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16:35, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Another journey to the canyon.

Posted by DMFor group 0
Devin Harper
player, 15 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Mon 8 Mar 2021
at 22:20
  • msg #4

Another journey to the canyon

Devin jogged under the feeble cover of the ruined gatehouse to get out of the rain.  He'd have to spend some serious time drying out his chain after this.  He was a little disappointed that no one had joined him, but he could understand their caution.  Without the protection of Auril watching over them, they would look for comfort in numbers.

His faith would carry him through.

For now, he'd just see what he could find in the ruined gatehouse before moving on.  Maybe the rain would let up in a little while and he'd push on to look for the graveyard.
DM
GM, 271 posts
Mon 8 Mar 2021
at 22:41
  • msg #5

Another journey to the canyon

The passageway through the gatehouse offered shelter and was dry. The dark hallway was twelve foot high and around hundred foot long. No light managed to penetrate to the centre, the far end was visible as a doorway of light ahead.

Two great iron bound doors lay upon the ground in a state of advanced decay. On the outside of the gatehouse wall graffiti had been scribbled or scratched into the stonework.
Devin Harper
player, 16 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Tue 9 Mar 2021
at 00:08
  • msg #6

Another journey to the canyon

Pulling the long hammer free from his belt, shield upon his arm, Devin took a deep breath and began walking toward the light of the far doorway.

"May Auril fill my heart and light my way," he whispered quietly as he walked. "In her name I challenge the darkness and emerge unscathed."

He repeated this mantra fervently as he made his way toward the light.
DM
GM, 274 posts
Tue 9 Mar 2021
at 07:23
  • msg #7

Another journey to the canyon

The passageway passed through the gatehouse. Devin saw arrow slits in the walls on either side but was not attacked. The gatehouse was in a poor state of repair and had been neglected. He heard creaking noises above him. The passage was around sixty foot long and at the other end he emerged again into daylight.

The canyon was flanked on both sides by limestone walls that rose two hundred feet up. The floor of the canyon was a grassy meadow, interrupted by ruins and small stands of trees. The sound of falling water could be heard and cave mouths were visible on the walls of the canyon, some natural and some man made.
Devin Harper
player, 17 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Tue 9 Mar 2021
at 17:16
  • msg #8

Another journey to the canyon

Hoping to remain under cover for a while, perhaps giving the rain a chance to pass by, Devin turned to his right along the gatehouse wall to see if there were a way to enter the structure itself.
DM
GM, 285 posts
Tue 9 Mar 2021
at 17:55
  • msg #9

Another journey to the canyon

Through the passageway Devin turned right and staying as sheltered as possible found a doorway with no door. Rusted broken hinges showing where the door once stood. Leading into the building was a narrow five foot wide corridor. Twenty five foot along the corridor was another corridor leading north, thirty foot along the corridor there was doorway in the southern wall, further than that was shadowed in darkness.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:11, Wed 10 Mar 2021.
Devin Harper
player, 18 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Tue 9 Mar 2021
at 19:37
  • msg #10

Another journey to the canyon

Shifting his hammer to his shield hand, Devin tried the door to see if it would open so that he could see what was inside.  Without a torch, he'd avoid going into darkness.
DM
GM, 288 posts
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 07:15
  • msg #11

Another journey to the canyon

The interior of the Gatehouse was shadowed in darkness. It was possible to Devin to reach the door but the light from outside barely reached any further. Devin pushed open the door. It was darkness within.
Devin Harper
player, 20 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 15:05
  • msg #12

Another journey to the canyon

Devin began searching the long hallway that he could see for old torches or lanterns he could salvage.  Every so often, he would stop to listen for any change in the rain.
DM
GM, 290 posts
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 16:01
  • msg #13

Another journey to the canyon

In the corridor and around the doorway were scattered dirt, leaf litter and broken wood. Enough to build a campfire but the scant resources available ànd the dampness of weather prevented the making of a torch, or least one that would burn for a reasonable length of time anyway.

Outside the rain had now stopped but it remained a cloudy sky.

OOC
Day: 2. Time: 9:30am. Turn: 3. Weather: Cloudy. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

Devin Harper
player, 21 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 16:54
  • msg #14

Another journey to the canyon

As the rain had stopped and he couldn't fashion a feasible light source, Devin left gatehouse to follow along one of the canyon walls with an eye out for the graveyard marking Stonehell's entrance.
DM
GM, 292 posts
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 22:11
  • msg #15

Another journey to the canyon

The limestone walls of the canyon rose two hundred feet into the air as Devin continued westward. The floor of the canyon was a grassy meadow interrupted by small stands of trees and the tumbled stone walls of ruined buildings.

A cascade of water tumbled down the rocky cliff in the north face and splashed into a pool below.

