Trial by Fire (Part 2)

[JubalBreakbottle]

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 14/14 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 1/1 | 1st-level 3/3

---

Celsior checks the mangonel with his crew. Replying to the penguin, "keep the dynamite Popsicle with you. We may need it elsewhere."

To the clown, he offers, "I don't think the other crew will fire at us. However, I was thinking that there might be threats in the debris field, like really big asteroids or pirates. If we cannot avoid the asteroids, perhaps we can change their course with a shot."

"Let's load the aft mangonel and fore ballista to ready them for use, too. Then, let's police the ship for anything useful or unexpected." The prince heads toward the next siege weapon with his crew.

Mechanics

Trance skills: Athletics & Vehicles (space)

Prepared spells: Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep, Burning Hands & Absorb Elements

[KingGoblin]

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 19/19 | HD 1/1 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

Saves: Str -1 | Dex +3 | Con +1 | Int +2 | Wis +5 | Cha +0

Resistances: Acid and Poison

---

Saluting smartly, Lazuli quickly attunes to the helm, and prepares the course her Captain ordered. Once again, the whole experience feels effortless for her, even though the hammerhead's form is unfamiliar.

Edited December 19, 2023 by KingGoblin (see edit history)

[BobtheWizard]

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 2) sheet

---

AC: 16 | HP: 18/24 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | FeaturesAdv. on saves vs. charm
60' Darkvision
BA Hide or Disengage
Fury of Small: 2/2 LR
Favored Foe: 2 /2 LR
Hit Dice: 1 / 1d10+2 LR
Conditions: none

---

Lou is fine with being a Shipmate. It's a step up from cook, deckhand, or scallywag, whatever that means. Besides, his favorite part of these ships is the weapons. He coordinates the mangonel crew, helps assemble the second, and inspects the 3-man Ballista.

"So we'll start with manning the Mangonel, then move over to the Ballista if an enemy gets too close. More crew would be helpful so we could manage all three weapons at once."

He speaks not as if he is in charge, but as though he has experience in this sort of combat.

---

Mechanics Main Hand: Shortbow Off Hand: none Action: none Move: none Manipulate: none Bonus Action: none Gnarley's Knack: You have Advantage on the next roll you make regarding ship repairs or ship weaponry.

 

[Cointhief]

Lazuli feels her consciousness awaken once more as she becomes the living engine. No longer constrained to the scale models of Saerthe's Nexus, she grips the armrests of the chair tightly as her senses rapidly expand to every aperture and extension of the heavy galleon. Tiny levers click into place and various indicators leap to their defaults as a low vibration shakes both the spelljammer and ship.

On the illusory Sky Dock, the portmaster rings a big golden bell continuously, signalling the all clear for the hammership to ascend.

By the third dong, the spelljamming ship leaps.

Captain and crew brace as the massive vessel rises aloft at tactical speed, quickly well above the dark clouds dotting the morning above the Academy. Indeed, soon 'morning' has little meaning as the whole of Toril reduces to a spherical orb, touched by a mere sliver of a blue crescent alight, and stretching only as wide as your field of view.

Sol stands brilliant in the expanse of space, and as your eyes adjust to the starlight other colors begin to filter through. Lazuli senses an almost electrostatic shift as the air envelope elongates, defying the null of raw sky.

She senses an orbital altitude has been acheived.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew arms and readies the ship's weaponry...preparing for utility and wishing against harsher realities. Louis takes the initiative to ensure the weaponry is functional, leaving the captain free to pursue the thousand other checklist items. 

Captain Celsior cycles through the memories of his ancestors, checking rigging here and there, shifting cargo, analyzing in full the ship's potential to bring success to the mission. Everything appears quite in order, but is pleasantly surprised to locate a telescopic spyglass of gith make near the railing.

More importantly, he locates a navigational chart of Realmspace...how will his crew get to Coliar, anyways?

Progressing from here requires plotting a course to Coliar and getting the ship ready for spelljamming speed. This is a Skill Challenge where PCs (only) will roll. If half or more succeed, the challenge is a success. You are limited to what you may roll based on your rank assignment as follows:

• Captain may choose Survival or Persuasion.
• Shipmate may choose Athletics or Acrobatics. (and Louis may use Gnarley's Knack, or save for later)
• Spelljammer may choose Investigation or Survival. (and may add nav tools bonus, effectively doubling proficiency for the roll)

DC 12.

[BobtheWizard]

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 2) sheet

---

AC: 16 | HP: 18/24 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | FeaturesAdv. on saves vs. charm
60' Darkvision
BA Hide or Disengage
Fury of Small: 2/2 LR
Favored Foe: 2 /2 LR
Hit Dice: 1 / 1d10+2 LR
Conditions: none

---

Lou ties the weapons down and helps with the rigging, running up the masts and tying off ropes where needed. He is giddy at the idea of being in space again, even if this is just a simulation. He looks at Celsior's new map, and offers his services.

"Let me know if you need help with the map and the navigation. If not, I'll make sure everything is secure."

Once he has finished his rounds checking all of the rigging, he returns to the frontmost mangonel, ready to fire it if needed.

---

Mechanics Main Hand: Shortbow Off Hand: none Action: none Move: none Manipulate: none Bonus Action: none Gnarley's Knack: You have Advantage on the next roll you make regarding ship repairs or ship weaponry.

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by BobtheWizard (see edit history)

[KingGoblin]

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 19/19 | HD 1/1 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

Saves: Str -1 | Dex +3 | Con +1 | Int +2 | Wis +5 | Cha +0

Resistances: Acid and Poison

---

Lazuli gets into the feel of things, becoming one with everything. Then, she stretches her senses out, and feels for a route.

[Cointhief]

Nice, even though that's two successes and a pass for the challenge, please Celsior and Yahs go ahead and roll as well. The instructors are watching. ;)

[DM-Tareth]

Yahs Anirys Plasmoid Monk 2 CG

AC: 16 | HP: 16/16 | HD: 2/2 | PP: 13 | Inspiration: Yes | Speed: 40 ft | GP: 60
Str 11 (0) Dex 16 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 16 (3) Int 11 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Attacks: Spear (P)1d20+5;1d6+3 | Unarmed(B) 1d20+5;1d4+3 | Sling(B)1d20+5;1d4+3 | Quarterstaff-Mop(B) 1d20+5;1d6+3
Magic: Sacred Flame (DEX vs DC13; 1d8) | Shield of Faith(Bonus; +2AC) | Ki Pool: 2/2

---

Although not an expert in their function, Yahs helps set up the ships weapons lending a pod where it is most needed. As the ship lifts off, her face and body distort with the sudden fast motion. Her hag head flattens and her legs squish to half their usual height giving the plasmoid the look of some overpuffed balloon animal. It takes her several moments to recover her form and figure out how to constantly adjust and compensate for the ships speed and motion. But once she does, she is quickly slithering up the main rigging and slinging herself from rope to rope making sure all is in working order and tip-top shape before she dropping back down to the surface. It is then that she notices several spots of spilled grease on the foredeck. Grabbing her trusty mop, she gets to work swabbing the stuff off the deck. Citing Fleet Safety Manual Lesson Number Fifty-three. A clean ship is a safe and efficient ship. She could only hope the gnomes would be proud of her.

 

Acrobatics vs DC12

Edited December 20, 2023 by DM-Tareth (see edit history)

[JubalBreakbottle]

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 14/14 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 1/1 | 1st-level 3/3

---

Celsior is content that the ship is in good shape, at least one thing less to be concerned.

Finding the chart of Realmspace, he calls to Lou, "hey Lou, I found a chart of Realmspace. Let's help Squishy find the best way to Coliar." He meets Lou at the helm where the Spelljammer is.

