Duststone Keep

[The Stranger]

Rising above the mountains lies a tumbling stone ruin, once the keep of a minor Marcher lord. One tower remains standing, in some disrepair, along with most of the great hall. All outlying structures, and the walls, have long since been scattered to the winds. The keep over looks the party, uphill, about 800 meters away. Thanks to quick horses, and a steady pace, they reach their location while the sun is still relatively high in the sky.

[Sam]

Markus arrives first, having purchased a fifty-foot stout rope and a number of climbing spikes. He'd also bought provisions for a week's journey ad a fine new steel dagger that he'd ben able to hagge the blacksmith down on, to a price he could actually afford. He raises a hand to shield his eyes from the son, as he examines the tower looming up about a half mile away. "It's there, lads," he said. "We'll make it with a few hours to search before nightfall, but Cave said we wouldn't be alone in searching most like."

[Marie]

Sasha looked over at the keep with curious eyes. As well as her horse, she had purchased a sword which she wore on her hip, a rope and grappling hook, lockpicks and a torch, as well as food and drink.

She said "We should have one of us search for the best way inside."

[Deleted]

Creighton stepped down from his horse, winching as his feet hit the ground, reminding him of the wound in his back once more. He retrieved the climbing gear; rope and climbing spikes which he had acquired on his ride to the keep, along with a warhammer that he placed at his hip on his right side.

"I can go 'ave a look-see since I' m probably the one that needs to 'ave a easy climb, 'cause of the damn wound in me back"

[Marie]

Sasha frowned at Creighton.

"You sure you are well enough to do that? Can you move fast enough if you get spotted?"

[The Stranger]

OOC: Not really sure where you guys are getting the impression its a climb? It's more of an uphill hike to the ruins.

[Marie]

OOC - I think the idea was to get climbing stuff in case we need to climb the walls and sneak in, if the standing parts of the ruins are inhabited. That was my reason for bringing a rope, anyway.

[Sam]

Markus kicked his horse, and began making his way up the steep path. Eventually he had to dismount, and he continued upward carefully leading his horse by the bridle. He kept a constant lookout for movement or sound coming from the keep; it felt like there were hundreds of Dornish eyes watching them, unseen in the shadows.

[The Stranger]

As Markus and the other reached the top, they saw that there were six horses tied up to a scraggly sad looking tree about 20 feet from the entrance, a heavy, rotten wooden door braced with iron, which is cracked open.

[Marie]

OOC - going to try and get this one moving again.

Sasha approached the horses, and, dismounting from her own horse, began to search the saddlebags of the tethered horses to determine whether they contained anything either valuable or useful.

[The Stranger]

The horse whinnies loudly as Sasha approaches but does not kick or struggle. In the saddle bags are feed for horses and rations for people. There is no identifying marks or correspondence identifying the owners.

[Marie]

Sasha beckoned to the others with her hand, indicating they should come over. In the meantime, she tried to peer through the nearest window.

[The Stranger]

There are no windows at this height, just the open door.

[Deleted]

Creighton let the woman take the lead as she always seemed to have an opinion when he or one of the others made any decisions, so he just dismounted and waited until he and the rest was waved over by the woman. He made certain that he kept his horse between his back and his companions. After having found a place where he could tie his horse, he walked over to Sasha.

"So what is yer plan now, girl? I would suggest that we get inside. Who knows why the owners are here, but we've lost enough time with me almost gettin' killed and guards huntin' us, so let us move inside now."

[Marie]

"I don't have a plan," Sasha whispered. "We need to get in, I agree, but we'll need to move carefully, and stay in the shadows and any other cover we can find."