Dardek looks at Ashley "Uhh dying in my sleep....I am fine. He has a point, I would rather die in my sleep unaware of the horrors that befell me. I was... It was just, jarring. I am ok, let's go."

Talon looks from Dardek to Nib, then to Ashley as she asks her question and Dardek answers.  Talon smiles up at her then, a toothy, grinning smile that only a Kobold can manage, before he begins to step out into the woods again, leading the party on its merry way.  

Bramblebottom Woods

Late Morning

Barely an hour into your journey north you're alerted by the distinct smell of a campfire. Voices speak to each other from nearby grove of trees... A group of humans or mostly humans from the sound of it. Their tone is casual. You think you might hear a dog with them.

Doesn't seem they've heard your approach and you haven't been making an effort to particularly stealthy. 

What would you like to do?

Ashley freezes at the sound of others and pulls her too big cloak tighter around herself and puts the hood up, trying to conceal that she is a fire genasi as much as possible.  Turning to the others, she puts her finger to her lips to signal quiet and then attempts to quietly move around the group - giving them a wide berth.

Stealth: 10  Lol

Dardek taking in all the birds doesn't see Ashley stop and bumps smack into the back of her (Stealth 9)

Talon ducks into a bush and stops moving, just waiting, listening, waiting to see what the others intend to do... 

Stealth = 21

 Nib puts his hand on his bow and heads into the brush, hiding and getting to where he can observe what transpires.  He is also ready from cover to place an arrow, if needed, with his bow into an attacker's head. 

Stealth : 22

As everyone goes into stealth mode, Ashley and Dardek trip over each other's feet, and whisper at each other to be quiet...

They realize, almost too late, that the sound has attracted some attention. They duck behind some trees just in time to see a man dressed in hunting gear peek around the nearby brush, checking to see if he heard something. He appears to be human except for the pointed ears on his head. He has fair, reddish skin and sandy colored hair tied back behind his ears. He's wearing patchwork leather armor sewn together from animal hides. 

Just then, one of his companions calls to him in a jibing tone, using a language none of you recognize. The man curses back at him and laughs, turning away and heading back to his companions. No one seems to have noticed you.

What would you like to do?

Dardek whispers to the group "Maybe they are honoring someone?"

Ashley shrugs her shoulders in an 'I don't know' gesture then turns to Nib and Talon, "What do you all think?  My vote is to get by them and find the well."

Nib successfully sneaks down to the camp to catch a gander.... He counts about four human-shaped figures eating, stringing bows, sharpening blades, seemingly preparing for a hunting expedition. One man, in finer leather armer than the rest, seems particularly well-outfitted for the expedition. He sits with a slight smile on his face, silently enjoying the company of the others, tossing scraps to a hound that sits at his feet. He wears a diadem on his head made of fine, albeit tarnished, metal.

The men speak to each other in a language Nib can't understand, laughing a bit with each comment. Even though Nib can't make out exactly what they're saying, he recognizes the tone of trash talk when he hears it.

The seated man adds his own incomprehensible jibe into the mix. In response, the others laugh and nod to him deferentially. He manages a half smile himself, then goes back to feeding the dog. After swallowing some morsel of food in almost a single bite, the hound lifts its head and sniffs the air... for a moment, Nib worries the dog might have caught his scent... but then the mutt goes back to scarfing down scraps.

What would you like to do?

Dardek wonders to himself and then looks at Ashley and shrugs “Shouldn’t we just say hi?”

Nib sneaks back towards the others, crouching down and speaking in no more than a whisper.  “They are hunting for something.. or someone.  They look professional, there is a leader down there with a hunting dog.  Let’s go around, give them a wide berth.  As my momma would say when I was little, “When you see smoke, run, never wait for fire.  Well, there’s a fire waiting for us right down there, I don’t want to look for it…”. he stops Dardek and has him consider his words.  

Dardek's shoulder slump but he understands the warning "Ok....I will be quiet and follow...they look like friendly sorts though..."

Ashley completely agrees with Nib and is relieved he feels that way, she then turns to Dardek, "You thought Brother Emmit looked friendly as well."

Without waiting Talon to try and change their mind, Ashley works on trying to get them far around the group, and back on track to the well.  

Dardek looks down thinking about his poor judgement of character 

Bramblebottom Woods/Trade Road

Midday

You follow Talon's seemingly wayward path through the trees for another hour or two when you start to notice the canopy becoming a bit more sparse and the sounds of forrest life a bit less present. Finally you realize that you've reached the northern edge of the woods. Beyond the tree line, the trade road between Figbrook and Caeli stretches silently.

Where would you like to go from here?

Dardek peaks from around a tree and sees the road "uhhh weren't we supposed to follow a congregation or something? I don't see anyone about....I think we made a wrong turn" 

Ashley's eyes go wide as she realizes their mistake.  "I'm sorry, I let my fear get the best of me.  I wonder if that group of hunters were the congregation?  I mean they did hold one higher above the rest.. think it is too late to go back and follow them?  I mean, we should try, right?"

Nib’s eyes light up, saying “Of course!  How could I have forgotten?  And we follow them until there is some sort of conflict or other….who knows.  Let’s backtrack and follow ‘em!  Let me lead, ok?”   He reverses course and makes his way back to the gathering….