'I'll give Albin credit, he's not a coward.' Seeing the beast fall, wounded and unconscious, Ivar lifts his Bardiche and chops down at the beasts neck hoping to put it out of it's misery quickly. Looking at the others, "Vell, done if vas a fell beast." Leaning the bardiche against the wagon he moved to the head of the paired geldings, rubbing their noses trying to calm them.
"What a waste of a spell..." she thinks to herself and dismisses it as the beast is finished already. It was foolish to attack in the middle of a group of adventurers, but intelligence wasn't really its forte. She ends the brief song in a fine flourish leaving little to be desired except to hear her voice once more.
Slowly, she releases her foot off the break as Ivar approaches the gelding. "It is good at least for the horses to experience some combat so they aren't as skittish. Did anyone get hurt?" she looks out over the group. She saw people dragged off their horses, but in the frey, everything was so fast.
With Nempura's question, she can easily look around and see that the owlbear did some damage to it's party.
Albin sheaths his blade and puts a hand to where the owlbear grappled him. Pulling his hand away reveals blood; “Looks like the animal got me good. But I’ve slept off worse before.”
Seeing Ivar finish off the owlbear, Findal winces; “This is what happens when a wizard strays off the known and stroke their ego into the unknown.” Looking over the features of the now dead creature; “The reports say that a mad wizard wanted to test balance of nature and life by cross breading an owl with a bear, clearly nature fought back with these savage beast that now roam in the wilds.”
Findal shakes his head almost whispering to himself "And the wizard settled on the brilliant name of owlbear."
Ewan sheathes his rapier and wipes the sweat from his forehead with his right hand. His left hand still held clutched to his chest.
"That w-was ter-ri-fying and quick."
He looks on as Ivar decapitates the creature and does have to agree that leaving such a creature behind them, might become very dangerous.
"I k-know the st-story. I w-wonder w-what the aim w-was. It is not so dif-fe-rent from a br-brown bear."
Ewan strips from his armour, to see how bad the wounds are, he will try to bind the wounds with a strip of cloth from his backpack.
"Nothing too bad as far as injuries go. A bit shaken though."
Whew, Merion breathes a sigh of relief and goes to fetch his hand crossbow from where he tossed it. If this is common in these woods, no wonder people aren't.
He finds Robin and rewards him with a few bread crumbs from his hand. Good warning there.
Putting on a brave face Helgar nodded. She didn’t trust herself to talk. That had been horrifying! Once more she had looked death in the eye and lived. She told herself that this should steel her, even if a nagging thought said that it was only a matter of time until that changed.
Walking over to Albin she tapped his wounds with her hammer. She went around doing this to all who were hurt, causing her hammer to glow softly as she “reforged” her comrades and then herself.
Nempura watches as Helgar goes about healing everyone. She also readies herself to heal anyone should there be a need, but seeing most healed up full, she sets herself at going ahead on the path.
"Do we know if owlbear is any good to eat? I know bear is a good meal, but never heard of this."
Having gotten her nerves under control through her acts of faith, she turned to Nempura. "I don't see why not. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."
Ivar spends some time trying to settle down the spooked, fortunately because they were hitched to the wagon and locked in place, they really couldn’t see the battle taking place. They were spooked from the wagon being hit and moved sideways. Findal is also spending some time settling down his horse, thankfully he was able to keep it reigned in during the combat.
Albin looks around and spies his horse Pepper standing calmly; “That’s a good girl.” as he pets her nose.
Arren still atop her horse, and Merion who tied his horse to the wagon, give me a Handle Animal or Ride check DC 15 or it is still fighting against you because of the battle with the Owlbear.
Helgar’s horse is nowhere within sight. Once it was spooked after Helgar was pulled from its back, it ran.
Albin responds to Merion; “I have seen them before, but there is a lot I have seen in these woods. The meat should be good, anyone have experience field dressing a bear before? Shouldn’t be too much different. I can help.” he says as he pulls free his dagger.
Having calmed the horses, Ivar returns to his bardiche, taking it to the far side of the wagon and returning it to a spot near his seat on the wagon bench. Returning to the far side of the wagon, he gestures towards the owlbear. "I have some skill in cutting up meat, d'ough not a bear." He turns to Nempura, asking. "Do ve vant to take der time to skin it?"
Not wanting to get blood on his gear and always willing to display his tattoo Ivar begins to undress. Stripping off his belt, breastplate, gambeson and doeskin tunic he drops them in the back of the wagon. Drawing his dagger from the belt, he begins to aid in butchering the bear-like creature.
Seeing Ewan still bleeding, she will go up to him and heal his wound.
