Mission 2, Fortress - Mission End
*CurrentTurn will end Midnight UTC, 24 October*
(Mission End - this is the time to grab Polly's chest and what you want and make sure to post getting yourselves or helping fallen Crew back aboard Ship!)

GM Note - For the record, Aylar was so enraged that he rolled a perfect 100 for his initiative (not even counting his Swiftness bonus). Nothing, I mean NOTHING was going to stand in his way - and his Luck Card only confirmed that. However, his actions were planned to go off concurrently alongside others, so we shall honor that and set the stage accordingly ... and now, the curtain rises ...

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Even through the roar of the fiendfyre on the battlements, and the fighting near the well, it was as if a certain kind of hush fell for him. The fighting still continued, the actions of others moved on, but for him things stretched out in a kind of extended motion, every image imprinted upon him. Hot, molten rage swirled in Aylar's head, tearing a ruinous path through his thoughts and singing its way through his limbs. He gripped his cutlass until the knuckles of his main hand turned white, all to ground himself as things sped up again to crash into him, singing vengeance in his blood. Aylar looked towards Bellandra and Durik, ridding himself of the incensing sight of the Necrodrider just for a moment to give orders.

"Durik, my axe, if ye please," he whispered, almost hissing, but quietly, lest the abomination hear them. He carefully applied his Acid Oil to his cutlass as he spoke. Carefully, with utmost control, so as not to let the rage, the singing blood, take him yet. Accepting the return of his axe, Aylar took out his locket; "Bellandra, use yer sextant as soon as I make landing and join me."

Turning to see Grog'tial staring out the door of the next room at the Necrodrider, Aylar motions subtlely to get his attention, displaying the Locket and his intentions visibly. Stall, he signs to Grog'tial, stall just a spell - while the Necrodrider is still turned away from them, too busy with displaying his kill for other Crew to see One of theirs, it pounds in his blood as he seethes, one of theirs. Channeling his thirst for vengeance into a momentary calm to ensure the Locket's magick works, that his strike hits - it HAS to work! - Aylar draws upon every drop of Will he has, focusing completely on his intent, his NEED, to portal onto that bastard's back and rip and tear, until it's done.

The darkness having vanished and the full horror of what must have taken place revealed, Count Karnstein wasted no time to seize the opportunity to free the zombified soldiers from their misery. (roll dice) He realized that what he had suspected had indeed been true. The master, the necromancer, must have had to release control temporarily while his pre-set resurrection ritual took place. Pugwash's bolt must have indeed hit the mark, he reasoned, knowing how these things worked - and the darkness had fallen instantly to cover for the spiders moving the body further into the grove for the ritual to complete. He had precious little time now, the Count knew as he already observed the zombies turning with more purpose. No time for subtlety. (roll dice) The Count neatly and swiftly decapitated two of the zombies, (roll dice) ducking the attack of last. Damn, it was faster now. (roll dice) Another quick sidestep, turn, reverse strike of his saber, the last head rolled. (roll dice) Across the courtyard, Count Karnstein saw Aylar turn, caught the glint of sunlight on the silver Locket, Bellandra's quick yet quiet approach, her eyes locked on the Necrodrider, the spiders protecting their master. Count Karnstein considered it all quickly, then taking out his Heal Wounds bandage he quickly wrapped his burned hand. He would need both hands for this. Taking off his vampirate captain's coat, the Count quickly wrapped it around the sharp end of the halberd as he dashed up the stairs to douse it in fiendfyre. With the fiendfyre torch secured, he leapt down to the corner landing and then to the courtyard, waving the fiendfyre towards the spiders. Count Karnstein smiled as he drew the attention of the Necrodrider. "Lord Vrammyr, I presume? Ye need to learn thing or two 'bout warm welcome, my friend," he drawled in a relaxed tone, moving sideways and keeping at least the halberd's distance away while making sure the Necrodrider's back was completely turned to Aylar and Bellandra's approach. He might pose as relaxed, but he was ready to fight at any moment intending to help his crewmates with the coming battle.

Bellandra saw the spider fall and be promptly cudgeled to death by Durik, and Origi head out past them. She had turned to follow her, when the sunlight returned. At first she thought the necromancer must be no more, but then she heard Rummyfangs' pained yowl and realized something bad had happened to their crew, again. Rushing out the door, she saw the Necrodrider and the body it held. This must be "Lord Vrammyr.' 'Lord' or not, Bellandra did not intend to give the foul creature time to do any further damage either to Rummyfangs' body or to any others of their crew. As she passed Ayler, she heard his whispered suggestion and hissed back "Our plans be aligned, Aylar" (roll dice) Bellandra moved quickly, but quietly, towards the Necrodrider, paying heed to spiders gathering about him. (roll dice) Focusing her intent, she was ready to invoke her Clockwork Sextant's power to freeze time for the Necrodrider, but she would try time the invocation so that the foe would be frozen when she and Aylar reached it.

