Valkin nods his head and reaches into the pocket of his jacket. He produces a wrinkled, and smudged piece of paper.
"Aye, here be yer list."
Once all the preparations are complete you are all directed to the ships, one group (high level) to the Star of Arcadia, the other (low level) to the Ocean Strider. There is a slight delay in getting underway due to a commotion at the docs. It appears that in her haste, Caim wandered aboard a fishing vessel, the Sea Star.
"Good, now that ye all be were yar suppos'ta be, I wish you speed and luck on your journey. May the wind always be at yer back."
Valkin waves you off as the ropes lashing the ships to their pier. The sails are then deployed. As the wind catches the sails, filling them the two vessels slowly leave the docks and soon you are underway.
Hours pass uneventfully before the temperature drop suddenly and precipitously as you can just make out the tiny island of Solstice on the horizon.
Occasional messages are exchanged between ships via a series of colored flags. Something catches the eye of Aramais Philaen, the elven captain of the Star of Arcadia and a new series of signals are frantically displayed.
Dalphonse Downwillow, halfling captain of the Ocean Strider reads the signal and then the captains call for the sails to be trimmed to slow down the progress of the ships. The reason for the alarm becomes clear as you all begin to spot the ice floes at the edge of your vision.
[sblock=Nature (DC 13)]The appearance of ice means that the temperature around the island has been well below freezing for a long time, yet winter has only recently come to the area.[/sblock]
Both ships deftly navigate the icy waters but soon the sky begins to darken ahead, a looming storm threatens to make your passage even more perilous. A sudden shift in the wind ruffles the sails of both vessels.
[sblock=Arcana (DC 24)]At the edge of the storm, you can just make out the faint afterglow of a magic ritual. Powerful elemental magic appears to be in use.[/sblock]
[sblock=Nature (DC 16)]The onset of the storm was sudden. The air currents don't reconcile with the weather patterns you had observed earlier.[/sblock]
[sblock=Perception (DC 25)]You spot several winged beasts circling within the storm clouds.[/sblock]