Chapter One, Part One: Fires over Brinestump

[Lotofsnow]

Faraway bends down to inspect the print more closely. He wracks his brain, attempting to remember where he has seen such a print before.

Knowledge Nature 1d20+6 : 15 + 6, total 21

[TheTick]

As far as you can tell, nothing...natural made this print.  You think of no animal, swamp/marsh dweller or not, that could have.

[Phil]

OOC:  How big is the footprint?

[TheTick]

Longer than yours, but narrower.  Faraway, based on his K:N check, would judge it roughly human-sized based on the depth of the print.

[Phil]

"Faraway, can you tell if the tracks were made by a biped?"

Owen doesn't wish to disturb a sentient creature in its home territory.  We are the invaders here.  Nonetheless, he does not wish to be ambushed either.  It may be that we need to track it down and investigate its nature.

[Lotofsnow]

"Good question. Let me look them over some more."

Survival 1d20+10 : 7 + 10, total 17

[SteveRogers]

S'Vith looks around and braces tensely.  "I don't much like being still this long."

[TheTick]

"Good question. Let me look them over some more."

This dice roll has been tampered with!
Survival 1d20+10 : 7 + 10, total 17

It appears bipedal, but there's something strange about how it walks that you can't quite put your finger on.

[Phil]

[Assuming Faraway shares the results of his check]

"Well we can try and track this strange beast, but I am loathe to provoke an attack if one was not coming.  Perhaps the halfling will know what creature could have left these prints?"

To reassure the group, he adds.  "I can move to the end of our marching order, to guard from any attack from the rear."

[Lotofsnow]

"Thank you, my friend," says Faraway as Owen takes up a position in the rear of the party.

Despite a hint of nervousness in the druid's voice, he nonetheless continues up the path with a confident gait.

[Porteiro]

"Unless we have to, I see no reason to bother whoever made those tracks.  Let's hurry up and talk to the swampling." Jed says.

[SteveRogers]

"As long as that road takes us away from here," S'Vith chimes.

[Porteiro]

"That's the one thing that roads always do," Jed replies.

[SteveRogers]

"Aye.  But some roads lead here, and I'd most like to be on one leading away from it.  I like not the air."

[TheTick]

Faraway stares at the footprint for another moment, then straightens and leads the adventurers onward down the trail.  The smell of the sea is stronger this way, and it's not too long before you are crossing a third and final bridge.  This one is slick with moss, but other than a few near falls, it holds up.

From there, a muddy trail leads up to a swampy lagoon. The open ocean is visible just beyond these shallow waters, while an old two-story building, its walls soggy with moss and its roof sagging with age, sits on the lagoon's eastern shore.