While the attackers aren't all identical, they do have a certain look in common.

They appear to be all around the same height and build (approximately 6' tall, 200 lbs.), a bronze-like skin, bald or shaven heads, golden eyes, black tattoos under both eyes... they all seem to be wearing chain mail shirts,  black, dark blue, or purple vests fancily embroidered in gold and silver, loose fitting light-colored pantaloons that appear to be made of silk... and while they don't all have bows, they all seem to be carrying some type of cutlass.

Oh, crap!

12:12, Today: Zaira Zatara rolled 8 using 1d20+7 ((1)). Reflex save.


My initiative isn't bad but not sure it'll be enough...

12:08, Today: Zaira Zatara rolled 15 using 1d20+5 ((10)). Initiative.


"Ow-ow-ow! That hurt, you sneaky little cretins! You'll pay for that!" she shouts at the spell-casting attackers.

Oof. At least I'm not going last!

12:23, Today: Kelmanor rolled 10 using 1d20+5 ((5)). Initiative roll.

Yes, the dice roller is definitely broken...

OOC: The roller coaster got stuck at the top of the hill... now it's unstuck and going down fast...


Only Aikio beat the attackers' initiative, but the archers weren't shooting at her.

They do get a second shot at Arthur, Jak and Ochnam.

22:43, Today: GM StarMaster rolled 22,11,12,22 using 1d20+10,1d20+10,1d20+10,1d20+10 ((12,1,2,12)).

The first one shoots at Arthur... and hits for 7 points plus 4 points of cold damage from the frosty shaft.
The second one fires at Jak and misses.
The third one targets Ochnam and also misses again.
The fourth warrior aims at Jak again and manages to hit for 7 points of damage plus 4 points from crackling energy dancing along the shaft.


Everyone can now act.

Angered by the nasty surprise attack, Zaira blinks out by turning invisible. She then flies upward and toward the spellcasting enemy! If nothing interferes with her, she'll throw one of her Beads of Shocking at the first one she reaches.

23:41, Today: Zaira Zatara rolled 24 using 6d6 ((5,1,5,5,4,4)).

He takes 24 points of electrical damage but gets to make a DC 14 Reflex save for half damage.

He'd just taken a lot of damage, but he was still standing... barely. He needed to retaliate...  NOW! Unfortunately, only his spells had that kind of range. He unleashed an Ice Storm at the archers.

00:25, Today: Jak Woodshock rolled 8,4 using 3d6,2d6 ((1,1,6,3,1)).

Well, that was pitiful! 8 bludgeoning damage and only 4 cold. Still, heavy snow and sleet will continue to fall on the archers for another 7 rounds.

Kass says "Chelish, fly high on lookout. Kassandra,flank with me." Kass casts a Shield spell that he shares with his animals. As the hippogryph takes to the air, the dinosaur and Kasatha charge towards the spellcasters, the latter drawing his twin blades as he moves (is 40' enough to reach them?). The flames clearly left him unharmed.


20:37, Today: Kass rolled 26 using 1d20+9.  Chelish Perception from 100' up.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:38, Thu 02 Feb 2023.

Aikio burst into action, flailing her cloak wide as she spun around, circling one of her attackers, delivering precise lightning quick jabs to vitals and pressure points.

Acrobatics (Tumble): 30 to avoid AoO. Moving 5 ft before each attack. AC 33 v. AoO.

Unarmed Strikes (Canny Tumble + Circling Mongoose):
 • 27 to hit, 14 NL damage (+2 to hit, +39 NL damage if Tumble success)
 • 24 to hit, 13 NL damage (+2 to hit, +19 NL damage if 1st attack hits)
 • 22 to hit, 14 NL damage (+2 to hit, +19 NL damage if 1st and 2nd attacks hit)

Debilitating Injury (Bewildered): Target’s AC is -4 for 1 round after successful Sneak Attack (-2 against anyone else’s attacks).

More arcane joins Jak's as Arthur casts his own spell. The ice crystal surrounding the archer begin to shimmer, as though catching every rays of light, and focusing it on the intruders.

OOC: Cast Glitterdust on the archers, 10 feet radius. Will save DC 14 or blind for 8 rounds.

Elena begins to dance energetically as she channels her magic through her movements and into the air around the warriors engaging the boarders.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Standard Action: Cast Haste with blatant subtlety using a level 3 Sorcerer slot (Target as many of the martials as possible)
Move Action: Inspire Courage (Affected allies receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +2 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.)
Swift Action: None
Free Action: None
Conditions: Haste? (8 rounds), Inspire Courage

---

This message was last edited by the player at 19:05, Wed 01 Feb 2023.

Since Elena's initiative was better than everyone else's except Aikio, she manages to get off her Haste spell before the others react.

