Gilfroy smiles at Rajah and follows, practically running to keep up with the old woman.
Tevyn is momentarily taken aback by Corinna's retort. Then he remembers who she is and realizes the likely cause for the outburst. He decides that his reluctance was probably not much more appropriate and tries to be more gracious.
"Well, such a largess will certainly be helpful for purchasing supplies for the trip. Thank you, Ameiko, this is very kind of you."
Melon mentions in an aside quietly to Ameiko, "She's been testy for a while now; I think she's in need of a good rogering. Don't blame her." Bright and loudly she adds, "Thanks Ameiko! It's not like I'll drink half of the money at the Rustic anyway."
Ameiko stifles a slight chortle. "Melon," she says softly, "you have quite a...um...way with words."
Ameiko turns to Tevyn. "That's actually a good way to look at it, Tevyn, thank you. If you're going to be joining me on a lengthy journey, you'll need supplies. Since I'm the one dragging you along, it's only right that I pay for the supplies. The treasure is a convenient way to pay for them. I'll let you all choose how you want to equip yourselves, however. You know your abilities and needs better than I do. As a tip though, unless one of you knows how to wield those strange swords, I bet Savah would pay very handsomely for them." She smiles.
Rajah smiles at the youthful exuberance of Koya. "We best hurry, Gilfroy. I'm not sure if we are going to be able to catch up," he says with a grin as he follows Gilfroy on the way out.
"Wait... if we're all going on an expedition together... - does that mean we're getting your cooking every night?" Melon suddenly beams from ear to ear as she realizes the possibilities.
Tevyn, who has been busy smiling back at Ameiko, turns to Melon at her comment. "If Ameiko's hiring the caravan, it doesn't seem right that she cook for everyone." He looks at Sandru. "Do you have a cook? Or is that something that everyone takes turns at?"
Melon eyes Tevyn suspiciously. "Can you cook? Just that people who live of the land tend to... simple food."
"I'm afraid, Melon," Sandru says, "that even if Ameiko cooks--which I should add I don't expect her to do--but even if she does, the food will still probably be what you term as simple. There's only so much you can do on the road with limited equipment and supplies. But to the question at hand..." He scratches his neck for a moment.
"We'll need somebody to cook, either through alternating or designating someone. There are a number of other roles that will need to be filled too, either amongst yourselves or other people we hire. I have three wagons at the moment, each of which needs a driver. Bevelek, Vankor, and I can cover those rolls. But as well as a cook, we could use scouts, guards, those kinds of things. A wainwright for repairs is also useful. A couple other things could be useful but aren't absolutely necessary."
At that moment, an older woman wearing a brightly coloured dress and shawl comes hurrying down the street, followed by Rajah and Gilfroy. Most of you (excpet maybe Malan) recognize her as Koya Mvashti, daughter of the late Niska Mvashti, who was until her recent death, the local fortune teller/psychic/advice-giver.
"Sandru!" she calls out as she hurries over. As she reaches the group slightly out of breath, she pauses to take a few breaths. "My boys here tell me something is up, something about a chest, although they've given me precious few details."
Melon nods her head perfunctorily, almost without thinking, her natural reaction towards the elderly.
"Hello Koya, it's good to see you," Tevyn says. "We did find a chest in the swamps but it's really for Ameiko to explain."
"It was precious difficult to give more than the barest of details, old woman, given the speed at which you were running. Some of us young boys have trouble keeping that sort of pace!"
Softer to Rajah, he adds, "This is exactly what she needs."
Rajah smiles and lowers himself to respond, keeping his eye on Koya. "I do believe you are right, my good gnome. I do believe you are right." He slightly turns to Gilfroy and winks, then raises back up, still smiling at the elder woman's energy.
"It was precious difficult to give more than the barest of details, old woman, given the speed at which you were running. Some of us young boys have trouble keeping that sort of pace!"
