DM Carbide - Dark Road |
The farther north you travel, the lusher the forest on either bank becomes, as if it recovered from the firestorm more quickly than the areas you passed through in the past few days. You know that after the Isle you're supposed to follow the Sellen northwest, so you're sailing near the west bank as the river widens and the confluence nears.
It's around now that you begin to notice something out of the ordinary in the forest: some of the trees have wisps of some whitish material hanging from their lowest branches. A little while more, and you see what looks like the desiccated corpse of an akata hanging from a tree, covered with the whitish material, which you now realize is spider's web. Then hugging the bank becomes more difficult, as there are trees overhanging the water...with braided vines hanging down at an angle from their branches into the water, each ending in one of the floating mats (now tethered). Hints of movement on the vines and mats suggest the presence of large numbers of small crawling things.
What do you do?
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks at the floating mats, suddenly more than a little concerned. Well, then...that answers that. As much as I enjoy the sight of an Akata dead, I do not think that these spiders are anything but predators to us. I'll look for a path through; we'd be best served to avoid them.
Perception to find a path through
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Darc Jonash |
Darc stands a moment and takes it in, "Fire, burn path, I not help." He eyes both directions and back to the boat, then searches through his backpack. With disappointment etched on his face, he brings out a flint and steel.
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
The river is wide enough at this point that there's a couple of hundred yards of open water between the overhanging trees and spider-laden vines on either bank (yes, now that you look you can see the same thing happening on the other side), so for now burning a path isn't necessary.
Incidentally, I'm going to be on the road this evening and tomorrow, with little likelihood for an update before tomorrow night. All times as for GMT - 5.
Sami Johoro |
Sami nods at Darc's idea, though he keeps his eyes on the path ahead. No need to stir them up yet, but that may be our best option; especially if they swarm us like those beetles did. I'll try and navigate us through, but lets keep an eye out for any that get too close. Maybe you can use your weapons to push away any mats that float too near.
Sami continues on course, making adjustments as needed to avoid the mats of arachnids.
Misc check...maybe wisdom? Wish I had prof sailing
1d20 ⇒ 5
Darc Jonash |
Darc turns to Xavier, his eyes show disdain, "Scared, no" a venomous tone in his voice. "I, No fire magic." he says matter of factually. He closes his eyes, turns away and before opening then again breathes out loud controlled breath. He looks out down the river, aiding as he can Sami take a safe course.
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
It's not that hard to avoid the floating mats once you're clear of the trees. If the weather were worse, that might be an issue, but you always have the option of lowering the sail and just rowing. The current is fairly steady at this point. (When you get closer to the confluence, that will no longer be the case.)
Speaking of which, now that you're out into the middle of the channel you can see quite a ways ahead. You're still a mile or so from where the Sellen opens out into the confluence, and there's another mile or so past that to the island. You can see that the trees on the banks of the island are giants of their kind; if they grew up after the Starfall, magic of some sort must have been involved, because they look like they've been growing for centuries. The height trend you noted in the trees on the banks of the river likewise continues, and the floating mats extend farther and farther out into the channel.
The center part of the channel seems to be clear all the way up to the island itself. However, the same is not true of the passages to east and west around the island. Hanging in vast catenaries from the great trees on the island are a gigantic network of vines, some terminating in larger floating mats on the surface of the river and some plunging beneath the water. They interpenetrate similar nets of vines extending from the trees on the river banks; navigating through that while touching neither vines nor mats would tax the most skilled sailor alive, and you're all pretty sure you wouldn't be able to manage it without a great deal of luck. You're not close enough to tell if there are any spiders on this immense network, but somehow I doubt you want to get close enough to check.
What do you do?
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks on in concern. We're supposed to continue to the northwest; sure could be troublesome with those mats. We could try and push our way through, but I fear we'd get tangled up. We could try and burn them, but we may agitate a few swarms. Maybe there's a central nest or hive of some sort on the island. Should we stop and explore it?
