Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Investigating the Lake

Lothar's remonstrations notwithstanding, Rob is lowered to the ice of the lake with the help of Mikael and Embla, until his boots touch the frosty surface.  The lake is solid; it is ice cold to the touch, nearly but not quite the level of a wet tongue sticking to a metal fence pole.  Rob can feel the damp on his hands wanting to grip the ice before pulling his hand away, unharmed.

The surface is gritty with sharply frozen rime and frost, so that it isn't slippery.  If you are wearing soft boots, however, there's a probability that the ice will tear the soles to shreds before you reach the other side.

Please indicate your actions; I know what you've said regarding what you intend to do, but I would like that rephrased as moves you're taking directly.

21 comments:

Alexis Smolensk said...

[I failed to say that the adjustments to Embla's axe do not change the weight of the weapon]

Rob Munro said...

[before I forget : I need a weight for the rod that can call Naian.]

I use a pick to fill the bucket with ice shards, concentrating on the rimes, which may be easier to break. (I'm wearing hard boots by the way)

Unknown said...

I am also wearing hard boots. Unless someone in the group is experienced with rock climbing, I should be the last one down as I am the most agile.

I help others down as they need it and then head down myself so I can use the ring to see what it reveals.

Rob Munro said...

I use my "trunk club" [any idea of a better name], to make it a 30ft. willow with a 10° angle so that is helps the last part of the descent of the others.

Alexis Smolensk said...

2 lbs.

It is hard work to break the ice. Beneath the top layer of frost, you encounter blue ice, which takes a lot of effort to penetrate with your pick. When it breaks off, it tends to do so in flat plates [see "dinner plating" on the link]. By tapping the ice, you can reduce this effect, but it is slow going.

Not long after you start, you see movement below the ice; then, before you drop your pick again, a face appears below the surface, just where you plan to strike. It is a woman, her face gnarled and in pain.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Mikael, I think the assassin would be the most agile.

The tree roots grip the ice but do not penetrate it; the roots spread out to give stability, but it almost feels as though the standing tree could be pushed across the ice, if any were strong enough to do so.

Unknown said...

I shudder. I am not really sure I needed the reminder of what lies beneath the ice.

Unknown said...

Then I head down and step away from the tree so it doesn't interfere as I use the ring.

Rob Munro said...

When the face appears I stop and look at what "her" reaction is.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Presumably, Embla holds the rope; she's strongest and most able to get down on her own. And there is the broken base of a pillar next to the edge for the rope to be tied.

Mikael, the ring reveals a gentle ebb of magic moving through the lake surface, towards the temple and cliff. Almost like a lapping wave. It is not a natural force that is keeping the ice frozen, but a magical one.

Almost as quickly as Rob places the removed ice in his bucket, it melts. The water in the bucket shows no sign of magical eminence.

Alexis Smolensk said...

She is just watching you, Rob ... floating as if in water, but because the lake is composed of ice, it is her bodiless spirit that is floating.

Unknown said...

"Looks like we'll be taking the long way around if all goes according to plan. Nice to have the confirnation, at any rate. We should get moving. The less time I spend on this 'ice,' the happier I'll be."

Embla Strand said...

I concur.

I tie the rope around the pillar and descend.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Lothar, Engelhart?

I have half the party ready to commit, so we can move forward, but I'd like to hear from the remainder.

Rob Munro said...

Hoping that I did not further increase that souls torment, I abandon the ice bucket idea and wait for the others to get there.

Alexis Smolensk said...

[does seem like its been an off week for Lothar and Engelhart; I hope the 2 wk hiatus was not overly disconcerting]

Rob Munro said...

[well, Lothar was there not so long ago, and Engelhart last sign of life was yesterday ... ]

Alexis Smolensk said...

Before the party begins to schluffle off across the lake, I'm going to give the two others another half an hour. I honestly just want to have a stronger consensus.

Lothar Svensson said...

Sorry, I was in a lunch meeting. I'm ready to head off.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Sorry, screwed off a bit past my deadline, writing an answer to a comment on the main blog.

Be right with you.

Alexis Smolensk said...

The next post is up.