"If we need to jump ship," Sorala continues as she sprints to the barrel, "There's stuff topside can be used as flotsam."
Standing to the side of the barrel while the others hold it in place, Sorala takes the rope from her pack and winds it around the barrel in a loop knot, and then another, and then ties the barrel, and its new harness, to a nearby wall joist. Drawing her sword, the Iron Squire sends it through the rope, severing the remainder so it can be kept for later use.
"They haven't called for all hands. Perhaps they need more help on deck." He nods to Toki, "Not our first time on the waves."
Dacknar's previous sailing experience serves the elf well as he deftly navigates the wreckage and is able to free the halfling in a matter of a few moments. His urgent shout fills the air as he finally ducks clear, setting the injured sailor down near Lil.
Blocking the storm from her mind she quickly resets the broken leg a soft yellow glow emanating from her big but gentle hands. Immediately, the halfling sighs in relief and gingerly test the leg. His smile is bright as a new sunrise as the limb holds his weight easily.
"Many thanks my lady!" He says. "I hope we all survive long enough for me to repay the favor."
"Tooksbury! If your finished lazying about, help us clear this mess!" Coombs shouts, the harshness of the order eased by the lopsided grin on the elfmarked face.
"Aye sir!" Shouts the halfling as he grabs the knife at his belt and starts slicing through ropes.
The storm continues to rage, with rain and spray constantly pounding the open deck. Fortunately Captain Torremark has hired good men and they make quick work of the wreckage. With a final mutual shout the remains of the foremast are pushed overboard and quickly disappear into the darkness of the chaotic sea.
There is a brief moment of respite the Malia is able to maintain her protection of the ship and the wind momentarily drops to a mere gale. The ease is ruined as a sailor emerges from below shouting of a breech in the bilge.
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The ship continues to roll and rock with the chaotic motion of the sea, but Rilkus manages to hold the barrel steady long enough for Toki and Sorala to secure it with fifteen feet of rope fresh from the Kushite's pack.
Having heard both Sorala's and the sailor's warning, Hap grabs Twotoes and starts to scamper down the passage toward the cargo hold. "Common! We'd best take a look. That was young Klifford and he's just as prone to exaggeration as truth. Best if the captain gets an experienced pair of eyes on the situation."
With that the pair of kobolds hurry out of the galley and down the passage, their smaller frames easily navigating the narrow corridor.
Beordt stops his walk to the stairs to the deck, "Trouble in the bildge. Graa. That can't be good." He turns and moves as fast as he can below decks to see what might be the issue in the bilge. I hope I can fit in there.
Hearing the sailor yelling about taking in water, Dacknar looks up to the Minotaur after she heals the halfling.
"Nice work, hopefully I will not need of your service on this trip. I am gong down below to see what that scallywag is piping off about. If thing are looking that bad, you'll see me with both of our packs heading for that launch over there. You might want to join me then."
Dacknar goes over to the sailor that was yelling to find out where is the leak.
Once he knows, he then sprints down the stairs yelling "Make a hole, coming down!" as he bounds down the steps. Dacknar goes to his room grabs his pack and heads for were the leak is. Once there he takes a good look at the damage. while reaching into his pack for items that might help curb the flow of water.
"I hope this crate is not hauling rice, or we are in bigger trouble then we know." he mumbles out.
Tibs lets out something akin to a "harrumph" before making his way through the lower deck.
Some one strong come with me, you, or you. He points to Beordt and Rilkus
One of you, attend me. I may need your strength if further leaks like the last one are about. Or if there are more rolling barrels.
If only my powers granted me the strength of some of those here I would be unstoppable... Maybe one day.
He will make his way through the rest of the ship, starting first in the bildge.
Toki calls to Beordt and whoever else is inclined to follow, Let us patch up any more leaks this bucket may have, for Tor is not done. Not by a long shot!
Taking the patch kit with him, Toki tries to gauge the most likely spots that may be weakest...
”It would be unwise.” Rilkus intoned. ”For someone of my size and weight to go further below deck. I may well impede you in such cramped quarters. Our ursine comrade would be if greater use.” The dwarf in him cringed at the words, but it was impossible to tell given his voice. Instead of going below he began searching for tools to patch up any further leaks, and to shore up any problem areas.
Toki nods, Understood, Ironhand. You check the wider spaces, and we'll check the nooks and crannies!
