Orientation (Part 1)

[Mild Scribe]

Nazira "Naz" Amar

---

Nazira gave the penguin a friendly nod as he waddled up. He seemed calmer and a bit better off and that was good. As for what he said now that was interesting. A voice when she had used her powers? She hadn't heard that.

"Well I can tell you part of what happened, I healed your injuries. It's a blessing a magic some people can learn when they're really devoted to something like a god, mine is still pretty weak but it can take away some pain or keep you alive. It's like what clerics do when they pray to the gods but also not. I can't really say explain it though someone in this school probably can."

Pausing for breath Naz allowed herself a frown. As she continued she pulled an eight pointed star on the end of a chain from her bodice. It was silver but tarnished and a little bent from use

"In my case I gained that magic through my love of well... magic. I grew up around wizards you see. Lots of wizards. I've always loved watching what they can do. Never much good myself though, we all have out weaknesses. And here in the Realms magic has a name: Mystra. The Thrice-Bourne, the Lady of Magic, the One Who Is Magic. She's got a lot of names because lots of people like her, but you can just call her Mystra. Perhaps that's who you heard. Did the voice sound like wit was coming from the same place my healing was?"

Naz wasn't entirely sure about that idea. Everyone knew Mystra's favorites were all wizards, masters of magic not mere dabblers and admirers like Naz. Perhaps Popsicle here had the makings of one, or perhaps something else was at play.

---

 

 

[Cointhief]

Popsicle's eyes for a moment appear like little currency symbols, his beak salivating at the sudden appearance of the solid silver amulet. A plot is hatched, a thousand calculations made and contingencies weighed. Finally he asks "I...yes, it was the sound the light made as it flowed. Mystra...one of the Realmspace deities? ...what will happen outside of Realmspace?"

Meanwhile as the Spelljamming cadets (whether guided or by their own intuition) find that last spark of themselves...everyone's hair stands on end in a brief moment of anticipation. Saerthe's quicksilver eyes alight, the reflective surface melting to black, a smirk crawling up the side of his features "That's it. Become the living engine..."

The instructor's last words get drowned out by a shearing burst of sound, a piercing flux of light, and a swath of other new, inscrutable energetic transformations that seem more imagined than real.  In the scale of the orrery, 100 million miles in 24 hours feels like a blink. To those looking on, the model ships rocket through the orrery faster than a goblin's getaway...faster than a resurrected phoenix in flight. They streak to the edge of the arcanomechanus and vanish in a burst of rainbows and glitterdust.

The Spelljammers each see something quite different.

Chaeek feels every bolt and material property of the Morkath thrown near its engineered limit, their masses increasing slightly as they reach 62% light speed. Sol immediately becomes a point of light in the distance, another star in the night sky as the ocean laps the beach...the beach holding the wreckage he and his grandfather visited. In comfy beach shorts and a coconut cocktail, the artificer sees themselves repairing the ship with an expertise beyond his current self. A past that never happened. A knowledge not yet gained. A dream whose details he senses will perhaps become clearer and clearer with every Spelljam logged.

Celsior had plucked such experiences before from the shared elven memories of the Astral, like a communal bowl of grapes. Etherealion Dreamdancer likened it to falling without end, a steady acceleration without a cushion of air to slow down. Starlynx Silverharmony believed the feeling was an embrace of the gods, whose essenses now traveled at such speeds leaving their great husks behind. Astralyn Serenitea believed the cosmos was a grand instrument, one which the Spelljammer strummed a harmonious note. Celsior could sympathize with all these characterizations at once, while at the same time infusing the collective with his unique perspective.

Lazuli experienced a crescendo of synesthesia as her pellicle surface extended outwards to her destination, the ship broadcasting her dimensions forward like the bow of a shock wave. And with this physical advance came also a temporal one, flitting through her psyche like a scrapbook she could see all the ambition coming to fruition. The Scorpion's great pincers tearing apart pirate vaults for treasure. Nimbly outmaneuvering the advances of a cycloptic void scavver. Skittering about alien worlds, freeing their slaves and conquering the slavers. For her, Spelljamming was infused with this tinge of hunger...a hunger for the glory of destiny.

For a moment each of the Spelljamming cadets experiences the reverie of the Astral, but it is fleeting and artificial. The models reset to the starting line, in steady orbit around Realmspace's only star: Sol. "Excellent." is all Saerthe has to say, busily scribbling away at some notes. "I think that is enough for now...you all did very well. It will be difficult to choose my recommendation."

