“I am well suited for repositioning around enemies in order to enable flanking maneuvers using my mobility. I am also fast enough to stand in the second rank and still arrive with the first rank,” Elera says. She pauses as she prepares her next words before continuing, “What sort of formation would we like to walk in? We could split it up into two ranks. Those of us who punch and stab people up front and the magic folks in the back row.”

OOC: Elera is a jabbing style dexterity monk. She’ll probably be the most helpful by running around to the other side of enemies to set up flanks with Skeeve, assuming that Skeeve is a rogue. Is there a compelling reason that we shouldn’t split the rows into martials and casters?

“Skeeve is best when he is not seen”, suggested the rogue

Ludovic shrugged. "I am the weakest one here but given time and money I will be the most powerful in the world. I am a clone master alchemist. So any monster we run into i will copy. I can do s bit of summoning but at our current condition they don't last long."

"Think of me as a crafter with some healing and weak bombs."

"I can currently distract and disable things, shoot minor fire bolts, and once per day enlarge or shrink, and charm people."  He thought for a moment.  "With my body's abilities, if you were to ask for one of those things by saying 'I wish...' and stating it, the effect would be stronger.  But only once per day per person."

Ludovic wrote a few notes down. "So I am thinking some antitoxin, antiplagues, Healing balms, and I want to get some Fire wards made so as we go along you want to keep an eye out for a red clover like moss."

"Is there any other alchemy you want me to focus on? Night drops assuming some cant see in the dark? Oooo. I could make some candle rods."

"I am big and very strong, I hit hard and I'm hard to kill. Just like before.." The last sentence was said with a nostalgic tone. The God of War took his position in the front of the group, being the biggest of them all.

OOC: Thaddeus is an Unchained Barbarian with the Invulnerable Rager Archetype. His Domain spells are also things that make him stronger in close combat.

The rain is more pleasant than a hindrance, but it does start to soften the road as you begin your journey west.

The land to either side of the road is wild, overgrown with grasses and trees although with nothing so dense you'd call it a forest.

After less than an hour, you pass what appears to be a crossroads of sorts.  Wooden stalls are set up at each corner, but all are unattended. The roads north and south are clearly less traveled than east and west: the trails you had noted before continue west.

Some cobbling near the crossroads and some piles of stone suggest thst there may have been a village here once, decades ago.

Let me know if you stop to investigate, turn north or south, or continue west.

With the arrival of the party at the crossroads near the village, Elera shifts from foot to foot as she voices her thoughts, “I think we should continue west. The north and south roads are less travelled, but we don’t know if there’s something in those directions. Carts suggest goods being moved and from that, residents.”

OOC: 11:21, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 4 using 1d20+3. Foraging during travel.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:34, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

“West”, muttered Skeeve as he scuttled towards the derelict stalls to nose around then; the was a potency in the chance of forgotten things that called to him

The stalls hold the scent of food, but nothing of note remains. Even the garbage has clearly been picked through by the local wildlife.

Shadowdale studies the area for tracks and an idea of what food was sold here.
He turns to Skeeve.  Skeeve can your friends tell us what animal have been here to pick over the wast?  Oh and do they know if owl are common around here?

OOC:
00:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 21 using 1d20+6.  Survival:.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:11, Tue 17 Jan 2023.

Fruit and grains, from the waste.

The animals are your typical scavenging birds and mammals. Possums, raccoons, etc.

Ludovic did not see much of anything as he was collecting loose bits of wood. He was going to sculpt them into tools and weapons as needed. He would not let any opportunity to make things go to waste. He was good to head west as it was the only direction that posted any reasonable help.

Though at this rate he was expecting slavers or some such.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Wed 18 Jan 2023.

You move further west. The roads seem slightly better here and the rain has stopped for the moment. Occasionally you pass patches of land that have been cleared.

Two miles west of the crossroads, you see your first people: a group of four hobbits on a hill 500 yards south working to till the soil. They stop and watch you as you pass.

It doesn't look like they intend to approach the road or speak with you.

Ludo pointed at the hobbits, "Anyone want to say hello? I am not much of a social person."

"But this makes me wonder something. The people coming here smell of blood, right? For people to be out here randomly farming there has to be something interesting going on. People dont get to be peaceful without the threat of violence." Now that he had a question Ludo just shrugged and walked over. "Hiya can a hermit bother you a bit? If not I absolutely understand and wont mess with your day."

"Get inside," one of the hobbits says to the other three, and whistles. Two mastiffs - both taller at the shoulder than the humanoids - bound into sight from over the hill as the other three hobbits drop their tools and run directly away from the road.

The one remaining hobbit eyes the group, the two dogs stopping even with him and baring their teeth.  "No truck with geflicka* here.  Move along."

(*geflicka is the goblin word for "hunted".)

Ludovic smiled and kept his hands where the brave hobbit could see them. "I hear you and understand. Have a good day." He smiled at the hounds, Ludovic adored dogs. All the same he inclined his head and headed back to the group to keep heading west.

"Goblin language used in idle speech. It runs deep then. It will take a generation after people get freed before the reins let up."

"This is going to be fun."

"Hunted, though?  Is there something that sticks out about us that would set us apart as people who would be hunted?"  Ziklag asked as he looked at the halfling for a long moment before turning to continue down the road.  He looked around at the group.

He considered aloud, "Perhaps our clothing?  Or perhaps... that we are traveling at all.  I can't imagine that evil overlords would want their subjects moving about freely.  We should keep a careful eye and ear out as we travel - if we notice other travelers we should try to figure out if there's a visible outward sign that they are permitted to travel."

Almost an hour passes before you approach another area of tilled land. A stone house with a thatched roof is visible, well back from the road, surrounded by a low stone wall. Between it and the road, two hobbits guide a single horse pulling a plow.

At about the same time that you first notice them, they notice you.  They quickly unyoke their beast and one runs towards the house while the other moves quickly in your direction.

You're still a distance down the road; you have a minute or so to confer until the hobbit is within earshot. But you can already see by her size and how she moves that she is a child.

Elera frowns as she turns to the rest of the party and says, "I'm uncomfortably certain that there will be repercussions for this child if we talk with her. Maybe we could have Skeeve eavesdrop on one of their homes while we hide instead?" She stiffly watches the child approach as she waits for the rest of the party to respond.

"That seems like a very good idea. Set off the side of the road and set up a bit of a hidden camp? We can also cover our tracks." It was something to do so Ludovic was all about it. He was out of his mind traveling on the road with nothing to do other than air dry herbs.

Elera nods and responds, "Then let's move. We can possibly dodge the child if we go now." She sweeps her gaze over the surrounding areas, checking for anywhere that the party might be able to hide.

Darting swiftly to the side of the road, Skeeve seeks out what cover he can find to move closer to the habitation. His ears twitch

[There is cover off the side of the road to the north, and you can dart over there if you move now.  I'll wait to hear that all of you agree to do this.]

Ludovic was already trotting over and doing is upmost best to set up the cover in such a way as to be as well hidden as possible. Even trying to obscure tracks as far as he could and still get there in reasonable time.

18:41, Today: Ludovic rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  survival