"Hail good innkeep! Liam the Talespinner be my name, if ye remember. I've traded some tales with ye for a soft bed a time or two past. 'Twould be a pleasure to do so once more, if it please ye, mistress. An' these be some old friends of mine, maybe you'd take some of smoked fish for their beds? I've some good-sized blunts, or maybe ye'd prefer some whitefin?"
I'll then follow up with a Gather Info attempt (Local Knowledge) with Charming bonus:
"Beds aside, any news in town? We saw some trouble down the road..."
The woman, apparently the innkeeper's daughter, ends up blushing from her ears down to her bodice at Liam's attentions. She, after some fits of scandalous giggling, agrees to put the group up for the night for the majority of his stock of smoked fish to put in the larder. She admonishes the party to keep quiet about the deal or her father will tan her hide. Apparently he's abed with the croup and she's left to run the day-to-day affairs until he recovers.
As for news, Liam is sadly disappointed, as the place has apparently been as quiet as it looks. Most of what he garners is local gossip, which Kara, the barmaid, is happy to fill his ear with. The only really interesting piece almost slips by in the torrent of mundane gossip, when she mentions in passing a bandit, apparently a dwarven outcast, who was whisked away from the Constable's office by an Inquisitor and his guards. This was some weeks ago and no doubt the poor blighter's head is adorning a spike on the gate of the Jarl's fortress for whatever he'd done.
I will smilingly thank Kara for taking the time to talk to a rough traveller like myself, then return to the party. "Will you mob be wanting rooms now, heading out, or warming yeselves by the fire here? Meself, I think I owe Mistress Kara and the room some tall tales." I lean a little closer. "Did you all catch that?" I murmur, quietly filling in anyone if they didn't.
Kalaya remained quiet fror most of the trip, bundled up against the cold, she focused o the surroundings as she came to understand the dynamics of her new companions.
Might as well as take a night here. That way we have a full day on the morrow to seek that which we seek.
Auric stays pretty quiet in Dunshale, once Liam shows his willingness to be the party's mouthpiece.
"Aye, I think a warm meal and proper beds will set us right. Suppose the Inquisition took some serious offense with bandits so close to the Jarl's fastness.", he says, though his tone indicates he doesn't quite think it's that simple.
Your group has a relaxing night at the Flask and Flail, the locals warming to Liam's tales by the fire. Your flagons stay full and the helpings are generous, as Kara seems quite smitten with your new-found companion.
Come morning, you are promptly roused from slumber for an early start, if only so Kara can shoo you on your way so her father doesn't find out how generous she's been with the room and board. The day is clear and cold, and the snow has a frozen crust atop it that makes things that much more treacherous once you're out of the village and away from shoveled roads.
Perception:
Perception:
Perception
"Did you catch that?" I murmur to Gendo, motioning my head to where I caught the glimpse of reflective metal. I swiftly explain what I just saw.
Nothing was thrown to me. Why? I look to him questioningly.
"Up there... The glint of metal among the snow. We're likely being watched from above, though by friend or foe, I couldn't tell ye."
Jon grunts when he hears Liam's warning. He keeps his head down, but his senses open.
Looking at the distribution of snow across the slope, Jon thinks there may have been a small avalanche here not long ago. The upper slopes have a lot more exposed rock.
Once Liam is able to orient on the position again, he points out the phenomenon. Sure enough, there's a metallic glint coming from the rocks above, about 50 yards up the hillside. You see no sign of anyone or anything lurking up there.
Interesting. I respond, as I orient myself take in Liam's discovery.
Looking to the others, I'm not sure how safe it would be to climb in that snow to investigate. Still, I'd rather know what or who is interested in us. Or perhaps someone is in need of aid. In anycase, I am willing to risk the climb.
Jon squints at the ground around them. "See there? It looks as if a small avalanche happened here not long ago. It could have uncovered something. We should be quiet and try not to disturb the snow."
Kalaya looks to the glint indicated by Liam, and with a swift wordless exchange, Whisperwing takes off flying a circuitous rout towards the phenomenon.
The owl wings its way up the hillside, alighting on the rock outcropping near the glint. It eyes something for a moment, and then plucks at the rock with its beak. A beat off wings, then the bird is airborne again, wheeling around to alight on Kalaya's shoulder. Something heavy and metallic is dropped into her palm.
