Dageron presses forward, hoping to inspire his comrades to stop dickering about. 

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Adam stops checking his six, and his nine and his three, making different poses in all four quadrants.  His nose wrinkles as he is assaulted by the gas.  “Travin, is that you?”  Finally he turns and notices the monkey.  “Is that your monkey Travin?"

"No! Travin doesn't like monkeys hmmm!" As the group moves away travin remains atop Artax who follows Dageron as the hobgoblin leads. Travin look back over his shoulder at the wide eyed stinky simian and clicks his fingers at it.

Poor Artax looks like Travin and all of his weight is slowly breaking his back.  If a horse could look sad, this one surely does.  Artax's ears lay back against his head and he huffs hard as he carries Travin and his massive pile of junk along behind Dageron.  Birt plods along beside them, his tongue still hanging out, his eyes still cross.  Occasionally he reminds everyone of his name.  

"Birt Wrenils."  He mutters uselessly.  

Dageron's Gremlin hangs out on his back, pulling at his armor, messing with his hair, looking for things to play with or just generally being mischievous and inquisitive.  

"Ward, please do not hug random creatures.  Something about this area doesn't make sense, and I agree, I don't think this is the labyrinth spilling over, this has more to do with the Lord of Darkness and the affect he had on this land.  I wonder what else has changed." she gulps thinking about the possibilities.  

"Did we want to go South first towards Falcon Crest and see if we can find anything out?  Or towards Mistytomb Hamlet.. or do we still want to steer clear of that place?  It has been a couple of weeks since we've been there and I would think they have more pressing matters then us on their hands looking around us here.  Either way, its going to take us about 2 weeks to walk to the labyrinth."

She pauses, watching Dageron's gremlin play with his hair a beat, then adds, "Dageron, do you have a feel as to where we should head?  I do want to get to the labyrinth, but I think it might make sense to hit these towns on the way, they may be in trouble."

"I need more information than what I have been given, and sooner would be better than later to receive it. So, why don't you help fill me in. These settlements nearby, are they large populations? One race, or many? Do they adhere to the rule of their King or act independently? Do they have any strategic value, aside from being near the Labyrinth? Is there trade with the Labyrinth?" Dageron looks about as he asks his questions, a clinical eye evaluating the unique flora and fauna he can see.

Shavaris stares at Dageron with his questions that he shoots off.  Finally she responds, "They are towns.  Not big, no."  

She then looks to Ward to see if he is going to add anything about Mistytomb or not.

Dageron gives his own stare in reply. "Three answers to five questions, and no context to which were actually answered. I will do my best to advise the Dawn Guard given its apparent limitations." 

“Mistycomb I believe has some trade, none with the Labyrinth. It would be easy for me to check in with  the mayor however, see if there has been anything going on. We were attacked by around 20 mercenaries before, from some bounty posters by Vaders forces. We dealt with them simply enough and the town is overall positive towards us besides the few who wanted our bounty. Worst case scenario I think Adam just gets a second saber though.” Ward chuckles “I assume they may follow under Vaders law however they were not hostile with us openly, and are of assorted races. The Myconids also roam in these forests, I do hope they are alright.” Ward says to Dageron

A thoughtful rub of the chin and Dageron nods. "Thank you Ward, for filling in those gaps. So, to summarize: the towns and villages are sparsely populated, mixed in race, under enemy command, do not trade with the Labyrinth, and hold no real strategic value?

"If all of that is true, then I would sweep around to the northern shore and, using magic and whatever other means at our disposal, ignite a series of massive fires along the north coast tree line. We would continue for days, ensuring the entire span of this part of the landmass was aflame. We would do so at a natural shift of the wind southward, of course, or when a prevailing counter wind would be at its weakest. The resulting fire, if properly initiated, would feed itself as it grew, spreading south with ferocity in its hunger.

