OK, you've finally dealt with your trip north and are headed west.

Arnau predicts about 6 weeks through Monster infested waters.

You have:
A cutlass
Chainmail
Boots
Some sort of facemask

Plus the component pouch that Hedwig has, and the various bits of jewelry (Bracelet, chalice, dice) What do you wish to do with the non magical goodies? Including the component pouch.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:52, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

Once everyone is safely back aboard, Marvek congratulates everyone.

"Good job everyone!  I'll be happy to report we took that ship down and are continuing to head west.  Before anyone claims any treasure, we need all magical items identified.
 Want to know if any are cursed.  Maybe one caused him to turn into a undead or go mad?
 After that you all can discuss who wants what, but I vote since Thalassa dealt the killing blow she gets an item."

Looking around the ship, he speaks again.

"Everyone not identifying take a look around and make sure we haven't taken damage.  When you are ready, I would also like for Thalassa and Damen to dive overboard and check the bottom of the ship.  I want to verify we aren't hauling anything down below or the ship has a bone infection or anything.   I can stop the winds and get the ship slowed to drift when you all are ready later."

Gerard is relatively unscathed as he climbs back aboard the ship. He approaches Marvek to discuss how he could be useful.

"Captain. I've been waiting for the right time to discuss this, but I think my talents could be put to considerable use aboard the ship. I've a knack for crafting, and identifying items is one of my god given gifts if you'll let me put them to use. Later, of course, as I've got to sleep to be ready for my shift."

Damen listens to Marvel, and to Gerard.  "Perhaps we should place all treasure within the cabin for now.  Gerard can work at identifying them on his shift, or after.  He turns to Thalassa.  I think the lady has earned first pick amongst the treasures for casting the fatal blow.  But, I think that, too, can wait.  Let us check out the hull to be sure we have not even barnacles to slow our course.

Oh there is definitely a Sailing Ship sized dent in your Keelboat's hull.

Good thing you have a Shipwright on board.

Martek nods to Gerard.
"That sounds great Gerard.  We can pass ideas back and forth on our shift, and I'm glad that you are available.  After you are able to identify the items and perhaps determine if they are evil?"


Listening to Damen, he gave a slight frown.  "While I agree Thalassa should get one of the items, I'm worried about the damage to our ship.  Can you fix this at sea or do we need to turn back to Iceland for a port?  Is it safe for us to sail on with now or do we need to shore it up before we take off"?

Marvek had a worried look upon his face and looked to the Bosun for answers.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:43, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

He shrugs.  "I will have to go into the water to see forcertain, but I see no major leakage at the moment," he says as he turns to look around the base of the gunwale.  When he turns back, he continues.  "Until I inspect, I can not really say.  But, if I hazard a guess, I would have to say that any repairs can probably be done while on the move."
He turns to ask Thalassa if she wishes to help to have a look at the damage from hitting the other ship, before he goes over the side.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:55, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

"Thank you both," Thalassa says quietly to Marvek and Damen, "but I don't want anything that belonged to a pirate captain."

Even though she keeps her voice low, she puts more hate into the word "pirate" than the others have heard from her before. Her face looks dark and closed off, lost in some kind of thought or memory for a moment.

When Damen asks for help with inspecting the damage to the ship, she seems relieved. "Of course," she says quickly. "There won't be much fishing I can do from here on out, anyway."

Gerard nods and accepts the words of the captain before heading off back to bed. He would need to be up and ready on time for his shift, but he was eagerly looking forward to it!

If possible, folks, I'd like to start the journey west with Monday's update. 40+ days with encounters and events.

Give me some guidance on how and who is processing the magic items, and I'll make updates regarding them as time passes. Shouldn't take but a day or so unless interrupted by the die rolls.

Regarding die rolls: 40 days is an average of 2 Events and 4 encounters.

Hedwig listened to the exchange and simply sighed under his breath. It was going to be a long journey. Casting a quick glance at the magic items he looked them over before dismissing them. Perhaps the boots would be useful to him but it was unlikely he had done enough to warrant spoils from the Captain of the Jolly Rodger.

No he'd settle for having a component pouch. Which might prove useful if his wand was ever lost or indisposed. That said he did need to do his due diligence and sort through the contents to see if there was anything of great value tucked among the ships of amber, tuffs of fur, and scraps of leather.

It should take just 11 minutes (via ritual) each to identify the 4 magic items we obtained. The captain has already given me permission to do that during my first shift. Even if I can't do it during the shift, there's still easily enough time in the 1d4 hours after shift or 1-2 hours pre next shift to have them all identified.

Plans for Gerard are:

Assist with repairs via Mending where required.
Use Channel Divinity to create new ballista bolts (what is the cost of one of these? I'm assuming spear costs essentially?)
Casting of Create Food & Water if the captain wishes to spend less on feeding us.
As well as normal duties throughout.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 12):

Not DURING your first shift, I hope. That would mean no one attending to the ship.

Today there is no after shift. You've spent a good hour in the middle of your sleep in combat.

Preshift is for praying, changing spell lists, etc. Sleeping, mostly. It's unlikely you'll get up hours before shift to work on things. It would be like waking up at 2 am instead of 6 am for work at 8 am in the real world.

So, after shift, next day.

This applies to everyone not actually on Day shift, who didn't get hauled out of bed in the middle of the night.

Now, you do NOT have to abide by all this, or even do your shift properly, but there are consequences that could affect the whole party. It's better just to wait a day.

Having dropped into the water once again armed for battle, Damen awaits Thakassa to join him before swimming around the ship to look for any damage to the hull.
Just as he had suspected, the ships had smashed together.  The damage itself is not serious, but additional damage from a similar collision could very well cause the small ship (more correctly, a boat, as it was never truly meant for the open sea) to take on water.
He speaks to Thalassa in Primordial, the elemental language meant for use in different elemental locations where hearing or speech can otherwise be difficult.
 [Private to Thalassa: [Language unknown: "Er evbeie A besan k foros e sta asrick i sa,"]]
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:04, Sat 06 Mar 2021.

Arnau waits for Thalassa to have a minute and when she does he tries to continue the conversation they where having on the Jelly Rogers.
"Thalassa, do you have a second now? Do you think the reason Captain Rogers was focusing on me was because something I did in Iceland?"
He seems concerned.
"Does it mean that maybe we were attacked because I was on board? I don't want to be a bad luck token in the ship. Maybe the man I won everything in that card game put a curse on me?"

Thalassa is about to jump overboard but stops when Arnau approaches her.

"I'm no expert on curses," she says after thinking about it for a moment, "but if a curse could send a thing like Captain Rogers after you, it would have to be more powerful than anything I've heard of."

"Maybe it's the other way around, and Rogers was just after that bandana you won? You said you sold everything else, but kept that one thing. Which doesn't have to mean anything, of course, but with everything that happened ... maybe that bandana belonged to Rogers, and maybe it's the thing that's cursed?" Her look of concern echoes Arnau's. "I've heard that things like that don't let go of whoever possesses them. Is it possible that it wasn't just your own decision to keep it?"

"But that's all just a wild guess. Like I said, I'm no expert. Maybe Hedwig or Gerard would know more?"

She gives Arnau an apologetic look and turns back to the guardrail. "Sorry, but I should help Damen check the underwater portions of the ship. I'll be back in a few minutes."

---

Thalassa joins Damen underwater for a thorough search of the hull. Of course, she doesn't have a shipwright's expertise, but she at least tries to provide a second set of eyes, and reports anything she finds to Damen.

OOC: Making a Perception check. Please hold. :-)

With a firm cough to clear his throat he spoke to Marvek.

"Captain if it's all the same to you I can start on identifying the items, perhaps the boots. It is my shift to be up after all."

Assuming no one lodged any complaint or dissention Hedwig claimed the boots and adjourned to his bunk where he might work on identifying the items properties without being disturbed or disturbing others.

Marvek listens to Hedwig and nods.  He waves Arnau over.

"Hedwig is going to identify the boots.  I need you to navigate us Arnau.  Depending on Damen's words, we are either going six hours or less back to port in Iceland to fix the boat or continuing on our route to Greenland.  I'm going to lay down, I'm usually asleep right now.
 Keep the magic items where you all can see them and check if anyone is acting funny or trying to put them all on."

With that, Marvek nodded to both men and went in his cabin and to sleep.

Arnau nods at Marvek's words. "While Damen is checking the hull I'll son off my armour and leave it in my cabin. Once he reports back I'll set the appropriate course."
The man goes to his cabin and comes back dressed with comfortable clothes ready to navigate once Damen comes back with the status of the ship.
He wraps the objects in a piece of cloth and leave them by his side.

PM

[Private to Damen Iourdanos: Thalassa swims alongside Damen around the ship, nodding at the damaged areas he points out. Every now and then she detects some less obvious defect, but each time it turns out Damen has already noticed it as well. After the fifth time, she smiles and says, "I give up. You know this ship much better than I do, I'm not going to find anything you didn't already figure out how to fix. Should we return to the others, or do you want to check anything else?"]

Marvek comes back from the cabin and has had no rest.  His shift starts soon and he’s no happy about it.

“We head back to Iceland port now.   I got no rest and we are all down spells, some hurt, and ship damaged.   Should we head out to sea with a port this close?   If we got jumped on the way back or out at sea moving on it’s better to have the ship repaired before we leave.   Come about, back to the port in Iceland a few hours out.”

He made sure Damen and Thalassa were back aboard and started to channel the winds to give them speed to get back to port at Iceland.

Ardreth nodded his head in agreement with Marvek, better to give up some forward momentum to avoid sinking on the open water. That was a battle they were lucky to have survived and it would be better if they returned, made their repairs and made sure their supplies would hold for the remainder of the trip before heading back out.

Gerard comes back from his rest, looking the better for it even if he did only get a short time to relax. His sleep had been disturbed, but there was precious little he could do about that. At least he wasn't required to be ready at the drop of a hat like the captain had been.

"I can cast some healing spells if anybody still requires healing." he says, spending the time to get the injured together so that he can cast a prayer of healing.

11:11, Today: Secret Roll: Gerard Gallagher rolled 9 using 2d8+4 with rolls of 4,1.  Prayer of Healing. – [roll=1615173063.73384.353079]

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 23):

Assuming they are willing to wake up. Sleep will restore everything.

Not planning on waking everybody up. Just those that are up now that want/need it. If we get attacked before getting a chance to sleep it seems to make sense.
And, I'll only be doing it if we need it. If we are all healed up then there's no need.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 25):

Sorry, but you asked before your Short Rest and no one took you up on it, so I was puzzled it's come up again. And this time you posted being more proactive about it.

We'll get through this.  I look forward to getting back to port and getting things squared away.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 27):

Well, assuming you're up to  the task of navigation, that should happen in a couple hours. Or you could ruin Arnau's night. Let me know which. I'll be doing the die rolling in the morning.

I wouldn't have brought it up, but the captain said people were hurt so I tried offering my services.

I'm ruining Arnau's night and waking him up.  Need a better Navigator then me to plot us back to Iceland port.   We need to do this right.

Arnau wakes up and heads  towards the deck once he's dressed.
The Spaniard looks tired, but repairs in port will probably take long enough for him to sleep once they get there.

OK, then, let's have a Navigator's tool roll using Wisdom, please, Arnau


Edit: Nevermind, I'll get it for the update.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:06, Mon 08 Mar 2021.

OK, Arnau studies the skies, makes some guesses, and has Gerard adjust curse a bit. Marvek keeps pushing, Gerard keeps steering, and Arnau Keeps hoping he got it right.

About 2 hours later, you pull into Iceland Harbor and drop anchor (not having a dock assignment, you can't pull up to one, not that there is space, and not having a rowboat, yet, you can't go wake folks up on shore, so... let me know if someone wants to go swimming at night, this far north).

Hedwig and Thalassa finish their examinations of boots and lens and relax some.

Come morning, Day Shift takes over, Night shift (who is basically just Ardreth at this point) stands down, and Arnau and Evening shift sleep in a fair bit,  as they are well and thoroughly worn out.

Ardreth and Day shift are fully recovered. Arnau and Evening Shift are not quite recovered, yet, but will be in a  couple hours.

That is the situation at Day Shift start, leaving Damen large and in charge for a bit.

Damen, Thalassa, and Hedwig are what's awake for now. And Nazem, of course.

The ship is anchored in the Harbor. The water is cold.

After breakfast, Thalassa approaches Damen with a slightly sheepish look on her face.

"Before you start the repairs ... there might actually be a faster way to do this. Sorry, after everything that happened yesterday, I guess I wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Also, things probably just looked worse to me than they really were."

"We should actually be able to use mending magic to fix most of the damage. I know there's a lot overall, but each damaged part by itself didn't look all that big. We'd still have to make sure we don't miss anything, but if you tell us where to look and double-check everything ... we could be done with this in minutes rather than days."

"What do you think?"

OOC: Sorry for the sudden swerve -- I didn't think we could use Mending for damage like this, but the DM clarified that actually, we can. Specifically, Mending can "heal" ships the same way it can repair artificer constructs.

From within the water the previous day:
[Private to Thalassa: Since this is a private message, I'm not going to bother with the language group.
"Of course I noticed things you did not.  It is what I was raised to do.  I was helping to build ships almost from the moment I could walk."  He smiles.  "But, if you are willing to kearn to use the tools of the trade, you can also do these kinds of repairs if I am otherwise occupied.  Or if I am dead.
That is why training in all aspects of sailing is crucial."]
After getting something to break the fast, Damen looks like he feels a bit better than some of the other crew, though he still wears just his tunic and sandals despite the weather.
As Thalassa approaches him and speaks, the shipwright gives one of his usual smiles, something he seems to have in abundance.  "I prefer to use my hands to do repairs when there is time.  It makes me feel like I have a purpose aboard the ship.  In my experience, it is best to save the magic repairs for times when he have hull breaches, but we are too busy fighting for our lives to make the repairs.  When that happens, part of our job becomes keeping water from coming in."
He chuckles softly.  "Plus, as pieces come off the ship, the ship rides just a little lighter.  If we use repair magic, that lost weight is returned."

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 35):

You realize it will take YOU around 18 days, and her around 6 rounds? hat's the difference magic makes.

Damen acquiesces to the desires of his crewmates to have the ship's repairs done using magic, as opposed to spending eigteen days, and money they do not have in drydock.
Instead, with nothing better to do for the time being, he sits at his bunk with the chainmail armor, and the curve-bladed sword with its basket hilt, to see if he can figure out what magics they might hold.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 37):

Already done. Weapon of Warning and Chainmail +1

With respect to the items, Thalassa reports that the mask with the lenses is a magical spyglass of sorts, showing everything in greater detail and sharper focus than otherwise.

