Suny bounces over to stand near Viktorra, absently swirling her patch-work skirt as she goes.
She listens in rapt attention to the great/grand take told to all, cheering, clapping, hissing and boo-ing along with the crowd.
(^_^)
Vick waves at her elf friend, and then listens quite intently to our host's story.
"A lovely story that be. Makes me proud to be livin' here. I just have one question to ask ye. What abou' the Pirate Queen? Surely she ought to have a hand in all this?"
Though he continues to wonder why it's called a rum punch when there's no mention of fist fighting, Reijo remains indifferent to the tale and shrugs it off. He'd learned long ago that life is unfair and rotten. That some slaves got lucky to escape their bonds was good for them, but made no difference to the many others who found no such reprieve... most importantly of all, however, it made no difference to Reijo.
The sailor's impatience grows visceral. "So whar me bloody cup be then?!" If that damnable tavern's name and location are not mentioned to him in the very near future, the pirate will set off to find it himself by visual memory... or by what remains of it.
"Besmara? Oh, well, she's a lovely lady..." Anyabwile chuckles, scratching the back of his head. He's clearly not saying all he's thinking, but he smiles at Viktorra as he replaces the mask on his face. "I don't think she's much a fan of slavers, neither. But I reckon if she'd had a hand in the breakout, there'd have been a bit more blood and vengeance and lootin'. Not that there's nothing wrong with that, ha!" He slaps Reijo on the back, throwing his arm around the sailor's shoulder. "Your cup's safe and sound in the Keg, probably. Unless you brought it on your bar crawl... and then I ain't a clue what you done with it."
The man's laughter is abruptly cut off as a sudden report resounds across the crowd. For a moment you believe it might be fireworks as the crowd looks skyward. A moment passes in anticipation of the next explosion when a second shot - a gunshot, apparently - rings out across the square. The crowd turns its attention to the sharp-dressed woman standing on the festival stage, a smoking pistol in hand and another in her belt.
As some of you might have heard, someone's got the secret to the lost treasure of Captain Jemma Redclaw. That would be me. I'm looking for a few strong hands to help me secure it. The first of you to reach my bosun's table on the second floor of the God's Revel Inn down by the outer harbor will have the opportunity to receive an officer's share of ol' Redclaw's gold. If you've been looking for a chance at fame and fortune, you've just found it." She grabs the pistol at her belt and fires it out over the crowd. "Now hop to it!"
A moment of shocked silence is followed by a riot of shouts as dozens of people rush out of the lumberyard.
"Aw, hell," Anyabwile grumbles. "This is going to delay the parade." He glances at the group, wondering which of the wild revelers he'd befriended would be the first to go chasing the fortune that had been spoken of all day.
"Least it be makin' more sense why it be called Rum Punch," the sailor remarks about Anyabwile's take on Besmara's more violent aid. A look of uneasy suspicion enters Reijo's eyes as the party man makes the mistake of touching him again. Resisting the urge to stab or throw the man over his shoulder, his gratitude at finally receiving an answer compels him to instead simply step away from being touched, and by giving a nod of gratitude for an answer. About to give another warning about the touching, the gun shots ring, and Reijo instead ducks and draws his blades in one swift motion, prepared to slice and dice whoever intends to fight him. Spotting the dramatic captain, her mention of the words Redclaw and treasure pique his interest. Sheathing his blades, the pirate immediately looks for a shortcut to the designated inn, asks Anyabwile "Ye knows a shortcut mate?" then begins to attempt to cut off the crowd to get there first. "Hmpf. Keg's pro'lly closed now anyways..."
Suny listens brightly to Anyabwile's tale. Then intently to the loud lady Captain's offer/orders. Turning to Anyabwile she asks,
"Where'n abouts be tha' place yon Lass did say people's were ta be runnin' to?" She asks, initially skipping closer to the jovial fellow.
Then, once she's got a good idea of where it is she's headed she thinks about the lay out of the town that she's seen over the past day or so and works out where she is in relation to 'there'.
