Mists over the Musarde, Norzak alone...

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:38 am

Norzak pushes on, stumbling half-blind through the mists. At last, after what seems like days of walking, he collapses in utter exhuastion. Sleep creeps over him..

He wakes with a start, and nearly swallows a mouthful of water! Saltwater stings his eyes. He's fully submerged now and sinking fast as his gear pulls him deeper into the water. Light shines through the clear waters overhead, but the waters below are murky and dark.

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:08 am

Die or keep me things, I ain't no fool Norzak removes his pack and tries to swim to the top.

ewan, Norzak's armor is leather

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ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:42 am

Norzak shrugs off his pack and kicks hard, swimming towards the light. His head breaches the surface of the water, and he gulps a lungful of fresh air.

Now unencumbered, the dwarf is able to tread water and thus have a look about himself. He is floating in a vast body of water. Squinting in the bright sunlight, Norzak can make out what appears to be the shoreline of a low island, a green-brown smear to the east. It might be a half-mile off, but it is hard to judge distance under the circumstances.

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:48 am

The dwarf takes his time and doggie paddles to the island, trying to conserve his energy.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 2:58 pm

Norzak swims for a long time. Now and again, he is forced to rest, just bobbing in the water.

As he gets a bit closer to the island, he can see more of it: tall, skinny trees, black or brown hills rising from a flat green surface. Oddly enough, the shoreline, hills, and trees all seem to slowly shift and wobble.

As he draws near, making the last leg of his tiring swim, Norzak can see more clearly what it is he is swimming towards: a huge gyre of seaweed, strewn with dozens of wrecked vessels from rowboats to great galleons. What he had at first taken for trees are in fact the splintered masts of ship, some few with scraps of tattered canvas hanging from the moldering rigging.

The air is calm here, and the gentle currents are no obstacle to swimming. Norzak can float with ease to the outskirts of the dense mat of vegetation. All manner of flotsam and jetsam have been caught in these doldrums: glass bottles, old planks, broken oars, wooden crates, etc.

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:36 pm

Norzak grabs a large and long enough plank and slides up on it, now paddling as he lays down. He will move about the weed and see if he can't find anything of use. Perhaps he will use a bottle to break it and open a crate with a piece of glass. He does pick up a glass bottle and a paddle to row with if he can.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:43 pm

Norzak manages to pry open a crate. Inside are several soggy bales of worm-infested tobacco. tied up with twine. Upon closer inspection, the salt-water leaking in seems to have killed most of the leaf-munching vermin.

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:46 pm

Norzak will keep the bottle and then moves away from the sea weed, looking at the sky. By wherever the sun is, he will head that way, hoping it is north.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:53 pm

Norzak kicks off, paddling out on his board. After making it a pretty long distance out into the open waters, he spots a ripple in the waves, moving towards him from the left side. A gray, triangular fin as big as a tavern sign breaks through the waves...

steveflam · Post by **steveflam** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:02 pm

"Jest great", the dwarf mumbles. Gripping the paddle in one hand, he waits for the sea creature to be close enough for him to whack it good.

If'n thet thingy attacks me, attack it back. Hopefully I'll still be around ta see yer, bub.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:27 pm

The fin circles about Norzak and his wooden float, and then vanishes beneath the waves.

Seconds later, the shark's huge head bursts from the water just to the left of Norzak, it's enormous jaws parted to reveal row after row of bloody teeth!

Lashing out with his paddle, Norzak manages to strike the shark's mouth.

The shark re-submerges with a mighty splash.

Norzak cannot see it now....

SPLASH-CRUNCH!

The monster comes straight up from below, hurling Norzak and his board high into the air. The ravenous jaws crush Norzak's board like a twig, but the dwarf is thrown to one side.

Now Norzak is treading water in the open ocean, gripping his paddle in one hand. His right flank hurts. Looking down, he sees a cloud of red blood - his blood, in the clear ocean water.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:32 pm

Norzak sees a big blurry shape streaking towards him, under the water.

SPLASH! RIIIIIP!

The ocean heaves heavenward in a flash as the shark rises to attack! The great bloody jaws snap shut, catching the outer edge of Norzak's right leg and foot.

Before the shark can drag him under, Norzak swats it with his paddle. The dwarf's shadow peels off to defend its master. Neither the paddle-stroke nor the shadow's frantic clawing seem to do any great harm to the hungry shark- but the monster does descend once more.

Norzak bobs in the water. His right leg is bleeding; a rosy nimbus of blood is rapidly spreading through the water about him. His right boot is missing and his pant leg is shredded, as is the skin beneath. As luck would have it, the attack was only a grazing bite- or else he'd be missing a leg.

ewancummins · Post by **ewancummins** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:48 pm

The shark resurfaces a few yards away and slams into Norzak, jaws open wide! It goes back under the water, leaving Norzak floating on the surface- bitten in half at the waist.

THE END OF NORZAK ALONE- OR OTHERWISE

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Mists over the Musarde, Norzak alone...

Mists over the Musarde, Norzak alone...