get: 1 ([-1, -1, 0, 1] + 2)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! as the cultists seem to struggle4dF+2 was rolled to get: 2 ([-1, 0, 1, 0] + 2)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! against her onslaught.

Then you hit the dock hard, dust and debris launching from the point of impact. As if on cue, your opponents, [i]Prepared to Charge[/i] do exactly that, their whole group a spear to thrust into your chest4dF+4 was rolled to get: 5 ([0, 0, 1, 0] + 4)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting!.

He thought he calculated his jump correctly, hit enough cultists that they're disrupted from whatever charge they were planning. Instead, he found his chest down on the dock, his snout smashing through some of the soft blocks of wood, and as he turned around, saw the group of cultists charging towards him. Of course, he wouldn't survive taking their formation-based charge. But neither could he let them miss him and then smash full force into the dock they also intended to destroy. He had to slow their momentum, NOW.

So he took some opportunistic quick-thinking and reached for a nearby heavy crate. With one hoof down on the dock, both hands upon the iron-reinforced crate, and a little heavy lifting, the minotaur heaved the box at the group of cultists in a frighteningly fast display. The box, then, exploded4dF+3 was rolled to get 2 ([-1, 1, -1, 0] + 3) as the spear pierced it; a crackling display of flashing lights, high-pitched sounds, and many miniature explosions went off. The disruption was just enough to scatter the cultists apart and turned their spear into many, smaller javelins scattering across the dock, with a couple unfortunately and uncomfortably grazed across Drallic's fur-held muscles.

The pain, however, gave him a moment of clarity: that box was one of the supplies his crew was supposed to transport after leaving Argenta. That could be a problem if they made it out of this alive.

Unfortunately, again, the plan was sound, but the execution not so much. The box shards, once broken, start swirling with the backdraft of the cultists, blowing away from you and the cultists, harmlessly passing by the translucent creatures.

The cultists are now starting to hold their own against Gellya, their aim getting more and more precise4dF+2 was rolled to get 0 ([0, 0, -1, -1] + 2), yet the duelist holds firm4dF+4 was rolled to get 8 ([1, 1, 1, 1] + 4), trusting her instincts and focus. And with that focus, she is [i]Confident[/i]. She knows that her enemy's defeat is just a matter of time. Which is why she does not seem in a hurry when her blade continues to flick4dF+3 was rolled to get: 3 ([1, -1, 0, 0] + 3)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! out in quick motions while the cultists swirl4dF+2 was rolled to get: 4 ([1, 1, 1, -1] + 2)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting!.

The ones on you, however, are much more confident as now two of your attacks have failed. Coming out of their lance-dive, they go even higher into the air, out of your reach, and start shooting a barrage4dF+2 was rolled to get: 0 ([0, -1, -1, 0] + 2)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! of bolts and wind down at your grounded form.

Unlike Gellya, Drallic was lacking the confidence of his duelist crewmate. A mixture of being exhausted, worn out from battle, and some sloppy strikes have left him feeling at quite a disadvantage. But he was stronger and quicker than her - the benefit of being a harrier - as he quickly saw the flurry of bolts and wind and began charging through and around their flurry. His heavy hooves stomped across the dock's wood, swiftly moving faster than the cultists can track him.

And in a with some quick reactions and perception, he caught several of their bolts with his hands, keeping them between his fingers for a Small Quiver to use. It's nothing like firing an actual crossbow, but it'd work in a pinch.

With the cultists has high as they are, Drallic had no way of just launching himself towards them. Instead, moving off the wood and back on the stone ground, the minotaur used his opportunistically-taken Small Quiver, his strength, and his quick hand-eye coordination to quickly toss4dF+3 was rolled to get 4 ([0, 1, 0, 0] + 3) the bolts right back at the cultists. Maybe he'd impress Chucker if the goblin was watching right about now.

