Quote from OisinmacCameron >>

Quote from EtyenAndiros >>

A sullen quiet hung over the party as they marched relentlessly onward.  They'd seen great loss and greater horrors during their travels, but the likely unceremonious death of the old man's daughter still struck them a heavy blow.  They had little reason to hope that she yet lived, but they had to carry through with their mission.  On that front, it was fortunate that they'd been able to find enough of a trail to remain confident they were still in pursuit of the presumed murderers.  Cainneach remained vigilant despite the hours of monotonous hiking they had endured, so naturally was struck by the potential danger of the boulders looming ahead.  He did not, however, mind at all when Famh took him by the arm to point them out.

"Aye, there's not much chance they wouldn't at least have considered waylaying us at this spot, if they have an idea we're on their tail.  You're right, leannan, to look for tracks leading off.  If we can spot some, or remain fearful of ambush, I think the choice might be whether we head directly for them with speed to roust the scoundrels from their cover or we maintain an air of ignorance to draw them out as we pass.  Either one carries risk.  Maybe I could sneak around to try and glimpse if they're behind the closer.  Hopefully they're so well-concealed they can't see us well either!"

Investigation 12  (Looking casually for tracks leading off the road, as Famh had done)
Stealth 7  (Judging whether it is likely he can find sufficient cover to sneak away unnoticed by watchers at the boulders)
Perception 25  (Looking for evidence of ambushers)

 

Quote from LAXGunner >>

Thatch pauses and purses his lips as listens to the others and surveys the scene in front of him. “It would be a likely spot for an ambush, or a trap.  It almost looks like the stone slid down from the outcropping above.  I will have a quick look about”  He blushes slightly as Famh mentions primroses and instinctively pats the flower pressed into his leathers.  He takes advantage of Salt’s abrupt barking to slide off of the trail away from the party and circles around the outcropping looking for any sign of ambushers or traps.

Perception: 14.

Stealth: 22.

.

 

 

 

 "it seems like we can dae both, leannan. It wis ill luck that Salt shoud bark juist then, but at least 'twill make us seem more like we're no aware of any danger. But we are, an sae gin we press on as Ori says we'll divert their attention from Thatch as he flanks the stanes tae either catch some corbies or circle back round tae us if all's canny.|"(WIP)

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Performance (to seem like distractingly easy prey) Dice rolls not yet available for this section.

Investigation (... while watching out the corners of our e'en) Dice rolls not yet available for this section.

 Performance reroll 18

Investigation reroll 13

Famh:  "And ye're right, Vardi, the scrap is odd in mair than just being down there.  An admirer maybe, since the gravat's worn about the neck like a lover's arm; or maybe the lass was a fine seamstress hidden among the hills and broidered it herself.  Especially if the material proves as homespun as the dye."

"All onionskins and no alum by tha look of it." Vardi offers on the matter of the dye but concedes "Better needlework than most. An odd find indeed." then asks "Tha red ribbons in tha nests would be hers then?"

She looks to Cainneach and offers "If we can nay spare anyone ta herd tha' lot back downt farm, and nau offer any gladder tidings ta her kin, then best we were off after tha riders."

With a regretful look to the well, the Lyften lass trudges after the group, hoping that the trail brings better tidings to tell a family than what has been found thus far, Skoggi peering out of the basket on her back, watching out for trouble behind her. 

The rock by the road gets little more than speculative look and a muttered "If it be in tha way where it be now, then tha' can be fixed."

Ori: "...Otherwise we have to keep up the pace, aye." 

Vardi marches on, keeping herself between the slipped stone and Famh, and attempting to act casual as she does so.

OOC: Vardi makes a Performance roll to act casual, Total of 20! and a Perception roll to spot any trouble lying in wait, Total of 12. 

As the companions moved forward they were positive there was no one observing them and that if there had been their movements in the shadow of the ridge-line would have been hard to determine. And that anyone observing would not have suspected they were on high watch as they moved.

On the lee side of the boulder they found numerous evidence that many folks had stopped here for an evening with signs of cooking fires, buried refuse and hoof and bootprints.

