Short Straws

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 2. Season: Rebirth.
Standing on the dock of the Lighted Sentinel before embarking, the Short Straws are not sent on their way by Linstahl. He could be bother to deign such with his presence. The harbor master is tasks with putting the mission in motion. He is a tall thin man, still fit with lithe musculature. He is almost as tall as Terrendale and tends to look down, literally, on all of those that he can. His skin is the gray shade of mountain stone, and his black hair is long and sleek, tied in a braid that hangs down his back.

He rubs his thumbs against his forefingers and grimaces at the requests from Kite, but such inquiry is expected. Everyone pushes against boundaries. The first offer of fully equipping the crew against hostilities is a common offer and not one to settle a negotiation. Without drawing much more than dour expressions from the chosen teamsters, he finally resigns to a true offer. “I am authorized to offer you everything that you can carry upon returning to the ship.”

This is a rather decent offer, considering the news concerning the size of the island, especially valuable plant materials which are of very little mass. The six party members are offered pliable leather bracers and boots and light leather tunics. There is also the option of Kevlar tunics for those who want something of less mass than leather. Quality weapons are offered befitting combat style, including a pair of balanced swords, a pair of leather gloves, and a recurve bow with metal tipped and stone tipped arrows. Of a different importance, each member is equipped with a very functional utility belt with multiple pouches, two satchels with shoulder straps, two water skins, rope, and twine.

“Pick your gear and board the ship. The light is wasting.”

Sentinel ships are rather large vessels with single hulls and two masts. The sailors are already aboard, and the dock hands are waiting to cast the mooring lines back to the boatswains. There is no official religion in the islands and beliefs vary, almost with individuals, but some commonalities exist within certain groups. A smooth stone about the size of a person’s head is placed on the foredeck of every ship, and a plate of iron is placed in the aft. Everyone when boarding a ship touches the stone and then the iron, including carried teamsters, whether they believe in any such superstitions or not. Refusal to touch the items will result in immediately being killed by the others. Touching them in the wrong order will cause the culprit to be jettisoned over the side. There are no other superstitions concerning gender or species, especially since the identification of the three species of people is not even really known. No one cares how one body may be built differently than another or whether a person has enlarged earlobes or none at all.

OOC: Pliable Bracers or Boots: cover 20, hinder 12, deflect 6, soak, 3. Light Leather Tunic: cover 60, hinder 12, deflect 4, soak 2. Kevlar Tunic: cover 60, hinder 6, deflect 5, soak 0. weapon data will be updated on the character record.

Spoiler: Character Data

Kite: full wellness
Coldtree: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Terrendale: full wellness
Machinist:
O’ologist:

Spoiler: Collections

nothing at this time

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State gear selections and nominal actions or intentions while sailing. Provide a random roll.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

OOC: Evidently lag caused a double post. I would delete this one if we still had that privilege.

 

[MacConnell]

Because it is extremely important to him to be able to maintain his freedom of motion, Eitleog dons one of the kevlar tunics in favor of leather, but he does take the new bracers and boots. He hefts the twin swords and tests their balance, taking care not to demonstrate anything of his true skill. He also straps on the other gear that will aid in carrying acquired materials. “Offer accepted.”

The comment was really more of a cheap shot for the harbor master. He turns his back and boards the ship with no concern for a response.

OOC: 73

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Spoiler: Gear Selection

Soldier's Sling
20 sling bullets (highly honed rocks, high-density.)
Large (13") filet knife
Kevlar Tunic
Leather Bracers
Leather Boots
2 Large Satchels
Bedroll
50' thin, 5-cord rope, with small metal bar at the end (for climbing.)
3 Days Dried Rations

Terry also selects Kevlar rather than Leather. For a weapon he carries a Soldier's Sling, along with a bag of honed stones. He also carries a long, wicked filet knife in his belt, which is not only a tool, but can also serve as a vicious weapon in times of need. He nods his acceptance of the deal, selects his miscellaneous gear, and boards without saying a word to anyone. He remembers to touch the stone first, metal second.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

OOC: 79

 

[MacConnell]

Standing on the docks, having previously neglected to introduce herself or even say anything at all, Gretda finally acknowledges that she too is one of the Short Straws. She accepts the leather gear but does not need a weapon, for she carries her own. She is slightly above average in height, especially for a female, with a thick frame, brown skin, curly hair, and a pretty face.

She carries a bamboo rod about the thickness of two fingers and about three quarters of her own height in length. Though she could use the rod defensively if she chose, this is not its purpose or its primary use. She carries two inset fittings for both ends in a small pouch. The rod is actually a musical instrument that can be played in two different manners, depending on the fittings. Though choosing to speak little, she is a master of sound. Without any fittings and covering all ten finger holes, the rod can be used as a special blowgun that shoots thumb-sized pebbles, for which she carries a filled pouch. She smiles and acknowledges each of the other members as she boards the vessel.

OOC: 73

 

[Kwargrow]

Coldtree claims a kevlar tunic, leather boots, bracers, and gloves along with all the utility gear. He carries with him no visible weapon other than a single edge hunting knife. He does not take a sword, but claims a recurve bow with a selection of metal and stone arrows. On boarding, he does not refuse to touch the stone and iron, but the expression on his face makes it clear the actions mean nothing to him.
After looking over the group with a sly smile, he asks the harbormaster, "What if someone dies? Do we get extra credit if we bring their gear back?"