Your attack is unexpected as the bolts are sent right back at them. However, it did not have the result you expected. Instead of harming the cultists, the bolts stick into their robes and bodies. No damage was done, but they are briefly [i]hindered.[/i]

Gellya takes two steps backward as the remaining cultists she's fighting starts circling her4dF+2 was rolled to get 2 ([1, -1, -1, 1] + 2) in the same manner as the others did you. Her blade comes up in a guard4dF+2 was rolled to get 1 ([0, 0, 0, -1] + 2), ready to block anything coming at her from the dome. However, her skill-set is not meant to handle multiple enemies surrounding her and she takes a couple of hits. But with each hit, her blade lashes out4dF+3 was rolled to get: 4 ([0, 1, -1, 1] + 3)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! at the whirling cultists4dF+2 was rolled to get: 1 ([0, -1, 0, 0] + 2)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! in retaliatory strikes. With some final strikes, her blade cut through the last cultist, dispersing them. Seeing that her attackers are done, she starts moving toward you.

And then a mini-explosion4dF+4 was rolled to get: 3 ([0, 0, -1, 0] + 4)

NOTE: Was Added/Modified From Editting! sounds from behind you. Something whizzes by your head as a cultist falls from the sky and disperses toward you. Turning around, you can see your ship, pulling out of the dock and starting to hover above your battle. At the anti-personel rifle is Chucker, reloading the rifle for another shot from a crate by his feet.

The cultists spread out at the gunshot, not sure where exactly to position themselves. From the deck comes four arcane missiles that slams into more of the cultists. And then a rope bridge comes down from the ship's side.

"Get on, captain!"

No better time than now for backup!

The minotaur captain didn't even have time to duck as he heard the explosion from behind. As always, Chucker was fast on the draw and faster at aiming. How he manages that was well beyond Drallic's comprehension. He didn't know the goblin, or the rest of the crew, quite as well as El'lans. Maybe Drallic should ask the reborne once things quiet down.

"C'mon Gellya!" Drallic shouted to the duelist as he turns around and, at Chucker's suggestion, charged towards and up the rope bridge. Satisfying-sounding CLAP and CLUNK sounds rattled the sturdy bridge as his hooves stomped forth until he makes it to the dark, reinforced wooden deck of their Transporter ship. "Couldn'tve been better timed!" he said joyfully, hiding a sigh of relief as he makes sure Gellya gets on board safely before asking, "Chucker, how's Yalnic?"

Looking back down the ladder, you see that Gellya is climbing it with one hand, holding her blade in the other. While you were able to get up to the deck of the ship safely, the cultists have now recovered from the surprise attack, and are now firing at the handing woman. She is defending herself with her blade, but most of the work comes from Chucker on the Anti-Personnel Rifle. The 8-Pounder rounds slam into cultists, disintegrating them near instantly.

At the pilot's station is El'lans, pulling the wheel to start sending the ship into the air. However, when Gellya finally gets to the deck and rushes up to the pilot's station, he steps aside for her. The woman continues pulling the wheel as El'lans runs down to your side, sending magic down at the remaining cultists. Behind you, you hear and see the rest of the crew, minus Yalnic, preparing sails, rigging or weapons.

"Well enough." Chucker responds, "He can fly the ship, and the doc is working on him as he does."

"Good. Let's make sure 'ell be better by tonight," Drallic responds to the goblin, sounding more commanding than he had been a moment ago. This is Drallic's ship, after all... Drallic's and El'lans, technically. The reborne owned the ship before the minotaur came on as their second captain. Still, a captain needs to lead, and they need to be commanding in some form.

Lacking a reasonable ranged weapon, given the Anti-Personnel Rifle was made and maintained specifically for Chucker, Drallic takes his hooves across the ship's wooden deck, leaping up to the masts and pulling down the sails with a mix of his quick movement and heavy lifting. "GET THIS SHIP UP 'N MOVIN'!" he shouts to the crew, helping them as much as he can; a captain doesn't just shout orders; pull down the sails, help load the cannons; he's done it all before, and quite frankly he's gotten good at it.

"I WANT THESE LUBBIN' CULTISTS OFF TH' DOCKS AN' OUTTA THIS CITY!" Above all, before anyone can leave, Argenta need to be secure. The crew can't just abandon the skylands when they're reliant on them.

"AYE!" Your crew cries out from all across the deck.

