"If we can find another of their camps we might be able to take apart the Stag Lord's band piece by piece," Larin suggests, hopeful that Autumn might be able to follow the bandits that have been here recently.
Torek looks over the camp and the conversation behind him strikes a thought in him.
Torek returns to the other but says, "These riders may be bandits in the Bandit Kings services. On the other hand we have no positive proof. Others people, if they came by here, could be curious as to what happened and investigate it. We should be careful of assumptions, we still don't know all who could be interested in these lands. The River Kingdoms lie south of us and even with the risk some might travel through."
Torek answers, "Both Autumn and I are good trackers and I'm experienced in following human foes or friendlies for that matter. It shouldn't be to hard. I guess we should do it in case they are a force for our enemy as Larin suggests."
There were three riders.
"Three riders and to the north." Autumn said as she pointed out their path.
She looked to Torek and grinned "Like old times my friend. I cannot tell you how good it is to have you at my side once again on a hunt."
With that she allowed Torek to take point as he was much better at tacking humans than herself.
Torek smiles back at Autumn and says, "Indeed, I hope these are bandits it would make things easier to whittle down as Sir Titian says. But we do need to keep in mind we don't know who they are or what they want for sure, so lets go cautiously."
Tracking roll: +2 if human, +2 if forest terrain. I think both modifiers apply from looking at the map, it seems to lead deeper into the woods.
The tracks are easy to follow, They lead north, up the Thorn River. Even tracking, you make good time. Whoever leads these riders, they seem to know the landscape well. The path follows the best path for horses as it wends through the ancient, dark forest.
You arrive at their abandoned camp at sun set. The campfire ashes are cold, they are still about a day ahead of you.
It is a pleasant spot to camp. A cove in a hillside, with stone ledges for shelter. Around the fire ring, logs have been drawn up for sitting.
The riders are long gone, but the tracks veer northeast, away from the Thorn River, following a small, nameless, tributary. The stream is very shallow, with a gravel bottom, making it a swift passage for the hoofs of horses. The tracks are in little danger of washing away in the sluggish, shallow flow of crystal clear water.
"Have you seen the bandits using horses before? As you said Torek, there might be other groups out here in the wilds. If we assume they're the Stag Lord's people we might have a rude surprise when they turn out to be something else," Larin says, his unfamiliarity with the nuances of tracking forcing him to rely on Autumn and Torek's expertise.
"Looks like they chose a nice little spot for the night," Larin observes as they poke around the abandoned camp site. "Shall we get a fire going and some dinner on?"
Torek looks over the very convenient camp with both respect for those he's following and a bit of suspicion. He replies, "Yes Larin, some of the horses we're riding were thoughtfully supplied by bandits, after a bit of convincing."
He turns to Autumn, "This party ahead of us is led by at least one person the really knows the woods, as good or better than we are I'd say. Perfect route for a mounted group. This campsite as well, is outstanding, only a fool or a very suspicious person would decline the invitation. On the other hand, being very suspicious, I wonder if they know we are on their trail and are preparing an ambush, this place would be perfect. Go to deep woods, attack from a two, three points and our backs would be pinned against the cove. Given how far ahead they seem to be, I'm likely oversensitive here but maybe we should patrol a bit."
Torek waves out at the surrounding forest. "With the sun setting and the deep gloom of a heavy forest, Autumn only you could check out the nearing best rally point for a night attack on this campsite. I could go to the edge and look for sign around the perimeter. Everyone else could set up for the night. Or we could go elsewhere and have a much less comfortable night. What does everyone think? Or am I just thinking too much?"
"does it appear they are trying to hide their tracks Torek?Autumn?"
He asked his eyes running over the campsite. It didnt feel like they were chasing bandits for some reason. A hunch maybe. He got off his horse and patted its neck.
"It's a good camp. If you both want to make sure we are not walking into an ambush thats sound. I'll get the food started."
He offered preparing to do just that.
"I believe this abandoned site will be fine for us to spend the night." Autumn stated
"Torek, while I have always agree at being better safe than sorry I do not believe we will have too much to worry about at this time. Their tracks have not shown them doubling back and we are far enough behind them we'll be fine." She explained.
"You're going to cook?"[/b] Autumn asked Herger surprise, though she had a smile on her face. "This shall be interesting."
"Torek, you will do the perimeter yes?" She made clear. "I will scout out a bit and be back to watch over you all when you rest."
He began using some of the dried stuff from his rations and made a filling if not average stew. He should have brought a bunch of herbs, then again a bunch of herbs might have made everything smell amazing, which might cause folks or other things to take notice. It was filling and went decent with the hunks of hard bread he had. It would be good enough.
Larin briefly worries that Torek might be a little over-paranoid, then worries that he isn't taking the threat of the wilderness seriously enough. Fortunately Herger and Autumn don't seem to share Torek's concerns and the group begins to prepare camp.
While Torek starts the food Larin begins unpacking and preparing the tents, slipping a chunk of sausage to Frostbite once she's found a comfortable spot near the fire.
The night passes without incident. An owl hoots a few times before midnight. Later on, and far away, a wolf howls once. Perhaps at the waxing moon...
"Not bad Herger" Autumn said with a smile as she gladly ate the dinner the cleric had made for them.
Frostbite of course welcomed the sausage greedily and laid by the fire happily.
The morning brought with it the smell of food, as Autumn had made them something to eat. "Good morning everyone, lets get some food in our stomachs then see about picking the trail up again."
The campsite provided Larin with a very restful night and he awoke to the smell of Autumn's breakfast. He dresses and emerges from his tent looking happy and rested. "Smells good Autumn," he says, punctuated by a gurgling rumble from his stomach.
He begins to break camp, his movements becoming more practiced with every day. "Hopefully they won't be too far ahead of us," he says in response to Autumn. "What do we know of the terrain up ahead?"
"Not well enough." Autumn admitted. "Though it is likely still forest." She explained.
"Once we break camp Torek and I will continue tracking and with luck we might find who passed through these parts."
A long day of tracking brings you to the northeast edge of the forest. The tracks had gone a few miles along the stream bed, then up a draw among the trees. Then moving through a forest of grand trees. It is an area that you have surveyed, but you have never crossed it in this direction before.
Oleg’s Trading Post is perhaps twenty miles east of you. The tracks lead on toward the northeast, towards Brevoy.
"Are they... doubling back?" Autumn wondered as she looked at the tracks.
"Torek what do you make of these?" She asked.
"They could be doubling back." Autumn spoke up. "However it doesn't seem right... something just seem off to me..."
"What is there in the direction they're going?" Larin asks, having assumed that most places of significance are further south than Oleg's.
Augustina speaks up. ”We don’t know very much about who we are tracking. Could be anyone. Makes it impossible to guess their purpose... She points in the direction the tracks take. ” The frontier of Brevoy is not far that way.” She answers Larin.
"Bah, probably not bandits or they would have tried to attack us last night We are traveling pretty far out from our original plans, We should keep our eyes out just in case, but I dont see the sense in chasing after whoever it is."
He added shrugging his shoulders and getting his horse ready for travel.
Torek starts at Autumn's request and says, "Oh, yes I'll look at the these tracks, see if they're changing course."
Tracking roll: +2 if human, +2 if forest terrain.
Torek tries to think of what might be the specific place they could be headed for.
"That is true. This could simply be people traveling through this area. We must not forget that this lands are a huge nexus point for travel and trade. It is one of the reasons why bandits seek it so." Autumn stated as she rubbed the back of her neck.
"But we are far from our plans. Maybe we should just leave this where it is?" She suggested.
Torek does not notice anything unusual about the tracks. How would you get a horse to walk backwards in it’s own tracks anyhow? It’s doubtful that even Titian and Esprit could pull off such a stunt. At least not in a way to fool a competent tracker.
"Seems unlikely anything suspicious is going on," Larin adds as the others muse about the origin of the tracks. "We should probably move on, before things move on without us."
