Exalted: The Jade Sea IC

[Exthalion]

Sea and Sky…

The normally clear surface between them was gone, replaced by a briny foam so thick that low flying birds and high swimming fish passed each other, unsure of who was out of place. Beams of sunlight broke through the roiling clouds like stray shorts from some heavenly battle. Between them was the island, unconcerned by either.

Two hundred vessels, from lumbering barges to tiny coracles packed with marines, were racing against the outrushing water displaced by the new mass of coral. Every captain lusted for the first shot at the treasures it might contain. This is a test: of the captains, of the crews, of the Sea and Sky flotilla. The starting capital was nearly gone, paying for the material and information that had led to this day. Only a successful haul would save this venture.

Into this mess, you have been thrown. You are princes and exiles, heroes and scoundrels, plutocrats and paupers. Whatever you are, you are here. Who are you? Who are you going to be? These answers are waiting for you, on the Jade Sea.

[Bitter]

On the deck of the Crow, Vincenzo Montoya has taken his usual position. On the stern of the ship, Vincenzo had had a hammock constructed on the deck - one side attached to a railing on the ship and the other to a rusty halberd that Vincenzo been driven into the deck.

When he wasn't needed for something more crucial, this is where Vincenzo would relax and oversee the comings and going of the ship.

To make things easier in this flotilla Vincenzo had cloaked himself with a false destiny, appearing as a more mundane version of himself. No flashing demonic eyes, no Orichalcum armour and sword and nothing that would make an inquisitive passerby look twice.

Gently rocking in the sun, Vincenzo can't help but feel more bored than relaxed. The unfortunate side-effect of being a ship captain is that you're trapped in a small confined space with the same people for quite a while. Sliding out of his hammock, Vincenzo goes over to the railing and spies some of the other nearby ships in the flotilla. Some big, some small, some shabby, some (well, one) an obvious first-age ship.

Taking a deep breath, Vincenzo prepares to use his captain's voice.

His captain's voice no Exalted or Infernal trick, but rather something every ship captain learns after a while. If you want the crew to hear you in a pitched battle or a roaring storm, you need to learn how to have a voice that carries.

"AHOY THERE," he shouts across to those nearby ships, "THERE'S RUM AND GROG OVER HERE, SO IF ANYONE WANTS TO PASS THE TIME THEN ROW ON OVER."

[Kell_tamer]

Mumbles awakens in the captains bed, stretching as she witnesses the confident woman dress. "Was it already morning?" she thought to herself. Without skipping a beat the girl slipped out from the covers, into her nearby clothes, casting looks back at her captain as she does. Ruffling her shirt and rolling the leggings up on her pants, she takes a moment to clasp her belt into place. She adjusts her bandana and tightens the brace on her wrist.

Quieter than mortal ears could possibly hear, her toes carry her along the floor to her lover and she plants a kiss upon her cheek before making her way to the window. Her hands gesture a familiar "I love you" to her captain before she clambers along the ship back into the crews quarters.

Upon entering she clicks her tongue three times. As if on cue a small furry animal crawls out from a hammock and to her climbing up to her shoulder. Now ready to make her way to the deck, Mumbles opens the door climbing out, bare feet slapping small puddles where waves knocked water aboard. It was a new day and she was ready to face it.

But whats this? a voice? carried across waves, a vessel, not as grand as theirs, but still well crafted and a captain, calling to them. She then took in just how many ships were around and was a bit amazed.

Mumbles awaited the Captain's arrival on deck, getting to her position to prepare the mast.

[OracleofSilence]

Bairre's eyes snap open as he hears the voice echo across the waves from some nearby ship "That sounds familiar somehow." He pushes himself to his feet, out of his momentary resting spot against a slightly leaky bulwark and calls over to his fellow escapee "It sounds like an invitation, and I'm itching to stretch my legs. Care to join me?" He starts heading up to the deck, nodding to fellow sailors as he goes. Pearl could always follow if she wanted.

This nameless ship had almost brought him there, but the fleet was large enough that he hadn't spotted it yet. Well, maybe this would give him a hint at the direction...

Bairre hops over the side and hits the surface of the ocean at a run, focusing desperately to keep his more obvious powers under wraps, and weaving between nearby ships towards the source of the voice. Once he arrives he calls to any sailors visible "Hey, I could use a rope! Your captain sure has a strange way of greeting visitors."

