Chapter 2: On the trail of orbs, bad guys and adventure

[kipper]

"Not so fast," Kane grunts. He points off in the far distance towards a shape in the sky approaching from the northwest. "Could be a dragon," he comments.

[connivingsumo]

Zapolas squints, unable to see what Kane is talking about... "What is it? What is that?"

[badams30]

Kane's vision serves him well - far off, but closing fast is a flying shape, large, flapping its wings. You can't be positive, but it's lizard like in appearance. Theo, wide-eyed whispers "Master Kane, you have good eyes."

Conscious that you'd have to cross a small bit of open ground to get back down the hill, you hunker down right where you are, thankful for the cover of the bushes.

The flying shape picks up speed and shoots past the ruins, then starts a gradual turn that is rapidly carrying it toward you. With nowhere to go, you all instinctively tuck in to your hunter cloaks and gaze cautiously upwards. Within a minute the creature zooms about 500 feet above you, but it's going fast and it doesn't seem to look down. Its head stays focused on the ruins.

Zapolas recalls something from his learning, this isn't a dragon, it's a wyvern. Not quite as formidable, but still very deadly. The creature swoops by your hiding place, does a sharp turn and flies full speed toward the ruins. As it gets close, he turns into a wide circle, orbiting the hilltop. It circles the hilltop several times, then raises its head, letting out a shrill screech that makes the hair stand up on the back of your necks. It then flies back the way it came, making a zig zagging flight off into the horizon.

Theo exhales loudly and says "I did not like that one bit." He shakes his head and starts to get up and all at once every one of you catch a glimpse of movement on the hilltop. You can't make out much, but you see some dust billow from the ground near a half collapsed arch at the front of the largest part of the ruins. Two figures emerge from a pile of rubble, you can't tell what they are, but they are wearing black and contrast against the light stone and vegetation of the hilltop. The figures emerge and turn toward the direction that the wyvern flew off in. They stand staring into the distance as the wyvern disappears into the horizon. It looks like they are standing, possibly chatting and after about 5 minutes, they glance around their surroundings, and disappear beneath the arch again. If you hadn't seen the movement from the arch, it's likely you would have missed it, as it's surrounded in rubble, and doesn't look like much. Theo points and says "well, at least we've found one entrance amongst that mess." He slowly stands up, keeping an eye on the hilltop, "Shall we go eat and rest and figure out what to do next?"

[kipper]

Kane gives a final glance at the sky, and then follows Theo.

[tumblingdice]

Albrecht marvels at the sight of the wyvern. I've heard the sting of their tail is worse than their bite, the cleric says. Grateful that the group wasn't spotted--presumably--he'll join the others in heading back down the ridge and to the mine.

[badams30]

You all make your way carefully down the hill, and back to the mine/cave entrance. As you get closer to the entrance to the cave, you hear noise coming from within. The noise continues as you pause outside the opening of the cave. It's not super loud, but it sounds like something/someone is going through your belongings.

When you dropped your possessions in the cave, you noted two collapsed tunnels within, and the main exit being the only exit/entrance that you saw within.

Actions?

[kipper]

Seething with anger, Kane grips his weapons and heads quickly for the entrance.

If it becomes the party consensus to wait outside to ambush whomever it is (unless they have a secret exit inside), then somebody can simply grab Kane's shoulder to hold him back.

[connivingsumo]

Zapolas's anger matches Kane's, "I say we go in there and get some answers! ...and our stuff!!"

[badams30]

Theo hoists his sword and nods toward the entrance, Theo and Kane block the entrance, and Zapolas & Albrecht taking up spots behind.

As you enter the opening, you see your gear, right where you left it, but it's currently being rifled through by a filthy dwarf clad in rags, and with a rusty pickaxe with a broken handle tucked into his belt. You can't see his face, but it's clearly a dwarf, and his beard and hair is dirty, matted and sticking straight out in a haphazard way. He's grunting and groaning as he digs through the bags. Of the bags that he's went through thus far, you can see that he's set aside the rations from each - nothing else though.

Theo's sword arm drops a little and he glances at the rest of you with questioning eyes. The dwarf takes no notice of any of you.

[kipper]

Kane leaps forward to tackle the dwarf and wrestle him(?) to the ground!