Ch. 1 - The Keep on the Borderlands

Darlene is somewhat more cautious. "We should be careful. Whoever they are, they may have left a nasty surprise for unwary intruders."

"We did not spot any traps and we have been looking through most of the campsite. I don't think they left any traps." Ezra says with a calm voice.

"It is impossible to tell how many people there were, but possibly a lot. And the camp site only showed campfires and nothing much else. We didn't find anyone, or an traces beside the steps of people fleeing." tries to answer Farem to the many questions coming his way.

His eyes narrowed and his expression suspicious, Delfarious presses harder. "But what were these folk gathered for?" he asks. "Were they miners? Settlers? Was there no sign of the work they must have left behind? Or of whatever it was that chased them from the camp?"

Robin scratches her head.
"Beats me. We saw them stumbling around from afar, and now we know that was them scrambling to get away. Whatever is, or was, there must have been truly terrifying if is sent people fleeing en masse.
But yeah, we can go back there if you want to see for yourselves."

Farem raises his shoulders, not able to provide more insight.

Darlene looks nervous. "Whatever scared them off must be pretty big or damned impressive. Do we want to chance meeting it?"

"I didn't take on with this company to sit here talking," spits Kraagor, "I did so to wet my pickaxe and to die a rich dwarf. Enough talk about what these men were or were not afraid of, or what they did for paltry coin."

Father Petronius put a hand on Darlene's shoulder, giving her an empathic look. "I do not have a good feeling about any of this either my child, but this is where adventure seems to call us. Let's start by all of us going to the camp and examining it more closely, see if we can find answers to our questions. Then I guess we can either try to approach one of the stumbling forms or perhaps examine that obelisk and tunnel instead."

Farem is a bit surprised by some of the proposals. "The people there were many and camping at night. They all fled in fright. Do we really want to reproduce this setup?" he asks naively.

"I though of this too, but the alternative is to return to the keep empty-handed. I can't talk about everyone, but my coin purse is pretty slim. I'm not entirely sure I can afford another night at the keep."

"I know that I can't," Darlene answers grimly.

"And I refuse to return empty-handed like a coward, not when there's something right up ahead!" grumbles the dwarf!

"Let us then sleep in the wild!" Robin suggested. "It's free, plus maybe we can see what happens in that place if we make camp far enough."

Delfarious eyes the sun, holding his hand up as though he was grasping it, as though he is considering its descent. He then nods at Quinn.

"We could -- yes! We could make our own camp in a safe place, near enough to this abandoned habitation to keep an eye on it, and then investigate it at first light!"

Ezra checks his pack for rations and nods at Delfarious, "I agree, I have plenty of rations for the time being and could share if need be. Maybe we can hunt for some game, even."

Farem shrugs but says nothing more.

"Fine," spits the dwarf. "We'll sleep on it, first."

He then retrieves a bottle of wine. By the looks of it, it isn't good wine.

The party sets camp and spends the night in the wilderness. Those who keep watch are bothered by distant rustlings and yowling all night, but nothing comes close enough to the camp to disturb it.Dawn comes swiftly, and the party is again alone in the forest. It's only dawn, but the day looks to be hot with some wind from the lowland fen.