[Mechanix]

"You're going to trip and fall at some point, you know? And then I'll have to go fish you."
"You worry too much."
"I worry just enough given my sifu's blatant insanity. Whatever shall I do when you finally drown?"

Sticks and Stones answers only with a smile as he leaps over a small wave - a shining blue hearthstone set in his hook sword, Asp, lets him walk on water as if it were solid ground, and he is rather enjoying doing exactly that, walking besides the ship that is now rushing towards the new island. Mnemon Dorika, his protégé and student, is more comfortably standing on the deck of the ship that hired them both for this expedition, and looking at him with bemused entertainment.

Then he hears the call, and his eyes light with appetite; Dorika only rolls her own.
"Oh come on, rum? Really? That's all it takes to get you running off?"
"Rum, grog, and the potential of a new friendship. You are too quick to dismiss the usefulness of friends and acquaintances."
"Yeah, right. Go drink yourself to a watery grave, I'll be here actually working."

The Sidereal laughs and takes off, walking and hopping and sliding amidst the waves and foam and turmoil raised by the vast fleet; soon enough he is down the Crow's hull, setting her pace with that of the ship.
"Hola, captain!" his gleeful voice calls out, "might I borrow you a rope ladder or somesuch?"

[JonRG]

Shai Yu barely stirs at the shifting mattress or the Solar creeping about her cabin, but she awakens for the kiss. "I love you too," Shai quickly gestures back. Once Mumbles is gone, she pads over to her own dresser. Clothing... a necessary evil. As a Chosen of Luna, she might not bother with the fancy, restrictive cloths, but the crew lost focus plenty when she was dressed. No telling how their performance would suffer under a fully nude captain. Besides, they were trying to hide within the flotilla. Shai resignedly tied a scarf about her neck and made for the deck. No sense in advertising her Exalted status.

Doran was the first to greet her when she arrived. "Have fun last night, didja?" he asked with a small chuckle. Shai flashed a coy grin. Doran probably knew or at least could guess. Suddenly, a voice rang out from across the waves. "Huh. Well, I'm not one to say no to free booze. Who's with me? Em? Gan?" Probably have to take a rowboat over. What Shai wouldn't give to go for a swim!

[Kell_tamer]

Mumbles looks to the Captain and darts over when her nickname is called. She hides the smile on her face as she gets behind her. Words weren't necessary as Shai knew she'd follow her into the underworld itself without question.

[Bitter]

"Welcome aboard," calls out Vincenzo as he helps the crew sort out ladders, ropes and rowboats as required to get the visitors onto his ship without trouble. "Really I'm surprised at myself for not thinking of doing this earlier, this trip had been getting a bit humdrum."

Leaving the guests to it, Vincenzo throws open the doors to the Captain's Quarters. The bunk is small and cramped in the corner, little bigger than the average seaman's. The space in the room is mostly taken up by occult curios. Nothing expensive but a certainly a large amount of the stuff. Tattered books on sorcery, ghosts and demons scattered across every surface, a map of the waypoints in a long lost wyld pocket pinned to the wall, a mounted and stuffed six foot long pike with a variety of unsavoury mutations.

In the middle of the room is a large table currently covered in maps, which Vincenzo quickly gathers up and then dumps on his bunk so that he can sort them out later. Hurriedly sorting out mugs and a selection of rum, grog, wine and water, Vincenzo rushes back out to see if the guests have arrived so he can welcome them.

"Vincenzo Montoya and the crew of the Crow welcome you, make yourselves at home."

[OracleofSilence]

Bairre freezes briefly as Vincenzo rushes back out of his cabin Oh great. It is him. Figures that he'd go to all the trouble of changing his face, but not bother to change his voice.. He quickly puts on a brief smile, then follows the other guests into the cabin. "Sooo, you got out as well hmmm?" Bairre keeps his voice light, but it is painfully clear that he wants to avoid more detailed conversation of where 'there' is.

He takes in the cabin, with its piles of manuscripts and... fish, then turns back to his host "So what brings you of all people to here? I take it someone finally decided you should do a turn back in the swing of things?"

[Mechanix]

Nice ship, all considered, Sticks nods to himself appreciatively, despite lacking any actual knowledge of ships. It floats, so it has to be working right, no? Regardless, he walks across the deck, looking at the ship and the crew... A rather interesting bunch of characters, this Fleet.

