(053) Moonshine

Waysoftheearth's Hinterlands PBP

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Post by waysoftheearth » Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:52 am

(053) Moonshine

Invisible Highbough invisibly reports back that the way is clear, and the company (including blinded hobbits) make their way out of the stuffy, foreboding abbey passages and out in to the fresh air to find dusk all but spent, and the twilight already settling in. Mercifully, the night is cool, still, and clear, and a large blue moon provisions a rare quality of night time illumination.

Olaf, Dieter, and Gustave discuss between them who should carry the hobbits, while Invisible Highbough alerts Josiane to the hooting of (deceased) Envongr's owl. The young sword-maiden is then determined to attract it's attention with her own cooing (which Invisible Highbough invisibly finds delightfully amusing). The remainder of the company, meanwhile, debate the merits of staking a camp here for the evening, or else setting off at maximal pace. There is ample light to travel by night.

What to do?
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by coffee » Mon Dec 02, 2013 3:38 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

"I say we camp outside the abbey," Dieter says. "Wolves and such we can deal with, if we keep a good watch. But I'd hate to be asleep and have another of those oozing things sneak up on us."

He looks around.

"I'd also like to be able to keep an eye on the abbey, but that's of much less importance."
[f=4]Karl the Fighter (M 9", AC 4/6, HD 1+2, FC Man+1, hp 9/9) mail+shield[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Mon Dec 02, 2013 4:09 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

ehiker133 wrote:"What does the abbey look like now, Gustave? Does it still have its glamour? Or did we take it away when we destroyed that horrible contraption?" Desmond asks, as he turns his head in the direction (he thinks) of the abbey (unfortunately, he's off by about 90 degrees).
From where Gustave and the other sighted individuals stand (more or less right out front of the abbey front gate), the abbey appears much as it even did... an implacable, whitewashed, 10ft high stone wall. It is more or less exactly as everyone remembers it upon first arriving here.

Nothing can be seen of the interior from here -- even the bell tower is obscured from this angle. Someone would have to reach farther or higher ground to observe the abbey more completely.
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:15 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by waysoftheearth » Mon Dec 02, 2013 4:16 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

mushgnome wrote:Highbough, like Desmond, is curious if the glamour has been lifted from the Abbey. (He was impressed by the power of the magical effect.) Highbough volunteers to climb the bell tower and have a look around. His night vision is keen, and if nothing else, he would see the light of any nearby campfires. He reminds the party that he and Olaf placed a rope for easy access to the rooftops. Perhaps it would be safer from wolves to sleep elevated above ground level? If there is a second-story guard-tower, balcony, overhang, or similar on the premises where the party could take shelter from the elements, that would make a defensible campsite.
Invisible Highbough mumbles and mutters all this... but one of the disadvantages of being invisible is that others tend to ignore him.

In any event, to reach the bell tower, Highbough would have to move through the abbey passages once more, to reach the interior courtyard, cross that and attain the towerbase and then scale it. Or else, he would have to circumnavigate the outer wall once more, to reach the orchard at the rear of the the structure (much as he and Olaf did originally), and from there scale the walls and cross the roof tops once more in order to reach the tower.

Neither course seems completely without risk...
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by flightcommander » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:07 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

"Are we not equally vulnerable at night be we bivouacked or on the march? And more vulnerable yet so close to this terrible haunt?" Armando frets.
[f=4]Morin the Fighter/Medium (MV 12", AC 7, HD 2-2, hp 8/8, FC Man+1, N) scimitar+lantern[/f]

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Post by Tonneau » Mon Dec 02, 2013 10:36 pm

Re: (053) Moonshine

"Naught has change my wee comrade" whispers Gustave in reply to the query from his additional heads, "The abbey remains fair to the eye, but corrupt within".

"Our wise dwarf would have walls around him", he continues, addressing the group as a whole in the twilight, "...and I see his point, but these walls are cursed, and the daemon of fire and ash lies somewhere within."

He looks off into the fading light of the evening, "I say we take our chances with wolves and goblins, and make some headway toward town and food. And perhaps...", he finishes, giving Dorgan a comradely slap on the back, "a decent pint."
[f=59]Wraislin [Intellectual Conjurer, MV 12′′, AC 9, HD 2, hp 8, FC 2 men, SV M3, N] [/f]

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Post by mgtremaine » Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:01 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

Wen would retrieve his staff from Dorgan. "Better have your hands free to swing your Axe Master Dwarf." After a bit Wen would get a smile in his face. "It's fine night for walking! Let us be off to happier places, walking through the grass under the moonlight is a feeling not to missed."
[f=4]Wen the Pale, Elf Hero/Spellbinder (MV 12", AC 9, HD 4/2, hp 11/11, FC Hero, L) helm, bow[/f]
[f=47]Kiplyn Sorefoot, Hobbet Thief (Lv: 4 AC: 5 Hp 12) Leather+Shield+Dagger, Sling[/f]
[f=59]Tass Purrfoot (Agile Hobbet Varlet, MV 9′′, AC 7, HD 2, hp 8, FC 2 men, SV T7, N)[/f]

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Post by mushgnome » Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:11 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

Highbough breathes the night air and takes in the symphony of nature sounds. Surrounded by his friends and free of the cursed Abbey walls, he looks forward to a peaceful night in the forest.

"Wen, the owl seems agitated. Try calming him with your pipes," he suggests.

"Let's not wander off blind into the night. Does anyone have a rope?" While backpacks are being checked for rope, Highbough (invisibly) tests the weather. If the wind is gusty, he frowns and mutters, "never mind, better not." If the air is calm, he prepares to cast The Acclivitous Smaze and ascend to a nearby perch on top of the outside wall or gatehouse where he can have a look around for any signs of trouble. (The rope is to lower down in case anyone else wants to join him up there.)
[f=59]Stern (Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]

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Post by sully » Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:24 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

Dorgan will frown while he considers Gustave's words. "If'n we're not staying here behind the walls, then let's just get ta walkin'. I'd rather sleep in daylight than make camp outside this cursed place and wake up ta a wolf in my face."

He'll shake his head at the others concerned for Envongr's owl, especially Josiane. "Miss, it's an owl. It can hunt fer itself. It'll prob'ly eat better'n we will tonight, that's fer sure."
Thanis [Stealthy Hero, MV 12′′, AC 7, HD 4, hp 16, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, N]. Hooded cloak, padded armor, sword, longbow +1 & quiver of arrows, dagger.

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Post by waysoftheearth » Tue Dec 03, 2013 2:54 am

Re: (053) Moonshine

The evening promises to be still and clear... Highbough surmises that there is little risk of his conjured vapor-stair being swept away in a hurry, and so he utters the spidery phrases; his usually melodious voice reduced to un-natural sounding spits, hisses, hacks, and gasps of the Stygian speech. Were he not invisible, even his company might be fearful of the hot orange glow conjured a-burning to his eyes...

...and as he speaks an eerie stair of floating vapours gathers in the very air before him; misty air spirits dragged into his service so that he might ascend, unseen still, the full height of the outwall without further ado. New steps appear as needed, as those already traversed dissolve into nothingness.

Highbough easily breaches the wall and then steps from his stair and surmounts the roof. Nearby he sees that some of the internal structures lay in ruins (courtesy of Giant Guntram)... beyond that lies the interior courtyard and the blasted abbey, surrounded by its smoldering trench. The rot of the debased abbey is plainly visible from here but there is no activity to be seen; nor any light or fires beyond the hot glow of the burning trench. Those within are apparently battened down. For now.

Casting his gaze then across the wider Hinterlands, Highbough sees no campfire nor other lights. It is as he expected; a desolate wilderness.
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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