Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Dec 19, 2019 20:25:18 GMT -4
Streko looks at the map and frowns. "We get awfully close to Tharkgun Dhak...is that how it's pronounced? What is this place and what can we expect or will we not be so close as to worry about it?"
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Post by Dave B. on Dec 19, 2019 21:46:07 GMT -4
Shorak studies the map. "The desert, huh?' He replies to Sem's comments. "If we are traveling on foot, it will not be very fast going and we better be well stocked on water and other provisions." He looks out at the marshy area surrounding the ship. "I was hoping to spend more time on foot in the jungles. No offense to you Captain Brack." Shorak offers. "But, I find that I've missed these lands more than I thought."
Shorak looks back at where the coffer sits on the deck. "If anyone is interested, that coffer may have some magical qualities to it. It seems that it can only be opened in dim or no light." He looks back to the group and adds. "Maybe, after further examination, we can open it after the sun sets. There may be something useful inside." He smiles and shrugs. "But, then, with luck we've been having lately, there may be something nasty trapped inside it. Let me know if we should check it out later or just leave well enough alone."
No worries on the coffer, Jeff. I knew you'd get to it. I just wanted Shorak to join the conversation and look at the map.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Dec 19, 2019 22:09:15 GMT -4
Belarin says softly to Calirataia, "If we ever get a quiet hour, my lady, I would seek your counsel about a massive tree that I've seen in visions." "How are you doing?" He asks the warlock. Belarin smiles. "Better. Better now." He looks at Histra's sleeping form in the dim light. "But...Adamant, my spirit is shredded - shredded - at the thought of the agony she's endured. Agony that I caused by releasing Alaq." Tears well in his eyes. "I... I need to change my ways."
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Dec 20, 2019 7:58:00 GMT -4
Streko looks at the map and frowns. "We get awfully close to Tharkgun Dhak...is that how it's pronounced? What is this place and what can we expect or will we not be so close as to worry about it?" Sem looks at Streko. "Another old Giant ruin. Like all the great ones, probably picked clean and largely empty except for the odd—" "Ogre," Brack says. "Ogres. So aye, you'll want to sneak by it best you can. You can keep some distance if you're willing to climb the mountains a bit. They're smaller there than in the south." Belarin says softly to Calirataia, "If we ever get a quiet hour, my lady, I would seek your counsel about a massive tree that I've seen in visions." The dryad nods. "Just be well, tend to your lady. There is time yet to endure." She fades away.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Dec 20, 2019 9:18:38 GMT -4
Melethos listens to the discussion among his friends. They seemed to be getting ahead of themselves.
"Let worry about the desert when we get there," he says, his finger tracing the river's path on the map. "For now, I suggest we sail on to our destination. Captain Brack, what threats can we expect in the next day or two? Are there any dangers specific to this region we should prepare for?" He looks behind them. "Except for that cogship, should it appear."
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Dec 20, 2019 12:22:18 GMT -4
"This is Xen'drik, son," Brack says with a tone of humor. "Expect anything. But really, on the river there aren't usually many threats. It's what's on land, watching and hungry, that we'll always want to be on the lookout or. But once we reach the river, we'll move swiftly enough that most predators won't bother. And the ones that would go after something this big....well..." He turns to Kal. "Let's just reach the river first, then we'll talk status quo and defense, aye?"
Then his mouth straightens. "The Cogship. Either it didn't follow or it was kicked out somewhere else. The cave isn't always the same for all."
With that, he opens the sail and the ship begins to pick up speed.
Kurra gets Melethos's attention. "Talk to your friends. Start a list of what you want looking into." She gestures at the javelin he has as an example, then over towards that little gold and black coffer Shorak was studying. "Prioritize it. Then I'll get to each item when I'm good and ready. Think about payment, too. I'm not entirely free." She winks, but he knows she's quite serious, too.
You do recall that all treasures found on this voyage, as far as monetary value, are meant to be split 50/50 with the Dragonfly's crew. That was part of Larest's arrangement.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Dec 20, 2019 14:35:05 GMT -4
Kurra gets Melethos's attention. "Talk to your friends. Start a list of what you want looking into." She gestures at the javelin he has as an example, then over towards that little gold and black coffer Shorak was studying. "Prioritize it. Then I'll get to each item when I'm good and ready. Think about payment, too. I'm not entirely free." She winks, but he knows she's quite serious, too. Melethos nods briskly. "Certainly, my lady. I know we have several items that could be of value." With that, Melethos sets off to speak with each party member.
