Immersive Ink

merias wrote:Alrik, refreshed, packs and prepares to depart. He addresses Faeraidel in Elvish before the group sets out.

"I have been holding onto this, it was your sister's but you may find it useful. I hope you don't mind, I studied it while it was in my posession," Alrik says as he hands the spellbook found on Hagwen to Faeraidel.

| sleep and fog wall memorized. |

Faeraidel

Faeraidel's eyes redden again as Alrik places the spellbook in her hands. She reads the inscription on the inner sleeve. She says nothing, merely bowing her head to the mage in silent gratitude.

Seeing the others discussing the entrance to the upper works:

"Have care of the approach. The bones of the fallen are unquiet there. Be ready for the way to be held against us."

She sets an arrow on her bow-string.

"Let us begin."

(Memorizing Hold Portal.)

So Urist, Phadian, Rhegaer, Alrik and Faeraidel make their way to the upper ruins. Shoul the Torchbearer follows along ready to help out, but Rik opts to stay and take care of Mule.

Coln and Aurora seem content to stay at the new camp and keep it secure. "I might even catch a rabbit or two" Coln says.

The party avoids the Dragons Bones, and opts to avoid the graveyard at Faeraidel warning of "Restless dead". Cautiously you all enter the old keep.
If it wasn't for the debris, the bones, and the rude graffiti of the passing Orcs, the old stone fortress would be beautiful even in it's ruin. The interior hall is massive and goes well beyond your sight into darkness. At least 100 yards long by any estimate. Not far from the entrance you see Orcs piled in death. The fine arrow wounds and skilled sword strokes speak of Elven precision. The ruins are quiet for now......

Alrik looks around, taking in the scene, then decides to examine the grafitti to see if he can discern any useful bits of information.

Alrik does not discover much. The symbols are mostly stylized can be mean anything, the arrows of chaos are present in many forms. What writing there is seems to in the Dwarven alphabet but mostly single letters, perhaps initials.

"Let's see what we can find out," Rhegaer says, pulling out a torch and lighting it with his tinder box. Once it is lit, he'll start making his way to the other end of the hall.

Urist, fluent in Dwarven, takes a closer look at the writing.

Phadian

Looks over to Shoul "Please get that lantern going. <to group> Agreed, let us explore further, but lets stay alert."

ooc - I am on holiday in Italy, so far internet connections good, but keep things moving in case I cannot respond promptly.

With Torch and Lantern lit, the party moves deeper into the interior. It is very quiet, with no signs of movement in the shadows. Off to the left you can see an open staircase going down, it's ragged stone balustrade is easy to spot in the dim light. Faeraidel would indicate that there is matching staircase on the other side of the grand hall. Below are the upper works and probably some Orcs. Even deeper there is an Ogre tribe.

Does the party descend here?

Phadian

"Perhaps we should figure out how we will arrange ourselves as we explore. What weapon do you favor Faeraidel? If you prefer bow perhaps you can be behind Urist in the order so that you may shoot over his head."

((Did Urist make anything of the Dwarven graffiti?))