A steady drizzle leaks from the marine clouds as you stand on the Spandeliyon docks in the early morning light. A cold wind blows over the helter-skelter cluster of eclectic wooden buildings spreads out behind you. Ships bells clang. The Broken Ore Inn and Tavern looms above the other buildings, its sign, a cracked gold nugget, creaking as it swings in the wind. It’s hard to tell if you're getting wet from the splash of the waves off the sea or the drizzle from the gray skies above, but wet you're getting.
Regardless, your attention is focused squarely on the sailors shouting orders at the handful of local stevedores pushing, cursing and shouting around you as they get the last barrels and cargo stored aboard the Rose Marie.
As far as ships go, she's not much to look at but you're lucky she's here. The other ships you'd all separately booked passage on have all, surprisingly, become full and increased their fares to the point you could no longer afford. Even the price of transit aboard the Rose Marie has gone beyond your meager savings. But the friendly quarter master, Erran Bigge, offered you reduced fares in exchange for, what he called, light duties aboard ship. They’ve a smaller than usual crew and can use the help.
A head of you, at the top of the gangplank, you can see Quarter Master Erran Bigge, with a stack of papers, checking off each barrel as it comes aboard. The tall, heavily muscled half-elf begins greeting the other passengers making their way up the ramp.
A human woman in modestly expensive clothing is first aboard, followed by a well-dressed human male, his head swiveling back and forth, looking at everything and clutching a leather satchel tightly to his chest.
A loud dwarf, hammer hanging from his belt, announces his arrival as he steps aboard.
“Hammerdasher with two ‘m’s, you buffoon,” the dwarf says as he looks down at the manifest.
A small gnome scampers up the gangplank, his head bobbing as he greets the quarter master. Finally, a tall, slender drow, their head covered in a hooded cloak steps carefully up the ramp and aboard.
Erran Bigge checks them all off and then looks down the gangplank to the dock.
“Oy, you lot,” Bigges shouts. “Let’s get a move on. Tide’ll be changing soon.”
As you each grab your gear and walk up the gangplank, mulling over what led you to this point in your lives, you can't help but wonder if the future ahead is as dark as the skies.
Introductions please as you step aboard and roll a perception check.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Marrin weaves around sailors and longshoremen as she makes her way to the gangplank. She hums a jaunty sailor's tune as she goes, not much concerned by the wetness of her clothes, which are far nicer than those around her. She's fairly tall, but not remarkably so.
She climbs the plank to the quarter master. She wipes her shoulder length blond hair from her eyes showing slightly pointed ears and smooth, youthful features. She tries shifting her bulging backpack and oiled lute case around before giving ves the half-elf a smile and introducing herself,
"Marrin Fatesinger."
As he marks her off his list she inspects him. Her gaze lingers on his face then traces down, focusing onto his hands and then his general posture.
"Would you happen to enjoy a nice song on the Rose Marie? Some light evening entertainment?"
From a distance, she appears to be a hunched and elderly woman. Beneath the common grey robe she wears, her figure seems asymmetrical, with her right hip and thigh smaller and weaker than the other side. She leans on an elegantly carved walking stick as she makes her way up the gangplank. A satchel is slung over her left shoulder, heavy with books.
As she draws closer to the ship, her features come more into focus. No old woman, this one. She has seen no more than 30 years. Though it appears not all those years have been kind. Her face is a ruin, with the right side sunken and scarred; what flesh remains droops and hangs off in wrinkled folds. Her hair is a chestnut brown, but whatever damaged her face must have harmed her folicles as well... the hairt along the right side of her head is stringy and there are bald patches. All of the hair is pulled back in a simple braid. Despite having a hood on her cloak, she leaves it down, making no effort to conceal her appearance. Any shipfolk unlucky enough to recoil when they get an unexpected look at her are met with an unflinching stare from her cold, hazel eyes.
"Ethlehyn Ahronath." She pauses a few beats for the Quarter Master to check his list, then follow up with, "Where can I stow my belongings?"
While she waits for a response, she looks about the ship. Perception: 10
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
In response to the call from the boat, a young dwarven woman eventually pulls herself away from heartfelt hugs and goodbyes with her family. With a cheerful wave, she turns away and walks with a proud, straight back, towards the the boat.
