28 Nuzyael 720

"Phew that was close. Ibanvaalers. That may mean they've removed some of the stakes down river. They'll be a nasty suprise for the Daas. An ambush or a raid?" says Barak when they are gone.

"Any pack need to be stowed in the centre and weapons should be out of sight." states Barsk as he starts to get organised. He crawls around and takes an inventry of what is on the boat. He checks out both lockers.

"Now Kugald are you going to try for Froyby to warn the Daas of the danger, or just bypass it?"

[OoC: what does Barak find?]

Post by GM You spend some time fumbling around in the darkness as you search the boat. As stated there is a single sail folded along the port beam. An anchor sits toward the bow attached with a length of rope. Four oars are stowed aboard while numerous lengths of rope are placed about the boat while inside the lockers apart from the smell of dead fish you find a few knives, a broad brimmed hat, two hand fishing lines (without hooks and sinkers etc) and a small wooden box that contains about a dozen fishing hooks of various sizes and some small lead weights again of various weights.

"How do you know that was Ibanvaalers?" Jurri asks.

"They came from downstream. The only Menglana force downstream of us on the east bank are at Froyby and there are no boats there. It could have been the force that Cunate sent down the west bank but I doubt it. It was almost certainly Ibanvaal. Maybe scouts, maybe a small raid on one of our thrans, but equaly possible part of a force designed to ambush Cunate or deny his route of retreat." murmers Barak.

"Did it sound like many oars rowed in unison to you? If so, it was probably a warband, maybe even a dragon boat. It is unlikely to have been a friendly fishing boat at this time of night."

"It certainly sounded like a boat being rowed upstream, but it was only one boat...even if it was a dragon boat and Ibanvaalese, neither of which we know for sure, its crew would hardly be enough to threaten the Daas' army. If we pass any more boats, we will stop at Froyby and let the Daas' know. If not, let's continue."

Kugald nods at Barak's suggestions about weapons and armour. He carefully moves to the middle of the boat and slowly, careful not to upset the balance of the boat, he strips off his armour and weapons. He carefully bundles them up in his cloak and stores them with his pack and other equipment in the bottom centre of the boat. He keeps only his dagger with him. When he is finished, he picks up his pole and moves back to the bow of the boat. His eyes strain in the darkness and his ears are consciously listening for any signs of danger.

TTYL

- Kerry

Time: Mid 6th watch

It has been some time since the other vessel passed by, no one has heard any other watercraft since, in fact apart from the lapping of the water against the hull of the boat all else has been quiet.

Barak has made himself busy searching the boat, while Kugald has made himself as comfortable as possible at the bow and has been checking the path of the boat, while Algared still takes the tiller.

Jurri, Vidar and Borygg have taken a seat at the rowing posts and peer into the darkness straining to see or hear anything.

Today has been long and the days before hard. Fatigue is starting to grip the warband now, as each of you sit still aboard the boat every now and then you find your thoughts beginning to drift and your eyes beginning to close, but you are still able to catch yourself and bring yourself back from sleep.

After what seems like 1/2 a watch has past since you boarded the boat, Borygg sights a very faint glow on the port beam, it is hard to say how far away but it is extremely faint and is visible only long enough for Borygg to point it out to the rest of the warband where Kugald, Jurri and Algared see it briefly before it vanishes.

Not a few moments later Barak sights several dim glowing lights off the starboard beam, this time everyone is able to see them as they are visible for longer, burn that bit brighter and seem closer than the first light.

[OOC]

Barak have amended you post regarding contents of the lockers.

How long do you plan on drifting downstream?

"Well Kugald, if we're following Algarad's watch scheme, it is time that Borygg, Vidar and I tried for some sleep. Do you agree?"

"I assume we are coming up on Froyby. I think we should continue to drift past."

"Barak, you are right, why don't the three of you try and get a little sleep. Jurri, Algared and I will keep watch. There is a big curve in the river coming up, about a watch away, based on how long it took to get to Froyby. I suggest we try and stop there. It might be light by then and safer to land."

OOC: I figure we should drift down stream past Froyby. There is a very big curve in the river (almost a 90 degree turn) coming up. The road travels along the outside edge of the curve of the river and the hills/mountains come down almost to the riverbank, making a natural choke point. That might be a good place to lay up (on the inside curve of the river of course!) and watch the Ibanvaalese army as they march south. The inside curve of rivers often have large sandbars. It is a big enough landmark that it would be very hard to miss, even in the dark.

TTYL

- Kerry

Time: Mid 6th watch to End 6th watch

You have passed the lights on the starboard side as they fade back into the blackness.

About a 1/4 watch later the first drops of rain begin to fall, it begins as the occassional drop which quickly builds to a downpour. What visibilty there was drops even further, Algared and Kugald can no longer see each other.

The rest of the warband struggle trying to find shelter from the rain.

Jurri sits amidship and is only just able to make out the huddled figures of Algared and Kugald.

Jurri looks up at the sky and pulls his cloak closer about himself.

"Well, this is more like it! I was afraid Sarajin would make it too easy! Ha!"

Having used his cloak to carefully wrap up his weapons and armour, Kugald sits dejectedly in the rain wondering what he has to do to catch a break.

"Sigh"

TTYL

- Kerry

Time: Near the end of the 6th watch.

