Chapter 32
It has been three days since the AMS Dao left Emberstrand and ship-board routine has been quiet, regular and uneventful so far. The mog-stewards have been looking after their passengers with care and due diligence and the crew themselves have kept the ship steady and running with the quiet efficiency that Raziel, Thaylorn and Vazkor have experienced before. The weather is currently clear and it is about half an hour before sunset, the great golden orb of gold is dipping down toward the endless expanse of blue that is the great ocean below.
Penny's out on the foredeck, having her dinner while watching the sunset, having spent several hours of the afternoon tending to her armor. But, personal chores done, she's now taking it easy and relaxing as she enjoys the view, humming a hymn under her breath.
Thaylorn could be found relaxing upon the deck as well, not so much due to the sunset but due to the fact that he's currently manipulating a few small spheres of water, almost like dexterous magic training! Kind of. The Imp is pretty much doing his best to be out of the way of other people, staying near the starboard side of the ship.
Vazkor leans upon the ship's railing, idly puffing on his ornate Meerschaum pipe as he equally watches the sunset, blowing the smoke ring and letting it lazily drift off into the sky. The man having by now exchanged his usual expensive clothes for a regular suit of leather armor, only a red sash tied below his swordbelt giving a bit of flair. Making him pretty much ready for the adventure ahead.
Raziel steps out of the cabins and starts up onto the deck of the ship before pausing to look around while nibbling on a apple wedge. After a few moments of thought he starts acrossed it to lean on the railing near Thaylorn. A hand lifts to wave to Penny before the man looks to the imp, "haven't asked much before, but what should we be prepared for? Will it be like the ocean where you had to make sure we can breath?" There's a chitter and the sound of paws and claws ont he ship as his mongoose trails after while dragging along it's own apple wedge.
The sun continues its slow slide toward the horizon and the breeze blowing across the ship changes direction slightly. Captain Farquan emerges from the wheel house and clambers up atop it and stares off towards the north. The flapping boom of the wind tugging at the ships flag and the conversation RAziel is starting up with the water imp the only sounds onbaord beyond the thrum of the engines.
Penny lifts a hand to Raziel with a smile as he waves to her, moving from where she stands to join him and Thaylorn, the topic of what to expect of definite interest to her, bringing her dinner, little more than a fist-sized hunk of cheese and a half-eaten round of bread, tearing a bit from the later with her teeth, ears perked.
"I actually have a few of those potions with me, brewed up previously...Hopefully we aren't going to have to use them, as we'll be sailing on the surface most likely." Thaylorn offers towards Raziel as he eyes the Aegyl's mongoose and it's apple slice. "That's probably the easier part though." He offers, a smile cracking for a moment "The tough part will be getting /into/ the spirit realm itself, and by that, convincing the High Priest at the temple to let us in." He adds, gaze turning to Raziel once more "That's most of what I know, though."
Vazkor's fuzzy wolf ears perk as he hears familiar voices drifting towards him, and he soon enough pushes himself away from the railing to start sauntering across the ship, heading towards the small group. His approach announced by the spicy smell of his pipe smoke moments before he steps into view, and idly nods at everyone, giving a faint, polite smile before asking, "Meeting?"
E.M. sits on the wood before Raziel while anging away happily. The aegyl notes the glance and then looks at Thaylorn while offering him a slice with a lifted brow. "I see... hopefully we will be able to convince him without too much trouble then." He looks over at Penny and Vazkor when they draw closer then shakes his head, "we're getting closer, so I wanted to get as much information as possible on what to expect."
Talen wanders out onto the deck, blinking and rubbing at his eyes. He yawns widely and stretches, joints popping and snapping loudly. The viera chuckles at the sight of the mongoose chewing on his own apple slice, "I see he's still got the same appetite as always." Talen rubs at his stomach. "I wish I could say the same of me. Everything good with you, Raz? And you as well, Vazkor?"
Captain Farquan jumps down and pads back into the wheel house and pulls a chord, the ships horn cries three times in quick succession, then three more and the crew are suddenly racing back and forth as the moogle' voice comes over the PA. "All hands to station, passengers to the wheel house! We have a Jagd-Storm approaching from the north! All hands prepare for storm front!"
Penny listens to Thaylorn's answer to Raziel's question, smiling and nodding greeting to Vazkor as he joins, and to Talen as well after that. The sounding of the horn and the sudden bustle of sailors makes her blink, the speed of reaction from the crew actually startling her slightly before the Captain's words register, the mouse hustling her way towards the wheelhouse at the Captain's call for passengers, "Guess that means us!"
