Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Human
Tapping into elemental forces
233 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Zak on Sept 2, 2022 21:05:51 GMT -5
Zak took a final glance at the behemoth marble tower at the center of the Arcane Academy, recognizing the uniqueness of the power it emanated. He felt a strange reluctance to leave, wishing he could stay and explore what heights could be reached tapping into the elemental forces pulsing within its walls.
Shaking off such thoughts, he turned to his companions, and a smile spread across his face. No matter the danger ahead of them, Zak knew that this was what he was meant to do; to join Tatalia and Cantio on their quest. Having never been actually interested in the artifact for its own sake, Zak had come along on this quest for the company of well liked companions, and to prevent evil-doers from acquiring the legendary relic. Tatalia’s disclosure of the full scope of what they had uncovered gave Zak his first spark of excitement about the Sol Stone itself, adding a whole other level of commitment to their endeavor.
Zak sighed as he looked around the bustling docks. Too crowded, he thought, disappointed. He missed his gray, but the timing was wrong. Hopefully, they would reach dry land again soon, and find a place for the wolf to run free. For the time being, Gray would have to stay away. “Alas, we should probably wait to introduce you both to Gray. When we reach Eclipse City, I would think. He’s not so good either in crowds like this or on ships.”
The trio strode along the dock toward where Captain Yalgor’s boat had tied up earlier that day. When the boat came into sight, Zak breathed in a sigh of relief. He was reasonably certain that Cantio and Tatalia could convince the sailor to take them back to Moonglade.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Female
Marsh Flats
392 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Tatalia on Sept 3, 2022 3:26:40 GMT -5
Tatalia was prepared for the boat this time around.
The goblin strode behind her two taller companions with a cup of tea in her hand and a whole packet of the stuff dangling from her belt. She also packed some simple crackers - something she'd been advised could help with the motion sickness - and had a pouch of herbal remedies for stomach aches. The goblin also carried a book on the subject, a whole tome she'd bought explicitly because it contained information on life at sea (and, most pertinently, techniques to combat seasickness), and overall the goblin was prepared to feel marginally less miserable than before. Adventure awaited, and she was bound and determined to suffer somewhat less than last time!
So, when Zak spoke up about meeting Gray later, Tatalia was in a surprisingly good mood despite being consigned to a possibly terrible fate aboard the vessel. She gave the man a big, bright-toothed grin and a thumbs up.
"We'll be across the sea in no time at all!" Tatalia promised her friend. "Why, I'll wager that before the week's out we'll be in the woods with your friendly wolf! Don't worry, Zak. It's all uphill from here!"
Of course, Tatalia might not have said as much if she knew anything about sailing superstitions. For those sailors well-versed its fickle nature, declaring that the journey would be peaceful without reading the skies to be sure of it was known to be a sure way to draw Salina's attention. The goddess of the ocean was a trickster, after all, and she loved subverting expectations. But Tatalia didn't know that, so the events that were to come were quite possibly her fault.
Captain Yalgor was visible on the ship ahead, ordering his crew around as they prepared to set sail. The green sailed vessel had gotten a new paint job and some hasty but well-conducted repairs courtesy of the magicians of Maazeric Island. Tatalia excitedly raised her hand in a hearty wave to the captain... and was met with a glower that could have melted the paint right back off his ship.
"Oh, ah..." Tatalia slowly lowered her hand, glancing over at Cantio. She stepped forward... and then bravely pushed the bard in front of her.
