Popping upright out of his cloak at the sound of Adonis' voice, Kjaelos proceeds to stretch expansively and languidly. Crawling over to Rael, he checks the young man's wounds and dressing, tightening any loose bandages he finds. Looking at him with concerned eyes, he asks, "How are you feeling this morning? Up for some more hard marching...and possibly more fighting?"

Opening his own pack, he grabs a handful of dry rations and puts it into his mouth. Munching noisily, he says, half musing to himself, "We have 2 days of hard march to get across the moors. I suppose we could go 2 days on trail rations..." Finishing up with his meal, then dusting his palms of the crumbs, he continues shrugging, "Though firewood for a campfire would be welcome, especially in such a dark place." Rising to his feet, pack on his shoulder, staff in his hand, Kjaelos is feeling immeasurably better, the dark stories of the Moors seeming a minor annoyance this morning.

"I am ready." he says, nodding at Adonis.

Brakkus stands up and stretches, making an alarming series of cracking noises, before wandering up to Sir Adonis. "Good morning, sir Knight!" he calls loudly, before speaking softly into his beard. "Unfriendly eyes are upon us. Do not give any sign that we know they are there"

He moves among the company, with a hearty good-morning and a sotto voce warning to all.

 As skilled dissemblers go, Adonis makes for a top-notch distraction, Brakkus' warning immediately sending his eyes darting into dark corners and shadows with a degree of obviousness that would make a duplicitous Cardinal wince... Fortunately however, he's at least bright enough not to shout out loud, and as he scans the undergrowth he offers Kjaelos a nod and goes on, "Welcome aye, though we'll not have enough to go through the night. For cooking only I fear. Is everyone hale, hearty and with weapons to hand?"

Kjaelos walks nonchalantly near to Brakkus, seemingly eager to get a move on for the day.

When Rael wakes the pain in his leg and arm are still there but lessen somewhat. He was used to taking care of himself and is a bit flustered with Kjaelos treatment but he murmurs thanks and even manage a weak smile.

"Two days." he nods pointing two fingers to make sure "I will manage." not that there were any real alternative for him.

When the old hermit begins to make noise Rael frown at him, the man clearly had no notion of their position he hoped the either of the knights would set the old man in place and was not happy it was his duty do so.

"I could go back, see who pursue us." he offers in a mild voice.

The part eat rapidly and stretch.  Bjorn listens to the various plans being proposed and mutters "these moors ain't a place for a man tae be alone - if we go t'were better we all go t'gether - no leaving this whippersnapper behind", he nods at Rael.

As the light strengthens you notice that just above the waterfall the river is easily fordable.


 During the night watch, Kjaelos once again tends to Rael's injuries.   +2HP Rael]

[ooc: whither now? Whichever way you go, Adonis and Rael give me a 2d10 tracking rolls ]

"Let's get going while the morning is fresh." says Kjaelos in a loud cheery voice, before continuing in a low discreet voice, "There...just alittle above the waterfall...if we cross there, our watchers will be forced to reveal themselves should they choose to follow us across the river..."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Sat 11 Sept 2010.

Eldor clasped the young Rael's arm " You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your reactions are from the shame my race have brought on themselves. I on the other hand, although born of an elf sorceror and an Elven lord was rise by Olga the witch woman as a favour to my father."

He looked off into the woods "you see my mother died giving birth to me and though my father loved me he loved her more and seeing me just brought him pain so Olga took me and I have never seen my father since. So although I know my race and culture I was raised as a human."

He turned back to Rael "I just hope my actions convince you I am not like my race and can be trusted by other races."

[following morning]

Eldor woke early because of a bad feeling going to find Adonis "Sir Adonis I have a bad feeling about what lays onthe other side of the river the trees have spoken to me in the night and they feel great fear of the unknown we are walking into I suggest we stay alert at all times."

Thomas had risen with the rest of the group and the warning from the bearded man caught him unawares for a moment and then he continued his morning ritual and greetings of his companions. "Good morn to you as well. We would best make what time we can as the next night will come soon enough."

Apparently the young knight is better at being subtle than his counterpart and secures his armour to his person and gathers his arms having broken his fast with the others.

 For whatever reason Sir Campbell doesn't seem to mind that their hermit companion (who's obviously a pretty piss-poor hermit but presumably has some pertinent skills as he's still with the group and in rather better health than some) is offering advice, and though there's not a hint of deference in his manner towards the much older man, he seems willing to listen as a young nobleman might to an experienced gamekeeper or well-travelled tutor.

