Well...a twenty-foot long pole proves to be highly difficult to manuever, but you sort of figure out how to stand at the edge of the 'dock' and lower the pole. It hits something hard when one and a half poles are underwater.
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Well...a twenty-foot long pole proves to be highly difficult to manuever, but you sort of figure out how to stand at the edge of the 'dock' and lower the pole. It hits something hard when one and a half poles are underwater.
Audric takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes for a moment, then transfers his armor and backpack on the bottom of the boat and gets in himself, turning back and reaching out his hand to help the others to get on the boat.
Rana pulls out her jerky treats again and starts coaxing Shadow into the boat. Handle animal [roll0].
Shadow jumps into the boat, and it rocks from side to side, but (thankfully) doesn't capsize. He scarfs down the jerky and then goes to curl up under the canopy.
Rana carefully climbs in after him. She eyes the pole doubtfully. "I don't think I'll be much help punting. Shall I sit in front and watch out for anything ahead?"
Audric nods "I think between me and Laars we should be able to handle the boat maneuvering." he answers.
Llaars
Llaars holds the edge of the boat while everyone boards when a thought pops into his head. "I know we're not much for plannin' but what are we gonna do when we get to wherever we're goin' in this boat? Dontcha' think chasing a lady that can shoot fire outta her fingers in a dinghy is kinda... dumb?" He raises one hand in a half-shrug. "Not tryin' to be a buzzkill, but I just don't know what to expect from these people."
Rana sighs. "I agree with you completely, Llaars, but I'm not sure that will be enough to dissuade those two," she nods towards Audric and Antal. "And we have a better chance of surviving this if we all stick together."
Audric shakes his head "Do not think I am not aware of that " he says. His voice betrays how tired he is " Usually, I would send for the Order, ask for backup" he smiles a little, not in a particularly happy way "but as we are trying to rescue a sorcerer, it somehow doesn't strike me as a good strategy."
He pauses for a moment, then speaks again "I don't know what to expect either, or even if we are making the right decision. But I don't have other ideas, and I have to try it all the same. There is at least a life at stake".
Not to mention, I made a promise he adds to himself.
Antal glares at Llaars, I don't care if she can make our heads explode with a single thought, I refuse to abandon Paral, his voice drips with unspoken threats.
SpoilerSorry Nano, but Antal is really friggen stressed out now. He's an emotion bottler, and it's getting ready to blow.
"Antal!" Rana sounds reproachful. "No one is suggesting abandoning Paral. But it does him no good if we get killed trying to reach him, now does it? Use your head; it's the only way we'll survive this."
You all fit in the rather wobbly boat, though Shadow has to lie next to and on some of your stuff and the pole keeps getting in the way as you carefully arrange yourselves on the seats. Judging by seats that are too short, the way it rocks every time anyone moves too swiftly-and every time Audric, Llaars, or Shadow really shift their weight to any serious degree-it wasn't made to hold anyone much more than half a foot taller than Rana.
Llaars
Carefully getting into the boat and sitting near the Audric, Llaars grasps the pole and readies himself to help steer. "I'm ready to go." He takes a deep breath and uses an arm to gently push the boat away from the shore.
Nothing much happens. The river is mercifully calm, a faint sort of tingling feeling in the air the only hint that something magical had ever happened here. Whatever had provoked the rocks themselves to roar like a predator doesn't seem to be immediately apparent.
Which, given your recent luck, probably means something's about to go horribly wrong.
Antal
Spoiler
There is a splashing sound coming from in front of you.
Rana
Spoiler
The water in front of the boat looks almost like it is boiling.
I heard a splash up ahead! Antal says in an excited whisper.
Rana says softly, "I don't mean to alarm everyone, but I think there's something in front of us. The water almost looks like it's boiling."
You didn't delude yourself that this was going to be easy, did you?. Audric makes sure his sword is within easy reach, and very carefully leans forward to see if he can see what they are referring to. On a boat as unstable as this he is quite wary to make sudden moves.
