Chapter 05: Round the bend

[Nordbo]

All Tiny initially sees is a plume of dust, earth and sand shooting up from place of the staircase exit - whose circumference suddenly seems to have widened. The dust soon subsides. Of Eaton there is no sign. All goes quiet.

[Rex]

Tiny

"What just happened!"

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin shrugs "No idea. But it would help if we saw something worth travelin' towards Eaton was probably called back by the gods er somethin'."

[Nordbo]

Tiny

sees that the exit they just came through, has collapsed downwards, causing earth, thicket, and stonework to cave in and form a 40' wide crater, completely obliterating the staircase that was there earlier. Eaton is nowhere to be seen - he probably perished in the minor landslide and quite likely lies crushed beneath the mass of earth.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin "I hate ta be that guy but I ain't climbin' back down there lookin' fer Eaton. He was a good fella but kinda felt like he lost his wits near tha end there. May he rest in peace now."

[Nordbo]

After picking some pretty examples of aster, bush clover and coneflower, Richard spots what also Thorelf sees, the only vaguely man-made feature for miles: a dusty road far in the distance, making a tiny line across this vast expanse of open land. They did so at roughly the same instant as the exit behind them caved in, with a rumble.

[Rex]

Tiny

"Yeah, not sure it matters looking at that mess."

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin notices Thorelf and Richard looking at something and decides it is a good plan to head for that road. "Guess this way then yeah?" the dwarf states then heads for the road and building hoping it is not all apart of the same underground annoyance they just left behind.

[Rex]

Tiny

"Yeah." Tiny follows along once they start for the road.

[Nordbo]

After around half an hour, the group reaches the road. It's basically a dusty country road, stretching to the horizon in both directions. Some wheel tracks and hoof marks can be seen in the dust. About 100' to the right, someone sits by the roadside.

[Rex]

Tiny

Tiny looks them over carefully.

[Nordbo]

Tiny

finds that the wheel tracks look normal and the hoof marks seem fairly typical. The sitting figure is a bit too far off to observe in detail.

[Rex]

Tiny

"Should we go ask them where we are?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin shrugs "Might as well move closer. See if they look harmful I s'pose."

[Nordbo]

Tiny and Korin

approach the roadside figure (while Richard and Thorelf are....?)

[DareDevil]

Richard, still holding some aster, bush clover and coneflower, heads toward the fellow to ask directions.

[sastaz]

Thorelf still looks confused, but comes to and joins Richard walking towards the figure.

Whispers to Richard:

"Listen, we still don't know a thing about where we are, who's in charge, or even when we are. We should expect anything. What's our cover? If you want, I can do the talking."

[DareDevil]

Richard


Well, Thorelf, since you are walking along with me, why don't you do the talking?
In the meantime, I can admire the flowers around here.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin shakes his head at Thorelf and Richard "Startin' ta wonder bout you two. Somethin' ain't right with either of ya."

[Rex]

Tiny

Tiny just chuckles at Korin's comment and follows along.