Looking grim, Healaugh surveys the companions. "Reckon we'd best be going on. Not rightly liking idea of hiking round in dark, but happen Ynyr and Greylan can conjure up more light for us. Don't see as waiting for daylight will benefit poor captured folks."
Darvyl accedes, grumbling.
"We know these things are active at night, and I sure can't see in the dark."
"If evil is active in the night, then I will be active to meet it," noted Ddraig, wryly, "and there will be enough light to track by. And besides, it will be easier to follow both the tracks and the music than just the music. I am happy to to go."
The band of warriors follow the tracks of the villagers by lamplight, until they reach a local landmark.
A tall, narrow hill looks out of place among the low, rolling meadows of pasture that surround the town. One hundred and fifty feet high, a treacherous winding path leads up the hill toward the summit, which is overgrown with dead and dying trees. Broken bits of masonry and the remains of worked stone walls lie scattered around the hillside.
Stuffing his ears with strips of shirt renders the halfling even less perceptive than usual. In vain he struggles to see his own feet, never mind the countryside around him.
Healaugh finds nothing of interest and bumbles around.
Once you have saved, you are immune.
Once you have saved, you are immune.
Looking around him, Healaugh wonders what the history of the place is, and what its original purpose might have been.
Healaugh hasn't heard of this place before and has little idea what it might once have been.
Grumpy at his own lack of insight, Healaugh nods. "Aye. Good plan that."
It's slow going as Nechtan walks up in the moonlight, as stealthily as he may.
Ddraig considers that Nechtan is the ideal candidate to creep forward, while Ddraig remains where he is.
Nechtan gets the others to wait for him halfway up the hill, as he approaches alone, as stealthily as possible.
Nechtan has found nothing suspicious so far as he makes his way along the path.
Darvyl manages to look bored and anxious simultaneously.
Nechtan checks the summit. If nothing is there, he tries to see where the trail heads, and looks off in that direction with the advantage of height.
Nechtan
DM
Nechtan
Everybody else
"Happen our Nechtan's in spot of bother. Best go see."
Healaugh plods off up the hill, remembering after a few steps that most of his friends can't hear him and indicating with pantomimed gestures where he's going.
DM
"Now would you suppose that we have lost the surprise and quiet we wanted see? Do you suppose Nechtan is alright, do you not think we should go to him? But have you not already said that, friend Healaugh?"
Ynyr follows Healaugh.
As he walks up the hill, Ynyr, too, tries to summon up any small fact, from his vast store, that would throw light on where we are.
What is this place? (1d20+6=9)
Darvyl follows the others up the hill, glancing rapidly about.
"It would seem to be the case, Ynyr" said Ddraig, drawing his sword and setting off at a jog up the slope
Holding his lamp high, Healaugh waits for the rest of the group to catch up with him before heading to where he thinks Nechtan might have gone.
The group reassembles at the top of the hill, in the light of the plucky bard's lantern.
You appear to be in a bare piece of earth with potholes and such around. At each cardinal point, there are copses of trees, you think. You have come up on the eastern side of the hill and are now facing northwest. Ahead of you is a barren copse of trees about 50 feet away.
DM
[ooc]That would be a correct assumption. Should he need to wield the javelin of lightning awesomeness, he'll have to hold the lantern in his teeth or summat./ooc]
"Nechtan? Dost think copse is place to start?"
Nehctan shrugs and starts heading towards the copse.
Greylan hisses, "Where's he going? And... more to the point, are we going there too? He seems to attract logs."
"Aye. Best follow."
"I was afraid you'd say that."
"Tha's got potions Greylan. No cause for fussing as I can see."
Planting himself firmly at the centre of the copse, Healaugh's eyes narrow as he tries to work out the purpose of the place.
Healaugh advances into the copse, picking his way through broken masonry. Once, many years ago this must have been a large stone building of some kind, but now the open area of the hill is the only testimony to the foundations. Nature has reclaimed the rest.
Ynyr, Nechtan
Nechtan draws his weapons and spins to face the growth to the North.
"Shaw yuirsel!!"