A few days after setting sail there is a call about ships on the horizon. At first Harrigan seemed wary of engaging with other ships while his own ship was so heavily damaged but as they grew closer it was discovered that the other ships appear to have been severely damaged by the storm as well.

A group of three ships, each within about a half mile or so of one another, were drifting. No crew was seen helming them despite the sun being high and Harrigan set course to investigate.

"We will check for survivors, and more importantly check for cargo!"

The crew was organized into three exploration teams. The Wormwood would put up next to each one, drop off the crew and then sail onto the next wreck. When it had completed all three dropoffs it would circle back around to collect the crew and cargo. While this was an efficient use of their time and ultimately would only delay the ship about a day of sailing, it did mean that the crews dropped off would have to survive for hours on their own. There would be no reinforcements and no easy way of retreat unless they found a servicable rowboat or raft.

The crews were determined by drawing straws and three teams of eight were formed from the press-ganged crew.


Team #1
Kimes Pellegrin
"Narwhale" Tate
Gloom
Olivari "Ten-Eyes"
Lissa Cochrane
Jarrod Marriott
Terrin Young
Amithel Ashtrain

Team #2
Rafe Rookward
Kalia Tyrnddare
Nenelethas
Oivind
Zug Zug Bog
Pearl McCalister
Vander Wargrider
Xao Fang

Team #3
Rosie Cusswell
Crimson Cog
Yana Risad
Kaye Haduk
Rinaldo
Amithel Ashtrain
Ratline Rattsberger
Jack Scrimshaw

---

The first team is dropped off one what looks to be either a pirate vessel or a pirate hunter. The livery suggests it was a Cheliax ship but what it is doing so far south and ravaged by the storm is unknown. The team is dropped off and they begin cautiously exploring the ship while the Wormwood< moves on to the next derelict.


The second ship appears to be a trading ship from the south bearing the markings of Vidrian. It was likely originally a ship from Cheliax that was captured when the Vidrians broke free from Cheliaxian colonization. Unlike the first ship this one looks to have been a derelict even before the storm hits as there are signs of rot all throughout the ship. It's masts have been shorn clean off and it lists to the side. The upper deck is clean of debris, likely swept away when it was hit by the storm. The vessal groans in the wind as the Wormwood pulls alongside and grapples are sent over to allow the second team to climb aboard. As they board the Stitchman makes note that the ship looks to have taken on water and will likely sink within the next couple of days.

On the deck the decking has warped from moisture and puddles have formed all across the deck. Short white stumps are all that remains of the masts. The double doors leading to cabins fore and aft appear intact, while a metal grate in the deck offers access to the lower decks. Aside from the rhythmic creak of the ship's badly weathered soaking timbers, all seems quiet.

Once the exploration team is onboard the grapples are removed and the Wormwood sets sail for the third wreck.

"Alright everyone, let's get this over with. Step with caution and let's start at the aft and work our way foreword." She said with a simple nod as a Wormwood sailed off to the next wreck. "We're going to be here for a bit, so we may as well take our time."

Oivind shakes his head."No." he walks past Kalia towards the fore. "If you want to lead you should learn to use your head." The Ulfen draws his great axe and begins prodding the ground with its haft as he walks. "This ship looks like it's half rotten. We don't need all out weight in one area."

"And if we split up we risk breaking the ship in half. I did use my head." She pointed out. "I weighed both options, and niether is better then the other, save for if we are all together we are more likely to be able to help one another should the ship sink."

Nenelethas had been enjoying his days aboard the Wormwood, or so he realized when he’d been thrust into duties aboard a ship that was clearly about to sink.

“I can’t help but think you are both right,” He said to the pair arguing. “We should give each other some space, maybe six feet or so, and keep our distance but stick together. No one needs rush off. We can take our time and carefully search the holds looking for anything magic, or otherwise. I will start to cast a spell that allows me to detect the presence of magical auras, does anyone else know how to do that?”

OOC: let’s keep socially distanced ;) and I will cast Detect Magic.

"Both wrong." Zug Zug commented. He switched to Orcish so he could be better understood.  Then Zug Zug added, "No Captain like no treasure. Spy us. Sees us make treasure. Move fastest sees treasure sinking."

Zug Zug prodded the deck with his club to make sure he wasn't going to be stepping on a rotten wood pit trap and started towards the stairs to go below deck...

When she made her way to the derelict ship, she was shaking her head.  The thing looked as if it would sink any minute.  For her own part, Pearl could swim but she didn't know about the others and their skills.  Certainly, the wolf could swim at least.  Before any orders were given as to how they should go about searching the ship Pearl asked, "Can all of you swim?  I ask because this things looking like it could go under any time."

None of the others had really worked together except to fix the ship but that was under the direct supervision of leaders chosen by the Cap'n.  It was clear that there would be disagreements and it showed already as they were trying to figure out what to do first and how to go about it.  "I think splitting up at this point is not a good idea.  Something about this ship worries me.  If we all fall through the decking it would be better than one of us.  Who knows what is below decks.  I think we should make our way to that door first."  Pearl pointed to door B.

Pearl tries to open the door but finds it difficult to do so. It should swing out, and freely at that but something seems to be holding it shut from the inside. There is a little bit of give but not enough to even wedge a dagger into the crack of the door.

OOC: A DC 15 Athletics check is needed to pull open the door. Others can assist with the Aid action. That is a DC 20 Athletics check. If you pass you add +1, if you crit pass that is +2-+4, and only if you crit fail is it a penalty (-1).

Shaking her head at the bickering, she walks carefully to the center of the deck and takes a look through the grate into the hold.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 8):

Vander nods at Pearl's question about swimming, and tries to hook part of his grapple into the door. Then he and his wolf try to pull the door open as Pearl makes her own effort, but very little is accomplished. "Someone on other side of door, holding it closed. Yes yes!" He says to her.

OOC:
14:21, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 10 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 5.  Shaka tries to aid.

14:21, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 15 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 11.  Athletics check to aid.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Tue 02 Mar 2021.

Pearl at first thought it would be easy to pull the door open but when it didn't budge the first pull, Pearl spit on both her hands and then placed both on the door handle and set her feet.  "Come on ye stubborn door, don't be acting so bashful, show me what you have inside."

With a great tug, Pearl was able to rip open the door.

20:31, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 22 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 17.  A tugging I will go.  Athletics check

Pearl tugs open the door to reveal that it was held fast with thick strands of spider webbing. Thick sheets of it choke the room. Near the bow and deep within the webs sits a single table surrounded by four chairs. Around the bend it looks to be some sort of living quarters but without cutting through the webbing and entering the room it is hard to tell.

After pulling open the door Pearl saw what the problem was.  Spiders.. how in the hell???  "Either there is a really big spider inside or the small ones have been at it for some time."

Pearl said as she put her pack down and rummaged inside the main part and pulled out a torch and flint and steel.  "A little fire will burn these away nice and easy."

Pearl struck the flint a few times on the steel and had the torch burning in no time.  Once lit she packed her stuff and put her pack back on and then pulled out her dagger in her right hand and torch in left.  Lightly touching the webbing with the torch to burn back the webs.

Seeing the webbing and the torch, Vander quickly leads Shaka to behind cover. There had been more than one famous foolish goblin using fire a bit to close to giant spider leavings...and Vander had seen it happen up close. He does get his bow ready just in case...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:06, Wed 03 Mar 2021.

Xao is in the midst of pulling her spear off her back when the door swings open. She sees the webbing and comes over to inspect it. "Just a second." She says holding up a hand to prevent the webs from being burnt before she can look at them.


OOC: 13:39, Today: Xao Fang rolled 14 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 7.  Nature.
Can she determine what kind of spider made these webs or how old they are? Anything?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Wed 03 Mar 2021.

In reply to Kalia Tyrnddare (msg # 4):

"Fair enough." Oivind says with a shrug. "Next time explain yourself instead of trying to assume command when you have no authority." he turns to Zug zug. [Language unknown: " Peou foder un."] He calls out before following the orc. "I'm going to stick with him in case something happens." he says to Kalia giving her a wink as he goes.

"Alright. Though we truly should all stay together, spread apart some." She said as she shrugged, looking past the open door. "I do not suggest burning that. You will light up the entire ship. Also that much webbing, tells me there is spiders on the ship. I wonder how big."

Pearl heeds the warning from the others and pulls the flame back.  "How about I put out the flame and touch the hot embers to the web?  It should melt away the webbing without burning the ship up."

Even with the ship being waterlogged from the storm, this amount of webbing would set the whole ship alight in a matter of minutes and given the structural integrity seen it would probably take that time or less for the whole ship to come apart.

All Xao can figure out is that it is indeed spider webbing. Not very useful but there are other creatures that could produce a similar web. The question she would have though is what would a spider be hunting that requires such a large web?

In reply to Pearl McCalister (msg # 18):

"Risky, risky. We must wet webbing with sea water first, then touch webs with heated metal." Vander piped up, but made sure to stay far from said material in case Pearl and the others decide to risk the fire.

There is a lot of webbing in this room. Enough that the door was sealed shut.

Zug Zug nodded at the warrior with an axe slowly.  Zug Zug spit on the ground and then tried the grate. It didn't budge. So he looked at the planks around the grate to see how rotted any of them were. If the grate wouldn't move, maybe they would. "No funny. No big spider on wimpy hooman boat. Spider no swim like fish. Stupid spiders." Zug Zug called out to the others investigating the spiderwebs. It made no sense to the orc why there would even be big spiders on this boat in the first place.

"Why don't we open the other doors before we decide that we need to expose ourselves to this particular peril?" She looks over at the others and at the grate that Zug Zug was pulling on. "If the other doors are similarly webbed up, we can cut the curtain so that we can see down into the hold without putting ourselves in harms way."

"Something tells me we might find similar in those doors, but lets check anyway." She said nodding.

Nenelethas offered, “Perhaps another element might help reduce the risk. I could try and use my magic to push the webs down. The added weight of water might make the ship sit a little lower in the water but it wouldn’t light the ship aflame.”

In reply to Zug Zug Bob (msg # 22):

[Language unknown: "La, di lo, wer onswasday ove Ch icaounles u theortvir th ecun ecteenwil tholinillain utca. Fi Ear atart hapa'adpr din o lawing ble pese behe-itni."] Oivind says with a shrug heading past Bob to get to the other door so he can try to open it to let the others know what's inside.



22:35, Today: Oivind rolled 14 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 7.  Athletics check to open the door if necessary

Pearl let her torch completely die out.  It seemed like a good idea at the time but the others brought up good points.  She would wait to see if there was something they wanted to do.

She was amiable to whatever would be the best idea.  "Nenelethas, if you think it would work go for it.  If that doesn't work why don't we just cut through the webbing."

Zug Zug evaluates the grate and realizes he could probably cut the boards around it pretty easily but again the question becomes what would that do to the structural integrity of the ship?

Oivind goes to the nearest door (A) and discovers a storage area and a small cramped staircase leading to the lower levels. There are traces of spider webs in this room as well but it isn't nearly as choked with them as the other room.

In reply to Pearl McCalister (msg # 27):

Nenelethas examines the gaps between the webs and realizes while his magic creates a fair bit of force, the water will flow around the webs, not through them.

"After a second look, I think we need to try cutting or burning very carefully."

"This room isn't as bad." Oivind calls out to the others. The Ulfen looks back to bob. "There's stairs down too."

"Let's check all our options first, but I can easily fit through there without hitting any webbing." She claims  while moving to the next door.

Zug Zug pointed at the metal grating that wouldn't budge. He flexed his arms and pecs. Then he made a sawing motion with the ridge of his left hand against the palm of his right. Then, finally, he drew a box around the grate. "Zug Zug say. Make cut box. Strong hoomans like Zug Zug moves metal door. Makes biggerest hole. Alls in team can move. No stupid spiders. No only puny hoomans. No stuck where no light. Zug Zug say best way."

