E X P L O R A T I O N FOLLOWING THE RIVER | SEPTEMBER 8-9 Heading south along the cliff edge towards the river, characters will encounter only the thick vegetation of the jungle and the average, perhaps expected sightings of wildlife. The journey will be impeded only by the density of the jungle, as well as a few fallen trees and unearthed rocks which force their path to detour slightly. Their nearness to the river will be indicated by the steadily increasing sound of water roaring over the side of the cliff - the waterfall is 2 miles wide, and once they reach the river bank, the noise will be nearly deafening.
The river bank itself is a wide shore of pebbles, stones worn to a slick shine by the acidic waters. The colours of these stones are mostly grey and brown, but there will be the occasional unusually bright rocks - green, blue and pink, as well as a few clear stones similar in appearance to quartz.
The pebbles don't make for particularly stable or comfortable walking, but the shore is clear from vegetation. Travel along the side of the river or veering back onto softer soil should therefore balance at the same pace regardless. It will take the rest of the day to follow along the river's side in this manner, with characters finding clearer, flat rock outcrops nearer the trees as the sun begins to dip in the sky. The jungle grows dark quickly due to the dense canopy, but progress could continue a little further on the river bank if characters choose to do so.
Making camp for the night, characters will find themselves surrounded by the sounds of the jungle's nocturnal creatures, with the occasional rustling in trees above as some animal moves through the branches. Having a fire burning through the night may be advisable to ward the wildlife off - or it could draw unwanted attention.
At some point in the dead of the night hours, characters will be disturbed by the sound of several large creatures moving at speed through the trees on the other side of the river. Five "rhinobear" beasts will emerge from the tree line, chasing a sixth. Physically resembling the others, the sixth will be immediately observable in being different due to its colouring being pale and white in comparison to their darker hides. It will also appear to have somehow lost much of the armouring at its head, and have some strange, unidentifiable growths along its back.
The beasts will chase this sixth across a shallow ford in the river, where the water will seem to harm and cause pain to it but not to them. It will just make it to the opposite shore before the five catch up to it, one attack to its hind bringing it down and allowing them to surround it. There will be some strange caution in how they seem to wait to take turns to attack it, when its head is turned or when another has caused it to fall, but the ordeal will not take long. Within a matter of minutes, they will have killed it. They will then disperse into the trees, leaving the body on the river bank, likely to eventually be drawn away by the acidic water.
There will be nothing more notable through the rest of the night. In the morning, characters will be able to continue their journey along the river. However, at this point it will only be a couple more hours of travel before they reach the 15 miles limit, and begin to feel the effects of the 'tether'. At this point, looking along the river, they will be able to see that it takes a sharp bend to the south another mile or so out - and that there appears to be what could be a very large rock, or some other dark object overgrown with vines and mostly obscured by trees at the point of this bend.
On the return journey back to the camp, characters will experience nothing more unusual in the jungle than has been described in the setting and FAQ pages.
NOTES: the scenario with the six rhinobears was written as complete for ease, but is absolutely open for character interaction at your discretion. Please just let us know what action characters would take, and we can describe the results! Similarly, what characters do when they reach the end of the tether has also been left open for reaction and choices in action, as well as being open to the incorporation of the Tranquility jumping as impetus to return.
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FOLLOWING THE RIVER | SEPTEMBER 8-9
Heading south along the cliff edge towards the river, characters will encounter only the thick vegetation of the jungle and the average, perhaps expected sightings of wildlife. The journey will be impeded only by the density of the jungle, as well as a few fallen trees and unearthed rocks which force their path to detour slightly. Their nearness to the river will be indicated by the steadily increasing sound of water roaring over the side of the cliff - the waterfall is 2 miles wide, and once they reach the river bank, the noise will be nearly deafening.
The river bank itself is a wide shore of pebbles, stones worn to a slick shine by the acidic waters. The colours of these stones are mostly grey and brown, but there will be the occasional unusually bright rocks - green, blue and pink, as well as a few clear stones similar in appearance to quartz.
The pebbles don't make for particularly stable or comfortable walking, but the shore is clear from vegetation. Travel along the side of the river or veering back onto softer soil should therefore balance at the same pace regardless. It will take the rest of the day to follow along the river's side in this manner, with characters finding clearer, flat rock outcrops nearer the trees as the sun begins to dip in the sky. The jungle grows dark quickly due to the dense canopy, but progress could continue a little further on the river bank if characters choose to do so.
Making camp for the night, characters will find themselves surrounded by the sounds of the jungle's nocturnal creatures, with the occasional rustling in trees above as some animal moves through the branches. Having a fire burning through the night may be advisable to ward the wildlife off - or it could draw unwanted attention.
At some point in the dead of the night hours, characters will be disturbed by the sound of several large creatures moving at speed through the trees on the other side of the river. Five "rhinobear" beasts will emerge from the tree line, chasing a sixth. Physically resembling the others, the sixth will be immediately observable in being different due to its colouring being pale and white in comparison to their darker hides. It will also appear to have somehow lost much of the armouring at its head, and have some strange, unidentifiable growths along its back.
The beasts will chase this sixth across a shallow ford in the river, where the water will seem to harm and cause pain to it but not to them. It will just make it to the opposite shore before the five catch up to it, one attack to its hind bringing it down and allowing them to surround it. There will be some strange caution in how they seem to wait to take turns to attack it, when its head is turned or when another has caused it to fall, but the ordeal will not take long. Within a matter of minutes, they will have killed it. They will then disperse into the trees, leaving the body on the river bank, likely to eventually be drawn away by the acidic water.
There will be nothing more notable through the rest of the night. In the morning, characters will be able to continue their journey along the river. However, at this point it will only be a couple more hours of travel before they reach the 15 miles limit, and begin to feel the effects of the 'tether'. At this point, looking along the river, they will be able to see that it takes a sharp bend to the south another mile or so out - and that there appears to be what could be a very large rock, or some other dark object overgrown with vines and mostly obscured by trees at the point of this bend.
On the return journey back to the camp, characters will experience nothing more unusual in the jungle than has been described in the setting and FAQ pages.
NOTES: the scenario with the six rhinobears was written as complete for ease, but is absolutely open for character interaction at your discretion. Please just let us know what action characters would take, and we can describe the results! Similarly, what characters do when they reach the end of the tether has also been left open for reaction and choices in action, as well as being open to the incorporation of the Tranquility jumping as impetus to return.