Kessel find himself a level spot on the floor away from any holes or other possible entry points, lays out his bed roll, then quietly locates the the exits (or entries) and tries to memories there location in relation to his bed roll. Kessel then lays his bow and sword by his side and listens to Tobin's humming (imagining the notes on paper as Tobin hums it). Kessel then nods off to sleep.
As the others make arrangements for where they shall rest for the night Khadath goes to check on Jeny’s wound before she goes to sleep. Seeing that it’ll take longer to heal on its own than his initial examination suggested he calls on the healing powers of Lathander to heal her wound.
”There, good as new. It would be best to have you at your peak incase we encounter anymore wolves.” he says with a friendly smile ”If you don’t mind my saying you’d seem pretty shaken up when we first met, are you doing better now?” he ask with a questioning look ”I hope the experience won’t cause you difficulties if we encounter any other trouble when we explore the Whispering Cairn tomorrow?”
Afterwards, Khadath also begins making his own arrangements for comfort for the evening. Two things occupy his thoughts, the first is the topic of him in a leadership role, which will have to wait till morning to be discussed since everyone is tired and ready for sleep. The second is of Darie, though he opted not to obtain a crossbow for himself, he is concerned for her but relieved that Darie at least has a crossbow of her own, but he wonders if it’ll be enough if they were to encounter any real trouble since she lacks armor for protection.
Khadath doesn't fall alseep right away, at one point he smile at the excitment of an adventure and wonders whether this group could in some way be fashioned to help with the towns problems.
Darie shifted around several times, uneasily fighting herself to sleep. Things where deeply on her mind... memories of home, of her parents and siblings.
Finally, her eyes closed, and she began to slowly drift of, snoring ever so softly.
The night passes quietly and without mishap. Morning comes and you all awake feeling refreshed.
Kessel climbs out of his bed roll and tightly repacks it. Kessel pulls out his mirror and quickly fixes his hair.
"I don't suppose anyone brought or found a bucket?" he asks, "I would like to do a bit of washing up this morning, but I'm thinking that it might have to wait till we get back to town."
Darie, already back up and dressed, shook her head. "No, i was going to go out and look for a small creek or pond, or anything like that. Its bad enough i don't have any clothes but these..." She replied, after swallowing the remains of a smoke-dried strip of bacon (the entirety of her breakfast).
"We shouldn't waste too much time on it, though... the Cairn awaits"
"We shouldn't waste too much time on it, though... the Cairn awaits"
"Fair enough," Kessel says, as he straitens and dusts off his own cloths, "the cairn awaits."
Kells wakes just before dawn, steps out back, and does his devotionals. Once he is back in, he gathers his gear and makes sure no one is going to make tea or coffee, then puts out the fire in the fireplace, stirring the ashes to cool them out more quickly. When the talk turns to cleaning up he points out back.
"There's an old well back there, where the thicker weeds are. It smells like frogs, but is probably not toxic. If we do make this a waystation for ourselves, we should probably add digging that back out as one of our first priorities. Clean water beats feeling pollywogs wriggling down your gullet with each sip. Looks like there might be an old privy back there also."
He starts getting his armor on and rig adjusted.
"You know," Kessel says as he looks about the place, "the house doesn't look too bad, nasty cave in upstairs, the windows are gone, but this place could be fixed up. There's two bedrooms upstairs, that translates into be male and female dormitories, and plenty of room for our things. If we got this building fixed up we could turn it into a nice little base of operations for us. If we find anything of value in the cairn we might be able to turn some of that money into fixing this place up. I don't suppose anyone knows anything about carpentry or stone masonry?"
Kells shakes his head "No, I'm afraid I don't. I know a bit about mining, but that doesn't translate into stonemasonry. But I can certainly help with the grunt work if someone tells me what to do."
"I don't suppose anyone knows anything about carpentry or stone masonry?"
"I've fixed things up with a hammer and nails before," Tobin murmurs groggily from the comforting confines of his blanket. "I expect we could make this place liveable between us - though we might need to hire someone for the bigger repairs, like upstairs." Reluctantly pushing the blanket back, he sits up and yawns. "I suppose I'd better get up - I can see Darie is keen to go back to the cairn, and I wouldn't want to keep a lovely lady waiting!"
With the chatter Jeny soon rises, sitting up from her bedroll she pulls her backpack closer and eats a small breakfast.
