[It's been af few days after the chance encounter with the not-pirates.  The 
ship has entered the Veil in the meantime.  At first it wasn't much, but now 
you're starting to get where the Veil gets its name from.]
[The Gryphon stayed on a steady course all this time towards where they think 
the Iron Maiden might have headed.  Unfortunately they don't have much info to 
go on.  Meanwhile, the mist is getting increasingly thicker, though it seems to 
waver at times, lessening and increasing in density seemingly at a whim.  Right 
now it's at moderate thickness, so you can still see a little ways away from the 
ship, but who knows when that may change?]
[Session: Cast Off!]
* Enzo is on the rigging like a rigged riggy rig of a rig.  As usual.
* Virgil is trying to tell, as best he can, what direction we're going and how 
close we are to the Iron Maiden's last position.
* Nasira is presently wandering around on deck, not doing anything to help out 
the crew, but she doesn't get in anyone's way. She didn't say much after the 
not-pirate not-skirmish, but after a day or so, has more or less resumed being 
her typical self. Like *that's* much better.
* Enzo seems to have recovered from the falling and the water and the falling 
into the water.  There wasn't much to recover from, but still.
* Shan is out on deck, near the wheel. She's wearing typical Chu-Lin clothes and 
yet another fancy hat (this one shaped like a trapezoid) and fanning herself 
with her feather fan. She looks around warily sometimes, and every so often 
electricity sparkles along her arms; she doesn't seem to even realize it.
* Nasira finishes her pacing and wanders over to where Shan's bumming around. 
She grins. "Hey, why the long face?"
* Enzo glances down at Shan.  "Hey Shan!  You're sparkly!"  He waves, grins, and 
gets back to work.
<Shan> Hm?
* Shan looks down at herself. "Oh." The electricity subsides. A little bit.
<Shan> I don't particularly care for this atmosphere.
<Nasira> What, the mist?  You're not the one stuck trying to lead us through it.  
Besides, you got a hat.  ... Where do you *keep* all those hats, anyway?
* Virgil looks around the sea almost absently, consulting a loose book every 
once in a while. He's not, apparently, paying attention to you guys.
<Shan> In my cabin, typically.
<Nasira> How about when we're traveling and you don't have a cabin?  I don't 
remember you being a heavy packer.  Then again, I'm not stuck carrying your 
stuff, so maybe my memory's slipping a little.
<Shan> Are you saying you wish to carry my belongings? Why, Nasira, that's very 
thoughtful of you!
* Shan bows to Nasira. "I gratefully accept your kind offer."
* Enzo snerks from up on the ropes.
<Nasira> I didn't say that... hey, would you pay me extra if I did?  Like, 
actually pay me- damn.
<Shan> How long until we arrive at our destination? Wherever that may be.
* Nasira sighs dramatically, rolling her one eye up to the sky. "Fine, but if I 
drop all your hats in the mud fighting off Vithril assassins or something, it's 
your fault."
* Shan fans herself with a small smile on her face, and waits for a response.
[The captain doesn't seem to particularly like the atmosphere either.  He's 
fairly quiet steering through it all.]
[There's some grumbling heard from the captain.]
* Enzo hangs precariously above the wheel.  "Something wrong, chief?"
* Shan moves over to the captain. "You seem agitated. Not that I blame you."
* Nasira looks up at Enzo. She grins and says, jokingly, "I think he's saying 
that if we ask how much longer one more time, he's going to throw us off. I'm 
used to it, only where I come from, it was all about being stranded in the 
desert."
<Jake> This stupid fog...it wouldn't surprise me if it jus' went down cause it 
couldn't see anything..."
* Enzo snickers.
* Shan blinks. "I beg your pardon?"
<Nasira> Well, it's *like* the desert, only more fish.
* Enzo calls down, "And blue!"
* Virgil nods, then walks over to the Captain. "If you're not too busy, I'm 
going to be conducting the divinations on the ring in more detail now. Good to 
have a fair number of eyes watching, I usually don't catch the fine details." He 
pushes up his glasses.
<Shan> I shall assist you, Virgil.
