Archer smiles softly and nods to Serena.  "I would rather you not be put through seeing that place again.  I'm glad you chose to stay here."

To the others he says, "I get the feeling that it is our calling to eradicate what evil we can, and those goblins are the worst kind of evil I've ever encountered.  Even if there is no direct profit for us, I'm sure we're expected to prioritized culling those torturers and their ilk."

June and Fae also give Serena reassuring words.

June nods to Archer. "No argument here. Assuming they stayed put."

Serena gives an uncomfortable smile at the group. "I... if your intent is to get into fights... are you sure you don't want me along? My scream can really really ruin their day."

  "While I am sure it would be quite helpful, you should not push yourself into an avoidable fight unless you feel ready for it."  As tempting as revenge by calling the goblins jerks so hard they explode may also be.

Archer nods.  "I agree.  And there is much to consider for readiness.  My main concern is if you can survive more than one hit.  If not, you may not even have a chance to use that weapon of yours.  Let me tell you, we've had some close calls.

"Which reminds me.  We should stock up on healing potions before leaving."

(Fast Forward)

After goodbyes, the group heads off back to goblin town without Serena. She is convinced she is a fragile flower. Fae comments, "I can only hope the goblins are still there..."

June simply nods. When the group arrives, however, the place is abandoned.

  Oh no, they won't have to fight goblins. How horrible etc etc.

  "Well, I somehow doubt they cared enough about bookkeeping to bring their old rders by letter with them.  Maybe we can find them."  Lerkeeb, they probably didn't care enough about bookkeeping to save the letters in the first place.  Nevermind how often 'you found a letter, even though we explicitly stated the enemies care so little that there is garbage everywhere' is a module clue.

Archer tries not to let his relief show.  After the many close shaves with death, he wasn't all that keen on pressing his luck again, but he's also not happy that the villains got away.

"Good point, Lerkeeb."

Methodical searching is something he grew up with, so he offers many pointers to friends.

---

Group Awareness: +1 to perc when within 5sq. of Elf.

Faerema DOES let it show she is relieved. June and Fae are happy to help with the search. Especially Fae when it comes to darker areas.

After much searching, there is... seemingly nothing to be found. Although a plushy owlbear is found. But there are definitely clues that not only did the goblins leave in a hurry, but they had professional help in being both thorough and covering their tracks.

June is staring at the owlbear. "I've got one thing I can try..."

June puts her hand on the owlbear and closes her eyes. After a few moments, she opens her eyes and says, "Our target is a drow. I saw the side of his face and then his backside as he left with the goblins."

  Lerkeeb is more amazed than an Owlbear was good for anything not 'bite your face off' related (even in plushy form), than June's object reading.

  "While there are rituals that could possibly narrow it down further, at this point they would be out of our price range." plus, it's possible none of them have ritual casting anyways.  Lerkeeb's player is just now remembering Warlocks don't know it by default.

"Strange.  I've never known goblins to travel with experts in covering tracks..."

Archer looks impressed with June.  "Well that sure is a handy talent.  We may be able to catch them yet.  It may even be better to fight them in transit rather than fortified in a town.  Which direction did they go?"

June says, "Thankfully, yes. Because this toy was abandoned outside, I could see they were headed northwest... to the harpy lands Dandros warned us about."

Faerema says, "Let us hope they do not seek to ally themselves with the harpies of the area."

  "Hmm, it seems awkward destinations for Serena are just continuous aren't they?" They are so not in the level range to deal with double digits in Harpies, even if they were merely passive aggressive instead of plain old aggressive.

"Thank you, June.  Here's hoping we catch up to them before they have a chance to make such an alliance.  Even so, I don't expect the harpies to be easy to convince should the goblins get there before us.  It would not be too surprising if we encounter the goblins in the process of fleeing from the harpy lands."

June leads the group to the way that the goblins went and begins heading north a ways. "Thanks to them covering up tracks, we're just going to have to guess and hope we come across their tracks. They may have gone off-road."

Fae says, "Anyone particularly good at tracking?"

  "Err, not particularly in my case"  Maybe Archer does?  Or maybe they are the arrow shooting type who picked Dungeoneering for some crazy reason.

Archer prides himself in being especially sharp, even for an Elf, but he worries about that sounding racist and misleading.  He never considered himself terribly in tune with nature or skilled at tracking.

"I believe this group to be up to the task.  I'll keep a sharp eye out, and together I'm sure we'll find them."

June and Fae follow Archer, who is able to follow some tracks that start a ways from the site. But thanks to June, finding where those tracks started was simple because of knowing which direction to go.

It isn't a short trip and the group is forced to make camp.

  Lerkeeb's outlooks were more based on apparent class than apparent race.  Could be worse, you could have been an Infernal Warlock.

  "Well, with out luck somebody we're looking for will try to ambush us overnight.  Then we can ask them for specifics" You know, if they survived.

"Indeed.  It is good, then, that we have an Eladrin among us who can remain aware of his surroundings all night even while resting."

A campfire doesn't even enter his mind.  If weather looks good he doesn't bother with a tent either, and simply rests at a relatively defensible spot.

June goes to sleep readily enough. Fae shoulder-shrugs and says, "I can stay up with Lerkeeb easily enough."

Whatever the sleep arrangements, the group finds that many hours pass and no sign of the sun. By all accounts, the sun should be rising... but no sign of it.

  Yes, getting to sleep without actually sleeping is surprisingly great.  Not so much for the ones who think bureaucratic paperwork counts as ming numbing enough to get a pass as 'medication' though.  Always someone who tries.

  "Thank you, Fae.  The company is appreciated."

  Then a lack of sun happens.  Maybe somebody threw a turtle shell at it?

( Mits would run screaming if her Dr. prescribed paperwork as medication. )

Archer was up before dawn as usual... which isn't saying much on the Day the Earth Stood Still.  He stares at the sky with a deep frown, wondering what possible cataclysm could prevent or even slow the rise of the sun.  He doesn't subscribe to the belief that the bright yellow orb in the skies of yesterday is the actual embodiment of Pelor riding across the sky, so he rules out the idea that Pelor's sky chariot has a broken wheel.

Unless...  Now he's beginning to question all his beliefs.  Such as the belief that his own senses would not lie to him.  "The sun should be up by now.  Am I the only one unable to see any sign of it?"

Fae says, "I have kept some good track of time. The sun is supposed to be up by now and is not."

Having awakened also, June says, "You're not alone, Archer. I see no sunlight. The moonlight and starlight still remains."

  "Well, that's new."  Oh no, somebody killed a giant illusionary woman!- Wait wrong fantasy series cause for sudden perpetual nightfall.

  "So many questions and possible causes.  It could be temporal anomalies, illusions, the sun being knocked out of place by a drunken deity.  I suppose for the moment, we may as well continue as we would have."

  Perhaps the plot twist is that the Drow were teaming up with OWL Harpies?

"Good to konw I'm not losing my mind," Archer says, "Though that would be a much smaller problem than the whole world being denied sunlight.  Lerkeeb is right.  Since there's nothing we can do about the sun, we may as well just continue on."