Chapter 20: Coming Dawn

[Ken]

"How did it go?" says Belarin to the returning group. "First, where's the food? Thul is ready to eat the mast. Second, any luck with a new dead person for my girlfriend?"

[Jeff]

Apr 21, 2021 12:23:04 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

"Aven. I shall try to remember this name. But I will be part of the landing party, so it will be long before I return to Stormreach." Breach turns to face the returning party members, as well as its own shipmates. 

Apr 21, 2021 13:34:04 GMT -4 Darren said:

With that, he turns and walks over to Brack. "Good morning, Captain. We've brought back quite a feast from the Asperii. Captain Alfinas d'Lyrander sends her regards. We have agreed between us to bring no harm to each other now or in the future. The captain has also suggested that although their current speed will pull them ahead of us rapidly, her return trip will be at a more leisurely pace and she would be happy to sail in company with you for mutual protection." Kal leans in closer. "I know the Dragonfly is more than capable of defending herself, but it couldn't hurt to take her up on the offer."

Brack eyes the other ship, then glances over to the box that Melethos has brought. "Aye, worth considering. Thanks." He walks toward the box as though drawn by his shifter's nose.

Apr 21, 2021 15:24:32 GMT -4 Ken said:

"How did it go?" says Belarin to the returning group. "First, where's the food? Thul is ready to eat the mast. Second, any luck with a new dead person for my girlfriend?"

Even as he says this, Belarin sees Tangat hovering around Melethos and the mystery box, then sees Brack heading towards it to.

As if by magic, Thul appears in his field of vision, having crawled up from the hatch. "Make with the food."

[Dave W.]

Seeing his friends return and Keryon and Breach preparing to head back, Adamant makes a short bow to them, "It was a pleasure to speak with the both of you. May the Host ease your travels."

[Joe]

Streko steps off the soarsled and feels his feet wobble slightly. "Almost nice to get my sea legs back again," he says. He answers Belarin's question regarding a new corpse for Histra. "Once they are done with him, they have promised to send the corpse over, along with some bolts for Shorak. These Cogship people seems to have psionic abilities, mental powers. I suspect their prisoner, Ulad he called himself, will not be so easy to kill and will cause much more pain before the deed is done. He had no fear and fewer answers. He doesn't think much of us and that may be to our advantage. Their mental abilities concern me deeply. We should let everyone on board know to be on the lookout for anything mysterious and unexplainable. Behaviors out of character and such. It may be our only warning should they choose to be more stealthy in future encounters."

[Jeff]

Keryon bows, and Breach says, "Journey safely," and then both excuse themselves and step up onto the soarsleds and start across.

Apr 21, 2021 16:40:32 GMT -4 Joe said:

We should let everyone on board know to be on the lookout for anything mysterious and unexplainable. Behaviors out of character and such. It may be our only warning should they choose to be more stealthy in future encounters."

Sem pipes in. "Anything mysterious and unexplainable, Streko? Have you met the crew and passengers of the Dragonfly?"

But he seems in a good mood. "Starg, get over here! There's just enough food for you. Captain Thul, please leave some. Histra, you too! You need some meat on them bones."

Thul doesn't wait for anyone, and starts removing items from the food box. The smells are still strong, and the food still good, but Kal, Melethos, and Streko can't help but think that much is lost without seeing everything neatly presented and spread out on a table. They realize it's going to be a long time, short of another spell-feast from Streko (which comes with a cost in components), before they see such a comfortable dining experience.

"Tho...thjust wait, then?" Thul asks with his mouth ful, holding up his crystalline fist. "Thatsh it?"

Brack starts stuffing the roasted rabbit and sausages into his mouth, favoring the meats over the vegetables. "Thannnnkx!" he tries to shout to the departing Aseperii crewmen.

Thul seems content to just start with the slices of herbal bread. Above, Shorak sees the box of delight being ransacked, and feels like he's the last buzzard to arrive at the opportunistic kill, but he also finds there's definitely enough for each of them.

Histra sits up as people converge on the food, looking somewhat interested. "Pick something for us both, my love?" she says to Belarin. She stays with her spellbook.

