Wild:3 Maiden Voyage

Starring: Nathaniel, Brilla, Bo & Ko, Fuelwen, Rake
Guest Starring: Deenar, Ethyl
Challenge: Seawolves
Location: At sea on the Tumbler between Great Fortress and Lull
Date Played: 19 Feb 2009

Ahoy! Set sail aboard the Tumbler!

Brilla It seems that only a short while ago we were resting at the Pink Priapism upon our "triumphant" return, and now we are being shuffled off to Lull to give One Thumb's last will and testament to his relative, Willamina. Thankfully, Great Fortress was willing enough to find us passage aboard a ship.

Piere, captain of his ship called Tumbler, was more willing to accept a group of adventurers than most of his ilk. We were given quarters in the first-mates former domicile and told the trip would take from five to ten hours. The group was able to stay there since the first-mate was poisoned. In fact, we were warned not to drink the brandy, just in case. Another condition was that we were not to leave the quarters until we made port. Once agreements were made, sails were set, and sails ho!

Fuelwen: Strong armed into a boat trip I didn't want to take, I just took solace in the fact that I was leaving Great Fortress. The others went about their various tasks in the city, but I simply hurried to the ship with nothing more to do in town.

Let me be frank: the "Last will and testament" is for those whose offspring are too weak to take what they rightly deserve.

Some Trips are Rougher than Others

Brilla It appears that our party is not the most stellar of seafarers. Ironically, Fuelwen gets seasick very easily. If that did not make the trip disgusting enough, Ko seems to enjoy the predigested fish that Fwelwen felt to deliver in a bucket. There are bit still matted in his fur.

During the tip I was approached by Nathaniel about forming an "arcane lifebond." He said that there are no ill effects, and I'm virtually immune to all things arcane by virtue of my great ancestor Sergei, I accepted. I currently feel no ill effects or noticed anything out of the ordinary, so it is no problem on my behalf. I also was able to get Nathaniel to record my travels so that if I die they can be delived to my family so they can know of my deeds and maybe call upon my power in the future.

The trip was taking longer than expected, though I'm sure it just felt that way in being stuck in a small room with the rank smell of vomit, so we decided to explore the room. We found an encrypted rutter as well as some coins, a wonderful dress that I can't wait to wear around town, a coin that always flips heads, and a questionable bottle of brandy. Being one for experimentation, Bo found that the bottle was in fact poisoned.

Fuelwen: Coming aboard, we learned that the first mate had died, and that we shouldn't drink the brandy "just in case". Thus began my first round of utter torture. We were confined below decks in the former first mate's quarters. The rocking of the ship is bad enough, but when you don't have a horizon to orient against, it's ten times worse. I was ill. Repeatedly.

Since there was much time to waste, the others busied themselves by going over every inch of the cabin and taking everything that wasn't nailed down. I'm distressed that I've fallen in with thieving hooligans, but in the end, it didn't really matter.

They found booze in quantity, along with a pair of mysteries: a set of woman's finery and a ship's routier. Initially, we thought it this ship's routier, but due to its incomplete nature and the fact that we find another guide later, I wonder about that as well. Especially since few captains bother to encrypt their routier, even if it's a weak code like what was used here.

We heard the anchor go down. Only a few hours into the trip, it was unlikely that we had reached our destination, and quick glances out the portholes proved we were on the high ocean. Against the crew's orders, we stepped out of the cabin to investigate. Within a few moments, we were scattered about the ship, and saw one thing universally true: there was no crew anywhere.

Unexpected Stop at Sea

Brilla The raid of the previous first-mate's cabin was brought to a halt when we dropped anchor only about three hours into the trip. Knowing that the winds could not have been that good, we decided that we would investigate despite the captains orders. Bo, Ko, Fwelwen, and Nathaniel decided to go topside while Rake wandered the bottom deck. Seeing how Rake took out Ko with a single swipe of his claw, I decided to go with him.

Coming up from underneath, we saw four seawolves ready to spring an ambush from under the cargo grates. Rake made his presence known by invoking a power to grow in size and challenge the four seawolves to combat.

Unfortunately, there were more than four. Fwelwen ran directly into two of them on the other side of the ship while Bo, Ko, and Nathaniel were dodging arrows fired from the crows nest. Fwelwen was able to take care of the two seawolves in a timely manner with a little help and their attention was quickly shifted elsewhere.

