Realmspace Sortie (Part 3)

Cointhief · January 8

The day began with a rude awakening.

At four bells Boatswain Tarto assaulted the bunks in a most military and discourteous fashion. Garbage cans were thrown, warm sheets yanked back, incredulous orders barked, and nothing but woe, shame, and extra pushups to the ones who still struggled with the morning's Sandman's Tears. Breakfast was slurped down hastily in a rush through the halls, scattering schools of spectral fish through the walls and ceilings.

You were commanded to immediately board (as passengers) the hammerhead ship known as the Flighty Foundling, the very same you toured with the twin gnomes during your orientation. There was no time to search out that friendly duo however, for no sooner did you board than the ship rose into flight...leaving Toril behind, this time for real.

As layers of cloud whipped across your morning frowns, Tarto gave a debriefing...punctuated of course with drags of the hadozee's everburning cigar. "Opportunity knocks, cadets. An adamantine meteor has struck the Spire on H'catha. You lot are going to recover it...that's right, your first real mission. Bad news? H'catha is populated solely by beholders and their kin. Good news? We've got an empty Tyrant-class ship drifting above Toril, just waiting for you to crew it. You're going to install a new spelljamming helm on the Command Deck, get it worthy to plow through Wildspace. Once that's done, you should be able to reach the Spire without attracting any unwanted attention of the other Tyrant ships patrolling around H'cathan space."

"Now I know in light of recent events there's lots of fears and gossip goin' round. You won't be alone, Petty Officer Winston Ryeback will be coming with you so you'll be in good hands...and damn sure won't go hungry." You recall the trigger happy giff chef whose family pistol was stolen, immediately feeling a taste of Gunpowder Chowder indigestion. "He's taking command of the deck hands Miken, Krik'Lit, Popsicle, Zibbles, and Veena. You'll need to ID who among you is in command of the mission, as well as who commands the ship...though based on yesterday's success I imagine that be an easy choice." She takes a few puffs, mentally running through a checklist "...oh, word of warning. Tyrant ships are made of solid stone, so don't try to land it in water. You'll sink like a rock."

The Flighty Foundling docks alongside the Tyrant, which looks like a gigantic, stone-carved beholder floating in orbit above Toril. You try not to think about the tools used to carve such a vessel...because you know the answer is the beholder's deadly disintegration rays. You get plopped unceremoniously into the Tyrant's cargo hold along with a crate of supplies, a navigational map, and a shiny new spelljammer helm wrapped in packing paper.

Gravity seems to be going the wrong direction, and it takes a few glances at the map to realize the layout of the ship is rather strange for humanoids. You hope the nearby supplies can overcome some of the challenge, and aren't as useless as your orientation packages.

Petty Officer Ryeback pulls up the rear wearing a backpack laden with cooking implements. Pots clang and clatter as he turns and waves a fat handed goodbye to the Flighty Foundling, which has already set a course back to the Academy.

Note the location of the gravity plane between your current location (Cargo Deck) and destination (Command Deck).

BobtheWizard · January 8

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 3) sheet

AC: 16 | HP: 32/32 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | Features

Opal AC: 16 | HP: 20/20 | PP: 14 | Features

Lou goes to breakfast with his new dragon walking alongside of him. It looks like it weighs about the same as he does. It's anger than he is tall, but thinner. When she walks on all fours, she comes up to Lou's chest. He introduces her to the others with little explanation, like she is an old friend that happened to stop by.

Once on the ship, Lou is excited. He had heard of these Tyrant class ships, and he read a little about them in Gnarley Knack's book too, but he's not as familiar with them as he would like. The whole design is strange. Things don't do what they appear they should, and some things that look safe can be dangerous.

He'll want to explore the whole ship and learn every bit of it that he can, but he has one priority above all others.

"Come on, Opal. Let's find the guns."

He sets about trying to categorize and learn to use all of the weapons oil the ship.

Mechanics

Main Hand: none
Off Hand: none

Action: search for guns
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.

JubalBreakbottle · January 8

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 20/20 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 2/2 | 1st-level 4/4 | 2nd-level 2/2

At breakfast, Celsior welcomes the dragon and asks Lou all about his new friend, Opal.

