On the Horizon (Prelude)

[Primeval Stasis]

When the winds are strong and the sail is up, the ocean has a way of casting its own vote. While the three discuss their plan, the ship is driven north toward the path of the burning vessel as it cuts west to the shore. Without proper sailing skills, it seems doubtful they could turn back quickly. The best they might manage would be to ride the northwesterly wind and land on a beach north of Aulrun.

For his first time onboard a ship, John Johnson doesn't make too big a fool out of himself. While he does feel a bit queasy, sitting down seems to help.

On comes the great fiery ship. They closer they get, the more impressive it becomes. While from land it might have been one of the merchant ships that occasionally comes to Aulrun, they can see now that it is larger and more aggressively styled.

Whatever she saw before, Jane cannot find it now. Is it hidden behind the great ship still?

[Shen]

John Johnson surprises himself with how he's doing in this boat. He'd heard horror stories of seasickness from Doomsayer Jane; tales of men and women who'd died from dehydration because they couldn't stop throwing up, as it were. Nevertheless, despite the early shakiness and the slight quiver in his stomach, he's soon on his feet again, helping steer the boat with the others.

He doesn't like the look of the ship. As big and... spiky as it is, it seems far more intimidating than accommodating, more like a warship than a freight transport.

"Hey, you guys are from Aulrun; either of you ever seen this ship before, or anything like it? I don't know much about boats, now, but to my eye this looks like it's gonna have more cannons than coins onboard, ya?"

[Niven81]

 

Jane whistles up at the massive, beautiful ship as they fast approach it. "Never" she says as she moves behind John and takes up the rudder. Jane wasn't a fisherman and outside of playing and swimming wasn't very knowledgeable but she'd watch the local fisherman enough to know that this was how one steered a boat. "Gale what can we do to bring us closer?" She asked the other man.

 

OOCDoes Jane.see anyway onto the shop. A ladder, unstowed moaring lines, etc?

Edited August 17, 2023 by Niven81 (see edit history)

[TheRedGoat]

Gale had always felt calm out on the water. Even now, as Jane asks him to get closer to the greater vessel in weather that was getting increasingly dangerous, he didn't really feel afraid. As long as he didn't stare at the flames at least.

"A little longer and we'll reach it anyway Jane!" he shouted over the wind. He stared ahead, steeling himself to not look too high and searched the waters for signs of survivors and damage on the lower end of the ship. He prayed as much not to see anyone floating face first as he did wanting to find someone to explain things to him. The sound of the wind roaring and the water splashing about blissfully drowned out sound of the burning wood in the distance, but not all of it.

"Please. Let there be somebody left..."

[Primeval Stasis]

HP

Jane 6/8

John 9/9

Gale 3/5

The boat lurches, spun by a wave and sudden gust of wind. Scanning the water for survivors, Gale is caught unprepared. He is thrown against the railing-2 HP in a weak spot and breaks through, falling into the water.

Taking control of the ship, Jane is able to keep it from flipping or capsizing. However, as Gale predicted it is still heading straight for the flaming ship. Closer than ever, they can now see some debris floating around the ship. The hull is fully intact - it seems the fire is eating it from the top down.

Struggling to keep calm as the water has its way with the boat, John's eyes fall toward the ship's prow. The dark ship Jane had seen before slips out into view.

[Shen]

 

HP: 9/9

As the little boat lists and rocks, John takes orders from his two more seaworthy companions, pulling this, tying off that, and so on. As long as he keeps his eyes inside the boat, he can concentrate on the here and now.

The raiding ship catches him off-guard. A part of him still didn't want to believe it - what could be on that massive wooden thing that people would risk their lives to attack and raid it - but then, for all he knew, Aulrun was just a small side stop on the way to where the ship was supposed to go.

"There's another boat!" he shouts, pointing to it in the distance briefly before grabbing the nearest railing or taut line for stability. He's unsure if the other boat can see or hear him, but he doesn't want to risk his new crew mates sailing straight into danger without at least seeing it coming.

 

[Niven81]

 
      HP 6/8

Jane struggles with the rudder, her muscles straining as she does what she can to keep the boat from capsizing. "Gods damn." She hisses as she sees the fast approaching flaming ship.

"There's another boat!"

Jane looked to where John was pointing. Yep, that was the ship she saw before. Don't worry about that right now, Jane thought to herself. "Gale! John, look for mooring lines, anchor lines, a ladder, ANYTHING!" She yells as she tries to use the rudder to get alongside the broadside of the burning ship.

