Looking over his shoulder, you see that there are many spots under the green mucus where the wood of the deck or bulkheads have been partially burned.
Burian looks around, but focuses on what could be of use.
"Upper mast and spar should be usable.. just need cleaned up a bit. But that's pretty much it that I see." After a moment "How long d'ya think she's been here? ...and what's with the slime?"
Suny nods and agrees with Burian, "Aye, will take some wrok ta' git 'em down an' across, but we've crew an' skill aplenty" (^_^)
She pauses and peers at the blade buried in said wood work.
"Hmmm... maybe folks back on board should be workin' at makin' things rilly secure...?" She ponders...
Bryson looks around. He sniffs the air and even takes a small bite of the unusual vegetation. "Yeah. The crew got into a fight after they got caught in the sargasso. Coulda been with each other..." He looks meaningfully at the captain. "... or with whatever's at the center."
"Definite signs of combat. They tried to fortify the ship against something attacking from outside." Ghirrak rumbles.
"And were desperate enough to be using fire aboard ship," Marius observed. Judging by the lack of a welcoming committee, to say nothing of the state of the ship, the fight hadn't gone well for the ship's crew.
Definite foreshadowings of their own future if they didn't confront the threat soon, he was sure.
Descending down through the cargo hatch, you find the contents smashed and buried under the relentless grasp of the vegetation.
The doors from the deck above have been barred with timbers, but to no avail, as they lay smashed herein along with a broken ballista.
And although once the ship had lower decks, they have been completely filled with weed.
The only space left unexplored is the hatchway leading aft to the Captain's cabin. Pushing at it, it feels to you as if it is warped or barred shut.
Bryson Woodshapes the door open and goes in.
Suny 'Hmmms' and 'Ahms' to herself as she climbs, clambers and other wise wanders looking about at the ship's remaining timbers. Deftly picking up a small piece of wood she quickly fashones it into a point and begins making marks of beams and planks to indicate which to remove.
"Some a these? We can be usin' ta' make tha' walkin' way fer carryin' stuffs back ta' ship..." She indicates then hears the creak of timbers (Mr Bryson opening the door after un-jaming it) and looks into the darkness to where her freind is searching...
Ghirrak peers into the darkness, ready to rush forward should there be a threat within.
Opening the door, you see beyond it the Captain's Cabin.
A large hole is in the floor, through which the green of the sargasso can be seen.
You spot a tattered journal lying on the table across the room. Unfortunately, the ships deck has angled and the journal now lies precariously perched at the table's edge.
Bryson will use his second Woodshape spell to close the hole or at least extend the floor so that if the journal falls it will do so on the floor.
He then goes to retrieve the journal.
If it still falls into the hole, Bryson will still try to retrieve it as it may give us insight on what happened on this ship.
OK I misunderstood. Is it a large enough room that I can fly? If not, I'll change into a hawk and try and get it. If I don't think either of those will work, I give up.
Though I will point it out to the others.
Marius perused the ship, taking in the general atmosphere of, well, horrible inevitable Doom and marking it up as further evidence that they really didn't want to be fighting on the defensive here.
Collecting resources was all well and good, but it wasn't sufficiently proactive for his tastes.
With the journal pointed out to him, Marius put one of his more utilitarian spells to good use, setting the invisible hand to gently lift the journal and bring it over to him to peruse.
No doubt the journal would be laden with Doom.
*Skippy, skippy, skip* (^_^)
Sunny continues to skip and bounce around the place, making marks in wood and continuing to check out stuff for salvage. (We's in'a middle of th'a ocean. All'a wood we can be gettin' is gon'a be useful fer somat... )
As people begin to gather at the open doorway she peers around the frame (Absently and gently tapping upon the edge as she does so...)
"Ah!" She brightly exclaims before spinning about and scampering back up on deck...
(^_^)
(^_^)
Having spotted the journal as well, Ghirrak waits for Marius to pick the book up with his magic, keeping a sharp eye out for any danger.
The overhead being far too low for winged flight, Bryson transformed into a hawk and flew over to the table with the Journal.
Right when Bryson touched the table, three vines shot out of the vegetation! They grabbed Bryson and yanked him down into the watery tangle of weeds leaving nothing but a puff of feathers.
The attack jolted the table as well, the rotted legs broke and the table tumbled down into the opening as well.
Fortunately, Marius' spell caught the journal and floated it gently back into his arms.
The Journal is in a somewhat delicate condition, but with care you can open and read it. (8 hours)
The Journal chronicles the tale of a Monk of the Scarlet Brotherhood by the name of Anhelm and his voyage along the southern coast of the Amedio to visit the natives of the Isles of Axuxal.
The document tells of a fierce storm that drove the Rage far out to sea, but it is the entries on the last few pages that are of the greatest interest to you.
The assassin vines thought they had easy prey, then Bryson reverted to his normal abyssally infused form. With a fury born of chaos he claws and bites his way out of the watery vegetation. When he crests the lip of the hole he still has a wriggling vine caught in his sharpened teeth which he spits out.
With the reading of the journal, he again looks to Ghirrak. "Like I said, evil at its heart."
"Which it sounds like we need to kill to leave this place." Ghirrak replies.
"And the sooner the better," Marius put in. He had, naturally, started at the end of the journal, not wanting to burn daylight reading the entire thing. There would be time for that later.
"So. Make sure the ship's fortified, then strike out?"
Sunny wriggles in through an open/busted window and potters about searching for things for a moment.
With her curiosity satisfied Sunny nibly skips around the gap, peering down,
Before rejoining every one else and hearing the last of the conversation.
'Ah! Then we'd better get right quick on procurin' all'a wood, like." She exclaims.
"Use tha' wood what's flimsy fer walkin on'a weed with so's we can get tha' wood we need back ta' ship, hey?" (^_^)
So saying she scampers off to begin organizing just such activities.
Despite Sunny's efforts, she finds nothing else of treasure in the captain's cabin. It looks like it might have been picked over years ago.
The sailors recover topmasts and spars before treking back over the sargasso to the Savage Kraken.
Sunny bounces and scampers about being her usual tanned, natural, bright, cheerful and energetic self. (^_^)
Bryson spends the time either looking to the center of the Sargasso or resting and preparing spells. He finds that in his new form, it is harder to connect with the power of the natural world. Oddly, it is his dual nature that allows him to do so. Through it, he can better understand the nature of Gozreh, god of the sky and sea, master of plant and animal, protector of the natural and and slayer of its despoilers. In time, Bryson Deepwinter, the Pariah, is ready to face the Vile Green Heart.
With effort, the crew of the Savage Kraken gather what they can of the Rage's spars and timbers, then set to work repairing the ship's storm damage.
Sunny sets to work like a whirling dervish, getting everyone's sea bags straped to the railings and digging out cargo boxes to be used as barriers to boarding.
As darkness approached, the lanterns were all lit and hot tar stoves were arranged on deck where you could dip a torch in to fuel it and light it at the same time.
The crew, seeing this frenzy of defensive activity, grow worried about what was going on.
Towards dusk Barrett Bonden approached Ghirrak discretely.
"Ah, sir, the crew's been wonderin' if ye could pass the word about what the defenses we're settin' up are for.
"They're gettin' kinda nervous like."
Even as she bussels about, Sunny is still her bright and eflusive (If barely understandable self).
Should any of her crew mates quietly ask questions as to the why's and where-fores of their commanded actions she'll be more than happy to explain things.
"Ah! Y'see, whe we wus over on t'other ship. We founded all sorts a things." She starts out at kind of the beginnig,
"Now, tha' stuff whut people had left behind? Well, we be puttin' it all ta' right good use, hey?" She indicates the wood, ropes timbers etc they've garnered from said ship brightly. (^_^)
"But... we's wus also founded by some critters." She nods her blond mop, "So, since we be understandin' we in't alone here amongst tha' weeds, like, we's gettin' ready fer more a them critters ta' come be sayin' 'Hello!'. Ye ken?"
Perhaps sensing that Sunny's patter wasn't generating much reassurance, Marius tried his hand at an inspiring speech.
"People, I'm sure we all agree that this is a dire situation. All around is the evidence of those who came before us, and were found wanting in the face of a tireless, implacable foe."
"However. We have advantages they did not. We have a record of their experiences to inform us." He brandished the mouldering journal, "We have Bryson, whose druidic insights will aid us in locating this creature's black heart, and we have a highly capable group who will pierce and destroy that heart."
"So. Tonight, we fort up, we take the measure of the enemy's minions, and we beat them back. Tomorrow, we set forth in search of the Heart, leaving an armed and prepared crew to defend the ship. Personally, I like our odds of returning in triumph."
And if not, well, it certainly beat standing around and waiting for Doom to come to them.
Nodding, Ghirrak thanks Barrett and gathers the crew after the preparations have been completed.
"I'm not going to lie to any of you. Some of you may have heard of a Sargasso, even fewer of Journey’s End. We’ve reason to believe this is where we are now.” Ghirrak says gravely.
”You’ve seen what we can do, seen the dangers and threats we’ve overcome. This will be no different. Yes there is danger, a danger not to be understated in any way, but we are prepared for it, prepared to fight whatever comes, and come dawn we begin work on the repairs we’ll need to get out of this gods forsaken patch of seaweed.”
