[Arr, and welcome aboard the Gryphon once again.  Where the wenches are brutal 
and the navigator's chicken-livered.  But enough about the crew.  Let's follow 
where we are now.  In the middle of the Veil of Mists.  Where whirlpools just 
open up to eat your poor ship, deftly evaded by the keen eyes of the crew.]
[For now, the fog's retreated a little, though there's still no indication of 
time of day nor place in this grey atmosphere.  At least you can see both ends 
of the ship now.  The waters have calmed after you passed the whirlpool and the 
violent winds that had picked up died down a little ago.  The Captain is trying 
to recover from the ordeal still.]
[Session Start.]
* Naiya is on deck, looking around now that it's cleared up somewhat, trying 
desperately to get some kind of bearing.
* Shan is out on deck. She's still crackling a little bit with electricity, and 
looks rather stressed.
* Enzo looks down from the crow's nest and waves at Jake.  "Hey, Cap, you all 
right down there?"
* Nasira doesn't seem stressed at all, despite falling off the ship not too long 
ago. She's checking ropes to make sure they're sturdy enough to clutch onto 
should it happen again.
* Jake doesn't reply yet. He's busy slumped over the steering wheel with his 
arms hanging over the wood, panting. "I'm too old for this..."
* Virgil has taken a seat and is thinking over a few things. "No you're not. We 
got out, didn't we?"
* Jake grins slightly at Virgil. "Yeah. You did good too." He looks out at the 
water. "It's like the very sea's against us though..."
* Nasira comes walking up to Shan, having made sure the ropes are as secure as 
her untrained eye would let her. "Hey, boss. You okay?"
<Virgil> Lot of times it's like that.  Espically going into the unknown like we 
are now.
<Shan> I'll be far better once we're out of this wretched place.
<Jake> That's true...
<Virgil> They're unknown for a reason.  ~_^
<Enzo> Aw, c'mon.  That other ship came from here, after all.
<Naiya> This is not a wretched place. Merely a dangerous and previously as of 
unexplored place.
* Nasira spins, turning her attention to Naiya. She narrows her eye slightly, 
then walks off to look for more whirlpools, maybe.
<Shan> It's easy for you to say that.
[Naiya has no idea where they are.]
<Naiya> I do not see this place as wretched. Even as brutal and dangerous as 
this is, I will never find the sea wretched.
* Enzo starts whistling aimlessly between his teeth as he looks out.
<Shan> Well, that's very good for you, then.
* Naiya claps her spyglass shut. "You seem to disagree."
* Jake pulls himself up to the wheel and keeps an eye towards the bow. He pulls 
himself off the wheel and starts walking over towards the hoist for the anchor.
<Shan> You can tell that to Mr. Squid when you see him on the bottom of this sea 
you love so much.
* Naiya pauses for a moment, closing her eyes. "... there are worse ways to 
die."
<Shan> Yes, well. I prefer not to go seeking them.
* Jake speaks offhand as he walks and looks over the edge. "People, people, 
don't argu--
* Jake blinks as he looks over the side.
<Enzo> Somethin' wrong?
* Jake grumbles something as he pulls himself up. "Well, that ain't good..."
* Jake points downward. "Take a look for yourself."
* Shan hurries over to look.
* Virgil gets up and heads over for a look himself after snapping out of his 
little trance.
* Enzo peers down from Way Up.
* Naiya turns her attentions to Jake. "It can't be that bad, if you're merely 
looking." She goes to join the crowd to go see what's over there.
* Nasira glances over at Jake from the other side of the ship, then jocks over.
[Over the edge of the ship is the anchor chain dipping into the water.  It 
doesn't go but a few meters before it disappears.  There's a brownish color 
wavering in the water at the end of the chain that may be rust.  And beyond 
that, the chain ends abruptly.]
<Virgil> That's not good.
<Virgil> I knew I should have studied an anchor-creation spell.
<Naiya> I'll second that.
<Enzo> That's one way to put it.
[You can't tell if it was cut or not because of the water.]
<Shan> Not that I know much about ships... But isn't that important?
* Nasira peers over the edge. "Yeah, I think that makes it stop."
