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Dashki smiles at the girl, "you sure you want to go out in the dark? Can get dangerous out there, and there are worse things than pugwampis. This is gnoll country after all."
"Now come on, I can handle a goat. We don't need that old woman, Hadrod. He'll just whine and cry. Scared of his shadow that one."
"As for the tracks I'll show you how to track. A goat."
Dashki has a spluttering torch lit that provides some light, and two more bundled up on his belt.
The scout nudges Erizi, "maybe just us who can take care of ourselves should go, whaddaya think?" Close to, he stinks.
"It's dark and scary maybe, but I have a strong warrior and excellent scout to protect me, so I think I should be fine. And well considering you are a superb goat tracker maybe it would be best if you led the way Dashki, I would like to learn how to track a lot more.It's also nice being out under the open sky watching the stars, and keeping one eye out for gnolls, it should be fun."
Thinking to herself this guy is camel dung leary and lecherous as she goes to get her gear.Looking up at the night sky wondering if she can see far enough into the darkness.
In that case she will break out her sunrod from her pack and strike that up, if no one objects.
"Save that, Zsithreminni. Someday you may be alone in the dark and need it. For now I can provide light." Shimei takes three or four stones and casts light on them, then hands them out to members of the party.
During the tracking Shimei will stay close to Dashki, try to help, and try to learn something new.
"I can also provide light, and I will follow along in the rear since I am useless as a tracker. And an interrogator apparently."
Zaid also lights up a couple of rocks, enough so everyone in the party has one.
"I'm not sure that searching around at night is a good idea, but there we go. Especially when walking along all lit up in potentially dangerous territory. I'll follow along behind Zaid. Can any of you see in the dark? Nombir looks straight at Morgrym remembering that Dwarves can. "If so, I suggest that you lead the way with our trackers, slightly ahead of the main party? No point being stealthy types when you are all lit up!"
Nombir is not sure this is a good idea, but will support the party and protect his friend Zaid if he goes. He holds his morning star in readiness and is ready to go.
As the party starts out of camp, Shimei ponders Nombir's words, thinking, True the tracking will not be good in the dark, but Almah has the patience of a scorpion. And the sting. In her eyes we failed. He remembers Garavel's admonition to work always with the party, Almah's scorn over the prize goat.
He replies to the cleric, "If we find the goat we will win two friends in camp and regain some standing in Almah's eyes. We must succeed. "
"If you are worried about the light making us targets shield it like so." Shimei holds his stone in his hand and pulls his voluminous sleeve down his arm so that it overhangs his hand thus channelling the light onto a patch of ground in front of him. "It is not perfect, but will make the light less noticeable from the back and sides. Or walk out on our flanks without light. But do not send the dwarf before us. He will spoil the signs."
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Dashki takes Shimei back to the area where he saw some strange tracks. However the scout limps about without finding a route despite the lights now provided.
But Shimei and Zsithreminni both see drag marks, where small hooves have dug in but been pulled north over the rise.
Mixed with the drag marks are small claw marks in sets of three. About the size and weight of a halfling. Dashki continues his searching scanning around the area but it is obvious he cannot see these tracks. Yet.
Morgrym does as Nombir asks and goes forward a bit but later on the dwarf is found at the rear. He seems to naturally end up there unless its pointed out.
Shimei calls Dashki over. "Here, we have found tracks here."
"Well this should be fun trapsing about in the darkness, will certainly help in my learning the skills of a true tracker.Dashki may certainly learn me a thing or two."
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Dashki looks down at the slight tracks, "you have done well." He spits on some small claw marks. "Pugwampis!"
"And that looks like our goat was dragged through here." He starts leading everyone upward the gentle slope over the hard ground. Every few paces he stops to check and cast around for the marks.
Zaid/Zsithreminni
Nombir
Shimei
[spoiler]Ahead in the shadows something large looms. dashki is watching the ground. One limb is raised and the shadowy monster is no more than 20 or thirty feet from the scout, near the edge of the vision. It could be moving forwards but it's difficult to tell. Something small and dark detaches from the base and scuttles across the ground towards everyone.
"I saw something move over there!" Zaid says and throws his lit up rock at where he saw the thing.
"Everybody stop!" Hisses Nomibir. "There's somethin flying about out there! Dashki, look to your front!". Nombir moves next to Zaid with morning star and shield at the ready, but not in a way to block Zaid's line of sight.
Shimei freezes when he hears Zaid's and Nombir's warnings. He slips his lighted rock into his belt pouch and crouches low, peering about him and listening. Then he stretches out his foot to hook the end of his bow and begins to string it.
"Where?" He hisses.
"There to the left and behind us, whatever it is its small and just ducked behind those rocks."
She points to the area specified, realising that its too late as she has said her warning that the creature may have been warned that it had been spotted.
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Dashki freezes in place and starts scanning the front. He pulls out his scimitar.
Shimei follows the flight of the lit stone towards the rear, it clatters and disappears among the rocks, casting long shadows. But no small creature can be seen.
Nombir
The ground around the lit stone is broken and has several small cactus bushes dotted about.
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Shimei
"marhhh!" can be heard faintly in the darkness far ahead.