Sadly, Rake did not share in Fwelwen's success. The seawolves quickly took him down, though Rake was able to cause some damage to the pack before his fall. Seeing Rake drop to the ground, I knew I was outmatched and I ran to the other side of the ship to the surface to get some help. It seems, though, that the others were already headed in that direction to do such a thing.

Nathaniel's incredibly lagged kobold zombies soon appeared and burst through the grating that the seawolves were planning to attack from. All but Nathaniel and I made their way down below deck to fight the remaining four seawolves while we were left with the sniper.

Combat was not going well with Nathaniel trying to lash at the sniper with his tongue while I was firing off eldritch blast to little effect. I called upon the powers of Naberius and ordered the creature to jump down from the crows nest. Luckyly my ancestors were with me and the creature jumped to it's death.

Rake decided to celebrate the victory by wearing the corpses as leggings.

Fuelwen: I went below the poop-deck to search there for crew, whereupon I was ambushed by a werewolf- they had concealed themselves in the ship, apparently to lure us out of the cabin? I'm unsure what they hoped to accomplish and must ask Dinar. A second leapt through the cargo hatch onto the poop-deck, to attack the other members of our party. I dispatched my foe quickly, and returned to the main deck, where I similarly dispatched the other werewolf. As each fell, they reverted to seawolves- obviously their natural form.

A man in the crow's nest used a bow to shoot at us, but I ignored him; Nathaniel was a better candidate for climbing after him. Instead, I focused on the sounds of fighting below the forecastle.

I plunged down through a shattered cargo hatch and found a ridiculous scrum taking place. Rake (enlarged and severely injured), Ko, Bo, a pair of summoned zombies(Nathaniel's doing) and four werewolves crowded into the tiny space. With a single blow I dispatched the injured werewolf I found myself standing upon, and then turned a series of blows onto all the other surrounding ones. This bought Rake time to recover and allowed the others (especially Ko), the opportunity to help me finish the job.

With four more corpses added to the pile, we turned our attention to the archer in the crow's nest. He posed little threat, at this point, but was in an easily defended position. I took one attempt at using archery myself, and, well, it didn't go well. I need more practice with the bow.

Brilla ended the battle with a command to the captain: "Jump". He fell to his death.

The bodies of the crew were found hidden on the forecastle, killed.

Ko Woof! Woof! Grrrrrrrrr, woof!

Yo-ho, Yo-ho, a Sailor's Life for Me

Brilla After combat was over and the spoils of war were gathered we came to a dellima; no one really knew how to sail this ship. While pondering how we were to handle this task, Bo spotted a a small ship in the distance. Seeing as how we had no real way of getting over there Fwelwen volunteered to swim over to the ship and check things out.

I appears that the seawolves were not truly aquatic beings and required a ship to reach us this far away form the coast. Inside of the small vessel was one of the seawolves, the shipmaster one would assume. Fwelwen tried to communicate in vain and decided it would be best to bring the small ship to us.

It appears that seawolves (or at least this one) speak Sylvan, a language in which Bo and Nathaniel were fluent. The captured seawolf is named Denar. With a little negotiation, and some physical punishment from Nathaniel, Denar was convinced to help us sail to Lull. To better get in the mood of things and in case we ran across any ships the recognized the vessel I decided to disguise myself as the captain.

The going was tough, and it was obvious that we were not sailors, but after a rough start we were soon with the wind to our back and on our way.

Fuelwen: None of us knew how to sail. This posed a problem, since we were stranded in the middle of the ocean with no navigational skills. I could have easily made my way to land alone using the seafloor to help me find a way, but it would have been most discourteous, and certainly wouldn't have completed our mission of delivering the will.

But Bo's sharp eyes spotted a small raft behind the ship. I swam out to investigate, and discovered another sea wolf on the raft. I dragged the raft back and we took this wolf prisoner- Dinar. There was much discussion over what to do with our prisoner, but I found myself instantly respectful of his people. They were hunters, and they fought well to capture their prey. There is an animal cunning among them all, although not nearly enough, apparently.

Dinar was surprised by our armed might, and it was likely that surprise force that overwhelmed his pack. Pity, really. I remember some tales of my ancestors gutting Landwalkers before the peace with Gnala formed. I sympathize with his pack, even after besting them.

