The party members who first sought refuge in the Gnomish Mines will remember the manticore's inhuman roar: part lion, part man, with the bellowing strength of many trumpets.

It flaps its wings faster as locks on your position and soars lower until it levels with the water. Now is the time for action.

Captain Manaku at the helm, do you sail gently towards shore (nearest beach is 3 turns), do you order the sails lowered to prepare for battle? Or last choice can run the boat aground in one turn and give everyone a chance to jump off. Note you cannot fight and navigate at the same time. The rest of you: since this is long range I will assume the first round is simultaneous.

One of you would have time to slide down the ladder and join Pock and the hoofed animals below deck each round, which would protect you from the volley of manticore spines arcing toward you. If more than one of you decides discretion is the better part of valor, then whoever posts first gets the jump. Alternatively one of you could crouch behind the mast for cover for a +1 AC bonus and still fire a bow.

Gorn: The half-barrel of the crows nest protects you up to your waist for a +1 AC bonus. You could squeeze yourself all the way in for +2 bonus, but then you can't see or respond with missile fire. Or you can take a round to scramble down to the deck.

ROUND I: LONG RANGE COMBAT - If you have a longbow or magic missile you can fire back now. Longbows are at -1 to hit for long range.

The manticore is firing six quills from its tail at the ship in supressive fire.  Announce what your defensive maneuvers are.

I'm going to borrow the Gangbusters B/X rules on supressive fire: Everyone is attacked at a penalty (-3 this round) and damage is at -1. Any quills that don't hit a PC will strike the ship for hull damage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:58, Thu 30 Jan 2020.

Dwarghar, brave as any but lacking a bow looks at the mast longingly and slides down the ladder to check on Pock.

Wake up lad! Wake up! Does your magic wand shoot things at monsters? We have the Manticore back!

Alietra was a liberated, intrepid woman --  eminently self sufficient, a dedicated adventurer, as willing to take foolhardy risks as any of her male comrades aboard this fine vessel.  Which had been named for some guy's lack of wits.

When there was treasure on the table, or something else to gain.    There wasn't here, and she wasn't an idiot. She was just beginning to make for the ladder, as she saw the dwarf had beaten her to it.

Damn your beard!!  The hair that grows out your ears, too!

The mast was not far off, so she instead ran there, concealing as much of her slight frame behind it as she could.   Her short bow, she knew, was yet useless at this distance..

Realizing the folly of even trying to climb down to safety, Gorn gets himself down into the crow's nest as best he can. At least from this vantage point he will be able to keep somewhat of a lookout if the manticore decides to fly away.

In response to his comrades' exclamations and exhortations, Leohart looks to the sky to see something he's only seen in moldering tomes before. He reaches into his robe's folds clasping a gentle wand and points it in the creature's direction. Once it's in range, he releases a quick bolt of arcane force.

He then takes whatever cover he can, crouching, unable to gain relative shelter at the mast or down below with Pock.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:12, Fri 31 Jan 2020.

Amalrik moves as quickly as possible to the mast. He places his shield against the mast for support. Hopefully any others can also gather about for some additional protection from the beast's quills. First aid for quill damage will not be pleasant either.

Jarvak quickly looks to Manaku as he steers the boat.  He remembered seeing him with a bow when they had met.

Would be a world better than my sling.

All he could do was sprint to the mast.

"Want me to steer while you shoot, or can I use the bow?  I love the boat, but I think we need to get on land fast."

Holding his shield defensively, he waited to see if Manaku wanted him to steer or let him use the bow.

Following Amalrik; Durek gets behind a shield or the bulwark of the ship for cover.  He readies his battle axe for action; "What abomination is this?"

Brodd lowers himself behind the bulwark except his head so he could see.

Amalrik cuts an imposing figure with his two-handed sword, but he does not own a shield.

He does however selflessly shield Alietra behind him as he takes her place by the mast.

The mighty warrior would have bravely taken both quills in selfless sacrifice, but a passing seagull suddenly finds itself impaled from one of the missiles, and falls like a stone onto the deck.

The other quill whistles several feet above the two as at misses the deck entirely.

09:43, Today: DM rolled -3,-1 using d20-4,d20-4 ((1,3)).

The manticore is circling away! This may be your one chance to attack!

There is no hesitation in the elf's voice. "Take the wheel and run her ashore! That might give us a slight chance to flee!"

Without waiting reply Manaku takes his bow and nocks an arrow releasing it in one fluid motion.

"Ha! There you have it!" He shouts as the arrow hits true.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
_{Today: Manaku rolled 20 using 1d20+1*.  longbow attack.
Today: Manaku rolled 6 using 1d6.  damage.
*) Manaku has normally +2 to hit.}

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Between the solid hit to the flank at long range and the twitching in its tail, the beast has had more than enough, and flies back towards the mountain.

"Jarvak, wait! The beast is fleeing - no need to ruin the boat!"

Jarvak had taken the wheel and began to turn to go to shore.

Upon hearing the elf had hit he steered it to stay in the water and not land on the shore.

Hearing the others and taking a look, Gorn was glad to see the creature flying away. Standing up in the crow's nest, he began to do a quick sweep along the shore and ahead of them to see if there was anything to be concerned about.