[Completed] - Bertram/Eastward - 21 March, 1 VC

[Keehnelf]

This expedition departed from Vaul in the early afternoon of March 21. It was led by Bertram, a scruffy ne'er-do-well of a warrior with a slight limp who was known about town as a wooer of lame young ladies. The full roster for the expedition is as follows:

Bertram, male human (kingofcowards)
Quirin, male elf (sulldawga)
Largo, male halfling (psionboy)
Abi, female human (gtan_baq)
Numen, male elf (mister-kent)
Rhodri, male elf (spartakos)

Otis, male dog (Largo's ally)
Mammon, male dog (Numen's ally)

The weather in the early afternoon of March 21 is finally clear once again, but the air remains slightly crisp even so.

Please indicate a direction of travel from Vaul!

[sulldawga]

I believe our intention was to go NE like we did the last time.

Note Quirin's last minute purchase of three days of fresh rations in the Town Business thread (which I will post in the next 60 seconds).

[KingOfCowards]

To the Northeast, good sir! Until we hit the forest, and then Eastward Ho.

[Keehnelf]

Is the goal to enter the forest hex, or to skirt the edge of the forest while remaining in the moor? Just in case things are uneventful along the way, I don't want to make a wrong move.

[KingOfCowards]

We want to skirt the forest, with possibility of seeing where it ends.

[Keehnelf]

March 22, 8:00am

The party departs Vaul headed northeast as the rain clears up, though the ground-based icy fog lingers. They walk until the sun begins to set, and then make camp in a hollow. In the morning, they wake and see several miles off to the east a set of standing stones that they had not glimpsed the night before due to the shadows. The fog has burned away and the skies are now clear and pale blue.

Random Wilderness Encounter [1d6] = 5

Location Discovery (entry) [1d6] = 2, Location Clues (entry) [1d6] = 1

The party has moved one hex northeast of Vaul. Please deduct one day's rations from your inventory.

[Keehnelf]

I paused here because I don't want to skip the standing stones if the party decides to investigate further. Just let me know if you want to keep moving and I will keep the party moving

[psionboy]

Largo gathers his things in his sack, shoulders it, then heads off towards the standing stones.

"Otis. Come."

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram finishes off a quick breakfast, and grabs up his spear and shield. "I think we should explore the stones, what the say the rest of you?"

I wanted to get others opinions before going ahead. While we're at it, and before our halfling friend wanders off, shall we discuss a marching formation?

[psionboy]

Largo stops before going very far and turns back towards the camp.

"There's some rocks," he says, pointing off to the distance, where there are some rocks.

[KingOfCowards]

Perhaps marching order need not be a long disussion if we keep most of what we had from last time. If Largo is willing; he and Otis up front with Bertram, the two elf archers on left and right, Numan and Mammon at the rear and Abi in the center.

[psionboy]

That's fine with me.

[GTan_Baq]

Perhaps marching order need not be a long disussion if we keep most of what we had from last time. If Largo is willing; he and Otis up front with Bertram, the two elf archers on left and right, Numan and Mammon at the rear and Abi in the center.

I'm fine with this

[sulldawga]

Quirin is cool with the proposed marching order.

[Spartakos]

Marching order works for me. Just a reminder for the DM; I've got the left flank, Qirin has the right.
Rations deducted.

Rhodri takes another swallow of wine from his skin to wash down his breakfast (an apple and a hard sausage), then wipes his mouth. "Investigating the rocks sounds a decent notion. Of course, many a decent notion ends in disaster." He strings his bow, tests the pull briefly, then nocks an arrow. "Let's swing around the outside of them, try to judge them from a couple of angles?"

If we keep around 40-50 yards from the stones, we should be able to get a look, and have them within long range of our missiles. If there's nothing that looks alive/dangerous among them, we can approach for a closer look. We're approaching from the west, so let's say swing around them to the south, then move in from that direction if it looks safe? Sound reasonable?

[psionboy]

Largo cocks his light crossbow, and sets a bolt in that part of the crossbow where bolts go.

"Never killed a rock before."

[Mister-Kent]

"Now's your chance," Numen grunts from his position at the rear. He studies the stones over yonder, and prepares his shortbow as the group monitor the location from afar.

[Keehnelf]

March 22, 1 VC - 10:10am

The party picks its way across the broken landscape toward the stones for some time before they come within close sight of them. From a hundred yards or so, the stones are identifiable as a gray-black basaltic rock quite different than the speckled light-gray granite that rears its head up from under the fragile soil of the surrounding moors.

The standing stones themselves are more than a dozen feet tall and make up a ring approximately fifty feet across. About one-third of the stone pairs are topped with a third, similar slab, and broken sections of a handful more add to the unevenness of the terrain surrounding the circle.

As the party approaches bow shot range from the circle, they can make out a broad altar or stone slab of some kind, perhaps ten feet across, dominating the center on a slight rise of ground. It casts a heavy shadow in the party's direction.

There is a palpable hum of natural energy about this place, at least as far as the elves are concerned.

[Mister-Kent]

Numen's gold eyes light up at the sight. "Mmhmmm," he mutters, and closes his eyes.

His tongue darts out briefly...and then again. "Energy all around," he says, and looks to Rhodri and Quirin expectantly. "Magic?"

[Spartakos]

Rhodri tilts his head to one side, as if considering his fellow elf's words, then nods slowly. "Aye. Fairly reeks of it. I'd advise caution...most magic I know doesn't do anything particularly nice to people."

That said, assuming we don't see anything moving in there or any bodies, Rhodri is in favor of moving a bit closer to get a better look. Unless Bertram or someone else asks/tells him not to, Rhodri will slowly advance towards the stone circle, getting no closer than 50' to them. In particular, he is alert for:
a.) Any runes, symbols, or other markings on the stones.
b.) Any change in his perception of the magical aura...does it feel like it's getting stronger as he approaches?

If anyone does object, I'm willing to give this a pass for the moment; I've noted its location, we can always take a closer look later.