Aldaron, Haldan and Nór descend the muddy stone stairs. The stench wafting up from beneath is vile. As you come all the way down you can see that this was once the cellars of the watch-tower; now, it is a foetid and foul Troll-hole — a veritable Troll-hall, even! The trolls have taken the cellars as their main stronghold, and it is clear that they shelter here from the hated sun. The ceiling of the hall is low, and bulges alarmingly in several places. The floor is a mess of broken bones and other filth.

Further inside you see Diarmoc kneeling before a huge flat rock leaned against the wall.

Haldan holds the torch aloft, bathing the room with a warm glow. "Diarmoc ..." he asks quietly, "are they not here?" He pauses a moment, sensing disappointment in the man's bearing. "We will keep looking. But we should stay together and find a place to rest for the night."

A sob racks Diarmocs chest and he touches the rock. "Their... their larder is in here but it is quiet... so quiet." His head sags to his chest and tears run down his face.

Aldaron eases into the room behind Haldan. He presses the sleeve of his tunic to his nose. Trolls have a particular odour, part wet dog, part sun-warmed midden. At least there is nobody home.

"They didn't walk up in the daylight, where are they?" he says. "Do you see anything Haldan? Is there another exit?"

He eyes the noisome mess distastefully, picking his way among the cracked bones of the trolls' victims. He doesn't admit it, even to himself, but in the scattered remains he is seeking for some sign of Orothel.

"Behind the rock?" Aldaron looks up at Diarmoc's words. "The stone conceals an entrance?"

He turns his head to Nór. If anyone can read a tale in the stones, it will be the doughty dwarf. Even so, he takes a cautious step towards it. What it would be like to be penned within, knowing your grisly fate, only waiting its coming? He shivers with the horror.

"Could we move it, Nór?"

His eyes flick nervously at the bulging ceiling, the shadows lurking at the edges of the torchlight. Knowing there is a troll and not finding one, is worse than knowing there is a troll and finding one.

Nor sets the sword in the sheath and runs a hand over a wall here, "Hmm"; a protrusion there, "Ahhhhmn"; and this flat rock "Tcha-tcha".  It's near-certainly covering something...but what...

09:53, Today: Nor rolled a total of 18: a success with the Gandalf Rune using the The One Ring with a target of 15 ((12 (Feat Die), 3, 2, 1)).

Edit:

"Aye, can be rolled.  But maybe just by a troll.  Or with a set of block and tackle.  But....HUUUMMMPH...would need eight of me to move it."

Nor puts his hands to his knees to catch his breath...

"What this now?  Look there - bring the torch closer!  Footprints!  There, and they head..."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:43, Wed 10 Apr.

Nór see that the rock can be rolled to one side by someone with immense strength.

As he looks about he also sees something out of place: a set of small footprints in a patch of mud.

Haldan brings to torch closer for Nor to examine the footprints. "That's interesting ... could someone have escaped? Or maybe someone else has taken an interest in our trolls."

Aldaron sucks his cheek. "I'm not sure even Perry could persuade a troll to open its larder for us. Maybe we can find block and tackle elsewhere in this place." His tone makes it clear how likely he imagines that to be. "We can't just leave them..."

He observes Nór's efforts with dismay, but feels his spirits rise when the dwarf points to the footprints.

"Well spotted, Nór. Where do they go?" Aldaron crouches, using the light from both torches to illuminate them (HUNTING: Success).

The footprints are those of a child, Aldaron can immediately tell and he follows them through the debris further inside the cellars where rubble and stone has made it impassable for the large trolls. The tracks lead to a narrow shaft, probably used to pass supplies into the cellar. It is to small for the trolls but you all would probably be able to squeeze through. Poking his head up it is to dark to see where the child has gone but the shaft is well hidden among a collection of boulders.

Back inside the cellar Nór can see that the rock door is slightly rounded and could probably be moved if you found a lever of some sort.

"Those tracks are fresh, are they not Aldaron?  Mayhaps a child escaped somehow?  I wonder if Perry could squeak through..."

Nor kicks through the debris on the floor, unwilling to touch anything in particular, though he might poke something with his sword (now safely back in his hand)...

"Also look around for a lever; a broken bit of iron bar or something like that...  I think I found a spot where the rock could be wedged open, maybe even made to topple off its edge.  Though to be fair, I'd much rather we were doing this in daylight."

"I do think we should withdraw before we're trapped down here by a returning troll..."

"Recent, yes. Maybe they escaped, or maybe the little one is hiding close by—" (meaning outside the tower, in the surrounding gullies) "—and sneaking in and out. Maybe a parent or sibling is trapped in that hole?"

Aldaron nods at the rock covered prison. He turns a circle. "I haven't seen anything that would serve as a lever..."

Rather than leave anyone in such a horrible position, he's tempted to use his longsword, but the metal of a sword is flexible, not rigid, and he knows the blade will bend before ever the rock might shift.

"This is a dismal, horrible place. It grieves me to leave the prisoners even one moment longer, but this cellar has no other way in and out." He glances at the narrow shaft the child climbed. "None a troll could use. If we can guard the entrance overnight, perhaps the daylight will bring new insight."

He returns to the shaft. "We should follow them. This is no place for a child." He hesitates, then takes a breath to steel his resolve. "Nór, Haldan, protect my retreat. I will see where these tracks lead, and call if there is anything more to be done."

He sheathes his sword, cinching the straps tight to present the smallest profile. Juggling the torch in one hand, he eases himself into the shaft (ATHLETICS: Great Success).

Nor nods his agreement, though he knows that the man can't see him.  He moves to the entrance, and calls up to Sidh "We've found something.  Looks like a child has been through here recently.  Aldaron is squeezing into a shaft that may be where they're hiding.  Also, we're looking for something strong enough to act as a lever for a stone door; troll-made, so not quality.  Diarmoc is alive, and there's no sign of trolls, but lots of trollsign.  Keep your eyes peeled, and we'll be ready to move out soon, I think."

After some searching you find a log of suitable size that has not yet rotten into mud. You place it against the rock and together you are able to heave it to one side, revealing a small stone chamber within. It is empty. Diarmoc once against burst into a fit of tears.

"Humh" grunts Nór noncommittally. "Didn't expect much, but didn't expect empty either.  Look through the mess on the floor here, and see if you find any clues at all. We're not even sure that villain was telling the truth about this."
This message was last edited by the player at 12:32, Sun 14 Apr.

"Aldaron should be outside," Haldan observes. "Let us return to where the elf awaits and try to find a suitable place to spend the night." He extends his hand towards Diarmoc, trying to understand what the man must be feeling. "Come, my friend, do not give up hope too soon; your family may yet be alive. We shall search the valley in the morning." (ENHEARTEN: Success)

Diarmoc looks up at the tall northlander and takes comfort in his words and soothing demeanor. He nods, takes Haldans hand and stands up. "They might be somewhere else."

Nor nods, even in the low torchlight, his agreement.  "They must be.  If we've no sign of them here, they must be elsewhere, and that means they could still be alive."

Nor steps (back?) into the previously-covered chamber, and runs his hands over some parts of the stone walls..."something feels off, about this..." he murmurs...but there's nothing that he can feel or see.

"Well, I am finished here.  Maybe daylight will bring more.  I am hopeful that Aldaron has made some discovery."

"A good discovery, of course.  Though I wouldn't expect trolls to mount a stealthy attack."

"There's nothing here, we should head back up."