Kellen

You're ok...just got a little banged up is all. Ship got hit by a pretty big wave from outta nowhere. Kellen once again wonders where it could have come from...it just didn't feel natural to him.

Unless you have other plans, the five survivors, under Rurik's direction, work on the boat through the afternoon. Water is slowly pumped out, the vessel eventually is fully righted. Rurik manages to run some new lines and gets to work on the tiller and helm, almost completely destroyed. He cannot repair it, but he can rig something that will hopefully be able to get you to Seaton. 

Another body is spotted floating in the water – one of the other able sailors. He was badly crushed and probably instantly killed.

You get to know the two survivors a little better. Rurik Redbeard, a burly dwarf, is the ship's bosun, tasked with organizing cargo and crew and leading repair and maintenance efforts. Rurik has a loud, boisterous personality, paired with incredible physical strength. 

Tamra is the ship's quartermaster and, you suspect, a practitioner of magic. (The quartermaster plots the ship’s course, relying on her knowledge of nautical charts and a study of weather and sea conditions.) Tamra is proficient with navigator's tools and well-attuned to weather conditions. She is soft-spoken and somewhat mysterious.

Gerrard:

The young noble helps as best he can, though he focuses on tasks that allow him to stay in the water as much as possible.

Kellen

(Would the mending cantrip help get things working a bit better? Such as the tiller and helm?)

During the day, Kellen gets Tamra alone. I don't think that wave was natural. Did you happen to see it before it hit?

Kei 

Kei lends his hand wherever is needed. He was no shipwright, but was more than able to tie knots or move unsecured gear. When he gets a moment he mentions quietly to each of his companions "I have a theory on what caused that wave. When we reach safety I would run it past you. For now, I don't think we are in any immediate danger" he tries to reassure them.

Kei 

Whenever the time arises that Kellen and Kei are able to join Gerrard in private, Kei shares with them his theory of the recent happenings.

"As you both know my mind was touched by the aboleths. All of Sgothgah, Nhatharaq and Yalathrok had infested my mind at some point. Sgothgah seemed to need me to protect the world from the others, but I fear his motives were not so simple. Nhatharaq and Yalathrok on the other hand, were clearly looking to enslave the kraken, even referring to it as their pet. Once we had freed the kraken, they bid me watch for any sightings and to report to them - it felt as though I were the blood hound in their little hunt" Kei pauses to let the others digest his words. "That brings us to the present. The wave that came from nowhere and for no reason. The weather, that for as long as I've been away from the Styes has been horrendous. The fact that I felt the psychic link that held me under the aboleths control snap, all of this makes me think it's the kraken. We've all heard the stories of kraken being masters of the sea and being powerful beings....what if all this is because of ...it" Kei finally stops and looks, almost childlike, at the others. After a few moments he asks; "Well. What do you think?"

Kellen

Kellen sits down digesting this, and feeling a stab of pity for Kei knowing what it was like to be enslaved. It would make sense...I knew this wasn't anything natural. We'll have to search for it, the source of wherever this wave came from would be a good start. He stands up, and looks at Gerrard with his eyes narrowing. But we've lost even more time now with this, and I don't think you'll be much help to us if your condition worsens further. You've become top priority, my friend.

Gerrard:

”I am ready to fight the kraken once more should it be needed, but yes, my condition is deteriorating quickly.  Let us get to the priests of Procan and hope they can both cure my ills and shed light on the origin of this killer wave,” responds Gerrard, self-consciously concealing his translucent skin with festering blue boils beneath his cloak.

Gerrard manages to spend his time mostly underwater, inspecting and sealing the strained hull, but also recuperating. He can feel the potent healing powers of the ocean, and he can sense the dark depths calling to him. (He may take another Short Rest should he desire to.)

Tamra tells Kellen that she saw nothing – she was resting in her bunk when it hit. She had no premonitions, saw no signs of this. "Perhaps something fell into the sea, or perhaps something was raised out of it. It would have been massive. Or perhaps the sea floor shifted, as it has done, historically. Or perhaps a magical force of unheard-of power is toying with the ocean, and with us."

Tamra and Rurik also confer. "We should try to make Seaton before nightfall," concludes Tamra.

Rurik nods. "We can try."

