Island Paradise 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> <A HREF="id230.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Frontier Map"><U><B>Map of the Frontier</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Missiledines Archives"><U><B>Archive Directory</B></U></A></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="id302.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="An Island Paradise I"><U>An Island Paradise I</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id306.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="An Island Paradise II"><U>An Island Paradise II</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id308.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise III"><U>Island Paradise III</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id310.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise IV"><U>Island Paradise IV</U></A>   |   <B>Island Paradise V</B>   |   <A HREF="id316.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise VI"><U>Island Paradise VI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id317.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise VII"><U>Island Paradise VII</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id318.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise IIX"><U>Island Paradise IIX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id320.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Island Paradise IX"><U> Island Paradise IX</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id324.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise X"><U>Island Paradise X</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id325.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise XI"><U>Island Paradise XI</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id326.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Island Paradise XII"><U>Island Paradise XII</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=398 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="12b8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Island Paradise V</I></div> <bR> <div> You have just entered room "Island Paradise."</div> <div> Dukejr01: hi </div> <div> Missiledine: Hi</div> <div> Dawn12: hi</div> <div> Dukejr01: we need more players!</div> <div> Missiledine: true... not enough targets</div> <div> Dawn12: brb</div> <div> Missiledine: Look! She's running away!</div> <div> Dukejr01: can you blame her?</div> <div> Missiledine: I guess not</div> <div> Docportal has entered the room.</div> <div> Dukejr01: doc</div> <div> Missiledine: Hi Doc</div> <div> Docportal: Hi we need to give fin a few minuts. His computer is giving him trouble.</div> <div> Dukejr01: k</div> <div> Docportal: So tonight we get our tails fried. Yes?</div> <div> Missiledine: Hung</div> <div> Dukejr01: keep your tail down then. we are in hostile territory and don;t know who the bad guy is. so aggressive action is not</div> <div> called for</div> <div> Docportal: Oh that great. I love a good linching.</div> <div> Missiledine: lol</div> <div> Dukejr01: Stay low, stay quiet, hide and keep mouths shut, we should be okay.</div> <div> Docportal: Yep just hope fin quits with the jokes.</div> <div> Missiledine: the jokes are not the real problem</div> <div> Docportal: Ah it just what comes out.</div> <div> Missiledine: Fin is playing his character, making jokes is part of his character's nature. </div> <div> Dukejr01: the jokes are not what bothers me</div> <div> Dukejr01: well, they could be better jokes, but they don;t bother me.</div> <div> Docportal: Is it the time we wast when he is telling? </div> <div> FinLongham has entered the room.</div> <div> Dukejr01: yo</div> <div> FinLongham: Hi I see I am not the last one here. That is good</div> <div> Dukejr01: no, the jokes are nothing.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Rev isn;t going to make it</div> <div> FinLongham: So I am the last. Darn</div> <div> Missiledine: Hi Fin</div> <div> Docportal: Yeah that is bad. I was hoping to finsh debugging this 486 laptop I got.</div> <div> FinLongham: Oh that huck of juck. Man go buy one for $50 you could get a P2 333 with dvd.</div> <div> Dawn12: Back</div> <div> Dukejr01: rehi dawn</div> <div> Docportal: Sure just tell me where and when. </div> <div> Docportal: Hi dawn.</div> <div> Dawn12: hi</div> <div> Missiledine: Ok, we won't wait for the Rev who may or may not be joining us</div> <div> Docportal: Ok before me and fin get into it on our own messager. Lest start....</div> <div> FinLongham: Yes, Lets us quest on.....</div> <div> Missiledine: When we closed you had just relanded on the island, secured your landing spot and moved into the</div> <div> trees. Thorin is covering your back trail</div> <div> Docportal: <Reminder NPC are not great when covering. Double check him...></div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will stop when he breaks the tree line, crouch and listen. he scans the trees and up into the branches in a</div> <div> randomized square pattern just like his father taught him. If he sees or hears nothing, he will regain his feet....</div> <div> Dukejr01: ... and walk forward into the wood.