If no one else wants a trophy, though she didn't do anything, she is pressing them to come this way, so she'll take it. The animal's beak would be suitable for her, but if someone else wants it, then she'll remain quiet. She will stay out of people's way, but watches someone try to butcher it. They can, at least, have a good dinner.
"I don't want its skin. It is mostly feathers anyway, but get enough meat to fill our bellies. The ribs are particularly good on a bear, but get what you can."
Whoa there! Merion turns to try to calm his horse, but pulls on the reins in precisely the wrong way.
Deftly slicing down through the bearlike creatures gut, Ivar turns his head, wrinkling his nose as he reaches in and removes the gut. Taking the time to gather the intestines and tossing them well off the beaten path.
He turns to Nempura "Not going to vorry about der hide den."He returns to the creature cutting the hide again twice at ninety degrees, exposing the ribs on the side facing up. Pealing the hide back far enough to expose the backstrap, he deftly removes all the backstrap and that entire side of the ribs.
He turns back to Nempura, "Ve vould have to roll der owl-bear over to get to der other side. I am satisfied vit dis, ya?" He looks at the others, gesturing with the knife. "Cut off vatever you vant."
As the others scavenge whatever they want from the bear, Ivar wipes the blood off of his hands and body then begins to get dressed.
"Yeah, whatever's fastest," she answers and will help by pulling the carcass off the road as well. She will want to leave most of it, so when one of their team has peeled back the bear's skin out of the way a bit, she has Ivar just gather enough meat for a couple of meals for each of them. Nempura will get back to cutting down the path. If someone can conjure water, she'd consider it to be lovely to wash their hands after butchering. If not, she will use some of her canteen water.
Helgar pitched in with hauling the body, as well as cleaning off herself, her weapon, and anyone who wanted, with conjured water. The power of Faith could be quite useful.
"Thank you Helgar." Arren smiles gratefully at the dwarf for healing her. She wasn't going to be the one to complain about her injuries, but they certainly would not have been fun to travel with!
Once rearmed, Ivar assists in dragging the carcass away from the path they had made. Accepting Helgar's offer to wash, Ivar felt more refreshed, Seeing Nempura return to cutting down the path Ivar climbs aboard the wagon. Taking the reins from where they were tied, he releases the brake, ready to continue their slow pace to the castle.
Helgar offered a smile in return. While it was clear that she was no warrior, it felt good to be useful!
"Th-thank you b-both Helgar and Nempura. Not t-the w-worst in-jury ever, b-but th-that beast s-sure p-packed a p-punch."
As his wounds close he notices that only a few thin strips of red remain, but there's no bleeding anymore. He doesn't try to bandage the remaining parts though and puts away the cloth back into his backpack.
Ewan returns to handling another machete to cut down the foliage in their path onwards. All the while he thinks about how ferocious Ivar himself was in that fight, nearly as ferocious as the owlbear itself.
I wonder if Ivar could beat that beast one-on-one. He didn't seem fazed by it at all.
Nempura laughs at Ewan's words.
"He gets mauled by what is essentially a nastier version of a bear and then says it's not the worst..." she laughs some more and continues hacking away. "I am making a song about you, Ewan."
Ablin moves up to the Owlbear and pulls free his machete; “Finished?” he says looking to Ivar who has collected some solid slabs of meat for the party. Once he gets the okay, Albin pulls two of the paws out and lops them off across the palm. “Won’t be needing these anymore.” and he begins to work to remove the claws free from the knuckles.
Pulling his attention out of a journal he had been writing in Findal kind of gives Ewan a wide eyed look as he turns his attention towards him; “My boy, I have to side with Nempura on this one. Peaked my interest to say the least, what was your worst injury and what was it from?”
I wonder if Ivar could beat that beast one-on-one. He didn't seem fazed by it at all.
As Ivar finished washing his hands and started putting on his doeskin shirt he nodded at the old warrior, answering. "Ya."
-------------------
Hearing the gist of the conversation, Ivar leans out from the wagon, looking at Ewan wondering what other type of injuries the duelist had sustained.
"I must admit to having more than an idle curiosity myself Ewan!"
Ewan chuckles a little, mostly to himself, as now he feels embarassed about bringing it up. He doesn't feel like a tough guy himself, making other people view him as such brings him some discomfort.
"W-well th-that owl-bear left me st-standing at l-least, I am sure I w-would not have f-fared w-well if all its cl-claws s-sank into me. Th-though I've s-suf-suffered an in-jury th-that m-made me l-lose con-scious-ness im-me-dia-tely thr-through the sh-sheer pain."
