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<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7560488" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>A little... <em>rounder</em>... <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /></p><p></p><p>* * * </p><p></p><p>Chapter 255</p><p></p><p>“What is it?” Glori yelled.</p><p></p><p>Sond was already running over to the platform that jutted from the front of the aftcastle. “I don’t know, but it’s big enough to snap this ship in two,” she said. “All sails out!” she cried. “Ready weapons!”</p><p></p><p>Her crew rushed to obey, even as Sond lifted her arms and summoned her magic. The response was immediate, and the improvised main sail filled as the wind stirred at her bidding.</p><p></p><p>“Will the new mast take it?” Bredan asked.</p><p></p><p>“We’ll find out,” Sond said grimly.</p><p></p><p>The ship lurched and then shuddered again as it suffered a glancing blow from whatever was below them. The mast groaned ominously but held as the ship picked up speed. The crew got every bit of sail they could rig onto the masts, and the <em>Gull</em> bounced as it cut through the waves, but the crew and passengers remained tense as they awaited another attack.</p><p></p><p>“Think we can outrun it?” Kosk asked.</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know,” Quellan said. “Maybe it will decide that we’re not edible.”</p><p></p><p>A shout from the rigging above drew everyone’s attention. “Coming again, to starboard!”</p><p></p><p>The companions rushed to that side of the ship in time to see a dark shadow rise up out of the deep. “Hard to port!” Sond yelled. The entire ship listed as the helmsman obeyed the order, and the tiny halfling altered the wind to compensate.</p><p></p><p>“Here it comes!” Glori yelled, a scant heartbeat before the creature breached the surface.</p><p></p><p>It was massive, larger than any creature the companions had ever seen. It looked like it might even be bigger than the <em>Gull</em>, though it was difficult to be sure with most of its body below the surface. It looked like a giant turtle, with a huge armored shell and massive flippers that could obviously propel it at great speed. But the flippers culminated in scaled claws, and the head that emerged from the sea was that of a fearsome dragon. It opened its jaws wide and let out a massive roar that overpowered the senses of the people on the ship, a moment before it rose up and collided with the vessel itself.</p><p></p><p>The <em>Gull</em> reversed its tilt, being pulled over to the other side by the weight of the dragon turtle. The masts swayed dangerously, and one crewman was knocked free of the rigging, screaming as he plummeted into the sea just beyond the creature’s massive shell. Those on the deck scrambled to hold on to anything they could find, and several fell, sliding across the deck until they struck the starboard railing.</p><p></p><p>Bredan had rushed down to the main deck to get closer to the enemy. He rallied the sailors there who were tentatively holding crossbows. Kalasien and his men had come onto deck as well, carrying their own missile weapons. “Let that thing have it!” Bredan yelled. He had summoned his sword, but even with its surge up out of the water it was still well out of his reach. The others around him began to fire their bows at the creature, focusing on its head. But most of their shots merely bounced off its hide, those that weren’t deflected by its shell or which landed uselessly in the water.</p><p></p><p>But while the crew’s initial attacks were almost useless, Bredan’s companions were quick to unleash their own weapons and spells upon the monster. Glori tried to infest its mind with <em>fear</em>, but the spell seemed to have no effect. Quellan tried to hit it with a <em>guiding bolt</em>, but the stream of divine energy went wide and bounced harmlessly off its shell. Xeeta blasted it with a series of <em>scorching rays</em>, but while she managed a direct hit on its scaled head, the flames did not appear to have much effect.</p><p></p><p>“It’s resistant to fire!” she warned.</p><p></p><p>The crew and Kalasien’s soldiers continued shooting, but even though a few bolts now jutted from its hide, they didn’t seem to be having much of an impact. Rodan had appeared and rushed up onto the forecastle, leaning dangerously over the rail with one leg looped around one of the rope stays anchored to the side of the ship. He tried to put an arrow into one of its eyes, but between the creature’s movements and the bucking of the ship he could only manage to get one hit further back along its no-doubt extremely thick skull.</p><p></p><p>A crewman rushed onto the main deck, carrying an armload of large harpoons. Bredan saw him and ran toward him, but before he could reach the man the dragon turtle opened its jaws wide. A hissing sound like the workings of the largest bellows ever made rose from within its body. Quellan’s eyes widened, and he yelled, “Get back! Everyone, get to cover!”