Curse of the Witch King Chapter 6

[ewancummins]

Lara and her father hosted the adventurers for a day and a night, until Klokulf had largely recovered his strength, and sent the group on its way with sacks of homecooked food: fried chicken, rhubarb pie, and day-rolls stuffed with cheese and greens.

Now back at the SIGN OF THE RED FEATHER, the only tavern and inn in the small town of OLEK'S CAIRN, the party makes plans to investigate rumors of a camp of armed men near the town.
During the group's absence (the dungeon expedition) rumors have run wild in the settlement:

The armed strangers have moved their camp to the Darkling Stair. They must mean to dare its depths in search of treasure.

No, the strangers have left their camp in place but some of them made a rendezvous near the Darkling Stair with 'hairy giants.' A local shepherd claims to have seen this meeting.

The strangers are waiting for the arrival of their master, one of the Witch-Knights.

Spies in the town will help the strangers take control soon.

[ewancummins]

(results of skill check)



ALAIN, asking about town, finds what seems credible information about the location of the stranger's armed camp.
Three miles northwest on the open plains, in a derelict farmhouse.

Alain's source, a packhorse handler who recently delivered food and other supplies the strangers' ordered from the sundryhouse (general store) in town, claims that the strangers number at least thirty men. Armed in brigandine or coats of mail, with swords, spears, maces, crossbows, and so on. At least ten horses. The apparent leader is a woman with an eyepatch.

[ewancummins]

FLAMERULE 8th (early summer, though it's a cool summer indeed for those used to milder climates)

Klokulf having recovered from the roper's malignant touch, the party sets out of the derelict farmhouse where the armed strangers are supposed to have made their camp.
When the wind isn't hitting you, the bright sun feels warm.

A short ride takes them within sight of the low, long, tumbledown house standing in field long since reclaimed by the prairie grass and berry briars.

Nobody in sight, but the fieldstone chimney of the old farmhouse coughs out puffs of smoke, which whirl away to nothing in the cold northeasterly breeze.


A low earth and timber barn stands not far back from the main house, and Alain spots a horse's tail and hindquarters, passing in through a door, soon out of view.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

After an appropriate place is found to tie the horses, Klokulf approaches the farmhouse to rap upon the front door.

[kintire]

Kat follows at the rear of the group, keeping a careful watch behind and to either side

[ewancummins]

The priest's companions tie up horses in the ramshackle old barn, where the discover one untethered mare and three other stalled, tethered horses. All these animals are skittish. The horses appear well-fed, their stalls fairly clean. No sentries about. Nobody snoozing in the hayloft, either.


KLOKULF knocks on the door, setting the rickety panel to shaking in its crooked frame.

No response, at least not immediately...

Minutes pass, and nobody has answered.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"Ahoy, in there!" Klokulf calls out. "We wish but a mite of your time to talk. We would know of your business here and have you know ours, that we may not inconvenience each other going forward."

[ewancummins]

"Ahoy, in there!" Klokulf calls out. "We wish but a mite of your time to talk. We would know of your business here and have you know ours, that we may not inconvenience each other going forward."

Still no answer...

[ewancummins]

While Klokulf knocks at the front door, Fala searches the yard and peeks into any openings low enough for her to check without trouble.

The whisper gnome soon finds a loose board on the south side of the building. Perring through a gap in the planks, she spies an unsheathed sword dropped on the floor of what seems a small room. Not much more she can make out apart from a bedroll and a pair of empty boots.

Creeping round to the back door, she finds it standing ajar. Cautiously approaching, he looks in and sees rickety table with a dingy cloth draped over it and bowls and plates set atop it. A few flies buzz lazily in the warm air of the interior.
She sniffs, taking in the smells of mutton and ale.

Besides the flies, she hears no sounds within except the sort of little sighs and creaks common to an old house, and the faint echoes of Klokulf's knocking at the front door.

[ewancummins]

Alain discovers a silver coin in the dusty back yard, dropped in a boot print.

[Lord Skybolt]

Fala comes back from looking around back and says:"I don't think anyone is home guys." Then goes on to explain she found when she looked around in back .

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"Perhaps we ought to go about our own business then?" suggests Klokulf. "Unless it would be apropos to figure out where they went."

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain and Fala just nod in agreement with Klokulf .

[kintire]

Kat looks around a little uneasily, and seems unenthused by the prospect of going about their business, perhaps because their business involves descending into the darkness of the Stair. Still she nods in agreement: there seems nothing to be gained here

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain pauses in thought before leaving with the party . "Lets check the farmhouse real quick before we leave ." after saying that he goes upto the farmhouse and knocks to see if anyone is in there . If no response he opens door to look in first before entering .