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Trudging after the others, Marcello keep looking around for clues to ensure himself that they were in fact walking the right way.
There had to something! Drops of blood, footprints or something...
The hope was small and in all honesty, it was just an act to keep his guard up around the others... He was, after all, not really on good terms with any of them, maybe a bit better with Melaphi, but it was only an inch better than the two others.
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Both groups are able to navigate the wilderness without losing their way , arriving within sight of the old castle Victor spoke of just as night falls. A soft rain dances in the trees as lightning periodically illuminates the horizon, casting a long shadow from the looming structure. Several miles of wooded valley still separate the party from their objective as the last light fades and the adventurers finish making camp.
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"I'll take the guard duty of the night." Looking at the others, Marcello waits for any of them to object but if none have anything to say, then he takes the full guard.
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"Ill keep you company." Garroth said, leaving the obvious mistrust unspoken. "Patry, you think your bear can handle half a watch so I can get some sleep as well?"
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Nodding at that, Marcello walks towards the outskirts of their camp. Making a quick sweep, , he stands in a half relaxed pose he knows he can keep up for hours.
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Payet places a stack of wooden stakes in a pile and says "somethinge like this is needed to actually finish one off, so feel free to use them"
Fate sits down on a large rock nearby with an identation, much like a bean bag.
"Fate is vell rested und vill remain vary."
She slouchs back on the stone as if it was a throne, her hands steepled.
"The eyes of Fate are alvays vatching."
As she leaves a dramatic pause lingering in the air, she starts sliding off the rock. She pushes herself back up with her legs, the rest of her body still posed as before.
Patricie nods to Garroth, agreeing to take a shift.
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The group makes camp and sets watches for the evening. Notably, Victor doesn't seem to have ever shown up. Regardless, the night passes uneventfully and soon gives rise to the morning dawn, providing a glorious backdrop for the ruined castle.
"Well Fate, do we wait for your conjurer? Or move forward and get this over with? asks Melaphi.
Patricie, still elated at spending time with others in the wild, is happy enough to lay about in the dirt, and regale her companions with stories of woodland creatures and the like until they clearly grow weary of her.
In spite of the company, Garroth managed a somewhat mirthful demeanor as the morning wore on, his mind occupied with Patrys stories. However as the stories grew ever more mundane or repetitive, thoughts of the matter at hand crept in, slowly souring his mood back to what was by now usual in the presence of the others. "Yes, squirrel, couldnt find its nuts, hilarious." He mumbled, pulling out another piece of ration. A bit rudely, he turned away from Patry, addressing the others.
"Cant say you are makin' this venture easy." He grumbled, loudly chewing his ration between words. "You do realize how the old geezers absence looks, right?" He grunted in annoyance and exhaled loudly through flaring nostrils. "Still, this was all a bad idea from the beginnin' so to Hells with it. Lets just get goin'."
He rose, looking at everyone expectantly.
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Turning his head towards Garroth, Marcello was still at the position he had picked when they had set up camp, though this time, he was sitting down instead of standing. Even big heavy armored knights had to sleep and since he had been to stubborn to get a tent, he had simply slept outside on his guard duty.
"We wait."
Two simple words, yet that seemed to be all Marcello had to say before turning the head back and keeping a watch.
If Garroth had anything else to say that he wanted to take up with him, then he was welcome to, but Marcello seemed adamant in staying and waiting for Victor.
Garroth snorted in response, though his mood seemed to lighten slightly. "I cant rightly tell if that should make me less suspicious, but if you are waitin' for him, atleast hes not lyin' in wait down the road."
He sat down again, busying himself with sharpening his blade, but only managed a few strokes before turning to Marcello again. "Dont suppose you wanna enlighten the rest of us with the cause of his delay?"
Seeing that Patricie has told her last story, she sets about feeding her animals, getting dried fish for trilby, oats for Milley, and rations for herself out of Milley's pack saddle.
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Melaphi saddles his horse, packing away his things in the saddle bags. Once done he sends out tendrils of light to his companions, linking his life to theirs.
Climbing atop his mount he comments, "It's time. Delaying longer will not serve the priestess.". He moves his horse into a slow walk, heading towards the castle in the distance.
Fate rises from her rock/throne. She throws out her cape before folding her arms in front of her.
"Fate is skeptical about the prospect of vaiting for Herr Viktor."
She approaches Garroth, her steps measured.
"Believe vhatever you vish about our intentions, but the simple truth is that Herr Victor does vhat he vants. He has peculiarly...clandestine...habits."
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"As Fate is saying..." agreeing with what his comrade says, he gets up very slowly and look at Melaphi.