N'Dateh, hearing of further trouble in the bilge, follows in the wake of Beordt's path, her smaller frame easily slipping in the bearman's shadow.
As she moves, she pats his back and says: "The gods are with you Beordt! Make'em proud..."
Beordt lets out a nasal huff acknowledging that Tiberius addressed him as he continues toward the bilge. "Someone should check the cargo hold too." This time he moves to where he knows the mallet and patches might be. He looks annoyed at the bucket of tar knowing that it will end up in his fur.
The bear folk squeezes into the bilge hunched low under the rafters. Once in the bilge he accesses the problem.
Beordt leaps on the problem with force where it is needed.
Sorala thinks again about going topside, and silently cursing herself, nods to Beordt. "I'll check the cargo hold."
Sheething her sword and securing the remainder of her rope to her pack, talks quickly while she works. "Good luck. The sailor was sure we're going down. Don't hesitate to go topside, and if you think we're sinking - yell loud so the metal man and I can hear."
Nodding again, Sorala turns towards the cargo hold and sprints.
Dur ties a rope to an arrow, ready to shoot a line to anyone who looks like they might go overboard.
After grabbing the spare set of carpenters tools, Beordt, Tiberius, Toki, and D'Nateh climb down into the smelly bowel of the ship. Indeed water sloshes about in the hold. A pair of burly sailors frantically work two big hand pumps but their efforts are clearly not keeping up with the flow of water into the hold which is already reaching their knees. Hap and Twotoes are wading through the water, little concerned about the smell. The two are heading for a spot about twenty feet away where water sprays forth from a leak much larger than the one in the galley.
"Thank Nethus!" Shouts one of the sailors. "There's a pair of leaks about halfway down the port side. We sent Klifford up top to warn the captain, but any help you folks can offer will help us stay afloat that much longer."
As you all move closer, following in the kobold's wake, the extent of the damage becomes clearer and clearer. Several of the hull boards along a ten foot section of the hull have separated and are leaking heavy amounts of water. Toki and Tiberius both come to the same conclusion, if those leaks aren't dealt with soon, they'll expand and potentially rupture catastrophically likely sinking the ship within minutes.
Not worrying about the analysis of the situation, Beordt just gets to work. With a roar the big bear rips apart an old cargo crate to create a handful of makeshift patching lumber. As he slaps the first board into place, holding it there while Toki and Hap nail it into place, the storm reasserts its presence.
The ship shudders and begins to heel yet again. Water filled with loose planks, ships garbage and only the rats know what other debris churns and sloshes across the hold. Some of the bigger debris quickly becoming dangerous as it rushes toward those working to keep the ship afloat.
A wall of water sloshes down from the big grated hatch above as Rilkus and Sorala step into the cargo hold. The previously well organized and stowed hold is now a picture of chaos. It seems one of the cargo nets failed along with a handful of the eyebolts keeping it tied down. Now several bails of cotton, bolts of fabric, and multiple small wooden figurines of various gods from Aten, Bastet, and Anubis to Khors, Volund, and even Rava tumble about in a few inches of water that is slowly draining into the bilge below. Several big cargo nets hang in storage along the wall along with coils of rope.
The two passengers don't notice any immediate leaks, but all of the loose cargo is certainly dangerous problem. This is almost immediately punctuated as the storm once again pummels the Delightful Rose. There is a crashing rumble and more water flows from above along with shouts and curses from the frantic crew on deck. The ship heels hard again in the heavy surf. Tilting further, further, further, to port. The shift causes the loose cargo to go tumbling in a chaotic mass about the hold. It not only threats to rip more cargo loose and pummel anyone not quick enough to duck away, but the weight of the mess is clearly adding to the dangerous heeling of the ship and pushing it further and further over.
N'Dateh lets Beordt busy himself with the pump as she follows the others who work on sealing the leaks.
Praying to the elements, she asks them to stay their hand and guide them to safety.
Beordt seems to ignore a flurry of debris as the ship gets tossed. He steps on something below the water and the handle of a deck mop or brush flies up an wacks him right on his snout. He lets our a sad angry moan as he backs up at the surprize and then thrashes as he falls backwards, he hops back up looking around clearly more worried about his ego than the fall.
Toki's legs spread to a wide base and he quickly moves to hammer the board in place!
Arriving in the bowels of the ship seeing other hard at work to repair the holes.
Staying away from the maddened bear-man who seems to have things well at hand.
