# 9. Session Nine — The Moonlit Bounty Stowaway **In-game start:** Summer 24 | **Played:** 30 September 2026 [[The Rose of Igoda/01 - Sessions/Session 08 - Leaving Berran|← Session 08 - Leaving Berran]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Day.jpeg|780]] > [!abstract]+ TL;DR > - The party begin aboard the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] while it is still loading at [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Medina Syms|Captain Medina Syms]] confines the unofficial passengers to cramped makeshift quarters and makes it clear they are to stay out of his crew’s way. > - Still disguised as Matilda, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]] abruptly disappears through the [[World of Tarin/08 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|Popping]]. Moments later [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] returns from the Berran tavern, leaving the others to fake a sleeping Granny while [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explains the new plan: sail to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]], then continue towards [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]] to find another Rose of Igoda. > - Votoran quickly makes herself useful. Medina recognises her connection to [[World of Tarin/04 - Gods, Faiths & Cosmology/01 - Gods & Divine Entities/Kaegor|Kaegor]], tests whether she can follow orders and puts her to work hauling cargo. As the ship begins moving she prays not for calm seas, but for the people aboard to have the strength to weather whatever comes. > - Below deck, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] and Ahkai remain cautious around one another while [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] raids the stores. Ahkai explains that he values freedom so strongly because [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] never really gave him any; Kephri is therefore free to make his own choices too, even if those choices involve stealing cutlery. > - Ahkai is overwhelmed by his first voyage and the openness of the sea. He repeatedly confuses the lookout [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] by ignoring instructions about the rigging, and later asks Votoran where she comes from. She finally tells him [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] and says she left because she wanted freedom. > - Sofia’s sleep brings back a chain of memories: a ship to Reskium, contemplating the sea as an option, a woman who seems to understand; a newspaper in Reskium that clearly refers to the incident; travelling south with Marta and Ben before discovering most of her money gone; unsafe attention in Jitsu village; and finally a woodland beside a vast body of water, a distant red glow and a purple storm. When lightning strikes the glow and the blast reaches her, Sofia releases her own emotions. The woodland disappears — and so does she. > - The next morning Ahkai discovers Kephri’s hoard, including a faintly magical [[World of Tarin/06 - Items & Artifacts/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]]. Later [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Rose|Rose]] pops into the cabin, apparently having slipped away while the group assume [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] is trying to train or strengthen her. Rose meets Kephri, renames him **Mr Shiny**, accepts a stolen napkin ring and pops away again. > - When Ahkai asks why they are still following Rose into danger, Votoran’s answer is simple: Rose is a little girl who is alone and deserves to feel safe. Ahkai tells Sofia he will listen whenever she is ready to say more. > - By the second evening Henry’s predicted storm finally arrives. When dinner fails to appear, the party head above deck and find the ship apparently abandoned in the storm — except for [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]], who has spent roughly thirty days hiding in Berran before stowing away aboard the same vessel. > - Edgar blames the party for the loss of the [[World of Tarin/03 - Factions & Organisations/The Thieves Guild|Thieves’ Guild]], his friends, his family and his purpose. Votoran refuses his excuses and tells him nobody forced him to put a blade to Rose. Edgar swears to make them pay. > - A brutal fight erupts across the storm-lashed deck. Edgar uses shadow steps, a wicked rapier and wounds that continue bleeding; Votoran relentlessly hunts him with her warhammer; Ahkai uses lightning-infused arrows, Thunderwave and a three-arrow Magic Missile; Sofia struggles to hold herself together while using Hold Person and Chaos Bolt. > - Edgar throws a fire flask, setting the deck ablaze and sending Sofia into panic. Ahkai abandons his attack to smother the flames around her with his cloak and push her out of the fire. > - Panicking and trapped, Sofia casts Shatter. It hurts Edgar but also destroys the mast lashings, leaving the mast leaning dangerously and throwing several people to the deck. Edgar then takes advantage of Sofia being prone and drops her. > - Votoran revives Sofia with Cure Wounds and later heals herself. Edgar turns his Vendetta onto Ahkai and leaves him with multiple bleeding wounds. Ahkai eventually lands a devastating lightning-charged arrow that leaves Edgar bleeding from the eyes. > - Edgar declares that the fight is not over and jumps overboard into the storm. Ahkai shouts after him that **Rose lives**, immediately prompting Sofia to ask why he would tell Edgar that. > - The session ends with Edgar’s fate unknown, the Moonlit Bounty on fire, the mast failing, the storm raging, the crew mysteriously absent and only Henry audible somewhere above. The party now has to save the ship. > [!star]- Memorable Moments > - 😂 **Funny — “You, boy, with the face.”** Ahkai tries to ask the youngest-looking sailor about the sleeping quarters, only for the sailor to keep insisting that he is **twenty-five**. Ahkai’s immediate interpretation — **“Is that how many women you’ve slept with?”** — does not improve matters. > - 🌀 **Chaos — Matilda vanishes, Votoran arrives:** Tilly pops away while still disguised as the elderly Matilda. Votoran then abruptly appears from the Berran tavern inside the locked passenger quarters, forcing Ahkai to build a fake sleeping Granny out of sacks, stores and a cloak. > - ❤️ **Character — Votoran’s prayer:** As the ship begins moving, Votoran quietly prays to [[World of Tarin/04 - Gods, Faiths & Cosmology/01 - Gods & Divine Entities/Kaegor|Kaegor]]. She does not ask for calm seas; she asks for everyone aboard to have the strength to weather whatever comes. > - 😂 **Funny — Ahkai versus Henry:** Henry awkwardly digs himself into a hole over Sofia, Ahkai uses the moment as an excuse to climb into the rigging, and Henry ends the exchange still unable to decide whether Ahkai is friendly or a menace. > - ❤️ **Character — “This is real freedom.”** Under a sky full of stars, Ahkai is overwhelmed by his first voyage and the openness of the sea. His conversation with Votoran turns to home, [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] and why she left: freedom. > - 🤯 **Revelation — Sofia’s journey:** Sofia’s memory reveals Reskium, the newspaper, Marta and Ben, losing most of her money, Jitsu village, leaving the road and finally the woodland destroyed as she releases her emotions into the same moment as the distant red blast. > - 😂 **Funny — Mr Shiny:** Rose pops into the cramped cabin, immediately falls for Kephri, renames him **Mr Shiny** and accepts a stolen napkin ring from him before disappearing again. > - 😱 **Oh Shit — Edgar in the storm:** The party climbs onto an apparently abandoned deck in a violent storm and finds Edgar waiting for them. He has spent the missing month hiding in Berran and has now stowed away aboard the same ship. > - 🔥 **Savage — Votoran refuses Edgar’s excuses:** Edgar blames the party for everything he has lost. Votoran refuses to let him rewrite what happened: nobody forced him to put a blade to Rose, and he needs to own the choice he made. > - ⚔️ **Badass — Votoran’s radiant hammer:** After Edgar repeatedly slips away from her attacks, Votoran finally connects with Divine Favour active and lands a devastating radiant hammer blow that visibly staggers him. > - 😱 **Disaster — Sofia breaks the ship:** Surrounded by fire, bleeding and panicking, Sofia casts Shatter. It damages Edgar — and tears apart the mast lashings, leaving the mast leaning dangerously while Henry cries out somewhere above. > - 🎯 **Clutch — Votoran brings Sofia back:** Edgar takes advantage of Sofia being prone and drops her. Votoran breaks off the chase, reaches her and delivers a second-level Cure Wounds like an electric shock, bringing Sofia straight back into the fight. > - ⚡ **Badass — Ahkai’s final arrow:** Bleeding heavily and marked by Edgar’s Vendetta, Ahkai deliberately moves through danger to get the shot he needs. His lightning-charged arrow lands hard enough to leave Edgar bleeding from the eyes. > - 😬 **Chaos — “Just so you know, Rose lives!”** As Edgar jumps overboard into the storm, Ahkai shouts that Rose is alive. Sofia immediately turns on him: **why would he tell Edgar that?** ## Session Notes ### Aboard the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] The session picked up almost exactly where the last one ended. The [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] was still alongside the docks in [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], the gangplank down and the crew loading the last of the cargo for the six-day voyage to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]]. It was still morning, probably moving towards lunchtime. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]] remained disguised as the elderly Matilda, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was still playing the part of her granddaughter, and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had already slipped away, removed his temporary disguise and boarded again as another of Granny's relatives. A fourth passage had been paid for [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]], though she was still absent after suddenly popping away the night before. With time to kill before departure, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] started looking around the ship properly. It was a fair-sized cargo vessel, busy enough that it was difficult to tell who was permanent crew and who was simply helping with the loading. He estimated somewhere around eight to twelve crew moving about the deck and dock. Behind them, stairs climbed towards the wheel. A single main mast carried three black sails, and there appeared to be two or three usable levels to the vessel. A cargo hatch in front of the mast stood open while crates and barrels were lowered below. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] paid attention to the cargo as it passed. With a strong Investigation check he managed to pick out stamps and markings on some of the containers, but nothing looked immediately suspicious. Most of it appeared to be ordinary trade goods and food stores. Whatever else the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] was, there was no obvious sign that the cargo itself was unusual. The more immediate concern was where the four of them were actually supposed to sleep. Nobody had given them any proper instructions after taking their money. Everyone on deck was busy, so [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] picked out the youngest and least confident-looking sailor he could find. The young man had youth in his face but looked older than he probably was: dark stubble, a crooked nose, deep lines around his eyes and a constant nervousness. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] opened with the extremely diplomatic, "You, boy, with the face." The sailor stopped and immediately corrected him. "Twenty-five." [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] blinked at him. "Is that how many women you've slept with?" That did not make the conversation any easier. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained that they were travelling to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and only wanted to know where they were supposed to sleep. The young sailor decided very quickly that this was above his pay grade and called for the captain. A passing crewman wished them good luck. ### Captain and Quarters ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Medina Syms.jpeg|620]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Medina Syms|Captain Medina Syms]] eventually approached them. He was a broad man with black hair, a red bandana and tattoos across his hands. He moved with the air of someone who had already been dealing with other people's problems all morning and was not delighted to find several more waiting for him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] apologised for bothering him and explained that Granny was tired and they were hoping to put her down somewhere to rest. He reached out to shake Medina's hand. The captain accepted, then looked at his own palm afterwards and wiped it as though reconsidering the decision. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] used the opportunity to look at the tattoos more closely. One stood out: something like a runic circle with a decorated, feather-like flourish coming away from it. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did not recognise the symbol well enough to place it. Medina waved them along and led them towards the back of the ship, down into the living levels and through several tight turns. He was already laying down rules as they went. Do not wander into crew areas. Do not get under people's feet. Do not start exploring doors and spaces that were none of their business. They were passengers only in the loosest sense and were expected to stay where he put them. He unlocked a door and revealed what was apparently going to serve as their accommodation. It was not a passenger cabin. ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Hammocks.jpeg|780]] Rough hammocks had been strung between wooden beams wherever space allowed. The ceiling was low and much of the room was already occupied by crates and supplies. A single little lantern gave them most of their light. There was a crude toilet arrangement and a basin of water, but otherwise it felt less like proper quarters and more like spare storage that could also be used to isolate someone who was sick. Medina did not pretend otherwise. They were travelling on a cargo ship and were not really supposed to be there. They were to keep their heads down and stay out of the crew's way. The voyage would take around six days. Food would be brought to them rather than having them wandering through the ship looking for it. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately asked whether that meant they were expected to stay in the cramped room for the entire journey. Six days in there sounded claustrophobic even to him. Medina grudgingly allowed short periods of fresh air on deck, perhaps ten minutes at a time, provided they stayed out of the way and did not interfere with anyone working. The cover story was already testing Medina's patience. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]], [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] were still supposedly the family of an elderly grandmother desperate to get back to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and her cats. Lady Marmalade remained a surprisingly important part of the explanation. Between the cats, the assorted grandchildren, the strange family dynamic and their habit of asking questions, Medina seemed to regard them as paying nuisances rather than guests. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]] Pops Away Once Medina left them to settle in, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] used magic to clean one of the hammocks. Dust and old stains lifted away until the fabric looked as clean as it was ever going to get. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] threw himself into the space with considerably less concern. The cramped quarters were strange and uncomfortable, but he was beginning to enjoy the absurdity of the situation. Matilda shifted in her hammock and admitted that she could not stay like this much longer. Then [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]]'s Popping caught up with her. Still disguised as Matilda, she disappeared. That left [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] staring at the space where their elderly grandmother had been and immediately confronting a practical problem. They had just been escorted into a locked passenger area by Medina. Matilda was the person around whom most of the cover story had been built. If someone came back and found her missing, they were going to have to explain how an elderly woman had vanished from below decks. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s first response was essentially that this was going to be interesting. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Returns The Popping solved one problem and created another almost immediately. From [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]'s point of view, she had been back in the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] tavern. The others had been questioning [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] about her past, and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] had been on her feet during that conversation when the world changed around her. Instead of the tavern table she expected to be beside, she found nothing supporting her. The sudden change threw off her balance. She buckled forwards and landed awkwardly on the floor of the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]]'s cramped passenger quarters. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] swore, rolled onto her back and looked around. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] came over to help her up. She refused. She had no idea where she was. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained the situation as quickly as he could. They were no longer in the inn. They had discovered a lead to another Rose of Igoda in [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]]. Rose herself had visited [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and had made it clear that she wanted them to find more Roses. The party had therefore decided to get out of [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], sail to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and continue towards [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]] from there. He also explained that their rough plan had been to stay at [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]]'s aunt and uncle's tavern, the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/The Pewter Mug|Pewter Mug]], once they reached [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]]. The fact that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]] had now disappeared made that slightly more complicated. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] took the update remarkably well. The immediate issue was Medina. The four paid places were supposed to be Matilda and her grandchildren. Matilda had vanished, and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] had appeared in a room reached by going below deck and around several corners. There was no believable way she had simply walked in unnoticed. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] began stuffing objects into one of the hammocks and draped his newer cloak across the shape like a blanket. "There you go. Nanny's sleeping." The others were not entirely convinced the deception would survive close inspection, but nobody had a better idea. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] then asked whether [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] ever planned to return the cloak she had been using. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] took it off, dropped it on the floor in front of him and told him he might want to shake the sand out of it. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Offers to Work [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]], quite at home, was not going to wait around in the cabin. Unlike [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]], she was accustomed to ships and comfortable with the movement, cramped corridors and constant work happening around them. Rather than hide below deck for six days, she decided to find Medina and offer to help. She made her way through the confusing interior of the ship, found the stairs and climbed back onto deck. Medina was not aboard at that moment; he was down on the harbour directing the final loading, clipboard in hand, barking orders and sending people in different directions. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] simply climbed back down to the dock and approached him. She introduced herself as one of Matilda's party and offered her services. She had been around ships before and, if he needed another pair of hands, she was happy to work. Medina looked her up and down. His suspicion was obvious. Four passages had been paid for, and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was not one of the people he remembered bringing below deck. When he asked when she had boarded, she claimed she had not been far behind the others and that he had simply been busy. He did not look entirely convinced. Then he noticed her religious symbol and recognised it as belonging to [[World of Tarin/04 - Gods, Faiths & Cosmology/01 - Gods & Divine Entities/Kaegor|Kaegor]], the Storm Father. That interested him. He asked whether she had really worked aboard ships before and what she could do. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]'s answer was direct: whatever he needed. If he wanted muscle, she could shift cargo. Medina tested whether she really meant that. He grabbed a random sailor and told [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] to punch him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was perfectly willing and only paused to ask where. Before she actually hit the poor man, Medina stopped her, apparently satisfied that she could follow an order without arguing about it. He set her to work moving crates and boxes. He mostly kept her around the dock and the less sensitive loading areas, but it was honest physical work. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] loved it. She could stop thinking and simply lift, carry and follow instructions. For a while, the complicated mess involving Rose, Elaris, [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]], missing time and magical Popping could be pushed aside. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] Below Deck Back in the passenger quarters, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] were left alone together. The atmosphere was not quite hostile, but it was awkward. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] found [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] crude, intrusive and irritating. Knowing he came from [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] only made her more cautious. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]], meanwhile, did not seem especially bothered by the silence. He settled into one of the hammocks, pulled out texts and equipment from his bag and occupied himself. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] redid her hair, played idly with her jewellery and occasionally glanced across at him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was mostly absorbed in whatever he was reading or working on and did not seem particularly concerned with what [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was doing. The quiet lasted until a scuffling sound came from somewhere beneath the crates. Then metal clanged. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately knew who was responsible. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was loose. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] Goes Shopping ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Kephri_Cutlery.png|780]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] wanted to know what the mongoose was doing. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] objected to her calling [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] a rodent, but that did not answer the question. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] began checking her jewellery. Nothing seemed to be missing from her. When she leaned over and looked down between the crates, however, she could make out [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] moving in a narrow gap amongst the stores. From somewhere below came the unmistakable sound of silver cutlery being collected. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was not impressed. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] defended him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was free to do what he wanted. That answer led into something more personal than either of them had probably expected. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] explained that where he came from he had never really been free. Now that he was away from [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]], he valued being able to choose what he did with his own life. He extended the same principle to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]. The mongoose was his companion, not a possession to be controlled. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] could understand the idea of having one’s freedom limited more than she wanted to say. She still asked that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s mongoose be quiet and preferably not steal anything from her. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] continued looting the ship somewhere beneath them. ### Final Preparations Hours passed. By around three in the afternoon the last of the loading was being completed. The final people came aboard, the gangplank was prepared to be taken in and Medina finally released [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] from her temporary work. He told her she had done well and that he might find something else for her to do later. Up above, the nervous young lookout was becoming increasingly animated about the weather. He was convinced the wind was wrong. Storms had been causing problems. Ships had supposedly gone down, people had ended up stranded on islands and there were all sorts of stories moving between sailors. Medina had heard enough. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], as the lookout was finally identified, had apparently predicted bad weather before and been wrong more than once. Medina told him to stop frightening people. They were only heading to [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] and would be well clear before anything serious arrived. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] remained convinced. The crew started preparing to leave. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]'s Prayer As the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] began to move away from [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]], [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] took a moment to herself. She found a relatively quiet part of the deck and said a small prayer to [[World of Tarin/04 - Gods, Faiths & Cosmology/01 - Gods & Divine Entities/Kaegor|Kaegor]], the Storm Father. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was not eloquent and did not try to make the words impressive. She also did not ask for calm weather. Storms were part of the sea. Instead, she asked that the people aboard the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] be given the strength to weather whatever came. It was the kind of prayer she habitually offered every morning while aboard a ship. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s First Departure [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] could hear the preparations even from below decks. Ropes tightened, feet moved overhead and the whole ship felt as though it was coming alive. He could not stay in the passenger quarters. He made his way up just as the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] began to move. For someone who had never been on a ship before, the reaction was almost childlike. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stood on deck with a broad smile, looking from the water to the rigging to the widening space between the ship and the harbour. The movement under his feet was unfamiliar. He grabbed ropes or railings when he needed to steady himself, but the lack of confidence did nothing to lessen his excitement. Open water stretched ahead of him. To [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]], it felt like freedom. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] and the Rigging ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Henry_Deck_Scene.png|780]] Naturally, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately wanted to climb higher. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] noticed. “Can’t do that.” [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] explained that the rigging was where he worked. If [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] climbed into his area, he would interfere with the lookout. They could crash, hit an island, miss a storm or become stranded somewhere. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] continued climbing. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] became increasingly desperate. Eventually, after a word from [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]], [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did come back down, but not before introducing himself. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] gave his own name in return and seemed genuinely confused by the interaction. “I don’t know if you’re nice or not.” [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] assured him that he was. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was not convinced. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] told him he would see him tomorrow. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] seemed uncertain whether that was a promise or a threat. ### At Sea The [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] moved away from [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] and into waters scattered with islands. Some were little more than rocky outcrops. Others were large enough to hold visible structures and what looked like temples or settlements. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stayed on deck for as long as he could get away with it, sat on a crate, fascinated by almost everything. He watched the crew work, listened to their insults and arguments and tried to absorb the rhythm of life aboard ship. Most of the sailors behaved exactly as he had imagined sailors would: constant back-and-forth, complaints about how someone else was doing a job, rough jokes and insults that seemed to mean less than they sounded. Some of the comments about women bothered him, but the general camaraderie appealed to him. By late afternoon the islands became less frequent. Eventually even they dropped away and there was nothing around them but open sea. When night came properly, the difference from the city was dramatic. Away from streets, lanterns and buildings, the stars filled the sky. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Talk ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Ahkai_Votoran_Stars.png|780]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] had remained on deck for much of the day as well, joining in with some of the crew’s rough humour without forcing herself into their business. As things quietened, she came over to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]. He had settled enough that the movement no longer occupied all of his attention. He told her he was enjoying listening to the crew, even if he did not much like the way some of them spoke about women. More than anything, he was struck by the stars. “This is real freedom. I’ve never seen so many stars.” The conversation drifted towards [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] herself. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had now told the party where he came from, and the fact that almost everyone else seemed determined to conceal even their homeland irritated him. He asked where [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was from. At first she answered vaguely: all over. Ships had been home for a long time. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] kept going. Eventually [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] gave him the answer. [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] knew very little about the far west beyond broad stories and geography. [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]], Gilyen, Nuanstar and the other western lands were remote from the world in which he had grown up. [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Torrax|Torrax]] had always dominated the horizon of his life. He understood one thing immediately: [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/01 - Nations & Regions/Solland|Solland]] was a very long way away. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] said it was not really home anymore. It was simply where she had once lived. When [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why she left, her first answer was that it had not been her speed. She corrected herself. What she had wanted was freedom. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] liked that. Freedom, to him, was a very good reason. ### The Storm Argument ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Moonlit_Bounty_Night.jpeg|780]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] spoke about storms with an enthusiasm [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] did not entirely share. To her, they could be exhilarating. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] looked towards the sky and called up to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]. "Are there any storms coming?" [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] said yes. Then he admitted he had predicted storms several times recently and had been wrong. This time was different. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] wanted to know why. Did [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] feel something? Did his little finger tingle? Did he have some sort of sign? [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] finally offered one. His feet got sweaty. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] pointed out that it could simply be hot. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was rapidly losing control of the conversation when Medina arrived and told him to shut up. Medina also reminded [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] that he was supposed to stay out of the crew's way and ordered both passengers away from the working area. As they left, however, Medina softened slightly. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] meant well. He also seemed to have hit his head more than once. That explained some things. ### Dinner [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] followed the smell of food towards the galley. They did not get very far. Medina stopped them and reminded them of the arrangement. Their food would be brought to the passenger quarters. He did not want Granny and her grandchildren wandering around amongst his crew. By the time they returned below, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] had already been eating for around twenty minutes. The meal was a fish-and-vegetable broth with thick bread. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] found the seasoning strange. It had a sweeter, more aniseed-heavy flavour than the food he was used to. His own tastes leaned towards stronger spices, lamb, flatbreads and the flavours he associated with home. So [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] pulled a small pouch of spices from his bag and added his own. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] immediately noticed. She wanted some. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] teased that she could have them if she was nice to him. He offered some to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] first. She tried the food both ways and found [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s spices had considerably more of a kick than the flavours she was used to, so he was careful not to overdo it for her. Then he handed the pouch to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] knew enough about spices to recognise several and began smelling and testing them. It was one of the first genuinely easy exchanges the two had managed. She did not say it aloud, but some of the spices reminded her of home. There was also an extra bowl that would originally have gone to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Tilly|Tilly]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] called [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] over and gave it to him instead. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] had not properly met the mongoose yet. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] introduced him and warned her that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was extremely light-fingered. More accurately, he was a kleptomaniac. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] happily ate while surrounded by the evidence of his ongoing theft spree. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]'s Dream ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Sofia_Horizon.jpg|780]] That night the ship settled into a gentler rhythm, but [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]'s sleep did not. The movement of the vessel pulled her back into memories of the journey that had brought her here. First came another ship: the voyage to Reskium. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] remembered standing at the railing, looking down at the sea and contemplating it as an option. Another woman saw her there. She seemed to understand what [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was thinking without [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] having to say it. Best to keep moving. The memory shifted to Reskium itself. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] remembered seeing a newspaper carrying word of the incident. The report was vague, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was talking about her. Better keep moving. Then came Marta and Ben, an older couple travelling south with a horse and covered cart. They had been kind to her. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] travelled with them for days. When the time came to say goodbye, she discovered that most of her coin was gone. Got to keep moving. Next was Jitsu village. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] quickly learned that being a pretty young woman alone, with very little money and nobody visibly protecting her, could put her in serious danger. Nobody laid a hand on her, but she saw the looks. People were weighing her up, being a little too kind and deciding what they thought they could get away with. Need to keep moving. Eventually [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] stopped trusting the road entirely. Her emotions were becoming harder and harder to contain, and she left the main route for a small woodland. Beyond the trees was a huge body of water. Far away, at its centre, a red glow burned against the horizon. Above it, a purple storm raged. Lightning struck the red glow. It exploded outwards. As the blast washed towards [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]], everything she had been carrying finally broke loose as well. Fear, anger, panic and everything she had spent so long forcing down came out at once. The woodland was gone. And then so was [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. ### Morning - [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]'s Collection The next morning, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] woke early. Being on a ship seemed to suit her enough that she had even slept in her armour. She headed towards the deck to determine the time and begin the sort of morning routine she associated with life at sea. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] woke after a more restless night's sleep and followed eventually. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had a different priority. He rolled out of his hammock, crawled towards the gaps beneath the crates and asked [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] what he had found. The answer was impressive. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] had accumulated a great deal of cutlery. Somewhere amongst it he also produced a small [[World of Tarin/06 - Items & Artifacts/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]], possibly a pin, ornament or some other trinket. It carried a faint magical aura, but [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] could not tell what it actually did without examining it properly. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] held out his hand and asked [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] for it. The mongoose stared back at him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stared back. For a moment neither moved, the two of them locked in a ridiculous little challenge over ownership of the shiny object. "Give." [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] finally relented and dropped the scarab into [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s palm. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] considered identifying it immediately but decided it could wait. He pocketed the scarab to investigate properly later. He did at least tell [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] that the cutlery would eventually have to be returned. "These people cannot eat soup with their hands, you know." [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] did not seem especially moved by the argument. ### Breakfast with [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Characters/NPCs/Henry.jpeg|700]] By around eight in the morning [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was back on deck. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was there. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s first question was where breakfast had gone. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] replied that there was no breakfast because a storm was coming. Someone elsewhere immediately shouted for [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] to shut up. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] arrived in time to see the exchange and was introduced to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s new friend. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] objected to being called [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s friend. Then he managed to create a completely new problem for himself by suggesting that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] could go into part of the rigging [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had been forbidden from using. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked why. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s attempted explanation only made the implication worse. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] challenged him as well. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s face changed as he realised what he had just said. He fell back out of view embarrassed. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] decided this was the perfect opportunity to climb up. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] Finally Climbs the Rigging [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] made the climb quickly and reached [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]’s position above the deck. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] was horrified. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was delighted by the view. He immediately began asking questions. Did [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] sleep up there? Who watched for storms while [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] slept? Was anyone actually watching when he was not? [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] admitted, perhaps unwisely, that sometimes he slept there and was not always awake. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] told him that did not seem like a good system. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] told him he was not supposed to be up there. The conversation became increasingly circular. At one point [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] made a half-hearted attempt to physically hurry him away, which [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] interpreted as [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] trying to kill him. “[[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], I thought we were friends.” “I don’t know what we are. I’m so confused by you.” [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] eventually agreed to leave. From below, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] watched the entire interaction and actually smiled. It was funny enough to break through her usual composure. ### Forgotten Breakfast With the crew apparently having forgotten their meal entirely, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] went looking for the galley. They found the remains of breakfast being cleared away by two galley hands, Lenny and Kenny. Their reaction made it fairly obvious that the passengers had simply been forgotten. There was a brief scramble to find something for them, after which [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] were handed bread and cheese and sent on their way. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] took extra back for Granny, maintaining the cover story despite the fact that Granny was currently somewhere else in existence. Back in the passenger room, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] returned to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s spice pouch and made a mixture of her own. She recognised several of the flavours and deliberately kept it mild enough for [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]. The meal itself was hardly exciting, but the shared interest in food and seasoning made the atmosphere between [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] easier than it had been the day before. ### Rose Pops In Suddenly, Rose appeared. *pop* ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Rose_Pops_In.png|780]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately moved towards her, turning the child around and checking that she was all right. When they asked why she was there, Rose said she had something she wanted to tell [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]. She walked straight over to him and whispered the secret into his ear, keeping whatever it was from the others. Rose seemed fine and cheerful enough, but the conversation quickly returned to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] did not like Rose leaving whenever she wanted, and Rose did not like being restricted. Rose's explanation was muddled, but the group came away assuming that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] had been trying to train her, give her tasks and make her stronger. Rose was not interested in spending all her time being trained. She wanted to explore and have fun. Rose also brought up Trekor and, with all the subtlety expected of Rose, announced that he had been talking about [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] and wanted to kiss her. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and the others told Rose where they were: on the ocean, travelling towards [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]] before heading onwards to find more Roses of Igoda. Rose seemed pleased that they were actually going to do it. Then her attention moved to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]]. ### Mr Shiny Rose immediately liked the mongoose. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] was introduced properly. Rose decided that his name could also be "Mr Shiny." [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] encouraged the idea by asking whether [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] had something shiny he could bring her. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Kephri|Kephri]] disappeared into the stolen hoard and returned with a shiny napkin ring. Rose put it onto a finger even though it was far too large. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately pointed out that it could be magical. The others suggested that perhaps [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]] could have a look at it later. Before they could get much further, Rose popped away again, presumably returning to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Cassa Redwillow|Cassa]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked whether Rose did this often. The answer was essentially yes. ### Why They Help After Rose popped away, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] asked [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] the question he had already pushed too hard once. Why were they doing this? They were sailing towards dangerous places because a child had asked them to find magical Roses connected to a corruption that had existed for generations. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] had told them his own reason for being involved. He wanted to understand theirs. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] did not give him a long history. She gave him the part that mattered. Rose was a little girl. She was alone. She deserved to feel safe. For [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]], that was enough reason to help. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] accepted the answer. He did not push [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] again. Instead he joked that he did not want another rain cloud appearing in the cabin, then told her more sincerely that whenever she was ready to say more, he would be there to listen. ### Another Day at Sea The day settled back into the rhythms of the ship. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] continued helping the crew whenever they gave her something to do. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] repeatedly followed her out and attempted to help as well. The captain repeatedly caught him, told him he was a passenger and sent him back down. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] waited. Then he came back out again. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] mostly remained out of the way, watching [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] come and go with amusement. By late afternoon or early evening, the motion beneath them began to change. ### The Storm The first obvious sign was the way the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] started moving. The gentle sway became heavy enough to shift loose items around the cramped passenger room. Wind and rain could be heard outside even through several levels of timber. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]] had been right. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] looked worried. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] tried to reassure her. Rough weather was normal at sea. She said it whether or not she entirely believed it. The movement continued to worsen. By around half past seven or eight, another detail started to matter: dinner had not arrived. That was unusual enough to justify checking. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] headed out, with [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] following towards the source of the food smell. The moment the door opened they realised how violent the motion had become. Even below deck they struggled to keep their footing. The galley door was closed. They climbed higher. With every level the storm became louder. ### The Empty Deck When they emerged onto the main deck, rain and wind hit them full force. Lightning gave them brief flashes of visibility. No crew were working the deck. Nobody came running when the passengers appeared. The deck looked almost abandoned. Except for one familiar figure standing in the rain. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]'s Return ![[The Rose of Igoda/99 - Attachments/Scenes/Session 09/Edgar_Storm.jpg|780]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stood drenched in the storm, long hair hanging wet around his face, seemingly almost indifferent to the rain. He had been in [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] for roughly thirty days. After the events at the Bardic Mansion, where he believed he had killed Rose, the Thieves' Guild had cast him out and the guards had been set on him. He had spent the missing month hiding in the city. Eventually, with no Guild and nowhere else to go, he had stowed away on the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]]. Now the people he blamed for everything were standing in front of him again. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] said he did not believe in coincidences or fate. He had lost the Guild. He had lost his friends, his purpose and what he considered his family. Those things were all he had ever known. As far as he was concerned, the party had taken them from him. He insisted that he was not a monster. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] rejected that immediately. Nobody had forced [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] to draw a blade on Rose. Nobody had put the weapon into his hand or made his choice. If his life had fallen apart because of what he did, then that consequence belonged to him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] accused them of putting the child in front of him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] told him to have the strength to stand by his own decision. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] did. In the worst possible way. He swore that he would make all of them pay for what they had made him become, even if it was the last thing he ever did. ### Combat Begins [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] was the first to act. He stepped into a line of sight around the mast and drew his bow. “You say you aren’t a monster. That’s quite a monstrous threat you make.” The etched markings along the bow began glowing blue. The same light ran into the arrowhead as [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] released the shot with a crackle of lightning. It missed. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] immediately declared that it had been a warning shot and ducked back towards cover. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] raised a hand and cast Hold Person. Blue rope-like magic began wrapping around [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as he moved. For a moment it looked as though she had him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] clenched a fist and invoked something that sounded like, “Rosetta’s gift. Not today.” The magic broke. Then [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] shadow-stepped across the rain-darkened deck. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Engages [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] charged him. Her first warhammer swing missed. So did the second strike she called upon through her priestly training. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was extraordinarily quick and slipped around both blows. He answered with his wicked rapier. The blade found a tiny gap in [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]’s armour. The wound itself seemed almost trivial at first, only a small cut. Then the blood kept coming. Whatever [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s rapier was doing, the injury did not behave like an ordinary nick. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] moved away again without giving [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] the usual chance to punish the retreat. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Thunderwave [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] moved around the mast until he could get close enough to try something different. He scratched a rapid sigil onto the deck, more like a rough scribble than careful carving. Then he punched the mark. Thunderwave erupted outwards. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] failed to resist the blast properly, taking the impact, but some other effect prevented [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] from throwing him backwards as intended. The attack still hurt him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] withdrew again, continuing to fight in short bursts from around the mast rather than staying exposed. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] Tries to Stay Calm [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was already struggling with the chaos of the fight. She tried Chaos Bolt. The spell manifested as a warping burst of psychic energy but sailed out across the sea without finding [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] retreated towards the mast and forced herself to breathe. Calm. Do not explode. Do not blow up the ship. Given what happened later, the thought was unfortunately prophetic. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Finally Connects [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was furious with [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and invoked Divine Favour, radiant power gathering around her weapon. This time she got close enough. The hammer landed with devastating force. The radiant strike dealt a huge amount of damage and visibly staggered [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He looked at [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] differently after that. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] marked her with a supernatural Vendetta, making it clear she had become his chosen target. The cut from his earlier rapier strike continued to bleed. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Three Arrows [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] saw that [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was beginning to weaken. He stepped closer to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] for a moment and checked whether she was all right. She said she was. Neither of them was particularly impressed with how little they had managed to hit [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] so far. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] changed approach. He pulled three arrows at once. Without even properly looking at them, he murmured over the shafts. Blue light spread across each one. Then he fired. The three arrows curved unerringly through the storm like Magic Missiles and slammed into [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] one after another. There was no dodging them. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] Hits Back [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] tried Chaos Bolt again, this time committing more power to it. She used luck to correct the cast before it was lost. The result manifested as lightning. A blue bolt tore from [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]’s hand and struck [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as lightning flashed above them at almost the same moment. For a second [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s ribs and bones were visible through the light beneath his skin. He screamed that they would all die. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was not impressed by the threat. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Hunts Him [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] kept trying to keep distance between himself and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] kept following. She shouted after him to stop running away and called him a coward. Another hammer blow connected. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was now visibly struggling. He stumbled and looked close to collapse. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]], however, was paying for every second she ignored her own wounds. The bleeding from [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s rapier continued to worsen. ### The Fire Bomb [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] realised he needed to change the fight. He reached to his belt, pulled free a small object shaped something like a flask or sphere with a neck, and threw it towards [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. The object flared. Then it exploded. Fire burst across the deck. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] managed to avoid the worst of the blast. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] did not. She took the full force and immediately started to panic. The fight had stopped being a difficult duel on a stormy deck. The ship itself was now burning. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] Protects [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] stopped attacking [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He tore off his cloak and threw it over [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]], trying to smother the flames and get her out of the burning area. He kept telling her it would be fine. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] was very clear that it was not fine. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] tried to keep her breathing and moving, pushing her towards a safer part of the deck while beating at the fire with the cloak. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] used the distraction. He struck [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] with the rapier. Another bleeding wound opened. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] Panics Fire was behind [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was in front of her. She was hurt, bleeding and fully panicking. She tried to get away but the positions on deck made it difficult without exposing herself to another strike. Instead of disengaging, [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] made an impulsive decision. She cast Shatter. ### Shatter Breaks the Mast The concussive spell hit [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. He resisted some of the damage. The ship did not. The spell tore through the fittings and lashings around the mast. Bindings snapped. The mast lurched. Then it began leaning at an angle that made everyone on deck immediately realise something had gone badly wrong. The entire [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] shifted beneath them. Everyone had to fight for their footing. Several of them went down. Somewhere above came a horrified sound from [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]]. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] had managed to damage [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and the ship at the same time. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Drops [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] ended up prone on the deck. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] saw the opening. He drove the rapier into her again. The new wound added to the bleeding she was already suffering. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] collapsed. For a moment she was completely down. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stood over the result and warned again that they would all die tonight. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] Brings [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] Back [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately turned away from chasing [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] and came back down the deck. She reached [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] and cast Cure Wounds with far more power than a minor patch-up. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]’s healing did not look soft or delicate. One hand went to the [[World of Tarin/04 - Gods, Faiths & Cosmology/01 - Gods & Divine Entities/Kaegor|Kaegor]]’s emblem at her chest. The other pressed against [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. The divine energy hit almost like an electric shock. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]’s eyes opened. She came back with a substantial amount of strength restored. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] immediately turned her attention back to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]. ### Everyone Is Bleeding By this point the fight was becoming difficult to track even for the people inside it. The deck was burning. The mast was damaged and leaning. The storm continued to hammer the ship. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was still bleeding from multiple cuts. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] had only just regained consciousness. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] was barely holding himself together but remained incredibly mobile. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] tried to reach him and could not. With no clear path, she used Cure Wounds on herself instead, finally stemming some of the blood loss. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] changed his supernatural Vendetta. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] became the new target. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Turns on [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] surged forwards with unnatural speed. His rapier caught [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] near the shoulder, dangerously close to a major artery. The injury was small in size but bled immediately and heavily. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] needed distance if he wanted to keep using his bow effectively. He chose to move anyway, fully aware that it would give [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] another chance to hit him. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] took it. A second wound opened. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] now carried two stacks of the same unnatural bleeding that had caused so much trouble for [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] and [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]'s Final Shot [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] got where he needed to be. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] was close enough to threaten [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]], giving [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] the opening he wanted. He drew another lightning-charged arrow. This time it hit. The impact did not end with the arrow striking flesh. Lightning surged through [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] afterwards in a second violent jolt. His body shuddered. His face was bloodied. Around his eyes, the damage was severe enough that blood began running from them as well. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] stumbled away. For the first time, he looked finished. ### [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Jumps [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] turned his back for a moment. Then he looked over his shoulder. “This isn’t over.” He threw himself over the side of the ship. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] shouted after him. “Just so you know, Rose lives!” [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]] immediately stared at him. Why would he tell [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] that? [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]]’s answer was that the man was haunted. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]] shouted only one thing after [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] as he disappeared into the storm. “Coward.” ### After [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] Nobody saw [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]] die. They had driven him off the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]], but whether he drowned, escaped by magic or somehow survived was unknown. There was also no time to search for him. Their immediate surroundings were disastrous. The ship was on fire. The mast was leaning badly after [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Sofia|Sofia]]’s Shatter destroyed its lashings. The storm was still raging. And, despite the explosion, thunderous magic, collapsing mast and extended fight, none of the crew had come onto the deck to help them. The only sign of another person nearby was [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Henry|Henry]], somewhere above them, whimpering. [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Ahkai|Ahkai]] turned to [[World of Tarin/01 - People/01 - Player Characters/The Rose of Igoda/Votoran|Votoran]]. “How do we fix this?” That was where the session ended. ## Supporting Notes > [!question]- Theories / Unconfirmed > - [[World of Tarin/01 - People/02 - Non-Player Characters/Edgar Sturron|Edgar]]’s fate is unknown. Nobody saw him die after he jumped overboard, and assuming he is dead would be unsafe. > - The absence of the Moonlit Bounty’s crew from the main deck during the storm and confrontation remains unexplained. > - The [[World of Tarin/06 - Items & Artifacts/Silver Scarab|silver scarab]] in Kephri’s hoard has a faint magical aura, but Ahkai has not identified it. > - The party **assume** Cassa is training or otherwise trying to make Rose stronger; Rose’s garbled explanation did not establish exactly what Cassa is doing. > - Rose whispered something privately to Ahkai when she arrived aboard ship; the content was not established for the session record. > - Sofia’s memory sequence reveals more of her journey through Reskium and Jitsu village, but the exact nature of the original incident described in the newspaper remains unrevealed. > - Henry had predicted storms before and repeatedly been wrong. This time he was right. > - The mast is badly damaged and the deck is burning at session end. The immediate survival of the Moonlit Bounty remains unresolved. ## Session End State > [!success]- Where Things Stand > - **Location:** aboard the [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Moonlit Bounty|Moonlit Bounty]] at sea between [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Berran|Berran]] and [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/New Haven|New Haven]], in the middle of a violent storm. > - **Party present:** Ahkai, Sofia and Votoran. Tilly is currently absent through the [[World of Tarin/08 - Threats & Phenomena/The Popping|Popping]]. > - **Rose:** still able to pop to the party independently. She appeared aboard the ship and left again. The party still intends to find another Rose of Igoda in [[World of Tarin/02 - Places/02 - Locations/Dekinsza|Dekinsza]]. > - **Moonlit Bounty:** deck on fire; mast lashings destroyed and mast leaning dangerously; crew absent from the main deck; Henry still somewhere above. > - **Edgar:** badly wounded, jumped overboard and disappeared into the storm. His survival or death is **unconfirmed**. > - **Ahkai:** wounded and bleeding after Edgar’s Vendetta and rapier attacks. He has also told Edgar that Rose survived. > - **Sofia:** was dropped by Edgar, revived by Votoran and is conscious again, though badly shaken. Her Shatter caused major structural damage to the mast. > - **Votoran:** suffered multiple bleeding wounds but used healing magic on both Sofia and herself. Her shipboard experience is immediately important to the group’s survival. > - **Kephri:** still loose aboard the ship. His hoard included stolen cutlery and a faintly magical silver scarab, now taken by Ahkai for later investigation. > - **Immediate priority:** save the Moonlit Bounty — extinguish the fire, stabilise the mast, find out where the crew are and survive the storm. > - **Longer-term objective:** reach New Haven, then continue towards Dekinsza and the preserved Rose of Igoda.