Jak, Kass and Myles are now hasted and get an extra attack this round. It won't affect Aikio until next round.


Even augmented with the snow and sleet from Jak's spell, Arthur's spell doesn't blind the archers, but it does impart an additional penalty to their range attacks.


Zaira's attack is also only half effective.

Granted the boost to speed, Kass' companion, a raptor, pounces from a flank at one of the fire casters while Kass strikes from the opposite side. The claws and talons of the raptor both gleam with blood in the waning light.

Kasandra's attacks (pounce ability, full attack)

20:47, Today: Kass rolled 23 using 1d20+14.  Talon attack #1.
20:46, Today: Kass rolled 11 using 1d8+5.  Talon damage #1.
20:46, Today: Kass rolled 33 using 1d20+14.  Talon attack #2.
20:45, Today: Kass rolled 13 using 1d8+5.  Talon damage #2.
20:45, Today: Kass rolled 32 using 1d20+14.  Bite attack.
20:44, Today: Kass rolled 9 using 1d6+5.  Bite damage.
20:43, Today: Kass rolled 24 using 1d20+9.  Claw attack #1.
20:43, Today: Kass rolled 7 using 1d4+3.  Claw damage #1.
20:42, Today: Kass rolled 21 using 1d20+9.  Claw attack #2.
20:42, Today: Kass rolled 7 using 1d4+3.  Claw damage #2.


Kass' attack (single strike, pirahna strike)

20:58, Today: Kass rolled 24 using 1d20+17.  Dueling blade attack, flanking, pirahna strike.
20:58, Today: Kass rolled 18 using 1d8+15.  Dueling blade damage.
20:57, Today: Kass rolled 13 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.


Target is Bewildered. -2 AC vs all, -4 AC vs Kass
This message was last edited by the player at 05:00, Thu 02 Feb 2023.

Kelmanor chooses a spot where most of the attackers are gathered and with arcane signs and whispering some words, he opens the palm of his hand and throws a ball of fire at them.

OOC:
Standard: Cast Fireball at group of enemies
11:39, Today: Kelmanor rolled 46 using 12d6.  Fireball damage (scratch the previous one).
Reflex Save DC 22 for half
Half of the damage is divine if the enemies are evil.

Conveniently, there were four archers on the bow of the ship and that was where the ballista was pointed. As part of the near-living ship that Ochnam had crafted, he could direct the ship's weapons to fire at will... provided, of course, that it was loaded.

It took but a thought for him to trigger the ballista that sat amidships.

19:25, Today: Ochnam Shirab rolled 19,13 using 1d20+12,3d6+2 ((7,3,4,4)).

Didn't even come close... exactly... as it streaked between two of the archers and sailed off into the water.

Fortunately, he had the Unseen Ship's Crew spell permanenced onto the ship, so they would now reload. They just couldn't aim and fire.

"Well, damn! That didn't go as planned," he groused as he tried to keep the ballista between  him and the archers and the warriors.

Aikio's first attack actually hits, leaving the target bewildered  (-4 to AC). That's just enough to enable her next two attacks to hit as well. The enemy is tougher than they look. Although it doesn't look like they are wearing armor, her hits reveal that they do have some sort of armor under the loose-fitting clothes.


From up in the air, Chelish does not see any other attackers than those that are already on board.

Kasandra manages to hit with one talon and her bite while Kass barely manages to hit with the help of Elena's song. Even the combined assault, though, isn't enough to take the spellcaster down.


The enemy spellcasters at the stern are engaged with Kass and his companion raptor as well as Zaira, so Kelmanor casts his fireball at the group of warriors that attacked over the side, managing to place it just close enough to keep from affecting his allies.



Even though he's a hunter and fighter, Myles chooses to cast Call Lightning for both the damage and range. He targets one of the spellcasters and does 15 points of damage.


The enemy archers now all attempt to shoot again but they all miss due to the snow and sleet interfering with their vision.


The enemy warriors attack back. The first one attacks Aikio and misses.
The second one also attacks Aikio and misses.
The third one attacks Kelmanor and hits for 17 points of damage.
The fourth one attacks Elena and misses.

20:23, Today: Xabat Thorn rolled 25,28,25,15 using 1d20+10,1d20+10,1d20+10,1d20+10 ((15,18,15,5)).

They don't get a second attack due to the fireball that engulfed them, though it didn't take any of them down.


Only one of the enemy spellcasters is able to get off a spell--Magic Missile--due to the others having taken damage or are in combat. He targets Myles for 16 points of damage.

The one engaged by Kass attempts to attack back with a dagger, and just barely manages to hit for 7 points of damage.


OOC: There is now a deck plan/map of the ship under Group 0 Game Map.

The ship's port side is tied up to the docks.

Arthur, Jak and Ochnam are forward of the cargo hatch. The archers are on the forecastle.

