Turgrim may not be trained in surviving aboveground, but he's alert at least.
Runt scowls as Anil throws down the rope but climbs using it all the same Inge up top she takes a look around for any sign of the hag oocasionally looking to the spiked ogre head hoping not to recognize the face
Once Turgrim and Runt make it up the rope, Anol and Husom also search for signs of the Hag's direction.
Runt you find a recent trail, heading north. Two large persons, moving quickly. It might be best to recover your wolves if you want too pursue.
"Can't wait to get spells to counter this inconvenience!" She spouts out as she sighs and than resigns her self to climbing up.
She falls and growls in frustration at the rope and than to the others. She did not like this and thus threw her self at the rope again seeking to master the vile hemp contraption!
Warrok emerges from the cave with his wolf, at a hasted pace, noticing the dead hill giant.
"Hmph. Death comes to all enemies of clan. What will we do with the Bearclaw prisoners?"
Mogwag will recover his mount outside and await the others as he passes by the prisoners he will yell:
We are wrapping up some who tried to flee but we shall be back shortly.
"They went north and fast, but with the wolves we can catch them if we hurry" Runt says with a nod before promptly heading back down to the entrance in order to meet back up with Mogwag and Warrok and to further expidite there ability to hunt down the hag
Great Lets get down to it then he says getting ready
Anol, already aback his wolf, leads the cavalry onward, bow ready.
Quickly, the party remounts and starts to pursue. Your wolfs are eager to run and hunt.
Runt has the trail.
runt, set the pace (half move or full) and make a survival roll. -5 to the roll if moving at full speed. Everone else can assist to add +2 apiece if there mauw a dc10 survival roll.
Draxia trudges along behind the others somewhat glaring in there direction. She was ready to be done here and back to the encampment to revel in the pleasures of the hospitality of the clan.Heck she might even want to see that lout called Dergosh.
Edit: my 8 has me even more inclined to agree
Warrok says This way and leads off following the trail. (total of 30)
The trail is difficult to follow as it leads over rock, and the path seems well traveled by ogres in general. But you are fairly certain this is their path.
Draxia trudges along behind the others somewhat glaring in there direction. She was ready to be done here and back to the encampment to revel in the pleasures of the hospitality of the clan.Heck she might even want to see that lout called Dergosh.
In a distant place, facing off against fish men, Dergosh scratches his ear. Was that the lovely Draxia?
After about an hour of travel, you come to the Bridgette River. The trail leads to the water, with no sign of the hag or her confederate.
It seems she has evaded you.
Actions?
Anol and Husom smell for any signs of life, and in what direction they might be.
The trail leads right into the river.
Turgrim looks around cautiously. He recognizes the wiliness of hags, and expects a trap.
"So she swam for it."She scoffs at the hag and then sneers."Such a pathetic opponent fleeing mid battle only to slip into the water to flee from a far superior spell caster such as myself. I perish the thought of seeing her wallow back here still decrepit and feeble shivering in fear of us... No wait I would love to see that old bag of bones cowering before us pleading for her life" She continued following it up with a broad smile and a girlish giggle.
So she tried to erase her trail? that is fine we separate in two groups one on each banks and we look for the spot she emerged from the water
Warrok smiles with a grin.
"What this be? Wolftooth forget how to swim?"
He observers the surrounding nature to see if he notices any wildlife, like birds or sea animals, as well as anything suspicious around. He plans to ask the animals if they have information about the disappearance of the hag, as the trail is fresh, and he suspects hag sorcery at work.
"I don't think hags swim."
He will also use detect magic (full duration) to sense if there are any magical emanations in the area of the lake.
If the hag crossed the river, she has left wolftooth territory, and entered the unclaimed area near the mission. She is probably heading towards a local band of hill giants, who frequent the area. The rivers current moves west to east (or left to right from your perspective) but looks calm. It is about 60 feet wide.
After studying the area for a while, he warns the party.
"I see ogres at river bank. Three, maybe more. Looks like an ambush."
"Let the coward flee," Anol says, "We have a mission to raise." He nods toward the mission, but waits for the rest to see what their opinions are.
Runt grows ever more frustration the more and more it appears that the hag has evaded them, once the trail runs cold she growls in frustration while griping her fathers club. "I don't think it will be so easy as that, we hit her hard and bruised her ego, she is likely looking to gather her forces... and even if it were as simple as letting her run I will not let that hag escape so easily, she has stolen from me the one dream I sought to make a reality." Runt snarls angrily as she stalks closer to the river bed looking at the distance, far too wide to even THINK about jumping it and on top of that an ambush awaiting them on the other side.
