"We should start with the back of the canyon, see if the entrance is there." Fiene suggests.  "I brought a gift for Coal on the way."

The hauntef cleric didn't manage a smile but was grateful for the holy water "may Sidhe grant me fair judgement when to use it" she carefully stowed the vial with deference.

In contrast Ermangard reacted emotionally to Fiene's offer of a gift despite it being for Coal the black bear not her "aye let us go to the bear's den" she raised her spear high and clapped Fiene on the shoulder.

Ben made very good sense, but Brandli said it sounded just like them, so Leah imagined the accent was accurate. And the elk did just cross the road peacefully. So as she watched them go, she replied to Brandl, "Thank you, I am very good with languages. Even when I was very young I could make lots of noises."

She continued with, "And I did not know you were Ben! I was looking for you. I was told you were hiring people, and I need money. But I cannot take a job right now, because I am already on an adventure to Stonehell. But maybe after, we can come up with a job. As you can see I have a lot of talents and a ten foot pole."

She looked at her pole with pride. The security it provided even brought Fiene out of retirement, and he followed her wise example by getting a pole of his own.

She had no idea what the rest of the conversation was about, but she knew coal was a very good gift, because it could keep you warm on cold nights and be used for drawing. But she did not know there were supposed to be gifts given. So seemingly at random, she said aloud, "I guess that is why it is called an adventuring party."

In a state that can only be called bewildered, Ben trundles along with the rest of them, eager to press further into the valley and find the entrance to Stonehell itself.

He privately wonders what job he could possibly entrust Leah with that would not warrant so much supervision as to render the whole project a waste.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:36, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

"A bear? Interesting! No one mentioned anything about a bear. I thought we were going to find out what that swarm of wasps had built their nest around."

Lilith followed along with the others, she was seriously hung over.  The noises of life and the brightness above the din was troublesome from the moment she awoke.  But, she was an adventurer and that was the life she chose.  It was a good thing there were so many in the company.  The numbers afforded her some space to just move with the crowd and grunt ever so often a reply.  But she knew that sooner or later she'd have to get to work...she just hoped it would be later.

Teodore kept pace with the others, agreeing that they should try to go deeper into the canyon this time.

With the elk peril having been overcome, Leah drifted from the front to the back of the group. She had not been here before, and they had, so it only made sense to follow. She paid strict attention to her surroundings as she went. Such careful attention to detail was why she never got lost, except, of course, when she was somewhere she didn't know where she was. And it was likely she would need to find her way back here. Maybe Lorna would change her mind with gold from THREE trips, Leah mused.

The party were able to pass safely through the Gatehouse passage and into the canyon beyond.

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.

Led by Fiene they went to the southern wall and climbed twenty feet up to the mouth of a natural cave. The cave had a strong ursine odour, various old bones and old adventuring gear were strewn about. Fiene was able to safely deposit his haunch of meat without disturbance from the black bear.

"There is some old gear in there," Ben helpfully points out to Fienne. "Maybe now that you and Coal have reached an understanding, you could offer your help as a servant and tidy up?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

"I am ready with bear calls if we see a bear," Leah helpfully informed Ben. "But even more important, I have a pole that can reach out and pull equipment to us from a distance. Also, we should not fight the bear because I do not have my bed and breakfast yet, so there is no place to put a bearskin rug yet and we would have to carry it for three delves."

"I would think any gear in there would be from poor soul who tried going in there without being invited." Fiene replies. "Perhaps if I were to study a charm for bears at some point."

"Leah. Coal is a special bear, a bit of a good omen.  I would hate to see him as a rug." The wizard counters, as hus superstitious nature becomes more visible.  He looks across to the kneeling statue of the Saint.  "I didn't think to bring something for Ras, and I'm not a devotee like what's his name was.  But we can use all the help we can get, right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:25, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

As a retainer of Fiene's it was not her place to reprimand Leah but Ermangard visibly bristled at the mention of slaying  Coal. Fiene own reasoned argument received a hearty aye from the warrior woman. The local woman appreciated local tradition being followed.

In reply to Leah (msg # 22):

"On our way out, we could watch your wizardry with your ten foot pole."

