Ereni thanks Captain Olovaris for his time and wishes him fair winds and following seas on the Halcyon.
She leans towards accepting the dwarven Captain Sarguk Dragonguard's offer aboard the Arundel, but attempts to Insight the sincerity of both him and the orcish Captain Sabub. She is self-aware enough to know that she may be biased against the shady-seeming orc. Since Ereni speaks both dwarvish and orcish, she converses with both in their native tongue to try to get them to open up so she can get a better read on them.
Ereni welcomes any of her companions who want to help her make the choice or who have other opinions on which way to proceed. "To hear the talk, we're headed for Kraken-infested waters. Which is fair enough. Sounds lucky to be honest. Better cleanly dead than misled. Or undead."
Thea follows along with Ereni meeting the captains and seeing the ships. She’s a bit out of her element having never sailed before but her face lights up meeting Captain Dragonguard. She greets him with a Dwarvish blessing geared toward smooth waters, a strong wind and grand adventures ahead!
Cinder will follow Ereni and Thea, but wont have much to add as all she knows about ships is that they float, and are usually flammable. While the party is deciding on what captain to go with if any, Cinder will say, "So do we want to be that close to the castle? With a war going on we may end up walking into a battle by accident."
Malenia scratches the back of her head, still considering what the captains had said. "I believe you are right in that regard Ereni, I will admit being forthright about the potential dangers is something I did not believe a captain was capable of."
She stares blankly as they converse in tongues she does not know, but trust that her allies are leading them down the best course.
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Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
After speaking with the ship captains and thanking them, Ereni looks around for her commander to report back out of instinct. Realizing once more that she has no commander to half-follow and half-resent, she instead calls a group huddle among her unaccustomed quintet of independent women.
"Spoke to these captains, aye, and could be any of them will send us to the ocean's bottom, we should be so lucky. But I am sensing the dwarven captain asking a thousand gold," (Ereni stutters for a moment once more speaking the gaudy sum out loud), "is the one. A mercenary, no doubt, and not in it for virtue," she glances at Stasolya, "but between him and these other two smugglers, pirates or worse, I trust the dwarf not to betray us to our enemies. He'll drop us a few days north of the castle, but we'll have mounts. And could be best to approach sneakier than sailing boldly into the harbor."
Stasolya nods in agreement. "I think your judgment is sound, Ereni. I had a better feeling about the dwarf captain as well. And it may serve us well to journey a few days out--we shall be better able to ascertain the conditions in the countryside as we approach." She smiles. "Lead the way!"
"Dwarven captain Sargruk Dragonguard and the Arundel it is then. May we have fair winds and following seas. And if we can get the lay of the land as we approach, may we just barely avoid blundering into a war zone or being murdered by orcs and undead and such."
If all are agreed, Ereni collects 200 gold pieces from each of the five party members (including herself) and approaches Captain Sargruk Dragonguard to conclude the deal and give him the full passenger manifest (the party and their mounts), and arrange for everyone's quarters aboard the vessel.
With the transaction complete, Captain Dragonguard is happy to bring the band aboard the Arundel, as well as whatever mounts they decide to bring along. He gives them a tour of his vessel, a hefty galleon with all the amenities. There is indeed a smithy in the lower decks, rowers below that, and sails, as well as quarters bigger than any Ereni has ever had the luxury (luxury?) of staying in. That set sail that night, moving south along the east coast of Hylia as they make their way toward Hyrule Castle. They sail out past the Gerudo Peninsula before turning back west and toward the Mirkwood, then cutting sharp south and following the coast again for awhile.
The Captain and his crew are nice to the band. Perhaps shady, but nice. They do try to take care of their charges, though it seems like they're more use to...well. Transporting seedier types.
They spend a total of 12 days at sea, though they're never rightly out of sight of land the whole time. When they finally moor up and send landing craft ashore, it's off the lovely green eastern coasts of Hylia...but almost a 6 day hike through the Hylian oak forests to get to their destination...
Ereni seems to relax as the voyage progresses, befriending the captain and crew with her usual morose humor and deadpan drawl. Playing cards or dice and taking meals with them if the occasion arises. Trying to learn the lines and knots. Taking a turn as lookout on dark nights with her 90' darkvision, though her being invisible in darkness forces her to dodge someone who doesn't see her on more than one occasion.
She heads down to the smithy on the ship to see what the smith has on offer or can make on commission since Ereni now has... eight hundred gold pieces still? She still finds it difficult to believe that, shaking her head.
Ereni sets up a target and practices her archery. Not as accustomed to using her Rapier of Warning as she is her bow, she practices alongside Malenia if the elf is willing. Though sparring with her only if she is sure that the monk's weapon will not cut Ereni's own in half.
