Night after night we see each other reflected in shadowy pool ... our eyes burn in the light ... they crawl and beg him for mercy but we give them none! We will not be dismissed. We have it now. We have it now. The power over life and death is ours. We have it now. They didn't want to give it to us but we have it now. Come to our call by wing, by foot, crawl, beg, worship us ... open your veins and pray for our blessing. Serve us and the Mindspins will be ours.
Foehammer, dark and grim! Living breathing Foehammer! They entered through your anus! Your anus out of which streams of blood and feces from the dead, from the eaters of the dead, and from the living dead pour into the Yondabakari -- Foul Yondabakari! Better to be dead than living worshippers of death, desecraters, graverobbers, and flesh-eaters. Vanity to command a vast land from towertop when the corruption spread within.
Seek ye the Foehammer Spires -- erections far too large for Dwarven hands to hold? -- then enter through the rear as your cousin did!
The next morning, Orlan spends some time poring over several sheets of parchment from his pack. Occasionally, he grumbles and mutters to himself. "Dang stupid priest. Why couldn't those Kannonfodders and Klyndak consult with a sane follower of Torag? This fella's more nuts than a squirrel."
The dwarf shuffles the papers back together and slips them into his pack. He starts striking the camp as efficiently as possible in case more goblins find their site and attempt to track them. Then he saddles up the horses and stows his equipment among the saddle bags.
"Looks like we'll be hiking inta the high country today," he announces to everyone, "I trust yer well rested? How's the leg, lass? Fine? Fine. Okay? Alright...yeah, I can tell by yer look yer tired of us fawnin' over yuh. Just don't slow us down by overdoin' it and tryin' ta tough it out when we should stop for a breather instead. That's all I'm sayin'..."
He looks over at Kamris. "So, yuh ready ta lead us on our way again? We may have ta tie off the horses somewhere...or build us a makeshift corral among the boulders...assumin' we reach a point where we can only make way by foot. I 'spect that'll be comin' up soon. When we came through the gorge, I could tell we were gettin' close ta dwarf country. And the higher we get inta those mountains, the closer we'll be ta findin' me cousin."
"Ever'body ready? Let's mount up then and get ta the end of this thing..."
Kamris nods at Orlan's question and takes the lead of the group.
Having had fun sitting with the ever enthusiastic Sir Manfred through the few hours before Kamris and Orlan got up Yin was in high spirits. That was of course until the dwarf got up and yet again drew attention to her leg. Rolling her eyes lightly she sighs. "My thigh is fine and I won't be slowing you down" She announces certainly and a little stubbornly "Now, can we please stop with the worrying?"
After a couple of hours you come across a large recess cut back into the gorge. It seemst to have been used as a camp. There are bones of various creatures at the base of the recess.
At the point where the recess meets the river, it is close to 20' wide with a gentle slope of smooth rocks and sand. The recess narrows to 10' before becoming a pile of boulders and rocks. About halfway up the gorge wall, you can see a ledge strewn with boulders. The whole thing seems to be a natural formation, possibly cut by a smaller river that used to enter this tributary of the Yondabakari but has long since vanished.
After a couple of hours you come across a large recess cut back into the gorge. It seemst to have been used as a camp. There are bones of various creatures at the base of the recess.
At the point where the recess meets the river, it is close to 20' wide with a gentle slope of smooth rocks and sand. The recess narrows to 10' before becoming a pile of boulders and rocks. About halfway up the gorge wall, you can see a ledge strewn with boulders. The whole thing seems to be a natural formation, possibly cut by a smaller river that used to enter this tributary of the Yondabakari but has long since vanished.
Spoiler for Kamris
You notice some wreckage in the water and on the shore that appears to be from a boat.
Spoiler for Manfred
Manfred, you notice some shards of a clay pot in the recess.
"Ho, Kamris!" Sir Manfred shouted pointing, "See those potshards? Was someone living here think you?"
Kamris looks at the shards, and then points at the boat wreckage, "From there perhaps. Merchant maybe."
Orlan wanders over to examine the shattered pottery and remnants of the boat, as well. He looks for any sign of a dwarven connection to the objects, hoping that might indicate their close to Klyndak's goal of finding the Foehammer spires.
"Don't look like there's anything useful here," he notes, "But it's a sign that civilization was somewhere nearby. So we must be gettin' close..."
He points back at the ledge and now-absent waterfall crevice in the rock. "I don't think we can be goin' up that too easily just yet. So let's be takin' the horses upstream a bit further ta see if there's anything else close by ta here. Make sure yuh keep'em on this side of the river, though. No need ta be gettin' in over our heads or makin' 'em swim."
Orlan:
One of the shards of pottery is imprinted with the mark of its maker: it is a mountain with a heart in the center. You recognize this as being a Dwarven clan's brand.
"Wait a minute," Olran catches himself as he re-examines the pottery shards, "That there be the mark of Clan Highgrain...purveyors of the best dwarven spirits known the world over. We be gettin' close then, I figger. Good find, Sir Manfred! I only wish there were some left ta slake our thirst before headin' on..."
He puts the pieces back where they found them, then gestures upriver. "Let's be movin' on. Time's a wastin' and we should make the most of our daylight. But keep a sharp eye out. There might be more bats or goblins about..."
