[SO-Sylira] Through The Storm

[Malus Tidalwave]

It smelled different. Malus's eyes opened the moment he noticed the change. Sitting up on his hammock, legs hanging off to the side, Malus took a deep breath. Yes it definitely smelled different, and Malus smiled. The wind had began to pick up, filling the sails to their fullest. climbing out of his hammock that hung at the sprit of the casinor, Malus took a swig from his wine skin and started his way up to the helm. With the small vessel picking up speed the crew went about making sure it ran smoothly; Nea leaned against the railing as she tightened the lines against the increased tension. "Loosen the ropes, the sails are going to need the slack" he said casually as he walked by her. Nea looked up first at him, then up at the sky, a knowing look settling on her face. kahne was securing the sails against the strengthening winds. "Make sure they hold, and be ready to raise them when the time comes" he mentioned, picking up a spring to his step. Cal was mending the fishing net, while Mari tended to the small shrine they kept by the mast dedicated to Laviku. "Mira, Laviku isn't the only god that you should be praying too right now" both Mira and Cal looked up; Mira shot him an irrated glance, while Cal merely sighed, stored the net and when to go prepare the rope. Dany was at the helm, keeping the ship on course. "Dany, let me handle the helm for a bit" he said lightly, as casually as if asking him to pass the salt. "Oh come on Mal! Im just getting the hang of this. I can handle abit of wind!" "Dany, now." Malus replied as calmly as before. Mumbling to himself, Dany let go of the helm and went to go help Cal. Position himself next to the wheel, Malus took hold of one of the spokes, relishing the thrill and freedom that it was to sail a ship. Breathing in deep, taking in the smell that prompted all this activity, Malus looked expectantly out over the rails, past the horizon, and up to the smattering of clouds already forming. The look in his eyes betrayed the excitement that he felt. The Wind caressed his face as it blew past him, into the sails. The wind that carried the smell. There was a storm coming, and Malus smiled.

[Eldritch]

OOCFinally got to this. My apologies for the short nature of the response, not my best work.

Malus' instincts in this instance were correct, as the oppressive clouds drew ever closer to the ship's course the wind began to pick up. Flashes of lightning arced in the distance and the sea itself seemed to become a bit more rough. The clouds were still far away from the vessel however they were moving fast, promising a dangerous route for the captain bold enough to enter.

The current route they were on was the straightest and the most direct route to the city of Zeltiva. If they braved the storm and made it through alright then it was likely they could reach the city on time. There was always that danger that they would be blown off course, or even suffer damages to personnel and the ship itself. Such were the dangers of the sea and the price Laviku took.

The distance of the clouds provided an opportunity to try and skirt around the storm, though this would be at the cost of time. There was also the risk that they would not be fast enough, in which case they would be unfavorably positioned to face the storm. It was very much a gambit and the speed of the coming storm was not going to grant much time before a decision needed to be reached.

Malus' kinsmen had noticed the coming storm as well and were rather worried themselves, ready to spring to action at a moments notice. The waves rocked the ship slightly, much more rough than the gentle waves of before. Straggling gulls could be seen fleeing the storm, crying out loudly as if warning the sailors below.

The choice was up to Malus at this junction, what did his gut tell him to do? Would he ride on into the storm? Attempt to skirt around it at the risk of being unprepared for the storm? Or perhaps his sharp mind had another alternative cooked up and ready, one that would safely see his crew through this no worse for wear.

[Malus Tidalwave]

The darkening clouds loomed ahead of the small ship, its ominous shadow darkening everything underneath. The wind remained steady, but the sea began to roil as the waves become rougher, rocking the casinor. While the storm itself was still some distance away, its effects could already be felt. Malus had to make a decision. Sailing around the storm was out of the question. It was too large and their little casinor, with only its main and head-sails wouldn't be able to outrun it. No, Malus wasn't about to have them be caught out in open ocean. Nor did he dare get too close to the coast, not wanting to risk getting slammed on to the rocks and cliffs that lined the coast. Nor was it a good idea to face the storm head on. Malus was confident about his abilities and skill, but only a fool dared challenge the Storm god in such a way. No, Malus had a different idea. “Dany!” he shouted, and as the young svefra approached, “go look on those charts of yours for any reefs or underwater ridges, we might need them.” Nodding, Dany ran into the cabin, where the navigational charts were kept. “Cal!” he shouted once more, grabbing his older brother’s attention. “Ready the lifelines! and make sure they hold.”, referring to the lengths of rope that was tied around the waists of those on board, secured to the mast in order to prevent any crewmember from being washed away. The wind was blowing towards them, away from the storm, as if to repel their advance. Malus grabbed the helm, shouting to alert those on deck and spun it clockwise, tacking their little ship to a 50 degree angle, headed away from the coast, in a close hauled position. As the ship turned into the wind, it began losing speed until they were directly in front, a stationary arrow piercing the gusts, the sails slack with the wind blowing past it. Suddenly the boom moved to the other side, filling the sails once more with the wind, and propelling them forward. Malus’s plan was simple. Sailing directly into the storm was a gamble that Malus was not comfortable making, and once inside, the winds would prevent them from making any actual head way on their course. Instead, Malus planned to cut through the edge of the storm, using its own power and strength to their advantage, and avoid the center and the most dangerous part of it all together. When they reached the very edge of the storm, he would turn the boat yet again, this time letting the wind hit their sails from the right, and reaching their way to their goal. All he needed to do was to gain as much speed as possible now, and time the moment of his next maneuver perfectly. “Trim the sails! Give me all she’s got!” he yelled, and Kahne quickly moved to coax as much speed from the winds they could, pausing only a moment when Cal handed him a rope, and tying it securely around his waist. The casinor picked up speed, and soon was shooting across the water, as an arrow released from the bow. Cal moved up to Malus, handing him another length of rope. “That’s a big Storm, Mal. You sure we can take it? Shouldn’t we head to shore?” he asked. “She can take it” Malus replied, affectionately referring their vessel, “and besides, When the Storm god sends you a gift, its best to accept it, no?” he replied, grinning as he turned to Cal. He merely shook his head and went on handing out the lengths of secure rope to the others. Uttering a quick prayer to both the Storm god and the Sea King, Malus prepared to make the turn, and when he thought the moment was right, shouted an alert, and turned the ship to its new course. OOCNot a problem, I too was affected by school. Also, I dropped a few sailing terms, tried to keep it as accurate and simple as possible so if your not familiar with something just ask. Also added links to the two prayers Malus sent at the end as part of the post.