Starg hangs back. Certainly the minotaur is the largest person on the ship, and has the largest stomach, but he doesn't have the body mass of younger minotaurs. Some of you have heard stories about Droaam's minotaurs devouring an entire halfling- or gnome-sized creature in one sitting. It doesn't seem right now, but then you suspect Starg may be the gentlest minotaur in the world. Hard to say.

Huru prepares to go, smiling at the sudden if less elegant feast.

[Darren]

Kal stands for a long moment, watching his friends partake of the feast. He sighs, and turns to look at the departing Huru. He smiles. "This is my family now, I suppose," he says, a contented look on his face. He smiles at Huru again, then returns to his friends. "Indeed, Ulad did something to me. Seemed reflexive. Defensive. I attacked him and he retaliated by assaulting my mind." He sees the worried looks. "No lingering effects, I assure you. And Ulad himself will be dead soon enough. Captain Alfinas has promised to send the body to us, and has gifted us with this soarsled," he gestures behind him. "They are our allies, and we have made an agreement to bring no harm upon each other, nor hamper one another in our respective quests. If anyone has an issue with that, they better speak up now, because otherwise I expect you to abide by the agreement I made."

[Dave B.]

Shorak follows the soarsleds with the spyglass, only lowering it as they arrive on the Dragonfly's deck. He particularly focusses on the box of food Melethos is carrying. At the sight of this Shorak's stomach growls, yet again and his mouth begins to salivate. He steadies himself and does one more sweep of the waters around them. Shorak then releases the spyglass to hang in the crow's nest as he quickly makes his way down to the deck to join the others who have already begun to partake of the food.

Seeing that Starg is hanging back, Shorak calls to him. "Starg, don't be shy now. Come join in the feasting. It will probably be a long time before we get to partake of such variety of morsels again."

He slips in beside Thul and just begins eating along side him and Brack. If possible, Shorak tries a little of everything. His stomach immediately quiets as he swallows the first bite. "Mmm! So good. We won't be eating like this again for some time. Unless...Streko calls up another of those magical feasts of his." He continues eating for a few more minutes, then pauses, only long enough to ask, "Any luck with the bolts?" Seeing Tangat looking at all of them shoveling food into their mouths, Shorak can't help but toss him a piece of sausage. Although, Shorak is sure that Kal fed him well over on the Asperii.

[Joe]

"They will be coming with the remains of the prisoner, Shorak. Whatever they can spare." Streko smiles, empowered by the joy this feast if giving his friends. "Olladra bless us one and all," he says.

[Ken]

Belarin grabs an armful of food and sits down next to Histra, with whom he shares the meal.

Apr 21, 2021 18:10:15 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal stands for a long moment, watching his friends partake of the feast. He sighs, and turns to look at the departing Huru. He smiles. "This is my family now, I suppose," he says, a contented look on his face. He smiles at Huru again, then returns to his friends. "Indeed, Ulad did something to me. Seemed reflexive. Defensive. I attacked him and he retaliated by assaulting my mind." He sees the worried looks. "No lingering effects, I assure you. And Ulad himself will be dead soon enough. Captain Alfinas has promised to send the body to us, and has gifted us with this soarsled," he gestures behind him. "They are our allies, and we have made an agreement to bring no harm upon each other, nor hamper one another in our respective quests. If anyone has an issue with that, they better speak up now, because otherwise I expect you to abide by the agreement I made."

"Innsherreshing," says Belarin, speaking with a mouthful of still-warm bread. "I've heard of mind magic, something that works differently from enchantment spells. As for the Asperii, of course! Despite what our checkered history might show, we're not trying to collect enemies. Allies would be nice."

[Dave W.]

Adamant goes up to the wheel, "Do you want me to take the wheel for a bit so you can eat?" He tells Calirataia, "I promise not to show off my new expertise in front of the Captain," He jokes. "Just straight ahead."

[Brian]

While his friends eat, Melethos moves to the bow of the ship. The day is warm--aren't most of them in the jungle?--and the slight breeze made by the ship's movement refreshes him.

He spots mountains in the distance and remembers Captain Brack's map. They must be closer to their destination than he thought. Soon they will depart the Dragonfly and proceed on foot. The thought brings him a twinge of sorrow. He's come to like Brack, Kurra, and the dryad. Especially the dryad. They risked their lives to save her. You don't do things like that on a whim.