<Virgil> Correct you are.
<Enzo> So...what happens when we, say, try to pull it up?
* Shan crackles with electricity. "Lovely... I loathe this wretched place."
* Jake sighs. "Given time, we may be able to make some sort of makeshift weight 
to replace it...I hope."
* Naiya frowns, rubbing her chin with one hand. "This bodes ill. The anchor 
wasn't quite -that- rusty, was it?"
<Jake> Not at all.
<Virgil> If it was, I would have known.  Perhaps the water's a bit acidic?
<Enzo> A *bit*?
* Nasira taps the rail, then turns to look at the others. "If it's that acidic, 
shouldn't the bottom of the ship be destroyed by now?"
<Enzo> Shh!  Don't remind it!
<Virgil> Maybe it only eats away metal.
<Shan> Maybe it was some sort of sea monster.
<Naiya> Draw the chain up. If it's a sea monster, it will have bite marks.
<Enzo> Why would a sea monster want to eat an anchor?
<Enzo> I wouldn't think that would be too tasty.
<Naiya> Ever been fishing?
<Virgil> It's there?
<Virgil> Sea monsters are reported to have the strangest appetites.
* Jake starts hoisting the anchor up.
<Nasira> Maybe it lacks iron.
<Nasira> Who cares?
<Enzo> Well, you'd think that if all it ate were metal, it wouldn't find too 
much to eat out here and it would have died by now.
<Enzo> Maybe it wanted it for a hat.
<Shan> Perhaps it is able to digest a variety of substances.
<Enzo> Maybe.
* Nasira snickers. "Could've been jealous of Shan's hats."
<Enzo> That was probably it.
<Enzo> That's what you get for being stylish, Shan!
<Virgil> "Monsters and the Styles that Drive Them."  Hmmm, might be an 
interesting book.
<Nasira> You can write it.
<Virgil> Sure, just do some research for me.
[The anchor finishes being hoisted.  It does indeed look like there's bite 
marks. where the rust ends.  And no more chain.]
<Naiya> ... Shan was right.
[There's a faint rumble too.  Everyone seems to hear it gradually building, but 
it's unclear where exactly it's coming from.]
* Virgil frowns. "I really really really really hope that isn't what it might 
be."
* Nasira glances around, slowly regaining her customary grin. "Maybe it's coming 
out to play."
<Enzo> I just hope it really really *hates* tag.
<Virgil> Why?
<Naiya> .....
<Enzo> 'Cause I get the distinct feeling that if it likes it, right now it's 
"It."
* Virgil pauses. "That's bad, you know."
<Enzo> And I don't like to think of how it tags people.
<Enzo> Yes, I know.
<Naiya> We should leave. Now.
<Virgil> I hear that.
<Nasira> The anchor's conveniently raised, y'know.
<Enzo> But look on the bright side.  Maybe it just wants a tea party.
* Nasira snickers.
<Enzo> 'Samatter, Naiya?  Not a tea fan?
* Virgil tries to fill the sails with wind so they can, ya know, move.
<Naiya> I`m sure you'll make an excellent crumpet, Enzo.
<Enzo> A crumpet?  Perish the thought.  Though my mother did once tell me I'd 
make an excellent blueberry scone.
<Shan> I'd be more worried about the storm brewing.
* Shan looks down into the water, too. "And Enzo... Feel free to offer it tea."
<Enzo> I can try, but I can't guarantee it'll accept.  I mean, it's a sea 
monster.  They never got to go to manners school.
* Naiya looks up. "A storm... I beleive you may have a point, Shan. This place 
is wretched."
* Nasira looks up at the sky. She shrugs. "Makes it more interesting. We did ask 
for it."
<Naiya> I will be back shortly. Excuse me. *bows out, heading belowdecks for a 
moment.*
<Enzo> We did?
<Shan> We're here, aren't we?
* Virgil blinks. "Wait a sec... This is where the ship... vanished? It's that 
patch of open sea we saw in the divination, I'm sure of it."
* Shan points over the side. "That's probably what did it. There's something 
down there."
<Enzo> How can you tell one patch of sea from another?
