Tylaerys turns and listens to Finn. "I have no intention of dying either Finn, but I've been blessed with magical power, something most people don't have, so I feel obliged to use my power to help those who have none. It's not about being a hero or a saviour, it's about doing what I believe is the right thing to do." She says with a warm smile. "I agree with Jararaka, you would have the best chance to infiltrate that camp Finn but if you would prefer it I can even make you invisible to their eyes." The young blonde half-elf continues with a smile and a wink. "I agree we shouldn't risk getting caught but if we plan well and work together I think there is a lot we can achive in that camp, even liberating some of the wealth they've stolen perhaps. It's definitely not without some risk, but how boring would that be." She says with another wink and a smile.

Tylaerys nods and smiles widely as Jirel and Cheddar too are coming along. It seemed the rescue team was about to make another daring rescue attempt.

After taking care of Wink and Grouse together with Jirel, Tylaerys would return to the others. "Are we ready to move out? Finn, what do you think, can we move out now and meet your scout on the way south following the tracks of the raiders?" 

     "Study the opponent and play the odds, that's all I'm saying," Finn says to Tylaerys, agreeing with her.  "Just don't want to go all in with nothing but a seven and a deuce."

     "Yeah, I'd rather not call Owl back yet.  Best to let them follow and see as much as they can.  But if the trail gets hard to follow or such, I can have them back to me in no time," Finn explains.

"Seven and a deuce? When this cult business is taken care of you must teach me how to play with those cards of yours Finn." Tylaerys says with a smile. She then turns to Governor Nighthill. "I think our team is assebled governor, and we are ready to head out shortly. Would you be able to lend us some horses. They could be helpful if we have to make our way back with people that can't make the journey across the plains by foot." She asks with a polite but firm voice.

"All my own steeds are already carrying riders far and wide with news of this attack.  But... I will ask the Main Street Stables to supply you with horses.  I understand a few of their animals spooked and ran off in the night, but otherwise they escaped the depredations of the raiders.  Now, they can repair their good fortune and help us in this endeavor."

Half an hour later, a guardsmen returns from the stables, leading four horses: three athletic, dark brown quarterhorses and a single huge, black shire horse with white feet.  "This is all they could spare, Governor."

     “Perhaps Cheddar wouldn’t mind sharing a mount?” Finn suggests. “Don’t take this wrong, my friend, but I could probably use someone good with animals riding with me.”

     “We should ride swift but cautious.  They may be wary of being followed,” Finn suggests.  “If we lose the trail I’ll summon Owl back to me to help direct us…”

"Thank you Governor Nighthill, these will certainly speed our rescue of your townfolk." Tylaerys says gratefully, gracefully mounting up on a dark brown quarterhorse. Eager to ride out she looks around at the others in the rescue team to see that everyone is finding horse to ride. "Oh, and would it be possible to get some more crossbow bolts? I hope they won't be needed but better be prepared." She asks, riding up to the governor.

"And a short sword and some light armor if possible." Cheddar speaks up. "And I won't mind sharing a mount as long as you don't mind the occasional hair ball."

Cheddar stretches for added effect.  

     Finn smiles at Cheddar.  "So long as you don't mind the occasional air biscuit..." she says with a wink.

     "If the guards or such have it to spare, a breastplate or a chain shirt would surely make this a little safer journey for me," Finn chimes in. "And a whip might be handy.  Or another rapier.."

((If Finn got an armor upgrade her leather armor could easily be donated to Cheddar, depending if DM worries about size and such...))

Pages race across the keep trying to fill the requisitions of the party.

• Bolts are easy to come by.  The party receives 2 bolt cases, each with 20 bolts.
• They locate a breastplate for Finn.  It is... not in great shape.  It looks to have been pulled off of a training dummy, as dented and tarnished as it is.  But it will still stop an edge and the straps all hold, so it is functional, if not pretty.
• A halfling guard offers to give up his leather armor to Cheddar.  It is almost a perfect fit, but for the hole Cheddar needs to punch in the seat for his tail.  He has an embarrassment of options to choose from in the weapon department, as they have both castle-forged steel shortswords and scimitars lifted from slain cultists available.