</p><p></p><p>But his warning came too late. As the dragon turtle’s claws tightened their grip on the ship’s hull it unleashed a blast of boiling steam that washed over the main deck of the <em>Gull</em>, the edge of it reaching as far as the forward part of the aftcastle where most of the companions were gathered. At least half a dozen crewmen on the main deck were killed instantly. Quellan, still exposed along the railing, staggered back blistered and blinded. He nearly fell, only the relentless endurance of his orcish heritage keeping him upright. Glori, who’d gotten back in time to avoid the worst of it, ignored the pain of her own searing burns to rush to his aid. Xeeta likewise caught the edge of the blast, but her own infernal resistance allowed her to withstand it.</p><p></p><p>Haverd had been reloading his crossbow when he’d heard Quellan’s warning. He’d started to move toward cover when the creature’s breath weapon hit, but was still exposed when the blast of steam knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling to the deck. As the ship tilted still further the unconscious warrior started sliding toward the railing, which had only been temporarily repaired after the storm. Kosk saw him and leapt down from the aft deck, trying to grab hold of him as he slid past, but the steam had made the deck slick and the dwarf fell, nearly ending up going after him. Kalasien had burrowed into a cluster of ropes where the rigging was attached to the rail, and might have been able to grab him before he hit, but he either didn’t see the approaching man or wasn’t able to help him.</p><p></p><p>Haverd hit the damaged railing and for a moment it looked as though the repairs would hold, but then then the abused wood collapsed and he went over. The dragon turtle saw him and snapped him up in its huge jaws before he could hit the water.</p><p></p><p>Bredan pushed himself up, a bit dazed. He’d been caught in the blast of steam as well, but he’d reacted instinctively, sweeping his sword up as if he could somehow block the searing jet with his steel. That was insane, but he’d felt a surge of power that had somehow protected him from the worst of the deadly heat. He’d done something similar in the fight with the devil in Li Syval, but there was no time to ponder the question now, as they were still in a deadly situation. He’d seen Haverd go over the edge of the deck, and could see that several of his companions were likewise badly hurt. Xeeta was still trying to hurl fire at the creature, but if it could breathe steam it probably wasn’t going to be hurt much by her magic.</p><p></p><p>He bent and picked up one of the harpoons that the crewman had brought up on deck. The man was lying dead, the skin of his face and neck crinkled red by the gout of steam. He let his sword disappear, knowing that its magic was still with him, and made his way carefully toward the part of the railing that was still intact. The dragon turtle had dropped back into the water and the angle of the deck was more manageable, but he knew it would not release them until either it was dead or the ship was torn apart.</p><p></p><p>As he approached the canted edge of the deck, he heard a loud blast of sound. For a moment he thought it was another attack, then he remembered Sond and her <em>shatter</em> spell.</p><p></p><p>He looked over the edge of the deck into a maelstrom. The creature looked even bigger now, if that was possible. Its scaled head was pocked with arrows and bolts embedded shallowly into its hide, and scorch marks that had likely been inflicted by Xeeta’s magical assault. But Bredan could see that the attacks were just pinpricks, non-lethal scratches that the monster might not even be able to feel. Its jaws were covered in gore from consuming Haverd, and they opened again as it spotted Bredan at the rail, offering it defiance.</p><p></p><p>Bredan lifted the harpoon. He let instinct guide him, summoning his magic, letting it course through his body. He focused on the same target that Rodan had tried to hit, the bulbous, lidded globe of an eye.</p><p></p><p>The harpoon shot down. For a moment as the eye blinked shut he thought that the throw was going to miss, but then it blinked open again, just as the hooked steel tip drove home.</p><p></p><p>The dragon turtle reared back, its claws tearing free with a snap of wood giving way. Bredan shifted and nearly lost his grip on the railing. The ship shuddered again as the creature’s head smashed into it, and then the <em>Gull</em> bobbed up and clear as it was released. Bredan remained tense until he saw the dark mass of the creature sink deeper into the water and finally fall behind them as the ship began to move forward again.