"Ooh, there's my promised poison", Grog'tial muttered, his eyes lighting up greedily. He took the vials, scroll and obsidian dagger, and moved on to the next room, barely managing to keep his bile down as he looks in. "Durik! There's lots of smashing and crushing to be done here!" Just then the windows in the laboratory brightened with sunlight. Ah good, that probably means that the Necromancer has been taken care of! Grog'tial took a second look around the lab in the brighter light for anything else worth taking. Actually, he'd gotten pretty pissed off at this place with its creepy-crawly spiders and necromancy. (roll dice) Grog'tial was reconsidering his earlier idea of seeing if the spider goddess statue could be toppled with the help of his rope, when he registered movement nearby. (roll dice) Spinning around quickly, crossbow at the ready - hey, one could be forgiven for being a bit jumpy in this place - Grog'tial exhaled as he saw Queen Origi sneaking very furtively by the laboratory door to the courtyard. (roll dice) Then something beyond her caught Grog'tial's eye. (roll dice) Approaching the door, Grog'tial gulped as he stared at the Necrodrider triumphantly holding Cap'n Rummyfangs' body high. (roll dice) A subtle motion by the Chapel door drew his attention. Aylar was looking at him intently, with such a tightly controlled rage behind his eyes that Grog'tial felt a cold chill down his back. Aylar displayed the Locket and made an unmistakable signal to wait, hold his shot. (roll dice) Grog'tial saw Bellandra beyond Aylar, quietly approaching the Necrodrider with her Clockwork Sextant in one hand. (roll dice) Nodding, Grog'tial took up position around the corner of the doorway, and waited for his opportune moment.

It happened in the blink of an eye. Aylar saw the opportunity Count Karnstein had given them and took it. (roll dice/Luck Card) Aylar landed upon the Necrodrider's back and aimed a strike for the head. (roll dice) Feeling Aylar arrive, the Necrodrider started to rear up, throwing Aylar slightly off balance, (roll dice) then just stopped. (roll dice/Luck Card) Aylar drove his cutlass in a vicious slash to the Necrodrider's head, letting the Acid eat at it's brain. (roll dice/Luck Card) He hacked at its neck with his sharpened axe, chopping at the protection of the high-necked black rigid leather armor between the plates of black steel. (roll dice) As he did so Aylar saw the spiders on the ground start to turn in an effort to protect their master by swarming them.

Count Karnstein saw the Necrodrider stopped. He also saw the spiders turn and begin moving to swarm up the Necrodriders legs. (roll dice) Swinging the fiendfyre torch in huge arcs, the Count burned as many as he could while sweeping others away, now moving to put himself between the spiders on his side and their attempts to get at Aylar.

(roll dice) The spectral Brethren of Cap'n Rummyfangs' patches also leapt into the fight. They may not have been able to affect the Necrodrider, but they certainly tore through the smaller spiders. One of them dashed to clear Bellandra's path while the other two slashed away as they climbed the legs themselves to secure Aylar's back.

(Continued below ...)

(... continued from above.)

Bellandra ran to the time-stopped Necrodrider shouting, "He be frozen for one minute only, mateys, let 'im have it!" (roll dice) She shot a bolt from her hand crossbow at the Necrodrider on her way, (roll dice) but it bounced off the armor. Reloading, she shot the next one into the joint of a leg (roll dice) and was rewarded with a hit. Keeping a count of the seconds in her head, Bellandra chopped at the leg joints with her cutlass (roll dice) she managed to sever a leg, but it was taking too long. (roll dice) Changing strategy, Bellandra first slashed off the stinger then upward into the soft part of the belly, being careful to avoid blood or poison ... but luckily the Sextant had stopped that too. As she worked to do as much damage as she could to kill the thing, Bellandra shouted at Gilius, "Gilius - yer Revivify scroll! Can ye use it for Rummyfangs?" She knew the scroll would only work soon after death, but Bellandra still had hope.

Grog'tial saw the Necrodrider turn towards Count Karnstein's distraction. He waited and saw Aylar land on the monstrousity's back, (roll dice) effectively blocking his favorite shot. He saw Bellandra running in and time-stopping the Necrodrider in mid-rearing. He saw the spiders turning to protect the abomination, the Count's sweeping the spiders with fire, the spectral pirates killing yet more and moving to protect Aylar's back, clear a path for Bellandra ... (roll dice) and then he saw the shot. Not the Drow's heart, the spider's heart. It was half reared, the leg holding Cap'n Rummyfangs' body already raised, exposing a vital joint in the chitin, and it was frozen in time. (roll dice) Grog'tial took careful aim and squeezed the trigger.

Gilius tried to attract Pugwash's attention. " Psst ! Pugwash ! O'er here ! You'll have a good concealed firing position from that bush." Once that was done, Gilius viewed the battle, calculating. His Staff could only make any tree entangle up to 3 enemies. But there were many trees. Gilius concentrated, willing his Staff at the roots of those trees. (roll dice) The roots responded, the nearest trees entangled several of the Necrodrider's legs pulling on them, while others smashed through the spiders along the way to entangling the Necrodrider. Gilius was about to run out to help when he heard Pugwash gasp beside him. Turning, he saw two spiders coming from the corner and behind them another monster..