Koya smiles down at Gilfroy. "Ah yes, I sometime forget how slowly other people, especially small people like you, move. I'll be more careful in future." (Gilfroy knows she's said things like that before. ) She turns to Ameiko. "So what is this chest that has Gilfroy and Rajah so excited and is your business to explain?"
She and Ameiko move aside a bit while Ameiko describes the chest and reads the letter to Koya.
Tevyn moves over to Sandru. "I can act as a scout for the journey easily enough, or a guard if necessary. If Corinna isn't going with us, it'd be nice to find someone else with her skills. I'm not sure there's going to be anyone else around who has her knowledge, though."
Sandru nods and scratches his chin. "A spellcaster is a useful thing on a caravan," he says, "but they're not easy to come by, so we can do without if we need to. I've made most of my journeys without one. However, if you can convince Corinna or someone else of similar skills to join us, I have no objection. However, Corinna doesn't seem particularly interested. She's always very quick to get away from you all, so I'm not convinced she likes you all that much. No offence."
Malan steps up to Sandru. "I am also a spellcaster. A bladesinger to be precise. I can not match Corinna in scope of arcane ability, however my training combines the arcane arts with the martial arts in a way she can not, indeed most can not, equal." Malan begins to watch Corinna as she walks off. "Though I do wish she changes her mind. I submit myself as an arcanist and defender of the caravan for this journey."
"Happy to have your services, Malan," Sandru says and grasps the elf's hand.
"I'm a spell caster, too!" Gilfroy pipes up. "I can do this!"
He casts haunted fey aspect.
Sandru nearly jumps back from initial surprise, but then laughs. "All right," he says. "We apparently have several people capable of spellcasting."
Ameiko and Koya come back over, having finished their discussion.
"Koya has agreed to accompany us as well," Ameiko says. "Looks like we should have a good sized group, especially if Shalelu agrees to come along, too. Of course, this all assumes we're definitely going. I really ought to get back to the Rusty Dragon and take some time to consider the rashness of my actions. I can have a bit of a tendency to jump into things without thinking them through. Thank you all so much for being willing to do this for me."
"Where Koya goes, I go, if you'll have an old fool of a gnome along. Besides, the mystery of this puzzle is intoxicating, and Lady Sivanah commands that I pursue it."
Melon's nodding, and counting to herself. Finally she looks a bit morose, "I don't think I can do anything special. Can I come as a guard of some kind?"
Corinna? Where is Corinna? Rajah looks around realizing she must've finally went home. Discouragement sets in just before Ameiko relates the news of Koya's decision to go. Koya is going? Oh dear. Turning to Sandru, "Good sir, I had not plan on accompanying you, but since Madam Koya is going, would it be much to ask if I were to come along as well? I am gifted with the healing abilities given to me by the Dawnflower, and I can do a bit of carpentry work. I am not highly skilled in such work, but, I will do my best."
Rajah glances at Melon, truly afraid to say anything to her, due to her lack of etiquette. But he can't help but feel sorry for her. "Do not believe her, Mr. Vhiski. She is one who is quite formidable in battle. Do not let her fool you." He nods firmly to emphasize his point.
Rajah turns to the others, "Did Corinna return home?"
"She said she had other business to see to," Tevyn says quietly. "In truth, I do not seek to have Corinna accompany us for her skills with magic, but the knowledge she gained at the Academae. I get the sense that her education could be of great use, once she's become more accustomed to less civilized surroundings. But if she chooses not to go, well we have plenty among us who certainly have a great deal to contribute."
"Thanks Rajah, but is somebody good at fighting really what a caravan needs? Everybody can magicks or track. Or cook. Corinna knows about almost everything. I... can hit things?"
"Thanks Rajah, but is somebody good at fighting really what a caravan needs? Everybody can magicks or track. Or cook. Corinna knows about almost everything. I... can hit things?"
"I believe that is something Mr. Vhiski can answer. I'm willing to wager, though, any form of caravan needs those who can aide in protection." Turning to Sandru, "And I highly recommend Melon, good sir." He says with a grin.
