As you all get to the docks, a tall and slim ranger steps out of the shadows with silent and lethal grace. He is clad in light armor that is dyed with pigments to resemble the sparse woods and brown grasses of this area; his leaf-green cloak has a peaked hood that shades his eyes, preventing you from seeing if he is a man or an elf, though you suspect the latter. On his back is a magicked bow, and on each of his hips is a shortsword with what looks like writing in celestial, though you'd have to get closer to see for sure. When he speaks, his voice is raspy, almost like a tengu, but not quite. He addresses Grez, and as he does so three of the city guard, lean and dangerous-looking men all, gather 'round him.
"Grez. The rogue was here but your sloppy arrival let him escape under cover. Are these then his companions?"
Grez smiles broadly. He is clearly not friends with this man, but also not afraid of him. At the same time, there is definitely a power struggle going on as some of the city guard seem clearly to favor this newcomer over Grez. The situation is starting to get very uncomfortable. The air has a tang of frayed nerves to it; a "riot" vibe. Mothers are taking small children off the street and merchants are taking different paths from their boats into the village, ones that go well clear of the nearly two-dozen men around you.
The owner of your boat is inside his dockhouse with the crew, watching through a window.
Grez replies to the ranger's question. "Balanos. A pleasure as always. Been talking to the noon guard, I see? Yes, these are his companions, but they're under command of this Paladin here, a man of Izmir, see? You get me? He's got this Kelne, this wanted man, to deliver to the Baron, up in the Castle on the Cliff. You best let him through, now."
The ranger turns his head from one end of your group to the other, pausing to appraise each of you, judging your build, how you carry yourself, what weapons you have visible. He frowns when he looks at the disguised form of Karthan. Finally, he stops at Justahl. Stepping forward he pulls down the hood of his cloak. He is an elf. His eyes are storm grey and his hair is black as jet and tied tightly behind his head in a thick, single braid. A long, horrid scar runs across his neck, looking like someone tried slashing his throat at some point. This old wound overshadows the many other scars and pockmarks on his face.
Balanos gives Justahl a smart salute. "Sir Justahl. I recognize your name. The nobles and scholars of Stormfare sing your praises on every road they travel. It is said you are fair, and believe in justice and rightness, and uphold the law, and that which is good. So I ask you this, Paladin, Man of Izmir, if a person were to shoot down another being, in broad daylight, with no apparent provocation and with an Enhathladi arrow, then run off and skulk in the shadow when pursued, what would be your judgment of that man? Would you let him go free? Or would you see him questioned? For this is what your traveling companion has done; the rogue. I had him spotted but now he is gone, and I would know why he committed this act, and I would see justice done on him if he had no reason, or acted out of spite, or hate." There does not appear to be any malice or bad intent on Balanos' features, but then he is also not smiling as he says this. His face is a mask, as impassive and unreadable as stone.
"What say you, Paladin?"
@Jorzan: Your timing is impeccable. Just as the group goes by, you dash up and away, and can detect no one tailing you. Moving from boat to boat, you get finally to the boat you know you will be leaving on in time to hear the entire conversation between Grez and this ranger, Balanos, and then Balanos' address of Justahl. As far as you can tell, no one has any idea you are on the boat. Unfortunately at the moment it seems you are the only one on the boat, as you spy the captain and crew still in the dockhouse, watching events unfold outside.
Slowly Sir Justahl salutes back.
“Well, Sir… Balanos is it? While I am no Lawyer, I would expect such a man to be questioned by those officers appointed to the task. I hope you aren't casting doubts as to the good Captain here or his men their competency are you?”
Diplomacy:
Kelne wouldn't have minded asking Jorzan some pointed questions himself just now. Oh, he'd had reason, he was sure, but the perception was that he was as guilty as sin. And frankly, bringing attention like this down on their heads on top of the wanted posters was unforgivable.
No doubt the blasted rogue was lurking somewhere within earshot, trusting in his vaunted sneakiness to evade retribution. Except the rest of them couldn't just melt into the shadows, and were now tarred with guilt by association. Kelne resisted the urge to seek out any suspicious shadows and glare at them. For now, best to let Justahl handle things, but there would be words. Oh, yes.
For now... Kelne wasn't hopeful. This one didn't strike him as the sort to be put off by evasions and technicalities. Nor would they be getting on the boat until it was all resolved. There might be divisions at work here, but he doubted they extended far enough to see them waved through to spite Balanos.
