What I learned
Although I thought the strategy of intimidating, to buy time to utilize detect evil was necessary, as well as giving the opportunity to flee prior to attacking. I thought it might pose some risks to the party but it did not.
As the morning light comes up and you are searching for signs and tracks you notice movement and blackness on the ice in the valley below.
As you make out the shapes in the brightening morning light you see all of the tengu in a mass movement away from the heights of the mountains and toward the flats of the glacerial ice flow.
And
Good day
Gnosh crouches and tries to follow the tengu's trail back to the heights and get a sense of where the group had originated. "Maybe a good place to check before following 'em forward."
Gnosh
The tracks are clealy visible in the snow and appear to lead to the third or possibly fourth peak of the mountain you are on.
The origin of the tracks is much higher up and will take at least a full day of climbing.
Gnosh grunts. "Well, if you all feel like a bit of climbing, we could make it to where they were by the end of the day, but it'd be a long haul and we might not find anything useful."
Azhateran
Your count is 21 tengu, they seem to be moving at haste toward what appears to be a super sized glacier in the midst of the snow and ice field.
You estimate the tengu will arrive that day and it would take at least 2 days to catch up with the tengu assuming they stop at that destination...
After watching the advancing murder of avians, Andreas turns his gaze north. I'm more interested in where they're going. I can't imagine why they'd be headed to the ice fields beyond the mountains. From all the tales I've heard, the Frostlands make these passes seem like spring in Crescent Harbor.
After glaring at Andreas' mention of even colder weather, Sioned whistles quietly at the group of Tengu wishing she had looked around more during the last few days of hiking.
"Can we make a guess whether they're going the same direction as the ones we are tracking?"
Sioned
It seems likely that the tracks you are following merge with the larger group at a junction ahead. your guess is midway down the mountain.
As everyone surveys the scene and begins to decide what to do Fubar notices something.....
"Iss tha a sled covered in white between tha tengu, it doenot look loke itsa bein npulled by nothin"
At the moment Fubar speaks the sun rises just enough to create direct and unnbearable glare and the tengu parade fades into the dazzling morning sunlight.
"Glaargh!" cries out Gnosh who had just turned to look at what Fubar was pointing out.
"Magic?" mutters KD, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Caydee
Generally they seem to be anxious and hurried. At this distance your impression is a general energy, but can not tell if excitement or fear.
Sioned is crouched in the snow, shading her eyes from the glaring sun. She begins to mutter to herself...thinking outloud.
"The rest of the Rector's group never made it back to Camlin and they were bringing the largest piece of Corvaut's metal man. What the fat man had with him...and what the Tengu stole...are simply the smaller parts he could quickly carry along. Now those Tengu" nodding down towards the larger group, "are carrying something larger and trying to make good time to the same place as those we are tracking."
"If I had to guess, I think the remainder of Covaut's crew were relieved of their items as well and the Tengu are all running to bring the pieces together."
"Regardless, we know where our quarry is heading and it will be easier to track the large group. We should be able to make better time without having to constantly pause and re-establish the trail."
She looks around at the others to see if they agree with her thinking.
"Seems tha birds o a feather an all will likely be true inna case o tengu."
"I am fer hearin what ever one isa thinkin."
The ranger shoots Ahz an exasperated look. "I agree with your first sentence. Either we do that, or we might as well go home."
Marching order
perception and
inititiative rolls
for the day
and any specific information your character would like to share.
Gnosh steps into the middle of the line as the party trots down to follow the Tengu. The bag of gear slung over his shoulder clanks and clatters as he moves along, and he grimaces at all the noise he is making.
Hm, I don't really need to be in front anymore if we aren't tracking...but the marching order we have seems to work on for now I guess. I'm ok for keeping the same or re-arranging or whatever.
On perception & initiative rolls
You can roll one if you want to as a for the day.
The roll can last till midday (then you should re-roll).
If your roll was poor it stands for at least 2 hours
Then you can re-roll a new check in 2 hours or keep the original roll
Hoping making the rolls early will speed up combat when/if it occurs
Continues to follow in the middle of the pack, quietly talking to herself...or Rusty...or the snow.
Perception:
Initiative:
Perception:
Initiative:
Perception:
Initiative:
Early
perception
Initiative
Mid
perception
Initiative
Late
perception
Initiative
The morning passes uneventfully with a few snow flurries and the snow on the ground crunching beneath your feet at every step.
The trackers are certain that the tengu being trailed merges with the throng of tracks ahead, that you saw this morning.
Obviously at this point the tengu stopped and a heavy sled was abandoned here. It appears to have been hastily unloaded. Silk rope is still still tied to the sled. Just in front of the sled a 6 foot wide band of pressed snow starts from that point forward crushing the snow into ice.
In this area you find the empty satchel that once contained the parts the tengu took from the town. You discovered the strap coming out from under a drift of snow.
Andreas take up a position at the front of the group, ready to support those leading the group or fall back to assist those in the middle as needed.
Upon reaching the sled, the paladin takes a moment to rest on the discarded transport and idly fingers one of the pull ropes. A bit odd that they should abandon this in the middle of the Gorge, don't you think? Can't say I know what to make of it; maybe they distributed their load amongst themselves when they met with the group we were tracking, as we did when we left town.
"This donat make any sense tah me..."
"Are we tah go up tha mountain tah tha tengus home or after tha tengu that a way"
The ones that attacked Camlin are moving toward the ice. Andreas stands, brushing snow from his clothes as he does.
I'm starting to think their heads are on a tad crooked; I can't imagine anyone that would willingly travel north with winter coming so soon. Then again, I think we should probably keep following them. What do you suppose that says about me? The paladin punctuates his statement with a grin as he adjusts his gear in preparation of continuing on.
"The stolen artifacts and the Tengu that were responsible for Camlin went that way." Gesturing after the group they are following, "I don't think we need to be visiting their homes and causing a conflict on increasing tensions. Would make us no better than them."
As you follow the massive foot prints and the "tobbagon" indentations throught the snow the sun passes its zenith and begins its slide into the horizon.
Azhateran perception pays off
You notice two snow drifts along the trail behind just moved forward about 30 feet and right now they are 15 feet behind Fubar at the rear guard position.
as a side note you managed to unwind 50 feet of black silk rope which is actually a masterwork length of rope made from tengu feathers.
Andreas
will be the first to act
"Grarr!"
A pair of white shaggy humaniod creatures the size of dwarves stop abruptly in their full tilt run.
They come to a stop and each throws an icy ball at Fubar!
Attack roll #1
Damage
Attack roll #2
Damage
Unfortunatly fubars shield was not quite in position and the second ice chunk hurls into his head and shoulders knocking fubar to the ground.
The creatures howl with glee and charge forward!
Caydee
Everyone
Can I assume majority vote on a course of action is acceptable and move forward from that point acting as if everyone was "in" on the decision?
Andreas is Up.
Gnosh will drop his sack of gear and draw his falchion on his turn.
Caydee
** spoiler omitted **
Everyone
** spoiler omitted **Andreas is Up.
Andreas turns to the battle beginning at the rear of the group. Dropping his weapon into a ready position, the paladin moves toward the creatures attacking the party while quickly scanning for additional threats.
I am thinking
When it is the Party's turn I will just say so and then let everyone post in any order and resolve the actions in initiative order once everyone has posted....
Andreas
You detect no evil
Sioned
....and begins to fall into a hexed slumber
If you want to roll a perception check out of game or hopefully my description was enough to give away....
Fubar is staggered