She does spend time with her other companions, trying to get the full measure of what had happened in Argos leading up to Jappiter. She tries to help Thea take care of and groom the mounts, considering that Ereni is going to be relying on these beasts soon enough. As a ranger, she is comfortable with animals in general, but has little experience with bantha, landstriders or hadrosaurs. Certainly not riding them. (Still, she tries to use Speak with Animals daily to check on how each of them is doing... hopefully then they'll remember not to buck me off their backs when the time comes!)
Finally, every night, including the final night, Ereni meditates a bit with a sprig of mistletoe and creates ten berries in her palm, handing them out the next day. Each goodberry is tasty and nourishing, and offers a tiny bit of healing when needed, at least for the first 24 hours after creation.
Once on solid ground again, Ereni gives each of the crew and captain a gruff but heartfelt goodbye, wishing them fair winds and following seas to come. She tries to get her bearings and offers to scout ahead once more, into the oak forests along the way. Forage too. With Malenia she assumes.
Finding it difficult to fit into the tiny berths for sailors and passengers, Stasolya quarters herself in the hold with the mounts. She stays there for most of the trip, not well trusting a slick wooden deck with her (lack of) dexterity. Passing the time singing or playing an instrument, and welcoming any company. She fills Ereni and Thea in on what happened in Argos---mostly in ballad form---speaking of their mission from Atreyu, the noble sacrifice of the Princess Andromeda, and of the terrible news she has received through the AURYN of Blix's use of the alicorn, Vader's destruction of the Ivory Tower, and the strange, mystical tales of Atlantis.
"Courage waits long hidden deep Guardian slumbers now and sleeps Beneath the whirlpool Atlantis' Bane Waits silent for Division's reign.
Stars blue and lit on horizon's edge A watery grave for Atlantis, tis said Hyboria weakens, slow and groaning Three shards apart and all atoning.
Let not the Empress lie there cold Last light of the world afore it grows old Weak and mourning, like Atlantis gone Chaos won't rest, but marches on."
Malenia was up until very recently a landlocked infividual, so the first couple of days she is naturally attempting to find her sea legs and spending a fair amount of time painting the ocean with whatever food she manages to eat. However once her stomach settles and she finds her footing, she sets about exploring the ship. From the very top to the very bottom, often reaching places where it is likely no one else has.
She does take Ereni up on her offer to spar, of course not using her lightsaber for the fear of ruining her companions weapon. Instead engaging with a simple broom, that proves to be rather deadly in the monks skilled hands.
At the end of every day, Malenia would sit in a quiet part of the ship to Meditate. Opening herself up to the force in the hopes of hearing from her brother.
Malenia does not say goodbye, as a goodbye is an absolute. Only the Sith deal in absolutes. SImply giving them a "Til next time'.Malenia finds herself more than thrilled to be back on solid ground, at the offer of scouting ahead. She steps up with Ereni, ready to see what new sights this part of the world will bring.
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Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
Their time at sea is quiet, especially considering that there's a Kraken lurking in the seas. The crew remains vigilant at all times, even when Ereni comes on deck to help them look out. Nerves are high, but these are seasoned sailors; they've seen enough of what an angry ocean can do to be calm and do their jobs.
There is little for the passengers to do. Aside from volunteering to help the crew, learn the knots and the rigging, watch shifts and scullery duties, most of their voyage is downtime, allowing for them to work on developing skills they're working on, working together to learn new skills, sparing, and all manner of self improvement. With the exception of a storm on the fifth day, the seas are calm.
Captain Dragonguard doesn't even try to bring the ship close to shore near the end of their twelfth day as the green shores near Castle Hyrule come into view. They dropped anchor nearly a half mile out before they start putting landing craft over the sides of the ship. There is a distant rumble of thunder, and a dark cloud to the southwest.
"Looks like nasty weather lads. Take care." Captain Dragonguard says as he works with the crew to get the landing boats launched, the crews doing their work to take ashore the huge Banthas and the Hadrosaur, the awkward Landstrider and the Centaur. Once Andromeda's Answer is ashore, the landers cast off and head back out to the Arundel.
The green fields near Hyrule are a stark contrast to the Gerudo Desert where they've spent the last few weeks. The lands are green and fertile, and dense oak groves blemish the land. The forests are healthy and old with trees so big that the five of them can't encircle them while holding hands. Birds sing. Crickets chirp. Nature plays out its games all around them as they get off the beach. The air is fresh and fragrant. The breeze is warm, not hot like that of the desert, but there's a cool finger amongst it that provides a chilled touch.
The Three Brothers near the edge of the sky, start for the horizon, and there's another crash of thunder, or some other similar report, in the southwest.
Cinder is not particularly comfortable on the ship, the only experience she has being occasionally on a row boat as a kid. She tries to keep herself out of the way of the crew, and ends up joining Malenia in being sick over the side more than a few times during the journey.
She spends most of her day working on her magic. She doesn't meditate as such, but looks inward, feeling the magic flowing in her blood and bone. She works with it, attempting to gain better control over the infernal power that runs through her body. Some of the fights they had been in recently had been a lot closer quarters than she was comfortable with. She needed to be able to react faster and keep her focus even in a high stress scenario.