He looks around to get his timing and begins hopping on top of the floating debris. Dacknar makes his way to one of the holes and get to work with his hammer and he grabs loose boards floating around and put them into place. Or he uses his spare clothes out of his pack to fill gaps to slow the water.
"Keep pumping lads, you're what is keeping us from going straight to the bottom.
Hoy, Beo...Beordt, once you are done there. Be a good lad and take over for one of them at the pumps. You look like you can make short work of all this water."
Rilkus stood still, enduring the falling debris with stoicism. That is until a mixture of a tossing ship that was breaking apart sent the gearforged crashing to the ground. With a groan Rilkus wondered what he had done to deserve such humiliation.
Dacknar dashes down the hatch toward the lower decks. Coombs orders a pair of sailor's down into the bilge following the warning from the young human, who can't be more than fifteen years of age. "Klifford, show 'em where it is and help get the leaks patched." Coombs tells the lad.
It is at that moment that another wall of water emerges out of the darkness. The hapless ship initially rides the wave, but then the wind strikes with added fury turning the ship so it no longer has a chance of breaking atop the wave. Instead the great beast is poised to come slamming down upon the vessel like the hand of a petulant god.
"Dear Gods! Hold on!" Torremark shouts as Malia screams her defiance against the towering fury of the sea. The sorceress raises a barrier against the crushing blow. Water cascades like an avalanche upon the ship. The arcane field acting like a wedge, sending the bulk of the force to either side of the ship. The sea continues its assault against the barrier. Her staff flares a brilliant blue white, illuminating the fear upon men's faces and the black mountain of water trying to crush the tiny vessel. Malia screams. The gem upon her staff shatters as she collapses to the deck, blood running from her nose and ears. Although she did not hold completely, Malia's sacrifice gives everyone on deck enough time to secure themselves and manages to deflect the brunt of the storms assault. The remaining force of the wave is still devastating. It crashes upon the ship, knocking it sideways and washing thousands of gallons of sea water across the deck. The remainder of the foremast snaps like a twig and drops into the violent sea. A yard arm is torn from the mainmast and the thick oak can be heard splintering under the strain. Rigging snaps. Each break turning the rope into a snapping lash that whips wildly across the deck. One knocks a half orc sailor into the sea. Another lashes the eyes of another hapless mariner who staggers about shouting in a painful, blinded daze. A rope whips past Dur, but the drenched, nimble ratfolk manages to skip out of its way. Lilrothic feels the sting of a rope, but it simply bounces off her thick minotaur hide and doesn't cause any real harm.
The ship heels dangerously under the powerful blow of the wave. "All hands to larboard! Larboard! Blast and damn you lads. Move to larboard if you want to see the sunrise." Shouts the captain. Fighting water, fear and the growing angle of the deck, the crew of the Delightful Rose responds, hurrying to shift their way to the opposite side of the ship in a last desperate attempt to keep her upright in the water.
While the crew races across the deck, Dur catches a glimpse of young Klifford. The boy was washed across the deck in the initial blast of water and now clings desperately to a broken portion of the rail.
Dacknar takes a look to see if they have made any progress with the amount of water in the ship. And if all this work is just delaying the inevitable. Much like the many ships he has boarded and scuttled in the past.
Int w/ vehicles (water): 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23
dice + Int + vehicles (water) prof.
Tibs knows his spell won't be able to affect much of the damage, not in its condition. He readies himself and shouts to the others.
Hoping against all hope that his arrow can fight against the savage winds of the storm, Dur will fire his arrow towards Klifford. Unsure if he will be able to land the arrow on the broken rail, Dur swallows deeply, and grits his teeth, aiming the arrow for Klifford himself. He hated to have to do it, but if he could save him, it'd all be worth it.
"Rothic! I'm not strong enough to pull him back by myself! Help me!"
"Larboard! Everyone! Now! Fix the leaks on larboard!" shouts N'Dateh, now fearing for her life. Not knowing which side is larboard, she waits and follows the others that do.
When they resume the repairs, she once more provide the gods' guidance upon the one working the hardest.
Lil is able to grab onto a nearby spar, thankful for the rope she was able to wrap about her before the giant wave hit. She saw Maila go down, and started in that direction, before Dur's shout brought her to his attention.
Perception (To determine which individual is in more imminent peril.)
If Malia she will go and dispense healing magic on her immediately.
If Klifford she will rush to help Dar stabilize the young mates position.
