Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[Siveon]

"Ah, and I was already getting comfortable. Well, here's hoping a tomb is just as accommodating. Does anyone want to keep watch?"

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

"It's too bad we don't have the dog anymore. He could have been useful in tracking that beast."

 

[Siveon]

"I think Rhenmyr serves as good as a dog as any." Marcán chuckles.

 

[nikolokolus]

Rhenmyr does some scavenging nearby with torch held aloft, He finds some snow berries and some wild leeks. Enough for 4 people to feed themselves for the next day (if people are keeping track of rations - I confess I haven't - two people will need to mark some off or I can determine it randomly).

With Brule reasonably on board with the plan to search Ulfheonar's tomb, after Cormac's eloquent speech, the group retreats a healthy distance from the swamp fen - about a half a mile east - and finds a reasonably sheltered spot in the lee of the hill. A stony outcropping provides a windbreak and at least enough shelter for three people. It takes about a half-hour to set up a rough bivouac and people begin to settle in. Brule volunteers to take the first watch and his brother Fidach announces that he will stay up with him.

How do you all handle the watch and do you do anything else?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric has rope and 4 iron spikes, so he will endeavour to set up some sort of perimeter around the campsite, using nearby flora to disguise the rope, which shall work as thick tripwire. He'll place the spikes at 4 corners of the site and route rope through each.
"I shall take watch after these two." he says in Illyrian, "But I think I shall keep an eye on these two all the same. If their sister is to take watch, keep an eye on her as well. I know not what they were muttering of to each other a while before, but I like it not."

 

[Grimgravy]

"It's not stew Cormac, but roasted leeks are tasty. I'll take the last watch." Then in Illyrian: "Do keep an eye on the girl. I don't think she means harm, but that doesn't mean she wont do something stupid."
Rhenmyr shares his find and beds down for the night after his modest meal. "Remember to wake me for the final watch."

 

[L'ennui]

"I can take the watch following yours, brave Borric."

Urash says this as he sets down his things and starts eating some dried meat and biscuits he had in his satchel bag.

OOC

Marked off one trail ration.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac eats some roasted leeks and looks for a spot to sleep. "Just wake me up when it's my turn for watch."

 

[nikolokolus]

Borric carefully lays his improvised tripwire, people consume their meager rations, and then settle in huddled up under the narrow shelf of rock - out of the wind and occasional blatter of rain.

Each watch passes nervously, but uneventfully and the oppressive darkness eventually yields to a dull leaden sky as Rhenmyr surveys his sleeping companions. With light to see, you look down the long rolling moors toward the lake and can spot the town several miles northwest of you. The small depression you are in is a saddle between two great hills, where two rings of dolmens jut out from their peaks. The one to the west looks a bit like the one where you found Oona. The dolmen-topped hill to your east is a long sinuous ridge flanked by a river that runs out of the vast glacial lake to the north and lays between you and the hill.

Fidach points east with his spear, "Ulheonar's tomb, friends." His expression when he says this is difficult to read, a bit of awe mixed with dread perhaps?

 

[L'ennui]

Urash stretches a bit and proceeds to pack his bedroll. He then takes a few small figures from his bag, crudely carved of stone or baked from clay, and sits on the ground, lays them down before him and recites something in Acadian. After a minute of this, he gets up and puts the figures back in his bag.

Looking with apprehension to the East, he straps his bag to his back, picks up his staff and announces he is ready to depart.

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac wakes up, wipes his eyes, looks around and lays down again.

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr eats some snow berries and eyes Cormac. "Let's get ready. The dead have waited long enough."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac sits up. He picks up his gear and packs it away, taking a bite of some left over leeks in between stowing his belongings. He says a quick prayer to Arawn, stands up and picks up the sharpened stick."Well, I guess we should get this over with."

 

[Siveon]

Marcán chews on some dried meats, while waiting for everyone else to finish. "I sure hope Ulheonar isn't the vengeful sort. Mmh," he coughs up a little. "Probably should've packed better food."

Spoiler

So I guess I have 6 days worth of rations left?

 

[nikolokolus]

The hike towards the nearby hill leads you along a narrow track that turns south into a narrow gorge that parallels the river. A steady rain has picked up and the way forward becomes a muddy slog.