It appears that this was once the captain's quarters and personal storage but someone has dramatically altered its function. A rough stone altar dominates this cabin. Strange markings cover its surface. Dried mud cakes the floor around it while human skulls ring the wall above it, each mounted on a wooden spike. The northeast and southwest corners of this room are filled iwth garbage and debris. This debris appears to be made of crudely hacked wooden logs, smashed furniture, torn sacks, shattered crates, and small piles of dried, brown palm fronds. A staircase choked with debris is off to one side and a thick, acrid odor fills the air.

Vander sticks with Pearl. "I small enough to slip in and out, yes yes." He points out to the others. Of course, he would need something of an opening first...

Pearl left the room she was prepared to burn up and looked at what they found in the next room which sounded more easily traversed.

When she saw the symbols she quickly put out to the others, I recognize the symbols carved onto the side of the altar as those of Mazmezz, the demon lord of spiders and vermin. Of course, evil races worship Mazmezz.
Now I see the need for the spider webbing.

Nenelethas liked very little of what he saw here. Oh how odd it felt now to suddenly wish to be back aboard the pirate ship. Even as damaged as it was, he’d felt infinitely safer onboard than he did at this moment.

He kept up with the others trying not to let space and eagerness separate them into multiple groups exploring such a small ship.

"I suggest we find the hold quickly, get what can onto the deck, and consider other options after that." She said, considering what they discovered about the alter. "Let's not risk that webbing for now Zug. Let's try the stairs."

The stairwell down is choked with debris and looks like it will take awhile to clear. The party gets to work clearing it, forming a line so objects can be handed down the line and dumped in the open or out the door.

Pearl has an armful of cermaic shards when she trips and over a broken chair leg and drops the shards, shattering them further. Meanwhile Oivind is pulling out part of a table when the debris pile shifts causing a loud rumbling as trash shifts and settles.

The group stops as the noise and shifting debris causes the whole ship to vibrate and shudder. Luckily the shuddering subsides but in the silence that follows the sound of tiny legs crawling around can be heard. Lots and lots and lots of tiny legs.

Suddenly centipedes both large and small come swarming out of holes in the deck and debris, surrounding the party as they eagerly surge forward with gleaming fangs.

Combat Round 1
The centipede swarm moves up through the debris, swarming over Oivind, Pearl, Kalia and Nenelethas. The group receives numerous bites as the centipedes work their way under clothing and up on exposed skin.
OOC: Oivind takes 1 damage, Pearl takes 3 damage, Kalia takes 7 damage, Nenelethas takes 1 damage.

All four must make a DC 20 fort save vs. poison

Meanwhile centipedes that are much larger than normal come in and surround the party. Rafe Zug Zug, and Vander fight off the ones by them but Xao is bitten painfully on the calf.
Xao takes 1 damage and must make a DC 14 fort save


OOC: For clarity purposes, each of the centipedes made 2 Stride actions and then 1 Strike action. This is why they weren't spotted before as they were below this room and weren't visible at the time of entry.


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:16, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

Nenelethas ignores the flicker of pain from the swarm that has landed on him, thankful that he didn't take as brutal of a hit as others may have.

He flicked his wrist and spoke a strange word in a guttural voice and an arc of lightning jumped from his  hand into the swarm he was surrounded by and then again into the giant centipede next to Xao.

OOC:
Cast Electric Arc - targeting Swarm (1 creature) + Centipede next to Xao (1 creature) creatures make a Basic Reflex save (DC 17) and take 1d4+4 damage each
14:29, Today: Nenelethas rolled 5 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 1.  Damage.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 38):

"Shaka! Hunt!" Vander cries out as he dodged the poisonous creature at the last second. Even as he prepares to gut the thing with his dagger, the wolf proceeds to flank his bug.

Ooc:
1-Vander hunts prey.
2-Vander attacks his prey
3-Vander orders Shaka to move to o14 and attack his prey, so Shaka gets flanking.

Vander gets 18 to hit and does 5 damage.

Shaka gets a 13 with flanking and does 13 damage.


20:14, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 13 using 2d8+2 with rolls of 3,8.  Shaka with hunt the prey bonus .

20:12, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 11 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 5.  Shaka with possible flanking bonus.

20:11, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 3,2 using 1d4+1,1d8 with rolls of 2,2.

20:11, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 11 using 1d20 with rolls of 11.  Vander attacks his hunted prey. Total=18.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:15, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

As the little centipedes swarm about her, Pearl slaps them away now know how best to fight so many.  She does move out of the majority of them though hoping to not get bitten so many times.

Move to N17 and be ready to move through Rafe next round.

Kalia moves to P12 to get out of the swarm of Centipedes. She then casts an electric arc on it, and allows it to arc to the giant centipede at Q17.

[OOC: 23:07, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 10 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 5.  Fort Save.

Figures.

Action 1: Stride to P12.
Action 2 and 3: Cast Electric Arc on Centipede Swarm, with arc going to Giant Centipede at Q17.

23:39, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 7 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 3.  Electric Arc Damage.
Damage: 7 Electric (to Both)
Save: Reflex, DC 17]

Zug Zug wants to get out of the way and go to Q14 then equip the greatclub and smash anything stupid enough to come near him.

Nenelethas shrugs off the poison and sends lightning arcing into both the swarm and the centipede next to him. His aim is particularly skilled as he fries a whole cluster of the swarm. The centipede next to him spasms and then curls up in a smoking, unmoving ball.
OOC: Zap! Swarm crit fails its saving throw and takes double damage.

Vander and Shaka take down another centipede.

Pearl squeezes past Rafe and gets out into the open doorway.
OOC: Moving through an enemy's square counts as difficult terrain and may trigger an AoO but moving through an ally's square is zero impediment. It's assumed that you can communicate and they can let you through.

The poison from dozens of centipedes causes Pearl to feel like her nerves have been lit on fire.
OOC: Pearl takes an additional 5 poison damage. Poision advances to Stage 2. Make a DC 20 fort save vs. poison.


Kallia moves out away from the swarm and zaps it with her electricity. While it has some effect, the more noticeable impact is one the giant centipede that gets fried just like the one before. Kalia finds herself struggling to concentrate through the pain of all the poison.
OOC: Kalia takes 2 poison damage. Poison advances to Stage 2. Make a DC 20 fort save.

Zug Zug moves over the dead centipede and uses his greatclub to splatter the remaining giant centipede.

Rafe slashes into the swarm, splattering a few bugs.

Oivind is suffering a particularly bad reaction to the centipede bites as his skin is starting to puff up and swell painfully around his clothing and armor.
OOC: Oivind crit fails and takes 4 poison damage. Poison advances to Stage 2. Make a DC 20 fort save

In anger or frustration Oivind flails around in almost a complete circle with his greatsaxe and the giant blade cuts through the heart of the swarm bisecting hundreds of centipedes. When he is finished the centipede swarm has been decimated and the remaining vermin are already dispersing.


Combat is over
Those afflicted with poison need to keep making those fortitude saves.

If you have healer's tools you can attempt a medicine check vs. DC 20 to give the target a +2 to their poison save.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 44):

Once the threat was done, Vander got out his healer's kit and barked at anyone bit to line up. He would start treating them first come first served.

ooc-16:28, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 24 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 19.  Medicine check via healer's tools.

Kalia would step up to Vander so that he could get to work on her wounds.

[OOC: 19:30, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 11 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 4.  Fort Save.

Figures. I'll spend a hero point to reroll.

19:32, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 14 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 7.  Fort Save Reroll.

Guess I'm not meant to save against this poison. Figures.]

Nenelethas looked around him and was first shocked by how effective his electric arc had been against the swarm and he was glad he hadn't hurt any of his friends in the midst of the centipedes.

Then he realized that others beyond himself might be wounded and he said, "I can heal a number of us at once, gather around any who are injured and I will cast a spell."

He looked expectantly at the others, hoping they would come to him so he could make them well.

OOC: I will cast a three action heal to heal everyone within 30 feet, sorry, I don't have a healer's kit.

Pearl was feeling terrible.  She knew that the poison from the centipedes was coursing through her veins and it felt as if it were getting worse.
10:35, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 10 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 6.  poison sucks.

When Nenelethas asked for those that needed healing to step forward, Pearl moved into position.  "Please, the pain I am feeling is terrible.  It is making me sick big time."

While the others were getting their injuries taken care of, Zug Zug did his best to carefully poke around. He was looking for useful things that could aid in a ship's routine, but most importantly he was looking for other nests where vermin could swarm from. If there was one nest, there could easily be more.

Zug Zug started in the area where the metal hatch should be, rather curious as to what was blocking it from the underside. "No use all injury fix. Maybe some more, bigger bugs. Maybe save bug heads to make poison? Use on arrow."

OOC: At this point once your poison reaches stage 2 it is 1d8 poison damage if you want to roll and resolve it yourself. Centipede swarms are pretty awful because of the high DC saves.

That being said there is precedence for it being a very nasty venom:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6vzjjIrRK8

Nenelethas makes sure he's close enough to Pearl, Kalia, and Oivind before casting a healing spell. "I hope that's enough to keep the poison at bay."

OOC: Ooof not so much:
11:59, Today: Nenelethas rolled 3 using 1d8 with rolls of 3.  Heal.

Kalia would take a knee for a moment and then take a deep breath.

[OOC: I'm not sure I want to roll my own poison damage since I keep rolling poorly for myself. LOL!]

Xao is grateful for the bit of healing that comes her way from Nenelethas. "We should expect more of that if we are truly dealing with cultist of the Vermin King" She then carefully makes her way down the steps, testing each one as she goes.

Nenelethas sends out a healing burst that steals away some of the pain and binds some of the wounds.

Oivind is able to shake off the effects of the poison but Pearl and Kalia continue to be ravaged by it. They start to sweat and shake as poison overwhelms them.
OOC: Pearl fails and takes 2 poison damage. Kalia fails and takes 8 poison damage.

Kalia passes out from the pain, collapsing to the deck. Pearl continues to grind her teeth through the pain.
OOC: Kalia takes 5 poison damage and collapses. Pearl takes 1 poison damage.

Pearl is forced to ride out the rest of the poison and while she is crippled by it, she doesn't collapse like Kalia does.
OOC: Simulating next couple of rounds, Pearl takes 5 more poison damage before it clears out from her system.

Meanwhile Kalia is struggling to survive against the poison even as she is unconscious, ending up just barely surviving on death's door.
OOC: The poison damage ticks her up to Dying 3 before clearing bringing her to Wounded 1 when she recovers

OOC: For dealing with and surviving the deadly poison, Nenelethas, Oivind, Pearl, and Kalia are awarded 1 hero point. That was rough.

When Kalia drops and doesn't get back up Xao stops descending and watches the others scrambling to recover. Seeing that it looks as though Kalia is not going to be assisted she taps her heart and mutters "Leigheas ó chian" before gesturing back and Kalia and sending a surge of positive energy into her.

"Up and at 'em Ladies. We can rest once we've cleared below decks."

OOC: 12:19, Today: Xao Fang rolled 12 using 1d8+8 with rolls of 4.  Heal.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 54):

Vander proceeds to treat Pearl over the next 10 mins. Turns out he does an excellent job, and Pearl is as good as new.

ooc-16:39, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 19 using 4d8 with rolls of 3,3,5,8.  Critical healing .

16:37, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 25 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 20.

The poison had taken its toll on Kalia and herself.  Thankfully though, Pearl hadn't fallen unconscious as Kalia had.  PEarl was still feeling quite ill from it even as the effect had stopped harming her.

When Vander came over, Pearl looked at the goblin and wondered what he could possibly do to help her but she did give him a nod.  Perhaps it was payback for letting him into the rowboat she didn't know? But, after 10 mins of his care, PEarl felt right as rain.  "Well, now I m pleasantly surprised Vander.  You did a fine job healing me.  I feel much better.  But, that stuff you gave me tasted terrible!"  Pearl said with a laugh at last.

In reply to Pearl McCalister (msg # 57):

"No for eat everyday. Only when buggy bites. Or burns. Or when some nasty one stabby stab." Vander grinned with that over large toothy smile. Of course, there where others to heal.

