[IC] Industrygothica's "The Hive"

[Kobold Stew]

"Hmmm." Courage nods, pensively. "I understand the problem. But I am sure that our companions can be trusted to do what is right, in the end." She sits up, smiling when she realizes the time. "It's almost dawn. I hope you'll be alright for the day ahead. I'm going to go get some more berries."

 

[industrygothica]

The hills are peaceful as Courage and Jonas spend the better part of the night learning about each other. Tanith awakens later after her full night's rest and begins her normal morning preperations.

[sblock=Jonas and Tanith]As Courage heads off to collect her berries, you sit quietly in the brisk pre-dawn air. As you bathe in the serenity, you both realize just how quiet it really is. Maybe too quiet...[/sblock]

[sblock=Courage]As you pick your berries, enjoying the serenity and thinking of your new friends, you can hear a faint skittering sound come from behind you and to your left. Looking, you see a hole, approximately 5 feet in diameter, about 15 feet away from you. The earth around it appears fresh, and you don't remember it being there yesterday when you collected berries.[/sblock]

 

[wmasters]

As they make camp, Scodi issues a loud yawn. "It has been a long day." he says, "I'll take a watch; wake me if you need me." With that he turns in, his heavy breathing can be heard within minutes as he falls asleep almost immediately.

In the morning, Scodi sits and splashes some water from his waterskin over his face. "Aah, that's better." he says cheerily as he pulls a crust of bread to chew on from his bag. "Looks like a fine day."

 

[Mista Collins]

Listening quietly to Jonas and Courage discuss religion, Tanith is thumbing through a small book in her lap. Her clothes seem to be changing colors often and her appearance itself often changes from that of a skinny man to a heft woman and back to her normal appearance. Once the others take notice, she tries to stick to a single look: that of a half-elven woman with dark green robes.

"It sure is a quiet morning. I could get used to this."

 

[Eva of Sirrion]

Something's not right. I'm getting the feeling we're being watched. Be on your toes. It had gotten quiet all too suddenly, and that made Jonas uneasy. That sort of thing only happens when danger is afoot.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Hmmm muses Courage, as she notices the hole. That doesn't look natural. She pops the berries in her hand into her mouth, and makes her way back to the camp, keeping her eye on the place. Her weapons, left by the fire, are still sitting there and she picks them up.

"Sorry to bother you,"she begins, "but I noticed a rather large hole just beyond the edge of our campsite. I don't think it was there yesterday, so it probably bears some investigation."

She is looking around for a biggish rock that she can lob at the hole from a distance. When she finds one, she picks it up in her right hand (her bow is in her left, with an arrow nocked) and starts making her way to within 30' of the hole.

 

[industrygothica]

With the sun higher on the rise with each passing minute, finding a good-sized rock is not a problem. As you approach the hole, you can see a fair amount of animal tracks leading both to and from the hole. It looks as if the last direction was in, and probably not too long ago.

[sblock]With the new knowledge that there is probably something in the hole, I'll hold here to let you decide if you still want to throw the rock or not.[/sblock]

 

[Mista Collins]

With corssbow in hand and loaded, Tanith follows Courage towards the hole. "At any sign of trouble, I will wake the others."

 

[Kobold Stew]

"It's times like this you wish you had a gnome..." Her intonation is such that it seems the most likely continuation is "in your pocket" rather than "in your party", but she doesn't seem to be trying to be funny. Courage takes a quick glance at Tanith, to see if she happens to be a gnome right now.

"It is almost dawn. Why don't you wake them anyways? Perhaps we can remove our campground without disturbing these creatures needlessly. I'll stand watch." Courage side-steps while keeping her eye on the hole, so that if she draws unwanted attention it is away from the direction of the party. She places the rock at her feet, and readies her bow. Her axe is in the sling on her hip, her quicer is over her shoulders, and her pack is lying, secured, by the remains of the campfire.

 

[Eva of Sirrion]

Perfect, here we are with animal tracks and a mysterious hole in the ground, and we're stuck with the only Ehlonnan on Oerth who doesn't know anything about it. I'll be buggered. Jonas thniks.

I think the only one still asleep is Vorien. Anybody recognize what that hole might be from?

[sblock=ooc]I'll take my chances and roll an untrained knowledge (nature) check. result[/sblock]