Play@YSDC

Mr. Handy wrote:Once she sees that Peter and Vittorio are relatively okay, she relaxes a little. When the ship's motion allows, she resumes her upward climb, carrying Gunnar.

The aft section of the Gabrielle is pushed alarmingly high--to an angle of almost 45 degrees--and this strains Katie's ability to maintain a hold on Gunnar while at the same time hang onto the ladder.

For Katie,Please roll on either your dex or strength (your choice) and declare which is your focus, either holding onto Gunnar or holding onto the ladder. This is a terrible storm...

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Job.

Katie concentrates on holding onto Gunnar first, worried that he might not survive the fall with his existing injuries. She is confident that she can not only keep him secure, but that she can also maintain her grip on the ladder.

Katie reaches the top of the ladder with Gunnar and shoulders the hatch open--releasing a deluge of freezing water from the main deck onto the two of you and down into the tweendeck. Gunnar sputters and groans and grabs onto the edge of the hatch, helping to haul himself over the lip onto the main deck, which is layered with ice. The roaring wind sweeps your shouts away into the darkness and threatens to do the same to your person. You'll need a light, along with the grace of God, to proceed any further.

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Job. (the tortured one)

"We need light!" shouts Katie, but the cacophony of the storm eats her words. She looks through Gunnar's pockets, hoping to find a cigarette lighter or something to help her see. If not, she has to hope that Peter Sykes brings something when he comes up with Vittorio.

When the rolling of the ship permits, Peter Sykes helps Vittorio back to the ladder and waves to Katie at the top. Vittorio is doubled over, breathing hard. Paco meets them there, but still appears unsteady from seasickness.

The storm continues unabated. Concern, perhaps even fear, can be clearly seen in the expressions of Sykes, a hardened veteran of many expeditions. And even though the team is struggling to remain stationary, something has noticeably changed for the better; the Gabrielle now appears to be moving with the waves rather than fighting against them. For the moment, at least.

Sykes eases Vittorio to the floor, threading his arms and legs through the ladder, and motions to Paco, instructing him to fetch a coil of rope on the wall. He then scans the hold and moves off into the shadows, out of Katie's line of sight.


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Job. (the tortured one)

"We need light!" Katie yells again, hoping he can hear her as she keeps herself and Gunnar steady.

Sykes emerges from the shadows with a coil of rope over his shoulder and an electric torch in his hand. He hands the torch to Paco and waves him up the ladder, then helps Vittorio to his feet. Vittorio stands, grimacing and clutching the ladder for support, but seems unable to straighten fully. Sykes ducks and places Vittorio's arm over his shoulder, behind his neck, for support, then the two begin a slow climb up the ladder.

Eventually you see Vittorio climb from the hatch to join you in the violence of the storm.

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Job. (the tortured one)

Katie helps Vittorio through the hatch and tries to keep him and Gunnar both steady while the others finish climbing up to the deck.

Sykes' electric torch provides little help in the storm, barely allowing the team to see each other through the sleet at the top of the hatch. He looks around and signals to everyone to stay where they are, then kneels and ties his rope off. He rises into a crouch and steps carefully through the ice and water and darkness. The light becomes dimmer as he moves away, and then stops, pausing. After some number of seconds, you see him return and he points at the taut rope and then into the darkness.

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Job. (the tortured one)

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Katie nods, carrying Gunnar over her shoulder as she pulls herself hand over hand along the rope in the direction Peter pointed.