Ranger Trials

Running up you git your first good look at the figure. A disheveled man in tattered rags. The moonlight shows little detail but with the arrival of Pell you see the figure is a pale grey with enlarged eyes. As the light from Pell's lanter lands on it's face it moves to block the light screaming giving you ample opportunity to get a good good grip. It continues to flail at you and the dog inefectually with hand, teeth, rock, and anything at hand as it howls at the light.

Pell proves adept at binding the wildly struggling creature and you soon have it tied up. You got through it with only a few minor scratches and bites but Pells hound has 2 nasty wounds that he proceeds to tend to. During this entire process the man does not speak a word.

Cursing about the loss of the two goats as he tends to his dog Pell asks Will you be heading out to track the other down or will you wait for the morn so we can gather more people?

Aye, me and the boys will go with you. The others don't seem to have enough worry or love for their neighbors. Fools. Just because it hasn't happened to them yet.

We best leave Pell. He's never been much of a fighter and with his dog wounded it would be best to go with just the four of us.

Taking his dogs to get the scent the two beast set about tracking and Sephek explains that he is their breeder and trainer. This gets him out in the woods more than most so is often called to help with trouble like this. When he learns who you are and that you are trained as a ranger one of his boys gets quite excited and begins asking you all sorts of questions. Upon learning you are leaving the area for experience he asks if your master might be willing to take on a new apprentice now that you are moving on.

You chat a bit as the dogs do much of the work. Once again the creature moves to rocky terrain and used trees to create gaps in its tracks. After you explain your previous experiences Sephek keeps one dog on trail and sets the other roving with a Seek command. Both dogs are well trained and respond to their names and multiple commands. After an hour of weaving from dry creek bed to rocky outcrop to thick groves the trail leads to a small cave well hidden by thick trees and tumbled down ruins. The cave looks like it might have once been the cellar of whatever the structure was but at the back of it is a deep and dark tunnel.

Sephek immediately sends the younger of the two boys, Altor, to pass word of this place to the neighbors. I doubt it is just the two of these creatures and if we want to block the passage we will need to map it out to ensure there are not back doors first. No use plugging one badger whole when they can just slip out the other.

As this is going on you have been looking around and spot something in the dirt. Bending down you pick up a partially trampled object. By the looks of the area it was dropped no more than a day or so ago. You instantly recall that Pell mentioned a couple of traveling traders and tinkers have recently disappeared and a horror fills your heart. Some of the tinkers travel in small wagons with all their possessions and sometimes even their families.