The Story

Act II

Session IX (cont.) (RL: 3/23/02)

• June 15th, 183 2C. In the wee hours of the morning, the skyship Redwing arrives at the small island in the Blue Sea where the old seer's tower rests. It is flown by Captain Jen and Firstmate Dale. Creyton Grey, Kira Achado, Sperin Tramil, Thurton Gromst, Anastasia Zakharov and Aliana Moonsong load a small raft George the Nyrgil made for them into the back of the Redwing and strap themselves in during the predawn hours. It is then up, up and away. Several hours are spent rising and falling over the Blue Sea as dawn greets Threforfar. Finally, by late morning, they can see the Flattop Mountains and the grey stone falls down thousands of feet into the Blue Sea, the water here dark blue as the rocks plunge to unknown depths before reaching the sea bottom. Swimming in this deep blue pool are the Deep Angels, called whales by some. First the raft, then the group, is dropped off into the chilly water. Creyton leads the swim toward a small outcropping of rock and climbs out. The Deep Angels are marvels and they seem to be communicating with the group and each other in a language all their own. Eventually everyone makes it to the rock outcropping. An hour or two is spent warming and drying in the sun while the Deep Angels dance about in the water. Then, the hard hiking begins. A seam is found and the way up is steep, but Creyton, Kira, Sperin, Thurton, Ana, and Aliana struggle up. It is exhausting and hard on the legs. A couple of hours before dark, they find a flat area and decide to camp there. They eat dried fish George prepared for them and talk around a fire made from the small raft they used to get their gear dryly to shore. There is some small talk and sore muscles as eventually everyone drifts to sleep.
• June 16th. The going gets no easier. Up, up, up. It is more steep than stairs. To the right, the cliffs fall away down, down down to the sea. They can't hear the surf or see the Deep Angels from this high, but they press onward, legs burning. Most everyone is too busy breathing to chat, but what conversation there is is mostly complaints about the path taken. Finally, in the late afternoon, they turn in, away from the long drop, toward a small valley. Being it is level, camp is made there, far away from the edge. Creyton insists that this is the fastest way to Elvinhome considering the Redwing would only take them to places over the Blue Sea. Another fire is made and people have no trouble falling quickly to sleep.
• June 17th. Thankfully, the going is a little easier. It is still rough and uphill, but not nearly as bad as the last two days. Creyton guides everyone mostly east by northeast. There isn't much in the way of life at all. A shrub here or a bird's nest there, but not much else. Mostly, the terrain is grey rock. It is almost constantly windy, air coming up from the south. It is another night of deep sleep and complaining that old muscles don't recover as quickly as young muscles.
• June 18th. It is hard to get everyone going in the morning, but they finally start out. Creyton spots some troll scat. It is hard to miss the large pile. He warns everyone to be on guard as they continue on. The afternoon passes and more evidence of the trolls is spotted. Camp is made with no fire that night. Watches are set. Wariness battles exhaustion, but the night passes without event.
• June 19th. Worried about trolls, Aliana, Ana, Creyton, Kira, Sperin and Thurton press on. By midmorning, a trio of trolls is spotted in a valley ahead. The large creatures are armed with huge axes. They are followed at a safe distance and, when the opportunity presents it self to take a slightly longer, but alternative route, the group takes it. They walk up a ridge overlooking the valley and press hard to get ahead of the hulking creatures down below. The two groups watch each other warily, but no one makes a move to interfere with the other side. By the afternoon, Anastasia, Creyton, Thurton, Sperin, Aliana and Kira reach the "flat top" of the Flattop Mountains ahead of the other party. A wide plateau of grey rock worn smooth by the ages stretches off to the north, west, and east as far as the eye can see. To the south a couple of hundred yards, the surface ends suddenly and plummets down thousands of feet into the Blue Sea. It took them several days to get up this high. They turn north and hurry, pushing on even after dark to put some distance between themselves and the trolls. Finally, they reach a crag and take shelter in it to camp. There is a skinned knee or two from pushing after dark, but now they feel more safe about the trolls. Overhead, the stars are amazing. Creyton spends some time pointing out some constellations he knows to interested parties; the ship, the Metal Kings, which Kira names The Die, and the Highlord's constellation among others.
• June 20th. They rise early and start hiking just in case the trolls are heading the same direction. Food is running a bit low. The morning is pleasant enough and they press on into the afternoon. Storm clouds loom on the western horizon and the party winds through the rocky crags, coming down from the plateau of the Flattop Mountains. Flashes of lightning are visible and the group seeks shelter in a cave. A small fire is started for warmth. People talk and watches are set.
