Jack is sitting on the side, the griffon perched on his knee, captivated by a piece of jerky as the young man tries to instill -something- into him. He'd been at it all morning and figures, if he's waiting anyway, he might as well get some more training time in there.
Ow! Seems his fingers are sometimes still the preferred meal over the jerky, or perhaps he'd already filled up on jerky before. Jack makes a mental note to find more snack types in the future that don't include Jack.
He looks up as Oak approaches Killian, immediately getting nipped once more.
Zephyr laughs *whole-heartedly*, and the listeners around you smile on. The Genasi wipes away a tear, “Family means together in common purpose, nothing more! But yes, I understand what you mean though…it is, as they say, “drinking the spiked mead”? I would not have believed myself a month ago, so perhaps it is for the best that they doubt, for now. I believe your help may turn the tides of fortune….oh! Which reminds me…here, here!
[Arno pulls a card from the Tarot Deck…SIX OF WANDS]
The Genasi pulls at his beard, grumbling through an understanding. “Hmmm…the six of wands…. (guttural chanting noises) I see you standing on a Whispered Curse of fiction…all the groups aboard mingle and work together towards a common purpose. Prejudice has been eradicated on these decks, and the men and women of the Curse look on *all* as equals. They speak with self-mocking laughter of older days, when prejudice ruled the deck, before the Metamorphic arrived, and Arno the Heart of the Metamorphic greeted them all with kindness and open arms…”
[Arno, the cards have presented you with an Advantage on any Roll involving Charisma for a 24 hour period!]
The Gensasi grins happily at this prediction. “A beautiful vision of the future, my friend! Let us hope it may come to pass, yes? And please let your friends know of my abilities and services…I wish to meet all of the Metamorphic, so I may better be of assistance to your efforts aboard the ship! Arno…it has been a genuine pleasure!” The Genasi shakes your hand respectfully, and the assemblage begins to clap…
---
Arno has an effort finding Rax…eventually, they find him among the Crow’s Nest, snoring fitfully. The Rak’ta reeks of rum and smoke. Rax the Raven-eyed is supposed to be on watch right now, but seems to be sleeping off a hangover, a result of the party from the night before…
Arno finally shakes him fully awake, after a few solid minutes. He finally comes to and, once he is assured you haven’t attempted to jump him in his sleep just now, begins to groggily come to his senses. “Yeh, yeh…whadyawant? Trying to keep a watch, here…” The White-Claw Moon Neclace sits upon his neck loosely….
[Arno, Rax is *violently* hung over right now. You are in a unique position to either shake him down for vital information…*or*, to get shut down with prejudice, given his present situation. Please make a Persuasion Check to see how much information you can get out of him (remember your advantage!), or to see if his mood makes the whole situation less than productive…]
Bern squints up at Arno. He’s not going to be following him up there. Still, he could probably do with some bardic wonder.
He sings in Elvish, with the particular twang of his mother. It’s otherworldly, quite beautiful.
If you can understand Elvish:
“...Backbeat, the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you nowwww...”
He leans against a mast, and spends awhile looking for today’s fishers before spotting them and carrying on at a steady pace. After a wee bit he waves to Killian and the lad.
“Ahoy.”, he says cheerily, setting down his fishing gear on the deck.
OOC: That’s one bardic inspiration for Arno. A d6 to his roll.
Eilibis fairly *giggles* in delight at the present you’ve given her. “Well! *These* are absolutely lovely! Can’t even imagine how you managed to come by them out here. Thank you, Bern!” Eilibis immediately leans over and gives Bern a giant, public kiss right on his cheek. With a cheeky wink, the Eladrin scoops up the candles and goes to put them somewhere safe before getting her performance ready. She looks back once at Bern with kindness, the way one might miss a father figure…
[Bern, you feel like you and Eilibis are becoming closer. You believe she’s certainly trustworthy, capable to hold your place as Ship’s Entertainment, and likely wouldn’t betray you or those you held dear…but does the Eladrin still hold secrets from you? Her eyes suggest maybe yes…]
---
[OAK]
Killian grins at Oak with wooden teeth. Oak takes an account of the Old Man: though aged, he looks to be in *top* physical condition (swole in the 19th century sense, where if you didn’t look a bit closer, he might even appear large or obese):
Killian takes account of Oak and his Giant Axe, and flinches from neither. Finishing the cigarette with one long drag, Killian *flicks* the spent bit into the ocean, and turns to the Shifter, hands upon his hips in a defiant posture:
“(cigarette strangled voice) Plenty o’ good spots out here! Fish aren’t used to predators from above in the Expanse, except for Winged Drakes and the occasional Floating Horror! Trick is getting em’ to come to ya, since half the shit here can make itself look like other shit! *COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-HACK-COUIGH* ughrr, apologize fer that...”
“Now, the fishies won’t get close enough to the Curse, unless it’s some dumb mess’o’curls like we ran into yesterday…which the Captain’d be *pissed* enough that you brought upon us anyway! So, what me and the boys can do fer ya, is…*cough, cough, cough*….we can rig up one of the Long Boats to a tether, hook it up to the Capstan. Let you out, say…maybe a hundred feet?...on your own. It’s out there in the Expanse itself, but short term exposure ain’t *nothing*, for hard souls like ourselves…”
“Once you get out there proper….you’ll all need to be a *proper fisherman*! Stay patient, keep your wits about you…watch the weather and your bait, and don’t snap your line! Should you boys all get lucky, and manage to snag you a *REAL ONE*, it may took more than some line and your manpower to get ya back to ship…you find something real good, you boys signal back to us on the Gunner’s Deck, and we can stick a harpoon in the sucker and drag it back, ya hear?”
Killian is *pleased*, as Michael the Cook brings by his fresh catch. He laughs heartily. “Ahhh, today, they’re hunting the *BIG GAME*, my boy! And bout’ bloody-fucking time, out here…” Killian wrangles a fresh fish from Michael’s pile, wriggling, into both his hands (the damn thing must weigh nearly forty pounds!) “Ah! This would be *perfect*! Now, how I’d start is…check the colors of the water….bait your line with one of *these* suckers to lure em in’….and then you *wait*. We Strikers will be watching, just in case…there’s some good catches out there! Giant Shark…Giant Tuna…Giant Octopus…”, Killian squeezes the fish in his hands until the life almost goes out of it, and then grunts up in pleasure at the Bunch. “Can provide you one long boat, or two, your choice…and I’ll leave Whistler to watch your position for today, in case you need an assist. But…you boys all sure now? This work can be dangerous, and you’ll be out there beyond where we can step in immediately if something wants to get ya!’”
