Majet spends the meal watching the others talking and getting a feel for who would and who wouldn't be suitable in roping into her moon radish caper.
Sitting back with his full stomach, Agerron does admit to himself that resting here the evening sounds fine, indeed. But he also knows that the longer they wait, the more likely they will see the bandits themselves coming back with a force to look for those that have gone missing. And the longer they wait, the colder the trail gets.
"Duty calls, my friends. We need to find those outlaws and deliver suitable punishment!"
Queslin let's out a sigh as he turns his eyes upon Lomion. "I must agree with Agerron. We should push on as long as we can today."
Survival
Perception
bonus for favored enemy already included.
"Although I would much rather rest, we shouldn't allow the fight to come to us."
Devlin makes ready his gear and mounts his unreliable horse and rides along next to Michael.
Devlin mutters while riding, "I wonder if Queslin would train this beast to behave in a fight?"
Big Ern belches. "Yep, time's a-wastin. I don't wanna get caught with my pants down."
He noses around, helping Queslin if possible.
aid another on Survival:
Big Ern belches. "Yep, time's a-wastin. I don't wanna get caught with my pants down."
He noses around, helping Queslin if possible.
aid another on Survival: 1d20+3
Agerron snorts a laugh at Big Ern's comment. "I agree, my friend! I don't want you caught with your pants down, either!"
Within the forest it gets increasingly difficult to follow the trails left by the horses some days ago. Queslin sometimes even looses sight of the tracks, but Big Ern makes up for those times in finding the right clues, when needed.
The difficulties in finding the trail slow the scouts down so much, that even Delfey can follow them easily, on foot.
Until Nightfall you manage to follow the hoofprints in the forests ground for another 10 miles, but beyond that point the sun doesn't give enough light to help anymore. Time to set up a camp for the night.
Just when you make out a suitable spot, it starts raining sleet.
Note for the first time Branomonrik thinks he should have gotten a tent. "Anyone have any experience making shelters?" He asks as he helps set up the camp."And a watch, Enough of us to have a decent watch anyhow" He thinks as he stands in the sleeting rain.
Queslin is glad he got a tent.
Big Ern gets to work making a lean-to out of leaves and branches.
Queslin will aid the group in quickly getting together a decent shelter. He'll instruct someone to cut his tent and any blankets so that it can be spread out to cover as much area as possible. He'll have others gathering leaves and tree limbs to cover even more. It would be nice to have a ditch around where we're going to set up to keep the ground as dry as possible. Queslin will take Agerron and Big Ern to collect some suitable tree limbs. Once everything is collected, We'll tie it all together with rope. The night will pass with us huddled together, hoping our hastily constructed shelter makes it through the night.
Survival
Survival:
survival
Survival (aid another)
Aid another on Survival
All working together the group sets up a camp large enough for them and the horses to stay out of the rain. Even though Bran wanted to help, he is quickly sent to dig the trench around the encampment.
In his eagerness it turns out to be a small moat.
About an hour later all is done and the group finds themself dry close by the fire under the shelter.
I suggest four two-hour watches to maximize everyone's rest time. As an elf, I only need 4 hours of sleep, so I'll take first and last watch. Those times will also allow me to make the most of my elven sight.
"I'll take a watch." Majet happily pipes up Don't be with Ern Don't be with Ern Her mind says to her as she volunteers.
"Being what he is, Delfey requires no sleep. For my shift, I'll team with Majet if none object." Devlin makes sure to NOT look at Ern while saying the last bit.
After tinkering around with his alchemical elixirs for the next day, Big Ern yawns extravagantly, stretching his arms and revealing big stains under his armpits. "Well, I'm beat so I'm gonna hit the old fart-sack. Wake me up if there's something to kill."
He lies down on a heap of pine boughs, pulls his blanket over himself, and goes to sleep, snoring prodigiously.
"I'll take first watch with you, Queslin, if you don't mind. I'll need to get good and tired if I expect to get any rest," Agerron says, giving a scowl over at Big Ern. "I normally don't sleep near barnyard animals, so the noise is a little annoying."
"I don't know. It may serve to keep the predators away."
Devlin says with a grin, "Even more boars?"
