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leticiaThe first log from my new Exalted Game. It went... really, pretty well. ^^
Storyteller says "Shai, you've been docked in Abalone, one of Wavecrest's larger ports, for about a week. You had a small cargo to unload, and have been looking for another cargo or passengers while the ship is made ready for sailing again, but had no luck finding anything. It's been a very frustrating process; some of your crew have begun suggesting sailing around the island and trying your luck in another port. You've just left another merchant's factor, empty-handed; a couple of your crew are with you."
Shai grumbles to herself, running a hand through her short hair, and turns to the crew members. "Fine, fine. We try _one_ more, then we hit the next port. Worth being sure, but no reason to waste time, y'know?" She looks annoyed, rather than her normal good cheer, but not too much so. Worst-case, they can always move on.
Storyteller says "Green Cove's travels have also brought her to Wavecrest. A few weeks ago she had a vision of a golden bridge across the ocean; the steps that led up to it were opalescent (like the inside of the shell that gives the port its name). She spent the night curled up in someone's private park with Floating Leaf; she awakes with images of true dreams fluttering around her memory, indistinct images of a ship and a voyage to the East."
Storyteller says "Shai, you're walking down the street towards the one of the last merchants you /haven't/ tried, and you feel a fit of Oracularness rising."
Green Cove strolls down the streets near the docks with Floating Leaf's leash held carelessly in one hand, considering how best to travel East. By ship seems clear enough, in accordance with the dreams, but there's always a matter of which ship. She'll simply have to watch for a sign, as these things choose to come to her.
Shai makes a startled noise, does split-second math, and attempts to duck into a nearby alley or less-visible niche if one is findable. If not, she just exerts her will to try and keep it from being too..._dramatic_ a prophecy, rather than trying not to speak it at all. Her crew's probably dealt with her playing Voice of Sol Invictus before -- even if she'd never outright _told_ them where she thinks her oracular 'gift' comes from -- and besides, it usually winds up worse in the long run if she bites her tongue. (Also, tongue-biting is ow, but that's secondary.)
<<OOC>> Shai .oO(Had to do the long pose once she informed me that she thinks it's a side effect of Exaltation deliberately induced by the Unconquered Sun, see. [laughs] Whether or not it _is_, I leave up to ze ST, but that's apparently what Shai thinks.)
Storyteller says "Shai is able to dart into an alley, interrupting one of her crewmembers who was about to speak with the sudden action; her companions peer after her, baffled, until she begins to speak. Dire words spill forth, and as she declaims about sea-scourge, life-bane, and enveloping madness, she has an image of a city to the East, with bright flags flapping and the key to a mystery which might hold doom - or unfathomed rewards. When she gathers her breath and her wits, she can almost see the prediction hanging like a cloud overhead, though she can't recall everything she said."
<<OOC>> Shai _oooooooooh_. o.o
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Soooo. I'm guessing... East."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Really? I was wondering if I should lay it on a little heavier."
<<OOC>> Green Cove is good at working with prophecy!
<<OOC>> Shai giggles!
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "It's sort of the Exalted equivalent of your Superior showing up and telling you to go do something, in In Nomine."
<<OOC>> Shai says, "_Yes_!"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "(And if you're working for Gabriel, 'equivalent' is too weak a word for the correspondence... But I digress.)"
<<OOC>> Shai snrrrrrrrrk.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The ST is eternally grateful so many of you have Merits, Flaws, or Backgrounds, which will make it easy to give subtle hints. Like "SAIL EAST PLZKTHX.""
<<OOC>> Yasutora hrmphs. He gets personalized messages.
Shai wraps her arms around herself, drawing comfort from the sturdiness of the obsidian armor hidden under her clothes. She breathes deeply a few times until she has control back, then peels her arms free, shakes her head, and steps back out of the alley. "...East. We're--we need to go East. With cargo if we can get it fast; without if we have to." Her voice is a bit shaken still, but steadies as she talks.
Floating Leaf sits beside her mistress, and watches the ships and boats in the harbor, her tail flicking from side to side.
Green Cove scratches her friend behind the ears, balancing idly on one foot at the edge of the harbor, other foot half-poised out as if she might step onto the water at any moment. "Pearls and gold," she murmurs to the tiger, quietly. "I don't see anything of the sort. That means it's buried. Buried is harder, but more rewarding. The literal never satisfies. What do you see?"
One of the crew members blinks, then shrugs. The other simply says, "Aye, then. Are we still going to try that last merchant?"
Shai reaches behind her to tug the yellow cloth headband she wears tighter. "Yes. Worth a shot; he usually has _something_ for me, or might have a recommendation for the next port down..." She shakes her head, and keeps walking. "Or might know if it's not worth the wait."
Floating Leaf tilts her head and sniffs the air. "I see water," she comments, "But I smell fog."
Green Cove takes the tiger's words into account, and nods thoughtfully, abruptly switching from one foot to the other in a little hop. "Mixed results there," she says. "I suppose I'll simply have to go looking. Speaking with...ugh. People." She shudders briefly. "But prophecy seldom leads one down an easy path." She surveys the people who populate the harbor today for signs of someone a little less odious than the usual sort to speak with.
The crewman nods and tags along quietly. The walk to the next factor's office is short, this being the district where such things are located. The room is small, and no goods are on display. The factor is a man Shai has dealt with before, and he looks up, closing a ledger, as the captain and her companions enter.
Shai fidgets a bit on the way down, but is all cheerful business when they step inside. She greets the factor by name, and makes appropriate inquiries about cargo -- if not from here, then from the next nearest port.
The man pauses and blinks. "Cargo going to the east? I just... hold on a minute." He steps back into the warehouse.
Shai nods to the first, quirks a pale-blonde eyebrow at the next, and nods again with a touch of bemusement. "Of course."
Storyteller says "Green Cove... there are a number of ships in harbor, though some of them are obviously not ready to sail, and some of them don't look sea-worthy enough to cross the ocean. Some of them have people on deck, though most of them look quite busy. Give me a Perception + Sail roll?"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 7 8 10 10 on 6d10: 6 successes.
Storyteller says "One ship stands out above the rest as sea-shape; the crew is obviously competent, and while there's some activity on the ship, it seems efficient and mere maintenance."
Green Cove strides briskly in that direction, mostly remembering to look like she's actually holding onto Leaf's leash in any sort of meaningful manner. She pauses once she's near, and scrutinizes the ship carefully to see if it feels...familiar. Or at least pirate-free. Captains become irate if one's tiger begins eating crew once the ship has set sail.
The factor returns after a minute. "Sorry," he says, "I had to send a message. We just had an inquiry about carrying goods to Whitewater Bend on the Grey River past Nexus, and I had to tell him it wasn't very likely we'd find a ship going that way."
The ship Green Cove is examining bears no trace of Pirate; if it's ever been in a combat, the damage has been repaired quite nicely. Floating Leaf paces along patiently on her leash.
Shai perks up. "That's our direction exactly!" .oO(Nexus might not be the _right_ city, but it's closer by a long shot than Wavecrest!) "What kind of goods are we talking?"
Green Cove finally decides there's no getting around it, and looks for the nearest...unsmelly...person she can find to speak with on this ship, though it's always hard to find such among sailors. "Hey," she says, once she's spotted the least odiferous of the bunch. "You. Where's this ship going next?"
The factor shrugs. "Delicacies. Fruit brandies, candied guava. It's a fairly standard cargo, but a long run."
Shai looks abstracted for a moment, doing the math on cargo space, preservation, and so on. Then nods, firmly. "We can handle it all the way there." She flashes the factor a cheerful grin. "How soon can we make the arrangements?"
These sailors are... well, they're still laborers, and there's a certain smell of salt-spray and fish that never leaves a sailor's clothes. But as sailors go, none of them are that bad. The one so hailed looks up, eyes the tiny Twilight up and down, with a long, startled look for the tiger, and finally shrugs. "Don't know. You'd have to ask the captain. If she find a cargo, that's where."
Green Cove frowns at the sailor for a long moment. "Well," she says, finally. "That's not very helpful. Where's the captain?"
The factor waves a hand. "We could start loading in a couple hours if the source gets back to me promptly. Where are you moored?"
Shai's grin widens. "_Perfect_." She names the dock, with a landmark or two to clarify exact location if necessary. Fortunately the factor's dealt with her before, so he'll know the ship's name and style.
The sailor eyes the girl again, and grins slowly. "'Fraid I can't be very helpful then." He waves indistinctly at the warehouse district near the harbor. "She's looking for a cargo, of course."
Green Cove looks at the warehouse district. Looks back at the sailor. Considers her options. And promptly decides to wait, though she doesn't really get around to informing the sailor of this. (She has, after all, stopped talking to him. It's not any of her business how he considers the conversation to be concluded or not.) She stands there on one foot, waiting for said captain to appear and be accosted. Or, well, addressed. One should be polite to captains. Within reason.
The factor notes down the dock and nods. "I'll send someone to let you know when I hear back."
The deckhand eyes the little teen with wry amusement and goes back to what he was doing - giving the tiger plenty of space.
Shai nods to the factor, good mood restored. "Sounds good t'me." She waves at the crew members and heads out, whistling cheerily (if...not entirely on-key) to herself. Okay, creepy spontaneous prophecies of potential doom aren't that good, but we've got potential cargo, we've got an excuse to _travel really far_... Day's looking up, really!
The warehouse district is, as only logical, near the harbor. Admittedly, with no cargo and money a bit tight, Shai's not moored at the nearest docks, but it's still not too far of a walk to the boat. She will note, as she approaches her boat, that there is a tiger on the dock. A large tiger.
The deckhand nods to Green Cove, and points up the hill away from the water. "There's the captain," he says.
Green Cove turns to look. And because she is, after all, not a barbarian, says, "Thank you," to the sailor, before striding briskly in that direction, Leaf at her side.
Shai _blinks_ at the tiger, a hand twitching reflexively for the canvas-shrouded bow hanging at her back. The fact that it's not currently eating anyone reassures her a bit, and she lowers her hand -- just in time to note the tiger _approaching_. Bwah. She mutters something under her breath in Flametongue, and keeps walking for her ship.
Green Cove is, as usual, dressed in her traveling clothes: an ordinary tunic that was probably once white, dark brown leather pants sewn together tightly in pieces to allow greater movement from the seams, black boots, and a long green cloak over her back. The dark green cloak matches the collar on her tiger, her eyes, and her hair. The green locks have been cut short and roughly about her face, giving her the look of someone always peering through leaves. The leash on that tiger... doesn't look particularly secure, no matter that it's held by a pretty little teenage girl with a snub nose and careless grasp, if determined expression at this moment.
Shai is a young woman of medium height and rangy build. Her wavy white-blonde hair is cut short, standing out in stark contrast to her cocoa-brown skin along with her angular, tawny eyes; she's more striking than pretty, with sharply aristocratic features softened by an easy smile and casual grace. She's wearing a comfortable tunic and trousers of unusual cut, in yellow-trimmed black cotton, with something shiny black and gold glinting faintly at her collar and cuffs; a strip of yellow silk is tied around her forehead, and a canvas-wrapped bow and a quiver are slung over her back.
Green Cove strides briskly up to the approaching group of...people. "Who's the captain?" she asks, in what she considers her polite tone of voice. "For that ship. The one that's not falling apart."
