You went with option A. You will bring the spy with you. You will suggest the general to keep all the men in one courtyard.
69 – The central courtyard
You tell general Ritgard that in your opinion the external courtyards are safe. You didn't really find anything that makes you think they could be dangerous. Maybe it would be wise to use just one courtyard for now however. Irene agrees with you, and adds that the fortress has been used for decades in the past, and nothing happened to the soldiers manning it. So it seems safe to use the external courtyards. General Ritgard considers your words, then nods and tells you to proceed with your task. If you have any need of backup, he will dispatch more men.
You return to your camp and start to prepare for the exploration of the central courtyard. You ask Irene if the spy can come with you,in case there are traps around. She quickly agrees and soon after you are all set for the exploration. Within a few minutes, your group stands before the massive metal doors in the northern courtyard. The group with the mason, the scholar and the blacksmith will stay here, ready to come to help you once you made sure there are no immediate dangers inside.
The spy examines the doors carefully, and after a while gives Irene his report.
"There are no traps I can see, my lady. These doors seem to be exceptionally well kept, but I see no mechanisms of any sort. I think they are safe to open."
Irene nods and takes out the key. With a quick, determined motion she inserts it in the keyhole, and turns it. There is a loud clack, and then she extracts it. She motions the guards to come close and open the doors. The men comply but you notice that they look somewhat pale, most likely because of their fear. Every child in Eskal grew up hearing the tales of mighty Avarlos, and it's eventual demise. They would rather be anywhere else it seems, but still they obey. The doors are heavy but silently move while they pull them. Soon a passage large enough for two people is ready. With trepidation, you all step inside.
The air is crisp and fresh here, even though the warm sun shines on the central courtyard. As you take in the view of the courtyard and feel you heart beat loudly in your chest you hear metal clattering behind you. The soldiers are trembling in fear at the sight before your eyes. You can't blame them...
A massive, 40 meters high keep towers in the middle of the courtyard. It is by far the biggest building you have ever seen, yet it is somehow graceful, even delicate. Even at first glance and from this distance you can clearly grasp how refined it is, how each piece of that building has been made with grace and beauty in mind. An impregnable fortress and a beautiful palace all in one.
The eastern side of the courtyard is covered by a dense, vibrant grove. Once it might have been a garden, but now the trees are so dense you can barely see between them. It is not dark however, it is a tapestry of incredible hues of green and yellow. You do not see any dead tree and it gives you an impression of freshness, of a place truly teeming with life. To the west instead there are a few low, large buildings rising in the shade of the walls. It is not these things however that make this place so unsettling for the soldiers.
The courtyard is littered with bodies, laying where they fell in what seems to have been a great battle. Hundreds of men, all heavily armed and armored. They are little more than skeletons now, you can see the dried up bones of the few closest ones from where you are. But the buildings are not damaged, the doors are intact, it is as if these people were left inside and then the battle started from within. You hear some of the soldiers praying to Adsal, their weapons and trained bodies no comfort against the fear of this sight. And mostly, the fear of the other thing you immediately notice.
At regular intervals all around the courtyards, rutilating fountains of light rise from the paved floor, yellow, orange and red. They rise, twist, change color and dance in the air silently. There are at least twenty of them that you can see from here, all bigger than a bonfire. And from behind the keep you can see a... halo, yellow, orange and red, constantly changing color, as if there was an even bigger source of light behind it. You can't see from here though, it seems to be exactly the other side of the keep, you just see the light shooting out from behind it.
Many men are praying now, some are trembling so violently that their armor clatters loudly. Irene turns to face them and speaks in a low, calm and persuasive voice.
"Calm down, all of you. I understand this is an unexpected view, but there does not seem to be any immediate danger here. We are going to proceed carefully and slowly, to make sure we do not take any unnecessary risk. Remember your training, and remember than we are here for an important mission for the King. I will do my best to make sure nothing happens to you."
Her words seem to work rather well, most of the men visibly stop trembling and adjust their weapons and armor, looking around. Irene gestures for you to come closer, and whispers to you.
"Any suggestions Kyoss? Not exactly what I was waiting for. What do you think we should do first?"
So Kyoss, what will you suggest? (Please choose up to three tasks, in order. Some of them may not require an entire update, this way I can chain them unless something happens.)
A) You should investigate the bodies
B) You should investigate the fountains of yellow, orange and red light
C) You should investigate the low buildings to the west
D) You should investigate the thick grove to the east
E) You should get close to and investigate the keep
F) You should circle the keep and go investigate that halo of light coming from behind it
G) Other, choose a letter and make other proposals.
Please note all my suggestions are cursory inspections for now. If you want to investigate something in detail instead, make a new proposal.
As usual, questions (about things you can quickly see from here) and other suggestions are welcome.
)
