IC Toes in the Water

[achinca]

Miriam nods profusely at Miriam, thinking she gets it "I understand Natalia. No need to worry. No need to say more. I have been there to. Just know that you can count on me if needed."

She goes give the rogue a hug, totally clueless about the situation.

[CoffeeIncluded]

She thinks...She honestly thinks...

Forced to imagine herself herself with Valen, Natalia makes what is best described as an undignified squawk while forcing out, "Won't! No taking advantage, not like that!"

Natalia awkwardly returns the hug. Thinking about Mithril's gift, she says, "...Maybe...Later..."

[achinca]

Miriam pats Natalia on the back. "It is OK sister. When both parties want it honestly, it is not taking advantage, it is the most beautiful thing in the world. Trust me on this. I miss that connection ..... so if both of your thoughts are pure, it is wonderful."

She gives a huge smile at Natalia, still having no idea of Natalia's true feeling.

[Zman]

Valen

With a wry smile and deep chuckle, Valen looks down on Miriam, putting one hand casually on her shoulder, "Maybe 'Lady' is the wrong name for you, maybe 'Mother' is more appropriate."

[achinca]

Miriam shakes her head "I am only 21 .. I am not a mother ... but caring about my friends and sisters does not know age. I might be a simple farm girl who knows nothing but I do know that ...."

[Zman]

Valen

Taking a step back to give the reddening young woman her space, "Women...I've never traveled with so many women before... and none so complicated." He says giving Miriam another passing glance.

[CoffeeIncluded]

A bit relieved at Valen granting them the extra space, Natalia sighs, though her mind is going over what Miriam just said. So she probably wouldn't give her any trouble...Natalia wasn't really expecting that, but it was still good to know. And though Miriam couldn't be more off on the object of Natalia's affections, she would still be a good person to confide in, considering that she'd been in this situation before and would be a good source of advice. Valen was right; she was quickly becoming the team mother of sorts. But...

"Whom...Did you love?"

[achinca]

At Natalia's question, a sudden veil of sadness and pain takes over Miriam's face ... "He was an older man ..... a cleric of St. Cuthbert ..... he was my teacher ..... his name was Calric ..... he taught me how to communicate with my God ..... he was wonderful good man ... he gave his life to save me ...."

She turns away ... fighting the tears .....

[CoffeeIncluded]

"...Oh...I..." She shouldn't have asked that. What could she possibly say to that? "...Wonderful man...I'm sorry," she finally says as she embraces her crying friend.

[achinca]

Miriam cries in Natalia's arms and hugs her tight. "Thank you. It helps to cry and to talk about it. May be one day I will remember the good and not the bad. Thank for listening my friend."

She wipes her tears and forces herself to smile. "so ......"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia just lets Miriam cry it out, not saying anything. What can she say? Then, somewhat eager to change the subject, she pulls out the rough sketches she's been working on. "Plan to defend the town. Want to tell everyone, especially Mithril...Need her help the most. Snares, lightning snares, all around the town. Trap the orcs, then zap the orcs."

[achinca]

Miriam looks at Natalia's plan "Well this looks like a good plan. I am a simple farm girl who does not know anything about the art of war so I will let other who are more versed in the subject comment. However, where will you get the wire and what happens in an orc come through?"

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia bites her lip. "Wire in town, some on my wrist. If not all around the town, then in important parts. Won't stop all, but most."

[achinca]

Miriam's shakes her head "If St. Cuthbert wants it ......"

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Why Saint Cuthbert? Why not yourself?"

[Zman]

As the days draws on, the half dozen ship's hands follow the captains orders sailing the ship east along the coast. The land, growing ever more wild in the the distance to the starboard side of the ship.

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When asked, the ship's hands said the sail along the coast to the northern most outcropping before turning north and sailing across the shortest length of open water. PS Starboard is right.

The sun is setting, the land growing more and more dark. The ships hands are preparing to turn the ship north and follow the Northern Triad, the three bright stars signalling north for navigators in this part of the world.

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Here is a rough Lazy Dolphin
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...WV6RmtyeWRsRWc
The Peach and Light Pink Squares can be moved onto, the center sorage and masts could, though there may be checks involved.

Spot and Listen Checks Please
Roll and consult this table, please use scouts honor, or don't practice meta gaming.

Listen
DC10:

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The Crew seems to be working harder than normal.

DC15:

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The Crew is having trouble staying away from shore.

DC20:

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The Ship keeps turning back towards shore and they are concerned the ship could run aground.

Spot
DC5:

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The Crew is working much harder than before.

DC10:

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The shore is getting much closer than before.

DC15:

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You swear that you see movement along the shoreline but cannot identify it.

DC20:

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You see hulking forms along the shoreline focused on the ship.

DC25:

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Knowledge check to recognize Lizardmen DC10

DC30:

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There are ropes attached to the boat trailing in the wake.

DC40:

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Well, I can't ruin this surprise... and you shouldn't be peaking if you didn't roll this high.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia looks up at the clear night sky, listening to the cool breeze.

