Out of Character: Abninja, your question regarding terrain is better asked in the questions topic.
From what I remember, we are on a dirt trail within forested hills. A mile from the fort the trees end and we have an open plain before it rises into mountains. Incidentally, if you click the maps link near the top of the page, those are the same drawings of the area we are in, not updated since we were last there.
Out of Character: Whenever you guys are ready Krusten will follow. I put a blanket response in the leader thread that should take care of that.
Out of Character: We didn't spend that much time staring at the thing, well under a minute, and If the distances in my head are correct, they had 3/4ths of a mile at least to cover if they started at the fort. Very fast deployment time.
Edited: daishain on 7th Apr, 2017 - 5:18am
Out of Character: I think they were already out, exploring, and using the bird, much like we use Krusten's bird. When it fell, I imagine they were right on the other side of the hill, and while we were making our preparations, so were they to ambush us. They know this land better than we do and they have the hill to protect them.
I am thinking it was a scorching ray that attacked Krusten's bird, so that puts them within 30-35 feet of us. Bastion and Albrecht could easily charge up over the hill and attack a few of them. The others just have to make it to the top of the hill and then attack with arrows. Albrecht even has impeding stones prepared to keep them from running very effectively.
Yes, but they are behind us. They must be since Ildrahil is heading to recon the fort and according to KN he is moving away from them. So, how did they get behind us since we were pretty careful on our spot and listen checks. Do they have an illusionist as well to hide them? Did they do to us what Ildrahil asked Deanna if she could for us?
Out of Character: I think you are not so much moving in the opposite direction from them as you were moving perpendicular to the road. KN seems to have taken it that you went into the woods and off the road, so that you are headed away from anybody who is on the road. Since we are headed uphill and they disappear over the top of the hill, I think they are ahead of us.