Varjeela> OK, back to reality... it's raining?
Dave Black> Turns out to be a vicious little storm which lasts
for a good part of the evening. The shelter holds though and so everyone
stays dry.
Varjeela> Dry. I like this. Is everyone OK?
Dave Black> Mawth is still unconscious.
Varjeela> Our two brave warriors: unhurt?
Dave Black> Yes.
Varjeela> Does Mawth seem to be actually unwell, or just out
of it? We don't want him getting hypothermia.
Dave Black> Unwell would be an apt description of his condition.
Nijehl> Could it be that he is possessed by a spirit?
Varjeela> In that case could you give symptoms, please? Breathing,
pulse..? (Or make a 1st aid roll, to be fair)
Dave Black> Since the battle Huff will have been extremely frightened.
Varjeela> Huff? Are you all right? What was that thing, do you
know?
Dave Black> "Bad spirit," replies Huff (his lip trembling and
voice almost a whisper).
Varjeela> "A spirit? It seemed solid enough when our companions
hit it. And it has fled now."
Nijehl> I'm looking outside from time to time, making sure the thing is not coming back.
>/roll 2d10 >ROLL by Dave Black (2d10) 7/10 10/10 Sum=17
Varjeela> (If that was my roll, Mawth probably has the right
number of limbs. Beyond that I'm not sure).
Dave Black> Well put Jane! Well put! Mawth's breathing is very
shallow. He is cold to the touch.
Varjeela> Right, I can sort out the basics from there. Keep
Mawth warm. Blankets, or whatever we've got with us. Sounds a lot like
trance, same as the senior priests use for Divinations.
Nijehl> I move back to Varjeela. "What's up with him? Can I
help?"
Dave Black> Using spare clothing and straw you are able to cover
Mawth up in such a way so as to keep him warm.
Varjeela> "Nijehl, did that thing seem like a spirit when you
hit it? It looked solid from here."
Dave Black> Not solid so much as semi-solid Jane.
Nijehl> Yes, it felt like hitting something. like... like mud,
although that light inside.... Well, seemed bad magic for me... I don't
know."
Dave Black> I had in my mind's eye a huge glob of clear Jello
floating about a metre off the ground.
Varjeela> "But spirits do not often solidify to even that extent,
do they? Nor do they particularly dislike being hit with swords".(That's
exactly what I visualised: great! But to me, that's what a Gorp looks like).
Nijehl> Looking at Varjeela, with a lost look on my face. "I
don't know". Shake my head. "It was weird, and that light that struck him...",
pointing at the nomad. "Hey, do you know what was that?" (to the nomad)
(Nijehl has never seen a gorp, so he can't relate it to anything, so it
must be evil magic)
Varjeela> "I had assumed that the light was the sign of a spell
being cast."
Dave Black> "No," says the Bison Rider (He-who-has-no-bison).
"But when I hit it it wasn't good. I hit it hard but it felt light."
Nijehl> "But the thing did not have eyes, and hands and a mouth
to cast!! How could it?" (What is the name of the Bison Rider, btw?)
Varjeela> "Hmmm - odd. Did either of you have magic on your
blades? That can hurt even spirits."
Nijehl> "Unless you cast magic on mine, no"
Dave Black> He-who-has-no-bison replies in the negative with
a shrug of shoulders.
Varjeela> (to Nijehl): There are plenty of creatures than can
cast spells without any of these things. Not all are chaotic, either."
(to both) "No, I gave you the strength of the earth, and Issaries' skill
at avoiding trouble. I cast nothing on your weapons."
Nijehl> "Then that thing fears our blades, not our magics. Do
you think it will return?"
Varjeela> (to the unnamed bison rider): "One of those blue lights
hit you, didn't it? What did it feel like?"
Dave Black> The Bison Rider responds: "Strange. It felt very
strange. Like it was pulling my soul..."
Nijehl> Nods to Varjeela after her explanation, glad to have
someone so intelligent with him, who can teach him stuff to boast about
back in Pavis. [see, I said he was easily impressed! V.]
Dave Black> Darkness is now beginning to descend upon the land...
Varjeela> I take it it's still raining? And Mawth is still out
of it?
Dave Black> Rain has stopped. Mawth is still out completely.
Varjeela> "Since the rain has stopped, it might be wise to return
to the boats before night falls. If we can, with Mawth.
Nijehl> Walks a bit outside, stretching up (and making sure
nothing is around).
Varjeela> I take it we left much of our kit there?)
Dave Black> "Maybe that's what happened to Mawth?" ponders the
shaggy man out loud.
Varjeela> "Maybe: but the creature had to hit you with a light
to have that effect. Mawth was never touched by it."
Nijehl> (Is there some of our stuff outside, dave?)
Varjeela> "I suspect Mawth met this creature in the spirit world
before it arrived here physically."
Dave Black> I think all of the stuff should be assumed to be
inside the shelter Nijehl.
Nijehl> (Ok Dave). Walks a bit around the shelter, making sure
everything is fine, then back into the shelter.
Varjeela> (after a bit of thinking) "Of course, Mawth could have
met the creature while we were building the shelter. But I still think
whatever happened to him was mainly in the spirit world."
Dave Black> It will be night time soon...
Varjeela> How much kit did we leave with the boats? Do we need
any of it for an overnight camp? And in any case, could we get Mawth back
to the boats before night falls?
Nijehl> Hearing Varjeela. "And we cannot do much about it, right?
Once I heard that a shaman at times looses his way in the spirit world,
and takes days to find his way back to his body. And I have heard also
that some never return. Do you think....?"
Varjeela> "I hope that Mawth will return by himself once he
has had time to recover. If he does not: entering the spirit world is hard.
I can only do so at a temple, and then only with difficulty. Another shaman
might be better able to help him, for they would have a better idea of
where he might have gone."
Dave Black> The group brought 2 days worth of provisions and
so should be equipped for overnights. The group is presently at least half
a day from the boats.
Varjeela> OK, we stay here for the night.
Nijehl> Looks back at Huff, and then to Varjeela, and whispers, "Shall we ask him if he has some shaman friend in the area. If we try and take him to your temple, perhaps it will be too late for him."
Varjeela> Would a fire be a good idea, or even possible? Setting
watches would definitely be good."
Dave Black> Setting a fire is certainly possible.
Varjeela> (to Nijehl): "Let us see how Mawth is in the morning.
By the standards of a spirit journey, this is not a very long trance at
all, worrying though it is to onlookers".
Nijehl> "Fine. I will tend to the fire, and can do first watch
as well. Don't feel very tired, and I don't think I can sleep either."
Dave Black> Who takes the watches?
Varjeela> Remind us who's here? Me, Nijelh, Joss, No-Bison,
Huff? Sounds like four watches, with me sharing with the second worst fighter.
Dave Black> Looks right. Who do you consider to be the second
worst 'fighter'?
Nijehl> I am 'the worst', I assume. Might be Huff... better
if you stay with him anyway. He seems agitated, and might try to run off
in the night.
Varjeela> I was assuming myself to be the worst fighter, as
until very recently I specialised in other areas. I doubt if Huff would
run off and leave us, but I'll share a watch with whoever feels they need
the support.