Following the tracks is difficult without the light of the day, for even with darkvision, the simple shades of gray leave much to be desired. Nevertheless, the party persists, but takes quite a bit of time, moving slowly in their desire not to lose the trail. Four hours later, they're still following the trail, seemingly heading in a straight direction to the northeast, when they hear a sound up ahead. A hungry brown bear is pulling some low branches off a tree and gnawing on them when it sees the party and moves toward the group in search of tastier food.
Vothos steps forward cautiously to the front of the group trying to make himself tall but not threatening. He pulls out a large serving of dried fish from one of his rations and throws it to toward the bear but off to its side away from the track the group is following.
The bear shakes its head and lets out a chuff. But then seems to catch the scent of the fish. It shuffles over and grabs the fish in its mouth before moving off slowly into the woods.
Svfra freezes, but knows the bear has seen them. Her weapon is at hand, but she hopes she will not have to show the beast its proper place in the food web.
Might be tasty, bu’ a rough one t’ tangle wi’ fer sure...
She watches and waits to see how the fish ploy plays out.
The heroes watch the bear wander off before its clear that it's more interested in keeping its dried fish than in pursuing the party.
It takes some time, but eventually the party picks the trail back up. Another three hours in the cold and the snow and the tracks lead to a large, circular indentation in a snowy hillside. Rising from the middle of this circle is a triangular gnomon of beautifully carved crystal that stands twenty feet tall. A ten-foot-high berm hugging the circle’s eastern edge has evergreens growing around and atop it, sheltering what looks like a sarcophagus buried under snow and enclosed by a half-circle of pale blue crystal pillars. North of the berm is a delicately carved gazebo made of marble, and south of the berm is a row of outward-facing, white marble statues atop granite pillars.
Haribo starts walking around the crystal dias sketching the shapes and their relative distance. The circles, half circles and crescents remind him of the moon cycle and he's curious as to how one makes a 'moon dial' if that's what this is
Svfra also finds herself curiously drawn to the gnomon, though she knows not why. She casts her gaze about in awe, then looks up at the marble figures above, wondering what beings might have created this place of frigid beauty?
Circling around, she climbs the stairs up to the sarcophagus for a better view of the scene below and around them. “Oi, what ‘ave we ‘ere?” Somewhat against her better judgement, but unable to restrain her curiosity, the gnome begins to dust the snow from atop the rectangular slab.
The moose steps lead clearly through the split at the bottom of the gnomon, but the gnomon itself is slightly warm, just enough that the snow has melted. But the direction of the tracks appeared to lead towards a rough hole that has been punched into the wall of the northwest edge of the depression.
Along the southeastern edge of the hill, six elevated, white marble statues arranged in a line depict slender, robed figures facing northward. The engraving on their faces has been worn away by the wind, but the pointed ears identify the statues as elves.
To the left of the first statue, embedded in the hillside is a stone door with no visible handles or hinges.
Atop the eastern berm, a granite sarcophagus rests, half-covered in snow, in a half-circle defined by five crystal pillars.
But rising from the center of the circular depression is a tall, triangular, crystal gnomon—a device one typically finds in the middle of a sundial. It is thick near the base and narrows to a sharp point at the top. The snow around the gnomon has melted away, revealing a circle of symbols carved into the stone around it. The symbols depict phases of the moon, suggesting that the circular depression is not a sundial, but a moon dial.
Vothos scratches his head but points out the tracks to and through the depression. He stops and points at the hole in the edge of the depression.
"I don't know much about what these elves have set up here but it seems pretty clear to me that the moose came from there," he says holding his long, spidery finger towards the hole in the hillside.
Svfra, having climbed up the berm, can look down and see, to the north, a marble gazebo inside of which rests an unlit stone brazier, about two feet across, seemingly full of snow and pine needles. In front of her, as she climbs the berm, she can see in more detail. Each crystal pillar that surrounds the sarcophagus is engraved with a different picture, from north to south, these images depict, a twig, a pinecone, a flame, a feather, and a humanoid hand. As she cleans the snow off the lid of the sarcophagus, she can see the depiction of an elf lying in repose, and the engraving of a brazier.