Pugwash heard Gilius and moved to take cover within the enlarged bush. Seeing Rummyfangs' body held high overhead, and the spiders coming out of the trees to surround Aylar, Bellandra, Count Karnstein, and the others, he shot at the spiders to allow his crewmates to focus on the Necrodrider. (roll dice) Pugwash had used his quick reload ability to take down two of the largest of those spiders when a commotion erupted behind the bush near the well. (roll dice) Turning, Pugwash saw two more of the medium-large dog-sized spiders come from the smoke that had screened the well and the corner, and behind them came another drider, far too close for comfort! At this point he could only hope Gilius' bush continued to conceal them.

Kyp went in for the killing blow on the damaged spider, (roll dice) stabbing deep into the head before cutting it from it's body. He looked around for another target, to discover the battered dead body of the spider that had been sneaking up behind him. (roll dice) Just then the two spiders that had retreated into the corner room came out of it again, driven forward by another drider wielding a whip and a long rapier and clad in metal scale armor (see attached). (roll dice) Kyp was knocked off his feet and thrown backwards by one of the drider's legs. (roll dice) Luckily he parried the blow away from being fatal, but he bounced off the edge of the well and landed dazed and bruised several feet away near the now dead Golem.

Argy took a peek around the door to be sure nobody was going to ambush them before she entered the office. (roll dice) As this evidently was not the kitchen, the kitchen must be upstairs from the dining hall. Hearing combat sounds coming from outside, she carefully opened the courtyard door to peek out. (roll dice) Smoke covered the area over the well to the cell walls. Two large spiders the size of medium to large dogs had burst out of the corner room, followed - or possibly being driven, by the spider form of a centaur (a drider had she but known it) with a whip and a long rapier in metal scale armor. Across the courtyard, Argy was horrified to see another drider among the trees, this one looking strangely undead and frozen in time holding Cap'n Rummyfangs' body aloft while Aylar viciously hacked and sliced at the monstrosity's head, neck and back with an intensity of rage Argy had never witnessed before. Bellandra was also there, hacking off a leg then slicing the underbelly while the thing was immobilized. There were dinner plate sized spiders everywhere, but Count Karnstein was doing his best to keep the ones which eluded Gilius' vines away from aiding the Necrodrider or interfering with Aylar and Bellandra, while three strange spectral pirates climbed the thing in a desperate attempt to protect Aylar's back and retrieve Cap'n Rummyfangs' body before it could possibly be turned and enslaved to the Necrodrider. (roll dice) Swallowing hard, Argy quietly closed the door, knowing this was a battle she unfortunately could not help with. She could not exit or start smacking spiders without the nearby drider creature noticing her, and there were other Crew too close to be using her last cupcake. (roll dice) Then Argy noticed the cabinet in the corner marked with a healing symbol. Of course! Most of the fortress' labor came from prisoners, zombies and thralls. The necromancer didn't care about them, and the guards probably had their own supplies in their barracks ... but as self-important as Commander Beckett was, he would guarantee he had his own supply! (roll dice) Rapidly heading over, Argy grabbed a decorative cloth from a table to wrap around her pan deadening the noise as she battered the ornate lock off the cabinet. (roll dice) Opening it, Argy found 4 Heal Potions, 6 Cure Poison Potions, 2 Heal Wounds bandages, 3 regular bandages, and 1 Potion of Resurrection.

The darkness suddenly disappeared, so Durik could see again. As requested, he returned Aylar's Axe, then saw Queen Origi moving again into the courtyard. "Pls Queen stop sneakin' away alone!" he said. Durik exited too to follow her again, but he first peeked into the laboratory and spider nursery with Grog'tial. Even he was shocked by the horror. "No. No smash here, dis needs fire." Durik closed the door and backed away from it. Then Durik noticed the Necrodrider and the outnumbered Crew attacking it. "Me help!" Durik put the Acid Oil on his cudgel and charged in, smashing spiders right and left on his way. (roll dice) Then Durik got an idea. "Dakka, yu no eat nothin' so far, wanna get the spidders? Protec us while we fight!" (roll dice) The spiders were small, Dakka was mighty. (roll dice) Suddenly of the spiders left, over half were gone, leaving only sixteen. (roll dice) Durik crushed two more on his way to the monster and used his cudgel to start battering and breaking legs, which helped the vines to pull the Necrodrider's front down. Dakka burped.

The prisoners freed by Mighty (last turn) fled across the courtyard toward the entrance. Enraged by the conditions he had found the prisoners in, Mighty proceeded towards Kyp's position, (roll dice) invoking the power of the Crab Claw just as the two spiders and the drider appeared out from the smoke around the well. (roll dice) Mighty's Claw blocked the blow of the drider's front leg, batting it away. (roll dice) The second blow Mighty's cudgel parried with a crushing back blow of it's own, damaging the leg. (roll dice) The whip cracked towards Mighty's head, (roll dice) but the Claw snipped it cleanly in two. (roll dice) Then unexpected help arrived.

