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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 66656" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Book II, Part 16</p><p></p><p>“Below us… but, what, how…” Delem said haltingly.</p><p></p><p>“Come on!” Benzan said, stirring them to action as he started down the steps that led toward the main hold, his companions close behind. They passed quickly into the cavernous area in the center of the ship, that central space only partially filled now with a few dozen carefully sealed crates and barrels. The only light came from a few portholes, which flickered occasionally with the glow of the lightning that continued around the ship. </p><p></p><p>Cal paused to cast another cantrip, placing a brightly glowing light on the tip of his hat so that he and the others could see. With that illumination they were able to catch up to Benzan, who’d already reached the ladder that led down to the lower deck and started down. Moving quickly, the others followed him. </p><p></p><p>The cramped lower deck was crowded with a half-dozen crewmembers, who were busily passing up buckets of water from the ship’s bilges and dumping them into a trough that was attached to an open porthole in the ship’s side. They were not far above the level of the waves, now, and spray occasionally blasted in through the opening, trying to undo the hard work of the sailors. A few looked up as the companions crowded into the low space, but they did not let their appearance distract them from their work.</p><p></p><p>“How bad is it?” Benzan asked one of them.</p><p></p><p>“The loss of the mast sprang a few seals,” a young woman working the bucket line replied. “But I think most of the leakage is just in this one section of the bilges.”</p><p></p><p>Benzan nodded and turned to Cal. The gnome gestured back toward the rear of the ship, and Benzan led them back in that direction. They soon left the hard-working sailors behind, and entered an area that was mostly crammed with supplies for the crew and passengers. The sailors were crewed in the bow portion of the ship, while the captain and passengers had cabins almost directly above where they were currently standing. </p><p></p><p>The ship continued to sway dramatically with the motion of the waves, but in the narrow confines they were better able to steady themselves against the walls and low ceiling. </p><p></p><p>They started looking around, but could not readily identify the source of the magical aura that Cal had detected. Cal’s spell was depleted, but the gnome prodded Delem to use his own innate powers to detect for magic again, and the sorcerer nodded, opening his senses. </p><p></p><p>The result was immediate, as Delem gasped and staggered against a roped row of barrels. </p><p></p><p>“What is it?” Benzan asked, as the dazed sorcerer tried to recover. </p><p></p><p>Delem pointed toward the deck underneath them. “Right below us!” he hissed. “Twisted… dark magic!”</p><p></p><p>Delem’s agitation was contagious, but Benzan quickly located the hatch that led to the absolute bowels of the ship, the aft bilges. He crouched beside the portal, and looked up at his companions as they gathered around him. </p><p></p><p>“Ready?” he asked.</p><p></p><p>At their collective nod he drew the bolt and pulled the heavy portal open. The space below was even more cramped, only a few feet deep, stretching back a short distance and forward a dozen paces to a heavy bulkhead. The smell of brine wafted up, and with the light of Cal’s spell they could see at least several inches of clouded water swishing about. </p><p></p><p>And then there was the greenish glow coming from the forward part of the compartment, which was more than a little disconcerting. </p><p></p><p>“What in the hells…”</p><p></p><p>Benzan dropped down into the compartment, the water splashing around his ankles. Above him, his companions crowded around the opening, trying to get a glimpse at what was causing the glow. </p><p></p><p>“What do you see?” Cal asked, as Benzan crept slowly forward through the water, bent almost double in the narrow space. Benzan didn’t reply at once, so Cal had Lok lower him down into the space, where he would be able to maneuver more easily than the tall tiefling. </p><p></p><p>What he saw, as he crept abreast of where Benzan was standing, was astounding. </p><p></p><p>The green glow was coming from a large gemstone, resembling an emerald except that it was roughly the size of a clenched fist. It was wedged securely into the gap where two beams met, and had apparently been wrapped in some sort of cloth cover, now burned away by the strange radiance that shone from within. Wisps of greenish energy orbited the stone like planets around a star, and they could see tenuous tendrils of pale light extending away from it like threads, vanishing through the outer hull of the ship and the deck above them. </p><p></p><p>Cal glanced over at Benzan, who seemed mesmerized by the sight. “I don’t like the looks of that,” the tiefling finally said.</p><p></p><p>“What is it?” Delem’s voice drifted down from above. </p><p></p><p>Cal summed it up in a single word. “Trouble.”</p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>They retreated back to the storeroom for a brief conclave, to decide what to do about the strange gemstone. They quickly agreed that it was likely responsible for intensifying, if not causing, the storm threatening the ship, and that fact alone drove them toward taking action. There were many questions left unanswered—who put it there, and why? How long had it been aboard? Why hadn’t they detected it before now? But for now, the obvious course was to get it off the ship.