"You can handle this one, right, Cantio?" Tatalia asked the tiefling in the sweetest voice she could muster.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
2
Renown
Male
Dragon's Cradle
♪ Hide your face so the world can never find you. ♪
418 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cantio von Lumen on Sept 4, 2022 12:29:13 GMT -5
He's, for the most part, not terribly sorry to leave Maazeric Island behind. Yes, the Arcane Academy is incredible; yes the atmosphere is magical; yes, he has had some memorable moments on the island; yes, he got some nifty new things and learned some tricks; and yes, he has enjoyed his time here. Mostly.There is still the case of a small misunderstanding, in which he temporarily became a wanted criminal by complete error; and has since felt like every guard on this island has been eyeing him up skeptically. He didn't even do anything! Which is not entirely truthful, but he didn't do what they said he'd done. Impersonation is an entirely different crime, surely; and one that should not be tried, because it wasn't entirely his fault. Still, he feels embarrassed over the whole incident, and will be glad to have watchful eyes off of him whenever he goes anywhere on the island. Cantio unfurls his fan, waving it idly as he looks at Zak; he talks about Gray and smiles agreeably. " That'll be fine! We'd hate to put your good friend in an uncomfortable situation." he chuckles; and Tatalia chimes in, alarmingly cheerful for a goblin with a horrible case of seasickness about to board a boat— but she's also armed to the teeth with tea, crackers, and herbs like she's heading to a tea-party. He chuckles at the thought of Tatalia heading to a tea party in general; but his good mood doesn't last long, because suddenly Tatalia is pushing him forwards on the dock. " Hm?? What??" He looks back at her, then looks— Ah. Captain Yalgor delivers a spine-chilling glare in their direction as they approach, sending a jolt of electricity down his spine. " Aha..." he laughs nervously, hiding his face with the fan while he looks back at Tatalia. " Of course I can. Sure. No problem." He sounds confident for a man with boots made of lead, because he has stopped walking altogether under Captain Yalgor's leer. He clears his throat, snaps his fan shut, and gets himself prepared for the potential berating of a lifetime. " Captain Yalgor!!" he calls, cheerfully— his voice pitched as friendly and innocent as he can make it. He can't see Captain Yalgor roll his eyes, but he can pretty much feel it from across the docks as he strides over to join the dwarf captain. " Are there any pre-boarding preparations that we might be able to help with?" Captain Yalgor furrows his brows as the bard trots up to join him, and heaves a large sigh, one which speaks more than any words ever could. “Why?" he asks, eyeing him up and down. "So you and your friend can hop back on my boat & take the rest of her out? It's a miracle we got as much help as we did from the kind folks on the mainland to get her back into sailing conditions." Cantio opens his mouth to speak, but Captain Yalgor holds up a thick hand to stop him. "Listen," he continues. "I've been giving it some thought, and I don't think we can take you back with us. You'll have to find another vessel." Captain Yalgor turns, as if trying to leave the conversation; but Cantio side-steps around him, unfurling his fan and offering the Captain an apologetic smile as he stands in his way. "Captain Yalgor," The Captain crosses his burly arms, but does him a mercy of not just picking him up and throwing him off the docks. "I very much understand your concerns in regards to your boat; I was not nearly as transparent as I should have been with you or your crew before we set off from the docks— and for that, I sincerely apologize— again..." The bard offers him a bow of apology. "Tatalia and I are both very regretful, and—" he holds up a finger as he raises his head, "—we are very dedicated to paying back our debt for all the trouble we've put you through. In fact, we've already given you some of it," "Some." Captain Yalgor grunts, looking wary as Cantio stands to his full height. "Indeed! Practically a down payment on our debt, so... would you please reconsider? After all, how are Tatalia and I to finish paying off our debt to you and to your crew, if we are stuck here on Maazeric Island? You are a busy man of the sea, after all! We still need to discuss our method of payment, and the terms and all, and where we may be able to find you, and... well, that can all be handled in the cabins, couldn't it? No need to delay a busy man on his busier schedule if it can be helped."
Captain Yalgor seems to be looking thoughtful. Begrudgingly thoughtful; but, thoughtful nonetheless.
"And," he adds; Captain Yalgor looks up. "Zac and I are happy to help once again, with anything that we can; we know we did you wrong, but all three of us can be a valuable asset in protection and crew, if you'd allow us to be. We're perfectly willing to do what we need."
Captain Yalgor stares at him for a moment too long— Cantio is practically sweating under his gaze alone— but eventually, the Dwarf Captain relents with a long exhale through his nose. He turns to Zac and Tatalia, "You," he says, pointing at Tatalia. "I want you and him," he throws a thumb back towards Cantio, "in my cabins with me for supper, to discuss the formal details of the rest of your debt." He looks begrudging; he points at Zac next. "You... just keep your nose out of trouble; goes for the lot of you."
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Human
Tapping into elemental forces
233 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Zak on Sept 5, 2022 13:47:42 GMT -5
Yalgor’s crew were busy readying the boat for departure as the trio boarded the ship. A halfling hung from the mast attaching the sail while below crew members moved about rapidly performing their assigned tasks.
Looking at his companions, Zak said with a resigned sigh, “Well, my friends. Here we go again. On the sea. Not exactly our favorite place, is it? …Oh well. …Anyway, …I’m going to go help with the sails.” With a friendly wave, Zak left his companions and moved directly to assist in hoisting the sails, knowing his height was beneficial. While pulling the ropes, Zak looked out to sea, and noticed a slowly darkening sky on the horizon. He wondered if their departure would be delayed until any threat of a storm passed.
“Hey Cap,” a young dwarf on the docks yelled up to Captain Yalgor. “Serge and ‘is crew ain’t got back from their morning catch. Think sumthin’ happened to ‘em. Could ya look out for ‘em on your way?”
“Will do, Junior,” Yalgor shouted back from the helm. “Serge’s a good sailor. Probably holed up somewhere.” Captain Yalgor turned to his crew including the three adventurers. “Be on alert for our missing fishermen. ...Looks like a storm is brewing, but we should be able to skirt around. Tighten the hatches. Prepare for high winds.”
