To scare a ghost...

[tomcat]

Nain slowly walked in the hushed pine forest, heading east away from the Dunmen settlement. He had no idea he was being observed, or followed for that matter, only that strange sounds came from the forest in the direction before him. He countinued on slowly, his pony following casually along, until again the land under his feet began to rise and become rocky. As he climbed up the grade, he finally saw the source of the noise - lengths of wood and what appeared to be hollowed bones and skulls of animals hung from a bough of a pine tree. He noticed that there were many such sets of clattering chimes - the hanging items close enough that when the wind swelled the branches of the trees, they would knock together making ghostly sounds in the woods.

"What are they for?" thought the Dwarf, as he looked about.

Not far behind him, Galudir wondered the same thing. It was evident that the trees began to thin as the path went east and the land rose. What the Eriadorian didn't notice, but the stone saavy eyes of the Dwarf did, was a well-made, albeit overgrown, path of marble stone that angled up the slope.

[Stefan]

Nain stood and pondered the meaning of the morbid windchimes for only a moment before continuing up the slope along the overgrown path.  Maybe there would be something that could help him at it's end.  As he walked he lanced down at the path every so often trying to figure out who had laid it so long ago.

[Nikitas]

Galudir followed the dwarf until he finally saw the source of the noise. The gruesome instrument clanked as the wind gave motion to the branches of the pine tree. "I would be reluctant to meet the hospitality of this land's inhabitants." though Galudir, as he let his sight slip away from the dwarf and focused on the foul chimes. When he came back to his task, he saw the dwarf ascending a rocky grade away from the tree. Galudir quietly continued his pursuit, resting behind tree and rock, so as not to reveal himself to the dwarf.

[tomcat]

Both Dwarf and Man followed the trail as it climbed and then turned to the left up a natural spire of rock. The bare stone showed some evidence of being shaped, and not just by the wind, but by hands that new well the art. It continued to circle up and around until it deposited Nain inside a large ruined gazebo of stone. In the structures center stood what appeared to be a shattered bath that sat upon a pedestal. The Dwarf could see where a natural spring gurgled up in its center and now flowed out over the ruined marble floor.

Birds were startled at the Dwarf's presence and took to flight in the cool mountain air, leaving Nain to explore the structure. The Craftmaster could see the skill of the stonework and marveled that the gazebo still stood, for surely it had been built by the Elves who had lived here some 2,000 years ago. He and his companions were, of course, on the very brink of the lands of Eregion and this fountain must have been one of the places of solitude for the Noldor of old.

Nain moved about, cautiously, but also with respect.

Behind the Dwarf, Galudir stood concealed by the terrain and the gazebo's few standing pillars. He watched as Nain circled about within the ruin. Suddenly the rogue shifted his gaze as he perceived a figure in his peripheral vision – someone stood there filling a pitcher from the fount. But when the Man's eyes settled on where he saw the figure, there was naught there but the broken bath and the free flowing spring.

[Stefan]

Nain looked around the place carefully but he did not find anything that would help him with his current situation.  The fountain was beautiful and he though for a few moments that he might be able to repair it given time but his skill with stone, he admitted silently to himself, was not up to this challenge.  He looked carefully around the Gazeebo but still there was nothing that would help him against the Dunmen, nor anything that would explain their unreasoning fear of the place.

OOC:
Search the fountain
Roll (2d6) +2: 2,2+2 =6

Stone-craft (to determine what it would take to repair it)
Roll (2d6)+13: 4,4+13=21

Search the Gazeebo
Roll 2d6 +2: 1,6 +2 =9

[Nikitas]

Galudir could barely steady his breath so as not to alert the dwarf. He was sure that he saw a figure by the fractured fountain. Rubbing his eyes with his hand, he scanned the broken terrace once more for the mysterious being. With nothing in sight, Galudir's heart began to race as he tried making his way back around the terrace and down the path.

[tomcat]

OOC: I need Galudir to give me an Acrobatics test TN 15 to avoid causing a shift in the stones that he is standing on that will cause a clattering of stones and pebbles. If the test is failed, I need him to make a Swiftness test TN of the failed Acrobatics test dice results. If this is failed, Galudir will fall down. This will not cause him any problems other than to make a lot of noise.

Based on the results from Galudir's rolls above, Nain will need to make an Observe (Listen) TN 10 to hear the commotion created.

[Nikitas]

Acrobatics Test TN 15:
2d6= 6,2
Nimbleness (+3), Skill Ranks (+1)
8+3+1= 12

Swiftness Test TN 12: (I think) Yep! 
2d6= 5,5
Swiftness (+5)
10+5= 15
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As Galudir turned toward the path the stones beneath his feet gave way. Unable to maintain his balance, Galudir leapt off of the crumbling brink onto nearby, and hopefully more sturdy, ground. Galudir ducked behind a column, but winced as the falling stones rattled down the rocky precipice.

