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

[Armen]

Tamora eventually stopped staring at the lake where the creature had been. The lizardmen seemed relaxed enough now but she knew it would take her longer to get over her first real experience of the chaos of combat. The animals she had hunted and defended against at home were so predictable compared to this monstrosity – she shivered. She merely nodded at Lorath’s words and looked at the ground. When Gan spoke she looked at him closely for the first time and winced at the sight of his wounds. She watched the injured warrior offer to help Evon to the fire and shook her head in something close to amazement. She hoped Bas would be able to help him as he had Jonas – she certainly knew she couldn’t do anything for him.

In her current frame of mind then it was with relief that she heard Anne ask for someone to accompany her around the lake. Tamora turned to the human woman. “If no one minds I’ll go with you”, she said. The young elf slung her bow and picked up her spear. Noticing the uncomfortable way the woman was holding her liberated weapon Tamora smiled for the first time. “If we are attacked”, she said, “the pointed end goes towards the enemy. But I think I’d rather test how long those tentacles are before fighting that thing again”.

[ 01-22-2007, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: Armen ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Gan Vahnsen

The half elf nodded at Evon’s words, "You are right, of course. Perhaps the lizardfolk will be grateful at our… intervention.” He offered a half smile, suggesting that perhaps their ‘interference’ may not have been enough to tip the balance, but perhaps the lizards would be grateful all the same, "Healing is always welcome. Perhaps we should wait for a healer before examining the antidote.” he suggested and leant back, basking in the warmth of the fire. If the lizards had relaxed, then hopefully it meant there was no immediate danger – however, being a ranger, he always kept an eye on his surroundings, no matter how relaxed the natives were. It was possible the lizards might turn on them, or see their kind as the ones who disturbed the waters of the lake. Who could know the mind of a lizard?

"So if you are not a fighting man,” he inquired, making small talk, "Mind if I ask what your area of expertise is?”

Between conversing, Gan would decline Anne’s offer of scouting. When asked, he simply said, "As much as I would like to join you, being struck in the face by a tentacle isn’t pleasant. I’ll sit this one out for now.” Hopefully, the half elven ranger inwardly sighed, the blisters would go away and not be permanent. He did not wish to be scarred for life, or worst, lose the use of his eyes/feeling in his face.

[dplax]

Anne

Anne watched after Gan as he sat down, concern playing in the corners of her eyes. Reluctantly she lifted her gaze from him. He was in good hands and she could do nothing to help him. Anne quickly told Tamora what she had observed of the creature that had attacked them.

"The creature has to have a weak spot. I noticed it never lifted its head from the water, never exposing it to harm. I'd bet quite a bit on the fact that its tentacles are its strongest line of defense. I'd also wager that this creature, as many water dwellers, does not like fire. Might be a good idea to take a burning branch as a torch."

Anne surveyed the surface of the lake. Apart from the fine drizzle of the rain hitting the water, nothing moved, nothing was evidence of the horrendous struggle just a few minutes earlier.

"Clock-wise or counter clock-wise?" Anne asked turning to Tamora.

[Armen]

Tamora thought for a moment. "We should continue anti-clockwise", she answered. "At least then we will be on familiar ground if the sun sets before we return". She looked out over the lake and then back to Anne, "I would prefer not to carry a torch. I . . . I have no intention of standing and fighting that creature again with or without fire and I worry about what else the light might draw to us".

(OOC: if Anne wants to bring a torch Tamora won't stop her)

[Encard]

"Well, if you feel you'll be all right," Evon said with a somewhat hesitant shrug. He shrugged again when Gan asked him what his expertise way in, giving his reply softly in a wry tone. "Well, I'm not really an expert at anything, I'll admit - I'm afraid I've traveled without ever choosing one thing or another to focus on. I learned some carpentry from my father, and I'm a half-decent artist, but I suppose those don't matter here unless the lizardmen want to barter information for footstools. I know which end of my sword to stick in the other fellow, and sometimes I can even convince that fellow to just drop the issue before there's any blood on the ground - I'm pretty good at that, actually. Really though, it's a bit of this and a bit of that. You yourself are a man of the sword, I think I can safely assume?"

