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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JoeNotCharles" data-source="post: 5728269" data-attributes="member: 79945">Part 2: A Long and Weary WayAt sunup you are assembled on the dock jutting from the edge of Lake-Town, with Gimli calling for the boat-keeper.  The boats of the Lake-men are wooden, round-bottomed skiffs with high prows, carved to resemble the heads of birds and beasts.  The boat-keeper explains that swans are traditional, but in recent years, dragon-prowed skiffs are becoming more popular with the young.The skiffs come in various sizes, seating two, four or eight rowers led by a coxwain who steers (with room at the foot of the boat for as many passengers as there are rowers).  The boat-keeper suggests that the seven of you take two of the smaller craft or one mid-sized.Once you have made your choice you stow away your supplies - four to five days' worth of fresh food for each of you and another week's worth of cram, a nutritious but flavourless biscuit made by the men of Dale and Esgaroth.  Then you launch and begin skimming your way south across the lake.You soon fall into a steady rhythm as the shore recedes into the morning mist.  Authiel dangles a line in the water and manages to catch a few fish, which you save for the evening meal when you will be able to make a fire.  As the sun rises in the sky, burning off the fog, you stop rowing for a cold lunch, bobbing in the middle of a wide corridor of water.  The east and west banks are barely visible, the north and south lost in the distance.  After the meal you trade places at the oars and begin pulling your way south again, with those not rowing watching the distant banks slipping past.With the fine summer weather, barely a hint of wind, and no need yet to watch for signs of your quarry, this could be a pleasant outing on the lake.  And as the rowing is fairly easy, by the end of the day you are still invigorated by the journey when the southern shore appears on the horizon and your ears pick up the sounds of roaring water.  At the south end of the lake, the lake waters pour out over high waterfalls to start the aptly named Rushing River.  The sound of the waterfalls slowly goes louder and the water begins to move more swiftly, carrying you towards them.On the west bank of the lake, you are approaching several wooden piers which jut out into the water.  At their foot a number of huts huddle close to the lake, the sun sinking behind them.[sblock=OOC]If you take the small craft, three of you will be in one boat (with two rowing and one steering) and four in the other (with two rowing, one steering and one idle).  If you take the medium craft, there will be four rowers, one steering and two passengers.  Which do you want?Once you've chosen your boats, and how to split yourselves up if necessary, I'll need one person from each boat to make an Athletics check to keep control of it in the current.  The target number is 10 for a small boat, 12 for a medium.  The obvious trait you can apply to this roll is Boating.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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