The morning was normal enough, what with the shelter provided by the stone tower, the warmth afforded by the fire within, and the filling if bland dinner the previous night. However Drake wakes up to an annoyance that is slowly and subtly bringing up the nagging thought that something's not quite right.

"Alright. Gather your things friends. We are moving out on a search." He gathers his own belongings quickly, then turns to Dann with a grim face. "Can you find their tracks?"

OOC - Dann should have the Track skill. Can help find Jon and his partner's tracks.

Dann looks around for any track or mark that could give a lead to what happened to Jon and Hull, starting by where they were supposed to stay while taking their watch.

Though his folk were more used to looking for signs at sea Dann knew enough from his youth hunting puffins and foxes to find a trail and soon enough he did....though there was only one set of obvious footfalls...which he assumed to be Hulls....Jon left very little trace of his passing.

The other Erewornians roused themselves and looked around suspiciously for a short time before they noted the Gliss contingents concerns for their own companion were real.

Dann followed the trail through the fallen masonry and found a patch of briars on the forests edge through which a rough trail had been cut very recently...

Drake nods. He shoulders his pack and follows closely beside Dann. Though he is not skilled in tracking, he keeps a lookout on the surrounding for signs of other presences and for danger, covering his friend as he looks out for their lost companion.

Dann follows the trail, taking good care to have his shield ready on his left arm. Just in case...

In reply to Dann of Clan Valin (msg # 112):

The Erewornians let the Gliss take the lead, but followed along with Lute and another Erewornian they had not been introduced to staying back to watch over their possesions.

Dann crept forward through the snatching briars, with Drake at his shoulder and the others behind. Eventually he came to a clearing among the thorny bushes where he found both Hull and Jon sitting on a squared stone staring into space with a little drool coming from the sides of their slackjawed mouths.

Their weapons lay on the ground beside them.....

In reply to GM (msg # 110):

Lann gathers his belongings and follows the companions, keeping a careful watch on danger and checking for signs of ambushes.

Drake immediately looks to the surroundings, checking that there are no enemies. He carefully observes the scene while keeping his distance from the two men...

OOC - Drake observes the situation. Some questions for GM:
1. Signs of a fight recently?
2. Signs that Jon and Hull just arrived a moment ago? Or does it look like they have been in this state for some time?
3. Are the two men facing in the same direction? If yes, which direction?
4. The weapons look like they were placed there or dropped?

He turns slightly to whisper to Brannon. "See anything...witchcrafty? On those two? And also that stone they are on?"

"They are bewitched, no doubt of that." Brannan replies. "They would not wander away without alerting us, and they could not have come this far in the state they are in now if they were drugged. That only leaves sorcerery..." He peers carefully at the stone on which the men sit, and their surroundings, but does not approach closer.

OOC:
1) No signs of a struggle....only Jon and Hulls footprints.
2) Hard to say, but they are covered in morning dew.
3) Both face towards the 'path' that led into here...probably east abouts.
4) Placed.

Brannon notes the stone is covered in very faded but ancient markings in spiral and coiling patterns...and there are old dead flowers which are not in evidence growing nearby laying at the base of the stone....an old altar to Brigantia...or one of the other gods....hard to be sure with two arses planted on top of it.

"Keep a lookout will ya? In case whoever did this, or something worse, shows up..."

Drake gestures for help to come forward from among the Erewornians. He reaches out and takes a good hold of Jon's collar, then proceeds to drag his companion off the stone onto the grass-covered ground.

"Jon...Jon can you hear me?" He slaps Jon on the face several times, then brings up his waterskin to splash some water in the man's face.

" You tip that on me, this sliver-dagger goes in your gut.", Jon said plainly as he looked up at Drake.

" I'll take the slap....what happened?"

Drake smiles widely at the return of his companion. His expression turns grave quickly as he regards the two "rescued" men with concern. "You tell me. We woke this morning and found you two missing. Our friend Dann picked up your tracks and here we are..."

Dann will inspect the stone on which Jon and Hull were seated, as well as its immediate surrounding with great care. He will want to check if other people or creature were there in the near past.

In reply to Dann of Clan Valin (msg # 122):

Lann tries to recall if he has learnt anything about such 'gods' in his education. At the same time, he scans the area for danger.

"This is an altar. No doubt of that." Brannon opines. "And if you wouldn't mind standing up, we might even spot to which God it is dedicated..."

Brannon joins Dann in inspecting the markings on the stone, and carefully picks up some of the dead flowers. "This stone is ancient, but these flowers are... well, not fresh, but someone has brought them here recently - or something has stopped them  rotting completely. Either whoever worships or whatever they worship is still active here. Fomori, perhaps?"

He has shouldered his bow, but is fingering his symbol of Brigantia, uneasily.

At the Brannon's assessment that this might be an altar to some being other than the Hanged God, Drake turns to look at his friend uneasily. Grabbing Jon by the arm, he, not ungently, half-lifts-half-drags the man off the flat stone he was sitting on.

"What do you see?" He asks Brannon, indicating that the Librarian should go on ahead to study the stone more closely. Turning back to Jon and Hull, he looks at the two men pointedly, awaiting their answers to his question as to what happened to them.

In reply to Drake Taubron (msg # 125):

Hull and Jon stood, if a little unsteadily, and turned with the others to regard the stone.  Atop it was carved with very faded letters of Lughwyd...and paired curving symbols reminiscent of fruit or perhaps waves...apart from the wearing action of wind and water the surface was undamaged.

Drake looks critically at the two recently bewitched men. "You don't remember anything...Ok. Then...what's the last thing you remember from last night?" He indicates that the two men should speak up, and that he is still listening.

Turning to the older Erewornian who spoke for his group last night, he addresses the man. "What is this place? Do you know? And are you familiar with the motifs on this altar?"

Switching his gaze back to the stone, he examines it further now that it is free from arses. Reaching out with his hand, he gingerly and lightly brushes its side. Finding it to feel exactly like how a stone block would feel, he lays his palm on it and begins to push on it, checking to see if it can be shifted perhaps...

Brannon inspects the stone altar carefully. "Yes, it's Fomorian, all right." He runs his fingers over the engravings. "Though not, thankfully, a friend of Balor. These symbols are of Eithne. High Druid Huill described her centuries ago - people sought her favour before hunting or sailing, among other things." He picks up more of the dead flowers, and crumbles them between his fingers. "It looks like people still do, though Eithne herself must be long gone." He looks up at the others. "I would say it is just superstitious locals trying their luck, except we have just witness an enchantment first hand. Belike there is something here posing as Eithne in return for worship..."
This message was last edited by the player at 11:19, Fri 03 Nov 2017.

At Brannon's pronouncement, Drake turns back to look at Jon and Hull with a raised brow and a grim look on his face. "What happened?"

Both men shrugged.

 Hull ventured, " Last I remember is walking outside.......no...wait....there was a girl..."

" No, a lad....", corrected Jon.

" It were a lass...and a fine one.", Hull said adamantly.

Jon shrugged, " As you say..."

" Thats it.", Hull said with a sigh.

If anything, Drake's face turns even grimmer, and his stare colder. As he waits for the two men to elaborate further...

The two men looked at Drake in turn and held their hands out, " Seriously....thats it..."