Fine eyebrows lift, as Shai takes a step forward -- putting herself nearer the tiger than her crewmates. Although ideally not _too_ near. "I'm captain of the Strider, and if it's falling apart I need to have _words_ with a few people. Is that the one you mean, girl?"
Green Cove looks over her shoulder. "Probably. I didn't ask the name." Back at this presumed captain. "Which direction do you go next?"
The tiger, for her part, blinks lazily at the strangers and settles on her haunches next to her mistress.
Shai folds her arms, regarding both girl and tiger with just a touch of wariness. "East, toward Nexus. Why d'you ask?"
"Ah," says Green Cove. "I need to go East. On a ship," she adds, as something of an afterthought. "Yours seems appropriate. I can sail decently, or work out other payment if you have plenty of crew. Floating Leaf won't eat any of your crew unless they turn to piracy. When do you leave?"
Shai ... blinks. She looks considering for a moment, then waves the sailors accompanying her on toward the dock. "Go on, tell Jay we've got cargo, I'll be there right after." Once they're on their way, she cocks an eyebrow higher at Cove. "Soon. Leaf's your--friend, there? You'll forgive me if I'd like a little more assurance than that, girl. --what's your _name_, by the way? And why're you headed there?"
The crew members glance at the tiger and back at their captain for confirmation, but head down towards the ship when it's obvious that she means it.
Shai nods, with a quick, confident grin.
"My name is Princess Daughter Three Pearl of the Green Cove," she says, "but you may call me Green Cove. My friend is Floating Leaf, and she is quite well-behaved, for she only eats pirates." She switches to a different foot to stand on, like a small green stork in the middle of the dock. "I am going East on a ship because it came to me in a dream," she explains, in the patient sort of tone one uses when explaining the obvious to someone. "You are going there, aren't you?"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "And, hm. Was Cove's island obscure enough that Shai wouldn't recognize the naming style, or no? I'm perfectly cool either way, just checking. [grins]"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "It was fairly obscure, but not one of the tiniest or anything. I'm fine if you've heard about it or not, either way."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hrm..."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "I suspect that naming convention was dull enough that it might have been used in more than one place, though most wouldn't have a Green Cove for that last specification as such."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hrm... Give me a Lore + Int roll. >_>"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "(There's always an Int + Something roll if ze ST--that works! [laughs] [checks her dicepool])"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 5 9 10 on 4d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The name's structure is remarkably familiar; it's the sort of quasi-title name primarily used by the rulers of scattered little island kingdoms here in the West."
<<OOC>> Shai grins. That works!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "But Green Cove doesn't immediately place itself for Shai."
<<OOC>> Shai nods.
Shai's brows lift higher. "Mm_hmm_." She considers possible questions, considers the dream-claim, considers her own prophecy of a few minutes ago, then exhales finally and offers a hand. "All right. The name's Shai, Sarasvati Shai, but while you're on board it's Captain, clear? If you can swear that the tiger won't offer any harm to my crew -- eating or otherwise -- then we can head there and talk about how you're going to pay me back for the ride. If not, you're going to need to find another ship."
Green Cove looks over to Floating Leaf. "The usual rules," she says, and then turns back to Shai. "Agreed. When do we leave?" She finally puts both feet down on the ground for a moment, if resting entirely on her heels with her boot-clad toes lifted up for no apparent reason.
Shai squints at them both through tawny-golden eyes, shakes her head, and starts in the direction of the Strider. "Soon as the cargo's loaded and supplies ready. Worst-case, something goes wrong and we leave tomorrow morning, but she's a fast ship. We'll hit Nexus in no time."
The tiger gazes back at the teen with intelligent eyes that seem to assent to the request.
Green Cove follows alongside the captain, not bothering to say anything as she doesn't have relevant new information to impart to anyone. As they near the ship again, she begins to eye it in a slightly different light, now that she's sure this is the one from her dreams. And also considering where best she'd be suited to fill any gaps in the current crew roster.
Shai projects confident assurance when they come into range of her crew's vision, with the occasional wave, nod, or greeting as they pass by sailors. She'll head onto deck and look for her first mate, unless someone -- like said first mate -- stops her en route.
Floating Leaf calmly follows Green Cove. If her eyes sparkle in amusement at any alarm of the crew, it might be a trick of the light. Wherever Green Cove stops, the tiger settles down on her haunches again and sedately licks a huge paw.
The first mate is waiting on deck. He starts to wave, pauses at the sight of the tiger, then waves anyhow. Sometimes, strange things happen around here... "Heard you got a cargo finally!" he says.
Green Cove turns as she walks, occasionally turning in a full circle and walking backwards for a few moments, to see what's going on all around. She manages to stay fairly near the captain for the moment, though. Payment still needs to be discussed, and it would be rude to wander far first.
Shai waves back, flashing Jay a grin. "Yep! It's gonna be a long haul, but oughta be worth it. Factor said it'd take a coupla hours; mind passing the word around and waiting in case it's faster or he sends a message? I've got a couple passengers--" she nods in the direction of Cove and the tiger "--to talk to."
Jay nods. "Sure thing, Captain. Going to need to rig the hold special?"
Shai looks abstracted for a moment. "Cargo should be fine as-is, but don't know about the tiger." She lifts an eyebrow at Green Cove, and taps her on the shoulder if Cove doesn't seem to be paying attention. "Your friend need, mm, special accommodations?"
Green Cove shakes her head, currently a little distracted by watching the way the light plays off the ripple of waves against one of the pillars of the dock. "She eats fish, mostly," Green Cove explains, remembering that around captains she should be polite. "And other things. She can sleep wherever I do."
Shai considers that, then shakes her head at Jay. "Should be fine for now." She makes a 'come along' gesture at Cove, and heads for her personal cabin.
Green Cove follows along promptly, with one last half-turn to watch the first mate along the way.
<<OOC>> Shai ponders. "Do we want to gloss specific negotiations about Cove's job and so on, for purposes of 'not having to BS too much' and/or 'skipping ahead if there's more that ze ST wants to cover in this scene'?" [grins]
<<OOC>> Green Cove is fine with that, if the ST didn't have anything planned for this particular bit. It's probably pretty clear already how social interactions between the two are going to be.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay! Skipping forward!"
<<OOC>> Shai yay, stuff to skip to! And giggles at Green Cove, nods. "Assume that arrangements are made for Green Cove to join the crew briefly, then? With possible negotiations later if, say, Leaf eats an existing crew member or Cove otherwise doesn't pay off the cost of feeding them via work." [snrks] "--and yay, skipping!"
<<OOC>> Green Cove snickers. "yeah, works."
There have been no more unusual dreams or dark prophecies for either Shai or Green Cove in the weeks since leaving Abalone. This is a high paying run - for good reason: the way is long and dangerous, clear across the seas from West to East, literally thousands of miles; it is not a short or easy trip, and requires passage through waters thoroughly controlled by the Realm. Shai, however, is sailing out Wavecrest, nominally allied, and bears a legitimate trade cargo from the same country, so imperial harassment is unlikely. The crew has, over time, become accustomed to Floating Leaf padding about the deck, begging treats of fish or scraps from the sailors' meals.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai, would you be going the nominally safe route if you weren't Anathema and hugging the coastline of the Blessed Isle, or keeping some distance?"
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! And hrms. "I think... Keeping a little distance, but not _too_ much. Enough to look either respectful or paranoid-of-accidentally-ramming-into-something, not enough to look Obviously Suspicious or Obviously Stupid, and erring closer to the Isle if necessary. Worst-case, the ship's fast and there's a _reason_ Shai's specialty is ranged combat; best-case, they won't bother to harass."
Green Cove spends what time isn't taken up by her duties wandering the deck of the ship as if these travels will take her somewhere more than where the ship is going anyway, or perching on the edge of the railings, staring down into the water, from some precarious position or another.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 7 10 on 3d10: 3 successes.
You're a little further from the Isle at the moment, but the coastline is in sight off in the distance; the day is bright and golden. Per + Awareness both, please?
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 9 on 3d10: 1 success.
<<OOC>> Shai sads at the dice!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Coulda been worse. :p"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Half a sec, checking my sheet..."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 1 4 5 6 7 9 on 8d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Well, yes. But they scared me with their near-botching! [laughs] ... dude, _evil_ dice."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "...like that, for example."
<<OOC>> Green Cove is apparently distracted by having to actually sail.
One of the sailors, on lookout duty, calls down to Shai. "Captain, I think there's going to be a storm."
Storyteller says "Green Cove, you might notice that Floating Tiger is looking off to sea, away from land, and sniffing the air."
Green Cove drops off her current railing perch to go crouch beside her tiger. "What sort of weather's coming, Leaf?"
Shai blinks, shielding her eyes as she looks up at the sailor. "With this good a start to the day?" But she hasn't gotten where she is without trusting her sailors' judgment in situations like this; she turns around, calls out "Storm coming in!", and sets people to work making preparations.
The sailor calls down, "No birds, and there's a bank of fog to the north."
Shai frowns, and calls back, "Got it! Any port or shelter nearby, if it's bad enough?"
Green Cove stands up, and looks about. Natural storms are the way of the world, unnatural storms are the way of pirates and fouler things. No way to tell on this one, just yet. She drops a quick pat on Floating Leaf's head, and turns to help the others prepare for a storm.
Floating Leaf can only shrug to Green Cove; she doesn't seem to think it's anything natural, though.
Anyone looking for it can now notice the bank of fog moving in swiftly from the north.
Shai mutters something dire in Flametongue at the fog, scowling, and continues giving orders or aid to prepare, though she stays within earshot of the lookout.
Storyteller says "Also, there aren't any major harbors along this stretch of the Blessed Isle's coast, but there's any number of small fishing villages; you're a good bit of sailing out from the coast, and nearing an unfamiliar coast in bad weather might be worse than riding out the storm."
<<OOC>> Shai nods, hrms. "I think... Shai's not quite confident enough to risk the coast in fog, bad past experience with storms or no. She'll prep to ride it out."
Green Cove thinks clear, sharp thoughts of pirates who bring in unnatural storms as she helps the rest of the crew with ropes and sails, brisk enough at her work to make up for her indifferent skill at it.
The wind picks up slightly, but nothing near a threat to the sturdy little ship; eventually, the dark fog envelops the ship, cutting off the sunlight. It is eerie and cool - and the wind seems dead within it. Sounds on the ship are muffled, though the splashing of wavelets beyond the ship rings clear, still.
Green Cove leans over a railing, frowning down into the dark water.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Give me another perception + awareness roll, Green Cove?"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 2 4 5 6 6 9 on 8d10: 1 success.
Shai paces around the ship, carefully, sending nonessential crew down below and murmuring encouragement to any essential crew who seem worried. A hand toys absently with the bow at her back, as she thinks quiet prayers to the little gods of the weather that this clears up quickly.
Off in the distance, Green Cove can hear ...wind, perhaps? Though some of it sounds like whispers, words, or even cries... and there is no wind here.
Green Cove leans further over the railing, looking up and off in that direction. "Captain," she says, not very loudly.
Floating Leaf stalks over beside Green Cove, ears up alertly; her claws are slightly extended and dig into the wooden planking on the deck.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Give me a Charisma + Socialize roll, Shai. :)"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 3 5 6 8 9 9 9 10 10 on 10d10: 8 successes.
