The Savage Seas (5e) [IC]

[jmucchiello]

Terry is not an early riser normally. She stumbles up onto deck and heads for the aft railing. The sailors have heard the noises she makes when she gets there a thousand times before. "At leas' she knoo enuff to go ahft," one of them says.

She takes a mouthful of water from her skin and rinses her mouth out before turning around. "I hate ships. Forgot I hate ships. Haven't been on one in like five years. Should have waited even longer."

 

[gnarlygninja]

Zrok stood on his tip toes watching the city (and land) fade from view, suddenly realizing how big the sea was. This realization lead to intense anxiety that quickly overwhelmed his excitement over being on a boat for the first time, and he decided throwing himself into work would be the best way to deal with it. Moving a little too quickly over to Captain Coppertree and asking a voice a little higher than usual he asked "What can Zrok do to help? Zrok not comfortable doing nothing."

 

[mips42]

After the rowing, topside is wide, vast and open. Captain Coppertree stood at the wheel near the back of the ship and smiles widely as you approach. 'The sea is the worst kind of lover,' She said without a greeting. 'Leave her and she'll go on fine without you, not caring that you've left. Stay, and she'll treat you like a Demon. Toss you about, batter you with wind and waves, do everything she can to bring you into her unforgiving embrace.'
'I hear you say "Then why? Why sail at all?"' She laughs loudly. 'Ask a rancher why they tame a horse or,' She say looking at you. 'Ask an Adventurer why they fight. It is because if you do, and you survive, there is no greater feeling. A sailor is an adventurer and, also, a rancher. Trying to tame the untamable, fight the unbeatable. The best you an do is a tenuous truce.
'I'm sorry,' she says somewhat shyly, 'When I haven't been out, I sometimes get philosophical.' She points at a man, medium height with a wiry build. 'Vard, there is the Bosun. He'll know what needs doing.'
Over the course of the next few hours, you begin to learn the basics of sailing: While the Captain makes the decisions, The Bosun makes sure everything gets done; The front of the ship is the bow, the rear is the stern, left side is port, right side is starboard, to heave is to lift, haul is to pull, etc. And, when asked about the anchor, Vard says is a rough voice 'Mostly is for not too deep water. there's only so much rope attached to it. Weighing anchor simply means Haul on the rope to bring it back up.'
With sails raised and the more experienced sailors doing most of the work, you find yourselves with time. Time to explore the ship and see what all is going on as the Annabelle dances over the waves vaguely north.

OOC: The ship is well underway, what would you like to do while she sails? @Neurotic @gnarlygninja @Leatherhead @jmucchiello

 

[Leatherhead]

Crawdad is a man of the sea, albeit shallower waters. he takes to the stern of the ship and sets out his fishing gear, hoping to get a trophy.

OOC: Crawdad has a background feature that lets him fish up enough food for up to 10 people. But here is a roll to see if anything interesting happens: Survival check for fishing if it matters: 1D20+5 = [18]+5 = 23

 

[Neurotic]

OOC: I missed the original update! Sorry! Including everyone again so we can move on! @gnarlygninja @jmucchiello Thanks, Leatherhead!

Umbril is not one for physical work. He uses his agility to climb the ropes, scouts from the crow's nest and occasionally disappear from the ship when someone tries to press him into hard labor. He is fun to have in the evening when people start to relax some with minor tricks or two.

The consequence of his card tricks is that no one wants to gamble with him, but that is fine, these are not people he would want to cheat, but they don't know that.

OOC: Acrobatics +6, Perception +1, Stealth +6, Sleight of hand +4 in that order are implied in the post

 

[mips42]

The Annabelle Lee dances over the waves, seeming as eager as her captain to be out of dock. At the rear of the ship, Crawdad losses a line off the back, more out of habit than in the hopes of catching anything. Moments later, he spies lean, torpedo-like shapes in the ships' wake. Porpoises follow along, scooping up the small fish churned up by the ship and gaining valuable speed.
Umbril, while aloft in the rigging, spies several large shapes off in the distance. likely whales or other large creatures.
Vard come to find you all, "we're headed north, toward Morind. The Jade Lion is usually in that area this time of year. Likely be a few days. make sure you've got a bunk below."
The sailors that aren't adjusting the rigging or involved in other small tasks marvel at Umbrils sleight of hand, sit playing at dice, cards, or just talking. You see the other new hands making the rounds, introducing themselves and getting more comfortable with their new shipmates.
"How do you know Beltran?" You turn to find Captain Coppertree standing close by.

 

[Neurotic]

Umbril slides down the ropes to stand next to the captain.
"We don't. Or to be clear, I don't. I'm here for the ride and pay. This group cleared up some haunted house, you could say we're specialists for the mysterious happenings. But, we have to eat. And we just happened to be there when your little altercation took place. You know, when opportunity knocks..."

He looks pensive for a moment.
"And I like the town, it would be bad thing for it to fall apart, so lively a place. In the last days I could feel it drain away. The mood. The life."

@Leatherhead @gnarlygninja @jmucchiello let's restart this!

 

[mips42]

Sheila nods at this. "So, something of a sword for hire, then? If I hadn't found the sea, I might have done similar.
'Did he say anything specific about what he'd heard. I mean, we've all heard wild stories of everything from serpents, living seaweed, and Kraken dragging down ships, as well as other things but, I would hope his information would be better than sailors gossip.'

 

[jmucchiello]

"No, they didn't know anything," Terry says. "Let's hope it isn't Kraken."

 

[mips42]

'Nothing? I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I guess we'll just have to see what we see.
'We'll be nearing the Cliffs of Veld soon, and the tumble of rock that Skyhorn Lighthouse sits upon early tomorrow. If you've not seen it, it's something. Almost like some gigantic cleaver cut off the edge of the continent and what was cut off tumbled into the sea.
'Fare thee well until then.'