OOC: Eyes of the Eagle.

Ardreth eyed the lenses but rather than make a claim he asked, “What were you able to find out about Arnau? I heard you asking him about the Captain. Anything you care to share with the rest of us?”

Finding Damen, given his position as an officer, he reports in on the boots that he had identified.

"The boots have an enchantment that seems to allow the wearer to ignore encumbrance and give them a fairly substantial boost to their ability to jump. Likely to compensate for the heft of his armor despite his skeletal frame."

He then placed the boots with Damen, washing his hands of the potentially covetous item.

Boots of Striding and Springing

Gerard sleeps, oblivious to everything so far..

"He's worried about what happened," Thalassa says in response to Ardreth's question. "But he says he never met Captain Rogers before yesterday."

"Since we were attacked just after Iceland, I think it stands to reason that it could have something to do with that. But Arnau says the only thing he picked up in Iceland is that black bandana he wears. Apparently he won it in a game."

"So it could be that, but I don't know if it's magical or cursed or maybe just something that belonged to Rogers and that he really wanted to get back. I'm out of my depth there. I told Arnau maybe you could find out more," she adds with a look at Hedwig. "Did he talk to you?"

Arnau sleeps as well, unaware of the decisions made with the repairs or the magical items.

Martek is asleep and clueless as to what is going on.

OOC:  Should be awake in a couple hours, or am I awake now DM
This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 45):

Asleep until  my next post, in about 4 hours real time. That will be about 10 am, and then we'll see if the crew wakes you, and you can roll for natural waking.


Edit: remember, you two have the "luxury" of a private room, so you get a little soundproofing and black out conditions, as well.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:10, Tue 09 Mar 2021.

OK, we move forward to mid morning. When the night shift and Arnau manage to work their way awake (or are forced awake) they will be fully recovered.

Con Check from Night Shift (Gerard and  Marvek) are DC 20 to spontaneously waken this hour. Arnau wasn't as knackered, and gets to roll against DC 15

Ardreth is sleeping normally (on deck), and could be woken by  any loud enough ruckus.

Dayshift hasn't given me any instructions, yet, so they're just sitting about watching Nazem cook.

A rowboat is heading for the New Markets from the port. It's full (2 rowers, 2 passengers).

Marvek continues to saw logs.

OOC: failed 11 on dc 20

16:22, Today: Secret Roll: Marvek Alazeem rolled 11 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 9.  Con check wake up dc 20.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 48):

Then you are dependent on the kindness of your crew. Good luck with that.

We can try again when another hour passes, or there is an explosion outside the cabin.

They should almost coincide.  The time detonator with a mercury switch is set to go off and 59 minutes and change.

Having decided to wander about the shipp, looking for any trace of damage from combat or the weather, Damen sees the rowboat coming towards them.  "Awaken the captain.  It seems we have company coming.  Might as well make sure everyone else is up, too.

And THAT is enough to waken Gerard. VERY light sleeper.

Now that I know about that, a fix will be required

Hedwig had been polishing the brass aboard the deck, busying himself with something that wasn't mopping for once. Not that he disliked mopping the deck. In fact there was a sort of simple pleasure at completing a finite task and seeing the fruits of your labors; it wasn't something he experienced during his wizarding training. Still he was brought up short by a sudden command from Damen.

"Of course Damen." he said as he moved to the Captain's quarters and gave a few firm knocks on his door. He wasn't sure how out the man was so he went for effect and was prepared to apologize afterwards.

"Excuse me Captain. Damen said we have company, ordered me to wake you."

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 53):

And pounding on the door wakes both Marvek and Hedwig.

Probably safer than the explosion.

Marvek had fallen asleep in his clothes and only removing his belt and sandals.

On hearing the pounding on the door and Hedwig's message, he got up.

"I'm up, I'm up,  I'll be right there."

He leaned off his bed and grabbed the sandals then belt and was moving out the door.

Opening the door, he looked to Hedwig with tired eyes and nodded to him.

Stepping onto the deck, he put his sandals on then belt and looked around for who the guests were.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 55):

The rowboat arrives. It's a couple dock workers with oars, the Trident Trading Company Factor, and...someone else. Who is unclear.

The Factor asks for permission to come aboard. Actually, it's more of a statement: "Permisson to come aboard."

What you have for a ladder is Thalassa's nets. They've been working quite well for the swimmers, and the boat is closer to the guardrail that the water is...
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:14, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

Gerard wakes feeling refreshed from a massive sleep. If only he hadn't been stupid enough to think that he could last the dayshift before pulling an evening shift on top. He had learned his lesson well, but he did wonder if he was well suited to the evening shift. He was a notoriously light sleeper. He would bring it up with the captain later on when he got the opportunity.

It seemed that there was some commotion aboard that had awoken him. He turns to grab his weapon quickly, before realising that the commotion wasn't an enemy, but something akin to a harbour inspection.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Gerard makes himself presentable to whoever was coming aboard.

Looking around, it appeared that somebody had been busy during his sleep. There had been ship repairs made and the place was looking far better than it had when he had finished. Hopefully a day in the docks would give a much needed opportunity to work out his role on the ship and define what elements of his magical talents would be best used.

Marvek was moving and saw them arrive.

When permission to come aboard was asked he said, "Permission granted, used the nets and come aboard."

He pointed to the nets for them to pull up to and waited for them to get aboard.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 58):

Which the 2 passengers do. The Factor cuts off the Harbormaster, which he'll pay for later, "Explain your return, please." Again, it didn't sound like a request.

Don't you love a bureaucrat that is so good at his job he's relegated to the farthest and coldest outpost the company has?

Gerard stays quiet. It wasn't his place to speak up. Instead, he kept himself busy and started getting things done...cleaning himself up, setting his belongings away properly, and starting some silent prayers to his god.

Marvek started it off with a smile.

"Gentlemen, welcome aboard the New Markets.", he said with a smile.

"Harbormaster, I apologize for arriving unannounced, and will pay for staying in the harbor.  As you both can see, my ship received damage just a few hours out of port.  I ask you both to allow me to explain before any questions."

He finished this statement with a slight pause, then he told the story as quickly as possible.

"Shortly after we had left port, a large ship was seen pursuing us.   We slowed thinking it was someone from here in port for some reason.  To our shock it was a ship made of bone with a skeletal captain with glowing eyes and a zombie crew.   We attempted to out run them, but they eventually caught up to us.   We made a plan as a crew and executed it.   It was a nasty battle, and a few of my crew were injured, we used most of our spells and energy, and our ship was damaged.   In the end we defeated their ship and killed their captain.   I ordered the ship set on fire, and we sunk it.   With our ship damaged and a long journey ahead, we moved back to here to repair the ship before continuing.  Now that we have rested, we will repair it and be on our way shortly.  Any questions?"

He finished his statement and looked to both men.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 61):

The Harbormaster shrugs, "Just two: Do you need dock space, and if so, for how long? And how will you be paying?" He counts on his fingers, "OK, maybe three."

The Factor says, "No, they won't they'll magic some repairs and get back to the work they've been paid for."

Now, of course, he is NOT your boss...but IS responsible for a rather useless resupply. Well, him and Damen an unnamed crewmember.

Marvek half ignores the Factor and smiles to the Harbormaster.

"I will personally be paying for this.  I require dock space only if you have an area where you can lift my boat out of the water so I can see the damage to quickly repair it.
 Shouldn't be more than three or four hours.  Need to restock some food also.  Seems we got a lot of rotten and spoiled food when we just left here."

He looked to the Factor and smiled to him as well.

"Do you have the food available or merchants here to restock me?  Or should I include it in my next report about how I was given rotten and spoiled food on my resupply and was curious if the Factor was doing his job and had been instructed to give it to me like that?  I doubt it will be looked upon favorably if I do.  What do you think?"

Marvek finished his statement with a frown and looked upset at the Factor.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:03, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 63):

The Harbor Master shakes his head, "Sorry, we aren't equipped for shipbuilding or major repairs. We're just a colony, and fairly young. We can, barely, fit you in on the docks. 1 silver per foot per day, 2 day maximum. Vinland colonists due soon and they'll need the space and a resupply of their own. Which, as I think on it, may limit yours."

The factor shrugs, "You can tell folks what you want. I resupplied you as requested. it was good when I checked it. Tell them what you want, you're a temp, I'm career."

OOC:
A Keelboat is 60' long so, 6 gold per day.

At the mention of the rotten food, Damen finds himself moving to the opposite gunwale.  He appears to be inspecting something.  Perhaps damage of some kind....

"Thank you Harbor Master.   We will be staying in port for only one day.  Less actually, but I'll gladly pay for a day.   Any provisions your merchants have available I appreciate and understand you have a resupply with Vinland.  I'll gladly pay for goods and would like to speak to your merchants myself.  We will be gone in less than a day."

With that, Marvek reaches into his belt pouch and pays six gold to the Harbor Master.

Looking back to the Factor he shakes his head.

"I've already informed them with my stone why we returned.  Thank you for all the help you provided.  I'll make sure and include everything in my report."

He motions toward the nets and waits for them to leave.

Actually, you paid with a gem, but you can pick up change one you're on shore.


I'm almost tempted to have the bureaucrats duke it out at 25 words a day, but life is just too short.

Martek waits till they are off the ship before he addresses the crew.

"Once they start moving away from us, I'll cast Water Breathing and be going in the water with Damen and mending the damage to the ship.   Thalassa is in charge.   After it is repaired we will head into port.  I'll dry off and Hedwig and Gerard will accompany me as we speak to the merchants and get resupplied.  I'm fine with paying some out of pocket for some food.  We need it and don't need any problems or bad blood here.  Does anyone have any problems or anything they would like to tell me, and do we know what the magic items do?"

Marvek waits a moment and touches his head with two fingers.

[Private to DM: Casting Message to Hedwig-  Do you have a spell to endure cold memorized and any detect magics?  I could use to keep me warm while I'm underwater and to see if there is an illusion on the food we buy or its magical.]
This message was last edited by the player at 06:05, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

Arnau stays in bed longer than expected. He's not only exhausted due to the action during the battle and the lack of sleep, but his body is also in need of rest to recover from the trauma of the several injuries.

07:14, Today: Secret Roll: Arnau de Boix rolled 3 using 1d20 with rolls of 3.  Constitution check to wake up. 

He'll eventually wake up once the ship is in the harbour. Arnau approaches Marvek of he sees him emerging from the water any time during the repairs."Morning captain. What do you need me to do? I can check the deck and do whatever repairs I can here for the sake of completion, of anything else you need."

The Spaniard awaits for instructions. In the meantime he starts minor repairs on the deck where he sees they're needed.


Cast mending to do the repairs if any is needed.
OOC: I go to bed and I wake up with 20+ posts. What a night!:)

Gerard listens to all that is going on, then speaks when he has a moment.

"If you're needing someone else in their kacks to mend underwater, I'd be right happy to help." says the irishman. "I'm none too fond of the cold, but I'll get used to it."

Bringing out the sword and armour they had recovered from the dread pirate, he presented them to Marvek. "Spirits are telling me these will help us. A sword that aids the bearer in being alert, and a plain suit of chainmail but magically reinforced."

He looks to the port and considers his feelings towards returning. "Never mind the food and water so long as I'm aboard. If its for crew, we can survive on some rather plain but filling fare from my blessings. It fills your belly, and makes you fonder of a return to land for sure!"

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 68):

Hedwig hears his new orders and nods once.

"Of course Captain. You can count on me. As for the magic items I was able to identify the boots. They are enchanted to remove encumbrance, such as when wearing mail, and increasing your ability to leap great distances." Boots of Striding and Springing.

Thalassa pales visibly at the words "Thalassa is in charge", but only says (after a false start or two), "Um ... no problems ... and the mask allows you to see things in greater detail at a distance. Like a magical spyglass, but more accurate."

OOC: Eyes of the Eagle.

She then goes back to worrying about the fact that she is now in charge of an entire ship (that is lying peacefully at anchor with nothing to do for the rest of the day).

Ardreth nodded and said, "I'll look into some extra ballista bolts and arrows to replace those we lost in the battle."

Ardreth would wait patiently for the ship to port and take advantage of the downtime.

Marvek heard everyone and listened to their wants and needs.  From what he could hear no one had any gripes right now or complaints.

He looked first to Thalassa and smiled.

"I appreciate you and respect your decision to not take anything.   Yours is out there on one of the next hauls."

Responding to Arnau he said, "Yea, wait till Damen, Gerard, and myself are in the water and I can send you a message according to what order Damen would want things mended.  By the way, since you and Ardreth are interested in items and he'll be on watch with you at night, what do you think about taking the boots?  Didn't know if they interested you, but in combat or spell casting especially off ship could help you get in range or out of range faster."

He next mentioned to everyone, "The cutlass to Damen as he was interested in it sounds best.  We talked of lightening the load, and the armor to Gerard makes sense, plus when we go to shore I'll take Hedwig with me and Gerard can go with Ardreth when he looks for more ballista bolts and Gerard can sell his old plate mail as he is wearing his new chain.   Ardreth, with your natural dark vision, does the eyes interest you?  Would also help with your vision at night in noticing anything coming to attack or surprise us and perhaps help in aiming the ballista.  Was a thought.  If not you and Arnau hash out which one wants what.   I need Gerard and myself to strip down and go swimming with Damen.   We will be mending below and I can message Arnau when Damen wants anything up here mended.   We go to town in pairs, and when we come back Arnau and Damen will head to town and Thalassa and Nazem for anything they need when we relieve them after getting supplies.  Any questions?"

Looking over at Hedwig, he nods,  "Take the dice and component pouch if you want.    I think anything else we can use as party funds to buy something.  You and I could also see if there is anything for sale magic wise here. "

Marvek nodded to Damen and Gerard to get ready as he stripped down to his undergarments.  He still wore his diamond ring with the diamond turned in.  His amber necklace he kept as well on and it was noticed by all when he removed his pants that Marvek kept a dagger strapped to his left calf.   He was ready to dive in and mend when the other two were.

With everyone gathered, Marvek began to cast a spell.

Marvek clears his throat after casting his spell.

"Couple more things for you all and tonight will be your time to adjust before we leave.   Reassigning a couple of you.  Gerard you and Hedwig are switching shifts.   Gerard to days and Hedwig to second shift with me.    Also,  when I return from town I need something from you Damen.   We are going to make the cabin into a bunk bed situation.   I know you can make two bunk beds, but see if you could make three in there.   With us entering colder territory we need to think about frigid temperatures and storms.   Don't need you all getting sick or miserable.   What do you all think about that?"

