Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

"I'll stay," Katernin says, keeping an eye on the parrot. "I'd like to speak to them."

Dain, assuming he wakes up, will escort Fianna and Elbows back to shore.  He could do with some exercise to wake up his tired and sleepy body.

Quote from cbaer8 >>

Quote from Kaemgen >>

 

((Could he just lug around two spellbooks and not have to copy one over into the other?))

(RAW: "Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation. ... The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it."  - So, unfortunately, no, the other spellbook isn't immediately usable, as-is.)

 (Yeah, my thinking is, different wizards might cast the same spell in wildly different ways, and in any case they all use their own style and notation. So to look at someone else's spellbook requires first deciphering wtf they're even writing about, and then deconstructing and reconstructing the magic from basic principles and adapting it to your particular skills and techniques. Kelnan's approach is very mathematical - if he's going to invent a fireball spell, he'll create a spherical field and flood it with magical energy to create heat. Another wizard might conjure and ignite a flammable liquid, or channel energy from the elemental plane of fire. Developing your own spells is time-consuming and difficult, you only get two per level. But you can adapt the work of others to save time. Kelnan would probably get a kick out of reading this guy's Misty Step and seeing how differently he did it.)

Molo will try to hang out near shore, and wait for the last of the team to arrive before following wherever we’re going.

Kelnan will wait on the ship. In the meantime, he'll gather the valuables from the captain and wizard cabins for later sale, and settle in to examine his potions, purse, and scroll.

Fianna, Dain, Molo, and Elbows climb down the rope ladder and into the waiting skiff. The journey looks to be maybe twenty minutes, although there's not much of a shore here - the sea cave beckons under the haunted house, and depending upon the tide there may be a narrow ledge to land upon if the breakers aren't too heavy, or you could aim for the cave itself. But further to the west, where the cliffs are a little more gentle, there appears to be slightly more of a shore. Either way, you'll find yourselves about 4-5 miles away from Saltmarsh.

Katernin and Kelnan remain on board the ship. The potions and scroll will take more study, but a peek inside the leather purse reveals fifty gold pieces.

Oceanus is confused. He asks Katernin and Kelnan, in Elvish:

"No," Katernin shakes her head. "They're not pirates, but their story is not mine to tell."

     Fianna aims the skiff to where Elbow points, this jaunt is just to let her go after all.  Once the little skamp is released and farewells are said (Fianna will tell her where in Saltmarsh to look if she ever wants to find her) the skiff will head back to the ship...

(did anyone else want off? Fianna was just shuttling the girl off but otherwise is standing with the party...)

(Why are we hiding from Saltmarsh instead of heading towards a dock?)

Once Elbows is safely dropped ashore, Dain will pull the rowing boat powerfully through the waves back to the ship.

(We aren't hiding from Saltmarsh, we are just dropping Elbows off so that she can escape the Saltmarsh authorities as she helped us)

Elbows is not a particularly able seaman aboard the little boat – skiff piloting was not among her duties, and she has only been in these waters once before, two months ago. (She remembers some of Sanbalet's goons rowing out to the Sea Ghost to exchange cargo, not the other way around. She assumes they came and left via the sea cave. It was nighttime and the waters were slightly warmer and less rough.) Molo is the most experienced of the lot of you.

The row in is quicker than you expected, with a stiff wind mostly to your back. Elbows is unsure where to land, but your attempt to aim for the cave fails, as you overshoot it in the wind. Things get a little dicey as you approach the rocky cliff face in heavy breakers. The tide is high, and a ledge that runs along the base of the cliff is mostly submerged. It's not a sheer cliff; more of a bleak, weedy, steep tumble that looks climbable. Nevertheless the landing is somewhat dangerous. Somebody aboard roll a DC 16 Dex check; Molo may add +2 for his proficiency with boats.

Elbows Dex check: 10

Fianna, Dain, and Molo (+2) may roll next.

Fianna Dex check: 10

Fianna is little help with the boat...

(But yeah, not hiding. Dropping off pirate kid who helped us, as we’ve a history of letting one person go each encounter..  and not sailing main ship anywhere cause we aren’t sailors and ship is damaged.)

Molo tries to take control of the boat from these amateurs

22 

“Stick with me, and you’ll know a jib from the bilge yet!”

Kelnan chuckles at Oceanus.

"Well, we did board a ship, murder most of the crew, and loot the place. But with license from government, so really it's more of a privateer arrangement. I'd like to see the cloistered old men at Arneson when they hear about this!

I saw you peeking about earlier. Missing anything?"

Molo expertly handles what could have been a very rough landing. Spotting a sandy gap between two slabs of rock, and timing it just right, he helps glide the boat to a fast and smooth landing. At Molo's command, everyone jumps out and pulls the boat up the beach and out of the immediate surf. Elbows gathers her belongings and looks to Fianna awkwardly for permission to depart. The jumbled cliff is wild but climbable, and deserted.

It feels good to stand upon solid ground again. The trip back to the ship, mostly into the wind, will undoubtedly require more time and effort than it took to get here. 

---

Meanwhile, Oceanus nods with a pained look and replies to Kelnan in Elvish:

   Fianna again reminds Elbow how to get in touch with her in Saltmarsh if she ever needs anything, then tells her to skedaddle before the town guards show up.  

Once Elbows has departed safely Dain will make sure that Molo and Fianna are in then will push the boat back into the surf and jump in.  He'll then row like a mad-dwarf back to the ship, into the wind.

Elbows hoists her bag over her shoulder and begins a slow climb up the rocky jumble.

Dain, Molo, and Fianna launch the vessel into the surf, under Molo's direction. It's a little dicey at first, but you soon get away from the cliffs and into less turbulent water. Now it's just the wind and swells to contend with. 

Whomever is behind the oars (two of the three of you): make a STR or CON check (Your choice.) (If it's Molo, add +2 for his proficiency.) This will be to determine your progress into the stiff wind.

Dain is definitely keen to show off his strong muscles and help row into the wind.

Strength check [+3]:  12

However, the skills involved with rowing might mean that it takes a bit more than brute strength...

((Fianna will let Molo row as he’ll get +3 to strength as opposed her +2 Con...))