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Celestial Eclipse Captain
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 Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:19 am
SECOND QUEST LETTER Now, you have arrived at the border of your beloved life. Are you ready to succumb to the belly of the beast? Are you prepared to face your worst fears? I doubt you are ready and I doubt you are prepared, but the show must go on! In the following letter, you will receive instructions on where to go next. Sometimes, the letter you receive next is good, sometimes it is cursed! Scared you, didn’t I? Good, good. A man without fear is worthless!
Deep into the bayou, 157 miles south from where Reselville lies, is a special formula you been looking for all your life. Brewed for 30 days when the moon is full and the air is thick with fear; the stench of a witch’s blood is smelt, the eye of a newt and the tongue of a kitten. Seal it with the innocence of a lamb, you got a mysterious formula. Not yet, not yet, man that made me hungry! Sorry, did I freak you out again? Good!
The special formula is just the first step in your journey to the end. Someone you thought you lost is waiting for you. Do not worry; I would keep that knife close to you. The stench of a beast is closer than you might think.
Now, head into the bayou by the dead willow tree, where the frogs do not dare make a sound, where danger lurks underneath every inch of that black water. Murky as it may be, snakes are the least of your worries. Travel for 20 miles north through the filthy stinking bayou, where the light barely penetrate the canopy from afar. I would be careful if I were you, there are no grounds, just water! Take heed of your feet, you will need them.
When you reach the hanging man’s tree, you have gotten there. Go west to where even the light cannot shine, where your life is hanging in the balance. Therein lies a riddle in the cave, where you will find the brilliant formula. Only then will you get your next letter to go next.
Beware, I warned you once. Beware, I warn you twice. Now take heed and head out on your harrowing journey. This is only for you, if you take a friend with you, a most dangerous thing will happen. Go on, you need to head out!
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:18 pm
“Oh my gods, my quest giver is a complete nut job” Calypso said as she looked into the dark dank swamp she would be heading into, her brand new large pack on her back filled to the brim with all the survival gear her list had told her to get. She had her snacks, her fruit, water, her change of clothes, a jacket, survival med kit, a hammock, her journal from home and quite a few other necessities all crammed in one dark green steel framed hiking backpack. It was hot as hell in the swamp, even if it was north of Bridgewater. At least there was a breeze there; here the air was stagnant and humid from the standing water, the bugs and the air thick enough to be cut with a knife. At least she’d through to dress appropriately a think pair of khaki cargo pants that were cinched in tight around her ankles, a tank top with sports bra under it, a long sleeve plaid short over top to keep the bugs away from her, a green bandana tied around her dark hair which was piled up on the back of her head in a messy bun as usual.
“No point standing here looking at it” The woman murmured to herself, putting the letter, map and her compass back in their baggie and tucked back into her cargo pants pocket, the switch blade in her other pocket, looking at the dead willow tree that was her starting point and turning her back on it as she stepped into brackish water of the bog, her boots disappearing in the muck already. “Oh god I bet there are leaches in here” she whined, feeling the water sleeping in her boots, her socks, and her pant legs as she waded in. “20 miles. I’ve never walked 20 miles together in my whole life. What was I thinking doing this” she asked herself, shaking her head as she moved forward, one foot slogging in front of the other. “Someone I’ve lost, just remember that. Someone you lost. That could be anyone” she said pushing her hair out of her face, strands already falling out from her bandana and getting in her face and starting to frizz out. “This is worth it. This is worth it” she chanted to herself, checking her compass before setting off again, going as perfectly straight north as she could.
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Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 9:20 pm
Calypso had walked as far as she could that first day out, checking her compass constantly and only getting turned out twice in the swamp, a remarkable feat in her mind since it all looked exactly the same. She only stopped when it was too dark to see anything else that might be swimming in the water and the bugs were too thick to handle. As it was the cypress trees were too thick to even see the stars though she was sure it was far enough away from the city they would be shining bright. Even the moon wasn’t visible from here, making it near impossible to see what she was doing as she tried to hang up her hammock between the trees.