OOC: Casting Water Breathing on everyone 30’ radius unless they rests it.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:51, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

"Boss, did you need me to create food and water for the journey or shall I use my preparations for another spell?" asks Gerard.

Damen looks at Marvek, accepting the strange (to him) blade called a... cutlass, nodding his thanks.  "I will accept it, though I do not truly feel I earned it."
As the man gets ready to enter the water, Damen goes in ahead of him.  "I think I can alter the flow of water around your head to provide you with a bubble of air.  It will not last long, but it will give you more time below."

Use Shape Water to produce a bubble around Marvek's head as he enters the water and submerges.

Marvek though for a moment before replying.

“Do you have a guard and ward spell or alarm spell you can cast on the ship or the cabin door?  If so get up with Hedwig who alarms the deck of the ship.  A protect spell like that or a detect spell would be good.   I have the water in my decanter for us.  Also, can you make a chain that is attached to the decanter and whoever is on shift in charge wears it?  If we are ever off ship and we see a 30 foot stream of water shooting up we know something is wrong on the boat.  Also whoever is in charge and carrying it can give out water to those on duty and we can empty our water barrels, lightening the ship.  Thoughts?”

After finishing the statement, Marvek handed the decanter to Thalassa.

OOC: https://roll20.net/compendium/...less%20Water#content

"I can't do guards and wards, unless you want a glyph of warding on the cabin door. However, that costs a fair bit of money each time it is cast." replies Gerard. "The chain is a simple task, so long as I get an hour to craft it." he adds. "How long would you like it to be?"

"I wouldn't want a spell that damages anyone.  Was thinking of an alarm type spell.  If you don't have one that's fine.  Hate to say this but may have Hedwig double up on alarm spells unless anyone else can cast a similar spell to help alleviate him casting two per day on it.   As far as the chain goes, what do you think about one that is cross body and rides the decanter on the lower ribs area but above the belt.  It would be secure but enough chain to move forward to give everyone water or use to signal in the air or put out a fire.   Was also thinking someone swimming or diving could use it as a propulsion device."

Suddenly Marvek's eyes got very big.  He started snapping his finger and his mouth dropped open.

"Oh my gosh, I just had a crazy idea.  You mentioned you liked to make things and Damen is a Bosun and amazing carpenter.  Plus you both will be working on shift together and Damen will have control of the decanter then.  What do you think about working with Damen and making a mini water sled that has a seat on it.   Could have a small steering wheel like a ship does and small rudder.   Somehow it would have the decanter attached to blow out with force thirty foot of water in a stream.  Think it could be used to make the water sled move?  Maybe have it where one person could ride, perhaps two if they sat tight together.   Would have to be a small sleek water sled.   Do you think that is possible?  If so Hedwig and I could fill up our water when our shift started and you two could talk about it and work on it.  If you don't have time or get exhausted trying to we could do it at our next port call.   What do you think?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:18, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 79):

No. Nazem could have done it, but not these two.

Damen speaks up.  "I know that spell.  As for the watersled, I am not sure if a wheel would be feasible at that size.  Maybe just a rudder and tiller.  I am also not certain it will work.

"I could probably make parts for you, but it might take a while. A sketch of what you're looking for would be helpful too." says Gerard. He's used to tried and tested ideas, not experimental objects. It gives him a small headache just thinking about what the captain is trying to think of.

Taking the chainmail and stashing it beside his bunk, Gerard strips to the required level of undress. He accepted the water breathing spell, but nothing could prepare him for the elements. He did, however, cast a guidance spell upon himself to aid his hand when doing the repairs.

Beneath the water, Damen, unsure if either spoke the elemental languages, uses gestures to guide their hands, and, thereby, their magic in making the needed repairs.

That's Damen in the water alone, and no longer part of discussions.

Anyone else joining him?

Tying a rope around him, Gerard gave a little guidance to the others. "If I tug this three times quickly, pull me up. That feckin water is freezing. I might pass out if I'm in there too long." he asks, then hands the rope over to somebody that is available.

Not looking forward to entering, the sailor lowers himself down into the water with trepidation, then tries to swim over to where Damen is directing the repairs.

The half-triton calls up to his crewmates, "Are you coming in?  The water is fine!"

Says the one person who thought to bring a Ring of Warmth.

Marvek nods to both Damen and Gerard.

Looking to Arnau and Ardreth, he spoke to them both.

"After thinking on it for a moment, I would like the eyes for myself...if that's ok with you two.  Would leave the boots for you two to decide between each other who got them."

Marvek would put the eyes on, and slip into the water to cast Mending on where Damen pointed at.

Once in the water and breathing, he spoke to Damen in an ancient tounge to see if he could hear him underwater.

[Language unknown: Miropr p Hisanyest ivenottha eve inei esasplbetr trivur ma chur earoulith te redtraing tiwein, "Werthuoer thithover al evie u i samies men ckeshi?"]

OOC: Putting on the eyes of the eagle, slipping into the water and talking to Damen, and casting Mending where he points at and instructs...alternating with Gerard where we cast Mending.

Water Breathing for everyone from my spell.  (3rd level spell cast on deck)

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 87):

The eyes require attunement. That's for later, and requires a 1 hour short rest.

It takes about 6 mending cantrips. by then, two of you are turning a bit blue. The 3rd already is.

Freezing to death wasn't his idea of the perfect way to die. Feeling his extremeties shutting down, he pulled hard and fast 3 times on the rope. No sense in using all his own strength if he can have some help getting out.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 89):

Rope? Net, unless I missed something again. You're going to need to make an Athletics rolls. A very simple one, but, nonetheless...

13:20, Today: Secret Roll: Gerard Gallagher rolled 23 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 18.  Athletics. – [roll=1615440015.57379.353079]

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 92):

Oh, well, you tied a rope and gave instructions. But no one took the rope and you went into the water. The rope followed. You might want to let it dry out before putting it away.

Seriously, if no one posts taking the other end, no one takes the other end. You might want to tie it off next time. Or wait for someone to take it.

Nor are you the first to have this issue.

Marvek swam up to the surface and looked up.

Quickly casting a spell, he used the wind from his magic to lift him up and place him on the deck.

[Private to GM: OOC: Casting Shield (1st level spell).   Will cause my Storm Sorcerer ability Tempest Magic to kick in.   I can fly 10' with wind current from casting a spell with my no Attack of Opportunity.]
This message was last edited by the player at 05:27, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

Damen treads water casually, awaiting the other two to get back on board, before he climbs up Thalassa's net.
00:56, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 20 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 17.  Athletics (climb). 

Then I haven't jumped in yet. I'm still waiting for somebody to take the other end.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 96):

Sorry, no. You posted jumping in. Besides, the job is done and everyone else is out.

Let's not start up again, please.

Marvek moves over and motions for Gerard to throw him the rope.

“ Help me pull Gerard up.”, he says to the crew around him.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 98):

He's already made his roll and gotten on board.

Marvek dried off and got dressed.

He looked for Hedwig and was ready to go.

"Hedwig and I are taking off.  Going to check on food, rations, and if there are potions or items."

"Hedwig,  how long would it take to get a detect magic cast?  Are you doing it as a ritual rather than regular spell?"    Would like to check the food we buy and whats in the market in general.   When we get there we can look around and you can cast it.  We'll verify before we buy."

With that, they headed to the market.  Marvek stopped and spoke to the Harbor Master.  He got his four gold change for the dock fee from the gem he had paid with.

"You mentioned we could get some food sir, any particular merchant or warehouse are we need to go to?  Also, do you have any merchants that sell potions or magic items?"

Once they had been instructed by the Harbor Master, they headed to where the food was.

Marvek was ready with Hedwig to see what they had to offer and ready to pay coin as needed to get them some food.

While at the market Marvek would also get the bracelet and cup appraised and see if there were any magic items or potions for sale.

OOC: Getting Hedwig to cast detect magic to see if the food reads magical, having the bracelet and cup appraised,  checking if there are any magic items or potions for sale.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 100):

When did you folks pull up to the pier?

OK, it's early, but it's quiet so let's move you to the pier.

We'll give it overnight (real time) to do whatever you want to do in town.

Nazem can watch the ship this time, so everyone can hit the beach.

You have an afternoon, so time may be a factor for some.

It's only the day after you left, and two days after you folks finished buying what you could in town. If they needed a week for things like arrows and spears before, they won't have had time to restock, yet.

It's a frontier colonial town. Slightly more developed than most, but only slightly. It's also Viking. Some things just are NOT available except by special order. You won't be around long enough to have such brought to you by ship.

Private threads are fine for shopping tips after IC posts of your departure from the ship. If you are grouping, I may make a temp thread.

Edit: Assume it is noon as you tie up to the pier.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:23, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 100):

Hedwig nodded in understanding as the Captain emerged from his quarters after having changed.

"It would take me ten minutes sir. As I am a wizard by evocation I seldom reinforce ritual magic into my active memory during my daily recitations. Should I change that for the foreseeable future Captain?"

---

Hedwig travelled in companionable silence with the Captain. It had been a while sense he had gotten off the ship for any reason and to be quite honest it was nice to stretch his legs.

Now at the dock, Ardreth moved to find the nearest smithy and carpenter pair where he could get the long bolts needed for the ballista and the arrows he needed to replace those he fired at the strange vessel.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:37, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

Marvek already claimed the Eyes. Captains need spyglasses, after all.

Since Marvek, Hedwig and Ardreth are already taking care of everything that needs to be replenished, Thalassa has no special plans for going into town. Plus, ever since she was put in temporary charge of the ship, she seems to be afraid it will spontaneously sink the moment she turns her back on it.

So she stays on board and pesters Nazem about fish soup recipes.

Nazem the cook, herbalist, and alchemist, has some VERY exacting recipes...but no herbs.

So...his recipe is fish, salt (or salt fish, since you've recently put fishing on hold), legumes (lima, pea, kidney, etc. He has a few types he's working through) and mushrooms.

Changing up the bean every few days isn't making it very interesting. He needs herbs.


Thank god for his cinnamon raison rolls.

Damen stops by Naz to see if he has a list of herbs and seasonings he wants, not expecting to find anything.  But, stranger things have happened, so he might possibly be able to persuade someone with a small herb garden to part with a bit.  Not likely, but could be worth a try.
He decides to partner up with Ardreth,explaining that no one should leave the ship and wander any port alone.  Having done so before could be the reason Damen got such a bad batch of food....
While he is dressed in his usual port-of-call garb, he leaves the cutlass behind.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 108):

He can give you a long one, but the important one is Cinnamon.

You MIGHT be able to find some herbs locally, but spices... they mostly come from India, traditionally.

Dill and chives are the best you can probably do this far north, he thinks.

Gerard dries himself off and puts his clothes back on. He looks at his suit of chainmail, the suit he had handcrafted himself. It was time to make it easier to transport...

"I'll remain with this ship. I have some tasks to do." he said.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:27, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 110):

Hedwig has left the ship. Literally. He isn't even in the thread anymore.

*sigh*
Because I sleep IRL, surely that shouldn't prevent me from being able to interact with people. I'm literally on deck. I easily had the chance to ask that of Hedwig before he left.

In reply to Gerard Gallagher (msg # 112):

Or you could go get it yourself. Such things are going to happen from time to time. We can't keep rewinding multiple threads because someone wants someone else to do something for them.

Surely you can understand that he didn't feel the need to get permission to post when HE was awake....

OOC: Just deleted the conversation with the non-existent person. Doesn't make sense to talk to somebody who isn't here.

Gerard continues his normal wake up routine, then looks at what needs doing around the ship. He had just been assigned to daytime duty but it was port-time. He asked Thalassa what needed doing in the meantime. "Need a hand with anything?"

Thalassa looks up and shakes her head. "Not really. There's always maintenance work of some kind to be done, of course, but overall I think we're in pretty good shape."

"We've all had a horrible day yesterday, you've barely had a decent night's sleep, and you've just been assigned to a new shift. I think it's all right if you take the afternoon to relax and recover."

She invites him to sit with her and Nazem. "Or you could tell us some stories from the life of a seafaring priest, if you'd like."

Nodding, Gerard smiles. "Sounds like a grand feckin plan to me. Tell you what. Gimme an hour or so and I'll be all yours. There's something I need to do."

Heading back to the bunk, he sets down his old chainmail before him. He has an idea for the moment, as he knows the weight of the ship is important to keep in check. Praying to his god, his mind connects to the metals before him. Working his hands, the links of the chainmail are slowly and methodically prised apart, removing the padding from beneath the armour. and setting the metal itself aside for the task.

Conjuring a mental image, the irishman calls upon Goibhniu several times over the course of the next hour, the metal coalescing into an amorphous blob that Gerard continues to mold in the image of his choice. If it wasn't for the mystical connection to his god, none of this would be possible, but after an hour of mental effort, the chainmail that once was is now an intricate gold ring that sits upon Gerard's finger. The quilted padding lays on the floor, safe to use as a spare in the future.

Channel divinity to reduce the 75gp chainmail (which I'd imagine includes a 5gp padded armour) to a 70gp value gold ring and set of padded armour.

DM Edit: it will have to be a medium gold bracelet for that value. Considering it so pending approval.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:11, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Hedwig and Marvek return to the ship.


OOC:
Apologies, there actually IS some padding in this version of chain, and I have no problems with treating it as padded armor, however, it is NOT cold weather grade. It could be used piecemeal to make other sets of padded Cold Weather grade, if the need is felt and a Seamstress is willing.

That being said, Gerard the character may have made a small error in judgement. He may not have. If it comes up I'll address it then, and it IS fixable...if needed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:03, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

OK, in the sprit of better late than never, Ardreth and Damen leave the ship.

And the thread

Hedwig climbs the net to the deck, showing off the bag of root vegetables to any who would meet his gaze before shuffling off to deposit them with the rest of the food.

Gerard had considered the captains request regarding the chain. As the captain boards, he brings up a point with him.

"Captain. I've considered the chains and fixings. Are you sure you would like this to be made from metal? I only ask as it would seem to have a metal object strung about a person could be very dangerous on board the ship. It adds a decent weight around a feller when they are overboard."

"Now that you're back too, I've been missing the folks as they have been leaving the ship. Perhaps Thalassa and I can make a trip to the port? I've a very specific object I'm looking for..."

Arnau has finished with the minor repairs on deck and he just sleep more than a few hours, so he decides to wait for the rest to come back to the ship relaxing a little bit.
If it's sunny he sits facing the sun and plays some music for his own enjoyment, and possibly the others.

Marvek showed Thalassa, Gerard, and Arnau the bag of potatoes he carried and the root vegetables Hedwig had.

