Scene: The Wayfarer

[DinbinFanfoom]

You are currently on "The Wayfarer", a 90' Brigantine.
(I've attempted to mesh your respective back-stories with how you might be here, but you may want to finish that off in your individual character bios, maybe merging them with the roster posts).

For Erik:Erik awoke in his stateroom. Was the storm getting worse? Seemed to be. This was not helping his queasiness. The bucket next to his bunk had a thin layer of slimy bile in the bottom of it. Oh to be back on land!

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. An unseen cabin boy yelled through it without opening it. "Storm is getting worse, sir! Cap is gonna try to get 'er into the lee of a big island and wait for the blow-over. When that happens, we'll be on our way again. Sit tight!"

For Crashing:The rolling of the ship made Crashing uneasy. His people were not a seafaring folk. He felt disconnected from the land which he'd always felt part of. He'd meant to wander as far as possible from the safety of home to... "find himself"... but this was farther than he'd ever dreamed. There wasn't even the space in this cramped room to summon his trusty reptilian companion, which would have made him feel more... "at home".

A rap on the door. A cabin-boy opened it a crack and stated that the captain was trying to navigate behind a large island to get some shelter. Their journey would be lengthened only by about a day, not a large matter given it's already long duration. Sit tight, he was told.

For Damelon:Damelon squeezed his eyes shut tight. The rocking and rolling of the ship made him very queasy. The storm was getting worse, no doubt about it. He was a hardy lad, used to physical labour, and being cooped up like this in the small cabin was very uncomfortable for him. The journey should have been over by now... but the captain had said the week-long detour was necessary to pick up cargo in a southern land. Passengers had been scarce, so the captain needed all the possible work he could find...

A loud knock sounded on the door. A cabin-boy yelled through it, without opening it. "Sit tight, sir. Captain is going to try to get us some shelter from this. We'll resume when it clears."

For Togor:Togor wasn't sure how ships like this worked, but all the bobbing around made him feel wobbly. He'd never had been on a ship before, but he was ALMOST CERTAIN now that he'd read the dock signs wrong and gotten on the wrong ship. He shrugged. Maybe he should have learned to read a bit better.

Someone knocked on the door and yelled, "Sir? Hang tight, we're going to try to find some calmer water."

For KT:KT looked at the ceiling and grinned. Now THIS was adventure! He was farther from home than he'd ever been before. A LOT farther. That meant wherever he ended up, he was sure to find a new audience. With new coin!

A voice was heard at the door, urging him to stay put. Something about an island, shelter... blah blah blah. He started work on a sea-shanty.

For Sigurd:Sigurd scowled at the ceiling. All this sitting around on this piece-of-cork ship was irritating. He wanted action! And NOW, some rapscallion whelp was telling him to "sit tight and not fear"! FEAR? Him. Bah!

[DinbinFanfoom]

To All:

It is several hours later. The storm has gotten much worse. You are tossed from your bunk violently and land on the floor of your stateroom. Above the din of the wind that is howling outside, you hear muffled voices. The crew are yelling to each other above deck. There is a loud, quick knock on your respective doors again. A gasping and wet crewman blurts, "We've gone aground sir! The captain wants all passengers top-side right away... you don't want to be trapped down here if she decides to break up."

Waiting on: Togor

[Asharad]

I don't have to be told twice. I'll head up to the deck.

I'll take my stuff with me in case we need to abandon ship.

[Shiz]

Topside for me, too. I hate being down here anyway. I will check my daggers and sword harness for tightness and fit, expecting a likely swim...

[Zyzzyx]

"Aground. Great. Wouldn't mind so much but we're nowhere near where we should be. Ah well, its something different."

I rest against the wall for a moment, listening to the sad wailing tune the wind was playing on the rigging. Quickly to my feet, I'll grab my pack as I head topside, wondering what kind of tale this will end up being.

[Lycos]

Sigurd will go up as well with his stuff. He's going to look for stuff that he can tie his stuff with that will float, just in case. If I have to swim, I don't want to lose my gear. I'll use what rope and bouyant things I can find to help get me ready if I have to get off of this thing.

*grumbling all the way*

"Ve should've known zat zis ship was goink to get us into trouble. My family vould be shocked to see me in zis hunk of junk."

[EricStratton]

Erik heads up to the deck, wiping fresh throw up from his chin. "Urp!"

[DinbinFanfoom]

What does Togor want to do?

[Quervo]

Togar kicks open his door grabs his travel pack, and the large hunk of steel he calls a sword and heads topside.

