CHAPTER 5: IC - At Sea > Australia to Antarctica

[Mr. Handy]

.Katie endures being at the mercy of the elements. She is used to the freedom of flight, not being confined in cramped quarters, but she makes the most of it. Trusting in her stomach's fortitude, she intends to eat that hot meal once it's ready.

[Job]

Katie endures being at the mercy of the elements. She is used to the freedom of flight, not being confined in cramped quarters, but she makes the most of it. Trusting in her stomach's fortitude, she intends to eat that hot meal once it's ready.

Despite the difficulties, the cook's team serves an excellent meal of soup, boiled beef, potatoes, stewed tomatoes, and pudding.

OOC Constitution Check Needed,Due to the ferocious weather, [u]all[/u] investigators must make a constitution check to help with the ship's troubles--see text that follows below the spoiler section in this post. Anyone who does not have their "Sea Legs" (see your character sheet) must roll d100 vs. CON X1. Any character who has their "Sea Legs" roll d100 vs. CON X 3.

Matters are decidedly serious. All hands are called out to make fast all crates and gear on the main deck with double lashings. From time to time, the ship rolls her sides under, but not enough green water has come aboard so far to cause serious damage. It is hazardous work, however, moving about the deck in the confusion of the cargo, for there is always the thought that a crate or box that offers lee might in a moment be torn loose from its fastenings and become a Juggernaut.

Just after 6 p.m., a terrible tearing crash is heard from somewhere forward as the bow of the ship slams downward into a trough. The crash is repeated moments later, and then again a third time as the Gabrielle heels and slews.

6:12 p.m. (ship time) – Thursday, October 26, 1933
Pacific Ocean
Barometer crashes. Winds 60+ mph SSW.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[royya]

.Amazing
Father Rucker says as he stares at the floating icebergs.
It was worth the trip.

Smiles turns to agony and depress as the strom is approaching and the priest ties himself to the bed as the others. When he is called to help, he is more then happy to give a hand.

CON roll (1d100=49)

[Mr. Handy]

.Katie manages to tough it out, her health and stamina as solid as ever. She cheerfully sets to work helping to secure the cargo. When she hears the crashes, she makes her way over using the handholds.

[Job]

Smiles turns to agony and depress as the storm is approaching and the priest ties himself to the bed as the others. When he is called to help, he is more then happy to give a hand.

Ruckers Seasickness roll,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4243160/]CON roll (1d100=49)[/url] Hi Roy. Please see my note in the "Player Action" thread asking a couple of questions about your most recent skill rolls. Also note that you should roll 1d100 vs. Spot Hidden skill to see if Father Rucker has attained his "Sea Legs". However, Father Rucker's constitution is 14 and, even if he had his "Sea Legs, he would've needed a roll of 42 or less to avoid seasickness.

Unfortunately, Father Rucker has succumbed to seasickness from the violent storm and is incapacitated.

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Job. (the torturing one)

[Job]

Katie manages to tough it out, her health and stamina as solid as ever. She cheerfully sets to work helping to secure the cargo. When she hears the crashes, she makes her way over using the handholds.

Katie opens the superstructure's hatch door that leads to the main deck and it is ripped from her hands by the fierce wind, slamming against the outside metal wall of the superstructure with a resounding "Boom!" Outside is black as night and the wind whips spray and hail across the open doorway, tearing at her clothing and sucking her towards the opening. The roaring of the storm is deafening. The hallway's light throws feeble illumination that barely extends 3 feet beyond the hatchway, but Katie can see that a thick sheen of ice coats every surface, including a large coil of rope piled on the deck near the door.

Katie's arm is then grabbed by someone behind her who is yelling above the noise, "Whoa there, missy! Where are you going? And certainly you're not planning to go out there on your own!" She turns and sees that shes being held by Peter Sykes, one of the expedition's polar guides.


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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie smiles. "Thank you, Mr. Sykes!" she shouts to be heard above the wind. "I appreciate the help. I heard some loud crashing noises towards the bow, so I was going to go see what the problem is and fix it. Judging by the sound this one just made, it could be an unsecured hatch."

[Job]

Katie smiles. "Thank you, Mr. Sykes!" she shouts to be heard above the wind. "I appreciate the help. I heard some loud crashing noises towards the bow, so I was going to go see what the problem is and fix it. Judging by the sound this one just made, it could be an unsecured hatch."

A violent lurch of the ship sends both Sykes and Miss Wright stumbling backwards into the wall opposite the open hatchway. Sykes catches his balance and lunges to the opening, grabbing the metal frame with one hand while reaching out and pulling on the hatch door with his other, but the gale force wind prevents him from closing it more than halfway. His one foot slips on the iced decking and he falls to his knee, grunting and struggling with the hatch door that threatens to pull him from the corridor into the storm.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie helps Sykes with the hatch, straining to maintain her balance while lending her considerable strength to the effort .

[Job]

It was a terrific struggle for the two expedition team members to pull the door closed against the wind, and it left both breathing hard and bent with exhaustion. Peter looks up at Katie and says, "We'll need to be very careful in that storm. We'll need helpers and we should tie every member to another. And we'll need crampons for the ice."

He smiles weakly at Katie and thanks her for her help.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"You're welcome." says Katie, grinning back, "and yes, you're right. I need to stop and think before I act sometimes. Let's go get them."

[aine]

.Martin is woken by the horrendous crash and he wonders if these will be his last few moments alive. "Merde, and to feel so sick too." He groans and then retches into the bucket he has tied to the bunk. He is too weak to leave his bed and waits for the end.

[Job]

Withing a few minutes, Katie and Peter gather four additional crew members:

Paco Guerini


Enke Fiskarson


Vittorio Luizzi


and Gunnar Sorensen.

While the Gabrielle rolls and bounces, the six of you equip your gear in the Ship's Mess.

"Are you sure of this, Senor?," Paco asks. Just then, a wrenching, tearing sound is not only heard, it is felt through the ship's hull. He exclaims, "Madre de Dios!"

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Job (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

"I think that answers your question," says Katie. "We'd better get moving and check it out before the damage gets worse. I'm ready when you are, gentlemen."

[Job]

Opening that hatch and stepping out onto the main deck of the S.S. Gabrielle is like stepping into a violent nightmare. The roaring wind tears at you and threatens to pluck you from the deck. Hailstones and rain are whipped about with such stinging force that it's difficult to keep your eyes open to even look across the deck. Peter Sykes lashes each crewmember to another as you exit the hatch into the maelstrom. The fearless Gunnar Sorensen grimly takes the lead.

The ship is tossed about like a toy; one moment, you are sliding across the main deck as it tilts at an incredibly steep angle and the next moment, the deck drops out beneath you as you find yourself plummeting down to land in a crunching, groaning heap at the bottom of the wave's trough. The only things that keep you from being swept into the sea are the guide lines on the deck and the one-inch thick rope that binds you to your teammates.

There is no time to string lights. Your electric torch casts a feeble light while you work your way to the hold. Flying ice and spray make the flashlight beams solid columns of white against the darkness. All about you, the monster roars and thrashes.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Job]

After what seems like an eternity of struggle, you finally see your goal, as freezing water washes knee-deep against the superstructure and cargo hatch with every breaking wave.

Gunnar drops to the deck and fumbles momentarily with the keys as the ship tilts crazily, and you hear loud metal banging and screeching from below. Something large is rampaging within the tweendeck hold. Gunnar waves at you to help him lift the hatch.

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Job. (the tortured one)

[Mr. Handy]

Katie carefully makes her way over to the hatch, struggling through the biting wind, where she lends her considerable strength to help Gunnar lift it.

[Job]

The moment that you descend the ladder into the hold, you hear thumping and tearing rumbles within the dark tweenhold. You seem to have escaped the howling monster above only to confront an enraged, stomping behemoth of some sort below. Worse, the thin oily scent of kerosene fills the air.

Shadows dance hugely in your torch's low glow. The damage, seen in the dim light, is horrifying. Two of the four great engines belonging to the Boeing aircraft have broken free of their straps and are loose within the chamber. With each pitch and shift of the ship they roll and bound about the compartment like giant bowling balls. The remnants of their crates are wooden shards scattered about the floor.

Everything in the hold shows the scars left by the careening motors. The remaining two engines are still secure, but their crates are are battered and crushed. The boxes containing the wings of the plane are dimpled and crushed by the engine's passage in several places, and the plane itself shows huge dents and gaping rents in its belly and along the fuselage. The pallet of kerosene tins that was secured against one bulkhead is smashed and askew; liquid from the crumpled containers is sloshing across the deck with each tilt of the ship.

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Job.

[Mr. Handy]

.Oh, my poor baby! thinks Katie, her heart wrenching at the sight of the damage to the aircraft. "We need to secure those engines and contain the kerosene spill," she says.

[aine]

.Martin leans over and retches into the bucket but there is nothing left to heave. Weakly, he lies back in the darkness, listening to the cacophony around him.