Sebastian arrives, following Nicia.

The fact that she was on one of the longships that made it back isn't a fact lost upon her. Nicia's bundled up against the cold, but quiet as she listens to those far more experienced than her begin the discussion of search parties. So far she hasn't had anything that she's seen fit to interject into the conversation, but that will probably only last for a short time.

The Navegant Admiral had only just arrived in Arx, and then sailed out again to assist in the effort. A seasoned captain of his own warship, Turo offered to take the wheel in the endevour, which seems to be a spot he's the most comfortable in, one hand on the wheel of the ship, the other griping a massive looking spear fashion out of a ship's anchor to steady him. He hasn't said a great deal beyond the occasional order issued. But this is his element, and it's one he enjoys living in the most.

Sebastian's brother is missing, and so when he heard, he came. He stands not far from Nicia, keeping himself warm as well, hands thrust into the pockets of the long coat over his clothings. He says nothing for the time being, instead looking at each of those gathered for a moment or two, taking them all in. His expression is somewhat set, pensive.

There is a crackle in the distance as dark clouds loom on the horizon. The flash of lightning arcs in the ominous approach of the clouds already dropping sleet and rain off in the distance; wind already began to whistle between fur covered structures. Crovane men and women are busy tying down and securing things for the approaching storm as day is about to break.

The village chieftain shakes his head and rumbles, "This storm is not a good one. My bones ache." He rumbles as he looks to the horizon. "It may be that the other ship is lost. It may be foolish to go out there with that approaching..." A bony and aged finger points in the direction of where sheets of sleet fall in the distance. "If you are leaving you need to leave soon..."

"We have to go." Nicia points out, both to the chieftain and the others, her head shaking just a fraction, "If what he says is true, and we need to go now or risk not going, then I say we cease the discussions and be on our way." She lets her eyes flick from one person to the next before finally settling on her cousin, giving him a quick, reassuring smile.

Turo checked wits + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 17 higher.

Sebastian nods to Nicia and echoes her sentiment, "We should go. Let's get out there and see what we can find." He doesn't seem one to be daunted by the approaching storm. Instead, there's a certain glint in those blue eyes the color of a much calmer sea at the prospect of getting out in it. He returns that quick smile to Nicia, even though the concern doesn't leave his expression either.

The redheaded shav is helping with the whale as she listens to the others, picking spots to cut through. She moves to join them, her wolf fur cloak toght around her as icy blue eyes selttle on those gathered. "I will assist where I can. I don't venture on the ocean, but I can help to retrieve those lost."

"Unpleasant sailing today." Turo remarks, taking note of the sky. "We'll need to make speed if we hope to find the Prince's ship before it flounders." He's seen clouds like this before, a frown creasing his features. But it's gone as soon as he has to start giving orders, first with the captain of the other longboat. "Take your ship out to the whaling waters where the ship was last told it would be." Scanning over the map, he focuses, glancing at the waters. "I will take the other ship northeast of here. If the current is going in the direction that I believe it is, if the Prince's ship is adrift the current may of taken them in a similar route." The map is rolled up and put away. "I ask no one who does not wish to risk their lives if they believe it is a lost cause. But a try must be had, regardless. If you come with me, step forward now. We have precious little time before this widomaker of a storm rolls in."

Nicia's attention shifts towards Erika for a moment, "I believe we'll have to be going on the water..." She warns her, but then she falls silent as actual sailors start talking, listening to Turo as he goes over the plan. Without any hesitation she lifts a hand, indicating herself and Sebastian, "We are both coming."

Sebastian doesn't hesitate either, stepping forward with Nicia when she indicates that they are both coming. He seems well aware of the danger, nodding along to Turo's words, recognizing them and still seeming resolute. "We need to try."

The Crovane here do not need to risk their lives for these people. But they do. Many able bodied barbarians of the north volunteer and make their way onto the longships. They leave the women, elderly, and children behind to process the whale. They do so knowing the dangers before them in a manner that denotes who they are as a people. Strong. Survivors. A community that survives together. Something the Compact could take a lesson from.

The water at first is mild as the two longships set out. The men at the oars are covered in thick plush fur pelts frequently utilizing seal skin to keep warm. The temperature already is dropping and the rigging began to be tested as bittern chill winds bite deep and start to batter at the longships. A loud boom in the distance of thunder sounds and one can see the horizon light up as the sun crests the horizon.

Chunks of ice float and some are more treacherous than others. The oars pierced the frigid waters and an hour into the search the waters begin to change. The sails have to be brought in because the wind is blowing in an unfavorable direction.

Soon both longships are not in sight of each other as they spread out to search for the missing brethren.