“Oh come on damnit!” she said nearly dropping it for a second time before she managed to get it attached, testing it with her weight, climbing into it slowly, letting her wet feet dangle out so she could take her boots off. “good go-“ she shrieked as it fell, dropping her right into the nasty mucky water below. “ew ew ew ewwwww!” she whined getting up to her feet. It took her another twenty minutes to get it hung up properly, another ten to take off her wet boots and hang them from the tree, doing the same with her socks as well, not able to see how much mud had gotten in her shoes because it was simply too dark. “I’ll deal with it in the morning” she said finally lying down in her hammock, zipping up the screen over the top, sealing out the bugs for the night. “Here’s hoping tomorrow will be better than today”
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Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:17 pm
Morning did not find Calypso as well as she had hoped. Climbing out of her hammock as the sun came up had her yawning and her back aching but that was nothing compared to reaction when she looked down at her legs. Screaming bloody murder when she realized she had leeches all over her legs just above where he socks had been, panicking and nearly falling clean out of the hammock. Thirty minutes and some tears later all the leeches had been pulled off, antibiotic cream smeared over each one of the spots but no band aids placed as they were at a premium in her first aid kit.
Getting dressed, this time her pants tucked in her socks so no matter what she would be protected against anymore ‘invaders’, and then packed up what she had before setting off to the north. The female had no real way of telling how far she had traveled the day before. Her only hope is that she was making decent time and to hurrying even more today; regardless of how much her feet complained.
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:15 pm
The next day brought a new trouble for Calypso, one she hadn’t been expecting at all. “Why do I feel like I’ve been here before?” Calypso asked looking around the cypress trees all around here, they all looked exactly to her, they all *were* exactly the same to her. It was only when she passed by a tree she had marked earlier with a bit of mud that she realized she had spent most of the day walking in a circle. “GOD DAMNIT!” she screamed, this was the second time this had happened today and she finally lost it, kicking at the tree in complete frustrated. Of course that only resulted in more cussing and a very sore foot and soaking wet pants. “I’m out here for a reason. I’m out here for a reason” she chanted to herself, closing her eyes and taking a few deep calming breaths. This time when she started off she kept her compass out the whole time, only looking away from the little red arrow when she had to dodge around trees or when she saw something else move in the water besides her. By the time she set up camp that night she fell asleep as soon as he hammock was set up, barely taking off her boots before she fell asleep, forgetting to close the protective screen over her head.
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Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 11:17 pm
Before the sun had even come up over the horizon the rain had come through, it started off with just a little drizzle and quickly becoming a downpour, soaking the young woman in her hammock before she could even get up and packed. Shoving shoes on her feet and lacing them up as quickly as she could she jumped down into the rising water with a splash of her boots, packing up her hammock after she dumped all the water out of it. As hot as it was the rain was still chilly enough to make her shiver as she get her pack back on her back, pulling her jacket out and over her shoulders. Not able to sleep anyway Calypso decided to start walking, using her keychain flashlight that was practically useless except for lighting the very small compass in the dim light of early morning. As the day passed the rain didn’t let up, only getting heaver the and the rainwater reaching higher and higher, leaving Calypso carrying her pack over her head in the rain as she was up to her waist in mucky water by midday and her chest by evening. By the time the sun was setting she was left with no other option than to climb the nearest tree and travel from branch to branch between them, slippery and dangerous work at best. As soon as night had fallen, rather than try to hang from the tree to set up her hammock she opted for pulling her knees up to her chest and sleeping in the tree, tied to it with the straps of her backpack to keep her from falling out on the middle of the night as the rain continued to pour down.
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Celestial Eclipse Captain
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 12:07 pm
So, you thought you had made it to the Hanging man’s tree? Afraid not, dearie as you have more to go. You only made it 10 miles through the dark bayou, now it is about to get even darker. As you go along, the trees get thinner and the roots gnarly as a wizened old man.
Tell me, are you afraid of what lies ahead? It is nothing short of a miracle if you had made it this far. There are bones at the bottom of the bayou of those who had trespassed into its’ murky secrets. Coral snakes swim along the inkiness of the roots, waiting to sink its’ fangs into an unsuspecting victim. Their venom has the potential to paralyze you if you leave it in too long. However, they are the least of your worries for there are alligators now prowling for food; just might be you if you are not extremely careful.
Ten more miles you have to journey. Once you see a cage hanging high in the air, bones scattered around in it, you have reached the Hanging man’s tree. You see, this man was banished from his homeland two centuries ago for defiance. His fate is sealed, but yours is not. I pray ye be careful as the dangers are mounting in odds against you.
A rotting wooden sign was displayed not far ahead of where you are now announcing of a fearsome creature hiding deep into the bayou. ‘Fear the One-Eyed Croc,’ it says in bold red letters, faded by time and the humidity.
