[Game Thread] Chapter 1: High Tide

[BZmek]

Philbin itched for the coming battle and found sense in the middle ground between the words of Rashele and the scruffy dwarven newcomer. The slavers indeed needed to pay for their ways, but a brawl with such a crowd often turns ugly and chaotic with more casualties than there ought be. Sometimes its as simple as less is more.

"Heed her words!" the halfling bellowed as loud as his small lungs would allow, motioning to the savvy half elf. "For the guard approaches and will jail any they deem disturbers of the peace. Return to your homes and leave these apparent slavers to the just arm of the law!" He had no idea if the guard were coming or not, but the crazed mob needn't have known that. He looked to Rashele and offered a whimsical smile and a shrug of the shoulders. They could only hope that the crowd would listen. He turned his head back to the scruffy dwarven newcomer, rolled the blade in his sword-arm and nodded his commitment in any coming battle with the slavers.

OOC Standard: Dice Roll: 1d20+9 (11)+9 Total = 20 Bluff check to convince the guard were on the way.

[MittenNinja]

The words of Rashele and Philbin seem to find footing in the heads of those involved. The crowd backs off a bit and the thugs start looking around, nervous that the guards may be right around the corner. Jon-Drew turns his attention to the half-elf and halfling with a fury in his eyes. His attention is nowhere near his favorite slave and the little kobold right now. "You think you can talk me out of this?" He yelled, "I OWN this part of town. The guards aren't coming, they've been paid off weeks ago. This goes far deeper than you think." He draws another dagger are hurls it at Rashele. The bard feels the dagger pass by the side of her head as it whips past her. "DEAL WITH THEM!" The captain yells out to his goons as they advance on the mob. The crowds start falling back in terror, fighting as they attempt to flee.

Garr quickly and nimbly makes it up to the deck of the vessel just in time to see his target climb above deck to look into the commotion, which makes a wonderful distraction as the gnoll remained unnoticed. Two deck hands are frantically trying to put the fire out with large rugs, beating them against the side of the ship in hopes of stamping out the fire.

[larrent]

Seven Toes had already known the conflict to be inevitable - the ramblings of Jon-Drew made it all the certain. Though he wished not to be the first to join the fray - he knew that these pirates were not going to wait. The half-ling at least seemed to have his back, though the dwarf was bothered by the fact that a man like Jon-Drew could, in theory, afford to pay off the town guard - as he had bluffed.

With a stiff, two-handed grip upon his warhammer, Seven Toes extended his arms backwards, causing his elbows to crack. "Oohh... haven't seen this kind of action in weeks." With his grip firm on his weapon and the dirt below him, the dwarf leapt forward and swung his hammer quickly at the closest pirate's ribcage. In a follow through motion, the dwarf brought his hammer back, prepared to lash out again should the pirate attack him.

Seven Toe's Actions Move: To E10 Standard: Riposte Strike at D11 Pirate Rolls: Attack vs AC = 19 Damage = 6 Effect on Hit: If target attacks me before start of my next turn, Seven Toes interrupts with a Strength vs AC attack against the target.

[Ange]

Ooh, so she'd hit a nerve there. The whistling of a dagger by her ears was not an enjoyable feeling, but Rashele held to her bravado like a shield, and simply grinned viciously back at Jon-Drew. She flicks her hair back over her shoulder with a quick toss of her head, her eyes gleaming. The half-elf could feel the adrenaline bubbling, and she intended to ride that wave as far as she could take it.

"You must think you're pretty hot stuff up there, hey?" Rashele deftly switches weapons from her hidden dagger to the rather prominent cutlass hanging off her belt. The curved blade flies from its leather scabbard with a swish. She levels it at the slaver captain. "Oooh, listen to me! I own the town! Oooh! Aren't I just the biggest, baddest, manliest guy around!" Rashele rolls her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you're awesome, guess that's why you have to literally buy your women instead of actually getting one on your own merits. Or maybe it's just that you're into little girls now, hmm?"

The idea that Jon-Drew could have actually bought off the guard did concern her, but she'd never show it, at least not here. Nonetheless, that little tidbit of information was tucked away in the corner of her mind for later digestion...

