"I'll check on the ropes" Lilly yells over the crashing waves before running down below.
this ship doesn't sail itself, I suspect... and, there's probably not enough slaves to manage... we need these men to help...
With a shudder, Maia runs closer to the life boat and yells, "Stop! The first wave that comes'll shatter the boat against the hull. You'll all be dead in the water and the ship'll be in even worse shape. You're only hope now is to keep this ship afloat. Now get your cowardly asses to work!"
The three sailors glance at each other and then, when one of them nods, step back from the boat.
"How do we help?" The one who made the decision asks.
Bukis does what he can in the hold but its literally like trying to hold back the tide with his bare hands, this is a much bigger job requiring far more people!
Brelkar sloshes over, the water rising over his thick chest. "Damn-it lad, not like that!" The dwarf yells, we need something much bigger![/b]
Cordelia is still at the wheel. Looking forward she sees what looks like one of the ship's boats capsize as a shadow emerges from the water behind them. No matter what is coming it looks like the larger ship is safer right now!
Maia has got three, mostly convinced, sailors asking her what to do.
Bukis has a massive leak on his hands that is getting worse by the moment.
Lily finds the ropes. The problem seems to be that the rudder has come unshipped from its pinions, rather than the ropes themselves. That means someone has to go over the stern and put it back in place...
Bukis forces himself to slow down and listen to the rebuke from Brelkar. He accepts the fact that he is in over his head and starts upstairs. "Back! Help!" Then he heads topside to try and recruit anyone who claims competency in repairing the boat.
"What's wrong?" Lilly was running by when he shouts. "Oh!" she swears something vile as she tries to help.
Maia nods appreciatively to the sailors. "The most immediate threat right now is that we're taking on water," she answers, "grab some ropes or pieces of sail, or anything that you could stuff into cracks or holes in the hull and hurry down to help... once things are a little more under control we can find tar or something to help seal it..."
As they take off downwards to help Bukis and Lilly, she hurries over to the captain's cabin to see if there's anything in there that might be helpful.
Cordelia curses as well as she tries to help the others fix the hole in the ship!
When nothing immediately presents itself in the captain's cabin, Maia quickly looks around for anything helpful.
Bukis (hopefully) gathers a couple of the sailors that have yet to leave the boat and, if possible will also rescue Maia from the cabin with the disappearing door, then bring them all below deck to help with repairing the hull. Remembering that his previous tactics proved futile he tries different tactics this time. Grabbing a large plank, some nails, and a hammer he tries putting a temporary patch over the leak.
"Hear, I can help. Mom was always doing something with wood, maybe I'm not complete crap at it."
Bukis gives Lilly a grateful smile. "Next time talk to moms thank their teaching." He says it as a throw away, meant to remind her not to take her moms for granted but realizes that he just revealed something about her past that he shouldn't know. Hoping that in all the excitement Lilly doesn't notice Bukis tries to hide the concern he feels and go about the business of saving the boat.
With the additional help gathered, and the assistance from Lilly and Cordelia, Bukis finally manages to get a decent plug in the hole. Brelkar has the other prisoners hammering a patch over it immediately and the flow of water slows to a little above normal. There's a lot of water on board already, but things are much better!
Inside the captains cabin Maia finds herself in an immaculately tidy room. Even with the pitching of the storm the inkwell on the fine desk is neatly capped, the papers are arranged in exact stacks and the bed is immaculately made. Its a little too perfect actually.
A chest can be seen under the bed, as well as a knapsack hanging near the door and the stack of papers on the desk itself, held down by a large black paperweight.
moms? she heard him say making her mind jump to did I mention plural, why did he sound so familiar when mentioning them. she opened her mouth, looking at him, cocking her head a bit, but decides NOW is not the time. Instead, she focuses "The rope is undone from the rudder, can any of you climb well?"
"Try if needed, climb bad." Bukis says to Lilly, relieved that his gaffe went unnoticed and quite satisfied to have the conversation move past his awkward statement.
Hmm, everything seems in order here...
Rushing over to the bed, Maia checks the chest to see if it's locked.
Maia hears a small voice in her head. "Go to the table, take up the second document and tear it in two."
She does so and there is a cruel laugh behind her as she feels a sting in her neck, and then smells brimstone.
The last time Bukis saw Maia she was headed topside, now she is nowhere to be seen. "Where's Maia? " He asks, concern in his voice at her disappearance.
"" Maia shouts as the burning pain spreads from her neck down into her shoulders and back. "Why are you attacking me? I just set you free!" Trying to guard herself with her hands she steps away from the little devil and flees.
