Ari, ignores the words of his brother and and thinks;"Who is he anyway, just because he is the oldest,he thinks he can talk to me like that."
Ari shouts;"Jorgen, take as much time as you need, I'm fine rowing on my own for a bit"
Ari confused for a moment looks at Jorgen says;"Sorry, not you friend, I'm terrible with names, then shouts Ragnar do what you must, I'm fine here rowing on my own for a while"
Kurn keeps rowing and hopes they all live to see another day, whilst watching the mayhem going on around him.
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Ragnar leaves Ari to man the oar alone, and the rower makes up for technique with brute strength. Meanwhile the fighter, Ragnar, reaches Taggrik just as Helga's spell heals his wounds. Between them, they manage to turn the tiller so that the ship is back on course.
Saorise moves down the ship and ends up near the mast, biting wind hits the archer full force, cold winds and snow swirl around his body but Svart ignores the worst of the effects.
As Jorgen moves from his oar again, he feels a huge hand on his shoulder and looks into the blood-red angry face of Drago, "You protect your woman, I'll ROW you lovesick fool! Go now."
The ship has drifted another ten foot from the docks and Svart. But he pulls two more arrows and fires them in quick succession at Taggrik. That is only fifty feet from the stern of the Albatross.
One hits the ship master in the leg and he falls in a heap, leaving the tiller in Ragnar's hands.
Kurn can control himself no longer! "Everybody get on the oars and row, before we have a disaster on our hands. We can treat the wounded once we are out of archery range!" shouts Kurn at everybody!
Jorgen moves quickly, thumbing a small archery target in his free hand as he growls gutteral syllables. Even before he is finished speaking he strides forth, heading towards Saorise a javelin in hand, his eyes locked on his enemy to draw his fire.
He can feel it, that familiar awareness of everything, the activity on the ship seems to slow. As he focuses on the archer he sees not only the man, but ghostly fore images, outlines not of where he has been, but where he will be. His reflexes tighten, his breathing calms, the moment is coming.
"SAORISE, GET DOWN NOW!"
Ragnar spares a hateful glare back at Svart the Proud before returning all of his attention to the tiller and getting as much cover as he can manage.
Her spell complete, Saorise turns her attention to Taggrik just in time to see another arrow sprout from his leg . Furrowing her brow, she moves forward and bends down next to Helga, saying "we need to get him to cover. Help me pull him over here." She grabs his arm and attempts to pull him towards the nearest cover.
Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Helga drops next to Taggrik, and tries to see if he is still alive:
Heal:
Leaving him fallen she returns to the drum.
Ari agreeing with his brother shouts;"Come On, Row, Put Your Backs Into It And Heave"
Ari hopes that this may start to jell the crew together
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Kurn orders everyone to row, Ari exhorts the same.
Ragnar is working the tiller at the moment
Helga tries to staunch the wounds of Taggrik but the arrow damage is hidden by layers of fur and woollen clothes. Saorise helps her move the ship master under the cover of the siderail.
Jorgen stops concentrating on the prow masthead and casts a spell that gives himself the accuracy of a hawk on the wing.
Round 3 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 4 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 5 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 6 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 7 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 8 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 9 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Round 10 Continuing biting wind at Svart (Ranged Touch Attack):
Non-lethal Damage:
Profession (Sailor):
Between gritting her teeth and growling dire threats should she ever get her hands on the puny archer, Anya merely digs in and continues to row.
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Ragnar points the Albatross away from the headland towards the opensea and with everyone's best efforts the ship seems to leap forwards in the water, in fact it moves 20ft further from the dock.
Svart grits his teeth in the biting wind and aims for Ragnar at the tiller with a grim smile.
The tiller doesn't provide enough cover and both arrows hit Ragnar full in the back, just like Taggrik before. Temporarily the vessel continues in a straight line...
"I can do this all day, stop and come back Drago! I want that outlaw now!"
Ragnar hits the deck with two arrows in his back, bleeding all over the damn place.
As Jorgen watches Ragnar fall his body goes into action, his movement is unnaturally fluid, his form flawless, he can feel that the magic has lent his body power, eliminating distraction that would otherwise cause his throw to falter.
"Time to die."
He locks eyes with Svart, watching the smile fall from his face as the javelin unerringly finds its mark.
Going to Ragnar, Helga casts another cure light wounds ...
Cure Light Wounds:
"Helga. Take one of the shields from the side of the ship and protect Ragnar at the tiller. Everybody else, for Krakis's sake get on the oars!!". "Hey Ice Lady, if aren't going to row, then at least beat out the time on the drum. If we don't work together we'll never clear the bay!". Kurn shakes his head in disbelief at the lack of understand from the land lubbers.
Seeing the boat gather speed, Ari continues to shout encouragement to the crew;"Heave..Heave..Heave Lads, We're Winning" and seeing Helga casting a spell, hopes it will help the fallen body of Ragnar.
As Ragnar recovers, Helga grabs the biggest shield she can see, and hides behind it while trying to provide Ragnar with some cover.
Ragnar rises once more to the tiller with a grunt.
"Thnks uhlut, m'dm.", he says to the Helga reverentially as he attempts to keep the drakkar on its proper course.
Saorise looks over at Kurn with a look that would freeze water and a small hiss escapes her lips. She ignores his order, trying to make sure that Taggrik is alright if possible.
Heal Check:
"Drago, I can I throw the ice b%#!* over the side, she's utterly useless to us?"
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Thanks to Helga, Ragnar makes his feet before the Albatross' tiller starts to fall away towards the rocks. Her shield will help protect the quiet warrior. Looking back, Jorgen can see that his javelin has grazed the archer Svart down one arm before skittering across the dock quay.
