The Ranger and plainswoman continued northward the ground gradually rising.  The light was fading and the night creatures began to some out.  Crickets, frogs and owls were among the sounds they heard. In the distance the sound of branch falling to the ground was no cause for alarm, or was it?

In the distance... surely there was the light of a campfire.  But who, or what would be brazen enough to advertise their presence so obviously?

Ronalt quietly signaled to Yesil the presence of the campfire, and stalked forward to investigate.

Yesil held back in the cover of the bushes, prepared to throw the short javelin in support of Ronalt.
Making first contact was not something she particularly excelled at. Holding back in cover ready to rush in to deal death and destruction however...

Reaching a vantage point, Ronalt could see an old man sitting at a campfire. Even as he watched the man stood up and crossed to a pile of logs threw two more onto the fire before sitting back down.

Ronalt walks to the edge of the clearing, hands away from his weapons and open, "Might a traveller seek comfort at your fire elder one?"

"What!" said the old man spinning around until he could see Ronalt clearly. "Who be ye and what's yer game... eh? Scarin' me half ta death."

Ronalt gave a slight bow, "My name is Ronalt and I seek a druid called Riker. Might you be the one I seek?"

"Aye, ye found me Ronalt, now what is et Ah kin do for ya?" said the druid.

"My companions seek shelter with you for the night and counsel."
"A fellow druid Jaroo sent us here after we successfully removed a threatening evil at a nearby gatehouse to his domain." Ronalt replied.

"Jaroo? Hmm... Hommlet then Ah'm guessin?  So w'ere are yer friends, Ronalt? Ye should brin' 'em all 'ere so Ah kin meet 'em!." replied the druid.

"Didn't want them stomping about the forest. I will go and fetch them." giving a slight bow, Ronalt withdraws from the camp and returns to collect his companions. As he passes Yesil, "It is Riker."

Return to the others waiting.

Yesil nodded and remained in position, concealed in the bushes, and observing the old man.
Maybe it was from being around too many sorcerers for far too long, but she didn't yet trust this stranger not to betray them...

OOC: you've been playing this game too long.... Ronalt is not in the group anymore so you don't need to PM. IC:

Ronalt headed back towards the main group while Yesil remained on watch....

The sound of Ronalt's passage died away Yesil continued to watch the old man. Perhaps it was the ease they found him that made her suspicious or perhaps it was just good old field craft. [Private to The Assistant: or the fact it had its own thread?]  Either way she did not have to wait long....

Standing Riker looked in the direction that Ronalt had departed then smiling grimly, his shape changed! Growing in size his skin changed colour to a light blue, his hair to a dark blue-green. Most fearsome though was the dark eyes with a white centre, the ivory horn in his forehead and tusks that sprouted from his mouth.

Yesil had heard of such creatures, the ograwitch! powerful magical kin of ogres.... but only in fireside horror stories meant to scare the children.... By the ancestors! Even as she watched it disappeared only a sound that may have been a chuckle left on the air.

Yesil held her breath, fearing she'd be discovered by the foul creature. Intial instincts to rush forward and destroy the beast had been tempered by hard won wisdom. Fighting it alone would only result in her death.
Motionless she remained, senses straining to catch the faintest indication of it's presence location....

Yesil concentrated but could not determine the invisible witch's location.  She was reasonable sure however that the creature would not be able to follow Ronalt's trail without her hearing.  The overgrowth of the trees would also make it difficult for any that could fly to follow the ranger.

Yesil focused all her attention on her surroundings. Magic was undoubtably involved, magic designed to create illusions...
Until she knew more of what she was facing, she held position knowing that the beast couldn't have moved far without making a noise.


Detect Illusion.

Perhaps it was her concentration or perhaps something else happened. In any event Yesil was surprised when the human figure reappeared in the clearing sat back in his original position seemingly staring into the fire.

Yesil hears the rest of the party approach.

Carefully Yesil withdrew from her hiding position and headed as quietly as she could towards the approaching party.

"Stop!" she hissed, catching her companions completely by suprise.
"Riker is not who they say they are!"