Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 2, Flight
Starhl and Valurel slip silently through the water, moving from support pylon to pylon. The sounds of hobnailed boots above and the occassional gutteral laugh only increase the two Heroes' anxiety. In the inky darkness, the Heroes can barely make out the figure they are following. What could he be? A friend?
The water becomes shallow; both Starhl and Valurel pull themselves up from the water and wade through the thick mud. Ahead, the stone and wood foundation of the Blue Sky Traders looms like a black mass in the darkness. The figure stops at the foundation and the soft hiss of wood sliding on wood can be heard. Inside. Quietly.
Lodric and Kaela make for the skeleton oak near the river's edge. Just as they enter the thin woods at the forest's edge, a brief flash of lightning leaves them illumined for a split second. In that brief time, the two Heroes make out a gulley that runs next to the old oak, now filled with run-off water racing to the river below. Scattered in the grass are several thick, dead branches: large sections of the oak that have fallen from the massive upper branches over the years. Many of the dead branches are cracked and split, leaving enormous oak logs on the forest floor.
Herger continues to move down the hill, hoping his actions do not turn to folly. Above, lightning splits the sky and a dull rumble of thunder follows. In that brief instant of light, Herger spots two small forms running into the woods near the river's edge: Lodric and Kaela.
The water becomes shallow; both Starhl and Valurel pull themselves up from the water and wade through the thick mud. Ahead, the stone and wood foundation of the Blue Sky Traders looms like a black mass in the darkness. The figure stops at the foundation and the soft hiss of wood sliding on wood can be heard. Inside. Quietly.
Lodric and Kaela make for the skeleton oak near the river's edge. Just as they enter the thin woods at the forest's edge, a brief flash of lightning leaves them illumined for a split second. In that brief time, the two Heroes make out a gulley that runs next to the old oak, now filled with run-off water racing to the river below. Scattered in the grass are several thick, dead branches: large sections of the oak that have fallen from the massive upper branches over the years. Many of the dead branches are cracked and split, leaving enormous oak logs on the forest floor.
Herger continues to move down the hill, hoping his actions do not turn to folly. Above, lightning splits the sky and a dull rumble of thunder follows. In that brief instant of light, Herger spots two small forms running into the woods near the river's edge: Lodric and Kaela.
maddmic
Explorer
Herger turns towards the fleeing friends. "Hold on small one." He then begins to run in ordert to catch up with the others. He is unsure of what has happened, but knows that he must reunite with the others in order to find refuge.
OOC:
He will flat out run to try to catch up to Lodric and Kaela. He will try to keep from getting closer to the water's edge until he must do so.
OOC:
He will flat out run to try to catch up to Lodric and Kaela. He will try to keep from getting closer to the water's edge until he must do so.
Thornir Alekeg
Albatross!
Thinking back to the gnome's odd rhyme, Lodric begins looking among the fallen branches for anything unusual.
Valurel and Starhl ease themselves and the Wolf from waist high water and silty river-bed over a stone wall and into inky blackness. The dark figure follows the two Heroes and the hiss of wood against wood sounds as the small access way is closed. The unknown benefactor next to the Heroes whispers, I've got the two. Give us some blasted light. The flame of a small candle springs up in the darkness. In the dim illumination, Valurel and Starhl can make out a small wood-floored room with rough, masonry walls. Near the edges of the room stand four sour-faced gnomes, three armed with crossbows leveled at the Heroes and the fourth holding the candle. The tall, unknown guide throws back a black hood, revealing long brown hair and beard. An Erenlander from the look of him. He raises an eyebrow as the Wolf's hackles raise. My friends here have itchy trigger fingers. And they are not too pleased with your stunt above. Luckily, I convinced them to let me guide you in here. Realize, with the Bloods searching, they may yet find their way in here. In that case you will have killed us all. Throwing off his wet cloak, the Erenlander continues. So. I assume you being here is not coincidence. Why do you seek the Blue Sky Traders and who sent you? Be honest, please. These river folk have little patience with double-talkers.
Lodric and Kaela move about the old oak, searching with their hands more than their eyes. Several of the oak limbs seem to have been hollowed out and are remarkably easy to move despite their size. Lodric and Kaela both recall the mantra sung by the gnome Bardin.
