Skull Mountain: Approach

[greyarea]

The young lad is cheerful during the journey from town toward the volcano known as Skull Mountain. He can't tell you much about it except that it's a "bad place" and he was told always to avoid it. He has you hooked for a short while on a tale about when he and his mates used to chase young manticores around the mountainside, although on deeper questioning it becomes obvious that he's making it up whole cloth. He says he's mostly cheerful that he gets a day out of the stables and doesn't have to be knee deep in manure. As the saying goes: any day you're not shoveling __it is a good day.

The way is not marked by trail or path. You follow a road for a short while but are soon moving across prairie and near sheep-herding fields. The volcano looms in the background spouting smoke and steam as you approach it. About midday you stop at the edge of the forest for some grub, a short stop as all are eager to move on but the lad leading you. He's visibly more nervous leading you into the woods and closer to the volcano.

As you walk through the woods you feel like you're being watched many times but nothing comes of it. The trees obscure the goal ahead but the way is clear: you will be able to get back without problem, you think.

Later in the afternoon, as the sun is painting the horizon red, you see Skull Mountain before you. The woods have opened up and you can see the mountain in the distance. Since noon, the sky has been clouding up and will likely be completely overcast by evening. The lad stops and tells you that this is as far as he's taking you, and that the base of the mountain is only about a half-hour's walk ahead. He is very nervous: sweating and anxious being this close to the mountain.

From this distance you can make out the skull shape on the side of the mountain that gives it its name, although not in detail. The trees are much thinner here.

Actions?

[Professor P]

KALVAIN (paladin)

"Well I hope someone can remember the trail back to town, because I'm pretty sure I cannot," says KALVAIN with a frustrated grimace. "Shall we scout out the area surrounding the entrance with the rest of sunlight and make our way into the cave tomorrow, or should we make straightaway for the cave now?"

[connivingsumo]

Dandy Dwarf Cleric...

"HEH! Underground, I say."

[Scalydemon]

Anadrea

Will head off a bit into the forest and look for a rodent such as a squirrel or a bird, and use speak with animals. (Would prefer to speak with a bird, if one is available as they have an overview and range farther than a squirrel)

I will question them to see what they know of the skull in the mountain. Whether there are other entrances that they see men using? Is there typically more activity there at night or during the day?

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Maeglin scans the forest, then looks towards the Mountain.

"Friendly looking place, no?" asks Maeglin. He loosens his sword in its scabbard, then reseats it firmly. 'No swordplay, Maeg,' he thinks to himself. 'You don't have the blood to spare.'

The frail elf fishes out one of his pills, and downs it with a swallow of water. He moves forward with the rest of the party.

[Spanningtree]

Dieter

At least if were underground there are fewer directions to worry about... Dieter says absently to the party. A real gem! he replies to Maeglin with a laugh.

[connivingsumo]

The frail elf fishes out one of his pills, and downs it with a swallow of water. He moves forward with the rest of the party.

Dandy Dwarf Cleric

Dandy moves towards Maeglin and asks quietly..."...friend, what is thaht yer swallowin?" genuinely concerned.

[nathan]

CYGNUS has remained quiet throughout the trip, appearing lost more in his own thoughts than in his surroundings. He now stands fixated on the mountain ahead. Two ashy-grey and black crows suddenly flutter down from the sky, landing on a nearby tree. For a moment they appear to have locked their gaze on the druid, before flying off in the direction they came, darting in and out of the tree line.

Standing not too far from Kalvain, Cygnus responds to the paladin's question in a quiet, emotionless tone as he watches Anadrea walk further into the forest.

"While haste is of great concern in this task, to rush brazenly for the entrance of the cave would test the perils of an unfamiliar territory." The druid inhales deeply toward the sky and then stares into the horizon. "We do not know how far the influence of the cult extends into this area, or whatever else lurks nearby. Let us not allow anxiety to taint our vigilance."

[Surfing HalfOrc]

The frail elf fishes out one of his pills, and downs it with a swallow of water. He moves forward with the rest of the party.

Dandy Dwarf Cleric

Dandy moves towards Maeglin and asks quietly...[color=#0000FF]"...friend, what is thaht yer swallowin?" genuinely concerned.

"Just a little something for my health." The elf grimaces as the medicine hits his stomach and spreads its warmth throughout his system.

"My advice, friend dwarf? Never get sick. It's no fun."

[Scalydemon]

Anadrea

Returns from her brief foray into the meager forest a bit frustrated

"Alas, I have consulted with the birds of this locality. Not much knowledge was gained. No other known entrances seem to exist. Men come and go from the mouth of the skull. More activity during the day than at night. At night they hold blasphemous ceremony with dance and fire."

She looks around at the faces of her fellow travellers. "Perhaps we could at least catch them unawares during their orgasmic rite and seek to thin their numbers by surprise?"