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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rchodges" data-source="post: 8391161" data-attributes="member: 7031385">Part 1: Knot of ThornsAct 3: Fire-Axe!Session 5: Making a SplashDonovan awoke to the splash of ocean spray across the deck of the Frosthamar. Opening his eyes, he saw his family sitting or sleeping around the ship, with a handful of crew members performing the routine tasks required for sailing. Donovan had been on board this ship for a few days now, having met the captain, Kargeld Odenkirk. Donovan remembered the odd introductions of Odenkirk. “You will guard our boat all the way north, yes?”, Odenkirk asked Donovan. After Donovan confirmed his team were there to perform that task, Odenkirk responded, “Then I will take you to the cursed north, past hope and life.” Donovan smirked at that comment, having thought that the captain was being hyperbolic.The first part of the trip was easy enough, although it was difficult for Donovan and the others to transition from residing in the estate of Thorn into being cramped together onto a single ship that had effectively no protection against the elements. Bebop made it clear very early into the journey that he was displeased with the arrangements. “This sucks!”, Bebop complained quickly. “The world can’t be found from Tamsen’s bed, Bebop. There’s things we’ll have to go do in person.”, Donovan curtly replied. As they traveled, Donovan took some time to understand the cargo that they were carrying. The weapons, stacked together in barrels and crates, were fully made of metal and reinforced, clearly designed to accommodate the more powerful attacks that would be used by the bugbears wielding them. Odenkirk said that the trip would take several weeks, which made sense given the limited speed the ship would be able to achieve due to the massive amount of cargo being held.After a week of moving out from the rivers where they first encountered the Frosthamar, they approached the open waters. One of the first major landmarks that Donovan and the others saw was the Watch Wall. Just looking at this impressive landmark, Donovan thought about how him and his family would soon be inside the Wall, attempting to dismantle it from within. Donovan had brought historical references to the Watch Wall in order to glean information that might be pertinent to their efforts. Donovan found it difficult to study, between the constant motion of the ship, and the constant complaints of Bebop resonating in his head. Donovan could overhear the voices of the ship crew speaking. They were conversing with each other in Norspik. Donovan rarely heard this language from when he worked at Alcott’s shop, but he was still familiar with it. It was apparent that the sailors assumed he and the other visitors on the boat had not learned this language, and Donovan had no intention of correcting them at this point.Bebop was initially excited to get onto the water, thinking that it would be an opportunity for him to “catch a mermaid”. However, Bebop’s enthusiasm went dour quickly as Donovan explained to him what those creatures looked like, and how they generally interacted with humanoids. Bebop still continued fishing over the side of the ship, catching several fish. One of the fish was surprisingly larger than the others, causing Bebop to beam with pride as he attempted to hand it to Tamsen. Tamsen looked at him confused and slightly disgusted. “What am I supposed to do with this?”, Tamsen queried. “It’s a gift for you.”, Bebop beamed with pride back at her. Wordlessly, Lucius took the fish from Bebop, and begin preparing it for dinner. Tamsen had an exasperated look on her face, as Donovan chuckled to himself.Looking back out onto the waters, Donovan noticed a ship in the distance. He was about to call it out, when Captain Odenkirk bellowed out across the deck, “A Talingarde ship! They’re headed our way, and we can’t outrun them.” A harder look came across the captain’s face. “Once they get close to us, they’ll know we’re smugglers.” Donovan responded, “Then we’ll convince them we’re something else.” Donovan then looked over at Tamsen, “It’s time for you to take what you have gleaned from Timeon, and put it to use. You’re about to play the role of Sir Balin.” Without hesitating, Donovan tapped the Circlet of Disguise provided to him by Thorn, and took on the role of a Talingarde soldier. Seeing his action, Bebop and Lucius follow suit. “What do I tell them, Donovan?”, Tamsen queried Donovan, before changing her form into that of Sir Balin. “You’re pursuing the escapees from Branderscar, who are believed to be headed to an enemy camp north of the Watch Wall. You’ve conscripted this vessel into service in order to prevent them from seeing the Talingarde heraldry and fleeing again. And Captain Odenkirk has graciously provided his aid in getting you to this destination. Simple enough, my love?” Donovan smiled warmly at Tamsen, who listened to all that he had said before nodding intently. GrumbleJack quickly kneeled down and a tarp was thrown over him, while the crew awaited the arrival of the Talingarde vessel. Once the vessel got close enough, a voice rang out from the ship. “Heave to in the name of the King!” Captain Odenkirk gave the appropriate orders to assist this ship in the boarding of his vessel. Soon enough, the captain of the vessel and four of his sailors came aboard the Frosthamar. The captain of the Talingarde vessel spoke up, “Who is in charge here?” Without hesitation, Tamsen stepped forward, and began explaining her story to the Talingarde captain.As the