Captain, Sir, I, I don't know, Sir.  I mean, well, I mean to say that I don't think it's dangerous, Sir.  It only threatened Father and Mother, Sir.  The other voice said it would help me and the sword was only after undead sir.  I, um, I, I don't think there were any threats on the ship or the crew, Captain.  I will do my duties, Sir!  I'll work harder and extra hours to make up for my time, Sir.  I, I've never done any magic,  Captain Sir.  I, I don't know if anything else happened to me last night, Sir.  I, I can try, to see if I have magic, Sir?!  Rook is obviously quite nervous about what has happened, being kicked off of the ship, and is especially uncertain about the last part regarding magic.  He briefly looks to Sal and Carolinas nervously after he is done speaking.  (Maybe they can help me with magic, if I'm supposed to do magic now,) he ponders.  Otherwise Rook looks the Captain straight in the eye with his best posture and awaits his fate, hoping desperately that he'll be back coiling up rope and learning some of his other duties in mere moments.

Rook adds, whenever appropriate with the Captain after hearing his fate, "Captain, Sir, may, may I ask you a question?"  "Do you ever see undead out on the sees or wherever else we go, Sir?"

Sal smiles. "Well Rook, though your pact may be different than the learned study of a wizard." She gestures to Carolinas. "Or a devout follower of the Lady of Mysteries." Gestures to herself. "We have some knowledge around the subject that we could perhaps help you learn how to cast, and control, your magic. Mystra's teachings say that magic should be free to any and all who wish to learn."

Rook gives Sal a brief look and a small smile before returning his respectful gaze upon the Captain.  Several of these strangers have been particularly kind to him thus far, whether it be Bruz, Sal, Carolinas or others.  He wasn't expecting that, at least certainly not under the circumstance of the trouble his presence on the ship has already caused.  It makes him that much more desperate to stay as the Captain stairs him down.  He swallows deeply as he looks at the man in charge, the large lump in his throat quite visible as he does so.

The Captain thinks for a bit, looking the three of you over before replying "That would be a good idea. Mister Rook, you and these other two are to take a few hours and explore what you may have gained here. The three of you are to gather on the top aft deck and discover just what has come aboard and what benefits we can reap from it. We can spare you three for a bit for this. As far as the undead, yes, there are times where the unquiet drowned rise again and attack ships as they travel. We are prepared for typical events of that nature. Let's just hope that your Blade doesn't make for a-typical ones!"

"Ye-, yes, Sir, Captain.  If we see any undead I'll do my best to kill one with my sword.  I think it will help.  I haven't been in too many real fights, but, ah, Father did teach my how to use a few different types of swords, a bit, at least, that is..."  "Is this why he had my use that big heavy sword? wonders Rook.  "Did he know this would happen to me?"

Rook looks to Sal and Carolinas as they head to the top aft deck.  "Thank you for helping me so much.  I'm not too sure I can really do magic, though."  The lad looks down at the deck, lacking confidence in his ability to handle any of this.  "Should I go get the sword first?"

Sal shakes her head. "I have a feeling you wouldn't need to." She says with a confident smile. "Come, let us find somewhere where we can work on this in peace, by your leave, Captain."

Sal would like to spend some time, perhaps near to aft of the ship, to talk about the wonders that is magic and The Weave; how casters use the fabric of the weave to bring magic into the world, and how Mystra, the Mother of All Magic, maintains its balance.

"Now, if your blade is a shard of the Shadowfell, it will not necessarily follow the laws that this world does." Sal explains. "It has an intrinsic connection to you, like a cord linked to your very being. Let's see if you can find that connection; visualise the sword in your hands."

(before we met with the captain)

Carolinas says to Rook, "I don't know exactly what transpired with your father at the beginning of all this, so I can't say if he did anything 'bad' per se, but he did look after your best interests. There's no malice in doing that. He simply did not slay undead with that sword, which eventually caused it to become unstable. That task now passes on to you. Anyway, let's focus on the present and get the captain squared away as well as you back to your duties."

He gives Rook a pat on the back, "Don't worry lad, everything will work out in the end. I may be old, but this is the way of things."

(after the meeting)

After listening to Sal speak to Rook, he says "Remember its weight, the unique design, the feeling of its grip in your hand. Stretch out your feelings..."

 Rook gives half a smile at Carolinas's kind words regarding his father; "thanks." 

He joins Sal and Carolinas on deck for his training.  Listening to their instruction he at first fills his head with memories of holding the sword the day before, but nothing happens.  He listens to them carefully, however, and soon tries to picture the sword in his hand here and now, with the backdrop of the deck, his feet, etc. beyond in his gaze.  Suddenly the black swirling mist appears from nowhere and forms into the same sword in a brief second and startles Rook so much that he releases it and jumps back in fear.  The sword crashes to the deck and, as Rook steps back beyond five feet from it, turns back into the mist and dissipates.  The boy looks scared but swallows hard and after a few seconds, steps back into the same place and summons the sword again, this time holding onto it tightly and looking at it in awe.

"Um, ok, now what?" he asks his two new friends nervously.

