[Game Thread] Chapter 1: High Tide

[sammichweasel]

Looking quite taken aback, Fang raised a hand in protest. "No no, not my ship. I wouldn't own anything so... float-y. I'm just a hired guard, and frankly, after meeting my client, I'm not too happy about that, either. Guy's kind of unpleasant." He glanced back over his shoulder at Mai.

"Er... was that one of those insult things? Sorry, didn't mean to offend your boss." He shrugged, resolving that this was more or less a wash of a job. He would get paid, but it wasn't anything interesting, and it certainly wasn't going to do anything for his image. After all, the only people to walk by and take notice so far were a gnoll and his freaking cat.

He sighed to himself, willing time to speed up.

[girlplay]

The small Genasi shrugged and tilted her head slightly. "No offense taken. You are correct. If you get on his bad side, my master will certainly prove to be most unpleasant." Mai smirked to herself, having always thought that Kobolds would have a rich variety and tradition of insults - perhaps for each other, perhaps for those who invaded their lairs. And as far as her master went, she had no illusions about his temperment or what he was capable of. So, she supposed, were many people who were used to getting their way.

[MittenNinja]

"We won't turn down the help," The mob member replied to the half-elf, "and it wont go unappreciated."

"We move!" The leader of the mob shouted, raising his fist in the air. He was a grizzled man, appearing in his late thirties, and towering over most of the other anti-slavery activists. Dark brown chops ran down his cheeks meeting with each other to form a purposefully scraggly beard, a stark contrast to the receding hairline showing much of the skin on his head. He turned towards the docks and began walking, the rest of the mob followed, shouting and hollering along the way.

----------||----------

While the gnoll, kobold, and company were rather entertaining, Mai couldn't help but notice the crowd amassing towards the ship. It didn't take long for Fang, Garr, and the hired goons to notice the enthused mob either. Within moments, the crowd had approached the edge of the pier, shouting at the ship on which the genasi stood. "We don't want your kind here!" The crowd shouted, "Filth! Slaver Filth!" The crowd began throwing small stones at the hull of the ship, the noise rising to a roar.

Jon-Drew came above deck to find out what all the ruckus was about. "What in the nine hells is going on?" He passed Mai without giving her a glance and went right to the bow of the ship, looking over the pier just in time to see a small stone fly past his face. "What do these pitiful creatures think they are doing?" He asked himself. Without a second thought, he signaled his goons to close in on the crowd. With a confirming nod, the goons moved over to the crowd brandishing cruel looking clubs and began trying to push the protesters back away from the pier.

Things were about to get ugly.

OOC Go ahead and roll initiative along with your responses. Map Attached

[Ange]

"There's a... what?" Rashele blinked down at Philbin, but she had little time to question the situation more—the mob was on the move, and rowdily at that. Mutton Chops at the front was doing a good job at raising the hackles of the crowd, that was for sure. Rashele couldn't help but try and search beyond the crowds for any sign of the town guards... but there were far too many people bustling around her; the attempt was futile. She followed passively along with the crowd, though, keeping a low profile but highly interested to see what was going to happen. Just in case, she surreptitiously sneaks a dagger into her palm.

Down at the docks, however, Rashele's warning bells started to ring. The crowd wasn't doing anything too offensive, although in time it could certainly escalate... It was only when the slaver's goons were given the green light to initiate crowd control that she really started standing on edge.

But surely nothing bad would happen... right?

OOC Before the battle: Rolls - Perception check to look for any guards: 8. - Draw dagger. - Thievery check to hide the dagger along her arm, slightly under her sleeve: 12. - Initiative: 4.

[sammichweasel]

"You lot! Shove off, already! This boat's... wait, wait, did you say slavers? Like... these guys are slavers?!" Fang whips around to stare at Jon-Drew, waiting for some kind of a response.

 

Dice Init:

1d20+3

(3)+3

Total = 6

Initiative
Minor :: Draw Weapon, shield
DELAY

[TheBog]

This escalated far quicker than Garr expected. In fact, he was hoping it wouldn't escalate at all. This was suppose to be stealth mission; a quick in and out. And it wasn't suppose to go down until tonight! He didn't know what he got himself into, but seeing a mob of people advance on his position on the pier, effectively trapping him, made him scowl nervously, ear twitching. Was he set up? Thugs began to pour out of the ship to deal with the incoming mob, and everyone began to draw weapons... But where was his target!? Was he already making his escape!?

"You tricked us!.. You ambushed us!" Garr barks angrily, drool dripping from his jagged teeth, and pulls out a giant brutal-looking dagger from his layered rags. Scarr clings tightly to the gnoll, ears pushed back in aggression.

