Blades without a Banner
- Thread starter Shine
- Start date
……whoops.
Updated the character sheet, opening voting actually.
Sorry Rush.
Given the nature of things, whenever Geln can get away with it he'd be carrying either an axe or bow in hand. He could carry them both on his back, but getting one of his armaments from his back isn't fast, and putting them back is even slower.
Updated the character sheet, opening voting actually.
Sorry Rush.
Given the nature of things, whenever Geln can get away with it he'd be carrying either an axe or bow in hand. He could carry them both on his back, but getting one of his armaments from his back isn't fast, and putting them back is even slower.
Lookashiny
First and Only
- Location
- Tanith
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Prepare to shoot whatever appears, if something does appear.
I think it's best to be cautious given that we don't know precisely what lives here.
I think it's best to be cautious given that we don't know precisely what lives here.
Been busy. I don't really want to risk hitting someone hiding in the rocks, even if there's a sandworm or something.
[X] Vault down onto the ground and personally escort the Kua Toa to safety.
[X] Vault down onto the ground and personally escort the Kua Toa to safety.
- Location
- Leeds
[Q] Let Solyn take over; go back and tell the others this island is actually quite safe.
Seems its actually well in hand. Not dangerous at all
[X] Vault down onto the ground and personally escort the Kua Toa to safety.
Seems its actually well in hand. Not dangerous at all
[X] Vault down onto the ground and personally escort the Kua Toa to safety.
Seems its actually well in hand. Not dangerous at all
Least risk-apathetic deathworlder.
Vote closed. Geln apparently hasn't smacked enough elementals today.
I'm surprised people haven't made more noise about a certain element present.
There are four 'kinds' of magic that Geln is aware of (on the scale you're at, anyways).
There are internal powers, which are pretty self explanatory. By inherent capability and a bit of practice, some people can do the supernatural. Most cannot, however, and of those who do most never get beyond simple rituals and cantrips. Some things, mankind wasn't meant for.
Examples of this include sorcerers of all stripes- of which one iteration of Geln could have been- as well as the legendary (and extinct) Skinshifters, warlike and atavistic nomads who could draw on an impossible strength and resilience.
Inherent magic is a requirement to safely and/ or easily use the second kind, which is pacts. By making deals with and/ or binding spirits of varying strength, will, intelligence and capabilities, these powers can later be unleashed. To gain the capability to safely commune, then maintain and safely use several pacts requires years of training and the alteration of one's soul, which can have strange effects on the self.
Everyone is capable of divine magic, but as with all skills some people are significantly more talented at learning it than others. Talent with it is partially, but not entirely, decided by closeness to the ideals and nature of the power you are calling open. Learning and using divine magic Will Change Your Soul, slowly making you closer to the power in question, although there is little similarity between the psyches of deities and people, and so precise results may vary. This is considered pretty good if you are a Haven priest, and pretty bad if you are, say, a diabolist.
Finally is artificing. This is very questionably 'magic', because it essentially consists of you taking supernatural ingredients and time consuming rituals to enact the supernatural. Inherent powers help, but are not necessary. More powerful items require an investment of one's soul, and so are limited in number. Notably, however, artificery is the only widely available form of sorcery that will not change your soul, provided you do it safely.
If it ever becomes more than tangentially relevant, I will make an actual info post. However, Geln has little inclination towards sorcery. Swinging blades extremely hard has done the Islefolk very well for centuries, and you see little reason why the same doesn't apply for you.
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- Location
- Leeds
"Hey guys, we didn't find anything we couldn't kill. Lets go find a more interesting island okay?"
Strange Things on the Open Sea, Awakening
[X] Vault down onto the ground and personally escort the Kua Toa to safety.
You leap the three metre drop easily enough, slinging back the bow as you stride towards the Kua Toa. At the sight of you, and your axe, they visibly quail, briefly slowing and coalescing before you gesture for them to pass.
Without a common language, they hesitate ever so briefly, but it only takes a brief glance behind them to near certain death to convince them to pick up the pace.
As they pass, you lean down and pluck the child-sized casualty out of their comrade's grip. Carefully avoiding jostling their broken leg, you find yourself still significantly swifter than the much smaller Kua Toa. To a chorus of damp and greatful burbles, the seven of you hurry to the shipwreck. Under Solyn's cover, it's not long before you reach the Kua Toa's destination- a slim gap between the pair of shipwrecks, framed by kelp and molluscs. You pass down their wounded fellow and turn to fight, and it's at that point things go wrong.
Directly in front of you, there is no eruption, no shower of gravel and sand. Instead, the ground splits like a miniature chasm, and a viscous oil spits out like a geyser.
Years you've spent skirmishing with the native horrors of Haven, but watching black pitch and rusty oil bleed over each other into the form of a towering serpent somehow still defies belief. You crane your neck back, and back, and back as the field goes quiet, even the roiling elementals bewildered for the long moment it takes for their serpentine better to manifest.
You recall you have legs when you realise the oily column is falling down, towards you.
Leaping to the side, the full scope of the elemental becomes clear. As thick as a log with a swollen midsection, and the mass of several men, it coils a worm like snout back towards you, splitting like a flower, striking at the largest target to devour you whole. You cannot see the Kua Toa; you cannot see Solyn; in that moment, all the world is you, your axe, the foe.
