From the top of the wall you easily get a view of the fjord all the way to sea. As well, being on a higher end than the rest of the lower fjord walls, you can spot smoke rising in the distance... the Rangvir village.
The land around you continues in rolling hills and plains but in the distance (to the north) you spy great mountains of brilliant white.
Aha we are almost there says mogwag pointing toward the village
"Tik'Klik!"
Banny shades her eyes with her hand and scans the fjord, the rolling terrain, the great snow-capped peaks to the north. A little smile briefly appears on her face at that. Snow. Great ruddy mountains. Her kind of place.
But the village is closer, and she nods at Mogwag's words.
"Right. Let's beat feet, then."
Her shield is slung once more on her arm as they prepare for another day. Banny chews thoughtfully on a bit of dried jerky from her pack as they hike, the tough meat providing good exercise for the jaws, and nutrition and energy for the body.
Curden takes point, eyes scanning the horizon as he chews on an unlit cigar.
"Tik'Klik!"
Day 3 is spent exploring the current area which quickly brings you to a large stone menhir. A collection of coinage, gemstones and other small jewel pieces are placed at its base.
Curden looks around the area, thinking this is a trap.
Mogwag looks at the menhir.
Mogwag thinks these are offering of religious matter. Mogwag advises you all not to touch nor to take.
"Tik'Klik"
The golem considers Mogwag's words, then looks at the altar. The golem moves up to it and it's hands make tick tick sounds as they open up and a small piece of quartz crystal is deposited on the altar.
"Tik'Klik"
Sounding satisfied, the golem moves away from the Menhir, obviously ready to explore some more.
That is a very nice gesture he says seriously
"Tik'Klik"
The golem's tone sounds self satisfied.
Banny rolls her eyes at the elf and Woody, but says nothing aloud about the quartz offering.
She crouches by the shinies, not to take them, but looking at them thoughtfully.
She's curious as to what sort of faces or insignia appear on the coins in use in this land-- it may give them some idea about what gods or kings or big chiefs are revered in the Rangvir village.
Curden looks at the gems, then at Mogwag as if he's speaking another language. "Yer kiddin' me right? How do you intend to buy horses, by scrubbin' boots for ten years?"
"Tik'Klik!"
The golem steps in front of Craw, and points a finger at the gunslinger's chest.
"Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!""Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!" "Tik'Klik!"
The golem begins to poke Craw in the chest as he klik's and tik's at him in a tone of voice usually reserved by nuns to chastise naughty boys.
"Tik'Klik!"
"Tik'Klik"
"Tik'Klik..."
"Tik'..."
"Klik..."
"Bad Klik!
When the golem starts going off with enough noise to deafen him Craw returns the pointed finger with a pointed gun. "Now I suggest you calm down so we can talk this out, like I was trying to do. You didn't see me going to take 'em did you?" Holy hell, he was the last one in this ground I'd thought that would care about religion.
Tik'Klik looks at the gun pointing at him, and then gives a very angry sounding "Tik'Klik!.
The golem's finger snicks apart. So does his hand, in fact, it snicks and clicks until Craw is looking down a hollow arm, as if looking down a barrel. Deep inside, the gunslinger can see blue energy building up.
"Tik'Klik! Bad! Kill! Tik'Kill!"
Craw cocks the hammer. "Put it down or attack me. You get one shot. Better make it count."
"Tik'Klik!"
"Tik'Klik! Tik'Klik! Tikraw Tik'Klik Klik'Tireaten Gun. Tik'Klik! Klikraw drop Tik! Drop Tik! Drop Gun Tik!"
"I will when you do." Craw says in a perfectly calm voice.
Banny looks up from the coins at the sudden eruption of words and sounds to find the human and the wooden thing-- what the hells? Getting ready to flippin' blast each other?
"What the hells?" she growls. "I dunno what the ever-lovin' you two are kicked up on, but I was under the impression we were hired professionals here. Our third day an' we're drawin' on each other?"
The dwarf stands up, fists planted on her hips.
"I'm gonna count to three an' you can both put 'em away, how th' hell's that?
"An' Klicky, I don't reckon it's real shinin' for your first proper word to be Kill. Don't create trust, does it."
"Tik'Klik!"
Without looking away from Craw, the golem ticks and kliks at Banny.
Then finally...
"Kr.. Klik kick kraw.. kraw KRAW Kraw Klick Kraw Tik Tik Pull Pu PU P Pull Kli Tik Tik Gun F f f Gun Fff Gun f Gun first first Gun FUrs rust gGGun First Draw Kraw.. kraw kraw draw klik!"
Banny rubs at her forehead.
