. "The kidnappers at the Mining Operation appeared to have come from the north and departed to the west ,, at a Rheini Village, kidnappers came from the east and departed to the north,"
"There must be two or even more groups of captors. That's the only explanation I have. I agree with Taylar; we must find the group that is the closest to us, kill them all except two which we will force to reveal who hire them and where they brought the youngsters!
Plumeir takes a deep breath and purses his bottom lip with the fingers of his left hand. "I think you are absolutely correct. We can only be in one place at a time so, Taylar, lead the way. We find any sign of the kidnappers, I have no qualms about treating them as monsters."
From the Rheini village, two hours were necessary to reach the eastern branch of the Salmon River. The shallower depth made the crossing was far simpler than the other from farther downstream, despite the water moving more rapidly. Like followed before, a dominant game trail paralleled each branch of the river. With all of the previous rain and the current downpour, it was impossible to determine if people had followed either path. There was no other choice than to follow the recommendation of the elder Rheini, Pardal, that his rangers had tracked the kidnappers farther north.
By midday, doubt was beginning to develop in each of the three Investigators until irrefutable evidence was discovered. Though local denizens had eaten into the corpses, mostly varmints but heavy prints of a large bear had not yet been washed away, the members of the ranger party likely still lay where they had been killed. Examining the scene as carefully as possible, the fight looked considerably one-sided. The rangers had not been killed by other archers. The usual advantage of bows had availed them nothing.
Angered by the wonton carnage, the three ached for something to identify the enemy. This was not found, but a few strides northward from the decomposing corpses, a single, small, soft shoe, like those worn by the Rheini people was deposited at the edge of the trail partially disguised by the roots of a conifer. Based upon its design, it was concluded that the shoe may have been purposefully discarded by one of the captured children, a tiny clue for a hopeful rescue.
It was too late to offer any departure ceremony for the dead. The bodies had been killed too many days passed, and nothing more could be done that was believed to guide or ease the translation of the Essence. Any fate had already been decided. The only option that remained was restitution or as some would advocate, revenge.
Taylar]: full wellness Astarte: full wellness Plumeir: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide a random roll.
After searching the area of the attack, Taylar looks around at their surroundings to determine if there is a good place for a sentry post, any place where someone might be watching them. He is looking for a place where anyone could view the whole area that the kidnappers might use to see people following them.
"I think I will walk the path a little farther to see if I can find anything more." Plumeir moves farther northward along the trail the crew had been following to see if anything at all might give an indication of a more exact identity of the enemy or why the death of the Rheini party had occurred at that specific location.
Like with the previous locale in which Taylar looked for a suitable location to station a sentry, the towering conifers offer plenty of sites; yet in such an undeveloped area, no tree perch is going to offer decent observation of much of the surrounding ground. There is too much foliage. Taylar concludes that the rangers must have managed to catch up to the kidnappers, only to meet their demise.
Though the almost constant rain has washed away all definitive evidence of passage, a mere discoloration of the trail near where the child’s shoe was found catches Plumeir’s attention. He calls Taylar over to get his opinion. With a bit of luck and a lot of deductive reasoning, it is decided that the discoloration had been the site of a campfire. This confirms Taylar’s original suspicion that the rangers managed to catch up to the kidnappers. Knowing that the Rheini people are proficient archers, it bodes ill that the kidnappers must have, not only, survived an initial onslaught of arrows but rapidly prevailed over the rangers.
Having no reason to suspect that the kidnappers changed direction, wisdom suggests that they continued on northward.
Taylar]: full wellness Astarte: full wellness Plumeir: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide a random roll.
Taylar says, "I do not like leaving these warriors as they are, but our duty is to the living and we must move on. We will tell the Rheini village where they lay in case they want to retrieve the remains. Let us continue after these villains."
Plumeir acknowledges his agreement with the lamentation from Taylar then responds. "I am ready for some recompense on this path of destruction. Three sets of children from three different communities, I hope we get to be the trouble these kidnappers seem to desire."
Knowing that the Rheini people are proficient archers, it bodes ill that the kidnappers must have, not only, survived an initial onslaught of arrows but rapidly prevailed over the rangers.
"Our younglings hunters must be even more proficient shields users or worse, and more probable one or more of them has a talent similar to a talent that Enri had." Astarte says and then tell Plumeir how she couldn't shoot the wicked Hand of Justice because of a protective field he made around himself.
Taylar partitions his distaste for the unsecured remains of warriors in his mind to better focus on the task at hand. Anger pushes the party for a time, after leaving the despicable scene but daylight is waning. Rest is short and fitful. More rain greets the morning. Though necessary for the existence of life, the excessiveness is becoming irritating. Though the season is unfolding no differently than any previous, it is far more in the forethought of everyone’s minds due to the impediment it offers to the search.
Light rain continues through the morning with an occasional short downpour. The light drizzle can easily be ignored. Nearing midday, with the random cessation or change in the slight breeze, Plumeir conveys to the others that he thinks he can smell smoke. Nothing seems amiss and neither Astarte nor Taylar can yet hear anything to indicate a cause for the suspicion of Plumeir.
Taylar]: full wellness Astarte: full wellness Plumeir: full wellness
OOC:
Each character receives 5 DP. State nominal actions and intentions. Provide a random roll.
That's the only explanation I have. I agree with Taylar; we must find the group that is the closest to us, kill them all except two which we will force to reveal who hire them and where they brought the youngsters!
