The business of state is quickly dealt with in the first days of Lamashan. Unrak eagerly checks for news on his ordered breastplate, and is once again frustrated to learn that there is no news. That damn smith has not even sent a letter of apology explaining the delay! Perhaps he simply swindled the Dreadful Bear out of his money...
On [color=teal]7th Lamashan[/color], one of the brothers you previously brokered a truce between seeks an audience with Baron Redleaf. It seems that the relationship between the brothers has improved in the past year, if it still remains a little frosty. Edrist Hanvaki, dressed impeccably in a velvet doublet and fine feathered cap, shares that his brother Tomin recently traveled to Varnhold with a family heirloom, intent on doing business with Varnhold's gemcutter.
Unfortunately, Tomin is now more than a week late in returning. Edrist is concerned that Tomin may have met with trouble on the road, or worse, simply fled with the family's mother-of-pearl brooch. Edrist seeks news of both Tomin and brooch, and asks your help in getting to the bottom of the matter--for which he is prepared to reward the state treasury.
He notes that he has also posted a notice in town, among the others posted outside Castle Redleaf's gate.
Marc quickly learns that Lake Silverstep is a large lake to the east, fed by the Gudrin River and innumerable mountain streams that run down the Tors of Levenies. Silverstep is best known for its fishing, particularly its enormous stock of delicious silver eels that nevertheless remain difficult to catch.
The business of state is quickly dealt with in the first days of Lamashan. Unrak eagerly checks for news on his ordered breastplate, and is once again frustrated to learn that there is no news. That damn smith has not even sent a letter of apology explaining the delay! Perhaps he simply swindled the Dreadful Bear out of his money...
Unrak pens a letter to the smith himself, asking for an update on the commission.
The next morning ([color=teal]8th Lamashan[/color]) a messenger arrives, this time from Restov.
Before going out for more, Augrym gladly accepts the donation from his others and uts the money towards the services of a priest. Assuming one can be fond.
Jhod is the only priest in Solasgaard capable of the task, so Augrym seeks out the minister after securing an appropriate diamond. A day later, the Justicar is feeling much better, if still not quite his usual self.
"Between this letter from master swordlord friend Jamandi and new dandy friend Tomin here, it would seem that we are needed urgently in Varnhold. I am not quite my usual self but I am always ready to find for this land and for you good leader friend brother Taranis. Say the word and we will begin preparation to leave today."
After saddling the horses and letting his brothers get ready, Augrym takes out the map and takes Taranis' suggestion for which way to go. Hex 61 to 62, take two new hexes on the way to 58 then to Varnhold. Augrym then takes some time to explain this to the horses while waiting for his brothers.
"I believe the horses understand the route brother Huntsmen. Let us hope that this speeds us on our way."
The Huntsmen ride east, opting for the mountain pass to Varnhold. You enter new territory on [color=teal]11th Lamashan[/color], more craggy hills of the Kamelands, though the tall mountains of the Tors loom directly to the east. In fact, directly in your path ahead appears to be the tallest of the Tors' many towering peaks.
Shading his eyes and looking east, Zed points out the broken structure atop the tallest peak to the east.
"Perceptive Zed!" Taranis flirts with the idea of flying as a bird to get a better look, but eventually thinks better off it for now.
Taranis suspects that the ruins would make an excellent eyrie for a large bird of prey, such as a roc.
"I have always wanted to fly atop of a roc! But I. am afraid this will need to wait. We should do our best to move stealthily past this as we are in a great rush, my friends. BUT! On the way back, I will ride this bird!"
Augrym pauses for a moment with a smile. The smile trickles off quickly.
"I did not mean to make this sound dirty. Wipe that smile off of your face rage filled brother friend Unrak."
Opting to skirt the tall peak for now, the Huntsmen head straight for the Varnhold Pass. A few light snows have already dusted the mountainsides as you climb higher, and the chill is noticeable at these higher elevations.
You reach the watchtower of the pass late in the day on [color=teal]13th Lamashan[/color]. No challenge from the garrison greets you as you arrive; in fact, the watchtower looks to be abandoned.
"Not good."
Taranis casts Eagle Eye to get a feel for the immediate area, then nods for people to take weapons out. "Save your magic for now. Let's look around for clues first." Will take a walk through
"sniff sniff
The door to the tower is unbarred, and inside it indeed proves to be abandoned. There is no sign of a struggle. The garrison is simply gone.
