"Are we going to drop anchor or no?"  says Wraith to the Phantasian. "If we don't, you'll probably need to remain on board, correct?"

The Wind of Fate cruises on towards the tower, now about nine hundred yards away.  It becomes apparent after J'landria's revelation that at the current height of the windship, it would indeed appear back lit by the sky of the setting suns.  It's possible that losing some altitude quickly might drop the windship deeper into the passes, making it harder to discern against the peaks of the mountains.

"I have little tactical experience aside from protecting pilgrims on the road. However, if I may? I suggest we come in directly above them. Men are less likely to look upwards. And with this heavy wind, chances are the sentry down there is trying to keep his head down as well." Aalistair grips the railing, partly as example and partly from need as evidenced by knuckles gripped nearly as pale as the wood of the Fate. "Since this man is a Rajan, I have little hesitation in dropping down upon like an avenging stroke from Aa Himself. However, I do not know if I am as ... comfortable ... with the idea of just stepping off this ship and falling. Excuse me, flying down there aided by some strange magics. No offense to your skill, Aeletheros." He looks over the edge of the ship at the tower below. "If we ahh... dropped. Straight down. To bring the deck level to the top of the tower. How difficult would that be to achieve rapidly?"

Rammid smiles, "I am what you would call, lightish I think."

For a moment, J'landria almost stops breathing, then she lets out a low rumbling growl.

"He is looking.  We might have been spotted, but he is not reacting as if he has seen us yet.  He is watching the ground at the moment, but his eyes are lifting to the sky," she tells those close enough to hear.

"Paradoxists's tits," Aalistair curses as J'landria relays the latest information. "Can one of you hit him with a bow from this distance?"

Still carried along by the wind, the 'ship cruises ever closer to the tower, now about eight hundred yards away (far too distant for any bowshot, at least yet).

It continues to close on the tower, still well above it.  It looks like the current trajectory will bring the windship near the tower, perhaps somewhat to the south of it.

.   You see the guard scan the ground, and he begins to look in a wide arc around.  He's currently facing the wrong direction, but when he turns back towards the west, he really won't be able to miss the windship at this point.  It is flying in the worst possible position, neither gaining or losing altitude.  If it were a good deal higher, he may not be inclined to look up and see it.  If it were somewhat lower, it would have the shadowy mountains for a backdrop rather than the brilliant sunset that makes it stand out so alarmingly.  ]

OoC:  Any who wish to determine the path of the windship (assuming no course corrections by the pilot) can make a piloting roll, or a Conveyance (windship) roll at -5.

Aeletheros, hearing the back and forth and seeing the backlighting of the ship tries to decide which direction to go in. Cursing softly he tries to set the ship into a steep climb to get above the tower. The winds fight him from every direction it seems as he struggles mightily with the controls...

OOC: 09:51, Today: Aeletheros rolled 4 using 1d20+2. Piloting roll.

In reply to Aeletheros (msg #525):

"Step it up, lads!"  Wraith dashes across the deck of the vessel and orders the crew to batten down rigging.   Sails unfurl while others are furled, redirected.  Amidst the fray, Wraith approaches Aeletheros and says, "May I be of assistance, friend?"

OOC:

07:06, Today: Wraith Zephyr rolled 21 using 1d20+9. Piloting roll.  That would be an 18, actually, due to the -5.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:08, Fri 17 Feb 2012.

In reply to GM (msg #524):

Mirna curses under her breath at the distance, willing the 'ship into bow shot range before the guard sees them. Her fingers tap restlessly on the grip of her bow.

Aalistair attempts to judge the path of the ship. [Aalistair rolled 6 using 1d20-2. Conveyance.] He shakes his head, worried about the crew, and begins to say a prayer to Aa for protection and strength while checking to make sure he has what he needs about him: his sword strapped to his side, his staff in his hands. He idly wonders if he has time to fetch his prayerbook from his pack, but decides against it, instead gripping his staff with both hands as he begins to pray again.

J'landria doesn't move to do anything, she just remains sitting, eyes closed.

"I will watch the ship, to see where its placement is from a similar angle of the guard," she says.  "But I warn you, I do not have much longer to look through the eyes of the bird."

The windship shakes, a quick jerk making the sails snap and the rigging creaks.  It slows some, almost like a ship at sea wallowing, and then slowly begins to climb.

It is higher than the tower, though hard to say how much higher, and now seven to eight hundred yards away.

