Shoot I forgot. I'll do it tomorrow
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Day of the Trip
The fires stay lit all night and the woodsmen agree to sleep in the safety of numbers, sans magical fortress to the disappointment of Kate and Joten .
The morning is grey but not raining and the wagons once again roll towards Dyvers hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. The day trip once more has no incidents. The next rest area though is a bit farther than what the caravan is normally used to. The Merchant gathers Marya and your group together, grudgingly including Rhun among them, to discuss options.
"We have either slowed down our progress from previous nights or missed the next rest stop. The first possibility seems plausible than the second as many of the mercenaries are beginning to become restless about the rumors of magical foes who want to tear apart all that come near them. I am loathe to sleep here on the road but equally loathe to move on farther this night. As the nights watchmen, I wonder at which course of action you all believe to be the wisest?'
Rhun rubs her chin thoughtfully with the back of two fingers. "Loathe as I am to suggest this, is it possible instead that we didn't miss the rest stop, and instead it was hidden by illusion or something? I didn't feel we were moving more slowly than before. Either way, if we missed it, we can't go back. And continuing at night is likely not a good idea either. I would personally suggest we continue to the next defensible location we find along the road, and then set up camp. Then we stay on guard."
Gerwyn nods in agreement. "That's what I was thinking, too. We'll keep extra careful watch tonight, in case something out there is using some magic to make us camp somewhere less safe."
Fenrarem nods when Gerwyn and Rhun chime in.
''I must concur with what they've already said. Putting aside the possibility of Illusions for the moment, a moving caravan is far less defensible. I suggest we find somewhere defensible posthaste and set up our camp.''
He mutters a few words under his breathe and waves his hands about, while pulling a couple of leaves out of a pocket and tossing them into the air. When he is done his eyes are glowing an unnatural blue.
''As for the rest of us, if there is anyone who can detect magic in the air, I suggest you do so in the event that Miss Rong is correct about any illusions.''
"Aye moving further into the woods will lead us into more potential dangers, but sitting on our arses ain't going to get rid of the dangers already here."
He grabs his flask, taking a sip of the contents within. He stows it away.
"We're f&~%ed either way, I'm fine with bunkering down and making a defensible position but I don't mind getting the hell out of here either."
"Either is fine with me. I defer to the more well-versed in this sort of thing."
Valaronex didn’t exactly have much experience with being a guard, let alone a caravan guard, nor being on the night watch specifically. So when the Merchant called them together in order to pick their brains about why they hadn’t come across the next rest spot yet, he was silent for a few moments allowing the others to speak. The suggestion of illusions being pulled over all of them, however, without any of them realising... it deeply disturbed them, and even after the druid cast a spell to allow him to perceive magic, Valaronex had to ask a question. “I don’t know much about magic, so I might just be picking up on Igdus’s paranoia... but is it possible to hide the presence of magic from spells designed to seek it out?”
Fenrarem scratches his chin thoughtfully when Valaronex posits his theory.
''It is an interesting possibility. I know of no spell that would hide a magical aura like that, but my magic is divine in nature. I know virtually nothing about arcane magic, the magic of wizards and creatures inherently magical.''
Igdus had kept silent, mostly to allow them to see the hole in their own theory.
"Having enough magic to change the landscape while fooling every one of us. Would mean having enough magic to kill every single one of us. At the very least enough not to worry about a dozen or so guards. Their is no proof of magic at all, why would it need to be the cause of anything?"
They thought him paranoid, he had reasons for his thoughts and actions. Not that he would explain them, he didn't have enough confidence in them for that. Perhaps if they proved otherwise.
"Considering all the rain and unexpected guest, it makes more sense that we simply slowed down enough not to make it. Or we passed it during one of the rain filled days, it covers enough all it's own. Increase the watch and the fires like last time. That's what I suggest, no point dwelling on shadows."
He leaves it at that and goes back on watch. His job wouldn't change regardless, nothing was going to sneak up on him easily. Unless maybe he wanted it to.
Gerwyn didn't know why Igdus had to be so argumentative. It wasn't like they had all said they were sure magic had done it, just that it was one possibility. And they hadn't talked about enough magic to change the whole landscape, just enough to hide one campsite, which he was pretty sure even a journeyman illusionist could manage, much less one of the fey, whose magic often tended towards trickery and illusions. And why argue if you were going to agree on the actions to take?
Well, there hadn't been any point in talking with Igdus before, so he wasn't going to start now. So Gerwyn ignored Igdus rather like a wolf might ignore a flea biting him again.
Rhun glares at Igdis, and rolls her eyes rather obviously.
