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”Perhaps we see if fire will harm this menace before I menace myself with an unskillful leap!” Orla calls out to her comrades.
These boys...
Orla calls upon Desna, focusing on the divinity of the moon and the latent power therein, despite the hour of the day. She focuses her intensity on burning away the mould.
A beam of silvery light blasts illogically from the daytime sky.
A pale silver ray comes out of Orla's hand as her goddess' favour washes over the mold. A faint smell of burnt bread emanates from it as it crackles and withers away.
The mold, even though its surface has been burnt, remains.
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Hearing the cheers from below deck Hammick get to the upper deck just in time to see Kutu make the leap and land hard on the deck. "Ouch, he be feeling that later tonight."
Hammick gets out his grappling hook and rope and walks up onto the forecastle. Looking at the other ship's rigging, he throws his grapple hook over, high on the mast of the main sail of the Shoreseeker’s. Once the hook catches he gives a good tug to set it and test to see if it will not slip and hold his weight.
Then like many pirates in stories, he swing across to the other ship. Landing on the forecastle of the Shoreseeker’s .
Hammick attempts to swing across, but just as he sets his weight against the rope, the hook comes loose and he falls on the deck of the Wandering Hearth, bruised and head ringing.
"Are you all right there?", one of the sailors says while offering a hand.
Meanwhile, with Orla calling upon divine blessings and Gabros ready to toss a flask of alchemist's fire, Captain Vriggdahl and her men take no chances. At the snapping of her fingers, sailors aboard the Wandering Hearth stand ready with buckets of seawater to protect their ship as Gabros tosses the flask of alchemist's fire onto the Shoreseeker's deck.
The mold catches fire quickly and is consumed by the bluish flame less than a minute later. Tongues of flame caress the deck as you and your companions quickly step on them to put them out. The sailors look anxious at the flames.
"Douse it! Lively now!", Captain Vriggdahl commands as sailors go towards the railing and toss buckets of water onto Shoreseeker' deck. You all end splashed with seawater, but all that remains of the mold is a charred carpet of ash.
Save for the scorch marks and the damaged starboard side, the upper deck of the Shoreseeker is devoid of anything of interest. The deck is empty beyond tattered sails and coils of rope. There's no sign of Hlavard or the gorget. Near the prow of the ship are stairs leading below decks.
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Bert helps in stomping out the gutting mold flames, with apparent glee. He stands back to admire the handiwork, hands on hips, just in time for a bucket of seawater to drench him head-to-toe.
"Bleh, cold! With just a whiff o' stink about it," he grumbles. "At least-" he looks about the deck of The Shoreseeker "-I made it aboard."
"Good job lads 'n' lass, I didn't fancy my odds at the jump," he eyes the betting sailors. "Though Desna might've smiled upon me an' someone's pocket. You never know."
Without making a sound, Inzo peers below deck. Behind him he can hear the movement of the others as they board the longship. Below deck, the darkness is broken by rays of grey light wedging themselves through the damaged port side of the hull. The majority of you would only be able to see where the rays illuminate the greenish-blue water; however, Hammick's, Bert's and Inzo's gaze pierces the darkness, as their vision can show the whole lower deck is flooded. More importantly, under the water line, they can easily make out a large unmoving shape about 15 feet towards the bow. Wedged into a hole in the side of the Shoreseeker is the head of an enormous sea serpent. Clutched in its jaws is the body of an Ulfen man wearing an ornate gorget, an axe is firmly embedded in the side of the serpent’s head. There's only one way to recover the gorget and the body. You'll have to swim underwater towards the serpent and pry it out.
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Thinking that the swing across the deck will change Hammick's image from just being the one heaving his guts out over the railling to something better when 'thud'. He lands flat on his back, still on the same ship looking up to the sky. When a sailor comes over and asks how he is. He stands up and starts to pull the now loose grappling hook back to him.
"Only me pride is hurt lad"
Just as Hammick is able to pull the hook back he sees the fire doing its job. So he stores his rope and hook and fallows Bert across.
looking into the hold "What ya be finding down there? O' a big water snake. I think I remember that they....."
