Game thread

Wisco had some chicken meat, which he offered to share between Rurik abd Cedrick, but je wasn't sure there was enough for their bigger appetites. Meanwhile, before setting out, they scrounged for food.

Stee, Nathan, and Jeptha will keep their eyes open to see if they see anything useful but highly doubt it in this landscape.

Ton searches around for food to hunt or collect, trying to mimic those who succeed (if any) within the survivors.

Fi Dre does the same, using his herding experience for places where animals would go to look for food.

Da Ak, being a barrister, is more worried about drinks than food. As there does not seem to be any around, he simply tries to find something useful for survival in this hostile environment.

Jo, not accustomed to do any work, goes to see Wisco and commands: "I will magnanimously offer this golden ring for your food." Showing a mildly friendlier face, he adds little later: "Or at least part of it?"

The ragtag party of survivors half-walk, half-plod through the sweltering heat and treacherous terrain with every stone threatening to twist an ankle or give way to a hole. Some are luckier than others and find among the desolate wasteland a few items worth salvaging.

Magnar spots a conspicuously out-of-place bush seemingly laying on its side. He uncovers a strange looking metal tube with a handle on its end. The handle seems to have a small, moveable part. Eldarin finds a shovel with a long handle made of hardwood. Slane discovers a coil that looked like a snake at first but then realized it was a rope made of an unknown, very strong material. Others stumbled upon a fiery-scaled lizard big enough to feed 3 people, a stash of three snake eggs, a few bulbs of what resembles onions, and a fleshy cactus that can sustain life for a day.

The food scarcity has left half of the crew in a stupor. Now rest is all any of this lot can think of. Time here is difficult to grasp as it appears that the all-too-near sun has not moved in the sky so it does not seem to have a setting. With no break from the heat, the ravine ahead provides the only shade. That, or continue up to higher ground.

The memory of lore and the compulsion of imagination strikes two in your party.

Silently thanking any higher being that may be watching over him, the elf flipped the lizard onto its back to expose its softer belly. Armed with only a hammer, he studied the others in his party. Most were in luck, finding morsels to feast upon in the heat, but a noticeably weak pair caught his attention. "Oi!" Hessarion whistled.

Melda turned and led Tully by the elbow to investigate. "Help me start a fire and part of the lizard is yours", the falconer offered. Reaching into her pockets, Melda fished out a fine stone. Tully pulled out a sailcloth. Putting their three heads together, they scrape a fire together and cook the meat.

Berlotte, having finished her honeyed feast, searches around for anything useful.

After food has been scavenged and consumed by those with better luck, Jermyn points ahead at the shaded ravine, exhaustion from the oppressive heat seeping into his bones. "Look, a spot of shade. Let's press on so we can finally rest."

He and Magnar trundle forth, digging deep with the promise of relief in sight.

Ton takes his cactus, takes little enough food and drink from it to keep going, and hides it somewhere in his bag before following the others.

Fi Dre and Da Ak, resignedly, follow Jermyn's indications and start walking in the direction of the shade.

Jo, not used to being resisted, adopts a smug attitude but eventually does the same.

Stee eats the few onions he found in silence. He wishes he had found more to share with those who have none but keeping his strength up is important. Hopefully they will find more the further they move from this hell. He can't believe anything to grow here so he very thankful for the onions he found. On a lighter note he thinks to himself if they are attacked again maybe he could use his onion breath as a weapon.

Nathan and Jeptha trudge along together in silence keeping their eyes open hoping they might spot something.

Having found sustenance for the time to keep their vigour up, Rurik, Cedrick, and Wisco joined the others on the move in the direction they were traveling, once they were done scrounging and eating, and what have you, Cedrick paused for a moment struck by something in his mind.

Wisco was taken aback by Jo. "I'm sorry, but I didn't have enough. Next time I forage, perhaps I will find more bounty, and then I can share with you...or should I make it home, I'll treat you to a chicken," he said defensively, eyeing the ring, but seeing little use for a trade at a the moment when he was in such a dire situation.

Wealth and baubles does you no good in a shallow grave, he considered.

If, he even got that. So far, the dead have gotten inglorious ends.

The ravine provided enough shade to cool off the skin, but it took hours of rest to bring core temperatures down from the brink of heat exhaustion. The "night" passes without incident but strange sounds were heard, much like a desert where some creatures are only active for part of the day. In the distance, Jeptha spotted a few small bird-like creatures flying in formation, but they were too far to make out much detail.

What was most interesting was the dream that Cedrick had. It was of the time of giants and there were two cyclops brothers. They were called the Titanic God of Lawful Flame and Titanic God of Chaos Flame. This must’ve been a vision from before the Chaos God was destroyed. In the dream, the brothers were hunting stars together. Chaos would hide and Law would leap to the stars and try and knock them loose. When the stars fell, Chaos could pounce upon them and keep them from returning skyward. The brothers had a great and hearty laugh each time they succeeded and then they would feast upon star flesh to the point where their eyes would begin to sparkle. Cedrick felt their bond and it was strong.
Just as the clouds started darkening in the dream, Cedrick woke reminded of their plight by the jabbing of a stone in his back. True comfort was difficult in this harsh terrain.

Stee, Nathan, and Jeptha will vote for the ravine and away from the heat. Also the Drakes that came out of the fire ocean to claim three of our number. Also I don't think it plausible to retrieve anything from Tobias since he was eaten.

Slane, Army, and Fortune refrain from voicing their opinions at first. They examine the cliff as best as they can. How hard would it be to climb without rope?

With full bellies, Hessarian, Melda, Tully and Berlotte consider their next steps. The more adventurous of the two, the elf and the dwarf, consider the drakes that took the lives of their companions and decide to climb the ravine. Tully, following Melda like a lost puppy, goes where she goes.

However, Berlotte does not have the confidence or desire to make the climb. She votes for the beach southward.

Assessing the ravine, it seems likely that it can be done by careful climbing a rock at a time. Doable without a rope.

Ton is ready to climb, eager to put the heat behind him as fast as possible.

Fi Dre and Da Ak are undecided, willing to follow the general consensus.

Jo will not accept any suggestion to make the effort of climbing, especially without the proper equipment.

Jermyn, exhausted from the day's events, falls asleep before shifts are assigned and sleeps through the night. (+1HP [2/3])

Upon the morning, while the path is being discussed, he adds his voice. "I think it's prudent to assume, based on the events of yesterday, that no matter the path we choose we shall have to face some sort of danger. Given that we were able to rest here, I can't imagine that the danger would be greater than the serpents that killed three of our group yesterday."

Magnar grunts and nods, leaning against a rock wall. "There's our size to consider, as well. Everything we've faced so far has been gigantic, which limits their movement in tight spaces. If we're to survive, we need to think like mice."

Escaping the overwhelming heat is Wisco's and Cedrick's main priority, so they vote for that. Rurik has been around a forge before and is a little less shy to heat, but he sees the consensus seem to be forming around the ravine so he silently seems to echo his compatriots' wishes.