Somewhere... Else?
5 Bakemes, 333
Fate
As the song seeps into their bones, Krissie and Vanessa begin to shiver again. Their breaths puff like thick fog on the air.
As this happens, the water swells, taller and taller, rushing off some dark, indiscernable shape. It towers to a massive size—easily the height of a Bakersfieldian skyscraper. Soon enough, the water breaks shape, pouring down crag and groove, sliding along sinuous shape and splashing off jagged edge. There two baleful eyes glowing green, there phosphorescent-tipped spines and fringes standing on edge, there a triangular muzzle.
Just as soon as the shape is revealed, though, it jerks and twists, splits and rejoins, twitches and warps into something barely recognizable. Five eyes slide along mingled shadow and flesh to light upon the clear icy tower, melding into a mere three, then six.
Then a maw opens somewhere along the great neck, splitting wide and opening far, lighting the night with a bright green glow from deep within a gullet which seems almost as vast as the depths itself. As the maw opens, the creature rises, further and further, and then descends upon the tower.
It will land its attack at the very end of the turn order, and surely obliterate the platform that Krissie and Vanessa are on. Judging by this thing's size, it doesn't seem likely that they'll survive. Even if they do, the cold water will make short work of them.
Daina
Daina perks and rushes over to the rail , leaping off in a swan dive of course. She takes to the air a second later as a giant swan. Rushing at top speed trying to beat the monster to the iceberg, to push the two women out of the way, or at least be there to scoop up the ladies from the water. She makes swan alarm sounds to alert the women she's coming in. White feathers gleaming against the dark water, and standing out against the purple paintbrush smeared sky. At the end of her flight the wings come to the front with a hard flap that might indeed blow them into the water but the swan's impact is following soon after.
Fate
The buffet hits them, knocking them back—and then Daina follows, sending them both sailing into the water. All three splash.
The cold hits like a brick wall, shutting out everything to senseless blackness for a moment, for an eternity.
Kelly runs to the edge of the deck, gripping the guardrail, watching wide-eyed as Daina shrinks in the distance and disappears into the water. Then he looks down at his lead line, runs back to the mast, and proceeds to give it some more slack.
Slavina's turn
Slavina
The Ocean rises before her. A spray of water hits her face. Her lips. She tastes the salt.
Salt! An offering from host to guest - she dips two fingers in and brings them to her mouth (as is proper when the host offers salt without bread). Yes. They are guests as is proper as is expected since they'd been brought here. But Krissie...
He's displeased. Upset! Of course there is trouble when the host is distressed. They were brought here for a reason and it is the sacred duty of a guest to soothe her host but how?
The sky stretches above with its twisted, smeared stars. Beautiful, but wrong-
the ship lurches in time to his thrusts in a violent dance-
she understands.
Slavina's fingers wiggle down to a gourd on each side - large and full of water on the left, small and heavy with salt on the right. She dashes the water-gourd against the ship's deck, forming a frozen circle of slick jagged ice. From the other, she pours out handfuls of salt and shoves it into the barnacle shells on her ankles and a generous measure to hold in each hand. Moving in time to the motion of the deck, to the music of waves and wind tearing at the sail, she slides and spins her way across the ice. Where she touches it, Slavina leaves trails of salt that melt into slick, mirrored tear-tracks.
She slips one way and the other in this wild, reckless dance, not stopping even as the crystals tear open her hands, until a final swell slides her off the circle entirely and pitches it up into the Ocean's view: ice like frosted glass, traced with mirrored lines in cryptic symbols, reflective windows to the sky-that-ought-to-be. Look she wills the Ocean-snake. Look, I am here to please you!
I would like to roll illusion+wayfinding to pacify the Ocean/snake. Also.... stunt call please! :D
ðŸ‘ðŸ½2
Fate
Okay! That'll be a contested roll against the ocean/snake.
Slavina
17
Fate
It rolled 20.
