Brief Recap: Last turn, Blade and Bruce began their duel, while Fyona climbed on board and Mog arrived on deck. Bibi still hovers about with Sylphie in her arms, while Ghotu and Gayrlana stand ashore. The boat is near to shore now. Thugga the gargoyle still sits atop the mast, scratching his bald head.

Once More Unto the Breach, Dear Friends...

Blade and Bruce once again stand on the edge of their lives, preparing to fight to the death, or so it seems to Mog. He wishes the brothers would not fight (in the old adventuring days, Mog referred to Bruce and Blade as "the brothers" and to Ghotu and himself as "the fathers" of the company). He watches the gargoyle, making sure it does not interfere. Otherwise, Mog takes no action yet.

Fyona heaves herself over the rail of the boat at the stern (rear) of the ship. Having stripped off her armor for the swim, she stands now in only her pants and a shirt, which clings to her figure with seawater. There are four fighters on the rear deck with her, and they start to move toward her. One of them has a sword, the others have daggers. [What does Fyona do? She only has her dagger.]

Fyona smiles at the approaching fighters and then whistles, looking up at the gargoyle. She then motion towards Blade and then to shore.

Meanwhile, on the lower deck in the middle of the ship, Blade charges the closest fighter who still has a sword. Bruce, seeing Blade move toward the fighter, draws his dagger and charges Blade. The fighter finishes standing and tries to draw his sword.

Bruce tries to drive his short sword into Blade, but the duelist/thief sees Bruce coming and twists out of the way at the last second, causing the blade to merely scratch his left shoulder. [Blade takes 10 damage, down to 123/133.]

Blade tries to snatch the fighter's sword from his scabbard, but only manages to get his hand on top of the fighter's own hand, which is on his sword hilt. The two struggle for the weapon. Blade is unable to wrest the weapon from the fighter. [Blade missed his to hit roll to snatch the sword from the scabbard, and he also failed his STR v. STR roll to overcome the fighter's STR.]

When the remaining fighters see Bruce and Blade enter combat, the two that still have their swords charge Blade. The other five also move closer, preparing to grapple the duelist if possible. [They are not there yet.]

At that moment, everyone on the ship is suddenly thrown to the deck as the ship runs aground. [No saving throw against being prone-- everyone is now prone wherever they stood, except the gargoyle, who still perches on the broken mast. The ship is now about 15 meters from shore, and is tilted slightly toward shore. The deck is wet, and footing is precarious at best--anyone who tries to move across the deck by foot will have to succeed in a DEXx3% roll or fall down. A fumble means you slide into the sea.]

Blade slides down the tilted deck and jumps into the sea. He begins swimming for shore. Fyona see Blade go overboard just as she finishs her signs. Very tired from her swim to the boat she has now intentions of following him. So, she again motions to Thugga the gargoyle but this time she is asking him to care her.

Thugga reaches back in his primitive memory and recognizes Fyona. He remembers her feeding him live chickens which he would chomp in two with glee. That was long ago, but Thugga also remembers that this one is somehow related to the Master, the one who controls his collar. Hoping he does not feel the sting of the collar's magic, Thugga swoops down toward Fyona. The fightes scram from her, and Thugga jerks her up as he pulls out of his short dive. Fyona's arms are nearly pulled out of their sockets as Thugga climbs into the sky, heading back to shore.

Bruce watches Blade swim away. "Feeling a bit outmatched, much as I did when you tried to kill me in my home." He doesn't move to follow Blade. Instead he stands up, walks over to Mog, and reaches his hand out to help him up. "Father, come to save his sons?"

Mog grins his toothy grin and takes Bruce's hand, but then his face turns serious. "Mog does not wish to see the brothers slay one another. They would do Vingrot's bidding." After a moment, Mog grins again and says, "Bruce is a fine singer!" He slaps Bruce on the back.

"I am done with it, if Blade can forget. What he did to me was deplorable, especially since he need only have returned the item that began this vendetta, or to at least accept responsiblity for costing me my fortunes. My response to it was no more forgiveable. That makes us even, in my mind. I shall rebuild my fortune. I am willing to swear Blood Truce, if he will accept." Bruce pulls a flask from inside his leather armor, takes a drink. "Will you instruct your student to release my ship before the rest of my wealth sinks to the sea? I would like my wife back as well. I must take her to see the Prophet it seems." He offers the flask to Mog. "They make fine Honey Ale here in the Land of the Prophet." The boat rocks violently as the two struggle to keep their feet.

Mog accepts the flask and takes a drink, looking up at Bibi, who still hovers in the air holding Sylphie. "Aaaaahhh!" says the orc after drinking. He hands the flask back, saying, "Bibi has her own mind, and does not follow Mog's orders--or anyone's. Mog wants this to end peacefully. He will ask Bibi to bring Sylphie down." Mog turns into a crow again and flies up to Bibi, intending to ask her to release Sylphie and the boat.

