Tobin:

Listening to the story, Tobin says, “Perhaps she is someone very important and is being sought out by powerful allies or foes.  The fact that she resisted the scrying rather than let it take hold and spy on us is encouraging.”

Thinking for a moment, he adds, “I cannot continually detect invisibility, but whenever we stop to discuss something, I will do so and look for eavesdroppers.  If I do detect such, I will rub my left eye vigorously as if something has gotten into it…then try to do some magical investigation.”

Jalt is pleased by Titus' questioning methods. He's been so concerned with the lack of help given to this group that now that they have it, he's going to appreciate it. He answers all of his questions as truthfully as he can. He wants the new members of the party to have a clear idea of what's gone on and what they have found themselves in. 

While Soar tells the tale of how they've gotten where they are now, Jalt nods his head every so often to lend credence to her telling of the events. Jalt will answer any questions thrown his way and won't hold back with his opinions about the council or the lack of help/guidance until now. 

Perception: Nat 20+3

Tobin, you learn of Arauthator, the powerful white dragon who lives far to the North in the Sea of Moving Ice, in a place known in various sources as Ovigton, Oyaviggaton and Auraviggon, the sources cannot agree on the name or the nature of the place, only that it is the home of the dragon and his servants, who are perhaps humans, or giant toads, or dragonborn, or kobolds. A common problem with your extensive library is that you can find multiple conflicting sources. However, all agree that Arauthator is a dangerous predator, and you find names of heroes in ages past who are said to have been slain - and usually devoured - by the beast. As for white dragons, they have powerful cold breath - which you have encountered, and thus are immune to cold-based magics. They are physical brutes, fighters with tooth and claw rather than with spells.

Soar, Gwen is very happy to ride on Candelabra, and Candelabra seems very happy to have her. En tags along from time to time, watching over the pair and avoiding contact with anyone except them and Soar.

You also spend time on the road and in camp, retelling the stories of your adventures, successes and failures both, and learning a little of the others' strengths and abilities. It will take time, but perhaps this new group will find some successes too.

Jalt, you alone catch sight of a single winged dragon, far to the east, flying south to north, not approaching you at all. Too far away to discern the colour or anything further. But a dragon, without a doubt.

Night comes. You camp, and continue your conversations until you take your rest. This is not the first night since Daggerford, so you will all have completed a long rest before now. During the night, it is when Tobin is on watch, browsing through a book but still paying close attention to his surroundings, that he hears - and feels - the approach of a group on horseback. Your camp is set away to the side of the road but close enough to see a group of five riders, most likely humanoids in dark, heavy cloaks, ride up the Trade Way and looking as though they will pass... and then they slow, and stop, exactly level with where the party is resting.

Tobin, you see the leader turn and gaze in your direction, and feel something cold surround you as the temperature suddenly seems to fall. The figure only watches, and you see only two eyes - you cannot make out any other features in the hooded face. They are about sixty feet away from you. You are the only one awake. What would you like to do?

Tobin:

Meeting the gaze of the rider with an icy calm demeanor, Tobin casts a defensive spell over his sleeping friends and summons his spirit guide.  The tiny special scholar appears practically nose to nose with the staring horsemen, shedding just enough light from his glowing form to illuminate the face below the hood.  Tobin’s Spirit Guide wags his tiny finger disapprovingly at the figure and motions him to move along his way.

(Wall of Force in the 20 foot diameter hemisphere form over the sleeping party as an action, then Manifest Mind as a bonus action to summon his spirit guide.)

The rider continues to stare. The face, or what you presume to be a face, doesn't move. No reaction from riders or horses to the impressive display of magic. Then the hood turns to look at the spirit guide, regards it for a moment, and then kicks its horse into motion. The group moves away, resuming their path up the Trade way towards Waterdeep and your own destination. They are gone, and the temperature returns in less than a minute to its previous level.

Wall of Force lasts ten minutes, so it's still up. There's a little flutter of movement, and Tobin can see the pixie En watching him - and his Spirit Guide - from behind a bush, saying nothing.

What will Tobin do?

Tobin:

Having seen the creature’s visage through his spirit guide’s eyes, Tobin resolves to ponder any implications from its appearance later.  For now, he nudges Soar awake and calls out to En in Sylvan, “Could you follow them from a safe distance for the next 5 minutes or so and make sure they don’t double back?”

As Soar comes awake, he says to her, “Riders on the road just stared us down.  They felt unnaturally cold, but they have moved on for now.  Beware, I have encased us in a protective magic shell.”

Tobin, En stares at you for a moment, and then shakes their head firmly. They flutter around, unable to penetrate the wall of force until it falls, at which point they will flutter over and land next to Soar, keeping a wary eye on you and on your Spirit Guide and the surrounding area.

Eventually, Soar wakes...

