Saorise:We will have to chalk that up to experience because I know that I rolled the DC15 on both the first two rounds but I can't go back and change all of Svart's attack and damages. Next time...
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Kurn casts the obscuring mist,. briefly stopping Taggrik from seeing where to go but he stays the course and the Albatross floats straight through the mists leaving the strange sea cloud behind, interposed between the docks and the marked ship.
Kurn's second channelling helps Ragnar and Taggrik get over the worst of their wounds, although Taggrik leans a little to left, favouring his back where the arrows struck hardest.
Drago shouts over to Jorgen as he keeps rowing with the others, "you get back here now and man this oar as you were told to do." The captain's face is not pleasant and he is rowing with a savage chopping motion.
Taggrik points to the headland which the vessel is nearing, "we need full speed to get around those rocks, there is a riptide that draws you into the maelstrom called the Wooden Claws, thanks to the rocks underneath. Its too narrow to go slow. So put your backs into it when I give the order. Ragnar, thank you for taking over and saving us. That Svart is a mean one by all accounts."
Ragnar nods in agreement, back in his place beside Ari.
Kurn will tend to Taggrik's wounds with his healer's kit while he's at the tiller.
Ari continues to shout encouragement to the rowers ,"Pull...Pull..Pull." then shouts,"Helga raise the drum beat"
Helga picks up the beat, watching Taggrik carefully for any directions he may give her to faster or slower.
Jorgen puts his full effeort into the rowing as he contemplates the events of the day so far.
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Drago readily swops with Jorgen and seems about to vent his anger on Him but instead turns on Kurn.
"He is a fool in love I can get that, but you should know that I got Taggrik to run the ship, ask him. Good to have Krakis blessing and healing like I said before. Looks like this may be needed."
Then the warrior knurl goes down the line checking that everyone is fine. He slaps Anya, Ragnar and Ari on the shoulders in thanks for all their efforts so far. "You got a problem, you want to pee, you ask first then leave your oar. I'll take over for a bit. Don't just leave us in the lurch."
He nods to Stefnir in almost deference.
Then takes up position at the prow with one foot on the rail and one hand on the Albatross masthead. The longaxe is strapped to his back like a hard spine.
Behind Helga beats a faster rhythm as Taggrik signals the vessel to get up to full speed again. The maelstrom is close.
"Pick up the beat everyone, we get this wrong and the drakkar gets Clawed," shouts Taggrik. He coughs up a last bit of blood and spits it into the sea, "there's my offering Sealord," the ship master mutters so that only those at the rear, Helga and Saorise hear.
Saorise looks at Taggrik and grins athe man's fire. She then makes her way forward to stand next to Drago by the figurehead.
She places her hands on the rail and stares forward, but after a while her gaze drifts towards the Albatross and she c o c k s her head, staring at a specific point.
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Saorise Perception check DC15
As the rowers lean back into the faster stroke, the large man in front of Jorgen whispers back at Stefnir, "sir, what be the curse....on this ship......I be a blacksmith apprentice....I didn't know this...before a drink and breakfast.......this morning when I got here.......Do tell."
The ship is about 50 yards from the rocks and open sea, already ahead the white-crested waves are rising and falling with the Glaciar wind.
Saorise Perception check DC15
Spoiler:An almost complete rune is being carved in the wooden masthead. There are one or two shavings on deck and a little curl of wood is about to finish the sigil.
Perception Check:
Intrigued by the figurehead, Saorise raises her hand as if to reach out and touch the wood.
Noone but Drago will notice her eyes go wide as she puts her fingers to the wood of the Albatross in front of her and mouths a few Arcane words.
Saorise Perception check DC15
** spoiler omitted **As the rowers lean back into the faster stroke, the large man in front of Jorgen whispers back at Stefnir, "sir, what be the curse....on this ship......I be a blacksmith apprentice....I didn't know this...before a drink and breakfast.......this morning when I got here.......Do tell."
The ship is about 50 yards from the rocks and open sea, already ahead the white-crested waves are rising and falling with the Glaciar wind.
