Alain Alone, the Road to Darkon

[Lord Skybolt]

"We have to move the boat over to one side of the river, or another so the monster can't get under us as easily as before and without us seeing it . Move us to which ever shore is closest !!"Looking at the Boat Captain as he says this ."I need to see it, to shoot at !!"Patting one of his pistols . But thinking to himself:I need to at least see it hit to use my spells on it .

[ewancummins]

Working swiftly, several of the the boatmen haul on the oars to move the keelboat towards the north bank. The boatmaster and another of the men turn the square sail so that the wind nudges the vessel towards the sandy river-marge.

THUMP
THUMP

The keelboat's simple log frame vibrates with each underwater impact.

[Lord Skybolt]

"Come on people we need get off the boat when we get to shore !! So we at least have solid ground underneath us so we won't get toppled into the water with the monster . If anyone has any ranged weapons, ready them to use against the monster if it breaks the surface of the water ! Here can anyone use crossbow ?"He points out his hanging from one of his horses .

[ewancummins]

The boastmaster grabs the crossbow. "I can shoot it, yeah."

When the keelboat runs aground on the bank, the crew and passengers jump off the deck and onto the sand.

Alain's horses, still tied up on the deck, are kicking and rearing so violently that none of the others dare go near them.

Alain spots a huge, dim shape under the waterline, moving swiftly down and away from the boat and the bank. Acting quickly, he conjures a trio of ghostly arrows and hurls them after the retreating river-monster.

The missiles slice into the choppy water with barely a hiss, and then a dull thump sounds from below...

...Like a pile of logs bobbing up, the great beast rises, pale belly facing the sky.
The scaly armored, snaggle-toothed gar must be nearly five man-lengths from snout to tailfin! The smell of lightly broiled fish fills the air.

"Names of all the gods! That's a BIG FISH!", Pierre cries.

The boatmen just stare in awe.

The boatmaster reaches out with an oar and pokes the gar.
"Dead. "

[Lord Skybolt]

After making sure(as in taking his rapier out a sticking it then moving away just in case) "Monster" is dead Alain goes to calm his horses and make sure all his gear is there especially the "robe" he used earlier . After making sure it's dead Alain asks the boat master"Every seen one these things on the river before" as he is calm his horses .

[ewancummins]

''Gar, sure? Nothing that big. It's got to be Old Snaggletooth himself. You've killed a legend today, son."

The boatmaster looks almost sad for a moment, but then he pats Alain on the back.

"Still some good meat on that fish. Let's haul him ashore and salvage what we may, heh? We'll all eat well this evening. "

He looks back at the keelboat.
"We'll be on the water again tonight, if the moon is bright and the stars shine clear, but for now, we rest. I'll need to check the boat for damage."

[Lord Skybolt]

"At least hopefully there is no lasting damage to the boat . Yes some rest would do us good ."With that Alain goes to his horses and checks to make they sure they are calmed down and all of his stuff is all there considering how spooked they were . Right before he naps out Alain says to Pierre"Wake me when we are ready to leave if you would ."After doing so he takes out a bedroll for a short nap .

[ewancummins]

None of Alain's things are missing.


He falls asleep easily...


And wakes with the late afternoon sun in his eyes. The smell of cooked fish fills his nostrils. Wagon wheels creak and children laugh, someplace to his rear, further up the sandy riverbank.
As Alain rubs the sleep from his eyes, the old gambler, Pierre, leans over him and whispers-- ''The Boatmaster sent me. We've got company.''

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain wakes from his nap to wonder what else the world is going to do to him to slow him down in his journey . "Thanks, my friend ."With that Alain gets up and shakes the rest of the sleep from his eyes and straightens his clothes up from sleeping to find out what who this company is and to get some fish for supper .

[ewancummins]

Alain wakes from his nap to wonder what else the world is going to do to him to slow him down in his journey . "Thanks, my friend ."With that Alain gets up and shakes the rest of the sleep from his eyes and straightens his clothes up from sleeping to find out what who this company is and to get some fish for supper .

In addition to the boatmen and his fellow passengers, Alain sees a dozen or more unfamilar faces around the large cookfire. The dusky strangers dress in colorful garb- vests and pantaloons for the men, low cut blouses and flowing calf-length skirts for the women. All of them, even the children, are armed with daggers or knives. He spots three colorfully painted house-wagons parked a little distance up the bank. A couple of dark-haired youths watch over a dozen horses drinking or grazing at the water's edge.

[Lord Skybolt]

"Great gypsies !!"Alain mutters under his breath on seeing the new comers . Alain goes to his horse to see all is there and nothing has been stolen by these travelers .

[ewancummins]

"Great gypsies !!"Alain mutters under his breath on seeing the new comers . Alain goes to his horse to see all is there and nothing has been stolen by these travelers .

Alain finds that all his things are where they should be.

[Lord Skybolt]

While keeping an eye on his stuff Alain goes to get some cooked fish for a meal .

[ewancummins]

While keeping an eye on his stuff Alain goes to get some cooked fish for a meal .

The fish tastes very good, even though nothing has been added but a comparatively tiny amount of butter and some salt.

There is so much meat that everyone present has a heaping plate of fish-meat, and several buckets of cooked meat are left over, stacked along the edge of the keelboat or near the wagons. The gypsies' mangy dogs feast on thick slabs of raw fish.

Alain notes that the huge fish ( except for the sections too badly damaged by his spells to be edible ) has nearly been stripped to the bone! He spots a broad slimy patch of sand near the water's edge where the boatmen pulled the gar ashore. Buzzing files swarm over that area like a black haze. A little further down the bank, gypsy women and kids are busy smoking leftover fillets in makeshift smokehouses-- shallow pits in the sand filled with smoldering brush and partially covered with canvas tarps.

An old gypsy sitting near the big cookfire tells Alain,

"Our custom is to waste not, giorgio. We will eat for weeks from this monster. "

He smiles, revealing only two teeth in his mouth- both capped with gold.

"You are the fish-killer. The raunie wants to see you."

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain Nods his head at the man and waves for the man to lead the way to the "raunie" .