[Eberron] Raider's of Xen'Drik

[Erekose13]

Groswen remains below decks, the sea swell has not done her any good either. Sure she had been on ships from Zilargo to Breland, but she much prefered airships. All this rolling to and fro was very hard on her stomach and her ability to concentrate. She lays back in her bunk thinking over what surfing the collective consciousness has brought her.

Vlad'dam has erased themselves?! That is unthinkable, yet there they are in the flesh and not in mind. This family was more than trouble, no one should be capable of this! Searching the collective memory once again she tries to see more information specifically about Jherod and if any such as Marianna had dealt with him in the past. Any clues about their employer might help reveal why they were going to Xen'drik.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

Rik had stayed fairly quiet and out of the way most of the time. Not as much on purpose as out of habit. Ships weren't exactly what he was used to, and he found it was hard not to fall into old habits. But then again, what use were street habits on a ship?

He spent much of the time on deck, yes, but always did his best to not get in anyone's way. This usually meant he couldn't stand in one place too long, and he eventually just gave up and wandered down to his bunk for sleep. These were interesting people and very much worth listening to, but he found himself feeling it would be better to save his energy and wits until they actually reached Xen'drik. He still wondered why they were actually going there, and there didn't seem to be any straight answers as of yet.

Considering Rik's job of obtaining straight answers, this was annoying.

 

[DEFCON 1]

He takes some steps forward to Rezzin take him under his arms...

'Hey! Whazza?!? What'reya doi--'

...and throws him a half meter up in the air, catching him as smoothly as he can.

'AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!'

As he drops, he lands softly within the grasp of the warforged, his eyes wild with surprise... if not actual fright. He's swung from enough ropes to not become frightened from the height of the toss, but it was rather the sudden motion of X that just shocked him and made him cry out. When he is placed back on his feet and asked if the ride was "fun?"... he gathers his breathing momentarily and then slowly backs away from X.

'Huh what? Hmm? Fun? Oh... oh YEAH! Really fun! Uh huh! Yeah, yeah... thanks X! That was... that was... uh... yeah.'

And he immediately turns to walk away, not even registering Plate's response that it was a waste of her time to walk the deck. Of course, Rezzin doesn't get more than five steps away before his path is blocked by the leader of the Clockwork 10... LT. With his nerves already a bit frayed, he jumps back a full meter from LT when he approaches.

'Well, it seems that you're not quite grasping that we're not ALIVE in the same manner as you are. We do not have muscles that tire nor a need for sleep. We don't use the bathroom nor consume food or drink. When you think about it. The only reason that you move is to keep your flesh-body limber... a limitation that we do not suffer from. But I'll let you in on a little secret... we can and do get bored as hell.'

'Heh heh... is that right? Well... that's... that's... that's just... HEH!'

With no real response... he gives one loud nervous giggle, nods his head to LT, then turns and RUNS back below decks. Needless to say, Rezzin's attitude toward warforged were seriously challenged today, and he spends the rest of the evening hiding under the covers of his bunk.

 

[Scotley]

Mortachi Human Cleric Search+1, Listen/spot+2 FF AC15

Mortachi will explore the ship and try to get to know the other adventurers. He will offer his services to the ship's doctor/healer if needed. He will also offer to help with any undead that might be onboard.

 

[Xael]

Xarut, Elf Wizard 2, Search +5, Spot +5, Listen +5, Flatfooted AC 10

Xarut spends time exploring the ship and trying to figure out all the "adjustments" made to it, trying to decipher the methods and reason for them. Because he isn't a very ship-oriented person, he'll try asking questions from the sailors and others who seem to know better than him. He also offers to use Veran to help deliver messages too, when he hears that Takis' friend got something productive to do. He'll notify the captain that while Veran can actually speak Common, he might still want to resort to old-fashioned whitten messages in case Veran decides to start having fun. If the captain agrees, Xarut will use Veran as a way to find out more about the people on the other ships.

When Rezzin inquires the Warforged about boredom and LT gives him an ansver, Xarut comments. "The Warforged share the trait of not requiring the "limitations" of life with the Deathless of my home country. They keep watch day and night, and serve tirelessly. I haven't really asked if they ever get bored, but I'm pretty sure they do. The difference is, that while the Warforged are viewed with suspicion and fear...", he says while nodding towards captain (or his quarters if not present). "...the Deathless are revered heroes in my homeland. Not to mention that some of them are our gods."

