[Game Thread] Mystery on the Northern Sword Coast

[Drachenspirit]

Day One Faerun, the Year 1481 DR The Season of Mirtul on the Northern Sword Coast Weather: Clear skies: A Cold Brisk morning Luskan, Dawn on the Docks The ship is finishing it's final preparations as you approach it. The crew is bustling about while one man is barking orders aboard the ship, and another is standing at the gangplank by a crew dockmaster's stand writing in a large tome. And questions about who to see and you'll be directed to him, he's the First mate of Sirine's Song, called Mr. Messer. You'll have been told that the Captain's name is Capt. Harbatkin, a tall and wiry man and by his description, is leaning against a rail on board the ship, watching the docks. The crew seems to be mostly human with a few halfelves in the mix. MAP LINK

[SnakeOilCharmer]

Xilith The morning met Xilith with warmth, and sunlight streaming through the window of her room. Xilith wasn't normally a morning person - sneaking about at night was, after all, a necessity in her line of work - but she appreciated the change. The last daughter of Blackfringe whistled a jaunty tune as she performed her morning ablutions, and walked with a spring in her step as the group had made their way down to the waterfront. Being in the employ of the High Captains of Luskan made her feel like someone here, and she carried herself with a confidence and sense of belonging that had been absent the prior few days. Chatting away to Fazrian (a mildly funny anecdote about an unsuccessful Gnomish thief she once knew) as they progressed through the streets, Xilith eyed-up the odd well-dressed Dwarf who passed them by, and gave the handful of city guardsmen a wide berth from force of habit. At the quayside, no sooner had the group identified the First Mate than Xilith strode confidently over to him, greeting the sailor with a smile. "Mr Messer! I suspect you know exactly who we are. Might we step aboard?"

 

Xilith Human Warlock 2 Left hand: empty Right Hand: empty HP: 20 /20 AC: 13 Spell Slots: 2/2 Disguise Self: 1/1 Action: Let's have a nice chat, shall we? Bonus Action: n/a Eldritch Sight: Effectively an always-on Detect Magic.

[Krazy]

Gres steps out into the cool morning of the docks, looking with his one un-patched eye to the assorted members of their group embarking upon the vessel and the ship's crew that their lives would be going toward. He hears Xilith ask for the group's permission to board--noting she does feel free using her normal voice when she sees fit--and after the man grants it, he heads to the first mate as he steps on board, nodding as he does so. As is often the case, Gres's girth makes it seem as though he may be trying to intimidate the man, but his face is neutral and his posture relaxed. "Greetings, sir," Gres says, considering greeting him with 'greetings, friend' but--somehow it didn't feel right, as they were not friends yet and he wasn't sure how the man would react to that. Then again, how would he react to 'sir'? Well he'd have to consider as they go on. "Are there assigned quarters or are bunks first come, first serve?"

 

Passive Perception: 12 / Darkvision
AC: 18 | HP: 18/18

CS: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/profiler/view.php?id=85339
Bio: https://www.rpgcrossing.com/showthre...94#post8802694

Cantrips:

 

Sacred Flame
Evocation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

Flame-like radiance descends on a creature that you can see within range. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 radiant damage. The target gains no benefit from cover for this saving throw.
The spell's damage increases by 1d8 when you reach 5th level (2d8), 11th level (3d8), and 17th level (4d8).

Thaumaturgy
Transmutation cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Up to 1 minute

You manifest a minor wonder, a sign of supernatural power, within range. You create one of the following magical effects within range:

Your voice booms up to three times as loud as normal for 1 minute.
You cause flames to flicker, brighten, dim, or change color for 1 minute.
You cause harmless tremors in the ground for 1 minute.
You create an instantaneous sound that originates from a point of your choice within range, such as a rumble of thunder, the cry of a raven, or ominous whispers.
You instantaneously cause an unlocked door or window to fly open or slam shut.
You alter the appearance of your eyes for 1 minute.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its 1-minute effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.

Guidance
Divination cantrip

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.

[zevonian]

Vicious sat up and stretched. Checked the bed. Armor intact. Checked the door. No signs of fresh dents. No one tried to kill him after all. This missing ship business was serious indeed for him to be left alone.

