Not wishing to be guest judges for the Gargoyle's Best Dressed Basilisk Fashion Show, the Exemplars hurriedly exit the massive grate as soon as there's enough space for their animals. You guide your hoofed companions carefully over a lattice of similar construction to the grate that the escaped water continues to churn through. You slosh your soggy boots over to a series of wide and shallow steps to the side, that appear to slope and curve all the way down the mountain. As you stand near the ledge you notice the knee-high stone barrier is crumbling, and plant life has pushed through the cracks in the mortar in several places. Best not to rest your boot on it.

As you squint in the morning rays that light up the eastern face of the mountain you feel your filthy clothes start to dry. Once your eyes adjust you realize that you're standing on the platform of a large stone dam. Those who dare the dizzying spectacle and look down will realize that the grating they escaped from was just the highest of several, perhaps a dozen. The ones further down, of course, are emptying the fastest with a thundering rush. Such construction may be common in dark dwarven and gnomish realms, but such feats among men crumbled long ago with the fall of the Empire.

Looking down, you see a lake has formed from the torrents. Massive trees are submerged to most of their trunks, branches stretched upwards as if begging for help. What may have once been a canal or dry river bed has flooded as well, snaking northwards and making whatever map of Braunstein you were using obsolete.

As you keep staring you notice a large boat nestled into the branches of one of the trees on the south side of the lake.
This message was last updated by the GM at 20:21, Wed 15 Jan 2020.

"There's a large boat! It will hold us all!" Brodd points to the boat in the trees. "Getting down there is going to be the hard part. Thank the gods we are out of the mountain and in the sun again."

The steps are built for gnomes, so they shouldn't be too difficult. Just tedious.

Then 2 steps at a time for Amalrik. Time to stretch these legs out for a change. And outside, real sunlight too !!

Regdoc looked much relieved to be free from beneath the indeterminable weight of the mountain and to see a pathway stretching before him once more. His demeanor markedly improved.

"Come Chomper, let's go have a look at yonder boat..."

"The Path Leads Ever Onward... Praise to the Wandering God!"

Brodd follows, leading the mule.

As the party takes the steps down the mighty structure, a horse climbs its way up to meet you. It's one of the faster breeds. It's saddle and bridle are in place with someone's traveling gear packed on as well, but there's no rider.

At whinnies as he approaches, and Einhard's stallion and the mule step forward to greet it, sniffing each other. Even Chomper pads in to get in on the act. They nod and nicker as if in conversation, with the occasional WOOF for emphasis.

Finally the knight's steed nods authoritatively, waving his front hooves in the air and charging downwards. The other animals quickly follow, leaving the two-legs flabbergasted.

Brodd picks up his pace but is careful so he doesn't fall.

"They're making us look less heroic!"

He looks back to Leohart.

"We can't have that happen, now can we?" he says with a wink.

The two descend the staircase as quickly and safely as they can.

[DM]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:19, Thu 16 Jan 2020.

The confused knight chases after his fleeing steed. "What trouble are they leading us to now?!" he wondered aloud as he tried not to lose his footing on the stairs.

Amalrik steps aside to let the crowd rush on down. He then lends a hand to anyone needing it after taking a tumble.

Dwarghar continues on grimacing

"It is a normal step for me but just a small step for normal sized people." Pock follows cautiously. One can't live, breathe or eat with a broken neck.

Carefully measuring with his eyes the distance from the tree to the boat, Gorn jumps from the branches of the tree towards the boat. "With luck I'll at least land close enough to grab the side and climb aboard." he thinks to himself. Once inside, he searches for either a paddle or something similar and begins to paddle the boat towards the shoreline. As he approaches the shoreline he keeps his eyes out for his mount, watching in the direction the mare had taken once she had gotten back to shore.

Manaku keeps his post as a rear guard, glancing every now and then behind them while taking care where to step.

"It looks like that horse belongs to that man on the boat! *huff* Now how did he get the horse on that boat? Or did he? This is all so confusing..."

He stops to pull off his boot and throw the pebbles that spill out over his shoulder. One of them plinks off Jarvak's helmet where he's been hiding.

"OI!!! Who's in there?" He shouts as he hops to his feet. "You're outnumbered, so come out with your hands up!"

He waves his dagger threateningly.

[DM]

"Hello there! Who are you and where are you bound for? Can we hire your boat?"

As the group move towards him, he steps back towards the bow of the boat. Smiling, "It's not my boat, we were trying to ford the river and I lost my seat and slid off, my horse swam on and I was able to grab hold of that tree sticking up out of the water over there," pointing to the tree that he had jumped from. "Lucky for me, the boat was floating by so I was able to jump in and row to the shore."

Pausing he finally does a quick check of himself, and then continues, "You are welcome to the boat," as he looks around it. "Looks like there would be plenty of room for your group."

Minding his step, he begins to move to where he can exit the boat and take control of his horse, "Where are you headed, if I might ask?"

Pock thinks about the man's words carefully. They make no sense to him. A huge boat came by as he was about to drown? No way. He whispers:"Maybe it is an ambush?"

