Strange Things on the Open Sea, Part II
[X] Try to convince Halna to let you accompany Solyn.
'I would accompany Solyn onshore', you volunteer. On either side of you, many of the crew start throwing down walkways to the stone shore, and you're soon left alone under Halna's surprised yet suspect gaze.
You seize the moment as all four of the ship's commanding crew turn to focus on you, raising a silver rune in your left.
'As an able fighter not under anyone's command, I would volunteer to aid the Champion in his task.'
'Are you a scout?', the captain retorts.
'No, but I've worked as a bodyguard for over half a decade. Wouldn't it be easier with another spear to watch your back?'
'He's not wrong', the Champion - scout in question admits. 'If he can keep his mouth shut, he shouldn't harm more than he helps. Plus', he slips in with a shark-toothed grin, 'I find all the mystery curious.'
'…There's something here, more than sandcrawlers and drowning rays. Bring the extra blade.' You stifle your surprise as the normally dour third-in-command suddenly deems fit to remark. 'Permission to divert hands to man a broadside?'
At her warmaster's remark, the captain's suspicion gives way to real concern. Glancing up at the shipwreck, at her sailors fanning out across the beach, then at your gleaming steel, you can practically read her answer through amber eyes full seconds before she speaks.
'Go ahead, both of you. But Geln, you're under Solyn's command.'
——————————
'Alright, so there's nothing on the beach except some dying bluebottles- and if that manages to put someone down, they deserve it.
I'm going to climb up to the top of that shipwreck, while you watch my back. If it's all good, I'll throw a rope down for you. If it goes to shit, cover me while I slide back down. Cleared?'
'Copied.'
At that, the chatty scout takes a handful of long strides, before easily vaulting up the crumbling wood- leaping off crumbling edifices one moment, hauling himself up with an archer's strength the next. It's only four or so metres, and he makes it easily- but something strikes you as wrong.
One of his footholds was at first seemingly a collection of molluscs, stuck high and dry- but as he pushes off it, you could swear it deformed under his weight, if only by a fraction. When the Snaga throws down a rope for you, you take advantage of the climb to draw your seax and test a theory of yours.
As you slam your sword into the mass, it hisses. You twist and pull, almost cutting the almost dirt-like substance into half, and steaming like soup the strange child-sized blob falls into the sands.
When you climb to the ruined top deck, Solyn is staring at where his foothold was, utterly perplexed. You note in one his side-satchels is several bronzed spear tips.
Said spear tips are soon explained as you see the remnants on deck. Several corpses lie astrew- four in all. One seems like a hybrid mix between a slim human and an enormous fish's tail. The other three are bulky, with rough limbs and a shark's maw.
Most disturbingly, the bodies don't even seem that old. Not because the flesh is still there, but because the remains glimmer with something acidic- like someone chewing food off the bone.
Solyn breaks your focus by gesturing onwards, onto the centre of the island. Amongst slumped kelp forests and the half charred, half boiled burns of battle magic, some kind of coral and driftwood barricade has been erected on the peak of the island- too small for any real force, but just tall enough to completely conceal whatever handful of people could hide within. Around it stalks eight child sized globules of water, dirt and acid, seemingly lead by a coral spined elemental awkwardly toting a freshly looted bronze sword and hide shield. The faceless hunters speak no words and face no foe, yet some of them seem slashed and damaged nonetheless.
'Someone's in there', your comrade rather obviously concludes. 'And they need help, and need it soon… steep odds for the two of us, though.'
'Those are Sahuagin bodies. If there are slavers in there, we may as well kill them ourselves.'
'How do we know it's not their slaves in there?', he counters.
'…Shit, I may have gambled 15 rings on your survival, but I don't know if we can get all of them.
And what about the ones we aren't seeing?'
———————
You and Solyn, the Champion/ scout/ archer/ fencer, are standing atop the shipwreck, some distance away from 8 minor elementals and 1 coral elemental circling a tiny makeshift palisade in the middle of the island. It looks like a skirmish between some group of Tritons and the hated Sahuagin occured here, though you see neither. The elementals haven't noticed you, and are easily within arrow range, or for you to jump down and make a sudden charge.
Four to one is a lot, though, and you don't know how many more are hidden around the island, or what they even are.
The people inside might not last that long, though.
[] Attack!
—--[] Open fire, try to draw them to you.
——[] Solyn opens fire, and you assault them under his cover.
—— [] You both move into shock combat, and hope the hidden peoples aid you.