Spoiler: Roll

85

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 12. Season: Rebirth.

OOC: Items such as hunting, filet, and carving knives are considered to be tools and not weapons, everyone carries them without consequence, even carving axes which are used for cleaning larger animals. Everyone also carries rope and twine. Twine and small pouches can readily be made by any character using parts of game animals. This is considered to be constant and granted, even if players are unfamiliar with such processes. Satchels are different and currently limited to 2 per character. Granted items do not need to be listed. Items of clothing not listed in the character record are not considered to be missing. They are considered to have no protective quality.

The Harbormaster smiles at the parting query from Coldtree. It is not a pleasant smile, but he is not angry. It is something he would have thought to ask, and he finds it funny, despite his ability to hide it. “By all means, if one of you should die, the rest of you may divide their haul… if you can still carry it.”

It takes most of a day to reach the unexplored island from the Lighted Sentinel, the actual light becoming visible as the Daylight begins to fade and the island is in full view. As to the rumor, the island truly is covered in a veil of mist so that only its shores are visible to a certain distance inland, but nothing of its possible mountains can be seen. It is immediately ascertained, due to the presence of rocky outcroppings, is that the island was once volcanic and could possibly still be so, considering the fog. This is not the reason for the constant, low-hanging cloud, but it is a logical deduction.

The island is separated into five zones by the previous volcanic activity that formed it, leaving each section somewhat isolated from the others by a rocky ridge that extends out into the water. The sections are not equally divided. The eastern side of the island contains a large marsh. North of the marsh is more vegetated with trees, almost growing to the ocean, likely a swamp. The northern most section of the island is extremely rocky with no definitive beach and even dangerous for the ship to pass close enough to be able to see much of shore. The western side is mostly cliffs, and the southern section has a true sandy beach.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Kite: full wellness
Terrendale: full wellness
Gretda: full wellness
O’ologist:

Spoiler: Collections

nothing at this time

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister

GM: Each character receives 9 DP.

OOC: State nominal actions and intentions. Provide a random roll.

 

[MacConnell]

Eitleog signals to the others. “I guess the first thing we need to find on this island is fresh water. From what we can see I think that should be routine. The beach would probably be the easiest place to go in and make a camp. What say all of you?”

He looks around the ship. “This monster of a ship is not going to be able to get that close to shore. We are going to have to take a rowboat. Swimming in gear will drown anyone. I am not doing that.”

Gretda stops playing her flute and stands to address the others. “Trying to drown the shore crew would be a stupid move. We should take the boat like it is expected of us. The beach probably is the best place to start.”

OOC: 76

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Cycle: 500: Day: 12. Season: Rebirth.

Spoiler: Wariness

Coldtree: 30(perception) + 78(clairaudience) + 50(d100) = 158
Astarte: 56 + 47 + 50 = 153
Kite: 40 + 78(empathy) + 76 = 194
Gretda: 50(observe) + 50(clairaudience) + 76 = 176
O’ologist: 50 + 58(affinity) + 75 = 183
Terrendale: 50 + 58(tuning) + 50 = 158

OOC: The O’ologist position is available if anyone would like the additional character, otherwise it will be run as an NPC. All random rolls for an NPC are always 75.

Hearing no disagreement, as this initial decision is of little importance, the party dispatches a landing boat and climbs down into it. Physically being the largest in the party, Gretda and Terrendale play even or odd to see who will first man the oars. There is a berm system preventing the deep drafting ship from getting very close, and the two switch places after rowing about half of that distance, with everyone else keeping watch.

Rowing nearer the beach, it is observed that a small river is flowing out from the right side along the rocky outcropping. The river mostly sinks through the permeable sand but is more defined farther back into the trees. The mist does not seem to be much of an impediment to seeing in a linear direction, only when looking upward. The superstitions of the sailors about the mist seem completely unfounded. Raucous noises of many many birds are heard long before any can be seen. Some of the chirping sounds are causes by a creature that none of the party has even heard of, much less seen. These are arboreal frogs.

The back of the beach gives way to a palm forest with at least two different types of palms. The taller trees all currently contain a dancing bird going through the theatrics of its mating ritual that gives it its name. The shorter palms hold songbirds loudly calling for mates. The beach, itself, appears to be crawling, until it can be seen that the illusion is caused by an army of crabs, the same color of the sand, marching across in their sideways cantor. It is a simple matter for everyone to work together to carry the boat back into the palms near the river to establish a camp. This extremely clear, fresh water is the coldest that anyone has ever touched, so cold that a fog rises from it into the warmer air. If the river circles the island, it could be, at least, part of the cause of the constant mist.

Spoiler: Character Data

Coldtree: full wellness
Astarte: full wellness
Kite: full wellness
Gretda: full wellness
O’ologist: full wellness
Terrendale: full wellness

Spoiler: Collections

nothing at this time

Spoiler: People of Interest

Linstahl: Leader, Lighted Sentinel: Laurel, twin sister

OOC: State nominal actions or intentions. Provide a random roll.