Brief Recap: Last turn, the adventurers met in the Gracious Whale. Louie, Sam, Theseus, Ebenezer, and %$#@! became acquainted and agreed to form an adventuring company.

Journey to Holy Simrise

The members of the company awaken the next morning and prepare to set out. They will journey from Pastille by boat to Trajia, and from there overland southeast into foreign lands.

On the ship, Ebenezer explains their journey in more detail. His research, done in his recently expanded library, makes him believe that there is a mountain, called Holy Simrise, that holds in its upper peaks the tomb of Teal'c, a warchief of the local peoples that reigned a few generations ago. Teal'c was said to be very wealthy by the standards of the day, and the histories speak of his magic powers. Ebenezer has found reference to something called the Bands of Teal'c, and believes they are a magic item that could be found in the tomb. Ebenezer is financing the journey and equipment and paying the four other company members 1000 gold each for undertaking the adventure. He will also pay 3000 gold to any of them who directly saves his life during this adventure. All treasure except for the bands will be divided evenly among the five company members.

The tomb has never been found, because none know which mountain is Holy Simrise. But Ebenezer thinks the name "Simrise" is of the Phorsi language, spoken today by people who dwell in the area to where we are headed.

The ship docks in Trajia, and the company purchases horses there. They stay one night in Trajia, which appears to be in some sort of political upheaval. [Exploring Trajia is for a later adventure, so be content with these few details.--pcrh]

The company journeys southward for many days, skirting the arid desert and eventually turning southeast. Sam guides them according to a map Ebenezer shows them. They eat their rations and get to know one another. Ebenezer's cat, an orange tabby named "Cat," follows them while hunting for lizards or rides in the old man's backpack. The cat constantly licks its chops when it looks at %$#@!. It is a friendly cat.

After nearly two weeks journey from Trajia, the terrain becomes mountainous. Still following the river, the company comes to a waterfall where they look down on a valley split by the river. In the valley is a small settlement, apparently farmers. Several buildings can be seen from this distance of a few miles. Casting its shadow on the village is a towering peak, its top capped with snow even in these hot climes. A road can be seen snaking from the village to the foot of the mountain. Ebenezer consults his maps, and declares that the mountain is Holy Simrise, and that the entrance to Teal'c's tomb should be somewhere on its face.

Deciding on discretion, the company approaches the village stealthily. They make the last part of their journey at dusk, carefully leading their horses around the settlement. Sam helps them discover and avoid sentries, as does Ebenezer's cat. The mage apparently can communicate with the animal, for it always does as he asks. The sentries appear to be primitives, wearing short white robes without sleeves and carrying spears. The people of the village look healthy if few in number.

As the company passes the village they see a larger building within that is probably a temple of an unknown god.

Once between the village and the mountain, the company comes upon the road they saw from afar, which leads from the village toward the mountain. The way is very rocky, and the horses cannot be taken up the trail. Sam also detects Sentries ahead, two of them dressed in the same white sleeveless robes. These also carry spears and appear to be guarding the way up the mountain. There is no other obvious way up the mountain because of the terrain, though the party could spend time seeking another route up. There is little plant life, only some shrubs among the rocky landscape and palms that grow near the river.

Sam thinks it would be very hard to reach the sentries undetected, though the party can get within bowshot.

It is midnight. The weather is dry and cool, though the days usually get very hot.

Timberline Sam looks in the direction of the guards with consternation on his face. "I know a thing or two about mountain people. They'll be plenty mad if they find out we are plundering the tomb of one of their legends, let alone killing the tribesman assigned to protect it. Getting past them undetected would be the best way. I got no quarrel with them people. They are just doing their jobs. If any of you magic folk got any spells that could aide us now would be the time, otherwise I am going to look for another route up the mountain."

Ebenezer says, "I can try to put them to sleep if I get close enough, but I'm none too stealthy on these rocky trails." The old man has been struggling along since they entered rougher terrain. "And if they see me casting the spell they'll remember it when they awaken. And what about the horses? Do we leave them here somewhere?" It would not be difficult to find a place within a mile or so to hide the horses. The terrain is mountainous.

"If you put them to sleep, we can bind and gag them and hide them with our horses. Once we return, you can put them to sleep again, then we can untie them. Once they awaken we will be long gone. " says Sam pleased with his plan.

Louie says, "Well, that is an awful amount of work. I suggest we put on masks, Ebenezer puts them to sleep, and we bind them and and take them in the tomb with us. That will eliminate the need to carry them for a mile while sleeping, which, no offense, Treeline Sam, but you are probably the only one here who could do that."

Theseus raises one eyebrow.

"In the meantime, Brown eyes over here can lead the horses away and stow them and we can wait by the entrance to the tomb, or just inside. No one here has an objection to wearing a mask do they? After all, we are robbing a tomb." Louis smiles when he says all this.

Ebenezer says, "It sounds like we either carry them with us up the trail or carry them with us to where we hide the horses. Either way, we have to carry them. It may take us a while to find the tomb, and that trail doesn't look easy." Ebenezer speaks truth: the trail the guards watch is very rough, and the horses cannot be taken up it.

"No. It won't be no easy climb that's for sure. Especicially trying to carry sleeping guards. That's why we should stow them with the horses. We don't even have to carry them, we can just drape them over the saddles." says Timberline Sam.

I don't really care, but I wasn't suggesting we leave them asleep after we bind them. They can walk up the trail. However, either way, I suggest we mask ourselves. Believe me, it is a useful trick of the trade."

"Maybe I can find away around them...I have the ability to change into an owl. So, I can fly above and look for another path." If nobody objects she will fly over and then return with any information she finds.

%$#@! drops most of her equipment and loosens her clothing. Then, before the other party members' eyes, she kneels and transforms from her human form into that of an owl. Her hair turns to feathers, her nose into a beak, and her arms into wings. After a few seconds, the transformation is complete. The owl steps out of the woman's clothes, standing atop them briefly to regard those around her, particularly Cat, who peers at her from behind Ebenezer's leg, nonplussed. With a flurry of wings the owl takes to the night sky.

The owl gains altitude to survey the whole scene. There is the river, then the village, then the rocky trail leading up to the mountain, Holy Simrise. The two guards stand on duty on the trail, about half a mile from the village. Because of the rough terrain, the guards are probably not visible from the village, but a loud shout could carry that far, as would the sounds of battle.

%$#@! wheels overhead, catching a few night insects before searching out another route. On an adjacent face of the mountain, on the other side of the village with respect to the adventurers' current location, the terrain is less rough, and though there is no trail, % $#@! thinks the travelers could navigate it on foot, but for one obstacle: a deep crevasse about 15 feet wide that would have to be crossed. If the party could cross the crevasse, they could avoid the guards altogether and cut across the trail higher up. But they will have to go around the village or between the village and the mountain in order to reach that side of the mountain. The detour will at about a day to the trip. She spends a few more minutes searching with her nightvision for other relevant sights, but finds none.

The party hears flapping of wings, and the owl alights on her bundle of clothes. Theseus whirls his cloak off his shoulders and holds it over her so she may transform back to her human self. He averts his gaze as he does so, allowing the lady her privacy.

Louie smiles at $%^#$. "Nice." He says, suavely.

After she is back in her clothes, %$#@! tells the party what she saw. [Anne, I assume you tell the others what you saw. Everyone, please assume she does and continue to post unless Anne posts otherwise.]

[Please continue posting until we agree to a plan.]

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