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Varis, Hazel, and Nalanilos stand on the upper deck facing the forecastle where Varis just moments earlier had cast two dangerous lengths of rope into Turtle Bay. Deephart stands further back near the main mast.

Near the left steps up to the forescastle lies a broken barrel of grains that animated and attacked the party. In front of Varis, Hazel, and Nalanilos are two wooden doors without labels or ornamentation of any kind.

Hazel approaches the right door to the cabins below the forecastle. Nalanilos checks for traps but finds nothing of note. The sound of mystic chants fills the air from the two priests standing on the docks with their palms turned towards the Liora.

Greystreet calls from the docks in a hoarse voice, "Those are the navigator's and deckhands' cabin. It is a sleeping quarters for four or five men."

(OOC: This is round four for the two Brothers, Keane and Sagan, continuing their Chant spell from the docks. Don't forget the bonuses mentioned earlier related to this spell.)

"OK, lets do this. I'll go first, then Varis, then Nalanilos and Deepheart covers the rear." Before pushing the door to the right Hazel draws her sword and axe from her belt and kicks the door, forcing it wide.

After checking for traps, and appearing to find nothing, he stands back up and moves to the side, watching as Hazel and Varis go ahead of him. He then draws his sword to be aware and cautious, as he watches them go ahead and begins to think to himself once he observes Hazel, take her weapons and then kicks the door in...."Impressive for a woman, yet Varis lets her lead.... Is it that he too is impressed by her abilities? or is it that he is outclassed by her? You know... I need to stop having these inner talks with myself at times.... I guess its what happens when one is an only child, and all one does is simple missions for the Master to learn the craft and hone skills"

Nalanilos crouches to see once she kicks the door in to see if there is anything quickly that he can see that is out of the ordinary.....

With one powerful kick, Hazel practically stomps through the closed cabin door with her black leather boots. The door swings wildly open towards the right and rebounds after slamming against a hard surface three quarters of the way open. The door comes to rest ajar as sunlight streams into the cabin.

From her vantage point outside the cabin door, Hazel can see the right half of the foremast not more than a foot or two away from where the door swung open. The mast tapers slightly wider from ceiling to floor. Although the mast blocks the view to the rest of the cabin, Hazel Varis and Nalanilos can see a gently rocking hammock hangs from the foremast to the right wall, disturbed by the force of the door bursting open.

Except for the mystic chanting of the Brothers, the cabin seems silent and still.

(OOC: Mike_C and SpiderReaver, are you just having Varis and Nalanilos follow Hazel's lead? If not, please declare actions for your characters in the next round.

DramaLlama, feel free to jump back in at any time.)

(OOC):Thought I had before, as I couldn't really see anything with the two of them ahead of me, so figured crouching, I might be able to catch a glimpse of something before moving in, if given the chance.

SpiderReaver wrote:Nalanilos crouches to see once she kicks the door in to see if there is anything quickly that he can see that is out of the ordinary.....

waiting to see what Hazell will do but ready to go around the door to see what it it when opened and also ready to cut the hammock apart if needed

Hazel moves into the room slightly, allowing the others to enter.
"Interesting..." She considers, sword and axe held at her side.

I slide round Hazel as she moved into the room, gripping his sword tightly checks behind the door seeing what it hit against and what can be used as a weapon against us

Hazel leads the three adventurers into the forecastle cabin. (OOC: See map attached below.) Inside the cabin, bright sunlight illuminates the small room from one porthole on each side. The girth of the foremast consumes much of the otherwise crowded space.

Varis observes that the cabin door rebounded when it struck another smaller door to a closet behind it, set diagonally into the corner. A matching closet door is set diagonally into the opposite corner of the cabin.

The room ends where the ship's bowspirit rises from beneath the floor and extends outside the vessel, over the prow. A hatch in the floor remains closed but is accessible by a ring that lifts it to an open position.

Nalanilos notes four hammocks made of sail cloth are stacked in pairs from the mast to the walls. A third pair of cloth hammocks swings around the opposite side of the mast. On the floor lie two straw sleeping mats. A narrow opening between the mast and the door allows passage around the circumference to the other cabin door.

You begin to hear a slow mournful song, distinct from the Brothers on the dock rising from below deck. It is a woman's voice softly lamenting. (OOC: For example, click here. Not intended to be exactly what the characters hear, but the closest thing I could find.

"Things keep coming at us.. We should secure that hatch.. I'm guessing its not just me who can hear that singing.." Moving closer into the room, Hazel motions to the others.. "Help me move the sleeping mats. That should cover the hatch for now."

" I will help you but I think we should investigate it first." looks at hatch to see if the door can be easily removed without damaging it

Jenara wrote:"Things keep coming at us.. We should secure that hatch.. I'm guessing its not just me who can hear that singing.." Moving closer into the room, Hazel motions to the others.. "Help me move the sleeping mats. That should cover the hatch for now."

The room remains still. None of the items animate in the way that the ropes and barrel did outside on the deck. The hinges of the hatch are visible and no lock or other device appears to secure it.

Although the sleeping mats can easily be collected, securing the hatch would require a heavy object or someone willing to stand on it. The floor appears clear of any other items.

The woman's voice continues its lament. It is difficult to determine if the voice emanates from below deck or from the foremast itself.

mike_c wrote:" I will help you but I think we should investigate it first." looks at hatch to see if the door can be easily removed without damaging it

The solemn woman's voice finishes its lament in a chilling, single word, spoken in the Elven language that Varis, Hazel, and Nalanilos recognize: "Sorrow." Silence follows and only the chanting of the priests outside can be heard through the portholes and from the open door. (OOC: Round five of nine until we check their stamina to see if they can continue chanting with arms raised.)

seeing that the mats will not secure the hatch I open it and look thru making sure to hold the hatch open with my body weight by kneeling on it. After hearing the end of the song I say in Elvish " what is causing the sorrow? how can I help?"

"Sorrow...?" Hazel asks curiously, "I wonder... We should go to the Captains cabin.." She muses, moving closer to the hatch. "We mean no harm." She announces in elven.