A Scholarly Issue

[dreamweaver]

The members of the college lean back on their chairs and focus on their meal. They start a conversation about pros and contras regarding different materials used in making paper, and their storage safety. It is obviously not meant for Abe to participate in, though they won't stop him from making remarks or questions.

[DrRenfield]

Abe is content to be ignored and left to his large free lunch.

At length he excuses himself, "Many thanks for the hospitality. If all goes well you should expect me the day after tomorrow. "

"Have that extra ducat ready," Abe winks at Lena.

[dreamweaver]

The morning is similar to that of the previous day's: bouts of light rain, but generally spring warmth.

Around midday, as Abe is travelling along the path next to the river, from the top of a little hill in the light drizzle he becomes aware of a pair of travellers coming in his direction, heading towards Graystone. They are far enough that he's probably not spotted by them, and look to be busy in conversation. The mercenary has a few minutes before they meet.

[DrRenfield]

Abe continues on largely unbothered by the travelers. He doesn't suspect trouble, but by automatic habit he keeps a wary eye on them as he draws closer.

Sense Motive [1d20+8]=15+8=23

[dreamweaver]

They are submerged in heated conversation and only tone down their voices when they notice the mercenary already very near to them. They both wear travelling clothes, not for prolonged wilderness life but sturdy and comfortable at the same time. They stop for a second when they catch sight of Abe, then greet him.

"Greetings, fellow traveller. How's the way between here and town?"

[DrRenfield]

"It was easy going on my way this morning," Abe gives a nod and bland smile. "What of the way west? I've heard a few rumors of highwaymen along the banks of the Gleamwater."

[dreamweaver]

"There are always rumors, and mostly about bad things." says the one who greeted Abe. She is a middle-aged woman, of rather low birth by her accent. "But we haven't seen any, luckily. You can expect some tumult, though, after the revelation in Timberfall. The north is going to echo with it for months, probably."

"Which doesn't say much, really. In the last three generations, the most exciting news along the Frostfangs has been a still-born calf or a baby crying three times." adds the other, a man in his mid-twenties. "You going that way?"

They had stopped their conversation very abruptly at the sight of the mercenary, and, by his judgement, are now trying to keep him focused on topics other than themselves.

[DrRenfield]

Abe notes their dissembling, but they are successful in diverting his interest for a moment.

"What news is this from Timberfall?"

[dreamweaver]

"Really? You're interested?" the man asks back, a little amazed, then assumes a mocking conspiratorial tone, "Well, Karl, the miner exposed Laslo, the merchant to be of noble origin, supposedly of royal descent. What a sensation!!! Would you believe that, friend?"

The woman just smiles merrily at the whole act, and makes a what-can-I-do gesture with her arms.

[DrRenfield]

"Wonders, truly never cease," Abe matches their sneering tone, annoyed at being fished in. "You'll be popular in Greystone with that valuable gossip. What business sends you there, friends?"

[dreamweaver]

The woman obviously gets excited at the topic - "We are trying to help a ... friend. She has an affliction, a disease, that's not supposed to be curable, but we hope we can find something ... further west." while gesturing, her cloak slips a little apart, and she quickly covers her neck again, without missing a word - and at the same time the man also checks his neck inadvertantly.

"Yes, yes, the Riftlands and the mire south of it hold many secrets, and we plan to find a cure." he adds hastily.

[DrRenfield]

Abe glances them up and down, scanning for signs of disease. The woman's sudden eagerness to share a personal matter makes him wonder whether this is another smokescreen to put him off their true business.

Perception [1d20+6]=1+6=7; Sense Motive [1d20+8]=19+8=27

"Well, I hope your... friend is able to locate a cure and is careful not to spread any contagion to any townsfolk."

[dreamweaver]

"She does not spread anything, she is in self-imposed solitary confinement. She ..." after the slightly disapproving glance from the man, she leaves off the sentence. "We're trying to find a cure before she is gone."

"Well, we'd like to reach Greystone before sundown, so we're going to leave you now, friend." - the young man continues, and nods at Abe before moving out. The woman also nods and follows him.

There isn't anything that looks alarming about them physically, but they are definitely not telling the whole thing. What they shared so far feels genuine, but it's only the thin surface of the real thing. And they are obviously afraid of not reaching town before sundown.

[DrRenfield]

"Good fortune to you."

Abe continues on. They seem strange, but if they're plague carriers or werewolves that's not his problem.

[dreamweaver]

The journey to the ruins is uneventful after the two travelers, and Abe catches sight of the silhouette about an hour before sundown. There is no 'road' along the shore, only a hardly recognisable path. Still hidden from sight in the trees and bushes, he can see there are two figures standing at a corner of the remaining wall, and a third one occupied with a small campfire, which is currently mostly smoke without a fire.

The wall is crumbling at its top, but seems sturdy enough otherwise, and it's covered with moss and vines. At one point, a small tree has grown on the top, now swaying in the southward wind.

[DrRenfield]

Abe waits in his hiding place for the sun to go down. He passes the time gathering his thoughts and fixing the lay of the ground in his memory.

If the ruin's occupants are still gathered at their fire as darkness falls, Abe will attempt to creep close and size them up, both in temperament and as potential opponents.

[dreamweaver]

As the sun sets, four more figures join the three at the campfire, and they don't make a secret of their presence. The campfire goes brightly, they talk and laugh loudly, and have food and drink to excess. Even around the evening meal, they are wearing armor, hardened leather reinforced here and there with plates or chainmail. And their weapons are nearby.

However, in the farther tower (4) the mercenary sees a little movement now and then, but it's definitely concealed and it isn't clear whether it's one person or several changing positions.

The closer half of the gate is wide open, and there's a makeshift kind of wall separating the closer half of the fort inside.

There is a half-collapsed bridge from the shore to the tower in the lake.



A: where Abe's lurking
C and smoke: campfire
E: entrance = gate
1-4: towers in the wall
1 square is ~20 meters

[DrRenfield]

Abe elects to avoid the party. He isn't too impressed, but 7 drunk men are risky to fight and even worse to reason with. For no just reason, Abe reflects, people seem to dislike him on instinct. He moves like a hunter, taking his time to creep slowly through the brush. He gives the men a wide berth, moving down to the south before swinging north west and approaching the ruin entrance. He pays special attention to potential exposure to the watchers in the tower. With any luck, they'll never know they had a visitor.

Stealth Check (if a new roll is required)
stealth [1d20+7]=20+7=27

[dreamweaver]

As he keeps getting closer, he notices a lot of little useful things.

The 'wall' that separates the western and eastern wings is just a pile of debris and litter. It can be torn down rather easily, it's more a kind of diplomatic measure than real physical separation.

There is a concealed sentry at the base of south-east tower (4), and two obvious ones in the corner by the eastern half of the gate. They are still hard to spot, though simply because the darkness hides them naturally. These two have bows, no or light armor, and talk to each other whispering.

There's a suspicious-looking spot on the ground along the south wall with the south-east tower, probably something hidden. Abe only noticed it because he was wary and slow so far.

No movement, light or sound comes from the western half of the ruins, including the towers.

[DrRenfield]

Abe moves up to hug the south wall. He eases his short-sword free of it's sheath and edges slowly toward the western side of the gate, hoping to slip inside the ruin unnoticed. His focus is locked on the two figures in the east gate corner, ready to burst into action if they react to his presence.

Stealth Check (if a new roll is required)
stealth [1d20+7]=16+7=23