"The dwarf dock-worker is closer," Balthur answers.

At your second question, the centaur chuckles. "The same as she is now. Getting someone else to do the hard work for her - that's just her way. She told me once it was because after all the work she put into getting her inn, she thought she'd done enough for a lifetime."

"After this favour, I'm going to feel the same," Skywhisper jokes. "The favours Rythia is going to ask of us in future are going to be fun."

The trader kicked at the ground with a hoof, continuing: "Probably doesn't help that this is the largest order she's placed so far." He shoots you a sympathetic look, shrugging. "Look, that dwarf - his name is Bob - he's a good friend of mine. Tell him you've come from me and all about the wild goose chase Rythia's sent you on, he'll be more than happy to lend you a barrow."

The phoenix hops from your shoulder and onto the ground to indicate your own group's old tracks in the snow.

"Our own tracks?" Numbat makes a face. "Why's that worrying?"

Crimson shakes her head, padding forward with Emberpaw at her side. "No. I think I've got a scent, but I'm not sure. I don't think its ours."

At your hellhound's gesture, Numbat scratches his head. "Okay, someone else's tracks. Its rare, but people do travel the mountain passes at winter. We are right now." At the hellhounds' frustrated glares, he holds up his hands defensively. "Okay, why don't we have a look then! Tracks don't bite." After a second, he looks like he regrets using that particular expression as the hellhounds shoot each other a glance.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=74910&page=195#1948 Author: Falconetti Time Posted: 3/9/2021 at 11:44 AM "Exhausted?" Spork chuckles with a grin. "Don't know meaning of word." The two of you speed up to a jog, mindful of the mighty birds that occasionally glide by high overhead, uninterested in your presence. The already dark, ashen land gets even darker as night approaches. Your companion doesn't look like he needs to rest, and neither do you, so you don't stop. Night has fallen for some time when the pair of you round a bend to see firelight up ahead. Echoing voices reverberate off of the walls, jeers and conversations that you can't make out from here. Blocky shapes are silhouetted by a campfire, beyond them you can see figures moving around. "Common layout. Fire in centre, wagons and carts in ring around. Defensive wall against animals, less so against people," Spork informs you. "Your friends be in one of them, likely." There are many carts, and the sounds of many orcs and goblins making up the clan. This won't be easy.

"Do the majority of the group stay inside the ring? Also, I'm guessing they have a night shift of some kind, and I get the feeling they'll keep a regularly scheudled routine of some kind." Nicote thought out loud. He'd hate to admit it but he did share the same amount of brainpower as certain people in his family....
"If they have some kind of routine, we can use it to our advantage."

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=74910&page=196#1952 Author: Falconetti Time Posted: 3/10/2021 at 10:13 AM The phoenix hops from your shoulder and onto the ground to indicate your own group's old tracks in the snow. "Our own tracks?" Numbat makes a face. "Why's that worrying?" Crimson shakes her head, padding forward with Emberpaw at her side. "No. I think I've got a scent, but I'm not sure. I don't think its ours." At your hellhound's gesture, Numbat scratches his head. "Okay, someone else's tracks. Its rare, but people do travel the mountain passes at winter. We are right now." At the hellhounds' frustrated glares, he holds up his hands defensively. "Okay, why don't we have a look then! Tracks don't bite." After a second, he looks like he regrets using that particular expression as the hellhounds shoot each other a glance.

Asteria frowns at Numbat, "That's not always true. Trapper's tracks can bite if there is a trap in them and trust me I've come across a few of those situations. Crimson can you smell if they have any weapons or other potential dangers to us?" If Crimson can't tell Asteria will probally go try to stealthfully find out who the stranger is so they aren't going to be ambushed by them, "If we get moving again we go in a straight line stepping in each other's tracks familiars in the middle so it's harder to tell how many of us there are. Sunfeather, Blazetalon fly nearby but keep out of sight so you can be our scouts please. I know I'm asking a lot of everyone but please just trust me and do what I say."

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=74910&page=195#1941 Author: Falconetti Time Posted: 3/3/2021 at 1:46 PM (Heh, why not?) Brazentalons blinks as you remove the bag, his tufts of feathers all fluffed up. He tries to flatten them again as you practice summoning your fire. You can summon a fireball as big as your head, though it takes time to accumulate. You can feel yourself straining as your control over the fire starts to slip, however. Stopping here, it takes a couple of seconds before it fully dissipates. You need a short while to let your magic fatigue wear off. Magic strength increased by 1/2 The centaur rises to his hooves showing he's ready to get moving, leaning on his makeshift walking stick. He doesn't appear to be relying on it as heavily as he was yesterday. "It's been a while since I've met someone with magic," he comments neutrally. Your griffin gives him an evil eye before turning back to you. "I'm ready."

I wonder who was the other one. Guess if he wanted to tell me he would have so not much of a point in asking. I flatten some of Brazentalons's feathers. Not exactly sure why he gave the centaur an evil eye but I can figure that out later. "Alright, let's go," I say.

He nods, smiling. "Sure! Just head back into the centre of town in that direction," - he points - "then you should come across a canal. Go left and follow it and you'll find the dock Bob works at. He's the foreman there, so you should find him easily enough."

"Yes, most stay inside, but they are disordered lot - no strict routine, every so often a couple of warriors sent out to go around the outside of the ring, check if anything snooping around. Not consistently though."

Spork looks on thoughtfully. It doesn't look like there's a patrol out now. "Though patrols are few and far between usually. You are right - if we make a move just after a patrol returns to inside of ring, we should have some time to work with."

As you watch, a loud growl emanates from one of the carts. With a thud, it rocks from side to side, like something within is trying to escape. The activity doesn't seem to get any reaction from the trapper clan.

"Oh," Numbat mumbles, clasping his hands together. "... okay. Point taken."

Crimson shakes her heads, ears drooping. "My sense of smell isn't that good. All I can tell is... vague. But I don't think they're here any more."

The group agrees, following your instructions. You and Numbat walk on either side of the line of ground-bound creatures while the two phoenix flit between spots of cover above, keeping close. Charisma - just successful

Around the next curve of the pass, your path joins another in a branch. At the junction are the remains of a camp. The snow here has been shovelled to the sides, all the way along the mountain passage.

"Oh, it was just a few dwarves clearing the snow," Numbat says, relieved. "They must have just moved on. I wonder if they left anything interesting?" He stays nervously put though, your earlier warning staying his feet.

So far he's appeared wary of the stranger, and unhappy with his presence, Whether that's him feeling naturally protective of you - being your familiar - or just uncomfortable being in the company of someone who robbed you the other day is unclear.

The sun shines brightly in the clear sky as the three of you travel along the Adventurer's Road, the wind rustling the frost-covered grasses in the plains which surround you.

As you walk, the sun rising from the distant horizon in the new day, the centaur strikes up a conversation. "Why are you pair heading to the 'Crossroads anyway?" he asks.