The three guards who had made it up the plank plastered themselves to the side of the railing, moving stealthy to give each other room. They glanced around, noting the shapes in the fog when suddenly... there was a great splash. They look wordlessly at each other and wonder and wait. They weren't spotted yet.

Initiatives Round 3

• Jayant Uptal (39)
• IK Ally 1 (38) - wait
• IK Ally 2 (32) - wait
• IK Ally 4 (32) - wait

Enter from: Boarding Round 4 at Init: 29

Zenko moves off to the side after crossing the gangplank, towards the front of the ship, keeping low and against the railing closest to shore for now. Wasn't much to see in the fog, and for now that was alright. The splash, and then the piping wasn't good though.

(Stealth: 24, Defensive stance, TNtbH: 33)

Enter from Boarding in Round 3.

He hadn't been spotted yet either and kept low beside the railing, bow at the ready.

[Defensive stance, TN 23] Init: 25

Edit: Can act in Round 4

Initiatives Round 4

• Jayant Uptal (39)
• ?? 3A (38)
• Rohini (38)
• Magam (32)
• Chitra (32)
• Usagi Zenko (29)
• Akodo Jishaku (25)
• ?? 2A (12)

* * *

Jayant moved along the shadowed railing, to make space for his allies as they came up the plank. He used the fog as cover and froze when one of the ship's guards passed him towards the gangplank. The man had his sword drawn, eyes scanning the fog when it fell on the Lion. His eyes widen as he shouts a warning, even as high whistle of alert pierced the fog.

The leader of their allies hesitates and curses softly as he darts out to silence the man with a slash of his sword. It struck true cutting the man viciously across the chest (30). At the last moment the enemy guard shrinks his stomach in, avoiding the worst the cut. He opens his mouth to shout when one of the other Maharaja's guards, Magam, appears from the mist, following their leader in to the fray.

He too hits, cutting the shouter across the back (17). Once more shouter twists, almost supernaturally to avoid the worst of the blows, but the soft plop of blood against the deck was clear. Chitra swallows his nervousness and moves, bringing one of those wickedly curved blades up to slash the man from groin to neck. The blade cut through armor, cloth, and flesh(12), but it wasn't enough to drop the man...

Usagi Zenko is up.

Zenko gives a silent curse, yet knows that if more ascend from below decks they'll quickly be swarmed. Trusting the Akodo's skill as a warrior, the Hare pads towards that entryway located on the foredeck based on the earlier briefing.

His stance is yet cautious, as he readies himself for foes to come from any direction.

C'mon Cub, keep our exit open...

(If new stealth roll needed: 16. If new not needed, stealth still 24. Defensive stance, activating kata. TNtbh: 34.)

Jishaku raised his bow, setting an arrow to the string as he watched the dance of shadows. He took a breath and aimed at the one standing and still spinning. With a soft twang, the arrow whistled through the air, striking its target. It sprouted from the man's throat as he hit the floor with a soft thump (27).

The remaining enemy sailor turns to the sound of whistling, and sees his fellow ganged up on and eventually fall. Outnumbered four to one, he decides that discretion is the better part of valor and flees towards the doors to below deck. He is careful, however not moving too far and keeping his guard up as he walks, yelling out one word in his native tongue.

Initiatives Round 5

• Jayant Utpal (39)
• Rohini (38)
• Magam (32)
• Chitra (32)
• Usagi Zenko (29)
• Akodo Jishaku (25)
• ?? 1B (24) Below Deck
• ?? 7a (16) Below Deck
• ?? 2A (12)

Entering Initiative Pool on Round 6

• Bayushi Nobuyoshi (39)

Jayant spots the man and comes upon him quickly. Charging out of the mists like some avenging demon. The black blade flashes twice ( ). The kukri's bite digs into the man's flesh. The first cut is little more than a scratch as the enemy sailor rolls with the blow just in time., leaving a thin slice across his arm. The other blow strikes a little more true, but does not seem to significantly injure the fleeing man. Damage: 13, 12 (First voided)

The remaining Rhumaali allies move quickly. Magam and Chitra move to secure the gangplank, ensuring that more allies can quickly board the ship without being attacked while Rohini charges into the fray once more. Striking at the fleeing man but missing by just a little.

Usagi Zenko is up.

Battle behind him, the Hare quickly palms his knife, turning in one smooth motion to throw the blade making it past the man's guard like a viper strike. (9 damage)

The Hare continues his turn back to the doors, advancing to try and limit the exit of any coming from below decks as much as he bodily could....but does he arrive in time?

(Attack stance: TN 28) (edit: change of phrase)

EDIT: Since the scene hasn't moved on yet

Jishaku was about to put the bow down and switch to his sword, but something made him bide his time.

[Delaying my action, will act before 2A in this turn's initiative round, Attack stance, TN20]

Two more guards charge up onto the deck, blades drawn, but with only a faint glint from the fog covered moon. They are ready for targets, but a Lion had been in waiting for them first. (Let me know which one you are shooting at with your post)

The legendary Akodo technique was waiting for one of the gaijin who came charging out of the doorway. Before evil henchman 1B had a chance to close the range to attack the Lion's comrades-in-arms, an arrow sprung forth knowing the way even through the fog (39), and giving him something to think about (15 damage).

