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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Whizbang Dustyboots" data-source="post: 4385533" data-attributes="member: 11760">Emmerson turns and looks away from Moss Pond, thinking of all his nieces and nephews born to his sister Alexa, and cannot speak.Tucker looks at the object floating atop the dark waters of Moss Pond, slowly twisting in the gentle breeze."Yep," he says at last, "That's a child's shoe, all right.""Whoever did this, better pray to whatever gods he knows that we find the children alive," Emmerson hisses. "Otherwise I shall cleave them from neck to waist."Mossy rocks, some taller than a man, many low enough to serve as the chairs for children, surround Moss Pond. Tucker finds a spot he remembers sitting on as a boy not too many summers ago.He and Emmerson circle the pond, looking for any place the children could be hidden. They find several fallen trees that float half in the water, half out. Time and the moisture of the pond have hollowed out the interior of several."RUTIGER! PENTAGRUEL! ARE YOU HERE?"The paladin's voice echoes across the pond, but there's no other reply."Found anything, Tucker?""Mud." Looking at this part of the pond, Tucker can see the bottom only about five feet out. After that the water reflects too much of the sky and the surroundings. "Do you know how to swim?""With this armor? Not even a decent dog paddle, I'm afraid." Emmerson removes his backpack and takes out his rope. "I'll remove my armor, tie this around my waist and wade in towards the logs, or if I can reach it, the shoe. You take this end and keep me tethered. If anything happens, you pull me out."Even this time of year, the water is icy in Moss Pond, and Emmerson shudders in shock as he wades in. Tucker smiles grimly on shore -- as children, no one went swimming in Moss Pond until the height of summer had sufficiently warmed the alpine run-off.The deputy has his mouth open to call out a warning to Emmerson when the paladin suddenly vanishes under the water, only to reappear, sputtering and pale, a moment later."OK, I found the drop-off. It's pretty steep. Goes straight down from there."So saying, Emmerson ducks his head under the water once more.Emmerson finds himself looking almost entirely at black water, although he cannot help but feel he's staring into a great void stretching out in front of him, full of creatures just beyond the edge of his vision."No use," he says, spitting water as he resurfaces. "I cannot see a blasted thing."</blockquote>

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