Journal Entry 7 - Messing about in Boats

We set sail, with the Chief (Tulloch) and his trusty mate. Egert, your scribe, was the designated cartographer.

We planned to be away for seven days, first we headed down the coast. As we went we examined inlets of any size. For each, we noted the position, took a depth reading and continued. Where the chief had some knowledge to note, eg. "bad shoals" we added that. He knew much more about the river than the coast.

We continued down for a day mapping and noting the inlets. At each one Cacafonix or Willie would fly up and observe with a telescope the inlet. Nothing of note was found. At sunset the captain anchored offshore.

We spent the next day sailing back upstream to the river.

Next morning began the trip up river…

Going up that river was like travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish. There was no joy in the brilliance of sunshine. The long stretches of the waterway ran on, deserted, into the gloom of overshadowed distances. On silvery sandbanks hippos and alligators sunned themselves side by side.
— Joseph Conrad, The Heart of Darkness

We did find a wider channel that Chief says goes back a fair way, he takes us up for a while, but the channel ended in a thousand small impassable channels. That night, amidst the primeval jungle we mansioned. More:

The next day we continued. 15 miles upstream we found the largest channel seen so far. It was familiar to Chief. We sailed up half a mile. Coming back down we saw a blue claw rising out of the water holding an eye. Willie and Cacafonix follow it, as it has magic traces.

After following it for a short while (less than a minute) it accelerates away. They return to the boat.

About 20 miles upstream while aerial Cacafonix sees some huts, 500 years up a channel and around a bend. There are some frog people there, after observing them for a while, we continue upstream.

Another couple of miles further we detect an aberrant (magic and evil), something different from the giant crocodiles. Then we saw a small channel, and behind a mud bank several (10-20) aquatic people - Cacafonix suggests Suhuagin. Willie flies up as well, our Bard is invisible.

They see him and hiss, he hides, hovering in the treetops and then returns to the boat.

Later that day we saw more channels, and large crocodiles. We anchored off shore in the river.

Later that night, on the first watch, Krudd, saw 8 flaming arrows shot at the boat from the bank, 2 at Krudd which he brushed off and 6 which hit the boat. Krudd calls the alarm.

More arrows follow, Krudd, the Chief and the first mate locate and dowse the arrows.

We emerge from the mansion.

For your humble script/cartographer… this is a moment he had been anticipating for some time:

Egert looked at the scene, a dozen or so Suhuagin on the bank firing arrows. Time to return the favor:

Artists impression of Egert casting a fireball (Egert is taller stronger and more handsome)

Yea, observe a trusty, stalwart, fighter casting (as opposed to receiving)

I cast it at the shore - just at max range of 60'. Now not so dark now, I could see and hear a number of our attackers on fire. Willie returned fire with arrows. Thorvald (son of Thorvald) added to the fire with a holy Flame Strike. Then I felt something:

I thought I was someone else, Someone good
— Lou Reed.

No, I was inspired (Bardic Inspiration™), our Bard gave me a nod.

Second round - a spray of acid, hitting a group of 3. We heard, nay more felt, something hitting the bottom of the boat. Krudd went below decks. Then the mate was hit with an arrow, in the madness Thorvald (son of Thorvald) rushed to assist.

Third round, I sent a spray of 3 arrows at our foe, Cacafonix sent a stream of coins. Thorvald (son of Thorvald) was able to stabilise the mate.

Below decks, Krudd was confronted with a trident's prongs attempting to wedge open beams in the boat. With his trust Maul, with a mighty swing he hammered the trident out of the boat.

The combat continues....

Back to The Mosquito Coast.