Tales of Fantasy & Wonder Vol. 1

IV - The Ruins of Fern Island

The ruins of Fern Island

Game IV                                                                         August 23rd, 2017.

It has now been four days since Xammy was washed ashore on the island, and he is reminded of the bad weather that brought down Faelie's Bluff that fateful night as he wakens to the cold touch of rain. Jerac greets him and Theo in turn as he recovers his items around the camp, suggesting they do likewise.

The morning is obscured by the heavy rains as the group move down the east side of the ridge into the valley of the ruins. Approaching closer to the base of the cliffs and rises, Jerac pauses to summarize their position, seeing no obvious entrance into the crumbling fortress overlooking the remains of a community. Scanning the rock faces for any vantage that might allow him to climb and meet the building directly, he decides to press on and seek an easier way or possible shelter in the ruins further ahead.

Theo keeps his vision low to the grass and earth for signs of movement around the area, but the growing storm had already cleaned most of the necessary details from any prints. Hurried by the rain, they press on.

Finding no immediate shelter as they pass through the remains and foundations of deceased abodes, the party keeps their goal of the fortress in sight as they hope to find the main thoroughfare that should lead from its high gates to the village below. Soon a pair of worn stone lions make reference to the gateway they seek, the main stair passage cut into the ascending rock butte.

Climbing the steps toward the fortress, they hurry a glance from time to time on the valley below, noting the long causeway and wide marketplace linked near the more elaborate columns of fallen temples. By mid morning the rain had lightened, and Jerac leads them under the lintel of the main gate and outer wall, before passing again into the inner buildings as they arrive at their goal.

For shelter they gather under what remains of the floor from the second story, which had since caved into a rubble heap between them and the gates previously passed. Catching their breath and thoughts, Jerac suggests they scavenge through the rubbish for anything useful, or evidence of basement levels below them. Theo crouches to the ground and listens for the movement of the rain water. He calls their attention to the sound of water drops echoing under piled stone, at the north east side of the ruinous mound after circumambulating the inner fortress walls and floor.

Theo moves back to allow Xammy and Jerac to work at removing the stones and tiles while he returns to the shelter, using a hole in the wall to scout the valley and east face of the ridge they came from, the most obvious path back to the other shipwreck survivors if they should follow. As expected, under the rubble the pair of explorers reveal a hole made from the impact of the falling roof, wide enough for a man to climb down into the gloom.

Xammy casts a small cantrip in the form of a soft glowing orb, letting it fall like a snowflake into the level below to illuminate the unlit depths. Jerac, of mixed orcish blood had already deduced that it is a tunnel with his lowlight vision, moving roughly in line with the east-west compass and twelve feet below their position.

Shortly after a debate on how to descend into the cavity begins, to which Theo adds that someone is hiding on the slopes, spying movement in the bracken and fern. Anxious to make a preliminary search of the tunnel, Jerac and Xammy ask their companion to guard the opening and the rope that will be their egress. Torches are prepared from soap tallow and branches on the nearby slopes, and an anchor weight to hold the rope is furnished from the rubble heap.

After a brief meal, the group divides at noon as planned. Jerac climbs down the rope first to be sure the space is empty, before Xammy joins him. Lighting a torch, Jerac follows the direction of the air current against the flames, which leads them west under the ruins. The tunnel continues for sometime, winding to their right side as they progress at intervals before a pinprick of light is seen in the distance.