The black hound abruptly stops straining. Its ears tilt forward, and it lowers its muzzle to the widening crack as though catching a familiar scent beneath the ice.
the buried voice
Easy now, old friend. The sealed way lies beneath the road. Come, Harl, and open what was closed.
The cadence is unmistakable: the fallen pilgrim’s measured rhythm, returned from below. Yet the unknown name draws no visible response from the hound, whose nose remains pressed to the frost.
the young woman
That voice is wearing the pilgrim’s words. Do not trust it, and do not let the hound near the crack.
the elderly man
Or his last memory is trapped beneath the road. The name is older than our meeting, but the creature may know whether it belongs to him.
Lazorus Kane
The voice imitates the pilgrim, but the hound is responding to something beneath the ice.
The buried presence falls silent. Blue-white light pulses once beneath the road, while the hound remains poised at the crack, and every watcher waits for Lazorus to decide what the silence means.
“Lazorus says,"The silence is a TRAP! Get off the road! come with us!". He commands the three strangers!”
FAILURE (Good Intimidation, rolled -1)
“Lazorus says,"The silence is a TRAP! Get off the road! come with us!". He commands the three strangers!”
SUCCESS (Good Intimidation, rolled +1)
Lazorus Kane
The silence is a trap. Get off the road. Come with us!
The blue-white crack pulses beneath the frost. The young woman immediately pulls the black hound back, while the elderly man steps off the road with his staff raised.
the young woman
Agreed. Harl, away from the ice. We are leaving the road now.
The black hound obeys her lead, retreating beside the elderly man. Together they cross toward the shelter, joining Lazorus, Meris, and Garran beyond the cracked track.
the elderly man
Your warning was timely. Whatever wears the pilgrim’s voice can keep its sealed road. We will stand with you, for now.
Behind them, the road’s thin circle seals beneath a skin of frost. The blue-white glow vanishes, leaving only a muffled pressure under the earth.
the young woman
We are off the road and with your company. Now tell us where you want us positioned before that thing speaks again.
✓ Quest Accepted
Form a protective pact with the messenger
✓ Quest Accepted
Set the strangers' defensive positions
“I place the elderly man and Harl behind the shelter, facing the road.”
SUCCESS (Great Reasoning, rolled +1)
Lazorus guides the elderly man and Harl behind the shelter, placing them beyond the windbreak where the road remains visible between leaning pines.
The elderly man plants his bent iron staff in the snow and turns to face the sealed road. Harl settles beside him, ears raised toward the frost.
the elderly man
A sensible position. From here, nothing approaches along the road unseen.
the young woman
Harl will hold unless I call him. I will remain near the shelter and watch the ground beneath us.
Meris keeps the scythe lowered near the fire, while Garran watches the opposite side of the shelter. The skeleton remains bound and motionless beneath the branches.
Harl
The road carries no living scent. Something old remains beneath the frost.
The camp settles into a guarded formation: Harl and the elderly man face the road from behind, while the others cover the shelter and the dark pines.
Quest Complete
Set the strangers' defensive positions