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Forum » Cast Adrift!

Cast Adrift!

Cejer 17 years ago
This is an in character thread for a Dungeons and Dragons play by post game. If you are not one of the players, please refrain from posting in here. Instead you may post in the thread Monkkonen D&D, which we are currently using for out of character discussion.

Kevry

For the past four days you have been aboard the Lady of Faith, a large but run down merchant brig making its way to the Fasillan port of Sittenil. You are the only passenger aboard the ship, and it required you to call in a favor from the captain.

You are inside your damp, chilly cabin. A hammock has been set up for you to sleep in, and your backpack is currently resting in the corner left of the door. Most of your time has been spent here, because the sailors wanted you out of the way. The food has been acceptable, although bland, but four days in the salty air has made a bath recommendable.

A knock sounds on the door, and shortly afterwards an irritated dwarf swings it open. She says quickly in a soft alto, “The captain has requested your presence on deck.” She waits for you to follow.


Raevin

For the past four days you have been aboard a large ship. You think the name had something to do with a lady, but you can’t be sure. You managed to sneak aboard when the sailors were out drinking and the captain was talking to an armored man. Since then you’ve been hiding in the cargo hold.

Your meager supply of food didn’t last long, and so your main source of food has been a loosely sealed barrel of preserved fruits. They are sweet, and they taste better than anything you had eaten before. Unfortunately, they leave you quite thirsty. The only time you can sneak up to get a drink of water is at night, so you have bounced between being hungry and thirsty.

Today is different. The usual clonking of footsteps above has grown silent, and you can hear a woman speaking above you. The only words you can make out are, “…on deck.”


Tumetrin

You wake up. You are soaking wet, and there is a horrible taste of salt in your mouth. You feel sore all over your body. There is a particularly sharp pain in your left side.

Looking around, you see you are clinging to a shattered piece of drift wood. You have washed up on a beach of pebble sand. To your left the beach stretches on to a point, and then you see only the ocean. In front of you is a rocky field, with no shade or even life in sight. On your right the beach changes into cliffs, ancient and cracking. The weight of your stare seems to jar loose a large section of the cliff, falling into the water with a splash.

You twist your body to look behind you, which brings a fresh wave of pain. You see a rope tied around your waist, and a sharp piece of driftwood has lodged into your side inches from the rope. The rope leads to, and is tied to, a barrel with the top firmly lashed on. Strangely, a wooden stick seems to be bobbing on the barrel. That is your first impression, until you realize the “stick” is the mast of a ship. The sails have been removed, and your sharp eyes can just make out an anchor line.
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Murska 17 years ago
Kevry

Okay, I'll come.
I follow the dwarf to the deck, taking my weapons and other equipment but not my backpack with me.
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Cejer 17 years ago
Kevry

The dwarfess waits while you collect your equipment. When you are ready, she gives you an appraising look and then nods. "This way, and don't dawdle. The captain seemed impatient." You follow her out of your room, up narrow staircases, and through holds obstructed by crates and barrels. Your cabin was on the third sub-level, and outside of your cavern patches of barnacles and mold were fairly common. The second sub-level was much cleaner, and although the weather hatches were closed a fair deal of sunlight illuminated the hold. The top sub-level was very well lit, and was filled with the hammocks of the crew.

Along the short trip, you had time to appraise the dwarfess and her equipment. She stands roughly half a meter shorter than you, and although dwarves are normally stout folk she has the same proportions as you. All in all, she is a tall but slender member of her species. She is dressed in the baggy clothes common to sailors, although the cloth looks higher quality than your own tunic. She has a small brass book, a tiny iron key, and a fine cutlass attached to her belt. The cutlass is without a sheath, though the cutting edge is covered with a strip of leather.

Once you are standing on the main deck, breathing the fresh sea air, your guide points out the captain. She then heads in the direction of a small group of dwarves, five or six of them, standing apart from the rest of the sailors. Unlike the motley crew of humans and elves, the dwarves wear similar clothing to each other.

