Chapter 19: Endless Nights

[Jeff]

Sept 30, 2020 21:56:40 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Kurra!" Kal calls down the hatch. "Do you have a way to burn up some of this fog? We need to see what's ahead of us..."

"Like how?!" Kurra's voice issues from the open hatch, her voice sounding annoyed.

The woman's voice is suddenly cut off.

"Damn the Shadow," Brack mutters, and continues his course. Kal sees his knuckles whitening.

The Dragonfly closes on the sunken ship directly ahead. The tip of a mast looks like it's about to slap against the bow, but then it sinks out of view...and there is no impact. The second wreck closes now, but no part of it protrudes from the water.

Sem hurries up to Histra, and even Starg starts over to join them. "Histra...you think this is phantasmal?" Belarin, standing near, feels like he's not necessarily part of the conversation. Like it's a short little meeting of the three mages that Larest had first hired.

Histra turns to look at the gnome, though her eyes are still dark. She is watching through the tauth's eyes, wherever it is, but still speaks to those on this ship. "Yes, and no. Phantasms are illusions."

"But belief in them asserts reality," Starg finishes.

"For the believer, yes," the necromancer continues. "But this is the negative energy of Mabar. What we are seeing is real, but not fully on this plane. These are relics of the past and spirits of the dead ensnared by the Endless Night and not tethered to Dolurrh. They cannot 'move on' to anywhere else. But the coterminous nature of Mabar has set them in our path. If we treat them as real, they will be...for all of us. At least, I think so."

The Dragonfly glides easily above the next sunken ship with no contact.

Brack relaxes as the wheel.

There are sudden sounds issuing from the fog to the south and possibly southwest (you think), and though there are some human voices, it sounds like spell-play. Far enough away that you have to strain to hear it at all. A crackle of lightning, a muted BOOM, and some splashing.

"I see the Cogship...under assault," Histra says with a smile.

[Ken]

"That's something positive, at least," says Belarin. He says to the others on the deck, "If you see or hear something that you think shouldn't belong here, it's probably a phantasm. Treat it as such - unless or until it smacks you in the face." He looks back ahead. "This'll be fun," he adds ruefully. He takes Histra's hand.

[Dave B.]

"So basically, take a defensive stance until we know for sure if they are a true threat." Shorak sums up what he just heard. "Is there some way we can relay this info to the Asperii without the cogship knowing the truth of the situation?" Shorak asks.

[Jeff]

"We don't even know where they bloody are," Brack says, in answer to Shorak's question.

"If I could see them, even from afar," Sem offers, "I could try out my clairvoyance spell. But it summons a fixed sensor, not worth conjuring into a bank of fog."

It's been a few minutes now, and Adamant knows his censuring power has past; the spirits he Turned do not seem to be pursuing.

The distant sounds of battle fade. More ominous sunken shapes surround the Dragonfly, and pass beneath. More flotsam, more bones.

"Cursed fog," Brack says. "I don't know how close to the shore we are now." He says, louder, though there is no visible appearance of the dryad on top deck, "Calira, feel for shallows."

A black shape wings out of the fog from the port side, squawking anxiously. Mischief!

The bird circles around erratically, then lights upon Adamant's shoulder! His talons scrabble for purchase on the smooth pauldron-like metal of Adamant's shoulderpiece. Yet he seems to favor the warforged as a perch to the multitude of easier places around the ship. Mischief bears no scroll this time. But he is not very calm.

"Help!" the raven speaks in his usual tone. "Alarm."

[Brian]

Melethos, looking at Mischief, says, "I think we know how the Asperii fares." He turns his attention to Kal. "What orders?"

[Dave W.]

Oct 2, 2020 7:40:48 GMT -4 Jeff said:

The bird circles around erratically, then lights upon Adamant's shoulder! His talons scrabble for purchase on the smooth pauldron-like metal of Adamant's shoulderpiece. Yet he seems to favor the warforged as a perch to the multitude of easier places around the ship. Mischief bears no scroll this time. But he is not very calm.

"Help!" the raven speaks in his usual tone. "Alarm."

Adamant holds his left forearm to shoulder level, offering the bird what might be a more comfortable perch. In either case he moves to Kal and, still chanting... though softer now, returning to the conversational volume... and looks expectantly at the sorcerer.