While Cheddar is getting snug in his new leathers, the halfling who stripped out of them approaches Jararaka.  "Last night, I heard you mention someone called the Azure King.   Who is that now?  I've never heard the name before, but its kinda catchy.  Is it some sort of Lizard tribal leader, something like that?"

Tylaerys gratefully accepts 10 crossbow bolts making her case full again, smiling at the banter between Finn and Cheddar, then riding over to Jirel and the huge, black shire horse, hoping it will be able to carry the giantess. "Have you ridden a horse before Jirel?" She asks with a warm smile.
She is then ready to head out south across the plains.

Cheddar moves and flexes in his new armor. He puts his vest over his armor and says.
"See Cicero, its a perfect fit." 
Satisfied after he obtains a short sword  and a few more crossbow bolts (4 to be exact) he will declare. 
"I am ready."

Jararaka took the reins of one of the quarterhorses, struggling a little at first, having very little experience actually handling these animals before. Thankfully, it was docile, maybe even a little lax, but it did not appear to be spooked by her. She idly patted the horse's neck , she's never really had time with a live animal now that she thought about it... She paid little mind to the discussion of equipment. She had no need for extra weapons and such with the trusty blade and divine magic in her hands.

Seeing the halfling approach, she tilts her head in curiosity and cranes her neck to look at him. Hearing his words, she grins crookedly and her spines flare proudly, standing in the light is the better choice sometimes..! "You've got good taste! What's your name?" Then clears her throat and tries to adorn a more serious expression, "you speak of my Lord, Ny'rath the Azure King. Remember this name well and let Him be known." she flourishes her shield and shows him the storm cloud holy symbol. "Now, He doesn't care about your origins or bloodline, all He cares about is- if you have the guts to face the tempest of life. He watches over everyone with a fighting spirit under this sky," she raises her other arm, palms up, her gold eyes following suit to fix onto the sprawling blue above. She drops her hand and claps the halfling on the shoulder, sharing a little bit of her divine magic, "He's real down-to-earth too, do you feel this right now?" She meets the halfling's eyes with a grin again, "You interested in praying to my Lord? He would like you for sure, standing up again so steadfastly after this disaster..." and she rambles on until it is time to depart.

(sorry for the lack of posts I'm not getting notifs for the thread for some reason, I've tweaked some settings so I hope it'll work now..!!

(Notifications for this thread dropped off for me too for some reason.)

While yet another request goes out for armour and supplies, Jirel takes that time to check over her own supplies. In other words, she reviewed her weapons, and after the visit in her dreams from Nanny Nalakekali, the stubborn warrior finally picked up her blade again. 

When the guardsmen would present the spare horses it seemed fairly safe to assume that the large black shire horse with white feet would be the one designated for Jirel. “I’ve tended to them in my youth, but I was forbidden to ride.” She admits to Tylaerys’ question upon her approach. The tall blonde would reach a hand out as she’d approach slowly, while also making soft sounds with her mouth. She’d click her tongue, mimicking horse nickers and while she was no singer, she’d move into soft low hums as she’d make first contact. Jirel would fall into almost a meditative state as she familiarized herself with the powerful animal before her. Then, she’d introduce herself to her stead for the first time, asking it’s name and essentially respectfully ask for it’s permission to ride together prior to mounting.

(Casting Speak with animals to open up communication with the horses.)

     “I can make anything look good,” Finn says with a wink as she gratefully accepted the dented and much used breastplate.  Once she has a chance to change out of her old leather and Don the new armor she first slightly adjusts her physical form so that if fits a wee bit better, and the arranges her cloak and clothing to either hide the armor, for vanities sake, or make it the centerpiece of her ensemble and make herself look as badass as possible.

