Turn 50 -- Kuiper and the Thornwood

After the evening meal is finished, the party settles in to talk about their next course of action. Druckner speaks first wishing to bring up another point, "Did anybody think of leaving some red feathers with the dogs? We've got to keep signing our deeds. Now about tomorrow, instead of just searching blindly we should head to Kuiper's place and ask him to guide us in the wood, whether he knows where the keep is or not. Or perhaps he can contact the wild druid, Oleanne or whatever her name was."

With a deep sigh, Ras tiredly takes a seat down on a log and takes a long drink from his wineskin before speaking, "I think we should follow the Hog Brook."

After scouting the area for any possible trouble, Kersath comes back to the camp and sits down with a sigh. "Well, from what we know, the Thornwood won't be too easy to search. I mean, with all of what we know, the Thornwood is big. Finding something in it such as an enemy encampment will be a difficult job. Unless..." he pauses as he thinks about his next words, "I think it is very possible that the bandits have made camp not just anywhere in the Thornwood but in one specific place. Perhaps the old Parlfray mansion? It sounds like the perfect hideout, assuming anything remains of it today. I mean, what's better than a place that nobody wants to go to? We've seen how the count was unwilling to give us any information about it..."

Randor dusts the dirt off of his hands as he takes a seat, "I think that checking in with the ranger is a good idea. If they don't have anything to say I think we should try looking down the Hog Brook, a castle needs a source of water, and if that doesn't turn anything up head further south into the wood."

Dain shifts uncomfortably on his seat and takes a long puff from his pipe speaking, "I agree that before we enter the Thornwood we should first pay Kuiper a visit. It looks to be an hour out of our way at most and he can probably give us a good idea of what to expect in the wood and where to look for this old keep, tower, mansion, whatever it be. I for one don't like to walk around with my eyes closed."

"I agree with you, Dain" says Beleg in response to the mage's suggestion. "We should ask Kuiper for aid. If he cannot travel with us, he may be able to provide us with an idea of where to look."

Ortho takes a moment from sharpening his trusty axe to speak up, "Randor and Ras have a good idea---follow the watercourse. A 'keep' is going to need a steady water supply nearby. Sure, it probably uses a well for drinkin' water but a stream or river would be needed for any local populace. We could trace any streams and examine any old paths or roads chanced upon."

After looking at the maps of the area, Talimar looks up, "We could search for weeks in there and never find the keep. I propose that we take to the river and visit Kuiper in hopes that he may have an idea where it is located. If he cannot help us, we should follow Randor's idea and follow that stream in, then start searching. Any other ideas?"

Gnore listens intently on the ideas of how to search and then smirks before standing to take his first watch. "Just wake me at first light and tell me where t' go. I'll be ready." He then moves off to start his watch.

"Then it's decided," says Talimar firmly. "We wake in the morning and head to Kuiper for advice and then begin our search. Everyone get plenty of rest tonight as we could be searching for weeks to come."

Everyone agrees and within a few minutes all are tucked into their bedrolls and sleeping deeply. A few hours before dawn, during the last watch, a slight drizzle of rain begins to fall onto the encampment. The rain is still falling hours later as the party breaks camp and begins to move out.

The mood of the group is quite subdued due to the dreary travelling conditions. The pace is slow because of the rain and it is closer to noon as the party sees the familiar outline of Kuiper's farm before them. One of Kuiper's men moves out to greet the party and takes their horses into the stable as another man leads them into the main house.

"Greetings Red Feather Company!" says Kuiper warmly as the party enters. "Please come in and warm yourselves by the fire."

Everyone then takes a seat in the small house and tries their best to warm themself by the fire. With help from the others, Talimar fills Kuiper in on all of the events that have transpired since they last saw him. The ranger is disturbed by the increase in the number of kidnapping's and attacks but has no information to offer as to the whereabouts of the Keep.

"The talk of the Scourge was years old before I arrived here. And no one ever spoke of the Keep anymore after that. If it's in the Thornwood still though, we can find it."

"You don't mind if I join you?" he asks the group.

"Not at all. We welcome the assistance." replies Talimar with other words of encouragement from the other party members.

Within an hour, Kuiper has made the arrangements with his men for his departure and gathered his supplies as well as restocking the supplies of the party. Feeling confident with the Ranger of the Thornwood helping out, the party sets out in search of the long lost keep. The remainder of that day is spent sloshing through the underbrush and rain heading west to meet up with the Hog Brook. The mood of the group is very sombre as they set up camp that night along the Brook in the rain. There is not much conversation as the party settles in for the evening. The evening passes quietly and uneventfully as the rain continues to fall.

The next two days offer much of the same as the group moves south along the Brook until they reach its end with no sign of any Keep. The rain finally ended early that morning, much to the delight of the companions but there was little relief as the temperature merely dropped and there is now the threat of snow. As expected, the evenings are quiet as the party tries to remain unseen in the forest. Each night Beleg looks longingly at his lute and recorder, feeling the strong desire to play a tune to lighten the mood of the group. While in the wood, the party has foregone the use of a nightly fire and everyone's cold bones have only helped to darken the mood of everyone. Kersath, Kuiper, Kre and Ras each day range ahead of the party scouting to ensure that they are not surprised by anyone or anything, and each day they return to the camp with nothing to report; displaying only a foul mood. Gnore seems to have sunken further into his own thoughts and any attempts to speak to the gruff dwarf are only met with short, biting retorts. Even the normally jovial Ras has been affected by the foul weather and the lack of any real progress.

Finally, on the afternoon of the 1st day of Alturiak (the third day of the search), Kersath comes quickly back from the front ranks to meet up with the others following along behind.

"We've found it!" Kersath says as excitedly as he dares being so close to the keep. "It is just about a hundred yards ahead in a clearing. Kuiper, Kre and Ras are waiting on us as they look over it. Follow me and keep quiet!"

Feeling the rush of excitement at finally finding the keep, the other party members set out with quickened steps to follow the dark elf. Kersath leads everyone to the edge of a clearing where the others wait. Before everyone stands the lost Broken Spire Keep. The keep stands in a clearing, which extends some one hundred feet all around it. To the northeast, to the side of the small watchtower, lay the shattered remains of the stone spire that once topped it. The vegetation here is yellowed and unhealthy. There is nothing visible along the walls or within the keep from where the party is looking.

As the party is looking at the keep, they hear a rustling behind them. With hands flying quickly to weapons, the party turns to see the form of Lyntern come falling into the midst of the group. His cloak hangs on him in tattered remains and his shirt and breeches are cut in several different places. His jewelled scabbard hangs at his side but the matching sword is nowhere to be found. His hair is in disarray and there is a deep gash across his forward that has dried blood caked on the makeshift bandage.

"Good, I found you," says Lyntern with a smile as he collapses at the feet of Beleg.