After having remained quiet for some time, Osslend pipes in. "Cecil, you are welcome to do as you wish, of course, but given that you are now associated with us, it might be safer for you to remain here."
He points to the woman and the whole in the ceiling from the assassin's attempts at their lives and says, "That association may mean danger for you by yourself."
After having remained quiet for some time, Osslend pipes in. "Cecil, you are welcome to do as you wish, of course, but given that you are now associated with us, it might be safer for you to remain here."
He points to the woman and the whole in the ceiling from the assassin's attempts at their lives and says, "That association may mean danger for you by yourself."
On his way out the door Cecil stops to listen to Osslend. Cecil looks around at the room with a quizzical look. "You may have a point. If assassins are coming after you they may be coming for me soon. Strength in numbers and all that. Very well. Where is my room?"
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Morning arrives without incident.
You all wake to the sound of a bell clanging loudly in the next room.
When you get to the common room, you find Thobir and two dwarf porters waiting. Thobir is ringing the bell.
"Good morning! Let's go!"
The dwarves spin on their heels and stride from the room. They lead you down 3 flights of stairs and into a terrace courtyard. Ready and laiden before you are 12 horses. 6 have saddles and the other six are lightly loaded with gear and provisions.
"Just follow the roads and make haste. Good luck!"
With a straight back and well practiced parade smile Cecil waves to the crowd. His *ahem* "hunting dog" proudly walking beside the horse.
Once the group is free of the castle walls and at least a half mile away. Cecil say's to Poe, "Would you be so kind as to keep a birds eye out for us?"
"Sure, boss." Poe says as he takes to the sky.
After we've cleared any possible commoners Cecil looks down at owen from horseback. Owen instinctively looks up at Cecil when Cecil says, "I'll call for you when we stop. See you soon." Cecil closes his eyes in concentration for a moment and Owen seems to turn to a black mist then dissipate.
Kayla would rise before dawn and go out on to the balcony to watch the sun rise and to pray. She will then go back in, get dressed and packed up for the trip. Kayla heads out into the common room when she hears the bell clanging and follows the dwarfs out.
A bit taken aback by all the attention and the noise in the city, Kayla doesn't speak much until after they leave the city. She eventually asks, "How long should we travel today?"
Kayla would rise before dawn and go out on to the balcony to watch the sun rise and to pray. She will then go back in, get dressed and packed up for the trip. Kayla heads out into the common room when she hears the bell clanging and follows the dwarfs out.
A bit taken aback by all the attention and the noise in the city, Kayla doesn't speak much until after they leave the city. She eventually asks, "How long should we travel today?"
"Traveling the countryside outside of a carriage isn't particularly my area of expertise."Looking around at his companions, "Brynn. Osslend. What do think?"
Brynn stops playing his lute the second the bell clangs. As if in a trained trance, Brynn quickly packs his instrument away and pulls out his warhammer. He dons his armor and weapons all in their places, and checks the status of the party.
On their way out of town, Brynn will take up the rear, collecting as much random information from conversations they may trot by.
Addressing Kayla's question once out of town, Brynn finally speaks up. "Generally don't want to press the horses much more than 10 hours. Sometimes a long trek like that through town can tire them out even more than normal, too."
"Can you tell if our horses are in good condition? Also I was wondering, will we be looking for inns or just camping out? I admit I don't have much outside experience." Kayla looks a bit embarrassed by her lack of experience.
Osslend says little as Thobir gathers everyone, simply following instructions.
On the ride out of town, his face is mixture of awe and embarrassment at the attention.
She never got to feel this, her role was covert, too secret for this kind of attention. Do I really deserve it when she didn't get it after her years of service?
Once outside the city he seems much more comfortable. He nods in agreement with Brynn's assessment of timing on the horses.
In response to Kayla, he tries his best to stifle a chuckle. "Though I wish it were otherwise, in all likelihood we'll need to camp. I have some experience with that and I'm sure Brynn and Bryce do as well. It shouldn't be a problem at all."
Perched on his horse, Shinami chuckled "Maybe we can all sing to Brynn's lute around the campfire tonight. I'm sure my screeching singing voice will keep the wolves away."
Geography
"I have a trick that will provide us with a water tight shelter that is easy to disguise. it's a bit crude, but effective. I do so hate to sleep in the rain."
"I would definitely appreciate not having to sleep in any rain."
Letting out a bit of a chuckle, Brynn says, "Nice trick indeed, but maybe it's possible to save your resources for fighting these wolves instead? I mean you all do have tents, right?"
Letting out a bit of a chuckle, Brynn says, "Nice trick indeed, but maybe it's possible to save your resources for fighting these wolves instead? I mean you all do have tents, right?"
Cecil Chuckles"I assure you I can do both."
"Perhaps something we should discuss during our ride is what we will do when we get to Faelstaff." Looking over to Cecil she adds, "Perhaps we should also discuss spell selection.?"
"Perhaps something we should discuss during our ride is what we will do when we get to Faelstaff."[b] Looking over to Cecil she adds, [b]"Perhaps we should also discuss spell selection.?"
Cecil chuckles slighty and says with a smile,"My spells don't change daily. I don't pray or study a book. My inner strength is what allows me to cast and it's strength returns with rest alone. Owen is actually my main offense, but he is a good one. However should he be hurt or dismissed I can call for creatures from beyond the world as well as some other tricks."
