After watching the scene below deck unfold, and realizing he can't fit through the open window, Leif returns to the deck and the rest of the group. "Someone is hiding towards the back of the ship. They shot a bolt at the stairs when... well I don't really know what happened. I heard someone walking down the steps but didn't see any of you. Thank goodness for that or you might have caught that bolt in the chest. He's probably reloading. Now's our chance to head down."
Leif looks to the group expectantly waiting for them to head below deck where he will then follow.
The young knight is increasingly uncertain if he had any just cause for being on the ship at all. They had come here because they thought there were slaves on this ship, the gnome's brother among them, but now it all seemed to be a great misunderstanding. The lack of information provided by the crew didn't help and was also increasingly frustrating.
"I suggest ve vait vith going below..."The young knight says with a firm tone to his companions after a moment of hesitation. "...ve do not vant any more bloodshed if it can be avoided."
He then calmly turns to the crew again. "You say you do not know, but zen tell me vhat you do know. Vhere did you collect ze people in zat cage, and vho delivered zem to you? Zere was a boy zat escaped. If he is a danger to himself or to others I am quite sure Lady Valya vould vant you to cooperate vith us to see him safe again. Perhaps ve can help you to be spared her ire over losing him. I zink you know as vell as I zat she is not one you vant to displease." He says, looking between the two crew members, hoping they would see sense and cooperate in this before things turned even worse.
Aislingjerks back as the bolt flies, embedding itself into the top step. But even as her heart pounds from the sudden danger, it is the crimson moth—along with the Pale Prince’s voice—that unsettles her most. She shakes her hand sharply, as if to fling the creature away, but the gesture is pointless… the moth has already crumbled into nothing.
The changeling lingers by the stairs for a moment, steadying her breath and thinking what to do next. So her patron knows of this Lady Vayla. What is she? Is she like him? She turns his words over in her mind, searching for some clue in his tone. Did she hear a hint of respect? Fear, perhaps? She decides to speak. Not with fear nor defiance, as she has done in the past. This time, she tries something else. She mutters under her breath, "You know this Lady Vayla? What is she? Is she like you?" She isn’t sure the Pale Prince will answer. Why would he? What reason does he have to help her? So, she changes tactics, pressing where it might wound his pride, "If she is so powerful, wouldn’t you prefer she wasn’t around? Better not to have competition, isn’t it? Help me. Why grant me your gifts if you expect me to cower at the first sign of danger?"(Persuasion: 24)
She doesn’t really expect a response. Who is she to challenge an Archfey? She's just a common changeling, a changeling in disguise who isn't even bold enough to show her true nature to those around her. What hope does she have against beings like them?
Lost in these thoughts, she returns to her companions, and answers Leif.
"Someone is hiding towards the back of the ship. They shot a bolt at the stairs when... well I don't really know what happened. I heard someone walking down the steps but didn't see any of you. "
"I sent my invisible companion downstairs, and I also made a noise like someone descending the steps to scare off whoever was there. I guess it worked, because he stormed deeper into the boat. I think it’s safe to go down now. Safe from a crossbow, at least." She hesitates. "But the Lady is near. He warned me." Aisling gasps at the slip and quickly corrects herself. "I-I mean… we should be careful."
When Cyriel speaks, Aisling meets his gaze, doubt flickering in her eyes. What are they going to do if they don’t go below? Leave these poor people behind? Of course, she’s scared, who wouldn’t be? But the thought of turning away, of doing nothing, unsettles her even more. She remains quiet and waits for the knight to continue speaking with the crew. Maybe they’ll say something that makes the choice easier.
"I suggest ve vait vith going below..."The young knight says with a firm tone to his companions after a moment of hesitation. "...ve do not vant any more bloodshed if it can be avoided."
The young halfling looks at the knight with unbelief in his eyes but holds his tongue for now. 'We need to go now.' Leifthinks, but doesn't want to voice out of fear he'll be misunderstood. Leif doesn't want anymore bloodshed either, but how can we possibly consider leaving these poor people shackled and caged. Disappointment furrows Leif's brow as his attention turns to Aisling.
