We continue the story from the previous chapter. Upon recovering an evil tome from a necromancer, the companions have accepted a quest to find the Foundry of Souls beneath an ancient dwarven monastery whereupon they are to destroy the evil Book of Vile Darkness.

---

3rd of Gort, Tīwesdæg 1020 hrs, clear skies, 82 degrees

The descent of the ridgeline is steep, taking the companions hours to fully climb to the bottom. They leave behind the black pines and tall blue spruce trees and enter the deeper forest. Once down, camp is made against the back of a large, rocky promontory.  It provides enough overhang to protect from rain if needed, and it protects from attacks from the rear.  The underbrush is light within the forest. The trees that make up the Darkmoon Coili are giant red bark oaks that grow up to 300 feet and can shade 100 feet to a side.  Smaller trees include willows, dogwood, and water oaks.  There is an overall sense of great age within the wood.

The night passes without incident, and the companions are roused from sleep in the twilight hour before dawn. As the first rays of the sun light up the peaks of Mount Droskar, the fire is doused, packs are secured, and Durwe leads the companions toward their destination. It is not as strenuous work as clearing the vegetation around the lake, but it is still work. While still slow going, it feels like progress is being made since the valley is shallow, filled with small hills and runoff troughs from the mountains.

The sun has just entered the arc of high sun hours (10 am), and those who are trailblazing are drenched in sweat from the effort of clearing a path through the underbrush at a strong pace set by Durwe.  Everyone is weary of travel. Finally, the brush is cut away to reveal an ancient road.  Squares of stone can barely be discerned beneath the overgrowth. Some have been pushed up, and aside where a tree expanded its girth in growth.

The companions follow this road to the right and sitting squat at the foot of an imposing mountain, a ruined monastery comes into view between ancient, gnarled, giant trees. Made of simple stone blocks worn smooth with the passage of time, the stout building is falling apart. Sections of the slanted shale roof have collapsed, and portions of the outer wall have crumbled. Weeds and wild thorny plants run rampant across the field leading up to the place, leaving only the slightest indication of a path that ends at the ruined front doors. Beyond, an overgrown yard sits in shadow.

---

Daily Upkeep = Rations -1, Water -1, +1hp, spell points to full


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:30, Sun 09 July 2023.

Xune regarded the tattered building with some disdain. "Well, at least there's some ceiling intact. A wall, here and there." She said, blowing out a longer breath than she'd have liked. The exertions of clearing the trail were clearly upon the elf, no matter how little she wished to admit it. No stranger to toil, she was not possessed of the iron fortitude displayed by some of the others in the party. Sweat slicked back her hair and covered her skin as the drow grumbled. "Especially low marks for the gardener. Is there anything here which isn't a weed?"

Valeros grinned at the look Xune gave off, he took a long draught of water from his skin and sat his pack on the ground to get some jerky. He noticed several pebbles fall off of the top, and that several were on the inside. He dumped them out and got his jerky to eat, from his leaned over position he looked around at the group. Someone was pranking him, he recognized, with the pebbles everywhere, that he was the butt of someone's joke. He narrowed it down to a few suspects, but he wasn't sure. He shrugged and started gnawing on the meat.

"Well, we are here." Durwe says, gesturing toward the squat building. "We need to be wary of wolves, dire wolves, and kobolds. Plus anything that might have taken up residence in there since we left it a year ago."

"I have to say friend Valeros that this place looks quite ... malevolent. Kobolds you say, Durwe? Then we should be wary of traps." Elmona seemed to quite enjoy the hard trail blaizing work. It allowed her to work out and be in the woodlands. All in all what was not to love?

"kobolds melltigedig!" Xune barked, spitting on the ground in disgust. "They favor numbers, and are often quite adept with traps and ambushes."

[Private to Xune: changed the format of the language use per recent rules change in homebrewed rules thread.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Thu 15 June 2023.

Leaning against a tree Alaion scanned the area, noticing Valeros shaking off the collection of pebbles; Xune had lobbed at his backpack. Valeros suspiciously eyed a few of the others.

Valeros offers some jerky to Elmona, "Snack to fill the empty?" he asks. "Apparently I'm the butt of a joke, someone is tossing pebbles in my pack, trying to weigh it down." he says quietly with a grin. He knew it was all in fun and it was nothing malicious. He offered some to Xune too if she wanted some, she was right there.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Thu 15 June 2023.