Corvus attempts to break free however is unsuccessful.
Angelo
Angelo snatches the rope away from Faruq with a toothy snarl, and leaps headlong into the water. After the violence of a moment before, the rain lashing the deck is suddenly very loud, broken only by the hiss of the rope playing out into the water.
Angelo jumps in the water and the current takes him in a different direction than Yoshi and also Corvus.
SC 2 bites Corvus , it doesn't do any damage and moves further towards the bottom of the river.
SC1 WIll pass. The creature then swims toward Corvus.
Swim
Poulain
Angelo strikes out strongly for SC2 and Corvus.
Poulain screams "grab hold" to noone in particular.
Faruq says, "You guys are completely mad, we have gale force winds and a stormy river and you jump into the drink without a rope."
The water is dirty and you have no real idea where Corvus is except underwater.
"Men overboard!"
Yoshi struggled against the current in an attempt to reach Corvus.
Angelo has somewhat of an idea where Corvus may be however the current pulls him under and five feet in the wrong direction.
Yoshi is able to swim towards Corvus but is still awhile off.
Corvus loses consciousness and is consumed by the two kapoasinth gargoyles where they return to the bottom of the river Vanji and their homes.
The hurricane increases in intensity with ever increasing gale force winds and the water level increasing five fold. Losing all orientation and sens of direction. Angelo and Yoshi are somehow, someway able to be washed ashore and by the waves.
Meanwhile on the River Queen, Selim is able to maneuver the vessel in such a way where there is little damage taken to it and then early in the morning, he pilots the boat and finds Yoshi and Angelo washed ashore.
There they are!!! shouts Faruq to Selim.
Looking miserable, and worse for wear, Yoshi said, "Corvus is gone."
"You!" Poulain spits at Angelo. "Putain de débile! You take the life-saving rope, untied, with you into the water? You want to know the moment Corvus died? That is the moment. You mealy-mouthed fool! What was your plan, may I ask? No, don't tell me. You'll wish you were the one who drowned." Poulain spits again for emphasis and stalks off.
Yoshi distraught decides to walk back to Bloodcove instead of carrying on, the grief too much to bare.
Selim says, I am glad to have you back, Angelo, we should really press on, we have to provide relief against them savages.
Chugging along the red-tinted river, Captain
Selim points to the overgrown south bank
at a reminder of the constant dangers that you
face on these waters. Resting half-submerged
on that shore is another wheelboat, possibly
the twin of your own. The center of the wrecked
boat’s hull gapes with a huge hole and the
entire superstructure is missing, where some
massive explosion ripped through the vessel.
Faintly visible on its moss-slick bow are the
words Lady Fortune.
Angelo offers Poulain no defense, no objection. Half-drowned, Angelo declines warmth or comfort, but rests crouched on the prow of the ship, staring sightless into the depths of the river. Angelo's fingers slowly shape birds' vertebrae into a short chain for the symbol of his god - mistress of fate and death.
Corax stands tall on what's left of the deck, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. She waves to Selim.
"Ahoy Captain. I may be in need of some assistance." Her voice carries effortlessly across the water.
There is a groan from further away, as a Mwangi man on the nearby shore mutters something about taking odd jobs too freely, then speaks more clearly,"She is not alone in that."
Captain Selim scratches his chin and orders Faruq to drop anchor.
After allowing the castaways to come aboard he says, "Welcome aboard! Were you on your way to or from Whitebridge Station? Is Captain Simonev still with us?"
"Until a minute ago, I believed I was the only survivor. Not all bodies are accounted for, so there may be more alive. Alas the Captain is someone I can confirm as dead. I! By the way, am Corax, until recently the first mate of the Lady Fortune.
""In respect of our destination, we were heading to the station when the accident happened. Thank you for taking us on board. Are you travelling in that direction too? Once we resolve to lay the bodies of the dead to rest, I would appreciate travelling to the Station."
Her voice is calm, slow and very matter of fact and there is no emotion shown for the loss of life.
"I will gladly go wherever your boat is going," Krokod says in a deep voice, "The river? She is no place for a man to travel alone unless he must."
Well I am glad to have you both aboard, is too bad Simonev was a friend of mine and a good colleague... sure we tried to outdo oneanother but thats what cap'ns do... and you to my stoic friend... says Selim as the two of you ascend the gangplank.
Once aboard, Krokod finds a spot to settle down and gazes over the water.
Corax busies herself being useful - but not assuming the role of first mate, rather mucking in with the crew, checking for damage etc.
She eyes the 'non-sailors' with interest. "You don't have the look of crew. What brings you on board.". Her voice reveals a genuine interest, rather than small-talk. She gives the impression that chit-chat is not something she engages in.
Krokod looks curious as to how the others will answer
"I'm a simple river guide. This one here is some magic warrior, and this one is a terrible lifeguard."
"I am a servant to the Lady of Fate, Pharasma. I apologize if my mood matches the weather. It seems a great light has recently gone out of my life."
Angelo stands around and looks penetratingly at the newcomers. "Fate and the jungle have reduced us somewhat. But it seems fate may be conspiring to swell our numbers again. Benvenuto!" In what appears an act of will and bravado, Angelo sweeps a deep bow.
"Good to meet you then," the Mwangi says with an incline of his head, "I am called Krokod."
Selim says Alright we's be going now!
He pulls the gang plank up and the deanchors the boat and kicks the boat forward into gear for the rest of the morning. You stop for lunch and then continue up river
GM Rolls [spoiler]
In the afternoon, Angelo moons around the stern of the ship. He is obviously brooding. He assembles a small shrine, with obvious attention to elements that are unfamiliar to him - rearranging, shuffling.
Corax busies herself helping out wherever she can on the boat without stepping on anyone's toes. There are always jobs to do and she enjoys keeping busy. It's better than thinking about the lost souls on her previous ship.
Krokod takes watch, of a sort, gazing at the river as his fire snake, a crimson red serpent, seems enjoy being a living necklace. The witch keeps his eyes on the water for signs of creatures approaching too closely to the boat. Having been in one boat wreck, he'd like to avoid another.
Poulain joins Krokod.
At dusk Selim pulls the boat over for the night, you each take guard duty for an hour but everyone gets a full night sleep.
In the morning the dwarf kicks the protean engine to life and an hour later you are chugging up the Vanji river at about 4 knots.
GM Rolls
You stop for lunch and then the Captain pushes the boat forward.
Krokod wipes at his brow and tries not to sway.
Shortly before dawn the River Queen appears almost deserted. She continues her quiet push up the river, the water lapping at the gunn'els, the first of the morning birds voicing a tentative call. Into the pre-morning gloaming, Angelo climbs from below decks. He is cloaked and hooded, appearing as sepulcher as he ever has. He proceeds quietly to the stern of the boat, and the small altar he had set up the evening before - where he sweltered and wilted under the unaccustomed heat of hours in the direct sun.
Angelo compares a light thread an a dark thread, ensuring that his timing is correct. When he can distinguish the two threads, he tucks them away, and begins what is obviously a lengthy ritual at the altar. Angelo prays. He chants. He raises the candle on the altar toward the heavens. He enters a lengthy chant, watching a raised wooden solar holy symbol centered in the altar - one he had carved and assembled only yesterday. As the first beam of morning sunlight touches the disc of the holy symbol, Angelo sheds his black cloak, revealing a blazing white robe underneath.
As Angelo finishes the song, he sets the wooden holy symbol alight (wooden shavings on the shaft supporting the solar disc had been carved in preparation), the flames lick up the shaft and onto the solar disc. The pale wood, the hot flame, and the first beam of morning light mesh to create a brilliant light. Angelo picks up the symbol and holds it high. As he brings it back to chest high, he reveals two gold pieces he had palmed, and attaches them to the base of the holy symbol.
Angelo intones a final prayer. He closes his eyes for a moment. Then he hurls the holy symbol, weighted by its freight of gold, into the water astern of the boat. He scatters the implements on the altar and turns the altar over. Angelo once again dons his somber robes and says a short, gruf prayer while making a dismissive pass of his hands over the ritually disrupted altar. Angelo turns away, and walks back to the hatch. He disappears through the hatch, and below decks.
The river narrows and curves near the fringe
of the jungle that paces you to the south, until
it has actually grown out and over the river
for a short distance. Temporarily, you push
through a twilight-green tunnel as the trees
enclose both banks and meet overhead with
intertwined branches. Captain Esteban tells
you that this is how the entire second half of
your journey will be after you reach the heart
of the Mwangi Expanse.
Corax is on deck, trying to catch whatever breeze is available as she checks and re-checks ropes and knots.
She is clearly oblivious to anything other than the rope in her hands.
Poulain watches from the front.
"I long for a breeze," Krokod says as he watches from the back of the boat looking where they have been while Jean takes the front, "but I fear it is not to be found on this river."
GM Stuff[spoiler] Stealth When the wheelboat
passes beneath them, keches leap from
the limbs down onto the mosquito net
covering the topdeck. The net cushions their
fall but shunts them off the sides and back to
the main deck below. Two of the keches fall
over the sides, are lost in the swirling waters,
and drown. Acrobatics check DC 22, 1 pass, 2 pass, 3 pass, 4fail, 5fail,
Surprise Round
Kech 1 moves to bite Krokod , miss
Kech 2 moves to bite Poulain , miss
Kech 1 moves to bite Corax , miss
Kech 1 moves to bite Krokod , hit
Kech 1 moves to bite Poulain , miss
Initiative: Krokod, Poulain, Corax, Keches, Black Mambas
Round 1
Corax, Black Mambas, Poulain, Kech, Krokod,
Corax stands tall against the oncoming threat. She seems to grow in stature and her gaze is fearsome as she stares defiantly at the creatures.