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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 4647150" data-attributes="member: 1846">A Diving Contest, Part TwoWatching Aldis’ dive, along with the others, had made Aengus acutely aware of the high standards that had been set. He wracked his brain for how he could live up to the now high expectations of the villagers below. Suddenly smiling, he ran forwards and leapt high, gracefully twisting and turning as he fell. A second before he would have hit the water, he travelled through the Feywild a short distance, reappearing in the real world some twenty feet higher up than he had left – in effect, hitting the water twice. Another huge cheer went up from the villagers at this display of prowess and mystical power.Sigurd resolved that human wizardry should be acknowledged, too. Whilst the others had been leaping forwards, she had been quietly working on the words and gestures of a ritual, unknown to the others. As she stepped off the ledge, she cast Feather Fall upon herself and instead of plummeting down to the water she floated gently, passing by the other caves in the wall. At her speed of descent, Sigurd was even able to greet one woman who was watching as she passed, leaving her dumbfounded.Further wonders followed when she made contact with the water. With the magical ritual protecting her, her feet did not break the surface and she calmly walked back over the water to the shore, leaving her shoes only slightly damp. The watching crowd were quiet, awed by her power. Yetta called out “It might not be of the tradition, but Lady Snowshoes will surely respect a show of power such as that!”The man next to her retorted “Or else she’ll be so confused by the ways of these Auslanders that she’ll just choose to leave them alone!”Since arriving in the village, the Promise of Distant Thunder had been content to let the villagers believe that he was a man who chose not to remove his armour, rather than the Warforged he truly was. He glanced down at the villagers below, who were beginning to turn their heads back upwards in preparation for the next leap.Rather than attempt to emulate the tumbling theatrics of Aengus and Karl, or the magical power of Sigurd, Thunder dived cleanly and directly into the water. Just before impact, he released a burst of radiant energy, causing a huge splash and making the water churn and bubble in dramatic fashion. Pausing underwater, he took advantage of his Warforged constitution to wait as long as he could before making his way back to shore, wading slowly out from the freezing water and keeping his face impassive. As he accepted a towel and began to dry his metallic body, he could hear the excited whispers of some of the village children. “He dived in his armour! He dived in his armour!”This left Iben and Yuppi at the top of the cliff, standing side-by-side on the ledge. Yuppi grinned and gestured, but Iben shook his head. “Uh, you go first,” he said, trying not to let his nervousness show.Yuppi nodded once, and with a mighty cry of “Lady Snowshoes!” he leapt out, stretching his arms wide and whooping all the way down. He hit the water cleanly and swam to shore, to be engulfed by his wife, Yetta, in a huge bear hug. The two grinned at each other, sure their efforts had brought good fortune on their forthcoming journey.Iben stared again over the edge of the cliff, thinking to himself who he, who could overcome all fear and worry on the battlefield, could be so afraid as something so simple as a drop into water. Seeking reassurance, he went through his totems and fetishes, seeking comfort in their unfailing presence. Muttering prayers to every spirit he could think of, he took his life in his hands and made a mighty leap off the ledge. Screaming all the way down, he crashed into the water.Dragging himself ashore, he felt as though his skin was on fire from the impact. Wincing, he looked up at Thunder mutely. “Iben, that was bravely done,” responded the Warforged. “But you are not truly injured. Kord teaches us that there is always a cost to achieving your goals. The pain will fade in time, but not with my help. You shall endure, overcome, and be better for it.” Iben nodded in understanding.Next time: Journeys with a cake!</blockquote>

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