She caries has a heavy pack that she seems to handle with ease. Her free hand goes to a chunky amulet warn about her neck. Maybe a hint of chainmail can be seen under a her short tabard and cloak.
A young girl, her little sister, runs to catch up with her before she boards, for one last hug. The woman turns back, placing her pack on the ground and goes down to one knee to return the hug.
“Ula, why do you have to go?”, the younger girl asks.
”I’ll be back before you know it”, Ula replies. “Emma, you have to look after Mother and Father now. Promise me!”, she teases. “Look, I’ll bring you back a treasure from across the seas!… Come on now, go on!”.
She scoops up her pack again, and continues up the gang plank to the boat. ”Ula Stonecast”, she she offers kindly to the quartermaster checking names.
Val sighs as she pushes off from the side of a building where she'd been rather futilely been sheltering under the overhang of its roof. She mutters and gestures, missing the dry warmth she'll be able to return to tonight. For now, warm and wet is marginally better than cold and wet, but best get on board and hopefully below decks. She tugs her cloak over her pack, making sure her belongings are as sheltered as possible and pulls the hood up before stepping out and stepping lightly up the plank to the ship.
"This better pay off, Mard."
She pauses at the top of the plank, taking a moment to get used to the subtle swaying of the ship as others move across its deck. The light would catch a small elven woman, a scattering if freckles lightly across her nose, pale hair darkened by the drizzling rain where it fell free from her gray hood. Her clothing is of good quality, a bit much for a dive bar, but not so common as to be out of place at a finer establishment... Not that this town offered much.
She shifts her pack higher with her left hand, the observant might notice she wears a glove on that hand, but not on the right, the middle finger of which sports a silver ring with a variegated stone.
Perception: 6
"Should be under Janellae... Yep, there."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM:Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Avaria hesitates as she watches others climb aboard the Rose Marie. She was frustrated with herself as she had made the trip to Spandeliyon and secured passage on this ship, now fear gripped her as she had never stepped foot on a vessel such as this. She knew it was stupid, to be afraid of something that people obviously rode without a care in the world, evident as the others boarded so swiftly and easily. She checked her pack again, for the third time making sure everything was where she last put it. Lastly, putting her hands on Cassius's, no.. her great axe. Was going to be hard to think of this weapon as hers, but she knew it now was.
The shifter finally made up her mind and started walking towards the gangplank, last of the group that she could tell. She wore simple clothes, dark reds and browns, torn in places, but not like she noticed as long as they did the job. Her wild brown hair cascaded down her back, not doing the job of hiding her wolf like ears. She had a lupine nose, which was pierced, but those were the only parts of her anatomy that made most people give her a second look. She was tall, typically confident, but the new situation and the amount of people around threw her off and she was having difficulty relaxing. She knew this was something she would have to overcome.
As Avaria makes it up to Erran Bigge, she pauses as she looks at him disquietly. After an awkward silence, she announces, "Avaria" and waits to see what happens. When he waves her through, she steps timidly onboard, looking around unsure where to go next.
After Erran responds to her Marrin finds an out of the way spot to watch the people scurry around, still not worrying about the rain.
Marrin watches as the rest climb abroad. The dwarf and elf get cursory inspections but she leans in to get a look at Ethlehyn. If Ethlehyn notices, Marrin will smile and give a wave. Avaria also gets a more through inspection, Marrin's hand absently reaching up to feel her own nose.
Ula stays up on deck, looking back towards her family from the dock-side guard rail. Between blown kisses and enthusiastic waves, her family seem to be making elaborate hand gestures, attempting to mime things like ‘did you pack your lunch?’ and ‘have you got enough underwear?’.
Ula blurts out a real chuckle at this but also holds back a tear. In mock annoyance she rolls her eyes and gestures for them to ‘stop it!’, before going back to waving and smiling.
“A nice place to start in… or to settle down in… but maybe there’s not a whole lot going on in the middle!”, Ula agrees with another grin towards her family.
She turns and offers her hand to Marrin. “I’m Ula… Looks like we might be shipmates”.
Ethlehyn doesn't notice Marrin's attention. Standing in the rain, she instead watches Ula making her loud and public goodbyes to her family. Her hazel eyes, so sharp and aware a moment before, dull and stare out to, through, past the dwarf and her kin.
