Yulya casts Guidance on Alice and Alice approaches the gate. Ashley hides behind a tree just in case.



The wall is solid without cracks, so Alice attempts to find a seam in the gate to look through while being stealthy.

[Hidden rolls]

Alice finds no traps nor any cracks in the wall or gate large enough to see through, she notes the quality of the gate and style as being well done and with care though she can't determine the style or who might have made it, only that this was not hastily erected. The wood is sturdy and straight, relatively new but likely older than a season as far as she can tell given the state of petina on the reinforced pine boards.

Over the wind, which is not by any means quiet, she hears part of a conversation in common. "Why do we have to watch the entrance? Ain't no one coming in this weather, and I'm freezing to death!" The voice is course but she's just not knowledgeable enough about orcs, humans, elves, harnless elderly goblins, spiders, or anyone else to know what kind of being is making the statement.

[Hidden rolls]

"Shh! I I think I heard something, it sounded like an ermine bounding through the snow." It was a much softer voice, but again Alice was poor at discerning the source.

"Bah! It's probably just a fox," the gruffer voice said in a hushed tone.

"Shhh! I'll go get the others."

"You're not leaving me out here to freeze!"

"Watch the gate! Get to a higher vantage and see if you can tell what's out there. I'll be right back." the softer voice was adamant.

"Don't involve the Black Spider, we don't need another lecture! When we find out its nothing, this is on you!" he grumbles and Alice hears foot steps crunching in the snow behind the wall. She can't tell much else.

[Interactions Required]

Yulya also hides, her white cloak and shield blend into the landscape. She signals to Cat to do the same

Yulya, Cat and Ashley do not know where Alice is since they lost sight of her but continue to monitor the walls and after a few minutes they see the head of a hooded humanoid.
The man looks around, down, sees some snow has been disturbed and then climbs back down.

Yulya is confused and whispers to Cat
A human? Or elf?
He does look like those bandits we encountered! Are humans working together with orcs nowadays? Elves even? I hope Alice has not been spotted!

On the Northwest corner of the wall, it's the head of a hooded figure, and you see the glint of a brooch, Cat's keen eyes lead her to believe it could be a brooch similar to the ones the bandits wore, but visibility is poor and she can't be sure. In any case, at least one, probably more unauthorized personnel are occuping the area inside that wall.

Yulya is confused and whispers to Cat
A human? Or elf?
He does look like those bandits we encountered! Are humans working together with orcs nowadays? Elves even? I hope Alice has not been spotted!

Cat keeps Yulya down so she cannot be spotted and whispers back
Nyaah quiet Nya! Let me do the surveillance Nya! I think they have brooches Nya. I'm sure they're the same guys Nya! Let's wait for Alice to return Nya!

Cat keeps her eyes and ears on the fortification while remaining hidden

The wall is quiet, you begin to hear a scratching sound then see Alice pop back up out from the snow with intel to share.

Hey, there you are!
I wasn't sure where I'd come out! Snow is surprisingly fun and warm if you stay underneath. It's icy out here!
So are they gone now or what? I think I convinced them it's just an animal out here. The hell is that fortification anyway? Who built that? Humans? Surely not orcs, right?

Alice shares what she heard inside
Looks like the giant spider exists after all, the mentioned a black spider. Some criminal organization?
Honestly I don't care. We gotta get in there. Cat, gimme your rope and grappling hook! I need some climbing gear. You got the ladder and your claws too!

"I could send a buzzy girl over and see what's going on? I don't know how long one of my wasps will last or what'll happen if I did get one there."

Definitely worth a try! I don't wanna storm in there without knowing what's on the other side. Have you seen that huge crossbow things at the corners? I wouldn't wanna get hit by such an arrow!

I'll go inspect the area where the palisades meet the rock! Maybe we can either burrow or climb across there! We'll meet here and then decide how we enter. Iff I make a tunnel maybe you could follow me without getting shot at.

Alice waits for Cat's rope and hook and Yulya's OK and then dives back under the snow.

Yulya feels conflicted
Those troublesome humans again! Does it have to be humans? I would be more comfortable with ugly monsters as an enemy! I set out to rid the world of monsters not to kill ordinary people. Even if they are bandits they are still human...

And those Rockseekers are troublesome too! Sir Gundren assured us most likely nothing would happen on our first escort mission and we ran right into a dragon. His brothers also mentioned nothing about the mine being turned into a well-guarded stronghold. Those fortifications weren't built overnight. How long have they not been here? I feel we have been dragged into something way bigger than our dear questgivers told us yet again...



The Black Spider...
I feel we will find out soon enough what this is about but I do not like it either. Those bandits that trailed us looked strong. Humans Elves Half-Orcs who knows who else is working for them. And who is their mastermind.

"I could send a buzzy girl over and see what's going on? I don't know how long one of my wasps will last or what'll happen if I did get one there. We could also look for another entrance but I don't know if any exist. Otherwise we could freeze to death as night falls or start a fire and be spotted immediately." Ashley offers.

Yulya nods
Please send a wasp I think she should be alright while in flight. That activity should produce enough warmth and it is not that icy. Do not let her fly a straight line but approach from the Southern side of the fortification. When she is off we will move with Alice to the Northern end of the palisade and see if we can enter there. Even if they spot your wasp they will go looking in the wrong direction!

Yulya casts GUIDANCE on Alice again and sends her off.

Yulya flinches at the unnaturally loud sound of the summoned wasp and anxiously listens to Ashleys description of the event from Beatrices perspective

"Uh... guys? I think one of them is a higher level beastmaster."
"A large beast shambled out of the cave along with three other hooded figures and someone in a dark leather robe. They're looking at Beatrice now... There's a woman with them, so four bandits.. they look human, I can't tell. They definitely have brooches, they're not the same ones from earlier. Uh... the troll is climbing up to the ballista, oh crap."

You all look in horror as the bald head of a giant beast emerges, followed by two very large arms and he pulls the ballista off the top of the wall, equipping it like a crossbow, he tries to aim it at Beatrice and you can just make out a shrill yell and he turns his head back toward his side of the wall. He then climbs down.

Yulya instantly regrets her rant of prefering monsters to human enemies
Nonono this is not what I meant in Eldaths name! How can we fight something like that?



Yulya slaps her own cheeks with her palms to regain focus
For now we should stay hidden and prepare an ambush!
Cat you should go further South and hide then attack the beast from behind while it is busy chasing Alice. Ashley and me will stay here for ranged attacks and support.