RED OAK: Return to the Pass of the Hounds

[Woe]

"Oh drak... Jane, best ye run. Run all the way back to that treehouse 'ere 'e found ye, and don't stop til ye do. We'll find ye dere." Kilian mutters, then unbuckles his shield. "Bruce, best if ye don't attack if dat dog pokes at us. Use ye skill to defend, and maybe steal dat spear."

Tiana gets more agitated. She points at Jane, then shakes her head vigorously, then mimes struggling, punching a downed opponent, some more headshaking while pointing at Jane, maybe a strangle implication, then more headshaking. Definitely lots of headshaking.

"Talin, you try! They obviously like you." Tiana says.

Stunned and a bit unsure what to say, Talin starts with "We come in peace" and broadly indicates themselves, the dwarves, the cruthy females, and even the mountains miles away. Does #1 seem to understand?

(you'll need to roll for initiative)

[Longman]

I'm not sure about initiative after what you have just said.

If Kilian tells Jane to run, she runs, northward down the mountain.

If she runs, dog man 2 chases her, avoiding you. His full move in this form is 40, and so is hers. But you sense he will catch her after a while. She can't see, and he can.

Dogman 1 remains smiling at you, and the other two dogmen rush past Talin and the elves, and join the chase. Communication begins between the three chasing dogmen as they chase Jane down the mountain.

Dogman 1 remains smiling at you. No one else is attacked. He says nothing.

If that happens, it happens. If the dwarves want to actively protect Jane, then we need to roll for initiative. Otherwise they just run past you.

Basically do you give her up, or protect her?

[Woe]

They passively get in the way. No attacking, but they definitely will try to buy Jane a bit of time.

[Longman]

Kilian plus shield plus Bruce step out in the way of the oncoming dogman (number 2). He swerves considerably to avoid fighting you, and will lose a couple of rounds, giving Jane a good head start.

If that's enough, let me know.

The other dogmen, by this time, have moved a full 160 feet which is enough for them to be on the scene as well, past Talin and the elves, and up to the point where Kilian and Bruce are.

They are starting to scatter, to avoid you, and trying to surround the fleeing quarry.

Save point - still giving you a chance to actually attack the dogmen to protect Jane, or try to steal their spears, or whatever. Not trying to encourage it, just putting it out there.

Once the 3 chasers have begun their pursuit, the lead dogman (1), does something odd. He takes his spear, and carves out a pretty nasty wound in his palm / paw, so that blood is dripping from it. Then, he extends his paw towards Talin, as though he wants to shake hands with the perplexed ranger. He is not saying anything.

In terms of the dog-men / Cruthy, you do not know exactly what this means, but the concept of a blood pact is familiar. If Talin wants to engage, he can cut his own palm and press it against that of the strange Cruthy being in front of him.

One other dogman, an older one with no spear, has now come down the path, and is watching to see what happens. He is ignoring the elves. All eyes are on Talin, Fido and the lead dogman.

The elves can hear Abigall somewhere over to the west, coming up slowly.

[Woe]

Talin first looks a bit confused, then as he realizes what the dogman is offering...

He shakes his head. He points at the quickly departing Jane. He grips both of his forearms together (like he's shaking his own hands in greetings). He hangs his head in disappointment, shaking it slightly, then goes back to the camp to pick up his things and Jane's. Tiana looks at the departing Talin, then the dogman, shrugs, and walks after Talin.

[Longman]

Turning down the chance to bond with the CuSheen in some magical fashion, Talin walks back to the camp, followed by the rest. The two CuSheen fade back into the night and are not seen again.

The sounds of the 3 chasing CuSheen are familiar to him - he's heard hunting dogs in packs signal each other as they are chasing a fox or a hare. You are not sure if they catch Jane or not, but you wouldn't want to be her, right now.

OOC - the die was cast for Jane as soon as you brought her up here for the night. One of the safest places around for you, but unfortunately, not for her. She has gone. She wasn't carrying anything of great significance.

I am assuming you move camp as you mentioned packing up...you relocate a bit down the mountain and recamp. Nothing happens overnight.

The next day...SAT AUG 23. It is absolutely pouring with rain which has blown down from the first range of mountains. You can't see anything beyond about 30 feet away. This kind of weather will ruin your gear, make bowfire impossible, and may cause you to get sick. (I suggest you camp and wait it out.)

Next day will be Sun 24 and hopefully a bit better.

[Woe]

Probably predestined, but Talin and the others feel like the Cusheen hunted down and murdered another human. Kilian is plotting revenge and there was some grim talk about asking Ser Bors to put out a bounty on Cusheen ears.

They'll shelter in their tents for today, and hopefully tomorrow is sunnier.

[Longman]

Nothing happens overnight, Next day is overcast but not raining.

JANE might have got away...you could track to determine what happened.

Or you could do any number of other things. To the north lies the old barracks and a possible way to the nisha at Cogan.

To the south lies the castle, with a gump still remaining.

And north-eastward is a chasm, as yet unexplored.

South east is the pass, with an old road leading through the mountains.

You got 6EP, 7 if the dwarf takes his armor off.

What's your call.

[Woe]

Jane might have got away...you could track to determine what happened.

After that torrential downpour yesterday?! Not likely.

Back to the castle they go. Does Abigall want to stay here at the campsite or hide closer to the castle?

They'll take abnormal precautions when they get close to the castle: maximum earwax, but close enough in groups to motion and see each other. Freya will scout ahead but everyone will go slower because her scouting will involve frequent checks behind her (since she won't hear anything, hopefully).

Kilian is wearing his armor. A dwarf not in his armor?! Bruce has some strange ideas!

Plan, assuming nothing changes the plan: approach the castle the same way as before, add mud to the ears, then look for a chokepoint/ambush spot for the underground staircase.

[Longman]

You get to within exactly the same distance of the castle as you did before, when Abigall reports not being able to continue.

That's about a mile away. She could go on for another 1/4 mile but then she'd definitely have to stop and would start getting physically sick.

"I can stay here," she says to Tiana. "This tree. I'll be a little mouse. No one will find me. You come back for me, though?"

She seems almost glad to be rid of Jane.

If you're agreed, the rest of you can continue to the castle.