Crom fidgets uncomfortably when Calantha finishes speaking, never having been one for speeches. Nevertheless, after a moment he bows his head and says, "It is thanks to you that we are still here. May you go in peace, knowin' we will carry forward yer memory."
As the group finishes saying their peace Klurch sits between the two mounds of freshly turned soil. He takes a tome from his side and begins reciting a prayer in a strange tongue (for anyone who may know it, it's in celestial) he simultaneously begins carefully spreading the glittering silver dust he prepared atop the mounds that now hold the remnants of Mal and Ragnarok.
The prayer itself is half spoken, half sung through the deep basey tones of the older males voice that doesn't match Klurch's face at all, the vibrations of the prayer take root, felt in the body through the ground as the silver dust now laying in the dirt begins to shine bright of its own accord.
After a while the prayer ends, the light dissipates leaving no dust behind, seemingly vanished or descended into the ground to be with the deceased, either way, Klurch rises from his position and buckles his tome back to his belt, then stands solemnly and silently waiting for anyone, should they need anything else, he smiles weakly trying to offer some reassurance but the gesture falls a little flat with his lack of confidence.
Having trekked south from town a ways, Crom is crouching to inspect the ground near the foot of the first of the hills leading up to the mountains. He pinches a bit of dirt between his thumb and fore finger before looking out across the land in front of them and slumping. He stay in a squat for a moment longer, elbows on his knees, before straightening and turning back to the others a few feet behind him.
"I mean, tracking a large pack of dumb goblins through a forest is one thing, but two seasoned dwarves through the hills? This'll be tough." He sighs and then composes himself before laying out the facts as he sees them.
"Alright, we've got a fair amount of foot traffic. I couldn't tell you which trail was used by our dwarves, but at least there's something to follow. It'll be slow going through these hills, but from the looks of this map," He pats the rolled up map on his belt, "we could also circle around this hill to the southwest and come up behind some of them. We could do a couple of short expeditions, follow some these trails a ways and see where they lead before heading back to spend the nights in town. It would be slow, but thorough, and would reduce the risk of missing the dwarves on their way back into town. Alternatively, we see if we can follow one of the trails deep into the hills to the southeast, set up camp when we need to, forage if we run out of rations, and try to get to high ground to assess our options there. Even if it doesn't help us find the dwarves, at the very least we may be able to rule out some potential locations for the castle."
"And of course, if anyone else has any better ideas then please, I am all ears."
Ink, feeling very much out of his element as Crom speaks of tracking, says, "Spending nights in town seems...well...that'll cost us time, right? Ruling out locations of that castle appeals to me, Crom."
Klurch gently places a reassuring hand on Ink's shoulder as he turns to face Crom, " to the southwest, camp, forage, follow, get to high ground, a good idea"
Crom nods along with Ink and Klurch's assessment, though he still starts a bit when he hears Klurch speak his own words back at him. "That'll take a bit of getting used to,"he says with a half smile. "What do you think Calantha? This all sound good to you?"
As Ink hears his own melodious voice being echoed back to himself, he remarks, "Klurch, my friend, you tempt me to teach you a few of my favorite drinking songs. You and I could then sing them in glorious two-part harmony!"
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Calantha agrees, smiling at Klurch. Now that their friends are buried, she feels a bit lighter, though she still mourns their passing. Now it's time to work again.
"Oh, I'd pay to hear your drinking songs," she says to the gnome.
As the group sets off on their path, Crom leading the way, Klurch will keep his ears out listening for any interesting sounds or birdsong he can mimic for entertainment. Perception 18
Traveling into the hills is slow going. It becomes clear after not very far that the initial trail that led you here is mostly unused past a certain point. It is mostly uphill, there are some switchbacks and steep areas that take more time to cross. With Crom leading the way you're able to navigate through the nature and make your way up the hill.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
For the majority of the journey toward the castle, Klurch will offer Crom guidance when needed for navigation and he will also try to keep an ear out for potential threats in the unknown areas, but between those times Klurch seems more interested in the group themselves
"From where do you, ALL, hail? what made, you travel, together?"
"I worked as a tutor for wealthy families in Neverwinter," begins Ink. "I soon realized that such work, although worthwhile, was unfulfilling. Gundren is an acquaintance, and I took up his offer to deliver some things to Phandalin. I could help a friend while seeing a bit of the world."
"a tutor!, I had, a tutor. Still do..His, name is, High priest Remus. I hope to, LEARN MORE, from you all"Klurch walks a little more merrily as he turns to the others to maybe also answer.
Crom fidgets uncomfortably when Calantha finishes speaking, never having been one for speeches. Nevertheless, after a moment he bows his head and says, "It is thanks to you that we are still here. May you go in peace, knowin' we will carry forward yer memory."
As the group finishes saying their peace Klurch sits between the two mounds of freshly turned soil. He takes a tome from his side and begins reciting a prayer in a strange tongue (for anyone who may know it, it's in celestial) he simultaneously begins carefully spreading the glittering silver dust he prepared atop the mounds that now hold the remnants of Mal and Ragnarok.