Seeing Jeny up and moving Kells nods at her and, covering his mouthful of jerkey, asks "Wounds feeling better?"
Having done his morning prayers during the dawn and the refreshing freedom of the outdoors Khadath comes in from outside.
”Morning to you all, looks to be a beautiful day out” he states simply with a warm smile and moves to finishing packing his gear, then sits and has breakfast with his companions.
”So, I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m quite eager to see this cairn from within, but perhaps we could do with a bit of caution and preparation. Anyone have any ideas on how to proceed?” he asks before taking a bite of some dry jerky
”whom amongst you is best suited and feels up to the task of taking the point position as we navigate the cairn, and whom will cover our rear?” he adds
swapped a 0 level spell for Detect Magic, change is made in character's profile
Darie nodded towards Khadath. "Well, for all being brave... i guess one of the men, or maybe Zaretha should take point. I'm not really into weapons... don't know much about them, truth be told, and could hardly handle one well."
She made a quick detour to the well, and drank - quite a lot, actually. She didn't own a waterskin, and so was still quite thirsty from the day before. Having packed up the remainders of her rations, she gave everyone a smile, clapping her hands. "Sorry for tarrying along, we can get going now"
"I've been doing some figuring on just that thing Khadath, but I need just a bit more information before I can make up my mind."
"Tobin," Kessel asks, "you happened to mention that you were good with odd jobs and such, are you're eyes trained to spot traps?"
"Jeny are you comming with us?"
"Daire can you cast any magic or healing spells?"
Kessel then pulls a piece of chalk out of his belt pouch. On the wooden floor of the house he draws the following:
T
Z Kel
_ Kh
_ D
_ Kes
J Y
"Ok, Tobin takes the lead to look for anything suspicious, followed a few feet back by Zereta and Kells. Khadath, you are behind that front line in case they need healing, but on Kells side leaving room behind Zereta. Daire you follow behind Khadath and I'll be behind you leading Yorick. Jeny you follow beside Yorick as year guard.
"If any danger should arise Tobin can retreat somewhere behind Zereta and we have this corridor for anyone (especially Jeny in the rear) to advance to the front line."
Darie raised her eyebrows, and stared at the symbols in puzzlement. She knew they had to be letters, but what they meant... She couldn't even sign her name properly, so even the D did not seem familiar.
"I... you'll see" she replied to Kessel. On some level, there was no way around this, this was pretty much what she could bring to the group. But admitting to these abilities as an asset went contrary to what she had been told pretty much all her life.
Kells looks at the plan and nods. "Looks good to me. I'll carry a torch that'll potentially make me a target, but I've got the heavest armor, so I'll take that risk. Plus, Zereta needs both hands to handle that sword of hers, I can swing my hammer one handed for now. Actually, let Zereta and I trade places... that way there are fewer people behind me if something overshoots me. Less risk of the person behind me getting hit."
"If Darie held a light source we'd have light in the middle of the group, then if we need more light, we can throw sun rods into the area we need lighting. Perhaps we can use magic to light up some equipment as well. I've heard tell of fighters who had shields enchanted with light spells to light up things in front of them. If we could manage that then you wouldn't need to drop anything."
Wounds feeling better?
Jeny nods in reply.
Jeny are you comming with us
"I would very much like to..." muttering to herself "...Its not like I have any where else to go..."
"I've heard tell of fighters who had shields enchanted with light spells to light up things in front of them. If we could manage that then you wouldn't need to drop anything."
"interesting tactic Keseel, but i have not memorized that spell today. I believe the use of a torch or sunrod should suffice and their duration will be much longer as well.”
”the placement is quite clever, it works for me” he says giving Kessel a nod
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"I would very much like to..."
[b]"why i would hope so, not like we need anyone to stay behind and watch over this place." he adds in jest
Like Darie, Zereta stares at the symbols on the ground gaining no meaning from them "So what you saying is I am in front?" Zereta shrugs "Sounds good to me." Zereta picks up her pack and puts it on then stands up and rolls up her bedroll and tucks it away "Shall we leave then?"
"This 'Z' represents you just so you know," Kessel says, "I got to teach you how to read and write at least that much."
"Tobin," Kessel asks, "you happened to mention that you were good with odd jobs and such, are your eyes trained to spot traps?"
