Chapter 1: Hollows Last Hope

[Lucian]

Lucian steps inside with Oriana and Breezy to keep an eye out for any magical traps or creatures as they move deeper into the monastery.  He also took note of the gnome moving about like a child in a candy store, which gave him a touch of anxiety. So, Lucian wanted to keep Toryn in sight just in case he needed to support the little guy if something jumped him. 

(Action - Moving inside, staying close to Oriana and Breezy.  Continuing to Detect Magic.)

[Dunndero]

Dunndero will move with Breezy and Oriana, maintaining his vigilance on his friends safety.

[Toryn Togglebit]

Toryn gave his companions an enthusiastic wave before settling into the vegetation all quiet-like. The room was quite open and overgrown with weeds; all manners of hungry critters could be skulking about. The unfortunate soul near the well no doubt found that out the hard way. But Toryn knew a thing or two about being sneaky like a mouse as well.

(Action: Avoiding Notice Stealth +7 and keeping shortswords at the ready)

[DM Dread]

Breezy is the first of the main group to enter the courtyard, and Toryn moves in front of the open side door crouching down in the foliage. Breezy walks through the overgrowth easily and kneels beside the dead body. As Oriana and Dunndero move in, behind the litlle plant creature keeping an eye out for trouble. 

Breezy says can tell this body is months old and died of knife wounds. The question is why the body wasnt mauled by predators? Breezy cannot tell why from the age of the corpse, but hes sure theres a natural reason.

The rest of the party moves into the courtyard . a glance at the sky can tell sunset will be in about an hour. 



Exploration Activities
Avoid Notice: Toryn
Detect Magic: Lucian, Satori & Arielle
Defend: Oriana- Shield Raised
Investigate: Breezy and Larz
Scout:: Harley , Dunndero


((ooc: as before: after 4 people post, the door to the watch tower is opened by anyone or the building is entered by anyone I will post.))

[Brilliant Breeze]

Breezy since it was at the body decided to search the body to see if there were any clues on it. Knowing they should be making camp soon the small Leshy hoped they could clear the building soon. After checking to see if the body had anything valuable on it, the druid would move to follow the others.


Actions:
Searching the body

[Lucian]

Lucian steps next to Breezy as the little person looks over the corpse.  The Wizard looks over the body himself to make sure there isn't any magical traces, traps, or latent curse effects that could be present.

(Action - Continuing to Detect Magic, on and around the corpse.)

[Larz Oathtaker]

Larz also moves up to the body, going over it slowly he looks up at Lucian. Well Capin, this bloks been dead longer then it took me to get here from me home. Can't tell ya much, sepin for the obvious he's too tall to be a halfling, gnome or one of me folks. that only leaves one of the tall ones human, elf or a half breed. Slowly he looks around the courtyard. I think we've stood around here long enough we're burning day light, and we'll need a safer place to bed down then out here in the open. After getting up off his knees and dusting off his britches. This is good dwarven stone work, with this much standing above ground there's gona be alot more below. 

[Lucian]

Upon hearing Larz, Lucian nodded and looked up toward the darkening sky. "I think you're right my friend." He glanced around the upper ruins the seemed to feel eerily silent.  He gestured down to corpse, "Let's set up camp and we give this fellow a proper send off so he's not lingering about."

[DM Dread]

Breezy looks over the body, but anything that was on it of value had been taken a long time ago. Lucian can determine there is nothing magical around the area of the well. Larz and Lucian have a quick discussion about plans and determine that they should provide last rites to the dead for the unfortunate soul lost many months ago.  Having only about an hour before dusk discussion goes to searching the above ground ruins before setting camp or after. Should they pull away from the ruins and rest nearby in the forest? or what.....  

It takes about 10 minutes to perform last rites. Digging a grave would take far longer however, A funeral pyre would take less time but would alert light the way for predators....

While last rites were being performed Harley noticed more bones and even some equipment within the crumbled area of the stable. and with a bit of poking around she can see a tattered backpack toward the back of the stable as well as showing the bones are of a mule. Oriana while standing guard during those 10 minutes notices a rope dangling down inside an exposed section of the well through the rubble of the roof that once covered it...apparently someone removed rubble enough to get to a section of it to draw watter. The rope goes down about 10 feet. The water line is 30 feet down and is brackish. Toryn notices a few bats flying around the area as it gets darker.

Nearer the gateway, Arielle looks around and notifies Satoru that she heard wolf howls.

Suddenly Oriana tenses up and snaps her head towards the double doors, alert, and she says she heard something...like a a scuffed footfall or nails on the floor.

[Dunndero]

Dunndero hearing Oriana's alert takes up a defensive position beside Oriana.