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As you advance on the copse of trees it becomes apparent that there is a large troll in there - when it starts running away further away from the road.

The archers can get a shot away each, but chasing it will be impossible - - it is faster than all of you except maybe Milly and Elkminster.

Do you want to shoot it or follow it, or keep going after the behir...

"Yeah! You'd better run!" Thann proclaims after the Troll is likely out of earshot. As much as he intended to sound menacing, it seems clear that relief is the greater part of his excitement.

"Let it go." Chevo tells the party. "We've got bigger problems ahead, and can't afford the risk of another fight before we reach the Behir."

The party agrees, then departs the main road to the side path that begins at H05.

The scouts, along with Thann and Cholum will keep their eyes peeled for any signs of the Troll returning to ambush them.

The party will press on, and attempt to reach the village ruins at N04 by nightfall.
I'm pretty sure this makes sense, we're at 2.5EP in H05, then 6 more @ 0.5EP/hex should make it possible.

H05 with 2.5EP down.

You head down the side path into I06, J05, K05, L04...that's 4.5 EP down.

The path is in OK condition, a bit hard to find in a few places. Little signs of goblins or much other than the odd ruined wall by the roadside. The forrst is thick and dark.

In L04, Milly has a rather odd flash. She can see the entire party as they are moving along, from above - - as though something were in the trees immediately above their heads.

What does she do?

"Stop!" Milly says with alarm, her eyes distant, lost in her head.

The rest of the party stops abruptly, readying weapons. She turns to look at the trees and grabs Thann's sleeve behind her, "Something is watching us... above us!" She's frantically looking around trying to find whatever creature who's eyes she was seeing through.

The core team will be on alert, scanning the trees and the sky, in case whatever she was seeing through is up there and threatening.

If nothing pops up within a few minutes, the party will resume trekking toward the abandoned village.

OK - this means, naturally,that she breaks the spell.

Her own scan into the tree above her head reveals the tiniest hint movement - a creature perhaps the size of a squirrel, maybe a bit bigger, although she cannot see what it is. The foliage is thick and she loses it quickly.

The rest can't see a darn thing.

Nothing pops up - - so you keep going. Nothing happens in M05, or a the crossroads in N04. You have made your destination with .5 EP to spare.

Tracking rolls rerveal there have been some humanoid around here - goblins - within the last 3 days. They had a look around but did not camp. They came from the direction of Uppers, and left in that direction as well.

You are at the Old Crossroads Inn.

Can you tell me how you are setting up in the cellar now you have 6 extra party members - and what you are doping with Lord Elkminster?

Ah yes, this won't be quite as tidy as it was last time...

The group will try to find another wrecked building with some semblance of walls left around it. They'll throw Lord Elkminster in there after letting him graze before dark.

The extra bodies will have to try to find similar shelter to L.E. Staying hidden behind low walls if possible. Priority for the basement will be Milly,Chevo, Thann, Scouts, Axes, Pikes. Cholum will prefer sleeping under the chilly stars. SO however many will fit comfortably will stay in the cellar, the rest above ground.

The group will do 2 hour watches in pairs.

First watch, before too dark, Milly & Thann; - Milly will try to keep L.E. comfortable in his makeshift 'stable'.

2nd watch, pikes, 3rd, scouts, 4th Chevo & Cholum, and 5th Axemen. While on watch one of the pair will keep an eye that L.E doesn't escape and get himself eaten by a Behir.

Cholum is asleep up top and the two bowmen are on watch up there. It is about midnight.

Milly has a dream in which two bugbears come charging down out of the forest from the north east, and attack Lord Elkminster. She sees one leap over the low stone walls of the old building and gouge the poor creature's throat with its claws. They are so fast and stealthy, no one has reacted.

What does she do? Intelligence roll (15) to keep the dream going. Wisdom roll (10) to wake up and warn everyone. Or she could just ignore it and slumber on...

!! Wisdom roll to wake up!

This is entirely too shocking, that it overcomes Milly's natural curiosity. IF she's successful, she'll carefully wake up Chevo and Thann, telling them about the possible incoming attack. Chevo will wake the Pikemen and Axemen as well after hearing the story.

Assuming that she woke up in the first place and we get this far:

The Pikemen and Axemen, along with Chevo, will set up an ambush in the ruined building where Lord Elkminster is standing. The Scouts, Cholum, and Thann will spread out in the direction that Milly saw them approach from , ready to loose arrows and sound the alarm if they see anything.

Wisdom roll - easy. You wake up and quickly warn the others. Good job.

Do the people with armor bother putting it on? Or do they just charge up there in their under-leathers (AC 12)? I may need to know this. Full Chain is 10 rounds (AC 15). Studded leather is 6 rounds (AC 14). Just the chain shirt part of chain mail is 6 rounds as well (AC 14).

Up top, the bowmen have been alerted, Thann is already there with them, and Cholum has woken up and got his bow ready. You have had about 2 rounds so far since the dream. There is no sign of anything coming yet. But then, bugbears are notoriously quiet...

We'll go for the slightly quicker armouring up options: Chain shirts for the pikes, and studded leathers for the axe-men. Meanwhile, the scouts, Cholum, and Thann will try to find some decent hiding places to be able to ambush any Bugbears approaching, if they do.

Ideally Cholum will set up with L.E. so he can switch to his mace if things get ugly, Thann will be nearby as emergency support as well. The scouts will be in out-buildings where they can watch the North East approach and attack and sound the warning if they see anything.

Once Raddus and Arntsy are in their chain and breeches, they'll set up right next to Lord Elkminster, to hold any attackers at bay with their Pikes. Chevo and the Ironshield brothers will do a small patrol around the perimeter of the village, starting around the North East, with the scouts escorting on their flanks, and Cholum leading ~30' ahead of the group.

Thann will stay behind in case the Pikemen need to be alerted of something slipping through the cracks.

Milly will relax in the safety of the cellar, trying to clear her mind and recall the vision of the bugbear attack.