closed 🌻 the crew finally gets underway

[multidisciplinary]

Who: Zelda's floating circus The fledgling crew of Hand and Hearth
Status: Closed
Where: Elah, Nogard, Eltrut, all over the place, really
What: Zelda and her crew are collecting materials to offer to Elah in order to receive their ship.
Warnings: Setting-typical danger, probably.



[ Sometime after the Ghoul's Moon but before Winterstide, Zelda reached out to everyone who had agreed to help her with the relief organization she's been working hard to develop. She created a group chat via the shellphone network and announced that she had filed the necessary paperwork to receive a ship and officially found her crew!

... That was a couple months ago.

Today, at long last, her paperwork has made it through the bloated bureaucratic machine that is Paladin HQ. As soon as she finds out, Zelda immediately grabs her shellphone to share the news. ]

Everyone, I have wonderful news!

I just received word from the Assistant Deputy Director of the Elah Drydocks that we've been approved to make an offering to the leviathan Elah in order to receive our ship!

I'm sending you all the list of materials we've been instructed to gather for our offering. Most are the expected fare, but there are a number of things that are rather... esoteric.

[ >"List.txt" sent to group members. ]

I shall track our progress on the Purah Pad, so please keep me apprised of everything you gather.

And if you are uncertain of anything on the list, I shall be happy to assist as best I can.


I. The Normal Materials

[ What even goes into making a ship? Well, usually, the classification of the ship comes first. Once that’s resolved, the plans and materials are given to a shipwright, who turns these common materials into something seaworthy.

In this instance, however, the shipwright appears to be Elah themselves.

Each person in the crew probably has their own idea of what constitutes a strong and sturdy vessel– what could go wrong if everyone was allowed to bring their ideas to the table? Sure, too many cooks might spoil the broth, but is there really such a thing as too many ideas when it comes to shipbuilding?

Lumber is abundant enough, but things like rope, metal, cloth, lacquer, resin, and any other materials might be a little harder to come by. Given the world that they’re in, magical substitutions might just be what the Leviathan ordered.

Thus, the crew is tasked with finding the normal ship construction mundanities throughout Eltrut, Elah, Nogard, and everywhere in between. Pair up, fan out, and salvage everything you can. There’s no wrong answers when it comes to shipbuilding, obviously. (Protip: There are.) ]

II. The Personal Materials

[ Seafarers often speak of a mysterious being known as a Klabautermann, a fairy-like being that inhabits a ship and becomes its very soul. While this might seem like nothing more than superstition, in this world of magic, the Klabautermann could very well exist.

Willing one into being would take a more personal touch, requiring each member of the crew to offer something that represents who they are. This ship will carry their hopes and efforts across the seas of this world; it’s only appropriate to give these wills form in the shape of personal effects.

Each crew member is tasked to find an item that they feel best represents who they are and why they’re a part of this crew. Perhaps it is an item they own that is important to them, or one that represents something meaningful to them. An item related to their past, or to their hopes, dreams, and aspirations for the future. It would be a disservice to both ship and crew if the vessel didn’t carry a dash of each crew member, permanently enshrining them in the story of the vessel.

Hopefully the magic of Elah will give the Klabautermann conjured by these items a suitable form. ]

III. The Objectively Cool Shit

[ The common materials are gathered, the personal effects carefully selected, but there’s still one thing missing. Something that represents the coming together of this crew, that showcases their unity– a challenge to bond them in their shared undertaking.

Rumors have recently begun to circulate about a serpentine, dragon-like beast that inhabits a remote island across the distant sea. Its scales are said to be tougher than titanium; lightweight, durable, and, when bleached in the sun, they shine like a platinum beacon.

The Rhadiandendron.

Two scales of this creature, while difficult to obtain, would make an excellent prow for the ship. A beacon to cut through even the darkest squall, that those seeking aid could see upon the horizon.

All that remains is to obtain them from the behemoth... a task that will take the cooperation of the entire crew. ]

Comments

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda watches as part of the ship crumbles away and falls into the water. Time and weather (and whatever wrecked it in the first place) really haven't been kind to this ship.

She sure hopes hers will fare a little better...