Haribo, examining the moon dial can see a triangular projection of moonlight, despite the moon not being visible as the sky is quite overcast. At present, the triangular projection points almost to the exact west, near the half-moon. At the full moon depiction, and at both half-moon depictions are tiny inscriptions in Elvish.
Both Haribo and Svfra, from their vantage points, can see the hole, about 5 to 7 feet large, leading into a dark room. It is unclear what has made the hole.
For the rest of the party, they can see the six, elevated white marble statues. They are life-sized, but each stands atop a 7 feet high cylindrical base of wind-worn granite. At that height, they look north, and mostly rise above the berm where Svfra is.
”Nope. Doesn’t look like a trap at all. Oi, Cherry, How ‘bout ye poke yer head int’ that hole yonder?”
Sighing, Svfra drops down from the berm to the snow below, and moves toward the hole herself, peering into the darkness. If there is nothing untoward about it, she should be able to see quite well...
Through the hole, Svfra can see rubble from the hole and built up around it that would allow movement into a spacious chamber, that otherwise drops 10 feet down from the mood dial. Just barely visible are the forms of several sleeping animal forms, including foxes, hares, goats, owls, etc.
Svfra backs cautiously away from the opening, and speaks to the others in hushed tones. “It ‘ppears t’ be some sort o’ den, fer quite the assortment o’ creatures. No moose, though, best I could tell.”
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With her discovery, Svrf suddenly feels quite alone in the Lonelywood, exposed...
”Fvreeeet!!” She whistles to the others to alert them of her presence, her location. “Oi! Might ‘ave somethin’ ‘ere.”
Haribo pops out of the cabin and mentally commands Gentry toward where the gnome is
Vothos rushes over and looks at what the gnome found.
"Good eye, gray one! Let's follow it." He beckons the rest of the group to follow along.
Following the tracks is difficult without the light of the day, for even with darkvision, the simple shades of gray leave much to be desired. Nevertheless, the party persists, but takes quite a bit of time, moving slowly in their desire not to lose the trail. Four hours later, they're still following the trail, seemingly heading in a straight direction to the northeast, when they hear a sound up ahead. A hungry brown bear is pulling some low branches off a tree and gnawing on them when it sees the party and moves toward the group in search of tastier food.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
"Let me try something, but be ready." Haribo will cast sleep on the bear, knowing it's a longshot.
20
The bear appears to slow a little in its approach, seeming a little unsure now, but does not fall asleep.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Vothos steps forward cautiously to the front of the group trying to make himself tall but not threatening. He pulls out a large serving of dried fish from one of his rations and throws it to toward the bear but off to its side away from the track the group is following.
The bear shakes its head and lets out a chuff. But then seems to catch the scent of the fish. It shuffles over and grabs the fish in its mouth before moving off slowly into the woods.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Svfra freezes, but knows the bear has seen them. Her weapon is at hand, but she hopes she will not have to show the beast its proper place in the food web.
Might be tasty, bu’ a rough one t’ tangle wi’ fer sure...
She watches and waits to see how the fish ploy plays out.
The heroes watch the bear wander off before its clear that it's more interested in keeping its dried fish than in pursuing the party.
It takes some time, but eventually the party picks the trail back up. Another three hours in the cold and the snow and the tracks lead to a large, circular indentation in a snowy hillside. Rising from the middle of this circle is a triangular gnomon of beautifully carved crystal that stands twenty feet tall. A ten-foot-high berm hugging the circle’s eastern edge has evergreens growing around and atop it, sheltering what looks like a sarcophagus buried under snow and enclosed by a half-circle of pale blue crystal pillars. North of the berm is a delicately carved gazebo made of marble, and south of the berm is a row of outward-facing, white marble statues atop granite pillars.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
"Too bad this moose will not surrender so easily. Trail continues this way. Lead on gray one."