"Swim in water."
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Bert lets out a shriek as he spots the sea serpent, that quickly turns into a nervous laugh: "'s already slain! Thank this lad's mighty axe, I wasn't lookin' forward to such a battle. An' he went out in glorious fashion. He'll be smilin' all the way to Pharasma's judgin'."
He nods along to Orla's information: "That's what I heard. Sharp enough to stab through even the sturdiest of gorgets."
Something catches his eye as he studies the water. "Think I see somethin' else down there. Broken eggs? Mayhaps some other creature be usin' this hull for their nestin'. Or there's little sea serpents lurkin' about their mother."
"That all said, who's up for a swim?"
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As the moss burnt Gabros watched like a hawk for spreading embers. That is why he saw the buckets of seawater coming in time to dodge the worst of it. Wiping the stray water off his face he crouches to examine the moss.
Quickly surmising that the fire has done its job he straights up and goes over to clasp Bert on the shoulder.
”Welcome aboard.” turning to Hammick Gabros proffers a hand to shake. ”Lord Gabros Orlovsky at your service. With fearsome dwarves such as you two I would hate to a sea serpent in this moment.”
”As for sea serpents I recall that excessive noise can turn them away and if you find yourself entwined in its coils a sharp jab to the snout should help encourage it to release you. Though I would still recommend not becoming entwined in the first place.”
Moving as quietly as possible Gabros moves to the water line. He glances at everyone, grins and slides into the water.
How large are these eggs?
They're about 2 by 5 feet. You could probably fit Orla in there is she could be squished.
Both Inzo and Gabros are floating in the water they've advanced about five feet from the stairs. Gabros can see the surface of the water, but can't see what lies below him. Only Inzo can see clearly where the serpent and the body of Hlavard is. Beyond the initial five feet by the stairs, any further movement will have to be under water as the longship is being propped up by other ships and the lower deck is flooded.
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Gabros squints as he tries to make out shapes in the dark.
” I simply cannot see a thing down here. I am out of my depth in more ways than one here.”
Swimming back to solid ground Gabros gets out his bow, arrows, and a torch. He lights the torch and finds a spot in debris around him to wedge it such that will illuminate the ship but not ignite it.
”Bert! Hammick! I feel your natural abilities may be essential down here in the gloom.
Inzo, if you see something try to lure it back here to the light so you are not forced to fight alone.
Have you a bow Kutu?”
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Bert rummages in his pack until he hauls out a long length of rope.
"I figure we tie this on whoever goes swimmin', then we can haul 'em out if somethin' attacks, otherwise they can tie it to the body or maybe to the dead beastie's jaw to help open it up and get the lad out."
He holds out the length of rope to his companions.
"Anyone?"
After a long pause, he lets out a deep sigh and begins to fumble the rope around his waist. "What am I doin', I ain't a swimmer" he mutters.
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Upon Bert’s sigh and the muttering that follows Gabros coughs loudly
” Ahem, Thank you for getting my rope ready Bert.” setting down his bow Gabros takes the rope out of Berts hands and knots it tightly around his own waist before plunging into the water once more and swimming over to Inzo
That was incredibly stupid... I can barely see and have not swum intensely in a long time. Oh and there is probably a serpent, that I cannot see. How joyful
As Gabros makes his way towards Inzo, rope floating in the water, a school of silver-yellowish fish darts under feet as they float by the stairs. With the torch wedged between the broken planks of the hull, Gabros, Orla, and Kutu can make out the shape of the sea serpent's head, along with its gristly prize in its maws. The spines around its crest jut out menacing as Hlavard's beard sways gently in the water.
From above deck you hear the voice of Captain Vriggdahl, "Everything fine down there?" Her voice sounds strained. You can just make out the nervous muttering of the sailors. "Hate to hurry you, but we've got another storm rolling in about an hour and I want us to be as far ahead of it as possible!"
