R1: Hired Hands (nimisgod judging)

[Dungannon]

You ride for a little more than two hours, over rolling plains dotted by small stands of trees. Dak occasionally riding far out ahead, then back close to advise a small change of direction. Tor watches Cinder and Dak, noting that neither of them appear to be armed with anything more than a longknife. Dak rejoins the party and rides up to Cinder, "It's just up ahead, on the edge of that copse of trees." The young man indicates a small stand just to the southwest.

 

[Patlin]

(Presumably if Tor is riding, it is upon one of the farms horses. If that is the case, he will dismount and hand Cinder the reins.)

Tor, chain at the ready, nods at the information and heads toward the indicated location. Wild suspicions float through his thoughts.

There's bound to be an ambush... but by who? The simple bandits we think we've been pursuing? An army of a nation bent on war? Some sort of rat creature involved with either, both, or something different entirely?

Whoever they may be, I hope we come up with some answers.

 

[LogicsFate]

Valan trots ahead eager to see if there is anything left that might help.

 

[IcyCool]

Gideon follows Valan and Tor, casting the occaisional glance at Cinder and Dak.

 

[Roger]

Ragnikyr approaches the copse with interest. He's still mounted.

OOC: Do we have any idea of how far, approximately, this camp is from the main highway?

 

[Dungannon]

ooc: Logic & Icy, are Valan & Gideon mounted or dismounted? And Roger, you guestimate that you are about 7-8 miles south, shouthwest of the Western Road.

 

[LogicsFate]

OOC: [sblock] Mounted, as we were supplied horses for our short trip, correct?

I try to keep most of my pcs from trotting to much while un-mounted [/sblock]

 

[IcyCool]

OOC: Mounted.

 

[Dungannon]

Tor, on foot and alert for anything, approaches the spot indicated by Dak. Valan, Gideon and Ragnikyr follow on horseback. Kerrz stays back with Cinder and Dak for the moment. The campsite is obviously deserted, a firepit containing a few scraps of charred wood the only sign of recent occupation. Tor spends a few minutes looking around, searching for any clues that were missed the first time.

Valan and Ragnikyr ride around, trying to help while staying out of Tor's way. Gideon tries to keep an eye on everyone. Kerrz is watching the adventurers while Cinder and Dak are looking off into the distance.

After several fruitless minutes scrounging through the tall grass, Tor returns to the firepit and sits on one of the large rocks surrounding it, taking a well-deserved break. Whether due to bad luck or residual dampness from the morning dew, Tor loses his balance and slides backward off the rock and onto his ass. As he scrambles to compose himself and regain his footing, as well as ignore the stifled chuckles of his companions, he notices the rock has moved and there's something underneath it, a scrap of paper. Muscling the rock, he manages to free the paper and pick it up. It's tattered and earthstained, but he can just barely make out a few words.

"...servi...agons...gold...rememb...dale..."

 

[Patlin]

"Laugh if you will, friends, but luck favors us even in such a misstep. Come see this!"

Tor examines the document carefully, trying to guess from the size of the smudges how many letters are missing in each spot.

"Anyone know of any magic that can restore a ruined document?"