"I like to think my eyes are pretty sharp, and my reflexes, too!" Tobin replies, smiling. "I'll definitely need some light to see anything suspicious, though - and I doubt there'll be any torches inside the cairn. Such folks as might be resident there wouldn't need them." Tobin quickly rolls his bedding away, and gets some food out of his pack to eat on the way. "Let's go, then, my friends - adventure awaits!"
Seeing everybody is preparing to go, Jeny packs up her things and readies herself for the days travels.
"This 'Z' represents you just so you know," Kessel says, "I got to teach you how to read and write at least that much."
"Which one is a 'Z'? This one?" Zereta points at the 'D'
"No, that's a 'D', your letter looks a little like a lightning bolt." Kessel says pointing to the 'Z' so Zereta has no doubt as to which one he means, "Does anyone else have any questions? It's best we cover this now before we get to the cairn."
Darie looked quizzedly, and decided to just ask, and get the awkward moment over with "So, whose letter is this, then?", pointing back towards the D
Darie looked quizzedly, and decided to just ask, and get the awkward moment over with "So, whose letter is this, then?", pointing back towards the D
Kessel raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised that Darie can't read,
"That's a 'D'," he says, trying to sound scholarly and not at all condescending, "it kind of looks like a bow, and it's the letter I used to represent you. Anyone else not know their letters?"
"I'll try to remember that. It's just... my parents don't know how to read all that well, and well... they never really saw much need in it, either. I mean, numbers can be important, but on the farm you really don't read all that much, anyway." Darie defensively replied, despite Kessels kindness feeling she somehow had to justify this "failing"
"I'll try to remember that. It's just... my parents don't know how to read all that well, and well... they never really saw much need in it, either. I mean, numbers can be important, but on the farm you really don't read all that much, anyway." Darie defensively replied, despite Kessels kindness feeling she somehow had to justify this "failing"
Kessel nods. "There are quite a few up at the Bronzewood lodge that don't see much use in it either," Kessel says, trying to reassure Darie, "but I could teach anyone who's interested if they want. I think reading skills are highly valuable, time was when only a priest or bard knew how, but these days even simple farm folk learn, and I think such skills are very useful. Consider the simple jar of red jelly: is it strawberry? Is it raspberry? Imagine going to the market and buying some seeds, if you can't tell the seeds of the green and yellow pepper apart by sight, and there's no pictures anywhere, you could ask, or you could read the letters. There really are all sorts of things that you can do with writing that easier then with symbols or drawings. I could explain more if you'd like, but for now lets get going to the cairn . . . we can talk on the way."
If there's no more discussion Kessel finishes with his belongings and sees to Yorick Kessel sees that the mule is fed and watered before packing equipment on the stout beast. When everyone is packed and ready to go Kessel and Tobin point out the way back to the cairn (and hopefully after an encounter free journey back) the party soon finds themselves once again outside the whispering cairn.
"Shall we enter," Kessel asks rhetorically.
Kells enthusiastically swings off his pack and digs the torch and tinder out of it. Smoke soon rises and fire licks up from the end. Torch in one hand and hammer in the other, Kells steps to his place in the line of explorers.
"Ready when you are, Tobin!" he says enthusiastically.
Tobin hands Darie his lantern, oil, flint and steel. "It might be worth you having these, in case Kells drops his torch," he says. Drawing himself up to his full height, Tobin walks carefully forward into the hallway, examining the floor and walls as he goes. "Maybe if we all sang a song together, it would drown out that whispering, and keep our spirits up?" he suggests.
Tobin hands Darie his lantern, oil, flint and steel. "It might be worth you having these, in case Kells drops his torch," he says. Drawing himself up to his full height, Tobin walks carefully forward into the hallway, examining the floor and walls as he goes. "Maybe if we all sang a song together, it would drown out that whispering, and keep our spirits up?" he suggests.
Kessel will have a look at the dusty floor again and see if anything has disturbed it.
"If we see anything suspicious take your time with it," Kessel tells Tobin, "there's no reason to rush. Look over every tile."
"If we see anything suspicious take your time with it," Kessel tells Tobin, "there's no reason to rush. Look over every tile."
"Oh, I will, KC, don't you worry," Tobin replies. I don't want anything nasty catching me by surprise! On the other hand, I know everyone's keen to get inside and have a look around."
