Round Eight
The Crucible swept away behind them, its treacherous ravines giving way to trickles of what at first seemed like blessed, lifegiving water in this parching heat--but the scent of this water, metallic and stagnant, hinted at its true nature.
Ahead: the Dead Marsh, a flat stretch of deadly sand pocked with unstable pits of quicksand, sucking mud flats, and pools of water ranging from soft-bottomed, sludgy puddles to drowning-deep holes. Dead trees, black and dried, clawed with leafless branches at the air. And that was only what was visible; the water and even patches of its thick-fogged air were toxic, enough to scour the lungs into bleeding, or kill the Gembound who drank from the wrong pool. This bog was perilous: little life, bar an occasional darting Quill Mouse, dared to venture here. Even so, one or two Eyehooks still circled overhead, or perched--waiting and watching--on those dead branches.
One pouch of seeds, and the stakes that glowed faint green: that was all the Gembounds would have left in their pouches. These second pouches of seeds--glowing green, too--were to be scattered here, perhaps to help keep the water or air along the path purified. And the stakes--clearly to mark safe passage. The Gembounds would need to test each step, then mark a trail that others, in the future, would be able to safely navigate.
It was the finding of the safe path that might prove deadly.
Aran has stumbled over a Quill Mouse, which impaled one of his legs quite badly with its quills. Said quills were coated in a mixture of toxins and venoms; his wounds will begin to throb and simply will not stop bleeding...
• Gembounds must roll to safely traverse the Dead Marsh. Any form of roll may be used so long as it makes sense (magic sense to avoid danger, other or physical to avoid or dodge attack, etc.).
• Upon a successful roll (Barely +), please specify in bold text underneath your post/posting table, whether your character chooses to move ahead of those who fail, or remains behind with the pack, or even deliberately falls back one place with the stragglers.
• Failing this roll may result in sinking into quicksand, mud flats, or surprising pits of deep water, breathing potentially deadly toxic gas, accidentally drinking toxic water, or being attacked by Eyehook Vultures pursuing the group from above.
Placement
First: Hymn
Second: Anselm, Huntsman, Corsair, Wisperia, Duck Duck, Fleas
Third: Spinnaker, One
Fourth: Whistle, Captain, Galleon
Fifth: Kaizer, Fiver, K'cil, Conleth, Jim, Zhusha, Ivory, Star, Glory, Ruby-Beta, Reverend, Aran
Sixth: Warrior
The next post will take place on September 21st.
@Wisperia (Hymn, Star)
@Galleon (Fleas, Anselm)
@Ruby-Beta (Glory)
@Whistle (K'cil, Duck Duck)
@Aran @Zhusha (Captain, Jim)
@Conleth (Huntsman, One)
@Reverend (Spinnaker, Kaizer)
@Warrior (Corsair, Ivory)
@Fiver
