<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">Profane Gift (Telepathic link to Ishtar, +2 Dex)<br/><br/>Spells remaining: 7 of 7 1st, 6 of 6 2nd, 4 of 4 3rd, 1 of 1 from bonded object.  Uses of bow left: 3 of 3.<br/>Quiver: 10 common arrows, 10 silvered, 9 cold iron, 2 Tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows, 2 greater hushing arrows, 11 +1 Dragon Bane, 1 Rayne's Resumption, 10 Holy<br/>     (pack: 25 common, 5 silvered, 9 cold iron, 1 tangleshot, 5 adamantine, 5 +1 Dragon Bane, 8 Holy arrows)<br/></div></div><br/>Seeing the unpleasantness that was the Blighted Woods opening up before her, Rayne reflected on the choice she'd made, to pause overnight before crossing this region.  It had almost been a fatal choice, though it had given her a chance to meet a nymph - and to gain a quest that might help her along.  But now she'd have to enter the woods themselves, to find this unfortunate druid.  At least it was daytime, and - at least at the periphery - the dead trees and lack of underbrush made for easy visibility and, perhaps, safety.<br/><br/>"And there's the fairy ring - that must be the start of the path."  She angled Dixon down to get a closer look, but stayed in the air as long as was practical - that should keep her safe from minor surprises, and give her an advantage even against more dangerous foes.  But soon the start trees became thick enough that their canopies made it impossible to keep an eye on the ground, so she reluctantly alit - though she could remain astride Dixon even so - she remembered how effective mounted archery had been atop Horse, back when... her eyes widened at the realization ... right after the Change.  It seemed so long ago!  Her mind turned over that day, and the days since, while Dixon picked his way noisily across the dried, crumbling ground-cover.<br/><br/>So busy she was with her reminiscing that she almost missed the next ring, catching the larger red cap out of the corner of her eye in passing.  She reigned in her griffon, then ensured they were continuing correctly according to the helpful fungus.  That made her mind turn to other matters - how all this formerly-living material was dessicated but still mostly intact... there was fungus living, which meant that there had to be some decay, but... obviously this was no ordinary fungus and her usual assumptions might not apply.  Aside from the fairy rings, it was as if all life had stopped, even the microbial.  Very unpleasant.<br/><br/>Such thoughts made her pass the deer (?) tracks completely, although they registered subconsciously.  It was the horseshoe-print that caught her attention, and then she realized she had just crossed another track, that of the smaller animal.  She slid from Dixon's back to exam the prints, walking back to the smaller prints, then back to the horse-tracks.  "We<em>are</em>looking for a stag, but somehow I doubt that's this one.  On the other hand ... some druids can shape themselves like animals, right?  So far all we know, these could be the prints of ... the nymph's druid.  But... so could any animal tracks, I suppose."  Dixon, of course, did not venture an opinion, and Rayne spent a few more moments in thought.<br/><br/>"But actually ... why would a deer be in these woods?  Nothing to eat, and I haven't seen any other tracks.  This could be the druid after all.  But... who else is here?"  To her mind a shod horse, in these circumstances, almost certainly meant another PC.  She sighed, reached around to her pack, and pulled her new Lenses unerringly from the magic compartment.  Resting them on her nose and slipping the fine arms behind her ears, she examined the horse-tracks more carefully.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Tracking roll</div><div class="spoiler_body">At 2015-09-30 13:52:17, victoria4 (uid: 37138) rolls: 1d20a10 Result: 13 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=80726)</div></div><br/>She looked up after following them a little while to the side.  "No... they're just not clear enough, I can't follow those.  So... the deer?  Or just keep going as the mushrooms indicated?"  She patted Dixon's shoulder.  "Maybe that deer is actually the druid, maybe not.  But she did say to follow the trail, and if that leads to this druid's home, there might be useful answers there anyway.  So - we continue."  She slipped the lenses away again, then re-oriented herself, and rode Dixon once more along their original heading.