[RP] Crag's Secrets: Chapter 1 - Arrival

Capital idea, master Sadur. Your hound's nose is a more valuable asset for scouting than the rest of us combined. I would join you, but O feel my duty is to be withing hailing distance of the princess. Turning to the others, Bartholomew continues Sadur must concentrate in scouting; but I would ask the rest of you to contemplate the matter of the mirror and the scriptures. First, it seems we may have some support among those who remain on the old continent. Second, the mirror and symbol themselves might have more utility than mere symbolism. With that, Bartholomew packs up his own belongings for travel, and turns to help any other who may need as the party prepares for its journey down the path.

"I don't suppose anyone managed to get any sense of which way is home?" Shallan sighs, "Our first step is survival, then we need to find our way home."
She appraises the group,
"Sardur, if you're happy to scout alone, with your hound then do so - but please be careful, I don't want to lose any more friends here. Bella you're on quartermaster duty and keep an eye on people, I'm relying on you to notice if someone is flagging and we need to rest. Kimbek, you're learned, if you can take notes on the area, I don't want to find we've been going around in circles and no-one was paying attention enough to notice." she pauses a moment, half expecting someone to protest.

"I don't think we need to worry too much about being followed, so the rest of you just keep a lookout, we may need to arrange a foraging team later, but I think we're well stocked for now?"

Belladonna gives a salute and a wink to Shallan.

"Of course, my lady. We should have enough emergency food for 5 days. We should look for more fresh water though. Leadership fits you well."

She follows what Kimbek did to cook the last of the rations that will expire and enjoys a hearty meal with the group. She then checks on Pepper and is pleased the good rest and companionship seems to have healed her spirits. She still has a bulging stomach though from the overeating and will have to take it easy.

First she has everyone pack up their share of rations and bundle up the wood so it can be easily transported if Sadur finds a better camping spot. As they do so, she takes the opportunity to check out the hut they have been sleeping by to see if it will give them clues on who they will encounter in the near future.

Kimbek nods his approval, he had already been looking at some of the plants to see if he could determine whether they were edible or not, and taking notes in his cookbook/spellbook with a pointy stick and a bit of moistened bark.

Kimbek, I have some training in biology and poisons, so I may be able to help you with food identification. Well, at least with what not to use.

Sadur, encouraged by the consent of the princess and her mature advisor, did not wait long before he ordered his dog to stay close to him and took a cautious but quick steps down the path, in order to get ahead of the group by a suitable distance.

Belladonna, after issuing a series of orders, mainly aimed at taking good, calorific wood with them, decided to spend some more time checking out the small hut. She was a bit more daring than Sadur and went inside. She sat down on a small stool, probably to feel like its owner. She saw in front of her, through the open door, only her companions packing up in their camp. Disappointed a little she stood up, then she felt that there was some powder on the stool. She instinctively put her fingers to her nose and smelled it.

"Ha! Tobacco. And quite high quality. The owner was certainly someone who did not shy away from a pipe." - she thought.

Bella - curious - stood on the stool and looked out through a small square window. It basically gave a view only of the clearing, but it was so cleverly cut out that it easily encompassed it in its entirety.

She looked up. To her surprise, she saw a lever with a handle at the end that fit her hand perfectly. Its other end was attached to a small actuator reaching the roof of this min-hut. Without thinking much, she pulled it. At first she heard a sound like a crack coming from above her head. Instinctively, she covered herself with her arm. But when after a moment - nothing happened, she opened her eyes and saw that pulling the lever had caused a small vent in the roof to open, and the air inside became slightly cooler. Undoubtedly, the builder of this mini-house knew how to construct various contraptions. She left the hut finding nothing more, in order to check the results of her orders and how company is ready for the coming journey...

As the party makes its way down the narrow, overgrown path, the dense jungle seems to close in around them. Towering ferns brush against their cloths, and the thick canopy above allows only thin rays of sunlight to pierce through, casting dappled shadows across the mossy ground. Every step forward is met with the cacophony of unseen creatures—strange birds calling out in shrill, haunting tones, and the distant roar of something far larger, deeper within the jungle.

The air is thick and humid, clinging to their skin, and with each breath, the rich, earthy scent of wet soil and exotic flora fills their lungs. Their boots sink into the soft, loamy ground, while vines draped with ancient carvings coil around trees older than any they’ve seen before. The jungle feels alive, not just with creatures, but with the remnants of an ancient power—stones carved with symbols they can barely comprehend peek through the underbrush, as if watching their every move.

Despite their shared loyalty and royal blood, tension hangs in the air. Each of them feels the weight of the unknown pressing down, knowing they’re far from the mechanical comforts of the royal court. They know this is a place where the wilds reign, where forgotten civilizations have left their marks.

Some may wonder in silence: What lies ahead? What dangers lurk beyond the trees? Others, perhaps the more pragmatic, feel the prickle of fear as they consider what those roars belong to. Dinosaurs? Beasts of flesh? Or iron? Like the flying pterodactyl that brought them to this forsaken place?

The clearing where they began their journey now feels like a distant memory. Here, on this path surrounded by ancient stone and living jungle, they are truly at the edge of the world.