Beyond training she will spend meal times with the rest of the party and crew of the ship, and will join in on sea shanties even if she doesn't know the words.
Once they arrive back on dry land Cinder sighs and lays down in the grass. "I didn't realize how much I would prefer dry land. Lets not do that again for awhile."
During Ereni's time at the ship's Smithy, she is able to procure multiple quivers or beautifully-fletched arrows with gleaming tips (Arrows, +1).
For several days while aboard the vessel, she seems to be mulling something over, seeming on the verge of asking something before subsiding into the habitual glum and impassive mask of a face. She finally works up the courage, shuffling her feet and looking down at them.
"Don't feel right asking this. 'Take-the-under' Talman who ran our armory (when he wasn't embezzling from it) always borrowed from us all and gambled it away. Never did see anyone scamper away as fast as Talman when he owed you and saw you coming... Be that as it may, the smithy here on the ship has an item that would help my archery a mite. Bracers of Archery. Hell of it is, even with the king's ransom we all just got from the mayor, I still can't afford it. 600 gold short. At the risk of begging like Talman did, if you deem it worthwhile, I would ask to borrow 150 gold from each of the you, paying you back as soon as I am able. Of course no hard feelings if not. I swear I'm good for it as long as I breathe, unlike Talman back with the Infantry."
--- Regardless of what happens in relation to her request to borrow funds ---
Once ashore, Ereni smiles at Cinder's relief, and at Thea's little friend Skot. Before she and Malenia scout ahead into the oak forest, Ereni asks: "To the southwest then? Towards Hyrule Castle and that booming we hear which may not be thunder? I know it's like Stasolya said: Chaos marches on sadly, and so must we. But do we know any more specifics of our mission? Even if not, admittedly, I'm happy to follow Atreyu's guidance."
The boat casts off as quick as they possibly can, getting back out to see as the darkness continues to grow to the southwest. The forest is quiet. The birds aren't chirping. No rabbits stirring, no deer or elk, foxes of wolves. It's as if everything living has tried to get as far away as possible.
They travel through the first evening and rest peacefully that night, uninhibited and unbothered by anyone or anything in the forest save for the heat, which is stifling. They sweat even when they're at a rest, and somehow, paired with the humidity, the heat is worse than that of the desert. Occasionally, they catch the smell of smoke on the air, and sometimes, worse than that, the smell of decay. That evening, just before they make camp, there is a strange thunderstorm with purple lightning, and it seems like they hear a bell from somewhere far, far away; a bell that isn't in tune with anything they've ever heard before.
They all feel sick after that, like something is corrupting them... Or at least trying to.
The next day's sweltering heat comes with gusts of wind that are simultaneously the most humid and most dry breezes any of them have ever encountered, somehow as thick and hot as soup but slowly drying their skin out. It is during this heat wave that they see their first animal; a deer. It looks normal at first, head down in the ferns munching along gently...until it raises its head to look at them. One eye is missing, and a tentacle or growth of some sort has pushed one of its eyes free and is slowly snaking itself along the deer's head. It takes a few jerky steps toward them, then turns, exposing the huge tumorous growth on its side before it disappears into the brush.
The dawn of the third day brings to them the smell of food cooking. Real food. Actual food. Malenia and Ereni's scouting leads them to a small camp of soldiers, perhaps a dozen in all, who look war bedraggled and strung out. Many of them look sick, with more than a few confined to tents, their sides rolled up due to heat, and laying flat on their backs....
Ereni feels nauseous from the unnatural climate and lifeless forest. So different than the cool, dark, living woodlands of Fantasia where she wandered as a child, seeking out the deep, dark secret spots of the forest where she could be alone with her thoughts.
Now bolstered with companions she feels she can trust, she nevertheless finds herself retching convulsively behind a tree at the sight of the aberrant deer. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and spits, having no wonky anecdotes from her time with the Infantry to apply to such an encounter. She looks grim as she chews a leafy herb she had gathered from the dark underbrush to ease herself.
She immediately feels kinship with the beleaguered soldiers. With likely less caution than she should show, Ereni approaches and hails them, drawling a introductions as needed. She hands out a goodberry or three and, with permission, attempts to gauge the health of the stricken ones.
Only once she feels a bit integrated and trusted among them does she begin to ask the obvious. "What happened? No pride in sayin' it, but you lot look to be in poorer shape than a lone pikeman with the weeping pox." As bad as my company in the Infantry when Emmett and I deserted. Worse.
Five of the soldiers leap to their feet when Ereni approaches. Weapons are drawn. Shields brought up. Someone jabs a torch in her direction. These people have clearly been through a rough few days and their nerves are frayed and on edge.