The crew is... nervous, but Shai is a reassuring presence, and they trust her greatly. They get back to their work, competent as usual, not clumsy from their nerves.
Even Floating Leaf seems to calm a little, her claws retracting and not scarring the ship's deck.
Shai's orbit of the deck takes her toward Green Cove just in time to hear; she heads toward the railing, calling quietly, "I'm here. What is it?"
Green Cove points off into the fog. "No wind, yet it sounds of it. It's unnatural." She grimaces briefly. "Not the unnatural that frightens sailors, the kind that calls up its own storms. Can you hear that?"
Shai frowns. "Are you sure?" She holds onto the railing, leaning out a bit as she tries to hear.
Just as Shai answers Green Cove, everyone on deck can hear the mournful tolling the bells of a ship, somewhere off to starboard. When the racket stops, an underlying edge of hysterical laughter, echoing through the fog without direction.
"No," Green Cove says, once the tolling has stopped, and over the laughter. "Not sure. I didn't dream it, only heard it. But these things happen. They may even happen to us."
Shai twitches at the tolling, hands tight on the rail, and then _scowls_. "Sounds like confirmation to me." She nods to Cove. "Thank you. Be careful." She heads starboard, radiating confidence with every step -- and providing 'be careful, take cover' warnings to anyone she passes on the way -- while racking her memory to see if she can guess at the cause.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Have I had any sort of experience with creepy fog-summoning laughing ships before, or heard stories about such?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Well! Let's have an Int + Lore roll! You can roll too, Green Cove."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 3 4 7 9 on 4d10: 2 successes.
Green Cove nods, and slides down until she's crouched by the side of the ship, peering through the railings, with one foot jittering and one hand on the ribbon-wrapped stick that always hangs at her side.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 3 4 7 10 on 5d10: 3 successes.
Storyteller says "Shai, you've heard of fogbanks which are ...unnatural, and drive men mad with sounds and horrible things half seen through the mist. Besides madness, they can make ships drift off course, and move against the wind and tides."
Storyteller says "Green Cove... You've heard the same stories, except in some of them, the fogbank takes a substantial form and attack directly. The rareness of those stories might indicate that they are fanciful - or that there are rarely survivors."
Green Cove says to Floating Leaf, in a voice that isn't really meant to be heard by anyone else but probably is anyway, "Do you think this is the kind that attacks? I haven't seen those. Only heard of them."
Shai mutters a Flametongue curse, and then starts making her way for the helm. Hopefully her crew's confidence is boosted enough that they can endure awhile without her constantly making the rounds, but offcourse? Even at a bit of a distance from shore? _Not good_.
Floating Leaf's tail lashes behind her as she considers. "It smells like a spirit," she answers (only Green Cove, with her close attunement to the tiger, can understand the body language), "...and it probably has a body."
Green Cove considers this. "Good," she says. "Bodies are easier to hit."
The crew is clearly spooked, but... all of them know their Captain is special and they are doing their best to trust her.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Also, 8 successes is a Very Nice Success, so. :p"
<<OOC>> Storyteller assumes Shai is trying to doublecheck and correct the course?
<<OOC>> Shai nods. "Doublecheck, correct, and encourage the helmsman in case she needs to run off again. (Until/unless drawn somewhere else, she'll stick with the helm herself, but she's not willing to gamble that she _won't_ be needed elsewhere before the fog's gone, so extending the Aura of Encouragement and Confidence to the helmsman would be nice just in case. [laughs])"
Green Cove rocks on her heels by that railing, watching the fog around the ship. Something will need to be taught manners. While she has the fuzzy impression that her own manners aren't perfect, she does know enough to teach certain politenesses to others, in much the way that an older child teaches a younger to walk quietly in certain places and run in others. For example, it is impolite to eat someone's ship or crew. Unless they're pirates. Which these people are not. Thus.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Int + Sail roll, please?"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 5 5 6 7 7 10 on 6d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai cuddles the dice. (Not a legendary success, sadly, but still not bad!)
The helmsman is doing his best, but the ship seems to have drifted. Based on the current the ship appears to be, Shai thinks she has the ship back on course when she returns the helm to the helmsman. The grey, clinging fog makes certainty a challenge.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 7 9 on 3d10: 2 successes.
Shai murmurs reassurance to the helmsman absently as she tries to correct things -- "I think it's something in the fogbank. Not your fault. Just do your best to keep us on course; I know you can do it." -- and, when fixed, begins pacing within earshot of the helm, listening for any calls for help from her people.
As the ship drifts through the gray, the haunting sounds trailing it begin to fade. Slowly, the fog lightens - at least in places - condensing into wisps which rush across the deck towards an unknown center, thick coils which rolls down towards the water, looking remarkably solid as they form. As the first touch of blue breaks through, revealing that the seemingly long journey through the fog hasn't eaten the entire day, a dark form looms up to the right of the ship, poising its still misty tentacles for an attack.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "We will be going to combat time, but I'll let you both pose first."
Green Cove leaps to her feet, drawing the ribbon-wound stick from her belt. "It makes itself solid," she tells Leaf, moving in that direction with steps far more even than she usually demonstrates when walking these decks. "It believes itself to be very clever. We will teach it otherwise."
Shai spits a Flametongue curse, pulling her bow and an arrow from her back, and cries out, "'Ware spirit!" for any of the crew who hasn't seen. She eyes the range; if she's close enough for Quicksilver to still hit easily, she stays where she is, and if not, she darts closer, with the ease of someone long accustomed to this ship's deck and moving on it at sea.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai should be able to hit it from where she is."
The crew scatter away from the looming form as the mist clears completely, revealing a tentacled horror, a twisted, demonic nest of appendages hooked, clawed, toothed, suckered.
Floating Leaf growls and paces beside his Person, telling her, "Or the sailors did not spook enough for its taste."
Green Cove shrugs lightly, enough to shift her cloak further back and better free her shoulders. "Either way." She looks up along the form. "Many hands. This may not be quick. A better learning experience for that."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Aannnnnd, combat!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Roll init. ^^"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 9 for initiative (1 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 12 for initiative (4 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 11 for initiative (6 on die, +5 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 19 for initiative (7 on die, +12 bonus).
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay: Demon, Shai, Big Kitty, Green Cove."
At least the beast must face you under the sun, unable to hold both the fog and physical forms at once. One of the many tentacles it wields lashes out at Green Cove, the nearest morsel on the ship at the moment, as crew has largely scattered.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The Charm is Serpentine Evasion. It costs 3 motes, and gives you a dodge pool of Martial Arts + Dodge + Essence + Dex. Which is a darn nice dodge pool."
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 1 2 2 4 5 5 6 8 9 9 9 on 13d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Pose your dodge!"
Green Cove watches the tentacle streaking down at her with cool green eyes, head tilted a little to see the way this pseudo-flesh of fog and magic moves, and what constraints there might be to its mockery of muscles and bones. As the gray tentacle rushes nearer, she smiles, white teeth glinting in the returned sunlight, and takes a light bow forward, as if greeting a noble, with the movement turning into light-heeled bounce and tumble over the appendage, cloak swirling up around her like a waterfall moving towards the sky.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Wooo. The description of the tentacle and the monster bumps it to a 3 die stunt, so. >_>"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 9 9 on 17d10: 6 successes.
The tentacle sweeps by under Green Cove, spraying salt water across the deck, entirely ineffective.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai's turn!"
<<OOC>> Shai hm. "Splitting for... three actions, then; two shots with the bow using target arrows (no damage bonus, halve target's lethal soak) and saving an action for dodge or something else if it becomes necessary. I'd like to shoot toward the center of the knot, but will take what I can get." [grins] "So that's -3 and -4 to the bow-shots and -5 to whatever the third action is (before stunting), yes? And I pose the shooting now?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Go for it."
Shai scowls at the monster, sun-gold eyes slitted as she reaches behind her. By touch, she finds the fletching of her target arrows, and nocks one to Quicksilver's string and draws it back in a single smooth motion. Compensating for the movement of the ship beneath her feet is easy after years walking its deck, and she takes all of an instant to aim for the writhing knot of tentacles at the 'heart' of the beast before firing. The bowstring twangs, clear and warm and musical after the earlier bells, and then again as she swiftly nocks-draws-fires a twin to the first arrow.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "3 die stunt! Mmm, poses! Roll the first attack!"
<<OOC>> Shai yay! And does math. Base pool of 12, -3 and -4 but +3 and +3, so 12 for the first and 11 for the second.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 2 5 5 6 6 6 8 9 10 on 12d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai also eyes the DI and II both contained within that roll _warily_. But. [snickers]
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 4 4 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
The abomination focuses attention on Shai at the 'twang' of the bowstring and, with surprising agility, slithers tentacles aside.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 3 5 7 7 7 7 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 10 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Wow."
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 3 3 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 10 on 11d10: 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay, base damage is 13. That's strength and equipment bonuses. So roll Damage + 2."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6 7 7 8 8 8 10 10 on 15d10: 7 successes.
The clever dodge from the first arrow leads the bulk of the beast directly into the path of the second arrow, which sinks deep and vanishes into the writhing mess of tentacles. Black fluid stains the water around the demon.
Shai _grins_, white and sharp, already reaching for another arrow.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 2 2 3 5 8 9 10 10 on 10d10: 6 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 8 successes.
Floating Leaf attempts to pounce on the tentacle that attacked Green Cove, but it flicks aside at the last moment.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "And Green Cove's turn!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I'd recommend you use some of your simple scene longs if you hadn't already used a Charm. (I really should have prompted you to start one before the battle; would you like to do so now retroactively?)"
<<OOC>> Brian says, "If this is the first round of combat-- I'm not sure, since I was asleep-- it might be Nice to say she's activated her Snake Form ahead of time; she would have had plenty of time to do so in the fog, and this is her first time out."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "That's what I was just suggesting. I should have suggested people do so."
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Here's your options as they stand now: Whack once, at your full accuracy, or whack -lots-, at increasingly decreasing accuracy depending on how much you want to whack, up to a maximum of your ribbon's rate."
<<OOC>> Green Cove checks full accuracy. "I'll probably just whack two or three times."
<<OOC>> Green Cove nods. "Can we assume we're all snake-formy?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Can. I really should have suggested it before the battle. ^^"
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Alrighty. Let's say three. At three, you'll make your first roll at -3, your second at -4, and your third at -5. Plus stunt bonuses, of course. You pose first, Leti awards stunt, totals are given, rolls are made."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Though I think I'm going to imitate Brian and only do one stunt a round. Still pose, but, you'll use the dodge stunt dice from before."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Same thing goes for Shai - if you have a Scenelong simple you would have wanted to activate before the fight, please pretend it's been up all along; I should have prompted for it. >_>"
Green Cove spins on one foot to face the demon of congealed fog, stretching out the hand that holds the rod, and the ribbon whirls free around her until it's stretched out in a jointed, whirring arc about her head and shoulders, never quite catching on her still-fluttering cloak. On the split-second aftermath of her tiger companion's failed attack, she takes three deliberate steps forward, and slaps the ribbon out, suddenly as straight a line as any staff, at the tentacle that's been lashing about across the deck in ways she'd prefer it didn't.
