Deep Water and Shoals - A Swashbuckling Campaign

[dead_radish]

Malthas grins. "I can't imagine why." He then turns serious, and speaks at a rapid clip. "You're going after the Captain and Jonah, yeah? I've got a map from a pair of Standers that should give us a starting point. And there's talk of violent elves and wolves, so we'd best be prepared for such like. Who's going out on the search? We'll need a tracker, a few blades, a mage would be helpful, and anyone else that can row, I'd think. Oh, and we'll need some provisions, and some healing potions. Would you grab some from...." He trails off, realizing he's begun giving orders. "That is, can we get some? One or both of them are likely hurt."

 

[Uriel]

Nico pipes up from the rear 'Aye, I've already grabbed additional vittels, as well as a bottle or two of Rum. SHall we away on this Grande Adventure, Mates?'
Artimus throws cherry seeds at the fish swimming near the surface and at the backs of anyone else hr can get away with, looking innocent and pointing at Nico (who seems lost in concentration).

 

[dead_radish]

Malthas nods quickly. "I am indeed. Do we have a tracker, or someone that knows the area?" He then takes out the map, and studies it for a moment.

OOC: Does it seem fairly obvious to Malthas how to get where the Cap'n was last seen?

 

[Bob Aberton]

Malthas, Malachi, Nicodemus, & Vemuz,

Although the river (which the Standishtowners have given the little-used name of the Cromwell) is truly a mighty river, half a mile wide, and Oceanus only knows how long, it is also a sluggish river. The little longboat, with its lugsail straining in the middling breeze and the rowers rowing a strong rhythm, has no trouble bucking the current, and you proceed up the river at a fast clip.

Vemuz Only,

The sun is bright today, and there are no clouds. Seaman Stout, sweating at his oar, strikes up an old rowing shanty;

Black Bird, get up!

Sanchez joins him;

And she break her Tail

White Bird, get up!

And she does the same

Oh Row, pull away!

Break your backs and snap y'oars

You recognize the shanty immediately, for it is the same Twice-born oarsong that you heard nearly every day of your youth; when the men were chasing the swordfish, they would chanty that song as they plied their oars. As you grew, you participated in the oarsong, first pulling an oar and then piloting a swordfish-boat.

For an instant, you feel as though you are on the Island again, steering your boat towards the distant fin of a swordfish. But only for an instant. Soon enough you remember that you are on a different kind of hunt this time.

 

[Tonguez]

Grinning broadly as he listens to the chanty the half-orc turns to Malthas. Despite the gravity of their mission Malachi is happy to be out of town and on the river.
"so what dhat map be tellin us Malthas?" he asks the halfling, 'dhough ah don't know wha'trust we ken 'ave o' it. How ye be scribblin' maps whilst fumblin' round dhat barwench ah don't know!" he chuckles...

 

[kenjib]

The oars cutting through the water sound, in Vemuz' ears, like the wild beating of the drums during his youth, the water rushing under the bow of the boat like the roar of a great celebration bonfire. The buzzing of cicadas from the shore brings back to him his earliest primal memories of growing up in a world where facing death was nothing more than a simple fact of daily existance, and where men carved their lives from the cruel jungle with all the brutal will of a hacking machete.

The song, the knife, the map. As the lush banks of the river rolled past he knew that this expedition into the heart of darkness was about more than simply rescuing the captain, but also rescuing his savage soul.

He was not in command of this ship, and yet it was his hand on the tiller...

Vemuz slowly drove up the pace of the rowing just to the breaking point, but not beyond. "Keep sharp eyes, lads, or the first sign of danger we see could be an arrow in your throat. Malthas, how much farther to go? We will hurry so that we are not too late. We might already be."

 

[Bob Aberton]

Vemuz, Malachi, & Nicodemus,

The riverbanks are dense and overgrown, with trees and saplings reaching down almost to the water's edge. However, about twenty miles upriver, you sight a small beach and a moderate clearing in the underbrush; it looks like a likely place for the boatmen to have beached their craft.

(OOC: spot checks, please)

Malthas,

The longboat skims past the overgrown river banks at a fairly rapid pace; there are not many places where an entire keg-raft could be beached for the night.

However, about twenty miles upriver, and on the right bank, you see a likely-looking break in the underbrush. There can be little possibility for error; this must be the same clearing marked on the Standishtowner's map, the clearing where they, Jonah, and Captain McCrenshaw were first attacked by elves, and the place where the boatmen fled with the raft and left the Captain and Jonah to their fate.

(OOC: Spot check, please)

 

[kenjib]

Vemuz' spot check: 5 + 2 = 7. Nothin' from me!

 

[Uriel]

OoC:Er, Nico rolled a '1' on the spot check... Artimus has a total of '12'...


Nico hums a little ditty, oblivious to the World.

 

[Tonguez]

(Rolled 7+9=16)

Malachi keeps scanning the shore, his faith in Calypsos grace. His eyes narrow when he sees the clearing

"Lady guide me" he prays...