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Message: <blockquote data-quote="bluesfella" data-source="post: 5671840" data-attributes="member: 98561">Sledge and Nicodemus get mostly blank looks when asking townsfolk about any cults in the area.  One or two of the older women react in abject horror at even the mention of such a thing.  Most of the villagers worship Pelor, and there is a small chapel dedicated to him in the town center.  The Healer you met earlier is in charge of the chapel.Word has gotten around already about your intentions of climbing the mountain, and the villagers can't help but offer warnings.  Morningfall Summit (as the mountain is named) is a dangerous place, and locals never travel there.Mallick learns much of the same, but in speaking with the farmers, they confirm that Elkridge rarely gets any visitors, and you are the first group of "outsiders" in a long time to come here.  There is a neighboring town some miles away to the southeast, another small farming community called Hampstead.  Slightly larger and older than Elkridge ("They have cobblestone roads!" one envious villager remarks), but still a relatively small city.  The only folks that come from there are a handful of well-known and long-established merchants.  They are far enough away that they seem to have been spared from any drake attacks.  One of the farmers does mention that the monthly visit from one of the regular merchants of Hampstead is late by a day or two.  Probably nothing to worry about, but when he gets here, he might be a source of further info.  Malick also learns that there is an old rumor about that peak - that it is inhabited by ancient spirits that consume mountaineers.Brocc sidles up to the bar and orders a drink for Cyril the One-Eyed, one of the village elders.  That loosens his lips a bit and he begins to regale you with stories of the warlord that founded Elkridge, and various other legends.  He has never heard of any cultists in the area.  His conversation eventually turns to the mountain, as he knows you intend to climb it.  He tells you a story that his grandfather told to him when he was a boy.  Apparently, his grandfather climbed the mountain when he was young and energetic (some would say foolhardy), and only turned back when he saw dragonborn spirits.  As far as Cyril knows, his grandfather is the only soul to come back from climbing the mountain, a fact which he is rather proud of.  He still warns you not to go there.Mavros eventually finds you again, and he is carrying four small packs.  Each pack contains hooks, pitons, rope and a hammer for climbing.  There are also some basic provisions as well.  "If you need anything else, just let me know.  Good luck gentlemen, and our village thanks you again!"The base of the mountain is about 6 miles away from the village.  The journey there is easy, and once at the base you can see why you needed the climbing gear.  It's an almost vertical climb, and without the gear would have been impossible to ascend.Looking up at the mountain, you notice that it doesn't really have a peak.  It's more of a squared-off top.  That's about all you can see from down here, though.It's a slow and tiring climb, but not especially dangerous.  You are careful to fully secure your ropes at every step, but you do move quite slowly as a result.  After about four hours, you get the sense that you are about halfway there, but it is starting to get later on in the evening.Looking down, the dizzying view is already enough to make you feel small.  About 30 feet to your left, you notice a dark gash in the mountainside.  Some sort of cave, probably.  Mallick can see that there are scratches, scuff marks, and litter near the mouth of the cave that indicates some sort of habitation.  Whether it is recent or not is too hard to tell from this distance.[gm]I can see three options for you here.  So please choose one or feel free to come up with one your own.  I'll wait until you reach a consensus.<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Investigate the cave and possibly rest until morning.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Keep climbing, but speed up to try and reach the summit before nightfall.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Keep climbing at normal (safe) speed, but you will likely run out of light before you get there.</li> </ol>Also, everyone go ahead and roll either Perception or Nature for me.[/gm]</blockquote>

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