OH Rats!

Rats have invaded the whole damn ship! Captain Lucy Beard calls the crew to action! Who will kill these rats deader than dead!? Grab what ye can and get to helpin' ... Besmara's Beard! Is that .. A RAT WITH WINGS!!

Harold was staring off into the distance, watching the waves rolls by, while Flint laid on the deck enjoying the warm rays of the sun, when all of a sudden a swarm of various rats came pouring out onto the deck. Harold yells, "If you have any alchemist fire, chunk it at the swarm" as he grabs for his scimitar, and Flint leaps down the stairs to face a rat.

Plavet had been tending to his horse, scratching it and speaking to it, and humming some foreign tune. The sudden shouts about rats broke his harmony at that exact moment, and he immediately darted his eyes left and right around the platform of the ship that he was on. He noticed nearly as soon as the shouts rung out, that there had in fact been rats on this ship. (Per: 16, Nature Know, 13). Directly to his right a large, no, very large rat had crawled out from some dark place in the ship, directly to the left of the bird-man named Pezzack, and a rat just over his horse, Bean. He shouted; "Rat behind the staircase!" for those who may not be able to see.  He instantly stopped what he had been doing, and with a sudden reflex (Initiative:16), slid diagonally to the rat near pezzack, unsheathing his longsword in the process. He took a wild and albeit too hurried of a swing at the large beast directly in front of him, just nearly missing the creatures head - a couple whiskers were sliced off as the sword made a loud thump against the wood of the ship. (Attack, 13). 

Azariah had been standing at the starboard of the ship, staring off at the waves. For all accounts, the tiefling had seemingly been in meditation for an hour now. Far from the rowdy and loud person he had been when introducing himself to others. Now he simply stood, one hand on the rail of the ship, eyes distant and unseeing. Upon hearing the cries, and the frantic squeaking of the rats. Azariah blinked several times, his tail giving a hearty lash. "What are you all screa-" He began to turn, and saw a literal carpet of rats. Blinking several times, the tiefling let out a curse. "Asmodeus' beard! Don't you sailors clean ship?" He said the next part with an angered snarl, moving towards a gigantic rat he spotted on its own.

Ren had been on deck for a while now. He had  chosen to spend his time reading a book about herbs and such. After all the noise earlier, Ren was enjoying the silence.  Suddenly, Ren heard something, a light skidding noise as well as... a flapping of wings.  Putting his book down, Ren's hand fell unto the hilt of his Katana. Not ten feet away was a large, and quite dirty rat. The rat raised it's head and started making a chittering sound.  A moment later, a sword came down on the rat, scoring a clean hit on the body of the Rat. The rat writhed in pain as blood gushed out like a geyser. The rat turned it's head, angry.  "Everyone ready yourselves, there are... what in the world is that!" Ren had been temporarily caught off guard by a seemingly flying rat. 

Lyon had been doing his streches when he heard some snickering close by. It seemed like a huge rat was eating away at the supplies of the ship. Just a moment later he hears a lot of yelling from upstairs but its hard to tell what their saying up there. "Dam little rats, dont you dare eat up my favorit meat" he says while unsheathing his falchion.

Pezzack was standing belowdeck, leaning against a post, when he heard a loud chittering. Looking around, he saw big rats scurrying around menacingly (Perception 17). With a jolt, the bird-man jumps back a step, and begins to chant, tracing patterns in the air to manifest the divine will of nature, to ease the spirit of the plague-ridden animals (Know:Nature 18). His magic calmed the rat nearest him(Will save 7, failed), as well as the scared horse (Will save 8, failed). Pezzack called out to the others, "Attack the beast at the front of the ship, I cannot reach it with my spell!"

Relevant rolls: Perception Check 19, knowledge nature: 14 Alizebeth was keeping to herself below-decks, for the most part trying to stave off the sea sickness that seemed to be slowly weeding its way into her. It was the skittering sounds that caught her attention: Far larger and louder than any rats should have been. Her head turned to stare at the creature, an unladylike utterance escaping her lips. Don't let it touch you, Alizebeth. The plague is a horrible thing. She moved from her stable spot to the base of her trunk, unlocking it. She lifts from the massive trunk a simple spear, holding it with unfamiliar hands in front of herself.

