Kerluddein (IC)

[Kris Strife]

Larin looks at her and nods. "Yeah, sounds good, I haven't learned much about the ship yet. Don't drink the booze in Piter, keep a hadozee crewmember with you at all times on the Blue Coast and don't show your teeth to a native. Thats pretty much all I got yet. You?"

[MikelaC]

Lysindra shrugs...

There are some things called orcwarts that will give you nasty scars if you let them. Never heard of them myself, but we will probably meet some when we try to retrieve the beholder. They didnt want to teach you how to control storms?

Lysindra draws closer to Larin as she speaks to him.

[Kris Strife]

Larin shrugs. "Not right now anyways, though Charity is rather busy at the moment. In the middle of a storm is not the best time to teach weather magic to someone, and I can't blow it up... Yet. I think she intends to teach me later though."

[rrkkskrrk]

The violent rocking of the lower decks slows, and eventually ceases, along with the frantic sounds of activity from above and the sounds of winds. To the inexperienced, it still sounds like a storm, but one by one, the bedraggled crew members return from the top deck and settle back into their hammocks, leaving only a skeleton crew to tend the sails and steer the ship. Even the captain has retired to her cabin by the evening, though her window is lit long after the light starts to fade.
You're told that the ship is moving quickly towards Piter, but now that you're away from the coast you have to take the crew's word for it. Now that the storm's passed, you've spent the day assigned to relatively mundane tasks: Cooky has asked Sarah and Sylvia to help him prepare food and swab down the kitchen, Hagstone's asked Lysindra to help inventory the last of the component crates, and Gunnery Master Casell has heard about Larin's trick with the dragon breath and wants to take advantage of it to keep the powder kegs dry. It's somewhat of a relief when you're told that work has ended for the day and you're allowed up to the top deck with the rest of the crew.
Once the first stars are coming out, the captain arrives on deck, causing a nervous shuffling to attention, and mutters to Dashi. They both disappear soon after, and that's the last that you hear of it before Dashi reemerges with a crossbow and fires it into the water. An eerie light illuminates the depths below you, along with a mass of tentacled creatures so thick that they seem nearly to be the same creature. With a friendly "Don't worry, we're only after the little ones", you're all ushered towards the boats.

Spoiler

Show

The usual deal regarding checks to find out anything extra.

[rrkkskrrk]

Lysindra

Spoiler

Show

You're looking at a swarm of common squid, massed so tightly that they form larger shapes to the casual eye. Mostly. There's definitely a lot of variation in size even among the ones you can pick out, and you're certain you can see much larger shapes too constant to just be assemblages of smaller animals. The light from the sunrod doesn't go all the way down, either, and there just might be something even larger down below the main mass.

[Jack_Simth]

Sylvia looks down at the waves for a time, to determine if she'll need her nets, her club, or her sling stones, to take on the squid, below. Her eyes are very sharp, and her senses that do not fully rely on the presence of light, penetrate surprisingly far into the water.

Spoiler

Show

Do note that Sylvia has darkvision; rolls that seemed appropriate are in the OOC thread.

[MikelaC]

This is going to be a bit of a challenge for me. My two spells are going to be pretty much useless, Charm Person because it isnt a person, and Orb of Fire, which will fizzle when it hits the water.

[Jack_Simth]

Sylvia looks at Lysindra quizzically

"Are your spells your only skills? Do you not pack a sling and stones, or a crossbow and bolts, or a club, or some such other weapon, for when you need to continue beyond where your spells alone can take you?"

[MikelaC]

Lysindra turns to Sylvia.

Actually, yes they are. I cannot hit the broqd side of a barn with sling or arrows, and I dont even know which end of a sword to hold. If really pressed, I could claw someone, but that usually requires they be naked in my arms Lysindra smirks at her Not that that is a rare situation

[Kris Strife]

Larin turns to a crewmember. "Two questions, are those good eating, and does anyone on board have a fishing spear or harpoon? I've got an idea..." He grins, keeping his teeth hidden if the crew member isn't human. He turns to Sylvia and Lysindra. "Thats not a good idea miss. Always have a back up, even a dagger hidden in a shirt sleeve. I know a bit about bare handed fighting if you'd like to learn?"

[rrkkskrrk]

Larin

Spoiler

Show

While you do make out the shapes below in clearer detail, and are fairly sure that they are indeed larger animals, you don't see any particular details that Lysindra hasn't.

