Arnan smirked at Thane's jibe about warming up Kira if she got cold and wet, then got down to business.

"I'll get up in the front of the boat and keep an eye out for rocks and big chunks of floating ice. Thane, if I put my hand on the right top edge of the boat, steer right. Two hands mean hard right. One or two hands on the left top edge mean to go left."

"That way I we should be able to avoid having to talk, even in whispers."

If no one had any other suggestions, Arnan took his position at the front of the boat and mouthed a silent prayer to Tymora to bless his efforts . . .

OOC:

18:48, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 20 using 2d20+4, dropping the highest dice only with rolls of 16,18. Survival Check (DC 15): Disadvantage. Success!

By "right (and left) top edge" of the boat, Arnan is referring to what we would think of as the gunwales (not sure what the medieval term would have been, but Arnan wouldn't be familiar with any nautical terminology any way -- hence, his reference to the "front" of the boat). :)
This message was last edited by the player at 01:02, Sun 10 Dec 2017.

Arnan deftly guides the longboat with sure hands, avoiding numerous hazards as he navigates through the fog-shrouded channel, drawing ever closer to the Howling Fiend. With the assistance of his companions, the wilderland warrior eventually emerges into the bay, the longboat gliding toward the anchored ship.

Quite fortuitous is their time of arrival, as they streak across the cold water just behind a bank of rolling fog, effectively concealing their approach. A few moments later, Arnan steers to longboat alongside the Howling Fiend. Befitting of its moniker, the darkly lustrous black ice ram depicts the likeness of a winged demon, its maw a throng of razor sharp fangs. The demon is caught in a perpetual silent scream and merely looking upon it for the briefest of moments causes a feeling on unease.

The adventurers do not see anyone atop the Howling Fiend and for the moment, the on shore sentries do not appear to have been alerted to the group's presence. Then again, the shore is momentarily obscured in fog...well, everything is for that matter, as visibility is quite poor at the moment.

Morgrim smiled in the deep mists as the longboat came up alongside the Howling Fiend. Silently climbing aboard, he reached down to offer his hand to the next person up...

Success.

23:20, Today: Morgrim Ironhammer rolled 12 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 7,10.  Athletics.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 40):

It took a moment for Arnan to spot what he was looking for in the swirling fog, but before too long he guided the rowboat alongside a spot where a rope ladder dangled down the side of the Howling Fiend.

Granted, the rope was a little slick from the dampness of the fog, but all in all it was an easy climb for the outdoorsman, and it took but a moment for him to scamper up and join Morgrim on the deck of the ship.

Since Morgrim had positioned himself to aid those who were climbing up behind them, Arnan nocked an arrow and busied himself with peering into the swirling fog and listening, in an attempt to ascertain whether any pirates were aboard the ship with them.

OOC:

11:20, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 23  using 2d20+3, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 20,17. Athletics Check: DC 10 w/ Advantage. Success!

That's four good rolls in a row (counting Arnan's Spot-check rolls when piloting the rowboat) -- very uncharacteristic of my usual treatment from the Dice-Roller. I'm starting to get a little nervous . . .

Shane, let me know if Arnan needs to make a Spot or Listening check -- thanks!
This message was last edited by the player at 17:33, Mon 11 Dec 2017.

Kira moved up after Arnan, not enjoying the feel of the slimy feel on the rope from the dampness and a bit of algae forming.  She made it up though and like Arnan she knocked a regular arrow for now and passively took a look around while the others joined them on the ship.

---

10:50, Today: Kira rolled 15 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 10,5.  Acrobatics to climb rope with advantage.  Success ... thankfully!
Passive Perception: 16

Thane quietly stowed the oars once it was down to him and Dalgura still in the boat.  Then he made ready to tie the longboat to the rope ladder using the longboat's shore line once she ascended.

"You go next, I'll follow after tying these together," he said.  "Don't start any fights without me!" he followed up with a playful wink.

---

OOC: Thane will keep one of the oars handy in case he has to do some station keeping.  Not an issue if the waters are calm.

In reply to Thane Harkensen (msg # 44):

Dal smiled at Thane.  "I'll not start a fight.  That's Grim's job but get me out of the water if I fall in ok?"

Dal silently said a prayer to her Goddess asking for help for her group and if at all possible, not to let Dal make too much of a fool of herself.  She supposed she should have asked that for Grim too but then where would she get ammunition to tease him with.  He didn't mess up often, in her eyes, and she needed something to kid him about.  BUT he was covered in her overall prayers for the group.

Dal carefully climbed up feeling better knowing that her companions had made it and that Grim was up there waiting for her.

Hengar assists Thane by securing the longboat to the Howling Fiend.

"You want I should stay with the boat?" he asks the Luskan warrior.

