The brief journey of the Company through the dark and deserted streets of Esgaroth is a short one, but no less tense for its brevity. Each companion turns over in their minds memories of earlier brushes with the dark spirits that lurk at the forgotten corners of the world as the bitter cold of a November night seems to prick and pull at their skin, drawing the heat from their bodies piece by tiny piece.
The cold appears to have driven even the sentinels of the Elven Quarter indoors, for there is no sign of their watchful presence as the five make their way across the bridge over the narrow canal and through the avenues between the Lake-Town Elves' gabled roofs. Soon, Laeral leads them to the place, close to the rope bridge, from where she overheard the arrival of Caewin's followers. Matters, it seems, have moved on since even that recent hour.
To her Elf-eyes, the door to the small storehouse in the corner of the platform is brast to shivers which lie in the moonlight. Muted, rhythmic pounding, like the beat of a solemn drum, sounds from the doors of the other three buildings, forming a counterpart to a slow, strange chanting that cannot quite be made out. If any answer comes from within the buildings, the wind whips it away before it can reach the Fellowship's ears. Indistinct figures stand before the doors, clearly the source of the sound.
It seems the forces of the Shadow have revealed themselves.
:ooc: If you have a look at the attached image, the tollhouse comprises the four buildings on the platform over towards the right. The storehouse is building D, and the pounding, chanting figures are at the doors of buildings A, B and C.
Hathcyn's whisper is harsh in the night.
"Shall I blow upon my horn and summon the guard? This is mischief indeed."
The Beorning looked for a brazier to see if any torches could be ready at hand. Fearful of the wood and open flame he also knew the light would be an ally against these figures of darkness.
"Laeral, do you see any boats along the pilings? If not then this rope bridge is their only way across back into town."
"I set none," she replies. "And I find that strange, for the raft Elves tie up their barges near here each and every day."
Arbogast nods in agreement. "It is indeed strange," he says. "I cannot but think that both the enemy yonder, and any unfortunates whom they threaten, are bait in a trap."
:ooc: so Laeral is the only one who sees the figures?
:ooc: We can assume that she's told you about them. Arbogast certainly knows there's something there.
"So it begs the question, do we enter this trap?" Esgalwen whispered even as she strung her bow and nocked an arrow. "I can perhaps take position atop a roof here and cover your crossing."
:ooc: To my fellow players, what do we do? (Matt, Aly and Tom)
Are we willing to take Lake-town law in our own hands and and investigate this, or do we call the city watch?
Although we have standing among these people, I am not sure how much that extends us in matters of city defense.
"If nothing else I am sure the folk of Lake-town do not want their wharehouse looted. Perhaps we should summon the watch and observe. Firewatcher, where can we find the watch quickly?"
Looking about through the winter night's gloom at the surrounding town, Esgalwen shakes her head. "Ill deeds are afoot. I do not know if the town watch can be mustered in time before some evil act manifests. Mayhaps sound your horn to rise the alarm and we cross the bridge to at least see what is going on? Or should stealth be our manner of approach?"
:ooc: I don't want to let all the fun of investigation fall to NPC's, so I think we should at least see what is happening. Let's cross to take a closer look?
"If I blow upon my horn and they vanish we will look like fools. I hear only the chanting, only the Elf see's what is hidden in the shadows. Our words will be hollow if we find only moon beams and shadow and our deeds turned to ravings...."
Hathcyn planted his spear. "I doubt your troubles in the square and the actions of men have anything to do with this nights deeds. The warning of your grey traveller was not directed at such a clear and present danger. This is but one of the tentacles of the beast and I doubt they are coordinated. But this danger is here before us. Let us face it and see what day brings, but I fear this overt threat is not the asp hidden in the basket we were warned of."
Hathcyn set the ram horn of the mountains to his lips and let ring a blast that shook the timbers.
"Foes! Thieves! Arise the tollhouse is raided!"
He looked at his friends. "Now, let us face the dark and probe it's terror with the courage of men."
Esgalwen smiled at Hathcyn, "I am with you, my friend!"
Even as the echoes of the horn bounded over the frozen lake, the Ranger, with bow in hand, began to move across the bridge. Her eyes reached out into the dim light to ascertain what was happening, even as her heartbeat began to quicken with the flow of adrenaline.
:ooc: Two rolls (if either serve a purpose) - one to move quickly across the bridge and the other to see if she can see anything before her. If either are successful and apply to our current situation, let me know if they count for AP.
