The thick shadowy woods and the dampness it collects provides a filter from the smoke of the village's remains. Your breath collects in misty orbs when you exhale to vanish into the faint breeze. The trail is maintained enough for a horse and rider to pass through without ducking branches. The soil is soft and cool beneath your feat. White mushrooms grow from fallen logs slowly merging with the moss floor. The birds call high above and frogs croak in response, with the occasional rapid thumping of a hungry woodpecker.

[Please state your marching order]

Brodd falls in line behind Einhard, leading his mule.

With somewhat of an idea on the direction they should travel, Gorn takes the reins of his horse and begins the slow walk, cautiously following the path of least resistance. "Like the old days, huh." as he looks back over his shoulder, a slight nod coming from his horse. With his eyes watching the path closely, every so often he would stop and retrieve something from the ground, study it, then move on.

NOTE: Cross post from last scene.

11:17, Today: Gorn rolled 20 using 1d100 ((20)). Tracking Roll (20%)

In reply to Gorn (msg # 3):

Lots of boots, more than your party. Also civilian shoes and some bare feet, including at least one child.

Two sets of prints are larger than a human, and barefoot. That pair of prints are ground deep into the soil where they pushed a fallen tree off the trail.

Further up, a horse (and one assumes a rider) joined the march and escorted them northward.

Manaku waits whole party to pass him before he takes his position as the rear guard. His red elven eyes dart place to place taking in the scenery around them.

"Ah, there's nothing as soothing as sounds and smells of untouched forest..."

"I need some room to swing my axe.  So I'll go to the front of the pack."

OOC:  Front or 2nd row for me is my preferred.  I don't have any real missile weapons, other than my hand axes.

Kalandra comes back to where the party is on the trail.

She says, "The canopy ahead is too thick to make out much, but I did find a creek bed. Several footprints in the much all lead across it, deeper into the woods."

Then she just falls in besides whomever is leading.


[OOC: So she is 3rd in order, behind the axe-swinger. *grin*]
This message was last edited by the player at 22:53, Wed 12 Feb 2020.

Passing on the details of what he has found, he nods with the information from Kalandra appreciating her walking with him as they move on farther down the trail. When they arrive at the creek bed, "Is this where you were describing?" as he stops to examine the tracks.

Einhard draws his sword and readies his shield, taking his place next to Durek.

Or slightly behind him depending on the width of the trail.

Amalrik falls into the second row. Letting the distance and scouts lead the way. He stays on the left side ... eyes roving, nose sensing the land instead of dreary dungeon halls.

Jarvak stays back and will take the rear guard position.

Looking back at the woods behind them and any trees or sky above them he keeps watch on anything that could ambush them from behind.

Alietra took up a mid-position with the group.     She strung her short bow as she walked, wanting to be ready in case they were met with hostility.    Which she was also striving to keep an eye out for.

[Einhard, roll a d6 please]

11:03, Today: Einhard rolled 4 using 1d6.

As nights starts to fall, Einhard and others can make out the occasional blink of a campfire between the tree trunks.

Kalandra points at herself, Alietra and the direction of the campfire then holds her hands out, palm-up, to either side and shrugs.

Einhard dismounts his horse and joins the group,

In a whisper...

"Might I suggest that Kalandra and some of the other sneakier ones go forward and observe the situation,

while the rest of us wait close by...if you run into trouble hoop and holler and get away fast.

If it is the slavers and we can sneak attack them, send us word.

This should be strictly volunteer, understand?

This is also only my suggestion, let others speak so that their ideas can be heard."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:06, Thu 13 Feb 2020.

She thought Kalandra was asking if she wanted to go scout this out with her, approaching singly from opposite sides.    Seemed like a decent plan...she nodded, hoping she hadn't misunderstood completely.  Beginning to walk, she glanced over when Einhard spoke.

She didn't remember him being so...democratic.  But that wasn't a bad thing.   She nodded, pointed in the direction of the distant fire, and continued walking out that way, with an eye toward maintaining cover, and avoid stepping on dry leaves or sticks.     Or falling in pits.     Or hitting her head on a branch.   Yea, the occupational hazards were various and without end...