(073) Wind and Sand

[ehiker133]

"Yeah, if our weapons can even harm them. We need to spend some time searching the battle field for weapons. When does it get dark around here," Desmond asks.

[Eris]

"Yeah" Olaf says grinning,"We can harm them. Killed several and took their boat from them."

[coffee]

Does it get dark around here? Have we seen any change in the light since we got here? Is there a sun in the sky? Seems to me like we'd have noticed these things, but I cannot for the life of me remember.

What with the other physical features of the world being different (time, gravity...), it may well be that the length of the day is completely different as well.

[waysoftheearth]

With the fighting all done, for now, the company moves to hunker down out of the wind, Helmut peering into the interior of the damage hull ahead of helping Josiane to the refuge within...

The truth be that there isn't really space for a grown Man to stand inside, let alone a company of a dozen fighting-men. It's more like an attic than a chamber; all obstructed by struts and beams, and full of awkward spaces around the perimeter that aren't really quite large enough to be useful.

Still, everyone makes clambers inside, as Desmond/Mondes opens the top hatch to make a little more room.

It's tight within, but at least there is a reprieve from the lashing wind and Armando, Ashtad, Dieter, Ulric, Torben, Josiane, Helmut, Wen, and Highough can hear themselves speaking.

Once they are all crammed into the hull they immediately notice that, by the Gods!, it is fiercely hot in this place--not just in the hull, but this whole... desert! The fighting company take quenching gulps from their water flasks, and wipe copious sweat from their brows as new plans are discussed...

Meanwhile, Desmond/Mondes sticks a head out the central hatch to survey the topdeck, and the surveys the wrecked ship and the surrounds in the blasting wind. It seems a great pity that the 30ft platform was put into the sand... it could have been a very handy asset. Now, he laments, it's gonna be an awfully long, hot, windy, sandy march from here to just about anywhere else. At least there is no other activity visible just yet.

Once thirsts are temporarily stated, Josiane encourages Ulric to bring forth and try The Speculum.

"Now may indeed be the opportune moment," concurs Ulric, and draws forth the mighty ball of clear stone. "Might I suggest that someone post a lookout while I am thusly engaged..? And give me a spare inch of elbow room!" he growls, and when he has it, he hunches over the magical orb and begins to invoke is awful powers...

As far as Dieter, Olaf, and Torben are concerned, they can't have been in this place more than an hour, surely? It was hardly ten minutes after the had the elves departed when the skiff approached, and soon after they boarded it, then crashed it, and viola! The whole party had returned! Meanwhile, the very same party spent an evening and a full night back at the abbey...

There is no evidence that there is a recognisable day/night cycle here. So far, there has been a very consistent, and hot, dull red light level...

What next?

[ehiker133]

Desmond thinks about that for a moment, then suggests, "So... Time doesn't pass more quickly here, as we were first told," he glances around at nobody in particular. "It passes more slowly! By a great amount, even; maybe one hour here to at least one day in our world. So two more hours here would see Dorgan at the Elven village, assuming he leaves on time. That also means if our friend The Gustave was bit by one of these things to be changed into one, then he's only effectively been in such a state for a few hours. That is how they managed to do things in our world that seem to span eons, like build a gate where first there was nothing and then there was an abbey."

Having not taken part in the active fighting, Desmond offers to go topside and be a lookout.

He will do so, positioning himself in the shadows of the ship where he still has a good view of his surroundings, specifically, the direction of the battlefield and structures where the wolf men supposedly live.

[mgtremaine]

Wen sitting knees to chest and eyes closed tries to move as little as possible. He finally speaks "Dorgan was poisoned. We need get this done and return before it is too late. If we can't fly this to the battle field then we better get walking."

[Condorcet]

"The Lady needs rest, elf," hisses Helmut from where he is doing his best to treat Josiane's wounds in the swirling sand, "I know not the one you call 'The Gustave', but I want no ill to come of the dwarf."

"Poison or no, I do know that it would wound him sorely if Lady Josiane does not make it back", he says, turning his back on Wen before adding, "If you would leave her thus then do so, I will remain here until she is well enough to join you."

[mushgnome]

"If time passes slower here, then how did I get so old??" muses Highbough.

If he can lend his powers in any way to the scrying attempt, then he will do so.

[mgtremaine]

Wen would turn his head towards Helmut and look at him with a slow, wide, gaze as if pondering the very essence of him. "Leave her, wound her, haha. I think you do not understand, she is guided I can no more tell her where to go then you can. But I don't want her in the lead that is for sure. Now let Ulric finish so we can get out of this heat. He goes back to sitting still.

[doctorx]

"Friends, please," Josiane chides gently, nonetheless flashing a grateful smile to both the Templar and the Elf; "Let there be no rancour between you on my account. It will take but a short time to tend to both my wounds and Dieter's. In any case, we need to know our destination before we can depart hence. The Speculem will aid us with that. Have Faith."

"This heat... troubles me," she continues in more concerned tones; "Look to your water! Make it last as long as you may! Who knows where the next pure source may be found in this unholy place..?"

She gives quiet thanks to her White Lady that she thought to refill her water skin before passing through the gate...