Morgrim and Kira quickly scale up a rope and pull themselves onto the deck of the Howling Fiend, while, for the moment, the rest of the party remains below in the longboat.

The pirate ship is about 25 feet from port to starboard at its widest point and 90 feet from bow to stern. She's a two masted ship with a raised forecastle and poop deck on either end, a large cargo hold dominating the main deck. The fog is less dense atop the ship, though the air is still gloomy nonetheless. Flickering light emerges from wooden door windows leading into the forecastle and poop decks.

Morgrim signalled those below that the deck was clear. "Quiet now," he whispered. He chose not to push ahead until all those wishing to come aboard had done so.

"Sure, that's a good idea.  You can make sure nobody takes it from us, or uses it to get aboard the Fiend.  I'll holler for you if we need you in the fight."

Thane gripped the man's shoulder and gave it a soldierly squeeze.  Then he climbed the rope ladder and joined his fellows above.  He knelt down in their midst.

"Alright, one of us needs to cut or untie the stay lines, and pull in or drop the gangway so them that's ashore can't get onboard.  The rest of us need to deal with the crew..." he whispered advice, but trailed off to gauge how the party was following along.

---

09:24, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 20 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 15,12.  Climb Rope (DC15 w/Advantage).  Success!
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Wed 13 Dec 2017.

Hengar remains with the rowboat while the rest of the party climbs up the rope and boards The Howling Fiend. The bay is now socked in with fog and the cove is no longer visible. Any hope the pirate sentries may have had of spotting the adventurers is, for the moment lost.

Standing atop the pirate vessel's main deck, the adventurers take stock of their surroundings. There are no pirates milling about on deck, though the flitting light of lanterns within the forecastle and poopdeck suggest all may be quiet on deck, not so within the ship's quarters. Additionally, the characteristic sound of someone sharpening a blade can be heard within the forecastle and a chopping sound filters out of the poopdeck.

The moment seized, the adventures lurk aboard The Howling Fiend, contemplating their next course of action...

"Alright.  Up front there," he pointed to the forecastle, "is where the sailors be quartered," he informed his fellows using a harsh whisper.  "And back there," he gestured to the rear deck or "poop deck" was, <Goldenrod>"is where the captain'd be quartered.  Sounds like someone be making breakfast back there and readying a weapon up front."</Goldenrod>

He looked aft and then to the fore, then nodded to himself.  "Morgrim, maybe you and Arnan go to the poop deck and sort out whoever's back there.  I'll take Dal foreward to the foc'sle and sort out whoever's there, while you, Kira, use your sneaky ways to sever this ship from the land so nobody on shore has an easy way to get on board.  Sound like a good plan?"

Morgrim nodded. Exchanging a glance with Arnan he headed for the door indicated by Thane. "Seems to me they could just call it a cabin," he whispered to the woodsman. "No need to gussy it all up with these fancy names."

In reply to Morgrim Ironhammer (msg # 52):

Arnan gave an amused grunt in response to Morgrim's comment, keeping an arrow nocked as he also glanced at their destination.

"And who the bloody hells came up with a name like 'Poop Deck'? Surely they could have come up with something better than that."

Kira had managed to contain her mirth until Arnan commented on the naming of the poop deck, and then she managed to keep the snicker soft though she had to pinch her nose to keep from snorting.  "Sounds like a decent enough plan.  Is there a way to maybe lock them inside so they can't get out?  Then when we're out far enough we just set this damn thing on fire and let 'em all burn and sink?" she asked.  She knew it sounded horrible but they had killed and done horrible things so they might as well go out like their victims had ... at least that was the way her mind's version of justice worked.

Dal smiled at the silly names sailors gave the parts of the ship.  As long as she didn't have to wade into poop she'd be happy.  No doubt she might have to wade into it after the battle but one step at a time.

"Sounds good to me.  Have fun on the poop...deck."

The party splits up as Morgrim and Arnan make their way toward door leading into the poop deck, Thane and Dalgura toward the door leading into forecastle and Kira seeking out the anchor. Drifts of icy fog hang heavily in the air as the party sets out to their appointed tasks. All is going well until Thane accidentally kicks a loose cask that had been discarded on the deck. The cask goes skittering across the deck, rattling rather loudly and definitely breaking the otherwise silence.

A tense moment passes as the party waits to hear the response to the sudden noise. Then a call pierces the silence, this one coming from somewhere above the adventurers...

From the main mast, "Wot's on down there?"

Glancing up through the fog, the adventurers can faintly make out what looks like a small crow's nest atop the main mast. An outline of a man's upper torso pops up from the mast, the figure clearly attempting to see the nature of the noise.

OOC: Everyone but Kira is about 10 feet distant from their respective doors. It is possible to attempt to hide behind ropes, etc. but the adventurers can also remain still and hope they are not spotted, or dash for the doors, etc.