"I sent my invisible companion downstairs, and I also made a noise like someone descending the steps to scare off whoever was there. I guess it worked, because he stormed deeper into the boat. I think it’s safe to go down now. Safe from a crossbow, at least." She hesitates. "But the Lady is near. He warned me." Aisling gasps at the slip and quickly corrects herself. "I-I mean… we should be careful."
Leif's disappointed look quickly changes to admiration as Aisling describes her arcane talents. 'Invisible companions! Creating sounds from thin air! Amazing!' As Aisling finishes her warning, Leif responds, "We'll be careful. No one can stop us with your powerful magics on our side. Don't worry about that fella's warning..." Leif gestures to the burly bloke, "...he's just trying to scare us away from saving these people." Leif's gaze returns to Cyriel as he says the last few words, but then quickly looks down to avoid eye contact with the knight.
Leif looks to the rest of the group, hoping no one else is thinking about turning back at this point.
"No, I do not zink his intention is to scare anyone, but he might be scared himself of his client, and vhat he carries below deck." The young knight turns and addresses the halfling. "Vhat if zose people are indeed cursed and are contained to not spread a magical ailment? Ve need to know more before simply setting zem free. At least one of zem, ze last one ve brought up, had no interest in even being saved. At ze time I zought it could be because he would prefer death to slavery but now I am not so sure. You do as you vant halfling but I do not vant us to do something ve might regret."He says with a firm but polite tone.
Joy's eyes widen as her memory is suddenly jogged and she closes her book, looking towards the others. "I think I know what is going on here. I've heard of a 'Lady Vayla', but her surname is Ebonveil. Apparently she traded her birth rite for a pact with an Archfey. Such beings can bend the fates of mortals, similar to what happened to me, though thankfully I made no pact." Her expression turns solemn, faintly sad.
"When a person's soul is 'claimed' in such a way, even Pelor's light has difficulty reaching them...The 'prisoners' as well may be bound by some forgotten pact. They are 'neither entirely in Pelor's light nor lost in darkness. But trapped in between. Not truly damned, but neither are they free.' I...could understand why such a person would feel hopeless." She shakes her head, expression growing determined again.
"Such things are not contagious, so we should be alright. We need to find out why Vayla is gathering these people. To help them, or take advantage of them." The paladin moves to head below, gripping her shield tightly in case of any more bolts.
'He warned me?'Lusiawonders at the words Aislinghad said. 'Who could have warned her?' she thinks for a brief moment. But listening to Leif'sreport and then the information Joyhad to offer, she had to agree quick action was needed. "If the Lady is coming, we must move fast. Let's at least set eyes on the prisoners to see what we might learn." She follows after the paladin to head below deck.
Aislingsmiles lightly at Leif’s praise and holds back a relieved breath when he misinterprets her slip of the tongue, assuming the warning came from the burly man. Noting his glance toward Cyriel, she gathers that the halfling shares her skepticism regarding the knight’s reluctance to go below deck, and she is about to intervene when Joyexplains what she has remembered.
"A pact with an archfey...?" The half-elf's eyes widen. "So, is this Lady Vayla like me?", she thinks, but then she shakes her head. No. It wasn't the same. Aisling had been forced into her cursed pact, while that woman had chosen it for herself. Still, Aisling can't deny her curiosity. If only she could learn more about these pacts… if only this meant she could learn how to end hers.
Without another word, she follows Joyand Lusia. The Pale Prince’s warning echoes in her mind, but her desire to know what is going on is stronger.
"A magical pact?" Cleo wonders aloud. "Oh gods, if my brother is bound like that...even if it's not my brother down there, we should still try to help these people if we can."
Cleo barely spares a glance for Cyriel as she follows the others toward the hatch that leads into the depths of the ship. She understands his reluctance, and she doesn't want any more bloodshed either, but she has to see if her brother is down there. As she follows Aisling, she remembers what the woman said, that someone had warned her, a he specifically. The gnome wonders what she meant by that. Perhaps she refers to her magical unseen servant as a he.
