The Savage Tide III: Tides of Dread [IC]

[bcool999]

Rhoha

Stepping up to the makeshift table, Rhoha gently lowers his elbow onto the wood without smashing through it while saying, "You can hold your head up high amongst any of the tribes after today. For today, you face the Great Hunter Rhoha in a contest of strength!"

[digiman619]

For his part Kabsi just rolled his eyes. He'd never deny that Rhoha was a powerful warrior, but he'd never met a man so bombastic and narcissistic; so in love with his own hype. In a roundabout way, he almost wished there were two of them, because then they'd be too busy killing and/or romancing each other to bother him.

So just the possibility of someone deflating his ego a bit was appealing. For a good second or two, he considered investing essence into Maje to give her a boost before the wrestle, but his akasha isn't particularly subtle. Instead, he simply stepped forward, offering to be the ref.

[lostsole31]

Majae steps up to the makeshift table. "I am ready," she says simply, to no one in particular, as she puts her right elbow down, and then locks hands with Great Hunter Rhoha.

Both await the ref's call.... (that's to Kabsi)

[digiman619]

Kabsi places one hand around the entwined fists. Looking back and forth between them, he speaks. "On the count of three, I will raise my hand and you can begin. Good luck to each of you." He had been facing Maje at that last bit, which is as far as he was going to allow himself to play favorites. After a pause to draw out the tension slightly, he counted to three, lifting his hand straight up to start the contest.

[lostsole31]

Maje's hand is impressive for a woman of Amazonian build, though nothing like the hamhock that practically devours it.

Rhoha, please describe and tell us the story of how you conduct yourself during this glorious contest.

[bcool999]

Rhoha

Rhoha may seem a lighthearted sort, he'll regale all creation with tales of his feats, and he will laugh in the face of danger, but he has never been one to hold back. Thus when the signal to start was given, Rhoha threw all his strength into putting Maje's hand to the table. His dominant hand encompasses her's completely while his other hand is tightly clenched in a fist behind his back, and a feral grin sits on his face as his body thrums with pure physical power!

[lostsole31]

Rhoha does this, but his hand doesn't slam hers into the table. No, she struggles valiantly as Rhoha presses slowly, slowly, inexorably towards the win. As she gets to about 2-3" off the table, she is rallying for all she is worth as her hand is shuddering but refuses to yield easily. She says through gritted teeth and labored breath, "Tru.... ly. You ... have .... blood ... of ...gi- ...... g-..... giants .... in .... you."

Spoiler: ...

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Then something shifts in her demeanor as she stops shuddering, and it is now Rhoha who - a mere inch-and-a-half from the table - lifts part of his frame in hopes of getting more power aligned with his great bulk. But for everything he does her hand does not move one scinitilla from that position.

"But me?" she says, her hand moving like a mechanized pinion that Rhoha is powerless against. "I have the blood of dragons."

Whump.

And it is over, with Rhoha staring at the open palm of his hand after she released it, the back of his hand having been firmly planted against the table.

[bcool999]

Rhoha

Rhoha takes a few moments, clenching and unclenching his hand before he looks up at Maje with a smile and declares, "Well done! You have bested Rhoha in the wrestling of arms!"

[lostsole31]

Maje just smiles and goes to embrace her husband while Reggie says, "Well, doesn't look you got past the gatekeeper to arm-wrestle her old man, Great Hunter, but well done. Well done!"

[digiman619]

Kabsi's smirk faded upon Rhoha's reaction to his loss. While it was good that Rhoha wasn't a sore loser, but seeing that the loss had done nothing to penetrate his impervious ego, Kabsi resigned himself to dealing with with this insufferable man for the forseeable future.

[lostsole31]

Does anyone have anything else before this evening is closed down?

[BuckGodot]

Skald, watching with a smile from nearby rises and closes with the group.

"Well done to you both. It is comforting to know we have such strength on our side. But now, let us rest and gather our strength, wits and ingenuity for, on the morrow, we have a mighty task to begin. We will post a normal watch rotation. Maje, Reggie, we would be grateful if we could add you to that and lessen the overall strain on our group?"

[Blackhawk101]

Spoiler: Hoggie >>>Reggie + Maje

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”Be on guard for attacks from the stone demons. They can meld into stone and fly. They have sworn vengeance for the death of their King.”

Hoggie and Rusty will explore the surrounding jungle for any “useful” flora before taking a watch or turning in. Hopefully his brother brought gear to replace his stolen/desecrated bedroll and tent. If not, he will stick close to the fire and make a makeshift shelter from natural materials.

[lostsole31]

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, amigo," says Reggie. "We appreciate the kudos and stuff, but we are aren't here for family reunion or contests of strength (though that was entertaining). And yeah, we'll do what we can to protect the camp or whatever if it comes to that. But we are specialists for this job, not adventurer pals for you. We are both top-rate carpenters and we are going to have our full sleep after speeding here with the initial equipment. My wife is beat after that flight, and it took a lot out of me, too. No, you all are the bruisers. We're not mission specialists. We are .... civilians."