You're fast, but even then you're barely fast enough to intercept its lunge with your blade. You half parry, half catch it's seething head, something viscous and sluggish pouring across your forearms even as you slice the head of your axe across its maw.
For a moment, you're driving it down into the earth, vice grip on both its flank and the haft enabling you a growing purchase to drive home the axe, when you see it's tail twist about, glowing a sickly green, and you don't have time to warn.
A wave of acid spews out of the beast's other head, the chimeric monstrosity attempting to hose down the archer in a clear, corrosive deluge. For a moment you fear the worst, before you see a blur of gleaming steel as Solyn leaps onto the ground. Then, it's other limb circles around, and you lose sight of him again as you leap away, swirling the steel head to fend off increasingly powerful assaults.
You take a step back, and then another, and then a blue beam scores across both its heads as you near a sudden absence of noise behind you. Frost suddenly condenses across it's skin, and even as it writhes in pain and confusion, you seize the moment to strike!
You swing the axe head down to score a ruinous strike across it's torso, and near immediately regret it as the wound gushes with corrosive viscera. Sudden pains shoot up your wrists and legs as you dance away, evading wild strikes by shavings. Both you and your foe lie nearly stricken, but you are winning.
As your mortal foe lets loose another ruinous wail, frozen blue giving way to angry red, you can't help the grin that splits your face.
The axe comes down, inexorable, as the creature stumbles- not from any lack of footing, but from surprise as the second prey leaps towards its back. The final moments of it's arcane life is spent in confusion, as the sensation from one of it's limbs, then the other disappears, primitive sight overwhelmed by fleshing steel, prodigious strength fading as it has never experienced from wounds it never suffered before.
You forget to breathe as your blade strikes through, into the sands, yet for a terrible moment the giant elemental still stands.
And then it sloughs away before your eyes, and not even needing to distractedly slay the last can stop your victorious warcry!
Then, the adrenaline fades, and you step back to take in the scene.
All around you is littered with bodies- largely elemental, dissolving into the suspect ground, yet behind you is also a more familiar corpse. The leading Kua Toa lay flash frozen, the stave in their hand chilled and blackened from some withering curse.
Never one to waste a moment, Solyn is already plucking cores out of the draining remains, flipping them over with the edge of his blade. Catching your eyes, he flashes you a merry grin, unconcerned by a slight limp.
'Catch!'
You grab a heavy heart sized chunk of black stone out of the air, the one taken from your largest enemy by far. Unlike the other cores, even post death it seems far more intact. The others, glittering as they are, may be made into jewellery or ground into powders, but that would seem a waste with this clearly valuable reagent.
'Hero of the bloody hour, hey? I knew you had some steel in you, but that was extraordinary! Shame you're-… ah…'
For once in over a week, he pauses in his words, recalling the gulf between you. Before you can address him, however, you hear several things at once.
You hear wood creak, stone grind, liquid sizzle as the ground beneath you, ever so slightly, starts to shake.
—————————-
Geln is at 2/4 health, and will do many things at a -1 wound penalty. His 'superficial' injuries look a bit worse under the armour, not that he's noticed yet.
Solyn is at 3/4 health, and seems fine.
No more enemies are apparent to you.
You haven't gone inside any of the ships. There are two right next to you, and two far away.
Still… you can't imagine the ground shaking is a good idea.
Despite being techncially in command, Solyn is ready to follow your lead.
[] Cut the scouting very short, and fall back to the ship.
[] Investigate one of the ships, and steal everything not nailed down.
[] Take the corpse and start cutting through the debris back to the others. You don't know if Kua Toa bury the dead.
[] Write in?
Questions welcome. Two days to vote.
You leap the three metre drop easily enough, slinging back the bow as you stride towards the Kua Toa. At the sight of you, and your axe, they visibly quail, briefly slowing and coalescing before you gesture for them to pass.
Without a common language, they hesitate ever so briefly, but it only takes a brief glance behind them to near certain death to convince them to pick up the pace.
Your side has the initiative.
Solyn executes the wounded.
DC 6 (Close)
+4 (Adept Archer, Perceptive, Deft)
-2 (Small Target)
2, 7, 10, 5
2 damage
2 Armour, 2 Pierce
2 wounds.
One down.
Geln picks up the wounded fish and falls back.
The Kua Toa hustle faster.
The Antibodies pursue.
???????
DC 5
7, 2, 5, 8
The Macrophage appears right behind you. The Kua Toa can slip away through the wreckage, but you won't fit. Reach will not help you.
Time for violence.
Solyn executes the wounded.
DC 6 (Close)
+4 (Adept Archer, Perceptive, Deft)
-2 (Small Target)
2, 7, 10, 5
2 damage
2 Armour, 2 Pierce
2 wounds.
One down.
Geln picks up the wounded fish and falls back.
The Kua Toa hustle faster.
The Antibodies pursue.
???????
DC 5
7, 2, 5, 8
The Macrophage appears right behind you. The Kua Toa can slip away through the wreckage, but you won't fit. Reach will not help you.
Time for violence.
As they pass, you lean down and pluck the child-sized casualty out of their comrade's grip. Carefully avoiding jostling their broken leg, you find yourself still significantly swifter than the much smaller Kua Toa. To a chorus of damp and greatful burbles, the seven of you hurry to the shipwreck. Under Solyn's cover, it's not long before you reach the Kua Toa's destination- a slim gap between the pair of shipwrecks, framed by kelp and molluscs. You pass down their wounded fellow and turn to fight, and it's at that point things go wrong.
