5. Windsday to Fireday/ Disorder Week/ Sea Season 1618

The heroes arrived at the ruined hilltop fort during mid-afternoon on Windsday. Waiting under the eaves of the surrounding forest, the band were unable to espy any movement from within the ruin. Even when Bofrost used his spirit magic to give himself the eyes of the eagle, no movement could be seen. All he could make out were more examples of the figure of the earth goddess built into the ancient walls, similar to the broken stone effigies they had passed along the way.However, Finmast’s keen hearing was able to pick out the sounds of cattle from within, even over the constant keening of the wind that blows continually around the Starfire Ridges.
As the most stealthy amongst the party, Randel and Terrastal set off to scout the ruin more closely, moving unseen through the overgrown ditch that surrounded the ruin. As they moved through the ditch, they found it choked with rubble; here and there, it was clear that something had recently made crude efforts to repair fallen goddess statues.

Whilst their companions moved around the walls, the remainder of the band waited patiently. For some time, Yrsa had felt that she was being observed by something or someone, and now this feeling became overpowering. As she waited and watched, she became convinced that she could hear the sound of a horse moving through the woods behind them. Whether it was friend or enemy, she could not tell for sure although her heart said that it was no enemy. For their part, Bofrost and Finmast feared both Lunar and Sword Rebel pursuers.

As Terrastal and Randel moved around the walls, they saw that the walls had completely collapsed close to where the broken round tower jutted above the ruin. As they climbed from the ditch to look more closely, Randel dislodged a large fall of broken masonry causing a crash that could be heard across the ruin, even by their waiting companions. As the scouts clung to the uneven ground and prayed to their ancestors, a shape appeared at the top of the ditch and peered down towards them. As one, their blood froze and their spirits fell as they recognised the creature: Dark Troll! Luckily, the Troll was clearly unused to even the light of an overcast day, and seemed to be satisfied that the sound was simply a rockfall.

Meanwhile, Bofrost’s sight-of-eagles spied what appeared to be a durulz peering above the ruined parapet; what manner of brigands were these, that included both troll and duck?
As night fell, Randel and Terrastal returned to their companions. Hearing of the likely mounted pursuers, they determined to rest for the night and deal with these before exploring the mysteries of the ruin. After an uneventful night deep within the forest, the band split into two groups to find and challenge their pursuers. Then a wondrous thing happened; Yrsa, Bofrost and Finmast happened upon an apparition. Where Bofrost could only see a green mist hanging in the air, both Yrsa and Finmast could see a young foal with a coat of green, tendrils of growing plants and Sea Season blooms threaded through its mane. Feeling no fear, Yrsa approached the trembling spirit animal and held out her hand to touch its muzzle. As she did so, the foal reared up, struck her of the forehead with its hoof and disappeared. As Randel and Terrastal ran to their companions, they found Yrsa sitting on the ground nursing a bloody wound on her forehead. After a brief rest, Yrsa and Finmast related their experience; Yrsa now felt that the watchful presence had departed. Determining to ask their clan Godtalkers for advice on their return, the heroes turned their attention to the mystery of the ruin.

Following the trail of the previous day, the band climbed to the left-most side of the ruin and made to sneak around to where the walls were broken down and where they had determined the cattle to be corralled. As they moved around the outside of the ruin, along a narrow path hugging the top of the ditch, they came upon a break in the wall where they spotted a pair of skin-changers; bear-walkers. As a storm broke above their heads, Finmast, Yrsa and Bofrost engaged the skin-changers in combat. Finmast once again showed his prowess with a bow and the foe was quickly brought low.

Meanwhile, Randel and Terrastal moved further around the ruin to see what lay ahead. Whilst Terrastal climbed the ruined walls and spotted the cattle, Randel moved near the ruined tower and spotted a Dark Troll; from hiding, Randel summoned his spirit power and befuddled the Troll, enabling him to sneak past and meet up with Finmast, who had likewise scaled the walls and penetrated deeper into the ruin.

As Orlanth’s storm continued to rage above their heads, the heroes braced themselves for what was to come; what further mysteries did the ruin conceal?