Grumblenaught, you can track the wights fairly easily here. Intermittently, their steps coming east intersect with some other fresh prints (shod) travelling west.
Grumblenaught, you can track the wights fairly easily here. Intermittently, their steps coming east intersect with some other fresh prints (shod) travelling west.
How many shod, westward prints are there, and are they fresher than the wights eastward prints, or just "relatively" fresh, as in perhaps made by the Constable and Ulric yesterday?
How many: more than one, no more than six. For the first quarter-mile or so, it's hard to tell whether they are fresher than the east-bound wight tracks: they haven't overlapped yet.
So far, there's nothing to disabuse you of the "constable and Ulrich" theory.
How many: more than one, no more than six. For the first quarter-mile or so, it's hard to tell whether they are fresher than the east-bound wight tracks: they haven't overlapped yet.
So far, there's nothing to disabuse you of the "constable and Ulrich" theory.
After a brief westward foray, much of it spent stooped even closer to the ground than usual, the wide-shouldered dwarf returns to the small gathering of companions. "Yar, some good tracks both comin' an' goin'. Might be Ulric an' the Deputy, in addition to the deaders, might not be. Time'll tell though."
He looks up at Hilden. "Missus, could you recall exact-like where yer husband and the deputy lit out from yesterday morn'?" He offers a sympathetic shrug. "I know it mightn't be pretty to recall mem'ries so soon, but I'll need ta know, if'n ye can."
He beckons to the farm-wife, trotting off to show her the closest point that the westward, shod tracks can be found, adding loudly over his shoulder, "Step up lively, all you armed folks. Good daylight only lasts fer so long, an these tracks isn't likely t'get any fresher!"
Val looks at the others, one brow raised questioningly. "Well? What say all of you? Do you come with the dwarf and I on this hunt for evil, or seek the treasure and mysteries these .. things.. came to kill for?" Without waiting for a formal response, the paladin turns and walks to stand next to Grumblenaught.
Assist Another(Tracking): 11 for a +2
Yalka is already scouting around the tracks Grumblenaught has found,
hopefully finding more, or in any case, assisting to follow them where they lead...
Martaug gives Hilden a hug and pats Gundar on the shoulder. He takes up his shield and grabs his shortspear from where it's laying on the ground. "We'll be back an' let ya know what was goin' on in da caves. Yer dad may'a fallen, son, but he was succsessful... he did let da town know dat dere wuz some kinda trouble brewin' out in these parts. I'm honored to'a known 'im. Be vigilant an' stay safe!"
And the party heads off to the west. So far as I've heard, nobody's taking either of the spears.
Between the trees, on the mossy side of the big rock, ...
Grumblenaught, the wights' tracks are indeed more recent than the westward tracks.
About a half-hour into the travels, Valdisara feels a kind of shift. You've felt it several times before, when passing out from a temple or other consecrated area. But it would be ridiculous to think that several score acres would all be under consecrated.
And around 1 or 2 in the afternoon, you come to a valley between two hills; in the distance you hear birds, and every so often the sound of running water. You also come to a choice.
Grumblenaught, the windmill that Orislav reports as having started turning is some mile or more uphill towards the west.
The tracks don't lead that way. The earlier, westward tracks head up to some hills nearby. If you had a guess, you'd say they were following Gunlar's directions, going to the nearest likely caves.
The wights' tracks split off, coming from the south, from a bald hill rising up from a skirt of trees.
And the party heads off to the west. So far as I've heard, nobody's taking either of the spears.
Sachiko falls to the back of the party, wondering what she has gotten herself into, maybe serving at the Lotus was not so bad after all. She looks to Yalka and the other women in the group, she hopes one day she will be a strong as they are. She looks to the holy warrior woman, and envies the peace she seems to be at.
"Yalka glad Sa-chiko come help ...muster", I amicably direct towards our awkward late-comer (Sachiko),
glad for the presensce of any brave soul to help us against this unknown evil.