* Jake sighs. "Wonderful..."
<Enzo> Does it have labels?
<Virgil> Call it a gut intuition.
* Nasira laughs. "Sure you can label the sea. They've done it before, right? Sea 
of Serenity, Sea of Shadows..."
* Virgil looks over to Jake. "What do you think, Captain?"
* Jake watches the ocean. "I don't know...if it wanted us gone, it would have 
attacked us a while ago, wouldn't it?"
<Shan> Perhaps it is giving us a warning.
* Naiya comes back up, clinking, checking a pistol while she does so. She's 
carrying a spool of rope, a pistol, along with a small pouch that's probably 
spare shots for it. She's left her shield behind, and sets about tying the rope 
to the mast, then herself.
<Virgil> Why would it bother?
<Shan> Animals often do such a thing. Maybe we are approaching its nest.
* Jake looks over at Virgil. "You're sure this is where it disappeared?"
<Virgil> It's the last divination we had of the clear water.  I'm positive.
<Naiya> .... I'm afraid I don't have much to offer versus a sea monster, but I 
will do my best.
* Nasira grins. "Maybe we've been marked."
* Jake rubs his chin in thought. "What do you think? We did bring that diving 
equipment...but that's just nuts. I don't think the society expected this..."
<Enzo> Why not?
<Nasira> I'd offer to go.  It looks like fun, fighting sea beasts and exploring 
sunken ships, but I can't.
* Virgil thinks. "What needed to be salvaged?"
<Naiya> ...
<Shan> I... could go, but I wouldn't reccommend it.
<Naiya> I would offer, but I'm afraid the previous inhabitant would have 
objections.
* Jake leans back against the edge of the railing. "A journal. It's supposedly 
kept in an air-tight box just for this instance. And...well, they did say to try 
and find the crew as well but..."
<Naiya> A black journal?
<Jake> Probably.
* Enzo blinks.
* Virgil takes a deep breath. "Well, I don't know if we'll ever have another 
shot at this. What do you guys say?"
<Naiya> ... we need to do something about 'It.' How far down is the ship, any 
idea? A cannon barrage while someone goes down should be a sufficient 
distraction.
<Jake> That might work.  As for how far down it is, I'm not sure.  Apparently 
out of range for Virgil's vision from where we were...
* Nasira grins. "If you can just get it above water, I could keep it busy, but 
I'd be putting the ship at risk."
* Naiya looks up. "A storm, too.""
<Virgil> I can keep the storm at bay if we need time.
<Enzo> Yeah, yeah.  It needs to learn to wait its turn.  Shoving isn't polite.
<Shan> The storm is not the problem.
<Jake> Alright then.  Man the cannons.
<Naiya> How are we going to get all the way down? We'll need a good swimmer.
<Jake> The suits should help with that.  
<Naiya> The bulky suits I saw before?
<Virgil> Yes.
* Nasira folds her arms, still looking around.
<Naiya> I'll volunteer for that aspect, then.
* Naiya tosses the sack of spare shot to Nasira. "There's some pare shot in 
there, but also some bombs that will blind the monster, should you get the 
chance to use them."
<Jake> Anyone else going down?
<Virgil> Don't look at me.
<Naiya> Those suits look... bulky. May I have some assistance getting them on?
<Shan> I don't believe it would be wise for me to go down with anyone else.
<Naiya> You're going too? You seemed.... leary of the water.
* Nasira looks at Jake. "I'd like to, but I gotta protect the boss. Besides, I 
can't swim." She grins faintly.
<Shan> No. I won't be going.
* Naiya glances at Enzo, then Virgil.
<Virgil> I'm staying up here.  No way am I going down there.
<Virgil> No offense, but I can't even move in one of those things.
* Enzo ignores everything and continues peering around.
<Naiya> You strike me as the type to know how they work, though. From what I 
saw, they look like I'll need asstistance getting them on.
* Virgil scratches his head. "I suppose I could take a shot at it." He tries to 
figure out how the damn things work.
* Naiya heads to where the suits are!
[A few moments later, Naiya comes up all suited up, followed by a possibly 
embarrassed Virgil.]
