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"Did she now?" Elianna asks in a soft whisper, "Then there is more to this story...." saying nothing to Ranias comments she rides along quietly, discussing the dale.

(Back to the present)

"Undead?" Lifting her head, she pulls her hood down, still holding the young girl protectively she keeps her enveloped in the long folds, so much so that only her head is visible. "The Castle is in ruin, but still used from time to time, is it not my Lord?"

"We could no doubt use some of the tarps Eringard so sensibly suggested to form a crude shelter in case the rain returns." She adds, waiting to see if Grimak agrees. "Then watches of twos, one skilled at arms with one less so."

Jain slows Cloud to a walk to better converse with Elianna and Eringard. His mount whickers softly, unhappy about moving so slowly. "Undead, Lady Eringard? " Jain acts in a half-amused way. "Nay, the castle fell before your order was banished from this land. Though..." He pauses, considering, and trails off altogether.

The grounds about the castle ruins are heathland, dense shrubbery of gorse, heath, and heather reign but a plucky bush of fibrous lavender can he found here and there. The ruin itself is a crumbled, tumbled-down curtain wall housing a modest but mostly intact squarish keep. One circular guard tower remains where the main gate once stood, though it leans at a perilous angle. Whatever timbers supported the stonework of either building must be well on their way to rot after several decades of neglect.

"Places like this do tend to attract things. Travelers... Rebels... other haunts of the night." He laughs cheerily, patting the longsword strapped to his side. "Here I am scaring you, the only ghost in Daggerdale is a Morn. Best set a watch all the same." He nods to Elianna.

"We should scout out the keep, find a good, dry place to camp and make sure nobody else is snooping around in there," Gimak suggests. "Tarps won't be necessary, looks like the keep itself is in pretty good shape. Unless it's full of bandits or something."

"Yes, that's what we should do" Eringard agrees. "I will be part of last watch, of course, to greet the morning sun.
Now, while the keep is being scouted out, I'll gather some of this lavander" she says and dismounts to do so, keeping her mace ready.

Raina dismounts from her horse to join the rest of the group. "Well, there isn't anything on the road, that is for sure," she says. "So, I'm going to assume you want me to look through the keep a little ways?" she asks Gimak. "Might be a good idea to bring..the halfling," she says, glancing at said halfling. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."

"We should all go, 'cept the priestess, who is apparently more concerned with flower picking at the moment. She can watch the entrance, in case anything comes up while we're inside then. I'll take point," Gimak offers.

HorizonsDream wrote:Raina dismounts from her horse to join the rest of the group. "Well, there isn't anything on the road, that is for sure," she says. "So, I'm going to assume you want me to look through the keep a little ways?" she asks Gimak. "Might be a good idea to bring..the halfling," she says, glancing at said halfling. "I'm sorry, I forgot your name."

"My name is Seraphina. Though you may call me "Sera" if you feel a need for shorthand. Just let me know what ya want me to do, and I"ll do my best."

Seraphina checks her gear, making sure her blade is loose in its sheath for quick drawing should it be needed.

Elianna gives Gimak a quick glance before turning back to the Priestess, "I will wait with her, someone needs to." She says with a shake of her head. "Go ahead, do you wish to go with them Maria?"

Moving Fleet to a suitable position she reaches out a hand towards Eringard, "I do like the smell of Lavender, its quite lovely."

Maria dismounts as the party sets up for the night. She is very tired and thankful for the rest from the saddle. The girl was never used to riding horses. She shakes her head at Eliana's suggestion to go and scout ahead with the others. She is not a fighter and is best near the back with someone with her.

"I will take first watch if needed."

Elianna, Eringard, and Maria stay in the surrounding heathland, hunting for lavender amongst the poking stems of the other shrubs. Jain Longleague stays mounted, keeping one eye on the road and one eye on the party of girls. He points out lavender bushes from his higher perspective in what he must think is a very helpful manner, but the vagueness of his descriptions are more frustration then aid. "No, no, no, over there. By the bluish bush! Or is it grey? Well nevermind that, it's under the sharp-looking thing."

Raina, Gimak, and Seraphina head for the former castle. They must dismount and lead their mounts carefully amongst the fallen stones which are well hidden by the persistent vegetation. The castle's courtyard has been utterly taken over by the heath's flora making the keep and tower seem to spring out of the ground like rocky outcroppings. Up close you can see that the tower still has a door, which is currently closed. The keep's main door looks to have fallen down or been otherwise destroyed as it is absent from the stone doorway. The inside is poorly lit by the day's dying sun, a yawning expanse of blackness contrasting with the orange-tinted twilight.

The keep looks to have three floors by the spacing of its windows, though the bottom floor has little more than arrow slits for security's sake.

Gimak searches for a nearby place to tie off his horse, if possible, and then enters the keep proper, using his infravision if there isn't enough light inside.

Raina ties off her mount and follows after Gimak. "Well, we better make this quick because the light is fading and I won't be able to see."

Moving to Jain, Elianna watches the departing dwarf, "He doesn't trust me.." she says with a twinkle in her eye and a slight laugh..

(I believe Maria went into the Castle)

"I should help her, we need to move before the light fails, she cannot see in the dark like me." With that she drops Fleets reins and walks over to the Cleric, "We must get in the Castle, do you have enough?"

"Yes" Eringard replies to Elianna, "I have even more than I need, we can go in. But lavander is always good for spirits and morale. See, you're smiling already."

She picks up the reins of her horse and leads the women into the castle, smiling a thank you at Jain when passing him. Before entering the walls, she turns to face the sunset and bows, muttering a short prayer.

Reaching out a hand she takes a piece of lavender if offered, placing it in her hair, "Pretty." She mumbles her voice barely audible, her exterior breaking for a split second. "Let us join the others."