Time we continue our sweep, then.
Lothar had made his way back and mounted up on his mule. The Wardens had urgent work that needed to be done, which included checking up on the Sootscale tribe of kobolds.
"I think you are right, though we must reevaluate tha lands useage an where tha wolves an such might fit properly respected."
Mounts his horse as well, ready to ride.
"What do you think about this as a plan for our next trip?"
Consults his map and remembers what Cal had suggested
F7?
"I can fly an look ahead into tha next hex."
"Finally!"
Barnabus flies over the mound giving it a quick pass-over...
Rhasadilara watches the excitable witch fly from his saddle and looks at her partner. "I would suggest a more mundane circuit, about 50' out, meet you on the far side?"
Staring at the carefree Barnabus caught up in his flight of fancy, Lothar could only shake his head, amazed as always at his fellow Warden's exuberance.
At Golden Arm's words, his attention was diverted back to the task at hand. Sounds like a plan. I just wish I had exercised the proper foresight and placed a spell on him for communication, in case he runs into trouble.
"If he stops whooping and hollering, we'll know he's found something. If he screams in terror, we'll know it's of concern. Sound good?"
She takes up the reins for the witch's horse and leads it as she goes around.
Barnabus lands, but not near the crack remembering his two run ins with spiders, he was reluctant to do a third...
"Crack."
Rhasadilara circles to the left, studying the mound but careful to pay some attention to her surroundings.
Rhasadilara stops Sunset and peers at the witch's find, waiting for Lothar to complete the larger circuit of the mound.
Frowning, "I hesitate to dishonor those that buried the dead here by delving into their work. But can we afford to pass by an open barrow not knowing if it's open because something within is restless?"
Looking at Lothar as he rides up, she asks, "I suggest that if those within rest easily, we leave them alone and fill in the crack. If they do not, they need to be dealt with before they are a danger to our settlers. However, I'm not terribly well prepared to deal with restless dead, are you?"
"If tha dead err weak, mah healin hex can affect a great number one at a time though...."
Lothar shook his head in response to his partner's query. We're going to have be especially careful in our investigation. Though I would recommend checking to see if anything has either entered or left this barrow recently, as we could be dealing with something more mundane than the restless dead.
"True - when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not Garundi zebras. Let's see what sort of horses might be within."
She dismounts, leaving the traces for both of the horses over their heads and on the ground to let them know to basically stay, then goes toward the barrow with an eye to the ground.
"Bats. It would seem they have been here a while."
Then let us enter with caution. Golden Arm, you should take the lead. I'll cover the rear, leaving Barnabus in the center. Lothar then turned to the witch. If you have any light-producing magic, I suggest using it before we enter. This way both, Rhasa and myself may benefit. If not, then I'll activate my sunrod and pass it off to you.
Barnabus considers the request..
"I could both provide light an summon a lantern archon."
"I'll defer to you on how best to use your abilities. The lantern archon - that's the glowing ball of light you summoned before? Do they speak?"
Barnabus casts first the light orison on the weapon of Rhasas and then follows up ready to cast his summoning spell....
"It is done."
The elven ranger salutes with her weapon, then moves slowly and cautiously into the darkness.
;
Rhasadilara signals a stop, then a retreat. Once outside again, she shares, "I see no signs of recent disturbance. If there is anything other than bats in there, it doesn't leave tracks. Do we need to explore it further?"
She adds, "I didn't want to wake up more of the flying mice by speaking within."
I'm reluctant to go further as well, but we should be as thorough as possible, Golden Arm. It may be a waste of time, but better to be safe than sorry.
She nods, "Very well. We will want to be as silent as possible. Those creatures are small, but as a colony, they can be a problem if we disturb them."
Rhasadilara will re-enter, trying to be as stealthy as possible and trying to move through the chamber toward the webbed tunnel, intending to use her blade to move the webs aside.
The ranger continues on.
Barnabus likewise tries to avoid rousing the bats
Stealth
"This seems a likely sign o a trap tah myself, though I am no professional o such matters."
"Wha say yah Lothar err Rhasha?'
The elf points to the skeleton. "Keep an eye on that one, please. Make sure it doesn't move."
She moves around the chamber to the next passage to the left and listens. She continues around until she's listened at each of the three untraveled tunnels and returns to her friends.