Zak joined in with the sailors, helping prepare the small boat for windy seas, learning as he went. Besides learning how to set the sails depending on the wind, one of the dwarves showed Zak the handholds along the starboard and port sides of the boat to be used to keep from falling overboard during a storm. He sure hadn’t expected to become an apprentice sailor on this trip, but he supposed it would be beneficial in the future to have survival skills on both land and sea.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Female
Marsh Flats
392 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Tatalia on Sept 7, 2022 5:44:17 GMT -5
The journey began... somewhat better than last time. Tatalia's book, unfortunately, did nothing to help her; trying to read from it while on the rocking ship was a recipe for disaster, as she quickly learned while stooped over a bucket. The tea, however, did wonders to minimize the amount of time she spent lying in her hammock or doubled over the side of the vessel. Rather than being in a state of constant extreme suffering, she was just in a state of muted, moderate suffering. So, that was a rather stark improvement, even if it wasn't ideal.
There was, of course, a long and lengthy discussion between Captain Yalgor and his two debt-owing passengers. Tatalia took command of the conversation; Cantio had done the hard part, but she was more than confident in her ability to work out an appropriate payment plan. Her negotiation skills were strained to their limit, however. The good captain was no pushover in the mercantile arena.
Eventually, an accord was struck, and all parties shook hands on the matter. Tatalia was only slightly miffed with the terms.
Unfortunately, while the matter of debt had been settled, the weather was proving to be quite troublesome. The waters of the Luna Sea were frothy that first day, churning roughly as the crew sailed, and the ocean didn't get any more gentle by the second day. But by all accounts the weather wasn't unbearable. Sure, the winds were picking up, and the little ship bobbed up and down more frequently and more sharply than it had on the last trip the heroes took aboard the vessel, but it was far untenable. So long as things didn't get any worse, the sailing would be smooth enough!
Things got worse, of course. Tatalia really screwed the pooch when she underestimated the fickle, tricky nature of the mighty sea.
"How does this storm continue to get WORSE?!" Tatalia demanded as the winds howled all around her.
The little goblin was clutching onto the rigging for dear life, sorely regretting her decision to step outside in the first place. Logically, she knew the winds weren't going to throw her overboard necessarily, but her whole body clung to the ropes on pure instinct. The gale was ear-splitting, and the ocean was violently tossing the ship up and down.
By all rights, the goblin should have been curled up in some blankets on her hammock. She should have been safe and sound and warm. Instead, she was struggling to keep her balance while helping the halfling and dwarven sailors aboard Yalgor's ship.
The goddess Salina must have been having a giggle-fit, Tatalia thought to herself irritably as water sprayed into her face. She was thankful she had goggles on, but she wound up spitting the stuff out of her mouth anyway. If she's real, someone needs to have a talking to with her about her awful sense of humor.
Sacrilegious thoughts still drifting in her head, the goblin adventurer was about to just give up on trying to make herself useful when a large wave crashed upon the vessel's side. Tatalia heard a scream off to the side of the ship.
"MAN OVERBOARD!" a dwarf shouted, and Tatalia caught a glimpse of a little figure falling into the ocean, and her eyes went wide.
Tatalia was always quick on her feet and quicker to think. She hastily came up with a plan, taking the coil of rope1 she kept at her side and attaching it to the mast. Then she removed a little vial of pink goop from her belt2 and quickly fashioned the weird stuff into something resembling a gourd, a flotation device she'd read about in a book once. The magical goop shimmered, taking on the consistency of cork. Without sparing a second more, Tatalia tied the end of the rope to the flotation device, then rushed to the edge of the ship and leapt over the side, down toward the sailor flailing in the water.
The goblin fell face first into the water. The transition from air to ocean was a jarring sensation; the storm sounded very different with her ears filled with water. Her goggles helped her see a little beneath the waves, though; she spotted the lost sailor in no time at all. Without hesitation, the goblin swam over to him and thrust the flotation device into his hands. The fellow was able to drift back to the surface, though he clearly didn't like how the actually-made-of-goop gourd felt in his hands.
Up above, a couple of dwarves started pulling the halfling up as soon as they saw his head crest the waves, his hands clearly attached to the rope. The goblin, meanwhile, swam back over to the edge of the ship... and began climbing up the side.3
Tatalia was very, very glad she had weird spider powers to help her get back onto the ship. She almost wasn't creeped out by them for once.
