"If they are that out of sorts and at odds with each other, maybe something as simple as using some simple effects to trip multiple alarms from a couple different directions? If everyone is trying to react at the same time, it might be easier to slip in and find what we are looking for. They might be less united than we assumed."
«The sun sets, the rain will stop any minute. Some of them will probably have to recreate their structures too. They might depart. We could break their circle and provide more weather,» says Arnar. He studies the camp. Can he see any alarms which can be tripped safely?
"Good, despite mentioning it as how I might be able to help the idea of being in the middle of their camp when their alarms go off did not seem the best idea for someone who gets by on their silver tongue." Bran says with a winning smile.
The day duration spells have already ended and they are erecting their overnight structures with magic- most of the alarms are simple spells- circle watching wards or intelligo spells. For the five magi there are only 3 grogs, and only one of them stays on watch.
«They are a small group,» Arnar remarks. «I think I am going to give them more weather tomorrow. Do you have any ideas which are suitable for the night?»
"Only a single watcher? Would it be possible to maybe draw him away from the camp and see what kind of information he could provide us? While not a magus, he might know enough about what they have brought to allow us to distract them and take their cathartic? Or determine if they are so unaware that they didn't bring one."
"Some of them are using tents," Sionnach points out. "I know a spell that can decay them. Best case scenario we give them a scare, and even if their ward can repel the spell, I bet it'll trip up one of their alarms."
«Fine with me,» Arnar says, «I just don't want to be here when it goes off. Will you be able to get away?»
"Perhaps causing the guard to fall asleep would be a better plan, though that might as well set off an alarms. This way, if it works, we can examine their wards more closely and, hopefully, determine a way to circumvent them."
"I can certainly stay low profile, especially if transformed," Sionnach replied. "But Bran is right, the guard might be our better option. Though giving him a scare might be enough. Another thing I could do is grow an animal in size. If we can get it inside the ward, we can also test out whether it repels spells from the outside that way."
“We do not have to do anything terribly direct tonight. We can try to make sure they have an unpleasant evening and sleep poorly. Animals, even normal sized ones might help us here, rain definitely would if we could damage their ward or get an animal to damage it. We can continue watching them, try to determine where they are going, and whether they have something particularly valuable we should target when we do raid them.” Bran says, hoping to help despite feeling somewhat useless in this particular situation. “Come to think of it, using this road they might be heading toward’s Elk’s Run though there are definitely many other possible covenants should they turn north or south after the mountains or they might be heading towards a location to set up a new covenant.”
“Perhaps tomorrow when they stop for lunch I will hike into their rest spot and try to glean what I can by conversation.”
«Does anyone have any tricks they want to pull off?» Arnar asks. «If not, I am off to bed.»
If somebody volunteers to break their circle, Arnar will provide a new rainstorm. If they try something else, he will stay in the air to watch for a little while. Intent to play more tricks in the morning, he wants to get a good night's sleep in any event. He takes his bag with clothes with him to hide, offering to take those of the fox as well.
Sionnach takes him up on the offer, much preferring to sleep in his heartbeast form. Before falling asleep, however, he settles on a bush near where the one grog is on watch, keeping his ears open for anything interesting. Once he awakes he will stalk around and wait until they're leaving, trying to snatch any particularly interesting objects that might be unwatched and easy to steal.
Settling in to sleep rough was nothing new to Ronan, but feeling so unsure of himself was. Closing his eyes, he started to go through the spells he knew in his head, hoping that he might have something prepared that might be useful, if not in the way it was originally intended. Not the best start to his time, but useful none the less. If nothing else it showed him he was less prepared than he suspected.
the night passes with little more than the usual animal sounds and a clear sky. Come morning most of the buildings vanish- a stone hut remains that was apparently cast with a moon duration, that will prove interesting this close to town, and the foreigners begin to pack their things and head out. Meanwhile those who fly can see a second group departing the city and heading in more of a northwesterly direction.
(the first group made it roughly 10 miles on the first half day)
Arnar is up with the sun and returns to see the English break camp. Just when they have left their circle, he repeats a trick, except, this time he tries snow, aiming to cover at least a one mile area.¹
The performance is disappointing, and Arnar flies off to count the other group. Turning a few times to watch the first group as well. Is the NW bound group similar to the first? Clearly Englihs? Clearly magi? He tries the snow trick, again.² This time he is more content with himself, and he returns to talk to pick up his and Sionnach's pack and find his sodales. He just circles a few times to see if the English react at all. I reckon some hours may have passed.
¹ OOC. Cf. CLOUDS OF SUMMER SNOW at Touch and Sun. If he musters more than level 20, he takes every other magnitude in severity and the others in size (area). At L15 it would be size 0 ... not very useful. And we roll ... 0 ... no botch on first botch die, so it is L15. A light snow fall just around the group.
² Rolled 41. That's L20. Similar effect to the Clouds of Summer Snow, except Sun duration. They should have snow for a mile ahead.
Ronan gathered his things and look torwards the others, noting that Amar has already left and is out scouting. "So, shall we try and follow this group and wait to see what our flying friend has to tell us? Or do we want to try and come up with more of a plan for tonight and follow up after we have a more firm idea of what we want to do?"
"I had wanted to join their camp and try to get whatever information I can when they stop for their midday meal. I am not sure I want to do that in the middle of a storm though."
The group packs quickly, some of them using magic to warm up as they pack their things, and move quickly out of the falling snow.