It has been a few days since there had been some exploration going on. A large snow storm had blown in furiously and had forced the most everyone back inside into the large cavern or back into the Hold itself to keep warm, get food and rest. Benny had been back and forth checking on Acantha and Vano. At least there was good food, places to sleep and no beaver trying to gnaw anyones chair in half.

For now at least.

The early morning had found the group heading back out though as the storm had cleared. They were going back out to the mountain lake that had been discovered and to see what else might be there.


Lucita is freshly washed, her armor cleaned off as best she could manage till it could be put into the skilled hands of Waldemai. Her explorer gear is checked over and supplies in her pack replenished. "Snow.. again. Think the path around the lake is clear enough for us to travel?"

It didn't take long for Ian to start going stir crazy while the Hold was in the grips of the storm, and by the time it lifts, it's very possible that every warrior who shares the space with him is beyond ready for him to find something aside from sparring to take up his time. But at least whatever fighting force is housed there has been put through their paces, and some of them might have even learned something. By the time they're ready to explore the valley, even sparring seems to have lost its charm for Ian, and he's beyond ready to go find some fresh new trouble to get into.

Rosalind has likely been pacing for a long while. Restless. "Snow is pretty,"she tells Lucita with a grin. "But I think it's good to go out again,"she says, hurrying over to look. "No offense to you guys, but I need to stretch my legs."



Acantha has decided that the physicians and things have Vano handled for the moment. While there was not a great change, the Count-Consort was still being looked after, but she needed to get out for a few. She was dressed in her leather armor and in her cloak to keep the chill away. Or try to. "I apologize for my scarcity the last few days. I trust everyone has been looked after well?" she asks the group as she heads out with them.

Benny waddles after her, as he is her eternal shadow this past week.

"We should have a good day of seeing what's around the perimeter of the lake. Though if a storm rolls in unexpectedly I'd ask that we all return to the inside." she states with a smile to them all.


Lucita nods as she listens to Acantha. She moves over adjacent to Ian and then toward the opening leading to the lake path. "Have to be careful with our footing since the snow. I.. er.. 'borrowed' one of your soldier's long spears to use like a walking stick, to test the ground before stepping on it where that seems necessary. I'll return it when we get back."

For all that he was going slowly insane being trapped inside by the winter weather, Ian looks a little bit leery about venturing out of the cave and plunging into the snow.

Everyone looks weary to go outside. Then there's Rosalind. "When are we going,"she asks Acantha with a excited grin. There's a smile at Benny too. "Hey Luc, I have a uh---." Stopping, she reliaze. "Nevermind. I forgot it. I had a big ole walking stick that you can use to jab people, right in the the gut. But---" Rosa grins at Ian too. "It's not so bad..."

Ian meets Rosa's grin by giving her a jab with his cane. Speaking of.

Lucita gives Rosalind a wink and a saucy grin at the interaction between she and Ian. She hefts the spear in one hand and says. "May not be but so heavy but hopefully will do the job if needed. I have siangham but they are too short to do anything but maybe make an anchor in ice. How deep is the snow anyhow? Did the surrounding mountains help keep some of it away from the path?


Acantha gives a bit of a smile to the group, "I think that we've got a few good hours. Though I might come back to the Hold early if there is anything amiss with Count Vano." she tells them honestly. Then to Lucita, "Borrowing pole arms is quite alright." she tells her with a smile. A turn to Rosalind, "I was hoping that we'd head out now while we've got plenty of light and before Benny starts getting bored and trying to chew old wood." she muses to that. "Lord Ian, are you doing alright?" she asks of him.


Rosalind snorts at Ian, nudging the familiar cane. "I will not be tripped!" Hopefully. Hearing Acantha, she practically bounces. "I'm ready when you are." Even if you aren't, really.

"I once hiked through the everwinter at wintertime," Ian comments to Acantha, his tone a bit grim. "I'll be alright."

Lucita nods to Ian then says grimly. "I've been there too and had to flee when weather was raging. Not a happy time." Her gaze lists to Acantha "Ready when you are!"


Acantha gives a nod of understanding to Ian and Lucita, "I appreciate others that know the cold that can happen. I do." she tells them. "And with all the weirdness that happens up this way I wouldn't want to tempt fate anymore than we usually do." she muses to that as she invites others to come along. Benny waddles off faster, wanting to get his beavery paws on things before others do.

He finds a small shard of wood and bonks it on the ground, apparently it doesn't sound good enough to eat as the beaver tosses the shard off to the side and proceeds on his way.

The group would quickly realize that there are old piles of wood that were once neatly stacked, but with time and weathering the ropes have rotted away and the wood itself has been rotting right along with it.


Lucita eyes the wood piles and glances to the side... why the ropes on the wood? We usually just stack it, not bundle it" Curiosity has her taking the blunt end of the spear and prodding at the rotting wood. "Was it to sort of conceal something in the pile?"

Ian shows a little bit of concern regarding the structural integrity of the area while everyone starts to look around. Not that he has any engineering background to actually gauge said structural integrity, but he shows concern.

Rosalind squints at the wood. She clears her throat, telling them,"I uh...that doesn't look great does it?"


Acantha and Benny stay back as bit as one of the messengers from the hold have caught up with them and there is a moment of talking between them. Benny reaches out to tug on Acantha's cape but after he does, he returns to looking over wood piles. Trying to see if there are any that are good to eat. Or throw at others.

"I will need to return to talk with the physicians it would seem." the Countess tells the group. "Kritr and others should be along shortly. Just please be careful and I will make sure that there are medics on standby if there is another collapse or anything of that nature." she explains.