the boat trip south is fairly uneventful (3-day trip), day two in the middle of the ocean, with no land in sight, the captain seems nervous and is checking charts and talking with the weirdest-looking elf either of you have ever seen. Faintly tinged green skin, long leaf green fair, wears little more than a pair of swim pants and his hands are "weird", they have "fins" between the fingers which don't seem to inhibit his usage of his hands and make no effort to hide them. He is a member of the crew and well-liked, and at night he's often heard telling stories which both of you are invited to listen to of course.

After a long discussion, the elf comes toward the two of you, "begging your pardons fair travelers, but a storm has popped up in the middle of our intended course. Likely little more than a hurricane, but we will be delayed a further day to avoid sailing into the storm. You're still welcome to stay topside, but if the weather turns foul you land livers might be safer down below decks."