Subject Turn

Jeez Mark, Slacking off on the job already.

I've been sitting here for the last 14 hours pounding the refresh button on my inbox because you promised us a turn LAST NIGHT. Some guys just have no consideration for the people around them.

I bet he'll use his back surgery as an excuse. Like a back surgery ever stopped ME from running a DnD campaign.

Subject Turn

Well I did say I was waiting for every one to check in and Kevin did not check in until this morning and Jake still has not. However, I am working on the turn as I write this. Expect something with in the hour.

Subject The head waters of the Rushing River

The going is slow this high in the hills. The path is almost non existent, being little more then trails left by some of the larger animals that used to live in the area. The party spends more of the day leading the horses as riding them. Two days after the encounter with the landshark, signs of larger animals start showing up again. Not that they bother the party, but it is a relief to Salix and Mund that the area seems normal again.

There is a rugged beauty to the area. Mund is obviously in his element and Salix is also pleased with being this far out into the wilderness. There is almost no sign of any type of settlement, be it human, dwarf or humanoid. When Salix asks Ragnar about this the dwarf laughs. "This is still the lowlands for the dwarves. Our clans live much higher in the mountains. Oh a few young beardlings might come down this far in search of mushrooms or some other spice or herb, but there is nothing worth mining in this area. And the humaniods tend to not want to work so much to live. They prefer raiding and stealing crops so they tend to settle closer to the human settlements, where they can thieve and capture slaves to do the hard work." Ragnar continues on about what he knows of the area as the party travels.

On the sixth night Harp calls a meeting of the party. "According to Allistair here we have made very good time. Mund says that we are only a day or so away from the head waters and according to Allistair's computations we still have two days until the gateway is supposed to start showing up. I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. The fact is, we really do not know what this gateway will look like or where exactly it will show up. Now we have as much time as possible to find it and figure out how to enter. Again, you all have my thanks."

Much of the evening is spent discussing how and where the gateway might appear. Mund is a little taken aback by the differential treatment given to his brother. Both Harp and Ranthir almost defer to him, asking him what he thought about this and how they should handle that. From what Mund could tell these were two very competent fighters, if a bit citified, but men he would gladly fight next to, and here they were talking like Allistair was some one important. That hurt Mund's head.

The party is eager to get moving the next morning. They are quickly on the trail, although at this point they are all leading their horses. At the noon meal Mund asks the party if they can hear the sound in the distance. Only Kal and Ran are able to hear anything, and it sounds like a muted rumble. "That is the head waters of the Rushing River. After lunch I will have to start leading us closer to the river so that we do not miss the pass into the valley where the head waters are. I have seen the sight once, and it is quite astonishing."

As the afternoon progresses the noise becomes more obvious and even deafening. Mund leads the party along the edge of the precipice that falls down to the rushing river. Kal walks near the edge and looks over. The river can be seen several hundred feet below, a raging torrent of white water, tumbling down towards the sea. The party works its way up the ravine that is the river and then up a large hill. They have to pay particular attention to their footing as the ground here is always wet and damp.

The sun is just starting to disappear behind the mountains to the west when the party crests the top of the hill. The site before them is one that takes their breath away. Before them is a sheer mountain wall, several hundred feet high. About half way up a torrent of water explodes from the side of the wall, spraying out in a water fall that lands some 100 yards away from the mountain. The hole in the wall is something on the range of 60 feet across with water coming from the bottom 40, The water seem to almost be under pressure as it leaves the cliff face and falls in the ravine it has made over the centuries. IN the dieing sun light, the mist that surrounds the jet glistens like jewels of silver and fire.

Mund breaks the spell the place seems to have cast. "It is pretty, but there is not a dry place to camp and not a dry stick to burn. Get used to feeling damp."

OODM: Any role playing or planing the group wants to do let me know.