Directly in front of you, there is no eruption, no shower of gravel and sand. Instead, the ground splits like a miniature chasm, and a viscous oil spits out like a geyser.
Years you've spent skirmishing with the native horrors of Haven, but watching black pitch and rusty oil bleed over each other into the form of a towering serpent somehow still defies belief. You crane your neck back, and back, and back as the field goes quiet, even the roiling elementals bewildered for the long moment it takes for their serpentine better to manifest.
You recall you have legs when you realise the oily column is falling down, towards you.
Leaping to the side, the full scope of the elemental becomes clear. As thick as a log with a swollen midsection, and the mass of several men, it coils a worm like snout back towards you, splitting like a flower, striking at the largest target to devour you whole. You cannot see the Kua Toa; you cannot see Solyn; in that moment, all the world is you, your axe, the foe.
Some enemies have more than 4 health! This is one of them, I'm afraid.
Geln engages the burrowing Macrophage.
Macrophage is charging power: Dissolve.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft
DC 4/8
8, 3, 7, 1
4 Damage/ 2 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
8, 8, 2, 10
3 Wounds
2 Damage
5 Armour, 3 Pierce
2, 8
1 Wound
Solyn leaps clear as his footing collapses.
DC 4
+2 (Agile), +1 (Snaga)
DC 7
9, 4, 6, 2
Avoids damage, drops the bow, draws the sword.
Solyn intercepts the remaining Antibodies.
Engages d4= 1.
+Veteran Heavy Blades, Powerful, Agile, Perceptive, Deft, Longsword, Medium Armour
-Small Target, Novice Unarmed, Psuedopod, Light Armour
DC 10, Armour 2, Piercing 3
Slain.
Solyn cleaves another.
d4=1
Dead.
Solyn engages the last three, all at once.
+Veteran Heavy Blades, Powerful, Agile, Perceptive, Deft, Longsword, Medium Armour
-Small Target, Novice Unarmed, Psuedopod, Light Armour, Swarmed
DC 8/9
1, 6, 6, 10
3 Damage/ 1 Damage
Armour 2, Pierce 3
1, 2, 7
4 Wounds, 1 Slain.
Armour 5, Pierce 0.
8
Solyn takes a wound.
The Kua Toa flee, except for their leader.
Activate Stolen Staff
DC 0
+/-?????
DC 4
10!, 5, 4, 10!
Oh no.
Geln engages the burrowing Macrophage.
Macrophage is charging power: Dissolve.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft
DC 4/8
8, 3, 7, 1
4 Damage/ 2 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
8, 8, 2, 10
3 Wounds
2 Damage
5 Armour, 3 Pierce
2, 8
1 Wound
Solyn leaps clear as his footing collapses.
DC 4
+2 (Agile), +1 (Snaga)
DC 7
9, 4, 6, 2
Avoids damage, drops the bow, draws the sword.
Solyn intercepts the remaining Antibodies.
Engages d4= 1.
+Veteran Heavy Blades, Powerful, Agile, Perceptive, Deft, Longsword, Medium Armour
-Small Target, Novice Unarmed, Psuedopod, Light Armour
DC 10, Armour 2, Piercing 3
Slain.
Solyn cleaves another.
d4=1
Dead.
Solyn engages the last three, all at once.
+Veteran Heavy Blades, Powerful, Agile, Perceptive, Deft, Longsword, Medium Armour
-Small Target, Novice Unarmed, Psuedopod, Light Armour, Swarmed
DC 8/9
1, 6, 6, 10
3 Damage/ 1 Damage
Armour 2, Pierce 3
1, 2, 7
4 Wounds, 1 Slain.
Armour 5, Pierce 0.
8
Solyn takes a wound.
The Kua Toa flee, except for their leader.
Activate Stolen Staff
DC 0
+/-?????
DC 4
10!, 5, 4, 10!
Oh no.
You're fast, but even then you're barely fast enough to intercept its lunge with your blade. You half parry, half catch it's seething head, something viscous and sluggish pouring across your forearms even as you slice the head of your axe across its maw.
For a moment, you're driving it down into the earth, vice grip on both its flank and the haft enabling you a growing purchase to drive home the axe, when you see it's tail twist about, glowing a sickly green, and you don't have time to warn.
A wave of acid spews out of the beast's other head, the chimeric monstrosity attempting to hose down the archer in a clear, corrosive deluge. For a moment you fear the worst, before you see a blur of gleaming steel as Solyn leaps onto the ground. Then, it's other limb circles around, and you lose sight of him again as you leap away, swirling the steel head to fend off increasingly powerful assaults.
You take a step back, and then another, and then a blue beam scores across both its heads as you near a sudden absence of noise behind you. Frost suddenly condenses across it's skin, and even as it writhes in pain and confusion, you seize the moment to strike!
Kua Toa leader is killed on the spot, as the staff explodes in a catastrophic burst of magic.
Geln engages the Macrophage.
Macrophage is charging power: Devour. Disrupted!
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target, Frozen
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft,Energised
DC 6/10
10, 5, 2, 4
4 Damage/ 1 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
8, 2, 7, 10
3 Wounds
1 Damage
5 Armour, 3 Pierce
3
1 Wound
Solyn swings harder.
