Open to Investigators

[howexciting]

Everyone, listen to me! We can get through this, as long as we work together. Convince as many infiltrators as you can to help, too. I know things are rough right now, but we have to try to stay calm, and work this out as a team.

If you are in the water, find a Siren as soon as possible and ask them to sing the Song of Breath. It will allow you to breathe water for a short amount of time. It is better than drowning.

The Damsel - if there are any mermaids near your ship, ask them to see if they can push your ship upright, possibly check for leaks. Then head for the south channel as quickly as you can. Fire at the Leviathan's eye or near its mouth when that is done.

The Harbinger - don't attack its limbs! Unless you can cut through them from the underside, your weapons won't cut through the armored plating! If you can still fire upon it in some manner, cannon or magic or whatever, we must aim for the Leviathan's eye or near its mouth. Those are the two weakest spots. I would suggest its eye because its natural instinct will be to let go to protect it, and then we can head for the south channel as well.

The Panlong - try to take control of the ship. There is some mass confusion on deck - that may help whomever is not busy use Liminal portals, if we can set up a chain of them, to appear over there and storm the wheel, and get the ship turned around. Once it's down the channel, try to convince any Sirens you find to sing a Song of Calming and perhaps prevent a frenzy of Stricken. I know some are frenzying already, but try to keep them away from the healthy mermaids if you can!

I will answer any questions as I can, but we must be moving now if we are to survive!

Comments

[detectivewonder]

Do you still have a gun crew aboard the Harbinger?

Are you aboard the Harbinger right now?

[howexciting]

There are a few crew members left! I'm aboard right now, trying to convince the first mate to center all fire at its eye in a second volley!

[detectivewonder]

Sounds like you could use a few more hands.

I'm coming aboard.

[howexciting]

[He knows he can't stop you, so he'll just give a bit of a mental sigh.]

Be careful. I have Alcuin, and I am going to evacuate to a long boat as soon as I can, and possibly move some of the others off the ship as well. I'm of no more use here.

[detectivewonder]

If you help get the longboats to the nearest atoll, you'll be plenty of use.

[howexciting]

... thank you. I will start that way when I can, and hopefully convince the others to follow.

sometimes my icons don't even even have beards and i don't caaaare

[deconsecrate]

In my experience when large, angry things start coming after you, running away only encourages pursuit. Large, angry pursuit.

[ So Hawke feels they should like ...kill this thing before they start trying for any elaborate escape routes. He's just saying. ]

[howexciting]

Can the Damsel defeat it? The Harbinger has barely enough crew to keep afloat with the evactuation, and the Panlong hardly seems willing to help. I know some of us are doing all we can but I fear it's not enough.

[deconsecrate]

You might want to ask someone on the Damsel that question. Here on the Panlong we're mostly lazing about, working on our collective tans.

Oh, plus dealing with carnivorous fish people. And trying to kill the bloody enormous monster.

[howexciting]

Don't hurt them! They're sick, they... they can't help it. They need to be calmed down by Siren's song as soon as possible!

[deconsecrate]

...I'm sorry, who are you again?

[howexciting]

Leonardo da Vinci. You remember, from the-- Dio mio!

[Apparently there's a new thrashing tentacle on the deck that he's trying to avoid, give him a minute to scurry away from it and take a mermaid safely with him.]

-- there are three types of Mermaids. The "normal" kind, the Sirens who essentially cast magic with their voices, and the Stricken who are inflicted with a disease that causes them to become carnivorous. They are sick, Hawke, and they need to be treated! Blood will only cause the others to go into a frenzy!

[deconsecrate]

[ Huh. So that's what scurrying from a tentacle sounds like inside a brain. Meanwhile, since he's pretty sure they've only spoken once, and not for very long, Hawke ...basically faintly recollects the man's name to indeed be Leonardo, but that's about it. ]

Then I'll try not to bleed on any of them.

[howexciting]

[Twice, bro. The Orange Illuminant remembers you... not that that's very important rn]

It won't matter if one of them gets injured and starts bleeding. The other Stricken might attack them instead. Just... please be careful!

I just thought... since the Leviathan lives in deep waters, if we got the mermaids into shallow water, it would not be able to harm them and it would stop trying to harm us.

[deconsecrate]

[OH RIGHT yeah okay Hawke was pretty into that guy. He has, perhaps, not met much of Leo himself though. ]

I'll see what I can do.

[ Look, he's putting this information into active practice and everything! ]

Does this plan have an element to account for what happens when we get caught between the navy and our friend there? It doesn't seem the type just to give up and go away.

[howexciting]

[Bless you Hawke. You are a saint.]