[Joe]

Streko comes up to Kal's side. "This is going to sound...well..crazy...but perhaps Histra's flying beast can transport me to the ship and I can assist in some way, or at least give a report courtesy of the rings. We need eyes over there and I am willing to go. I am light enough, I hope, to be able to fly across on that thing, if Histra is amenable."

[Darren]

When Kurra responds to Kal, he shrugs and waves his hand. "I don't know. Some kinda....doo-dad or something? Something with...gears?" He shrugs again.

The appearance of Mischief concerns Kal. His presence upon Adamant, and with no scroll, is even more disconcerting. "Belarin," he says, slowly approaching the raven without touching it, "can you confirm that this is ACTUALLY Mischief?" Kal turns to Histra. "Can your scout locate the Asperii?"

[Brian]

"I have the telepathy ring," Melethos says to Kal. "Belarin can make me invisible and Starg can cast a fly spell on me. I can be the ears and eyes as I fly out to the Asperii."

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I'm not sure what the range is on those rings.

[Ken]

Belarin uses his fey-granted abilities to look at the bird.

"Give me the signal, Melethos," he says to the tiefling after he suggests being made invisible.

__________________________

Eldritch Sight time.

[Jeff]

The raven hops to Adamant's hand.

The tauth is too small to bear Streko's weight, even if it tried to. It is not as large as the glidewings that the Talentans use to fly.

Histra doesn't acknowledge Kal's question directly. But she says, "The fog is making it difficult to discern the cardinal directions. I have already lost sight of the Cogship...but I will keep searching."

Starg approaches Belarin and Melethos. "I do not like the idea of you roving the fog without help. Even with flight, you will be disoriented and you will be alone."

Belarin's fey-sight reveals a faint presence of magic on Mischief; it may be that the bird is a familiar, but even that's not completely clear. It's just as possible that he is simply a normal bird which some kind of spell present upon him.

[Brian]

Oct 3, 2020 10:01:26 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Starg approaches Belarin and Melethos. "I do not like the idea of you roving the fog without help. Even with flight, you will be disoriented and you will be alone."

"I don't like it either," Melethos replies. "But I'm out of ideas. Unless someone has something better in mind, we may have to go for it."

[Ken]

"I don't think we risk abandoning the first non-enemies we've met on this journey," says Belarin. He looks back to Melethos. "We need to try."

[Dave B.]

"i'd be willing to go with Melethos, if 2 fly spells are available." Shorak says earnestly.

[Jeff]

"I'm not for it," Sem says, shaking his head, clearly nervous. "I don't think Larest would have been, either," he says, quieter.

Starg moves to the edge of the ship. "I do not like it. It feels like a lure. But I will consent, if that is Kalarian's command."

I think only Kal and Starg have the Fly spell.

[Dave W.]

Adamant still standing near Kal with the bird on his arm, weaves another original stanza into the chant, trying to give Kal his advice,

“ Enlightenment is a Path
To be travelled alone
No one can walk it for another
But Allies can Light the Path
With their own Experience
Exposing the Dangers in the Road.”

[Joe]

"Kalarian, I can alter one of us into a giant bird to follow Mischief back and report. Should that bird find a way to communicate back to us, I can then terminate the spell and return that individual back to his or her form. From there, it will be up to them to find a way back. Again...this is an option we have.

"Another suggestion...we put a note on Mischief asking if one of them mind my scrying upon them...find out exactly what is happening. Then, if they are close enough, I can teleport to them and provide aid. I could take Kurra or Sem with me to assist. I understand magic is...volatile...now. If there is another way, I am open to it.

"One last thought...I could propel our ship toward them by controlling the water behind us, acting like a brief, magical and non-intelligent elemental might. Their plight seems somewhat urgent, but not so they can't spend the time to send the bird. We should hurry though."

___________________________________________________

Simul-post with Darren!

[Darren]

Kal shakes his head. "Sorry, Melethos. Our concern is this ship, and as much as I want to help new allies, I must consider our own crew first. We'll find another way." Kal turns to the little raven. "Can you carry a message back to your master?"

[Brian]

Melethos simply nods at Kal's decision and awaits his orders.

[Jeff]

"Lost," the raven seems to chirp, but begins to hop around Adamant's metal hand anxiously. "Lost!"

