Minefields - RPLOG
Participants
Date
2/3/477
Log
A fine mid-morning in the Maritime district, when the fishermen are gutting and salting their catches and stinking up the entire waterfront with the scent of fish guts. Well, maybe not a fine morning any more, but at least it's more tolerable in and around the rose walkway, where a research vessel is being loaded. It appears to be a sturdy craft - one certainly notices the steel-reinforced hull - but if there are any weapons, they're not abovedecks. A few academics board the gangway and quickly disappear belowdecks from the gaze of the early morning sun, while a few more wait for the arrival of the hired bait - one means, field testers.
Bite stretches as she sways along, making her way to this vessel she'd been hearing about. A first-hand viewing should be helpful, for the right cost of course. She looks around at the fish, trying to decide who if anyone she will buy some from based on their works, before she stops at the steel reinforced boat and waits expectantly for someone to greet her.
Alef walks up to the gangway from the dock, wearing a simple cotton shirt and leather pants, leaning on her staff as she shields her eyes from the glare, moving to Taipan standing by it. "are you part of the research trip?" looking at Bite curiously.
Dio takes a heavy whiff of the air. Nothing like the smell of fish in the morning. A nasty scent to some, but fishing is certainly a handy skill for one who calls themselves a professional traveler. Coat, armor, and weapons checked, the lion strolls up behind Alef and Bite with the subtlety of a burning tree stuffed with gunpowder. "GOOD MORNIN' TO YA LASSIES," he booms, putting a hand on each of their shoulders. "A fine day fer fishin', no?"
At length, a Water-Clanned sea krait steps down from the gangway - now that the wind's changed, the vessel's name is clearly denoted on its side, the Hathway. Taking a moment to appraise all three Freeswords, the krait keeps her face completely straight as she addresses them.
"Well, a very good morning to all three of you. I'm Aris, and while I trust you've all read the summons there nevertheless is a certain amount of explaining that needs to be done. This creature, whatever it is, was last spotted some ways south of the coast, not too far from the blockade - or rather, the attempted blockade - the Isharans have set up. When we approach the area, we'll lower you ina dinghy with anything you need, and then observe at a safe distance while...while you investigate the waters. Anything you can discover about this thing would help, but if you can find out anything about the beast's motivations, that would be ideal.
Are there any questions or requests you'd like to voice before we push off?|
Bite half nods to Alef and hisses "I hope so." before she blinks. The serpent reaches for her dagger as she turns around, stowing it again when she realizes it's the living shield from the forest. "Oh hey sssweetie." she says as she slips him off of her shoulder and giggles. As the krait somes out she smiles, giving a nod as she talks. "Nothing to request at this time, but I do expect there is some form of compensation for being up close with a massive creature?" she hisses.
Alef eeps lightly at Dio's entry, sighing "one day Dio, il get back at you for that." Smiling lightly, sighing gently as she feels slightly better about this now that Dio is along. "Its a pleasure to meet you." Offering her hand to Bite. "I dont think we have met before, my name is Alef Bustoke." nodding as the krait walks down the ramp. Shaking her head. "im ready to go." nodding lightly and heading up the ramp.
The living shield watches as the snake lady slips away, but soon turns his attention to Aris. "An' a good mornin' to ya too, lass. Read it front, back, an' to the side multiple times. I think I got it down pat, but I must wonder if the boat we're sailin' on 'as any fishin' poles o' any sort. Gotta 'ave somethin' to do durin' the downtime." Dio chuckles and gives Alef a light pat on the back before moving closer to the ship. "But aside from that, I'm ready to take off."
The krait looks slightly puzzled at Dio's request. "Fishing poles? I don't think so, but you're welcome to fish if you don't get in the way of any of the deckhands or faculty staff coming along for the trip. And yes, dear, we'll be compensating you accordingly to what you're able to tell us about it, and what we can observe from our position. If there's nothing else, we can be setting off, then."
After everything's stowed away and the anchor raised, the weather mage on board conjures a gentle breeze for the sails to catch and calms the waves, or at least until the ship is out of port. At length, a small island appears in the distance - while the ship draws close, it doesn't approach it proper. Sailors prepare to weigh anchor, and a small dinghy, about the size of a lifeboat, is rolled across deck and lowered into the water by way of pulleys.
"This is the location of the last credible sighting of the creature," the Krait says as the boat hits the water with a soft splash. "Some of the sailors have taken to calling it the Leviathan, after their own ancient mariners' tales...are you sure you don't want to ask for anything? Any assistance we might be able to render will naturally take some time to reach you."
Bite can't think of anything they can do for the group off the top of her head, so she shakes it and says "I think I'll be fine." With that, she dives off of the boat, naturally away from the lowered dingy.
Alef shakes her head "Not really, just be ready to get out of here if the Leviathan turns hostile, we will manage on our own somehow." Nodding lightly, the unsure mage frowning lightly as she slowly climbs down the latter to the boat, sitting down easly, ready to use watermagic to move the boat toward there destination when dio joins her in the boat, smiling lightly at Bite's dive.
