BrOp's Age of Worms Adventure Path: The Whispering Cairn (IC)
- Thread starter Branding Opportunity
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Knight Otu
First Post
Meldain sighs. "Oh, well, if we must rest, then we should..."
He suddenly remembers something, and looks for the remains of his lamp. "Think someone might be able to fix that later somewhen?"
He suddenly remembers something, and looks for the remains of his lamp. "Think someone might be able to fix that later somewhen?"
Branding Opportunity
Explorer
Gathering your belongings you make your way up the steps from the star-shaped chamber towards the exit. You pass the wolves' lair and head down the hallway, once again hearing the eerie voice-like sounds emanating from the walls.
Once outside of the Cairn you can see that it has turned into a somewhat overcast, hot and muggy afternoon. Rain clouds loom overhead yet seem reluctant to give any kind of relief from the heat.
Pak and Kellian sigh and look at each other, a quiet look of disappointment in their eyes. The shifter remains silent, but the changeling speaks up, “Look, gents, it’s been fun and all, but Kellian and I have been thinking and talking. We haven’t found a thing in this place and some of us have almost died for it. We don’t think it’s worth it anymore. We’re sorry to run out on you like this, but I’m sure you’ll be fine. We’re going to head back to Diamond Lake, there are much better pickings there for the likes of us!” Pak smiles, trying to make the best of the situation, “Good luck to you all, though, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about our little adventure. Not that there’s really all that much to tell.”
Kellian shrugs and grabs his pack as he trots away from you. Pak tries another smile and then runs after the shifter, not wanting to be left behind. In less than a minute they move around a bend in the path and disappear from sight.
The rest of you pick your way through the overgrown path which leads from the entrance, making your way back to the main trail. Once there you make a left, heading further up into the hills surrounding Diamond Lake. From here it’s only a short walk to the former mining office, not more than ten minutes.
The countryside here is covered in tall acacia trees with heavy undergrowth, and as this path is seldom used it requires a bit of bushwhacking from time to time. Nothing that your group isn’t up to.
Some of you played in these woods as children, although you haven’t been up this way in quite some time. Nineteen years ago the Red Death plague swept through this part of Breland, killing thousands in its wake. Many homesteads in this vicinity were wiped out completely, even infecting the livestock. The disease was blamed on spies from Thrane (or was it Aundair?) who were Breland’s main opponents during that part of the Last War, but nothing was every conclusively proven. After the worst of the Red Death had past, people in town were afraid to come up here, scared that they might bump into some poor, infected hermit. They kept to Diamond Lake, even if the town was becoming less and less of an inviting place.
In addition to the slight jitters that memories of the Red Death provoke (in those of you who are old enough to remember it, that is) there is the additional danger that the wolves you encountered in the cairn are far from the most dangerous predators in this region.
You stop at an overgrown side path, unsure of how to proceed. After a brief discussion you decide that this is indeed the trail to the office. You proceed up it, slicing away some of the underbrush, and brushing off the many small cobwebs which block your path. The path rises until it opens up in a clearing. A modest dwelling squats upon the crown of a small hill. While the rough stone walls of the first floor look mostly intact, the second floor has completely collapsed. A half height wall rings the house, but it too is in a state of severe disrepair. Rubble and dense weeds choke the yard. Made of smooth stone blocks, this building stands in shambles. Thick vines creep up the side and most of the windows are broken. The front door hands open, barely on its hinges, under a sagging and partially collapsed porch.
Once outside of the Cairn you can see that it has turned into a somewhat overcast, hot and muggy afternoon. Rain clouds loom overhead yet seem reluctant to give any kind of relief from the heat.
Pak and Kellian sigh and look at each other, a quiet look of disappointment in their eyes. The shifter remains silent, but the changeling speaks up, “Look, gents, it’s been fun and all, but Kellian and I have been thinking and talking. We haven’t found a thing in this place and some of us have almost died for it. We don’t think it’s worth it anymore. We’re sorry to run out on you like this, but I’m sure you’ll be fine. We’re going to head back to Diamond Lake, there are much better pickings there for the likes of us!” Pak smiles, trying to make the best of the situation, “Good luck to you all, though, and don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about our little adventure. Not that there’s really all that much to tell.”
