Aethul moves quietly and stops now and then to look around, including the murder holes.

Balir stays alert to his surroundings while Aethul's attention is elsewhere.

In reply to Kirpich Rockson (msg # 511):

The bones are scattered as though the horses had simply fallen over dead. and do not appear to be articulated.

Aethul has come to an impasse; at the top of the stairs is a bap of just over two yards, with a sheer drop. on the other side is a small landing, and a door flanked by two arrow slits.

The tower is about thirty feet wide, and about fifty high, counting the battlements, although a turret above with a peaked roof rises another dozen feet high. The  ivy choked walls are about three feet thick, and there appears to be no entrance save the one accross from the stair.

The other tower, behind the stables, is only about thirty feet high by about twenty thick, and has a small turret adding another three yards in height.

He looks up to see if there is a bridge that could be lowered to  close the gap.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 514):

Kirpich will unload the mule and settle him in. He is not as worried about the bones being animated in the past as in the near future, so he has Chunky spread them out all the same while he does so. Once the mule and the goods are secured, he will leave and close the stables back up, minus the bones that would be now in the courtyard, and get ready to join those up higher, if they are still there.

In reply to Aethul (msg # 515):

Looking up, you don't see one, but down below you can see fragments of one in the brambles at the base of the tower.

The elemental scatters the horses remains, and Snorri frowns and glances up at the tower, and at the covered well.

"This place is reasonably  defensible, but I am not sure I like it."
This message was last updated by the player at 23:34, Sun 29 Sept 2019.

The castle has some issues, we'd need a small bridge to cross this gap, and that will be clumsy and curious to those who see us carrying it. But I suspect there is something here worth finding.

In reply to Aethul (msg # 518):

With a crackle of green sparks, Marlena casts another spell.
"There does seem to be a bit of silver deep into the tower."

In reply to Marlena DuBois (msg # 519):

Satisfied the mule is safe, Kirpich joins the others. Noting the gap, he creates an earthen bridge, shaping it to be stable before turning it to stone.

"Until we deal with whatever made this place desolate, I do not like it either. But something did this..."

[Private to GM: Rolled 10 under, 9 under, 13 under for create earth shape earth and earth to stone respectively to create a bridge.]

Once the bridge has been created by Kirpich, Balir will nod with approval, and then seek to be the first one across.  He will not be obnoxious in doing so.  However, in his mind the rest of the party was undoubtedly not well enough protected to survive an onslought.  He was, and therefore he felt that he should be the first one across.

Aethul will press himself against the tower wall to let Balir slide by...

In reply to Aethul (msg # 522):

Make a DX+1 check each of you while passing over Kirpich's bridge.

Advised: at the free cost, the bridge will only last 24 hours.

Balir makes it across the bridge without any trouble.

[Private to GM: 16:19, Today: Secret Roll: Balir Ironhide rolled 11 using 3d6.  DX+1 roll to not die.]

Aethul does a double somersault with a twist before diving into the pavement ... This F'ing die roller has it out for me I swear.


[Private to GM:  16:38, Today: Aethul rolled 17 using 3d6.  DX . Skill = 13 and 14 with a +1; I guess I just used up my blessing from the white Stag.]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Wed 02 Oct 2019.

In reply to Aethul (msg # 525):

Kirpich also tries to cross, taking his time.

What would be required to make it permanent?

[Private to GM: Rolled 1 over DX. Is this an activity extra time would help with?]

In reply to Aethul (msg # 525):

Aethul wavers but does not fall!

[private to Kirpich Rockson: it costs 10 times list each to make those spells permanent. at level 20, you get 2 fp off the cost: the bridge is 1 yard by 2 yards by 18" thick, so 1 cubic yard of earth so 8 pts to create permanant earth, 8 points to permanently turn it to stone, and 8 points to permanantly shape it. I am assuming you created a pile of earth on the top step, turned it to sone, and had it flow into a bridge]

[Private to Aethul: the Blessing saved you from falling 14 yards and is expended]
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 19:53, Fri 04 Oct 2019.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 527):

Cool, that makes sense. Kirpich will follow along with the rest...

[Private to GM: Would he need to permanently shape it or would the earth to stone take care of that? Good to know for future...]

In reply to Kirpich Rockson (msg # 528):

[Private to Kirpich Rockson: all three, otherwise it goes back to the other side of the gap. These would all need to be recast,this casting is good for 24 hours]

The door is heavy, and faced with rusty ironwork.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 529):

"Opening doors is best left to experts in the matter, unless you want is smashed down in a noisy fashion..."

In reply to Kirpich Rockson (msg # 530):

Blair looks over the door.
"Do we want to save this door? Opening it is going to be loud."

Maybe give it a little pry and see if we have to bash it down ... It may be open or the parts rotten.

In reply to Aethul (msg # 532):

"I agree let's try subtly first."

Balir stands aside to allow others a moment to access the door.  But he does stay close, feeling he should be the first one in once the door is open.

Can you try and pry the door a little, Balir?

In reply to Aethul (msg # 535):

Make a forced entry roll to assess, then you will know how much damage it will take.