The Lunaedriac

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Rebirth. Day: 17
Suitable, sturdy sticks are eventually located and the youths begin to move one of the stones. It is extremely heavy and the leverage must be adjusted a few times before it can be pushed free of what it is covering. It is covering a shaft that descends into the earth and appears to open into a subterranean room. Dropping down into the room would be a simple matter for anyone in the party, but there is no ladder and no apparent manner to climb back out.

Wanting to explore the buried rooms, the adolescents eventually determine that, since Ceo is the smallest, she can drop herself into the room and the other can use rope to lift her back out. Once inside the room, she realizes that she cannot see and is delayed in her searching for a moment until she realizes that she can mystically cause her own hand to glow. The glow is far better than any illumination produced by a flame, because it does not flicker.

Though no one is familiar with the term or the practice, the room is a tomb that holds two corpses laid side by side on tables in its center. Various items and pottery jars adorn low shelves along the walls and the walls are covered with paintings that seem to be aspects of the dead couple’s life. The corpses are almost a full stride taller than Falcon, who is the tallest in the party. No living people are this tall; and after taking the time to move all four stones and explore the rooms underneath, the youths come to the conclusion that they have discovered buried Yahdrams.

This practice of burial is completely foreign to any modern practice. All civilized Mhytres bury their dead, but they do not entomb them. The bodies are laid bare within the dirt so that the earth can reclaim them as it originally gave them. Aedamans burn their dead, believing that as the body returns to dust, the spirit is freed to move own. The Faethrins place their corpses on biers hung high in the trees so that the spirit can more readily be carried away on the wind. Once the body is reduced to bones, the bones are taken down, crushed, and cast about the ground. It is decided that the Yahdram must have held some strange beliefs.

Spoiler: Character data

Ceo: full wellness
Falk: full wellness
Jei: full wellness
Jade: full wellness

Spoiler: Collectibles

shellacked elytrum: 8 pair: 2 coins per pair

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Ceo relates all of what she sees in each tomb, noting items in similarity and describing the differences in the frescos. “There does not seem to be anything of value buried with these people. Everything seems more personal and I do not understand anything about the clay jars.”

When the jars are described, Falk recognizes the material more specifically as porcelain instead of just clay. “Kio, toss up one of those jars so that I can look at it.”

Jei holds up his hand in a demonstrative gesture, after the second similar description. “There may not be anything of real importance to us down there, but this could make a good story for us to tell back at our villages. I doubt anyone else has even stopped here on Bird Island, much less discovered anything like this.”

Jade nudged Jei with her elbow, causing him to take a step. “I think the rest of us will leave the story telling to you, but I like that name Bird Island. It seems appropriate. I guess we wasted most of the day. Well, it was not really wasted, but we are now limited on food. we should rest for the night and continue exploring tomorrow; but by midday, we should return to the boat and push off.”

OOC: 68, 80

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Rebirth. Day: 18

Spoiler: Prospecting

Ceo: 15(observe) + 68, 80(d100) = 83, 95
Falk: 15 + 68, 80(d100) = 83, 95
Jei: 17 + 68, 80(d100) = 85, 97
Jade: 10 + 68, 80(d100) = 78, 90

Back in the second tomb, Ceo tosses up one of the jars, allowing Falk to catch it. His deduction of its material is correct, but the porcelain is a finer quality than anything his people have made. Noting that the jar had been sealed shut by some means, he breaks it open to examine the contents. This particularly small coptic jar contains a pair of desiccated eyes, suspected to have belonged to one of the corpses. It stands to reason that all of the jars contain various vitals parts of the corpses, a very strange practice indeed.

Exploring more of the island the next morning, nothing else of an exotic nature is discovered, but the party does come across some more of the shellacked beetles. With a little effort, 8 more beetles are stomped and their elytra collected, giving a total of 16. Back at the landing site, the boat is pushed back out into the water from its secured mooring, and the party sets underway to sail to Recompensa-do-Rio.

