After some negotiation, you decide to shop for provisions at Merchant's Mile in groups of no more than two, and to meet back at dusk. At M.o.M's suggestion, you decide to meet at the mill just south of Merchant's Mile and somewhat out of the city borders of The Academy. "Not many will notice you're leaving in a group." she reasons. If any of you had better ideas, none of you cared to voice them.

As you leave ID's office and make your way to the long spirally stairwell down, she calls out to you. "Don't make yourself a casualty!" she says, almost sweetly, or as sweetly as half-orc vocal chords can manage. 

***
A few hours later, at the mill, the sun is painting an angry red ribbon across the sky facing west, almost as alarmingly red as it rose. It is very quiet, with no wind in the fields, no movement on the main road south, and no bird in flight. To the east, the looming peaks of Mount Voture are cast in this wild red light, slashing its black shadows and crags. The skyline north--Pun Arena, the Academy's towers, and the homes and shops in between, is starting to darken but then slowly twinkle with lights. 

This time Ash is the first to arrive, metal arm glinting just as it had in the morning, but he doesn't notice these things, not anymore. He scans the road that cuts north to south and sees a few figures walking together--Fin and Arc must have met on the road. They join after a few minutes, and then so does Ferg. 

After a moment of two of idle talk, the sun now gone and painting a bruise across the sky, the land all around you dark, you can hear him well before you see him: Effulgyn is coming up the road, sat atop a cart being being pulled by a donkey. 

Fin scans the sky for a long moment before turning to the others, "Getting late already. I doubt we'll get far before full dark, or be in any condition to travel in the morning. How far is the nearest inn for an option?"

“Hoy all!,” says Effulgyn, after scanning 360-degrees around the to ensure no one has seen the group meet up.

“The donkey is called Asterix. There’s a barrel of ale and my brewer’s supplies in the cart. If anyone asks, I am traveling to Beres and points beyond to experiment with adding new ingredients to the beer brewing process to create a new flavor which I hope will be a hit across Stoacia and make me wealthy. You lot are along ‘cuz — security in numbers —and to help with harvesting and that kind ‘o thing. If anyone stops us, offer ‘em a pint and ask their opinion o’ the taste. It’s good ale — I paid full price, ha! That’s our narrative.”

(Effulgyn will rub dirt, mud or what have you on any branding on the barrel so it is not recognizable.)

“We can take turns resting in the cart. Let’s be off and put some mileage between us and the Academy under cover o’ darkness.”

Ash would only stare at the figures coming to him for a brief moment, idly scanning through their equipment with his naked eye whilst donning a recently bought set of studded leather armor over his leather vest. He raises a brow over the halfling wizard's new cart being pulled by a mule, but returns his focus to the deserted road ahead. Instinctively, he decides to quickly scout the road ahead to see if there's anything out of the ordinary— the utter silence keeps Ash's senses alert, albeit unsettled.

12 – Perception

It is very quiet but you do not perceive it to be ominous in nature.

"I think we can travel at night if we are careful" Ferg things for a bit and looks at Fin "You are ok with traveling at night.  We can find secluded places to camp during the day and set watches.  I believe M.o.M. and ID are worried about us and we should be cautious.

He turns to Effulgyn "I'll take the first rest in the cart if that works."  And he jumps in and makes himself comfortable.

The nearest in that you know of is back in The Commons. There is one in Beres to be sure, but that's a full day's march away. Your options are to spend the night here at the Mill (which is quiet now but won't be in the morning), or to take to the road and see if something comes up. 

Ark says, "I vote we strike out and take to the road."

Ferg "ZZzzzzzzzzzz"

“I’ll start us out,” volunteers Effulgyn. “A couple folks can rest as we go. Ash, you seem perky. Let’s keep an eye out together, shall we? I’ll trust you to scan our surroundings while I drive the cart. Ferg, you look comfortable, and with your darkvision you’re wise to take the second watch. We’ll rouse you when the moon begins to set” (2am or so).

The halfling lights a lantern and affixes it on a pole hanging on the cart, and leads Asterix. As their sojourn begins, he focuses on keeping the donkey moving (animal handling) and steering the wheels away from potholes (land vehicle proficiency). 

Ferg's beautiful deep gray owl (Parson by name), perches on the front of the cart as it moves along the path.  He is under instructions to wake Ferg if he sees anything amiss while the group travels in the dark.  An owl has+3 perception and advantage on perception that uses his eyes or ears.

Fin shrugs and loads himself into the drawn wagon. It was infinitely better than walking, and a rest at night gave him a bit more peace of mind. Still, he kept a long quiver of javelin slung from his back close and he laid down.

[OOG, Ash & Arc, what is your position for this first part of the journey? Are you walking on either side of the cart, warning Effulgyn of divots in the road or wayward rocks? Or is one of you in the back keeping an eye out?] 

Arc will be walking for the first part of the journey 

“Arc, that’s the spirit!,” beams Effulgyn. To Arc and Ash, he asks, “While I’m seeing to our progress through the night, can you both keep your senses alert in all directions? Don’t mind the road, leave that to me.”

Asterix carefully plods along the dark road, expertly coaxed by Effulgyn. Occasionally, Arc or Ash will warn them of a divot or a rock on the road, but beyond that the journey is uneventful for several hours.

(DM Request) Can Effulgyn, Arc and Ash please make a perception check? Parson (Ferg's owl familiar) doesn't need to join in. 

Arc rolls 18

Effulgyn perception: 4

(Falling asleep on his feet, lol!)

Arc, after hours of seeing nothing but otherwise very flat terrain - otherwise known as the Great Plains - there is an almost imperceptible change of relief in the fields up ahead. It’s hard to tell in the darkness but the slightly darker black of the fields against the black (but moonlit) sky seems to reveal a small mound in the field about 100 meters from where you are. At this vantage point it’s hard to say how large it is but you’d guess it to be about three feet tall. 

Arc calls out to the team “Hey, what do you make that thing over there is?” Pointing to the small object in the field. 
(PS how do you do a roll in these posts?)