Malchik Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 As you minister to the bear you hear a faint sound. Looking around startled you find yourself facing a woman of great beauty. She smiles at you. "I have not seen such compassion in humans for many years. Not that I have seen many humans for that matter, the wards of the Avelyssians are strong. I will look after the bear and its family. I have been away and have just returned or this would never have happened. As a reward for your kindness I will let you pass through the cave. It will bring you close to the sea and avoid the troubles you would otherwise face." She points along the cave in the direction the bear had arrived. "After about ten paces there are stairs down. There are 1000 steps so be sure you are fit. At the bottom turn to the left. It will take you half a day from there but nothing will disturb you. I will take the bear." Before you can speak she and the bear have both vanished. You have no idea who or even what she was. After porridge you settle down to rest. Ford's leg is not too bad and Lurel spends a little power on making it better. Next day you follow the woman's instructions and emerge from the tunnel in by a small lake in a hollow. The sounds and smells of the sea come from the other side of a tall stony ridge. It is again dusk. Midge's spoon is back to its rusted condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThetaOrionis01 Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 "I suppose we had better camp here. It's getting dark," Lurel suggests to the others. He looks at the lake before them, and takes a deep breath. "Can you smell the sea? It can't be far now - I can even hear it! But trying to negotiate that ridge in the dark would be a bad idea, I think." He drops his pack on the ground and sits down on a rock, waiting to hear what the others make of his suggestion. Looking back into the tunnel, he shakes his head slightly. "I wonder who - or what - that woman was. An elemental perhaps? At any rate, I'm glad to know the bears are being cared for." He grimaces. "Though I would have liked to ask her a few things - about those others she mentioned... Alyssians? I suppose at least now we know the name of those who are trying to keep us out." His face turns serious as he looks at the others. "We have passed those Alyssians' outer wards. What I fear is that the closer we get to the sea, the more dangerous the traps will becomes, and the more powerful. The first few, the disks, were just to discourage people. But what do they have in store for those who were determined enough to make it this far? I think we should keep watch tonight. What do you think?" He smiles slightly. "If it's all right with you, I'd like to take the last watch, so that my magic is recharged by then." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emry Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Lisette starts to ladle out the now abundant porridge into bowls and passes it around. "I agree that we should keep a watch. I don't like it that people can pop in and out like that. If she can do it, others could have that ability too - and they, these Alyssians that is, may not be partial to our reaching the sea...... I'm glad she's going to take care of the bear though." she adds as an afterthought. She begins to eat the porridge. "I agree that Lurel should have the last watch so he can rest and recharge. I'll keep the watch before that. I don't have a problem with being up in the middle of the night. I also suggest that we let Midge get a full night's rest so those bug bites can heal. We'll use the salve just in case. A three shift watch should not be too strenuous on the rest of us. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted April 5, 2004 Author Share Posted April 5, 2004 Ford agrees to take the first watch. "I don't know about anyone else but I feel distinctly manipulated. How did that woman know we were going TO the sea if she had been away, we could as easily have been coming back." He eats the porridge and waits for the others to settle themselves, watching Lisette using the salve on Midge before settling in to sleep. After about four hours, during which nothing happens, he passes the watch to Lisette. The second watch passes untroubled, though a breeze begins to blow in from the sea bringing with it a fine drizzle. Lurel is troubled only by rain. But when the morning arrives the sky is clear. The ridge between you and the sea is made up of many stones, some of them large. It is topped off by what from the bottom of the depression looks like a series of twisted roots. The lake in front of you seems brilliant azure in the sunlight, small brown fish can be seen swimming in it. Yellow flags and pink water lilies grow around the bank. The most noticeable feature however is not what you see but what you can hear, the squabbling of myriads of birds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThetaOrionis01 Posted April 5, 2004 Share Posted April 5, 2004 Lurel looks up. "Where are all those birds?" he asks, puzzled. "That's some noise they are making!" He quickly walks down to the lake to splash some water into his face. When he returns, he is thoughtful. "I've been thinking, about what you said, Ford - how the woman couldn't have known where we were going. Do you remember how I said I didn't believe in coincidences any more? I am more certain than ever that the incident with the bear was a test. I suppose we passed it. What other tests, though, have been prepared for us, and what other criteria are there besides compassion?" He sighs. "We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose. Meanwhile we've got that ridge to look forward too - and I don't like the look of it. Unless anyone can see a way around it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted April 6, 2004 Author Share Posted April 6, 2004 A more detailed examination of the surroundings in daylight shows that the sides of the depression in which the lake is found are easy to climb away from the ridge but the ridge extends as far as the eye can see. Ford grunts. "It's a storm beach. We have one in Dayone not far from Camford. I've never been there but have seen drawings. We'll have to climb it at some point." He looks at the pot of porridge still far from empty and helps himself to a serving for breakfast. Although nothing is said you can tell he is finding the diet monotonous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThetaOrionis01 Posted April 6, 2004 Share Posted April 6, 2004 Lurel grins at Ford. "Maybe we can catch some fish when we get to the sea, for a change from the porridge?" He looks at the remaining porridge, and joins Ford for breakfast. Between mouthfuls of porridge Lurel lets his gaze wander around the terrain. "How about," he suggests, "we climb up here at the side, where the slope is gentler, and see if we can make our way on to the ridge from there? It would make sense to gain height where the going looks easier, wouldn't it?" He grimaces. "I think we have to be prepared for anything on that ridge." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switch Posted April 12, 2004 Share Posted April 12, 2004 (OOC: Hope you don't mind me taking over Ford again so soon Malchik ^^ thanks for keeping him going for me. :)) "Hmm, sounds good to me." Ford finishes with his porridge. "Well, at least we know there's a good chance these Alyssians are good natured in some way, if that was a test and the condition was compassion..." He shrugs and then gets up a few minutes later, stretching. "Shall we get moving soon? The less I have to look at porridge the better." He grins slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malchik Posted April 13, 2004 Author Share Posted April 13, 2004 OOC> Welcome back! You must have been suffering withdrawal symptoms! You break camp and follow Lurel's directions. Unfortunately although the idea was good in theory and you are higher than the lake floor, the storm beach still has to be climbed. You all fall, taking small amounts of damage as much to your dignity as anything else. Finally you stand at the top amongst all the driftwood. The storm beach drops steeply to a flat sea bed. There is no sign of the sea. The tide is a long way out. The ground is alternately mud and sand with large shallow ponds. Some three or four hundred paces away from the beach the sunlight is winking and flashing off what may or may not be metal items. There are large flocks of birds scurrying around in the shallow ponds. The birds fall silent as you appear but do not fly away. On either side of you the storm beach is backed by cliffs. They are not especially high but would not be easy to climb. Your path by the stream into the lake appears to be the only way back. Midge's spoon remains rusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThetaOrionis01 Posted April 13, 2004 Share Posted April 13, 2004 "It looks like we have two choices," Lurel says glumly. "We can try to scramble down there, and walk across the mud, and hope that we'll find a place where the cliffs drop down to sea level. But I don't like the look of the ground down there. It might not be so easy to get back up on to the beach. Or we can climb up on to one of those cliffs - I could try using earth magic to help us get up there. Then we can search for easier access to the sea - we might be able to see better from up there too." He holds up a hand to shield his eyes. "I wonder what those glinting things are," he mumbles. "But they're a long way from the beach..." Lurel looks to the others for their opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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