Tobin:

After informing Soar of the situation, Tobin continues to maintain concentration and listen for any return of the horsemen, sending his spirit guide out several hundred feet in a defensive perimeter patrol (300 feet maximum)..

In the meantime, he pulls out the journal, writes a few notes, and tries to sketch the face of the lead horsemen while it is still fresh in his mind.

Intelligence Check:  11

Is Candelabra outside the 20 foot dome? Imagine a large elk would not be snuggling up to a bunch of people. 

She tries to telepathically ask the elk to distantly flank the group off the road and see where they go. No more than a quarter mile.

”Did you see their faces? They had faces? I wish I could have tried divine sense when they were closer, to see if they were… off. Seems so. What direction did they go? Waterdeep or Daggerford?”

Tobin:

”Towards Waterdeep,” says Tobin, “And they certainly had the chill of the grave accompanying their presence.”  He shows Soar the sketch he is making of the face he saw up close through his spirit guide’s eyes and considers if it looks anything like undead or demonic illustrations he has come across in his books through the years.

Religion: 25

Tobin, the spirit guide saw the face of a man, grey, pale, ashed, but otherwise human. You get a decent likeness on paper, though it's not great - someone else may or may not recognise it from your drawing. It might have been undead, but you have a solid understanding of such things from your extensive reading and know that many undead can pass for living creatures, especially with magical aid. Nothing strikes you as demonic, but again, magical disguises are a thing.

Candelabra is outside the dome, nearby, near enough for Soar to communicate with, but wasn't around when the riders passed. He trots after the riders, and reports that they just continue up the road.

Tobin:

As the magical barrier fades, Tobin says, “The protective arcane shell is gone, Soar, and my Spirit Guide does not detect any nearby threats.”  

Looking around, he says, “I am not certain who they were, but my intuition says they are malevolent and disguise their true form.  With most of us asleep and unarmored, we would have been at a distinct disadvantage against an unknown foe in the dark.  Still, if you think it wise to wake the others and prepare to go after them, I will help as I can.”

(How long into the night is this?)

As they wait, Soar looks at Gwen to see if anything odd is happening or if she is reacting at all.

She asks Candelabra if they are making any noise, talking at all, or if they are silent. She asks him to follow another quarter, half mile up the road, and then come back. No more than .75 a mile away. He’s looking for any sign of them returning or looping back or making odd noises. 

“Candelabra tells me they are continuing up the road. I’ll wake up Jalt, Bazavur, and Titus just so they know. I really want to chase after them, but I’ve made some bad decisions recently, so what do you think? We can just set a double watch and otherwise rest prepared for an ambush, and then move fast in the morning with eyes wide open. We could follow them now but they have ten minutes on us, if they are actually moving, and chases in the dark when we know so little might not be the best idea.”

(It's close to the end of second watch, of three watches total. So about 2am, I guess?)

Gwen is sleeping peacefully next to Soar's resting place.

Candelabra is not close enough to hear whether they are talking, but they are riding fast and probably not talking amongst themselves. He continues to follow, but they just continue to ride, and the elk turns back.

Bazavur, Titus and Jalt, you are woken by Soar and informed briefly of what has happened.

Titus sits up, wide awake at the lightest of touches.  He nods once as the situation is summed up, pulling on his armor and his cloak.

'Well, we can't simply go back to sleep.  Double watch at the very least and then move with speed in the morning.  I don't see any reason to pursue them - we're not some all-purpose band of do-gooders here - but I don't want to wake up with a dagger to my throat...or worse'

Soar nods. "Double watches, and I'll sleep in my armor. I'll take last watch. Thank you for your smart and swift reaction, Tobin. That could have been just someone or something malicious on other business, or it could have been related to the cult, or it could have plans for us. They're moving on our path, so we will probably have to deal with them. I wonder if they were in Daggerford when the dragon arrived." She looks down at Gwen's sleeping form. "Or if they are interested in other things." She looks up at the new party members and quirks an eyebrow, then looking around, about the height where the invisible sensor was before, when it was watching Gwen. Then a questioning expression.

She will prepare spells that help deal with an ambush as she finishes her rest. She's fine with taking the earlier shift or later one. Just as long as each watch has two people awake. She has Candelabra come back within about 200 feet of the camp, just off the road, and if he needs to rest, to rest. But to either telepathically tell her if something arrives or changes, or come to the camp himself if she is not awake to receive messages. 

Tobin:

Taking the hint, Tobin casts See Invisibility and searches for scrying sensors.

Tobin detects no scrying sensors this time during the hour that his spell lasts.

You rest, sharing a more intense watch schedule than you had planned, but make it to the morning without any further visitors. You wake having completed a long rest, and resume your journey northwards.

Candelabra joins the watch, but has nothing alarming to report.

Are you walking at normal, fast or slow/stealthy pace? And as you pass villages and travellers, are you going to inquire about the riders. Or about anything else?

Soar would advocate for a fast pace, and stopping to ask passersby about the riders.