Re: 30 Nuzyael 720

[Barak Daas]

"To be honest, I was not planning on hunting tonight. I don't want to draw attention to us by me being spotted bow in hand. I was thinking we can probably forage in the woods and wilds, whilst keeping out of sight."

[GM]

Time: Mid 4th watch to Mid 5th watch

The warband splits up and goes about their seperate tasks.

The forest consists of cypress, firs, pines and spruce trees. Some reaching thirty metres or so into the sky. They are spaced so that visibility through the trees is on average about a hundred yards. There is little in the way of ground clutter with the ground consisting of fallen pine needles and dropfall.

Kugald and Vidar stand watch and watch the other members of their warband disappear into the forest. Algared is able to find a suitable hollow where is able to setup a fire pit. He clears the ground around the pit and then goes about collecting some tinder and firewood. The timber is not a dry as hoped but the trees seem to disperse the smoke. Setting up his tripod and pot he sets to getting his broth cooking.

Barak, Borygg and Jurri set off to find some forage to supplement their meagre rations. With the three of you wandering the forest you discover that these woods extend about a kilometre to the west and what appears to be several kilometres to the north and south. You are currently in the northern most part of the forest. The area seems to be well used but it has been sometime since anyone has travelled through here. Barak is not able to find any recent tracks although there are a few signs indicating humans have been here but not in at least three days.

With the light fading and the canopy of the trees helping keep the light from the forest floor it is getting dark quickly here amid the trees. Barak, Borygg and Jurri return to the campsite bearing enough to add to this meal.

Outside of the forest it is lighter and with about an hour or so before dark, Kugald and Vidar spy on the road a group of about a dozen mounted men. They are riding two abreast with two riders out in front about thirty yards or so. From this distance though details are hard to pick out. They are heading south and their pace does not appear to alter as they continue south and soon disappear out of view behind a spur line.

There is no other movement on the trail when darkness finally conceals the road from view.

[Kugald Daas]

Kugald watches closely as the riders travel down the road. As they pass by without stopping, he thinks to himself, 'Finally, a bit of luck.'

Once the others return, Kugald waits until the others have eaten, before he asks Barak and Borygg to stand guard while he and Vidar eat. Once everyone has eaten, he asks Algared to put out the fire. Kugald gestures for the three others to follow him and he moves out to where Barak and Borygg are standing sentry. He calls them in with a low pitched whisper.

Once the group is gather in a small circle, he speaks softly so his voice won't carry. "It is dark now. The question is, do we stay here, get a little sleep, stand sentry in shifts and depart as soon as there is a little false dawn to see by, or... do we try and make our way deeper into the forest tonight and risk getting lost or turned about, but potentially get further away and then rest tomorrow during the day?"

"My opinion is that if there has not been a hue and cry for us by now, they are not going to come searching for us in the dark. If they do, it will be in large numbers with hounds and torches and we will hear and see them long before they get to us. I think the risks for our group if we stumble around in the dark are too high. Someone could fall and break a leg, or we could end up exiting the forest within sight of a village or coming upon a charcoal makers camp in the dark without warning. I say we get what sleep we can with a cold camp and make a forced march starting tomorrow morning. Once we are well away from here, we can slow down, perhaps do a little hunting and foraging and make our way cautiously back to Ygesdram."

"Thoughts, suggestions?"

TTYL

- Kerry

[Jurri Grebel]

Jurri shrugs and nods. That sounds fine to him. He'll gladly defer to the outdoorsmen. The sooner we reach Daaslund, the better.

[Algared]

"While a force march is a good idea, it would help help our over-all ability to travel if we spend at least one watch foraging. I'm not sure about everyone else but may food rationsare pretty low. A froced march in hilly country will tax us more, and we will need more supplies.

Still the local Valhaker's had a ten day before they had to swear allegience to the Dagen Dog. We know the Storzer left Froyahiem following the large force heading south. That force would be the one that was headed to intercept the Dass I imagine. That gives us the time frame. The Storzer was likely leaving the day we allowed that lyingh git to pass on the way to Froby. So if we take that skalds dates as true we have maybe a ten day from the fall of Froyahiem before the Valhaker's are forced to swear. After that they will likely be a little eager to show their loyalty just to get rid or the Dagen's troops. So we should try to make as much ground as we can before the deadline." Having spoken his thoughts Algared lets others speak. Then excuses himself and sits on his bedding, quietly attempts to meditate upon the ways of the Odivshie magics before getting some sleep

[Barak Daas]

"As much as I want to get out of these lands as fast as possible, we can't keep pushing ourselves. It is cold, damp, and we've little rations and less sleep. We do need to rest and forage for, hunt or steal some food. If we push on tonight, then we really must rest tomorrow. I'd prefer to rest now. As for travelling by day or night, I'd like us to travel above the farmed lands, accross the hills, woods and wilds. If we do that then we had best travel by day. If we want to take the lower route - across the fields and commons - then we had best travel at night. Either way I think we'll have to harvest the thrans we pass: lambs can be found out of sight of their shepherds and we may find some spring greens growing in the fields. If it comes to it, we may need to raid a outlying farmstead and just take the food we need - but it will leave them equally short."

[Kugald Daas]

"OK, so I think we are agreed, we get a full night's sleep and head off in the morning. We travel in the trees, but close enough to the settled lands that we can "liberate" food if we can't find enough in the woods."

"Right, Barak and Jurri, you take the first watch. Borygg and Vidar, you take the second watch. Algared, you and I on the last watch. Let's find ourselves somewhere half decent and get some sleep."

TTYL

- Kerry

[GM]

Time: Mid 5th watch - End of 6th watch

Barak and Jurri take their turn on watch as the others prepare their sleeping areas with what little light remains. Soon the forest in blanketed in an impentrable darkness. Barak and Jurri standing only a few feet apart are not able to see each other. The two men see the futility of patrolling the camp as they continually bump into trees and see that it is easier to remain still.

The other men now attempting to sleep find the ground soft and relatively comfortable from the pine needles and other ground material softening the hard earth underneath them.

Algared attempts to fight back the fatigue from the last few days as he sits on his sleeping gear and to all onlookers appears to sleeping in a sitting position. But after several attempts of drifting off to sleep he finally succumbs to the idea that sleep is more important tonight and finally gives up his efforts and lays down on his bedding and soon like the other members of his warband (except for Barak and Jurri) is asleep.

With the other members of the warband now asleep the forest remains eerily quiet, with only the occassional sound of a creature in flight and the disturbance of some tree limbs as the creature lands to break the quiet.

As the watch passes the temperature begins to drop. Soon the warband find themselves beginning to chill. Pulling blankets and cloaks tighter around their necks the warband attempts to stay warm and as comfortable as possible.

While standing watch the two hear first before they feel the first patters of rain beginning to fall. The trees shield the warband from the worst of the rain and drawing their cloaks tightly around them Barak and Jurri attempt as best they can to remain dry.

The night is now quite cold and the rain only adds to the discomfort of all.

Barak and Jurri now weary from their watch slowly and carefully find their way to where Borygg and Vidar now sleep and wake them so that they now can watch over the warband.

The rain continues to fall lightly and the temperature is still very cold. Borygg and Jurri now fight back against sleep as the darkness hides any sign from their eyes. The forest seems to absorb the sounds as little is heard while the two men stand watch.

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