Icy discoveries

Jp with Bandorchu, Omni, Jaxx, Lucian and Winteroak

They all stood around the top deck of the vessel. The three mast werestill intact but it's sails lay in tatters fluttering in the wind, making strange whipping noises. The top deck was wet and slippery and covered in seagull guano. Several of the large birds nested in the vessel and looked at them with curious expressions, before a shrill bird call echoes and most took flight.
Their eyes were draw to the main mast where a large circular symbol was carved. There was no more doubts in Voah’s mind. It was the fabled banner of Allos. Towards the stern of the boat two large double doors led to a main cabin. The doors were closed. To each side of the doors, two set of stairs led upwards towards the helm of the vessel.

After fixing his minor wounds on his ankles and tying his small ice spikes to his shoes, Hunter drew his twin short swords and popped his neck as he got ready for combat. After hearing the story about something walking around on the deck he was concerned that they might be hiding out in the cabin. Be they friend or foe, Hunter was not taking any chances since the holy woman clearly stated that this ship was enemy territory. So whether the enemy was the Allosi or savage natives or even a sea monster, Hunter was in a kill first ask questions later mood.

Tarmen thumbed his machete’s handle as it hung by his side, noting Hunter’s tense state.
With their presence more than obvious after the terrible noise of the stairs, he still kept his voice low as he sought Alexis’s thoughts.
“Whatcha think? Could be like Hunter and try to enter the cabin, preparin’ for a fight. Your call.”

As the party took a short break, Voah untucked her breeches on the injured leg. She tore the cloth open to expose the site of her scrapes and treated them with clean water and patting the area dry. The bleeding wasn't severe but she wrapped what she could with the torn garments.

She readied her weapon. It was time to put an end to the mystery of this anachronism; the mystery of how and why there came to be a recently floundered Allosi ship in Arcadia in the wrong century.

Alexis snorted.

“You know, being ready for a fight feels like sound advice at any given moment of this blasted mission.
We have come this far, no point in stopping now. Let’s see this through.”

And with that she adjusted sword and shield and marched towards the cabin doors.

The doors to the cabin were held fast by a piece of rope that loops over both handles. They could see a bloody handprint against one of the doors as if a sign to keep away.

Following Alexis, Tarmen felt it was his duty as second in command to handle the door, whether or not there was danger he knew part of his job was keeping her alive as best he could. He didn’t care how silly it sounded or looked, door traps were a very real thing. He had lost several partners that way and saw it as a necessary sacrifice.
Facing this final omen to leave the wreck be, he only took a moment to muster his resolve towards the mess of rope and its bloody ward. With the others ready, he sent his machete clean through the last peaceful guardian of the ships’ secrets. With a final look to the others, he moved the rotting doors apart before preparing for an attack.

Tarmen cleaved the ropes with no difficulty. His eyes drawn to the bloody handprint in one of the door panels.

Pulling the doors open with a jerk he let sunlight into the dark room. There were no windows. In the middle of the room there was a table and on top of it something that looked like a sculpture of sorts. The room felt cold and the air stale.

“Well…“

Alexis warily exclaimed as she closed up to Tarmen.

“Looks like they really didn’t like that sculpture. Any ideas what that thing could be, Arbiter?”

Hunter quietly stayed on guard to make sure he counter any surprise attacks. Since The Merc Lady was doing a good job leading the group and the Savage Man and Holy Woman were supporting her, Hunter felt that the odds were in their favor this time. However the time to relax would have to wait until they were back at the barracks. Till the mission was over, he was ready for action.

Atop the round table in the centre of the cabin was an ornate block of ice carved in the semblance of the vessel you are now on. The carving had a subtle taint of magik to it. It appeared it was melting as most details had long eroded. Although it was not apparent what was stopping it from melting completely.

The Arbiter lowered her blade, squinting an eye in confusion at the sight. She pursed her lips, pondering just what this was about?

