The Buried City? At last?

[DM Bob]

The day's travel is uneventful.

The ground is grassy, but in patches. There is eventually evidence of past wheeled travel in the direction you seek. Well, at least where there's light enough ground cover and lack of obstacles. The mountains grow slightly smaller in the distance to your general left (east). Kri-kcht finally feels like a cloud has been lifted and makes a bee-line for your unseen, imagined destination.

The night passes without interruption for once as well. Strange. You'd think something would have abducted, attempted to murder you or just interrupt your pace... but these grounds feel less traveled, almost empty. If it weren't for some strange feeling that ghosts of the past once thrived here.

The following sunset, the ruins are sighted at the very last.

An odd pole marker with a tattered red ribbon and small black skull stands before sand broken up by large stone blocks. Here, the going is slower. Some vegetation peeks from here and there...

Evidence of prior camps are about. Used fire pits, cleared ground, etc...

In the immediate area, there are some remains of buildings. The most structurally sound looking ones are a granite tower, half buried in the earth and sand, a broken columned building that once may have been white, now half broken and stained grey and black and another squarish, squat building built of mortared stone - that seems the most intact.

Each building is surrounded by scree, sand, grasses and chunks of other building remains. The ground is also a bit raised here, it dips oddly at points. There are many places one could hide.

There is a generally feeling of malaise, or just general uneasiness. Like a psychic darkness; a drag on the senses here.

Current time? Early evening.

[Attilius]

"Lead the way clutch-mate. What dangers lay before us?" HurK asks Kri

[ascieszl]

Jun 3, 2021 14:52:41 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

The day's travel is uneventful.

The night passes without interruption for once as well.

That makes the 5th day since we killed Dhojakt, yes? Kleys learns (87 rolled, 95% chance) Dispel Magic.

He hands off the shell pieces as/when appropriate for cremation.

The "broken columned building" draws his attention the most.

Also, stealth mode: fail . 76/57% and 95/57% rolled.

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Kem is amazed with the structures - These might be a marvel back at its time, who knows how long ago... - speaks in low voice, like avoiding awake the wrath of the unseen guardians of these, nowadays, ruins

[Coden Rokos (Jesse H.)]

"There must be water below the ground, for all these plants to survive," says Pallia. She cranes her neck to look about the ruins.

"I wonder where they got the stone to make these buildings, oh so long ago. Regardless, if someone is here now, we should probably check the most intact buildings first?"

[remie]

To Hurk and everyone who is within hearing range: "@#@# Down 'elow ? 'eware of all closed doors, they are likely to be 'rapped. Statues may anima'e and there is a fighting arena also below, where one is easily disected!!@#@#"
The kreen makes sure he is armed.

[DM Bob]

Some details as you discuss.

While not the same sized sprawl that Bodach had, which at points could be seen beyond it's crumbling undead infested walls, the unnamed city before you has proportions perhaps more in line with a half giant's height and girth when you regard the squat building's entrance and general block size.

There is some decent plant growth about the base of the squat building (very much smaller than the tower, perhaps some 30' square. Grey-green vines overpower weeds in the immediate area. Bones of all sorts litter the sandy dirt. A once barred door, closed (but the bar is obviously propped to the side) sits on the building's southern face.

Kri-kcht remembers very clearly that the plants about that building were very, very dangerous, almost strangling a pair of his goliath friends and causing him some damage as well.

The tower does not have any apparent openings, outside of small arrow slits some 3/4's up it's height. You guess that it's roughly 3-5 stories high depending upon how much lies buried beneath the sandy earth.

The columned ruins are the most distant and would require you to get closer to see any more detail.

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Without been a trailblazer, scout or ranger, Kem looks around for any recent trail of movement left behind in front of them

[OOC: I rolled a plain 18 in a d20, so I can't see anything of the sort]

[Attilius]

Jun 3, 2021 23:33:38 GMT -12 ascieszl said:

He hands off the shell pieces as/when appropriate for cremation.

HurK quickly immolates the shell from within while removing it's webbing. He'll add the ashes into Mak's bag and use the extra webbing to cover the stone tablets.

Jun 4, 2021 4:33:14 GMT -12 DM Bob said:

There is some decent plant growth about the base of the squat building (very much smaller than the tower, perhaps some 30' square. Grey-green vines overpower weeds in the immediate area. Bones of all sorts litter the sandy dirt. A once barred door, closed (but the bar is obviously propped to the side) sits on the building's southern face.

Kri-kcht remembers very clearly that the plants about that building were very, very dangerous, almost strangling a pair of his goliath friends and causing him some damage as well.

"Hmmm a wizard's paradise." HurK looks all around at the vegetation and then back the way they came for their pursuers glow-worm lights in wicker baskets on long, hooked agafari wood poles.
 
He'll pick up some large stone rubble and toss it onto the goliath strangulation vines Kri pointed out, to see if they move or grapple the rubble

[ascieszl]

(Did somebody say Find Traps? nice.)

[Deleted]

Mak sends his Pterrax into the air to survey the ruins. "Fly in a circle, see if there are any people about. Finish your circle to the south flying away from the ruins, then fly low just over the ground to return to us. Avoid any patches of plants, they could be dangerous."

Mak will look for signs of defiling in their general area as well as around any old campfires they crossed.

[DM Bob]

Luckily, that plant is no longer a threat. As you look closer the immediate area the trunk used to call home behind the building? It is but a circle of black ash. Evidence of localized defiling.

What else would you like to look at? Or will there be camp made?

The pterrax does not detect anything larger than a sand krait or scorpion (actually a lot of normal sized scorpions about). It does seem a bit more tense or skittish about here.

[Attilius]

"Everyone have magical weapons at the ready? Kem, get the Datchi club out... Just in case... Maybe loan your singing sticks to Cap, or vice versa?"

Turning to Kri "Was that pole with the tattered red ribbon and small black skull there when you came here last time? Yiska, Cap, any idea what that means?"

Turning to Laakh and pointing to the unbarred closed door "One of us should scout it out with our phasing. I'll go in. You keep mental contact with me."

[Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP]]

- Is the cap a fighter? Is he proficient with the singing sticks? - Without disrespect as Kem never realised it, she doesn't know him as much - If not, I trained Yishka with the sticks and she knows how to defend herself with them

[Attilius]

Jun 4, 2021 9:17:24 GMT -12 Skrye [AC3; 48/48HP] said:

- Is the cap a fighter? Is he proficient with the singing sticks? - Without disrespect as Kem never realised it, she doesn't know him as much - If not, I trained Yishka with the sticks and she knows how to defend herself with them

"She has her mothers magical blade already"