The group begin to clamber among the boulders.
I'm a climbing fool.
The slog is hard going over the boulders. Progress is slow and results in more than a few twisted ankles and abrasions.
As the sun goes down they have barely made it to the bottom of the glacier. From its snout emerges a gurgling stream that splashes down the bleak, rocky valley, heading the north.
"Follow the stream?" Hudak queries;
"Follow the stream?" Illes snarls while rubbing a busted knee. "We aren't all hulking northmen here. Some of us mere mortals need to take a rest now and again. How about we start looking for a camp site instead?"
"Gods. I did not expect getting across a damn valley to be more painful than fighting their pet dragon."
Nursing some bumps and bruises of her own, Sefayll has to agree. "We need to find a defensible position for the evening. And discuss what lies ahead to prepare."
Want to head down to the treeline? Or camp right here?
Anybody see any caves?
perception
if not I guess we'll head down to the treeline.
"Under normal circumstances, the treeline is the better option. However, with Illes' campsite spell, my use of the Endure elements wand and our carried firewood and rations... We should make camp here among the boulders. Struggling through the moraine in the darkness is likely to cause rolled ankles and sprained forearms, and while I can take care of that, why do it if it is not needed? I'll have us all flying out of here tomorrow morning anyway."
"Let's camp here then or behind a big old boulder. All this dickering tires me out more than that climb."
"I think I pulled a groin muscle chopping the s!$* out of that red dragon."
The adventurers make camp at the base of the glacier. Snug inside Illes' conjured shelter, they wait out the night. The wind moans outside and the stars are obscured by cloud. But nothing disturbs their rest.
The next morning dawns dimly, the view down the valley lost in fog. It is bitterly cold as sleet makes the rocks treacherously slippery.
"Let's get this show on the road," says Hudak. "I detest this cold.."
Can we see the tower yet?
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"I agree." Camlo says, or at least, that's what you can make out between the noise of his teeth chattering.
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"Line up for the blessings of Gorum!" Alwyn is dressed in platemail and holding a wand. "With this spell, we can walk through the air for about two hours. Don't get too far off the ground."
Camlo will make sure he has his wand of feather fall to hand. Despite only being a few feet off the ground....
The party set off down the mountain, literally walking on air. They drift through the mist and rain, easily negotiating the cliff that lurked unseen in the murk . Eventually they drop below cloud level and escape the fog altogether, moving quickly down the valley. The rocky slopes turn into rough alpine meadow, littered with boulders. Then, a bit further down, sparse forest begins to sprout up, getting gradually taller and thicker as they descend.
By mid-morning, legs are aching despite not touching the ground. As Alwyn's spell comes to an end, they have descended a long way down from the mountain, into a wooded, steep-sided valley. The floor is thick with pine needles as they touch the ground.
"Nice, eh? Gorum is good to his followers." Despite being sweaty and tired, Alwyn is grinning like a milk-fed cat. "It is good to be off the bare, windswept rock."
"Look at all these mounds. Do you think they are natural? They certainly are old - that one there has a huge tree growing out of it."
"What what now?"
Hudak scratches his head.
The adventurers look around as Alwyn waves his arm at the mounds. It is still raining, the water dripping off the drooping pine branches. The sound is muffled by the thick carpet of brown needles and surrounding trees, giving an oddly deadened effect. Although they are no longer immersed in fog, visibility is still limited by the steady downpour.
"Ohh, those things, they look like a giant graveyard to me. Nice near rows, probably the right size... Is it time to rest up for the night yet?"
"Dream on, Camlo - we've only just begun today's walking. Also, would you want to camp out in an old graveyeard?"
"But my legs are tired? The graveyard sounds cool, and I prefer walking at night, especially with no logs to fall over. Can we at least stop to eat?"
"I am hesitant to linger in a graveyard in general. Partially because of past experience with the restless dead, but more so out of respect for the living that might take offense. We should keep moving."
Sigh..."Ok, but we get lunch as soon as we are out?"
"We gotta git outta the open, man. keep on going."
"Lunch is not a bad idea after this morning's airborne marching, but I'm not cooking anything in an ancient graveyard. This place might have a... custodian, living or dead. Give it an hour, then it's chow time."
"That sounds good."
"Agreed."
The adventurers take a break in the dripping forest. They eat their food quietly for several minutes.