The prayer itself is half spoken, half sung through the deep basey tones of the older males voice that doesn't match Klurch's face at all, the vibrations of the prayer take root, felt in the body through the ground as the silver dust now laying in the dirt begins to shine bright of its own accord.
After a while the prayer ends, the light dissipates leaving no dust behind, seemingly vanished or descended into the ground to be with the deceased, either way, Klurch rises from his position and buckles his tome back to his belt, then stands solemnly and silently waiting for anyone, should they need anything else, he smiles weakly trying to offer some reassurance but the gesture falls a little flat with his lack of confidence.
"Thank you, Klurch," Ink says.
The gnome then turns and faces the Sword Mountains, partly to hide his tears from the others and partly to indicate he's ready to move on.
"Well," says Crom, wiping his eyes. "We'd best be off while we still have the light. Let's find these brothers."
Having trekked south from town a ways, Crom is crouching to inspect the ground near the foot of the first of the hills leading up to the mountains. He pinches a bit of dirt between his thumb and fore finger before looking out across the land in front of them and slumping. He stay in a squat for a moment longer, elbows on his knees, before straightening and turning back to the others a few feet behind him.
"I mean, tracking a large pack of dumb goblins through a forest is one thing, but two seasoned dwarves through the hills? This'll be tough." He sighs and then composes himself before laying out the facts as he sees them.
"Alright, we've got a fair amount of foot traffic. I couldn't tell you which trail was used by our dwarves, but at least there's something to follow. It'll be slow going through these hills, but from the looks of this map," He pats the rolled up map on his belt, "we could also circle around this hill to the southwest and come up behind some of them. We could do a couple of short expeditions, follow some these trails a ways and see where they lead before heading back to spend the nights in town. It would be slow, but thorough, and would reduce the risk of missing the dwarves on their way back into town. Alternatively, we see if we can follow one of the trails deep into the hills to the southeast, set up camp when we need to, forage if we run out of rations, and try to get to high ground to assess our options there. Even if it doesn't help us find the dwarves, at the very least we may be able to rule out some potential locations for the castle."
"And of course, if anyone else has any better ideas then please, I am all ears."
Ink, feeling very much out of his element as Crom speaks of tracking, says, "Spending nights in town seems...well...that'll cost us time, right? Ruling out locations of that castle appeals to me, Crom."
Klurch gently places a reassuring hand on Ink's shoulder as he turns to face Crom, " to the southwest, camp, forage, follow, get to high ground, a good idea"
Crom nods along with Ink and Klurch's assessment, though he still starts a bit when he hears Klurch speak his own words back at him. "That'll take a bit of getting used to," he says with a half smile. "What do you think Calantha? This all sound good to you?"
Klurch chuckles in a high pitched chirping bird like fashion and retorts "I'm all ears!" he beams "You've shown, an overabundance of kindness, already."
As Ink hears his own melodious voice being echoed back to himself, he remarks, "Klurch, my friend, you tempt me to teach you a few of my favorite drinking songs. You and I could then sing them in glorious two-part harmony!"
"drinking songs?" Klurch ponders for a moment and then emphatically nods yes to Ink "that, would actually be nice"
((Sorry for the lack of posts!))
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Calantha agrees, smiling at Klurch. Now that their friends are buried, she feels a bit lighter, though she still mourns their passing. Now it's time to work again.
"Oh, I'd pay to hear your drinking songs," she says to the gnome.
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf (Phandelver and Below) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan (Vecna: Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Gareth Blackwood (Dragon of Icespire Peak) ♦ Karys Velthune (Out of the Abyss) ♦ Surina Xarith (Simple, Heroic Adventure)
DM: Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus
As the group sets off on their path, Crom leading the way, Klurch will keep his ears out listening for any interesting sounds or birdsong he can mimic for entertainment. Perception 18
There are a number of songbirds singing and a few just making long loud calls.
Crom leads the way into the hills, mostly blocking out the chatter as he tries to tune into his surroundings.
Traveling into the hills is slow going. It becomes clear after not very far that the initial trail that led you here is mostly unused past a certain point.
It is mostly uphill, there are some switchbacks and steep areas that take more time to cross. With Crom leading the way you're able to navigate through the nature and make your way up the hill.
20
For the majority of the journey toward the castle, Klurch will offer Crom guidance when needed for navigation and he will also try to keep an ear out for potential threats in the unknown areas, but between those times Klurch seems more interested in the group themselves
"From where do you, ALL, hail? what made, you travel, together?"
Perception if needed 13 (passive 13)
"I worked as a tutor for wealthy families in Neverwinter," begins Ink. "I soon realized that such work, although worthwhile, was unfulfilling. Gundren is an acquaintance, and I took up his offer to deliver some things to Phandalin. I could help a friend while seeing a bit of the world."
"a tutor!, I had, a tutor. Still do..His, name is, High priest Remus. I hope to, LEARN MORE, from you all" Klurch walks a little more merrily as he turns to the others to maybe also answer.
"Learn more indeed, Klurch!" responds Ink. "And I shall do the same from you."