 

[Tor L'Tha]

X, Barbarian, Search +0/Spot +2/Listen +0, Flatfooted AC 18

After sunset on the 2nd day X aproaches the warforged called Dodger, the one that spoted the first tailing ship. “you plan have... attacked?” “I help with sword” “you can tell me tactic?” X will after the short conversation get to his place besides the mast.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Mortachi and Xarut explore the ship together (Mortachi likely inquiring about the Deathless). The captain gives you leave to go anywhere except for his stateroom.

The warforged known as Glass is perched on the bow of the ship and makes light conversation with you as you pass. When you mention the ship modifications the warforged points down below the bow. A large ram can be see cutting waves just beneath the waterline.

Beneath the decks, you located the keel of the ship and it looks to be carved with all sorts of runes. Magic hangs heavily in the air and you unconsciously hold your breath. You also pass what appears to be a disassembled siege ballista. Other than that, you find all the things you'd normally find in a sailing ship (food, water, oranges, extra canvas and ropes, & a spare anchor).

As far as armaments go, a small catapult is built into the stern of the ship and an artillery platform has been added to each side of the ship (each with a ballista).

X speaks to Dodger who relates that yes, thier group has some preplanned tactics but that it'd be difficult to train on the ship without causing damage. And given the captain's dislike of warforged it wouldn't be a good idea.

That night Keesha takes Hobbes out on her flight... it's glorious flying hundreds of feet above the surface of the sea though Hobbes suddenly realizes, with a sickening sensation that THERE IS NO LAND ANYWHERE.

As she banks towards the oncoming ship Hobbes catches the scent of dust and death in the air. The ship is painted a deep red color and is a wide two-masted ship. You note that although the wind is strong and filling it's sails, the ship has oarsman who are rowing so as to accelerate the ship. Keesha swears when she sees this and mentions that the ship will be upon the fleet within the day.

Upon returning to the Lunar Fury, the captain interviews both Keesha and Hobbes. When Hobbes mentions that he smelled dust and death the captain nods. "It's a Kaarnathi privateer called the Dawnspear... rumors state that they use the dead to crew the ship. We can outrun them... but the Osprey and Wavedancer can't." He then excuses himself to communicate with the other ship's captains.

Groswen: [SBLOCK]You can find plenty of information about Jherod as he's not properly in the Vlad'dam family. He's related by blood, and apparantly spent a lot of time with Navanna Vlad'dam in the past six years. He was a child prodigy graduating from Wynarn University at the age of fourteen, mastering foreign languages and specializing in history and archeology. He is now officially employed by the University as it's Archeology chair, something that caused quite an upset within the University's ranks, though all agree that none are more suited to the role than he.

Marinanna, on the other hand, is completely mundane. Born to a dragonmarked house without a dragonmark herself, she was consigned to the mercanary wing of the house. She's supposedly good at what she does, but is nothing exceptional in and of herself.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Erekose13]

Slowly growing board of just plumbing the depths of the collective memory by herself, Groswen adventures out of her cabin towards the deck of the ship. Having gathered information on her own, its time to put those investigative skills to work and start listening to what people are saying.

The first thing on her list is to interview some of the crew. Up on deck she has to hold her balance and while she has stopped reliving her lunch it is still difficult for her to move around. She is somewhat startled when she overhears the captain speaking to Hobbes about the privateer. She goes over to her companion after the captain leaves and asks, "What was that all about?"

 

[Guest 11456]

Plate, Warforged Fighter 3 : Search -1, Spot -2, Listen -2; FF AC 18

THe warforged warrior continues to stay in her spot day and night.

 

[Lobo Lurker]

Strangely enough the Kaarnathi ship does not turn up the next day. The spotters confirm that she has altered course. While she is still tailing Jherod's Fleet, she does not appear to be closing in. A few of the crew caughtiously postulate that perhaps she too is headed to Xen'Drik and that it's just a coincidence.

The whether steadily grows worse and as the ship starts heaving and sawing it's way across the waves you start having trouble keeping your food down. Then, the rains start. Its really nothing more than a steady drizzle, but its constant and lasts all day and all night long. The captain is forced to break out oilskins and towels for everyone so that they don't catch a cold. After about 6 hours of constant rain, even the felinoid seeks cover from the rain. The brozed plated warforged, however, remain at thier posts as the rain does not bother them.

By the ninth day of the voyage, the rain hasn't abated and morale is pretty low. The sailors can be seen making offerings to the 'nameless gods of the deep' to grant them safe journey.
That night, with the unabated rain, the constant movement of the ship, and the sorrowful morale of the crew the warforged known as LT knocks on the cabin door before entering. The captain is there with you, enjoying a game of cards with Rezzin & Rik. "Captain, there are sahuagin in the water."
OOC: Plate & X were notified before everyone else as they were on deck in the rain.