(Travel Pack = Adventure's Kit and his armor straped on or stuffed in any way he could find)

[DinbinFanfoom]

The deck of The Wayfarer is a scene of utter chaos. You hear a grinding, crunching sound from somewhere below your feet, and crewmen are trying to secure various items that are tumbling about. The captain scurries up (good sealegs, there) and yells to you all above the roar of the wind and waves. "I don't know how much more of this she can take! We're trying to get the skiffs ready, but they might swamp. But we have no choice, we have to try!" He points to the North. "See that?" You can see the dark outline of what appears to be an island about a half-mile away. "This reef we're on... is connected to that. If we can make it there, we should be OK. In the mean-time, help us with the skiffs, or stay out of our way." You can see the men are wrestling with the two skiffs near aft.

Sigurd, Crashing, Damelon, Togar, KT:You notice several casks tumbling around the deck. There seem to be lots of broken rope around too.
Erik grips the railing, looking a bit green.

[Asharad]

Crashing looks at Togar and Sigurd.

He grins, which is a little disconcerting considering his face is covered in a giant tattoo that makes him look like a skull.

"You seem like big boys. If one of you wants to try and grab one or two of those casks to keep 'em from smashin' up the ship, or go and grab a skiff, I'd be happy to help."

If it is a skill check, I will Speak with Spirits and assist whichever one of them tries to act first. That's +4 to them.

If it's an ability check, I'll roll to assist which ever one of them goes first (which with that roll is +2).

[Zyzzyx]

Feeling surprisingly comfortable with the situation (other than that it appears we're nowhere near a town), I'll work my way towards the skiffs, grabbing a few pieces of rope on the way if they might be needed to keep the skiffs tied on until we board them.

[Shiz]

Damelon helps with the skiffs.

If he gets a chance he will try and get a sense if the barrels might aid in flotation should they be secured to a skiff.

[DinbinFanfoom]

Waiting on Togar, Erik and Sigurd.

[EricStratton]

I thought Erik was just throwing up.

Not being a physical man, Erik will do his best to yell words of encouragement to the crew in between heaves.

[Quervo]

Str check to help manhandle the skiffs where ever the crew points me to

Just as Togar moves in to help, there is a large tearing sound and a boom swings around hitting him.

[DinbinFanfoom]

Round 1 (This counter is significant, from now on you all have to provide some sort of individual action before I advance the plot):

The wind howls. A huge wave crashes over the deck. When it recedes, you see one of the skiffs gone, and two of the crew with it. The rest of the crewmen pause briefly to exchange knowing glances, and then redouble their efforts to ready the skiff.

As Damelon examines the casks (Insight: 7+0=7), he notes that several are full of nails, molasses or what might be rum, which would be great in any other situation.

Sigurd, looking closer (Insight: 20-1=19; he works well under pressure...), however, notices that three seem very light. Possibly empty. They would probably hamper the skiff, but if you tied one around your waist with some of the rope... it would probably help you stay afloat if you fell overboard or had to swim for it.

Crashing (Athletics: 13+0=13) and KT (Athletics: 2+0=2) struggle vainly to help the crewman wrestle the bucking skiff to the rail but lose their grip and tumble around, not helping much in the end. Togar (Athletics: 3+9=12) tries to do the same, but ends up being swept across the deck by the out-of-control boom. Damelon (Athletics: 7+8=15) however, manages to get a firm hold on it and between he and the two crewmen and a whole lot of colourful sailor-words, stabilizes this last escape boat in the lee of the ship.

Bent over the opposite rail, Erik wave his arm weakly back over his shoulder and utters faint but eloquent words of encouragement without even really turning around. The captain sees his distress and shakes his head, sadly. He slides over to Sigur and Togar and, trying to be heard above the maelstrom, blares.

"There be room for four of you in the skiff with two of my men. They'll do their best to get you away safe, but there be no guarantees. I and the rest of the crew will stay with the ship, of course. That leaves two unfortunates..." he looks at all six passengers, slowly, "who will have to either stay here with us or take their chances and swim for it. The waves will likely do most of the work, keepin' yer head above water will be the tricky part."

Now that the skiff is ready, four of you will be able to embark on a skill challenge in it. The other two have at least two options... Though you only know each other as well as six people might having been on a ship together for a couple of weeks, now might be the time for some organization...

End of Round 1

[Asharad]

"Looks like some of us are gunna have to swim. Those that do might want to tie a rope around those barrels and then hold onto them, float in that way."

I point to Erik, "Da' puker probably should go in da' boat. Rest of us...I don't particularly want ta swim, but a little boat in dis weather isn't much more inviting. Either way we gonna get wet, I think. Anyone else feel they can take to da water comfortably, or should we draw straws?"