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
Posts: 4,643
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Post by Dave W. on Dec 20, 2019 15:11:08 GMT -4
Belarin smiles. "Better. Better now." He looks at Histra's sleeping form in the dim light. "But...Adamant, my spirit is shredded - shredded - at the thought of the agony she's endured. Agony that I caused by releasing Alaq." Tears well in his eyes. "I... I need to change my ways." Adamant stares silently for a moment. He moves forward to stand in front of Belarin. He reaches out and gently but firmly lifts the human up and into an embrace and just holds him. After a moment, very quietly… very gently… he whispers, "This is a safe place for tears, I swear I will never speak of it. I only wish I could join you."
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Dec 21, 2019 10:52:51 GMT -4
Belarin weakly accepts the embrace. He cries quietly for a while.
Then, after a few pats on Adamant's massive arm, he says softly, "I'm good...I'm good... I don't want to wake her."
He rubs both hands across his face and says, "You can go back up for a while. I imagine she'll sleep for a couple of hours, at least."
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Dec 21, 2019 13:44:06 GMT -4
Histra sleeps not for a few hours but many. The day stretches on in quiet for all.
Sem ventures down at one point to relay Brack’s declaration to Adamant and Belarin, but it’s obvious he is trying to see how Histra is doing.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Dec 21, 2019 15:18:09 GMT -4
The hours pass, and Melethos writes up a list for Kurra. He finds her on the main deck, speaking with Captain Brack. She looks relatively calm, given what she accomplished with the freeing the lady Histra.
The tiefling approaches, then hesitates.
For a moment, he sees not Kurra speaking with the captain, but Jyoti. His lost love stands taller than Brack, her gently curving horns rising inches above the shifter's shaggy head. Her expression is clouded, almost... angry. She raises her arms. One finger points at Brack, not quite touching his chest. Melethos has seen this gesture. Jyoti used it when he was about to do something impulsive and phenomenally stupid. Brack seems not to notice; his face remains impassive, much like the wood of the ship he captains. Jyoti freezes, then laughs. Melethos knows what will come next--a tongue-lashing unparalleled on any plane. But no. Before the words leave Jyoti's lips, a breeze starts, and she beings to... crumble. Her skin blackens, flakes. They peel off like lost memories, each piece of ash representing a part of who she was; each floating away, never to be recovered. She is soon gone, again, and Kurra stands in her place, and she seems to be looking...
At him. Kurra is staring at him, as if he had, well, grown horns. "Did you do as I asked?" she says, her tone sharp.
"Of course, my lady," he says, holding out a piece of parchment. He knows what is written on the list. First to be examined is Belarin's lantern, then the chest Shorak. Third would be Kal's glass rod. Fourth the potion bottle, and finally the spear, with the words "command word" written next to it. "When you have time."
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Dec 21, 2019 16:18:03 GMT -4
During the long hours of Histra's recovery, Streko makes numerous visits to his charge, ensuring she remains free of any outside influence (such as poison and such). As Captain Brack is fond of implying, nothing is to be taken for certain on this continent. While below, Streko asks if Belarin might cast his Eldritch Sight upon the handfuls of coins he took from the dragon's horde.
"I want to make sure there is nothing in here that may come back to haunt us, literally and figuratively," he tells Belarin. "Also, this is the best time for you to get some sleep, while she is recovering. There will be plenty of talk and action when she awakens and feels better. Which means you will need your energy and your wits about you at that time. Hard to do if you're exhausted. Don't make me give you a sleeping potion, if I can find one around here." He smiles at his friend and pats his shoulder. "And should you need to talk, I promise you I can listen very well, believe it or not, and I am available any time you wish."
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Dec 21, 2019 17:19:02 GMT -4
"No need to drug me, Good Streko," Belarin says with a smile. "I do hope we find some whiskey, though. Let me look at these coins."
_______________
Belarin uses Eldright Sight.
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Jeff
Administrator
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Post by Jeff on Dec 21, 2019 21:28:57 GMT -4
Kurra looks at Melethos's list. "So just basis analysis, eh? Easy enough? No project requests, then? I recall our drow-ish native pestering me about that boomerang of his, and I'm quite sure Thul had something in mind at one point. Maybe do another round of questioning? And also...perhaps a little compensation, aye? This isn't charity, and I know you don't have time to be shopping around the ship or other artificers." Her gruff voice is light.