The imp doesn't pursue and Maia hurries down the gangway onto the slave deck and thence to the hold, stumbling as the pain spreads through her neck.
,
,
,
,
Maia cries softly as she stumbles through the ship, clumsily looking for her friends.
Lilly is running up from the hull, and nearly runs into Maia "What's wrong? You look... sluggish, drunk, um... did you hit your head?" her mother's attempt at teaching her medicine never took.
”I got poisoned by an imp,” Maia confesses as she steadies herself against a wall. ”It was in the captain’s cabin.”
Cordelia moves to inspect Maia's stab wound, hissing through her teeth when she sees the swelling around it. "That looks bad. You'd better sit down and rest. I'll check the forepeak!"
So saying, she rushes forward to inspect it...
Cordelia rushes to the forepeak and finds the relatively cramped triangular area lined with shelves and a huge selection of labelled boxes, most of which now lie scattered on the floor, among three larger chests, as others teeter precariously. A porthole on the starboard side flaps open, letting in wild sprays of water with every pitch of the ship.
In the quartermaster's chests Cordelia sees a familiar hilt, her blade! There is also an impressive looking scythe, a pair of embroidered boots, a prosthetic hook and some other important looking items which must belong to your fellow escapees!
The rest of said escapees are huddled in the hold, unable to do anything for Maia's injuries.
Cordelia gasps with relief as she pulls her elven curve blade free of the chest. Variel... She swallows around a lump in her throat as her thoughts flit to the lover who gifted her the weapon, but there's no time for sentimentality right now.
Nimbly making her way through the boxes and crates, the rogue reaches the porthole and quickly gets it closed. Then she weaves back through the cargo and grabs the other items before returning to the group.
"I found some things that might help." She offers the items to the others.
Lilly looks up from Maia's wound. "Oh!" she leaves her childhood friend to reverently take a metal pendant on a leather cord, a butterfly, the holy symbol of Desna. She slips it over her head with a sigh. Also takes a small leather pouch filled with all sorts of things
"Now, what? The wheel is useless until we deal with the rudder. And we have an imp loose in the captain's quarters. Which one takes precedence?"
"I can deal with the rudder now we patched the leak lass." Brelkar offers, strapping the prosthetic hook onto his stump with practised motions. "I'll take the gnome and make him do the work. Ye deal with the devil!"
Lightfoot looks up with a grin. "Sure, I'll help!" He says with a grin, tapping his feet in his boots. They do make him a good three inches taller!
Cordelia secures the porthole, making the ship considerably more seaworthy in the process before meeting the rest of the group on deck.
The captains cabin remains immaculately neat, apart from a torn document that is lying on the floor. Maia, who is still walking like a drunkard, can confirm that it was that document that she ripped up. The room is free of any infernal presence that anyone can detect. A thorough search of the room turns up a number of interesting objects.
The large paperweight from the table is magical. Under the bed is a small chest that seems to have once held money. There is also an empty leather case which looks as though it should have held a compass. Said compass is found in the cabin's darkest corner, as though it has been specifically hidden for some reason. There is also a small canvas bag hanging by the door which seems to contain a spoon, a potion and a packet of dust.
Aura: faint divination; CL 3rd; Weight -; Slot: none; Price 4,000gp.
This compass vibrates slightly in the grip, sharpening the bearers mind and body. Three times a day the Lookouts’ Compass can cast Heightened Awareness on its bearer.
In addition if mounted on a ship’s steering wheel the Compass provides its bonus to Profession Sailor and Survival checks to avoid hazards while sailing the ship in addition to the spell’s normal effects.
Bukis, scimitar in hand, follows into the Captain's quarters expecting to face an imp. Much to his disappointment no I M p is to be found. Even more disappointingly all that is found are some magic items. With absolutely no way of figuring out what they are Bukis hands them to the ones that have shown aptitude for magic. He's not scared, having spent some ten years with Donmi and Polli he realizes who best can figure out these items. "Here, magic." He says as he puts the items into the hands of Lilly and Maia.
"Um... yes, I have healing magic, but... I neglected my studies on magical items." the young woman admits with embarrassment.
”I might be able to help...” Maia offers as she cautiously moves closer. Weaving together a quick spell, she examines the found items.
”sorry... I can’t seem to focus...”
With a haul of, as yet unidentified objects, the group returns to the deck. Brelkar is there, soaking wet and nodding in satisfaction as Lightfoot and two other strain against the wheel.