Rats swarmed and scurried on the ships deck and sounds of yelling could be heard below.  A horse whinny then silence.  then the sounds of blades being unsheathed.  The ships passengers and crew rallied together to deal with a potentially deadly situation.   The swarm was the scariest threat.  It moved to surround Ren and Azariah, climbing up their legs, into their shirts and in their hair.  They were everywhere, gnawing and biting and dealing considerable damage to the pair.  The captain, seeing them being devoured had no choice.  Loosening a potion from his belt, he shook it and tossed into the swarm.  Fire engulfed the rats dealing incredible damage, their charred bodies twitching and moaning.  Some fire caught on the deck, but it was better than the alternative.   The captain called to Azariah Sorry pal, move up here and we'll have you looked over.  I didn't want to hit you with that liquid fire but i had to do it. The giant flying rat looked at Harold.  It flew by quickly, its gaping jaw ready to strike but, as it flew to deliver its bite Harold lifted an arm and blocked it away like a bothersome fly.    Grames was not as lucky .. a rat bit into his boot, its teeth nibbling his big toe. Down below a few more rats gnawed and attacked. One rat seemed to play with its whiskers, content to watch the other rats play.  Bean took a nibble to the ankle, once again becoming agitated by the ordeal. // note that people who were bitten will want to be checked later for filth fever // note that there is now a little fire on the deck.  pouring water from a bucket onto the fire is a full round action that extinguishes the square // those who begin a turn in the rat swarm (red marked area)  must make a fort save [12] or be distracted next round

Pezzack readies his shield as he sadly watches the horse get bit. He will try and apologize later to the horse for not calming the biting rat in question. For now, he casts another spell, magically empowering three sling stones. Finally, he shifts forward, his shield at the ready.

Hearing the cry of his horse, Plavet near instantly lost interest in the rat that he had just been near. The beast next to him had scurried off, and he quickly dropped his sword; "Bean!" he yelled partially to himself and the horse, as he dropped his longsword to the ground. It made a loud thud  as it plopped onto the wooden flooring of the ship. Plavet then pulled his bow out from around his back, quickly knocking an arrow onto the string of the large, and extremely well crafted longbow. The arrow was sent flying quite reflexively not a moemnt later, whizzing under the horses tail as it hit square in the skull of the rat. A bit of blood spattered the side of the horse and the ground, as the beast of a rat fell on it's left side, with a nice plop.  (Attack 20, damage 12. 25 attack without taking into account soft cover) 

Hearing the outcries and looking around zordlon sees all the nearby rats (perception 25) and knows that the flying one spreads a disease called "Filth Fever"(dungeeonering 26) and then fires at the rat that's near him (initiative 18) and missies terribly (with a nat 1) and knows nothing about anything else (nature also nat 1)

Ren grunts as a few rats in the rat swarm bite his left. While shaking his leg to get the rats off he hears the captain scream "Heads Up!" He tosses a vial at the swarm of rats. Suddenly a large pool of fire erupts catching Azariah in it and grazing Ren.  Ren grunts. The rat next to him makes a large chattering sound and lunges forward, trying to bite into Ren's leg. However, just in time Ren jumps back, before he hands he raises his sword above his head and swiftly bring's it down on the rat. It perfectly cut's the rat in two, head to tail. Ren lands and takes a step back to survey the surroundings while shaking his left, recovering from his bites and his burn.  (Attack roll 26 confirmation 16) (Damage 2 and 8) (Move action after) 

Lyon moves up behind a rat while drawing his falchion. He prepears a wild swing at the damnd little thing but it seems like his still a bit drovsy from slipp and end up miss judging the hight of the rat. The swing goes right above the rat missing by a hairs length .. And then realizes the rat is already dead. (Attack 13 ;(  )

"Flint, help Qualsfir!, " Harold yells as he slashes at the mutant rat in front of him, "and mind their bite, these vermin carry diseases."  Harold's scimitar lands a solid strike on the mutant as Flint bites into a dire rat killing it. // Harold: Attack 20 for 8 damage on the mutant rat.  Flint: Attack 18 for 7 damage on a dire rat 1 killing it.

The flames sent the rat swarm scurrying about .. regrouping along the starboard side near the stairs.  They began climbing up to the landing above.  The giant flying rat swooped past Harold once again but he quickly stepped aside, expecting its attack.  The rats sustained heavy damage but now a fire begins to flare up aboard the deck.  Still controllable, it may not be too difficult for the crew to manage.  The captain tosses a healing potion down to Azariah.  Drink that son.  It'll stop the pain. Meanwhile down below One rat calmly climbs up to the top of the storage crates.  He moves his nose back and forth and then disappears behind a stack of crates.  //note .. i added unknown potion to stop the pain to Azariah's inventory

Azariah, seeing the rat he had been targeting killed quite succinctly. He turns and released a pair of precise stamps down towards the swarm that had attacked him. But they swarm away from it, resulting in cursing from the tiefling.