The good news was that Thane did not trip and fall when he kicked the cask and sent it thumping across the deck.

The bad news was that Thane kicked a cask and sent it thumping across the deck.  It was always something whenever Thane tried to be sneaky!

Hearing the crow's nest sentry call out from above, Thane did the first thing that came to mind - he crouched down and sought to hide from the prying eyes from above.  If he couldn't quickly make it to the base of the mast, then he would have to settle for whatever rigging or sailcloth or clutter on the deck that he could get between him and the man looking out from above...

---

OOC: 11:17, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 9 using 1d20 with rolls of 9.  Stealth Check take 2.

Morgrim winced. Turning towards the sound of the commotion he whispered under his breath. The sound of a seabird's call filled the misty air, followed by the fluttering of wings as of something taking flight and disappearing over the bow.

Druidcraft to make the commotion seem harmless.

Arnan knew from his experience as a hunter that nothing attracted the eye as quickly as movement. That being the case, when the lookout called down from his perch high up on the mast, Arnan froze in place, hoping that the fog would be thick enough to hide him . . . well, that and the fact that the lookout's attention might well be pulled towards the sounds of a seabird taking flight over towards the bow . . .

---

OOC:

21:36, Today: Arnan Aldwynne rolled 16 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 11. Stealth Check: Nothin' to See Here.

Through the gloom, the adventurers see the pirate atop the crow's nest jerk his attention in the direction of the illusory seagull, momentarily giving those below an opportunity to dive for cover or the like. The pirate looks off into the distance for a few moments, then, frustrated with his inability to see through the fog, clears his throat and mutters, "By the grace of Auril..." and then something unintelligible.

The pirate throws a heavy fur back over his shoulders and hunkers back down into the crow's nest. He's likely been posted as a lookout, but is obviously not taking his duty very seriously at the moment.

Meanwhile, back down on deck, the adventurers have an opportunity to get into position to get a better view within either of the quarters.

Those outside the forecastle peer through a small window at the top of the door and see a short flight of stairs leading to a small room containing what looks to be sailor's quarters. Hammocks are drawn up to the quarter's walls, while four sailors sit around a square wooden table near the center of the room. A bronze lamp in the middle of the table provides dim lighting. The men appear to be playing cards and a large pile of mostly silver and copper coins litters the table. The men are not wearing armor, but they do have weapons handy.

Those on the other side of the deck, outside the poopdeck, peer through the door window and see a flight of stairs leading down, a door on the right side of a short landing, and the stairwell continuing further down, away out of sight to the left. This stairwell likely leads to the cargo hold below. Dim light spills out from under the closed doorway. Chopping noises are heard below.

At the same time, Kira slinks along the ship's bannister and locates the anchor. The ship is definitely anchored at the moment, though it would not be too difficult to change that.

In reply to DM Shard (msg # 60):

It seemed that Morgrim was full of all manner of handy tricks to mask the attackers' sometimes not-quite-as-stealthy-as-intended efforts to take control of The Howling Fiend.

Thane, who Arnan reckoned to be the only one among them who had some experience as a mariner, had seemed to think that the Captain would be located in the cabin at the back of the boat. If he's even aboard-ship at the moment, Arnan thought to himself. Hopefully, at least some of the crew are over in the camp just now instead of being here, where we will have to deal with them.

Arnan could hear the rhythmic thumping of what sounded like chopping noises from behind the closed door, so he supposed that the boat's kitchen was in the area that he and Morgrim would be exploring. If sailors call a cabin a 'Poop Deck', the gods only know what ridiculous name they have coined for the kitchen, he thought to himself.

Whispering to Morgrim, Arnan mused, "So . . . Thane thinks that the Captain will be in this part of the boat, and it sounds like the cook might be downstairs, too."

"Any last-minute thoughts afore we do this?"

"Aye," Morgrim whispered, himself mostly of the opinion that a direct approach was usually the best one. "Don't miss."

Fixing his shield on his arm, he stepped before the huntsman and quietly pushed back the door.

Thane breathed out a slow sigh of relied as the sound of a gull distracted the watchman so that he went back to his lazy sentry duty.

Crouching down at the door, underneath the window, Thane beckoned Dalgura to lean in close.  "We might be better served trapping those men below deck," he advised in a hushed whisper.  "Do you have any magics to help with that?  Or should I do it the old-fashioned way?" he asked, gesturing at his hand axe and the seam of the door.

He casts a glance at what's nearby, hoping to spot a loose belaying pin or other wooden object he could use as a hammer.  Better the sound of wood on metal than metal on metal!

---

OOC: 09:21, Today: Thane Harkensen rolled 20 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 17.  Perception: want a wooden hammer.