[Game Thread] The Voyage of the Avilers

[Cedric]

Kai stood silent as Nelbin told of his dreams, his arms crossed before his chest, clutching his spellbook as if looking for some comfort in it.
He could not help but feel a shiver creep down his spine at the gnomes' words and he tried to remember if he reckognised the creatures he described from any of the ancient tales he had read as a boy.

Something in Nelbins vision sat in uneasy with Kai and for some reason he thought of the chained man he saw boarding the ship, who now probably is imprisoned below deck alone in the darkness and the strange familiarity he saw in him. Shrugging the thought away he looks up at Nelbin and asks softly "Any idea what this might mean or how it might affect us?"

[HughtheHand]

Fingering the star pendant at his neck, Nelbin turns towards Kai. "I see things, but often understanding is beyond my grasp. It seems though that some dark power is out there, possibly in the sea, possibly at our destination."

Then Nelbin shrugs, "But it's best not too worry too much, everything will happen in due time, whether we are ready or not. Let's just enjoy the voyage."

Smiling as though he had not been speaking of evil portents a mere minute ago, Nelbin reaches up and pats the wizard on the arm comfortingly.

[mcl01]

Shaking his head, Cern mutters rather bemusedly, "Portents and visions indeed... The Lord of the Maelstrom? Dark, unknown powers shackled away below the depths of the sea? What next, the Vile Lord of Pond Scum that strange cult worships? Your dream sounds like the ramblings of that crazy self-mutilating old man..."

Getting up from the ground, Cern stands to leave. "Though I suppose the crazies could be right sometimes. I do agree with your last statement at least. Let's pay no mind to it for now and enjoy what we can... until your next vision of malevolent creatures of dark, insatiable hunger of course." Reaching over, he pats the gnome good-naturedly on the shoulder, trying to stifle a chuckle.

[UncaJJ]

Glibnick

Glibnick listens to Ox as he makes the invitation to cards, and replies cordialy "Aye, a nice game of cards do sound like a nice way to spend some time. I'll be looking fer ya later!"

As Ox leaves, Glibnick makes his way up to the deck to pass some time, and is startled as Old Pete seems to pop out of nowhere. " You did sail with Thorgor? He was an odd Dwarf in some ways! I have spent some time on ships, but I do not be very comfortable with it!" The dwarf listens as Old Pete continues, frowning as he gives insight into Ox. "I thank yeh for your warning, and I will be passing it on to the others... As to a fight..." a slow grin starts to split Glibnick's face. [b]"I think ye be knowing quite well a Dwarf will rarely pass up a good friendly fight! What kind of wager do ye be thinking of?

----------

As Neblin approaches with his invitation to hear his visions, Glibnick agrees to listen and makes his way below decks again. He listens intently to the visions, taking notes in his little notebook. As Neblin finishes his recounting, Glibnick speaks up. "A being that do be sounding that powerful, but it sounds like it be a puppet to something else... Can you be giving us a better description of the beings? Was the cavern filled with water or air?" Furious scribbling is made in the notebook.

As the impromptu meeting seems to break up, Glibnick speaks up again. "If yeh be interested in playing cards with Ox, be knowing he be better at cards then his apparent intelligence. And if yeh be interested in making a wager with me, I be thinking of boxing with him fer some fun!"

 

Glibnick the Downtrodden - Dwarf Fighter 1
Round: - A wild and crazy ride sail.
Initiative:
HP: 13/13
AC/T/FF: 19 / 13 / 17
For/Ref/Wil: 5 / 2 / 1
Effects:
Movement: 20 (Ignores Burden and Armor)
Action Points used: 1/?5?
Actions
Move:
Standard:
Minor:
Free:

Combat Rolls

[Virulain]

Antimony had shaken her head at the interrruption, but was in fact curious. After excusing herself to Jalamar, she went belowdecks and had listened silently with the lest to the (perhaps mad) man's tale of his vision. And who sent this to you? she didn't ask, nor, [Why do you tell us? He was the one who had bundled himself away upon reaching their cabin; perhaps he was a cleric of some sort. She returned to the deck where Jalamar had been, putting the narration out of her mind for the time being. That combined with what she had remembered about the Lord seemed to fit vaguely, but it wasn't enough to really go on yet. Nelbin was right about one thing--wait and see.

