3. The Trade Way

As far as Stella can tell, Ajantis and the others have taken Aldous off-road to the northeast, right at the beginning of the southernmost part of the Wood of Sharp Teeth.

It's a long way to go up to Peldvale, but it's through dense forest which the party's horses would have trouble passing through. Otherwise, without horses themselves, the abductors would be easier to catch. As things are though, who's to say how much preparation Ajantis put into this? He may have already plotted exactly how to traverse the forest. Even more, he could have prepared hidden waystops throughout the forest, providing food and shelter to speed his group on their way.

What Stella does know is where they're headed: Tazok's camp. If they can't find the abductors, at least the party can still find the camp where Aldous will be. Ajantis seems to think the young Silvershield is worth more alive than dead, so there's precedence to think he'll be held prisoner in camp rather than killed outright.

Ida hears a short reply from Officer Vai: Understood. The Fists stationed at the Inn may be of service. May the gods go with you.

Stella's eyes roam the map, eye stars flickering as her mind makes its calculations. She finds, however, that she has to work around large variables, unknowns the party simply doesn't have enough information about. The largest of these variables is Ajantis himself; the mercenary has proven to be both cunning and resourceful. Who's to say he hasn't arranged for flying mounts, or the services of a competent mage to teleport them some or all of the distance, or even a magic item to hide their passage...

How many tricks might Ajantis have up his sleeve? Stella almost feels as though she's playing a game of dragonchess against a living shadow.

In the end, the young woman is forced to conclude that the party may be able to intercept Ajantis on his way to the bandit camp, but it would be much like swinging a weapon at an invisible foe; a risky attempt even if you know exactly where the enemy is, and exceedingly desperate if you don't.

The party sets off northward once more, following the trade road that runs up and down this part of the Sword Coast. They make good time on their steeds, and after a handful of hours the towering fortification that is the Friendly Arm Inn comes into view. It's still several miles away, but already the forest on either side of the road has turned thick with trees and vegetation, with long shadows cast by the setting sun; the road passes through the outer edge of the Wood of Sharp Teeth.

They don't slow as they pass by the Inn, but Stella takes just a moment to send off her owl familiar, a written message held securely in its beak. The magical bird climbs high into the air and towards the Inn, its destination the Flaming Fist stationed there.

The road bends around the Inn, and then several miles later splits in two. The Trade Way continues northward, but the party takes the offshoot that strikes deeper into the Wood of Sharp Teeth.

At this point the sun's last rays trickle away beyond the tree-filled horizon, and the party is left with only the warm evening breeze to accompany them. But they've arrived at where they wish to be! This stretch of road, separating the lower half of the Wood from the upper, is surely where Ajantis and his group would need to cross on their way to the bandit camp, and it's hard to believe that they could have gotten here before the party.

Still, watching the road in the encroaching darkness is sure to be a difficult task...

Following the others, I search for clues.
Without a torch to discourage giving our position away to enemies.

The party sets to waiting.

The summer's night nearly clear, affording a generous view of the moon and stars above - and allowing their light to illuminate the road. To the party members with darkvision, the area is comfortably lit. They watch for hours, and midnight comes and goes with nothing to note but the sounds of crickets, frogs, and other nighttime creatures.

But then the sounds stop, the critters disturbed by the passage of something through the foliage.

It's Stella who sees them, keen eyes picking out a handful of humanoid figures approaching the road from the south. She's certain she recognizes Ajantis leading three others, the largest of whom carries a fifth person over his shoulder - Aldous, though she can't determine his wellbeing in this darkness.

It's strange that the group's armor doesn't glint in the night, and their passage makes no discernible sound. Stella's aware of magic capable of cloaking a group's movements in this manner, and indeed has called on it herself, but she knows normally the spell is reserved for druids, rangers, and other servants of nature. How is Ajantis' group utilizing such magic?

The ruffians pause at the edge of the wood, just before stepping onto the road, and look about carefully. Ajantis shifts as he reaches into a pocket, and then holds forth a small stone. Its magical glow would be unnoticeable in the sunlight, but here in the dark the stone clearly emits a faint light. Ajantis makes some small motions, covering the stone with his hand to hide its light, then releasing it to shine again. He repeats this several times, in an obvious pattern.

The group seems content to wait while the mercenary continues his subtle light show.

Stella quickly determines the light pattern to be a simple one, likely just an agreed-upon combination that otherwise has no significance.

As she's writing it down, the party notices a lone, hooded figure emerge from the woods on the far side of the road from Ajantis' group, who perk up at the dim sight.

"Darkness embrace you, Oathless." The voice, directed at Ajantis, is low and feminine. And familiar.