Kellian shrugs and grabs his pack as he trots away from you. Pak tries another smile and then runs after the shifter, not wanting to be left behind. In less than a minute they move around a bend in the path and disappear from sight.
The rest of you pick your way through the overgrown path which leads from the entrance, making your way back to the main trail. Once there you make a left, heading further up into the hills surrounding Diamond Lake. From here it’s only a short walk to the former mining office, not more than ten minutes.
The countryside here is covered in tall acacia trees with heavy undergrowth, and as this path is seldom used it requires a bit of bushwhacking from time to time. Nothing that your group isn’t up to.
Some of you played in these woods as children, although you haven’t been up this way in quite some time. Nineteen years ago the Red Death plague swept through this part of Breland, killing thousands in its wake. Many homesteads in this vicinity were wiped out completely, even infecting the livestock. The disease was blamed on spies from Thrane (or was it Aundair?) who were Breland’s main opponents during that part of the Last War, but nothing was every conclusively proven. After the worst of the Red Death had past, people in town were afraid to come up here, scared that they might bump into some poor, infected hermit. They kept to Diamond Lake, even if the town was becoming less and less of an inviting place.
In addition to the slight jitters that memories of the Red Death provoke (in those of you who are old enough to remember it, that is) there is the additional danger that the wolves you encountered in the cairn are far from the most dangerous predators in this region.
You stop at an overgrown side path, unsure of how to proceed. After a brief discussion you decide that this is indeed the trail to the office. You proceed up it, slicing away some of the underbrush, and brushing off the many small cobwebs which block your path. The path rises until it opens up in a clearing. A modest dwelling squats upon the crown of a small hill. While the rough stone walls of the first floor look mostly intact, the second floor has completely collapsed. A half height wall rings the house, but it too is in a state of severe disrepair. Rubble and dense weeds choke the yard. Made of smooth stone blocks, this building stands in shambles. Thick vines creep up the side and most of the windows are broken. The front door hands open, barely on its hinges, under a sagging and partially collapsed porch.
Bront
The man with the probe
Zan waves goodbye to his brother, hoping that perhaps this will ground him a bit more, and he can start his life off on a better path. Still, he hopes that some day he will have the opertunity to adventure with his brother again.
When they arive at the building, Zan walks around it and survays it, checking to see if it looks stable and sturdy. Not knowing very much about buildings however, he quickly nods in approval. "This looks like a good place for shelter, and we can defend ourselves from the wild as well."
When they arive at the building, Zan walks around it and survays it, checking to see if it looks stable and sturdy. Not knowing very much about buildings however, he quickly nods in approval. "This looks like a good place for shelter, and we can defend ourselves from the wild as well."
lotuseater
Explorer
Mulch - Cleric
When people suggest they don't want to sleep underground, Mulch becomes perplexed. "What's wrong with sleeping underground?" he asks. But when the group decides to head back to the cabin, Mulch just shrugs his shoulders and follows along.
At the cabin, seeing how rickety and old it is, the dwarf says, "And we think this is more secure than solid rock? How strange."
He asks Shifter and Kerwin if they want to have a look around the perimeter with him, to make sure that there are no surprises out there waiting for them.
When people suggest they don't want to sleep underground, Mulch becomes perplexed. "What's wrong with sleeping underground?" he asks. But when the group decides to head back to the cabin, Mulch just shrugs his shoulders and follows along.
At the cabin, seeing how rickety and old it is, the dwarf says, "And we think this is more secure than solid rock? How strange."
He asks Shifter and Kerwin if they want to have a look around the perimeter with him, to make sure that there are no surprises out there waiting for them.
Someone
Adventurer
"So few we´ve explored" says Rial "But so many surprises. Specially the hot ´corpse´ in the sarcophagus. I´m surprise that still worked after all those hundreds of years. I´m continuing, if nothing to find out what was it´s use; I´m stopping calling it a ´tomb´."