</div> <div> Missiledine: there is no sign of any threat</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. walk into the wood, looking for trails or signs of inhabitation. query, is there snow on the ground?</div> <div> Dawn12: brb again</div> <div> Dawn12 has left the room.</div> <div> Missiledine: no, there is no snow... the trees here are a dense hemlock screen... you do see deer tracks and</div> <div> what look to be goat tracks</div> <div> Docportal: "Ah fresh goat..."</div> <div> Missiledine: the ground slopes upwards slightly, away from the lake edge</div> <div> Missiledine: you continue moving up slope through the trees?</div> <div> Dukejr01: Okay. make for high ground. avoid soft or wet earth that would leave tracks.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "That goat likely belongs to someone. Do not kill it."</div> <div> Missiledine: the ground here has a thick carpet of needles and boughs</div> <div> Dukejr01: good</div> <div> Docportal: "Oh darn I was hoping for a hot meal."</div> <div> Missiledine: you move like this for about 100 yards, then the trees end about ten feet short of a cartway that runs</div> <div> east to west</div> <div> Docportal: ""mostliy from the old mine."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren stops and steps behind a tree, listens. He hold up his clenched fist for a halt.</div> <div> Docportal: Most likily*</div> <div> Missiledine: no sounds, other then a few birds and such</div> <div> Dawn12 has entered the room.</div> <div> Missiledine: Hi again</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren looks back at Rolb, points east, and raises and eyebrow.</div> <div> Dukejr01: rehi Dawn.</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb nods, the old mines are on the hills to the east, but from what the stable boy told you they are on</div> <div> the southern slopes, you are on the north side of the island</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. that is what I thought. Corren paralells the cart track. keeping just out of sight of it, he pauses every 100</div> <div> paces to listen.</div> <div> FinLongham: "Could this be the old mans land?"</div> <div> Missiledine: movement through the trees is slow and tedious... There does not seem to be any traffic on the cart</div> <div> way</div> <div> Missiledine: The wizard's house was on the southern coast, this is the northern side</div> <div> Dukejr01: tempting, but NO. <eeeeevil GM></div> <div> Missiledine: <Who, me?></div> <div> FinLongham: <Just wanted to make sure.></div> <div> Dukejr01: <yes, you. Tempting us like that... :-P ></div> <div> Missiledine: O:-)</div> <div> Dukejr01: <lol></div> <div> Dukejr01: Continue on paralleling the cart track. </div> <div> Missiledine: okay, the cart way continues east and then, after a half mile or so, turns inland and heads south east</div> <div> Docportal: I will move another 100ft away from the road.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Stay together."</div> <div> Docportal: "ok I will stay but I think we should leave the road a ways."</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Move in line, 2 yard space. Quiet and careful. okay?" Corren says in a low pitched tone that does not carry.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren follows the road SE, paralleling it.</div> <div> Missiledine: you keep following the cart way, after a bit the hemlock wood starts to thin out, being replaced with</div> <div> more deciduous trees, leaving more open space and less cover</div> <div> Dukejr01: Okay. with less cover we move in pairs across open space. Seop. listen and look. move to cover, repeat.</div> <div> Dukejr01: seop = stop.</div> <div> FinLongham: Follow the leader then....</div> <div> Missiledine: since it is winter most of the underbrush it winter kill and the trees and shrubs are bare of leaves.</div> <div> The ground starts having a layer of dead leaves replacing the needles</div> <div> Docportal: <lol></div> <div> Dukejr01: are the leaves dry and noisy?</div> <div> Missiledine: yes</div> <div> Missiledine: the cartway is mostly clear of dead leaves</div> <div> Docportal: "I say stay on the leaves."</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. avoid concentrations of them. break strides so that the noise made by footfalls are not rythmic and attract</div> <div> attention</div> <div> Dukejr01: <don;t you mean off?></div> <div> Dukejr01: <oh,. I see what you mean></div> <div> Docportal: <NO stay on them. If we are in the road then we will be dead for sure.></div> <div> Dukejr01: <right></div> <div> FinLongham: <Yes I with doc></div> <div> Dukejr01: sincewe have more open ground we can widen the distance between the cart track and our column.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok, you continue following the road through the woods. Are you staying on the same side of the</div> <div> cartway?</div> <div> Dukejr01: for now. unless there is a reason to change.</div> <div> Missiledine: right... you move along for perhaps three hundred yards. Suddenly you hear the lowing of a cow</div> <div> Docportal: Stop and drop.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren freezes and holds up his fist to signal STOP. he crouches.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren peers thru the trees.</div> <div> FinLongham: hit the duck</div> <div> Dukejr01: <try not to make so much noise></div> <div> FinLongham: <My bad....