(073) Wind and Sand

[coffee]

Once Dieter's wounds are tended to he'll go outside and stand watch.

[Eris]

Dieter will be joining Olaf, then, because he never went into the cramped space below decks.

"NOTHING MUCH HAPPENING OUT HERE!" Oalf shouts from his position squatting beside the ruined boat out of the wind and sunlight.

"I'M SORRY I WRECKED THIS THING," he nods toward the skiff. "I THOUGHT I HAD IT FIGURED OUT, BUT LANDING PROVED HARDER THAN I THOUGHT." Olaf adds then asks, "SO WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE?"

[flightcommander]

Armando lurks around the ovoid, inspecting pipes and casting about for any portals, trapdoors or oddments.

[coffee]

"THEY'RE PLANNING, IN THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN DO SO WITHOUT SHOUTING," Dieter bellows over the wind. "I FELT ITCHY IN SUCH AN ENCLOSED SPACE, AND CAME OUT HERE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT."

[Condorcet]

Helmut continues to tend to Josiane's wounds, using far more care that he ever would with his own - he was afterall tending to The Saint herself! Not some fetid gutter-wench.

"My Lady I fear I am unworthy," he says, not taking his eyes from the wound, "It is my duty before Thuul to defend you, but...I ...could not predict a spear of sand....and a daemon of wind!"

"Were it that I had paid more attention to my studies..."

[doctorx]

"You have defended me valiantly, Sir Helmut, against a most formidable opponent," Josiane replies with a gentle smile; "You have nothing to chide yourself for. Indeed, I count myself honoured to have so gallant a champion. Thank you."

She dabs the blood from her cut and swollen lip and manages to flash the Templar her pretty smile regardless.

[Condorcet]

"My thanks for your kind words, My Lady," says Helmut solemnly, "though I am but a humble servant of Thuul."

"That should see you well," he says, tying off the last makeshift bandage and sitting back on his haunches in the cramped space.

"I do not know which I dread more should you come to harm.", he says after a moments thought, "I do not doubt the wrath of Thuul will be fearsome indeed, but whether greater than the wrath of my own mind...or that of the dwarf..." he adds with a rare smirk, "...I know not.".

[sully]

"I do not doubt the wrath of Thuul will be fearsome indeed, but whether greater than the wrath of my own mind...or that of the dwarf..." he adds with a rare smirk, "...I know not.".

The dwarf. Definitely the dwarf.

[waysoftheearth]

All this occurs.

Ulric pores over The Speculum for a goodly time, completely engrossed in the moving colours within the stone. Meanwhile, the wind continues to thrash at the skiff hull unabated...

Armando considers the knot of dull pipes and valves which seem to cluster toward the front of the ship, from where the crew would presumably have some control over the vessel. It seems plausible that the skiff's-controls on deck would somehow affect the spires within the lead-balloon, and hence goad the elemental to drive the ship in the desired direction. A work of pure devilry, to be sure.

At last Ulric speaks. "If this device is to be trusted, it appears Gustave is captive in a fortress other than that which looms closest! I believe it the second-next to the right of the nearest fortification, and I have chanced to glimpse many empty passages and chambers. Judging by what I have seen, the fortress is not heavily occupied!"

Dieter and Josiane benefit from some respite and attention to their hurts; 1d6 Dieter=2, Josiane=2.

Dieter (F5) hp 22 12 14
Josiane (C5) hp 16 12 7 9

What next?

[heartless]

"Well, we need to not waste time here if time passes so quickly back home, and we need to find more water before what we have runs out. I am ready to follow your lead on-wards to find Gustave", says Ashtad. Ashtad then goes outside the ship to keep a look out and search around for anything of interest and especially arrows to replace her used ones, first looking for her shoot arrows. Ashtad will look in the rooms of the ship next looking out for treasure, water, food and weapons and any mirrors.