You easily recognize the captain. In addition to negotiating your passage with him, you were working with a mercenary group for a few weeks when he hired you. He is an ugly man, but apart from that he is a charismatic and likable fellow. He stands a full head higher than you, with a lean figure from years of sailing. His clothes are worn and stained with sweat. It quickly becomes evident he hasn't bathed since you negotiated for passage, and he smelled pretty ripe back then.

Motioning for you to come closer, he leads you to the port side of the ship. There is a beach and rocky plains in front of you, with cliffs rising towards your right. Scattered throughout the water is small pieces of wood, rope, and the occasional body. The captain begins to speak in his rough, gravelly voice. "Somethin' evil happened here, or was here, or somethin'. I'm gunna send out a rowboat, search for surviviors, but I'm worried about ma crew. So I'd like you to go with 'em. After all, heh, you're a seasoned mercenary. So... will you go?"
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MageKing17 17 years ago
"Cejer" said:
daudle
Dawdle.


As Tumetrin:

I attempt to free myself from the rope, then check myself for injuries. I use my mirror to assist in this, if I can retrieve it from my backpack.
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Idiota 17 years ago
As I trace the footsteps of armor-on-wood, I manage to deduct that the fighter-type guy has been summoned on deck. This leaves a wide oppertunity for me to sneak up and check his room for some water. I move towards the hatch leading up and listen closely for any sounds of presence before opening the hatch.
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Murska 17 years ago
"Cejer" said:
Kevry

The dwarfess waits while you collect your equipment. When you are ready, she gives you an appraising look and then nods. "This way, and don't daudle. The captain seemed impatient." You follow her out of your room, up narrow staircases, and through holds obstructed by crates and barrels. Your cabin was on the third sub-level, and outside of your cavern patches of barnacles and mold were fairly common. The second sub-level was much cleaner, and although the weather hatches were closed a fair deal of sunlight illuminated the hold. The top sub-level was very well lit, and was filled with the hammocks of the crew.

Along the short trip, you had time to appraise the dwarfess and her equipment. She stands roughly half a meter shorter than you, and although dwarves are normally stout folk she has the same proportions as you. All in all, she is a tall but slender member of her species. She is dressed in the baggy clothes common to sailors, although the cloth looks higher quality than your own tunic. She has a small brass book, a tiny iron key, and a fine cutlass attached to her belt. The cutlass is without a sheath, though the cutting edge is covered with a strip of leather.

Once you are standing on the main deck, breathing the fresh sea air, your guide points out the captain. She then heads in the direction of a small group of dwarves, five or six of them, standing apart from the rest of the sailors. Unlike the motley crew of humans and elves, the dwarves wear similar clothing to each other.

You easily recognize the captain. In addition to negotiating your passage with him, you were working with a mercenary group for a few weeks when he hired you. He is an ugly man, but apart from that he is a charismatic and likable fellow. He stands a full head higher than you, with a lean figure from years of sailing. His clothes are worn and stained with sweat. It quickly becomes evident he hasn't bathed since you negotiated for passage, and he smelled pretty ripe back then.

Motioning for you to come closer, he leads you to the port side of the ship. There is a beach and rocky plains in front of you, with cliffs rising towards your right. Scattered throughout the water is small pieces of wood, rope, and the occasional body. The captain begins to speak in his rough, gravelly voice. "Somethin' evil happened here, or was here, or somethin'. I'm gunna send out a rowboat, search for surviviors, but I'm worried about ma crew. So I'd like you to go with 'em. After all, heh, you're a seasoned mercenary. So... will you go?"


Kevry

Okay I'll come. Was getting bored here anyway. When'll we leave?

I'll check my equipment if given time, but mostly just am anxious to do something after the boring journey.
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Cejer 17 years ago
Kevry

As you agree to go with the search party you remember the captain’s name, Jorash. As he hears your agreement he cracks a grin and slaps you on the back. “Aye, tha’s good to hear. They’ve almost got the boat ready. It shouldn’ be long.” Pointing you in the direction of the boat, it takes only a few minutes to be lowered into the water.

