Subject: Re: The chase; jungle and more jungle

Expecting a bigger fight, Farron did not memorize either Mount or Tiny Hut. Sorry. He'll memorize Mount for the morning, but we'll have to sleep the night al fresco.

Subject: Re: The chase; jungle and more jungle

I'm not sure. In reality, babies are surprisingly tough. They are born with a healthy bundle of fat for a reason. Though, getting some milk or something should be a priority. If you can't scrounge up food in the next day or two, he is going to start having serious problems.

Anyone have anything else before I write up the next turn?

Subject: test

Is the sake mail forwarder working?

Subject: Re: test

Well, as for the test, it's now 10:35 on Tuesday morning, and I got the last four messages all at once.

Subject: Re: test

Me too. I replied yesterday and just got the replies.

Subject: Re: test

Seems to be working for me. . .

If we can't find anything more substantial by tomorrow noon (like a wandering goat, or a cow. . . :) ) Mission will take Rennick's advice about grubs and such.

Subject: Test

Making sure I added everybody back in. Here's the list as it stands:

[Edited for privacy.]

I know that I'm missing one address for Karl. Any others?

Subject: Wazzup?

Who are we waiting on?

Subject: Re: Wazzup?

I think we're just waiting on Ty to write up the next turn.

I'm going to have to mull over my spell list, but I don't need to do that in public. :P

Subject: Mission's Actions for Camping

Mission takes first watch.

He will ask Cadfael to watch Promise during his watch.

After his watch is over, he will take Promise back, and keep him through the night.

If the cleric is able to summon some food for Promise, fantastic. Otherwise, Mission will continue trying to feed him rainwater whenever he feels like Promise needs something to eat.

If they are attacked on his watch, Mission will tumble back to camp, fetch Promise, and give him to Rennick ASAP.

Subject: now the list is back up

Turn coming out today if dan gets back to me.

Subject: Re: now the list is back up

Woo! Just got out of a meeting and closed my last project of the term. I just need to write the reports now, but that sees me sitting at a computer all day instead of being in the lab, so I'm going to be in front of the computer a lot more often.

Since I know we're chomping at the bit to get going, I'll skip this turn as a write up. No, Cadfael cannot summon food this evening. Yes, he will be able to summon some in the morning. Yes, he can summon water.

Subject: Argh!

The mailing lists got deleted again. If this keeps happening I may look into a different hosting service. Mailing lists should be working again. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Subject: Re: Argh!

Mike, you are a prince among men, and a Chow Yun Fat lookalike.

I want to be you when I grow up.

Subject: Re: Argh!

I appreciate the compliments, Ty, but I'm not going to sleep with you.

Subject: Re: Argh!

Oh, yes you are.

Subject: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

This being the second night the group has spent in the jungle, some of the more uncomfortable aspects don't come as a surprise. The bugs, damp earth, and slime dripping creepers are all old friends by this point. However, in what is clearly an attempt by some angry nature god to show you that you haven't seen everything yet, a new discomfort makes itself known. Sa'id sits down on a large patch of moss that looks like it might add some cushion to his sleeping place. About five minutes later he leaps to his feet itching furiously. When Cadfael examines him, he finds a nasty rash breaking out all over the wizards back and rump. A few minutes after examining it, the cleric breaks out all over his hands. Both the wizard and cleric then break out on their faces where their hands had brushed away bugs.

Rennik examines the moss from a distance, and declares that he is unfamiliar with it. Sa'id and Cadfael are banished to a quarantined corner of the camp where this sit and itch in misery. Cadfael tries one of his minor healing prayers, and while it does close the open wounds that the itching has caused, it does nothing to remove the rash itself. It makes for a very unpleasant night.

The rest of the group spreads out, carefully picking sleeping spots that are far from the dangerous moss. Mission sits up for the first watch, rocking Promise in his arms till the child falls asleep. The tiny gurgling of the baby's empty stomach breaks the monk's heart, but he has nothing but the water that Rennik provided to give the child. The priest had promised that he could make food in the morning, but Mission wondered if that would be soon enough. How long can a newborn go without food? He has literally no idea.

