‘This is most unfortunate’ says Tortetart to no one in particular.

Tortetarte pulls on his medicine pack, and while pulling out his sword ‘I need a few good men to join me, let’s see if there is anyone in need of aide. And someone find that bell ringer, surely they’ll have a story to tell.’

Marcon's brow furrows. If the town had been beset by plague, as Olgalla saw in his journeys, the gates would be shut. A sack would explain the state of the keep, but why keep the palisade untouched ("Wood burns quick, stone falls slow", as Bragnon Broadshield observed in 'Siegecraft')?

"I shall go with you," he declares to the healer. "I would know what happened here."

Galen turned around to look at everyone who had stopped.

"What a great bunch of guards you all are. Catch up with me and the giant turtle when your balls grow in."

He had seen this sight too many times not to know what was going on. Of course, he'd been the cause of most of the damage before, which made it a little weird to step into the place as it was. Still, he wasn't about to just sit about.

The keep had fallen over, so the nobles were probably dead. No loss there. Some real people might be hurt, though, and if the big shelled lizard was going in to heal them, he wouldn't just leave the thing be. A scowl showed up suddenly on his uneven face, and his skin hardened to the quality of stone. He checked his shield, attached to his arm, and then just walked in. He hadn't gotten the chance to crack any skulls so far, and was quite looking forward to it.

"I will go to look for whoever is ringing the bell. Stay safe, everyone, and keep your wits about you."

As Anchor walked into town, he made sure his shield was at the ready. He kept his trident on his back. If any of Nightstone's guards were still about, he wanted to be sure not to startle them.

Anchor held onto his holy symbol, bowed his head, and said a short prayer. "Let your waves wash over me..."

Theren steps forward drawing his shortsword and says "I will join you as well."

Entering the town, Theren peers into the seemingly abandoned streets with his darkvision enhanced eyes. "Everyone stay alert. Whoever, or whatever, did this is probably still here."

Though some of the other guards seem thoroughly ashamed, others are more than content to stare defiantly back at those trying to make mock of their refusal to investigate the town. After all, maybe it was a trap? Couldn't let the wagons go unprotected, especially not when they were being paid to protect them. Obviously they couldn't abandon their employers like that- it would be so unprofessional! That being said, it also made perfect sense to permit a few foolish brave individuals to go on ahead and scout things out to make sure nothing was amiss.



As the first couple of foolish brave individuals reach the town gates, one thing that might seem strange is the fact that the drawbridge is down- not the sort of thing you would expect from a town in any sort of trouble. Yet, the watchtowers that flank the gate seem to be abandoned. Not only that, but right there in the middle of the road is a large rock embedded in the ground. Roughly three feet each in diameter, you can see a fair few of these rocks scattered across the town even from where you stand. Large holes punched through rooftops and other shattered wreckage would imply that these were some sort of projectile that has recently rained down upon the town.

The source of the constant bell ringing is fairly obvious. Immediately to your left as one walks past the guard towers is a wooden temple. You can see stained glass windows depicting images of birth, the dawning sun, trees, and unicorns. The front door is wide and the bell continues to ring incessantly from the slender steeple that rises above the temple's main floor.

Seeing now how close the temple is, Anchor decides to refrain from using his Divine Sense a second time. Any otherworldly threats inside would hopefully have been noticed already.

Looking at the large rock in the middle of the road, then noticing more and more as he glances around the town, "Were there catapults?" he says, mostly to himself but loud enough for others to hear.

Anchor makes his way to the entrance of temple along with any who come with him. Stealth is not his forte, but with the situation at hand he tries to be as quiet as possible as he looks inside.

Side glancing at Ankre, 'Giants maybe?''I've never seen one myself, but are they big enough to chuck these boulders?' More of a rhetorical to get people in the mindset of what we may be dealing with.

Continuing past the Temple, assuming Ankre will inform us if there is need of me there, I scout out the two houses opposite the Temple to see if anyone is inside, or for clues of if they evacuated to the Temple or Keep . Starting with the house, and then the farmhouse.

"Giants seem likely, Master Torletart. Treganne credits the stronger of them with size and might sufficient to this assault."

Close by the priest, Marcon trades sword and shield for bow. Nocking an arrow, he examines the surroundings as well, though his mind is more readied for danger than deduction.