The arrow flies straight and true, but the man hunches his shoulder as he prepares to charge in and the arrow merely cuts a bloody furrow across his skin rather than sticking into him. (voided down)

The man the Akodo shot growls and closes on Jayant, swinging his curved blade at the overexposed Rhumaali. The blade catches, but a quick twist from Jayant keeps the blow from being too serious.

The other man targets the Usagi, his blade making contact(28). The blade sticks in deep, cutting the Hare open (29)

The final enemy, sensing a moment of weakness, turns and strikes out at Zenko as well but the agile Hare manages to avoid the blow easily enough.

Standby for Round 6

Initiatives Round 6

• Bayushi Nobuyoshi (43)
• Jayant Utpal (39)
• Rohini (38)
• Magam (32)
• Chitra (32)
• Usagi Zenko (29)
• Akodo Jishaku (25)
• Sailor 1 (24)
• Bayushi Hoshi (22)
• Archer 4 (18)
• Goon 7 (16)
• Goon 2 (12)

Nobuyoshi is up first.

A patch of the fog darkens and resolves itself into shape, the first part being visible an utterly black face with tears of scarlet coming from it's eyes and mouth. Swiftly sword clears scabbard as the Scorpion bushi descends upon his target. His target is swift, a little metal bird flitting about drawing rivers of red upon would-be allies. He lashes out at the little metal bird and the branch it makes it's home upon. The bird is swift, but maybe if the branch is just a little too far out.

The little bird skirts out of the way of the attack, alarmed by the arrival of the new enemy. He prepares for combat with a new enemy.

Attack: 12

Snarling after the blow, Jayant turns on the man Nobuyoshi attacked and swings, Striking once, and then again in short order. The deadly kukri opens the man from shoulder to hip. Deep red blood spurts out and Jayant deftly steps away as the enemy falls on his face, already dead as his life blood pours out of his body.

Rohini takes the opportunity to turn and strike at the man who had attacked Zenko, hitting well. The Talwar slides across flesh, but the man manages to roll out of the way of the blow some as it lands, keeping the wound from being too grievous.

Magam and Chitra move up from defending the gangplank now as two more samurai enter the fray. Seeing Zenko badly injured, Magam moves to guard the injured Usagi until he can get back into the fight.(+10 to Usagi Zenko's ArmorTN) Chitra focuses himself, watching his foes with a careful eye as he prepares himself for a powerful strike (Center Stance).

Usagi Zenko is up!

The blow he had suffered was one where the Hare managed to turn aside much of the damage, although the droplets of blood upon the deck bore the reason for his grimace.

Snarling, the Hare shakes his head, angry with himself for allowing the distraction of an enemy keep him from his purpose.

Rolling back and towards the hatch, the Hare closes it, then leaping sideways quickly from a handstand upon the hatch. "I really liked that uniform..." he comments as he rolls to his feet, one hand coming up as if to dare the foes to come after him.

(Defense stance: w/guard bonus, TNtbH: 44, complex action to close the hatch)

With the Hare under guard and new allies emerging into the fight, Jishaku once again waits for the most opportune moment to act.

[Attack Stance, TN20, Delaying]

Hoshi suddenly entered the fray and grappled the approaching archer, neutralising that threat. Given the available targets and seeping fog the bow wasn't going to be much use in a moment, it seemed likely they were about to be met by another bunch of screaming gaijin. So Jishaku put his bow on the deck, next to the railing beside the gangplank, and drew his grandfather's blade. With the katana readied he moved over toward his allies and prepared for what was to come.

The man who had cut open Jayant just a little while ago turns on the Hare's guardian. Striking the man with his talwar. Magam rolls some with the blow, keeping the wound from being too grievous.

(And IC is down... yay...)
Attack: 7, 7, 6, 6= 26
Damage: 8, 7= 15

Hoshi is up!

After an ordeal getting on the ship, Hoshi was glad to be on board with the others before a majority of the chaos erupted, and there was bound to be much of it whether intentional or not. Her eyes darted about on deck on all of potential targets. Rather than searching for weakness, she did otherwise to seek out the unattended. Her attention soon centred on the unfortunate archer who just entered the fray.

She charged forward into battle with solid overhead spins of her chain and launched the claw-shaped weight forward to put her prey into a snag. The metal whipped in the air in quick succession with a sound that was music to Hoshi's ears, putting the archer in a solid chain lock.

(GM roll'd, attack hits! Control is a success!)

The archer, just getting his own shot ready, was taken back as the Scorpion charges out at him, swinging a steel chain at him. Once he was wrapped up, he struggled uselessly against the chain. Hoshi had the man very well pinned down and he had little chance of getting out in the near future.

The man who had so grievously wounded Zenko, seeing his guardian injured, struck at him as well, hoping to take one of their attackers out of the fight. The sword strikes it's blow well, cutting the man up a second time in as many seconds, leaving him feeling rather weak.

Attack: 8, 5, 9= 22
Damage: 8, 5= 13

STAND BY FOR ROUND 7