Parallel Lines

[Eluvan]

((Whoops, my bad, everyone had in fact posted their actions. Sorry, I guess I've been busy...))

Systar struggles innefectually to get free of the birds that swarm over him, rendering him unable to take action. Luckily for him, though, the birds' coordination is already starting to falter and with a final decisive sweep through the flock by Sorren's blade, their tactics fall apart and suddenly they are noticeably no longer a flock but a number of birds, rather confused and unable to launch an effective attack or even defend themselves. They are easily chased off, and you are left in peace to watch the remnants of the flock flap hastily away.

Dresda, who didn't reach the fight in time to take action, now walks up to you, grinning. 'Well, it's always nice when you find that money hasn't been wasted, don't you think? Glad to have found a use for you.' She surveys the state of Systar's wounds for a moment, which are still bleeding profusely and causing him a considerable amount of pain. 'Little bastards got you pretty bad. Wait there, I've got some medical supplies in my cabin.'

((Systar, you take another point of damage this turn from your wounds))

 

[DEFCON 1]

Massif looks around the deck and sees it littered with the corpses of bloody birds. He walks over to one and leans down to get a better look, to see if there's any indication what kind of birds these might be, and/or why they even bothered to attack.

((Search [12] + 0 = 12))

'What a strange occurance! Why would these things bother to come after us? Especially in such large quantities! It is a shame I am not more versed in the laws of nature, because I am completely stumped. I wonder if these things have accomplished whatever it is they were trying to do?'

He stands up and looks at the band of mercenaries that surround him, all of which lent a hand in the ship's defense of the flock of birds. Their heavy breathing, plus Systar's open wounds tell him that an answer to these questions of his would be quite helpful.

'Do you suppose these were meant to be just a distraction? Might there be something else occuring at another part of the ship? Captain... perhaps we should go beneath decks just to do a quick once-over. I do not know what the wizard or the bard below might have accomplished, but it would make me feel better to satify my own curiosity... otherwise I'll be wondering what the point of these birds attacking was all day. What say you?'

 

[Zweischneid]

'What a strange occurance! Why would these things bother to come after us? Especially in such large quantities! It is a shame I am not more versed in the laws of nature, because I am completely stumped. I wonder if these things have accomplished whatever it is they were trying to do?'

'Indeed,..'
Celebren answers intriqued, the sputtering torch in his hand seemingly forgotten.
'.. because if the would have been mere scouts, as Vel suggested, there would have been no reason for them to attack us. And I greatly doubt they mistook us for birdfood.'

Eyeing the returned captain suspiciously he asks ((Sense Motive d20(11)+2= 13))
'Besides, you seemed to know quite a bit about them Lady Dresda, did you not? You.. well.., like their fear of open flames. Maybe you could tell us a bit more about this strange specimen of bird? Have you maybe noticed anything unusual below deck during the fight?'

Listening to Captain Dreda's answer, Celebren glances around the deck, trying to account for the rest of the mercenary crew, especially the whereabouts of Vel and Samea.
((Spot d20(13)+5= 18))

 

[Eluvan]

Massif finds little of interest about the birds. They would seem to bear at least a superficial resemblance to a crow or other carrion resemblance, though as mentioend above they are somewhat smaller and their colour scheme is a little different. They have sharp, hooked beaks that account for the unpleasant wounds suffered by Systar. Beyond that, little more can be seen. Nothing, at any rate, that helps to explain the attack.

The other presumed mercenaries are not yet in evidence. Dresda seems rather taken aback by your suspicion, and seems rather nervous as she replies 'these birds are fairly common where I come from, so I'm familiar with them. They're just pests, and they eat meat so sometimes they'll attack if you seem like a possible target. Fire drives them off.'

You get the distinct feeling she is not telling you the whole truth. At this point the hatch opens down on the deck and Vel pokes his head up, grinning as normal. 'Well, I see you did a good number on those birds. Should have been easy enough with a mage on your side, huh? I had no idea the old book worm was so spoiling for a fight as to teleport straight up here when we told her what was happening.'

 

[Badger]

As the flock broke apart and began to scatter, Digger immediately lowered his crossbow and looked to the others to see what their reaction was going to be. Seeing them all begin to stand around the wounded Systar, Digger began walking towards them all.

I wonder how badly the warm blood is hurt? Are any of them skilled in the healing arts?

As he arrived, the warm blood called Vel opened the door and spoke of the female teleporting up here for the fight. Digger immediately began scanning the deck looking for her, as he did not recall seeing any magics unleashed into the heart of the flock.

'I do not wish to cause alarm, but I did not see her while facing the birds. How long ago did she leave your sight?'