* Virgil is blushing, all right ^^;
* Naiya isn't clinking, she's clanking. She's not blushing, either. =p
* Jake turns towards Naiya. "Alright, it was your idea. Where should we shoot?"
<Naiya> Like throwing a rock far out. Start close to the ship with one cannon, 
and shoot farther and farther out.
<Naiya> Hopefully that should draw it away form the ship.
<Enzo> Or it could see it as an attack, get mad, and kill us all.
<Enzo> But then, what's life but a series of unpredictable chances and a sharp 
chomp at the end?
<Naiya> There is that possibility.
<Virgil> So optomistic.
<Naiya> I think it'd only see it as an attack if it was hit, though.
* Enzo points out, "We have no idea how big it is, remember?"
* Jake nods and relays the message to the bosun who nods and goes below deck to 
give the orders.
* Naiya gets ready to jump. "Are there any marking or distinguishable features 
on the chest, and do you know where in the ship it should be?"
<Jake> Should be in the hold.  Probably a secret compartment or something.  I 
wasn't given the details.
* Naiya nods.
<Jake> Ready when you are, lady.
<Shan> Best of luck.
<Jake> Everyone else, be ready just in case that thing gets...nasty.
<Enzo> Since you're going down there anyway, *you* ask it if it wants tea. 
*waves!*
<Virgil> Good luck Naiya.
<Naiya> May Fiona watch over us all. And Nasira, don't forgot about those bombs. 
They might come in handy it it's too big to defeat normally.
* Enzo then salutes at Jake.  "Yessir!"
* Naiya jumps!
* Nasira glares at Naiya for a moment before she nods. "I won't."
[Just then, the sea breaches and out of it sticks a Loooooong neck.  There's a 
roar as a blue scaled, slender creature with glistening scales rises from the 
water.  The neck is about 3 times the diameter of the mast and it's head has two 
fanlike fins on the sides as well as a fan on the sides.  The glistening is the 
texture of oiliness.]
* Shan opens her own fan (a folding one this time). "Are the cannons armed?"
[It bears its sharp beak at you and lets out another roar towards the ship.  
It's a good distance away still, probably about 500m, but it looks at the ship.  
There's a flash in the sky above from the lightning.]
* Jake looks over that, whispering. "Cor...that's not good." He speaks up 
louder. "Aye aye!"
<Virgil> ...
<Enzo> ...
<Enzo> For some reason I get the feeling that that means "No tea, thank you."
<Virgil> Yeah.
* Nasira 's eye gleams, looking up at the creature, and she grins. "Yeah. I get 
that feeling, too."
* Naiya watches it while she falls. Once she splashes, she still watches it, 
although she does start looking Down, for any kind of wreckage.
* Shan thrusts her fan out. "Fire the cannons!"
[The cannons fire off, splashing the water all around the creature.  The balls 
certainly have its attention now.]
* Nasira flexes her fingers as she watches it from the distance.
[Naiya's attached to a long rope.  Jake concentrates on lowering her down.  If 
she gets in trouble, all she needs to do is give it a tug.  Seems sturdy 
enough.]
* Jake shouts out. "Keep the ship moving! If she gets us, I don't know what'll 
happen. Get those sails!"
* Virgil nods. "Shan, it hates lightning! I'll work on making the conditions 
favor us, but I fear the cannons won't be enough to hurt it sufficently."
<Shan> I'm aware of that, Virgil, but there's little advice I can offer, save 
sail towards the storm.
<Nasira> So we're heading into the storm now?  I knew this was going to be fun.
* Enzo twitches a little, but says nothing.
<Jake> Aye!
* Jake goes for the wheel and turns the ship. Hard into the storm!
* Virgil motions and the winds enforce that decision, hopefully.,
[The winds pick up and the ship picks up speed.  The rope trails behind for 
Naiya.  Hope it's long enough to accomodate for the movement.]
[Enzo manages to keep the sails up to gather the wind.  He has some help, of 
course.  People are frantic around the rigging, moving rapidly.]
[The creature follows behind, diving into the water.  It swims rapidly towards 
the ship.  It's slowly catching up.]
<Shan> Fire again!
[The cannons go off again, firing towards the creature.  Some of them hit.  The 
monster squeals and thrashes the ocean, diving under the water.]
[The storm seems to be drifting closer, but slowly.  It'll take a bit to get 
here.]
* Nasira jumps down to the lower deck, running to the other end of the ship. If 
a sea creature's going to attack, she'll be the first one eaten!
* Shan walks towards the end of the ship. She folds her fan and hands it to 
Jake. "Here, hold onto this for me."
* Virgil is concentrating on ship go stuff!
* Jake grabs the fan and curses. "Good luck."
* Nasira glances back to see Shan coming her way. She smiles. "Hey, boss. It's 
hard to protect ya if you run into danger like me."
[Virgil seems to be picking up speed with the wind.  But there's a dark shape 
formed in the water.  About 50 meters and closing.]
* Enzo frowns and squints at the shape.
<Shan> I dare say we're already in quite enough danger.
<Enzo> Uh, Shan?  Might not wanna say that.....
* Jake frowns. "I don't know if we can go much further without dragging the girl 
along with us."
<Virgil> Okay, we stop here then.  I'll just have to make due.
<Enzo> There's something else coming.
<Jake> Keep trying to bring that storm to us, lad.  That'll help if what you say 
is true.
* Nasira glances up at Enzo. "Yeah? What've we got?"
<Enzo> Uh, not sure.  But it's getting closer...
<Enzo> Oh, wait.
<Enzo> Nevermind, it's just our sea monster friend.  Maybe it changed its mind 
on the tea party thing.
* Nasira chuckles.
<Enzo> Sea monsters are so fickle.  They need to make up their minds.
<Nasira> All that fish can't be good for 'em.
<Enzo> No kidding.
<Shan> Hence why it ate the anchor.
<Enzo> It doesn't seem to have helped the sea monster's indecision.
[The monster pops its head out of the water now on the port side.  It screeches 
and now that it's right there, it's got a definitely huge head.  It could 
probably swallow a small ship.  Fortunately, your ship may be safe.  At least 
from eating.]
[Order: Nasira, Enzo, Shan, Eel, Virgil]
* Enzo twitches.  "Or maybe it was an accident and now the poor thing's got 
indigestion."
* Enzo eyes the monster.  "Hey, Virgil!  You seem ta know a thing or two about 
this guy."
<Enzo> Would that include knowing where its brain is?
<Shan> Try it's head.
<Virgil> Uh, it's head.
<Virgil> Most things have brains in their heads.
<Shan> ( The brain is in the foot! )
<Enzo> Hey, ya never know.
* Nasira grins. "This *is* going to be fun." She takes a running start and 
*jumps*, smoothly drawing her saif as it acquires a molten glow. Assuming she 
gets high and far enough, she brings it down into the creature's head.
* Shan rubs her head. "Ugh. Nasira, you fool. That was MY plan."
<Enzo> Aw, Shan!  You *too*?
* Enzo looks decidedly put out.
<Virgil> You're all NUTS!
<Enzo> What?  It's a perfectly valid plan!  What did *you* want to do, tickle 
it?
<Virgil> I was thinking of, you know...  a lightning bolt?
<Enzo> Do you have any?
<Enzo> 'Cause me, I'm all out.
<Virgil> Need to bring the thunder first...
<Enzo> Well, then.  Head jump sounds like a perfectly reasonable plan to me.
[Nasira manages to go off the edge of the ship and doesn't quite get enough jump 
to get to the creature's head.  Instead she lands in the ocean to the side of 
it, the sword going out as it hits the water.]
<Enzo> ...uh, unless that happens.
* Nasira gasps for air as she starts to sink, her splashing remarkably... 
ineffective. She lets out a few curses in Caladeem before she falls under, 
sinking spectacularly.
[Enzo's turn.]
* Enzo sighs, then gauges himself to do his own Head Jump.
[Enzo jumps towards the eel!  The eel moves its head slightly and Enzo goes 
sliding down its back.]
* Enzo grabs a loose rope, ties one end of it around his waist, and jumps out at 
the eel's head, his cyclone knife flashing in one hand, and the other end of the 
rope trailing loose.
[Enzo ends up sliding all the way down into the water with Nasira.  There's some 
cursing onboard.  Probably from Jake.]
[Shan's turn!]
<Virgil> If you jump and fall off...
* Enzo shakes himself above water long enough to yell, "Do it, but without the 
falling off!  It's a little slippery!"
* Naiya doesn't call them suicidal idiots, because she's not there.
* Enzo doesn't care what Naiya does or doesn't say, 'cause she's UNDERWATER WITH 
A SEA MONSTER WITH A STORM COMING.  GOOD LORD.
* Shan removes her hat and shoves it into Virgil's arms. "That fool," She 
mutters as she runs off the deck, towards the monster. She diliberately avoids 
landing on the creature in order to dive into the sea and save her servant. She 
does, however, kick the thing in the head as she passes, her leg crackling in an 
explosive burst of energy.
[Shan delivers a blow to the creatures head.  It reels back from the effect of 
the hit.  While the scales look like they should have blocked it better, the 
electricity just courses right through it.  It lets out a scream as it ducks 
back into the water, thrashing.]
[The thrashing from the creature knocks Nasira and Enzo around.  It doesn't seem 
too happy and the weight of the tail doesn't make them happy either.]
[Nasira manages to make it away from the tail just in time.  Enzo's knocked 
about.  Then Shan lands in the water next to her.]
* Shan grabs hold of Nasira! She can't sink until she's done working for her.
* Nasira splashes ineffectually, but does manage to get pulled up for another 
gasp of air. Her one eye's open and stares in disbelief. "Shan?" Head falls 
under, then she pushes herself back up again.
<Shan> Yes, it is I. Stop sinking. That's an order.
* Enzo pushes his head above water, still trying to tread.  "If that order 
works, can I have one too?"
* Shan is squinting at Nasira, looking like she's concentrating very hard on 
something.
* Nasira laughs deliriously, gargling water before spitting it out.
[The eel, for its part, is really REALLY farking mad.  And it shows it by 
slamming its tail in the water.  The ship washes off to the side as the tail 
breaks the surface of the water right near where Shan and Nasira are.]
[Virgil's turn.  Storm is almost right on you.]
* Virgil is pusing the storm more. GET AWAY STUPID SEA MONSTER!
[More storm cometh.  Nasira's turn.]
* Nasira gasps a thanks before she kicks for the sea monster, grabbing onto it 
with her free hand. Hopefully Shan lets go, because she proceeds to climb onto 
the thing and up. She swings her saif forward and in, slicing into the sea 
monster with that molten glow.
* Shan doesn't let go!
* Nasira pulls Shan with her, then!
[Now that you're close enough to the creature, there's tiny gaps inbetween the 
scales on the underbelly.]
* Virgil worries.
[The sword goes through the sea monster.  It reels back at the attack and starts 
to swim away.  Fast.]
[Nasira manages amazingly to keep hold of both the monster and Shan as it 
cruises.]
[Enzo's turn!]
* Enzo tries to swim towards the monster, one of his cyclone blades flashing.  
He attempts to get a hold on it with the knife, aiming for one of the gaps.
[Enzo doesn't manage to keep up with the eel.  Boo.]
* Enzo just tries not to drown then. Stupid sea monster.
[Shan's turn]
* Shan hangs onto Nasira as she's dragged, concentrating hard on not frying her.
* Shan grabs for Enzo, but it doesn't work!
[The serpent dives underwater and heads downward.  Almost straight down.  Still 
hanging on?]
* Nasira lets go. Amazingly.
[Nasira lets go.  She's not dragged under by the current and starts bobbing up 
to the surface, following the wake of the creature forward a little before 
slowing and rising.]
* Nasira then proceeds to flail again, trying to stay above the surface. Good 
thing Shan's with her. She grins, just the same, and manages before she starts 
to sink again, "At least it's gone. Did my job."
* Enzo tries to strike out toward the ship, without getting *too* close.
[With the serpent gone, Jake gets to work pulling everyone back aboard.  Good 
work.]
[Session End.]