Survival: 11

Glasses:

History:  20

Glasses:

Consulting his Gazetteer, which looks considerably thicker than it did a few months ago when they last left the jungle, the Professor says, “Be on your guard.  We are entering dangerous territory.  On the left bank are towns subject to the depredations of undead, specifically ghouls.  On the right bank, we have fierce tribes of Batiri goblins, known for their hit-and-run tactics.  We should be prepared for ambushes from either side of the river, but if I had to choose cover against projectiles, it would be against the goblins.”

Casting a protective spell, Glasses is surrounded by a sheen of mystical energy briefly, which fades to transparency but continues to protect him (Mage Armor).

Hearing the professor Berrus straps on his shield. Loosens his sword in its scabbard and begins pacing the deck. 

History:  22
…

     As they journeyed, Mulligan frequently shot back banters with those on passing ships, some ribald, some risqué and often just quick updates on the weather in the direction each was coming from.  When kids were nearby ashore he would often dish out quick, happy tunes on his flute or yell out short, slightly age inappropriate jokes to the youngsters in order to rule them up.

     In his general roustabouting upon the ship, Mulligan thought perhaps Berry’s seemed a bit…  unhappy?  Mulligan had just met him so it was tough to get a full read on him.  Before they got to the more dangerous leg of their sailing Mulligan would sidle up to the dwarf and inquire after him.  

     “And how are We today?” Mulligan would ask in a friendly, easy manner.  “Late night on the waves got you blue or is there some foul vapors at sea?  Because you, my friend, seem far less chummy and jovial than yesterday…”

     Mulligan wouldn’t push or even seem to be after anything other than friendly conversations.  Mulligans BS skills are well honed.  Still and all, he would be fishing for details of the past relationship  of the dwarf and Shae…  and it’s current status.

     Upon reaching the more dangerous waters, Mulligan would already be playing a dark and moody tune upon his flute, providing the perfect ambience for the Professor’s dire warning.

     “Ghouls on the left of me, Goblins on the right.  Here I am, stuck in the middle with you…”  He’d sing jestfully breaking of the direness.  “Truth about the goblins, they can be quite crafty!”  Mulligan would then entertain all who cared to listen with several stories of the Batiri Goblins and their exploits.  Each would have humorous bits in them but also daring and fierceness by the goblins.  All in all the Batiri would be painted as deadly and guileful…  but those bold and witty enough could always find a way to best them.

     “Good thing I’ve come along, yes?”

Berrus stops his pacing when addressed directly. His eyes narrow as he looks the songsmith up and down.  Jus preparin...my purpose is ta keep you folks alive tha best i ken.

Come morning, Shae would check in with the crew. She'd thank Bertrand for his safe navigation along the shoreline and into the mouth of the River Soshenstar. After spending some time with him to obtain a report of the night's travels, she'd move on to her next task. Breakfast. Bringing her fingers to her mouth, Shae would let out some soft whistles to call upon Mushu. When the familiar would make his appearance, she'd of course feed him a tasty treat. She wanted to know if Feng was awake and if he happened to had the itch to fish. Perhaps there was some fresh catch?

While the others reviewed and discussed the history of the Island, Shae would listen as she moved about, making notes in her book as she went. It's been a while since she's prepared a meal on the ship, but it was always worth a try. Practice makes perfect. Besides, she has many new recipes to try and potentially some hidden gourmet oils, herbs and spices within their stash. The merchants boasted about their good taste. Keeping herself plenty busy, Shae would begin preparing morning meals, doing her best to accommodate crew member's pallets. She'd hum along with any of Mulligan's tunes as she went.

Once complete, Shae would distribute breakfast throughout the ship to the crew. If it was something she was proud of, she'd sneak extra helpings for Feng, Reng, Snively, Berrus and Mulligan before helping herself to her own and taking an extra special plate to the Captain. She could eat while she worked, desiring to tackle the next item on her list. "May I have some of your time this morning Captain?"