Deeper into the canyon the walls narrowed before forming a terminus. At the terminus a stone archway was carved into the cliff face. The archway was ten feet wide and fifteen feet high. A flat stone plaque with eroded writing was set above the archway.
Devin Harper
player, 22 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Wed 10 Mar 2021
at 22:55
  • msg #16

Another journey to the canyon

Devin approached to read the worn wording above the arch.  His shield had found it's way once more to his back and the long hammer tucked into his belt.

The entryway looked promising, but he hadn't seen any gravestones yet.
DM
GM, 294 posts
Thu 11 Mar 2021
at 10:59
  • msg #17

Another journey to the canyon

Although pitted and weather worn the following bit of doggerel carved above the archway's keystone remain legible

Beware All Who Enter
These Benighted Halls of Stone.
Within Lies No Solace
Nor Any Comforts of Home.
Toiling For Our Crimes
We Must Dig Where We Dwell,
With No Freedom or Mercy
In Our Vast Stony Hell.

Devin Harper
player, 23 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 00:34
  • msg #18

Another journey to the canyon

Though there wasn't any graveyard about, this did seem like the entrance to Stonehell.  So far so good.  Now, as he'd discovered in the gatehouse, he didn't have any torches to see by.  Scrounging around once more, he looked for any discarded light sources that someone may have left about or cached around the entrance.

He might be bound for a walk back to the general store for a some torches.
DM
GM, 299 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 13:25
  • msg #19

Another journey to the canyon

There was nothing close to the entrance. Looking further around the canyon Devin saw to the north was a stand of trees and a cascade of water tumbling rock the cliff wall to a pool below, to the south the cliff face had a switch back trail leading upwards which passed two cave entrances, a ruined building and a copse of trees.
Devin Harper
player, 24 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 14:05
  • msg #20

Another journey to the canyon

Devin sighed and accepted his fate.  So promising a start the night before with everyone gathered around telling stories and now, here he was, cold and wet without any way to explore what he'd come all this way to face.

"Auril give me strength to persevere and overcome my lack of experience," he prayed, looking longingly at the cave's entrance.  He signed again and turned back in the other direction.  He'd look around at what he could see and then go back for torches.

At least it had stopped raining.

The young man headed in the direction of the pool to get a drink and refill his waterskin.  He might as well eat something from his sack as well and just take in the valley for a short break beside it.
DM
GM, 302 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 16:20
  • msg #21

Another journey to the canyon

The pool of water was feed by water falling from a cave one hundred foot up the cliff. There was rich growths of vegetation and ample sights of animals around the pond, Devin heard frogs croaking as he sat and rested.

When Devin dipped his waterskin to refill it he felt that the water was much warmer than expected. Not the expected cool mountain water but the water was tepid to the touch.
Devin Harper
player, 26 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 16:26
  • msg #22

Another journey to the canyon

Chewing on some hard tack, Devin looked up the cliff side to see if it were climbable as he reached out to test the water falling from above.  He was wondering if it were just the pool or the source itself that was warm.

It was a long way up, but it would be interesting to explore if it were an easy climb.  Elsewise it would be another tool he lacked if rope and spikes were needed for the climb.
DM
GM, 303 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 16:34
  • msg #23

Another journey to the canyon

The cliff was very steep. Devon reckoned with the right equipment it might be possible for him to climb it or others better skilled than him might be able to climb up.
Devin Harper
player, 27 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 18:11
  • msg #24

Another journey to the canyon

Abandoning the idea of climbing without equipment, Devin decided to kick around in  the dilapidated building.  The caves along the switchback were tempting, but again, he'd need those torches.

He didn't expect much as the houses had probably been picked over, but it would be nice to scout it out as a possible refuge if he needed a rest close to Stonehell's entrance.
Valerian
player, 21 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 18:51
  • msg #25

Another journey to the canyon

The wizard looks down, and shakes his head. It was a mad stroke of luck he tumbled down to the feet of the party the first time with little more than a light shoulder bruise and a ripped robe. He won't try it again without the proper tools.
DM
GM, 305 posts
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 19:59
  • msg #26

Another journey to the canyon

All that remained of the ruined building was tumbled down stone walls with rotten timbers. The building was empty except from thick growths of weeds and piles of fallen leaves.
Devin Harper
player, 28 posts
Acolyte of Auril
Fri 12 Mar 2021
at 22:47
  • msg #27

Another journey to the canyon

Having felt he'd run out of avenues for outdoor exploration, Devin headed back to the general store to see if they had torches for sale.  He'd have to get one lit before he walked all this way back as he had no way to easily light it.

Resigned to walk back to town in partial defeat, he looked up and thanked Auril for at least letting up on the rain.  This was much harder than the bishop had lead him to believe.
DM
GM, 306 posts
Sat 13 Mar 2021
at 09:31
  • msg #28

Another journey to the canyon

The trip back through the forest to Fourtower Bridge was as uneventful as trip out and Devin returned to the Inn at mid-afternoon. There would be time to shop at Millie's before she closed for the day.

OOC You can purchase basics from the book at normal prices from Millie. If you want anything else in particular let me know. It may be worth posting a late arrival to the party in the other thread for Devin.
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