This idiot is going to ruin this mission, not by any active sabotage, or even incompetence, but because his ego won't let him consider anyone else's opinions except his own. What was the old man thinking including a moron like this in such a vital mission.
"We should rest and move forward. Peeling back the veil of the forest is a dangerous course."
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Day of the Trip
The Merchant grunts, "Very well, let's pull the wagons to the side of the road as tight as we can and camp here in the road for now. Moving farther at night I agree with you all is inadvisable".
Instead of a circle of wagons for protection, the caravan is now single file, harder to defend and to keep an eye on.
Rhun will set up on the middle most wagon if possible, so her gun has the minimum range to any target, at least on average.
After his usual ritual. Igdus plants himself on the roof of the middle wagon. Giving him the best position to maximize his abilities. He didn't know why the merchant picked such an open formation, unless he thought it would protect his cargo. Which didn't need it in his opinion, but it was best to keep up pretense he supposed. He took the time to study the area while he was at it, no one knew every inch of the Gnarley, but he and his people got around more then most. Their was a chance he would remember himself or something from others that came this way. Not that he was used to seeing things from this perspective.
Griswold scratches his chin and strokes his beard. He makes his way to the back of the caravan, taking up the rearguard.
Once at his post, he scans his surroundings trying to ensure nothing gets the jump on him.
Seeing that Griswold has chosen to take the the rear guard, Fenrarem decides to take his position at the front of the caravan. Leaning back against Groot he scans his surroundings for any threats, periodically recasting Detect Magic, just to be sure.
It doesn't matter what that short-sighted man thinks, no reason not to explore this theory if I have the means.
Gerwyn watches where the others place themselves and then moves to the spot that seems the most vulnerable.
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Night of the Trip
The Lycans array themselves to best view attacks upon the caravan with Gerwyn and Raze walking the perimeter right next to the woods where the wagons abut. The human guard, Firth, stays in the front with Fenrarem his eyes watching the woods warily as he tends to the campfire. He's not too talkative but appears competent.
Kate, due to the array, stays in the wagon she currently share with Rhun for the evening.
As Rhun and Igdus share the same wagon roof, they both notice one of the Merchant's bodyguards approach the back of the wagon, open it up, and step in.
No one else sees anything, the sounds of the woodlands appear normal which is a good sign!
Igdus focuses on the bodyguards and the wagon after they enter it. As he normally did he had his suspicions, but if it was not his concern he would leave well enough alone.
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Night of the Trip
After a few minutes of rummaging around the bodyguard throws out an object that slams onto the ground with a thud, it is hard to see exactly what it is.
The rest of the Lycan guards still see nothing on the perimeter.
Rhun eyes Igdus, waiting for him to comment on what it was. She has at least picked up that he can see things he can't possibly see.
Gerwyn jumps a bit at the sound and glances back at the guard. He subtly changes his eyes to see in the dark as he does.
Igdus smelled trouble, what were they doing at this time. He focuses on them and their strange object.
Like the others. Valaronex decided not to point out the very obvious holes in Igdus’s ‘counter-argument’. As there was many. For example, casting illusions over a plot of land was what they were a discussion, not casting an illusion over the caravan. Another example was that such magic was rather easy for any illusionist, and not as tricky as Igndus made it out to be... oh and they were potentially dealing with the fey. Fey, mind you, who much preferred to trick and torment instead of outright killing them either.
If the paratromaic couldn’t see these, then in all likelihood, he would pretend they did not exist at all.
When the patrol’s started, Valar stuck with Gerwyn, partially to hopefully get along with them better... and because they had better eyesight in such light that him. Which became rather useful when there was a loud, unusual thumb that caused them to spin around. Valar peered through the darkness, but couldn’t see much... so instead, he whispered quietly. “See anything?”
As usual, Veldrin took to the trees in order to watch over the caravan from a position of strength. He notices the guard and the object tossed out, but pays it no mind. The others were closer, and they could investigate later, should it be necessary.
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Night of the Trip
Rhun, whatever it is, it is pretty damn big!
Igdus, even wrapped up as it is, the thing smells like death...
The man jumps down onto the ground, closes the door behind him, and hefts the package as if it were weightless. He then begins to walk into the woods with it.
Using the trees to his advantage, Vaki shifts into his bat form and follows the guardsman into the woods.
Rhun shifts her position, and looks at Igdus. "You following the guard, or do I?" She's not thrilled being paired up with the most antisocial piece of drek to come down the sewer pipe in years, but she makes do with what she has.