When we come to where the trail splits off, I prefer to follow the trail to the caves.
That is where the evil abominations came from, and where the treasure they apparently seek lies, so it seems the higher priority. I would be willing to investigate this other "wind-mill" afterwards, if only to learn more about this sort of structure.
I have 50' of silk rope and a grapple. Who else has rope?
We will probably need at least 20' of rope for the first drop, and counting knots, 30' is better.
To fix our top rope, I could fell a small, straight tree to cross the opening?
Or maybe the Rolson's already have something like that laying around?
From Gunlar's description, it would also be good to have another rope, maybe tied to the first one, so we can haul ourselves backwards/ not get lost if we need to swim thru a submerged tunnel. (especially good idea for any with bad Swim Skills)
If there's enough rope, I'd prefer to keep mine as a backup in case the first ropes fail, so we can toss up a grapple.
I'll also wrap up 2 torches and tinder tightly in some leather bags,
to be somewhat waterproof so we can have light down below.
"The cave seems a more pressing concern, though we have the numbers to split up once more. A good mix of skills in each party will be necessary should we decide upon that course of action."
|
"I have a good fifty feet of strong silk rope that we can use, I also have near a half-dozen illumination rods that will work even if they get completely wet, so light sources should not be a problem."
"I think we should investigate the caves first as it is closest. Wish I knew how the boy fit into this story, what was it that Winston said about a boy?"
scratch goatee while pondering the subject
"And why did the attackers last night need him? Could it be as mundane as the passage through being extremely tight and only he could fit?"
Deserach will follow the group, though somewhat caught up in the mysterious events trying to piece together what bits of information we have and come up with logical conclusions.
When we come to where the trail splits off, I prefer to follow the trail to the caves.
That is where the evil abominations came from, ...
Well, the wights' footprints come from one area, and the westward footprints lead to a set of caves, more or less following Gunlar's directions.
Where are you headed first: caves, or where the evil came from?
Or, as Kara suggests, you could split up. Heh heh heh.
I don't have a strong opinion either way, though it doesn't seem there's any pressing reason we NEED to split up
(and then Chris' mocking laughter)
BTW, Chris, did the family go to the neighbor's, or what? I wasn't clear on that...?
Also, from our Tracking rolls could we figure how many/ what type of horse it was? (Riding horse, Draft horse)
BTW, Chris, did the family go to the neighbor's, or what? I wasn't clear on that...?
They will be heading to the neighbors' after they've packed and dealt with some matters. They'll be there by sunset.
There are no horses' tracks. Two to four shod tracks going west. Two people with bare feet with long toenails and one wearing shoes going east.
The funeral service was at about 10:00 in the morning. The bodies were buried by noon, and you left shortly thereafter. It's now about 2 in the afternoon.
I think Valdisara and Orislav seem knowledgeable about these type of abominations,
so I'll wait for their comment on how we should proceed...
Valdisara looks at the dwarf and then at the rest of the group. "The Deputy said only, 'don't trust after boy', which I take to mean the attackers needed him for some reason. Didn't one of you tell me that one of the men also said something last night about needing the boy? Perhaps they needed him merely to act as a guide to wherever the caves are, or to gain access to them. It is a moot point, though, at least at present. Again, we need to track the evil while we still can, and put it to rest before more harm is done. Leave the caves be for now.. whatever is there will still be there tomorrow. Can we say that about the being that escaped or whoever is guiding it? I for one will be following the wights' trail - and in light of what you encountered last night, I would not advise splitting up."
"Does holy-man, um, Orislav, have special power against these evil?" I ask, to get a clearer idea.
Valdisara's following the wight's trail, which seems to come out from a small rise, covered in tall grasses. There's no cave entrance here, just grass and several large boulders. Grumblenaught checks further around, and finds other wight tracks coming to and from this place, going in other directions, several days older.
One of the boulders has a carving on it, worn down over the years. It's a skull, wearing a slightly-oversized crown.
