The Sun Sets in the East (IC)

[FreakyCheeseMan]

It's been a year since the first rumors started coming in from the smaller villages and out-of-the-way laboratories.

It's been eleven months since the great capitols in the East sank into the ground, dragging their refugee-swollen populations with them.

It's been nine months since anyone's seen the shore of the Old Continent and come back to tell about it.

In those nine months, the New World has taken its first unstead step into its new independence - and promptly fell into a state of continuous war. Dozens of islands off the cost of the new continent had already been colonized when the fall came. Most of these fell under the control of whatever governors or military officers were in control when the powers from the East faded; the rest were seized by the more ambitious or desperate refugees.

Thousands of ships, laded with refugees, merchants or soldiers, found themselves without a function. Some of these swore fealty to the island governors; some of them decided to push west, and risk their luck in the new world proper. The rest turned to piracy.

Your ship - the Brass Creation - has yet to settle on its fate. Two weeks ago, your original captain was killed in a pirate attack that destroyed most of your stores. The only island left in range - Isla Mentiras - is not one you would ever have chosen. Ruled by a ruthless and despotic governor, the island has earned a grim reputation: rumors have it that un-wanted seafairers are often captured and kept on the island as experimental subjects for his mage advisors.

Circumstances have left you with little choice, however. The last bite of food aboard ship was eaten three days ago, and the half-dozen men that form your suriving crew won't make it to the next closest island. Your lookout has just spotted the cost of Isla Mentiras on the horizon; it's time to decide your approach.

[Illven]

Okay first things first. Does anyone have any skill with disguise so that we can appear to be citizens of Isla Mentiras. Melinda asked the group, her hands nervously thrumming over the handle of her axe.

Along with that, we'll need to look for food. Whether in town or from the wild, and we'll need a source of clean water before venturing onward.

Does anyone have any specialized info on Isla Mentiras? Melinda asked this question to the entire ship.

[Gildedragon]

Second time in less than a year. Oswin was starting to think him being around was a curse on whatever captain he served.
Oswin thumbs at his chin in thought. "First thing really is our provisions. An inhospitable island is the least of our troubles." he says cooly. "If we concert our efforts and aid one another we might be able to gather enough fish and kelp, maybe something larger, to feed the crew. Lure in the odd seagul, you know, the drill" It was not the first time he'd been on a ship running low on provisions. "Water's the rub, really. No chance of a priest, right?"

[DeadMech]

Haukea had taken the loss of their captain fairly hard though she was doing her best since then to help as she could. There didn't even seem to be time to grieve as she moved about the deck. The maps were hard to read and she was measuring the stars, moon, and sun in the sky by hand. Eventually the patterns of the waves and clouds changed indicating a land mass. She was leaning on the railing of the ship, hanging her head in exhaustion when one of the sailors called out the sighting of the island none of them wanted to visit. Another choice didn't exist though.

Melinda and Oswin were discussing plans nearby. Both seemed concerned about the lack of provisions which truthfully was a pressing issue. She stood with her hands on the railing thinking about the situation, guilt playing through her mind. She could have been dealing with that problem earlier but it would have been a gamble, slowing their progress. She had also been so busy in the last few days that she hadn't remembered to prepare a simple orison to ask for water. She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh before turning to the others.

"Now that we are no longer lost I will provide what I can. With added hands I can set a fishing net. It will be possible perhaps to make water drinkable as well." She said as she pointed to the stern of the ship and made a scooping motion with her hands.

She brushed a hand back though her hair pulling her braid over her shoulder as she thought about how she might evaporate and condense sea water. A tub or bucket left in the sun, perhaps her tent cover with a weight suspended over it and a smaller container in the middle, that might work she thought.

[Gildedragon]

"It probably will hurt morale, but we could turn the brewmaker into a desalinator. It oughtn't be too much work." Oswin says starting to see how he could adapt the device. "And we assign two of the crew to you Haukea for food duty... Yeah that ought work, though we all ought keep exertion to a minimum. But I think we might make it to... Mentiras." He sighs. "Not the best place but if we play it smart we might be able to negotiate something, sell some salt, or offer to move cargo, for the cash to fix the ship up. I would be keen on charting a route elsewhere but it don't seem we got much of a choice. Allright then, I'll go belowdecks to get water a-brewing"

With that he sets off to tinker with the beermaker and shapesand, carefully trying to make a water distiller.

Shapesand: taking 20
Alchemy: 25 Take 10 + 10 modifier + 5 magecraft

[FreakyCheeseMan]

After a half hour's work or so, Oswin is able to coax a slow drip of potable water from the beer maker; the liquid is still faintly salty and tastes of stale grog, but it's better than seawater.