     Once suited up she’ll donate her leather to the keep and say “It’s not much but if it helps even a bit that’s something, right?”  Finn will also scoop up one of the scimitars and wear it on the opposite hip of her rapier…

     As the group is about to horse up and depart, Finn pulls the Potion of Fire Breath and holds it out to Jirel.  “From what I can tell, this would best be used by you,” Finn says softly, not looking directly at the Goliath.  “Lets you spit fire in between swings a few times.  I should have remembered it before your duel.  It would’ve done you more good than I did…”

     Finn passes the potion off, or sets it down near Jirel if she doesn’t take it right away, and then all but runs off to find Cheddar and their horse.

     “You got us the friendliest one, didn’t you?” She asks with hope.  “Truth be told I never say right upon one before.  Been in carriages and carts aplenty, but that’s not quite the same I suppose…”

     Still and all, Finn approaches and attempts to jump up and mount the horse like she’s seen others do with a confidence she definitely hasn’t earned yet… but terrified or not, one should try to keep up appearances !

((couple rolls to see how well she tries to get on horse?))

Acrobatics:   23
Animal Handling:  19
…

Honey eyes look over the potion held out to her. Never having taken such a concoction before Jirel was a little apprehensive, yet still very curious about spitting fire. She eventually holds out her hand and gingerly accept the potion as if she were afraid to break it and cause a big explosion. However, she wasn't able to say anything before Finn scurried off.

Witnessing Finn's less graceful fumbling and stumbling, Jirel dismounts and steps in to do her best to calm the horse should it pose any threat to stomping or kicking. Once calmed, she'd then turn to meet eyes with Finn and offer her a hand.

When Finn found her footing, Jirel would ask, "Ready?" But without really waiting, the goliath lifts her onto her steed, holds and supports her until steady.

"Oh." Is the only response the young blond half-elf comes up with at first. "I can't say much for my father but I was allowed to to ride as a child." She says, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. From the back of her horse, Tylaerys then curiously watches with a warm smile how Jirel befriends her mount. The young half-elf always had a good hand with horses but this was something else. It was like Jirel...talked with the horse.

"Let's move out!" Tylaerys calls out to the others with a firm voice as they are have all saddled up. "Anyone else have any experience with tracking?" She asks the others as the team crosses the stream and heads south, soon leaving Greenest.

Survival roll to follow tracks if needed: 20

Being caught up in the moment, Cheddar tries his own daring-do acrobatics, flipping to the mount.

Acrobatics: 9

Quote from leapingmountain >>

Being caught up in the moment, Cheddar tries his own daring-do acrobatics, flipping to the mount.

Acrobatics: 22

 And lands it almost purrfectly, striking a dramatic pose as he does so. 

   "Wha...?  Oh!" Finn says on a surprised exhale and Jirel places her on the beast!  "Oh my...  Umm, thanks!"  Finn tries to give a charming smile but she is still shocked by it all.  And almost immediately falls right off the horses when Cheddar leaps and bounces and all but does a backflip before landing on it as well!

     "Whoah!" Finn exclaims...  "Make yourself comfortable, why don't you!"

     Finn does her best to get acquainted with riding and staying upright as the group heads out and she is happy to mostly just let her own horse follow the others.  "Tracking?  No, sorry... I mean I can find an easy mark in any tavern within the first five minutes, but the woods is a different matter altogether."

Jirel couldn’t help but crack a hint of a smirk at Cheddar’s display. He indeed did stick the landing purrfectly, especially compared to his attempt at leaping the wall the day before. “Well done Sir Cheddar.” She dips her head to the tabaxi, “You’ll have your hands full with this one.” She’d note after Finn almost falls once again.

Returning to her steed, Jirel takes care while remounting. “It appears you’re a natural from your experience.” She’d look to Tylaerys offering a small smile. She then juts her chin forward to encourage her to go ahead and lead the way. “I’ll cover the rear of the group.”