Ch 1: And what if one of the gods does wreck me out on the wine-dark sea?

[Wizard of the Coat]

The storm approached with preternatural speed: a dark, turbulent collision of nature and the underworld. Sigla's skeleton crew and passengers looked starboard with growing apprehension at the roiling, crackling, grey-green clouds.

At Sigla's prow, curled in repose, conserving energy, Grendel lazily raised an eye above the gunwale to peer at the storm. After a moment, the monstrous creature settling back down.

To Sigla's port, starboard, prow and stern, the remaining ships of the ragtag fleet were in disarray. From the nearest ships, those aboard Sigla heard cries of panic and shouts in conflict.

Of course, those aboard Sigla, were not immune to panic and conflict.

"Turn landward, we must run for cover!" cried Haegoth, the big scar-faced Kalbrian infantryman, his booming voice carrying above the driving wind. He carried a big axe at his back and seemed to think himself above the non-imperials on the knarr. All four crewmen and all the passengers save the dropsied merchant and his bald bodyguard were non-Imperials--leading the big Kalbrian to act as if he were in charge.

The man at the steerboardi.e. side-mounted rudder. Usually mounted on the right side at the stern. The origin of the world "starboard." , a tall middle-aged mariner named Egrim, was hard of hearing or perhaps deaf. His nephew Dagyar used hand signals to relay Haegoth's words to the nearly deaf man.

In reply, Egrim shook his head, returning a few quick hand signals of his own.

Dagyar turned to Haegoth and the other passengers. "My uncle is right! We need to turn into the storm! The real danger lies in getting caught close to shore where we'll have no room to maneuver or run off!"

Three of the longships were turning landward, while two turned into the storm. The final ship remained on Sigla's course--armed conflict visible on her deck.

"We'll never survive that storm! To the coast!" Haegoth replied, his voice and temper rising. The other two Kalbrians now stood by his side: the dropsied merchant, Lagon, and his bald bodyguard.

Lagon spoke up, his tone conciliatory, his expression friendly. He was a big man, his bulk made of fat more than muscle. His features suggested the dropsy. "Indeed, you've never seen the like of that storm! Who knows what dangers it holds!"

The bald warrior at Lagon's side remained silent, his face unreadable. There was something catlike in his stance: graceful, ready for action. He wore two seaxesSeax: a short sword that was used primarily during the early part of the Viking era. It's a one handed single edged weapon. Hilts were made of wood, bone, or horn., one on each hip, and his gloved hands did not stray far from their hilts.

Ari rose to his feet and spoke to Vigo, pitching his words loud enough for all to hear above the driving winds. His was the voice of a boy, yet he spoke bold words, conveying a mariner's expertise and confidence. "It's as Dagyar says! The winds of the storm are spinning in a great circle around a central point! If we make for the right side of the storm, her winds will blow us clear of her path! I've done it before, many times! Likely, Egrim, Dagyar, and Syomi have done it many more times than I! But landward we survive only if we find a cove or sandy beach--and there's not time to search! That path relies upon blind luck--a fools choice!"

Haegoth, now red-faced, spared the boy a brief scowl before turning his gaze to Vigo and the officer's mark he bore. The big Kalbrian's expression was a challenge. "The merchant has the right of it! The boy may have sailed storms before, but never a storm like that one! We must turn landward and hope for safe shelter!" He kept his eye on Vigo, waiting for a response.

Lagon's bodyguard divided his attention between the conversation and the wyvern. His face still unreadable, save for a casual interest in the monster, as if Grendel were some rare breed of dog.

 

 

---

Suggested Questions for Story/Setting/Character Development

Suggested Questions:

Vigo: Choose One or More

• You know of Haegoth's unit. What did they do to earn their bad reputation?
• How did you save Ari's life in the minutes or hours following the cataclysm?
• How does it feel to have others still see you as a leader?

Yorick: Choose One or More

• You recognize Lagon's bodyguard. You've encountered him before. What is his interest in Grendel?
• How did Grendel come to be accepted aboard Sigla?
• Did you fight for the Kalbrian Empire or the other Empire? How does the answer to this question inform your perceptions of the three Kalbrians?

Melia: Chose One or More

• You feel, sense, hear, or see something in the approaching storm the others do not. What is it?
• What led you to believe (or know) that Kuno's spirit now seeks vengeance? Upon whom do you believe (or know) he seeks vengeance?
• You recognize the tattoos upon the bald bodyguard's head as runic in nature. Why are those specific runes disconcerting?