"Huzzah!" The tanned, blond Elf throws a cheer of support and fist into the air with enough gusto to lift her bare feet off the deck. (^_^)
"We do know when the threats will come... they come at night. We will all be here and ready for that fight. That includes Bryson." He looks to Bryson.. the crew by now should realize his power.
"In the morning we will go to deal with what needs to be done to free the ship."
Sunny's ditzy bombshell produced a shocked silence from the passengers and crew, succeeded by panic and screaming.
It took yeoman's work by Marius and Ghirrak to pull things back to a fearful muttering.
Sunny's cheer came at the exactly wrong moment, splitting the focus of the listeners and threatening confusion. Burian's follow up saved the day by the narrowest of margins, refocusing the listeners on Ghirrak's speech.
The crew and passengers are still spooked, but settle back down to prepare for a fight and continue repairs.
THE FIRST NIGHT
The sun turned orange as it touched the horizon.
You notice shapes stirring in the distant green.
The sun's light winks out, leaving a fading light in the sky.
A strange mist arises from the sargasso, and it looks like you are afloat on a sea of clouds.
Fires are lit on deck, and torches are prepared.
In the silence of everybody listening, you hear distant squelches; first in one direction, than another...
The fog rises further and visibility is reduced to 30 feet.
In the fog, you suddenly hear a shriek from starboard, then a shout and sound of an axe hitting home to port.
Then, something looms up from outside the railing.
A mass of ropy algae formed into a roughly humanoid shape. At first you think it's human, but on closer inspection its entire body is made up of dripping green scum bound into vine-like bunches. Its facial features seem rough and half-formed.
It's wriggling vine fingers reach out to grab you, to take you overboard...
Round 1_______________________
Players take your turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
When he sees the movement in the near distance, Bryson tells Ghirrak, "They here." He then changes into Bryson-Cat. He activates a few other spells and stays ready.
Bryson-Cat casts Call Lightning and strikes out at the plant monster.
Cutlass in hand, Burian lashes out with his hair at the nearest algae-beast. As it wraps around his foe he violently yanks to draw it tighter.
Sunny scampers over towards the weird sounds she's hearing.
Marius turned and lashed out at the nearest green interloper, an exploratory attack aimed at taking the enemy's measure and, with a bit of luck, knocking it back overboard.
Seeing clearly through the darkness, Ghirrak races across the deck, driving a kick into one of the creatures.
Round 1_______________________
Bryson Deepwinter________
When he sees the movement in the near distance, Bryson tells Ghirrak, "They’re here."
He then changes into Bryson-Cat. He activates a few other spells and stays ready.
Bryson-Cat casts Call Lightning and strikes out at the plant monster.
Another crewman came up out of the fog and hacked at it, but missed.
Burian Faldaeral______
Cutlass in hand, Burian lashes out with his hair at the nearest algae-beast. As it wraps around his foe he violently yanks to draw it tighter.
Another crewman came out of the fog and hacked at the creature, but tripped and hacked his own ear off.
'Sunny'_______
Sunny scampers over towards the weird sounds she's hearing.
Marius Hawk_______
Marius turned and lashed out at the nearest green interloper, an exploratory attack aimed at taking the enemy's measure and, with a bit of luck, knocking it back overboard.
Another crewman loomed out of the fog and hacked at it also, but missed.
Ghirrak Ironfist_______
Seeing clearly through the darkness, Ghirrak races across the deck, driving a kick into one of the creatures.
Another crewman loomed out of the fog and hacked at it also, but missed.
Up forward of your position, you can hear screams and shouts of combat, as well as sudden flashes of fire as the rest of the crew defends the ship as well as they’re able.
ENEMIES_________________
Red 34 attacked Burian, missed.
Red 35 attacked Ghirrak, missed.
Red 36 attacked Ghirrak, missed.
Red 44 attacked a crewman, missed.
Red 62 attacked a crewman, hit for minor damage.
Red 64 attacked a crewman, missed.
Vine Horror 34: 35
Vine Horror 35: 38
Vine Horror 36: 42
Vine Horror 44: 30
Vine Horror 62: 35
Vine Horror 64: 42
Round 2_______________________
Players take your turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Bryson-Cat reaches out to slash and gnash at the salad monster (#44).
Bite: pounce, gtr magic fang
Claw: pounce, gtr magic fang
Claw: pounce, gtr magic fang
Bite: magic fang
Seeing the threat to her fellow freinds and crew mates Suny bursts into a whirl of fists, feet and other extremities.
She looks to see how well her efforts fair for the briefest of moments.
Burian eyes the creature as he lashes out again with his hair. He aims at the vine beast's lower half and yanks.. trying to topple it.