He soon found himself at the dock, eyeing the ship. Looked sturdy. Crew, what he could see and hear of it, working well together. He eyed someone in charge, studied that someone's colors and armaments.

Sirine's Song? Have I been here before?

Vicious gave pause before proper boarding. Let one of his fellow hires do the talking. He glanced over at the spare armor in hand as he wondered if he'd raided the boat once in his youth.

[AlyssaTheLamb]

Levtari stays behind Gres as they move onto the dock, taking the time to look around the area in some mild curiosity. There is no attempt to make her presence explicitly known or to engage in any type of conversation with the crew of the ship they are to board, and it might even be somewhat difficult to even see her at all behind Gres' significantly larger form. Her mind wanders back towards the night before, where she had eaten her fill and retired to a room that was quite cozy enough, although still slightly unsettling enough in its differences compared to where she had slept back in her childhood. The bed was difficult to get used to thanks to her time spent in the wildernesss and the overall humble upbringing she had grown with regarding the most basic physical needs, although in time she was able to get some level of fruitful rest in the end. In the meantime, however, she is content to simply watch. Other than the orc she had traveled with before reaching this city, she knew little about the rest of her temporary companions other than the little she had learned about the other woman in their brief conversation the day before. The half-elf seemed significantly more careful in a general sense, while the other human gave off a vibe she couldn't quite explain. Reckless? Maybe, although that didn't seem entirely correct. One thing was certain though, this was going to be an... interesting expedition. There were lingering doubts about whether they would be able to properly integrate well enough together to be able to confront anything they might come across on the way to their destination, but there was little to be done about it by now. Regardless of this, there were very few leads on her own personal quest, and this ragtag band seemed to be the best chance she had of, at the very least, increasing her own power to be able to make a true difference. It was worth trying.

 

Levtari | Ranger | Level 2 |

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HP: 24/24 | AC: 13| Speed: 30ft

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Stats: Str 10 (0), Dex 15 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 10 (0)

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Saving Throws: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +0

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Languages: Common, Infernal, Abyssal

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Currently wielding: Shortsword(x2) (Attack: 1d20+4)(Damage 1d6+2), Longbow (Attack: 1d20+8)(Damage 1d8+4)(30 arrows)

[Drachenspirit]

Day One Faerun, the Year 1481 DR The Season of Mirtul on the Northern Sword Coast Weather: Clear skies: A Cold Brisk morning Sailing on the Sirene's Song Mr. Messer replies to Xilith, "Aye, I know who you are. Lesse, the missive has your names aside a brief description, though t'wasn't really needed. Can't say I've taken aboard a more... diverse set of folk afore. So.. you must be Xilith, Fazrian, and Vicious? No doubting you're Gres, and you're Levtari. Come on aboard, permission's granted to the lot o' ye. This here's Parfin, he's the Sailing master, and the Captain will be meetin' ya this evening at his table for dinner. We've got three cabins open and there's two beds in each, so bunk as you like in them. Those that are open are the two on the starboard side, and the one on the port side astern. If you're not familiar with the runnin's uva ship, just stay out of the way when the crews tendin' ta sail and such, and you'll be fine. She's not a big ship, so we'll be easy findin' ya at dinner. Mid meal is rations, and you can get those from the stores below. Just ask. The Cap'n's quarters and the kitchen are off limits, as well as the crew berths. Everthin' else is as your leave. Need anythin', just seek me out, or ask one o' the crew. Now I'll leave ye to get settled whilst we cast off." The gang plank is shoved onto the docks as it didn't belong to the ship, and the sails are set to work as the ship is poled away from the docks. It doesn't take long to get into the wind, though it's light this close to shore. It takes a good near half an hour to get out of the harbor fully, but once the ship enters the outflow from the river, it picks up speed. Soon, Luskan is behind you and you're out to see, the land being around a mile away on the port side. The day is partially cloudy, and any questions about time are put to the Sailing Master. Parfin is short and to the point, though not exactly rude. He says it will be tomorrow night late or sometime after midnight at the latest when the ship reaches the vicinity of the lighthouse. Soon enough, the sun has set and the call to dinner with the Captain is given. Instead of eating in the Captain's cabin, the hatches to the main hold are removed and a long table is set up (planks on barrels) right beneath the open hatch. Simple wooden chairs are pulled from somewhere and everyone has a place to sit, even Parfin and Mr. Messer. The Captain comes in right before the cook brings in boar steaks smothered in a burgundy looking sauce with fresh vegetables scattered around and potatoes boiled in a light onion flavor. There's even fresh fruit. Mr. Messer explains that this will not be the norm, it's just tradition to give the crew and guests fresh meal since it everything mostly will be made from provisions here on out. Finally, everyone is served in turn with the Captain getting his plate last. Ale and wine are both in ample supply. While waiting for his own plate, the Captain says, "Welcome everyone, glad to have you aboard, as well as the coin we were paid to take you. I've been told that any assistance we give you beyond taking you where you wish will be additional coin, so don't hesitate to ask. But, bear in mind, she's my ship and I have final say. Now, I know where we're going first, and why we're going there, but that's about it. I don't like rumors and scuttlebutt, so I have no idea of the true concerns o' the powers what be in Luskan about missing ships. I do know they're putting forth quite the effort to investigate, so there's more than pirated ships and storms to whatever's going on. Anything you can tell me that will help me keep us all safe and sound?" MAP LINK