Sensing the general momentum of everybody to keep going, he does so, advancing further into the valley.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Fiene walks along deeper into the canyon behind Ben.  He eyes flit up along the sides of the canyon, looking for something that wants to kill them and something that will yield its treasure.

Leah listened to Fiene, and agreed it made sense. "A good omen that could walk away should be protected," she assented. So, no bearskin rug it seemed- at least, not that one.

To Ben, she shook her head. "You are making a mistake. This is a pole yes, but you are thinking of a staff, because that is what a wizard uses. I guess they could use a pole too, and maybe that would be more magic, since it is bigger? Hmm. But anyway, my pole is magic too, but I am not a wizard. I am a normal person. That is important to know, because when I go to get a job from you, you should know."

Lilith grimaced and winced, "Shh...  You all don't have to yell do you?"  Her head continued to pound as she thought of the noise a bear's roar would make and the number it would do on her in her current condition.  Good thing that wasn't their plan.

 Brandli's initial response to bears was, "Gardsdamn it, a bear..." But, when the more experienced and better-adjusted of her companions speak well of it, Brandli shrugs.  "Guess bears can be good, too."

 Noticing that Lilith seems to be in some sort of pain, Brandli reaches into her backpack and retrieves a bit of jerked flesh from her rations.  "Maybe a bite'll help you with what you got goin' on.  Got some water, too, maybe-haps helps me when my head's all done in."

 To Fiene, she says, "Don't got no trinkets gods might like, but I do got some food.  Think that 'Ras' is hungry?" She pauses, and then to Orla Pont, says, "You think gods eat people food?  My paw said when his paw was little he fed a dog an onion, once, and that didn't go over too well... don't wanna hurt no gods like that dog got hurt." She shakes her head and says mostly to herself, "Yeah, paw's paw was a mean old cuss."

Bertilak grins at Brandli. "Haven't you heard that the gods dine on nectar and ambrosia? Now by nectar, they don't mean the common type from flowers that bees feed on. No, the divine nectar is something else entirely. To be honest with you, I have not yet leaned what it is. But as we have none, this is merely academic, wouldn't you agree? Most temples will suggest that fresh or burnt offerings of our food does please the gods, in a symbolic way, even though they themselves would not eat it."

OOC: yes, being pedantic and overly academic on purpose! I'm loving every post from our new lady companions!

When Bertilak offered an answer to Brandli's query Orla nodded her head "the offers are symbolic, it is ceremony or ritual combined with your faith that is important."

Further westward the grassy meadow of the canyon continued occasionally interrupted by small stands of trees or 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.

Lilith tries the bit of food and water trick to no avail...but she does give a smile of thanks for the attempt.  "Just going to be one of those days." is all she can muster in response.

"A normal person plus a magic pole makes a wizard. My magic pole just happens to be hidden."

Barnabas's expression wrinkles. That last part wasn't supposed to have been said aloud. He turns his attention to the plaque and assumes a properly ominous tone before declaiming.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 17:14, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Leah cocked her head at Lilith's admonition over yelling. They were not all yelling. maybe just some of them. But she could see the signs of the hangover and grasped the larger point. Leah's own alcohol tolerance was not very high due to her overall poor constitution, so she rarely drank that much. And besides, stump water was far healthier.

She completely missed Ben's innuendo though. Had he not been a mage, she would have grasped it- the innuendo that is, not the pole in question. But as he was a mage, he was probably talking from a position of knowledge. She was not certain this was true and did not know what to say, and unlike most times, this kept her from speaking, although the thoughts kept pondering in the back of her mind, surely to come out at some odd time when they had jelled into a semblance of sense, to her at least.

Bertilak, Brandl, and Orla had a conversation about religion. Unlike alcohol, that made her head hurt. She just wanted to know who she had to supplicate in order to not be struck down by whichever god or goddess was in a temper that day. But she knew there was nothing she had to do at this alter. There was a good omen bear that kept them safe here.

So there seemed little to do at this time. Presumably, they would be heading towards that terminus soon.

Ben read the pitted and weather worn bit of doggerel carved above the archway's keystone that had remained 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.

"Not exactly welcoming prose." Fiene comments.    He lights his lantern, in anticipation of the darkness beyond.  He makes a sign to ward off evil, and starts through the archway.