Ewald moves over to the bushes from which Ned's assailant emerged.
"Now then lets see what these tracks can tell us" he say's crouching to examine the area
Survival 1d20+5=24...now that's more like it
The tracks are perfectly clear to him as is the direction the brigand came from
Amunrel takes some food from his pouch and starts looking in case some of the familiars' are still nearby.
"Im afraid the tracks go to and from town...not much hope of tracking our quarry with the amount of cross traffic on the trail. However if we are sucessful in securing our familiars...then he might attempt a second..err...rescue attempt"
Ewald smiles broadly at the girls...then addresses the armoured one..
"Can I make a suggestion Miss... I'm very impressed with your turnout you'd pass muster in my unit any day..except...well your backpack will hamper you if you try and wear it in combat ...on the border we find sling bags more efficient...one tug of a knot and you can drop them immediately...I'm not criticising you understand..merely offering some practical advice your instructors might have neglected"
|
"We need to organize and form a plan of action. I suggest we look for this wild-man first and attempt to determine what happened to the animals. Once that is accomplished, the animals can be found later."
Sir Oribar moves again to the capable tracker. "So which direction to follow this large man?" To the rest of the group: "Be ready for a fight, but in the interest of understanding keep your weapons sheathed."
"Oh no, no..." Vivaeri whispered. After Ewald's suggestion to Sanna, she added, "See? He's professional. The fact that you haven't scared him off yet means you're already on the right foot!"
She turned to the others and stepped forward hoping to be out of Sanna's reach quickly enough to avoid immediate reprisal. Hearing Adjunta's musing, she threw a wild guess out. Her guesses tended to work out that way. "Someone not very wild then? Could it be just some prank after all? Those animals can't be worth enough to steal and sell elsewhere, can they? They didn't sound terribly exotic."
|
|
She turned to the others and stepped forward hoping to be out of Sanna's reach quickly enough to avoid immediate reprisal. Hearing Adjunta's musing, she threw a wild guess out. Her guesses tended to work out that way. "Someone not very wild then? Could it be just some prank after all? Those animals can't be worth enough to steal and sell elsewhere, can they? They didn't sound terribly exotic."
"Like many things they're worth only as much as someone is willing to pay. These animals may not be extraordinary rare or exotic but if they were chosen to be familiars then I'm guessing that they were in someway special. Perhaps chosen for temperament or perhaps they were exemplars of their kind. Regardless of their qualities they had a buyer and that makes them valuable."
Adjunta blinks as if he suddenly realizes something.
"Tell me Ned, who would have known you were making this Trip today?"
Amunrel takes some food from his pouch and starts looking in case some of the familiars' are still nearby.Sorry , no luck there :)
Good try though ! Given your success , I'll give you a hint
Any animals in this situation would try to find surroundings more congenial to its habits
"Guess we'll have to find a pond if we want to find the toad, the snake could be absolutely anywhere except probably the village, the cat will definitely be heading there though, the bat is going to be a hard one to find and the rat... well I guess we ought to see if Ewald here can track Ned's assailant," Amunrel sighs after a while of peering and searching the area putting the food away.
Over hearing the cleric he pauses to look back wondering if the priest had noticed something.
Ewald is surprised by the girls manner, but he puts it down to a case of nerves around a total stranger.He steps back and turns towards the other sister who seems more open at least
"Ah..now I have caused offence where none was intended. My apologies Miss...uhhh...you know in the confusion back at the Inn I do believe your uncle neglected to tell me your name or that of your sister. Which is an appalling lapse in my manners..perhaps you would be so gracious as to enlighten me?"
"Ewald sorry if this sounds dumb but were there any animal tracks matching these pets near the wagon?" Amunrel asks the ranger.
"Oh," Amunrel raises a finger to his jaw," thats right we haven't been introduced, these are my nieces, this is Vi (points to Halsanna) and this is Halsanna (points to Vivaeri)" Amunrel gestures.
"This is their father Sir Oribar, unfortunately his brother was feeling too poorly to join us today, however this is Adjunta I believe I got your name correct sir cleric?" Amunrel asks the priest.
At hearing her Uncle Am introduce them, she could not help the slight mischievous look that flitted across her face before she mastered it, and looked back to Ahnalt with a slight smirk and humor dancing in her eyes. Still, she swept a slight curtsy at her introduction, as would befit someone of the court, for all she disliked the place. "Well met, sir Neggers", she said softly, though she met his eyes with none of the demure attitude. Instead, she met his eyes as an equal, before stepping past him to look at the tracks for her uncle. She might be able to get something, maybe.
As she passed Ahnalt, she gave a questioning glance to her uncle once she was past him, only briefly, though she did not mind what he was doing. It was not anything detrimental yet. Careful to approach the wagon without marring any of the tracks, Halsanna took a look.
Amunrel whispers as she passes in elvish,"He seems a little too interested in knowing doesn't he?"
Vivaeri mirrored her sister's mischievous grin. Oh, thanks Uncle. This is going to be fun.
