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Message: <blockquote data-quote="amethal" data-source="post: 4242609" data-attributes="member: 22784">Scene 3 – the MountainsApril 2ndEager to leave Yen-Chin behind, the party buy horses and head into the mountains. Caryk knows the way, and leads them along the trail. The roads are steep, and in some places stairways have been carved out of the cliffs, complete with winches to aid mounts and pack animals.As usual, Solsus flies ahead to scout out the terrain, and at one point he returns and informs the party that the steps up ahead are broken, resulting in a treacherous scree slope.“Can we get up the slope?” asks Caryk. “It is not far from here to Eresh, the village at the foot of the monastery.”“Probably,” says Solsus, “but it looks a good spot for an ambush. I’ll go back and check it out.”Solsus flies back to the scree slope, and spots a small group of Ragesian soldiers hiding at the top of the slope. Forewarned, the party are able to spring the trap, although the sudden appearance of a fire slinging goblin sorcerer, riding a dire wolf, proves somewhat alarming.Then its on to Eresh itself, which is believed to be under siege by a company of Ragesian soldiers. The siege itself is very disappointing – the soldiers wander around aimlessly, and seem to have no interest in assaulting the village. They are accompanied by a number of hellhounds, who are currently curled up around a camp fire as if they were nothing more than large dogs.The party is able to wander into the camp unchallenged. The strangely calm message from the previous expedition to the monastery might be a symptom of a wider malaise. The group decide to speak to the leader of the soldiers; a sergeant half heartedly points them in the direction of Lieutenant Kormus’s command tent.Kormus is drunk. “Hello,” he says, on seeing the characters. Then he slumps back in his seat.“What is going on,” asks Jonathan.“Nothing, much. We’re supposed to be pressing the attack on the village, but none of us are really motivated, we’re just killing time until General Signus gets back.”“Whose General Signus?” says Agatha.“He’s my commanding officer. He led the original attack on the village. It went quite well at first, but then everyone descended into apathy. The General wasn’t happy, and left to get more troops.”“What happens when he gets back?” asks Gribron.“He’ll probably hang me,” says Kormus. “I guess I deserve it. I’m a rotten leader.”“Shouldn’t you either carry out your orders, or run away?” says Gribron.“I suppose so, but I can’t be bothered. Everything seems too much effort at the moment. We are all just going through the motions.”“So you won’t be needing your sword, then?” says Gribron.“I suppose not. Got no use for a sword any more.”“Can I have it?”Lieutenant Kormus thinks about this for a second, takes another pull on his wineskin, and then hands over his sword. Gribron’s eyes light up; it is clearly a high quality weapon.“Thanks,” says Gribron. “We’ll be leaving now.”“Whatever.”The party head towards the village. That side of the camp is guarded by a squad of soldiers. “Hey,” says one of them. “Stop. You can’t go in there.”“Yes we can,” says Jonathan, and the group heads past the guards, who scowl at them for a minute and then slump back into despondency.Act Two – The Calm over EreshScene 1 - EreshApril 5thThe village of Eresh is extremely calm. A few burnt out buildings mark the extent of the Ragesian’s previous attack. Villagers sit on their front steps, staring into space. A few Ragesian soldiers wander around aimlessly. It is clear that it is not just the Ragesian camp which has fallen into apathy.“What’s going on, do you think?” says Jonathan.“Who cares?” replies Gribron. “I think I’m just going to sit down here for a while.”“Me too,” says Agatha. “What’s the point of all this rushing around. Let’s take it easy.”“Come on chaps,” says Caryk. “We need to find out what’s going on.”“You do it,” says Gribron, closing his eyes.“Not going to get much out of them,” says Jonathan. “How are you feeling Solsus?”“Perfectly normal,” says the pixie. “I worry about the villagers, however. They seem even more badly affected than the soldiers. Some of them look pretty thin and emaciated. They might not be eating properly.”“Go and scout around, see if there are any clues.”Solsus flies off, and returns a few minutes later. “I did see one villager who seemed unaffected. Maybe we should speak to her.”The party head where he indicated, although cajoling the more apathetic members into keeping up is a full time task. The villager nods at them, beckons, and then disappears into her house.Jonathan and Caryk follow her in, whilst Solsus keeps watch. The house itself is empty apart from veils hanging from the ceiling to the floor. There is no furniture of any kind. It is clear nobody could live here.A woman’s voice calls out from behind the veils, “We are Balance. You have met our kin.”Caryk steps forward, only to see the woman vanish before his eyes. Instead a man’s voice speaks from behind him. “The scales weigh heavily and you actions will tip it.” Caryk turns around in time to see the figure of a man fade from sight.“This place gets weirder by the minute,” says Jonathan. “What kin? What scales?”“I have no idea,” says Caryk. “Perhaps we should head up to the monastery. Perhaps they can give us a clue as to what the heck is happening here.”Caryk leads the way to the mountain at the far end of the village, although in truth the massive monastery building is perched in such a spot as to be clearly visible from any point in the village. The path is steep and narrow. At the bottom is a sign which reads, “Quarantine conditions; no access to the monastery”.“Do you think that applies to us?” says Caryk. “We aren’t villagers or Ragesians, and I spent many years studying here before they insisted I leave.”“We are on an important mission,” says Solsus. “We need to visit the monastery as part of that.”The wind starts to pick up as the group heads up the mountain path, making an already difficult ascent even harder. The snow and ice doesn’t help either.“Its almost like the wind doesn’t want us to climb this mountain,” says Jonathan.“Its funny you should say that,” says Caryk. “Its been years since I’ve been here, but something has been nagging me. Something I half heard once, about the quarantine procedure.” Suddenly the air in front of them coalesces into a vaguely humanoid form. It stretches out its arms, and gale force winds thrust the party back down the path. They land in a heap, bruised and battered. The wind creature strides towards them menacingly.“Air elemental guards, of course! I remember now,” says Caryk.“That has really pissed me off,” says Gribron. “Everything was so calm and peaceful, but now I’m mad!”“Me too,” says Agatha, launching an eldritch blast at the elemental. With all the party now back to normal (whatever that implies …) they soon see off the elemental, and arrive at the monastery’s massive doors. The doors are firmly locked. Caryk bangs the knocker. There is silence for a minute or so, and then a small plate opens in the door, revealing the eyes and nose of a woman.“Greetings,” says Caryk. “I am …“Begone with your curse!” the woman interrupts. “The masters have said outsiders are not welcome.”“We are on a mission from Seaquen,” says Gribron. “We wish to speak to your masters.”“There are strange things afoot in the valley,” replies the woman. “Ever since you outsiders brought your curse into town. We know your origin, and your task, and that your allies were harbingers of the unnatural stillness. It cannot be allowed to spread to the monastery.“If you wish to see masters, first sort out the mess down there.”The panel slams shut.Shrugging, the party head back down into Eresh.</blockquote>

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