Movement along the shore has caught your attention, and you point out a body moving on the beach. The rest of the crew nods, and they decide to check out the confirmed survivor first.


Raevin

The lowest level of the ship is dark, but you move forward stealthily. Four long days down here has allowed you to memorize the paths through the crates, and it doesn’t take you long before you find the steps up.

However, you are much less familiar with the level above you. Although you could quickly make your to the stairs if you needed to, you don’t have any idea where the fighter’s room is. It takes you a few minutes of wandering through the stacked crates and barrels before you find the path leading to his door. Inside the room is a backpack, and more importantly you can see a water skin sloshing around as the ship sways.


Tumetrin

The rope around your waist was purposefully tied there, and although you are unfamiliar with knots you quickly loosen it. You seem to be covered in bruises from head to foot. Retrieving your mirror from your backpack, you note that your other possessions are waterlogged but functional. Your only serious injury is the piece of wood in your side. As you examine the shard and gingerly test how stuck it is; a small rowboat is making its way to you.
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Idiota 17 years ago
Quietely, Raevin makes his way to the waterskin and glogs it down his hoarse throat, taking care not to take too much to grow suspicion. After having satisfied his needs, Raevin looks at the backpack and ponders.

"It's not stealing, just adapting to the situation..."

But Raevin decides that it's not wise to raise any suspicion of this sort and slowly makes his way back to his little lair below.
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MageKing17 17 years ago
The plot thickens.


As Tumetrin:

I attempt to remove the wood, if this isn't too painful or time-consuming, and attempt to get the attention of the people on the rowboat... I restrict myself to Common for now, not wanting to reveal more than I have to.
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Murska 17 years ago
Kevry

I yell at the survivor with Common, hoping to get his attention. After I see he has noticed us, I wait for the boat to arrive. Then I ask the survivors name, and what happened to the ship. While we're landing, I look around for any marks of other survivors, and, me being a mercenary, for anything valuable. (I'll provide a Search/Spot check if needed, basically searching for anything interesting around.)

Search Check. Spot check is +1 modifier. (1d20+2=12)
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Cejer 17 years ago
Kevry

The figure you spotted earlier begins moving around on the ground. Then it goes still. You motion to the crew to increase their speed. Although a few grumbles are heard the rowboat picks up speed. The figure stands up, dressed in some sort of robe. Clutching his side, he waves towards you.

Waving back for a moment, you cup your hands around your mouth to shout. “You alright over there?”

The figure shouts back, “I think so,” as your rowboat beaches itself. You disembark and step towards the man. As you do so, you throw a cursory glace about the area. Most of the bodies are still in the sea. Unfortunately, your eyes are not sharp enough to pick out anything of value.


Raevin

With one last look at the backpack, you exit the room. Your return trip to the lowest level is much quicker this time. With the edge taken off your thirst you are less careful than before. You softly bump into a crate. Although the noise seems like a thunderclap, you decide there are enough layers of wood between you and the crew to prevent suspicion. Returning to your damp and musty sleeping place, you step around a patch of barnacles on one of the planks.


Tumetrin

After examining your wound you have to conclude you lack any skill in healing. Still, the prospect of a chunk of wood in your side seems worse than the alternative. Grasping the wood with both of your hands you give a mighty tug.

The shock of pain as the wood slides out is not what you expected. You thought that you might feel some pain that quickly faded to relief. However, it feels as though you had just been stabbed. After resting for a bit, you stand. Placing one hand on your side, to staunch the flow of blood, you wave at the rowboat.

One of the passengers waves back, and then shouts across the water, “You alright over there?”

You manage a hoarse shout back, “I think so.”

You merely stand in silence as the rowboat beaches itself and an armored man steps up to you, throwing glances about the area.

((Please give a description of your character. Also, it is up to you to role-play your characters' interaction. It just seems kind of silly for me to be relaying messages. This is also how interaction with NPCs will occur.))

EDITS: Minor grammatical and spelling choices. No matter how often I proofread, it seems mistakes always remain hidden until I've posted/printed my writing.
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Murska 17 years ago
Kevry

I step up to the survivor, examining him closely. Then I ask:
What happened here? Do you know of any other survivors?