Though seeing first Reijo and then others racing off she's soon to follow.
Eyebrows popping up over his eyepatches at the threat and the promise, Bellamy is frozen for but a moment.
Then he shoves Reijo into a handy horse trough and takes off down an alleyway and through a culvert; something he knows is a shortcut.
"Sorry boyo! First come first served! HEEhehe!"
Vik will use a standard to use her War blessing, giving her 40 ft movement, then charge towards where the blind oracle headed, figuring since he'd push Reijo over in order to he's that way, he had to know something she doesn't.
Treasure?? TREASURE!!
C'mon old man, let's go go go go go!!
Uhg. I'm too old for this.
With a few divine words, Ol' Salty summons a small wave of water that carries him and Lil' Fisher with a speed greater than most landlubbers.
WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Oh yeah! Sunny will grab a plank or board and also try and 'surf' the magic wave summoned by Ol' Salty.
Seems like Captain Lanteri picked the right time for her announcement. It was as though every hopeful pirate, freebooter, buccaneer, and treasure seeker in Lilywhite was now racing down the road. It was immediately apparent that most of them would never make it to the end of the race as a winner - but damned if they didn't make it that much harder for the rest of you. The exit from Taryn's Planks was choked shut - you'll need to find a way through!
Obstacle 1: Getting out of Taryn's Planks
Pushing through a few drunken sailors was nothing new - you've been doing it all day at Rum Punch! With a shout and a shove, you're through the crowd and out onto the roads.
All the people pushing and shoving have clearly never navigated a crowd before. Those in the know know that the best way through a crowd is to flow through it - dancing through the mob and picking through the holes. With a quick duck and a bit of a dash, you're through and onto the road beyond.
Forget that. The crowd at the gates was a disaster. Anyone stuck in that didn't have a chance in hell of winning the race. Fortunately, anyone who'd been paying attention would have remembered that low, half-broken point in the fence of Taryn's Planks. It led right out onto the road over - a bit out of the way, maybe, but perfectly clear. You take off and are out onto the roads before half the crowd had even pushed past the gates.
Reijo, Bellamy, and Ol' Salty have seen this before - and know better. As the crowd chokes itself to death, the trio take off for the side road!
Reijo catches up to the old blind man and, as he passes him up, nicks his belt open with his blade... causing poor old Bellamy's pants to fall! Smirking and laugh-coughing as he passes him, "Oi! Blindey, what'd I tell ye bout droppin' yer drawers in public! Jus' because ye can't see yerself don't mean the rest o'us can't!"
As he runs, the veteran sailor whips out a pair of battered fingerless gloves, with peculiar claws on the back hands...
Eager to prove his excellence at yet another competition, Reijo closes in on Bellamy as the blind old man manages to participate in a race he can't see. The man's pants end around his ankles as Reijo takes the lead!
Second obstacle: The Crowded Streets
Unfortunately, even the best laid plans come screeching to a halt with a festival-choked street made doubly worse with a mob of would-be pirates. Even on the side street, the path towards the outer harbor and the God's Revel is packed full with people. There's got to be a way through the crowd...
The streets were impossible! As you desperately search for a means to bypass the congestion, you spot it - a back alley, mostly empty. Only a few drunken non-racers loitering at its ingress. As you bolt past a festival stand, you make great haste down the winding passage of the road less traveled. At this rate, you'll be at the bridges in no time!
The streets were impossible! There's no way you're going to manage to shove through this crowd and still make it to the end of the race in time. The best option might be a tad destructive, but hey - winning's what matters, right? A small stand, auspiciously left unattended, and a rickety wooden fence before yourself and the lot over. With a couple of quick shoves and a running tackle, you're through and well on your way to the bridges!
Bobbing and weaving between the crowd was one thing, but this was a festival in motion. Vendors hawking their wares and revelers imbibing every drink imaginable. Nothing like a little workout before victory, though! As you hurdle the first of the tables, you manage to avoid very nearly kicking an elderly fellow in the jaw. You sidestep a dancer, duck beneath a waving arm, and scramble under a cart before breaking free into the clear. Onto the bridges!
