Southern Comfort IC

[stanleyindraven]

"Looks like someone got angry," Horbin says as he looks at the man.

[Marlowe]

At that point, from some bushes to your right, in the shadow of the rocky spur, you ALL hear the sound of somebody rolling a 1 on a move silently check.

SNAP"frell..."

[RaggedAngel]

Delphi is moving before she consciously thinks to do so, darting around the sound at a full sprint to get into a flanking position, and to see if she can spot the clumsy bigfolk before they have a chance to hide again.

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She's going to run to try to get around the cover between them and the person. I'll give you a Spot check if she gets close enough to earn one.

[Marlowe]

You don't need a spot check you notice the female human rising, with a disgusted expression, from the pitfall that a poorly chosen foothold has dumped her in. Her black-leather-with-brazen-studs armour, while it might be quite the thing for a very exclusive sort of party, is not well chosen for concealment around a lot of green and brown. Although at least she found a green cloak from somewhere.

Her skin tone reminds you a little of Dardiana.

[u-b]

Gregor McAlister

Gregor guides his big dog forward and right, attempting to cut "silent"-mover from a route to escape, dropping his lance and drawind a javelin. Smaller dogs move straight right, loosely follow Delphi and bark at first loud and active, soon just to make sure anyone's aware that they bark.

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Gregor: drop lance, draw javelin, ready to throw pending friend-or-foe identification
Abyss: double move
Barry, Cherry: move, "fight" defensively, bark

[Marlowe]

Gregor:
You see her about the same time as Delphi, she wasn't far at all.

She is rising stiffly and slowly to her feet, facing Delphi. She is side-on to you. Her eyes are downcast and she has a noticeble jaw, currently set very firmly.

[mattie_p]

Grath nocks and draws an arrow, getting ready to loose at a sign of danger. He growls, "Shut up, dogs! Too loud!" He peers around intently elsewhere looking for a threat, confident the group can handle one woman for the time being.

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spot: (1d20-2)[-1] (I think we're still in daylight, and forgot to apply the 1- earlier. Sorry)
listen: (1d20+1)[15] (Can't hear anything over the dogs)

[Marlowe]

((well, the foresters have reacted, which is all I needed))

The woman rises to her full height, still moving slowly, and raises her head to Delphi. She has large, heavily-lidded, very cold eyes. Her hands slowly move to hang by either side.

"You throw anything at me, pretty little she-hobbit, and I will do things to you that you may not be old enough to have heard done." She takes a step back and to the side, gives Gregor a sidelong look, and crosses her arms over her chest gunbuster-style.

"Well then, ladies and gentlemen". Her voice is low and deep. "What happens next?"

[RaggedAngel]

Delphi frowns at the vague insult, but she holds her tongue and her sling until after the woman stops speaking. The little scout moves a bit more, to put herself in a good position to give chase should the woman take off, before replying. "You could tell us who you are and what you're doing. We've just come across several bodies, and we're awfully interested in finding the people responsible."

[Marlowe]

The woman closes her eyes to slits, her head back."Bethlen Gabriel. Textiles merchant. Journeyman." She shifts her position to, as if to keep both Gregor and Delphi in her field of vision."I was heading up to Whitewater Rip to sell some silk and linen, and study Your People's dressmaking styles. Then circumstances altered. Now" her eyes open a little. "I am looking at making more bodies. And rescuing Tharholt's thieving little whore of a daughter."

[Linguz]

"So, what? You want to kill us? You think you, alone, a trader, can take out a group?" She takes a look around where the girl is, to see just how surrounded she is. "I think you might want to think again. You're surrounded and don't know what each of us is capable of." She walks back a bit, to a tree, and begins to climb it while keeping her eyes on the girl. She leans back and practically sits down on the tree's side. "So, who's this... Tharholt, hmm? And what was that about rescuing his daughter?"

[stanleyindraven]

"Ladies, is this really necissary? I think we have similar interests, though she seems more skillful than her profession would give. Besides, this must be yours," Horbin will try to resolve the scuffle diplomatically as he gestures to the new beast of burden.

[Marlowe]

"I said nothing of fighting you" she says, giving the word pecular emphasis."Although I suppose if you give me no option you could enfore my consent". The arms uncross, and return to her sides. "Tharholt was a merchant. Nice man. Fought well. Should have worn armour. Currently feeding ravens on the fall. His daughter was accompanying him to learn his trade, although I fear she has acquired some rather different professional skills-" she breaks off when she sees the animal. "Spike!" she says, much breathier than her tone up until now.

The mule wanders up and licks her across the face.

[stanleyindraven]

"So, how far behind them are we now," Horbin asks.

[Marlowe]

She gives the mule a rub on the head. "Not long. I only waited until they were just out of earshot before finishing their friend, whom they had decided was slowing them down. Then I heard you coming, and waited to see what you were."

[mattie_p]

Grath asks, "How far out of earshot, will hear thrice damned barking? Find secure spot to talk."

[Marlowe]

"I doubt they are looking for another fight.", says "Bethlen". "But I did hear them talking about "meeting up with the Trammelburgh look-out party", if you find that cause to feel any urgency."

[AshesOfOld]

Something nears behind you.

You all hear the sounds of hooves before you see him: Atop a light horse, a heavily armored man comes riding. His face is rugged, and besides the armor, he wears a large shield on his back and a heavy morningstar by his belt.
After quickly taking in the scene, he slides off the horse unelegantly and sends it on its way with a hard slap over its back.