The tiefling settles in. He plans to watch for enemies. Didn't Captain Alfinas say something about the Cogship being ahead of them?

[Jeff]

Soon all the soarsleds but the gifted one are gone.

"No, thank you," Calirataia says to Adamant with a teasing smile. "And I do not need to eat as often as your friends. The ship, my trees, sustain me as well; they draw nourishment from the water and the sun. Which does not mean that I cannot sample from time to time, as you have seen. Anyway, the captain is up now. He will want to take over."

Starg ventures closer at Shorak's bidding and just takes a few items from the food box. He quietly enjoys himself with breads and fruits, mostly. Tangat sticks with Shorak, now that he's had some more morsels.

Brack, mouth full, takes up his spyglass and stands at the bow, staring at the mountains on the southern horizon. "Aye, I knew it." He turns back, his toothy smile wide. "The Hydra's kept us moving, even when we . . . weren't so much. By the end of day, we'll be steering westward. Come." He unfolds his ratty map and sets it down on the deck for anyone who wishes to see. He taps one long-nailed finger. "We're here now. We're only a few days from the end of your journey. Give or take a day, depending on where you wish to land—something we should talk about soon." He shrugs. "Tomorrow. I have some suggestions, but this will be your road."

Sem takes an interest in this. "Yes, we'll want to choose carefully. There are pros and cons."

About ten minutes later, Melethos sees that the Asperii's rowboat starts over, working its way towards the Dragonfly. Both ships have been drifting slowly, to allow this sort of cross-ship exchange. Melethos sees it is Huru in the small vessel, working at the oars, while a dwarf he's never seen sits across from her. A cloth-wrapped body lies between them.

Attachments:

[Dave W.]

Apr 22, 2021 12:27:49 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"No, thank you," Calirataia says to Adamant with a teasing smile. "And I do not need to eat as often as your friends. The ship, my trees, sustain me as well; they draw nourishment from the water and the sun. Which does not mean that I cannot sample from time to time, as you have seen. Anyway, the captain is up now. He will want to take over."

"Well I suppose it is best to indulge him and let him take control of his own ship then." Adamant replies brightly. He stays with her for a while longer. Then, "I must speak to Kura," he tells the dryad.

Adamant goes to find the artificer. "I do not mean to bother, but if you have a moment... I have given it much thought and sought some advice. If it's not too much trouble, will you have a chance to etch a new symbol for me?" He touches the remains of the scarred chest plate.

[Dave B.]

"Oh my, are those egge?" Shorak marvels as he offers the last bit of rabbit he was nibbling on to Tangat, so his hands are free to break off a chunk of bread to scoop up some of the poached eggs. He moans in pleasure when he bites into the bread and egg combination. He makes sure to try a little of everything, but he seems to favor the local fruits. "Mmm! These are definitely worthy of a post Long Shadows breakfast."

Letting loose with a loud burp. Shorak offers Tangat one more morsel and then pats his stomach. "That's it for now, Tangat." Shorak says, giving Tangat a quick scratch behind his ear. "That was quite satisfying and should hold me for a few hours, at least."

[Brian]

Apr 22, 2021 12:27:49 GMT -4 Jeff said:

About ten minutes later, Melethos sees that the Asperii's rowboat starts over, working its way towards the Dragonfly. Both ships have been drifting slowly, to allow this sort of cross-ship exchange. Melethos sees it is Huru in the small vessel, working at the oars, while a dwarf he's never seen sits across from her. A cloth-wrapped body lies between them.

Melethos moves so he can help Huru and the dwarf. As he does so, he gestures to Belarin and Histra to get their attention. "They're delivering Ulad's body."

____________________________________

Jeff, in your last post, Sem was saying something but then it just cut off. Was that intentional?

[Jeff]

Apr 23, 2021 5:52:38 GMT -4 Brian said:

Jeff, in your last post, Sem was saying something but then it just cut off. Was that intentional?

Ugh, I do that all the time. While writing one thing, I think of something else I want to say so before I forget that, I jump over to that other thing, then forget to come back to the thing I was writing before. Anyway, in this case I ended Sem's words above and continued below. Sorry!

---

Apr 22, 2021 14:23:38 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Adamant goes to find the artificer. "I do not mean to bother, but if you have a moment... I have given it much thought and sought some advice. If it's not too much trouble, will you have a chance to etch a new symbol for me?" He touches the remains of the scarred chest plate.

Kurra has been busy about the ship preparing for when the Dragonfly sets full sail (soon now, as soon as the Asperii departs). He finds her in the cargo hold. But she doesn't look bothered by the interruption. It gives her a moment to pause. "There is a list of objects to identify, still. But aye, we can take a look at it. Just a moment..." She disappears into her cabin and then comes back out with a couple of sheets of paper, a metal quill, and a smooth wooden tray to place them on. "Why don't you start sketching some ideas and we'll talk about it...well, later. When there's nothing else going on?"

Apr 23, 2021 5:52:38 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos moves so he can help Huru and the dwarf. As he does so, he gestures to Belarin and Histra to get their attention. "They're delivering Ulad's body."

____________________________________

Jeff, in your last post, Sem was saying something but then it just cut off. Was that intentional?

Brack hears the tiefling but doesn't move at first. He stands and waits to hear anyone's reaction to his map. Sem seems to have a thought. He asks for the captain's spyglass, and then uses it to look to the east for a couple of minutes. He then calls out, "Belarin, come look. I have a question for you."

Kurra comes and methodically begins to help Melethos. She gives Histra a glance—part warning, part acknowledgement—and helps get the wrapped corpse up onto the ship. Histra rises to her feet, seeing the arrival.

At the wheel, Calirataia watches this. To Adamant, looking at her, it's like a dark cloud passing over the sun on the dryad's face, turning a spring morning swiftly into night. The fey clearly does not like the prospect of more undead.

[Ken]

Belarin starts walking toward Melethos to help with the delivery of the corpse, but Sem's question interrupts him. He says to Histra, "I'd like to question him first before you convert the body." He then walks over to the gnome and picks up the offered spyglass. "What's up, Sem?" he says, peering through the lens.

[Darren]

Kal stands before the map, looking between it and Sem and Belarin. "We have several options, and it seems another one with this Green Watcher business thrown in. I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on our next move before making a decision."

[Jeff]

When Belarin holds up the spyglass and looks in the general direction Sem was, he doesn't see anything. But the gnome reaches up, stands on his toes, and redirects it. "Look real close. It's faint." Then Belarin sees a distant, hazy shape to the southeast. Like a far-off pillar rising . . . 

"That's one of the old giants' watchtowers, Belarin," the gnome says. "We're close enough to see one." And indeed, Belarin thinks that the distant shape is about the same width and height of that colossal tree.

Histra asks that the Cogship corpse is brought over to one side, and says she will deal with it during the night so that others need not worry about any "unpleasantries." She then sits near the wrapped-up body, as if keeping an eye on it.

[Ken]

Belarin feels his heart beating wildly. "That ... could be it," he whispers. "Thank you, Sem," he says honestly. "I'll have to get over there somehow."

[Jeff]

"Well, hold on," Sem says. "I wanted to show you because I thought we'd be passing one by at some point and I didn't want you to try to backtrack. I'm just saying that's one of them. There are at least eight. And even this one, the closest, is still pretty far inland. Halfway to another arm of the Hydra." He takes out one of his Xen'drik books, and unfolds the map he keeps inside it, where he previously showed Belarin the placement of the watchtowers. We're going west, not east, towards the desert. Really think about this, Belarin, about what you want and what can wait. Our rivals won't be taking any side treks."

[Brian]

Apr 23, 2021 8:00:41 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Kurra comes and methodically begins to help Melethos. She gives Histra a glance—part warning, part acknowledgement—and helps get the wrapped corpse up onto the ship. Histra rises to her feet, seeing the arrival.

Melethos helps Histra move the Ulad's heavy body. When she indicates they have gone far enough, he nods, drops the man's arms, and joins Kal and Captain Brack.

Hearing Kal speak of the Green Watcher, Melethos says, "If we go there, be prepared to give up the dragon's treasure." He gives Captain Brack a sharp look. "Gold, jewels, and all. From what I hear about dragons, if we keep any part of the treasure, there will be a price to pay."