></div> <div> Missiledine: you can just make out the roof of a cottage ahead, its on the same side of the track as you are</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren turns. he signals with both hands that we should go back.</div> <div> Docportal: I singnals regroup.</div> <div> Dukejr01: is there a bend in the cart track that would lessen chances to be spotted?</div> <div> Missiledine: not near by</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. go back 200 yards. corren will slowly approach the cart track. he looks down both ways and signals for the</div> <div> next person forward if he sees nothing.</div> <div> Docportal: "ok that works"</div> <div> FinLongham: Still follow the leader.......</div> <div> Missiledine: Are you going back into the hemlock?</div> <div> Dukejr01: how far is teh Hemlock?</div> <div> Missiledine: another hundred and fifty</div> <div> Dukejr01: not that far. yes. return to the hemlock.</div> <div> Dukejr01: with better cover we can make the crossing safer.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Missiledine: back in the hemlock you move up to the road... there is no traffic that you can see or hear</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren signals Rolb forward.</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb will cross, vanishing into the hemlock on the other side</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren waits a few moments. listening. then signals Dawn and Long.</div> <div> FinLongham: I will move with speed.</div> <div> Dawn12: follow long</div> <div> Missiledine: still no traffic</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren sends Thorin and Vance across</div> <div> Docportal: I move then.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Missiledine: still clear</div> <div> Docportal: <parents are back with food I have to help store it.></div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren checks to makse sure there are no footy prints, then crosses.</div> <div> Missiledine: <Suddenly a Grey Hound bus whizzes around the corner and slams Corren dead between the</div> <div> headlights...> Sorry, got carried away there]</div> <div> Dukejr01: <wow. not even Dodge roll?</div> <div> Missiledine: ok, you make it safely across... There are no obvious signs of your crosing, the ground is pretty hard</div> <div> Missiledine: <Sorry, it was a Chrysler></div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. continue in same order, this time paralleling the track on the other side.</div> <div> Dukejr01: <cue laugh track></div> <div> Missiledine: ok, you continue through the wood until you can just make out the cottage, now on the otherside of the</div> <div> track</div> <div> Dukejr01: Circle wider at that point.</div> <div> Dukejr01: stop more frequently for a listen</div> <div> Missiledine: Message is too long or too complex</div> <div> Missiledine: <Damn!></div> <div> FinLongham: <what></div> <div> Dukejr01: <AOL sucks?></div> <div> Missiledine: <AOL dropped my message as too long></div> <div> Missiledine: Ok, again...</div> <div> Dukejr01: <ah yes. AOL sucketh.... Indeed, it sucketh bad.></div> <div> FinLongham: <Oh that is why I have netscape messenger.></div> <div> Missiledine: You circle west until you lose sight of the cottage. Then you come up to the edge of a meadow that</div> <div> runs east to west. It is about 100 yards across and seems to go quite away in each direction....</div> <div> Dukejr01: how rall is the grass?</div> <div> Dukejr01: tall</div> <div> Missiledine: THere is a brook running down the center of the clearing, flowing from east to west, and you can see</div> <div> about two dozen sheep grazing in the meadow</div> <div> Dukejr01: short grass then</div> <div> Missiledine: the grass is about 10 inches</div> <div> Dukejr01: that high? with sheep? wow. </div> <div> Missiledine: tallest near the trees, quite short in the center area</div> <div> Dukejr01: any shepard?</div> <div> Docportal: <Yes sheep are slow eatters.></div> <div> Missiledine: the best eating, as far as the sheep are concerned, is near the brook</div> <div> Docportal: <Grass is greenner there></div> <div> Missiledine: you don't see any shepard</div> <div> Docportal: "Now it is time for mutten."</div> <div> Dukejr01: are there trees in the distance that you describe as "quite away in each direction"?</div> <div> Docportal: <sheep meat for those who dont know...></div> <div> Dukejr01: "Those sheep belong to someone too. taking one would be theft was well as giving our presence away." Corren</div> <div> keeps his voice low.</div> <div> Docportal: "yes, so lets buy one."</div> <div> Missiledine: Message is too long or too complex</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren sighs and rubs his brow. "We have been kicked off the island, remember?"</div> <div> Missiledine: looking east (Left) you can just make out the top of the ridge on the thatched roof of the cottage</div> <div> Dukejr01: are we upwind or downwind of the cottage?</div> <div> Missiledine: looking west (right) you can see that about 400 yards down the meadow, with the brook still in it,</div> <div> bends South east and goes out of sight</div> <div> Missiledine: downwind</div> <div> Dukejr01: go right.