How far ahead are Caramir, Brin and Mulligan?
Minor point - Ghân and Deor would like to talk, so stick us together.
(Oh, and Ghân has got all the herbal cures - until Deor learns how to use them.)
When the party gets moving? About 10 minutes or about 1/2 mile.
Once they catch up, you tell me. That would be your decision.
Once Deor catches up, you are not tracking as much as verifying. In this case the eyes in sky are tracking. This way you can move at a fast pace instead of a tracking pace.
Once we catch up, Deor can track the enemy using Folca, so we go at a fast pace. 
But can the following group keep up that pace- do they need to keep the front group in sight?
Deor needs to be in the front group and the rear group if it is separated, needs to keep the front in sight.
As to speed, this is where the Dwarves are at their best. This pursuit should be toughest on Mulligan and Ghân. Mulligan might need to ride the Pony for a bit and Ghân might need to ride Moose.
I want to give players more time to check in on weapons and placement in the pursuit order and any plans for when the catch up.
**At this point, the group is together and it is 15 minutes after Gash ran off. Caramir notices that one orc took off to the right and Brin can confirm this and thinks it is a smaller orc. **
I was supposed to collect any weapons arrows etc that I might be able to gather. I would like to take a moment to distrubute them to the people who will find them most useful.
The small orc trail smells like a trap to me. I say we stick to the main trail. Just the same I will keep my axe at the ready.
Ghân will ask Moose for a ride to keep up.
If we catch Gash today, Ghân wants to:
- Summon Insects on Gash (twice if possible)
- Entangle the enemy
- Faerie Fire the enemy
- use herbal cures on injured party members
Ghân doesn’t know what to make of the lone orc. He leaves the decision to the fighters and scouts…
The lone orc taking off to the side sounds like a red herring to me. However, it’s just barely possible that the lone orc is Gash in disguise. I don’t think so, however- I vote to follow the main group.
Thoroncir agrees.
Yes, follow the main group. The worst that happens then is that we rescue the innocents and keep more harm from being done, and let the evil wizard escape. And that will happen only if Gash thinks he’s beaten and is willing to see his whole operation shut down without making a last stand. If we follow the lone fugitive and it comes to nothing, we might lose Gash and all his associates, plus their prisoners.
Umm, not to waste any more time on discussion, you know like, because they are getting away and we really don’t want to let them gather their strength or get any spells recovered or allow them to alert any more enemies and of course make sure that the captives are safe but…
Can we go get them now?
The pursuit is on.
The little war band continues their pursuit. Little by little over the next hour we get closer. We’ve reach the point where we could send out fastest and quietest out to flank if we wish as the dwarves must now be nearly close enough behind to be heard.
Optionally we could try to put on a burst of speed and just overtake them in mass.
Merry, “I am still leery of the more lightning bolts. I would prefer to be somewhat staggered. If some can break ahead and start the assault allowing the rest of us to charge up less opposed, I think it will minimize what Gash can do.”
Gimli, “Deor, do you and Folca see any straighter paths coming up where we can put on a burst of speed and charge into them?”
Deor, you do indeed see a likely spot only a few hundred yards up, it might be worth the wait.
Merry, “Sounds like we have a few options, any others?”
Gwaelur is in favor of flanking.
Brin always prefers flanking.
Deor is open to tactical suggestions, and doesn’t hold strong opinions on the matter. What do I see about the group specifically? How many are they, what are they armed with, and is Gash among them?
Thoroncir is willing to try flanking; he’ll go wherever he could do the most good.
Gil-Gandel can easily outrun the main party - he’ll go wide on the right if there is room.
But are you quiet and fast?!
With your power, wouldn’t charging give you better targets?
Deor is down to cantrips, right? But he has the wonderful eye-in-the-sky. So he needs to avoid being splattered by spell or weapon, but be ready to call out instructions (they went that-a-way!).
Ghân can make a useful contribution with Summon Insect and Entangle, but also needs protecting.
Should we send our fastest scouts on one flank, other scouts and casters on the other and the Fighters charge down the middle?
Is that splitting our forces too much?
What is the terrain like up ahead:
- will Entangle work?
- can Moose flank?
If I recall correctly, we’re still in rocky terrain. Brin would like to return to his archer ways.