Hearing his host coming back, he smiles at the sight of the drinks. "Most wonderful." He bows in salutation. "I am Sticks and Stones, Outcaste and wandering martial artist. Your hospitality could not be more welcome; for all this water, there is surprisingly little to drink here."

[Obscurejones]

Deep in the bowels of... Eh. About one deck lower. Not really deep. I mean, it's deeper than the deck. But that's the problem with a smaller ship. Or merely a less than amazingly large ship. No bowels. Or rather, bowels that are entirely too close to the top. Shame on these bowels! Now where was I? Ah! Right. Shallow within the bowels of Shan Yi's ship her lovers brother is meditating.

Bit of a run up, for just meditating. Almost a let down really... Dang.

But wait! He's standing... He's... Standing. Stretching a bit. What a dull Exalt.

Well let's send him on his way. Bit of a yawn. Stretch his legs again. Then to the door. Out the door and up some steps. Then onto the deck. Have him step up beside his sister. He crooks his hand into the sign for "Good..."

And then a pause. And a quick series of hand ,movements.

"What time of day is it actually? And does anyone have any food?"

[JonRG]

Shai smiles and signs back, "Morning... roughly. Other captain has free booze. Probably food too. Interested?" She starts to prepare the launch, though the captain hopes he'll come with them. Ganyard was a sweet kid, but almost as anti-social as his sister without her disability.

[Obscurejones]

"Groovy. Let's go eat him out of house and home. Two obols says I can out-drink you, M."
He moves to help lower the launch.

[JonRG]

"Right on." She eases the launch into the water with Gan's assistance, then rows as fast her arms can manage. The ocean looked so beautiful today... With all that thick foam, Shai might not even be noticed... No. Focus. The crew's lives - Em's life - could be in jeopardy if she flaunted her Anathema status. Her train of thought was mercifully disrupted by the launch butting against the Crow. "Looks like we're here." She scrambled up the ladder, eager to put distance between her and that magnificent ocean. "Morning, gents!" Shai greets the other sailors. "We heard you had drink?"

[Exthalion]

With a shudder that heaved the ocean, another massive wave was released from the still rising island, washing over decks and setting ships bobbing like corks.

One of the few ships with a dry deck was the flagship, a massive treasure barge that resembled a floating castle more than a boat. It was built around a hollow center and designed to be sunk to allow access to islands that had yet to rise. A dark shadow moved through the relatively calm lagoon pool before breaking the surface to begin a trek to the command deck. The creature as large, far larger than a human, and its smooth skin glistened something like a dolphin's might.

The waiting officers bowed to the saurian and a subaltern asked, "Your orders commodore?"

"She's done, near 'nough on the forward side a'least. Up a greener, and don' spare the powder!"

_______

From the flagship an emerald rocket went up and exploded with a loud bang. That was the sign for any captain willing to advance, the worst of the waves were over, though danger was far from passed.

[Kell_tamer]

The small night caste followed her lunar captain as she ascends the ladder. She keeps her head down but her eyes look around at the Hodge Podge of people assembled taking note of all sorts of things, weapons, clothing, status...

She subtly moved closer to the captain and Gan, wanting to be near them should something occur.

[Bitter]

"Bairre?" says Vincenzo, surprised.

The thought instantly whirs round in his head that finally the Yozis have had enough of his insolence and this is his comeuppance, but he puts it from his mind. That could be it, but there's no use worrying because whatever the situation is it won't be made any worse by sitting round a table and having a few drinks.

"This is more my own thing," he says as he claps the fellow Infernal on the shoulder, "It can't all be work-work-work, you know? But let's not talk about the past, I try to pay it no mind. Live for the present instead, yes?"

From what he remembered Bairre really liked the Yozi or at least Adorjan. Considering his own hatred for them, best to steer clear of that topic.

"Sticks, glad to meet you. I'll feel a lot safer knowing you're around. As for being surrounded by water but having nothing to drink, you haven't heard the story?"

"In the old days the water of the West was pure and fresh, you could see the bottom of the ocean even if it was a hundred fathoms deep and you'd never tasted something as fresh. Well this was a time when ancient primordial beings roamed the land and one, the Ebon Dragon, had no need to quench his thirst but he despised anyone finding enjoyment in anything. So just to spite us he took out his mighty drake and pissed in the ocean. Now sometimes I've really needed to go, but the Ebon Dragon didn't stop for a month."

