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Bruce does an exaggerated double take, then smiles back as he clears away Polly's breakfast things.

Polly chuckles over the elf's japes and adds, "Naw,you're safe; I've had breakfast. Of course, if ever I don't get breakfast..." she leaves it hanging.

On hearing about the plans, the small lass looks around the room and shakes her head, "I think you might not see him until later tonight. He'd normally be sat there in the corner with his pipe, trying to out-halfling all the world's halflings. You know, smoking." From her look of distaste, it's clear that she either doesn't like the habit or else doesn't like Cheff's choice of weed. "If you want to wait for him, that's up to you. But I'm be pretty sure he's off pursuing his obsession, if you understand me. If you don't, then it's not my place to tell. My guess is he won't be back much before nightfall. Look, it's pretty safe in the hills in the day. Mostly, anyway. I'd be more worried about wandering round at night though. So we might as well go now, unless you want to wait for Cheff. Probably wouldn't get off before the morning though. All the same to me; 2 coins o' the realm in my pocket either way."

She leans back waiting to see what her new employer wants to do.

The elf considers her comments about Cheff and the journey. Sounds like sooner is better than later then. Shall we?

"Sure. Wait here, would you? I'm just going to get my stuff," Polly asks reflexively.

In another 15 mins or so you're on your way. Polly asks if there's anything you want to buy before you leave and then which way do you want to go.

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What would you recommend as a hex mapping programme?

I should be ready. West into the hills towards the nearest herders I suppose. I don't know the area that well.

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http://www.hexographer.com/
There are free versions for Mac, Windows, or java. It is mostly for overland mapping.

"Well, 'west' is easy. And you're looking for sheep in general? Hoping it will lead you to any old herder? Or is there more to go on?" inquires Polly as she leads across the edge of the market.
Younotice that she's slipped out of her snakeskin boots and beret being replaced by a a bulging beltpouch and a too-large seeming backpack loaded with rope and grapple.


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Observation skill check, please (40% bonus)

Hr shrugs, Basically. I heard Earnie used to set traps in the hills west of town, so I really don't have much more to go on unless you happen to know where he trapped at...

The halfling lass shakes her head, "I don't know for sure. But I can make some guesses. I can be ready to go in about 20 minutes in you want. Or is there something you want to do first?"

20 minutes sounds perfect. Ruehar gathers his gear.

After a bit less than 20 minutes Polly returns, packed and ready to go. "Ready?"

Polly and Ruehar head out to the hills northeast of Namaren, searching for an hour and then moving further south when they see a number of scattered sheep.
About two hours after leaving Namaren, the pair encounter a human male wearing simple brown robes, a leather cap and clutching a crossbow, loaded but pointing at the ground in front of him.
Polly tells the Ruehar , "There you go, a herder." There are more sheep milling around now, brushing against the man but avoiding Polly & Ruehar.

What next?

====== 1 hex = 0.25 mile
Approx 1 hour to search a hex of hills

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My first attempt to do a hex map on here. Took a while.
Any idea how to make it not take the full screen width?

[Ooc: save an image, make a copy and crop the copy based on the size you want. Or use a basic photo editor to resize the copy]

Ruehar calls out to the man and approaches casually. Ho there. I was wondering if you cpuld help me with something. Do you know a trapper named Earnie?

"Migt do. Might not. Depends who's askin' and why," replies the man helpfully.
The crossbow raises its aim a little more.

Ruehar glances at the crossbow, then at the man. His niece asked me to try to find him. He went missing a while back... there's no need for that. He says, regarding the weapon.

"An' who might you be? Got a name?" replies the man, huffily, possibly working his way through what's been said.

After some number of seconds, he says, "Well, I knows who who mean. But I don't know him. But I might knows someone who does really knows him."
He licks his lips and lowers ths crossbow. "It's mighty thirsty work , way out here. Don't s'pose you'd have anything to wet a man's whistle, what ya?"

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I'm taking it that it's about an hour of trogging around each square (ok Hex) quarter mile of hills to more or less cover it.
And, to save you looking it up, RV did get a hip flask of something alcoholic from the man he killed that associated with an ogre.