The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Ghost eyes the cart and horses with an unhappy look. Balassar, give me an Animal Handling check to manage both your wolf and your mounts and pull this off.

OOC:

Animal Handling check: 20

Ghost walks over to Balassar, sniffs, seems reassured, slowly climbs on board the cart, and lies down where suggested.  The horses are... not happy, but not in open rebellion.  Yet.

Who's driving?  And where are you going?

While Balassar handles Ghost, Silent will take the reins and set course for Felderwin. 

You set out on the long road - and track - and then road again, back to Felderwin.

The land is less occupied than when last you passed this way. With the harvest well and truly over, people have less and less reason to hang around in the dangerous countryside risking attack - even though there has been little enemy activity in this part of the land. Even on the first day, you pass wagons of people headed towards Bladegarden to take shelter, at least until spring. The city is not full up, not yet, but with this number approaching it won't be long, and you wonder how Bladegarden will fare in the coming days.

Nevertheless, you leave the city and its problems behind.

I want to separate the journey into a few 'chapters', rather than going day by day. First of all, can you confirm that you're retracing your steps?  That means heading south along the road towards Talonstadt, then cutting west across the hills and grasslands towards the forest and then Felderwin? Or do you have another route in mind?

Alton mentioned visiting his home - probably best if you have an in-character discussion about that, before we get near to the Felderwin region.

As Silent is designated driver for this first chapter, give me three Animal Handling checks to see how well you get on during the first few days.

Someone else give me three Perception checks for lookout during the days' travel.

Whoever is not driving or keeping lookout can do something else during the journey, including training Ghost - if that's what you want to do, let me know what you're focusing on and give me three Animal Handling checks.

And finally, everyone give me three Perception checks for keeping watch overnight.  I'll assume a watch order of Balassar - Silent - Alton, if that's okay?

What do your characters talk about during this stage of the journey?

Balassar will just sit near Silent keeping a look out. He just looks at Alton "Did you want to go to you home still?"

OOC:

perception check 1: 15

perception check 2: 13

perception check 3: 18

perception Over night watch: 24

Silent listens to Alton and Balassar's conversation about the halfling's family while driving the cart - he'll retrace their earlier journey (as you've outlined, Steve), not eager to get lost in this relatively unfamiliar territory. 

The animal handling checks: 
4 
17
7 

The perception checks: 
13 
6 
10 

Alton looks behind him at Balassar as he rides in the back of the cart with Ghost, "I would, if you two don't mind stopping by. So, what goals do you have Balassar? I"ve got a treasure to find and Silent wants to find someone and look into those undead we fought when we chased after Art."

As they travel, Alton lazily plucks a tune on his lute while keeping an eye out behind them.
Perception: 7 
Perception: 7 
Perception: 6 

Overnight watch
Perception: 19 
Perception: 22 
Perception: 12 

15 2 9

Ghost seems relieved that you are not pestering him with more training at the moment. He runs free in the mornings, and dozes in the cart in the afternoons before standing watch with you overnight. His keen eyes and smell are a comfort, and perhaps his presence helps dissuade any would-be attackers, as the first few days of your journey are peaceful.

After five days on the road, you reach the point where you need to turn west and head across the hilly trail paths towards Felderwin. The weather has been dry for the most part, and the ground is getting colder as winter approaches so you are not slowed down as much as you might in the muddy rainy seasons. However, the horses obviously liked the road and like this new turn less; a couple of times in the day they come to a halt and need a bit of reassurance from Silent before they start moving again. As the afternoon turns to evening and you are once again trying to persuade the animals to move, you think you see an expression of disdain on Ghost's face before he bolts off over a nearby hill, hunting rabbits again.

The wind has picked up somewhat on the sixth night out of Bladegarden. You find a somewhat sheltered spot, with the hillside protecting you from the worst of the wind, and set up camp. While you are still eating your evening meal together, you see Ghost's ears pick up and then flatten as he starts a low growl and looks direct west. Alton and Silent, you see nothing in the darkness; Balassar, you think you see a movement, but cannot make out any more than that.

Balassar will just look at Alton and shrug "Just want to help my family have a good life and maybe reconnect with each other. Would like to see these things stopped as well like Silent."

----

As Balassar sees what he thinks is movement he'll just pick up a stone and toss it out that way.

Nothing happens.

Noticing Balassar throw the stone, Silent casts him a sidelong glance and says in a low voice, What's up? You see something? 

Balassar just shake his head "Thought I did, guess it was nothing though."

Ghost sits, and stops growling, but his gaze remains fixed in the same direction.

Alton perks up at the commotion, "Ghost still thinks there is something out there. Anyone have a torch on them?" 

Balassar walks over to his bag pulling out a torch and the tinderbox to ignite it. He just walks over to the two and lights the torch up "Here ya go. Do y'all want to go investigate?" he asks.

Silent draws his blade. I'll take point. No sense bein' stealthy, let's give the bastards fair warning. If they're smart, they'll run. He starts making his way slowly in the direction Ghost is looking. 

Alton gets his hand crossbow ready and casts mage hand having appear next to Balassar, "I'll lend a hand to hold the torch for us." He takes up a spot five feet behind Silent and follows him.

Silent, you walk through the night, headed west, Alton and Balassar walking with you.  A minute passes and you start to hear the sounds of battle, metal clashing against metal, coming from up ahead. No light though, as far as you can tell, until... a sudden flash that might be lightning, or perhaps fire, you don't see it clearly. Seems like the magic you've seen others use in the past. You think you're a few hundred feet from the source of the sound.