Herrick grunts. "Oh, well, I guess maybe you could have read some books of history or something, no?"
Hey chaps, I have a notion... how about we bury the bulky loot here? Pick it up on the way back out of the area. Seems safe enough. The coins? Split them equally among us. If one of us gets separated, needs to flee, falls down a bottomless well or eaten by a dragon then not all is lost... if by some grim fate only one of us survives and needs to flee then at least they escape with more coin than what they started with.
"Don't think this was sone city. Hmmm if it was must be sunk deep down in the mud. None could ever tell where the statue was from. Looks like a man so was no elf or dwarf that chiseled this piece."
Herrick shrugs and begins to unpack the mule's saddlebags in an effort to help with the sorting and burying process.
"No skin off of my nose," he mutters to himself. "It's not as if anyone ever listens to me."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”I’ll carry my share. If you don’t mind. “ Jak says as politely as he can trying not to show that he doesn’t trust anyone with his money.
With Herrick leading everyone also contributes to digging a hole big enough to fit the large chest filled with most of your treasure. It takes longer than expected since you lack the proper tools to dig and are forced to improvise with the 2 platters and the bucket you found in the ogre lair. Nonetheless, after a couple of hours of digging you lower the chest in and cover the hole within the clearing you have set your camp up in.
The night passes without incident and you feel invigorated when you wake up the next morning even after the night of digging. Sir Mule even has pep to his step now that he has been unburdened with the chest and its contents. Yet despite all of this when you look at Cole his skin is ashen and his eyes are almost bloodshot. The man looks to have aged ten years overnight as he struggles to get up. He nods as he feels all of your eyes upon him.
"Don't. You worry. About me. You forgot. About. The curse?" Cole struggles to get the words out.
"The curse? You didn't tell us that it makes you look like shit," Herrick blurts out.
"You're not going to turn into a werewolf or anything, right? Because that would have been a pretty major thing to leave out of the whole story of you and your brother."
What's the link?
Seriously old boy, you look rather peak'ed...
Nesserin frowns "Is this....condition going to get worse as we approach the well?" He asks cautiously.
What's the link?
"It's never. Felt this way. Before. Myrtle has always. Been with me. When I left. Holscomb." You all watch as Cole leans heavily onto his staff. "We're. Almost. There. I. Won't slow you. Down. From his appearance and demeanour you wonder if Cole could walk more than a dozen steps. It appears a struggle just for him to stay standing.
Throughout the morning as he went about his share of the chores, Jak was extra cautious listening for any clink of coins that he hid under his armor.
Seeing the effect on their apparent employer, Jak hoped that whatever magical curse that Cole had was not contagious.
"Sires, it appear Cole here is... sick? Or possessed? Hmm. Poor fellow. How will you continue on, Sire Cole? Or are you suggesting we leave you here?" Malthus looks the man in the eyes. "If you stay here, you will probably become troll dinner. I prefer it the other way around, don't you?"
Nesserin shakes his head. "Can't leave him here like this. The grove may appear safe but anything can happen out here. Put him on the mule."
"No. The mule. I will ride. The mule. She said. This. Might. Happen." As Cole says the last word he drops to the ground. His breath is heavy and raspy as his chest rises and falls with each moment.
Herrick spins around when Cole falls unconscious, and walks over to him to shake him gently. "Hey Cole, Old Man, don't fall asleep now. You need to stay awake."
He looks over his body and listens to his breathing and checks his pulse.
"Anybody know if we are going to kill him if we keep on going?"
Herrick races over to Cole and he finds him to still be alive. Touching the man he feels to be as cold as ice yet sweat drips from his wrinkled forehead. Herrick turns around looking for help from the others.
Jawn kneels beside Cole as he casts his divination. He definitely senses a magical aura surrounding the man. As he concentrates further he describes it:
From his legs up until the sternum of his chest an aura that resembles something like dark purple tendrils wrap around the old man's body. It is clear some form of necromancy is at play here.
Nesserin considers Cole's dire situation. "I'm not sure Henrrick, this is troublesome. We certainly can't leave him here like this. Our only options are to continue forward or turn back. I think we must have faith that his prophesying chicken chose wisely and move forward."
"Gilhaut you're a priest what's your opinion on the matter?" Nesserin calls over the cleric as Herrick looks between Cole and Nesserin with a skeptical look.
Err... mysterious are the ways of the Gods?, Gilhaut hedges.
Nesserin frowns at Gilhaut's unhelpful answer.
Unfortunately his knowledge of healing fails him as well.