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 8:55 pm
“Well F$%!” Calypso cussed reading the letter that had been nailed to the sign for her, reading it again and again till she had it committed to memory and putting it away with her map in case she needed it later. “Half way there, half way!?” she groused, coughing a bit and wanting to kick the sign but remembering how much it had hurt last time she kicked something and just glaring at it instead.
“Snakes that can kill me, alligators that can kill me, trees I can’t climb and roots to twist my ankles on. This just keeps getting better and better” she sighed, snuffling and hiking her pack back up on her shoulders, looking at her compass and heading on north.
“and what the hell is a one eyed croc? I’ve heard of a one eyed snake before…” she muttered to herself, tripping on a root at that moment as she was distracted by the thought of lewd things not related to swamp creatures, and going down to the mud in a heap. “This day just keeps getting better and better” she groaned, getting up with mud all over her face and all down her front, her shirt and pants now both the same shade of mud brown.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:36 pm
Camping that night had been no fun at all, though the ground now wasn’t entirely underwater, the ground was still too wet to put a blanket down on, even if she could have found a spot between all the roots and cypress knees.
How on earth trees so sparse and far apart could have roots so far away that stuck up so far she didn’t understand but it did make sleeping options seriously limited. It also made it impossible to build a fire as there was still no dry kindling to start the fire or to keep it going, even if she burned her papers it would have only stayed alight for a few minutes at best.
Walking till she finally found two trees strong enough and close enough together to put up her hammock for the night, familiar enough with it by now that she got it right on the first try and it didn’t end up dropping her to the ground, she fell asleep nearly as soon as her head hit her rolled up blanket pillow.
Even when it started to rain again that night, Calypso only pulled her jacket over her face in hopes of keeping some of her dry while she slept. It didn't do much to help, she was still wet and miserable but she got back to sleep before the sun started to come up in the morning.
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Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:50 pm
The next day dawned grey and overcast like the rest, the woman in the hammock however didn’t get up with the dawn; hell she didn’t feel like getting up at all. Finally about noon Calypso pulled herself out of the hammock with a coughing fit, not able to get rid of the tickle in her throat even with a drink of her water from her bottle. “This is” she coughed “the last thing I need I swear” she said her throat sore and sipping her water bottle again, finally starting to get dressed in her dry pair of clothes from her bag. They weren’t clean and they smelled a bit but so did she right now. At least they were dry and wouldn’t stick to her and make her feel worse.
Taking my longer than usual to pack up her things it was well past midday as she set out north across the still marshy land toward the hangman’s tree. Moving slower than usual, she made little progress before night fell again and she had to stop. She managed to put up her hammock up but ending up sitting in it rather than laying down, as she a coughing fit took every time she lay down.
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2011 10:43 pm
Barely any progress was made the next day. It took her quite a bit of time to get packed up in the morning as all the bending over to pack up making her cough every time. As it was, she didn’t bother folding her hammock to put it away this time, just shoving it all in her pack and pushing on it till she managed to get the clip closed over the top, the blue of her hammock poking out at every corner and Calypso not caring a bit right now.
Trudging along and trying to breathe at the same time seemed to be really hard work at the moment and just about all she could focus on. Stopping to catch her breath every few minutes slowed her down greatly and though she had no real way to measure how far she traveled each day it felt she she’d barely moved at all by midday. “Come on, faster. Must walk faster” she muttered to herself, only making herself cough worse and sit down. Sipping her water helped a bit and she pushed on, the marshy land under her feet getting dryer and the trees starting to change little by little as she traveled onward.
"Where is that Goddamn tree already?" Calypso asked no one as she walked finishing off her water bottle of water and wondering where she was going to get more. Food she could go without, water? she had a day or two without at most. "Here's hoping that tree has water, or a spring or maybe a river next to it..or a lake" she sighed, making herself thirsty by mistake and kicking the nearest rock out of frustration. "#$%@!$@&*!" she cussed every word in the book she could think of, the rock hadn't moved but she felt like she's crushed her toe. "Could I get any stupider?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:25 am
The sun had set and Calypso finally had to stop walking as she kept tripping over roots and nearly face planting on the ground several times before finally settling down. “Screw it” she muttered, pulling the hammock out of her bag and laying it down on the ground. It was pretty waterproof on the bottom and she pulled it up against the tree, curling up inside it in the a sitting position with her back against the tree and her pack zipped up on her hammock with her as she sat on the ground. Snakes weren’t much of a problem with the hammock zipped up but bigger things likes panthers, bears and that one eyes croc scared her enough it took her a good hour to fall asleep.
