Through Darkness, Light ("the plethora of prospective permutations")

[Erekose13]

Chenroeth, male litorian mage blade 1

*After surveying the surrounding area, Chenroeth joins the discussion regarding our next step. While he can see in the clearing here, further into the trees provides a varitable blanket of darkness.*

"While generally unwise to camp out in an ambush site, it might be advisable for us to wait until morning before trying to follow the trail. In this light it would be easy for us to miss something in those trees. Were we to carry light then we would make easy targets for who-ever these bandits turn out to be."

 

[dead_radish]

Aelin considers his words. "Indeed, good sir. You speak wisely, but as the great tracker Rolas wrote in Reflections on Day Old Scat, a cold trail is not a trail at all. And indeed, Alestremenestrenes, goddess of tracking in the dark in unknown forests, favors the bold!" He stops to make a note in one of his books at this point, then continues. "In any case, we are blessed amoung our companions with several who have extraluminary visual acuity, and our sight should be more than sufficient in the darkness."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Kelsis the Bright-Eyed, Female Sibeccai Akashic 1

*Kelsis will wait, impatiently, at the edge of the forest for Aernoeth and Kel to return (if necessary), then continue to move deeper into the woods, following the trail of the bandits.*

 

[Arador]

Maedril, Sibeccai Champion of Death 1

Maedril looks about, and then speaks up - "A cold trail is no trail, in that Rolas was certaintly correct. Unless you see something work investigating here, we should move on, carefully. Does anyone see signs of people leaving the trail from here?"

Maedril pauses. "And didn't the woman say the attackers dropped from trees? Who here is a good climber - someone should slip up there and see if there is any further evidence...no?"

 

[Murphy's Law]

Kel, Totem Warrior

Does anyone see signs of people leaving the trail from here?"

"Yes, I found two groups of tracks, one leading down that trail, another returning to the town. Which one was made by the bandits? I have no idea."

 

[Erekose13]

Chenroeth, male litorian mage blade 1

"I assume that the group you say was heading back towards the city included the old lady. Therefore I guess if we are to track the bandits it would be down that side trail you mentioned. Can anyone follow those tracks in the night? I might be able to, but it would be easier if there was something more to follow than the trail itself."

 

[Aernoeth]

Aernoeth Swiftblade level 1 Quickling Unfettered

"She favours the bold, but are the bold necessarily blind?" Aernoeth counters playfully.

"All I can say is that unless the Bandits are trees themselves, they'll need light of their own, which we should be able to see. Besides, how can the twin Kels and I lure anyone into an ambush if they never see us coming?" the Quickling sums up his thoughts. As for climbing, Aernoeth shakes his head. "No ... definitely not. These legs were made for running, but not upwards!"

Skipping to where Kelsis is, Aernoeth whispers to the Akashic, whose opinion he values. After all, it wasn't just everyone who could meditate on the past and present consciousness of, well, everyone. "Some say it's too dark, some say go. What do you think?"

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Kelsis the Bright-Eyed, Female Sibeccai Akashic 1

"I say go now. Darkness can be our cloak and companion. The light may be dim, but there still is some, and for you and I it is not too great a stumbling block. I want to get at least something done today, and trying to find these bandits shouldn't prove too difficult," Kelsis murmurs back.

 

[Aernoeth]

Aernoeth Swiftblade level 1 Quickling Unfettered

"Hee .. it's almost dark enough that the Giant's nose looks normal. Okay, a moment!" Aernoeth chirps, and he sprints back to the main group.

"The Akashic and I are going to follow this woodsy trail. You guys stay here, maybe climb a tree or something, and we'll lure some thugs back," he says. "Kel, you want to join us? Or stay here?" Aernoeth asks the Snake Warrior.

If Chenroeth mentions that he can prepare a spell to help scent-track the bandits, but it'll take an hour, Aernoeth will nod, and then speed off once more to deliver the news to Kelsis. "An hour ...," he tells her in a quiet squeak, "and it would mean we approach the Bandits as a group, but it might really help us find them. We could spend the time climbing trees ... you good at that?" He also tells her about the sword, the parchment, and the group's ruminations in his whirlwind style of news delivery.

 

[Erekose13]

Chenroeth, male Litorian Mageblade 1

Noticing that the others are insistant on moving in complete darkness, Chenroeth adds, "Well give me one hour and I can study some of my spell notes. I know that I have a spell that will allow me to try and track our opponents by scent. That will give us a better chance at moving through the trees and staying out of an ambush ourselves."

After Aernoeth agrees that it might be worth the time, Chenroeth adds, "Has any one searched the area around and in the trees where the ambushers must have launched their attack from? If you would wait for me, then I would suggest that we see if we can find more clues about our opponents."