2. The Ruins of Arden Vul

No worries, Jezebel, I’m sure that Griffon or Vorpal can help me. Thank you!

Having told the others that the names on the Obelisk correspond to those of Archontean emperors, which made a lot of sense, the elf made ready to continue down the road towards the Inn. The fact that their path would take them next to the pyramid was obviously exciting for the archer, and she kept looking about, still fearing some threat might jump out at the party at any moment.

You leave the obelisk behind and proceed northwards up the wide cobbled boulevard that is lined with ancient oak trees.

Here’s an artist’s impression of the path ahead …



The boulevard eventually opens into a larger square. You get the impression that this was once a grand forum, but today it resembles a war zone. Stumps of pillars, broken off between 3’ and 8’ in height, line the outer borders; the busts that once sat on these pillars lie on the pavement, staring unceasingly at interlopers. The paving stones are tilted, stained, and cracked.

Small trees have grown up here and there, and stumps of larger ones dot the pavement. Only three large trees remain, including a massive and ancient oak in the centre of the forum, and two majestic maples in the southern section.

Looming on the square’s east side is a 45’ tall tower built from granite blocks. Like the obelisk, it appears all the more formidable by standing intact amongst the surrounding rubble. Entry appears to be through a pair of massive bronze doors. No windows grace the tower until the final 10’ of its height.

In the northwest corner of the forum lies a collapsed building that is now little more than a rubble-filled cellar.



---
6:40 pm, Demmasday 1st Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’
Vasco, Thorcin Thief 1: 6/6, 120’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
—
Billie, Mule, 120’

Pretty views, but I thought someone said there was an inn. I could use a beer or three before we descend to our deaths.

Ellagel’s gaze was attracted to the granite tower, and in particular to its bronze doors. She looked for any sign of writing, or any symbols that might suggest the edifice’s purpose or function. She didn’t, however, risk approaching the building. Her eyes darted from the doors to the windows crowning the building, her reflexes as an archer suggesting her party might be being watched.

"Wait...which one inn? Doesn't look like much of an inn..." Thrudmarr scratches his head. "Cool statues though...maybe they make statues of us when we become heroes!"

"Well, we haven't got to the inn quite yet," Jacky says. Seeing Ella's trepidation, he keeps his distance from the tower too but waves the party to move forward. "Let's move quickly. I don't want to be caught out here when night falls!"

Grim marvels at the trio of trees.
Must be strong trees, for to withstand all the devastation.
Grim approaches the large middle tree and inspects it.

Vasco watched the tower with interest and then turned to others saying, "The Inn is further ahead. Lets proceed catuiously. We can again comeback for this tower later."

Grand Forum
The massive bronze double-doors are 8’ tall and are carved with symbols of ibises, baboons, moons, glyphs, and multiple iterations of the Archontean alphabet.
The tree is, unquestionably, the largest oak Grim has ever seen. It is also extremely old and must have been here for centuries. As the dwarf walks the circumference of the trunk, he notices a couple of items imprisoned amongst its roots. One is a small shiny object … an item of jewellery of some sort. The other is a larger piece of shaped stone - perhaps a statue, or part of one. Neither of these items would be easy to retrieve - they are securely embedded and entangled within the tree’s roots.

---
6:40 pm, Demmasday 1st Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’
Vasco, Thorcin Thief 1: 6/6, 120’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
—
Billie, Mule, 120’

"What've you found there, Grim?" Jacky wanders up by the dwarf. When he spies the sparkling thing nestled in the roots, he taps his chin. "If you're keen on that bit of jewelry, I have fish hooks and some twine. We can try to tug it up, if you'd like."

Surely Grim’s sense of dwarven greed, coupled with adventurous curiosity, overtakes the moment. As our dwarven fellow pursues the shiny object!
Aye, Jackey! Let’s see if we can dig this thing out!

At the sound of Jacky and Grim’s discovery, Ellagel turned to look, but she did not approach the tree. She scanned its massive branches, looking for any sign of hidden creatures. Once satisfied of the absence of any immediate threat, Ella turned her attention back to the bronze doors. Did the recognisable iterations of the archontean script actually form words?

Jacky pulls out a brightly feathered fish hook and loops twine through the hoop. The twine he twists around itself to strengthen it. Dropping the hook amid the roots, the halfling tries to snag the sparkling bauble.

Zach remember the last time the group went after shinies, about ten years ago for him—literally—and stays back from the fishing expedition.

Grand Forum
No words. All the letters of the alphabet are present, at least once, but they are in an apparently random order.
Jacky quickly realises his attempt at fishing is futile. The object is too deeply buried and entwined within the roots. He would have to cut some of the roots away in order to retrieve it.

---
6:40 pm, Demmasday 1st Lucreon (April) 2993 AEP
Ellagel, Elven Fighter/Magic User 1/1: 6/6, 90’
Grimidek, Dwarven Cleric 1: 9/9, 60’
Jacky, Halfling Fighter/Thief 1/1: 6/6, 60’
Thrudmarr, Wiskin Fighter 1: 5/5, 90’
Vasco, Thorcin Thief 1: 6/6, 120’
Zacharias, Archontean Fighter 1: 10/10, 60’
—
Billie, Mule, 120’

"Oh well, I suppose it's not going anywhere," Jacky says to Grim, pulling up the empty fish hook. He casts a glance up at the darkening sky. "We can come back for it another time. It's been waiting there for who knows how long, another day or two won't hurt."

"Thrudmarr have axe! Roots no problem for me!" Thrudmarr takes a few experimental whacks at the roots with his battle axe.

Thrud - can you roll to hit and damage please ... +4 to hit as it's a stationary target.

Grim waddles back and away from the axe of ol’ Thrud! Our dwarven fellow gazes brown bulging eyes upon the shiny object. Simply trying to discern just what it is, exactly.