The boat continues to float downstream, with the crew some of the crew trying to sleep but have difficulty due to the rain while the others who are supposed to remain awake are now finding it harder and harder to remain awake, thankfully (some would say) the rain aids them in staying awake.

With the rain still falling and the darkness concealing all and sundry from view, Kugald is the process of retrieving his pole from the water after trying to gauge the depth of the water when the boat shudders.

A quick inspection finds that the boat has hit the right bank of the river, judging by the impact you reckon your current speed at about two or three knots. The blow was hard enough for everyone to feel it and jar them awake but after a quick inspection the boat seems to have survived undamaged.

The on duty crew are quickly able to push the boat back out towards the middle of the river and once again you are floating downstream.

[OOC]: Yet again, Vidar is WAY behind due to cessation of e-mail updates. I have a lot of reading to do, and then I'll post.

> quick inspection finds that the boat has hit the right bank of the river <

"Careful now, some of us are trying to sleep."

If the rain is bad, Barak will unfurl some of the sail to use as a tarp to keep the worse of the rain off.

As they check the boat for damage Barak is asked check the boat as best he can, Algared trusting in his cousins basic knowledge knowledge of shipwrighting to have a better chance of detecting flaws in the vessel even though he he is unable to detect anything amiss. "I want to try get a better fix of our location." Algared says as he moves away to check the bank,trying to get a better fix of their location.

(OOC does it appear that we have reached the bend in the river, or merely that we had drifted to the port. is the bank fields or bush can he make out the road or other features that may assist him.)

Barak yawns sleepily... "It didn't sound to me like we hit a rock and holed her, now did it sound like we sprung any planks. We just touched ground. If she ain't leaking too badly - and you would know if she was - then it will be best to check out the damage, if any, in morning. Now had we had the sail up then it would have been a different story and we wouldn't have been so lucky..." Barak slowly fades away drowsely

Algared wrote:"I want to try get a better fix of our location."

In a boat. Floating down the river. In a rainstorm. Jurri thinks to himself as he watches Algared search in vain for a reference point.

"Sometimes," he says quietly, "You should just go with the flow."

Algared searches the surrounding area. In the darkness with rain falling heavily he searches, there are no landmarks visible in the darkness except for the feint silouhette of treeline against the barely lighter sky to your right side.

You look dispondent as you reluctantly concede there is no chance of gaining your bearings with the current conditions.
As Kugald struggles to free to boat from the shoreline, there is a thud against the port side of the boat, Jurri appears to be the only one to notice as the other two men on watch have their attentions elsewhere and the other three men are struggling to keep out of the poor weather.

Jurri looking over the side can see something floating in the water, reaching down he is startled to find the object is in fact a body. (If you wish to grab the body you would be able to). The body is floating face down and obviously quite dead.

By the time Algared has had a look around, Kugald has pushed the boat back out into the current using the barge pole and the boat begins to drift downstream once again.

Given that you figure your speed at somewhere around 2-3 knots based on the time it took you to get from Lihea and what you took to be Froyby, you think that there might be between a league or two to go before reaching the bend. The current is only a slightly less chance that you will pass straight through the bend as it is to deposit you against one of the banks when you arrive at the bend and with the current visibility as it is you would be none the wiser if you do go to far.

Returning to the boat, Algared helps Jurri if possible to haul the dead man closer so he can be examined.

Well now, what's this? Jurri thinks when he sees the body.

He'll pull the body closer if possible with Algared's help. What can we tell about this guy?

Reaching into the water the chill causes you to involuntarily shudder, you grab the body and draw it towards the boat before it can drift away. The body is wearing a woolen tunic and leggings, he wears leather shoes on his feet, fastened around his waist is a leather belt with a dagger still sheathed within.

His looks appear average and you do not recognise him, his hair is blonde, his complexion fair (and not because he is dead ), he has a medium build and would stand about 6' tall.

There are no apparent wounds visible that would indicate how or why he ended up in the river.

If there is no obvious cause of death, Jurri will move to release the body, glancing first at Algared.

"Contagion?" he asks.

"Not sure, he appears to have been healthy, possibly he fell overboard and drowned, how many do know who can swim?"

Algared examionethe body a little closer, checking his fingers for marks that would indicate the removal of rings, he checks for a pouch and signs of bruising which may have resulted if he was held under water. Algaered looks for signs that would indicate illness, and also tries to estimate how long he has been dead.

Your check of the body comes up empty for all the signs you were looking for, this is in the main due to the dark.

His extremities have swollen slightly from being immersed and you have absolutely no idea how long he has been in the water. Long enough for him to suffer from the effects of being in the water but not long enough that he has been attacked by fish etc.

Huddled in the rain at the bow of the boat, Kugald continues to strain to see any landmarks in the darkness. He hears Algared and Jurri talking about the body.

“Haul him in or let him go…it is up to you, but make a decision!”

Kugald looks up at the eastern mountains (or where they should be) to see if there is any sign of dawn yet.

“The next time we come close to shore, I think we should beach the boat and wait for light. Drifting down the river in the darkness is crazy. We could easily drift past the whole Ibanvaalese army.”

The young weaponcrafter struggles to stay awake.

TTYL

- Kerry

Algared attempts to haul the body into the boat, Jurri offers him a hand, but they soon realise that this extra weight may take the boat over it's capacity and decide to drop it back in the water.

Once again in the darkness with the boat refloated you are once again drifting downstream.