"She said she had other business to see to," Tevyn says quietly. "In truth, I do not seek to have Corinna accompany us for her skills with magic, but the knowledge she gained at the Academae. I get the sense that her education could be of great use, once she's become more accustomed to less civilized surroundings. But if she chooses not to go, well we have plenty among us who certainly have a great deal to contribute."
"Hm. Thank you, Tevyn. I shall go an speak with her to determine her course. I would hate for her not to be a part of this." He rubs his chin, pondering the odds of convincing her to go. I must try. "I shall return in a bit." He gives a slight bow and makes his way toward the Valdemar manor.
"Rajah's right," Sandru says. "Caravan can often come under attack from bandits or goblins. Guards who can fight are definitely needed. If you can do that, you're definitely welcome."
As Rajah heads off to find Corinna, your little gathering outside the Sandpoint Garrison gradually breaks up. Ameiko heads back to the Rusty Dragon, while Sandru heads to his caravan to inform Bevelek and Vankor of what is happening. Koya returns home to make her own plans. The rest of you can do as you please for the remainder of this day.
"We should see what offer Savah may make for these strange blades. The sooner we have a full accounting for the coin we have to prepare with, the sooner we can get ready and therefore be ready to go." Tevyn says.
The Blue Rajah catches up with Corinna as she steps back into the street after posting her letter to Aago Belwas. "Oh!" she startles, as she almost walks into the young priest. "Mr., er, Rajah."
"Yes, Ms. Valdemar, I'm glad I caught you. I was truly hoping I could convince you to accompany us on our journey. It's been decided on to venture to this Brinewall place, and I feel it would be only fitting if you were to travel with us. Now, I understand it's truly nothing you care to do. To be honest, I wasn't planning on going either, but when we mentioned the chest and all it contained to Koya, she was out the door before we could get another word in edgewise. And as soon as she found out what it was all about, there was just no stopping her from volunteering. When Madam Koya makes up her mind about something, you have a greater chance of pushing over a mountain." He smiles. "And I just can't let her go alone. I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to her and I wasn't there." He pauses a moment, thinking back to how if it wasn't for her, he'd be dead.
Shaking himself from his reverie, "Anyway, like I said, I'm asking you as a friend--whether you consider me one or not--to please come with us. I swear by my honor I will make sure you and Melon have separate wagons. I know she is... difficult, to put it kindly. And between you and me," he leans in a little closer, "I think she is mislead in her belief that her and Ameiko are best friends. I think a Pharasman priest and our skeleton friends we encountered have a greater chance of being best friends." He says with a wink and a smile as he leans back out.
"I think your knowledge would aid us greatly and that sentiment was uttered by Tevyn as well. So it's not just me with this opinion. And you also need to come and collect your share of the treasure. I will hold it for you until that time, if you wish." He holds up his hand to stop her from objecting. "Please, hold a moment and hear me out. Now, please avoid looking at it as a handout; try looking at it as a gift. At the very least, if you truly want no part of it yourself, then why not use it to help your mother? I, myself, plan on donating some to the temple and using the rest to aid in the safety of those who accompany us in the journey." He looks to her wondering if he's making any kind of dent in her armor.
"I think we are to leave within the week. So will you at least think on it? If you have any more requests that would at least get you to consider going, please tell me, and I will speak with whoever needs spoken to about it."
Corinna gives a bemused smile at the priest's volubility. "You can preach a sermon when you put your mind to it, can't you?" she asks. "Look, it's very sweet of you to go to such lengths, but do you know how long it will take to travel 500 miles by caravan? And then come back again? I'm leaving in less than two weeks myself, to go back for the new semester. It wouldn't be very responsible of me to walk away from my obligations for a bit of adventure, would it, even if the thought appealed to me? You said yourself you wouldn't go if Koya Mvashti didn't intend to; she has nothing to keep her here either anymore, I suppose. If she were staying in Sandpoint, would you run off to join a caravan and leave her here alone?"