"You see? That is the first step." Sal says with a hint of pride in her tone. "This is a focus of your power." Sal shows her symbol in the form of a seven-pointed star. "Some casters use something to channel their magic through, such as my symbol, and perhaps your blade is similar to you." She will wander closer to Rook. "For using such a thing as the intended weapon, you may require a different instructor. Beyond that, we should now speak about how one molds a spell."

Sal will go slowly and carefully through the somatic components, how to speak the words of magic, and crafting the spell with the combination of them. "Your spells may differ from our own. Carolinas, as a wizard, has studied and mastered the crafts of spells he will keep within a spellbook. My spells are gifts given by Lady Mystra that I pray for every day. Yours may verge the line of the two, granted by The Raven Queen and Chauntea, while requiring some knowledge of your own. Tell me, have you felt some intrinsic feelings when practicing your somatic movements with your hands?"

Rook looks overwhelmed with the information Sal is sharing with him.  "Ah, maybe?  How do I even know what spell I'm trying to use?  Which hand gestures and which words make a spell I can do?"

[ooc] Sorry, fell behind on the thread. Just as a point of knowing how to react myself, how are the rest of the “regular” crew viewing Rook’s experience. Since I slept through it, all I would have to go in is here say. 

Sebastian heard the subtle signal whistles shared by the riggers to communicate marking Rook’s arrival onto the deck that morning. He was surprised to see that the subject of last evenings tales was the young man from yesterday that had been sent into the bowls of the ship with chalk. 

No stranger to strange happenings at sea, Blackhand says to himself “This sail is beginning to show promise. I will have to find out more about this boy”

OOC - The crew is treating it warily on average. Experienced crew are basically going "Oh, I'm not dead, so it's just another one of those strange things that happen at sea." which off-sets those of lesser experience. There are some who watch the going-on on deck as Rook is being trained, as they can, but no one is freaked out by it. 

Also OOC - Don't play this out too long, as this is still only the first full day at sea. 

Sal smiles. "All in due time, Rook. You'll work it out in time; these things shouldn't be rushed." She notices the others watching them. "For now I think making sure that we don't dally on our duties is in order. Just keep in mind what you've been doing and practice in your spare time."

Carolinas adds, "Sal is wise, you won't master it in one day. Just keep practicing when you're able. We'll help when it's appropriate. Life is too short to stress over it too much."

He says to Sal after they leave Rook to his duties, "I'd say we make a good team eh? Mystra does work in mysterious ways it seems. If you require my assistance with Rook or anything else just let me know."

After him and Sal got their respective stations, he sends Archimedes to the air to be an additional lookout and goes around casting Mage Hand to lend assistance on the ship whenever needed. He also checks to see if there are any potential fire hazards on the ship and takes note of them. As in what areas are the most at-risk for a fire to break out (other than the kitchen). He also makes sure there is a bucket of sea water on hand on each deck for fast access. He uses Mage Hand to dip them in the ocean.

Investigation 9

"Oh, ok, sounds good then.  You're right, I should get back to my duties or the rest of the crew will surely hate me!  I bet they're working extra hard because of me now.  I hope, ah, ah, never mind, actually, I should go work!  Thank you Sal!  Thank you Carolinas!  I really appreciate it!  I'll see you later, ok?"  The lad gets ready to run off to work when he realizes he still has the sword in his hand.  He sets in on the deck, walks backwards slowly, and watches it fade to mist once again.  He still looks shocked by the occurrence, but after an extra second of staring at the deck, turns and bounds off to find where he should be working.

The day passes into night and the ship sails on. The dinner that evening was prepared by a hopeful halfling who didn't do too badly, although no where to the level that Bruz did, and he knows it. He offers a slightly sullen "Oh, well, maybe next time." to Bruz as he finishes up in the kitchen, and heads back to crew quarters. The night watch takes it's shift and all seems well until everyone on board the ship is suddenly tossed out of bed or into walls as the Keel is abruptly slammed to a stop! 

* NOTE * Everyone is to roll a Dex (Athletics) against DC 13 or roll 1d6 damage. 

While most of the crew scramble to the upper deck to find out what you hit, anyone on the Cargo deck (The group of four, and Sebastian) can hear the guards on the Steerage deck yelling upwards for help! "The hull's been breached and there's something in the HOLES!!" And there are the sounds of weapons being drawn but no combat.

* NOTE * Everyone except for Sal and Nimar need to roll initiative.

Dex 8

Damage 5

Initiative 10

Sebastian curses while falling out of hammock in the middle of the night. Hitting his head on the wooden strut the hammock was tied off to. 

“I’ll be a son a sea hag!” Rubbing his head he stands up to the sounds of alarm. Grabbing his sword belt, bow, and quiver he shakes his head to clear the stars then heads down to steerage. “Well at least I didn’t sleep through it this time.”

(Did you mean Acrobatics?)

Acrobatics check: 7 (+2 if Athletics)

(Let us know when Sal and Nimar can do things)

OOC - It's hard to say. I chose Athletics for your innate ability to keep from going somewhere you didn't want to go, while asleep. Acrobatics would be to do the same thing with style? :D I was also going to apply Disadvantage because you were asleep, but I was being nice. :D