"I will go on the water, fret not. But we must leave, soon. Men dressed for the cold would be heavy in the water, and freeze quickly. If their ship flonders, we won't have much time." Her eyes wander around to the others.

"Very well. Let's be on our way, then. We have a Prince to rescue." Turo nods, turning and sweeping for one of the two boats. The man did not become Admiral of the Navegant fleet by sheer luck alone, as the moment he's been given a task, he starts giving orders to the sailors aboard the ship with a military-like efficiency. "Do any of you have sailing experience?" he asks of the three that came with him. "If any of you do not have sailing experience, I will need your eyes instead. If the ship is damaged it should stick out better. Look for sails, the curved form of the hull." An approving nod is given to the sailors that volunteer and man the oars, the Admiral putting a hand on the keel of the vessel and ready to head out.

"No sailing experience." Nicia replies, shaking her head at Turo, "But we can certainly keep our eyes open." She assures him, a hand reaching out to give her cousins arm a quick squeeze before she moves to position herself somewhere that she can keep an eye out for anything that looks like a ship on the icy waters.

Kahlana nods her head to what Nicia says "neither do I, but I can help encourage the Crovane." says the Lady Crovane. She looks out on the Icy waters and she looks back to Turo "or whatever you need."

Offers a small smile, "I am very perceptive. I will keep a look out, Lord Navegant." She eyes the mast for a moment.

Erika checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 2 lower.

She decides against climbing it in the cold, the mast frosted over. Instead she moves to perch herself at the front of the ship, ready to spot.

Erika checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

Turo checked wits + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Kahlana checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 4 lower.

Nicia checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 1 higher.

Sebastian checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 4 higher.

It has been a very, very long two hours. But Nicia is keeping her hopes up, and her eyes peeled. To keep herself from freezing in place she has caught herself moving every so often, hands rubbing together, walking in place. It all looks rather idiotic. But her attention remains on the horizon, and the water. Something catches her eye, and she leans forward, trying to get a better look before she shouts, "I see something!" She calls, pointing out towards what looks like something oily on the surface of the water, and some broken pieces of wood.

Two hours at sea and Sebastian has remained vigilant, his eyes on the waves and the horizon, scanning near to the ship and then far out again in a slow sweep. He's been mostly quiet though he talks to those nearby from time to time. Then he leans a little bit against the edge, hands on the rail as he tries to get a better look. "There's a barrel out there... floating in between the ice.." He points it out to those nearby and then tries to move further across the ship to get a closer look, hunting for more signs of a ship.

Two hours, and the Lady Crovane looks out at the sea thank goodness not sick from the rocking of the boat. She was no stranger to cold, though Arx had begun to baby her. She looks out as someone calls about the Barrel.. and she tries to find any other floatsm

Longboats may perhaps be a type of ship that Turo is not used to captaining, better with a wheel than a guiding with a hand rubber at the back of the boat. Granted, he does not let onto this openly, if their captain isn't worried, no one else should be. The wind is strong buffeting against their boat, and every time he tries to sail into it, the direction changes. "Blasted Mangata, you're toying with me today, aren't you?" he mutters to himself, watching the water and the nearby chunks of water, have no desire to scrape the bottom of their against it. As the hours pass and the air becomes colder, he pulls his long coat around him tighter, ignoring the frost gathering on his beard. Once Nicia and Sebastian call out debris, he looks past the prow, trying to in the same direction. "Keep on it. We may of found the trail. Now to just follow the bread crumbs."

Ladies do not make a spectacle of themselves. That's How to be a Lady 101. Juliana has apparently decided to forget that rule. She is running at a breakneck pace, quite literally. If she misses a jump or hits something, there is a good chance she'll do serious harm to herself. Still, skirts lifted, she is running full out. Hair a tangled mess from the wind, cheeks beet pink, chest heaving as she jumps, leaps and runs with surprising stamina towards the docks -- or she did, those two hours back. Since barely making it onboard, she excused herself to quietly throw up and catch her breath. She emerges, looking neater, if no less worried at the cry of spotting something. She moves over to Sebastian, a large pouch of medicinal herbs and other supplies clutched tightly in her hands.

Nicia's discovery is evidence that they are close. A broken Thraxian water barrel is half submerged in the water drifts by the ship and is spotted by Sebastian. The wood looks new and not from water rot. As it is hauled into the longship from a long hooked pole the rain begins to fall. Frozen rain starts to pelt and small balls of ice begin to bounce from the deck.

