Inge whistles in appreciation of the returning javelin, sounding unintentionally almost like an lewd catcall.  She turns to Mugun with newfound respect.  "Thank you for the... ah, instruction... sir."  She attempts to give him a formal bow or curtsy, a comically poor performance.

Inge then turns and confers with Seamus briefly, then nods and accepts the thrower as a second item with a broad grin.  She counts on her fingers for a few moments, scrunching up her face.

"I'll put this and the polearm to good use to defend the clan, Korby.   This way, Garron can take the rod along with the shortsword.  He, I and Eilynn have 2nd items and the others all have one each."

Korbin nods in agreement to the party as a page bursts through the door "Lord Rembrandt! M'Lady and the mages can spare your absence no longer!", he cries.

Rembrandt nods farewell to Korbin and quickly turns to the door. With the party following behind, Rembrandt stops in front of a heavy set of stone doors with a troop of guardsmen in plate armor. They quickly let the party pass as a call to open the doors.

The party is blasted with a gust at the change wind pressure; revealing a massive atrium. Multiple spell casters are in the process of casting a circle ritual with an older human man at its center.

High Priestess Odassa hovers her hands over the black and purplish wound; pouring healing magic as sweat pours down her brow. Many of the mages have collapsed in the outer ring.

Rembrandt turns to the party.

 "Five days. That is the limit of our power before the King is lost. Good luck and may the gods watch over each of you.", he turns and enters the circle.

 The magic pressure changes significantly as Rembrandt adds his power parallel to his wife's. The display of power of Lord Rembrandt and Priestess Odassa is all the proof to show that they were once heroes of the Demon War.

FADE TO BLACK

Part 2. Road To Timberhill 

The Lone Wander

On a day's journey on horseback, the party makes their way down a forest road until they see a lone figure standing 100ft away in the middle of the muddy road. He or she has their back to the party and is wearing a hooded dark blue cloak with an emblem obscured with smeared mud.

Brymys puts a hand unto his rapier and scans the area for anything unusual or anything else he can notice of the person standing in the road. "Lets approach cautiously"

Perception check

9

Seamus will draw on his connection to the land, listening to the rustling leaves, smelling and tasting the air, trying to discern something about the figure in front of them by watching how the natural world reacts to it.  Does the energy of life flow to or recoil from this being... Do insects flit by as they would a normal creature, or does it have some aura that repels them?  Has it left any unusual tracks?

Perception 10

Inge sees the druid attempting to use his senses to assess the cloaked figure in front of them.

She follows suit in her own way, but instead, she looks all around for any telltale signs of an ambush.  Key areas of cover, movement in the tree-line, possible additional sentries and so on.

Perception:  17 

Garron slowly wraps his hand around the pommel of the short sword at his right hip and pulls back on his horse’s reins. “Whooooa..” The assassin muttered softly to his equine companion just before the beast came to a halt. Cold eyes scanned the figure and the immediate surroundings, hoping to identify signs of a possible trap. “Heads on swivels, ladies and gents, this would be real convenient spot for a ambush..” Came his raspy warning to his companions. 

Perception: 16

Unable to see or sense much, Inge takes a position at the front of the party in case of conventional attack, ready to move forward when someone in the group decides.

She spins her new, "magic evil" halberd once slowly, wondering if this will be the first time it is tested.

Brymys and Inge look around but doesn't see anything note worthy or out of place.

Seamus studies the figure for a moment and notices something familiar about the cloak. He can't tell exactly what it is from this distance. (Need to be with 30ft to identify the garment.)

Garron has seen (and setup) many an ambush in his line of work, but doesnt see any of the telltale signs. However, he does see a game trail lending off to the left and up a hillock; perfect for flanking. (The trail is wide enough for 2 people without causing too much noise.)

Two options. Approach the cloaked figure (100ft away) and/or sneak along the game trail.

Seamus whispers, "If you wish to take the game trail, I will approach openly and hail the stranger, drawing his attention."

He then waves his hand over his staff, whispering the incantation Shillelagh.

Inge will join Seamus in approaching directly.  Part of her kind of hopes this is an ambush... she smiles in anticipation.  Though not the magical kind, I hate those. They make me so mad!  She grips her halberd tighter and spins it again to reassure herself.

Brymys will head for the game trail after dismounting. "I feel more secure when a potential enemy does not see me"

Eilynn decides to accompany Inge and Seamus, offering support to those approaching the figure directly.

(I was waiting to see who went down the game trail...)
Seamus will draw closer to the figure and call out, "Greetings, friend. Well met. I am Seamus.  Art thou in need of assistance?"

Seamus, Inge, Eilynn, and Mugun begin to approach. As Seamus calls out a greeting he is met with no response. When the group gets within 30ft, the person looks as if they have been rolling around in the mud. A chuck of mud falls from the cloak showing more of the emblem.

 Seamus -

 There is no response from the person covered in mud and it looks as if he/she is leaning on a walking staff. (30ft)

Meanwhile...

Brymys makes his way down the game trail in parallel with the party and soon the foliage becomes too dense to see his traveling companions. As he reaches the top of the hillock, he comes across two people dressed in black robes kneeling in prayer to a small ball made from mud with small twigs sticking out skyward. They are murmuring a strange chant.

Brymys Stealth Check - 23

They do not hear Brymys approach.

Seamus's greeting is heard. The two stop their chanting and look in the direction of the others. They begin to rise while producing dirty and bloody daggers from their robes.

Brymys knows these people are cultist.

Brymys quietly casts mage armor on himself and unsheathes his rapier. He will gesture with his hand and cast minor illusion. From 20 ft behind the cultists he creates the sounds of heavy footsteps.

In hopes that is enough of a distraction he moves to kick the mud ball.

Once the ruse is revealed he calls to his companions "Beware cultists in the brush"

Order in Time: The Party -> Brymys -> The Party

The two cultists turn to the sound of footsteps and quickly examine their direction; finding nothing. As Brymys kicks over the ball of mud, he finds it to be nothing more than a crude idol.

(Brymys currently has the jump on these two cultists and can get a surprise round. However, if you wish to call out and warn the party, the two cultists will know where you are. The warning will happen after the party's next course of action.)

Alright then Brymys will take the surprise round then

Seamus will cautiously circle around the mud-covered messenger to get a look at his face. Does he appear wounded or in some sort of trance?

Inge will not let Seamus go alone.  Magic halberd at the ready, using it's 10' reach to ready an attack without getting too close.  She first glances at the figure on the road to check if they appear to be alive/breathing, briefly touching the haft of her weapon for good luck to ward against spirits of the... mud?  Demons like the ones Rembrandt must have fought?  She watches her footing on the road under her and beyond the figure, looking for a trap in the mud.