* Nasira calls up, "And wet, too! Can't forget that."
* Jake sighs. "Anchor."  There's a cranking of the sound of the anchor being 
lowered.  He turns back towards Virgil. "Right.  You still have a note on our 
position?"
* Virgil nods.
* Nasira blinks, then looks at Virgil. "I've only got one eye, but I'll take a 
look. It's not like I'm doing any good out here."
* Enzo swings on down, because why not.  "Yeah, that too!"
* Virgil starts walking to his 'cabin', which is really the map room with a cot 
and a desk and books in it in addition to the normal bigass table and maps.
<Jake> Right.  Get all the necessary materials you need.
* Shan follows, still occasionally crackling with electricity.
* Jake then calls up to the masts. "The rest of you, take a break until we get 
orders to set sail again."  There's various murmurs of agreement among the crew.
* Nasira wanders after, flanking Shan as is typical. "Watch it with those 
sparks. You could short somebody's eye out."
<Shan> Don't put your eye too close.
* Jake comes with too.  Seems he's just as interested.
* Virgil smiles to Shan. "And please don't use lightning oriented magics in the 
room." He gathers in a large clear bowl some water just before he walks into the 
room.
* Enzo lands on deck and ends up flanking Shan on the other side.
* Shan nods. Her electricity subsides.
* Virgil walks to his cabin. It's a bit larger than a typical 1-bunk cabin, but 
he actually has a door. Yeah, doors are cool. There are two chairs, one of them 
a bit larger than the other, inside, as well as a small table. The walls have 
various maps and star charts pinned to them, and his 'bed' is instead a 
bookshelf. There's a hammock tied to one end of the wall, and a place where he 
can tie it to for when he needs to sleep. (cont)
[In another corner is another pile of books, elevated off the ground by a small 
amount of extra wood.  In the center of the table is an ornate crystal ball in a 
holder.  Beside it is the ring that the crew obtained earlier, along with an 
abacus, spyglass, sextant, and a number of graphing/measuring tools.]
* Nasira looks around casually. "Nice place. Read much?"
<Virgil> No.
* Nasira grins. "Oh, good. I was getting worried. All those books can rot your 
brain."
* Virgil goes about cleaning the place up so this many people can fit in. He 
sets the bowl of water on the table.
<Shan> Or stimulate it.
<Jake> Virg is a regular bookworm 'round here.  We swear he'd get seasick by 
tryin' to concentrate on the journeys.
<Virgil> I would not!
<Nasira> Rotting, stimulation, it's all the same thing.
<Shan> I think it's a fine thing. I wish I'd brought some books of my own to 
read.
<Enzo> Same thi--yeah.
<Virgil> I don't think I have anything in Chu-Linese, but if you can read Zaxon 
or Maltian, I might have some novels for ya.
* Jake just grins at Virgil's outburst.
* Virgil looks flustered, yes. ^^;
<Shan> Unfortunately, I can't.
<Shan> I do appreciate the offer, however.
<Enzo> Want me to teach you?
* Shan considers. "Certainly. It would give me something to do during these long 
voyages."
<Enzo> Okay!  Er...when I get off-duty, of course.
* Enzo glances at the Captain.
<Nasira> And Shan can teach you how to stick people with needles.  ... On second 
thought, that's not such a good idea.
* Virgil re-adjusts his glasses as the place appears clean again. Almost 
spotless, really, everything fit back exactly where it belonged. "Are you ready 
to begin?"
<Jake> I'm sure I can arrange that.  <turns to Virgil> But weren't you gonna do 
something, lad?
* Shan tiltes her head at Nasira. "Why is a little medical knowledge NOT a good 
idea? Does your wound bother you from before?"
<Nasira> Noooo...
<Nasira> It's just that partly-trained people sticking me with needles isn't 
always the most fun thing to think about.
* Virgil pokes his staff at the floor, making a good thumping sound. "I need it 
to be quiet. This takes a good deal of concentration, here."
<Enzo> Aw, but practice makes perfect!
<Enzo> Oh, sorry.
* Enzo hushes up.
* Shan chuckles, but doesn't say anything about how amusing that would be.