 "Indeed." he rumbles, when the response to Rael's suggestion comes in from the group, answering perhaps a touch less quietly than might be for the best but at least he's trying _{"No slight upon you armsman, but if they're following us they'll have to come into the open when we leave the trees... and if they're not I'd as soon not provoke them without need."}

 Of course, he's also direct enough that there's only really room in his mind for one serious thought at a time, and his manner becomes far more natural when Eldor addresses him and turns his attention to what lies ahead rather than what lies behind, _{"Aye sir fairy, the trees might not whisper to me as they do you, but the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up like oaks and elms nonetheless. Let's be moving on, Sir Keith if you will bring up the rear and put a sixth of an inch of good Albish steel on a stout soul between our back and any pursuit?"}

 ---

 22:22, Today: Sir Adonis Campbell rolled 18 using 2d10. Tracking.

Rael watch the trees and the surrounding camp, not at ease at all perhaps more from the other men reactions then anything else, he make a point to make sure both his long and short blade are sharpen and well oiled.

01:35, Today: Rael rolled 16 using 2d10. Tracking.

Thomas nods to the Campbell and will take up his position in the rear with bow in hand and great sword slung across his back.

This message was deleted by the player at 18:59, Mon 13 Sept 2010.

The party cross the river carefully and set out towards the closest spur of the Downs, in skirmish formation.
[ooc: so you are heading roughly East-Nor'east]

The ground is peaty, but firm and level enough, covered only in a brown springy heather with no bushes or hollows to mar the way.   You make good progress through the morning mist and the sun begins to rise, showing that the hills you are heading towards are crested with cliffs, boulders and rocky outcrops.

After an hour, though, although the hills are drawing gradually closer you notice that the mist is not burning off but gradually thickening - at head hight you can see a good hundred yards, but a man kneeling would be hard put to see ten!

Rael can not suppress a shiver "This is unnatural..." he mumbles making some wards with his hands for good luck and warding off evil fae.

Glancing over at Eldor the youth blush crimson and break the wards.

So instead he set his pale eyes to watch the fog while his hand fondle the hilt of his long bladed sword, fearing for the ambush soon to come.

 Sir Keith's willingness to put himself in an exposed and less prestigious position on the basis that he's better armoured than most doesn't go unnoticed or unrespected and earns the other knight a nod of acknowledgement from Sir Campbell, who then takes up the lead and starts forging on up into the hills.

 When the morning sun fails to burn off the ground mist he extends a hand as though trying to judge the suns heat, but mostly just glares at the weather as though blaming it for not behaving itself, speculating that "I've seen ground fog before... pretty enough with the sun shining through it and all, but there's no real heat in the air. Maybe that's all it is." with a refreshing lack of imagination.

Thomas was doing his duty no more and no less. The nod from the other knight was appreciated and noted but not returned. He also noted that the mist had not burned off which was odd. He concurs with Sir Adonis on the fog though.

We are in a bog. The mists may not burn off save in the highest of summers.

Kjaelos looks uneasily at the strangely persistent fog the party is walking through. Already he feels his cloak starting to get wet with the condensed moisture. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he says with a hoarse whisper, "Let's keep close together and walk carefully. This fog might just rise and thicken suddenly and we will be separated..."


Walking close to Beren, he whispers something to him as though continuing a private conversation.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:04, Thu 16 Sept 2010.

Having spent most of his life living in the great outdoors Eldor was not uncomfortable walking in the marshland but the fog did bother him.

He carefully picked his way forward keeping an eye out for any signs that the fog was unatural.

Brakkus seems more ill-at-ease on the other side of the river, and frequently scans the trees and their backtrail, all his sense open.

"I like it not." Rael mutters again and again "No fog can survive sun..."

He looks about one hand close hard on the hilt of his blade ready to be drawn at a moment notice.

Karl nods aggreeing with the uneasy concensus.

The party bunches somewhat closer together, as much from instinct as from Kjaelos' suggestion.  The group keeps moving forward, albeit at a slower pace.

The ground continues reasonably firm underfoot, really it does not seem boggy, but the mist continues to thicken, though never rising above chest-height.

Eldor moves quietly over to Rael in a low voice " Keep your weapons handy I have seen movement out in the fog. Looks like a number of large animals. Whether they are sentient or not I can not glean but it has the feel of a hunting pack to me."

With that he made a slow circuit of the group and relaid the message to each before taking up his position just slightly away from the group to give him a good line of sight and possibly draw the animals in a bit to see what they actually were.

"Perhaps we might be able to sneak past them in this fog..." Kjaelos whispers his thoughts out loud, though the possibility of sneaking past seasoned predators like wolves does not seem very high to him.

He begins stepping not just carefully but stealthily as well, trying to move as silently as he can.