"By the time he'd finished the oceans were tainted and undrinkable, a poison to man and beast. People were dying everywhere for lack of something decent to drink. But then this little scrawny god called Sol had a kind heart and decided to help us. He came to the people of the West and gave us the greatest gift that ever was, alcohol! Well, long story short we worshipped him so much he became the Unconquered Sun and kicked those primordial bastards out of heaven."

"Now don't go telling that to everyone," says Vincenzo, tapping his nose conspiratorialy, "That's an ancient secret."

Grabbing a mug, he pours some grog into it and presses it into Sticks' hands.

"Help yourself, but remember to give the Unconquered Sun a toast of thanks first!"

He'd chat more but he's just seen Shai come aboard so he has another person to greet. "Bairre this is Sticks, Sticks this is Bairre. Sticks and Bairre, this is a supply of alcohol. You three play nice."

"Hello," says Vincenzo as he turns to Shai, "Aye, that we do. We might not have manners, personal hygiene or literacy, but one thing the Crow is good for is drink. Bring yourself on board and help yourselves."

As he notices the emerald explosion in the sky, momentarily bringing back thoughts of Ligier, Vincenzo signals for the crew to set the sails and advance.

[OracleofSilence]

"Lighten up a little Montoya. I'm not exactly on speaking terms with old friends at the moment. I just got out a little while ago with Pearl. I was actually looking for someone else, but more on that later. I think the big guy wants to get us moving" As he passes the table, he takes a small mug himself, and steps out onto the deck, glancing around, and tightening his cloak about himself.

Hrm. Some new arrivals. Greeting them would probably be a good move. He takes in the group, see's.... Wait is that Gaynard? Then...

"Oh, I this is just too... Hey, cap'n. Remember me?" he is almost bent over with laughter at this point, ohh this was just too easy. "It thought it would take me months to find you. Do some catching up." It was weird, he thought this would be so much more dramatic...

[Obscurejones]

Gangster boggles slightly as he heaves himself over the edge of the ship. He turns slowly from warlock to warlock and back again.
"Well, seems we're just short of a convention. Good to see y'all again. I don't suppose you've got a still aboard, Vin? I'll take a crack at it and see if I can't whip up something better than watered down piss grog."

[JonRG]

Shai gawks at Bairre, stunned speechless for a moment. The talon-captain she'd captured and planned to ransom back to the Realm, before he'd vanished into the ether. "Hey, you. Well, now I see how you escaped," she remarks with a smirk. Shai reaches over to the table and grabs a tumbler of rum. "Have a drink with me. Tell me what you've been up to all this time."

[Mechanix]

Sticks laughed appreciatively at Vincenzo's story - it was not often that one heard a good Ebon Dragon tale; knowledge of the damned snake was not so common in Creation proper.

"I will drink to Sol, and to the hopefully long-lasting pain of the drake who spoiled a Direction's worth of good water!" he said, taking a long sip of his glass, then raising it in salute. "Hi, Bairre. And hi... newcommers." His eyes dart between Vincenzo, Bairre and the new arrivants. It's not difficult to understand that they already know each other; but there's more. For a Chosen of Serenity, it is not so difficult to understand the interactions of people. There is a tension in the air, unexpected encounters. Subjects deliberately avoided.

Well, everyone has their secrets. He would be fine with it, but it makes him feel kind of a stranger. The green explosion is a good cue to avoid a general awkwardness, though, but... Well, he doesn't really trust his own ability to outrace the ships of the Fleet, so he simply gets closer to the group, taking another sip. "So, wait, you all know each other already? I feel like the odd man out, honestly." He smiles warmly. "Delighted to meet y'all. You can call me Sticks. Vincenzo, mind if I stick around? I'm afraid this signal flare just sent every ship into a franzy and it'll be hell to get back to mine."

[Crumplepunch]

A bedraggled figure haults itself over the railings of the Crow, dripping seawater. "I'll be taking that as permission to come aboard, if you please." The tattooed woman, clearly dragonblooded, grins lopsidedly. "Seawater nourishes me well enough if it's all I can get, but whenever anyone offers free booze I am conjured from the depths."

She slumps down on the deck, water streaming from her salt-crusted clothes. She sets down an oversized pole weapon with an oiled leather cover. Your pardon. It's been a long walk."

[Bitter]

More Infernals? Vincenzo can only shake his head and smile wryly. Either someone up there has a sense of humour or this is part of some dark and unholy plot. Whichever it is it’ll be interesting, so Vincenzo isn’t going to worry about it yet.