She stepped close to her father and Adjunta, turning as serious as she could, mostly to impress that image upon the priest. "Should we ask the local authorities about anyone matching the description of Ned's attacker? I mean, to see if there's any history of such attacks in the area?" She looked up at the sky, seeing the time of day. "However, if we return to town now, that's just more time for something to happen to those animals out here." she offered, though in truth she was really not looking forward to sleeping out in the cold.
|
|
Vivaeri mirrored her sister's mischievous grin. Oh, thanks Uncle. This is going to be fun.
She stepped close to her father and Adjunta, turning as serious as she could, mostly to impress that image upon the priest. "Should we ask the local authorities about anyone matching the description of Ned's attacker? I mean, to see if there's any history of such attacks in the area?" She looked up at the sky, seeing the time of day. "However, if we return to town now, that's just more time for something to happen to those animals out here." she offered, though in truth she was really not looking forward to sleeping out in the cold.
"I'm afraid we don't have much to go on miss," Adjunta says, "oh, and forgive me for not introducing myself, My name is Adjunta Paul. Ned, that's the young apprentice says the man was wearing a mask, and the fact that nothing was taken leads me to believe that this wasn't the work of bandits. Not the regular sort anyways. I think the clues for finding this masked man will be found in town but I fear the sheriff will be of little help, he's convinced that this is some sort of prank, and sadly, to this point, I can't find much to indicate this being anything else."
Ewald replies to the curtsey with a courtly bow then chuckles a bit at himself.
"Arhnhalt Negger of the village of Schwarzen at your service Ladies"
He watches Vi scan the ground and doesn't interfere..if she needs help he is sure she will ask for it and he doesn't think her the type to appreciate interference. nstead he takes note of how she studies the ground and is quietly impressed...she would he thinks do on the frontier..not that a gentle born woman would ever consider serving in the Legion
"Find anything" he asks
Her Uncle Am's comment drew an agreeing look, before she crouched to study the wagon and found tracks, much to her surprise. 'Then again', she reflected, 'rats have been known to grow to rather large sizes..'. Negger's tone was too similar to that of her squad leader when she was attending Stonetide Point, so she responded without thinking.
"Rat tracks, sir. They seem to head in that direction", she said, indicating the nearby farm. When she was not being polite or playing a part, her voice was authoritative, and sure. She did belatedly realize that she was not at Tidefall anymore, but kept her face composed, even though a flush was creeping up her cheeks.
Tidefall Point was not the most prestigious school for the training of soldiers, mercenaries, and other types accustomed to the life of those that fought for country, cash, and king, as that honor went to Silverblood Reach, and Wolfthorn Academy. Neither was it the worst, however. Halsanna had not thought of that place in a while, though she did not dwell on why she had been reminded, focusing on what she was doing, as she looked around at the rest for a comment or decision, one hand brushing back her hair made unruly by the wind.
With a laughing grin, she caught herself and stuck her tongue out at her sister seconds later.
"So we're off to catch a rat then?" Amunrel asked taking a look around as if scanning the heavens for rain.
|
|
"Well, I am their father, though not oft treated as such. I suppose short of tying you to the cart there is no way of stopping this foolishness with chasing down a rat?"
Oribar resigns himself to accompanying the group towards the farmhouse.
"We are undertaking a serious investigation for the town, we must treat these farmers and their property with respect."
"Well, I am their father, though not oft treated as such. I suppose short of tying you to the cart there is no way of stopping this foolishness with chasing down a rat?"
Oribar resigns himself to accompanying the group towards the farmhouse.
"We are undertaking a serious investigation for the town, we must treat these farmers and their property with respect."
"Someone out there certainly isn't" Amunrel noted.
Halsanna's gesture drew a grin and an innocent shrug from Vivaeri as she mulled over what had been said. "So, not only are we chasing after a rat to start with, it could be one of unusual size. Joy."
"Well, I am their father, though not oft treated as such. I suppose short of tying you to the cart there is no way of stopping this foolishness with chasing down a rat?"
Oribar resigns himself to accompanying the group towards the farmhouse.
"We are undertaking a serious investigation for the town, we must treat these farmers and their property with respect."
Vivaeri grew quiet. She had certainly been frustrated with her father lately over the entire marraige ordeal, and she had likely placed far more blame on his head than he remotely deserved. Still, she hated to see him hurt. She held her tongue in check and simply and politely replied "Yes, father." after his suggestion about the farmers.
Halsanna's gesture drew a grin and an innocent shrug from Vivaeri as she mulled over what had been said. "So, not only are we chasing after a rat to start with, it could be one of unusual size. Joy."
Vivaeri grew quiet. She had certainly been frustrated with her father lately over the entire marraige ordeal, and she had likely placed far more blame on his head than he remotely deserved. Still, she hated to see him hurt. She held her tongue in check and simply and politely replied "Yes, father." after his suggestion about the farmers."Well, I am their father, though not oft treated as such. I suppose short of tying you to the cart there is no way of stopping this foolishness with chasing down a rat?"
Oribar resigns himself to accompanying the group towards the farmhouse.
"We are undertaking a serious investigation for the town, we must treat these farmers and their property with respect."
"We could try and cut ahead of it to minimise any problems?" Amunrel suggests.
