Action Thread #3 - The Second Valley

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Morning - The NE Ledge


Before the party retraces their steps back to the egress leading down to the bog, Stonjuz and Thurinor take the time to do a search of the locale. Neither dwarvish stone craft or elfin senses indicate anything amiss here, the ledge they are in does not seem to have continued further anytime in the past. But looking down to the other ledge below it does seem the cliff face might once have held one of the familiar winding paths, much like the one they chose not to take two miles prior, or the ones they have used making their way down the mountain top. If indeed there was trail connecting the two ledges it is long gone, lost to erosion perhaps or some destructive event.

Later in the morning the six find themselves back at the top of the route going down the cliffs to the awaiting bog below.


Will do another post later.

[Stonjuz]

"This may be our last chance for a stringer before we head down, lads."Stonjuz eyes the group, searching for anyone who also sees a need for carrying fish with us. "Dont wanna eat me jerkys tills we got to."

[Buzz]

"I wouldn't worry too much. With each step down this it seems mountain we see more life. I don't think finding food will be too difficult."

[zebediah]

Worry not Stonjuz, I will get you the fattest frog out of that swamp. says the ranger as he starts the way down.

OOC: Vargr, do we need to climb or is there a walkable path down?

[Vargr1105]

OOC: Vargr, do we need to climb or is there a walkable path down?

There is a walkable path down. Seemingly the easiest descending a cliff that the party has found so far.



Day 3 - Morning - The Path Down the Great Cliff



Musical Theme: Water Woman


The six begin trekking the long path down to the third valley, or more precisely, to the uninviting bog that forms most of its northern border. The Grand Waterfall rushes downward a few hundreds yards to the West and the not-so-distant rumbling of the masses of falling water is omnipresent.

Progress is moderately fast, but after zig-zaging a mile down the cliff they begin missing having un-inclined terrain under their feet and wishing the bog below, ill-looking or not, is reached sooner rather than later.

Some of the falling waters from the great waterfall rebound here and there on protrusions from the cliff and form a cascade of multiple minor cataracts leaping down from rock face to rock face in a mad descent, as if trying to compete with their larger counterpart.

Then, along the path as it is nearing the great waterfall plummeting from the lake above is a gentler cascade with crystal waters splitting and recombining and spilling over rocks to fall splashing into swirling pools below; there to spill and fall again towards the awaiting valley. The path eventually leads the group towards the pools.

As they draw near a slim woman suddenly rises smiling from one of the pools, robes flowing as if formed from the tumbling water. Her skin is alabaster-white with a tinge of blue, face ageless and devoid of expression, blue-black hair arranged in braids that fall to her waist, eyes soulless and amoral as that of an animal yet, expressing keening intelligence.





The female apparition holds out a hand to the adventurers in a gesture indicating they should stop, and recites:

"Young as spring, old as time,
Often falls, cannot climb
Always rushing, never still,
In a bed, never ill."

Then she speaks no more, and waits...

[Buzz]

Malone stands and thinks for a minute before turning to the rest of the party, "You know, I've always hated riddles. Never seem to get the answer right. What to you think? A river maybe?" His steps forward to answer upon agreement from everybody else, with caution developed from years of listening to his mentors.

[Stonjuz]

Captured by the natural beauty momentarily, the Dwarf shakes himself out of it after the group has come to consenses.
"River? River who?.....Oh....RIVER !!! Yes , Yes, of course, Riddle of the River, nice one. Thurinor, or Andrin, one o' you's go tell her it's a river. Maybe even in Elvish. Them waterlilly-ellie types love that nature wonderboy stuff. "
Stonjuz waits to see who amongst the group is to talk to the elemental being. After it is decided, he adds,...
"Then, afta ya talk to 'er, ask 'er if she has five friends for us."

[ragnboneshopper]

From his place nearer the back of the party, Thurinor can't help smiling in aghast wonder at this apparition before him. He giggles in spite of himself. "If nothing else, seeing such a lady, if lady she be, makes these travails worth their enduring. Are you all bashful of her presence? Will none speak to her? ... A river, yes, I should think, Malone. Indeed, answer away, though I know little of such things, and though I might think that before us stands the very spirit of these waters, blocking our way unless we pass some test. We ought to take a care, and do nothing agressive." And he pats Stonjuz on the shoulder as if to direct his last comment at the dwarf while Detecting Magic to see what the auras can tell him.

OOC: Is this a magical being or an illusion of some kind? What do the auras indicate? If it is some sort of illusion, can Th tell its source? Do any auras extend to the water itself, and if so, how far is the extent? Are there other such beings in the waters nearby?

[zebediah]

If the woman has not responded to the talk from his companions Ogirdor takes a step forward and says A river is what you describe. and then waits for some reaction from the spirit.

[Stonjuz]

Joking with Oz, Stonjuz smacks him on the rear and says... "I bet she don't mind sleeping in the wet spot."

[Sir Clarence]

While waiting for her response, Andrin looks with fascination at the creature. Does he think that it is elemental in nature, or does it probably belong to the fey folk?

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Morning - The Path Down the Great Cliff


Andrin Knowledge Roll: [1d100] = 25

Looking at the blue woman Andrin does not recognize it as a member of any elemental or fey race his druidic studies have acquated him with.

PM Sent

After Ogirdor utters his answer to the riddle, the woman seems to dissolve back into the water as quickly as she appeared. The path through the pool appears to be open.

[ragnboneshopper]

Thurinor's smile fades even as the watery woman-guardian dissolves. "Have a care, dear friends. The auras do not lie. Our watery lady was not all she appeared to be: an illusory phantasm of unknown origin and no true water being. Though she may have been placed here long ago by a power now absent, that power may yet lurk nearby...but friend or foe? And other guardians may lie in wait." Thurinor then laughs to himself for no clear reason, but his smile does not return.

[Sir Clarence]

"Thank you for the warning, friend. Let's proceed with care from this point on and have our weapons ready. I also suggest that Ogirdor stops advance scouting. We should better stay together."

[Stonjuz]

In another rare stretch of moments, Stonjuz says nothing, but walks with his staff in one hand and keeps his Boccob symbol close, rubbing it habitually.

[Vargr1105]

Day 3 - Morning - The Path Down the Great Cliff


Steeling themselves for the worst after Thurinor's warning the six wade the crystalline pools where the blue woman made her appearance and vanishing but a moment ago. They make their crossing without any ill event, excepting the current of the small waterfall falling into the pools becoming more fierce splashing water all over the group as they pass.

The companions then continue to make their way down. As they approach the grounds of the valley the air temperature becomes more amenable, and the air itself more odoriferous with tits of rotting vegetation and mud rising from the marshlands below. As the terrain gets closer they can see clearly waves of miasma hovering over much of it.

At long last they complete the trail down the great cliff and find themselves on the third valley proper, standing on...not so firm ground.


Starting a new Action Thread. Will post link here once it is done.

Edit: new AT started: viewtopic.php?f=45&t=789