The young knight turns and addresses the halfling. "Vhat if zose people are indeed cursed and are contained to not spread a magical ailment? Ve need to know more before simply setting zem free. At least one of zem, ze last one ve brought up, had no interest in even being saved. At ze time I zought it could be because he would prefer death to slavery but now I am not so sure. You do as you vant halfling but..."
Leif looks up at the armored man as the knight speaks directly to him. His eyes flash with a momentary anger as Cyriel suggest these people might be locked up for a good reason. Which very well may be true, but Leif recalls the beatings he endured when he failed to please his matron. The times he was told it was for his own good that he was a slave and how he should be grateful for the matrons hospitality. However, the young knight's tone and positive nature is at odds with how Leif is feeling. His anger is gone in a heartbeat as he knows the knight wants nothing more than to help these people. Meanwhile, Joy speaks about what she knows. Most of which goes over the young halflings head. He is confused by the talk about Archfey and Pelor and can't make sense of it, but he's too embarrassed admit it.
After the Burly Bloke answers Cyriel's last question, Leif follows the rest of the group below deck, taking solace in the thought they will soon be able to help the people caged below.
He then calmly turns to the crew again. "You say you do not know, but zen tell me vhat you do know. Vhere did you collect ze people in zat cage, and vho delivered zem to you? Zere was a boy zat escaped. If he is a danger to himself or to others I am quite sure Lady Valya vould vant you to cooperate vith us to see him safe again. Perhaps ve can help you to be spared her ire over losing him. I zink you know as vell as I zat she is not one you vant to displease." He says, looking between the two crew members, hoping they would see sense and cooperate in this before things turned even worse.
Cyriel, the shipmates, are no longer cooperating. ooc: If you wish to interrogate the shipmates more 'persuasively', let me know, and we can go back and run that.
Aislingjerks back as the bolt flies, embedding itself into the top step. But even as her heart pounds from the sudden danger, it is the crimson moth—along with the Pale Prince’s voice—that unsettles her most. She shakes her hand sharply, as if to fling the creature away, but the gesture is pointless… the moth has already crumbled into nothing.
The changeling lingers by the stairs for a moment, steadying her breath and thinking what to do next. So her patron knows of this Lady Vayla. What is she? Is she like him? She turns his words over in her mind, searching for some clue in his tone. Did she hear a hint of respect? Fear, perhaps? She decides to speak. Not with fear nor defiance, as she has done in the past. This time, she tries something else. She mutters under her breath, "You know this Lady Vayla? What is she? Is she like you?" She isn’t sure the Pale Prince will answer. Why would he? What reason does he have to help her? So, she changes tactics, pressing where it might wound his pride, "If she is so powerful, wouldn’t you prefer she wasn’t around? Better not to have competition, isn’t it? Help me. Why grant me your gifts if you expect me to cower at the first sign of danger?"(Persuasion: 24)
She doesn’t really expect a response. Who is she to challenge an Archfey? She's just a common changeling, a changeling in disguise who isn't even bold enough to show her true nature to those around her. What hope does she have against beings like them?
Aisling,
You hear his laughter in your mind, soft and cold as midnight frost. The voice slides through the air like silk woven with shadow.
"Oh, little moth, so eager to fly toward the flame. You press me like a courtier flattering a king, yet you think yourself clever. I know what you want, and because you amuse me, I shall tell you this much."
There is a pause, a sense of something leaning closer.
"She is not like me. Not yet." A sharp chuckle echoes through your mind.
"As for competition. You misunderstand the game. A hunter does not fear the fox, nor does the fox fear the hare. But what of the prey that learns to bite?" His voice fades.
Adventurers, You descend into the lower deck and now stand south of the stairs (in the ship's centre).
This mid-deck has poor light (Lightly Obscured), but you can still make things out via the moonlight diffusing through the top deck's vents.
A hatch on the floor by the aft wall is directly in front of where you stand (which would lead to the ship's hold). The port and starboard sides are lined with barrels, sacks, and crates, and there are scattered ropes and sail parts strewn over some parts of the floor and in some corners, as well as a ballista by the port hatch. There are compartments in the bow and stern of the ship, but due to the darkness, you can't see into either.