In whichever order is noticed.
Cure Wounds.
STR (Athletics)
In either case she keeps the rope wound about her.
A towering stack of barrels, their strapping broken, tips over right as Sorala steps under them. Turning, she lets the pack absorb most of the impact, but she still finds herself battered and bruised. Rubbing her jaw, the Iron Squire turns to Rilkus. "We're being tossed about to our deaths here! There's things here that can float - bales of cotton and the like. Should we take them topside?"
AC 12 (I figure Sorala isn't wearing her armor)
Beordt moves from the place where he stumbled and moves to the bilge pump to relieve one of those gathered. He feels the lean of the ship and instinctively leans against the tilt.
The loose cargo is battering the hull. With each massive roll of the deck, the heavier barrels and crates threaten to punch a hole in the ever weakening hull or at the very least knock more cargo loose.
Dur's arrow zips through the air. The ratfolk's skill obvious as he somehow accounts for the cross wind and motion of the ship to sink a shaft into the boys shoulder high enough that it shouldn't damage anything serious. Serious or not, the boy screams out in pain and grabs the rope partly out of reflex, partly as the life line it is intended to be.
Glancing back and forth between Malia and the young Klifford, LilRothic easily deduces the boy is in more immediate danger. The minotaur hurries to help Dur with the life line and the two quickly pull the boy back away from the shattered rail to safety and slowly. They are helped as the ship slowly eases itself back to a more upright position.
Unfortunately, the relief is short lived. Lightning flashes and strikes directly overhead. The bolt of heavenly power hits the mainmast. The massive oak mast shatters and huge dagger sized splinters of wood burst forth. One sharp punctures the eye of the sailor Faisal and the man drops to the deck dead almost instantly.
Following the initial explosive burst of the shattering mast is the collapse of the yards and all of the accompanying sail and rigging amidships. Merrick, Coombs, and a half dozen other sailors are crushed or swept off the deck in a matter of heartbeats.
For a moment, the captain stands shocked and witnessing what is very likely the end of his beloved Rose as the ship groans and screeches against the twisting forces of huge amount of wreckage now dragging in the churning sea. He then bursts into motion and rushes to try and help any survivors, including the sorceress who is now buried under a mound of sail and heavy rigging.
"Help those trapped if you can!" Torremark hollers digging through the wreckage. "Get them free or they'll die for sure!"
And then with a grim, sad look on his face he turns to one of the other sailors recovering and trying to free some of his comrades. "Bosun. give the order to abandon ship!"
Nodding at the captain's order, the man starts shouting toward fore and aft. "Abandon Ship! Abandon Ship!"
The repair work moves along quickly as Toki, Dacknar, and Tiberius use magic and skill to plug several of the leaks and Beordt's muscles run the pump with the power and efficiency of a clockwork engine. For a few moments it seems like the work is overcoming the damage. Then there is a massive boom of thunder and the ship lurches as something clearly impacts the vessel. There is a heartbeat where everyone feels a tingle in the air and water.
Up and down the entire hull the wooden ship groans and protests whatever has happened on deck. The ship shudders as something crashes onto the deck. Muffled shouts can be heard from above just as another big leak bursts forth here in the bilge undoing much of the previous work.
Sorala and Rilkus have just enough time to pick themselves up off the deck when a massive burst of light flashes through the big cargo hatch above. This is followed immediately by the angry crackle and boom of thunder and then another explosive blast that rocks the entire ship. Debris can be heard rattling on the boards of the deck above along with the shouts of sailors. A few seconds later the hatch is shattered as a mass of sail, yards, and rigging comes crashing to the deck, shattering through the thin grating of the hatch and into the cargo hold.
Ears still ringing from noise of thunder and the subsequent destruction, the two manage to clear their heads just in time to hear the frightened shouts coming through the wreckage of the cargo hatch.
"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"
"Well, boys, I think it is time to go, grab your stuff and prepare to jump ship! It seems that Tor has decided to take the ship as tribute! Toki slaps Beordt on the shoulder and shrugs to the others, before scrambling up the steps to his quarters to grab his stuff!
Fate was against Rilkus. Knocked down as he was, there was little he could do to free himself as the ship came down around him. The gearforged thought at least I won’t down as his fate appeared to be sealed.
Sorala looks up, a confused frown crossing her face, and the deck above her and Rilkus splinters. Sprinting to the aft, she just manages to get out of the path of the collapsing debris, and squints as dust blankets her.
Blinking, the Iron Squire focuses on where Rilkus was, and climbing over the debris, makes her way towards the buried traveler. She shouts towards the yawning hole above her as she goes.
"Ai! Someone buried down here!"
AC 12 (I figure Sorala isn't wearing her armor)
What good will abandoning the ship do us? Are we to survive in open water in this storm? Preposterous. Hmph. So be it, I will face the might of the storm in the open. Who shall prove the greater, I wonder? Tiberius makes haste to the deck, stopping to grab his bag and crossbow. (taking dash action if needed)
If he is near enough to hear Sorala, he will move to see if he could help.
Stay down here, below decks, if you want, Draconian. If I am going to die, it will be with the rain on my face and thunder in my heart! Toki laughs as he calls back to Tiberius.
”The ship is forfeit; the captain has spoken! We need to get back up, but we need things to keep us afloat! I saw barrels, cotton balls, big ones, grab as many as you can on your way!”
N’Dateh sloshes back towards the surface, looking for the float so she can pick it up, likely with someone’s help.
Rocking back for the hit on the ship.
"Aye lads, what ever just happened up there sealed the fate of this ship. Grab what ye can on the way up, this old girl will not hold together much longer. Everyone make yer way to the long boat."
Dackmar sprints to LilRothic bunk (pretty sure there is only one Minotaur on board), grabbing her pack And making his way to the the top deck, Yelling at people that the ship is going down.
Beordt nods to Toki. "Better in the water than the ship if the rocks below want the ship this bad." Beordt starts to move as he move toward the top of the deck he grabs a bit of light cargo netting as the those from the bilge pass the barrels of wine he stops, "Here who knows what has become of the long boat." He tosses a wine barrel at Toki. He pops the lid of the barrel off dumping the wine and slaps the lid back on and puts the empty barrel under his arm. "Empty the barrel. We will put them all in the netting. Its not much but it will float and move with the waves." He helps the others so they all have an empty barrel. He grabs another for good measure. On deck tosses the barrels in the netting and yells, "Grab on. Together in the drink."
Ah! This, I can get behind! Toki laughs as he pours the contents out, after scooping a little to slurp, of course! Though, he seems to be having a blast, the Northman is diligent in his work, sparing no time for dallying...
The gearforged was easily enough to spot. Skittering over the wreckage of the deck, Sorala leans down, and groaning, tries to life a particularly heavy beam, snagged upon netting, in turn wrapped around a barrel.
Her words, as if strained by the bulk she has to lift, come in short bursts through gritted teeth.
"Gotcha, uh. Rilkoos? Gonna be. ERRRRAlright."
AC 12 (I figure Sorala would not be wearing her armor)
Sorala helps Rilkus free himself from the tangled mess of the collapsed rigging and mast. By the time the clockwork dwarf is freed, Beordt, Toki, Tiberius, N'Dateh, and Dacknar come running into the cargo hold. As a group they begin gathering anything they can that looks like it could float. Barrels, one of two of the cotton bales, plus planks rope, netting, and some larger chunks of the torn sails.
Climbing up on deck, those passengers who have been below, experience the full chaos and fury of the storm. Wind and rain pummel the deck where wounded sailors along with Dur and LilRothic struggle to dig the survivors from the wreckage of the shattered mainmast's collapse. Three others are busy freeing the small launch from its moorings, but the work is going slower than usual because one of the yards fell across the boat.
With their gathered materials several of the passengers of the Delightful Rose start working together to jury rig something that will give as many as possible a chance to stay afloat in the dangerous storm churned waters.
At the same time the sound of rushing water echos up from the hatches below and the ship begins to list heavily to port as more waves threaten to capsize her at any moment.
Dacknar calls out to LilRothic "Oy!! I got yer pack. Forget what I said about the long boat. Chances are that it's going to get swamped by the storm. See what ye can do for the others or help us here."
And Dacknar quickly lays out a plan to create a usable raft that will weather the storm and save as many people as he can.
"Some of us will have to just lash on to the side and be in the water. I am not sure if all of us will fit on top during the storm. But on the bright side, surface feeders won't be around with the waves like they are.
Someone should start to bring sealed barrels of fresh water, we can't drink the ocean, or unless one of you can do magic to make some water or make it drinkable?"
He calls out to those in the area that can hear him above the storm. And gets to work on the raft.