" Hey! We know these woods too, old man." Taidel interjects in a mock offended tone.
"If you'd rather, we could go warn Gristledown and then catch you guys up? " Lirosa offers " I'm sure everyone will feel much safer with a dragon to protect them than little ol' us" she adds with a grin
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Issi looks from one to the other and then nods. "Good idea Mr Doumane. Taidel, Lirosa - you go warn Gristledown. But please be careful - not heroics. We need you here." Looking to Doumane for his agreement she moves off into the camp, chivvying everyone along with a smile and words of encouragement.
Doumane eyes the split group with some apprehension but prefers this to the other way around. A group this large blundering through the woods needed help.
'Good Luck." he says to Lirosa, "Stay safe. Too many have already been lost. If things get too rough, turn around and meet up with us. It isn't worth dying over."
"Excellent! It's settled then. We'll see you in a couple of days." says Lirosa.
The first day passes uneventfully, with Aubrin giving directions and Tyrek able to scout ahead. That night Aubrin and Rhyna are able to have a look at the items you were unable to identify and are able do so after a short amount of poking and prodding. They both look slightly askance at the symbol of the buckler you found at the Phaendar Trading Company, with Rhyna suggesting that you might want to cover the symbol up and Aubrin muttering that there always had seemed something off about Kining.
The next day, the forest becomes much thicker, trees pressed close together with their branches intertwined, and the ground grows damp underfoot. A gloom hangs in the air. Foliage around the base of the trees is sparse, stunted by lack of sunlight. The songs of birds and noises of small animals have ceased, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the ancient woods. The only non-plant life you see are these tiny biting flies, but you do see a lot of them.
Around lunchtime Aubrin calls for a halt and comes over with a look of concern on her face.
"It's probably nothing," she says quietly, "But we're almost at the redoubt and I'd have expected us to have been noticed by a scout. Like I said, it's probably nothing, but I'd feel a whole lot more comfortable if someone had a little look ahead, just make sure we don't blunder into anything we'd rather we didn't, eh?"
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Tyrek has been uncomfortable for days, not only because he dislikes being shackled to the slow pace of the two-legs, but also being in the forest. A dragon should have open sky and room to soar! So when he sees Little-Flame moving away from the group he very nearly roars with joy and hurries to catch up.
Doumane slaps at a biting fly, watching it smear bloodily against his shoulder. He looks around gloomily, "What are the odds we find an empty redoubt? perhaps the hobgoblins have somehow hit this place?"
The gunslinger finds himself in the weird position of being optimistic. 'well, it is also possible the Rangers have gone to investigate the hobgoblins in force, or are out doing something else. Perhaps the army we saw is no the only foul thing in these parts?"
His attempt at being upbeat is not very good.
About 20 minutes after you seperate from the rest of the group you spot a large structure built in the trees of a small island that rises out of the swamp. This must be the redoubt.
As you draw closer there seems to be no sign of any life, although no sign of any violent struggle either.
A somewhat rickety looking bridge provides the only visible way of accessing the island the redoubt is on.
A cleverly hidden noose trap is set up just on the far side of the bridge.
Doumane holds up a hand to Issi, 'Watch out. The bridge is trapped. The Rangers must have it for defense. I wish we could see someone..."
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"Be careful Tyrek." Issi warns, hoping neatly over the noose. "Good spot." She complements Doumane, although she's clearly far more focused on the fort around them.
"Well, no-one here. We might be able to hole up here for a while, but how are we going to eat? We're never going to be able to keep forty people fed here..."
Think sort of along the lines of a small frontier style log fort. There is a low (10 foot) wooden wall around the outside and 5 treehouses joined together by narrow walkways as well as a couple of ground level sheds. The compound is certainly large enough to hold everyone, although designed to be held by a much smaller group. There is a small well inside the compound so clean water wouldn't be an issue.
Searching the compound reveals that it seems to have been abandoned for at least 2 weeks. At the edge of the fire pit Issi finds the remains of a half burned letter recalling all Chernasdo Rangers to Fort Trevalay. The Rangers appear to have taken most of their stuff with them when they withdrew although you do manage to find two barrels of oats that had been left behind (worth 10 Provision points) and a quiver of 15 +1 arrows that seem to have been forgotten.
You are lucky that apart from a number of spiders nothing nasty seems to have moved into the fort in the rangers absence.
Doumane looks at the letter then Issi. 'Well, not the worst then. The Rangers are alive and well. Perhaps they heard rumors of the hobgoblins? In any case, this may be a good place to hold out. A swamp is not my favorite terrain, but it might dissuade the hobgoblins from coming here. And we do have fresh water."
'I prefer this. At least we'd be able to see them coming and wouldn't have to worry about trogs attacking us from behind. Besides, sunshine is healthier. " Doumane remarks, not being very keen on the caves to the north.
'Lets go get everyone else."