The Unseen Servant forums

Salt Peter suddenly pops out of the brush, having caught back up with the party. Hennoth is startled but calms once seeing it is only the strange though friendly halfling who has occasional fits. The sun is overhead though the light is dimmer with a thicker canopy over your heads. Occasional breaks in the trees show hills ahead of you to the east, tall though not the monsters to the north.


Same marching order only sans donkey?

Graela takes the lead, spear in hand, walking slowly looking for signs of the bandits passage.

Tip:

Tip marches along with his bow at the ready, being cautious of any hidden dangers. "I agree with everyone else's concerns. Something feels...wrong with the outpost. I trust Mom, but some of the guards leave me with doubts."

Salt Peter takes the rear position, bow ready. "So, we've got bandits, we've got intrigue back at thar outpost, and the forest's fulla spirits an' unhealthy magics. Them opals better be the size o' me head."

There is a sudden crashing as of something dashing through the underbrush to your left. A brief glimpse suggests it is a deer running. Immediately after you hear a low curse further back to the left. The birdsong has gone silent.

After hearing the curse, Travix quickly finds a tree to hide behind. He silently urges the others to do the same with hand signals and facial expressions.

He fiddles with his spell components, waiting to catch a glimpse of the "hunter".

Hennoth immediately follows Travix's example and ducks behind a tree. He helpfully mouths "That was a deer".

Tip:

Tip slides behind a tree with an arrow nocked, ready to fire if the hunter proves to be hostile toward the group.

Salt Peter dashes into the brush and looks for a good tree to shimmy up (he was practically born in the rigging of tall ships, and climbing trees and hiding were his particular specialties among the highwaymen). If this works out, he'll nock an arrow and try to locate the source of the muffled curse.

A low chuckle from the same direction and another voice, less to share but less to carry too. Let's get back before they drink all the wine.

The voices sound about thirty feet to your left now. You still can't see anyone but judging by the sounds they are now moving east. A faint crashing of brush ahead and to the right of the fleeing deer fades away.

Travix strains his ears to hear if the hunters are really leaving the area or if it is just a ruse to get us to show ourselves.

If and when he deems the coast to be clear, he whispers to the others.

Should we follow them? Maybe sneak up on them and get a look at their operations? Hey Salty......what did you learn from following that last guy, anyway? Did he just head back to their camp?

Mr. DM

Tip:

Looking to the others, Tip adds,"Aye, I think we should follow them, but let's give it a moment to make sure we maintain our cover and give them a little time to move on. Not too much time, mind you, I don't want to lose their trail." Tip keeps his bow nocked and waits to hear from the others.

Salt Peter slides down from his tree. "Tha' Doth feller jus' wen' back ter th' outpost. D'ye reckon tha's where these jacks be headed? What d'ye think they're hoping not ter share?"

Travix smiles at the diminutive halfling.

Ummmmmmm........the deer?

The sounds of the two men fade away to the east and wildlife noises slowly return to the woods around you.

Tip:

"Come, if we are to follow, we should do so now. Tread lightly." Tip makes his way to the east in hopes of following the men. He continues to have his bow at the ready.

You begin following the two men as they traverse the woods, heading east. They seem oblivious to your presence as you creep closer. While not continuous, the two have shared occasional banter and quiet comments as they made their way. Suddenly one of the men hisses and all sounds of movement from the two of them halt immediately. There is a strange chittering and clacking noise and then nothing for a long moment, the sounds of the woods have gone silent as well.

What did you say?? asks one of the men incredulously.

I didn't say shit, says the other. What are you doing?

Why aren't you stopping it? Look! It's going inside! What's wrong with you?!

What?! Where?! Why'd you move over there just now? Stand still!

Goddess, look what it's doing! Let me get it before it's too late!

What? No! Stop it! What are you doing?!

A scream from one is closely followed by a scream from the other and then the first turns into a gurgle and groan before extinguishing. A lone voice cries out in anguish. You hear gasping breaths and crashing through underbrush away to the east and then eerie silence.

Travix freaks out a little bit. He is clearly shook up about this encounter. The first thing that he does is take out some papers and begin reading them to himself.

He then whispers to his party.

What the hells was that? Seems like it might be gone now. Should we sneak up a bit more for a closer look?

Tip:

Swallowing audibly, Tip turns to look at his companions for advice on how to proceed next. He is visibly shaken by the events. "What...what...was that about?"