AoW: The Whispering Cairn (Act I)

[Miraqariftsky]

"Ugh" Akra mutters as she slings the axe across her shoulders and drapes her arms upon the haft.

"Well 'en, here we are, all a-come here widout nuffink like known... BAH! Melikes it not but hellsteeth take it. How'd y'all wanna parsk the time, then? Tellin' tales of our terrible travicks, mebbe?"

[Duke of URL]

Trevor

"As much as I hate to admit it, I am from this hell hole. The Cairn is not far from here."

When everyone is ready to depart, Trevor leads the way to the entrance.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

"I know the way to the Cairn." Naomi puts her hand up. "The other kids don't go there much. My sister dragged me there, once. It's scary..."

[Zyks]

Yta'ir

I think I've seen it before, when i've been about. I couldn't lead us there though. At least, not from the town. He checks his inventory is secured about his person. Well, I'm ready when everyone else is

[Miraqariftsky]

"Well, thank the Great Ones!" Akra says exasperatedly and kicks a loose stone idly off into the bushes. "'Tis good that we all have at least some dee-yur o' where the bloody place is!"

"Whattawe waitin' 'round fer?" she asks, motioning for the others to leave and following Trevor's lead. "Come on then, we can't be a-wasting daylight now, can we?"

[kamikasei]

Jarel follows along, staying to the rear of the group.

[Madmal]

The walk to the uplands under the grey, grim and cloudy local skies is short and uneventful. The cairn and it’s wide, monolith-lined portal stands in front of you, partially obscure by underbrush and boulders. The surroundings are filled with bushes and debris that impose s minor difficulty to your advance, as you close in.

Image:

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[Duke of URL]

Trevor

"Well, here we are. Who's going to go in first?" His tone makes it quite clear that he doesn't plan on it being him.

[kamikasei]

Jarel

Jarel's amaible expression doesn't change, but it does seem a little more masklike, as though he's devoting less effort to it. In silence he gestures to the others to stay quiet and stay still, and approaches the entrance with as little sign of his movement as he can leave, looking to see whether the entrance appears safe and whether there are any signs that others have been through recently. If the scene looks all clear, he waves the others forward.

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Stealth - (1d20+7)[20]
Senses - (1d20+6)[7]
Search - (1d20+2)[21] (if different to Senses... I hope not!)

I can't view the image at work, so disregard this if it somehow makes no sense.

[Tacitus]

Jamian

The strange noble says nothing, and has kept to himself since he introduced himself aside from a strange look given to Akra back at her mention of his scarred hands. It wasn't a sore topic but most people don't just come out and mention it as she had. He had forgotten it soon afterward and now that they had arrived at the Cairn he slips his morningstar from the loop on his belt. It is strange though that he still did not seem to be wearing any armor despite having a set of leathers in his pack.

[Zyks]

Yta'ir

The druid is visibly more comfortable outside in the open air. And even more so on the rough ground further out. He smiles happily to himself as his eagle flies far overhead.

If nobody else wants to, I'll go in first.

[kamikasei]

Jarel

Be careful. It looks like we're not the only recent visitors. What do you make of these tracks?

[Zyks]

Yta'ir

Yta'ir bends down to look at the tracks

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Knowledge: nature to identify the creature (1d20+4)[16]

[Duke of URL]

Trevor

While the others look at the tracks, Trevor attempts to discover if there any traces of magic around the opening.

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Trevor moves to where he can see the entire opening and uses his (at will) detect magic ability to see if there is any magical aura, concentrating as long as possible if one is detected to get as much detail as he can.

[Miraqariftsky]

Akra

Akra rolls her eyes and unlimbers her oh-so-useful bundle of wood. Selecting a long, stout branch, she brings it to her nose and sniffs it, then bites into it. Spitting bark and wood-chips but satisfied that the branch is dry enough, she takes one of her spare cloaks from her pack, rips a couple of strips from it and binds it roughly about one end of the branch she'd selected. Taking a small flask of cooking oil from her provisions, she empties half its contents onto the makeshift torch.