</div> <div> Dukejr01: good</div> <div> Docportal: "Oh that right I had foregotten...."</div> <div> Missiledine: heading west?</div> <div> Dukejr01: yes. west. right, to the right</div> <div> Missiledine: <GM error Brook and meadow bend South West not SE></div> <div> Dukejr01: k</div> <div> Dukejr01: follow the trees. want to find a spot to cross without being seen.</div> <div> Missiledine: Do you keep the meadow in sight?</div> <div> Dukejr01: sure.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Dukejr01: move slowly</div> <div> Missiledine: you move off as carefully as you can. You do notice several of the sheep looking in your direction</div> <div> Dukejr01: Move out of sight of the meadow</div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Missiledine: How long do you stay out of sight of the open ground?</div> <div> Dukejr01: 5 minutes. long enough to for the sheep to forget.</div> <div> Missiledine: lol</div> <div> Docportal: <Bad Corren....></div> <div> Missiledine: okay, you move back towards the meadow edge near where it starts its bend. You can see down</div> <div> the length of it along the SW line</div> <div> Dukejr01: stop, crawl forward and look.</div> <div> Missiledine: looking down its length you can see that the ground actually opens up and the trees thin out as the</div> <div> meadow gets wider and enters a shallow valley. There is a large pond or</div> <div> Missiledine: small lake in the center</div> <div> Dukejr01: See anyone or anything?</div> <div> Missiledine: You can see on the far bank a small cottage of logs. There is a shed next to it and a corral with what</div> <div> looks like ponies in it. There is a small dock and a skiff tied to it</div> <div> Missiledine: there is smoke coming out of the cottage chimney</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren returns to the group. He tells them what he saw. "Backtrack to the first cottage and sneak around the other</div> <div> way?</div> <div> Dukejr01: "</div> <div> Missiledine: <I am going to go off line for a minute, I am switching computers. Dave, do a save for me when I</div> <div> come back on, in case I miss any thing between></div> <bR> <div> You have just entered room "Island Paradise."</div> <div> Missiledine: Hi again</div> <div> Dukejr01: <yo</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren looks to Rolb. "Go the other way?"</div> <div> Missiledine: <I hate that other computer></div> <div> Docportal: <Know the feeling.></div> <div> Docportal: <but it is the other way around></div> <div> Missiledine: He shrugs, "Aye, I suppose."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren sighs and gets on with it. we go back to our original crossing spot in the hemlock and recross.</div> <div> Dukejr01: then circle wide around the farmhouse.</div> <div> Missiledine: "If we stay east of yon bend, then the shack by the pond canna see us, and we should be far enough from the other cottage to cross unseen."</div> <div> Dawn12: sould like a good plan</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren shrugs. "Possible. best be careful."</div> <div> Missiledine: "Crossin the trail again has its risks too."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Okay. that is the plan. move to the position, observe carefully in both directions.</div> <div> Missiledine: crossing the meadow?</div> <div> Dukejr01: yes. we cross the damn meadow</div> <div> Missiledine: Moving back up, past the bend, cuts off sight of thepond and its cottage.  You can barely make out the very top of the thatched roof of the first cottage. You ar a good three hundred yards from the sheep</div> <div> Missiledine: it is probably the best spot to cross</div> <div> Dukejr01: Coren crawls out as far as he can and still be in cover and looks both ways. he listens and obseves the birds in the meadow to see if they are disturbed, if there is no one in sight or no disturbance, then he signals and we </div> <div> Dukejr01: cros en masse</div> <div> FinLongham: follow corren...</div> <div> Dukejr01: cross</div> <div> Missiledine: You stay in the tall grass for maybe fifty feet, then itstsarts thinning out. Everything seems peaceful</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. one last check in both directions and then lope across to the trees.</div> <div> Missiledine: you move across the open ground, down into the low point of the brook. The banks are shallow and stony, although a bit muddy. The ground is thisck with sheep droppings and prints... The water looks to be a foot to a foot and a </div> <div> Missiledine: half deep and maybe twenty five feet wide</div> <div> Dukejr01: hop down and crouch as we cross.</div> <div> Docportal: <I higher a boat.....> </div> <div> Missiledine: You wade through the icy water to the other side, seeing nothing untoward as you go.  Looking back you see that Rolb has stopped on the far side and is looking at something on the ground and on a briar a foot or so off the ground</div> <div> Docportal: I will hop down and follow corren....</div> <div> Missiledine: everyone is across except Rolb</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren posts watch while Rolb investigates.