Stefnir smiles at the young man in front of him. "What is your name"? "You must not believe everything you hear". "Most of the time the rumor of something being cursed, is just that a rumor". "More often than not it is people who cause bad things to happen not objects". "And besides, fortune sails with us...If there was truly a curse then surely such a fine crew could not be gathered". "So stow your concerns and be brave for fortune awaits you".
re: NPC's
Anya will also definitely be aware of Befroi Talbinson, the only sailor she was able to shame into coming aboard. And since he's sitting right in front of her, she will literally have her eye on him as well, to see how he's doing. Her nature will consider his performance to be a reflection upon her.
Also, is he ugly enough to suit her taste? ;-)
"Krakis, protect your servant, this crew and this ship as we sail across your mighty water realm this day" shouts Kurn and looks knowingly at Taggrik. Kurn will help Taggrik at the tiller if/when things get rough, so that the steering of the ship can be maintained. Kurn looks at the prow and wonders if the evil ice woman is just another curse on the Albatross.
Jorgen's eyes scan over the rest of the crew as they work, taking in their reactions to the events of the last few minutes.
Sense Motive
The cleric's attention to Saorise catches his eye, a tingle of warning running up his spine. This man would bear watching, and perhaps his brother as well
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Kurn/Jorgen/Saorise
Saorise
The Albatross has reached the entrance and will pass out of danger soon. Taggrik smiles for the first time at Helga and as the drum beat continues people start to see the ship passing the first of the Claws, thin jagged rocks about thirty or forty feet to each side.
"Drago, what's she doing there?!" shouts Kurn and points at Saorise with urgency.
FW
Well, sounds like he's ugly enough, and the age doesn't matter too much, but those 'spindly arms' just won't cut for her she's telling me ;-)
Ah well, lol. But she'll still be keeping an eye on him for her pride's sake anyway.
"Drago, what's she doing there?!" shouts Kurn and points at Saorise with urgency.
"Something's caught her attention. If it needs worrying about she'll let us know. Stop pointing before you cause a panic fool."
"Hold your tongue and row, or it will be my axe talking next! Just because you are blinded by her beauty!".
Ari continues shouting encouragement to the rowers;"Pull with all your might, before we get taken by the claws"
Anya shakes her head at the foolishness that overtakes some men at the sight of a beautiful woman. Not knowing or caring what the ice witch may be up to, she nods encouragingly to Ari and puts her back into rowing for all she's worth.
Saorise
Spoiler:The writing finishes and briefly the dark curves flash red then that light dies into the wood. A small tendril of smoke begins to curl up from the rune, until it is caught by a breeze and drifts into nothing.
Untrained Knowledge (Arcana) Check:
Saorise's eyebrows furrow in concentration as she ponders something before her.
"Hold your tongue and row, or it will be my axe talking next! Just because you are blinded by her beauty!".
Jorgen grins. "If you wish to be with Krakis so badly, it can be arranged."
Keeping the drumbeat Helga glances over her shoulder at where all the men seem to be looking.
"What's going on back there?" she asks.
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Everyone hears a poor cry rip out of the prow of the drakkar. It seems to come from the Albatross.
Drago doesn't hear the words of Kurn but jumps at the shriek next to him. Saorise is right beside the wooden bird head when it happens.
Saorise
Two or three of the youngest crew, including Olaf and Thorsten, hesitate and turn round instead of rowing at the call. Even Taggrik shows fear at the fatal sound.
Helga feels a cold hand run up her spine at the cry behind her and the look of fear ...
"Keep rowing you sons of harlots or it matters not what else happens if the maelstrom takes us!" Helga shouts and pounds the drum, not daring to look behind her.
Saorise looks startled and retracts her hand suddenly at the cry. She takes a step back and gazes up at the figurehead, wondering what in the hells is going on.
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The crew jerk back into action thanks to Helga, Olaf begins to beat the oar furiously.
One or two of the men still cast their heads over the shoulder in the direction of Saorise who is now gripped from behind by Drago. The Albatross head gives a second cry but it is partly covered by Helga's drum. Again the superstitious krieglanders struggle to maintain concentration, again one or two begin to slow and even Taggrik is lost so that he doesn't notice the ship gently veering towards the left a little.