The old grizzled Crovane whaler rumbles, "The elders used to talk of storms like this. They came before a massive leviathan that could devour entire villages; destroying them and dragging them from the islands into nothing. No one has seen or spoken of it. But it was always preceded by a storm in the tales of old. An ancient Leviathan that would menace those who sailed and took more than they needed from the ocean's teat." That is when the longship cracks and shuffers against a piece of ice. The scrape is long and heart wrenching for a moment but Turo manages to keep them from being torn and having a worse fate. There is a little water in a splintered board at the bottom. The crew is seasoned and patches it.

Turo checked wits + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 10 higher.

Kahlana looks to her Crovane Whaler cousin and she shrugs her shoulders "what do you know about fucken Levithans?" She asks "Anything we really need to know other then dont get eatten?" she asks him as they move forward though the storm

Nicia checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 6 lower.

Kahlana checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Sebastian checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Juliana checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Turo checked dexterity + athletics at difficulty 15, rolling 21 higher.

When more debris is spotted, and the barrel is hauled into the ship, Sebastian renews his efforts, but not without difficulty, nearly stumbling. He pauses then, wrapping a rope near the edge of the ship around his wrist to use as a tether before holding onto the rail agian and looking out into that storm and the water to see if they can see the longboat. When Juliana rejoins him, he reaches out toward her to try to keep her from falling then instructs her to do the same. "Get ahold of something lashed to the boat. You don't want to go over if we hit more ice," he warns her. He's a little more concerned about the mundane dangers of going into the water than leviathans, at least for the moment.

Erika checked dexterity at difficulty 15, rolling 19 higher.

"I don't think we need tales of sea monsters right now." Nicia murmurs, the words pitched mostly under her breath as she keeps her eyes on the water. She doesn't look away, not until that crack and shudder. The first rock of the ship in that unnatural way and she lurches forward, a wild grab made for the side of the longship before her toes catch on the hem of her pants and she loses her footing in the sort of embarassing move of an uncoordinated five year old, her chin slamming against the side of the longship as she goes down.

Almost a mechanical automatic motion, Turo pulls the hood on the back of his long coat up, covering his head from hard rain. "Shield your eyes if you can!" The sound of the scrap against the side doesn't get a huge reaction out of him, staying controlled and focused at the helm, but it does warn him of an incoming iceberg hidden below the surface that he sees at the last moment. "Hold to port!" he bellows, giving a warning that he turns the ship suddenly and sharply, the order for people to hold to one side of the ship so they don't fall over and to lift the oars on that side so they don't get broken off. Once that's passed, he chances a look behind him. "That was a rather large one." He does eyeball the old Crovane a moment later. "Are you suggesting a sea monster could be to blame here?"

As if to prove his warning true, Juliana stumbles even as she reaches for a barrel lashed to the deck. Her shin connects hard, causing a hiss of pain, even as she lands heavily against the barrel with a mutter. She nods, gets a better grip on it, facing outward, her eyes searching the sea for further clues.

Kahlana manages to stay on the ship and not fall as it turns to avoid the iceburg. She still reaches out to hold the sides of the boat as the captain stears them past the ice. Her eyes looking around and trying to see if she can find any evidence of a boat or people in the water.

The old Crovane smiles a two tooth grin. "No no! Just I wish I could see one before I die! And what a storm!" He's drunk, clearly. Because he then falls on his ass.

Right after the scraping of the hull. The ship is steered clear of a jagged piece of ice due to Turo's excellent vigil. The keen eyes avoid tragedy as the mostly submerged glacier piece was mostly under the water and only a small portion of it was visible. As the longship is turned the signs that this same piece has been damaged; splinters of wood and ice has been carved free around it. A gouge of ice is missing and more debris is nearby. Nearby a corpse floats frozen in the water and there is a small overturned rowboat used for whaling caught in ice but no sign of the longship. It's hard to see though in the howling chill winds that beat the crew.

Sebastian checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 12 lower.

Nicia checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 30 higher.

Juliana checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Turo checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 0 higher.

Erika checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 9 higher.

Kahlana checked perception at difficulty 15, rolling 1 lower.

Everyone can see the bodies and debris now. It's clear this is where the longship ran afoul near this submerged ice menace. The smell of something in the distance stirs. It smells like smoke. And fire in a place like this is not the norm. The smell is weak and soon fades but it comes from the north where a large sheet of ice as broken free from the ice shelf. Nicia can smell the type of wood burning. It's the same sort of scent that is found on longships. Juliana can smell it as well. Turo is unsure but thinks he smells it. Sebastian is too busy looking for the Leviathan below.

Turo checked wits + sailing at difficulty 15, rolling 13 higher.

Nicia starts to haul herself back up to her feet, slowly, carefully. She then huddles deeper in her clothes, trying to block out the frozen rain and the whipping wind as she looks back out over the water. Maybe the pain in her chin sharpens her attention, when she spots the corpse she swallows, clenching her teeth for a moment before she tilts her head up, nose twitching before she points north, "Over there! Something is burning..." Dead people don't start fires, right?

