Storm on the seven seas(Dort: Stormrunner)

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BardicPup

Storm on the seven seas(Dort: Stormrunner)

Post by BardicPup »

Timestamp: Samheen 8th, Evening tide.

OOC: You are about one mark away from Dort at the start of this thread.

The Stormrunner was a lovely ship with twin masts standing tall and proud. It was little wonder it was the apple of Captain Gilmur's eye. The wind was filling her sails nicely, and they were making great time. Gilmur smiled as he barked orders at his crew, knowing his beard would conceal it.

The horse whinnied from the hold where the crew had formed a makeshift stall for it. Something was bothering the animal. The cat was nowhere to be seen. Most likely it sensed whatever danger the horse did, and was hiding.

Moments later it was clear what was bothering the animals, as storm clouds gathered, and lightning snaked across the sky. A flicker later, the thunderclap reached them, setting the horse into a frenzy. The sounds made by the now crazed animal were drowned out by the sound of waves crashing into the merchant ship. The wind howled, ripping at the sails, and threatening to capsize it.

Captain Gilmur issued a string of orders before pushing the rookie that had been at the helm aside and taking the wheel himself. He steered into the storm, making the tiny collection of wood and cloth live up to its name. The sails were trimmed, and all looked as well as it could, given the situation.

Edit: I've edited in the timestamp and the OOC for your both convenience.
Last edited by BardicPup on Thu Nov 13, 2003 6:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie was sitting on the deck near the prow of the ship. Her long legs were curled under her and she was scribbling in her journal . . . scratch,scratch, scratch went the quill. She had never been anywhere alone, or that is without her father nearby and the mere thrill of that alone would have given her enough inspiration to write a novel. Lomiodien was somewhere aboard but not in Anarie's direct sight. Not that the young half high-elf would have noticed anyway since she was buried into her writing. That is until Gwiryan whinned loudly from his stall followed shortly by a clap of thunder that rumbled through the sky and captured her attention. Her two tone hair swung about, the braid she had made earlier nearly wrapping around her neck as she stood quickly. She had her journal and the quill in it under her arm securely as she gained her footing. "A storm?" The clouds answered her question for her as a streak of lightning flashed across the darkening sky.

The Earendil Cala-Quessir (Half High-Elf) nearly lost her footing when a massive wave hit the side of the ship. She skidded across the deck and nearly pitched over the railing but luckily gained her footing again in time. She spotted their captain headed towards the wheel and called out to him, yelling to be heard above the wind. She yelled to him in common tongue a language she was slowly starting to gain a better understanding of considering how often she had had to use it lately. "Captain Gilmur? Is there anything I can do?" She yelled out. Anarie grabbed her leather sack off the deck and plopped her journal and quill in it; tying it securely before strapping it over her shoulders. After her pack was in place she followed the captain, waiting for him or anyone to tell her what to do . . . she felt more than a little guilty just standing around like a town drunk while the sailors tried to secure the ship in the storm.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:40 am, edited 3 times in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

"Aye, lass. Come over here and aid my poor eyes, they be not what they once were. Spot the waves and point me into them. If we take them on the side, we might flip plumb over, and I for one don't feel like swimming. " That said, the aged sea dog guided his ship into the waves, spray flying all about, wetting his wild hair, which flew about his grinning face like a lion's mane.

Throwing his head back, he shouted challenges at the sea itself, laughing like a madman at what he claimed to be feeble attempts to destroy his tiny ship. Waves crashed upon the bow, now sweeping across the deck, yet still he stood firm, roaring his challenges that could barely be heard over the winds and waves even when as close to him as Anarie was.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie stood next to Captain Gilmur holding onto a mast to stay afoot. Her feet were not wet thanks to her waterproofed boots but the bottoms of her black leggings were getting soaked from the waves that crashed up and over the Stormrunner's deck.