"What happened?" A gruff, older Elf says, slowly lowering her sword. Her armor is adorned with the sigil of the Hylian monarchy. "Something awful stormed the castle. Came from the west, right out of the Kokiri Forest. Had the Lord of Darkness with him. An army of demonic soldiers. Constructs with extremely effective beam weapons. Carved a path right through our army, west of Lon Lon all the way to the walls. Then they started raising the dead. Whole hordes of them. Some of the hordes are still out there, in the countryside. They battered down the gates of castle town like they were wet paper. The King and Queen are dead. Not sure about the Princess, but I think she is too. They took the Keep. Last I knew, they were working on the Temple of Time, this stranger and the Lord of Darkness. We fled in the hope of being able to get to King's Landing but...I don't think the Landing will last long either. Gathered the survivors we could be...once the Temple of Time went...and then...there was something else happened. Not sure what, but some other awful power. The purple lightning started. Then this disease started popping up on everything..."
She motioned to a Samurai, also adorned with the Royal Sigil, who was sitting across from her on a log, opposite the fire, removed from the other soldiers. A horrific, pulsing sack of flesh grew up his left side, over his ribs, breaking his armor. Up his neck. On the left side of his face. He seems pretty aware of himself and his situation, but remains stoic and silent.
"It's on the animals near the castle. Spreading into the forest. We've seen other things, too. Weird things. Truly horrific stuff. I've been wearing the armor for decades and I'm telling you I've never seen some of the things like we've seen in the last day or so. Whatever Darkness and that other fellow are doing in there, it's not good. Not good for any of us."
She eyeballs the goodberries, then motions to the sick and wounded.
Malenia finds odd comfort in the drastic change of weather, Being accustomed to the temperatures and conditions of the desert. She found herself mildly uncomfortable by the warm wind and relatively mild temperature. Luckily it seems that would change fairly quick as the party stumbled into a dry atmosphere similar to that of where she had spent her entire life.
"It cant be...." Malenia immediately takes a step closer to one of the infected soldiers, trying to get a better view of whatever is afflicting them. While also attempting to determine if this affliction is similar to the one she carries.
Medicine: 15
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Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
Ereni provides a goodberry each to two wounded soldiers, one with multiple arrow wounds to the chest and another who has had their left hand cut off at the forearm, squatting and talking with each of them quietly. She also gives one to a beautiful elven woman who has the beginnings of the aberrant disease, seeing with a lump in her throat, two other men whose infestation is far more advanced and are almost certainly beyond help.
Like the deer. I always thought that when I went, it would be from an orc axe head to the belly or a kruthik claw to the face. Not... not this.
Absently, Ereni adjusts the Bracers of Archery that her companions had helped her buy from the smithy, taking comfort less from its magical powers and more from the knowledge that she actually has friends she can trust once more.
Ereni asks the afflicted elven woman quietly if she knows how she contracted the disease. What she came into contact with.
If the opportunity arises, she asks Stasolya and Thea: "I have seen you heal, my Lady of Butterflies, and I know bards sometimes can as well. I cannot yet quite reach the restoration magic needed to cure disease. Can either of you cure the elven woman who might still be helped?"
Quick Travel Recap: Thea, having never traveled on a ship before- at least not that she can remember)is super happy to explore the ship and pitch in where she can with her plucky, can-do attitude. She spends time in the crow's nest with Lir, trying to learn the coastline and landscape of this part of the world that she's never seen before. She chats with the dwarves on the crew, learning more about their traditions and telling them about her experiences with Clan Eaglecleft- even sharing some feisty drinking songs with their dinners. She diligently spends time with the mounts and also visits with her team mates trying to get to know them better. She's honored to give money to Ereni, telling her, "Please, don't worry about it! It's a gift freely given and besides, you'll thank me by helping to keep me alive!" During her other working hours, she works hard trying to design and fashion her first ever Clockwork Amulet. It takes longer than it should being she's still learning but she finally perseveres! She's proud to offer it to any one of her teammates. "We can pass it around and share, too. However it's best. I'll try to get a second one made as soon as I can!" Once the ship drops them off and sails away, the crew are likely dismayed by the amount of missing sausages and snacks onboard. Skot, on the other hand, has to loosen the little piece of twine that he uses as a belt. For him, it was a good voyage.
As they travel along this new and foreign land, she tries so very hard to keep up a good attitude even though she wilts in the terrible and humid heat. She desperately wishes for the cool quiet of the deep forest but she knows that's not an option right now. She cannot fight her tears seeing the afflicted deer and she gets more and more flighty, looking around for constant danger as the nature of the area feels more and more deranged. Her heart breaks for the soldiers they meet and she is ashamed to tell Ereni that she isn't yet able to cast restoration spells but she's willing to try what healing energy she can. She gently sends some of her healing light to the Elven Woman to try and help her (2 dice spent for a total of 4 health points) and watches to see if it makes any difference. (medicine check 12)
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Ereni thanks Captain Olovaris for his time and wishes him fair winds and following seas on the Halcyon.