She then takes a flint and strikes it against the steel of her axe. Sparks shower down onto the bound end of her torch and presently it bursts aflame. With the aid of the firebrand, she peers into the darkness of the cairn butthen notices Protector Yta'ir and Jarel clustered around some tracks at the mouth of the cavern. Intrigued, Akra holds the torch far in her left hand so that sparks and burning oil wouldn't harm her newfound comrades and then she stalks over and tries her woodcraft upon the mystery of the tracks as well...

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(1d20)[2] Search
(1d20+3)[13] Senses
(1d20+6)[9] Survival

[kamikasei]

Jarel

Jarel nods at Akra's torch while the others are examining the tracks. "That won't last very long. What other means have we of making light? Might one of our mages spare us the oil?" He won't mention his own lantern until others have spoken.

[Duke of URL]

Trevor

"My talents are a little more... destructive than that," he says off-handedly as he continues to concentrate on the entrance.

[Miraqariftsky]

Akra

"Well, Grey-eyes, ye want light, ye have light!" Akra says as she tosses the torch lightly at Jarel.

"If' y'all gots some brandy, whisky, or somesuch, 'twould be right fine as well, aye..."

[Tacitus]

Jamian

The strange man extends a hand and a glimmer runs down the scars along his arms to crackle along his fingertips, "If needed I can produce a light near to that of a torch for several minutes. Beyond that, I need no light to see in even utter darkness." He slips a stick from his pack with a crystal stuck at one end, "And lastly, I have two of these. I believe they are called Sunrods."

((Kitchen sink, anyone?))

[kamikasei]

Jarel

"That's as well, then. It would not do to find ourselves lost underground with only one light source to rely on."

He tosses the torch back to Akra.

"But one doesn't catch an enemy off guard by holding the light for him to see you by. I'll go by what you make, with thanks."

He turns to Jamian.

"Well, I need some light to see and some darkness to be unseen. Perhaps you should take the lead then, and the rest of us a little way behind so you might see any danger before our light alerts it."

While he speaks he does not move from waiting, crouched, by the tracks for Yta'ir and Akra to identify them.

[Zyks]

Yta'ir

I too, have the ability to create light for a number of minutes.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Naomi walks in fearfully, near the centre of the group. She keeps silent about her abilities, most likely because she is afraid of people hating her for it. It is not obvious what the little girl can do.

[Tacitus]

Jamian

He nods and begins to move inside, falling into darkness despite having the sunrod in hand. A moment later he quickly strikes the tip against his leg, jarring the alchemical substance within. When the light fully reveals his form he is in the process of being torn apart by what seems to be a ghastly spell. From his right arm the arrow embedded in his skin seems to have exploded outward and with it brought plates of steel covered in his own sanguine essence. Though this process does not harm him it is incredibly disconcerting in the few moments before he turns a visored gaze back to the others. Blood drips from the armor but other than that it seems to be entirely normal Full Plate, "Lets go." And with that he leads the way, now properly protected and nearly consumed by a will so powerful it refused to die when slain by Heironeous and Hextor themselves.

Senses: (1d20+2)[21]
Full Plate, +8 AC
DR 1/Piercing

[Madmal]

Natural light dimly illuminates a long hallway extending north into darkness. A faint breeze brings with it sibilant whispers that sound almost like sighing breath. It must be a trick of the wind, but the effect is almost lifelike.

The walls bear horizontal bands of deceptively simple geometric patters at waist level; in places, the bands reveal startling detail, but in others, the walls look as though they have been hacked apart with weapons or eroded by the rigors of time. Flakes of ancient pint, brilliant purple and a dull mustard hue, still cling to the walls in places, hinting at what must have been a riot of color. A thin coat of dust coats the floor.

