Grimmsgate Village

[jcftao]

Gerhard keeps a lookout while having a bit of lunch.

[merias]

You walk the short distance up to the river and have a drink and bite to eat while Oberon and Gerhard stand watch. The shallows here looks passable on foot, but you surmise it is deeper than usual after the recent heavy rains. The path continues on the other side, about 50 yards across, continuing away to the east. Dolgrim moves to the water's edge to fill his waterskin. A faint path heads south along the river bank, nothing more than a deer track. You hear naught but the sound of the river moving over the rocks in the ford.

Actions?

[Mike]

Oberon peers down the deer trail (without leaving his post); "I wonder what's down there?"

OCC: Can Oberon see any lurking danger?

[Wouter]

Dolgrim saunters to the river's edge, uncorking his waterskin and emptying it on his way. He kneels down to refill it and suddenly freezes: the sun playing on the water illuminates some white objects laying on the rocky river bottom. Dozens are scattered about in the water near the shore, some with bits of what appears to be flesh hanging off of them, flapping in the strong current. With a pale face he beckons Oberon and Gerhard: "I think you should come see this..."

[jcftao]

Gerhard will examine one of the bodies, hoping to find out what caused their death.

[greyarea]

Fenwick looks but tries not to get too close.

[merias]

There are no bodies, but lots of bones, perhaps human ones. You see no skulls, however. Gerhard takes a closer look at what might be a leg bone and sees tooth marks and some jagged edges, as if the bone was broken forcefully. Others appear the same.

Oberon does not see any lurking danger, but now that he is paying attention, it is unnaturally quiet - you hear no birds or normal woodland sounds, apart from the river. Looking down the deer track to the south, Oberon can see large footprints in the damp soil, they follow the track out of sight.

[Mike]

Oberon readies Skull-breaker and prepares his shield. "To arms my friends; I fear something may wish to add our bones to the pile and make off with our skulls..."

"Gerhard, could you and your bow find a place in the branches above to better survey the area? My arm and shield could help you aloft if needed."


OCC: Some questions for the ref please:
1. Can we see the temple from here?
2. Is there signs of conflict here or did the murdering take place elsewhere and the bones dumped here?
3. Any defensible terrain hereabouts for us to occupy?

[Wouter]

Dolgrim gets up, takes up his shield and pulls his sling from his belt, loading it with a stone from his pouch. "Aye, but there will be no Dwarf bones for whatever did this today." Turning to Gerhard: "Woodsman, do you recognize these footprints?"

[merias]

OCC: Some questions for the ref please:
1. Can we see the temple from here?

No, you remember it is several leagues down river (south) from the ford according to father Rhall, an easy day's journey in this terrain.

2. Is there signs of conflict here or did the murdering take place elsewhere and the bones dumped here?

No signs of conflict.

3. Any defensible terrain hereabouts for us to occupy?

Just the woods along the river, the deer track leads into the woods due south.