[Your group has been offered the support of the Old Hunters for your Fishing Expedition! Please let me know if you take one or two (or more) Long Boats, and who is inside each one. You will be tethered to the Capstan, and sent out 100+ feet into the Expanse (don’t worry, Killian says you’ll (probably) be fine out there). You will then be tasked to fish for Big Game. Should you encounter Big Game, challenges will ensue, and support from x2 Harpoon Guns (Killian and Whistler) and x1 Weatherworker (Refi, if you only knew it) are available from the Crew of the Ship. Michael may also have items to assist in your day of fishing Strange Catches, were you to ask…]
Oak nods silently as Killian explains. Nothing the older man shared was surprising, they'd drag behind far enough to be able to make a catch, and they were essentially on their own if something went down. No point in trusting that someone was coming to their aid, if they didn't want to handle it themselves, they shouldn't go out.
"Simple enough." he finally responds. "Looks like we need ta' load up a boat." He turns back to the Wild Bunch who have gathered nearby. "Who's goin' with me?"
OOC:Not sure how many were going, but I thought it was max 3 maybe? If so, maybe just the single boat so less to defend should something funky come up.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for persuation
Geth roll 1d20+4 for advantage
Geth roll 1d6 for bard inspire
"Fun night last night? Here, chew on this, I call it fortitude root, tastes like dirt but clears your head right quick. I can keep watch, if you don't feel like moving. But I'd like to know what happened with the witch, and why that necklace you've got is important. Seems like I'm going to have the job of steering the ship, I should know what trouble we're steering into. Try and keep us away from the rocks, so to speak. Also literally, but I think this conversation is going to be more the metaphorical rocks."
Michael laughs as Killian grabs the fish, "that should make for good baitfish indeed", Michael sets down his haul, pulls out a rather large hook from his tackle kit and slides a few more fish on the hook. "Take a few more with you. Oh yeah, as you might potentially find yourselves in a bit of trouble out there, take these too", Michael pulls a couple of full flasks from his belt pouches and hands them to Oak. "This first red one here is your standard healing elixer, and the second more golden one is an elixer of boldness, it should bring you safety and surety in your strikes should they become necessary"
Oak happily accepts the elixirs from Michael. "Much 'preciated. Imagine it'll likely be necessary for me to pull this one out," he taps the large axe strapped to his back, " so these will certainly be useful."
Jack is checking his gear- if there's trouble he figures hitting or shooting things with the pointy end should sort them out. Right, all stocked up. He walks up to the first longboat and whistles, looking pleased as Fusspot flits over and giving him plenty of attention for it before turning to Oak, "It's just fishing, right? I figure one boat should be enough, it was enough for that kraken, should be enough for a fish." Clearly this is how danger works.
Oh! "Oak, don't forget to bring your magic harpoon, I wager it could come in handy."
Rax the Relenting, (with more than a little assistance from Arno), accepts the fortitude root, and begins to chew it over wearily in his mouth. “Yessss…yesss…take watch. I’ll be but jussst a moment.”
Arno takes over at Rax’s watch post for considerably more than just a moment. The Rak’ta seems to take turns: between vigorously chewing his root, turning over to *hack* over the side of the basket, and several times you’re pretty sure he has fallen back asleep and begun snoring.
Arno is patient, and as the Rak’ta begins to come to himself again, they patiently ask their questions once more. Rax, though on the mend, is still half asleep, and looking slightly feverish: but he seems to realize you’ve taken the watch for him, and seems to rather enjoy the company (even if, you think, he might be mistaking you for someone else). He rambles answers to Arno’s questions:
“Heh…za witch. Bad invessstment, zat. Ssssee, I’d got in a bad way, few yearssss back…owed zum money, to zum real bad groups. I knew what za necklace wassss worth, mind, but…well, let’sss jussst sssay I wasss eager to leave the passst behind me, by zen.”
“Sssso, in Chaff, I meet a fair maiden….dresssed all in Red. Sssshe ssssees my necklace during a game of cards, offerssss to buy it off me, for a handssssome sssum. Ssssolve all my financial woesss, yeah? Only later, from Villam Rak’ta, do I learn za maiden I met wasss a foul Witch from an evil Coven: one of za Ssssisssters of Faye. Three beastly women who have dedicated their livesss, to sssseeking za artifactssss of za Expanssse, and claiming zem for zeir leader the Ssshe-Witch Faye before sssshe returns.“
“Sssso, yeah…I fucked up! But, I did fix it, me and za Fox Gang. Heh, made sssure sssshe ssssuffered, too, before I took za necklace off her… ”
“Now, za Necklace is important, like za Sssword is important, for three reasonssss: One, zey are powerful itemsss in zeir own right. Zey become attached to a creature….grow, and evolve with it. Two, ancient legend hasss it za magic which created zem, is believed to be the ssssame magic which created za Expanssse making zem pricelesssss. And three, but mossst importantly…which I only know becaussse I was there, mind you…Za artifactssss are keyssss. Zere isss a door, at za center of za Expanssse. In za SSssshrine of Sesssinnek. Masssive. Locked. Sssstood before it only za once, myself, but I’ll never forget it. Zere’s a Carving in Za Dark Glen zat sssshow’s ssssomething sssimilar, but it’sss only a pale imitation comparted to za real zing…”
“We examined za door for five daysssss, nearly knee deep in gold all around usss. Za way to open za door ssseemed clear….zere are two dragonsss along either ssside, their mouthsss gaping open to accept zum sssort of cryssstal or sphere. But, dessspite sssearching for *daysss*, we find nothing zat fitsss….za keyssss were not to be found!”
“However, Jennie and za Wizard, believe zey found a sssecond way to open the path: indentationsss in za mural along za door, ssshowing za itemssss being used to bind Ssseeinnek. With zese itemsss held together, they believed zat you wouldn’t need za keysss….zat the door would open itself to the bearers of the binding.”
“It’ssss believed whoever can breach za door, go passst za place of binding…zey will control za fate of za Expanssse, for good or ill. It’ssss za prize better zen za prize.”
Rax turns over the side and begins hacking again. Then he rolls over, rubbing his sboulders for warmth. Arno sees that the Rak’ta’s eyes are closed: he seems to be sleeping.
“Sssso,” Rax the Restful grumbles, continuing to talk in his sleep. “…when did you decide to journey all za way out here to write a book about me?”