Mechanics

Skill challenge: Persuasion

Edited December 20, 2023 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

[Cointhief]

Lou battens down the hatches and angles the heavy weapons downwards into a sleek organic shape, a wise procedure in order for the frames to sustain their integrity at the intense spelljamming speeds about to come. He takes a strong position to ensure the initiative should a threat become apparent.

Lazuli verifies the positions of a few background stars with a sextant while triple checking the current positions of dark meteor swarms using some back of the envelope celestial mechanics. Scribing a light blue mark across the gridlines of the Realmspace chart, the Spelljammer indicates at last she has found the way forward.

Celsior supports the planning, finding not only the most mathematically sensible route but also the most practical...after all avoiding recent pirate strike locations and anticipating new ones could be just as time saving as minimizing the flight path itself. Convincing Lazuli of these minor modifications to her expertly plotted lines takes a Captain's knack...advice which the prince delivers with subtlety and grace.

One last course correction really showcases the plasmoid's expertise however. An uncharted swarm of space eels is discovered after a few scans of the gith spyglass, its crackling electric hyperbolic orbit appearing to intersect the hammership's movement only moments after maximum thrust. Crisis avoided.

Yahs raises a little membrane blemish she had been using to approximate an eyebrow, discovering a few spots of sticky grease dotting the deck...likely some pun included in the magics of Illusionist Bacon. Although at the moment the activity seemed rather mundane to most, it would later prove absolutely vital.

With the gas-giant Celsior firmly in the crew's sight, nothing remains but to give Squishy the order to engage.

Lazuli again feels her consciousness pulled forward in spacetime, the proximity of Sol pulling her mind into an astronautical curvature. But almost as soon as the vessel reaches that impossible velocity, the telltale signs of warning alight from the helm's aura...something is obstructing the path. The ship automatically drops back to tactical speed after only a minute or so.

A deserted space galleon drifts lifelessly just off the starboard bow. For a moment there is nothing but the silence of space.

Suddenly a flash, a white streaking energetic bullet zig zagging closer with some unknown intelligence...

*KApLOW*

The streaking projectile bursts the nearby galleon asunder into a million splinters, the coldfire stone bludgeoning it to bits. It arcs closer, fast as a comet there's no time, the murderous fallen star is already upon you! And it has...a face? A face very closely resembling the halfling known only as Illusionist Bacon. The deathly rock, some arcane amalgamation of earth and fire elemental, breathes its starfire mouth-spout upon your ship...and a number of blue flames erupt as the body of your vessel begins to be consumed.

It's a good thing those grease spots were discovered, or it could have been much worse. Fact remains, this is a crucial moment for the crew to overcome lest they burn to ashes in the middle of nowhere...

Skill Challenge 2. Avoiding the worst the Murder Comet has to offer and extinguishing the flames. Checks are again determined by role. Captain and Shipmate are the same as before. Spelljammer now has Arcana or Survival.

Captain: Survival or Persuasion
Shipmate: Athletics or Acrobatics
Spelljammer: Arcana or Survival

DC 13.

[BobtheWizard]

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 2) sheet

---

AC: 16 | HP: 18/24 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | FeaturesAdv. on saves vs. charm
60' Darkvision
BA Hide or Disengage
Fury of Small: 2/2 LR
Favored Foe: 2 /2 LR
Hit Dice: 1 / 1d10+2 LR
Conditions: none

---

Lou sees the comet streaking towards the ship. He rolls off the upper deck towards the mangonel as he warns the others.

"Incoming! Prepare for impact!"

He flips around the already loaded mangonel and lines up a shot - not really hoping to hit the elemental comet, but just trying to make it dodge to give Lazuli time to get us out of here. As soon as he is done, he darts over to the Ballista to prepare for a second attack.

---

Mechanics Main Hand: Shortbow Off Hand: none Action: none Move: none Manipulate: none Bonus Action: none Gnarley's Knack: You have Advantage on the next roll you make regarding ship repairs or ship weaponry.