Perhaps we can hole ourselves up in the channel and continue firing long-range?

[deconsecrate]

[ What a tragedy that would be. ]

Oh sure, I like being cornered about as much as the next fellow. --wait. Does anyone like being cornered?

[howexciting]

N-no, it is a rather awful feeling, from my personal experience. But all channels must let out somewhere. And if those of us who are fighting continue as they have...

... surely we've done some damage to the Leviathan. I only thought, if we were out of its range, we would not have to deal with the heat, or with the maddening effect, or with its strong tentacles. Then we could focus on fighting it.

[deconsecrate]

The maddening effect does put a damper on trying to get things done. Like a really persistent head cold.

[ Hawke ...no it isn't. ]

[howexciting]

Believe me, messere, when I say that without a Siren singing aboard, we would not have lasted this long with its maddening effect so close to our top deck. [Leo's pretty sure the only reason he's on the ship anymore is the Siren in particular.]

... but it would be a bad idea to stay for much longer - the Captain wants to explode the powder reserves. And frankly I am terrified enough as it is.

[pseudologist]

I've heard the powder they use for the guns here is quite explosive. If you can get the Harbinger clear of people before Ol' Squidface gets bored, you might be able to hurt it enough for us to actually make a retreat.

[howexciting]

Is there enough room on both ships to hold the Harbinger crew? We're certainly the largest of the ships... I'm not sure we'll all fit.

[pseudologist]

That depends on how desperate everyone is to not get eaten. I've seen ships packed tighter, but it's not exactly comfortable.

[howexciting]

We may be able to keep others in the longboats for a time, but I doubt they will make a sea journey for very long. They aren't really built for that, are they?

[pseudologist]

I knew a captain once who claimed to be able to cross the Waking Sea with nothing but a driftwood raft and a store or rum...but no, those thinks aren't meant for long voyages in troubled water.

[howexciting]

If you have a better plan... I will try to evacuate, too. But is letting this ship be destroyed really our best option...?

[pseudologist]

I doubt we'll have much choice on that point, messere. It's merely a question of whether the destruction has a purpose, or is the result of an angry demonic squid.

[howexciting]

We have had plenty of destruction result from the Leviathan, regardless. But it could be fixed at this point.

[After a moment, his mind reaches out to Varric's again.]

It seems that there are others on this ship who agree with you - both the captain and the first mate have said they wish to evacuate and then explode the gunpowder in the hold. I suppose I am outvoted. But it will likely serve its purpose well... I should probably evacuate.

[pseudologist]

It seems like the smart play. Explosions aren't much fun when they're up close and personal.

Do you have enough boats to get everyone clear?

[howexciting]

No, I doubt not. I just hope it will be enough to halt the Leviathan's advance.

I believe we have enough. The captain and first mate, the gun crew, and a few others need to leave. We can fit on two boats easily. I will start preparing them.

[pseudologist]

Good luck. We'll keep an eye out for you in the water.

[unabatedly]

Leonardo--

[She, like him, is doing her best to get people to safety while continuing to combat the monster.]

We're going to need to evacuate soon. There's little more we can do to save the Harbinger now.

[howexciting]

I have a longboat waiting at the stern. Alcuin is coming with us, and whoever else we can fit. But I am saving a spot for you.

[unabatedly]

I'm going to get a few more people into the boats. There's just a few of the crew left manning the guns.

[Who will go down with the ship if they don't move.]

[howexciting]

Tell them to come to the stern. The rope ladder is already set up. Neria... please hurry. And stay safe.

[unabatedly]

I will.

[A pause.]

I will be swift, I promise. I'll join you soon. But if anything happens, you must leave before your boat goes down with the Harbinger, with or without me.

[civics]

[ Everything is hitting all at once and Erwin is having one hell of a time keeping himself from going down with the rest of the ship. The sea, bodies of water in general, were never part of his life before this world, his swimming skills are average at best so it's imperative that he help save the ship he's on. He takes all of the information he's being given, goes over it multiple times in his head before asking questions. ]

And what would you suggest we do should the Damsel take on too much water? Will they be able to right the ship if it has completely capsized?

[howexciting]

[Thankfully Leonardo is slightly quicker on his feet with impromptu strategy, and without missing a beat he replies.]

The sooner you can right the Damsel, the less water it will take on, and the less danger of it sinking. If it does not sink immediately, and the water is manageable, you can remove the water with buckets and possibly a chain of people, or somebody running buckets back and forth. If you start to sink, evacuate to a lifeboat, or locate a Siren and ask them to sing the Song of Breath. It will allow you to breathe water for a time.