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Top deck, the starboard segment, the Lambent Zenith, later...
Top deck, the starboard segment, the Lambent Zenith, later...
The ginthyaki Lysan and Zastra fly through the astral aether with ease, landing neatly on the top deck of the ruined ship. They pick their footing carefully, as thick and knotted tree roots warp the entire deck, entwining and twisting its planks.
Eric follows the pair, even if his momentum carries him unsteadily a few steps forward once aboard. Diana and Presto, however, come in hot.
GM says:
GM says:
Make an Acrobatics roll, since you made such a weird launch to get here. You risk a condition if you fail.
Diana's ACROBATICS (14), rolls a ⬙(6) = Success!
Presto's ACROBATICS (12), rolls a ⬙(9) = Success!
The roots come from a giant tree that has affixed itself to the ship's hull. Zastra approachs it with reverence.
ZASTRA
ZASTRA
Redbud? Stay you not fair? Why so dull and crumbly? What's become of you?
LYSAN
LYSAN
He looks terrible is what's become o' him. And quiet. Even for him.
ERIC
ERIC
I'm sorry, you guys *know* this tree?
LYSAN
LYSAN
A *Know Tree,* y'r right. And aye, surely. A member of the crew he be, yet one never to leave his "post," as it were.
ZASTRA
ZASTRA
He sturdies up the hull, he does! Mayhap the Zenith would truly have been lost in our most recent misfortune, without Redbud's strong support. Thank y' kindly, friend.
(she kisses her fingers, then touches them against the tree)
PRESTO
PRESTO
Wow! That's pretty remarkable! A pirate tree! Just when you think you've seen everything!
DIANA
(motioning to all an area where the roots cleave a space in the deck)
DIANA
(motioning to all an area where the roots cleave a space in the deck)
Figaro said we should find the vault, and that's where we can retrieve the second piece. I think I see a way down from over here! Follow me!
REDBUD
REDBUD
- No, - brave - girl! - - That - is - not - an - entrance - -
PRESTO
(at the sudden appearance of a face inches from his own)
PRESTO
(at the sudden appearance of a face inches from his own)
Aaah!!!
LYSAN
LYSAN
Redbud, y' old sap!
REDBUD
REDBUD
- Hello - Lysan - - Hello - Zastra - Hello - friends -
ZASTRA
ZASTRA
Amazing! You're alive!
REDBUD
REDBUD
- Yes. - - I - held - on - as - best - I - could. - - I've - been - pushing - my - roots - ever - deeper - - Need - the - soil - to - keep - my - strength - -
ERIC
ERIC
What about any others? What about the captain?
REDBUD
REDBUD
- I - know - - not - -
ERIC
(under his breath)
ERIC
(under his breath)
Hmph. So it's a "Know NOT Tree."
DIANA
DIANA
What do you mean there's no entrance? We need to get below!
LYSAN
LYSAN
Aye. On account of a quest, and all.
REDBUD
REDBUD
- - There - is - a friend - below - - He - is trapped - And - the - monsters. - - Also - trapped - -
ZASTRA
ZASTRA
A friend? A crew mate? Who is it!
REDBUD
REDBUD
- - A - visitor. - - Look - about - -
The Know Tree shifts its branches to wave in a singular direction over the railing of the top deck. The heroes and the ginthyaki peer over, finding a lifeboat jutting from the segment's fore.
PRESTO
PRESTO
Another spelljamming ship?
ZASTRA
ZASTRA
Nah, too small. A lifeboat. Another refugee?
ERIC
ERIC
For a big hunk of rock in the middle of astral space, a sure-heck of a lot of people like to crash on it.
REDBUD
(answering Zastra)
REDBUD
(answering Zastra)
- - and - monsters. - - I - keep - them - apart - for - now. - - I - need - you - to - slay - the - monsters - before - its - too - late - -
PRESTO
PRESTO
M- monsters?? Slay??
LYSAN
(slapping Presto on the back, with slightly more force than Presto is comfortable
LYSAN
(slapping Presto on the back, with slightly more force than Presto is comfortable
Huzzah! What better way to meet our quest!
DIANA
DIANA
OK, but let's be smart about this. It might be time for a plan...
Slow ped down, past the deck floor...
Slow ped down, past the deck floor...
Below the top deck, the starboard segment, the Lambent Zenith, continuous...
Below the top deck, the starboard segment, the Lambent Zenith, continuous...
Despite the general illumination of the astral aether, only dim light fills this wide room, as Redbud's thick network of roots have created a dense cage. They warp the planks of the floor and walls, creating scattered debris along with remnants of the Zenith's destruction.
Suddenly, a grell floats into view! Nothing but a giant brain with a huge beack and flailing tentacles. It darts forward to test the roots-as-cage, while others of its kind gently bob in the dim light in the back...
continued in 5.12 Below the Top Deck . . .
GM FOOTNOTES:
Dragonbane seems to play as if you should be looking to give conditions very regularly. Hence the Acrobatics roll at the top. Even so, I didn't call for a Willpower roll to resist Fear for Presto when the Tree spoke. He saw one in Episode 5, anyway.
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