Slavina
I will add my remaining legend to make that a 20
Fate
Okay! That means we'll have a coinflip tiebreaker.
1-5 or 6-10, Loral?
Slavina
1-5
Fate
It's an 8
Okay. Casey's turn
Fate
Casey quickly runs across the deck to Kelly (slipping a little on the ice now crusted on the deck along the way) and stops him mid-unwinding. "No way, man—the waves from those things is gonna hit us. If you're knocked overboard you could be practically keelhauled."
Kelly gives him a blank look.
Casey elaborates: "It's, like, really bad, okay? Just help me get the steering under control." After Kelly nods, Casey looks up. "Aaren, can you get the winds to stop?"
Aaren's turn
Aaren
Aaren nods to Casey— she has no attention to spare to give him words.
Four of her voices are attending to the women in the water, trying to keep them alive by drawing warmth from Daina, from the sky, from anywhere. The other three turn to convincing the wind that they're playing the 'lay really still for as long as possible' game.
(For a moment, in the midst of the storm of lashing water and icy breath, she thinks of Shae.)
Underneath her feet, the toenails slither as they shift over one another.
Fate
Snakey's turn!
CRASH
The ice tower and the burg beneath it explode apart. A great ripple surges out, towering high, tipping over into a massive wave. It sweeps up those submerged—and rushes towards the ship.
It'll hit on the next turn. I'll be rolling to see if Krissie and Vanessa can hang onto each other of if they'll be scattered, then it'll be Daina's turn.
Combined between them it's 3 successes. Just enough to hang on.
Daina!
Daina
Daina dips one wing in the water and starts singing her swan warm song, probably a note or two different eh? She attempts to slide her wing under the two women and get them onto her back. As soon as she feels they're holding on as best as they can she'd start swimming away as fast as she can.
Fate
Okay, Mel. If you want to get to them successfully, it'll be Strength + Athletics, at a -1 dice penalty for also singing your warmth song at the same time and a -3 dice penalty due to icewater shock. Diff 5.
Alright! Since you channelled 2 Valor for 2 successes, and spent 3 Legend, you automatically succeed at your action.
Before they even realize what's going on, Krissie and Vanessa find themselves on the back of a giant swan, riding the giant wave carrying them far away at a rapid rate.
Kelly and Casey will remain prepped. Slavina's turn, and then after that we'll cycle back around to Aaren.
Slavina
Slavina watches as the swell of water rises, as Daina's trajectory slips farther and farther away from them, as Krissie drifts even more out of reach. She slithers her way up the prow of the ship onto the very tip of the bowsprit, balanced like an acrobat on a pole, and begins an impassioned plea to the ocean. She shifts through a multitude of languages and cadences, weaving something dangerously close to a poem as she begs the waves to bring her family back to her.
charisma influence on the ocean to get it to wash Daina towards us instead of away from us
Fate
That'll be Diff 25.
Slavina
will a partial success do anything?
Fate
I'm afraid not.
Slavina
9
Fate
Aaren's turn!
Aaren
Aaren, having stilled the winds, turns 3/7ths of her divided attention to helping Casey steer.
The rest of her voices remain on Vanessa and Krissie, keeping them alive until Daina can give them more warmth.
Fate
That's an Attribute + Purview. I need a Purview + Ability or Attribute + Ability.
Aaren
Sorry, I meant perception x Art(Singing)
Fate
Okay! Since you're using all your voices, I'm afraid that'll be -7 dice.
Aaren
Okay. What's the dif?
Fate
Diff is 27
Aaren
Can I learn about where it is and what direction it is heading in for less difficulty?
Fate
Yes! Diff 14.
Aaren
Can I..... help Casey stear the boat?
Fate
Sure! Singing + Singing, right?
Aaren
Yeah, I like that roll.
Fate
Every 3 successes will net him a +1 dice to his next steering roll.
Aaren
Sweet. I'll go edit my post.