"The one re-spon-sible w-was like... like if a b-bear t-turned into a man and w-wielded an axe the s-size of a nor-mal man. One hit w-when I got in his w-way as I got out of my c-cabin. I don't kn-know how we got a-way, but I was one of the l-lucky ones to sur-vive. It was after-wards w-when my own due-ling lessons began. To h-help me sur-vive."
Ewan unconsciously puts his hand to his left side, tracing the outline of where his wound was.
"I only re-mem-ber w-waking up f-four days later."
The nervous stutterer confessing his past impresses Nempura so much she stops hacking to listen to him.
She doesn't notice his scar or his nervousness by touching it, but she can at least recognize his general demeanor.
"Hah! Well, no wonder. You must be immortal!" she grins with a wink to the man. She then comments to herself, "Ewan the Everlasting. It has a nice ring to it."
She then will continue carving the path to the keep.
"Four days is a long time...I'm wondering if someone came by and healed him?"
”To face certain death, and your reaction was to learn how to fight? Impressive.” Helgar said. The man’s stutter hid a brave heart.
'Surviving that kind of attack is lucky.' Nodding in agreement with the two ladies, Ivar looks up towards the sun trying to determine how much daylight they have left. Calling over to Aldin. "Old man, if you vere to guess, how much longer to der fortification?"
The conversations continue as the party moves on. Albin continues with the clearing of underbrush that would stand in the way. Looking up the tops of the trees block out most of the sky. But the portions of the sky you can see is becoming dark and overcast as it starts to rain. The “road” that was once there has completely been replaced by gnarled roots that slow down the trek. There has been a slight shift to the route, and you notice an incline that you are climbing. You continue on.
Atop his horse, Findal chuckles at hearing Nempura’s embellishment of Ewan’s name. “The Everlasting? It does have a ring to it. I am here for purely academic purposes, but will have to include that in my notes when it comes to findings that are linked to Ewan… the Everlasting.” He smiles as he goes back to paying attention to his horses footing and what might come ahead as the rain begins to fall steadily.
As Ivar calls to Albin the middle aged man takes a drink from his waterskin. "We should be there before dinner time." with the mention of food your stomachs remind you that it is well past midday by this point, even if the lack of sun doesn't make it clear. "Up this incline and we will have a break in the trees. Then we will have to work our way around the bluff and atop it will be the ruins we are looking for."
You notice a large rock jutting out from this portion of the incline off to the side. From where you are, it looks like there could have been a makeshift camp. It doesn’t appear that anyone is currently there.
"A blow like that would certainly cut me in half!"
When the rain threatens to fall, she welcomes it by putting on her poncho. She will stay dry. She certainly is warm enough hacking away at the saplings and roots.
"Look there," she points out. "A large rock, through the trees. See it? Is that a camp maybe? I hope we don't run into anyone...but who would be out here? There wasn't even a pathway into this place? I'm thinking it must be old."
Perhaps it was even Albin's camp when he was here last?
As Albin described the topography, Ivar tried to imagine it in his mind. Up the incline out of the tree line, work around the bluff and the ruins on top. Wanting to get a better visual, Ivar stands in the wagon, looking towards the incline he notices a large rock jutting out from the incline. Nodding to the old warrior as Nempura points towards the rock.
Chiming in "It appears to be an old camp." Sitting back down on the wagons seat, he asks, "Are you t'inking ve camp dere for de night, und press on to de ruins in der morning?" He gestures towards Albin, smiling. "Or continue on und have dinner at der gates?" He looks to the other three, "Do you t'ink we should press on?"
"We don't have the time. We need to start exploring tonight. We leave tomorrow," she answers, slightly frustrated that the path is taking them so long and it's already threatening to grow dark...that or it was just the rain.
Albin nods towards Nempura; “You heard the lady, we press on.” and he turns back to his work.
Findal pips in; “I mean no disrespect, but do you think we are in proper shape to explore ruins tonight? After the Owlbear and all?” Looking to the old camp; “That camp might have been empty, but there is still word of the outlaws from the wanted posters that are said to be holding camp in these woods. Possibly even in the ruins.” looking over himself; “I needed to say my peace, but I am good to press on.”
You continue to press on, and the rain begins to fall. You eventually find yourself at the base of a bluff where the tress lightens up. You can see through the canopy that there is a stone structure a the top.
“There is a carved out path that leads up. Wide enough for a wagon, thankfully no more clearing.” Albin says as he puts his machete away and drinks from his waterskin.
As you zig zag up the bluff and break through the canopy, you see the woods stretching for miles. Being within the thick of the trees for so long has made you almost forget have far you have trekked.
