"Yes, Fr. Durrant responds, "but that can wait until tomorrow -- we have a few shovels back at camp. Let us focus our energy on learning what we can
about this pile of sand."

"You're not going to talk this pile of crap, too, are you Father?" Bart says frustrated.

"No, I wonder only if this area is magical, evil, trapped or some combination of the three.  Mr. Louglynn, Dawn, Lars, and I could divine the answers to the first two of these possibilities.  Perhaps some upstart thief would feel obliged to help us with the third."

"But, of course, Father.  You do remember that I'm the burglar and not the boxman?"  Father Durrant looks confused.  "Oh, yeah, in college-boy terms I meant that my strengths are in sneaking and stealth not in trap detection and lock picking.  That's Sarg's area.  Tellyawhat, after you guys check for magic and evil Sarg & me'll scan the area for traps.  Sooner we get under this hill and outta this swamp the better."

Fr. Durrant maintains his composure through this, but he is visibly offended at they way Barton addressed him.  There is a silence while he glares at the tiny cutthroat.  Then Durrant says, "Commoner, your ideas are good.  Let us scan this area for evil and magic and then provide cover and support for our rogue companions in their search for mundane traps. Spell casters spread out.  Detect evil or magic depending on your ability, and let us see what there is to see."

Father Durrant with Lars and Sarg moves along the base of the cliff to the center.  Mr. Louglynn glances at Dawn inquisitively, and she says, "I cast my divination on the mounds above."  Mr. Louglynn glances at Bart and he nods slightly.

"Very well. Come along all," the wizard adds as he turns to walk along the cliff's base.  About fifteen paces along, he stops and begins the gestures and tones of an incantation. Dawn watches his spell; it forms differently more fluidly than hers. He stares back the way you came and slowly turns to scan the cliff. Bart and Geoff, nervously watch for danger from the weeds to the wizard's back. It takes several minutes for Mr. Louglynn to finish scanning this section of the cliff.  "No emanations here," he announces; although he does notice Dawn still under the effect of a weak spell.  The four of you advance another thirty paces toward the center of the cliff where Sarg and Lars stand by and Father Durrant studies the cliff.

From the central position, Father Durrant can see the entire cliff, about 60 yards in either direction.  His divination yields no indication of evil; but he patiently concentrates upon each strip of the cliff.  He finished in about fifteen minutes. From his look, Lars and Sarg know nothing was revealed.  The other three approach, and the wizard indicates the same result from his two attempts.  His spell does not extend has far as the priest's, so he continues along the cliff, stopping two more times.  He had to renew the incantation, but he finally pronounces the cliff inert.

The sun has dipped below the slope of the hill, casting the cliff in shadow.  You decide the mundane investigation will begin in the morning and head back along the cliff to the west.  Soon, you are walking through the tall grabbing weeds along the base of the strange hill. In the hill's shadow, Geoff almost misses your trail through the bog.  The return is quicker, but not much easier. The thorny plants had sprung back during the day and still catch cloaks and metal links.  Not much is said along the way.  A sense of disappointment is felt; the entrance has eluded you.

When you climb up the hill, the sun is just dipping below the horizon.  You see the tower glint in its last light and a watcher patrolling its battlement. He sees you and disappears.  The others come out to greet you.  They have erected a large tent that fills the interior of the tower and prepared a warm meal.  You all shed you gear and return the potions to a single crate Dame Cassandra has prepared for the daily inventory.  Around the fire you all share the day's story.  Then the discussion turns to what to do next.