[Ken]

"Based on my tiny knowledge of familiars," says Belarin, "that's not good. We may not have a choice except to continue forward."

[Darren]

"We need as much light as we can generate on this ship," Kal says, looking around for Kurra. "Anything you can light up, do it. We need to turn this ship into a floating lighthouse for the Asperii." He looks to everyone as he says this, signaling everyone to find any source of light they can. "Captain, how wide is the river here? Kurra, do you have flares, or anything else we can use to signal our location?" Kal draws Skyfang and flames light along its edge. "I can send up my own flares, but an alchemical solution might be better than a magical one right now."

[Jeff]

Kurra's head, begoggled, pokes up from the hatch closer to her cabin. "My coldfires are as bright as they can be right now!" she says, annoyed. "I'm trying to keep our hold ghost free. And I'm not a dispeller of vast, all-encompassing fogs! Ask your clerics and wizards." She disappears below again. *

Caliraia, however, emerges from the deck beside Kal. "I can . . . that is, I can try to illuminate the ship. But it is difficult with . . . " She throws a glance at the harpy ghoul.

Brack just shrugs at Kal. "Visibility is the problem, Kal. The reason I'm not ploughing on is the fact that I cannot see the shoreline or the rocks near it."

Sem holds up the Bag of Holing he carries. "We do have some skyfire sticks. But if the Asperii is in peril, will it help them to know where we are. Can they even come toward us?"

---

* Translation: "Damn it, Jim. I'm an artificer, not a divine-powered planetar."

[Brian]

Melethos shakes his head. "Illuminating the ship will do nothing but announce our location. The Asperii, if under attack, cannot simply break off and sail toward us." He looks to Kal. "We need to push forward as best we can. Like you said, our concern is this ship, not other ones. I recommend against making us a brightly lit target."

[Darren]

Kal slams his fist into the railing of the ship. "We can't just abandon them and hope for the best," he says. "We have to at least try. Captain, how difficult would it be for you to sweep the ship from one side of the river to the other?"

[Jeff]

"If that's still east," Brack says, pointing off the port side, "Then not difficult at all, but not fast. I will not knowingly risk a shipwreck of our own, aye? But I can turn our nose that way and start. I've tried to favor the west bank thus far."

[Darren]

"Then do it," Kal says, "but as you say, don't risk the ship. And I still want all the light we can get. The Asperii may not be able to move, but maybe if they see us coming they can call out." Kalarian walks over to Melethos. "I hear you, my friend, but we must try, and this is preferable to you flying about blindly in this fog."

[Jeff]

"Aye." The Dragonfly turns sharply to port and you can feel the vibrations of the wheel quickening.

Calirataia sinks to her knees and falls into druidic concentration. A moment later, the entire ship begins to emanate green-hued faerie fire. It does not last for more than a few seconds, but her continued effort keeps the effect flickering moment to moment. The effect disturbs the ghoul-harpy, but Histra keeps her quiet. The necromancer regains her sight. "I am keeping the tauth searching," she says to Belarin. "Though it may not find its way back soon. I cannot see the Cogship any more."

Sem says, "At least we, and our friends of the Twelve, aren't the only ones accosted."

A minute or two goes by, and then another ship comes to view in the fog off the starboard side, maybe a hundred fifty feet away: half-swallowed in mist, this ship is not sunken, but it may be sinking. It's clearly not the Asperii, nor likely the other wind galleon, given its ship. It's not moving, but there are shapes swirling around on its deck. Something tall looms within the fog, and you can just make out the shouts of battle. The cries roll across the water in eerie ways.

Shorak alone notices a particular shape lying discarded, and not floating, near the bow of the other ship: one of those green soar sleds.

Attachments:

[Brian]

"Shit," Melethos mutters at the sounds of battle. "Man the crossbows! Starg and Thul, you're perfect where you are. I have this one." He indicates the crossbow in front of him. "Kal, take the crossbow opposite me. Don't shoot until we have a clear view of the battle."

[Dave B.]

"There may be one of the Asperii or its sister ship aboard. I can just make out one of their flying discs on that ship's deck." Shorak calls out. He stays at the mast waiting to see how the situation unfolds. He watches and listens, ready to take action, by order or on his own.