(002) Taken!

[Eris]

Buttie begins to settle down as dusk approaches. A group of men come in from outside the village, many carrying axes, and are greeted by the women and children...husbands and fathers coming in from their work. You learn that Buttie exports logs and lumber. They have a water powered lumber mill a few hundred yards upstream where they mill the tall conifers into planks that will fill a couple of wagons that will join Master Beck's caravan here while he will sell some of his goods here to the locals.

The inn offers beds in a bunkroom, if you want them, for 5 silver pieces a night with a meal and drink included. You can stay with the wagons, eat the simple meal that Master Beck's cook will provide from the Chuckwagon, and sleep in your bedrolls for free, of course.

Just before dark there is a commotion as a pair of boys come running through the gate shouting, "Something has happened to Bob! Help! Come help!"

They run straight to the inn and burst inside panting and almost gibbering. You quickly get their story, though.

They are 2 of 3 boys that had been out with the sheep flock up on the hill side east of the small village. Normally, they would gather up the sheep at dusk and herd them into the pens just outside the village walls.

Three of the sheep were missing from the flock, they had gone into the wood further up the hill. Bob went up there to run them back down to the flock. A couple of minutes later they heard him shout something, they could make out what, and then nothing. He didn't come back out of the wood, nor did the sheep. When they tired of waiting they went up and took a look, but didn't see any sign of either Bob or the 3 sheep. Thinking something must have happened to him, they ran back to the village to get help.

"We will have to form a search party." says the village elder, "The sheep we could stand to lose, but not one of our boys."

He turns to Master Beck and asks, "Could you spare some of your guards to help in the search?"

Beck nods, "I can, but I won't order them to help. I recommend that some men stay here just in case it is a diversion to lure the men away from the village, too!"

Beck looks at your group and asks, "Who among you are willing to join the search?"

[joertexas]

Beck looks at your group and asks, "Who among you are willing to join the search?"

Eodrien looks up from the spot where she was about to lay out her bedroll near the wagons. "I will go." The warrior stands and hefts her waraxe.

[terrymixon]

Beck looks at your group and asks, "Who among you are willing to join the search?"

Eodrien looks up from the spot where she was about to lay out her bedroll near the wagons. "I will go." The warrior stands and hefts her waraxe.

“As will I,” Des said as he stood.

[bruce.desertrat]

Valerin says "I will!", and gathers his sword, bow and quiver and heads to the rest of the search party. "I can take the lead since I can see better in the dark."

I'll try to catch up later I think I wanted to buy some stuff, but beginning of the term's been cray-cray busy. The "Hat's I'm Wearing Today At Work" delivery system is starting to rival this

[ateno]

"You fighters decide where I should go, I'm not very good in the wild and might be a disability. But if its smart tactically. Just let me know.

Kazan as a tracker might help"

Darrian

[Darithe]

Magdal had hoped to get a good night's sleep but as usual fate had other plans. It was time to put her skills as a tracker to use. "Let's go where they were last seen and check out the area." She grabs her bow and follows the others.

[Eris]

Your group is joined by six men from the village armed with spears and daggers. They quickly lead the way out of the village and up to the right. There is a hill on your left (west) and a stream on your right (east). The stream continues ahead of you (north) and around the hill disappearing from view. The villagers start up the hill walking through grasses and through a flock of sheep. The boys who had be watching over the sheep lead them down the hill past you and into pens just inside the village gates.

The villagers and your group enter a line of trees near the hilltop and quickly find a place where, what looks like a scuffle took place. You find a Shepard's crook here, but no blood or bodies.

OOC: Actions?

[terrymixon]

Your group is joined by six men from the village armed with spears and daggers. They quickly lead the way out of the village and up to the right. There is a hill on your left (west) and a stream on your right (east). The stream continues ahead of you (north) and around the hill disappearing from view. The villagers start up the hill walking through grasses and through a flock of sheep. The boys who had be watching over the sheep lead them down the hill past you and into pens just inside the village gates.

The villagers and your group enter a line of trees near the hilltop and quickly find a place where, what looks like a scuffle took place. You find a Shepard's crook here, but no blood or bodies.

