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"Any signs of passage here?" says Aeden. She bends down and brushes a finger across the floor, checking for dust, webs, tracks, or blood.
"Let's move some of this scree out of the way so that we don't slip on it if we have to leave in a hurry," says Aeden.
"I can probably see a bit," says Aeden as she follows cautiously down the stairs. "This place seems... musty. Hard to tell if anything still lives in here," she says as she peers into the darkness.
Dunno what's next.
Aeden looks puzzled. "You left something on the pyre and it's gone? That's odd. What was it?"
I have no problem with proceeding, though I do feel like I can't tell if we're making any kind of progress toward our goal.
As before, Aeden helps to clean the body, arranges Dexter onto the bier, and says a short prayer, calling for Starshine to take him home to her eternal bower. As the party offers up their thoughts and their memories, she says, "We'll carry him on with us through our deeds - and finish the task that he started and bring his name back with us to be remembered."
"I'm sorry. The wound was too sudden. There was nothing I could do for him," says Aeden. She sighs and says, "I suppose we are all becoming familiar with the funeral services of Aurora Starshine. Unless you all want to take him back to the town, we can give him a burial or a pyre here. I didn't know him well enough to know if he had family left behind, I'm afraid."
Aeden cautiously moves to try to examine Dexter, without giving the bear a shot at her.
Aeden does her best to move into a position to help keep Dexter from dying!
Hoping to frighten the bear off, Aeden launches another of her usual fire bolts at it.
"Oh, fur," says Aeden.
Aeden delicately enjoys the soup. "No complaints, and my compliments to the chef. I didn't expect to have such a savory meal while on the road." She helps to clean up after the luncheon and adds, "Let's keep looking - you're right, there's no reason to loiter, and we still have to deal with the goblin issue!"
Aeden moves in to stab with her rapier, eschewing any flourishes for a simple straightforward attack, considering how difficult this toad has proven thus far.
Deciding on a simple start, Aeden points her rapier and a bolt of fire erupts to lash out at the toad.
"As long as it's not poisonous!" says Aeden as she unlimbers her rapier once more.
"That's a good goal. Let's see what we can find," says Aeden.
"I think you're right, Goldus," says Aeden as she puts the cat down. "C'mon, Tasslefoot, at least with us you'll be getting food more regularly."
Aeden scoops up Tasslefoot and awkwardly carries the cat along with her, until it gets squirmy, at which point she puts it down and tries to entice it to follow along with her. "I um... don't know much about cats. Is Tasslefoot going to be able to keep up with us? Is it going to wander off at night? Do I need to fashion a sling for carrying it or something?" she asks, looking a bit concerned.
Aeden stays by the fireside, and intones mournfully, "Aurora Starshine, we return the soul of this child, whose name is known only to you, to be by your side in that far off place. As this child leaves, keep watch over all those that knew her." A bit surprised by the ghost, she runs a hand over the cat's head and scratches its cheeks as the girl makes her wishes known. She nods softly and watches as the fire burns away the remains. Finally, once the fire has run its course, she says, "That which has not burned away should now be returned to the earth." She gives Jared a thankful glance, as he was mindful enough to prepare a grave.
Aeden says sadly, "All I can do now is send her soul on its way." She looks about the supplies at hand and says, "Traditionally, a funeral pyre would be appropriate. I will see to the preparation of the body." The priestess removes her pack and carefully lifts the body, taken too soon, and looks for a sheltered place to set her down. Dabbing a cloth in water from her waterskin, the priestess carefully cleans the body, removing blood, dirt, and signs of the struggles of life, while the rest of the group helps to build the platform and pyre. Once the child is cleaned, Aeden tears several pieces of clothing into strips and wraps the body in linens. She starts at the feet and works her way up until the small form is completely covered, almost mummified. She pauses for a moment and bows her head, then lifts the child again and places her on the wooden pyre. "A torch, please," she says. "If one of you would be so good as to send her spirit on its way."
"Then the best thing we can do is pick off small groups and try to rescue any refugees," says Aeden, her face lined with worry. "Maybe there are more escapees."
Aeden motions for the refugees to gather around. "Please, come close. Let Aurora Starshine's grace wash over you and carry away your worries." As the refugees (hopefully) come close, she offers a prayer to Lady Starshine.
"It's not so far off that we can't take a quick look," opines Aeden. "Besides, if we settle in now, they might stumble across us, instead."
D'awww!
Gettin' by!
I'm fine, though I'll be traveling over the holidays and my participation in games may be slightly sporadic (I have 24 hours of driving!).
Aeden dutifully draws her rapier, prepares her shield, and takes up a position to protect Goldus as the spider comes up.
"I see it," says Aeden. "Anyone handy with a bow?"
"The boundaries of the civilized world contract, it seems," says Aeden. "We should definitely make sure that this old ruin remains free of any encroaching enemies." She peers down into the darkness.
Aeden walks the perimeter of the ruins, then pauses and squints. She moves into the rubble and starts poking about with her toe of her boot. After several minutes of this she says, "Over here - I think I found something." She bends down to clear away dirt and debris, revealing a trapdoor. "This is not goblin-craft. It's too well constructed. The hinges are iron, the wood is planed. If the goblins live here... it's in a place originally built by someone else. Or the goblins are working for someone else."
"The goblins must be using the ruins as a camp; it puts them close enough to raid the town."
"This camp is much closer than the ones that Lord Feather suspected," says Aeden. "I wonder how long these ruins have been here?"
"Headed north, I presume?" says Aeden.
If we are using the normal (medium) advancement track, and started at 2,000 xp each (2nd level), we now have 2,402 each.
Currently running Temple on these very boards. May run Ghost Tower of Inverness later.
Looking annoyed, Aeden says, "Did I not just say that it's a bad idea? That we can't risk releasing them close to farmlands and traveled roads like this?"
"I do."
"I think that's risky," says Aeden after a few moments' consideration. "What do we do with them? They'll say anything if they catch on that we are just going to execute them. But we can't let them go, either, they'll either go warn others or go on to prey on travelers and isolated farms around here. We know where we are headed; at least for now that should be enough. Once we are deep in the wild, maybe we can get a better idea of directions - and goblins that get away will still be far from civilization."
Aeden tries to parry to the side with her rapier, then counterattack (#5).
Aeden lunges with her rapier again (#5), but still misses.
Aeden draws her rapier and moves to take up a combat position against the goblins, specifically to provide a guarding position for the ranged attackers.
"Over there, too. Looks like they heard that we were coming!" As the party starts crawling out of bedrolls and tents, Aeden casts a bless spell to start things off right.
"I get the impression that depends on how pressing the goblin threat actually turns out to be," says Aeden as she scans the darkness slowly.
"I can take a middle shift," says Aeden. "I can see in the dark and I can survive some split sleep."
Aeden takes the reins of the donkeys and leads the stubborn animals along behind the party. "This is going to be a long trip."
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