She leans towards accepting the dwarven Captain Sarguk Dragonguard's offer aboard the Arundel, but attempts to Insight the sincerity of both him and the orcish Captain Sabub. She is self-aware enough to know that she may be biased against the shady-seeming orc. Since Ereni speaks both dwarvish and orcish, she converses with both in their native tongue to try to get them to open up so she can get a better read on them.
Insight: 17
Ereni welcomes any of her companions who want to help her make the choice or who have other opinions on which way to proceed. "To hear the talk, we're headed for Kraken-infested waters. Which is fair enough. Sounds lucky to be honest. Better cleanly dead than misled. Or undead."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Thea follows along with Ereni meeting the captains and seeing the ships. She’s a bit out of her element having never sailed before but her face lights up meeting Captain Dragonguard. She greets him with a Dwarvish blessing geared toward smooth waters, a strong wind and grand adventures ahead!
Cinder will follow Ereni and Thea, but wont have much to add as all she knows about ships is that they float, and are usually flammable. While the party is deciding on what captain to go with if any, Cinder will say, "So do we want to be that close to the castle? With a war going on we may end up walking into a battle by accident."
Malenia scratches the back of her head, still considering what the captains had said. "I believe you are right in that regard Ereni, I will admit being forthright about the potential dangers is something I did not believe a captain was capable of."
She stares blankly as they converse in tongues she does not know, but trust that her allies are leading them down the best course.
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
After speaking with the ship captains and thanking them, Ereni looks around for her commander to report back out of instinct. Realizing once more that she has no commander to half-follow and half-resent, she instead calls a group huddle among her unaccustomed quintet of independent women.
"Spoke to these captains, aye, and could be any of them will send us to the ocean's bottom, we should be so lucky. But I am sensing the dwarven captain asking a thousand gold," (Ereni stutters for a moment once more speaking the gaudy sum out loud), "is the one. A mercenary, no doubt, and not in it for virtue," she glances at Stasolya, "but between him and these other two smugglers, pirates or worse, I trust the dwarf not to betray us to our enemies. He'll drop us a few days north of the castle, but we'll have mounts. And could be best to approach sneakier than sailing boldly into the harbor."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Stasolya nods in agreement. "I think your judgment is sound, Ereni. I had a better feeling about the dwarf captain as well. And it may serve us well to journey a few days out--we shall be better able to ascertain the conditions in the countryside as we approach." She smiles. "Lead the way!"
"Dwarven captain Sargruk Dragonguard and the Arundel it is then. May we have fair winds and following seas. And if we can get the lay of the land as we approach, may we just barely avoid blundering into a war zone or being murdered by orcs and undead and such."
If all are agreed, Ereni collects 200 gold pieces from each of the five party members (including herself) and approaches Captain Sargruk Dragonguard to conclude the deal and give him the full passenger manifest (the party and their mounts), and arrange for everyone's quarters aboard the vessel.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
With the transaction complete, Captain Dragonguard is happy to bring the band aboard the Arundel, as well as whatever mounts they decide to bring along. He gives them a tour of his vessel, a hefty galleon with all the amenities. There is indeed a smithy in the lower decks, rowers below that, and sails, as well as quarters bigger than any Ereni has ever had the luxury (luxury?) of staying in. That set sail that night, moving south along the east coast of Hylia as they make their way toward Hyrule Castle. They sail out past the Gerudo Peninsula before turning back west and toward the Mirkwood, then cutting sharp south and following the coast again for awhile.
The Captain and his crew are nice to the band. Perhaps shady, but nice. They do try to take care of their charges, though it seems like they're more use to...well. Transporting seedier types.
They spend a total of 12 days at sea, though they're never rightly out of sight of land the whole time. When they finally moor up and send landing craft ashore, it's off the lovely green eastern coasts of Hylia...but almost a 6 day hike through the Hylian oak forests to get to their destination...
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Ereni seems to relax as the voyage progresses, befriending the captain and crew with her usual morose humor and deadpan drawl. Playing cards or dice and taking meals with them if the occasion arises. Trying to learn the lines and knots. Taking a turn as lookout on dark nights with her 90' darkvision, though her being invisible in darkness forces her to dodge someone who doesn't see her on more than one occasion.
She heads down to the smithy on the ship to see what the smith has on offer or can make on commission since Ereni now has... eight hundred gold pieces still? She still finds it difficult to believe that, shaking her head.
Ereni sets up a target and practices her archery. Not as accustomed to using her Rapier of Warning as she is her bow, she practices alongside Malenia if the elf is willing. Though sparring with her only if she is sure that the monk's weapon will not cut Ereni's own in half.
She does spend time with her other companions, trying to get the full measure of what had happened in Argos leading up to Jappiter. She tries to help Thea take care of and groom the mounts, considering that Ereni is going to be relying on these beasts soon enough. As a ranger, she is comfortable with animals in general, but has little experience with bantha, landstriders or hadrosaurs. Certainly not riding them. (Still, she tries to use Speak with Animals daily to check on how each of them is doing... hopefully then they'll remember not to buck me off their backs when the time comes!)