"We're a buncha ruddy children. Like my bloody sisters. 'She punched me first!' "
More loudly, she says, "Klicky, don't go shovin' an' pokin' people while babblin' at them how they can't understand. Craw, don't go drawin' on the creepy twig fella who don't work at all how we thought he was supposed to. Now three.... two... one..."
Craw stows his pistol and turns away from Tik'Klik. "Anyways, I don't know how we're going to afford horses if we pass up on free money."
Banny shrugs to the question of horses. "I don't like passin' money any more than you do, but we're in a strange land and we dunno the customs. You want to try an' pay for horses with these villagers with coin they left at their shrine-thing? We can offer services too. If it turns out this ain't nothin' special, then maybe we can come back for it later."
"Tik'Klik!"
The golem watches the man turn away and put his gun away, and the golem's hand snicks out and back into a hand. "Klik cla cla click trick clack clack track." The golem stops talking, it's blue crystal pulsing again. "Tik Klik Def def defense defense ddd d d defensive tik klik! Defensive routines auto klik auto klikc auto entick entick eng eng engage auto engage engage engage engage engage..." The golem smacks his crystal. "..Engaged. St.. st.. steal stealing wr.. wr.. wro klikc tick tick klik wr wr wrong wrong stealing wrong wrong stealing wrong."
Craw lights his cigar. That thing seems to have more morals than I do. Wonder what that makes me. He takes a long draw on it, letting it clear his mind. "Well I still disagree but if yer all against me I won't argue. Let's git movin'."
mogwag who was also tensing his muscles ready to spring into action relax.
We don't really need horses for the moment, the current plan is to get info on this land and the surrounding are from this village, so yes lets get moving. he says moving again
Tik'Klik will follow along, but it will be a long time before he turns his back on Curden. Whenever possible, he will try to walk behind the gunslinger, to keep him in line of sight.
Curden takes point again, walking casually and keeping his eyes forward.
Banny settles in at the rear for now, rolling her neck side to side as they set out walking again, and mulling over Klicky. Auto-wotsit defense systems? Hnh.
She glances back ever so often to make sure nothing's lurking in the hilly terrain.
The menhir itself doesn't seem trapped and the offerings lying at its base are of little value, though a few might fetch in the 20 to 30 gold pieces.
The menhir has small carvings and from what you can make out they depict hunting and wild animals.
The coinage is very simple and marked only with a single rune of unknown origin. Most likely from native language.
Banny copies down the rune for her own reference, using the tools in her mapmaker's kit. Never know when you might need a symbol. She takes the chance to sketch out the miles of terrain they've gone so far, noting the location of the Shattered Wall and the other features they've seen so far, but then it's back on the trail again.
Tik'Klik continues to tick and klick along in relative silence.
Day 4
Still bordering the top of the fjord you spend the day exploring this region of the highland, just south from the menhir.
Many animal tracks cross near the fjord ridge. Funnily enough they go in straight lines and seem to be horse hoofprints. They head both ways and form a sort of rough path. Southwards they point to the smoke in the distance (one hex away about) and they seem to veer northwards into E5.
The weather takes a cold turn however. Not enough to be a problem but the winds seem to be picking up.
Curden adjusts the scarf under his hat to protect his ears from the wind, not paying too much attention.
Banny crouches on the ground and studies the ground, fingers running over the faint impressions on the ground.
"Tracks," she grunts. "Looks like horses. Plenty of 'em. Goin' both ways. Veerin' off... south towards the smoke, yonder--" she gestures, "...an' north... that way."
She points that direction as well.
Tik'Klik looks toward the smoke, then toward E5. "Tik'Klik"
The golem points toward the smoke.
Max DC 10
Mogwag agrees. Many animal tracks cross near the fjord ridge including domesticated horses coming from the town we saw.
Craw tilts his head, frowning. "Now how'd I miss that?" He looks south. "Could get horses there it seems. Good heading?"
"Tik'Klik"
"Vik'klik...villiklik...village. Vil Vil Village Klik Village tillage klik. Village."
As you begin heading toward the village, you hear a whistling coming from beneath the fjord ridge. Moments later, what appears to be a large bird of prey comes soaring up over the edge and wings just above your heads.
It slowly begins circling you.
Tik'Klik tries to identify the source of the whistle while, in an overabundance of caution, casting mage armor. The golem's left hand snicks and clicks until it folds back into his arm. The motions acting as the somatic parts of the spell. A shimmery force field appears around the golem, and his arm stays open and ready to fire at any enemies.
Craw glances up at the bird for a moment, but then his eyes stray to where the whistling came from. He slips his gun out and points nearest to the sound as he can figure and shouts "Show yourselves."
We are explorers and do not wish any harm. We are here to trade and explore Mogwag says loudly