* Nasira grins. "Maybe you can practice on yourself." She lets it drop there, 
though, and turns to Virgil.
* Enzo shrugs, grinning, and tilts his head, watching Virgil.
* Virgil takes a seat in his chair and mumbles. Concentrating on the bowl of 
water, he picks up the ring and puts it in. Afterwards, he prings his hands up 
against the crystal ball and motions around it, concentrating as something 
should come into view.
[The bowl shimmers for a moment.  There's a slightly grey picture that appears 
of a ship sailing through the mists.  There's a wavering on the surface of the 
water and it tries to appear two more times before it washes back away in the 
bowl.]
* Jake looks at the bowl, then at Virgil. "That wasn't supposed to happen, was 
it?"
* Virgil frowns. "No. Let me try again..."
* Virgil takes his finger and trails a circle in the bowl, completly distorting 
and destroying the image. He then places his hands around the crystal ball, 
trying a second time to get the desired image.
* Nasira folds her arms and watches.
[The same image comes up this time, but it holds longer.  It's a ship, again in 
shades of black, white, and grey, that sails through the mists.  This time 
looking through it there's some flashes in the sky.  The waves don't look as 
smooth either.  Looks like there was a storm...]
* Shan takes note of it.
* Virgil tries to push the image further forward.
* Enzo winces a little, a tiny flash of discomfort crossing his face, then 
returns to his normal demeanor.
[The image flickers.  It looks like it's a little later in the journey.  The 
ship's sails are still at half-mast as it weathers the storm.  It couldn't be 
much more than an hour or two from the time previously.]
* Nasira lets out a small breath, but stays quiet.
* Virgil concentrates a bit more and goes forward another couple hours.
[The scene shifts to ondeck.  There's what appears to be the captain, in what 
you think is long black overcoat, high boots, and a leather belt, complete with 
hat. (although with the whole scene being black-and-white, it's hard to tell)  
and he has a dark goatee mixed with sharp eyes and a light complexion. (con)]  
[He yells something, but unfortunately the vision is soundless.  The scene does 
back up to the rest of the ocean though and the ship veers hard to port.  
There's a shattering near the hull, not much, but enough to show damage to a 
hidden rock in the waves.]
[To everyone except Nasira, the damage looks nasty.  Something you'd have to 
stop and repair.  But not enough to damage the integrity of the hull.  They 
probably could have fixed it.  It keeps getting bashed by the rocks but overall, 
that impression holds.
[Nasira isn't quite sure if they could have survived it or not.]
* Nasira winces. Just a little, but she does.
* Virgil jumps another two hours forward.
[Virgil jumps forward to...an empty ocean.  But it's odd, because he seems to 
sense that the ship *should* be here.  It's just not in the crystal.  The ocean 
is perfectly still.]
* Enzo frowns.  
* Nasira looks puzzled, but she still doesn't speak.
* Virgil goes back... 1 hour. Cut it in half, and continue is always the best 
plan. :P
[Virgil gets the ship again.  It seems to have stopped for repairs.  The anchor 
is lowered and the crew are working frantically.  Soon enough, they raise 
anchor.]
[The ship starts sailing some more, but the crew suddenly jump to their feet and 
go rushing over the deck.  Unsure at what exactly.  There is a splash on the 
port side of the ship though....]
[The water breaks and a the ship starts rocking.  The crew are jumping around 
more.  The captain is shouting orders.  One of the crew snaps shut a book and 
kisses something on his finger.  You can't quite get a good focus on him...]
* Shan figures it out anyway.
[There's a flash of greyish silver smashing out of the water, shattering against 
the ship...then the divination disappears.]
* Enzo blinks.  "Whoa."
* Virgil stops trying there (Or has it stopped for him by the GM), snapping his 
hands open. He pulls a wet piece of cloth from a bowl of water that was 
previously there and wipes his brow. "So, what did you think?"
<Shan> Sea monster?
* Nasira takes in a sharp breath and removes her hand from the hilt of her saif. 
"Any idea what that was?"
<Enzo> Not sure.
<Shan> Perhaps magic.... There's no way to know.