After a few hours, Garyth takes over. He sits on a fallen log, eyes unfocused and ears wide open for any sounds outside the drip of vines and the constant buzz of insects. Occasionally, a distant splash can be heard, and some of them are disturbingly large, but nothing moves toward the camp. After an hour or so, he begins pinching the flesh next to his thumb. It is an old trick he learned while standing watch on the walls of Nesalin. A sharp pain gives about five minutes wakefulness. It's just a matter of spacing the pinches out-

And then he jerks to his feet abruptly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing straight up (phenomenal spot roll). No sounds, really. Nothing nearby that he can hear. But something... He looks straight up through the canopy of trees. A few stars can be spotted through the thick layer of leaves. Something dark moves across a star. Something silent, above the trees. No sound of flapping wings. No sounds of something actually in the trees. Something that can fly without noise.

[ok, mike. Its all you baby.]

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Garyth's ears strain to hear the slightest sound, but to no avail. He hunches over, trying to keep low to the ground, and makes his way as quietly as he can to where Rennik sleeps. Still no sounds but his companions' breaths. He reaches out and touches the halfling's shoulder. As he awakens, Garyth touches a finger to his lips, then points up.

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Oh, I forgot. Matt is up in Vancouver BC right now. Not sure when he'll be able to check his email.

Subject: Re: Argh!

Must . . . refrain . . . from . . . comment. . .

Subject: Um...

So, yeah. I checked the game email while I was in Vancouver, and of course they didn't archive on my machine. Soooo.... I don't have the last few game emails. Could someone send them over to me so Rennik can respond?

Thanks bunches.

Subject: Re: Um...

Done.

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Rennik wakens quickly to look at Garyth, figuring it is his turn to take watch, but the human's face is taught and concerned, his finger over his lips. A rush of adrenaline surges through the halfling's body, tensing his muscles and focusing his senses. His eyes follow Garyth's finger upward, scanning the treetops and listening with every fiber of his being.

A threat from above? He heard nothing, but Garyth's face told him there was danger. This was no dream or figment. The dark god has many servants and powerful magic, and Rennik feels the familiar lack of control and anxiety when faced with the magickal arts.

Straining his eyes upward, he keeps a keen ear all around him. The image overhead could have been to distract the sentry for an attack from the woods. With dark magic anything was possible, and he gripped his bow and one of the arrows embedded point down in the dirt beside his bed.

[Ty: What does he see or hear? How many hours is it until daylight? What's the weather like, and how soon is it likely to change? (I'm guessing it's stopped raining if there's starlight) How far are we from the borders of the other halfling tribe?]

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

It is about 1 in the morning. It is not raining, and in fact a few stars can be seen through the trees, though the ground is damp. Rennik believes that he could hustle to Kalama territory in half a day (four hours) or so.

IDM:

Rennik looks up, scanning the section of tree cover that Garyth is pointing out. After a moment, something black moves across a patch of stars. It is silent, and far too slow to be a bird or a bat.

He listens to the jungle around him, but hears nothing other than the drip of water and the buzz of insects.

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz *snrk* zzzzzzz...

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Seeing the shape and knowing immediately that it is unnatural, Rennik springs into action. Using hand gestures, he motions to Garyth to wake the others silently and move them further under the densest of canopy, closest the trunks of the trees. Looking upwards, Rennik estimates what area would give them the best coverage from above, while still avoiding the itcy moss, and points to Garyth to move them quietly into that cover.

Four hours into Kalama territory, more traveling at night and avoiding any more patches of the itching moss... and the jungle gives them better cover anyway. Best to keep them quiet, still, and under dense canopy until they know better what's going on.

Once they are all assembled, Rennik again reinforces silence with a finger near his lips, points upwards into the canopy, then motions with both hands like a flapping bird. He'll then motion for them with one hand to stay put, and with the other to remain silent while he he looks again upwards into the night.

Getting Mission's attention, remembering the monk's abilities at climbing ropes and the rock wall in the cave, he asks silently if he could (and would) climb the tree to get a better look (motioning climbing, then motioning with his hand flat at his eyebrow level while turning his head back and forth). Knowing the monk is also more agile than the rest in case he needed to drop down suddenly, and knowing he (meaning Rennik) should remain on the ground to watch the edges of the woods, Mission seems like the best choice for treetop scout.

Rennik will look at him questioningly, waiting for a response, and would gladly hold onto Promise if the child is offered.

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

OODM: I am going to assume everyone wakes up and moves to the location pointed out, unless someone wants to say otherwise.

We are just waiting on Scooter for Mission's move.

Subject: Re: The Chase; camping and eating and whatnot

Mission places a dry, silent kiss on Promise's forehead, and turns the boy over to Rennick. And then he turns to the trees.

He'll try his best to stay in the cover of the trees, while getting closer to the thing above.