Chapter Two: The Hippocampus on the Cracked Lintel

You gather this all happened several days ago, for whatever value of "several" makes sense to a kid Aylie's age.

Both trails head southward, so it's anybody's guess. But the fact that there's trails means you'll probably find a settlement down either of them, eventually.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The south trail should keep you closer to King's Cradle than the southeast trail.

Could I do some tracking skillery to try and see which path looks the most used?

Looks like both trails get the same amount of use, but if you go down one of them a ways you might be able to do some horse poop analysis.

A little ways down the south trail Leth spots horse droppings that look to have been there about five days, a good sign. After about two hours of walking -- going at Aylie's pace slows you -- you can see a habitation in the distance. She thinks it's the goat farm, but she doesn't sound completely certain.

Any other questions for Aylie before you continue on?

Aylie doesn't remember Trent saying anything else about her.

Players, can I have a Perception roll?

Zangua is the first to spot goats in the distance. It looks like you've found the place.

The party, minus Mordred, proceeds toward the goat farm. One of the goatherds evidently sees the party coming, goes inside the house, and comes back out with three other people, who stand and watch your approach. One of them picks up a pitchfork; you can't clearly see if the others are armed.

"This is it. This is the goat farm," Aylie confidently assures you.

The goatherds talk among themselves as you get closer, then one of them takes a few steps forward and starts approaching to meet you halfway. When you're almost to shouting distance, he breaks into a jog and yells, "Aylie? Aylie?"

"That's Saad!" Aylie says. "I know him!"

Saad breaks into a full speed run to close the distance, but skids to a stop at about twenty yards. He looks incredulously from Aylie to the men accompanying her.

"Hi Saad!" Aylie says.

"Aylie! Where did you find her?" Saad asks you. "Did you come from Five Stones?"

Saad gives Felor a look. "I was there. I know what happened." He gets down on his knees. "We looked for you, Aylie. Where were you hiding?"

"Under the little house," she says. "Where the lamb got stuck."

Saad shakes his head. "I didn't even know of such a place. What were you thinking, girl? Nonna would have taken you with her!"

"I'm sorry," Aylie says.

Saad stands up. "I don't know where the others are. Nonna and her family...they went on horse, maybe to Hazard. Who can say. We workers, we scattered. I thought it best to watch over my friends here and warn them of this...thing...that came to Five Stones." He closes his eyes and shudders as if trying to dislodge an unwelcome memory. He looks back at the farm and the people standing outside the house. "These are good people. They will look after Aylie."