[Completed] - Quirin/Dwarves III - 5 April, 1 VC

[hedgeknight]

"Part of me would like to know whether Fangir is alive or dead. Another part of me doesn't care, seeing as how this dwarf hold is cursed and has already cost us two good men."

Krysta shrugs and then says, "Perhaps that anguished cry was Fangir..."

She pokes the fire some more and says, "The more I think about it, the more I'm with Buryl > I don't want to go back in there. I'm up for the black tower...which doesn't sound too good in and of itself, but hopefully it's better than venturing back into a ghoul hold."

[GTan_Baq]

Abi says, "I really don't know what we should do. We could go back in to this tomb and risk finding more undead or go on to that tower. To me, going back to Vaul seems the best idea that way we can look for more people to join us. Of coarse that's hoping that we can find someone."

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram thanks Galen for the healing.
"I'll not force anyone's hand going back into the tomb. But if we return to Vaul, I plan on setting out this way again to finish the job and see it done. That way you have your choice of whether or not to come with me. For now shall we spend another day resting, or start making our way westward?"

[hedgeknight]

"I am ready to travel, but the wounded would benefit from another day of rest and another round of healing spells. What say you Bertram? Galen? How do you feel?"

[Spartakos]

"If we don't plan to go back to the tomb, and all are well enough to travel, I say we move on. We can pray for further healing on the morrow, which should finish refreshing our warriors."

[Keehnelf]

What's the initial direction of travel going to be?

[KingOfCowards]

Southwest. We'll go by where we saw the black tower before.

[KingOfCowards]

Crazy idea. Should we check out the dwarven tower to the west to see if anybody still lives there or is that to close to the standing stones for our liking?

[Spartakos]

Did Bertram tell everybody about the dwarf tower? Abi was along for that, too, right?
Anyway...Galen's still in favor of heading southwest.

[KingOfCowards]

Fine by me. Bertram will lead the group Southwest towards the dark tower

[hedgeknight]

Krysta nods and gets her things ready and then follows Bertram and her companions southwest.

[OGRE MAGE]

Buryl readies his gear for travel.

Aye, let's not try going back in there without a little more fire power.

[GTan_Baq]

Abi takes down her tent and is ready to travel.

[KingOfCowards]

Proposed marching order:
Bertram and Krysta
Abi and Galen
Buryl
At least until Buryl gets some healing

[Keehnelf]

April 14, 1 VC - 3:20pm

The party heads through the rain southwest, in the direction they recalled having encountered the black tower. Despite the downpour, they have gotten to know this part of the land fairly well and they manage to keep their bearings by the slowly-moving shadow of the Finger of Doom off to the north. Around mid-afternoon, they spot the tell-tale rise in the land that surrounds the tower, and working their way up it they spot the thing, black like a demon's oath against the moist green grass of the moor, surrounded on all sides by the labyrinth of moss-covered stone.

The sun is beginning to drift back toward the horizon in the west, but the party still has probably four hours of sunlight left. Perhaps three while down in the bowl created by the circular ridge surrounding the tower.

[OGRE MAGE]

Buryl will take a look around at the ground again, looking for any tracks or old paths that might lead up to the structure.

[Keehnelf]

April 14, 1 VC - 3:30pm

Buryl spots a dip in the circular ridge that creates an opening that would be easier for the approach of, say, a wagon or mounted travelers to the tower on the northwest side. There is the overgrown remains of a roadway that leads from that opening to the edge of the labyrinth.

The only tracks he can find are ones that seem to have been left by this party a week or so ago.

[Keehnelf]

Guys, just a bit of quick housekeeping:

I was wrong about Quirin's body being burned before it could be looted--somehow in all the grief over his death I got confused about the order in which things happened.

That being said, the following items are up for grabs from his body (above and beyond what was mentioned before)--please indicate explicitly if your character is taking one or more of these:
4 days' rations
hobgoblin map
shield
short bow
13 arrows in a quiver
spellbook
flint and steel

[OGRE MAGE]

Buryl will carry the rations and the map for safe keeping, if nobody objects.

[Spartakos]

Don't object to Buryl grabbing those; Galen will want to copy the map when we get back to Vaul. Definitely bring his spellbook as well; Galen can stick it in his saddlebag for now.

Any shelter nearby? If we're going to head in--and this place looks like bad news--we might want to rest and heal Buryl. I didn't know we were so close.