You press on and after about an hour of careful, but steady walking, the trail switches back and down to the river's edge where a log-bridge about 30 feet long spans a section of tumbling rapids. A handrail of wood has been attached and the top cut smooth, making the crossing fairly simple. When you reach the other side the trail continues to track alongside the river at the foot of the sinuous hill that now looms over you.

Five more minutes of walking down the gorge eventually leads you to a gravelly beach at the edge of a large pool where another stream tumbles in from the east. On your right, the pool is perhaps 100 yards long and 40 yards wide and is flanked by scrubby looking willows, thick brambles and tall reeds that grow out of the turgid water. To your left the hill rises sharply and a crude stair case has been cut from the limestone leading up to a portico about 20 feet above, where you can just make out the top of a sealed stone arch of undressed stone set into the hill. Also leading away from the gravel beach is another trail that appears to follow the stream that tumbles in from the other side of the hill.

Rhenmyr and Ker also notice that it appears this whole area was severely flooded recently. There is mud and sediment deposits all over the beach and based on the scouring you observe on the banks, the high water mark was probably 10 feet over your heads within the last few months (the vegetation hasn't yet regrown completely).

 

[Helly]

"Great, after a dark forest a damp hole. This is getting better and better."
Ker checks for footsteps or tracks in the mud around the entrance.

 

[Grimgravy]

"We don't want to be here if a storm comes. We shouldn't tarry long." If the stream is clear and flowing, Rhenmyr fills any empty water skins.

 

[L'ennui]

Urash makes sure to fill his water skin as well, after smelling the water to see if something is off.

"Well, let's get on with it. Who goes first?"

 

[nikolokolus]

The water runs clear and cold; cupping a handful to your nose reveals no obvious contaminants.

Ker lowers his head and looks around on the beach, you see animal prints in the soft mud that covers the trail and indentations in the gravel - the splayed hoof prints of deer as well as raccoons and in and amongst them are several dog or wolf prints. You are unsure how old they are, but with the general dampness of the climate you suppose they aren't terribly old.

 

[Helly]

"I'm glad to say nothing seems out of the ordinary, just the usual critters. No huge wolf prints around at least! So, in what order should we proceed?"
Ker starts lighting his lantern.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

"Our Bard with his blade should go first, I wot. I and one of our Pict friends should take his flanks, with the rest of us trailing behind, and the other Pict at the rear with the Arawn-worshipper."

 

[Siveon]

"Quite a sound plan, though two people would be better than one. How about it Barbarian?"

 

[L'ennui]

"I will stay close to the priest, in the back. In case he needs something translated for the Picts..."

Urash's eyes flinch as he gives that last "explanation", and he makes great efforts to look anywhere but the eyes of the other party members.

 

[Grimgravy]

"I'll take the second rank."

 

[nikolokolus]

As plans are laid out, Fidach and Oona can be seen in a heated exchange a short distance away from the rest of the group. Finally Fidach waves his hand down to his side and shakes his head vigorously, and Oona stomps off a few dozen yards farther down the rocky bank. Fidach walks back to the group a second or two later, and speaks in Keltic, "Apologies my friends. My fool daughter has it in her head to enter this tomb, but I flatly forbade it! We will wait out here at the entrance and keep a watch to make sure no one else appears. If they do, we'll shout in or signal you in some way -- I do not trust Talorc." Brule, rubs at his elaborately hanging mustache thoughtfully and finally nods slightly, "Very well brother, keep an eye on that girl of yours with. With that temper and penchant for brashness it's probably best she stays out here." Brule then reaches into his tunic and pulls out a small stone fetish hanging from a leather thong around his neck. "Here, take this. If that sly fox Talorc gives you any trouble you know what to do." He hands it over to Fidach who hesitates at first, but finally accepts it and nods gravely. "Be careful brother ..."

OOC

This is a good opportunity for you guys to tell me what your general marching order is most of the time. I haven't really enforced it much, since there really hasn't been any underground exploration where it mattered, but moving forward it'd be helpful for me if I knew your default for the following three scenarios: 10 foot wide corridor (2 abreast max), open ground (3 or abreast possible) or single file.

For the purposes of this place I have Brule and Marcán in front, followed by Borric and Rhenmyr, then Ker, Cormac and Urash in the back. So all I need to know how Ker, Cormac and Urash are arranged specifically.