Wardens of Wildemount ((IC))

[desperado1089]

Jon listened to the conversation between Ulrich and Priscilla with a small pang of jealousy. Yes, he was currently more or less Diva'ss' lover, but he had trouble ignoring how attractive and vivacious the halfling was. "Jaena? You still with us?," he asked, his voice raised slightly but devoid of impatience in that way only Paladins, Clerics, clergy and, well, saints could pull off. Getting her attention but not being upset or irritated that he didn't have it already.

 

[Shadowlace]

"Oh trust me, I have seen my mom have clients of such... phallic prominence. She got the job done" Priscilla chuckled as she pulls out a nice but weathered flask with a local prominent noble house.

" Its fine, I am not as experienced as my mom and aunties," Priscillia pauses as she looks up at Ulrich and smiles a big wide grin as she salutes. She then takes a swig before she continues.", Though mom and the aunties are professionals so, My limited experience probably couldn't handle it."

She slaps the bigger man's butt and giggles. " However I never Said anything other then just being naked. Nothing more, nothing less. It's you and your Log Spiltter that finds my tiny taught frame to irresistible for ya"

With that she heads over to the others chewing at the beef jerky and listening in on Jon, Jaena and the rests conversation. " So what's with all this talk about, does it involve one of the three Fs? Or is it more money and mysteries? " She says her feet and movements quiet like a mouse as the halfling woman looks an assessing the others still, sizing up thier frames and possible places were they kept valuables

 

[Veroe]

IC: Jaena Pharstreider

"Alright Jon," Jaena said, "Tell me what that symbol means, and why in the hells would it endanger your life when we reach Darktow?"

"The symbol is of my old Order, whose leader became so obsessed with the so-called freedom of the open seas, that she became a pirate and renounced the Sea Gods," Jon replied with a sad sigh, "Her base of operations is Darktow Island." He picked at the flaxen material of his tabard. "I wear it to remind myself of how I still remain true to the ideals that my ex so easily renounced."

Jaena saw ghosts in his eyes as he scanned the lot of them, the busy crewmen of the Silverpike, Diva'ss beside him. "She came for them, you know."

"Who," She asked, curiosity piqued.

"The pirates that marooned me." He explained, "She killed them all...and then soon after she became one of them."

Jaena sat there feeling for him, and the regrets and sadness in his eyes. It made her start thinking of Aaliyah and her own regrets and sadness.

Jon tried to distract himself by asking a passing one of the pirates, the Tabaxi-Eyes-she thought it was-for some task to help them operating the vessel.

Beside him Ulrich retired from the dice game and ask, "So. where the fuck are we going, and why?"

That made Jaena turn her head to regard the large man. He had a cute beard she idly thought of how fun it'd be to pull on it. "Am I the only person in this group with actual business on Darktow?" She looked around the lot of the others and saw that it was true, "Well...fuck! You guys picked the wrong place for the winds to take you. There's nothing there for tourists outside a few taverns with overpriced ale and some brothels to drain your coins within. Maybe a few games of chance with worse cheaters than shortstuff there."

he turns a bit to face into the breeze, inhaling the clean scent of the salt air rather than the stink of unwashed humanity on the boat "and who's the leader of this rag tag little bunch eh? who's sending us where and all that."

She shrugged, "Leader? Are we even a team? I'm going there because I have crucial business on Darktow...the rest of you just seem to be coming along for the shits and giggles."

Ulrich began to banter with Priscilla and Jaena got up gathering her satchel to look out across the waves to the setting sun to the west. She was alone in her thoughts. This was usually how she liked to operate. However, she found her thoughts straying back to the others. After Aaliyah she had promised herself only fun times with people...nothing deeper than that.

She missed her so much. She missed waking up in the morning with Aaliyah still asleep. She missed just laying there watching her as she slowly awakened. She missed the those gloriously beautiful days they stayed in bed and spent their time just loving eachoth-

She jumped when Jon asked, "Jaena? You still with us?,"

"What," She blinked turning to him, "I'm here...I was just thinking of someone, but she's not in the picture anymore...so..."