Edited March 31 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)

[Delorphin]

It wasn't the first time the bodyguard laid his eyes on Grendel. Yorick remembered him clearly, a few years ago when he joined the secret projects conducted by his commanders, they hired mercenaries to fill the ranks. Some called the mercenaries evil, their loyalty so easily swayed by a bigger bag of coins. Others said they are the most loyal, since their creed was more tangible than mere patriotism. Unlike the others on the boat, the man never showed fear towards Grendel. He did help kill her mother after all.

"Sidan, Sidan!" Lagon said to his bodyguard, "you've been all across the sea haven't you? Help me talk some sense into Vigo."

Sidan broke his gaze from the wyvern and turned his body to face the rest of the people. For a moment no one spoke but there was no silence. The symphony of howling winds punctuated by the percussive hammering of crashing waves made Sigla groan with each movement. "Consider the fact that we're travelling through unknown waters, going into the storm will throw us off course and lead to us being more lost than we already are. If there are rock formations created during the Sunduring, we risk destroying the ship and being trapped in the middle of a storm. Both paths lead to blind luck but the amount of risk involved is not proportional."

With each passing moment the five other ships were travelling further and further away, slowly getting obscured by tall waves and fogs. In either case their chances would be much greater if the ships were together rather than being alone in the open sea. From the corner of the ship, steeled by the mercenary's words, Yorick spoke up, "There's an unlikeness between having gone through a storm as a rider and as a lodesman. Lagon, you–"

"No one asked for your opinion, scum!" shouted Hægoth, shoving Yorick into Egrim, "Just stay in your corner with your damn monster, you're lucky the war's over or you would've been executed the moment we saw you approach the ship."

The sky morphed into haunted day for a brief second, but instead of the blue skies, it was that sickly green. One could only hope that it was a trick of the eye as lightning scored the sky and illuminated the storm-ridden clouds; one could only hope it was not the storm engulfing the firmament itself. The pattering of rainfall joined the soundscape, blanketing the world in its deafening cries and the cold, heavy bites of each drop. Yorick sat back down and huddled under his shield, ineffective as the winds carried the rain around it. While farmers in peacetime would always rejoice at rainfall, the superstitious folk, he remembered, always wept before rain fell.

"Oh the rain! The rain! Beware of its foul smell and cold touch. Stay away from its petrichor scent, its corpse-like graze. In its shadow, oh misfortune, the cruel spirit stalks us all!"

The worst still was yet to come.

Edited April 1 by Delorphin (see edit history)

[Vladim]

Melia of Stormrest [Mom: 3 (10/2) | Health: 5 | Spirit: 5 | Supply: 5 | Fails: 0

---

Once, she would have stood tall and proud upon the prow of the ship, like a figurehead, defying wind and wave, rain and thunder. With unshakeable faith she would have cried of how the gods favoured the bold, and she would urge them forward, into the eye of the storm. And they would not dare stand against her-not with mighty Kuno by her side.

But Kuno was dead, and whatever grace or favour had been with her had long departed. It would be a coin toss now-they were as likely to laugh at her as to accept her counsel. And strife was already tearing the ship apart faster than any storm.

She held her tongue, and she looked to the shore. A flash of lightning shone at the distance, as ephemeral as the lives of men. She recognised the pattern: the forked tongue, the stretching hand.

It had been years since she had practiced ceraunoscopy, but she recalled her lessons yet: it spelled their doom. But were the gods truthful, or simply mocking them all?

Then suddenly, she cried without giving much thought to conseqences. A strange sort of fatalism had taken over her, and in that instant she was willing-eager even-to risk it all, doom or death be damned.

"Onwards, onwards! Onwards, sons of Men-let neither storm nor spiteful sea unman you! Here is a maiden that knows no fear-will you not harken her words and hearten? Onwards, men of Kuno, soldiers of the Seventh!"

A cheap conjurer's trick-appealing to their pride and manhood. It would have worked once. Now? She could not say, she could not know if either pride or manhood remained in them. But would they be willing to admit it before all peers?

 

OOC

I will add a portrait later, when I have access to a PC. But I thought it better to post sooner rather than later, to help maintain momentum.

I'll start engaging the mechanics by attempting a Secure an Advantage to inspire courage in our crew-even if it is false courage. I'll roll +heart for it as her strategy is to appear courageous herself.

As for Ari, here are some options you can choose from if you want @Wizard of the Coat. I know you said just one but I added a bit more-ignore them if you prefer!

• Ari has a friend on one of those other boats. Who are they? Are they on a ship that's pushing onwards, or one retreating? Does this influence her decision?
• There is the faint sound of drums in the air. Another ship is trying to signal something! Which ship is it? One from our ragtag fleet? Another one, unknown and unseen, hidden in the storm? Something else? What do the drums say? Ari should be able to understand them given her nautical experience.
• The sail is beginning to tare! Without one, Sigla is lost! Ari sees it first-what does she do?