</p><p></p><p>Benzan and Cal ducked back down into the bilges, and started toward the gemstone. They had barely covered half the distance between it and the hatch, however, when the two of them felt a sudden wave of nausea wash over them. Benzan stumbled and fell to one knee, the salty water washing over his garments, while Cal staggered up against a heavy vertical beam. </p><p></p><p>“Lok, we need you!” Cal cried up toward the hatch, as he and Benzan retreated out of the radiance of the green glow. As they fell back, the feelings of sickness faded, but the two of them still felt weakened and unsteady. </p><p></p><p>But the genasi proved no more able to reach the gem, despite his incredible fortitude. He got closer, within ten feet of it, the muscles of his face straining with his effort of control. One of the wisps of smoky light struck him, passing through his body as if he wasn’t there, but as it continued past he quivered and then collapsed, falling over backward into the water with a loud splash. Benzan and Cal had to drag him back, and it took a quick intervention of divine magic from Delem before he could move again. </p><p></p><p>“How are we supposed to get to the damned thing!” Delem exclaimed in frustration. </p><p></p><p>“Well, if we can’t get reach it, maybe we can destroy it,” Benzan said calmly. The five companions shared a look, and ultimately all nodded in agreement at what might in other circumstances be considered a rash and ill-begotten plan. </p><p></p><p>So once again they delved into the dark crawlspace, drawing as close as they could to the glowing gemstone without feeling the ill effects. They left Dana by the hatch, as a reserve in case any of them needed assistance. </p><p></p><p>“Let’s see what we can do,” Cal said. “Delem?”</p><p></p><p>The sorcerer nodded, and summoned a pair of flaming bolts that streaked across the compartment and slammed into the gem. The glowing shroud of energy pulsed and distorted momentarily, sending a jarring feeling through each of them that lasted just an instant. After a moment, however, the aura around the gem returned to normal. </p><p></p><p>“We’d better back up a bit,” Cal said, and they retreated until they could just see the stone. </p><p></p><p>“Now what?” Delem asked. </p><p></p><p>But Benzan was already preparing his answer. He strung his bow, having to first maneuver for room to draw and aim the weapon. They could see that he’d drawn one of the acid arrows, which he sighted on his target. </p><p></p><p>It was an awkward shot, but Benzan took a moment to focus his thoughts and summon the power of one of his new spells. The little wooden archery target that Cal had carved for him, and which rested in a pocket in his tunic, focused the threads of energy that the tiefling drew in with a word of command, and suddenly the gemstone seemed to fill his vision, an easy target. </p><p></p><p>The arrow flew, and slammed hard into the stone. The acid blazed against its surface, causing the field of energy to flicker and pulse angrily. </p><p></p><p>“Now, Delem!” Cal urged.</p><p></p><p>Delem summoned his most powerful spell, launching a stream of fire directly into the gemstone. The flames washed over the surrounding braces, but didn’t catch on the damp wood. The fire lasted only a few moments, but when it faded an audible cracking noise filled the confines of the narrow compartment. </p><p></p><p>A wave of energy washed over them, and each of them felt a sudden disorientation twist through the very core of their beings. They staggered back toward the hatch as the world spun in circles around them, but they had barely managed a few uncertain steps when they fell and darkness claimed them.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 66656, member: 143"] Book II, Part 16 “Below us… but, what, how…” Delem said haltingly. “Come on!” Benzan said, stirring them to action as he started down the steps that led toward the main hold, his companions close behind. They passed quickly into the cavernous area in the center of the ship, that central space only partially filled now with a few dozen carefully sealed crates and barrels. The only light came from a few portholes, which flickered occasionally with the glow of the lightning that continued around the ship. Cal paused to cast another cantrip, placing a brightly glowing light on the tip of his hat so that he and the others could see. With that illumination they were able to catch up to Benzan, who’d already reached the ladder that led down to the lower deck and started down. Moving quickly, the others followed him. The cramped lower deck was crowded with a half-dozen crewmembers, who were busily passing up buckets of water from the ship’s bilges and dumping them into a trough that was attached to an open porthole in the ship’s side. They were not far above the level of the waves, now, and spray occasionally blasted in through the opening, trying to undo the hard work of the sailors. A few looked up as the companions crowded into the low space, but they did not let their appearance distract them from their work. “How bad is it?” Benzan asked one of them. “The loss of the mast sprang a few seals,” a young woman working the bucket line replied. “But I think most of the leakage is just in this one section of the bilges.” Benzan nodded and turned to Cal. The gnome gestured back toward the rear of the ship, and Benzan led them back in that direction. They soon left the hard-working sailors behind, and entered an area that was mostly crammed with supplies for the crew and passengers. The sailors were crewed in the bow portion of the ship, while the captain and passengers had cabins almost directly above where they were currently standing. The ship continued to sway dramatically with the motion of the waves, but in the narrow confines they were better able to steady themselves against the walls and low ceiling. They started looking around, but could not readily identify the source of the magical aura that Cal had detected. Cal’s spell was depleted, but the gnome prodded Delem to use his own innate powers to detect for magic again, and the sorcerer nodded, opening his senses. The result was immediate, as Delem gasped and staggered against a roped row of barrels. “What is it?” Benzan asked, as the dazed sorcerer tried to recover. Delem pointed toward the deck underneath them. “Right below us!” he hissed. “Twisted… dark