Fate
Alright! With 7 successes that's +2 dice to Casey's next steering roll!
???'s turn!
The thing loops for a while, then eventually disappears into the black depths of the water.
And then the waves sweep up the ship, carrying it along. Frigid water sprays the deck, rushing icy winds bite hard at the skin.
Okay! I'm gonna need a Str/Dex + Athletics roll—your choice—from everyone at Diff 3 to see if you can keep your feet.
Sans people not on the ship
So Daina doesn't have to roll
Slavina
3 for slavina
Aaren
1 for Aaren
Fate
4 for Kelly and 5 for Casey
So Aaren is knocked over. Luckily she's on a lead line. It'll just take her an action to stand up if she wants to do anything physical-like.
Daina's turn!
Daina
Daina is swimming away with the two on her back and with the action of moving her swan legs to go forward fast not exactly taking much thought she begins to will warmth into the riders. As quickly as can be done safely. If they confirm being strong enough to hold on she prepares to take flight.
Fate
Since you rolled a 6 and the dicebot missed your +4, that amounts to a result of 10.
So you bought them two rounds.
Kelly! He's gonna roll Strength + Control: Ship. So 3+0. And gets +2 dice for his Team Player Knack. So 5 dice. He needs 4 successes to give Casey a +1 dice bonus to steering.
And that's a 6
Slavina's turn!
Slavina
Slavina squints through the spray and darkness. Icy saltwater (tears? but she would never cry in public) blurs her vision of Daina. One more glowing star that has fallen out of place. Drifting out of place. So close she could almost touch them.
Not almost.
She reaches her hand out for the glowing blur that is Daina, for the dark smudge that is Krissie. She blinks away the salt and the image resolves, larger, life-sized, only arm's reach away. "Grab my hand!" She calls out, raising her voice to be heard over the rush of water.
ðŸ‘1
Can I get a stunt vote?
Also I am rolling illusion+performance and channelling loyalty to make an illusion so convincing, Krissie can actually grab slavina's hand.
Fate
That's Diff 7
Slavina
10
Fate
WHOOO!
Freezing flesh meets not-quite-so-freezing-flesh. It's there... now Krissie just has to trust that her benumbed hand is closed tightly enough—and if not, that the other hand is closed tightly enough.
Casey's turn!
Fate
Casey grabs on tight to the steering bar, letting the icy water splash over him, feeling the flow of the ocean as it moves the ship, as it pushes at the rudder. Its rhythm pushes up through the hull of the ship, onto the deck. Beside him, facing him, is Kelly, gripping just as hard, feeling his cues through the grains of the toenails.
"Grab my hand!"
Suddenly, those he felt are closer, right up against the ship. The dark blur that is Slavina is stretched out, attached to another dark blur, highlighted by a bright white blur.
There was a way through this, all together like this. There had to be.
Where's the path?
He pushes the bar.
This is a double action: Psychopomp + Knowledge: Sailing at 9 dice and Wits + Control: Ship, with a +2 dice bonus from Aaren and a +1 dice bonus from Kelly for a total of 10 dice. He'll take -2 dice to both rolls for doing multiple actions at once. First is Diff 12, second is Diff 7.
That's a 13 and a 9!
With creaking and groaning, the ship shifts, turning and listing... and then it begins to cut through the water, quick and efficient, at a speed which presses its passengers firmly on the deck almost as if they were upright.
Aaren!
Aaren
Aaren, laying flat on the deck, her ropes now frozen by the spray, turns all of her songs to getting the women up on board as fast as possible. There is still a shelter made of vines in the center of the boat, that will keep them alive.
"Kelly!" She sings, to Slavina's strength song, "Please start a fire in the shelter!"
Rolling to aid Slavina in pulling people up
6
Fate
That's a +2 dice to Slavina's strength roll to pull peeps up!
???'s turn!
...
Daina's turn!