While the wounded were being healed the rest of the crew were able to finish clearing the obstructions to the lower deck.

Peeking down reveals what looks to be the main galley for the ship. It makes sense that you would put the main gathering spot at a major intersection as it allows officers to keep an eye on crew that might be lazing about or lingering a bit too long at their meals.

Now the galley is cluttered with bones, debris, and offal. A set of badly damaged metal knives and other cookware hang from the ceiling while the stench of rotting flesh chokes the air. Tiny spiders crawl over everything in sight but thankfully there don't seem to be enough of them to pose a viable threat.

It looks to be there is a thick sturdy door to the north (A), a smaller door to the south that has a considerable amount of bones next to it (B) and a stairwell that leads down into the lower cargo deck (C).

"Thank you." She said, flatly to those that tended to her. "Now, lets see to the rest of this task." She grumbled, none to happy about being thrusted into this situation in the first place without a way off or some sort of back-up.

Nenelethas gestured to the door to the north and said, "Should we start here? Or would you prefer the more ominous ports of entry?"

Now completely healed up, Pearl was ready to continue with the search of the ship.  As they spotted the doors there was once more a discussion on which to open.  "I think we just go with the north door and then the one that has the bones in front.  Yes, I know it seems like not the best idea, but we need to search thoroughly."

"We start here." She said simply, as she stood. "But lets move with caution."

Opening the door to the north reveals a thick curtain of spider webs. Judging by its position it is likely the area underneath the grate from above. The spider webs are too thick and tangled to fit through, they will need to either be cut or burned away before more of the room can be explored.

OOC: No roll is necessary, I just need someone to declare that they are attacking/removing the spider webs somehow.

Nenelethas took the staff he carried on his back out and used it to knock down the spider webs so they could advance.

Once the spider webs were taken down by Nenelethas, Pearl took the lead as she knew she was better suited to lead than he was.  "Here let me go first."  Pearl would check the flooring here for stability or traps.

Once he has done what he could for Kalia, Vander moves with Shaka and readies his bow. He is not eager to rush in to the spider's den, but does make sure he has a clear shot into it.

Nenelethas sweeps away the spiderwebs blocking the entrance and after some effort the party is able to proceed into the main deck area. Originally this was a main corridor leading to various officer quarters and passenger cabins but someone has chopped through most of the walls, opening up the whole area and giving the giant spiders on the ship a nesting ground.

Giant spiders spring forward from the room, some on the ceiling, others on the floors or walls as they charge towards the party, hungry for prey.

OOC: With the web disturbance the giant spiders all use Spring Upon Prey for a free stride before combat.

As you were knowingly walking into danger everyone is given a free Shield Raise action prior to entering.

Round 1
The spiders spring onto the party, biting them with fearsome dripping fangs. Oivind gets his shield up to block one of the spiders but while he is focused on the one from his feet, one drops from the ceiling and bites his face! Oivind falls unconscious from the attacks and one of the spiders begins entangling him up with spider silk to drag him back into their nest for feeding.

Spider 1:
A1) Strike -> Hits 21 vs. AC 20 -> 7 damage. Shield blocks 3 so 4 points to Oivind and shield.
A2) Strike -> Hits 18 vs. AC 20 -> Miss
A3) Strike -> Hits 4 vs. AC 20 -> Critical Miss

Spider 4:
A1) Strike -> Hits 22 vs. AC 20 -> Hits for 7 damage. Oivind passes fort check (15 vs. DC 14)
A2) Strike -> Hits 24 (crit!) vs. AC 20 -> Hits for 4 x2 = 8 damage. This drops Oivind to 0. Oivind passes fort check (15 vs. DC 14)
A3) Spider -> Grabs Oivind's body


Another spider crawls along the wall to attack Rafe. Rafe is bit and he feels the spider's venom burn through his veins.
Spider 3:
A1) Strike -> Hits 10 vs. AC 18 -> Miss
A2) Strike -> Hits 19 vs. AC 18 -> Hit for 3 damage. Rafe crit fails the fort save and takes 6 poison damage.
A3) Strike -> Hits 13 vs. AC 18 -> Miss


A fourth spider charges after Pearl.
Spider 2:
A1) Strike -> Hits 24 vs. AC 17 -> Hit for 5 damage. Make a fortitude save vs. DC 14
A2) Strike -> Hits 16 vs. AC 17 -> Miss
A3) Strike -> Hits 9 vs. AC 17 -> Miss


Round 1

Nenelethas weaves his hand and staff in the air and produces a spark of electricity that arcs out at two of the giant spiders. He would like to move out of the way but he is more worried about Oivind and Pearl as the one falls and the other is bitten viciously.


OOC: Electrical Arc targeting Spiders in H24 and G23; Basic Reflex DC 17
13:43, Today: Nenelethas rolled 6 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 2.  Damage.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 68):

Vander shoots his bow at the spider on Pearl, but the creature is far too nimble. However, the goblin calls for his wolf to pounce on the eight legged thing. Which Shaka does and nearly rips the creature in half.

ooc:
1-Hunts prey on spider on pearl.

2-shoots bow at that spider, misses.

3-commands wolf to attack that spider. Hits most likely, possible flanking, does 17 damage. Wolf in space j26.

14:33, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 17 using 2d8+2 with rolls of 7,8.  Shaka damage on spider on pearl.

14:32, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 20 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 14.  Shaka attack flanking for attack on spider on pearl
.
14:32, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 9 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 2.  Hunt prey and bow attack for spider on pearl.

This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Thu 25 Mar 2021.

Pearl was ready when the spiders came at them all.  She battled the spider that attacked her but wasn't able to block all its attacks but thankfully as she began to feel the poison enter her body she clenched her teeth and pushed it right back out the bite she had taken.
20:57, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 22 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 18.

WIth the wolf providing flanking Pearl struck out with her rapier 3 times.

A1. Stab with Rapier hitting AC17 for 9 damage
A2. Stab again missing
A3. Stab again for good measure hitting AC18 for 5 more damage
21:06, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 17,4,4,8 using d20+6,d6+2,d20+1,d6+2 with rolls of 11,2,3,6. 23:26, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5.  SA.
23:28, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 5 using 2d6+2 with rolls of 1,2.  forgot +2 for flanking on the attack.
23:28, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 16 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 17.  stabby stabby.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:30, Thu 25 Mar 2021.

Kalia looked around for a moment, then looked as one of her companions was dropped in an instant. "Damnit. Fine. DRAKAR COME!" And with that, the red dragon appears at her side.

[OOC: Actions 1 to 3: Summon Drakar.]

Round 1 cont.
The spiders prove to be quite agile as one dodges Nenelethas' electric zap but the other takes the full arc.

While Vander's shot misses, his wolf is able to clamp down on one of the spiders.
OOC: Putting Shaka at K24 at the back of the party. My apologies for not moving him with the rest of the group. Also his damage is 1d8+2 unless I'm missing something.

Pearl shakes off the effects of the poison and delivers a strike of her own, hitting once with a small but damaging poke through the carapace.

Kalia pulls through the void and brings forth her dragon companion.

Zug Zug misses with his first two swings but on the third he connects, smashing a bug.

Rafe swings his sword, clipping a spider.

Oivind stabilizes.

Xao blasts out a ray of frost but the spiders skitter aside and her magical attack misses.

Round 2
One of the spiders begins dragging Oivind's body out from the protection of the group, ducking around a corner and beginning to wrap up the body in webbing.

The other three spiders, being severely wounded, attempt to cover the retreat by spraying out sticky webbing on the party's frontline warriors before biting and retreating. Zug Zug and Pearl defend themselves successfully while Rafe takes a painful bite. Rafe finds himself overwhelmed by spider venom and he doubles over painfully as he starts to sweat profusely.
OOC: Rafe takes 6 damage from the bite and 3 poison damage

Rafe and Zug Zug find themselves stuck to the floor with webbing while Pearl manages to escape successfully.
OOC: @Rafe & Zug Zug: DC 17 escape check:
Escape Action

To escape it is either an unarmed attack, athletics or acrobatics check vs. DC 17. This does count as an action. Note that this counts as an "attacK" for purposes of multi-attack penalties no matter which method you use to escape.


After this the three spiders make their escape, clustering around the captured prey. It seems like they are more than happy to leave the rest of the party in peace if it means they get to keep their new captive/food source.



Round 2


This message was last edited by the GM at 17:52, Mon 29 Mar 2021.

Nenelethas repeats himself as he blasts another electric arc that hops from spider to spider inflicting pain. "We need to kill these creatures now before Oivind is lost for good."

OOC:
Aiming for Spiders in G28 and H27
11:42, Today: Nenelethas rolled 7 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 3.  Damage Electric Arc.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 73):

Vander finally get his aim back with a careful shot into the wounded spider. He calls out "Shaka, hunt!" The wolf bounds forward, her deadly jaws closing in on the arachnid's head and ripping away at its exo-skeleton.


OOC:

1-Making f27 new prey

2-Shooting at F27, hitting for 6 damage.

3-Commands Shaka forward, she gets 2 actions. Moves to F26, hits and does 11 damage to f27 spider.

Total damage=17.

14:22, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 11 using 2d8+2 with rolls of 8,1.  Shaka damages f27 with hunters edge bonus .

14:21, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 24 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 18.  Shaka attacks f27.

14:20, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 4,2 using 1d6,1d8 with rolls of 4,2.  Damage with hunters edge bonus.

14:19, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 20 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 13.  Shooting at f27.

"Drakar! Kill!" She commanded as she pointed to the spiders, the suddenly the young red dragon went into action, striding over to the spider at the right and assaulting it!

[OOC: Action 1: Drakar Stride to H28.
Action 2: Drakar attacks spider at G28 with a bite.
Action 3: Drakar attacks spider at G28 with a claw.

15:32, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 26,6 using 1d20+6,1d8+3 with rolls of 20,3.  Bite Attack.
Hit AC: 26 (Natural 20, so critical hit.)
Damage: 12 (I already doubled it.)

15:32, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 17,6 using 1d20+2,1d4+3 with rolls of 15,3.  Claw Attack.
Hit AC: 17
Damage: 6

Nice. Dragon got a crit. :) ]

Xao snarls at the actions of the spiders. They clearly just want to survive, but eating these particular companions was not something that she could allow. "ga sioc!" She intones while pointing at the farthest spider. A bolt of super-chilled ice erupts in the air and slashes into the spider.

OOC: Attack the spider in F27 with Ray of Frost
15:16, Today: Xao Fang rolled 25 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 18.  Spell Attack.
15:17, Today: Xao Fang rolled 8 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 4.  Frost Damage.

While one spider dodges Nenelethas' zap of electricity he catches the other one full force and it squeals and smoke wisps out from the cracks in its carapace.

Vander shoots one in the head and the spider twitches and then drops. The dragon and wolf tear into the smoking spider and rip it apart, limb from limb.

Combat is over!

Rushing forward the party is too late to save Oivind. The skaldic warrior was bit repeatedly and injected with poison after being dragged away and his insides were ravaged by it.

Round 3

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 78):

Vander got his medical kit out, and tried to get to work on Rafe's wounds. However. they are too serious and will need to give it another try.

OOC:
19:39, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 7 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 2.  Medicine on Rafe.

Can I try again after my failure? In another hour or so?

She will move to work to get Zug Zug out of the webbing.

Nenelethas draws one of his throwing blades and uses it to cut Rafe free of the webbing. The warrior is clearly hurt and he asks him, “I can heal you or you can backtrack to the safer portion of the boat and wait for us to return. I would prefer the latter but it’s up to you.”

With the spiders dead, Pearl looks around and notices that Oivind didn't make it.  The poor sap had been taken by the spiders and too much poison had been injected into his system.  Pearl would go check his things to see if there was anything they could use.

As she was going over his items.
 Nenelethas asked a question to Rafe.  "I think you should heal him.  If he has poison in him it will certainly help.  If not I know how painful it can be."