Garr OOC linked rolls -Perception check to see if the prisoner he's after came outside or is visible on the deck amidst the confusion = 8 -Minor: Draw dagger -Initiative = 15

[larrent]

"Ho-oooooo..." grunted Seven Toes, with a deep dwarven gasp for air. Though he be quite a strong and muscular dwarf - he much rather prefer any physical task over running. And it seemed all the running was for not - the mob still beat him to the pier despite his head start. At least from this position he could hear the roaring of the crowd much more clearly - he barely heard a word earlier over the haggling of the merchant. From a distance he heard shouts of "We don't want your kind here!" and "Filth! Slaver Filth!"

"What is this?! A slave ship! Here in Raven's Rock!" thought Seven Toes, as a look of fear and extreme hostility overtook the dwarf's scarred face. Perhaps the dwarf was naive - slavery isn't all too uncommon. But at that moment, Seven Toes broke his promise to himself; he remembered his time as a slave and for a moment was overcome with grief over the loss of his family.

For the two weeks the Dwarf had been in Raven's Rock - he had at least had one or two nights sleep without the nightmares from which he constantly suffered. The town was ample distraction from his dire past. But today it was apparent that fortune would not allow his past to be hidden for long. A stern reminder of his dire past lay in front him - just yards away, a slave ship. "Curse the gods! Can't I just forget - haven't I suffered enough!" His blood began to boil, and a nervous twitch developed in his chin causing his beard to move - as it would in a stiff wind. Despite the torture Seven Toes once suffered - since that time he had never desired revenge. Perhaps he thought the scars were so deep that even revenge would do little to heal his battered soul. But now, the gods were seemingly twisting his arm, forcing him to do his part to help end the brutal practice that existed in the world.

Despite his stealthy position, Seven Toes' fury overtook his intelligence as he shouted "Meet your grave slaver!" in a gruff, half-drunken dwarven voice. Perhaps he was a bit too hasty - he hadn't considered which side, the town or the ship, had the tactical advantage. 'Business as usual' would have to wait for another day for the dwarf.

Seven Toes OOC Rolls Initiative = 16

[BZmek]

From his perch Philbin watched the spectacle below. The anger in the crowd was amplifying and several goons emerged from the slaver's ship brandishing makeshift clubs. The halfling didn't trust the shady slaver and his goons. He ran his eyes over the ship looking for any hidey-holes that any other shifty goons may be hiding in ready to pounce from. A battle was about to break out at any moment and he looked down at Rashele who now seemed engulfed in the commotion. How he wished she was still within ear shot so that he may lay a bet on the coming brawl. Anything would have done. He felt for the purse on his belt and noted its weight. There was enough. He decided then that the bet would be made with or without her. "10 copper pieces my blade draws blood before the Half-elf's. With that he drew his short sword, ready for the race.

OOC Rolls Perception check to see if there are any other goons about = 19 Minor: Draw Short sword. Initiative = 10

[girlplay]

 

Initiative: 9

Mai did not like the way things were shaping up. Jon-Drew was not a man to back down and the mob - that seemed like the most appropriate term - was already shouting for blood. Getting the ship ready to sail would both be very obvious and take a considerable length of time, so it wasn't likely they were simply going to leave before something happened. A rock clattering along the deck reminded her of that... Better just to take cover for now and let the guards take care of it. She quickly moved to a spot behind the forward castle and made herself as small as possible...

 

Move action: move to square g21
Minoe action: drop prone (cover behind the castle?)
Standard action: total defense - gains a +2 to all defenses until the start of her next turn.

[MittenNinja]

The sight of the thugs closing in on the crowd only made things worse. The resounding thud of wood slamming into flesh could be heard over the shouts and screams of the rioters as two members of the mob fall to the ground. Crowd mentality began to set in as the extremists pushed back, swinging pickaxe, staff, and fist; however the panicked attacks of the citizens fail to do any significant damage to their attackers. From somewhere within the mob, a vial flew at the ship shattering on contact with the outside of the hull. With the shattering glass, flames erupted engulfing the bow of the vessel and starting the wooden hull aflame.

Jon-Drew recoiled from the fiery explosion, raising his arms to shield his face. As the initial burst faded, he scowled with anger at his attackers. Unsheathing a dagger from his belt, he quickly threw the blade at the source of the vial and found home in his chest. "Get that fire out!" He barked to his crew who was beginning to emerging from below deck.

[sammichweasel]

"Woah! Hey! The man started some minor property damage! What the hell?!" Fang's not taking well to where this is headed. He firmly sets himself, hefting his double-headed axe as he starts striding up the plank to have a few words with Jon-Drew.

[Ange]

The warning bells are well and truly blaring now. The rioters were getting far too worked up for their own good, and some others appeared to have fallen. She could smell smoke emanating from somewhere, and the acrid taste of blood on the air; someone had dealt some true damage there, possibly fatally.

"Philbin, I think this is getting a little too rowdy," she mutters to the halfling. "Let me try and cool some heads before things get out of hand. Back me up, alright?"