Azariah, sensing that as wounded as he is, knows that staying near to these rats is likely a terrible decision. Even if he drank the potion he might be in dire straits. Breaking from his battle-lust, the tiefling makes a tactical decision, turning and pushing off from the deck, he spots a rogue against the other guard rail being harangued by a mastiff of a rat. Azariah was already in a bad mood. He sprinted clear across the deck, shoulder checking the mast as he went past it, sending him into a near uncontrolled spin. He raised up his right leg as he took a few twirling steps forward, and at the end of his arc, stamped down on the rats back. With a brutal snap he left the creature on the ground, unconscious and with a thick divet cut into its back from the heel of his boot. Azariah charges across the deck and makes an attack action against dire rat 3  Atk: 16 (vs. AC 14) Damage: 14 (5+6+3) Dire Rat 3 is reduced to -6

Damm rats, I better not have gotten infected by that bite. Ren looked around. The swarm was much smaller than it was at first, that alchemist's fire must have really burned them up. The rat he had just sliced was more than dead. Ren look to his left just to see Azariah stomp on the nearby rat, it curled over and layed on the floor unconscious.  Ren walked over and stuck his katana in the rat's tail. "I do not lust for battle, but I had hoped that the first time I drew my blade on this journey would have been against those that I would need to fight for my life." He lifted his katana out of the rat and swiftly swung it to his left then to his right, the speed ridding the sword of some of the blood.  Ren walks over to dire rat 3 and stabs it. Attk: 15 (vs. AC of  14 helpless) Damage (2+1) Dire Rat 3 Reduced to -9 

Lyon sees a rat trying to scurry away from the area by climbing the boxes. "Your not getting way you little rat, get back here!" Says Lyon while making his way towards the rat while lifting his  sword high ready for a swing. He lands a good hit on the rat managing to just put it down. OOC: I walked as if 1 tile of crates was dificult terrain, hpe thats ok. If not remove my dmg from the rat. Attack 24 Crit Confirm 6 vs AC 14 doing 8 Damage

Alizebeth watched Lyon go scurrying off after the rat. She took a few moments to bring the wooden end of the spear down to the deck, using it to help steady herself as she stepped forward. She tilted her head back, eyes widening in alarm at the sight of flames flickering through the deck. "Fire....Fire!" She called out, the petite, pale young woman raising her voice for the first time on the voyage. She drops the spear down into the trunk, then stumble-runs to gather a bucket to fill with water to quench the flames.

Pezzack draws his sling, ready to launch a magic stone. He peers carefully at the stack of crates, looking for signs of the dire rat hiding inside. (Perception 32) He than lets fly with his sling, but his shot goes wide. (attack roll 13)

Seeing that the mutant was out of his range and that the fire was raging across the deck, Harold jumped down to the deck below and called upon his nature magic to create water on the deck.  In route, he ordered Flint to go attack the swarm of rats.  Flint bounded across the deck, but the boat rocked just as he was taking a swipe at the mass of rats and he missed. //2 Gallons of water splash onto the fire closest to Harold

The captain was ready for the flying rat .. with his cutlass drawn, he waited, timing it carefully and when the flying beast came forth, he swung severing it in two.  The fire began to spread further but Harold had begun conjuring water from the heavens and it was not going to be long before it was out.  Alizebeth arrived soon after and others began tossing buckets of water on the first.  The remaining rats were quickly dispatched and things returned to normal for the moment.     That's the kind of teamwork that's going to help ye survive that new world ye are trying to explore.  I think ye may do just fine after all.  With that, Captain Lucky Beard took a sip of his Whiskey, paused and then yelled Now get back to work! to his crew. Each character Receives 1MP for participation in this test mission The Captain gives you each 1PP from his personal stash

This mission is concluded.  We will have another ship mission soon because I would like to test a few more things. I have decided to modify the initiative threshold to the following < 5 = move only 5-14 = standard only 15 + = full round action You always get a swift and free action no matter what you roll What other feedback can we take from this first group test mission? What worked well . .. what did not work .. what could improve.  I would love to hear your thoughts  Post below