Aly watches Sumayl as he decides whether to leave or find a way through the wall of trees.
Sumayl looks at Rhodric, wondering why the man is obliviously riding away from him and Aly.
"|Is he somehow bewitched, do you think? Or cowardly?" He asks Aly.
Aly shrugs, then says,
"I don't know. If he were cowardly he wouldn't have joined us. Maybe his mind is preoccupied with some personal tragedy that makes it difficult for him to concentrate - stay focused. Speaking of staying focused, are you planning on entering the woods to find a way around the gates. It would be nice to know where we can escape when something bad happens."
[Notice she says 'when' something bad happens, not 'if' something bad happens.
]
[OoC: No I just missed Sumayl's post about exploring the wall of trees]
[OOC: That's fine. We're just messing around.
]
"Or maybe someone..." Aly looks at Rhodric.
"Could try to climb the gates to get out. They opened from the other side, right?"
Rhoderic turns his horse towards the gate, and says, "Perhaps!", as he contiplates the possibility of scaling the gate.
"Certainly scaling a gate would be easier than a wall. But if you don't think you're able..."
"I will check the woods. I will be loud so you can keep tabs on me."
Sumayl proceeds to press into the woods to the left of the gate, keeping his right to the impenetrable tangle of trees, he explores, deliberately quite loudly, about 50 feet into the woods to see if there is any break.
While Rhodric begins to climb, Sumayl moves into the woods.
Towering trees, whose tops are lost in heavy gray mist, block out all save a death-gray light. The tree trunks almost touch. The thick, damp undergrowth presses in on you. The woods have the silence of a forgotten grave, yet exude the feeling of an unsounded scream. You walk 50' but you don't find any opening.
Meanwhile, Rhodric easily climbs to the top of the gates. When he throws his leg over the top to climb over, fog fills his lungs and he suddenly begins to violently choke. He's gasping for breath but no matter how hard he tries, his lungs refuse to draw in any oxygen making it impossible for him to utter a sound.