First Adventure: The Hunt for The Night Thing

"Follow it?" Lilla asked. "You mean the tyrantmaw?"

Lilla shook her head.

"That is not what I agreed to, Bracus," she said. "Unless I mistake your meaning. The Night Thing is the quarry I intend to hunt."

With that, Lilla began searching to pick up the trail of blood once more.

"This air is getting to me Lilla. Your right. Lets find that trail" With a quick look where Lilla is looking as well, "I think the trail is here."

Stekko takes the whiteskin offered by Medehyg and takes a couple of long gulps. <Aaah, now we're talking> he exclaims satisfied. The flavor is slightly more intense than drinks gulped at the campfire, however the dwarf seems to have no problem with it, after all they don't call them Fireblood Dwarves for nothing. After regaining some clarity, Stekko turns to the rest of the group: <I certainly did not spoke, and I was too dazed to hear anything. Maybe it was Ymir, maybe it was one of the many spirits that inhabit this land, let's be thankful and let's proceed>.

Finally he turns to Bracus and Lilla'Plum: <I agree, we must not lose sight of what our goal is, but the one who has both eyes fixed on the prey will be taken from behind by another predator. Next time we better exercise more caution and devise a plan ... let's move, Bracus, Lilla'Martu you lead? Me and the others will watch for perils>.

Then he would stay still and quiet for a moment, trying to catch any glimpse of presence in their surroundings, both using his ears and eyes.

After feeling satisfied with the parts she collected, the Ascetic returns to the group and recovers the - now empty - wineskin. She's visibly glad that someone else got to enjoy the drink, even if it means she has to do without.

"I will help keep watch, then. We will probably not be as surprised by the next foe."

You all find a blood trail that leads into the woods. You follow that trail for some time, and you notice that the yellow woods are quiet and untroubled by insects. The spatters of blood are less frequent now, but can still be followed through the trees. The path continues peacefully for a long time. Medheyg notices a marker repeated about once every quarter hour—a rodent’s skull (the size of a small acorn) bound to the trunk of a young tree by a knotted cord. She notices this marker after the third time she sees it.

The ascetic stops suddenly and lifts her hand to call attention to the marker. She leans down next to it and pokes experimentally with a stick.

"A curious little thing. What do you think? Does the Thing use path markers, or do others live here?"

Nothing happens to you as you poke it with a stick.

"Its a ward. Magical in nature. If we find the beast we should attempt to lure it here." Wotan said and carefully avoided the suspicious magical wards.

"Would that magic be divine or arcane?" Bracus asks.

Wotan just shrugged at the distinction.

Lilla sidled up to Medheyg and bent close to the tree for a better look at the skull.

"The Thing we are hunting is a fell beast," said Lilla in a measured tone. "I do not think these are for its use or benefit. Wotan, any idea what it is warding against?"

As Medheyg prodded the skull with her stick, Lilla noted that Medheyg seemed to suffer no ill effects. With the briefest of hesitation, Lilla reached out and grasped the skull, feeling for traces of magic.

"If these are magical wards," said Lilla, "perhaps we should take one with us for protection?"

From her belt Lilla produced a simple stone dagger, and looked around for confirmation before cutting the skull free.

<Whatever their purpose, I don't think they are a token of welcome> turns up his nose as he analyzes more closely the one touched by Lilla'Martu, trying to discern its nature.

"My Children have bizarre customs. These are likely a serious territory marker."

Wotan drew the Blade of Grass began searching his surroundings looking for sign of potential incursion. He began to scan the brush for irregularities.

"Deadly Serious."

When Lilla grasps the skull, her eyes begin to sting, which causes her to blink. When she opens her eyes again, she sees the trees to the right have shifted to reveal a path that wasn't there before. The path is crooked, and zig-zags into a darker part of the wood, where the leaves are brown, with more skulls of small animals hung on either side at irregular intervals. A low, shifting mist curls along the path at ankle-height.
Lilla doesn't think it is warding a person, but she discerns that it hid a path.
The Gravelsnake knows that magical beings use these kinds of talismans and markers for all sorts of effects; some for illusory means, some for protective means, some as enchanting devices, sometimes for evocative, destructive means. He cannot positively discern the intent of these devices that they have encountered while walking.

<Uhm> he mumbles, while trying do discern the purpose of these trinkets, <these might mean all sorts of things... all magical. I do not suggest we pay attention to them, le'ts just keep following the trail of the beast and leave them alone>.

Tears welled up in Lilla's eyes from the stinging sensation. With one hand she wiped them away and another she kept hold of the skull. She frowned at the newly-revealed path.

"Oh," she said softly, and then to the others: "The path, it branches here!"

Then Lilla left the intersection and took just a few cautious steps down the new path, wary for any sign of danger.

As Lilla walks along the path, she immediately disappears from your view.

Medheyg leaps back, startled. She brandishes Horn menacingly as if to intimidate the thin air. She looks at the spot where Lilla was standing, unsure how to proceed.

"What tricksy craft is this?"

Wotan motioned for silence and caution as he followed one step behind Lilla.