“This was all the resuply we could get.  About ten pounds of food.   There are farms about two hours outside of town we could walk to and buy livestock to walk them back in town two hours and take to a butcher and pay him well to cut it up and package it right now if we want, but I wanted to get back to you all.    I agree that the metal is a bad idea and leather or padding would be better to hold the decanter.   Wanted to give you two a small list of supplies we need to make Murphy style beds that will be hinged on the walls and can fold up.  Will require weaving and some carpentry.   Perhaps some spell casting.   4 hinges, 16 metal grommets, 6 square yards of cloth,  a 50 foot rope, and some lumber to make two bed frames.   I’ll give you both money to collect those items if you don’t mind when you go to town.   Arnau could help you in acquiring then or perhaps talk to the Factor with the trading company and seeing if he can help supply the items.”

Marvek asked them to get what they needed and get those items if they could since it was mid morning still.   He gave Thalassa the money that would be needed to get the items and claimed the decanter back.

Approaching Hedwig he asked a favor.

“Do you mind speaking to Nazem about cooking us a good meal this evening our last night in port for the crew and keeping an eye out?   I need to get attuned to these magical eyes and need you on watch.”

OOC: giving Thalassa money to get everything for her, Gerard, and Arnau to get .  (2) 10 gold piece gems and 9 gold should cover it.    Lining Hedwig out and going to attune the Eyes of the Eagle on Marvek.

"Sure," says Thalassa with a smile in response to Gerard's question, then adds, "Aye, captain," when Marvek adds a few items to the shopping list.

"Lumber, rope, cloth, hinges, grommets," she repeats as she accepts the money. "Could be a bit tricky if the village has so little to sell, but we'll try our best."

“You’ll probably be dealing directly with the Factor, the one who I was upset with over the spoiled food.   Hedwig and I were told by the harbor master that they only deal in leather and wood workers mostly.  Things imported come from the Factor, who is a representative of the trade company we work for.   That was a reason that we came directly back to ship. I figured between if you had to you batten your eyelashes at him and perhaps Arnau using honey words may have better results.   Worst case perhaps Gerard or someone else can craft hinges.  Overall this will help us as a crew stay warm.  It’s bad enough that we will be relying on magic to make our food later on since we can’t get resuplied here.  I hope everyone can stay warm in the cabin with a couple extra beds made.

He smiled to Thalassa, Arnau, and Gerard.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:34, Sat 13 Mar 2021.

Gerard heads out into the port to see what he can find. He has  a me tall note of the supplies the captain asked for, and his own focus was top of the list too.

Thalassa turns a slightly deeper shade of green but laughs at the same time. "I'm afraid if we really need me and my eyelashes for this, there'll be many cold nights in our future," she says. "I think Arnau will have a much better chance of convincing the factor."

She then follows Gerard off the ship, looking at Arnau to see if he's coming as well.

Thalassa and Gerard have departed.

With Hedwig and Nazem on watch or on deck, Marvek made it his focus to get attuned to the eyes of the eagle and rest before his shift.

Thalassa returns with a cart and driver.

She needs help moving six 7' beams and some rope and canvas.

Gerard returns to the ship.

Truthfully, probably a good 2 hours before Thalassa does.

Gerard comes back empty-handed. "Sorry boss, nothing fitted the description of what we needed. If you give me an hour or so, I can make the hinges or grommets, but I'd need to rest and recollect my energies before I can make the remainder. Maybe four hours of work between now and then." he says.

6 hours of work and at least 3 hour long rests, currently

Marvek spoke with Gerard, "Don't even worry about it.  I need you to actually get some rest when I go on shift with Ardreth.   You and him are switching shifts and you will be with Arnau starting tonight here in port.  We leave tomorrow.   Make them as we go as e start to head toward our next port that is 6 weeks from here.   I will need a favor from you though.
 We have to find a happy medium between you and Thalassa to cast spells that provide food.
  I can create water with the decanter.   We don't have enough food to travel for 6 weeks so will be going to your spells to feed everyone and perhaps Thalassa can pitch in there too.  When you get a chance make the grommets and hinges during the trip.  I just know that many of you will appreciate sleeping in a warm cabin and between the two beds we have in there now adding two above them that are hinged to the wall will make the trip nice for 4 to be able to sleep in there."

Marvek took a short rest and worked on his glasses to see how they felt looking around.

When Thalassa returned, Marvek called for anyone on board, (Nazem, Hedwig, and Gerard, plus himself) and they moved to help unload the beams, canvas, and rope.

"Very nice Thalassa.  In the next week to two weeks, I can help when not working and others in the crew.  We can get two more beds made hinged to the wall inside the cabin to have more room on deck and keep us all warm when not on shift and during the cold or storms.   Appreciate your help.   Also anted to speak to you if you have a moment.  Hedwig and I only got about 10 pounds of root vegetables.   This is the last supply on a 6 week or so voyage we have to make.  Do you have any spells to provide food?  As I as telling Gerard we may have to go that route for a lot of the voyage. Something for us all to think on and know." 

[Private to GM: Eyes of the Eagle attuned to me now?"]

Nodding, Gerard agrees. "Night shift? I'm halfway through my dayshift already. Back to bed for me then!" he grumbles, then collects his things and gets ready for some more sleep. "I'll happily create some food and water now before I head to sleep. Should feed everybody for the day. Happy to rotate with Thalassa if she has a better option."

It doesn't take long, but before he is asleep, a great pile of food and water is summoned for the crew to eat.

"Gerard, crash in my bunk.  I'll wake you later when it's time.  Should definitely help sleep and see the areas above here we'll build beds hinged to the wall above the two beds."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 04:55, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

Nazem looks at his sweet bread and fish stew pot and shrugs.

Marvek chuckles and goes and eats Nazem's bread and fish soup.

Thalassa nods in response to Marvek and Gerard. "I can summon a particular kind of berries that would keep us fed as well. Eating just one of them is enough for a day. They have to be eaten fresh, though, so we can't store them."

"Also, I'm afraid they don't go well with salted fish."

OK, Given two Gensai and a decanter of endless water keeping the water barrel full, creating 15 gallons of water on a whim makes for a messy and slippery deck. So Ardreth has something to do for his shift, at least. Mop and bucket are back up on the quarterdeck. The 45 pounds of food can go in the harbor.

Ship leaves right after shift change to Days.

OOC:
To whom it may concern: Long John Silver was THE COOK!

Departure is 3 hours after this time stamp. Last chance for anything shore related, but the town rolls up it's dirt sidewalks at dusk.

OK, everyone is back, it's beginning of Day shift, which means the Harbormaster wants his dock back, and you folks are done with a rather disappointing (mostly) shopping spree.

On the plus side, you've got a small bag of potatoes and turnips, plus a handful of fresh herbs. Soup for the next few days will show a marked improvement.

Off you go, west again. Arnau does his best to make sure Hedwig is pointing the New Markets in the right direction the goes to do whatever is is he does before bed.

OOC:
OK, back to MWF posting schedule, at least until something happens. I'll update Wednesday. Last chance to make/update personal Standard-Operating-Procedures for your character or start personal hobby projects.

Also, I think Marvek wants to discuss some home improvements with Damen. Once that's done Damen can correct Gerard's project list for making hardware.

Marvek spoke to Nazem and Ardreth after they had left port.

"Nazem, would like you to swab the deck during the day as they fill up the water barrel and if they make a mess while they are doing construction or repairs.   Ardreth, it will be you and me from now on second shift.   Get ready to bunk out and sleep.   You can crash in the cabin if the noise is too loud for you out here."

Having spoken to them, he moved over to speak with Damen.

"Hey Damen can you follow me to the cabin.   Wanted to show you something.   After your shift for a few hours a day would like you working on making extra beds for the cabin.
 I want them here and here against the wall above the other two beds.  Rectangular frames and rope cross slats.  They will be hinged here and here with two hinges to secure them to the wall.  We have extra canvas and we will need some grommets to attach the canvas to the frames.
 I want them sewn extra thick with the canvas to last and so they are comfortable.  I got Thalassa to get the materials while in port.  Gerard can make the hinges and grommets.  Thalassa and I can sew the canvas.   Need you working on this with them and me over the next few weeks.   I want 4 beds in this cabin so as we get to colder territory and stormy weather a place for some crew to sleep indoors.  Thank you."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:13, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

Nazem looks puzzled, "THEY don't overfill the barrel. Never have. If I'm doing clean up duty, who is going to cook food, wash dishes, and otherwise do the job I do all day? I need to show them where everything is. And do you still want me doing food preservation magic on the food, or should I let it spoil?"

OOC: Arr Mr Hawkins....
Seriously, he's the ONE ship's officer that actually works all day.

Ardreth nodded to the captain and said, "I enjoy my meditations on the deck, but perhaps I'd be out of everyone else's way if I were to retire to a cabin from now on."

He liked that he would be paired up with the Captain, he lacked the magic that some of the others had and he found it comforting to know he would be in the company of a very capable user of magic.

Hearing Nazem, Marvek looked sympathetic and raised both hands.

"I apologize Nazem.  I did not realize how much was being done.  Ardreth and I will help with dishes and mopping the deck."

Arnau gives directions to ensure the right direction of the ship while he's not on duty.
Once he moves into his cabin you can barely hear how he plays his bandore for a while. Then the music stops as he goes to sleep.
Night shift makes weird sleeping patterns.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 142):

Damen follows Marvek into the cabin.  As the captain explains what he wants, Damen can visualize what he describes.  "I see what hou want. y famoly has added such to a number of ships. It will be easy, with a bit of help, but involved.  It will take time.

And so goes the first day. Watches change, Nazem cooks, Thalassa debates going back to fishing as the waters get colder and deeper and blue (which is why she stopped in the first place, and Damen scribbles some notes on the side of a beam, trying to figure out what he'll need when he kicks Captain and Navigator out of their cabin.

Everyone else pretty much just works to keep the ship pointed in the right direction and floating.

Day turns into Evening, Evening turns into Night, and things start to get back to normal when...everyone wakes up suddenly.

Roll initiative and send it with starting intentions to your private lists, folks, we're in combat first night out.

Round of Awakening:

Arnau: Casts a spell on one of the boarding party. Nothing happens.

Gerard: sits up

Damen: sits up

Ardreth: sees everyone sit up suddenly.

Marvek: is in the cabin doing ...something

Giant Eagles: appear over the fantail.

Thalassa: Summons Eagles. Big ones. She also sits up in bed.

Hedwig casts a spell


OOC:
Damage:


Other issues:
Everyone: Water Breathing
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Ardreth: -3 arrow
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, Concentrating through round 10
Hedwig: -3 1st level slot, Mage Armor

Initiatives:
14 Arnau
13 Gerard
12 Damen
12 Ardreth
11 Marvek
10 The Barons
 6 Giant Eagles (2)
 4 Thalassa
 2 Hedwig



Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:06, Thu 18 Mar 2021.

Round 1:

Arnau: plays a jaunty tune and the fantailand aft 10' of wurterdeck lights up. As do Thalassa, Arnau, and the creatures on the fantail. Advantage to hit everyone lit up.

Gerard: looks around for a trget, but all he sees is the faint glow from the quarterdeck

Damen: casts a spell from bed.

Ardreth: gets up and moves aft a bit, nocking an arrow from the bow in his quiver.

Marvek: peeks out the door of the cabin and sees Gerard and Ardreth looking at his roof, with Ardreth armed.

The Barons: Reach up and pull themselves onto the quarteedeck, stabbing with their tridents. Both Thalassa and Arnau are hit.

Giant Eagles: each dive bomb a sahaugin.

Thalassa: blasts a sahaugin with frost.

Hedwig gets out of bed and casts a Light on his wand

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau:    -11
Thalassa: -11

Other issues:
Everyone: Water Breathing
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Ardreth: -3 arrow
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, -Faerie Fire, Concentrating through round 11
Hedwig: -3 1st level slot, Mage Armor, Light
Damen: -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision

Prone:
Damen

Initiatives:
14 Arnau
13 Gerard
12 Damen
12 Ardreth
11 Marvek
10 The Barons
 6 Giant Eagles (2)
 4 Thalassa
 2 Hedwig


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:51, Fri 19 Mar 2021.

Round 2:

Arnau:  jumps off the quarterdeck and backs away from it, muttering under his breath.

Gerard: eeps the ship from capsizing

Damen: Stands and shoots a pair of arrows at what are very narrow targets, given the angle. He hits. Both times.

Ardreth: shoots an arrow at a baron, but misses.

Marvek: looks up, but the angle doesnt allow him to see anything.

The Barons: one cuts loose on Thalassa (hitting with bite and claw, but missing with Trident, one jumps down after Arnau, but falls face firstto the deck.

Giant Eagles: dive bomb Thalassa's opponent.

Thalassa: blasts her sahaugin with frost. Then she disappears.

Hedwig studies the shifting melee.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau:    -3
Thalassa: -31

Other issues:
Everyone: Water Breathing
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Ardreth: -4 arrow
Arnau: -1 first level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -Faerie Fire, Concentrating through round 11
Hedwig: -3 1st level slot, Mage Armor, Light
Damen: -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision, -2 arrows recoverable*.
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot.


Initiatives:
14 Arnau
13 Gerard
12 Damen
12 Ardreth
11 Marvek
10 The Barons
 6 Giant Eagles (2)
 4 Thalassa
 2 Hedwig


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 3:

Arnau: mutters in Thalassa's general direction and she perks up a bit. He joins her at the ballista.

Gerard: Keeps the ship from capsizing

Damen: Shoots at arrow at each Baron.

Ardreth: puts an arrow into the Baron standing on the quarterdeck.

Marvek: reaches down to the Sahaugin lying there in front of him, and grasps it firmly with an electrified hand. It flops for a moment then lies quietly, smoking slightly.

The Baron left on the quarterdeck is fighting off giant eagles. He moves claw, tooth and trident in a flurry and one of the eagles falls, landing in a couple of places.

Giant Eagle: dive bombs the last Baron.

Thalassa: draws the moisture from the Baron's body, but it manages to keep it's feet.

Hedwig rapid fires half a dozen missiles at the Baron on the quarterdeck,, and it falls. The Eagle lands and starts pecking eyes. It must have been a crow in it's last conjure.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau:    -3
Thalassa: -21

Other issues:
Everyone: Water Breathing
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Ardreth: -4 arrow
Arnau: -1 first level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -1 3rd slot, -Faerie Fire, Concentrating through round 11
Hedwig: -3 1st level slot, -1 4th level slot, Mage Armor, Light
Damen: -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision, -2 arrows recoverable*.
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot.


