The Long Road of the Mage King (Game Thread)

Keyrie transforms into a giant weasel and scampers ahead while the rest of the party pushes the horses and carriage as hard as they can to keep up. Periodically over the next two hours, a quick search for the hoof prints and scents they are trying to track reveal they are still following their kidnapper. Keyrie never sets eyes on the villain, though, and she eventually reverts to her normal self. She almost has caught her breath when the carriage and horses catch up half an hour later. The party has driven themselves and the horses, with only very short breaks, for about 15 miles. The signs of their quarry are still present and seem to indicate the creature is tireless. 

DM shield:

While everyone stands in the road, uncertain how to proceed, the breeze blows a powerful scent of perfume over the whole party. It is as if someone dumped an entire vial of the stuff on the ground. Indeed, no investigation is necessary in tracking down the source of the odor. Even in the dark, everyone can easily tell when the scent grows cold and the party finds themselves first fanning out and then converging on a hollow log by the side of the Long Road. The hoof prints move around this area thoroughly. Inside the hollow of the log is an open vial of perfume, definitely that of Neventi. Underneath it is a piece of paper, which reads: 

Friends, we are unharmed but our captor moves quickly with few stops. I write in haste to buoy your resolve. 

I no not where we are going but it will be another 50 miles on the Road. 

Leave signs when I can. 

Minotaurs.

Nev.

Looking up from the note, Dog rumbles, "so according to the map, the next city on the map is Tamsarus. Has anyone been there recently? If so, we might be able to teleport there with the helm and look for their approach, assuming they stay on the road's path. If not, those who need rest, try in the cart. I will keep us going on the trail, as slow as it may be. We may have to stop and camp at some point but they could be so close..."

(Tamsarus is where you just fought. next one south!)

Gash walks up to Dog hearing his proclaimatuon and turns the map right side up for him. 

Dog narrows his eyes and quietly growls at the goblin. "HergaTENus, then. Long day. Thank you. Thoughts?"

Keyrie pauses for a moment, "Does anyone know how to write a teleportation circle? If you give me an hour to rest, I can turn into an Elk and go full speed to the next city carrying someone with me, we can put a circle down by the city, and put a circle down here, then bring everyone back. Or you said it works with an object too? Maybe we can do it that way then? The note said it was another 50 miles? Sprinting I can go about 11 miles per hour and can stay in animal form for a total of 4 hours now, that should get us close to whatever destination they are planning."

Tock is still trying to make sense of the situation. "Wait, how do minotaurs play into all of this? Does anyone know if they are loyal to any of the sides of this conflict or are we facing a new player?"

He hides a yawn.

"Feels like we should teleport to the next city, rest up and ask around if they know anything about minotaurs. Maybe they can even describe their lair or something like that and we could try to teleport straight there..?"

"I would have agreed with you before, but I think we should camp here and try and pick up the trail first thing in the morning. Nev is leaving us clues and and information, if we skip ahead to the next city, we could miss out on something..."

Gash thinks for a second, "As for Minotaurs..."

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Dog says, "I think you may be onto something, Tock. Can we actually teleport there?"

(Has the circus been anywhere around here?)

"I think its possible, I'm not sure if I could teleport our cart and horses though... if we all sit in the cart I think I can get us there, but maybe not the horses... its new magic to me and very advanced stuff, I'm really far off from being able to do anything like it on my own." Gash says as he paces around off the trail.

Gash:

"...anyway as for Minotaurs, they're normally reclusive as a race, they don't head out of their home areas often. But when they do, its not strange to see them in areas like this..."

"So we have Nev's letter expecting to keep heading down the long road as our sole direction here? And that it's a Minotaur and not a fiend? The Minotaur could be headed anywhere. Could even work for that giant who lives on the island, the third option."

Dog is at his wit's end at feeling so helpless, but tries to center and calm himself. 

"I trust you all with my life - have done so constantly for a while now. Seems we have a few options.

Camp here or back in town for the night and see if the trail is better in the morning.

Keep going in the dark like this and hope to catch them.

Try to teleport ahead, with or without horses.

Am I forgetting one?"

“Giving up is always an option, Dog but I respect you for not even realizing that. You’ve got heart my friend. We’re about 15 miles from town, we’re all exhausted. Let’s just camp here.”

Feytok yawns. "Let's pick something, at least."

“Sorry I’m so wishy washy. Let’s head back. We can get a good sleep. Some food. And supplies for whatever the heck lies ahead. Leave markers on our way back to lead us to this location so we can pick up the trail.”

"Do we have time to go all the way back to town? We can just camp here for tonight and move out in the morning. I doubt the town would have anything we desperately need."

"I'm inclined to agree," grumbles Feytok.

“Alright.” As the others set up, Gash sits with the note and casts detect magic as a ritual and will follow up with identify if needed. Afterward, he would help set up any more of the camp that’s needed and then reassure Dog with message, “they’ve been through worse, they’ll be okay. We will reunite with them”

(Welcome to level 5!)