In reply to GM (msg #530):

Wraith tears off his gauntlets and tucks this into his belt.  Wind lashes and whips his silver hair in a million directions.  "I shall cast Worthy Vessel - a lesser known cantrip taught to be by an old sailor - which will hopeful hasten our ship's progress.  As it stands now, we are bound to be noticed if we don't double our speed."  Wraith closes his eyes and begins to intone in a voice that seems to come from a deeper place within him, as it is at least an octave below his speaking voice.  His turbulent incantation seems to initiate the inimitable whims of the wind that batters their vessel.  His finders curl across the railing, seeming to burrow into the burnished wood.

Unfortunately, the airman mispronounces one of the guttural syllables, and gusts of wind tears him from his feet.  Wraith  cracks his against the railing of the ship and spits a gout of blood from his mouth; the fall has caused him to bite his tongue.  "Magic, such a fickle and, often, useless pursuit."  He drags himself to his feet and smacks the railing.  "I can try again in a few moments.  I need to rest."


OOC:

13:03, Today: Wraith Zephyr rolled 5 using 1d20-3. Wraith Casts Worth Vessel at (level 10).
This message was last edited by the player at 21:10, Sat 18 Feb 2012.

"The ship.... It is completely visible, almost more so now.  However, he is fixated on the ground on the other side, though, I do not know for how much longer," she says.  Her hand slides up to her head, massaging it.

Aalistair makes his way to Wraith's side while making the sign of the Holy Eye over his breast and then gestures towards the Cymrilian, placing his hand over Wraith's chest.
"Great and powerful Aa the Omnipotent, please see fit to grant the tiniest modicum of your power to this man. Though he is not one of your faithful, he is a good man at heart and with your grace he will enable others to strike down a great evil these lands."

---

Aalistair rolled 9 using 1d20-2. Casting roll. Casting Blessing of Aa's Holy Grace: (MR +2; Touch, 1 minute)
Partial. So... MR +1? or MR +2 for 5 rounds? Unless Aa was really really really wanting this to go off and gives a bonus?

After Wraith helps him keep the vessel from going out of control Aeletheros checks the bearing then listens to what J'landria is saying about the tower. He yells to the various crewmen to trims this sail and open that one at the right moments and sets a steep climb as well as turning the windship so it will pass left and above the tower. Hopefully this will get it out of the backlighting of the suns.

OOC: 21:30, Today: Aeletheros rolled 18 using 1d20+2. Piloting Roll.

Rammid launches himself into the rigging to trim the sails and follow other orders as needed. his axe remains on his back, he looks a little sad that he did not get to fly down and take the Rajan guard out.

"Thank you," says Wraith.  The airman begins his spell once again, albeit slowly, and makes sure that he intones property.  Fate, like the elements, is fickle, and the airman's spell unravels before everyone's eyes.  The unraveling is not quite as violent, however.

OOC:

05:21, Today: Wraith Zephyr rolled 6 using 1d20+2. Wraith Casts Worth Vessel at (level 7).
This message was last edited by the player at 13:24, Mon 20 Feb 2012.

The windship shakes again, and sways, catching the wind, and a lucky (or magical?) updraft.  It shoots higher into the sky.  Aeletheros wrests the wheel about; his light build belies a deceptive strength as he masters the helm and brings the windship rising into the sky.  The change in course will bring it up and over the tower.  The Fate is now some 60 to 70 yards above the tower, and approximately 700 yards distant.





OoC:  Maybe the GM is just being nice, maybe Aa smiles upon you... either way, things seem to have, at least momentarily, taken a turn for the better.

BTW... everyone is keeping track of their spell penalties, right?  I have been remiss, and would have to backtrack. 

In reply to GM (msg #537):

Wraith smiles and pats Aalistiar on in the back.  "Aa is quite munificent today, honorably pilgrim.  I thought my spell was going to get the better of me a second time, but the hand of providence seemed to intercede."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:45, Mon 20 Feb 2012.

"All glory be to His name," Aalistair nods. "As for myself, I'd best get back to helping with the sails." He quickly salutes Wraith and Aeletheros. "All speed, gentlemen. We await your orders." With that, he heads down from the wheel-house onto the deck to help the Marukan crew with their tasks.

J'landria makes a small noise and now both hands are on her head, fingers rubbing around her ears.

"The connection is... failing," she tells whoever is listening.  "I am trying to hold on however."

Her ears flick a few times and her eyes stay clamped firmly shut.

In reply to GM (msg #537):

Mirna relaxes slightly, and quickly scans the area for other threats before returning her watch towards the tower's guard. She keeps an arrow nocked, but maintains an easier grip on the bow.

Feeling like he has found the "groove" in the winds Aeletheros takes the windship up and left around the tower. He hopes to get it out of the easy sight of the guard and definitely out of the backlighting of the suns.