Chapter 3: Maulia Encounters

Stats
**Donatello--HP: 29
**Undead Crew 1,2,3,4--HP: 10, 15, dead, dead
Regan--Current HP: 42, Temp HP: 0, Warlock Spell Slots: 1/2, Pact Tally: 0/150.
Cordey--Current HP:37, Temp HP: 0, SD: 1/4
Admiral--Current HP: 25, Temp HP: 0, Spell Slots: 1/2, PP: 1/4, Pact Tally: 39/400.
Taresh--Current HP: 37, Temp HP: 0. Ki: 7
Pirates--P1 (engaging UC4)--P2 P3 (engaging Donatello)--and others
Locals--tba
Circus Troupe--Caspian, Reina (fire breather in balcony)

Cordey does a Riposte (Reaction to the missed attack and cost him a 1 Superiority Die) and attacked the undead 2. Having screen problems. the 1d4 is missing the +6 and had to roll the superiority dice separate.

Gotcha. No worries. I updated the stats in my previous post to reflect Cordeys Riposte attack.

Cordey again attacks the undead with his dagger but the last spinning attack has left him off balance and he misses his mark.

"Excellently done, mateys!" Admiral praises his crew’s efforts, before leaping over the undead sailor’s remains to help Taresh with his opponent.

Donatello's clutch cannot penetrate the protective force surrounding Regan, but the force of the undead captain clasp as well as his close proximity prevent Regan from executing a forceful swing with his Warhammer.

After praising his crew's efforts, Admiral lands a hit both with Reaver and with the Defender Blade. Reaver slashes the creature, while the Defender blade severs its figure in two. Its parts drop to the tavern floor, thick, black, congealed blood slowly oozing from them. (UC1: 12 damage. DEAD)

Taresh turns toward the undead that faces Cordey. He give it quick left then right swipe with his staff landing both with deft ease. (UC2: 8 damage.)

Donatello pulls his hand away from Regan, looks around and notices his fallen crew. He growls and gives a scathing look at Regan as he lunges again at the paladin with his sword. His blade collides against Regan's magic protection, but the considerable force of the blow cannot penetrate it. Regan goes unscathed.

Donatello's single remaining crew follows his captian's suit and lunges back at Taresh. His rapier hits the monk, leaving a slice in his arm. (Taresh: 7 damage)

Stats
**Donatello--HP: 29
**Undead Crew 1,2,3,4--HP: dead, 7, dead, dead
Regan--Current HP: 42, Temp HP: 0, Warlock Spell Slots: 1/2, Pact Tally: 0/150.
Cordey--Current HP:37, Temp HP: 0, SD: 1/4
Admiral--Current HP: 25, Temp HP: 0, Spell Slots: 1/2, PP: 1/4, Pact Tally: 39/400.
Taresh--Current HP: 29, Temp HP: 0. Ki: 7
Pirates--P1 (engaging UC4)--P2 P3 (engaging Donatello)--and others
Locals--tba
Circus Troupe--Caspian, Reina (fire breather in balcony)

Determined to keep the undead Captain's attention on himself to allow the others to deal with the crew, Regan attacks again.

Admiral steps forward to help Cordey finish off the last member of Donatello’s crew. Feeling confident that the battle is nearly won, he slashes at the undead ghoul with a bit of unnecessary flourish in an attempt to show off in front of his crew.

Regan commands Donatello's attention with a swift blow to his abdomen. (Donatello: 12 damage)


The last undead crew dodges out of the way of Cordey's dagger, which moves it directly in to the path of Admiral's blades. Once again Reaver slices, followed by finishing slash of the Defender Blade. The final member of Donatello's crew present in the tavern falls motionless to the floor. Reaver's pommel gem still swirls with blue-red energy. (UC2: 13 damage, DEAD)

"Arrrr!!!" Screams the undead captain as the last undead minion falls. He then bellows at Regan. "You win knight!!"

Instead of returning Regan's blow, he pivots his blade in the air. Suddenly, misty energy lifts from husks of the undead and enters his sword. He himself then momentarily appears as the young dashing naval officer again. Just as quickly, that form fades into a chilling, thick foggy mist.

Admiral hears an unearthly whisper on the air similar to the one he heard on the docks, "Do not presume your crew of thieves will be so lucky should we meet again, captain. But, there is one here near enough to death that a window to his blackened soul remains open for me to see. I need new a first mate. I believe he needs employment." The whisper ends with maniacal chuckle and a hiss, "He isss mine."