Bent over the drafting table, Shae would pour over their maps and routes, hopefully with the Captain's input. Her cartographer tools were strewn along the surface with a partially picked at breakfast plate and her notebook nearby. She wanted to review their route again as she completed updates. Not only to familiarize herself with it some more, but to also take into consideration the new information coming in, in case any adjustments needed to be made or they needed some contingency plans. The Professor and Mulligan were providing great background information and suggestions, and the others may have other input worth considering.

Another whistle. Another treat. "Mushu, can you check if Feng anything to report from the nest?" The woman would lean in to press her forehead against Mushu's to share her confidence in him for guidance.

Shae would then look around expectantly for Reng. "Hmm..." Blue eyes search for the mysterious silent woman warrior who was excited to be back on a ship. She was experienced and had been eager to work. "Reng O'Malley?" Shae was hoping to consult with her as well. Should she finally spot her, she'd reach out and crook a finger to call her over. "Penny for your thoughts?" She'd slightly pull away from the table to invite her in to the conversation.

Glasses:

The Professor calls out to Whiff mentally with the same warning, moving from the wonder and light-heartedness yesterday to a more watchful state.  

“Be careful today as you fly about, Whiff.  Feel free to look around for possible ambush sites ahead of us as we go, but stay up high and keep to the clouds if you can.  If you see something, let me know,” relates the Professor.

Snively adds, “Come here a moment if you will, and I will weave some protective magics about you as well.”

Assuming Whiff does so, Glasses casts Mage Armor on him (an offer he makes to Mushu as well if that would benefit him).

Thanking Shae for the breakfast, Snively listens in closely to Reng’s response, also keen to get to know their new companion better.

Shae's meal is a delicious treat for all aboard the Hope and everyone eats a hearty portion. Heading over to the Captain, Thessalandra is happy to discuss the route ahead: "We should be able to follow the river most of the way to Camp righteous, but that'll be about a day's worth of travel through more dangerous territory. Up here, where the river is almost a quarter of a mile wide, we should still be safe on the water, but the further inland and upriver we come, the more careful we need to be. The river's marked as this one continuous stream on your maps, but in fact that's just based on the river bed. The actual course of the water depends on the rain, any blockages or similar obstacles. An unlucky sandbank could beach the ship, or parts of the river further down might be dammed up and delay us further. Now, the undead to our left shouldn't pose much of a threat by themselves, but we need to be careful if we ever make landfall. I'm more afraid of the goblins to our right. They are crafty, and while they can melt back into the forest after any attacks, while we remain on the water. "

Shae spends about an hour pouring over the maps with the captain, comparing river charts and notes from previous expeditions that were provided by Kwayothé, and relaying the results back to Bertrand at the helm, making sure to check with the lookout to confirm. With her own expertise from the first expedition and the careful study of the map, Shae manages to guide the ship into the faster currents and you manage to travel almost ten miles farther than the Captain would have expected normally.

The sun is already setting, when you hear Cliff call out: "I see something on the right bank- might be goblins!"

You all ready yourselves, and sure enough, you see almost a dozen goblins lined up along the shoreline. However, as you scan the surroundings, something seems off about them, and they seem to hover in place- until you get closer and you can see that all twelve of them have been impaled on sharp sticks and doused in some kind of tar or alcohol to avoid them being gnawed on by the many animals so as to better serve a warning.

Looking out over at the lined up bodies, Thessalandra looks at each of you: "Looks like we got someone here fiercely protective of their territory and not afraid of the batiri. Might be safest if we anchor here, in the middle of the stream, for the night and sail on in daylight. Alternatively, we could all sail on and try to cross this stretch as quickly as possible. We have some lanterns we can string up and I believe the more magically inclined among you might be able to provide us all with enough light to remain effective even in the night. Our lookout will be next to useless beyond a hundred feet or so though... What do you think, should we sail on and risk a night attack and being tired in more dangerous territory on the following day, or do we want to move forward slower and
double up on guards tonight?"

OOC: Mage Armour on the familiars works for me.

     “Well I wouldn’t presume to tell the captain how to run their ship but my first thought is standing in one spot unnecessarily just asks for trouble, no?” Mulligan would more or less think aloud.  “Truth be told, I’d be curious to get a closer look at our staked up friends, could make an interesting detail in a story or song.”

