Act 2: Season of the Wolf

[Vardaen]

James begins to search the grounds and wagons for signs of the attackers. Those signs are all over, as bloody patches, now brown stains in the mud and leaves, mark the ground in many places. The contents of one wagon are strewn all about outside its broken door.

Picking through the mess The Witcher stoops and picks up a bottle covered in churned earth. Clearing the label he sees its a Redanian Herbal, a strong alchohol brewed with herbs and spices. It is both flavorful and a basic base for a Witcher potion. A few more minutes of searching turns up a fine lady's shawl hooked on the branch of a nearby tree. The red silk shawl might fetch a nice price at a merchant, or make a fine gift for a woman. Continuing to search, the Witcher stoops and lifts from the dead leaves a round broach, a silvery white pin of cheap metal with the image of a wolf's head painted in red on it. The sigal must be the sign of the Red Lupine, the bandits that attacked the camp. So atleast one of them suffered at the hands of their victims slightly.

All the while James is searching he picks up a coin here, and coin there, his last Oren, the gold coin of Termina, puts him at the start of a fairly obvious trail that leads away from the gypys camp and north toward the river, and some low rolling hill there. Without much problem James should be able to track that trail out of camp, atleast for a while.

OOC

Search: Take 20
Found:

8 Orens (gold pieces)


1 Lady's Shawl (10gp Value)


1 Redanian Herbal : A red vodka, called "stern" in honor of King Radovid the Stern. Radovid V the Stern is the current king of Redania. He's the son of Vizimir and Hedwig of Malleore, and thus a brother of Dalimira and Milena.


1 Red Lupine Pin

1 Tail Leading Out of Camp


I'm marking these items on James' sheet for now.

[arkahm]

James puts the Vodka in his pack and grips the Pin tightly in his hand, This is not over yet, James thinks to himself. He places the pin in a pouch at his side and walks over to find Tsura.

"Gypsy, These must have belonged to your kin." James says as he hands her the shawl and all 8 coins. "I see a trail heading towards the river and into the hills. I should be able to trail them a little ways out."

OOC

Can I tell if the trail will remain through the next 4 days? I really don't wanna take a baby into an area that could turn into a bloodbath...Bandit blood of course.

[Vardaen]

OOC

The trail heads in the general direction of the village you are heading. There appears to be a large amount of tracks, including caine tracks and wagon ruts once you get a bit away from the caravan. It will be easy to pick the trail back up. Barring a massive thunderstorm, they should remain. (The weather this time of year should copperate nicely for you).

The Witcher turns over the shawl and the coins to the woman as she locates her lute and readies herself with what supplies she can. The two stand at the edge of the caravan looking at the trail of the Red Lupine and the road that heads toward the village, both going in the same general direction.

OOC

The coins and shawl added to Tsura's sheet.

[arkahm]

After looking down the trail, James quickly comes to a decision, "Gypsy, we should follow the trail towards the Bandits. At least that way I can discover their numbers and what kind of camp they are keeping. I want to know if this is a temporary group or part of a permanent encampment in the area. If they are part of a larger group it can be more of a danger than just to your Kin, and it will be more important to be rid of them than just for vengeance. The village does not need to be threatened as well. After the bandits are found we shall take the babe to the village and then return to take care of these vermin. The encampment looks as if it is on the way to the village anyhow." James waits for Tsuras reaction with a questioning look on his face. "Try to hurry. I do not want them too far ahead of us."

[Cattywumpus]

"Verrah well but the Babe's hunger be upon your head.", says Tsura. She hoists her backpack onto her back with all of her belongings she has gathered. The handle of her lute sticks out from the pack. She gently places the shawl into her pack and motions to the Witcher to keep the coin. With a last sigh, she leave her whole life behind her and prepares to accompany james.

[arkahm]

"Thanks" James pockets the coin and turns to head down the trail. "Let's be off then and we'll try to make some good time down the trail." James turns away from Tsura and begins to track the bandits down the trail to the river. "And I won't have the babes hunger on my head....or my breast, Gypsy."

[Vardaen]

OOC

Ok the coins stay with James the Witcher

The Gypys and the Witcher gather all the things, and the baby. Putting the infant in a sling the woman cradles the baby close to her chest as the two set off down the road. The Witcher tracks the Red Lupine Bandits for a while, the trail runs parallel to the road for a while then turns north, while the road heads more to the east. Along the way James keeps an eye open for danger, and Tsura keeps the baby happy.

After most of the day is gone, the thri stands in a small group of trees looking north, a range of hills rolls across the horizon, the bandit's trail leads clearly and cleanly into those hills. The road to the next village however is now to the south, and the pair stand in the red bathing light of dusk. Here is where the two much choose, onto the village, or into the hills and the bandits.


Of course the sun is setting, and the day is spent. Camping over night may be a wise choice as well as its likely neither destination can be reached in what little day light if left.

OOC

The trail turns dramatically north, so following the bandits from here will lead you very far from the town. However the trail should be easy enough to pick back up at a later time if you wanted.

Its 7:30ish out so the sun is setting.

The Witcher could if you camp, try and forage for materials as well.

[Cattywumpus]

OOC

How is she feeding the baby or are we glossing over that?

[Cattywumpus]

OOC

Let me be clear why I keep harping on this. In order for Tsura to be able to feed the baby she either has lost a child who was still nursing in the attack or be in a late term pregnancy. Boobs != autofeeding babies. Both affect my character. I am under the impression she is neither and that you wish her to fight. Therefore, the only way the baby could be fed is if they bartered for milk from a cow or a goat with a family willing to trade with a gypsy. Those would be very rare due to my stigma. Else - this baby currently has a 2 day life span without food.

[Vardaen]

OOC

I understand the concepts of infant feeding, being a father of a 2 year old myself. We are going with the assumption that you have enough alternate food sources to last until you reach the village. Goat's milk, cow's milk, water mixed with crushed 'forumla', or other food. The child is about 9 months old, and isn't in need of breast milk to survive at this point. Of course your supply of food is low, but the bandits didnt take everything, etc. There is a presure to reach the village, but you have time to camp, etc.

Going straight to town, and coming back for the bandits is certainly a very smart thing.