Could this ice sculpture be some sort of magikal preservation for the ship? It would certainly explain how the ship survived for over a century…

Why was it locked up? Were they keeping something in or something out? She could not yet answer these questions so she said nothing,

Hunter saw the holy woman drop her guard a bit as she looked into the cabin. He had no idea what was going on in her mind but he was concerned that this might be a trap or there was a life form inside waiting to attack them. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a crab trying to move away from them. So he decided to pin it down with one of his short swords and picked it up from behind with his thumb and pointer finger while still holding his short sword. Then muttered, "Stay alert.", as he tossed the crab into the cabin to see what would happen. He was hoping to set off a trap or trick the ambusher to give away their location as he was ready to slice and dice his enemy.

Voah stepped between Tarmen and Alexis moving cautiously and vigilantly to check the room and then the ice sculpture.

She looked out for any signs of a trap. Nothing was making sense yet.

No visible traps were to be found although the Arbiter could sfeel the magik in the room. She could feel it in her teeth and at the back of her throat. As she stepped into the room she noticed a circular ward of runes above the table. It seemed to glow as she stepped into the room...

Voah stepped back to see if it changed.

It dimmed as she stepped back. She noticed that the table where the ice sculpture stood was wet as the smell of damp wood reached her.

“There is clear magik here though am still uncertain exactly what we are dealing with. We have to proceed with caution. Walking into this cabin activates the magikal runes.”

The mercenary stepped next to Voah, absentmindedly but still gently turning the crab back on its feet with the tip of her sword.

“It seems the Allosi did want this locked away, and they historically are supposed to be dealing with magik regularly. If even you don’t know what to make of it, Arbiter, maybe we better leave this alone?”

“I would advise not touching it, yes. I am thinking that it may be somehow preserving the vessel. But it’s melting.”

Hunter then spoke up, "Its only a matter of time before they know we came here. What are your plans when that happens?"

To Voah Alexis answered:

“Even I could think of a few reasons for that. It might need maintenance, but the maintainers are pretty dead. Or we have something else at work here, attacking that protection. Maybe the same thing that caused the shipwreck in the first place.”

Turning to Hunter, she gave a thoughtful glance to the island.

“Assuming by ‘they’ you mean the natives, they seem not to have taken any interest in this ship. But you are right. We can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“The plan, my dear Hunter, is to do exactly what we came here for. Observe and survive… even if that means fight.” Voah said calmly and then turned to Alexis. “If there is nothing else of us interest here, let us move on… for now.”

“Very well. I’d say we can risk light now when we go back in.”

“Ms Greyriver, if you brought paper with you, would you be willing to transcribe those runes above the ice as well as the runes below deck? I’m going to try to unbolt those manacles. An idea has come to me that may prove useful.”

The mercenary looked a bit dubious at that announcement, but decided to trust the expert.

“Will do.”

Alexis retrieved her paper and swatted down at the entrance of the cabin, copying the runes as precisely as she could and intending to repeat the process downstairs.

Looking out at the beach, the Arbiter could tell the tide was rising. “After we finish with this, we should make back for camp. Unless anyone has objections. That shaft isn’t going anywhere and from this looks of it, this ship will remain intact until that ice melts.”

“Agreed. Plus, we are supposed to be looking for natives not ship wrecks. So we will have to do some more reconnaissance towards the center of the island.”

“Just so you’re aware… I intend to destroy this ship along with any traces of magik. Once we are through with our exploration of the shaft. It is my duty.”

“I suppose I better don’t get attached to this rotten mess then.”

Alexis replied with the hint of a smile.

Hunter looks at the ice boat then at the holy woman as he was putting some thoughts together. Then he asked, "Just a thought but if you destroy the ice boat, there is a good chance that the ship will fall apart right?" Hunter looked at the others to see their reaction before he asked his next question, "If that is the case then is it possible that some parts of that jungle like the face stones are magical like this ice boat?" He then gauged their reactions.

Voah nodded. “Yes. It should destroy the ship. I will do it myself. If it collapses immediately, only one of us needs to go down with the ship. As I said, it is my duty. As for those stones. I didn’t feel the same power of magik that I do from this ice sculpture but it is a possibility I must be ready for.”

“Finding that out is part of our mission. And Arbiter, I suggest you find a solution that doesn’t see you going down with this wreck. Because I am telling you right now, you are not doing this alone.”

She sure as ifrinn wasn’t going to let the woman play martyr if she could help it.

“We will focus on exploring the island in the coming days, so you’ll have plenty of time to devise a plan.”