06 - The Road to Tor-Xonor

Urist is looking for some kind of narrow crack he can squeeze into or rough terrain where the bull cannot follow.

The party breaks off the road following Alrik's lead. The mad rush is on, over hill and around brush.... The "Bull" begins to follow

(DM breaks out the Evasion Rules)

mgt's roll comes to 6 [6 on 1d6]

Panic turns to calm calculations as Urist points to hiding places, barking orders, and slowly the party dwindles down until only Coln, the former trapper, leads the Bull off into the pastures beyond. With some circling back the party eventually regathers having successfully evaded the "Bull"

(Nicely done... That was indeed a Gorgon, you now have a story to tell about the "Gorgon of the Southern Plains").

As the road is discovered you all find Hagwen waiting for you. Onward to Tor-Xonor.

Another night is spent sleeping rough, after the scare upon the plains you are careful with your fire and set double watches.... The night passes without encounters and in the morning you all press on, the sky turns gloomy and eventually you can see the Ruin is Tor-Xonor in the distance.

You have made it.... What now?

tor-xonor.jpg (128.9 KiB) Viewed 9350 times

Another night is spent sleeping rough, after the scare upon the plains you are careful with your fire and set double watches.... The night passes without encounters and in the morning you all press on, the sky turns gloomy and eventually you can see the Ruin is Tor-Xonor in the distance.

You have made it.... What now?

tor-xonor.jpg

Coln

"Stormy, black and grim... the perfect hideout for an villain out of a bloody fairy tale..."

To the party: "Think we should circle around and see what's around before marching up to the front door?"

Added: As you should be able to see from the picture there are multiple cave openings in the lower hill, there are the bones of a massive beast, and the ruins of the keep itself is riddled with holes blasted through the rock.

There is much to ponder.

Phadian

<Looks uncertainly at the keep>"Impressive .. Why did we come here again? I figured this was as good a place as any to start looking for Holgar, plus this place is kind of legendary ... in a spooky kind of way. Hagwen you were intent on coming here, might you reveal your purpose so we can help."

"I like the look of the tunnel to the left," says Urist. "It bypasses the graveyard, and it leads into solid rock."

Rhegaer the Red

Rhegaer looks on the castle and grounds for a bit, then nods, "I'll trust the dwarf. I'd be willing to try that cave."

Phadian

"Aye, I am good with that. Perhaps we can find a spot to tether Mule in those trees near the cave, I think he will not like that cave. <smiles at Shoul> Now time for a bit of adventure, when we get into the cave light up that lantern and you will follow along just behind me. Be sure to keep good light on where we are walking, move quietly, yet surely."

Urist keeps a close eye on Squishy, trusting the dog's superior senses to alert the party to danger. If the party consensus is to enter the cave, then Urist will not hesitate to lead the way, using his innate stone-sense to avoid dangers such as pits or cave-ins.