@BobtheWizard did you want to interact with anything from the scene in the library I posted earlier? If not, we could move on to the Sky Dock.

 

[BobtheWizard]

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger) sheet

---

AC: 16 | HP: 12/12 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | FeaturesAdv. on saves vs. charm
60' Darkvision
BA Hide or Disengage
Fury of Small: 2/2 LR
Favored Foe: 2 /2 LR
Hit Dice: 1 / 1d10+2 LR
Conditions: none

---

Lou looks in the section of the library covering Realmspace that has been cordoned off by security, and if no one is looking, he sneaks in to get a closer look at what happened.

He's excited to finally find a more hands-on book, and checks out the practical volume entitled Rogue Engineer's Off-the-Grid Spelljamming: A DIY Guide to Galactic Conflict, by Gnarley Stumblebuttons, to bring with him on his adventures. If no one is there to check him out, he puts it in his backpack to finish reading later.

When the Spelljammer training is done, Lou returns to the others and prepares to go to the Sky Dock.

"So who won?"

---

Mechanics Main Hand: Empty Off Hand: Empty Move: none Manipulate: none Action: none Bonus Action: none

 

[Cointhief]

Lou, there was a DC 15 Insight check you could try if you want as well, during the initial dialogue.

[KingGoblin]

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 11/11 | HD 1/1 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

Saves: Str -1 | Dex +3 | Con +1 | Int +2 | Wis +5 | Cha +0

Resistances: Acid and Poison

---

 

"Aooooooooooouuuu!" the squishy expelled gas from multiple vents around her body, harmonizing with herself as though playing a dozen clarinets, oboes, and bassoons, all at once. "Squish burble-pop! cracklecracklecrackle.... That was awesome!" her strangely clean and pure notes descended into happy chaos, fart sounds and rumbles, booms and snaps, and a long, plaintive off-key moan, as of a bagpipe that had been dropped on the ground. Lazuli melted into a pile of goo.

 

"I've gotta do that again, sometime. Was it like that for the rest of you? Was it all, Brrrrrrrrip!" she exclaim/asked, trumpeting at the end.

 

Actions

Move: -

Action: -

Bonus: -

Reaction: -

 

[JubalBreakbottle]

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 8/8 | HD 1/1 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Recovery 1/1 | 1st-level 2/2

---

Celsior's mind becomes one with the Astral Sea feeling what his ancestors described in their own words. It would take many more times before he could distinguish his own unique feelings from those of his ancestors. The experience ended too early for him. The rush left him wanting more, but he could feel an aftertaste of simulation. What would the real thing be like? How close is the simulation to reality? The simulation was already exceeding his expectations.

The prince exits his spelljamming helm and casually joins his crew nodding to the two other spelljammers to acknowledge the shared experience. He replies to the plasmoid, "amazing. I understand why my ancestors struggled to describe the sensation. I wonder how this simulation compares to the real thing."

"Don't know if there was a winner," He replies to the goblin.

Turning to the hadozee, he asks, "How was it for you?"

Mechanics

Active spells: Familiar (stored)

Action: Trance tool is Vehicle (Space)

[Cointhief]

Lou narrowed his eyes, sensing the assistant was nearly bursting to let out a secret he really shouldn't. It took only the slightest nudge for him to spill the beans "Well, you didn't hear it from me...but they captured a massive beholder vessel for the next big mission. Tyrant class!" startling himself with the volume and pitch of his voice, he tries to regain composure "...of course that's only if you score higher than the other simulation team tomorrow. Now that one will be a Hammerhead...I heard Mister Blip glitching on and on about designing the massive ram. That's why Colonel Cannonballs has docked his for your personal inspection, I'd say get as familiar as you can with it before the trial!" elbowing the goblin in the chest playfully and winking.

Later in the silent library, the goblin pirate breaches the sealed off area for his own personal inspection. There in the dense, encyclopedic stacks, a large gap is quite obvious. If the Dewey Decimal system is anything to go by, a number of charts depicting Realmspace are missing.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Cointhief (see edit history)

[The Eyeball Kid]

"Not sure", Chaeek tells Lou. "Saerthe indicated he was going to make a recommendation, and that we'd given him a hard choice, but I'm not sure for what."

"It was more..., nostalgic than I'd anticipated", he answers Celsior, rubbing at one eye with the heel of his hand but unable to lose a wistful smile all the same.

"And very much, 'Brrrrrrrrip!'", he adds with a grin to Squishy, doing a credible imitation by blowing through his lips over his tongue.