(roll dice) Now free of their chains, the dwarves burst from their cell block, those chains now in their hands. They set about using them on the spiders as whips, just as they had once been whipped. (roll dice) Three of them defended the dazed Kyp from one of the two spiders that had come with the drider. (roll dice) Six other dwarves ran to help Mighty, using the chain-whips to entangle the drider's legs and pull them out from under him (roll dice), bringing him down.

(roll dice) Using the Claw as a shield to turn away the strike of the drider's rapier, Mighty took advantage of the off balance drider to deal a crushing blow to the front leg, (roll dice) shattering it. (roll dice) He used the Crab Claw to crack through the chitin of the other front leg (roll dice) cutting it clean away from the body. (roll dice) Then Mighty, the Mighty Pirate™ brought the Claw up and crush cut the Drow torso from the spider body, even as his mighty cudgel crushed the Drow head for good measure. (roll dice) The drider body collapsed, still twitching as Mighty left it to proceed into the torture chamber to check for any prisoners or interesting objects.

(Continued below ...)

(... continued from above.)

Gilius had turned to see the spiders and the drider. The other dwarves and Mighty were taking care of two of them, but that still left the spider coming towards himself and Pugwash. (roll dice) Gilius raised his staff once more and vines from the wall of the commander's office snaked forward to entangle the spider and pull it back, (roll dice) where Pugwash shot it through the head. (roll dice) Gilius quickly ran to cudgel in its head completely, just to make sure it would stay dead.

Now that he and Captain Baldbeard had finished the Flesh Golem, Foggy retrieved his fork and followed Mighty into the corner room, looking for more fighting, and treasure. The room was full of torture devices and the smell of old blood and had a stool in the corner where the Golem must have sat. At the back was the doorway to another room, which turned out to be storage for digging tools, and at the corner bastion wall was a brick tunnel leading downwards. (roll dice) Foggy had heard the dwarves talking about the digging and treasure. Grunting, he hoisted his fork and descended into the tunnel in search of it.

Once the darkness lifted and she could see, Queen Origi had snuck over to investigate the rooms just up from the powder magazine, (roll dice) making sure to not attract attention from the Necrodrider, thralls or zombies. (roll dice) In the corner was a door. (roll dice) Stealthily checking for spiders or other threats inside and finding none, she entered the room. Inside, lit by lanterns, was a room with several locked doors. One was obviously a heavily barred gate to the powder magazines. The others she could not see through, but there was a key ring above her head which would be just within reach of the hulking guards. (roll dice) Queen Origi commanded the Mage Hand still active and following her to fetch the key ring. (roll dice) She unlocked the first door to the seaward side and found a hallway leading seaward with another door at the end of it. (roll dice) That door was burning. Origi felt the heat and heard the roar of fiendfyre just beyond it. It was the door to the seaside cannons, but the Ship had made sure no one from the fort would be coming out to man anything. That was not her way out. (roll dice) Origi unlocked the door in the far back corner opposite the powder magazine gate and found a hall to a brick stairway that went up. (roll dice) Origi was halfway up when she heard the call of her prince. At the top of the stairs she opened another door, this one into the lookout tower at the outside corner edge of the bastion (bottom left fortress plan). There, currently away from the fiendfyre, her prince waited for her in an area where the winds of the sea would help him take off, his new augmented harness ready for her. Polly had kept that area as clear as possible, but the fiendfyre was spreading and making its own winds by drawing in the air to fuel itself. Queen Origi and her prince would have to move soon, but she had found her exit back to the Ship.

Time! It was taking too much time! (roll dice) Bellandra turned, saw Grog'tial's bolt, and realized its position. (roll dice) She motioned to Count Karnstein and pointed. (roll dice) The Count looked to where Bellandra pointed and realized her meaning. Spiders were strewn about, and many had vanished just before Durik came running up to begin cudgeling the Necrodrider's legs to mashed paste. The way was clear. Bellandra indicated the time was short. (roll dice) Count Karnstein ran over as another of the Necrodrider's legs began to move slightly. (roll dice) With all his strength he drove the fiendfyre torch up into the chink where Grog'tial's bolt had struck, shoving the fiendfyre deep into the spider body's heart.

Aylar's blood sang and his heart beat with vengeance. He had hacked at the armor covering the neck, but the axe would not penetrate it. However now that Durik's cudgeling had helped Gilius' vines pull down on the Necrodrider, the back had evened out somewhat. Aylar felt the tremors in the body. His time had run out. (roll dice) Remembering Cap'n Rummyfangs' battlecry and his last defiant act, Aylar released his rage, let it flow into his limbs and set his blood ablaze. He focused it all into that place of inner magick, felt the ancient power of it, and channeled it into his weapon and his strike. (roll dice/Luck Card) Aylar struck just as the time stop released the Necrodrider. A single perfect strike, just above the high armor collar, that completely separated the top of it's head from the jawline up. The Necrodrider collapsed, truly dead this time. Cap'n Rummyfangs had been avenged.

