Thank you, Imowen!
Gezzo says with a wide smile on his face as he watches the wolf enjoy his new freedom.
I will have to agree with Fener. Even my eyes would have a hard time seeing tracks in this coming storm. We would be traveling blind.
Gezzo hops down with the satchel that was attached to the cage.
Now, what to call you?
He checks the wolf for any discomfort and examines the collar while playfully scratching his ears.
Fener starts to build a structure using the wagons. I could use some help. someone should grab some wood from the forest while its dry so we can have a fire tonight.
Fener pops a bottle of wine wile he builds to quench his thirst. He also gives Rudy a bottle of rumboozle to drink for a job well done. Nice moves, pup. thats the way to earn a bit of cheer.
You are most welcome, Gezzo. How about calling him, Chance, cause that's how you found him, by chance?
If you think we should camp here for the night, Fener, let me help you with a shelter; unless you would rather I gather some firewood.
Hmmm...how about Lryhla? That's chance in my home tongue. What do you think, girl? Is Lryhla your name?
Gezzo gives the wolf another piece of dried meat before helping with the shelter.
We can load these items onto our wagon, once the storm passes. Someone may be waiting for them at the next town.
If Thorgrim will lend a hand, I'll drag the bodies away from camp while you set up a shelter. The last thing we need to do is attract more predators.
I'll be right back to help you Fener, once those corpses are out of our sight
Help Argyros move the bodies and then help Fener with the shelter
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Large raindrops start falling as you prepare to shelter from the storm. You feel exposed on the hilltop as lightening crashes around the area, but hunkering down in the wagons help alleviate any uncertainty about taking shelter. Sirena moves the group's wagon up from the hill crest and parks it close by, and just in time - soon rain is falling in sheets, the sky darkens to blackness, and the wind gusts strongly.
The storm rages for several hours, turning the hilltop into a sodden sight. As evening approaches the front moves past, and the rain diminishes to a fine mist. You can hear the sound of rushing water running somewhere below the hillock. It is near dusk, and the thick cloud cover makes it appear darker than normal outside.
Peering out of the wagons, you note that any depression in the ground is filled with water. The area is sodden, and everything is thoroughly soaked. Nightfall and total darkness will arrive in less than an hour.
Bunker down people, I'll take first watch
Surveying the aftermath of the storm, Argyros turns to address the group.
We would arrange a watch and try to get a good nights sleep. I'll take first watch if nobody objects. Imowen, I'll wake you for second watch if nobody objects.
"Does anybody else need healing?" Nästród says.
He appears badly wounded himself.
I like the name you chose for your new friend, Gezzo, and I think she does too! She is a gorgeous creature.
I gathered as much dry firewood as I could before the rain stared, since Fener had others to help him with the shelter. Then I took shelter myself until the fierce storm was over.
Argyros, I'll be happy to take the third watch, since Thorgrim is taking the first watch, and he can wake you to take the second watch. Is that OK with you?
Works for me. I'm going to head it to bed. I need all the beauty sleep I can get.
Searching for a relatively dry spot under the improvised shelter, Argyros curls up under his cloak, using his backpack as a makeshift pillow. Shortly thereafter gentle snoring wafts from his direction.
I will get a fire going and then will enjoy this fine wine
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The heavy downpour seemed to dampen the spirit of the area. Not only does the night transpire without interruptions, the only sounds you heard were from creatures who enjoy the wet - a chorus of frogs, who kept a steady drone going from the patches of standing water around the hillock.
All to soon, it seems, a patch of light is seen on the horizon, and daybreak is imminent. Sirena comments that she is confident you are still on the right track, as the sling she let Cayden borrow turned up in the Ogre possessions. She suggests the group continue on the wagon trail, and that the storm probably hindered the travel of those you are pursuing. She is going to keep a sharp eye out for fresh tracks, now that the route has been thoroughly swept clean by the rain.
If the wagon trail is followed to its end, there is a trading post which might offer not only goods for sale but perhaps news of occurrences in the area. Sirena thinks the outpost might be reached before the end of the day, depending on how well the route held up from the pouring rain.
