IndyPendant's Sunless Citadel

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Lehko sighs heavily, and kicks the body of the rat away from Dengar. "I am loathe to admit it, but I do believe our friend is right. Proper torches, or perhaps a sunrod would significantly improve our chances of suceeding at our mission. I do not worry about losing face, the death of a comrade is more than enough reason to return and resupply. However, if Ydyr or Herimund believes otherwise, I am willing to go along. He waits expectantly for a decision, examining Dengar's body, seeing if there is a way to easily move him. While doing so, he picks up one of his javelins, and balances it in his hand, testing the weight.

 

[jayaint]

There is every need to pay respect to this warrior. And some better equipment might help the rest of us avoid his fate. Let us go back and then return with a renewed heart and vigor.

 

[IndyPendant]

With the majority of the party wishing for a backtrack to Oakhurst for supplies and to return Dengar's body, you decide to head back up. Climbing up the rope takes a bit of time and effort, since none of you know how to tie a knot very skillfully, but you manage to get both Dengar's corpse and Terrek up without incident--although Terrek ends up howling his protestations of misery the entire time he's hauled upward. None of you are very strong, and so it takes all of you working together to get them both up, with only Heirmund staying behind below, in case anything were to go wrong--and even then, you have to strip the corpse of its gear, it takes a long time, and you're left utterly exhausted by the time you're done.

Still, it's completed without mishap, and after about an hour to rest, you set up a makeshift travois using yet more branches and begin the long, slow trek back to Oakhurst. Along the way, you pick up one of the--unmutilated--twig blight bodies, just in case it should prove useful to the townsfolk.

It takes much longer than it would have without dragging the bodies of friend and foe alike, but literally staggering with exhaustion, you round a bend and see Oakhurst a ways ahead of you, barely visible in the twilight dimness.

 

[Mithran]

Heirmund is quiet the whole way back and once the group reachs town moves off without a word to arrange proper burial for Dengar.

 

[JimAde]

Since Heirmund is making the arrangements for Dengar, Jerek returns to the inn where they were all staying earlier to face the inevitable questions of what happened. He gives a simple, factual account as if reporting action to a superior. Then he stumbles off to sink into a black pit of exhaustion.

[OOC: In the morning I plan to get us outfitted with:

2 50' lengths of Rope (2 GP and 20 lbs total)
3 Hooded Lanterns and at least 6 pints of oil (22 GP and 12 lbs total)

I think sunrods are out of our price range unless someone has more money than I think.

We'll have to take up a collection for all this and anything else we want to get. I'll kick in 10 GP...]

 

[Voadam]

Jair approves of Jerek's aquisition plans and puts in another 10 gold from his stores. As Jerek reports to the constable Jair adds his observations about the unnattural toxic twiglings from the forest.

He then talks away from the villagers with Herimund who was closest to the earth touched man. He asks about Dengar's kin and beliefs, whether he would want a druidic ceremony of returning to the earth and whether he has family who his belongings should go to. If appropriate Jair volunteers to perform the ceremony for the gnome's friend and encourages the illusionist to participate in the ceremony as a formal way to say goodbye to his friend's spirit from this life. After Heirmund explains about Dengar's past Jair tells him then that Heirmund sounds like Dengar's heir. He then gives the gnome some time to himself with his raven.

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Lehko will go along with the plans that ahd been made. He drops a stack of ten on the table as well. "More than enough I know. But... see if you can get me two or three sunrods in this one horse town," with that last part a bit hushed. "And if not, get a grappling hook, block & tackle. I don't want to get caught unprepared again." He tries to see if he can get a moment alone to talk to Heirimund about Dengar's funeral and what he can do to help.... and to see what his plans for his equipment are.

 

[Mithran]

Heirmund takes some time to tell Jair about his departed friend. Heirmund's stories leave the impression that he thought of Dengar almost as a son as the gnome had grown attached to the family having seen three generations of it.

Heirmund the agree's to take part in the druidic ceremony and also agrees to Jair performing the ceremony.
((OOC: assuming the ceremony would be in keeping with Dengars beliefs, otherwise Heirmund would give a flat "no"))

In response to Lehko's inquiries Heirmund tells Lehko the plans for the funeral and that all he can do to help is to pay his repects at the funeral. Heirmund makes no reply to the question about Dengars possesions.

After everyone has had their fill of questions Heirmund walks off into the forest to sit and contemplate for a time.

 

[IndyPendant]

Corkie, Oakhurst's local priest of Torm, died quietly in her bed a few weeks ago. Since her assistant, Darius Baden'tor, left town seeking adventure (promising to return) nearly two months ago, the town is without a proper priest. So while some of the more staid townsfolk grumble about it being 'improper', Constable Felosial is more than happy to allow Jair and Heirmund to perform the ceremony themselves, so long as they allow her to observe. Lehko stays with them, and assists them wherever possible.

((Feel free to adlib the ceremony yourselves...: ) Dengar would most likely be interred in the town cemetary. Since he has no known living relatives, his possessions will be taken by the constable, some to help pay the interment costs, the rest to be held for a time--up to one year--awaiting a relative to claim them.))

Meanwhile, Jerek and Ydyr check out the small general store, and the local blacksmith, Rurik Lutgher, looking for supplies. They manage to dredge up everything they need, with only a minimum of outright scorn from the townsfolk--although you can see it in their eyes: they no longer believe in you. Only four people still seem to trust that you'll succeed: Garon the innkeeper, Constable Felosian, the merchant Mr Hanover, and the Widow Hucrele herself. The one exception to their gear is a proper harness for Terrek. Still, at your urging, Rurik rigs up a very rough harness as a makeshift rush job for one gold piece, warning you that it will only last 'a few hauls' before fraying dangerously.

And...one other person apparently believes in you--at least, enough to want to join you. A leatherclad barbarian who you have been told has been asking a lot of questions about the Citadel as well. Yet another stranger to the town; one that Jerek and Ydyr encounter while haggling with Rurik over the harness...

 

[jayaint]

Ydyr dumps his small dusty pouch over and lets the 4 silver pieces rattle around on the bar mixed in with the copper bits. [[noted on char. sheet]]

I'm sorry I can't offer more for the equipment and gear, but, you see, I am at the mercy of Illmater and travel where he takes me, by his grace.

Looking at Jerek and the shopkeeper trying to sketch out a wolf-harness in mid-air, Ydyr lets his eyes wander. The rough looking sort wearing armor watching them catches his eyes. Ydyr strolls over and strikes up a general conversation, realizing that the barbarian probably knows more about them than he'd like. [[ Diplomacy (+4) and Sense Motive (+5)]] Where from? Where ya going? etc. etc.