Dashing back across the pier Rashele nimbly jumps atop a pile of boxes with a thud. She takes a deep breath, and then shouts out across the crowd, her tone fierce and loud, a skill developed from many years shouting down from the lookout tower. "HEY YOU LOT! STOP YOUR BLOODY RABBLIN' AND LISTEN TO ME!"

The half-elf clears her breath, summoning the font of dormant elvish magic that dwelled deep within her. Then, she smiles. Half the men in the crowd get a reaction out of this; the smile is definitely aimed at them, after all. It's warm and loving and tender, and gives Rashele a preternatural sense of beauty about her.

"Surely we don't need to go to this extent to get our points across," she offers gently, scarily gently, almost sickly sweet in quality. "Destroying the ship is just going to get you all sent to jail! And you lot over there with the clubs; you think the guard hasn't already taken notice? You think you won't get away without repercussions if you're beating people up in broad daylight?"

"We must not jump to presumptions and violence; that makes us no better than brutish monsters! If the man up there is a slaver, he will be punished by the full extent of the law! But we need the proof to prosecute!" Rashele turns her gaze to Jon-Drew. "Ho there, captain! Surely you do not want your ship to go up in flames. Let us on there to help put the fire out. But also let us investigate your ship. If you are truly innocent, you'll have naught to worry about. No harm to anyone this way. What do you think?"

OOC Move: Jog to E-8 and Dice Athletics check if necessary: d20+1 (11)+1 Total = 12 jump on top of the crate there Minor: Use Words of Friendship power (+5 to my next Diplomacy check) Standard: Try to calm the crowd down and try to get Jon-Drew to let us on the ship: Dice Roll: 1d20+16 (2)+16 Total = 18 Diplomacy check

[girlplay]

Mai could see the Kobold board the ship but that was about it from where she was. In truth, she had little idea what was really going on. Why was there a fire? Why had they stopped throwing rocks at the ship? Maybe they had switched to fire-bombs instead. (Kind of a disturbing thought.) And who was speaking above all the ruckus?

She also grew a bit fearful that Jon-Drew was starting to give orders and she was nowhere to be found. How furious would he be if she wasn't there when he wanted her? She could not exactly with the fire-buckets, but she should at least be available to him. What if she did nothing in all this and he took it out on her later? Finally, her concerns got the better of her and the young Genasi crawled out of her hiding place and moved around and up the stairs to try to get a better look at the scene.

 

Move action: stand up from prone.
Move action: move to G-19.

[larrent]

Seven Toes had wish he hadn't blown his cover. Surely no one aboard ship would have noticed him amid the ruckus of the crowd - but it is certain his short lived screams of revenge had to have been heard. Alas, the dwarf could do nothing but make the best of the situation. For this skirmish to be of any profit, he had to get close to the action.

Moving as quickly as his feet could carry him through the dirt, the dwarf stopped behind the mass of the crowd to catch his breathe - but more importantly he inspected every last member of the mob. Ah these people... surely they will not handle seaworn brutes on their own accord... It was then that Seven Toes took notice to two more well clad individuals who seemed to be sizing up the situation as well as he was. The one, seemingly a halfling, already had a sword drawn - surely he knew what was to come. The dwarf briefly listened to the other attempt to quiet the masses before her... That sappy lass... sure looks tough but she might as well be talking draconic to these brutes!

Seven Toes wasn't quite ready to deal the first blow, and as such tried his best to harbor some kind of alliance. Turning to the halfling, the dwarf questioned with a friendly, yet gruff and firm voice: "And you - will ye stand strong when the mallets drop down?" The dwarf motioned with his hands to his warhammer, while his eyes flickered to the approaching men, indicating that he too wants a piece of those slaver brutes. As he pulled out his warhammer, he continued whispering to the halfing - "we will be quickly overrun if we don't pull together..." .

There was no turning back now for Maivern... Let's see what happens next...

OOC Standard & Move: Double move to F9 Minor: Draw war hammer

[TheBog]

He could smell it too. The smell of spilled blood filled Garr's nostrils and his bestial instincts urged him to dive into the frey and shed more. But he knew better.

There seemed to be a calming voice not too far off that drew the attention of some of the crowd. Gnolls are not known for diplomacy or trying to talk sense into others. He came here on a mission, and he was going to carry out that mission.

Garr recalled the rope typing the ship to the docks near the aft and decided his odds were better aboard. If all the guards have run out to deal with the imminent threat of the rioters, the delicious innards of the vessel should be lightly guarded.. maybe.. Besides, he needed to get his target before the whole thing was burned to ashes.

Garr OOC linked rolls -Minor: Hold dagger in teeth to free up hands -Acrobatics check/move: Attempt to scale ship and get on board using the rope he spotted earlier = 17