DC 9/10
6, 8, 1, 8
Armour 2, Pierce 3
2, 5, 6, 5
Another dead.
Geln engages the Macrophage.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target, Frozen
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft,
DC 6/10
10, 5, 2, 4
4 Damage/ 1 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
8, 2, 7, 10
3 Wounds
1 Damage
5 Armour, 3 Pierce
3
1 Wound
Solyn swings harder.
DC 9/10
6, 8, 1, 8
Armour 2, Pierce 3
2, 5, 6, 5
Another dead.
You swing the axe head down to score a ruinous strike across it's torso, and near immediately regret it as the wound gushes with corrosive viscera. Sudden pains shoot up your wrists and legs as you dance away, evading wild strikes by shavings. Both you and your foe lie nearly stricken, but you are winning.
As your mortal foe lets loose another ruinous wail, frozen blue giving way to angry red, you can't help the grin that splits your face.
Solyn disengages and rushes to your aid.
DC 8 (Decisively winning his combat)
5, 5, 5, 7
Dodged.
Geln and Solyn strike the Macrophage!
Macrophage is charging power: Devour.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target, Solyn, Harrow, Wound (1)
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft, Energised, Wound (1)
DC 5/9
2, 1, 5, 8
4 Damage/ 1 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
10, 8, 8, 10
4 Wounds
Dramatic Overkill, damage negated.
Antibody charges the weary Geln.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Solyn
-Novice Unarmed, Light Armour, Pseudopod, Exhaustion, Wound (1), DIstracted
DC 5/7
4, 2, 7, 3
4 Damage, 1 Damage
Armour 2, Pierce 5
2, 4, 1, 6
6 Wounds, killed by Reach.
Victory!
12 Sliver Rings of pillage.
Artisanal Elemental Core.
Broken Triton Stave.
+1 Heavy Impact XP, +1 Unarmed XP.
5/???
DC 8 (Decisively winning his combat)
5, 5, 5, 7
Dodged.
Geln and Solyn strike the Macrophage!
Macrophage is charging power: Devour.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Foe Distracted, Large Target, Solyn, Harrow, Wound (1)
-Medium Armour, Adept Unarmed, Giant Pseudopod, Large, Strong, Swift, Deft, Energised, Wound (1)
DC 5/9
2, 1, 5, 8
4 Damage/ 1 Damage
7 Armour, 5 Pierce
10, 8, 8, 10
4 Wounds
Dramatic Overkill, damage negated.
Antibody charges the weary Geln.
+Medium Armour, Adept Heavy Impact, War Is, Bardiche, Powerful, Solyn
-Novice Unarmed, Light Armour, Pseudopod, Exhaustion, Wound (1), DIstracted
DC 5/7
4, 2, 7, 3
4 Damage, 1 Damage
Armour 2, Pierce 5
2, 4, 1, 6
6 Wounds, killed by Reach.
Victory!
12 Sliver Rings of pillage.
Artisanal Elemental Core.
Broken Triton Stave.
+1 Heavy Impact XP, +1 Unarmed XP.
5/???
The axe comes down, inexorable, as the creature stumbles- not from any lack of footing, but from surprise as the second prey leaps towards its back. The final moments of it's arcane life is spent in confusion, as the sensation from one of it's limbs, then the other disappears, primitive sight overwhelmed by fleshing steel, prodigious strength fading as it has never experienced from wounds it never suffered before.
You forget to breathe as your blade strikes through, into the sands, yet for a terrible moment the giant elemental still stands.
And then it sloughs away before your eyes, and not even needing to distractedly slay the last can stop your victorious warcry!
Then, the adrenaline fades, and you step back to take in the scene.
All around you is littered with bodies- largely elemental, dissolving into the suspect ground, yet behind you is also a more familiar corpse. The leading Kua Toa lay flash frozen, the stave in their hand chilled and blackened from some withering curse.
Never one to waste a moment, Solyn is already plucking cores out of the draining remains, flipping them over with the edge of his blade. Catching your eyes, he flashes you a merry grin, unconcerned by a slight limp.
'Catch!'
You grab a heavy heart sized chunk of black stone out of the air, the one taken from your largest enemy by far. Unlike the other cores, even post death it seems far more intact. The others, glittering as they are, may be made into jewellery or ground into powders, but that would seem a waste with this clearly valuable reagent.
'Hero of the bloody hour, hey? I knew you had some steel in you, but that was extraordinary! Shame you're-… ah…'
For once in over a week, he pauses in his words, recalling the gulf between you. Before you can address him, however, you hear several things at once.
You hear wood creak, stone grind, liquid sizzle as the ground beneath you, ever so slightly, starts to shake.
—————————-
Geln is at 2/4 health, and will do many things at a -1 wound penalty. His 'superficial' injuries look a bit worse under the armour, not that he's noticed yet.
Solyn is at 3/4 health, and seems fine.
No more enemies are apparent to you.
You haven't gone inside any of the ships. There are two right next to you, and two far away.
Still… you can't imagine the ground shaking is a good idea.
Despite being techncially in command, Solyn is ready to follow your lead.
[] Cut the scouting very short, and fall back to the ship.
[] Investigate one of the ships, and steal everything not nailed down.
[] Take the corpse and start cutting through the debris back to the others. You don't know if Kua Toa bury the dead.
[] Write in?
Questions welcome. Two days to vote.