"It's fixed!" The dwarf bellows, "But it ain't gonna do us much good!" He thrusts his hook hand forward and everyone turns to look. Rain continues to pummel the deck, blasting into everyone's face, and the wind’s howl seems to be increasing. Without sails, even straining against the wheel, it is almost impossible to divert the ship as the current carries it towards an almost sheer curtain of lightning hammering down into the ocean as though determined to destroy the Devils’ Due and everyone aboard!
"" Lilly yells in her loudest MOM voice and does the same.
Maia explains the function and use of the compass, the spoon, and the elixir as they make their way up to the deck.
At Lilly’s command, Maia heads below deck with her friends old and new. As they move, however, she asks, ”shouldn’t someone be steering now that the rudder’s fixed?”
"Well, it's not going to be me!" Cordelia shouts. "I've no wish to be electrocuted, thank you very much!" She hustles belowdecks to find a safe place to hide.
"Cordelia is right" Lilly responds as she rushes back down. "We might flip over, yes, and maybe die, but we would very much die from that."
Bukis moves below deck with the rest of the group and as he stands there waiting and listening to the coming tumult he eyes the compass and wonders how far his need to protect Lilly, and increasingly the rest of the group, will push him to go.
As everyone hustles below the wind rises to a deafening shriek. This is followed by a cacophony of lightning, bolts slamming into the deck as though determined to smash the Devils' Due into tiny fragments and send you all to the bottom of the ocean! The crashing hammering is loud enough to deafen and then...
Silence...
It's nearly as deafening as the thunder before. Emerging cautiously reveals a deck charred with dozens of burn marks as lightning smashes into the deck. The bowspit, carved with a leering devil is gone, the main mast is a stump with a few small flames licking across the wreckage and the ship, all in all, looks one step from the grave. But looking across the railings shows the strangest sight of all. A graveyard. Mile upon mile of shattered hulls, broken spars, crates, barrels and all sorts of driftwood spread before you, thick enough to cover the surface of the ocean with a brown blanket. Behind you the storm rages and lightning flashes illuminate the sea but inside the eye of the storm all is quiet. As the Devil’s Due floats gently onwards it becomes clear that, for now at least, you have survived.
Maia grabs Cordelia and Lilly and squeezes them both in a joyfully embrace. "We're alive!" she exclaims in relief, "And, look at all this wood we can try to use to patch the ship up with..."
Lilly looks worn to the bone, but her smile is bright as she is hugged tightly. "I wish, beyond Wish, that I had taken the time to learn my mother's trade more. Does any of us have carpentry experience? How are we going to move the ship without a mast? Where Are We Even?" her questions a war between relief and worry.
But she sighs and agrees with Maia, "Well, we can try at least." looking at their three Sailor survivors from the crew that took them in the first place. Then back at Maia, at her lovely face, and... abundance... "Would you see what you can get out of them? You always were able to twirl the farm boys around your finger when you visited, and I don't think that lot would be much different." her voice hopeful.
Cordelia returns Maia's hug, happy to be alive as well. She sets about searching the immediate vicinity for anything useful.
And time rewinds for the intrepid adventurers, their freedom is once again ripped away from them, locking them behind the cold steel, slaves once again...
now... ACTION!
Suddenly the darkness of the night is broken by a shattering roar. A cry comes from on deck “Mainmast’s gone! To the boats!” The cry prompts a rush of feet and the Slavemaster, ‘Smiler’ Kendrick pauses to sneer at the slaves huddled in his cages on his way to the ladder.
“Hope you can all swim!” He grins, revealing those remarkably perfect teeth. “Cause I got the keys and I ain’t gonna let you go.”
Maia looks at the cruel slavemaster with a mixture of desperation and (feigned) lust. "Surely there must be something I could offer that would make it worthwhile to take me with you..." she teases. Moving towards the back of her cage, in an effort to lure the man into Bukis' reach, she bites her lower lip softly and begins to slowly draw up the bottom of her skirt with her fingertips. "Just think about it... I could be all yours, to do with as you pleased... my hero, my savior... I'd have to spend the rest of my life making it up to you... you only, if you wanted, or you could make a small fortune whoring me to others... I wouldn't even need a seat on the boat, I could just sit on your lap..."
Kendrick gives a thoroughly unpleasant smile, one with a predatory glint to it. "That's a mighty tempting offer." He says, closing with a pronounced swagger. "I'd need to inspect the goods though..."
a predator... of course... so, be prey...
Maia backs all the way up until her back is pressed against her cage. With fear in her eyes, she answers, "yes, master," as she nervously reaches her left hand up to pull down the front of her dress far enough that most of the nipple of her left breast is exposed.