With a gentle rock of the boat under her feet, Ethlehyn shakes her head briefly and looks around at the deck, as though she were waking from an unexpected nap. She takes a long, deep breath, and now at last she pulls up the hood on her robe and goes to find a mast, a cabin wall, or railing to lean on until someone tells her where she can set down her heavy bags.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Ula chuckles. Then, a little taken aback, she turns to face Marrin and looks the half-elf up and down properly.
As she turns, it’s clear to see Ula is wearing chainmail covered by a tabard displaying the symbol of a cresting wave. The same symbol hangs in metal around her neck.
“By all means!…”, she replies in simple dwarvish. Then follows up with “Do you have dwarven relatives?”, in common.
Avaria finds a place along the rail near, but not too close to the half-elf and dwarf that appear to be getting along. She watches with a bit of envy as they easily appear to dive into conversation. As a gust of wind picks up her wet hair, the slight scent of wet dog drifts down to the two of them conversing.
She continues to look around, there was a classy looking elf and a human that appeared to be struggling with her bags. Avaria wrestled with the idea to offer her help, but for the moment decided to stay where she was. Another worry entered her mind... what if she got sea sick?
As everyone gets on board and makes note of each other, you do your best to take in your new surroundings and make sense of what shipboard life might entail.
Marrin: You're initially too engrossed in capturing every detail of the quarter master that you don't notice anything unusual around you. The creaking, rocking of the boat doesn't help. He's a lean, wiry half-elf. Salt air, sun and the sea probably make him look older than he really is. You do notice over Erran Bigges's shoulder that a couple of the crew are watching you. But before you can make much of that the quarter master responds to your query about evening entertainment. “If you’re any good with that lute you can swap out some kitchen duty for some music.”
Later when you examine the symbol you spot on Ula's gear, you realize you've seen versions of it all along the coast in almost every small village and town you've stopped in. The name always causes you trouble but you finally remember it's from the Church of Istishia.
Ethlehyn: As you move to the edges of the deck, waiting for an indication of what's next, you notice a doorway open under the quarter deck. You can't see very much inside but you can just make out warm light, a large map on the visible wall, some tapestries and other knick knacks before a hulking female hobgoblin, clad in leather and a pair of scimitars across her back blocks the doorway. As she's about to close the door, she stops, responding to a voice from within. You can just make out her response “Hargrove came on board last night.” Then the door is closed and she proceeds up the steps to the quarterdeck, standing by the ship's wheel as she surveys the final preparations.
Ula: As you look back to wave good bye to your family you spot a half-orc woman on the docks hand a small pouch to someone who looks like Lord High Mayor Klein, in his usual robe, standing under an umbrella held by the captain of the town guard. The half-orc quickly makes her way to the Rose Marie, untying the last bowline and climbing up the gangplank just as it’s pulled back up.
Val: You're focus is mostly on those moving about on the boat and you don’t notice anything unusual until a half-orc woman on the docks moves, and you spot Mard Dantakain holding an umbrella up over a robed figure at the far end of the docks.
Avaria: Being the last to board you notice that the first five passengers that came on are already being escorted quickly below decks to their cabins. As they are you spot two crew members, a small female goblin, and a large male dragonborn point at the dwarf who’d called himself Hammerdasher. The goblin holds up two fingers. The dragonborn shakes his head and holds up three. The goblin shrugs then nods then both turn back to stowing tow lines.
The sun is rising, but you can all see that it's going to be a cloudy day and there is a feint dark line on the horizon that doesn't sit well with you, even those that haven't grown up around the sea.
Quarter master Erran Bigge waves the five of you together.
"Follow me you lot," Bigge's says, leading you all across the deck to a doorway under the forecastle. “As you five are getting the discounted fare, you’re bunking together. This is your cabin.”
The cabin under the forecastle is part bunk room and part storage. Barrels strapped to the walls take up more space than you'd have thought, but three bunk beds have been wedged in around the walls, allowing for six beds. At the moment it's a pretty dark space, but two ragged curtains hang over the only acknowledgement that this room is for paying passengers; a small port hole on the port and starboard side of the cabin.
“Get your gear stored and then come back out on deck. We’ve work to do. We want to be clear of the Shattered Islands before that weather gets any closer”
((Assuming that Val'd be able to surmise that if Mard is holding an umbrella over someone, that they're his superior.))
