the ships react as follows: the two caravels continue on course the sloop runs interference between the caravels and your ship. He turns slightly to his starboard (your ships port) clearly intending to guard the other two ships. The sloop is sleek, 50 ft in length, 30 ft wide, 40 ft high. She has 3 masts, and is quick.
Astrianna looks up as someone approaches the door to the hold, immediately stopping her cleaning to casually block the doorway, interrupting Sath before she gets to her third word. Astrianna gives a dismissive shrug, the information she's about to impart seeming more like gossip. "Sawbones found them smoking something strange out on deck last night. They were coughing like crazy, and he said their story is some unholy man in Westcrown sold it to them, some kind of tobacco modeled after some plant that grows in hell itself! They said they were promised the power of flight, breathe underwater, lift a whole ox... You know, snakeoil salesman talk." The woman shakes her head sadly. "They sure fell for it. Doc says it was a hoax and the only thing it did was tear up their lungs something horrible- they can barely breathe."
"Sure thing, Captain!"
Darius passes the information along to the Captain.
She raises an eyebrow, "They haven't left that room since they moved in there last night."
She gives the woman a smile, despite the fact she was caught in a lie. "Really? I don't think Sawbones would lie to me, but that's what he told me after all. We came down here to move these folks upstairs, but I have another motive for coming down here. I'm about to give a little show in a moment, to promote my next singing performance tonight. So sit tight."
Moving back to the front hold, she finishes her cleaning job as best she can. Turning back to Sath, she sighs, pointing at him to deliver another Message. I'm going to distract everyone- get them out of the hold as quickly as you can. They're clean, but I'm going to have to talk really loud to cover up the coughs.
Moving to a box near the middle of the hold, the half-elf hops on top of it, all smiles. "Good afternoon everyone! You may remember me from singing yesterday- I'm Astrianna. I'm going to sing again tonight from the forecastle, and I'm here to promote my performance. It seems a little stuffy in here though... The woman appears to dramatically adjust her collar, secretly pointing at Sath in the process Go! Tell me when you're out! ...So I'm going to tell a joke that's sure to lighten everyone up in here."
She begins to gesticulate and exaggerate, excitedly telling her long-winded joke in a loud voice that projects through the entire hold, doing her best to capture everyone's attention.
A few people laugh but that stops abruptly when the father cough's in fit, red spew.
'What is wrong with him...he's sick, they are sick!
Adriel raises an eyebrow.
[b] I understand your point, Captain. I am not opposed to doing the deed if that is what you propose as long as that is the ONLY course before us. There is no goodly Church in the port we are going to? Those Imodaens are always willing to help the needy. Is sawbones not skilled enough to heal them? Just what do they have? If it is truly incurable and fatal, then we should not risk exposure to the ship any longer. If quarantine is not sufficient protection, then I would have Bri put them to sleep and I would send them to Pharasma quickly and painlessly. No need to make the poor souls suffer
Bri nods to the mate and goes off to find the Captain. "You asked to see me sir?"
Astrianna grimaces, but quickly recovers. She shouts over the clamor. "He's just hurt! Doc says their lungs are all torn up! We're getting them some help, please move out of the way!"
he waves Bri forward as he speaks to Adriel. you over hear the following,
"Come come...I have job for you and Adriel."
Bri nods to Adriel and enters the Captain's cabin. "Yes sir. Not more scrubbing barnacle I hope. We did a fair job already." Bri smiles at her attempt at a joke, clueless of what is going on.
"A necessary job, but no more barnacle scrubbing today. How long does that sleep thing you do last?"
She exhales in clear scoff, "You've never seen the truth ahve you? the merchant's wife comments to Astri. 'They are hiding how sick this family is...they've taken the mother, not the dying dad and the kids...What do they have, we are at risk, don't lie!"
This gets alot of attention from other people.
He glances from Bri to Adriel.
Dirk you have the mother resting pretty comfortably right now. Cool clothes on her forehead for the fever and chills. She still coughs but not uncontrollably.
Adriel nods,
In response to the captain's question, [b] Nothing in my spell load can calm anyone. I have one that can vary between stunning, blinding and unconscious, all temporary.
Adriel and Bri can hear and read the conversation with the captain. it's a 3some, (don't get excited Bri).
'I just told Adriel that we have a very sick family on board and as Capt I have to look out for the greater good, not the individual. I have 70 passenger, 26 crew plus officers. Four family members risk this ship and the port we head to." he pauses, "Leadership can be heavy...what do you think?' He earnestly looks for your opinion.
