To New Horizons(2nd ed game, game thread)

[PurpleXVI]

Anne, Tamora, Bas, Gan, Evon

Anne and Tamora reached the camp again without incident, surprisingly enough, the bird continued to follow the ranger, apparently having taken a liking to her. The lizardmen seemed a bit puzzled by it, but didn't immediately crap it and turn it into their dinner, and neither did the bird try to peck out their eyes.

By the time they arrived, the campfire had been reduced to embers, leaving those sitting or lying around it shrouded by darkness, only barely lit by the faint glow. They got there only a few minutes after Bas.

As they got there, the lizardman started to unwrap the bundle he was carrying.


Lorath

Aside from the glow marking a few fish and other aquatic creatures, Lorath's infravision showed him little, it's reach was quite limited and the lack was almost three miles across. There were many places a beast, even one as big as the tentacled thing, could hide.

Without bait or a trip into the lake, it seemed unlikely that he'd find it.


Ulik

(OOC: This is Caleb's character.)

Ulik arrived by the shore of the lake, the trail had lead him exactly where he had been told it would, and on the far side he could see the campfires and torches of the village that was supposed to be there. Except for what he could see by the light of a moon that was barely there, by the light of the stars and with his infravision, all was pitch blackness.

The village was supposedly where they were, but he had not been followed and no one seemed to be watching over him. What to do about the new land and it's inhabitants was up to him. He knew what was expected of him, but without someone holding a knife to his throat, it was hard to force him.

In the palm of his right hand he felt the bone ring he had been handed, smooth and featureless but for the faint etchings along it's surface. Under his feet he felt the sandy shore of the lake, still wet from the rainstorm that had ended just as he arrived through the portal. The same storm had left a few fallen trees for him to climb over as he made his way along the trail earlier.

[ 01-26-2007, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: PurpleXVI ]

[Armen]

Tamora

Tamora sat down at the fire and looked at the old lizardman with the bundle. She looked questioningly at the others but they seemed to be waiting. She turned her attention back to the old one, tried to ignore the sound of the big bird pecking around the camp, and watched.

[Man Who Fights Like Woman]

Lorath turned away from the lake, wondering how he was going to coax the tentacle monster back to the surface. For now, he thought it might be wise to get ready for the next day. He went back and sat down next to the fire, then opened his spellbook and began rememorizing his spells.

Upon seeing that the lizardman was unwrapping his bundle, he poked Gan to wake him up. "Hey," he whispered, "the lizardman's showing us his package. You might want to see this."

[ 01-26-2007, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: Man Who Fights Like Woman ]

[Caleb808]

Ulik heads towards the village and seeks out the group's campfire. When he reaches it, he hovers on the edge of it's light, as if he was afraid of the fire. He addresses who ever is present at the time "Greetings, I am Ulik, an adventurer from Rhost. I had heard of your passing through the portal before me and was wondering if I might join you? Safety in numbers and all that eh."

Ulik is wrapped in a heavy cloak that conceals most of his skin, but from what the group can see, Ulik is very tall, about 7'0", with a lanky build. He has disproportionately large ears, nose and extremities, like a dwarf, with a hirsute body and a long, black beard.

While he's waiting for a reply, he notices the birdlike creature and draws closer, licking his lips and rubbing his hands together, exposing large, sharp canines and nails, slightly green skin and a distinct odor that was like a mix of hot garbage and elderly people.

[ 01-26-2007, 10:29 PM: Message edited by: Caleb808 ]

[dplax]

Anne

At first she was surprised by the reptile-like bird following them, but gradually she got used to it trailing them by a couple dozen feet. Once back in camp, sitting next to the dying embers of the fire, Anne had positioned herself close to Tamora. No one seemed to inquire about what they had found, so Anne softly asked her scouting companion: "Have you looked at what was in the satchel yet?"

She noticed the new arrival at the edge of the camp-fire and took note of the way he watched the birdlike creature, but did not react to him in any way yet, more interested by the contents of what they had found attached to the creature's neck.

[Armen]

Tamora

"Not yet", she said quietly to Anne, "I was waiting for the old one first." She noted Ulik's presence but was unsure how to react. She was concerned about his appearance but not that much more than she had been by the first humans she had met. She decided to wait for Lorath and Gan's reaction and to follow their lead.

She slung the satchel off her shoulder and placed it casually between her and Anne and turned back to watch the bundle being unwrapped.

[PurpleXVI]

Everyone

The lizard-bird noticed Ulik's attention and stopped pecking at it's surroundings. Instead, it stood still for a moment and then, very carefully, walked in a wide circle around him to hide behind Tamora, it's eyes never leaving the robed man.

Apparently not bothered by the new arrival, the old lizardman finished unpacking his bundle, then threw the cloth aside. What he then held in his hands looked exactly like an elongated brain, except much larger than anything that could ever have fitted in a human's head. The only decorations on the thing were blue and black runes, running across the it in geometric patterns, the blue runes rhytmically pulsing with a faint light, like a heartbeat.

Grabbing the thing by one end, the lizardman held it a few feet over the embers of the fire and let go of it. Instead of hitting the cinders, however, it remained in the air. With a few gestures, it's owner motioned for them all to put one of their hands on it, even Ulik.

[ 01-27-2007, 12:43 PM: Message edited by: PurpleXVI ]

[Man Who Fights Like Woman]

Lorath watched with fascination as the object hovered in the air. He'd seen people accomplish the same effect with spells, but the lizardman had spoken no arcane syllables, at least not that he heard. Whether it was being held in the air by innate magical power or if it was being fueled by the heat from the embers was unknown, but either way it was an accomplishment.

Never in his life had he seen anything like this. He always thought things like this had existed behind closed doors where he came from, but they never let him back there to see exactly what was there. When the lizardman motioned for them to feel it, there really wasn't any choice - he was going to anyways. Quickly his hand reached out and felt the object, going first for the pulsating blue runes.

[Kazilan]

Bas looked up in surprise at the large bird hiding behind Tamora. He studied it for a moment before slowly moving towards it for a closer look. Before he could reach the creature the giant brain was unwrapped.

The druid recoiled. This.... thing looked unnatural. He did not reach out to touch it, instead keeping a close eye on his companions who did so.

The new giant adventurer barely registered in the back of Bas' mind. He could only deal with so many new stimuli, and the brain was absorbing all of his attention for the moment. Once he was sure his companions were not being harmed by contact with the object, Bas would return his attention to the bird-like animal.

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Gan Vahnsen

The half elf awoke at Lorath's touch and at the elf's words, he nodded and murmured his thanks. Gan had been dreaming when he was woken and so, was not really with it. He nodded a polite 'hello' at the newcomer, mostly a reflex action than an actual conscious gesture.

He watched bemused as the old lizard unpacked his bundle, still only half taking everything in. At his command, Gan shrugged to himself and decided the lizards might take offence if he didn't obey their elder. Despite the warning feeling in the back of his head suggesting caution, he reached out and placed his hand on the 'brain'. It occured to him that perhaps this was their way of communing, and passing on knowledge. As far as position was concerned, his slender white hand was beside Lorath's, on the left.