As they head down to the cabin, she's subtly studying the features of everyone new she encounters.
The elf peers at one of the upper bunks and wrinkles her freckled nose. She sweeps her cloak off and hangs it to the side so she can shrug out of her pack. She also removes a crossbow and tosses it up into the bunk alongside her pack. She sweeps her cloak off the hook and drapes it around her slight shoulders, and tugs at the glove covering her left hand.
"Guess we have a full day of pretending to be sailors before we find out which one of us snores the loudest. You can call me Janellae.", she says with an easy smile.
As they walk below deck Marrin keeps up the chat Ula,
"So, you a paladin, cleric or just a big fan of Ishtishia?"
In the bunk area she pauses to take it all in, slowly inhaling through her nose. While not the purpose, it does help her figure out where that wet dog smell was coming from. As subtly as she can she tries to dry out her part canine roommate with prestidigitation. Once that is done she picks a bottom bunk, cleans it the same way, then drops her gear on it.
She gives Val a closer inspection now that she's talking and even chuckles at her joke and smiles back.
"Hi Janellae, I'm Marrin, first time sailor. Future world famous bard!"
THE UNDYING DRAGONS
A steady drizzle leaks from the marine clouds as you stand on the Spandeliyon docks in the early morning light. A cold wind blows over the helter-skelter cluster of eclectic wooden buildings spreads out behind you. Ships bells clang. The Broken Ore Inn and Tavern looms above the other buildings, its sign, a cracked gold nugget, creaking as it swings in the wind.
It’s hard to tell if you're getting wet from the splash of the waves off the sea or the drizzle from the gray skies above, but wet you're getting.
Regardless, your attention is focused squarely on the sailors shouting orders at the handful of local stevedores pushing, cursing and shouting around you as they get the last barrels and cargo stored aboard the Rose Marie.
As far as ships go, she's not much to look at but you're lucky she's here. The other ships you'd all separately booked passage on have all, surprisingly, become full and increased their fares to the point you could no longer afford. Even the price of transit aboard the Rose Marie has gone beyond your meager savings. But the friendly quarter master, Erran Bigge, offered you reduced fares in exchange for, what he called, light duties aboard ship. They’ve a smaller than usual crew and can use the help.
A head of you, at the top of the gangplank, you can see Quarter Master Erran Bigge, with a stack of papers, checking off each barrel as it comes aboard. The tall, heavily muscled half-elf begins greeting the other passengers making their way up the ramp.
A human woman in modestly expensive clothing is first aboard, followed by a well-dressed human male, his head swiveling back and forth, looking at everything and clutching a leather satchel tightly to his chest.
A loud dwarf, hammer hanging from his belt, announces his arrival as he steps aboard.
“Hammerdasher with two ‘m’s, you buffoon,” the dwarf says as he looks down at the manifest.
A small gnome scampers up the gangplank, his head bobbing as he greets the quarter master. Finally, a tall, slender drow, their head covered in a hooded cloak steps carefully up the ramp and aboard.
Erran Bigge checks them all off and then looks down the gangplank to the dock.
“Oy, you lot,” Bigges shouts. “Let’s get a move on. Tide’ll be changing soon.”
As you each grab your gear and walk up the gangplank, mulling over what led you to this point in your lives, you can't help but wonder if the future ahead is as dark as the skies.
Introductions please as you step aboard and roll a perception check.
Marrin weaves around sailors and longshoremen as she makes her way to the gangplank. She hums a jaunty sailor's tune as she goes, not much concerned by the wetness of her clothes, which are far nicer than those around her. She's fairly tall, but not remarkably so.
She climbs the plank to the quarter master. She wipes her shoulder length blond hair from her eyes showing slightly pointed ears and smooth, youthful features. She tries shifting her bulging backpack and oiled lute case around before giving ves the half-elf a smile and introducing herself,
"Marrin Fatesinger."
As he marks her off his list she inspects him. Her gaze lingers on his face then traces down, focusing onto his hands and then his general posture.
"Would you happen to enjoy a nice song on the Rose Marie? Some light evening entertainment?"
Her eyes twinkle.