Gerrard:

Not having had a long rest in quite some time, Gerrard takes advantage of the respite in the water, regaining some strength.

Spend 3 HD during short rest:  18

(You took a Long Rest this morning and are due for your next one tomorrow morning. It's currently late afternoon; the sun is getting low. The weather is calm and sunny.)

"Look," confesses Rurik. "Tamra and I - we're not captains. We work at the pleasure of Madame Thornwell. We were instructed to see you to your destination and any immediate needs you might have. Technically, you're still calling the shots here, until we get to Seaton or whatever port you need to get to. This tiller I rigged is far from ideal. Seaton is the closest port. We have people there who can help us patch up the ship so we can return to the Styes and take it into drydock. But you're Thornwell's guests. Where to? Tamra thinks the weather looks good."

Kellen

Seaton Kellen says firmly, and as fast as your rigged up tiller can get us there. You may not be a captain, but you're all we got right now. Tell us what you need to get us to port.

"Any of you work aboard ship before? Can you handle a line?" asks Rurik. "Tamra and I can't do it ourselves. I can take the helm - or what serves as one at the moment - and Tamra can keep watch and manage at least one line. Can any of you get that ballista working if we need it? I think it may still function."

Kellen

I've been aboard plenty of ships...but most of my work had to do with the cargo Kellen says, grinning. But I can handle a line I'm sure, and I can take a look at the ballistae on the way.

(Not sure what kind of check that would be?)

Gerrard:

”I’ll help where I can—and I have a magic item that can briefly get us a gust of wind at need—but I am more suited to shooting the ballista than repairing it,” responds Gerrard.

Kei 

"Aye. I can work a li..." begins Kei before his voice falls away. "At least I used to. Regardless, whatever it takes to get us to Seaton. Just let me know what you need." He waits to see what task he's allocated. 

Rurik will take the helm and stands in as Captain, even as he defers to meet the needs of the party until your ways part.

Tamra will keep lookout and serve as navigator.

The rest of you are assigned various crew tasks – mostly involving pulling and maintaining the lines. It's an awfully thin, and mostly novice crew (although Kellen seems to know what he's doing) with a chance of serious errors should the going get tougher. The tiller is also makeshift at best, complicating Rurik's job.

Kellen may roll an Investigation check to examine the Ballista.

Nevertheless, the damaged sails are carefully unfurled, and the ship is able to make a weak headway south toward Seaton.

As the afternoon progresses, grim, rocky headlands appear to the east. Seaton is close. To the south-southwest, something else emerges from the thin hazy clouds – a massive, black, featureless dome, evidently several miles southwest of Seaton. To Gerrard, the headlands are very familiar; the black mass is not.

The ship sails slowly south, then southwest, rounding the bleak headlands north of Seaton. The sun is low in the sky; the weather is clear, the seas calm. Nevertheless, Rurik keeps the speed of the vessel intentionally slow so as not to strain the makeshift lines and damaged sails. The stand-in tiller has compromised steering somewhat, and Rurik intends to attempt no sudden maneuvers. The black mass – the size of a small mountain, perhaps, although it's difficult to judge the scale – grows closer.

Then Seaton comes into view, ahead, to your southwest. The city is in ruins. The thick and ancient sea walls are sundered. Fishing boats are seen atop buildings. The fat stone defense towers along the waterfront are completely demolished. A whole section of the old city appears missing. You can see residents actively salvaging, scavenging, digging, rescuing. 

A single warship – Gerrard recognizes it as part of the royal guard, tasked with defending Seaton in war – is cruising just offshore.

"That looks bad," calls Rurik. "What do you want me to do?"

Gerrard:

”Let the royal guard ship approach and just tell them the truth,” says Gerrard, already worried about the appearance of the black dome and now devastated to see his home city in ruins.

”Let us help them recover as best we can.  I will try to fight off the diseases afflicting me while we aid the populace,” he adds, seeing his hopes of a quick cure dashed as the healers must already be taxed beyond reason caring for those hurt in the disaster.

Kei 

Kei stares, dumbfounded, at the destruction as he continues to work the lines. When he hears Gerrard talk of not heading to the healers he barks at him; "You better head to the temple as soon as we make land. You won't be of use to anyone if you spread your affliction. We need you to be at full strength if we're to take on whatever that is" he waves a single hand at the black dome.