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You'd be surprised how many Islefolk have said, more or less, exactly that."Hey guys, we didn't find anything we couldn't kill. Lets go find a more interesting island okay?"
Would you lot rather I include Geln's code of honour and faith in his character sheet, move it to a new information post, or keep it as is?
- Location
- Leeds
Well between this and the antibodies, if the names are any indication the island is some kind of single organism and we're fighting its immune system now.
[X] Cut the scouting very short, and fall back to the ship.
A perfect three way tie.
Lookashiny
First and Only
- Location
- Tanith
- Pronouns
- She/Her
[X] Investigate one of the ships, and steal everything not nailed down.
I want tosteal collect things!
I want to
I have been trying to figure outwhy the heck there are giant immune system themed elementals. Not really sure what to do here. On one hand I'd like more loot. On the other hand I'd rather not die.
Perhaps, but probably not. It depends on what you find and how swiftly you'll need to flee.
Sorry lads. Update should be soon, but the last couple days have been busy.
Strange Things on the Open Sea, Finale
[X] Investigate one of the ships, and steal everything not nailed down.
'We still know bloody nothing about what's going on here. The ships might have clues, and at least we'll find something useful.'
Solyn looks about at you, then the corpses, then the ships behind you obscuring the Gale, before, to your mild surprise, nodding along.
'Fair enough. Talyn'll be able to handle this lot, so we should find answers while we can.'
At this, the two of you break into the more intact ship, working together to pry open the brittle and salt dried hull. The ominous rumbling only grows.
Inside is a massacre, though not a recent one. Dead bodies and long shattered debris litter the abandoned ship, anything organic drained dry. The location of the corpses, and their state of armament, seems to imply that the crew were taken by surprise as something burst through the bottom of the hull. For some reason- waiting out a storm, perhaps- either most of the crew at that time were at the point of impact, of most of the bodies above have left no trace.
If you had to guess, you'd say that this was a Darkwater ship- one of many exploratory vessels, sleek and swift, looking for new lands based off evidence arcane and experimental, and who largely disappeared without a trace. Still, this ship has been down for at least months- possibly decades- and so the past loyalties of these unfortunate souls isn't a great deal of concern to you.
Having two sets of hands here is extremely helpful; while Solyn sweeps the room, you work on barricading the way in, then forcing a way out. Neither if you come across any hints in this place's eldritch nature, however. It seems this crew was merely lethally unlucky. Nor does the shaking cease- it might be growing, although at least that is some help in forcing loose debris.
You reach the last layer of driftwood between you and the other side, when…
You reel backwards, cursing bitterly as blinding light lances your eyeballs and a cacophonous, burning roar assaults your ears. Narrowly keeping upright, you curse foully- and oddly, Solyn joins you.
A moment later, you hear two slicing impacts and the sizzling of elemental viscera, before the champion grabbed your arm and pulled you into open air.
'They're ahead and behind us, brother! Run!'
You desperately blink the spots from your vision as the two of you break into a dead sprint, axe coming to hand as you hear something move behind you- having seemingly slipped in around your barricade. Ahead, the Laughing Gale is under siege. Erratic waves of elementals seethe towards it, made of the three types you know of and others you haven't seen, but each is scattered by the whistling bolts launched from the ship's ballistae. Occasionally, some burst from the ground beneath, but those are swiftly cut down by a narrow ring of defender. Above on deck, a score of archers and slingers lay withering fire at the command of Warmaster Talyn, the cautious woman vindicated with every new foe. Joining them is Blessed Kolo, no longer in meditation, now a kaleidoscope of sorcery even to your untrained eye as he simultaneously heals, banishes and dispels the foe.
You and Solyn rush to the Gale, slaying half a dozen smaller elementals here and there and to do so. At your arrival, the defending crew breaks into cheers and groans of relief, everyone now retreating onto the ship.
'Get on, you two, and clear the way! Fire is our rearguard today!'
Halna throws down a rope ladder to the pair of you as her second and three other crew behind her levels a steel tube, a fuse burning merrily on the other end. Propelled frantically by both oars and hip tall waves spilling from the island's coast, the Laughing Gale flees shore with a small battalion of elementals swimming behind.
Then, as far as you can tell, the tube screams horrifically, kickback throwing all four to the floor and still almost upending the tripod it sits on. A cloud of fire and shrapnel scythes through the first three ranks, killing or wounding over a dozen in a second. With water churning both foam and acid now, the fight goes out of them, and they withdraw under two more punishing volleys of bolts.
For a moment, it seems you have escaped.
The sailors feel it first, gripping the sides or grasping ropes, and it's only you following their example that prevents you from being hurled into the sea. The Gale heaves terrifically as an enormous wave sweeps over the deck, scattering arrows and quivers and seafood, and just behind the wave is the true form of the alleged island. Shrugging off the shipwrecks like a heavy coat, a titanic turtle-lizard slowly breaches its head above the surface. An eye taller than you refocuses from decades of hibernation as it gives the comparatively dwarfed warship a lasting, inscrutable look.
When at last, it sinks fully underwater, the relief is almost a palpable weight off your shoulders.
—————————————————-
Captain Halna's Journal
Summer II, Week III, Day VI
The rest of the page is a sketch of some kind of sea turtle, swimming next to a small replica ship.
Summer II, Week IV, Day III
Due to recent events, I have taken a break from writing to perform more relaxing activities, but today's events have driven me to the inkpot. Again.