<<OOC>> Shai giggles, nods. ... and thinks. Actually, yes; Salty Dog Method. "It's day-long rather than scene-long, 3 motes (which I would've gotten back for that first stunt), gives her 'perfect sea legs' (read: only _serious_ issues, like the ship colliding with something, require Dex + Ath rolls to keep her footing), etc. But that's it; Shai doesn't have anything else appropriate." [grins]
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 3 4 5 5 7 7 7 8 9 10 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 10 on 11d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay, now we do your damage roll."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Unfortunately, I don't think that's a piercing Weapon, so you only have 8 damage dice left after soak."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 5 6 8 9 9 10 10 on 8d10: 5 successes.
Green Cove flicks her wrist, and the ribbon's suddenly a fluid thing again, crackling through the air as turns it from a strange staff to a hissing serpent that surges forward to snap at the tentacle of fog, a thin green viper against some giant constrictor.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 3 8 8 8 9 10 10 10 on 10d10: 10 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 4 5 5 6 7 9 10 on 10d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay! 8 damage dice again. ^^"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 2 4 4 5 6 8 8 9 on 8d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove final pose for this round!
Green Cove whips the ribbon back again, and with one final critical look at the creature, leaps up to balance on the railing of the ship, feet landing neatly one behind the other. "A little closer," she murmurs, more to herself than anything else, and cracks the ribbon up over her head in a bright arc to the limbs still reaching out from the central bulk of the demon.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 2 4 4 6 8 9 9 9 9 on 9d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 2 3 3 6 7 7 8 10 on 9d10: 5 successes.
The demon lashes this way and that, trying in vain to avoid the rain of blows from the tiny Exalt on the deck of the ship; only for the last blow does it manage to sink beneath the waves and avoid the strike.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Aaaand, we're on to another round. Please note that Snake Form adds Martial Arts to your initiative, so you've got an additional +5 now, Green Cove."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Roll init!"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 11 for initiative (3 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 17 for initiative (4 on die, +13 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 6 for initiative (1 on die, +5 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 17 for initiative (5 on die, +12 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 19 for initiative (7 on die, +12 bonus).
<<OOC>> Shai peers. Three init rolls?
<<OOC>> Storyteller fnords cheerfully at Shai.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "So we're going Demon, Green Cove, FNORD, Shai, Kitty."
<<OOC>> Shai eeks at the fnord more! And nods.
<<OOC>> Green Cove is eeking at the demon, personally.
Streaks of black fluid stain the water where the beast is submerged, but the beast itself... is vanished -- for a moment, anyhow. Streaks of mist pour out of the water, coiling the ship in an all too familiar grey embrace.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "That's the demon's turn. Your turn, Green Cove. >_>"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ayup. Time to eek."
<<OOC>> Shai nods! o.o
<<OOC>> Shai blinks, belatedly. Oh, hey, I forgot I have a Merit that would've probably helped with getting us back on course. ... oh, well. [laughs] It's only one die, and I should remember for next time.
Green Cove glares down at the water from where she stands on the railing. She spins her ribbon-staff down into little more than a half-staff, and steps off the railing into mist, and onto the surface of the water. It's not as if she can't walk back, if she gets separated... and now she's annoyed.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "I don't really know what she can do at this point, but if it's about to go all underwater-destroyer-crush or something, she wants to be close enough to whack it from there. Thus...walk on water!"
Back on the ship... well, behind the ship, there is a splash as writhing tentacles tear the surface of the water and lash violently at Shai.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 8 8 8 9 10 on 19d10: 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai yay! And, hm, Dex + Dodge is 6... no reason not to go for the full thing, I think I can manage a 2-dot stunt here. "Paying 3e out of personal for a pool of 6+2+3 == 11."
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods! ^^
Shai spins at the first sound of the splash, with reflexes honed by years at sea. At the first sight of the tentacles, her eyes widen and Essence floods her limbs; she darts backward, the leather soles of her boots thudding on the deck, with the speed of a Quicksilver Falcon.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "2 die! Roll for it. 13 dice!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Plus, as usual, get your Essence back. :p"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 9 on 13d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 4 4 5 5 6 8 9 10 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Only 4."
<<OOC>> Shai ponders. "Splitting for... bah, would like three actions, but the powerbow rate is 2 and I scrapped my 'buy extra actions' Charms even if I could use them. Two actions, both target arrows, both at the guy attacking me. Net penalties of -1/-2 after adding in stunt dice and subtracting split-action and injury penalties."
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods. Roll 'em!
Shai does her best to move with the strike, minimizing the damage; still, she can only do so much against that kind of attack, and her yellow-and-black tunic is torn in places, revealing the glitter of gold-decorated black glass armor beneath it. Her arms are moving even as she falls back, drawing a pair of target arrows from her quiver, and firing both quickly at the (new? moved?) demon.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 3 4 4 4 7 7 7 8 8 10 on 10d10: 7 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 8 8 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 on 11d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Half soak is 3, so, 15 dice."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "....twice."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 2 2 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 on 15d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 3 4 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 on 15d10: 8 successes.
Floating Leaf notes the other beast, but stays at the rail where her Person is on the water, watching over her.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Init time!"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 9 for initiative (2 on die, +7 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 10 for initiative (1 on die, +9 bonus).
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 16 for initiative (3 on die, +13 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 9 for initiative (4 on die, +5 bonus).
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay. Green Cove is first. ^^"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I think you'd have noticed; you can go around the bow of the ship and attack it from the water."
<<OOC>> Brian notes that in theory, being an Exalted, you could probably make jumping onto the beastie a part of your ribbony whaling attack.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ah, that'll work, then! I'm not entirely sure how movement works, here; can I get that far and still do standard actions?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "...Well, yes. Stunts are good! ;)"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I'm going to fudge and say "I have no idea how far it is so yes.""
Green Cove steps lightly along the crests of the waves around the point of the ship, suddenly behind the demon that's been battering at the captain. She looks up at it from behind--and, between her height and its mass, very far below--in a considering manner for an instant, and then flicks out her ribbon-staff, the thinner rods that form the end twisting and curling within their fabric binding. The ribbon floats down from above... and wraps around a protrusion of gray demonic mass as securely as any rock-climbing rope and knot. Teeth bared in a more feral expression than before, the girl kicks off from a wave that surges up from the demon's movement within the water, and runs up the side of the monster's back, lashing the ribbon out again to slice at the flesh just as she reaches a precarious place to stop, feet balanced on two different lumps of crawling body.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Yes, that'd be a 3-die. ^^ At least by my standards."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Splitting?"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ayup. Three actions, so 11/10/9."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 2 3 3 5 7 8 8 9 10 on 11d10: 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove will prepare the next while you're a-dodging.
<<OOC>> Shai back. Yay smashy!
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 2 4 4 5 6 7 7 8 10 on 11d10: 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Or, wait, do you need me to roll damage first? Or not until the end?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Go ahead and roll damage. It'll be... 1 + base - 6. Base is... bother, I need to have all this stuff in a notebook. 8?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "So 3, I think."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 4 4 6 on 3d10: Failure.
Having found a perch on high, where she can look down at the writhing innards of the demon, Green Cove snaps her weapon free of the post that steadied her, and turns it to a more practical use, sending the sharp rods rattling down into the innards of the creature, with one hand held out balance herself against potential upheavals beneath her feet.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 4 5 5 6 9 9 9 10 on 10d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 6 7 8 on 11d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "...Okay. 5 damage dice!"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 4 6 7 8 8 on 5d10: 3 successes.
Green Cove whips her ribbon back out of that central mass, and spins it down into more of a staff. With the nonchalant air of someone who's practiced this particular move before, she takes the long rod and slams it down in a firm rap along the...well, as close as this thing has to a head, which isn't much, but it might get its attention.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 3 4 4 7 7 7 7 9 on 9d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 2 4 5 7 7 8 10 on 10d10: 5 successes.
The beast is too slow to avoid the little Twilight's assault, but the first hit glances off the slick scales, and it manages to twist out of the way of the third. Still, it is seriously injured now, black fluid polluting the water.
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! ...and rechecks. "My turn, not its? (Not to question my gift horse, just that I thought it got one more on init than I did. [grins])"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "It's out of actions. Defaulted to dodge. =P"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Ah! MWAHAHAHA."
<<OOC>> Green Cove wore it down for you!
Shai boggles at the princess dancing on the beast, even as she draws a second pair of target arrows from her quiver. She nocks the first one, takes a heartbeat to aim and pray to Sol Invictus that this does _not_ accidentally hurt Green Cove, and fires, the arrow whistling through the air as it aims for some vital part of the monster. Its twin quickly follows, driven by obsidian strength into the writhing mass.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Don't botch! =P"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "2 die. :)"
<<OOC>> Shai grins. And backscrolls quickly -- net -1/-2, right.
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods. ^^
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 4 5 6 6 6 8 9 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 3 4 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 on 10d10: 8 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove is glad you're trying not to hit the princess! Though the princess is, granted, a little distracted by demon-whacking to think about that right now.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 4 5 7 10 on 6d10: 3 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 5 5 9 on 5d10: 1 success.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "So... 13 -3 +1 for the first, 13 -3 +7 for the second, net of 11 and 17 damage dice?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Yes. >_<"
<<OOC>> Shai scritchies.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 7 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 1 2 2 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 10 10 on 17d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai EYES the second roll. But that's 11 total, so, er, will live. [snickers]
The arrows sink deep and true; the beast shrieks (the clamor of bells in its voice may be noted), tentacles lashing without aim, then falling into the ocean. The great mass sinks into the waves, leaving Green Cove standing evenly on the water, Floating Leaf peering down at her. The mist around them... recedes, the bank drifting quickly away from the boat it had tried to consume.
Shai yelps a Flametongue curse as the beast drops. "Cove!" She darts over toward the railing, wincing as she moves -- that hit _hurt_ -- and promptly boggles at the water-walking. "... Uh."
Green Cove looks up at the side of the ship, and goes clambering up the side as easily as she usually does the rigging, settling down to sit on the railing there next to Floating Leaf. "Yes, captain?"
The crew come out from behind masts and below decks and take up their posts. The ship sails on, leaving the ominous mist fleeing from their wake.
Shai stares at Cove. "I..." She tugs at one of the bigger tears in her tunic, then sighs and shoulders Quicksilver again. "We need to talk, I think. My cabin?" She waves in its direction, vaguely. "The crew can take it from here for a bit."
Green Cove looks about the deck, at the crew, and the disappearing fog. "Ah," she says. "A talk." People do those sorts of things, don't they? Well. One ought to be polite to the captain. "Yes. We can do that. Come along, Leaf." And drops off the railing, back to her usual erratic one-foot pose while waiting for the other woman to move forward. "A talk. Good idea."
Storyteller says "Shai, you've been docked in Abalone, one of Wavecrest's larger ports, for about a week. You had a small cargo to unload, and have been looking for another cargo or passengers while the ship is made ready for sailing again, but had no luck finding anything. It's been a very frustrating process; some of your crew have begun suggesting sailing around the island and trying your luck in another port. You've just left another merchant's factor, empty-handed; a couple of your crew are with you."