son of a merchant, Donovan was used to dealing with a fair share of grifters and con artists. Over the years, he had gained a fairly intuitive sense of when someone was selling stories instead of product, and learned to deal with both appropriately. But, listening to Tamsen weave her tale to this captain, Donovan would be hard pressed to know what was true and what was not. She was so naturally gifted with the power of deception, that every word and motion she made seemed completely honest and forthright. And it was in that moment that Donovan questioned everything he thought he knew about Tamsen. Had anything she had ever said to him been true? Of course, he wanted it to be true, but could he really know if things were as he wished them to be, or merely that she was allowing him to think as much? Quickly, he caught himself in those thoughts, and began associating other languages in his mind, remembering that she could read his thoughts at any point she chose to do so. By now, the conversation between Tamsen and the captain of the Talingarde vessel was winding down. Naturally, he was completely convinced, and even offered to aid “Sir Balin” by searching the waters for the vessel that the escapees had supposedly absconded with. “May the blessings of Mitra be upon you and yours.”, the captain said to Tamsen before disembarking. “And may His light guide you.”, Tamsen responded, calmly and with all apparent sincerity. The sailors disembarked with their captain, and the ship pulled away, not a single blow having been thrown. Captain Odenkirk was clearly impressed. “Good work. You’ve saved my crew a fair bit of headache today.”Time passed on the seas, and everyone began to fall into a predictable rhythm of activity throughout the day. Bebop continued to spend the bulk of his time attempting to flirt with Tamsen. Despite her general exhibitionist nature, the idea of having sex on the deck of a ship with six strange men watching them was a bit more than she was ready to get involved with. Finally, she found a clever way to stop Bebop from asking her, “I’m not having sex with you unless Donovan is involved.” Knowing Donovan as well as she did, she assumed that he would not even consider having such an activity on board a ship in these conditions. But, she also knew it would force Bebop to stop pestering her about it, and start pestering Donovan. Meanwhile, Lucius would engage in games of chance with the crew in order to pass the time. Donovan continued to study books as much as he could; but kept himself wrapped up in a tarp in order to protect the manuscripts from the spray of the waters.And so it was that on one of these nights, Donovan and the others were stirred awake by the sound of the crew screaming. Looking around, Donovan saw several liquid looking creature aboard the boat. Focusing his eyes and mind, the realization came to him quickly. “Water Elementals! GrumbleJack, Bebop, clear the deck of these things!” Lucius called forth a Hell Hound, who began assisting the GrumbleJack, Bebop, and the crew of the Frosthamar in attacking the Elementals. Meanwhile, Tamsen began applying Protective Luck to everyone, starting with Donovan. Odenkirk pulled out a large axe, and began assisting his crew in destroying the Elementals on deck. Meanwhile, the crewman that was up in the mast shouted down, “Motion in the water!” He cast a light towards a humanoid creature that was riding a dolphin just a short distance away from the Frosthamar. As Donovan’s eyes fixated on the illuminated spot that was provided by the crewmate, a flash of recognition entered his mind. “Tritons! Lucius, get some dolphins over there now!” Abandoning the Hell Hound he had already created, Lucius turned towards the water and summoned a group of dolphins. The dolphins, clearly altered by the dark energies that Lucius wielded, viciously followed the command of Lucius as he ordered them to attack the first visible Triton. Their attacks, brutal and savage, rended the Triton into pieces within seconds. Meanwhile, on the deck of the ship, the remaining Water Elementals had been hewn into puddles, only for a new group of them to be summoned up again. Bebop was especially ruthless, oftentimes destroying an Elemental in a single attack. While Donovan was not able to successfully attack anyone, his ability to continue healing the people onboard allowed them to continue fighting without faltering. And so the cycle would continue for several minutes. Lucius and the Triton summoner would continue throwing out waves of attackers upon the opposing groups, and those groups would attempt to battle back the summoned minions. Unfortunately for the Tritons, Lucius was a far better Summoner. The power of his minions easily outclassed the power of the Triton’s minions, and in due time, the Triton summoner found himself being pulled down to a bloody end at the hand of another group of vicious dolphins. With the death of the Triton summoner, the few remaining Tritons lost their nerve and fled, and all of the summoned Elementals turned back into the water from which they were drawn forth. Small puddles of blood surrounded the Frosthamar, before finally being washed away by the ebb and flow of the waters.Captain Odenkirk looked at Donovan with a sense of concern and frustration in his face, “Why in damnation would Tritons be attacking my ship?” Donovan, clearly confused from this event, responded uncertainly, “Why indeed, Captain?” To himself, Donovan would wonder what sort of omen this event would represent. Only time would tell.Session 5 Ends.</blockquote>

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