(057) Dawn Patrol

[coffee]

Dieter will fall back around the corner of the bell tower and get out his bow, while trying to keep an eye on the opening.

But he's also eyeing places he can leap to, should the situation go south in a hurry.

[mushgnome]

Highbough can't see the opening door from his vantage point on the wall, but he can probably feel the rumbling and hear the clanking machinery. His eyes would be drawn to the building in question (I believe as yet unexplored by the party, yes?), and he would inspect visually it to get the "lay of the land." For example: how tall is this building, is it possible to cross/jump/blink onto the roof, are there any other windows or doors, etc.?

He fumbles the hem of his Cloak and tries to remember if enough time has passed on the lunar calendar for its invisibility power to recharge.

[Eris]

OOC: Last time we were here, Olaf and Highbough were able to get from the wall to the roof after climbing a tree and going out on a tree branch. Is that still possible, if so, that's what Olaf would have done...or would be doing, now.

If not, then he is going to want to move that grappling hook around so the rope hangs down on the inside of the wall...so if this is what needs doing he is going to...

IC: Leaning over the wall Olaf hisses at Gustave and Dorgon, "Get up here quickly! We need to move this rope so we can get down into the courtyard below."

[waysoftheearth]

Dieter backs cautiously toward the bell tower, scanning the walls for safe landing points; he can probably make a leap to any position along the wall, or any of the adjacent roof tops, at need.

Highbough observes that the buildings around the perimeter wall are only single-storied, with flat roofs that slant into the courtyard. His attention is drawn into reverie a moment as he recalls there was a full moon abroad the night the company last departed this place...

Meanwhile, Olaf encourages those still in the orchard to make haste. By this time Torben and Beringar are scrambling over the walls and only Gustave and Dorgan remain in the orchard.

Those along the wall begin to sense that the courtyard is becoming... misty. The smoldering fog off the tar moat around the abbey is no longer merely rising, but rather is rolling off it in a thickening fog. The abbey already appears to rise out the brown haze...

[sully]

Dorgan uses the sole of his boot to knock the last of the ashes from the pipe and returns it to Gustave.

"Here ye go, lad. Now let's get up with ya over that wall and see what's on the other side."

[Olroda]

Upon finding himself in the nightmare realm that pervades the abbey, Beringar is stunned.

"What manner of devilry is this?", he breathes.

[coffee]

Dieter backs cautiously toward the bell tower, scanning the walls for safe landing points; he can probably make a leap to any position along the wall, or any of the adjacent roof tops, at need.

...

Those along the wall begin to sense that the courtyard is becoming... misty. The smoldering fog off the tar moat around the abbey is no longer merely rising, but rather is rolling off it in a thickening fog. The abbey already appears to rise out the brown haze...

And at this point, Dieter decides it's all well and good to be down in the courtyard, but it would be better to have a height advantage.

He'll use his ring to leap to the top of the outer wall, right next to the corner of the chapel. That way he's up, but he can still keep an eye on the new opening in the inner wall. (Until the mist gets too thick...)

[waysoftheearth]

Dieter uses the power of his ring a third time today and leaps mightily out of the gathering mists and up onto the wall adjacent to the rear of the Chapel.

From his position there he is appalled to see how thick the haze has become. The tar that fills the moat around the chapel have been stoked into action and burning hungrily producing a roiling brown fog that is quickly filling the surrounds--where the air was relatively clear just minutes ago, he can now only see the structures opposite dimly. The Chapel is right below him now, however, and he is virtually looking right down through the smashed glass windows below him to the sundered altar within. He catches glimpses of robed figures hurrying hither and tither inside; exactly what they are up to is not clear, but they are moving with purpose.

Outside Dorgan and Gustave at last take a rope each and begin to scale the outer wall...

Meanwhile, those already on the catwalk above them also note that visibility in the courtyard is dropping dramatically--but before it becomes entirely hopeless they see a number of large, predatory shadows lope from out of the now-open building and into the yard. Three, no four--at least four--great black wolves pad slowly into the yard, sniffing the ground and the air experimentally, their eyes burning red sparks amid the gathering gloom. These monsters are no natural animals like those encountered outside--they are much larger and more dangerous. Several of them catch the bouquet of strange scents, and rumble a cautionary growl as they swing their massive heads about searching for intruders...

What now?

[ehiker133]

Desmond slips his silver whistle into his mouth, just in case, then moves south to position himself above the building with the new breach in the wall. He readies an arrow, hoping his skills help him to hit these evil creatures...

[mushgnome]

Highbough evokes the invisibility power of the Cloak of Elemental Night and sneaks southward along the wall/rooftops.