The Lone Tower

[Telcontar]

"This is their liar, they shall return here. Let us take their own tracks in to hide our presence."

[Eclecticon]

Arbogast nods, already moving toward the tower. 


Doug, do you want us to make Stealth rolls?  If so, Arbogast's is here:

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 2, total 6

[tomcat]

everyone else's stealth rolls:

TN opposed stealth by PC

Hathcyn 2d 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5

Grimbeorn 0d 1d12 : 9, total 9

Laeral 2d 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5

TN opposed awareness 2d

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 5, total 9

[tomcat]

The trio began to cross the frozen prairie moving low and to what cover could be found. Slowly the tower loomed closer.

A broken door hung loose on old metal hinges that allowed it to gently swing back and forth with the wind. It no longer secured the entrance to the ruined tower and so would create no difficulty to enter. Hathcyn could also see a large hole at the base of the edifice that was covered by odd pieces of wood, fragments of the old roof that no longer covered the top.

Gripping their weapons tighter, the companions continued their approach. From her place in the trees, Laerel could see the three Men and she wondered if they were friends or enemies.

[Eclecticon]

With a nod to his companions, Arbogast pushes past the wreckage of the door into the gloom beyond, his shield raised against any threat that may lie within. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn and his great spear entered soon behind the Woodman. He was prepared to backup his friend with the sharp leafed blade.

[GandalfOfBorg]

Grimbeorn too the rearguard, following close to the others and ensuring that they wouldn't be taken by surprise.  Axe and shield were cold in his hands but his blood was on fire, ready for anything.

[tomcat]

The smell of orc pervaded the inside of the old tower, along with that of mildew and rot. Darkness pervaded the chamber since setting dayling could no longer shine down through the broken roof, and instead only cast a ghostly glow from the windows above. The glowing coals of a fire offered some faint light and a little warmth, as well as showing evidence of the goblins presence.

A set of stone stairs wound round the northside of the tower wall, ascending to the rafters of what once was a second floor. They continued up a short distance beyond where they failed along with the tower wall and roof. It was evident from the shoots of brush and you saplings that were winter-bare, inside the main chamber, that the place had long been abandoned by Men. Arbogast had long dismissed the idea of this being a Dwarven wayfort - the stonework was not done by those folk.

Laeral watched the three men enter the broken door of the tower and continued to wonder at who they were. She knew at once they were not Lakemen, or even Dale-Men - the clothes and manner was all wrong. She knew of the Men of the Vale - Beornings and Woodmen - and these three fit the descriptions she had heard, but she had never met their like. Crude and gruff was her impression - not refined like those Men of Old Arnor, or Gondor, and certainly not like the Men of Dale.

She continued to watch and wonder. Did they not realize that this was the Enemy's time? Shadows and darkness were their favoured setting.
TN 12 search by PC

Arbogast 0d 1d12 : 10, total 10

Grimbeorn 2d 1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 1, total 5

Hathcyn 1d 1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2

[tomcat]

They searched about to ascertain that no goblin was present. Arbogast tested the old stairs and climbed high enough to see the space above the rafters. Hathcyn went to the fire to puzzle out whether the goblin camp was a permanent place, or just one from which to make their raids. Grimbeorn searched about the shadows of the room, stabbing his head of his axe into any dark holes. If there was any goblins or their allies - wolves, bats, or spiders - hiding still within, he would ferret them out.

CLUNK!

Grimbeorn's boot step made a hollow clunk that caused both of his companions to quickly look his way. Looking down, the Beorning could make out a crude trap door fashioned from the surrounding broken wood planks. The rest of the floor was now earthen - the original wooden floor long gone. Stones and parts of the roof littered about but for the most part it was clear... save this spot which had a large panel of wood.
Understand, unless you guys light a torch or stoke the fire, you are going to lose all ability to see in the darkness.

[Eclecticon]

In the fading light, Arbogast looks around the high places, an idea for an ambush of the light-hating folk already forming in his mind. 


If we can, I'd like to be ready to dump a whole bunch of fuel on the fire.  That way, when the orcs come home again we can get a huge blaze going quickly and (hopefully) have a temporary advantage. 

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn smiled, "yes, a pyre for their return. Let us first set a store aside and then find some pitch and poles to make torches to see what lies below. We will loose the light in here, let us move quickly."

[GandalfOfBorg]

"So far on this venture, this is the first thing to go well," thought Grimbeorn.  "Is there enough fuel here to do so? I'm not we have the time to collect ere they return.  Yet I have axe and this floor here is appears suitable..."

[Telcontar]

"Anything dry will do, we seek only a burst of light, not sustained heat or warmth."

[Eclecticon]

"Leave the floor," Arboast hisses down from his temporary perch on the upper reaches of the stairs.  "It will not burn quickly, and we may have sore need of it when battle is joined!  What we seek are small things.  Look for scraps and rags, and pieces of straw and kindling." 


Doug, do you want more Search rolls?  Arbogast's Search skill has always been shitty, so he may be better suited to being a lookout in case the orcs come back early.  If we can assume he's doing that, here's an Awareness roll:

1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 5, 2, total 7

[tomcat]

The Beornings gathered all the wood they could find, which was more than hoped as the orcs had a small faggot piled near the wall. From his vantage point, Arbogast could see the darker shadow of the woods nearby and knew that fuel for fire would not be a problem, merely the chore of collecting it.

Hathcyn took a longer stick of wood and wrapped it with a long tear of cloth that he had taken from his tunic. Also near at hand, the men found a crude clay bottle of orc-brew - alcohol of some sort that the foul-folk used to revitalize. It did in a pinch to saturate the fabric and make it much more flammable.

Once done...
Okay, I am not sure of the intent here. Are you all going to wait in the shadows for the raiders to return? Are you going to light the place on fire? I see each PC has an idea, but I am not seeing the end goal that you are all working towards.

Aly can introduce Laeral whenever she wants. The Elf has been watching the tower and now knows men are within, but I do not know if she cares to approach. Let me know.

Aly, I wrote you a PM.