Shrugging and loosening up his shoulders he looked at Garroth instead. He was a warrior, he might understand. "I do not know the purpose of his delay. He might be lost, I don't know. But in a possible fight with a vampire, we can't just storm in and hope that the sight of us is enough."
Marcello stops and nods slowly before looking at Melaphi. "But please, be my guest. Be sure to scream very loudly, as this particular vampire can turn invisible and throw magic." and shook his head at what Melaphi tried to force to happen.
Walking up to Fate, he lower his voice and ask quietly if she knew anything about vampires or Victor's whereabouts. Even Marcello knew he couldn't ask them to wait all day and he didn't want to wait, but if it was the same vampire then he needed a way to respond to the magic.
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The party makes ready, preparing spells or praying to gods, feeding ponies or just eating a big breakfast themselves. Sarcon astoundingly appears able to sleep through all of it.
As they begin to enter the valley below, a thick mist settles in the trees and woodlands come alive with the sounds of all manner of creature. The mist affords quick glimpses of movement as the adventurers trudge onward, but only vegetation seems to be comfortable enough in your presence to remain. As the would-be vampire hunters reach the bottom of the valley, they come to a small stream running through the bottom. It appears shallow and slow enough to cross without difficulty, however.
"Blasted critters!" Garroth cursed as another half seen movement in the mist caught his attention. "Before you know it we will grow accustomed to it and then when the real monster comes we wont be as alert."
He drew his sword and shield, not wanting to be caught without either should something rear its ugly head.
Melaphi moves towards the front, ready to assist anyone there should a problem arise.
Fate shook her head side-to-side as Marcello passed by, but gave no other answer.
"Oh gosh, don't say that." Fethryth shakes her head at Garroth. "I refuse to get eaten by a monster lurking in the fog. It's too much of a cliche" She tries to keep her tone a joking one but her eyes keep flicking around as she tries to look everywhere at once.
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"Then stay ready for everything!" Shouting over his shoulder, Marcello looked ahead.
*Fog, of course... I hate fog. Gods, I'm starting to sound like Sarcon. * shaking that out of his head, he moves forward with sword in hand and a constant eye out for trouble.
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Patricie hangs back and draws her crossbow, with Trilby just before her so she can buff him if a fight breaks out.
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Payet sticks twoards the middle, humming an old tune as he goes, not saying much
The party stays ready for anything,
but encounters nothing in the fog. However, the fleeting glimpses of creatures in the fog increase in frequency, and unsettling sounds and peering eyes seem to be everywhere.
"Got half a mind to chuck somethin' at the next one." Garroth grumbled, noticeably more shifty-eyed than when they had first started seeing movement. "Maybe then they will get on with it instead of all this tiptoeing around."
Melaphi's mood darkens, his usually cheerful demeanor turning somewhat sour and his tone is a little short. "To much fog to burn it away with flame."
Patricie, familiar with the stalking habits of animals and with navigating thick fog is unmoved by the events around her...
"maybe if you could use a lot of fire it could work... But then that might backfire... In a more literal sense than usual
The party makes their way through the mist, most becoming quite jittery or unsettled.
Yet in spite of their sense of impending violence, nothing seems to happen. Within 2 hours they reach a clearing and stand before a once mighty gate, doors now too poorly hung to seal the entrance. Within, a barren and marshy courtyard is visible. However, the doors afford little detail through the few feet of gap between them.
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Calling it to a halt of their little convoy of people, Marcello takes a few trying steps. Trying to determine if there was any kind of trap, he stares at the once-mighty gate.
Tho it was but a fleeting memory, he explicitly remembered the last time he had just walked right in. If there was any other darts flying around, he did not want to be hit by them this time.
Within 2 hours ...
With the aged castle in view, Melaphi's unease begins to depart. "Good find" he murmurs at Marcello's discovery of the trap. As the warrior pulls on the second door he straps his shield on, keeping his horse back from the entryway till the opening is clear enough to move inside without brushing against the rigged half of the front entrance.
With more than a little evidence of amusement in both voice and face, Garroth moved up to assist Marcello with opening the door. "Keep doors, eh? Always so heavy arent they?"
With the door open, he motioned towards the entrance, allowing Marcello to enter first."
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The helmet moving over to stare at Garroth, he answered back with fake amusement in voice. "Why yes, why don't you open the other one?"
Accepting the help and opening the door, he moved in before Melaphi and his companion.
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Fethryth is still nervous, visions of vampires and fog monsters running through her head. "It was trapped? Oh, that's not good." She moves up to Garroth and sticks to his side; it looks like she's ready to hide behind the half-orc. "There could be anything in there. Let me see if I can pick up any magic" she whispers. Fethryth waves her hand and mumbles the spell's words.