Ol' Salty ducks under the half broken fence along side Reijo and the pantsless Bellamy.
"Oi! Didn't ye learn teh treat yer elders with respect??" Shouted Ol' Salty at Reijo.
Hmph thought Ol' Salty, as he had no idea where to go. Lil' Fisher, on the other hand, had an idea.
Stop Reijo! Chuckled lil' Fisher.
Use the super soaker!
A wry smile cracked on ol' Salty's lips. You evil lil' otter he thought. With another few divine words, Ol' Salty cast a great wave over Reijo.
Sadly, the wave missed terrably
As the crowd seethes in response to the Captain lady's holler Sunny looks to see what her companions/friends are doing amongst the ruckus.
Then, as Reijo, Bellamy, Lil' Fisher and Salty scoot off down a ways between the piles of lumber she takes a quick moment to pick up a suitable plank of wood,
Before she too scampers off after them.
Here, amongst the still teeming throng Sunny glances about for where her friends have gotten too, a way to manage her accompanying plank and some ways out of the mess she's suddenly embroiled in.
And... seems to be already hopelessly lost... :P
Though caught up in the fun and excitement she simply does her best to get ahead of whom ever is running, seemingly regardless of which way that actually is.
Nhati has been wryly observing the byplay between her new companions-- at least, the people she was hanging out with during the festival throughout the day-- and then the story of the first Rum Punch festival.
Captain Jemma Redclaw's offer, however, is definitely appealing, and Nhati decides she wants to investigate it further. But, it seems, so does everybody else....
Seeing the way chocked with sailors, she thinks, "...there has to be a better way!..."
Having been in this port city before, she wracks her brain trying to come up with a shortcut out of Taryn's Planks.
"Ah, yes, the half-broken fence!" she says aloud.
"What?" her familiar, Tai, asks.
"Never mind. Stay close!"
She tries to duck and roll through the drunken sailors nearby to get to the shortcut.
Out of Taryn's Planks, she finds herself in crowded streets. She looks around for a back alley, her familiar on her shoulder aiding her with the scanning....
...however, she's not able to see anything through the jostling bodies.
Nhati sees the streets choked with sailors. She resists the urge to let loose a Color Spray to clear the path in front of her-- that'd be unfair!
"Tai, help me out! There has to be a back alley around here somewhere!"
"All I see is drunk and greedy people!" her familiar tells her in Polyglot.
"Me too... hang on!"
She tries to duck and roll through the crowd.
Unfortunately, all she manages to do is jostle herself around, and remains stuck in the crowded streets.
Not realizing the water jet was intended for himself, the salty sailor simply blurts out a "Bah!" to the other older sailor as he focuses on dodging and pushing his way past some more of the congestion.
Unable to do so fast enough for his liking, the sea raider spots a back alley he can use. He grabs an old man's arm, using him for cover as he ducks past him, and now makes haste down the alleyway with Nhati just ahead of him.
The old man is left to twirl around in place, wondering what sort of animal just passed him...
Obstacle one:
Obstacle two:
"I will win this here race!"
Viktorra flies towards the building he believes to be the inn, and follows the crowd to a certain extent
If possible, she'll get her rapier and dagger pistol out, not afraid to use them, but only of necessary.
With a loud, vicious yell, she clears her way through the crowd of drunks, and then manages to weave her way through the crowd outside.
Outside on the street, she manages to slide over the top of a vendor, and kinda sorta accidentally slams through the fence.
"Sorry!" She yells back at anyone she might have upset before heading forward.
Round 2_______________
Bellamy is forced to stop for a moment to pull up his pants and knot a rope.
"Rotten scrub!" He complained out loud.
Pulling out a Tanglefoot Bag, he slung it around and hurled it under Reijo's feet with a Splat, gluing him to the road.
After that, it was simply a way of going over, under, around and through the crowd.
"HEE he he!" He cackled loudly; he waived cheerily at Reijo as he ran by him.