</div> <div> Missiledine: You see him take something from the briar and seems to sniff it. Then he looks both ways and hurries across after you</div> <div> Dukejr01: We proceed across to the trees. </div> <div> Missiledine: You are all in the trees now</div> <div> Dukejr01: Okay get out of sight of the meadow and stop</div> <div> Missiledine: ok</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren stops and takes a drink from his skin.</div> <div> Docportal: "So rolb what was that you took out of the briar?"</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb says, "There was wolf sign vback there. Odd that there be no shepard about when there are wolves a prowlin."</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Wolves on an island? Surely they would have been hunted out by now. Assuming wolves could have found their way here in the first place.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "</div> <div> Docportal: "WereWolves???"</div> <div> Missiledine: He hands you a tuft of grey fur. "Wolf or a dog that looks like one."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren looks at it. sniffs.</div> <div> FinLongham: Naturalist skill on it.</div> <div> Missiledine: could be a wolf, or a dog. You can't smell much on it</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren passes it around.</div> <div> Docportal: I will take a sniff.</div> <div> Missiledine: looks like a wolf to you Long</div> <div> Missiledine: And to Thorin</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will prepare to get moving again.</div> <div> Missiledine: You can't smell anything on it</div> <div> Docportal: <bad roll?></div> <div> Dukejr01: <you are not a dog></div> <div> Dukejr01: Lets get moving. keep an eye out for wolf sign</div> <div> Docportal: <Nither are you></div> <div> Missiledine: which way?</div> <div> Dukejr01: South, find if he cart track continues.</div> <div> Missiledine: you are a couple hundred yards west of the cart track at this point</div> <div> Missiledine: heading back towards it?</div> <div> Dukejr01: yes.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok, going SE then... after a few hundred yards you can make out the track to your left... it looks pretty much the same</div> <div> Dukejr01: leaves on it or no?</div> <div> Missiledine: no, not many. It is clearly used frequently</div> <div> Dukejr01: k. parallel it again. same pace. stop for listening.</div> <div> Missiledine: you continue like this for about a half mile, then ahead of you appears a second road or track. It meets the first in a T. The first track ends and the new one runs SW to NE</div> <div> Missiledine: the new path looks a bit more used then the one you have been following</div> <div> Dukejr01: approach teh T obliquely. did the track at one time continue on?</div> <div> Missiledine: no, it looks like its always been a T</div> <div> Dukejr01: which way are the mines? still SE?</div> <div> Missiledine: the hills are now due east of you. The mines are to the SE on the slopes somewhere</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. lets cross the path to be in the sout side and follow the NE trail.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok... the road is empty at the moment</div> <div> Dukejr01: Cross in pairs again</div> <div> Missiledine: you make it across without seeing anyone... continue along the NE road?</div> <div> Dukejr01: yes.</div> <div> Missiledine: About 3/4 of a mile along the woods begin thinning out quickly and you find your self looking up hill across an long open expanse of moorlands.  The ground is dotted with thickets and boulders, but cover is widely spread and thin</div> <div> Missiledine: The road bends to skirt this going more north and going over the crest of the rising ground to the north</div> <div> Missiledine: further up the hill, almost a mile away, you can see connifer trees growing in thick stands</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. I suggest going south following the trees, so we are away from the road when we cross to the hill</div> <div> Missiledine: you continue south then?</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay, the moorland is east/west?</div> <div> Missiledine: yes, starting along the trees where you are standing it runs east and up hill. You are at the western edge of it</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. so if we go south along the trees we can get some distancefrom the road before crossing the moor</div> <div> Dukejr01: so, head south.</div> <div> Missiledine: yes, the ground to the south is more hilly then you have seen, you will be crossing the crests of a series of small hills that extend westward from the large one, like arms reaching out</div> <div> Dukejr01: hmmm.. intersting. lets go thataway</div> <div> Missiledine: staying inside the tree line you head south... The terrain is more open and rocky then you have seen so far. The ground is dotted with boulders, big and small and the undergrowth between the trees is mostle briars, packed in dense</div> <div> Missiledine: piles which you can easily kirt\</div> <div> Missiledine: skirt</div> <div> Dukejr01: keep on lookout for wolfsign.