Fener and Rudy will also look for any signs as the go forward.
Survival
Perception
Rudy using scent
Survival
After breakfast, I help load the rest of the items from the other wagons onto our wagon and very soon we are ready to go.
After looking around at all the others I ask, Where is Flug? Did he go on ahead in the storm or did he disappear during the night?
Flug appears, saddled on his horse. "I'm . . . here."
Gezzo stretches and wakes as Lryhla yawns with a wide toothy maw. She uncurls herself from around Gezzo, where he stayed warmly nuzzled through the night.
He looks through the items in the wagon and examines the ruby ring. With a quick gesture, he mutters some sort of incantation. Lryhla noses in the items by his side.
Did someone open those locked boxes to examine the contents?
After awhile, he tries to place the saddle found in the satchel on Lryhla. The wolf waits patiently as the buckles are tightened. Tentatively, Gezzo mounts the wolf and sits in the saddle.
That's it girl, we got a boy to find! He says as he strokes her neck. The wolf casually strolls around the camp as Gezzo becomes comfortable on her back. Shortly, the two seem as natural as the rain.
Okay, girl, lets see what we can find.
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The group loads the wagon, and proceeds down the wagon trail. Travel is somewhat slower than usual, as there are occasions where flooding from the storm still lingers in low spots causing difficulty in crossing.
Around mid-morning, when cresting a rise, Gezzo sees evidence adjacent to the wagon track that someone made a campsite there. Fener is able to determine that there are numerous tracks and trash of such size and quantity that they must be more Ogres, but also impressions in the grass and shrubs that a shelter was constructed.
The area around the shelter contains smaller footprints, including a size that would be child-like. The trail of tracks proceeds along the wagon trail, although the oversize tracks sometimes wind into the woods.
At mid-day you finally arrive at the trading post Sirena told you about, and would describe it more as a fort. There are several buildings perched on the top of a hillock, surrounded by a 20-foot tall wood palisade. The vegetation surrounding the complex has been cut down on all sides, allowing a clear view of all approaches. The wagon trail terminates at the palisade gate, which is closed. A person armed with a crossbow is walking along the top of the palisade, observing you as you approach.
Because the tracks you are following are freshly made, it is not difficult to see that the party left the wagon trail and headed into the swamp before the trail began its final rise to the fortification.
"It looks like Cayden may still be alive when they veered off. We will visit the post later. Let's just keep following the tracks."
Flug stares at the sky. Again.
Action: enter the swamp (i.e. not going into the outpost first)
Maybe that guard spotted our pray, could tell us how far ahead of us they are.
Oh, there you are, Flug. I guess I just didn't see you.
I agree, Nästród, let's find Cayden.
I climb down from the wagon and start following the tracks on foot since they are so fresh, trying to be stealthy about my movements.
Stealth:
Perception:
I follow after Imowen, staying ~60 feet behind her.
We can't be more than two or three hours behind Cayden and his captors. With any luck we'll be able to catch them this evening.
Flug stops staring at the sky after some time. "Let's go." He moves to go into the swamp. His footsteps are quiet but he only faces forward, not heeding anything in his path.
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Sirena heads toward the post with the wagon...
At first glance, there is a set of tracks leading off the wagon trail that are easy to follow. As you get deeper into the marshes however, things begin to get indistinct. There are many areas that are under a shallow cover of water, making the going difficult and covering any underlying tracks. On more than one occasion it has taken persistent searching to pick up where the trail leaves off, and where it begins again.
The party you are following wends its way along terrain that follows low-lying areas, seemingly trending to follow flowing water in an upstream fashion. Eventually you find that the trail begins to rise in elevation, and that you are heading generally in a north direction, and that the marshes are becoming interspersed with the foothills of the mountains looming ahead of you.
Eventually Sirena catches up to you. She has successfully parked the wagon within the post walls, and is riding the horse.
Sirena is equipped with one of the longspears obtained in the ambushed wagons, and she offers to ride ahead of the group and scout.