As Viktorra edges out ahead of the crowd, the thinning group of racers before her confirms that feeling in her gut - she's in the lead! Still, the bridges ahead were choked with revelers and divers, and not a few of the fastest sprinters among the potential crewmates. Getting across that bridge or the broken counterpart beside it would not prove easy.
Meanwhile, the competitors on her tail were busy forestalling one another. As the blindest of the racers returned his pants to their proper position, he sent a tanglefoot bag in Reijo's direction, gluing the already half-lost racer to a nearby stand boasting colorful shells as wares.
Obstacle 3 - Crossing the Bridges
The only thing a bit more tricky about ducking through a crowd on a bridge was the consequence for messing up - a dip into the drink. Fortunately, you've got the skills for bobbing and weaving, swaying with the wind as the crowd filters past you. As a wall of bystanders appear in front of you, you manage to direct their attention away and barge through the middle of them. Ahead lies Founder's Square - you're halfway to the God's Revel!
Crossing the crowded bridge was a waste of time. Fortunately, only a few divers stood near the broken bridge beside it. With a running leap, you bound out and over the void, the water a good two or three dozen feet below. In the momentary weightlessness of self-propelled flight, you glance over and see several other races stuck on the bridge. Your fingers reach out and grasp the edge of the bridge's remnant, quickly pulling yourself up and back into the race. The Founder's Square was just ahead!
One bridge was at a standstill and the other was completely out. Jumping across was just a good way to get hurt - but you spot the easily scalable stones jutting out of the other side. Rather than wasting time with a longjump, you dive into the water alongside a few of the other revelers, using the momentum from the fall to ride across the gap to the rocks. With a quick scramble up the rock wall, you're back in the race at the edge of Founder's Square!
As Ol' Salty watched the runners pass him left and right, he thought in frustration.
Darnit. Dem landlubbers be beatin us.
Ol' Salty let out a deep sigh.
Ye no, I didn't expect to get there first, but I suppose I got all caughtup innit didn't I?
Perched on the old man's shoulder, the young otter comforted him.
Hey ye silly old man! It ain't over till it's over don'tchaknow?? C'mon! Show those 'youngins' how it's done! No reward without risk ain't I right??
Why do I listen to ye? Ye naught but greed and energy.
...
But perhaps you're right. This time.
Fine I'll do the best I can. No reward without risk.
Still unable to find the back alley, Ol' Salty tried to push his way through the crowd, but no matter how hard he tried they simply did not budge.
The old man sat on his rear, muddied from his fall, and his ambition fell.
I just ain't what I used teh be...
Fine! You Salty Sore Loser!! yelled Lil' Fisher
I'll just do it myself. And you better meet me there, you hear?
Lil' Fisher also has no idea where the back alley is, so he tried to weave in and out of the crowd. unfortunately, even the little otter couldn't get past the stomping feet.
Obstacle 3, Stage 3_____
Coming Through
"Make way! Blind man coming through! GANGWAY DAMMIT!" Shouted No-Eyes as he squirmed his way through the scrum on the bridge.
Fail!
Success!
Frustrated at his failure to squirm through the crowd, Bellamy tried a different tack.
The Bridge Less Traveled! DC 15 Acrobatics, DC 13 Reflex:
Fail!
Fail!
As the racers approached Founder's Square, it was becoming clear that not all of the racers were playing fair. A brawl was starting to break out, and not a single soul was stepping in to break it up. In fact, most were either sidestepping the ordeal entirely - glad to be ahead - or enjoying the show. But the God's Revel is on the other side of the mess...
Obstacle 4 - Brawl in Founder's Square
As you sprint across the square, you know it's only a matter of time before someone sees you taking a lead and tries to slow you down. It might be one of your new friends... or it might be one of the thugs that are stomping around the Square. And if you were reading them right, they'd be coming at you just... about... now! With a quick duck and a juke to the left, you dodge around a fat fellow with a club and break off for the outer harbor cliffside.