[SnakeOilCharmer]

Xilith Only too happy to heed the first mate's advice and stay out the way of the working sailors, Xilith had had a lot of time on her hands to ponder the issues the captain raised at the table. "Captain Suljack didn't divulge much more than I suspect you already know, or have figured out. The Pearl Tower is still being lit, so it's not ships being drawn onto the reef in the darkness, and I suspect had that been the case, you'd have seen or heard of much more wreckage in the area than anyone has noted." She looked pensive for a moment. "So, I'd guess we're looking for something living, deliberately going after the ships. The area seems like an easy enough place for something to hide." Xilith suspected they weren't dealing with a single large sea monster, either, given that Suljack had hired them and not, say, an entire fleet's worth of mercenaries experienced at fighting at sea. Phrased like that, though, the thought sounded a little dumb, so she held back from sharing it with the assembled company.

 

Xilith Human Warlock 2 Left hand: empty Right Hand: empty HP: 20 /20 AC: 13 Spell Slots: 2/2 Disguise Self: 1/1 Action: Let's have a nice chat, shall we? Bonus Action: n/a Eldritch Sight: Effectively an always-on Detect Magic.

[Krazy]

Gres considers this. "Shows how poor our information on this is so far. You're thinking what. I was thinking who. I suppose your... abilities... don't let you see the future? Or sense what the type of threat may be?" Gres still didn't have a clear sense of what all Xilith could or couldn't do. The stereotypes about mentalists is that they may act as prophets, but was that really a facet of her core abilities or rather a derivation of arcane powers? He'd need to learn more before being able to make reasonable inferences on that front. "I suppose a creature could be responsible, if the ships were passing through 'it's domain...' but on the whole, I think pirates or someone with a financial motivation makes more sense. If it was a beast, wouldn't we be hearing about all sorts of ships going down, not just trading ships?"

[Drachenspirit]

Day One Faerun, the Year 1481 DR The Season of Mirtul on the Northern Sword Coast Weather: Clear skies: A Cold Brisk morning Sailing on the Sirene's Song The conversation at dinner goes as expected. The information you have, is the information you have. The Captain and crew don't have anything to add, and most seem just as curious as all of you. The night passes without incident and morning comes up on the Sword Coast. The shoreline is far off in the distance, but just able to be made out. Sometime in the afternoon clouds roll in from the west as a Westerly wind picks up. The sun sets, but you don't see if for the dark clouds completely covering the sky. The wind has picked up quite a bit, and the ship is taking full advantage of it with all sails full. Though you may have been on a ship before, you can't quite recall a ship moving at a speed faster as Sirene's Song makes her wake with a slight lean to portside. Soon enough, the winds get stronger and the waves higher, forcing the ship to go a bit closer to shore as darkness closes in. The westerly wind and the ship's course force the trek to plow directly into waves on occasion and this makes for CON save DC 5 to not get seasickone helluva ride. It's not surprising that the word is passed that there will be no Captain's dinner tonight. You note that most, if not all of the hands are on deck as a full storm closes in and the rain begins to fall. MAP LINK

[zevonian]

Vicious now understood what people meant when they said a newly visited place feels like home. He had not been on this particular ship, but had marked countless hours on a similar one.