Leaving the recess behind, you continue along the river until it reaches a point where the gorge has narrowed and the spring water level has flooded over the path. The horses will have to wade. Riders can avoid the freezing cold water and the water is only a couple of feet deep so the horses can continue and you can see the bottom.
Do you continue?
Kamris grimaces at the prospect of riding through the water.
"Dang it...why'd me cousin have ta take the barge and leave the horses behind? I ain't no rider...and I sure ain't no swimmer. But we go on regardless. Ever'body just keep a hand or a rope at the ready in case one of us falls in...especially me."
Orlan's Ride and Swim checks... (1d20+2=[10,2] = 12 on Ride check, 1d20-1=[5,-1] = 4 on Swim check)
Yin looks more than a little uncomfortable at having to take the horses through the water, she'd never learnt to ride very well and she was even worse at swimming.
You progress quite some ways without any incident. The horses pick their way over the rocks despite the strong current. It isn't clear what causes Orlan's horse to stumble, perhaps the silver flash of a fish or a loose rock, but it did stumble losing its footing and plunging into the water.
The horse manages to right itself but loses its rider in the process. You now have a dwarf being grabbed by the current.
What?! No one's going to do anything? Orlan's in the water!!
What?! No one's going to do anything? Orlan's in the water!!
"Orlan!" Yin calls out reaching out in the hopes of grabbing the dwarf.
Sir Manfred sidles as close to the water's edge as he can and stretches his lance tip 10 feet out to Orlan, hoping he can grab it. If not he will pace the swimmers along the bank hoping to get ahead and help that way. He may wade if he has to, but does not try to swim.
Sir Manfred sidles as close to the water's edge as he can and stretches his lance tip 10 feet out to Orlan, hoping he can grab it. If not he will pace the swimmers along the bank hoping to get ahead and help that way. He may wade if he has to, but does not try to swim.
Kamris has plunged into the water too assist you but first you need to be slowed enough for that too happen.
"Dang it....bllbbbbttt..." Orlan gasps as he struggles to keep his head above water, "Son of a...blllbbbttt...somebody gimme a...blllbbttt..."
Finally he spots Yin's outstretched hand and surges upwards against one of the rocks in an attempt to grab it.
Orlan's Reflex save to grab Yin's hand... (1d20+2=11)
"Blast it all to...bllllbbbttt..."
The dwarf goes under again and, when he resurfaces, he blinks his eyes half in fear and half in desperation as he sees the pointy end of Manfred's lance aimed at his head. He makes one last attempt to take advantage of the lifeline.
Orlan's Reflex save to grab hold of Manfred's lance... (1d20+2=6)
"Oh, for the love of...bllllbbbtttt..."
Orlan:
Kamris:
While contemplating the fool errand he willingly chose to undertake in seeking the whereabouts of his poor lost cousin, there's really only one thought that enters Orlan's mind in the cold murky depths closing in on him.
'I hate this river...'
Orlan manages to get his head above water and grabs ...
... and grabs ...
C'mon, throw him something!
Kamris grits his teeth and tries to grab the dwarf, but his clothing slips out of the half-elf's grasp.
Seeing that reaching out with the lance isn't working, Sir Manfred casts it aside and digs out his rope. Riding to a good point on the bank, he says a brief prayer to Iomedae and throws...
...the entire rope to Orlan.
D'oh!
"Blllppllllbbbtttt..."
Who would have thought a dwarf was so fast?
Sir Manfred, furious with embarrassment, rides ahead of the swimmers looking for anything that can help. A low branch over the water he can force down for the swimmers to grab; a shallow spot on the bank he can wade out safely to grab; anything!
Orlan finally manages to pull himself out of the water by grabbing the wall of the gorge and pulling himself out. A little bit bloody, a little bit blue, and a whole lot humiliated, he makes his way back to his horse.
"Son of a goblin dog!" the dwarf curses as he finally stops coughing up water. His temper gets the best of him and he rips off his helmet to hurl it against the rocks.
"Just a simple trip upriver..." he continues mumbling through blue lips as he stumbles to his feet, "Gonna find me cousin ta make sure he ain't dead. But no...all we be findin' is goblins...and giant bats...and...and DANG-BLASTED WATER!" He picks up a nearby rock and hurls it into the stream as if to fight back against the torrent that nearly claimed him.
Orlan continues to shuck his weapons, armor, and wet clothes on the riverbank. Occasionally his hands shiver and shake, forcing him to concentrate that much harder as he fumbles with the straps.
"This is NOT me idea of a good mornin'!" he complains loudly to the sky, "You be hearin' me, Torag? Yeah, I'm talkin' to yuh direct now! How yuh gonna be helpin' me find Klyndak if'n yuh curse me horse so it drops me straight inta the DANG-BLASTED RIVER!? Eh?"
Finally, his anger begins to ebb and he looks around for his companions...
Orlan can find his companions easily enough. He manages to make it back to the horses without further incident. He's really cold however.
... and he seems kind of pissed off.
Having failed miserably to find anything to throw to the poor dwarf Yin looks guilt-wracked for a while, the expression only lightening as she hears Orlan returning to them (The yelling is quite loud) Sure their dwarf is safe she extends her hand to Kamris, wanting to get him out of the water as well.
"Maybe we should just take two horses and ride in pairs from now on.." She suggests as she reaches out to her fellow Shoanti "That way if a horse stumbles there'll be someone close to help keep people saddled"