Initiatives:
14 Arnau
13 Gerard
12 Damen
12 Ardreth
11 Marvek
10 The Baron
 6 Giant Eagle
 4 Thalassa
 2 Hedwig


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Hedwig moved out onto the deck more thoroughly, taking in what had happened to them. Thalassa appeared the most injured but alive and outside of her the rest of the crew seemed to be holding on fine. He sighed in relief, sure that the cleric would see to her injuries. Instead he called out to the Captain.

"I'll begin detecting for sources of magic."

Ritual casting Detect Magic over the dead. Looking to identify potentially magical items.

In reply to Hedwig Bancroft (msg # 153):

well, yes. But magic isn't everything, so I'll toss in the obvious, too.

Magic:
One of the Tridents
Each also has a piece of jewelry, broochlike, more or less. They are different designs.

Not magic:
The other trident
The two breastplates.

Oops, hit "enter" too soon

Note that neither trident nor neither breastplate are metal. Coral/shell/sharkfang mostly.

This makes for a potential armor upgrade for Thalassa, and a more "Down Home" breastplate for Damen, if either are interested.

Gerard continues to steer the ship.

"Thank you," Thalassa says quietly to Arnau, before sitting down with her back to the ballista and casting a spell of her own.

For a while, she watches contemplatively as the remaining giant eagle pecks at the strange sea-dweller's eyes, before she finally unsummons it with a gesture.

Then she gets up again and walks over to the sahuagin lying on the main deck. She studies him for a bit, then kneels down next to him and examines his breastplate more closely. "Would anyone object if I take this?" she asks. "It's not exactly my style, but it looks like it would fit, and with the reputation of the sea we're sailing into..."

[Private to DM: Casting a few Healing Words until I'm mostly back to normal:

22:16, Today: Secret Roll: Thalassa rolled 5 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 1.  Healing Word HP.

22:16, Today: Secret Roll: Thalassa rolled 7 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 3.  Healing Word HP.

22:16, Today: Secret Roll: Thalassa rolled 5 using 1d4+4 with rolls of 1.  Healing Word HP.]

Damen walks over and looks down at the dead sahuagin, reaching to pull out his arrows out of the black, scaly fishman.  "There will have to be an adjustment made, since you lack the fins and spines the fishmen have, and the helmets padded.  Had we been killed, we would have been fed to their pet sharks."
"They are called 'sahuagin' in their own tongue."  He spits the name out like it is a curse as he inspects the broad-tipped arrowheads dripping the fishman's foul ichor upon the deck.  "I say we strip them of anything of value and dump the carcasses over the side to feed their pets.  If anyone wants to learn to fight and hunt with a trident, I can teach you."
He sets the arrows down to help Thalassa remove the four-armed fishman's armor
This message was last edited by the player at 01:07, Wed 24 Mar 2021.

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 158):

Actually, I described these folks as Humanoid for a reason, nor did I mention 4 arms.  Mostly because I forgot, but also because their abilities didn't reflect extra arms. Same number fo attacks as a normal sahuagin, just a trident instead of a spear.

Consider these guys just to be tougher than average 2 armed sahuagin, despite what I called them, not the 4 armed mutants.

Then I redact anything about four arms.  Since they are one of his favored enemies, I looked them up.

Arnau checks on Thalassa and cats another spell to finish to patch her. "I'm glad this is over. This could have gone much worse if they had been a little bit more stealthy... Well, going back to work, let me know if you find anything interesting of if you need my help."
Arnau then resumes his tasks attending the ship while the rest have a look at the loot.
Someone needs to make sure the ship still good the right direction, and until his shift ends that person is him.

23:05, Today: Secret Roll: Arnau de Boix rolled 20 using 3d8+4 with rolls of 7,6,3.  cure wounds (lvl 3) on Thalassa

Ardreth looked to retrieve his arrow and any other arrows that might have been scattered in the fight while the others discuss the armor.

In reply to Ardreth Eikalain (msg # 162):

3 arrows that might survive. Roll D20 for each

Marvek was out of the cabin and doing a once around the boat.   He was looking to make sure everyone was alright and they had no stragglers on the ship.   Listening as he went, he listened to side chatter and waited to see if anyone had a question for him.  After a moment he spoke.

"Nice work everyone.  I recommend if you can use the armor to take it.   With it working in the water obviously I think Thalassa and Damen should take the armor if they would use it.   Let's identify what the magic items do and we can split them up according to who will use and want them.   Anything that is not claimed or not being used we will keep and try and repurpose.  Trident that isn't magical?  We could sell at port for food and items or it could be offering to a tribesman somewhere as a gift from us.  With no major questions, I'm going back to sleep unless anyone needs me."

Yawning, he looked at the crew to see if they needed him.

Hedwig pointed out the magic items to the crew but didn't feel particularly inclined to claim any of it.

"I'll identify one of the pairs of jewelry when I have the time tomorrow." he said as he took up on of the brooches.

He then looked to the captain as he was about to head off to sleep.

"Captain before you go. If its not improper to request it I'd like to have a discussion about how best to conduct myself in combat. Not now of course but in general. I think it be helpful, not just for me, if there were standing orders on what to do in the event of enemy attack."

At the end of the shift, Gerard spends just over 20 minutes spending time with the two remaining magical items. Once done, he describes the abilities of them to the available crew and awakened people. "The trident is quite powerful, giving you the opportunity to dominate the mind of a creature that is able to swim naturally. It's only a short duration effect but given our passage runs through the seas it would be very handy. The jewelry, well that's even more useful I believe. It's primary function is to close wounds, stopping a person from bleeding out when fallen. It also acts as an aid to the wearer's natural recovery."

OOC: Trident of Fish Command and Periapt of Wound Closure
This message was last edited by the player at 21:14, Wed 24 Mar 2021.

At shift change, Gerard asks Damen to update him on the current requirements for the bunk-bed components.

"The bunks will each require two hook-and-eye latches and three hinges to affix to the walls of the cabin," he explains.  "You may wish to ask Thalassa how many grommets she will need of the canvas for each."
He calls Thalassa over to explain to her what is going on.  How Marvek wants them to build two folding bunks to attach to the walls of the cabin.  "The captain has suggested sailcloth to be used as the mattresses for them."
[Private to Thalassa: The DM suggested to me that each would require ten grommets for the ropes to attach the cloth to the frames, like a cot.]

Thalassa nods and thinks for a moment. "Say four per side, three across ... I think we'd need fourteen grommets per bed at least", she says to Gerard. "Twenty would be safer, though, and might make them a bit more comfortable to lie on."

"So thirty to forty in total ... would that be a problem?"

[Private to Damen Iourdanos: I think we got different estimates from the DM, maybe based on skill rolls? I'm going with the higher estimates to be on the safe side.]

"Not a problem at all. It just takes time as I'm essentially relying on my patron's divine aid without the use of a forge or tools. It might take a week to craft everything we need, including some nails to use to hammer things together." replies Gerard.

OK, that's a day. Nothing was attuned or even discussed, really, so the items are still unassigned and not usable.

Gerard has started creating hardware, but he has a bit to go, yet.

Tomorrow will be a fast forward to...something. Last chance to discuss the new items and attune them before whatever it is happens.

"The brooch protects the wearer from force damage, like my trusted magic missiles. I was lucky to have targeted the one I did."

"I believe it would be useful for one of our front line fighters. Seeing as they are more prone to be harmed than someone like myself."

Arnau finishes his shift and goes to rest, more interested in the hours of sleep in front of him than the objects that were looted from the monsters that attacked them.
They seemed more appropriate for front line fighters and he hoped noone considered him one of those so he let the rest keep the items for themselves.

Gerard tried to pass his own comments on the items before he went to bed. "I don't know about you, but we'd be feckin ejuts to let our navigators bleed out. That's just my suggestion." he says.

"I agree," says Thalassa. "I mean, of course we don't want to lose anyone, but without our navigator, we'd likely all end up dead."

She looks uncertainly at the others. "So ... maybe the healing brooch should go to Arnau, the shielding brooch to Hedwig, and the trident to Ardreth? Since none of them got anything from the Jolly Rogers, and I think the trident's magic might interfere with our own, so it might be best in the hands of someone who doesn't cast spells?"

OOC: Did anyone get Captain Rogers's boots, by the way? I know Damen got the cutlass, Gerard got the armor, and Marvek got the facemask, but I don't remember what happened to the boots.

Marvek listened to Hedwig and gave a nod.

"I recommend half your spells for utility and defense and half for escape and offense.    Dispel Magic and Counterspell if you have it are a must.   Try and pick attack spells that have a dual purpose.  I'm a fan of Ray of Frost, Shocking Grasp, and Chromatic Orb.  Try and keep a short range movement spell up.  I use Misty Step so that I can move to assist, escape, or move to get a different angle to attack from.   Having to memorize Alarm as you do helps us out and is needed. I too keep spells that are for the ship up like Water Breathing, Mending, Message, and Gust of Wind.  Lastly, consider if you have the extra spell in your book changing out a few and trying a different set up for a week or so.   Will let you try different tactics and force your mind to stay sharp.  Sorry if I rambled, I'm just tired.  If I can help you any other way let me know."

With that being said, Marvek yawned and covered his mouth.

He was happy to hear of the items they had gotten and heard Thalassa speak on the boots.

"Those boots of striding and springing are in my footlocker.  No one claimed them.   If someone wants them get them on.  I get extra movement from the wind and have spells that I can move around with."

Arnau wakes up later that day and gets ready to perform some minor duties before the start of his shift. He finds out then Thalassa's suggestion about the brooch, so if noone has claimed it he'll happily take it.

"I would barely benefit from the boots other than their aid in jumping." replies Gerard. "Of the current crop of items, I'm happy to pass."

Ardreth looked at the trident and said, “I wouldn’t know what to do with that if someone came at me while I was holding it. It would be better served in the hands of a combatant who preferred to be close. Or maybe we should sell it.”

Thalassa smiles. "It's definitely a strange weapon. I mean, I'm a half-triton from Greece, and I still think it's strange. Better for fishing than fighting, really."

"But I think its magic could be useful, so ... if no one else wants it, would it be all right if I took it for now? At least it would go with this," she adds, indicating her incongruous-looking new coral breastplate.

OOC: If no one else expresses interest, Thalassa will attune the trident after her shift. If Marvek doesn't object, she'll store it in the cabin for easy access, just in case the next encounter turns out to be Jaws.

"I believe that a magic trident that can commnd creatures from the deep would be one of those things I would rather have and never need, than to need it and not have it," Damen says.  He looks at Thalassa.  "I think it is good hands,even if you are not allowed to use it as a weapon."

OK, 4 more days pass. The Trident is Attuned by Thalassa, and put away in her footlocker.

The grommets are done. The hinges are done. Just the hooks to go.

Thalassa has finished the canvas support, Damen has made the frames and woven in the canvas support, although he had to get a second coil of rope form ship supplies (leaving 1 spare).

It is Dayshift, towards the end. Damen, Thalassa, Nazem, and Hedwig are on duty, Hedwig doing the crewing. Night shift is in bed, if barely, and Evening shift is quite soundly asleep.

And now for the Passive perception results...to your private threads.

Thalassa quickly walks over to Damen. "I just saw some creatures out there," she says urgently, in what appears to be an unnecessary half-whisper. "Three groups of ... sea serpents? Or many-headed sea hydras, maybe? Half a mile away, maybe less."

"They seem to be busy squabbling among themselves, though. Maybe if we change course now, try to go around them, they'll ignore us. Or not even notice us."

"What do you think?"

Well, the ship just blithely sails by the schools of sea serpents, 2 schools to port, 1 to starboard, so, of course, they notice you.

You have about 10 rounds before they catch you.

Oh, and the speed of their swimming raises their bodies a bit out of the water. They aren't sea serpents, and there aren't 15 of them. There are only 3 of them, and each group of 5 heads meets in a single body.

Three hydras, folks, and they are gaining. The Weapon of Warning hasn't done anything yet, so sleepers still sleep.

Hedwig sees the sea serpents and blanches, shallowing reflexively although all moisture has left his mouth. Still he holds the ship firmly in its current heading, awaiting orders from Damen.

Now that stealth is no longer an issue, Thalassa starts pounding on the cabin door.

"Captain! Quick! We need your magic!"

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 186):

And that should wake Marvek and Arnau, and probably anyone on deck still asleep.

Damen orders for a starboard bypass of the creatures, but the ship only angles enough to skim past them.  "Damn.  Awaken the others," he tells Thalassa.  "This is going to be bad."
He goes to put on his armor.

Marvek as nestled asleep in the furs, only wearing his pants.

Hearing Thalassa pound on the door loudly made him vault out of bed.

No time.

Feeling his finger for his diamond ring and checking that he has his crystal amulet on his neck as he moved, he headed for the door and opened it.

"What's wrong, let me out the door."

He looked around to see if he could see anything.

OOC:  Didn't take the eyes off since they were attuned.  I'm still wearing them?

Ardreth heard the tumult and ended his meditations.

He asked, "What is the matter?"

Groggily, Gerard wakes up to the sound of heavy pounding. There may be another attack!

He stood to his feet and started looking around at what was going on...

Arnau wakes up with the shouts of alarm that are trying to wake Marvek up. He puts on his clothes and grabs his Bandore and head to the deck to check what's going on.
He appears moments after Gerard, tightening his bandana and looking around.
"What's going on?"

Thalassa takes a quick step back to let the captain past.

"Hydras," she says, her eyes wide. "Three of them."

"Faster than us, but maybe with the right wind, we could still lose them?"

Arnau looks at the approaching beasts. " They look they are quite big, not sure if we can outrun them. And looks like each one has five... maybe more heads. We should prepare in case, or when, they attack. If the stories are true, the way to keep the head count down and not to regenerating is by using fire. I can shoot firebolts at them. We should all prepare a source of fire."
He looks at the sails
"And make sure it does not go out of control."

Thalassa flinches at the word "fire", but doesn't protest. Instead, she quickly climbs up to the quarterdeck.

OOC: Thalassa gets her shield from her footlocker and equips it, if there's still time.

Martek started to stir the winds and pushed the ship.   He put a lot of force into it and started to look around.

“Are we going to out run them this direction?  Need to know where they are and what direction the wind is blowing.”


OOC: Will make some rolls and post more when I’m home from work.  3 hour round trip drive and working 11 today.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 196):

Well, wind is enough for now to go from slightly slower than them to slightly faster than them, so they start dropping away. hour or so and they may be far enough back to forget you, a couple hours and they may fall out of sight.

"Be prepared in case something happens to slow us down, or the captain falters, Damen calls out as he continues to put on his armor.

Since Thalassa is on the quarterdeck already and Hedwig is busy steering, she does as the captain asks and acts as lookout, calling out where and how far away the hydras are (as best as she can tell), and if any of them changes direction or otherwise does anything different.