OOC Minor: Slip dagger back into its sheathe on her belt. Move -> Minor: Draw cutlass. Standard: Dice Atk vs Will, Dmg: d20+5 (10)+5 Total = 15 1d6+5 (1)+5 Total = 6 Vicious Mockery on Jon-Drew. Attack: 15 vs. Will. Hit: 6 damage, and he takes a -2 penalty to attack rolls until EONT.

[sammichweasel]

"What're you doin' throwing little knives at her? I'm the one with a freaking axe aimed at your head! Well, chest... okay, knee, but don't worry! You come down here, I'll show you why you don't ignore Fang!"

He turns his head partially towards the mob before continuing with "That's Fang, of Fang's Company, who hates Bahamut-damned slavers!" With that, he refocuses all of his attention to the Captain.

An odd glimmer shines in his eye, blacking out his irises completely with a brilliant darkness. An odd shimmer begins in the air about his head, like the heat of the fading sun on the horizon. It's the first sign of anything unusual about the kobold... and mostly, no one's paying any attention to it.

He brings his odd jawbone axe into Jon-Drew's knee, a thunderclap of energy echoing from it and blasting one of the shadier crew members away from the Scaled Wonder. The shimmer briefly pulses a dark crimson, a crown of blood that is gone in an instant as the power of the attack courses from his strangely centered reptilian brain.

 

Minor :: Battlemind's Demand, mark Jon-Drew until the end of the Encounter (or until I use the power again)
Standard :: Concussive Spike with 1 PP, Hit AC 19, activate Takedown Strike, total 10 damage and knock Prone
On Hit :: One of the sailors (whichever looks like a shady bastard, your choice) gets tossed 4 spaces (presumably overboard)

 

 

Power	Frequency	Used?
Power Points	2	1/2
Takedown Strike	ENC	Y
Skald's Aura	ENC	-
Wild Focus	ENC	-
Steel Unity Strike	Daily	-

 

HP	HSV	HS	AC	FORT	RFLX	WILL
33	8	13/13	19	15	15	16

 

Power	Trigger	Action	Effect
Twisted Eye	Opportunity Attack	Opportunity Attack	Use 1 PP, 1{W}+Con, until EOMNT target takes penalty to attacks = allies adjacent to it
Blurred Step	Adjacent Marked Enemy Shifts	Free	Shift 1 square, can only be used 1/turn
Mind Spike	Adjacent Marked Enemy makes attack that does not target me	Target takes force/psychic damage equal to damage dealt by the attack
Wild Focus	Enemy Starts its first turn within 10	Free	Pull target 3, mark until EOMNT

CURRENTLY MARKED :: JON-DREW

[TheBog]

Garr slinked up over the railing of the ship as his target rose simultaneously into view, as if by fate, unaware. Taking the knife from his teeth, he quietly approached from outside the soon-to-be prisoner's field of view. Tip toeing slowly across the wooden deck, chaos and fire masking the creaks of the floorboards. Scarr's tail flailing about wildly in anticipation.

As the gnoll closed in, he picked up speed. The man turned to try and block the attack, but it was too late. Where the blade was expected to hit, Garr followed through and in a blink of an eye spun around his victim and slammed his dagger under a shoulder blade, burying it to the hilt with a satisfying "shnk!"

Garr OOC linked rolls, except faulty damage -Move E25 -> G25: stealth roll = 17 -Standard: Acrobatic strike vs prisoner target, choosing to shift G25 -> H24 before the attack. roll = 26 vs ref (or 24 if no CA) -Damage: Acrobatic strike + backstab. total damage = 19 Real damage roll linked

[girlplay]

OOC: I spent 20 minutes writing my post and then... poof... it was all gone. Here's attempt #2.

Mai-lana was truly stuck with amazement at what she saw when she came out of her hiding place. The chaos around the docks was unbelievable. People had come out in significant number to protest Jon-Drew's presence here at their town - full of hate and strong emotion, conviction that they were right and Jon-Drew was all-so-very-wrong. Still, her master held strong to his own belief in his right to do as he wanted. He had lived outside the rule of anyone for so long, how could he do otherwise? His world that he crafted for himself... how satisfying of an achievement was that? Did he really bribe all the town guards in the area to leave him alone? He had men willing to risk their live for him. He had sailors and slaves at his disposal. He had a ship and the means and will to go where he pleased. He had the nerve to stand up there in front of everyone and insist that he was in control. He was in charge. He had the right to be what he was.

When the dagger whistled by the swashbucklery woman's head, Mai flinched a hundred-fold worse than the woman herself did and the Genasi found herself sighing in relief that the woman had not been struck down. Wow! How amazing was that for her to stand up there and contend for the will of the crowd against the will of Jon-Drew. To boldly ignore an attack that could have been deadly. (Had been deadly, for she was sure she saw a dead man with a dagger's hilt protruding from in his chest.) How did she do that? How did she have the sense of... self... confidence, faith in her own skills to do such a thing. Why did she had to be an enemy of Jon-Drew's? Mai might like to know a woman like that - but then, Mai's master would never allow that. What crazy ideas would such a woman fill Mai's mind with? Jon-Drew would have none of that.

As the scene began to devolve from quite a conflict into more open combat, Mai found herself befuddled by it all. What was the meaning of this? Nothing like this had ever happened before. Nobody stood up to Jon-Drew - at least not for very long and regretting it soon after. Mai was certain that her master would make everyone pay for their insolence - or at least try. She could already envision his blades in more people's chests. She could already feel the sting of the whip on her back - for it was only a matter of time before he blamed her for what had happened. He would not single her out exactly, but the blame would get passed around to everyone in time. Somebody had failed him, or so he would figure, or this would not have happened. Her master's retribution for this event would be terrible indeed.

But then... another surprise happened. The bold, insulting words of the swashbuckler and the rather terrible-looking axe of the Kobold - yes, a lowly Kobold, struck Jon-Drew down. As much as he had been wounded by the Kobold's fierce knee-popper... Jon-Drew had been hurt where it would probably do the most harm. His pride was hurt. Suddenly, laying in front of her feet - quite ironically, considering she was usually at his - and he did not seem so powerful. He was not in control of his surroundings. His reign over the world around them seemed thin... like a silken veil that might be lifting off in a strong breeze. There seemed to be a lot of powerful people here all or a sudden, and it was not clear that Jon-Drew was one of them.

Was this the moment? Was everything about to change? What happened if these people succeeding in... well, whatever they had in mind for her master. Jail? Death? Humilation? Was it possible that her master could be dethroned so easily? And was it happening now? Were these people making it happen? And... what should she do about it? Was this an opportunity or just a risk? Could you really risk Jon-Drew's retribution for not standing up and defending him? What if this was the moment when everything could change and she did nothing to help? Help... herself... And the other slaves. What if she was the cause of her own enslavement? What if she acted? What if... she made a difference? What if she were free? What if.... she was an idiot and was fooling herself that it could happen.

Mai steadied herself on her feet as her eyes flicked back and forth between the Kobold who had just struck her master and Jon-Drew, laying there at her feet. "I'm sorry," she whispered, only barely above the volume of her ephemeral breath, "but you deserve this." Her eyes flicked back and forth one last time and she suddenly kicked out with her long, slender leg. The attack was weak at best and even if it did strike home, it seemed hardly capable of doing any harm. But something happened at that moment. The force that was generated by the tiny Genasi was amplified to an extend certainly much more than what her little body was capable of generating.

She struck out at the prone form of Jon-Drew. A moment later, she seemed to regret her actions and cringed away from her master. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she cried, wanting to get away - to be anywhere other than near her master just then. What had she done? What would he do to her now? She had to get away! "Please," she said seemingly to nobody. "Take me away..." It was the wind itself that seemed to answer her plea. The air swirled around her, picking up her lithe body and carrying it off the ship... over the water some 30 feet below. The invisible chariot then deposited her on the docks, blowing some of the dirt and trash around for a moment, then calming.

Mai was off the ship. Was she free? Or was she in more trouble than ever?

 

Sorry for being so long-winded with this one. It seems like a momentous event in Mai's life, so I wanted to do it justice.

Standard action: attack Jon-Drew with Force Punch (A kick seems more appropriate, since he's on the ground.) She gains combat advantage for this attack, since her target is prone. Effect: If the attack hits, then Jon-Drew and all adjacent enemies (the sailor behind Mai) are pushed 1 square. Result: 15 vs. Fortitude, for 8 points of force damage
Move action: Fly 8 squares SW, using her Windwalker racial power.