(roll dice) In the aftermath of the battle, as the last of the spiders in the courtyard were cudgeled or slashed in two, it was found that Durik's idea of Dakka swallowing the spiders had probably saved them from suffering many poisonous stings. (roll dice) Durik himself had suffered a few small stings that he hadn't noticed in the midst of battle, and would need to be healed, although the amount of poison was luckily small. Bellandra had also been stung (roll dice) but the spider poison didn't react with her. (roll dice) Aylar had been protected by the spectral pirates, who had immediately retrieved Cap'n Rummyfangs' body at the death of the Necrodrider and spirited it off back to the Ship posthaste. (roll dice) Count Karnstein had been protected by his use of fiendfyre. Kyp was still dazed and bruised, but they had been remarkably lucky.

Cracker flew into the fort with a message for Mighty. "Time to go, Polly say Ship to set Fort ablaze!"

Fortress Plans

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Loot available: halberd, great axe, 2 maces, 1 bone nose ring
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Your usual weapons and inventory are assumed with you.
Argy = Kitchen; 'Chef', 1 Spiderclimb Oil, 1 cupcake left, 4 Heal Potions, 6 Cure Poison Potions, 2 Heal Wounds bandages, 3 regular bandages, and 1 Potion of Resurrection.
Aylar = Center Courtyard; 'Officer', Gillyweed, Sharpened Hand Axe, Necrodrider's longsword, lock of Necrodrider's hair, head.
Bellandra = Center Courtyard; 'Guard Captain', Harbor Watch Leather Armor, Hand Crossbow w/3 bolts & 5 hardened bolts, 1 Fire Resistance Potion, 1 rabbit's foot, 1 crate of fresh food for Argy, keys to cell block, gate and drawbridge
Cap'n Rummyfangs = Deceased, body taken back to Ship.
Bhrigu = Commander's office; 'Scribe', 1 Spiderclimb Oil, 1 Heal Wounds Bandage, documents, letters, logbooks, 2 old maps, 1 new map, old journal, 4 books, nice pen, box of teas, small locked chest, heart-shaped music box, chess set.
Captain Baldbeard = near Well; 1 Sleep Potion, 7 pieces of 8, 2 Potions, helping Kyp back to Ship.
Count Karnstein = Center Courtyard, shaded; 1 Heal Potion, 10 pieces of 8, pouch of tobacco
Durik = Center Courtyard, Poisoned; 'Guard', Harbor Watch Leather armor, 2 pieces of 8, pouch of tobacco, 2 bone dice, 1 crate of fresh food for Argy.
Foggy = Disappeared down tunnel looking for treasure; 1 Gillyweed, 1 Potion of Force Resistance
Gilius = Near Well; 1 Scroll of Revivify, Wand of Secrets (2 charges left), necromancer's spellbook, ritual notes, small spider figurine, deck of cards
Grog'tial = Courtyard; 'Courtier', Dirk, 3 stake-bolts, 5 hardened bolts, Remote Viewing Potion, 10 pieces of 8, 3 gems, 2 tiny oil flasks, 4 tiny vials poison(?), obsidian dagger, Scroll, thief's black silk glove, thief's poison dagger, magical lantern, short rope made of dwarf hair, a bone ring with tiny bird skull and a matching earring, a necklace of various teeth - Polly's Map & Chest.
Kyp = Near Well, Dazed - 1 more turn; pouch of Blinding Powder, Bag of 2 Smoke Marbles (smoke = 1 turn remains), 7 pieces of 8, a small flute, long rapier.
Mighty = Inside torture room; 'Guard', Harbor Watch Leather armor, 1 Heal Potion, 3 pieces of 8, bastard sword, 1 pig tusk earring
Pugwash = In bush near well; Quiver of 3 Stun Bomb bolts, 5 hardened bolts, 1 Heal Wounds Bandage
Queen Origi = flying back to Ship; 'Herself', Scroll of Fire Protection, Book of Rituals, Golden Apple (Mage Hand = 1 turn remains)
Albatross = flying back to Ship

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GM Note - Bhrigu and Cap'n Rummyfangs have notified the GM that they will be away for a while and left directions with the GM.

Hint for next time - Like Kyp's smoke bomb, Pugwash's stun bomb does not need to be inside to work. While being inside can concentrate it more, they still will stun in an area outside. Had he had the initiative, this could make a fight like with the small spiders - before Crew got close - much easier. ;)

The darkness had finally lifted. Bhrigu turned up the lamps in the Commander's Office and began carefully going through it, prioritizing the desk and bookcase first. From the desk Bhrigu took several documents and letters that looked of interest, and what logbooks he could find. He grabbed two older looking maps with strange markings, and one that looked newly inked the commander must have been studying. Bhrigu also picked up a nice pen and a small box of various teas, then took to searching the desk more thoroughly. (roll dice) Looking closely, he found a hidden latch and released it, revealing a small secret drawer. Bhrigu quickly grabbed the small locked chest and old handwritten journal inside. Turning his attention to the bookcase, Bhrigu discovered that Commander Beckett's tastes definitely ran more to social status and books for showing off. The classics were barely touched, and Bhrigu had read most of them anyway, but there were some books of interest and Bhrigu took 4 that he could carry. The decorative furniture didn't hold much of interest, but Bhrigu did take the small heart-shaped music box with the haunting melody and the carved ivory and ebony chess set.