An ambush as she is trying to gather more of her minions to try and stop us? That is fine Mogwag accepts the challenge he will direct his mount into the river and meet the foes
Is the party following Mogwag?
@Runt, as noted above, you have chased the hag for an hour. Bull strength as well worn off by now.
Malgrim sees mogwag move forward to cross, and he says I like a fight as much as anyone, but crossing in the face of an ambush like this is foolish. We beat the hag, and sent her fleeing like a scared goblin. She is well gone by now. Remember the great chief's orders involve that mission, not this hag. The giant said something about other hags, and hill giants. That last fight nearly wiped us. The sorceror is low on spells. We should not do this.
Her turns to face the party. His scared face, proof of his warrior skill, looks at them seriously. We have done what we can. We should be about our business. He points at the distant smoke at the mission.
Mogwag will take a hard and long look at the ambush point in orer to get a better view or the 3 would be ogre, where there only three ogre or hill giants?
" I agree with Malgrim we have done what we needed here. We can leave here, have Runt rally whats left of the Ogres and head to the village victorious, Then we can see about returning to the main village. heck i bet the old chief here can send a representative their to garner reinforcements" She says not wishing to doddle to much outside Wolftooth territory with out a full contingent of her spells.
"Also Malgrim speaks true, in a bit I will be without spells" She admitted softly as she eyed the banks in disgust. She can't way to get back to the village for a good bathing.
Putting his weapon away Mogwag will turn his mount around
More of a challenge than it first appear. They are hill giants and not ogre. Mogwag can stand up to one but the other two would kill every one else. he says getting ready to move back to the cave
Runt grits her teeth in fury as Mogway begins to turn back as the others began whimpering about how it was not there task to take down the hag and instead suggested moving on to the Mission. Her teeth still clenched in frustration Runt followed along with Mogwag to regroup with the others however the ogress had no intention of abandoning the hunt. "Witch you are a fool if you think I have any intention of abandoning this hunt." Runt spat in reference to Draxia's suggestion that she could rally the other ogres.
"You are all quite welcome to return to the task at hand but I have every intention of slaughtering the hag as I said I would. She stole from me the only things that I strove for, my revenge and a chance to reclaim my family. I have no interest in the Mission until I have the hags head, if that means I must do so alone then I will. The longer the Hag has the more she can rally to her side and she is WELL aware of who it was that attacked her, she will not cower for long" Runt said looking over the others before turning back to the river pausing just long enough to give the others a chance to speak up before she would dive in once again.
Turgrim has been silent the entire trek, staring down at his mount. Now he looks up. "Runt, large as you are, you would die by yourself. Stop being a fool!"
Malgrim spits on the ground. foolish ogre. While you are swimming over, they'll pound you with rocks, then gut you when you emerge. Vengeance can wait, and will be sweeter when it arrives.
"Runt should think of rest of tribe. Cannot put self in front of the many. You will have revenge, this I promise. Getting killed today will not give you that."
Mogwag will get closer to run and speak softly so that only she can hear
Anol waits impatiently beside Malgrim, "Are we this ogress's commanders? Do we have responsibility for her? If she wants to die, let her. We have orders!"
Anol turns and spurs Husom forward at a slow, starting pace.
Turgrim puts a heavy hand on Anol's shoulder as he rides by him. Trusting on his prior relationship with the other hobgoblin to prevent the samurai from outright attacking him.
In a quiet voice, he mutters, "She's useful. Just look at her - I'd rather attack the Mission after she takes a few hits for us." His eyes dart from Anol's to Runt.
Anol looks strangely at the hand on his shoulder, more confused than anything. Looking back at Turgrim, he says "Frankly I'm just tired of waiting." But he stops moving all the same.
Runt remains stationary as the others begin speaking up initially just on the off chance that some might be speaking up in favor of continuing after the Hag however one after another they all voiced against her pursuit with Mogwag being the last of the more positive to speak, his words caused Runt to grit her teeth, not in anger over what he had said but because it made sense.
"Fine.." Runt growled taking one last look across the river before turning back to the group giving Anol a brief glare as she awaited the others to prepare to return to the cave, briefly giving those who attempted to talk sense into her a nod of thanks "Gives me more time to work out the best way to wear her head." Runt muttered.