[DeadMech]

Haukea stood at the stern of the ship working with two sailors standing at each side as they waited for an opportune moment. A short word of her first tongue was uttered out of force of habit, signalling as he began to pull on one of the lines to close the net. As the loops closed the trio began to haul the net back up.

While she looked over what was dragged up she looked to the others above deck. "If this island is really so terrible a place what shall we do? If they really are hostile to sailors perhaps we should hide the boat instead of trying to dock in the port. I am not certain until we try but with time I could make it unlikely to be found." She said as she made the shape of a cove with her hands, drawing one around to block the open end.

"I would prefer to have my feet upon land in either case. We will likely need something that can only be obtained in town. Provisions, repair, direction." She added as she looked out towards the open sea. She had been talking about updated maps specifically though since the death of the captain she wouldn't have minded direction in life as well. Was she to give up a return home? No things were only going to get worse for her people if she didn't discover some way to bring stability.

"If this island is so terrible a place, then there must be people who want to leave it. That or try to make it better." She said sweeping a hand out to the ocean before closing it into a fist. The last bit sounded a bit wishful to her so she shook her head pushing herself to her feet.

She would try casting out the net again later closer to shore. For now she walked to find the maps, her eyes catching some of the scars of battle left upon their floating home. Perhaps once they reached a destination she could try to reshape some of the wooden boards to fill the gaps and cracks, for now though she flipped through the maps trying to find the coast they were approaching.

[Tempestfury]

Arcantos had been on the deck, but unlike the others he had been far out of the way, meditating to himself. Trying to keep himself as calm as possible. The situation was bad, that much was obvious, and Arcantos couldn’t do much to help out. He had little skill in fishing, or sailing a boat. Instead, his talents lay in his ability to talk and talk well, as well as his ability with the blade. Though sadly, his skills with the sword, whilst strong enough to help the ship survived the pirate attack, was not enough to save the captain.

Because of his lack of knowledge of sailing and the islands, as well as his lack of ability to fish well, or any other means of helping. Arcantos just did his best to stay out of other people’s way. Knowing that his aid would be called on if necessary, either his silver tongue, or his combat ability. Until then, the human was content to meditate and await the next series of events to occur.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

"They ain't hostile to all sailors," one of the crewmen mutters, listening to Hakuna. "They need trade just like anyone else... only issue is if you don't have anything to sell, or they have some other sort of use for you..." he continues, grimacing at the island as other crewmen go through the latest catch of fish, the ship's cook already swatting away greedy hands, some of the crew apparently hungry enough to try them raw.

"And beggin' your pardon, captain, but... I wouldn't be heard talking that way once we're in port. The governor here... there's a reason he's kept power so well. Not everyone likes him, but his guards sure do..."

[Gildedragon]

With the water issue solved (for now), Oswin heads up with the first batch of water, to be divided evenly among the crew.

How's the fishing coming along? he asks, passing the lidded bucket and mug.
There's a desalinator in the Brewmaker, filling up one of the dry hogsheads, steady trickle, but it needs to get filled up with seawater regularly.

[Illven]

Melinda takes a large gulp of the water. Nodding her head in thanks.

Hmm. Did the captain have any magical equipment? We could try trading that for some repairs if so. Melinda suggested.

[Gildedragon]

Oswin shrugs. "Dunno. Dunno if anyone's gone into his cabin... feels a bit gauche ya know, moving into his quarters with him so freshly dead... He did have a nice window though

[DeadMech]

Haukea was mulling over what the sailor had said to her. She was starting to think over how if they arrived at port she might just place an order for some trade goods just to keep up appearances. Trade was a river that flowed in both directions after all. She was about to lift a finger up to begin speaking but when he called her Captain her train of thoughts stopped dead and she turned away from him.

She thought back to the time when she had left her village and arrived in the outsider's port city on her island. All the other ship captains either told her off, tried to extort her, or wouldn't even give her the time of day. But here she was, because, well she didn't even know why he agreed to let her join his crew. He was a good man and now he was gone, she couldn't fill his shoes.

By this point her animal companion could smell the cooking fish, waking up and making it's way to the kitchen. Hungry sailors were one thing but a hungry fleshraker dinosaur wasn't the nicest thing to have around. Hearing some commotion Haukea made her way down. "Kaleo!" she sternly called out followed by a few quick druidic words pointing a finger down at the ground as she scolded her pet. She shook her finger a few more times before pointing out and barking a few more words ordering him back to his corner before returning to the deck.