The crewsman directs your attention to the inner side of the boat that the others are currently swinging out. Several harpoons are already tied there for easy access.

Sylvia
Dashi (the hadozee first mate) was the one speaking. Sorry about that.

Spoiler

Show

Your sharp eyes quickly pick out all of the details of the mass of squid, including the way that they swarm to the light of the sunrod. There are definitely a great variety of the beasts, including several that could be a threat to the small boats in size alone, though there are none in the main mass that could so much as dent the Wings herself. Even amongst the small species, you pick out quite a variety, from edible species to ones that under a normal situation you wouldn't even dare touch. You're aware, though, that there could be a use even for the poisonous ones.
You squint deeper into the water, and realise the reason for the swarming: they're being fed on by a larger animal, and obviously one capable of drawing the lesser animals to itself. Dark arms longer than even the largest of the smaller squid snake through the mass, dragging down entire sections of the mass. It hasn't made any move towards the ship, though, and though you're uncomfortably aware of how much danger such a large creature could pose, you don't think it will consciously attack you when such a huge food source is sitting between you and it. You should be safe, but only while on top of the water.
You glance at your weapons, and decide that of the things you carry, the net is best suited; bludgeoning a squid doesn't seem to be the most efficient method of catching them, a stone would barely reach further than the surface before hitting something, and both would simply leave the creatures stunned rather than bringing them in as a net would. It's up to you whether you feel comfortable leaving them behind, though; there are some very big squid down there.

Spoiler

Show

Man, high checks are hard to write for. It follows that Sylvia would understand just about everything going on with a survival check that high, so feel free to ask for additional information.

[Jack_Simth]

Sylvia blinks at the water for a moment, before sharing her analysis.

"We're not the only ones hunting squid tonight. There's a bigger one that's also feasting - it should be safe enough, provided nobody falls into the water, and we get out of here before too many of the little squid are gone. Anyone falling in, though, or who stays overlong on the water, will likely be needing last rites."

Sylvia then puts away her sling and stones, fetches her nets, and sees about getting to work...

[Kris Strife]

Larin takes a harpoon and line, fastening both ends of the line, and taking a small wooden model archery target from his component pouch to cast True Strike. He carries it over to the edge of the boat, looking for either a group where he can skewer multiple small ones or one of the bigger medium sized ones before throwing the harpoon as hard as he can.

[MikelaC]

Explain to me exactly why you are attacking? Sylvia says they arent interested in us, and neither is the big one. We just sail past it. Jab the big one with your harpoon however, and all bets are going to be off

Lysindra moves away from the edge of the ship, not wanting to be the first one to get wet when Larin angers the big squid.

[rrkkskrrk]

Sarah

Spoiler

Show

You see exactly the same as Larin and Lysindra's observations, though by now the mass is churning even stronger as the crew and your companions pick them off. You don't hear anything of note; the sound of the waves and the crew's shouting masks anything that might be audible from below.

Working along with Sylvia, you cast the net out

Spoiler

Show

I assume this is what you do, since you don't have any equipment of your own that might be useful.

and soon catch a good load of small squid, which you tip out onto the floor of the boat. You cast out again, knowing enough of squid to know that simply killing them won't stop their movement in any case. Though it doesn't seem that you've made any real dent in their numbers, the next catch is decidedly thinner; they may be deeper down now.

Larin
You skewer several of the smaller squid, narrowly missing one of the larger ones, and pull them back onto the boat. While it was an excellent shot, you're aware that you're not catching anywhere near as many as the net is at the moment.
One of the larger squid passes close to you as you remove the squid from your harpoon, the smaller of its two eyes fixed beadily on you as it moves.

Spoiler

Show

I assume you're on one of the boats already rather than the ship?

[Kris Strife]

Larin knows his method is not the most effective, but having three or four people working a single net seems a little silly to him. He carefully removes the squids from the harpoon and sorts them out by type as best he can. He turns to Lysindra. "Same reason they're throwing out a net, in case some of them are edible or have another use. I have a spell that makes it incredibly unlikely to miss my target, so I'm not worried about hitting a big one. Any idea if these are useful or not?"

[Jack_Simth]

Sylvia watches the prey's numbers closely as she fishes, keeping watch for the time to move out as the little squid thin out, getting hunted from both sides.

"So this is what being a mid-level predator feels like."