Soon, I realise he's hurt. I call for the crew:
Hey, guys. Care to help this one out a bit? We want to keep him alive as well.

I keep my attention mostly on the survivor, but keep watching around, for possible suprises. The survivor doesn't look to be in a good enough condition to be a threat, but he does look like a magic user, so I keep watch on him, too.
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Idiota 17 years ago
Raevin sits down in what he has been calling his 'lair.' Basically, it's a few pieces of cloth scattered on the floor, roughly resembling a bed that would make even the worst of beggars turn away, lying next to a barrel with conserved fruits. He decided that it wasn't yet time to drive off this feeling of satisfaction he had after drinking, and lied down. An insect crawled fromunder his leg. It was black and long, with many legs. He recognised it as a centipede. He picked it up and wondered what would bring a centipede here. The insect, however, didn't like it one bit, and with a crispy sound, it emitted a smelly gas from it's mouth. Raevin covered his nose and threw the bug away. A bang followed as the bug exploded in his own smelly gas, amplified by the total silence below decks, but Raevin knew that it wasn't loud enough to even reach the room he had left a while ago.

Patiently, he waited.
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MageKing17 17 years ago
Tumetrin, keeping one hand on the wound in his side, shakes his head. “Some kind of gigantic monster attacked my ship. I was knocked unconcious during the fighting, so I've no idea if anyone else survived.” He looks around, and not seeing his master anywhere nearby, speaks again. “I don't suppose you see a human about a foot taller than me, in similar robes?”
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Murska 17 years ago
"MageKing17" said:
Tumetrin, keeping one hand on the wound in his side, shakes his head. “Some kind of gigantic monster attacked my ship. I was knocked unconcious during the fighting, so I've no idea if anyone else survived.” He looks around, and not seeing his master anywhere nearby, speaks again. “I don't suppose you see a human about a foot taller than me, in similar robes?”

We just came to investigate this wreck, and have seen nobody else moving. I'm not an expert, but this doesn't look good for survivors. Better ask the sailors, though. What was your name again?
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MageKing17 17 years ago
“I am called Tumetrin.” Keeping his hand pressed against the wound, he picks up his backpack and slings it over one shoulder. “Where are we, and where are you bound?”
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Murska 17 years ago
"MageKing17" said:
“I am called Tumetrin.” Keeping his hand pressed against the wound, he picks up his backpack and slings it over one shoulder. “Where are we, and where are you bound?”

I answer, with a hint of annoyance while talking about the "as they say" part:
We are on the coast of Fasilla, or "Rockfall", as they say we should call it. We are headed toward a port-city in there. Or so I suppose, I'm mostly in just to see new places, and this is as new to me as some other one.
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Cejer 17 years ago
Kevry and Tumetrin

As you stand on the pebbly shore making small talk, one of the sailors steps up to you. “I overheard you’re a little unsure of our destination. I think I can ex-”

“SKITTER!” A loud shout from the rowboat interrupts your conversation. The sailor stops in the middle of his sentence. The blood starts to drain from his youthful face as he runs back towards the boat, seeming to forget all about you.

Seeing your slight hesitation, one of the rowers calls out to you, “We gotta get back to the ship! A skitter’s a bad thing to catch you out on open water. Hurry! The captain will want to leave before anything worse shows up!”

Although neither of you understand what a “skitter” is, the sailors seem intent on leaving quickly. The ship is perhaps 300 feet away. The rowboat is ready to leave as soon as you board; your brief hesitation was long enough for everyone else to get to the oars.


Raevin

Allowing yourself to relax a little, you begin to wait out the rest of the day. You can make out a pair of weevils crawling blindly around the floor. The almost total silence strikes you as a bit strange. The flooring does not extend all the way to the wall near your lair. You can see the bilge water sloshing around from where you lay; although you’ve tuned out the sound to better hear the occasional sailor.