[Colatine]

Jalamar stood quietly gazing out at the open waters. He didn't answer Antimony's question immediately. "Antimony, nice to meet you too." he said, smiling at the bard; the smile lighting up the all too serious countenance of the Priest of Sur. "As for Zalen, he is the son, not the brother of Solomon; an orphan like me, we more or less grew up together. The Church has tasked us to tend to the new church at Sentinel." He paused, scrutinizing Anitimony. "The church hasn't heard from the chapter in a few months..." he whispered. The breeze continued to get stronger, filling Jalamar's loose shirt. Outside of his well muscled chest, Antimony noticed a row of jagged scars crisscrossing his abdomen.
--------------------------------
Dert grinned broadly at Cern."Shoot mister, what do you take me for? A fool? Everyone knows of yer prying open the plank. Heck, everyone knows of the loose plank before you pried it open." He shook his head. "Well, it'd be time I went n helped the cook. There's plenty of work onboard, as you can see." He winked at Cern as he ran off.
-------------------------------
Neblin realized that something had distorted his vision for a few minutes. Why had he thought the handsome young man as being scarred? "No, sir. I am a faithful follower of Sur; however I would love to learn more of your goddess, and your visions." He replied, following Neblin and hearing his recounting of his vision
--------------------------------
It was apparent to Kai that the prisoner was drugged. "Thank you," the man mumbled before passing out. Kai found the cook, the irascible Wendt, who begrudgingly fed the semi-conscious man water.
---------------------------------
Huxley, along with others, listened to the Priest. Huxley glanced at the others once the tale was finished. "Well Priest, does it really matter what it's about. I am sure such visions are common among your ilk." He laughed out loud. "that's a good story indeed!" he almost yelled. He glanced about.

"Keep whatever visions you have to yourselves. I don't want the crew spooked you hear? They are a superstitious lot; consider it bad enough to have not one, but two women onboard." he whispered tersely. He grabbed Dert by the elbow, taking him above deck.

"That's quite interesting; ahhh, yes, very much so." came a rather cultured voice, from the brig.
-------------------------------
Later, a small commotion breaks out on deck and a handful of the crew crowds around the port railing. Some of you notice a mammoth green shape; a thick, scaled green-gray torso sink beneath the waves. "Now that was a beauty of a sea serpent! Odd to see one at this time of the year though." says Old Pete.

Captain Fenn comes out on deck. "What are you doin rascals? Get to work. Stop gawking like you are Dert!" he yells. The men grumble and return to work, continuing to grumble about the Captain.

Huxley comes on deck and returns with the captain to his cabin. The men gripe among themselves about the captain for the rest of the afternoon. After several minutes, Huxley approaches all of you. "The Captain would like to have a word with you in his quarters please." he asks.

Within the cabin, you find Fenn working at a small table while Selene sits upon the large bed humming and sewing his jacket. You also notice the captain penning some notes into a small ledger.

Fenn looks up, his glass eye staring at you unblinking. "So how have you all setted in?" he asked. "Please close the door." Once closed, he stand up, running his hand through his hair. "What do you think of this ship and crew?"

OOC Feel free to post about the different interactions.

[HughtheHand]

Nelbin walks alongside the young man, eager to talk. "I'm sure many of the sailors have heard of the butterfly goddess, for she is the guardian of travelers and the sower of fortune. She has no single home, but wanders eternally about the planes. I first learned of her presence in a dream I had as a child..." Nelbin drolls on and on in priestly fervor, extolling the wondrous points about the nature and history of Desna.

-----

In the cabin, Nelbin stands with everyone, though a sight shorter of course, and smiles graciously at Fenn as he inquires about their thoughts. "I think it a fine ship, with pleasant bunks that rock like cradles on the waves. It's a most pleasant sensation, one that I have felt far too seldom. The crew seems very respectable as well. I have prayed for this journey to be a fortuitous one." The gnomish priest closes his wide vapid eyes and bows slightly.

[Virulain]

"That makes three of us," she replied after he explained a bit more about Zalen.

Antimony thought on it for a while. She didn't remember whether or not she had heard that Solomon had a son or not, nor if he were married. The lives of legends rarely walked before her on their own two legs... Nor did the aftermaths. She surreptitiously looked around for Zalen, as though she were just languidly looking at the sea-sky and the waves. The openness of it all made her shudder inside. At any moment, the spirits of the air could just snatch her away into the clear blue... Or the jealous sea could drag her down into the black. She had no one left to miss her.

Orphans... In that way, it could be a blessing. Seemed as though she had something in common with the man.

After a few score waves had passed the hull, she inhaled deeply of the salt breeze. "I hope it's not a matter of life and death, then. But Sur looks kindly upon those who pass on for good causes, does he not?" Maybe it wasn't the most diplomatic thing to say to the priest; Antimony had lost track of talking to folk who didn't eat, breathe, and **** death on a daily basis. But this man looked weathered enough to take it; the thought was surely foremost in his mind as well. "I'd be glad to sing in your church, priest. I wa--am a bard of some skill. My first songs were hymns. Perhaps it would do me some good."