Zereta draws her bastard sword and waits eagerly beside Kells while Tobin search the entrance of the cairn "I don't know about you Kells but I can't wait to see what going to happen" Zereta chuckles
Darie took the lantern, and gravitated towards her assigned position. Honestly, the whispering was not all that scary to her, but when the halfling suggested a song, she considered it a good idea nevertheless. "What shall we sing, then? Something heroic, seeing that we are a stalward band of brethren against the darkness of a forgotten tomb now?"
"I am ready as well." Khadath states as he secures his shield in place.
"Tobin, perhaps you'd like to use this pole, might be useful in avoiding pits and such." he say motioning to hand the halfling the 10ft pole.
on a personal note it doesn't bode well for a game when the GM is absent so soon.
on a personal note it doesn't bode well for a game when the GM is absent so soon.
on a personal note it doesn't bode well for a game when the GM is absent so soon.
"Ok, everyone" Kessel says, "let's proceed carefully . . . don't touch anything until Tobin has a chance to look it over."
Jeny leans from foot to foot, looking around the open plains and the entrance to the cairn, not sure what scares her most.
As you head into the cairn you notice that the walls bear horizontal bands of deceptively simple geometric patterns at roughly waist level in places the bands reveal startling detail, but in others they have been hacked apart with weapons or eroded by the rigors of time. Flakes of old paint cling to the walls in places and a thin coat of dust lies on the floor.
Just inside the tomb the hallway contains two shallow alcoves (each approximately 20ft wide x 25ft deep) to the east and west. Here the walls show the most significant damage. Dozens of clumsy etchings mar the beautiful ancient masonry like graffiti on a city wall.
A clump of soiled cloth the size of a halfling rests in the rounded terminus of the western alcove.
Outside the wind picks up, and a chorus of almost human sounds rises from the darkened hall.
As you head into the cairn you notice that the walls bear horizontal bands of deceptively simple geometric patterns at roughly waist level in places the bands reveal startling detail.
Khadath stops and takes a closer look to see if there is any significant meaning to the geometric patterns
”anyone see these before or have any idea what to make of them?” he asks, hoping their aid can assist him in coming to his own conclusion. looking for “Aid Another” here from anyone
Decipher Script or appropriate Knowledge check = 20 Aid Another is factored in already
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Just inside the tomb the hallway contains two shallow alcoves (each approximately 20ft wide x 25ft deep) to the east and west. Here the walls show the most significant damage. Dozens of clumsy etchings mar the beautiful ancient masonry like graffiti on a city wall.
Khadath moves about halfway into the eastern alcoves and examines the beautiful ancient masonry like graffiti. Once again he will ask for assistance , there’s also the chance that one of the others might even be able to read this on their own. looking for “Aid Another” here from anyone
[b]Decipher Script or appropriate Knowledge check = 26 forgot to factor in the “Aid Another”
Darie approached the soiled cloth, eying it quite carefully before beginning to turn it around with the tip of her boots. "What is this, by the way?" She spoke, over the constant whispering of the ancient tomb. After a moment, she crouched down, taking a closer look.
The geometric bands in the wall seem to be only that. something decorative. Although as Khadath studies them he becomes aware that the whispering in coming from these bands.
The graffiti is merely that, graffiti. Old scribblings of children attempting to proove their bravery.
As Darie examines the fabric she soon discovers it's a small bedroll.
Knowledge local DC 15 (for those looking at the bedroll):
”Anyone see these before or have any idea what to make of them?” he asks, hoping their aid can assist him in coming to his own conclusion.
"It just looks like some interesting decoration to me, Khadath," Tobin replies. "Who knows what symbolism it might have held for the builders of this cairn, though?"
Darie approached the soiled cloth, eyeing it quite carefully before beginning to turn it around with the tip of her boots. "What is this, by the way?"
"It looks like an abandoned bedroll," Tobin says, thoughtfully. "You know, some years back a teenage girl went missing from Daggerford - I can't remember her name just now. Anyway, most folk thought she'd decided to run off to the big city, but there were a few whispers that she'd headed up here and fallen foul of something. That bedroll looks like it could be the right size for a young girl..."
Tobin shivers, then steps back and starts whistling one of his little tunes. With a studied air of casualness, he carefully examines both alcoves, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.
Zereta keeps her sword ever at the ready as they move slowly ahead. Listening all the while to her friends talk about a young teenage girl and the constant sounds of the whispering, the whole thing seems slightly unsettling to Zereta but she holds steadfastly and continues forward keeping an eye out for any sign of danger.