Sebastian is entirely too busy trying to make sure that he and Juliana aren't going to go overboard to notice anything at all. The bodies, yes, they're near the side of the ship, but anything else seems to escape his notice for the time being, even the calling out about the smoke or fire, and the scent. Perhaps his nose is stuffed up, which may be a mercy all things considered. He continues to focus on making sure that they're all steady as she goes.

The dead don't seem to perturb Juliana as much as her cousin. Or, potentially, it simply doesn't show on her face. She tilts her head into the wind, nostrils flaring. She's just about to speak when Nicia does, and she nods, "Someone's started a fire. Someone is *alive*!" She looks to Sebastian and Nicia, "He's out there. I know it."

"As tempting as Leviathan hunting might be. I would prefer better weather for it. And more ships. With more spears." Turo remarks, slightly sardonic, which his brow is knit together in concentration, doing his best to not replicate the same fate that the other ship must've befallen. "Dangerous waters, keep your eyes out. Suspect this is the place where the Prince's might've run aground." Because the same almost just happened to them. Setting his jaw, he smacks the deck with his anchor-fashioned harpoon to steady him on the movement of the ship, a solid figure of confidence in the storm. His nose twitches, sniffs. "Anyone else smell that? Smells like...not quite sure. There may be survivors about. Start checking the looking over the larger sections of ice."

Kahlana wrinkles her nose as she looks to Juliana then she looks to the water to see if she can spot the person alive, maybe hope .. she nods gravely to Turo. "Wont hurt to look, be careful on this ice." she warns about the iceburgs

The longship avoids another fractured piece of the iceberg; treacherous waters and things plague these waters and illustrate the difficulty these Crovane face just to make it season to season. As the ship avoids the mostly submerged chunk of ice it scrapes the side of the boat and for a moment a shiver runs down the spine of the ship. The winds beat against the search party and lightning flashes nearby. Ice clings to beards. Bones begin to get cold even with seal skin and fur to keep warm. From the large iceberg a large sheet of ice breaks free and falls into the ocean with a /SPLASH/ in a majestic display of nature. The waves ripple and rock the longship as the hunk of ice floats past.

The longship is stirred expertly through the dangers to the iceberg and Turo takes them to go around the other side where debris continues to bob up and down with corpses in the water. It is clear whatever is on the other side is the fate of those who were on the missing longship. Those who did not already die and perish in the cold soulless waters of the Salt.

The longship cannot get close enough and already the sailors are putting the small rowboats in the water for the party to go to the rescue. Two in total with oars at the ready; whatever is on the other side must be approached in a more vulnerable manner. (One round of poses and then the reveal and the PCs will be in the rowboat)

The longship avoids another fractured piece of the iceberg; treacherous waters and things plague these waters and illustrate the difficulty these Crovane face just to make it season to season. As the ship avoids the mostly submerged chunk of ice it scrapes the side of the boat and for a moment a shiver runs down the spine of the ship. The winds beat against the search party and lightning flashes nearby. Ice clings to beards. Bones begin to get cold even with seal skin and fur to keep warm. From the large iceberg a large sheet of ice breaks free and falls into the ocean with a /SPLASH/ in a majestic display of nature. The waves ripple and rock the longship as the hunk of ice floats past.

The longship is stirred expertly through the dangers to the iceberg and Turo takes them to go around the other side where debris continues to bob up and down with corpses in the water. It is clear whatever is on the other side is the fate of those who were on the missing longship. Those who did not already die and perish in the cold soulless waters of the Salt.

The longship cannot get close enough and already the sailors are putting the small rowboats in the water for the party to go to the rescue. Two in total with oars at the ready; whatever is on the other side must be approached in a more vulnerable manner. (One round of poses and then the reveal and the PCs will be in the rowboat)

The ranger searches the water from the rowboat, searching intently. Icy blue eyes sweep rapidly over the deceased, and she calls out to the others quickly. "The prince is not amongst the dead!"

"They might have made part of the longship into a fire, right?" Nicia seems to address this towards her cousins, for whatever reason, before she looks to where they are starting to get the rowboats ready for them to approach in them instead of the longship. She then begins to head towards one of the rowboats, climbing into it and settling in, hands rubbing together to warm them up.

"Oars up and reverse to halt! Furl the mast!" Turo calls out, giving out commands to bring the longboat to a stop. Looking to the rest of them, he gives out orders to drop the smaller boats. "This is as far as I can take us. The water between us and the wreck is far to dangerous to try navigating. And if it's all fair, I would like to be able to go home and not join them here. Service is deplorable, temperature unpleasant. One out of five stars." Putting one of the older, and more sober, Crovane sailors in charge. "We will finish the search. If we do not return, assume we suffered the same fate and get back to port." A gloved hand scratches at his face, ice crystals littering the deck before climbing into one of the row boats.