Abilities Used: 1. Rope; 2. Shaping Putty; 3. Surface Scaling.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
2
Renown
Male
Dragon's Cradle
♪ Hide your face so the world can never find you. ♪
418 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cantio von Lumen on Sept 7, 2022 20:52:51 GMT -5
Tatalia seems to take the rocking of the boat more eloquently this time around; as in, she's not heaving over the side of the ship or into a bucket every hour of the day. While this is great news, and Cantio is relieved for his seasick companion; it also leaves plenty of time for a lengthy conversation, without excuse, in regards to their debt. Captain Yalgor ensures this takes place by the time the clouds start to roll in, and supper comes around. Tatalia and Cantio descended into the Captain's Cabin that evening to discuss; and Cantio let Tatalia take the reigns. This was more up to her speed, anyways; but Captain Yalgor proved to be quite the same. Cantio sat nearby, nervously, while the two bantered back and forth about an appropriate payment plan; trying to ease the tension when it became too taught, or being a silent support to the goblin in her efforts to not set them up for failure with the captain. After a long, tedious banter, they struck an accord. Not the most ideal of accords, but Cantio felt it was manageable enough with all things considered; and the two would reunite with Zak somewhere on the deck, before going about their respective business. Cantio spent a good portion of his time down in the kitchen with Ms. Berylla on that first evening. Much to his relief, the old halfling woman wasn't actually that miffed about the whole, 'being a target of the cult' thing. In fact, his apology to her sent her into some kind of rambling story about her experiences with a cult of Salina in her youth, which he listened to with rapt attention while helping her prepare for breakfast the next morning. For the most part, the first day of sailing went smoothly. Tatalia and he had settled the terms with Captain Yalgor, the Captain didn't seem to want to throw them overboard, and things were... well, pretty good.
Until they weren't. Cantio is thrown into the wall by the rowdy waves, hitting his shoulder with a heavy crack as he tries to work his way up to the deck from helping Ms. Berylla and some of the crew stow and lock down loose cargo and objects below the deck. To keep them from rolling around with the waves, they'd said. "Gh, this is absurd!" he barks to no one in particular; he holds his shoulder as he swings open the hall door, which is nearly torn off its hinges by the sharp wind. He struggles to close it behind him, hair buffeted by stinging rain and wind. He narrows his eyes against it, turning with his back to the door as he looks out across the deck. "Is everything okay up here!?" he calls out to the first mate. He watches as the halfling opens his mouth, but he doesn't have the time to answer. "MAN OVERBOARD!" The first mate snaps to attention, disregarding his question because at this point, he can see for himself. Cantio follows him, holding onto the wall for balance, where he can just barely make out the silhouettes of the much taller Zak, and what looks like the goblin... jumping into the water. "Tatalia!?" he calls out over the sound of the storm. He pushes himself off the wall, managing to tumble his way to where he saw the goblin jump overboard; and peeks over the edge of the ship while clutching the railing for support. He's greeted with the violent churning and frothing of the waves, and the bobbing of a halfling man as he pops back above the water; the halflings and dwarves hastily start pulling him in, and— ah, he'll never get used to that. He extends a hand over the side of the boat to Tatalia to help her fully over the railing as she waltzes herself, drenching wet, up the side of the boat with a weird amount of ease. "That's still really weird!" he calls over the wind jokingly. "Glad you're fine!"
Once he's satisfied with Tatalia being significantly less underwater; Cantio turns to look for Zak. The dwarves and halflings are dragging the soaked halfling Tatalia rescued back onto the boat, who releases the weird gourd she gave him almost immediately— with his back up against the side of the ship, keeping him steady, he calls over the wind. "Thank ya, lass!" he wipes his hands on his soaked clothes, making a weird face at the gourd, before looking back to her. "Keepin' Salina from takin' me, yet, ya are!"
Once Cantio catches wind of the other man, in the meantime, he manages to stumble over to Zak's location; barely avoiding falling on his face when the boat hits another rough wave. "Gyah!" he holds onto the nearest study thing to keep his balance. "Hey, Zak, do you know how long this storm's supposed to last!? We just finished stowing everything down below deck, but—" Another wave rocks the bard, "—but if the waves weren't bad before, they're getting worse!"
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Human
Tapping into elemental forces
233 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Zak on Sept 10, 2022 12:53:21 GMT -5
"MAN OVERBOARD!"Zak’s attention was diverted by the yell for only a moment since he was quite busy keeping the sails tethered and intact. Helping rescue the poor crew member who fell overboard would have to come from a different source. Waves crashed against the hull, overflowing onto the deck. Crew frantically used hand bailers to scoop water from the deck, but no sooner had they cleared a section, more water came splashing over the boat rails. Often Zak would send out streams of elemental winds to mitigate the strength of nature’s battering (1). Zak took a moment to smile when he noticed Tatalia climbing up the side of the boat with the ease of a spider, having saved the dwarf who fell overboard. Reassured the goblin had survived the dive into the sea, Cantio stumbled over and asked Zak how long the storm was going to last. Zak chuckled. “ How would I know, my friend? I’m no sailor. It could last for just minutes or days for all I know.” Zak’s gaze had moved up the mast as he said those pessimistic words. Damn, he cursed under his breath. One of the sails above had come loose, and Zak took quick action. " Excuse me," he said to Cantio as he blinked (2), and teleported to the crow’s nest. The sail fluttered in the wind, and Zak reached out to grab it before it ripped away from the mast. His fingers grazed the edge but he couldn’t get a good grasp. Reaching out with his mana, he tried to move it closer. It fluttered and moved within reach. Zak grabbed it, relieved. As Zak reattached the edge of the sail to the mast, his attention was caught by the sight of another boat in the distance listing portside. Were these the fishermen who had not returned to port? “I see another boat in peril, straight ahead. Probably the fishermen,” Zak shouted as he climbed down the mast, returning to the deck.