And, seeing none of the little squid left, decides it's time to pack up and leave.

Spoiler

Show

Spot: (1d20+10)[12]

[rrkkskrrk]

Sylvia

Spoiler

Show

You don't see anything out of the ordinary, although the degree of predation between the smaller and medium-sized squid is considerably more obvious at the surface of the swarm now that their numbers are thinned.

The crew of the boat you're on are still attempting to take in as many of the squid of harpoonable size as possible, although they agree that they should be returning soon. They have no more desire of being hit by any of the bigger creatures than you do, though they seem unperturbed by the prospect of the largest one.

[MikelaC]

I dont want to sound alarmist, but theres fewer and fewer of those smaller squids left, and some of those bigger squids are really beginning to notice us. Getting out of here is looking better and better, the next shot you take might hit a big one for lack of target, not to mention the fact that they might get angry about us taking their food

[rrkkskrrk]

Dashi leans over the side and inspects the swarm, then fits another sunrod into her crossbow and fires it down. There are a lot more squid than are actually visible without the additional illumination, but by now the vast majority are out of harpoon range. Nodding, she signals for the boats to return to the wings.
As the boats return, the exhausted-looking stormmage emerges from the stateroom, gestures vaguely, and stomps back to the officer's cabin. There is a tense moment just before the Wings clears the swarm entirely, as a tentacle longer than the ship itself brushes lazily against the underside, but nothing seems to come of it. The light of the sinking sunrods slowly fades into the distance.
Since the next morning's wind is favourable, all of you are given free rein to pursue whatever takes your interest the next day.

[Jack_Simth]

Before preparing her spells that day, Sylvia attempts to ask around about how long the trip will be; aboard ship, most combat spells are useless, but healing is very handy; on landfall, the healing spells, while useful, will be much less effective than pinning down opponents so they can't fight back. Until the day prior to landfall, she'll focus on healing; afterwards, she'll focus on pinning down opponents.

Spoiler

Show

Check around prior to preparing spells - Sylvia's particularly interested in how many days until they get to the jungle in question. If she can't get a clear answer, she'll default to healing (cantrips unchanged, but the three level 1 spells set to Cure Light Wounds). If she can get a clear answer, she'll prepare healing until the day she's told they'll be making landfall, and prepare two Entangles and one Cure Light Wounds on that day.

[rrkkskrrk]

Sylvia
You quickly gather that a precise date until the Blue Coast is nearly impossible to obtain; the Lady's Wings' fastest run on this route is just under a month, but even with a stormmage the run is highly reliant on the weather, and unlike that trip the captain won't be trying to go as fast as she can if it means endangering the ship. You'll be seeing the Blue Coast within a week, but the first pass is a trading stop, not a dedicated expedition into the interior. Unless you ask the captain herself, you're unlikely to get a more accurate answer than "maybe two or three months, but you'll be seein' action before that".

[Jack_Simth]

Given the responses, Sylvia shrugs, and makes sure to focus fairly strongly on healing... keeping a few minor slots for utilities.

[Kris Strife]

Larin would awake early most mornings, performing slow, steady movements during his morning meditations. (Think Tai-Chi) He would place his endure exposure invocation on the crew members, protecting them from the heat of the sun, before either talking to Charity or going over his notes if she isn't available.

[rrkkskrrk]

The next day or so passes without incident, and thus no need for either Sylvia's healing talents or, presumably, Larin's invocations. The ship reaches Piter on the evening of the third day, and is promptly greeted with a sending that the city has been exposed to plague and will not be recieving ships for trade until it has passed. The Wings will only be allowed to stay until the morning, when emissaries will recieve the message from Queen Mab and transfer over supplies of fresh water, but until then it stays at anchor well out in the harbour, in the shadow of two uncrewed warships, each nearly twice its size and several times its gun complement.

Spoiler

Show

Roll 1d20 each, the highest roll will be on deck duty (with an NPC) at the time that the following happens:

Spoiler

Show

A smallish humanoid shape drops down from the deck of one of the warships late in the evening and makes its way across to the Wings. You don't notice it at first, since you were looking the other way at the time, but when it's nearly at the ship's hull it's pointed out to you by the other crewman on deck as they follow it around the edge of the ship. It disappears from view somewhere near the ship's stern.

