Deep Water and Shoals - A Swashbuckling Campaign

[Bob Aberton]

Vemuz and Malachi,

Dashing down the steps into the hold, you find the carpenter already there, wading aroud in the bilge with a hammer and a sack of nails, a calking iron, and a reel of oakum.

"Glad to see I'm gettin' some help an' all," he says. The boat shudders as another wave grinds her against the rock. "You, the big one, get out the timber an' oakum - its stored in thet locker over there. You, the ugly one, you look like you've got good eyes. Help me find this leak here."

(OOC: Spot checks, please.)

Nicodemus,

Seeing you on deck, the captain calls out,

"Mr. Arfaliunium! Use that rope trick o' yours [the one you used to save Bimzoole], and load thet anchor in the jolly boat! We'll see if we can kedge her off.*"

Jonah,

Upon rushing on deck, Mr. Lang apprises you of situation.

"The ship is aground, Mr. Jonah. If you want to be useful, help our sailmaker, Ms. Weaver over there, ready the lifeboats. She'll show you what to do."

Malthas,

"Why yes, Mr. Swifthand, there is somethin' y'can do," the captain says. "Mr. Thriceborn is nowhere t' be seen, so you'll be steering the jolly boat. I want you to row the anchor out a hundred yards or so and drop it overboard. Now, don't get lost in th' fog, either. We'll man the capstan and try t' kedge her off the rock."

"And, Mr. Swifthand," he adds. "Don't run the jolly boat aground, hmm?"

All,

The funereal pall that had enshrouded the CALYPSO'S GRACE along with the fog is gone, and now the ship is a scene of frantic activity.

The sailors man the pumps, singing "Strike the Bell, Second Mate," a pumping shanty whose cheerfulness rings incongruously to the present situation.

The captain and mates shout various frantic orders, and over all can be heard the thumping of the ship's bottom upon rock. Although the fog is still so thick that 50 yards is the absolute limit of visibility, bits of timbber and sheathing copper can be seen, floating in the water around the CALYPSO'S GRACE. She must get off the rock soon, or not at all.

*To kedge a ship is to carry, generally in a rowboat, the anchor out a distance from the ship, set the anchor, then haul in on the anchor line, pulling the ship along until it reaches the place where the anchor is set. This maneuver is generally used either when a ship is hard aground or when there is absolutely no wind.

 

[kenjib]

spot check: 12

Vemuz turns to fetch the supplies and brings them back to the carpenter.

 

[Tonguez]

ooc so your the ugly one right kenjib
Spot rolled an 8+9=17

Malachi scans the hull looking for the leaks and offers whatever help he can

 

[Xael]

Jonah nods to Mr. Lang and goes to the sailmaker. "Ms. Weaver? Mr. Lang send me to help you."

 

[Uriel]

Nicodemus complies with the captain, using the Spell for the aforementioned purpose.

 

[dead_radish]

Malthas nods quickly. "Aye sir." To the captain's jibe, he nods as well. "Barring any further materializations by evil wizards, seeking the death of the ship, 'twill be done." He winks half-heartedly, and sprints to the jolly boat.

 

[Bob Aberton]

Malthas,

Accompanied by Ben Stern, John Stout, Nicodemus, and a few others, you row the overloaded jolly boat, down in the water almost to the gunwales (ie, nearly submerged) out about a hundred yards. The boat is overloaded and cranky, however, and as the groundswell slews it around this way and that, it feels like it's about to tip over.

(OOC: Pilot check, please. Better luck this time...)

Nicodemus,

See above.

Malachi,

Just under No. 12 frame, you can see a a series of narrow gaps between the planks. Obviously, the force of the collision loosened the planks and allowed water in between then. With every wave, a little more water spurts in through the sprung planks.

Vemuz,

You hand the wood and oakum to the carpenter, but can spot no leaks.

Jonah,

"You're the supercargo, aren't you? Well, if you've never been on a ship before, just hook this davit on and help me get it set on the rail," the sailmaker says, and grasps one of the tackle-falls. "I don't suppose you know how to swim?" she asks conversationally.

 

[dead_radish]

OOC: Bah. Now I get the roll....

17+8=25.

IC:

Malthas grits his teeth. "Zaltha's teats, you folk are heavy. You didn't need to include your lead weights, eh?" He studies the seas hard, trying to guide the tiny craft.

 

[Bob Aberton]

Malthas,

Fortunately, Calypso guides your hand on the helm this time, and you guide the overloaded jolly boat safely a hundred yards from the ship.

The huge, rusty anchor is tipped over the side, and your crew mans the oars , speeding the no longer overloaded jolly boat back to the ship.

Vemuz & Malachi,

Suddenly, there is a sound of stamping high above - the capstan being manned.

"They're kedging her off," the carpenter says. He grasps a caulking mallet and caulking iron. "Look out fer leaks, then, th' both o' you."

The strain upon the hull slowly becomes apparent. Throughout the hold, terrible rending and cracking sounds become apparent. the whining of strained wood forms a backdrop to the popping of nails and the cracking of ironwork.

Decknails rain down upon you as the working of the ship pops the nails right out of their nailholes.

The straining of wood and fastening, however, is soon drowned out by the grinding noise of the hull moving crabwise through water far too shallow.

The sprung planks suddenly tear wide open, and a powerful inrush of water knocks you all off of your feet.

All,

Everyone onboard the ship, sailmaker, supercargo, crew, and mates, all turn out to man the capstan. Even the captain strides foreward to the capstan and, rolling up his sleeve, takes a handspike.

Trying to turn the capstan is like trying to budge a deep-rooted tree, or trying to uproot the rock which the CALYPSO'S GRACE is currently resting on.

Too tired even for a song, the crew simply settles down to the grind work, budging the bars inch by inch. No sea shanty to help you along, the only sound in the air is the chorus of grunts and groans as each man tries to turn his handspike. Teeth grind and sweat rolls to the deck in rivers.

The ship grinds, shudders, then, with a rending sound like her keel has been torn off, floats free of the shoal rock.

You all pause to catch your breath, leaning on the handspikes, but the call of Mr. Lang, who, not taking time to catch his breath, sounded the wells, calls out:

"We're taking on water! Three feet and rising!"

"Man the pumps!" the captain shouts tiredly.

The men shuffle to the pumps, torn between fear of their lives and the fact that they spent every ounce of energy kedging the ship off; your arms feel like they are supported the entire weight of the ship, insurance and all.

 

[kenjib]

"They're kedging her off," the carpenter says. He grasps a caulking mallet and caulking iron. "Look out fer leaks, then, th' both o' you."

The strain upon the hull slowly becomes apparent. Throughout the hold, terrible rending and cracking sounds become apparent. the whining of strained wood forms a backdrop to the popping of nails and the cracking of ironwork.

Decknails rain down upon you as the working of the ship pops the nails right out of their nailholes.

The straining of wood and fastening, however, is soon drowned out by the grinding noise of the hull moving crabwise through water far too shallow.

The sprung planks suddenly tear wide open, and a powerful inrush of water knocks you all off of your feet.

As Vemuz is knocked back by the force of the rushing water, he calls out, "I believe I've found a leak!"

Vemuz tries to regain his balance against the rushing water, and then tries to assist those around him to do the same.

"Now how, exactly, do we plug it?"