Juliana holds tight to her satchel of herbs making sure she has her feet under her before she lets go of the barrel she'd been gripping. She nods to Nicia, taking one last look out to the water before she makes her way to the rowboat. "He's a surviver. He reached the ice, broke up pieces of the ship and made a fire to keep warm. He's alive." There's a conviction in the Pravus lady's voice, a hardness at odds with her soft-exterior.

Kahlana shivers, and it was not normal for her to feel cold, she looks to the other Crovane cousins to see if they too have felt it. She shakes her head as she moves to a rowboat and she Follows the others to the row boats.. she gives a nod to the captian and she nods her head to his words as she too settles herself in behind Juliana

Sebastian releases his tight hold on the side of the ship and begins to move toward one of the rowboats when it becomes evident that the larger ship will not be able to make it any closer. He gives a hand to Juliana, keeping her nearby protectively. Glancing over to Nicia he nods and says, "Hopefully."

A messenger arrives, delivering a message to Kahlana before departing.

Once the rowboats crest the side of the iceberg a flat shelf of ice tells the tale. There the longship has come to rest and a huge hole in the hull where it struck the iceberg is present. The ship did not quite make it to the ice and went mostly under and spilled onto its side. It meant that the crew of the ship had to jump in the water and swim for it the rest of the way.

As the longship makes its way once can see the bodies of those who could not make it to the ice. A small fire smokes and then goes out as the rain intensifies in the Salt. The ice chunks get bigger and sting when they pelt the skin. The wind whips and cracks; whistling through a hole in the large chunk of ice.

Around the fire are bodies of people. Dead or alive it is hard to tell as they are spread around the now deceased fire. A few seem to be alive and moving slightly if one looks hard enough. About a hundred feet away there is the stain of red and a polar bear is busy ripping apart a human corpse. It's bloody maw not your sweet lovable commercial variety. It holds an arm in its jaws and does not seem to notice the party as it is too intent on partaking in its human smorgasbord.

One healer works frantically despite the beast. Trying to keep the men covered that went in the drink and keeping them warm. It lifts to its full height and bellows behind her with a long and steady roar. A slow lift of a Thraxian figure gets up from the fire. Axe in hand Prince Abbas Thrax crawl in a shivering movement to defend Ysbail to the last breath but clearly in no state to fight. Ice clings to his beard and icicles hang from his dreadlocks. "Tears in our wake.." He tells the healer in a weak voice prepared to die with axe in mitt hacking at the beast that slowly stalks them. "Thank you for saving those of us you could.." There are about fifteen people that have survived. Six of which are near frozen to death but mobile. And they crawl or weakly stand to prepare to fight. << Never at our wake..>> the reavers of Thrax reply to their Warlord. A cold grizzly death in their eyes as a bolt of lightly crackles down and illuminates the surroundings. Another piece of ice breaks from the iceberg and cracks start to form as if it is about to fall apart at any moment.

Ysbail checked perception at difficulty 10, rolling 11 higher.

Erika checked command + animal ken at difficulty 15, rolling 34 higher.

Kahlana moves forward with the others that are behind her, She stalks forward heading to the bear that is stalking behind the Prince. The Lady Crovane moves with determination and she growls softly "We Fear no Storm." she tells herself and any that would listen. The dagger wielded into her fingers and she bravely continues on

"Blast. A damn polar bear. Faster!" Turo barks at the sailors manning the oars, as he himself readies his anchor-harpoon. "Man your spears, men. We need to get that beast off them. Make as much noise as you can. We only need to chase it off, not bother trying to fight it. Those men are already half-frozen solid. Those of you who don't wish to assist, help those men into the boats. Let's make this quick." Once the row boat hits the ice of the shelf, the Admiral scrambles out, harpoon in hand. Boots crunch on snow and ice, the Admiral at a dead sprint towards Abbas. "Not on my damn watch, Your Highness!" The tip of his massive harpoon is held forward. This far, no farther.

Brother spotted, Juliana is, unhelpfully, jumping up to her feet. She's a tall woman and the motion soon has the boat rocking. She grabs for something, anything nearby -- in this case a club that had been leaning against the hull of the boat and she pulls back her arm, chucking it towards the bear stalking towards her brother. In perfect circumstances, Juliana is not an athlete. These are not perfect circumstances. She hurls the club as she yells her brother's name, "ABBAS!", the club rotating end over end, narrowly avoiding beaning the others in the boat and splashing into the water, falling laughably short. She did try.

