OOC: Chapter Four - At Sea

[Raiko]

So:

Jack: Checking the holds, staking out at night.
Olof: Searching for signs of a stowaway
James: Checking the holds, staking out at night.
Callum: Checking the holds, staking out at night.
Kitt: Staying out of it?
Graves: Keeping an eye on the water supply.
Sean: ????
Isugtag: ????
McRaven: ????

Unless they post differently, I'll assume that Sean, Isugtag & McRaven will join those searching the holds.

I'll assume that the search will start where Callum, James & Isugtag left off in the #3 Hold, and will work forwards, skipping the #2 hold, as that's already been searched.

Jack's fine with searching holds in the daylight and helping stake out one of the two holds at night, although none of us can work 24-hour shifts (well, not steadily, anyway).

Everybody, except Kitt maybe, is taking part - so there's enough of you to take turns, with 3-4 on watch each night.

I'll assume that Jack is watching the first night; if nobody posts a preference I'll use the above list, so Jack, Olof, James & Callum one night, and Graves, Sean, Isugtag & McRaven the next?

How do you prefer to watch the two holds at night?

1) All on deck
2) 2 per hold
3) 2 on deck, 1 per hold
4) Something completely different

Both holds are close enough together that they can be observed from deck at the same time. There is enough stuff on the main deck, and also on the Forecastle and the midship's superstructure, that 2-4 people should be able to observe the hatches stealthily.

There's plenty of cover in the holds themselves.

Please take into account your own character's hide skill when deciding who goes where. There's enough cover to get a bonus wherever you are, but the best bonus will probably be for people hiding in the holds themselves.

Turlow made a reference to Driscoll--does that mean he heard me talk about him? Coincidence?

He didn't hear Jack, but he already knows that you all suspect the new additions to the crew. Turlow's too hard-assed to admit that the saboteur may be a crew member, but isn't stupid.

Kitt would help if asked but it's unlikely anyone would or that she'd consider the job. She may be a pilot but she's still a chick and not a very strong one at that. Give her a big gun and she might reconsider!

Moore asked all of you to help, and as he suggested in his original letter to Kitt, he considers her just as capable as a man.

It's your call though, if you think that Kitt would assume she's not expected to join in then so be it.

[Laraqua]

Perhaps she could sleep in her plane! That's the only thing that really matters.

[Raiko]

Once either Olof or Jack have spoken to the rest of you about Olof's discovery, I'll move things along and you can find out whether any of your traps for the saboteur are successful.

[Decrepit]

I'll just post a single note that everyone in the party can read, assuming that Jack and/or Olof meet up with everyone eventually.

[Raiko]

I'll just post a single note that everyone in the party can read, assuming that Jack and/or Olof meet up with everyone eventually.

That's fine.

Assume that Turlow leaves the hold and returns to the bridge before Jack or Olof arrive.

[Raiko]

I'm waiting for either Mister Juan or Ghost_1971 to post a reply to Jack's information before I continue. I've PM'd them both yesterday, so hopefully they'll post today.

Obviously the rest of you all have the same information as well, so you can post your own responses while we're waiting.

In the meantime, how do you plan to stake out the lifeboat and the holds at the same time? The lifeboat in question is the rear-most one on the port side of the ship.

You were going to stakeout with two shifts of four at night (I think), probably with one person hidden in each of the #4 & #5 holds, and two people concealed out on deck.

While it may be possible for the same 1-2 people t watch both the lifeboat and the entrances to the holds, it's still risky, as someone could slip unnoticed into a hold and only face a single investigator.

Equally if only one person watches the lifeboat, they also face a potentially dangerous one-on-one confrontation with the saboteur.

Good News: If all goes well with your stakeout, we'll hopefully reach Australia in another week or so of posting.

You'll all be dying on the ice before you know it.

[Decrepit]

I suspect that the lifeboat is the higher-priority target right now, but I'm open to persuasion.

[Raiko]

Sorry I should have posted an update yesterday.

Mister Juan sent me a PM - he's busy at the moment, but still around. Steerpike is also very busy IRL.

Lots of people are really busy this month it seems...

First Officer Turlow agrees to release one rifle and the shotgun from the bridge's armoury (he won't release your personal weapons from the Bosun Store). I'll give the rifle to Callum and the Shotgun to Isugtag. Obviously he expects that you try not to actually shoot anybody. The firearms must be returned at the end of each night.

I'm assuming that everybody is still onboard with Jack and Olof's modified stakeout plan, so my post has assumed the following:

Callum and Isugtag conceal themselves on the Boat Deck, in sight of the lifeboat. They stay on watch all night, taking turns to nap briefly. They are also ready to rush to the #4/#5 holds or to the foredeck if any of the other teams call for help. They rest properly during the morning, and work in the holds with the others in the afternoon.