Zelda's gaze drops to the Purah Pad in her hands. Displayed on the screen is the Sensor+ program, a radar system that detects hidden metals and treasures. Several dots of different sizes are pinging on the screen, all coming from the direction of the derelict ship. The biggest dot is the binnacle, which stands right behind the helm on the deck; the smaller dots are most likely other metal objects located somewhere below decks. ]

Then in that case, the Paladins shouldn't be too put out if we salvage a few things from this wreck for the Heroine.

[ Zelda doesn't realize that she hasn't actually told Garrus (or anyone besides Darin) the name she has picked out for the ship. ]

[thearchangel]

[He lowers the rifle, looking over to Zelda. Turians don't have eyebrows to raise, but his expression suggests it.]

The Heroine, huh? [A beat, a thoughtful one. It's not a name you'd see on a lot of ships he's familiar with, but on the other hand, this isn't a space vessel.] Good to know. Now I'll have a name to put with the guns.

[Zelda he's going to put so many weapons on this boat.]

Right. Ready to salvage?

[multidisciplinary]

Ready. [ Zelda nods once in affirmation, lowering the Purah Pad and returning it to its usual place on her belt. She leads the way across the beach towards the derelict ship.

The ship has run aground, its bow sunken into the sand and its stern partially submerged in the waves, facing towards the sea. The whole vessel is tilted at about a 20° degree angle-- not so steep that they can't walk around on it, but steep enough that they'll need to be careful. The hull is punctured in several places, as though someone rammed a giant rod through it (or a kraken's tentacle). Each hole is at least ten feet in diameter, the area around it littered with broken wood.

The easiest way to get to the helm (and, thus, the binnacle) will be to enter through one of the holes and then navigate up through the decks until they come out on top of the main deck.

Zelda leads the way across the beach towards one of the holes. It's four or five feet above the ground, so she's going to need some help getting up when they get there. ]

Guns? [ She deliberately emphasizes the plural, raising one of her actual eyebrows as she regards Garrus. ] How many do you think it will need?

[ Zelda has been largely relying on Garrus' suggestions in regards to outfitting the ship. Even if his experience is with flying ships rather than sailing ones, he still knows a lot more than Zelda on the subject. ]

[thearchangel]

[She strides off, and he is right behind her. Slightly to her right, too, just like he'd follow Shepard, rifle in hand. Not that it looks like they'll face opposition here. But it helps to be prepared.]

[He's scanning the area as they approach. A derelict ship has more dangers than the obvious, in his experience. The holes, the broken bits of wood and flotsam. Maybe even creatures making it their home. And that's what he's here for. That and heavy lifting, probably.]

A few. You usually have to carry different kinds of ammunition and firing capability. If you have just one big one, for example, that's a great target. That goes offline, and you're dead in - [He almost said "space".] - the water.

[It's... kind of practical. As much as this man loves a big gun, just relying on that alone is dangerous. Pausing outside the ship, he looks up, toward the nearest hole.]

I can go first, make sure it's clear?

[multidisciplinary]

[ It always gives Zelda a nostalgic feeling when she has someone trailing just behind her. While she has gotten used to life without Link, she can't help but feel a certain rightness about this.... Not that she'll ever admit it! She feels silly just thinking it.

She's rolling Garrus' suggestion around in her head when they reach the ship. (It's very practical! A few different types of guns would definitely be useful.) From the outside, the derelict ship doesn't look too threatening... ]

All right. I'll wait down here.

[ Said as if she has any other choice, given the height of the hole from the ground. ]

[thearchangel]

If you hear me screaming, start running.

[That's supposed to be funny. Whether or not it lands, we just don't know. He slings his rifle back into its slot on his back, and starts climbing. At his height, it's not too difficult to do, but he'll probably have to haul Zelda up once it's cleared out.]

[Slowly, carefully, he pokes his head into the hole, waiting before hauling his whole body inside. Nothing immediately jumps into view. Nothing launches itself at his face. So far so good.]

Looks clear so far. Be right back.

[Before he pulls himself all the way into the opening.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Whether Garrus hears it or not, his warning gets a chuckle out of Zelda. She's got a certain fondness for that kind of sardonic humor, even if she typically doesn't use it herself. ]

Be careful!

[ He probably doesn't need the reminder, but she throws it out there anyway.

Since the derelict ship hasn't been lying here for more than a handful of weeks, it probably hasn't been completely taken over by the local wildlife yet. But there are definitely a good number of critters making their homes here, including some of those pesky sharkgulls.