——[] Your own plan.
The above is a very violent option.
[] Withdraw, and tell the others. Hope they hold out.
[] Write in?
——-
After centuries of warfare both within and without, the prevailing theory amongst the Islefolk is that all adults must strive for proficiency in five martial arts- skill with their limbs, their knives, a side arm, the vicious melee and the wild skirmish. You are no exception in this.
Pick one melee outfit:
[] Shield & Sword
Versatile and convenient. Excellent for holding ground.
[] Shield & Axe
Good for an armoured brawl, or fighting smaller monsters.
[] Shield & Spear
Reach, defence, throwable and straightforward. Extremely popular, rather bulky.
[] Bardiche
Strike far, strike first, strike hardest, don't strike twice.
[] Longsword
A weapon for a bodyguard or duellist. Versatile, agile, excels at controlling space.
[] Glaive
A professional hunter's weapon, made for open air, sweeping strikes and precise jabs.
Pick one ranged weapon:
[] Sling
Mostly used to kill birds nowadays. It'll struggle against heavy armour, but is easily replaced, hidden or adapted to throw stranger projectiles.
[] Throwing Weapons
Most popular option by far. Used for darts, spears, axes, knives and the occasional head.
[] Arbalest
The crossbow is generally unpopular in Haven, but especially in Harrow and Tallow.
[] Greatbow
(Unlocked by Powerful). A bow taller than you are, capable of striking with terrifying force, range and swiftness in the hands of an expert.
It's the bane of many Islefolk to be drawn to the most visceral, crushing combat styles, only to recall they then have to carry their weapons as well. Try not to make the same mistake.
—————————-
All three of the votes are separate.
I will count Attack versus Withdraw, and then take the most popular plan of attack if the former wins.
Vote open for two days.
Congratulations! This is the end of character creation.
'I would accompany Solyn onshore', you volunteer. On either side of you, many of the crew start throwing down walkways to the stone shore, and you're soon left alone under Halna's surprised yet suspect gaze.
You seize the moment as all four of the ship's commanding crew turn to focus on you, raising a silver rune in your left.
'As an able fighter not under anyone's command, I would volunteer to aid the Champion in his task.'
'Are you a scout?', the captain retorts.
'No, but I've worked as a bodyguard for over half a decade. Wouldn't it be easier with another spear to watch your back?'
'He's not wrong', the Champion - scout in question admits. 'If he can keep his mouth shut, he shouldn't harm more than he helps. Plus', he slips in with a shark-toothed grin, 'I find all the mystery curious.'
'…There's something here, more than sandcrawlers and drowning rays. Bring the extra blade.' You stifle your surprise as the normally dour third-in-command suddenly deems fit to remark. 'Permission to divert hands to man a broadside?'
At her warmaster's remark, the captain's suspicion gives way to real concern. Glancing up at the shipwreck, at her sailors fanning out across the beach, then at your gleaming steel, you can practically read her answer through amber eyes full seconds before she speaks.
'Go ahead, both of you. But Geln, you're under Solyn's command.'
——————————
Geln keeps watch.
DC 4
+Guard (+2)
DC 6
1, 4, 8, 9
Solyn does a spot of foraging.
DC 2
+Pillage (+1)
+Perceptive (+1)
DC 4
5, 8, 10, 4
Some metal salvage, and very odd corpses. (~2 Silver Rings for you)
Solyn Perceives
DC 4
+ Scout (+2)
+ Perceptive (+2)
3, 5, 7, 7
Verdict: This place is weird.
1/???
DC 4
+Guard (+2)
DC 6
1, 4, 8, 9
Solyn does a spot of foraging.
DC 2
+Pillage (+1)
+Perceptive (+1)
DC 4
5, 8, 10, 4
Some metal salvage, and very odd corpses. (~2 Silver Rings for you)
Solyn Perceives
DC 4
+ Scout (+2)
+ Perceptive (+2)
3, 5, 7, 7
Verdict: This place is weird.
1/???
'Alright, so there's nothing on the beach except some dying bluebottles- and if that manages to put someone down, they deserve it.
I'm going to climb up to the top of that shipwreck, while you watch my back. If it's all good, I'll throw a rope down for you. If it goes to shit, cover me while I slide back down. Cleared?'
'Copied.'
At that, the chatty scout takes a handful of long strides, before easily vaulting up the crumbling wood- leaping off crumbling edifices one moment, hauling himself up with an archer's strength the next. It's only four or so metres, and he makes it easily- but something strikes you as wrong.