(1) Chromatic Blast - Wind
(2) Blink
|
|
CCS Courier
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Female
Marsh Flats
392 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Tatalia on Sept 11, 2022 10:49:58 GMT -5
The fishermen! Tatalia remembered mention of a missing crew of fishermen back at the docks! She looked up at Zak far above, then out across the water. He was right! Out in the distance, far from Captain Yalgor's small vessel, Tatalia could see the shapes of flailing men fighting the waves aboard a sinking vessel.
"Captain Yalgor!" Tatalia shouted over the storm. The weather continued to increase in intensity. "Those fishermen! We have to help them!"
"We need to leave this storm before it tears our vessel asunder, too!" shouted the old dwarven captain back. "Are you trying to destroy my ship again?!"
"Captain, please!" Tatalia waved her hand frantically back toward the men out in the stormy waters. "They need us!"
Perhaps it wasn't what he wanted to do, but Captain Yalgor was not without a heart. Taking a deep breath, the dwarf bellowed out orders to his crew, telling them to steer the ship straight toward those poor, stranded folk... right through the storm.
Ill fortune struck not but a minute afterwards. As the little green-sailed ship cut through the ever-growing waves, lightning flashed in the air, and with a deafening CRACK! it struck near the stern of the vessel.
Tatalia was grateful she was wearing her goggles;1 she wasn't blinded by the lightning even though she looked directly at it. The good news was that nobody was standing near the point of impact, so nobody died. The bad news was that not only was there now a hole in the hull of the ship, but the deck was on fire! Panic was spreading aboard the ship, and some of the crewmen were unable to work due to being blinded from the lightning flash.
The goblin didn't waste any time. She grabbed her weird little flotation device from before and squished it in her hands, making it a formless mass once again as she went towards the flame.
"Someone put out the fire!" Tatalia shouted to the others. "I'll patch the hole!"
With that, Tatalia leapt over the fire, feeling the heat burn her legs and her feet, and fell down into the hole that led to the bottom of the ship.
It wasn't a comfortable fall. Tatalia landed on a cracked board that cracked even more when she connected with it, and she was very sure she was bleeding a little, but that wasn't important! Water was rushing it from the bottom of the ship; the hull breach was pretty thorough! Taking a deep breath, Tatalia shoved her head underneath the water and stretched out the shaping putty in her hands.2
The putty was a strange and magical substance. Tatalia was able to stretch it out long and thin like a big sheet of sheep's skin, then smooth it out so it became watertight, blocking the passage of water into the ship. It wasn't a perfect fix, but it would hold until the ship could get proper repairs (again!) at the next port. If the hole had been any bigger, there wouldn't have been enough putty to fix it, so Tatalia counted her blessings.
The goblin made her way back up to the deck the long way, wincing as she went through the corridors and up the stairs of the little vessel. Her whole lower body was in pain from both the fall and the burns she'd sustained, but Tatalia knew that Cantio would be able to patch her up. She just needed to get back to him!
Abilities used: 1. Sun Sparked Goggles; 2. Shaping Putty.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
2
Renown
Male
Dragon's Cradle
♪ Hide your face so the world can never find you. ♪
418 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cantio von Lumen on Sept 13, 2022 19:46:35 GMT -5
"Well, you've been on deck longer than I have," Cantio answers over the howl of wind and rain; he perks up as Zak jokes pessimistically, mildly horrified by the implication. "Days!? I sure hope it doesn't last days..." he sighs, wincing as the waves rock the boat. He looks up as Zak excuses himself, and— "Ah... there he goes." Cantio bemuses, the wind whipping his hair back as he turns to look up towards the mast where Zak seems to be wrestling with a loose sail.
He looks on worriedly when he hears a snap nearby and a very generous string of curses which follows. He turns to see a couple of boxes sliding towards the railing, having broken free from their binds. Cantio stumbles, reaching out with a hand; a vine of light snaps forth from his fingertips, catching on the outermost box, and twining the two together. The vine swings about, coiling around the base of the mast and halting the boxes in their swing.(1) A flustered and drenched dwarven man comes after to retrieve them, apologizing briefly to him about the ropes, which hadn't been tied quite properly for the waves.
Another wave rumbles the boat as Zak calls from way up above about a group of fishermen— which, wasn't there a group of fishermen gone missing, according to someone from the Arcane Academy?