magic!” Delem’s agitation was contagious, but Benzan quickly located the hatch that led to the absolute bowels of the ship, the aft bilges. He crouched beside the portal, and looked up at his companions as they gathered around him. “Ready?” he asked. At their collective nod he drew the bolt and pulled the heavy portal open. The space below was even more cramped, only a few feet deep, stretching back a short distance and forward a dozen paces to a heavy bulkhead. The smell of brine wafted up, and with the light of Cal’s spell they could see at least several inches of clouded water swishing about. And then there was the greenish glow coming from the forward part of the compartment, which was more than a little disconcerting. “What in the hells…” Benzan dropped down into the compartment, the water splashing around his ankles. Above him, his companions crowded around the opening, trying to get a glimpse at what was causing the glow. “What do you see?” Cal asked, as Benzan crept slowly forward through the water, bent almost double in the narrow space. Benzan didn’t reply at once, so Cal had Lok lower him down into the space, where he would be able to maneuver more easily than the tall tiefling. What he saw, as he crept abreast of where Benzan was standing, was astounding. The green glow was coming from a large gemstone, resembling an emerald except that it was roughly the size of a clenched fist. It was wedged securely into the gap where two beams met, and had apparently been wrapped in some sort of cloth cover, now burned away by the strange radiance that shone from within. Wisps of greenish energy orbited the stone like planets around a star, and they could see tenuous tendrils of pale light extending away from it like threads, vanishing through the outer hull of the ship and the deck above them. Cal glanced over at Benzan, who seemed mesmerized by the sight. “I don’t like the looks of that,” the tiefling finally said. “What is it?” Delem’s voice drifted down from above. Cal summed it up in a single word. “Trouble.” * * * * * They retreated back to the storeroom for a brief conclave, to decide what to do about the strange gemstone. They quickly agreed that it was likely responsible for intensifying, if not causing, the storm threatening the ship, and that fact alone drove them toward taking action. There were many questions left unanswered—who put it there, and why? How long had it been aboard? Why hadn’t they detected it before now? But for now, the obvious course was to get it off the ship. Benzan and Cal ducked back down into the bilges, and started toward the gemstone. They had barely covered half the distance between it and the hatch, however, when the two of them felt a sudden wave of nausea wash over them. Benzan stumbled and fell to one knee, the salty water washing over his garments, while Cal staggered up against a heavy vertical beam. “Lok, we need you!” Cal cried up toward the hatch, as he and Benzan retreated out of the radiance of the green glow. As they fell back, the feelings of sickness faded, but the two of them still felt weakened and unsteady. But the genasi proved no more able to reach the gem, despite his incredible fortitude. He got closer, within ten feet of it, the muscles of his face straining with his effort of control. One of the wisps of smoky light struck him, passing through his body as if he wasn’t there, but as it continued past he quivered and then collapsed, falling over backward into the water with a loud splash. Benzan and Cal had to drag him back, and it took a quick intervention of divine magic from Delem before he could move again. “How are we supposed to get to the damned thing!” Delem exclaimed in frustration. “Well, if we can’t get reach it, maybe we can destroy it,” Benzan said calmly. The five companions shared a look, and ultimately all nodded in agreement at what might in other circumstances be considered a rash and ill-begotten plan. So once again they delved into the dark crawlspace, drawing as close as they could to the glowing gemstone without feeling the ill effects. They left Dana by the hatch, as a reserve in case any of them needed assistance. “Let’s see what we can do,” Cal said. “Delem?” The sorcerer nodded, and summoned a pair of flaming bolts that streaked across the compartment and slammed into the gem. The glowing shroud of energy pulsed and distorted momentarily, sending a jarring feeling through each of them that lasted just an instant. After a moment, however, the aura around the gem returned to normal. “We’d better back up a bit,” Cal said, and they retreated until they could just see the stone. “Now what?” Delem asked. But Benzan was already preparing his answer. He strung his bow, having to first maneuver for room to draw and aim the weapon. They could see that he’d drawn one of the acid arrows, which he sighted on his target. It was an awkward shot, but Benzan took a moment to focus his thoughts and summon the power of one of his new spells. The little wooden archery target that Cal had carved for him, and which rested in a pocket in his tunic, focused the threads of energy that the tiefling drew in with a word of command, and suddenly the gemstone seemed to fill his vision, an easy target. The arrow flew, and slammed hard into the stone. The acid blazed against its surface, causing the field of energy to flicker and pulse angrily. “Now, Delem!” Cal urged. Delem summoned his most powerful spell, launching a stream of fire directly into the gemstone. The flames washed over the surrounding braces, but didn’t catch on the damp wood. The fire lasted only a few moments, but when it faded an audible cracking noise filled the confines of the narrow compartment. A wave of energy washed over them, and each of them felt a sudden disorientation twist through the very core of their beings. They staggered back toward the hatch as the world spun in circles around them, but they had barely managed a few uncertain steps when they fell and darkness claimed them. [/QUOTE]
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