As we were sailing, we came across another ship. It is from the South, heading the same way we are to make their mercantile fortune, but they had been horribly mauled by the passage of a catastrophically large titan, which even inadvertently almost sunk them. When we gave them the materials, labour and expertise needed to fix their craft, they were extremely grateful.
I noticed many took the opportunity to fence most of their salvage for a substantial weight in silver. I question if our counterparts knew they were hardly getting their value, or perhaps they were too grateful to care.
Count this as the crew's good deed for the last…
….
As their good deed, anyways. Scoundrels, all of them.
Summer III, Week I, Day II
The weather so far has been consistently excellent, and the crew are growing lax. They have taken to cards, wrestling, dallying, gossiping, daydreaming, writing poetry and other youthful indolences. Although they remain diligent, to keep it so I have given them extra work, and declared a laundry day.
I only packed three shirts and need to wash two, but that is coincidental.
Summer III, Week I, Day III
I have spilt soup down my last shirt, and the others are not dry. Still, I've gone about in worse than my coat and bindings.
Summer III, Week I, Day IV
Today it rained. Shit.
Summer III, Week I, Day V
They should be dry by the end of today, blessed be. The next person to snicker at my (exaggerated) state of undress will be suffering a broken nose for it!
Predictably, Moryn, Hapti and Lana all have broken noses, and are now duly regretful. Solyn also has a broken nose, and frankly should have and still doesn't know better.
Summer III, Week II, Day II
The swift weather persists. If this continues, we may even be a week early. It's strange, to have such a string of luck in the open sea, but perhaps her Grace wishes my last voyage on the Gale to be a pleasant one.
——————————————-
Geln, apart from the bits where he almost died, has also been having a peaceful month. This means you get actions to do things with. Typically, it's five a month, before deductions, unless you really, truly have nothing to do.
[X] Be sunsick, seasick, homesick and mildly acid sick.
[X] Pull your weight as a temporary crew member.
You have three more actions.
Social
[] Carouse with the crew! Drink, smoke, share stories, get into brawls. Although at first suspicious, Solyn's dramatic accounting of your shared adventure has sufficiently won most of these young explorers over.
[] There are, disregarding the priest, only four fully literate people on this ship, and only two literate in two languages. Run some errands for the captain, and talk with Halna what you've read and where you're going.
[] The first mate, Etarly, is a very reclusive and diligent man normally found at the helm. However, when not working, spoiling Pebbles or quietly reading, his one consistent vice is gambling, and gambling very well. Play a few hands with him.
[] The warmaster, Talyn, is a remarkably dour and serious woman- or perhaps just very Tallow- who ensures the crew are constantly vigilant and sharp. For some reason, she's also the ship's bookie. Suggest you help her with lessons while she's shadowing her fellow command.
[] The champion, Solyn, is much more gregarious and warlike. He mostly works as a regular sailor, when not training others or acting in his role. He's requested that you take the time to spar with him, less he go make trouble elsewhere for the warmaster. You're fairly certain that's a joke.
[] Pebbles is the ship's rat catching dog, an extremely hearty Haven hound nearly the size of you. She's also the undisputed wrestling champion of the Gale. Learn her secrets, and/ or spoil a friendly dog.
-The Templars seem ready to skewer you if you even approach Blessed Kolo.
Research
You're apparently going to a friendly 'Hoklin Lodge', the Hoklin being the name of a peoples well adapted to the cold north, and a lodge being the very broad name for their many varyingly large societies. There are some short texts about the Far Continent the captain doesn't mind loaning.
[] Try to lean more about the Far Continent.
[] Try to learn more about Hoklin people and society.
[] Start learning the tonal language of the Hoklin.
[] Start learning the staccato trade tongue of the Far Continent, originating from river side city states more to the south.
Other
Put your name down for the informal….
[] Archery competition.
[] Wrestling competition.
[] Poetry competition.
(Solyn is not allowed to compete in any of them, for varying reasons.)
[] Just fish. It's a peaceful hobby.
[] Try to learn sailing.
———————————
Plan voting required, please.
If you have any more ideas, just suggest them and I'll consider.
Questions always welcome.
You have two days to vote.
You are a bit more than halfway there.
Thanks for sticking with me. : )
'We still know bloody nothing about what's going on here. The ships might have clues, and at least we'll find something useful.'
Solyn looks about at you, then the corpses, then the ships behind you obscuring the Gale, before, to your mild surprise, nodding along.
'Fair enough. Talyn'll be able to handle this lot, so we should find answers while we can.'
At this, the two of you break into the more intact ship, working together to pry open the brittle and salt dried hull. The ominous rumbling only grows.
What's inside?
d6=5
Shipwrecked explorer's vessel.
Scavenge
DC 2
+3 (Solyn's Boni)
DC 5
9, 6, 5, 1
Some knives, cutlery, tarnished jewellery. Pretty good!
Quick Escape
DC 2
+2 (Adept Guard)
+2 (Powerful)
-1 (Wounded)
DC 5
3, 6, 1, 4
Your search is cut short, but you escape safely.
~15 Silver Rings of salvage.
6/6- The island is alive, and awake!
d6=5
Shipwrecked explorer's vessel.
Scavenge
DC 2
+3 (Solyn's Boni)
DC 5
9, 6, 5, 1
Some knives, cutlery, tarnished jewellery. Pretty good!