* Jake frowns.  He doesn't look too happy about this. "Don't let the crew know 
about this.  If they knew we were sailing towards...whatever that was.."
<Jake> Any idea where that was?  How far along her course?
* Enzo nods.
<Virgil> I'm not about to.  I've seen a lot more than just sea monsters doing 
this.
* Jake frowns. "We'll need our best lookouts onboard..."  He looks up. "Enzo.  
How do you feel about it?  We'll need all the help we can get."
* Nasira blinks. "What're you thinking about doing?"
* Jake looks at Nasira.  "At least for the rocks.  We can't do much if we're 
crippled..."
* Enzo shrugs.  "'S my job, ain't it?"
* Shan nods. "Those rocks are possibly worse than any sea monster."
* Virgil smiles. "Besides, you wouldn't be afraid of a little sea monster, would 
you Nasira?"
* Jake sighs.  "If we can find a course around...but we don't know how far they 
span.  We may travel out of our way and it won't do any good..."
* Nasira laughs. "A sea monster? Never fought one, but there's a first time for 
everything."
<Virgil> I'll try and keep the course steady Jake, but it's very tough in these 
waters.
<Shan> Perhaps I can help you as well, sir.  I possess a keen eye for detail, if 
I do say so myself.
<Nasira> She's ever so humble, but she's got one more eye than me.
* Virgil takes off his glasses. "We all do."
* Nasira grins. "Got that right. Otherwise, you'd be using a monocle."
* Jake nods. "And if what Virgil saw is to be believed.." He looks at him 
strangely. "What'd you make of that last vision? The one with empty water?"
<Jake> Where'd the ship go?
<Virgil> The one of blank sea?  It could have gone outside of my range, it could 
have been warded somehow against my abilities...  I'm not sure myself.
* Nasira blinks.
<Nasira> Hey, Bookworm.  How's the scrying thing work, anyway?
<Nasira> You keep track of the object?
* Virgil nods. "I keep track of the 'essence', you'd say, that is in the object. 
If it was close to someone, they will impart their essence into the object, and 
I can use that to track the person's course through history."
<Nasira> He could just be at the bottom of the sea.
<Virgil> There is also that.
<Virgil> But then, it would probably display the bottom of the sea, wouldn't it?
* Nasira shrugs. "I don't know. You're the one with the magic."
<Virgil> Whatever it is, we're going to find it out.
* Enzo grins.  "She's right, ya know."
* Virgil hmmms... "Also, divinations are notorious for being 100% accurate. 
There's usually some degree of falsification put in place to fill in the gaps 
that the magic does not."
<Virgil> Were any of you able to read the captain's lips?
* Shan shakes her head.
<Nasira> My reading's limited to stuff that's written, sorry.
* Enzo shrugs.
* Jake sighs and stands up. "Wonderful.  Into the unknown, eh?"
<Virgil> Yup.
<Enzo> What, is the idea of boldly going where at least one ship has gone before 
setting you on edge, Cap?
<Nasira> We could always sail over the edge.  That'd be fun.
* Jake shakes his head. "No no.."  He walks out. "Alright...let's go for it 
then."
* Enzo heads outward and upwards!  Woo-hoo!
* Shan does as well, but without the Woo-hoo. And with more electricity. Bzzt.
* Nasira laughs and walks out, too. "Onward to adventure in the great beyond, or 
something like that."
* Virgil chuckles. "I'm going to take a bit of rest here, if you don't mind." He 
eyes Shan. "And I thought I mentioned now electricity."
<Shan> While you were casting, you said.
[Everyone steps back on deck.  All give me perception rolls +4.]
* Virgil walks back up to the deck to mention to Shan. "No, I said in my room."
[The person in front of you seems to disappear almost entirely as they step out 
into the mist.  It's so thick now that everyone except Shan can barely see where 
their arm ends if they stick it out.  Enzo, on the other hand, barely notices a 
thing.  What else is new?]
* Shan stares. "By the gods, what has happened?"
* Enzo blithely heads up to the crow's nest, 'cause he's so Enzo.