[Joe]

Streko watches as Melethos carries Ulad's corpse to the side of the ship. He follows. "I wonder if there is a way to avoid the dragon altogether. All of these 'chance' meetings seem inexorably tied together somehow and it is making my head and stomach hurt." He looks down at the body and shakes his head. "I fear Ulad will bring a great deal of pain to us even in death, unless we can somehow manage to avoid the Cogship as well." He looks back up at the Tiefling. "Every league we go deeper into this continent brings greater ill upon us all. And yet, what choice do we have but to keep going, to keep fighting, and to keep praying our luck holds."

[Dave W.]

Apr 23, 2021 8:00:41 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Kurra] "Why don't you start sketching some ideas and we'll talk about it...well, later. When there's nothing else going on?"

"I am no great artist but I will draw up my thoughts." He stows away the paper and quill for now.

When he sees Calirataia's expression, he goes over to her. He touches her arm comfortingly but does not say anything.

[Dave B.]

Shorak squats down to look at the map Captain Brack laid out for them to look at. "I don't like the idea of going over or through the 'Fangs'. Shorak says. "We may want to consider going around them."

Shorak looks towards the body that was brought over from the Asperii, but doesn't comment. He walks over to Huru and asks, "Any luck with those hand crossbow bolts we asked for."

[Jeff]

Apr 24, 2021 0:25:33 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Shorak looks towards the body that was brought over from the Asperii, but doesn't comment. He walks over to Huru and asks, "Any luck with those hand crossbow bolts we asked for."

"Ohh, yes." She leads Shorak to the edge of the ship, where Kurra's rope ladder hangs and by which means the body of Ulad was brought up moments ago. Shorak sees a young but well-dress dwarf sitting in the rowboat. He wears fine clothing but also a breastplate emblazoned with the manticore of House Kundarak. "Vogren?" the half-orc calls down to him.

The dwarf nods, and holds up a bundle of small crossbow bolts. "All we can spare, I'm afraid," he says. "But there's two in this bunch that'll pack a wallop. Courtesy of Cannith." Huru goes down and retrieves them, then climbs up again and hands them to Shorak. Shorak sees that two of them are golden in color. Intriguing.

Apr 23, 2021 13:37:57 GMT -4 Brian said:

Melethos helps Histra move the Ulad's heavy body. 

"Thank you," Histra says to the tiefling when he helps with situating the wrapped body of Ulad. Then, quieter, she says, "Melethos, would you assist me this evening? I will wither the flesh and extract the skeleton, but your presence may assist in the tolerance of your friends. This body will become an unsleeping sentry in the days to come."

Apr 23, 2021 13:37:57 GMT -4 Brian said:

Hearing Kal speak of the Green Watcher, Melethos says, "If we go there, be prepared to give up the dragon's treasure." He gives Captain Brack a sharp look. "Gold, jewels, and all. From what I hear about dragons, if we keep any part of the treasure, there will be a price to pay."

Sem shakes his head. "There's no way anyone here is going to convince us all to go to the Green Watcher's territory. It's even further away." He holds his map for everyone to see. "See this ruin, Bazek Mohl? The region between it and the arms of the Hydra . . . that's the Green Watcher's territory. It couldn't be more out of our way. Let's maybe not worry about delivering a heavy chest of treasure to a surely ungrateful dragon from another ungrateful dragon on behalf of a dead woman?"

Apr 24, 2021 0:25:33 GMT -4 Dave B. said:

Shorak squats down to look at the map Captain Brack laid out for them to look at. "I don't like the idea of going over or through the 'Fangs'. Shorak says. "We may want to consider going around them."

Thul, pulls one finger out of his mouth where he's trying to clear the bread from his teeth. "Obviously, drow."

Sem points at Thul. "Our Karrnathi general-captain-lord-commander is right. Remember?" He briefly recounts the loose plan discussed some days ago...

Dec 19, 2019 12:54:15 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Sem takes over, after a brief shake of his head at what Kal was talking about. "Hold on a moment, Kal. Yes, Larest had suggested a course, and I think we should stick to it. Greater mysteries may lie ahead, but not yet. It was your intel, Captain," he says with a nod to Thul, "that Gerhest would appear somewhere 'within sight of the Iceflow Sea.' But the safest way to get past the Ash Cauldrons and the jungles—according to that giantess—was to make for a spot due west of Mel-Aqat. That's in the great desert, Menechtarun. So Larest's deal with Captain Bracken here was to take us far as he can in the rivers...."

