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[3.5] Answering the Call

Orinar nods in agreement with Kyl. "Let us continue on our way. We can come back to this place, after we've dealt with the caves. It doesn't look to be going anywhere."
 

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[sblock=OOC]
Menno made his second Fort save. 1d20+1=16 Unfortunately, with his player incommunicado, Menno may end up being the first casualty of the impending danger.
[/sblock]

The adventurers press on, following the barrow's rise to the east. The forest grows more dense, tangled, and gloomier. Thick, twisted tree trunks with unnaturally misshapen limbs seem to warn off trespassers. The ground grows steeper as well, and soon the party is walking cautiously on a near constant decline.

After about an hour of slow going over rough terrain, the party finds itself most of the way up a steep ravine. The forest floor slopes sharply away, dropping nearly 100 feet into a narrow draw. Here and there, at varying heights on all sides of the ravine, the adventurers can see the black mouths of cave-like openings.

The sunlight is dim here, and the air feels heavy and dank. It is almost as if something evil is watching and waiting to pounce. On one bare, dead tree several a large vulture perches, gazing hungrily at the adventurers. A murder of crows rises croaking from within the ravine, the beat of their wings and their cries echoing and horrible.

The closest cave opens about 30 or so yards to the northwest and a few yards higher up the slope of the ravine. Others lie farther away and closer to the ravine's floor. Near the opening is a litter of rocks and dead wood, plus the gleaming white of the bones and skulls of animals...and men.
 

"Well," Lars mutters, "what a cheery place this is, eh?!" with a sarcastic smirk back at his companions.

In a grimmer tone, he states "Time to ruin something awful's day. Let's start with a cave that isn't fronted by the bones of other men, just to hedge our bets."

He starts looking for a good cave to walk or climb to, without forgetting how much his armor will make any significant climb treacherous. He keeps his battleaxe in hand until he needs to do some climbing.
 

Kyl looks around, he wasn't too thrilled about entering this place. It just gave off a creepy feeling. "Let us hope that it is their day that is ruined."
 

The two nearest cave entrances other than the one closest: the first is about 10 yards down the slope and about 70 yards northwest farther; the second is about 20 yards down the slope, but somewhat nearer to the northeast. Heading toward either should present an easy enough trek if the party moves cautiously over the rough terrain.
 


Kyl shrugged, it seemed as good a way as any. Upon reaching the door, Kyl takes his time to inspect it for any sort of traps..


ooc: My comp is acting up. I can't roll or even see my character sheet. Feel free to roll for me... I think my mod is +6...
 

Slowly, cautiously, the party picks its way down the slope toward the cave entrance. The going is tricky here and there, walking down a constant decline, once or twice even having to half walk, half crawl. While the rest of the group hides in a clump of trees about 30 or so feet above the cave entrance, Kyl sneaks forward to scout.

The ragged, more or less 10-foot-wide opening leads due south for only 15 or so feet before ending in a stout wooden door. Carved into the door in the Common Tongue are these words: Come in! We'd like to have you for dinner!

Kyl searches the entrance to the door, but finds no signs of traps. He quietly ascertains that the door is held fast, most likely barred from the opposite side. During his search of the door, Kyl discovers a secret mechanism which allows a person outside to slide the bar back to the portal can be opened.

[sblock=Dice Rolls]
Approach and initial entrance Hide, Move Silently, and Search, respectively: 1d20+6=17, 1d20+6=9, 1d20+6=12.

Checking the door Search: 1d20+6=23.
[/sblock]
 

Orinar waits anxiously in the small copse of trees, doing his best to keep his large form hidden as he watches Kyl enter the cave mouth. The giantkin held his great blade at the ready, and his muscles were tensed, ready to spring forward to his companions aid should the call arise.
 


Into the Woods

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