"There! and there!" she would shout out occasionally, pointing out massive waves to the captain. Laughing at how much the captain seemed to be enjoying this. She thought how well the ship's name fit it at this time. Anarie tried to concentrate on her task but in her mind she was worried that Lomiodien was not freaking out somewhere below decks. Where was the Wood Elf?
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Mio heard Gwiryan's cry from below deck, she had been polishing her sword, Trithalsol, but at the sound of her horses distress, she leapt up and ran onto deck towards his makeshift stable. She stumbled and tripped as a huge wave crashed onto the ship, but she scrambled back up again with an amazing agility. Reaching Gwiryan, she unbolted the lock on the stable door and made soothing noises in her throat, stroking his sleek black coat in an attempt to calm him. She felt guilty for bringing him onto the ship, and she hated to see him distressed.

Squinting into the sea spray, she could just make out Anarie and Captain Gilmur at the wheel, and felt another twinge of guilt at not helping them. But she couldn't leave Gwiryan, not at the moment.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

And indeed she would not leave him. The panickstriken horse bolted the moment the door was open. Mio's arm got entangled in the leader someone had forgotten to remove. She was draged as the horse charged about, totally lost to full blown panick.

The captain turned towards the sound coming towards him, squinting half in nearsightedness and half in disbelief at the charging animal, then it was too late to do anything but cry out. The horse, Mio en tow, bowled right into the aged sea dog, throwing him several feet. He reached in vain for a nearby rope, but knew it was pointless. With the wheel unmaned, it was just a matter of time before the ship took a wave on the side, and it would all be over.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Mio was completely unprepared. She had been reaching up to tighten her hold on Gwiryan's ropes when the massive horse reared and bolted, entangling her arm in the ropes and dragging her mercilessly across the slippery deck. Mio hadn't had time to cry out, she simply heard a sharp 'crack!' as her right arm was twisted and snapped in the horse's rage, the rope becoming tighter and tighter on her now broken arm. She clung on for dear life as white hot pain seared up to her shoulder, and a misty, unclear scene unfolded before her as the horse charged into the old captain, narrowly missed Anarie and stumbled and slid across the deck, smashing everything in its path. Mio watched as a huge wave rose up before the tiny ship, and, as if in slow motion, loomed over the deck, covering it like a blanket before crashing down onto the small wooden vessel, covering everything, and everyone in a massive amount of freezing, deadly water, before surging back over the rails. The horse slid with the surge, eyes rolling, legs frantically pummelling the deck, dragging Mio with it. Mio made a slight sound as the two figures hit the rails, causing the horse to scream with terror and fall heavily onto the small wood elf. After that, neither moved.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie looked on in shock as Gwiryan carried Lomiodien and Captain Gilmur away. Not sure what to do she did the only thing that came to mind. She grabbed a section of one of the ship's cargo nets (hope this is okay) and cut it with her dagger making a good sized length of rope. Quickly she tied one end to a mast and the other to one of her hunter's arrows. Laezuriel the Long Bow was drawn quickly. "Captain Gilmur . . . catch!" she yelled loud enough to make her lungs hurt. The bow was up and in a quick motion the arrow with rope attached flew in the direction of Gilmur. Anarie only hoped he could catch the rope and that the arrow did not get him, Lomiodien or Gwiryan in the back.

The half-high elf slid a glance at the wheel. If the captain could not get back over here to man it they might all drown! Anarie had had no training in manning a vessel and did not dare take the wheel herself. She did consider it however, albeit briefly before turning her attention back on her arrow. She crossed her fingers and said a prayer to Illuminatus while making a dash in that direction trying not to slip. She had to get to Lomiodien and that horse and hope that the mast would hold the captain's weight. Anarie almost stopped dead when her keen eyes saw Gwiryan fall heavily on his mistress, she did not stop but increased her pace yelling her cousin's name.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:38 am, edited 3 times in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

OOC: Lómiodien, please do not control npcs to this extent.

IC: The horse staggered as the boat was pommeled by wave after wave, but didn't fall. Mio seemed to be stunned by being dragged across the deck. The captain was bleeding from the forehead, but was still awake, knowing that to sleep now would be death.

The arrow Anarie had tied the rope to struck the deck nearby the captain, and he reached for the rope. Even as he began to drag himself back to the rope, he knew he would never make it in time.

And he was right. Just as Anarie reached her cousin, a fairly large wave struck the boat, making it reel drunkenly as water swept across the deck. The horse crashed into Anarie as all three of them went overboard.

Through some luck, Anarie managed to grasp her cousin's leg as her entire body was emersed in water. Nearby something solid was churning the water, something that could only be the horse's leg.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

OOC: just to let you know Pup we are NOT actual cousins, Anarie just calls her that because Wood-Elves are RACIAL cousins to High Elves, lol :P Also I am slightly confused on what is going on with the horse so if I err please let me know.

IC:
The young Earendil Cala'Quessir (Half High-Elf) would have been frightened to be within that mass of swirling, rolling blackness that was the sea but truth be told she was too shocked by the coldness of the water to notice anything beyond that. She took a deep breath as she sank deeper into the water. Her right hand was grasping Lomodien's left leg, holding tight to the Wood Elf's soaked breeches. Anarie nearly knew however that she would soon loose her grip and Lomiodien would be taken by the sea. Illuminatus help me! Please! She begged to her God in her mind.

She saw the horse was in the water and his leader was apparently still around her cousin's arm. She had to find it! Little by little the horse was pulling Lomiodien under.Horses cannot swim! Can they? she thought briefly before her own head went under the water completely. Anarie had the strangest sensation that there was a light shining above her head and thought it just might be Illuminatus telling her to hang in there
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:24 am, edited 6 times in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

Horses, it seemed, could indeed swim. The leader(a rope attached to the harness of the horse used to lead it when not riding it) was still attached to both the horse and Mio. It seemed that the other elf had her head under the water at the moment, either unconscious or in a state of shock(which you can pull yourself out of when you post:) ). If only Anarie could pull herself up and get her hand on the leader, she might be able to keep both their heads above the water, for the most part. The horse seemed to be going forward. Both the elves could do little but try and keep their heads above the waters and pray the horse would not tire before reaching some form of land.

OOC: I guessed as much, and was using cousin in the same way. I am quite used to that way of using cousin, as almost all my players are dark elves, and the others are other types or combinations of elves. Currently, I don't have any non-elven players.

As for the horse, it didn't fall on Mio as she stated. When the wave struck, it almost capsized, or flipped, the boat, and the horse fell out of the boat, knocking you over as well as dragging Mio overboard.

Oh, and Mio, a tip for doing things based on a npcs actions, or to 'hint' at what you would like a npc to do is to write it as a thought or plan, ie "Mio wondered if the horse would be able to keep its feet on the slick deck, and prayed to x god that it would not land on her should it fall, fearing such a thing might crush what little life she was still clinging to. " You, as the player, have full control of your char's thoughts, so you can do anything inside them without actually taking control of a npc or the scene. Using 'if' is another way, ie 'If the horse staggered and fell, Mio planned on pushing off the nearest thing she could find in order to try and dodge what she felt might be certain death. '
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie took that light to be a sign from her God and she held onto to that thought as she swam towards the horse. The waves seemed to be in her favor . . . for now. She got to Gwiryan's side and held onto to his leader, drawing her dagger from the sheath at her hip. The Half High-Elf was glad that it did not come out during their splash into the sea. She cut the leader with the obsidian blade, disconnecting it from her cousin's arm.

Anarie held onto to that leader and reached for Lomiodien before she floated away. "Come on!" she yelled above the tempest's racket. The young Laezuriel got ahold of a strap used to hold Trithalsol and pulled her cousin next to her holding onto that strap for dear life.

She wrapped the leader around her wrist several times, hoping the panicked horse did not break it. She just remembered her cat and in a panicked screamed yelled his name, knowing it was useless. "Slinks! Slinks!" Anarie could not see the Stormrunner and her head was throbbing but she yelled anyway.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Guest

Post by Guest »

OOC: oops! :oops: Sorry about that, got a bit carried away there! Thanks for the advice though, i'll make sure I use it next time!

