(078) A Second Expedition

[coffee]

Karl will take whatever place in line presents itself.

[acodispo]

Wetzel ducks his head as Arian walks by.

He has taken his place somewhere near the front of the column, and has spear and shield in hand.

[waysoftheearth]

The company's strength is expanded at the site of the watch room, hidden among the rocky-lip of the escarpment.

It's a small and secret space large enough for perhaps four Men at a time, with a commanding view out over the valley to the south, and of the ridge-top path to the north-west. A quick inspection reveals that it appears to have seen recent use but, by good fortune, there is nobody other than Arian about today.

Its most significant feature, however, is that it is positioned directly over an ancient stone stair that weaves its way down the escarpment. The stair so narrow and perilously steep that it is almost wholly hidden from view, hewn into a crevice that runs halfway down the rock-face before reaching a goat track--that is hardly wider or less steep--which continues farther down. Farther below can be seen a portion of ancient, crenelated wall--a battlement facing into the valley.

Leudigar leads the company, single-file, down the stair...

[sully]

The Herald quietly whispers to Leudigar, We are quite vulnerable while on this path. I know the urge is to hurry so we're not ambushed again but better to go slowly enough to suss out any tripwires or poor footing. Use your best judgement.

[ehiker133]

Leudigar nods in agreement and keeps an eye out for any such traps or tricks as he descends.

[The Red Baron]

"What interesting people we meet whenever we come here; first Thick-Neck, now Arian, I wonder who we'll meet anyone on the way back out?" squeaks Dopey, leaning out to survey the crater."I'd sure hate to be a mountain-goat, because I don't think I could stand to climb up and down like this all day; and my nerves might not be able to stand it either. If I ever meet a witch I'll have to ask her not to turn me into a goat. Maybe a nice bunny rabbit. I hope its getting near meal-time soon. My belly's getting a little queasy from all this climbing about. Maybe Mr. Leudiegar and Mr. Karl would be kind enough to catch us some tasty snakes like they did last expedition. I wonder if you could just tie a rope about me and lower me down. Much easier on the legs, I should think. But then again I'm not sure I have the stomach to try something like that. Oh well, the stairs it is then."

[Eris]

Freid stays near the back of the line, keeping watch over his shoulder for any followers. He smiles at Arlan and says, "Help me keep watch for anyone trying to sneak up behind us."

[doctorx]

Arian smiles back, jams her helm back on her head and obliges, sacrificing peripheral vision for extra scariness!

[riftstone]

Faengol finds himself near the middle, keeping an lookout as best as he can with his elvish vision.

[waysoftheearth]

It is a trying descent for those less nimble--or more awkwardly burdened--with the ever present threat of a slip and a terrible fall. But nothing so dramatic occurs, and within a half-hour the company have traversed the hidden stair and the winding, and more exposed, goat track and are poised to hop down off the rock face and onto a bleak, and weather-beaten battlement.

There is nobody to be seen manning the wall, and it is ill kept with weeds and rocks, but beyond it--within the encircled valley--our heroes glimpse a disjointed compound of structures, arranged in a broad ring about a mile wide, that clings to the inside base of the crater-wall on it north and east perimeters. This very battlement forms part of the ring and must--perhaps a hundred yards farther east--run above the main gate. Back the way they're come, westerly, the battlement terminates shortly at a narrow gatehouse of weary, grey stone. A 3ft wide open-archway invites access to a tight-space where a spiral stair goes immediately below...