Priscilla came over chewing on some of the jerkey she'd pickpocketed "So what's with all this talk about, does it involve one of the three Fs? Or is it more money and mysteries?"

"For me, shortstuff," She said thankful for the diversion of topic, "Definitely pursuing a mystery. The rest of you guys...." She shrugged, "There's plenty of the three F's to be had for you. In fact from what I've heard there's little else on Darktow than taverns, brothels, and gambling halls. Just the place for ne'er-do-wells with coins burning holes in their purses."

"Unless, of course," She said looking at them all, "You guys wanna waste your time seeking out a dead guy's tomb somewhere on that rock with me?"

 

[desperado1089]

Jon was the first to speak. "I knew there was a reason I came to the Silverpike from the moment the first winds conjured by that creature stirred. If your goal is knowledge, then mine is to ensure you acquire it safely." He thumped his chest and the symbol on his tabard. "Did you really mistake me for a ne'er do well? I had hoped you would be more perceptive, being a Ranger and all." His expression became unreadable. "And if the opportunity presents itself to right a past wrong, well, the winds of Fate seem to be blowing strong around us all today, do they not? Perhaps it will remain so."

 

[justspitballing]

Diva'ss was taken out of her thoughts by the talk of tombs and reasons to be in Darktow. She walked over to the rest of the group.

"I've never been the biggest fan of drinks and I've never been one to see the sites. I'm going to Darktow because it is a crime filled place that needs its wrongs righted. Seeing a dead man's tomb, well, that's not why I'm here, but,... but I think it is clear we need to work as one. If that air serpent attacks again we must all work as one so I do feel we must stay together. So yes, I will help you in checking out this tomb Jaena. Chances are my quest for justice can be satisfied along the way as I'm sure there will be pirates there to face," Diva'ss said.

She tried to sound a lot more braver then she felt right now, but as she talked she found new strength in her words. This group of heroes around her had a way of giving her a feeling of might that she didn't fully have before.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulrich keeps himself somewhat perched on the barrrel. He shifts his bulk forward a bit, crossing his arms over his chest "So it would seem, lass, that the answers to my questions are 'you' and 'some mouldering old tomb' and that's a perfectly acceptable set of answers." he shrugs "I go where the god blows me. The lord of storms tests my faith by testing my prowess. If there's danger to be faced in your tomb then he blew me there to face it." he runs his hand along his magnificent beard, "and if there's coin to be had and flesh to slake my desires on on the way, so much the better. As for great wrongs...I'm not so sure the folk of Darktow have offended Erathis. The first of the ladies three laws is to embrace community... and they have one. The first law of Darktow is that any man what double crosses another there faces the plank. The second law of Erathis is to push back the wilds. There's a settlement there. The third law is to embrace the spirit of invention. I admit to being no real scholar of the lady and so perhaps they've failed in that regard but it seems that might be righted by building a windmill or some such. I admit i became a warrior to avoid exactly that sort of labor."

 

[Shadowlace]

"Well, you paid for my fee, so I am in your employ Janea." Priscilla says as she grins. The Halfling had made herself comfortable and stood in between them all, just shy of waist-high as she took a drink from her flask and then drank a bit more from her pilfered flask.

"But the thought of delving into an ancient tomb and unraveling its possible mystical secrets and you know all the treasure and arcane toys to boot! Sign me up, I mean in the end, I could rub my discoveries in the Assembly's face, especially dumb ol' Lousy will have to acknowledge my genius. Maybe even come to terms with..." She paused as she then blushed shook out the comfort and comradery that she forgot her rule about getting too chummy.

"Besides I doubt any of you could get past any traps or triggers down there. It also helps that Getting past traps and recovery and identification is my specialtys'" Priscilla stops herself from a potential sip as she then giggles." Well one of many, but I am not yet liquored up enough for ya all to know what my Mom and Aunties taught me"

 

[justspitballing]

Ulrich words cut deep. They were at first glance a fully valid interpretation of Erathis commandments. But no, they could not be correct. The pirates there were still law breakers and their settlements were likely far from civilized. Ulrich would have to see that when they got there. He just would have to.