[BZmek]

Blatant combat had broken out at the docks and it seemed as though the halfling and Rasheles' efforts did indeed discourage the angry mob, most of them anyway, much to Philbin's pleasure. A good tiff might be just the thing to break him from his run of bad luck at the table, or at the very least distract his thoughts from dwelling there. He actually hoped that Jon-Drew spoke the truth in having paid off the guard. It meant that the fight would go on uninterrupted.

A dagger spun through the air, narrowly missing Rashele, who simply mocked Jon-Drew, the slaver that launched the airborne weapon. "Woah! That was close!" A brush with death and the sassy pirate seemed unphased. Philbin could learn a thing or two from her.

As on the docks, a flurry of action blossomed on the ships deck as the gnoll and kobold that Philbin had mused over also took up arms against the slavers. "Wasn't the kobold one of the guards on duty for the Slave Trader?" Philbin was finding it hard to keep track with what was transpiring. He went to follow with Rashele's lead but the shaggy dwarf that had seemingly showed allegiance just before rushed in and swiped at the approaching goon. Adjusting to the situation he quickly formulated a plan to capitalise on the chaos of it all.

"Hey you, squid breathe!" He called to the pirate clutching his ribcage from the dwarf's hammer strike. "Avandra must have been watching over you when the pirates took you into their fold. A flounder like you couldn't even catch and make a slave out of a four foot halfling let alone a grown woman." With the taunt he dropped from his perch on the bollard and slipped into the frantic crowd away from the goon.

With a grin from ear to ear, the pint sized battler angled his way through the jungle of kicking knees and bouncing buttoms, he even pinched one female on hers to open a hole in the swarm of lower limbs, after all, who said that it couldn't be fun? From the edge and front line of the far side of the crowd Philbin lashed out with his sword arm into the stomach of the nearest goon as he stepped from the crowd into the open, not hiding from his foe.

 

Minor: Battleminds Demand
At-Will :: Augmentable, Psionic
Target: Close burst 3 (Goon at D11)
Effect: The target is marked by Philbin until he uses this power again or until the end of the encounter.
Move: F13
Standard: World-Slipping Advance
At-Will :: Augmentable, Psionic, Weapon
Target: Goon at E14 :: Attack: 23 vs. AC. Hit: 7 damage and Philbin shifts to F14.

OOC Stats: AC FORT RFLX WILL HSV 19 14 13 14 8 Per Ins Init Spd   12 17 1 6   Non-At-Will Powers: Power Frequency Used? Power Points 2 2/2 Persistent Harrier ENC - Second Chance ENC - Running Slash ENC - Second Wind ENC - Action Point ENC - Accelerating Strike Daily - Philbin - Halfling Battlemind :: Power Trigger Action Effect Blurred Step Adjacent Marked Enemy Shifts Free Teleport 1 square, can only be used 1/turn Second Chance Hit by an attack Immediate Interrupt The attacker must reroll the attack and use the second roll Mind Spike Adjacent Marked Enemy makes attack that does not target Philbin Immediate Reaction Target takes force/psychic damage equal to damage dealt by the attack Persistent Harrier Enemy attacks Philbin for first time during an encounter Immediate Reaction Attack the target with melee attack even if target out of reach. Attack: Con+7 vs AC, Damage: d6+4 Triggerable Powers :: Item Qty Weight Value Description Scale Armor 1 45 45 gp   Adventurer's Kit 1 33 15 gp   Heavy Shield 1 15 10 gp   Goblin Totem Short sword +1 1 2 520 gp Dmg: 1d6. Bonuses: +1 to atk & dmg rolls. Crit: +1d6 per plus. Properties: Attacks against a medium or larger foe gains a bonus to damage rolls equal to the weapon's enhancement bonus. Total: 95 lb XP: 0 Currency: 30 gp Inventory HP: 33/33 Healing Surges: 13/13 Position: F14 CURRENTLY MARKED :: GOON AT D11 Trigger: When Philbin is hit or missed by an enemy's attack for the first time in this encounter, he immediately reacts with Persistent Harrier :: Attack: 1d20+8 vs. AC :: Hit: 1d6+5 (+1 if foe is of medium or larger size) damage and he teleports to a square of his choice that is adjacent the attacker.