Turn 25.0: The Journal
Sent: 3/9/99
"Ok!" Crayne says, looking at Biln and the rest of Rinder's Six, "I suggest that we make camp for the night and leave in the morning. There seems no reason to go up now as we would be at a disadvantage! However, we must take care tonight for we are close to the mountains and it is known that this area isn't the safest of places...."
Cy, too, advocates for leaving in the morning, explaining that it's a tactically better decision, seeing that "the party isn't made of dark-seeing elves and dwarves."
Edryd, also agrees, "Yes, that seems the most reasonable thing to do," he nods at Crayne and Cy. "So let us depart at first light. I the meantime, we should help set the camp." Edryd then places his hand over his stomach, "and see to it that dinner is thought of," he says with a smile.
Guilliam's ability lies in dealing with other people, not with deciding how to best set up camp. So, he allows others in the party to lead in this area. However, he does enthusiastically helps out wherever he can, rushing from one duty to the next. As he helps to stake tents, stir stews, gather water and collect kindling he finds himself mingling with the miners. After a few rough attempts, he gets a feel for their sense of humor and delights in making the otherwise staid men guffaw. Of course, he ends up spending more time telling jokes than actually at work, but with a wry smile on his face and a natural twinkle in his eye he convinces himself that everyone prefers things that way.
After the watches have been settled, Crayne speaks up, "Now I suggest we do some hunting for food! Are there are here who are skilled at hunting? Come on, speak up, for a reward will be on your way if you are!"
Storm, who was muddling about, helping with the camp only when asked, hears Crayne ask if anyone can hunt for food. At that point, sitting on the group drawing in the dirt with a dagger, he looks up slowly, thinks for a second, and then stands. "Back soon," he announces gruffly, and turns his back as he walks away from the camp. In an hour he returns and approaches Biln and Crayne. He tells the chief miner and the mage the locations of four snares he set, telling him to check then every few hours to see if they've trapped an animal for them to later eat. Once done with that, he gathers all he'll need for the mines, and gets ready to go. The oncoming subterranian adventure seems to have raised Storm's spirits a little, seeing the chance to get back to the environment he was raised in.
Later that night, as dinner is being cooked (thanks in part to Storm's snares), Guilliam approaches Canter with his bundle of leather strips. "I'm not exactly sure what to do with these my friend. I bought them because you made them look like they'd be useful. Can you teach me how the basics of your leatherworking craft?"
Canter turns around and looks to the young bard, holding out the strips. "Of course, I can. You never know when you might need a little leather something. My father used to be a leatherman, so I can say I've learned from the best. I can start by teaching you a little about where the leather comes from and how it is cut and dried. In a couple of weeks we'll have you making some small items. After years of study you can become skilled, like myself," Canter says with a slightly egocentric smile, looking up at the stars, "you can even fashion yourself a nice suit of leather armor like I can. Just be sure not to get captured like I did, then you tend to lose it all!" He says with a chuckle. Patting Guilliam on the back, he leads him away from the bubbub of the campfire and begins to instruct him on the basics of leatherworking.
In the meantime, the others begin to gather their things and pack their bags for the follow day's trip up the mountain. When he sees Crayne packing the lightstone, Storm goes over to the mage and speaks. "I's never seen one of thems befur...a nifty thingy for you human folk. Us Dwarven types be seein' the dark!" He taps his temples for effect. Hehah!" He gufaws, and slaps Crayne on the back rather hardly while flashing his unkempt grin at the mage.
Crayne then disappears into one of the tents, candle in hand, apparently memorizing some spells. Then, following Crayne's lead, Guilliam does the same.
[Each character gains 1 hp overnight.]
At first light Edryd is up and walks over to each tent in which one of the party sleeps. Hitting the cloth he calls, "it's time, come on, up." Guilliam grumbles, and Crayne lingers in his bedroll for a few more minutes, but within a short time the party is collected and set to begin the day's journey.