"Taggrik you oaf are you drinking?" Helga bellows back at the helmsman. "A drunken dwarf could make a straighter course!"
Don't turn around. Don't look. Don't let your attention wander or we're all sinking and I know just how well I can swim ...
Stefnir realizing how close the crew is to panic decides to take drastic measures. Keeping his right hand on the oar, and whispering for his oar mate to keep things going he raises his other hand and invokes the spirits of nature.
Knowledge Nature to determine creature making sound
Perception to see the source of the cry
Concentration Check
Ragnar keeps his head down, rowing for all he's worth. His lips move in a silent chant, the same two words over and over again: "still alive".
Kurn takes hold of the tiller and corrects the ships course. "Concentrate Taggrik or we'll founder!". "You can try and kill me after we get past the maelstrom Jorgen! For now direct your anger to the oars, or we'll all be standing before Krakis!"
"Aye," Jorgen agrees rowing hard. His eyes remain on Saorise and Drago however.
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Taggrik is fine, he comes back to his wits at Helga's shouts and the Albatross begins to head away from the rocks again.
Then the cry comes a third time, issuing like a man in pain from the head of the Albatross, the wood before Saorise and Drago shows smoke starting to pour from the figurehead. Smoke that suddenly explodes into flames, engulfing the head. Splintering and cracking begins to fill the air as the wood combusts at the front of the Marked Albatross.
For a second the world stops, the oars stop and everyone looks back at the front of the ship, now in flames. Drago's mouth is wide open.
Taggrik is fine, he comes back to his wits at Helga's shouts and the Albatross begins to head away from the rocks again.
Then the cry comes a third time, issuing like a man in pain from the head of the Albatross, the wood before Saorise and Drago shows smoke starting to pour from the figurehead. Smoke that suddenly explodes into flames, engulfing the head. Splintering and cracking begins to fill the air as the wood combusts at the front of the Marked Albatross.
For a second the world stops, the oars stop and everyone looks back at the front of the ship, now in flames. Drago's mouth is wide open.
The explosion of flame is something Helga can't ignore.
She grabs a bailing bucket (they have to have them around, it's a boat!) and heaves a bucket of water onto the flames, getting her first look at what is actually going on ...
Knowledge (arcana):
Anya's rather simple mind leaves her mouth agape in shock as well at how the prow could suddenly catch afire by itself. Then closing her mouth with an audible snap of her teeth she thinks 'If that Witch is somehow responsible for this!...'
Then, finally noticing that Everyone has stopped rowing she yells
"Row! Row you dogs! Row! Row! Row!..." and she'll keep calling out a cadence, to the best of her ability, until the drums start again or someone more with better rhythm than she takes over.
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Helga's quick actions cover the prow figurehead in water, which sizzles and spits however as the water drips down, the black wood shows patches of dryness and cavities in which hot red sparks still burn. Mere seconds later the whole Albatross bursts back into flames.
Helga
A trailing cloud of black smoke billows past the rowers, but Anya has them by. The examples of Stefnir and Kurn help make the difference and soon the Albatross is in clear water, the disappointed rocks sit behind Taggrik. The burning Albatross has escaped the harbour so the ship master can leave his tiller.
The rowers slacken a little as Taggrik calls out, "you can stop now." He forgets to thank Anya for the beat, but just puts one hand on her shoulder.
Naturally Drago turns to Stefnir and Helga, "what is that?" he lets go of Saorise limply.
The blacksmiths apprentice stops rowing too and points at the prow, "its the curse! its the curse!" None of the others argue with him. Young and strong, the man looks back towards Urgen, trying to gauge the distance to swim. His thick, white knuckles grip the siderail and almost mark the wood.
Ragnar shrugs, shaking his head at the madness on the ship but offering no comment. Instead, he pulls Svart's arrows from his back or gathers them from the deck and starts trimming the arrowheads from the shafts, stowing them in a sack with the rest of his meager possessions.
"No curse, but it is magic of some kind!" Helga points at the neck of the albatross. "The focus of the fire is there! Sorceress, can you fight magic with magic? Or use your axe to hew it asunder, captain!"