Quote from BaconExpert982 >>

((Huh, surprised balls of string arent an equipment option in the PHB))

Kallista spends probably too much time overthinking extra gear she might want/need. Eventually after enough time of coming up with and rejecting worst case scenarios she purchases a length of rope, a tinder box, a blanket. And seemingly on a whim, a sprig of mistletoe of all things.

 ooc: We're each getting tinder and a bed roll from Guiston.

Ooc: lol- I’ll keep drawing- haven’t quite got him yet. If I can get a longbow and arrows from Grimbuld, I will! 

((My reading comprehension is fantastic apparently XD. One sec))

((Also, why is everyone stealing Kallista's thing XD))

OOC: You mean the archery? Because they’re all jealous 

(Hyre will at some point get his magical armour, and that will be his weapon (and for now he's using a dagger anyway). Far from a bow. Also, he offered Kallista a Repeating Shot bow, so even if the others have bows, only she has a magical bow. For now, anyway.)

((Just teasing, i dont mind XD))

At the offer Kallista thinks for a moment, "Sure, that sounds interesting Hyre."

((I just need a day or two to recover from a nasty bug. So much sinus pressure. This time of year always beats the crap out of me.))

((Finally feeling better. Thanks for your patience, y'all!))

Grimbuld nods his approval as Hyre prepares Kallista's gift. After it's complete, he regards the rest of the group.
"Where stealth was the best option before, this time, speed shall be our greatest ally. You all are experienced enough to spot trouble you can't handle coming and capable enough to defend yourselves against the more common threats in the wild." he states, throwing on his spider cloak.
"I'll do my best to keep up with all of you." he says, rolling his shoulders as he prepares for a solid day of travel.
"The way to Blackrock Lake is mostly downhill and lightly forested at the beginning. It used to be a major caravan route until kite travel became a more popular option. After about a day, the forest will get much thicker. We'll have lots of hiding places and cover, but travel will be slower. If we take the most direct route to the lake, that will take us through the deepest parts of the forest, though we could go around them. The forest lining the old roads breaks up if we dip a bit south to the 'cracked hills' where ancient sink holes have created small walkways through the terrain. Not much the way of tree cover, but the ground won't be as soft or slippery. Still though, it's terrain that favors ambushes. Or, we could cross the bridge north of Guiston and stay on the road running parallel to the river as much as possible. We'll be more exposed but it'll be the most easily traveled." he explains.
"This is your show, I'm just tagging along."

"Despite everything, I think the forest is the best route. It sounds the safest, at least, and I'm not in any particular hurry. Rather, after the stress of everything until now, taking a slow, more relaxing route will make this break into what it should be, or at least somethimg close to that." He looks at the others, looking for confirmation. "Unless someone has an objection?"

Aelar considers the options carefully and then Hyre's comments.  He's a bit surprised, not at the choice but the reasoning.  He too, favors, the forest road for the more directness but doesn't expect it to be relaxing in the least, not considering the opportunities for ambush.

"I agree with the forest route, but I'm not expecting anything relaxing, not with all those opportunities for ambush.  Still, I'm not anxious to tramp around outside the walls on the exposed road," he says.  "Kallista, Lazlo?"

"The cover the forest allows would be a boon... but I've no doubt it will be dangerous. If it is the most direct route, all the better."  Lazlo says, with a shudder. Memories of the chilling night his family was attacked in their camp flood his mind before he takes a deep, calming breath. 

Kina pats Lazlo's back encouragingly.
"If worse comes to worse, jump on me, I'll get us out of harm's way while they eat Grimbuld." she says with a teasing grin.
"Hah! Like they'd pass horsemeat to gnaw on my gnarled, stringy carcass." Grimbuld replies in kind.
"If we head to the forest, we may actually come upon the old outpost before we get to Blackrock. It might be worth camping in for a night, if it's unoccupied. Honestly, there's no telling what condition it will be in, it could be fully intact, or it could be now a nest. It's been abandoned for only a couple of years; if there are any provisions inside, they're probably still good to use. From what I understand, when it was closed up, it was done so in a way that there was an intention of opening it back up, so it was properly boarded up and any perishables sealed in wax to prevent the scent from leaking out."

"That seems like a good path," Kallista says, "kill two birds with one stone in a way."

