Dave Black> "I sensed the approach of something...," he says.
"I watched for it out of the east." "It came quickly - very quickly. I'd
never seen it before but I have heard of it..."
Varjeela> Varjeela restrains herself from interrupting with
questions.
Dave Black> "It was a Hellion."
Varjeela> (Has Varjeela heard of a Hellion? I'm off to find
a Monsters Book)
Dave Black> "The horror of it was overwhelming. For a moment
I wasn't quite sure what to do." (She would know the name and that it's
a SpiritWorld creature but not much else.) "In that instant it attacked
me....kind of." "It seemed to suck the vitality out of me all at once.
I tried to resist but could not. I felt myself growing weaker and weaker..."
Varjeela> Express sympathy and support without actually interrupting
his story.
Dave Black> "Eventually I couldn't even stay aware of where
I was and slipped off into a dreamlike state." "How did you drive it off?"
he asks.
Varjeela> Assuming the brave warriors don't tell their story,
I'll do so for them. Summary being that not having his knowledge of spirits,
we hit it a lot.
Dave Black> "The hellion may well return. The Ghouls may have
been under the hellion's control. Hellions often have many 'servants'"
Varjeela> "Wonderful. Thanks for the warning. With a bit of
luck my wards will keep out anything weak, and will at least warn us when
something approachs"
Dave Black> "Your camp defenses are a good idea Varjeela," he
says. "At least there will be a warning if they do return." As it turns
out the night passes uneventfully however.
Varjeela> Does Mawth know what the ducks meant? And does Nijehl
return?
Dave Black> No. Mawth doesn't know how the Ducks fit into the
big picture. No. Morning comes and still no sign of Nijehl.
Dave Black> Huff, perhaps to avoid dwelling on his nervousness,
asks Varjeela many questions about her journeys and her take on the cosmos.
Varjeela> Her journeys: she'll tell him all about the Dagori
Inkarth area. The cosmos: Orlanthi/Lightbringer stuff. And she's interested
in his view of things.
Varjeela> But does Mawth know what that strange word meant?
Dave Black> Huff tells her about several local spirits which
figure prominently amongst the Baboon tribes.
Varjeela> Do they appear to be alternative names for gods I
know? (Or would you like to point me at a write-up and let me read off-line?)
Dave Black> No Teeth, Howler, and Prankster are the names mentioned.
Varjeela> Don't know the first two, but Trickster is pretty
universal.
Dave Black> In some ways they do seem familiar but as he talks
you become more and more convinced that these are truly just Spirits -
not even particularly powerful ones at that.
Varjeela> OK. I'll take note of things like what sacred spots
to them there are and how to recognise them. How to appease them if annoyed:
that sort of thing.
Dave Black> Done. Morning comes with clear blue skies.
Varjeela> No rain? Oh, good. Breakfast time!
Dave Black> "We should try to let Nijehl know where to find
us..." comments Joss while eating. "Perhaps someone should go and look
for his body?" suggests NoBison.
Varjeela> "We should. But then, we haven't moved, so we're easy
enough to find. Of course, we were considering moving when he left, so
he may try the boats first." "Mawth, are you feeling better this morning?"
Dave Black> "yes," he replies - and this time his words match
reality!
Varjeela> Oh, good. Well, I think if we do move we will be easy
enough to track. Huff, how far away are the other rocks you mentioned?
Arms, legs, and so on?
Dave Black> "Perhaps if we make an effort to leave a track it
would be even better," suggests Huff.
Varjeela> I would leave a note for Nijehl if I thought he could
read it....
Dave Black> "Arms, legs, are further towards the endless waters."
replies the Baboon.
Varjeela> Yes, but how much further? If we go back to the boats
now, we have a half-days walk ahead of us. It seems silly to return now
if the other rocks are close by.
Dave Black> "Other rocks scattered about between here and endless
waters. Endless waters would be reached by start of Yelm's descent.
Varjeela> "Start of Yelm's descent" - when he's overhead? Noon?
Dave Black> Huff nods and points straight overhead.
Varjeela> Hmm. I think we should at least look at these other
rocks while we are in the area. A few of the closest, perhaps, and try
to be back at the boats by nightfall?
Dave Black> NoBison points out that the Ducks said to leave
the area east and that some of the "rocks" are half a day south.
Dave Black> "Closest few," he agrees.
Varjeela> "I don't feel obliged to take orders from ducks. I
intend to be out of here, and east of here, by nightfall, and that should
be good enough."
Dave Black> Huff leads the group southwesterly and about an
hour later you arrive at another rock. This one looks like a shoulder.
Varjeela> A shoulder of what sort of creature? Human?
Dave Black> No. Its hunched too much and way too bulky. More
like a huge Baboon actually....
Varjeela> "Mawth, is this just a rock, or does it have some
spirit in it?"
Dave Black> From this site you can see another channel just
to the south.
Dave Black> Mawth replies, "There is a spirit in everything
but the spirit in this rock is sleeping as it should be."
Varjeela> "Ah, good. Do you get any impression that this might
change if this rock and the Skull rock were brought together?"
Dave Black> Mawth seems startled by the thought and then says,
"Yes, it is certainly possible!"
Dave Black> "Next rock across water," says Huff pointing southward.
Varjeela> (to Huff) Across the water? And we have no boats with
us - shame. Are there other rocks we can reach on foot?
Dave Black> "No more I know of," replies the Baboon.
Varjeela> Did Mawth hear Huff's earlier remarks about Doom if
the parts are brought together?
Dave Black> Yes. Having no more rocks available without the
use of boats the group retraces its route back to Skull Rock. From there
the group heads east back the way it originally came. As they do so they
make no attempt to conceal their passage so as to provide Nijehl with a
trail that is easy to follow. They keep a watch out for Nijehl as they
go. Soon they reach the river again and turn north - still following their
original route. The group was just considering stopping for lunch when
they hear Nijehl's voice from behind. He is excited and happy!
Varjeela> Good! "Welcome back!" Does he appear to be in one
piece?
Dave Black> Yes. He's healthy.
Varjeela> (BTW, it occurs to me that I never actually specified
taking the wards down. Can we take it as read that I did it right?)
Dave Black> Absolutely. Wards have been dissassembled.