Bowen's scan of the ground reveals that there was a party of children that left through this gate sometime during the night. Bowen sees a few similarities between these tracks and those near the butcher's shop lending credence to the idea that the children did indeed head out of town. The tracks lead towards the northwest.
With a smile Bowen walks along Rall, "You are a born leader my friend. The Sheriff has always been a good judge of character and I doubt his faith in you was misplaced." He tries to sound heartfelt about the compliment but fears he may be lacking.
Rall breathes a sigh of relief. He'd thought the ranger was on to him but now it seems like his secret is safe. 'Heh. 'A good judge of character' ... if only they knew what the things I've done ... had to do ... to stay alive I doubt they'd feel that way,' thinks Rall.
Nonetheless, his animosity towards Bowen checked by the ranger's kind words, Rall decides that this could be a good partnership and begins to assert himself again: "Okay ... look sharp. Stay back from the man while he does his work. ... Flea ... I mean Fee slow down a bit. You don't want to smudge the trail. He's looking for children's feet so he might end up following you in a circle if you aren't careful."
Bending to his work as they travel he checks the ground for tracks at steady intervals checking the tracks.At one of his checks he looks up at everyone, "Only thing I ask of you is if I say something about the wilderness please heed my warning."
Turnipin stands quietly by the side of the road and yawns.
"Rall, as the official branch of the law, would you be so kind as to lead us on? The children may be in dire straights."
As noted before, it is about a ten mile hike to the remains of the halfway house. The distance between town and orphanage insured that when help arrived, it was too late. Following the northwest trail will take the group right there. The tracks however, for the most part, are not on the beaten path but off to the side. Following the tracks footprint by footprint will take a bit longer.
Rall realizes that the ranger's method is laborious and says "We need to move faster but without losing the trail. If the children did indeed make it all the way to the haunted house, let's get there quickly. If they were -- the gods forbid -- snatched on the trail Bowen will find where they went off of it. Let's divide into two parties. I will be heading straight to the haunted house."
Pulling out his bow a nocking an arrow, "We should be getting closer to the woods now. There may be danger if we are not careful."
Rall glances significantly at Balnar. "We could go faster alone. If there is no sign of immediate danger to the children, we can wait for the others."
"If you would stay off of the path. You can walk beside it but if you stay on it like the children would then you may ruin the tracks."
"Let us move as swiftly as possible. I doubt these children have left the path. We should be able to move quickly."
"If you would stay off of the path. You can walk beside it but if you stay on it like the children would then you may ruin the tracks."
Rall begins to regret his attitude towards the man. "We will stick to the opposite side of the path. If those children have gone off the path, I'm sure you'll find out where. If not, we know where they were heading."
Rall glances significantly at Balnar. "We could go faster alone. If there is no sign of immediate danger to the children, we can wait for the others."
If that is the case, then let us make all haste. The sooner we ensure the safety of those children the better.
"Agreed, we must make all haste!" Turnipin says anxiously. "Don't let my stature slow you down, I can keep up." The gnome adjusts his satchel and girds his loins.
"Woodsman," speaking to Bowen , "if we come across any woodland critters, pause and let me commune with them. Perhaps they will have taken note of the children's passing?"
"I'll just hang back with Turnipin if you really feel that would be best. However, might I suggest we stay together? If we run into trouble it would certainly be better for us if there were more of us than less of us."
Dunham keeps his hand on his trusty rapier "Spur" and keeps his other on the flask taking small sips every now and then to help with his achy knees.
Rall turns to the dwarf and glares angrily for a minute before remembering that these men saved his life last night. "Is it the will of the majority that we stick together. If so, we need to go quickly. The Shoanti has found their trail but we know where they were going. Let's go. We can stop again to check that we are still on the right path when we get winded. On the other hand, if you do not mind dividing the party, I suggest that Balnar and I run ahead."
"Let us put it to a vote but quickly!"
"Those who wish to stick together, say so," says Rall.