     “Perhaps I’m part cat and curiosity knows their role, but I also can’t help but wonder if such warning are set up on all borders or just along the river?”

     “And just how crafty are the Batiri?  Could they be using their own dead of other causes as a way to scare off intruders…”  The story was already writing itself in Mulligan’s head.

     “I’ll let smarter than I decide.  If we are waiting here for any time I’d love to sneak ashore and investigate a bit.  Who knows, could be there is someone to bribe for safe passage…  But we can’t let my curiosity decide.  I can just as well make up the facts later.  The stories tend to be more exciting and dramatic that way anyway…”

Doublin up may nae be a bad idea cap'n Berrus answers.  ill take tha last un.

As evening progresses he goes to the stern and slowly goes through various sword forms almost methodically shifting from one form to another as if re-familiarizing himself with the weapon.   

Glasses:

”Indeed, let us spend the night on the water far from the banks,” agrees the Professor.  Calling over Whiff he asks, “Can you keep watch for us tonight?  You have special capabilities and can dwell both above and below the water’s surface, giving us warning if an attack is immanent.”

OOC:  The Professor assumes that a steam mephit is at home both above and below water, and as an elemental it may not sleep.

Shae once again listened to everyone's input. Blue hues bounced from member to member as she considered all their options, as well as known skills. Eventually, the purple haired woman would turn to the sky as she often did. She'd chew on the inside of her lip as she did in deep thought and pace the ship. Reviewing her surroundings and hoping for Fang's input, she wanted to check the weather (rain could turn either plan upside down), as well as consider what could be lurking in the water below them. And thinking about how they were urged to begin their journey, what would the consequences of waiting another day be?

"I'm not completely opposed to pushing ahead..." Shae would quietly speak up to prompt potential discussion, or just talk herself through her own thoughts out loud, "Perhaps not for curiosities sake," She'd gesture to Mulligan and his points before explaining her own, "But if our delay puts lives at risk, I'd also like to consider how much of a sitting duck ripe to pluck we may be here. We have a lot of supplies." She'd remind. After a pause, she'd add "We have traversed on a raft with sharks, navigated Hope through a storm and even negotiated safe sea passage for her with the guardian..." Glancing down to her feet, Shae would shrug before looking back up. "It's worth the thought." Weighing of their options.

     While discussing, Mulligan would be all be hanging over the rail checking out the goblin's staked up as warning, if that's what they indeed are.  He'd be examine them, the ground around them, the treeline, whatever he could from his current vantage point.  It occurred to him that such a horrific scene could do more than just scare off strangers - It could trick ships into waiting, perhaps setting them up to be boarded while still.  (Checking for excess footprints or the like on the shore, perhaps planks used for boarding, or ropes to throw and slow or stop a boat that tried to get underway.). It also occurred that they could mark a spot used for transfer of goods - If there be smuggling going on, scary corpses is a good way to scare off those not involved.  (Still checking for footprints, perhaps any signs of Thieves Cant or markings indicating anything?).  All the while he would, of course, also be checking for movement and such...

Investigation or Perception: 17

     "Someone should be keeping an eye aft!  Or port?  The other side of the boat.  The other shore," Mulligan would call out, to nobody in particular.  "Crafty would be to get everyone on the boat looking at this side for danger and slinking aboard from the other..."

     After Mulligan has seen what he can see from the boat, and if no decision has been made yet, he will reluctantly lend his voice to pushing forward through the night.  "I can't help but think whatever dangers may present themselves, being at a standstill when they present themselves would only aid them.  If our smaller friends are able to scout ahead and look for obstacles in the river, that would be beneficial..." 

Survival/history check for post #2974 10 ((+5 and 4 respectively)adv if allowed 5)

Fang comes down from the crows nest for a spot of breakfast. He’s grown gradually more accustomed to cooked food during his time with this group of soft skins. And whatever Shae made smelled particularly good this morning.

