CH. 7: Voyage of the Bullring

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn gets out of everyone's way so that they can do their jobs. Though, she keeps nearby just in case someone gets hurt.

[Nuke]

"Wow, glad that bitch didn't do me it in." Val says. "Is it dead?"

She struggles to get out of the bunk. "This can't be over yet."

[Jenara]

"Orcs.." Arei says as she purses her lips together, "The Ship is called the Nightmare." Clutching Telsa close she watches the ship with interest. "Do you intend to board her?"

[JadedDM]

The Bullring moves closer to the Nightmare, despite it's attempt to flee. "Nightmare, huh?" Terra smirks. "I think they're the ones who just met their worse nightmare."

The captain nods. "Yeah, I think we will board her. I'm going to reverse the situation here, and take their ship and their cargo instead. Hold off on the canons!" she calls. "We're taking this ship in one piece! Come about!" The crew cheers again.

"Fire!" Sierra commands. The forty marines, two remaining catapults and three ballistaes all fire. The screams of the orcs dying can be easily heard from here.

=============

(OOC: Not sure what happened to Breila, but three day rule, we're moving on!)

Maneuvering Dice
The Bullring seeks to close (1d6+3): 7
The Nightmare seeks to flee (1d6+1): 4

Round 12!

Bullring closes the difference by 30 yards. The ships are now 70 yards apart.

Bullring's archers (x40) fire their long bows at the Nightmare's crew whom are wearing hide armor (+2)
(1d20+2): 12, 5 hits that strike (5d10): 9, marine dies; 4, blocked; 4, blocked, 7, sailor dies; 3, blocked.
(1d20+2): 8, 4 hits that strike (4d10): 7, sailor dies; 1, blocked; 8, marine dies; 2, blocked.
(1d20+2): 5, 3 hits that strike (3d10): 1, blocked; 8, marine dies; 3, blocked.
(1d20+2): 6, 3 hits that strike (3d10): 8, marine dies; 1, blocked; 9, marine dies.

Bullring's catapults fire at the Nightmare (1d20): 12, miss; (1d20): 4, miss.

Bullring's ballistaes fire at the Nightmare
(1d20): 5, miss
(1d20): 10, hit (6d10): 6, sailor dies; 1, blocked; 4, blocked; 9 marine dies; 2, blocked; 7, sailor dies.
(1d20): 18, hit (6d10): 10, quartermaster dies; 4, blocked; 9, marine dies; 3, blocked; 3, blocked; 5, blocked.

Total Nightmare causalities: 7 marines killed, 4 sailors killed, 1 officer killed.

(OOC: The PCs may attack, if they wish, before the Nightmare gets its turn. You can fire a projectile weapon--remember to check your weapons' ranges, and whether you suffer penalties for medium or long range--cast a spell--again, check your spell ranges first--or hide below deck; note that this will mean you have no chance of being hit by a weapon, but the captain won't be too happy about it, either.

Remember, the two ships are now 70 yards apart.)

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn continues to stay out of everyone's way unless she is needed, though she does seem to be enjoying the battle.

[Nuke]

What is the ruling on near death? Is Val capable of any action?

[Breila]

"Val, for all I can tell, you did take out the most dangerous foes. You would have died without the help of Jocelyn's healer God. Anything that hits you now would kill you for good" Ouragana reminds the half-orc, concern in her face.

[Jenara]

Blade still sheaved Arei draws a pistol and aims it at the closest orc, trying to steady her hand as she does so.

1d10, 1d20=[1], [15]
init 1, hit AC 7

"I'm getting the hang of this." She winks, "Permission to take Vals place in the boarding party?" she asks the captain, reloading the weapon.

[JadedDM]

Areilon fires her pistol, but due to the range and her lack of proficiency with the weapon, she doesn't hit anything at all. "Permission to take Val's place in the boarding party?" she asks the captain.

"Only if you're better with a blade than you are with that gun," Sierra responds. She and Terra both fire at the Nightmare, both killing a marine with their crossbows.

Thaddeus begins chanting a spell and unleashes an arrow made of acid, but it never even makes it to the ship, instead dropping into the ocean. "Blast it!" he complains.

"Where's your assistant?" the captain asks him. "I heard her say she knew Featherfall. That can be used against enemy missiles, right?"

"Too late! Incoming!" warns Terra. Arrows rain down upon the ship. One thunks into the main mast, and a second hits the ship's side. However, a third one hits one of the archers, piercing his throat and killing him. A fourth one strikes Hofur in the shoulder, causing him to swear up a storm.

"Damn, Hofur, are you alright?" calls Sierra.

"I'll live!" he calls back, yanking the arrow out of his shoulder viciously.

"Alright, prepare to board! Javos, get us closer! Thaddeus, what spells you got left?" Sierra asks.

"I have some sleep spells prepared," he answers.

"Good, cast them as soon as you are in range!"

=============

Areilon fires a pistol, an unfamiliar weapon (-3), at long range (-5) at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20-8): 7, miss.
Thaddeus casts Acid Arrow at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20): 2, miss.
Terra fires (+2) her light crossbow (+1) at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20+3): 23, critical hit! for (2d6+1): 8 damage. A marine is killed.
Sierra fires (+1) her light crossbow (+3) at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20+4): 13, hit for (1d6+1): 6 damage. A marine is killed.