A pair of ravens winged overhead croaking as the light began to fade and though they were beginning to climb once more it soon became obvious they would not reach Marrowglen before night fell....

Quote from Damian_May >>

As the companions moved forward they were positive there was no one observing them and that if there had been their movements in the shadow of the ridge-line would have been hard to determine. And that anyone observing would not have suspected they were on high watch as they moved.

On the lee side of the boulder they found numerous evidence that many folks had stopped here for an evening with signs of cooking fires, buried refuse and hoof and bootprints.

A pair of ravens winged overhead croaking as the light began to fade and though they were beginning to climb once more it soon became obvious they would not reach Marrowglen before night fell....

 Famh looks at the fading light, then around at the abandoned campsite.  "It looks like ye're right, Ori. This cannae be their camp if they only took the girl this morn.  A troop of folk must have spent the whole of ane night here at least.  Unless the raiders were part of that company; but they're no here now.  Shall we press on intae the dark as ye were thinking, then, i' hopes we can find the spot they do stop tae camp?"

Cainneach lends his thoughts to those of Famh.  "If those raiders were part of the company that stopped here, then we're nearly a day behind, with night quickly approaching.  We can rush on into the night to try to catch them, or if we don't think that's wise, this must be a safe enough place to camp, seeing as a whole troop spent the night.  I'm fine with either."  Cainneach and Salt snoop around, trying to find any boot or hoof prints or scents that match those of their quarry.

Survival 10  (Cainneach searching for signs or the trail of the riders they're after)
Perception 20  (Salt sniffing around for the same)

Ori looks at the rest. "Oi, this would be as good as spot as any to bed down for the night at, but the girl only went missing this morning. So if the riders did take her, then those old camps aren't theirs. I say we press on, and if we find no sign of them by morning, then we camp and turn back around. Inspect the well closer I suppose. I figure we we don't catch them by morning and they start riding again, we will never find them on foot.  I also understand people's uncomfort trying to track at night so what say all of you?" Ori didn't really believe they woukd ever find the gorl at this point, but he pushed on to be a key to look her father in the eyes and say they did everything they could to find her. He wondered if Almeric would push them on through the night or not. Ori wasn't going to command these people, his job was to keep them safe, the task or job always was second to that, so ordering them into danger was not something he would do. He certainly would try to convince them, but not order. Orders were Almeric's job, he needed to see the job through whike Ori saw that the team made it through. Ori was no stranger to traveling at night. The old troupe used to always travel at night, and sleep during the day to be able to perform at night. Promoters and crews got sleep whike they traveled so they could set up and gather interest whike the performers slept, this also ment that the performers felt like the middle of their day in the evening when doing their performance. So Ori wasn't as nervous traveling this time of night. Though the size of his old troupe scared most night lurkers off, and they weren't trying to track anyone whike traveling either.

Thatch comes around from the back of the outcropping and joins Cainneach and Salt as they quickly investigate the campsite. “Just a quick look around, never know what you will find in these places.”  As they finish, he looks up at the darkening sky and turns back to the trail ahead. “I say we push on.  If they camp ahead of us, we may see their fires as the light begins to fade.  Might give us a chance to slip up unnoticed.”

Perception (for quick search of the campsite): 22.

.

Salt and Thatch inspect the campsite thoroughly before the group moves on into the night, but nothing of note was found though there were signs that someone had stopped here during the day it was hard to tell who and how many...though as Salt quickly lost interest it was likely not the ones they were pursuing.

The companions continued the climb into the hills, the sky above was alight with stars with no other light sources to drown them out.

Somewhere around midnight there was a throaty howl somewhere off to the west, and a short while later a small group of female red deer trotted across the road in front of the companions, stopping momentarily to regard them with interest.

It was barely minutes later that a juvenile wild sow blundered out of the heather and on spotting the rather perplexed Salt directly in front of it, began screaming its head off in panic.....