</p><p></p><p>“Good throw, lad,” Kosk said. The dwarf looked a mess, his forearms and face seared by the steam, but at least he was upright and functional. The same could not be said for many of those still on the main deck of the <em>Gull</em>. Quellan, restored somewhat by Glori’s curative magic, quickly made his way down to the main deck and went to the aid of those who could still be saved.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 7560488, member: 143"] A little... [i]rounder[/i]... :) * * * Chapter 255 “What is it?” Glori yelled. Sond was already running over to the platform that jutted from the front of the aftcastle. “I don’t know, but it’s big enough to snap this ship in two,” she said. “All sails out!” she cried. “Ready weapons!” Her crew rushed to obey, even as Sond lifted her arms and summoned her magic. The response was immediate, and the improvised main sail filled as the wind stirred at her bidding. “Will the new mast take it?” Bredan asked. “We’ll find out,” Sond said grimly. The ship lurched and then shuddered again as it suffered a glancing blow from whatever was below them. The mast groaned ominously but held as the ship picked up speed. The crew got every bit of sail they could rig onto the masts, and the [i]Gull[/i] bounced as it cut through the waves, but the crew and passengers remained tense as they awaited another attack. “Think we can outrun it?” Kosk asked. “I don’t know,” Quellan said. “Maybe it will decide that we’re not edible.” A shout from the rigging above drew everyone’s attention. “Coming again, to starboard!” The companions rushed to that side of the ship in time to see a dark shadow rise up out of the deep. “Hard to port!” Sond yelled. The entire ship listed as the helmsman obeyed the order, and the tiny halfling altered the wind to compensate. “Here it comes!” Glori yelled, a scant heartbeat before the creature breached the surface. It was massive, larger than any creature the companions had ever seen. It looked like it might even be bigger than the [i]Gull[/i], though it was difficult to be sure with most of its body below the surface. It looked like a giant turtle, with a huge armored shell and massive flippers that could obviously propel it at great speed. But the flippers culminated in scaled claws, and the head that emerged from the sea was that of a fearsome dragon. It opened its jaws wide and let out a massive roar that overpowered the senses of the people on the ship, a moment before it rose up and collided with the vessel itself. The [i]Gull[/i] reversed its tilt, being pulled over to the other side by the weight of the dragon turtle. The masts swayed dangerously, and one crewman was knocked free of the rigging, screaming as he plummeted into the sea just beyond the creature’s massive shell. Those on the deck scrambled to hold on to anything they could find, and several fell, sliding across the deck until they struck the starboard railing. Bredan had rushed down to the main deck to get closer to the enemy. He rallied the sailors there who were tentatively holding crossbows. Kalasien and his men had come onto deck as well, carrying their own missile weapons. “Let that thing have it!” Bredan yelled. He had summoned his sword, but even with its surge up out of the water it was still well out of his reach. The others around him began to fire their bows at the creature, focusing on its head. But most of their shots merely bounced off its hide, those that weren’t deflected by its shell or which landed uselessly in the water. But while the crew’s initial attacks were almost useless, Bredan’s companions were quick to unleash their own weapons and spells upon the monster. Glori tried to infest its mind with [i]fear[/i], but the spell seemed to have no effect. Quellan tried to hit it with a [i]guiding bolt[/i], but the stream of divine energy went wide and bounced harmlessly off its shell. Xeeta blasted it with a series of [i]scorching rays[/i], but while she managed a direct hit on its scaled head, the flames did not appear to have much effect. “It’s resistant to fire!” she warned. The crew and Kalasien’s soldiers continued shooting, but even though a few bolts now jutted from its hide, they didn’t seem to be having much of an impact. Rodan had appeared and rushed up onto the forecastle, leaning dangerously over the rail with one leg looped around one of the rope stays anchored to the side of the ship. He tried to put an arrow into one of its eyes, but between the creature’s movements and the bucking of the ship he could only manage to get one hit further back along its no-doubt extremely thick skull. A crewman rushed onto the main deck, carrying an armload of large harpoons. Bredan saw him and ran toward him, but before he could reach the man the dragon turtle opened its jaws wide. A hissing sound like the workings of the largest bellows ever made rose from within its body. Quellan’s eyes widened, and he yelled, “Get back! Everyone, get to cover!” But his warning came too late. As the dragon turtle’s claws tightened their grip