(071) Beringar's Fate

"I apologize, Master Dorgan. The city itself still stands as I recall, but all of the farms I passed through as I made my escape had been put to the torch. Forgive me, my memories of the time are quite blurry and vague."

"Well met, Master Morgan," says Hiridhren the wise Elf, "Your news of Ket is sorely sought. But for now it seems our roads converge so let us away ere this day begins to fade. Come! 'Tis not far now to the abbey you seek, though I fear it may not be the redoubt you might have hoped. We can share tales with our evening repast!" and with this he strides lightly ahead on the wayward path, his great cloak swirling behind him...

Morgan falls in at the rear of the group and follows to whatever fate awaits him.

As promised it is not long before the company rounds a bend in the hilly path and spies the abbey a few score yards ahead. By now it is approaching mid afternoon.

To Morgan, sighting the place of the first time, the abbey seems a tiny knot of rooves clustered about a narrow bell-tower. The whole of it is perched upon a rocky slope to overlook a sprawling vista of hilly roughlands that spill down into the plains below. The buildings therein are surrounded by a grubby but whitewashed stone wall that's about 10ft high all round.

The whole place seems silent. How to gain access will be the next thing...

Uh, through the main gate?

Our brave little band stride up to the abbey and along the base of the wall until they make the front door. They find it stoutly held against them.

"Oh, sod it all," Desmond mumbles.

"I guess we'll have to go in through the breach in the wall."

"If you want, you lot can wait here and I'll get some of the pilgrims to get the door from the other side."

Desmond begins circling the outer wall of the abbey, headed towards the orchard. Once there, he will climb the tree that provides him access to the rampart on the wall. From there, he will shout down into the courtyard to get the attention of anyone he sees. If that is successful, he directs two of the people he finds to go to the front door and unbar it to allow the others to get in.

Dorgan will wait for Des to ring the bell.

Morgan will wait for Desmond to return, keeping an eye out for unwelcome visitors.