"An Excellent dea Sir " Ewald says to the Elf "Miss Vi and I will track it over the stubble and the rest of you can work your way round to intercept it if it is still in the field..though I fear it may have made it to the farm by now"
He turns to Sir Oribar..
"That is.. with your permission Sir"
|
|
"I don't know very much about animals," Adjunta says looking to the young ranger, "but I'm thinking that Ewald has the right idea as it's unlikely to walk in a straight line. Perhaps one of us should follow the tracks while the others circle around. I would try to minimize the damage to the field and more importantly I think someone should inform the workers what it is we're doing."
"I don't know very much about animals," Adjunta says looking to the young ranger, "but I'm thinking that Ewald has the right idea as it's unlikely to walk in a straight line. Perhaps one of us should follow the tracks while the others circle around. I would try to minimize the damage to the field and more importantly I think someone should inform the workers what it is we're doing."
"A wise precaution if the villain responsible for this situation is from around here that chat might reveal someone else who saw this fellow either before or after he committed this prank," Amunrel nodded.
"I'll head around with Halsanna and see if we can coax the rat out with some food whilst Adjunta has that chat perhaps he and Sir Oribar can make more headway with the farmers whilst Ewald and Vi see if they track down the rat in case it decided to head away from where we think its going," Amunrel suggests taking care not to indicate which of the twins he's referring to this time.
"I don't know very much about animals," Adjunta says looking to the young ranger, "but I'm thinking that Ewald has the right idea as it's unlikely to walk in a straight line. Perhaps one of us should follow the tracks while the others circle around. I would try to minimize the damage to the field and more importantly I think someone should inform the workers what it is we're doing.""A wise precaution if the villain responsible for this situation is from around here that chat might reveal someone else who saw this fellow either before or after he committed this prank," Amunrel nodded.
"I'll head around with Halsanna and see if we can coax the rat out with some food whilst Adjunta has that chat perhaps he and Sir Oribar can make more headway with the farmers whilst Arnault and Vi see if they track down the rat in case it decided to head away from where we think its going," Amunrel suggests taking care not to indicate which of the twins he's referring to this time.
|
|
Oribar is a bit taken aback at his daughter's sudden empathy. For a moment he simply stands with his arms to his sides, awkwardly gaping as his daughter gives him a hug. Eventually he gives her a gentle pat on the back before waiting for her to release him.
"You know, you are much bigger and stronger than when you used to do that. But perhaps you are right, these animals may get themselves into trouble and they should be recovered and returned to their rightful owner. I shall speak to the farmer before we trapse about his fields and barns."
As the farmer approaches, Oribar speaks up.
"Good farmer, we seek permission to search your property for a missing animal, a small rat, that was released from a shipment not far from here. We shall promise not to destroy your property, and perhaps rid you of this potential pest. As well I might inform you that we require the rat alive, so I must request you also inform your family not to kill any rats until we have uncovered our quarry - it bears a cloth mark."
Diplomacy (if required): 1d20+2 = 5.
You are looking for what ?!! Well , Sir, I would need some information there before allowing you to proceed !
"Forgive me Sir Oribar, but I believe it would be better to explain someone played a particuarly cruel prank on one of your neighbours as he was delivering some pets to town, unfortunately this lout released them nearby and charitably Sir Oribar agreed to locate and safely recover said pets before any harm comes to them. I'm sorry to be troubling you but if possible could we look around to see if we can locate these missing pets we'll try and stay out of your way where possible?" Amunrel asks.
|
|
'whoa , whoa , not so fast ! ' The farmer points to Adjunta ' What to you mean used by spells casters . They do magicals rats now ? '
Adjunta shrugs,
"It's not my area of expertise, I'm a priest not a sorcerer. Perhaps you could put an inquiry into the department of magics in Oppara. We could get a reply in as little as three to four weeks. However this isn't my concern. My concern is with the roads, they must remain open and safe, and locating this bandit is my first priority. Nothing should impair the spread of civilization. My traveling companions who are interested in the possibly magical rat. I was wondering if you saw anything as the attack just happened by the road near your farm."
'whoa , whoa , not so fast ! ' The farmer points to Adjunta ' What to you mean used by spells casters . They do magicals rats now ? 'Adjunta shrugs,
"It's not my area of expertise, I'm a priest not a sorcerer. Perhaps you could put an inquiry into the department of magics in Oppara. We could get a reply in as little as three to four weeks. However this isn't my concern. My concern is with the roads, they must remain open and safe, and locating this bandit is my first priority. Nothing should impair the spread of civilization. My traveling companions who are interested in the possibly magical rat. I was wondering if you saw anything as the attack just happened by the road near your farm."'Attack ? Bandit ? I thought it was just a prank ? '
During this time , Halsanna and Ewald have closed with you . It seems the rat did go into the barn
Amunrel shaking his head steps back and carefully leaves the trio to talk it out as he moves towards the barn without drawing attention to himself.
Raising an amused eyebrow at the farmers reactions Ewald follows Amrunel into the barn
"Finding a rat in a haybarn should n't be too dificult...but finding the right rat..now that will take patience..and a great deal of luck
methinks"