Celsior silently rejoices in the immediate assignment and actively listens to the information and orders. Assuming he has command, he looks around the cargo hold. "Petty Officer Ryeback, would you please supervise the installation of a ladder from this deck to the command deck. After Lou inspects the ship for weapons, he can help you install the spelljammer helm on the command deck."

"Squishy, why don't you start examining the navigational charts, so you're prepared to take the spelljammer helm." The prince planned to review them with Squishy and Miken, in case they needed to take the helm in an emergency... but later.

"Yahs, would you help me inventory the supplies?" The prince looks to the crew for consensus and any suggestions. If everyone is good with the plan, he heads to the crate of supplies to start inventory.

Mechanics

Active spells: Familiar

Action: Be awesome

Edited January 8 by JubalBreakbottle (see edit history)

DM-Tareth · January 9

The rude awakening barely fazes Yahs as she hurriedly sloshes up and out of her mobile bucket within a few moments of Tarto's first clattering crash of a trash can bouncing off the wall. This is mostly because Tarto is not good at identifying actual trashcans from the mobile circular sleeping units used by a few of his plasmoid cadets. It takes quite some time for her audio nerves to stop ringing and her shaken, but not stirred, ectoplasmic innards to calm enough for her to take on her usual somewhat unpleasant form. Although her hungover stagger to the mess hall has little to do with actual alcohol consumption, she fits right in with several of the other cadets who blew off steam in the tavern. Breakfast is something of a blur and she keeps trying to blink away the apparition following Lou around everywhere until she realizes the small dragon isn't a figment of her rattled imagination.

It isn't until she's onboard the hollowed out flying rock of Tyrant crafting that she feels fully recovered and ready for duty. She quickly dives in to the mundane task of taking inventory when something Miken said the previous afternoon comes back to her. Turning to Celsior who is busily counting out rolls of toilet paper, she clears her throat and points a pod at Squishy unpacking the spelljamming helm.

"Seeing Squishy just reminded me of something Miken said yesterday outside the infirmary." She says. "He said that what happened yesterday was like something attacked his helm directly. I don't know if it was part of the simulation or the sabotage, but it might be worth warning Squishy about. Maybe even having another talk with Miken to see if he can remember anything else. Would hate to have something like that happen to us when were trying to sneak past a bunch of tyrant perimeter defenses." A rippling shiver washes across her form at that last thought as she starts counting out cases of Pepper Popper's Peppermint Breath Packs. Each spicy pack of mints sporting Ms. Popper's smiling elven face known across the entire Sol system.

Cointhief · January 9

Depending on planetary alignment, the journey from Toril to H'Catha is thought to be 14 days, one way. Looking through the massive crate of supplies, you hope you were given enough to last...

4 Climber's kits (including crampons)
4 Hammers
100 pitons
5x 100 foot lengths of hemp rope
2 mess kits
portable cooking surface
2 barrels of water
5 flasks of cooking oil
20 lbs Scramsax' Selects: Hydrogenized Bacon Bits (now with 20% more *Real Bacon)
2 chests containing fresh foodstuffs
chest containing 150 days rations
5 lanterns with continual flame spells cast on them
1/2 cord of precut firewood
10 potions of healing (each one in a metallic flask)
Sending Stone (Boatswain Tarto has the matching pair)

*Reading through the accompanying legal document (which takes more than 10 minutes given the dense, impenetrable language) reveals that this product contains only spiced and textured soy flour...absolutely no actual bacon. The given address of the business is also highly suspect: 1234 Beanway Heights Ave.

Louis will not be able to really explore until flight/levitation is somehow gained, or he goes off climbing on his own. All of the access shafts are designed for beholders, but of course you can make rope ladders or such given time. Please confirm this is your intention, and that you will be the first to reach the Command Deck. Unless you come up with something super clever, it will take 9 hours to make the shaft ladder.

Edited January 9 by Cointhief (see edit history)

JubalBreakbottle · January 9

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 20/20 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 2/2 | 1st-level 4/4 | 2nd-level 2/2

To Yahs's suggestion, Celsior replies, "of course. Great idea. Let's all review what happened during the simulation together at the next break."

After completing the inventory, the prince approaches the petty officer, "Ryebeck, here is both the makings of a rope ladder to the command deck AND your field kitchen. With inventory complete, I'll take the lead of the ladder construction while you prepare our galley. The ladder may take us hours to install."

Mechanics

Active spells: Familiar

Action: Be awesome

DM-Tareth · January 9

While sorting and counting the inventory, Yahs takes special care to look for anything marked, carved, stamped or otherwise shaped like the saboteurs mercane calling card and is sure to pass along what Miken experienced on to Squishy. Once all is counted and stowed, she does her best to aide in the crafting, and securing of the numerous rope ladders they needed to install in order to finally be able to navigate their way through the odd ship.

Checking for sabotage - WIS(Perception)

Edited January 9 by DM-Tareth (see edit history)

Cointhief · January 9

"Hah, that I can handle. You got it. Surprised they didn't supply us any bait and tackle...woulda liked to have gone space fishing again." the giff responds with a bounce in his rather large step. "What's this? Oooh, Scramsax Selects. I see at least they didn't skimp on quality products for a good price this time. I'll whip us up some cheesy taters lickety split. Though maybe you can spare a few deckhands to help me here."

Lou, feel free to scout around without taking the time to construct a ladder hearty enough to move the helm. I just meant to be clear where you are going, as if exploring the ship map were like exploring a standard dungeon. Tell me where and lets take it once place at a time, or give me a list of locations denoting your path taken. Stuff might happen. ;)

Yahs, you find nothing odd of that sort. Of course the cooking oil is a fire hazard, but even lashed together it hardly poses a risk to the stone structure of this old stone beholder stronghold.

Edited January 9 by Cointhief (see edit history)

BobtheWizard · January 9

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 3) sheet

AC: 16 | HP: 32/32 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | Features

Opal AC: 16 | HP: 20/20 | PP: 14 | Features

Lou looks down one of the access tunnels. He thinks about just jumping in but if he's wrong about the location of the gravity plane, that would make for a long fall.

He plays it safe and starts working on a rope ladder, hoping to lower it down to the gravity plane and then climbing up into the command deck. Once the ladder is complete, he puts on a climbing harness and starts down, horsing some extra rope, crampons and pitons into his backpack.

"I'm going to explore. Anyone want to come with me?"

Mechanics

Main Hand: none
Off Hand: none

Action: climb down lower right shaft
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 January 9 by BobtheWizard (see edit history)

JubalBreakbottle · January 9

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 20/20 | HD 2/2 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Bladesong 2/2 | Recovery 2/2 | 1st-level 4/4 | 2nd-level 2/2

Celsior listens to Ryebeck and Lou, "Veena, please take the lead to build the rope ladder to the Command Deck. Spare Miken for Ryebeck when he needs a second pair of hands." He looks to her agreement and acceptance of his order as he has yet to really earn his rank and position.

"Squishy, Yahs, and I will accompany Lou to explore this deck. Lou, please take point." The prince offers having listened to the meta-advice that exploration order makes a difference. He releases his celestial owl from its pocket dimension to explore the deck from a bird's eye point of view.

Mechanics

Active spells: Familiar

Action: Be awesome

KingGoblin · January 10

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 27/27| HD 3/3 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

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

Resistances: Acid and Poison

As they are taken as passengers, Lazuli quickly puts her belongings into her sleeping-chest, and carries it with her onto the ship, as she assumes they won't be returning to the school any time soon.

When their briefing begins, it is clear that she is right. Good thing she has her spaghetti strainer.

"Yes, Captain," she replies, happily, looking forward to figuring out how to pilot this stone monstrosity. "I'm not sure these ships come with weapons, though. Don't Beholders tend to use their beams instead of, well, standard weapons? This mission seems to be more of blending in and sneaking in and out, rather than fighting..."

Cointhief · January 10

The climb downwards began easy enough, though the smooth, nearly polished stone would be near impossible to scale without the mountaineering equipment and other gear.

Not to mention the slime and the smell.

The sensation is something like descending through a sick man's throat, slobbery blobs of mucus strung here and there and a steady draft following you down into the gullet of the seemingly abandoned vessel. Thankfully, the nasty, icky, sticky stuff is mostly dried and withered, and the shaft is assuredly more stone than saliva. Still at times, out of the corner of your vision or perhaps just as a spine tingling sensation you really believe the phlegm opens wide like eyelids, some hidden intangible orb getting a free sneak peek.

Lou takes point during the repel, forgoing driving anchoring pitons at first. Although line reinforcement will surely be needed later for the heavy and relatively fragile helm, the first 20 feet or so are almost a straight drop. However, very soon the wall bends inwards meaning a free span across the shaft or a circuitous path around the shaft is necessary to continue.

Making matters worse, halfway through the inward bend gravity shifts...turning the easy descent to a steep ascent. The climbing party has to backtrack a bit to reconsider how to navigate the odd flux in the vertical terrain...essentially having to choose between an inverted climb or inverted descent in some sections, neither of which would be ideal for carrying the heavy load later.

...a somewhat rushed discussion given the three points of contact each climber struggles to maintain at all times.

Through it all the ship for its part is mostly silent, offering only the occasional mild jump scare in the form of a metallic *bang* or the echo of a ticking clock heard muffled through the wall. If the ship diagram can be believed, there is a great hollow chamber just on the other side of the shaft through the walls, and only accessible from the layer labeled 'Command Deck' or from the outside. But before you can question the security protocols of the eye tyrants, Lou announces the summit a few feet ahead in the absolute dark.

As everyone finally detaches from the line and gets their feet on solid ground, Lou takes only a few steps before...

*sQuiSh*

Was that...yes, he stepped on an eyeball. It squints in pain.

Bursts of light and alarm blast through the dark of the command deck, a thousand different sigils and switches burning hot with distress and demanding attention. A high pitched echo screams like the attack of an insect, as the ship begins to spin out of control!

Up becomes down, down becomes up over and over. Ever imagine what it would be like to jump inside your laundry dryer? Welcome to extreme home ec. We will enter initiative to resolve this (unavoidable) trap.

Round 1:

Trap Effect

Lazuli, Yahs, Louis/Celsior <-- UP

None beat the trap's init count 20, so everyone please roll a Dexterity save DC 15 or take 2d6 bludgeoning and become prone. Half damage and no prone on success. On your turn, you might brace yourself, try to figure out the controls, just roll with it, or something else. The command deck is 20 ft floor to ceiling and filled with hard yet slimy consoles and alien looking doodads. 180 rotation is about 6 seconds, so the spin cycle is fairly zippy. Celsior's headbanging light hair is the assumed source of light in otherwise total darkness, however the consoles are flashing with all kinds of little rainbow indicators now as well.

Edited January 10 by Cointhief (see edit history)

BobtheWizard · January 10

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger 3) sheet

AC: 16 | HP: 32/32 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | Features

Opal AC: 16 | HP: 20/20 | PP: 14 | Features

His scimitar and bow stowed and held tightly against him, Lou nonetheless bounces around the command room.

"We just. Oof. Need to find. Ouch. The right control button."

He bounces from one control to the next, trying to determine which he needs to push, pull, turn, or twist, while his body flips from one side of the room to the next.

Opal tries to find a quiet corner with something to grab on to.

Mechanics

Main Hand: none
Off Hand: none

Lou's Action: find the right control
Move: none

Manipulate: none

Bonus Action: none

Opal's Action: hang tight
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 January 10 by BobtheWizard (see edit history)

Cointhief · January 10

@BobtheWizard For trying things at random on the control panel, please roll a d10.

BobtheWizard · January 10

Hopefully it isn't completely random, since he has proficiency in space ships and a decent roll on the check. But here's the d10 roll.

Text_1	Text_2	Text_3	Bold_1	Accent_1	Mood_1
Warm_1	Warm_2	Warm_3	Bold_2	Accent_2	Mood_2
Cool_1	Cool_2	Cool_3	Bold_3	Accent_3	Mood_3
Bright_1	Bright_2	Bright_3	Bold_4	Accent_4	Mood_4

Realmspace Sortie (Part 3)

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