Finally, every night, including the final night, Ereni meditates a bit with a sprig of mistletoe and creates ten berries in her palm, handing them out the next day. Each goodberry is tasty and nourishing, and offers a tiny bit of healing when needed, at least for the first 24 hours after creation.
Once on solid ground again, Ereni gives each of the crew and captain a gruff but heartfelt goodbye, wishing them fair winds and following seas to come. She tries to get her bearings and offers to scout ahead once more, into the oak forests along the way. Forage too. With Malenia she assumes.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Finding it difficult to fit into the tiny berths for sailors and passengers, Stasolya quarters herself in the hold with the mounts. She stays there for most of the trip, not well trusting a slick wooden deck with her (lack of) dexterity. Passing the time singing or playing an instrument, and welcoming any company. She fills Ereni and Thea in on what happened in Argos---mostly in ballad form---speaking of their mission from Atreyu, the noble sacrifice of the Princess Andromeda, and of the terrible news she has received through the AURYN of Blix's use of the alicorn, Vader's destruction of the Ivory Tower, and the strange, mystical tales of Atlantis.
"Courage waits long hidden deep
Guardian slumbers now and sleeps
Beneath the whirlpool Atlantis' Bane
Waits silent for Division's reign.
Stars blue and lit on horizon's edge
A watery grave for Atlantis, tis said
Hyboria weakens, slow and groaning
Three shards apart and all atoning.
Let not the Empress lie there cold
Last light of the world afore it grows old
Weak and mourning, like Atlantis gone
Chaos won't rest, but marches on."
Malenia was up until very recently a landlocked infividual, so the first couple of days she is naturally attempting to find her sea legs and spending a fair amount of time painting the ocean with whatever food she manages to eat. However once her stomach settles and she finds her footing, she sets about exploring the ship. From the very top to the very bottom, often reaching places where it is likely no one else has.
She does take Ereni up on her offer to spar, of course not using her lightsaber for the fear of ruining her companions weapon. Instead engaging with a simple broom, that proves to be rather deadly in the monks skilled hands.
At the end of every day, Malenia would sit in a quiet part of the ship to Meditate. Opening herself up to the force in the hopes of hearing from her brother.
Malenia does not say goodbye, as a goodbye is an absolute. Only the Sith deal in absolutes. SImply giving them a "Til next time'. Malenia finds herself more than thrilled to be back on solid ground, at the offer of scouting ahead. She steps up with Ereni, ready to see what new sights this part of the world will bring.
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
Their time at sea is quiet, especially considering that there's a Kraken lurking in the seas. The crew remains vigilant at all times, even when Ereni comes on deck to help them look out. Nerves are high, but these are seasoned sailors; they've seen enough of what an angry ocean can do to be calm and do their jobs.
There is little for the passengers to do. Aside from volunteering to help the crew, learn the knots and the rigging, watch shifts and scullery duties, most of their voyage is downtime, allowing for them to work on developing skills they're working on, working together to learn new skills, sparing, and all manner of self improvement. With the exception of a storm on the fifth day, the seas are calm.
Captain Dragonguard doesn't even try to bring the ship close to shore near the end of their twelfth day as the green shores near Castle Hyrule come into view. They dropped anchor nearly a half mile out before they start putting landing craft over the sides of the ship. There is a distant rumble of thunder, and a dark cloud to the southwest.
"Looks like nasty weather lads. Take care." Captain Dragonguard says as he works with the crew to get the landing boats launched, the crews doing their work to take ashore the huge Banthas and the Hadrosaur, the awkward Landstrider and the Centaur. Once Andromeda's Answer is ashore, the landers cast off and head back out to the Arundel.
The green fields near Hyrule are a stark contrast to the Gerudo Desert where they've spent the last few weeks. The lands are green and fertile, and dense oak groves blemish the land. The forests are healthy and old with trees so big that the five of them can't encircle them while holding hands. Birds sing. Crickets chirp. Nature plays out its games all around them as they get off the beach. The air is fresh and fragrant. The breeze is warm, not hot like that of the desert, but there's a cool finger amongst it that provides a chilled touch.
The Three Brothers near the edge of the sky, start for the horizon, and there's another crash of thunder, or some other similar report, in the southwest.
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Cinder is not particularly comfortable on the ship, the only experience she has being occasionally on a row boat as a kid. She tries to keep herself out of the way of the crew, and ends up joining Malenia in being sick over the side more than a few times during the journey.
She spends most of her day working on her magic. She doesn't meditate as such, but looks inward, feeling the magic flowing in her blood and bone. She works with it, attempting to gain better control over the infernal power that runs through her body. Some of the fights they had been in recently had been a lot closer quarters than she was comfortable with. She needed to be able to react faster and keep her focus even in a high stress scenario.
