Subject: the Mountain

The plan is set, and the party begins moving cautiously back through the tunnels to the exit Mission found. Cautiously in this case meaning following a mad priest through zombie infested sewers on a mission to enter the temple of a dark god, but doing it as quietly as possible.

The group is able to move past the zombies in the side tunnel without attack. But as Cadfael moves through them, all their dead eyes follow him. One even reaches up and grips his sleeve in a gesture that looks almost childlike and plaintive. Cadfael gently removes the rotting hand from his arm and says in a quiet voice, "Not yet, my child. Not yet."

After everyone has moved one at a time past the zombie group, the glowing glove is taken out and the party is able to make rapid progress to the second exit. Rennik pops out of the hole first, to scout, and quickly returns to report that nothing has changed near the temple entrance.

Everyone exits, and then stands staring up at the star filled night sky for a moment. Farron says, "Has it really only been two days?" Garyth gulps in huge breaths, as if he can't replace the sewer air with outside air fast enough. Even dour Rennik looks almost pleased with the idea of being outside those dank caves for a while. He says quietly under his breath, "If we are to die here, let us die with grass beneath our feet, and Mielikki's spirit close by to welcome us home. Not in some black cave." It almost sounds like a prayer.

As the group moves through the ruins to the steep mountain side, they catch glimpses of the host outside the temple entrance. The numbers of men, halflings, and undead are daunting. The halflings look like more members of the hated Murrkat tribe. Many of them are naked but for belts holding their weapons. All wear many tattoos on their chests and arms. The tend to sit together in small clumps near fires, and the humans avoid them. Most of the humans are not much better. They look like street ruffians and thugs. In fact, Mission spots one man that he thinks was a member of Elise's little group when they met her outside the cabin.

Rennik takes a moment to point out the small group of humans that had worried him. A tall man in a chain shirt, and a horribly disfigured woman in grungy brown robes sit near the same fire. The man is armed with a long sword and long bow, and there is something about him that is a bit intimidating. The other humans and halflings in the camp seem to avoid walking near him. The way that he sits absolutely motionless makes Rennik think of the elven hunters he traveled and trained with, and he wonders if perhaps the man has a touch of the elven blood himself.

Sa'id takes one look a the woman and says, "Witch." He makes a warding sign with his fingers in her direction.

The party reaches a steep cliff side without incident, never coming closer than a few hundred feet of the small army outside the temple entrance. Rennik and Mission are preparing to begin climbing when Cadfael moves to the cliff, touches its face, and opens a small door right into the stone. He disappears inside without a backward glance, and Garyth is only barely able to catch the door before it can swing shut.

[please check in]

Subject: Re: the Mountain

Cadfael continues with what he was doing.

*checks in*

Subject: Re: the Mountain

"I thought he wasn't able to go down this hole until midday," Mission says. In the darkness, his face looks craggy and worn.

Mission pauses a moment. If the priest were able to go into the mountain now-- couldn't they all? What was Cadfael playing at?

"Cadfael!" Mission whispers into the tunnel. "Where are you going? You said you couldn't cross this tunnel until midday!"