“Yes,” he says in response to Ganyard, “You’ll find a fair few stills about. It turns out that I’m not too good with the logistical side of things and we sometimes have to make do with whatever we find to brew. I still have nightmares about the time we ran out of vegetables and only had mackerel...”

With an overblown theatrical shudder, Vincenzo nods at Ganyard and quickly moves on. He’d like to chat but action is what is needed at the moment.

“Crow’s Nest,” he shouts as he moves to the wheel , “What do we see?”

“Chaos, Cap’n,” is the reply that comes down, “That island’s made the ocean go mad. We’ve still got big waves even if the really big ones have died down, there’s a massive whirlpool at one o’clock and a ship at the back of the flotilla looks like it’s covered in Saint Chewin’s fire.”

“Fantastic! Guests, I believe we’ll now be departing. If you’d like to return to your ships then please feel free to do so, but it would be a pleasure to carry on being your host.”

As he speaks the crew break into action. While they’ve been lazing about until now, there is a sudden bustle as the ship turns into the wind and the sailors man the vessel as professionally as any crew in the West.

Feeling a surge of Essence run through him, the ocean and the wind seem to open up to Vincenzo. In the sparkle of sea-water he can see the hidden currents which will take him to his destination, in the cries of gulls he can hear warnings of every gust of wind and in the creaks and groans of the deck he senses the roll of the waves all around him.

However as he’s channelling Malfeas’ essence it also shows him every ship he could crash into, the people he could cause to suffer horrible deaths by drowning and those he could make bow before him. Pushing that aside, he focuses on the aspects of Malfeas which deal with over the top forcefulness.

Turning the wheel starboard, Vincenzo weaves a course between the tightly packed vessels of the flotilla. A tight turn in front of a sloop knocks the smaller boat askew then as he races alongside a large Galleon Vincenzo gets close enough that the Crow shears off the end of a few oars before one final turn puts him outside the fleet.

While the fleet is headed for the island in a line as straight as an arrow, Vincenzo is aimed a few degrees to the right. Strangely the Crow seems to surge forward faster than seems possible, quickly catching up with and then overtaking the rest of the fleet. Stranger yet, a great roaring noise seems to be getting louder and louder.

Finally as the noise becomes louder and louder, Vincenzo finally catches sight of the force pulling him forward – the giant whirlpool his crow’s nest warned him of.

“Honoured guests,” he shouts, “I’d advise you to hold tight.”

A few moment’s later the Crow goes over the lip of the whirlpool, plunging downwards and lilting hard to the right as the vortex tries to drag the ship down. Arm’s holding as solid as rock, Vincenzo fights against the pull of the ocean that wants to end his ship.

Rather than turning and being sucked down, the Crow’s path stays straight and its momentum carries it back out of the whirlpool, momentarily leaving the water completely as it sails over the lip of the vortex. Landing with a hard splash, Vincenzo keeps the wheel as he makes sure the strong wind carries them safely out of range of the whirlpool’s currents. Only then does he hand over the wheel to another, returning to the visitors.

“So,” he says with a wide shark-like grin, “Where were we?”

[Lix Lorn]

Back on Bairre's ship, Pearl leaves the cabin of her most beloved boyfriend, yawning as she looks around.
"...wonder where the captain went..." she murmurs, resting the base of her weapon on the deck of the ship.

[JonRG]

Shai stares up intently at the green flare. "Well, that's my cue. Nice meetin' all of you." She sets down the mug and claps Bairre on the shoulder. "We'll talk later. Bye, Em!" Shai salutes, then dives towards the briny ocean. "Shame," she thinks with a sigh. "I so wanted to go for that swim." Right before the water's surface, Shai transforms into a seagull. Those on the Crow would probably notice, but other ships... what's one bird among many? She flies, buoyed by air currents. Her skin itches. The ocean clung so much closer to one's body. Shai activates her Essence, increasing her agility. All the better to dodge threats and get out of the skies faster.

Gonna activate First Dexterity Excellency. Not sure how many motes yet. Newbie for the win. :smallredface:

[OracleofSilence]

Bairre similarly hoists himself over the rail, dashing back across the surface to the ship he had left earlier, quietly climbing back onto the deck, laughing somewhat under his breath as he does so. "Looks like things will come to a head sooner then expected." He takes his post at the wheel, and let's the ocean sing him towards shore.