Quick Escape
DC 2
+2 (Adept Guard)
+2 (Powerful)
-1 (Wounded)
DC 5
3, 6, 1, 4
Your search is cut short, but you escape safely.
~15 Silver Rings of salvage.
6/6- The island is alive, and awake!
Inside is a massacre, though not a recent one. Dead bodies and long shattered debris litter the abandoned ship, anything organic drained dry. The location of the corpses, and their state of armament, seems to imply that the crew were taken by surprise as something burst through the bottom of the hull. For some reason- waiting out a storm, perhaps- either most of the crew at that time were at the point of impact, of most of the bodies above have left no trace.
If you had to guess, you'd say that this was a Darkwater ship- one of many exploratory vessels, sleek and swift, looking for new lands based off evidence arcane and experimental, and who largely disappeared without a trace. Still, this ship has been down for at least months- possibly decades- and so the past loyalties of these unfortunate souls isn't a great deal of concern to you.
Having two sets of hands here is extremely helpful; while Solyn sweeps the room, you work on barricading the way in, then forcing a way out. Neither if you come across any hints in this place's eldritch nature, however. It seems this crew was merely lethally unlucky. Nor does the shaking cease- it might be growing, although at least that is some help in forcing loose debris.
You reach the last layer of driftwood between you and the other side, when…
Ambushed Islefolk
DC 4
+1 (Hand Picked Crew)
+1 (Warmaster Talyn)
+2 (Prepared Broadside)
-2 (Subterranean Ambush)
DC 6
3, 2, 3, 1
The Laughing Gale evacuates undamaged with all hands, plus extra passengers.
DC 4
+1 (Hand Picked Crew)
+1 (Warmaster Talyn)
+2 (Prepared Broadside)
-2 (Subterranean Ambush)
DC 6
3, 2, 3, 1
The Laughing Gale evacuates undamaged with all hands, plus extra passengers.
You reel backwards, cursing bitterly as blinding light lances your eyeballs and a cacophonous, burning roar assaults your ears. Narrowly keeping upright, you curse foully- and oddly, Solyn joins you.
A moment later, you hear two slicing impacts and the sizzling of elemental viscera, before the champion grabbed your arm and pulled you into open air.
'They're ahead and behind us, brother! Run!'
Run!
DC 4
+2 (Powerful)
+2 (Highest Melee Skill)
+1 (Islefolk)
-1 (Wound)
DC 8
7, 8, 3, 6
DC 4
+2 (Powerful)
+2 (Highest Melee Skill)
+1 (Islefolk)
-1 (Wound)
DC 8
7, 8, 3, 6
You desperately blink the spots from your vision as the two of you break into a dead sprint, axe coming to hand as you hear something move behind you- having seemingly slipped in around your barricade. Ahead, the Laughing Gale is under siege. Erratic waves of elementals seethe towards it, made of the three types you know of and others you haven't seen, but each is scattered by the whistling bolts launched from the ship's ballistae. Occasionally, some burst from the ground beneath, but those are swiftly cut down by a narrow ring of defender. Above on deck, a score of archers and slingers lay withering fire at the command of Warmaster Talyn, the cautious woman vindicated with every new foe. Joining them is Blessed Kolo, no longer in meditation, now a kaleidoscope of sorcery even to your untrained eye as he simultaneously heals, banishes and dispels the foe.
You and Solyn rush to the Gale, slaying half a dozen smaller elementals here and there and to do so. At your arrival, the defending crew breaks into cheers and groans of relief, everyone now retreating onto the ship.
'Get on, you two, and clear the way! Fire is our rearguard today!'
Halna throws down a rope ladder to the pair of you as her second and three other crew behind her levels a steel tube, a fuse burning merrily on the other end. Propelled frantically by both oars and hip tall waves spilling from the island's coast, the Laughing Gale flees shore with a small battalion of elementals swimming behind.
Then, as far as you can tell, the tube screams horrifically, kickback throwing all four to the floor and still almost upending the tripod it sits on. A cloud of fire and shrapnel scythes through the first three ranks, killing or wounding over a dozen in a second. With water churning both foam and acid now, the fight goes out of them, and they withdraw under two more punishing volleys of bolts.
For a moment, it seems you have escaped.
The sailors feel it first, gripping the sides or grasping ropes, and it's only you following their example that prevents you from being hurled into the sea. The Gale heaves terrifically as an enormous wave sweeps over the deck, scattering arrows and quivers and seafood, and just behind the wave is the true form of the alleged island. Shrugging off the shipwrecks like a heavy coat, a titanic turtle-lizard slowly breaches its head above the surface. An eye taller than you refocuses from decades of hibernation as it gives the comparatively dwarfed warship a lasting, inscrutable look.
When at last, it sinks fully underwater, the relief is almost a palpable weight off your shoulders.
—————————————————-
Captain Halna's Journal
Summer II, Week III, Day VI
The rest of the page is a sketch of some kind of sea turtle, swimming next to a small replica ship.
Summer II, Week IV, Day III
Due to recent events, I have taken a break from writing to perform more relaxing activities, but today's events have driven me to the inkpot. Again.
As we were sailing, we came across another ship. It is from the South, heading the same way we are to make their mercantile fortune, but they had been horribly mauled by the passage of a catastrophically large titan, which even inadvertently almost sunk them. When we gave them the materials, labour and expertise needed to fix their craft, they were extremely grateful.