</div> <div> Missiledine: it is now after noon and the fog has cleared off some, the hill is as clear as it probably ever gets this time of year, though there are a few traces clinging near the top. Looking SW towards the end of the island where the town is</div> <div> Missiledine: the fog is still pretty thick, though it is thinner then it was</div> <div> Missiledine: you march on for almost a mile, then, cresting the top of yet another ridge, you see below you another cart track, this one also runs East to West.  Just as you lay eyes on it you hear the distinctive 'Clip-clop' of a horse</div> <div> Dukejr01: Stop. hold up fist in stop order crouch.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Find a nook to conceal self while looking</div> <div> Missiledine: between the briars and boulders and trees, there is plenty to hide behind</div> <div> Dukejr01: good.</div> <div> Missiledine: coming from the east you see a two wheeled pony cart, like those used on many a farmstead, being driven by a man, who looks like a farmer</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay</div> <div> Missiledine: laying under the bench seat, behind the farmers feet, is a dog. A scruffy looking farm mutt.  As the cart draws level with you, the dog raises his head and stiffens. You can't hear it, but it must have growled. The Farmer looks </div> <div> Missiledine: down at it, "Wat is it? d'ye ear summat?" He looks around hastily, he reaches for a crossbow that is in the cart behind the seat</div> <div> Missiledine: the pony slows a bit, its ears pricking up nervously </div> <div> Docportal: can i see what is in the cart?</div> <div> Missiledine: not crouching in hiding</div> <div> Docportal: fine i will stay down.</div> <div> Missiledine: you are above the cart, if you stand you could see into it</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. which way is the wind going and is anyone NOT crouching and hiding?</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb and Thorin are. Thorin has an arrow knocked and ready</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will force anyone who is not hiding down.</div> <div> Dukejr01: he claps a hand over their mouths.</div> <div> Docportal: Whisper "No one shot at that cart."</div> <div> Missiledine: THE WIND IS BLOWING n, THOUGH IT IS VERY LIGHT</div> <div> Missiledine: oops, sorry</div> <div> Dawn12: dawn is down and hiden</div> <div> Dukejr01: toawrd the dog. are we upwind or downwind?</div> <div> Missiledine: down</div> <div> Dukejr01: okay. then makes sure everyone is hidden</div> <div> Missiledine: every one seems to be out of sight</div> <div> Dukejr01: k</div> <div> Dukejr01: remain still</div> <div> Missiledine: the farmer has the crossbow in hand and is staring in the direction the dog is looking, which is towards you</div> <div> Docportal: "Thorin is that dog grey??"</div> <div> Dukejr01: am I out of sight?</div> <div> Docportal: whispering*</div> <div> Dukejr01: what the hell is the dog looking at if everyone is hidden?</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren clamps a hand over Vance's ,outh</div> <div> Dukejr01: mouth</div> <div> Missiledine: "I canna see anythin, but I dunno like it." He says to the dog. Taking up the reins he slaps the pony into a trot</div> <div> Missiledine: the dog is tan and white</div> <div> Dukejr01: We don;t move til the cart is out of sight and hearing.</div> <div> Missiledine: a few minutes later the cart is out of sight and the sounds of the pony are fading</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will go look if there is anything the dog was looking at besides us</div> <div> Missiledine: not that you can see</div> <div> Dukejr01: WE cover our tracks and LEAVE</div> <div> Missiledine: go where?</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Vance, when a dog has noticed you, Don;t speak."</div> <div> Dawn12 has left the room.</div> <div> Missiledine: <oops></div> <div> Dukejr01: we cross back one ridge so there is somethign between use and both cart tracks and head east to the pine stands.</div> <div> Missiledine: <Dawn coming back?></div> <div> Docportal: <I don't think so. I think it is her bed time.></div> <div> Missiledine: crossing the moorlands?</div> <div> Dukejr01: yes,</div> <div> Missiledine: <ok></div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb stops you, "Ay dunno ken crossin now lad. Let's wait til yon fog rolls back in."</div> <div> Dukejr01: can we lose our scent trail in something?</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Okay."</div> <div> Missiledine: no streams in this area</div> <div> FinLongham: see what I can Herba up...</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb finds a sunny boulder to sit against</div> <div> Dukejr01: Well, cover tracks. Drink beer. take off boots and for a minute.</div> <div> Missiledine: in the dead of winter you are not going to find many herbs around</div> <div> FinLongham: "No leave boots on unless you want that dog to find us."</div> <div> Missiledine: It's sometime after one... the fog will probably start rolling in after four</div> <div> FinLongham: "Any body have stink weed?"</div> <div> Missiledine: <Stink weed?></div> <div> Dukejr01: <there is a list of herbs on the website></div> <div> FinLongham: <It stinks like stink bugs.></div> <div> Missiledine: <That will be most innocuous></div> <div> FinLongham: <Those are the herbs that or for healing. This is stuff that would make us smail like the woods.