The evening goes quietly as everyone settles in for the night.  Watch is quiet, as is to be expected here in port and dawn sees many a ship setting sail for the open sea.  The captain is up before the sun, going back over the ship himself from stem to stern, inspecting lines and making sure that the tarps protecting the balista from sea and spary are lashed tight, but the ties easy enough to remove in a hurry.  With a soft whistle he a slap on the rail he calls Jax, the large sea lion that has been hanging around the ship, to make ready for setting out.  As the sun comes up and the rest of his crew come on decks he begins giving orders to lower the sails and make for the open seas to begin three months of patrols.

Brald calmly went about each task assigned him.  His alert eyes missing nothing as he darted through the rigging to adjust sheets and canvas.  Nearly always, when a correction needed to be made, he was already at the correct line waiting for the order to haul or loose.

With easy comfort and a condescending grin, he walked the deck and helped those having trouble with balance or weak stomachs.  "Don't eat for the first day boy, then only eat hardtack with just enough water to make it go down, you're stomach will toughen up in no time."  He advised one young sailor with a greenish complexion, unnatural for the human he appeared to be.

Before the sun rises, Vraul dives over board and spends an hour under the water. Before surfacing he scans the hull once again from stem to stern. Making sure their has been no foul play. He then climbs up the rope he has hanging over the leeward side.

As the sun rises, he makes sure all the crew is up. And that the ship is ready to sail. As the Captain calls out orders, he assures those that have been assigned them are carrying them out correctly. He re-enforces orders where he see's some one slacking...or he thinks is slacking. Which at times could mean just doing it slower then he would have.

Calgarvin rises early and, after taking his morning meal and a handful of bread extra, heads to the deck to see to his morning chores. Every so often when his chores take him to the rear of the ship, he moves to the side and tosses a small chunk of bread over the side, then returns to his chores.

While the first few hours at sea are a bit rough due to sailors getting the kinks worked out and regaining thier sea legs, everything seems to come into itself shortly and the day begins to pass with the normal boring repetiveness of the sea.  The hours streatch on, as the ship sails further from port.  The captain spens a short while at the stem of the ship, taking barings before calling course changes back to the wheel to keep the ship on course.  The men are now going about thier business with a regular percision that is to be expected on a fighting ship.


OOC: I'm not going to call for prof: Sailing checks to often, however if we run into rough waters, come accross a sea monster, or any battles this will be the first check requested.  I'll roll one general check for the ship as a whole, then I'll need one from each of you which may or may not affect your combat readiness.....be sure to roll well, wouldn't want to have Varul coming down on you for not being ready for combat!

"Stop that land lubbing ways," Vraul shouts. "You belong to me again. And dat means you be sailors. So get deem sheets taught and give me a wake." Since the captain has just given orders to the helmsman, he seems to escape any comments from Vraul. "You der, Human Tim, get up to the nest and keep watch for sails on da horizon. Now go!" Yells at a new sailor. He knows the chances of seeing a pirate this soon is very small so he figures it will be good practice for the pleb.

Standing near the railing on the left side of the ship, Varlath made a semi-concious effort to stay opposite the ship's first mate, a brutish-looking seaman who he had picked up was named Varul. While not all that concerned, Varlath knew his expertise was less than diminished while at sea, seeing as he was so new to the water. Following after a few sailors, the young sorcerer did his best to appear to fit in.

Brald spent most of his time up in the masts, adjusting sail and plotting the course in his head as he watched the changing seas and points of land pass along.  The foaming wake of the swift little ship churned up small fish, which attracted bigger fish, and the rear view of flying fish, porpoises, and the like was as much interest as the forward view and their destination.

Particularly, as the disturbed chain of life in their wake sometimes tended to attract larger predators...

Calgarvin is quite responsible with his duties. He tends to stick to the deck, and does the occasional run through the hold where possible to check that everything is in order with the ship. On a time during a very short break, he seeks out Varul. "Excuse me, Sir. I am curious to know if we received any reports of specific pirate activity in this lane prior to shipping out and, if so, the nature of the reports?"

Days go by, the miles sweep past behind you as the Swyft Wynd sails on.  The days are quiet, the nights even more so.  Life on board the ship is a long string of boredom, order kept on the ship out of respect for the strength of the captain and fear of the first mate.  You've been sailing a week now, few ships have been sighted, those that you have seen you've sailed past without a thought, all of them, large and small, merchant ships.  It is coming up to evening when you begin to see red in the water...lots of red.  It is blood in the water and it is fresh, it is not long before you come upon the bodies of what appears to be a small pod of whales, thier bodies ravaged by something large.  Some are half eaten, the rest appear to have been killed for the fun of it.

Coming to the call of the man on watch, Clarke is not happy to see the destruction around his ship.  "Reef the sails, I want to know what caused this...its not the work of whalers.  Varul, get a group together, I want to know what caused those wounds.  This is to close to shipping lanes to allow something this large to be allowed to hunt these gounds...it'll only be a matter of time til it takes to sinking ships."

"Reports of activity is it. Now mind your business and the captain will mind his. You will know when it is time. Now get back to work. And stop bothering me with nonsense." Vraul grumbles thinking all these sailors think they be captain.

"Ya heard the captain. Reef the sails and put out the sea anchor. Lets see what caused this here mess." Vraul shouts. "And I want all marines armed. Keep your eyes on the water you there in the crows nest. And I want the siege team on their weapon. Load it fer da pratice. But if this be an aberation, we'll be glad we have the balista loaded." He looks to make sure everyone is follwoing orders. He takes his trident from Scrub, the small aquatic elf that serves as cabin boy to the Capn and errand boy for Vraul. Vraul smiles at the boy for having the initiative to bring hsi weapon without being asked. His smile to the rest of the crew looks like a very savage scowl. But scrub and the Capn know the difference.

Walks over to th egunnel and throws his boarding rope ove rthe side. Even thow he could climb up the line from the sea anchor they now drag behind them...he would rather keep in the practice of tossing his saftey line in.

"Be careful down there Varul, take a look around, but don't take to long...whatever did this is large, and dangerous." Captain Clarke says to his old friend.  After a moment of soft meditation he touches the sea warriors shoulder and smiles in satisfaction as the large man turns a distinctly wooden tone.  "I want you marines to be ready, whatever did this could be miles away, or lounging under the surface waiting for some fool captain to stop and take a look around!"

[Private to Varul Reefcrusher: Cast Barkskin as per 8th lvl druid (I think its +3 ac)]

"Aye aye Capn," he says with a smile as he hits his chest with his fist. The sound of the impact rebounds across the deck as Vraul grabs his rope losely and jumps into the ocean and down.

[Private to Captain Clarke: Thanks for AC.. :)

Vraul will dive down below th eblood and look around. He knows he is th eonly one for this  job. even the weak aquatic elves could not see as far as his people coul ddown here in the murk.

Spot Check: 12


You see nothing in the murk, whatever caused this is not in the area now...at least not that you can tell.  ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Sun 16 Oct 2005.