Chapter 1: Seeds of Destruction

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Jul 22, 2024 4:41 pm
Imti observes the lack of results from This One's magic. "If that thing fixes itself, maybe those crystal creatures we fought can, too?" she says, patting the shard in her pouch in the off-chance she might feel it wriggling or growing.

"Hey, I think Zig's got the right of it,"
she continues, this time addressing everyone. "We're not gonna find answers here. If it's linked to the falling stars, nobody said one landed right here, so it means this thing is spreading unseen. Maybe underground or through the air like seeds.

"Let's take a breather, take up that sailor's offer to head to open water, and we can figure out the next move."
Jul 22, 2024 8:08 pm
The flow of magic is stopped and the spell is cancelled.
Ey. Lets board the ship
Jul 23, 2024 1:09 am
A similar thought struck Quaxiver as it did Imti when Zig'gythiel looked skywards. Was the answer to this to be found in ... Wildspace? Where Quaxiver used to call home before he was stranded on Oerth.

"If only it were a particular kind of ship..." He mouthed under his breath as they realised there was little they could do to affect this individual crystal vine, much less the sprouting of so many others in the vicinity.
Jul 23, 2024 1:21 am
"To the good captain's ship, then!"

𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮 Ahh, red sail
Red sail action
Red sail
Some reaction
Thunder ocean
Thunder ocean
Red sails take me
Make me sail along
𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮
[ +- ] Red Sails
Last edited July 25, 2024 1:50 pm
Jul 23, 2024 8:24 pm
Having learned everything you can from the largest of the visible vines, you make your way to the dock. The scene at the docks is chaotic. Hundreds of people swarm the piers, trying to push their way onto three vessels that haven't yet set sail: two longships and a galleon. A group of thugs in black leather armor use their clubs on a crowd of screaming commoners, keeping the people away from the ships as they're loaded with cargo under the supervision of a sneering man with long red hair.

Elaina Sartell
A woman steps out of the crowd and wipes blood from her chin. "Glad to see you again," she says with a smile. "I'm Captain Elaina Sartell, and one of those ships is mine. Pity I can't reach it. Would you be good enough to help me? I promise to return the favor."
Jul 23, 2024 8:58 pm
"Sure!" says Imti, holding her broom like she is going to sweep the people off the pier. "Which one's yours?"
Jul 24, 2024 4:28 am
"Say no more, Captain!"

With a snap of his fingers, Ziggy changes his costume and makeup to something even more glamorous and then begins his performance. (Prestidigitation & Mantle of Inspiration)


Ziggy really sang
Screwed-up eyes and screwed-down hairdo
Like some cat from Japan
He could lick 'em by smiling
He could leave 'em to hang
He came on so loaded, man,
Well-hung, snow-white tan
[ +- ] Ziggy Stardust
https://i.imgur.com/XKeihub.gif

As he sings, Ziggy creates a groovy pattern in the space between the group and Elaina's ship. (Hypnotic Pattern)
[ +- ] Prestidigitation
[ +- ] Mantle of Inspiration
[ +- ] Hypnotic Pattern
Last edited July 25, 2024 1:48 pm
Jul 24, 2024 7:17 am
"And what would a decent port city be like without salt crusted thugs bullying their way around." Quaxiver raised his voice, "One chance to back off, before my friends here make you, um, dance to their tune!"
Jul 24, 2024 8:31 am
Miss Elaina Sartell, are you really the captain of that's ship?
A spell is cast as she is about to answer the question. People are panicking and its easy to lie.
[ +- ] 2. Detect Thoughts (C)
OOC:
He has prompted her about truth of her rights to the ship. There is initially no need to dig for deep thoughts, so a save is not warranted right now. If she is lying, then he would dig to know why
Last edited July 24, 2024 8:36 am
Jul 25, 2024 5:52 am
Elaina Sartell
Elaine points to the galleon a little over 100 feet away from your current position, "That's my ship, Moondancer," she says, a bit of pride in her voice as she looks upon it.







Ziggy's song is easy to hear even over the chaos and screaming all around and the swirling colors and shapes of the spell, seemingly pulsing in time to the tune, captures the attention of quite a few people, including more than half of the thugs (and their apparent leader) blocking the way to the ships.

Suddenly no longer the dominant force in the area, and with their leader incapacitated by Ziggy's spell, the thugs look unsure of how to proceed. They certainly look less hostile, but there's no guarantee they'll just let you go if you try to move past.

Elaina Sartell
Elaina looks seriously offended at the insinuation, "How rude can you be? Of course it's my ship!" she asks, outrage clear on her face, "I offer you a place on my ship and you accuse me of lying and attempting to steal a ship? You're lucky I'm not a lesser woman or I'd leave your ungrateful ass behind!"