(( Hey all, I was going to have Urixes join the hunt, but one of my cats passed away and my head's just not in the game right now. Maybe Urixes can spend his day off in quiet introspection or something while you all go catch yourselves an Abyss Shark or whatever crazy thing mrpaku has cooked up. Thanks for your understanding. ))
OOC: Understand completely, and I'm so sorry for your loss! Please, take as much time as you need off, and just send me a PM when you're ready to come back: Urixes will sit in existential pondering mode peacefully until then. Take care of yourself and your people
The group loads up their gear, and climb inside a Long Boat. Killian *WHISTLES* over a couple of the riggers, and together they chain up the boat to lower. One of the Deckhands nearby, you believe Crude, is wrangled to tie up an extra-long length of rope to the stern of the boat, (which she’ll lower down the side of the ship, for Busk below to tie to the Capstan). Once everything is in place and secured, Killian gives the signal, and the riggers lower you down. As he raises up out of sight, Killian cups his hands and yells over, “Now don’t stay out all day: if you guys start getting headaches, or nosebleeds, or seeing Wild Magic spark off? Get your asses back to the ship. But don’t worry… you’ll be fine! Remember, holler back here to Whistler if you hook yourself something good! Be bold, but don’t get in over your head: these Long Boats are sturdy, but they’ll only hold up so long under a concentrated battering! Good luck!”
The Long Boat is carefully placed into the drink, and your group unchains. Oak examines the rope attached to the stern, and gives it a few *TUGS* to make sure. Seems good to go! The Whispered Curse begins to pull away slowly to the West…
[DM NOTE SPECIAL EDITION: FISHING!]
The Wild Bunch is out on the water, drifting behind the Whispered Curse in your Long Boat. Your Long Boat is secured to the ship with a (about 250 ft. length) strong rope, which has been attached to the Ship’s Capstan, so you yourselves may be reeled in should the need arise (and so that the Curse doesn’t leave you behind!)
[Bern, what’s your gear situation? Please tell us what all you have available, so people may see if they’d like to borrow anything! Also, did you bring any additional bait to use out here (we can assume you purchased it from the Ship’s Stores at some point before heading out)]
[Jack, you’re in charge of steering out here: you’ll decide how far to be from the Ship (next to? 100 feet out? More?), where to coast adjacent from the Ship (due East, to stay in the shade of the Ship? Due North, to catch the wind? Due South, to fish near that reef? ect ect), and if you’re coasting right now or actively paddling somewhere. You can also begin your training of Mister Fusspot in your downtime, making Animal Handling rolls to start him on simple commands (fetch, play dead, birdcalls, ect ect)]
[On future fishing expeditions, Urixes, will have special abilities he can attempt to use out here: however, careful how you might use them! As you saw with the Massive Grell, there’s more than just simple fish in these waters…]
[Oak, you are but a bear of a man out here on the waters. However, you, like everyone else in the boat save Jack (who is highly occupied, between his bird and his oar), have access to the following options:]
-You may check the immediate area as you travel, seeking out ideal waters and conditions for Ocean Fishing, making Nature or Survival Checks to do so (Given the Clear Day, DC 16 for Oak and Urixes, who are new to the area; DC 14 for Bern, who has fished these waters before, for information telling you where to catch the best fish);
-You may choose a type of bait to place on your hook (use what has been presented to you by Bern and Michael for now, but anything you catch later you may also choose to use as “bait fish”)
- Follow this up by casting out your line (or throwing out your harpoon, although this will only catch fish up to a certain poundage, though it may well provoke larger fish…), by rolling a 1d10 to see if managed to get a bite…
-You may choose to chum the water with dead fish in the hopes of drawing *extra* attention (add a +1 to your 1d10), but this will only work in your current location (since you’re moving), and it will cut into your fish supply
- Rinse and repeat until you guys are satisfied with your catch/ready to head back! The ship is constantly moving, so each cast of the pole will be a new “location” Feel free to RP and bullshit between each other in the meantime: it *is* a fishing trip, after all! You currently have (x20 Sablefish) to use as bait or chum
Jack, you may take your turn off from steering the longboat and take a turn with a fishing pole, should you so choose: I'll let you know if it needs your immediate attention
Arno, you may attempt to try to gleam more information from Rax as he chatters in his sleep, or attempt to follow up on any possible leads or hunches today. However, stay alert! Certainly others would've noticed much of the Wild Bunch has left the Ship, leaving you on your own, and Urixes off on an unknown errand somewhere...
Jack inhales deeply and smiles. It's nice to just smell the ocean, without the all-encompassing scent of the Curse and her crew overpowering everything. For now he steers the boat reef-ward, to about half the length of the rope they're attached to before letting the rope spool out, giving them some time of not moving to hopefully get some fishing in before they get pulled onward.
Eye on the rope connecting them to the Curse he sits down out of the way and places the griffon on a knee, "Okay Mister Fusspot, let's start from the top." He goes through the tricks one by one, moving to the next one once the beastie successfully performs the last one, complete with plenty of praise and treats.
Oak watches the waters and the rope as they are lowered down. He waits to see how far Jack takes them out but also wants to make sure he can tel the rope is secure. Given the politics that seem to be happening aboard the ship, he wasn't too keen on trusting the entirety of the crew. Thankfully there were probably too many eyes on them for someone to slip the knot plus Arno and Urixes were still on board.
Finally content there weren't going to suddenly set adrift, he starts peering out into the water, searching out for a place to start. They needed something big today, to try and gather favor before the ship gets too far into the Expanse.
Mister Fusspot is a rough student...but Jack is very patient, and ready to happily offer over fingers when the creature gets restless. But you notice that, despite the occasional love-nip, the Griffon is biting less these days...and when he does, he rarely draws blood.
The Tiny Griffon, with but a few hiccups and distractions, completes Jack's training routine!
The Little Guy is quickly learning...soon, you'll be able to issue him commands which he will execute with precision!
---
Oak looks all around at the Big Blue. He smells the ocean air, takes in the sights and sounds...but his mind keeps wandering back to the issues aboard the Curse. Though he tries to relax and take in the peacefulness of the day, he keeps getting distracted by thoughts of politics, and concerns for Arno and Urixes....
Oak, you'll be casting in basically blind to the conditions and waters *this* time, but can try to assess the ocean again with the next cast! Although it's not impossible for you to catch quality fish not having a feel for the area, it will be much more difficult (I'm working from three potential tables depending on your knowledge of the Environment, which is currently Reefs: 1-10 worst, 11-15 middling, 16-20 best)
Tunabane
An ordinary fishing rod with a barbed hook. It’s painted blue, and has a shiny lure just above the hook in the shape of a flying fish.
Brinebrand
Another fishing rod, with an extra long line and large spool. Pretty much all the paint is worn off, but it might have been green once. Its hook is handmade and simple.
