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

[staggeringego]

[ Not his fault he is one! He didn't mean to get stuck like this.

And he's not sure what's up with this petting today, but being she's an adorable kid she gets a free pass.

Either way he bobs his head in a "yes". As fun as he can at the moment. He'd have more fun if he could run around as a human while out here. ]

[staggeringego]

[ He nods his head stiffly once in the most formal way he can manage. And while Clint does that James is back to slowly picking his way across the deck and making sure this is acceptable for deer. ]

[cyan_maid]

[And now she pauses.]

ANOTHER Paradisa? I can barely wrap my head around one, much less imagine another!

[cyan_maid]

Gosh, I hope so...

[She's squinting as she looks around for more spiders.] We must have gotten a fair amount of them...

[heliotroping]

It should have sent a message... But spiders are tricky things.

[cyan_maid]

[She chuckles.] Yes, hopefully the sight of their fallen brethren inspired the others to scuttle away...

[hellshaped]

[He nods, swatting away a spider that had made its way onto his shoulder somehow.]

Its residents had left a note saying that the castle stopped responding to them, and they were sure that was the end of it for them. No clue if they died along with it, or just moved somewhere else -- but they seemed really appreciative of their castle, almost affectionate.

Not like we are with ours.

[heliotroping]

Should we spell out "Beware" in their uh... corpses?

[cyan_maid]

Hoo hoo! No, I think that's going a little too far...

[cyan_maid]

[She blinks, halting her spider efforts.]

...I think I read something about a castle like that here. The information was from some sort of...mirror world?

[hellshaped]

Oh -- that was sort of different. We were inside the journals themselves, if we're talking about the same thing. So we were in the journal version of the castle ...

[cyan_maid]

Really?

[She's tempted to pull out her journal and poke around for entries talking about that.]

It could be the same thing, I suppose. Either way, I did hear of that castle.

[fly_little_bird]

[She gets away with a lot being an adorable child.]

Me, too. I can't wait to explore!

[heliotroping]

Yeah... But we still have to clear them out.

[cyan_maid]

You are absolutely right.

...You know, I wish we had a broom. It might make the cleanup a bit easier.

[messin_with_my_zen_thing]

[He nods again, slowly.]

All too true. There's a reason why I've always stressed knowledge and education to my son.

[messin_with_my_zen_thing]

[He chuckles] I know what you mean. It gets a little redundant doing the same thing day in and day out doesn't it?

[... says the man who sat alone in a house for 20 years...]

There's something to be said for a change of scenery, so to speak.

[heliotroping]

Is there one around here?

[cyan_maid]

I have no idea. We should go ask!

[heliotroping]

That's a good idea. See if someone on the shore has a broom or shovel. I'll look around some more to see if I can find one. There has to be at least a mop...

[cyan_maid]

[She grins.] I'll be back as soon as I can!

[She disappears to go on deck and sweetly interrogate a broom out of the expedition masses.]

[hellshaped]

Yeah, that wasn't much fun either.

[Annnnd back to stomping on spiders, awww yeee!]

I think this place has ruined me for anything castle-related.

[cyan_maid]

[She chuckles.] Given what tends to happen, I can completely understand that.

[youhavebeenflynned]

I agree with that mate.

[hellshaped]

I guess I can mark it off the list of things that life has ruined for me.

[It's kind of a pessimistic thing to say, but his tone isn't morose or anything; he just sounds like he's cracking jokes.]