FW
If Jorgen were to create an ice blast rune, would it trigger against the fire?
Spellcraft
Knowledge Arcane
Kurn rests at his oar and watches with interest, but keeps an eye on the approaching bad weather.
FW
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Jorgen
Kurn
Taggrik repeats, "stop rowing. And put out that fire, please." He sounds a little scared.
Anya stands up and moves to place herself directly in front of the scared Blacksmith's apprentice. Not one for womanly wiles, she instead uses intimidation as she pokes him in the chest, hard, saying
"Going somewhere sailor? Not planning of Deserting the ship, are you?"
Ari stops rowing, jumps to his feet, grabs a bucket near his bench and fills it with water. He then heads the 30 or so feet to the figurehead and throws the water at any smouldering embers he can see.
"Jorgen gets up and strides to the mast, "I might be able to fight this," he says.
Quickly he begins tracing a rune along the wood just ahead of the licking flames, channeling the raw elemental power of cold inot the sigil.
"Get back!"
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Ari's water, like that of Helga, does no good. the heat seems to to too strong and deep into the figurehead.
Jorgen quickly scribes a small rune on the wooden neck of the Albatross. Within seconds, the fire eats down through the wood and a white explosion of blasting frost engulfs the blackened figurehead. The detonation ends with a splintering crack, the fire gone and the Albatross head drops off into the sea.
Anya sees the young smithy torn in two by the events of the last few minutes and ready to run. He dumbly shakes his head, "I'll....stay."
Stefnir rises to his feat, and speaks only slightly raising his voice, so everyone has to quiten down to listen.
"Please everyone calm down, and listen to what I have to say". "First let me help with the quenching of the fire, then we must discuss this so-called curse".
Stefnir will cast Create Water on the burning runes, then use his storm burst ability till it is fully quenched. When the flame is extinguished he addresses the crew.
"Captain, with your permission I'd like to address the crew".
"This situation we just went through is a prime example of how rumors of cursed ships get started." "You fear we are cursed because of the fire...I say we are blessed". "Though under attack from a skilled archer, The ship magically set afire, and having to row through the teeth in those conditions, are we not all still alive". "If this were a cursed ship, we would all be lying with the fishes, but we are not". "This ship has a crew with the fortitude and power to overcome adversity, and live for another day". "Yet nature intends to test further...I say let her do so". "Stand with me and embrace the storm, do not fear it". "Let it's fury awaken within all of you the passion that it takes to live on the open sea".
"The only reason we had such a difficult time to begin with, is we forgot who was in charge of this ship". "Had we all rowed when the captain said row, we might have been past danger before the attacks were launched". "And if you want to call that bad luck, had you not hesitated before joining this fine crew, we would definitely have been gone, so if you want to blame this false curse on anyone it should be blamed on ourselves, for had we performed better we would have had far less issues".
"So I implore you all". "Listen to what the fine captain says, and follow his orders, and we shall all not only survive, but thrive".
"Captain...Thank you for the opportunity to speak to the crew". "What do we do to get ready for the storm"?
Once the flames are extinguished Helga will approach the burned stump and try and try to fathom what just happened ... she'll use detect magic and any relevant knowledge or other skill ...
Anya claps the young man heartily on the shoulder and gives what, for her, passes as a warm smile. "Good." she says "Now sit!" And doing the same herself she glances back at him once more 'Nice shoulders on the lad, but a shame he's so pretty. Maybe a few battle scars will ugly him up some...' she muses to herself with a small smile.
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Once the flames are extinguished Helga will approach the burned stump and try and try to fathom what just happened ... she'll use detect magic and any relevant knowledge or other skill ...
Helga finds the magic is gone from the broken neck.
The words of Stefnir help to keep everyone's attention off what has just happened. Although he does not wipe the fear off everyone's face, it certainly helps.
Taggrik takes command and gets Kurn and Drago to organise the unfurling of the sail and its beam from the main mast.
Anya finds the young Freki keen to help and in fact most of the crew get involved, anything to help. However Ingjald keeps away, sort of stowing the oars and tying them down in the hold. He is making heavy weather of it...
Jorgen leans over to Saorise catching a moment while everyone is busy.
"What do you make of all this?"
Knowledge (arcana):
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Helga
"This is almost as if someone placed some sort of trap here," Helga traces the burned wood with her fingertips. "Friend Jorgen, we all owe you for your skill at magic. What do you make of this?"
Kurn helps with sail and sets up lifelines around the ship in case things get rougher than the weather currently suggests. He then turns to Jorgen "well, now or when we land Jorgen?" asks Kurn nodding toward the available weapons. " If later, keep the evil one away from me please". Kurn looks in the direction of Saorise.
As Saorise quietly describes what she saw he closes his eyes, visualizing the rune she describes. As Helga comes up to study the wreckage of the figure head and addresses him, he sees Kurn boldly make his way forward. The man’s dogged determination to follow through on his foolish threats almost makes Jorgen erupt in laughter.
