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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sanzuo" data-source="post: 5326823" data-attributes="member: 66180">[GM]Sorry this update is sort of a mega-post, but I wanted to get things moving after a slow weekend.[/GM]The next morning, you are set upon by a thick fog and all you can do is continue on into the mountains.  It is a short hike later that you enter some sort of wide mountain pass and find ancient way-points made of stone marking the path.  The area now seems to be mostly free of vegetation, consisting mostly of rock and gnarled, burnt poles of what were once living trees.  The walk becomes dull, and after a while the group both runs out of things to talk about and wonders if they are lost.  Then, while everyone is taking a short rest, Shrakk notices a strange formation looming in the dense fog.  The group moves to investigate.To your amazement, you see that the formation is what seems to be an enormous stone construction of a lizard laying prone on the ground, as lizards tend to do.  It is the size of a small mountain.[sblock=Perception DC 12]Further investigation reveals that the lizard was not merely carved out of rock, but that it was carved out of gigantic stone blocks fit together, each one weighing at least a ton.  A project like this must have taken dozens, if not hundreds of laborers years to build.[sblock=DC 17]The monument has no entrances nor unusual markings.  The giant lizard has no discernible purpose.[/sblock][/sblock]After studying it for a while, you move on.By late-afternoon, the fog subsides and to your surprise it begins to snow, but you soon realize the snow is actually light ash falling from the sky - it soon coats you.  Eventually you descend out of the mountain pass and into a small valley or large basin.  It is surrounded by steep, craggy mountains forming an immense natural wall.  The floor of the valley is devoid of any sort of life.  It is rocky, uneven and covered with sharp, black lava rock and layers of fresh ash fallen from the sky.  The air is full of ash and smoke.  On the far side of the basin you see sharp cliffs jutting out of the ground with various vents billowing smoke and ash into the sky.Descending further, your footsteps crunch in the porous black rock.  The ash gets into your nose, mouth and lungs.  It makes you cough and your eyes water.  This is a dead place.[sblock=Nature DC 14]The lava field is very young in geological terms.  It was formed less than 100 years ago.  It also looks like it has many layers, like this place has been flooded with lava repeatedly over the years.[/sblock][sblock=Perception DC 12]The lava rock is littered with the jutting bones of creatures.  You cannot walk 10 feet with out stepping on a bone.[sblock=Nature DC 14]Most of the bones are animals, some are humanoid.[/sblock][/sblock]Eventually you close with the far side.  There is an obstacle blocking your path - a wide river.  There is evidence that there was once a bridge that spanned it, but now it is gone.  The river is thick with fine, silt-like ash, giving it the consistency of thick mud.  Yet, the river is moving alarmingly quickly.  You will have to cross the river to continue.  It is probably the most difficult challenge you have ever faced.[sblock=The River]Oh dear god.  Except for Kavac you are all a sorry bunch of swimmers.Okay, time for a mini skill challenge.  I'll make it easy for you:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The DC is 12.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Each of you must roll Athletics or Endurance to swim across the river.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You must each get 4 successes before you get 3 failures.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">You may use a different skill once if you can justify it with a good description.  Example: Using nature to gather together wood to make a raft.  Or using straight intelligence+half level to come up with some other clever solution.</li> </ul>If you succeed, you make it across.  If you fail... well just let me know if you fail.[/sblock]On the far side, about a two hundred yards from the river is a large fortification with a gate built into the side of the cliff.  Near it are what appear other entrances and caves as well.</blockquote>

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