[Game Thread] Group 2, Chapter 1: Leaving Haglee

[Gaijin]

Feeling fairly safe that there wasn't any harm in approaching the field, Aidan rode forward on his pony and joined the rest of the group as they searched through the bodies. With a sharp click made with his tongue, Eden returned to Aidan where he fed her a small piece of meat. Peering between Red and Jaunus to the tracks that they were attempting to identify he

Dice Knowledge Nature:

d20

12

recalled what he could from the books that he had read.

 

I'm not trained in it, so I can only benefit from DC10 Knowledge
The description for Knowledge: Nature is to identify common animals and plants which I assume this is lumped under. As opposed to the survival checks which would help to track them, but not necessarily identify them.

[DukeofTuring]

Seeing the rangers attempting to follow the tracks, Caius does what he can to help tracking while keeping his eyes open for trouble.

 

Dice Roll:

1d20+3

(7)+3

Total = 10

[Barlycorn]

Deciding to follow the perpetrators of this massacre, a few of you put your skills to the task and try to figure out which way they went. It is easy enough to tell that a group of humanoids left the road and started north. After a few hundred feet, though, the trees thin out and the tracks are harder to follow. It appears to have rained in the interim, washing out some of the signs of their travel. This makes it slow going for a while.

The land here is mostly flat grassland with pockets of trees and a few gentle hills. As the sun rises to its peak, it takes the morning chill out of the air. Birds and small animals are making the most of the nice, spring day. Maybe they, like you, fear that it will be short lived. The weather has been chaotic ever since the quake. There were days this past winter that were the coldest in memory and they would be followed, a week or two later, with spring like days. Now it truly is spring and planting time is just around the corner. Everyone is hoping that things will calm down.

Before you realize what is happening, you reflexively grab for your weapons. Stumbling a bit, you realize that this is not a trap. The ground is moving and bouncing beneath your feet. It is another quake. This isn’t an aftershock, either. You have experienced a few of those in the past few months and this is much more powerful. It reminds you of the big one last fall.

Out in the open, you are safe from the biggest dangers of an event like this. It is difficult to keep your feet but there is no threat of anything falling on your head. Bringing that point home, a large tree crashes to the ground at the edge of a patch of woods a few hundred feet away.

As quickly as it starts, it ends. Imearth is silent for a moment before the birds get back to business.

 

Those of you who can, give me another survival check for tracking for the second half of the day.

[Red Daghul]

Red helped lead the group as he followed the tracks beaten into the ground. At first it was not hard to follow the molds in the dried earth, but soon they came to a place that had rained out their tracks making the hunting harder. None the less he pushed on hoping to caught a break with a clearer path. The sounds of life slowly awakens as the sun touches its height sending rays to the earth, as they touched the land came alive with the sounds of birds and small animals going about their day.

The land was flat which made walking easy, and because he was tracking Red had dismounted leading Lagur his mount besides him. The air was smooth which reminded him of days in the forest when the spring winds swept in, but that was a life long pass. As Red moved into a clearing his sense went wild as he reached for his sword, but soon noted that it was not a attack from foe, but of the ground. It started softly then grew "Quake, to the ground!" he called as he dropped himself to the ground pulling his mount down before the earth forced him there.

Watching the event unfold from his knees Red was in awe as the earth pulled down a large tree at the edge of the clearing. The world had just been changed by a event similar to this what would this one bring to the table. As the ground beneath him settled Red slowly picked himself up and looked around "Is everyone alright?". Listening for a answer and keeping himself ready to help anyone he quickly went back to searching the ground hoping that the quake would not have any interference with the tracks.

 

Dice Survival for tracking:

1d20+6

(12)+6

Total = 18

[Golnor]

Vikof lay on the ground, staring at the sky. 'The sky is blue.' he thought, then shook his head. He had the misfortune to have stood up in his saddle to get a better view of the terrain before them moments before the quake. As such, he had fallen from his horse in a rather comical manner. He sat up and looked for his horse. "Tiny, where are you? Ah, there you are." Tiny was a short distance away, looking at him with a bored expression. "Oh come on, don't look at me like that. I have half the number of legs that you do." As he walks over to Tiny, he hears Red asking if everybody is okay. After a quick check to see if Tiny was injured, he replies, "I'm okay. How is everybody else?"

[DukeofTuring]

As the quake begins, Caius stumbles to his knees, instinctively saying a quick prayer to his goddess. "Everlight, preserve us in our hour of need..." As he stumbles back to his feet and the aftershock subsides, Caius' attention turns back to more practical matters. "I'm alright, and if anyone needs a healing hand I do have some experience in that matter." He does look at Vikof with some concern when he realizes that the magus is talking to his horse, but then Caius looks uncomfortable and quickly checks on his own animal associate.

Once it is obvious that nobody has been injured in the quake, Caius does his part to aid the party in following the continuing tracks.

 

Dice Roll:

1d20+3

(17)+3

Total = 20

[Kshnik]

As the group travelled, following the minute tracks of the bandits, as they have become known, Jaunus kept his eyes to his left with the knowledge that Red will be watching to the right. Jaunus road comfortably on one of his donkeys, as the second one easily followed behind. At times Jaunus would walk, giving his donkey a rest and allowing him to scan the ground for signs.

As the earth began to shake Jaunus noticed how the earth flowed like the water of the ocean; rise and falling in waves. Jaunus held tight to the reigns talking normally to the donkeys to keep them calm as he rode the quake.

Jaunus checks, when the ground becomes rigid, on his companions and then his mounts before continuing with moving forward. Jaunus views the ground for signs of tracks rotating his head up periodically to scan the left side for movement.

