CHAPTER 3.08 - A PROVOCATIVE MOVE

I am very mindful of Lord Crosstenmarch's comment that this is a "game". I don't like games where innocent peoples lives are part of. One reason why I hate and despise Loki so.

Next morning. headache.
Village is normal. Greeted by the locals.

Fresh baked bread is offered.

Friedheim Aranbergh catches up with Wulfram and Hrothgaard to discus the previous days' events.

The Summoner's location is described ... Freidheim notes it and says it has been traveresed on patrols before an nothing unusal has ever been noted. "Care will be taken in future" ... he thanks Wulfram and Hrothgaard for the information.

The stream you followed took you to the abandoned mill and waterwheel ... and this is was near the abandoned village you name Rosenrot?"

"Yes. It was called that."

"We will pay closer attention to the behaviour of the animals in that region." Friedheim says.

"Yes, and the lizard creatures in the swamp seem to be on higher alert. Lets face it my escape could only have been one direction and the darenwilde lay in the way. but I found my old path and followed it."

"In any case, I am pleased you lived to tell this tale. It is unsettling to know we have more enemies to face. But is better to know their nature than have no clue whatsoever. And remember ... keep taking that herb. You might want to gather some more to keep your supplies handy. We can provide more after patrolling that area too, if you want it."

.... there is only one location that can supply the herb ...

Hrothgaard and Wulfram travel to the herb location (light meal provisions)
leave village look down "An impressive sight," Hrothgaard says.

"Crosstenmarch made a casual remark last night that what is happening here is a 'game'"

"That's a very odd remark to make. This all seems very real to me, since I arrived." Hrothgaard says.

"Yes, and according to his text books we are 15 years into a 20 year cycle. The only one who seems to know more would be Otto, his manservant. I don't like innocent people being toyed with as this village seems to be."

"What sort of game would it be?"

"A game that i believe repeats itself every 20 years. Lord Crosstenmarch also said that since its coming into spring that there may be other travellers arriving."

"Like me?" Hrothgaard says.

"Yes, and myself. But we are the only two strangers in the villages. All of the others appeared together and were placed or became those family groupings. I'd be very wary with Lord Crosstenmarch"

"Why?"

"I think for the first time last evening i got the sense that perhaps he is putting his own concerns first, ahead of those of the village, that he may know more about what this game is and is keeping that knowledge from the villagers."

"But what would he gain from this? Does he think knowing what will happen will give him, and him alone, an advantage?"

"Not him perhaps, but his family. For he will be replaced by family member in the real world. And then there is the butler. Who controls him? He seems to think his faith is protecting Haastenmoord. But as warriors from Valhalla you'd think we would know about gods and faith and sense that. I think the druid is more powerful and has shown up Crosstenmarch's weakness because he was concerned about the challenge. Sometimes I look down on the vilage and see a sheep herder and a flock of sheep. Sometimes I think the flock of sheep are more deserving of my protection than the shepherd for they are the true innocents in this game. But for us this not a game, it is life. Life and honour."

"I agree. In good time we'll see the truth of the matter."

Hrothgaard whistles in surprise when he sees the remains of the tower. Discuss .. previous cycle. destruction. 70 years ago.

"But what could have sundered such a mighty structure? I imagine this thing towered hundreds of feet from its base diameter." Hrothgaard muses.

"Which makes one think that it was possibly built by the same makers of the great dam."

"Yes," Hrothgaard agrees, "surely there must be a way of exploring inside the dam. I cannot believe that it could only be made entirely of solid rock. Perhaps it holds some geat secrets that could provide ansers in this 'game' as Cosstenmarch would call it?"

"Indeed and I will give you my word. There are also caves that could be explored."

"If its Spring, I wonder if we'll ever see these flying creatures?"

"You mean the dragon?"

"Yes. One circled ver the lake before i met you. the lake apparently has a number of underwater structure,."

"He looks surprised and says but who would live in those - fish? Or people that hold their breath? "

"I did see light in one structure that remianed while we crossed over it at night."

"That is strange. A light underwater? Could only be magical because flame would never light."

"Maybe an air pocket?"

" Lizard folk you say ... aren't they too priomative to use magic for light?"

"I don't know - they do have weapons. they might have magic, or something else. Its just another place I'd like to go look at."

"All in good time Wulfram. So many questions and so many mysteries. I think our immediate need is to eat!"


Both have a meal and chat.


Hrothgaard hears twigs snapping ...
both take cover.

Two ugly large goblinoid creatures with twisted clawed hands enter the clearing out of dense underbrush. They are unarmed but on entering the clearing you see the hair down their spines bristle and they seem to have entered a hieghtened alert. One of them is sniffing the air while the other starts pacing frantically and then stops and shifts from its humaoid form into a rather large wolf-like creature and howls.

The humaonoid one looks arounds suspciously and starts levitate 20' off ground.


inititative

levitating monster tries to dominate Wulfram's mind
fails twice

other one dimension doors behind Hrothgaard and bites him

Wulfram slays the leviating creature

Hrothgaard strikes the other then slips when he overbalanced

Wulfram attacks, hits
creatures attempts to emotion Wulfram (fails) and then moves to flee

Wulfram slays it

Hrothgaard is embarrased about falling over.

"This might be their territory because we have never seen them before."

"The first one tried to change me. because it attempted to do something with my mind."

*****


Gather wolvenwort ... Hrothgaard asks "Are you sure it is this that keeps you human? I cannot see how this weird looking plant could be so helpful."

"You are right. I have never used the plant to resist anything but have used my own will. I only take it daily as a precaution on the advice of the villagers."

"I see,"

"Yes I wonder why the Summoner hasn't already come and destroyed these herbs if they are supposed to be so potent."

"I see no need to look around here further. What else could there be? I see fallen stones and wierd plants. Plus, again, it seems you have attracted trouble."

"Now is that a good thing or bad, as warriors?"

"I think it is your curse. But the good thing about that is you are someone who can handle themselves when the trouble follows. You have strength. Your curse does not bother me. But it does seem to bother other people."

"I would see that the path I have taken is not one they wanted."

"That's right because if you were a weak minded man you would have succumbed to the path of evil and would be controlled by the others. Fortunately that has not happened, so Haastenmoord is safe."

.... they both head back to Haastenmoord.


Reach edge of dam. 10' rise to get to top.

"Shall we climb on and look around?"

"Yes."

50' wide. river behind it. Some spillage occasionally trickles down into the lake.
stretches hundreds of feet (700') perfect construction.
stonework large blocks. overlayed with some form of poured 'cement'-like construction.

No obvious opening or outcrops along its length.
No irregularities.

Dense woods on the other side.

No sign of an equivalent staircase on the other side.
Rather, the landscape within the dense woodland seems to descend gradually with exception of where damn meets rocky side, which extends down sharply to meet with rocky parts on other side of lake where caves, etc are, including the "mossy tunnel rock" which has never been explored by the Aranberghs.

"Shall we look there tomorrow my friend?"

"Yes, lets do that. Perhaps the locals will let us borrow the raft."

"I know they know this exists but have never been down there."

"Then let's investigate it maybe we can bring them nback some new knowledge."

.... return back across dam ... dusk ... village is preparing a communal dinner in the Great Hall to celebrate the arrival of spring and they welcome you both to attend.

(Lord Crosstenmarch has taken some extra special precautions and extra prayers to keep the village safe this night).