He spent most of the day in a spot where he knew he would be in no one's way, but could keep an eye and ear on most everything. The orders to the crew, the movements of all of them, all bore familiar. Vicious soon knew these folks cared for both coin and each other. A proper crew.

Dinner talk was most pleasing. Vicious took to talking of routes taken by the lot of them. Who sailed where and when. He didn't deny his past, if and when anyone asked.

The next day was windy. Vicious stood ground, put hand in the air and felt just how strong the winds were getting. For any of his fellow hires, the land lubbers he caught sight off, he called out advice on where best to stand and how to keep standing.

When the rail fell, he turned to the leader of the Sirine's Song.

"Orders, Captain?"

[SnakeOilCharmer]

Xilith, The Last Cultist What the Last Cultist had found refreshing for the first day or so had quickly become mundane for her. Xilith, then, almost welcomed the danger implied by the oncoming storm as a change of routine. As powerfully-built men rushed around her, itself an enjoyable sight, Xilith was grateful for the instructions that Vicious barked out to her and her other, more land-inclined, companions. She glanced occasionally over at the shoreline in the dying light, not entirely sure what she was looking out for. Xilith felt the boat rock beneath her feet, but kept both her footing and the contents of her stomach under control. It was an odd feeling, to be so out of her normal milieu, unable to influence the course of events. Not since she had been orphaned had the woman been so dependent on others. It felt strange, but she wasn't sure if it was a bad strange, or simply a novel one. Her confidence in the crew, after all, remained high. While she lacked the frame of reference to tell an excellent sailor from a merely decent one, she very much doubted the High Captains of Luskan would have trusted their mission to incompetent hands.

 

Xilith Human Warlock 2 Left hand: empty Right Hand: empty HP: 20 /20 AC: 13 Spell Slots: 2/2 Disguise Self: 1/1 Action: Let's have a nice chat, shall we? Bonus Action: n/a Eldritch Sight: Effectively an always-on Detect Magic.

[AlyssaTheLamb]

Levtari's initial impression of the ship is a similar wariness to what she felt in the town, but it doesn't take very long for her to realize that there wasn't anything particularly shady about the ship. She did notice some stares directed her way, but it was what she had been told to expect from the world at large. Beyond that, the woman who had sent them on this task had indicated that they were under her protection, and nothing had indicated this wasn't the case. After having deposited most of her gear and weapons in the port side room available to them, she spent most of her time on deck watching the crew at their various functions, at least during the times that she's making attempts to not be violently sick all over the deck. While the tiefling had some experience climbing trees within her youth and wasn't entirely a stranger to unstable surfaces, there was a sizable difference between that and having the floor underneath your feet rock unsteadily as such. For now, she does manage to keep her footing... and from giving in to the urge to be sick. Even so, as she starts to get somewhat used to the feeling of the boat rocking along the water, she does start to ask some questions to the crewmates about how the ship, at least those who she gets the impression don't have such a biased view of her based on her race. While she does initially seem to get some success and does learn a few things about how a ship is ran, it doesn't take very long for her to realize that her questions are becoming a lot less welcomed. It doesn't really hit her that she's being a nuisance until that point, which she takes as a sign that maybe she should stop. With her curiosity only mildly sated, she simply decides to watch from afar, although with fewer distractions from the rocking of the ship. When the weather begins to turn for the worse, she looks up in worry occasionally as the ship's rocking problems become even worse. Finally, she can no longer handle the now violent rocking and only barely manages to reach the edge of the ship before hurling the contents of her stomach over the ship. Being on a ship carried a lot less excitement than she was expecting it to.