Perception: 6(6)
From a distance, she appears to be a hunched and elderly woman. Beneath the common grey robe she wears, her figure seems asymmetrical, with her right hip and thigh smaller and weaker than the other side. She leans on an elegantly carved walking stick as she makes her way up the gangplank. A satchel is slung over her left shoulder, heavy with books.
As she draws closer to the ship, her features come more into focus. No old woman, this one. She has seen no more than 30 years. Though it appears not all those years have been kind. Her face is a ruin, with the right side sunken and scarred; what flesh remains droops and hangs off in wrinkled folds. Her hair is a chestnut brown, but whatever damaged her face must have harmed her folicles as well... the hairt along the right side of her head is stringy and there are bald patches. All of the hair is pulled back in a simple braid. Despite having a hood on her cloak, she leaves it down, making no effort to conceal her appearance. Any shipfolk unlucky enough to recoil when they get an unexpected look at her are met with an unflinching stare from her cold, hazel eyes.
"Ethlehyn Ahronath." She pauses a few beats for the Quarter Master to check his list, then follow up with, "Where can I stow my belongings?"
While she waits for a response, she looks about the ship. Perception: 10
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
In response to the call from the boat, a young dwarven woman eventually pulls herself away from heartfelt hugs and goodbyes with her family. With a cheerful wave, she turns away and walks with a proud, straight back, towards the the boat.
She caries has a heavy pack that she seems to handle with ease. Her free hand goes to a chunky amulet warn about her neck. Maybe a hint of chainmail can be seen under a her short tabard and cloak.
A young girl, her little sister, runs to catch up with her before she boards, for one last hug. The woman turns back, placing her pack on the ground and goes down to one knee to return the hug.
“Ula, why do you have to go?”, the younger girl asks.
”I’ll be back before you know it”, Ula replies. “Emma, you have to look after Mother and Father now. Promise me!”, she teases. “Look, I’ll bring you back a treasure from across the seas!… Come on now, go on!”.
She scoops up her pack again, and continues up the gang plank to the boat. ”Ula Stonecast”, she she offers kindly to the quartermaster checking names.
Perception check: 16 (16)
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Val sighs as she pushes off from the side of a building where she'd been rather futilely been sheltering under the overhang of its roof. She mutters and gestures, missing the dry warmth she'll be able to return to tonight. For now, warm and wet is marginally better than cold and wet, but best get on board and hopefully below decks. She tugs her cloak over her pack, making sure her belongings are as sheltered as possible and pulls the hood up before stepping out and stepping lightly up the plank to the ship.
"This better pay off, Mard."
She pauses at the top of the plank, taking a moment to get used to the subtle swaying of the ship as others move across its deck. The light would catch a small elven woman, a scattering if freckles lightly across her nose, pale hair darkened by the drizzling rain where it fell free from her gray hood. Her clothing is of good quality, a bit much for a dive bar, but not so common as to be out of place at a finer establishment... Not that this town offered much.
She shifts her pack higher with her left hand, the observant might notice she wears a glove on that hand, but not on the right, the middle finger of which sports a silver ring with a variegated stone.
Perception: 6
"Should be under Janellae... Yep, there."
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
Avaria hesitates as she watches others climb aboard the Rose Marie. She was frustrated with herself as she had made the trip to Spandeliyon and secured passage on this ship, now fear gripped her as she had never stepped foot on a vessel such as this. She knew it was stupid, to be afraid of something that people obviously rode without a care in the world, evident as the others boarded so swiftly and easily. She checked her pack again, for the third time making sure everything was where she last put it. Lastly, putting her hands on Cassius's, no.. her great axe. Was going to be hard to think of this weapon as hers, but she knew it now was.
The shifter finally made up her mind and started walking towards the gangplank, last of the group that she could tell. She wore simple clothes, dark reds and browns, torn in places, but not like she noticed as long as they did the job. Her wild brown hair cascaded down her back, not doing the job of hiding her wolf like ears. She had a lupine nose, which was pierced, but those were the only parts of her anatomy that made most people give her a second look. She was tall, typically confident, but the new situation and the amount of people around threw her off and she was having difficulty relaxing. She knew this was something she would have to overcome.
As Avaria makes it up to Erran Bigge, she pauses as she looks at him disquietly. After an awkward silence, she announces, "Avaria" and waits to see what happens. When he waves her through, she steps timidly onboard, looking around unsure where to go next.
