Book 2: Chapter 4 - Homeward Bound?

[Vladim]

"The Houses of Southland will come running if they smell a chance for profit..." said Iphigenia, and-turning to the Brother-she continued: "...I doubt any sort of document would prevent business as usual, no matter what your sentiments on the matter."

She sighed. "Still, it's better to find our heads dealing with the headaches of homeland politics than mounted on Maliente pikes. I'll write to my father; maybe House Ines will want to invest a little more here, for a price."

She turned to Stavard.

"But I agree about the canons: let's go before winter closes us in completely."

[thesloth]

Karadoon

"Iphigenia is right. People who do not honor their spoken word will not honor their written word.

As for my people I would counsel a cautious approach. The brotherhood of my people has been sorely tested of late."

Weapon - Combat statsBAB +1
Extra +1 (Brother Koji spell effect)

Cutter: +2War Axe D6/D8 (1h/2h)

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

Understanding the scepticism of his comrades, Koji chose his words carefully to emphasize the practical and strategic benefits of formal agreements. He addressed them with a tone of earnest persuasion:

"Friends, I understand your doubts, and indeed, in a perfect world, a person's word would be as binding as any written contract. However, we do not live in such a world. Written agreements serve not just as a testament to one's intentions but also as a safeguard, a means to hold each party accountable to their promises. It is not merely a matter of trust, but of creating a framework within which trust can flourish under the rule of law."

He continued, emphasizing the strategic advantages: "Consider this: when we have trade agreements and constitutions in place, we create a system of mutual obligations. These documents are not just pieces of paper but bindings that hold each party to a standard. If they break these, it's not just a breach of trust, but a breach of a legal agreement, providing us clear recourse to seek remediation or justice. This structure doesn't just protect us; it provides clarity and stability for all parties involved."

Koji paused, letting his words resonate with his listeners. "Moreover, having these documents allows us to set precedents for future dealings, not only with our current counterparts but with others who will see how seriously we take our commitments and the rule of law. It lays a foundation not only for accountability but also for the kind of society we aspire to build—one based on order, respect, and mutual benefit."

Brother Koji aimed to show that written agreements were not merely a formality but a critical step towards establishing a reliable and enduring society, providing a clear path for resolving disputes and building trust among various factions.

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 88, After Midnight

Setting out on the Philadelphia, it is slow going in the dilapidated vessel. With a few hands from Free Harbor to assist working her, you are each free to go about your daily duties. Each day you only make about 25 miles, fighting wind, current, and the vessel herself. Brother Koji is certain that an immense amount of work could go into the Philadelphia this winter and make her vastly improved.

It is estimated that it will take about four days to reach where the guns were buried, and in the hours after midnight before the sun has even though about gracing the day, a thick fog settles in as the temperature shifts. Before long, a sound can be heard, though it is unclear what.

 

Dungeon Master

A Notice (Wisdom) roll of 10 or higher will allow the sound to be identified.

 

[thesloth]

Karadoon

Karadoon helped where he could aboard the boat, handling rope and standing watches. As the neared the location of the pirate vessel he grew more nervous. A ghostly twin had pursued them from this place before.

"Well it can't be a dragun at least, not in this fog.... "

Weapon - Combat statsBAB +1
Extra +1 (Brother Koji spell effect)

Cutter: +2War Axe D6/D8 (1h/2h)

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

"What's that sound?"

Edited May 3 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)

[Vladim]

"What sound?" she said, turning towards Brother Koji's direction.

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 88, After Midnight

The sound was dismissed as a trick of the night, something that plays on strained nerves and the reduced visibility of fog.

Suddenly, the fog lights up with two piercing cracks from pistol-shot distance. The Philadelphia shudders under the weight of two blows - a scream is heard from below. "WE'RE TAKING ON WATER!"

Iphigenia immediately knows that the Philadelphia is hulled twice between wind and water, and lacking any real pumps, the Philadelphia is sinking - and fast.

Looming out of the fog, a slightly translucent schooner closes the distance and rams to board the sinking vessel - to what purpose is not entirely clear in the moment. The crew looks to be clothed in garb that went out of style decades ago, themselves slightly translucent.

Everyone has the same realization: Counter board or die.

 

Dungeon Master

The ghosts can be seen floating from one ship to another, and indeed what appears to be the Captain floats through the hull of its vessel to face off with Iphigenia on the deck. Two with a straight line charge to Brother Koji and Stavard.

Rolls for "Bandits" are a mistake on my end - other group just wrapped up with bandits. All are ghosts. Ghosts are numbered in the lower-right section of their tokens.

NB: Damage from non-magical weapons will only do half damage, so please advise me if your weapon happens to be magical. I know there are a couple out there currently.

It is uncertain how quickly the Philadelphia will sink, but she is sinking.

