First Adventure: The Hunt for The Night Thing

At that moment, the grieving Skarna says, "Go speak with the elf at the front gate. Her name is Quickpause. She can point you in the direction that thing went."

You all walk towards the elven hunter standing guard at the front gate, and you see a very obvious black blood trail headed southeast from the encampment. The blood does not take a direct path in that direction, but zigs and zags every 15-30 feet. It is a strange path to travel.

She points and says, "Go, there. Night Thing big, almost like Tyrantmaw. Safe." She points to you all. "Now, go. Honor Bring Brakar."

Wotan finds a rock in the blood trail, and tastes it. Taking its salt. He sniffs the rock too finding the scent and sets out dragging his sled ahead slower than his usual breakneck pace on account of the oppressive light of the cursed daystar.

The day-star is low in the east, morning mist curling over the frost that grips the wet grass. Crows call through trees tinged with autumn color, and in the air you feel the knife’s edge of a chill, your breath visible out in front of you as you walk into the wilderness. Ahead of you on the hunting trail is a dried pool of black, tarry blood, swarming with insects.
The blood tastes foul and nasty, and it does not taste natural, as if this creature is not from the natural world. Based on its look, its feel, and and its taste, it seems more like resin or some other sticky mass than blood from an animal.

You travel into the forest, surrounded by swirling mist and leaves of green and amber. Bothersome gnats and flies whine nearby as you walk along the blood trail. The land dips and curves, crossing small creeks and old riverbeds.

Bracus can be lead tracker or watcher. He has +5 in Survival and Perception. He is fairly good at it but is not a hunter at all. Traveled a lot and seen a lot, but not a woodsman.

Lilla stepped carefully through the brush, following closely behind the leader. The forest was quiet save for the snapping of twigs and the incessant whine of insects, and that gave Lilla no small amount of discomfort. This beast, this... thing that they tracked, it was obviously wounded, but how gravely? Were they being lured into a trap?

Wotan followed closely behind Lilla keeping his head on a swivel. Holding Blade of Grass at the low ready. "Jötun's blood, it has been so long."

As the group proceeded forward, Stekko positioned himself on the left side of the column, focusing his attention on dangers that might come from the back or the left flank.

OOC: Stekko will watch for dangers, specifically coming from the backlines or other blind spots.

Bracus surprisingly took the lead in following the blood traces with his scimitar handy. He moves just a bit ahead of everyone, but not far enough as you can still smell as he pasted. Seems his scent is building.

Following the lead of the others in the group, Medheyg keeps a close watch on the unfamiliar environment, falling back into the role of a forager. A herb here, a fruit there, even roots or insects could be used to fortify the potent brew she was going to concoct. Even so, she kept Horn in hand, wary of being ambushed by the creature.

You all travel along this path that Bracus follows for roughly half of one hour.

A curve in the path reveals a sudden climb ahead—a granite cliff rises from the forest floor, as high as five or six hunters. The steep cliff face is plastered with wet green and yellow leaves. A huge, dead fern tree leans at an angle against the cliff. Its roots are half-dug out of the earth and its crown rests near the top of the cliff. The tree is sticky with the smeared blood of the Night Thing, which must have used this tree to reach the top.

The cliff is steep and covered in wet leaves.

Medheyg steps forward and looks up at the cliff, considering the inclination and available footholds. After thinking to herself for a moment, she nods and turns back to the rest of the group.

"I could walk up the cliff and tie my rope to the top. It would make it easy for everyone else."

"Ever faithful Heidrun. She is one and the same." Whether that was agreement or not Wotan didn't clarify, instead he tasted the blood once more ascertaining the qualities of its freshness.

The more Wotan tastes the blood, the more sickened he begins to feel. His immense fortitude keeps his body from feeling its effects, but he can tell that the blood is toxic to mortals.

Bracus announces I shall climb up and drop a rope down.

<caution Bracus ...> Stekko advises while scratching his nose, <we do not know the extent of its cunning, nor if it knows of our hunt... I want to live to tell the story, and the clan will need his healer in the seasons to come> he explains. For the moment he remains at the base of the tree, continuing to guard the rear so as not to be taken by surprise.

Clan Deference (Background)