Nightmare's archers (x11) fire their long bows at the Bullring's crew whom are wearing leather armor (+2)
(1d20+2): 6, 4 hits (4d10): 10, named character hit; 5, blocked; 9, marine killed; 3, blocked.

Named character hit (1 Sierra, 2 Terra, 3 Jocelyn, 4 Areilon, 5 Thaddeus, 6 Vincent, 7 Hofur, 8 Javos): (1d8): 7, Hofur hit for (1d6): 4 damage.

Total Bullring causalities: 1 marine killed, Hofur lightly wounded

(OOC: Note, that if Areilon reloads her gun, it will take up her turn next round.)

[Jenara]

"I forgot to consider the range." she shrugs, "My skill is in hand to hand combat." she adds, putting the pistol in her belt she gets ready to board, Telsa in her hand.

[HorizonsDream]

"She's pretty forgetful, sometimes," Jocelyn says as she rushes over to heal Hudor with cure light wounds.

Hit Points Restored (1)

(Come on now, seriously?).

[JadedDM]

The Nightmare still attempts to flee, but the Bullring not only stays on top of it, it gets a little bit closer. "Ballista?" asks Sierra.

"Still reloading!" Terra calls.

Nodding, Sierra gestures to the archers. "Fire!"

The marine archers all fire, as do the captain and first mate, killing a number of orcs in the process. Meanwhile, those marines who are not archers form boarding parties, grabbing grappling hooks and boarding planks to get ready. Areilon, the magic of the flight potion still coursing through her veins, joins them and finds Javos among them, grappling hook in hand. "Ever fought Soulbiters before?" he asks her.

Jocelyn speaks a prayer over the grumpy dwarf, and his arrow wound closes slightly. He rubs at the wound and nods to her. "Thanks," he says gruffly.

"Cleric!" Sierra calls at Jocelyn. "What spells you got left?" she asks, noting her healing Hofur.

"Thaddeus?" asks Terra.

He shakes his head. "Still not close enough!" he calls back.

"What about that scroll? The one we found in the harpy's nest?"

Thaddeus hesitates. "I was sort of hoping to save that one to add to my book," he admits.

"I'll buy you a dozen scrolls when we get out of this mess, just use it!" Terra responds.

"It's in my quarters!" he calls. He hurries to one of the nearby communication tubes, finds the one leading to the crew's bunks, and calls into it. "Ouragana! Go get the scroll in my room; the one sitting next to that artifact we've been working on, and bring it up to me, quickly!" he calls. Down in the crew's bunks, Ouragana, sitting with the wounded Val, hears Thaddeus' voice coming from one of the pipes.

"Incoming!" warns Terra. The remaining marine archers on the Nightmare fire, but nobody is hit, thankfully.

===============

Maneuvering Dice
The Bullring seeks to close (1d6+3): 6
The Nightmare seeks to flee (1d6+1): 5

Round 13!

The Bullring closes the difference by 10 yards. The ships are now 60 yards apart. The Bullring gains a +1 to next maneuverability roll and a +2 bonus to missile/artillery combat rolls this round.

Bullring's archers (x40) fire their long bows (+2) at the Nightmare's crew whom are wearing hide armor (+2)
(1d20+4): 9, 4 hits (4d10): 8, marine dies; 5, blocked; 1, blocked; 7, sailor dies.
(1d20+4): 19, 6 hits (6d10): 8, marine dies; 7, sailor dies; 10, navigator wounded; 5, blocked; 8, marine dies; 6, sailor dies.
(1d20+4): 9, 4 hits (4d10): 7, sailor dies; 2, blocked; 6, sailor dies; 1, blocked.
(1d20+4): 12, 5 hits (5d10): 6, sailor dies; 3, blocked; 1, blocked; 7, sailor dies; 2, blocked.

Terra fires (+2) her light crossbow (+1) at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20+3): 22, hit for (1d6+1): 2 damage. Sailor is wounded.
Sierra fires (+1) her light crossbow (+3) at the crew of the Nightmare (1d20+4): 18, hit for (1d6+1): 2 damage. Sailor is killed.
Jocelyn casts Cure Light Wounds on Hofur, restoring (1d8): 1 HP.
Areilon joins the boarding parties.

Total Nightmare causalities: 3 marines killed, 8 sailors killed, 1 officer wounded.

Nightmare's archers (x8) fire their long bows at the Bullring's crew whom are wearing leather armor (+2)
(1d20+2): 8; 4 hits (4d10): 2, blocked; 5, blocked; 2, blocked; 5 blocked.

Total Bullring causalities: None

(OOC: Thought I'd try and get Ouragana into the action, even if I have to drag her kicking and screaming. :p)

[Jenara]

"Soulbiters?" Arei asks him, levitating a short way off the ground, "I've encountered Orcs before, in fact a few.." She taps her blade, "This blade was taken from a dead Orc." Her elven brow furrows as she looks over to the ship, watching the orcs move around the ship.

Getting herself ready she turns back to the others, "I need a rope, I can fly over before we get close enough." she looks to see if there is a spare hook and rope to use...

[HorizonsDream]

"I have Hold Person and Protection from Evil left, along with a couple more healing prayers," Jocelyn says.

[Breila]

Ouragana squeezes Val's had. "Stay safe!" she implores the half-orc, then runs up to Thaddeus's room and brings him the scroll.