"As for my mother, she doesn't need money, not a little bit of it from selling Kaijitsu trinkets, anyway. What it will take to convince her to set up in a nice flat in the city isn't a one-time windfall but steady income and a stable future, a future I can only earn by doing my job, not running off hoping Ameiko keeps deigning to throw around her pocket change. As for Melon Sash," she sniffs, "I have little doubt but that most of what comes out of her mouth is wildly exaggerated, her implausible adventures with highly-advanced mages as well as her ... 'intimacy' with Ameiko. You haven't lived in Sandpoint long, but it isn't uncommon for a ... less-fortunate girl to insinuate herself into a friendship with someone more felicitously placed, for the attention and the material goods and the ... entry into a better social milieu that it provides." From the tightness in her face and the distance in her eyes, it's clear she's thinking of someone other than Melon and Ameiko. "How many nights free room and board at the Rusty Dragon has Melon already claimed based on her 'close friendship' with the proprietress?" she asks significantly. "And I wish Ameiko as much joy of hers as I've had of mine" she mutters to herself.
"As I've said," she smiles, her attention returning to Rajah, "it's kind of you to exaggerate my importance, but Sandru Vhiski has been driving his caravan ten years without a graduate of the Academae advising him. It can't be that hard to find someone able to read a map. And I know from long experience," she tells him a bit cattily, "that in this town one never has to travel far to find someone eager to drop everything for the chance to do something to please Ameiko Kaijitsu."
Rajah bows his head, "Apologies. I shall not bother you again. It's been a pleasure, Madam Valdemar." He smiles and nods again as he turns and heads back toward the others.
"I didn't mean to imply it had been a bother...," she calls fretfully after his retreating back before realizing he could no longer hear her. She sighs a moment with dissatisfaction and then tries to put the whole matter from her mind as she heads back toward her family home to keep her appointment for a walk in the garden with her mother.
After everyone departs from the garrison, you go about your separate ways for the remainder of the day. Rajah catches up to Corinna and has a brief conversation with her, but Corinna remains adamant in her stance that she is not going to join the caravan.
Ameiko is in a mixed mood for most of the rest of the day, one moment full of excitement, the next melancholy. She continues to offer free room and board at the Rusty Dragon to the party. "The least I can do for you all," she says. She also announces that she will be singing for people's entertainment at the Rusty Dragon that evening. However, when the time comes, she only gets through a couple of songs before she is unable to go on. When questioned about it, she says that she's just too distracted by thoughts of her family and whether she's doing the right thing. She remains in much the same mixture of moods the following day, too.
However, on the 11th, she announces that she has made up her mind. "I'm going to Brinewall, and if all of you are still willing to go with me now that you've had a couple days to think about it, I'll be happy to have you along. I need to know what happened to my family all those years ago. I want to know what this warding box my father opened was. I want to know what my grandfather was up to. I know he died protecting his family from something and that going there possibly undermines that act, but the way I see it, there are two possibilities: One, whatever evil he fought against is now long gone so there is no worry anymore; or two, if it truly can wait forever to get at our family, it will eventually find us anyway and it's better to take the fight to them on our terms when they might not know we're coming. I fully admit there's a bit of selfishness guiding my decision. I want to know what happened. But also, I want to protect the future of my family. To the best of my knowledge, I'm the last, but I might have children one day, and I don't want some ancient, unknown enemy discovering them or their children. If that enemy is still around, it's time to end its threat once and for all."
Once Ameiko has announced her final decision, Sandru and Koya spend the next few days buying and organizing provisions for the trip. Koya is certainly at the most cheerful either Rajah and Gilfroy have seen her since before her mother's death--perhaps the most cheerful they have ever seen her. They both know that she has always wanted to travel more (even though she would often deny it), but she always felt held back out of a need to care for her mother. As much as she loved her mother and is saddened by her mother's death, she is now clearly feeling freer now that she no longer has the burden of her mother's care.
On the 12th, Shalelu returns to town, and has barely walked in the door of the Rusty Dragon when Ameiko pulls her aside to ask her if she'll accompany the group. Ameiko has the startled elf agreeing before she really knows what she's agreeing to. Once fully apprised of the situation, she reaffirms her agreement to go along. She does say, however, that she needs to talk to the mayor and sheriff first to make sure provisions are made for her extended absence.
