Crossed Paths, Part II

[doghead]

Tullius shifts his grip on the axe, having finished brushing dirt from it. He turns, glances upwards, then begins to walk towards the treeline. A pause.

"Might I trouble someone for a waterskin..." he asks, over his shoulder.

Marcus nods.

"I'll get you some water."

He does , then turns to the others. He is puzzled at their lack of curiosity at the discrepancies in what they know of Sergius, and what it bodes.

"I do not think that Sergius was the commander of el whatsits dragon's orc legions before he left Rome. I doubt that he was even of orcish blood when he set out."

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Octar shakes his head. "That doesn't make any sense. But I don't seek to understand it. Whatever Sergius is, his time will come sooner or later." He turns to Tullius. "In any case, you can ride..." with me, where you cannot help but notice the spearpoint's heat. "With Mendicus," he amends, "if he does not object."

 

[Manzanita]

October 17th, Evening

Tullius leads the group through the bush. They pass a number of fairly well traveled routes and game trails. Now and then they pass moss-covered jumbled stone structures, ancient in appearence. The ground gets increasingly swampy, and Tullius informs them that the site is on the edge of a swamp.

Finally they reach a clearing, just as the sun is setting. In the fading light, the remnants of a camp site is evident. There are the torn remains of tents, refuse trenches, fire pits, animal bones, scattered digging and kitchen tools and pieces of wood that seem recently to have been structures. There are no bodies or weapons in evidence. Visible a little farther in the clearing are several crumbling buildings.

Tullius tells the group that this is where his party of Roman archeologists made camp. He is aware of two entrances to the tunnels below among the ruins. One stairway within a ruined building, which the romans cleared out when they came. This is where he says their leader Matriculus was taken by the gnolls. There is also what was probably an ancient well, now just a hole in the ground, beyond that building. It was this one that Sergius came to favor in his explorations, and the one from which he emerged with the spear.

The party is hungry and cold, and it will soon be dark.

 

[Krilith]

~With a thud Dhormium somewhat jumps from his horse and tethers it to a tree and speaks~

“We could travel on a bit, or we could stay here. If we would stay here then we already know that it can result in drawn steel and spilled blood. But, it has now been a week and several days since they beasts raided this camp, so we might get lucky.
I recommend just a small cookingfire for food, wrap yourself in your cloaks for warmth, smoke and light is a beacon we do not need this night.
Marcus, could you take a quick look at both those entrances? I hope that the lingering light is enough for you to see if there where people going in and out of the tunnels.”

~And with those words spoken Dhormium starks looking for some dry wood~

 

[doghead]

ooc: would have had this said before we set off.

Marcus says nothing for the duration of the ride. As they pull up at the campsite he turns to the others.

"Have you not wondered what, if he was not what he was when we met him, changed him.

"How are the teeth Octar?"

 

[Jarval]

"I don't think who or whatever killed Nathaniel was really Sergius. There are magics that can give their caster the appearance of another." Brioc comments. "In all likelihood, Sergius died with the other archeologists, and our orcish killer merely took his guise.

"If we are to camp here or in the vicinity, I think we should entirely forego a fire. We can manage with cold food for one night, and we reduce the risk of getting our throats slit if we don't have light and flame to draw attention to ourselves."

 

[doghead]

"Or he was corrupted by the spear."

Marcus knows that he has come across as cyrptic, and tries to make amends to any he has offened.

"I realise that perhaps should have spoken my thoughts earlier, but was worried about setting Tullius' head and distorting what he remembered."

 

[Manzanita]

October 18th. Morning

Tullius suggests two campsites, an ancient building which still stands sturdy, and a grove of aspens on a solid istmus into the swamp. Both offer some concealment and defence. Whichever the party picks, their night passes uneventfully.

[Please select one]

Morning dawns cold and crisp. Mendicus tends to the horses, and doesn't prepare his usual morning tea, as there is no campfire. He seems nervous at the days prospects.

 

[eoghanbt]

Tullius wakes early, and goes about gathering wood to build a small fire, using his axe to cut branches, and then with a small rock he digs out from the remains of an earlier campfire, strikes sparks and gets the blaze going.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Aspens, preferably.

Octar sleeps uneasily, troubled by Marcus' suggestion about the spear. Once, when he thinks no one is looking, he runs his tongue over his teeth, although he is embarassed to do even that. That morning, he takes the spearhead out and looks at it. What is it? Why was it at the dig site? And why does Sergius, whoever Sergius is, want it so badly?