Where the road seems to disappear into the river, a ferry is tied to a landingstage. However, there is no sign of anyone who might haul you over in it. Doyou
Wait?
Find some other way to go?
Take the matter into your own hands?
It’s been an hour now, and there’s no sign of anyone yet. Are you going to
From the wood on the other side of the river you see a figure carrying a largebundle across both shoulders moving toward the river. He steps into a boat andcomes rowing across; along the way, you identify the bundle as a small deer.When he’s reached your side of the river, the man gives you a curt nod. “Wannaget across, do you? That’ll be 3 silvers each.”
If you haven’t got the money, you will have to turn back, I’m afraid.
You pay the man %d silver crowns and board the boat. The ferryman pushes offthe bank and steers across the water. Do you
start up a conversation with the man or
decide not to disturb him while he’s working?
You reach the opposite river bank, and after a short nod, the ferryman headsback.
[NAME] can’t steer the boat all alone.
Like experienced riverboatmen, you steer the ferry to the opposite bank.
In the middle of the river, the currents wrench the rudder from [NAME] hand. Theferry starts going in circles while drifting downstream; the rapid movementsmake your baggage slide dangerously close to the boat’s edge.
With a concerted effort, you manage to get the ferry back on course, just intime, in fact, to avoid a small island in the middle of the river. Soon afterward,you safely reach the opposite bank. Phew!
[NAME], [NAME], and [NAME]
[NAME] and [NAME]
Your hectic attempts to stabilize the boat only have the opposite result. Andwhen [NAME] start pulling on the oars with all their strength on the same side of your vessel,it starts to tilt precariously. All it needs is just one small wave, and yes,the ferry turns over. At least, you’re almost on the other side by now, so youcan even save most of your equipment. One sour note remains, though: all of thefood you carried is soaked through and inedible.
There’s a man sitting by the river bank whittling a bone. “The ferry’s gone down,” he informs you calmly. “So, if you want to get across, you’ll have to go lookfor some other way, unless you’d like to swim for it. Mind you, you wouldn’tget very far with all of that load…”