Spoiler: Character data

Ceo: full wellness
Falk: full wellness
Jei: full wellness
Jade: full wellness

Spoiler: Collectibles

shellacked elytrum: 8 pair: 2 coins per pair

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

The youths will take turns manning the rigger so that no one gets excessively fatigued. Not immediately realizing the distance of the trip, once this is determined, the boat will we sailed directly toward the eastern shore of the lake, so that camp can be made on land each night.

After several hours on the water, Jei exclaims. “Rather than try to sail directly, which will require us to take shifts at night, we should make straight for shore then follow along the bank so that we camp sleep on land each night.”

The others think that it is a good idea and are glad that Jei suggested it. After securing the boat, the immediate area will be explored and snares will be set in hopes of capturing fresh meat. Since Ceo has a bow and Falk has a sling, the two will attempt to do some hunting, while the other two look for anything of interest closer to camp.

After snares are placed, Ceo says, “Falk and I are going to head inland for a bit to see if we can get any bigger game. We should be back before dark.”

Jade nodded. “Jei and I will tend camp. Maybe we might even find some more beetles.”

OOC: 71, 83

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Rebirth. Day: 17

Spoiler: Prospecting or Snares

Ceo: 15(observe) + 71, 83(d100) = 86, 98
Falk: 15 + 71, 83 = 86, 98
Jei: 17 + 71, 83 = 88, 100
Jade: 10 + 71, 83 = 81, 93

Moving inland, Ceo and Falk separate a little distance from one another in order to observe more area but remain within sight of one another. The pair of hunters discover several tree rats, but the tiny game is far too small for either to take one with sling or bow. Returning later to check the snares before settling into camp, they are pleased to find that all eight of the snares hold either a small hyrax or a small rat, which is a decent amount of meat for the whole party.

Jei and Jade gather some stones, kindling, and wood for making a cookfire. Nothing else of interest is noticed during this process, but the talent to ignite a fire simply by touching the kindling and willing it to burn is far more efficient than any other mundane method. Everyone helps prepare the tiny game animals, throwing the innards into the lake and the hides into the trees. The evening is so pleasant that the four youths are proud of their previous decision to strive for independence.

Spoiler: Character data

Ceo: full wellness
Falk: full wellness
Jei: full wellness
Jade: full wellness

Spoiler: Collectibles

shellacked elytrum: 8 pair: 2 coins per pair

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

The next morning, everyone will bathe in the lake then continue sailing toward Recompensa-do-Rio. Since it will still require more than two days to reach that destination, the party will stop for the night at Yamamidori, visiting with Jei’s parents, before continuing on in the morning. At the Hebrian community, they will also inquire if anything needs to be taken to the Rheini community.

Jei gestures with his left hand as he usually does when offering an idea. “Since we will pass by there anyway, we should stop at my village for the night. My folks will welcome us to stay, even though my room is small, it will be enough space.”

OOC: 74, 86

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Rebirth. Day: 19

Spoiler: Prospecting

Ceo: 15(observe) + 74, 86(d100) = 89, 101
Falk: 15 + 74, 86(d100) = 89, 101
Jei: 17 + 74, 86(d100) = 91, 103
Jade: 12 + 74, 86(d100) = 86, 98

Arriving at the Hebrian village, the young sailors are greeted in the friendly manner that all sailors can expect to receive. The village has nothing that needs to be delivered at this time, but they do convey that, in addition to the regular items delivered by the Maldrog barges, they will trade for food items and useful herbs. Jay’s parents are completely accepting of his friends and offer refuge for the night, including providing a good meal.

The next morning the youths set sail for another ten hours before mooring to make camp on shore for the night. No sign of the Rheini village can be seen on the horizon. It is not yet possible for any of the five to have a good estimate of the time required to make the trips. Securing the catamaran, there is no bait to make use of the new trap, but setting snares does not specifically require bait, just a speculation of where animals are prone to walk.