OOC: Actions?

Des looks to see if the brush is disturbed in a particular direction.

[Darithe]

Magdal studies the area where the scuffle took place, looking for tracks and anything that might indicate what happened and where the fellow was taken.

[joertexas]

Magdal studies the area where the scuffle took place, looking for tracks and anything that might indicate what happened and where the fellow was taken.

While the others investigate, Eodrien keeps watch.

[ateno]

Darian will look at the direct area, not for tracks, but anything else fallen or smells or such.

Does the hook look cracked or chipped, like it was used to hit armor or a hard head, and such what.

[Eris]

Des looks to see if the brush is disturbed in a particular direction.

Magdal studies the area where the scuffle took place, looking for tracks and anything that might indicate what happened and where the fellow was taken.

Darian will look at the direct area, not for tracks, but anything else fallen or smells or such.

Does the hook look cracked or chipped, like it was used to hit armor or a hard head, and such what.

While the others investigate, Eodrien keeps watch.

Des and Magdal observe that there are a few broken branches leaving the small clearing toward the north. There are a few sheep tracks visible as well as several booted tracks all leading out of the clearing and up a path leading to the north. The narrow animal trail leads out of the small clearing toward the north disappearing as it turns to the left (west) a few feet along.

Darian detects a foul smell, but he can't place it. The crook doesn't appear to be chipped or cracked, it is just lying on the ground at the far western edge of the clearing...but in Darian's opinion it looks like it was flung in that direction rather than just dropped.

Kazan makes a low growl as he sniffs around nose to the ground.

Eodrien keeps close watch as the villagers mill around making angry noises and mostly trampling anymore signs that might have been in the clearing.

[ateno]

"So off to the north then it appears. looks like the herder threw the crook at the kidnappers."

Darrian heads over to see where Kazan is sniffing, scritches him and checks the ground where he was sniffing.

[terrymixon]

"So off to the north then it appears. looks like the herder threw the crook at the kidnappers."

Darrian heads over to see where Kazan is sniffing, scritches him and checks the ground where he was sniffing.

"Indeed. Who of us might be best at quietly scouting as the rest of us follow close behind?"

[joertexas]

"So off to the north then it appears. looks like the herder threw the crook at the kidnappers."

Darrian heads over to see where Kazan is sniffing, scritches him and checks the ground where he was sniffing.

"Indeed. Who of us might be best at quietly scouting as the rest of us follow close behind?"

Des hears Eodrien's armor creak as she steps up next to him. "I don't think I qualify with all this stuff on. What did you find?"

[terrymixon]

"So off to the north then it appears. looks like the herder threw the crook at the kidnappers."

Darrian heads over to see where Kazan is sniffing, scritches him and checks the ground where he was sniffing.

"Indeed. Who of us might be best at quietly scouting as the rest of us follow close behind?"

Des hears Eodrien's armor creak as she steps up next to him. "I don't think I qualify with all this stuff on. What did you find?"

"Looks like they took him north. I see boot prints, but I'm not a tracker, so I'm not sure what can be pulled from that."

[joertexas]

"Looks like they took him north. I see boot prints, but I'm not a tracker, so I'm not sure what can be pulled from that."

"They went north?" Eodrien grins at him.

[terrymixon]

"Looks like they took him north. I see boot prints, but I'm not a tracker, so I'm not sure what can be pulled from that."

"They went north?" Eodrien grins at him.

"True, but the boot prints might give more information to a trained tracker about the abductors."

[joertexas]

"True, but the boot prints might give more information to a trained tracker about the abductors."

The warrior chuckles and claps him heartily on one armored shoulder. "I'm just jesting with you. More information or not, we should be after them, yes?" She unlimbers her axe and removes the cover, stuffing the leather under her belt.

[terrymixon]

"True, but the boot prints might give more information to a trained tracker about the abductors."

The warrior chuckles and claps him heartily on one armored shoulder. "I'm just jesting with you. More information or not, we should be after them, yes?" She unlimbers her axe and removes the cover, stuffing the leather under her belt.

"We should."

Des unlimbers his axe and looks to the rest. "Shall we go?"