There was an old whore that lived under a skeleton oak
Along came a Blood Mother to give her a poke
He went upriver to spread her skinny thighs
And the dirty maggot enjoyed her moans and sighs
On the way out he slipped in the mud
Caught at a log and fell with a thud
Washed down the river his hands clutching the raft
Not all the river could wash away the burning rash!
Is this the oak mentioned in the song? Before the two can find an answer, a massive figure hurtles into the wet trees from the open hillside. Kaela? Aislinn's voice cries softly in the darkness.
Lodric and Kaela move about the old oak, searching with their hands more than their eyes. Several of the oak limbs seem to have been hollowed out and are remarkably easy to move despite their size. Lodric and Kaela both recall the mantra sung by the gnome Bardin.
There was an old whore that lived under a skeleton oak
Along came a Blood Mother to give her a poke
He went upriver to spread her skinny thighs
And the dirty maggot enjoyed her moans and sighs
On the way out he slipped in the mud
Caught at a log and fell with a thud
Washed down the river his hands clutching the raft
Not all the river could wash away the burning rash!
Is this the oak mentioned in the song? Before the two can find an answer, a massive figure hurtles into the wet trees from the open hillside. Kaela? Aislinn's voice cries softly in the darkness.
Bobitron
Explorer
Kaela's heart leaps as Aislinn calls out. "Oh dearest!" Rushing over to her and embracing the girl, she casts an appreciative glance to the giant. "Are you okay? Did the orcs find you?"
Once her conversation is done, she returns to helping Lodric. "This must be the oak. It has to be. But what did he mean? Maybe you can help, Herger." She chants the song again.
Once her conversation is done, she returns to helping Lodric. "This must be the oak. It has to be. But what did he mean? Maybe you can help, Herger." She chants the song again.
maddmic
Explorer
Herger shakes his head. "No. No orcs came our way. Although in my haste to reunite with you two, I may have left fallax behind. Hopefully he is still on the move and will arrive shortly."
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Once Kaela is done singing, Herger rubs his chin. "If these branches are hollowed out, perhaps we are to slip into the water and use them as a means to breathe as we float down the river past the town? Either that, or maybe there are bigger ones to physically hang onto or climb into so that we can escape the shadow's eye. I for one doubt there will be one large enough for myself. I would probably be better off under water using one to breathe with."
He then looks from left to right. "Where are Starhl and Valurel? They left us on the hill to investigate the sounds of orcs moving north. Was it them that we heard in battle? Are they ok?"
OOC:
Herger will speak this in Erenlander as well should Lodric not understand.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Once Kaela is done singing, Herger rubs his chin. "If these branches are hollowed out, perhaps we are to slip into the water and use them as a means to breathe as we float down the river past the town? Either that, or maybe there are bigger ones to physically hang onto or climb into so that we can escape the shadow's eye. I for one doubt there will be one large enough for myself. I would probably be better off under water using one to breathe with."
He then looks from left to right. "Where are Starhl and Valurel? They left us on the hill to investigate the sounds of orcs moving north. Was it them that we heard in battle? Are they ok?"
OOC:
Herger will speak this in Erenlander as well should Lodric not understand.
Thornir Alekeg
Albatross!
Starhl and Valurel fell into the river while fighting a Legate and his retinue of orcs. Kaela and I tried to help, but there were too many orcs for the two of us to handle so we escaped over to here. We don't know what happened to either Starhl or Valurel...
Lodric moves to the trunk of the oak and begins checking it over. An interesting idea, Herger. I think there might be something to the oak tree itself, though. In the rhyme, the old whore lived under the oak, and when the orc was done he came out. I want to see if there might be anything in or under the tree itself before we look closer at your idea.
ooc: Search the tree trunk - Search +1
Lodric moves to the trunk of the oak and begins checking it over. An interesting idea, Herger. I think there might be something to the oak tree itself, though. In the rhyme, the old whore lived under the oak, and when the orc was done he came out. I want to see if there might be anything in or under the tree itself before we look closer at your idea.
ooc: Search the tree trunk - Search +1
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