When you do hear boots coming, it takes a brief moment to register the sounds as two people. Usually only a single sailor would be examining the holds. Even more strange, the boots are moving at a rapid pace. It seems you will have to evade detection as the boot sounds start moving towards the last staircase down.
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Idiota 17 years ago
Raevin takes a brief moment to think before springing into action. Most likely, the 2 sailors came here to start bilging, so he looks for a good spot to hide away from the bilge water.

Search check: [1d20+6] -> 24
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Murska 17 years ago
Kevry

Whatever a skitter is, I don't think it's good. Let's go!

I rush to the rowboat and get in, and if I can do it without danger of making the boat fall over, I draw my shortbow, readying it.
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Cejer 17 years ago
Raevin

The boots of the, presumably, sailors begin making their way down the last staircase. You chose a large batch of crates to hide behind. The sailors have some sort of light source with them. You now have a choice on how to handle this situation.

You could stay out of sight. You wouldn't have to worry about them spotting you, but you couldn't see what they were doing.
Or you could peak around the crates and see what they came down here to do. You would be able to hear and see them, but one of them may spot you.

Whatever choice you make, you will have to take care to avoid making noise.
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Idiota 17 years ago
Raevin knows he is safe, yet still he is in doubt. He kind of assumed that the sailors were there to start Bilging so the ship may move faster, but he wasn't entirely sure. He decides that listening to their activities is best, and if he can't make up their goal from it, he peeks around the corner.
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Cejer 17 years ago
Kevry and Tumetrin

Tumetrin hangs back for a moment and begins to turn towards land. After seeing Kevry make his way towards the boat he follows. The two men make it to the ship at the same moment, and the sailors roughly haul you into the boat and push off from shore. Alert for danger Kevry readies his bow, watching for signs of danger. The sailors are rowing furiously, and Tumetrin is leaning against one of the boat's walls.

The faces around you are sweating, and you can feel their fear as they cast worried glances across the water. The journey back towards the Lady of Faith seems like it is taking hours when it should take minutes. Perhaps seventy or eighty feet from the ship, you see a man point towards the horizon on your left. You can see the water frothing and shimmering as a multitude of creatures begin their approach. The disturbance is just within bowshot.


Raevin

As the two sailors begin moving about the hold, you find yourself moving almost constantly to keep a solid object between you and their lantern. Listening stealthily, even you cannot hear your movements as you remain hidden. The sailors are not acting with stealth, and it is easy to listen to their conversation.

Swearing is frequent as they are bumbling around the hold. They swear after stubbing toes, after dropping boxes, because their search is taking too long, and because the captain is a fool for not having the chest easy to find. From your position at the last comment, you can make out a large wooden chest just underneath the staircase. Soon one of the searchers spots it as well, and the two sailors begin moving towards the chest.

Just as you finish relocating, to evade detection, the swearing starts up again. One of the sailors berates the other for losing the key they needed to open the chest. After a moment’s discussion, they agree that carrying the chest upwards would save time over looking for the key in the hold.


Although I did not wish to, I will be NPCing Tumetrin until Mageking returns to begin posting again. The swarm of creatures is somewhere around 550 ft away from the rowboat. If you wish you may attack them with your bow, or you could help row the boat, or you could simply wait.
The two sailors haven't left the hold yet, although it would be trivial for Raevin to remain undetected until they do. You could offer your services, simply wait until they left, or you could follow them after they leave. If you wanted to watch them search or work with the chest we can ret-con that in.
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Murska 17 years ago
Arr! How fast does that disturbance move? I don't want to lose my arrows for naught, ya scurvy dog!

Kevry

What IS this "Skitter", Kevry hurriedly asks while starting to row the boat. He keeps the bow close by, to shoot when the thing would be nearer. He starts rowing with the men.
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Idiota 17 years ago
It was almost as if these two sailors were the thing Raevin had been waiting for all along. He was bored, well fed and not that thirsty, so he decided it was time for a change in usual patterns. After the two sailors (barely) got the chest up the stairs, Raevin moved into action and silently followed the couple to see or hear what they were up to, keeping a nice safe distance between them ofcourse.
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Forum » Cast Adrift!

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