Shai grumbles to herself, running a hand through her short hair, and turns to the crew members. "Fine, fine. We try _one_ more, then we hit the next port. Worth being sure, but no reason to waste time, y'know?" She looks annoyed, rather than her normal good cheer, but not too much so. Worst-case, they can always move on.
Storyteller says "Green Cove's travels have also brought her to Wavecrest. A few weeks ago she had a vision of a golden bridge across the ocean; the steps that led up to it were opalescent (like the inside of the shell that gives the port its name). She spent the night curled up in someone's private park with Floating Leaf; she awakes with images of true dreams fluttering around her memory, indistinct images of a ship and a voyage to the East."
Storyteller says "Shai, you're walking down the street towards the one of the last merchants you /haven't/ tried, and you feel a fit of Oracularness rising."
Green Cove strolls down the streets near the docks with Floating Leaf's leash held carelessly in one hand, considering how best to travel East. By ship seems clear enough, in accordance with the dreams, but there's always a matter of which ship. She'll simply have to watch for a sign, as these things choose to come to her.
Shai makes a startled noise, does split-second math, and attempts to duck into a nearby alley or less-visible niche if one is findable. If not, she just exerts her will to try and keep it from being too..._dramatic_ a prophecy, rather than trying not to speak it at all. Her crew's probably dealt with her playing Voice of Sol Invictus before -- even if she'd never outright _told_ them where she thinks her oracular 'gift' comes from -- and besides, it usually winds up worse in the long run if she bites her tongue. (Also, tongue-biting is ow, but that's secondary.)
<<OOC>> Shai .oO(Had to do the long pose once she informed me that she thinks it's a side effect of Exaltation deliberately induced by the Unconquered Sun, see. [laughs] Whether or not it _is_, I leave up to ze ST, but that's apparently what Shai thinks.)
Storyteller says "Shai is able to dart into an alley, interrupting one of her crewmembers who was about to speak with the sudden action; her companions peer after her, baffled, until she begins to speak. Dire words spill forth, and as she declaims about sea-scourge, life-bane, and enveloping madness, she has an image of a city to the East, with bright flags flapping and the key to a mystery which might hold doom - or unfathomed rewards. When she gathers her breath and her wits, she can almost see the prediction hanging like a cloud overhead, though she can't recall everything she said."
<<OOC>> Shai _oooooooooh_. o.o
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Soooo. I'm guessing... East."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Really? I was wondering if I should lay it on a little heavier."
<<OOC>> Green Cove is good at working with prophecy!
<<OOC>> Shai giggles!
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "It's sort of the Exalted equivalent of your Superior showing up and telling you to go do something, in In Nomine."
<<OOC>> Shai says, "_Yes_!"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "(And if you're working for Gabriel, 'equivalent' is too weak a word for the correspondence... But I digress.)"
<<OOC>> Shai snrrrrrrrrk.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The ST is eternally grateful so many of you have Merits, Flaws, or Backgrounds, which will make it easy to give subtle hints. Like "SAIL EAST PLZKTHX.""
<<OOC>> Yasutora hrmphs. He gets personalized messages.
Shai wraps her arms around herself, drawing comfort from the sturdiness of the obsidian armor hidden under her clothes. She breathes deeply a few times until she has control back, then peels her arms free, shakes her head, and steps back out of the alley. "...East. We're--we need to go East. With cargo if we can get it fast; without if we have to." Her voice is a bit shaken still, but steadies as she talks.
Floating Leaf sits beside her mistress, and watches the ships and boats in the harbor, her tail flicking from side to side.
Green Cove scratches her friend behind the ears, balancing idly on one foot at the edge of the harbor, other foot half-poised out as if she might step onto the water at any moment. "Pearls and gold," she murmurs to the tiger, quietly. "I don't see anything of the sort. That means it's buried. Buried is harder, but more rewarding. The literal never satisfies. What do you see?"
One of the crew members blinks, then shrugs. The other simply says, "Aye, then. Are we still going to try that last merchant?"
Shai reaches behind her to tug the yellow cloth headband she wears tighter. "Yes. Worth a shot; he usually has _something_ for me, or might have a recommendation for the next port down..." She shakes her head, and keeps walking. "Or might know if it's not worth the wait."
Floating Leaf tilts her head and sniffs the air. "I see water," she comments, "But I smell fog."
Green Cove takes the tiger's words into account, and nods thoughtfully, abruptly switching from one foot to the other in a little hop. "Mixed results there," she says. "I suppose I'll simply have to go looking. Speaking with...ugh. People." She shudders briefly. "But prophecy seldom leads one down an easy path." She surveys the people who populate the harbor today for signs of someone a little less odious than the usual sort to speak with.
The crewman nods and tags along quietly. The walk to the next factor's office is short, this being the district where such things are located. The room is small, and no goods are on display. The factor is a man Shai has dealt with before, and he looks up, closing a ledger, as the captain and her companions enter.
Shai fidgets a bit on the way down, but is all cheerful business when they step inside. She greets the factor by name, and makes appropriate inquiries about cargo -- if not from here, then from the next nearest port.
The man pauses and blinks. "Cargo going to the east? I just... hold on a minute." He steps back into the warehouse.
Shai nods to the first, quirks a pale-blonde eyebrow at the next, and nods again with a touch of bemusement. "Of course."
Storyteller says "Green Cove... there are a number of ships in harbor, though some of them are obviously not ready to sail, and some of them don't look sea-worthy enough to cross the ocean. Some of them have people on deck, though most of them look quite busy. Give me a Perception + Sail roll?"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 7 8 10 10 on 6d10: 6 successes.
Storyteller says "One ship stands out above the rest as sea-shape; the crew is obviously competent, and while there's some activity on the ship, it seems efficient and mere maintenance."
Green Cove strides briskly in that direction, mostly remembering to look like she's actually holding onto Leaf's leash in any sort of meaningful manner. She pauses once she's near, and scrutinizes the ship carefully to see if it feels...familiar. Or at least pirate-free. Captains become irate if one's tiger begins eating crew once the ship has set sail.
The factor returns after a minute. "Sorry," he says, "I had to send a message. We just had an inquiry about carrying goods to Whitewater Bend on the Grey River past Nexus, and I had to tell him it wasn't very likely we'd find a ship going that way."
The ship Green Cove is examining bears no trace of Pirate; if it's ever been in a combat, the damage has been repaired quite nicely. Floating Leaf paces along patiently on her leash.
Shai perks up. "That's our direction exactly!" .oO(Nexus might not be the _right_ city, but it's closer by a long shot than Wavecrest!) "What kind of goods are we talking?"
Green Cove finally decides there's no getting around it, and looks for the nearest...unsmelly...person she can find to speak with on this ship, though it's always hard to find such among sailors. "Hey," she says, once she's spotted the least odiferous of the bunch. "You. Where's this ship going next?"
The factor shrugs. "Delicacies. Fruit brandies, candied guava. It's a fairly standard cargo, but a long run."
Shai looks abstracted for a moment, doing the math on cargo space, preservation, and so on. Then nods, firmly. "We can handle it all the way there." She flashes the factor a cheerful grin. "How soon can we make the arrangements?"
These sailors are... well, they're still laborers, and there's a certain smell of salt-spray and fish that never leaves a sailor's clothes. But as sailors go, none of them are that bad. The one so hailed looks up, eyes the tiny Twilight up and down, with a long, startled look for the tiger, and finally shrugs. "Don't know. You'd have to ask the captain. If she find a cargo, that's where."
Green Cove frowns at the sailor for a long moment. "Well," she says, finally. "That's not very helpful. Where's the captain?"
The factor waves a hand. "We could start loading in a couple hours if the source gets back to me promptly. Where are you moored?"
Shai's grin widens. "_Perfect_." She names the dock, with a landmark or two to clarify exact location if necessary. Fortunately the factor's dealt with her before, so he'll know the ship's name and style.
The sailor eyes the girl again, and grins slowly. "'Fraid I can't be very helpful then." He waves indistinctly at the warehouse district near the harbor. "She's looking for a cargo, of course."
Green Cove looks at the warehouse district. Looks back at the sailor. Considers her options. And promptly decides to wait, though she doesn't really get around to informing the sailor of this. (She has, after all, stopped talking to him. It's not any of her business how he considers the conversation to be concluded or not.) She stands there on one foot, waiting for said captain to appear and be accosted. Or, well, addressed. One should be polite to captains. Within reason.
The factor notes down the dock and nods. "I'll send someone to let you know when I hear back."
The deckhand eyes the little teen with wry amusement and goes back to what he was doing - giving the tiger plenty of space.
Shai nods to the factor, good mood restored. "Sounds good t'me." She waves at the crew members and heads out, whistling cheerily (if...not entirely on-key) to herself. Okay, creepy spontaneous prophecies of potential doom aren't that good, but we've got potential cargo, we've got an excuse to _travel really far_... Day's looking up, really!
The warehouse district is, as only logical, near the harbor. Admittedly, with no cargo and money a bit tight, Shai's not moored at the nearest docks, but it's still not too far of a walk to the boat. She will note, as she approaches her boat, that there is a tiger on the dock. A large tiger.
The deckhand nods to Green Cove, and points up the hill away from the water. "There's the captain," he says.
Green Cove turns to look. And because she is, after all, not a barbarian, says, "Thank you," to the sailor, before striding briskly in that direction, Leaf at her side.
Shai _blinks_ at the tiger, a hand twitching reflexively for the canvas-shrouded bow hanging at her back. The fact that it's not currently eating anyone reassures her a bit, and she lowers her hand -- just in time to note the tiger _approaching_. Bwah. She mutters something under her breath in Flametongue, and keeps walking for her ship.
Green Cove is, as usual, dressed in her traveling clothes: an ordinary tunic that was probably once white, dark brown leather pants sewn together tightly in pieces to allow greater movement from the seams, black boots, and a long green cloak over her back. The dark green cloak matches the collar on her tiger, her eyes, and her hair. The green locks have been cut short and roughly about her face, giving her the look of someone always peering through leaves. The leash on that tiger... doesn't look particularly secure, no matter that it's held by a pretty little teenage girl with a snub nose and careless grasp, if determined expression at this moment.
Shai is a young woman of medium height and rangy build. Her wavy white-blonde hair is cut short, standing out in stark contrast to her cocoa-brown skin along with her angular, tawny eyes; she's more striking than pretty, with sharply aristocratic features softened by an easy smile and casual grace. She's wearing a comfortable tunic and trousers of unusual cut, in yellow-trimmed black cotton, with something shiny black and gold glinting faintly at her collar and cuffs; a strip of yellow silk is tied around her forehead, and a canvas-wrapped bow and a quiver are slung over her back.
Green Cove strides briskly up to the approaching group of...people. "Who's the captain?" she asks, in what she considers her polite tone of voice. "For that ship. The one that's not falling apart."
Fine eyebrows lift, as Shai takes a step forward -- putting herself nearer the tiger than her crewmates. Although ideally not _too_ near. "I'm captain of the Strider, and if it's falling apart I need to have _words_ with a few people. Is that the one you mean, girl?"
Green Cove looks over her shoulder. "Probably. I didn't ask the name." Back at this presumed captain. "Which direction do you go next?"
The tiger, for her part, blinks lazily at the strangers and settles on her haunches next to her mistress.