A few start grabbing firearms from the weapon's store and running for the railing, their deckshoes and harnesses keeping them from being flung off of the ship even during the slow process of it elevating. One even takes the few seconds to hand you your pair of deckshoes before joining his mates in clearing out the rest of the cultists on the ground. Your cannon crew heads for your two cannons, getting the cannons loaded and ready to fire.

As they do, El'lans calls out, "Get the cannons ready! Rake the cultists from the sky!"

Another cry from the crew rocks the ship, including Gellya as she points the ship's port side toward the retreating air elementals, cultists and more. Looking at them, you again see the glint as light reflects off of something one of the cultists flying away is holding.

Drallic had almost forgotten the shaking turbulence as the ship slowly began lifting off, adjusting his balance in the meantime. He took his deckshoes with a nod of respect from the crewmate. As most deckshoes weren't actually designed with a minotaur's hooves in mind, Drallic put his on as well as he could, which was to say that it was a rather clunky process.

But it was a necessary item; even hooves got sore and slipped while walking on the wooden deck.

While he was happy to be on the ship, something about the cultists still bothered him. The faint glint was particularly bizarre; what material did the cultists of air have use for? "Chucker, that one!" he said, standing right next to the goblin and his rifle. "Third from the lef', triple up the city's walls!" Drallic never figured out how Chucker did it, but the goblin always had an impressive sense of perception and aim even if one couldn't give more than vague directions. That should, hopefully, be enough to give him his target.

And while the goblin did so, Drallic grabbed a nearby telescope and looked through it with his good eye at the cultist. What was it holding?

Chucker takes the rifle back, aiming down its sights, the barrel repositioning toward the cultist that you pointed to. With so many in the sky, and so many leaving the raided city, it even takes the goblin a few seconds to lock on, "Got 'em!"

As he does, you grab the spyglass sitting in its hook next to the pilot's wheel and look out. You find the specific cultist again, and see the glimmer in its arms. It is hard to tell exactly what the item is from this distance, even with the telescope, but you can tell it is a small reflective object, maybe a gem or a metal object.

You can tell its important, though, as the few aeroships around you able to get to the sky are pointing their broadsides at that cultist, and over the wind you can hear calls similar to what El'lans made to fire.

Explosions rock the sky as dozens of cannons, arcane cannons, and rifles, fire their barrages. The large balls of metal and magic hard to see as they rocket toward the cultists leaving the city. You watch as cultists surround the one holding the special item, most of them taking the brunt of the damage while other shots miss entirely, sailing through the air and to the ground all the way below the skyland.

Drallic got only one good look at the reflective object before his sight was obscured by both the cultists and the spray of rifle and cannon fire. In an instant he was really concerned; THAT was what they besieged this city for? What in Hell was it? And more importantly, how could they get it back?

Drallic had an idea, and it was one only a harrier can do.

"Good job, Chucker!" he shouted to the nearby goblin crewmate, speaking louder than the winds of the sky or the fireworks of explosions going off. "Keep an' eye out fer it an' ake 'nother shot if ye see it." The minotaur put the spyglass back on the hook, looking over to Gellya who is still at the wheel. "Get us close as ye can to 'em!" he pointed at the bunched up group of cultists. "'Else, try an' put us where they're goin' an' cut 'em off!" The crew didn't exactly have an excellent navigator, making sailing through treacherous areas more harrowing than they perhaps could be. But Gellya was clever and quick to act, and if anyone could find a somewhat-safe path toward or in the way of the cultist's escape path, the better.

Towards the rest of the crew, he roared, "SOMEONE GET ME A GRAPPLIN' HOOK, NOW! AN' ALL ELSE, STAY ON YE STATIONS!" With the explosive display of fire, there was a brief window to move and act. A harrier only needed that brief window, provided they could get close enough.

You can feel the gaze of both Gellya and El'lans on you, even though you aren't looking at them. It is easy to put words to the gazes you feel, "What in the skies above are you doing?"

But in a moment, you feel a piece of rope in your hand from a passing crewmate. Soon after, you feel the ship go into a steep incline and tilt to