Hoggie, they have a lot of provisions for eating, and some basic blankets, but not full-on bedrolls and definitely not tents.

[BuckGodot]

Skald, barely containing an eye-roll (just one, mind you), smirks at Reggie and replies "Fine."

[lostsole31]

"So, tomorrow morning," says Reggie, "please go over there to the wreck and go through the ship and make sure it is safe for work to begin."

Assuming everyone is done, I need to know what everybody plans to change for the next day. The Sea Wyvern is partially submerged, so anything that helps with underwater exploration is good.

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie will familiarize himself with the supplies brought from Farshore and consult with Reggie and Maje via telepathy on what raw materials will be needed to repair the hull and raising the ship.
Before turning in, he will spend an hour staring into the flames of the campfire looking for portents of his future.
On watch he will scan the jungle for sources of mental contact.

Spoiler

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occult skill unlock: prognostication
detect thoughts on watch.

[bcool999]

Rhoha

After a round of hearty exercise, focusing mainly on push-ups, Rhoha turns in for the night and takes his turn on watch as normal. In the morning, he prepares himself for their aquatic adventure.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Customizations changed as listed below, Soulknife abilities unchanged.

CP6: Underwater Breath (Replaces flight)
CP7: Swim (replaces other point of flight)
CP8: Increased Speed (Replaces flight maneuverability)
CP9: Increased Speed *ditto above*
Spaulders1: Brawn 2 (Replaces flight speed increase)
Spaulders2: second point for brawn 2. Brings enhancement to str up to +4 for effective 22 points of str.

[digiman619]

Kabsi smiles at himself. He welcomed the chance to be submerged again, if for no other reason that the water would dampen sound, so it at least would limit Rhoha's endless self-aggrandizement.

[lostsole31]

The next day, the group wakes up and sets up their allotments for the day.

Now, the *Sea Wyvern* is not far at all from sure, and it is on a reef that leaves a large bit of it out of water. When the tide is high, more of it goes underwater. When the party is done with their personal daily preparations, now it comes down to .... who is going, and who is staying?

Reggie and Maje are staying while you clear everything, as well as to watch camp and equipment.

Kabsi and Rhoha, no doubt, are going as the former treats water as a natural environment, and the latter is prepped to get wet.

Skald prepared a water breathing spell that allows for a total of 18 hours divided up among the number of creatures set to go.

Your choices are:
Hoggie (should go since PC)
Skald (currently being botted due to IRL issues for player)
Shouting Tree, who doesn't want to leave Ix-Caban behind (which would be two creatures)
Tom Underhill

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie will go along with Rusty. They don’t intend to get wet, or at least swim and so Hoggie will ask Skald to tow him over to the ship while he levitates. Hoggie will create a telepathic network with : Rusty, Kabsi, Rhuha, Skald, Reggie, and Tom.

[lostsole31]

Everyone else's input?

[bcool999]

Rhoha

Thinking for a while, Rhoha will say, "Rhoha has never seen a cat swim underwater, so Shouting Tree and Ix-Caban should stay and guard the civilians. Tom too, if the water will hamper his magics. The rest of this hunting party shall have the pleasure of watching Rhoha take to the waters like a shark!"

[lostsole31]

Tom will hang back and protect the civilians with his magic while Shouting Tree and Black Kitty provide the brawn.

Any other preps, or good to go?

[Blackhawk101]

Spoiler

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Besides the aforementioned Mind Links x2, Hoggie will concentrate on casting Alertness and Levitation.

[lostsole31]

So, the four (six) heading out are Skald, Hoggie, Rhoha, and Kabsi (and Rusty and Sparkles).

Skald is going to pull Hoggie along. Hoggie, how far off the water do you want to be?

Rhoha, and Kabsi, swimming on surface, underneath, how far from the others, precautions, etc.?

[Blackhawk101]

Hoggie concentrates briefly and then he will levitate approximately 12 feet off the waves. They will use a rope or vine to connect to Skald.

Spoiler

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Hoggie casts Heightened awareness and then Levitate.

[bcool999]

Rhoha

Rhoha will stomp his way through the waves until the ocean water reaches his waist. Then he will leap forward and swim along the surface towards the shipwreck.

Spoiler: OOC

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Take 10 on swim.

[digiman619]

Kabsi heads towards the wreck, swimming about two fathoms below the surface, as he didn't want to stray too far from his teammates.

Spoiler: OOC

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A standard fathom is 6 feet, so he's 12 feet down, just to mirror Hoggie

[digiman619]

Kabsi made a quick tepe to his teammates.

Spoiler: tepe

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Saw something down here, but it quickly darted out of sight keep your guards up.