Lastlook: Entering the River

[ruin_mania]

[For the past day or so, it's pretty clear the Amber Steppe has been left behind and the Totem Coast is getting closer. The air is more humid and the undergrowth has gone from a burnt amber color to be thicker, greender, and almost bordering on jungle-like. Several other streams have joined the one that the explorers have been following until it's almost large enough to start sailing on. Raine had encouraged everyone to press on, though, not sure it was time just yet (and also because she doesn't particularly like boats, okay). The cliffs around them start to grow up as well, and it probably won't be too long before the jungle becomes a properly impassable one, leaving the river as the only choice.

But this morning, another large stream had joined up with their and now it was more like a proper river. In the late morning they reach a large pier with five boats. The river also begins to take a higher road from here downstream, while the jungle starts to clog the lower road. Looks like it won't be too much longer before they're in the very painting that led them here. It's time to investigate those boats - and unload the smaller onces Percy Jackson has packed. And if you don't trust either of these, there are some inflatable rafts that Raine has packed as well.

So let's load up, and they'll be on the water by the afternoon!]

Comments

Mounts

[ruin_mania]

[Bring along a mount? Raine is using some of the larger trees as anchors for an enclosed paddock. Her Ampharos will be managing them and guarding them while everyone is away (being helped, no doubt, by some of the more intelligent mounts like the hippogrif). If you have a mount that can swim, there will probably be room to bring one on each boat.]

On Shore

[ruin_mania]

[Want to use your own boat instead of one of those found here? Get it ready to go here! This section can also be used for loading and unloading, observing the area, or playing with any water Pokemon you brought along.

In the river itself, there seem to be some interested fish. They might even demonstrate a bit of flying if you're lucky!]

Boats

[ruin_mania]

[The boats are large enough for five to ten people each easily, with four wing-like sails and a large cargo hold. One of them looks to be in distinctly worse shape than the others - has anyone brought any tools that might help to repair it? (Hopefully, since those are the same tools you'd need to repair a broken wagon.)

Inside the cargo holds it's quite dusty and there are some bugs. Might want to clean these out before using them, especially if people are going to use this as an area to hang out belowdecks. One of the boats also has a single crate of various bottles of alcohol. Lucky find!]

Re: Boats

[compromisedarrow]

[And it's Clint, while investigating the lower decks of that one boat, that finds the bottles of alcohol. He pulls them out, dusting them off, grinning slightly.]

Jackpot.

[wilder]

[Zelos didn't bring a boat. Why would he bring a boat? After departing from his mount, he's hopping onto one of the nicer boats with enthusiasm]

I call this one!

[persequor]

[ Arya is unwilling to part with Aemon. He's been a good mount, steady and untiring. But a boat is no place for a unicorn.

Nymeria is a different story. ]

Nymeria's going in the boats with me.

[ Disagree at your own peril. She bites. And I don't mean Nymeria. ]

[ruin_mania]

[Raine runs an eye over the two of them critically.]

That would be your wolf, then? Can she swim in the case of an accident, and behave herself in a group of people?

[Yes, she identified the gender of the wolf with one look.]

[ino]

[ino's kind of staring down the crappy boat]

... Are we even going to try and fix this, or can we all fit on the other boats?

[ardor]

[Kallen follows him.]

Do I have to babysit you?

[polar]

[Korra hops off Naga and pats her side with a smile.]

Don't worry, girl, you're not staying behind.

[persequor]

Direwolf. She can swim and she knows not to bite anyone. [ As long as the other respects her personal space. ]

[wilder]

[he turns when he hears her, giving a sudden salute]

Captain Ace on the deck!

[ardor]

Swab the deck, ya lily liver!

[She straightens, look going cold.]

Otherwise, I'll hafta feed ye to the sharks!

[heal_theworld]

[Martel pokes it with her staff, looking down at it with a raised eyebrow.] I suppose we could ask Once-Ler if he could fix it.

[ruin_mania]

Direwolf, excuse me. Might I ask how that differentiates from a normal wolf? I am quite interested in biology, you see.

[And she'll nod.] As long as she will behave I see no problem with it. [Raine gives Nymeria an inquisitive look, as if asking her directly.]

[wilder]

[a melodramatic gasp]

What am I? A cabin boy?!

[staggeringego]

[ James is standing on the deck of one boat, staring over the edge thoughtfully. He's not about to be left behind with the mounts, no matter what form he's stuck in at the moment! But you have to admit, deer and boats aren't exactly a fantastic combination.

He can swim just fine as he is, but not knowing exactly how long they're going to be on these things, he'd rather not subject himself to that.

This ought to be an interesting ride for him, that's for sure. ]

[ino]

I'm sure he could ... it's just a matter of how long it'll take. [she'll frown, before looking back to see where once-ler is. if anything, he should be able to at least give an estimate]

[compromisedarrow]

[And Clint comes up from below, a crate under one hand and a bottle of... something in the other. It's his plan to share the alcohol trove he found out with the other people on the expedition who were old enough...

...That was before he saw the stag. On the boat.]

Oh, yeah. Forgot about you.

[heal_theworld]

Good point. But knowing him, he'll drag his feet the entire way fixing it. Or not want to fix it all. Unless we... persuade him somehow. [Oh, that's not ominous at all.]

[ardor]

Ye are now!

[Snorting, Kallen drops the accent.]

But that's not a bad idea. Having someone in charge of each boat might make things easier.

[ino]

[a little grin] Oh, I'm sure we can persuade him. [we got two sets of tits here, martel, that is all we need]

[wilder]

[he snorts as he's looking around the boat]

You can have it. Captain Zelos just doesn't have a nice ring to it.

[polar]

And if all else fails, we can strong arm him into it!

[Guess who's joining the party~]

[heal_theworld]

[Martel is watching the fish. They don't actually...look entirely right. She takes a few steps back from the bank, just in case. You never know, in the Dead Zone.]