Daina
Diana suddenly feels they're not alone in the space though nothing else is in the waters around them. She glances over her white feathered shoulder and makes a sound of greeting before pushing more heat into her passengers soon not to be so hopefully.
6
Fate
Alright! That's another two rounds bought!
Kelly's turn.
"I can't, Aaren, everything's wet!" Kelly cries.
"It's cool, man!" Casey calls over the roaring water. "I need you here to keep us going steady anyway!"
Kelly glances between Casey and Slavina, then squares himself the steering bar.
Slavina's turn!
Diff 4 to pull everyone aboard if that's what you aim to do. I'm thinking Str + Ath.
Slavina
Okay! And that's everyone everyone? Including Daina?
Fate
Aye!
Slavina
8, lemme pose it a little :)
Fate
Yes ma'am!
Slavina
Slavina grips Krissie's hand hard, hard enough to bruise. She wraps her legs around the toenails of the bowsprit, gripping it with feet and knees to hang upside down and free her other hand. This she wraps around Vanessa's waist and under Daina's far wing joint, then she bends herself upward with the trio hugged to her chest. Slavina curls all the way up until she can shove them onto the deck and pull herself in after.
Daina
Daina makes a squaking cry sound at the tug. Shocked borb!
Fate
Okay! I'm gonna say the turn order is over! ... For now.
Aaren
Aaren pulls herself off the deck. "Sorry, Kelly!" She sings over the noise of the waves. She's already inspecting Vanessa and Krissie, pulling them to the shelter. "You're totally right!"
She starts to sing the water off of their clothes, skin and hair.
Fate
Both Casey and Kelly continue to hang onto the bar, keeping control of the ship as the wave continues to carry them along at blinding speeds.
(Not that they have much choice. Their hands are now frozen to it.)
Slavina
As soon as Slavina rolls back on board she wraps Krissie in a GIANT hug. "We found you, oh Krissie we found you!"
Daina
Daina sings her warmth song and tries her best to be a little heater on the boat, sending warmth in waves to both ends.
Fate
Krissie simply shivers violently, unsure if she can even talk. Despite Slavina's embrace, she keeps her deathgrip on Vanessa.
Aaren
"Daina, can you come get a fire going in this shelter?" Aaren sings to her sister as she 'ushers' the women (including Slavina, since she's still attached to Krissie) into the house of vines Daina had constructed earlier. "Or stand in it for a bit? I want it heated up."
Slavina
Slavina allows herself to be ushered, squeezing Krissie the whole time and talking (babbling?) about the snake and the ocean and the will of the gods and Krissie's place in the universe and how much Slavina loves her.
can I get a mystery ping on where the hell we're going? Or should I roll for that?
Fate
You can roll for that.
Slavina
Okie dokie
7
Fate
(To Slavina)
You can almost see the path, as if it were somehow more placid than the rest of the roiling ocean. It stretches out far, down the waves, and then slides away into the distance.
There may be land. The thought is a warm comfort. Almost as if finding land equated to a way out.
Daina
Daina smiles faintly as they've managed to get the women aboard. Her body aglow save for her feet as she fires up her inner hearth and produces warmth in both directions, hoping to melt the ice everywhere.
Fate
Warmth does in fact radiate over the deck, melting the ice first on everyone's forms and next on the deck. Ice water splashes into those not in the shelter, but doesn't turn into crystals.
Stern, the boys maintain their post. In the shelter, Krissie and Vanessa continue to shiver (it'll take a while before the heat entirely chases away the cold).
Finally, Vanessa manages to creak open an achingly tight jaw. "Wh-wh-what the fffffffuck is g-g-goiiing on!" Her words come out slurred from numbed lips and a sluggish tongue.
Slavina
Slavina doesn't hesitate even a moment at that question. "We've pleased the ocean so he is sending us home from the land of death."
Aaren
Aaren sings the water away where possible, continuing the rehabilitation neccesary for two people nearly frozen to death.