One of his footholds was at first seemingly a collection of molluscs, stuck high and dry- but as he pushes off it, you could swear it deformed under his weight, if only by a fraction. When the Snaga throws down a rope for you, you take advantage of the climb to draw your seax and test a theory of yours.
As you slam your sword into the mass, it hisses. You twist and pull, almost cutting the almost dirt-like substance into half, and steaming like soup the strange child-sized blob falls into the sands.
When you climb to the ruined top deck, Solyn is staring at where his foothold was, utterly perplexed. You note in one his side-satchels is several bronzed spear tips.
Said spear tips are soon explained as you see the remnants on deck. Several corpses lie astrew- four in all. One seems like a hybrid mix between a slim human and an enormous fish's tail. The other three are bulky, with rough limbs and a shark's maw.
Most disturbingly, the bodies don't even seem that old. Not because the flesh is still there, but because the remains glimmer with something acidic- like someone chewing food off the bone.
Solyn breaks your focus by gesturing onwards, onto the centre of the island. Amongst slumped kelp forests and the half charred, half boiled burns of battle magic, some kind of coral and driftwood barricade has been erected on the peak of the island- too small for any real force, but just tall enough to completely conceal whatever handful of people could hide within. Around it stalks eight child sized globules of water, dirt and acid, seemingly lead by a coral spined elemental awkwardly toting a freshly looted bronze sword and hide shield. The faceless hunters speak no words and face no foe, yet some of them seem slashed and damaged nonetheless.
'Someone's in there', your comrade rather obviously concludes. 'And they need help, and need it soon… steep odds for the two of us, though.'
'Those are Sahuagin bodies. If there are slavers in there, we may as well kill them ourselves.'
'How do we know it's not their slaves in there?', he counters.
'…Shit, I may have gambled 15 rings on your survival, but I don't know if we can get all of them.
And what about the ones we aren't seeing?'
———————
You and Solyn, the Champion/ scout/ archer/ fencer, are standing atop the shipwreck, some distance away from 8 minor elementals and 1 coral elemental circling a tiny makeshift palisade in the middle of the island. It looks like a skirmish between some group of Tritons and the hated Sahuagin occured here, though you see neither. The elementals haven't noticed you, and are easily within arrow range, or for you to jump down and make a sudden charge.
Four to one is a lot, though, and you don't know how many more are hidden around the island, or what they even are.
The people inside might not last that long, though.
[] Attack!
—--[] Open fire, try to draw them to you.
——[] Solyn opens fire, and you assault them under his cover.
—— [] You both move into shock combat, and hope the hidden peoples aid you.
——[] Your own plan.
The above is a very violent option.
[] Withdraw, and tell the others. Hope they hold out.
[] Write in?
——-
After centuries of warfare both within and without, the prevailing theory amongst the Islefolk is that all adults must strive for proficiency in five martial arts- skill with their limbs, their knives, a side arm, the vicious melee and the wild skirmish. You are no exception in this.
Pick one melee outfit:
[] Shield & Sword
Versatile and convenient. Excellent for holding ground.
[] Shield & Axe
Good for an armoured brawl, or fighting smaller monsters.
[] Shield & Spear
Reach, defence, throwable and straightforward. Extremely popular, rather bulky.
[] Bardiche
Strike far, strike first, strike hardest, don't strike twice.
[] Longsword
A weapon for a bodyguard or duellist. Versatile, agile, excels at controlling space.
[] Glaive
A professional hunter's weapon, made for open air, sweeping strikes and precise jabs.
Pick one ranged weapon:
[] Sling
Mostly used to kill birds nowadays. It'll struggle against heavy armour, but is easily replaced, hidden or adapted to throw stranger projectiles.
[] Throwing Weapons
Most popular option by far. Used for darts, spears, axes, knives and the occasional head.
The crossbow is generally unpopular in Haven, but especially in Harrow and Tallow.
[] Greatbow
(Unlocked by Powerful). A bow taller than you are, capable of striking with terrifying force, range and swiftness in the hands of an expert.
It's the bane of many Islefolk to be drawn to the most visceral, crushing combat styles, only to recall they then have to carry their weapons as well. Try not to make the same mistake.
—————————-
All three of the votes are separate.
I will count Attack versus Withdraw, and then take the most popular plan of attack if the former wins.
Vote open for two days.
Congratulations! This is the end of character creation.
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