Cainneach isn't much bothered by travelling through the night or the sounds of howling.  However, he'd never been out with Salt in the dead of night and come across a group of deer, the very animal the hound had been bred to take down.

(I'm going to assume that Cainneach will pass this check so we move right onto the wild sow ... ;-)

Animal Handling 23

The forester feels Salt tense, that tell-tale coiling of the spring that is usually followed by a massive release of energy as the hound bounds off.  Fortunately, in this case Cainneach is able to intervene quickly and forcefully, and Salt obediently complies.  The hound's disappointment lingers for a few minutes, until the party is confronted by what seems to be a lost and frightened creature.  Salt freezes and watches the thing carefully, waiting for some direction from his owner.  Cainneach draws and nocks an arrow, Readying a shot in case the sow moves to charge them.  The noise was undesirable, but he doesn't want to make the call to take it down.

"Nay start wha ye cannay finish, Skuggavardi, nay a sty-born lass there..." Vardi mutters in most serious tone as the low growling from the basket behind her begins in response to the startled squealing. That said, she slowly shifts the shield on her left arm into a more defensive position, ready to block any ill-advised charge from the wild mainland beast, and makes no sudden moves.  

Salt suddenly lunges at Cainneach knocking him aside out of danger as a huge grey-brown form rushes out of the brush, Salt rounds on the heavy boar as more aggitated sows appear on the roadway in response to the noise.

The boar champs its jaws and mock-slashes at Salt with its tusks, its eyes roaming the group for threats.....

(What's the distance between the group and lead boar? How many are "visible")

(What's the distance between the group and lead boar? How many are "visible")

(What's the distance between the group and lead boar? How many are "visible")

( Maybe a dozen sow and 1 boar...within 10' to 20'.)

Cainneach winces as the hound slams into him, while in that instant realizing exactly what the danger was.  He rues this delayed awareness of the young boar's family, so to speak.  As with bears, the most dangerous boar to spot is a young one, as the overprotective drove is doubtless nearby.  Cainneach rights himself and redraws his bow in one fluid motion, seeking the most effective target to disperse the threat.

Nature 22  (surely Cainneach must know if taking down the boar will rout the lot of them)

Quote from EtyenAndiros >>

Cainneach winces as the hound slams into him, while in that instant realizing exactly what the danger was.  He rues this delayed awareness of the young boar's family, so to speak.  As with bears, the most dangerous boar to spot is a young one, as the overprotective drove is doubtless nearby.  Cainneach rights himself and redraws his bow in one fluid motion, seeking the most effective target to disperse the threat.

Nature 9  (surely Cainneach must know if taking down the boar will rout the lot of them)

From what Dru told him of boars.....his mountainous homeland having few of the creatures....they are intelligent, have close family bonds and hold grudges....he's....50% sure that violence will beget violence and they can do serious damage enmasse...

Quote from OisinmacCameron >>

Looking carefully to the side so the boar and his troop of sows are in her focus but she is not gazing directly at any of them, Famh murmurs to Cainneach in the softest voice that she is sure will carry, "I dinnae think we want tae provoke them, leannan ghraid. The memories are a little muddled (Animal Handling in log: 12), but the stories I can call back aboot sows and boars all speak o' their savage temper. But I think the boars are also solitary an tak' ill tae another boar. Maybe if I make the sound of another troop approachin' throuch the underbrush, it will divert their wrath from us."  Her eyes take on the faraway look they assume whenever she steps into Faerie as she casts her spell.  Shortly thereafter, the sounds of a troop of wild swine browsing along, and the belligerent grunts of an alpha boar scenting a rival, can be heard from a point off to the left of the retinue's path and on the other side of the boar ... thus:

               X (Dayne retinue)

 

               X (boar)

 

                                   X (sound)

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Minor illusion as diagonally far from us as the spell's 30' range will allow

Nature 24 (to accurately simulate the sound of a rival troop)

 

 

 BBCode booboo fix edit

An absolutely perfect audio representation of a large group of foraging pigs erupts from the opposite side of the road and the combative porcines immediately vacate the area leaving the companions in peace.