The Old Forest

The stop at the lumber yard shelter is brief. Gennadius performs his healer's treatments, everyone gathers gear, and the team sets to march back on the Lusetem Trail.

The pace is slow. Damanandros is struggling but presses on.

The weather is better though. The clouds are coming and going, but no rain. The rays of the morning sun cut through intermittently, at moments standing like great blades from the ground to the overhead canopy of the towering trees.

After a couple of short breaks and several hours march, the group makes it to an area of low ground where the trail is flooded. In truth, with the recent volume of water moving through, it appears that what once was the trail has effectively become a creek bed.



Looking around, the group finds that a newer trail bypass has been constructed - rougher and narrow, but it avoids the worst parts of the flood zone.



This is area is expected to be close to the construction site of Tower 3, so the group spreads slightly a bit to explore the area at some leisure without sacrificing safety.

A short while after crossing the water, the group finds the construction area. A clearing. Several piles of collected rocks, gathered from the nearby creek bed.

There is a partial structure, the base of a tower, standing atop an elevated flat area. It is a four wall square that rises up about 10' tall on the sides, with no doors.The ground in the area is rocky, but there is a line of water running down the hill from higher ground, making the ground wet and soggy only a short distance from the tower. Parts of the clearing hill are muddy with evidence of runoff and erosion.

The terrain around this platformed area is hilly and intermittently rocky, a steep climb all around with very limited open space.

Syrena does a quick climb however and finds the ruins of the old fortifications on a higher and overgrown overlook.

These worn and partially fallen structures are a sight to see. They are surely dated from centuries past, in the early days of the Empire when the victorious alliance of Tirenean clans had triumphed in their revolt against their Zaharan overlords, waged the Beastman Wars, and then turned their eyes towards expansion, fighting against the neighboring Kryseans.



What is more, even higher yet on the next rise up, Syrena discovers another site. These remnant stones, stairs, and constructed platform do not seem like fortifications necessarily. The actual purpose of the site is unknown to the scout, but it is a lot of extensive rock work. The high platform serves as a decent overwatch position for the old ruins below, although the lower new tower is not visible from here.



After fully assessing the surrounding area, Syrena judges it as safe - for the moment at least. It is known now that no guarantees can be granted for safety in Skausen Spen.

She returns to tell the others details about the higher ruin sites up the steep hill.

It is late morning, a while before the high rise of the midday sun.

The group has taken a short rest at the lowest of the 3 platforms, beside the partially constructed new tower, overlooking the creek nearby.

Now they must make a decision of what to do next.Required Action, PC Party: Choose an Action and Movement Plan

Option 1: Continue on route towards Saromen Fro (Tower 4), 9 miles, with expectation to arrive late in the day near sunset (accounting for Damanadros's reduced pace cap).

Option 2: Make camp at ruins/construction site for Rest and Recovery.

Option 3: Something else. Describe.

Everyone gathers their packs and resets to the march, again northward along the Lusetem.

The movement goes well enough. The drying ground is an improvement over recent conditions.

The group sees quite a bit of wildlife while on the move. Once an impressive wolf explores off in the distance. It is either alone or its pack remains unseen deeper in the woods.



The trail itself becomes more strenuous to pass in some stretches. During the entire trip, the travel has been a net rise in elevation, but now some of the climbs are steep. The route is moving further into the edges of the Mearleigh Mountains.

After an early afternoon trek upward, the trail opens up to a clearer area on a high ground. The view is quite a sight.



Damanandros actually seems to be improving. Perhaps it is a surprise to see, but even in the strain he is gaining his stride. It isn't a shocking increase, but it allows for the group pace to improve. Syrena, monitoring the time and distance as possible, sees that they are traveling faster than she had expected.

Damanadros, Movement Rate Increase: from half maximum to 2/3 maximum

Eventually the afternoon is waning. The sun is a while from setting, but it is the time in the spring days when the transition of the evening is slow and quite pleasant.

There is a light fog in this area. The group is at a higher elevation for certain, and the mountains are known to gather the edge of clouds in mysterious ways.

The moment seems unusual though, especially to Syrena, whose senses are attuned to the Natural Order. The air here is crisp and clean, something more like morning than the brink of evening.

Then it is suddenly there when they look up. A magnificent stag stands high on the rise above.




The animal is also giant! Never before has anyone seen such a specimen.

Perhaps it is the sun breaking through the overhead canopy and glowing in the mist of the fog, but there is a sense of awe during the event.

Just as suddenly as it manifested, the stag lopes down the rise, towards the group!

It moves with majesty and grace, as well as strength and speed.

The mighty beast drives closest to Gundus. There before him, the stag crashes its hooves in heavy and then raises its front legs up again in a pivot. It is a close call, but a sharp change in direction and the towering animal barrels past.

Revealed: previously a Note exclusive to Robago...

This encounter with the Great Stag is much more to Gundus.

Time slows and Gundus sees into the Stag's eyes. This animal, if not a manifestation of Turas, is surely one of his mightiest Champions.

The Stag is an Icon of Justice, Order, and Tradition. This forest is its Home and Soil. The trees are its Brethren. The lakes and streams are its Life and Blood. The mountains are its Bones. It is the Ancestor of the Spirits of both Tiren and Krys

The Full Moon rises, God of the Night. A time of Mystery and Risk that calls for a Will to Power. But whose Will?

Order and Tradition must be maintained, through Strength and Honor.

Optional Temporary Power Gain, Gundus: During the Full Moon, the Reign of the Night God, can hold the Icon of Tuweigh, who is Turas, to cast Bless, Cure Light Wounds, and Light - once each before morning. To gain this power, Gundus must use the Icon of Tuweigh in a blessing and proclamation over himself and his companions, and rebuke chaos and degeneracy, before the Sun sets today.



In a burst of great power and speed, the stag charges away - downhill along the trail that the companions recently passed - before turning and disappearing into the forest.

Everyone is reflecting on the unusual event as they press on.

In a short while they come to a fork in the trail. One route continues on roughly north. The other smaller trail curves to the right, bending northeast towards the higher mountains.

This must be the spur to Saromen Fro. At this moment, the party has reached their destination.

It is late in the day. The sun is setting soon.

No one is there at the spur to meet them.

There is a sign of some activity by men though. Over to the side, strapped in a tree, an old canvass canopy. It is the type carried by Legionnaires, issued for use as a field shelter.

It is evident that the tarp was previously tied between four trees, as if once used as a cover against the elements.

But this shelter has since lost its usefulness. It has fallen, tie straps broken on two of its four corners. Part of it has torn, likely from being blown in heavy wind. It is dirty from exposure and still wet from retained water not yet dried.

Neglected, abandoned, or forgotten - now it is only a mysterious sign that invites questions.

Saromen Fro Spur Trail reached.
Required Action, PC Party: Decide what to do.