Cleo & Joy,
You can see that the bow compartment has more goods, sacks, crates and barrels; the starboard side hosts the ship's anchor. The stern compartment leads into two hallways that lead back.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The young knight simply shakes his head in disbelief as the crew seems to have an utter lack of instinct for self-preservation. "Since you vill not cooperate you leave us vith no choice but to go below."He says sternly, looking between the two. "Stay vhere you are and do not interfere and no more harm will come unto you."The young knight then follows the others below deck, drawing his blade as he walks down the stairs to lighten it up, cautiously moving towards the aft to look for the prisoners. "Let us hope ze prisoners are more talkative ja?" He says quietly to the halfling with a reassuring smile as he passes him. "Curse or no curse, ve vill help zem in any vay ve can."
Cast Light and Guidance Perception: 11 Guidance: 1
Joy looks around the hold, feeling grateful for the darkvision granted by her lineage. "This looks like mostly storage. No sign of those people." She informs the others, her gaze settling on the two hallways at the back. "Nowhere else for them to be than back here." She casts another careful glance around, knowing there is still someone with a crossbow hiding down here as well.
Leif smiles up at Cyriel as the knight passes him below deck. Seeing Cyriel pull his sword from sheath, Leif pulls a dagger from his belt. He walks right over the hatch in the floor without giving it a second thought. He trails close behind the man, hiding behind him (Stealth: 16). Ready to assist in case of ambush.
Aislinggrits her teeth at her patron's response. Riddles and amusement—she should have expected that. But not yet? What did he mean by that? Was Lady Vayla on the path to becoming like him? "What if the caged people are some kind of offering? A way for her to become like him? To gain power?"The thought sends a shiver down her spine, but she pushes it aside, focusing on the more immediate danger.
Leifsaid the person with the crossbow had gone to the stern of the boat. And he had sounded so scared… Could they perhaps calm him? Make him understand that they meant no harm? With this in mind, she speaks—but once again, she uses her magic to project her voice from a different point, closer to the far end of the boat and off to one side. This way, if the crossbowman fires, she hopes it will be in a direction where no one gets hurt.
"We are not here to hurt you. Your companions on the deck above are safe. It was all a misunderstanding. Please, let us speak to you", she calls out gently.
After she speaks, Aislingfidgets with her hair, her fingers twisting around the strand of pale blue that stands out in the otherwise brown hair. She had sounded too gentle, hadn’t she? Perhaps a firmer tone would have been better. She glances at Cyriel as he speaks, his voice calm yet firm, cutting through the tense air with quiet authority. That was the right approach. Trying to match his steadiness, she clears her throat and adds, "That’s right. There’s no need for this to end badly. Let’s talk, face to face—like the civilized people we are."
(Rolling again in case the help works... Nat 20 LOL! Total 26)
Lusiatoo continues with the group down into the lower deck of the ship. She keeps her hands free of any weapons, hoping that it might help persuade anyone that Aisling is trying to speak out to. Though wary, as the others are, she is not fully aware of the crossbowman. Therefore, she is more focused on looking around for any sign of the people being held. (Perception: 19)
After watching the scene below deck unfold, and realizing he can't fit through the open window, Leif returns to the deck and the rest of the group. "Someone is hiding towards the back of the ship. They shot a bolt at the stairs when... well I don't really know what happened. I heard someone walking down the steps but didn't see any of you. Thank goodness for that or you might have caught that bolt in the chest. He's probably reloading. Now's our chance to head down."
Leif looks to the group expectantly waiting for them to head below deck where he will then follow.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
The young knight is increasingly uncertain if he had any just cause for being on the ship at all. They had come here because they thought there were slaves on this ship, the gnome's brother among them, but now it all seemed to be a great misunderstanding. The lack of information provided by the crew didn't help and was also increasingly frustrating.
"I suggest ve vait vith going below..." The young knight says with a firm tone to his companions after a moment of hesitation. "...ve do not vant any more bloodshed if it can be avoided."