* Virgil woozes. "I think I'm gonna head below decks again."
* Nasira raises her hand in front of her face, barely able to see it. "I think 
the mist decided it'd be fun to close in a little bit."
[Everyone hears Jake scowl. "Dammit.  This mist must have just rolled right in.  
How the...?"
<Nasira> Wanna bet we're getting closer?
<Shan> Well, we can't very well go anywhere like this.
<Virgil> Of course not...
* Enzo asks, muffled, from the crow's nest, "Why not?"
* Nasira shrugs, then calls up, "Hey, Enzo! Can you me from up there?"
<Virgil> You can't see a blasted thing!
[The ship starts to lurch anyhow.  Seems it's going whether you like it or not.  
Another yell from Jake sounding like "What in the seven hells....?" is heard.]
* Enzo shouts back down.  "Of course!"
* Shan crackles with more electricity.
* Nasira takes a step forward before she regains her footing. She looks around, 
completely unable to see anything, and her eye gleams.
["Someone check the damned anchor!  Make sure we're still moored!"]
* Shan keeps her balance with no problem, but is still confused.
* Virgil takes a deep breath. "I hope I can do this..."
* Nasira hesitates half a moment before she's running to the back of the ship, 
or the opposite direction of where they're being sent. Her saif flashes in her 
hand.
* Enzo looks around like a good little lookout. 
* Virgil tries to work his magic, yet again.
[Virgil tries to work his magic.  Something is interfering, though, and it's 
rough going.  The ship slows a little but not completely.]
* Nasira reaches the back and stops, bracing herself for a moment. She raises 
her sword and spins, a searingly hot wind forming at its length and spiraling 
outward. It's not enough, though, as the mist doesn't seem to want to vanish.
* Enzo calls out.  "Rock off the starboard bow!"
* Nasira holds her saif to one side and grins despite herself. "Oh, I get it. 
It's *magic* mist."
* Virgil frowns. "Yeah, definetly. Otherwise it woulda just vanished."
[The ship lurches as the captain steers the wheel sharply.  The waves crash 
loudly as it maneuvers its way through.  Enzo and Shan notice that it's almost 
too close for comfort.]
<Enzo> ...whew.
* Nasira keeps her footing this time, as she was actually expecting it.
* Enzo continues looking out.
* Virgil stumbles a bit. "Geeze, I don't like this..."
<Nasira> That's why it's happening!  Start liking it, Virgil!
* Shan watches it go by. She keeps her footing, but is crackling with 
electricity all over again. "You're telling me."
<Enzo> Aw, c'mon, what's not to like?  Except the magic mist, the rocks, the 
being pulled on by strange unnamed forces...it's not that bad!
<Virgil> Yes, it's bad.
<Enzo> Well, if you put it *that* way...
[Shan and Enzo manage to make out another rock!  port side this time.]
<Enzo> Another one!  Portside!
* Nasira laughs and, in the moment of relative peace, raises her sword and tries 
again. The mist stubbornly refuses to go away. "Of all the- why'd I even bother 
making this trick? There's probably a sea monster just waiting to be carved 
apart."
* Shan echoes Enzo. Sort of. "Rock on the left!"
[The ship turns perfectly smooth away from the rock.  There's not even any 
rocking.  Virgil and Nasira hear a loud rushing of water in the direction they 
just steered, just off the starboard bow.  May be a ways ahead, it's hard to 
tell...]
[Shan and Enzo, on the other hand, not only hear it, but actually see it.  A 
large whirlpool opened up in the sea.  It's probably what's pulling the ship.  
At least part of it.]
<Virgil> ...
<Virgil> You were SAYING it wasn't bad?!
<Shan> Um... That does not look good.
<Enzo> ...okay....
<Enzo> Maybe it is a, um, little bad.
[Jake's shout comes up again. "What?  I need ye to be my eyes.  I can't see a 
blasted thing in this!"]
<Enzo> Hey, Captain!  Huge whirlpool up ahead!
* Nasira starts rushing towards whatever it is. "Sounds like water! And I don't 
mean the still kind!"
<Enzo> Looks like it's pulling us in!
* Virgil frowns and runs below deck.
[There's general shouting among the crew at that.  Jake curses.  Enzo can see 
him making gestures with his hands, although it does no good since no one else 
can see it. "Everyone, brace yourselves.  Turn away from the current!" He yells 
up towards the crows nest. "Which way is the current pulling?"
["Virgil!  Dammit, where's Virgil?"]
* Virgil comes back with an abacus. "Right here captain! What's the current 
bearing on our position of the pull?!"
* Nasira reaches rather blindly for a rope, or something. This isn't going to be 
pretty.
* Virgil tries to work his magic again while Enzo, hopefully relays the 
information.
* Enzo relays the information!  <.<
<Jake> See if you can at least get the wind to push us away.
<Virgil> Trying, but that may not be enough...
[The ship veers hard on its course.  It slows as it turns away but the wind 
ripples.  The mist clears, not entirely, but enough so you can at least see the 
people on-deck again.  The sails are full as Virgil concentrates, pulling it 
just barely along side the whirlpool.]
* Nasira grips the rope, hissing in a breath as she sees the others on deck. She 
looks over the edge to the whirlpool.
[Nasira loses her footing as the ship tilts towards the direction of the 
whirlpool on the outskirts.  Virgil is concentrating too much on his spell to 
concentrate on his footing.  He falls down and goes sliding on the angled deck 
towards the edge of the railing.  Fast.]
* Enzo looks down on deck.  "Nasira!  Virgil!"
* Virgil is falling. Faaaaaalling!
* Nasira wraps the rope around her arm once more and hangs tight. She doesn't go 
far and stumbles back to her feet, then her eye widens as she realizes Virgil's 
heading towards her: off the ship and into the whirlpool.
* Shan runs along the ship towards Virgil.
* Shan can run, 'cause she's uber.
* Nasira also moves, trying to catch Virgil as he slides in her direction.
* Virgil reaches for *someone's* hand!
[Nasira manages to grasp hold of Virgil's hand as he slides past.]
* Virgil takes a deep breath and motions with his other hand, trying to cast a 
quick spell in case Nessy's grip breaks.
* Nasira gasps as, when she grasps Virgil's forearm, she manages to let go of 
the rope. They go tumbling down, but she doesn't let go, and eventually grabs 
the railing at the very end, making them dangle precariously off the ship. 
Nevertheless, she yells over the wind, "I told you all those books would rot 
your brain. It throws off your balance!"
<Virgil> I told you I didn't read too much!
<Nasira> At least you don't *eat* too much.
* Nasira tries to pull them up, but it's awfully difficult one-handed.
<Virgil> Why would I do that?
[Nasira manages to get Virgil on deck just as the ship pulls free of the 
whirlpool and settles on relatively calmer water.]
* Enzo lets out a whoop.  "Nice save!"
* Virgil is pulled up. "You always cut things so close?"
<Enzo> You seen that sword of hers?  She's probably used to it!
* Enzo grins.
* Nasira crawls onto the ship, now nicely wet from the sea spray, and stands. 
She grins. "Come to think of it, sometimes I actually do cut things."
* Virgil gets up, mantaining his control over the weather. "I think I should 
keep mother nature in check now..."
<Nasira> But if you want to fall off the ship next time, please, tell me before 
I risk my neck saving you.
<Virgil> No, it's quite okay.
[That comment earns a chuckle from Jake.]
<Virgil> Save me all you want.
["Look alive, I don't think we're through the worst yet..."]
* Nasira blinks, then looks to Shan. "Hey, hear that, boss? I got permission!"
<Enzo> Aw, phooey.  Stupid unknown dangers of the sea...
* Virgil false-feints. "Oh save me, a giant meteor is going to smush me while I 
drown in a pool of lava acid with twenty sea dragons around me. What shall I 
ever do."
* Nasira thinks.
* Nasira nudges Virgil with her toe. "Die?"
<Virgil> Yeah, probably.
* Virgil gets up.
[And so, the first perils of the Veils of Mist have been averted for now.  But 
what else does the sea have to offer?  Only time will tell.]
[End.]