[tomcat]

OOC:
Search the fountain
Roll (2d6) +2: 2,2+2 =6

Stone-craft (to determine what it would take to repair it)
Roll (2d6)+13: 4,4+13=21

Search the Gazeebo
Roll 2d6 +2: 1,6 +2 =9

OOC: Stefan, here are the results of your tests, based on the results above against the standard TN difficulties (i.e. your fountain search result was a 6, which is just over a Simple TN result, so you garner simple information):

Search of fountain - this search reveals naught to Nain except it was once a very ornate pedastal fountain that has cracked and large chunks have broken away. The water still gurgles up and it is very cold and very clear.

Stone-craft analysis - Nain is easily able to determine the time frame it would take to re-beautify the gazebo and reset the fountain... roughly about a year and a half if he were to work on it himself, or about 4 to 6 months if he had a group of his kin from the Blue Mountains (or even those from Moria).

Gazebo search - The gazebo sits on a picturesque escarpment of rock that looks out over the spur of mountains that border Eregion's north, and in the far distance, the Misty Mountains (particularly the three mountains of Khazad-dum can be seen). The morning sun would break over the mountains in the east and would be breath-taking. There are some ancient writings on the pieces of the fountain and along the pillars, but Nain cannot read them (unless he has Language/Elves: Quenya).

[Stefan]

OOC: Nope, no Quenya

Observe (Listen) TN 10
Roll (2d6)+6: 2,3 +6=11   

IC:  The view of Khazad-Dum was a sight that he thought every dwarf should see.  Maybe after he arrived there he would bring some of his kin back and restore this for them.  As he looks at the familiar but unintelligible words written on the pillars the sounds of clattering rock startles him from his reverie.

He immediately draws his axe, thinking that it was more of the Dunmen come to take him with them.
He takes up a defensive stance, back against one of the pillars with the fountain between him and the path to make he assault harder on them.

"I hear ye over there, make yourself known."

[Nikitas]

"Be at ease master dwarf. I am merely a fellow traveler and unarmed, mostly." Galudir appears from behind the pillar, leading with this empty hands, palms opened towards the dwarf. He examines the dwarf for a moment before offering an introduction. "Thermon is my name and I only came to quietly observe these ruins, I do not intend any harm."

[Stefan]

His suspicion not assuaged Nain stood his ground, axe in hand.

"Thermon eh, well ye don't look like a Dunlender nor do ye have the look of a scholar. So what're ye doing wandering around these parts.  These ruins were abandoned by the elves long before ye were born."

[tomcat]

As Nain and Galudir faced off within the apparent Elven ruin, unbeknownst to both, two Dunmen hunters walked quietly through the woods some 50 meters away. The two carried the days catch between them, a large doe that had luckily come into range of their weapon. The two men grumbled and mumbled between each other about the weight of the deer and its awkwardness when one stopped talking and stared into the forest distance. The other Dunmen followed his partner's gaze and saw standing in the woods, adorned with saddle and gear, Nain's small pony Jethro. The pony turned its head to look at the oncomers, totally unconcerned; its interest lying moreso in the pack of apples that was tied off to its back. Unfortunately, the beast could not get its teeth on the bag to free up some of its prize - seems that the Dwarf had gotten smarter. Jethro looked back towards the Dunmen and then back to the trail which Nain had followed and just stood there.

The Men just stared at the horse when a gust of wind blew up through the fir trees causing branches to swell and rustle, and also to cause the wooden and bone chimes to clatter and knock... also in the wind was the sound of tinkling bells and whispers. The two Dunmen froze at first as the breeze passed and then as a pair, they dropped their catch and ran towards the north - away from the Elven ruin's surrounds - and to their homes just over the ridge.

Not far off, Nain and Galudir felt the breeze blow past and also heard the haunting sounds... the fountain gurgled up at the same time, only to receed again to a small flow.

[Nikitas]

Galduir shrank at the gurgling of the fountain, his rising fear obvious in the unsteady tone of his voice. "Indeed master dwarf, I am neither Dunman nor scholar, but I did not claim to be either. What I can say for certain is that a foul shadow has fallen upon these remnants of more glorious days. I think if we should continue this conversation, it would be best to do so elsewhere."

[Stefan]

Nain looks around the beautiful gazebo.  It was showing it's age and needed some stonework but nothing seemed evil or foul about it.  He didn't want to spill blood on it but some things just couldn't be helped.

"I've not seen anything evil here, you're daft.  Now tell me why ye be followin' me or ye'll be tastin' the axe."