[Shiz]

Damelon eyes the skiff and the rocks warily and thinks to himself I have my doubts that a full skiff won't flip in these seas.

Damelon grabs a rope and an empty barrel and makes a fast loop around his chest. He thinks about a foot of rope between him and the barrel will allow him to swim yet benefit from the barrel's hoped for buoyancy.

He then realizes he left his adventuring kit in his room and decides it is too late now. His weapons, armor and money pouch will have to do.

I don't see a need for a roll with my actions.

[Lycos]

Sigurd tries to determine if the skiff can handle his equipment or not. If it can handle the equipment, I would volunteer to be a swimmer, and use one of the casks to tie myself to, and then tie the cask to the boat. I will recommend this to the others. It should work. And that will help us stay together.

That's a 10 on Insight.

[Quervo]

Togar good swimmer, me swim long time back home.

Togar grabs his pack and hunk o' steel and grabs a barrel and rope and copies some one else of tieing it to himself and then looks for a place to jump over...

[Zyzzyx]

KT sees the other folks preparing to jump in the water and figures there should be plenty of room in the skiff. Little boat, not a problem; swimming in water like that, he'd rather not.

KT works his way to the skiff and gets in.


Athletics rolled, if needed.

Bugger... I had to go and roll without being asked...

[Asharad]

I'll jump in the skiff as well, since we appear to already have two people in the water.

[DinbinFanfoom]

The skiff can handle any gear you're carrying, but only four people in addition to the two crew already in it and waiting. (This will start a skill challenge that is dexterity or athletics based)

Swimming (with or without casks) is also viable, though more difficult for metal armour wearers. (This will start a skill challenge that is endurance based).

Each PC must say which way they're going. So far we have:

Skiff: KT, Sigurd, Togar, Crewman 1, Crewman 2
Swimming: Damelon (with cask), Crashing (with cask)

Waiting on: Erik (though I'm gonna guess he'll go the skiff route)

[Asharad]

Crashing looks at the little skiff, it's apparently a lot smaller up close, and decides to take his chances in the water. He ties a rope to an empty keg and jumps over the side.

[Shiz]

Damelon has a barrel, too.

Does anyone have an Endurance mod of greater than +1?

[Quervo]

didnt see that the skiff would be an athletics skill check... changing Togar's direction of thought....

After seeing the really rough waters, Togar thinks maybe that barrel is a really bad idea, and heads over to the Skiff and tells every one he will help them get to the island.

[DinbinFanfoom]

Well, I didn't broadcast it until now. :D Deriving the possible stats used from the possible tasks of managing a skiff in a storm vs swimming in a storm shouldn't take TOO much guessing. :D

LOL, I have this mental image of big, burly PC's scurrying back and forth from barrels to skiff, humming and hawing and wringing hands in indecision. :D

[Shiz]

Damelon sticks with the barrel and his +1 Endurance mod. Hopefully the barrel will help.

[Lycos]

Sigurd's Athletics Roll +8

21, good start. :D

[Zyzzyx]

Athletics, Dex, Endurance... KT is generall screwed on any of 'em. Though I guess most of us are.

[Lycos]

Athletics, Dex, Endurance... KT is generall screwed on any of 'em. Though I guess most of us are.

You can still roll, you just don't get the bonus. Just roll high. :D

[Asharad]

Damelon has a barrel, too.

Does anyone have an Endurance mod of greater than +1?

I've got an endurance mod of +7 and no mod on athletics, which is why I decided to go over the side.

If Damelon goes into thew water, can we hook our barrels together somehow and use them in tandem? I'm thinking about the end of Jaws, here.

[Shiz]

I have an Athletics mod of +8. We might be able to help each other. Holding onto the barrel might require an Athletics check while just staying afloat is probably the Endurance check.

Damelon sees the shaman doing what he is doing. He moves over beside him.

"I don't suppose your animal spirit is a big fish, huh?" he says with a nervous grin. "How do we know when to jump?"

[EricStratton]

Erik looks up at the captain's announcement and wipes his mouth. With the silver tongue the gods gifted him he yells thanks to the captain for his hard, brave work and, as he suffles past on his way to the small craft, thanks his fellow adventurers for allowing him to take one of the seats on the skiff...even though they might not have offered it to him in the first place.

[Asharad]

Damelon sees the shaman doing what he is doing. He moves over beside him.

"I don't suppose your animal spirit is a big fish, huh?" he says with a nervous grin. "How do we know when to jump?"

"I'm afraid this water's a bit too deep for Daddy Gator and he don like tha' salt none. Me neither, as far as that goes. I guess we jump when da' water starts lappin at our feet, less we think the ship goin' down will take us with it. I'm guessin' here, this is mah first ship wreck."