[Eldritch]

Despite her search, Dany could not find any significant formations of the undersea to assist them in their current endeavor. They were going to have to rely on other means to secure their passage through the storm. As confident as Malus appeared in the face of the storm, his leadership was anything but complete and utter. Still his orders were followed by his family, realizing that to get through this storm they would need some kind of plan. Malus seemed to have that plan, for now that was all that was needed to affirm his leadership.

The increasing winds whipped harshly around the Casinor as the small ship moved closer and closer to the black clouds, droplets of seawater carried upon the gust. The waves became even more choppy and rough, the surf rising to meet the cocky Svefra's challenge. While a stable enough ship, a Casinor would not last long within such a storm. As such Malus' plan would require the most precise of timing and would be a test of his skills as a sailor. Should even one thing go awry the ship would be tossed about brutally within the storm, damage to the vessel being the least of their concerns at that junction.

The storm continued to draw in the little Svefra vessel, hungry and ready to swallow up their ship. The sails were straining against the force of the gale, shooting them towards the storm with frightening speed. The sheet controlling the direction of the sail was straining, it would need to be controlled if Malus hoped to bring his plan into action. If the crew lost control of that then the storm would fully dictate their movements. The rigging would need to be controlled as well as they were going to be in danger of straining hard against the current wind direction.

As the ship continued to near the edge rain droplets began to cascade down from above and the rumbling of thunder was much more audible. Streaks of lightning arced through the blackened clouds, flashing through the darkness beyond. All in all it looked to be extremely hazardous and very likely to cause rather large amounts of damage to the ship, let alone the crew.

The time was fast approaching for Malus to give his orders and handle the situation as best he could, the fate of his ship and crew depended upon his actions. Laviku's waves were his ally here but Zulrav's winds seemed intent on pushing Malus to his limits.

OOCTried to use some sailing terms there, I think I used them correctly, lol.

[Malus Tidalwave]

As they got closer to the storm, Malus tightened the angle between the ship’s bow and the thunderheads. They began to lose speed, once more becoming parallel with the wind. The small Svefra crew worked hard, struggling to keep their footing as the rough waves rocked the boat. They each knew what to do, not needing any instructions using the knowledge and experience that only years behind the mast can bring.

Cal moved to help Kahne with the sails, giving the boom line some slack as they lost speed. They would need that slack when Malus made the turn, for if the line is too tight, and the boom not allowed enough room to swing, it could tip over the small vessel. Nea and Mari moved to secure the deck, tying the larger objects down with the spare rope they had, and taking the smaller objects inside the living area. Dany set about checking the knots and the pulleys, ensuring that they were strong, and that they would hold.

Malus stood at the helm, steering the casino into its new position, watching the rest of his pod ready for the turn. He smiled broadly. There was little that excited Malus as much as sailing and the challenges it posed. Of those challenges, storms were what thrilled him the most. He truly thanked the Zulrav for these tests of skill.

The ship finally reached its position. Once more parallel with the wind, they sat there, rocked by the waves and the fierce wind. When he saw that the mast had enough line in order to swing to the other side, he grabbed the helm and turned.

At first nothing happened, they seemed to float aimlessly on the water. Then, with the sound of thunder, as loud as the rumblings of the storm infront of them, the massive boom swung around to the other side. The sails imeidetly filled with wind, the ship turned, somewhat more violently than what Malus had intended. The casino leaned dangerously as they made their turn as Malus watched, hoping that they would not tip over. There was nothing that he could but prey.