She also casts Druidcraft to predict the weather, in particular to see if anything might change about the wind.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 199):

Well, the wind won't change until Marvek lets it.

Wind is light, temperature is a bit on the warm side. Clear skies.

Soory, hit enter on accident.

Druidcraft agrees with the Clear Skies, but wind is hard to predict with it unless it shows rain or snow.

The hydra are falling behind, but ever so slowly.

Dressed in his muscle-breastplate, greaves and bracers, but leaving his helmet upon his bunk, Damen climbs up to stand next to the captain.
"I am starting to wonder uf I should just put my armor on when I wake up for my shift each day", he muses.  "Hopefully, we will lose sight of them soon and you can try to get some more sleep."

Arnau sees in relief how the hydras fall behind."If we manage to escape without new scars that will be great news today!"
He looks in a good mood despite waking up in such a situation, and to prove it starts playing a nice song with his Bandore. He tries to cheer everyone up with this, especially the captain.

OOC: Arnau gives one bardic inspiration dice to Marvek to help outrun the hydras of that helps.

With the threat seemingly disappearing, Gerard requests permission to return to sleep.

Let us assume you folks escape the hydras, and Marvek takes it easy during his watch, at least as far as more win controlling goes. I would think 8 hours a day of 10 adjustments-per-minute is more than enough working stress.

So...before I advance to the next  event tomorrow, who gets the other two bunks in the cabin?
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:42, Thu 01 Apr 2021.

Arnau will go back to sleep once the threat of the hydras has vanished. But before that he'll ask Marvek about the healing brooch. If noone has claimed it already he'll do it.

OOC: let's make sure we get to use all our magical items.

In reply to Arnau de Boix (msg # 206):

Still waiting to hear from Hedwig about the periapt.

In reply to DM (msg # 205):

When the discussion turns to the new sleeping places in the cabin, Thalassa quickly declines. "I'm glad we moved my bunk away from the fantail, but I'm fine on the quarterdeck. I like hearing the ocean when I go to sleep. And I like it even better when it rains."

"Also, um, I probably should have mentioned this before, but I have some magical protection against the cold. So I really should be one of those who are staying outside."

Hedwig wipes sweat away from his brow, glad that they were able to escape the hydra's advance. He kept to the helm, keeping the ship on its correct heading while those whose sleep had been disturbed returned to their bunks.

Ardreth was relieved as well and said, “I will resume my meditations at the fantail. If any have need of me that is where I will be. I do hope we can avoid any more monsters of the deep, but such is the fate of those who explore where none have ventured before.”

"We are not the first to go there," Damen says, "but, perhaps,  the most recent to head towards this new territory.

Marvek as busy pushing the winds and standing upon the cabin.  He gave Damen a nod hen he came up and listened to him.

"Wouldn't be a bad idea.   What about trying the coral breastplate we got only?  Should be able to swim with it if needed and would be a middle road to wearing your full suit of armor.  Just a thought."

He was happy to hear of everyone moving around for the new set up with extra bunks in the quarters.

"Thalassa, I am glad to hear your comfortable outside and am glad you will be on the deck.  Ardreth moving to the fantail sounds good.  He can meditate there and be awake as he is resting there as well.   With Gerard joining Arnau and I in the cabin I thought that Hedwig would do well in the cabin as well if he wants.  Would give him the opportunity to prepare his spells in a quiet and dry environment, if he wants to.  We'll see how it goes.  With us working different shifts it should help spread the people in there all at once."

Seeing everyone talk about the items, he was happy to see people got things they wanted or needed.

"So Thalassa for the trident of fish command, Arnau for the periapt of wound closure, and Ardreth for the broach of shielding.   Don't forget we still have boots of fast walking unclaimed if anyone is interested.  Let's hope we have smooth sailing from here on out, but I'm glad we are ready when it's not."

It is 11 days out from Iceland, and past midnight. Gerard is keeping the ship moving, Arnau is taking his readings and giving course corrections when, once again, everyone sits bolt upright, suddenly.

Send initiatives in by way of your private threads. As before, you know SOMETHING is happening, just not what.  You won't be surprised, but most of you are unarmored and unarmed.

[Private to group Arcana: Something about the very atmosphere is odd, here in the middle of the ocean. You're not sure what cause it, but it's new.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Tue 06 Apr 2021.

Round of Awakening:

Thalassa stands up summons more giant eagles.
Hedwig stands up and put on his belt.

Everyone else just sits up, apparently.

Gerard, Arnau, and Ardreth are fully armed and armored. Although Ardreth is prone, effectively.

Damen and Marvek were in bed and are considered prone at this point.

There is, as yet, no indication of WHY the Warning Weapon woke you all.

OOC:
Damage:


Other issues:
Everyone: Water Breathing
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots
Thalassa: -1 3rd level

Initiatives:

21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth       Prone
11 Gerard
 7 Giant Eagles
 4 Damen         Prone
 3 Thalassa

Didnt' send in initiative: Marvek Prone



Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round of Confusion:

Arnau casts a spell

Hedwig casts Light on his wand

Ardreth sits there listening

Gerard steers the ship

The eagles circle the ship

Damen stands and preps his bow.

Thalassa straps her shield on.

OOC:
Damage:


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots
Thalassa: -1 3rd level
Arnau: -1 2nd slot, Sees Invisible.

Initiatives:

21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth       Prone
11 Gerard
 7 Giant Eagles
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa

Didnt' send in initiative: Marvek Prone



Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:52, Wed 07 Apr 2021.

Round 1:

Arnau casts another spell and Faerie Fire illuminates him, Hedwig on the main deck at the cabin door, and the centipede on the forward edge of the guardrail up on the quarterdeck. Also a bit of the passage to the fantail (including guardrail), the aft end of the main deck, the cabin's forward and port walls, and the quarterdeck, forward, are glowing a bit, of course. That's a really thorough spell.

Hedwig, like most of you, is looking for WHAT caused you all to wake, but he's below the interesting bits. Still, that green glow surrounding things is a clue.

Ardreth sits listening

Gerard steers the ship although folks reacting to the glow behind him might give him a clue that things are getting interesting.

The eagles dive bomd the centipede, now that it's visible. Well, one of them does. It's only about a foot long, after all. It survives a giant eagle pecking and shredding it. That ain't likely, folks.

Damen doesn't have a shot.

Thalassa casts Mirror Image.

OOC:
Damage:


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible, Concentrating through round 10
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot

Initiatives:

21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
11 Gerard
 7 Giant Eagles
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa

Didnt' send in initiative: Marvek Prone



<red>Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please

Round 2:

Arnau backs up about 5' and blasts a firebolt at the centipede. It hits. it might even have dome something, but not enough.

And something pulls itself over the guard rail alongside the passage between the fantail and main deck.  It's Dim there, in the shadow of both the Faerie Fire above it and the Lantern on the Mast. It screams. The scream makes no noise, but it hurts like hell.

Hedwig, Hedwig backs up towards the ballista looking for a target and sees the shadowy lump that just caused his head to hurt he launches some missiles.

Ardreth tries to climb to the quarterdeck from  the fantail, but falls can't quite get up there.

Gerard steers the ship although folks reacting to the glow behind him might give him a clue that things are getting interesting.

The centipede rushes down the side of the cabin and up to the THING's back

The eagles go after the THING. Both miss on all attacks, but...something strange happened to cause at least one of the failures. The air twisted oddly.

Damen isn't sure what to do.

Thalassa rushes to the guard rail and blast Frost downwards.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -36
Hedwig: -18
Ardreth: -18
Gerard: -18
Marvek: -36
Damen: -18
Thalassa: -18

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible, Concentrating through round 10
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
11 Gerard
 8 Marvek
 8 Centipede
 7 Giant Eagles
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa

Didnt' send in initiative: Marvek Prone



Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 3:

Arnau drops the Faerie Fire and heals himself a bit.

Hostus Mostus flings his arms up and the tentacles on them each strike an Eagle. The Eagles fall then fade away.

Hedwig eyes the THING int he shadow of he passage but doesn't attack.

Ardreth comes around the corner behind the THING and examines it.

Gerard steers the ship.

Marvek 'port's up to the quarterdeck's port guardrail (filling the empty places along it),  and electrocutes the THING slightly.

The centipede is gone, again.

Damen isn't sure what to do.

Thalassa Blights the THING.

The walls of the cabin, the mast, and the footlockers, the magic oven, etc, all open their eyes. Dozens and dozens of eyes...staring right at all of you.


OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -36
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Gerard: -18
Marvek: -36
Damen: -18
Thalassa: -18


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, -1 3rd level slot -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 sorcery point

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
11 Gerard
 8 Marvek
 8 Centipede
 7 Giant Eagles
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 4:

Arnau casts firebolt into the air. Something thuds to the deck. Hedwig heals. note that I had healing reversed last round, which is fixed. Arnau, not Hedwig, healed last round. No change for Hedwig, but Arnau gets credit, finally).

Hostus Mostus flings tentacles at Thalassa and Marvek at the guardrail between him and Arnau. Thalassa gets hit. Damage is a mix of slash and psychic. Let me know if you have protection vs one or the other.

Hedwig hits it hard with a LOT of missiles. Someone tell it.

Ardreth comes around the corner from the fantail and stares at it.

Gerard starts babbling incoherently

Nazem takes the wheel.

Marvek studies the THING up close.

Damen Casts a spell and HE studies the THING.

Thalassa casts Gust of Wind at the THING and blows it over the side. Splish Splash.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

What some of you saw:
A humanoid. Almost Human in some aspects: Head and legs, mostly.
His hands are thick, like they are heavily calloused, only more so.
He has tencatles coming out of both forearms.
His chest is like an insect thorax, down to the chitin.


OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -25
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -36
Damen: -18
Thalassa: -28

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows. -1 2nd level slot
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -1 2nd level slot, -1 3rd level slot -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 sorcery point

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus    next attack roll will be a 9, swimming
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 5:

Arnau heals Thalassa a bit

Hostus Mostus is nowhere is sight

Hedwig holds his wand high and searches the water.

Ardreth stares after the Thing as it submerges, Dakvision givin him a bit of an edge, but wth nothing to see...

Gerard babbles incoherently

Marvek casts a spell, but nothing happens. He calls for the THING's death. He also twists the wind a bit, which is playing havoc with Thalassa, probably.

Damen screams in pain as he opens his senses. dramatic effect, not damage. See the PM

Thalassa looks around for the THING while trying to wrestle her wind back form Marvek.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

A Hole opens off the starboard side. You see....well, what you see is ... um, how to put this...ah, never mind, just start screaming like Damen until you're past it.

What some of you saw:
A humanoid. Almost Human in some aspects: Head and legs, mostly.
His hands are thick, like they are heavily calloused, only more so.
He has tencatles coming out of both forearms.
His chest is like an insect thorax, down to the chitin.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -25
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -36
Damen: -18
Thalassa: -22

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows. -1 1st lvel slot,  -1 2nd level slot, Darkvision
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -1 1st level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 sorcery point

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus    next attack roll will be a 9, swimming
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 6:

Arnau heads down off the quarterdeck and over to Damen. He heals then inspires Damen

Hostus Mostus pulls humself over the fan tail...right next to Ardreth. He hits with both tentacles. (Again, part of the damage is psychic, if you have any defense to it, and yes, that was with Potent lowering his roll)

Hedwig looks around, coming to the realization that you aren't in Kansas Atlantis anymore.

Ardreth Disengages and backs away to the main deck to join the rest of you.

Gerard babbles incoherently

Marvek keeps the wind pushing you forward.

Damen recovers and calls out for all and sundry <blue>"Captain, we need to get out of here.  Immediately. We are either surrounded by those things under the water, or the water itself is infused with strange and fell magics." <//blue> Oh, not just the water. Notice last round's Rift, falling behind you. Notice this round's event, below.

Thalassa asks Marvek where he wants her wind, while healing him

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Hostus Mostus:
A humanoid. Almost Human in some aspects: Head and legs, mostly.
His hands are thick, like they are heavily calloused, only more so.
He has tencatles coming out of both forearms.
His chest is like an insect thorax, down to the chitin.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -25
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -31
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -22
Ardreth: -20

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows. -1 1st level slot,  -1 2nd level slot, Darkvision, Inspired 1d8
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -2 1st level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 sorcery point

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 7:

Arnau stays near the ballista, as far away from the action as he can be, and Inspires Marvek.

Hostus Mostus notice Ardreth is stupified, and pulls himself back up onto the quarterdeck. He attacks Thalassa as the handiest target when he arrives. He only hits once, due to her shield. as always: damage is part psychic if you have any protections there.

Hedwig launches a Chromatic orb at Hostus. It hits and discharges lightning.

Ardreth stands there stupified.

Gerard babbles incoherently

Marvek calls out, "Drop your wind spell.  Everyone help me kill this insect humanoid." he launches his own orb, also electric, and it hits harder than Thalassa calling down lightning.

Damen Has his bow in hand at the fan tail, but Hostus left, then fell, so he gets to save the arrow.

Thalassa drops her spell on command yes, she gave instructions for even that then hits Hostus with a bolt of cold, just in case.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Another Rift opens, this time off the port side. Avoid it. Avoid looking at it. Avoid doing ANYTHING while this stuff is happening. Really.

The Host with the Most:
Just turned into a pile of goo. It's moving.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -25
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -31
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -32
Ardreth: -20

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows. -1 1st lvel slot,  -1 2nd level slot, Darkvision, Inspired 1d8
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Thalassa: -1 3rd level slot, 3 images
Arnau: -2 1st level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -2 inspiration -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -1 sorcery point, Inspired 1d8

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
16 Hostus Mostus
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 8:

Arnau Strokes Hedwig's ego after that last attack (ie: Hedwig now has 1d8 Inspiration). He then heals himself a bit.

Hedwig ever fearful of the uncertaincies of Chance...and more than a little worried about whatever is happening to Space in the general vicinity, goes with the Sure Thing: Magic Missiles. Five missiles hit the Blob.

Ardreth stands there stupified.

Marvek studies the blob that used to be much smaller and much more humanoid.

Damen heads forward until he can see a bit of the Blob and uses a little Nature magic to boost his bowshot. Ironic, given the area, actually. Thorns erupt everywhere within 5' of the target (ie: The Blob) which means everywhere on the quarterdeck Yes, it's THAT large.

The Blob falls through the floor into the cabin, which now has a 10'x10' skylight.

Thalassa mutters a word of healing in Marvek's direction, more than making up for the thorn issue. She then blasts a bit of frost down the hole in the floor.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Gerard walks to the cabin door and opens it, then stands aside unmoving. at least he isn't babbling anymore.

OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -14
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -29
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -24
Ardreth: -20

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -2 arrows. -1 1st lvel slot,  -1 2nd level slot, Darkvision, Inspired 1d8 -1 more arrow: dissolved.
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot Inspired 1d8
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, 1 mirror image
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -2 inspiration -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -1 sorcery point, Inspired 1d8

Initiatives:
21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 4 The Blob
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 9:

Arnau blasts the Blob with fire.

Hedwig does his main trick, again. But it's a very good trick. Missiles fly, missiles hit.

Ardreth is still over on the fantail wondering what is happening.

Marvek throws a differently colored chromatic orb at the Blob through the new skylight. More smoking and sizzling.

Damen fires an arrow....somewhere. Even he isn't sure.

The Blob rolls out of the cabin looking for lunch. Gerard is right there waiting, too. Gerard survives the damage, but his (non magical) chainmail is looking a bit corroded.

Thalassa summons 4 wasps over the main deck (and the Blob)

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Gerard walks to the cabin door and opens it, then stands aside unmoving. at least he isn't babbling anymore.


OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -14
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -18
Marvek: -29
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -24
Ardreth: -20

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -1 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision, Inspired 1d8 Concentrationg on Hail of Thorns
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -3 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot Inspired 1d8
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, 1 mirror image
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -2 inspiration -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point,
Gerard: Armor at -1


Initiatives:
21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 4 Wasps
 4 The Blob
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

Round 10:

Arnau blasts the Blob with fire. It withers into a smelly charred blob.

Marvek shouts for everyone to keep aware of the surroundings.

Damen fires an arrow....somewhere. Even he isn't sure.

The Blob smokes and otherwise pollutes the air. Burnt acid. Yuch.

Gerard stands waiting for....something.

The giant wasps hover about.

Thalassa blasts an Eye with Frost. It fades away. Just a few dozen more to go.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Something happened at sea wbut it fell behind you before you could figure out what. Probably a good thing.



OOC:
Damage:
Arnau: -14
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -38
Marvek: -19
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -24


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -1 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision, Inspired 1d8 Concentrationg on Hail of Thorns
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -3 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot Inspired 1d8
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, 1 mirror image
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -2 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -4 inspiration -Faerie Fire, Sees Invisible
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point,
Gerard: Armor at -1


Initiatives:
21 Arnau
12 Hedwig
11 Ardreth
 8 Marvek
 4 Damen
 4 Wasps
 4 The Blob
 3 Thalassa


Please post actions and die rolls to your private threads.

Please check entries above for any extra rolls I may need from you.

There will be some damage inside the cabin, as well. We can go over it when you folks are done dealing with the Far Realm Region you're in.

"What in all the Hells was that about?"  Damen lowers his bow and stares at the burnt and shrivelled thing in the cabin.  He steps forward to look inside the cabin and inspect for damage.
"I think those mending spells will work for the floor damage in here, but I am going to have to patch that roof.  I can cover it with some tarred sailcloth for now, but it will take time to fully repair.

Nope. Acid damage means nothing to put back. Mending can only repair an area 1' in diameter, for one thing, and it has to have the bits to reconnect for another.

Neither applies here, I'm afraid.

Hull damage is 36. pretty severe. I'd say the whole cabin is pretty much a write off for general use (You can use it for storage, and the main deck is a bit uneven. Until Vinland and a bit of a breached period. Then you'll be fine, and you have everything you need except the lumber, which you can "forage".

Now, you CAN do a temporary repair as a Shipwright (about 20 points, I think). Only once until after the full repairs are done. That's the fast option.

There is a slow option, as you are a fully qualified Bosun: A prof check each day for 1d6+4 repaired to the HULL only, not the cabin. It will reduce your beach time to just the cabin repairs.

And that is your professional opinion as to your options for repairs.

"Let's get out of here first before thinking about that!" Thalassa calls down from the ruin of the quarterdeck. "I don't think this is over yet!"

She mutters a few words and gestures at one of the ubiquitous eyes, causing a shell of ice to form around it, then commands the loudly buzzing giant wasps to attack some of the other eyes as well.

OOC: Thalassa keeps casting Frostbite at the eyes, and tells her wasps to attack them as well until they're all gone. Unless Marvek or someone else tells her stop, of course.

Seeing Thalassa use frost on the eyes, Marvek joins in.  He begins to cast his own ice spell and shut the eyes.

"If you've got an ice spell, help Thalassa and I close these eyes that have appeared everywhere.  Damen, If you believe the mending spell will help repair the ship some, I'll come down there in a bit an start casting.  Arnau and Hedwig, do you all know where we are at or how to get out of here?  I tried casting Dispel Magic on one of the eyes earlier and it didn't work.   We also need to check anything that can open: oven, chests, the hold here we have food and things stored.  Check and see if anymore stowaways are around."

OOC:  Will help Thalassa close the eyes with Ray of Frost.   Will stop casting it if it appears I am doing damage to the ship when I cast the spell on the eyes.

"The hold" is the quarterdeck, most of which is missing. What's left would be the 2 chests ship's food and gear is stored in, and the bunk/chest Thalassa was using. Mostly because they were where the Blob wasn't.

"I think there is something about these waters. They seem cursed, Marvek. We should move as fast as we can to leave them behind."
Looks at everybody. They all look badly hurt. "If anyone wants to rest I'll take care of your wounds in the meantime. Ardreth it seems you need extra care."
As he says so he starts playing a soft and soothing music.

OOC: Arnau plays the healing song in case anyone wants to take a short rest they can heal +1d6 per die roll. If he requests it, I cast some additional healing word/cure wounds on Ardreth

Let e know who's taking a short rest, please. This will be instead of poking out eyes, of course.

Let's try for Monday noon, as things really are still happening, just not at combat pace.


Edit: also remember that it's still middle of the night, ship time, and Gerard can't steer until you fix him.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:19, Sun 25 Apr 2021.

Marvek will continue to put out eyes with Thalassa with Ray of Frost.

Damen, spotting Gerard, moves to cast a Cure Wounds upon him.
03:20, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 10 using 1d8+2 with rolls of 8.  Cure Wounds.

Hedwig swipes sweat from his brow and tries to keep his eyes off of the eyes or anything else seemingly unnatural. When asked if he knows anything about the area they are travelling through he simply shakes his head in the negative, too shook by the strange events to think too deeply. Instead he simply tried to gather himself off towards the mast so he'd not be in the way.

Hedwig is quite useless at the moment so please disregard him for the interim.

No change to Gerard. He wasn't actually damage (even psychically). His issue is different.


Gerard stands waiting for....something.

The giant wasps hover about.

The eyes cry viscid tears.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Something is muttering in Ardreth's ear

<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -36 that requires beach repairsor a bosun an several days at sea.
Arnau: -14
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -38
Marvek: -19
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -24


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -2 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision,
Hedwig: -3 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -3 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, 1 mirror image
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -2 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -4 inspiration -Faerie Fire
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point
Gerard: Armor at -1

It is midnight (or after) and there isn't much you can do. Hedwig, rather than sleeping, sits and rests and watches. I assume most of the ret of you, do, as well.

Ardreth quits hearing noises and Gerard recovers at least some of his sanity over the next hour. The wasps fade away. Most of the Eyes are gone. to find more from  here will requite Searching. Active use of Perception and sticking your head is odd places to do so. Also a bit of mast climbing, of course. They were EVerywhere


The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.


<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -36 that requires beach repairs or a bosun and several days at sea.
Arnau: -14
Hedwig: -7
Ardreth: -38
Marvek: -19
Damen: -9
Thalassa: -24


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -2 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, Darkvision,
Hedwig: -2 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -Arcane Recovery
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, 1 mirror image
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -2 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -4 inspiration -Faerie Fire
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point
Gerard: Armor at -1

Marvek was exhausted and knew that he needed to rest.

"I'm taking a short rest, holler at me if something comes up."

Getting down on the deck, he sat with his back to the cabin facing the mast and tried his best to get some rest before he was needed again.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:55, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

The short rest ends.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space twists in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.


<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -36 that requires beach repairs or a bosun and several days at sea.
Arnau: -2
Marvek: -19 (healing still to be rolled for)
Thalassa: -3


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -2 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, -1 HD
Hedwig: -2 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -Arcane Recovery -1 HD
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -Natural Recovery
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -2 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -4 inspiration, -1 HD, -Faerie Fire
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point
Gerard: Armor at -1 (acid damage)
Ardreth: -5 HD

OK, folks, this region has a quirk which could keep you trapped in it forever. Event rolls are every half hour, plus other times as circumstance requires, but  roll in 10 adds 2d10 hours to your rolls, so here is what I am going to do:

You can't do much while under the stresses of the area but try and get out, which is stressful.

So, let's go back into a one move a day mode. I will advance you the 2d10 and roll one event plus whatever you trigger.

What I need from you is what you intend to do over the next... well, the next shift or two. Sleep, pull your shift, etc.

I also need a Con save from each of you each turn. That's the stress kicking in. Plus other rolls as needed.

I'll give results for the first (of 4...so far) such turns at noon tomorrow. Send in those saves, folks.

Since there isn't really any fishing to do right now, Thalassa offers to take half of Hedwig's next shift, so they can both catch up on some sleep. Or if he's still too shaken to do anything, she'll cover his entire shift instead. Either way, she sleeps when she can.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 242):

You're both day shift, and, with Damen repairing the ship, you're the officer on that shift. Sorry

The current listing is Alphabetical, and means little other than I refered to the Cast List to make sure I covered everyone.

Anyone I didn't hear from will be assumed to be following (or trying to follow) standard watch rotation.

16 hours have passed. That puts us squarely in the middle of the evening shift, next day.

The whole area is causing physical distress to all of you. The distress is characterized by sheer exhaustion. The Region is draining your energy levels.

Ardreth meditates safely and is fine after what equates to a full rest.

Arnau sleeps his eight hours. (DC 12 Charisma save required)

Damen spends his shift doing repairs. (DC 15 Strength check required)

Hedwig tries manfully to stay awake (Hourly Con saves at worsening rolls starting in 1 hour. Or go to bed and hope)

Marvek inventories the remains of the desk, then pulls his shift. (results below)

Thalassa's body fails a bit under the stress: She has acquired 1 level of exhaustion. I will assume she's spending the Evening Shift sleeping it off. Or trying to. (DC 12 Charisma save will be required.)

Something popped up in the sea during the day, but was left behind immediately. It looked like several protoplasmic blobs, each covered in mouths and eyes. They swim, ut wefully slowly and faded away inthe disatnce relatively quickly.

The small body on the deck is part centipede, part bat, and part...unidentifiable.

Space is twisted in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Exhaustion levels

Level 1: Disadvantage on ability Checks.
Thalassa


<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -36 that requires beach repairs or a bosun and several days at sea.
Arnau: -2
Marvek: -3
Thalassa: -3


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows. -2 1st level slot,  -2 2nd level slot, -1 HD
Hedwig: -2 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -Arcane Recovery -1 HD
Thalassa: -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -Natural Recovery
Arnau: -3 1st level slot, -2 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -4 inspiration, -1 HD, -Faerie Fire
Marvek: -1 2nd slot, -1 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -7 sorcery point
Gerard: Armor at -1 (acid damage)
Ardreth: -2 HD

The remains of the desk:
The GLASS vial of ink survived. The various pens and quills did not.
The Navigator's tools were with Arnau, as it was Night Shift, so are fine.
The log book and the map case might each have been protected by their drawer for a round. Roll D20 for each.
All the spare (loose) parchment is gone.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:26, Wed 28 Apr 2021.

The current listing is Alphabetical, and means little other than I refered to the Cast List to make sure I covered everyone.

Anyone I didn't hear fom will be assumed to be following (or trying to follow) standard watch rotation.

Another  hours have passed. That puts us squarely in the middle of the Night Shift, next day.

The whole area is causing physical distress to all of you. The distress is characterised by sheer exhaustion. The Region is draining your energy levels.

Ardreth finishes his shift and does his nightly meditations.

Arnau tries to figure out where you are during his shift, but without  chronometer all e can tell is lattitude, and you're where you should be north to south. He also cleans the dead body off the deck.

Damen is sleeping. we'll see what happens when he wakes, but he's exhausted from all that work he did...or something else, possibly

Hedwig finally passes out from exhaustion.

Marvek has saved what he can fromt he desk, done his shift, and is sleeping.

Thalassa failed to get any rest the first night, but here gear is arranged in very interesting designs. Sleep walking on the edge of a hole in the deck probably isn't a wise idea, if you want to sleep elsewhere for a bit... Also, you've acquired a second level of Exhaustion.

Something popped up in the sea during the day, but was left behind immediately. It looked like several protoplasmic blobs, each covered in mouths and eyes. They swim, but woefully slowly and faded away in the distance relatively quickly. (Yes, again. It happens more than you'd think)

The Eyes reappear, still weeping. Everywhere.

Space is twisted in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.


Exhaustion levels

Level 1: Disadvantage on ability Checks.
Damen

Level 2: Half speed, Disadvantage on ability checks.
Thalassa

Exhaustion 4: Here you pass out. Disadvantage on Ability, Attack, and  Saves. Half hit points.
Hedwig



<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -29 that requires beach repairs or a bosun and several days at sea.
Arnau: -2
Marvek: -3
Thalassa: -3
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:22, Thu 29 Apr 2021.

Feeling tired, Damen knows that he still has to try to work on repairs to the ship.  He spends his shift time doing exactly that, but, when not on shift, he can be found in his bunk trying to rest.

Anyone I didn't hear from will be assumed to be following (or trying to follow) standard watch rotation.

Another 10(ish) hours passses putting us in the mddle of day shift.

The whole area is causing physical distress to all of you. The distress is characterised by sheer exhaustion. The Region is draining your energy levels.

Ardreth just kind of sits there, waiting.

Arnau does what he can to poke out whatever eyes he can see duirng the rst of the night (literally: he's using his rapier).Then he casts several cure wounds spells o  Hedwig, in case that might help somehow. The water twists to show some wtriting floating on it, but it fades into the distance almost immediately. The second spell causes more Gibbering mouthers to pop up in the water, but they, too are left behind. The third spell causes the mast to start whispering something to Arnau, but he does his best to ignore it.

Damen is sleeping. we'll see what happens when he wakes, but he's exhausted from all that work he did..or something else, possibly

Hedwig finally passes out from exhaustion.

Marvek spends his sapre time keeping an eye on all...and frosting over any Eyes he can find.

Thalassa finally got some rest, recovering a level of exhaustion and recovering all the usual bits fom a long rest, as well.

Another rift to the Far Realm opened off tot he side, but was left behind before ayone feeling suicidal could stare into it too long.

