The Thread For Aust's Journey Begins Here.

Arriving back in Sandpoint, Aust has many things on his mind. He gathers his things together and thinks about what his next journey should be.

Wandering through the streets of Sandpoint, Aust examines his equipment and weapons realizing he needs to replenish his arrows and rations.

After a short visit to the weapon shop, he decides enough with the hustle and goes for a stroll along the Turandarok River. Feeling a little more at home near the forest his ears lift to the distant call of an Auroch. Quickly his mind races to his not-so-distant encounter with a local Noble, or rather, one of his Auroch.

Without realizing it, Aust finds himself in the North part of Sandpoint at the corners of Church and Comb Streets. Curiosity grabs him wondering if he could snag another beast from the Noble's land, or at least have another look around the expansive property for other creatures.

He heads North, up the Lost Coast Road.

After gathering supplies, Aust heads north. A guard at the town gate waves at him as he passes though. There are two guards here today instead of the normal one. With the Mayor out of town and the recent goblin raids, security has been tighter. Heading up to the north, Aust takes in the scenery. The long coast road winds along the edge of the cliffs with the ocean waves crashing into the high walls to the west. The road quickly heads to the East.

Having heard that Aust is heading out of town, he does his best to run down his cousin and comrade in arms.

I am fully equipped for travel, having restocked rations and prepared goodberries for the journey. I am bringing Sarlana with me, to escort her north back to the Mierani. It would be nice not having to travel with just the two of us again.

Sarlana is happy with this year's sales at the festival. The furs went for a fair price, and after the uprising of the goblins, her healing herbs and components fetched a more than fair price on the market.

Meanwhile, Esmerelda is wondering what has become of the caravan bringing the much needed cloth supplies. Luna Tailors keeps a good supply of cloth, but if something should happen to the caravans, it could cause problems for all of Southpoint.

She heads over to the Red Dragon Inn where her fanciful brother, Rayuno, is writing yet another sappy love poem for Besk. Esmerelda shares her concerns with Ray. Ray is pretty convinced it's probably just bad weather that's delayed the caravan, but Esmerelda is not convinced. And, if there is a problem, no one could handle it nearly as well as she and Ray.

Since Esmerelda is currently in charge of the town defence, she decides that she and Ray are just the ones to go check this out. She gets a couple of horses from the town stables, and some provisions and she and Ray head out down the road where the caravan would be coming from.

Just as they are leaving, though, they see the caravan in the distance, but something is wrong...

As Aust enjoys the freedom to roam, his hunter instinct suddenly compels him to find cover. Although his trackless step abilities make him hard to follow, Aust gets the sense that someone, or something, is after him. Could it be servants of the Nobel whose Auroch he killed in this region just a few weeks prior?

Finding a great post that allows him to see down the road clearings, while also near a quick exit route down through some rocks toward the cliffs of Sandpoint, he waits for his would be pursuer.

Though the moments are tense, it is somehow peaceful. Many times Aust has laid in wait for a prey, only this time his prey is also after him. Out here is his turf, he feels at home.

Within the hour a great surprise emerges. It is his cousin Farlanh and Sarlana coming up the road. "Wow, I've got to screw with him," Aust says to himself.

Quickly Aust grabs his rope and runs ahead just a bit. He then sets a trap across the road to ensnare his cousin.

Again Aust waits. Only a few more moments. Anticipation doubles the excitement.

Spot and listen checks for Farlahn and hide and move silent for Aust as you come into the same area as one another.

Aust will need a higher roll on both to remain hidden from his cousin. Aust will get a +2 to both rolls since he has had time to hide and was already in position.

Rauno, finally finding some quiet time, sits and begins to compose some grand tales of the groups adventures to date. Unfortunately, his musings keep going back to Besk and how horribly he has botched his attempts at showing his feelings to her. As he sits contemplating these feelings within him, his hand idly writes bad poetry expressing his unrequieted love. All of a sudden Esmerelda comes charging in, concerned with a delayed caravan. Rauno is a little embarassed at the interupting and Esmerelda quickly determines, based on the ruddiness of Rauno's checks, that he must have been thinking about Besk. Anxious to move beyond the nosiness of his little sister, Rauno agrees to take a short ride with E to see if anything can be discovered about the Caravan. After saddeling the horses they ride to the edge of town where they see...

Aust
- 14 to hide
- 23 to move silent

There must be something wrong with the caravan because smoke seems to be rising from one of the wagons and they don't seem to be moving. It is hard to see them because they must be at least an hours walk away in the distance. Clear skies make it easy to pick out the small dot of a caravan off in the disance. The pair look at each other thinking If only we had a horse .. oh wait

Farlanh:

15+3 = 18 Spot
18+3 = 21 Listen

Sarlana:
D20 rolls (no stat mods):
18 spot
20 listen (You're so busted)

"Ray! Look! Something's wrong. Let's go help them!"
Esmerelda rides off toward the caravan.

Farlanh turns casually to Sarlana and mentions the figure he noted up the road. "Do not be alarmed, but I see someone waiting off the road ahead. They look to be waiting in ambush. I only see one, but there may be more. Be prepared for a fight." Farlanh draws his quarterstaff and begins using it like a walking stick. While walking, he imbues it with the power of his faith. Sarlana shifts the weight of her pack to make casting easier, should it be necessary.

The pair continues down the path, wary of the figure hiding in the forest.

Seeing the rise of smoke in the distance Rauno spurs his horse into action. Hoping for the best but fearing the worst, Rauno casts a quick spell and then begins to sing a soft song in the hopes of bolstering the courage of the siblings.

Riding with great speed, the two siblings make haste towards the caravan. When they arrive they behold an awful site. Horses lie dead on the ground their legs cut up and then their throats sliced. The two caravan wagons fume with smoke which rises up into the air from their charred remains. Oddly there are no obvious human bodies here. Only dead horses and a couple of dead amongst the wreckage.