Fianna confirms the truths the Drow eventually told by sharing the information she got from FinFin.

     "It would be best to inform the regiment, if we had a way to do so.  I fear that unless Toc has another teleport spell up his sleeve that we may not be able to advise the main force in time for them to warn the regiment?" Fianna sys, concerned. 

Toc shakes his head, "A teleport spell isn't necessary. I can inform them easily enough. I will send a message to Commander Shard, he seemed to be the Captain's head of communications, and he's also most likely to be able to send that message onto the 22nd Squad.  But, before we send a message to Sergeant Coon that an ambush awaits them. I wonder.  Now that we have the upper hand in this situation, do we wish to take advantage of it in some way?  Or do we simply leave this force twiddling it's thumbs and ask to meet the 22nd in a new location? It begs the question, how do these enemies know the 22nd were headed here, and will they know if they change direction." 

Perhaps there is a traitor on either end, or perhaps the communications are being intercepted. Either way we can't trust in the messages. Chen thinks for a moment and then asks: Do you think we might be able to find them ourselves? We could warn them off the ambush without involving any of the compromised channels. This forest is a big place, but it might be worth a try...

"This," nodded Mirica to Chen's words, "and why should it be either - or, Toc? What is it with you and your constant desire to solo-fight army size forces? We have to warn the regiment and then, if their reputation is true, they will want to fight, so we can join them in battle. No better way to learn someone's character or forge a bond, they will be more open to us and our questions after the battle."

Looking a bit concerned, Jahren chimes in and adds "do we assume it is a coincidence that the 22nd squad picked a meeting place that is also an ambush?"

(Pass Without Trace should still be up since it lasts a while and the other spells cast were not concentration, so we can probably take advantage of it for a bit longer.)

Not a coincidence, surely. Chen is trying hard to stay abreast of this conversation, so he recaps what he thinks they know so far. The dragon and its minions have staged the ambush. They knew where to come. Either they intercepted the message, or there is a spy in the regiment. So any new message warning the 22nd of the ambush will also likely be compromised. So instead we need to warn the squad some other way, and to do that we have to find them. He glances around at the trees and surroundings. Perhaps the birds have seen them...

Chen will look around for any birds (particularly raptors) or other large animals. If any are nearby he will attempt to cast Speak with Animals as a ritual, and learn if they have seen a small group of human soldiers, or to convince it to allow him to use Beast Sense to search the area.

"Or may be FinFin can find them and either lead us right to the regiment, or bring them a message? I mean, a written message."

We might need all the eyes we can muster, replies Chen.

Toc raises an eyebrow towards Mirica, "I do not recall suggesting we engage in battle with these enemies. Please refrain from assigning ideas you conjure in your mind to me." 

There are no raptors visible beneath the forest canopy in this dark place. But Chen does spot a common finch in a nearby branch. He speaks up to it. The rest of the group hears whistle and chirps issue from Chen.  A moment later the bird flaps off.  Chen, the bird agreed to go searching, but said it's a big forest. Indeed, more eyes the better. You are currently on the south east side of the Old Elven Court.  Fianna, which direction would you like to send FinFin to search?   Toc holds out his arm and a Falcon appears.  "I can send my familiar to search an area as well."    Here's a map. 

    For lack A better idea, FinFin will head vaguely towards Hillsfar.  Not a direct route, for no route in a forest is ever direct... but more a NNW direction.

"Did not know elves can suffer from a memory loss, will keep it in mind. But last time you suggested for us to assault 250 orcs. Now it's a bit less though comparable number of drow. But never mind that."

She waited for Chen to finish his conversation with the bird and to relay what the bird said without interfering - she knew the joy of that such little chit-chats.

(The finch just agreed to look around. It hadn't seen anything yet)

(you can ask it to go look in a particular direction, it says "which way?") 

Chen's bird will search in the opposite direction to the Elven Court - southwest? No point searching beyond the elven court, as we would have to pass the ambush to get to the 22nd anyway, 

Toc sends his hawk to the east.  The finch, the hawk, and the pseudodragon take flight as the group sit down to wait. The dark loam of the earth here is filled with rot, while the dark trees are more gnarled and twisted than normal, their massive trunks that reach into the sky covered in hanging moss and large flat mushrooms. Webs cling everywhere, from tiny ones between twisted branches at your feet, to massive ones hanging in high in the canopy. A nearby creek runs with a trickle of dark purple water. The plants growing around it strange and malformed. 

It's dark here, with little to no light piercing the canopy, and quiet, with no wind stirring the air. 

D 15 I 22

The finch comes flying back to you Chen about an hour later.  You take a few minutes to let your mind attune to the animals.  Chirp chirp chirp everyone hears as the things talks to him and he chirps and clucks back. It unfortunately hasn't seen anything.  FinFin is likewise coming up empty handed.  Though if they're being at all careful about trying to avoid being seen, finding them in these woods could be near impossible. Toc brings his hawk back to him in a moment, but the creature reports finding nothing. 

What now? 

     "I could try to scry upon the regiment we area searching for," Fianna says, thinking out loud. "But unless they were someplace particularly noteworthy or recognizable I suspect all I would see is them in a forest.  That wouldn't exactly be helpful..."

Mirica listened the reports (or absence thereof) with others. "Well, let's be logical here. Regiment set the meeting point, the word got to the dragon and now we have an ambush there. I thought we came two days earlier, but probably mixed up the time. Anyway, if we can not change the place now, but, "she sighed and admitted, "Toc is right - we can ambush the ambushers. Or, better say, set our own ambush - just wait until the regiment shows up and either warn them and attack together, or wait until they are attacked and help them to turn the tide."

     "Problem is we don't know the regiment's route so warning them is difficult and by the time we hear battle, aiding them may be too late..." Fianna says, chagrined.

     "But...  We could go all hit and run on that force the dragon has collected.  Do big damage and then hightail it out of there...  repeatedly until we're worn out and then just hide up somewhere.  Diminish their forces a bit and, likely, make them ambushing anyone without warning impossible?"

Toc looks to Mirica, a bit exasperated, "I suggested using our knowledge to gain an upper hand strategically. I've never suggested we just attack this force. If we decide that path, that is ok with me, we have surprise, but please don't suggest I proposed it."   He turns to Fianna, "Don't underestimate information gathering. We might be able to spot the sun's location and figure out which way they're walking....that would give us a good idea of which direction they're coming from." 

"We can, at the very least, slow down or impede their movement." Loane interjects. "If we do not feel like attacking. Or we could just try and avoid them the best we can. We seem to have magic that allows for easier movement, or maybe even disguise us."