Ms. S said, ”Odd, I felt nothing with my sonar. I suppose it could be something that used no sound?”

“A psychic imprint?” Art suggested. “A time distortion? An actual supernatural manifestation? Considering what we were shown earlier and told about this expedition, I wouldn’t be willing to rule out anything without investigation. Shall we go have a look?”
This message was lightly edited by the player at 21:01, Tue 08 Sept 2020.

"It sounds like there is a mystery here waiting for us to solve it. Lets be about it then."

He heads off with Luminary leading the way.

Ace stood holding the open door as Asar walked out. Peeking in at the others, Ace waved them all out. “Feel free to join us. It sounds like a great opportunity for a group exercise.”

Sil nodded and went along.  "It's possible there is a being who is trapped. We have an obligation to help. However, we need to keep our wits about us in case it is something else.  There are other worlds out there, and some hold monsters that would eat the human race for breakfast."

She kept close to Ace.

 The group moves to check out the corridor wall that Nic points to, and can see a smudgy black mark on the wall. It looks like it could've been a hand print from one of the coal porters though and doesn't look particularly meaningful now unfortunately. The place he explains where the words help were written seems to just have some paint missing from the wall. Not totally out of step with the rest of the hold's two year old paint job. It all looks a bit scuffed.
 Just as you begin to think Nic may have seen something you can't, you hear commotion from the decks further up. There is a buzz of voices and crewmen calling out to others.

****

 Those who move to the main deck see numerous watchers pointing at something out in the water, but it's late and most have begun to bed down for the evening. The crew though seems anxious and have sprung into motion, calling to the bridge crew.

 Out in the water you can see a hazy glowing ship, it looks ok but devoid of life and seems to be drifting currently. The ship says NEUSTRIA on the side of the hundred meter ship flying a french flag. It looks like a passenger ship or cargo vessel, perhaps a bit of both like the Mauretania, but smaller by a decent margin with a large hold and few upper decks and only a few flickering lights remain to show any sign of life at all.
 The Captain soon appears at the railing with binoculars and to bark orders to the ship deck, he obviously plans to send a boat to the other, as crewmen call out to anyone over on the other vessel. The Mauretania slows her pace and steers slightly to intercept...

OOC: For those who decide to join the main deck scene feel free to use any specific other powers right now, that you don't mind being seen using or otherwise feel insecure about in plain sight.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:19, Wed 09 Sept 2020.

Ms. S will focus on her sonar to discern whether a person is involved.

The boat comes within 30 meters of the vessel and tries to maintain that distance. You can all see the main deck now just above the sloshing waves.

The Captain finally begins to get preparations underway for his first mate and some of the sailors to head across. You all hear him remark in French that, "the Neustria has been missing for a month! We've got to see what happened to her crew!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:10, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

Angok had followed the group out of sheer curiosity, but quickly became bored staring at a wall that had apparently had some sort of message on it, but was no longer there. When he heard the commotion from above, he decided to go see what it was all about, watching the sailors as they set out to investigate this new ship.

Nic had no idea what had been behind the message and nothing had appeared since. No one else seemed to have a solid idea either, so the 'new ship' showing up grabbed his attention. He headed up to the deck to see what was what.

He shrugged and gave a nod. "Of course I'll go check it out." He looked at the others. "Anyone else want to come along?

Hiram had silently followed the others as they talked of weird messages and "presences".
He had no idea what to make of it, nor did he understand half of what they talked about, but he wasn't gonna pass up a chance to perhaps be of help.
Lord knows he still didn't feel like he was qualified for this expedition.

He raised his hand when Nic asked for volunteers to go on the other ship. "I'll go. Though I'm unsure I can be much help. None of my studies covered derelict ships."

Asar looks out at the other ship and then at Sil and Ms. Sanderson,

"If the others want to investigate the other ship, then perhaps we can investigate this missing person. There is evidence, at least that I can sense, that whomever wrote on the wall has some kinds of powers. I don't know what they are."

He offers to head back to the location where they were and see what they can find on the other side of the cargo container or bulkhead where the message was written.

“I will go with the scouting party.” Ace agreed. “Some of the crew will be investigating and it would be best if some of us were there to help protect them should things go awry.” Ace looked at each member of the group for confirmation of the choices. “We can join with the apparition investigation group after we have cleared the mystery ship to compare notes.”

