"If this is there home than we have no advantage. If there is a cave there I can check for thoughts this time. I learned my lesson." Mithril rubbed the bruises on her neck, grimacing at the dull pain still radiating from it.
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"If this is there home than we have no advantage. If there is a cave there I can check for thoughts this time. I learned my lesson." Mithril rubbed the bruises on her neck, grimacing at the dull pain still radiating from it.
As the party sends watching the clearing... A stick lands at Miram's feet...
If you look around you can see Henry perched up in a tree to the south, the sun blinds you to look in his direction as it would any Orc lookout while the sun was still in the sky if they looked from this direction.
Spoiler
[roll0]
Natalia's eyes immediately flit up, following the arc of the stick. Squinting her eyes--her black bangs only provide some relief--Natalia takes a moment to spot Henry perched in the tree. He chose well; though the leaves hadn't yet come into full bloom the branches were thick and sturdy and any orc would be blinded looking at him anyway.
Natalia waves to him, a quick flash of the hand, then says to the others, "Like a bird. Found him."
Miriam sights "I am glad he is alive. We should debrief him to learn what he found out."
Natalia waves him down, careful not to shout out his presence and potentially alert someone.
Kurt glances up, then curses and looks back away from the sun, cursing softly and rubbing his eyes. If they say he's there, he must be, the clearing doesn't quite look natural.
Spoiler
Just a quick post before I head off. May or may not be on, keep on posting for Kurt as required.
Natalia nods and says, "High point for him too."
Miriam looks at Natalia and points to Henry. "Did he go there on his on or was he chased by some animal? Better not stand under him. We never know when fear might make him lose control of his bladder."
Henry
Henry carefully climbed down from his perch, carefully picking his way through the undergrowth towards the party. As he approaches he stays crouched and quiet, in a whisper, "Surprised to see you here...well not really, you've certainly made enough noise on your way. Be lucky the Orcs didn't. They only rarely come out in the day and it isn't hard to avoid detection, but come night, I make sure to watch from as far as I can.". He points to a ridge behind you where there would be a good vantage point.
The young man looks to be more in his element outside in the wild. He looks at home crawling though the woods.
Miriam hates it but Henry looks different than the young man who soiled his pants a few days ago. He might not be totally useless after all. She asks him "So what have your learned? What kind of forces are we talking about? What is their pattern? What are the entrances of the caves? What other nastiness have you seen?"
Her tone is very matter of fact like.
Natalia is forced to acknowledge that Henry is essentially her equal in stealth. Maybe she should scout a bit ahead from the others from now on, so at least she can stay hidden. She says, "Little rabbit, now with teeth...Maybe I should...Run ahead like wind too. Spot the foxes?"
Henry
Looking up at Miriam with a scowl, "There are at least two entrances, the main entrence is a couple hundred yards north and east, the other has to be up higher in the ridges.". Henry points out both general directions. "I haven't dared to sneak that far out. They haven't been amassing forces like we thought, at least that I can see."
Miriam looks at Henry. "I guess he has changed. That is what war and violence does. Change us."
"Well Done Young Henry. Now have you seem more orcs coming in than coming out? Have then been sending raiding parties? Have you seen any leaders? No other monsters or evil race?"
Henry
Replying to Miriam, "I can't tell, I haven't seen much outside of a few hunters bringing in some animals. No leaders either."
Natalia pauses. "Hives...Hives don't miss squished ants. Same here?" It would be absolutely humiliating if they brought soldiers to an attack that would never happen. She asks him, "Anything...Strange?"
"The ridge? Last time we went on a ridge a Roc attacked." Mithril shuddered at the memory. It seemed like her whole day had been near-death attacks from creatures everywhere.
Natalia places a hand on Mithril's shoulder and adds, "Secrets in the stones. Danger too."
Cautiously, Natalia asks, "Farthest in the den?" She also adds, "...Brought aid," to try to break Henry's scowling at Miriam.
Kurt nods a bit, chuckling. "Henry is much...quieter than us."
Henry
Responding to Mithril, "You survived the Roc?!" Henry's face is surprised, "I saw the great winged brute this morning."
Looking at Natalia like she is slow, "Why would I be foolish enough to explore the caves?"
Spoiler
Knowledge Nature[roll0]
"Took a tumble," Natalia replies in response to Henry's shock. "Shrubs and earth defend against sky."
Natalia mostly brushes off Henry's attitude; she's long used to people seeing her as Nuts and nothing more. Their group is a welcome change. She does, however, ask Henry, "Nothing now...Nothing later today? So what...should we do?" Was the threat of attack so empty? How are they going to explain this to Linwood?
Completely at random, she looks around at the jagged cliffs and rough peaks, and can't help but wonder how one would build something into the stone.
Mithril smiled grimly "Well we didn't fight it, and I managed to land in a bramble bush while jumping off the ridge. But we survived." She scratched Whiskers under the chin while looking at the surroundings. "I would rather not check out the caves. Even if there are just orcs, caves are not designed for most of us, Kurt being the exception."
Shuddering at just how close Mithril was to death, Natalia nods. She says to Henry, "Return and report?" She'd much prefer to face the orcs in the woods than the caves, on neutral territory than their turf.
Miriam takes a step toward the cave. "Henri, what is the best way to get to the entrance without being seen? Do they have sentries posted?"
She looks at the rest of the group with a look saying "Who is coming?"
Looking over at the scared Mithril, Natalia asks Miriam, "And light? Danger like..."
Henry
Henry answers Miriam, "He easiest way to the main cave ntrance is to follow this valley around, it curves and is the most direct route, otherwise., you can skirt around the edge of these ridges. You are in the cleared land but under the shadow of the mountains for most of it.". Henry pauses and thinks about the sentries, "Their patrols and guards have been sporadic and unpredictable. Some must come from the secondary entrance in the ridges."
Listening to Henry and Miriam discuss their plans, Valen speaks up, "I'd prefer to find the back entrence. Either way we should move and use the last light of day to cover a retreat if needed."
Natalia asks Henry, "Sneak attack from rear...with us?" They could use another hand, especially one as stealthy as her.
Henry
Henry looks excited at the proposition before he collects himself, "That isn't why I am here. I am here to scout, not attack."
"Scouting within," Natalia adds, pausing to reduce her Nutspeak as much as possible. "Traps and hide, eavesdrop and sabotage. Then return. Scout, but fight to defend...Your weapons?" she asks. He'll need something good for close-range combat.
Henry
Getting a little frustrated with Natalia, "Going in there," he points emphatically, still keeping his voice to a whisper, "is not why I am here. I was told specifically not to. You can do what you wish."