The bigger concern is probably the ship's physical condition. A lot of the wood is warped and rotting, just waiting to break if something heavier than a squirrel steps on it.

(But really, who knows what Garrus will find in there?) ]

[thearchangel]

Yes, ma'am.

[It's a little echo-y from him being inside the ship and all. Then he's quiet. Looking around. Trying to get the lay of the ... ship. Land. Ugh, not the sharkgulls. Those things are nasty.]

[There are no shots fired. But a couple hunks of debris flung their way, scattering the creatures.]

We're clear. I'd watch your step, but - no hostiles. [Is what he says when he pokes his head back out. And reaches down:] Here, I'll haul you up.

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda reaches up with both hands to grab ahold of Garrus' arm as he pulls her up into the ship. ]

My thanks.

[ She looks around the dank interior, squinting as her eyes adjust to the darkness. A certain dampness pervades the inside of the wrecked ship and it smells strongly of mildew and stale seawater.

The area directly in front of Zelda and Garrus (which lines up with the big hole they entered through) is smashed up pretty good... like a giant tentacle punched straight through the side of the ship. A little ways to the left is a set of wooden stairs leading to the upper decks. They look... more or less intact. ]

What in the world happened to this ship?

[thearchangel]

[Behind (and above) her, he grimaces, mandible pulling down off his jaw.]

You think maybe one of those leviathans got angry?

[Something like one of those creatures - if they got mad, if they wanted to, they could wreak havoc on anything in the vicinity. Hell, it probably wouldn't have left this much of a ship corpse behind, if it wanted to.]

Has that ever happened? That you've heard of? [Zelda's a researcher. She must have learned more about this place's history than he has.]

[Something to the right creaks ominously. He whips around, rifle at the ready.] You hear that?

[multidisciplinary]

[ One of the leviathans? Well that's a terrifying thought that Zelda has never considered before! She tends to forget that the island she calls home isn't even an island at all. What would happen if Eltrut got mad one day and started swatting the ships sailing nearby?

...Although, if that were to happen, taking into consideration the average size of a ship relative to even the smallest leviathan, then--

The creaking noise startles Zelda out of her calculation. She yelps in surprise and spins around in the direction of the sound. ]

W-What was that? [ She fumbles for the Purah Pad on her hip, intending to turn on its flashlight. ] An animal?

[thearchangel]

Easy. Could've been nothing...

[But he still takes a long, cautious step forward. Putting himself, and his weapon, between her and the source of the sound. Then he's quiet, trying to listen. Straining to see if he can hear anything else - footsteps, voices. Simple animal sounds should be nothing. But if there were Corsairs around, looking to scrap the ship, too...]

[The less scrupulous kind than those on their own crew.]

Could be an animal. Do you have any intel on what lives around here?

[Another careful step. Putting himself first in the line of fire is habit, really. Zelda is a civilian, far as his brain is concerned.]

[multidisciplinary]

[ Zelda instinctively takes a careful step back, moving to be more behind Garrus as he simultaneously moves in front of her. This is arrangement is perfectly normal to her, so she doesn't object; someone is always stepping between the princess and danger... and when they aren't, that's when Zelda knows that she's really fucked up.

She wakes the Purah Pad, but instead of turning on the flashlight, she navigates to the program where she keeps her notes. ]

Rotagcorc is largely wetlands, so I would expect it to be home to a variety of reptiles like snakes and turtles... possibly non-sentient crocodiles and alligators other than the croc- and gatorfolk that live here. There's also lots of birds, especially long-legged ones like herons and cranes. Sometimes there are small mammals like otters, beavers, or large ones like the hippopotamus. And that's not even mentioning the wealth of insects.

[thearchangel]

[He listens. Taking stock mentally of what she says. He knows... generally what she's talking about. Birds are the feathered things that fly - there's a lot up on the Citadel. Reptiles, he's seen here enough to make sense of. Mammals are an Earth thing. But the specifics, those are lost on him.]

[Enough to where he turns his head around for a second, to stare at her.]

Okay, you're making that last one up.

[Not the insects. Those are universal. Except for Rannoch.]

[But, back to the task at hand. The noises start to repeat. Grunting, creaking sounds. He listens a while longer - nothing erupts out of nowhere to attack. It just sounds like something is nosing around in the other room - or down slightly below them at the waterline.]

It's an animal. Most likely. Does that sound like anything you know of?