When Oswin came back up with some water and asked his question, Haukea made a face, scrunching up her nose a bit. "It is a start but not well enough. This would be easier on land. Roll over a musty log and you will find enough bugs, or dug up the right plant roots, even the fishing is better in the shallow water the schools hiding from larger predators." She vented going though the motions like mimicking rolling something over with her hands. She knew Oswin knew quite a bit of this sort of thing himself, she was just tense.

When Melinda and Oswin began to discuss the captain again Haukea lowered her head. It wasn't something she wanted to talk about so she began to walk over to the netting that led up to the crows nest. "We'll fix the boat, we'll sell and buy whatever we need to, and we'll get through this and make him proud." She said as her hand lingered on the ropes.

She lifted her head and looked over. "Oswin, I am sorry to put this on your shoulders, but I trust you to guide and bring us safely." She said as she forced a smile. "I am going up where I can see further. I will do whatever I can to help carry the burden."

[Gildedragon]

Worry not! I shall do my best. he says, jovially, fraternally thumping Haukea on the back Now I will be in the captain's quarters, seeing what we can requisition for repair purposes, and seeing if the ole chap had dice or cards. Something to boost morale. Let me know when supper is ready.

With that he heads to the captain's cabin, pausing first to make an entry in the captain's log, covering the past few days. Without an acting captain and a struggle to repair the ship up to hobbling-quality after the raid the duty had gone untended.

With the ceremonious duty completed he starts looking for any possible goods or supplies, turning the cabin upside down. (Taking 20 for 26, more if aided)

[FreakyCheeseMan]

The search of the captain's cabin takes a surprisingly large time, though most of what you find is paper - it seems the man kept rather obsessively detailed notes on rather dry matters of cargo, fluctuating trade costs, and which islands have the best and cheapest repair services available. Beyond that, you find one bottle of good whiskey, a snuff box of new world "herbs", and, after obsessive searching, a trap door set into the floor of the cabin, hidden beneatht the desk.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

Oswin's careful search proves justified: A small catch on the trapdoor is connected to a sharp spring-loaded blade on the underside of the door, positioned to take a quick slash at the wrists of any un-wary opener. The blade itself is sharp enough to sever tendons, but the dark oil coating it looks to be the greater threat. Once aware of the trap, though, bypassing it becomes trivial, and the blades hiss through empty air as the door is opened.

The small compartment beneath is packed tight with intricate black chests - four in all, unmarked, and bearing the signature cedar-and-brass craftsmanship of one of the better-known clocksmiths of the old world. Since the calamity, however, many new-world powers have been fearful of such contraptions - it's no wonder the old captain felt the need for secrecy.

Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering) to know anything about the chests, or clockpunk stuff in general..

[Gildedragon]

Knowing that discretion is the better part of valor and thoroughly unfamiliar with the make of the chests he turns to Melinda, a puzzled look on his face as he gestures at the odd coffer. So... any chance you found a key while looking... or dya think it was on the capt when we gave the bloke a sea-burial?

[Illven]

Unless someone ruffled through his pockets, knowing our luck they key is somewhere at the bottom of the sea. Melinda replies.

We can always try smashing them opening. She suggests hefting her axe.

[Gildedragon]

And ruin two perfectly good chests? I'll try picking them in port, where i can get actual healing if the things are poisoned Oswin says.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

Upon closer examination, of the four chests, only two actually seem to have a traditional "Keyhole" of any form; the third has a sequence of four rollers marked by digits and a catch on the handle, presumably some sort of combination lock. The fourth has no obvious mechanisms of any kind - just a smooth, flat seam, and no handhold or grip at all.

[Illven]

Melinda starts trying the combination lock one. There is only 9999 combinations after all. What was the captain's birthday? She mutters outloud to herself.

[FreakyCheeseMan]

The captain's birthday doesn't seem to impress the chest; based on Melinda's knowledge of the chests, further experimentation might be reckless.

[Gildedragon]

Oswin looks at Melinda. Seems to me my dear departed predecessor had some secrets an a paranoid streak he knows the chest make, though not how to bypass it, and knows that inappropriate tampering would destroy the contents. Best if we let a professional deal with these. I do not fancy springing a trap... he snorts. Seems we will have a lot to do at Mentiras... Still sailing on a boat with a secret, makes one at ill ease. Secrets are Vecna's truck he spits to ward off evil.

[Illven]

Melinda sets the chest down gently.

You're probably right. And people will probably pay for it even if we don't know what's in it. She replied.

Do you see any symbols of the lich king? She asks Oswin, looking around the room herself.

[Gildedragon]

Oswin laughs and looks around Nah, not that I can tell he says, starting to head out of the trapped room. Best leave this alone until we're in port and can get a specialist

[Illven]

Melinda chuckles, nods and follows Oswin out of the room.