The Admiral Jose Monkamuck |
You are in a forest. The trees tower above you. Their trunks can't be spanded by the arms of two large men.
You can hear animals everywhere. Sound is muffled here. It disappears into the floor of the forest. The floor is covered with leaves fallen from the trees. The forest has undergrowth everywhere. Since it is spring flowers are every where, springing from bush, popping from the forest floor.
There seems the place for magic and wonder.
Melba Connor |
I am walking thru a lush forest full of creatures and plants. My companion, Tsuna follows close behind me sniffing around for any meals to hunt for. Tsuna is still unsure of our new member of the team and also keeps an eye on her as well. I look up at the tree tops squinting as light beams down through some of the open spaces between the branches. I could tell winter was finally at at end because the what seemed to be grey landscape of sad trees and no sign of life before was now full of color and brightness,along with many creatures of all shapes and sizes. Each little critter hiding in the bushes and holes. I knew it wouldn't be long till Tsuna found a suitable prey to catch for us.
Ara Shanarin |
I scan the area around me, taking in its beauty as one who has long been accustomed to it. Each season has its own character, its own challenges, its own beauty, like every preceding season of its kind in many ways, and yet, each season of each year ultimately unique to itself in all of its subtle variety.
I fight off the sense of magic and wonder that I unconsciously feel. In my experience, 'magic' is a fantasy found mainly in tales told to children and 'wonder' is only for those who are very young or who are sheltered enough to retain some measure of innocence. Although I seem young, I lost my youth and my innocence long ago.
The magic I have seen is solely the domain of scholars who study out of books in obscure scripts only the educated can read. My own learning consisted primarily of tales and news told by a long string of travelors in the backwater Inn where I spent my youth. Sufficient to put words to my feelings and observations, but wholly inadequate for deciphering what might be hidden in leather-bound books.
As I travel through the forest, I search for animal tracks and useful plants, searching for signs not just of those things that will be immediately useful, but also mapping resources I might want to come back and harvest at some later point.
I wonder whether my companion, Melba, would have issues with me if I were to trap some game to take the hides for trade. I know that some of her philosophy do.
Ara Shanarin |
I stop and look around more carefully, as the hairs on the back of my neck rise, in response to something I sense in the forest. As I focus to determine the source of my unease, I feel drawn towards the ruins.
I have usually avoided the ruins. It makes me feel uncomfortable. It is an eerie place, and even the few small animals who make their homes and nests in its crumbling outer walls have seemed somehow strange to me.
This feeling I have now, however, is too intense to be ignored. I catch Melba's eye and gesture towards the ruins--a tacit suggestion that we should investigate. Cautiously.
Melba Connor |
I hear a silence at first knowing Ara probably feels the same eerie feeling as mine. I then glance over and see her walking toward the ruins gesturing me to come as well.. which I don't hesitate to follow as I grew tired with the same scenery anyways and was itching for some action. Tsuna stopped tracking critters and immediately came to me and went ahead a little to make sure Ara had more protection as she knew I could cover her back as well. I wasn't to sure what was ahead but I couldn't help but smirk a little as I walked into possible danger.
The Admiral Jose Monkamuck |
In the ruins of old stone buildings huge trees have grown. The trees are huge even by this forest. Strangly they are all the exact same size and of a species not seen anywhere else in the forest. The ruins are abondoned even by the few animals who made their home there.
You know from your exploration that the trees stop at the castle walls. In fact all plant life seems to.
Despite that the castle is ruined nd crumbling. There is black stone slab in the ruins that neither of you has been brave enough to touch so far.
Ara Shanarin |
I suspect the black stone slab might offer some explanations to the anguish of the forest. I steel my nerves to approach, even though I feel a wave of fear at the prospect. I narrow my focus intently, concentrating solely on overcoming my oppressive anxiety as I take each step.
Uncosciously, as I approach, I sing a soft inspiring tune, as if to combat the dread I feel. Realizing that it has a heartening affect on me, I voice the song loudly enough to allow Melba and Tsuna to gain some advantage.
Inspire confidence used
Melba Connor |
As I venture into the ruins slowly I start to hear Ara faintly sing a tune and it gave me more confidence, though I didn't really need it to begin with but I could tell Ara could probably use Tsuna for extra confidence for now. I order softly to Tsuna to stay next to her as I swiftly but quietly run near the stone and examine it. I can feel an odd feeling but unsure why.
I cast Detect evil hoping for answers.
Melba Connor |
Sensing that the stone is not evil I feel I should be relieved but still feel unsure what is going on. I sigh and lean against the stone looking at Ara and Tsuna still walking toward me. I think to myself it is an interesting stone though. I wonder is Ara knows what it could be.
Melba Connor |
Surprised and embarrassed by the situation I look around after I gain my composure and see only darkness engulfing all around the bottom of the stairs and the only light came from the opening I came from. I hear Ara and Tsuna coming down the stairs and see a light start to illuminate the darkness. She is holding a lantern. I talk out loud toward her saying "Im alright Ara. Come here Tsuna. You want to keep going?"
Tsuna walks up to me and I cast a Light spell on her to serve as a second lantern.
The Admiral Jose Monkamuck |
At first the East hallway looks regular. There are empty room branching off to each side. Eventually the stone becomes less worked and it seems more like a tunnel into rock and less like a hallway.
Eventually the rock gives way to giant roots. The roots are 5 or 6 feet across at least. A tunnel is cut into the roots like they just kept on going.
Ara Shanarin |
I follow Melba with a little concern, since I didn't get much time to look down the north and south passageways before she hared off to the east. If something is lurking in either of those passages, it could cut off our retreat. If that happens I hope her skill as a fighter matches her bluster.
As I follow, I listen intently for sounds behind us. Any second of warning my senses give me might be the difference success and failure if we are ambushed from the rear.
The Admiral Jose Monkamuck |
The North passage goes about 20 feet and ends in metal bars that look like the door to a prison, you can make out room beyond but not any details. The South passage goes about 20 feet and ends in a stone door. You don't hear anything besides the two of you and Tsuna.
The root passage goes about another 60 feet and opens into a circular room. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the room is made up of roots. The roots come down from the ceiling and up from the floor to form a pedastal. It is easy to tell the roots used to meet up but were hacked away. The pedastal is empty whatever it once held is long gone.
Ara Shanarin |
I am filled with curiosity and want to discover what has been taken from the pedestal.
I slip past Melba to examine the ground before she and Tsuna can confuse it with their own tracks. Perhaps I can learn something useful that can help us solve the mystery regarding what was taken and who had taken it.
Survival skill check for tracking if needed:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Melba Connor |
I come and rush to the inside the room as I was distracted by a few things earlier and heard her ask me to help but missed the opportunity to do so. I apologize and then tell Tsuna to sniff around the room for anything while I cast detect magic in the middle of the room.
Ara Shanarin |
I boldly proclaim a blessing against hurt, harm, and ghostly beings which I had learned from one of the travellers who visited the inn where I grew up. I carefully make the gestures that were to accompany the poetic incantation.
Cure Light Wounds at the ghost, damage d8+1 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7