A few thoughts went through his head. He considered letting her do as she wished without any input. No one paid heed to his words anyways, then again. Better a word of caution ignored then none at all, how would any ever learn otherwise.
"I will not be following those bodyguards. I will also say that their package, smells of death. I would point out that we have not seen the captured gnoll in sometime and last I knew. It was kept in a wagon. Now something that stinks of death is being discreetly taken into the forest. I would venture a guess that our gnoll captive is no longer with us and being disposed of. That seems the most likely, I could be mistaken of course."
He took the time to look her squarely with his golden eyes.
"No good will come of following them. At best our merchant will be angered. At worst, you will find an enemy we can not overcome. I have little doubt of that. Ether way it does not serve our mission."
After that he goes back to watching. He could use his abilities to spy from a distance. In case, as they have done in the past, they chose to rush in. He would escape the lecture or unpleasant death. His only concern was if the gnoll was dead, how long until it grew hungry.
Rhun frowns, and shrugs, then hops down off the wagon. "I'll be back." She whispers before she does.
She goes and finds Marya. In whispered words, she explains the situation to her, and asks if she wants Rhun or anyone else to go investigate the potential corpse dump. If the Merchant or his guards are killing prisoners, or if the prisoners have some disease the Merchant isn't telling anyone about, Marya may want to know.
Griswold begins to grow irritated.
"By Obad-Hai's berry balls I'm bored, where the f%@* is everyone?!"
Griswold looks upwards to where Igdus is in the middle of the caravan, talking with Rhun. That's when he looks at the trees where Vaki is.
Son of a sodding whore, could he be like I am? No where different, maybe it's just a trick. S#*$e, best keep this to my self for now.
Griswold makes his may to edge of the forest, he waits near it waiting just in case someone of the nightwatch joins him or lie and say he heard something if questioned.
Tobar, hearing the conversation between Igdus and Rhun, nods in agreement with the man.
557 CY - 11th Day of Coldeven - Gnarley Forest – 10th Night of the Trip
As the Bodyguard stalks into the woods, Gerwyn can see something wrapped in much cloth so thoroughly he cannot see the contents. However, the way it hangs so limp and long it could damn well be a body...
---
Rhun heads over to find Marya who is seated on a stump near the fire eating a late night snack of berries unhappily she listens and nods at Rhun's explanation. "I have to agree with Igdus here. Let's stay away from a confrontation with the Merchant. Success here is too important to us to worry about a few potential corpses along the way, so long as they are not ours..."
---
Griswold, Fenrarem, and Tobar still see nothing that indicates danger fro the forest.
---
Taking out two flasks of oil, he pours them into the spaces where the stabs were made. He then lights a torch with flint and steel and sets the pile ablaze. Standing at the edge of the clearing, he begins to watch it burn.
"It looks... kind of like a wrapped-up body," Gerwyn whispers back to Valar.
He shudders a bit. "Do you think they killed one of those gnolls?"
Fenrarem gazes about the camp keeping his eyes peeled and ears trained for any threats to the camp.
He hears the heavy object hit the ground but when the camp does not stir he decides to ignore it for the time being as he gazes around and above for any threats.
Having seen Vaki, Fenrarem makes a mental note to mention this development to Griswold, as he might be a cur but he was his closest ally, Groot not included.
Is he like us? Or was that magic? A shame he was too far away too detect if that was magical or not. In either case I'll just have to keep my eyes open.
"Groot, keep your eyes open for threats."
Fenrarem goes back to looking for any threats to the camp.
Heeding his friend's call, Groot searches for threats to his friend and the crazy, scary axe man that his friend says Groot can't smash.
Rhun nods and returns to the wagon. "Marya says keep our noses clean for now, but let's not close our eyes either." Rhun's clearly not thrilled with the idea, but she goes along with it for now. She does make sure all her fellow Lycans and Kate, are not the package, and after mentally counting the ones she's seen plus the ones she can see, she nods. She does do a double check on all the visible Lycans and Kate, anyway.
Tobar remains silent, even still, trying to piece together clues from what was said.
"No need shooting off my mouth" he thought to himself.
Rhun does not see Kate but a brief walk to the wagon they share finds her there taking a nap as the girl is not used to staying up late the way she has with Rhun for the past several days.
... Okay, so if Gerwyn was assuming that one of the prisoners was killed, then he was likely talking about the merchant's personal guards, and he seemed to be carrying something that came across as a body... Valerem could only scratch his neck in contemplation at the information he had... and a significant lack of it that had him shrug in the end. “I got no clue. Coulda killed himself, coulda been sick and died because of that... I got nothing to really go on.”