The brawl is getting rough. Several racers have been knocked out of the race - either by being knocked out, or being knocked into the inner harbor. The bay stretched out to the south side of the Square... and when the angry looking fellow in front of you cracked his knuckles, you know exactly what to do. Doubling your pace, you charge into him at full speed and shoulder him backward. The man loses his balance and tumbles backward, head over heels, into the drink. Onward!
Trying to get around the brawl without getting involved was never going to work. Hell, you're not even sure if the brawl had anything to do with the race anymore! One thing's for sure, though, and that's the thuggish looking sailor in front of you. He cracks his knuckles and takes a step towards you. Ducking around him, you smack him on the back, grab him by the shirt and spin him about, pull it up and over his face, then shove him towards the nearest racer. The man stumbles over the racer and the thug goes off swinging. Meanwhile, you're already across the square and well onto the cliffside just before the God's Revel!
Round 4
The bridge less traveled:
Viktorra looks back, and noting her lead, decides to show off a bit.
She runs up to the edge of the broken bridge, and makes a slightly-less graceful than it could have been leap, but then manages to catch herself on the other edge.
Pulling over the edge, she races off across the square.
Push 'em into the bay!
And this is where she is finally slowed, as she slams into the brawler, but is unable to move him out of the way.
After dodging his attack (I assume), she will try again.
Round 1:
Acrobatics:1d20+7+2⇒(1)+7+2=10(Using said plank to help out)
Not a good result at all. So poor Suny is kind of starting behind the Eight-ball. :(
Round 2:
Perception:1d20+6⇒(3)+6=9
So... Looks like Suny still has no idea where she's going other than to follow every one else.
Acrobatics:1d20+7+2⇒(14)+7+2=23(Using said plank to help out)
But with her fluid grace she either breaks free of the crowd or at least makes up some time.
Round 3:
Swim check:Can always 'Take ten' so her swim score is 19. (^_^)
Climb:
And the dice roller show that the Elven lass is probably enjoying the waters too much. :P
Round 4:
Depending on things, Suny is more inclined to be using distractions than anything else.
Round 4
Ol' Salty finally stood up while all the young whippersnappers ran and pushed.
He paced briefly, thinking long and hard how to get to his destination.
"Ah, that might work" said Ol' Salty peering the back alley.
Come Lil' Fisher, I have an idea.
Ol' Salty then casts Guidance on himself for the next round
Round 5
Hmm. Being a shaman of the waves, I'll take the water path... problem is the climbing part afterwards.
Ol' Salty leaps into the water, swimming with unnatural grace.
"Aha! That's how ye do it!"
Ol' Salty will cast Guidance on himself for the next round
"C'mon, Tai, we have to find ourselves a way out of this crowd," Nhati says.
Again she looks, trying to find a way out of the crowded streets....
"There!" she says, seeing an alley that she wasn't able to see before through the press of bodies. She works her way to it, and moves onwards.....
Coming up on the Bridge, Tai says to Nhati, "Why don't you just fly over it?"
"Easy for you to say..." Nahti responds, before taking a running leap at the bridge.....
Much to her surprise, Nhati is able to leap across the bridge, and pull herself up on the far side.
"I thought you said you couldn't fly," the parrot Tai says.
Nhati merely shruges.
Enraged by Bellamy's trickery, the salty sailor turns red faced as he presses on. Resisting the impulse to knock the old man's face in with his fists, he channels his rage to get to the damned goal before the others beat him to it!
With a running leap, he attempts to leap over the water a good two or three dozen feet below. However, Bellamy's accursed sticky gunk causes the sailor to tumble headlong right into the waters below!
Now in the water, the enraged sailor wastes no more time. He swims swiftly, passing a few of the other revelers, using the momentum from the fall to ride across the gap to the rocks. With a quick scramble up the rock wall, Reijo is back in the running!
Obstacle 3, Stage 5_____
Coming Through
Frustrated at his being turned around on the bridge, coming back to the start again and hearing Reijo jump the gap, Bellamy shouted at the other competitors.
"Make way ye scrubs! Blind man coming through! GANGWAY DAMMIT!"
