PBEM, Episode 2 - Exploring the Grounds

Resubmitted - learned that the > and the < symbols do not cut and paste over. So fixed the missing problems and submitted it again below.


TWO

(I/C)
Kovid looks at the distant shed and collapsed wellhouse. "Not going under the field right now, Manling, Don't see a bucket, might be under the wreckage. But eyeballing it I'd say the shed's against the castle wall and the well is more towards the front of the castle - 70' or so?"

"75," answers Wyn absently.

The dwarf looks at the elf and grits his teeth. "70."

Wynn waves his hand as if brushing away a fly. "Brendon, as I said before various animal tracks under the field and some goblinoid footprints too. No hairs."

From behind Wyn you hear, "Knife eared toy maker" but only Lannis the Magic User is there and he's looking out into the ruined city of Acreage and when he turns back he looks at the party with a quizzical expression. "What?"

The Gazebo seems to be leaning away from the castle (so leaning more south). Abraxis points to the tomato plants and leans his large hand against Brendon's shoulder. "Look, I see a structure over there. See? Around the bottom of each plant? It's a cage to house tomatoes! Which is funny, because tomatoes don't usually need to be locked up."

The party crossed over the crackled cobblestones and then came to the rainbow field.

Lannis stayed behind, eyes fixed on the barrier while Wyn went under the barrier first. He had to get down about half way to make it under, and his hair stood up a bit on his passage underneath, but nothing else untoward happened. He was debating which way to go at first, taking time as elves are want to do.

Kovid crawled under, straightened his hammers and then pointed to the Gardener’s shed, tugging Brendon that way who was heading towards the tomatoes. The thief nodded his head and walked with Kovid to the shed while Lannis chuckled and muttered “failure” under his breath.

Lyra gave the Magic User a rap on the back of his head and hissed at him to get along before she got to the other side and waited for Abraxis to pick himself up from the ground and follow her to the well. “Ok,” Wyn said in his accented Common, “I will go to gah zee bow then.”

Lannis watched the barrier for a few minutes, measuring the intensity of the colors, the ragged base, the thickness, and checked for any modulation. He was satisfied after some period of looking (>Int. Pink 1) that the barrier was failing but at a rate too slow to be measured in the period of minutes. He asked Wyn who was still standing there how old the tracks were and the elf replied, “Months at least. 4? 6? Not too long.”

Content, the Magic User headed towards the roses growing wildly between the SHED and the WELL.

Brendon went with Kovid to the SHED, the dwarf pulling out his war hammer and weighing it in his hand while glancing at the lock and chain. The thief went up to the lock, pulled out his thieves tools and set to work on the lock. After a few minutes of frustrated effort (>OL 15% penalty. Red 90%) Brendon put away his picks while Kovid grunted. He instead took out his prybar and stuck it in the loop of the lock and began spinning it slowly, binding up the chain and adding tension. After some turns and a bit of elbow grease (>Open Door +1 Bonus, Red 1) there was a snap and the lock broke open. Kovid patted Brendon on the shoulder, “Good job, Manling. Good job,” while the thief walked away pocketing the broken lock. “Might need this later” (Add Broken Lock (10) to inventory) while heading SOUTH and then WEST to the GARDEN area.

Lyra and Abraxas approached the well with care. The well housing looked like it had fallen down either from poor maintenance or partially caught in the blast that leveled Acreage 30 years ago. The two of them looked at one another and then proceeded to try and clear off the garbage and broken material from the well. After some time Lyra (>Str. White 3) and Abraxis (>Str. Blue 7) made short work of the offending lumber and cleared off the well. The well itself is almost 3’ above the ground, the walls are at least a foot thick, the diameter of the well is almost 7’ and the mortar on the stones is still in good shape. Looking around they do spot the pulley in the cleared debris and about 20’ of poor fraying rope, but the bucket is not here and might be inside the well. The two of them squint into the darkness and kick a few stones in. There is water down there but its deep and the guess is it’s at least 30’ down or more into the well.

Wyn walks his way SOUTH and then around the corner, closer to the Gazebo. The foundation stones would normally keep the gazebo a foot and a half off the ground but the ground is in poor shape and seems extra muddy for some reason – hence some of the foundations stones have shifted and the Gazebo has slumped over some time ago. Wyn spends some time checking it out, actually crawling onto its surface briefly but the shifting floor made him uncomfortable and he managed to dance off lightly (<Dex +2 Bonus. Orange 12) without issue. The Gazebo itself seems in good shape otherwise and from where the elf is standing, there is a thin path of crushed stones leading from the Gazebo to the South wall of the Castle with the white roses growing in abundance and where at some point a walking path was once established.

Kovid managed to wrench the old door open (Str >10 – no roll needed) and looked inside the Gardener’s Shed. There was some old animal nests and various garbage but after cataloging the useful items he was able to identify a WOODEN WHEELBARROW (250 – 0 if rolled), IRON SHOVEL (20), 2 LARGE SACKS (1), IRON TINED RAKE (20), 4’ x 4’ OILSKIN TARP (50), SET OF RAWHIDE GLOVES (2) that would fit either a woman or elf only.

And finally Lannis approached the ROSES with a wary eye. The roses grow low and act like ground cover. Their vines disguise numerous thorns and are fairly thick. The blooms themselves are a pale white color not unlike the shell of an egg. The smell is intoxicating this close to them and Lannis felt himself getting a bit lightheaded before noticing the vines had crawled close to his leg and he stepped back in time (> Death Ray Save, Pink 17). The vine moved a bit before settling back down again. “Damn it,” he muttered, “even the plants are trying to kill us.”

Time now is 9:15 AM

(OOC)

What would you like the party to do? Some things have become known, others are still unanswered. Brendon did NOT get to the garden to check it out yet at this time as he detoured to help Kovid and unless you change your mind, will be able to enact that request next turn.