Tackle and hook
A spare line with a little hook on it. It’ll hurt to pull anything big in on this. Can be tied off on the boat.
A crab pot
It’s a crab pot on a rope. Better for stationary fishing, but put some bait in it, wait, then pull it up and you might catch something tiny.
More bait
Bern is now currently penniless (onboard at least), having bought three buckets of fish heads and guts. Once emptied the buckets could act as makeshift crab pots/sacrificed to lure in real big ones.
Even more bait
He also acquired one incredibly large and rotten roll of cheese that no one has the stomach for. It’s definitely not from the milk of any animal you know. That daft old Kenku had it and everyone has been wanting rid of it for ages.
Hand mirror
Can be used to reflect sunlight to draw up and confuse certain fish. It can also be aimed at the sea as a sign of distress without making loads of noise.
50ft of old rope
Rope is just useful, okay?
Bern himself has his trusty club and dagger to kill and gut their catch, as well as an unloaded hand crossbow which is on the deck, free use. The quiver of bolts is currently pressed upright between the buckets.
Oak tries to relax and finds he can't, so decides to just cast a line out. Grabbing Bern's Brinebrand, he takes one of the Sablefish on the hook and casts it out.
"Been a time since I last had a day of peace like this. Normal days on a ship are much less fishing and much more repairing things and scrubbing."
Feeling some sense he should give the best gear to this young ‘uns, Bern uses the spare line and hook. He watches it idly as it sinks beneath the waves. He uses a sablefish as bait, too.
“It has been hard lad, as life at sea tends to be, but there will be good times too...”,
Bern goes on to tell them about his time on the Silken Coast, especially the one about the two shifters in the shogun’s pantry.
OAK manages to land a Large Barracuda, stuck halfway through the hook and your bait! It's roughly 50 pounds!
BERN gets his hook caught in something....it takes an effort to reel it in... however, with sweat and determination, he finally pulls in a Giant Grouper! It's roughly 70 pounds: a real catch!
[Jack, you may continue to coast through the Reef area, you may paddle the boat over towards the Kelp Forest, or you may paddle over towards Open Water. Once Jack has decided course, everyone can make another Survival or Nature Check to feel out the area, bait up their hooks, then cast out again!]
Jack looks like a proud mother as Fusspot takes to the training, likely contributing to Oak's distraction, "Did you see Oak, did you see?? He did it! Who's a good bird!" Treats, pets, fuss fuss.
Looking over the other two's catch he nods, "Shall we try a different are then? Let's try where the kelp is." He steers their longboat there, helping people set up their next line, "Hmm, maybe try over there? There's an area of darkness beneath the kelp, might be hiding something big beneath."
Oak pulls in a fish, but watches Bern pull in a much larger one. He didn't go empty handed, but he was aiming for a larger catch, something to impress the Old Hunters.
"Yes, he did great Jack." Oak responds, taking the tone of a parent who was praising a child but hadn't been fully paying attention to what was happening.
Jack then turned his attention to steering them to a different spot, moving over towards what had been labeled the 'Kelp Forest'. Oak peered into the waters again, looking around to find a good spot to cast into, hoping to find a big catch. If they were able to pull large fish like Bern had regularly, they could return to the boat with a decent haul, the question would just be if it was enough to impress the Old Hunters as well.
Bern fills the crab pot with a bucket of guts and lobs it over the side. He only reels out the attached rope a few feet, hoping it’ll attract attention.
After that he puts another fish on his line and casts it off.
“Did I ever tell you about the dwarf circus and hairy succubus? Well now, this was after I borrowed a white elephant from the merchant-prince of Crestalli...”
Jack's Nature Roll can be assumed to stand for all of you...you have come to a massive valley amongst the Kelp Forest, coasting as you are behind the Curse...it is vastly dark and deep beneath. Please choose your bait and cast your lines, remembering to apply a +1 for Bern's Crab Bucket chumming. Jack may further assist Oak in his next cast by choosing to help watch his line, granting him an advantage on the cast (1d10)
"Okay, where do you want me?" Jack positions himself near Oak, eyes focused on the bobber, waiting for a confirmed bite before signalling with a silent hand motion. At that point Mister Fusspot has grown bored of watching the three do nothing and has gone for a nap in the helmet lying on the long boat's bottom.
Oak looks over to Jack who has decided to help watching his line. "Gunna try something risky here. Seems like ya steered us into deeper waters, so let's see if we can dredge up anything from below. Watch the line, if it moves we'll go to reel it in."
Oak takes the barracuda that he had just caught, making some appropriate slices in it so it'll draw more in, attaches it to the hook, and casts it into the water.
OOC: So that's using the barracuda as bait, +1 for chumming, and advantage on the d10.
Bern finds his line snagged on something! He slowly reels it in...to find he has caught a Giant Eel...maybe, 30 lbs!
Oak, your line gives a sudden *TUG*...and then another. Then, the line *creaks* to a tension point and the rod buckles, threatening to break or snap out of your hands and into the ocean! You've got something big! Try to hold the line!
Oak sits silently for a moment, hands gripping the rod as he waits. The silence of the moment let's his mind wander, eyes locked on the line, but his thoughts drifting back to the ship. The politics of what they had to do was getting under his skin. He hadn't intended on starting this trip to be responsible for anyone other than himself, yet he quickly found the Wild Bunch under his wing so to speak. He adopted to that role over time, but then suddenly now he was being asked to be responsible for the whole ship. It wasn't just the Outsiders, but every other damn faction that seemed to have their own demands that he needed to sort out. So, when the moment came that the line went taut, he had already started feeling the discontentment building. He tugged back, but whatever was on the other line was tugging just as hard against him. Realizing that it was trying to get away, and how foolish he would look because of that, he began to see red. His teeth clenched, his muscles tensed, and his hand gripped as hard as they could and he pulled against the pressure of not just what was on the other end of the line, but the expectations of everyone back on the ship.
OOC:This is me chesse-ing it a bit, but I had really figured from the beginning that Oak was going to be grumpy/mad about this whole thing and it'd get worse as he didn't catch something big (pressure to succeed, etc.. etc...). Been trying to slowly dip into that mindset but the moment came faster than I thought.
So, going into a Rage for this check. Plus Bardic inspiration.
Hope I'm getting this role syntax right.
Edit: Nope didn't, so breaking it up.
Oak, the weight of leadership finally building to a breaking point as he sets his will against the fish, goes into a slow, building *RAGE*, pulling back on the pole with all of his might! A mighty tug-of-war ensues!
