The ship sat silent in the mist covered harbor, the brass and glass lanterns hanging from the poles like dim and muffled stars in the night. There were no guards on the dock, the guards had been told to pull away from this ship. Barricades with archers had been set in place. The alleys blocked. And several men set to kill runners to and from the ship. There were no concerns regarding peasants, they had long since gone to ground, seeking cover from the unnatural fog that blanketed the city.

Figures moved in the mist and death crept on (hopefully) silent feet from the alleyways.

* * *

Please roll initiative upon entering the thread. Conscripts get 5 x Conscript rank as they are deemed more expendable and allowed to go first.

You may then choose to board the ship in one of two manners:

Plank

• Only two people may be on the plank at any one time.
• The plank is 25ft in length
• You must make a stealth/agility check of TN 15 to not be spotted and alert the guards

Up the Side of the Ship

• Takes 3 Athletics (climb)/Str success of TN 20 to climb the side of the boat - 1 attempt/round
• A failure of 5 or more drops you in to the water, giving the enemy a +5 to their Investigation/Perception checks

IF a player chooses to secure a rope to the railing for his fellows (Sailing (knots)/Agi with a TN 15) then the following option is available for those with a lower initiative:

On the Ropes

• Takes 3 Athletics (climb)/Str success of TN 15 to climb the side of the boat - 1 attempt/round
• A failure of 5 or more drops you in to the water, giving the enemy a +5 to their Investigation/Perception checks

Sugita is all for climbing up the side of the boat. He even gets a rope to help out those coming after him. They're not going to have any help from him however, as he tumbles off the side into the water after a giant pelican decides to ram him at full speed.


Init: 18
Climbing: 30, 9

6k3 with emphasis: 4,3,2,2,2,2
WTF

It'd been awhile since Yakusoku had seen real battle. Bar fights? Sure. Brawls with crewmen back amongst the Crab? Regularly. But this was different. Still, she was more than ready for it. Having applied her white, black and red warpaint, an homage to her formerly Kuni mother, the woman looked like some sort of spectre as she made her way toward the enemy boat. Her face blended almost perfectly with the fog, a mask of death with only hints of black and red at her mouth and eyes.

The excitement pulsing through her left her moving quickly, intent on scaling the side of the ship itself. She was not stealthy but she was strong; knew that she could creep over the side of the gaijin vessel with little difficulty. Sure, she'd use a rope if one was made available and someone with less brute strength didn't need it. But otherwise she'd simply climb the side of the boat. From there it was just a matter of who to kill first.

Once she made her way out to the boat, climbing was the easy part. Sure, it'd take some time to reach the deck. Hopefully some of her stealthier companions will have already silently engaged the enemy by then.

Other Rolls

Itsuho had been sent on ahead, as befitted a conscript. So it was no surprise she was to the ship quickly. Unfortunately, as she reached the side of the ship, she just wasn't quite strong enough. She slipped back a little with a soft curse. She managed to start up again, nearing the top of the boat's edge before her luck ran out and she fell with a splash.

Hoshi found it almost humorous that her first battle as an Imperial Legionnaire required her to participate in something less than fair against the enemy. All of the shadiness required for the task easily mirrored her days in Ryoko Owari Toshi, the River of Gold had its share of mists sometimes. This almost made her feel like a shinobi, if they existed. She counted herself as a heavier soldier and was content to let the conscripts earn their...glory (Initiative 22). (Delaying.)

Qian-Fan had chosen to wear his shipboard clothing for this. Although he preferred his robes this was a ship attack and the reasons for not wearing robes at sea were still valid in a harbour. He crouched on the dock, waiting for the assault to progress. He knew his own limitations and waited for those better suited to stealth and assault to prepare the way.


Initiative = 20. Action held for first round.

The humour of the situation wasn't lost on Akodo Jishaku either, though the fact that they were attacking a bunch of gaijin demon-worshippers made it more palatable. With his bow strung and an arrow nocked, he watched the ship carefully as the conscripts made their opening moves.

Initiative: 25. Delaying for the moment.

[Attack stance]

Usagi Zenko wore the red and white of the Hare, although both colors were dampened by the fog and a healthy amount of mud he'd added in order to approximate stealth. Who knew if the earth kami would assist him?

Before making his go at the ship, he kissed the jade pendant, securing it then and insuring the it was tied tightly. Hand on the hilt of his katana, he made for the plank, bare feet padding along the path to the ship.

(Initiative: Conscript + 15, means with die roll equals = 29)

And then the Hare finds where the plank creaks against the ship...oh the cruel luck.

(Stealth/Agility: TN 15 (20 with phobia) spent 1 void for 5k4... 5,5,3,1 on the roll.)

(Defense Stance: TN 33)

Jayant moves forward with the other samurai. Switching to darker clothing for the assault as he stuck to the ever present fog, which was not difficult to do at all. His kukri was already drawn, the black steel dull in the moonlight.

Jayant opts for climbing aboard via the plank, seeing plenty of the samurai attempting to climb the side of the ship. He has a length of rope held in one hand, hoping he might have a chance to tie it off once he is at the top.