Balanos looks impassively at Justahl. "I gladly and readily call Grez into question, Paladin, but that is not the issue here. The issue is there is a man wanted for questioning in an attempted murder, and he is one of your associates, and is missing. I assume you are to rendezvous with him somewhere, yes? When you do, can I count on you, as a Paladin of the Shining City, of Izmir, to hand him over to myself and Grez, for questioning in this crime?"
Grez shakes his head at the slight, but does not challenge Balanos any further, only crosses his arms over his chest and looks expectantly at Justahl. Meanwhile, the Monster has been staring down at the elven ranger, growling, though for his part Balanos seems utterly unphased by this.
Slowly Sir Justahl salutes back.
No evil emanates from Balanos at all, though you can't help but notice that some of Grez's men hanging about do have a light corona of the crimson and black smoky swirl you have come to associate with evil beings.
When he feels tapping on his elbow Tanel almost curses. More ghosts at a time like this. Bloody typical. He looks down to see the coin floating off. Deciding to try and put a stop to the poltergeist activity before it upsets or annoys more of the guards he moves towards it as subtly as he can and grabs it. Shaking his head and about to turn around, he hears Jorzan's voice and freezes. Sneaky little-
He nods to himself, not looking towards where he thought the voice was coming from and moves back to the group, keeping his silence for now.
Sir Justahl looks at the ranger with penetrating eyes.
"Interesting..." he muses quietly.
"Well, as a practical matter, it is difficult to hand over someone who clearly isn't here. As he said he would meet us in town, and has not, I have to believe he has departed our Company."
"As a Paladin of Izmir, I would dearly love to stay here and do a most... thourough investigation into this matter."
"However, I believe I mentioned to the good Captain that I am on a mission that cannot wait, and am forced to leave this matter to local authority." He waives for the companions to board the ferry.
Tanel nods and plays the good soldier following Justahl closely. as they start to board the vessel he whispers quielty and quickly his fase impassive 'He's on the boat.'
Then keeps walking hitching his halberd high and looking back onto the pier. He nods at Grez with a somewhat sheepish grin then returns to looking the stern soldier he's playing the part of.
Balanos stares flintily at Justahl. "Not here, eh? Well then. I certainly cannot detain you, for not only have you done nothing wrong, and not only are you escorting a wanted criminal, but you are a Man of Izmir, and I choose to believe that that still counts for as much as it once did, indeed as ever it has. For these are dark times, and men are often driven to think themselves above certain codes that they should honor, rather than hide behind, or look to sneak around." The elf gestures with his right hand at the guardsmen on the pier. "Get out of their way. They have done nothing, and have a dangerous man to escort across the lake."
The guards all snap to attention and move except Grez, who continues to stand next to Justahl with an odd look on his face. With Tanel on the boat and the rest of you beginning to follow, the captain and crew of the boat quickly exit the dockhouse and leap onto the boat. "Haul to it, y'laggards!" Yells the captain, and the small crew gets fast to work setting the riggings and preparing the ship for departure. She and her whole crew are clad in cold-weather gear, a reminder of the frigid north into which you are traveling; Kelne's homeland.
Everyone gets on the boat quickly. Grez shakes hands with Justahl, as does Balanos, surprisingly. "Fare thee well, Captain." Says Grez, still wearing a weird smile. "Hold tight to your cause and code, Paladin." Says Balanos. Then both men back away and allow Justahl to board.
As the boat pulls away, a large man clad in beautiful raiments can be seen approaching the ranger and the guard captain. He draws up to them just after you clear the dock, and you can see him engaging in conversation with them both. This newcomer is wearing an ivory robe and cape of some sort, with a deep, peaked cowl hood. His belt is trimmed with silver and a tiny stripe of crimson.
You are easily a couple hundred feet out when you see Grez point towards your boat. The man in ivory looks at your retreating ship for a long time, then walks away from the docks.
Waiting until it is no longer possible to see people on the shore, Jorzan flips himself up onto the deck. Wearing a big smile he moves directly to the disguised Warbanian and holds up his arms to Cassandra saying "Now you didn't think you'd be able to leave without Me did you?
As the overjoyed little girl squeals and throws herself into his arms Jorzan hugs her tight whispering 'I promised I'd always be here for you Cassandra and I meant it. I just had some things to take care of.'