Shai folds her arms, regarding both girl and tiger with just a touch of wariness. "East, toward Nexus. Why d'you ask?"
"Ah," says Green Cove. "I need to go East. On a ship," she adds, as something of an afterthought. "Yours seems appropriate. I can sail decently, or work out other payment if you have plenty of crew. Floating Leaf won't eat any of your crew unless they turn to piracy. When do you leave?"
Shai ... blinks. She looks considering for a moment, then waves the sailors accompanying her on toward the dock. "Go on, tell Jay we've got cargo, I'll be there right after." Once they're on their way, she cocks an eyebrow higher at Cove. "Soon. Leaf's your--friend, there? You'll forgive me if I'd like a little more assurance than that, girl. --what's your _name_, by the way? And why're you headed there?"
The crew members glance at the tiger and back at their captain for confirmation, but head down towards the ship when it's obvious that she means it.
Shai nods, with a quick, confident grin.
"My name is Princess Daughter Three Pearl of the Green Cove," she says, "but you may call me Green Cove. My friend is Floating Leaf, and she is quite well-behaved, for she only eats pirates." She switches to a different foot to stand on, like a small green stork in the middle of the dock. "I am going East on a ship because it came to me in a dream," she explains, in the patient sort of tone one uses when explaining the obvious to someone. "You are going there, aren't you?"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "And, hm. Was Cove's island obscure enough that Shai wouldn't recognize the naming style, or no? I'm perfectly cool either way, just checking. [grins]"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "It was fairly obscure, but not one of the tiniest or anything. I'm fine if you've heard about it or not, either way."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hrm..."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "I suspect that naming convention was dull enough that it might have been used in more than one place, though most wouldn't have a Green Cove for that last specification as such."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Hrm... Give me a Lore + Int roll. >_>"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "(There's always an Int + Something roll if ze ST--that works! [laughs] [checks her dicepool])"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 5 9 10 on 4d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The name's structure is remarkably familiar; it's the sort of quasi-title name primarily used by the rulers of scattered little island kingdoms here in the West."
<<OOC>> Shai grins. That works!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "But Green Cove doesn't immediately place itself for Shai."
<<OOC>> Shai nods.
Shai's brows lift higher. "Mm_hmm_." She considers possible questions, considers the dream-claim, considers her own prophecy of a few minutes ago, then exhales finally and offers a hand. "All right. The name's Shai, Sarasvati Shai, but while you're on board it's Captain, clear? If you can swear that the tiger won't offer any harm to my crew -- eating or otherwise -- then we can head there and talk about how you're going to pay me back for the ride. If not, you're going to need to find another ship."
Green Cove looks over to Floating Leaf. "The usual rules," she says, and then turns back to Shai. "Agreed. When do we leave?" She finally puts both feet down on the ground for a moment, if resting entirely on her heels with her boot-clad toes lifted up for no apparent reason.
Shai squints at them both through tawny-golden eyes, shakes her head, and starts in the direction of the Strider. "Soon as the cargo's loaded and supplies ready. Worst-case, something goes wrong and we leave tomorrow morning, but she's a fast ship. We'll hit Nexus in no time."
The tiger gazes back at the teen with intelligent eyes that seem to assent to the request.
Green Cove follows alongside the captain, not bothering to say anything as she doesn't have relevant new information to impart to anyone. As they near the ship again, she begins to eye it in a slightly different light, now that she's sure this is the one from her dreams. And also considering where best she'd be suited to fill any gaps in the current crew roster.
Shai projects confident assurance when they come into range of her crew's vision, with the occasional wave, nod, or greeting as they pass by sailors. She'll head onto deck and look for her first mate, unless someone -- like said first mate -- stops her en route.
Floating Leaf calmly follows Green Cove. If her eyes sparkle in amusement at any alarm of the crew, it might be a trick of the light. Wherever Green Cove stops, the tiger settles down on her haunches again and sedately licks a huge paw.
The first mate is waiting on deck. He starts to wave, pauses at the sight of the tiger, then waves anyhow. Sometimes, strange things happen around here... "Heard you got a cargo finally!" he says.
Green Cove turns as she walks, occasionally turning in a full circle and walking backwards for a few moments, to see what's going on all around. She manages to stay fairly near the captain for the moment, though. Payment still needs to be discussed, and it would be rude to wander far first.
Shai waves back, flashing Jay a grin. "Yep! It's gonna be a long haul, but oughta be worth it. Factor said it'd take a coupla hours; mind passing the word around and waiting in case it's faster or he sends a message? I've got a couple passengers--" she nods in the direction of Cove and the tiger "--to talk to."
Jay nods. "Sure thing, Captain. Going to need to rig the hold special?"
Shai looks abstracted for a moment. "Cargo should be fine as-is, but don't know about the tiger." She lifts an eyebrow at Green Cove, and taps her on the shoulder if Cove doesn't seem to be paying attention. "Your friend need, mm, special accommodations?"
Green Cove shakes her head, currently a little distracted by watching the way the light plays off the ripple of waves against one of the pillars of the dock. "She eats fish, mostly," Green Cove explains, remembering that around captains she should be polite. "And other things. She can sleep wherever I do."
Shai considers that, then shakes her head at Jay. "Should be fine for now." She makes a 'come along' gesture at Cove, and heads for her personal cabin.
Green Cove follows along promptly, with one last half-turn to watch the first mate along the way.
<<OOC>> Shai ponders. "Do we want to gloss specific negotiations about Cove's job and so on, for purposes of 'not having to BS too much' and/or 'skipping ahead if there's more that ze ST wants to cover in this scene'?" [grins]
<<OOC>> Green Cove is fine with that, if the ST didn't have anything planned for this particular bit. It's probably pretty clear already how social interactions between the two are going to be.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay! Skipping forward!"
<<OOC>> Shai yay, stuff to skip to! And giggles at Green Cove, nods. "Assume that arrangements are made for Green Cove to join the crew briefly, then? With possible negotiations later if, say, Leaf eats an existing crew member or Cove otherwise doesn't pay off the cost of feeding them via work." [snrks] "--and yay, skipping!"
<<OOC>> Green Cove snickers. "yeah, works."
There have been no more unusual dreams or dark prophecies for either Shai or Green Cove in the weeks since leaving Abalone. This is a high paying run - for good reason: the way is long and dangerous, clear across the seas from West to East, literally thousands of miles; it is not a short or easy trip, and requires passage through waters thoroughly controlled by the Realm. Shai, however, is sailing out Wavecrest, nominally allied, and bears a legitimate trade cargo from the same country, so imperial harassment is unlikely. The crew has, over time, become accustomed to Floating Leaf padding about the deck, begging treats of fish or scraps from the sailors' meals.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai, would you be going the nominally safe route if you weren't Anathema and hugging the coastline of the Blessed Isle, or keeping some distance?"
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! And hrms. "I think... Keeping a little distance, but not _too_ much. Enough to look either respectful or paranoid-of-accidentally-ramming-into-something, not enough to look Obviously Suspicious or Obviously Stupid, and erring closer to the Isle if necessary. Worst-case, the ship's fast and there's a _reason_ Shai's specialty is ranged combat; best-case, they won't bother to harass."
Green Cove spends what time isn't taken up by her duties wandering the deck of the ship as if these travels will take her somewhere more than where the ship is going anyway, or perching on the edge of the railings, staring down into the water, from some precarious position or another.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 7 10 on 3d10: 3 successes.
You're a little further from the Isle at the moment, but the coastline is in sight off in the distance; the day is bright and golden. Per + Awareness both, please?
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 9 on 3d10: 1 success.
<<OOC>> Shai sads at the dice!
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Coulda been worse. :p"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Half a sec, checking my sheet..."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 1 4 5 6 7 9 on 8d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Well, yes. But they scared me with their near-botching! [laughs] ... dude, _evil_ dice."
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "...like that, for example."
<<OOC>> Green Cove is apparently distracted by having to actually sail.
One of the sailors, on lookout duty, calls down to Shai. "Captain, I think there's going to be a storm."
Storyteller says "Green Cove, you might notice that Floating Tiger is looking off to sea, away from land, and sniffing the air."
Green Cove drops off her current railing perch to go crouch beside her tiger. "What sort of weather's coming, Leaf?"
Shai blinks, shielding her eyes as she looks up at the sailor. "With this good a start to the day?" But she hasn't gotten where she is without trusting her sailors' judgment in situations like this; she turns around, calls out "Storm coming in!", and sets people to work making preparations.
The sailor calls down, "No birds, and there's a bank of fog to the north."
Shai frowns, and calls back, "Got it! Any port or shelter nearby, if it's bad enough?"
Green Cove stands up, and looks about. Natural storms are the way of the world, unnatural storms are the way of pirates and fouler things. No way to tell on this one, just yet. She drops a quick pat on Floating Leaf's head, and turns to help the others prepare for a storm.
Floating Leaf can only shrug to Green Cove; she doesn't seem to think it's anything natural, though.
Anyone looking for it can now notice the bank of fog moving in swiftly from the north.
Shai mutters something dire in Flametongue at the fog, scowling, and continues giving orders or aid to prepare, though she stays within earshot of the lookout.
Storyteller says "Also, there aren't any major harbors along this stretch of the Blessed Isle's coast, but there's any number of small fishing villages; you're a good bit of sailing out from the coast, and nearing an unfamiliar coast in bad weather might be worse than riding out the storm."
<<OOC>> Shai nods, hrms. "I think... Shai's not quite confident enough to risk the coast in fog, bad past experience with storms or no. She'll prep to ride it out."
Green Cove thinks clear, sharp thoughts of pirates who bring in unnatural storms as she helps the rest of the crew with ropes and sails, brisk enough at her work to make up for her indifferent skill at it.
The wind picks up slightly, but nothing near a threat to the sturdy little ship; eventually, the dark fog envelops the ship, cutting off the sunlight. It is eerie and cool - and the wind seems dead within it. Sounds on the ship are muffled, though the splashing of wavelets beyond the ship rings clear, still.
Green Cove leans over a railing, frowning down into the dark water.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Give me another perception + awareness roll, Green Cove?"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 2 4 5 6 6 9 on 8d10: 1 success.
Shai paces around the ship, carefully, sending nonessential crew down below and murmuring encouragement to any essential crew who seem worried. A hand toys absently with the bow at her back, as she thinks quiet prayers to the little gods of the weather that this clears up quickly.
Off in the distance, Green Cove can hear ...wind, perhaps? Though some of it sounds like whispers, words, or even cries... and there is no wind here.
Green Cove leans further over the railing, looking up and off in that direction. "Captain," she says, not very loudly.
Floating Leaf stalks over beside Green Cove, ears up alertly; her claws are slightly extended and dig into the wooden planking on the deck.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Give me a Charisma + Socialize roll, Shai. :)"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 3 5 6 8 9 9 9 10 10 on 10d10: 8 successes.
The crew is... nervous, but Shai is a reassuring presence, and they trust her greatly. They get back to their work, competent as usual, not clumsy from their nerves.
Even Floating Leaf seems to calm a little, her claws retracting and not scarring the ship's deck.
Shai's orbit of the deck takes her toward Green Cove just in time to hear; she heads toward the railing, calling quietly, "I'm here. What is it?"
