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Day 4 - Mid-Morning - Grassy Plains/Base of the Great Stair


Musical Theme: The Great Stair



As the party continues their trek along the plains the Old Keep eventually fades away to the distance while the eastern mountains loom ever closer. Soon the companions begin seeing something, a white line that climbs up the mountain face. As they get closer it widens and begins to take on the appearance of a large, long white-ish scar that was rent on the lower part of the tall mountain. While more detail can't be seen at this distance it is clear the "white stairway" is a work of cyclopean proportions.

The implications and unanswered questions of why someone, or something, would wrought such a work on the brute stone of the mountain hangs heavy in the air and few words are exchanged between the group as they journey onward, with much lifting of heads and gazing ahead.

By mid-morning the seven adventurers stand at the base of the great stairway, and how well it deserves that moniker. It was built into the sheer face of the mountain in a spot where the natural inclination of the terrain is perfect to line up a stair. The white, time-worn stones of teh stairs contrasts with the dark rock of the mountain itself, brought from only the Gods know where. It is wide enough to allow every party member to climb side-by-side with room to spare.

Looking up, the stairway continues for many, many hundreds, nay thousands, of steps leading up as far as the eye can see, its top lost in the distance as it climbs up the mountain. A crude eye-measure of what is visible of it puts it at a mile long at least, probably more.


PM Sent.

It will be a long way up so we should make haste. Just keep your eyes open for any threat. Ogirdor will start making his way up.

"What I means is,....there may be a secret opening into the mountain. Signs of recent passage here on this stairway ranger? Keep sharp anyways lads." Stonjuz readies the sling.
He takes knuckle to shell and says to the turtle.... "No, I cant let you down right now. Quit shufflin'! "

Stonjuz wrote:"Signs of recent passage here on this stairway ranger?"

I don't see any sign of activity here, which does not mean we should lower our guard. Let us be watchful both for above and below as we ascend.

"I have sssseen many humansss passss thissss way."
Swil points up the stair

Day 4 - Mid-Morning - The Great Stair


Musical Theme: Climbing the Great Stair



The adventurers begin traveling up the great stairway. Soon the walk degenerates into a mechanic, almost hypnotic exercise: step up, step, up step up over and over and over and over again...will this thing ever reach a terminus? The only one which is not much put off by the stair climb is Stonjuz, the granite steps are perfectly adapted for stubbier legs like his. But for the rest of the party ankles and knees begin complaining after about the first hundreds of steps or so.

Everyone notices that the stairway gradually narrows as it goes up the mountain, it was imperceptible at first but now unlike at the base the stairs there is only enough space for 3 people to walk side-by-side simultaneously. Now that joints are screaming for relief the companions decide to take a short break and maybe eat something. Sitting on the stairs they look down; from the stairs well up the mountain cliffs they get the best view they've had from the plains and lake below. It is not as breathtaking as the sights from the Great Waterfall, but it allows to make much better detail of the area around the lake due to proximity.

The geography fits with what Swilbosh described before. The forest he mentioned and seemed to fear can now be seen as a green mass extending South and East of the lake as far as the eye can see. The edge of the swamp the party crossed to get to the plains and the lake is also visible.




Yellow - Plains
Purple - Swamp
Green - Forest
Red - Base of the stairway
"14" - The islet of the Old Keep

Note: I forgot to describe add that the base stairway lies very close to NE projection of the lake. Currently the party is outside the map, up and right of the red mark.


After rest and some landscape gazing the trip resumes. The best reckoning from what could be seen of the stair at its bottom seems to indicate more than half the journey has now been made, but there is still no sight of its end.

Step up, step, up step up, step up, step up...by the Gods! Who built this and why? Who wrought a work of masonry comparable to a city's wall on a forsaken mountain somewhere?

Whatever traffic this stairway was designed to hold it is by now well obvious none have passed by recently. Why, some birds have nested in the cracks and crevices along the stonework of the area the adventurers ate now passing. Some have even taken residence smack in the middle of the steps where erosion has carved nice niches. The birds are startled by the approach of the seven bipeds and take to air. Several magpies rise and scatter, flying around in circles chirping in distress for their nests and eggs left below.

Ogirdor will try to avoid disturbing the bird's nests but when passing by the nests he will have a look inside to see if there is anything of interest.