Larin
Charity seems to be busy most of the time, although she does call you up to her usual spot on top of the mizzen mast early on the second morning, mostly to discuss your capabilities. She makes a few attempts at proper conversation, but isn't very good at it, and the parts not peppered with awkward silences seem very much like an interrogation. There would, however, be a chance for you to ask your own questions to her if you want.

[Jack_Simth]

With no particular tasks demanded of her, Sylvia splits her time caring for Patches, resting, and (assuming nobody objects when she does) exercising her wings above the deck.

Spoiler

Show

The requested d20 roll: (1d20)[13]

Edit: And, because I had the highest score...

Sylvia waves at the flying humanoid shape as it travels by, herself in the air when it happens. She also tries to get a good look at it as it flies by.

[rrkkskrrk]

Sylvia

Spoiler

Show

Spoiler

Show

Flies? I'd thought it dropping down from the deck would make it pretty clear that it was swimming. Ah well, no harm. Also: oh dear, natural 20 on a spot check. Want any other details?

You can barely hear the creature at all until it's already clambering up the stern of the boat. It keeps its head above the water and the rest of its body below at all times, so there's no need for splashing or the sharp inhalations that might be associated with a different style of swimming. There's some heavy breathing and faint dripping as it makes its way up, but nothing more; whatever it's doing on the Wings, it's being very quiet about it.
Your keen sight picks out several important details about the creature moving towards you: it's a goblin, for one, though a bedraggled and skinny one, and it's going armed: a large knife is clearly visible on its back. It climbs the back of the boat with a practised ease despite the water pouring off it, and pauses directly below the uppermost deck, sniffing the air cautiously. Its long moustache gets in the way as it does so, and it hastily brushes it aside. As it does so, you get a clearer look at its equipment: a small crossbow and a bulging belt pouch, and little else. It might be wearing heavier clothes than usual, but is otherwise unarmoured.

Larin

Spoiler

Show

Spoiler

Show

Not particularly useful to this, I'm afraid; knowledge checks would just tell me what your character knows, not what they'd be likely to ask. Ah well, I'll try and explain that. Oh, and a Gather Information check might pass for a set of questions, in a pinch, assuming that you actually want to know about her. Tell me whether you're more interested in her, her magic, or her career (or none of the above, in which case we don't need to make any more checks on the topic).

You have a working knowledge of the basics of psionics, but not enough to help you with the crystalline form that the stormmage communicates through; you can only remember that it exists, and that its practicioners are slightly different from the arcanists you're most familiar with. It simply doesn't occur to you to connect the person you're talking to with that particular branch of supernatural ability. What you are aware of, though, is that some of the abilities displayed by Charity are not those usually associated with any sort of arcane caster. The spellbook she carries, though, is enough to tell you that she's some sort of wizard, and most likely one trained in a formal academy. You're also aware that the most likely specialisation for someone wanting to control and create winds is evocation: conviniently, also the school that, as a warmage, you're most familiar with, or at least with casting.

[Kris Strife]

Larin would be most interested in the magical knowledge Charity had to teach, though he remembers to ask polite questions about her as well. Where she's from, why she became a storm mage, how she joined the Wings and so on. Every bit of magic knowledge she gives would be jotted down on to a scroll or peice of parchment for review, and any actual casting she showed him would be practiced only under her supervision.

[rrkkskrrk]

Larin
Charity is loath to demonstrate any of her weather-related spells or powers while the wind is still favourable; if you ask, she spends several minutes explaining that using any of them can sometimes completely change the weather around the ship even with a single gust of wind. She does show you her notes on the most basic of her spells: a conjuration

Spoiler

Show

NB: not an actual conjuration in game terms

of a simple blast of wind to fill the sails, and offers to have it scribed into one of the masts for easy reference.
Her answers to personal questions are slightly more cryptic; she frequently refers to being "remade" at some point in late childhood, and has apparently been a stormmage since then, mostly on ships much smaller and more local than the Wings. From the way that she talks about it, it seems that stormmages are somewhat of a regional speciality of Kerluddein; properly trained ones are worth a fortune for trading ships, so the Invisible College encourages nearly every arcanist, psionicist or channeler of the divine to become one.

Spoiler

Show

Once again, working on more than one point in time at once. Ah well, it keeps things interesting.

[Jack_Simth]

As the crewmember who pointed out the critter didn't seem particularly concerned, Sylvia takes her cue from that, and merely observes, watching it travel.