"Onwards, East! To the Earl!" Avan announces once the camp is packed up and prayers and studies are done. He really hopes this is the correct easterly road - it would have been obvious if they just travelled out in the open, but also riskier.
You travel east down the road. You are getting close to mid day when you view a group of armored riders heading in your direction from the east. It appears to be a mounted squad with a person riding in front. When they spot you the rider in front motions to the men indicating you. They move a bit to the side to allow room for you to pass as they keep riding towards you.
Durgan calls the party to a halt. Sessativa, ever wary, casts Invisibility on herself, dismounts, and heads a short way (10-20') into the treeline.
Presuming they do not attack, Durgan looks for symbols of affiliation as he hails them. "Greetings! I am Durgan the Chainbreaker, cleric of Trithereon. What brings you out here? Are you on patrol?"
"Say, is the Earl's residence down this road? We got lost for a couple of days." He shows the holes in his robe, some green staining from the forest and tangled twigs still visible.
When Sassativa disappears they stop. The leader comes forward but you can see that he and some of the riders behind him are on alert. As he gets closer and listens to what you say he says, "We are on patrol from Baron Walick. We patrol this road most every day. You traveling companion who disappeared where is she. IF you seek to try and rob or attack us you will find we are not easy prey. Tell her she needs to cancel her invisibility spell and rejoin you." They will wait.
Sessativa dismisses the spell, approaching cautiously, back towards the horses lashed up at the rear of the party's column.
Both she and Durgan try to recall anything they might know about this baron.
Zork remains mounted and relaxed he knows trying to upset these men can have dire consequences but he is not going to be sheepish. He remains still and lets Durgan do the talking.