Apex Session 7: It was a bumpy road

 Deciding to avoid the Nazon (and they have no idea that this is even a thing but hey, it was a fun thing to write up and I still may use them somewhere) our heroes head more northward, avoiding the path and taking to the hills towards the main crevasse. They really cannot get lost even though compasses don't work well: once they hit that crevasse, head east!

They got the the crevasse and headed towards the volcanic escarpment to the east. The crevasse seems bottomless: there is a mist a few hundred feet down that they cannot see through.

 The first bridge posed a problem: it was more than 40 feet across, and not in good shape. And with Jungle Girl's dinosaurs, it would not hold. They decide to hike a bit more along the ravine, hoping for a more narrow or safer passage. Alas, the ravine skirts the volcanic mountains that are comprised of a lot of obsidian and very sharp. There would be some torn up clothing and ripped dinosaur feet, not to mention Jungle Girl's bare feet (though after almost 2 decades of being barefoot, are probably pretty tough by now).

They could also spot, about 60 feet or so below the lip on the other side, a cave that had columns at the entrance. There was a path down the crevasse that lead to that cave, and it was indicated on the map as well as the symbol for crystals. However, at some point (and it may have been then) a small Nazi jet engine had flown overhead to towards the temple. Deciding that the fate of the world may be more important than their curiosity, they decide to continue to the temple. They do have to come back this way, but they are thinking they may be able to fly back instead of this hike.

Back at the bridge, Archie gets as far as he can to make a leap with his sprinter boots. While normally the leap is automatic according to the rules, what with the height and the condition of the bridge I decided he should roll for it. And he makes a horrible roll. Then failed his save roll. Then failed the luck roll based on his class as a Gadgeteer.  Then failed the grit roll which is a bonus roll the game has. Fortunately, he was tied off, but swinging like a pendulum slammed into the cliff. Fortunately his leathers protected him some. Getting hauled back up, Isla, who is a medical doctor among other things, wrapped up his wounds and there was a lucky roll there that fully healed him.

Shaken (and perhaps stirred), Archie rests a bit while Ace attempts the same feat. Adventurers have an acrobatic trait, and he did manage to get across with the rope. Tying his end off to a sturdy scrub tree, there was now a rope to help others get across. Tong wraps his legs around the rope and gets across safely. Fraulein Ilsa also manages to get across. leaving Archie, Jungle Girl and her to dinosaurs. I decided a reaction roll would determine if she followed them or not. And as she is getting at least used to Archie and the others, a small advantage. She decided to cross, and after Archie gets to the other side, she deftly manages to cross that chasm as well. Her dinosaurs gave some plaintive cries as the group heads futher east into the mountains.

The next bridge was in better shape, and no longer hearing the cries of the dinosaurs left behind, they cross that bridge and start the climb to the escarpment, the sun starting to set at their backs.

Once at the top, they can see the experimental jet has landed next to a troop cargo blimp. Isla was somewhat alarmed that they had finished at least that much of this jet and that it flew here. Knowing that they were planning on converting the engine to be able to use the crystals of Apex Island, she grew more alarmed that progress had apparently been made. 

And next to the plane was Ilsa's co-worker, Dr. Sybille Mader.

And of course a typical German squad which consists of a captain and 9 soldiers. And this is where we left the adventurers, another cliff-hanger!

So we had some pathos leaving the dinosaurs behind, and some fun with Archie's failure to get across the first bridge. The player & I tend to roll badly, but hey, we roll with the rolls! It is all about the story and he did not die or even maintain anything significant other than perhaps hurt pride. But being English, we will never know how he feels. However, the fact that Jungle Girl is still with them seems t help.