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"Well Captain, maybe I can help with the crew morale during the journey if you think it might not be too disruptive. I'm a professional dancer and can provide some free evening entertainment if there is a space that I can perform in and after the entertainment, I'm also a professional courtesan if any of the crew might be interested in engaging my more private services for some coin."
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Sickly finds ship-board life rather miserable. The churning waters, and constant listing of the boat seem to affect him quite severely. Still it is not enough to get him below decks, the cramped quarters, and animals confined there, make that an even less desirable.
Instead, he spends most of his time on deck, usually near a rail, pale and miserable, going below deck only to try to sleep, and then only during the day when more people are up top. Though he rarely stay down there for long, before he is topside once more, leaning on a rail.
Still, despite it all, you've never once heard him complain about any of it. He weathers his constant ailments in relative silence.
When Lilybeth starts giving him some magic each day, to help with his breathing, he gives her a grateful smile, thanking her each time in an almost inaudible mumble.
Whenever they are both up at the same time, she will start to notice he is inevitably hanging out somewhere nearby. Not interacting in any way, just somehow managing to be in the area.
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While they are on the ship, Loxx will make sure to keep Fetch and his fellow Pathfinders free of the effects of the cold as best he can.
Loxx will mostly try to stay out of the way of the crew but will offer help if he thinks extra muscle will be useful.
Suring the early evening Loxx will stay on deck to watch the sunset. During the height of the day Fetch will stay on deck to get whatever sun he can. Otherwise they will find a place to keep warm below.
The Captain raises an eyebrow at LifeLover's offer of professional services, but says nothing.
The snowy owl Kuokei doesn't respond to Loxx's questions, although she does come closer and tentatively grabs the meat from his hand. The bird squawks softly at him before flying back up to a mast to sit and chew its snack.
The temperature is cold, between the spray of the sea and the snow and ice pellets that fall from the sky
The shipboard journey soon settles into a dull routine. Heading west into the setting sun for the first week, out of sight of land, each of you spends only a few hours above deck before the cold drives you below to the warmth of the fire. You pass the infamous island of Kalva, known for its cannibalistic barbarians, and finally turn north.
On the tenth day out of Iceferry you spot your first iceberg, a flat, table-like mass of white that seems impossibly large. "It's early, to be seeing free ice so far south," mutters Captain Redaxe, her brow furrowed in thought. "We may have an early spring this year."
On the twelfth day, the weather starts to turn for the worse. A north wind springs up, and soon a driving snow covers the ship's decks.
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Sickly eyes the incoming storm with a worried frown, as he tries to determine just how bad its going to get.
Having spent a good deal of time on the deck over the past twelve days, he is at least familiar enough with the crew's routines... he watches them nervously now, trying to determine if that routine has changed at all... and unsure if he should be more concerned if it has, or has not.
He ponders trying to get some sleep in, before it gets really bad, but finds he's far too nervous, and after laying in the bunk for a while, eventually gives up. He spends a few minutes repacking his gear, and making sure its all stowed away, and secure, and easily accessible if needed, then goes back topside, to see if he can at least help prepare for what's coming.
@Mason: The owl doesn't seem to communicate using you code, but certainly is an intelligent example of its species.
@LifeLover: early in the trip you receive several visits from various crewmen, until the Cpatain puts a stop to it. From that point, your only regular customer is the Captain.
@Sickly: the crew is concerned but not overly nervous about the storm. It does sound like it will be pretty bad, but no one appears worried.
@Lilybeth: you're likely to be in for a blizzard. The wind and cold will likely be severe, especially at night.
@Loxx: The crew accept your help in tying down the hatches, and ensuring that snow can be easily cleared from the deck. Too much snow too quickly could build up enough weight that the ship becomes top-heavy, making it susceptible to rolling over in heavy seas.
@Bertha: not much occurs belowdecks other than the crew resting and occasional gambling. No one seems to resent your lack of work ethic; many appear to assume you are diseased or something, and avoid you.