Beyond training she will spend meal times with the rest of the party and crew of the ship, and will join in on sea shanties even if she doesn't know the words.
Once they arrive back on dry land Cinder sighs and lays down in the grass. "I didn't realize how much I would prefer dry land. Lets not do that again for awhile."
During Ereni's time at the ship's Smithy, she is able to procure multiple quivers or beautifully-fletched arrows with gleaming tips (Arrows, +1).
For several days while aboard the vessel, she seems to be mulling something over, seeming on the verge of asking something before subsiding into the habitual glum and impassive mask of a face. She finally works up the courage, shuffling her feet and looking down at them.
"Don't feel right asking this. 'Take-the-under' Talman who ran our armory (when he wasn't embezzling from it) always borrowed from us all and gambled it away. Never did see anyone scamper away as fast as Talman when he owed you and saw you coming... Be that as it may, the smithy here on the ship has an item that would help my archery a mite. Bracers of Archery. Hell of it is, even with the king's ransom we all just got from the mayor, I still can't afford it. 600 gold short. At the risk of begging like Talman did, if you deem it worthwhile, I would ask to borrow 150 gold from each of the you, paying you back as soon as I am able. Of course no hard feelings if not. I swear I'm good for it as long as I breathe, unlike Talman back with the Infantry."
--- Regardless of what happens in relation to her request to borrow funds ---
Once ashore, Ereni smiles at Cinder's relief, and at Thea's little friend Skot. Before she and Malenia scout ahead into the oak forest, Ereni asks: "To the southwest then? Towards Hyrule Castle and that booming we hear which may not be thunder? I know it's like Stasolya said: Chaos marches on sadly, and so must we. But do we know any more specifics of our mission? Even if not, admittedly, I'm happy to follow Atreyu's guidance."
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
The boat casts off as quick as they possibly can, getting back out to see as the darkness continues to grow to the southwest. The forest is quiet. The birds aren't chirping. No rabbits stirring, no deer or elk, foxes of wolves. It's as if everything living has tried to get as far away as possible.
They travel through the first evening and rest peacefully that night, uninhibited and unbothered by anyone or anything in the forest save for the heat, which is stifling. They sweat even when they're at a rest, and somehow, paired with the humidity, the heat is worse than that of the desert. Occasionally, they catch the smell of smoke on the air, and sometimes, worse than that, the smell of decay. That evening, just before they make camp, there is a strange thunderstorm with purple lightning, and it seems like they hear a bell from somewhere far, far away; a bell that isn't in tune with anything they've ever heard before.
They all feel sick after that, like something is corrupting them... Or at least trying to.
The next day's sweltering heat comes with gusts of wind that are simultaneously the most humid and most dry breezes any of them have ever encountered, somehow as thick and hot as soup but slowly drying their skin out. It is during this heat wave that they see their first animal; a deer. It looks normal at first, head down in the ferns munching along gently...until it raises its head to look at them. One eye is missing, and a tentacle or growth of some sort has pushed one of its eyes free and is slowly snaking itself along the deer's head. It takes a few jerky steps toward them, then turns, exposing the huge tumorous growth on its side before it disappears into the brush.
The dawn of the third day brings to them the smell of food cooking. Real food. Actual food. Malenia and Ereni's scouting leads them to a small camp of soldiers, perhaps a dozen in all, who look war bedraggled and strung out. Many of them look sick, with more than a few confined to tents, their sides rolled up due to heat, and laying flat on their backs....
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Ereni feels nauseous from the unnatural climate and lifeless forest. So different than the cool, dark, living woodlands of Fantasia where she wandered as a child, seeking out the deep, dark secret spots of the forest where she could be alone with her thoughts.
Now bolstered with companions she feels she can trust, she nevertheless finds herself retching convulsively behind a tree at the sight of the aberrant deer. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand and spits, having no wonky anecdotes from her time with the Infantry to apply to such an encounter. She looks grim as she chews a leafy herb she had gathered from the dark underbrush to ease herself.
She immediately feels kinship with the beleaguered soldiers. With likely less caution than she should show, Ereni approaches and hails them, drawling a introductions as needed. She hands out a goodberry or three and, with permission, attempts to gauge the health of the stricken ones.
Medicine: 13
Only once she feels a bit integrated and trusted among them does she begin to ask the obvious. "What happened? No pride in sayin' it, but you lot look to be in poorer shape than a lone pikeman with the weeping pox." As bad as my company in the Infantry when Emmett and I deserted. Worse.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Five of the soldiers leap to their feet when Ereni approaches. Weapons are drawn. Shields brought up. Someone jabs a torch in her direction. These people have clearly been through a rough few days and their nerves are frayed and on edge.