Galen, too, saw the temple, doors wide open, and decided to take his chances just walking on in. He wasn't going to let some tiny little threat of ambush mess him up. If anyone was in there, and they attacked, he'd just hit them back harder.

"Where there catapults?" the goliath nearby mused to himself, and Galen threw back, "Don't need to be. Once had me ship cracked open and sunk by a big guy what swung a whole damned anchor at us. S'what made me face so pretty."

Galen punctuated that statement with a laugh that sounded like he was choking on something he'd eaten earlier, though still recognizably a laugh.

The others nearby seemed to share in his assesment of the situation.

Galen walked right in the door to show the lesser men how it was done. A pirate captain shows no fear, after all. Galen was no stranger to battle or ambush, however, and walked in the door ready to be hit from all sides (taking a Dodge action).

Anchor, who was mildly impressed with himself at how quiet he was moving, was surprised as Galen simply strode past him into the temple. He kept his stealthy pace, however. If an ambush was waiting, Anchor would be there to help once the trap was sprung.

As Galen shared his all too familiar story, Anchor's grey face grew pale. Despite remembering the fateful day of his redemption with Tortetart just a bit ago, Anchor tried as best he could to move past what he was redeemed of. Was this man one of his victims? Did he know who Anchor was? He had heard of others attempting his old feat of strength, maybe someone else had taken up the trick?

Anchor shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as there were more important matters to attend to at the moment.

As the others started to split up, some heading over to the buildings across from the temple, and others going into the temple itself, Theren notices an unusual clattering noise further into town. Considering the fact that he agreed with assessment that this was a likely a giant attack, and there didn't appear to any giants here now, it was most important to determine if there were any survivors, and to lend them aid. To that end, Theren moves toward the noise, albeit with as much stealth as he can. After all, it rarely pays to be arrogant or reckless.

Ealwald cautiously approaches the temple, seeing that the initial investigations seem to be complete. Constantly on the look out due to fear that something unexpected might kill him out of nowhere.

Tortetarte is slightly disheartened by the shape of Nights Tone. For the overall feel is dark indeed. Leaving the farm house, he looks to Marcon. "Our best bet is probably the Temple, or the Keep at this point." "We should go to the town center, and see if we can hear/get a feeling for things. Hopefully that bell will stop soon as well.

Tortetart heads to the middle of town, and takes a general look around.

Not a single soul was inside the church, save for whoever might be ringing that blasted bell. Galen had just about enough of everything going on. The whole town was in shambles, and he hadn't seen a single person in the whole area. He couldn't be bothered to take his time getting to anyone who might be in danger. Life had a tendency to shit on people like himself and whoever might be beyond that door. He quickly moved past anything that was in the way, and just before he entered the doorway, he shouted, loud as he could, "'oo goes there? What be all the damned ringin' about?"

Of course, he didn't wait for an answer. Still preparing himself for any sort of ambush that might lay in wait (still the Dodge action), he opened the door, and made is way in. After all, these people had just been attacked by something, and even if everyone in there meant no ill will, they might panic and take a swing at him. He wasn't the most beautiful man, and he had that damned drow bloood in him, which his skin showed nicely.

Anchor took in the sight of the temple as he and Galen passed through it, trying to see if he could determine who the primary deity of this place of worship was.

Anchor moved closer to the western door, staying close behind Galen as he led the way. "Aid has arrived!", he shouted over the bell. "What has happened here?"

Seeing as how his attempts at stealth weren't very effective, Theren decides to forgo it for a more direct approach. He slowly moves toward the two abnormally large dogs, sword at the ready, and attempts to draw their attention away from whatever their hovering over without provoking them. If their already friendly, or can at least be kept calm, it will be better than being forced to kill them, or being killed by them.

Hot on the priest's heels, Marcon keeps his eyes open and his arrow nocked.

"The state of the keep suggests the greatest need there, Master Torletarte. As for the feeling of Nightstone, I would call it 'unwelcoming'. The 'Gazetteer of the Sword Coast' ought recommend against tourism."

Smiling wanly at his own poor joke, Marcon watches his surroundings.

Ealwald begins to head with the group to the north thinking that it might be the best way to not get killed despite having no reason to think this what so ever. He quickly tries to look for threats despite not having any actual idea of what the heck would be one.