When the party finally departs camp, Storm does not linger toward the back of the party as much as usual, and becomes a little antsy as the mine approaches. He leads Rinder's Six up the narrow trail which traverses the side of the mountain. It is quite steep, yet not so that anyone has too much difficulty travelling. After about an hour of hiking, they stop for a breath and to take in the view. The other mountains in the Raidmead Mountain chain are clearly visible now, with the green tops of trees lining their bases. "From a little higher, I suspect, we can even see over their tops," Guilliam says, remembering the map he has compiled.
"Come on, le's go!" Storm says, a giddy smile on his face. The rest of the party complies, some grudgingly, and continues the upward hike. After about an hour more, the trail begins to level off, and as they come up over the final rise, the party can see the entrance to the mine. (They are probably about half way up the mountain at this point.)
From the outside, they can see that the mine's entrance is actually a cave, the opening of which is tall enough for most men to walk through without slouching, and wide enough for two, maybe three to walk side by side. It is darker inside, but the first couple of yards are lit by the clear sunlight from outside. The temperature is cooler than at the base, though certainly not too uncomfortable.
"I's be leadin' us in," Storm instructs, taking a more authoritative position than any have seen him take before. "Le's all be careful, mmm?" He walks slowly, hands by his side, poised to grab a dagger should the need arise. He continues to walk in the entrance of the cave, and as the reach of the sunlight is passed, he continues to move.
Crayne fumbles in his bag for the lightstone, which he brings out. It casts a cool yellow glow on the walls of the cave, which lead deeper into the mountain. As the party reaches what must have been the back of the cave, they can see where the miners must have begin boring into the rock, for the next passageway is clearly manmade: It is nearly square, with wooden support beams every few feet. Before entering the inner passageway, however, Storm stops, noticing something on the ground.
Gathering around what they see, the party squints in the low light. There on the ground are three pick axes, probably used for digging out the mine, and stones in a circle, outlining a small campfire. A backpack is sitting there, too, leaning against the cave wall. No body can be found. A thin layer of dust covers everything.
Guilliam quickly moves to the backpack, and Storm picks up one of the axes, inspecting its construction. Opening the bag, Guilliam holds his nose and turns away, wincing. "Eeewww!" He remarks, "what food is left in here is long since rotten! But...." he says, his tone changing. He reaches into the bag and pulls out a few sheets of paper. "Crayne, bring that lightstone closer, I think I can read this..."
Crayne inches closer to the bard, who squints at the writing on the paper. "It's some kind of journal," Guilliam says, his eyes widening and his mouth forming a smile at his discovery.
"What does it say?" Edryd asks.
"Does it tell why these men never made it out?" Cy inquires.
"Just a minute..." Guilliam says, flipping through the pages, which are bound only by a thin thread at the top. "I'll read this one, it appears to be the most recent. It's not dated, though, but it's at the back; the last one.
"'John and Miles are dead,'" Guilliam reads slowly, "'which leaves just two of us left. We hope to make it out tomorrow morning at light, but with my leg busted and Jakeson's foot gone, our hopes are not high. We pray for our survival. Should we make it out, we promise to warn of the terrible--'"
"Terrible what?!" Canter says loudly, his voice echoing down the corridor.
"Terrible nothing," Guilliam answers quietly, "that's where it stops. The only other thing on the page is this," he says, holding up the page. All can see a fingerprint smudged across the page, but not in ink. In blood.
Just as the party is silently taking in this sight, they hear a moaning reverberating down the corridor. It begins low, then rises and falls again. Storm reacts immediately, grabbing two daggers. But there is no enemy to be seen, even for his dwarven eyes.
Guilliam tilts his head, listening to the moans, which seem to die out. "Whatever that is," he whispers, his voice shaking, "it's not that close, but it's also not...."
"Not what?" Crayne asks.
"Not natural...."
1. Please be sure to add the 1 hp regained overnight in camp.
2. Crayne has Burning Hands and Color Spray memorized. Guilliam has Cantrip and Sleep memorized.