The following morning Brunvoldt, Adalbjorg, Chandra and Dagmar (a servant/cart-driver) left Templemount. Dagmar drove the two wheel, four bison cart on which Adalbjorg and Chandra sat. Brunvoldt rode Scar with Magnus running alongside - both of whom seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the chance to run.
Normally a journey to Halfway-House from Templemount would not need a roll as it's a heavily patrolled safe route. However, as the Varou are infiltrating the region, this time I'm going to
Set a Course: +Supply +1 Scar (Rover); 3 +5 +1 vs. 10 & 7 => weak hit => arrive, -2 momentum now +8
They reached Halfway without incident, although it took longer than Brunvoldt would have liked. The bison pulling the cart had been mismatched and Dagmar had to stop, sort out the pairings and rehitch them, all of which took time that Brunvoldt resented losing. Gunnhildr had been missing for days, but that didn't mean that they could waste time without consequence.
At Halfway-House they found Dag waiting for them. He seemed eager to set off and was even more so when Brunvoldt explained to him the changed mission that they had been charged with. Brunvoldt sent Dag out to see if any of the tracks of the Hyena pack that had been chased off were still visible. Then he detailed Adalbjorg and Dagmar to stay at Halfway while he, Chandra and Dag went to find any trace of the missing people. They would carry a pair of the Halfway rooks to communicate speedily if needed.
As Dag searched, the others redistributed their supplies, loading Scar as a pack-bison. That done, Brundvoldt, Chandra, Scar and Magnus left Halfway to join Dag, who they found jogging towards them.
"My lord," Dag began, but Brunvoldt interrupted him.
"Just a minute Dag," he said, "While our lives are on the line together, I'll have none of this 'lord' nonsense. Call me Brunvoldt, or Sentinel - that goes for you too Chandra. I'm no more of a noble than either of you two." Chandra and Dag shared a glance, but Brunvoldt couldn't fathom its meaning.
"As you wish," Dag resumed, "The Hyena left a trail that I can still follow even now. You must have scared them mightily as they paid no heed to what was in their way, just bulling their through everything in their way."
"Then we'll follow it and pray to Vanth-the-Guide for Her blessing on our task," said Brunvoldt as they set off.
Brunvoldt was unsure if following the Hyena pack was the right choice. Logically, any Varou in this area - where they had not previously been - would all be connected. But that made the assumption that Varou were behind Gunnhildr's disappearance - something that had not yet been established. Still, at least to begin with, the Hyenas were paralleling the road to Firstmeet, so they might come across some evidence of what had happened to Gunhildr and her Wardens. Frightened as the animals had been, both Dag and Brunvoldt believed that they would have returned the way they had come. Hopefully the trail and place of disappearance would coincide.
Undertake an Expedition: 'Follow the Hyenas' trail' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 Scar (Rover); 3 +3 +1 vs. 10 & 3 => weak hit => waypoint, -2 momentum now +6, progress now 3/10
They followed the tracks and while they still paralleled the road, Dag followed in the woods while Brunvoldt, Chandra and the animals were on the road. Before they had gone too far though, Dag came running out of the woods pursued by something crashing through the trees behind him. "Boar!" shouted the tracker. Brunvoldt and Chandra readied themselves, but the boar did not appear, seemingly content with having chased Dag the interloper off of its territory.
They had to wait quite a while for the boar to return to its lair before Dag could resume following the trail. 'Another delay' Brunvoldt thought darkly - but there was nothing else to be done.
Undertake an Expedition: 'Follow the Hyenas' trail' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 Scar (Rover); 5 +3 +1 vs. 1 & 1 => strong hit w. opportunity => waypoint, progress now 6/10
For the opportunity, Ask the Oracle: descriptor + focus => 39 & 68 => Exposed Remains
Also, I'm going to Make a Connection: with Dag, tracker 'troublesome', progress 0/10
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| Firstmeet area |
Dag was standing by the remains of a pair of bison. From the harnesses and tack that were scattered over the area, it was apparent that they had been Gunnhildr's pack animals. They had been consumed where they lay - something that had obviously happened days ago. "Looks like the Hyenas started to eat them while they were atill alive ... I hate those animals ..." Dag said. Brunvoldt turned to Chandra.
Reach a Milestone: "I will determine the fate of Priestess Gunnhildr and her escort", progress now 1/10
"Go to Firstmeet," he instructed. "Tell them the Varou have abducted Gunnhildr and that she and the Wardens are likely dead by now and send rooks to Halfway and Templemount telling them this. If you see no further Varou-sign and believe you can, then join Adalbjorg at Halfway and wait there for further news from us." Chandra nodded and set off at a jog towards Firstmeet.
"Anything else you can find?" Brunvoldt asked Dag.
Gather Information: +Wits +1 connection Dag; 6 +3 +1 vs. 7 & 5 => strong hit => discovery, +2 momentum now +8
After a few moments spent looking around, Dag picked something up - part of a human skull. "Yes, Brunvoldt," he said, willing to use Brunvoldt's name now they were alone. "At least one of them didn't survive the abduction. By the skin on this, it must have been one of the Wardens - I've seen Gunnhildr and her skin is much lighter than this." He held up his gruesome discovery for Brunvoldt to see.
Dag was correct. The skull must have belonged to Aric - one of Gunnhildr's Wardens, a 'large, dark-skinned man' was part of how he'd been described to Brunvoldt. Looking around, Brunvoldt found other parts of the skull. Gathering them, he put them together on the ground, knelt and pressed the blade of his sword against them. The he spoke the prayer, "Take your Final Journey and go to your rest. May Holy Vanth be your Guide onwards." He couldn't allow the Rising of Aric and the prayer, together with his Holy Sword, would prevent that.
Standing, he asked Dag, "Still a trail you can follow?"
"Yes," the tracker replied,"They went that way," and pointing westward along the treeline, led the way, bow at the ready. Brunvoldt followed, Magnus at his side, leading Scar, sword in hand.
Undertake an Expedition: 'Follow the Hyenas' trail' troublesome; vigilantly +Wits +1 Scar (Rover) +1 connection Dag; 2 +3 +1 +1 vs. 8 & 3 => weak hit => waypoint, -2 momentum now +6, progress now 9/10
Finish an Expedition: 'Follow the Hyenas' trail' troublesome; progress 9 vs. 8 & 5 => strong hit = > 1 tick on Discoveries legacy track
Reach a Milestone: "I will determine the fate of Priestess Gunnhildr and her escort", progress now 2/10
They found the end of the Hyenas' trail after another hour or so. This was obviously where the Varou had been encamped, but they were there no longer. "What can you tell?" Brunvoldt asked Dag.
Gather Information: +Wits +1 Connection Dag; 1 +3 +1 vs. 5 & 3 => weak hit => complication, +1 momentum now +7
"Well ..." began Dag, reading what he could. "It looks like the Varou split. Most went that way toward the west. But a small group went north into the hills that lie to the west of Firstmeet." He bent over looking closely at some tracks, then took a few steps following them. "Yes, see here," he pointed, "There are bootprints - two sets that go with the smaller group."
"Then that is who we follow," stated Brunvoldt.