(057) Dawn Patrol

[doctorx]

Josiane stays close to Dieter and Olaf.

"Lord Gustave seems... quiet," she murmurs, a worried frown creasing her brow; "Which is most unlike him. I pray things have not gone ill. And what has become of Desmond and Mondes? Again?"

[mushgnome]

Highbough, spear in hand and hoping to find answers, glides in the direction of the Chapel.

[waysoftheearth]

Those who attain the wall once more find the section between them and the bell tower to be in a rather ruinous state; there are multiple grievous gaps in the stonework where the Tar Fiend drove its ponderous feet through the rock, and some of these seems to have smashed through into interior chambers housed within the wall.

The section of wall where the main company fought the werewolves is intact, however, and from here Armando and Co. are able to lower ropes and descend into the clearing courtyard with relative ease.

Wen and Beringar have them covered with their bows, while Dieter leads the foray across the courtyard and directly toward the bleak, smoldering abbey.

They encounter no further resistance in crossing the interior courtyard and razed gardens, and spy no further activity. Very soon they reach the outside of the defiled chapel. It is surrounded by a smoldering moat of low burning tar.

There are two apparent entrances to the chapel; the main double doors (which are stoutly shut, but which can be accessed via a temporary "bridge" of timbers laying over the tar moat), or the broken wall section facing the bell tower (which was recently burst open by the Tar Fiend, but is still protected by the moat).

What now?

[coffee]

How wide is the moat?

Dieter will proceed cautiously over the timber "bridge" to secure the chapel entrance, so the rest of the party can cross over.

(He'd really like it if those who have missile weapons would cover him...)

[mgtremaine]

If Dieter and the others are out of range from the wall then Wen would hurry down to the courtyard so he can continue to provide missile coverage to the advancing group.

[sully]

Dorgan will be right behind Dieter.

| Are there other timbers we can use to build a second bridge over to the section busted down by the Tar Fiend? |

[danhem]

Ulric, having climbed the wall and the descended into the courtyard, moves behind Dieter and Olaf ready to burn or entangle any opposition that rushes out to meet them.

Ulric turns to Dorgan, "Be ready just in case we are surrounded. We may have driven them below, but these wolves are wily."

As Dieter moves to the moat bridge, Ulric follows.

[sully]

Dorgan replies, "They are not wolves, they are rats. And we'll burn them out with fire, if need be."

"Hmm, fire. Not a bad idea. Perhaps oil would work where steel has failed."

[verhaden]

Torben

Looking at the door, Torben says 'Those beans would have been helpful.' He crosses along the makeshift timber bridge with Dieter and Dorgan, testing it at first with his foot to reassure himself of its stability.

[Eris]

As the party nears the bridge, Olaf switches from sword and shield to bow and silvered arrows. He positions himself to cover Dieter and Dorgan while they probe the bridge across the tar moat.