Dinar was curious about our Alpha. I understand pack hunters, but I don't think of our ragtag group as a pack. We're more of a school, and that suits me fine. Let the landwalkers form their pacts and packs- a school of warriors could overtake them any time. Leaders are for those too weak to lead themselves.

Sailing to Lull proved a challenge. Dinar had to guide us, and with some people (*ahem* Nathaniel) disrespecting the predator tradition (you try to eat some people and they get touchy about it; as a note, if we were starving to death and our party tried to eat me before I ate them, and somehow succeeded, I wouldn't take it as an insult, and if they failed, I wouldn't hold a grudge against the survivors, if any).

Our party distributed the tasks according to our best attributes. The stronger members did the grunt work; the smartest member also did the grunt work (not that I'm one to complain). I also surveyed the sea bottom and ensured that the ship did not encounter any hidden reefs or sandbars.

At times, I despair that these landwalkers could survive without my aid. I do not wish to sound arrogant, by any stretch, but there's this patina of competence over a thick core of ignorance. I'm still offended at the way Nathaniel mishandled our prisoner- it was certainly uncalled for.

I sacrificed the hearts of the dead hunters to Sekolah.

Lull, at Last!

Brilla We sailed for many, many hours without sight of land. We were starting to get concerned that Denar was up to some form of trickery. As the crew was getting ready to turn on Denar, Rake yelled out that land was up ahead.

Thinking quickly as to elicit the least amount of questions, we dumped the bodies over the side of the ship and put Bo to what he does best; mopping. I also dropped the disguise, noting that if anyone knew the captain, they would easily see I did not possess his mannerisms.

When we arrived at port we were soon boarded by a harbour-master. He asked for the captain and we were all bewildered for a second. Realizing that I am still wearing the captain's clothes, I step forward and claim the ship as my own. We eventually get permission to dock though a semi-bumbling conversation with the harbour-master, only saved by some quick thinking from everyone in the party.

After a brief talk, the party decides to keep the ship and send Denar out to help us find a hardy crew. Sadly, during this talk Denar found his way to the first-mates room and found the poisoned bottle of brandy. It did not kill him, but it looks like he has seen much healthier days. A very potent poison indeed!

Plans are made for us to be docked for one week while the wheat on board is to be auctioned off (though 10% goes to the city as tribute) and for us to make room at The Salty Dog. Bo, Ko, Rake, and Fwelwen head out to find this inn while Nathaniel, Denar, and myself stay aboard the ship.

Fuelwen: With the crew dead, we took the ship as salvage. Fair enough, I guess, and it erased the attempted thievery of the party. Spared me a conflict, in any case. We tossed the crew's corpses overboard.

I've taken on Dinar as my employee. I shall most likely keep him on retainer and would like to keep him as a member of the crew of the ship.

Downtime

There will be about 3 days downtime in Lull.

Brilla I'd like to get my father's dastana refitted and made masterwork. I know items after being created can't be given the masterwork property, so I am going to pay for a new masterwork set and have it be called a refitting for in game purposes if allowed (175GP as opposed to 150GP).

Fuelwen: I'm planning to hire on a crew, and staff the ship. If I personally bankroll the crew, the rest of the party is unlikely to contest my will in heading west. Hopefully there, I can meet Sekolah tooth to tooth, and he can answer my questions about the quest I'm on. We've acquired a fair amount of material wealth, at least by Sahuagin standards. I know landwalkers obsess over gaining shiny coin, but it's far more important to me to finish my quest, regardless of the cost. In any case, delivering the will should allow me to hire a crew, and with the force of numbers, I should be able to turn the ship, and perhaps the party, to my goal.

Also, since we're in a port and dealing with sailors, I'll see if any of them are coming from the far west. Maybe they can lend credence to the rumors that Sekolah has been destroying ships out there.

Bo: Make some holy waters for Brilla & Mr Winters. Mr Winters really needs spiritual counseling or a lot of booze. Comemorative sculpture of Mershaulk to be donated to town for successful save v poison! Transfer my share of sloop to Ethyl in hopes of bribing more info about hags out if _it/her_. Ask her if she would like the use of my hands to make anything.

Rake: Searching for local temples to examine. Testing local gods for their strengths and weaknesses. Destroying slavers and protecting innocents from evil doers. Yes, there will be retribution.

Loot and XP

Loot recorded in the Slush

+800 XP each +1 AP for Brilla.