"This would accomplish many things at once. Whatever impact the leaking Labyrinth could have on the surrounding area would be cut off from living things to corrupt and would burn us clear sight lines to the labyrinth itself. The already corrupted life, be it from the Labyrinth or the enemy, would be driven southward into the enemy in an uncontrolled panic. Enemy strongholds relying on locals for food and supply would be starved out and forced to withdraw from the area. Enemy patrols would be significantly easier to see from a distance. The enemy held communities would create a refuge crisis as they too ran south to stay ahead of the fire. Such a crisis could serve as a vital source of allies. The enemy has no care for the weak or destitute, and that antipathy would fuel open rebellion which the King could support with logistics and supplies. 

"If no magical force prevented the fire's spread, and we were successful, we will have bought ourselves precious time to resolve the Labyrinth issue while allowing the chaos to take hold for our enemies in the south. We could then move south once the Labyrinth issue is resolved, and hopefully with a force of ready allies from the Labyrinth in support, and initiate a sweep of search and destroy missions against enemy patrols, remaining strongholds, and surviving settlements. If the masters of the Labyrinth were allies, we could also use their food and succor as aid to newfound rebels, making it the most important stronghold in the north"

He meets Shivaris' eyes, "That is what I would advise." 

“We don’t need fires. The only thing these towns need is freedom. They aren’t joining out of support, they join because they can’t mount a resistance. We can. I have the resources with a few more bottles of lightning to make large and impactful attacks on enemy legions. If I can get ahead of their advances I can sit in the air on the carpet and craft fletchette containers, the. Drop those and lightning bottles on our enemies. I don’t want to risk harming these towns, the people don’t need that. If we can show them Vaders troops can be felled that will be more than enough. I began that process when we killed their hunters, i told them to watch and if they did they know that they aren’t invincible. As well we don’t know where their troops are. Besides the damage to the forests as well, even if they are infected they can be cured with time, there is no need to burn the forests into ash. “ Ward says showing the carpet and paint bottles. “We can start a rebellion, but we don’t need to put civilians in the line of fire to do so, if we cut off the heads the rest will be weak and helpless.” Ward finishes, almost zoning out for a moment and looking through Dageron before he comes back to himself.

Johnathan has been quiet for a moment, listening to what plans the others have. He wonders whether they should just press on and ignore the plant life and weird creatures. That’s when he starts nervously looking around the area. He spins around, making sure the ring he has is still on and working. He goes a bit pale all of a sudden. Did anyone hear that? Something just spoke to me telepathically. That shouldn’t be possible. He continues to look around for a minute. When he doesn’t see anything else nearby he stops. Something else is affecting this area. This isn’t labyrinth magic.

His concern on his face turns into a frown at the mention of the lord of darkness. It seems he still holds a grudge against the deity that was partially responsible for his past troubles. Lord of darkness? What gives you that idea Shavaris? Last we heard they joined up with some other people to form so sort of monster on Hylia. If this is his magic then we should make haste to the labyrinth at once. Right?

He stops and hears Dageron talk about setting a forest fire to destroy the local forest. Why is it always fire with this group? Setting a fire might not be wise. Granted this forest is corrupted with something, and Gods knows I hate this place and would be overjoyed to have it destroyed, but remember this land was once used by the locals for resources and could be used again if we cleanse it. Also how does setting the forest ablaze gonna help negotiations with Jareth at the labyrinth? We are fast, have flying capacities and even have teleportation spells to some degree. Why don’t we just move quickly and avoid the local wildlife? We can get to a town and ask around. Maybe they would know more?

"If, as Ward has indicated, the local population is sparse and these communities hold little strategic value, then worrying after their well being places our greater missions at risk. Forests regrow from fire. The impact will not be permanent. Does Jareth care about anything beyond the Labyrinth? If not, burning the forest has no impact on negotiations, but does impact our other objectives significantly. 

"As to bombing runs, those are limited to just one person's ability to produce and a handful of others to help use. Not nearly enough to impact an entire theater of war. If we cannot use those to scale, then the plan becomes a drawn out series of hit and run attacks. That could take years given our numbers. 

Lastly, the world is ending. There are battles you can afford to lose, and ones you cannot. We find ourselves in a situation where we cannot afford to lose any battle. You each think too conceitedly of your own moral objections, and not of all the lives in balance in this war. Sacrifice the towns, the forests, the creatures - do that, and we stand a greater chance of saving the continent." 

Travin stops, blinks slowly and turns to Johnathan. There is a moment of actual lucidity in his eyes as he takes a breath, looking down on the group from atop his struggling horse, "not possible? Hmm? just likes when the Squizardses knocked us all out. Yeh? Feels the sames as that time hmm? EXACTLY the sames. The dawnguard is right, Travin lived in the labyrinth hmm? It shaped Travin. This is NOT Jareth's magics. This is otherworldly yeh yeh. Travin has a thoughts... When Ro openeds the Lament configuration, the Lord of darkness gained somethings hmm? The world was effecteds, remember? Yeh yeh, this forest never recovered.

Dawnguard should not travel through, unless they seek to find its source... Ward has plans for the squizards hmmm? If this is where the dawnguard must go then lets help Ward prepares his measures first, or the journey ends in these woods and the Dawnguard dies when we meet the source."

Travin usually believes his own words, and doesn't care too much when they make no sense to anyone else. This time is different, his tone unusually serious and desperate for others to understand, his concern is apparent and the fear of knowing exactly what this magic is, makes him strangely hesitant. "Ward, tells us how to fight these things hmm?"

Shavaris's eyes go wide as she listens to Dageron's advice.  "...an uncontrolled panic.." she is so stunned by the radical suggestion he gives she can't even respond.  

Glad that Ward agrees about the fire, she adds, "We don't have to waste our time with the small towns, it was just a suggestion as they are sort of on the way.  I do feel the need is urgent that we get there as soon as possible."  She turns to Johnathan and is about to answer his question when Travin does and she nods to the part about it is not the labyrinth's magic.

As Travin continues, however, Shavaris's face turns into a frown.  "You feel the Dawn Guard will die if we go through this forest?  I would like to try and help this forest if we can... it just doesn't feel right leaving it like this.  But I'm open to what others want to do to get to the labyrinth."  she then turns back to Dageron, "Except for burning everything down."

Shavaris suddenly looks into the forest and holds up her hand to try and silence the rest of the crew.  "Wait..."

"I hear... I hear someone crying.  Crying for help, sounds like someone very young, possibly a child.  They are screaming for help.. something has them!!  We got to move!!"

She swings herself up onto Running Bird and starts heading into the forest.

"it was that directions hmm? Go slow" Travin warns as he points out  toward the noise agreeing with Shavaris and following after, "come, Dawnguard can plans on the way, yeh yeh, still needs to be carefuls."

Wanting to have range on anything that could attack, travin pulls out his trusty gun, and advances slowly upon Artax, keeping an eye on the trees and avoiding coming close to them as much as possible, he mentions to Birt to do the same.

"We are on mission in a forest thought to be able to trick minds. The stakes are the entire world. You all desire to risk capture or death on such a simple minded ploy?" Dageron's voice barely hides his contempt at such recklessness.

Travin cocks his head over his shoulder and raises an eyebrow at Dageron's contempt. "Dageron is not willing to takes that chance? Hmm? Would Dageron not risk it all to saves one soul yeh yeh, if it is trap then the worst thing to puts in it, is a Dawnguard! Hee heeeee!" Travin chuckles as he chases after Shavaris. Apparently forgetting his momentary fear, which will likely return all too fast with the junkman's mood swings and muddled mind.

"I'll follow along. Remember I'm here." Ward says, before vanishing into the trees as he becomes invisible.

Dageron manages not to facepalm (though the Gremlin does). He follows in the rear.