Return To The Ruins (Warlords Palace)

[shaidar]

Xenos

Not a fan of the dark, Xenos will light a torch.

[OGRE MAGE]

......He then pulls out a torch and lights it. While he waits for the others to pass over to the other side.

[silifi]

Sik mulls about, waiting, still beleaguered by his dream. He stares over the corpse of the matron, looking at her eyes, the images from the dream still haunting him.

Sik reaches down to her eyes, and gives them a hesitant poking.

"We should rid ourselves of this foul thing," he suggests. "Throw her in the river."

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

"I'll go back for the others. Cyril, will you go with me? We can take turns at the oars, and holding a torch."
Ceana retrieves a torch out of her pack and lights it; she has one torch left.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

To those pondering on the body of the matronIf you wish to put the body away bury it or move it out of sight in her garden. There it will be of good use. In the river it only poisons the water.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
Ferry Cross For Mercy
No Idea On Time Of Day

Ruminating upon his recent visions, Sik does something rather disturbing, even for one of his ilk. Grabbing the pink fuzzy mane around the dead Matrons head, he brushes away several frogs before sticking his fingers into her bulging eyes, soliciting a sickly squishy slurping noise. Other than shudders down the spines of a few of his friends, there is no reaction from this strange ritual. Since his hands are already dirty, he drags the rotting body into the back corner of the garden where the toads can dine for weeks in the comfort of their own home.

Several folks follow along with the idea for more light, getting torches ready before making the second river crossing without incident. Loud splashing and slurping noises are heard to the north, but staring into the blackness beyond your torchlight reveals nothing.

Tying off the punt once the party has regrouped, Drest approaches the dark and silent cave entrance, getting a whiff of stench that curls his ample Pictish nose hairs. The bouquet is one of dead animal, bodily waste, decaying vegetation, and a hint of stinking fur. There is no other welcome from the darkness.

Actions?

Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17 Torch
Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11 Torch
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 12/12 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13 Torch
Akhilleus (F4) AC4 35/35
Taibhse (Sh2) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) AC6 14/14
Sik (Ba1) AC5 11/12

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus comes third after Drest and one of those carrying a torch., his sword ready. If that's ok with the group. Altering the marching order to put Akhilleus third, that is.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

Kain has no problem with Akhileus cutting the line. He keeps his torch held high for the combatants ahead. "Do they speak something that we can understand?"

[shaidar]

Xenos

"They spoke a language I didn't understand, and seemed not to understand us, or maybe they just didn't care what we said."

So it's Drest, Xenos, Akhilleus and then Kain...? I'm fine with that. "

[Rex]

Drest

Drest makes the finger to his lips shss simple, then approaches closer to the cave to look in. Waving the torch bearer closer if need be so he can see in.

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

The druid stands still, awaiting the others approach to the reeking cave. "Got a bad feeling about this," she murmurs to Belloc.

[Ahlmzhad]

Taibhse

Will say a quick prayer for the Matron's tortured soul to find rest, and the frogs to find final sustenance there. Then he'll move down by the shore with the others to await the returning boat.

[silifi]

Sik overhears the talk again of the dwarves. He does not know if such things can be parlayed with, but positions himself in front of Cyril to provide some protection for the hostage holder.

"Remember - let's hold off on an attack until we can make an attempt to communicate with them regarding our hostage," he reminds the group in front of him.

[OGRE MAGE]

Under The Zakath Desert
DWARFS!!!
No Idea On Time Of Day

Sik reminds the group that they might have a bargaining chip in the dwarf maggot, suggesting that everyone control their violent tempers in hopes a parlay may be possible. Kain asks about language, but none of the group who met with these creatures before could understand their archaic tongue.

With 4 torches burning now, Drest sneaks up closer to the entryway, slowly walking through the cave tunnel. Besides the stench, the Scout spots bones, the remnants of fires, half-eaten animals, and broken rusted weapons scattered across the floor. This cave seems to have been roughly chiseled from the black rock, and just before the line of explorers enter the first open area, a loud, rough voice can be heard coming from beyond the torchlight. "Sop! Wat!"

Stifled voices can be heard whispering behind the loud talker, but nobody in the group can comprehend the words. Nobody save for Belloc that is, who understands the language as the Old Norse tongue, which he actually speaks, though not very often. The mage strains his ears to make out the whispers, having a hard time putting anything intelligent together from the hushed conversation. He thinks he hears the word for ambush, however.

Drest is standing near the 2 in 29, while the rest of you are lined up down the entry passage.

Actions?

IMG_3631.jpeg (122.99 KiB) Viewed 22215 times

Drest (Sc4) AC7 22/22
Xenos (DS3) AC5 17/17 Torch
Akhilleus (F4) AC4 35/35
Kainaxarthos (C2) AC6 11/11 Torch
Sik (Ba1) AC5 11/12
Cyril (Pr2) AC8 12/12 CLW
Ceana (D2) AC5 13/13 Torch
Taibhse (Sh2) AC5 11/11 Torch
Belloc (M2) AC6 14/14

[Rex]

Drest

Drest will slowly back out. Whispering once close enough to the others, "I heard some voices, dwarfs I think. No clue what they said."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus holds his sword tight. "Does anybody understand them?"

[hedgeknight]

Ceana

Hearing the strange voice(s) sends chills up the druid's spine, not knowing what they may have run into. She prepares a spell in case, figuring whatever is down here will not react well to having their environs lit up.

[Monsieur Rose]

Kainaxarthos

He shakes his head at the murmurs, unable to understand. He looks to the others for signs of recognition.

Kain keeps his torch high and his mouth shut.

[shaidar]

Xenos stands in line, ready to advance, hoping he will get an opportunity to finally try out his new spell.

[Belkregos]

Belloc
yes, they speak old Norse he whispers 
i couldn't hear everything but made the word "ambush", i dont know if the speaker is trying to stop it or triggering it