Over the next few hours, the snow intensifies, and visibility drops to nil. Sailors can only last a short while outside in the howling wind before needing to come back inside and warm up. Those of you who are willing are asked to take your turn on ice watch, ensuring the ship doesn't blunder into any icebergs during the storm. The Captain seems a little more concerned now, as the storm arrives.
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If I am needed on the watch schedule I will do my part.
Perception +1 (darkvision 60')
Endure elements (good to -50)
Message is up with whomever I am sharing a watch with so we can communicate. Will renew every 60 minutes (lasts 90 minutes).
Wearing Cold weather outfit and furs (+7 vs. cold weather) Though I don't really need them, everyone was looking at me funny when I was parading around on decks in my thin silk. And the Captain didn't want anyone else looking at my body.
I keep all my gear with me just in case.
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As Life heads on to the deck bundled in fur, Mason calls out; "Worried about distracting the watchmen!?"
He then dons his cleats and steps on to the deck, squinting through the snow and slush and muttering to himself; "If Capt' has a problem with these scoring the deck, well that's a problem. I ain't gonna get swept off this boat. Stupid boat. I ain't never trained for amphibious operations. It's fine! Just think of the sea as one big ooze! Don't get caught inside of it!!! Ha!" At that last thought Mason shutters at the memory of drowning inside a ooze in Magnimar. 'We are all going to die.'
Moving up to relieve a crewman the stout dwarf shouts over the wind and waves; "What am I looking for? It's all white out there!"
The full force of the storm hits, and it provides a miserable existence. Those outside are subject to strong winds and biting cold, although your magical protection keeps you toasty warm. The rest of the crew can only last a few tens of minutes before needing to be replaced, and several of the men suffer from frostbite and hypothermia. Most of the crew spend their time keeping the deck and rigging free of ice and snow, with one person dedicated to ice watch. Luckily, no large 'bergs are sighted, and after 16 hours of terribly rough sailing, Rimedrake manages to clear the storm and reach less turbulent waters.
The rest of the voyage north passes uneventfully, although more and more ice is seen. On the 22nd day out from Iceferry, you here the lookout cry, "Land ho!"
The village of Aaminiut nestles on several small islands in the delta of the great Taraska River. Many clusters of long wooden houses are grouped around a central courtyard, each building resembling a traditional Ulfen longhouse except for the stilts which support each house several feet in the air. Every building in the village is on stilts, with rope and wooden swinging bridges connecting each islet to its neighbors, crossing the multitude of streams which are all that remains of the Taraska River in winter.
“The warmth of the houses can melt the permafrost,” Captain Redaxe says, answering the unasked question. “Building them on stilts means the soil underneath doesn’t thaw. Stays hard as a rock and makes a good foundation.”
Near the center of town, in front of a semi-circle of tall, carved wooden poles, villagers gather and watch the ship’s approach. The beach and the village's only quay seem fouled with large chunks of sea ice that has been blown inshore, making docking impossible. As Rimedrake anchors in the outer harbor, several warriors armed with spears push long dugout canoes into the water and begin to paddle towards the ship.
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Bertha watches eagerly from the top deck as the canoes make their way towards the ship. As the rest of her companions gather up on deck she goes to each one and boops them with a wand of lucky number.
Roll a d20; once during the duration of lucky number, when the target creature rolls that result (regardless of what type of dice the target rolls), the creature has the option to either reroll the result or add a +2 luck bonus to the result. The creature must decide to use this ability before the success or failure of the original roll is known. A creature can have only one lucky number at a time. If lucky number is cast on a creature already affected by that spell, the new number replaces the previous one.
Bertha also cast false life on herself
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Sickly looks less pale than normal, but it is because his face is almost raw from long exposure to the winds on deck during the voyage. Large patches of dried skin are starting to flake off the exposed portions of his face and hands, though he doesn't pay them much head.