The unnatural mist pulls out from the tavern in all directions until the air is clear and warm, and Reaver's swirling energy begins to subside. Admiral notices Tarron is no longer in the back of the room.

Cordey nods to Regan thanks before he turns and rushes to LeLay where she is hiding. The soft word, "Lelay" can be heard as he repeats it in search.

He returns with his precious Lelay to his side. She can deal with the sight that she sees as she is protected with her Cordey near her as she found out just how protective he can be. He is sure that he is going to be the next new rumor.

Big Cordey has put away his dagger that looks much like a toy to him, "Someone want to tell me why I just had to do what I did." as he holds Lelay close.

Admiral is staring at the empty table at the back of the tavern with a shell-shocked expression. He blinks and turns to look at Cordey and Lelay as the half-sea elf speaks up. "That was Captain Donatello, protector of the Makai graveyard. I suppose he must have come here to give me and my crew a warm welcome to Maulia."

He pokes the rotting corpse of one of the undead sailors with his sword in a distracted, brooding kind of way and frowns. "I probably should have tried a little harder to convince him I wasn’t after the Makai’s treasure. There was no need for things to get bloody. Thank you for your help, in any case. And yours." He directs this last part at the mysterious knight who challenged Donatello to a duel.

"The Captain told me he was here to deal with graverobbers and thieves. I was honestly perfectly alright with that. It was when he decided to go after everyone, bystanders included, that I objected," Regan replies. "Name's Regan, by the way. I wasn't about to let a tavern full of people suffer for the acts of the few."

He purses his lips, eyes narrowing just a hint, as if he had more to say but is holding it back.

Big Cordey says to Regan, "I'm Cordey and very glad you toke an effort save my Lelay. I was paralyzed with thought the Captain was going to kill her. I'm very grateful." He snuggles her closer.

"Captain Admiral, of the Whisker," Admiral introduces himself to Regan. He flicks the gore off his swords and sheathes them both. "Pleased to meet you."

He puts on a friendly smile, but his eyes keep straying to the empty table at the back of the tavern. He’d been angry with Tarron but the mutinous half-elf was still part of the crew and the thought that he might be gone forever—eternally cursed to be part of Donatello’s undead crew— is difficult to process.

Trying to push aside his distress about his former first mate’s disappearance for now, Admiral tilts his head at Regan. "Well, I can promise you I’m no grave robber. My crew and I are here to help these circus performers find their ship." He waves his hand at an eclectic group of brightly-dressed people clustered together in one corner of the tavern.

Lelay responds to the conversation and tries to assure Cordey, Admiral, and Regan that there is nothing they could have done differently to prevent the blood shed, "Dat Donatello, 'e serves 'is sentence, ya know? 'E does. Da tales be sayin' 'e keep dem old graves safe. But, dey also be sayin' 'e do it in 'is own scoundrel way, ya see? Even if ya could convince 'im, Captain Admiral, dat ya blokes ain't meanin' to swipe from dem old graves, 'e still be findin' a way to make sure 'e be remembered as Donatello 'The Black.' Although still addressing all, she focuses her gaze on Cordey for her next statement, "We just be lucky you be here to chase 'em away."

Addressing Regan, Taresh says, "I think your direct challenge to the black captain turn the tides, sir knight. His ego is his downfall. Well played."

Upon Admiral's wave toward the eclectic group of brightly-dressed people, Jin, Tasya, Mischa, and Caspian move forward from the back of the room.

Jin says, "I fear our coming endangered the gentle people here. I hope to make haste to locate our circus ship. But as this man said," Jin gestures toward Rafa, whose head now is raised up slightly above the bar he was hiding behind. "it may be in the hands of fey. How will we even get up river to find out?"

Big Cordey takes a moment to mention, "I'm sure if heading by the river is your plans that Martin at the shop could see the boats." He looks to sweet Lelay, "Martin wouldn't let those boats unless he was sure I was with them. That way he is knows the boats would return." Cordey knows how worried Lelay must be getting. Recent events have been a bit out of the norm for sure. While speaking his is fingering the pendant that Lelay gave him.

Admiral beams. "Fantastic! We’ll go talk to Martin about hiring some boats tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I don’t know about the rest of you but I, for one, could use a drink." He glances down at the blood matting the fur on his chest and winces. "And maybe a few stitches."