"What happened?" A gruff, older Elf says, slowly lowering her sword. Her armor is adorned with the sigil of the Hylian monarchy. "Something awful stormed the castle. Came from the west, right out of the Kokiri Forest. Had the Lord of Darkness with him. An army of demonic soldiers. Constructs with extremely effective beam weapons. Carved a path right through our army, west of Lon Lon all the way to the walls. Then they started raising the dead. Whole hordes of them. Some of the hordes are still out there, in the countryside. They battered down the gates of castle town like they were wet paper. The King and Queen are dead. Not sure about the Princess, but I think she is too. They took the Keep. Last I knew, they were working on the Temple of Time, this stranger and the Lord of Darkness. We fled in the hope of being able to get to King's Landing but...I don't think the Landing will last long either. Gathered the survivors we could be...once the Temple of Time went...and then...there was something else happened. Not sure what, but some other awful power. The purple lightning started. Then this disease started popping up on everything..."
She motioned to a Samurai, also adorned with the Royal Sigil, who was sitting across from her on a log, opposite the fire, removed from the other soldiers. A horrific, pulsing sack of flesh grew up his left side, over his ribs, breaking his armor. Up his neck. On the left side of his face. He seems pretty aware of himself and his situation, but remains stoic and silent.
"It's on the animals near the castle. Spreading into the forest. We've seen other things, too. Weird things. Truly horrific stuff. I've been wearing the armor for decades and I'm telling you I've never seen some of the things like we've seen in the last day or so. Whatever Darkness and that other fellow are doing in there, it's not good. Not good for any of us."
She eyeballs the goodberries, then motions to the sick and wounded.
"You should give it to them first."
DM of AURYN: The Measure of Devotion - Escape from New York
Malenia finds odd comfort in the drastic change of weather, Being accustomed to the temperatures and conditions of the desert. She found herself mildly uncomfortable by the warm wind and relatively mild temperature. Luckily it seems that would change fairly quick as the party stumbled into a dry atmosphere similar to that of where she had spent her entire life.
"It cant be...." Malenia immediately takes a step closer to one of the infected soldiers, trying to get a better view of whatever is afflicting them. While also attempting to determine if this affliction is similar to the one she carries.
Medicine: 15
Malenia - [Monk - Way of the Jedi] - Auryn: Princess of Destiny
Ereni provides a goodberry each to two wounded soldiers, one with multiple arrow wounds to the chest and another who has had their left hand cut off at the forearm, squatting and talking with each of them quietly. She also gives one to a beautiful elven woman who has the beginnings of the aberrant disease, seeing with a lump in her throat, two other men whose infestation is far more advanced and are almost certainly beyond help.
Like the deer. I always thought that when I went, it would be from an orc axe head to the belly or a kruthik claw to the face. Not... not this.
Absently, Ereni adjusts the Bracers of Archery that her companions had helped her buy from the smithy, taking comfort less from its magical powers and more from the knowledge that she actually has friends she can trust once more.
Ereni asks the afflicted elven woman quietly if she knows how she contracted the disease. What she came into contact with.
If the opportunity arises, she asks Stasolya and Thea: "I have seen you heal, my Lady of Butterflies, and I know bards sometimes can as well. I cannot yet quite reach the restoration magic needed to cure disease. Can either of you cure the elven woman who might still be helped?"
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Quick Travel Recap: Thea, having never traveled on a ship before- at least not that she can remember)is super happy to explore the ship and pitch in where she can with her plucky, can-do attitude. She spends time in the crow's nest with Lir, trying to learn the coastline and landscape of this part of the world that she's never seen before. She chats with the dwarves on the crew, learning more about their traditions and telling them about her experiences with Clan Eaglecleft- even sharing some feisty drinking songs with their dinners. She diligently spends time with the mounts and also visits with her team mates trying to get to know them better. She's honored to give money to Ereni, telling her, "Please, don't worry about it! It's a gift freely given and besides, you'll thank me by helping to keep me alive!" During her other working hours, she works hard trying to design and fashion her first ever Clockwork Amulet. It takes longer than it should being she's still learning but she finally perseveres! She's proud to offer it to any one of her teammates. "We can pass it around and share, too. However it's best. I'll try to get a second one made as soon as I can!" Once the ship drops them off and sails away, the crew are likely dismayed by the amount of missing sausages and snacks onboard. Skot, on the other hand, has to loosen the little piece of twine that he uses as a belt. For him, it was a good voyage.
As they travel along this new and foreign land, she tries so very hard to keep up a good attitude even though she wilts in the terrible and humid heat. She desperately wishes for the cool quiet of the deep forest but she knows that's not an option right now. She cannot fight her tears seeing the afflicted deer and she gets more and more flighty, looking around for constant danger as the nature of the area feels more and more deranged. Her heart breaks for the soldiers they meet and she is ashamed to tell Ereni that she isn't yet able to cast restoration spells but she's willing to try what healing energy she can. She gently sends some of her healing light to the Elven Woman to try and help her (2 dice spent for a total of 4 health points) and watches to see if it makes any difference. (medicine check 12)