"Erathis has asked me to go to Darktow, I do not question like you do, I just do," Diva'ss said simply.

She felt about setting this storm worshiper more straight, but he was only trying to help and as the first law of Erathis stated, the wants of the many were more important then her own. She needed his help, that and he was pretty attractive, but that was besides the point.

She sighed and held her words, but she would be quick to say I told you so the moment they would have to deal with some bandits.

 

[desperado1089]

During the conversation, and particularly during Diva'ss' piece, Jon walked over and stood beside her, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder, a subtle warmth flowing from his hand as he sought to fortify her both physically and emotionally.

 

[haremfaery]

Finn shared his wineskin that was filled with very fine whiskey. By now during the dicing, Priscilla and Ulrich may have noticed that the wineskin always seemed full.

He didn't mind losing to the halfling. She amused him. And he had ample ways to make it back.

"No jealous husbands this time, little one. But I've affinity for the sea, though I've never been a sailor. When I saw the Tempest, I knew I had to help fight it. Seems Fate lead me here." He shrugged. "It's difficult to tell tales of my adventures if all I do is stay in one place."

For a bard, Finn was surprisingly inclined to listen more than he spoke. Those who only listened to their own voices learned little. He had always been a scholar at heart.

"What do you hope to find in the dead man's tomb?" Finn himself hoped for adventure and more stories to tell.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Jaena Pharstreider

"I-" Jaena paused and looked at all the other, these total strangers to her, as they each and every one agreed to go with her to seek out the secrets of the ancient Madori Horizon Walkers. She wasn't prepared by the rush of emotion this caused in her. Before she always had to weedle and explain and explain why her single-minded research into them was important, but these people had volunteered to help her right off. "-Thank you. Thank you all."

Now that everyone was on board she reached in and pulled out Lepenne's memoir from her satchel. "This is the thirteenth and last volume of Marquel Lepenne. He like Finn was an adventuring bard but he lived during the Calamity and the war of the gods. One of the few accounts scholars have of that era that have survived all these centuries since. In it is his adventures in the lost city of Shara Balamb, capitol of the ancient Madori people. According to it they were laid seige by fiends from the nine hells and he helped lead several of the civilians out of the city before it was lost to the winds of history.

"Here, take a look at it." She handed the memoir to Finn to pass around to the others, "Be careful with it though...it's old and probably the only copy in all of Exandria."

Then she went on explaining, "Lepenne married one of those Madori refugees and settled down to have a family out here on an isolated island in the Lucidian ocean. That island is Darktow long before the pirates took it over or the Clovis Concord. When we land I hope to talk to his descendants to learn where on the island this tomb is and then try to explore it."

One handed back Lepenne's memoir, "I found hidden codes in these pages that has taught me a few of the powers of the ancient Madori Horizon Walkers, but as a whole I'm at a dead end. I have no idea where Shara Balamb is or what happened to it or any closer to cracking the more complicated codes in the memoir. So Lepenne's tomb is my only lead. That's what I hope to find there guys."

"Are you still certain you want to help me," She asked them.

 

[desperado1089]

Jon was, once again, the first to speak up. "Absolutely, Jaena. A challenge such as this is not one to be borne alone. Besides, tombs sometimes have undead lurking within, and for that, a Paladin is particularly useful." He smiled proudly, a natural enthusiasm radiating from him. It had been said before that he is a natural leader on both sea and land, but it remained to be seen if that would translate to reality in this case. Many of this band of six disparate souls were fierce and independent, or the latter at the very least. This did not matter to him; if they sought his guidance, he would offer it. If they did not, he would not force it upon them.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulrich nods and looks out over the water, safe from the thieving hands of the tiny halfling, he retrieves another piece of jerky from his bag and chews thoughtfully. He shifts his bulk a bit again "Aye, seems a good enough task. If it helps ye so much the better. It beats sitting around" he scansthe horizon "i'm thinking though, on the way to your island there's another called Bwualli. It's a powerful seat of Kord and a place of pilgramage. It's also an island riddled with sea caves and remote spots where reavers and pirates stow their ill gotten gains" he brushes the tangle of his thick black hair back from his face as the wind whips it up a bit and turns to the group "While I'm praying, you might entertain yourselves a bit exploring. There's treasure thick on that island. Can't swing a dead cat without hitting someone's trove, or so they say"

 

[Shadowlace]

"So Delving into ancient Calamity based Society that settled on Darktow," Priscilla says as she hops up trying to read from the book. After a while of not getting it, she pulls out one of her daggers and begins to clean under her nails.

"If you want we can copy the information from that book to another. That way it will be able to continue on should the book ever be destroyed."Priscilla says as she looks at those gathered and shrugged. The mystery sounded fun but she was once again literally overlooked. Oh well, it was the burden of being born a small Halfling.

"I will help with traps and magic should we come across, which I assume is a definite yes, From the stuff I read at the Assembly the closer a place is connected to the Calamity the more dangerous it can be!" She said as she walked over to a barrel that was taller than her and got atop it to stand and be eye level with the others.

 

[justspitballing]

"Looking into the calamity is a just cause. I imagine the knowledge you look for Jaena would help me out as well. The more we can know about how to fight off fiends the better. You will need someone that can heal, and this I can do. I also agree stopping by at Bwualli would be a good idea. I don't see any problem with doing that," Diva'ss agreed.

"Erathis I believe has set me to work with you all. I believe that is why you are gifted to see me as a Verdan, instead of the human I try to seem as. I don't know why Erathis decided this was a proper gift for this quest, but it is clear I am here to help you all. Maybe it is to show you all I can be trusted," Divass went on.

She blushed a bit, it showing slightly through her disguise self spell.

There quest had been set, Bwualli would soon be before them.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Jaena Pharstreider

"Are you still certain you want to help me," She asked them.

They all were to Jaena's continuing astonishment these people had all agreed to help her quest to uncover Lepenne's tomb and discover what clues if any it held.

Her stomach growled. "I'm hungry...let's go see if they have some supper ready down in the galley, guys."

They went down below to receive bowls of what could only be charitably called stew. The truth was it was a lot closer to tasteless brown mush with salted beef, bits of carrots, onions, and celery. They were given some hardtack biscuits to go with it that Jaena was certain could put a dent in Jon's or Ulrich's breastplates if she threw one hard enough at them. Even despite their supper's shortcomings it was still edible with enough effort and moreso what they had been given to eat...so they all were able to push through and finish their meals.

As they finished their suppers the sun had set and night had fallen over the Silverpike as it sailed through the evening on the Lucidian Ocean. Above them stars were emerging and the crescent moons hung over the waves casting them in its silvery light.

Jaena came back up on the deck to peer out over water before heading back down to call it the night. She made her way to the bow of the ship again. The ocean was calm and peaceful and the night sky was beautiful. It made her miss Aaliyah, which was depressing, and very lonely.

She shook her head and slapped the sides of her face. She needed to get out of this funk and move past her ex-lover. What she needed was to get laid. Maybe she'd go below and give Jon or Finn an offer he couldn't confuse. Those two were the cutest or maybe Priscilla...though frankly after having been involved with another woman for a long time in Aaliyah Jaena was feeling an itch for a pretty face and a nice big cock to fill her up and stretch her out and make her forget all about how sad she was without Aaliyah for a couple of hours..

She heard a faint clicking sound coming from beneath her. Was it down below? No, it wasn't from inside the ship. It was coming from down beneath them. Jaena looked over the rail down to where the prow of the ship was slicing through the waves. She saw two creatures climbing out of the water and up the front of the ship. They had thick crablike crustacean shell hides and huge pincers for hands. The saw her looking down at them and clicked their mandible as both began to climb for her.

"Shit," Jaena Exclaimed and spun around calling out, "The ship is being boarded, to arms, to arms!"

 

[desperado1089]

During the meal, Jon had successfully convinced the Captain to let him help out on the ship during their journey. And due to his obvious combat prowess, she had assigned him to watch duty. Thus, he was the first amongst the remaining five adventurers to hear Jaena's call to arms, which he immediately responded to by grabbing a crossbow that he had been gratefully given for his earlier efforts, rushing to Jaena's side, and firing at the strange, crab-like beings, striking one in its vulnerable eye socket.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulrich had found someone during the interim to braid his thick black hair, and it hung down his shirtless back as he loomed over a young crewman, who had had trapped against the side of the ship. Those passing by to answer the call would not be able to tell exactly how thrilled the crewman was by the prospect of being trapped by the shirtless cleric, given the darkness below deck. As they scrambled past they would hear ".... nay ye just need a lot of patience and a lot of olive oil or something to ease the passage. trust me on this"

As crew members thundered up the steps to the dekc, ulrich would look over and sigh "guess that commotion ends the conversation aye? the chosen of Kord's work is never done. and praise be his name for it!" he laughs and snags his greatsword from the nearby hammock he stowed all his crap in, and turns to move up the stairs, waiting for the othes to pass though and making an adjustment to his pants.

 

[haremfaery]

Finn had thought the food would be better this soon after leaving port. If it was this bad now, what would it be like after they'd been at sea for weeks? At least he had whiskey to wash it down.

He had been relaxing in a hammock idly strumming his lute working on a new song. He was not ready for sleep yet. He had spoken to the captain. He was no sailor, but he was agile and knew how to tie knots from his work with a traveling circus. He also had good eyesight being a half elf, so he volunteered to keep watch.

He sighed and put the lute into his swanskin bag. Then put on his sword belt and headed topside to see who or what was attacking them now.

 

[justspitballing]

Diva'ss was on top of the ship vomiting over the side of it in the dead of night. The meals on this vessel were nowhere near their cost. If anything she was owed on the lunch she had lost down the side.

She spat up a little bit more of her Goddess only knew what as Jaenna started to scream out that the ship was being attacked. Diva'ss was about to go running over to her, she stood on the other side of the ship, but before she could she heard a response from just underneath her.

"Yarnathes uck! Slayth them slooth!"

She looked over the side of the ship. She had lost her meal over the head of a sea creature riding a hunter shark. He held a spear looking to be made out of whale bones, had bright green scales, pitch black eyes and a mouth full of shark like teeth. He was a bit larger then most men would be and he looked very upset, being covered in puke and all. He was mostly humanoid, other then being clearly built to live in the sea and be shark like.

"Sorry!" Diva'ss said in reflex.

It only then dawned on her that these creatures were part of the same attack party that was climbing up the other side. Likely this being was using the monsters that Jaenna was seeing as a distraction. Diva'ss then saw four more of the green scaled fish like beings riding towards the ship, all riding on hunter sharks. One of them held tightly in his hand a rather large rod and was covered in white paintings. Diva'ss could tell by the markings on his body that he was a warlock much like herself.

Fallowing behind this small group of creatures was a massive, giant shark. 31 feet long it was gliding toward their ship at top speed.

"Good Goddess, they are planning to ram us!" Diva'ss screamed out.

 

[Shadowlace]

Priscilla was enjoying the food and the variety of wins she had her hand in. As she enjoyed all the possible fun to be had that night she began to prepare for her night's rest.

The tiny halfling woman took her various blades and began to sharpen them. It was a ritual as she sharpened them and looked at her old worn cheap book. The Book her mother and her fellow sisters of the night got her. It was stained with lipstick and faint perfume from back then. It was nostalgia and determination wrapped in love and promise. One that she lost at the hands of a vindictive girl who thought she was the be-all-end-all of the class.

So as Priscilla read and sharpened. Hunkered by the light of a dwindling lamp she had commandeered for just such an occasion. While delving on the notes she had stolen from older books and scrolls whilst at the assembling, the all-call came. The ship in its infinite ability managed to attract more danger!

The Spry Priscilla Springheel lived up to her surname and went from the lotus position to her feet with minimal effort. Blade in hand and book squirreled away into her gear she scurried from the room and towards the deck. She swore in those strides that she wasn't gonna die and end up on the bottom of the ocean floor. If she does she damn sure was gonna make the rest of those she traveled with never forget, for she'll be a constant poltergeist to each and every one of them!

