Princes of the Apocalypse, Game Thread

Ankita helps however she can and follows behind the cart (assuming the horse is now pulling it) and keeps an eye open as they head to the monestary.

Perception 21

The wagon and dead slow you down a good deal. After about 4 hours of following the trails over rough terrain you arrive at the mighty River Dessarin. Here you can see the marks of where a keelboat was berthed. The delegation must have been ferried across the river. 

The pit of your stomach turns a bit as you look across the river and see the defunct castle/keep that you departed from yesterday. It is hard to imagine a way the denizens of the Keep could not have been aware of what occurred here, at a minimum. 

"Bah!"  Randall plants his spear into the dirt on the river bank.  "Everywhere we go, we are pointed back to where we have been."  By way of explanation for his outburst, he looks to the knights and says, "We booked passage upriver to Beliard from that very keep.  And now, it appears the delegation we seek were ferried across to that same fort."

"I tell you," he says, looking back at his companions, "I think its past time we confront some of these bad actors - the buzzard knights, the stone men, the folk in that keep yonder - and demand some answers."

Shrek offers up "Should we's start with those weird guys in the fort across the river?  They gave Shrek the creeps."

He'll peer across the river at the keep, wondering if any sentries may have spotted them yet.  Perception: 9

Finally, approaching the apparent leader of the Knights of Samular who joined them, he'll point to the keep "Master Knight know of peoples who live in yonder keep?  They were shady.  Tried to relieve us of our coin."

OOC: By the way, where is/was the monastery?

Quote from o_Merlin_o >>

Shrek offers up "Should we's start with those weird guys in the fort across the river?  They gave Shrek the creeps."

He'll peer across the river at the keep, wondering if any sentries may have spotted them yet.  Perception: 9

Finally, approaching the apparent leader of the Knights of Samular who joined them, he'll point to the keep "Master Knight know of peoples who live in yonder keep?  They were shady.  Tried to relieve us of our coin."

 

OOC: By the way, where is/was the monastery?

(OOC The monastery is in the direction you are headed. You were somewhat close to it on your trek from the graves you investigated to your first arrival at the keep. The Sumber Hills make it easy for places to remain hidden)

Sandre, the Knights leader, shakes his head. "We know very little, though we have heard rumors of illicit dealings. They started repairing the abandoned Keep about 2 months ago. I've heard some babble about them 'protecting the river trade' but I know enough about the Dessarin Valley to doubt that and then some"

It doesn't seem like you've been spotted but the line of sight is such (you can see the sentries on top of the wall) that it seems inevitable you will be.

To the group: "Should we's investigate yonder keep, or keep'n low profile and sneak around to get to monastery?"

“Monastery.”  Olaerys says, giving a glaring look at the keep.

Shrek turns to address the Knights..."Knows where we can safely and stealthily cross this river so we's can't be seen by the gangsters in the keep over yonder, and get to the monastery?"

Sandre looks around, getting his bearings. 

"It looks like the path dragged us further north than I thought. If we go a few miles south there is an area where keep a small raft hidden. We can get across that way close to the monestary"

Ankita nods as Olaerys says monestary.  “I know I’m not ready to go back there.”  Watching as Sandre finds the best route, “Thank you for helping us.  It is so good to have others with the same mission.”

"Yeah."  Randall gives one last glower toward the old keep.  "Yeah... let's visit the monastery first."

It takes about an hour two bushwacking through rough terrain but eventually Sandre brings you to a halt and disappears behind some bushes with his men. A few minutes later, out they come with a small raft. 

"We'll need two trips but this should get us across. The monastery is only a mile or so further in."

He sets the raft as his men get on and he beckons one of you to get on for the first trip. Once across, he will return for the rest of you.

11 1 

Dessarin valley

Ankita steps up, "I'll join you, I'd just like to get going.  I really want to find out what is going on at this monestary."

Shrek, ever the gentleman, waits for the second boat crossing.  That, and he can't swim and he's worried about two giants crossing in the same boat...

Olaerys looks forward to crossing and getting away from the keep.  He keeps an eye out for any movement there and upon the shore where they are crossing.  

Perception :  9 

There are no surprises and Sandre successfully gets everyone across after moving the wagon containing the bodies to his rafts hiding spot. Once across, he and his man get the raft behind some bushes and leads you the test of the reasonably short distance to the monastery (it is now roughly 5-6 pm).

A trail leads into an ever-narrowing defile between bluffs of wind-sculpted sandstone. Eventually the walls draw in so closely that you can reach out and touch either side, but then the narrow space opens into a hidden canyon in the heart of the hills. A sprawling monastery with dark, narrow windows and red tile rooftops stands in the middle of this natural amphitheater, ringed by sandstone cliffs all around.

Ahead, a weathered flight of stone steps leads up to the closed monastery doors. The plain doors are made of heavy timber with iron studs. A dusty footpath circles the building.

Olaerys says “Should we circle around and have a look first?”

Shrek whispers back “Shrek no good at sneaky deaky ‘round. Too big and loud. Mayhaps me stay here and guard path, while youse guys go look?”

OOC: Because of his armor, he’s disadvantaged at stealth. I tied to offset that by pumping up that skill to +4, but with the way I roll, I’d roll two nat 1s!  I’m useless for skulking!