Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 2, Flight

[maddmic]

Fallax shakes his head and snaps at Kaela. Your insight has diminished since we first met! The gnomes of the Blue Sky Traders will not want runaway slaves or refugees traipsing up to their front door for all the Blood Mothers to see! The river! The one way they can ferry slaves in and out. The skeleton tells us the way - follow the river south by hanging onto the logs. The river bends near the Blue Sky Traders as it works around the Bluffs on the eastern side. The current should carry us right into the wharves!

Herger reaches down and grabs the back of Fallaxs neck. "Your tone is really beginning to annoy me. If it weren't for these people, you'd still be in Caft. You'd be either dead, begging for your life, or screaming as they torture you. The fact that you're here means that these people took a chance on bringing an old man with them who would potentially slow them down in their flight to safety. You'd think that you would have a bit more respect for those who quite possibly saved your life." With that, he releases the old man, shaking his head.

He then looks at Kaela and Lodric. "Forgive me for losing my temper. He tests me. Do you think that it is safe to slip into the water now and float downstream? I don't know if there's one large enough for me. If not, perhaps I can try to swim underwater using a hollowed branch to breathe through. That, or I can go back to the hill and wait for a signal."

OOC:
He's not choking the old man. Just grabbing his neck from behind like you do a kid who is misbehaving.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric subtly watches Fallax's reaction to Herger's outburst while he addresses Herger.

There seem to be plenty of logs out there, I'm sure we can find one that will bear your weight. Actually I think we should try and find a log that could carry both you and Aislinn. You have taken good care of her so far and if you feel confident enough to try and swim the river alone, then I think you would be well suited to care for her if she has difficulty in the river.

Too many logs coming downriver might be noticed so I think Fallax, Kaela and myself should ride a second log together.

ooc: I understand the riddle issues, Hrothgar. Been there done that myself. I think they can be even harder in a PbP game where we don't want to slow things down even more by debating and asking tons of questions trying to puzzle things out.

 

[Bobitron]

Kaela pauses at the mention of once again being seperated from Aislinn, but she sees the wisdom in Lodric's advice. "Asilinn, is that okay with you? Will you stay with Herger?"

 

[Hrothgar]

Fallax freezes as Herger's massive hand wraps around the back of his neck. The old man does not struggle, but only stares ahead with a mixture of fear and loathing in his eyes. Released, Fallax collapses to the wet ground and crawls inside the oak like a whipped dog, rubbing the back of his neck and glowering at Herger.

Yes, Kaela. I will stay with Herger. But, I am strong enough to hold on to a raft down the river, she adds, her Dornish pride evident. Wiping her dark hair out of her face, she smiles bravely in the darkness.

Searching the grounds outside the oak in the light rain, the Heroes locate several logs that would work. Herger, Lodric, and Kaela make short work of moving the logs to the waters edge. Standing waist deep in the river, his large feet finding purchase on the stony bottom, Herger lowers himself with the log he has chosen. The log sinks appreciably due to Herger's great size, but stays afloat with Herger's head held close to the log. Herger stands again on the stony bottom to prevent floating down the river. Strangely, Herger's size might actually prove a boon, keeping the log low in the water and making it hard to distinguish on the surface of the river.

With Kaela's aid, Aislinn steps into the rushing river next to Herger and grabs hold of the log. Is Fallax here? Is he coming? In the darkness near the broken oak, Fallax's white hair can be seen as the old man slips into the river. Without a word he grabs hold of Kaela's and Lodric's rafting log. The combined weight of the three will also help keep the log low in the water.

 

[Krug]

Starhl replies to the gnome. He always thought these creatures were a fiction. "We're refugees from Caft. There are others amongst us... a girl... who needs help as well."

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric steps into the river and grabs the log. Just for a moment he feels at ease as the water lifts him and the current of the river slips by him. Then the danger of the situation they are in steals the moment away as the chill river water steals the warmth from his body.

 

[Bobitron]

Kaela kisses Aislinn lightly on the forehead and steps into the cold water, moving onto the log with a nervous expression on her face.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel listens to the conversation between Bardin and Starhl, not understanding much of it, both having returned to the language of the Northmen. He tries to rest his tired body while still maintaining some sort of alertness. Unable to understand the conversation going on around him, he cannot fully relax, having a difficult time of judging the intentions of their current hosts.

 

[Hrothgar]

Bardin raises an eyebrow. A girl from Caft maybe? Hmmp. Bardin turns and nods to the gnomes. We will have lookouts to spy them. If they follow my directions that is. Bardin looks are Valurel and notices his silence. Don't see many of your kind around here. Long way away from the Veradeen, eh? So how did you come so far east? Your big companion says you travel with a girl. I saw a young woman outside earlier, but she did not strike me as someone that needs help. Strong she was. No, the girl your Northman companion mentioned is someone else. And you are refugees from Caft? Rumors have spread that the Legate Theiv is scouring the northlands after raising Caft. Any word you can bring to the enemies of the Shadow about Caft's fate?



Aislinn smiles with Kaela's touch, and then settles into the swift current, allowing her legs to raise from the river's stony bottom. Herger follows Aislinn's lead and rapidly the pair leaves the other Heroes behind. The other Heroes wait patiently, losing Herger and Aislinn in the darkness. Once several moments have passed, they follow, griping their floating sanctuaries tightly. Floating low in the river, the current takes the Heroes into the river's channel, even Herger's long legs unable to touch the bottom of the river. Shivering at the thought of possible Shadow spawn lurking in the depths of the river, the Heroes focus on the dark banks slowly sliding by. Lying low in the river, the lights along the river bank to the south barely distinguish the Heroes from small, dark waves. Arms numb and legs aching in the cold water, the logs sweep near the western bank, heading for a gloom enshrouded wharf. Along its top, several torches are lit and harsh orc laughter drifts down, but no orcs can be seen. With a thump, the Herger's and Aislinn's log thumps into the massive wooden supports of the wharf.

A growl drifts down from above. Grrr. What was that? Somethin' from below. The tramp of hobnailed boots reverberate on the wooden planks of the wharf...

 

[maddmic]

Herger quickly searches for the riverbed while grasping for one of the supports. He tries to steady the log as he hangs onto the support. Once things seem in order, he then reaches for Aislinn and tries to hang onto her. Hoping that the noise of the river will provide some interference, he whispers to Aislinn. "Small one, take my hand and hold on."

Once he is sure that she has a good hold of him, he lets the log float down river hoping that the orcs will see that as what hit the wharfs supports.