Harmony had heard her, thinking. If they have to pass through here to get to Ersetsu, hopefully there is only one or a small number of these vampires so they can outrun them. "We should be quick going through here then to avoid any fighting hopefully." she would have said to Aisha and Garu, nodding.

Aisha is just nodding along with whatever everyone says, she's stilll waiting for night to fall so she can 'rob' back their parties gold. Or die trying.

Garu begrudgingly nods along with Harmony. "This cave of evil is an affront to my god but to accomplish our goals, we have to stay alive."

OOC: We seem to be held up a little bit here. If the conversation with these mercenaries is over, I'll just need to know what the party is doing. Moving forward to Ersetu, waiting for night to fall somewhere else, something else entirely, etc.

OOC: clarification - Eretsu is not, as far as we know, in the direction of the caves of evil, correct?

Might be best to just give us a quick refresher, sadly we've had some long gaps and thats likely effecting our memory. I usually take good notes but i don't think I did this time.

OOC: It must have been missed, but the implication would be that these mercenaries are paid to protect Ersetu. You were nearing the vicinity when they approached you. Now that you've paid them off, they are willing to conveniently be "away" when you approach Ersetu.

Garu connects with this realization of where they're heading with her comrades. "We must move with precision now if we are to accomplish our objective."

As they clear past the mercs, she draws her sword in one hand, and her shield in the other. "Keep within 10 feet of me for added protection."   

Harmony had heard Garu, nodding back as she would do so while walking behind her and ready for anything.

OOC: Sorry for the delay, still trying to get back to a daily pace on my end.

The mercenaries leave you to travel further into the mountains, following the directions of Spring as best you can. With her weaponry equipped, Garu leads you toward a few cavern entrances that prove to be little more than small caves. As evening sets in, the sun a couple hours from setting, you find a more obvious entrance to an underground cavern. Ahead of you, a large and weathered set of crumbling stone steps descends into the earth. Fifty feet below, they widen into a larger chamber.

Aisha would be just out of sight of the mercenaries, where they would just barely be in her own sight, and she was moving as stealthily as she could. while keeping pace if they moved, or otherwise waiting patiently. Aisha waits for the sun to set fully... where *she* would have the advantage....

 Stealth Roll Day: 28

Stealth Roll Night (barring DM action preventing it): 27   (Though if it makes it to 'night' she will be using Pass without Trace to add an extra 10.

OOC: I'd like to get an idea of what Garu and Harmony are up to while Aisha is tracking the mercenaries (or where they're waiting if they're just waiting).

Based on what Aisha insinuated, Garu and Harmony are waiting at a pre-determined checkpoint. If it gets late into the night waiting on Aisha, Garu will suggest that Harmony crash out while Garu waits for Aisha.

Harmony would also wait with Garu and if it does get late, she will listen to Garu and reluctantly go to sleep.

Tailing the mercenaries from a distance, the light of day begins to grow dim as Aisha treks further into the mountains, circling around the cavern entrance and a short distance away. There, in a small vale, a series of nine tents have been erected, discolored from the sunlight. The mercenaries begin to relax, lighting a pair of fires and dragging the day's catch onto spits. The woman who had spoken earlier counts and separates coins as the sounds of their distant conversation and laughter carry over the light breeze to the rocky terrain where Aisha watches.

Luckily for Aisha, the dying light had little effect on her feline eyes. Sure, she couldn't see 'as far' but within range everything was perfectly visible. She remained where she wouldn't be spotted without near-perfect vision. Her spell a long lasting one, thankful, only cast just before she took up her 'post.' Her first job was to 'case' and 'observe' to see if they had patrols. Tsavi wasn't far off, in case a distraction would be needed later, since there were many variables to consider. It had been a long time since Aisha had robbed... well in this case it wasn't robbing, it was UN-Robbing. The mercenaries may see it otherwise.... 

Regardless, her first need was to spend at-least half an hour watching who was doing what. There were nine tents... so there were atleast nine people. Aisha expected more, if only to be a pessimist. She knew it may be at-least two hours before anyone passed out since they were only just starting their meals it seemed. Aisha pays special attention to whomever the coin gets passed to, if it wasn't simply being counted out. She hoped to do this all without any violence... quiet as a windless night. But if it came to combat she would have the advantage in speed... and if they were in a cavern.... she could filter them into her spikes. 

All these were running through her head. But for now, she would observe, even if it was a waste of her spell energy. Only a foolish 'theif' would go in blind, and without a plan.

Aisha Perception check to observe the goings on to help formulate a plan, atleast 30 minutes but she's willing to spend the WHOLE hour if need be to observe: 18

Sorry for double post but I don't want to risk losing that 15! Everyone else feel free to post what you guys are doing, I don't want this to be a 'selfish player' moment.

Over the course of the next half hour, Aisha sees twelve of the mercenaries within the camp, noting the magical ability of some, who use arcane energy to control the cooking flames and a spectral hand to turn the spit. The coin seems to get evenly distributed among each of them as they finish cooking and begin to enjoy their meal. The sun sets in full, casting darkness across the mountains.

OOC: Ready to advance once the next action is taken.

Aisha and Tsavi would wait several more hours, letting them fill their bellies, and grow tired. Likely a few of them would be on watch or something, or patrol at worst (for her). In an emergency she would use her spell once more to remain as hidden as possible if patrols should happen to come close. If possible, she notes who all received coin and what tents they went in. Spending the remaining time watching where fires were so she would know where the shadows were as well. 

Once she felt confident enough that the 'goose was as good as it was gonna get for the gander' (And so I don't hog the spotlight too long) she would do one of two things. If she had been forced to use her shadow spell earlier she would save her spell energy for an escape, if she had NOT used it earlier (to avoid detection) she would use her shadow spell now, to enhance her stealth.

Stealth:                                  Tsavi  21                        Aisha 25   (if shadow spell used, add +10 to both)

From there, she would attempt to go from nearest tent to deepest tent, never going into the firelight if possible.... and never entering a tent who had someone who was obviously awake. Taking back the gold that had been 'extorted' from the party (as much as possible.) But since these people had in fact extorted the party, regardless of how good or helpful they may have been.... Aisha would stay a few seconds in each tent... in case any trinkets, or unique weapons/armor/paper/scrolls ... basically anything noteworthy.... might be lying about, to also take them. Tsavi would be with her the entire time.

Whenever she could, she would scan the edges of the tents as she moved between them, looking for the above mentioned as well. If any weapons/armor/trinkets/scrolls were around the edge of the camp, she would try to take those as well, so long as no one was visibly or obviously awake/facing that direction.

Perception for 'item hunting' if needed: 12