The ranger sees her cousin, and the blood drains from her face before twisting in desperation and anger. Her rowboat touches the ice, and with formidable force her staff comes down on the ice. She uses it to vault onto the ice, and she makes her way towards the fire. She slows, an icy calm coming over her, and she moves to stand between Ysbail and the stalking bear. She makes herself as tall as possible, arms stretched out to spread her cloak, and her staff comes down hard on the ice again. "BACK!" She bellows, a roar that tears at her lungs.

Sebastian takes up his sword and makes his way onto the ice. Surely, Juliana knows that he's had training with the thing, but it's unlikely that she's ever seen him put any of that to use before. And yet, there's no hesitation as he makes his way onto the ice and toward the bear and his brother, intent to keep the beast from making a meal of him, or anyone else if they have their way.

"Damnit." Nicia hisses when she spots the bear problem, starting to stand as well, although she does it a lot more carefully than those used to hopping around aboard ships might. As soon as she's got her balance, she's starting over the edge, taking a moment to make sure she's not going to slip and fall before she's heading towards the men around the fires. Fight? No. She's not a fighter, but she can help try and get those still alive into the boats, and she throws herself into that duty with a purposeful disregard for the polar bear munching on people.

Ysbail is likely not much better off than the men she scrambles to keep alive, but scramble she does, muttering prayers and pleas to the spirits as she moves from man to man. A weather eye is kept on the polar bear, but when it stands and roars, there is little the shaman can do. Still, when the men start to stand, she's quick to shout, "No! Don't.. the ice! Get to the edge!" Sending a wild glance around for something, *anything*... she spots the boats. "Abbas! The boats! They've come! Get your men to the boats! Drag the ones that can't walk, they need blankets, furs! Hurry!" And this is where the healer proves that Northerners, no matter what stripe... get the job done. Reaching down, she picks up a cutlass from one of the fallen, holding it awkwardly over the body of its previous owner. Closing her eyes, she whispers a brief prayer and offers a soft, "I'm sorry..." Then lifts the cutlass in both hands and brings it down in a solid split of cooling meat and bone. Splitting the arm from the body, she leaves the cutlass embedded in ice and hefts the limb, heaving it towards the unoccupied polar bear with a wordless shout.

The creature near the victims of the wrecked longboat is hungry. Starving and nothing is more dangers than an animal that is hungry. The beast is about to descend on Ysbail as she looks a tasty morsel when the shouting and training of Ericka takes hold. Flared nostrils sniff and the massive female bear turns and roars boldly before scampering away a bit to assess. This distraction affords certain death and saves the life of the healer.

Led by Turo three Crovane men hold their spears and move with Sebastian to place themselves between the wounded and the bears. The male bear rips from its half of a torso and shakes its head violently until the dismembered body bounces on the ice with a thud. It's a hard thing in the furious pelt of freezing rain. It pelts and stings as it beats against the faces of all present. Making it hard to see and bone cold. The men are weak and Abbas drags one reaver too weak to move and he starts crawling his way towards the longboats. The female bear stalks the periphery and keeps its eyes on the ranger. As long as she holds its gaze it likely won't attack.

The male is a different story as Ysbail throws an arm at it stops its charge to pick it up and snap the flesh like a twig. It eats the arm whole and then rises on its leg. The massive creature opens its maw and bellows a challenge. There will be a fight no doubt. The healer who saved so many already bought a few more life with the toss. The wounded and frigid victims start crawling and limping their way towards the rowboats. The male bear moves to those who challenge it and gets there quickly. It goes to fight Turo, Sebastian, and the Crovane.

Erika checked command + animal ken at difficulty 15, rolling 38 higher.

Kahlana is with Sebastian and Turo preparing to fight the male. The beast huffs and begins its approach.

Turo checked command + leadership at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

The hardened eyes of Admiral doesn't blink, looking down the metal shaft of his harpoon. "This far, and no farther, bear." he spits out, quoting the motto of Navegant. "Do not give it an inch. Not one inch." he tells the others with him. "Kill it if we must, but we are buying time for the others. Their lives depend on us now. So we draw the line here." But his brown eyes do not leave the polar. "Come on, you overgrown rug! Where's your mettle!?" he bellows at the polar, meeting the bear in stride with the point of his harpoon.

Kahlana checked dexterity + small wpn at difficulty 10, rolling 40 higher.

Turo checked dexterity + huge wpn at difficulty 10, rolling 23 higher.

The ranger keeps her icy blue eyes on the female bear, maintaining eye contact. Whenever the bear makes an attempt to approach she slams her staff on the ground. She doesn't need to roar again, her frigid gaze and unwavering stance keeps her away. She growls, trusting the others to protect her back, to het to the boat, to deal with the other bear. She doesn't dare break eye contact.

Julianaclimbs out of the boat and gingerly steps out onto the ice floe. Once she's sure of her footing she's off, hurrying to help one of the reavers who are laying on the ice. Once she's assured he is still alive and helpable, Juliana slides an arm uder his, helping haul him up to his feet. The trip back to the rowboat is not easy, she bears his weight with that surprising stamina once more, though her strength, or lack thereof, is less so. She keeps a steady stream of encouragement going as she helps the man back to the rowboat.

Usually the heaviest thing she carries around are a few books now and again, a full grown adult that is probably half covered in ice and heavy armor or fur? Well, Nicia is not the strongest person out there, and it shows when she grabs the nearest live body beneath the arms and starts to drag, but she keeps at it. It's not easy, but she's determined to do her part in all this.

Kahlana dances round the bear, as it paws her and she growls back at the bear, her green eyes hard as her knife stabs it and then cuts a slice in its fur, blood splatters her white blond hair and she withdraws the knife as she turns it deeply on withdrawl. She moves beside Sebastion and she smiles softly to him.

Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 30 higher.

Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 3 higher.

Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 23 higher.

Sebastian checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 6 higher.

Ysbail, having done what she could to distract the male bear long enough for their rescuers to get into place, skids her way across the ice to help carry the immobile living men to the boats. She struggles with the task, each man likely outweighing her twice over, but she is determined to help save the men she's worked so hard to keep alive until help could get there. There's a brief, concerned glance for her cousin, but since she seems to be holding her own with the female, Ysbail doesn't try to interrupt.

Sebastian is a silent fighter, leaving the battle cries and stirring words to others. Instead, for the Pravus Lord it is more of a dance, a darting in and a slash, careful and focused. He hasn't the sheer muscle of some of the others, but he is quick on his feet and he moves to slash at the creature's paw, opening a gash up that streaks red blood against the whiteish fur.

The harpoon that Turo wields gives him an impressive, but initially he dives, trying to look like the biggest target there, piercing the bear's leg deep with his weapon. Withdrawing he backs a way a step, and rolling out of the way of an errant claw swipe. "Press it back! We're a meal not worth it's time!"

Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 27 higher.

Abbas has rolled a critical success!
Abbas checked dexterity + medium wpn at difficulty 15, rolling 90 higher.

Kahlana checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 27 higher.

Kahlana checked dexterity + dodge at difficulty 10, rolling 28 higher.

The Warlord shuffles tugging the body of the weak reaver who groans in his arms and he has a hard time making way towards the boats. He makes slow progress and will not get to the rowboats for another round. Abbas waves off any help demanding those alive and needing rescue that were not him first.

The Crovane take their spears emboldened by Turo. Each spear sinks into the beast's hide. The male clearly ate before the female as layers of fat as it bulks up ahead of winter take effort to puncture. Blood drips from it where everyone has landed. The beasts rises up once more and bellows and drool and blood drips from its mouth. The breath of the thing smells like hot death and the copper of human blood and entrails. White fur starts to run read and fury and bloodlust fills its eyes. There is nothing more dangerous than a bear that is wounded. And it goes after the one that hurt it the most. The massive clawed paw catches on Kahlana and tears a section out of her clothing with it's first swipe. Then the beast's jaws come down and clamp over her shoulder. The teeth sink in (nowhere vital) and it gives a massive shake of its powerful head which sends the woman flying near the rowboats. Blood drips from her wounds

A roar fills the air behind them right as a bolt of lightning arches down and strikes the tower of ice they are on. Frozen sleet continues to pelt them. Smoldering ice falls and liquefies instantly as a huge split in the ice emerges that separates the female from the male. It turns and runs off in fear as the iceberg begins to break up. The male turns and bellows a roar at the men before it and rises up once more.

Most the wounded are on the rowboats (the rest including Abbas whoever gets him can be brought on board this pose).

Having deposited one of the Thraxian men in the boats, she urges the Crovane sailors still there to pile as many furs and blankets on the men as possible, they must be kept warm. Ysbail turns back in time to see Kahlana flung across the ice, wincing and moving off to pick up another wounded, instead coming across the Prince as he stumbles. Reaching down, she offers him a strained grin and offers, "Can't have you falling down *now*, you represent of my best work as a healer, Your Highness." Getting up under his arm, she urges him back to his feet, staggering along to help the Reaver Prince back to the boats. "ERIKA! We have to go now!"

"You! Get her back!" Turo barks at one of the Crovane to care for Kahlana, not breaking eye contact with the bear. "We're leaving here. Sebastian and I will hold it off while backing away. You two, get who can and get back to the boat. That's an order, sailors!" A nod at Sebastian before diving in with one more deadly stab to the bear, plunging into the beast at the nape of it's neck. They've held it off enough, starting to feel the ice crack and groan sickeningly under their feet. "Go! Now!" Not bothering to look back, he makes a run for it, seeing in the distance massive chunks of ice starting to fall into the sea. Slowing, he takes enough time to pick one of the still alive Reavers, carrying him to the row boats. No time, they ran out of time a few seconds ago, and not being gentle about it as he dives into the boat with man in his arms.

Kahlana lands in the snow, her blood leaking over her body and into the snow.. she feels the Ice shift. She stands with the help of the Crovane cousins and she gasps, "Highness!" she calls as she attempts to grab Abbas and possibly bleeding on him as she grunts. She uses her survival skills to press herself forward pushing Abbas along side Ysabil, he was a large man after all! Her cousins come along side her and the group of them grab any remaining stragglers to pull them off the Ice ... One strong hand reaches to Erika and pulls her into the boat.

Erika jumps but doesn't look away from the bear as the ice cracks. When she runs off the ranger turns to see the fissure forming, and she's on the other side. She has to act fast as the gap gets wider, and the Redrain takes off running. Hearing her cousin she sees her, focusing on her, and she pushes herself until she's launching herself over the gap. She digs her staff into the ground on the other side, using it to help her launch herself forward. Reaching her cousin she takes up another reaver, one of the last few left. Adrenaline helps her grab and carry him, and she joins the others on the boat, breathless.

With her first rescuee safely on the rowboat, Juliana searches for her brother. Abbas is a fair distance away, and there are others closer. There is a moment of hesitation, but instead of rushing after Abbas, seeing someone heading his way, she finds someone nearer herself to help up onto their feet. She is trying to rush as much as she can, but the weight of the reaver in his full gear is starting to overtax her limited strength. A step is taken, and the ice underfoot gives a loud groaning creak. Juliana makes a sound of fright, but she is nearly out of breath and the sound doesn't carry far. The man she is helping groans, keeling towards one side and Juliana makes a louder, more angry sound, "I will not leave you here! Move!" She powers through, placing one foot in front of the other, her will alone seeing her through her task. As they reach the boat, the man is slid in and Juliana falls over, her body shaking with exertion. She is helped into the boat, and moves to collect her medical supplies.

Sebastian nods to Turo, seeming in agreement with this plan. His sword is held aloft and he continues to move backward, keeping his eye on Turo as well as the bear. While Turo goes for the neck, Sebastian goes for the foot again, this time the other one in an effort to make it harder for the thing to chase them. There's another slash, and then that cracking of the ice and Turo's word is all he needs. Spinning on his heel, Sebastian takes off across the ice back toward the boats. Farthest away, he brings up the rear, catching up to Ysbail to help her the last bit of the way with Abbas before the ice utterly comes apart behind him, finally tumbling into the boat and collapsing exhaustedly, white-knuckled grip on his sword, and gasping for breath.

One down, Nicia turns to start helping another one make it to the boat, this one thankfully is a little more mobile than the first one she helped, and she mostly ends up lending an arm as she steers them in the direction of the rowboats. After getting them inside, she starts to climb into the boat as well, turning so that she can give a hand to anyone that might be coming onto the boat from behind her.

The iceberg falls apart and huge splashes spray the row boats and send them out into the cold water upon their wake. The massive piece narrowly misses crushing them entirely and for a moment it seems as if the small boats are about to capsize and doom them all. But by the grace of Mangata they do not and instead they are all thrust towards the longship that awaits.

They can see the male bear bleeding out in the ice. It comes after them still and is about to jump in the water to pursue when to sections of ice split apart and it is trapped between them. The ice then closes back together in a sickening crunch that turns the beast into pure bone and meat paste. It is majestic the way the thing breaks apart and spills into the Salt. The collapse of the ice and the sounds a cacophony of nature's raw power and the brutality of life in the northern stretch of the oceans.

The rowboats reach the longship and all are brought on board Turo takes them and maneuvers the waters while the healers work with assistance and direction given to the other members of the party. Abbas is out cold from exhaustion. Many of the men are suffering or injured. Kahlana will be treated and have the scars to brag of the time she faced a polar bear and lived after being bitten and thrown by it.

When they reach the village there is heat and fire. The wounded are put in a hut and layered in blankets. This is where it gets gruesome. Frost bite. Limbs will be removed from more than one person. A couple more die from exposure. The Reaver Prince will lose half his pinky finger on his left hand while he is unconscious. It will need to be cut off to save the hand. Ysbail was the least impacted having made a dramatic leap and not falling in the water.

(End Scene)