h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*sea stops doing her impression of a rock, then promptly trips over her own feet and falls to the ground*


sorry, guys, i've been really busy... and i was ordered not to go to h2g2 at school, so i haven't been able to post here much (as my parents are ALSO being very stingy with my computer time). oh well. sorry again.

No problem, sea. Have you read the backlog?


*GL walks on through the mountain, his ankle getting stronger. Up ahead he can see a small glimmer of light, which gets larger as he approaches. When he is at the tunnel exit, he extinguishes the lamp and puts it on the shelf beside the exit. He pushes at a boulder, which moves out of his way sufficiently for him to pass. He turns around and returns the boulder to its place.

He turns around and pauses to admire the view. Where he is standing is well up the side of the mountain, since the land on this side of the mountain is much lower than on the side that he came from. In the very far distance he can see his destination. In between are several rivers and a very large lake. Most of the rivers have easy fords, but there is one that runs raging for miles in a steep gorge. The lake is also very long and would take weeks to travel around. Ah well, he will meet those challenges when he gets to them.

He takes a deep breath and starts down the mountain.*

*Vomar notices Quoth, Siun, and Canaru approaching*

About time, comrades. I was getting a bit worried. Still, I shouldn't complain. There are still about two minutes before our original meeting time.

Now then, shall we be off? Sunrise in just about an hour, and I believe we have quite a march ahead of us.

*Vomar waves to the gate guard, and flashes his "Adventurer At Work" union card. The guard sighs, and opens the gates, allowing the four travellers to pass through. Vomar checks his compass, and heads in the direction that this Garius should be in*

Why does he have to be across a river? Oh, why....

*The man is joined by three others and as a group they leave the town.*

{{Xai}} *glancing over the rest of the town* not much better to do than follow i guess....

*Xai steps through a shadow and pursues the travelers.*

*Vomar continues marching. The band of adventurers is set upon by a small pack of mad dogs, which are quickly beaten off*

I hate the wilderness....

Quoth: Who are we meeting? and why?

*GL gets to the first river and finds a ford just upstream. He crosses the river and continues on. As he walks, he allows his mind to wander. He recalls the old days, before the end of the world, when there were so many more people and the evil forces were under control. He remembers his friends, his mother and father and brother - all gone now. But mostly he remembers Rebecca. Even now, her beauty takes his breath away when he recalls her image. He finds that he is able to think of her now without feeling the rage that used to boil up when he thought of him surviving and her perishing. Now, he is able to warmly remember the good times that they shared without the need to later destroy something. Still, if the chance should ever present itself for revenge ...

He is brought out of his reverie by a low hissing just to his left. He whirls around, just as the big cat springs at him. He only has time to throw up an arm in defense and is bowled over by the mountain lion. As he falls, he manages to grab the throat of the animal, but it takes all his strength to maintain that hold as the lion claws at him with all 4 legs. They land, with the lion on top, but GL swiftly rolls to reverse that postion. With all his weight pressing down, the lion cannot effectively claw GL and with his hand on its throat, it cannot bite. GL quickly tries to think of what to do - he can't let go because the lion would then be free to attack again and he can't maintain this position very long because it is taking all his strength to do so. Just then, he notices a glint of light. He looks down and sees the handle of the dagger that he found on the skeleton. With one hand still holding the lion's throat, he carefully reaches down with the other hand and grasps the daggar. He pulls it out of his belt and thrusts it into the side of the animal. The lion briefly struggles more fiercely, but then weakens as GL plunges the knife in again. Finally, the lion lies lifeless under GL and GL rolls off and lays on the ground, breathing hard.*

Sometimes, I hate the wilderness ....

Well Quoth, we're going to meet a person named Garius Lupus. Why will be revealed soon enough.

*The adventurers get to a river, and begin searching for a suitable ford*

*The travelers pass out of sight over a hill and Xai steps through the nearest shadow to follow. As he steps from the darkness his ears catch a faint growling.*

{{Xai}} sometimes i wish i knew what was on the other side before i got there....

*The timber wolf hurls itself at Xai and the elf barely manages to leap into the safety of the trees before the huge muzzle snaps down where his hamstring had resided just moments before. The wolf's fur glistens in the intermittent streams of sunlight as it circles hungrily below him.*

[Xai] *in the ancient language of the wolves* revered leader one asks your forgiveness for entering the grounds of your pack... one will not remain long and shall not hunt...

[Blood moon reflecting off a mirrored lake in the mountains during a cold winter night] *mildly amused* It has been many seasons since a two-legs spoke to one... we remember the ways and the pact of the brothers before us... one would ask you to join in the hunt this night.

[Xai] One is humbled by your offer, but one seeks other two-legs that pass through your grounds...

