East
As Elsie was hoisted upside down by the rope around her ankle. As she was pulled up into the trees above, she shrieked rather loudly, causing Faye to cover her ears. “Gees, be quiet. That was loud enough to wake the dead and I don’t want to fight that Ogre again.”
She was hanging above their heads but managed to look down at Faye. “I was taken by surprise, okay?!” Elsie tried to wiggle herself out but to no avail, then reached for the handle of her blade and unsheathed it. She swung it at the rope that held her.
After that scream, Faye had no interest in helping someone who could be that noisy. Instead, she kept watch, just in case the persons who had set the trap came back. Ailbe and Aelric scrambled around on the ground, preparing to catch her. Aelric was also looking around for where the rope was tied to see if he could help. Luckily, Elsie’s sword connected with the rope on the second swing and snapped it. Quickly she fell and Ailbe and Aelric managed to catch her, and thankfully she stretched out her sword arm so she didn’t slice through either of them. Their legs started to buckle as the sudden weight hit their arm, but they both steadied themselves.
“Thank you,” Elsie told them as she stood, removed the loop around her ankle, and dusted herself off. “Right, let’s keep going.”
“No,” Aelric answered and gripped his weapon. “Let’s wait to find out who set this trap.”
Faye looked at him. “I agree with Elsie, we don’t need to wait around for a fight, let’s move on.”
Ailbe nodded. “As much as I want to find out who did this, we do have a mission to complete.”
“FINE! Go on then.” Aelric waited for the girls to continue on, and he stuck around there slightly longer before following, just in case the trap-setters were close by.
The group continued walking north. That is until they all noticed a knotted vine hanging down to the ground from a tree to the left. In the tree was a roughly made treehouse amid the branches.
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Aelric
Skill: 12 (+1 skill - temporary)
Stamina: 20
Ailbe
Skill: 7
Stamina: 16
Elsie
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Faye
Skill: 10
Stamina: 22
Samantha, Julian, and Desiree
They all looked at the three paths. Desiree gestured with her head, “North heads to a large waterfall that we’ll need to cross to continue. We could go East, try to find the others, but they could have changed direction and be anywhere. I think either is fine, just not to go west.”
“I think we should go North, cross the waterfall to continue North. But I also don’t mind going East, though West is completely new territory too,” Sam suggested.
“Well, I’m happy to keep going north.” There was a pause. “Umm… So have we actually decided north, east or west?”
Sam nodded but was interrupted by Julian before she could speak. “I say let’s go north.” The girls both agreed and they continued northward, toward the sound of the waterfall.
The reached the bank of the wide river that split was on two levels. Julian and Sam saw the water was calm and slow-moving to their right. Then saw the gorge where the river narrowed and ran quickly west over rock and boulders. They all made a silent decision to take the steps that led down the side of the waterfall to the bottom of the gorge. They descended the slippery stone steps to the bottom of the waterfall. Julian looked back up to see a magnificent rainbow reflected in the spray. However, it was dark in the gorge and impossible to see through the wall of water where the steps ended. Carefully walking along the steps and behind the waterfall, into a large cavern where there’s a pool of still water. The steps run round the side of the pool and there’s a stone table and chair on the far side. Julian went to the table and saw fish scraps lying on it. Suddenly there was a noise of splashing behind him. Sam and Desiree dropped the carcass. A strange creature climbed out of the pool and advanced toward the girls armed with a trident. His legs were like a man’s but his face and torso resembled a large green fish with bulbous eyes. His arms were human but covered with large scales. He is a Fish-man, and you’re unable to escape and MUST fight him.
Fishman’s fighting ability:
Skill: 7
Stamina: 6
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Samantha
Skill: 11
Stamina: 21
Luck: 8
Julian
Skill: 9
Stamina: 19
Desiree
Skill: 9 (+1 for attack with helmet)
Stamina: 19
Luck: 12 (+1)
Roxanne
Roxanne waved at the Centaur and bid him a good day, to which he replies, “Good day to you too.”
She found it was pleasing to meet somebody who was not attacking her on sight and asked, “Do you have any information on two goblins, or maybe where I find the missing Warhammer of Stonebridge?”
He doesn’t know anything. “I do not wander much these days as I’m getting old. I just want to own a little gold in my old age. For three gold I can carry you across this river.”
Roxanne thought a moment and searched her pack for the nose filters. She extended her arm out to him with the filters centred in her palm. “I bought these from Yaztromo for three gold.” He had heard of the wizard, and nodded, making his way over and took the filters. She climbed onto his back and he walked across the river. The water was a dark green colour and she wondered what kind of creatures might lurk in its depths. Soon they reached the other side, she thanked him and said goodbye.
She was now at the foot of some hills…
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Roxanne
Skill: 8
Stamina: 8