Vengeance over and the blood mist fading, Aylar is surprised to find himself remarkably unscathed. He cleans himself and his weapons with cool fresh water from the well, then scrutinizes the Necrodrider's longsword, (roll dice) a blackened blade with runic symbols he does not recognize, but the feeling is foul (roll dice) and Aylar's intuition likes it not for it reminds him of the feel of the vampirates' life draining. The hilt is blacker than a moonless night, and shaped like holding a spider with the legs curled about in a protective shield for the hand. "Crafty bastard ye happened to be, too bad it nae helped ye in the end. Too bad I've been taught few hexes of me own," Aylar half-smirks, half-sneers at it, then cuts a lock of hair off drider's head and pockets it, before getting up and unceremoniously picking up the head by the hair. "Too bad that I'm nae leaving you to lay round here for any of yer straggling crawlers to pick up; you are going straight down to the Locker to feed whatever crawls the seafloor."

Count Karnstein pokes and jams the halberd's pole into the spider body's heart a few more times to be sure, then spits on the carcass. He compliments Aylar on his new "trophy" with amusement. Remembering the fighter's pouch, he goes to loot the Hellhound's keeper and the guard (roll dice), being careful about the Hellhound's body, but he now finds it quite frostbitten and cold. The thralls must have scattered during the fight, and most of the prisoners are also leaving quickly. The Count takes the 10 pieces of 8 and pouch of chewing tobacco. (roll dice) As it finally occurs to him that the sunlight has gotten to full noon intensity and he is beginning to feel weakened, Count Karnstein positions himself under a despidered tree in the shade then continues to keep an eye on his crewmates until everyone leaves.

Bellandra nodded in grim satisfaction at the death of the necrodrider, but felt sad that they had not been in time to use the Revivify scroll on Rummyfangs. Still, it seems they had had several strokes of luck in the battle overall, but would need more in times to come to prevent further death. With that in mind, Bellandra went and picked up a rabbit's foot that she had seen glinting in the sunlight near one of the downed guards. A simple trophy perhaps, but at least the thought was there to turn luck in their favor. She took a quick peek in the torture room, but Mighty and Foggy had already cleared it, then past the cells with a last shout making sure all prisoners were on their way, and finally a very quick peek at the storage rooms. She had only a moment to look in, they contained large crates, wood, bricks, some basic furniture and supplies, etc. However, near the door to one Bellandra found a box with 5 hardened hand crossbow bolts, and beside it a box with 10 hardened regular crossbow bolts. Perhaps her rabbit's foot was working after all? *Note - Bellandra, Grog'tial and Pugwash now have 5 hardened bolts each* She then assisted others in carrying loot out, making sure to lock the gate behind them so that any dead that might rise due to lingering necromantic magics, or any driders or half-orcs they had missed, would be contained within.

On his way back to the British Room to pick up the Chest Polly sent them for, Grog'tial decides to still look in on the room on the other side of the chapel, to loot anything of interest. Opening the door, he finds the room only dimly lit. (roll dice) Picking up the magical lantern hanging by the door, he is able to turn a knob and increase its light to see spider webs covering the windows to screen out the sunlight. This must have been the necromancer's living quarters, with spidersilk tablecloths, chair coverings and wall hangings. There is a silver tea set on the table, and some sort of black spidersilk ceremonial robes with dark stains marking their front on a peg nearby. To his left there is a stairway up, where Grog'tial finds more webbing over the window, spidersilk sheets on a large bed, a dark wardrobe on one wall, and in the corner is a large chest with the biggest spider he has ever seen on the ceiling hovering over it, watching him. (roll dice) Once back in the Chapel, Grog'tial notices the Drider statue has been inlaid with some of the cursed gold, including the eyes, which also seem to be following him. It does not look easy to topple. (roll dice) On his way out he spots the 3 gems and 2 tiny unbroken oil flasks from the offering bowl Queen Origi had thrown.

Captain Baldbeard helps up Kyp and stabilizes him. He sniffs the air, a unique scent tickling his nose. Remembering Polly's request to find and free the gnome, Captain Baldbeard follows the scent of the gnome to the British Room and through the small door into what must have been the goblin's quarters. There at the back is a trap door into another tunnel down through the bastion. It reeks of goblin, but it also indicates this is how the gnome must have exited. Turning back, Captain Baldbeard decides to report his findings to Polly and grabs the two potions on a side shelf and a tiny pouch containing 7 pieces of 8. Then he hurries to help Kyp back to the Ship.

Kyp manages to get up with Captain Baldbeard's help, still dazed. He thanks Baldbeard, loots the fighter near, taking 7 pieces of 8 and a small flute, then takes the drider's long rapier as well. After that he thanks the dwarves that kept the spiders at bay after being knocked off his feet. "You guys really came in a clutch, I might have been close to being a spider's next meal if it weren't for you guys!"