Initiative: 39
Stealth: 38

(Ya know IC, I would have preferred some of those tens go to the people climbing the ship... thanks.)

The big man had a coil of rope around his body, like a bandolier. He swims to the edge of the boat as quietly as possible, and begins to climb. (Init 12 He gets a good distance up the ship, but doesn't slow down.

He frowns as he keeps moving up the ship, not pausing for anything. As he pulls himself over the edge, he quickly ties off a rope and drops it down for the others (in defensive stance).

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3194049/ - Initiative 37

Expendable. That was Amaya's life. She had heard this tale time and time again. She moved when orders came, and she struck where the orders commanded her to strike. This ship had things that needed killing, and so she was more than willing to do it. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the samurai falling in but paid it no mind. This was not the time for that. She swam easily, as if the water were as comfortable as walking on the ground to her. Flowing silently through the water, like a wraith, her body moving without even the slightest sound, she approached the ship.

Coming to the ship's side, she nimbly scrambled up the side of the boat. Not missing a beat, she pulled her kama and hung there, observing and picking targets from her silent position. One monkey, two monkey three, which monkey to gut first...

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3194165/
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3194178/

Once catching sight of a rope, Hoshi would follow after the conscripts and make her way up to the ship. She was clad in her armour set, which made her attempt difficult but managed to do so without a snag on her end. With the easy part done, on to the hard part...success. Survival is a good bonus too though.

Tomoe observes at the start, waiting for others to try climbing before she does. She readies her bow, observing for targets while her allies climb. (15 Attack stance while they climb). She watches in horror as a couple fall into the water. There goes surprise most likely.

Tomoe grabs the rope thrown by the Crab when he arrives at the top, thankful for his foresight in bringing one. Putting the bow away, she starts to climb (TN 15 and leaving armor on ship as it is a pain to climb and wear it - 1 ,2 , 3). It isn't too hard going and she yanks herself over the edge at the end like a pro, immediately drawing both of her weapons and inspecting her surroundings.

The six that had stood by to listen to Uminushi instruct his soldiers were there along with Jayant. The hostility of these foreigners had not been lost on them, still they walked into battle with the samurai. They had been chosen because all of them had spent time in Rokugan and at least had a grasp of the language. They were quick and light on their feet, barely stirring the fog as they went up the plank one by one.

* * *

Round 1:

• Mirumoto Itsuho (43) - Climbing Ship Mini-fail
• Jayant Uptal (39) - Up the Plank Success!
• IK Ally 1 (38) - Up the Plank Success!
• Amaya (37) - Climbing Ship Success!
• Ichiro Yakusoku (21) - Climbing Ship Success!
• Kakita Sugita (18) - Climbing Ship Success!
• Hida Musasha (12) - Climbing Ship Success!

Round 2:

• Mirumoto Itsuho (43) - Climbing Ship Success!
• IK Ally 2 (32) - Up the Plank Success!
• IK Ally 4 (32) - Up the Plank Success!
• Ichiro Yakusoku (21) - Climbing Ship Success!
• Kakita Sugita (18) - Falls in to Water
• Foot Soldier 4 (18) - Spots Sugita
• Hida Musasha (12) - Climbing Ship Success!

It was just plain bad luck that dropped the Kakita in to the cold water of the bays and worse luck when the closest guard peered over the railing... and looked right at him. There was a shout and two other shadows came clear against the railing.

Initiatives Round 3

• Mirumoto Itsuho (43) - Climbing Ship - CANNOT ACT
• Amaya (37) - Pulling Self Over Rail - CANNOT ACT
• Usagi Zenko (29)
• Akodo Jishaku (25)
• Bayushi Hoshi (22)
• Ichiro Yakusoku (21) - Pulling Self Over Rail - CANNOT ACT
• Agasha Qian-Fan (20)
• Kakita Sugita (18) - In the Drink
• ?? 4A (18)
• ?? 7A (16)
• Mirumoto Tomoe (15)
• ?? 1A (13)
• Hida Musasha (12) - Pulling Self Over Rail - CANNOT ACT
• IK Ally 3 (10)

Entering Initiative Pool on Round 4

• Bayushi Nobuyoshi (39)

"Smack Doji's voluptuous backside and call me a marmot!!!" Sugita curses, and splutters. The jig is up. May as well be as much a distraction as possible.

"Mind tossin' me a rope there gents?!" He calls up and waves as he paddles back to the side.

Zenko seems to be the first of the non-gaijin...or the first of the gaijin depending on your viewpoint, to cross the gangplank. He moves cautiously, bare feet taking each step one at a time.

One hand rests upon the hilt of his katana, keeping it and its sheath close at his side and under his control.

(Stealth: 24 Defensive stance: TN 33)
Exit to: Quiet Ones during Round 3.

With the Crane providing a distraction Jishaku prowled up the plank, bow readied, alongside the Hare.

[Defensive stance; rolls 10+6 for Akodo 2 = 16, success!]

[Exit to quiet ones]

Bayushi Hoshi curses softly under her breath and wisely moves back into the concealing mists.