 

Levtari | Ranger | Level 2 |

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HP: 24/24 | AC: 13| Speed: 30ft

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Stats: Str 10 (0), Dex 15 (+2), Con 14 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 10 (0)

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Saving Throws: Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +0

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Languages: Common, Infernal, Abyssal

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Currently wielding: Shortsword(x2) (Attack: 1d20+4)(Damage 1d6+2), Longbow (Attack: 1d20+8)(Damage 1d8+4)(30 arrows)

[Drachenspirit]

Day One Faerun, the Year 1481 DR The Season of Mirtul on the Northern Sword Coast Weather: Stormy: Cold strong winds, high seas Sailing on the Sirene's Song As Darkness closes in, the ship is now sailing at least 3 times the speed she has been, if not more as white caps become more and more prevalent. With the wind direction coming from out to sea, the ship has to change tack quite often, the boom and main sail swinging around almost constantly with shouts of "jibe" and such being called out. The crew seem to have come to life with the spray and more than double movement of the ship up and down. Dark clouds have fully moved in, blocking out the sky, and the Captain steps up among any of you on the bow with his spyglass as he looks along the shoreline and then back out to sea. He says to his first mate as well as all of you, "We best be makin' the Pearl soon, or by Umberlee's grace we'll be in trouble fer sure. It'll be darker than th' smile uva Drow witch by then. We'll be in th' teeth for sure if we're not careful. Damn the Ships that run that city! No offense me passengers, jus that I'd like to ave been past th' teeth afore this storm hit. I suddenly got a feelin' that's whar all them ships been disappearin', and at nite. Maybe I'm just superstitious as we're in this storm. Pray the Pearl's lit up. " He storms off to check other things and the first mate stays put, seeing all of you have looks on your face, perhaps about what "The Teeth" are. He says, "Th' Cap'n's talkin bout the teeth. Them's the dangerous coral reef what jut out hallway atwixt here and our destination. Not so bad durin' the day , or at night wif th' stars or Selune's light to show our way. If we're close enough to the lighthouse we'll be mostly out of trouble. But, wif it bein' dark, we'd normally make anchor until daybreak, but not in this storm. We try that, we'd roll for sure. Let's just be offerin' up a coin to Tymora, or Umberlee, pick your poison, so's that don't happen. Pray we at least make the Pearl." He fishes out a coin and yells out, "Pay yer dues boys! We've got a storm a'comin!" He and every other sailor, including the Captain get out a coin and toss it overboard. Some kiss it before doing so. Some look to you, to see if you pay homage as well to Tymora or Umberlee for luck with the storm that's rolled in. MAP LINK

[SnakeOilCharmer]

Xilith To say that Xilith wasn't on great terms with the pantheon worshipped by most folk here in Faerûn was an understatement. The names of most of the "Good" gods of the Sword Coast produced reactions ranging from indifference to boiling rage. Still, she'd managed to gather from snatches of conversation aboard ship that Umberlee was the kind of goddess who was willing to bribed, and that was the kind of divine that she could, no pun intended, get on board with. I can live with the capricious, mercenary ones, she reflected. It's the ones whose followers will cut you down in cold blood- because they've decided it's the morally upstanding thing to do - that you have to look out for. Besides, one thing Xilith had learned to do in her twenty-four years was to read a room. Or in this case, deck. Throwing a small fraction of her daily allowance overboard was worth the sacrifice, simply to make nice with the men she was relying on to keep herself unacquainted with the ocean floor. Especially as she was hoping one or two of them would assist her in getting acquainted with a rather different surface once this storm business was over with. She made her way as near to the railing as she dared, then pulled out a gold piece and heaved it as best she could over the side of the ship.

 

Xilith Human Warlock 2 Left hand: empty Right Hand: empty HP: 20 /20 AC: 13 Spell Slots: 2/2 Disguise Self: 1/1 Action: Xilith chucks a gold piece overboard. Bonus Action: n/a Eldritch Sight: Effectively an always-on Detect Magic.

[Krazy]

As dark as a drow's smile? Gres considers for a moment. Didn't most drow have more purple-ish lips? What did this expression mean, then? Oh, perhaps the idea is that the drow would be... cold? But then wouldn't it be more of a sneer than a smile? It was probably that, but it's not like he'd vocalize these thoughts to the man at the moment. Maybe he'd ask later... much later. When they were on better terms. Although by then he'd have for sure forgotten. When it comes to kissing coins for the gods, Gres is willing to do so. "For Gruumsh and Istishia," he says as he sends a coin overboard. Gres didn't worship Istishia, not really, but this was his domain and respect was due where it was due. The idea that the ships were simply lost in the coral reefs was also concerning. If the ships were simply wrecked then there'd be less to recover and less loot. In his heart he'd hoped by now that they might come across a pirated fleet and recover some of these lost ships... and their bounty.