(If it improves Mushu’s ac and glasses is fine with the expended spell slot I would like that)

Once done with breakfast Fang is quite content to leave Mushu to his own devices. Probably getting up to mischief and trying to scare various crew members. Fang also spends the majority of his time during the day in the crows nest, keeping an eye as best he can on both banks.

As the ship sets off, Reng falls so deeply into the rhythms of a sailing ship that the party nearly forgets she was there. You might, in fact, imagine an entire deeply-written narrative about how and what exactly she does in the rigging, with the lines, working easily with the crew, but no, there's no narrative. It happened so smoothly that it's like the narrative was never written.

You can see, when you look at her, that Reng is obviously happy aboard a ship. Deeply comfortable. She keeps looking over her shoulder for someone, something, guarded -- but the threat never materializes. Later, she is about to re-run some of the lines to organize them a bit more, but she stops and steps out of the way as Shae arrives with her buckets. She steps out of sight (Stealth: 12) and observes this woman, who has obviously enraptured the entire party by virtue of her singular existence, goes about swabbing the deck. Turning stumbles into dancing. More than dancing. Training? Reng feels a powerful urge to keep her safe. The world needed more wonder, even if there was little room for it in the brutal parts of the jungle she knew. And then she departs in a blink, after trying to comfort the sullen, sad Berrus. Reng frowns, even more confused than before.

Later, she eagerly, if a bit awkwardly, answers Shae's crooked finger with some help looking over the maps.

Survival: 19

"I spent most of my time out at sea, but I've been up this river a few times, hiding." She tries to help point out safe paths but Shae's instincts were spot-on.

When they come across the goblins staked on the shore, she says, "it would be better to risk a collision at night than to wait here. I don't like the feel of this place."

She sets up on the bow, readying an eldritch blast for any threats she sees.

"Alright, in that case it's settled- we'll sail on ahead, but we keep double watches."

Mulligan, as the logistics of your nightly foray are being sorted out, you try to make out as much detail as you can. As far as you can tell, you can't make out any hidden boarding equipment near the staked corpses, only some colourful feathers and bits of rotted rope but you see plenty of tracks in the ground around the "warnings". The tracks throw you somewhat though, since they don't look like any humanoid or animal you've ever seen, in fact, you can only make out three or four toes, widely spread.

With each of you making your preparations, arcane and otherwise, the Captain speaks up again:
"There's eleven of us and four two-hour shifts to cover. I'll let you decide who doubles up with whom, my boys are here to help out. Bertrand, Cliff, Reng and I can steer the ship, though with a good lookout out front, it shouldn't be too difficult even for someone untrained."

She looks primarily at the Professor, still thinking of him as the leader of the group.

     If he has time before the ship passes, Mulligan would point out the odd tracks to the others. Particularly Reng and Fang.  If the ship moves on too quickly he’d instead sketch them out and use that to demonstrate their appearance.  “Make anything of tracks like that?” He’d ask.  “I’m far too much a city dweller to know but thought perhaps you might recognize ‘em.”

     “Think maybe the corpses were being used to ward off some kind of animal predator?  Or… maybe to lure them in?”

     Mulligan would idly watch instructions on how to steer but certainly wouldn’t be volunteering.  “I probably have the worst night vision of any aboard,” he’d explain.  He would offer to take a second overnight watch though.  “Always been a bit of a night owl.  That’s when the taverns and pubs are the most active and all…  Sleeping til midday or later is no problem for me.”

With the mention of tracks, Shae would take a peek for herself, mostly to make note of it but she did have some curiosities rolling through her mind. She’d be willing to offer any guidance to Reng, Fang or the Professor during their analysis, should they like.

While the group gathered for discussion on shifts and watch, Shae would share something new with the crew. Since they’ve been away, and found herself alone awhile, she had spent a lot of that time in self reflection. Having communed on a deeper level within herself and gained a new level of understanding, Shae grew not only into herself, but also into the magic that fuels her, gaining an affinity with night. “I need not sleep, nor light. I see comfortably at night.” She’d speak softly with a reassuring smile. “I can take back to back shifts throughout the darkness to make up for those who need their beauty rest.”

‘Night Affinity’

Shae Commission

Berrus stares in wonder at that pronouncement but says nothing