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"Ye know how long it takes to get me beard dry."
Grumbles Hammick as he drops his pack, ties on to the rope and makes his way into the water. Taking a good look around. He tries to get an idea of how many eggs there were before they were broken/ hatched. Hammick tries to slowly swim over with dagger in hand to the gorget with out disturbing too much of the water.
If nothing happens, he tries his had at pick pocking the item without the dead to notice.
Hammick dives under the water, disturbing a crab that scurries away from the dwarf's underwater strokes. Eyeing the remains of the eggs, it's hard to say how many there were originally. Perhaps two or three. Beard flowing gently in the water, he makes his way towards the creature, the stark black and white of his vision contrasts the fanged maw and glazed furious eyes of the beast, making it look even more sinister. Up close, he can see the face of Hlavard, frozen in a smile of triumph while pierced by a hideous row of teeth. You get the feeling this is a man who died the way he lived. Under his own terms.
Besides fish, sea urchins and the lone crab, the hull is lifeless. Whilst above deck, the temperature is starting to drop.
Eyes focused, the dwarf floats in the calm waters, steeling his resolve. Without hesitation, Hammick's hands grab onto the fanged maw of the serpent and with a mighty heave he wretches the jaws open, the effort releasing several air bubbles from his mouth. His hands dig into the sea serpent's mouth, from where he rescues the battered remains of Hlavard Grenskuldr from its clutches. The gorget, despite the beating its owner took, is intact. Helped by the corpse's buoyancy, Hammick reaches the stairs with Hlavard in tow. The proud dwarf's beard flattened and soaked against his face as he stands proud of his achievement.
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Not wanting to leave a good axe behind, but equally wanting to return to the mainland in one piece, Inzo is troubled. "Well, I'll go swim and get it is someone can help me pry it out. Come on Hammick!"
Inzo will swim over, with someone else if it needs athletics to pry out the axe, and then swim back.
Inzo dives back into the water, swimming deftly towards the half opened jaws of the beast. The axe is there, deeply embedded in the serpent's flesh just below its crest ridges. In stark black and white, Inzo can easily make out the Grenskuldr family sigil on the axe head: a sea serpent's head with jaws open and spine ridges jutting out.
Above deck, stormclouds rumble in the distance.
The flooded lower deck is empty.
Captain Vriggdahl on seeing everyone return to the Shoreseeker's deck with the body of Hlavard Grenskuldr and the gorget in tow quickly gives the order to ready the ship. "About time", she mutters loudly. You can see the sky is darkening and can feel the air pressure dropping. Being wet doesn't help at all with the chill air coming in from the north.
Just as the six of you get ready to cross the planks to the Wandering Hearth, a loud thumping sound comes from below deck as the boards of the Shoreseeker's deck buckle violently, before breaking into splinters. From the hold, two young sea serpents hiss and jump on board to attack!
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"Oi! Behind us. I knew something was gonna go funny with this job." Inzo barks out to his companions, hoping they are as quick witted in a fight as they are with their tongues.
It's been years since the goblin has been in a fight, but he still remembers how to use his Tien throwing stars he's used for hunting ever since his early years in the far north. Reaching at his belt pouch, in a single motion he lets loose a flurry of three shuriken at the beast.
Action 1: Hunt Prey on right most serpent
Action 2: Hunted Shot (2x Shuriken at hunted serpent)
Action 3: Third shuriken
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As Bert rushes off, Orla calls upon the favor of Desna, a purple sigil in the shape of a butterfly appears on Bert's back and on the purple sea serpent's face. She immediately summons a swarm of bluish butterflies that form around her and just as quickly disappear.
Footsteps thundering on the deck, Bert rushes the purple sea serpent, his battleaxe rising in the air and swinging down on the serpent's torso, making a deep cut as the sea serpent hisses in anger.
Around the same time, Inzo fingers flash as a series of shuriken deftly fly towards their targets. The first one misses, flying into the sea, whilst the second and third one strike their targets, piercing its scales and forcing the red sea serpent to utter a roar.