></div> <div> Dukejr01: "Interesting that a farmer on an island would be as alert for danger as one near, say, the Girvan Forest. How much trouble ya think they see around here?"</div> <div> Missiledine: <You aren't in the woods. You don't see any such plants anywhere around here, Using such, if you had it, which you don't, would hardly fit into the area></div> <div> FinLongham: Any what do the trees smail like around here? </div> <div> Dukejr01: "Maybe ya should bathe more, getting ripe ya are."</div> <div> Missiledine: mostly pine and heather</div> <div> Dukejr01: We wait for the fog. then move out.</div> <div> FinLongham: <I know pine> So we will make people stink of pine.</div> <div> Missiledine: <How will you do that?></div> <div> FinLongham: Drain some pine sap from the tree close.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "You are just going to make yourself sticky and dirty with resin from yon tree."</div> <div> Missiledine: ok, there are several connifers in the immediate area</div> <div> Missiledine: your naturalist skill tells you that trying to drain sap from a tree in the dead of winter is an exercise in futility</div> <div> FinLongham: "Then I will forget it then"</div> <div> Dukejr01: corren checks his equipment and eats</div> <div> Missiledine: time will pass uneventfully... the fog begins rolling in sometime after three. By four it is so thick that you cannot see the top of the hill anymore</div> <div> Dukejr01: yay, we cross to the hill.</div> <div> Missiledine: it is a good mile up the hill to the next tree line. The slope is steeper then it looks and the ground is rough. The fog reduces visibility to about a hundred feet out on the moor itself</div> <div> Dukejr01: trudge trudge</div> <div> Missiledine: it also dampens sound and makes the heather wet and heavy</div> <div> Dukejr01: we leaving prints?</div> <div> Missiledine: almost impossible not to leave some type of trail. The heather is about knee high and thick</div> <div> Dukejr01: single file. do our best to make it unnoticable. like moe at angles so there is no obvious line in the heather.</div> <div> Missiledine: Suddenly there is a noise ahead of you</div> <div> Dukejr01: Freeze and crouch. hand on hilt of sword. left hand up in fist to gesture stop.</div> <div> Missiledine: From up slope something, many somethings, are coming your way! They are coming fast!</div> <div> Dukejr01: unsling shield. is there a boulder for cover?</div> <div> Dukejr01: what does it sound like? hooves? paws? feet?</div> <div> Docportal: Drop pack grab sword.</div> <div> Missiledine: as you look around for cover, something large and brown charges out of the fog, headed right at you! The heather and the fog are muffling the sounds...</div> <div> FinLongham: Drop pack grab swords.</div> <div> Dukejr01: fastdraw broadsword. step and ready.</div> <div> Missiledine: At the last second it veers right and passes you, its a deeer! All around you deer are now fleeting past you</div> <div> Missiledine: deer</div> <div> Dukejr01: corren holds.</div> <div> Docportal: Ready for what is behind them.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "what scared them?" Corren says quietly.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren continues forward.</div> <div> Docportal: Grab shild.</div> <div> Missiledine: at least a dozen of them are hurtling past on either side... There is a twang of a bow, Thorin shoots and one goes down in a tumble and lies still</div> <div> Docportal: throw shild to Long grab other sword.</div> <div> Missiledine: The sound of the deer's flight receeds into the fog</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren waits and listens.</div> <div> FinLongham: Grab shilde form vance.</div> <div> Missiledine: it is very quiet, except for the shuffling of equipment</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb points right but says nothing</div> <div> Docportal: I will back up next to Long. So we can deffend for each other. </div> <div> Missiledine: you still can't hear anything or see anything.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren looks right</div> <div> Docportal: Look right also.</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb continues pointing to his right, he shifts slightly as though tracking somethings progress. If he is correct, then something is moving past very quickly</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren strains to see.</div> <div> FinLongham: I look hard at the area he is pointing at.</div> <div> Missiledine: Thorin has his bow drawn and is aiming where Rolb is pointing. Rolb shakes his head</div> <div> Missiledine: all you see is fog</div> <div> Dukejr01: <Rolb and his magic eyes></div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will return eyes front just in case</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb stops and straightens up. "Tis gone. Bloody big bugger, what ever it was."</div> <div> Dukejr01: "See if it left tracks."</div> <div> Missiledine: "mebbe a wolf."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren moves right.</div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb nods and heads in that direction. Thorin goes with</div> <div> Docportal: "You and the tracker go look at the tracks."