He nods at the question. "Seems they've come in waves. I'm thinking it's equally likely different groups came independently as it is that they organized together first then split up."
"I'm all for working over this group but outside of rushing in and stealing the magus' spoon I am unsure exactly what to do. I could perhaps put the grogs back to sleep, I feel it's highly unlikely for me to be able to put any of the magi to sleep."
«Yeah. I can go on teasing them, but it does not make much of an impression on them. If you can steal the spoon though, that's a prank worth a proper reputation. I am not sure how you can get around their wards and traps, but if I can help, please ask.»
"We might have to trick them if we want to get closer. I got a spell that lets me talk in animal form, how convincing do you think I can be pretending to be a magical animal? If we're lucky that one with the spoon could be looking for the service of a familiar and I can aim to get close to him specifically."
"My thought was that I approach from the west on the road, though that would require circling around them so, likely, need us to approach about dawn, and make a large noise using my fiddle, then cast a spell of sleep upon them, likely only affecting the grogs. I do not know, exactly, what sort of spells they have used to ward themselves but hopefully the protection afforded us by the forms we have been taught will allow us to bypass them as it did when they cast Frosty Breath of the Spoken lie upon me. Though your plan seems interesting as well."
«Pretend to be a magical animal? You are a magical animal.» says Arnar sarcastlically. «We all are even though some of us have not found their inner self.»
"That's true, silly me," Sionnach replies with a smile then turns to Bran as he considers his plan. "Luring them out is a good idea as well. None of my arts help the sleep part, but if they do resist it, I can sneak into their camp and be ready to play my part."
«Sure. You had better continue after them then. They are probably done with their rest, and will move far before they camp, I suppose. I reckon I should scout out the two other groups. And who knows, maybe there is a fourth one, you think?»
"Great idea, while you do that, I'll keep tailing this group, let's see if Bran's first idea works and use mine as backup."
«Will you take my pack, Bran,» asks Arnar before he changes and flies off on his scouting mission. He circles over the town for quite a while after he has studied the two other expeditions.
Bran (and I assume Sionnach) attempts to circle around the group. Moving quickly while trying to keep out of sight of the road.
Sionnach indeed follows, letting Bran lead the way up until he can spot them, then tracks them closely but still out of sight.
The other two groupd have continued further afield and separating in their paths, but thus far there does not seems to be a fourth group departing Wicklow. Between the three groups you count 17 new magi joining the tribunal, or at least attempting to.
Bran is traveling lighter than the group, but not by much, and manages to get ahead of them just before they get to Carlow.
I suppose Arnar just as Bran overtakes them, and watch from above.
Bran begins playing his fiddle as he walks down the road towards the group [Music roll of 13]. When he sees the group of foreigners he tries to catch the eye of the largest one and his song shifts to a lifting, angry tune. [Casting Rising Ire on largest Grog. Level 15 spell, Casting Total 27 (if no aura), Pen +14 (in case someone is sharing their parma) The Grog's anger is focused on the old Magus.]
The grog throws down his pack and begins yelling at the old Magus in German. It does not appear that the old magus knows what the grog is saying, and turns to another magus for an explanation.
Bran hopes to catch the eye of another grog and when (if) he does he attempts to make that Grog angry at the old magus as well.
[In order to not slow things down I made the roll already and, again, got a 27 casting total.]
The grogs are all looking back at the existing argument and ensuing confusion.
Seeing the old magus getting yelled at by the grog, Sionnach approaches silently from behind, poking his snout as he tries to see if the spoon is in the magus's hand for him to snatch or if he's tucked it somewhere visible.
[If a roll's necessary, got a 1 here, can get up to a 7 if we add in stealth (4) and dexterity (2)]
Arnar watches very carefully from the sky.
Per+Awareness 12