Quest #32 "Visiting With The Neighbors"

[Monsieur Rose]

The Princess

"Fine with me. Let's get moving. I need to keep an eye out for any daggers that I threw. To restock."

As they plod along, she chats with Dexter. "Maybe we need an advance scout to alert us if that earlier patrol comes along. No, we probably won't have enough time to hide these lizards and remove the tracks. Do you have any ideas on how to deal with the patrol?" She chuckles "I'm not sure I can explain away all of this."

So did we collect and try to transport back the dwarven weapons and armors? I thought that was the plan.

[OGRE MAGE]

Not sure where Dexter is hiding now.

Stonegut Spoils
Godsday, 23rd of Goodmonth
Mid Afternoon, Overcast, Hot, Humid

With an unconscious paladin strapped across the back of one lizard, and a bundle of dwarven weapons and armor strapped across the other, the group appears ready to head back to town. The Princess doesn't find her thrown daggers, but she does manage to find a lone dagger on one of the dwarves that she then takes for her own.

Leaping up on the lizards as if they were horses doesn't seem to work out entirely as planned, since the dwarves had a very different style for "training" their mounts. The riders notice right away that despite their secured loads, the lizards don't respond to any normal commands that a horse might know. After her earlier experiments, Princess has a little better success with her lizard, but unless she is offering if food continuously, she cant even get the lizard into a steady trot for her.

It almost seems that unless they try a different approach with their mounts, they might need to be lead all the way back to Beachtown.

The possibility of meeting up with the other dwarven patrol is also brought up, the normally sure of herself Highness knowing it would be difficult, even for her, to simply explain away the sudden turn of events her group has recently faced.

Actions?

Dexter 5/23
Daisy 11/16 0/4 first
Sophie AC:4 2/6
Narramore -1/12 LOH (Unconscious)
Princess 5/5 CL, DM, RM 0/1 first
overall map:
http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewt ... 77#p366477

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Noting the trouble that Daisy and the Princess are having with the Lizards, Dexter decides to take the Princess' suggestion about an advance scout, a job he has become accustomed to. Once again adding the leaves and fronds he uses to break up his shape and coloration, he moves out, ahead and just off the trail. He tries to keep about 30 yards ahead. He relies on his ears as well as his eyes, remembering the ruckus that the Dwarves make.

[Urson]

Daisy
After a couple of failed attempts, Daisy dismounts and begins leading the beast toward Beachtown.

[Monsieur Rose]

The Princess as the Lizard Whisperer

She mutters something about stubborn lizards and eventually joins Daisy on the ground to walk the mount. She whispers encouragement and hand feeds it small bits of food in an attempt to gain more trust.

"Got any ideas on how to domesticate these guys, Mayor? I'm not interested in whipping them, as effective as it apparently was."

"Assuming we can get to the intersection without incident, what are your thoughts on the other patrol?"

[OGRE MAGE]

What Stoneguts?
Godsday, 23rd of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Overcast, Hot, Humid

Finding the lizards far easier to lead than to ride, Daisy and the Princess hop back off their mounts to lead them by their reigns instead. Making their way back down the trail in the afternoon heat, they don't look forward to the long buggy walk ahead of them. The Princess continues to pamper and feed her favorite lizard, the beast clearly enjoying extra attention along the way.

Dexter uses some natural camouflage again to hide his outline as he runs point, staying about 100 feet ahead of the others as they travel. After about 2 more hours pass, the halfling starts to hear those strange trampling noises he heard back on the trail when they first met up with the mounted dwarves.

Actions?

Dexter 5/23
Daisy 11/16 0/4 first
Sophie AC:4 2/6
Narramore -1/12 LOH (Unconscious)
Princess 5/5 CL, DM, RM 0/1 first
overall map:
http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewt ... 77#p366477

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Letting the noise that the Dwarves are making cover his own soft pattering, Dexter double-times it back to Daisy and the Princess. "It sounds like the small patrol we saw earlier is coming up the trail. I didn't wait to see them, but the sound was right. I'd say it was time to get off this trail for a bit." The Thief helps lead the lizards off the trial as quickly as possible, and makes sure to pull the foliage back into place to help cover their passage.

[Urson]

Daisy
Ah think these critters will respond to kindness, same as anythin' else. Just gonna take some time.

When Dexter returns with his bad news, Daisy spits and scowls. Well, Gods bless their hearts! She helps hustle the beasts into the undergrowth.

[Monsieur Rose]

The Princess

She nods along to Daisy's words when she spots Dexter trotting back. "How close are we to the intersection? Or are they for sure coming down this trail?"

"Bah! Can't risk it." She urges the mount to enter the jungle and hide, covering the entrance tracks. If they are successful, she'll listen intently for the oncoming dwarves.

[OGRE MAGE]

Hiding From The Stoneguts
Godsday, 23rd of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Overcast, Hot, Humid

Rushing into the side of the jungle once Dexter returns with his warning, the group barely makes it off the trail by the time they start hearing the oncoming lizards. Pushing into the tight foliage as far as their mounts will fit, the group pulls branch and fern back in place to hide their path, turning to see the pair of mounted dwarves quickly approaching their area from the east.

The heavily armored duo slows slightly as they pass, looking around intently. When they get to the area where you breached the jungle, the lizards stop, one of them hisses out loudly into the air, and it appears that the Princesses lizard is about to respond to its kin.

Actions?

Dexter 5/23
Daisy 11/16 0/4 first
Sophie AC:4 2/6
Narramore -1/12 LOH (Unconscious)
Princess 5/5 CL, DM, RM 0/1 first
overall map:
http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewt ... 77#p366477

[Urson]

Daisy
Daisy bites back a comment and grips her mace, ready to create a few wounds for a change. She holds position.

[Monsieur Rose]

The Princess

She quickly grabs the head of the lizard and shoves some food in its mouth, hoping to shut it up. "Who's a good boy? You're a good boy!" She whispers very quietly to the mount.

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Dexter, still camouflaged in the foliage, moves further up the trail quietly. He has his sling ready if he needs to step out into the trail and attack.

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

At the Beachtown end of the trail, Jaxsen takes a quick assessment of the hive members that will be accompanying himself and Liam back up the trail. Admitting that Glansandi seems to have picked some very competent folks, he gives a nod to Liam. "Ready when you are, Liam."

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Carrying full waterskins again for him and Fiona, he nods to Jaxsen and the constable's men as he pets the large wolfhound at his side. Lets go.
Anyone want to take point?

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Addendum: Dexter only moves about 50 feet up the trail from Daisy and the Princess. He wants to be within easy reach of his sling.

[OGRE MAGE]

Escaping The Stoneguts
Godsday, 23rd of Goodmonth
Late Afternoon, Overcast, Hot, Humid

The quick thinking of the Princess likely saves the small group from being spotted. Feeding her talkative lizard does the trick to prevent it from making any loud noises, and her soft cooing isn't heard by the dwarven patrol on the trail, who both look around suspiciously as their mounts continue to sniff and lick the air around them.

After only a few moments that seems to take much longer, the dwarven soldiers eventually become agitated enough by the delay to beat and kick their lizards hard enough to get them moving along again, leaving the nervous trio alone at the side of the jungle. At this point, they all know it well be well after dark before they will reach Beachtown.


With darkness making their trip back into the jungle a much bigger challenge now, Liam and Jaxsen get their group moving up the trail with Jombo leading the way. The young militia member stops right away once they exit the light from town. "How do we want to handle the darkness? Torches will help keep the insects away, but the light might attract something much worse than bugs."

Actions?

Dexter 5/23
Daisy 11/16 0/4 first
Sophie AC:4 2/6
Narramore -1/12 LOH (Unconscious)
Princess 5/5 CL, DM, RM 0/1 first

Jaxsen 10/19
Liam 4/9
overall map:
http://www.unseenservant.us/forum/viewt ... 77#p366477

[SirOwen]

Dexter Broadleaf

Dex waits until the Dwarves are well and truly out of sight, and then comes back out onto the trail. He rejoins the others, saying, "That seems to be all the ones we've encountered. We should safer to travel, now. But I'll move ahead to make sure, just in case." With that, the Halfling moves back into the foliage and moves forward once more. Just as he leaves their sight, he says to Daisy and the Princess. "He was a childhood friend of mine, ya' know.... Justin Case?"

[Bluehorse]

Liam

Nods. You're right... Maybe light only one before us and hold it low. Maybe that will mask more of the light from unwanted eyes to the sides and behind us as much as possible while still lighting our way ahead and giving a bit of smoke against the bugs. An imperfect solution but it might be our best option. Of course, I am open to suggestions as always.

[SirOwen]

Jaxsen Reiter

Knowing that it won't hurt the Queen's children, but might keep them at bay, Jaxsen suggests, "Smolder the torches. Little fire, but plenty of smoke. It might still attract attention, but from less range than the light would. And holding them high will be more effective, I think." Jaxsen does not take a torch himself, but stays near the front, just behind Jombo.