Still holding onto Cassandra, her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist he turns to the rest of his companions saying "Well, I'm glad to see we all made it. And even more of us than when I left you all apparently." as he gives an inquisitive look towards the strange boy and his large hairy companion.
Next he eyes Kelne but speaks to the group as he says "I'm sorry to have caused you all some trouble at the docks. But that was some pretty smooth talking there Justahl, well done." he adds with a smile.
Nodding to Karthan and Tanel the shadowdancer continues, his face serious again "I followed that Tengu to his room. After a little scuffle, I was able to get some information out of him. Turns out they were assassins for the Red Dragonflight, here to kill all of us and capture Cassandra ." as he involuntarily hugs the little blind seer closer to him he keeps speaking "Apparently they also seem to be able to track us somehow, so the sooner we're able to get some anti-divination protection, the better. I wasn't able to get anymore out of him though because he...killed himself, set himself on fire somehow."
Turning to the half-orc Jorzan asks "He said something in Infernal Karthan ' "Doga za ry' Knaod Yra. Y rora Voymaj orj oz 'r'yndri!' does that mean anything to you?"
Take me now Great One
I have Failed and am Unworthy!
Not waiting for an answer Jorzan adds a last bit saying "Anyway, after I left the first Tengu I saw his partner in the distance. I wasn't going to just let him walk away to have a chance at Cassandra so I took a shot at him. My only regret is that I didn't kill him. But I'm sure I at least slowed him down some. However it was my misfortune that that sharp eyed elf was nearby and happened to spot me, hence all the trouble with the guards. Oh, and last thing, did you notice that large man in the fine clothes who arrived at the docks just as we left? He was with the Tengu as well. I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of him...or that elf."
Noticing that some of his companions seem a little worse for the wear since he last saw them he inquires "What happened with you all? You see some action? And who's this?" gesturing in a non-threatening manner towards the boy and his seeming pet monster.
Finally finished his report the young man stands facing his companions. He holds Cassandra on his hip, his legs spread in a comfortable stance. He seems to be aware that some of his companions may not approve of his actions, and is prepared to face their judgement. Yet at the same time he also seems confidant that his actions were justified.
As the docks fade into the distance, Sir Justahl looks back towards the town thinking over the odd conversation with Grez and Balanos.
Clearly they were trying to maneuver him into a conflict of honor... probably. Maybe. It was at such times that he wished he had more of a talent for wordplay.
But that was some pretty smooth talking there Justahl, well done.
"Well, I hope you feel the same at my honor board. Were any of those accusations true?"
Listening to Jorzan's explaination, he nods slowly.
"I suspected as much. That snipers shot was foolish in a town where the villains are so highly connected. I could get no sense of Balanos, but his cronies reeked of moral corruption."
"Foolish doesn't even begin to cover it," Kelne said angrily, "Everybody is able to track us, owing to Cassandra's status as a blasted beacon of destiny or whatever. We are not going to get rid of them by taking idiotic risks in order to kill a single enemy. All you accomplished with that stunt was to stir up the town. We have quite enough people after us without turning more people against us. The town guard may have been morally bankrupt, but they weren't our enemies."
"The tengu didn't need connections for people to come looking for you. You shot him, from ambush, in broad daylight, without apparent provocation. Hells, I'm angry about it, and I know he was an evil bastard who'd see us all dead." Kelne was in full, scathing flow by now and showed no signs of letting up, "If we weren't in the company of a paladin, there would have been a nasty fight down at the waterfront."
"As for 'smooth talking', Justahl was positively transparent. He certainly didn't fool Balanos, and frankly I think quite well of the man for allowing us to carry on our way. He trusted your judgement, Justahl. In turn, I think you should take his words very seriously. Your code is between yourself and your goddess, but that struck me as dangerous ground you were treading back there." Although he was still quite angry, none of that anger was directed at Justahl. In fact, there was a trace of concern in his voice.
"Our best defenses are speed and unpredictability," Kelne continued, turning his attention back to Jorzan, "If we can take out our enemies, well and good, but we don't pick unnecessary fights, and we take the long view. We win if we get Cassandra to the Wall, not by scoring points along the way."
He finally seemed to have wound down for now, awaiting any response Jorzan might care to give.