Letting Mother Sea Mastery supply the bonus success, Wits+Sail for the rest

[roll0]
Edit: 6 succ in total

[Mechanix]

"Well, hello," Sticks said to the Dragon-Blooded, stepping aside slightly to avoid getting soaked. "Sounds like this is turning into a real party." He would have to be careful to look Outcaste-y around her; most mortals didn't question one who was supposedly a Dragon-Blooded, but the other Dragon-Bloods...

A leap, a flickering shape, drawing his attention. Wait wait wait. Sticks leaned over the deck, eyes widening slightly. "Did she just..?" Yeah, she had just turned into a bird. He sighed, watched Bairre run across the waters with newfound suspicion, and finished his drink.

Well, it was to be expected. Such a momentous event as the rise of new islands out of the sea would attract many of the power players of Creation - including the Celestial Exalted. That was not going to make his job any easier. "Your friend's a Lunar Anathema, ain't she?" he asked cautiously, studying Vincenzo's reaction.

[Obscurejones]

Ganyard pauses on his walk towards the stills. Lets his frown fall away into a slightly maniacal grin. He turns to the Outcaste.
"Anathema is such an ugly word. And it smacks of a certain closed mindedness. I would perhaps think twice about using it in mixed company. One never knows who will object strenuously. Merely a little advice."
With a hop and a skip he's down beneath the deck. He allows himself a slightly disgusted scoff at the conditions. Glancing over his shoulder he checks to make sure he doesn't have too many witnesses. Once he's certain, tendrils of white light bubble out from his skin, caressing and reshaping the stills. At first the process is slow and steady but within seconds he begins smashing the still apart. Where the tendrils make sudden impact flashes of green light. Scraps of the still go flying as its reshaped into a superior piece of equipment. There are bursts of fire and steam as the grog is flash boiled away into near nothingness.

Standing amid smashed wreckage and splattered alcohol, Ganyard grins.

"That'll do."
Attribute+Craft+Workshop
[roll0]+1sux
Stunt
[roll1]
Combing Mind Hand Mastery + Forged In Fury

[Vespasian]

Krisna was steadily working through his accounting books when shouts from his crew alerted him to the flare and the impending race. Stretching, he exits his cabin and begins barking orders to the crew as the heads for the stairs to the after-castle. As he clambers up, sails drop and the ship lurches forward as they catch the modest wind that is blowing through the fleet. Striding to the wheel, Krisna relieves the pilot to other duties, taking the wheel himself. Spinning the wheel almost idly, his eyes sweep across the fleet. Inevitably, he spots the pirate ships shenanigans with the whirlpool.

Cocky bastard, that one. he thinks to himself as his gaze shifts off the pirate, and back to the surrounding area. Some arrogant Dragon Blood showoff or fool Celestial, but no way to tell without an anima- ah there we are.

The chaotic currents are next to unreadable, but for a chosen of the Unconquerable Sun their course is easily predicable. Picking a strong one sucking towards the risen isle, the merchant captain plots his course through the ships, his lumbering merchant craft innocuously settles into the flow that will bring it into the island.

Effective, easily chalked up to luck, and unlikely to expose him as anthema to his trading partners. Just the way he liked it.


Sail(5) + Wits (4) + Spec (1) + First Ex (9) - Maneuverability (4) = 15
[roll0]
Using Perfect Reckoning Technique, 4m
Stunt (Using Mecha's method) [roll1]
Personal: 6m/19m
3 suc total.

[Lix Lorn]

"Captain, you're back!" says Pearl, cheerfully crossing the distance to the wheel, standing next to the other Infernal.

[OracleofSilence]

"Come on, nothing like a real captain here. I'm thinking it may be about time to move on from this ship anyway." Bairre grins sheepishly, "Sorry about leaving like that, I forgot you hadn't picked that trick up... interesting news though, Vincenzo and Ganyard seem to be here as well. I'm not sure why though."

[Lix Lorn]

:O
"It's... like some kind of reunion!"

...
"...the dragon's not here, right? He would totally ruin the reunion."

[OracleofSilence]

"Last time I heard, the gates of hell were still shut. Vincenzo did insist on telling giving the Dragon a starring role in one of his drinking stories though, but I'm not sure that counts. I did run into a few other people from my past. They may bear some talking to."

[Lix Lorn]

"Oh? Anyone I know?" she asks, curious.