Is there enough of a path to get through to the island?
Xavier Longsaddle |
Xavier looks up at the sky. Well we need to continue on don't we? The close terrain will only make navigation harder if we use the island. Darc seems to have some woodlore and so do I. Between us we can use the sun and dead reckoning to stay on track. The river is a pretty steady landmark and easy to backtrack if we need to.
Remember, survival is one of the few things Xavier does know about
Darc Jonash |
Darc hears Xavier use his name, he is pleased that the man did not insult him, Maybe he's learning, or maybe he's setting me up? Cautiously he nods his ascent to Xavier's words. "True, two swords."
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks to the northwest, his expression dubious. If you can navigate us through without our getting caught up on those mats, I'm all for it. If we get caught, though...
He lets the silence speak to the implications.
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
Sami, which way are you trying to go--NW passage or to the island?
Xavier Longsaddle |
If it comes to swimming we might be able to swing off the sail mast and flip the boat. That way Eretria and us can be protected from a swarm. We used to do that as kids with the little boats on the family lake. Quite a bit of fun.
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
Sami tries to steer for the first gap in the vines, but realizes to his distress that the mats are moving back and forth on the surface in a way that he can't predict--it's like the great kites of his homeland, the way the vine tension interacts with wind and surface currents. He quickly directs the sail to be lowered, allowing the current to carry the boat away from the edges of the vegetation barrier.
Sami WIS check to recover: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
The island is a few miles across. From what you can see the dock area is at the base of a barren notch valley leading up towards the island's center; the forest seems to be confined to the east and west shores of the island, although you can't see much outside the notch valley. Nothing is moving in the area of the dock besides birds. And you, of course.
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks around cautiously, his eyes trying to pick up on any potential threats, as he lends a hand to the others to get off the boat and onto dry land. Well, the valley would kind of funnel us upward towards the center of the island. We'll probably want to steer clear of those forests, unless we wish to end up like that Akata, stuck fast in a web. Shall we move on towards the center?
Xavier Longsaddle |
Xavier hops out of the boat and moves towards the front of the marching order. I'll lead off. Give you guys time to cast spells and things if we get attacked.
He pauses to offer a hand to aid Eretria out of the boat before moving off.
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks genuinely confused. I was under the impression that our route was impassable, thus we needed to dock and find the source of those floating mats...if we can. At least here we can get torches and long poles out of the trees.
sorry if that wasn't right...that was the meaning I took away from it.
DM Carbide - Dark Road |
The route as far as you can see it from the water is indeed impassable. The island at least offers a chance to go around the spider-laden vines, although transporting the boat may be a challenge.
There's a path from the dock up the bottom of the notch valley towards the island's center. Granted, the history of this place would suggest a need for docks and paths, but this particular trail is suspiciously free of debris.
You have about an hour before sundown. The bottom of the valley is already shadowed, in fact, although the east side is still brightly lit at the top. After about ten minutes of walking you leave the notch; the path levels off and begins to wind further up the hills at the center of the island. From here you can see that the great trees are, indeed, confined to the areas nearest the river to east and west. The center part of the island still blocks your view of its north shore.
From what you can see, inside the barrier of trees the majority of the island is still barren, though there are a few patches of greenery here and there. One of the patches is fairly close by, in fact, and you note that in its approximate center is a small hut.
Sami Johoro |
Sami looks at the sky in concern, then glances at the hut. If someone is there, I hope that they don't mind our camping on their island; it'll be dark soon. I guess the only way to find out is to ask.. He proceeds with caution toward the hut, his eyes warily searching.
Perception
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Darc Jonash |
Darc hangs back, uneasy he stands, his wound seemingly reflecting his mood as it weeps a drip of yellow puss from the bandage. His eyes open wide, sharp and bright. He moves his weight from one foot to the other, his flail held, its head lays lazily on the earth. He says a prayer as his friends edge closer, his guttural voice is deep as he calls for divine protection. He watches.
Casts Resistance on himself.
Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13