 

[Veroe]

IC: Jaena Pharstreider

"Shit," Jaena Exclaimed and spun around calling out, "The ship is being boarded, to arms, to arms!"

She heard the clacking sound of the crab-like monsters got louder than and she looked back to find to her surprise they were scuttling up the front of the ship in a hurried rush and right up upon her now. She staggered back reaching behind her for her bow and to pull an arrow from her quiver though she'd never have it ready in time. The first creature climbed up onto the prow and raised a huge pincer to strike her.

Just then She heard Jon rushing up to aid her leveling a crossbow and loosing a bolt right into its eye socket. It reared back warbling out in agony, yet the second monster raised its claw to hit her. There was no time to do anything to stop it. This was it. She was going to die right now before ever discovering more about the ancient Madori Horizon Walkers. This was it she turned to dodge knowing it was futile and bracing for the beast's attack.

It swung it's claw and she exclaimed as it swung straight through her. She blinked. There was no pain. The beast's arm was going straight through her. In fact she was a wispy ethereal in form now, and she knew what she'd done. The newest power she had learned from Lepenne's memoir. Somehow she'd instinctively took the Ethereal Step and for the first time it had actually worked. There was one problem though. According to the book it only lasted a short while-just a few seconds really.

She staggered back beside Jon before rematerializing and pulling her bow and knocking an arrow. "Thanks for coming to my rescue, sexy."

 

[desperado1089]

He was about to say something about thanking him properly later, when he heard Diva'ss shout about the ship being in danger of being rammed. He spotted the massive shark closing fast, and ran to the nearby ballista, swiveling it around single-handedly, and firing, the oversized bolt striking the beast straight through the top of its skull.

 

[siobhancan99]

Ulrich charges up the steps after everyone else. He remains shirtless as there's no time to put on armor. Dressed in just some buckskins and boots, Ulrich charges to the side of the ship. noting the shark and the sahaugin atop it, Ulrich grins "no beasts of the storm, these" he intones, shouting into the wind "Myrskyjumala, kuule minua! Iske hain voimasi raivolla! Kutsu salama ja tuuli! kutsun Kord mahtavuuden." he gestures, and summons a bolt of lightning, sending it arcing down into the awesome beast. "now here's a challenge worthy of us! Kord i see you! Kord i hear you! to battle! arms men arms! send these shark men back to the deep, but send them upon their shields!"

 

[justspitballing]

Jon and Ulrich had been both quick to act. The massive shark rushing towards the ship was struck by a metal bolt and a shot of powerful lightning. Not nearly enough to kill the beast, but it was thrown off by the attack, spinning around in the water, its nightmarishly large tail was sent crashing down, slamming into one of the fish like, humanoid riders, crushing them like a bug. Both the humanoid and the hunter shark it road on were dead.

One of them down, four to go.

Diva'ss looked around and tried to figure out what was best for her to do. Jaena was fighting two crab like monsters with massive tentacles coming from their faces. She likely needed help to not be overwhelmed, BUT this attack was clearly being led by the warlock humanoid. If he died the attack may break.

Diva'ss had to in short be in two places at once, but she was capable of exactly that. She pulled out her gilded, golden skull and summoned forth a skeletal archer. The servant formed into being just a few feet away from Jaena, got its bow ready, and let out two arrows. One hitting one of the crab like beings in the shoulder and the other hitting it dead on in the skull.

The creature wavered around like it was going to fall over, but it was strong and it stood its ground. Very impressive, unfortunately.

Diva'ss could not dwell on it though. She went on to cast Eldritch Blast against the warlock leader of this attack group. Two bolts of energy shot out of her hand. She missed with one of her blasts, it causing water to blast up around the man beast, but she hit with the second. The energy blast smacked into the warlock's chest.

In result he held tightly his rod which lit up with a bright light. A lightning bolt shot from it and flew straight for Diva'ss. She jumped out of the way, landing harshly on the deck of the ship, scraping her knee badly, but being missed all the same.

"Focus your attacks on the one with the rod! He's leading the attack," Diva'ss coughed out as she got back up.