Fail!
Fail!
Obstacle 3, Stage 6_______
Pushed back to the base of the bridge again, Bellamy lets out an inarticulate scream, then tried a different tack.
The Bridge Less Traveled! DC 15 Acrobatics, DC 13 Reflex:
Success!
Success!
Finally making the leap, Bellamy danced a sailors jig in celebration before continuing on, far behind now.
Reijo's single-minded drive propels him like a fiery bolt through the competition, swiftly destroying any and all obstacles in his path...
So when one thuggish fellow cracked his knuckles and took a step towards him, it was too late for the poor man to think twice about his poor choice of sparring partner. Red-faced Reijo growls like a rabid pit bull as he grabs the man's shirt, pulls it up and over his face, and uses the thug's body to pummel a second racer, all in one swift motion. One's head shatters into the other's jaw full force, causing a tooth to fly and another's head to swell.
Reijo sprints onwards, undaunted, as the two are left behind to blame each other for their wounds and fight it out.
Obstacle 4, Stage 7_____
Sensing the brawl erupting in front of him...
Look, That Guy Did It! DC 15 Sleight of Hand:
Success!
Trying to get around the brawl without getting involved was never going to work. Hell, you're not even sure if the brawl had anything to do with the race anymore! One thing's for sure, though, and that's the thuggish looking sailor in front of you. He cracks his knuckles and takes a step towards you. Ducking around him, you smack him on the back, grab him by the shirt and spin him about, pull it up and over his face, then shove him towards the nearest racer. The man stumbles over the racer and the thug goes off swinging. Meanwhile, you're already across the square and well onto the cliffside just before the God's Revel!
Round 6, Obstacle 4
As Ol' Salty rode (on his slipstream wave, the poor man just can't run) into the square, all eyes were drawn upon him.
Oh dear, this doesn't look good thought Ol' Salty as he approached the brawl.
Hopefully they wouldn't hit an old man... would they?
Yup they would! he then exclaimed, just as a fat fellow with a club tried to smash his brains in. Fortunately, the wise man dodged to the side just in time.
That wasn't enough though, as Ol' Salty had gotten quite frustrated. He immediately drew upon his remaining spirit magic to cast hydraulic push, sending it into the fray.
The race getting intense! Coming down to the wire, many of the competitors have fallen out of the race - either taken out by the competition, failing to keep up, or simply giving up after seeing the display put on the frontrunners. The cliffside path narrowed as it ran along the outer harbor, and several runners go tumbling in as the racers push and shove for the front of the line!
Obstacle 5 - Along the Cliff
Playing dirty and throwing people in the harbor? How like a city full of drunken sailors and pirates! You spot the racer who has his eyes on you - or, more specifically, on shoving you into the harbor. You abruptly stop and throw off his charge, then nimbly place a leg just in front of him. With a lovetap on his back, the man goes tumbling into the drink. The home stretch is ahead!
Playing dirty and throwing people in the harbor? How like a city full of drunken sailors and pirates! Best to take a play straight out of Bellamy's playbook. With a gasp of surprise and a hand directed skyward, you manage to catch the attention of the nearest racer. He turns and glances as you shove him aside and push ahead to the home stretch.
Playing dirty and throwing people in the harbor? How like a city full of drunken sailors and pirates! Fortunately, they were all so occupied shoving each other into the harbor that they'd never notice someone slinking by on the other side of the path! Clinging to the wall like a bad paint job, you skirt around the side of the fray and somehow, someway, manage to make it through to the home stretch without even having to dirty your hands! Well - for now.
Obstacle 5, Round 6
Having just sent the brute head over heels into the drink, Ol' Salty and his sea otter companion ride as quickly as possible along the cliffside path. As they make their way across, another brute lunges towards them.
"Hmph. Ye whippersnappers have no respect for the elders! When I was your age..."
Unfortunately, the brute has no interest in Ol' Salty's lecture, and throws him off the cliff.
"I'LL GET YE FIR THIS YE PATHET..." SPLOOSH