[/dice]
Irgal examines the bodies. He can tell that the animals were killed about two days ago, using crude slashing weapons or perhaps claws. Whatever killed them was obviously in something of a frenzy.
Under one of the horses, you spot a collections of smashed bones.
Bardan, who has been uncharacteristically quiet, since finding the body by the lake, says: "There seem to be bones under one of the horses."
===
Slightly further up the hill, Jaer observes the group carefully. She had previously watched with quiet bemusement as Holgast's illusory orcs had looked like they were going to give the tyros a hiding; and then that evening she had followed their lead and fended off the wolves with food. But the following day she followed them with growing concern as they discovered and buried the anonymous body - as unknown to her as to them - by the lake. And now this ...
She gauges her options: not time to act, quite yet - whatever real trouble the party might be in still seems to be hidden beneath a set of jumbled clues from the past few weeks. She hasn't yet figured out how to follow them once in the crypt. But for now, better sit, wait and watch quietly. She settles in the undergrowth and waits for the party to make the next move.
Illya shows little to no interest in what happened to the horses, Does it really matter what happened to the horses? We should be on our way
It could happen to us next. Keshik stands upright with his head bowed, eyes closed, scythe pointed forward. He starts mumbling something.
As the beast of burden lies here, may it come to serve it's place in peace. May the fields of heaven take them in.
still, if there are... bones he says hesitantly. We should see what they are.
Ah, heh. Can I get a little help? evidently unable to get a grip, or just trying not to touch the dead thing too much.
"On my way, Keshy," Ka'narg calls out, moving toward the horse's body and attempting to help with moving it.
Try as he might, and despite Ka'narg's help, Keshy can't lift the horse aside.
Trying again, then.
Keshy has another try at lifting the horse aside, and - having managed to establish a good grip and effective leverage - succeeds.
The bones are scattered beneath where the body was lying. Most of them are broken. But they're clearly human and also clearly very old. That's all you can discern.
"Could they be from inside the crypt?" Ka'narg enquires to nobody in particular. "If so, why are they now outside?"
So it's beginning to get dark, what do we all want to do? Or are you all still playing with the dead bodies?
"By the heavens...a skeleton out here...what madness is this?" Harken says to the others as the horse is moved..."Do we enter the crypt now, which is obviously not as easy as we were lead to believe, and work throughout the night after a long days travel? Or do we make camp and then venture into the crypt in the morrow when we are fresh?"
"I would prefer spending the night out here before entering the crypt - we have made good time in getting here I feel, and would rather start fresh tomorrow than fatigue ourselves by exploring the crypt through the night."
The door to this crypt is open. I wanna wait out here too, but there's no way to know that whatever's in there won't wander out here. I mean, guys... He gestures out to the dead creatures surrounding us.
There's a pattern here. We gotta find a way to shut that door. I've seen more people die than I ever want to already, I'd hate to see that list grow.
Well, we do that then.
I can do first watch. We should start moving the horses though. Ka'Narg, can we use that rope?
"I suggest moving away from the entrance a bit to stay away from the dead animals, which we should burn by the way, and to have distance between whatever else may come out"
We could make camp just on the inside of the crypt, protect us from whatever is outside.
"Ixnay on that. Something came out of the crypt and killed the horses. Yeah that tells me the crypt is not as safe as we think. Best to go in all rested up by being NOT near the crypt when we sleep. Besides do we have to finish this task in a day?"
"I am inclined to agree with Harken here," Ka'narg interjects, unwinding the two coils of rope from his backpack and handing one to Keshy. "The woods and the dangers they pose are at least known to us, whereas the crypt is not. Once we have moved the horses away from where we will sleep for the evening, we can set up camp somewhere safe, and as I can see in the dark and have no need for uninterrupted rest, I will take an evening watch also," he smiles toothily at the white-haired sorceress before helping Keshy begin to move the horse corpses from the crypt's door.
Huh. You know I have to admit, we never burned animal bodies back home. Always tried to make use of them. Late for that I think. Never saw much of any fire actually. I don't really know how to help with that. Keshy smiles sheepishly.
"Drag them away from the crypt entrance and then either bury them, takes effort, or burn them, spends resources. I don't want to have to run out of the crypt in a hurry with some meat eater chowing down on the horse flesh still in the front and then attack me to protect his meal. Animals tend to do that missy." Harken retorts to the witch haired one."I'll take first watch seeing as I cant see in the dark..."