Obviously, the man felt a need to save face, an issue compounded by the presence of his younger brother.
Jorgen smiles, “It’s your life, you should have the honor of deciding when it ends. Besides, you should take the time to say goodbye to your brother first.”
Turning back to Helga as if Kurn ceased to exist he responds, "Thank you. Someone or something used rune magic on the ship, similar to what I just used to counter it."
FW
Although she was as much of a fan of watching a good fight as the next person, having heard enough stories from her father and his cronies Anya well knew the dangers of having serious crew disagreements aboard such a small ship, so, sighing in anger at once again having to step outside her boundaries and try to be a peace-maker, she stands up and goes about it in her own rough way.
Approaching the two men and obviously towering over them in both height and strength she claps them hard with one hand on the shoulder each one
saying "Well boys, as much as I'd enjoy seeing the two of you dance for me, this boat is not overly large and I'm in no mood for a swim. So what say we leave off with the festivities until later?"
Giving them both a look to gauge their reactions and still seeing the anger simmering, in Kurn's look at least, she focus' more on him as she squeezes her shoulder a bit harder adding "But if your blood's still too up from our little cast off party, perhaps you'd care to challenge a little lady like myself to an arm wrestle?" And she gives him as wide, and as intimidating a smile as she's capable of.
Kurn smiles at Jorgen's snub and moves to the tiller area and thinks that there will come a time when Jorgen and the evil one need healing and then he'll truely enjoy watching them die. "The sail is set and the lifelines are ready Taggrik. Lets hope that weather isn't worse than it looks".
FW -
FW - ** spoiler omitted **
Ragnar slaps Stefnir on the back, giving him a thumbs up on the fine speech. He busies himself with necessary ship-board chores, making sure nothing else bursts into flames. Ragnar is more than happy not being the center of attention after the little run-in with Svart.
Ari approaches Taggrik and asks him if there is anything he can do to help.
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Kurn smiles at Jorgen's snub and moves to the tiller area and thinks that there will come a time when Jorgen and the evil one need healing and then he'll truely enjoy watching them die. "The sail is set and the lifelines are ready Taggrik. Lets hope that weather isn't worse than it looks".
Kurn
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Gradually the novice sailors and the professionals work through setting up the lifelines, stowing the oars and then setting the sail.
The whitish sail gradually unfurls until it reaches down almost to the deck. Taggrik gets ready to tie off all the sail's ropes when his mouth drops open.
Instead of a traditional drakkar sail symbol or even a blank canvas, there is a rune emblazoned on the sail, large as life. The rune is a haegl in the Kriegland alphabet, the symbol looks like a pair of vertical lines with two parallel diagonal lines going from high up on the left hand vertical to low down on the right.
To anyone who is illiterate, which cuts out Drago and Taggrik and many of the crew, this is just something strange. Taggrik stares at the symbol and Drago and they shrug again. "It was bare?"
Kurn speaks to Drago and Taggrik, but loud enough so that everybody can hear "That symbol on the sail is the Haegl and is the symbol of disruption, nature's force and of elemental power. How did that get on the sail? I'm not sure we should be sailing around with this in full view of other shipping. Stefnir and the ice Lady may know more about such symbols?" Kurn glances at Stefnir and Saorise.
"I don't think we're cursed, but it certainly feels like somebody has it in for us," Helga remarks, racking her brains for legends and stories of similar instances to this one, where runes appear on a ship ...
Knowledge (history):
While Jorgen studies the symbol on the sail , Saorise fixes Kurn with a chilling glare simply for mentioning her in such a manner.
'Damn she can be an icy one,' Jorgen thought, though ironically he had to admit that the cool b#~#+y attitude was definitely growing on him.
Kurn speaks to Drago and Taggrik, but loud enough so that everybody can hear "That symbol on the sail is the Haegl and is the symbol of disruption, nature's force and of elemental power. How did that get on the sail? I'm not sure we should be sailing around with this in full view of other shipping. Stefnir and the ice Lady may know more about such symbols?" Kurn glances at Stefnir and Saorise.
Stefnir steps closer to Kurn speaking loudly. "Ah but it is the power of nature that fills the sails of our ships, and brings the rain to water our crops and our people". "It is not usually a bad thing">
Then in a whisper to Kurn, as he puts his arm around the man "Quiet you fool". "Can you not see the crew is on the verge of panic". "To what good outcome can that bring"?
Ari studies the rune for a while, keeping his thoughts to himself.
Knowledge Local
Trying to remember from his travels anything about it.
"Yes Stefnir, I know" whispers Kurn back "but their reaction and that of Drago and Taggrik is what I want to see. They'll be fine and they can't exactly go anywhere!"
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"I don't think we're cursed, but it certainly feels like somebody has it in for us," Helga remarks, racking her brains for legends and stories of similar instances to this one, where runes appear on a ship ...