Where could she be? Did her transport spell go awry?

 

[DEFCON 1]

Massif stands up from looking at the odd birds and shoots a look at Captain Dresda.

'These birds are fairly common where I come from, so I'm familiar with them. They're just pests, and they eat meat so sometimes they'll attack if you seem like a possible target. Fire drives them off.'

Her pretty poor excuse for an explanation gets under the dwarf's skin, and just for a moment he falls back into the hot-headedness he tried so hard to get past a couple minutes ago.

'Possible target? Come on now Captain... let's be serious here. How could a giant ship such as this with a band of fire right above us be considered a "possible target"? Pardon me if I'm wrong... but aren't DEAD things just lying around more accurately be considered a "possible target" for birds like this? I don't know much, but I do know that birds just don't go after LIVING, MOVING, AND BREATHING meat... they scavenge for meat that is already dead. So there has to be another explanation.'

((Intimidate - untrained [12] - 2 =10))

Massif stands with his hands on his hips and glares at the Captain, trying to get her to come clean. Just then, Vel pops up out of the hatch.

'Well, I see you did a good number on those birds. Should have been easy enough with a mage on your side, huh? I had no idea the old book worm was so spoiling for a fight as to teleport straight up here when we told her what was happening.'

'I do not wish to cause alarm, but I did not see her while facing the birds. How long ago did she leave your sight?'

Massif's eyes grow wide after this exchange and he really focuses in on the Captain now.

'Oh great! Well Captain... any idea where this wizard you hired went off to? That's it! I'm going down below. Something's not right here. Who's with me?'

Without actually waiting for an answer, he turns and starts bounding down the steps to the main deck before advancing towards Vel at the hatchway to the decks below.

 

[Badger]

Surprised at the reaction that Massif had to his words, Digger made a mental note to choose his words better in the future when the dwarven warm blood was around.

'I will follow him down, as it seems my words have caused him much stress. I do apologize Captain, as that was not my intent.'

Ducking to go below decks once more, Digger's longer strides quickly allowed him to catch up with the shorter warm blood.

'Where exactly do you plan on going Massif, and once we arrive there, do you wish for me to resume my tasking as an archer?'

 

[Sorren]

OOC: Sorry for the delay...

Sorren let the momentum of his fatal blow carry him into a flourish that would set up his next attack, though it appeared unnecessary. He frowned as the birds scattered in retreat. It had been good practice.

He wiped the blood from his blade, little though there was, and returned it to its place on his back. Seeing the others begin to gather in conversation, he decided to join, and got there just in time to witness another rant coming from Massif. Though this time, he agreed with the hot headed dwarf.

Massif has a point, he said, looking at Dresda. I think you know more than you let on, and if we are to continue offering our protection, I think it best that we clear the air of any mystery. I'll not have these people injured...he glanced at Systar...or worse... if it can be helped by simply offering Light in the Darkness.

 

[Zweischneid]

I don't know much, but I do know that birds just don't go after LIVING, MOVING, AND BREATHING meat... they scavenge for meat that is already dead. So there has to be another explanation.'

As puzzled as the Dwarf by this mystery Celebren scratches the stubbles on his chin, his head held slightly askew and his blue-and-silver eyes carefully studying the face of the Captain.

Well, if that Dwarf and the Tin Man seek the missing Lady, I might well try to find out a thing or two about those birds. Like, where did they come from?

'Hmm, we might.. well. Captain please excuse me could I borrow this!'
the young half-elf inquires with a disarming smile as he snatches the half-forgotten spyglass. ((Diplomacy d20(12)+3= 15))

'I'd like to see if I can bring some Light to this riddle before we've sailed too far.'
With that, the agile Monk darts off, looking for the best vantage point to study the point of compass the flock came from. ((Search d20(16)+2= 18 + Spyglass if that helps some?))

 

[Eluvan]

The captain is looking more and more harrassed, and barely seems to notice when the spyglass is snatched from her grasp. She seems on the verge of an admission when Systar gasps in pain as he shifts and the bleeding of his wounds accelerates, and she leaps on the excuse like a drowning woman thrown a rope. She hurries over and inspects him with an epression of concern. 'He has been badly wounded, I think. Do any of you have the ability to tend his wounds?'

Meanwhile, Vel flips acrobatically up on to the deck from his previous perch halfway up the stairs from the hold and holds the hatch open for Massif and Digger, though his attention seems to be fixed on what he can hear of the conversation up on the stern.

With the spyglass, Celebren can still see the remainder of the flock winging its way hastily away from the ship. He can also pinpoint the direction from which they originally came, he thinks, though there seems to be nothing special about it.

((Another point of damage to Systar))