Chapter One: Voyage of the Perch (Team Blue)

Above

"Well, we released a dozen specimens, all various types of crustaceans: crabs, lobsters and a few more exotic types. Shaal explains. "To do their experimental nature, I don't imagine they would have all survived between the latent energies within them and the usual risks of predation.

Renya knows that tritons and sea elves have communities in the lake though no one knows precisely where. Shaal is either using the term merfolk loosely to mean dwellers beneath the water, or there is a community of half-human, half-fish people in the Nyr Dyv formerly unknown to you.

Below

Arres's astral arms spring forth from his body and the water ripples with the force given off. The crab clearly feels it and it spurs it on to take down this unexpectedly dangerous prey. Arres catches one of the few weak spots on his shell and gets in a solid hit but the crab is undeterred. Its claws lash out and clutch Arres on both shoulders crushing deeply into his torso. He also feels the waves of cold radiating off this creature sink deep into his bones. (22 damage total and you are now grappled.)

Sliven, take your round one actions and Arres can take his round 2. Sliven is close enough that he can close to melee with the crab.

Sliven cuts though the water fast with his battle axe and tries to cleave away at the crab.

Renya smiles at the captain, it seems like all the science talk has calmed her down and given her some confidence... interesting,i have read a couple of manuscripts about reintroduction experiments, or are you intoducing invasive species? Who's in the head of this? Please define the term "mer-folk", given the topic it unfortunately is too wast... If you understand.. she point out the fact that they are surrounded by water and the merfolk could be anything in or on the sea ...

Above:

Shaal chuckles and runs a hand through her hair. "Well you caught me speaking loosely there. It is the Triton city-state of Natrios below us. Mostly fisherfolk and hunters with a specialty of preserving things underwater." She pauses for moment. "I think I've told you all I can about the project but I can say it is not a reintroduction. We wanted them to grow in a competitive environment and we wish to see how they've matured and how many survived.

Below

Sliven's battleaxe scrapes along the outside of the crab's shell to little effect. Sliven too begins to feel the cold radiating off this creature sap his energy.

Undeterred, Arres works to fight off the crab.

Arres relentlessly pummels the crab with his astral arms. The crab starts scuttling backward trying to get away from the pain not realizing that the source is the "helpless" creature in his claws. The last blow strikes it between its eye stalks and the claws around his shoulder grow slack. The unconscious crab drifts down to the lake bed and they can feel the bitter cold drift away with it.

Arres, turning to Sliven, will point to the crab and then make a sweeping gesture upwards. He will pause, hands forming a circle with his thumbs at the top. His translucent arms form the same handsign, and seconds tick by. His body relaxes briefly, and he swims down to attempt to grab the crab by the shell and swim upwards with it.

Sliven says mentally to Arres, "Lets put the crab in the cage and close it." He swims over and begins to tow the monster."

Sliven gladly lets Arres move it with his Astral Arms as he has nothing to defend himself from the cold. He has felt such before but not like this. This creature is very strange. Sooner in the cage and taken care of the better.

He sends telepathically in Common to Arres, "Lets get this done and get back up. Others will be wondering about us and the ship is out of my telepathic range. I can do nothing for your wounds."

Sliven thought about trying to communicate with Arres in draconic due to his oddness, but that really that isn't any odder than himself. Arres is just more noticeably scaled than Sliven. Both share this draconic likeness. Although it appears Arres can breathe water where Sliven require his helm that he has with him all the time.

Arres nods in response to Sliven's suggestion. As much as he was loathe to admit it, the crab's claws had certainly dug in... his shoulders felt like they were on fire. As far as he was concerned, this was the other ship's crab -- they could burn the spell to heal him. He was eager to get back in the water, because he and Sliven had work to do. The longboat was only a start, and they hadn't even investigated it properly before being interrupted.

With the Crab put away, Sliven heads for the surface to inform the Captain.

Keeping the the crab at astral arms length, Arres is able to bundle the crab through the funnel shaped opening of the nearest cage. As they do so, they notice the chain it is attached too start to rattle back and forth. On the surface, a ringing bell can be heard and Shaal turns with excitement. "Sounds like we finally got something!" Two burly humans are already moving to one of the winches and begins turning the crank to raise up the chain. Arres and Sliven break the surface of the water first followed shortly by the cage containing the beaten crab. "Wow what a beauty!" Shaal exclaims looking down at the crab. "And cold as the top of the Crystalmists. Shame he's not for eating, you'd have a self chilling crab cocktail."

Shaal turns back around and notices the state of Arres for the first time. "Did the crab do that to you?" She asks, clearly impressed.

Arres nods. "Claws are strong. I'm glad I had other arms to use, or I may have been in trouble."

Shaal looks curious at the other arms comment but says nothing. "Well you've already done me a good turn. Here's an earnest on future payments." She fishes a small pouch out of her pocket, shakes some things back into her pocket and then adds a small bottle from a pouch on her belt. She holds the bag over her head and a hawk swoops down, grabs it in her talons, and flies it over to the deck of the Perch. Whoever opens it will find several small gemstones and a potion vial.

Arres would take the pouch, but hand it to the Captain without even checking it. As he does so, he quietly says, "Need to get back in the water. We found a longboat, but we were... interrupted... before we could properly investigate. However, at this moment I feel like more of a liability. Permission to recoup a bit?"

Sliven being a bit of a caster as well as a swimmer, casts some Prestidigitation to dry off and cleanup fast from the swimming as he deems it might be a few before Arres in good shape. He doesn't care to explore these waters alone.

He says to Renya in his thick foreign accent, "I see your out of your cabin?". Sha-Ma is on his shoulder already.