[OracleofSilence]

"It was... Well lets just say they were part of the reason I ended up down there." Huh. It really didn't feel weird to think that anymore. "I'm more or less... alright with it, for lack of a better term, but I'm not sure how they'll react, given that I know a bit more about them then I suspect they want."

Edit in light of my posting the ship stats: only 4 succ on the sailing roll.

[Exthalion]

Race for the Isle [Phase 2]

It was a mad and glorious scramble for the Isle. In the heaving waves position was not merely fluid but at times impossible to determine. Ships crossed paths at right angles, in one spectacular case a thin bottomed coastal skimmer literally jumped over Vincenzo's ship.

Just as the mad scramble started to organize itself into a clear set of winners and losers, the island decided to change the game again. Starboard of the pack, a gleaming column of coral as thick as a yedim broke the waves suddenly. Then another next to it. Then another. The rapidly rising line of columns seemed thrown up to block the advance. A handful of ships managed to beat it, while an equal number were smashed to driftwood.

-----

Captains Bairre and Krisna both made it into the lagoon, along with the godblooded brothers Mictan and Artan Liveship. They are alone, in a mirror smooth lagoon. The near face of the coral wall resembles a side of a stepped palace, with flat overhangs supported by lines of trunk like columns, though incredibly rough in its execution. Beyond, the black sand beach waits invitingly.

-----

Captain Bitter managed to save his ship, though two others were not so lucky. The screams of the men and women in the water is loud enough to rise above the crash of the waves. Baring their way to the island is a craggy line of coral, brilliantly colored fans and growths terminating in a jagged crown that resembled a fence of teeth.

-----

Through it all, there was one bright spot: Ganyard managed to get the still working. In a spot of serendipity, the reservoir happened to be full of pure rum as soon as it was finished.

-----

Captain Shai was able to climb above the sudden reef, pushed back by displaced air to remain safe. Her ship on the other hand was caught between two of the jagged pillars and is no teetering, ready to fall one way or the other. Its first age hull took no damage from the rough ride, though the crew was a little shaken.

[OracleofSilence]

As soon as he maneuvers the ship into a good docking position, Bairre immidiatly ties off the wheel, leaps down to the deck "DROP ANCHOR! Alright, lets get a boat in the water, get to shore, and see what our fellow first arrivals want?" He glances at Pearl as he does so "I could get there a little faster, but now, I suspect is not really the time to show off. Better catch them off guard if they try to pull a fast one."

[JonRG]

Shai cringed when the reef rose from the ocean, trapping her ship. Doran was a clever sailor, though. If anyone besides her could extricate the Master, it'd be him. At least Bairre made it through. Apparently, they'd get to have that chat after all. She flew towards his ship, making note of the other two ships that passed the threshhold. One was the godblooded brothers' and the other was a simple merchant vessel. Lucky fellow, that captain was. Shai landed in Bairre's half-lowered launch and returned to her true form. "C'mon, Bairre, put your back into it!" she teased.

[OracleofSilence]

Bairre grins sardonically at Shai Yu's quip then simply kicks loose the clamp and lets go of the rope, resulting in the launch droping the last two feet and landing with a resounding splash "That quick enough for you?" He glances around the ship, making sure his fellow crewmen are more or less situated, then hops the rail into the boat himself "Pearl, we're ready to cast off, head on down!"

[JonRG]

Shai's shriek of surprise quickly turned into boisterous laughter. She ducked to one side as Bairre hopped into the launch. "Really wish you and I could have met under different circumstances. So, how's life been? Got your own ship, I see."

[Lix Lorn]

"He has a first mate too!" says Pearl brightly, looking at the lunar with curiosity. "Or something. Do I have a job?"

[JonRG]

Well, hello there. Someone had a very lovely first mate, though they didn't seem like a couple. "How are all these attractive women so drawn to you, Bairre? Almost makes up for the other chit Fate seems to hand you. Hope she's treatin' you right." Shai winked at the newly arrived Infernal. "Name's Shai Yu. And you are...?"

[Lix Lorn]

"I am... um." Pearl blinks, bites her lip, and thinks for a moment... "Oh! Pearl. Verdant Pearl."

She says, lifting up the massive blade of Matricide, and balancing herself by casually leaning against it.

[JonRG]

"Lovely name. It suits you." Shai grabbed the oars and started rowing towards shore.