"I agree, it is time to leave this here." Autumn nodded as she clapped her hands together. "Let us return to the task at hand."
With that she took a look around. The land had given way from forest to grass... "Maybe we where drawn here for a reason." Autumn said, thinking mostly out loud. "For a moment, I believe we should take time and explore these lands."
"That makes sense," Larin replies. "If there are others coming this way then they must be coming for a reason, and we might as well try to find out what that reason is while we're here." Larin continues packing away the camp and then settles into his saddle on the back of Frostbite. "Are we ready to go?" he asks, looking around at the group.
"Yes, I do believe we are." Autumn said for the group when none spoke up. With that she turned them back into the forest proper. "Come, there is still light in this day. Let us not waist it."
With that she moved the group through the woods, deeper into the west.
The journey westwards quickly leads the group deep into the shadowy woods, the undergrowth brushing at Larin's feet as they pass beneath the dense canopy. "Have you been this far west before?" he asks the others as they travel. "Or do you know about anything that we might expect to find?"
"With any luck, nothing but trees and game."
He said simply to Larin's question not really having an answer. For some reason this morning his mind was far afield it was hard for him to focus.
You travel northwest into unexplored territory, moving uphill. As the elevation increases, the forest changes character. There is a growing number of pine trees, and less, and less of the hardwoods.
The wind has a greater presence, sighing through the needles of the tall pines, and carrying a bit of chill. You find a clearing to camp for the night, which passes without event.
Augustina rises, stretching tall, and looking around. She breathes in deeply. ”I love the smell of the pines.” She begins to get ready for the next day’s travel.
"Yes, and I find the pines of the forest have a stronger smell than those closer to a village." Autumn said with a smile before she made sure everyone was packed up and the headed off once more.
Larin wakes after a peaceful night, the slightly chilly morning breeze causing him to shiver as he helps break camp but the work and Autumn's breakfast soon warm him up.
Augustina speaks up. ” Whoa! Larin stop! You’re about to ride into a bear trap!” She dismounts, finding a sturdy fallen branch to trigger the trap.
Hearing Augustina's warning Larin yanks back on Frostbite's fur, stopping the wolf from injuring herself but eliciting a low growl of dissatisfaction. "Thanks Augustina, that was close," he says before leaning down to apologise to Frostbite. "Sorry girl, but I didn't want to you get hurt again," he says, rubbing the wolf behind her ear and hoping she won't hold a grudge.
The growl from the she-wolf calmed when Larin apologized and she could sense something was wrong. She leaned closer to the now disarmed bear trap and sniffed it suspiciously.
"Bear traps?" Autumn asked worried. She dismounted Solstice and stepped forward close to the already disarmed trap. Lowing herself to the ground she looked for others.
"I'd suggest dismounting for the moment till we can find all the traps." Autumn told everyone as she looked.
"Agreed, I don't want to run Frostbite into anything like that," he says, nodding towards the savage looking trap. He slips off her back and stands aside while Autumn starts hunting for more traps.
"Is this even bear territory? Those traps seem awful large and they look well hidden. Those things are dangerous."
He got off his horse the concern obvious on his face. If a horse stepped into one of those, they would probably have to put the horse down, that was a snapped leg for sure. He certainly didnt want one of them caught by one either.
"No, at least this isn't placed in a good area for a bear." Autumn said "On top of that there is a protocol among hunters, you're suppose to mark your traps so that other will see. Bear traps for example are to be marked by a cloth flag of some kind. This has nothing." She explained.
Taking a moment to return to the end of the group were she knew it was safe and hack off a branch from one of the trees. "I don't trust this area, so until I am at least fairly sure we're in the clear please stay here with the horses." Autumn requested before she held the branch out in front of her, hoping it would catch any other bear traps as she pushed it down on the group before moving forward.
Larin trusts Frostbite to follow along carefully, knowing that she's been trained well by Autumn, but feels a sense of responsibility towards the wolf so keeps hold of her while the group attempts to avoid the cruelly hidden traps. "Are these traps here to catch something other than animals?" Larin muses, somewhat afraid of the implications of his questions.