Zelkor's Ferry

[rredmond]

Martin

Sounds like a plan, the MU agrees.

[Edeldhur]

Hektor

We head for the cottage first, and when closer send Randall and Anker to scout it out first.

[Rex]

Ingulfr

Agreed.

[archolewa]

The group treks the quarter mile or so to the abandoned cottage. They pause about a hundred feet away or so. The thatched roof is long gone, leaving only a few slowly rotting wooden walls.

Randall and Anker go to investigate. They return a few moments later.

"Pretty abandoned," says Randall. "Dirt floor is more grass than dirt. There's the rotten remains of what was likely once a cot in the corner, and a small pile of cold ash in a small pit in the middle. No sign anyone but animals has been there for a long, long time."

[Edeldhur]

Hektor

"Let's all go take a look - it might be a good spot to spend the night" - Hektor nodded - "Then we can search the area around the entrance, before we camp for the night"

All together now

[rredmond]

Martin

Sounds good let us check it out, agrees the Magic User.

[archolewa]

The group heads to the cottage, and finds it just as Randall and Anker described it. They spend some time investigating the environs. The ruined cottage is surrounded by grassland, and the stream appears to run fairly quick and clear. They find no signs of anything else interesting. Just animal tracks. The occasional humanoid track that suggests local humanoids might occasionally come here for water, but there are not many of them.

By this point, it is early afternoon. The group probably has about five or six hours of daylight left.

Just confirming you want to while the afternoon away around the cottage.

[Edeldhur]

Hektor

Plan was actually to explore the area around the 'Mouth'

[Rex]

Hektor

Plan was actually to explore the area around the 'Mouth'

Ingulfr

Good with this.

[archolewa]

Hektor

Plan was actually to explore the area around the 'Mouth'

Apologies. Misread.

The hill is quite steep, and quite broad, several miles end-to-end near as the group can judge. It would likely take most of a day to circumnavigate. So the group settles for exploring about a mile southwest along the curve of the hill, a mile east along the base of the hill, and then make the trek up to the mouth of doom itself. The base of the hill is wooded, with the cottage sitting just outside the line of trees. The hill itself rises above the trees, covered in tall grass and bushes. Other than the Mouth of Doom, what the team finds nothing remarkable on or about the hill and surrounding woods. Some animal tracks here or there, gnoll tracks that go back and forth towards the hill where the palisade sits. Nothing they wouldn't expect.

When they study the mouth itself, they spy stairs of black stone descending into the darkness.

All of this takes them a couple of hours, and it is getting on to late afternoon by the time they return to the cottage.

[Rex]

Ingulfr

"Lets get camp set up and watches posted. This close we can't be too careful."

[Edeldhur]

Hektor

"Agreed - let's set up camp. Perhaps inside the cottage?"

[Rex]

Ingulfr

"Inside is fine with me as long as the watch and see outside as well."

[Edeldhur]

Hektor

"Makes sense - let's go"

[rredmond]

Martin and Iacchus

Sounds good.

We have a watch set up already, somewhere, that the spell-folk can get the proper rest?

ETA: this still look good?
1. Ingulfr and Martin (this watch has no Infravision)
2. Hektor and Randall
3. Ulfr and Iacchus
4. Tulius and Anker

[archolewa]

ETA: this still look good?
1. Ingulfr and Martin (this watch has no Infravision)
2. Hektor and Randall
3. Ulfr and Iacchus
4. Tulius and Anker

What I'm running with!

make sure to mark off 1 ration for each character

The group sets up camp amongst the ruined walls of the cottage. They have dinner, and before long dusk darkens the sky, save the western horizon which is bathed in reds and golds. Dinner and evening pass uneventfully, and the group settles down for a watchful sleep.

The night passes uneventfully, silently, even peacefully. The occasional squirrel or rabbit hops past the cottage. At one point, those on watch see the shapes of a few deer creeping down to the river, but nothing even remotely threatening. They don't even hear the howling of distant wolves.

May 9th Rappan Athuk Campaign Year 1

The next morning dawns sunny and cool, but with a hint of warmth that suggests a coming hot day.

[Rex]

Ingulfr

"An excellent day. Lets get moving early and see what we can explore today."

Sheets updated. Note that I have Ulfr down to just 2 days trail rations.

[Edeldhur]

Hektor and Tulius

Gear packed, both men are ready to move.

I was thinking about sending Randall and Anker to scout ahead - what does everyone think?

[rredmond]

Scouts are always a safe option!

[Rex]

Agreed.