"Don't get your hopes up! It'll probably be pretty hard." Thaylorn responds, voice sounding positive regardless as he takes the offered apple slice from Raziel to munch upon. "It'll be a nice fine adventure, regardless..." He murmurs as the voice pours out from the PA system. He jumps to his feet and starts moving in that direction "Sounds like it's starting already!" Vazkor opens his mouth to respond to people, but is given pause by the Captain's warning about the incoming Jagd-storm... The swashbuckler's brow raising a moment, before he just starts heading towards the wheel house, as requested. The man looking rather calm about the whole situation, but being a former airship captain himself, it's likely not the first time he's experiencing this.
Raziel snorts a little at Thaylorn's responce, though as the alarm goes off his head lifts and he looks towards the horizon. A shudder causes his wings to rustle a little bit then he bites off a curse, taming it down to a simple, "/hate/ the Jagds.." He reaches down, scooping up the dooker and then heads the the wheel house while shoving his pet into a bag slung at his hip without too much difficulty.
Talen's ears perk up at the sound of the horn, and his eyes narrow at the mention of a storm. "A jagd-storm? So soon? This doesn't bode well at all." His cheeks go a little green at the thought. "Well, guess we should move along and hope they have something to hold onto in the wheel house. You should hang onto EM, Raz." The vieras' eyes flick over to Vazkor as they start to move, "How bad are these things in reality? I mean, I only know stories. And well, viera don't do well I've heard."
Captain Farquan is standing next to the Bosun on the wheel as the Dao skims along on an east-bound tack, the engines are rumbling and the electric lights are starting to come on inside as the wheel house as they race along. The captain glances back at you all and frowns, "I am afraid I am going to have to put you all to work my friends. I need every hand if we are going to get out of this alive." Off to the left, seen through the windows of the Wheelhouse the Northern Horizon is a riot of dark purple and black clouds, the air beneath them is hazy with rainfall and the last falling rays of the sun a it sets in the west cast rainbows throughthe falling rain as the clouds rumble and flash with green and purple lightning.... It is no ordinary storm.
Penny catches sight of the storm through the port-side windows, giving a short whistle; it's certainly like no storm she's ever seen, that's for sure. She gives a little cock of her head as she notices which way the ship is turning, but doesn't worry over it, trusting in the Captain's experience, turning to him almost eagerly, her military discipline kicking in, "I'm no sailor, sir, but I'm ready; what would you have me do?"
"What's the plan, captain!" Thaylorn chimes in, gaze going off out the windows towards the uncoming storm "I'll help as I can." The Imp would add as he glances quickly to the others, hoping his inexperience when it comes to airships, and airship flying doesn't do too much harm!
Vazkor briefly glances out a nearby window, before looking over at Talen and giving the Viera a bit of a grin, "They're pretty bad sometimes. But no worries, the Captain knows what he's doing." The swashbuckler answering with a confident tone, and looking at the Moogle Captain next and giving him a nod, not asking what needs to be done, just waiting to be told.
Raziel's eyes flick here and there before he looks at Farquan as he starts to take note of things, "we've got problems, captain.." The mage tilts his head and his attention drifts around the cabin then off towards the storm front before his eyes widen, "formost that the engines are stopping, but we're still moving north even though," he points at one of the telegraphs, "while we're set to stop. Something... is pulling us towards it.." Stopping then the aegyl's eyes turn towards the ropes and then he is pointing again, "and green fire... that's maybe what's pulling us...?"
Talen nods to Vazkor and looks to the Captain. "I also noted that the engines were slowing, we've likely lost or losing ships power shortly. Not to mention... I believe magic is definitely being messed with, the jagd is moving ahead of that storm. And uhm... is it a good idea for your crew to be scaling the rigging with that storm coming? I assume the gas bag will hold for the time being."
From the rear of the group, sandcloak wrapped tight to him to hide the sour expression on his face from the jolting and movements of the ship, Kier says softly, "And this... is why I despise flying. A Jagd cannot affect you if you are walking." Sighing once, he moves next to Talen to look out over the horizon towards the fire that was noted, as well as the other things being talked of, his eyes carrying a somewhat dull cast to them, as under the cloak he chews away at a piece of root to keep his stomach calm, the other hand under to stroke between Dust's ears where he hides like a lump on his shoulder, disorting his profile.