Aikio, Elena, and Kelmanor are on the port side of the cargo hatch, which is where the warriors came over the gunwales. They are still standing on the gunwales to gain a height advantage. And they were all affected by Kelmanor's fireball.

Kass, Myles and Zaira were aft of the cargo hatch. Kass and Zaira have moved up to the sterncastle and have engaged the enemy.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:38, Mon 06 Feb 2023.

The Tengu emerged from the fiery explosion unscathed, then repeated her flurry of vital and pressure point strikes on the same target, circling around, ducking, and jabbing with quick and short but devastating precision.

Reflex Save v. Fireball: 22. No damage! Whew!

Acrobatics (Tumble): 37 to avoid AoO. Moving 5 ft before each attack. AC 33 v. AoO.

Unarmed Strikes (Canny Tumble + Circling Mongoose):
 • 33 to hit v. -4 AC (Bewildered), 16 NL damage (+2 to hit, target Flat-Footed, and +32 NL damage if Tumble success)
 • 38 to hit v. -4 AC (Bewildered), 14 NL damage (+2 to hit, +25 NL damage if 1st attack hits)
 • 19 to hit v. -4 AC (Bewildered), 20 NL damage (+2 to hit, +18 NL damage if 1st and 2nd attacks hit)

Debilitating Injury (Bewildered): Target’s AC is -4 for 1 round after successful Sneak Attack (-2 against anyone else’s attacks).

Kass goes into a full attack , timing his command to Kassandra to 'shift' after landing his first blow. Kasandra then moves over (5' step) to flank the next caster in line. Kassandra lunges into that one with a Full Attack, joined by the rest of Kass' attacks After Kass uses Cornugon Smash to terrify the first enemy, and also the second caster.

Vs Caster #1, Kass attacking.

21:16, Today: Kass rolled 22 using 1d20+17.  Hasted attack, flanking, Power Attack vs -4 AC.

21:15, Today: Kass rolled 17 using 1d8+15.  Dueling blade damage.

21:14, Today: Kass rolled 9 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.

Cornugon Smash
21:22, Today: Kass rolled 19 using 1d20+18.  Intimidate to Demoralize.


OOC SHEEESH, it really doesn't want me doing this.

Caster #1 continues to be Bewildered until end of Next Turn. -4 AC vs Kass, -2 AC vs all others.


Vs Caster #2, Kasandra Full Attack

21:39, Today: Kass rolled 20 using 1d20+14.  Hasted Talon attack.

21:38, Today: Kass rolled 9 using 1d8+5.  Hasted Talon damage.

21:38, Today: Kass rolled 20 using 1d20+14.  Talon #1 attack.

21:38, Today: Kass rolled 10 using 1d8+5.  Talon #1 damage.

21:37, Today: Kass rolled 27 using 1d20+14.  Talon #2 attack.

21:36, Today: Kass rolled 10 using 1d8+5.  Talon #2 damage.

21:35, Today: Kasandra rolled 25 using 1d20+14.  Bite attack.

21:35, Today: Kasandra rolled 7 using 1d6+5.  Bite damage.

21:29, Today: Kasandra rolled 29 using 1d20+9.  Claw #1 attack. Threat!

21:30, Today: Kasandra rolled 17 using 1d20+9.  Crit confirm.

21:29, Today: Kasandra rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  Claw #1 damage.

21:30, Today: Kasandra rolled 6 using 1d4+3.  Added crit damage.

21:28, Today: Kasandra rolled 29 using 1d20+9.  Claw #2 attack. Threat!

21:28, Today: Kasandra rolled 22 using 1d20+9.  Crit confirm.

21:27, Today: Kasandra rolled 7 using 1d4+3.  Claw #2 damage.

21:29, Today: Kasandra rolled 5 using 1d4+3.  Added crit damage.


Vs Caster #2, Full Attack, Kass

21:55, Today: Kass rolled 20 using 1d20+17.  Primary blade attack #1, flanking, Power Attack.

21:54, Today: Kass rolled 20 using 1d8+15.  Primary blade damage #1.

21:53, Today: Kass rolled 10 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.

21:52, Today: Kass rolled 26 using 1d20+17.  Secondary blade attack #1.

21:52, Today: Kass rolled 21 using 1d8+15.  Secondary blade damage #1.

21:51, Today: Kass rolled 16 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.


OOC This one hit for sure. Cornugon Smash!



21:56, Today: Kass rolled 37 using 1d20+18.  Cornugon Smash Demoralize to Intimidate.

Caster #2 is Bewildered (-4 AC vs me, -2 AC vs all) and probably Shaken.

21:51, Today: Kass rolled 17 using 1d20+14.  Primary blade attack #2.

21:50, Today: Kass rolled 20 using 1d8+15.  Primary blade damage #2.