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will look but let Thorin and Rolb take precedence so he doesn;t mess them up</div> <div> Docportal: Grab pack and go the way we were going.</div> <div> Missiledine: There are numerous passage marks from the deer, but their paths are broken by their bounding. But you come on one passage that is continuous</div> <div> FinLongham: Grab my pack and follow Vance</div> <div> Missiledine: Thorin and Rolb both study it. You hear Rolb say, "That's no wolf." Thorin agrees "Big cat." </div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb says, "Long tooth I'd wager."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren looks. "Hmph"</div> <div> FinLongham: "What on hell are big cat doing here.????"</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Okay, what are Long Tooth doing on a little island like this?"</div> <div> Missiledine: "Good question lad."</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Shall we track it to its source?"</div> <div> Docportal: "No man in his right mined would do that."</div> <div> Missiledine: "Seems ta have been up in yon trees. Probably layin up fer the day. Got hungry and went fer some fresh venison."</div> <div> Missiledine: "Well its not there now, is it?" Rolb asks</div> <div> Docportal: "Maybe it has a mate?"</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren will help Thorin carry his kill.</div> <div> Missiledine: "I guess that tells us why a farmer on a spit of an island would be so wary."</div> <div> Missiledine: "Perhaps, but if so they usually hunt in pairs."</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Aye."</div> <div> Docportal: "Alright lets get it over with then. On wards."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Grab the deer and recover the arrow. then follow the tracks.</div> <div> FinLongham: <when did we get a deer?></div> <div> Missiledine: you follow the cats path up hill for about a hundred yards. Then you come to an end at a big flat boulder. </div> <div> Dukejr01: Circle it. are there any tracks leading up to teh boulder?</div> <div> Missiledine: Thorin says, "He probably sunned himself up here till it was time to hunt."</div> <div> Dukejr01: <Thorin shot it></div> <div> FinLongham: <k></div> <div> Missiledine: The tracks coming off the boulder are only a few minutes old. The ones coming up onto it are many hours old and seem to come from the north</div> <div> Dukejr01: gotcha.</div> <div> Dukejr01: "I find it odd that there would be major predators on a small island like this..... All things considered. isn;t there being here suspect?"</div> <div> Dukejr01: <there = their></div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb nods, "Aye, that is one way of puttin it. Still, tis nothing that Lord Ashton and his men at arms canna handle."</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren grunts.</div> <div> Dukejr01: Continue up the hill I guess. circling south to we can find the mines.</div> <div> Missiledine: Finding the mines in this fog, which is getting thicker even as the sun sets and it gets darker, will be very hard to do. </div> <div> Missiledine: Rolb says, "Lets move up into yon trees and find a hidey hole fer the night."</div> <div> Docportal: ""Question if we were down wind of the dog ealry then it most have smailed the cat. Right?"</div> <div> Dukejr01: ah yes. its near dark, then lets camp.</div> <div> Missiledine: the cat was also down wind, as well as being up the slope and a long way off</div> <div> Dukejr01: "Cat was nowhere near the road, and the dog heard us."</div> <div> Docportal: "Good point"</div> <div> Missiledine: Anothe quater hour of climbing brings you to the edge of the trees.</div> <div> Dukejr01: climb up into the trees and look around for a camping spot.</div> <div> Missiledine: the pine canopy is very thick, combined with the fog and long shadows of sunset, it is almost impossible to see anything</div> <div> Missiledine: ahead on your right is a large windfall tree. It looks like it may have come down last summer</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren grumbles and checks it out.</div> <div> FinLongham: "I say find some place out of the way and pray that the cat dont get us."</div> <div> Missiledine: the roots still have quite a bit of dirt on them and many of the branches still have some needles</div> <div> Dukejr01: good placeto park our butts in its lee?</div> <div> Missiledine: between the root ball and branches, there is quite a bit of shelter underneath</div> <div> Dukejr01: Corren makes himself at home.</div> <div> Missiledine: ok, you settle in, get comfortable and eat some food</div> <div> FinLongham: <Don't mean to be a pain but I need to get up in 5 and half hours.></div> <div> Dukejr01: Set watches.</div> <div> Missiledine: <I think we will wrap it here for now.></div> <div> Dukejr01: k</div> <div> Dukejr01: night</div> <div> Dukejr01: thanks</div> <div> FinLongham: Thank</div> <div> Missiledine: good night all</div> <div> Dukejr01 has left the room.</div> <div> Docportal: Great game. I am still living.</div> <div> Missiledine: lol</div> <div> Missiledine: I'll get you next time!</div> <div> Docportal: Not if I can help it.</div> <div> FinLongham has left the room.</div> <div> Docportal has left the room.</div> </td> </tr></table></body>