Cantio blinks, looking out across the water to where... oh. Lightning shutters and illuminates the sky, stamping the silhouette of a sinking ship into the back of Cantio's eyelids. A hand rises to his mouth, "They look like they're about to go under!" he grimaces, looking towards the silhouette of Tatalia as she calls out to Captain Yalgor about them.
He prepares himself to jump in, watching fretfully as the conversation between the two carries over the rain and wind— but it's not needed: he's relieved when Captain Yalgor complies, re-ordering the crew to change direction towards the ship. Not a second later, a blinding light fills his peripherals. The boat rumbles and shudders beneath his feet.
Unbidden, Cantio had closed his eyes when the light became overwhelming; but as he blinks them open, he realizes that they were struck by lightning. Surprise and dread flutters in his chest as he finds himself looking at spreading flames. A number of crewman are standing stunned, and Cantio abandons the boxes with the Dwarf in order to help.
A halfling tosses him a bucket on a rope, and instructs him quickly to toss it overboard in order to fill it with water.
Tatalia suddenly runs by, leaping over the fire— and down into the hole created by the strike. Cantio, mid-toss, looks after her in surprise as the waves catch his bucket; he winces, unable to truly check on her— but Tatalia is crafty, and has weird spider-powers, so he has no doubt she'll be fine. Hopefully. He continues in assisting with the fire; he pulls up the bucket, sloshing sea water onto himself as he throws out the water. The fire hisses and scowls as water is thrown on it from those of the remains of the crew who hadn't been blinded by the flash; a few of the men who had are still scrambling around rubbing their eyes, trying to gather themselves to assist.
The fire is being controlled through the efforts of all on the deck; but the wind still whips and howls, carrying embers and ash high into the sky. Unbeknownst to most of the crew below; an unlucky survivor snags on the mast up above. It starts first as a whisper of smoke on the ropes holding the sail down before a tiny portion of it starts to smoke, threatening to spread the fire.
Cantio is tossing yet another bucket on the fire— watching as the light created slowly begins to dim— when Captain Yalgor howls out, "Check the mast!"
(1) Binding Light — You fire out a beam of pure light, illuminating the immediate area. This beam of light is thin and travels in a straight line up to a medium distance away. If this beam of light strikes someone it will wrap around them like a vine, restricting their movement. This light will bind them for their next post, preventing them from moving away. They can still manipulate their hands to a degree.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Human
Tapping into elemental forces
233 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Zak on Sept 15, 2022 11:30:14 GMT -5
Back on deck, Zak felt relief hearing Captain Yalgor yell to the crew to change their heading and make way for the stranded fishermen. His relief was short-lived though as a blinding flash of lightning struck the boat. Zak could feel the electrical elemental force crawl along his extremities, making the hair on his forearms stand on end. Damn, he swore silently as he watched a hole in the small boat’s hull gape open in front of his eyes, and sparks flare causing fire to begin to spread across the deck. We could be done for, he thought pessimistically. No sooner had the defeatist thought entered his mind, hope returned as Zak watched Tatalia take the lead shouting orders, and literally jumping in quickly to repair the hull. Organized chaos reigned on deck as panicked crew members scurried to put out the fire. Zak rushed over to help, pulling buckets of water up over the rails and handing them to the halflings to douse onto the flames. Check the mast!At the Captain’s words, Zak looked up and to his dismay saw that an ember had reached the ropes connecting the sail to the mast and had begun to smolder. Zak’s hand shot out and a stream of water arced up toward the smoking mast (1). The sparks sizzled and hissed as the water washed over the ropes and extinguished the remnants of the burning ash. Zak shot a second water bolt at the ropes, the sails, and the mast itself to make certain that the fire was out and would not reignite. Reassured that the mast was safe for the time being, Zak turned his attention to helping the crew keep the boat from listing to starboard. Zak’s ability to move things with a flick of his wrist(2) came in handy as they moved the heaviest equipment over to the port side for balance.
(1) Chromatic Blast - Water (2) Telekinesis
|
|
CCS Courier
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Female
Marsh Flats
392 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Tatalia on Oct 3, 2022 21:26:52 GMT -5
Tatalia was out of breath by the time she emerged from the hull. She'd been doing a lot of hard work. But there wasn't really time to rest, was there?
Zak was extinguishing flames with his watery magic while simultaneously moving heavy cargo about with his magic. Cantio, meanwhile, was wielding a bucket with no real finesse but with a lot of desperate speed. But things started to look a little more controlled aboard the vessel. They'd reach the other ship in no time!
But then Tatalia realized something. She looked out toward the shape of the vessel, thinking it looked a lot closer than it should have. They hadn't spent that long sailing toward it. Focusing her darkvision,1 Tatalia squinted and realized...
"Captain? Captain!" Tatalia shouted over the storm. "We're heading for a rock! We're heading for a REALLY big rock!"
