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'Arasmes, yes your target is the town. It could be easily said is in a valley, but more accurately just between mountains. The call of the carrion king from the Pale mountain is cried out and a responding cry comes from the town, nowhere else.'
To add to the clarification that I may have missed, yes the lights that were seen could be enemy-of-my-enemy then again it could be all sorts of things you don't know. I would suggest go investigate.
There is a bit of a rukcus down in the monastery, perhaps from the center?
Most people are asleep right now, so it is strange that there is sounds coming from the monastery, then again it is the first night.
"We should go check out those lights" Arasmes says to Alton.
"Sounds like a plan, shall I go get the horses ready?" She asks almost eager to be doing something rather than waiting.
"Sounds good, but we'll have to ditch them before we get too close." Arasmes says, thinking about wind direction and such, not wanting to be upwind where horse stench can warn gnolls of their approach.
"I understand, they should be fine with my guidance." She says lightly as she leaves to get the horses ready.
"Alton? You ready?"
"certainly, since this appears to be more your expertise it only makes sense that you make point in this endeavor" he says nodding
Once he had confirmed that the two of his companions were ready to head out, Arasmes led the pack. He approached as closely as he could without giving themselves away, and looked to J'lissa to ensure the horses were OK. Then, he approached stealthily in an attempt to hear what was going on in the strange camp.
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This pre-morning ride you can take many routes but some of the best options are to follow the mountain foothills around to the fort, ride through the Pesh fields, follow the river back to the mountain taking basically the opposite route than following the mountain foothills.
You are riding to the ruined fort.
When they arrive Alton snorts "Figures they'd be in a place like this.. so what's the plan? Do we use the cover of darkness, anounce ourselves and try diplomacy, frontal assault? Or something else I haven't considered yet?"
The halfling responds and with excellent grace keeps the man away from the door, obviously outclassing the man even without him knowing it, "Sir stop, go to bed I will take care of it... Ah here comes the master now. Alton please tell him this is off limits for his own good and to keep his nose where it belongs."
Once Alton tells the camel driver off however he does it, the halfling tells him, "Well I can tell you that sounds fun, but unless you take these vermin with you or at least outside of the monastery, there will be trouble. Too much trouble keeping them here, perhaps we can take 'em and find a good place for 'em?"
Arasmes leads them through the pesh fields, hoping the pungent smell of the plant will mask their scent regardless of wind direction.
"My plan was to watch, learn, and then decide. No idea what to expect, so I wanted to listen in."
When he gets close, he will prepare an extract of comprehend languages, and take it.
Alton grudgingly decides to bring the undead and gremlins figuring that the possibility of them being discovere while he was away was worse than their demise.
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Luckily nothing happens as the group of four adventurers, and their little army of gremlins with skeltons, travels through the pesh fields. They make less noise when they know trouble is a brewing.
Now a mere 200 feet away from the fort, you can see there are still lights, or perhaps a fire within the old fort.
"I am going with you guys, well... yes!" Says the halfling a bit hesitantly but then energetically to end though still in a whisper.
"Send your minions off to be a distraction, I will be about and ready to take down any scouts they might have once the horses are settled." She says simply.
"be careful not to burn the pesh field. The results could be... interesting."
"I had intended for the gremlins and skeletons to be a distraction for our known enemies, instead of those we are still trying to ascertain their status"
"I, too, thought we were scouting these guys, not attacking them right away" Arasmes whispers.
"Just offering my normal options, do as you will and be obvious if you need help." She says as she goes to settle the horses.
"What should I do? Don't you dare leave me in charge of those gremlins again! Honestly worse than goblins!" He says nastily but stays near Arasmes.
"Stay near us, be sneaky. I want to get a closer look. Don't worry, i don't want to leave anyone with those things."
Arasmes peers at the village looking for signs of life and intent.
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As the group advances towards the ruined tower, please do stealth and perception checks.
Around on the East side of the tower there is pesh down in the dried moat, and a cracked and old drawbridge that spans the 20 foot moat. Other debris, is piled up at the entrance. Voices and barks can be heard coming from the tower.
He stealthily stays beside Arasmes, then quietly asks, "Do you hear that ruckus coming from within, you sure these are civilized folk?"
"No, not sure at all. Let me try to listen in."
Arasmes drinks an extract of Comprehend Languages, and listens in on them.
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"Oh shove it we won't be doing any major hunting for a while, like I said before, some things need to come into place before we do anything, our little brother is setting them now."
Voice 2, "Right right but why can't I just-"
Voice 1, "No! I have told you we leave them alone, now go to sleep or knaw on a bone."
They continue in similar fashion. The first voice telling the others to settle down and that the hunt will come to them soon enough.
"Hmm, they are talking about a hunt coming up, but someone's little brother has to set things up first. No immediate plans to move out, it seems. Make any sense to you all?" Arasmes asks, looking at the others (particularly the NPCs, as they would know best who the "little brother" in this piece might be).
"Hmm given they probably don't know we're here it's unlikely to be code, perhaps the other encampment?"
"I could stumble my way in there and find out what they know, and if hostile you guys can come rescue me as I retreat." The halfling offers.
"Wait, another player in this game has appeared. This exchange ought to tell us what they're up to. Question is, should we save him if things go south? I think... yes?"
"Sounds reasonable, but for now we should watch and wait"
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"Hold that thought, looks like we have company." Arasmes says nothing to the newcomer on the off chance that maybe his looking in Arasmes' direction was coincidence, and that Arasmes had not been spotted.
the man squints for a moment, before he stands up straight and bushes himself off before calmly walking towards you. The man has a rather pleasant demeanor, despite the fact that he is garbed in animal hides and and has several small scars. A larger scar is present over his left eye. The make on his clothes is surprisingly good considering it's primitive material, giving him a half-cultured appearance. He has a backpack that seems somewhat weighty, what seem to be fur gauntlets, a tightly tied brown belt made of some sort of hide, a thin, deep red undershirt under his hide shirt, and a empty scabbard at his side, that seems to have a not entirely subtle blade running down it.
"Well, hello there."
says the man, in a calm tone.
"Are you travelers?"
upon him getting closer, some of you may notice he wears a odd ring.
Alton pauses before standing up and says "yes I suppose you can say that"
"Yes. You?"
the man smiles.
"I'm here to hunt and kill gnolls that have wronged me."
he is entirely blatant in what he's doing, seeing no issue with it.
"I assume you referr to these gnolls, not the ones over that way" he says point in the direction of the other encampment, "in what have they wronged you?"