On the road

"Well, he's definitely going to warn the others," Tatiana says with distaste. She crouches a bit near Alex to help him stand. "Can we still track the goblin to his nest? I still have the desire to burn the entire thing down."

She adds quickly, "And save Master Gundren."

Raven moves up to begin looking for the goblin's tracks, starting with the place where the sneaky goblin apparently pretended to fall to avoid the trap and then working from there to where they lost sight of him. As he does so, he makes a small gesture and speaks an arcane word, feeling nature's insight aiding him in his search.

"It might actually be easier to look for tracks from when they dragged the two missing men. We saw those at the road. That will be easier to spot than a single goblin."

Tatiana nods at the suggestion. "Then let us make haste. And be mindful of more snares."

Raven you are able to see that many tracks go up and down the trail you are on. Goblin tracks. The trail continues northwest through the wood.

You can also see where the goblin disappeared into the brush, he turned shortly after and headed in that north west direction as well. Seemingly the goblin is going in the same direction as the trail. He was just trying to get away from the group but had apparently been leading you the right way.

Surge says "Been less painful if you waited for me to work the rope."

Looking to others, "Let's get moving." Surge follows the others as he has no idea which way and all.

So the group decides to keep going down the trail. What is the marching order and who is in charge of looking for traps? They get assistance from Tatiana.

HELL AND BLAST THAT GOBLIN TO THE BOSOM OF BEELZEBUB ITSELF. MAY ITS LOINS STRIKE THE FANCY OF A GREEN HAG FOR ITS STEW. MAY ITS INTESTINES BE REMOVED THROUGH ITS NAVEL BY A FAMISHED REMORHAZ.
Alex continues swearing a blue streak as he slowly climbed to his feet.
MAY ALL ITS TEETH FALL OUT AND THE LAST ONE NEED A ROOT CANAL. MAY IT BE PLAGUED BY TOE FUNGUS IN ITS NOSTRILS.

After checking his various weapons, picking up his pack, and wiping down his tunic and hose as best possible, Alex shakes off the leaves and other detritus of the forest floor. Having regained control over his emotions, he exclaims well, that was…exciting. Anyone see to where that little bastard ran off? I have a hankering to make fresh goblin jerky.

If you find any traps, let me know, as I do have some skill at their disposal, but I often get too carried away in my own thoughts to find them easily.

"Oh for fuck's sake..." Decklan growls as he watches the entire debacle play out. "This is embarassing." He will nevertheless adjust his shield and uncoil his whip as they follow the goblin tracks.

Raven quickly makes the magical gesture again as he scans the area. Everyone familiar with magic will notice by now that he is casting some kind of spell, most likely a cantrip as he looks for tracks.

"The goblin went through the brush and headed that way" pointing the same direction of the trail. "This looks like where they dragged Gundren"

The farmer starts to follow the trail, but he moves far to the left so he is not walking down the center. He continues talking, "Don't walk the middle, that is where most snares will be. Watch the trees, they may have hunting blinds setup."

Raven starts up the trail...

"I hesitate to say out loud what may be on some of your minds... The situation ahead of us has just changed." Ammos tries to stop the party from moving too far along as he speaks. "I believe we may need to hunt that escaped goblin... should it warn those that lay ahead we may find ourselves ambushed and outnumbered."

"I will not turn from this road, Gundren is a good friend of mine- but to stumble into the jaws of a trap will no more secure his safety than turning around and going home now."

"Raven says that the goblin is heading in the same direction that they allegedly took Gundren," says Tatiana. "However, I share your concerns, brother. Is there any among us that can move swiftly to hunt and recapture that treacherous beast?"

He looks to Alex as he says, "Hunt the Goblin & kill it." He is ready to follow Raven.

"I will volunteer to go after the goblin, but I may need a guide... I am neither the most perceptive nor most comfortable in the wild."

After volunteering, Ammos will begin sorting through his component pouch- making plans and backup plans. Whilst doing so, he will be muttering to Tatiana, trying to give her instructions in his absence.
"Keep an eye out for ambushes and traps, do not rush into a fight, keep your head and see that the rest keep theirs." He is painfully aware that she is more capable than he is out here, but being the "older brother" he feels a need to at least appear in control

Wolf'en Surge says, "We go as a group. Too few to divide."

Raven squats down where he is looking at the tracks. He's looking more at the ground than at the group as he responds. "We'll never catch him."

He looks up, specifically at Ammos whose suggestion it was, his voice is emotionless. "The tracker is always slower. The goblin lives here, he can run without worry, while we have to find his tracks and look for other traps. He's running now while we talk. I doubt he will stop until he reaches his cave."

Raven looks back at the trail, "I agree, stay together. Either follow the trail or the goblin, but as a group."

I am with the lupine one. We go together. We go now. I have some ears I promised I would collect. Alex moves up next to the the siblings The snooty one and the snouty one. I have to remember to use that sometime, when both are in better moods and likely not to immolate me in a fit of shared pique, he thinks, chuckling to himself he too starts gazing ahead, unwilling to take another enforced "leg-only" hammock trip into the trees.

As the decisions appear to veer towards staying together and maintaining the direction to the goblin nest, Tatiana asks, "How quickly can we track the goblin, versus following the trapped trail? If we are agreed that we will not catch the prisoner, it's reasonable to expect the lair to be on alert. I would prefer giving the beasts less time to prepare for our arrival."