DC 5
+2 (Charismatic)
DC 7
7, 1 (!), 1 (!), 2
38 Silver Rings Salvage + Broken Enchanted Stave -> 60 Silver Rings.
Gain Proficiency in Merchant.
+2 (Charismatic)
DC 7
7, 1 (!), 1 (!), 2
38 Silver Rings Salvage + Broken Enchanted Stave -> 60 Silver Rings.
Gain Proficiency in Merchant.
I noticed many took the opportunity to fence most of their salvage for a substantial weight in silver. I question if our counterparts knew they were hardly getting their value, or perhaps they were too grateful to care.
Count this as the crew's good deed for the last…
….
As their good deed, anyways. Scoundrels, all of them.
Summer III, Week I, Day II
The weather so far has been consistently excellent, and the crew are growing lax. They have taken to cards, wrestling, dallying, gossiping, daydreaming, writing poetry and other youthful indolences. Although they remain diligent, to keep it so I have given them extra work, and declared a laundry day.
I only packed three shirts and need to wash two, but that is coincidental.
Summer III, Week I, Day III
I have spilt soup down my last shirt, and the others are not dry. Still, I've gone about in worse than my coat and bindings.
Summer III, Week I, Day IV
Today it rained. Shit.
Summer III, Week I, Day V
They should be dry by the end of today, blessed be. The next person to snicker at my (exaggerated) state of undress will be suffering a broken nose for it!
Predictably, Moryn, Hapti and Lana all have broken noses, and are now duly regretful. Solyn also has a broken nose, and frankly should have and still doesn't know better.
Summer III, Week II, Day II
The swift weather persists. If this continues, we may even be a week early. It's strange, to have such a string of luck in the open sea, but perhaps her Grace wishes my last voyage on the Gale to be a pleasant one.
——————————————-
Geln, apart from the bits where he almost died, has also been having a peaceful month. This means you get actions to do things with. Typically, it's five a month, before deductions, unless you really, truly have nothing to do.
[X] Be sunsick, seasick, homesick and mildly acid sick.
[X] Pull your weight as a temporary crew member.
You have three more actions.
Social
[] Carouse with the crew! Drink, smoke, share stories, get into brawls. Although at first suspicious, Solyn's dramatic accounting of your shared adventure has sufficiently won most of these young explorers over.
[] There are, disregarding the priest, only four fully literate people on this ship, and only two literate in two languages. Run some errands for the captain, and talk with Halna what you've read and where you're going.
[] The first mate, Etarly, is a very reclusive and diligent man normally found at the helm. However, when not working, spoiling Pebbles or quietly reading, his one consistent vice is gambling, and gambling very well. Play a few hands with him.
[] The warmaster, Talyn, is a remarkably dour and serious woman- or perhaps just very Tallow- who ensures the crew are constantly vigilant and sharp. For some reason, she's also the ship's bookie. Suggest you help her with lessons while she's shadowing her fellow command.
[] The champion, Solyn, is much more gregarious and warlike. He mostly works as a regular sailor, when not training others or acting in his role. He's requested that you take the time to spar with him, less he go make trouble elsewhere for the warmaster. You're fairly certain that's a joke.
[] Pebbles is the ship's rat catching dog, an extremely hearty Haven hound nearly the size of you. She's also the undisputed wrestling champion of the Gale. Learn her secrets, and/ or spoil a friendly dog.
Research
You're apparently going to a friendly 'Hoklin Lodge', the Hoklin being the name of a peoples well adapted to the cold north, and a lodge being the very broad name for their many varyingly large societies. There are some short texts about the Far Continent the captain doesn't mind loaning.
[] Try to lean more about the Far Continent.
[] Try to learn more about Hoklin people and society.
[] Start learning the tonal language of the Hoklin.
[] Start learning the staccato trade tongue of the Far Continent, originating from river side city states more to the south.
Other
Put your name down for the informal….
[] Archery competition.
[] Wrestling competition.
[] Poetry competition.
(Solyn is not allowed to compete in any of them, for varying reasons.)
[] Just fish. It's a peaceful hobby.
[] Try to learn sailing.
———————————
Plan voting required, please.
If you have any more ideas, just suggest them and I'll consider.
Questions always welcome.
You have two days to vote.
You are a bit more than halfway there.
Thanks for sticking with me. : )
Last edited:
- Location
- Over the next hill.
[X] Hoklin and Read Good!
- [X] Start learning the tonal language of the Hoklin.
- [X] Try to learn more about Hoklin people and society.
- [X] There are, disregarding the priest, only four fully literate people on this ship, and only two literate in two languages. Run some errands for the captain, and talk with Halna what you've read and where you're going.
No idea how long we're going to spend at that lodge but we might as well try to adapt as much as possible.Solyn seems pretty capable, it would be nice to get him as a partner in case we need any back up on our jobs Okay no chance of getting a battle buddy per QM. Let's just go use our ability to read to learn something and help out on the ship more.
- [X] Start learning the tonal language of the Hoklin.
- [X] Try to learn more about Hoklin people and society.
- [X] There are, disregarding the priest, only four fully literate people on this ship, and only two literate in two languages. Run some errands for the captain, and talk with Halna what you've read and where you're going.
No idea how long we're going to spend at that lodge but we might as well try to adapt as much as possible.
Last edited: