-speckled faces rising from the water like jagged teeth. It seemed the job of fighting these things was for now all yours...

OOC: Their AC is 17. Round one...fight!
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:22, Sat 12 Nov 2011.

Krogan will continue assisting with the ballista if they needed him, but would attack with his own weapons if they did not.

This form of combat was very alien to him, but still fun.

Abbas blew a loose lock of hair from his face as he touched the brass fittings of the ballista, quickly adjusting the weapon's sight to take into consideration Lambrac's suggestions... but the elf's great speed proved the fault this time.  While Lambrac's direction was correct, it was based on a reasonable response time, whereas Abbas being less familiar with the weapon, had instead released shot as quickly as possible to take advantage of the correction and allow the heavier missle time to travel.

In any event, the result was a closer, but equivalent miss as the second ballista bolt followed the first in tracing a short-lived arc through the sky until it fell from sight.

The elf hissed softly at himself and held his blades ready to defend if the creatures remained at close, but stayed near the ballista to fire it the following round if the lizardbirds had flown past.

---

_{OOC:
00:23, Today: Abbas rolled 13 using 1d20+10. ballista attack.}

This message was last edited by the player at 04:20, Sun 13 Nov 2011.

With the creatures still far out of reach of his magic, Thaniel waited patiently on the deck, content to let the ballista do its damage in the interim. He did take the time to ponder his tutelage, and wondered if he shouldn't have chosen a long range spell for the day.

Lambrac watched the bolt fly harmlessly past the pterodactyls. He though the elf would have better aim than this. Of course, the pterodactyls were still too far away and much too mobile for this kind of shooting, but lobbing bloody great sticks at them ought to make them think twice.

"It's just like using a crossbow," Lambrac advised Abbas as he helped Krogan load another bolt and wind it in, "Only much bigger. So you don't have to breath out before you fire... Now, one degree right!" He turned the ballista mount around in the adjusted direction.

"Speaking of which... Everyone load ranged weapons and prepare to fire! Someone please grab and load my crossbow, over there." He waved to the hefty two-handed crossbow he'd left safely by the door to below decks.


OOC: Profession (Siege Engineer) 18

Lantanese-made MW heavy crossbow. You may borrow it.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Sun 13 Nov 2011.

(OOC: As soon as it is her turn, Fareeda will use Inspire Courage to give any one who can listen to her song a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls)

Edging as close as she could without getting in the way of the fight, the Calishite girl gather her courage and began to sing a song of battle. It was an old song she had picked up from a sun elf who had long ago went to Evermeet.

Well, the songs was more about preparing to mourn for the potential loss of soldiers from the battle rather than victory from said battle. One can't be too sure with elves.

Still beggars cannot be choosers.

http://www.mixpod.com/playlist/86255660 Track 10

His eyes widening at the flying creatures, Jibril exclaims, "What in the Hells are those?!"  Muttering a series of curses, he forces himself to focus on the combat, as he begins to incant a long spell in order to help balance the equation.

OOC:  Standard: Casting Summon Monster I (Celestial Owl) to attack nearest pterodactyl.

10:10, Today: Linni rolled 9 using 1d20+3. rnd1 orb of fire att.

---

Linni winced as her first attack flew low, searing a balustrade of the Scilandar. She looked around for her uncle and grinned when he was nowhere to be seen.

As the monsters closed in on the airship Linni gasped at their size, ”Ahh, they’re HUGE!.” however her attacks did not cease. Her second attack flew straighter, missing the airship this time.

---

_{OOC:
10:10, Today: Linni rolled 12 using 1d20+3. rnd2 orb of fire att.}