"Captain!" Darius calls out, assuming the captain to still be present. When he looks down to report, he curses and scans the deck for any other officer.
Astrianna nearly flinches as the merchant woman scoffs at her. She inhales deeply, calmly sitting down on her crate. The woman folds her legs, and motions to Sath. "Get them to Hawkins, Sath. I'm going to explain to these people what's going on." She takes a moment to composure herself, again fixing her hair and subtly pointing upward towards the officer mess, thinking of Hawkins. The bard whispers softly to him They know. Prepare. Sath bringing sick.
Looking over the crowd, the bard begins to speak off the top of her head. "You're right.I was trying to prevent a panic from happening. Those folk are sick, we only learned about it a small while ago. We're moving them away from here. Just stay here, and stay calm. You won't be around them any more."
Sath and Astri you hear four more poeple begin to cough, it seems to be another family of similar age.
"The condition of these people is being dealt with- now please move out of the way so that I can follow the orders that I was given. Conflict is not my goal but I will not say this again nicely... MOVE. ASIDE."
The moment the other coughs begin, Astrianna looks over at the family. She then looks at the crowd's response, muscles tense, preparing for her next move. The bard points at Sath from her lap Do not become a target! If they get violent, run, if they panic, get on a crate!
"The condition of these people is being dealt with- now please move out of the way so that I can follow the orders that I was given. Conflict is not my goal but I will not say this again nicely... MOVE. ASIDE."
[dice= Diplomacy]1d20+5
The crowd stays away but only because the fear the coughing and spreading of disease. "W...wh...what have you done to us? Why lie?"
"Captain!" Darius calls out, assuming the captain to still be present. When he looks down to report, he curses and scans the deck for any other officer.
"What!"
Embrianna takes a few moments to think. "Is any kind of quarantine an option? Are they likely to die before we get to port?"
"How loyal are the crew to you?"
"Lots of activity on the deck of the sloop, sir! They look to be preparing for something!"
The Captain smirks,
Astrianna looks sadly at them. "We've done nothing to you, except try to prevent all of you from getting sick. I'm sorry." The bard takes out a component from her spell pouch, and whispers a spell. She suddenly disappears, and begins to carefully make for the exit of the hold, trying not to bump into anyone.
In the process, she touches her hat and changes her appearance to that of a wizened old woman in stereotypical wizard robes, her hat taking the form of a mesh that holds her grey bun in shape.
He smiles, " Full alarm ... all none crew on deck."
The crew scramble to their battle position
The crowd stays away but only because the fear the coughing and spreading of disease. "W...wh...what have you done to us? Why lie?"
"We have done nothing to you- this is simple illness and we are trying to make sure that the rest of you remain safe but we need you to allow us to move these people to a safer location for all. As for lying, we simply wished to avoid unnecessary panic, as is human nature in response to things we don't understand."
Darius curses to himself once again and scrambles down out of the crow's nest and immediately sets to placing his shirt and armor on, as well as tossing his pack over his shoulders.
As Darius begin to scramble out of the crows nest the Firt Mate yells, 'Git yer arse in the nest! That's your duty!"
Dirk you hear the warning bell and the alert. You at least believe there may be a battle forthcoming.
Bri will go do that unless the captain has anything else he needs to say.
Adriel follows Bri, "I'll come and help. We'll get this done...together." His tone is serious.
The woman finally collapses into a relaxed sleep and David leans back and let’s out a sigh, pleased that she is okay.
He wonders when the rest of her family will be brought to him.
His thinks he hears strange noises beyond the door. He thinks a moment and seems to feel the very palatable energy on the ship shimmer from outside the cabin.
He wonders what is taking so long for her family to be brought to the cabin, then his narrow as he considers what the delay may portend.
He washes his hands off carefully and dries them on a clean cloth.
He begins to whistle tonelessly to himself; his gray eyes seeming to tighten into a stony colored flint.
Then he reaches with a slow deliberation for he straps on his armor and begins to cinch them tightly.
He adjusts the weapons belt more comfortably round his waist and loosens the weapons in their sheaths.
He suddenly hears the bell calling people to Action Stations and he glances up at the door.
Hmmm... Did those Cheliax Imp's finally reach us, or have the crew heard the news and decided to riot?
A sudden voice enters his head.
He recognizes the words from Astrianna.
He takes out his cold-iron dagger and raises it to his mouth and kisses the pommel softly.
”Well, today is a good day to die,” he mutters to himself.