This One can sense that she's being 100% honest.
Jul 25, 2024 6:01 am
Eyeing the size of the crowd at the pier, Imti seems hesitant. "What if we just went into the water and swam to the ship? Or if we want to be extra sneaky, I'll put an air bubble around all of us and we can walk on the sea floor until we get underneath."
Jul 25, 2024 7:06 am
Apologies captain. Thugs, thieves and villains are about. This One's designation is Hero44-ExploringOursideOfTheCovertAstroid-AstralFloater-PoweredByDragonCrystal-FaughtAndPrevailedAgainstSpaceClowns and my first prime is to be a Hero. Heroes do not aid villains. Now I know you are not a villain in this trying time, lets get to work.

He weaves a spell similar to Zig's and hypnotises the remaining thugs.
[ +- ] 3. Hypnotic Pattern (C)
Last edited July 25, 2024 3:07 pm
Jul 25, 2024 1:22 pm
"Excellent name for a ship!" Quaxiver liked this Elaina already. Surely their fates were meant to be intertwined, moon dancers and wild spacers. "Where is your crew? Surely you cannot sail that galleon all by yourself!" Quaxiver still had his weapon drawn, but saw that his companions seemed to be handling the thugs successfully. "I can also give us a bubble of air to get us across," he nodded at Imri.
OOC:
Anything else needed to neutralise the thugs?
Jul 25, 2024 1:43 pm
Ziggy admires This One's riff on his hypnotic pattern.

"We really should color-coordinate next time, man."


Keep your 'lectric eye on me, babe
Put your ray gun to my head
Press your space face close to mine, love
Head out to the Moondancer daydream, oh yeah!
[ +- ] Moonage Daydream
Jul 25, 2024 10:35 pm
This One's spell takes down the rest of the thugs, leaving them in a stupor and allowing you to slip by.

Elaina Sartell
"My crew is already on board," Elaina shouts to you as she rushes forward, gathering townsfolk in her wake, "Get on the Moondancer! We'll get you to safety!"

The people flock to the ship at her words, climbing aboard in droves until the area is clear of civilians. Once everyone is aboard, she draws her saber and cuts the mooring line. The ship lurches slightly as it begins to move despite the sails being bound up and no oars moving. You also don't see any crew on the upper deck, but that doesn't seem to slow the ship down any.

She smiles and you and winks. As you turn back to look at the city, you see the crystalline vine coil upward, scraping the sky. From the harbor, you can see similar vines miles from the settlement, having burst out of the world and reaching skyward. As the Moondancer clears the harbor, Captain Sartell stamps her boot hard on the deck. "Flapjack!" she yells. "Take us up!"

Suddenly, the galleon lists and creaks as it rises out of the water and into the air! The world falls away beneath you as the Moondancer flies through the clouds and into the starry abyss of night.

A number of people scream at the sudden motion and the upward direction, but many are too stunned to respond to the strange event. It seems that you've found yourself a ride off of the planet!
Jul 25, 2024 10:55 pm
"Whoa!" exclaims Imti, grabbing onto the nearest rail to brace herself. "Now this is a way to travel! So much faster!"
Jul 26, 2024 2:17 am
"Far out, man!"

Ziggy does his best to calm any townsfolk unnerved by this unfamiliar mode of transport.


I feel a bit roughed up, feel a bit frightened
Nearly pin it down some time
Space sail action take me up from harbor town
Boy, I really get around
[ +- ] Red Sails
Jul 26, 2024 8:25 am
A spelljammer ship! Thanks the maker!
This One spends a few moments looking at the crystal plant from the air, but he reports to the captain as they reach the cloud layer.

Captain! I have served on Hammerships and Dragonfly as helmsman, engineer and navigator. Where could I be of service?
Jul 28, 2024 9:21 am
"I knew it!" Quaxiver could not contain his excitment, and Jzu chattered along to echo it. He immediately had the best impression of this Elaina Sartell, for she had opened her ship to as many people as could safely board before taking flight, and put himself to good use herding them on, "Make way for the others ... We'll be alright just as long as we settle down on deck ... No I don't know where we're heading next, but it sure beats being stuck down there ..." He looked troublingly as more and more of the vines covered the surface of the land they were now flying above.
Jul 30, 2024 12:02 am
Standing on the deck of the Moondancer, you see scores of crystalline vines erupting from the surface of your world, some of the vines reaching high enough to break through the clouds. You find yourself sailing through a void filled with colorful gases and blinking stars. A school of space-dwelling fish swims past the ship on the starboard side.

Elaina Sartell
"Welcome to Wildspace," says Captain Sartell, sweeping her arms wide. She looks at your group appraisingly and nods, "I thought you had the look of Wildspacers about you. I take it this isn't your first trip?"

She shakes her head at This One, "I appreciate the offer, but it's fine," she says, "Flapjack and I have got this covered. You just try to keep morale up on the deck and I'll be happy."
[ +- ] The Ship
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