Zug Zug goes about unsticking himself the tried and true way by using a dagger to slowly cut the webbing. Once he is free, Zug Zug picks up the corpse of a dead spider... one that wasn't too shocked or charred or squished. "Make poison." He points at at Rafe and the fallen man that had the axe. "Poison work good."

"I agree with Zug. Let's make a poison, it could very well come into use." She said with a simple nod.

Nenelethas nods his head and says a few words over Rafe and a burst of cool, soothing healing like a river of life washes thru the man. He is immediately healed of most of his wounds.

OOC: 20:59, Today: Nenelethas rolled 12 using 1d8+8 with rolls of 4.  Heal

The party takes stock of their surroundings. Deeper into the spider webs is another door (A) as well as the stairs down into the cargo hold (B) and the door with bones surrounding it (C).

Zug Zug shrugged. "No like. Cursed boat. Not...not..." Zug Zug scratched his head. "All trash. All stupid spiders. Zug Zug not like." Zug Zug went back the way he'd come, aborting this task.

Nenelethas watched as Zug Zug withdrew. “Well I guess that is one option. I can’t imagine the Captain will react well to us coming back empty handed, and I imagine he probably doesn’t care if half of us die. But I can’t blame him... Are we all giving up? Or will some of you press on? I will if there are others. But I can’t imagine going further alone.”

Pearl watched as the large half0orc began heading back the other way.  She wasn't sure what he was so afraid of.  She also wasn't sure the captain would let him live if they came back with nothing.  "I am pushing forward Zug Zug, you going to let a little girl like me go off all alone?"  She tossed him some puppy-dog eyes and pouty mouth.

07:53, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 19 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 13.  diplomacy check.

Vander tried to get his wolf to track whatever creatures still lived on this boat. However, it was too confusing for her to understand.

Ooc-08:42, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 6 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 2.  Shaka using scent ability .

Puppy dog eyes and pouty mouth never work on Zug Zug. It was an expression alien to him. He looked at Pearl with what he thought was a just as confused expression. "Then little hooman girl stupid." He pointed at the dead axe warrior. Zug Zug's brow furrowed. He held up a hand, then he stopped in gesitation. Then he pointed at the piles of bones. "Zug Zug no make hooman words. Baaaad Ju-Ju." He finger wagged no, and made a couple clicking sounds with his tongue before pointing at the bones again. "Baaaad Ju-Ju. Dead ghost say No come here. Zug Zug no wake ghost. Baddest Ju-Ju. Zug Zug say boat is hexed. Sink boat. Leave ghost sleep. Tell captain boat trash. Fall apart in water. No lie. No bad Ju-Ju. Ghost sleep. Bestest Ju-Ju."

Pearl had no time to stand and discuss with the orc, he had an opinion and thus had to do what he wanted.  "Okay then head back up top and wait for us.  Know that I will tell the Captain that you were too afraid to continue exploring the ship."

Pearl turned away from him then and went for the door that would lead to the hold below.  "Shall we check out what is below?  If there is nothing then we can figure out what to do next.  You heard that they won't be back to get us for a while so we may as well check out the whole thing."

Nenelethas didn't like how this was all working out and tried to ease the tension. "We just watched one of our number die to the spider venom, so I understand Zug Zug. And Bad JuJu is Bad JuJu. I think we can explore more safely than we have if we are all willing to work together."

He paused looking to the others and then added, "Ideally Pearl, Vander and his wolf would lead the way. Followed by Zug Zug, Rafe and then Kalia and I. If we can agree to all that, and avoid the bones and the bad juju that comes with them, can we keep exploring?"

In reply to Nenelethas (msg # 93):

Vander frowned. "Vander is archer. Shaka not expendable. If Pearl wishes, Vander will follow. Even if that means going up front. However, getting eaten by spiders means Vander can't heal anybody else..." The goblin pointed out.

"Fine, I'll lead, you bunch of panty wastes." with that said she strides forward and turns into a Huntsman Spider  which skitters across the webbing and under the doors.
Once inside she looks around with all her new senses running at full tilt.

OOC those spiders can fit through a closed car door so I figure it can get under a warped ships door. Going under door A.

In reply to Xao Fang (msg # 95):

Vander responds to the newly formed spider by leaping on Shaka and looking he was about to ride her away. Shaka, much more courageous then her rider, cocks her head and pants at the druid. More confused than panicked.

"Ummm...ok. Vander did not know she could do that. Would have been nice to know before a bunch of spiders tried to kill us." He gets off the wolf, draws his bow, and follows the former humanoid-now-spider. Shaka follows, panting.

"Let's finish this." Kalia said firmly, fiercely. Drakar next to her giving a snap of his jaw in agreeance, causing the red haired elf to grin. "And don't ever call the dragon mistress, and her dragon, a panty waste."

She then points to Xao. "Drakar, follow. Stay close."

OOC: Where to next? There are 4 rooms not explored (technically)

1) The webbed room upstairs
2) The cargo hold
3) The door in front of the group
4) The door with the bones outside of it.

Taking the time to rest and look around, the party gets a betters sense as to what happened to the original crew. Nearly buried by webbing the party finds numerous signs of bloodstains splashed on the walls and floorboards. In addition the party finds a variety of victims that have been wrapped up in webbing and drained dry. While there are the expected sailors, about a third of the victims found appear to be orc tribals.

At this point a reasonable educated guess would suggest that the tribals attacked the ship and the two groups killed one another. Likely the tribals survived given the primitive looking totem that had been erected above deck but that still didn't quite explain where all the vermin infesting the ship had come from...

Nenelethas has no real preference, but the tribal nature of all that is going on is a bit unnerving.

He looks in awe as Xao Fang turns into a spider and begins scouting.

OOC: I'll follow along with wherever the others go. Staying at the back of the group.

"Interesting find here.  So, orcs had invaded the ship and the defenders killed as many as possible before they were overtaken.  I know we haven't found any living so far but with the weapons missing, I have to think that they were all taken somewhere.  Once spider girl has done her scouting we should go where she thinks is the safest.  Though I am certain we need to get into the hold at some point."  Pearl said finally.

Vander and Shaka keep following the spider that was not a spider. However, they give her a wide distance  and move quietly and slowly.

From the safety of under the door, she reaches out and plucks a strand of webbing to mimic prey caught up in it.

"I agree. Anything of value still here is likely to be there." Then she considered the rest of what Pearl had said. "Also, I agree with your assessment. Though it makes me wonder why they did not try and keep the ship itself once they overtook it." As she spoke she would keep an eye on Drakar.

Drakar would follow Xao until she reached the door, then wait there.

Zug Zug didn't advance, but stayed right by where Fang went. He peered into one or two of the holes to see if his Darkvision could spot anything before giving a cursory look over the dead orcs. He was checking the boots, and when he found one to replace his mis-mashed boot and sandal combination with a pair of actual boots he seemed pleased. "Orc no have weapons. Not... not... Orc all times have weapons. Orc have no weapon not orc. Too weak. Too puny. Wimpy orc. Squishy like elf." Zug Zug pointed at a dead orc. "Spider food. Orc no raid boat. Too puny orc boat get raided. Feed puny orc to spider. Orc war raid splat spiders. Take all things." Zug Zug looked at the bones again. He looked at the way they were facing and the door they were "guarding." "Boss go there."

Xao finds a gap in the wall that lets her go to the next room. More webs have been strung and it is clear that if the party had gone down the stairs in the first webbed room that at least some of the spiders in that central location would have swarmed up. It seems that instead of luring them out here and there they attacked the entire ship's nest at once which explains why there were so many spiders in one location.

Other than the stairs leading up this corridor leads to another closed door. As Xao is about to turn back her spidery eyes catch sight of a glimmer. It seems there is at least one piece of treasure on board, a crude looking bracelet made entirely out of silver.

"Stop!" Zug Zug unintentionally commanded in an excited tone. "Zug Zug brains this!" He stutter stepped from one foot to the other in exasperation. He blurted out what he knew in Orcish. [Language unknown: "Re os hi essha ncere toilicne n e. Weacma maek el eiha hou! Ain aiek watimi icaounwit-ounpro. Ill saill eau thu vortheany eselek strtionti ar e not ousichand. Ulne e yin evebutpre utosivmi. Heut omesomund rat manhe lile plni. Wasnteant e. Mehisi i mo. Int roriie. Eliv bleverlar sewit nteoveencwhe ililit os paio! But ec adhe wilar n Ureovemen fo usalce atteta m sonerstic entectlar wiei. Pl ne no ur ectoutmen. In art paespl vor illivehas she ess."]

Zug Zug seemed pleased with himself for getting that far. As if to convince the others, he showed the injuries to the corpses missing organs. He pointed out orc writing on the walls. He even tried to explain the age of the ship and how old the blood was. Finally, despite refusing to touch them, he showed the bones and how there wasn't a scrap of "meat" on them. "Zug Zug say we go to darkest spot on boat. We find biggest spider and ate priest or find mad priest and ate spider! No go yet! Get buff and make ready for hardest fight. Zug Zug smash stupid priest. Stupid priest eat not-orcs. Yuck." Zug Zug stuck his finger in his mouth and made a gag noise to emphasize his point. "Find priest then Zug Zug makes red eyes and berzerk! No get in way or oops! Zug Zug smash squishies!"

Zug Zug broke off a dead spider leg and ripped a piece of the spider open to expose blood and guts. He used the spider leg to dip into the blood and then paint a zig-zag line on his arms. He drew a child-like bull head with horns on his shoulder and a big sun in the middle of his chest. Lastly Zug Zug dipped three fingers in the blood an drew three vertical lines on his left cheek.

Warpaint...

The excited Zug Zug had pearl trying to figure out what he was saying.  It was in a foreign language that she didn't know.  So, she asked, "Mind tell those of us who don't speak your language what you just said?  And what is this about a priest and big spider?"  She did listen to the part when he said hardest fight. So far the fights haven't been terribly hard as they were over quick.  Pearl wondered what it would be, a spider or priest.

"Let's wait till Xao comes back before moving to this darkest spot, which I am thinking is in the hold." Pearl said finally.

Zug Zug squinted at Pearl. His brow furrowed. He tried again. "This boat is orc slave boat. Too old. Makes temple to stupid god. Boat has no captain. Just stupid god priest. Boat get lost. Run away. Storm. Whales." Zug Zug shrugged. "No captain. No pirates. Slaves. Slaves make bastard not orcs." Zug Zug pointed at the dead half-orcs. "No catch fishes. No raid. Too stupid. No food. Eat slaves. No more slaves eat not orcs. Feed car...car...carcass to spiders. Priest last on boat. Eat biggest spider. Biggest spider last on boat. Eat priest." Zug Zug shrugged again. "Zug Zug no like mad priest. Zug Zug no like biggest spider. Zug Zug smash."

The orc grinned in a particularly terrifying manner made moreso since he had used spider blood for war paint. "Priest is... is... hooman say asshole! Weak. Wimpy. Must splat. Big spider is... is... hunter monster! Kill big spider. No more Zug Zug Bob! Zug Zug Bob Spiderkiller!"

As an afterthought, Zug Zug fished out Fish, his turtle. He used blood and finger painted a 3 on the back of it's shell. "Fish you be secret weapon! Go for eyes!"

Nenelethas listened intently and a big smile crossed his face at the barbarian's growing excitement and story.

"So, it sounds like a human priest tried to tackle the big spider, but the big spider ate it. We need to go to the bottom of this ship, kill the big spider and we'll find some treasure and other goodies most likely. Then we can return to our ship with something good to show for ourselves. I like it. Is that about right Zug Zug?"

The large spider slips back out under the door before turning around and leg-over-legging a long silk drag line that she had trailed behind her, she hauls a webbed package under the door as well. Turning to the closest of her companions she makes an exaggerated gesture with one of her long front legs. Pointing at her eyes then at the package. She then bolts for the stairs down to the hold.

In reply to Xao Fang (msg # 111):

Vander picks up the braclet from his hidden postion, cocking his head as he turns it over. Shaka does the same, having never seen a spider play the fetch game Vander plays with her sometimes. Vander then shrugs, and puts the item in his pocket.

Drakar who was standing at the door waiting, eyes Vander as he picks up and pocket's the bracelet.

Kalia calmly walks up. "What did she bring out?"

It looks to be a crude silver bracelet. While the craftsman ship is quite rough the solid silver would be worth its weight...in silver.

OOC: Couldn't resist. I would say rough guess it would be worth around 5gp

Pearl had seen Vander pocket the item as well, but she was more concerned with where Xao the spider was heading to next so she followed her movements as she went for the door that probably led to the hold.  "That is right, check it out for us Xao," Pearl said softly.

The large hold runs the entire length of the ship. Seawater fills this chamber to about waist-deep forcing Xao to crawl along the ceiling to explore.

OOC: FYI fighting in the hold will count as difficult terrain due to the depth of the water.

Piles of old, moldering crates cluster against the port hull and the water is dark and murky. In total Xao spots six crates scattered in the hold in varying stages of decay (1 is fully above the water, 2 are partially submerged, 3 are almost completely submerged).

While Xao doesn't see anything, her keen spider sense of smell detects the distinct scent of death and decay.

She spins around and skitters her way back to the others and transforms back into herself at the top of the stairs. "So there was just the bracelet in the other room and there are a few boxes in the soggy hold that look like they might be worth looking into. Nothing jumped out at me but something definitely died down there! It reeks!" She spews quickly while running her hands over her arms and face.
"If it is all the same to you folks I'd love to take a moment and re-center myself after that."

Nenelethas nodded and said, "Take a moment. Then we can go check out what is in the hold before we go face off with the big spider Zug Zug told us about."

Filing the 'big spider' comment away for later questioning she heads back up on the deck to lean against the rail and lose herself in the natural motions of the sea.

OOC: 10 minutes later when her focus pool has been refilled she will rejoin everyone

Zug Zug seemed confused. He paced around, amping himself up. "No big spider? Smell dead things. Yuck water. Too long maybe? Hide in water maybe? Zug Zug say no get in yuck water. Use wood like smart monkey. Then rope treasure box. Pull to steps." Zug Zug went over to the bone door. He tried to listen, first. Then he tried to peek through some cracks or hole to use darkvision. Then, if he still didn't see or hear anything, Zug Zug simply knocked on the door...and listened again.

As soon as Xao resumes her humaniod shape, Vander returns the bracelet to her. Shaka sniffs her a bunch of times, and looks very confused. Vander pets the wolf, and says "Don't worry about it. She's on our side."

"I think we should check out the boxes for sure." She said, in thought. "Let's check out the other two rooms first though. Bone door first."

When Zug Zug listens at the door he hears someone chanting. Definitely an orcish tongue and while he understand the language the words are gibberish to him, like the rantings of a lunatic.

Zug Zug bounced in agitation. He motioned his friends over closer. He pointed at the door and said nothing. He gestured by dragging his thumb backwards across his own throat. He readied his massive chunk of wood he'd been affectionately calling a beatstick and motioned that he was going to punt in the door. He held up 3 fingers, showed everyone, and held Fish (who was now squirming around) by the shell in his off hand.

Kalia nodded, then she pointed to Drakar, as if to indicate he'd follow Zug Zug in right after.

Zug Zug charges forward taking the door off the hinges and preparing to smash through anyone on the other side. He runs full tilt before stumbling on a makeshift bed made out of palm fronds.

Pausing to look around it is clear that there is nobody inside the room. It looks like it was once designed to be a barracks for the ship however someone has long since turned it into their personal residence. A stone-tipped spear and oblong shield lean against one wall. The shield bears the symbol of an orcish skull with tiny spiders crawling from the eye sockets. Two human skulls hang from wooden pegs and several bleached bones are mixed in with the palm fronds.

There is a closed door to the south of the room where the chanting is coming from, even louder than before.

Without hesitation, Zug Zug repeats the process! Kicking in the door he yells (and blurts) out the only battle cry he can think of! "SPPOOOOONN!"

The medium sized red dragon Drakar thunders in behind him letting out a thunderous roar as he does so!


12:39, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 17 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 10.  Intimidation.

Pearl poured into the room smoothly, quite the contrast of the destruction the Zug Zug had just made with the door.  She slid into a shadow with her daggers ready to strike.  But as she heard the chanting coming from another door she moved along the wall away from the chaotic orc as he once more charged the door.

Shaka watched the events happen, wagging her tail and looked ready to pounce. Or fetch. Or something like that. Vander smirked, readied his bow, and proceeded to follow the charging half orc from a reasonable distance, wolf in tow.

Nenelethas kept pace with the others but remained toward the rear of the group.

The party bursts in to find this room has been "decorated" with runes written in dried blood. In the center of a circle stands a lone half-orc of massive size. He wears some kind of beetle looking armor and wields a large shield and club. His armor and weapons are both covered in dried blood as well.



The half-orc looks up expectedly, apparently expecting this fight for some time. He hefts his club and points it at Zug Zug.

[Language unknown: "Hiing oul der o ichno cean thoio n iollit teununit. Hou trint as ithma...se erpa ing."]

The half-orc charges forward, swinging his club down and cracking Zug Zug across the chest with it.
7 bashing damage

He then raises his shield, preparing for the inevitable counter strikes.

Round 3



This message was last edited by the GM at 20:32, Mon 03 May 2021.

Kalia looked to the orc as she walked into the room and grins.

[OOC: Action 1: Kalia move to R26.
Action 2, Act Together Ability.
Action 2a: Kalia casts Boost Eidolon on Drakar.
Action 2b: Drakar bites the orc.
Action 3: Drakar claws the orc.

23:58, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 19,6 using 1d20+6,1d8+5 with rolls of 13,1.  Drakar Bite (Piercing).
Hit AC: 19
Damage: 6 Piercing

23:59, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 22,6 using 1d20+4,1d4+5 with rolls of 18,1.  Drakar Claw (Slashing).
Hit AC: 22
Damage: 6 Slashing]

Nenelethas stayed near the rear of the group and waved his hand and spoke a word and electricity arced out toward the tall half orc.

OOC: I will cast electric arc (DC 17 reflex save) for a small amount of damage. 04:39, Today: Nenelethas rolled 5 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 1.  Electric Arc damage

Pearl darted into the room as Zug Zug burst through.  She used the initial contact between him and the other half-orc as leverage to get into a flanking position.  She saw the large half-orc smash its club into Zug Zug and knew that it Zug Zug couldn't take much of that so Pearl changed her tactic and tried to disarm the half-orc.

With her rapier, she stabbed forward towards the hand holding the club hoping to hit the club out of his hand.  Her aim was true but she hoped there was enough force behind the blow to knock it free or at least lessen its grip for another try.

Action 1 move to S23
Action 2 make disarm attempt
12:16, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 20 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 15. against Reflex DC
Action 3 make a backstab
12:24, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 21 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 18.  backstab.

Zug Zug got hit and the force of the blow barely knocked him off balance. He let out a might roar, exposing his chest again. "RRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWRRRR!" His eyes were now completely bloodshot red, his lips were curled, and he was frothing at the mouth.  Zug Zug taunted. In a berserk rage, Zug Zug swung wildly, aiming directly for the shield, determined to batter his way through it rather than skillfully go around it.

OOC: Let's see if I did this right.
I'm gonna use my rage and go berserk. I'm going to go with Positive Energy from my Ancestry part that gives me +1 more damage and makes all my damage positive energy damage against this presumably, evil thing.

07:23, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 8 using 1d10+7 with rolls of 1.  Damage.
07:23, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 11 using 1d10+7 with rolls of 4.  Damage.
07:20, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 13 using 1d20-3 with rolls of 16.  Attack Shield #3.
07:20, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 3 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 1.  Attack Shield #2.
07:19, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 13 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 6.  Attack Shield #1.

Vander keeps Shaka away from the single foe for now, and instead fires two arrows.

(OOC-
1-Hunt prey

2-Shoot arrow (22 to hit, 11 damage)

3-Shoot 2nd arrow (15 to hit, 3 damage)

12:04, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Damage second attack.

12:03, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 8,3 using 1d8,1d6 with rolls of 8,3.  damage 1st attack.

12:03, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 20 15 using 1d20+72 with rolls of 13.  Arrow 2nd shot.

12:02, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 22 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 15.  Arrow 1st shot.

Drakar bites and claws at the shaman but despite the primitive appearance of his shield and armor both of them prove to be incredibly sturdy repelling the dragon's attacks.

Even Nenelethas' electric attack doesn't seem to faze the shaman very much.
OOC: Shaman saves for half damage.

Pearl tries to knock the half-orc's club away but he seems fueled by supernatural might and he retains full control of his club even as her knife bounces off the beetle carapace armor.

Zug Zug goes into a rage smashing his club down and around with all his strength but the half-orc this time steps to the side, dodging each attack one after the other.

Zander fires off a pair of arrows. One of them bounces off the armor while the other misses completely.

---

Spinning and weaving his way through combat suddenly the club shoots out catching Zug Zug right across the chin. On a lesser opponent it would likely have snapped the neck and while it drives Zug Zug back, the orc barbarian is still in the fight.

Shaman:
Action 1) Strike -> Crit! -> 14 damage! After temporary HP Zug Zug takes 10.
Action 2) Strike -> Miss!
Action 3) Raise Shield



Round 3



This message was lightly edited by the GM at 20:52, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

Zug Zug kept at it. He was too raging to know the difference.


11:18, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 14 using 1d10+7 with rolls of 7.  Whack Shield.
11:18, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 8 using 1d20-3 with rolls of 11.  Pop.
11:17, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 18 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 16.  Crackle.
11:17, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 13 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 6.  Smack!

Vander climbs on to Shaka, and proceeds to be ready to ride. However, he manages to get past the shaman's shield and sink an arrow in.

OOC:

1-Moves to S27

2-Climbs on Shaka as mount.

3-Shoots bow:

15:03, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 26 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 19.  Shooting shaman.

15:03, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 5,6 using 1d8,1d6 with rolls of 5,6.  Damage 1st attack. 11 total.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:19, Sat 24 Apr 2021.

"Show him the might of the Dragon Mistresses dragon Drakar!" Kalia Commanded Drakar, as she continues to boost his strength!

Drakar continues to unleash his full fury upon the half-orc!

[OOC: Action 1, Using Act Together Ability.
Action 1a: Kalia casts Boost Eidolon on Drakar.
Action 1b: Drakar bites the orc.
Action 2: Drakar claws the orc.
Action 3: Drakar claws the orc.

21:54, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 17,13 using 1d20+6,1d8+5 with rolls of 11,8.  Drakar Bite (Piercing).
Hit AC: 17
Damage: 13

21:54, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 21,9 using 1d20+2,1d4+5 with rolls of 19,4.  Drakar Claw (Slashing).
Hit AC: 21
Damage: 9

21:54, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 1,7 using 1d20-2,1d4+5 with rolls of 3,2.  Drakar Claw (Slashing).
Hit AC: 1 (Rolled a 3)
Damage: 7]

Seeing the Shaman nimbly dodge his electric arc, Nenelethas switches the motion of his swirling hands and sphere of water appears that he tosses at the Shaman, catching him by surprise.

OOC: Produce Flame (Water)hits for 7 damage :)
14:11, Today: Nenelethas rolled 7 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 3.  Damage.
14:10, Today: Nenelethas rolled 24 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 17.  To hit - Produce Flame (Water).

In the position to backstab but, Pearl dances about to distract the orc and then stabs out with rapier trying to score a disarm the bigger orc again.

Action 1 Aid another to help Zug Zug hit.

<Orange>21:02, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 23 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 18.

Action 2 Try to disarm the big guy again.

21:20, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 20 using 1d20 ((20)). YES a crit to disarm!!


Action 3 kick the club away towards Vander and Shaka</Orange>

The shaman continues to go toe-to-toe with Zug Zug, matching club for club and using his magical shield and armor to deflect and absorb Zug Zug's attacks as needed.

While he was focused on the barbarian, Vander was able to sink an arrow into him with a precise shot.

Drakar tries to get to the side of the orc but he just calmly shifts his stance to block and deflect the dragon as well. Watching him take on multiple opponents with ease makes the idea that this is the last survivor on a ship full of cannibals make a lot more sense. He was the biggest, the fastest, the strongest and thus everyone else was eventually just meat for him.

Still he was badly outnumbered and it was beginning to show. Nenelethas brought forth a powerful jet of water that clipped him in the side causing him to stumble just as Pearl attempted to disarm him. With a quick flick and a twist his club went sailing away.

Xao lets loose a blast of frost but the shaman deflects it with his shield.

---

The shaman brings his shield up and focuses on Pearl, now guarding his club. He utters a prayer to his dark god and unleashes a beam of sickly dark energy that blasts Pearl with coldness and fatigue. It makes her heart sink with fear and her skin seems to boil and blister from the impact.

Make a Fortitude Save vs. DC 19 or take 15 negative energy damage.

Round 4

With the Shaman off balance and a bit wet, Nenelethas resumed his electrical attack, hoping to catch the Shaman off guard.

OOC: Electric Arc DC 17 for half damage - 17:14, Today: Nenelethas rolled 6 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 2.  Electric Arc Damage.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 144):

Vander cries out "We rides on wolves!" As he draws his dagger. Shaka then runs with the Goblin on her back, moving to flank the Shaman while he is busy with Pearl. Vander stabs the Shaman in the neck from his slightly elevated position while Shaka grabs hold of his now empty hand and rips out flesh and tendon.

OOC:

1-Draw Dagger.

2-Command Shaka who gets two actions.
1s)-She moves to R24 with Vander on her back. If the Shaman has attack of opportunity, he won't be able to do a shield block after he uses that reaction...hopefully.

2s)-Attack and hits Vander's hunted Prey, doing 16 damage with a nat 20! Shaman is flat footed due to flanking.

3)-Vander Stabs for a lousy 4 points, but manages to hit due to flanking.



17:13, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 8 using 2d8+2 with rolls of 5,1.  Shaka's bite on hunted Prey.

17:12, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 26 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 20.  Shaka attacking Flanked Shaman.

17:12, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 2,2 using 1d4+1,1d8 with rolls of 1,2.  Damage from dagger and hunted prey.

17:11, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 25 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 18.  Dagger on flanked shaman.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:19, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

Now that the stupid, overgrown, ugly excuse for a wannabe goblin had lost his weapon and focused on somebody else after being hammered by a barrage of attacks, Zug Zug took the opportunity he was given. Shifting his weight, Zug Zug double tapped his club on the ground. As Vander slid by on the wolf, Zug Zug pointed the club at the back of the shaman's head...wound up...and swung with all his might! "DIE PUKE STAIN!"

WHACK!

The sound of a solid piece of oak cracking off the back of a head made an odd sound that all the same sent vibrations through the real orc's hands.

His follow up swings were less than spectacular. The bards won't write or sing about those...


14:46, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 4 using 1d20-3 with rolls of 7.  Zug Zug Super Ultra Mega Smash!
14:46, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 3 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 1.  Zug Zug still smash.
14:45, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 13 using 1d10+7 with rolls of 6.  Uber Damage.
14:45, Today: Zug Zug Bob rolled 24 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 17.  Zug Zug Smash!

This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

11:52, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 23 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 19.  baby needs to not get hurt!
Pearl felt something terrible try and creep into her body but thankfully she was ready for something like that and fought off the spell.

Her disarm had worked masterfully, and gave her companions a better chance it seemed.  So, now Pearl tried to take advantage of the unarmed foe and stabbed with her rapier twice.  The armor and shield the orc had were too much for her feeble attempt though.  "Kill him before he can cast another spell!"

Action 1 Attack- Miss
Action 2 Attack- Miss

11:58, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 19 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 11.  kill the shaman.
11:58, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 8 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 5.

She moves as well, moving along the wall of the room to end up on the opposite side of Shaman from Drakar to flank him as well. Then boost's her dragon friend once more while he assaults him!

[OOC: Action 1: Move along wall to T23. Did math, it's right at the extent of my movement.
Action 2: Share Action Ability.
Kalia Action 2: Boost Eidolon.
Drakar Action 2: Bite Shaman.
Drakar Action 3: Claw Shaman.

13:13, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 13,13 using 1d20+6,1d8+5 with rolls of 7,8.  Drakar Bite (Piercing).
Hit AC: 13
Damage: 13

13:13, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 19,8 using 1d20+2,1d4+5 with rolls of 17,3.  Drakar Claw (Slashing).
Hit AC: 19
Damage: 8

He is flat-flooted (-2 AC) now from Drakar and Kalia do to Flanking.]

Nenelethas blasts the shaman with electricity once again. Each arc of lightning isn't doing much damage but it is adding up over time.

Vander charges up just in time to stab the shaman while his back was turned while Shaka rips into an exposed calf tearing out a huge chunk.

This apparently cripples the shaman and he falls to his knee lining up his head for a mighty crack from Zug Zug and the shaman drops to the ground, stunned or dead.

Combat is over! Congrats!

Round 5

Investigating the surroundings it seems that most of the boat's valuables had been brought to this area. Most of it has rotted away or been ruined over time but one of the boxes contains hundreds of silver pieces and other valuable items. In addition a quick scan of the room reveals several items of magical interest:

- His armor is enchanted
- His club is enchanted
- Two scrolls of unknown spells
- Two magical potions
- A horrible looking mask made out of the flayed skin of victims

---

As a reminder Xao also spotted some potentially valuable crates in the cargo hold (where she smelled "dead things") and there are two rooms unexplored. One is at the very front of this deck, the other is the webbed map room on the deck above.

Zug Zug dealt with the shaman first, both to ease out of the rage and to not get in the way of those who were better than him at searching. The orc rolled the half breed shaman on his back and jerked him up by the throat. "Know that the ancestors are displeased with you. You are weak. I curse you to roam the fires of Hell with no boots. I will take your eyes so that you are blind. I will take your tongue so you cannot speak and I take your scalp so you will be seen by all as shamed. Before you die and are laughed at by all know that I will find and put under the weapon all your women and all your children so that your pathetic seed is gone from this world forever!" Zug Zug stuck one of his daggers in the shaman's throat, twisted, and went ear to ear giving a coup de grace if the thing wasn't already dead. Then he mutilated the eyes and tongue as promised, collected a scalp, and pointedly took the shaman's boots.

Vander raises an eyebrow at the foe's execution. However all he does is climb off Shaka, put away his weapons and pull out his healing kit. At once he treats Zug Zug and then Kalia. Doing an excellent job on both for a change...

Ooc:
Both ZZ and Kalia is healed for 12.

16:13, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 12 using 2d8 with rolls of 6,6.  Healing .

16:13, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 21 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 16.  Medicine roll on Kalia.

16:12, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 12 using 2d8 with rolls of 4,8.  Healing.

16:12, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 15 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 10.  Medicine roll on ZZ.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:17, Thu 29 Apr 2021.

Drakar begin's following his master's last order, and eating the parts of the shaman that Zug Zug was not 'dealing' with. As he was doing this, Kalia would strip him of anything of value.

"Thank you Vander." She said with a simple nod.

Pearl gave a huge breath and the sound of 'pheewww'.  "That orc certainly was not easy.  He must have been magically protected.  Can one of you spell-users tell if anything is magical?"  When the reply came back on what was magical, Pearl nodded, "I knew it, glad I hit his club away!  Do we know what those potions and the nasty mask is?"

Nenelethas said, "It may take me a while to sort out what the magical properties of each of these items are. That's not my specialty, but I'll try. Before I do, should we see what else is on this ship?"

OOC: It takes 10 minutes per Identification attempt to do this...

A tremor passes through the ship...


HP Tracker

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:33, Mon 03 May 2021.

"Let's identify the stuff later. I can help with it. Let's see to the rest of the ship first." She said with a simple nod.

Then she paused for a moment when the tremor passed through the ship. "Or better yet, let's see what that was."

[OOC: GM I should no longer have the wounded condition now that Vander has used Treat Wounds on me and healed me with it.

https://2e.aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?ID=379]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Sat 01 May 2021.

Pearl agreed with Kalia, "We can bring this stuff up top and then check out the door we didn't check before heading to the hold."

In reply to Pearl McCalister (msg # 159):

Vander nodded after he was done treating the wounded. Then he gathered his bow, and gestured for Shaka to follow him to the door Pearl had pointed out.

Nenelethas nodded and readied himself to continue on in their search. He stayed near the back of the group, but was ready to use his magic to fight as needed.

The party quickly hauls the recovered loot up to the top of the deck. They notice that there are swarms of spiders covering the top deck. Thankfully they don't seem particularly aggressive and are little more than a disturbing sight and occasional nuisance but when they party goes back down below deck they notice that the water level seems to have risen. Before this deck was completely dry but now water is starting to slosh up out of the stairwell to the cargo hold. Another tremor passes through the ship and the water level rises up again and now below deck is being completely covered by about a half inch of water.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 162):

"Time to go..." Vander said, making sure Shaka is not overburdened as he heads for the Pirate vessel. He had hoped to use this ship to make his escape from the scum onboard the other vessel, but it seemed like false hope.

"Yes, it would seem that this ship is about to go." She said as she looked out towards the sea to see if the pirate ship was returning for them.

Zug Zug went through the orc's "bedroom" looking for something he might have stashed in or around his mini alter, near his bed, or anything that wasn't out in the open that might have been missed. When it was time to go, Zug Zug knew he was an excellent swimmer, so he didn't mind bringing up the rear. But he wasn't about to get left under deck, either...

The party returns to the top deck and first notice with concern that the ship seems to be lower in the water than it was when they first arrived. The second thing they notice is that the pirate vessel is nowhere in sight. Neither is any apparent land or even shallow rocks that they could cling to...

She grumbled low at what seemed to be a possible double cross. "Drakar, fly up and see if you can see the ship."

With that Drakar takes off.

[OOC: Share senses through Drakar, can the pirate ship, or anything else for that matter, be seen in the distance?]

This message was deleted by the player at 11:48, Fri 07 May 2021.

"If one of you is a good swimmer I would like to go back down and see if there is anything else we can get from the hold.  A few feet of water isn't going to stop me, but I don't want to go alone."  Pearl asked.

There is no dinghy or other boat. It makes sense that any obvious form of escape might have been taken already by the survivors prior to turning to cannibalism. There is plenty of wood, the entire ship even, although it is difficult to tell what would be good to use versus what has been spoiled by rot and neglect.

Vander tries to gather together what wood he can find to make a raft. Maybe the pirates had left them all to their fate.

OOC: What do I need to make a raft? Repair roll? Anyone else good at repair? I am not great at it...

The dragon circles high above but it doesn't see anything nearby. This is not unsurprising as the Wormwood likely would not return for hours. However when it flies even higher allowing it to see around the curvature of the horizon Kalia thinks she sees another ship. At around 10-15 miles away however it is difficult to tell if it is the pirate vessel or one of the other wrecks tossed together in the storm.

"There is another ship, I believe, about 10 to 15 miles out that way. At this distance, even through Drakar's eye's, it's hard to tell if it's one of the other wrecks or the Pirate ship." She considered for a moment. "Xao, would you be able to shift into something and go that far and back? Or at least, get closer?"

She shakes her head. "No, I can change for only a few minutes. Nothing like the time it would take to cover the twenty or thirty miles for a return trip." She turns to Pearl "I can swim. The boxes I saw earlier looked like they would float."

"Okay, so I think we have decided, Vander and whoever wants to help him work on the raft.  While Zug Zug and I find the stuff in the hold.  If someone else wants to come with us just follow us."  Pearl then begins to move towards where she thinks the hold is.

Pearl heads back down below deck towards the cargo hold but pauses as she reaches the flooded stairs down. For just a brief moment she glimpsed what look to be a human (or humanoid) arm in the water but when she blinked it was gone.

Zug Zug followed Pearl. When she stopped, he stopped. "What is it? The water is getting deeper, too. Maybe we should go back up and look through those two rooms we missed the first time and consider this a lost cause?" Zug Zug's voice was a grizzly baritone, his facade of being a complete idiot momentarily gone."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:07, Sat 15 May 2021.

"I feel a raft is a bad idea, we do not know which wood is good or bad and have no way to tell." She said flatly. "Either way, as you all do that I will through Drakar keep an eye out for the ship."

In reply to Zug Zug Bob (msg # 177):

"I could have sworn I just saw a humanoid arm but it's gone now.  I am afraid I agree with you.  If there are things in the water like zombies or something like that, we can't fight them while holding our breath.  Let's go check out the rooms."  Pearl said as she turned back.

Zug Zug grimmaced. He didn't like the idea of zombies not being returned to the grave. On the other hand... "Or slowed down by trying to wade through. We don't know where the leak is either..." Zug Zug shook his massive shoulders with a sigh. "This ship is cursed. Best to let her sink and feed whats left to the sharks and crabs. Come on."

Zug Zug extended a hand to help Pearl back up the steps and then quickly got out of there to go check on the first of the previously unsearched two rooms. "You fought better than most every other human woman I ever seen. Stabbing that bastard halfbreed and making him drop the club was... how you say... sweet."

There are two relatively dry areas still unexplored. The first is on the lower deck past the main spider nest. Xao recovered a bracelet from there but there was one last area she could not get access to in spider form.

The second is on the upper deck with the room full of spider webs that the party took one look at and said "nah" and went to explore the captain's quarters instead.

OOC: I'll leave it to Pearl to say for sure, but I think the closest is the room Xao got the bracelet in, and makes more sense to go there first if we are escaping "up". If it requires me to bash something in to get there because Xao couldn't, or some other type of Buffness test, assume I'll do it.

We will go to this area first as Zug Zug said.

"There were a few boxes in the room I went into but nothing that looked promising" She says from the behind the two explorers.

As the other's explore, Kalia will continue to watch the boat she saw in the distance for movement. Occasionally she will take a look in other directions to look for signs of other boats as well.

In reply to Xao Fang (msg # 184):

"I think we are more looking at going into the room you couldn't get access to."  Pearl said as she made her way to the door.

Xao gives a brief nod of agreement before stepping out of the way to let the others lead. She takes a readied stance and lifts a hand in preparation to hurl a spell if there is anything aggressive on the other side of the door.

OOC: Is the raft making going well? Or should I help the others?

Below Deck
Pushing past the central spiders nest, Xao, Pearl and Zug Zug Bob work together to cut apart the webbing and open up the door to the north revealing a smallish chamber that is again full of spider webs. Looking around further the group finds nothing else of value but there is yet another door that has been webbed shut. They also find a heavily webbed staircase leading up and their position puts them under the webbed room up above they looked into and then ignored.

Opening up the next door reveals more thick webbing. Among the webs are bones and the shriveled limbs of men and animals along with other gruesome remains that dangle from sticky tangles. Two human-sized bundles hang from the northern wall while dozens of small spiders scurry about everywhere.

---

Top Deck
Nenelethas, Vander and Kalia work on putting a raft together. Vander is put in charge while Kalia spends her time spying on the other ship trying to see if it is coming or going and Nenelethas seems content to let Vander take charge.

I'm looking for two checks for building the raft

1) A DC 15 Craft check to put the thing together

2) A DC 15 Knowledge check around engineering or sailing or woodworking etc. to ensure the raft is made from the right materials.

All three of you can attempt both as you have time to work together and I will use the highest of your three results.

Success on both is a full success, passing one but not the other is a succeed at cost and failing both means you had better prepare to make a bunch of swim checks :D

Xao quickly moves to the bundles and begins slicing at the webbing to free the contents. "Quickly! Cut the other one out. We can search the other bundles later, but these two are alive!" She slices around where she figures the head would be first. There is a vague possibility that whoever is contained inside could be hostile and she would like to know that before freeing their limbs.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 189):

Ooc-i dont have any one those knowledge skills.

Pearl assists Xao in cutting out the bodies, she copies what she does by removing a piece where she thinks the head is.  "I didn't even see it move!"  Once the face is revealed she will first look if it is alive and if so awake, if so then speak to it. "Who are you?"

In reply to Vander Wargrider (msg # 191):

Kalia has Knowledge Sailing, but she does not have craft skill and you cannot use craft to build something unskilled. So I'll at least roll my Knowledge.

22:53, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 11 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 5.  Lore Sailing.

Just so you know, when we all end up swimming, she will say that she told you so.

In reply to Kalia Tyrnddare (msg # 193):

Ooc-07:17, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 7 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 4.  Crafting roll.

Yup, seems like it.

Zug Zug hung back as to not get in the way of his two companions. He remained on guard. They were disrupting a food source. "Be careful." The orc warned. "They could be cannibals like the sad excuse for a shaman or infected with some kind of venom. It is possible they are hosts for vermin waiting to erupt, too. They have been there a while." Zug Zug was not optimistic.

Below Deck
Xao and Pearl frantically get cutting to remove the webbing and both women nearly have their hands bitten off as they clear the face to reveal not struggling survivors but dessicated zombies reanimated to mindless unlife. The zombies are thoroughly bound but they strain and stretch trying to snap their jaws at the throats of the living.

---

Above Deck

As a reminder all three of you get to make both the craft and skill check. If you don't have a specific lore that might apply to building an emergency raft then just make a raw INT check and hope the RNG gods are on your side.

So far we need a craft check from Kalia and a lore check from Vander.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 196):

OOC-so close...

18:14, Today: Vander Wargrider rolled 14 using 1d20 with rolls of 14.  Raw int check.

When the first of the ladies reacts to nearly getting something chomped off, Zug Zug steps forward to deliver a grizzly coup de grace by way of greatclub across the top of the dome with a splat. Zug Zug readied to finish off the second helpless zombie too, if neither Pearl nor Xao beat him to it...

As Pearl cleared the face of her bundle and the zombie thing tried to bite her, she took the dagger she was using and stabbed with both hands on the hilt right into the forehead of the thing hopefully killing it.

The zombies were defenseless and while Pearl pierced the brain cleanly on one side, Zug Zug splattered it like a ripe melon on the other side.

One of the zombies is earing shiny gold earrings while the other has a primitive vine necklace wrapped around a raw uncut green amethyst.

The ship gives another shudder and the water surges up again, now lapping above the ankles of those below deck.

---

Up top the raft construction is going poorly. Perhaps poorly is the wrong word to use. Absolutely horrible. There is plenty of good solid wood lying around that can be pried up off the deck or even just ripping doors off the hinges but the problem is cordage. Every piece of rope or binding is rotten past its ability to lash things together. The party has some rope but it is going to need more if they want to build a raft that has any hope of staying together.

At this point it seems their only likely avenue is to grab the largest pieces of wood that can float and then throw rope between them to form an array of floating buoys as opposed to a solid raft.

"I want these." Zug Zug said about the gold earrings while he was in the middle of taking them. Once the water was up to his ankles, Zug Zug waved a hand at his throat. "No more time. Must go, Now!

Without another word, he raced back to the top, expecting to see the others hard at work on a raft. When all he seen was a mess, he was visibly irritated. "What have you been doing?"

OOC: Lore Check passed. Craft check shy by 2. If somebody could aid another to improve on my crafting directions, or if it was an easier check mow that the Lore is passed...

Throwing his hands in the air, Zug Zug muttered a string of curses, that, had they been rope, would have been enough to craft a raft and tie nooses for all the mutineers on the other crew. "Look. Like this... first we need to stablize the frame. It will also..." Zug Zug started laying out the pieces and explaining what he was doing with words and gestures that were awfully big for the big dumb barbarian he had been pretending to be.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Mon 24 May 2021.

"...this is proving futile." She said with regard to building the raft.

[OOC: Has the ship she's been watching moved at all?]

Zug Zug was right it was probably time to get out of the body of the ship.  They had gotten all they could for now.  Perhaps something would float to the surface when the thing goes under.

When Pearl came to the top behind Zug Zug she saw the progression as well and just let him rant while she went to work on the raft.

Hopefully my craft check will be enough.
09:47, Today: Pearl McCalister rolled 17 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 14

She snatches the necklace from the redeaded undead and stuffs it into a pocket before chasing after the other two up to the deck. She takes a look at what is happening and starts to pitch in following Zug Zug's direction. "I wonder if the zombies would provide bouyancy. The spider silk is water proof, we might be able to use that too." She muses while ripping up panels of decking.

Who said the below deck crew had any time to make craft/lore checks?

The crew below deck grab the jewelry and head back to the staircase. As they are heading up to assist with the raft creation there is a snarling from down below. A rancid looking arm with long sharp claws reaches up out from the hold and snatches at Pearl's ankle, just barely missing. From out of the hold comes a snarling undead face to go along with the arm. It's a ghoul! Correction...ghouls. Two more faces start snapping up and more arms start reaching for the retreating deck crew.

From the churning of the water it is possible there are more than three down in the hold. When Xao explored the cargo hold she had to stay above the water but had noted it reeked of death down there. There might just be three or there might be thirty...

---

Above deck just as the below deck crew runs up and out of the hatch Kalia peers through her dragon's eyes...

Roll a 1d2 and call it: even or odds...

Evens. Roll incoming.

00:06, Today: Kalia Tyrnddare rolled 2 using 1d2 with rolls of 2.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 205):

Vander tosses down efforts with the wood. "We better off just dog paddling!" He snarled, kicking the wood-and then rubbing his hurt toe. Shaka looked over at him, panting. "No offense." He said, and pet the animal, who did not seem to take any offense.

He does look over at Kalia, who seems to be oddly disoriented.

Rafe, who's been oddly silent during the crisis, approaches with an armload of extra wood. "Well... this should definitely float, but I don't have the tools to put it together properly."




14:07, Today: Rafe Rookward rolled 23 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 20.  Lore/Sailing check.

14:07, Today: Rafe Rookward rolled 11 using 1d20 with rolls of 11.  Crafting check.

Pity I couldn't have reversed those rolls.


This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Wed 26 May 2021.

Through her dragon's eyes Kalia sees that the ship is approaching and seems to be picking up speed! If they can only hold thee ghouls at bay for awhile their rescue could be fast approaching.

"Hold them at the hatch!" She yells as she readies a spear to turn the first one through the hatch into a ghoul-kebab.

"Wait, there's more of them?" Rafe demands, abandoning his futile messing around with the wood to draw his sword and lift his shield.

OOC: Do we hear the yelling and screaming?

Zug Zug came barreling up from below because he'd been at a full on sprint. "Undead things!" Was all he'd managed to get out. "Raft made?" He looked around in dismay at all the pieces but nothing built. "No time!" He grunted in agitation. "Come on! Come on!" He yelled at Pearl, extending a beefy green arm to scoop her up and out the last few steps. "Get ready! They coming! Smash heads!"

OOC: Ready a smash upside the head of the first ghoul to come up
This message was last edited by the player at 00:46, Fri 28 May 2021.

"The ships incoming! Stand your ground and form a wall! Rescue is on the way!" She yelled as she gave Drakar it's senses back and commanded him to return.

In reply to Zug Zug Bob (msg # 214):

Vander leaps upon Shaka, saddling up. He gets his bow ready, and tries not to look at the mess of the raft laying on the deck. "Let's go!" He says to Zug Zug. "Can we get others from below up here!? We can escape on ship Kalia saw!"

Pearl about jumped out of her shoes when the ghoulish had tried to claw her.  Thank goodness if missed her.  Scrambling to the top deck, Pearl agreed with Zug.  "Yes, close the door and brace it so they can't get through!"