When he heard Anne talking about the weakness of the creature's body, he turned to her and said, in a friendly manner, "You know, you may be right - I'm not sure I'd want to go swimming with something that big, though. Besides, maybe it just can't come on land." Nodding to Tamora, he added, "I'd also be wary of bringing a torch - if that creature comes it could probably just splash out the flame, but the fire might lure something else to you. By the way, I don't believe I know your name..." He trailed off, assuming Tamora would introduce herself.

She did.

[Armen asked me to add in the last line to avoid a one-word post.]

[ 01-23-2007, 01:30 PM: Message edited by: Encard ]

[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

Gan Vahnsen

"I suppose you could say that.” Gan replied to Evon's 'You yourself are a man of the sword, I think I can safely assume?' "I am proficient with a blade, and while I can track a little, I fear I claim little else." he shrugged, "If this," he waved a hand before his face, "Gets any worse, then I'll take the antidote; if not, well, someone else may need it more than I before the day is out. I've survived worst, I think." He forced a grin and changed the subject, "So what brings you here, Evon? Wealth, fame, glory? Just a need to get out the house and go somewhere?"

[PurpleXVI]

Everyone

The rain slowed to a drizzle, then a fine mist and eventually died away as the clouds above slowly drifted away to the south. Above was left a blue sky, slowly growing purple in the west, with alien constellations visible just above the horizon there. In the east the sun was still a few hours from being completely gone. The baleful red orb seemed almost large enough and close enough to swallow the world as it sank.

All around them, the jungle's day sounds were replaced by the jungle's night sounds. Insects were chittering in the brush, some of them worryingly large by the sound of it, and the occasional howl or shriek would rise in the distance from time to time. The sounds were reminiscent of home, but never quite the same, which just made them seem all the more unusual.

Still, some things were apparently the same in all corners of the universe, for soon the air was swarming with small flying things that came for the light of the campfire and their blood. No one was going to wake up without at least a few itches. Except possibly Evon, for no apparent reason they seemed to keep a distance from him.

The group found that their lizardmen hosts kept a respectable distance at all times. But even so, they still kept an eye on them.

As they talked among themselves, one of the creatures dumped a pile of thin straw mats near the fire. The best guess seemed that they were being invited to stay the night, rather than having to travel back to the portal in the darkness or camping out in the alien jungle.

It still seemed like Tamora and Anne could make their trip around the lake and return before complete darkness, but they would be making a lot of the final half in a black twilight where just about anything could ambush them unless they kept on their toes.

[Kazilan]

Bas walked to the group around the fire, staff in hand. He nodded at the people from his group, pausing to introduce himself to Evon. He then knelt down to examine Gan's infected wounds. "I can offer you a healing spell, but curing poison is beyond my abilities."

If Gan gives his agreement, the druid will cast a healing spell, then withdraw a few steps away from the group and find a place to sit and listen to the sounds of the jungle, hoping he can identify noises as creatures that also exist back home.

[Encard]

Evon nodded and let the issue of the antidote drop, figuring Gan would presumably be able to choose what was best for himself. "Just curiosity, really. I want to know what this new world holds. A bit of gold never hurts, of course - everybody needs to eat now and then, and I'm not much of a hunter." As he spoke he stared into the fire with his eyes unfocused, apparently mesmerized by the leaping flames. After pausing for a moment to shift positions, wincing at his badly bruised ribs, he asked, "How about yourself, Gan? What's lured you here?" The flames cast steadily deepening shadows across his face as the sunlight faded, forming pools of darkness that only accentuated how gaunt the young man was, turning his face into the semblance of a carnival horror mask.

[ 01-22-2007, 08:50 PM: Message edited by: Encard ]

[dplax]

Anne

"I guess you're right," she replied to the comments about a torch possibly attracting unwanted attention.

"I'm ready to go if you are," she said turning to Tamora.