(Prepares for fail)

Spot: (d20+6)[18]
Listen: (d20+6)[23]

(Huh, that actually turned out okay)

Natalia's contented smile slowly fades into a disconcerted frown. The sailors seem to be working much harder than before and to no avail--the ship is moving closer towards shore. Squinting out over the side, Natalia can barely make out figures, small black dots barely visible in the night. She jumps back, drawing her rapier and the hand crossbow.

Natalia shouts loud enough for everyone to hear, while trying to get a better look, "Something on shore...Getting closer!"

She loads her crossbow. Seems like she'll be using Mithril's gift a bit sooner than she'd like.

[Zman]

Valen

Enjoying the cooling evening air...Valen is nigh oblivious to the crew working frantically around him.

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Spot: (d20+2)[5]
Listen: (d20+5)[12]

[Admiral]

She sits next to Shiny "Masterteller and Halfling Lawyer, I really enjoyed your story but you have to stop saying it. We both know that we ran our tail between our legs after facing the spiders in the Aquatos shrine. Stop the story with the dragons. We failed the king and I don't want him to know where we are ...."

Shiny takes a short walk around the ship, his features hidden in the shadow, before he returns to respond to Miriam. "I'm pretty sure you're mistaken, holywoman," he says politely, as though speaking to a child. ""If we never faced a dragon, then how did I acquire this injury?" Shiny points to the eyepatch that has somehow become a permanent feature of his face ever since that night in the bar.

[Athedia]

Mithril had been watching the waves silently for most of the day. She had read about the sea, but it was more majestic than she could have ever imagined. As the day turned to night she looked around one final time. The crew must be preparing to pause for the night, why else would they work so hard.

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Spot (1d20+1)[4]
Listen (1d20+1)[11]
EDIT: Forgot to add the +2 alertness bonus to both

[CoffeeIncluded]

Now that Natalia knows something is wrong, she alerts her friends to the fact that there's something moving around the shore and they're headed right for it or them! She also takes a good look at which way the winds are blowing and the waves are rolling, to see if they're being pushed towards the shore by natural forces or dragged by whatever is waiting for them. Regardless, afterwards Natalia calls out, "Spyglass?" to the nearest crew member and points towards the crow's nest.

[achinca]

Miriam smiles at Shiny and lift the patch, expecting to see a perfectly healthy eye. "As I suspected. You are a true master story teller, Shiny Masterteller and halfling lawyer!"

She looks at the boat and the coast.

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Spot: (1d20+5)[14]

Listen: (1d20+3)[9]

She does not notice anything as she listens but she spots something strange: "Why are we staying so close or even pulling towards the coast?"

[Admiral]

Miriam smiles at Shiny and lift the patch, expecting to see a perfectly healthy eye.

To her surprise, upon lifting the eyepatch Miriam sees a grisly hole where Shiny's eye should be.

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Shiny cast Disguise Self when he snuck off, a cruel but very gnome-like prank . While this technically counts as an opposed roll, it seems reasonable for Miriam to make a DC 15 Will save to see through the illusion. Either way the outcome is amusing!

[achinca]

Miriam Will Save

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(DC15) (1d20+6)[23]

She sees the empty socket but realizes it is a trick. "Good one, Storyteller but if it does not fool me, it will not fool many others. I am a simple farm girl who knows nothing but I think you might want to reinvent yourself and tell a new story on the other side of the Moonsea."

[Admiral]

Shiny grins slyly and flips the eyepatch back over his glamered eye.

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Spot: (1d20-2)[6]
Listen: (1d20-2)[10]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia doesn't even hear the conversation between Miriam and Shiny. She's the only one who seems to notice the figures on shore, and she is busy shouting to the entire ship, "Pulling towards shore, something moving onshore!"

Running to the captain, or whomever has a spyglass, she points to the small black figures darting along the coast and saying, "There!"

[achinca]

Miriam finally notices the figures on the shore that Natalia saw.

'What would we be without her sharp eyes?"

She looks around and says "What are these figures? Are they enemies? Are they the reason we are staying so close to the shore?"

[Zman]

Captain Monroe

The weathered merchant captain's sharp eyes immediately recognized the figures on shore, "Lizards! Men, with everything you are worth, don't let her run aground.". He starts barking orders with seasoned experience, his cres reaction is satisfactory.

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Profession: Seamanship (d20+7)[23]

"Watch yourselves, they'll attempt to board us. Arm yourself!

Crew

The crew is frantically trying to keep the ship from shore. They are having trouble, but have stopped the ship from running totally aground, though still dangerously close to shore.

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Profession: Seamanship (d20+3)[16]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Lizardmen? Natalia frantically tries to remember if she knows anything about these creatures.

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Knowledge (?): (d20+4)[8]

No good; she's only encountered kobolds before. She shouts up the the captain, "Dragged to shore by lizardmen, or pushed by wind and waves?"

Her weapons are drawn and she is ready to defend herself and her friends. But which way is the wind blowing? Which way are the tides going?

[achinca]

Miriam is finally realizing that the situation is getting dire.

'Captain! How can we help? Why can we pull away from shore? Do you want us to distract the lizards with our crossbows? Why would they attack us? Lizardfolks are usually not evil!."

The questions flow through Miriam's head. She is still in her learning more when she would ask endless questions and Calric would never tire to answer them.