As she picks her way through the brush and foliage in search of tracks, Kalora pipes in, "I agree with Lilliana - we should hurry as much as we can, though. If that was a request for help, we don't know how much time we have."
She sighs. "So many things to do."
"Help? Who we helping? I forget what we was talking about."
Don't worry Grub, Goivan received a magical message last night. One of our brethren and their group is heading to a temple on the edge of the black ice.
Shaeyl looks, and then points, but they are on the other side of that mountain range.
The group is able to follow the tracks through the day. They cannot tell necessarily, but you don't think that you are either gaining nor losing ground. You eventually find the group's campsite from the night before and estimate they are about a day's travel ahead of you still.
Though you are loathe to lose any more time, you search the campsite for clues. It is fairly easy to investigate, you notice the footprints of a large humanoid, probably a giant. Footprints of some smaller pawed creatures, and many bare clawed humanoid feet.
They had a fire, and the remains of wood and ash are in the pit. You find excrement here and there and the remains of food scraps.
Certain areas are flattened down where creatures slept.
Shaeyl looks at the map they were provided.
Way I see it, these raiding groups are either moving quickly through what they know/expect to be uninhabited country until they get to where there are more targets, or they are moving in small groups in preparation for a larger joint attack with other infiltrated groups.
We've come across two groups of raiders, they're both traveling faster than we are. The chances of us spotting a group and being in a position to prepare an ambush or harrying action, are so small I ran out of digits while trying to count.
We can keep wandering around out here and hope that the odds of us being well placed to harass a raiding party rather than have one stumble over us, which would be a disaster, is not worth it.
I suggest we keep following this group, see how they are operating. We were originally instructed to try and stop them closer to the ice, but the river group indicated that they could likely teleport. Going to the ice doesn't seem like a guarantee. Especially if these raiders are leaving the ice from many points.
Your group presses on, and you are able to determine that while the war party ahead of you is not outstripping you speed wise, you are neither gaining on it either. You postulate how to pick up speed or time. You could force march or hustle, which is physically taxing but might help cover the distance. It is about mid day now and you still have time to adjust your travel strategies.
"Can everyone ride? I can provide horses in the morning."
"Hmm, definitely at least one giant. Some little creatures as well. It seems we were right to investigate."
As the tracking continues Goivan feels the pang of worry as his allies keep the pace slowed down. "We either need to march on longer than usual. Or I could go ahead, but I'm not a skilled tracker." At Lillianna's suggestion he sighs in relief. "Yes, as long as you have enough magic for all of us. Although I can nearly keep us with a horse."
"Grubgullet and I will have to walk, unless you can summon an elephant as well. And if it weren't for this bad leg, I might be able to keep up without it."
Day 17 - evening
The group pushes ahead on foot, and it seems you are neither losing or gaining time. Eventually dusk begins to creep in, and you grow tired, and if the other group has travelled the full day they must also be getting to the same state. One way to catch them would be to push on through the night to make up lost time. Tracking may be a bit more difficult, but with nightvision you have a world of grey to navigate by. Will you camp now and resume the chase in the morning, having neither gained nor lost time, or push on into the night (Forced March rules) to gain on the other group of enemies?
If noone says anything, this is the plan in the morning.
"This isn't working. We'll have to push a faster pace tomorrow. I'll summon horses for those who can ride, and the larger folks will have to keep up as best they can. We can cleanse your fatigue with healing magics, although it's not wise to rely upon such for too long. Hopefully we can close the gap in a single day."
Day 18 - Morning
The night is uneventful, but over night Shaeyl receives a dream much the same as Goivan shared the night before.
Travelling to Kao-Lor Temple. Follow western edge of mountains north from fort until black ice. Asheranthi via minor dream spell.
In the morning the group wakes, and Lilly advise she can cast the Mount spell ( 1 mount per casting, 6 hour duration, you have enough to summon mounts for Shaeyl, Lilly and Goivan ).
With light horses the group moves 5 miles an hour. For Grubgullet and Kalora they can hustle at up to 6 miles an hour to keep pace. After the second hour of doing so, they are fatigued, suffering 1 point nonlethal, but both can be wiped away with a channel energy, other magical healing, or Goivan's fatigue removing mercy. Your travel speed is reduced to 3/4 of your base speed due to not being on a road or trail but you are basically in plains and travel is not bad.
After 8 hours of travel you can continue with forced march rules. It works sort of similar but with more damage and hourly but can still be removed the same way.
(See also the Marching Chant spell, and the Nature's Paths spells for improved efficiency).
Saheyl lets the others know he also received a dream of the temple.
"Was there any indication of whether or not they were in trouble? The last one was vague, wasn't it Goivan?"
"We can push on some tonight. The horses will lase another 4 hours."
The group starts out the morning as Lily summons three magical mounts. The horses appear with saddles, bit and bridle and ready to ride. Goivan, Shaeyl and Lily mount up. Kalora and Grubgullet, being too large have to walk. And by walk, I mean run. As the horses start to trot, the two large members need to hustle to keep up.
The group travels pretty solidly for 6 hours to maximize the duration of the horses. In that time you cover over twenty miles. You snack while you ride and stop only very briefly sometimes to water the horses and give Kalora and Grubgullet a breather while Lily channels a wave of refreshing energy to restore their fatigued legs.
Some time before stopping to resummon horses and refresh the weary, the group discovers the campsite used by the enemies the night before. You give it a quick look over, but find nothing of interest or note. You continue on for another hour and then the group stops for a bit and eats before Lily summons another trio of mounts and everyone mounts up again. The travel proceeds as before, and will push until darkness. As you move on horseback, you stop from time to time, and examine the tracks. Your trackers determine that you are gaining now and unless the other group is pushing themselves and traveling faster, you will catch them. As the hours move by, your trackers determine the trail is fresher and fresher.
As the late afternoon wears on, and before dusk starts to set in, the party starts traveling more cautiously, not wanting to alert their quarry to their presence. Soon, you dismount and proceed forward on foot, as you realize you are very near. You think at this point you are less than a mile from the group you follow. Will you take any precautions?
Even though it's a creature conjured from the ether, Goivan still gives it an apologetic pat as he mounts up. I know I am no dainty rider. Thank you for bearing my burden.
On the road as the trackers are ahead and guiding them, Goivan's mind starts to drift. He thinks back to his time with Akaash and the young princess who he grew up with; well grew up was a strong term for what he was, but she was who he spent his first years with. And then his light daydreaming turned to the unfair conviction that was set upon him, and dark thoughts started boiling in his mind. And his current mission began to weigh heavily upon him; Goodwin was who gave him a purpose in this world. If he could not find the Archmage, he had no point.
Goivan snaps out of his thoughts, grumpy from self-perspective. He listens to the trackers and nods. "So, should we quietly observe or go in with blades held high?"
Kalora sits on a log to take a breather from the long jog - even with Lily's magic, she was sore.
"Well, if we're sure that the creatures we're tracking are the raiders, it's our best bet to get the upper hand. But if it's not, we'll get into another needless fight like we did with the goatlings."
"I can't say I know for certain what live out here, but those tracks are definitely varied enough to be the raiders. Maybe we should just go for it."
"Better to be prepared I think. I know, that's no surprise coming from me. Still, a fast offense risks the least."
Lily chuckles, then casts Heightened Awareness before shifting into the silver crane waltz stance.
"Let's get this done. From what I remember of giants, they don't run long on spellcasting. So if it's a mixed group, plan to stall the giant while we take out the smaller folk. After that we can try to disable the big guy. Sound right?"
It was a miracle that Grubgullet had made it this whole way. Several times in the run, the stubborn ogre had stopped, and insisted he couldn't run any further. Luckily, each time, he only took a little bit of convincing, and a quick snack, to get him back on his feet. Still, that doesn't mean he was happy about it all.
"Ugh... next time, we get bigger horse. No more runnin' around."
Shaeyl would prefer some harassing actions of taking out a straggler, setting up an ambush, etc.
"We are not digging a giant sized pit trap Shaeyl, I can see you thinking about it, and we don't have any of Father's tools. I agree, it'd be safer, but I think we're going to have to be a bit more direct. We can get ahead of them if you insist, but I don't think we can be too elaborate with the materials on hand and the dream still to worry about."
"Sometimes the simple approach yields the best results. Onwards, headfirst into the fray!" Goivan suggests with a hearty grin.
Shaeyl will happily let others charge in, and verify he has a line of withdrawal, especially after the last frontal charge nearly ended so disastrously.
Come to think of it, that fiasco in the underground tomb was only last week.
The group prepares themselves for a likely battle, but before the charge is engaged, the group moves closer for there may be opportunity for other actions and reconnaissance before the bloodletting begins.
The group moves cautiously as the mile separating the two groups dwindles. Ptery flies cautiously ahead, and Shaeyl is able to get the rough idea that the group has stopped. Eventually finding a vantage point some 200 yards away, your band is able to see the other group.
The large fire giant leader, a small pack of hound like creatures, and a mix of humanoids, or various sizes, you gauge about a dozen or so make up the other group.
"Alright, so it is the group we're after. It'll probably be a tough fight, so get ready."
I seem to recall from history class that frontal charges were rarely benevolent to the front line.
Six vs 12. Are you sure you want to go with the frontal assault option?
The wind blows Northwest to Southeast.
"We have the advantage of surprise. I'm not sure what all of your magical capabilities are, but if we are fully buffed before entering we should be able to take them."
I suggest either picking one of the giants for everyone to volley on with our first ranged attack, then be prepared to focus our attacks. I can provide cover if we need to draw back. Those wolves will be quicker than the rest. Trying to separate them out and deal with them first might also work well.
I'll try to keep the wolves off you.
With a roar, Kalora bursts through the underbrush, chopping her way
through the foliage.
Goivan charges in besides Kalora.
Shaeyl moves next to the tree to back up Kalora and casts vine strike on himself.