He then calmly turns to the crew again. "You say you do not know, but zen tell me vhat you do know. Vhere did you collect ze people in zat cage, and vho delivered zem to you? Zere was a boy zat escaped. If he is a danger to himself or to others I am quite sure Lady Valya vould vant you to cooperate vith us to see him safe again. Perhaps ve can help you to be spared her ire over losing him. I zink you know as vell as I zat she is not one you vant to displease." He says, looking between the two crew members, hoping they would see sense and cooperate in this before things turned even worse.
Aisling jerks back as the bolt flies, embedding itself into the top step. But even as her heart pounds from the sudden danger, it is the crimson moth—along with the Pale Prince’s voice—that unsettles her most. She shakes her hand sharply, as if to fling the creature away, but the gesture is pointless… the moth has already crumbled into nothing.
The changeling lingers by the stairs for a moment, steadying her breath and thinking what to do next. So her patron knows of this Lady Vayla. What is she? Is she like him? She turns his words over in her mind, searching for some clue in his tone. Did she hear a hint of respect? Fear, perhaps? She decides to speak. Not with fear nor defiance, as she has done in the past. This time, she tries something else. She mutters under her breath, "You know this Lady Vayla? What is she? Is she like you?" She isn’t sure the Pale Prince will answer. Why would he? What reason does he have to help her? So, she changes tactics, pressing where it might wound his pride, "If she is so powerful, wouldn’t you prefer she wasn’t around? Better not to have competition, isn’t it? Help me. Why grant me your gifts if you expect me to cower at the first sign of danger?" (Persuasion: 24)
She doesn’t really expect a response. Who is she to challenge an Archfey? She's just a common changeling, a changeling in disguise who isn't even bold enough to show her true nature to those around her. What hope does she have against beings like them?
Lost in these thoughts, she returns to her companions, and answers Leif.
"I sent my invisible companion downstairs, and I also made a noise like someone descending the steps to scare off whoever was there. I guess it worked, because he stormed deeper into the boat. I think it’s safe to go down now. Safe from a crossbow, at least." She hesitates. "But the Lady is near. He warned me." Aisling gasps at the slip and quickly corrects herself. "I-I mean… we should be careful."
When Cyriel speaks, Aisling meets his gaze, doubt flickering in her eyes. What are they going to do if they don’t go below? Leave these poor people behind? Of course, she’s scared, who wouldn’t be? But the thought of turning away, of doing nothing, unsettles her even more. She remains quiet and waits for the knight to continue speaking with the crew. Maybe they’ll say something that makes the choice easier.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
The young halfling looks at the knight with unbelief in his eyes but holds his tongue for now. 'We need to go now.' Leif thinks, but doesn't want to voice out of fear he'll be misunderstood. Leif doesn't want anymore bloodshed either, but how can we possibly consider leaving these poor people shackled and caged. Disappointment furrows Leif's brow as his attention turns to Aisling.
Leif's disappointed look quickly changes to admiration as Aisling describes her arcane talents. 'Invisible companions! Creating sounds from thin air! Amazing!' As Aisling finishes her warning, Leif responds, "We'll be careful. No one can stop us with your powerful magics on our side. Don't worry about that fella's warning..." Leif gestures to the burly bloke, "...he's just trying to scare us away from saving these people." Leif's gaze returns to Cyriel as he says the last few words, but then quickly looks down to avoid eye contact with the knight.
Leif looks to the rest of the group, hoping no one else is thinking about turning back at this point.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
"No, I do not zink his intention is to scare anyone, but he might be scared himself of his client, and vhat he carries below deck." The young knight turns and addresses the halfling. "Vhat if zose people are indeed cursed and are contained to not spread a magical ailment? Ve need to know more before simply setting zem free. At least one of zem, ze last one ve brought up, had no interest in even being saved. At ze time I zought it could be because he would prefer death to slavery but now I am not so sure. You do as you vant halfling but I do not vant us to do something ve might regret." He says with a firm but polite tone.