Nesserin decides to reassess the situation he closes his eyes and concentrates. When he opens them they are slightly luminous and the purest shifting white of a snowstorm. He takes deeper look into Cole and the area around them with his awakened .
Nesserin frowns at Gilhaut's unhelpful answer.
Unfortunately his knowledge of healing fails him as well.
Initially Nesserin is lost but Henrrick helps to point out some potential clues.
Nesserin continues to look over the afflicted Cole with his strange eyes and new senses. He tilts his head this way and that as if listening to a voice on the wind.
Nesserin senses no shift in Cole's soul or being and when he and Herrick assess the situation they conclude that taking him will likely not make his condition any worse. Given what Jawn had to say whatever afflicts Cole is supernatural in nature.
Based on Nesserin's judgment, Herrick suggests that we continue forward as quickly as possible, carrying Cole along on the mule. Herrick takes out some rope from the supplies and does his best to tie their employer to the animal so that he doesn't fall off. Once he's done he suggests the group move forward with cautious haste.
Herrick secures the unconscious Cole to the mule and pushes the group on with a quickened pace. The worry in Herrick's face is apparent as you constantly see him checking on Cole as you move past the glade into a forest sparsely populated by very large trees and huge granite boulders. The new terrain creating a maze-like atmosphere.
The trail turns gravelly and the land seems solid, no longer waterlogged. The smells are much less intense and the humidity drops noticeably. Overhead the trees thin and the sun beats down. Bird songs are fewer and more distant. Pink and purple flowers are small and hidden on the ground amid thin, pale green leaves.
Your travel is quite uneventful and you have traveled well into the early afternoon when you see in the distance, about two hundred feet away, atop a rocky hill sits what looks like an old, ruined building. An old path, sparse of vegetation, splits from the trail you are on leading up several steep steps to this structure.
Herrick looks at the building with suspicion.
"One of you stealthy types want to scout that place to make sure we aren't ambushed? I'd rather avoid combat if possible given that we're carting around a half-dead guy that we would have to protect."
"Yes, perhaps someone can scout ahead and see what's inside," Malthus looks up the steps. "I'm afraid I may be tempted to plainly and loudly announce myself if I am to walk up there, sires."
"Aye, I can go have a look. Where's this well supposed to be?" Jak asks.
Following the answer, he will head to investigate the ruins.
Herrick shrugs at Jak's question, pointing at the prone body of Cole. "I don't know. I'd ask the guy in charge, but he's a bit out of it at the moment."
I swear, I have to explain everything to these imbeciles. It's amazing we haven't all gotten killed over the last few days.
Nesserin looks towards the forgotten building. ~This close to the cursed well, perhaps abandoned for a reason?~
He speaks up. "We should be nearing it soon, just a little ways north. Herrick's right though won't know for sure until we find it. Be careful up there Jak.
The priest mutters a silent prayer on the success of the young scout.
Jak disappears from your view lost in the shadows of the trees and boulders as he ascends the path towards the old ruins.
The trail looks unattended with the overgrown vegetation you step upon as you make your up the trail Jak. It takes you about a minute to get close enough to the building to get a more detailed look.
The building is completely fashioned out of several slabs of masoned stone. At one time this stone was likely white but time and the elements have stained the rock a grayish tint. In front of the structure there is a covered stone courtyard. You can count seven columns holding up the stone roof – four slender columns along each corner and three massive columns running down the middle.
Weeds and dried up vines grow in the courtyard sprouting up from the cracks that are now found in floor. Whiles several vines have wrapped themselves around the middle columns you can still see bas-reliefs cut into these massive columns.
You also notice an entrance behind the furthest column leading into the building. You can neither hear or nor see anything behind the entrance.
Jak returns to the group after a couple minutes. "Nothing up obvious up there except the building. It's completely fashioned out of several slabs of masoned stone. In front of the structure there is a covered stone courtyard. There are seven columns holding up the stone roof – four columns at each corner and three massive columns run down the middle. There's an entrance behind the furthest column leading into the building."
No nasties spotted then, what?
"Maybe the well is inside the building?" Jak shrugs.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
We going down a well? Hmmmm... something about that statement sounds... well, off.
Herrick shrugs. "Well, the boy didn't see anything, so I say we move forward en masse and if there's something hiding inside we confront it together. If there's something bad inside the building, it's unlikely to be able to kill us all at once. At least that way if it kills most of us, at least one person will have the opportunity of running away and telling the tale of our stupid endeavor."
Malthus snorts. "I shall document our entry into this place, and title it Stupid Endeavor, Sire Herrick." He takes out his journal and begins writing. "But I do think perhaps we should peek beyond the entrance. Do we need light? I can provide it." He mumbles.