"Unless there is an objection, we should bury the corpses in a pit. A fire will likely attract attention in a way a pit won't."
"OK, how many shovels do we have?"
"Still no shovels like before. I recommend a pyre, honestly."
my vote goes to burning it, if enough wood is gathered i can start the fire quickly enough
"Burning them it is then." Harken says and goes to get some wood.
Don't worry Ka'Narg, if something comes by, we can handle it. Right guys? He gives what should be a confident smile. Instead, it just sort of comes out goofy.
"We should be able to, yes - I will look for somewhere upwind of the pyre for us to make camp."
Having shut the crypt door, the group spends a couple of hours moving the animals' bodies into a clearing around 30 yards from the crypt entrance, and covering the miserable scene with fallen branches gathered from the nearby forest. A fire is set; the pungent smoke drifts back into the forest for much of the night.
They then set their camp upwind from the pyre, and Irgal once again prepares dinner; unlike the previous evening the mood now is sombre and quiet.
The night is uneventful. With the dawn the winter birdsong returns to the trees. The rain has stopped.
Ka'narg packs down his tent and proceeds to once again rearrange the contents of his pack to make the next leg of their journey - the actual exploration of the crypt - as comfortable as possible. He grabs out a few of the torches from his backpack and nods in their direction. "Since I can see in the dark further than these will light up, please feel free to use these before using your own," he offers.
Before everyone sleeps for the night, Irgal asks everyone to gather round for a prayer to Erastil. The ritual is simple, but invigorating.
At dawn, Irgal prays to Erastil and checks on the remains of the horses before continuing.
The pyre is still smouldering, despite the damp air.
Keshy gets up stretching and ready to go.
Hey, thanks. He picks up a torch, not lighting it until inside the crypt.
Harken wakes up, gathers his gear, eats some rations, relieves himself away from the others, and says to the others "Lets go you coal-chewers, times a wasting now. Up Up and to the crypt." and walks over to the entrance.
Packing up his tent, Irgal smiles and adds, "Everyone ready? Let's go!"
Yes let's She says getting up last
Ka'narg nods and puts the remaining torches back into his pack, securing it and hoisting it onto his back, and picks up his double axe. "Let us be off then."
The party pry open the doors once more and enter the crypt, with torches lit. Some of the morning light bleeds in, illuminating the chamber ahead of them. The walls on the inside of the doorway are decorated with a scrolling pattern of villagers fighting off masked bandits and monsters. This artwork is still in relatively good condition, although water damage and lichen have taken their toll. The stench of mould and rot hangs heavy in the air.
The entrance hall is a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen is on the far wall. The room itself appears to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies bundled in the centre and a large number of bones, even whole human skeletons scattered around. A faint wail can be heard echoing from somewhere in the distance, further in the crypt.
Bardan, who was the last to enter to the room, still standing warily just inside the entrance, sniffs nervously. "That sound is coming from somewhere beyond that far door", he says, indicating the door on the south-eastern side.
===
Jaer watches the party first prepare, then enter the crypt. She creeps from her hiding place and moves to the door, still on the outside but close enough to observe the party. She's still figuring out when to make herself known.
That noise is irritating, She doesn't blink or seem to remotely care about the clear signs of death, We should go investigate
"Eager to meet whatever is making that wailing noise, huh?" Ka'narg says, a smirk crossing his lips, though his tightened grip on the haft of the double axe belies his levity in the situation. He steps forward some, his brow creasing, "The thing that concerns me though, is why does it look like a battle took place in here?" he nods in the direction of the two bodies in the middle of the room.
"That wailing is worse than the wailing Ka made during that last tussle we all had...HA!HA!HA!"
it's probably just more decorations and tricks Ka'narg, that wailing however needs to be stopped Illya begins walking toward the wailing
Ka'narg tosses a narrow-eyed look toward Harken. "It felt real, regardless of if it wasn't. I'm sure Keshy'll agree there. And at least we hit them," he follows up with a chuckle and a grin before turning to the sorceress.
"Might be right there, Illya, but we won't know unless we check. We don't know where the wailing is, but the bodies are right here."