Sem taps on the map. "To take us somewhere around here (where the red line stops), and from there go on foot to that...portal or gate. Which, in turns, brings us right near Gerhest. More portal magic, I guess, but not planar. Not a manifest zone, unless I'm mistaken. I've studied the geography of this land for a long time, and that region of the desert has no such reports. That I've seen."

"No, we're not planning on scaling whole mountain ranges, Shorak. That was never the plan. But we will have to figure out a way through the outflung arms of the Fangs here to get to Mel-Aqat, or go around them." Sem draws his finger across the paper, and an illusionary red line follows, and it cuts through a segment of mountains. "It depends on where we go ashore, certainly. But that's the basic path." He throws a glance toward Huru, who is not part of the conversation and is simply preparing to depart. "It's very possible, very likely, that our Twelve friends have the same basic route. They'll have acquired the same directions Thul got from the cloud giantess over Stormreach. None of you actually met her, right? Just Thul?"

Thul gives a sweeping glance at the rest of you. "Aye."

---

15 hand crossbow bolts have been added to Shorak's inventory. He can see there are two of them that stand out, golden in hue. He'll have to have Kurra identify them. He now has 27 nonmagical bolts, two +1 bolts, and two mystery gold bolts.

Attachments:

[Brian]

Apr 24, 2021 10:38:04 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"Thank you," Histra says to the tiefling when he helps with situating the wrapped body of Ulad. Then, quieter, she says, "Melethos, would you assist me this evening? I will wither the flesh and extract the skeleton, but your presence may assist in the tolerance of your friends. This body will become an unsleeping sentry in the days to come."

Melethos tries not to grimace at Histra's request. "It will be unpleasant work, but yes, I will help you. Just call for me when you are ready."

Apr 24, 2021 10:38:04 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Sem shakes his head. "There's no way anyone here is going to convince us all to go to the Green Watcher's territory. It's even further away." He holds his map for everyone to see. "See this ruin, Bazek Mohl? The region between it and the arms of the Hydra . . . that's the Green Watcher's territory. It couldn't be more out of our way. Let's maybe not worry about delivering a heavy chest of treasure to a surely ungrateful dragon from another ungrateful dragon on behalf of a dead woman?"

Having left Histra, Melethos joins the others at the map. "I couldn't agree more," he says to Sem. "Nor could I have said it better."

Apr 24, 2021 10:38:04 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"No, we're not planning on scaling whole mountain ranges, Shorak. That was never the plan. But we will have to figure out a way through the outflung arms of the Fangs here to get to Mel-Aqat, or go around them." Sem draws his finger across the paper, and an illusionary red line follows, and it cuts through a segment of mountains. "It depends on where we go ashore, certainly. But that's the basic path." He throws a glance toward Huru, who is not part of the conversation and is simply preparing to depart. "It's very possible, very likely, that our Twelve friends have the same basic route. They'll have acquired the same directions Thul got from the cloud giantess over Stormreach. None of you actually met her, right? Just Thul?"

Thul gives a sweeping glance at the rest of you. "Aye."

Melethos points at the map. "We should stay south of Tharkgun Dhak and avoid the ogres, then proceed up the north arm of the Hydra. That area seems best whether we decided to go north around the Fangs or straight west through them."

[Ken]

Belarin resumes looking at the Watchtower as Sem explains the problem of its inconvenient location. "I understand, Sem," he says, handing the spyglass back to the gnome.

"And as for visiting an ungrateful dragon, yes, that would be a colossal 'No' from me as well."

[Dave B.]

Shorak accepts the bundle of tiny bolts. "Thank you, very much." He says to Huru. Looking down at the dwarf in the boat below, Shorak calls "Thanks and what kind of wallop?" He asks.

After the dwarf replies, Shorak thanks them both again and wishes them a safe journey. "Although, I don't doubt that our paths will cross again. Let's hope it'll be to share drink."

Shorak goes back to the others to listen in on the rest of the discussion about the map and the next leg of their own journey.

[Darren]

Kal nods. "Alright. I think Melethos has the right idea. Captain, you know these waters...where is the best place to set us down?"