Chapter 2: A Return to Adventure

[Powderhorn]

Summer, Day 1

The spring had been a productive one - a home built for new settlers that already feels like it is going to last - with defensive works stood up, specialist troops trained, and even a fair bit of local exploration done. At home, in Kelmar, sea breezes kept the island continent relatively comfortable and cool, despite its equatorial nature. Here, however, the sea breezes seem to be flighty and inconsistent. To the east, jungles with dense canopies and strange sounds further trap the hot air. The heat is a genuine concern for those medical types, and even working in the forge requires a force of will to endure the heat of the fire in an already hot day.

Ranging about with rifles, the group has taken to designating themselves rather uncreatively as "rangers" - but their explorations have been fruitful. It was they who discovered the dense forests to the east, and found that you sit on something of a peninsula of, at least for now, what appears to be a much larger continent.

So too did they discover the ruins of some ancient structures to the southeast. However, and as unbelievable as it may sound, they insist they saw a pallid figure walking through them, and each confirms the other's story - it was about six - no seven, no probably eight feet tall, bathed in a pale - maybe a pale blue, or a pale green? light, and it passed through the trees around them as if they were not there at all. How far away was it? Probably twenty feet, fifty feet.

Regardless, they quickly absconded from the location, and determined it best to report to those more suited for the task.

 

[matt_s]

Stavard nodded as the scouts related their troubling tale. He pauses for a few moments to process the account and proposes,

Bizarre and hard to believe, but these are as steadfast as any I've ever worked alongside. Structures wrought by a human hand are one thing, and this strange reported figure is yet another. I think we better take a second trip, ready for a fight, out there. The height would have been hard to judge, but the essence I suspect is true.

Anyone have any knowledge of things like this? Else we ought to begin to prepare for an expedition.

How far away is this location?

We ought to bring shovels, picks, rope, block and tackle, chalk, that sort of thing if we are to delve into the ruins. A healthy dose of blackpowder and leadshot, either for excavation or violence, should be a good safeguard.

I propose we leave near dawn tomorrow, that is as auspicious time as any. Thoughts?

[SirLoganofGilead]

Oliver was mostly in agreement with Stavard...mostly. "Maybe just a few of us should go make sure everything is safe on the surface of these ruins before we bring a whole host of soft targets and start delving too deep?"

He looked at his ranger crew with some pride. "Rangers should be able to keep the place safe for a bit. I say we go ourselves, we've managed to have a pretty good grasp on most things among us four. Let's make sure the place is secure, and then make a plan to tackle it head-on. We might be able to do some light scouting if we bring some of those supplies you were talking about. I have enough powder for defenses, but not enough for blasting anything...let's also not use all the powder if we can help it."

[TheWhitefire]

Harlan had been working hard over the spring. Digging latrines downstream and convincing soldiers to boil their water before drinking it was surprisingly difficult. Stilling, things had gone relatively well. He was surprised at how seriously some of the more influential people had taken his advice, he was used to much more pigheadedness among people in positions of relative authority.

He'd also been practicing his sketching. He was hardly an artist, but good enough to draw and catalogue some of the leaves and fruits that he'd discovered on the island. He'd also been trying to keep track of the effects of some of these one people's bowels.

When reports of the ruins had come up, his eyes glimmered with greed. "I should come as well. I would like to take sketches of some of these ruins and these markings." He said. They'd be worth a fortune, not to mention what treasures might be hidden inside, he added in his mind.

[matt_s]

Just the handful of us, then? I like having a shaved knuckle in me pocket, hence the powder. The stuff ain't too abundant though.

 

Reminds me, we ought to keep an eye out for guano and sulfur deposits. Charcoal is easy enough to come by of course. Have we seen any so far in our time here?

[Powderhorn]

Summer, Day 6

It takes five days, and 125 miles of walking to get to the edge of the ruins that were noted by the rangers. Alas, no volcanoes were noted, and a source of sulfur remains elusive. The morning dawns hot and humid. A dense jungle of trees and foliage that are unlike any in Kelmar sings out with noises that are similarly strange. The faint smell of salt water is in the air, suggesting the ocean is not too far away.