"You must be Ingva's adventurers." He talks matter-of-factly, with an unexpected warmth in his voice that contrasts his hard appearance. "This is good. I'm here to join you. And I'm sorry if I'm late to the party, but I had business to take care of first."
He looks around with a big smile on his face. "And what a party you've had. Hahah! So... who are we hunting?"

[u-b]

Gregor McAlister

"Six bandits or some such. Follow me... cancel, follow HER."

Gregor pointed his javelin at Delphi, turned away from insolent woman, took javelin away, rode back to his lance to pick it up and called the dogs, who immediately ceased barking and followed him along the trails.

Those with good hearing can hear strange muted barkings from his direction for some short time.

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Barking, in dogs' tongue (Spiritual Connection ACF): "Silent. Sniff. Stalk. Do as I do."

Since the bandits are apparently still moving, the idea is to get closer, judging distance by age of trail, then establish contact (preferably visual and one-sided, but any one dog pointing at anything would suffice).

Not sure how to roll that. Gregor has spot/listen at +7/+3 (hide/silent at +9/+5, but this probably does not apply). Dogs have both senses at +5; hide/silent is at +2/+2 for big dog (possibly at a penalty) and at +7/+3 for smaller dogs. Closer to target smaller dogs lead.

[mattie_p]

Grath looks at the approaching stranger. "Who this guy? How know Ingva? Grath not remember stranger. First Korgoth resurrect mule, then mule follow to dead guys, then Korgoth leave because could not raise dead any more, and mad no funeral pyre started. Hunting bandits. Maybe stranger bandit?"

[stanleyindraven]

"No, she would have attacked if he was," Horbin replies to Grath as he gestures toward the merchant.

[Marlowe]

"I never saw a bandit who was so quick to give up a good horse." says the merchant, studying the newcomer without emotion. "Still, they are getting further away. And so is your impetuous friend and his My-Little-Wolfpack starter set. Shall we go? If you are not going to detain me, I am going anyway" She moves off down the trail.

[Linguz]

Dardiana slides off the trunk of the tree and follows after the similarly-colored girl. It was the bandit's freedom to kill, but it was anyone else's freedom to hunt them down for the deed.

[RaggedAngel]

Delphi continued scouting just ahead of the group, taking her direction from the others but relying on her own stealth and skill to remain unharmed. She takes careful watch of the new woman; though she seemed innocent enough, looks could be extremely deceiving. And if the woman tried anything, she would find out exactly how deceiving Delphi's appearance truly was.

[Marlowe]

Gregor

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The trail drops downhill through forest and bush. Relieved of the need to let the others keep up, you make swift and silent movement. The redcloak's trail is a little less laboured now, but they are still plainly stumbling about in the forest.

After less than half an hour, you hear, a couple of hundred yards ahead, the sound of voices being raised in greetings. And then just raised.

Everyone else:

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Delphi takes the lead, advancing quick but cautiously. Somehwhat to Delphi's annoyance "Bethlen" keeps pace with her, plainly determined on this. She is nimble for a bigfolk and has some stealth skills, but no actual forestry. Dardiana as well, is close behind the leader. The others, burdened by armour or more cautious, follow behind amongst the mules.

[u-b]

Gregor McAlister

Gregor curses silently, places one javelin on the ground pointing in the direction of the sound, then takes to the left to get around the bandits while they are still hollering and assume a stationary position hidden lying down in visual distance from their projected path.

[AshesOfOld]

"Bandit, you say?" Thorwald looks at curiously, then looks around him as if searching for one. "No bandit here, alive anyway." He strokes his beard quizzically, then points into forest. "Perhaps if we follow them, we can find the bandits and ask if they know any of us, hmm?
With that, Thorwald follows the others after the bandits' trail.

[mattie_p]

Grath searches the body to see if Bethlen left anything of value on the corpse of the redcloak before following the group. As he moves along the trail, he puts his bow away and pulls out his new axe. As he walks, he quietly plays with the holy symbol hanging from his neck while scanning the area for any threats.

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Take 10 to search the body: 10+1 = 11

[Marlowe]

Gregor:

Inching to the left around the voices brings you to the edge of the bush, and the rocky bed of a not inconsiderable stream. Looking to the right you can see a scattering of ten red-cloaked figures (four of them slightly darker-cloaked than the others) variously standing, sitting, and gesticulating on a rocky spit of land formed by a bend in the stream, and dominated by a large standing stone. You also can spot two mules and some kind of bundle on the ground in their midst.

Voices are being raised in anger, but you can't make out the words. The main dispute, going by body language, seems to be between a large human in a redcloak and an elf-sized person in maroon. The three other maroons are standing with their backs to you, backing up their fellow fashion victim. The other five redcloaks are just sitting around goofing off.

You estimate the others are maybe five to fifteen minutes behind you, depending on how long they stood around chatting.

Everyone else:

Make it 4-7 minutes..

Grath: Seems like they took everything of value, but you do recognise the "animal bites" on him as coming from the claws and beaks of birds, some of which would have been extremely painful if they'd hit soft bits.

[Marlowe]

((I am currently on a very very very slow Chinese Hotel pc and will be standing on a train for 17hrs tomorrow. Amuse yourselves!))