"Think we got all we need," Dio nods, checking over his equipment one last time before he gets ready to leave. "If anythin' goes awfully wrong, we'll fire off a fire magic signal o' somethin'." Waving to those on deck, the lion hops aboard the boat and settles himself in.
Slowly, the little boat drifts away from the research vessel and towards the island, and as it does so, one can see the sides start to get quite packed with onlookers. Those aren't the only eyes on the three Freeswords, though - even as Bite dives into the chill winter ocean, something else stirs below the surface, something impossibly huge. It's only after some distance has been placed between Dio's little dinghy and the research vessel that the beast does surface - just a little, enough to carry the boat a little way out of the water on a patch of grey, barnacle-encrusted skin and set it down again like a child playing with a paper boat in a pond.
Bite is quite thankful of her dedication, her rubbery skin pushing off the chills of the ocean. She swims along the dingy, at least until the water stirs and something very large gets very close to her, and lifts the boat up. She stops and tries to consider her options. "Umm... sssweeties don't panic okay? It did this before..." she says as she tries to solve the puzzle worth her research boat crowns.
Alef powers the boat along on a artifical current of water math, keeping pace with bite, not aware that Bite's pacing for them, though the spell is instantly dispelled when the massive... thing in the water starts to move, eyes widening as for a moment a barnicle as large as the boat she and Dio share is there neighboor and then it sinks back into the water. "I.. I... oh creators..." Eyes wide as bite says something, "N.n.no worrys... I.. I... dont think anything I could muster would phase it..." Looking at the surrounding water in only bearly constained fear and a little controled panic.
Dio was planning to take a little nap, folding his arms across his chest and let some air magic breeze him on by. However, a funny feeling wrenched in his stomach, and a look over the edge of his tiny boat told all the tale he needed. He grabs the boat's edge and holds on, hoping and praying its integrity holds for the playful abuse that would probably follow. "W-whoa there, lad!" Dio shouts, but not in a negative tone. "Let's talk 'bout this before gettin' to the playin' part. I wonder if it can even understand me... I mean, it must like us a little bit if it ain't tryin' to kill us."
Indeed, the beast does seem to remember Bite and Dio, at the very least. Eventually, Dio's boat is set down, the water churns, and the beast rises out of the water - or at least, some of it. If it weren't so big, the Leviathan would look almost comical - a flat-topped head lined with blubbery flesh, an oversized lower jaw that looks to blend seamlessly into its belly - or at least, as far as the eye can see below water. The beast's eyes are, as glimpsed before, at least twice as wide as the average being - meaning poor Alef - is high, and as Dio's boat is gently set down upon the water's surface, it seems to be watching them expectantly as it nudges the boat, causing it to rock precariously. That, in and of itself, would have been bad enough, if not for the blubbery, oily stink that Leviathan exhales from its strangely plated mouth. Do those count as teeth?
Before there's any time to reconsider, the beast hums and nudges Dio's boat once more. What does it want?
Bite looks at the beast and studies it, before thinking to herself how she can help. She makes a rather pitiful attempt to draw the creatures attention, a wave going over her head as she attempts to start singing.
Alef squeeks and looks conserned as the huge being presses the boat with his snout, nose curling at the smell coming from its mouth, "Hello? Can you hear me? Can you understand me?" Calling up to the being curiously, if it really wanted to hurt them it could, so obviously the huge being is not trying to hurt them... but shes at a loss as to how to communicate with the creature.
Dio lets out a relieved sigh as his boat is finally let down. Still playful as the day they met. "Alright, we're gettin'... somewhere I think." With their boat down where it should be, the lion relaxes his stance and tries to smile, despite the awful smell. "Yeah, can ya understand us, lad? If ya can, try wavin' like this," he says, pulling up one arm and waving slowly in front of the leviathan.
Alas, Bite's efforts fail to catch the beast's attention, but Alef and Dio's words seem to have some effect, even if it's not exactly what was expected. At least sure that it now has their attention, the Leviathan sinks under the waves and resurfaces a little way away, turning around and looking at Dio and Alef expectantly, then expelling a small cloud of fine bubbles at the underwater Bite. It makes a vaguely distressed mooing, sound, swims in circle -causing the water to turn choppy - then moves further away once more before turning back and eyeing them expectantly.
Dio peers closely at the strange creature's actions. He's never really seen wildlife act in such a fashion before. It definitely wants something from the group, but what? They didn't have anything to give, aside from maybe food and it could easily get that if it tried. "Those sounds it's makin' make 'em sound pretty mad. I bet there's somethin' somewhere that's agitatin' it, and it wants us to go see what it is. If we're up fer it, we should follow 'long."
Bite looks at the creature and then Dio and swims slightly around the bubbles, unsure of them before she decides to try and follow the creature.
Alef blinks. "you want us to follow it Dio?" already the water around the boat churns abit. her water math going back to work to ready it for moveing. "Just say the word and we will follow." Nodding again and following Bite and the whale creature as fast as she can make the boat go safely.
