Bastion looks to Avan, "Are you sure we can find something useful for scrying purposes? Would we even recognize bits of hair and the like as belonging to our quarry rather than the other creatures we've already killed? Those three lesser ones we fought left nothing behind, they just misted away." He points to the marks, "That's a trail we can definitely follow, I would rather follow it while it is fresh and they do not have too much of a lead on us. We can always double back for more clues if we lose said trail"

"That... Is a very good point," concedes Avan. "And Katarina, your insight is useful, does it match up with what we've seen? Insofar as controlling people and disappearing into mist? If they can't travel by day, catching up should be easy. We should travel through the night until we're exhausted.

"Bah, but there the horses would come in handy..." Avan stops talking, steeples his fingers in front of his mouth and looks pensively at the ground. 

  Kat nods. " Yes, they have great powers of control over people. They can also turn into mist or assume the form of a wolf or bat.  " 

"Well, we do know that she invades with her undead minions in the evening to take hapless villagers away with them. I, guess we need to try and intercept that idea before nightfall which I believe is soon," Rivoril says.

Arilynia will pick up the items that Avan dropped. Just in case he may need them, or she may use them herself. She had already accepted the Holy Water and the two sickles he offered her. 

I say to Myth; " I have Holy Water, but will only use if needed" 

" Putting the sliver on the arrowheads is a great idea!  I will offer up what little sliver coins  I have if needed." 

OoC: I thought Avan drop a couple items..an Arrow of some sort and some Stones of LIght(think that was what they were)..I just can't find the post.

Are you following the drag marks splitting up to get the horses or looking around?

Myth will nod-in agreement or understanding, its not evident-as he surveys the area. There is-was-a Spellslinger in my world who dabbled with things best left alone. The more he dabbled with them the more he desired of power and knowledge. So much desire it drove him to perform unspeakable tests on his own family-his very own children. The rumor is that he started with his first wife, their first child and then the unborn child, then on to his consort and their children they had together. The 2 sets of twins are-odities, for want of a better term, and until a few weeks ago they harbored so much hate for him that they too almost carried their desires to extremes. If not for the elder sister, I have no doubts there would have been blood in the streets and a whole family wiped out. A long winded way to say-be careful that the desire for revenge or justice doesn’t become all consuming. 

Yes. 🙀🤣

Suggestions had been made, but no decision reached. Looking around for who would be the leader of the group Ghanima settled on Avan, one of the stronger members, but not overly reliant on the brawn. "So, Avan, should we split up to get horses or all go after them directly and hope we catch them in time?"

To Arilynia Avan replies "The arrow with the daylight will extinguish in an hour, and the last remaining Magic Stones in half that. The stone is just a basic enchantment and very effective against undead, like the Holy Water.

"Rivoril did bring up a great point," Avan sighs, "our first concern should be the safety of the village. Indeed, Myth, revenge comes later. It's not raining, the ground is still damp from a few days ago, the tracks will still be there and fresher ones will be easy to follow. We shouldn't split up, especially not as night is falling. We will be better rested and prepared tomorrow and can muster the men of the village to sift through the dungeon while we give chase. I'm quite confident in my ability to follow even a stale trail, so no need to worry Bastion. It would be far harder to chase a druid, but vampires who only travel by night? We will be upon them within the week!"

"Ghanima, thank you for the vote of confidence. Let's turn around and head back! I believe that's the wishes of five of us, Katarina, Arilynia, Kixarn, Bastion, are you happy with that? We won't celebrate to excess, let's take the time to silver coat our arrows and stock up on provisions and more holy water if they have it."

Avan will have one last look at the tracks that lead out of the ruined city to see if he recognises two sets of wolf paw prints and anything else he can tell.

Survival (+2 tracking, +2 natural environment, added): 30

He stares along the tracks due east, then makes a dramatic turn and mounts up, heading west, back into the ruin to retrieve anything left behind (Rivoril's traps, his own Stone of Alarm), then heading the short way out back to the village (assuming 4 characters don't suddenly vote no). 

Kixarn shrugs, unsure of his vote's weight in the group, and says "Either choice has points good and bad. By horse we do travel faster, and I like faster, so village."

Bastion nods, "Let's make sure the village is safe for tonight, and then try to catch up with them in the morning. I can work on those Silver Arrows while the rest of you sleep."

The group heads back towards the village where they arrive just after sundown.  As they enter the village they can see that many people have shut their doors and shutters with regard to the nights still.  A few people still out and about see you coming and look up to you all in hope for the news that he threat to their village has been eliminated.   When you ask the black smith to use his forge to melt some sliver to dip arrows in it he nods that it is acceptable but will ask that you donate 25 gold to him to help pay for the coal.  Those that head to the curch can make holy water and the priest there will hep out.  Again a 25 gold donation is asked of your group per ten flasks.

Kixarn buys 5 flasks. "Not sure of my aim, but better than empty hands."

Rivoril donates 25gp to pay for the coal. "I, will most definitely need to avail myself of silver tipped arrows we need to be prepared for an attack in the evening," he says handing the Blacksmith some gold.

Bastion tells the people, "I suggest keeping on guard for a few more nights at least. The threat appears to have been chased off, and we'll be attempting to track them down and make sure they don't come back, but there is always a possibility of them eluding us."

  Kat shakes her head when they turn back and stays silent for the journey back. As they reach the village she chips to help with the coal as well.  She dips some arrows in the silver along with the others. 

Ghanima takes note of the villager's apprehension, "Looks like they will not be calmed until they know this is resolved. We should take off again as soon as we are able."

Avan adds to Bastion's speech, "Chin up! We'll celebrate properly when we return! Come dawn though, we'll need help scouring the ruins for anything we have missed, so I need a few men. Whoever's willing and able, come to the inn first thing tomorrow."

Avan returns to the priest to instruct him to wait another 2 weeks before cashing his deposit disc, but adds that he may extend that time, by sending an update via animal. Then he goes to the inn for a drink and rest.

 Kat responds to Ghanima. " They have lived in fear for who knows how long.  Until they know the vampires are destroyed they will be concerned they will return. We won't be here forever to protect them and the vampires know that. "