Joy's eyes widen as her memory is suddenly jogged and she closes her book, looking towards the others. "I think I know what is going on here. I've heard of a 'Lady Vayla', but her surname is Ebonveil. Apparently she traded her birth rite for a pact with an Archfey. Such beings can bend the fates of mortals, similar to what happened to me, though thankfully I made no pact." Her expression turns solemn, faintly sad.
"When a person's soul is 'claimed' in such a way, even Pelor's light has difficulty reaching them...The 'prisoners' as well may be bound by some forgotten pact. They are 'neither entirely in Pelor's light nor lost in darkness. But trapped in between. Not truly damned, but neither are they free.' I...could understand why such a person would feel hopeless." She shakes her head, expression growing determined again.
"Such things are not contagious, so we should be alright. We need to find out why Vayla is gathering these people. To help them, or take advantage of them." The paladin moves to head below, gripping her shield tightly in case of any more bolts.
'He warned me?' Lusia wonders at the words Aisling had said. 'Who could have warned her?' she thinks for a brief moment. But listening to Leif's report and then the information Joy had to offer, she had to agree quick action was needed. "If the Lady is coming, we must move fast. Let's at least set eyes on the prisoners to see what we might learn." She follows after the paladin to head below deck.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue
Aisling smiles lightly at Leif’s praise and holds back a relieved breath when he misinterprets her slip of the tongue, assuming the warning came from the burly man. Noting his glance toward Cyriel, she gathers that the halfling shares her skepticism regarding the knight’s reluctance to go below deck, and she is about to intervene when Joy explains what she has remembered.
"A pact with an archfey...?" The half-elf's eyes widen. "So, is this Lady Vayla like me?", she thinks, but then she shakes her head. No. It wasn't the same. Aisling had been forced into her cursed pact, while that woman had chosen it for herself. Still, Aisling can't deny her curiosity. If only she could learn more about these pacts… if only this meant she could learn how to end hers.
Without another word, she follows Joy and Lusia. The Pale Prince’s warning echoes in her mind, but her desire to know what is going on is stronger.
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
"A magical pact?" Cleo wonders aloud. "Oh gods, if my brother is bound like that...even if it's not my brother down there, we should still try to help these people if we can."
Cleo barely spares a glance for Cyriel as she follows the others toward the hatch that leads into the depths of the ship. She understands his reluctance, and she doesn't want any more bloodshed either, but she has to see if her brother is down there. As she follows Aisling, she remembers what the woman said, that someone had warned her, a he specifically. The gnome wonders what she meant by that. Perhaps she refers to her magical unseen servant as a he.
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
Leif looks up at the armored man as the knight speaks directly to him. His eyes flash with a momentary anger as Cyriel suggest these people might be locked up for a good reason. Which very well may be true, but Leif recalls the beatings he endured when he failed to please his matron. The times he was told it was for his own good that he was a slave and how he should be grateful for the matrons hospitality. However, the young knight's tone and positive nature is at odds with how Leif is feeling. His anger is gone in a heartbeat as he knows the knight wants nothing more than to help these people. Meanwhile, Joy speaks about what she knows. Most of which goes over the young halflings head. He is confused by the talk about Archfey and Pelor and can't make sense of it, but he's too embarrassed admit it.
After the Burly Bloke answers Cyriel's last question, Leif follows the rest of the group below deck, taking solace in the thought they will soon be able to help the people caged below.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Cyriel, the shipmates, are no longer cooperating. ooc: If you wish to interrogate the shipmates more 'persuasively', let me know, and we can go back and run that.
Aisling,
You hear his laughter in your mind, soft and cold as midnight frost. The voice slides through the air like silk woven with shadow.
"Oh, little moth, so eager to fly toward the flame. You press me like a courtier flattering a king, yet you think yourself clever. I know what you want, and because you amuse me, I shall tell you this much."
There is a pause, a sense of something leaning closer.
"She is not like me. Not yet." A sharp chuckle echoes through your mind.
"As for competition. You misunderstand the game. A hunter does not fear the fox, nor does the fox fear the hare. But what of the prey that learns to bite?" His voice fades.
Adventurers,
You descend into the lower deck and now stand south of the stairs (in the ship's centre).
