Chapter II: The Journey to Maraketh

Ski

Ski will try to figure out what to do next with survival.

Survival=18

Tarathel

A little flustered, Tarathel loses some of his normal composure as he tries to get the crew's aid in getting to those trickier areas (Diplomacy 14), and frankly his elven grace is doing him no favors in this pounding rain either (Acrobatics 11 (13 if the Diplomacy succeeded)).

Shi-Mon and Zazi manage to help bring in a few more stray lines and rig up one of the quickly-shredding sails.

Ski's practical knowledge of the rough northern seas allow her to direct a few of the sailors in preparing for the swells a bit more efficiently.

Tarathel, on the other hand, shows his inexperience rather dramatically. His soft-spoken nature does little to rally the rough-and-tumble crew and his near inability to stay standing is none too impressive, either.

To further complicate things, as the next big wave crashes into the boat, the lines holding a boom snap loose and the boom whips around and takes Mad Sahid across the back of the head, dropping him to the deck, hard. It is instantly obvious that the effect of seeing their captain sprawled across the deck is devastating on crew morale...

Round Three begins.

Tarathel

Well, he might be terrible at being on a ship, but healing he knows like the back of his hand, and that hand has been around a century and change. "Corellon!" he cries, unleashing a burst of positive energy as he bends over the captain to urge him awake. (Natural 20 = 28 on Heal, though only 1 on the energy channel). "It isn't yet the ocean's time to claim you!"

Ski


Not knowing what else to do and seeing the sailors momentarily freeze Ski starts yelling at them to get their butts back to work.


Intimidate=17

Zazi

The combination of sudden slack in the crew's movements and the scene below results in Zazi's attention is being drawn to multiple places. [ Acrobatics: 4 ]

Shi-Mon

Shi-Mon moves to secure the boom, using Acrobatics to assist (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4063812/)

Tarathel easily rouses Mad Sahid, who shakes his head and waves off any additional assistance, barking orders left and right as the boom is brought under control.

Finally, the ship is in shape to weather out the storm, and after another half hour of rolling swells and sickening drops, the sea finally calms.

Mad Sahid takes an account of damages and makes sure that none were lost in the squall as the sailors go about their duties restoring the ship to sailing condition.

Tarathel

Perhaps to his shame, Tarathel finds himself huddled in a corner for some time after the storm settles. Not nauseated or seasick, precisely, but victim of an adrenaline crash and a direct confrontation with a power of unimaginable strength and arbitrary capriciousness. A funny thing for a cleric to have trouble coming to grips with mentally, perhaps...

Zazi

Finally. It's over. All Zazi wants to do now is sit down with a stiff drink, and she's on her way to go sit and breathe somewhere when she spots Tarathel. He... doesn't seem to be doing too hot. Well. Resting will have to wait. She doesn't know if Tarathel is the type who would rather take some time on his own to recuperate or if he'd prefer company, but it won't hurt to reach out.

"Hey," she says, stopping in front of him. She doesn't find a seat nearby just yet, in case he'd rather be alone. "You alright?"

Tarathel

He offers a wan smile as she approaches. "I will be fine. That was simply a... an experience unlike any other, and I was not at all prepared for it. Mentally or physically, as it turns out. Some time in contemplation will see me all right, though. Thank you for asking."

Zazi

Zazi's smile and posture relaxes. Good. He didn't get concussed or anything. Though, it's a little silly, worrying about a healer. "Alright. If you need anything, though, don't hesitate to speak up, even if it's just to hang out or something. Okay?"

Shi-Mon


Having survived that little adventure, Shi-Mon thinks, perhaps now would be a good time to say hello, before something else happens!

Shi-Mon sees the dark-haired young woman speaking with another member of her team and approaches them. When he gets their attention, he greets them with a respectful bow and introduces himself simply.

"We worked well together during the storm," says Shi-Mon. "Humble self would be honored to be allowed to greet with you and your friends. Perhaps humble self could share stories of his travels from far away lands? Would thee be liking to share tea?"

Tarathel

Ah. Oh dear.  Seeing the man approach, Tarathel struggles to his feet, his legs more than a little weak thanks to the spectacular adrenaline crash he's got going on. Still, he managed to return the bow.

"If you have some tea to share, I would be forever in your debt," he says, only halfway to hyperbole there.

