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Yes, Ethan will grab up the shields, if there is time, then join his fellows. He'll start with the Shields mentioned before, then grab the rest. If they fit in his haversack, he'll put them there, otherwise, he'll bind them together and sling then over his back.

He suggests making a beeline for the woods, to get under cover, and to basically run as quickly as possible back to our staging ground. We may be pursued, or we may be shot at on our way. Do we need to plan how to deal with that?

Vorsyin listens to Gaerys suggested order and quickly adds. The longer we wait the greater our peril. If you wish to go first go quickly. I will follow after as should Kjelti. Blue could take longer to get out. He waits to see if anyone is actually leaving. If everyone stands waiting he will leave.

"Quite right. On with it." Gaerys leads the way out.

Before the party can move, the Treant dives through the hole like a fired crossbow bolt, then takes off running towards the forest, which is about 200' from the Steading. There is no apparent reaction from any foe.

The party makes their way out of the Steading, Ethan grabbing all six shields along the way.

Peering into the distance, they see the signal light from the rangers who had initially accompanied them into the Steading flashed quickly but distinctively 1000' or so in the forest.

Gaerys runs to meet the signaling rangers.

Antheris, Druid

Antheris joins Gaerys in the run to meet up with the rangers. He will not, however, outpace the slowest member of the party.

Vorsyin is feeling drained from all the casting he has done but the fear of being squished by a giant adds speed to his pace.

Ethan Blacktyde

Despite his injuries, Ethan keeps up a good pace as he runs for the signal, as his boots grant his legs the strength they need to keep up the pace. Once they get some distance between them and the Steading, he looks back to see if they are being pursued, or if the giants are preoccupied with the burning of their home.

And so it was that the group slipped away from the Steading into the quiet of the night. Sheer determination with perhaps a sprinkling of fear fueled the party's rapid dash into the forest and allowed them to ignore their wounds for enough time to reach safety.

However battered and bloody the party, the party knew that they had given at least as good as they took. Even after the cover of the forest allowed the party to feel safe, the smell of smoke from the burning STEADING OF THE HILL GIANT CHIEF filled the air. In the distance, the party could see the flames tease here and there about the shadows of the Steading's shoddy construction.

The party reached the waiting Men of the Watch, who had mounts waiting for each member of the party (except Blue). The remaining horse without a rider served as a grim reminder of the fate of the party's cleric.

The party's ride to the FIRST OF THE FIRST MEN was solemn and uneventful. As they reached their encampment, wide-eyed men of the Watch, barely visible in their black cloaks, helped the party off of their mounts and showed the party to their tented bunks.

Give or take a bottle of wine, the glow of battle would soon wear off and the party would be left with their wounds and exhaustion. Though the party would soon sleep soundly as a result, they knew in their very bones that this was merely the end of the beginning.

[Safe house reached.][Will close this thread. Please use the party treasure/OOC thread to divide/discuss division of treasure, respectively. Also see that thread for XP awards! AWESOME work!!!]