(G76 22/01/10 KT - GF(GM), AP, ON, SS)
DAY 149
No so early in the morning, the fellows used three 'Air Walk' spells to walk casually out
of the caverns via the rift. As the climbed further up into the clear morning air they were
greeted with the most scenic of panoramas.
They were in the bowl of a deep round valley, that was perhaps three miles across. It was filled
with mist shrouded jungle except for the centre which held a small plain and a watering hole.
They gauged that to get back to the Wyvern they would have to cross the valley and set straight
off across the tree tops.
However, the sharper eyes of the group noticed that they had attracted the attention of what
appeared to be some very very large birds and Crispy was the first to take cover beneath the
jungle canopy. The others followed and in the humid and gloomy area between the upper and lower
levels of the forest they continued until they reached the clearing.
It was still before noon, but the journey had made them all thirsty, so Nobby summoned some
water and they considered their next move. The Air Walk spells were about to wear out so they
found a good spot high up in a large tree to rest.
Their plan to spend the rest of the day and night in the tree so that the clerics could replenish
their magical energies was cut short when a few hours later they whole area was covered in massed
clouds of hungry locusts.
These annoying insects proved very dangerous as they bit and clawed their way up inside armour
and most any kind of protection. Veddic had very limited success with his chain, even when it
was enchanted with flame magic but Nobby had more luck, with a Burning Hands spell. It did have the
unlucky side affect of setting fire to the tree though and feeling rather powerless to help after he
had killed off a few locusts with his pot of Alchemist's Fire and in a lot of stinging pain,
Crispy was the first to start climbing down.
Veddic followed shortly and Nobby set the whole tree on fire as a parting gift to the locusts
with a Wall of Fire spell. She was also the first to fall, but luckily she had an Updraft spell
in mind and just before she crashed to the ground she was gently lifted back up into the air
before floating to the jungle floor. Veddic also fell but used the same technique to save
himself. Crispy was the only one not to act like a yo-yo in the group and made his own way
down.
They made their way around the edge of the clearing to the left and saw that the watering
hole in the middle had narrow sand banks on either side that were hedged in by jagged rocks
and cliff sides. All around the watering hole were gangs of long legged terror birds, waiting
for wildebeest and gazelle to make a mad dash to the waters edge to drink.
They could see herds of wildebeest, keeping to the jungle edge to shelter from the giant birds
that hunted them from the sky, some of which were hundreds of beasts in size.
As the fellows made their way towards one of these herds they could see that the forest fire
Nobby had started behind them had spread to cover a fair amount of the jungle and was filling
the valley with smoke.
