Seldom Spring

"Sorry, Erric. This is all that Sagitta and I can see from this distance." Maldorn says while letting the winged snake curl back into his clothes.

Turning to Ebokk, he says: "If we find a place that looks safe to tie up the horses, I can set up my string and bell around them. It won't necessarily protect them, but I'll hear something in my head if any danger approaches them and if we are within 1 mile of the warded area. We can run back and try to save them if that happens."

"...or, you know, one of us could stay back and protect the horses," he says while raising his shoulders and still looking at Ebokk.

Anafrey had been mostly quiet... keeping to herself other than the occasional grunt or curse word as the slightest annoyances. "I'm not paying for dead animals...  it would probably be best to hide them here." Anafrey would say as she slides off the back of her horse. She would reach for her flail but then shake her head as if debating the best course of action in her mind. after a moment of hesitation she would draw her bow once again. As she does she growls a but as though she had just lost an argument. 

"Maybe Snap can take a look? Snap, can you fly out there and take a sneaky look at what we're seeing, then come back and let me know what you saw with your picture words?" If the pseudodragon is willing, she'll wait for his reconnaissance before going on.

Jambiya also speaks up about the horses. "We should leave them out of danger, but I think we shouldn't tie them up. If something comes for them, they'd be helpless." She talks to the horses, asking them to stay, and letting them know they won't be tied up, in case they have to get away from anything bad, and she'll give them each one of her special berries if they stay.

As they get ready to approach the cave and it's structures, she goes over the plan again. "Ebokk in front, and then we'll all try to shoot things if we can, to keep them from getting to close. But if they get close, then Anafrey and Ebokk in the front? Is that right? I'll pick up your bow, Anafrey, if you have to throw it down."

"Maldorn's spell should keep the horses safe, right? But I agree that moving them a bit away from the road and finding a decent hiding spot not very visible, perhaps near an outcropping or in a small copse or ravine might be best. Or Ebokk if you want to stay with them, feel free. If so, we should get a bit closer so you can ready a decent getaway should we need to leave in a hurry on horseback." He looks around, again trying and likely failing to see where they might loop around to the side to get at the cave, then sighing, and looking to Maldorn to take the lead since he knows a lot more than the bard does.

OOC: many apologies for completely forgetting about Erric's new level 3 ability, mantle of inspiration, which lets him use an inspiration to give 3 people he can see 5 temp hp and allow them to use their reaction to move up to their speed, without provoking opportunity attacks. Would have... really come in handy during the bugbear fight. Wow. Sorry. Sometimes I remember Sune's kiss and sometimes I forget this.

Animal handling for Jambiya: 7

Snap stealth: 19 and perception: 23

Jambiya, you get the impression from Snap that he understands what you want. The pseudodragon flies off in the direction Maldorn indicated. Snap is gone for about five minutes before returning ... with an insect's wing stuck to the side of his mouth. He fills the goblin girl's mind with images and feelings of a far-off ravine with some structures in it. And then the image of a large brown locust flying. Then, the excitement of a chase. Then, the delight of a locust meal. Snap does not give the impression he is at all ashamed of his decision to catch the locust.

Ebokk looks uncertain, but not because he necessarily thinks any idea is a bad one. Though he doesn't like the idea of anyone staying behind. While Snap is away, Jambiya speaks with the horses and ponies, who are nervous about being left alone, but agree to be left alone for a short period of time so long as it is safe.

One or two of you, roll perception or investigation (your choice) to find a good place to hide the mounts.

Erric will help one of the others look for a good spot...

For a good place within Maldorn's Alarm's range, please:

-> Perception with Erric's help: 11 (please add another 2 to the roll if we are standing in or nearby Kryptgarden Forest).

(OOC: What a crappy roll. I rolled with advantage and the highest roll was a 6...)

Jambiya will look about for a likely spot, chatting up The horses some more for where they’d like to stay the while. 

Investigation: 9

(Maybe more to the roll if someone has guidance?)

"Sounds.. fine." Anafrey would reply to Jambiya.. "I wouldn't mind smashing something if it comes to that."  She would say as she readies her bow.

Out of his element, Maldorn has trouble finding any good hidey places in the rocky mountain terrain. Jambiya, on the other hand, leads Daisy along, getting the equine's opinion. Between the two of them, they find an out-of-the-way spot where Daisy feels they will feel safe.

"A good spot, Jambiya!" Maldorn says relieved.

He helps the others get the horses settled but not tied so that they can escape as the goblin girl argued for. Once they are ready to leave, the last thing the ranger will do is ask Jambiya to communicate to the horses that they need to stay close to each other and avoid moving at all, unless their lives depend on it. If Maldorn gets an OK from Jambiya letting him know that the horses understood their instructions, then he'll encase the horses within an alarm area. If the horses do not seem to understand, he lets the group know that the alarm idea may not pan out and refrains from casting the spell.

Erric starts speaking, at first quietly to himself, and then rising in volume. "We're here in the woods. There's an orc town or fort over there. There's hopefully a cave beyond that. We're hopefully going to find something magical in the cave that's powerful and useful enough to let Skadoula... I always want to call her Skadoosh but it's Skadoula... try to fix Anafrey. Anafrey, by the way, you seem like you're doing amazing, how are you feeling? We're here for you. You can do this. But anyways, like I was saying, first the settlement thing. Try to sneak by the orcs and into the cave. Then we find something magical and get out. That's not really a plan, but it's the best I can come up with on the fly. I hope that was as helpful for you as it was for me. Shall we?"

Jambiya will talk to the horses again, but is unsure about their reliability, and recommends saving the spell slot. 

She listens to Erric, and when he is finally done, simply nods. “Even a little plan is more than we usually go with!” she says with a smile. 

She is ready, following behind the bigs as we approach the cave area. 

"Thanks.." Anafrey would reply to Erric encourages her. The white haired woman would work to bottle up the frustration and anger building inside of her.. pounding in her head like a migraine. "I guess we will see how well this... plan... works." She would add flatly as she moves forward quietly with her bow drawn. 

"Here, 'frey," Jambiya reaches out to touch the young woman. "A little grace from my mother."

Jambiya casts Guidance on Anafrey.

(OOC: So just so I understand. Anafrey is planning to not lead the way but hang back.. but if enemies do attack she will move to intercept them before they get to Jam and Erric?)

(OOC: I understood that Anafrey was going to lead the way.)

(WELL THEN)

Anafrey would look to the goblin and struggle to force a smile. "Thank you" she would say with a sign. Let's move I suppose...

Stealth! 13 plus 14
Perceptoin! 10

Messed up guidance... add this to stealth 1

Jambiya, roll an animal handling check, please.