FR PbP

Robwin gains an additional two hours in study (add to the two during your short rest).

However when mumbling you are interrupted by Eline who asks in confusion while listening to you and watching the road, "You mean, you don't just pray?"

At her earnest question you feel a sudden surge in the weave, you hear the laughter of the sisters in each ear, cool winds blow in from the Sword Coast and a light consistent rain follows you the last two or so hours of the trip.

For Wolfsong, Cleaver and the others on the high path, about half way around the mountain, cool winds blow in from the Sword Coast and a light consistent rain follows you making the last two or so hours of the trip far from pleasant.

As you come around the high path you see dim fire lights of small a camps set close together at the base of the mountain. The light is slightly obscured by the rain and you're certain no one in the camps would notice you until you were upon them. Wolfsong (and Rinn?) can easily see why grabbing a small donkey from the excavation site proved attractive to the manticore.

How do you approach the camp?

As you come around the lower route it's easy to find the road leading into the excavation encampment. There are small camp fires surrounded by lean-to and tents set throughout the encampment. The wind is largely blocked by the mountain. There are some dwarf, halfling and human or half-elf "keeping watch" around the fires. The person at the nearest fire to the road watches as Eline (and TT?) on horse and Robwin beside approach.

Rinn chuckles as he sees the light of the campfires. "Wouldn't it be funny if you just dropped in on those unsuspecting dwarves down there, Cleaver?" He laughs again.

During the walk, when Eline ask about praying, Robwin, falters slightly, and says, ”Pray??… <sigh>… Hmm.. with THIS spell, I just might, actually”. His eyes look furtively around like a child who’s been caught looking at his parents’ gun case.

“For pure destruction, I don’t think there’s anything that can match it!… I wouldn’t normally research the.. well… .. it.. but… <sigh>… It might be the only thing we have, that can hope to stand up against this dragon of ice…”.

He looks concerned…  like whether that even makes sense, when he says it out loud… and concerned too whether he can even control it when the time comes…

As they approach the campfire, Robwin remains calm and ready. He slows the group a tiny bit, hoping that Wolfsong and the other group will show and make the first move. Until then, he continues to approach peacefully.

At Rinn's comment, Cleaver actually starts to purr despite the slightly miserable weather. 

From the vantage point on the mountain pass, you see Eline and TT illuminated on the horse and can easily find Robwin, the tall shadowed figure striding beside them.

(( OOC: Happy Christmas Eve Players and followers! Wherever you are; Whatever you circumstance and traditions, I hope you find some moments of happiness and joy over the next few days. ))

((Merry Christmas everyone!!))

:-)

((Thank you, Merry Christmas, to you as well))

"Aye, it would be amusing but I doubt it would make the best impression," Wolfsong replies with a light smile of his own thankful for the brief respite from the misery of the rain before turning to Rinn. "You have your spell that lets you speak over some distance, correct? Tell Robwin to speak to those others about Cleaver, that way they are not frightened to the point of drawing weapons when we go down to join them."

(OOC - Merry Christmas everyone.)

Rinn chuckles and nods at Wolfsong. He stands on a rock and spies out Robwin and the others before casting a message to get them to warn the others about their new friend Cleaver.

Robwin whispers silently back to Rinn “Good idea! Will do…”. Then explains the plan to TT and Eline.

As their party approach, Robwin announces their presence, “HO THERE!!.. FRIENDS APPROACH!!…”.

Assuming the campers are friendly, he will explain the situation and warn them about the Manticore. He will gauge their response and message back to Rinn, that it’s okay to approach.

A dwarf and a Half-Elf enter the light and return Robwin’s greeting. 

They engage in conversation and admit if your companions are able to manage the manticore that's harassed the excavation they may have more need for you all than you know.

The dwarf says he'll quickly warn the rest to stay there blades and darts, though he better not be proven a fool.

The Half-Elf explains the majority of the camp is from the Abbathor excavation and the crew here had ran into some grizzly trouble in this excavation. 

"Call down your companions and we'll talk."

The sheer willingness to enlist your aid is palpable to Robwin, TT and Erin.

"This can't be good, can it?", Eline quietly asks TT and Robwin. 

Robwin calls down the others using message. And continues to chat with the camp. “I’m Robwin Windrobe, apprentice abjuration wizard from the colleges in Neverwinter…”.

”Panic not. We are here to help… Now, begin at the beginning… What seems to be the problem here?…”.

As the others arrive, both Wolfsong and Cleaver are given a wide berth.

The Half-Elf shares the situation. 

The story of the issues is given in common at first which seeps into Highborn Thorass to high elven by the end.

"Valindra", the Half-Elf returns your greeting, "Born in the Dalelands, raised in Neverwinter myself. I know the university, though spent most of my life traveling the east. I came back on request of... family... regardless, we cleared the first floor here. A tenday ago, the lot from Abbathor arrived. Four days ago, we fought off raiding Daraktan. Opening the second floor, we encountered... ghoulish entities. Cursed Dwarven victims, it seems. We're all a mess. We locked up the entrance and oddly, it seems the creatures reinforced the other side.  Apparently, driven from the northern peaks by that white dragon. Now, some of our crew have taken ill. We need to get back into this keep. I may be able to brew some true elixirs to purge these ailments. Otherwise, I fear the sick may become ghouls themselves."

Only Robwin understands the bit about the sick and elixirs. 

Only those speaking elven understand the keep gates have been fortified inside and out. 

Wolfsong nods, only understanding about half of what Valindra says, "We have come across a few Daraktan raiding parties ourselves, they are becoming more and more desperate it would seem. We will take care of whatever is things crawl within these ruins it will make a good fallback point for the villagers if we cannot find a way to deal with the dragon in the near future." 

Robwin quickly translates the last bits for his friends. Then adds, “Yes we will take care of it… Just point the way”. Assuming everyone is ready maybe the party head on over and in…

Hearing the plight of those that are sick and the fact that there may be undead afoot TT echos Robwin "We are ready to go immediately" as she stands looking toward their destination.

Valindra nods. He starts calling to others in the camp. There are arguments in Dwarven, Common and Elven around the camp and a good deal of ruckus as many a dwarf and half-orc quickly dawned armor. Soon a small squad of a half dozen are up with heavy Crossbow and war hammer or war pick aimed at the door while another half dozen minors would to free the blockades and chains binding the entrance from the outside. 

Light of torch and barrel fire is pushed into the space in spite of the consistent light rain. 

Thrust out from the base of a dark gray mountain is the entrance to the dwarven fortress. It is a dark, fifteen-foot-wide passageway flanked by forty-foot-high bulwarks of smooth, seamless stone.

An iron portcullis, a strong, heavy grating that can be lowered down grooves on each side of a gateway to block it, is covered with rust and chains from the inside, blocking the entrance. Arrow slits carved into the bulwarks are dark, revealing no hint of occupation.