Just inside the darkened tomb, the hallway branches into shallow alcoves to the east and west. Here the walls bear the most significant damage. Dozens of clumsy etchings mar the beautiful ancient masonry like graffiti on a city wall. A clump of soiled cloth about the size of a halfling rests in the rounded terminus of the western alcove.

Outside, the winds picks up and a chorus of almost human sounds rises from the darkened hall.

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[kamikasei]

Jarel

As the group moves into the passage Jarel studies the inscriptions to see if any arcane writings are among them. When the western alcove comes into view, he gestures wordlessly for the party to stop.

Stay here - hand out to his side, he waves it up and down. I'll - points at himself - check it out - two fingers pointing at his eyes, then at the heap of cloth.

He seems to take it for granted that the others will both understand and obey him.

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"Arcane writings" = is there anything written in draconic?

Search - (1d20+2)[7]

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Naomi shudders at the noises surrounding her. They were no less horrible then they were 2 years ago...

((Warning: Flashback))

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Naomi's eyes were shut, tears leaking out of her emerald eyes, holding tight to the hand that gripped her clothes by her shoulder, in fear that they might rip, adding one more grievance to her already growing list: Shoes muddied from being dragged through the dirt, dress stained from the mud, and, of course, her eventual destination. She knew it would be helpless to resist her older brother, who could pick her up and hold her above his head without even straining.
Suddenly, she was dropped, and her head jarred against stone. Against her will, her eyes jerked open, fresh tears sprouting from the sudden pain. In front of her, wavering, reflected in the teardrops, was a great yawning monolithic entrance, with Gavin standing underneath, waiting. Naomi knew that it was useless. If she ran, then Gavin would catch her, and hurt her more. She wished he wouldn't. But he would, and nothing would stop that. She took a faltering step forward.
And another.
7 steps up to where Gavin was standing.
And then he hit her. She reeled around from the blow, and knew that a bruise would appear on her cheek. She almost fell down, but caught herself. She looked up at Gavin, standing threatenly under the stone doorway, and then the noises started.
The calm that had followed the torrential storm that had just passed was broken by suddenly whistling winds, and from within the cavern itself, horrible sounds like voices sounded out. Gavin whirled around, startled. However, he was not a coward, and quickly made his own deductions. He turned back to Naomi.
"How dare you try to scare me!"
He made as if to punch her again, but then, something happened. It felt as though static electriciry abounded through her hair. Suddenly, she could see every detail around her, just for a second. Gavin's eyes grew wide, he took a step backwards, and then realized that he had just stepped towards the cairn, and ran out, past Naomi. She did not look around, but remained staring right at the spot where she was before. Then, she collapsed, and was weak, and had to drag herself all the way back, unconsiously glancing back at the cairn's entrance, from which, even though it was gone, the echo of the sounds still resounded in her head.

[Zyks]

Yta'ir

The druid draws his scimitar and takes his shield. Then steps cautiously into the cairn. When signalled to stop by Jarel, he does so, and waits pateintly. His eagle, still sat on his shoulder, looks around the tunnels vigilantly

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I've not played druid before, but I assume I can do this.

Eagle spot check: (1d20+16)[20]
edit: also, eagles have low-light vision, if applicable.

[Miraqariftsky]

Akra presses the seemingly obsolete torch into Naomi's hands, whispering, "Here, lass. Looks like ye needs da warmth more'n I do..."

Content with the mage's glow to see by, the woodswoman unslings her axe and hefts it in both hands. Smiling contentedly at the weight of the heavy blade, she strides over to the corner of the cavern ((I-10)) and crouches in the shadows, waiting for Grey-eyes' interpretation of the scrap of cloth...

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

Naomi half-smiles at Akra, and mumbles "Thanks."

[Duke of URL]

Trevor

Trevor follows the others, staying close enough for mutual protection, but ready to step to the back at any time to deal with any potential threat at a comfortable distance.