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Post by doctorx on Jul 29, 2012 14:25:03 GMT -5
The party leaves Sun Tower behind and strikes off across the rough, tussock grass of the cliff tops, the crash of the sea and the calling of gulls ringing in their ears. The sun continues to dodge in and out of the clouds, though the amount of time it is hidden is increasing you notice, and the morning is growing increasingly cool as a result.
The ruins draw nearer. Soon a clearer picture of your destination forms ahead of you. The castle seems to have been built in a rough triangle – a three, perhaps four-storied tower keep at its Northern apex, a wide, heavily-fortified curtain wall to the South facing the cliffs, further turreted and battlement-topped walls linking the two. As you draw closer you see the masonry is of a strange, light-hued stone marbled with faint veins of pale green -a peculiar mix suggesting both granite and marble while being neither. Not even the dwarf Nebless can put a name to it. In its day this castle must have been fair indeed, but now it stands abandoned and cast down, worried by the elements and spattered with the filth of gulls.
Your approach is from the West, and it appears to you that the main thrust of the assault that reduced this proud place to rubble came from this direction. The wall you are approaching is largely shattered and cast down, and the side of the keep tower facing you appears to have collapsed inwards, exposing all within to sky and elements. There is little sign that the rest of the castle has faired much better: Caern Serenath[/color] is a ruin indeed.
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Post by doctorx on Jul 29, 2012 14:35:58 GMT -5
In all, from your current vantage point, you reckon Caern Serenath[/color] looks a little bit like this...
NORTH
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @. . . . @ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rrr . . . . . . @ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . rrr . . . .@ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# . . . . . . . . . . . # . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . # # # # # [ . .] # # # # . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . rrrrr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . # . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . rOr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . . . .
P . . . . . . . . . .rrrO rrr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .rr # rrr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .# . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .r#r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #. . . .
. . . . . . . . . .@ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @ . . .
. . . . . . . .@ . . .@ # # # # # # # # # # # # # ### @ . . @ . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .@. . . . . . . . B B . . . . . B B . . . . . . . . .@ . . . . .
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
@ = Tower.
# = Curtain wall.
O = Gate turret.
[ ] = Inner gate.
BB = Bastion.
x = Cliff.
r= Rubble.
P = Party.
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danhem
5th Level Troll
Posts: 731
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Post by danhem on Jul 30, 2012 14:28:55 GMT -5
"An impressive sight," Banoc says as they approach the ruin. "Anyone see any sign of that other group that was headed here?"
Banoc carefully studies the ground for any signs of recent passage.
"It would seem we are headed toward the best way inside. That gap in the curtain wall could allow an army to pass through. Though the tower should be the best source of loot."
"Flick, would you mind scouting ahead just to make sure no one is hiding among the rubble?"
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Post by nebless on Jul 30, 2012 15:03:40 GMT -5
"I agree", states Nebless. "We should keep an eye out for any passages that head down below the tower, as that's where any treasure vaults should be located." Attachments:
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kwll
3rd Level Troll
Posts: 238
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Post by kwll on Jul 31, 2012 6:30:56 GMT -5
"The tower is the obvious way. That probably is why there is nothing interesting to find there... We should keep our eyes and ears open. We will certainly find what we don't expect to find in the most unexpected places!" says Master Ho. Happy to see his companions puzzle at what he just said, he enters the ruins with them.
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Post by grrraall on Jul 31, 2012 11:50:21 GMT -5
"An impressive sight," Banoc says as they approach the ruin. "Anyone see any sign of that other group that was headed here?"
De Morsac sneers at Banoc - maybe he resents him taking the lead with such a low charisma, who knows? De Morsac is a proud nobleman, after all. " We'll see what we can do", he scowls, and then tries to track the other group by looking at the ground, branches and rubbles. |
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Post by grrraall on Jul 31, 2012 11:54:06 GMT -5
"The tower is the obvious way. That probably is why there is nothing interesting to find there... We should keep our eyes and ears open. We will certainly find what we don't expect to find in the most unexpected places!" says Master Ho. Happy to see his companions puzzle at what he just said, he enters the ruins with them. OOP - I'll be on holidays tomorrow for 3 weeks. Could you, kwll, take care of de Morsac while I'm away? I love the way Master Ho says puzzling things, that's what I need for de Morsac, it will make him look mysterious  |
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danhem
5th Level Troll
Posts: 731
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Post by danhem on Jul 31, 2012 12:34:07 GMT -5
Banoc chuckles as de Morsac stalks away then focuses on the ruins ahead.
"You may be right, Master Ho. I'm sure that tower has been scoured over the years. There may be nothing there, but then the unexpected is often where you expect it. Did I ever tell you about the time I balanced a tack hammer on my head?"
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Post by ProfGremlin on Jul 31, 2012 20:11:30 GMT -5
Outside the ruins of Caern Serenath...Flick eyes the ruined tower and breached curtain wall before them. The shadows from the increasing cloud cover and cooling breeze give the mournful sight a slight sinister air. The lonely cries of the gulls reinforce such an impression making Flick think of the souls who had perished here. Stop it... he shivers, No need to scare yourself without reason... by any sense of the phrase... he grins wryly at the unintended pun. "It would seem we are headed toward the best way inside. That gap in the curtain wall could allow an army to pass through. Though the tower should be the best source of loot."
"Flick, would you mind scouting ahead just to make sure no one is hiding among the rubble?"Leaving his coin purse tied to the outside of Banoc's pack and drawing his newly minted staff, Flick takes to the air from where he had been riding, looking over the warrior's shoulder. "Happy to do so!" the little fairy trumpets and streaks straight up. In moments he is looking down at the northern tower and performing an aerial survey of the tower, the curtain walls and their towers, the inner bailey and the surrounding grounds. He reflexively watches the sky around him for gulls and other predators. Once Flick has gleaned as much information from the heights as is available, he descends to take a closer look at each feature looking for anything that appears out of place, any evidence that anyone - or thing - has passed this way. In the back of his mind is inner herbalist keeps track of the mosses and lichen growing on the pale-green veined stone walls and rocks and the various weeds, flowers and grasses along the grounds. 