From the top of the 30 foot tower, well positioned at the top of the pass, Taranis can just make out the "skyline" of Varnhold some dozen miles east.
Channeling the power of the magical sensor, Taranis moves it from just over his head to 680' above.
Regardless of the intel... The baron's expression grows dark and he secures his gear, "Come, let us waste no time."
Despite the advantage of elevation, detail is difficult to discern from a dozen miles off. Still, Taranis sees no smoke rising from Varnhold, nor any signs of major damage.
"I am ready to investigate further. I suggest we push on until we have found our answer or at least more clues. I believe in the character of these people and do not believe that they would willingly abandon their posts, nor do I believe that they have deceived us."
Augrym will search for tracks and use his Keen Scent to see if he can also spot the scent in any way.
Augrym finds no tracks leading in or out of the watchtower.
You opt to stay the night in the tower. The whistling of the wind through the pass is all that disturbs your slumber, aside from a general sense of unease brought on by the mysterious absence of the garrison. In the morning, you make your way down the pass towards Varnhold.
You reach the town two hours before sunset ([color=teal]14th Lamashan[/color]). As you get nearer, you hear no sounds coming from the town, though a thin trail of smoke does rise from the fort situated on the hill on the other side of the ford. Besides this minimal indication, you see no signs of life whatsoever. Varnhold is otherwise as you remember it.
"This is not good. This could have been Solasgaard. The inn is closest, and it's where people tend to go. I see the smoke from the fort, but I'd like to check this out."
The Huntsmen ignore the outbuildings on this side of the ford and head straight for the inn. The ground slopes steeply downward to the river bank, where the Kiravoy River runs wide and shallow, though it is muddy with the runoff of recent rains to the south. The opposite bank rises at a gentler slope into the town proper.
DV60
and LLV Scent
LLV, +3 well-lit visual if Aurora nearby
Though the muddiness of the water makes the estimate uncertain, Zed surmises that the water in only 4 feet deep or so at the deepest point of the ford, and should be easily to traverse.
Just before we cross, "Augrym, any signs of struggle or mass egress here? Look around, I'll be back. Keep your eyes on me.... just in case." As the inquisitor looks around, Taranis takes the opportunity to do a little reconnoitering. He closes his eyes and listens to the wind. He embraces the wild and transforms into a kingfisher.
Taranis takes to the air, alone in the form of a hawk. After circling on the thermals for a few minutes, during which he sees no movement in the town at all, he settles on the roof of the inn. The inn has sustained no damage, but no sounds comes from within. The church proves to be just the same: no damage, no sign of life.
The Baron wings towards the fort and its thin trail of smoke, on the hill above the town.
You spot several helmets poking out over the stockade by the gate. However, they prove to be empty, erected on sticks to give the illusion of a guard.
You do see two actual creatures, though. One is in the western watchtower, the other in the yard roasting something on a spit. Both are lanky, pale-skinned humanoids with long pointy ears, both in disheveled warrior garb.
Taranis will fly back and report what he's found, "I think I saw some in the fort. Maybe we head straight there = and search the rest of town later? Thoughts?"
Taranis identifies the two creatures as spriggans, strange, feral gnome-like creatures who can assume the size of giants in battle.
Spriggans are not especially bright and have no known resistances.
Following Taranis’ orders, Augrym checks for tracks while he is away. Although he wishes that he could turn into a bird and fly with his leader to protect him.
He asks for Guidance before checking (casts. Guidance on himself).
Augrym spots no tracks on the northern bank of the ford, even in the soft mud by the water's edge.
"How do you feel about taking some time to explore this side of the water? I suggest we do that, and then try to lure the spriggans into an ambush. After our victory, we can search the rest of town."
Taranis turns to look at the fort, "I wouldn't mind taking one prisoner."
”I am with you on this, great Taranis. I have no skill in constructing traps, but can make myself invisible to pounce on a spriggan.”
Unrak brings forth his cold iron longspear and starts looking for a good ambush spot.
"Indeed. Let's check these buildings first."
The acrid stench of a tannery wafts faintly from this modest building. An outhouse stands across the yard in front of the building. Inside is a combination home and leatherworking shop filled with hides in various stages of stretching and curing.
Behind the building is a small fenced enclosure with three horse hides stretching on it.
"Nothing here, move on to the next one."
Augrym passes on the information he receives.
"Strange. I don't know how that connects, but nice catch Augrym. Come let us continue on, perhaps the bits of information will weave into something more legible."