...
"Those who wish to approach this problem from both directions, say so," says Rall indicating that this is his preferred option.
Rall turns to the dwarf and glares angrily for a minute before remembering that these men saved his life last night. "Is it the will of the majority that we stick together. If so, we need to go quickly. The Shoanti has found their trail but we know where they were going. Let's go. We can stop again to check that we are still on the right path when we get winded. On the other hand, if you do not mind dividing the party, I suggest that Balnar and I run ahead."
"Let us put it to a vote but quickly!"
"Those who wish to stick together, say so," says Rall.
...
"Those who wish to approach this problem from both directions, say so," says Rall indicating that this is his preferred option.
Bowen stands taller when Rall calls him Shoanti, it may have been meant as a slight but he would wear it as a badge. With a slight glare, "Rall you and Balnar should be more than able to handle anything a head. You can also move faster without the short of stature with you."
Turning towards Turnipin, "I believe that you could help. I will be sure to point the next one out that I see."
"If any come to attack be sure to give a call," Bowen pulls a signal whistle out of his belt pouch and blows. "If you have a similar device it would be best, otherwise just yell really loud."
Rall looks at the signal whistle Bowen has shown him his eyes wide. He fumbles in his pack for a second and pulls out an identical whistle with a laugh. "Very well then," he says without waiting for any further discussion "Watch out for Owlbears!" and races off 'tagging' Balnar on the arm as he runs past him.
Rall and Balnar quickly move out of sight of the rest of the party...
The ranger, in the meantime, once more catches sight of his quarries footprints and follows after them, though not so fast as to lose sight of his path.
Turnipin
Bowen
Bowen
Rall and Balnar
For Balnar and DM
As we get close enough, I will suggest to Balnar we slow down. "I don't see any sign of the children. Let's take cover amidst the trees and watch and wait, my friend," he says.
For Rall and DM
We also keep an ear out for a whistle. In case it is needed, I'll make a hide check.
For everyone that stayed behind:
Dunham mutters obscenties quietly to himself as he sees the two head off. He isn't so quiet as to not prevent the remaining party members from hearing his rant. "It is time for us to get a moving. No sense in those two having all the fun. Anways, they will probably get themselves into some sort of awful mess and we will need to be there to rescue them... again."
For everyone that stayed behind:
** spoiler omitted **
"Come now friend dwarf, we must make haste!" Turnipin makes a good clip for his stature and helps encourage everyone to hurry along.
Rall and Balnar spend a quiet few hours watching the ruins. As the day progresses, it is clear that the burnt out husk of the building is unoccupied. There are no children here.
Eventually they hear the sound of voices. Their nerves grow taut for a moment until they recognize the non-stop chatter of the halfling.
For All
The blackened husk of a building squats atop a hill. From below, it is possible to see charred timbers sticking out at odd angles. At the front of the building, one of the few things still standing, is a soot stained stone arch.
"...and one time somewhere just south of this little fishing village I swear a flaming troll was trying to sneak up on me! Yeah, flaming, I know. But then..." Fee was rambling just as the blackened husk of a building squats atop a hill come into view.
"Wow," is all he manages to say. Fee gets his sling out and ready.
"We've been watching. Nothing. No sign of anything, but we didn't want to get in close and muck up the trail before the ranger could follow it. ... So did the trail lead straight here?"
Overhead,a large blue tailed hawk circles slowly and then flies to the north. There is a light breeze and the day is beginning to warm. The burnt husk of a building seems strange and out of place in the grassy, sunlit scene on the edge of the vale.
"So, what are we going to do?"
"So, what are we going to do?"
"Shhh!" Fee scolds loudly. "Let Bowen do his thing."
"So, what are we going to do?""Shhh!" Fee scolds loudly. "Let Bowen do his thing."
"Do you think the tracks are going to hear me and hide somewhere?"