[TheRedGoat]

"Today is not my day is it?" Gale thought as he struggled against the waves to stay afloat. He knew better than to call out right away - seawater never does taste good - but when he heard Jane calling to him as if he hadn't gone overboard is when Gale knew he might be in trouble.

 

He tried to bring back that calm focus he had just a moment ago. 'Claw and kick' as his father would say, but basics like that wouldn't get him back on the boat. He made great strokes with his arms like an oar until at least his head broke the surface.

 

He cried out to Jane and gulped down some air before falling back below. The waves rocked him about and sent him tumbling further away before he could make another move. He had to focus, but old habits crept in and he paused to wonder, "John saw another boat. One that hid in the shadow of the fire. He didn't say it was also burning.

 

He didn't say they were friendly."

 

 

[Primeval Stasis]

Just after Jane calls out for Gale to help, she hears his cry from amongst the waves. John spots him off the left side of the ship, his head bobbing in and out of the water. The efforts of Jane and John have gotten their ship lined up to come alongside the larger vessel.

Meanwhile, cries can be heard from the approaching ship. Unlike the proud, aggressive ship in flames, this looks more ramshackle. Mangy men move about the deck. One points a spear toward the youths, and the ship turns about, coming for them.

As so many things vie for Jane's attention, she sees a rope ladder drop down from the large ship.

[Niven81]

 
      HP 6/8

Jane looks to Gale then to the ramshackle ship and the rope ladder. What to do? What to do? She could feel her heart beating hard and fast against her chest, her breathing getting more frantic. What would her brother do? What would Dad do?

"Damnit!" She screamed and whirled toward John Johnson. "Hold that rope ladder!" She barked and pointed to the descended ladder. "Do. Not. Climb." She turned back toward the water and Gale and ripped off her boots. "If I don't make it back then go up, otherwise hold it and this boat here!" With that the blacksmith's daughter dove into the water.

 

One good thing about living in a fishing village is that damn near everyone knew how to swim and handle the ocean. I'm coming Gale!

[Niven81]

Reflex Roll

[Shen]

John may not be much of a sailor, but he does at least know how to follow directions. "You got it!" he shouts back to Jane, taking as firm a hold of the ladder as he can without losing his footing in the boat. His eyes keep going back to that other boat getting closer and closer to them, though. How long can they stay here like this before the other boat, and its crew, turns its attention to the three of them?

Edited September 13, 2023 by Shen (see edit history)

[TheRedGoat]

"Did I offend the gods or something?" Gale thought to himself as he struggled to stay afloat. He would swear the water was getting worse specifically around him. At least he saw Jane notice where he was. He'll have to thank her later for that. John too from the looks of it. He started daydream again, replaying memories of apprenticing in the forges with the Smiths. He remembered hearing about Johnstown for the first time and wondering if it was real or not. He never could explain to other people how it was so easy for him to do that and still look like he's paying attention.

 

Even now his body was moving with more grace and skill than if he really thought about trying to swim like his life depended on it. He should feel scared right? As he broke the surface, he could tell he was getting closer to Jane but that second boat was closer too. By the looks of them he would bet his life that they were raiders. If they set fire to the merchant ship though, then why is it not sunken down? Why did they let it keep sailing so far and make it back to....

....

....

"They're not after the ship."

[Primeval Stasis]

The smell of burning, the struggle against water and the unknown, it all brings back the very memories that brought Gale out here on an impulse in the first place. As he’s lost between the water and the air, the desperation of the situation threatens to lose him between the past and the present as well.

On the ship, John clings to the rail and the rope ladder, holding the vessels together as best he can. They jostle against each other, decks clacking and bucking, increasing the strain to his muscles. As he takes a quick second to adjust, he loses his grip slightly. The boat rocks, and he hears Jane grunt behind him. However, as he draws them back together, he notices something.

Even though the ship is on fire, it doesn’t seem to be burning.

Meanwhile, Jane crosses the small ship. Preparing to jump into the water, she is thrown about by the boat rocking as John loosens his grip. As she stumbles forward, she realizes the best thing to do is just go with the motion and dive out of the boat now. Her foot catches on the side of the boat, sending her tumbling face-first into the cold ocean.

As Gale’s head bobs above the water once again, he sees Jane’s fall. He is getting closer to her and the ship. He struggles forward to find her. They manage to find each other in the thrashing waters and head for the surface. Just as they break, gasping and coughing on sea water, rough hands grab them and pull them up.

[Niven81]

 
      HP 6/8

Jane sputters and coughs on salt water as she is hauled upwards. She tries to look through salt stung eyes as she doubts the rough hands belong to John and she can tell Gale is in the same boat - no pun intended - as she is.