The armored knight moved to his horse and grabbed the reigns. As he calmed her, he replied to the scraggy-looking man. "I am Sir Einhard. Brother-in-law to Baron Masondain. We are heading to Braunstein to slay a Minotaur, rescue my niece, and find out who, if anyone, is running things up there. Who might you be?" He gently patted Dora on the neck to calm her a bit more.

"And return mostly intact," Regdoc added to Einhard's incomplete explanation of their mission.

Dwarghar merely grunts with cynicism.

Stepping out of the boat and on to shore, he walks over to his horse and takes her reins. Rubbing the side of her neck, "Good girl. You did well."

He then looks back to the rest of the group, "We're traveling alone, which can be difficult. Would you like some additional help in your efforts?"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:09, Thu 23 Jan 2020.

"The more the merrier."

Climbing aboard the boat from the back.  A rather 'wet' dwarf starts wringing out his beard.  "That was tough, don't know how much longer I was going to be able to tread water.  Thank goodness this boat came by."   Finishing getting the water out of his beard; "Anyone need the help of a hefty axe?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:12, Thu 23 Jan 2020.

We can always use a good axe. And yes, extra help is always welcome

Jarvak has watched the party pass him in the woods and remained hidden.

He studied their faces, but he was not amongst them.

Damn, is it ever that easy to collect a bounty?

After they passed he looked where they had come from.  Water had risen overnight and they were moving to get away from something.

He took off running at break neck speed and yelled to the party by the boat.

“Wait for me!  Do you all have room for another?”
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Fri 24 Jan 2020.

"Nope, no roo- hey! Let me go flea-bag!" Regdoc had tried to turn the newcomer away, but Chomper grabbed the old cleric's robes (as well as a bit of tender flesh beneath, and pulled back. "I swear by the Trodden Paths I'll have you stuffed one of these days!"

"I, uh... I suppose there might be a spot after all..." he muttered while glaring at his guard dog.

Pock was surprised. Their party attracted people like a real party usually did. He didn't mind the new ones especially the big folk. They were always good to hide behind when things got tough.

Leohart sheathes his dagger, having watched and listened to the conversation unfold. "There is indeed safety in numbers," he says, smirking. "Heroic and otherwise." With the boat at the shoreline thanks to Gorn's piloting, he places his hand on the gunnel and prepares to step aboard, his leg moving very slowly.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:35, Fri 24 Jan 2020.

In reply to Leohart (msg # 31):

"Stop holding up the que, chickenheart," Creston says, nudging Leohart from behind. "I don't know how this guy got ahold of it, but this was always our boat."

Among the very last to get on the boat Manaku has somewhat troubled expression, if such can be seen on his usually stoic face.

"I think I've seen this boat before... only as much smaller in size - Does anybody else remember seeing it before? A bit strange it is here, now, so...conveniently?"

He acknowledges the newcomers with polite smile and slight nod while placing his clenched fist on his heart.

"I am Manaku. Well met, travelers."

Leohart proceeds onto the boat clearing room for the remaining passengers to board and finds a place to sit down away from the others. Assessing the contents of his backpack, he says to his nearest compatriot, "I'll need to replenish rations soon and would welcome a full wineskin. How are the rest of us stocked?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:26, Sun 26 Jan 2020.

Regoc's bushy white brows furrowed a bit at Manaku's observation. "Hmmm? Hmmm... Hmmm! By the Trailing Threads and Boot Prints! Wasn't this the ship in the painting behind the bar at the Sword & Board tavern where all this nonsense started???"

"An omen it was then, but perhaps He Who Wanders meant it as a portent!"

In reply to Regdoc (msg # 35):

"It was the ship we found in a bottle. Somebody must have found it and pulled the cork. Look!." Creston points at the bottle, dangling from the string. "The bottle is still attached."

Creston looks Redgoc in the eyes and says, "For someone who claims to be 'old,' you haven't seen much."

"Hehehehehe, he got you there Regdoc!" Brodd climbs aboard the boat.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:45, Sun 26 Jan 2020.

"What I don't know, and would very much like to remember, is... who was carrying the boat?"

"I didn't know we had it."

"Perhaps I've seen too much..." Regdoc said quietly and with a little more clarity than normal.

Jarvak smiled to Manaku and gave him a nod.

"Jarvak, nice to meet you."

After boarding the ship, he went to the side and looked downstream where they would be heading and back upstream to see if they were being pursued or if rushing water was heading their way.

Amalrik climbs aboard too. Taking an oar position along the side.

Once the rest of the group have boarded the boat, Gorn leads his mount on to the board and takes a seat wherever there is room. "I'd leave her but she may come in handy later on just in case we have to carry more than we can handle individually."

"So we are off then."  Durek finds a place to help by taking an oar like Amalrik.

Leohart scowls sullenly considering his empty wineskin, keeping his distance from the oars and looking downstream.

"Many of my kin are really into sailing, and while this is not...exactly same, perhaps, it should be interesting. " Manaku takes his seat on the boat.

"Even more so, since this obviously has to be a magical boat. It was previously stored in a bottle - I now remember seeing it among the gear on the mule. Did it belong to the poor old wizard we lost, Sasar? And behold, now the boat waits us here. What a marvelous coincident, don't you think?"

"It beats walking."