 

Map

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

As the dilapidated ship, the Philadelphia, groaned under the assault of cannon fire and the relentless crashing waves, Brother Koji stood firm amid the chaos. Raising his hands skyward, he invoked a fervent blessing, "For the Father and the Living!" His voice cut through the din, imbuing his allies with a surge of courage and resolve that shimmered around them like a protective aura. With his faith as his shield, Koji faced the ghostly pirate looming before him, his mace raised in defiance, ready to turn spectral malice back into the abyss from whence it came.



 

OOC, Mechanics

HP: 9/9 | AC: 16 (17 wt Shield) | Effort 2/3

Instant action: God Wills It: Commit Effort for the day as an Instant action and loudly call down the Bleeding God’s blessing on your comrades. For the rest of the scene, up to six allies per character level in earshot gain an effective Morale of 12 and a +1 bonus to hit and damage rolls, including any Shock that may be inflicted

Action: Mace to ghost face. 15 to hit, 6 damage (before reduction) Shock 4/18

 

Edited May 4 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)

[Powderhorn]

Dungeon Master

Calling down the blessing of the Father renders the weapons consecrated for purposes of this combat, meaning that previously non-magical weapons will do full damage to the ghosts.

@8w_gremlin - If the only damage the ghost was able to do was shock, it looks like your shield will allow you to ignore it. The benefits of a shield do not appear to be limited to mundane weapons per rules-as-written.

 

[matt_s]

Stavard will die some day. He hopes it will be some later day but he cannot say for certain. But if he does die on this day he would not die easy. The ghosts would learn that. The roar of cannons were a surprise, a foolish lapse in vigilance and a warning about the pernicious dangers of complacency that they could only heed if they survived the next minute. That did not matter now. All that mattered was the hammer he swung and the foes before him. It was time for payback.

Swinging the enchanted blunt instrument of violence in broad arcs, Stavard met his foe.

ooc

whirlwind 8/AC18 on adjacent ghosts

attack a ghost with hammer

maybe snap attack ahead of next round? depending on how things are shaping up.

let me know if they are still standing so i can do movement/snap attacks

UPDATE: snap attack the one hit with the normal attack

 

 

[thesloth]

Karadoon

Karadoon crouched as the cannon fire echoed across the water. He had to admit these gunpowder weapons were fearsome simply to behold. And then the glowing schooner resolved. Again with these thrice dead pirates. He shouted a warning to his comrades first. And then his rage and defiance at the boarders.

"It's the same ones as before! This time we solve their restlesness forever.

I should have hacked your boat all to pieces the first time! You had better believe I'm going to do it now you wind sacks! "

Weapon - Combat statsBAB +1
Extra +1 (Brother Koji spell effect)

Cutter: +2War Axe D6/D8 (1h/2h)

[Vladim]

As the roar of canon-fire rocks the gunboat, Iphigenia is almost hurled overboard-but she manages to maintain her footing long enough to see the floating shapes come aboard. She readies her rapier, but she does not attack at once-she merely holds the blade extended outwards, in a defensive position, ready to parry the incoming thrust (if the swords of the dead can indeed be parried).

"Tell your men to stop!" she says, still maintaining some small hope that the restless ones can be reasoned with. "We have no quarrel with you!"

 

OOC

Unless she can take an action to reason with the captain (for which I can provide a roll upon request), she'll take the full defense action. Up to Powder-I don't know if these fellas are too far gone.

Who was it that screamed that we're taking on water from below? Do we have NPCs with us?

[Powderhorn]

Late Summer - Day 88, After Midnight

As the light of the Father fills your weapons, suddenly they have a much more ethereal feel to them - which in turn bites into the apparitions exactly as though they were full flesh. The quick thinking of Brother Koji allows Stavard to do a series of blows, causing one ghost to disconcertingly disarticulate into smaller and smaller pieces in the space it occupied in front of his eyes, almost as though the body were being bloodlessly butchered into pieces for sale.

The blows from Brother Koji and Karadoon clearly have an affect, but their foes remain standing. As Iphigenia braces for an attack against the Captain, instead it seems to warp its face into a carnival-mirror of her own - distorted and blanched, pockmarked from crabs picking at it. The ghost is showing her her own future!

Each of the other ghosts continue to work at their own opponents, swinging with bare hands that seem too accurate by far!

 

Dungeon Master

Iphigenia will need to make a Mental Save. Failing it will result in her being Stunned for 1d6 rounds.

 

Map

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji 

"We do not wish to fight you, but we will if we must. We are travelling to gain allies to fight the Maliente, leave us be and fix our ship, or better yet join us in our quest and seek redemption" Koji's words were punctuated by the repeated blows of his ghostly assailant, his shield taking a beating from the aetherial cutlass.
 

Koji wasn't stupid he knew that his words had but a faint chance of swaying these things, but in the meantime if these ghostly pirates continued to fight he would continue to take an eye for an eye, even if it was ghostly and gross


 

OOC, Mechanics

HP: 9/9 | AC: 16 (17 wt Shield) | Effort 2/3

Effort: God Wills It

Action: Mace to ghost face, 8 to hit, 5 damage, Shock 4/18

 

Edited May 5 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)