Perception: 18
After Erran responds to her Marrin finds an out of the way spot to watch the people scurry around, still not worrying about the rain.
Marrin watches as the rest climb abroad. The dwarf and elf get cursory inspections but she leans in to get a look at Ethlehyn. If Ethlehyn notices, Marrin will smile and give a wave. Avaria also gets a more through inspection, Marrin's hand absently reaching up to feel her own nose.
Ula stays up on deck, looking back towards her family from the dock-side guard rail. Between blown kisses and enthusiastic waves, her family seem to be making elaborate hand gestures, attempting to mime things like ‘did you pack your lunch?’ and ‘have you got enough underwear?’.
Ula blurts out a real chuckle at this but also holds back a tear. In mock annoyance she rolls her eyes and gestures for them to ‘stop it!’, before going back to waving and smiling.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Marrin smiles at the dwarfs antics.
To whoever is nearby she comments,
"Ah, family! A joy to have a place to go back to!"
She wrinkles her noise as she looks around Spandeliyon.
"Too bad it's this place."
“A nice place to start in… or to settle down in… but maybe there’s not a whole lot going on in the middle!”, Ula agrees with another grin towards her family.
She turns and offers her hand to Marrin. “I’m Ula… Looks like we might be shipmates”.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Ethlehyn doesn't notice Marrin's attention. Standing in the rain, she instead watches Ula making her loud and public goodbyes to her family. Her hazel eyes, so sharp and aware a moment before, dull and stare out to, through, past the dwarf and her kin.
With a gentle rock of the boat under her feet, Ethlehyn shakes her head briefly and looks around at the deck, as though she were waking from an unexpected nap. She takes a long, deep breath, and now at last she pulls up the hood on her robe and goes to find a mast, a cabin wall, or railing to lean on until someone tells her where she can set down her heavy bags.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Marrin reaches out a wet hand to Ula, shaking it a bit on the way,
"My end will involve far fewer seagulls and fish guts, but there are worse places to be sure!"
While shaking, she answers bemusedly in dwarven,
"If we're not going to be shipmates one of us probably should get ready for a swim. Okay if I practice my dwarven on you?"
Ula chuckles. Then, a little taken aback, she turns to face Marrin and looks the half-elf up and down properly.
As she turns, it’s clear to see Ula is wearing chainmail covered by a tabard displaying the symbol of a cresting wave. The same symbol hangs in metal around her neck.
“By all means!…”, she replies in simple dwarvish. Then follows up with “Do you have dwarven relatives?”, in common.
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Avaria finds a place along the rail near, but not too close to the half-elf and dwarf that appear to be getting along. She watches with a bit of envy as they easily appear to dive into conversation. As a gust of wind picks up her wet hair, the slight scent of wet dog drifts down to the two of them conversing.
She continues to look around, there was a classy looking elf and a human that appeared to be struggling with her bags. Avaria wrestled with the idea to offer her help, but for the moment decided to stay where she was. Another worry entered her mind... what if she got sea sick?
@DM…
Just out of interest, how common are shifters in this part of the world? Would we have seen one before, or are they common? Thanks
GILLAIN OF ATHKATLA - Human Paladin - Into the Mists PHILLIP THE GRUNG - Grung Eldritch Knight - Tomb of Annihilation
ROBWIN WINDROBE - High Elf Wizard - Dragon of Icespire Peak EVE DARKSHORE - Tiefling Warlock - Rime of the Frost Maiden
ASH OF THE FIRE - Tabaxi Rogue - Ghosts of Marshswamp LIA STARBORN - Aasimar Bard - Out of the Abyss
Marrin smiles and lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper,
"Maybe... I hear my great grandpa was quite... 'debonair'!"
She laughs at her own joke before saying,
"But I learned on the road from friends and family, always wise to know the languages of songs you're singing!"
She pauses and looks at the symbols on the dwarf's armor to see if she recognizes it.
Religion: 13
As everyone gets on board and makes note of each other, you do your best to take in your new surroundings and make sense of what shipboard life might entail.
Marrin: You're initially too engrossed in capturing every detail of the quarter master that you don't notice anything unusual around you. The creaking, rocking of the boat doesn't help. He's a lean, wiry half-elf. Salt air, sun and the sea probably make him look older than he really is. You do notice over Erran Bigges's shoulder that a couple of the crew are watching you. But before you can make much of that the quarter master responds to your query about evening entertainment. “If you’re any good with that lute you can swap out some kitchen duty for some music.”