It was then that she heard the exclamation over to port. She looked over, but couldn't see anything to fuss about until someone mentioned a sea serpent. She shivered. In all of her travels, Antimony had never seen such a creature, nor did she truly want to unless safely on shore. Preferably with the thing well dead and beached, and harpooned to a stone for security.

The sighting brought the Maelstrom Lord to mind again. I hope none of them take it in mind to wrap us round and carry us to the depthy deeps... A crooked little smile pulled at her lips. Was a sighting of serpents good or ill? Out of season, the old sailor said. Ill... The sailors were definitely paranoid and discontent. Part of it was her fault. Should she stay belowdecks? Part of her would prefer it, but the other part wanted to feel the sun and air again at last, for as long as she still had left.

Huxley appeared, making a triangle of her and Jalamar, and announced that the Captain wanted to see them. She looked up at the priest from where she sat. "Seems like a busy day," she murmured, more to herself than to him. Her pale eyes flicked back toward Huxley. "After you, good man." The jauntiness was forced. Why would the captain want to see them? Is it because I'm a woman? Or does he think I mean to steal from him? My passage was already paid...

She rose and walked behind the first mate anyway.

The captain's cabin was of course much nicer than the one she and the other passengers were stowed away in, but that was to be expected. It was probably actually a touch smaller, but considering that he only shared it with this woman, the space was already an improvement over where she was jarred like little, pickled fish with the rest. The woman was fine looking, but careworn, or maybe just paid toll to time... Antimony quit cataloguing the place and people and turned her mind toward paying attention to the captain. Someone closed the door.

She grinned toothily when he asked their thoughts, but didn't reply. Let someone else make the ruckus. The boat was a fine old tub and she'd prefer it didn't sink, was her thoughts, and the sailors a fine old lot of paranoid boys guarding their dangly bits by pointing blame at everything and anything as 'bad omen.'

[mcl01]

As Dert runs off gleefully, Cern stares after him with mouth half agape. "Wait, what!?" Cursing his naivete, he hustles off in the other direction towards the upper deck. Moving swiftly and deftly dodging the occasional cursing sailor, the Cern makes his way to the upper deck. Heading towards the captain's cabin, he climbs up the short set of stairs to the above quarterdeck where he had slept.

One... two... three... fourth plank to the right of that large cluster of knife carvings. Popping out one of his elvencrafted daggers, he slips it in the gap between two planks. Forcing the handle down roughly, Cern pries loose the floorboard and quickly scans the contents. Is everything here? What did I put in here in the first place. My rapier... my armor.. a blanket.. some of my old poems...

---

Stepping in the captain's quarters, Cern once again feels rather uneasy. Looking around, Cern notices it is more spacious than his assigned quarters (Well but of course, he's the captain), but with so many people inside, he still can't relax. Hands fidgety, he wrings his rather clammy hands continuously, trying to both warm and still them. Occasionally, he momentarily stops wringing his hands only to turn the smudged ring back and forth around his finger. All the while, he tries to smile politely and mask his nerves.

"Um, I suppose they're both fine. A bit cramped for me, but I suppose I'll live. Well, at least, I'll live as long as this fine ship of yours doesn't sink, Captain. As for the crew, they seem to be a decent lot. What's that boy Dert doing on a ship like this though?"

[Cedric]

Kai waited in the hold while his fellow passengers went on about their business He summons us to tell us some spooky visions and then tells us to relax he muses and shrugs as he turns and heads up on to the main deck, a grin set upon his face What a strange little man he is.

A commotion catches his attention and the mention of a sea serpent sends shivers down his spine, for a moment he wondered if he'd really done a wise move to board this ship "No use changing what has been done..." he mutters to himself as he stares into the horizon to where he imagined Liberty lay, and his past "...better to sink beneath the waves."

He had been staring blindly, lost in thoughts for a while when Huxley approached and asked for their presence in the captains quarters, with a nod he follows.
For a moment he says nothing, merely takes in his surroundings while absently scratching his chin "The ship is indeed fine Captain, no complaints here," he says in a low tone, adding as an afterthought "and I guess the crew is decent enough, couldn't say really." he choose not to mention anything about the shackled man in the hold, not yet anyway.

[UncaJJ]

Glibnick

Glibnick spends most of his time on deck, his immense girth making below difficult to maneuver in easily. It surely has nothing to do with feeling like being in a wooden tunnel as a never ending earthquake is happening. No, not that!