Shi-Mon


Shi-Mon bows politely again. "Mayhaps we should gather at the stern," he says, "away from the crew so as not to be a bother as they undertake repairs. I will gather the tea from the cook, and meet thee there, my new friends."

Then he turns and goes to the captain. Although having no tea himself, it is an easy enough thing to ask for it, and in the doing do a favor for the master of the vessel as well. No ship that plies the Eastern seas would dare travel without a supply of tea and coffee - not to mention stronger things - especially if it's crew were half or more Eastern, besides! 

To Mad Sahid he says: "My dear host. How is thine head? If thee would be pleased to order the cook to give to me tea leaves and clean water, I would be most gratified to bring to thee hot tea to sooth thee in thy labors."

Zazi

Zazi looks at Tarathel and shrugs with a smile. "C'mon. Let's head up there, yeah?"

"Ah, yes, thank you for your concern Mr. Shi-Mon, my head is fine. Just a little knocked about, is all," Sahid says, nodding slowly. "You may have your tea. The men and I have quite a bit of work to do to get properly underway again in the meantime."

Sahid sends one of the stray sailors to retrieve the tea leaves and water from the ship's cook, who returns shortly with the requisitioned goods.

Shi-Mon


Shi-Mon takes the tea and water, pot and cups and rejoins the others on the stern. There he sets the water to boil and performs the rituals to make and bless the tea. When it is ready, he delivers a cup to the ship's master, then serves the others.

"Many serene blessings to thee," says Shi-Mon to the others as he serves them, fulfilling the simple customs of the ancient ritual. He offers a cup to the cardinal directions, invoking the blessings of the wind, the wave, the sun and the moon. Then he offers the cup to the sea, and pours its contents over the side.

"Let us hope the Gods are pleased by our offering," he says. Then he bows to and the others and smiles as he sits with his own tea before him.

Zazi

... huh. Zazi isn't sure she should be surprised, but she hasn't witnessed a tea ritual like this before, so she watches Shi-Mon as he carries it out with great interest. When he bows to her, she inclines her head back, figuring it's only polite.

After he's all settled down and the tea's ready, she can't help keeping her curiousity down. "Where are you from, Shi-Mon? If it's alright for me to ask."

Shi-Mon


"I come from the lands that you call 'Cathay,'"says Shi-Mon. "I do not know where I was born, but I was raised by monks who lived a simple life high up in the mountains. When I was fully trained, I was sent to work among the low castes and classes, to serve their spiritual needs in their places of trial and labor. Mostly on the seashores, among sailors and shoremen. 

I did not discover until years later, after much toil and labor, that this was somewhat unusual even for monks. Many orders have their acolytes travel across the lands to make their learnings, and to serve the poor peoples of the lands. My order is a little ..." Shi-Mon giggles nervously, "eccentric, I suppose.

Eventually, the sailors who I served convinced me to travel abroad, and I have since been traveling generally Westward, knowing nothing of such lands. But now my path turns back East. So be it."

Ski


Ski watches the monk as he does his offerings, not fully understanding why he is dumping it into the seas. When he returns and everyone starts drinking she starts as well.

Zazi

"Cathay, huh..." Zazi leans back, expression distant for a moment as she searches her memory. "Can't say I know much about that place. How long have you been traveling now?"

Tarathel

"For my part, I think it a fine way to offer aid to others," he says, after offering up his own subvocal prayers. Not an elven way in the slightest, of course, but allowing for the differences he feels it to be quite excellent. "So you are well-traveled, then..."

Shi-Mon

Sipping his tea, Shi-Mon says, "I have traveled several years now, either working as a common sailor or 'ministering' as an acolyte priest. Always Westward, and in hope of gaining understanding of other peoples and their ways.  

Smiling, he says, "Yes, I have traveled from East to West. I had hoped to travel farther west, but it seems not to be. Of the places I have passed, I must say that only the lands of the dwarf-like folk seemed too dangerous to travel abroad in. There is some unspoken evil at work there," Shi-Mon shivered as if with fear, "and I am glad that I did not stay long there.

"Always I preferred staying close to the seas, and the small violent ones also seemed to prefer that travelers stay away. They traded with visitors by sea only grudgingly."

"I think that they want total control of their trade, that they wish to approach others as they will, and that others not approach them unless invited. I could be wrong, but this is my impression." Shi-Mon gave a conspiratorial wink. "I also think that many of them cannot swim!"