Professor Graves keeps an eye on the fresh water tanks all night, he doesn't appear to have joined the search of the cargo holds so he can catch up on his sleep at a convenient time during the day. (EDIT: I've assumed that Sean will help the Prof)

Jack, Olof, James and McRaven work in shifts to keep a watch over the entrances to the #4 and #5 holds during the night. They conceal themselves on the main deck or the quarterdeck/aftcastle, ready to rush to the boat deck if Isugtag and Callum call for help. They're unlikely to be able to hear calls for help from the Prof or Sean from this far away though. Each of the four will get half a night's worth of sleep each, with two awake on deck at all time. Each of these four will work all day in the holds.

Blackgoat hasn't posted for a while, but has been logged in recently. I've sent him a PM, and for now I'm assuming that Sean will share the 'watertank watch' with Professor Graves during the night and helping in the hold during the day.

Kitt is having a great time, playing bridge / poker with hunky Doctor Greene and the Sorensen Brothers during the evening, and reading some of those books she brought during the day. 8)

I'm writing a post this afternoon that will describe how well your traps work out.

[Decrepit]

Groovy, except for the Kitt-Greene part.

[Henrik]

I look forward to the scene when the good old doctor dies horrible in the mouth of some eldritch horror from the beyond and Kitt who has gone mad by the sight just states: "But you can't die. I'm carrying your baby!" Romance in a Lovecraftian game, how absurd!

[Raiko]

I look forward to the scene when the good old doctor dies horrible in the mouth of some eldritch horror from the beyond and Kitt who has gone mad by the sight just states: "But you can't die. I'm carrying your baby!" Romance in a Lovecraftian game, how absurd!

Well, if it comes to that lets hope that it's Greene's baby and not something else.

Hi, it was my wedding anniversary this weekend , so unfortunately once I missed posting on Friday afternoon, there wasn't much chance of a weekend post.

I'll be posting at lunchtime today.

[Laraqua]

Do tell what Greene thinks of Kitt... Is he in love, yet? Have my girlish wiles worked? Good thing she brought a prophylactic for the trip!

[Raiko]

It's clear to Kitt that Richard Greene is very keen on her.

[Ghost_1971]

Hmmm...... Sneaking isnt exactly Callums thing lol but here goes nothing.....

http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1256912

Damn it 36

[Mister Juan]

here goes nothing!
http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1257228

11 it is go Isugtag.

[Ghost_1971]

Thats not too bad then. He will hear me, and you can jump him from behind

[Raiko]

I took a day off work yesterday, spent most of the day out and was too tired to post at night. Sorry for the hold up, I'll be posting at lunchtime today.

[Raiko]

I'll wait until everyone has had chance to post again before continuing.

Scott puts up no resistance to Isugtag (like he really could anyway )

You don't have to look too far to find rope on a ship, so Jack can arrive with rope as soon as Decrepit is ready to post.

As soon as Jack, James, etc. start to arrive on the Boat Deck there is probably enough noise that Sean and Prof Graves can hear if they'd like to join in.

If anyone wants to get Turlow he'll be in his cabin at this time, he's due to begin his watch at 4am. Moore and Starkers will also be in their cabin (they share Cabin 11 so that Kitt can have a cabin to herself, (un)fortunately this means waking one will also rouse the other).

[Raiko]

Hi, the forum downtime plus some training courses I'm on at work have prevented me making any lunchtime posts this week.

I'm not likely to get chance to post from home tonight, but normal service will be resumed tomorrow.

BTW: It's currently my plan to move the game on with three summary posts.

The first will handle Turlow's arrival and the detainment of Scott.

The second will cover the rest of the voyage to Australia, there won't be any further acts of sabotage although you may uncover other damage already perpetrated by Scott(?).

The third will cover the time in port at Melbourne, (if any of your characters have had second thoughts about the expedition, remaining in Melbourne may be their last chance to avoid whatever dreadful fate awaits them beyond the Mountains of Madness ).

I'll wait one or two days between each of these posts to give you all time to make posts of your own.

So hopefully in a weeks time from now, the Starkweather-Moore expedition will be heading south from Melbourne, bound for Antarctica.

If anyone wants to play things out in slow-time, rather than moving quickly ahead to the last leg of the voyage; then that's fine, but please let me know today. 8)

[Henrik]

Not really. If this is the saboteur things feel a lot better. If there will be training again it would be interesting to do. That could be handled rather briefly though in my opinion. Onto Antarctica and our doom, I say!