Chapter 1 - The Red Waterfall

Ewan rides up to get a closer look at the lake, to see if there's anything washed up along the banks, or any creatures living near it, that might provide some clue as to the nature of the waterfall.

Kicsi brings her mount to a halt as she watches Ewan ride up ahead. Pulling up her hood to shield herself from the cold she carefully looks over the surroundings. Knowing Ghelin is a little better off at seeing in these conditions than she or Mac she asks, "Anything we should know about around here before I go looking for some wood for a fire? I'm freezing!"

Ghelin follows Ewan near the edge of the water, particularly paying close attention to any footprints in the snow. He whispers to Ewan, "Quietly now, we dare not disturb anyone or thing that may be out tonight. You head to the left, I'll take the right."

His heritage blessed him with keen eyes in the dark, which has came in handy in more than a few situations. He thinks to himself, Maybe there'll be a nice cozy cave to bunker down for the night.

Ghelin approaches Kicsi, "Over there lass, I see a clearing that may provide us a bit of comfort on this dreadful night. Nothing else catches my eye tonight. Maybe Ewan will have some insight after he is done with his search."

He then starts helping Kicsi find some firewood for the night.

Hearing Ghelin mention the clearing, Kicsi breaks into a broad smile. "Excellent!", she exclaims in Dwarvish, as she starts to coax her pony through the thicket of oaks. Breaking into the clearing, Kicsi decides to take a slow ride around the perimeter. "I'm going to take a peek around the clearing and then gather some wood so that we can warm up!"

Ewan dabs his fingers in the water, smells it, tries to get some sense of what about it might have caused all these animals to die.

Mac looked onto the red water silently. He slipped his hand into his backpack, and from it emerged a glass bottle. Bending down to the water, Mac quickly filled the bottle with the liquid and sealed it, taking care not to touch the water. After filling the bottle, Mac quickly returned to the group - and more importantly the fire. Mac hoped to further analyze the water with the light from the fire and cross reference it with an Academy textbook he brought with him [my Book of Lore].

Relaxing by a campfire can wait for Ewan. He's going to look around beyond the clearing to see the best way to get up on top of the waterfall.

Ghelin asks the group "Shall we wait here till morning and the light of day, or venture forth with Ewan. Snow, night, and potential rock climbing does not bode well for me dwarven legs."

Ewan is willing to rest for the night if that's what everybody wants, but before he turns in he's going to search the proximate area of the ridge for any sign of concealed caves, or at least the optimal place to start climbing.

Ghelin offers to take first watch of the night. "We cannot be to certain of what lurks around here. I'll take the first watch, Ewan can I count on you for second so I can get a bit of rest in meself?"

"Certainly, Ghelin. Wake me as soon as you need."

"I'll take my turn as well", Kicsi says through a yawn as she lays her head down and closes her eyes.

While the others got ready to sleep, their conversations seemed to play in the background for Mac. He sat by the fire, with the bottle in one hand and a quill in the other, rapidly taking notes, and occasionally glancing at the open book in his lap. Back at the Academy, Mac never considered himself a very good student - but now he was utterly engrossed by the red liquid in the bottle. It didn't appear to have any properties inherently magical, but it certainly wasn't water. A realization struck Mac, he flipped open to the index in the back of the textbook. Mac let out a short shriek and almost dropped the bottle as a realization hit him. Quickly regaining composure, Mac looked up at the others, "This isn't water. Its blood, that of a Fey, I think. But I haven't the faintest idea how this stuff could kill Darious or where so much blood could come from." Mac began to put his book and notes away, taking extra care to make sure the bottle of blood was safe. As he set up his tent, Mac continued, "I'm going to cast Detect Magic tomorrow morning to see if there is something I hadn't noticed. Anyway, wake me up when its my turn to take watch, I'm fine with whenever."

It's the day of the big competition at the Monastery, the one her and her brothers have been training weeks for. As if the prestige that is associated with winning the competition wasn't enough, it's finally Kicsi's chance to show her brothers that a halfling is more than capable of becoming a well respected monk. Her first opponent, Brother Torus, a human easily twice her size, lines up across from her and assumes his fighting stance. Kicsi gives him her best menacing look before bowing her head for a silent prayer. It's at this time she notices the other brothers pointing and laughing at her! She's totally naked! The day of the big competition and she forgot to put her clothes on!!

Kicsi screams as she is rocked out of her deep slumber. Hoping none of the others have noticed her she rolls over and tries to go back to sleep...