21:50, Today: Kass rolled 12 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.

21:49, Today: Kass rolled 18 using 1d20+14.  Secondary blade attack #2.

21:48, Today: Kass rolled 19 using 1d8+15.  Secondary blade damage #2.

21:47, Today: Kass rolled 15 using 4d6.  Sneak attack damage.

OOC: I think Aikio, Kelmanor and Elena are side by side... if not, let me know.

Kelmanor steps back and decides to protect his companions, casting a wall of fire that can harm their attackers.

OOC:
Free: 5ft-step back
Standard: Cast Wall of Fire
12:22, Today: Kelmanor rolled 22 using 2d6+16.  Wall of Fire Damage.
The wall is opaque, so they can't see you if you want to move or cast spells.

For the most part, Ochnam considered his ship to be his weapon, so it was only natural that he'd keep shooting ballista bolts at the intruders.

His phantom crew quickly reloaded and left it to him to aim... though he admitted he wasn't very good at that. Build the damn thing, yes--shoot it, not so much.

At the last second, he decided to use his Artificer abilities to imbue it with cold.

16:17, Today: Ochnam Shirab rolled 20,14 using 1d20+13,3d6+10 ((7,1,2,1)).

Well, damn! Might have hit but for poor damage!

"GET OFF MY SHIP!" he shouted at the enemy for emphasis!

Jak wasn't much better at this mass combat than Ochnam was and he didn't even have  a ship to throw at the enemy!

Under the circumstances, he really didn't expect a Wandering hex to be all that effective, but maybe in conjunction with the others... He targeted one of the archers with his Slumber hex.

It did not seem as if these attackers, particularly the spellcasters at the stern, could detect Zaira when she was small and invisible so she continued to flit around the deck dodging behind crates and barrels and masts and whatever else was convenient until an opportunity presented it.

WHAM! She dropped another Shocking Bead onto the head of an untouched spellcaster!

16:34, Today: Zaira Zatara rolled 28,35 using 1d20+8,8d6 ((4,3,5,1,6,6,4,1,5)).

GM says crit confirmed for max damage x 2! 96 shocking damage! Yippee-ki-yay!

~~~~~ BATTLE AT THE BOW: Arthur, Jak, Ochnam~~~~~


Arthur?

Ochnam fires another ballista bolt; hits archer #3 for 14 points of damage and slams the warrior back over the bow of the ship. Anyone paying attention can hear him splash into the water below.

Jak targets archer #4 with his Wandering Slumber hex and the man falls to the deck asleep!


~~~~~ BATTLE ON THE STERN: Kass, Myles, Zaira ~~~~~


Kass sprung to attack Caster #1, easily hits him multiple times for 26 points of damage and leaving him bewildered.
Kassandra also leaped to full attack vs. spellcaster #2, hit multiple times for 74 points of damage.
Since the enemy didn't fall, Kass continued his attack against Caster #3. Two more hits 67 points demoralized him to death!

Myles?

Zaira eludes the 3rd spellcaster and delivers a critical Shocking Bead to his noggin! He's down and out!


~~~~~ BATTLE AT THE STARBOARD SIDE: Aikio, Elena, Kelmanor ~~~~~


Aikio hits Warrior #1 twice for 55 points of non-lethal damage and leaving him bewildered.

Elena?

Kelmanor casts a Wall of Fire right on the starboard gunwales where the enemy is standing, delivering 22 points of fire damage to all of them. The opaque wall of flames now makes it hard to see the opponent on the other side.


I'll give Arthur, Myles, and Elena a chance to post an action before the enemy gets to attack.

Elena continues to dance as she weaves the magic into her words as she commands one of the warriors, "Lay down your arms and go sit down over there until one of us tells you to get up." She accompanies her words with a gesture towards a relatively safe corner.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Standard Action: Cast a Suggestion using the language the spellcasters were using to cast spells if she can speak it, otherwise she uses common on the least injured looking warrior with a L3 sorcerer spell slot. DC 23 Will save (+1 if Humanoid)
Move Action:
Swift Action: None
Free Action: Sustain inspire courage, 5' step away from anyone engaging her
Conditions: Haste (7 rounds), Inspire Courage

---

Arthur glances at the archer falling overboard, before addressing one of his remaining friends. "He looks badly injured... you should really help him before he drowns." His words echoes with subtle pressure, making the advice very convincing.

OOC: Cast Suggestion on Archer #1, dc 15.

"Regroup!" Kelmanor falls back to put some distance between him and the enmies.
Then some little lights like stars in the night sky begin to glow around him.


OOC:
Move: Mova away 30 ft.
Standard: Use Coat of Many Stars +4 to AC
This message was last edited by the player at 18:16, Wed 01 Mar 2023.