---

On their way at one moment:
Kimbek crouched by a cluster of unfamiliar plants, his sharp eyes scanning the thick, waxy leaves and small, dark berries nestled within. He reached for his cookbook—though some might mistake it for a spellbook, the pages a jumble of recipes, arcane symbols, and notes on flora. With a pointy stick sharpened to precision and a scrap of moistened bark, he scribbled quick observations. Rubbing a berry between his fingers, he sniffed it cautiously, then smeared a small amount on the back of his hand, waiting for any sign of irritation. "Might be edible… if boiled," he murmured to himself, jotting down his thoughts as he cross-referenced an earlier note. Kimbek had long known that survival wasn’t just about swordplay—knowledge of the natural world, of what could nourish or kill, was its own form of magic.

After looking over the hut, it confirmed Belladonna's thoughts that this was a hut someone stayed in to watch the clearing they had landed in. Most likely hunting, but good to know the person who visited the hut had to be patient and enjoyed a good smoke. Belladonna sighed a little, she could go for a good tobacco again. She then perked up, if they find whoever owned this hut, maybe one day they could trade for it! She made sure to share what she saw and her thoughts the next time the group rested.

Satisfied with her observations, she joined the group to follow Sadur down the path. She took up the rear to see if anyone was flagging to call out for rests or allow them to ride Pepper for a bit. Belladonna refrained from riding on Pepper as she no longer had a saddle and wanted to keep her fresh for others who may need the help. When the foliage thinned and they could be less guarded, she would play the flute to give some distraction on their long trek. During one of their rests, Belladonna tries her hand at foraging.

Bartholomew was intrigued by the mirror, but couldn’t give it his full focus at this moment. Until he was more assured of not only the party’s chances for survival, but had a better idea of where they were in relation to the capital and what steps would be needed to get them back, he wanted to focus on the group.

After nearly eight hours of relentless trekking through the jungle, exhaustion begins to settle into the bones of the adventurers. The dense vegetation continues to press in on all sides, and the air is thick with the mingling scents of wet earth, decaying foliage, and unfamiliar blossoms. The once vibrant sense of adventure is now dulled by the ache in their legs and the weight of uncertainty. Every step forward feels like a battle through the tangled undergrowth, the foreign sounds of dinosaurs echoing in the distance like constant, low drumbeats reminding them they are far from safety.

But then, without warning, the jungle thins, and the group emerges at the edge of a deep ravine. A narrow rope bridge hangs precariously before them, swaying slightly in the gentle breeze. Surprisingly it looks as relatively new, no older then few years..

The ravine itself yawns before them, very deep and shrouded in mist, its jagged walls vanishing into the shadowy abyss below. The rope bridge is worn, the ropes fraying in places, and the wooden planks beneath are cracked and rotted, some missing entirely. Beyond the bridge, the other side of the ravine reveals more of the same: jungle... but the trees loos a little less dense... or is it only more a wish, rather than fact?

As they stand at the edge, they realize that - in practice - they could go down the ravine on this side and go up back on the other. But it will take them at least few more hours - in comparison to just crossing the rope bridge.

The trek has pushed them to their limits, but this bridge, swinging lightly in the wind, presents them with a difficult choice: risk a quick but dangerous crossing, or descend down the ravine without relying on the unknown strength of the bridge.

Belladonna - eager and enthusiastic as always - didn't wait for Kimbek's results of the analysis of the vegetation around them. When she came across one large, beautiful fruit - without thinking much she picked it and took a bite. However, its taste didn't really match its appearance, and it was safe to say that it was quite strange.

Kimbek notes Belladonna's foraging attempt, and looks carefully at the discarded fruit, even smelling it a little. "We have to be careful here. We're in a much different place from home. Even things we think we recognize might be completely different than what they are back home." He tries not to say this in a chiding tone. "What did it taste like?"

Bartholomews studies related more to the history and politics of the empire, but he had collected a smattering of other information over his career. As they marched, he considered if there was anything that would shed light on their current situation. INT check (unskilled wilderness)

Hey-ho! What do you think? My dog and Belladonna could make it, but there is more of Me he laughs. looking around for possible wines to use to get down safely. He is looking for even more wines to use as a rope. Everyone look tired, let me think if I can figure something out

As the rest of the group catches up to Sadur at the ravine, Kimbek takes a moment to get some water and eat a few dry rations. He also keeps an eye on Belladonna to see if she is having any adverse effects from the fruit she tried earlier. He spies the bridge and wonders at it aloud. "Do you think it's safe?" he calls out to Sadur.

As Belladonna saw Kimbek take time to check some of the local flora, she soon espied a fruit that looked very much like what they had at home. Feeling a little homesick, she couldn't resist grabbing one to try and take a bite. She probably should have stopped when she noticed her fingers tingling as she grabbed the fruit.

"Eeugh, it tasted just like an apple at first, but as I swallowed it felt like the fruit had been filled with fire ants!"

From now on, Belladonna will keep an eye out for that fruit and make sure Pepper doesn't eat any.

As Belladonna rests like Sadur recommends, she feels a bit nervous that Kimbek has been keeping a close eye on her. For her care or morbid curiosity she is not sure. She squeakily pipes up, "You could tie a strong rope or vine to me and I could try crossing the bridge if you wish."