Usopi shrugs at Lann’s suggestion of asking a fey what happened, ”I wonder if the creature would know, but I can see no harm in asking. Perhaps it will even give us some insight in to the state of this place. Your ring does summon certain types based upon the surrounding area yes? So if you summon and some foul demon spawned creature of plague appears then we might at least know to proceed further with more caution then if some kindly creature answers.” he says.

OOC - Is it safe to assume Dann told us the entrance was behind the waterfall, or will we need to roll perception checks or something?

Whatever we summon won't harm us or at least me, Lann says. "I will only ask it for information about the place and other insights he can provide.

OOC: summon fey if no one objects.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:17, Sun 14 Apr 2019.

Caith is less than enthusiastic in expression at Lann's proposal, but considers it seriously for a moment before saying "Ye may nay much like tha results, nor their answers, but if ye can command that which ye summon for tha short while? Then it seems a fair plan."

She offers an wry but well informed opinion on the ring of "There's a touch of chaos in that little glimmer's workings..."

"Yes that much I know. Still when I become very powerful, I will be able to more than command the creatures within. My skill in magic is not great yet but it will improve," Lann says.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:10, Sun 14 Apr 2019.

Lann turned the ring on his finger and seemingly nothing happened, it was only after a minute or so that they noticed they were not alone.

Propped on top of a rock with long gangly arms wrapped around him was a long faced balding man with long bedraggled hair at the back and sides of his head, tanned skin, a tangled goatee and the heavily furred hind quarters and legs of a goat.  He smiled at the group, a disconcertingly wide smile with long white teeth....he waved a long fingered clawed hand at them uncertainly.

Usopi, though a bit put off by the strange, seemingly too long dimensions of the fey being’s body, nevertheless smiles and waves back at the fellow. He does not speak however, as communicating with the creatures summoned by the ring is Lann’s responsibility.

"Hail good sir. I am sorry to disturb your rest. My friends and I are exploring this area and we are concerned about what lies in this area. Could I trouble you to tell us about this place and if there are dangers or treasures here? A history of this area will ne good," Lann says respectfully.

Caith smiles at the appearance of a better omen than she would have guessed from the blackened bones, but keeps her eyes firmly on the fey gentleman's face out of courtesy.

She waves back amiably to the Ùruisg and inclines her head towards Lann, by way of indicating who holds the authority to speak in this matter, but listens intently to the conversation.

" Aye, and yer well met yerself.  Ye've nae disturbed naught, I've no work to rest from at this time."

" Friends? Ye have friends? That'd be a nice state wouldnae? Ta have friends...boon companions..."

" Oh...a historie? Well...once upon a time a wee way back there was a little trickle o' water come out fra ground and after a while it whittled its way away at the stone and earth and there were some spaces made and a gully worn...and some of the water didnae move nae more...cos it got separated from the trickle...and, as it does, rain came down and joined the water and it got a wee bit bigger and it wore away at some more rock...I mean it goes on like this for a fair while...but if you've got the time.."

" Dangers? Nae...well, the rocks can be a bit slippy..and if ye cannae swim I wouldnae be jumping in yon pool...and some red headed bastard made a mess of bones and charcoal...and theres a wee spook but nae too much to fess ye."

" Treasure? In a cave, in the woods...who'd think such a thing was likely? But ye know more than ye say don't ye? Yer being tricksy, nae skin off my nose...theres a great shiny rock underneath and some poor fecker in the middle of it....could be he's got treasure. I cannae tell, and he's not talking."

"Ah man in the rock? Can you bring us to him? Do you know how to bring him out from the rock?" Lann asks, curious.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:54, Mon 15 Apr 2019.

In reply to Toirneach Lann (msg # 959):

Chlainn is amused...  He offers a drink, if necessary, a barrel, and live out a scene like dionysus, if the others want to look on...

" Nae, I dinnae ken how he got in there 'cept through magics mayhaps. He's in cave, I can take you there but its nae far enough to need a guide."

" Best ask the one who put him in the rock....but I've nae clue where you'd find them."

" Anyhoo, as I was saying..there was a long period of erosion and that widened out some of the chambers therein, of course there were some animals...they don't dig much though in comparison..so as you can tell the soil is mostly clay hereabouts and it did cause a lot of silting in the pool, but most of the softer stone and earth has washed out by now. Now a few thousand years back there was a man who lived in the cave, we didn't talk much..and I'm nae here in the summer because I've got dairy work to do...I think he died...he stopped talking one day and he didnae seem to mind when the badgers ate his face...so I'd wager he was probably dead at that point...the badgers stayed though...so there was company for a while..."

Caith offer an apologetic glance to the fey but apparently friendly speaker at the expression 'boon companions' but otherwise appears quite content to listen to his tales of stone and water in slow and steady progress of landscape.

She seems unconcerned at his mention of swimming and a certain pool, but looks almost disappointed at the confirmation of Dann's account of the origin the scattered and scorched bones near it, then frankly curious at what the 'wee spook' might be.

