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Expedition

In the late afternoon, Auron returns from his family visit, the guards he had met on the road having gone on ahead of him.

At the inn, Auron is told by Teowulf that Roderic, Aster and Alfgar aren't in at the moment, but that Leutgar is in his room in room 19.

When Auron knocks on the door of room 19, Leutgar answers with a clawing, struggling Torg under one arm, and Auron promptly starts speaking cat, mediating between Leutgar and the very angry Torg until eventually Leutgar is convinced to let her go. Torg (who calls herself Rat Bane) was promised that they party would leave treats for her in a spot of her choosing, though her directions to a bush next to the house next to the house with 7 chickens and an angry rooster.

During Auron's conversation with the cat, Roderic returns from his first aid lesson, to find Auron making mews, and hisses and growls and wiggling his ears, prompting him to be concerned for Auron's sanity.

Being asked how his trip home had gone, an uncomfortable and somewhat worried Auron revealed that he had discovered something during his visit, and was now worried about powerful influences that might be at play... though they probably weren't following him... and also, that his family home was apparently in “the Hagwood”, in response to which, Leutgar told him about the Bansidhe

Heading downstairs to try to find out if he was off “house” arrest before releasing the cat, Leutgar is passed a note by Rendel, officially releasing him, and he then returned to his room, taking Torg outside and releasing her to run back into the slums.

After some discussion, they decide that they can accept the mission finally, leaving word for the still-absent two to catch up with them... and then they went shopping.

Burdened with new gear and mostly new rations, they spend one last night in the inn, then hit the road.

Making slow progress as they try to make detailed observations of both sides of the lane, they observe many small tracks leading into the trees, the most travelled of which lead to a tiny spring south of the road.

While observing the spring Auron realized that there were faint traces of a track continuing further into the southern woods. The faint trail eventually lead them to a small, carefully hidden, campsite, the fire several days cold, and only tiny disturbances in the forest floor leading off mainly to the east, west and north giving hints to it's use.

After some discussion, Auron left a freshly carved hexblood token in place to observe the site, and they continued on, going back to the road and continuing their observations.

They ended their day, off the road to the north near a trickling stream that ends in a boggy spot, making a small fire to sit around and telling some stories.

Leutgar told a tale of a magic sword, long lost, and sacred to the Dwarves Roderic told a tale of a prophesied child.

When the party laid down to sleep, they traded off watched through the night, observing nothing until morning.