Space is twisted in some odd undefinable manner. Well, not undefinable: Ranged weapons are at Disadvantage and half Range.

Exhaustion levels

Level 1: Disadvanatge on ability Checks.
Damen
Thalassa

Level 2: Half speed, Disadvantage on ability checks.

Exhaustion 4: Disad on Ability, Attack, and  Saves. Half hit points, half speed

Exhaustion 5: Here you pass out, plus all of level 4
Hedwig


<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -24 (No ship repairs final block, already done)
Marvek: -3
Thalassa: -3


Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows.
Hedwig: -2 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -Arcane Recovery -1 HD
Arnau: -3 1st level slot
Gerard: Armor at -1 (acid damage)

Arnau notices that casting his spells has triggered some of the weird events they've felt in the last hours.
Her seeks the opinion of Marvek on what to do.
"It seems casting spells, at least the ones that are not cantrips causes some of the weird things we're all seeing. Have you noticed it as well? Maybe we should restrain from casting spells until we leave these cursed waters. What do you think?"

Marvek listened to Arnau and was thinking a moment.

You know, when we were in combat with the cockroach man and were casting spells, different weird things happened.   Could be that our magic affects this place cause we aren't from here.  Could also be we cast enough magic it rips us a portal or door open and we can get out of here.  What do you all think?  I'm unsure if we do nothing we will get out.   What if our spells can rip us a hole to sail out of and escape?"

"Are you certain that it will not destroy us?"  Damen brings up a valid point.  "Or, that, even if we can successfully open a portal, that it will take us home?

Marvel frowned and shook his head no.

All I know for sure is if we stay in here we are going to die.  It’s sucking away our energy and wearing us out.  Let’s try and cast cantrips only for a bit and see if things lighten up.  We will try limited magic use for awhile.”

This is probably a good time to remind you that you've passed 3 rifts already. Each looked much worse on the other side than this one...you just can't seem to remember how. Or, more likely, don't really want to.

Marvek busied himself in getting rid of any of the eyes that popped up with his frost spell and checking in on different party members.

Anyone I didn't hear from will be assumed to be following (or trying to follow) standard watch rotation.

Another 16 hours passes putting us in the middle of night shift. That's 53 hours to travel 1 mile.

Ardreth just kind of sits there, waiting, when it's not his shift. Or when he's not covering Night Shift, as he is now (see below)

Arnau is arranging his sky charts and navigator's tools in interesting patterns rather than stand his watch.

Damen didn't get any repairs done this shift. he was too busy arranging the carpenter's tools in interesting patterns.

Gerard is arranging his coins in a rather odd pattern instead of steringt he ship. He has a couple hundred gold coins to pay with, too.

Hedwig finally is still sleeping. Sooner or later he's going to come out of it or die from starvation.

Marvek pulls his shift, even though sleep didn't do him any good. But with everyone zoning out, he's also pulling Night Shift

Thalassa has been arranging salted fish for hours.

And, finally, Space POPs. A very tiny piece of something falls tot he deck with a clink, and the universe feels right, again.

Everyone whho's making eye aching art out of their tools (and yes, coins are Gerard's tools for his creation ability) finally recovers. Arnau and Gerard can now take the rest of their shifts, before Marvek and Ardreth have to start make Forced March Exhaustion rolls.

Exhaustion levels

Level 1: Disadvanatge on ability Checks.
Damen
Ardreth
Marvek

Level 2: Half speed, Disadvantage on ability checks.
Thalassa

Exhaustion 4: Disad on Ability, Attack, and  Saves. Half hit points, half speed

Exhaustion 5: Here you pass out, plus all of level 4
Hedwig


<orange>OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -24 (No ship repairs final block, already done)
Marvek: -3
Thalassa: -3

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows.
Hedwig: -2 1st level slots, -1 2nd level slot, -2 3rd level slot, -1 4th level slot, -Arcane Recovery -1 HD
Arnau: -3 1st level slot
Gerard: Armor at -1 (acid damage)

Since it is the night shift, and Damen has already sorted through his tools to make sure they are in good shape, he gets some sleep.  He does not notice the change in atmosphere.
In the morning, he goes back to work at trying to repair the ship damages.

15:37, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 8 using 1d6+3 with rolls of 5.  Damages repaired.

15:37, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 20 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 17.  Repairs. 

In reply to Damen Iourdanos (msg # 255):

Um, no, you were in a trance while something used you to make unnatural designs with your tools, actually.

So you know.

Arnau finds his tools and charts arranged in weird patterns, but when he examined then they look fine. As it's the night shift he apologizes to Marvek and Ardreth and takes over the rest of the shift.
He'll spend a sizeable amount of time to double and triple check their position, so he can assess where they are and how much time they have lost during these days where reality felt more like a bad dream.

In reply to Arnau de Boix (msg # 257):

Without a chronometer, you'll never really know. That's the secret of precise longitudinal placement. the stars move all night. East to west, and day(light) length changes over the year.

Seeing how late you are arriving gives a clue, but variables of the trip make it highly error prone as a method. Two days could well go unnoticed in a 6 week trip. That's only 150 miles. Wind could cause that.

As reality shifts back to what it used to be, Thalassa sits up slowly, blinking, staring uncomprehendingly at the fish in her hand. For a moment it seems she might be falling back into a trance, trying to study the pattern before her, then she snaps out of it, shakes her head and stands up.

Frowning, she looks around, then walks unsteadily across the deck, examining the planks as if searching for something.

OOC: Thalassa goes looking for whatever fell to the deck when we got free.

In reply to Thalassa (msg # 259):

It takes a bit, but you find it. In size and shape, it's much like a small shard of broken glass...or the little diamond chips Hedwig and Marvek had put into rings.

But it isn't glass or diamond. And it isn't quite the same shape it was a few moments ago. But it's not a different shape either.

Thalassa examines the shard from all sides, then stops and looks again more closely. "What ...?"

Looking up and seeing Arnau, she walks over to him. "Maybe my mind is still addled," she says, "but does this look strange to you?"

"I think it appeared when we got free of ... whatever that was. Or maybe it was there the whole time and just fell to the ground when we left."

"Can you tell if it's magic, or just a piece of the other realm that came with us?"

You've been quiet for a day so it's time to move on.

In this case a mere 3 days, which sees everyone except Hedwig fully recovered.

Damen owes me 3 Strength rolls for repairs.

Meantime it is a dark and Stormy Evening.

Literally, a Storm event. Die rolls cover it, then you can worry about damage, after.

It's a light storm, as storms go. but you're overloaded, adding a bit to the DC, which is 15 as a result.

-Marvek needs to make an Intelligence based Water vehicle roll.
-Arnau can burn off all his Inspirations (or 7, whichever comes first), if he likes, OR he can make a Wisdom (Nature) roll, but not both.
-Damen makes a Strength(Carpenter) roll
-Duty Crewman (Aredreth) makes a Dex based Water Vehicle roll.

Because Arnau is doing double duty, you start with one failure. You need 1 success, you'd prefer 3 or more.

Exhaustion levels
Level 1: Disadvantage on ability Checks.

Level 2: Half speed, Disadvantage on ability checks.
Hedwig


OOC:
Damage:
Ship: -24

Other issues:
Ship: -3 ballista bolts
Damen:  -4 arrows.
Gerard: Armor at -1 (acid damage)


By Friday, please, although sooner would be better.

Marvek did his best to control the winds around their ship and keep it calm around the boat.   He knew it would be rough and choppy seas still but he did what he had to do to make it work.

He checked with the others and made sure they had all essential items they needed and things were tied off on the ship.

[Private to GM: OOC: Believe I failed.   Here are my rolls.


16:48, Today: Secret Roll: Marvek Alazeem rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  random D20 roll - every round (2nd roll).

16:48, Today: Secret Roll: Marvek Alazeem rolled 8 using 1d20 with rolls of 8.  random D20 roll - every round.

16:48, Today: Secret Roll: Marvek Alazeem rolled 12 using 1d20 with rolls of 12.  water vehicles (int).]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:51, Wed 05 May 2021.

OK, after several hours, helped no end by Marvek stabilizing the wind direction, if not force you manage to get outside the storm. You've survived but only just.

Arnau breathes relieved as the the ship leaves the storm behind. He then had some time to focus on the shard that Thalassa showed him just before the start of the storm. He had just forgotten about it.
"Not sure if I'll be the appropriate person to analyse this but of the sky that feel into the ship. Let me have a look to confirm if it has a natural origin or if it's of magical."
Arnau looks at the rock with detail, but he thinks that Hedwig would actually be better equipped for this analysis. If he was feeling better already.

"Not sure what material it is made of, but I can tell it's contains some kind of magic. We should investigate it further to determine the properties. I can not be sure if it has a curse or otherwise. Better be safe and do play with it until we know more."
Arnau asks Thalassa to keep the meteor somewhere safe until Marvek and Hedwig have a better look at it.

"Oh, don't worry," Thalassa says with a nervous laugh. "I'm not planning to treat anything from that region lightly. I don't want to wake up on the deck surrounded by fish again."

She keeps the shard in her belt pouch until the end of her next shift, when she shows it to Marvek and Hedwig, asking them for their opinion about it.

OOC: The DM pointed out that my post made it sound as if Thalassa was only planning to talk to Marvek and Hedwig later, not that she was already doing it. Sorry for not making that clear. To resolve the matter before the next event, Thalassa went ahead and spent a short rest identifying the shard.

After studying the strange shard for a time (while handling it as gingerly as if it might explode in her face), Thalassa approaches Marvek.

"Captain," she says, holding out the shard towards him, "this might interest you. It seems to be a piece of that weird realm we were travelling through a few days back. Yes, I know -- but it seems to be, well, maybe not harmless, but I don't think anything like before is going to happen with this. And it might actually have useful properties for someone with your, um, instinctive ties to magic."

"I think if you attuned yourself to it, you could use it as a focus for your magic. You could even attach it to something like an amulet and wear it to keep it out of the way. And if you channeled your magic through it, I think you could summon a part of that realm to ours and, well, use it to attack someone."

OOC: It's a Far Realm Shard, from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything.

Marvek listened to Thalassa and was curious.

Reaching out his hand, he accepted the shard and looked it over.

"Thank you Thalassa.  I'll look it over and attune it to check it out.   We will be stopping at Vinland and up and down the coast we map in the new world.  Hopefully we can find a merchant to trade items with.  I'll see if I can put this to good use."

He carefully removed the crystal he focused with from around his neck and tried to put the shard in it's slot to replace it.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 269):

Well, no, sorry. It's not that easy to remove the 1 lb crystal and could take a jeweler to do properly. Besides the shard is rather small. Fraction of an ounce small. Like that tiny diamond chip in your ring.

Besides, it won't attach to anything until attuned. Shards attach magically.

So...want to attune a chunk of the Far Realm?

Marvek will attempt to attune the shard to his necklace.

In reply to Marvek Alazeem (msg # 271):

Attuning comes first. And Thalassa left a bit out, so it'll take 2 short rests. If you have Tasha's go ahead and look it up, if not, let me know and I'll give you the various numbers.

Be aware that this will be your 3rd and final attuned item. Next one tht comes long you'll have to unattne something. So you know.

And today's event? Infestation.

Specifically bugs are infesting the bunkss of
Ardreth
Arnau
Damen
Marvek
Thalassa.

Probably Gerard, too. Hedwig and Nazem aren't dealing with it.

As an added bonus, all of you, including Hedwig and Nazem are feeling under the weather.

Rolls needed:
Marvek: Intelligence (water vehicles)
Arnau: Can burn off all his Inspirations, again.
Thalassa: Intelligence (medicine)
Nazem: Constitution (cook's utensils)
Crew: In this case we will make it Damen, as the crew boss: Intelligence (Water vehicles)

Everyone does their thing, and Thalassa goes in and burns off most of her spells to restore everyone to full health from Whatever was ailing you all.

But all you've managed to do is curing the illness, not the infestation. All that food most of you packed in your lockers 10 weeks ago? Well, guess what? salt air and Far Realm juiced insect eggs give up: A lot of rotten food. Crawling with bugs that are getting everywhere, now.

And you've failed to end things, so we need you all to do your die rolls again, the next day. Time to delouse the ship.

Marvek: Intelligence (water vehicles)
Arnau: Can burn off all his Inspirations, again.
Thalassa: Intelligence (medicine)
Nazem: Constitution (cook's utensils)
Crew: In this case we will make it Damen, as the crew boss: Intelligence (Water vehicles)

ok, all you sheets have had their Rations removed. Ship's stores are fine: Nazem's daily Purify takes care of that. Although, to be fair, the ship's food stores are half a barrel of Thalassa's catch and some flour around now. But there IS honey for the biscuits, at least.

Vinland is only a week or two away, though. You think. Plenty of fish until then, at least.

OK, 3 of  5 succeeded this time, with one failure and one not yet in, so the results won't change.

Success, the bugs are gone and the infestation dealt with.

BUT....There are 4 water spouts danicing off the port side.

Day shift, as are all off ship encounters (that's when you can see them, after all) So Hedwig is driving, and the one to notice them, most likely.

[Private to Hedwig Bancroft: Dancing water spouts on top of the ocean probably means water elementals. ]

Hedging catches sight of the water spouts and calls out to the others on day shift.

"Water spouts off the port side. Likely some kind of water elemental. We should remain vigilant."

Hopefully the elementals were in a pleasant mood and would let them pass by. It didn't seem wise to tempt water elementals at sea.

Hearing Hedwig's call, Thalassa first goes to pick up her shield (it almost looks like reflex at this point), then she walks over to the port guardrail and looks out at the dancing spouts.

"They're pretty," she says with a cautious smile. "Let's hope they're friendly for once. I always wondered if they were distant cousins or something like that."

OOC: This is assuming that the spouts are at most a few rounds away. If it's more like a few minutes, Thalassa puts on her armour instead.

If possible, Thalassa tries to identify if the spouts really are elementals, or if there's something else under the water that's creating them. I'm not sure if that would be Perception or Nature, so here are attempts at both:

08:31, Today: Secret Roll: Thalassa rolled 9 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 2.  Perception check.

08:31, Today: Secret Roll: Thalassa rolled 12 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 9.  Nature Check.

At the call about the waterspouts, Damen joins the pair looking out 9vwr the water.
"Interesting.  Tjat is not something you see everyday on the ocean.


Elementals or Natural?

02:46, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 19 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 15.  Nature.

02:45, Today: Secret Roll: Damen Iourdanos rolled 21 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 20.  Arcana.

OOC: Sorry, forget the part about Thalassa possibly putting on her armour. I forgot that she switched to wearing it by default a while back.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:49, Thu 13 May 2021.