[Wizard of the Coat]

Ari Seaborn Orvarson | Mom 5 (10/2) |Health 5 | Spirit 5 | Supply 5 | Fails 0

---

Ari stood his ground against Haegoth's angry eyes and scowl. Only because Vigo was near enough to intervene should the huge infantryman offer more than red-faced glares and scowls. But several times the boy's eyes shifted starboard to the two ships turning farther into the storm. Or rather, toward one of the ships turning into the storm.

Vahivala. His mother's knarr.

He'd last seen the ship several years earlier, sailing away, leaving him stranded alongside his mother on a small island of rock; his cousin, Lygari, tall upon the stern still spouting justifications for leaving them to die.

Ari had recognized Vahivala when the ship had first joined the fleet. He'd talked Egrim into bringing Sigla closer to the other knarr at the center of the fleet. Cousin Lygari had not been aboard her mother's ship, but he'd spotted the passenger who'd helped Lygari take control of the knarr. Svikari, he'd called himself--now apparently Vahivala's captain.

And he'd spotted his mother's servant, Gothur. The old mariner had been a grandfatherly figure in Ari's childhood, helping care for the boy, spoiling him. Before the betrayal, Gothur had grown to be Ari's servant more than his mother's. The old fool had tried to stand against Lygari and Svikari when they'd made their move. Svikari had struck him down but had not killed him--needing the old mariner to help crew the knarr to her next port. Ari had spent the last few days wondering why the old servant was still alive, and still helping to crew Vahivala.

Now they were getting away. His mother's ship--his ship--was getting away.

"Listen, Haegoth, Lagon, I've sailed this coast before. The quakes have changed much, but from what I've seen over the past two days, this particular coastline has remained mostly unchanged. We're currently in a rocky stretch, with a small cove just past Hafna point--about three hours further. Death awaits any who sail for land--unless the quakes have conveniently created a new nearby cove while somehow leaving the rest of what we've seen untouched."

For the space of a few heartbeats, Lagon studied the boy shrewdly. With a sigh of capitulation, he addressed the other Kalbrians. "Perhaps it is best we let the seamen do as they think best."

As if tensions had not been mounting to conflict, Sidan crouched back down on the deck, making himself comfortable.

Haegoth, the big infantryman, huffed a few times, sounding like a bull calming himself. The fight seemed to go out of him as he turned to face the storm.

"We'll need every able bodied person to help with the bailing. I'll fetch the buckets." The boy moved to the small cabin at the stern where the bailing buckets were stored.

OOC: Secure An Advantage (move)

As per Waterborn[Path]
When you Face Danger, Gather Information, or Secure an Advantage related to your knowledge of watercraft, water travel, or aquatic environments or creatures, add +1 andtake +1 momentum on a hit., Ari is using deception/trickery to Secure An Advantage aimed at winning over the opposers rather than risking a fight that will allow Vahivala to get farther away.

Edited April 9 by Wizard of the Coat (see edit history)

[Delorphin]

Yorick and Grendel | Momentum: +4 (10/2) | Health: +5 | Spirit: +5 | Supply: +5 | Fails: 0

---

Following the rest of the crew, Yorick went to get a bailing bucket as well. He noticed, much to his surprise, that Haegoth grabbed the largest and had set out for the lowest part of the ship, where the water would pool the most. The others situated themselves evenly across the ship, and Yorick at the prow near Grendel. Stormward, the ship sailed, following the shadows of the other two ships, further out. Every creak and groan of the ship sent waves of unease and terror that tasted of salt water. The torrents of the heavens pouring harder than ever and the waves, like tormenting hands, pushed and pulled on the ship. In the distance, a punishment of the sea, a huge wave that could engulf houses was coming.

"Grendel! Grendel! To the middle of the boat with you else the waves will tip the boat and the sea will swallow us all!" said Yorick.

The monstrous beast awoke at the call of her guardian. It went bounding down the boat, miraculously avoiding knocking anyone back or spilling more water into the boat. The boat, with the wyvern at the centre, felt more balanced. It won't be enough to weather this coming storm.

Secure Advantage: Move Grendel

Secure Advantage(Heart+Animal Kin)

Challenge Dice 1

Challenge Dice 2

Taking momentum

 

Edited April 10 by Delorphin (see edit history)

[Vladim]

Melia of Stormrest [Mom: 4 (10/2) | Health: 5 | Spirit: 5 | Supply: 5 | Fails: 0

---

Melia had moved where the rest of the crew had gathered, and she too was knelt over the hull, bucket in hand, collecting sea-water to cast back into the sea. It was a task beneath her-one that she would never have considered had Kuno been alive. But circumstances had change drastically. All hands were needed now-even hers.