on the ship’s hull it unleashed a blast of boiling steam that washed over the main deck of the [i]Gull[/i], the edge of it reaching as far as the forward part of the aftcastle where most of the companions were gathered. At least half a dozen crewmen on the main deck were killed instantly. Quellan, still exposed along the railing, staggered back blistered and blinded. He nearly fell, only the relentless endurance of his orcish heritage keeping him upright. Glori, who’d gotten back in time to avoid the worst of it, ignored the pain of her own searing burns to rush to his aid. Xeeta likewise caught the edge of the blast, but her own infernal resistance allowed her to withstand it. Haverd had been reloading his crossbow when he’d heard Quellan’s warning. He’d started to move toward cover when the creature’s breath weapon hit, but was still exposed when the blast of steam knocked him off his feet and sent him sprawling to the deck. As the ship tilted still further the unconscious warrior started sliding toward the railing, which had only been temporarily repaired after the storm. Kosk saw him and leapt down from the aft deck, trying to grab hold of him as he slid past, but the steam had made the deck slick and the dwarf fell, nearly ending up going after him. Kalasien had burrowed into a cluster of ropes where the rigging was attached to the rail, and might have been able to grab him before he hit, but he either didn’t see the approaching man or wasn’t able to help him. Haverd hit the damaged railing and for a moment it looked as though the repairs would hold, but then then the abused wood collapsed and he went over. The dragon turtle saw him and snapped him up in its huge jaws before he could hit the water. Bredan pushed himself up, a bit dazed. He’d been caught in the blast of steam as well, but he’d reacted instinctively, sweeping his sword up as if he could somehow block the searing jet with his steel. That was insane, but he’d felt a surge of power that had somehow protected him from the worst of the deadly heat. He’d done something similar in the fight with the devil in Li Syval, but there was no time to ponder the question now, as they were still in a deadly situation. He’d seen Haverd go over the edge of the deck, and could see that several of his companions were likewise badly hurt. Xeeta was still trying to hurl fire at the creature, but if it could breathe steam it probably wasn’t going to be hurt much by her magic. He bent and picked up one of the harpoons that the crewman had brought up on deck. The man was lying dead, the skin of his face and neck crinkled red by the gout of steam. He let his sword disappear, knowing that its magic was still with him, and made his way carefully toward the part of the railing that was still intact. The dragon turtle had dropped back into the water and the angle of the deck was more manageable, but he knew it would not release them until either it was dead or the ship was torn apart. As he approached the canted edge of the deck, he heard a loud blast of sound. For a moment he thought it was another attack, then he remembered Sond and her [i]shatter[/i] spell. He looked over the edge of the deck into a maelstrom. The creature looked even bigger now, if that was possible. Its scaled head was pocked with arrows and bolts embedded shallowly into its hide, and scorch marks that had likely been inflicted by Xeeta’s magical assault. But Bredan could see that the attacks were just pinpricks, non-lethal scratches that the monster might not even be able to feel. Its jaws were covered in gore from consuming Haverd, and they opened again as it spotted Bredan at the rail, offering it defiance. Bredan lifted the harpoon. He let instinct guide him, summoning his magic, letting it course through his body. He focused on the same target that Rodan had tried to hit, the bulbous, lidded globe of an eye. The harpoon shot down. For a moment as the eye blinked shut he thought that the throw was going to miss, but then it blinked open again, just as the hooked steel tip drove home. The dragon turtle reared back, its claws tearing free with a snap of wood giving way. Bredan shifted and nearly lost his grip on the railing. The ship shuddered again as the creature’s head smashed into it, and then the [i]Gull[/i] bobbed up and clear as it was released. Bredan remained tense until he saw the dark mass of the creature sink deeper into the water and finally fall behind them as the ship began to move forward again. “Good throw, lad,” Kosk said. The dwarf looked a mess, his forearms and face seared by the steam, but at least he was upright and functional. The same could not be said for many of those still on the main deck of the [i]Gull[/i]. Quellan, restored somewhat by Glori’s curative magic, quickly made his way down to the main deck and went to the aid of those who could still be saved. [/QUOTE]
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