Each morning it got harder to get up, this morning especially as she was now out of water, all the gunk in her lungs that made her cough she couldn’t bring up anymore, making her cough a dry one now as she walked.
“A stream, a lake, a river, a s-“she stopped to couch “spring, hell a puddle. Anything come on” she muttered as she walked, holding the compass in one hand and the other over her mouth as she coughed, watching her step for roots and changes in the ground, sitting down to catch her breath again in a few minutes as soon as she found a suitable tree without any hollows under the roots where snakes could hide.
"Maybe I'll find that damned tree today" she said hauling herself back up to her feet with the help of the tree she’s rested against, looking around, giving a sigh and starting off again to the north.
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Celestial Eclipse Captain
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:30 am
In the near distance, about a quarter mile north from where you are is a tree that crouched over from the weight of a wrought-iron cage hanging from it. It was rusted as if many decades of moisture had aged it to a point of it can snap from a soft breeze. The tree itself is not in any better shape, with the roots gnarled from misfortune of nature, breed only to serve as a captor and a guard for all time for those who dare to trespass. It was not an easy job to do for this tree spirit for sure, for it has to wait and wait and surely to wait until the next passerby comes through.
"Who dare goes there?" the tree snarled like a ticked off mountain lion, grizzled by someone who had disturbed his sleep. Though there was no eyes, no lips, and surely no ears, one must wonder how it could do all of those things. It was the spirit residing within the tree, banished there as punishment just like poor ol' Barney.
The old tree seem to look at Calypso without moving an inch; the girl could feel its' dread sinking upon her. "So you hast come to find what you have lost the most? I have lost many a lover in centuries past. Go west from here until you reach a dwelling where a ferocious beast resides. He who is not named protects the gem you are looking for. Be careful, for if he awakes, you are in most dire danger of becoming his dinner: shredded meat!" the tree spirit cackled, coughing.
"Go on now before I make you my dinner!" the tree seem to roar, the wrought iron cage shuddered, sending one of the bones to the watery grave below.
About a mile west there was land, dry land but still the air remains humid as the day creation had settled. Therein lies a cave with a temperamental beast residing. However, you could not shake the feeling that there was something that the stupid ol' tree has not told you yet. So be on your guard for this is the place where people disappear for good.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:47 am
Calypso had gotten lucky, or so she felt, as she saw the hangman’s tree up ahead. It was unmistakable with the large cage hanging from the tree’s gnarled branches. She approached it, looking at it all over and not seeing a letter for her or any sort of directions anywhere, her heart sinking. “Well how the hell am I supposed to know where to go from here?! Maybe the letter fell in t-“ When it spoke she actually screamed and fell down, coughing like crazy and staring. “Oh my gods! I must have a fever, I’m hallucinating the tree is talking to me” she muttered, finally getting up to her feet a bit slowly and keeping her distance from the tree.
“oh my gods you’re a talking tree” she repeated again, rubbing a hand over her face. ”Yes for something I lost. I just don’t know what it is.” She said watching the tree and feeling worse by the second, nearly missing what he said with another coughing fit. “Go west, look for the dwelling of a ferocious beast. Get gem, don’t wake it up and don’t die” she nodded. “Is this water drinkable?” she asked when there was a lull in speaking, just getting a cackle in return and jumping a bit. “Ok ok!” she yelled back at the tree, quickly filling up her water bottle and running for it as quick as she could without wheezing.
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Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2011 6:13 pm
“Could’ve said something in the letter about a talking tree” Calypso muttered as she moved along, the water tasted…well like a swamp but it was better than nothing. It was a hell of a lot better than nothing, she thought as she sipped it again.
With the water she was feeling better, and so was the ground under her feet. With each step she took it was getting just a little bit dryer, only really noticeable to someone who was spending all day walking on it. Slowly but surely, the trees were able to dig their roots in deeper and grow larger (without falling over) the further she traveled. Small clumps of vegetation grew up between the trees, making it hard to see where she put her feet but it was firm almost everywhere.
It was so different from how she’d started her quest, in the deep swamps with Cyprus trees all clustered so close together it was near impossible to walk and the water that seeped in her pants and her shoes and socks and the leeches…she didn’t want think about them.
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