Shimei
** spoiler omitted **"marhhh!" can be heard faintly in the darkness far ahead.
Shimei warns, "Dashki, running toward you from the front." He digs in his pouch for the lighted stone. If there's time he'll toss the stone about 10' ahead of the party.
FW
Nombir casts Bless on the party as a precaution!
Looking about at the state of alertness the party is getting into I shall ready my crossbow, taking the lighted stone and place it on the ground in front of me. I will do a full circle of the area looking out for signs of trouble.
FW
"These must be the pugwampys."
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Shimei's tossed stone frightens the desert rat half to death. It jumps and scuttles back behind the large looming cactus it had come from.
Dashki brings his scimitar up en garde but the new light provides no target.
Nombir
The magical blessing of Abadar washes over everyone.
Zsithreminni sees no more than the rest at the moment.
"mmarhh," comes again. It may be an an echo but it sounds less than a thousand yards away.
Hadrod reaches Dashki and calls out loud, "Rombard we're coming, don't w-!" until the scout clamps a hand over his mouth. "Shut your hole," he adds.
Shimei's tossed stone frightens the desert rat half to death. It jumps and scuttles back behind the large looming cactus it had come from.
Dashki brings his scimitar up en garde but the new light provides no target.
Shimei chuckles under his breath. "Just a rat. What about you back there? Do you see anything?"
"mmarhh," comes again. It may be an an echo but it sounds less than a thousand yards away.
"Sounds like we're close."
If the others give the all clear, let's head out.
"No sign of trouble from over here, well from what I can see, I think we should be safe to move forward."As she bends down to pick her light stone up.
Shimei stands and moves forward to collect his lighteds stone.
Zaid picks up another stone and lights it.
"Morgrym look to the rear! I saw something moving there!"
"A rat and a bat. We are horses shying at running children. Let us move on. It sounds as if Rombard is not far."
Zaid picks up another stone and lights it.
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"marrhh."
Dashki lets go of Hadrod and turns back to Zaid and Nombir. "I didn't want this idiot to come. He's your problem now. He just woke every gnoll for a mile around with that shout."
The scout turns back and kicks a small dusty rock, limping slowly ahead.
"Come on."
The party travel on over the rise and round and down the other side. Every now and then the sound of bleating gets louder. However to those in the know, the sound is a little odd, like the brief cry of a child in pain. The clumps of cactus are increasing in number and size as the party nears the source of the sound.
Soon Dashki comes to a stop. Ahead is a field of five foot high cactus. He hands over a three inch spine from one, it's like a sharp nail. "That will hurt you."
A small cry comes from beyond the field, in the shadows, a faint white movement can be made out.
Hadrod steps up and points straight across the spiny field, "Rombard is there. I can see him."
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There are small gaps between the spiny plants, but anyone not taking extreme care would be likely to get hurt. It is only 25 feet wide so that should help some.
Dashki and Morgyrm go left and right quickly returning with bad news. The field goes right to the edge of a ravine, both ways. The only way to get to Rombard is forwards.
At Hadrod's call, the bleating starts getting quite frantic. "Marrhh, marrhh, marrhh!"
Shimei stands pondering the prickly cactus patch.
She scratches her head looking around at the darkness then back at the cacti"Well as a child I used to climb trees and barns and buildings back home with a few other kids, am sure I could use the cacti as stepping stones and get to the other side, would be a good challenge in the darkness, should be fun."
"Looks like we'll have to wind through the cacti like snakes." Shimei sheds his voluminous dusty brown wool cloak, to reveal dusty unbleached (sort of white) robes beneath, peasant or poor nomad's garb.
"Not all of us need brave the cactus spines. One other will suffice."
"I will come." Zaid only wears a keffiyeh.
"Does any of you have some rope to leash the goat?" If the answer is yes, and the owner wants to wait at the edge of the cactus patch, Shimei will borrow it.
Shimei takes a few deep breaths, then sidles into a gap in the cacti and begins to hop, skip and limbo his way carefully toward the clearing.
She thinks to herself very impressive Shimei.
Even I would be challenged by trapsing across the cacti but luck has fortuned the brave or foolhardy.
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The first ten feet Shimei struggles to get to grips with the twsting and turning around the nest of spines, dozens tug at his thin robe, making ragged bleeding scratches.
Then he redoubles his efforts, unfortunately a large stone twists under his foot and Shimei slides full face into a tall cactus, three spines dig deep into his cheeks and forehead, narrowly missing his eyes. Such bad luck for a stone to play false like that.
Zaid seeing the problems Shimei is having can now step into the cactus field himself.
Shimei continues to the clearing.
The wild yellow dog appears and trots to Shimei's gear which he sniffs before lying down next to it and watching Shimei's progress.
Almost through, suddenly the fates turn against Shimei and a desert plover flies up and away from the cactus, startling him. Off balance, Shimei barely manages to fall out, bursting out of the field, several spines broken in his sides and arms.
Grimacing at the pain of the spines, Shimei peers around the clearing looking for the goat.
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Zaid stumbles twice as he tries to negotiate the cactus field. The first unfortunate incident happens when Zaid's robe gets tangled around his sandal. The second time a small black spider jumps off the top of this fat cactus and by sheer bad luck lands on his hand.
Eventually Zaid is stood next to Shimei, looking slightly less ripped and bloody.