Trickery, misdirection and an eye on the goal. Definitely attributes favoured by Callistria, and he prayed she'd favour his efforts. They were going to need all the help they could get at this rate.
Jorzan stands impassive during the fighter's rant, his only movement to let Cassandra down, his only sign of emotion at all, a slight frown. If he does have anything at all to say in reply, it would seem his silence is an indication he's waiting for the others to weigh in first.
The crew works as the rest of you talk things over, and the Feral Boy, utterly bored with the current proceedings, goes over to the side of the boat and points excitedly at the water, making a babbling noise and then motioning with his hands. The Monster looks dubious, then picks up the boy and lowers him overboard so he can kick and splash at the freezing waters of the lake. With the first couple kicks he giggles with glee at the big spray he is able to create, but he gets cold very quickly and curls up against the monster as soon as he hauls him back up on deck.
326gp
4 rubies
1 emerald
12 shuriken
8 doses of Blue Whinnis poison
2 +1 katana (treat as bastard swords)
2 +1 wakizashi (treat as short swords)
3 daggers
1 compound short bow, +2/+2, with 40 arrows
1 bag of small metal chunks; each chunk is random in shape and very flat and dull in color, though the metal itself gives the illusion of movement.
1 ring; same type of metal as the chunks described above, but has two thin red stripes running through it and around its curcumference. The stripes appear to be a precious stone or metal of some sort, though none of you are able to determine what exactly it is. The color scheme of the ring is similar to the color scheme of the belt of the large ivory-clad man who came to the shore and watched your boat leave. This ring is identical to the one Jorzan took off the immolated tengu back in the hotel.
The ship moves at a fine clip, straight north towards the Dwarven city of Omskoldsv. The Feral Boy, after eating too much at dinner, goes below decks, curls up under a desk, and falls fast asleep. Cassandra follows shortly after, the child's instinct of finding a safe hiding place still serving her well. The Monster simply vanishes into thin air. Tanel has been looking stoically off over the crystal-clear water -- from which the lake got its name -- back towards the southwest, from where you all came.
The captain comes out on deck as the last rays of the sun descend. A strong chill has already come into the air. Karthan, Master of Fire, seems unfazed as always by changes in temp. Kelne, too, does not look bothered. But for the rest of you, warm weather gear will need to be pulled out soon.
The captain is a tall, broad-shouldered woman with an athletic squareness to her. Her hair is all silver and there are deep crows' feet around her cornflower-blue eyes, giving strong hints to her age. When she speaks, her voice is a little gravelly but otherwise strong and commanding, and possessed of a slight Warbanian lilt, which if she was from that land of warriors it would certainly explain her larger-than-average build. At this point Jorzan, Kelne, Karthan, and Tanel are the only ones on deck with her.
"Evening gents, I didn't get properly introduced to all of you; my name's Regina Fera, but you can all just refer to me as 'Captain' until we reach Omskoldsv. Now, I was told to ask no question of you about cargo or anything, and I'll honor that as much as I can. Anytime as I see we're in a danger that could be avoided if I had some information, well I'll probably ask. I'm sure you understand. But other than that, the ship serves three meals, you all have your quarters, and we should reach the northern shore in six days. You did well to sail on the Song of Sarain; we're one of the fastest buckets in the puddle. Other boats can take as long as two weeks to make the crossing, only reason people don't walk is it lets 'em avoid the predators and other dangers on land. Not that the deep Crystal here is without her secrets and threats, of course, but better the devil you know, I suppose..." She smiles faintly at you at all and lights a pipe, then falls silent, looking out over the water.
You see nothing in the deep below, nothing ahead of you. The sails snap. The stars come out and wheel above, bright and brilliant. For the moment, all is quiet.
Sir Justahl goes below, to keep a watchful eye out over Cassandra.
Sitting close enough to keep watch, but not so close as to encroach on her personal space, he broods about what he should have said at the docks...
Facing the furious warrior, Jorzan replies calmly "That fact that my actions did indeed stir up the guard and could potentially have caused further trouble for us I cannot deny, and for that you have my apology. Yet that was certainly not my intention. I most certainly did not attack the tengu in broad daylight, well, I mean I]/i] was not in broad daylight anyway. I am sure you know by now that I possess no small skill in remaining unseen when I choose to be, and it was from such a hidden spot that I made my attack. Yet before I could make my getaway a chance beam of sunlight, combined with the unfortunate proximity of that unusually sharp eyed ranger, revealed my position. Evading him was not an easy task. Yet I tell you again, my only regret is that I did not kill that bastard tengu! For [i]any time I have what I see to be a good oppourtunity to take down one of our enemies, to lesson even by one the number of foes who seek to harm Cassandra, or would prevent us from getting her to the Wall, I will take it."
Pausing a moment to be sure the warrior takes his full meaning, Jorzan continues "As for the actions of Justahl, I happen to disagree with you. He was only saying what he knew to be true. He did not know I was on the boat, nor have any idea where I might have been, so how could he say otherwise? He had no obligation to go out of his way to help that elf. I would also like to believe that our paladin companion would have been giving me the benefit of the doubt, trusting I would not have committed the actions I was accused of without good reason. I am somewhat surprised though at the strength of your ire Kelne. I know we are nearing your homeland. So I can't help but wonder, could it be your...concern, about seeing your kinsmen again that has prompted such a strong reaction from you? But anyway, there you have it. Do you have more to say on the matter, or are we done here?"
Jorzan stood on the opposite side of the group from the northern warrior, for, although they had come to some form of accord, there still remained some tenseness in the air between them. Having put the matter behind him for the most part the rogue smiled slightly at the woman's candor and direct manor as he replied " Well met then Captain, and you have our thanks, for speed is exactly what we need right now and the Song of Sarin seems to be a fine ship indeed. But tell us more of these secrets and dangers of the lake. We have heard stories of the strange and dangerous creatures which dwell in it's depths but I am sure we know far less than one such as you, who makes her living plying these waters. What should we be on the lookout for? And what, if anything, can or should we be doing to prepare and defend ourselves should the need arise?" As he stands waiting for the Captain's reply, despite wearing nothing more than his simple monk's clothing and mithral chain armor, it does not appear as if he is bothered by the dropping temperature at all. In fact the young man seems completely at home on the ship, his incredible grace and coordination allowing him to move with the movements of the vessel with ease, like one born to it.
The showdown:
"Well, if you're going to justify your actions based on an inflated perception of your own abilities, this is clearly an argument I'm not going to win," Kelne said, sounding not the least bit mollified, "The fact is you were seen, you were recognised, and you were connected with us. And, as you continue to point out, you failed to kill your target. Hardly a ringing endorsement of your chosen approach."
"I daresay I'm ready for the North. I know the lay of the land, I know my enemies, and I've got a few friends and allies scattered about who won't be quick to believe Ormir's lies. I haven't gotten where I am today by letting myself be painted as a murderous lunatic who'll stop at nothing to slay his enemies. Your reputation matters, Jorzan, especially if others are going to be trying to smear it." There was indeed a trace of bitterness in his voice at this. Having his face plastered across town on wanted posters was not an enjoyable experience, even though he knew full well what had motivated it.
"As a rule, paladins are devoted not just to the letter but to the spirit of the law. Under pain of the gods revoking their status and abilities if they stray too far from that ideal. I don't know what the limits are, but stretching the truth and citing technicalities in the face of a reasonable request doesn't strike me as safe."
He sighed, finally seeming to let go of that anger on the exhale, "I need to be able to trust your judgement, Jorzan. I can hardly follow you about critiquing your every move." A faint smile flickered across his face at that image, "Just... Give it some thought overnight. If you still think I'm altogether wrong in the morning, let me know and we'll go from there." He wasn't entirely sure where they'd go exactly, but truth be told he could probaby use the night himself to settle his thoughts.
Kelne was in a reflective mood as he looked out on the night. He wasn't going home just yet, but this was the start of his journey back. Those posters had reinforced that it was time to see it all ended. So much unfinished business to be dealt with once Cassandra was safe. An old enemy to be confronted and old ghosts to be finally laid to rest.
The captain smiles warmly at Jorzan's questions and speaks openly, so anyone listening casually can hear. "There are some of the usual suspects; a couple colonies of Skum, fresh-water sharks, some sauroids -- none too large, though -- but the biggest threat is the city of Aboleths that resides on the floor of the lake; far, far down. We know they are down there because they have attacked a few boats, conversed politely with others, and simply waylaid a few more. Every time, their motives were different and unique to the situation at hand. One can never really plan to run into them, it seems, for boats that people thought were sure to attract attention, boats laden with magical goods, often pass with no difficulty at all, while then other boats carrying nothing of apparent import are sacked and pulled under, the crew killed or taken to the deeps for who-knows-what ungodly purposes. A few have even come back, their forms...twisted, their minds gone."