Orslav, Deserach, Martaug, do I assume correctly that you've got the same spells prepared as yesterday?
I would like to examine the boulder with the carving, jotting down a sketch of it in my notebook. Does it look like this boulder has been moved recently or could be moved?
Moved recently: hard to say. There's certainly no evidence that it has not been moved. Could be moved: are you trying to lift it? It's about the size of an adult sheep.
I'll help push, if anyone wants help...
A few of you join Yalka and Deserach, trying to lift the rock. It's not that the boulder is heavy, it just doesn't move.
Then, with an audible crack and a pop, something gives way, and the boulder, weighing only about 80 pounds, comes up easily.
There's a hidden cave entrance here, dropping down maybe five feet to the floor below, heading both north and south.
Valdisara, would you like to scan for anything?
What do I see in the general direction each "wing" of the tunnel heads?
(does one head towards Gunlar's cave, for instance?)
If we're headed down, I'd like to tie my horse up somewhere... Any trees nearby-ish?
Which reminds me, did someone bring any of the draft horses as well?
Slapping her hands on her sides to remove the dust from her hands, Kara speaks: "Interesting. Could this perhaps be connected to the other caves we have heard so much of? If so, that would further solidify this link between the dead and this treasure. This may allow us to achieve both our objectives at once."
Sachiko looks surprised at the new cave entrance and wonders is some other thing uses this as an entrance, and easily moves that boulder, She instinctually grabs on to the vial of antivenom she has been given, "I guess its down in the dark then" She tries to keep a brave face.
|
|
"Well it seems that the wights tracks lead no further then here, It seems very likely that this is the means of egress that the horrid creature uses to enter and exit the underground."
"If we are intent on following it then I can provide us with illumination when needed."
I will also look for a place to tie off Jaks, I will then secure my spellbook in my pack and prepare to depart.
There are nearby places to tie the animals, or, if you wander maybe two hundred yards away, there's a shaded spot with a small stream.
The passage north heads back to the general area that Gunlar described.
Grumblenaught, the air in the tunnel is fresh, and there is a faint breeze blowing from the north.
Valdisara, would you like to scan for anything?
Val will softly utter a prayer and check for the presence of evil inside the cave, starting with the south.
Martaug drops down into the hole with Valdisara and beckons for the wolf to hop down as well. He won't let the paladin's flank be exposed while she's concentrating and he can scan the darkness with orc vision.
"Does Mar-Tog's Wolf smell or see tracks good?"
Sachiko reluctantly follows the group into the cave
The tunnel here is short: if you were to stand straight in the entryway, you'd be standing only five feet below the ground. Valdisara, Martaug, Yalka, Sachiko, and Deserach step down through the entrance. Even before Deserach brings in a light source, Martaug can tell that the tunnel narrows to the north, and opens up to the south, after it turns a corner.
From the west, perhaps 30' away, a childlike voice pipes up: "Hey! Whatcha doin'?"
If you turn, you see:
a gnome, dressed in simple browns and blacks, with brilliant yellow-and-orange hair. He's not carrying any weapons, and his expression is one of bemusement rather than curiosity.
"Aaa...!aah!? ...Are you... friend of boy Gunlar?"
"It danger here... Deputy Win send us keep safe Rolsons... Cave hold much danger for little one like you."
"What your name, little one? I called Yalka."
"Danger? Do you mean, from the spider king, or from falling through a pit, or from getting lost in the dark labyrinth, or from the walking dead, or, maybe, from the bats, or from the mother bear two hill over that way?"
He swings around a tree, idly, and takes a few steps towards you.
"Don't know anybody named Gunlar, but it's a fun name to say. Goonlar. Goooonlar.
"My name is Ubbfelldigaitifurght Whairenthair. Do you like it?"
Martaug
"ubbfel-" is a prefix in Druidic, meaning "forgotten", and "-gaitifurght" is similar to the word for walker or traveller. It might be a coincidence, it might be an example of the Gnomish practice of stealing random words from various languages, or he might have been brought up as a druid.