How much of her power and position remained yet? Even now, when she spoke of gods and spirits, some heeded her not. But men often changed when caught in the iron grip of terror. They remembered their gods then, and sought not to challenge them. Her words, she realised, could prove more potent now-but only if she risked it. And what was the cost? If the sea took them, they would all be drowned, and neither renown nor reputation would matter any more.

"Redcrest is not far." she said as she rose, her eyes affixed to some distant point in the sky, where lightning was breaking. "The gods will guide us there. It is written in the heavens. Heed me, and I swear by their will that they will grant us passage."

 

OOC

Let's Swear an Iron Vow: lead the crew to Redcrest (a nearby island a couple of days by sea from where we are). This can be a Dangerous quest.

Edit: Weak hit. +1 momentum. The text says "you are determined, but begin with more questions than answers." Maybe questions such as, how do we survive the storm? Where is Redcrest, exactly? Are the gods truly on our side? Will the crew turn against us yet?

[Wizard of the Coat]

"Lower anchor! Five lengths!" Dagyar shouted above the howl of the unrelenting storm--conveying Egrim's order. He stood firmly at the stern, the steering end of the steerboard wedged in an armpit as he leaned his weight into it, keeping the oncoming waves at Sigla's stern. His uncle, Egrim, at his back, adding his weight to the steerboard. Egrim, more than any of the other crew--Dagyar, the old sailor Syomi, and the boy Ari--seemed completely unshaken by the howling. Perhaps because he was nearly deaf.

For there were spirits in the storm. And they howled, adding an unearthly, unnerving clamoring to the storm's roar.

Most of the spirits appeared as ghostly versions of drowned men or women--bodies unevenly bloated, skin thick with corpse wax and dripping water, eyeballs or other bits taken by tiny predators of the deep.

They took no notice of Sigla, speeding high above, tossed about by the angry winds or perhaps driving those winds. Their distant maddening cries somehow penetrated the ear and clawed at the soul. Occasionally, a spirit's storm-blown course would bring it within easy view and hearing of the few mortals aboard Sigla, and nearly all aboard would cover their ears, some closing their eyes.

Continuing her unrelenting rhythm, Sigla's prow pitched down as she slid upward and backward toward the crest of the mountainous wave overtaking her stern, turning stomachs, inviting panic. Moments later, the knarr's prow pitched up as she slid down the backside of the wave.

Most of the passengers huddled together midship where Syomi and Ari led them in steady bailing. But Dagyar's shout had brought Syomi and Ari to their feet. An old man at the end of his sailing years, and a wiry boy--it would take the two of them to safely lift the anchor over the gunwale without risk of pitching themselves overboard. Both Syomi and the boy seemed shaken by the howling spirits as they steeled themselves for the task ahead.

[Vladim]

Melia of Stormrest [Mom: 4 (10/2) | Health: 5 | Spirit: 5 | Supply: 5 | Fails: 0

---

As the spirits rose from unfathomable depths, so did Melia, abandoning her bailing-bucket, unconsciously mirroring them.

She had been fearing this: she could have sworn at the onset that this was no common storm. Matters of the spirit-realm were supposed to be her business. And yet, to her shame, she held no answers to the phenomenon that seemed to have taken the entirety of the Iron Lands in its grip.

As if entranced or enthralled, she walked slowly-and to the extent that the tumultuous waters beneath her feet allowed it-towards the prow. She yearned to learn, to understand... and to seek aid, which seemed at times impossible to secure from the living.

"Why are you here? What do you wish of us?" she thought, but the words did not leave her lips-not yet. Perhaps these spirits could read her mind-were voices even needed amongst the voiceless?

 

OOC

I'll start us off in this Scene Challenge with a Face Danger +heart; she is trying to get herself noticed by the spirits, and ideally receive a positive-ish reaction from them. Perhaps they can help.

As I mentioned in the OOC, I am in favor of a Formidable Scene Challenge but this doesn't have to be so-if others prefer it we can adjust it to a Dangerous or Troublesome one even post-hoc. But we should probably decide soon.

Anyway... here goes.

Edit: A weak hit... barely. In the context of the Scene Challenge, Face Danger works differently (if I remember correctly): in this case, a weak hit means marking progress and countdown (and a minor narrative complication that could cause a delay arises). I'll write them in my next IC post, as I feel like it would be a personal thing for Melia, but for now I yield the stage to my fellow players.

Survive the spirit-storm

Formidable Scene Challenge

Progress: ■□□□□□□□□□

Countdown: ■□□□