IC: A voice was drifting in and out of Mio's head. She struggled to hear the voice properly, but a great noise was whirling and crashing in her ears. She tried helplessly to open her eyes, to know what was happening, but she couldn't, and found herself not wanting to. A fantastic sleepy feeling was taking her over. She couldn't feel her hands, but it didn't seem to matter anymore. Mio started to let herself drift into a warm, deep sleep.
Last edited by Guest on Mon Nov 17, 2003 4:05 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

The Earendil (Half Elf) saw that Lomiodien was drifting away inside her mind again, She could NOT let her fall asleep . . . sleep was death,. "Lómiodien! Mio!" Anarie yelled into her cousin's ear. When that did not work she grimaced and did the only thing she could do. She used her hand that was holding the leader to also grab the fabric of the Wood-Elf's shirt and with her free hand slapped the younger Elf in the face . . . hard. "Wake up!" Anarie yelled.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Mon Nov 17, 2003 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

The leader had been Mio's lifeline, keeping her with the horse even if her head still dipped under the waves. The moment it was cut she started to drift quickly away, but Anarie still managed to get ahold of one of her limp arms.

The waves were punishing, and she had trouble to keep her head above water. More then a few times it dipped beneath the waters, leaving Anarie winded. The sea tore at them, Anarie seemingly a fraying rope. Her strength was ebbing, but it seemed her will was still strong. Once, she managed to call for her cat, and was rewarded by nothing but a mouth full of water.

Mio's head was thrust under the waters by a wave. The churning of the horse swimming nearby drew her closer, until a sharp pain shot through her leg, snapping her out of her slumbers and making her inhale sharply. She had drifted too close to the horse's legs and had been kicked in her own.

OOC: Your leg isn't broke, though you might think it is ic. It is only bruised, as the water prevented the kick from being very hard.
Guest

Post by Guest »

The sting of Anarie's hand on Mio's face brought her vaguely back to reality. She struggled to keep awake at Anarie's command with a sudden strong single mindedness she had never felt before. She almost cried out when the horse kicked her, sending a deep pain shooting up her leg, and making her think imediately that it had been broken. But all the same, it had made her come back to herself with a bang. She realised that she could no longer feel the arm that had been wrapped around the lead rope, and her head was throbbing painfully as she was tossed around in the waves. She closed her eyes for a moment, gathered her senses, and made an attempt to make contact with Anarie, 'An..Anarie. We...can't..CAN'T LOSE THE..SHIP!' She struggled to make her voice loud enough in all the rushing water around them, but even the attempt had made her tired. She refused to let herself go.
Last edited by Guest on Fri Nov 21, 2003 5:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie grabbed Lomiodien's weapon strap and hauled her close, almost hugging her to keep her above water. The Half-High Elf's ears were throbbing painfully though she was not sure why. Where is that damned ship? She thought to herself. "Don't talk, it takes too much effort! She said realising that held true for both of them. Anarie held the leader even tighter . . . she was not about to lose that horse, not when he was probably the only thing keeping them afloat!

Her aqua colored orbs were losing their brillancy as they fought the instinct to cry. She looked frantically about for the Stormrunner but saw nothing but black rolling sea. Her eyes stung terribly but she thought that during one of the brief flashes of lightning she had spotted a large black object . . . maybe a ship, maybe not but she waited until the next flash to see if it was really there.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Thu Nov 20, 2003 5:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

A flicker later, coming from the direction Anarie thought she was the ship, there was a loud crash, and the sound of wood being splintered. The next flash of lightning showed the ship, broken in half and worse, upon some jagged rocks, rocks that the horse had swum around.... But to where?
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

""Captain Gilmur, anybody?!"" Anarie yelled out when she saw the broken bits of ship floating near the rocks. She hoped they were alright but the water and lack of peron's visibly in it suggested otherwise. Please Illuminatus do not let us die She hoped.[/i]
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

There was no sign of others in the waters. No sound cried out in responce save the sounds of the sea crashing on the rocks. Rocks that were getting more distant by the flicker. Where was the horse leading them?