Bibi releases the turn wood spell and follows Mog to the ships deck with Sylphie.

After they land, Bruce says "Well, I see you've come into your own, young lady. Perhaps next time you can spare my boat when you attack me? What have you done to my wife?"

Bibi sets Sylphie down on deck. "My intention was to spare your lives. Material possessions mean little to me." As Bibi says this she thinks of the obsidian stone. She feels a twang of hypocrisy but knows that it is not the material component nor the value that draws her to the stone.

Bibi pulls her staff (of healing wounds and insanity) from the strap that holds it to her back and hands Sylphie several small twigs. "Your wife's condition is temporary. I did not wish to harm her and now I will heal her." Bibi begins to pray.

Bibi uses the Staff of Curing, touching it to Sylphie's forehead at the end of her prayer. Immediately, Sylphie's eyes focus, and she wipes a bit of drool coming from the corner of her mouth. She is quite disoriented and alarmed that Bibi is standing over her, but she also sees Bruce there, which tells her she is not in immediate danger.

Sylphie stands, her face beat red from anger. "You bitch! You feebleminded me! I ought to fry you wear you stand." Her dress is torn, her breast is almost peeking out.

Bibi lets out a very load growl and then says softly "And then I saved you from drowning and then cured you. Do you really want to challenge me?"

"Dear, gather yourself. It seems Blade is intent to continue this fight. We all know I cannot best him in a one-to-one, just as he knew when he tried to kill me and burned down my home." He turns to Mog. "Father, it is good to see you again. I hope you can talk some sense into your other son, as I cannot leave this city until my treasures are recovered." He looks around. "Gwelen?"

"Here Bruce."

"Tell the men there is a handsome reward for each in store. We must gather our things and get them back to our residence. It seems we will be staying on a bit longer." "My dear," he says to Sylphie, "can you transport me amongst Blade and our companions? I wish to end this today, one way or another."

[DM NOTE 85-5: Anne, what does Bibi do? What does Fyona do? Jump back in the water and stroke to shore after Blade? The fighters would not be able to stop you if you wanted to dive back into the water. Also please don't forget Bibi...Does she cancel her spell? If not, she is likely to tear teh boat apart after too much longer.]

Blade and Fyona make it back to shore, Blade last because he must swim. Fyona is mostly dry after her flight with Thugga, and she re- arms herself [Or so the DM assumes]. Gayrlana says, "I'm surprised Thugga remembers you. He was just a cub when you were with the company. Seems like the mercenary life fits you, daughter. Are you sure you won't reconsider my offer?"

Meanwhile, the ship sits lopsided in the bay, north of the docks, run aground about 20 meters from shore. The captain, who came back on deck after the fighting ended, is cursing and stomping his foot. He looks at Bibi and says, "You've ruined me! You and your damn magic!" He mutters about the broken mast and damage to the hull for a moment, then says to Bibi with strained politeness, "Pardon me, lady, but do you also have magic to fix what you've broken? You've made me a pauper!"

Bibi pulls out her pouch to see if she has some gold or a gem to offer to the captian. (I know she's got some but I don't have a my list with me.)"I hope this will make things right for you."

[85-11: What do Blade, Fyona, and Ghotu do on shore? What do those on the ship do next?]

_____

Meanwhile, hundreds of leagues north, in Galay...

The apprentice never comes. Humphrey hides out for the remainder of the day, hoping for his return. But the protectors continue patrolling, and Humphrey fears the apprentice will never show. If the protectors are seeking him, then the mages cant' be far behind. He decides to escape the city before he is discovered by his brethren mages.

Humphrey waits until he sees as few people in the street as possible, then he exits the warehouse where he has been hiding. He must make it to a boat. He has collected enough alms (by posing as a beggar) to win himself passage on a boat to the mainland, and for a bit of food-- but no more than that. Wearing only his tattered robes, coins clutched in his hand, he makes his way toward the docks.

Once there, he is pleased to find that a ship is about to depart, and he catches a deckhand who is preparing to cast off. Passage is quickly negotiated, and Humphrey boards the ship. Below deck is common quarters for the other passengers--a couple with their child and all their belongings; a giant fighter of a man with a troll maul and scars all over his body; and a short man wearing the robes of a cleric or monk who sits in meditation. Bedrolls are spread out on the floor, and Humphrey takes a corner to himself, sitting on the bare wood planks. The others nod to him, but when their eyes meet his, they quickly look away. The couple protectively moves their child away from Humphrey as discretely as possible.

[More on this later...]

Posting Instructions: Please post your actions for the round.

HOME