With that settled, Serge takes up position to cover their rear as the party begins to follow the wagon tracks into the wilderness.

Ixsas is ready to follow the tracks of the wagon, at least for a little while, as he suggested:

Quote from Ben_Evolent>>

Ixsas proposes a half-measure: "We could follow the ruts for one hour tonight.  If there's no sign of their end, we stop and camp in the wilderness.  In the morning, at least some of us could double back to Carnath House in the morning to get Krackle Jr. and possibly the carriage.  Maybe we could even do something for the Mire brothers before we continue following the trail of the stolen goods."  He gestures north, in the direction that the deep ruts lead.  

((OOC: If the party does not reach some destination or catch up to the wagon after about an hour, maybe pause so that we can decide whether to keep tracking them through the night or to rest until morning.  If this wagon leads us on a multi-day journey to some other cult location, Ixsas would definitely prefer to double back to Carnath House first and get Krackle's carriage and at least explain their sudden departure to the cursed Mire brothers.))

It sounds like the wagon tracks are pretty obvious in this part of the trail, but if needed for tracking the wagon:
Survival: 12

And if they reach a particularly tricky patch where a check is needed to find the right path, Ixsas can boost that check with Guidance to make it 15.

An hour of travel in the dark and those familiar with this region knows the wagon is headed for Mere of Dead Men. A swamp that was named because of the thousands of humans, dwarves, and elves who were slain here many centuries ago by an army of Orcs. 

You do not see the wagon.

Do you continue following the wagon tracks? 

When informed about the Mere of Dead Men, Ixsas says, "An ominous name."  He peers ahead into the darkness and says, "The trail has been easy to follow so far, but I don't know whether it's a good idea to attempt navigating a swamp in the dark of night.  And if we continue through the night, I don't think that we'll finish this task and return to Carnath House before sunset tomorrow."

Ixsas looks back the way they've come as though his green eyes could see all the way back to Carnath House.  He says, "That would mean abandoning the Mire brothers to the hag, and I expect that Krackle's carriage and Krackle Jr. will be taken or destroyed once they realize that we are missing tomorrow, especially after they discover the dead lizardfolk."

Ixsas suggests making camp here. The group can decide whether to press on or to head back to Carnath House in the morning. He says that he will pray for guidance at sunrise,  when Kossuth's light burns away the darkness.

     "I barely even know the Mire brothers so I won't lose any sleep there," Zeds admits.  "But speaking of losing sleep... One of us could make a dash back to Carnath house to try to retrieve the carriage while the rest of you wait here.  Yes, I suppose I am volunteering myself for the dash.  Sneakiness may be required and I think I may be the most adept at that here...."

Serge sighs looking out at the darkness of the mere.  "This is going to mean more trolls, isn't it?" he muses aloud.

When Zeds makes his offer, Serge looks to Krackle.  "I don't want to volunteer you, but is... er... Krackle Junior... going to respond to Zeds?"  He looks over to Zeds.  "Do you have any rapport with the beast?  If so, then I think its a splendid idea.  If not... then I think its more likely to be a big, painful waste of your time."

[Either way, Serge will begin preparing for a campsite here on the edge of the mere.  He will look for a spot within sight of the wagon tracks, but not right there on the tracks.  If someone or something follows the trail - in either direction - he would like to know without their own presence being immediately discoverable.  Survival for a good spot?  18 ]

"I will go with zeds." Krackle replies with a nod. "I'm kind of sneaky too... and while Jr. and Zeds are friends... I don't want Jr to get confused in the dark..." The kobold says with a nod as he moves closer to his larger sneaker companion.

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     "I barely even know the Mire brothers so I won't lose any sleep there," Zeds admits.

Ixsas says, "True.  Perhaps this matter with the Mire brothers is just a distraction to the quest that Kossuth set for me.  But I have already interfered with the hag, and I fear that I bear some responsibility for what happens next.  The creature gave us until tomorrow night to find a willing replacement for Toren, and if we do not, then she will eventually consume Toren's soul entirely."

Ixsas asks whether any of them know how far it was to the next major town or city.  He says, "If Toren Mire could at least get to the hallowed ground of a temple, he could probably hide from the hag there for a time.  If we succeed in our quest, then I could return to the road after we are done.  If I could find where Toren is hiding, perhaps I could help him then."  Ixsas is not hopeful about this possibility.  The point of a place like Carnath House would normally be to provide a resting place in between far-flung cities.

If it's unlikely that Toren Mire could make it to hallowed ground in the next few days, then Ixsas proposes that they all return to Carnath House to help the Mire Brothers.  He says, "Serge and I would have to wait for your return anyway.  Now that we know that the wagon headed into the Mere of Dead Men, do you think that a day or two of delay will matter?  The tracks are easy to follow, and if they lead to one of the cult's strongholds, it will be there whenever we reach it." 

((OOC: FYI - not trying to be a drag.  Like the Blues Brothers, Ixsas believes that he's on a mission from his god.  He can be convinced to leave Toren to his fate, but Ixsas did tell Bay that they would discuss the hag's offer more in the morning.  He feels like he took the Mire brothers under his protection, and now he doesn't feel right to abandon them without a word of explanation. 

If there were a more urgent "clock" on following the stolen goods, it would be easier for Ixsas to make the choice to abandon Toren.  As far as he can tell, there isn't.  The party knows where the wagon is headed.  If they can track it or find and question the other lizardfolk whose tracks they saw, they should be able to figure out where the stolen goods were taken.  They could do that in the morning or even the day after that.))

     "I don't get you religious types," Zeds says with no malice but a shake of his head.  "You want to save one soul by dooming another?"  He says this before hearing the rest with the discussion of finding a temple or such but he has no bog hopes for that plan either.

     "I'm not much of a nature lover... But I suspect tracks in swamps don't make for easy following under the best of conditions.  Hours probably hide them well enough, none the less days.  I get your wanting to help the kids.  I do.  But is it more important than the larger mission you believe you are on?  For I truly think spending time trying to save those kids will likely lose us our only trail..."

Quote from Kaemgen >>

I get your wanting to help the kids.  I do.  But is it more important than the larger mission you believe you are on?  For I truly think spending time trying to save those kids will likely lose us our only trail..."

"I am unsure," Ixsas admits.  His scaly forehead wrinkles in thought and worry.  "Even if the weather and the time erases the ruts from the wagon wheels, the cult must have some way to navigate through this swamp.  Once Kossuth's Light parts the darkness, perhaps it will reveal that there is a well-marked trail."    

"What do you think?", he asks Krackle and Serge.  "Do you believe that a delaying pursuit of the wagon by by returning to Carnath House for a day endangers the mission to stop this cult?"

"I'll be honest... unless somehow we can convince the hag to feast upon all the tiamat cultists working to destroy the world... then I think we have bigger things to worry about than helping the brothers." Krackle says with a sigh. "did we set a location to meet up with the hag? If we capture someone at the end of these tracks and let them choose between a quick death or to be a hag snack... can we make that deal anywhere?" The kobold suggests... "Maybe we can convince them that they too could try to pass on this curse to someone else once the brothers are free... or can we just kill the hag?"

Quote from Wreckzors >>

"did we set a location to meet up with the hag? If we capture someone at the end of these tracks and let them choose between a quick death or to be a hag snack... can we make that deal anywhere?" The kobold suggests... "Maybe we can convince them that they too could try to pass on this curse to someone else once the brothers are free... or can we just kill the hag?"

Ixsas's face seems to glow with fervor at the mention of killing the hag.  As he speaks, he falls into a rhythmic cadence and ringing tone that you recognize now whenever he starts reciting his religion's dogma, "I would gladly drag this hag of the Night into Kossuth's Light!  The world was born in Light.  As long as the sun shines upon the land, the Fire Lord's rule shall endure.  Other powers -- be they fey or demons or even dragons -- other powers who seek to usurp His dominion must be cast out or reduced to ash!"

Ixsas pauses and considers this specific case.  More in his normal speaking voice, he says,  "But I fear that the hag may be beyond our powers to harm.  When we saw her, she was insubstantial.  I think that she appeared from some Nether Realm where she feeds on Toren, but she was only partially in our realm.  If I truly confront her instead of trying to bargain with her, perhaps she could fully materialize."  

(OOC: @weathervision - Ixsas figured out that a nigh hag was troubling Toren, but does he know anything about a night hag's capabilities / resistances?  Or that the hag is definitely a deadly challenge at their current level?  What skill check would that be?)

Regarding Krackle's other question, Ixsas says, "The hag agreed to leave Toren alone for the rest of tonight, but she will return to feed on him tomorrow night.  Whenever Toren sleeps, the hag will find him.  I am certain that if we are near Toren while he sleeps, we can contact the hag.  Perhaps such a creature would also come to us elsewhere if we invoke her name and offer a bargain."  He's not at all sure of that. 

Unless Serge wants to return to Carnath House, Ixsas concedes to what Krackle and Zeds say.  With a heavy sigh, he says, "What you say seems right to me.  What use is it to save Toren if the dragon cult destroys the whole world?  I will wait here with Serge while you two fetch Krackle Jr. and the carriage.  Perhaps Toren will survive long enough for us to help him after we figure out where these lizardfolk are taking the stolen goods.  Give me a moment to write a letter to the Mire brothers.  When you get Krackle's carriage, you can try to leave the note with Faelsin's other wagons for the Mire brothers to find in the morning." 

"I think that's for the best," Serge says.  "I worry about those two lads, but I just can't see any way for us to get in and out of that place again that doesn't involve fighting and probably killing all of the guards."

     "So Krackle and I are headed back to try to get the wagon and Junior while you two hole up here and try to stay out of sight?" Zeds tries to confirm.  "One we return we'll try to track the lizardpeople?"

Ixsas nods, "Agreed."

Ixsas helps Serge set up camp.  Then, he'll try to get some sleep while they wait for Zeds and Krackle to return with the carriage.  Assuming that Zeds and Krackle don't run into trouble and make it back to the campsite in a couple of hours, Ixsas would prefer to take the last watch shift (so that he can be awake at sunrise).  Watch shifts would be something like this:

1. Serge
2. Zeds or Krackle (once they're back)
3. Krackle or Zeds
4. Ixsas

Zeds and Krackle head back to Carnath house under the cover of night. Once back you see a pair of torches burning on each side of the palisade gate that is closed. Outside parked in rows are wagons and carriages of all sorts. Patrolling nearby is 4 guards split into 2 patrols. They carry lanterns as they move on patrol.

Zeds and Krackle please roll Stealth. 

16+8 for a 24...

ooc: sorry I have been and still am sick. sorry for slower posts

stealth 19