[KingGoblin]

Lazuli Lazali Lulura, AKA Squishy

AC 17 | HP 11/11 | HD 1/1 | Inspiration Yes | P.Perception 15

Saves: Str -1 | Dex +3 | Con +1 | Int +2 | Wis +5 | Cha +0

Resistances: Acid and Poison

---

 

Lazuli undulated in laughter, expelling little twists and tweets of gas. "I'm sorry, Chaeek, your accent is just so cute! It sounded like you said Brrrrrrrrip instead of Brrrrrrrrip there," she commented, kindly.

 

"Either way, it was amazing." She laughed again, and looked at Chaeek with a mostly-formed head and face. "Brrrrrrrrip!"

 

Actions

Move: -

Action: -

Bonus: -

Reaction: -

 

[Cointhief]

The cadets, still elated from tripping the light fantastic, nearly became disintegrated as they earn a stern warning from the Sky Dock guards "Halt. Not one more step without clearance headgear. ...yes, it needs to be on your head." their hands on the hilt of the gilded space weaponry at their belts.

Those who acquiesce are treated to the Sky Dock, the main space port of Nimbral, the Academy's rock island. You watch as a Damselfly makes a rapid vertical ascent, the cool sea breeze quivering in its wake. An old but not quite rotten galleon taking its place, a loud *CrAckLEpllllffff* as some arcanomechanism backfired...somewhere a startled seagull instantly gives up on its nest egg, abandoning the thing wholesale for the distant shores of the Chultan peninsula. Many ships here have the markings of the Fleet, but you note some appear to be independent merchant vessels bearing supplies.

The centerpiece vessel here for you to explore was clearly Colonel Cannonballs Hammerhead, the Flighty Foundling. A pair of twin-gnomes is there at the on ramp to greet you...

"I'm Kip!" one says.

"And I'm Pik!" informs the other.

"And we're the Whistleslap brothers!!" they both conclude annoyingly. If nit-picking inane details were the hallmarks of masterclass ship inspectors, this pair luckily has four eyes instead of two. Both sport walnut-colored skin and carefully groomed, greased back black hair (is that Exoskeleton Polish you smell?).

Pik has a long red scar down one cheek, perhaps a memento from an inspection gone wrong. He picks at it absent-mindedly saying "We're here to guide you around the Hammerhead class. You know, the basic operations and Fleet procedures."  

Kip adds "When your hull splits in two and you don't know what to do..."

"Remember Fleet procedure!" they again both conclude annoyingly, raising their fingers to the sky in some triumphant non-point, as the pitch of their voices approaches chipmunk quality. They begin giving you a well-rehearsed tour of the ship, complete with Fleet approved knots for riggings, emergency exits and protocol, and proper equipment storage techniques. If nothing else, you become very familiar with the layout of a modern Hammerhead.

Perception DC 15

While all this BS is going down, you notice on a nearby dock a hobgoblin academy officer supervising the unloading of a merchant ship. The officer surreptitiously slips the merchant a platinum piece. In return, the merchant hands the hobgoblin a small bottle, which the officer conceals in his pocket.

Lazuli and Lou make this check automagically with their passives, others can roll if they wish.

Edited November 22, 2023 by Cointhief (see edit history)

[JubalBreakbottle]

Celsior Loriniscil, Prince of Alfheim

Inspiration Yes | HP 8/8 | HD 1/1 | Step 2/2 | Shield 1/1

Recovery 1/1 | 1st-level 2/2

---

Celsior adjusts his helmet when challenged by security. He still floated on a high from the spelljamming. He could not wait to do it again.

He watches the ascent of the Damselfly envious of even that inferior ship to the crystal star moths. Then, the Hammerhead while larger is inferior, too, but he smiles, because it is still more than he has. The prince tries to memorize every detail of the tour asking follow up questions for precision.

Smelling the potential exoskeleton polish, he identifies potential trade partners. Those gnomes might have useful information and access at some point.

[DM-Tareth]

Yahs Anirys Plasmoid Monk 1 CG

AC: 16 | HP: 9/9 | HD: 1/1 | PP: 13 | Inspiration: Yes | Speed: 30 ft
Str 11 (0) Dex 16 (3) Con 12 (1) Wis 16 (3) Int 11 (0) Cha 9 (-1)

Attacks: Spear (P)1d20+5;1d6+3 | Unarmed(B) 1d20+5;1d4+3 | Sling(B)1d20+5;1d4+3 | Quarterstaff-Mop(B) 1d20+5;1d6+3
Magic: Sacred Flame (DEX vs DC13; 1d8) | Shield of Faith(Bonus; +2AC)

 

Yahs quickly squishes a psuedopod into the helmet held beneath her left arm. The appendage elongates and skirts up her chest causing her uniform to twist in a mindbending knot that eventually unties itself as her initial head shrinks back into her body and is replaced by her now helmet adorned 'head'. Passing the guards with a broad smile on her face she watches with increasing curiosity and interest at the busy comings and goings on the Sky Dock. She couldn't look upon the vessels with the same awe and longing she saw in the faces of her companions who'd just emerged from the Spelljammer simulation, but she could appreciate the beauty and wonder of the vessels themselves. Even the more utilitarian Hammerhead.