Captain Farquan nods to Raziel, "As Summoner Talen says, the Jagd is messing with us, its magic leeching properties are moving ahead of it on the wind. The engines are set to stop because we cannot outrun it. I'd rather we turned them off then have the storm shut them down and they explode." he flicks a switch and moves to grab the wheel with the Bosun mog as the ship rocks from side to side. "You are wrong Master Kier, a Jagd will kill you on the ground in hours or days. In the air we can ride through it." He glances at Penny, "I need you, Vazkor and Kier to get up in the rigging and make sure the gas-bag stays secure and fight off any emanations that form. There are pockets of trapped magic in the clouds and they will coalesce into beasts if we are not careful. Master Thaylorn go with them, you can fly so you can be of more help up there. Raziel, Talen I need you too up front calling out a path through the storm, you can both sense magic more acutely then the others. I need you to find me a path through the storm that avoid the charged magical pockets. We need to ride through this and out the other side on the gas bag and rudder alone."
Penny gives a curt nod as she receives her instructions, looking to Vazkor and Kier, then out at the bag above the ship, "Guess it's hand-axe and dagger for me, then. No way I'm trying to carry eight feet of poleaxe into the rigging, like as not I'd loose it over the side." Without further delay, she's out of the wheelhouse again, looking for a rope to tie herself off with, preparing to climb.
"Aye! I shall do my best to keep them all attached and in one piece!" Thaylorn remarks as he reaches to rest a hand on the hilt of his blade "Hope we're not stuck in here for long though." He remarks as he exits from the wheelhouse to see where the best spot to fly to might be outside!
Vazkor nods at the Captain just once, and starts to move to head outside, his stride confident, despite the information he just received about randomly conjured beasts and whatnot... The man only pausing a moment to grin at Penny, and reaching down to draw his Cutlass with a crackle of electricity across its blue blade, "S'why I carry this. I've spent my fair share of time in a ship's rigging." Before he looks over at the others, and adds, "Be safe." And steps outside into the storm.
With everything he pointed out already known by the captain, Raziel falls quiet. He shakes his head then before starting out of the cabin to take up the position he had been asked to by the captain though he as he passes he looks to Kier and then back to the moogle then back again, "at least on the sands you have your bearings I think is your thoughts.. also a less sick stomach." He pauses and glances at Talen, "keep in my sight. If you start reacting badly I need to know quickly," only then continuing past while reaching down to click the lock on the bag and then pat the side lightly.
Talen nods to the Captain, lowering the flaps on his hat, and wrapping his scarf around his face and neck. "Aye aye Captain." He turns and nods to Raziel, "I won't be far away." He then looks to Thaylorn, Kier, Penny and Vazkor. "Good luck to you all. The spirits watch over us." The viera follows Raziel out, only pausing to give Kier a quick hug before heading out. Kier reaches up under his cloak, and digs Dust out, making him move to settle in a corner, followed by the sandcloak, so that he minimizes any of the drag that might come from it. From there he unlimbers his Ostep, leaving it in it's collapsed form as he moves towards the other side, and says towards the others, "Do not die." About as close to a luck gesture as he then heads for the opposite rigging from Vazkor and begins to make his way up into position.
Captain Farquan follows the party to the door and holds the handle, "Good luck, I'll keep Dust safe and EM," he takes the mongoose from Raziel. "There is a communications node on the fore-peak use that to speak to me here in the wheel house." He waves a hand in good luck to the others then turns back inside, shutting the door against the howling wind. The clouds are racing over the ship now and there is an oily static charge in the air now as rain begins to fall. Driven by the howling wind the ship creaks and sways from side to side as it is driven by the whims of the storm, dragged deeper into the boiling currents of clouds and anti-magic. The lights flicker and start to die as the magically infused and warded regulators of the steam engines that provide elctricty start to stutter and flicker. Up in the ringing it is worse, exposed to the elements. Kier and Thaylorn are having a bad time of it being buffeted by the winds and are unable to get higher then half a foot up the ringing. Penny and Vazkor meanwhile are able to clamber up onto the side of the gas-bag and the web of rope that holds it in place. From down below Kier and Thaylorn are able to see what Vazkor sees but they are unable to do anything to help against it. Thankfully the swashbuckler is more the a match for the strange entity of energy and light that rears up behind Penny as she climbs higher and he easily dispatches it with a swipe from one of his cutlasses. They spark with energy however and for an instant the entire gas-bag is illuminated in green electrical energy as Vazkor's and thge ship rocks though the strange being thratening Penny has been dispatched. Meanwhile RAziel and Talen have made it down from the Super-structure to the main deck, they still have the entire length of the Dao to go and they can both sense the immense void of magical energy directly ahead of them and an equally large spot of pure energy nearby, the winds driving the two toward the ship in what will no doubt be a very unpleasent encounter of magical energy and magical draining force and they are no where near the front of the ship to shout directions.
Penny scrambles her way up the rigging without much trouble, seeming to rather enjoy the climb despite being buffeted by wind and rain, checking the ropes that hold the bag for frays and splits as she goes. Being so focused on her task, though, she fails to notice the entity preparing to strike behind her, so much that her first clue it is even there is it's death, and the light-show that comes along with it, the mouse crying out in startled surprise, clutching the rigging to keep from loosing her grip. She looks over her shoulder, then at Vazkor, smiling thanks to him before resuming her climb and rope-checking, though this time with an eye on the storm around her as well.
That blasted storm is even keeping the Imp from flying up! He'd probably get blown way of course, and probably overboard! Instead he wathces the battle being waged above for a few moments. Being unable to do much at all, Thaylorn moves to see if there's anyone to help upon the deck still in need of assistance, helping to secure any loose cargo or equipment if he's even able to move around without getting thrown about by the wind!
Vazkor seems to be in his element, scaling the rigging like some salty old sailer, within minutes finding himself high above the ship, one arm hooked behind the rope to keep himself secure, the other holding onto that enchanted Cutlass, its electrical energy crackling along the blade, making it glow a bright blue in the darkness of the storm. And it's a good thing he has his weapon out too... His gaze shooting over to one of the creatures they were warned about as it appears behind nearby Penny, and the man swinging himself across the rigging towards her to strike at it and instantly vanquish it, managing to grip onto the rope again just in time, "Careful there, dear!" He shouts out into the storm, grinning almost wildly at the mouse.
Raziel grits his teeth as he struggles to get to the front of the ship though he shouts to Thaylorn over the wind and rain, "do you feel that??" The man slides to the side of the ship to be able to pull himself along the railing, hand by slow hand at a time while he tries to fight against the opposing forces and warn the captain before it's too late.
Talen clings to the side of the ship, yelling at Raziel. "You go to the bow, I'll try to get back up to the wheelhouse and tell the captain about the void and magical energy! I don't think we'll get to the bow before those two spots get to us." He turns back towards the wheel house, clinging on any nearby rope, rail or heavy object, moving as fast as he dares.
Having a ready weapon seems to be doing Kier little good in his attempt to climb, so he slips it back into place, while holding on and watching what happens with Vazkor, and Penny. Turning his head into the wind for a moment, he sniffs, and then narrows his eyes as he then continues to scale, working himself as high as he can in as short a time while keeping his grip.
BWUMPF! Goes the air around Raziel as Thaylorn bobs into view just ahead of the aegyl, he weaves a shield water all around the pair of them creating a dry, clear space safe from the wind and rain! With this in place Raziel is able to reach the fore-peak of the ship with Thaylorn carrying the shield ahead. It is clearly not easy for the imp to maintain, not in the middle of a Jagd storm but for now the blue imp is keeping the storm at bay and giving Raziel a respite from the weather! He is not however in time to get to the com unit before the outer edge of the colliding bubbles of magical energy and null space collide into the gas-bag. The whole thing crackles with energy that causes some very unpleasent tingling senstations in the fingers of Vazkor, Kier and Penny as well as the moogle crew who are up in the rigging trying to keep the gas bag the right shape and attached. Thankfully the ship suddenly jinks to the left as Talen stumbles back onto the wheel house, falls over an EM, rolls in a clatter across the room and winds up with Dust sat on his chest going "Mew" in query as he shouts his warning to the captain to turn hard to starboard! The ship swings around just as the air where they were about to sail all but erupts in a massive blast of green fire that then just winks out and collapses with a boom as the Jagd nullifies the magical explosion. Up on the gas bag however no one has been shaken loose amongst our heroes but Kier, Penny and Vazkor each catch a moogle as they slide free of the web of ropes up top and then turn to unleash the combined might of their skill on the strange ephemeral creatures that are forming out of the St Elmo's fire plaguinig the ship. Ahead of the Dao the air is a sheet of darkness, Raziel would be able to feel the void of nothing, the space where no magic exists only nature whipped into a screaming fury! They are about to plunge straight into it and it is up to him to somehow chart a course to safety through the storm.
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