Green Cove points off into the fog. "No wind, yet it sounds of it. It's unnatural." She grimaces briefly. "Not the unnatural that frightens sailors, the kind that calls up its own storms. Can you hear that?"
Shai frowns. "Are you sure?" She holds onto the railing, leaning out a bit as she tries to hear.
Just as Shai answers Green Cove, everyone on deck can hear the mournful tolling the bells of a ship, somewhere off to starboard. When the racket stops, an underlying edge of hysterical laughter, echoing through the fog without direction.
"No," Green Cove says, once the tolling has stopped, and over the laughter. "Not sure. I didn't dream it, only heard it. But these things happen. They may even happen to us."
Shai twitches at the tolling, hands tight on the rail, and then _scowls_. "Sounds like confirmation to me." She nods to Cove. "Thank you. Be careful." She heads starboard, radiating confidence with every step -- and providing 'be careful, take cover' warnings to anyone she passes on the way -- while racking her memory to see if she can guess at the cause.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Have I had any sort of experience with creepy fog-summoning laughing ships before, or heard stories about such?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Well! Let's have an Int + Lore roll! You can roll too, Green Cove."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 3 4 7 9 on 4d10: 2 successes.
Green Cove nods, and slides down until she's crouched by the side of the ship, peering through the railings, with one foot jittering and one hand on the ribbon-wrapped stick that always hangs at her side.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 3 4 7 10 on 5d10: 3 successes.
Storyteller says "Shai, you've heard of fogbanks which are ...unnatural, and drive men mad with sounds and horrible things half seen through the mist. Besides madness, they can make ships drift off course, and move against the wind and tides."
Storyteller says "Green Cove... You've heard the same stories, except in some of them, the fogbank takes a substantial form and attack directly. The rareness of those stories might indicate that they are fanciful - or that there are rarely survivors."
Green Cove says to Floating Leaf, in a voice that isn't really meant to be heard by anyone else but probably is anyway, "Do you think this is the kind that attacks? I haven't seen those. Only heard of them."
Shai mutters a Flametongue curse, and then starts making her way for the helm. Hopefully her crew's confidence is boosted enough that they can endure awhile without her constantly making the rounds, but offcourse? Even at a bit of a distance from shore? _Not good_.
Floating Leaf's tail lashes behind her as she considers. "It smells like a spirit," she answers (only Green Cove, with her close attunement to the tiger, can understand the body language), "...and it probably has a body."
Green Cove considers this. "Good," she says. "Bodies are easier to hit."
The crew is clearly spooked, but... all of them know their Captain is special and they are doing their best to trust her.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Also, 8 successes is a Very Nice Success, so. :p"
<<OOC>> Storyteller assumes Shai is trying to doublecheck and correct the course?
<<OOC>> Shai nods. "Doublecheck, correct, and encourage the helmsman in case she needs to run off again. (Until/unless drawn somewhere else, she'll stick with the helm herself, but she's not willing to gamble that she _won't_ be needed elsewhere before the fog's gone, so extending the Aura of Encouragement and Confidence to the helmsman would be nice just in case. [laughs])"
Green Cove rocks on her heels by that railing, watching the fog around the ship. Something will need to be taught manners. While she has the fuzzy impression that her own manners aren't perfect, she does know enough to teach certain politenesses to others, in much the way that an older child teaches a younger to walk quietly in certain places and run in others. For example, it is impolite to eat someone's ship or crew. Unless they're pirates. Which these people are not. Thus.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Int + Sail roll, please?"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 5 5 6 7 7 10 on 6d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai cuddles the dice. (Not a legendary success, sadly, but still not bad!)
The helmsman is doing his best, but the ship seems to have drifted. Based on the current the ship appears to be, Shai thinks she has the ship back on course when she returns the helm to the helmsman. The grey, clinging fog makes certainty a challenge.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 7 9 on 3d10: 2 successes.
Shai murmurs reassurance to the helmsman absently as she tries to correct things -- "I think it's something in the fogbank. Not your fault. Just do your best to keep us on course; I know you can do it." -- and, when fixed, begins pacing within earshot of the helm, listening for any calls for help from her people.
As the ship drifts through the gray, the haunting sounds trailing it begin to fade. Slowly, the fog lightens - at least in places - condensing into wisps which rush across the deck towards an unknown center, thick coils which rolls down towards the water, looking remarkably solid as they form. As the first touch of blue breaks through, revealing that the seemingly long journey through the fog hasn't eaten the entire day, a dark form looms up to the right of the ship, poising its still misty tentacles for an attack.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "We will be going to combat time, but I'll let you both pose first."
Green Cove leaps to her feet, drawing the ribbon-wound stick from her belt. "It makes itself solid," she tells Leaf, moving in that direction with steps far more even than she usually demonstrates when walking these decks. "It believes itself to be very clever. We will teach it otherwise."
Shai spits a Flametongue curse, pulling her bow and an arrow from her back, and cries out, "'Ware spirit!" for any of the crew who hasn't seen. She eyes the range; if she's close enough for Quicksilver to still hit easily, she stays where she is, and if not, she darts closer, with the ease of someone long accustomed to this ship's deck and moving on it at sea.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai should be able to hit it from where she is."
The crew scatter away from the looming form as the mist clears completely, revealing a tentacled horror, a twisted, demonic nest of appendages hooked, clawed, toothed, suckered.
Floating Leaf growls and paces beside his Person, telling her, "Or the sailors did not spook enough for its taste."
Green Cove shrugs lightly, enough to shift her cloak further back and better free her shoulders. "Either way." She looks up along the form. "Many hands. This may not be quick. A better learning experience for that."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Aannnnnd, combat!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Roll init. ^^"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 9 for initiative (1 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 12 for initiative (4 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 11 for initiative (6 on die, +5 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 19 for initiative (7 on die, +12 bonus).
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay: Demon, Shai, Big Kitty, Green Cove."
At least the beast must face you under the sun, unable to hold both the fog and physical forms at once. One of the many tentacles it wields lashes out at Green Cove, the nearest morsel on the ship at the moment, as crew has largely scattered.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "The Charm is Serpentine Evasion. It costs 3 motes, and gives you a dodge pool of Martial Arts + Dodge + Essence + Dex. Which is a darn nice dodge pool."
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 1 2 2 4 5 5 6 8 9 9 9 on 13d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Pose your dodge!"
Green Cove watches the tentacle streaking down at her with cool green eyes, head tilted a little to see the way this pseudo-flesh of fog and magic moves, and what constraints there might be to its mockery of muscles and bones. As the gray tentacle rushes nearer, she smiles, white teeth glinting in the returned sunlight, and takes a light bow forward, as if greeting a noble, with the movement turning into light-heeled bounce and tumble over the appendage, cloak swirling up around her like a waterfall moving towards the sky.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Wooo. The description of the tentacle and the monster bumps it to a 3 die stunt, so. >_>"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 7 8 9 9 on 17d10: 6 successes.
The tentacle sweeps by under Green Cove, spraying salt water across the deck, entirely ineffective.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Shai's turn!"
<<OOC>> Shai hm. "Splitting for... three actions, then; two shots with the bow using target arrows (no damage bonus, halve target's lethal soak) and saving an action for dodge or something else if it becomes necessary. I'd like to shoot toward the center of the knot, but will take what I can get." [grins] "So that's -3 and -4 to the bow-shots and -5 to whatever the third action is (before stunting), yes? And I pose the shooting now?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Go for it."
Shai scowls at the monster, sun-gold eyes slitted as she reaches behind her. By touch, she finds the fletching of her target arrows, and nocks one to Quicksilver's string and draws it back in a single smooth motion. Compensating for the movement of the ship beneath her feet is easy after years walking its deck, and she takes all of an instant to aim for the writhing knot of tentacles at the 'heart' of the beast before firing. The bowstring twangs, clear and warm and musical after the earlier bells, and then again as she swiftly nocks-draws-fires a twin to the first arrow.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "3 die stunt! Mmm, poses! Roll the first attack!"
<<OOC>> Shai yay! And does math. Base pool of 12, -3 and -4 but +3 and +3, so 12 for the first and 11 for the second.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 2 5 5 6 6 6 8 9 10 on 12d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai also eyes the DI and II both contained within that roll _warily_. But. [snickers]
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 4 4 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
The abomination focuses attention on Shai at the 'twang' of the bowstring and, with surprising agility, slithers tentacles aside.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 3 5 7 7 7 7 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 10 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Wow."
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 3 3 5 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 10 on 11d10: 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay, base damage is 13. That's strength and equipment bonuses. So roll Damage + 2."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 2 3 3 4 6 7 7 8 8 8 10 10 on 15d10: 7 successes.
The clever dodge from the first arrow leads the bulk of the beast directly into the path of the second arrow, which sinks deep and vanishes into the writhing mess of tentacles. Black fluid stains the water around the demon.
Shai _grins_, white and sharp, already reaching for another arrow.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 2 2 3 5 8 9 10 10 on 10d10: 6 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 3 4 5 5 6 7 8 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 8 successes.
Floating Leaf attempts to pounce on the tentacle that attacked Green Cove, but it flicks aside at the last moment.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "And Green Cove's turn!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I'd recommend you use some of your simple scene longs if you hadn't already used a Charm. (I really should have prompted you to start one before the battle; would you like to do so now retroactively?)"
<<OOC>> Brian says, "If this is the first round of combat-- I'm not sure, since I was asleep-- it might be Nice to say she's activated her Snake Form ahead of time; she would have had plenty of time to do so in the fog, and this is her first time out."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "That's what I was just suggesting. I should have suggested people do so."
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Here's your options as they stand now: Whack once, at your full accuracy, or whack -lots-, at increasingly decreasing accuracy depending on how much you want to whack, up to a maximum of your ribbon's rate."
<<OOC>> Green Cove checks full accuracy. "I'll probably just whack two or three times."
<<OOC>> Green Cove nods. "Can we assume we're all snake-formy?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Can. I really should have suggested it before the battle. ^^"
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Alrighty. Let's say three. At three, you'll make your first roll at -3, your second at -4, and your third at -5. Plus stunt bonuses, of course. You pose first, Leti awards stunt, totals are given, rolls are made."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Though I think I'm going to imitate Brian and only do one stunt a round. Still pose, but, you'll use the dodge stunt dice from before."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Same thing goes for Shai - if you have a Scenelong simple you would have wanted to activate before the fight, please pretend it's been up all along; I should have prompted for it. >_>"
Green Cove spins on one foot to face the demon of congealed fog, stretching out the hand that holds the rod, and the ribbon whirls free around her until it's stretched out in a jointed, whirring arc about her head and shoulders, never quite catching on her still-fluttering cloak. On the split-second aftermath of her tiger companion's failed attack, she takes three deliberate steps forward, and slaps the ribbon out, suddenly as straight a line as any staff, at the tentacle that's been lashing about across the deck in ways she'd prefer it didn't.
<<OOC>> Shai giggles, nods. ... and thinks. Actually, yes; Salty Dog Method. "It's day-long rather than scene-long, 3 motes (which I would've gotten back for that first stunt), gives her 'perfect sea legs' (read: only _serious_ issues, like the ship colliding with something, require Dex + Ath rolls to keep her footing), etc. But that's it; Shai doesn't have anything else appropriate." [grins]
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 3 4 5 5 7 7 7 8 9 10 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 3 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 10 on 11d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay, now we do your damage roll."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Unfortunately, I don't think that's a piercing Weapon, so you only have 8 damage dice left after soak."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 5 6 8 9 9 10 10 on 8d10: 5 successes.