When the gnomes mention fleet procedure, she perks up just a little. Knowing the rules might actually be important. She thinks. Forming her hair into a poofy pompador she gives a rough salute to the duo and gurgles a quick question. "Excuse me sirs. But is there a manual of fleet procedures we should be studying somewhere? There wasn't one included in our initial gear. "

[BobtheWizard]

"Lou" Louis Dufray (Goblin Ranger) sheet

---

AC: 16 | HP: 12/12 | Initiative: +3 | Passive Perception: 17 | FeaturesAdv. on saves vs. charm
60' Darkvision
BA Hide or Disengage
Fury of Small: 2/2 LR
Favored Foe: 2 /2 LR
Hit Dice: 1 / 1d10+2 LR
Conditions: none

---

Lou does whatever reading he can about the Hammerhead and the Tyrant class ships, knowing this might be useful. He is intrigued by the missing Realmspace charts, but doesn't pursue it any further. At the docks, he sees the likely illicit transaction but doesn't think much of it. A platinum pace for a bottle of liquor hardly seems like a crime.

When we encounter the gnomes, he is anooyed, like he's always annoyed by gnomes. They are too cheerful and strange. But he hides his annoyance since these gnomes have information he needs. He pays careful attention as they describe the workings of the ship, and asks questions to clarify anything he doesn't understand.

He is impressed with the Hammerhead. It is more capable than the ragtag pirate ship he was betrayed on. He asks the gnomes a personal question and immediately regrets it.

"How long have the two of you been here"

---

Mechanics Main Hand: Empty Off Hand: Empty Move: none Manipulate: none Action: none Bonus Action: none Gnarley's Knack: You have Advantage on the next roll you make regarding ship repairs or ship weaponry.

 

[The Eyeball Kid]

Chaeek listens carefully to the gnomes' description of the ship, examining every detail as they point them out and occasionally jotting down notes or drawing a diagram.

"What do Fleet Procedures have to say about officers making deals on the side?"

[Cointhief]

The gnomes were explaining 'Essential Element 447' which detailed how to select the perfect piece of dunnage, or scrap wood, to prevent small shifts in cargo during the loading process (having already covered the first 446) when Yahs interrupted. The question leaves them flabbergasted.

"You mean you are not familiar with Spelljammer Academy Training: Cadet Requirements Supplement Volume I?" asked the shocked Kip.

"and II?" prodded the equally stunned Pik.

"Cadet Field Manual: Watchstanding Procedures...not ringing a bell?" Kip continued.

"Ding-dong? OPSEC?" Pik asked without waiting for an answer.

"Don't skip the appendixes." they both added with another extra finger wag for emphasis...before burying the plasmoid under a tidal wave of books they were keeping in an extradimensional fanny pack.

"There's only one thing to do if you want to avoid an Astral emergen-Sea..." they actually started singing now, this was not improvised.

"When your cannons decide to nap instead of boom..." obviously well-rehearsed, Kip had a great tremolo.

"If you find yourself sailing in circles, playing a never-ending game of 'Officer, where's my ship?'..." The Hammerhead's sonar system just went in the corner and shot itself.

"When the crew starts eyeing each other like plump little walking drumsticks..." only a few lifejackets left.

"Easy, matey! Remember Fleet procedures!" high fiving themselves and Yahs simultaneously.

At Chaeek's question, they look at each other and shake their heads with an audible tsk-tsk-tsk. "That would be a violation of custom charges!" Pik answers, throwing a fat book of law at the hadozee.

"Straight to the brig for that scallywag!" adds Kip, nodding his head and adjusting his posture as justice is served.

Lou attempts to change the subject, and the Whistleslap twins are happy to explain every detail of their lives. Long story short, their vessel the Gnomad was marooned for 47 years in Gizmospace...and with the kaleidoscope of chaos their ship management had been up that point, it was either get disciplined or die tryin'.
 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Cointhief (see edit history)