Quest #24 "Spying On Bings Pirates"

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

In the morning on the 14th, Glansandi has gathered all of the willing participants who wanted to go and search out the pirate threat at the river.

Besides the elf, Sister Daisy Broadfoot is there, along with her trusted friend Sophie the war badger. Dexter Broadleaf has also decided to accompany the party, wishing to start off on the right foot within the town.

Glansandi addresses the others. "As I suspected, Raythan will not be joining us. And Hrothgar the giant couldn't be located either, probably sleeping off a drinking episode or something. So, it looks as though it will only be the three of us, if that is fine with the 2 of you? As I mentioned before, the beach seems to be fairly safe now that several threats have been taken care of, so the trip there and back should be uneventful. However, I wont say that the trip will be free of danger completely, as I do not yet know the magnitude of this threat. Perhaps a smaller splinter group will prove more efficient if we are trying to remain unseen? Does everyone understand what we are about to do?"

Liam
I'm sorry, but I feel there is too much work to be done here. I should stay behind and contribute what little I can here. I will try to help organize the counsel and spearhead an effort for an alternative water source in the meantime.

After Liam expresses his wishes to stay in town, it looks like this will be a party of three. Any last preparations before heading out?

Actions?

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

"As long as it is understood that the mission is reconnaissance only," says Dexter. "We do not have the manpower for rescues, sabotage or other derring-do. Get their numbers, get some idea of their weapons, and how they are distributed and where they have their camp laid out, if they have one and aren't all on their ship. Is that a fair assessment of what we are doing?"

[Urson]

Daisy

Ah think that covers it. Daisy is in full armor, with her loaded pack and her first aid kit.

She holds her mace overhead and faces to the west. Arvoreen, we're going on this trip to do your work. Give us aid and your blessings.


After this, she's ready to go.

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

Glansandi nods at the reply from Dexter. "Correct. Believe me, I don't want this to get any more involved than that. We aren't a group of heavily armed fighters, but I know that your kind are very good at keeping quiet and unseen when you need to be, no offense of course. Once we learn a little bit about the force we might be up against, we can come back here and formalize a plan for how we intend to handle this situation."

As the conversation starts to wane, Marge runs up to the group shouting.

"If you lot are going to the river, the girls and I should come along too. We have enough water for a few days yet here, but it will run out eventually and needs to be resupplied as soon as possible. You little ones wont mind if my water carriers tag along, will you?"

Glansandi doesn't look like he wants anything to do with allowing others along, but he differs to the halflings to handle the pleasantries.

Actions?

[Urson]

Daisy
Ah think that might be a bad idea, Miz Marge. If the pirates are close to the mouth of the river, ya'll would be walking straight into a hornet's nest. Ah know there's plenty of us who can create fresh water- maybe ya'll should let that be enough for right now.

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Dexter, feeling very new on the island next to all these folks, lets Daisy, Glansandi and Marge work out the details. He feels that combining a water-gathering mission with this mission is a bad idea, but admits to himself that he doesn't really know Marge's capabilities.

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

Marge goes on for some time about her need to keep busy during these hard times, but eventually agrees that the trip is too dangerous for her girls. She wishes each member of the group well as she heads off to find something else to do.

Glansandi shoulders a small adventuring pack and nods to Daisy and Dexter.

"If you are both ready to depart, lets get moving before anyone else asks to tag along. We can talk freely along the way, but I want to approach the last mile or so as cautiously as possible. Agreed?"

Actions?

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Dexter nods and pulls at his pouches and messenger bag. The others notice that he has a walking stick, with a short-cut branch near the top, with a lantern hanging from it. "Yes, sir. Ready when you are." He sets off with the others, keeping up well ... once he gets used to the drag of the sand. "Say," he asks as they leave all sight of the town behind them. "You were talking about monsters and things that used to make this beach trail difficult? How do we know they're all gone?"

[Urson]

Daisy
Don't worry, sugar. Ah came back into town this way the last time Ah was out- we heard a bunch of noises from jungle critters, but nothin' big bothered us.

Daisy is in full armor, her mace in hand. Sophie stays by her side for the most part, occasionally stopping to dig for something in the sand.

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Mid Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

With the rising sun just starting to peek up over the trees, the trio sets out for the river unencumbered with any extra pedestrians from town. They travel for a while along the hard packed trail that runs parallel with and a short distance away from the tree line. They talk softly amongst themselves as they travel, listening and looking around for any danger.

After about 2 or 3 hours, they begin to approach the last section of trail before the river is spotted. Glansandi stops the group and tells them that they should use stealth from this point on.

"Do either of you have ideas as to how we remain unseen while we spy on our target? I can walk through a normal woods unheard, but not through a thick jungle like this. How about the two of you?"

Actions?

Glansandi 10/10
Dexter 8/8
Daisy 9/9
Sophie 6/6

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

OM, I'm going to take a small liberty here. Let me know if I'm wrong or out of line.

Dexter turns cocks his head and listens carefully."Truthfully, Constable, I don't think it's making noise we need to worry about. Listen." He stops speaking and lets the island sounds take over. The
overabundance of insects making the background racket that no one hears after a few hours, birdsong ringing out, the surf beating the shore endlessly, the wind in the greenery and the chattering
of small animals in the canopy. "No, sir, if we just don't talk a lot, I think we're probably OK in most places around here. It's not being seen that we need to worry about."

Dexter walks to the edge of the trees and brush and starts pulling out large green fronds. "And I think if we stay just inside the foliage, we're probably going to be hidden well enough if we break
up our silhouettes and get into the right colors. Some of these should do it." The Halfling starts taking fronds and leaves and even small branches and tucking them into the belts, packs and
boots of himself and his comrades, stepping back and checking them for color and outline. Once he's happy, he adds, "Now we just move inside the treeline smooth and not too fast."

[OGRE MAGE]

Nice!

Well done!

[Urson]

Daisy
That's wonderful, sugar! Ah'm afraid The Protector doesn't offer something this good to his clerics.
She takes a couple of steps, making sure the camouflaging doesn't impede her, then nods, ready to move on.

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Mid Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

Glansandi watches the halflings don tufts of vegetation and leaves, helping them blend into the native foliage fairly well. He actually looks impressed, enough so to join in, covering himself with a few large fronds as well.

"I have used camouflage in the forest before, but never quite like this. You are correct Dexter, this should do well to hide our movements from any casual observer. Lets keep moving, then."

Moving slower now, and staying right at the jungles edge, the last portion of the march takes the longest. There is no sign of pirates around the beach area where the river flows into the sea. Stopping to survey the area for a moment, Glansandi whispers to the others.

"I think we should move into the jungle here. Then continue towards the trail alongside the river. Unless either of you has a better idea how to approach?"

Actions?

Glansandi 10/10
Dexter 8/8
Daisy 9/9
Sophie 6/6

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Dexter nods and begins to move a bit deeper into the foliage, getting away from the bright light at the edge. Then he turns in the direction the Constable suggested. He worries about losing the other two, so he never allows more than a 15-20 feet between them. Close enough to keep track of them, far enough to allow one or two to escape if one is captured.

[Urson]

Daisy

Daisy follows Dexter, keeping an eye out for brambles, tangle vines, and whatever. Sophie leads the way, ranging around the route of travel.

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

The trio plus one spend a good deal of time slowly inching their way through the tight confines of the jungle foliage, making their way towards the trail but keeping a sharp eye out for trouble. After what seems like hours, they come out on a small trail that runs north and south, following a fast moving river that Daisy immediately recognizes.

If you had to guess, and you do, you would say that you are now on the initial mile of the river trail, somewhere in between the first village, which Daisy knows is now occupied by the smugglers, and the beach.

Glansandi moves out into the open but still confined trail and studies it in both directions, unable to sense anything from either way. He whispers softly. “I assume the band of pirates is to the north, but they will likely have lookouts all along here. What do you two think?”

Actions?

viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p366477

Glansandi 10/10
Dexter 8/8
Daisy 9/9
Sophie 6/6

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

"Well," whispers Dexter. "I'd say that we back off the trail, since it will be closely watched, and head towards the beach. I mean, that is what we are here to see, right? How the ship defenses are laid out? Every now and then, we come back to make sure we are following the trail and not getting lost, but stay off it for the most part. And that way, Sophie isn't taking all the risk."

[Urson]

Daisy

Bless your heart, Dexter. We need to see what these fellas are up to, don't we? If that's the case, we should keep on till we find a spot we can watch the camp- the nearest one along the trail has a bunch of the smugglers there, so we can count noses, look for weapons, maybe even listen in on their plans.

She absently combs through Sophie's fur, picking off a couple of ticks(which Sophie eats).

[OGRE MAGE]

Watching The Watchers
Sunday, the 14th of Goodmonth
Late Morning, Hot, Muggy, Buggy

Glansandi looks back and forth between the pair of halflings.

"I tend to agree with Daisy. We might find a few lookouts closer to the beach, but we are here to learn their total numbers. Lets use Dexter's advice and stay off the trail, but lets head further inland instead of moving back towards the beach. Agreed?"

Actions?

viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p366477

Glansandi 10/10
Dexter 8/8
Daisy 9/9
Sophie 6/6