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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1271447" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Forgotten Honour" by Eric Price (Dragon Scale Counters) - Part 2In the event, they ask only Rose, who agrees to join the expedition.  This brings their numbers up to six, which they decide will be enough for the task.  The fact that only the surly Anastria and her brother are left to ask has nothing to do with their decision, of course.With their group decided, the adventurers set out the next morning.  They have only the vaguest directions as to how to find Gardan: Jarrek could tell them little more than to search the hills to the north of town."Gardan didn't think t'leave a forwardin' address." He shrugs, "Yer got trackers, don't yer?"As they head north, they formulate a plan,"This Gardan would need to find game, and fresh water." Ming Li observes, "Perhaps we could search for signs of him at watering holes, or game trails."Stormstrider and Elspeth nod. "It's a sound idea." The female elf acknowledges, "We'll scout out and look for game trails.  Neither of us knows this area that well, but the local wildlife will know the way to water, and that's the best place to look.  If the old man knows anything about surviving in the wild, he'll have done the same ... and we'd better hope he does know something, or we're chasing a corpse.""Wouldn't be the first time." Twinkle shrugs, "And it would be kinda appropriate, since we want to ask him about a tomb."Ignoring the gnome, the two elves range out ahead of the others, searching for signs of local creatures.  Their aim is to find signs of deer or similar beasts - or better yet, the old man himself - but what they actually discover is somewhat more disturbing."Kobolds." Elspeth points out the tracks to the others, "At least twenty of them, heading north-west.  Something else came through after them.  A big humanoid ... possibly an ogre or a hill giant.  It had two large dogs with it.""Perhaps the giant was travelling with the kobolds?" Macwood suggests.  The elves both shake their heads,"It was at least a few hours behind them." Elspeth gestures to the way the large creature's prints overlay those of the kobolds, "The kobolds passed through while the ground was still damp.  It was dry by the time the giant came through.  If it has still been wet, the prints would be deeper."Ming Li clears her throat,"I think we should follow these tracks." She proposes, "These creatures are too close to town to be left to roam free, and they may be a danger to the old man, as well."The monk's suggestion is met with agreement from the others, and the Company sets out in pursuit of the kobolds, and whatever might be tracking them.  They set a brisk pace, but so did those they are following, and by nightfall, they have still not sighted their quarry.  As they make camp, they discuss their options,"I say we keep on for a few more hours tomorrow." Macwood says, "If they're still heading away from town after that, I say we turn back.  We aren't being paid to chase kobolds, and the longer they travel this way, the less of a threat to Amberdale they are, anyway."No-one voices any objection to the halfling's proposal, and the group settles in for the night, warming tea over a small fire and gnawing on trail rations for their dinner.  This done, they set watches and bed down for the night.Stormstrider has third watch.  As he sits silently, facing out into the darkness, a hoarse but sibilant voice calls softly to him,"We want speak.  No harm you."Not trusting the voice's claim of good intentions, the elf immediately begins to wake the others.  By the time they are all on their feet and armed, however, whomever called out to him is long gone.  Both of the elves search for tracks, but the darkness thwarts their efforts."We'll check again in the morning." Elspeth decides, "We won't have any trouble tracking them once we have decent light to see by."But trouble is just what they do have."Little sneaks have brushed out their tracks." The female elf fumes, "We might be able to pick them up if we roam out a bit, but that's going to slow us down a lot.""Given that we know they're out there, I don't think we have any choice." Macwood shrugs, "They could have turned back toward town, and we need to make sure they haven't."Ming Li nods,"If they approach us again, we should listen to what they have to say.  From what happened last night, it seems they wish to negotiate.""What's with that, anyway?" Twinkle grumbles, "Kobolds aren't supposed to negotiate.  They're supposed to fall into all your traps and generally be stupid.""They must have missed the edict." Macwood offers, drily.The group moves on, Elspeth and Stormstrider ranging ahead of the others.  After about an hour, a voice calls out to the female elf, the speaker somewhere in the midst of a clump of heavy underbrush,"Want talk.  You no kill, we bargain."Elspeth frowns, less than happy that a kobold has got so close without her seeing it."What do you want?" she snaps, with her usual lack of diplomacy." Tall ones looking for something, yes?  Tall ones tell Dragon-folk what it is.  Dragon-folk tell tall ones where to find it." The kobold falls silent"We're looking for a human man.  An old one.  He's supposed to live out here." Elspeth frowns in suspicion, "Why are you offering to help?"A second kobold voice replies, from Elspeth's other side,"You seek the Grey One.  Dragon-folk know Grey One's lair.  Dragon-folk tell ... if tall ones help Dragon-folk, first."</blockquote>

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