The captain frowns, but then raises an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth perks up in a wry smile. "It's not all nastiness and predators, though; there are water elementals as well, some sprites, and a clan of druids on each shore that help maintain balance, worshippers of Gozreh and good people for sure. Aye, most voyages on Crystal Lake are peaceful affairs, and for us; quick. " She gives Jorzan a significant look. "Let's hope this is one of them, Gozreh be praised."
The boat continues to make excellent time overnight. All of you rest, commune, pace, or practice as is your wont. The crew keeps a sharp eye out all night. The second day and night also pass uneventfully, but on the third night, halfway through the voyage, and while you are at the deepest and most isolated part of the lake, there comes from the crow's nest an alarm call, bringing all those on deck who can fight, or help sail.
All around the boat great, dark shapes can be seen a few meters underwater.
Aboleths.
The boat slows, badly, despite good wind, and you notice that some magic is pushing water against you, bringing you, horribly, to a stop. A voice rings throu the air, though none of the aberrations has surfaced. "Greetings. This boat has cargo of interest to us. You will hand it over, and you will pass unmolested. These are the conditions."
A quick count gives a total of 8 of the giant fish-things. The captain frowns and speaks out loud, sort of to the open air; "We have nothing. Nothing of interest to ones such as yourselves."
"You lie. Do not do so again."
The captain looks around at the lot of you for guidance. She has no idea what she can say or not say, or how ready you are to fight these things.
Kelne had not been idle over the past days. He'd taken inventory and consulted the others on their available spells in preparation for the frankly inevitable aboleth attack. Unfortunately, they really weren't all that well-equipped to deal with them. Oh, they could no doubt kill them if they came within arm's reach, but their options for taking the fight to the enemy were strictly limited.
Nevertheless, surrender was simply not an option, "We have passengers," Kelne corrected the aboleths, not that the oversized fish would see a difference between passengers and cargo, "None of whom will be turned over."
"Yes, Aboleths, that's what they were called. Have you ever heard of anyone successfully fighting them off Captain? If we do run into them even the smallest bit of advice could prove helpful. And also, how about the Druids? Do they and the Aboliths ever have conflict? Or is there any way to call on their aid should trouble surface?"
Looking over at the northern warrior as he makes the party's position clear Jorzan nods grimly to himself. At least this they could agree on. No Way would Cassandra, or anyone else, be turned over to these creatures.
Making sure that Cassandra is safely near Justahl the shadowdancer whispers to her to stay safe then moves to walk up the side of a mast, pulling out his bow and one of the Ethlandi Flamestrike arrows as he does. He wasn't sure if the arrows would work in under the water or not but if the Aboleths did decide to attack both he, and they, were about to find out. Targeting the creature farthest from the ship Jorzan readies himself to let loose the moment any hostilities begin.
There is no consideration of acceding to the creatures demands.
Sir Justahl casts Eagle's Splendour (Cha 24 +7 to smite and Defl. AC), and Bless Weapon on his Bastard Sword.
He kneels by Cassandra.
"We may have to fight Cassandra, just stay by me. Ah, I don't suppose you know of any way to chase those creatures off do you?"
Tanel spends the days in his quiet silence, checking on Cassandra often, just as the rest of the party do, he avoids getting involved in the fight between Jorzan and Kelne, and the tension that remains between them for days afterwards. He doesn't know who he agrees with, but in his mind, the job is done, and they have escaped its reprecussions for now. Little more matters to Tanel.
He spends much time on deck with the sailors bustling around, and though his silence is near-impenetrable he is happier than he has been fo some time, his possessions still displaced with regularity he bears it more easily, and does not feel the need to have a drink as the last of the alcohol truly leaves his system. I must get to know my companions better,' he decides to himself as he stares out over the water, 'I have been moping around long enough.'
He does not notice the shadows in the water as they approach, only when they announce their presence, shocking the Benneladi out of his reverie. He moves over to the Captain and reaches into his bag of holding, seeming to take an exorbitant amount of time to recover his halberd from its depths.
'Well this isn't much of a situation. Can anyone swim?' he makes the seeming joke with a straight face, his levity odd seeming in the tension and danger of the current situation.