Haribo starts walking around the crystal dias sketching the shapes and their relative distance. The circles, half circles and crescents remind him of the moon cycle and he's curious as to how one makes a 'moon dial' if that's what this is
Svfra also finds herself curiously drawn to the gnomon, though she knows not why. She casts her gaze about in awe, then looks up at the marble figures above, wondering what beings might have created this place of frigid beauty?
Circling around, she climbs the stairs up to the sarcophagus for a better view of the scene below and around them. “Oi, what ‘ave we ‘ere?” Somewhat against her better judgement, but unable to restrain her curiosity, the gnome begins to dust the snow from atop the rectangular slab.
Piemin looks around frantically with worry.
"M-maybe we shouldn't be here, what if a ghost or something comes out for dist-disturbing it's resting place?" He whines.
"I don't have a good feeling about this."
The moose steps lead clearly through the split at the bottom of the gnomon, but the gnomon itself is slightly warm, just enough that the snow has melted. But the direction of the tracks appeared to lead towards a rough hole that has been punched into the wall of the northwest edge of the depression.
Along the southeastern edge of the hill, six elevated, white marble statues arranged in a line depict slender, robed figures facing northward. The engraving on their faces has been worn away by the wind, but the pointed ears identify the statues as elves.
To the left of the first statue, embedded in the hillside is a stone door with no visible handles or hinges.
Atop the eastern berm, a granite sarcophagus rests, half-covered in snow, in a half-circle defined by five crystal pillars.
But rising from the center of the circular depression is a tall, triangular, crystal gnomon—a device one typically finds in the middle of a sundial. It is thick near the base and narrows to a sharp point at the top. The snow around the gnomon has melted away, revealing a circle of symbols carved into the stone around it. The symbols depict phases of the moon, suggesting that the circular depression is not a sundial, but a moon dial.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Vothos scratches his head but points out the tracks to and through the depression. He stops and points at the hole in the edge of the depression.
"I don't know much about what these elves have set up here but it seems pretty clear to me that the moose came from there," he says holding his long, spidery finger towards the hole in the hillside.
Svfra, having climbed up the berm, can look down and see, to the north, a marble gazebo inside of which rests an unlit stone brazier, about two feet across, seemingly full of snow and pine needles. In front of her, as she climbs the berm, she can see in more detail. Each crystal pillar that surrounds the sarcophagus is engraved with a different picture, from north to south, these images depict, a twig, a pinecone, a flame, a feather, and a humanoid hand. As she cleans the snow off the lid of the sarcophagus, she can see the depiction of an elf lying in repose, and the engraving of a brazier.
Haribo, examining the moon dial can see a triangular projection of moonlight, despite the moon not being visible as the sky is quite overcast. At present, the triangular projection points almost to the exact west, near the half-moon. At the full moon depiction, and at both half-moon depictions are tiny inscriptions in Elvish.
Both Haribo and Svfra, from their vantage points, can see the hole, about 5 to 7 feet large, leading into a dark room. It is unclear what has made the hole.
For the rest of the party, they can see the six, elevated white marble statues. They are life-sized, but each stands atop a 7 feet high cylindrical base of wind-worn granite. At that height, they look north, and mostly rise above the berm where Svfra is.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
”Nope. Doesn’t look like a trap at all. Oi, Cherry, How ‘bout ye poke yer head int’ that hole yonder?”
Sighing, Svfra drops down from the berm to the snow below, and moves toward the hole herself, peering into the darkness. If there is nothing untoward about it, she should be able to see quite well...
Through the hole, Svfra can see rubble from the hole and built up around it that would allow movement into a spacious chamber, that otherwise drops 10 feet down from the mood dial. Just barely visible are the forms of several sleeping animal forms, including foxes, hares, goats, owls, etc.
**By the Light of the Sun, you will burn!**
Previously BENEFICENCE
DM: Storm Lord's Wrath || Syr Valor Dayne: Sleeping Gods || tooltips | guides | dice |
Svfra backs cautiously away from the opening, and speaks to the others in hushed tones. “It ‘ppears t’ be some sort o’ den, fer quite the assortment o’ creatures. No moose, though, best I could tell.”