 Ms.S nods to those who had joined her at the railing to watch the first mate and some of the crew assembling to make the crossing to the scuttled ship. "a note if you please, there are some strange sounds coming from that vessel. At least a few heartbeats...not all are human sounding but maybe some savage beasts."

 She folded her hands then as if in answer to Asar's unasked question as she hung her parasol on an arm, "if you'd only lead the way kind sir."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:23, Fri 11 Sept 2020.

 The darkening evening light finally fades out as the party splits two ways...

 Asar and Ms.S begin to make their way back to the holds for now.

 Meanwhile three brave souls move to join the away team to scout out the derelict ship. The First mate and two other seamen are now boarding one of the rafts. The Captain takes one look at the volunteering men and nods, he seems to know they are aboard even if they aren't very public about it, perhaps he was briefed by the Penny.

OOC: If anyone wants to change their minds, Angok or Sil so far have not chosen, so let me know which you choose or you alternatively may want to do something completely different. This is supposed to be at least part sandbox after all! ^_^

 The Mauretania team go back down side to take a look around again. When they reconvene in the storeroom there's a note on the ground, seemingly slipped under the doorway. It seemed they had some kind of benefactor aboard:

'The Mauretania is being shadowed. Seven miles abreast by a vessel of some size.'

 There was no signature nor any further wording to demark who it could've been.

 Additionally, the team seems to find the bulkhead where the Nic marked out his experience to be interestingly empty except for Asar's most divine senses. Otherwise the hall is dark and the lights flicker slightly with the sway of the waves.

(OOC:Anyone here can make an intuition roll again to see if you detect anything further)

****

 The Neustria begins to loom over head when the team begins their approach. It's around this time that the weather begins to take a turn for the worse, the light ocean spray becoming full on rain and with the winds picking up swiftly. In the distance a crack of thunder booms out.

 The First mate begins to speak to his men in French and turns to the three teammates onboard, "Le navire a l'air sain. Je suis sûr que le capitaine a dû le saborder pour une raison quelconque."

 Soon the group comes to the side of the vessel and begins to lash the dingy to the side. The ship is sturdy feeling and seemed none the worse for wear as they appraised it for damage or some other signs of abandonment. As they approach midship, the Neustria's bridge flashes and a barely audible roar is heard over the sounds of the ocean. From here it looks like a five deck ship, two above main and two below. The first mate climbs up and onto the main deck to lower the rope ladder to the others. "Donnez-moi votre main s'il vous plaît!"

(OOC:Anyone here can make an intuition roll again to see if you detect anything as well.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:16, Fri 11 Sept 2020.

While the others are looking around for more clues, Asar is over at the exact spot his team mate had pointed out. He touches the spot and then brings his hand to his mouth. The flesh around his eyes seem to tighten slightly as he concentrates. He turns to the others and says, "I am just not sure about this situation here, but if there is another ship shadowing us, perhaps it might be a good idea to be on deck to help our friends and keep watch?"

Hiram gratefully took the sailor's offered hand and let himself be pulled onto the ship.
"Merci" He said, happy that he could apparently dust of his somewhat rusty french.

Once aboard the Neustria, he looked around with interest, before turning to the sailors.
"Excusez-moi, mais avez-vous une idée de la raison pour laquelle quelqu'un ... saborderait ce navire, comme vous l'appeliez?"

he was nervous about the sound, the "roar" they heard when approaching the ship, but since the sailors seemed unperturbed, perhaps it was just some natural engine sound of the ship?

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
OOC:
Intuition check
14:07, Today: Roach rolled 31 using 1d100.  intuition.

French translation: (Just thrown through, google translate, as I don't actually speak french :P)
"Thanks"
"Excuse me, but do you have any idea why someone ... would scuttle this ship, as you called it?"

---

Neustria:

 Apparently the other sailors didn't hear the commotion from the bridge or see the flash because they each in turn look where the three of you look. The rain seems to be making it difficult for them to hear, as they are constantly asking "what?." They are normal you all end up reminding yourselves, after all.