The fishermen's ship itself was further away; the little green-sailed vessel the heroes rode on had shifted direction and was sailing straight for a jagged stone protruding from the ocean floor! Tatalia was glad she'd spotted it, difficult it was in the darkness, the little light above the sailors smothered out by thick black clouds that rolled across the horizon. If not for her keen eyes,2 it was wholly possible the group might have rammed right into the rock!
Actually, that was still a possibility. Captain Yalgor immediately began barking orders and swinging his wheel around, but Tatalia wasn't sure the vessel could turn fast enough to avoid crashing into the rocks! Unless...
A rough, sloppy plan was formed in the goblin's mind. She darted across the deck; bounded, skidded, staggered, and smacked right into the two tallest people on the vessel. The wind roared overhead. Tatalia had to roar even louder.
"Cantio!" Tatalia shouted. "We could use one of those uplifting songs right now! Zak, can you use your magic to push us away from THAT?!" Tatalia pointed wildly over toward the rock the ship was heading toward as she yelled up at Zak's face, and the storm helpfully dropped another lightning bolt into the ocean, illuminating the terrifying, craggy rock that would sink the little vessel easily if something wasn't done soon.
"You've got this!" Tatalia yelled encouragingly at her companions. Without waiting to see if they agreed with her plan, she darted away to grab a rope and follow Yalgor's commands for the time being.
Abilities Used: 1. Dark Vision; 2. Increased Senses.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
2
Renown
Male
Dragon's Cradle
♪ Hide your face so the world can never find you. ♪
418 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 4, 2022 14:24:54 GMT -5
It can never be simple, can it? It's always fire; or cultists; or pirates; or the obtainment of crippling debt. Is it too much to ask the gods for an actual simple, uneventful trip on this boat? A stream of water shoots over Cantio's head from somewhere closer to the helm; he ducks, and the Tiefling nearly goes overboard when the boat tips to the side. He huffs as he hits the railing stomach-first, one foot leaving the deck of the boat. The bucket goes flying out of his hands into the ocean when he uses them instead to narrowly hold onto the rail to avoid tipping over.
"A-ah..."
Can he ever do anything right!?
Heart in his throat, he pushes himself away from the railing with a slight stagger just as Tatalia's voice calls over the chaos, "We're heading for a rock! We're heading for a REALLY big rock!" Cantio awkwardly balances himself on the rocking ship, trying to make himself smaller as halflings and dwarves rush past him at the beck and call of Captain Yalgor. He looks out towards the darkness; his eyes widen slightly as lightning lights up the rock they're heading straight towards.
"Cantio!"
"Huh??"
He looks sharply towards Tatalia, tail curled nervously as she adds: "We could use one of those uplifting songs right now!"
"A song!? Right now!?" he calls back, looking nervously to Zak as she asks the man to use his magic to push them away from the rock. "... Right! Sure! Uplifting— got it!" He shakes his head, hoping she has something in mind— but objects no further as he rushes away from the railing; he stumbles a bit. Pulling out his violin, he uses the mast as a means to steady himself once he reaches it. Twisting his tail around the pole as a support, he sets his chin atop the rest of his violin, and pulls his bow from its sheath.
He takes a breath, and runs his bow along the strings without much thought on the song; it's a jaunty jig, one recognizable from their fight with the pirates.(1) Glimmers of light emerge from beneath the feet of the captain, crew, and party; lighting up the ship like a beacon in the night, and enhancing the speed of all those on board.
(1) Note of Momentum — For the next three post all allies who can hear your music will have their speed increased, able to move twice as fast as they normally could. In addition an enemy that hears this note will have their speed reduced, moving half as quickly as they normally could.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
32
Renown
Human
Tapping into elemental forces
233 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Zak on Oct 8, 2022 17:00:54 GMT -5
Fire, water, lightning… What else could happen? Zak thought with a sigh. Having a momentary respite from disaster, Zak dug deep, tapping into the elemental forces within and replenishing his mana. His body hummed as the energy flowed through him. Somewhat refreshed and prepared for whatever came next, Zak looked around. It appeared that the small vessel had withstood the onslaughts that had plagued them during their voyage, and was now able to continue their course to meet up with the fishermen.
Big rock, Zak heard Tatalia call out. Zak tried to get a glimpse of the rock Tatalia saw, but all he could see were vague shadows through the darkness. Captain Yalgor frantically turned the wheel attempting to change the boat’s course while shouting out orders to his crew. Zak’s focus turned to the green sail, knowing that there was where his magick would be of help. Still intact, but a little ragged around the edges. Unfortunately, it wasn’t billowing as it should with the wind swirling as it was.
Before Zak could finish his thought, Tatalia suddenly appeared in front of Cantio and Zak, coming close to sending them both flying off their feet. Zak steadied himself and listened. In total agreement with the goblin’s ideas, Zak quickly turned to determine the best angle to use on the sail to prevent disaster.