In one of the less busy moments in the tavern, when things have calmed down but Ameiko is still up to oversee and perform cleaning of the Rustic Dragon, Melon confides in Ameiko: "Don't worry. I think you're absolutely right - whatever is or was after your family; it should come to an end. One way or another. Ameiko, I always want to be there with you, when we discover what has happened and what has been left for you... it can't just be trivial - your family! And it may just be dangerous. If things get rough, you can stand behind me. I'll be the armor, you'll be who wields it. Okay?" She tries to keep her thoughts in one line - but things trip a little over each other when it comes out of her mouth.
Gilfroy, hearing Ameiko'sdecision to go, immediately jumps up and heads to the store, pausing long enough to grab his share of coin on the way.
Much later, he comes back to fetch Umbral. Soon after that, a clattering and clanking sound comes from out front, along with a slightly desperate, "Whoa!!!", as a pony and gnome come along the street in front of the Rusty Dragon, with all sorts of provisions heaped in a cart behind them, and Gilfroy on top. Given how random Umbral's path seems along the street, one might wonder if the pony had been into the brandy, though the small gnome, frantically sawing on the reins in every direction might have more to do with it. There's a light thump as Gilfroy actually drives his cart into the side of the inn, albeit at the breakneck pace of about five feet an hour.
Gil hops down from the driver's seat. Given the size of the cart, it's clearly one intended for small children to drive, and doesn't have much more room than the gnome occupied. Excitement floods his features. "Well, Umbral and I are ready for the caravan," he declares to anybody who happens to be there. "Though it would help if Umbral could learn how to pull the thing."
On the 11th, as Tevyn listens to Ameiko's decision, he nods in agreement.
"I think your decision is a good one. Better to know what dangers are waiting for you than to abide in ignorance. I would be honored to travel with you. I've long wanted to see more of the world than our familiar surroundings in Sandpoint and if I can do so while helping a friend, then that's all for the better."
He smiles and claps his hands together. "Now I shall see about my final preparations. I presume that Sandru will see about gathering together the provisions? I believe I'll see about buying a horse and restocking my arrows."
With a nod, he turns and leaves to begin his final preparations.
When everyone reaffirms their intention to accompany her, Ameiko smiles broadly. "Thank you, all of you." To Melon's scattered comments, she responds with a quizzical expression. "Usually, people wear armour, not wield it, but I appreciate the sentiment. Thank you, Melon." She gives Melon a pat on the shoulder.
The 12th is a wet, rainy day, and a bit on the cooler side. It doesn't stop Sandru, Bevelek, and Vankor from being busy preparing the caravan (hiring new people, buying new wagons, readying old wagons for travel, whatever the final decisions regarding the caravan require). Sandru is happy to learn that Shelelu has also agreed to accompany them. "The more, the merrier!" he says, but adds, "Well, within reason, I suppose."
Koya volunteers to be the caravan's fortune-teller, which may seem a bit of an odd role to most of you at first, but Sandru seems to think it's an important one.
Shalelu is happy to assume the role of scout.
"Okay! We. I mean I. Need to plan what to get for the trip! What do we need? Should I get a horse? Will it be cold? How long will we be away for? I think we'll need something sweet." Melon thoughtfully muses in the space of a few seconds.
If Sandru can be a driver, that saves having to hire another. Ameiko as cook reduces consumption (which is good because a lot of people in the old days used to die from that) which is also good. It seems like Gilfroy may be assuming the role of healer or spell caster. Tevyn I think is being a guard? Malan too?
Malan had intended to join Sandru's caravan as he had nothing better to do. He was delighted to learn that Ameiko had decided to confront her family's history and expresses his support for her.
The night that Shalelu returns, after she reports to the sheriff, Malan seeks her out for a private conversation.
Inside, he offers her a towel to dry herself with. "How can I help you?"