"...Y-Yes."
...Yes?
Sachiko giggles at this funny man and his funny ways
"Spider King? Walking dead? We are definitely in the proper place then. I suppose that the spider wounds the Constable sustained would have come from those spiders. Why would the dead things be after Ulrich's family though? Are the creatures connected somehow?"
Turning to the gnome, Kara will ask him, "Could you shed some much needed light on the subject, sir?"
Martaug nods at the gnome "Greetin's Ubbfelldigaitifurght. If we meet in peace, may all da blessin's'a Nature be yers all yer days." Then he calmsly waits for the gnome to address some of the other questions. Undoubtedly, the words 'Spider King' hold a special interest for him, but Martaug knows that learning as much of the layout as possible is the first priority.
The gnome keeps a distance of perhaps 50 feet as you ask your questions, but he circles around you, widdershins, as he replies. "Constable? Ulrich? Ulllllrich? That's not as funny.
"There was a fellow, called himself 'Constable', came through here just, well, yesterday morning, I'd guess. Or maybe today, hard to keep that kind of thing straight.
"He and another fellow had come out, all armed and all, askin' about a cave. I didn't figure the caves around here were any of their business, so I showed 'em the way to the labyrinth."
The gnome comes to stand northeast of you, straddling the path you've taken to arrive here, still 50' away from you. He folds his hands behind his back and tilts his head to the side. There's no smile there at all.
"Why, might I ask, is it any of your business, comin' out here all armed and all?"
"Is... Is because Constable Deputy almost die from Giant Spider Poison, but ask us go here for protect Rolson family... And when we come last night, we protect Mother Hilden and boy Gunlar... from Un-Dead who attack farm... but Father Ulrich become... Un-Dead also. One Un-Dead say in fight they need boy Gunlar... So we come to caves to find more these Un-Dead to stop their attacks..."
"Deputy Win..." I add, thinking to explain his role, "big protector of all area around town. He fight bandits who threaten Yalka before. We help him because his bravery big and good."
"...Are you... ?" I wonder, thinking this isn't just a neighbor kid by his words (and hair).
Ubbfelldigaitifurgt looks at Yalka, considering. He furrows his brow as he squats down, his arms resting comfortably on his thighs. "'Almost died of poison?' He escaped? Well, I'll be a bearded mole rat."
The gnome rolls forward, rising up from the tumble about 45 feet away. He shrugs and scratches the back of his head. "So, you, my good lady, you have come to avenge your very big brave friend? Well, I can certainly understand that. And the walking dead, they were the ones who went searching for little Gooonler. That's not your fault. Well, maybe it is; who knows?
He scuffs his foot along the ground and continues to walk around you. If he keeps going, he'll end up back where you first saw him, up a small rise to the northwest. "But ... if I kill you as well, then what? Will this Constable send even more people out?"
Martaug doesn't like the way this conversation is going. He leans over closer to Valisara and whispers "Can ya devine any'a his nature, Val? I don't like da mincin' way he's got."
Valdisara, you've been attempting to Detect Evil, so you can continue to do so in the gnome's direction without tipping your hand. If you decide to do so:
Orislav, Sachiko, Kara
You see the wisps of some sort of dust shake off from the gnome and settle to the ground as he walks.
Valdisara whispers "I'm not sensing any evil on him. Maybe--"
Grumblenaught has been looking down the tunnel to the south and interrupts: "Skitterin', comin' this way."
Is anyone going to say anything to the gnome before he completes the circle around you?
Yalka will likely do something physical or violent, especially after those last lines from the Gnome,
but I'm going to wait until the the players who haven't posted yet have a chance to do so...
(or at least for all the non-newly proud parents-players :-) )
"You bear semblance of age as much as the bones and flesh of those creatures we followed here, if the dust dropping off of your person is any indication." Resting her hand on the pommel of Silvertongue, Kara continues, "Then again, you may be one of them. Explain yourself, or remove yourself from our path.