This mid-deck has poor light (Lightly Obscured), but you can still make things out via the moonlight diffusing through the top deck's vents.
A hatch on the floor by the aft wall is directly in front of where you stand (which would lead to the ship's hold). The port and starboard sides are lined with barrels, sacks, and crates, and there are scattered ropes and sail parts strewn over some parts of the floor and in some corners, as well as a ballista by the port hatch. There are compartments in the bow and stern of the ship, but due to the darkness, you can't see into either.
Cleo & Joy,
You can see that the bow compartment has more goods, sacks, crates and barrels; the starboard side hosts the ship's anchor. The stern compartment leads into two hallways that lead back.
The young knight simply shakes his head in disbelief as the crew seems to have an utter lack of instinct for self-preservation. "Since you vill not cooperate you leave us vith no choice but to go below." He says sternly, looking between the two. "Stay vhere you are and do not interfere and no more harm will come unto you." The young knight then follows the others below deck, drawing his blade as he walks down the stairs to lighten it up, cautiously moving towards the aft to look for the prisoners. "Let us hope ze prisoners are more talkative ja?" He says quietly to the halfling with a reassuring smile as he passes him. "Curse or no curse, ve vill help zem in any vay ve can."
Cast Light and Guidance
Perception: 11 Guidance: 1
Joy looks around the hold, feeling grateful for the darkvision granted by her lineage. "This looks like mostly storage. No sign of those people." She informs the others, her gaze settling on the two hallways at the back. "Nowhere else for them to be than back here." She casts another careful glance around, knowing there is still someone with a crossbow hiding down here as well.
Perception: 3
Leif smiles up at Cyriel as the knight passes him below deck. Seeing Cyriel pull his sword from sheath, Leif pulls a dagger from his belt. He walks right over the hatch in the floor without giving it a second thought. He trails close behind the man, hiding behind him (Stealth: 16). Ready to assist in case of ambush.
DM for Tyranny of Dragons and Phandelver and Below, two in-person campaigns that meet weekly on Friday and Saturday nights.
Aisling grits her teeth at her patron's response. Riddles and amusement—she should have expected that. But not yet? What did he mean by that? Was Lady Vayla on the path to becoming like him? "What if the caged people are some kind of offering? A way for her to become like him? To gain power?" The thought sends a shiver down her spine, but she pushes it aside, focusing on the more immediate danger.
Leif said the person with the crossbow had gone to the stern of the boat. And he had sounded so scared… Could they perhaps calm him? Make him understand that they meant no harm? With this in mind, she speaks—but once again, she uses her magic to project her voice from a different point, closer to the far end of the boat and off to one side. This way, if the crossbowman fires, she hopes it will be in a direction where no one gets hurt.
"We are not here to hurt you. Your companions on the deck above are safe. It was all a misunderstanding. Please, let us speak to you", she calls out gently.
(Persuasion: nat 1. Oopsie daisies...)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
"Ve just vant to talk, please do not force us to defend ourselves." The young knight says in a calm but firm voice.
(Help action to Aisling's persuasion attempt :-)
After she speaks, Aisling fidgets with her hair, her fingers twisting around the strand of pale blue that stands out in the otherwise brown hair. She had sounded too gentle, hadn’t she? Perhaps a firmer tone would have been better. She glances at Cyriel as he speaks, his voice calm yet firm, cutting through the tense air with quiet authority. That was the right approach. Trying to match his steadiness, she clears her throat and adds, "That’s right. There’s no need for this to end badly. Let’s talk, face to face—like the civilized people we are."
(Rolling again in case the help works... Nat 20 LOL! Total 26)
Diving deep to the surface ♫ Auriel | Chase | Shenua | Arren | Lyra | Jadzia
Lusia too continues with the group down into the lower deck of the ship. She keeps her hands free of any weapons, hoping that it might help persuade anyone that Aisling is trying to speak out to. Though wary, as the others are, she is not fully aware of the crossbowman. Therefore, she is more focused on looking around for any sign of the people being held. (Perception: 19)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue