The Aftermath

[shaidar]

Xenos offers to take the last watch

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

"Yes, the Black Gulf. What could possible go wrong?"

She has no idea regarding the Okeanos and ocean currents save for the coastal regions.
She will take a watch near dawn.

[Scott308]

Euripides Nereos

I will take the watch after you, Akhilleus. He then turns to Mikhail. The Black Gulf? I've never heard of it. Can you tell us about it?

[Paladin]

Apollonius Triton

"I'll take whatever's left," he offers before making himself relatively confortable and settling in.

[subaltari]

Hakon

The big Viking is not too prideful to admit when his hunch is proved wrong (this might be a trend!) about matters metaphysical or weird. He shrugs it off but then shows interest in the vibration caused by bringing the amulets close, and checks to see if the ship's motion changes at the same time.

...Mikhail continues to look out over the water towards the south. “I wish I knew where those trinkets of yours are taking us. If my navigation skills are accurate, I don’t believe their are any other land masses in this area. I hope the color of your totems doesn’t indicate that we are heading straight for the Black Gulf!”

"Och, Captain! I can assure you only that they've been that same colour since that völva [sorceress] gifted them to us. As for the Black Gulf, my people have the sense to steer clear of it, most of them anyway. It's said some of the greatest skalds and stýri-maðr [longship captains] have been far enough to sight a great black obelisk East of the isle of the giant-worshiping Thurssonns. I would not mind peering at those glyphs carved upon it for myself, one day..."

Hakon's chatter fades into his own musings, followed by a bit of grumbling when he learns that the most comfortable of the watches are already taken. Making a pillow from his shield and pack near to the ship's rudder, he checks his wound-dressings and then wraps himself in his slightly damp wool cloak to get as much rest as possible before his watch is called.

Can I get a night time watch list along with you next actions, please?

The following is nearly alphabetical, whilst accounting for all players' claims! Any issues?

WATCHES (1½ hours each, 12 hours total)
1. Akhilleus
2. Euripides
3. Apollonius
4. Drest
5. Hakon
6. Mikhail (NPC)
7. Valkrina
8. Xenos

[OGRE MAGE]

Through The River Okeanos
Early Morning, Dark, Cold

Hakon and Mikhail explain the Black Gulf to the unknowing, apparently a place beyond land and time itself, hoping their vessel isn't headed for the edge of the world where it will simply fall off into space. Once the watch order is set, the group settles into the bottom of the boat, covering themselves as best they can, trying to stay warm and dry throughout the long, dark, Hyperborean night.

The majority of the night goes by uneventfully. However, at a point during Valkrina's watch, the longship seems to slow suddenly. Not enough to jerk her companions awake, but certainly enough for the Esquimaux woman to notice the strange anomaly. She sees nothing in the blackness of night, and the sound of the ship cutting through the waves doesn't change.

Actions?

positions:
Drest AC:7 2/7
Akhilleus AC:4 11/11
Valkrina AC:6 8/8 1/1
Apollonius AC:8 3/5 0/2
Euripides AC:5 7/7 2/2
Xenos AC:5 2/9 0/2
Hakon AC:4 4/9

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

Rings the alarm bell figuring the slowing ship is more than sailing in the Doldrums.

Entangled in kelp and dragging on the rudder might be a reason or something, claws and tentacles gripping the ship is her biggest fear.

[Scott308]

Euripides Nereos

The Atlantean hears commotion and wakes up. What...what's going on, he asks, stifling a yawn.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

Akhilleus wakes up immediately once Valkrina has raised the alarm. Like someone who sleeps with an open eye to avoid being robbed at shady places.

He goes to the front of the ship to look at whatever is causing the slowing down.

[shaidar]

Xenos wakes and looks around for danger

[Paladin]

Apollonius grabs a line (if one is available) and loops one end around the mast and curls the other end around his hand. He grips it snugly and settles back into his spot. "I'm old. If something eats me, it eats me."

[Rex]

Drest

Drest remains where he was sleeping, "If you figure out what is wrong, let me know."

[subaltari]

Hakon

Once awake and on his feet, he looks about, then moves to stand in front of the smaller Valkrina.

"Tell me, did anything seem odd when you took your watch?" he asks in a low voice, then nods his head subtly (he hopes) in Mikhail's direction.

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

"The ship does not reduce speed unless the wind changes or we weigh anchors. Something strange but I am not sure what."

[OGRE MAGE]

Through The River Okeanos
Early Morning, Dark, Cold

Valkrina awakens her sleeping comrades in the darkness, hoping they just snagged some kelp or something. The ever suspicious Hakon moves to her side, watching as Mikhail awakens next.

Akhilleus rushes to the front of the ship, but sees nothing there in the early morning darkness. The strange wizard Apollonius ties himself off to the main mast and lays himself back down in the boat next to Drest, who seems even less concerned. The others wake up and look around to see what the warning is about, but none of them spot anything in the inky black Hyperborean sky.

Mikhail moves back to the sternpost with a lit candle and gasps aloud when he sees the reason behind their current drag. A pair of slimy, thin, yellowish-green tendrils are wrapped around the ships steerboard, though whatever the tendrils are connected to remains a mystery. The tendrils appear taught, as if something is dragging behind the vessel, but the other ends disappear into the dark sea without offering any other clues. "I think we have a problem back here," is all the former captain says.

Actions?

positions:
Drest AC:7 2/7
Akhilleus AC:4 11/11
Valkrina AC:6 8/8 1/1
Apollonius AC:8 3/5 0/2
Euripides AC:5 7/7 2/2
Xenos AC:5 2/9 0/2
Hakon AC:4 4/9

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will go and examine what Mikhail found. "We should probably try and cut them somehow."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

Akhilleus goes to the stern and takes a careful look. Are the tentacles enough to hack them with a sword or at least pierce them with a pointy stick?

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

"Don't just stand there gawping at it. Hack it clear. It snags the rudder and if it is sentient you can think it seeks to sink the ship!"

She is amazed at the laissez-faire attitude in the crew to the danger. She invokes her spell craft to trace a glowing blue outline around the tendrils so that the 'glow-in-the -dark' radiance will help folk be more accurate with any hacking of the creature/seaweed.

Faerie Fire cast.

[subaltari]

Hakon

If the distance down to the steerboard is too far for Akhilleus to lean over the rail and reach the tendrils, Hakon offers either to hold his legs, or help rig a rope to hold the Kimmerian while he slashes at the creature.

With the Bard's magic already cast, there is no time to waste.

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

Akhilleus won't agree to do that. "What? With my armor and weapons? You are more likely to see me sink into the sea if that fiend grabs me. I bet it's stronger than all of us put together."

I'll roll just in case. But I don't remember if it was two or three melee attacks with specialized weapons a fighter.

Broad sword (one-handed) - To hit: [1d20+2]=16+2=18; Dmg: [1d8+3]=3+3=6

Broad sword (one-handed) - To hit: [1d20+2]=2+2=4; Dmg: [1d8+3]=5+3=8

Broad sword (one-handed) - To hit: [1d20+2]=2+2=4; Dmg: [1d8+3]=2+3=5