Argy loots the cabinet: 4 Heal Potions, 6 Cure Poison Potions, 2 Heal Wounds bandages, 3 regular bandages, and 1 Potion of Resurrection. Going up the stairs to the kitchen, Argy finds no controls to the drawbridge (those are by the bridge and Bellandra left it unlocked), but she did find fresh fruits, vegetables, flour, sugar, salted pork (not for Pugwash!), and magically iced mutton. She even found coffee and chocolate!. (roll dice) [per PM] She stuffed everything she could into two nearby crates and went to get Mighty, Durik or some of the Crew to help her carry it back. Going back out to the courtyard, Argy found Durik poisoned and quickly gave him one of the Cure Poison potions, then asked him sweetly *puppy eyes* if he could help with a food crate once he felt just a little better. Just before everyone was ready to leave, Argy ran into Grog'tial who informed her about the spider nursery which he seriously thought could use one of her cupcakes. ;)

The battle was won! Durik is happy because he fought some foes with his cudgel. He pats the cannon on his back like a pet "Dakka ye good boy, great work!" Durik sits, feeling a bit dizzy from the spider venom. Argy comes to see if Durik can help carry a food crate to the longboat. Finding Durik poisoned, Argy swiftly passes him a Cure Poison potion. (roll dice) Durik feels much better after a few moments, and Argy gives him the puppy eyes and asks sweetly again if he will help her. "Oo tiny, thanks ye! Me feel already better. Durik will carry your boxes yes!" :)

Mighty goes back to the cell and loots the guard: 3 pieces of 8, bastard sword, 1 pig tusk earring. Mighty wakes Monkey up and feeds Cracker with a cracker. Not wanting to venture further into accursed Necromancer quarters joins crew near the main gate and will leave with them.

Pugwash returns to the ship, disheartened by the loss of his crew mate.

Queen Origi uses her remaining Mage Hand to tickle her prince behind the ears. "I missed you." She climbs onboard Air Albatross, browses through the Book of Rituals, (roll dice) but it is in an archaic Drow language she doesn't understand. Origi closes the Book then takes off back to the Ship.

[GM Note: As this is now too long - Gilius' final actions will be in the next post.]

Grog'tial mutters something inaudible at people being so inconsiderate to block what could've been such a satisfying back-shot, but is somewhat mollified given that he assisted noticeably with taking down the drider - while being smart enough to stay safely out of harm's way himself.

Given Origi's exit from the scene with the apple and book, he figures it's time to return to the ship, so goes pick up the chest where they'd left it in the British Room. On the way there, he decides to still look in on the room on the other side of the chapel, looting anything of interest. After picking up the chest, he makes a beeline for the exit, urging anyone he encounters to come along, and maybe grudgingly offering them some help if they seem to need it - to crew, that is; he has no time or patience for those wretched prisoners and thralls. (If he encounters the dwarves, he immediately concludes they must've been sent by his half-brother - who seems to have become aware as to Grog'tial's true power, given just how many forces he's sent - so gives them a wide berth.)

As Grog'tial is unaware of the exact number of enemy forces encountered and dispatched, he remains wary of any loose ends (like Commander Beckett), and will shoot and/or stab them as the opportunity presents itself.

Not yet knowing of Polly's plan to burn down the entire fort, if he encounters Argy on the way to the exit, he informs her of the nursery, and how much good a single cupcake could do there.

Mighty
Mighty returns to the cells to to be sure none of the prisoners left there or no guard skulls uncraked.
he picks up3 pieces of 8, bastard sword, 1 pig tusk earring from the guard he dispatched

Mighty gets ready to move out, he notices all three heads of Monkey felt asleep. Mighty wakes it up and feeds Cracker with a cracker. Not wanting to venture further into accursed Necromancer quarters joins crew near the main gate and will leave with them.

Origi uses her remaining Mage Hand to tickle her prince behind the ears. "I missed you." She climbs onboard Air Albatross, quickly browses through this Book of Rituals, then takes off back to the ship.

Argy puts all the potions and bandages inside her backpack.
If the drawbridge is not lowered (which is the most probable thing), she will sneak upstairs to see if it can be done somewhere near the kitchen. If there is still any guard on watch around that zone, she'll try to knock them out from behind. Once done with the bridge, she'll head back to the courtyard, ready to blast something with her remaining cupcake (it's a pity the powder magazine is so far away, but surely she'll find something worth shattering).
If she finds her companions already leaving the fort through some other escape route (one that doesn's involve swimming) she'll join them.

Aylar stands atop the headless corpse for a few moments, surveying the area in search of the new targets, but as he only finds (and meticulously counts) only bodies, the bloody mist clears from his mind. Immediately, he rescans the area with a sounder eye, tallying up the Crew and their condition, then inspects himself, letting out a surprised, but delighted whistle at a lack of injuries, and the state of his weapons, finding it important to check whether the undead blood happened to befoul his blades.