The long boat begins to rock, from waves building underneath your feet. In the murk below, you can suddenly see a massive shadow, gracefully cutting through the kelp….as it goes one way, you feel the boat *LURCH*, and then creature darts back the way it came, attempting to shake off Oak’s line…
[Oak is currently locked into an epic Fisherman battle with the Fish! Oak cannot move or act without losing hold of his pole at the moment, but on every turn, Oak may make a Strength Challenge against the Creature, to maintain direction and keep it from pulling the boat out or breaking free (Yours vs his +5)]
[Jack and Bern may provide support! This could come in the form of assistance steering the long boat, on the fishing rod, calling back to the Curse, keeping the Long Boat steady, or attempts for Fusspot to assess the situation (Animal Handling Check to Jack (DC 12)- on a success, Oak gains advantage on the next Strength Check against the creature, since Fusspot can tell you which direction the fish is about to swim to next!). Please let me know of other actions your PC may decide to take here instead! You may also attempt to attack this guy should he come into range, but *please keep in mind*…ranged weapons into the water will be next to useless past about ten feet in, unless they’re bigger than a Long Bow, and the Giant Mantra is currently about 18 feet deep…]
[You are roughly 125 feet away from the Whispered Curse right now. Getting their attention onboard will be an action, and they will need time to prepare any assistance. For old time’s Sake, please roll for Initiative!]
Jack leaps up as the rod gets tugged, then TUGGED, helping the Shifter hold it as the tool bends and threatens to break, "Well, you wanted a big one, I think it's a big one!" Pause. "Unless it's snagged on a rock." He recognises the now-familiar sight of Oak entering one of his moods and lets go, figuring his contribution is redundant at this point, the man could lift this boat right now.
Instead he leans over the edge of the long boat, peering into the darkness to try and spot what they'd hooked and calling out anything unexpected that might be going on down there.
((OOC: All the while, Bern is casually fishing up a smaller, but more numerous yield on the other side of the boat. We'll come back with one big fish from Oak and Jack, and like 2 baskets of fish from the bard ))
A book. Heh, who would want to read a book about us and our near death experiences, and harrowing battles, and unknown magics...maybe I should be writing more of this down.
"So, Rax the Resplendent, did you learn anything else about these witches of the Faye? Perhaps where the other two lair, or if they have a favorite way to get what they want, or a special color associated with them?
And why did you think opening the door would give control over the expanse? I don't want the reader to be confused, since locked doors holding evil snake gods don't usually give good things to the opener. Who else was there, did you say?"
Hmm, what is that sound on the wind.
Geth roll 1d20+6 for noticing the Wild bunch while on watch
Geth roll 1d20+6 for disadvantage because Rax is so interesting.
Posts
Ow! Seems his fingers are sometimes still the preferred meal over the jerky, or perhaps he'd already filled up on jerky before. Jack makes a mental note to find more snack types in the future that don't include Jack.
He looks up as Oak approaches Killian, immediately getting nipped once more.
Zephyr laughs *whole-heartedly*, and the listeners around you smile on. The Genasi wipes away a tear, “Family means together in common purpose, nothing more! But yes, I understand what you mean though…it is, as they say, “drinking the spiked mead”? I would not have believed myself a month ago, so perhaps it is for the best that they doubt, for now. I believe your help may turn the tides of fortune….oh! Which reminds me…here, here!
[Arno pulls a card from the Tarot Deck…SIX OF WANDS]
The Genasi pulls at his beard, grumbling through an understanding. “Hmmm…the six of wands…. (guttural chanting noises) I see you standing on a Whispered Curse of fiction…all the groups aboard mingle and work together towards a common purpose. Prejudice has been eradicated on these decks, and the men and women of the Curse look on *all* as equals. They speak with self-mocking laughter of older days, when prejudice ruled the deck, before the Metamorphic arrived, and Arno the Heart of the Metamorphic greeted them all with kindness and open arms…”
[Arno, the cards have presented you with an Advantage on any Roll involving Charisma for a 24 hour period!]
The Gensasi grins happily at this prediction. “A beautiful vision of the future, my friend! Let us hope it may come to pass, yes? And please let your friends know of my abilities and services…I wish to meet all of the Metamorphic, so I may better be of assistance to your efforts aboard the ship! Arno…it has been a genuine pleasure!” The Genasi shakes your hand respectfully, and the assemblage begins to clap…
---
Arno has an effort finding Rax…eventually, they find him among the Crow’s Nest, snoring fitfully. The Rak’ta reeks of rum and smoke. Rax the Raven-eyed is supposed to be on watch right now, but seems to be sleeping off a hangover, a result of the party from the night before…
Arno finally shakes him fully awake, after a few solid minutes. He finally comes to and, once he is assured you haven’t attempted to jump him in his sleep just now, begins to groggily come to his senses. “Yeh, yeh…whadyawant? Trying to keep a watch, here…” The White-Claw Moon Neclace sits upon his neck loosely….
[Arno, Rax is *violently* hung over right now. You are in a unique position to either shake him down for vital information…*or*, to get shut down with prejudice, given his present situation. Please make a Persuasion Check to see how much information you can get out of him (remember your advantage!), or to see if his mood makes the whole situation less than productive…]
He sings in Elvish, with the particular twang of his mother. It’s otherworldly, quite beautiful.
If you can understand Elvish:
“...Backbeat, the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you nowwww...”
He leans against a mast, and spends awhile looking for today’s fishers before spotting them and carrying on at a steady pace. After a wee bit he waves to Killian and the lad.
“Ahoy.”, he says cheerily, setting down his fishing gear on the deck.
OOC: That’s one bardic inspiration for Arno. A d6 to his roll.
Eilibis fairly *giggles* in delight at the present you’ve given her. “Well! *These* are absolutely lovely! Can’t even imagine how you managed to come by them out here. Thank you, Bern!” Eilibis immediately leans over and gives Bern a giant, public kiss right on his cheek. With a cheeky wink, the Eladrin scoops up the candles and goes to put them somewhere safe before getting her performance ready. She looks back once at Bern with kindness, the way one might miss a father figure…
[Bern, you feel like you and Eilibis are becoming closer. You believe she’s certainly trustworthy, capable to hold your place as Ship’s Entertainment, and likely wouldn’t betray you or those you held dear…but does the Eladrin still hold secrets from you? Her eyes suggest maybe yes…]
---
[OAK]
Killian grins at Oak with wooden teeth. Oak takes an account of the Old Man: though aged, he looks to be in *top* physical condition (swole in the 19th century sense, where if you didn’t look a bit closer, he might even appear large or obese):
Killian takes account of Oak and his Giant Axe, and flinches from neither. Finishing the cigarette with one long drag, Killian *flicks* the spent bit into the ocean, and turns to the Shifter, hands upon his hips in a defiant posture:
“(cigarette strangled voice) Plenty o’ good spots out here! Fish aren’t used to predators from above in the Expanse, except for Winged Drakes and the occasional Floating Horror! Trick is getting em’ to come to ya, since half the shit here can make itself look like other shit! *COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-HACK-COUIGH* ughrr, apologize fer that...”