• June 21st. Before dawn, during Anastasia's watch, she hears something down in the cave. She moves to investigate and spots some small creatures down there. Initially, she tries to scare them off. During the exchange and peering in the shadows, she gets shot by a small dart and alerts the others. The small creatures aren't more than two feet tall and have long tales and leathery scales. Creyton identifies them as Yinni. Many are armed with small spears and nets. There is a bit of a standoff, then the creatures attack. There are tons of them and everything goes into chaos. They drop a large net over the mouth of the cave to stop their prey from escaping. The Yinni fight, stab, and poke until they manage to get a hold of the groggy Ana, carting her deeper down into the caves. They retreat with their prize. Ali, Kira, Thurton, Sperin and Creyton regroup themselves, many suffering many small cuts at the hands of the Yinni spears and pursue down into the dark. They take the time to make torches and gather most of their needed things. Sperin uses his cloak to act as point. Further down, they come across a large cave where the Yinni seem to be having a religious ceremony of some sort. One is wearing priestly robes. They hiss, chatter and spit in their language. Ana is tied to a large stake and it looks like she is about to be sacrificed. The group attacks. In the confusion, Creyton manages to get a hold of Ana. Everyone contributes, holding off the Yinni. Then, out of the darkness beyond the cave comes the inky blackness the group has learned to identify as the Kasuud. In total panic, they flee. Thurton's staff is lost and recovered. They scramble back to their camp and grab everything they can, then bolt out of the cave and down the mountain side. Thurton helps Ana along as she is very groggy from the dart that struck her. They plunge down into some trees. Looking back in the pre-dawn light, they see the inky cloud filling the sky back near the cave, blotting out the stars. They trip, crawl, and hike their way further north and down long after the sun comes up, not even stopping until noon. They eat the last of their food, some left behind in the cave in their panic to get out. They don't stop again, hiking north through the rolling, forested hills of the Great Northern Forest and the Flattop Mountains until after dark. They set up camp and assign double watch.
• June 22nd. Hiking through the woods, mostly downhill, the day passes fairly uneventfully. Creyton leaves in the morning to hunt, telling them to keep a straight line and he'll catch up to them. Some conversation is made during the walk. In the afternoon, the trees become noticably taller. Taller than any trees near Akia in the Verde Woods, at least. They are stately hardwoods that obscure most of the sunlight, leaving little favorable conditions for undergrowth, which makes the traveling that much easier. The ground mostly flattens out, dropping down on occasion as they go further along. As they travel further north by northwest, the trees grow steadily taller. Creyton catches back up to everyone, carrying a deer. They stop for a long afternoon break, making a fire and eating the venison. They are close to Elvinhome. A lean-to is constructed and they decide just to camp there. Aliana and Thurton discuss what exactly they think the Kasuud is while Kira asks probing questions. Soon, people fall asleep. Again, a watch is assigned.
• June 23rd. What of the venison can be had is eaten for breakfast, then Aliana, Anastasia, Creyton, Kira, Sperin and Thurton start on their way again. The trees get even larger. Thick and tall, they dominate the view, stretching off forever in all directions. They come across a felled giant, roots jutting up into the air. It has obviously fallen several years ago. Some climb up on top of it and walk along the side of the trunk. Others pass beneath the bridge formed by the roots. Around midday, they come to windchimes, hanging down hundreds of feet from the branches of the trees. Everyone is very cautious about them. Not an hour after they pass the windchimes, they begin to see signs of habitation. A few elves are walking around. Some children are playing. By afternoon, they see bridges stretching from tree to tree. They see buildings wrapped around trunks and nestled in the arms of giant braches. They see lifts carrying and lowering elves from the heights to the ground, stairs winding around trunks up to the higher levels of Elvinhom, and eventually some buildings on the ground. They pass several until spotting one that looks to be an inn. The name translates roughly into "The Forest Flower", but it is deemed too expensive. They obtain directions to a more affordable inn and make their way there, tired from the last several days of walking. The place doesn't have a place to bathe and they decide after a debate to head back to the Forest Flower because they could get a hot bath there. The Forest Flower is very expensive, but Aliana pays for rooms for everyone. They are each given a hot bath. Anastasia and Thurton enjoy the baths and fall asleep. Aliana blows even more money, ordering elvin garments for each member of the company. The clothes are delivered. Kira, Creyton, Sperin and Aliana enjoy an expensive, if delicious, dinner and talk about their plans now that they have finally reached Elvinhome as they are all dressed very nicely in their new clothes. After dinner, they all retire to sleep in nice, warm beds for the first time in over a week.