Immersive Ink

heartless wrote:

coffee wrote:"And if no shelter, let's at least move away from the mule," Dieter says, wiping his brow after his labors. "Those creatures might come back to finish their meal."

Wibert opens his mouth, "Lets find a safe place to rest the night, but I'm sure we will have visitors. I prefer a wall/hill behind us to make it more easier to guard more on one side, and not get surrounded in an attack. I also suggest we lay out a path of sticks 2 foot wide so if anyone approaches we hear the sticks break and we will not be surprised."

Then with a smile Wibert adds, "Once we make camp, I will make up some mule stew in my pots. It will be the best meal any of you have had for a while I guess. Now let's get cracking!"

verhaden wrote:
Mads the Fair

Mads rests for a moment and speaks after a few moments of silence. "If we're staying out here, I'd rather forgo a fire tonight than risk making ourselves a beacon. But this d**ned weather is determined to bring us down with sickness. These lands are cursed..."

danhem wrote:
"Gustave, hold on. Dieter is correct," Ulric says after completing his inventory of the groups gear. He tosses the poke of coal in among the bedrolls and trail rations.

"We should put some distance between ourselves and the donkey. But we're in no shape to attack the gatehouse tonight. We can push the cart along for a little ways. A few of us can try to find a better site to make camp; perhaps one with a little more shelter. If need be the cart can be used to support a large lean-to."

waysoftheearth wrote:
Atop the Perch (Olaf)

From atop his rocky perch, Olaf surveys the surrounding vales and gullies...

The rolling grass-lands to the south, east and north seem quiet... almost too quiet. He spies no bird nor rabbit. Only the steadily driven grasses, which are buffeted intermittently by the cold wind, which drives ahead of it an occasional smatter of light rain.

In the valley below his position, Olaf observes the company burying their dead, righting the cart, and collecting the hard won treasure.

Gustave seems to make some decision, then heads off in the vague direction of Saxxon's gatehouse, hunkering as it is in the near-west, like a slab of weathered stone -- concealed from Gustave's sight by intervening ridges...

Meanwhile, the remainder of the company regards the weather, and their immediate surrounds... perhaps looking for the evening's lodgings?

waysoftheearth wrote:
A Nearby Gully (Gustave)

Gustave strides off to his west, roughly the direction of the gatehouse if he does recall correctly.

The ground is uneven and troublesome along the way. Surely some of the scoundrels of this keep could construct a walking path?

Never mind, just keep on walking. Gustave scales the next low ridge and looks about. Interesting that there is no sign of Wibert yet... where could that hobbit have gotten to? No matter, the keep is only another five score yards in that direction by now, surely.

Gustave strides down the ridge face into the next gully, certain that the keep must be very nearby now...

waysoftheearth wrote:
At the Company

Meanwhile, Wibert has arrived back at the cart via a circuitous route with his hands full of some dubious looking herb matter, which he assures the others will make a fine addition to his mule stew. Victor appears unconvinced, and spits sourly.


Ulric and Andaros both recall a rocky ridge face along the eastern wall of the adjacent gully, which they hastily passed while attempting to outflank the brigands in the recent fighting.

It is presently concealed from even the eyes of Olaf upon his perch, but would certainly warrant another look in the search for shelter. There may be an overhang, or even a small cave which would provide a modicum of shelter...

ehiker133 wrote:
Desmond volunteers to check it out and make sure it is safe, uninhabited, and large enough for the party.

"If some of you bigger folk want to figure out how to get the cart moved to the adjacent ravine, I'll check out the ridge face."

waysoftheearth wrote:
Desmond's offer is very appealing to the foot sore among the company, and before very long it is cautiously agreed.

The new comer trots off happily to the south, and soon vanishes from sight entirely...

waysoftheearth wrote:
Gully to the South (Desmond)

Desmond find the going relatively good so long as he heads more or less south-west -- the direction in which most of these gullies run. He treks on for ten minutes or so after loosing sight of his new companions, and soon enough finds himself between two ridge walls. That to his right (north-westish) is mostly grassy and not too steep. That to his left (south-eastish) is much steeper and rockier. He doesn't spy any inviting camp site from this side of the rocky wall, but perhaps if he were to scale those rocks and investigate the other side of the rock face, he might find something more interesting..?

eris wrote:
Olaf keeps an eye out, watching both his companions as well as the surrounding area for dangers. He can't figure out what Gustave and that new fellow are up to running off on their own like they are, but that's their business, he supposes.

If the party below begin to move the cart, he'll come down from his perch and see what's up