June 5, East of Treborg

The DM: As you pull out of Treborg, the sky is clear, there is little wind at all and the temperature is cool. You travel along the familiar route again, past the forest and into the tundra, bouncing over rocks in lieu of a pathway. You won't reach your destination by the ship for the full day of the 5th. The weather is warm in the morning and cools a bit in the afternoon, but nothing uncomfortable. It is very plain that you're in summer now, as you haven't seen a cloud in two days.

—: After arriving at the ship, do you intend to do anything else that evening before turning in to sleep?

Vafrandir: [composed this on the thread for the 4th, posting here for clarity] Before setting out, I'll ensure that we've packed our remaining 47 lb of food, 5 tents (Odds, are you coming with us?), and 10 torches. What does the tripod weigh?

The DM: Oddsdrakken's presence depends on Pandred's orders.

Vafrandir: I don't think there's anything we can do in the dark besides set a watch. 2 lbs of food each for traveling?

The DM: Correct on food.

Vafrandir: Great, accounted for. I'll start to set up the tents and gather wood for a fire.

The DM: Aren't you glad that at present I haven't chosen to employ my nutrition rules?

Vafrandir: Part of me can't wait...most of me is relieved!

The DM: Before moving on, I'd like to get a confirmation from someone else that there's nothing else to do until the morning of the 6th.

Pandred: Confirmed from me. Also Odds is staying behind. I don't think I have need of him for this errand. Embla Strand Seconded.

After Sunset, June 6th

The DM: Having no indication of who is on guard at one time, I'll randomly determine that it is just before midnight, with Pandred awake and feeding bits of dry peat onto a smoldering fire. Unexpectedly, she hears a resounding THUD, as something tremendously heavy striking the ground a goodly distance away. The full moon was only three days ago, so the landscape is well revealed by moonlight, but there is no hint of what it might have been. It could not have been a meteorite, or else Pandred would have seen the trail of light as it hit; but there was no light at all accompanying the sound.

Marcule: Do i wake up?

The DM: Good question. Yes, it's loud enough. Everyone wakes up.

Vafrandir: "Shall we investigate?" I'll take the time to buckle on my shield...just in case.

The DM: You may do so.

Marcule: "Lead the way Vafrandir"

Vafrandir: Once I'm strapped, I'll draw my sword and head cautiously towards the noise. "Pandred, from where did you hear it?"

The DM: I'll presume Pandred gives you the general direction. As you move off Vafrandir, take note that you've already spent at least a full day here, and that the landscape is fairly regular. After searching for about five minutes, however, you can't help noticing a large, grey stone, about nine feet in length and about three feet high, where you cannot remember a stone of that size having been here before. The stone is about 70 or 80 feet away when you notice it.

—: for the sake of clarity I'll just add that I am taking your elven infravision into account in describing what you can see at this distance (it is somewhat better than moonlight and not spoiled by it, as per my rules).

Pandred: I'll tag along. Oh boy!

The DM: Pandred is human and does not have infravision, so she cannot see it as well. I did, incidentally, add the sage abilities for pocket timepiece and infravision goggles to Marcule's sage ability of Steam & Gasgear. Marcule has yet to choose his two pre-existing items from his sage study.

Vafrandir: I'll describe what I see. Can I tell if the earth around it has been disturbed? As would be the case if the stone had fallen from a great height. If I can't at this distance, I'll cautiously approach.

The DM: There doesn't look to be a pit surrounding it. You don't see any sign of the hit you describe.

Embla Strand I approach, axe in hand.