 

Edited December 21, 2023 by BobtheWizard (see edit history)

[KingGoblin]

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 19/19 | HD 1/1 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

Saves: Str -1 | Dex +3 | Con +1 | Int +2 | Wis +5 | Cha +0

Resistances: Acid and Poison

---

Irritation evident by her twitching spasmatic waves that flow up and down her form, Lazuli turns the ship to avoid the majority of the damage from the blueflame starfire. "Your orders, Captain! Do I ram it, or continue the mission?"

Edited December 21, 2023 by KingGoblin (see edit history)

[JubalBreakbottle]

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 14/14 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 1/1 | 1st-level 3/3

---

Celsior furrows his brow when he sees the illusionist's face on the death comet and mutters under his breath, "can that really exist?"

"Ram it if you can Squishy!" The prince replies. "Everyone else! Fight the fires!" He tries to coordinate the crew to optimize the fire fighting.

Mechanics

Skill challenge: Persuasion

Edited December 21, 2023 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

[DM-Tareth]

Yahs Anirys Plasmoid Monk 2 CG

AC: 16 | HP: 16/16 | HD: 2/2 | PP: 13 | Inspiration: Yes | Speed: 40 ft | GP: 60
Str 11 (0) Dex 16 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 16 (3) Int 11 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Attacks: Spear (P)1d20+5;1d6+3 | Unarmed(B) 1d20+5;1d4+3 | Sling(B)1d20+5;1d4+3 | Quarterstaff-Mop(B) 1d20+5;1d6+3
Magic: Sacred Flame (DEX vs DC13; 1d8) | Shield of Faith(Bonus; +2AC) | Ki Pool: 2/2

---

Armed with bucket and mop, Yahs makes sure her trusty janitorial smacking stick is soaked through and begins slapping the soggy soaker at the closest outbreaks of blue flame. Unknown to the scrubbing plasmoid, recent changes by the bean counters in fleet purchasing included a switch to a new deck cleaning product. The switch to Mr. Bubbles Funtime Scrubber and Sanitizing Gel, while providing a healthy kickback for the purchasing agents along with ten times more bubbles and scrubbing power, is an unfortunate and ill advised decision that creates a troubling situation for the hapless Yahs. For unlike the previous water based cleanser, Mr. Bubbles is approximately seventy-five percent alcohol. It is a mixture that certainly makes it popular with crews that run low on their daily rum allocations. (Some penny pinching captains have even attempted to replace their entire rum allocation for the much cheaper Mr. Bubbles and pocketing the difference.) Despite its ability to keep a crew happy, make a captain wealthier and clean the toughest blood stains from any type of wooden decking, it is terrible for putting out fires.

DEX(Acrobatics) vs DC13

Edited December 21, 2023 by DM-Tareth (see edit history)

[Cointhief]

Lou's quick warning reaches Lazuli's extended senses, and in a sudden lurch the ship rolls on its lateral axis just as the fire spout is about to strike the main mast. This maneuver saves the ship from the worst of the flames, localizing the damage to one small area near the bow.

The ill-fated Mr. Bubbles mix Yahs' mom always trusted proves a horrible choice, its volatile contents adding fuel to the Murder Comet's elemental spitfire. The Captain tries to shout some order but the fireball from the flammable cleaning fluid *whooshes* louder than his voice...and Lazuli only hears "...you can Squishy! Everyone...fight the fires!" Zibbles, armed with his trusty squirting flower gag, manages the outer boundary of the conflagration preventing the starfire from spreading too much as the rest of the crew snuffs out the stuff. And luckily, Popsicle was taking a nap in the crow's nest with his dynamite stick well away from any open flames.

As the ship scrapes through the debris of the splintered galleon, Louis mans the ballista. Just as the Murder Comet swings back around he fires, the massive bolt slamming into the space stone...the icy marble fracturing and getting knocked off course. The quick shot gives Squishy just enough time to clear the wreckage and make the jump again to spelljamming speed...Bacon's hateful rock swooping through empty space.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Cointhief (see edit history)