[roll0]
[roll1]
EDIT: and detect magic, just because :smalltongue:
[roll0]
[roll1]
Audric
Spoiler
The boiling patch of water is multicolored, glistening like oil, and you hear the sense of screaming-screaming that sounds all too familiar. Normal sight distorts and blacks as the noise and color builds to some sort of macabre crescendo-and then it recedes an instant before the spell snaps, screams turning to whispers and colors blending to brown as the water stops bubbling...
Those of you who are looking at the paladin can see him abruptly close his eyes, swaying a bit on the seat. His face has become ashen all of a sudden. He whispers something to himself, too low for you to catch, then opens his eyes again, and says in a more urgent tone "There is..." What exactly he doesn't know how to describe. He swallows. "There is powerful magic in there,the same as in the jar of tadpoles." And if that isn't the most inadequate explanation he could come up with... "We need to stay clear from it"
Spoiler((OOC: or, you know, go to investigate it if you prefer.:smalltongue: But since the sensation is very unpleasant for a paladin... :smallwink:)).
Ajadea: how big was the water patch? Could we manouver around it? Also, where are we - still underground?
Strawberries, Savannah (Good Spot check has advantages)
Spoiler
The boiling patch is 8 feet and shrinking rapidly, and you can probably get around it if it shrinks a little more.
You are still underground.
Llaars
Shifting to use the wooden poles to slow their approach, Llaars leans back to offset Audrics weight shifting to the front. "What the hell kinda magic would be just sittin' in the middle of a river?"
SpoilerStr to slow down:[roll0]
Audric shakes his head "I don't think it's just sitting here. The water is boiling, more or less 8 feet across. I'd like to avoid to run into that patch if at all possible", he says, doing what he can to help Llaars manouver the boat. "Rana, Antal, keep an eye on it."
((Aid another on Llaars' strenght check [roll0]))
The boat stops about thirty feet from the patch of bubbling water.
He exales slowly, silently thanking Aldaran for having managed to stop the boat "I think we can steer around that, if we are careful". He doesn't like his own suggestion one bit: a magic that powerful in the middle of a river has to mean something. However, he is uncertain of what to do, expecially with a boat as little and unsteady as theirs. And he doesn't want to put his allies at risk.
He tries again to discern better the source of the danger, first with his normal senses, then, steeling himself, with his magic detection abilities. Keeping in mind the last experience, he is careful to look at the water last, after having examined the rest of his surroundings.
SpoilerTo see if there are any changes - such as the patch having shrunk a bit more
[roll0]
[roll1]
And again, detect magic, but this time focusing first everywhere else, and lastly on the water
Audric
Spoiler
The patch is still shrinking, and you think you hear more splashing-fainter this time.
Detect magic reveals nothing except the faintest traces of a thousand faded colors, the residue of what must have once been the spell that destroyed the first Attalin, hundreds of years ago. Brilliant magic, once, tinged with vengeance and blood. But now it is faded, crumbling, washed away by time and, no doubt, layers of dispelling magics left by the priests.
Some magic never fades.
The water around the boiling patch also lacks any notable amount of magic, but glancing at the patch again sends the same screams and blasts of color through your mind. Quieter this time...
"I think it's fading, whatever it is" Audric says, in a tense voice "We have to manouver there, on the right, if we want to avoid it" he says, pointing to where he means for Llaars' benefit, since they are manouvring together.
SpoilerUhm...strenght and profession again?
[roll0]
[roll1]
EDIT: :eek:. I...I think I'm going to cry a little :smalltongue:.
Somehow you get around the boiling patch, narrowly avoiding scraping the rocks to your right. The patch continues to shrink, almost as if it is collapsing on itself. A couple minutes of drifting later, the bubbling behind you shrinks to a point and then with a plopping sound, disappears entirely. Now, please make a Will Save.
Will save: [roll0]
Will save: [roll0]
Rana [roll0]
Shadow [roll1]