Knowledge (history): 1d20+8=17
No such memory springs to mind, but there have been stories of the Marked Albatross....local stories that Helga obviously gave no creed to, much like most of the party. Much like Drago and Taggrik haven't mentioned.
Helga
Saorise/Jorgen
Knowledge (nature) such a rune is a letter but more than that it symbolises the raw power of nature at its most choatic, such as in a storm of lightning and thunder. Knowledge (arcana) such a rune is often part of the arcane mark of a warlock, a warlock who harnesses the four elements.
Ari
Somewhere in the semi-drunken haze of last night, you remember someone mentioning the Marked Albatross and the haeglindin or something similar, a word made up of haegl and din or sounds.
"... or maybe we are," she says softly to those around her.
Jorgen share a look, a mixture of apprehension and affirmation.
"Warlock," Jorgen mutters. "One with elemental powers."
He turns to the captain, "Looks like you've made yourself a dangerous enemy."
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Drago looks at Jorgen belligent as ever. He grips the longaxe in slow comprehension, "oh come on! don't say you believe the tripe about the Marked Albatross?"
He looks around to make sure that the others are busy and nods off to the blackened prow. "These men don't need to know, don't discuss this crap with them or they may want off. And that isn't happening."
Ahead the black clouds show no sign of thunder or lightning but there is the faint lines of rain angling downwards ahead. The sun dips behind one of the last white clouds.
Ari wishing he had drunk less and listened more in the inn last night, he remembers little of what was said and what he does remember he keeps to himself.
Hearing Jorgen mention a Warlock, Kurn says:
"There are several tales associated to this ship, things like the way its raiders never came back with a decent haul of pillage and plunder. The fatal accidents and strange happenings in the sea and sky which those few sailors who survive mentioned. Maybe they are rumours, maybe not, but the Albatross has attracted its fair share of storms and growlers (lone icebergs) causing ripped sails and numerous drunken tales of the vessel limping into port.
The Albatross has had several captains and more than one has met with death, in fact the last captain, Kaor Redroar, fell ill in Urgen twelve month back and weakened and died in his bed. He had a foul reputation for rages and tempers, lashing his crew and hurting his slaves. Kaor even tortured and burnt to death a warlock on his ship. None minded his death much. Afterwards the ship was just left over winter and then into the spring and summer. Left to rot by the fisher folk too afraid to sail her, or add to the list of dead ship masters or captains. That is until Drago has taken that charge. Now we are in good hands, so everybody can stop worrying. Anyway, Krakis will see us through"
Kurn makes sure the whole crew hears that last bit!
Watching the goings on around her and cursing herself mentally for not reacting when the Rune burst into flame, Saorise steps close to Jorgen and whispers in his ear.
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Hearing Jorgen mention a Warlock, Kurn says:
"There are several tales associated to this ship, things like the way its raiders never came back with a decent haul of pillage and plunder. The fatal accidents and strange happenings in the sea and sky which those few sailors who survive mentioned. Maybe they are rumours, maybe not, but the Albatross has attracted its fair share of storms and growlers (lone icebergs) causing ripped sails and numerous drunken tales of the vessel limping into port.
The Albatross has had several captains and more than one has met with death, in fact the last captain, Kaor Redroar, fell ill in Urgen twelve month back and weakened and died in his bed. He had a foul reputation for rages and tempers, lashing his crew and hurting his slaves. Kaor even tortured and burnt to death a warlock on his ship. None minded his death much. Afterwards the ship was just left over winter and then into the spring and summer. Left to rot by the fisher folk too afraid to sail her, or add to the list of dead ship masters or captains. That is until Drago has taken that charge. Now we are in good hands, so everybody can stop worrying. Anyway, Krakis will see us through"Kurn makes sure the whole crew hears that last bit!
Kurn says his bit and then goes back to his oar. He has had enough of the land lubbers and magic!
Ari moves close to Saorise to see if he can hear what she is saying to Jorgen.
Perception
Ragnar scratches the back of his head, frowns and shrugs. One rune looks pretty much the same as any other to him.
Helga, in the absence of any orders to the contrary, takes herself down to where Kurn sits.
"Hey there, friend," she greets him, "I'm glad fpor one you're on this ship, you seem to know much of the sea, and we might need your Krakis' help before the voyage is out. But you seem to have the wrong idea of those two," she nods toward Saorise and Jorgen. "I was trained by druids, you see, and I know the signs they bear. She's a sorceress right enough, but one trained by the druids, and he's a witch-hunter. An odd pair, you might think? Not so - they are on a mission for the druids, and if she should stray from fighting other warlocks, his job is simple: he's there to kill her."
With a cheerful smile Helga claps Kurn on the shoulder and heads back to the prow.
"Thank you for the information young Lady and I hope you're right about them" Kurns nods towards Jorgen and Saorise as Helga turns to go.
Saorise (listen dc 15 to eavesdrop)
"Not too many things could make that rune while invisible up on the mast. A ghost definitely could. Wonderful, ghost witches, does trouble just follow you everywhere, or only when I'm around?"