Corren & Rowan V

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B> </B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=82 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Missiledine's Archives</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Missiledines Archives"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan"><U>Corren & Rowan</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id114.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan II"><U>Corren & Rowan II</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id115.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan III"><U>Corren & Rowan III</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id116.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan IV"><U>Corren & Rowan IV</U></A>   |   <B>Corren & Rowan V</B>   |   <A HREF="id118.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan VI"><U>Corren & Rowan VI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id119.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan VII"><U>Corren & Rowan VII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id120.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan IIX"><U>Corren & Rowan IIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Corren Rowan IIIX"><U>Corren & Rowan IIIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id188.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Epilouge"><U>Epilouge</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U><B>Archive Directory</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Corren & Rowan V</I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> 6th Game Session </div> <div>           Velitrium Campaign: Lendale Faire, Into the Palood </div> <div>           PC: Corren </div> <div>           Rowan </div> <bR> <div>           Dukejr01: sup? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Ahh! </div> <div>           Missiledine: Lets get Tyler </div> <div>           Dukejr01: no, that AAAaaaarrrrrrgh. </div> <div>           ElwingFD has entered the room. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: greetings ty </div> <div>           Missiledine: When last we met... You were spending the night along the river bank waiting for dawn to </div> <div>           enter the Palood. With you was Rolb, a mercenary of </div> <div>           Corren's acquaintance, Talbon, your employer and his, er companion, Yossarian </div> <div>           Dukejr01: yes. it was Corren's watch. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: Yo! Sarian! </div> <div>           Missiledine: Umm, still 1 hour left in Rowen's watch </div> <div>           Dukejr01: oh. in that case corren sleeps. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: as I recall, we all just went back to sleep after the noise at the boat </div> <div>           Missiledine: Except you, your still on watch </div> <div>           Dukejr01: zzzzzz.... </div> <div>           ElwingFD: ah, ok </div> <div>           Missiledine: Okay, Rowen was looking for alternative light sources to illuminate the area by the boats. </div> <div>           All the lanterns etc are still packed in the boats. Ty was </div> <div>           reluctant to venture into the dark area by himself (cluck, cluck) </div> <div>           Missiledine: The fire is dying down a bit, tho there is still a fair pile of wood at hand </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I pile some more wood on the fire </div> <div>           Missiledine: ok </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I keep an eye on the area where the boats are...not letting my back to it </div> <div>           Missiledine: Except for the usual night time sounds heard along a river bank, in the late summer early </div> <div>           fall, the night seems peaceful enough </div> <div>           Missiledine: There are an occaissional splash and slithering sound, but nothing too alaming... </div> <div>           ElwingFD: keyword: too :-) </div> <div>           Missiledine: The next hour passes slowly for Rowen, but at last it is time to wake Corren and try to get </div> <div>           some sleep.... </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren rubs his face and stretches to get circulation. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I do so </div> <div>           Missiledine: How bright are you keeping the fire? </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I just put some wood on it so it's fairly bright </div> <div>           Dukejr01: depends on the wood. bright enough so I can easily see the camp and ten more feet, i </div> <div>           hope. corren keeps his back to the fire. has his spear in hand, the </div> <div>           boar spear. and adapts his eyes to the dark </div> <div>           Missiledine: yes, but is he going to keep it that way or let it die down </div> <div>           Missiledine: ok </div> <div>           Dukejr01: well, don't want to burn all the wood. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: wasn't sure who you were talking to </div> <div>           Missiledine: Your watch will pass quietly. Its time for Yossarian to take over </div> <div>           Missiledine: no problem </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. is there enough wood for the rest of the night? </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. corren wakes him witht he butt of his spear. </div> <div>           Missiledine: this delay is a bitch! </div> <div>           Dukejr01: is thre enough wood for the rest ofthe night? </div> <div>           Dukejr01: wow. yes it is. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Not at a built up level </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yossarian will grunt, roll out of his blanket and settle down with his back to the fire as well </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. corren gathers a bit more before turning in. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yossarian watches, but of course dosent say anything (He's a mute, remember.) </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. corren dumps the wood and turns in </div> <div>           Missiledine: As you settle in to sleep you are vaugely aware of Yossarrian pacing around the camp </div> <div>           site every once in awhile </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. corren ignores it. </div> <div>           Missiledine: The next thing your aware of, (both of you) is that it is just about dawn. It is the gray, misty </div> <div>           time before the sun is fully up. Yossarian and Talbon are </div> <div>           standing together, by the boats, looking at something Talbon is holding. It does not appear to be the </div> <div>           parchment from yesterday </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb appears to be asleep </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren stands and stretches. boots Rolb and builds up the fire for breakfast </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I go to look at what Talbon is holding </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb opens one eye, before your boot makes contact, "Did ya sleep well?" </div> <div>           Missiledine: As he hears you approach, Talbon folds up, what appears to be a piece of paper and </div> <div>           tucks it in his tunic. "Good Morning." </div> <div>           ElwingFD: "Morning" </div> <div>           Missiledine: Very little wood has been used since Corren gathered more last night </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren grins at Rolb. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren grunts. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon and Yossarian will move back to the fire. "Are we all ready to enter the Palood </div> <div>           today?" </div> <div>           Missiledine: "The waterway I've been looking for is directly across the river. We'll enter as soon as </div> <div>           breakfast is over." </div> <div>           ElwingFD: "as ready as we will be" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren nods. packs his gear "Aye, Lord." </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Good." He dosen't speak again until after he has eaten </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb will prepare breakfast </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren selects some short piees of wood that will be suitable for making stakes, so he can </div> <div>           whittle on them when he has time. </div> <div>           Missiledine: After cleaning up the meal and kicking out the fire, you gather at the boats. Talbon, </div> <div>           Yossarian and the bulk of the gear in one. Rolb and you two in the </div> <div>           other. </div> <div>           Missiledine: ok </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon and Yossarian push off. Talbon points with his oar at a space in the trees. "Thats </div> <div>           it, follow close." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: I have an idea of using stakes driven into the ground to help proetect the perimiter of camp.</div> <bR> <bR> <div>           Dukejr01: we follow close. </div> <div>           Missiledine: ok. It'll take quite a few of them </div> <div>           Dukejr01: it might take a day or two to get enough together. </div> <div>           Missiledine: You enter the tree canopy, ducking your heads and shoving branches out of the way. </div> <div>           There is no distinguishing marks, that you can see, to differ this </div> <div>           waterway from any of the scores you passed yesterday. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Though it is well into early fall and many of the leaves are yellowing, the light filtering </div> <div>           through is green from the higher trees. The mist still lays heavily in </div> <div>           here and it is hard to see more than a few yards ahead </div> <div>           Dukejr01: I'll keep an eye out overhead. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon swats at something in a branch above and ahead of him and something splashes</div> <bR> <div>           into the water beside his boat. "Snake!" He calls </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren pays more attention overhead. </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Snake." Mutters Rolb under his breath </div> <div>           Missiledine: You follow the water way for perhaps an hour before it branches. Talbon stops in the split </div> <div>           and consults his parchment again. (First time today) </div> <div>           Missiledine: After a moment he picks the left branch and leads off again </div> <div>           Missiledine: For several hours you continue like this, with an occaissional pause to allow Talbon to </div> <div>           study the paper </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren passes Rolb a wine with beer during one of the breaks. </div> <div>           Missiledine: The surroundings are dense vegetation, trees, rhodadendron type bushes, cattails and </div> <div>           reeds where the trees open up. Finally you come upon a small </div> <div>           island, a bit bigger than others youve passed. This one is mostly reeds with a dense screen of reeds </div> <div>           around it. Talbon calls, "Lets stop, stretch our legs and eat a bit." </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb cheerfully accepts </div> <div>           ElwingFD: npcs are always cheerful to do what the gm says :-) </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren paddles in carefully stows the oar, uses his spear butt to probe the bottom a </div> <div>           moment before stepping off. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon and Yossarian nose their boat through the reeds until it grounds. Talbon gingerly </div> <div>           stands up and peers all around before hopping out. </div> <div>           Missiledine: (Rolb likes to drink!) </div> <div>           Dukejr01: no. really? </div> <div>           Missiledine: (Just in case Rowan hadn't noticed) </div> <div>           Missiledine: (BELCH!) </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb will hold the boat steady for you to climb out Rowan </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I climb out </div> <div>           ElwingFD: ...after a suitable AIM delay of course </div> <div>           Missiledine: As you are stepping on to the bank, Rolb pushes down with the oar, to force the bow onto</div> <bR> <div>           the mud a bit. He suddenly curses, the water between the </div> <div>           two boats explodes in a spray of foam and mud! Reeds are bent to a fro, a shany black, sinuous </div> <div>           fporm is dimly seen </div> <div>           Missiledine: (A Dramatic pause) </div> <div>           Dukejr01: is corren in back or front of Rolb? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb is back paddling furiously. In front, on the land </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. Corren helps backpaddle. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: and how far have I gotten? am I off the boat? </div> <div>           Missiledine: No, you are on the island already. Only Rolb is still in the boat. Yossarian is in the other </div> <div>           one </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yes, Rowan, your off too </div> <div>           Dukejr01: oh. okay. Corren thrusts at the form with his spear. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: how far away is this form? </div> <div>           Missiledine: You all realize, at about the same time, that this is a Coohlari, a crocodile like lizard that </div> <div>           lives in the large waterways of Velitrium. It was asleep in the </div> <div>           mud of the shallow water, now it is awake and pissed. Its about 5 feet from the bank and the distance </div> <div>           between it and the boat with Rolb is growing rapidly </div> <div>           Missiledine: Corren, you stab into it, causing an even greater frenzy of hissing and splashing that is </div> <div>           now swarming up the embankment towards you </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yossarian has pulled his boat away from the commotion, to keep it from being swamped </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. good. the boat is safe. corren braces himself and tries to stab deep. using his boar </div> <div>           spear to keep it at a distance. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon is yelling for everyone to "Watch out!" </div> <div>           Missiledine: (Useful) </div> <div>           Missiledine: Ok, the spear stabs in, but the blow went in past the creatures shoulders, allowing its long</div> <bR> <div>           neck to get a snap at you </div> <div>           Dukejr01: i guess dodging isthe only option. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Fortunately you were nimble enough to avoid its lunge. The spear is still planted tho </div> <div>           Dukejr01: well, corren pushes back. gaining distance by switching to a two hand grip. if that is not </div> <div>           possible. corren pulls the spear for another thrust. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb has his bow out and is trying to get a clear shot, but between the reeds, the wildly </div> <div>           twisting lizard and Corren's little dance, he hasn't dared shoot </div> <div>           Missiledine: Its following close, trying to lock its jaws on you and drag you into the water </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I cast Beast Soother </div> <div>           Missiledine: Fortunately they are not as thick a skinned as a croc </div> <div>           Dukejr01: hope that works. i doubt </div> <div>           Missiledine: It seems to work, the coohlari is easing up its attack, looking around as if distracted </div> <div>           Missiledine: (Damn 5) </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren pauses, then. backs away </div> <div>           Dukejr01: shiftsto two handed grip. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I tell Rolb to get the boat up, going around the beast </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I tell Corren not to attack again unless it attacks first, because of the spell </div> <div>           Missiledine: He lays aside his bow and paddles in, keeping a safe distance </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren grunts and waits. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon says, "Maybe we should find somewher else to eat." </div> <div>           ElwingFD: good idea </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren will load last. </div> <div>           Missiledine: He moves further down the bank and waves Yossarian in to pick him up </div> <div>           Missiledine: The coohlari is still sitting there, looking around, as you paddle away. He's bleeding a bit,</div> <bR> <div>           but you judge that the wounds are not very serious on a </div> <div>           fifteen foot lizard </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. corren wipes his spear. </div> <div>           Missiledine: You will paddle anothe half hour before finding anothe island. Talbon says to Rowan, </div> <div>           "Can you determine if this spot is better?" </div> <div>           ElwingFD: "not any better than you" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren looks at Rolb. "No helping it" </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Pity." He mutters </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Lets go in. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb paddles on in </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren will jomp off first. then probe the bank a bit with his spear to clearthe way for the </div> <div>           boats. </div> <div>           Missiledine: This time the landing is uneventful </div> <div>           Missiledine: Once the boats are grounded and everyone is out, you can get some food and stretch </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. corren bolts his food and makes stakes. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: and there was much rejoicing </div> <div>           Missiledine: You'll spend a half hour or so relaxing, then its time to shove off again </div> <div>           Missiledine: As you paddle along the water way you see Talbon hold up his hand to signal a stop. He </div> <div>           is staring down into the water alongside the boat </div> <div>           Dukejr01: hmmm... </div> <div>           Missiledine: If you look down, you can see in the still water, something about the size of a large door </div> <div>           moving along the bottom. You hear Rolb say, "That the biggest </div> <div>           turtle I've ever seen." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren looks at Rolb and says in a low voice."That'd make a fine soup." </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon and Yossarian appear to be sitting very, very still </div> <div>           Dukejr01: good idea. </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Och! Ya cud feed an army with that soup!" </div> <div>           Missiledine: Several tense moments pass, until the snapper is out of sight. Only then do you resume </div> <div>           paddling </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I hope he was going the other direction </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb looks back at Rowan, "Ah'm glad we brought you alung." </div> <div>           Missiledine: It was </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "Yah. damn coolhari woulda taken a lot more killin;" </div> <div>           Missiledine: You will paddle along uneventfully until late afternoon. Then Talbon will slow down until </div> <div>           your boat is along side. "We need to find some place to camp. </div> <div>           Any ideas?" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Rolb woulda had 'is boots, tho" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: any high spots? </div> <div>           Missiledine: You all could have had new boots </div> <div>           Missiledine: There are a few more of the low islands around. Like the first one they are only a foot or </div> <div>           two above the waterl evel, mostly reeds, with a few scrub </div> <div>           trees and bushes </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren looks around for the highest ground or a tree. a tree would mean more stable </div> <div>           ground </div> <div>           Dukejr01: scrub trees. any clump of them? </div> <div>           ElwingFD: sounds good </div> <div>           Missiledine: Ty, are you up to date? </div> <div>           Missiledine: yes, there is what could be called a 'grove' </div> <div>           Dukejr01: if the ground is too soggy we can haal the boats as far as we can up and tiethem off. then </div> <div>           sleep in them. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: think so </div> <div>           Dukejr01: hammocks would have ben a good idea. </div> <div>           Missiledine: ok </div> <div>           Missiledine: You pick one of the larger, firmer looking islands and paddle over </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. corren on point. prod the shallows a bit with the spear. then go in. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon says, "When we get ashore lets clear an area of these damn reeds so we can </div> <div>           see what's what." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "Aye. Lord." </div> <div>           ElwingFD: sounds good </div> <div>           Missiledine: You land safely. As your pulling the boats up you hear, in the distance, the snarl of a big </div> <div>           cat followed by the shrieking of birds. A large flight of water </div> <div>           fowl take off about a half mile away </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Lovely, just lovely." Rolb mutters </div> <div>           Dukejr01: hmmm... corren explores the "island" a bit. makes sure that there isn't anything making it a </div> <div>           lair. </div> <div>           Missiledine: :-) </div> <div>           Missiledine: Not that you can see </div> <div>           Missiledine: The island is maybe a hundre feet across at its widest. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: bigger than I thought. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: any dry ground or reasonable facsimile? </div> <div>           Missiledine: It would appear to be made of densely matted reeds and mud </div> <div>           Missiledine: Some of it is dry enough to burn </div> <div>           Dukejr01: well, pull the boats up, start a fire. gather a BUNCH of burnables. make a pile. maybe ue </div> <div>           dry reeds for ground cover? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yossarian and Rolb will begin cutting back the reeds in a large circle </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I'll help with the fire </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. that leaves Corren to build the fire and collect fuel. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: the scrub trees. any wood? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Once the boats are secure and the camp is set up, Talbon will get out a couple lanterns </div> <div>           and torches so as to keep a repeat of last night from occuring. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: good idea </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb will begin the process of getting the meal ready </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren sharpens stakes and his spear. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: checks his gear. makes sure its dry. also takes boots off to dry feet. </div> <div>           Missiledine: It is getting dark quickly. The swamp seems to be alive with the sounds of frogs, birds </div> <div>           and, above all, insects. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: sigh. no bug repellent </div> <div>           Missiledine: The bugs hadn't been too bad during the day, but now they are becoming a serious </div> <div>           nusaince </div> <div>           Dukejr01: smoky fire. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: have anything to smear on the skin? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Suddenly, from quite close, comes the bellow of what has to be the grand daddy of all </div> <div>           frogs. It is so load that the birds and bugs stop making noise for a </div> <div>           half a minute </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "how big do frogs get?" </div> <div>           ElwingFD: everything is big around here </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren hastily pulls on his boots. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Large enough to prey on rodents, rabbits, small dogs, etc </div> <div>           Missiledine: maybe bigger </div> <div>           Dukejr01: oh. hmmm... dinner? </div> <div>           Missiledine: They are good eating </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "well, if its that close, better check it out </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren takes up spear nad shield </div> <div>           Missiledine: Talbon and Yossarian are not following. Rolb is still fixing the meal </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren doesn't go more than 20 feet. </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Take a lantern." Talbon suggests </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Shine it around, look for its eyes." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren takes a lantern. but will have to sling shield. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren grunts and follows that advice. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Standing along the bank, in the deepening gloom, shinming the light across the water, </div> <div>           you can see literally dozens of glowing eyes protruding from the </div> <div>           water. Most are two to three inches apart, some have as much as a foot between the eyes.. </div> <div>           .Dukejr01: Coprren says "damn, that is a lot of frogs." any close? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Some are quite close </div> <div>           Dukejr01: that is what she said </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. any of he BIG ones close? </div> <div>           Missiledine: lol </div> <div>           Missiledine: Yes. There is one that is within spear shot </div> <div>           Dukejr01: thrown spear of thrust? </div> <div>           Missiledine: throw </div> <div>           Dukejr01: not going to waste a spear. is it on the island? </div> <div>           Missiledine: no, none on the island. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. Corren returns to the camp. "A few frogs are really big. about a foot between their eyes, </div> <div>           none on the island though. </div> <div>           Missiledine: As you stand there looking around the frog chorus begins. First one, then another and </div> <div>           another... until there are dozens roaring and bellowing in the dark </div> <div>           Dukejr01: there goes sleep </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb groans, "That's gonna go on all bloody night!" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: any wood for stakes? </div> <div>           Missiledine: A bit of dead wood around, most of it is still living tho </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. no good for stakes. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: is the ground dry enough to sleep on? </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. is there anything to cover skin with to keep off bugs? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Ok, some parts of the ground are dry enough to sleep on. The area you picked for camp </div> <div>           was one of the drier spots </div> <div>           Missiledine: blankets </div> <div>           Missiledine: cloaks </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. i suppose I don't have enough stakes for a perimeter. </div> <div>           Missiledine: uhm, not yet </div> <div>           Dukejr01: k. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: well, i will take middle watch. </div> <div>           Missiledine: After everyone eats and gets settled down. Talbon says. "Tomorrow, if we are on track, </div> <div>           we'll reach our destination." </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb will offer third </div> <div>           ElwingFD: I'll go first </div> <div>           Missiledine: "If all goes well, then the day after tomorrow we'll be on our way home." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren rolls up in his blanket and covers his head to keep off bugs </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Otherwise," He says as he wraps his cloak around him. "We'll all be dead." </div> <div>           ElwingFD: well, goodnight to you too </div> <div>           Missiledine: With that he bades you a cherry, 'Good Night' and settles down </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren curses the bugs </div> <div>           Missiledine: Ok Rowan, you have first watch. It is difficult to hear anything quieter than conversation </div> <div>           because of all the roaring and croaking </div> <div>           ElwingFD: ok, who has the advil and the earplugs </div> <div>           Missiledine: There is not a terribly large amount of firewood, unless you burn Corren's stakes. But you </div> <div>           do have the lantern </div> <div>           Dukejr01: do the rushes burn? </div> <div>           ElwingFD: ok, I will take the latern and keep the fire just burning </div> <div>           Missiledine: the dry ones do </div> <div>           Dukejr01: learn these </div> <div>           Missiledine: In fact, if you don't keep a half an eyre on the fire you could set the island ablaze </div> <div>           Dukejr01: cool, that wouls shut up the frogs </div> <div>           ElwingFD: ok, I keep an eye on the fire as well </div> <div>           Dukejr01: nevermind. corren is trying to sleep </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rowan, your watch will pass quietly. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: yay. corren groggily rolls out of his blanket. </div> <div>           ElwingFD: cool </div> <div>           Dukejr01: still seranaded by frogs? </div> <div>           Missiledine: Corren, you rub the sleep from your eyes and take up your post. The frog symphony </div> <div>           continues. </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren stands up to stay awake and walks post occassionally. </div> <div>           Missiledine: You have been sianding your post for about an hour when syuddenly, as though turned off</div> <bR> <div>           by a switch, the frogs stop </div> <div>           Missiledine: standing </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren builds up the fire. </div> <div>           Missiledine: The night has become very, very quiet </div> <div>           Dukejr01: and shines the lamp around. </div> <div>           Missiledine: You don't see any eyes on the water </div> <div>           Dukejr01: he prods Rolb. </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Eh? What is it lad?' </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "got quiet" </div> <div>           Missiledine: He looks around, "What happened to the bloody beasties?" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren moves toward the boats a bit. shines the lamp on the water </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb will reach over and give Rowan a shake.\ </div> <div>           ElwingFD: awake </div> <div>           Missiledine: "Listen, what the 'ell is hapopening?" </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren does a perimeter search </div> <div>           Missiledine: Still very, very quiet </div> <div>           Dukejr01: if he finds nothing in the perimeter search corren crouches and looks up. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Suddenly, out in the darkness, beyond the reach of your light. Something flashes wetly </div> <div>           and there is a tremendous SPLASH! Followed by a horrific </div> <div>           bellowing and thrashing </div> <div>           ElwingFD: by the boats? </div> <div>           Missiledine: No, further out </div> <div>           Dukejr01: my question </div> <div>           Dukejr01: okay. corren moves toward that side of the camp and sets his spear, </div> <div>           Missiledine: In the dark you cant make out anything but white foam of water and some large black </div> <div>           shape, or shapes, splashing wildly </div> <div>           Dukejr01: critter eatin; frogs" </div> <div>           Missiledine: "BIG Critter." Whispers Rolb </div> <div>           Dukejr01: Corren shrugs, "serves to reckon. Big frogs" </div> <div>           Missiledine: They (or it) is throwing up such a frenzy of splashing that your boats are starting to rock a </div> <div>           bit as the waves come ashore </div> <div>           Dukejr01: "hope 'e finds enuff ta eat" </div> <div>           Missiledine: Just as suddenly as it started, it stops. The noise, the splashing... Its all gone </div> <div>           ElwingFD: joy...I was just getting comfortable too </div> <div>           ElwingFD: before the incident I mean </div> <div>           Missiledine: For about twenty minutes all is quiet, then, tentatively at first, the frogs start again. But, </div> <div>           there are definately fewer of them </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren resumes hiswatch. </div> <div>           Missiledine: Rolb shrugs, "Sorry mon, but I thought it best to wake ye." </div> <div>           Dukejr01: i assume everyone woke at that. </div> <div>           Missiledine: The rest of the night will pass quietly enough. Rolb will take third watch. When you wake </div> <div>           he will have breakfast started and report that the frogs stopped </div> <div>           about a half hour before dawn. </div> <div>           Missiledine: yes </div> <div>           Dukejr01: corren looks at breakfast and says "No frog?" giving Rolb a fake puzzled look. </div> <div>           Missiledine: He smiles, catching them is your job!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U>Back to Archives</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div>            </div> </td> </tr></table></body>