She looks at the sun's position. "We'd usually take Daisy to go that far.  It would be around two hours. But with your long legs, I bet you can make it walking."

Loam is gone a few minutes. He reports the presence of one goblin in the bigger structure and three dogs and one hobbit in the smaller structure.  Not much food.

Ziklag stays slightly behind Elera, preferring to let the woman be the one closer to the little girls for their sake.  "Please thank your family for their hospitality to us.  No one can do everything for anyone all of the time, but you all have shown us great kindness.  Such small good deeds can sometimes make it into stories that encourage the hearts of others for generations!"

Turning to Elera, he said, "We should probably be moving on as soon as they tell us how far a walk it is."

Elera nods affirmatively at the children as she answers, “Thank you, we’ll make sure to stay out of sight of the house while we pass.“ She starts to take steps away and back towards the others as she offers a wave in farewell.

Traveling on, the rain has entirely stopped, although the sun is still concealed behind clouds.

You encounter a dirt path to the north about an hour and a half later. There are tilled fields on either side of the road, and a half dozen goats graze placidly in a paddock within sight of the road. No people are visible.

There are about two hours of sunlight left. If the upcoming farms are spaced as far apart as the last three have been, you will make it to the next farm just before sundown, and the one after that (matching the girl's directions) about an hour after sundown.

Do you take any action here before continuing on?

While they continue to walk, Elena says, "We need to move faster if we want to make it in time. I can conjure a floating disk from my domain for Skeeve to ride on, and then we can hustle to try and reach our destination." She looks at the others and continues with seriousness in her voice, "I would really rather not find out why we shouldn't be out at night."

Ziklag was only to happy to speed up.  "I concur - haste is in order here."  He said as his paces stretched out and quickened.  "I, for one, found it extremely encouraging that even after all this time, there are still those who remember.  And even more so that some are still willing to go out on a limb for a stranger."

"Cant call up the chariot of monsters just yet. And any other monster I can call on sticks around only for a few moments. So forced march at double time it is for me!" Ludovic picked up the pace as much as he could. He would be making liquor later to make the pain go away.

I agree.  The more we understand and the less we are notice the better.  Just remember nobody can be totally trusted.  Just keep that in mind.

Still waiting for Skeeve.  In the meantime, here are your options, assuming you need to travel about 6 miles (the farms so far have been around 3 miles apart).
Everyone walks: Move speed 20.  ETA 3 hours.
Skeeve hustles or rides the disk, others walk: Move speed 30.  ETA 2 hours.
Everyone (but Thaddeus and Elena) hustles: Move speed 40.  ETA 1.5 hours.
Skeeve rides the disk, others hustle: Move speed 60.  ETA 1 hour.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:25, Mon 06 Feb 2023.

Skeeve nodded slowly, "Scampering is called for, and I can do so, but still be quiet. Let others set the pace - not too fast, not too slow, for haste and speed are different outcomes"

OOC: Recommend the 2 hour option

The group picks up its pace. The next farm appears within the hour, and with more than an hour left before sundown, you approach what you count to be the farm you were told about.

Tall reedy plants grow on either side of a short road to the south that ends in three man-made structures.  A hobbit sits in front of one of the structures - what looks to be a two-story house.  A younger hobbit is chasing two large dogs through the field.

[Skeeve, Ziklag, Shadowdale, and Ludovic take 1 nonlethal damage and are now fatigued.]

"Perhaps you are best placed to see if we are welcome here, Elera", Skeeve suggested, as they paused for breath on their approach, "These 'Flaxfeathers' may welcome the less familiar among us more readily if they see a friendly face first"

Shadowdale move off the road and finds a place to look over the house hidden.

OOC:
22:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  Perception:.
22:07, Today: Shadowdale Greenleaf rolled 10 using 1d20+7.  Stealth.

Elera nods at Skeeve as she answers, "That seems like a good idea. I'll signal you once I've said my introductions and we know how they'll react."

She turns to Ziklag and asks, "Are you going with me like last time?" With her query delivered, she begins to make her way towards the seated hobbit, trusting that Ziklag will either follow her or remain here.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:20, Thu 09 Feb 2023.

Once everyone was all together Ludovic effectively found a spot that broke line of sight to the road, and flopped over onto the ground just sucking in that sweet sweet air. "You'll signal, understood."

Ziklag nodded as he joined Elera in approaching the seated hobbit.  "I'd be happy to."

He waved his open hand as they approached, and kept his quarterstaff gripped in a way that made it effective for walking but clearly ineffective for immediate combat use.

Bobbing his head to Elera and Ziklag, the ratling ducked into the undergrowth close to where Ludovic lay

The hobbit on the porch is slowly spooning a thick stew into his mouth as he watches you approach. He appears quite old, wearing the same simple, faded clothing you've seen on everyone you've met so far.

He squints at you as you come within earshot. "Humans?  That's new.  Haven't seen any tall folk in... a while."  His words belie a deliberate calm.

[Both of you please make Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks when you respond.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:08, Fri 10 Feb 2023.

Elera approaches with a hand raised in greeting as she attempts to brush past the implicit question of how humans had made it here, "We were told that you might be willing to shelter us for the night?"


OOC:
07:01, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 18 using 1d20+2.  Diplomacy.
07:01, Today: Elera Nehnisa rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  Sense Motive.

"We're sorry to intrude.  We're extremely new to the area and we and our couple of friends could use the rest and some help understanding the way things are here."  Ziklag added honestly.

08:53, Today: Ziklag rolled 1 using 1d20.  Sense Motive.
08:53, Today: Ziklag rolled 12 using 1d20+10.  Diplomacy.

A 1 and a 2 - Go me!

The man nods, glancing to the westward horizon.  "We wouldn't be leaving you with many options otherwise.  How many are you, and do you have mounts?"

The older hobbit squints at this. "D'you mean you're not from Varnield? How did you even get this far inland?"

Elera answers, “There’s 6 of us, and we don’t have mounts.” She pauses before continuing, “Not all of us are human; will that be okay?”

The old man closes his eyes, and answers: "[Language unknown: Us essconwil no iothun werthinte ourwasica sanpa uswh sencai sa blelarica, ilsom ei sarom anth taoser. Loieli and es.]"
He nods smiling.  "Glad I still know it.  Call your friends in; I'll let the family know to add to the pot."
He whistles, and the two mastiffs lead the hobbit boy quickly inside.  The old man follows them in, leaving the door to the house wide open.

Elera keeps her expression still as the halfling speaks. She doesn't know what he said, but it sounds as if it was something that she was supposed to know. Quickly, she turns and waves back to where the others are hiding and beckons them over before she starts following the old halfling into the house.