"I'm no phisicker," muses Chard, "but these bodies are starting to rot. They've been dead at least a day or two to get this stinky."

 The man at arms took in the scene and shook his head." Those that did this shall pay, and pay in blood."

 Epeus looked around at the others. "Does anyone have an axe? We need wood for the pyre. While some gather wood, the rest of us can collect the fallen  into a pile."

"Big funeral pyre will make a heck of a lot of smoke," says Chard. "Anyone over that way," he points in the direction the faint trail leads, "will know we have found their ambush site and be warned we are on their trail.

"I don't like leaving the dead untended, and I think we must come back here, but for now, if we have any hope of catching who did this we do not alert them that we are on their trail."

Abdur shook his head.  "There is no time to bury the dead.  Let us avenge them and wash away our anger with the blood of the Picts."  He looks over to where Darakyn pointed.  "We need to go and go quickly while the trail is fresh enough."

Fanny shows her agreement with Abdur by quickly trotting over to him. She turns to look over her shoulder and slows to check if anyone was following.

Nervously she asks, "Abdur, there are so many dead. Do you really think we have the numbers to take revenge? we might end up like them."

Sharazara sat astride her horse, looking to the trail leading west. "If our culprits aren't Picts, they are putting a lot of effort into convincing us that they are." she said, "We had best follow as quickly as we can. If they cross out of the duke's territory,  it would be folly to pursue them into their own lands."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Fri 17 July 2020.

 The soldier did not like the idea of leaving the gallent dead to the mercy of scavangers. But they had a point, damn their eyes.
"Did anyone look for prints on the edge of the cover these poxy bastards used for cover? Be the prints Pict Moccasins, or shoes or boots. That will tell use better of who did the deed."

"Shaharazara's noticed a faint trail heading west, back toward the Black River," says Chard. "If we follow along we may find places with well defined footprints. And we may find the bandits who did this. Picts or brigands, they deserve a swift death. Maybe not at our hands, but we can see where they came from and perhaps lead others back to overwhelm them. Show them who rules along the banks of the Black River!"

The young soldier has built himself into quite a foment by the end of his little speech and he realizes he is shouting and looks red-faced and  embarrassed at the others. He hides his emotions by turning away.

Abdur turned to Fan-hee as she approached.  "The Picts struck from ambush so their numbers may be less than you think.  We will have to work with stealth and surprise for certain or we may indeed end up dead."  He gathered himself up and walked over to the trail. "Let us follow then.  They are loaded with loot and will move more slowly and leave more of a trail."

He listened to Darakyn and nodded after a moment.  The desire for revenge was one near and dear to Abdur's fierce heart.  "Revenge for sure Aquilonian," he growled at the warrior.  "Keep the flames of anger alive for the battle."

(Is the party agreed to continue on, to follow the trail as able?)

OOC: I am agreed to follow the trail

Abdur looked at the others and then headed along the trail.  "Come along then Fan-Hee and stay close."

OOC: Yes!

Those on horses soon find that they are unable to follow the party along the trail into the woods.

Chard does not have a horse, but he realizes they cannot just leave the horses they do have and even if they leave someone to watch them, that person would be an easy target in the wild.

He is also reluctant to abandon the trail.

"How long would it take those on horses to ride back to tell the baron what we have fond and then come back on foot to pick up the trail?" he wonders.

"Ahk!" The Shemite cursed, "Derketo take these woods to her seraglio!" as she fought to find a pathway through the deepining forest. She turned to the others, "Keep watch for sign of a settler's compound. I could pay for shelter there for Amansinaya while we proceed on foot."

Abdur frowned as the horse slowed them.  Still, he understood Shaharazara's desire to keep her horse nearby; his own people valued their tough mountain horses equally.  "I fear that the Picts will have well avoided any settler's holding in their flight."

 Epeus thought the issue with the horses was amusing. But he did become serious, when he spoke. ,"IF they are Picts. What need, have those savages, with a strongbox?"

The horses, and therefore party, move somewhat slowly and noisily through the woods and brush following the faint trail tracked by Shaharazara. The light in the woods becomes more dim as they get further from the road and bridge and the foliage thickens.

20:09, Today: Epeus rolled 5 using 1d20.  Spot roll.

Chard does his best to clear the way for those that follow as the undergrowth presses in on the trail.

Chard slowly pulls his sword out and hisses at the others.

"Incoming!" he says, nodding at movement he can see in the undergrowth.

He prepares himself to receive an enemy.

 Epeus Shifted his bill of of his shoulder, and assumed a fighting stance with the weapon.

Shaharazara pulled an arrow from her quiver and put it to her bowstring. She looked around in all directions, trying to find the foe the Aquilonian warned about.


18:18, Yesterday: Shaharazara rolled 7 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 1.  Spot.

Abdur moved cautiously expecting danger. When Chard called out he whipped out his sword and stepped to the side to spoil any aim.

20:12, Today: Abdur Rahman rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Spot.

Already feeling rather tense Fanny cringes down into a squat and holds her staff tight against her chest when Chard calls out his warning. She cant help but let out a high pitched squeal as she does so.