Meanwhile, Belarin sees no magic about Streko's coins.
Gathered from the dragon's hoard... Streko had collected 100 gp worth of gold and silver, and (he guesses) an assortment of gems worth maybe 200 more; while Shorak had collected 80 gp worth of coins and perhaps 300 gp worth of gems; and Kal had collected 120 gp worth of coins and perhaps 50 go worth o gems.
Inventories now reflect this.
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
Posts: 4,643
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Post by Dave W. on Dec 21, 2019 23:27:29 GMT -4
Moving back in time just a bit Adamant release Belarin from the embrace, “We can talk later. Please be easy on yourself.”
By the time Adamant comes above, the meeting is over. He talks to Brack and congratulates him on getting them this far.
He also looks for Kal. “She will sleep, hopefully a full idling. She has suffered. But there is another issue I want to bring up, something from my experience in the cave. It can wait, there is nothing we could do about it now even if we wanted to. But when you can spare time.”
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Elvis
Thul (Human)
Thul
Posts: 1,139
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Post by Elvis on Dec 21, 2019 23:48:12 GMT -4
"Well." Thul says, "I would be grateful if you could be mend my stormcoat."
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Post by Dave B. on Dec 22, 2019 4:05:41 GMT -4
Shorak walks over to Kurra and offers her the gems he scooped up from the dragon's horde. "I don't know if this will be enough, but I hope it's at least a start." He pulls Melethos aside to add his requests to the list. "We should confirm that the "liquid flame" potions do what Belarin thinks they do and the knife I pulled off the drow wizard's body before it went up in flames." He makes sure Kurra can overhear everything as he adds, "Kurra already has the Sulatar boomerang, which I may want to replace my current boomerang with. So, depending on which boomerang I want to be bonded with, that's the one I would hope to make it so that it will always return to me, if possible. We should also make sure that some of the magical weapons and items go to Kurra and Captain Brack."
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Dec 22, 2019 10:13:09 GMT -4
After going around and asking again, Melethos adds the mending of Thul's storm coat and Shorak's boomerang, knife, and vials to the list.
The items are now, in order: Belarin's lantern; Shorak's boomerang, chest, knife, and vials; Kal's glass rod, Thul's coat repair; and finally the potion bottle and the spear, with the words "command word" written next to it.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Dec 22, 2019 13:45:03 GMT -4
Belarin hands the coins back to Streko. "Mundane wealth," he says. "A term I never expected to say."
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Jeff
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Post by Jeff on Dec 22, 2019 15:40:12 GMT -4
"I'll let you worry about sums and 'portions,'" Kurra says to Melethos. Then she turns to Thul and takes charge of his stormcoat, apparently jumping it to the top of the list. "After the efreet's toys, I'd rather start with something easy. It won't be exactly as you had it, but it'll be in good enough shape."
To Melethos she also says, "As far as the remaining brazier, talk with your friends. I admit, I'm intrigued at the possibilities. I could tamper with it and possibly even deconstruct it for further use...but I'd be just as happy to see it tossed into the water. Think about what you want to do with it."
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Dec 22, 2019 16:55:53 GMT -4
Streko makes his way to Kurra, finding her busy as usual. "If you can find the time to med my robes, I would greatly appreciate it." He hands her the 200gp worth of gems. "I hope this will suffice for the time being. I know we agreed on half, and this is more than half of what I took from the dragon's horde, but your help, the help of this entire crew, is most deserving. I fear I didn't take any weapons to tinker with and I've been told these are non-magical, and therefore safe, as best as can be told. These gems the least I can offer for my friends and all the work you have done. Perhaps, Belarin will offer more for the unique service you did for him and, yes, I will mention that. You and the crew of this marvelous ship have done more to keep us alive than we have ourselves." With that, he smiles, showing that last sentence to be more jest than serious. The smile fades quickly and he bows to her. "You have my thanks and, speaking for the rest of my friends, we are all grateful to each and every one of you. Thank you."
With that, he chooses to go back down and check on Histra once more.
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Jeff
Administrator
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Post by Jeff on Dec 23, 2019 20:02:12 GMT -4
Kurra accepts all of Streko’s offering with a simply nod.
Streko then finds Histra is in a deep and restorative sleep. As long as someone's nearby to keep an eye on her, he think this can only be good. That said, when she wakes she's going to need a good cleaning up.
Kurra, meanwhile, disappears into her shop/cabin for the day while Brack and Calirataia man all things related to navigation and movement.