Andrin follows along. He feels perfectly in balance with the surrounding nature, even though this place has been marked by humans or whoever built the stair. The fresh mountain air and the monotonous climbing of the stair has a meditative aspect to him, and he is deep in thought as they pass the bird nests. Seeing the magpies fly away, he thinks about contacting them through a spell, but then decides against it. There is only this one way for him today, and time will soon tell where it leads to. No need to waste this spell now.

Day 4 - Mid-to-Late Morning - To of the Great Stair


Before continuing travel Ogirdor takes a moment to look into the nests the birds have abandoned, and indeed there is something of interest there. He sees several roundish boxes of brown-white color, without hinges, keys or lids, yet golden treasure inside is hid. In other words: bird eggs.

Resuming the climb up the stair (Andrin the druid notices with some relief the magpies flying back to their nests after all of the party have passed and are some distance away) the companions are heartened to see, after a watch or two of time as passed, that the stairway end is finally coming to sight.

The stairs end in a platform of stone large enough to hold a small group. The face of the mountain there has been worked to the shape of a arched doorway (without a door) about 6 feet tall and wide enough for to persons to cross side-by-side. There are no runes, indentations or markings on the stonework that could provide any more clues about the passage. It leads into the mountain proper in an arched tunnel that extends for as long as the adventurers can see into it.

"Well, that wasnt so bad now was it? I can just feels the old dwarven blood a pumpin',.... after a stint like them stairs. Now THAT'S an entryway. I tell you what.....when I retire and grow weary of company, I'ma gonna come back and live out me days here, and yall are welcome ANY time to come visit." Stonjuz lets loose a hearty laugh seeing the other party members who struggled with the climb. "Hafta do sometin about them magpies though. They'd probly rob me blind."

Have you ever come up here Swilbosh? Ogirdor says as he admires the stonework Let us see what lies inside.

"No I have never ventured up the ssstairsss. I am curiousss asss to what liesss beyond sssso will accompany you within...if that isss where you are going?"
It is noticeable the Lizardman's command of the Common tongue is rapidly improving the more he uses it and listens to his companions' speech.

"Well, Stonjuz, I guess you won't have many guests here with such a stair leading to your front door. The view is nice though..." Andrin turns around and admires the majestic view from way up here, then turns back to the dwarf again. "Might that be dwarven stonework here?" he asks the dwarf, pointing at the archway and the tunnel behind it.

Sir Clarence wrote:"The view is nice though..."

Upon hearing Andrin's comment Ogirdor turns to face the valley below muttering to himself not that tired, clear mind and trying to see if there are any ways out of the valley visible.

Thurinor has been silent most of the trip up the mountain, a feeling of foreboding settling over him like an unwanted blanket of cold. "So is it true that dwarves live here, or only that they used to? And what drove such powerful dwarves away from these parts?" He smiles crazily then, as if he hadn't intended his words to alarm anyone. Nevertheless, he takes a sip from his waterskin, checks that his gear is secure, and checks that he has a bolt ready to fire from his crossbow. "Ready when you are, Swilbosh my friend..."


OOC: Ok, so I totally forgot to look for the new thread... ...duh and apologies. But am caught up now and can't wait to see what's inside this place...

Day 4 - Mid-to-Late Morning - Top of the Great Stair/Tunnel Entrance


If the party wishes to brave the tunnel then one of more light-bearers must volunteer or be nominated. It is pitch black in there after you delve a few dozen feet and of the companions only the dwarf Stonjuz has the ability to see in total darkness. (elves and 1/2 elves can see in darkened conditions but only if there is a light source equivalent to at least starlight under a non-clouded sky).

Stonjuz looks into the opening and turns to the others. "On one hand, we can be almost certain that the direction to the Azure is absolutely NOT this way. On the other?.....we didnt come all the way up here for nothing. Let's have a look see, shall we?" He turns back again to the cave. "Very odd, indeed, that there be no signs of traffic here", he says peering into the darkness.

Swilbosh switches to battle axe and shield (can't remember what I specified previously if at all) -figuring an enclosed space could prevent totally effective use of the trident. He stows it across his back and then takes a last taste of the open air with his tongue before facing the entrance into the unknown.

Alas, when whisked away to this place by whatever malevolent force as he poked his nose where no self-respecting elf would ever go, Thurinor had no torches on his person. "I've a flint and steel, but nothing to light with it. Anyone else, or is this to be a blind expedition?" He smiles crazily and takes another step toward the darkness within, curiosity burning, then remembers: "Candles... I do have candles..." and begins rummaging through his pack.