Making it to the top you are poured out roughly 100 feet from a large stone structure. You roughly gauge the size of the keep and you think that the front spans 130 feet by 100 feet in depth. Though the stone walls stand mostly intact, you see that the gate doors are broken in. You also see that the southern wall, closest to you, has a three story towner on its eastern side. From this distance you can just see a shorter structure, 2 stories, at the north western corner of this facility.
No doubt there have been other adventuring parties here throughout the ages, Merion pitches in. I can send Robin to see if there are signs of life, but beyond that yet, let's rest up as well we can.
He thinks a request to the bird to fly to a tree where he can see that rock and see if there is anyone there.
Robin flies off through the canopy of the trees and when she gets near the old camp sight she flies just below the tops. You do not get the sense that there is anything there, or has been there for some time.
"Thanks to Helgar I'm in good shape, and I still have a few spells left in me for today if we run into another fight."
"Aye, but I've nothing left in me to channel. The Gods be strong, but their servants? There is only so much we can do. I can swing this hammer just fine, but if there is another owlbear?" She let the question hang.
"I appreciate your insight, Findal. I'm not going to camp out here in the elements and in a forest rife with dangers. I think we can manage despite not having healing spells. The keep may very well be abandoned. It could be a bandit headquarters. I don't know. It's a gamble. Our goal should be to secure a room in the entrance of the keep or perhaps a stable near it hopefully still walled off from the elements. There we can sleep better and far more secure than being out here in the open at night. Who knows what creeps about out here? And if you are worried about these bandits, if we did manage to not freeze to death and get a fire going in this rain, if they aren't in the keep, from wherever they are, they'd probably see the light of our fire from miles away. I am pressing forward and hopefully, fate is with us."
With that, she will press onward. She also understands what Findal doesn't. They have to be back in Languard soon, so they are pressed to work fast on this journey. She wishes she had the money for a wagon and could have just set off without the slow wagon train, but the merchants she met in Languard were not as honest or appreciative of value as Hanath. If things worked out as she wanted, it would have gotten them here so much sooner. As it is now, they have very little time if they are to meet deadlines. She doesn't particularly enjoy being tormented every night by the gods for not doing the will of this child.
You continue to press on, and the rain begins to fall. You eventually find yourself at the base of a bluff where the tress lightens up. You can see through the canopy that there is a stone structure a the top.
“There is a carved out path that leads up. Wide enough for a wagon, thankfully no more clearing.” Albin says as he puts his machete away and drinks from his waterskin.
As you zig zag up the bluff and break through the canopy, you see the woods stretching for miles. Being within the thick of the trees for so long has made you almost forget have far you have trekked.
Making it to the top you are poured out roughly 100 feet from a large stone structure. You roughly gauge the size of the keep, and you think that the front spans 130 feet by 100 feet in depth. Though the stone walls stand mostly intact, you see that the gate doors are broken in. You also see that the southern wall, closest to you, has a three story towner on its eastern side. From this distance you can just see a shorter structure, 2 stories, at the northwestern corner of this facility.
Nodding as Nempura said to 'press on' Ivar clicked his tongue at the matched pair of geldings. Raising an eyebrow as Findal declared he had to 'say his peace' Ivar shrugged. 'Each to their own. Smiling as Findals observation get's the group talking. Ivar watches as Merion sends his robin into the air to scout ahead. Nodding as Arren comments about having spells avialable, and Helgar shares concerns about another serious fight. It seemed that the group would be in trouble if there were another difficult engagement.
As Nempura address Findal's concerns, Ivar nodded, it could be a gamble either way, setting up camp under the rocky overhang or pressing on towards the keep and securing a place for encampment there. Mentally shrugging, it mattered not to Ivar. Hopefully they would not overextend themselves but it was a good opportunity to prove their metal. His own stomach growling he was ready for dinner. Tapping the reins on the horses rumps he called out, "Get up, boys, ve have a little vays to go yet und den I vill feed you."
Pulling the hood of his cloak up as it began to rain, Ivar is relieved to be out of the woods. He turns back momentarily looking at the thick canopy. One could get lost in those woods, it was good that Albin accompanied them. Turning back to the large stone structure, about a hundred feet away, he wondered aloud. "Vill ve be able to get der vagon t'rough de gates?" Clicking his tongue at the geldings again, he begins moving forward. Intent on stopping the wagon about twenty foot from the broken gates, he watches the ramparts for any sign of life.
Taking in the sight of the gates and ramparts, you see no movement. It appears to be as abandoned it looks. As the rain continues to come down, the thought of shelter from the rain is a welcomed one. The gates are wide enough that the wagon could enter, they slightly sway from the wind with the rain.