If anyone else has anything else they wish to do this day, say so soon.
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Post by Dave B. on Dec 23, 2019 22:08:17 GMT -4
After Shorak speaks with Melethos and handing over the gems he found to Kurra, he scurries up to his usual post in the crow's nest.
Ready to move on.
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Brian
Melethos (tiefling)
Melethos
Posts: 5,085
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Post by Brian on Dec 24, 2019 9:20:57 GMT -4
With the list and his items handed over to Kurra, Melethos takes up a position at the stern of the Dragonfly and keeps watch for the cogship.
___________________________________________
Ready to move on.
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Ken
Belarin Malizia
Belarin
Posts: 5,691
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Post by Ken on Dec 24, 2019 9:59:31 GMT -4
Seeing that Histra is resting peacefully (under Adamant's watchful eye), Belarin takes off his bloody armor and garments, cleans himself off a bit, and climbs into the hammock above Histra for a much-needed nap.
__________________
Ready to move on.
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Elvis
Thul (Human)
Thul
Posts: 1,139
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Post by Elvis on Dec 24, 2019 12:33:14 GMT -4
Thul feels a slight twinge of concern as the dwarfwoman walks off with his coat.
Thul finds a spot at the bow and watches the river and shorelines.
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Dec 24, 2019 19:42:03 GMT -4
Ready to continue.
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Dave W.
Adamant (Warforged)
Adamant
Posts: 4,643
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Post by Dave W. on Dec 24, 2019 22:34:09 GMT -4
Adamant does want to talk about his cave experience but really is probably happier to wait a bit... collect his thoughts and all that... ready to move on...
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Jeff
Administrator
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Post by Jeff on Dec 27, 2019 11:26:07 GMT -4
Belarin wakes a while later and finds Histra still sleeping. He is rested enough, but she seems at peace and he is hesitant to wake her for anything. Streko and Adamant make frequent checks upon her. She stirs from time to time, whispering hoarse words that no one can make sense of. There are snippets of arcane words, but nothing coherent enough to work magic. Just as dusk falls, Kurra reemerges with Thul's stormcoat. She calls him over as she holds it out. "I can't fix what's gone, but I can replace." Thul finds that the smaller burns on the leather are "healed" completely, but the few spots that were actually burned through and had formed big holes in the leather have now been strategically bound with either a legitimate patch or a thin band of metal, which gives the long coat a look of being even more military somehow. On the right sleeve, there is even a hinged couter at the elbow that connects a small metal pauldron at the shoulder (that side of the coat had been the worst). Although this creates an asymmetry overall (there is no pauldron on the other side), the artificer has installed a hook at the shoulder to which a bandolier can easily attach. She also holds out a leather harness that can hook to the back where the Hammer of Syndra can be installed. Finally, he notices that one of the patches (near the other shoulder) bears a legitimate Karrnathi Army insignia—an old-fashioned one, too, but in fine condition. He wonders if she has a stash of patches from all the Five Nations somewhere. Given her background as a Lhazaarite, there seems to be some sort of pirating history to this dwarf woman. "It's all that's worth doing," she says. Meanwhile, Shorak in the crow's nest sees a sudden shift in the water ahead: a long skinny stretch of dry-ish land appears on the horizon on the port side; beyond the water is clearer, less lakelike. The main river! Some distance ahead the peninsula thins and stops, but there are some tiny islands in the gap between it and where land begins again. That is the gap through which the Dragonly must pass but the space between the islands isn't much; the Dragonfly might be able to navigate it, but the water there is darker, scummier. (Dave, see private thread for better view.)Brack sees the same thing soon enough with his own spyglass. He clears his throat loudly and calls over to anyone on deck. He nods in the direction of the eastern horizon, though to the naked eye the dusk has now merged land, water, and sky in a murky gloom. "We're in a lagoon, and the open river is close. I can nearly see it. But there's something we need to pass through ahead, a series of small islands. We'll need to be careful, so we're dropping anchor here and we'll tackle it in the morning. Aye?" He looks for agreement, particularly to Kal. "No sense in inviting trouble in the dark." Histra sleeps on for the rest of the day and probably well into the night.
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Joe
Streko Tavven (halfling)
Streko
Posts: 3,518
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Post by Joe on Dec 27, 2019 13:37:16 GMT -4
Just FYI - I will want to change some of Streko's spells if we are getting another night of long rest prior to moving on. Also, hoping Kurra can do something for Streko's HOLEY robes, if possible...
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