Indeed, Dio's guess is correct. Satisfied that the small boat is following it, the Leviathan leads Bite, Dio and Alef out to a wide expanse of ocean, with the Academy's research vessel tailing along behind. The trip is largely uneventful - up to the point when the beast lets out another agitated rumble and bats at the sea with a flipper, a tremendous wave carrying Dio's dinghy backwards and away - the underwater Bite included. Moments later, the ocean's surface upwells in what could only have been an underwater explosion, and bits of steel-riveted wood float to the surface. Everyone is wet, but largely unharmed, thanks to the beast's actions.
Bite is rather startled by the push, staring at the scene before she rises to the surface. "Tell the reserach vessel to stay back sssweetie there's things stuck down n the water, barrels of some sort." she hisses. She then tilts her head and sighs. "And I think he's been upset because whatever that was seems to have hurt him, they're dangerous."
Alef crys out as the wave approaches. dio feeling a tingling in his throat and lungs as the boat goes under with them. though the sensation of drowning never comes as after a moment Alef pats Dio on the shoulder. breathing the water as easly as if were air as she adjusts herself and starts to swim to join bite. "You think that being wants us to clear those barrels?" blinking "You think the Isharans put them there?"
"Whoa whoa whoa! What's goin' on lad!" Dio shouts, gripping tightly at the tiny boat in vain as he soon finds himself cast into the ocean, boat flipped over along with him. In little time at all, the awfully wet lion surfaces with help of Alef's magic and grumbles under his breath. No matter how many swim assisting water magics were put upon him, wet fur, especially his mane, and clothes still remained. "Thanks lass," he says, shaking his about to remove some water and uprighting the boat with some effort. "I bet the navy will wanna hear 'bout this."
Now sure that everyone has seen what it's wanted them to see , the Leviathan swims a little distance away from the minefield with surprising speed for something that's bigger than a large airship. Letting out a gentler, plaintive mooing sound that's quite loud underwater, the beast blows another cloud of frothy bubbles at everyone. It's likely that it expects the trio to do something about the mines.
Bite analyzes the mines for a while, before coming up and sighing. "We do need to inform the navy about this, and I don't know how far these go along. I do have an idea I'd like to try before we leave though." she hisses and looks to the others. "Do any of you know enough math to help me attempt to freeze a chunk of ice above that area over there?" she hisses and looks expectantly. "I guess we could get help from the researchers too."
Alef nods lightly, "I dont have much experance in Ice math, but I can help you if you do." Nodding lightly at the mention of the researchers, "What should we use to signal? I would rather not also summon any Isharan ships with something too flashy." nodding lightly as she treads water beside Bite and Dio. "Anything you want me to do just let me know." Nods lightly.
With the boat flipped back over, Dio quickly clambers back on board and frowns deeply at his dripping clothes and fur. "Don't need anythin' special to signal 'em. I said I'd use a bit o' fire magic if we ever needed their 'elp. They should still be watchin' us an' I bet they'd notice a simple fire orb." Using some fire magic, Dio raises an orb of fire a few meters in the sky, hoping they'd take the signal they discussed earlier.
The serpent works to create a decent size chunk of ice overtop the location of the mines, doing her best to make it as massive as she can.
Alef focuses on her air and water, combining the two in tandum with bite to try and maxamize the size of this artifical iceberg, sweating abit at the amount of power going into the spell, not that its noticeable underwater as she focuses on doing the equations needed for the spells.
"Looks like they're comin', lassies," Dio proclaims, watching the ship's actions and nodding. "I ain't too sure what ya two 're up to exactly, but it seems like yer doin' it well! Good luck to ya." In the meantime, Dio takes off his coat and dangles it in his hands, using a trivial amount of air magic to blow dry it off.
It doesn't take too long for things to start happening, and not in a good way. Once the artificial iceberg reaches critical mass, the ocean's surface is churned into a froth as the Isharan mines are triggered and explode into the iceberg, shattering it from below and breaking off chunks. Still, more keeps on being added thanks to everyone's efforts - after receiving Dio's signal and watching the first explosions, the mathemagicians on the Academy's vessel realise what's being done and gradually take over maintaining the makeshift minesweeping spell.
There are far too many mines for them to all be swept at a moment's notice, but at least the Leviathan appears to understand that those nasty things are going away. While everyone's been busy, it's disappeared and has just returned with what looks like...oh yes, it is a wreck of a merchant sloop, still dripping silt from the ocean floor and looking pretty old. Not too unlike a dog with a rather large bone, really. The beast lets go of the wreck, leaving a few loose teeth still embedded in the wood, and then slowly sinks below the water's surface and vanishes into the depths. At least the wreck appears to be floating on its own power - although it'll need to be towed back to be properly salvaged.
Bite calls to the ship to help get the salvage together, swimming over to it herself, quite pleased with herself, to secure a tooth, humming to herself as she does so. "We can tell sweetwater what the problem is and how to help alleviate it. And look at this!"
Alef cant help but giggle, giving the Leviathan a pat on the side as he starts to swim back into the deep water. "So long. and thank you for letting us know those were there." nodding lightly as she swims back to the boat. growning weakly as she trys to climb back in with dio. her arms visably straining as she falls back into the drink. trying to swim toward the research boat, her body visably drained as she slowly, weakly, trys to climb a ladder up the side.