[OracleofSilence]

Bairre watches the two women introduce themselves somewhat warily, but grins briefly before responding. "Ha. Somehow, I find that more of them try to kill me then anything else." Things were complicated enough already, but this didn't seem like it would turn into a problem. "As for jobs and first mate, I'm not really a captain. The crew more or less listens, and I can steer better then them. That's about the extent of it. As for Pearl... lets just say we got each other out of a bad situation and leave it at that. For now at least."

Bairre glances at the other ships that made it in, already getting antsy from staying still for so long. "Actually, I was meaning to ask you a favor. I'm thinking that after this haul, the crew can more or less take care of itself. I think I'll join this ship up with your crew, if you'll accept it. I suspect that in the months ahead, I'll need the extra backup, and you can benefit from a few more pairs of hands on your side of a fight."

[Mechanix]

Captain Bitter managed to save his ship, though two others were not so lucky. The screams of the men and women in the water is loud enough to rise above the crash of the waves. Baring their way to the island is a craggy line of coral, brilliantly colored fans and growths terminating in a jagged crown that resembled a fence of teeth.
Sticks grits his teeth as he hears the screams of the shipwrecked. He remembers what he's been told - most sailors don't know how to swim, and wouldn't be able to anyway in these waves; most people in the Fleet do not have the powers to rescue them from the waters. He bites his lip, then stares ahead at the barrier in front of their ship...

"Captain, I am afraid I will have to abscond. I cannot help your ship cross this obstacle, and it seems duty calls to me." One look to the Dragon-Blooded woman; "Your help would not be remissed, fellow Water Aspect." With these words he leaps above the rail of the ship, landing in the moving waters - probably the hardest environment he's ever moved in, but he doesn't have much choice. Not far, crumbling ships shatter and sink, men and women desperately hanging on to driftwoods or flailing at the waves. Many of these he cannot save. But even a single life will be worth it.

Running, leaping, rolling in the moving waters which are like unstable ground to him, he sprints towards the wreck, trying to find people to fish out of the water with his greatb hook swords, so that he can drag them to the corral lines, where hopefully he will be able to give them a safe standing spot while waiting for a rescue.

Dexterity + Athletics, spending 1 WP to channel Compassion.
[roll0]
Stunt: [roll1]

[JonRG]

Shai nodded. "Love to have the two of you aboard. Just have to get my ship down off that reef first." She chuckled.

[Crumplepunch]

One look to the Dragon-Blooded woman; "Your help would not be remissed, fellow Water Aspect."

"Ah, fine then." Saka stands, dropping her bottle. "Thanks for the drink. Kao-din, Kisai, to me."

A brilliant blue bird and a translucent winged man in a flowing robe wink into existence above her head. She steps over the rails and vanishes beneath the waves without so much as a splash. The air elementals take to the skies, swooping down occasionally to aid survivors.

Rolling Dexterity + Athletics for rescue.

Seems to me that both Naval Training and Aquatic specialities are applicable to rescuing people from a shipwreck.

3m on first excellency, and 1wp for an autosuccess.

[roll0]

I make that 10 successes.

[Exthalion]

Sticks' was half blinded by the choppy waves, and only narrowly avoided being struck on the head by a mast spar by diving deeper. Once below the surface, the ocean was surprisingly still. Once there he was able to spy a sailor with his leg tangled in rigging who he was able to free after a moment's attention. Rising with him to the surface, he managed to get him to the safety of one of the rescue boats.

Saka was able to keep above the surface, dashing between the flotsam like a fish. While some of the sailors had managed to grab hold of something floating, many others had not. Though she had to fight several panicking victims, she was able to pull six to a large fragment and, with the aid of the elementals, heave them out of the water.


By this time some of the other ships had gotten boats down and were ready to take up the rescue operation. In a show of true entrepreneurship, some of the sailors had grappled to the reef and were cutting giant clams and pen shells from the surface in the hopes of collecting pearls and sea silk.

-----

Beyond the reef, Shai's long strokes had carried the small boat toward the island. Below them, the water was crystal clear and fantastic coral formations spread an array of unusual shape and colors. As the black sand of the beach drew closer, the shore became clearer. A maze of sandbars and tidepools lay between them and the raised center of the island perhaps half a mile away. Seaweed carpets lay glistening, hiding both the shallow channels and dangerous footing.

Everyone on this side of the reef roll Perception+Awareness.

If you want to stay in the boat and try to make it farther, roll Perception+Survival.