The boat carries 25 right? So we have 18 thralls, Henrik and Redbeard, plus the five of us?
(Ulf resists the temptation to look under a tarpaulin for Kim 
)
Ulf’s vote is definitely to moor and trade.
We get to stretch our legs, have a break from rowing (but leave guards on the boat in shifts), trade and maybe pick up some rumours*.
Ulf will keep a brotherly eye on Jorund. Sociable drinking only, that man. 
*Osvald, I’m looking at you. 
You are correct, sir!
Ivar pauses in his studies and prayers, reconsiders, and loads:
O: 1xTorchlight, 4xCure Minor Wounds
1: 1xBless, 4xCure Light Wounds
2: 1xChant, 1xEnthrall, 2xHold Person, 1xSpiritual Weapon
3: 2xCure Moderate Wounds
EDIT: Oh, and I vote to land. We can take on some supplies, sell what we’ve got, and maybe even pick up a load of wool and maybe take that south and sell it there.
Spells Loaded for Day 2:
0) Flare x2, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Read Magic
Osvald agrees that we should try to reach land sometime soon, as he certainly has kept records of the lands that Kim has mentioned (but that the Herald did NOT- which I think is the key element to this), and he’s got the list of demands of the Jarl as well. So if we arrive on land, Osvald would certainly be up for some researching.
Say, Can Henrik read or write? Can Osvald try to teach him such skills to pass the time on the ship?
Henrik has no interest in reading or writing - those are pursuits fit for a rune-priest or wizard, or perhaps a skald, but not for a warrior. He pays a minimum of polite interest as Osvald attempts to teach him the futhark, but he is soon yawning openly.
Perhaps surprisingly, there turn out to be no stowaways under any tarpaulins.
Black Snake draws in to the harbour (Pevensey) and ties up to a jetty, where there is little other shipping. It is not market day today but there are some opportunities for trading. However, there is little wool to be had - only some stocks left over from the winter (unsurprisingly, people tend to buy as much wool as they can afford in the winter). They were expecting the first of the spring woolclip to be in by now, as the weather breaks earlier here than where you come from. It should have come by cart over the marshes from Woolverton, half a day’s journey inland - sheep are traded there and clipped in large numbers rather than bringing them down to port, as they are foolish creatures and difficult to manage in the marshes.
While you are replenishing your stores, getting something halfway worth eating, and trying to find what opportunities you can to trade, a buzz of news goes around town. Woolverton has been attacked by hideous monsters, and there are many people dead!
Monsters! Exciting!
Let us find out more about this news of Monsters.
Has anyone survived a monster attack?
There is a messenger newly arrived from Woolverton, his horse is in bad state as he has not been sparing the spur all the way here. He speaks of great shaggy creatures taller than a man, bulky, brown-furred, with ghastly jaws that could bite a sheep in half and huge claws besides. The stench of them was beyond describing and they roared as though they came from the mouth of hell itself. Few dared to stand before them and none that did lived through it (though Woolverton is a peaceful town and boasted few men at arms). He is not the least bit ashamed of fleeing for his life in the confusion, but there are many, sheep and men alike, that didn’t manage it.
“Scared man . . . come over me buy you mead . . . help feel better . . . maybe we help” Jorund gestures over to the black snake and the remaing stores of mead.
Not the sheep, too!
Cast an Augury in place of a second-level spell. (If I need to specify which spell I’m giving up at this time, it’s a Hold Person spell.) Use the Augury to determine if it will be profitable to go to Woolverton and fight monsters.
Ulf appreciates the thought, but he thinks we’ve struck lucky.
We faced a gloomy existence at home after the Jarl’s verdicts. So we set sail looking for adventure - and here it is!
We can have a great fight and earn the gratitude of the locals.
Bjarni, surely we can leave the thralls to guard the boat and set off now?
We have our top three Fighters ready to fight, both casters fully loaded with spells and two useful bodyguards for the casters!
Can we get to Woolverton before dark?
Making the appropriate invokations to Odin and choosing at casting time which other spell you are giving up - [color=blue]Hold Person it is[/color], Ivar takes out a set of carved rune-stones and casts them on the table-top of a nearby stall after gruffly requesting it be cleared. He interprets the pattern as generally favourable - the spell is no more specific. Naturally Odin would assume you considered a modicum of deadly danger to be perfectly acceptable, likewise a need to use your wits.
You can reach Woolverton in three hours of very brisk marching - the road is good if you don’t blunder off it into the marsh. However, you are warned that a mist often comes up around sunset and if you haven’t reached your destination by then, you would have to go very carefully indeed. But it would only be early afternoon by the time you arrived, assuming no delay.
Before we go, it’s always nice to call up some local support if we can. Ivar will jump up on a [del]soapbox[/del] handy stump or porch and harangue the multitudes, calling for assistance in rescuing Woolverton. Use Enthrall to make sure that people notice.
“Men of Pevensey! Shall we stand idly by while this threat creeps ever closer to this fair city? Shall we cower in terror, waiting for this horrible host prepares an assault on this port? Are we men or mice? Let us march forth and show the enemy what real men can do! ‘We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother*’ Let us arm ourselves, and force the enemy to account for his aggression!”
*Is it plagiarism if you steal it from the future?
Ulf watches in admiration.
He congratulates Ivar, but mutters that surely our party should lead the expedition, both because we are tough , but laso because the monsters sound dangerous.
Oh, certainly! But we’ve got to have some people to lead, and making speeches establishes us as the leaders.
Ulf nods enthusiastically and adds “So we tell any volunteers to follow us, ready to help?”
Osvald just tries to blend in, and listens to Ivar’s speech with great trepidation.
Are there any Magic shops or Schools or even just mages in this town willing to share some knowledge before we head off to Woolverton?
If not, he’ll try to see if he can haggle from the merchants some extra lantern oil and some glass flasks to take before we go meet these large enormous shaggy furry flammable creatures that may be the death of us all.
Henrik can help carry the oil we acquire. As it seems his skills as being a researcher will be moot due to his lack of interest in Readings and writings*. So grunt work and listening to me babble it is! Also, if I can learn a bit about the Economics of Woolverton trade with Pevensey it would be nice- Just basically what would the merchants of Pevensey be pleased with if we ended up bringing them something from Woolverton.
*Though I suppose t’is better that I didn’t get to turn my bodyguard into Conan the Librarian
Osvald will try to focus on purchasing the oil firstly as his main task actually. That is of greater import than finding other mages. Though if there are some to be found here, it would be of worth to talk to them.
He also will mutter to himself, talking to Kim in a low voice- telling him about what the world’s come to when Shaggy animals go around preying on Sheep. He wonders if Kim ever had met such wondrous beasts- perhaps this is Osvald’s first step to becoming a man of legends himself? If it is, then it certainly is not the easiest way… He continues to mutter onwards every so often to himself, hoping to hear a sign from inwards or around that someone is listening to him.
Ulf likes Osvald’s enthusiasm, but cautions against loading up his bodyguard with oil. “Better to have Henrik’s arms full of weapons!”
Of course this could make Flaming Sphere a real threat!
“Osvald go crazy talk to self not right . . . Him have good idea of burn make bash no hard . . . Maybe crazy not bad” Jorund is still trying to calm down the messenger with mead trying to get any additional information about the creature like a possible lair or time and places that it regularly is not to mention a better description.
On the off-chance that the messenger does not speak the same language as Jorund :eek: , Ulf offers to help translate…
NOW you’re thinking like a Wizard!