Gezzo grabs the potions and wand from the lockbox, placing them in his saddle bags.
We'll consider this payment for recovery of the wagon, if someone comes looking for it. Since we seem to be up against a pack of ogre's and some sort of powerful magic, we made just need the potions before we're done.
He leads Lryhla over to Sirens and holds the sling under the wolf's nose. Hopping into the saddle, he leads her towards the wagon tracks.
Come on now, let's find him!
Lryhla begins investigating the area withe her nose.
"I-I will go with you," Flug offers to Sirena. "I'll follow some dis-distance behind. Should not move a-alone."
You lot be careful now, don't want to be attacked divided.
As we travel, Nästród will look for further ambushes.
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Sirena gives a longspear to Flug: Here, use this when mounted. It might give you a first strike advantage.
She turns and addresses the group:
The folks at the trading post are on alert. There have been many raids in the area, and most hunters and trappers are either dead or have fled. The speculation is that the creatures native to this area have been organized to drive civilization out of the swamp and reclaim what they consider their land. The head organizer is someone called The Swamp Witch, who apparently has forged alliances with such dread creatures as the Ogre families, among others. Flug and I shall scout ahead...follow, but be wary.
She wheels her horse about and the pair sets off at a trot into the foothills, longspears tipped upright and ready.
Fener Will Continue to track. He shows Rudy the sling so he can get a good scent and Rudy will try to track as well.
Survival
Rudy Survival
Fener will also see if he knows anything about the area.
Knowledge Nature
Knowledge Geography
Flug accepts the longspear, hefting it in his hand. "My th-thanks."
He nods to the others before leaving with Sirena.
Argyros will follow, making small talk with Thorgrim, Nostrod and Gezzo as they trek through the miserable swamp.
Damn, I'm going to need new boots by the time we get out of them god-forsaken swamp.
At least we now know what is causing the disruption.
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Sirena and Flug move ahead of the group, across the low foothills of the mountain range. Even at this elevation, the low-lying areas are marshes thick with plant life. They don’t travel far before they see evidence of marsh residents. The tracks lead into a narrowing rocky canyon, and a camp blocks the way, populated by what appears to be a squad keeping guard. In addition to simple huts, at least three occupied watchtowers are present.
Getting as close as they can, the pair sees that the “humans” occupying the camp are hideous to behold. One has tusks like a boar, long shaggy hair and cloven feet. Another has a human torso, but the feathered legs and feet of a bird. Yet another looks like a cross between a human and a reptile, with skin covered in large green scales. All of the camp residents are this way, some bizarre combination of human and animal/reptile/insect. They appear to be wearing clothing made from animal skins, and have simple clubs as weapons.
Despite trying to be unseen, one of the occupants in a watchtower is seen pointing in their direction and shouting to the group below. Sirena and Flug return to the group and reports the above findings. There does not appear to be any easy means to circumvent the canyon entrance without significant detour travel. Even then, there is no guarantee that there is some other way into the canyon.
"We can simply ask to pass through. They could be friendly--or merely indifferent." Nästród says.
I'm sure your parents will buy you new boots on your return, Argyros.
Gezzo shifts in his saddle, anxious to hear news and unaccustomed to not being in the scouting party.
On hearing the report, he sneers.
They sound like abominations! Talking to them may only lead to a quick death, Nastrod.
I think we should approach them hoping for peace, but expecting hostilities. If we march in force and demand to be let through, they might feel sufficiently intimidated to let us through. Just be ready to hack them to pieces if they turn hostile.
Serina & Flug, Did you get a count on how many there were? I think these are the beasts that we heard about from the trading post. We should try to parley with them but I have my doubts as to if they will listen.
We have made quite a trail, I doubt our arrival is a surprise.
"Let us try to be civil first. Some kind words and a few gold coins might improve their attitudes." Nästród says.
I survey the situation and listen to all the ideas. You all should try to talk with them first. I am going to try and sneak in and have a look around for Cayden while you all are talking, then I will report back to you.
Stealth:
Perception:
Survival: