EVENT #04: SEA MONSTER HUNT AND FEASTING

[vivalamods]

EVENT #04: THE GREAT SEA HUNT

With sharpened blades and loaded rifles, the Corsairs fan out across the Eternal Ocean. The Great Sea Hunt has begun once again. As the seas froth angrily from the horde of sea monsters, Corsair ships cut a path through. As the din of battle erupts across the Ocean, the Vault is undergoing heavy activity as other Corsairs begin preparing their grand feast.With the defeat of an Imperial Legion in their belts, all Corsairs are eager to make this hunt and this feast one to remember.

There will be open logs for each major category, as well as a wild card option for players to make their own. While these logs are roughly broken into roles, characters are free to tag in and out of whichever posts suit their fancy. The missions from planning and descriptions are repeated here for convenience:

MISSIONS

Monster Investigation: Characters will investigate where sea monsters are gathering for easier and more efficient culling.
Open to: Infiltrators
Hunt Monsters: Characters will go out on ships, and cull the raging sea monsters in the Eternal Ocean
Open to: Combatants
Prepare for the Parties: Characters will need to arrange and organize for the post-hunt celebration. There will be parties held in all major Corsair cities.
Open to: Negotiators
Provide for the Parties: Characters will need to prepare food, drink, and accomodations for the post-hunt celebration. There will be parties held in all major Corsair cities.
Open to: Suppliers

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Comments

[spacetogrow]

Despite the protections, Ilphyl could still tell that they were in cold water. They paddled out a bit, stuck their head above water to locate the ships and Donny as they tread water, and then changed.

They hadn't tried the orca form before, but they had been observing them. Weird to be in an aquatic form that still needed to breathe, but their hearing was even better than an elf. Suddenly seas that were largely muffled to elf ears were far more like being on land in terms of animal and people sounds.

They still couldn't speak, but they could make sounds, so they tried a whistle with an upward pitch -- a questioning sound. Are you ready? They were big enough that if Donnie needed a lift, they could easily pull him along.

[purplexing]

Oh, that's...impressive. Donnie can't help but be on edge at the sight of an aquatic predator (those are some interesting teeth...), but Ilphyl had been the only other being in the water, and he's never actually seen an orca otherwise.

It's not like the turtlekin can speak underwater anyway, and the sounds made by the creature are almost amusing for how playful they almost seem. He nods, pointing in the direction they're to go, starting to swim ahead although given Ilphyl's shape he knows he'll be quickly outpaced, so he'll just grab onto the dorsal fin once passed.

[spacetogrow]

Yes, excellent. Ilphyl used to use an octopus form if they needed to swim, but those weren't exactly fast over long distances. The orca might lose out in manual dexterity, but Ilphyl feels perfectly comfortable in the water, and the main thing keeping them from zooming off was what they thought was a safe speed for Donnie to hold on. Hopefully this also let him save some energy in case they needed it.

They stop near where the seabirds are circling. Ilphyl is focusing on trying this echolocation, thing (not for the first time, but prior to this they were doing it as a bat), and to hold steady so that Donnie can see both above and below the water if he needs to.

[purplexing]

Donnie'd prefer to stay below water, it's far warmer than being in the brisk air, and he pointedly shifts to grab onto a pectoral fin instead in an effort to keep it so.

He doesn't need to watch for birds when there's quite a show visible below the waves, and as they draw close enough they can both see rather plainly the large serpentine form twisting about in and out of the water, a maw of sharp teeth grasping at mouthfuls of the panicking schools of fish, and perhaps a seabird or two who had been too bold in their own quest for a snack.

[spacetogrow]

Good. One serpent spotted, though Ilphyl circles a bit to listen for more serpents. Hopefully, it would not see another ocean predator as competition.

Also keeping Donnie in mind, since Ilphyl doesn't recall if the turtlekin can breathe underwater or hold his breath.

[purplexing]

Donnie can hold his breath abnormally long...or is it normal, given what he is? Either way, it's why he usually is quick to volunteer for things that involve being underwater.

Once they've come in close enough, the turtlekin lets go, looking around in the case that the feeding frenzy's drawn anything else's attention. With his goggles he has a pretty clear view, although the magnification only works to a certain degree if he tries to adjust the lenses for anything further than where the sea monster is.

There's a low, warbling sound that thrums through the water then, although Donnie can't tell where it's coming from. It's not a problem for long as from the deeper waters the head of another beast comes snaking into view, its sinuous body weaving towards the scattering bait ball to join in the feeding.

[spacetogrow]

Good to know that Ilphyl isn't the only creature using sound to navigate. They note the sound and use it -- better not to draw attention to themselves.

They are keeping an ear on Donnie, because the turtlekin is small enough one of the serpents might decide he is worth the trouble of eating, but they are also diving to get depths that might be troublesome for a smaller being, even one able to hold their breath.

[purplexing]

There are definitely limits to the depths he can swim, and Donnie's mostly kept well clear of going any deeper than he's felt comfortable with. Out in the open sea, that depth can vary.

He watches a little anxiously, Ilphyl's concerns also his own, but at least it seems that the creatures are too distracted by the meal right in front of them to notice the extra eyes upon them. But it also seems like the schools of fish are thinning out, making it more difficult to grab mouthfuls, and the entwining bodies begin to loosen from the tight circuitous paths as the silvery curtain scatters further from them.

The massive beasts swim almost lazily around, looping in slowly widening laps before one begins to head off, and the other follows.

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl can't ask directly if Donnie wants to follow them, but they can make sure the turtlekin is paying attention before they mime it -- swim a bit to follow the serpents, double back, swim back towards the boats, then double back, then attempt to tilt their head in a question (which is more of a full body tilt).