[Blood moon reflecting off a mirrored lake in the mountains during a cold winter night] one does not care for the two-legs... good hunting little brother... *The wolf pads silently into the forest.*

{{Xai}} good hunting brother... i love the wilderness.

*The voices of the travelers drift through the trees to his left and once again Xai steps blindly through the shadows to keep pace.*

*The band of travellers succesfully ford the river just as the first traces of sunlight in the east can be seen*

Ah, daylight approaches! About time, too. Monsters tend to prefer their dungeon shadows to the bright sun. We'll probably have fewer troubles than we did last night.

*Vomar and company head towards a small group of trees, beyond which can be heard yet another river*

*all this time Quoth has walked in silence. He is brooding. He had hoped to get blisteringly drunk, so as to forget. He knew he would't. It never worked. And now the sun was beginning to shine. He hated the sun. Memories. Distant memories, shades remaining from before...it happened*

*The band continues, succesfully fording two more rivers. They decide to take a break for breakfast*

I'll see if I can get some extra firewood....

*The travelers pause to rest and Xai crouches in a nearby tree watching. The man from the town gates walks away from the group in Xai's direction to gather firewood. Xai folds his cloak around him and blends seamlessly into the peaceful morning background.*

Hi all haven't been able to contribute for a while due to Exams. Unfortunately I still can not add in what I would like to due to lack of time so this will have to do. I will be back in a while to continue my part of the tale properly soon (I hope)

*The firewood is soon gathered and set ablaze, and some rabbits that Vomar captured are soon roasting*

This should do for our meal.

*GL gets up and examines himself for injuries. He has one long cut on his left forearm where he had taken the brunt of the first leap, and myriad small cuts on his arms and legs. He unscrews the wolf's head handle on his cane and pours a little brandy onto the deep cut. He then takes a piece of cloth and some cord from another pouch and binds up the cut on his arm. Next he uses his sewing kit to mend the tears in his clothing. Finally, he gets up and walks over to the dead mountain lion. He pulls the dagger out of its side and uses it to skin the mountain lion and cut some meat from the carcass. He sets aside the skin, builds a fire and sets the meat on a makeshift spit to roast. While the meat is cooking, he scours the neaby woods and returns with an armfull of herbs. He rubs the herbs into the wet side of the lion skin and stretches it out on the ground.

Some time later, after his meal, GL examines the lion skin. The particular herbs have done their work and the skin is now cured. It will bring a handsome price in the town, if he should make it that far.

GL puts out the fire, packs up his belongings and begins walking again. As he walks, the sound of rushing water slowly gets louder until he emerges from the trees at the edge of a gorge. A long way below, a river rushes and tumbles around sharp rocks that have fallen from the near-vertical cliffs that line both sides. The far cliff is roughly 100 feet away, but might as well be a mile away, since there are no apparent means to cross. GL looks both ways but can see no end to the gorge. He climbs a nearby tree to see if he might be able to see a way around the gorge, but the gorge stretches out of sight in both directions. He climbs back down and sits at the base of the tree, pondering how to get across.*

Siun: *yns loudly* Dear me, it's good you've found all that wood. I'll light the fire then, if no one minds... I'd like a spot of coffee soon... or I'm likely to get... unpleasant.

*She reaches inside her robes and pulls out an amulet set with a very fine blood red stone. It is on a fine gold chain. She absently points the amulet at the kindling and presses lightly on the stone. It emits a whisper of a clicks and emits a bright purple jet of flame which hits the wood and begins to burn almost immediately... Although in alternating shades of violet.*

Siun: *She nods toward the fire, smiling to herself* Yes, that'll do very nice, I think. You menfolk will be wanting something to eat then, I suppose? *She yawns again and begins pulling pans, assorted strange-looking scientific devices, and assorted foodstuffs out of her rucksack.*

Canaru: *Has shut himself off near a tree, and subsequently is currently useless.*
just so you know.

Siun: *hears a strange rusting from a nearby tree ( or bush, or whatever it jo,lly well was <ooc&gt* You chaps hear something, over in that general direction...? *nods in the direction of the tree/bush/whatever and raises an eyebrow, continues setting up her various cooking aparati*

Well don't that just b****r all. I didn't realise until now that you'd already set the thing ablaze. But I like my purple fire bit, anyway. *shrugs* It was a good bit, you must admit...

*sea gets the distinct feeling that she's been left behind again, and swears under her breath. she closes her eyes and tries to channel the energies of those she is following, and heads toward the wilderness with her pulse beating fast. she breaks into a run*

*Xai is overcome with the sudden impulse to swear loudly as the woman hears the squirrel in the tree yes it is a tree with him.*

{{Xai}} idiot squirrel.... and with my luck they won't ignore it....