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WhisperFlick
Fairy Wizard
Lvl: 1 Att: 2d+11 / +23 Def: 6 ST: 3 IQ: 7 LK: 17 CN: 3 DX: 24 CH: 31/32
Blackthorn Staff: 64/64
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hobbob
Lurker under the Bridge
Finnegan Cole
Posts: 1
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Post by hobbob on Jul 31, 2012 23:22:38 GMT -5
Finnegan watches the 3 humans, now 'understanding' them. The wizard is strange, the hunter spiteful, and the leader humorous. As Flick streaks away he takes out his buckler and dirk. Looking at the others he says, "Faries attract attention. We should be wary, others may be near." Attachments:
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Post by nebless on Aug 1, 2012 10:26:25 GMT -5
"Good call", "Never take anything for granted if you want to stay alive" Nebless says as he ready's his spear. Attachments:
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Post by grrraall on Aug 1, 2012 12:20:55 GMT -5
Finnegan watches the 3 humans, now 'understanding' them. The wizard is strange, the hunter spiteful, and the leader humorous. As Flick streaks away he takes out his buckler and dirk. Looking at the others he says, "Faries attract attention. We should be wary, others may be near." De Morsac, for some reason - his tracker's instincts, maybe - turns and sneers at Hobbob. He puts his muscular hand on Hobbob's shoulder and says: "Do you know what a tracker is, little man? Well, probably not, so I'm gonna tell you this: I had a friend, someone I would dice with at my usual tavern, back in Khamad, The Dead Man's Breath, it was called. Well, this friend of mine was a tall fellow, with a pinched-up face that looked like it had been closed in a door a few times. He called himself Chaser. I always figured that was because the women ran away from him after they got a look at that face, and he has to run after them. Now here's a clue for you. Guess why I call myself a tracker". De Morsac has something in his eyes and in his little smile that tells Hobbob that he may be joking or making fun of him or a fool of himself or feeling like eating a hobbit stew. Maybe Hobbob will never know. De Morsac walks like an angry wolf and his wry smile also is like the toothed smile of a wolf. OOP - OK, folks - I'm off for 3 weeks. Take care. And try not to kill de Morsac ;D He's really a nice guy... particularly with women... |
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hobbob
Lurker under the Bridge
Finnegan Cole
Posts: 1
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Post by hobbob on Aug 1, 2012 13:30:05 GMT -5
Finnegan stares at De Morsac. He then walks over to near Nebless, becoming suddenly interested in the rubble. Attachments:
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Post by doctorx on Aug 1, 2012 14:49:00 GMT -5
Banoc and de Morsac set about examining the grass for any sign of traffic passing to or from the ruins...
Banoc: L1IQSR. Dice roll: 6 + 1 + IQ 12 = 19. Failure! AP gained: 7.
Banoc can see nothing but grass tufts and the occasional rabbit dropping, but de Morsac, looking more than a little smug, has been following the tracks he detected on the way to the ruins, and they are still there before him now, making a pretty straight line towards the tumbled-down gap in the curtain wall where a gate appears to have once stood. Let’s see if he can find out a little more about them...
de Morsac: L1IQLKSR. Dice roll: 5 + 1 + IQ 9 + (1d6 roll) 3 = 18. Failure! AP gained: 6.
...but the tough grass and the recent hot weather will only allow him to confirm approximately half-a-dozen targets moving directly towards the ruins, passing this way perhaps a day or two earlier.
Meanwhile, Flick takes to the sky in an exuberant buzz of wings and heads off in the direction of the ruins...
(D6)
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Post by doctorx on Aug 1, 2012 15:41:02 GMT -5
Flick’s gossamer wings blur into motion as he sets off alone towards the waiting ruins of Caern Serenath[/color]...
The fairy mageling heads North-East and upwards, skirting the crumbling remnants of the curtain wall and making directly towards the battered, weather-blasted shell of the great Northern tower. He climbs, up, up, up again, circling its forlorn exterior...
L1IQSR. Dice roll: 4 + 1 + IQ7 = 12. Failure! AP gained: 5.
All seems to be much as it looked from outside. The tower appears to have had four stories, but the floors have all collapsed inwards, burying the bottom of the tower in rubble and debris. In addition to this the upper storeys of the South-Western part of the keep seems to have taken a number of direct hits from heavy missiles, (siege engines of some kind, Flick speculates? Catapults, perhaps? Great Titania, surely it wasn’t magic that caused this havoc?) causing that part of the tower to also collapse inwards, further adding to the debris and destruction below. The upper storeys show only the occasional gracefully-arched window, a couple of ragged, anonymous tatters pinned to a wall that might have once been a beauteous elfin tapestry, a forlorn and weather-beaten fireplace where a merry blaze must have once crackled on Winter nights hundreds of years before...
There’s no two ways about it: As far as Flick can see, this place is a shell.
(D6)
A sudden clatter of wings and a flurry of black feathers accompanied by a harsh screaming croak causes Flick to duck in panic, reaching for his bronze blade as he passes one crumbling, yawning window, but it is only a couple of carrion crows that flap away in a chorus of indignant cawing, watching the fairy intruder with unfriendly (but thankfully not hungry) eyes.
Flick has completed his circuit of the tower. Does he wish to take a closer look at the ground floor? Move on to examine the castle grounds beyond? Report back to his friends? Anything else?
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