They really need some level of sign language in wild shape.

[purplexing]

Donnie can at least guess at what the suggestion is, about to have pointed in any case. It seems they're on the same page at last, so he gives Ilphyl a thumbs-up before pointing in the direction the creatures have headed, moving to hitch a ride again.

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl is happy to let Donnie ride along as they follow the serpents, and may be balancing the need to make sure their passenger is safe, the desire to keep observing the serpents, and the joy of being in a shape that is so well suited to swimming.

[purplexing]

It wouldn't do for them to go too far, and Donnie's starting to suspect that they might not be able to safely trace where the serpents are going, not without starting to go deeper.

But perhaps Ilphyl can feel it too as they move away from the area they'd been, the shift in temperature in the water. It's still not freezing down here, but back where they'd started had been considerably warmer.

Donnie glances back, frowning thoughtfully. Already he can see the faint glimmers of schools that regather back in the area they'd come from. He looks forward again, the path of the sea creatures angling downwards, and it's a bit unsettling that he can't make out much beyond them. He taps Ilphyl's side, gesturing for them to head back up.

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl can't nod, but they can at least answer in sound. They really need to work on a signaling system for other forms. But they can respond by heading back to the surface, and turning back towards the boat. They have a good enough sense of direction that they won't need to head back to the feeding ground first.

[purplexing]

Once his head breaks water, Donnie takes in a fresh breath of air. He tries not to cling too much but it's chilly here, so at least Ilphyl is making good speed.

"No point in following them further, I think," he says. "They might return...or others will come. The currents are warmer back here, that's why the fish are gathering."

[spacetogrow]

This gets Ilphyl's best attempt at 'sound of agreement'. They want to ask if Donnie wants them to detour back to warmer waters or just focus on making the quickest return trip, where there will be warm drinks and heated towels, but that's too complex to mime out on the fly. So as long as Donnie just seems cold and not hypothermic, they will focus on speed.

[purplexing]

Donnie's just glad full winter has set in yet, otherwise he definitely would be having a time. It's still definitely brisk out here, and while he'd love to go underwater again to avoid it he knows he'll still have to get out eventually so figures he may as well put up with it.

He may not speak whale, but Ilphyl still seems to get the message, and he offers them a pat as they continue to close in on the ship.

[spacetogrow]

Ilhypl tries to get as close to a boat as possible without capsizing, even waiting for a smaller boat to be sent out, as it would be easier for Donnie to not have to swim as far back. (And for them -- they were probably going to need a bit of help once they were back to their actual form.)

But they were going to make sure Donnie was out of the water and at least starting to get warm before they returned to elf form and needed some assistance.

[purplexing]

Getting out of the water is Donnie's least favorite part of swimming. It always feels like his body's grown so much heavier, and the biting cold does him no favors as he strains to haul himself up and back into the boat.

He barely manages to keep himself from falling flat on his face once he gets back onto the deck, shivering as he takes a moment to get accustomed to gravity. And then the world goes momentarily dark as someone throws a towel over him, to which he makes no complaint as he quickly pulls it around himself to huddle beneath.

[spacetogrow]

Once Donnie is clear, Ilphyl drops their wild shape, and manages to get helped back into the boat, and into enough towels to at least dry off their skin and start getting warm

They dropped the spell they had been using to give themselves resistance to the cold, and hunkered down. "i forgot my hair would be wet after this." Between that and their ears, it was hard to resist the urge to just bury their head in blankets and towels. Or just immediately get into someone else's personal space in the name of an extra source of heat.

[purplexing]

Another towel would be forthcoming once Ilphyl is back in the boat. Donnie eventually lifts his head although he regrets the chill that slips in as his towel slips from over his face.

"I'm s-surprised nothing else is," he says as he glances over at them. He's still very much wet and while he knows he should probably dry himself off he doesn't feel like moving just yet. Which is bad, he knows. He needs to go where it's warmer before he starts feeling drowsy.

"Watch that area," he informs one of the Corsairs hanging about, the one that'd probably given them the towels. Slowly Donnie tries to get to his feet, pulling the towel closer although it still does nothing for his now exposed legs. He shivers, curling his toes in.

"C-currents are warmer there, probably intersecting so it's drawing all the f-f-fish." And more fish means more beasties.

[spacetogrow]

THe first towel immediately goes to remove moisture from Ilphyl's hair, and pull it up off their neck and back. The second one can be used to dry off and swapped for something to act as a covering. "You need to get inside first. So do I." Because the towels can't do much for bare feet.

[purplexing]

"N-no arguments there," Donnie replies, sucking in a sharp breath between his teeth. He hadn't been planning on staying out here anyway, just needed to relay the information they'd found. Already he feels sluggish, but the promise of warmth helps him start towards the cabin.

"I sure hope there's coffee..."

[spacetogrow]

"At this point, I don't care what there is, as long as it's warm. DO you need to lean on me to make it?"

At some point, Ilphyl needs to retrieve their actual clothing, but getting warm is the bigger priority.

[purplexing]

Donnie considers that before doubling down. "Coffee." He'll take anything else after that, but sometimes you just gotta have your coffee.

"Think I'll be okay," he says, just trying to focus on putting his feet where they need to go. Hopefully someone will bring his jacket, but that's a distant thought as he heads inside. They've done their part so all they need to do now is thaw out and settle in.

Wrap up here or want to have some conversation?

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl is happy to head inside, cocoon themselves in blankets and towels like a particularly odd caterpillar, and only leave a hand free to hold a mug.

"Next time we do that, we need to work on the 'staying warm' thing. Especially for you. I was fine as long as I was in whale shape."