As Cantio began to play his powerful music, Zak sent out waves of wind energy into the sail, being extra careful that the force was soft enough to not slice into the sail. The green sail filled and the Captain’s movement of the rudder caused the boat to tilt to port as it slowly changed course. Zak strained to keep a steady stream of wind blowing into the sail. Turn, turn, turn… Suddenly, the rock that couldn’t be seen before now loomed large as the small green-sailed boat came within a stone’s throw of ramming right into it. Time stilled as they passed the rock. Were there unseen obstacles under the waves? As soon as the rock disappeared into the darkness behind them, the crew cheered. One more calamity averted, Zak supposed, not convinced it would be the last.
|
|
CCS Courier
IS OFFLINE
9
Renown
Female
Marsh Flats
392 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Tatalia on Oct 12, 2022 6:40:02 GMT -5
All the elements were working against the crew, but each obstacle had been met with perseverance, deft hands, and plentiful cunning. Still, the heroes hadn't fully ridden out the storm just yet.
"Just a little further 'til we reach the fishermen!" Tatalia called out above the storm, the wind howling as it whipped her clothes around her. "It looks like there aren't any more rocks between us and them! We just need to move straight ahead!"
As Captain Yalgor barked orders to his crew, sending little halfling and dwarf feet patting and thumping about the deck as they heaved and hoed with the ropes, Tatalia went to dragging and tying down lengths of rope to be used for rescue. The task was one she accomplished quickly enough; she was practiced at using rope. She wasn't so skilled as the sailors aboard the good Captain's vessel, of course, but Tatalia's work was secure enough for the rescue at hand.
The screaming winds, however, rewarded the goblin only with fierce buffets. She resisted them at first, tiring though it was. The force of the wind made her boots skid across the wet planks, and it was difficult to find good footing. She held on nevertheless, clinging to the railing as she edged closer toward the next bit of rope she needed to knot.
The storm, however, was as clever as the heroes. Just as Tatalia reached out to grab the rope, the wind came to a frightening stop before reversing its course, slamming into Tatalia with enough force to send the little goblin sprawling across the deck, bouncing like a ball and tumbling over the opposite side of the ship.
It was Tatalia's turn to fall overboard, and she was not lucky enough to have a rope with her this time.
|
|
Mage's Guild
IS OFFLINE
2
Renown
Male
Dragon's Cradle
♪ Hide your face so the world can never find you. ♪
418 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Cantio von Lumen on Oct 14, 2022 20:11:22 GMT -5
It is a test of his willpower to continue playing his instrument, even as Cantio watches their potential doom approach them in real-time. He feels his knees shake, pulling himself close to the mast as a gust leaves Zak’s fingertips and fills the sail— the boat turns, slowly. The old ship groans and creaks as it jostles to the left; halflings and dwarves hold on for dear life as they skirt past the rock; the ship starts to tip further, and further… and then it evens out.
The ship rocks and thrums against the thrashing waves, and Cantio chokes on a sound of relief. “Thank Salina!” he groans, running a hand through his damped hair as the sound of his violin fades from beneath the sound of the storm. He can feel his heart thrumming in his throat as he puts his bow back on the strings, and lets it sing.
Captain Yalgor barks orders to his crew; and they are as responsive as ever. Rushing back and forth, heaving and hoeing ropes and supplies. He sees, too, Tatalia running around assisting— but even so, the winds are still fierce. Cantio feels his soaked overcoat, drenched from the rain, buffet with the force; and as he reaches a high climax, he suddenly hears a call.
“Overboard!”
Lightning flashes as Tatalia tumbles over the rail; he spots her little green form disappear down below, and chokes on a surprised sound. “Tatalia!” he calls, unraveling from his station at the mast; the music cuts off suddenly, and Cantio rushes towards the side of the boat. “Stop! Stop, she went overboard!” he calls to Captain Yalgor, but the dwarf grimaces.
“There ain’t no breaks on a boat, kid!”
Shit, shit, shit.
Cantio shoves his violin into someone’s hands and grabs the nearest rope attached to the boat; he gives it a tug to test its rigidity, then looks desperately back at Zak. “Zak, pull me back up, okay?” He does not sound confident in the slightest, but the bard bounds over the deck with the rope, anyways; and hits the icy water below with a heavy splash. He keeps hold on the rope, gasping as he breaches the surface, where the storm rages; he looks around frantically, grabbing hold of the rope with both hands and focusing.
“Tatalia!” he calls out, trying to avoid a mouthful of seawater as the rope in his hands begins to illuminate; it becomes brighter and brighter still— until it’s practically a beacon. The long length illuminates Cantio, the rope under the water, and the side of the boat— until he can finally pick out Tatalia among the waves. A wave crashes over him, pulling him under for a moment; and the bard splashes back up with a cough, shaking his head as he swims to her.
He reaches out, and grabs the goblin by the wrist just as she’s about to float out of his reach.
“ZAK!”
|
|