Each of the first snares successfully capture a tiny rodent. Three of the four second snare placements capture a small rodent, which is about twice the size of a tiny rodent. Jade’s second snare captures a second tiny rat. No usable plant material, minerals, or ore is located.

Spoiler: Character data

Ceo: full wellness
Falk: full wellness
Jei: full wellness
Jade: full wellness

Spoiler: Collectibles

shellacked elytrum: 8 pair: 2 coins per pair

Spoiler: Discoveries

Bergbaulager: Maldrog community
Bird Island: Yahdram tombs
Ceannbhrat Buaircineach: Spiofthest community
Marmeren Heavel: Orngaddrin community
Recompensa-do-Rio: Rheini community
Vit Spira: Kozzog community
Yamamidori: Hebrian community

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Knowing that the commonly trapped fish of the lake do not feed at night, the innards of the snared animals are saved and placed on the boat to be used the next day. Having seen plenty of fish traps used by other, they also discussed trying to acquire a piece of metal that could be dangled inside as a lure. After sailing for about five hours, the group decides to moor the boat and drop the trap for about another hour before finishing the day’s trip.

“We have some bait and we know how long we are willing to sail each day,” Jade explains. “We should stop for lunch and drop the trap for a little while to see what we might catch.”

OOC: 74, 86

 

[MacConnell]

Cycle: 497. Season: Rebirth. Day: 21

Spoiler: Prospecting

Ceo: 15(observe) + 74, 86(d100) = 89, 101
Falk: 15 + 74, 86(d100) = 89, 101
Jei: 17 + 74, 86(d100) = 91, 103
Jade: 12 + 74, 86(d100) = 86, 98

Enough small panfish are captured to feed the entire group. These fish, while relatively small, are considered excellent fare for consumption. Nothing of any interest to the youths is discovered in the immediate area of the lunch break. The fish are cleaned for later use and their innards saved, allowing the party to depart, after the desired wait, to continue toward the Rheini village. Being the lake’s most excellent weavers, the Hebrian people had a different method of fishing using nets made from fabric. The fabric was like the cotton that grows in the drier lowland regions of the landmass, but this one was made from the spindle fibers of the seeds of two different reeds that grew along the water’s edge, rather than those from cotton. These fibers were a little more yellow than white. This method of fishing was done from shore, not from a boat.

After another five hours and the Daylight was waning, as the great ball of fire began to dip below the western mountains, the youths still could not see any sign of Recompensa-do-Rio and pulled into shore to make camp for the night. The ritual of behavior, that has now become routine, is followed with similar results to all other stops. The following day, just as the party is thinking of pulling to shore again, signs of the Rheini can be seen further along the shore. Another hour of sailing brings the party to the village, yet though the Daylight has disappeared from the sky, there is still plenty of light to see, for it should be another hour before full dark. The Rheini greet the party in their friendly manner and help them moor the boat.

Spoiler: Character data

Ceo: full wellness
Falk: full wellness
Jei: full wellness
Jade: full wellness

Spoiler: Collectibles

shellacked elytrum: 8 pair: 2 coins per pair

Spoiler: Discoveries

Bergbaulager: Maldrog community
Bird Island: Yahdram tombs
Ceannbhrat Buaircineach: Spiofthest community
Marmeren Heavel: Orngaddrin community
Recompensa-do-Rio: Rheini community
Vit Spira: Kozzog community
Yamamidori: Hebrian community

OOC: Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide 2 random rolls.

 

[Eric Zephlaer]

Once the greetings and the usual customs are passed, the party will negotiate for the trade of the shellacked carapaces, asking if any special deliveries are needed at a faster rate than the Maldrog barges can travel. Since no one in the party speaks Rheini, the negotiations will need to be done in Maldrog, knowing that someone from every community on the lake can communicate using this language.

OOC: 77, 89