Time seemed to cease to exist as the two elven girls were towed through the chilly, ever churning waters. It seemed like marks, but was likely only burns, as no horse could swim that long, when the girls felt something solid brush against their feet. The horse was no longer swiming, it was walking. Anarie's grip on the leader faltered as she was lifted out of the waters by it, and she fell back into them, now barely coming past her knees.
Guest

Post by Guest »

Mio was barely aware of her surroundings anymore. She felt the soft, comforting touch of ground beneath her feet and felt a deep rush of relief sweep through her bones. She almost saw Anarie do the same beside her. She thanked Pan for her cousin's strength, and for his protection. Her clothes felt soaked and bedraggled, her limbs were numb, but there was no need to fight anymore. She felt no pain, just exhaustion.
Last edited by Guest on Fri Nov 21, 2003 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Lomiodien seemed overjoyed to be on something solid again but Anarie just couldn't. ""Slinks! Kitty kitty! Sliiiiinnnnnnkkkks!"" She yelled out, slowly losing her voice as it became more rusty and cracked. She used to put him in her sack quite often . . . why didn't she earlier? Then she realised that she still had her pack, the one she had put on her shoulders and tied up before going to the wheel next to Captain Gilmur. Anarie did not think her cat would be in there, but she hoped aganst hope that he would be and if that he was not drowned by now. ""Slinks? Kitty?"" she spoke barely above a whisper as she started to open up her leather pack preparing herself to be let down.
Last edited by Anarie Laezuriel on Fri Nov 21, 2003 5:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
BardicPup

Post by BardicPup »

Luckily, the cat was not in there. Had it been, it would have most likely cried out to her before, and she would have had to decide wether to let go of the horse, Mio, or let her cat drown in a prison on her back. At least this way there was hope that the cat had survived some other way.

Before them lay an island, not half a mile from any one shore to any other. The waves didn't reach them here, the off-shore rocks broke up the surf long before that. The sand rose up ahead, blocking the view of much of the island, but the part they could see didn't have any large plantlife, and the darkness of the now fading storm prevented them from seeing smaller objects at any real distance.
Anarie Laezuriel

Post by Anarie Laezuriel »

Anarie's long face looked up from her empty pack with a solitary tear travelling down one cheek. She got rid of that with a swipe of her hand. She sniffed and walked over to Lomiodien who looked like she was about read to pass out. "Come on we need to find shelter, since I have no damn idea where in the hell we are!" She tried to yell but it only made her sound raspier. He hair was luckily tightly braided or she would have had it hanging all over her face. She took a bright pink colored ribbon out of her water logged backpack and handed it to Lomiodien. ""Here tie up your hair with this."" Any happiness or luster in the Half-Elf's tone or appearance was gone, replaced with a cold emotionless mask.

OOC: Did the horse run off Pup or is he standing around here somewhere?
Guest

Post by Guest »

Mio saw took one look at Anaries face as she gave her the ribbon and imediately knew that she had not found her small companion. A wave of pity swept through her as she looked upon her bedraggled, utterly miserable friend. She tried to tie the ribbon in her hair with one hand, but gave up and stuffed it impatiently into her pocket. She forced her legs to move towards her cousin, put her good arm round Anarie's shoulder and began to lead her across the sand, 'I'm so sorry,' she whispered sincerely, 'if I had known that.... if we could have..' she shook her head to clear her mind, but only succeeded in making it throb even more, wincing, she turned towards Anarie, 'you're right. we should find shelter. come now.' She whispered soothingly to her, but as they walked, she remembered Gwiryan, and turned to see if he was still there. They owed they're lives to him.
Last edited by Guest on Sat Nov 22, 2003 6:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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