Ch. 1 - The Keep on the Borderlands

"Shall we visit the abandoned camp again?" asks Farem expectantly, well awoken and ready to adventure.

"Yes, a fresh look during daytime and with more pairs of eyes might pick up clues that were overlooked yesterday."

Darlene agrees with the others, checking her bowstring to ensure it is still dry and taut.

"I agree, we best be at it." Ezra agrees joining the others in preparing for the day ahead.

"Grumble," grumbles the dwarf who is clearly not a morning person. All the same, he appears as ready as he did the night before.

"Chin up, dwarf! We will soon have in our hands the treasures of these forbidden lands!" Del says effusively. Thinking about what they might find at this abandoned camp, he adds, "And perhaps without even a drop of sweat on our collective brow!"

Morgan's eyes glitter at the mention of the treasure. Leaning against a tree, she pushes herself up and adds a spring to her step. "Aye, let's be off!"

The forest is mostly quiet, marked only by early-morning birdsong and the rustle of the party through the grass. Sunlight glints on dew and spiderwebs, and things are much like the scouts remember them. In a couple hours, the trees part and the clearing is revealed.

The abandoned campsite with which the scouts are familiar is still there: several scattered piles of ash, all that remains of several campfires, in a circle of shorn grass. Sooty bootprints are everywhere in the camp, though today they are almost impossible to see. You can only pick them out with the help of the scouts. One set of prints (or many in single-file) leads to the center of the clearing. In the campsite are many erratic prints which indicate a panicked and pained fleeing to the woods.

"Gods," Morgan remarks from her place by the party's side. "They sure were in a hurry."

"Where to now?" asks Farem. "Do we proceed to the stone construction?"

"Aye, there seems to be nothing left here. I'm getting impatient, the smell of gold is heavy on my nose," says Kraagor, doing his best Evil Universe Yukon Cornelius impression.

Father Petronius looked around the camp a bit looking desperately for clues. Even though he was told in advance that the camp was pretty much empty, he was still disappointed by the lack of... well, anything... "Might as well, there doesn't seem to be anything of interest left here... Perhaps, while on the way there, if we spot one of those stumbling figure in the distance, we could always walk up to them and see if they are responsive."

Delfarious joins in searching the camp, looking not just for petty findings, but also for some signs of what activities these men, and perhaps women, were busying themselves with. He does not tarry in these wildlands, though, and when the others set off he is quick to follow.

Father Petronius and Delfarious investigate the area for clues, but indeed there is nothing but ashes and flattened grass.

Once the party is ready to keep on, they follow the fading tracks to the center of the clearing. Still there are the three flat stone platforms, cut too perfectly to be anything but intelligent design. In the center of the largest platform is, again, a dark tunnel leading into the earth.

As the party reaches the stone construction, a group of about ten figures approaches from the edge of the clearing, more than a hundred yards away. It's not easy to make them out at this distance, but their heads look dark and furry, suggesting some non-human race. Most are wielding halberds, and at the sight of you they shriek in fury and charge.

"To arms companions! We are under attack!" Father Petronius takes out his sling, hoping to let lose a few stones before the creatures reach melee...

"Finally!" barks Kraagor, testing the weight of his warpick. He prepares to rush forward once the creatures are within sprinting range.

Darlene lifts her bow and takes careful aim, waiting until they come within short range. As soon as they have, she looses an arrow.

Ezra joins Darlene and begins loosening arrows at the closest foe.

Delfarious remains with the archers, planning to use them as cover if he need be as he casts his illusions...

Round 1Darlene and Ezra wait until the enemies come within short range of their bows (assuming Ezra copies Darlene here; if not, he hits). Meanwhile, Kraagor dashes 30 feet closer to the creatures, at which point he recognizes the wicked snouts of gnolls!

Intimidated and thrilled at the same time by the imminent battle, Farem brings out his short bow and shoots as soon as the enemy is in range.