Cecil say's as he squints at the sun, "If we cut across country to the south, we could shave off a day's ride and meet up with the road at Koppolex. Alternately, we could stick the road completely and pass through Vopaeret first."
Looking thoughtfully at Shinami, "What say you, Fearless leader?"
Shinami turns and gestures to the rest of the group.
"Please, I am not the leader. I am merely the envoy the king had attached to the Dragoons. I was not with this intrepid group when they had to perform their gauntlet. But I believe the faster we get there, the more time we have to deal with the situation, and selfish this may be, more time to keep me from turning into a wereninja."
"I say we take the shortest route there. More people could die while we waste time traveling."
Turning to face Shinami, Kayla jokes: "Don't worry Shinami, if you turn furry I'll go buy you a pretty little pink collar and leash. I've always wanted a pet."
Brynn takes in the information and adds, "There is a reason for the roads. Usually safer for a number of reasons. However, I've never been one for safety, just helping those not as experienced decide. If we'll have votes, mine's on the shortest route unless anyone else brings up a good point."
"I'm willing to brave some danger for a shorter trip if you all are. We're hardly defenseless."
Shinami grinned back to Kayla. "Oooh, can that collar have a bell too? Don't forget to cut my hair too from time to time and get me a chew toy"
"I certainly don't mind picking some burrs out of my saddle if need be, so the shorter route is fine by me. Besides, I don't like the fact that I froze up when that she-beast howled. I want a chance to test my mettle against more of those things. The sooner the better."
You ride for just over 10 hours, the last 3 of which take you of the beaten path and into the wilds.
As twilight begins in earnest, you come upon a little patch of grass beside a huge boulder. The is a firepit.
Are there people around?
If we slow to investigate i'll use the first minute to summon Owen.
You ride for just over 10 hours, the last 3 of which take you of the beaten path and into the wilds.
As twilight begins in earnest, you come upon a little patch of grass beside a huge boulder. The is a firepit.
Are there people around?
"Shall we keep watch in pairs again? I'm up for whatever watch. I just need to have cat naps here and there to regenerate my inner energy."
Shinami pokes around the boulder and investigates the firepit.
Survival
Knowledge Nature
"The hounds and I will take whichever watch we need. Their noses can often warn me of things before my eyes can."
Survival check to look around for signs of activity in the firepit or footprints or what have you.
Since we're stopping Cecil takes a full minute to mutter something under his breath and concentrate. At the end of that time Owen comes bounding from around a tree. As the pair walk back to the group Poe lands on Cecil's shoulder.
"We have three pairs of eyes, so we can keep watch whenever you like."
Owen begins to sniff around looking for "new smells" (i.e. Anything that's not us).
Brynn tenses at the sight of the firepit. Somewhat quietly, Brynn says, "I don't like this one bit."
Upon approaching the pit, he adds, "Maybe a few of us that can track well should do a little perimeter search of this site. Osslend, I'm guessing you and the boys are great at exactly that. Want to help me look around a bit?"
Let me know what checks are needed for the search, but we'll be doing a spiral outward from the firepit until we find any tracks, or at least until we give about a 80-yard radius on our probable campsite. Pre-emptive survival check because that's what I'm guessing you'll need:
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The firepit has been used often for several months at least. The most recent activity is difficult to guess, but you think it was sometime before dawn the previous day.
The wierd thing is, there are no other signs of activity.
It is as if the beings who utilized this spot routinely wipeout all other evidence of the presence.
You are the only living things in the immediate vacinity...as far as you can tell.
Remembering a thought and motioning for the party, Brynn adds, "Oh, and before I forget to mention, I've got a pretty good plan for our night watches if I've assumed everything correctly. Kayla and Cecil, you two need an uninterrupted night's rest, right? Anyone else? Like I said, I only need two hours, so I'm good to go the majority of the night, so my thoughts are I'll take the first four shifts, Kayla take the first with me, then Bryce, Osslend, Shinami. Finally while I sleep, Cecil, Owen, and the hounds can take the morning shift. That is, if any of you I've thought of placing in mid shifts don't need uninterrupted sleep or vice versa. I think we have enough people and companions to change it up a bit."
Edit: wording
Remembering a thought and motioning for the party, Brynn adds, "Oh, and before I forget to mention, I've got a pretty good plan for our night watches if I've assumed everything correctly. Kayla and Cecil, you two need an uninterrupted night's rest, right? Anyone else? Like I said, I only need two hours, so I'm good to go the majority of the night, so my thoughts are I'll take the first four shifts, Kayla take the first with me, then Bryce, Osslend, Shinami. Finally while I sleep, Cecil, Owen, and the hounds can take the morning shift. That is, if any of you I've thought of placing in mid shifts don't need uninterrupted sleep or vice versa. I think we have enough people and pets to change it up a bit."
Edit: wording
"I don't NEED uninterupted sleep, but I do prefer it."
"I assumed because of your ability to cast spells, that's all."
"I assumed because of your ability to cast spells, that's all."
"I understand. I'm quite happy with the watch plan as-is. Just wanted you to know."
"The watch order sounds fine by me, Brynn. Shall we start a fire and settle in for the night?"