While saying that, he´s looking for a comfortable place to sleep at.
While saying that, he´s looking for a comfortable place to sleep at.
Branding Opportunity
Explorer
Zan, Mulch, Sniffer and Kerwin decide to make a quick tour of the perimeter of the property (OOC: Sorry for volunteering you, Sniffer and Kerwin 
). The clearing on the top of this hill seems to be about 100 yards long and perhaps 120 yards wide, although the term "clearing" can only be applied in a vague sense. It looks as if this area had been clearcut at one time, but no one has maintained it in quite a long time. Groundcover vines and small trees and bushes have taken over, so much so that you have to pay close attention to where you are stepping for fear of catching your feet on them.
(OOC: A successful Knowledge (local) check tells you that the previous owner of the building, a mining manager named Ulgo Fant, abandoned the place more than fifty years ago when his nearby mine ran dry. When he died over a decade ago, the property has left without an owner.)
Behind the building a stone well rises up out of the weeds. Although the bucket is gone, you can still see water at the bottom of it. Not too far from it you can also discern the ruins of a wooden outhouse, lying in a disorganized heap.
). The clearing on the top of this hill seems to be about 100 yards long and perhaps 120 yards wide, although the term "clearing" can only be applied in a vague sense. It looks as if this area had been clearcut at one time, but no one has maintained it in quite a long time. Groundcover vines and small trees and bushes have taken over, so much so that you have to pay close attention to where you are stepping for fear of catching your feet on them.(OOC: A successful Knowledge (local) check tells you that the previous owner of the building, a mining manager named Ulgo Fant, abandoned the place more than fifty years ago when his nearby mine ran dry. When he died over a decade ago, the property has left without an owner.)
Behind the building a stone well rises up out of the weeds. Although the bucket is gone, you can still see water at the bottom of it. Not too far from it you can also discern the ruins of a wooden outhouse, lying in a disorganized heap.
Branding Opportunity
Explorer
Rial makes his way over the partially collapsed porch to the front door, barely hanging on its hinges. Despite the hinges needing work, the door itself seems to be in pretty decent shape. Through the front door, the warlock enters what must have been the main living room. Small mounds of debris litter the floor of this room. Loose stones, dead weeds, and grime cover virtually every surface. Paintings must have once adorned the place as indicated by the particular stain patterns marring the walls. The only light comes from outside, illuminating clouds of dust dancing through the stale air.Someone said:
The room itself seems to be in pretty decent shape, although the floor in a semi-seperated section to your left has partially collapsed, revealing bare earth beneath it. A flight of stairs lead off of this room to the second floor, but it is chocked with debris.
Directly to the right of the living room space is what looks to have been an office. The bookshelves and desk lining the walls have thoroughly rotted, although they still contain a few moldy books and scrolls.
Adjoining the living room is a sizable dining room. A few chairs and a table are scattered about, but all seem so ruined and soiled as to render them worthless.
In the far corner of the building is the kitchen which contains an actual fire pit, but the chimney is blocked and will probably have to be cleared before it can be used. The pantry, attached to the kitchen, has a number of empty and broken shelves along with two empty barrels. Another flight of stairs here lead to to a crude cellar with a packed dirt floor.
The cellar is partially collapsed, but seems pretty stable. Along one wall a crumbling wine rack still stands, although others have already plundered it, leaving a pile of empty and broken bottles at its base.
The second floor of the manor is in complete ruins, with huge holes in the thatched roof. The floor above prevents most of the rainwater from leaking into the first floor.
Looking around, you judge that because of the damage to the roof, the first floor will probably be the most suitable for staying in. It could be completely cleaned in a day given the right supplies, although to make it truly livable would require paint, replacement floor boards and plaster. Renovating the upstairs would require a skilled carpenter and quite a bit of wood and other building supplies. The walls need some work as well, requiring a stone mason, and the glass windows are beyond hope. They need to just be boarded up or replaced.
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