Later when you examine the symbol you spot on Ula's gear, you realize you've seen versions of it all along the coast in almost every small village and town you've stopped in. The name always causes you trouble but you finally remember it's from the Church of Istishia.
Ethlehyn: As you move to the edges of the deck, waiting for an indication of what's next, you notice a doorway open under the quarter deck. You can't see very much inside but you can just make out warm light, a large map on the visible wall, some tapestries and other knick knacks before a hulking female hobgoblin, clad in leather and a pair of scimitars across her back blocks the doorway. As she's about to close the door, she stops, responding to a voice from within. You can just make out her response “Hargrove came on board last night.” Then the door is closed and she proceeds up the steps to the quarterdeck, standing by the ship's wheel as she surveys the final preparations.
Ula: As you look back to wave good bye to your family you spot a half-orc woman on the docks hand a small pouch to someone who looks like Lord High Mayor Klein, in his usual robe, standing under an umbrella held by the captain of the town guard. The half-orc quickly makes her way to the Rose Marie, untying the last bowline and climbing up the gangplank just as it’s pulled back up.
Val: You're focus is mostly on those moving about on the boat and you don’t notice anything unusual until a half-orc woman on the docks moves, and you spot Mard Dantakain holding an umbrella up over a robed figure at the far end of the docks.
Avaria: Being the last to board you notice that the first five passengers that came on are already being escorted quickly below decks to their cabins. As they are you spot two crew members, a small female goblin, and a large male dragonborn point at the dwarf who’d called himself Hammerdasher. The goblin holds up two fingers. The dragonborn shakes his head and holds up three. The goblin shrugs then nods then both turn back to stowing tow lines.
The sun is rising, but you can all see that it's going to be a cloudy day and there is a feint dark line on the horizon that doesn't sit well with you, even those that haven't grown up around the sea.
Quarter master Erran Bigge waves the five of you together.
"Follow me you lot," Bigge's says, leading you all across the deck to a doorway under the forecastle. “As you five are getting the discounted fare, you’re bunking together. This is your cabin.”
The cabin under the forecastle is part bunk room and part storage. Barrels strapped to the walls take up more space than you'd have thought, but three bunk beds have been wedged in around the walls, allowing for six beds. At the moment it's a pretty dark space, but two ragged curtains hang over the only acknowledgement that this room is for paying passengers; a small port hole on the port and starboard side of the cabin.
“Get your gear stored and then come back out on deck. We’ve work to do. We want to be clear of the Shattered Islands before that weather gets any closer”
He starts for the door of the cabin.
((Assuming that Val'd be able to surmise that if Mard is holding an umbrella over someone, that they're his superior.))
As they head down to the cabin, she's subtly studying the features of everyone new she encounters.
The elf peers at one of the upper bunks and wrinkles her freckled nose. She sweeps her cloak off and hangs it to the side so she can shrug out of her pack. She also removes a crossbow and tosses it up into the bunk alongside her pack. She sweeps her cloak off the hook and drapes it around her slight shoulders, and tugs at the glove covering her left hand.
"Guess we have a full day of pretending to be sailors before we find out which one of us snores the loudest. You can call me Janellae.", she says with an easy smile.
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
As they walk below deck Marrin keeps up the chat Ula,
"So, you a paladin, cleric or just a big fan of Ishtishia?"
In the bunk area she pauses to take it all in, slowly inhaling through her nose. While not the purpose, it does help her figure out where that wet dog smell was coming from. As subtly as she can she tries to dry out her part canine roommate with prestidigitation. Once that is done she picks a bottom bunk, cleans it the same way, then drops her gear on it.
She gives Val a closer inspection now that she's talking and even chuckles at her joke and smiles back.
"Hi Janellae, I'm Marrin, first time sailor. Future world famous bard!"
She looks to the others for their introductions.
@DM
Just wondering if Val notices Marrin using prestidigitation.
Perception: 21 (13 Passive)
"Marrin.", the elf says with a nod, "Famous bard, eh? Was that I lute I saw? I play the flute myself... though my last flute got... misplaced."
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock