Event #1: Gosbur (IC only)

By the woodsman description, you estimate that reaching Uslum would take 3 hours on foot through the forest, and 5 hours around it/through its less dense area. You can reach Fenbray in 4.5 hours.



OOC: I can draw a map, but this isn’t a commercial route and it will be purposely inaccurate. If you want it, ask Azrael (Pravenstern) IC and then I will draw and upload one for you. He is a loremaster and should know it by heart.

No I have no further questions. I suppose thank you for your help good man.

While you are talking to Kamos, the woodsman quickly draws something on the snow and pulls you to see it:





OOC: the deer is actually generic game. Foxes, deers etc.

Kamos gave a quick deep rasp of a laugh.
You're quite the artists to be sure. I'll try to commit that to memory.
He turns to Jareth.
Perhaps we should be on then?

"Very Well. Thank you very much for the informations given. They will surely help us on our way."

Jareth turns back to Sir Kamos.

"Ok let's go, I hope the others had more luck with the Guards or the Sheriff."

Upon seeing the Lady's spectacle he thought to make a joke. However she seemed much to solemn on the trip over so he dashed that thought. He peered into the dirt as well but saw nothing but mashed and muddled ground himself. Perplexed he felt the need to ask.

"Ah Lady Laisha! I can only assume you can see things I cannot so what is it that your clever eyes spot?"

Laisha turns to face the pair.

Clever ey...? She shakes her head. Nevermind.

She points to the ground. I think I may have found the path our thieves took out of the village. Considering what they stole, I figured that they had to have left an obvious trail. She walks in the direction of the forest, taking care to avoid leaving obvious prints in the mud. If you look here and here you can see cart tracks. The deeper ones are obviously more commonly used as it takes carts often passing through the same point to make these kinds of depressions. Especially with the ground constantly freezing and thawing as it often does this close to the northern shore.

She walks toward the forest, tracing the second set of tracks. This line of tracks heads in a less sensible direction. Unless you're trying to avoid notice. Of course, there may be a perfectly reasonable explanation for these tracks. But I doubt it...

OOC: Map updated for the tracks. I'll keep doing this as new information comes up.

In orange are the shallow ones.
In red the deeper, more recent.

EDIT: in case it wasn't clear last time, those lollipops indicate the location of the woodsmen camp.

Spoiler:

OOC: Wouldn't it be the other way around? More recent being deeper and pointing directly to the woodcutting camp and shallow being away from it and more recent?

Sir Kamos was impressed. He crossed his arms looking at lines in the mud. Still just lines to him.

He gave an abrupt chuckle.

Well I suppose I know why I've always been a poor hunter then. I only see lines with my witless eyes. Mine are only clever in a fight.

He took his eyes off the road and looked back up.

Impressive work.

[OOC: Looks like I may have forgotten the "night after night" part from the original description of this.]

Jareth, Laisha, Kamos:

Skjälla had left the storage to wander for a while when he sees the three of you talking. He casually approaches you and says with a smile:

"I’ve already organized our stuff and set up the place for the night. There is a bed for everyone and I’ve put the food on the shelves because of the dogs. So... what are we doing now?"

Kamos tilts his head and rubs his neck while contemplating.

Well given how early it is we could follow those tracks for a ways. Or rather Laisha can track them and we could follow, if she was okay with that.

Jareth was looking at the ground trying to figure out where Laisha saw different tracks. For him it was just all messy and nothing else. He looked up again a bit confused and talked to Laisha.

"Good luck we have someone who can read the tracks. Lead the way my Lady. We follow you."

Just before arriving to the warehouse Johan stopped and grabbed Sir Azreals arm to stop and said:'
"If i'm correct you're a griffon knight and there's something I need to tell you. I don't know if you have heard my story so I'll give you a short version. When I was young my home village was attacked by three groups, and the village was in fire. I ran to my home with my father and we hid there from these groups. But house started burning. My father died in that fire and I had extremely bad injuries. Griffon knights saved me later from the ruins and took me to a doctor. I'm alive because of your order. But I don't know if you were in that party which arrived to the village. But anyway, I'm in great debt to your order."

Johan took a break and continued:

"I needed to share this with someone. Sorry if I bored you with my speech this has been a burden to me. Please, if you see your grandmaster, tell him that he can use my talents when he needs them until my debt is paid with similar action."

Johan stopped speaking looked Sir Azrael in the eyes.

Sir Azrael was rather bewildered by Johan's outburst but remained stoic outside. It was a polite gesture to listen to people.

"It is true that I am a Griffon when not with White Cloaks. As for the fire, it entirely depends, Johan. I have been in a couple of rescue parties when I was a squire. How many years have passed since that fire? I'm still a rather young member even though my duties might make people assume otherwise."

And then he smiled.

"And I promise to tell Sir Darlion when I next meet him. He has appreciation for more good news due to his new position."

"It's 8 years from that. I was 16 when that happened. I have thought visiting the ruins again. And Thank you from listening. Now let's get to warehouse and I'll offer you that hot drink I promised."

Johan started walking towards the warehouse.

Sir Azrael shook his head.

"Sadly I wasn't part of the order back then, my apologies."

And then he continued walking with Johan.

Johan saw the pile wood and took a axe from wall started chopping some firewood. After he finished he putted the axe back on the wall left some gold where te rest of the logs were. He carried the wood outside started making fire. He also Found a small pot and a well and started making a hot drink he promised to Sir Azrael. He noticed a villager near the warehouse and said:

"Go get the others wearing white cloaks and tell them to come here to a hot drink."

Johan gave couple coins to the villager and continued mixing the drink and adding some flavour to it. He also took his pipe and started smoking it. He offered it again to Sir Azrael, even he had passed it earlier. Johan felt that sharing he's burden with someone made a stone drop from his heart. He dropped a tear of happines first time in years. He could see his parents smiling from the Heaven, guarding his back.

Down at the cart tracks:

Laisha shook her head, smirking slightly at Jareth.

I believe we should inform the others before running off, don't you agree? Besides, there are better plans than charging off into the forest blindly....

It was still very cold, the rays of the sun were still not able to heat anything up. If you stood very still inside the Sunshine you could feel a bit warmth but then the wind would wash it all away.

"You are right my Lady. I am just so eager to do something, I think if I stand still long enough I will freeze to the ground. Let's head over then and see what they have to say."

At the cart tracks:
Beren, who was tying his greaves and trying to take off the mud of his boots, stood up.

"I agree with Jareth", he said, "I will help with anything you need, but I won't stand here idly. We still don't know anything about what happened and figthing something you don't know is - "

Beren suddenly stopped talking and looked behind Jareth and the others. Turning around, you see five villagers coming from the north, along the forests border, heading for the village. They look like simple farmers and carry large bags on their backs. One of them carries a shield and a spear, probably being the watchman who should ensure their safe return.

Those with background in Ravenstern remember that this common practice in the North: sometimes a village would send surplus goods to another, trying to barter for something they need, while avoinding the disadvantage of using coins at fixed prices in bigger cities.

They have passed by the pair of pinetrees that mark the village's border on its northern side. They did not see you yet.

Hey look over there! Jareth was pointing with his hand in a northerly direction. They just came out of the woods, we could ask them if they saw anything suspicious on the way. Beren will you follow me, If they seem reluctant to answer you will surely intimidate them enough to rethink their opinion. A big smile grew on Jareths face as he looked at Beren, he just hoped he wouldn't take it serious.

Sir Kamos scoffed at the thought

Ha! Strange sights and reluctance go hand in hand with heavily armed strangers accosting you in the woods.