During the first half of Queslin and Agerron's watch, the sleet turns into light rain, then stops alltogether. The wind, only mild during the rain, picks up a bit, but nothing to be concerned about.
While most of the night goes by without anything special happening, in the last hours of the night, the howling of wolfes can be heard in a distance.
Luckily they aren't attracted by Big Ern's snoring and don't close in on the encampment.
A misty morning presents itself to the group, promising a rainy day to follow. After deconstructing the shelter, Michael and Matius take their horses and ride back to Oleg's traiding post, hoping to strengthen the defenses in case some more bandits have taken another way north.
After breakfast, I'll continue tracking bandits.
Survival
Perception
Big Ern helps with the tracking.
Aid another:
Devlin instructs Delfey to assist.
Delfey Survival
Agerron packs up his items, and follows the lead of Queslin.
Majet climbs onto the back of her mount and follows
Even though the trail gets more and more difficult to follow, Queslin's eyes find it, thanks to the big group and the heavy weight of the horses.
About an hours after the group started tracking, the rain starts again. It is not Queslin's favour and starts to wash away the trail.
Delfey's nose is of no help, four days after the bandit's made their way along that path.
Another hour later Queslin's eyes are out of luck. Big Ern also is of no help, but Delfey comes to find a well hidden clue under a branch that must have fallen after the bandits rode past.
Following Delfey's lead the group slows down even more, until an hour later, even the Eidolon is out of luck.
It looks like the Bandit's camp must be near and the bandits took measures to hide their tracks close to their point of origin.
Finally the rain stops, but the sky won't clear.
Survival
Looks like I could use some help here.
aid another:
Big Ern says, "Aha! They went that way, come on!" It's quickly pointed out to him that that's the direction they came from, and the tracks are actually his own.
Agerron gets down and looks on the ground close as he can.
aid another survival
Unfortunately, he agrees with Big Ern at first, thinking he's found something. His disappointment shows when Queslin points out the horse tracks are similar because they now ride the same horses...
Devlin Aid Another Survival:
Delfey Aid Another Survival:
"Hey guys, we think it's this way."
Having to choose between Ern's directions or Queslin she decides to go with Queslin
Survival (aid another)
Going through some difficulties, the group finds the trail of the bandits again in a combined effort. The track is faint and not to be seen from horseback.
The hidden trail brakes off from the general direction the group followed until now. It heads a bit more southbound, but that's probably just one more thing the bandits tried to masquerade their route.
But all those things combined lead to the conclusion, that the bandit's camp can't be that far away anymore.
I am absolutely getting off Lomion.
Perhaps Michael could look after the horses that are left.
I plan to scout ahead.
Ideally, I will be able to get a look at the bandit camp.
Stealth favorite enemy bonus included
Perception favorite enemy bonus included
Devlin dismounts and quietly tells Delfey to follow Queslin's lead.
Devlin Stealth:
Devlin Perception:
Delfey Stealth:
Delfey Perception:
Big Ern is glad to get off his horse. "Damn, my balls are killing me! How can people stand riding these things," he mutters.
He hangs back behind until the scouts return, waiting for the word before he rushes in bellowing and screaming.
Normally he would not agree with Big Ern on much but he grunts in agreement as he dismounts.'Aye, they are not built for this frame that be for sure. I'm not much for sneaking, so what say we get the horss off the trail, maybe a ways back and maybe set up some ambuse points just in case eh?" He says leading his mount off the trail and keeping a hand close to his crossbow
Perhaps Michael could look after the horses that are left.
Michael makes him self busy around the fort, trying to secure it up in case of attack, repair the damage from the initial attack and helping his hosts where ever possible.
Agerron dismounts his horse, looking at it in semi-disgust. It's lack of battle-readiness has left a foul taste in his mouth. "I agree with Branomonrik. I'm no sneaker, either. My best work is done in the thick of battle. Maybe if we find their lair, we can lure them through a prepared ambush?"
Big Ern turns to Majet:
"Desna's knockers -- that Leafy Joe is a pretty good shot with a bow, but he sure likes running off by himself, don't he? Do you think it was something you said that drove him off, Stubby?"
He picks his nose meditatively and wipes his snot against a nearby tree.