As luck would have it, Glibnick was one of the first to see the sea serpent break the surface of the waves. The dwarf stares in awe at the immense coils as they breach into the air. He watches as long as he can, until the creature either dove down again or went out of sight, then pulled out his notebook and scribbled and sketched everything he could remember, only to be interupted by Huxley.

"Aye, lad. I do be coming now." Glibnick replies cordially. he takes his time making his way to the Captains cabin, still taking notes and sketching.

Upon being questioned by the captain, Glibnick speaks out in his turn. "The ship, she do be sturdy Captain. Which I do be grateful for! The crew do be mostly seeming to be at their work admirably, but I be no sailor to know if that be truth."

 

Glibnick the Downtrodden - Dwarf Fighter 1
Round: - A wild and crazy ride sail.
Initiative:
HP: 13/13
AC/T/FF: 19 / 13 / 17
For/Ref/Wil: 5 / 2 / 1
Effects:
Movement: 20 (Ignores Burden and Armor)
Action Points used: 1/?5?
Actions
Move:
Standard:
Minor:
Free:

Combat Rolls

[Virulain]

At last, Antimony raised her voice. "They seem like a paranoid lot, if I do say so myself." She looked around and shrugged. "Remember Huxley? Captain, we were accosted by an old man before we even boarded the ship, raving about the lord of the depthy deeps, and your sailors seem to greatly, hmm, mislike the idea of having two women aboard. Did someone shoot an albatross lately? Oh, and then Nelbin here decided to broadcast his vision to all of the passengers, which upset your first mate, sir, and let's not mention the out of season sighting of a sea serpent. Those of you below decks missed that one, but not the sailors, no." She shook her head in mock sorrow. Should I even be saying this? she wondered, but the dubious thought was laced thick with acid.

She spread her hands and looked up to the ceiling as though gazing toward heaven for answers. "So, I'm guessing I need to step lightly in order to avoid being chained and weighted as a sacrifice to the leviathan, and the gnome probably shouldn't advertise his gifts from his god, but otherwise, I'm sure your men won't kill us and the ship has no interest in becoming a submersible." With that, Antimony crossed her thin arms across her chest and prepared to return a hard look to anyone who challenged her summary of the somewhat insane minor events of their voyage so far.

[HughtheHand]

Nelbin listens to the woman's words and nods silently. He hadn't even noticed the sailors growing more and more agitated, hadn't noticed their attitudes towards having women aboard, hadn't even noticed the sea serpent! It's been too long since I've been out traveling in the world, I've spent too much time looking at the stars without watching where I was going. If this journey should prove dangerous, I must be able to react and help my fellow travelers...

Nelbin looks at Fenn and speaks to him quietly but squarely. "Now that this lady has mentioned it, I realize that the crew has been not at ease. I can only think that I have contributed to this atmosphere in my haste inform my fellow travelers of these visions. Forgive me, I did not think of the possible consequences of such dark words in a situation like this." The gnome finishes by bowing his head slightly in apology.

[Cedric]

Kai shrugs his shoulders slightly with a nod towards Antimony "Superstition runs in the blood of many good sailors, some speculate it is what keeps their sanity intact when they sail above the abyss grasping for support, be it real or imagination bred from tradition." looking back at Nelbin with a grin he continues "Now as for Nelbin here to throw dark portends at us followed by a "no worries"..... well that would put most men at unease I suppose and the madman back at Liberty is starting to become the norm back there, they crawl in every corner there shouting out doom and destruction while the city itself is run by men crazier then that old zealot."

[Colatine]

Fenn shook his head upon hearing your observations. “Well,I know what you mean. A good crew, but they are more prone to gossip than a parlor of nobles. And prophecies and such don't help, neither does having two women on board. Superstitious fools, they'd be.” he said gruffly."I would appreciate your help, discreetly of course, in helping Huxley keep the crew in line."

He paused, opening his mouth as if about to say something, then stopping. "I'll be extremely busy checking and double checking the inventory and the plotted course. The Deep can be tricky to navigate and though in touch with the other ships, it still takes a lot of skill."

You observe Selene watching each of you closely.

Your interview is rudely interrupted by the ringing of the alarm bells. As all of you rush out, you notice the sky darkening considerably and quickly. "This'd be wrong! I've heard of this; the dark omen; we're all gonna die!" one of the sailors yell. Within seconds, the sun has disappeared, leaving a darkness deeper than night. The darkness is so blinding that even those blessed with dark vision cannot see. The chatter turns into confused shouting, the ship now swaying dangerously as the men start to panic, with no one seeming to take charge...

OOC Everyone is effectively blind (blinded condition). You can be as creative as you need to move around. You can use any combination of skills applicable to get things under control. There is a flat DC of 12 for skill use. Or you can use your ingenuity, including getting the crew to help you...