The group forms a ring around the hatch smashes and stabbing down to keep the ghouls at bay. They quickly discover that there are only a half dozen undead bloated from soaking in the water for who knows how long but they are ravenously hungry and claw up. Still with their superior position the party holds the line and avoids the fearsome paralyzing scratches and infectious bites. After a few seconds the ghouls seem to realize that they cannot break through the guarded staircase and scatter. The party hears them clawing around the lower deck and then they hear signs of struggling coming from the cabin to the North. They must be cutting their way through the webbing there to try and flank the party! Even as the party moves to adjust their positions they can hear other ghouls coming back to the hatchway and yet another one trying to claw through the cargo hatch!

All seems lost, there are just too many ways for the ghouls to swarm them when all of a sudden a blast of fire appears from the sky. Floating overhead is the red headed pirate wizard.

Floating above their heads the wizard calls down.

"Are there more of them? Did you find anything of value on the ship?"

Even as she is calling down the group can hear the remaining four ghouls scratching around below deck, likely planning a new path of attack as they speak...

Rafe peers skyward, shading his eyes with the edge of his shield.

"Yes, there are too damn many of them down there! We need to get out of here!"

Pearl was thankful to see the ship's wizard appear above them.  The situation was becoming dire and they needed to get off the ship fast.  Rafe had answered the bit about the ghouls and so Pearl answered about the stuff, "Yes, we found a number of things of value, but weren't able to check the whole ship due to it sinking and those damn ghouls down there."

Xao leaves the others to speak while she keeps an eye on the hatches and thrusts her spear through a rotted deck board where she hears some scratching.

Zug Zug decided to outsmart the one ghoul trying to come up through a closed hatch by giving just enough room for it to pop the hatch up, but as soon as the fingertips came through, the heavyweight orc would stomp on the hatch again to slam it closed. Zug Zug did pick up an acual set of boots and put them on. He was 300 pounds. Hatches were metal. Metal smashed or severed fingers. Ghouls couldn't claw anything if they had no fingers to use as claws...

"Pearl is correct, we found a few things of value. As to the ghoul's, there appears to be a half dozen or so. Some went to the cabin, and another to the hatch there." She point's at the various locations they can be heard from.

Peppery nodded and prepared another fireball as Zug Zug did his best to crush any hands or faces that popped up out of the hatch.

"There is a long boat. Below me. Jump!"

Sure enough alongside the ship was a nearly empty longboat. What was odd is the ship didn't have longboats when they had left (they had gotten smashed during the storm) and the style on the boats didn't match anything they had seen before but the rowers were definitely part of the pirates so it must have been recovered from one of the ships.

<b>"Jump! Jump! The whole ship's about to go under..." came the cries from the boat. Between whatever those rumblings were and Peppery's fireballs it seemed like the integrity of this blasted ship had finally gone to zero. The deck was trembling and quaking beneath their feet, tiny spiders were swarming every which way to find stable land and through it all they could hear the scratchings of more ghouls clawing through webbings beneath the deck.

So as you make your escape the big questions is what do you present as loot you found and what do you keep secret for yourself? See OOC for more info

Rafe doesn't need any further urging as he takes a running leap, landing in the rocking longboat.



In case a roll is necessary:

10:28, Today: Rafe Rookward rolled 23 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 16.  Athletics check.

Zug Zug brought up the rear. He didn't care about the others in a way that meant he was sacrificing himself so they could get on first. No, no. That was stupid. This was a point of pride for the brutish, green, barbarian. Of course, doing anything for the sake of pride was even more stupid, but try explaining that to an orc and see what happens. Zug Zug was determined to score the last hit. He had to be the last one standing, the last one to leave the fight, and he needed to be seen doing it. After all, to the pirates, he was still just a big dumb orc that could barely speak. His duty was in the kitchen. Being underestimated was of course, the whole point. But if he could at least look like a bad ass at busting heads, he might get the chance to do this again...

Once everyone else he could see had taken off, Zug Zug came a lumbering and a hauling ass. He slung his greatclub and actually dove off the side towards to rescue ship. With a splash, or a thud, or something, he bounced and rolled or otherwise flopped. "Zug Zug no like stupid dead things. Go sleep now." He was tired.

Of course the loot was the first thing that had been loaded but once that was secure the crew helped the adventurers down one by one. Peppery floated down into an empty space and expertly braced herself. With a wave of her hand she let loose a gust of wind that pushed the boat quickly away from the sinking/burning/undead infested wreck that had once been a magnificent merchant vessel.

While sifting through the items in the crate, Xao notices something that is quite odd. While most of the crates are full of random trade goods: textiles and small pieces of arts & crafts, there is a simple glass bottle with what looks like a map shoved inside.

Technically it has no intrinsic value but if it lead to something wonderful...what was something to consider.

---

The boat ride back was anything but quiet...

Manning one of the oars was none other than Rosie Cusswell, the surprisingly strong halfling that had become friends with several during the course of their original journey.

"So...it looks like you had an interesting time."

She pauses in between her sentences in time with the rhythm of rowing back towards the Wormwood

"More so than us....we found an....empty ship. Three boats missing....must have fled...good haul. Now we have....a boat."

She might be short but she made it work to her advantage allowing her to wedge into a good position and throw her entire body behind the oar. She might be small but the muscles bulging on her arms were anything but.

"Very interesting indeed. I actually had to pull Drakar out of his slumber to help us out a couple times." She said back to Rosie as she leaned back and sighed. Drakar circling overhead.

Pearl was actually thankful they were on the small boat now.  She didn't want to deal with the undead ghouls or whatever else was on that ship as it sank to the ocean floor.

When Xao pulled out the bottle with what seemed to have a map inside, Pearl said "just break the darn thing.  We can toss the glass overboard.  If it is a treasure map that is good news.  If it is some love letter, then, well, we just hand it over.  All this other stuff we should just hand over.  It could be a show of good faith on our part."

Xao gives Pearl a bit of look that could be interpreted as anything from absent to wishing her a swift death. In a blink the look is gone and she smiles while popping the cork and dropping the the rolled parchment into her hand. "Well bless your heart." She says sweetly "I never would have considered those options." Without any more delay she unrolls the new acquisition and begins examining it.

Zug Zug barely sat up. He produced the spider and the Shaman's eyeless and tongueless head for Rosie and the wizard girl to see. "Stupid orc try an eat Zug Zug. Zug Zug no food. Stupid orc. Zug Zug no taste like chickens or fishes. Zug Zug smash stupid orc." He beamed with exaggerated pride. He pointed at Pearl and at Vander. "Zug Zug likes. Gooder Fighter. Always better fighter than puny elfs. Gooder healers than old shamans." He thumbed himself. "Goodest fighter. No get chomp from bugs. Smash stupid orc. Smash stupid dead things. Now stupid dead orc has no eyes no thing." Zug Zug wiggled his tongue and pointed at it when he said thing. "No stupid orc in hell an no see no talk. Just hear ancester ghosts make funnies at him."

Zug Zug the pulled put Fish, the squirming  box turtle with a literal #3 painted on it. "Fish makes good luckies!

Pearl's outburst makes the rowers pause but luckily the other rower was Sandara, another ally of the group. Peppery had taken flight again to give the sinking ship one last look over and seemed to be out of earshot giving the group time to quickly slip the map out of the bottle.

Quickly glancing at it they realized that it was a map to the infamous Redclaw's secret stash! One of many legendary pirates of old, Redclaw terrorized the seas decades ago. It was even rumored that she was on track to challenging the Hurricane King for control over the Free Captains but then she just disappeared. The popular theory was she had gotten so crazy that she had sailed into the Eye of Abendego to challenge the hurricane itself.

Regardless of what her eventual fate was, as is customary her secret base of operations was lost with her and her crew to be added up to the legendary stashes of many other ancient Free Captains lost at sea. There is no telling if the map is authentic or not, forgers sell authentic treasure maps to this secret stash or that but it does seem a reasonable location. About 200 miles northwest of Port Peril, one of a number of small islands in the archipelagos common in this region. Isolated enough to to provide safety and security while just a few days sail from several major ports including Port Peril. In addition the direction allowed it to easily mask where it was coming to or from because it could easily alter its course to just look like it was heading around the island chain.

If Redclaw was as much a terror as the stories said she was, it seemed a likely spot to take.

"Excuse me Zug?" She said flatly, causing Drakar to even fly down and hover near him. Huffing in his face in a bit of contempt. "I assume you mean elves other than me?" She continued flatly.

She then looked towards Pearl and Xao. "Well, what is it, map or note?"

Xao quickly shoves it inside her inner garment and puts the bottle back as a bit of junk treasure.
"We aren't going to speak of this when those who cannot be trusted are near. If this map is real it can make us all ridiculously rich. If it isn't, well, it will still be a grand adventure." She says in a hushed tone to not carry beyond the splashing oars. Looking at each of those in the boat to gauge their reactions she whispers again. "We're going to need a boat. We're our own crew now."

Zug Zug looked at Kalia kind of funny. "No excuse!" He touched her bicep. Then he flexed his 28" python. "Puny elfs. Elfs eat more food get buff like orcs." Zug Zug flexed again. He growled and looked mean. "War faces. Elfs make no war faces. Elfs make pretty faces. Zug Zug say... Kaylia is... is is not puny-ist elfs. Not so puny like stupid orc!" He beamed happily and held up the shaman's mangled head for Kalia. "Kaylia Elfs lives. Stupid orc not so much."

When it came to treasure and boats and maps, Zug Zug was largely indifferent. "No more dead things boat. Next some small fish boats. Have many boats."

In reply to Xao Fang (msg # 236):

Vander sat and listened, but nodded at Xao's words. The sooner they where away from the pirates, the better. Granted he would like to shoot a few arrows into the captain's back, and save the prisoners he held. That just did not seem possible for now...

As Xao pocketed the map, Pearl made sure to note where exactly just in case she needed to get it.

"So, no one else was able to recover anything from the other ships?  Must have been picked by others far before we came.  I know we don't know either of you, but where do your loyalties lie?"

Kalia laughed a bit at Zug when he spoke. "You are funny Zug, that is why I like you. And strong. That's why when I become one of the Free Captain's, you can definitely be one of my top dogs." She said with a small grin.

Then she looked to Pearl with a perked red brow. "Uh...that's Rosie and Sandara from the Wormwood...  From under our...original Captain. Before all this shit started. Rosie's with us, and I think we can trust Sandara. She just wants to keep her head down and keep as many people as she can breathing."

Pearl looked hard at Kalia, "As you have just said, the former Captain is dead, so where do their loyalties lie now?  Or more precisely, Who do they lie with?  Sorry if I wasn't clear enough the first time I asked."

Her eye's very nearly flashed with the cold burning stare of a dragon. "And I just answered you. Rosie is with us, and Sandara simply wants to keep her head down." Then she looked at the two. "Correct?"

When Pearl asks about the other ships Rosie gives a shrug as she rows.

"I don't know about the others but our ship didn't have much. Whoever abandoned ship took anything valuable with them. Lots of parts for repairs and general supplies though. We'll be eating well for the rest of the trip back. And hey, we got this boat out of it that we can use to save your butts. With the ship sinking like this Harrigan didn't want to bring the ship any closer."

When Kalia mentions Sandara the pirate lass frowns.

"It's not about keeping my head down, it's about what you want out of life. I want to be a pirate, to sail the sees free. If Harrigan can do that for me then I am willing to give him a chance. How it happened with Sorina...that was unpleasant but that is life on the seas. She could have surrendered and ended up putting us all in danger because of it. That is the risk you take, we all take. Besmara gives and she takes, just like the ocean itself."

Pearl noted each of their responses and even though it didnt answer her question she had gotten an idea.

"Your answers are good." She said with a thought. "I came here, exiled from Kyonin, because I was bound to Drakar from birth. My parents would not kill him, because doing so would kill me. So I left, came here, and never turned back. I want one thing, to be a Free Captain, and to carve my own path just like some of the legends!"

Then she looked to the others and grinned. "My name, Kalia means Dragon Mistress. The sea's and everyone on them will know me only by that, because of the fame we will have."