“Now, the fishies won’t get close enough to the Curse, unless it’s some dumb mess’o’curls like we ran into yesterday…which the Captain’d be *pissed* enough that you brought upon us anyway! So, what me and the boys can do fer ya, is…*cough, cough, cough*….we can rig up one of the Long Boats to a tether, hook it up to the Capstan. Let you out, say…maybe a hundred feet?...on your own. It’s out there in the Expanse itself, but short term exposure ain’t *nothing*, for hard souls like ourselves…”
“Once you get out there proper….you’ll all need to be a *proper fisherman*! Stay patient, keep your wits about you…watch the weather and your bait, and don’t snap your line! Should you boys all get lucky, and manage to snag you a *REAL ONE*, it may took more than some line and your manpower to get ya back to ship…you find something real good, you boys signal back to us on the Gunner’s Deck, and we can stick a harpoon in the sucker and drag it back, ya hear?”
Killian is *pleased*, as Michael the Cook brings by his fresh catch. He laughs heartily. “Ahhh, today, they’re hunting the *BIG GAME*, my boy! And bout’ bloody-fucking time, out here…” Killian wrangles a fresh fish from Michael’s pile, wriggling, into both his hands (the damn thing must weigh nearly forty pounds!) “Ah! This would be *perfect*! Now, how I’d start is…check the colors of the water….bait your line with one of *these* suckers to lure em in’….and then you *wait*. We Strikers will be watching, just in case…there’s some good catches out there! Giant Shark…Giant Tuna…Giant Octopus…”, Killian squeezes the fish in his hands until the life almost goes out of it, and then grunts up in pleasure at the Bunch. “Can provide you one long boat, or two, your choice…and I’ll leave Whistler to watch your position for today, in case you need an assist. But…you boys all sure now? This work can be dangerous, and you’ll be out there beyond where we can step in immediately if something wants to get ya!’”
[Your group has been offered the support of the Old Hunters for your Fishing Expedition! Please let me know if you take one or two (or more) Long Boats, and who is inside each one. You will be tethered to the Capstan, and sent out 100+ feet into the Expanse (don’t worry, Killian says you’ll (probably) be fine out there). You will then be tasked to fish for Big Game. Should you encounter Big Game, challenges will ensue, and support from x2 Harpoon Guns (Killian and Whistler) and x1 Weatherworker (Refi, if you only knew it) are available from the Crew of the Ship. Michael may also have items to assist in your day of fishing Strange Catches, were you to ask…]
"Simple enough." he finally responds. "Looks like we need ta' load up a boat." He turns back to the Wild Bunch who have gathered nearby. "Who's goin' with me?"
OOC:Not sure how many were going, but I thought it was max 3 maybe? If so, maybe just the single boat so less to defend should something funky come up.
Geth roll 1d20+4 for advantage
Geth roll 1d6 for bard inspire
"Fun night last night? Here, chew on this, I call it fortitude root, tastes like dirt but clears your head right quick. I can keep watch, if you don't feel like moving. But I'd like to know what happened with the witch, and why that necklace you've got is important. Seems like I'm going to have the job of steering the ship, I should know what trouble we're steering into. Try and keep us away from the rocks, so to speak. Also literally, but I think this conversation is going to be more the metaphorical rocks."
I’ve got a couple more bardic inspirations though, first come, first served.
Oh! "Oak, don't forget to bring your magic harpoon, I wager it could come in handy."
Rax the Relenting, (with more than a little assistance from Arno), accepts the fortitude root, and begins to chew it over wearily in his mouth. “Yessss…yesss…take watch. I’ll be but jussst a moment.”
Arno takes over at Rax’s watch post for considerably more than just a moment. The Rak’ta seems to take turns: between vigorously chewing his root, turning over to *hack* over the side of the basket, and several times you’re pretty sure he has fallen back asleep and begun snoring.
Arno is patient, and as the Rak’ta begins to come to himself again, they patiently ask their questions once more. Rax, though on the mend, is still half asleep, and looking slightly feverish: but he seems to realize you’ve taken the watch for him, and seems to rather enjoy the company (even if, you think, he might be mistaking you for someone else). He rambles answers to Arno’s questions:
“Heh…za witch. Bad invessstment, zat. Ssssee, I’d got in a bad way, few yearssss back…owed zum money, to zum real bad groups. I knew what za necklace wassss worth, mind, but…well, let’sss jussst sssay I wasss eager to leave the passst behind me, by zen.”
“Sssso, in Chaff, I meet a fair maiden….dresssed all in Red. Sssshe ssssees my necklace during a game of cards, offerssss to buy it off me, for a handssssome sssum. Ssssolve all my financial woesss, yeah? Only later, from Villam Rak’ta, do I learn za maiden I met wasss a foul Witch from an evil Coven: one of za Ssssisssters of Faye. Three beastly women who have dedicated their livesss, to sssseeking za artifactssss of za Expanssse, and claiming zem for zeir leader the Ssshe-Witch Faye before sssshe returns.“
“Sssso, yeah…I fucked up! But, I did fix it, me and za Fox Gang. Heh, made sssure sssshe ssssuffered, too, before I took za necklace off her… ”
“Now, za Necklace is important, like za Sssword is important, for three reasonssss: One, zey are powerful itemsss in zeir own right. Zey become attached to a creature….grow, and evolve with it. Two, ancient legend hasss it za magic which created zem, is believed to be the ssssame magic which created za Expanssse making zem pricelesssss. And three, but mossst importantly…which I only know becaussse I was there, mind you…Za artifactssss are keyssss. Zere isss a door, at za center of za Expanssse. In za SSssshrine of Sesssinnek. Masssive. Locked. Sssstood before it only za once, myself, but I’ll never forget it. Zere’s a Carving in Za Dark Glen zat sssshow’s ssssomething sssimilar, but it’sss only a pale imitation comparted to za real zing…”
“We examined za door for five daysssss, nearly knee deep in gold all around usss. Za way to open za door ssseemed clear….zere are two dragonsss along either ssside, their mouthsss gaping open to accept zum sssort of cryssstal or sphere. But, dessspite sssearching for *daysss*, we find nothing zat fitsss….za keyssss were not to be found!”