 The main deck looks in order for the most part. There are even some magazines laid near the deck benches. There's something slick and slimy on the deck though and it makes it difficult to keep purchase in the rain. There are many doors to inner cabins, dining rooms and bulkheads leading down to the lower and upper decks and class sections. So far you distinguish a steerage below deck and a first class deck above. You guess the steam engine is located on the lowest deck and the bridge on the upper fore-deck. The sailors begin to call out to anyone onboard loudly and are almost completely oblivious to the next scene. Each takes a bulky hand torch and gives one to each of you and begin to fan out with orders from the First Mate who turns to answer Mr.Brull curtly and squinting away the rain from his eyes, "Pas moyen de savoir jusqu'à ce que nous puissions trouver le capitaine. Nous pouvons prendre les ponts supérieurs, vous trois pouvez prendre les ponts inférieurs, oui?"
[Translation: "No way to know until we can find the Captain. We can take the upper decks, you three can take the lower decks, yes?"]

OOC: This is for those who would be on deck and watching from the other vessel too.

 From the area around the bridge a slender shadow moves swiftly yet spidery, with four long limbs and diminutive head, but a stretched out muscular way of moving. It creeps around to the other side of the vessel facing away from the Mauretania just like an ant crawling across a leaf and lets out another screeching roar, much louder this time and for those on the Neustria, you can hear answering calls from down further below deck. This time as if in answer the sailor's blood runs cold, their flashlights jerkily scanning in the direction of the sound.

 One of the sailors asks in a low scared tone, "Que se passe-t-il?"

OOC: Everyone who is watching the main deck make an intuition check against Remarkable intensity. Describe how you're watching or investigating the scene on this deck.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:09, Sun 13 Sept 2020.

Having come back up onto the deck, having not gotten any more clues below, Asar's own footfalls and the sound of the rain muffle his perceptions just enough to keep him from noticing the roar and the creature. He is, however, thinking of a way to get across to the other side. Perhaps jumping would just be best.

Angok, still on the deck of the Mauritania, was vaguely watching what was going on Nuestria as he noticed Asar return to the deck. Turning, he nodded to the big man, "Find anything?"

"Nothing I hadn't seen before. Very mysterious, but I did get a message in the container."

He hands over the message that says the ship is being followed and the odd distance of 7 miles astern.

"Have they found anything? Do you think you could jump to the other ship?"

Nic glanced back at their ship, wondering if this was a mistake. Then rain started coming down and he reveled in the feel of it for a moment. But then he put that out of his mind. There were other things to focus on, more important things. Something felt...off. He couldn't explain it.

He didn't understand the French being spoken, so he ignored it. If it was important, he figured someone would translate for him. He turned to look towards where the roar had come from.  He ignored the crew from the ship. He ignored the rope ladder.

He hesitated a moment, frowning. His eyes slowly turned towards the stairs going down. He took a step towards them, moving slowly - to others it might look like he was moving cautiously and trying to keep his footing, but to him he felt like he was in a dream, uncontrollably heading towards something, one foot slowly after the other.

He waved off the hand torch someone tried to hand him, absently, not even really looking at it or the person. He didn't need light. That was the one thing he never needed again. He gestured at himself and began to glow, starting with his forehead and eyes. He didn't seem to care if he was seen doing so. His mind was...occupied some.

Then the second roar came, along with...something...moving. He glanced away from the stairs towards the sound once more. He was torn. He let out a sigh and yelled towards the crewmen, but oddly his voice had almost no emotion in it, "YOU SHOULD BE RUNNING NOW!"

He started moving to try and get a better look at the roaring thing, whatever it was, one hand half-raised as if in preparation for...something. His whole body was glowing now. There was an annoyed look on his face, though it was probably hard to see it.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:39, Mon 14 Sept 2020.

Angok shook his head, "I can't really see anything over there, but there is something...wrong over there, I just don't know what it is." He considered the big man's question for a moment, looking thoughtfully at the distance between the ships, "I think I might be able to jump over, or I could always turn into a bird and fly over, but then I would be a but underdressed," he added with a toothy grin.

He glanced down at the piece of paper in his hand, unable to decipher the strange scratching on it, "What does it say?" he asked as he handed it back to the big man.

Mauritania




Sil had followed Asar and Ms. S to the hold, watching warily as they investigated. Like them, she puzzled at the note's message.

A wash of sharp clarity hit her as they returned above deck, emerging into the rain. Her first thought was a sudden idea about the note. Perhaps it was coded. Perhaps not. She would have to try a few ciphers.

She wasn't paying attention to the other ship until Angok spoke. His voice shattered her absorption into the riddle. She could easily see further than a regular human; now she looked across the way.