The Ivar stops the wagon 20 feet from the gates.
As the horses and wagons comes to a stop you begin to look around. You do notice tracks, small and medium sized humanoid footprints, but you are unable to discern who or what made the tracks.
Well, we're here. Merion looks up at the structure, towering over the group even though it's small as castles go. Back home this would barely be a mansion, but it seems pretty huge out in the woods like this.
He asks Robin to fly over the walls and see if there is human-sized cover from the rain on the inside, or any living creatures, human-type or animal-type.
As the bird flies off, Merion himself has a look around. If the roof is still intact, it would be nice to have more than trees to rest under. It looks like someone else had a similar idea at some point, though. Any idea how old the tracks are?
Nempura approaches the gate from the 20ft mark. Her eyes look into the darkness ahead of them.
"Yeah...Footprints," she whispers. Seeing others see them, she is somewhat worried now, as with the rain and wind up here, they should have been washed away if old.
She tries her best to track them but can't figure out their path at all. She gets confused between the medium ones and the small ones, and doesn't know what made either of them.
"Let's keep things quiet, as much as possible."
With that, she will head toward the gate with an arrow against the string. As she progresses forward, she sneaks ahead of the wagon so she can signal the others should there be any foes.
Ewan moves closer to the entrance as well and looks along the battlements and ramparts. Nodding in admiration, his eyes wander along the bricks, but not really seeing anything that happens in front of him, not even noticing Ivar halting closeby and looking towards the ground.
"This should not be the ruins we are looking for right? This was to easy to find in my opinion."
Glancing back he sees Nempura kneeling down and examining the ground. He kneels beside here and watches closely what she is trying to discern, only realizing later that there are actual footprints that might be followed.
Now with a better understanding what to look for, he tries to follow the steps and discern what kind of creatures might have left it.
Seeing the footprints leading into the keep, Ivar, ties the reins to the wagon and set's the brakes in the wagon side. Noting the gates were swinging on their hinges, he raises an eyebrow as Merion comments about the size. Nodding in agreement with Nempura, Ivar draws his bardiche from the wagons floor. Smiling at Ewan's question, he nods towards Albin, "Dat is vhy ve brought a guide. Ya." Moving closer he asks Nempura, "Shall ve secure der courtyard, den bring in der animals und close der gate?"
Moving as stealthily as he can, Ivar, bardiche in hand, slips between the doors and carefully observes the courtyard.
Merion sends Robin up and over the walls. Everyone watches the bird go disappear from your sight. As you wait for its return you all see that the ramparts are empty, and the footprints in the dirt are both coming and going. You believe that the prints are fresh, maybe only a couple days old.
Albin nods at Ivar’s comment about bringing the guide; “Things are easy when you know where you are going. You would have been lost had I not come.” You do remember that there were several “paths” that shot off from the route you took that could have been something you may have followed.
As Nempura mentions being quiet as much as possible, Findal dismisses his light spell that was lighting up a broach on his shirt. With a flutter of its wings, Robin returns to the group. Merion does not know what it saw, but it gets the sense that there are no creatures on the other side.
As Ivar slides through the doors, he sees the courtyard in the above map. No people, creatures, or mounts. Knowing where the footprints are, you can track them through the gates and to the tower in the southeast section of this keep, then across to the two-story structure in the north west corner. From what you would guess, the northeast section that has collapsed might have been where the stables once were. You also notice that there are no horses or wagons here. If there is anyone here, they have traveled by foot.
Nempura seems somewhat disappointed in what she's seeing. Albin, upon meeting them said he had a tale about a keep. This building was not much bigger than the Orc's Head tavern with a wall around it and a busted tower. Everyone knows the difference between a keep and a protected building. The Castle Issakainen was more like what she had built up in her mind, or something about half its size, not this.
"Is there more to this complex? A basement? Something beyond those walls?" she asks Albin as they sneak in.
To Ivar, she nods in response.
"Let's go look over by the courtyard by the stables. If we are fortunate, there will be something there our horses and wagon so that they can find cover it under while we infiltrate that tower tonight. There, maybe we can find a room to take rest in." "I just hope that by being bandits for a number of years, these outlaws have amassed enough treasure to refit this place and get us some gear! Let me see what this place looks like during the day too...maybe it can be developed more on the available grounds up here..." Her tone is indifferent and she seems to be on guard as she moves to spy out the north east for a place in the fallen stables they can bring in and park their wagon; perhaps even giving it some cover from prying eyes during the day?