Grimbuld nods his approval.
"Let's get moving, we'll want to get in as much travel as we can before the sun sets. As much as you kids have grown, the night is no time to be tempting fate." he states.

The group moves swiftly down the foothills surrounding Guiston. The fact that just a couple months ago they were penniless refugees is not lost on the old ranger, who talks down to the youngsters far less, his tone softened.
Raia stays behind, still preparing her spells for her mission to watch over the people of Hon, but she keeps in contact with Aelar. It's hard for her to NOT be a helicopter mother when she has a detailed sense of what he's doing at all times.

((Encounter roll: 37 ))

The group happens upon some tracks as they make their way, obvious enough that they'd have to be half-dead and drunk to miss them. Something passed by in a hurry, and it was chased.  Do the group care to examine the tracks more thoroughly or continue on?
Grimbuld notices them but doesn't say anything, though his eyes do linger on the tracks. They've certainly caught the old ranger's interest, but his role is to follow, not lead.

"Hold on a moment, I want to see what passed here. If it's something dangerous - too dangerous - we might want to take a detour." Hyre crouches next to the tracks, the ones left by the chaser, rather than the chased, trying to discern what could have left them... or at least if he should be concerned that its tracks are around. 

Survival: 4.

Meanwhile...

A small caravan makes its way through the hilly, loosely developed landscape surrounding Blackrock Lake. The city of Rondo is growing rapidly and has been trying to find a way to secure the waters of the lake to compete with Port Krell as a major shipping hub for the outer colonies beyond Aden. Progress for that, however, has been predictably slow as the waters of the lake are thick with massive, deadly creatures like some primordial, hellish aquarium. There are no charming little fishing villages along the lake, but rather, fortified positions where fishing raids are conducted. Large crews of two dozen seasoned hunters take out a robust barge and dare the waters to harvest a single colossal specimen that will feed dozens of hungry mouths for days. Processing their enormous carcasses is a danger in itself as dangerous scavengers home in on the scent of a successful hunt, so the butchers have to work quickly, not only to prevent spoilage, but because the longer they take, the greater the risk of attracting the attention of something the sentries can't deal with.

Rondo has been hiring on adventurers and mercenaries to act as security forces as it tries to set up a secure construction effort to create a more permanent, fortified port along the shore to act as a central processing area, directly connected to a major road going into Rondo. It's a risky venture, as the road stretches quite a ways outside of Rondo's border, but ambition often overwhelms caution.

Within the caravan are two particular individuals; one of them has been hired as an advisor due to his knowledge of 'The Deep', the other into a sentry role, largely on a whim. They've only been in each other's company for about a day.

The caravan has some 10 others in it; 2 Rondo city officials to document the conditions of the proposed construction site, 6 other sentries watching for trouble, and 2 sheriffs who have also been sent out to investigate whether one of the other raider ports has fallen; it hasn't sent any goods in the past week, and usually that means trouble.

Aelar moves to examine what was being chased.  It's all good to know what's out here and he approved of Hyre's caution but he wanted to know a bit more.  "Kallista, will you please look at these with me...or rather, let me help you," he says with a smile.

ooc: Aelar wants to give Kallista the Help action on her survival check.

Hyre is able to determine that the pursuers have vaguely insectile feet; judging by the number of them, he would surmise that they are karnis woodrunners, bipedal humanoids of fairly low intelligence but high coordination. Hyre saw mention of them in Geoffrey's collection. Like ants, in groups, they're able to move and maneuver with an uncanny cunning to bring down prey, but given the depth of the tracks left by the chased, it might be above their weight class. Woodrunners typically hunt smaller game or forage, and they rarely attack travelers due to having only the most primitive of weaponry. Even in large numbers, they are no match for a volley of musket fire. On rare occasions, they have been known to approach outsiders to trade, as they have yet to master metalworking. They must be desperate to attack something so much larger than them. 

Kallista nods, kneeling down to inspect the other set of tracks.

Survival: 12

Kallista is able to determine the size of the creature being chased, but not quite the exact species. Whatever it is, it has 8 legs, and weighs more than a war horse. The depressions left in the ground have also ejected a lot of dirt, showing that the creature was moving at a considerable speed. The tracks lead off downhill, into a slightly denser wooded area. The tracks are quite fresh, too; it's very likely that the ones who made them are close by.