Saorise is busy in a little cameo with the fallen Taggrik, his coughing is getting worse and the blood is staining his shoulder in the furs, difficult to reach or staunch at the moment.
Kurn, Ari, Anya and Stefnir all help the vessel increase in speed again leaping forward another 25 foot. One or two of the rowers have become casting their eyes over the shoulders at the action by the tiller but they quickly drop back to the oars when Ari and Anya throw out their challenges. The Albatross begins to hiss across the calm water.
Svart aims at the rear again with one white and one black fletched arrow, shouting through the biting wind which he largely ignores. His lips and beard are flecked with snow crystals showing the damage that the magic is doing. "Ragnar, I will see you in the halls of the Gods before I let you escape me like your mother did! Come back now."
The rear of the vessel is about 95 feet from the docks when the arrows sail into the sky dropping at the back.
Ragnar is hit again by the normal arrow that strikes his head at the back of his neck just above Helga's shield. But the second arrow just explodes in flames against the other side of the ship from Saorise.
"Drago I curse you!"
"Damnation, am I the only healer on board this tub?" Helga demands. She can see that Taggrik is dying, but Ragnar has just been struck again. As Ragnar slumps she reaches out to cast her last cure spell.
Cure Light Wounds:
"You! Witch-finder! Can you not heal or spell the priest at the oars before these men die?"
"Krakis! Give me your strength so that I may serve your mighty name by helping my crew mates!"
"Drago, with your permission I may be able to stop the archer from hitting the helmsman?"
Ari shouts to Kurn,"Brother use your medical knowledge on Taggrik, which will stabilise him, go to him brother before we loose him"
With a final glare at the archer that promises a violent death, Jorgen glances over at Saorise ensuring her safety then gives Helga a nod of acknowledgement. He quckly makes his way back to the oars.
"Go healer! Good men are dying"
He takes his spot at the oar and puts his back into it.
Kurn picks up a shield and makes his way to the tiller area and casts Obscuring Mist. He will then channel positive energy again, which due to its area of effect, will include Taggrik and Ragnar.
"Hold her steady if you can Ragnar! The rest of you row until your lungs burst and your hearts crack!"
Ragnar rises with a groan and gets back on the tiller. His lips crack into a triumphant grin, however, when Svart mentions his mother's escape.
Prof: Sailor check if necessary
Stefnir nods in agreement with the choice of the mist spell. That's what he would have done as well.
"Try to keep that fog between us and the dock till we are further away", Stefnir states, gasping for breath at his physical labor. "It will not move with us, and the wind might disperse it soon". "Now row you dogs row like your life depends upon it"!
"We must have a talk when we are clear". "It is vital that we learn more about each other, and how to function as a team so we don't scramble about like a pack of young Ice Whelps looking for the teat". With that Stefnir concentrates on his rowing.
Saorise's face starts to colour as she opens her mouth to begin a tirade against the upity Krakite Priest when the ship behind her is hit with a ball of fire. Thinking that a Caster has joined Svart in his attacks, she pokes her head over the side, wondering if she should shift her spell over to target this new threat, but seeing noone but the archer aiming towards them. Puzzled, she at least lets the red drain from her face and a smiletinge th corner of her mouth as she sees the frost clinging to the man's beard.
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Saorise
The healing magic of Krakis breathes over everyone like a salty breeze, saving Taggrik from death and helping ease the pain in Ragnar's neck.
Then Jorgen changes places with Kurn freeing him up to be able to cast spells like obscuring mist next.
The vessel leaps forwards now travelling away from the dock at top speed, and everyone sees Svart turn and stomp away - his quiver empty. He scoops up Jorgen's javelin as he goes.
Drago grunts at the retreating bloodhound, "he'll be off after another ship now, mark my words, that one is not giving up."
Ahead the Albatross points out of the bay and into the open sea with its several dark clouds competing in a race to reach the coast.
Helga returns to the drum, but watches Ragnar speculatively. He does not to her seem like a hardened criminal ...
"Are you two ok?" he says to Taggrik and Ragnar. Kurn will stay at the tiller until the obsuring mist dissipates, then turns to Drago. " what are your orders Drago, we're approaching the entrance to the bay?".
Anya marks well the appearance of the man called Svart, as cowards who chose to strike at their enemy from a distance always seemed to get under her skin. Well, somewhat more than most other things did as well anyway.
As Drago grunts his opinion that the hunter will still be after them Anya grins savagely in anticipation of getting with arms reach of the archer. Otherwise she continues to row, glorying in her own stamina and power. As she hears the laboured breathing of some of the other men she grins and laughs at them and openly works to row harder, trying to shame them with her superiority.
She does though seem to keep finding her gaze drifting towards the well muscled Ari who appears to be just as tireless as she. And as well to the tough Ragnar, who keeps to his post despite getting several arrows in his back. So far she is not sure which one she prefers. Ari did make her laugh, so that's a good thing. But then Ragnar is uglier and doesn't talk much, so as far as she is concerned that is two points in his favor. Plus it seems he could be some sort of criminal, which could be interesting. And of course there's always Drago...although he hasn't done much to impress her yet. 'Either way though' muses the female warrior 'seems there won't be a shortage of bedmates to warm my blankets at night.' and upon the thought she enjoys a throaty chuckle to herself.
"Are you two ok?" he says to Taggrik and Ragnar. Kurn will stay at the tiller until the obsuring mist dissipates, then turns to Drago. " what are your orders Drago, we're approaching the entrance to the bay?".
"Yuh, thnks.",says Ragnar,"Tuhggrk nud mer huhlf 'n muh."