Survey done, only then he finally hops off his morbid vantage point, giving short thanks to each of the Crew nearby that assisted him so well. Figuring out the direction of the water well, he will lay his weapons by the corpse for a moment and quickly fetch himself a bucket of well water to both cool off (he'll splash some on his face) and clean up his cutlass and axe. If the smoke is in the way, he'll either circle it or wade through briskly, pulling his ascot over his mouth and nose, whatever will be deemed best.

Weapons clean and back at their rightful places, he'll scrutinize the Necrodrider's longsword still laying on the ground. If he deems it safe enough to touch, he'll wrap his off-hand in his ascot and pick up the blade like one would something particularly dead but that which must not stay unattended. In any case, he crouches by the abomination's severed head.

"Crafty bastard ye happened to be, too bad it nae helped ye in the end. Too bad I've been taught few hexes of me own," he half-smirks, half-sneers at it, then cuts a lock of hair off drider's head and pockets it, before getting up and unceremoniously picking up the head by the hair, his mood somewhat improved as he plots yet another gesture of disrespect. "Too bad that I'm nae leaving you to lay round here for any of yer straggling crawlers to pick up; you are going straight down to the Locker to feed whatever crawls the seafloor."

If it looks like the Crew is heeding Cracker's warning and quickly gathering up to leave, he'll toss the head into the sea on his way back to the Ship. If it looks like there still be stragglers, he'll run out of the fort a little ways to find a good spot to reliably cast it down into the briny depths right away, then return and be present until everyone is accounted for and ready to leave. If he happens to choose the second option in regards to the head, he'll be on a lookout for any spiders or the Commander, whom he does not remember spotting among the casualties.

Still shuddering at the sight of the spider in what were obviously the necromancer's living quarters, Grog'tial stumbles back into the chapel. He'd been about to shoot the thing, but something in its gaze and posture stopped him. Brrrrr! Horrid things! That chest, though... What would a necromancer keep in there?

Greed and fear war within him, but fear wins out. Still, greed has its way. He grabs the gems and oil flasks in the chapel, and heads to the British Room to pick up Polly's chest, then makes for the exit. He'll share his discovery of the chest in the Necromancer's living quarters with the first crew member he encounters. (ooc: I'm not specifying my route, so this could be nearly anyone - given Grog'tial's newly discovered arachnophobia, I can't really twist my character to act on this, but Grog'tial thinks it might be interesting and possibly worthwhile for someone else to. First come, first served!) :)

Count watches monstrous arachnid fall to the ground and become motionless. He pokes jammed halberd's pole few more times to be sure, then spits on the carcass.

He compliments with amusement on Aylar's new "trophy" and will hang around courtyard, keeping an eye out on his crewmates doings and any possible dangers until they'll start leaving, when he'll move along.

He also remembers noticing pouch on the fighter he "borrowed" halberd from. He'll go under stairs to strip fighter and guard of their coin as well as tobacco. They certainly won't need it anymore, so why left it to waste? If thralls are still standing there, he will give them good ol' kick in the arse to make them move.

Kyp gets up in a daze

(and assuming there is nothing I still need to kill)

Kyp loots fighter near the well (7 pieces of 8, small flute)

And grabs the long rapier from the Drider.

After that he thanks the dwarves that kept the spiders at bay after being knocked off his feet.
"You guys really came in clutch, I might have been close to being a spider's next meal if it weren't for you guys!"

Bellandra nodded in grim satisfaction at the death of the necrodrider, but felt sad that they had not been in time to use the Revivify scroll on Rummyfangs.

Still, it seems they had had several strokes of luck in the battle overall, but would need more in times to come to prevent further death. With that in mind, Bellandra went and picked up a rabbit's foot that she had seen glinting in the sunlight near one of the downed guards. A simple trophy perhaps, but at least the thought was there to turn luck in their favor.

She would then assist any others in carrying loot out and helping wounded party members out, and move out herself. As time permitted, she also planned to sprint along those rooms of the courtyard where the party had not yet been: the Storage rooms and the Torture room, and take a quick look inside each room in case anything there was useful. Along the way, she would give a last shout towards the cells for any remaining prisoners to make their escape now, for the way was clear and their jailors were dead.

Since Bellandra had the keys to the front gate and drawbridge, she planned to lock the gate behind them once the party had left through the exit (if the gate design allowed her to reach the lock from the outside), so that any dead that might rise due to lingering necromantic magics, or any driders or half-orcs they had missed, would be contained within.

The battle was won!
Durik was happy because he fought some foes with his cudgel.
He patted the cannon on his back like a pet "Dakka ye good boy, great work!"

But he also felt a bit dizzy due to the spider's venom and his landsick.
He was going to ask Kyp for a "passage", when Argy appeared with a Cure Poison potion!
"Oo tiny, thanks ye! Me feel already better. Durik will carry your boxes yes!" :)

Updated post once again:
https://www.gog.com/forum/general/voyage_of_the_cursed_crew_pirate_day_ga_dungeon_game/post532