“However, Jennie and za Wizard, believe zey found a sssecond way to open the path: indentationsss in za mural along za door, ssshowing za itemssss being used to bind Ssseeinnek. With zese itemsss held together, they believed zat you wouldn’t need za keysss….zat the door would open itself to the bearers of the binding.”
“It’ssss believed whoever can breach za door, go passst za place of binding…zey will control za fate of za Expanssse, for good or ill. It’ssss za prize better zen za prize.”
Rax turns over the side and begins hacking again. Then he rolls over, rubbing his sboulders for warmth. Arno sees that the Rak’ta’s eyes are closed: he seems to be sleeping.
“Sssso,” Rax the Restful grumbles, continuing to talk in his sleep. “…when did you decide to journey all za way out here to write a book about me?”
[Oak, Jack, Bern, Mister Fusspot]
The group loads up their gear, and climb inside a Long Boat. Killian *WHISTLES* over a couple of the riggers, and together they chain up the boat to lower. One of the Deckhands nearby, you believe Crude, is wrangled to tie up an extra-long length of rope to the stern of the boat, (which she’ll lower down the side of the ship, for Busk below to tie to the Capstan). Once everything is in place and secured, Killian gives the signal, and the riggers lower you down. As he raises up out of sight, Killian cups his hands and yells over, “Now don’t stay out all day: if you guys start getting headaches, or nosebleeds, or seeing Wild Magic spark off? Get your asses back to the ship. But don’t worry… you’ll be fine! Remember, holler back here to Whistler if you hook yourself something good! Be bold, but don’t get in over your head: these Long Boats are sturdy, but they’ll only hold up so long under a concentrated battering! Good luck!”
The Long Boat is carefully placed into the drink, and your group unchains. Oak examines the rope attached to the stern, and gives it a few *TUGS* to make sure. Seems good to go! The Whispered Curse begins to pull away slowly to the West…
[DM NOTE SPECIAL EDITION: FISHING!]
The Wild Bunch is out on the water, drifting behind the Whispered Curse in your Long Boat. Your Long Boat is secured to the ship with a (about 250 ft. length) strong rope, which has been attached to the Ship’s Capstan, so you yourselves may be reeled in should the need arise (and so that the Curse doesn’t leave you behind!)
[Bern, what’s your gear situation? Please tell us what all you have available, so people may see if they’d like to borrow anything! Also, did you bring any additional bait to use out here (we can assume you purchased it from the Ship’s Stores at some point before heading out)]
[Jack, you’re in charge of steering out here: you’ll decide how far to be from the Ship (next to? 100 feet out? More?), where to coast adjacent from the Ship (due East, to stay in the shade of the Ship? Due North, to catch the wind? Due South, to fish near that reef? ect ect), and if you’re coasting right now or actively paddling somewhere. You can also begin your training of Mister Fusspot in your downtime, making Animal Handling rolls to start him on simple commands (fetch, play dead, birdcalls, ect ect)]
[On future fishing expeditions, Urixes, will have special abilities he can attempt to use out here: however, careful how you might use them! As you saw with the Massive Grell, there’s more than just simple fish in these waters…]
[Oak, you are but a bear of a man out here on the waters. However, you, like everyone else in the boat save Jack (who is highly occupied, between his bird and his oar), have access to the following options:]
-You may check the immediate area as you travel, seeking out ideal waters and conditions for Ocean Fishing, making Nature or Survival Checks to do so (Given the Clear Day, DC 16 for Oak and Urixes, who are new to the area; DC 14 for Bern, who has fished these waters before, for information telling you where to catch the best fish);
-You may choose a type of bait to place on your hook (use what has been presented to you by Bern and Michael for now, but anything you catch later you may also choose to use as “bait fish”)
- Follow this up by casting out your line (or throwing out your harpoon, although this will only catch fish up to a certain poundage, though it may well provoke larger fish…), by rolling a 1d10 to see if managed to get a bite…
-You may choose to chum the water with dead fish in the hopes of drawing *extra* attention (add a +1 to your 1d10), but this will only work in your current location (since you’re moving), and it will cut into your fish supply
- Rinse and repeat until you guys are satisfied with your catch/ready to head back! The ship is constantly moving, so each cast of the pole will be a new “location” Feel free to RP and bullshit between each other in the meantime: it *is* a fishing trip, after all! You currently have (x20 Sablefish) to use as bait or chum
Arno, you may attempt to try to gleam more information from Rax as he chatters in his sleep, or attempt to follow up on any possible leads or hunches today. However, stay alert! Certainly others would've noticed much of the Wild Bunch has left the Ship, leaving you on your own, and Urixes off on an unknown errand somewhere...
Eye on the rope connecting them to the Curse he sits down out of the way and places the griffon on a knee, "Okay Mister Fusspot, let's start from the top." He goes through the tricks one by one, moving to the next one once the beastie successfully performs the last one, complete with plenty of praise and treats.
Geth, roll 1d20+1 for Griffon Handling Check
Finally content there weren't going to suddenly set adrift, he starts peering out into the water, searching out for a place to start. They needed something big today, to try and gather favor before the ship gets too far into the Expanse.
Geth, roll 1d20+2 for Checking a spot
The Tiny Griffon, with but a few hiccups and distractions, completes Jack's training routine!
The Little Guy is quickly learning...soon, you'll be able to issue him commands which he will execute with precision!
---
Oak looks all around at the Big Blue. He smells the ocean air, takes in the sights and sounds...but his mind keeps wandering back to the issues aboard the Curse. Though he tries to relax and take in the peacefulness of the day, he keeps getting distracted by thoughts of politics, and concerns for Arno and Urixes....
Oak, you'll be casting in basically blind to the conditions and waters *this* time, but can try to assess the ocean again with the next cast! Although it's not impossible for you to catch quality fish not having a feel for the area, it will be much more difficult (I'm working from three potential tables depending on your knowledge of the Environment, which is currently Reefs: 1-10 worst, 11-15 middling, 16-20 best)
Tunabane
An ordinary fishing rod with a barbed hook. It’s painted blue, and has a shiny lure just above the hook in the shape of a flying fish.
Brinebrand
Another fishing rod, with an extra long line and large spool. Pretty much all the paint is worn off, but it might have been green once. Its hook is handmade and simple.
Tackle and hook
A spare line with a little hook on it. It’ll hurt to pull anything big in on this. Can be tied off on the boat.