 

Dice Roll:

1d20+8

(5)+8

Total = 13

[Crazy Mage]

Aaron stands in awe of natures awesome display before him. Closing his eyes for just a moment, he enjoys the raw power of the earth shaking around him. He is almost saddened when it ends. Gathering himself, he comforts Morrigan, who was probably worried about the sudden quake. "Easy, easy girl. We are safe, it is over now". Hoping to help calm her nerves, he asks her to help the rangers track.

Morrigan, glancing back once for reassurance, walks around near where the rangers found the trail, and tries to pick up the scent of their prey.

 

Dice Tracking with Scent:

1d20+5

(13)+5

Total = 18

[Barlycorn]

Now that the ground has settled, you continue your pursuit of the unknown bandits. It continues to be difficult to follow their tracks through the grass. After a short while, though, the trees become more numerous and you begin to see tracks here and there in the soft earth beneath the trees. The trail has turned a bit east now, heading towards some low hills in the distance.

You continue at a slightly quicker pace for the rest of the afternoon. The trees are getting thicker now, not quite woods but plenty of shade and hiding spots. The hills are still easy and low but they are getting larger. With the sun low over your left shoulders you reach the peak of a low hill and can see steeper, more dramatic rises in the distance. If this is where your quarry is headed, you will not reach there until well after dark.

A decision has to be made. Will you find a place to stop and camp for the night or will you continue, trying to follow the tracks in the dark. The sky is clear and the moon should be at about half.

[DukeofTuring]

"We can keep on following the tracks," Caius offers. "I'm having enough trouble following them in the day, and my sight isn't very good at night, but frankly I'd rather take my chances following the tracks as late into the night as we can. The sooner we get to these bandits, the less harm they can do to any captives they took, and we might be able to catch them by surprise if we track them down and attack quickly. That being said, I'd be willing to defer to our trackers on this one if they have strong feelings." He pauses before thinking of something and adding, "The light of my Goddess can, of course, help us see through the night, although that would probably ruin any chances of surprise we have."

[gbuster24]

Alexander sits on Marcus in silent contemplation. Weighing the options set before him, he speaks. I do believe our quarry lie ahead and perhaps we could push ourselves to reach them. Caius, you should scout far ahead of the group. The noises of our group would alert the watchmen our "bandits" surely have stationed about. If and when you find them, scout out there number, and location of any hostages if you can. Then you'll be able to double back and report back to us with haste, where we will devise a plan. If for some reason our march through the night yields no bandits, we should take a rest in the morning, marching without any sleep throughout the day is ill-advised. He glances around at his comrades. Is there anyone else willing to scout with Caius? Two scouts would not increase the chance of their detection, I would think.

[DukeofTuring]

Caius looks perplexed and examines Alexander, searching for signs of sarcasm. "As much as I hate to volunteer someone else for a dangerous task, I'm not, uh, quiet. I was thinking that Jaunus and Mark could go scout ahead, perhaps with anyone in lighter armor. Those of us in heavy armor, well, if we send one of us up with the scouts than there's no point in trying to sneak at all."

[Red Daghul]

The day wore on as the tracking went on and on, and soon the sun started to fall from it's high spot in the sky till it was almost out of sight. Red stopped seeing that they were not getting anywhere fast, and with the night coming the danger of the whole group would become... well, more of a hazard then a help. By the looks of the tracks they could see the "bandits" as they were calling them were heading east, and making good time. Depending on what they were hunting were humans then they would need to rest for the night, as far as he knew they were on foot.

Turning at teh sound of the group start to talk about moving on, or stopping Red took a role of listening for the moment. Alex seemed to think that it was a good idea to send Caius forward with another scout, but Caius looked uneasy about that plan. Caius then offered the idea that both Jaunus and Red lead head out to scout ahead. This plan offered some advantages as ranger he and Jaunus could move swiftly through the woods with less noise, and the tracking should not prove to be a huge problem. Time to add his voice to the mix.

"How about this, I will go scout ahead with the help of Jaunus, and Aaron if both are willing" he didn't pause for their answers with the understanding that they could answer after he finished "the rest of the group can stay and make camp, so that when we return everyone will have rested, and ready for action if need be." Red looked around, and just in case there may be a hole in his plan he added "And if we don't return in a few hours time then the the rest of you can follow a track we will leave behind, a simple X on the trees" he stood his ground hoping that the support for Caius would offer comfort, as well strike down any objections with in the group he hoped.

[Kshnik]

As Caius starts talking Jaunus is already pulling out 4 pieces of leather, square in shape, each side about the length of a short sword. Jaunus takes one of the pieces of leather, lifts up his donkeys front left leg and covers its hoof, tying the leather with twine. Jaunus, looks at Red as he begins to speak, winks, as he repeats this process three more times. Upon completion Jaunus stands up and approaches the group.

Caius is correct we need to continue after the bandits. Red and I will go; we have experience working with each other. Aaron and Morrigan Jaunus gestures to the wolf will stay, Morrigan knows us and can easily track us after you all have had rest. Also, we will leave marks; X on the tree as stated by Red or 4 stones at the base of a tree.

Jaunus gestures for Red to get ready as he hands the reigns of his second donkey to Aaron. Jaunus takes a few minutes to replace his shirt and hands the dirty one over to Aaron for Morrigan to sniff when they are ready to follow. Jaunus upon seeing Red ready nods his head to the group as he leads his donkey after the bandits.

[Golnor]

"Staying here while you go on ahead?" Vikof nods slightly a few times. "I'm good with that. Hope you don't get too deep in trouble. We probably won't be able to get to you in time to help." He gets off his horse and stretches. "Anybody know if this a good place to camp? I usually spent my nights in an inn of some sort, so I don't have much wilderness sleeping experience."