Green Cove flicks her wrist, and the ribbon's suddenly a fluid thing again, crackling through the air as turns it from a strange staff to a hissing serpent that surges forward to snap at the tentacle of fog, a thin green viper against some giant constrictor.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 2 3 8 8 8 9 10 10 10 on 10d10: 10 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 4 5 5 6 7 9 10 on 10d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay! 8 damage dice again. ^^"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 2 4 4 5 6 8 8 9 on 8d10: 3 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove final pose for this round!
Green Cove whips the ribbon back again, and with one final critical look at the creature, leaps up to balance on the railing of the ship, feet landing neatly one behind the other. "A little closer," she murmurs, more to herself than anything else, and cracks the ribbon up over her head in a bright arc to the limbs still reaching out from the central bulk of the demon.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 2 4 4 6 8 9 9 9 9 on 9d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 2 2 3 3 6 7 7 8 10 on 9d10: 5 successes.
The demon lashes this way and that, trying in vain to avoid the rain of blows from the tiny Exalt on the deck of the ship; only for the last blow does it manage to sink beneath the waves and avoid the strike.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Aaaand, we're on to another round. Please note that Snake Form adds Martial Arts to your initiative, so you've got an additional +5 now, Green Cove."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Roll init!"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 11 for initiative (3 on die, +8 bonus).
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 17 for initiative (4 on die, +13 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 6 for initiative (1 on die, +5 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 17 for initiative (5 on die, +12 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 19 for initiative (7 on die, +12 bonus).
<<OOC>> Shai peers. Three init rolls?
<<OOC>> Storyteller fnords cheerfully at Shai.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "So we're going Demon, Green Cove, FNORD, Shai, Kitty."
<<OOC>> Shai eeks at the fnord more! And nods.
<<OOC>> Green Cove is eeking at the demon, personally.
Streaks of black fluid stain the water where the beast is submerged, but the beast itself... is vanished -- for a moment, anyhow. Streaks of mist pour out of the water, coiling the ship in an all too familiar grey embrace.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "That's the demon's turn. Your turn, Green Cove. >_>"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ayup. Time to eek."
<<OOC>> Shai nods! o.o
<<OOC>> Shai blinks, belatedly. Oh, hey, I forgot I have a Merit that would've probably helped with getting us back on course. ... oh, well. [laughs] It's only one die, and I should remember for next time.
Green Cove glares down at the water from where she stands on the railing. She spins her ribbon-staff down into little more than a half-staff, and steps off the railing into mist, and onto the surface of the water. It's not as if she can't walk back, if she gets separated... and now she's annoyed.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "I don't really know what she can do at this point, but if it's about to go all underwater-destroyer-crush or something, she wants to be close enough to whack it from there. Thus...walk on water!"
Back on the ship... well, behind the ship, there is a splash as writhing tentacles tear the surface of the water and lash violently at Shai.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 8 8 8 9 10 on 19d10: 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai yay! And, hm, Dex + Dodge is 6... no reason not to go for the full thing, I think I can manage a 2-dot stunt here. "Paying 3e out of personal for a pool of 6+2+3 == 11."
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods! ^^
Shai spins at the first sound of the splash, with reflexes honed by years at sea. At the first sight of the tentacles, her eyes widen and Essence floods her limbs; she darts backward, the leather soles of her boots thudding on the deck, with the speed of a Quicksilver Falcon.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "2 die! Roll for it. 13 dice!"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Plus, as usual, get your Essence back. :p"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 1 3 3 3 5 6 7 8 9 9 on 13d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 4 4 5 5 6 8 9 10 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Brian says, "Only 4."
<<OOC>> Shai ponders. "Splitting for... bah, would like three actions, but the powerbow rate is 2 and I scrapped my 'buy extra actions' Charms even if I could use them. Two actions, both target arrows, both at the guy attacking me. Net penalties of -1/-2 after adding in stunt dice and subtracting split-action and injury penalties."
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods. Roll 'em!
Shai does her best to move with the strike, minimizing the damage; still, she can only do so much against that kind of attack, and her yellow-and-black tunic is torn in places, revealing the glitter of gold-decorated black glass armor beneath it. Her arms are moving even as she falls back, drawing a pair of target arrows from her quiver, and firing both quickly at the (new? moved?) demon.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 3 4 5 7 8 9 10 10 10 on 11d10: 9 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 3 4 4 4 7 7 7 8 8 10 on 10d10: 7 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 8 8 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 3 4 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 on 11d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Half soak is 3, so, 15 dice."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "....twice."
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 2 2 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 on 15d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 3 4 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 9 9 on 15d10: 8 successes.
Floating Leaf notes the other beast, but stays at the rail where her Person is on the water, watching over her.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Init time!"
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 9 for initiative (2 on die, +7 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 10 for initiative (1 on die, +9 bonus).
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 16 for initiative (3 on die, +13 bonus).
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 9 for initiative (4 on die, +5 bonus).
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Okay. Green Cove is first. ^^"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I think you'd have noticed; you can go around the bow of the ship and attack it from the water."
<<OOC>> Brian notes that in theory, being an Exalted, you could probably make jumping onto the beastie a part of your ribbony whaling attack.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ah, that'll work, then! I'm not entirely sure how movement works, here; can I get that far and still do standard actions?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "...Well, yes. Stunts are good! ;)"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "I'm going to fudge and say "I have no idea how far it is so yes.""
Green Cove steps lightly along the crests of the waves around the point of the ship, suddenly behind the demon that's been battering at the captain. She looks up at it from behind--and, between her height and its mass, very far below--in a considering manner for an instant, and then flicks out her ribbon-staff, the thinner rods that form the end twisting and curling within their fabric binding. The ribbon floats down from above... and wraps around a protrusion of gray demonic mass as securely as any rock-climbing rope and knot. Teeth bared in a more feral expression than before, the girl kicks off from a wave that surges up from the demon's movement within the water, and runs up the side of the monster's back, lashing the ribbon out again to slice at the flesh just as she reaches a precarious place to stop, feet balanced on two different lumps of crawling body.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Yes, that'd be a 3-die. ^^ At least by my standards."
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Splitting?"
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Ayup. Three actions, so 11/10/9."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 2 3 3 5 7 8 8 9 10 on 11d10: 6 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove will prepare the next while you're a-dodging.
<<OOC>> Shai back. Yay smashy!
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 2 4 4 5 6 7 7 8 10 on 11d10: 5 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove says, "Or, wait, do you need me to roll damage first? Or not until the end?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Go ahead and roll damage. It'll be... 1 + base - 6. Base is... bother, I need to have all this stuff in a notebook. 8?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "So 3, I think."
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 4 4 6 on 3d10: Failure.
Having found a perch on high, where she can look down at the writhing innards of the demon, Green Cove snaps her weapon free of the post that steadied her, and turns it to a more practical use, sending the sharp rods rattling down into the innards of the creature, with one hand held out balance herself against potential upheavals beneath her feet.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 1 4 5 5 6 9 9 9 10 on 10d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 3 3 3 5 5 6 7 8 on 11d10: 2 successes.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "...Okay. 5 damage dice!"
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 4 6 7 8 8 on 5d10: 3 successes.
Green Cove whips her ribbon back out of that central mass, and spins it down into more of a staff. With the nonchalant air of someone who's practiced this particular move before, she takes the long rod and slams it down in a firm rap along the...well, as close as this thing has to a head, which isn't much, but it might get its attention.
<<DICE>> Green Cove rolled 1 3 4 4 7 7 7 7 9 on 9d10: 5 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 2 2 4 5 7 7 8 10 on 10d10: 5 successes.
The beast is too slow to avoid the little Twilight's assault, but the first hit glances off the slick scales, and it manages to twist out of the way of the third. Still, it is seriously injured now, black fluid polluting the water.
<<OOC>> Shai giggles! ...and rechecks. "My turn, not its? (Not to question my gift horse, just that I thought it got one more on init than I did. [grins])"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "It's out of actions. Defaulted to dodge. =P"
<<OOC>> Shai says, "Ah! MWAHAHAHA."
<<OOC>> Green Cove wore it down for you!
Shai boggles at the princess dancing on the beast, even as she draws a second pair of target arrows from her quiver. She nocks the first one, takes a heartbeat to aim and pray to Sol Invictus that this does _not_ accidentally hurt Green Cove, and fires, the arrow whistling through the air as it aims for some vital part of the monster. Its twin quickly follows, driven by obsidian strength into the writhing mass.
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Don't botch! =P"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "2 die. :)"
<<OOC>> Shai grins. And backscrolls quickly -- net -1/-2, right.
<<OOC>> Storyteller nods. ^^
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 2 2 4 5 6 6 6 8 9 10 on 11d10: 4 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 3 4 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 on 10d10: 8 successes.
<<OOC>> Green Cove is glad you're trying not to hit the princess! Though the princess is, granted, a little distracted by demon-whacking to think about that right now.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 1 4 5 7 10 on 6d10: 3 successes.
<<DICE>> Storyteller rolled 1 2 5 5 9 on 5d10: 1 success.
<<OOC>> Shai says, "So... 13 -3 +1 for the first, 13 -3 +7 for the second, net of 11 and 17 damage dice?"
<<OOC>> Storyteller says, "Yes. >_<"
<<OOC>> Shai scritchies.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 2 4 5 6 7 7 8 9 9 10 10 on 11d10: 7 successes.
<<DICE>> Shai rolled 1 1 1 1 2 2 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 7 7 10 10 on 17d10: 4 successes.
<<OOC>> Shai EYES the second roll. But that's 11 total, so, er, will live. [snickers]
The arrows sink deep and true; the beast shrieks (the clamor of bells in its voice may be noted), tentacles lashing without aim, then falling into the ocean. The great mass sinks into the waves, leaving Green Cove standing evenly on the water, Floating Leaf peering down at her. The mist around them... recedes, the bank drifting quickly away from the boat it had tried to consume.
Shai yelps a Flametongue curse as the beast drops. "Cove!" She darts over toward the railing, wincing as she moves -- that hit _hurt_ -- and promptly boggles at the water-walking. "... Uh."
Green Cove looks up at the side of the ship, and goes clambering up the side as easily as she usually does the rigging, settling down to sit on the railing there next to Floating Leaf. "Yes, captain?"
The crew come out from behind masts and below decks and take up their posts. The ship sails on, leaving the ominous mist fleeing from their wake.
Shai stares at Cove. "I..." She tugs at one of the bigger tears in her tunic, then sighs and shoulders Quicksilver again. "We need to talk, I think. My cabin?" She waves in its direction, vaguely. "The crew can take it from here for a bit."
Green Cove looks about the deck, at the crew, and the disappearing fog. "Ah," she says. "A talk." People do those sorts of things, don't they? Well. One ought to be polite to the captain. "Yes. We can do that. Come along, Leaf." And drops off the railing, back to her usual erratic one-foot pose while waiting for the other woman to move forward. "A talk. Good idea."