While at first the ruins are merely the odd purposefully shaped stone here and there, moving closer and closer in more ruins manage to stand, until you see a small vista of crumbling arches and buildings long since gone back to nature. Everything is covered in mosses and ferns, and trees spring up through the middle. In many cases, it is a question as to whether the stones are holding themselves up, or if the plants around them prevent them from falling.

Still, you have arrived, and though your clothes already stick to you, and your need for water is unlike any you have had before, this is truly a new place where clearly civilization once stood. However, no one greets you, and the only sounds you hear are yourselves and the nature around you.

[matt_s]

Stavard pauses as they approached the ruins, then adds in a whisper.

Let us wait silently in cover here for a few minutes to see if we observe any moment or other strange happenings. Then, my vote is to work our way from the outside in, getting a sense of the perimeter of the site before pushing into the interior. The scouts saw strange things, of course. Must be on our guard.

[SirLoganofGilead]

Oliver nods at Savard. He switches his rifle for his pistol but otherwise remains the same. "Outside in, but we stay close to each other. No need for one of us to be hollering for help on the other side of the place where none of us can offer any aid." He idly plays with his pistol as he waits for the few moments to pass. Once a few moments have passed, Oliver passes a glance over to the other and raises an eyebrow questioningly.

[matt_s]

Oliver and Stavard seemed to be in general agreement. Good. Time to act.

Aye. Even without any interlopers, a place like this will give you the spooks. Don't want anyone to panic and crack off a shot at one o' their mates if they happen to cross paths.

We stick together.

 

[Powderhorn]

Summer, Day 6

Giving a few minutes grace to allow the forest to settle in to your presence, the buzzing of insects and the cawing of birds builds back up to a crescendo, practically beating upon your ears. Still, aside from the noise, the forest seems still - no movement is readily seen.

Working from the outside in, the ruins go from barely noticeable to steadily more impressive and robust - it is easy to infer that you are working from the outskirts of a settlement towards the center. Stones are deeply weathered, and much seems to barely stand above the ground.

While walking, Harlan takes a step and his foot punches through what appeared to be solid ground into emptiness below!

OOC

@8w_gremlin - I'll need a DC6 exert check to see if Brother Koji takes a point of damage or nimbly recovers.

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

Stumbles forward... narrowly missing hurting themselves

Edited July 19, 2023 by 8w_gremlin (see edit history)

[matt_s]

Close call, that. Ought to be a touch more careful from now one.

Stavard will now proceed to carefully poke at the "ground" with the haft of his spear, prodding for weak spots before moving onwards.

[Powderhorn]

Summer, Day 6

The ground is indeed soft in places, each seemingly around some of what initially appeared to be foundations. However, where Brother Koji's foot punched through the ground near one such a place, it is clear that you are walking, in essence, above what remains of the city.

Where Brother Koji's foot came through, an elegantly carved stone archway can be seen in the wall below, and the top of what appears to be a door. What can only be assumed to be a vagary in how leaves fell and decayed created this small pocket of space revealing more "building" below.

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

Koji looks down, "this ruin must be very old for the trees to grow over it this much, and it implies that there were once people here, this is a huge impact, we should see if we can get down to have a better look. I wonder who made them, and if they are still around now?"

 

OOC

Is there some kind of investigation roll or something I could do?
to ascertain how long the ruins were made, or abandoned, or who made them?

 

[matt_s]

I'd rather take it slowly, make sure we got a sense of what is above ground before going deeper. I say we cut a blaze near here so we can find this place easy enough and continue the surface survey.

Don't get me figured wrong here, this is a momentous discovery, all that, but when skinning a deer, one takes it one layer at a time. You know, like an onion.

Stavard marked a few trees near the hole with small cuts and chalk scribbles, then looked to the others for input.