(01) The Approach

[ehiker133]

Goldwen surveys the place and finds a suitable spot to unroll her bag and make her bed for the evening.

As she spreads a thick woolen blanket down for the base layer, she thinks about her friend, Rika Waylayer and her heavy skillet, and wishes there was more of a female presence in the party. "I wonder why Garamon always acts sooo stupid around her," she thinks to herself, spying the oafish man settling down next to his brother.

[waysoftheearth]

The party collectively heads toward the logged clearing on the edge of the Nightwood.

As they approach, they can easily see the logged area is quite broad... perhaps 100 yards across.

Tass is ahead of the others. As he approaches the fringe of the clearing he rolls into thatch of brush and suddenly disappears from view of those following a few dozen yards after him. The Hobbet has a special knack for hiding, so no-one is particularly alarmed, but wonder what he might have seen now...?

Tass stays low and out of sight, easily concealed in the grassy thatch as he circles around to approach the clearing from a more northerly direction that the rest of his company...

[Tonneau]

Wraislin arrives in the clearing, just on time as always.

He surveys the scene with anticipated distaste, furrowing one brow.

'The fireplace will be here', he announces to no one in particular, wafting a hand at the middle of the space, ' and I will be...here', he concludes, rolling out his bedroll and proceeding to arrange himself within it.

[waysoftheearth]

Everyone but Tass arrives in the clearing and begins to establish a camp place.

Tass is still off hiding in the brushy surrounds. With any luck, he will find mushrooms to cook...

There are still a couple more hours until dusk.

[sully]

Thanis looks for any logs or large branches that can be used for cover in an emergency.

After setting up whatever is easily moved to their campsite, he gathers enough wood for two decent-sized fires. He builds both of them between camp and the woods.

If anything comes crawling out at us tonight, I want to be able to throw a torch in each of these and shed some light on the subject.

[waysoftheearth]

The broad, oval shaped clearing is almost 100 yards across.

It looks like the logging operation stopped a least a season ago, as there is abundant regrowth springing from the ground and the tree stumps. There is no obvious sign of recent activity.

The trees that were logged out here on the fringe of the forest were not larger in girth than a man's torso so, probably, it is a new outgrowth compared to the great, thick trunked trees of the forest proper.

As the party moves about gathering firewood and establishing a camp, they soon spot a Gate.

Set some 20 yards back into the forest is a 15ft tall archway comprising two stonework pillars joined by an overhead, worked iron arch that spans a wide but almost buried cobbled path between them. The pillars and arch are all but choked by vines and creepers, but a swath through the arch has been cut clear.

Obviously, someone has passed under the arch recently...

[Kozos]

Stern quickly approaches the gate and examines it, with a curious gaze.

"This seems wrong!" he exclaims.

[ehiker133]

Goldwen approaches the gate with Stern, but whereas he is studying the gate itself, she checks either side of it to see if any walls remain or if the walls ever existed in the first place. She tries to make note of the type of stone used in construction and see if it was quarried locally.

"Who's to say what's right and what's wrong, Stern? Maybe the gate is right where it should be and WE are the ones in the wrong."

She continues her examination of the gate.

Hey, Kozos, I noticed it looks like you're trying to add some flair to your postings with coloured text. I think it's easier for everyone, including the GM, when we use the same colours for the same thing. One thing Ways of the Earth did was add the macros at the top of our post for things like IC and OC posts, different dialog colors (C=Chaotic, D=Common, L=Lawful, M=Magical, N=Neutral), the standard BOLD, italics, and underlined functions, etc.

This is one of those times where we all want to follow the same standards, at least for this.

[rredmond]

While others check out the gate, Garamon takes a peek around to make sure Tass isn't in any sort of trouble - which I'm guessing he tends to get into

[waysoftheearth]

Stern and Goldwen examine the forest gate arch...

It doesn't take a stone mason to realise the gate is old. The stones are cracked and deeply weathered. The whole of it is grown over with vines and lichen, and here and there a bird has built a nest in the deeper crevices.
The metalwork arch that spans the two columns is deeply rusted, infiltrated by vines, and occasionally bent or warped by a tree bough. It might have once been decorative.
Of most interest, the pathway that cuts through the arch continues into the forest. The cobbles are old and broken, and mostly buried at the edges. It must have once been a proper roadway but clearly, someone has made use of it far more recently. Probably several someones, because it must have taken a good deal of foot traffic to clear the central cobbles this much.

---

Meanwhile, Garamon keeps an eye out for Tass... where has the Hobbet gotten to this time?

Without warning, a low voice comes from the forest behind him "HUUUMAAANNNN, YOUUU ARE STANDDDING ONNNN MY ROOOTTTSS. GEEEET OFFFFFFFF!"