Rall
"Yes the tracks seemed to come straight here. Though a new set that I cannot discern their maker... And I doubt that you will scare the tracks where Fee has failed." Bowen adds enough inflection to Fee's name where it could almost be mistaken as we, but adds a joking wink towards Fee himself.
Chronicler
There is no evidence of anyone being in the ruins and the tracks of the children actually veer away from the building before reaching the arched entrance.
The tracks lead just north of the burnt ruins where there is a ruined tent and a partially built campfire. The wood for the fire has already been stacked ready to be lit but it was never ignited. Many tracks around the campfire indicate some sort of struggle took place. There are scraps of clothing and small quantities of spilled blood as well. Near the fire pit, Bowen spots a reptilian scale, reddish brown in color.
To Bowen’s relief, there are indications that the children are still alive, for it is obvious that they were marched off from their campsite following the struggle.
There is no evidence of anyone being in the ruins and the tracks of the children actually veer away from the building before reaching the arched entrance.
The tracks lead just north of the burnt ruins where there is a ruined tent and a partially built campfire. The wood for the fire has already been stacked ready to be lit but it was never ignited. Many tracks around the campfire indicate some sort of struggle took place. There are scraps of clothing and small quantities of spilled blood as well. Near the fire pit, Bowen spots a reptilian scale, reddish brown in color.
To Bowen’s relief, there are indications that the children are still alive, for it is obvious that they were marched off from their campsite following the struggle.
Rall looks relieved when Bowen suggests the children are still alive. 'Never again do I want to see the bodies of dead children,' thinks Rall.
"Bowen. Who amongst us would you choose to scout ahead with you?" Rall asks.
"If there is a chacnce that one or more of the kids are injured, I think it might be better for us to move as a group. If anyone needs a healer's attention, it would be best that we not have to wait for them to turn up."
There are scraps of clothing and small quantities of spilled blood as well. Near the fire pit, Bowen spots a reptilian scale, reddish brown in color.
"This does not bode well..." Turnipin says with gloom.
"If there is a chacnce that one or more of the kids are injured, I think it might be better for us to move as a group. If anyone needs a healer's attention, it would be best that we not have to wait for them to turn up."
"Of course. I did not mean far ahead. 30' at most. It's just, ... whatever it is that took those children should not know we are coming. I'm not exactly adept at sneaking through the forest ... [SNAP] ... as you may have noticed."
Rall hangs back a bit from Bowen and the rest if they follow the tracks.
Nothing particularly arcane seems amiss or present at the scene.
As the group meanders just north of the burnt halfway house, a breeze picks up, blowing towards the trees of darkwood vale. The woods loom just to the west, less than a mile away. The tracks lead towards the woods.
As the group meanders just north of the burnt halfway house, a breeze picks up, blowing towards the trees of darkwood vale. The woods loom just to the west, less than a mile away. The tracks lead towards the woods.
"Although dark and gloomy, those little kids were probably taken against their will. We must hurry...and be quiet. Let's go!" Fee whispers loudly. Without wating to see who does what the halfling takes off towards the wood in the general direction Bowen indicates the tracks lead.
As the group meanders just north of the burnt halfway house, a breeze picks up, blowing towards the trees of darkwood vale. The woods loom just to the west, less than a mile away. The tracks lead towards the woods."Although dark and gloomy, those little kids were probably taken against their will. We must hurry...and be quiet. Let's go!" Fee whispers loudly. Without wating to see who does what the halfling takes off towards the wood in the general direction Bowen indicates the tracks lead.
Rall follows but at a distance. 'I don't want to see this,' he thinks 'No more bodies of children.'
Nothing particularly arcane seems amiss or present at the scene.
DM:
"Although dark and gloomy, those little kids were probably taken against their will. We must hurry...and be quiet. Let's go!" Fee whispers loudly. Without wating to see who does what the halfling takes off towards the wood in the general direction Bowen indicates the tracks lead.
Turnipin hurries after Fee, eager to match his pace since he was left behind earlier...
Turnipin: