His head moves from side to side as his eyes roam the area. His steps are slow and steady. He follows along.
The Penrost Woods and the Seacliffs
The party stands at the rise on the northern edge of the Penrost Forest. The group looks down the rise facing south and they see a graded slope with a sharp drop off on both sides. The rise sets nearly sixty to seventy feet above the wooded vale that sits before you. It heads south and appears to break off to the east and west into smaller vales. There are several layers of trees and that sit above the vale making it dim and shadows lay all around the lower areas and on the sides of the vale. The center areas of the vales have good lighting and small streams, brooks, and pools with water running from north to south towards the cliffs.
On the east is a path that moves in and out of rocks, fallen trees, various ferns, wildflowers, forest grasses, and moss that cover the area. It takes several S curves and one narrow U curve to get to the bottom of the floor. The grade is sharp in the long runs and flat on a two of the turns (one on the first S and one on the second S each surrounded by large rock outcroppings and dead trees). On the west trail, it takes a slight slope that rides the edge downward, turns sharp to the south going down a grade of rocks and boulders onto the floor. The entire path is filled with tall grasses and wildflowers as well as moss.
The footing will be treacherous and movement slowed to half the normal rate. Lighting conditions will make it difficult for spotting concealed or camouflaged adversaries and predators.
Absolutely breathtaking. This could be a marvelous place to live, after the goblins have been dealt with. But we have to deal with them first.
"Both paths are treacherous. The one to our left has multiple spots which would be good for ambushing people on the trail. The one to our right has fewer good ambush spots, but the footing could be more treacherous, and that could define good ambush spots. Have no doubt, the goblins will be looking to kill us without a stand-up fight. This group will not be able to sneak through the terrain, so we will need to be prepared for their attacks."
Naia stares, unconscious of her open mouth.
Go in THERE? Great Beory. We'll be murdered.
The staunch whaler shrugs.
"As I said, I have no expertise here - I will defer to those with more nous."
Which way did the goblins go...tracks or a scent?
Okware
The black panther moves forward so that he is just on the edge of the rise looking out into the bottom of the glen. He sniffs several times and Zove realizes they are downwind to the goblins. He looks around and doesn't seem to be alerted to any danger but at the same time, he doesn't seem to enthused about going down into the glen. A sharp wind blows from the south into the glen and both Zove and Rabalar can see that the wind dips into the glen as it brushes the foliage towards the north all the way into the floor of the glen. They see the water on the calm parts of the pools begin to wave in reaction to the breeze.
Goblins can smell like your cat?
"A high point like this, with our outlines visible against the sky? Their lookouts already knew we are here. No reason to worry about minimizing our exposure, since if they were doing their job they saw at least three of you immediately. But which path did the goblins take? Fair question that might lead to a path with fewer traps. Let's take a look."
"I'm not sure which path was used last. Can Okware tell, or is the scent just too thick across both?"
He reaches out towards the cook. "I might as well take my own gear at this point. Thank you for carrying it this far, but you'll need to be ready as soon as anything starts." As soon as he secures his pack into place, he pulls the bow.
Zove and Rabalar
Rabalar believes they split up from the tracks and half went down one side and the other went down the remaining side. But Zove points out a few extra tracks he missed that went from the left back to the right. As Rabalar inspects them he realizes that half the group went down the east side for a bit and backtracked and the entire group went down the west path and into the glen. He believes there are ten to fourteen goblins in total in the raiding party.
D'ogryn looks on at Zove with out blinking...
ummmm ..what the...not the brightest knife in the kitchen...forgot that.
Umm ok......I...think
"I would say roughly a dozen, maybe a couple more, went down the right-hand trail. My best guess says that the right-hand trail should have fewer traps on it. Are we going in, or are we going to pull back and wait to see if they ever come back out?"
Okware
The cat sniffs the trail to the right as Zove points to it and pats his back. He begins to sniff the ground around it catching the scent of the goblins he gives a low growl. He paws and scratches the tracks looks down the east path and back to Zove. It appears he confirms what Rabalar stated. The cat drops into more mobile stance almost ready to leap down into the glen long before the rest of the group makes up their mind. Zove can tell the cat is both anxious and on edge as if prepering himself for what might come.
Soros nods agreement with Zove. "Confrontation is our goal. We know that they went this way, but can't know if they'll come back this way. The most likely course to find them is to follow them."
Sound as good of an idea as any...so let us move forward then.
Pray we do not get caught out in the open on terrain such as this...will be a very short trip.
Naia characterisitically bites her lip, but steels herself. She absentmindedly but with much prqctise begins to wind her harpoon's line loosely in her left hand, right gripping the fearsome weapon tightly...
"Well, then. Let's get started." The olf starts down, staying off the trail where the terrain will let him, watching for the ambush he's expecting . . ..
D'ogryn settles in and prepares to follow the terrain down. He pulls forth a dagger that seems be at home in his hand.
Let us hope this will be enough to stop me if I should fall.
Soros keeps to the middle of the party, using his staff to better his balance as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of those ahead of him, carefully picking his way through the path Rabalar and Zove lead them down. It seems the stories of the elven folk are true. Both of them seem quite at home in these wilds, as much so as any seasoned hunter. It's up to the rest of us not to make too many missteps.
[b] The Decent[\b]
Rabalar takes the point down the the west trail. He takes his time and stays to the wall side using a Long stick to probe the area in front of him as well as sweep the area out front. Zove and Okware seem to fall in about eight to ten feet behind him.
Naia falls in about ten feet behind Zove and her cat and notices two small brooks that fill in from north and feed the stream below that runs south. Edan and Soros point out the natural spring coming out of the rocks just below them that form a small natural water fall into the stream as well.
It is D’ogryn who notices ahead of Rabalar several cut branches on a sapling near the cliff. He whistles to catch the groups attention and he points it out and Zove sees it and points to the altered young tree and that is when Rabalar finds two small foot pit traps laced with stakes from the sapling covered and filled with leaves and moss.
He clears them and looks back to the party and points them out. As the take the turn south on the narrow foot path Rabalar finds a trip line and several other pit traps. None of the traps were well made or well hidden but to someone rushing down the path or unaware they would have done the job.
At the bottom they come to a floor of river rock covered in moss, dead leaves, and rotting twigs and branches with two brooks and a spring feeding a large stream. The glen is about thirty feet wide where the party stands. On both sides of the stream is a narrow beach of river rock by a step wall that runs up twenty to forty feet up covered in moss. There are small holes, nooks, and very narrow landings all over the walls on both side.
The sound of running water overrides any other sounds in the glen due to the springs and brooks behind you. Out ahead about fifty feet the stream funnels to twenty feet and the beach on the sides disappear. The narrower stream turns right and appears to narrow further out of sight.
Rabalar and Okware see groups of tracks ahead into the water. D’ogryn points out two large drag marks and Zove lets Rabalar know that the goblins used old tree trunks to float down the stream with.
The Decent
Rabalar takes the point down the the west trail. He takes his time and stays to the wall side using a Long stick to probe the area in front of him as well as sweep the area out front. Zove and Okware seem to fall in about eight to ten feet behind him.
Naia falls in about ten feet behind Zove and her cat and notices two small brooks that fill in from north and feed the stream below that runs south. Edan and Soros point out the natural spring coming out of the rocks just below them that form a small natural water fall into the stream as well.
It is D’ogryn who notices ahead of Rabalar several cut branches on a sapling near the cliff. He whistles to catch the groups attention and he points it out and Zove sees it and points to the altered young tree and that is when Rabalar finds two small foot pit traps laced with stakes from the sapling covered and filled with leaves and moss.
He clears them and looks back to the party and points them out. As the take the turn south on the narrow foot path Rabalar finds a trip line and several other pit traps. None of the traps were well made or well hidden but to someone rushing down the path or unaware they would have done the job. The decent is slow as Rabalar sweeps and clears the path.
At the bottom they come to a floor of river rock covered in moss, dead leaves, and rotting twigs and branches with two brooks and a spring feeding a large stream. The glen is about thirty feet wide where the party stands. On both sides of the stream is a narrow beach of river rock by a step wall that runs up twenty to forty feet up covered in moss. There are small holes, nooks, and very narrow landings all over the walls on both side.