"You think with your spleen, Jorzan. We left one of the Tengu alive, after I ripped what knowledge I could from his brain."
"With Justahl's and Kelne's assistance, I also made sure that our prisoner left believing that Cassandra might have some ability to control dragons...which, for as long as it's believed, might buy us some reprieve from aerial surveillance. It was strongly implied that this is why we were asked to leave Stormfare.
"While there are some who believe that the only use for a foe is as rotting flesh in a compost heap, please think about what you can do if you leave a foe alive - what misleading information can they give to those that suits us."
"And next time you choose to assassinate someone, do so in a dark alley, in the middle of the night, with something to eat the corpse immediately afterwards. Sniper shot with an arrow in a crowded street? Even if you'd managed to take him with a single shot - how likely is it that someone would've just healed him up? And them seeing you? And placing you with our company. You know better than that. I'm disappointed in how sloppy that was."
Karthan, once the captain introduces herself, will say that Tanel is haunted, and his hauntings sometimes make noises that sound like children talking; he'll offer to share quarters with Tanel, but that it would probably be best for the crew to leave Tanel's quarters alone. (This is to make it more difficult for the crew to accidentally stumble across Cassandra).
Diplomacy to make a good impression on the Captain.
Disguise - to carry off being a Warbanian Eldritch Knight, and to get the Captain to buy on with it.
Once that's done, Karthan will, on the second day of the voyage, use Unseen Servant to help the crew - fetching dropped items, having it holystone the decks, etc. He will try to convince Cassandra to stay in the Rope Trick space inside Tanel's room for as long as she's willing, because it prevents anyone from scrying upon her.
Once the captain informs him of the risks of the lake, he'll also cast the Alarm spell on a trailing weight on the prow to give some warning if things move up through the water towards the boat.
The boy was sitting on the deck, quietly playing some sort game with the monster when the boat is brought to a sudden stop.
The boy sits, quiet and attentive, as the aboleths deliver their threats, and then dashes to the side to the boat, leaping up to lean over the railing and stare into the water.
The monster, who has been staring around with a befuddled look on his face since the telepathic communication, suddenly disappears.
Dropping to sit on the deck, the boy begins chanting, eyes closed in deep concentration.
Mid-chant, the boy pops back up to the railing, putting two fingers to mouth and whistling loudly into the water. As he drops back to the deck, be begins a rhythmic dance, pounding on the deck of the ship with his feet.
With a sudden *whooosh*, sleek, 10 foot long celestial sharks leap from the water, seeming to float in the air momentarily before falling back into the water in a full speed charge toward the nearest aboleth.
Emboldened by the support of all of you gathering near, the captain says calmly up to the lookout in the crow's nest; "Send up the flare, Mister Whalen; hopefully the Guardians of the Lake aren't too busy or too far away and can help us." There is a quick "Aye Captain!" and stirring in the crows nest, then an agitated swirling and swishing in the water when Jorzan strides silently up.
"There. That one. The shadow-child. You will give him to us, and you will pass unharmed. Else your boat will be sunk, we will take him, and the rest of you will be given to the harvesterfish of the limb farms." If whichever aboleth was speaking intended to say anything more, it holds its tongue as the feral boy summons his sharks and the three sailors on the boat capable of magic summon giant, dire stinging rays to help defend the ship.
"Ah, well, I'm sorry there, sir, but these are my paying passengers, and as such we can't let them come to any harm or be done off with, like, if you get me." The Captain is grinning wolfishly. "Raise the ballista, boys! We fight!" A battle-cry goes up from the crew followed shortly by furious blasts of foamy water from the now-enraged aboleths.
The battle is on. Jorzan, apparently, is the prize.
A jolt of surprise flashes though the shadowdancer as the creatures ask for him, and him alone. 'Me?? It's me they want? And not Cassandra? I know Bal-Zat has his designs on me but, how could these creatures be connected to him?'
In addition to these thoughts, something else flashes through the young man, something akin to guilt. For now not only the lives Cassandra and his companions are at risk, but everyone on this ship was in danger because of him, and what was the value of his life compared to that? Should he not give himself up then, thus, hopefully, sparing the others? Of course they had no guarantee these creatures would keep their word but the Captain has said they had struck similar bargains before. He had no desire to die, but how could he ask all of these others to risk their lives just for him? Opening his mouth to inquire more of the creatures the choice is taken from him as the new addition to their party, the boy who does not speak, decides to take matters into is own hands and attacks, the Captain and crew eagerly joining in.