It does seems to itch something awful though, as he absently rubs at it as he quietly watches the canoes approaching. He is still bundled up in multiple layers of clothing, though you're sure the spell that Loxx was keeping makes them unnecessary.
When Bertha comes to use her wand, he visibly flinches for a moment at the contact. Then mutters an almost inaudible thank you.
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Mason crowds the edge of the ship with his gear already packed and ready to go. "Sickly, I'm not sure that sun did you well..."
Looking the the scholars and diplomats in the group, "Any you speak their language?"
"Life's got a scroll of tongues she can use without expending it if I remember correctly"
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"Thank you Bertha for my new lucky number.
At the mention of languages I recall I have a wand I can use.
"Thanks for reminding me Mason and Lilybeth. If you all don't mind, I'll give you all the temporary ability to at least understand what everyone is saying. You wont be able to speak the language, but you can certainly follow the conversations or translations.
Assuming nobody objects, just before the natives arrive I go down the line of the group and quickly cast Comprehend Languages from the wand on everyone including myself. (lasts 10 minutes)
"If we feel like we need Tongues at this point, I can always do it, but we do have the Captain here and several crew that could probably help us translate for now. And when we are ready for Tongues I think it would be best used on you Lilybeth as I think you are the most diplomatic and book learned of the group."
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"Maybe they speak our language." Doubtful mutters quietly, though not really loud enough for most to hear.
I hear Sickly channeling Doubtful and wish our monk buddy was here to join my in my skepticism.
"This all looks perfectly normal to me, but better safe than sorry as my friend Doubtful would say."
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"I think it would be best used on you Lilybeth as I think you are the most diplomatic and book learned of the group."
"Thank you. Talking about books, I once read that northerners really don't like Jadwiga, which are some kind of ice witches, but if you dress that scarcely they might mistake you for one." Lilybeth warns LifeLover.
@Lilybeth: the Erutaki don't generally go anywhere unarmed; the land they live in is too hostile to trust to luck. Even the water holds dangers it's best to be able to fight if necessary.
The local language is Erutaki, which is fairly uncommon among Pathfinders, but you can likely find someone who speaks Skald or even Common here, as this is a trade village.
@All: While magical aids such as tongues or comprehend languages are useful, remember that you are here to discover if those sort of magical translations provided Svala Icerider with incomplete information when translating an Erutaki loresong.
The Erutaki dugouts approach Rimedrake and pull up alongside.
One of the warriors, a stocky woman wearing oilskin over furs, waves to you with a smile. "Rakeet! Ja ru Skjalden?"
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One of the warriors, a stocky woman wearing oilskin over furs, waves to you with a smile. "Rakeet! Ja ru Skjalden?" ** spoiler omitted ** followed quickly by "Or do you prefer Taldane?"
"Greetings, we do understand Skald due to magical aid, but Taldane would indeed be preferable! Language actually is the reason we're here. We would like an audience with the village elders with regards to an ancient Erutaki loresong. Could you help set this up?"
"Welcome, southerners! I am Tikasak, emissary of the Five Animals, and I bid you welcome to Aaminuit!" She speaks softly to the two warriors in her canoe in a lyrical language, without hard consonants or rhythmic emphasis. They respond in kind, and the canoe moves closer to Rimedrake. "The ice is too early, and so you must come ashore in our canoe. There is room for two in each, plus one with me."
The other canoes approach Rimedrake and sidle up to the ship's hull.
Captain Redaxe seems nonchalant about the process, giving you some confidence this isn't a trap. "We'll leave tomorrow morning," she mentions, "so if you need anything from us, let us know."
After clambering into the canoes, you set out towards the shore. The cables are very maneuverable but feel terribly unstable, rolling with every stroke by the two warriors. The warriors remain silent and stoic as they padddle, but Tikasak chats with Lifelover and Inkwell as they travel.
The canoes move swiftly through the water, nimbly maneuvering around floating blocks of ice. The crowd of people on the beach is growing, as curious villagers come down to. The beach to greet the newcomers.