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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 12:47:42 GMT -5
There is a great deal of blood, so it is no longer possible to follow on the basis of blood trails. If Kenneth was a betting man however, he'd guess that the man crossed the stream, and waded down a ways, before crossing to the other side.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 12:52:27 GMT -5
Ser Kenneth waves to the Dwarf for him to come out and then mounts his horse again and begins looking for tracks of some kind to indicate where the third man went.
He heads towards the stream and then walks in the opposite direction of where the man was placed to see if he was used as a decoy to lead him the wrong way. If he fails to find tracks in that direction for a half mile or more he will turn around and proceed down the other direction.
[Beginner Tracking]
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 13:44:33 GMT -5
Kenneth seems to have lost the trail, until he comes upon a bloody scrap of rag, probably torn of the man's tunic. He continues on his path, headed north, until he sees some buzzards circling. From there it is just a short ride to the body of the man, laying in a pool of dried blood, buzzards sitting on him, and pecking.
(ooc: tracking increase to Novice)
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 14:00:17 GMT -5
Ser Kenneth dismounts and attempts to shoo the vultures from the corpse, once the birds are removed he takes a look at the body looking for any papers, coins or other items of value and takes a quick look around where the body fell to see if the man was following a deer path or some other traveled route.
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 14:34:16 GMT -5
It looks to Kenneth as if the man was stumbling around blindly, trying to move North at great speed, and tore his guts trying to run causing him to bleed out more quickly.
He has his staff, but no other papers or coin.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 14:51:19 GMT -5
Kenneth does a brief survey of the area around where the man fell looking for signs of people moving through the area, beaten down paths, footprints, etc.
He will look about 100 yds in either direction for some sort of man made trail before returning back to where Jonathon is waiting near the fallen bandit.
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 15:15:49 GMT -5
Kenneth finds what looks like a beaten down trail about 100 yds away, that leads up ahead to a dense area of forest. It occurs to Coyn that the man was trying to follow this path, and got confused and turned off before lying down to die.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 16:00:25 GMT -5
Kenneth whistles to catch Jonathon's attention and the Dwarf comes running.
"I am not a dog you know?" the bard says before seeing the Path.
"Oh look a path," the Dwarf says stating the obvious. "I wonder where it leads,"
"Don't know but I mean to find out," Kenneth says.
"What if this leads to the outlaw camp?" Jonathon says as the two make their way down the road.
"Don't know, we'll have to see what were looking at when we get there."
The Knight and the Bard head carefully down the path looking for possible traps or other outlaws. They will dehorse and proceed on foot should they see and structures or smoke from a fire.
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 16:34:19 GMT -5
They continue walking for a good way, and indeed, they do eventually reach an opening in the forest, where smoke is coming out. Two or three sod homes, built down into the side of a hill are visible. four men are warming themselves by the fire, One of them has a bow on his back, the others are nearby walking sticks.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 16:53:10 GMT -5
"What do you want to do?" Jonathon said hoping that the Knight would say turn around and leave.
"Well do you see any of Beesbury's men?" Ser Kenneth asked?
The Dwarf looked around to see if he could see any tell tale signs of prisoners, although he doubted the outlaws would have left them alive as they looked like they barely had enough food for themselves. As they watched the two listened to see if they could hear any of the men's conversation.
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 17:23:40 GMT -5
They were well to far away to hear anything over the crackling of the fire, and the laughter and casual conversation of the men by the fire.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 19:01:06 GMT -5
"So what are we going to do?" Jonathon says
"I thought we'd talk to them?" Kenneth replies
"and tell them what? Hello we killed your friends prepare to die?"
"Nah I thought we'd try to convince them to give up a life of banditry to become a sell sword?"
"Don't sell swords get paid?" The Dwarf asked.
"Yeah usually,"
"And we don't have any money?" Jonathon asked again
"Well we get money, I have some of the money from the toll collectors, sometimes it takes a stag to make a stag?"
"and if they don't go for it?" the Dwarf said.
"We turn them in for Banditry at Honeyholt or run them through?"
"All four of them?"
"Well we'll pretend we have more men, I'll go up there and if I say something you throw your voice and pretend to be multiple people covering me from the bushes."
"Your insane, are you sure your mother did not drop you on your head as a kid?"
"Don't Know," Ser Kenneth said feeling the big bump that had been on the back of his head since he was a toddler.
"Well it sounds crazy but it would make for a good story if it worked. What would you do if you had some sell swords Kenneth?"
"Hells if I know, but I am not much of a knight if all my retinue includes is a dwarf on a miniature pony."
"She prefers to be called a miniature horse."
"Well whatever, are you with me?" Ser Kenneth asked.
"All right, let me setup some things," Jonathon responded.
The Dwarf prepared a few items, taking the knights terrible looking helm and hiding it in a tree so that it would become visible if he pulled a rope and hiding some other scattered articles across the woods so he could pull his little ruse if needed.
When he was ready, Kenneth rode out on his horse, he raised his arms, "Hail men," he said stepping out his horse winnowing as the fire illuminated the Knight and his rider for the first time.
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 19:47:21 GMT -5
The man with the bow turned fast, with an arrow already nocked.
"Hail the fuck?" said man who stood, a large cudgel in his hand, its tip covered with iron.
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Post by Ser Kenneth Coyn on Nov 17, 2009 20:32:00 GMT -5
"Easy fellas, I just want to talk besides my men in the woods would cut you down in a heartbeat, you'd be as dead as me," he brushed his head.
In the woods the Dwarf coughed and had the rusty helm rustle and another tree branch move on the other side.
[Persuade-Apprentice]
[Deception-Apprentice]
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Post by The Stranger on Nov 17, 2009 21:11:36 GMT -5
"Alright, just relax there friend, you don't know us, and we don't know you," says the man with the bow, "So why don't you explain what this is all about."
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Hope you all are well and happy.