Maur raises the goggles under his helm squinting in the bright light, his pale eyes focusing on the crowd.
"We defeated their champion when we first went there. We prepared for their leader and while it wasn't easy, we ARE the champions with good gods on our side and defending the righteous cause. Apocalyptic deities are weak by their very nature, destroying is easier than building, but their relationships are also destructive. You are safe to return and I encourage you to do so. Your Lady needs you. The buildings can be rebuilt and you have your own heroes now. We will go on, but they will remain. And remind you that any one of you can raise to the occasion if you remain steadfast."
The people gather around to listen to Maur. They all look greatly relieved to hear they can go home.
"None of us were looking forward to the climb up to Fort Symas," replies a farmhand Caerth knows is named Nicholaus. "Even with the horses pulling the wagons, it would be a struggle to get there." He offers each of you a small slice of bread smeared with butter and a bit of jam. "There were a few who just weren't willing to make the ascent. They left us this morning heading north into the grasslands to see if they could reach one of the old remote farms."
Aureus checks the wagons to see that there children and a few elders sleeping in them. They are so tired that they didn't wake up when the other villagers shouted out with joy.
"Maybe they took the horses?"
"No, they left on foot, and I haven't seen any signs they circled back towards us," Nicholaus replies as he grins at Caerth. "I might not have Caerth's skill, but I'm sure I would have seen something."
"I will take a look," Caerth says. He heads off with one of the guards to check the perimeter.
"How many people went north?" Aries asks.
"Several dozen, at least," Nicholaus replies hesitantly. He is surprised to see the 'cultist' with the group. "Why is he here?"
Aureus explains what happened in Carnell and how Aries helped defend the village. She also tells them that Brutus was killed and that he was secretly Lady Pendour's nephew. She doesn't tell them about Lord Pendour's missing body. A few of the younger villagers who knew Brutus take the news very hard. He was their friend.
"That's sad news," Nicholaus says while trying to stifle a yawn. "I had no idea he was her nephew."
"No one did," Aureus says as digs out a blanket from her horse's saddlebag, put there by Mabon, and goes to put it on one of the youngest children sleeping in one of the wagons.
Neurotic said:
"We are here tracking prisoners escaped in the confusion. One of them may have helped horses to get free. Caerth can establish the details once you round up the horses and see how many of them are lost."
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Caerth can talk to animals, right? Zelekhut can track Eike or Xander, but I can only one 5th level spell and it costs money. Xander is a mage and thus more dangerous to the construct. I'd send it after Eike. If Xander has a fresh horse we may have a chase on our hands and there is still risk of demons attacking the town.
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"I hope he can find them," the other guard replies. "It will be tough to get the wagons back to Carnell without them, but it will be easier than going up there." He points up the trail towards the low mountains.
"He'll track them down," Aureus says with an inadvertent toothy grin and swish of her tail. Her canine teeth don't trouble the villagers, however. They have come to accept her unique nature.
"But we should probably rest first. We have been travelling all day."
"Yes, come and sit by the fires and get warm," Nicholaus offers. He heads back to his spot on the ground next to the closest fire.
There is good but simple food some warm ale or water from a small pond next to the pillar. The villagers have no meat but there is lots of crusty bread and some old cheese and dried fruit. Aureus curls up on the ground next to one of the fires near the wagon she checked on. Aries sits on the ground nearby telling the tale of the fight he was part of in Carnell against the rooks.
"Do you really think this Eike person is the one who set the horses loose?" He asks Maur.
OOC: I'm sure Caerth can talk to animals. I'll doublecheck the spells
@JustinCase allocated for Caerth a bit later. I need to have lunch first.
Phar considers the situation and then confers with his companions out of earshot of the villagers. "My first thought is the help them find the horses, but that only delays us further. Is it possible Eike had something to do with the horses bolting? As a way to delay pursuit? He must know someone would come after him."
While Aureus sleeps and Aries spins tales of his time with the Soldiers of Iron, Phar gathers you all together.
Caerth returns from scouting the perimeter. The female guard that went with him goes to rest by one of the fires.
"I don't think it was Eike. He didn't come this way. Xander might have done it. I'm trying to pick up his trail again. If the duergar is skulking about, he is being more careful."
"Did you see any signs that the other villagers took the horses?" Quinn asks.
"No."
"They would be risking severe punishment," Cruel Justice intones.
"Stealing horses is considered a major crime in the Strandlands. They would be branded as horse thieves and bandits."
"Dannia," Caerth motions to the female guard who looks like she is already asleep.
"She told me that another guard, a man named Viction, went with them. She and Menas tired to get him to stay, but he said it was his duty to look after the others."
Neurotic said:
Returning the goggles back over his eyes, he sighes in relief and busies himself about the horses before joining Phar once he realizes they need to speak privately.
"Let them find the horses unless Caerth can call them back. We too need to rest. Between the fight and the wizard ritual, I'm quite drained. And this might just be a way for Xander to slow them down so he can walk next to them. Luckily, I saved Purge invisibility..." he stops and listens for a moment for a sound of quickly retreating feet "...or I would if I thought about it."
"Screech needed to hunt, so I've told him to keep an eye out for the horses, and trouble," Caerth says.
"I could cast Commune with Nature but that's not for finding horses. I can get good sense of the terrain with another spell," he says with a crooked grin.
"I'd like to save it for when we'll really need it. I do know most of the terrain in this area, although it has been a while since I was in the Heath." His smile fades as he thinks of Aeron. He glances up towards the mountains.
"It was part of my training."
"I agree that Xander set the horses loose," Quinn notes.
"And if he took one..."
If the party stops to rest, Angus will kneel down, pray, and meditate for awhile, allowing his rapid metabolism to refresh his body.
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@Knightfall: Please let me know how many hours we end up getting to rest. I have calculations to make. 
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Angus listens to the group discuss their options. With his magical horseshoes, he isn't as tired as the horses that carried his new companions. If it came down to it, the centaur ranger could help pull the wagons back to Carnell but that would give the villains a chance to escape. Yes, more than likely the duergar set the horses loose.
He finds a tiny wooded copse in the hills beyond the heat of fires to say his prayers to his goddess. This land is unbearably hot for him and even though the day wasn't overtly warm, it is not as cool as his homeland. He settles under the leaves of the
dry deciduous trees. He isn't sure what these trees are called but he praises Mielikki for the soothing sounds of the rustling leaves in the wind. The ground around him is bone dry, which is likely why the villagers did not set up fires under these trees, although there are two other small copses closer to the fires.
Angus hears a twig snap and he looks up to see a buck deer standing at the edge of the copse eating the dry shoots off the ground. The deer barely acknowledges his presence, but when laughter rises up from the camp, the male deer's head shoots up and it bolts into the night. The grove is peaceful except for a tiny wood snake that slitters on the dry ground nearby heading away from Angus. Then he hears the hooting of an owl. Screech most likely.
The hooting becomes louder and the camp goes silent. Angus is near enough to hear Caerth speak.
"What is it?"
Screech hoots loudly several times. The bird sounds agitated.
"Two dead horses," Caerth says more quietly.
"Giants."
Angus hears a loud howl in the hills to the northwest and the sound of brush being trampled.
OOC: Roll for initiative. Note that almost all the villagers are 1st-level characters with NPC classes and have little to no fighting skills. The two guards are 2nd-level warriors. The attack happens about two hours after the PCs arrive in the camp.