It appears to be an odd ring, crafted of bronze. It looks old, but has been given a recent cleaning to remove most of the verdigris, though lines of it still linger in the carvings. A strange, stylized sunburst is set on the outer face of the ring, rising in a twisty cone a good inch from the ring itself. A gaudy trinket, to be sure.
Liam: The stylized pattern reminds you of things you've seen on old ruins throughout the Iron Marches. This suggests human origin and crafting, as those ruins were not dwarven. The pattern, though suggestive of a sunburst, has no historical significance you're aware of.
"Curious trinket there...", Auric says, rubbing the stubble on his chin and considering whether this object had some ritual or religious significance.
Knowledge- Religion:
Auric: You recall old tales, legends really, regarding a sun god. Tales so old that the deity's name is forgotten. However, folk today know the myth that the sun is a spark from Baal's forge, flung into the sky where it stays to warm the world. If there were such a sun god, this could be a symbol, though it's an odd one, to be sure.
"Well, that bird sure is handy," I say, turning to Kalaya, chuckling, "If a wee bit disconcerting! What do we suppose this is? It looks human-made to me..."
Liam: There's a faint aura of abjuration magic coming from it, but you're uncertain as to its exact function.
"...And it's definitely magical. Protective magicks, I'd say. Anybody got a good handle on the enchanted stuff?"
"Whatever it can do, it's very old. If an avalanche turned that up, what else could be buried up here under all this snow?"
You think you'll have the chance to find out, as ascending these hillsides will be the final portion of your journey to the sanctum.
The group picks their way up the snow-covered slope, with the wilderness-savvy members of the party ensuring a careful ascent to avoid causing another avalanche. About half way up, Auric's foot slips, breaking through a crust of snow on what he thought was a rocky outcropping. Overbalanced, he tumbles backward, clipping Kalaya as he goes, and the two go tumbling back down the slope. Whisperwing launches into the air as the witch falls, giving a mournful cry.
Reflex:
Auric manages to avoid any of the rocky outcroppings on the way down, suffering a few bruises here and there, mostly to his pride.
Auric, Kalaya!! I call down to them. Are you well?!!
I then turn to Jon and Liam, I did not bring rope. Did either of you? If so, it could be used to help them ascend with less risk if we lower it.
"I did not. I fear they may be on their own."
Kalaya, tumbling down after Auric sweeps past her, manages to catch a handhold on a rock outcropping on her way down. She wrenches her arm a bit with the momentum [ooc](4hp nonlethal damage) but doesn't go all the way to the bottom like Auric. She's still about halfway down the slope from the rest of the group, however.
"Ugh. Sorry!", Auric calls up as he dusts himself free of snow and tries to resume the climb....
Climb:
...toppling over 180 degrees onto his back like a flipped turtle.
"Here Gendo, I've some rope!" I toss a 50' coil of rope to Gendo, as he's no doubt stronger than I am.
Holding on to the ledge Kalaya takes a moment to gather her bearings. Calming her breathing she looks up to the sky, smiling as she releases her grip, her body falling slowly, as if gravity were gently guiding her down rather than pulling her to her death.
She lands in a flutter of winter clothing, her feet touching down gently in the snow as she smiles at the supine Auric, Whisperwing landing silently on her shoulder.
"I am well." she replies to those above.
With the rope and a little muscle, the party is able to get Kalaya and then Auric up to where they are. A little further along the ledge there's a cave mouth, about eight feet high and seven feet wide at the base, tapering to about two feet near the top.
"Well, this looks inviting..."
I peer into the cave mouth, trying to see what I can through the gloom of the cave, listening for any sounds out of the ordinary.
Edit: Gee I've been rolling well! The good rolls are sure to desert me just when it's important though :)
The cave seems to go straight into the hillside for about ten paces before taking a twist to the right. It does not widen for the distance you can see, just a narrow crevice extending into the rock. You do detect a faint whiff of rot, as of old meat, from inside.
"Smells... appetizing. Shall we?"
Shall we line up a marching order?
Auric kneels, pulling his lantern from his pack. He lights it before clipping it to his belt and strapping on his shield. He hefts his warhammer and stands.
"I'll stay in the front. Probably take a while for something to chew its way through me."
{b]I'll follow a step or two behind Auric or along side if space allows.[/b]
I take my spear from off my back, ready a lantern, and attach a net loosely to my belt that I can grab if necessary.
"Ready," I grin.