Filled with unease and misgiving, the darkness in his soul feeling as if it has grown a little deeper, Jorzan nevertheless firms himself to the inevitable and launches his explosive arrow at one of the evil creatures.
Attack Damage & Sneak Fireball Damage (1d20+9=22, 1d8+3d6=15, 3d6=15)
Once the party has assembled - including Feral Boy and the Monster, Karthan will cast Haste on the group, plus the captain.
Everyone gets:
+30' ground movement
+1 to AC
+1 to attack
+1 to Reflex Saves
1 additional attack per round as a full attack.
He'll call out to Justahl, "It may be up to you to take the attack to them. I can make your horse fly if you're willing to ride him through the air...."
Spells used:
1: Mage Armor, Shield, 6 left
2: Rope Trick (Tanel's cabin), 7 left
3: Haste, 4 left.
Sir Justahl nods at Karthan. "Let's just hope they don't have a Dispel handy, or I will be finding out what's on the bottom of this lake."
Sir Justahl calls his divinely bonded mount. (Full round action)
"Nouhves! Come to me! You are needed!"
'I wouldn't mind being able to fly either, if you can make it happen!' Tanel calls over to Karthan as he steps into the center of the deck and begins casting a spell.
For the moment, Kelne held back, ready to skewer anything which reached over the rail and otherwise run interference. Since Jorzan was apparently the target, he intended to make sure the aboleths didn't get their slimy tentacles on him.
The boy dances around the deck, wriggling like a fish and laughing as below the waves the sharks maneuver to flank the closest aboleth and attack.
Hit: Damage:
Hit:
The first shark grabs a meaty chunk of aboleth in its jaws and rolls, tearing away a chunk, as the aboleth manages to whip a tentacle in place to distract his partner.
Karthan's round 2 action will be to cast Fly on Justahl's horse. Just because a full charging horse+lance attack over the surface of the water is too cool a visual image to pass up. It's 1 minute per level.
Tanel, if you still need to fly by round 3, let me know - but I think I'd rather save that slot for either a fireball or refreshing the Haste spell.
@DMDownrightAmazed
As the Feral Boy's shark tears into one of the aboleths and Jorzan's lethal accuracy sends an arrow screaming into one of the creatures, the crew of the Song of Sarain raise their ship's only weapon and the rest of you get protections in place and ready yourselves.
Then four of the aboleths, as if on signal, rise up from the water, rearing to near their full height, and roar a deafening and horrid challenge to all of you on deck. Faced with these impossibly ancient water beasts, who were enslaving and ensnaring the Old Fey thousands of years before travelers ever came to the Land, even the stout hearts of Justahl, Kelne, and Tanel quail; the warriors' largely landlocked lives make these aberrations countenances even more terrifying than normal, and their spirits break under the weight of the creatures' power. Only the captain, who has dealt with these things before, seems unbowed. She grits her teeth and snarls right back them, clearly digging in for the fight.
As four aboleths those on-deck, the two under attack by the Feral Boy's sharks spin on those summoned celestial and tear into them with a brutal and ruthless efficiency; one shark is simply shredded to pieces by powerful tentacles while the other one is battered and ripped until it is senseless and clearly on its very last legs.
Meanwhile, the last two aboleths remain underwater and wave their tentacles around in arcane patterns, summoning a pair of elementals to aid in their fight; one from the plane of air, one from the storm plane. The auran flies down and stops just above Karthan, then hammers him with a brutal blast of pressurized air right in the back, connecting with the half-orc's torso in a blow that knocks his breath out of him. The lightning elemental heads straight for Jorzan, who is clad in a chain shirt, the metal rings of which are like candy to the electrical being. After seeing the shadowdancer's wicked accuracy, it smacks his bow ruthlessly out of his hands, sending the weapon clattering to the deck of the ship five feet away. The tang of fried ozone and stormwater alike fill the air.
For sure Captain, my apologies.
One question, what would your ruling be if Entangle would work underwater, or specifically in this water?
Shark friends weren't strong enough!
The boy concentrates, imagining the lightning elemental. It shouldn't attack the group of friends. It must go home.