A crab pot
It’s a crab pot on a rope. Better for stationary fishing, but put some bait in it, wait, then pull it up and you might catch something tiny.
More bait
Bern is now currently penniless (onboard at least), having bought three buckets of fish heads and guts. Once emptied the buckets could act as makeshift crab pots/sacrificed to lure in real big ones.
Even more bait
He also acquired one incredibly large and rotten roll of cheese that no one has the stomach for. It’s definitely not from the milk of any animal you know. That daft old Kenku had it and everyone has been wanting rid of it for ages.
Hand mirror
Can be used to reflect sunlight to draw up and confuse certain fish. It can also be aimed at the sea as a sign of distress without making loads of noise.
50ft of old rope
Rope is just useful, okay?
Bern himself has his trusty club and dagger to kill and gut their catch, as well as an unloaded hand crossbow which is on the deck, free use. The quiver of bolts is currently pressed upright between the buckets.
“Yo ho, yo ho!”, he winks, “You know the rest.”
"Been a time since I last had a day of peace like this. Normal days on a ship are much less fishing and much more repairing things and scrubbing."
Geth, roll 1d10 for Fishin'
“It has been hard lad, as life at sea tends to be, but there will be good times too...”,
Bern goes on to tell them about his time on the Silken Coast, especially the one about the two shifters in the shogun’s pantry.
Geth roll 1d10 for Fishin’
OAK manages to land a Large Barracuda, stuck halfway through the hook and your bait! It's roughly 50 pounds!
BERN gets his hook caught in something....it takes an effort to reel it in... however, with sweat and determination, he finally pulls in a Giant Grouper! It's roughly 70 pounds: a real catch!
[Jack, you may continue to coast through the Reef area, you may paddle the boat over towards the Kelp Forest, or you may paddle over towards Open Water. Once Jack has decided course, everyone can make another Survival or Nature Check to feel out the area, bait up their hooks, then cast out again!]
Looking over the other two's catch he nods, "Shall we try a different are then? Let's try where the kelp is." He steers their longboat there, helping people set up their next line, "Hmm, maybe try over there? There's an area of darkness beneath the kelp, might be hiding something big beneath."
Jack will try to assist Oak with his next cast.
Geth, roll 1d20 for Nature Roll
"Yes, he did great Jack." Oak responds, taking the tone of a parent who was praising a child but hadn't been fully paying attention to what was happening.
Jack then turned his attention to steering them to a different spot, moving over towards what had been labeled the 'Kelp Forest'. Oak peered into the waters again, looking around to find a good spot to cast into, hoping to find a big catch. If they were able to pull large fish like Bern had regularly, they could return to the boat with a decent haul, the question would just be if it was enough to impress the Old Hunters as well.
Geth, roll 1d20+2 for Survival Roll
After that he puts another fish on his line and casts it off.
“Did I ever tell you about the dwarf circus and hairy succubus? Well now, this was after I borrowed a white elephant from the merchant-prince of Crestalli...”
Geth roll 1d20+1 for Survival
Oak takes the barracuda that he had just caught, making some appropriate slices in it so it'll draw more in, attaches it to the hook, and casts it into the water.
OOC: So that's using the barracuda as bait, +1 for chumming, and advantage on the d10.
Geth, roll 2d10k1+1 for Jaws Theme Song
Bern attaches the giant cheese to the line.
Geth roll 1d10+1 for Bite
Oak, your line gives a sudden *TUG*...and then another. Then, the line *creaks* to a tension point and the rod buckles, threatening to break or snap out of your hands and into the ocean! You've got something big! Try to hold the line!
Oak, please make a Strength Check!
That’ll be my last Bardic Inspiration for today.
OOC:This is me chesse-ing it a bit, but I had really figured from the beginning that Oak was going to be grumpy/mad about this whole thing and it'd get worse as he didn't catch something big (pressure to succeed, etc.. etc...). Been trying to slowly dip into that mindset but the moment came faster than I thought.
So, going into a Rage for this check. Plus Bardic inspiration.
Hope I'm getting this role syntax right.
Edit: Nope didn't, so breaking it up.
Geth, roll 2d20k1
Geth, roll 1d6+4
Edit: So that's a 22 overall (13 + 9)
Geth, roll 2d20k1
The long boat begins to rock, from waves building underneath your feet. In the murk below, you can suddenly see a massive shadow, gracefully cutting through the kelp….as it goes one way, you feel the boat *LURCH*, and then creature darts back the way it came, attempting to shake off Oak’s line…
[Oak is currently locked into an epic Fisherman battle with the Fish! Oak cannot move or act without losing hold of his pole at the moment, but on every turn, Oak may make a Strength Challenge against the Creature, to maintain direction and keep it from pulling the boat out or breaking free (Yours vs his +5)]
[Jack and Bern may provide support! This could come in the form of assistance steering the long boat, on the fishing rod, calling back to the Curse, keeping the Long Boat steady, or attempts for Fusspot to assess the situation (Animal Handling Check to Jack (DC 12)- on a success, Oak gains advantage on the next Strength Check against the creature, since Fusspot can tell you which direction the fish is about to swim to next!). Please let me know of other actions your PC may decide to take here instead! You may also attempt to attack this guy should he come into range, but *please keep in mind*…ranged weapons into the water will be next to useless past about ten feet in, unless they’re bigger than a Long Bow, and the Giant Mantra is currently about 18 feet deep…]
[You are roughly 125 feet away from the Whispered Curse right now. Getting their attention onboard will be an action, and they will need time to prepare any assistance. For old time’s Sake, please roll for Initiative!]
Geth roll 1d20+3 Legendary Manta
Instead he leans over the edge of the long boat, peering into the darkness to try and spot what they'd hooked and calling out anything unexpected that might be going on down there.
((OOC: All the while, Bern is casually fishing up a smaller, but more numerous yield on the other side of the boat. We'll come back with one big fish from Oak and Jack, and like 2 baskets of fish from the bard
"So, Rax the Resplendent, did you learn anything else about these witches of the Faye? Perhaps where the other two lair, or if they have a favorite way to get what they want, or a special color associated with them?
And why did you think opening the door would give control over the expanse? I don't want the reader to be confused, since locked doors holding evil snake gods don't usually give good things to the opener. Who else was there, did you say?"
Hmm, what is that sound on the wind.
Geth roll 1d20+6 for noticing the Wild bunch while on watch
Geth roll 1d20+6 for disadvantage because Rax is so interesting.
Geth roll 5d8 for Sleep
—
Bern leans over the side of the boat and allows a palmful of sand to drift into the deep.
I cast Sleep on the Manta!
He whispers...