TN -- athletics 2d:00: 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 6, total 8
TN -- athletics 2d:00: 1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 1, total 5
:ooc: It is safe to assume that both failed - but the second roll was intended as Awareness. I forgot to change the skill type before I clicked submit.
I am also going to assume that though they were not successful, they were not fumbled and so neither detriment her crossing or give her any benefit.
"And the courage of women too!"
The horn fell to his side and Hathcyn gripped his two handed spear, crossing the bridge to the tollhouse warf."
:ooc: I thought Grimbeorn was going off to discuss things with the other Beornings while the rest of you were investigating this... oh well, we're in it now.
Grimbeorn, unsure to the wisdom of announcing their presence, he waits a little to follow the others across the bridge lest they are flanked following their crossing.
:ooc: Looking back through the posts all the way to the bar, it doesn't appear that Grimbeorn is highlighted.
If you had some other task to perform, Matt - I think we can retcon.
:ooc: Agreed. Matt, let me know if you'd prefer Grimbeorn to be off doing something else.
The bridge sways and shakes beneath Esgalwen's feet as she races across the gap between platforms, the water beneath bright in the moonlight as it gurgles around the piles. Hathcyn and Arbogast follow quickly after. The thudding noises from the indistinct forms' assault on the doors ceases, and the Ranger thinks, but cannot be sure, that she hears sobbing from within the nearest.
Such Mannish noises are drowned out, however, by inhuman voices - one high, weird and warbling and two deep and cold, seeming to echo from some other place unthinkably distant.
There are secrets of humanity
Things you keep inside.
Foulness you shall never see
Hidden under lock and key
Flesh and guts and blood and bone
Horrors lurk beneath your skin!
All you see is what you're shown
Flesh and guts and blood and bone.
It's commonly known as a matter of fact
People are all the same.
Putting their deaths far from their minds
Fawning on their good names.
But all of your striving is vanity
As is decreed by Fate .
For you will lie at last unsung
'Til all that's left is hate.
Flesh and guts and blood and bone
What's mine is mine and mine alone!
Death will come to you in time,
Flesh and guts and blood and bone.
Ashes come to ashes.
Dust becomes to dust.
The spite within will never die
As your bodies surely must.
Come join us beneath the ground
With reeds and roots entiwned!
Invisible and sinister
The things you leave behind.
Flesh and bone and guts and blood
Plant the seeds beneath the mud.
When you die only this is gone:
Flesh and guts and blood and bone.
The rhythm of the song continues unabated, mixing with shambling footfalls as the three forms resolve themselves into terrible creatures. Though they wear the shapes of tall Men, their bodies are an amalgam of ancient armour, the detritus of river banks, and here and there the dullness of long-buried bone.
"Wights," whispers Arbogast, his face ashen beneath his helm.
:ooc: I'll do the preliminary rolls. The wights will try to Strike Fear into the companions before the fight gets going properly.
Matt, obviously ignore the results if Grimbeorn isn't here.
Battle rollsArbogast Rolled 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 4d6 : 2, 3, 1, 4, total 10
Esgalwen Rolled 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 3, total 5
Grimbeorn Rolled 1d12 : 2, total 2
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 3, 6, total 12
Hathcyn Rolled 1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 2, total 11
Laeral Rolled 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 3, 2, total 8
Fear tests (Valour vs TN 16)
Arbogast Rolled 1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 5d6 : 3, 3, 6, 5, 1, total 18
Esgalwen Rolled 1d12 : 10, total 10
Rolled 4d6 : 6, 4, 3, 3, total 16
Grimbeorn Rolled 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 4d6 : 4, 5, 4, 4, total 17
Hathcyn Rolled 1d12 : 11, total 11
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 6, total 12
Laeral Rolled 1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 3d6 : 3, 6, 3, total 12
:ooc: Arbogast could've thought this through better - I'm a bit disappointed in him. Grimbeorn and Hathcyn score well on the Battle roll, though - they've obviously worked out some sort of tricky tactic between themselves.
Hathcyn and Laeral both blow their Fear tests, though. I'll spend a Hope for Laeral - Tom, you can either do the same or be unable to spend Hope for the duration of the fight.
:csu: for everyone except Grimbeorn (pending Matt's decision).
:ooc: Hathcyn's fears are realized! I'll burn a point of hope. I might need it to live later.
:ooc: Grimbeorn parts ways with his companions, wishing good luck and to stay safe. He heads off to a confrontation of his own -- the Beorning thegns -- to discuss with them the business of the council and to seek their people's aid to keep an eye upon this city.
:ooc: Thanks, Matt. I'll have a separate thread up for you later today.