The sound of running water overrides any other sounds in the glen due to the springs and brooks behind you. Out ahead about fifty feet the stream funnels to twenty feet and the beach on the sides disappear. The narrower stream turns right and appears to narrow further out of sight.
Rabalar and Okware see groups of tracks ahead into the water. D’ogryn points out two large drag marks around a fallen group of dead trees. Zove lets Rabalar know that the goblins used old tree trunks to float down the stream with.
The Decent
Okware sniffs the ground until he reaches the water. He seems to be sniffing around the brook and then the nearby stream to the west. He then turns back to Zove and then steps into the water part way as if looking south down the stream and to the turn.
The sounds of running water and the breeze blowing from the northeast brushes by the tall grass and ferns into the narrow tunnel.
Rabalar comes up to the edge the stream and he can see that most of the pool is about a foot to two feet of water in this pool but he can tell from the pick up in current the water deepens in the narrow.
Naia looks around pensively.
"This is more like it. Water. Which will in time run to the sea..."
How... Picturesque. The wizard scans the rock walls for any sign of goblins. These goblins have proven clever enough to leave traps in their wake, and these walls seem a good vantage point to harass any pursuers such as ourselves. Have they left any of their number behind to effect such an assault?
D'ogryn looks at the water and then at the group.
Remembering what Irwish has told him about running a tavern.
Aces in their places....
He looks at Zove, her cat and Rabalar.
where to now?
Soros
The young wizard looks around and closely inspects their surrounding. The walls are steep and only a slight incline that only the agilest climber could handle. There are nooks, small game holes, and little ledges all over the walls and even the top is littered with bushes, trees, tall ferns, and grasses.
The noise of the moving water and the breeze pushing through the foilage drowns out any other noises or sounds. That narrow turn concerns the wizard.
"They rode logs down river here, not following the path on the other side." He looks about for a bit, thinking. "I don't know how well anyone swims, but we could cling to some logs ourselves. Either one bigger one or several smaller ones."
Naia shakes her head, distressed at the thought of impromptu aquatic shenanigans.
"I'm thinking that if we are floating we'll be at the mercy of the current; the rocks - or worse beneath; and the welcome they might have ready for us at the other end. At sea, on a ship, we have more control and a large stable pad to stand on. Here, we would be down an arm each, at least. This is not safe for us, and only favours the goblins..."
Soros indicates the narrow turn ahead. "That 'bottleneck' concerns me. If the goblins have left any of their number behind to harry pursuers, we'll be quite vulnerable." He looks up at the cliff walls. "Are any of you skilled climbers? Perhaps someone could ascend a wall and scout above and ahead from that vantage."
Does anyone know where that river empties out to...the sea or does it stop before? Maybe there is a way to go straight to the end of their destination and work our way back up the river?
"Now we're back to my question about coming in from the other side? I thought we already established we don't have the info to make that work. My biggest concern with following them is not knowing when to get out. The water flowing over the cliff would be enough of a trap they wouldn't need an ambush waiting."
Very well and true...it was just a suggestion. Maybe going up the beach to the river would have save us time, any way...time is waiting away..let us get in the river and follow them. When we see a group of logs pulled up to the shore, that is a good bet they got off at that location. If not the we improvise. Keep an eye out for obvious track or a path that winds into the woods. Hell maybe even a structure...we will not know until we try.
[dice=Geography]1d20+5
Zove considers D'ogs query, thinking back on her walks...she knows she's been past this way before...perhaps...
D'ogryn watches as Zove ignores his suggestion about using the river and he seems to just not care anymore.
...so we are splitting up into three groups then..by river, by foot and there is climbing the rocks. I am all for getting rid of the goblins but I would rather not make it easy for them to kill us. Is everyone sure that they want to go off in their own direction.
He shakes his head in mental exhaustion. He start to wonder to himself if he made the right choice in agreeing to help.
Who the hell put this group together...what a mess they created. No one wants to work with each other. This is a failure just waiting to happen and I for one am not going to die because these people are being idiots. I am out of here if this does not change quickly. I am all for killing Goblins but if I have to depend on these people for my life...I might as well go back to being a slave.
D'ogryn nods his head and starts to help her with what little he has carried.
Any tips on water safety? Do not get many swimming lesson from a kitchen. Growing up the brooks were never higher than your ankle.