The Hedgewitch smiles at Lann being called tricksy, remains silent and simply listens with a hopeful expression as talk turns to the man in stone.

Caith does not frown when Chlainn makes his rash but probably well intended suggestion of refreshments, considering the trip to get the barrel worth the history gained if no offense is taken at it.

She nods once to herself at the rest of the Ùruisg's account regarding the likely fossilized man, muttering "Trickier ta fix with the cunning one who did it long gone, an' likely a task beyond my ken ta unravel fer now..." softly to Lann.

"Could you tell me more about the man sir? His name, what he does etc? I guess you could lead us to him as well? Maybe to pay respect and see what caused his death and all? ", Lann says, wondering if there's loot.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:06, Fri 19 Apr 2019.

The being screwed up its forehead in confusion, " Yer not really one for listening are ye? He's a man in a giant crystal. She put him there a very long time ago...I never met the man so I couldnae say. Really? Ok...its barely a walk though..."

The being faded from sight and then its voice ushered out from behind the waterfall, " Are ye coming?"

Lann follows along, asking his companions to do likewise if they so wish.

Usopi shrugs but follows along. At least the fey creature is friendly enough, if a bit odd. Then again, so are most of the party members. He chuckles softly to himself as they enter the cave, happy to hear that no sea faring giant or mercenary band has set up inside them.

Caith looks most quizzical at the word 'She', then nods in agreement at 'A very long time ago...'

She says "Aye." to both the Ùruisg and Lann's requests to follow, still pondering the identity of the Sorceress in question.

Once past the waterfall, a trick of the landscape that delights her more than she would admit, Caith politely asks the gruff and goatish guardian of the beasts "I am nay the one that called ye hence this day, and there is nay reason that ye should answer to the likes of me, but would ye please mind explaining who 'She' may have been?"

The Hedgewitch offers by way of an explanation herself "I am fond of tales of old, and strange folk from stranger places. Caverns sparkling with crystals welling up from the earth I have heard tell of, and of once living creatures trapped in amber, even once of a toad released alive and unharmed from a great lump of coal when the unknowing miner struck it with their antler pickaxe..."

Her expression is regretful when she concludes "...But a man caught fast in stone's grasp, nay matter how precious the stone? I've no doubt that it was high sorcery that put him there, and most likely I can nay reach him with mine. That being said, knowing of who put him there might help."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:10, Sat 20 Apr 2019.

In reply to Caith Cernach (msg # 967):

"She? Someone is listening...", the strange being said with a wry smile. " Aye, a ways back this pool was home to a bean-nighe of not unfriendly disposition."

" Now I have my theories...but I'd say that when these bronze-chest men came to these parts one of the locals must have spoken of her and the secrets she could tell.....my theory is he wasnae quick enough to snatch a teat between his lips, and paid the price."

" I dinnae know what she was called or where she went but if I was wagering coin I'd say she's the one what did for him."

In reply to GM (msg # 968):

Behind the waterfall the light fades after a few metres. In the dimness you are just able to make out that the rough tunnel splits as it goes deeper, one branch dips sharply downwards over a jumble of collapsed rubble, the other swings right around a damaged stalagmite....

The lanky, half-glimpsed fae thing pointed a long finger towards the lower path.

In reply to GM (msg # 969):

Chlainn positions himself second from front.  Sword in one hand and a half drained mug in the other.


OOC: (-3 to all stats)
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:58, Sat 20 Apr 2019.

In reply to GM (msg # 968):

Caith smiles in reply, and listens intently before answering in courteous tone "I have heard tales of such bronze clad men, aye, and of the little ladies of the laundry too. Perhaps him in the rock did nay listen well either? Likely your theory be sound enough to hold water though, and I thank ye for the knowing of it."

Her caution is clear when she says in conclusion "I will bear it in mind yon man in crystal was in fear for his life when he was trapped then, for he'll nay likely be in the friendliest of moods if freed, even if madness has nay taken hold after so long."

Caith looks in askance at the drunken knight advancing, but shrugs and looks down the rubble strewn path as she grumbles quietly "Clear it or climb it, that's a fair bit of work..." then conjures a fragment of Artia's Lamp to herself to see what may be seen in better light down both the rockfall and the right hand path in turn.

OOC: Caith casts MOONGLOW (Current MP now 18/19) and takes a careful look down both branches of the tunnel.

Caiths mystical light illuminated much of the cave, looking at the path ahead there were scuffed old footprints in the loose earth floor and now that she was closer she noted a foul stench from somewhere down the way out of sight around a bend.

Looking at the way the fae had indicated she saw the tunnel was low and much of the rock was slick with moisture. The light showed the way down a steep series of 'steps' formed by calcite deposits.

Lann wonders who the footprints belong to. The goat legged creature or? He follows the fey, wary of ambush.

Usopi heads down the path in the direction the fey indicated, though he was careful not to step out of Caith’s illumination radius. According to Dann’s story the man was suspended over a pool of water, and if it was to deep for Usopi to stand in he was wary of falling in, his heavy armor and his old knee injury ensuring that he would likely drown in any water reaching above his head.