Notes on the Aether (Rae judging)

[Trouvere]

[sblock=OOC] Ooo.. a challenge. I went looking for data on the sense of smell of blind people, and was a bit surprised to find that the scientific literature pours cold water on the idea that blind people have greater olfactory acuity than sighted. While anecdotal evidence notes that blind people routinely identify visitors by their smell, it seems that this is not such a feat, and that sighted people subconsciously do as well, but simply don't notice that they do, because, well, they've seen the visitor already.
Nevertheless, ignoring reality for a moment, the Scent rules imply Samina can smell a dire weasel at 60'. Visiting a petting zoo recently, I could smell a fox from about 10' and stoats from about 5', but they had been confined in the same smallish areas for a long time. So as a lower bound, her imaginary nose is definitely 5 times better than mine and more probably dozens of times better. I've certainly smelled drifting wood smoke from a distance of several kilometres, so I see no problem with Sammy smelling it at a distance of about 40. In other words, all our characters are behaving with perfect rationality - even Keldar. Kudos to us![/sblock]

 

[EternalSword]

[SBLOCK=Sammy]From the descriptions and the range, you can tell that no normal event in this area could produce the fire.[/SBLOCK]

[SBLOCK=Tommy]The fire is definitely not natural. It looks like a major fire effect misfired and faile to dissipate[/SBLOCK]

 

[covaithe]

Tommy suddenly claps excitedly. "Ah, that's what that color reminds me of! I knew I'd seen it before! In my third year at the Academy, one of the freshmen in Sice got his hands on a scroll of Fireball and tried to use it to light the chandelier in their dining hall. I think he was trying to impress a girl. Very ornate chandelier; it's quite famous. Or, used to be. The blast set half the building on fire, and by the time we put it out, there wasn't much left but a puddle of gold and some gems. Anyway, the smoke from the building was exactly that color!"

 

[Trouvere]

"I was just about to say that," says Keldar.

 

[Solnath]

[sblock=OOC]

Ooo.. a challenge. I went looking for data on the sense of smell of blind people, and was a bit surprised to find that the scientific literature pours cold water on the idea that blind people have greater olfactory acuity than sighted. While anecdotal evidence notes that blind people routinely identify visitors by their smell, it seems that this is not such a feat, and that sighted people subconsciously do as well, but simply don't notice that they do, because, well, they've seen the visitor already.

That's why I took Scent as a feat.
[/sblock]

"Yes, that could be it, the description doesn't at least sound like anything natural. Should we go and examine it closer?"

 

[Wik]

Galwynn spits as he watches the fire. "I don't think we have much choice. But we should be careful... I think now is the time for a marching order."

He steps forward, and adjusts the claymore scabbard across his back. "I'll take point. We'll put the thief - " he points at Keldar, with a hint of a sardonic smile, "just nehind me to the left, and Samina directly behind. Tommy, you take to the right of her, and keep your crossbow ready. Finally, Rapture - you get the back. Sound good?"

He shakes his head. "Something tells me there's going to be problems coming up. Everyone keep their weapons ready, and, for the love of all that is holy..." he turns to Keldar. "No singing."

 

[Trouvere]

"Why does everyone keep calling me a thief?" asks Keldar, eyes to the heavens. "We'll put me in the coordinating central position. The fighting farmer can be on the receiving end of as many points as he likes." Keldar moves into place, hopping on one leg. "You're right, Galwynn," he says, once they start to move, "The outlook has certainly become much more grim. Now I understand the view you had behind Bubbles and Rhyaex."

 

[Wik]

"Horses."Galwynn agrees, as if that one word explains everything.

 

[Trouvere]

"Parts of them," replies Keldar. "Perhaps we will meet crowds of people fleeing from Grenton. It's odd... when I first came to Orussus, I must have passed through the town, but I have no memory of it. Still, I was preoccupied and distracted in those days."

 

[Wik]

Galwynn nods. "Distracted. Of course." He smiles wrily to himself, and then looks up to the heavens with only his eyes, as if to say "why me, Halina?"

"You might be right about villagers, though. And there should be a farm or something nearby, where we can ask around"