Miss Ashin seems troubled in particular about the goblin situation, but you don't think she is hiding anything from you.
The Sorrin family is very well respected among the merchant's, but respected and liked are not the same thing here. Your father felt like he was taken advantage of by the Sorrins on at least one occasion, but that could probably be said of a couple members of the guild - and he no doubt returned the favor to a few others from time to time.
The daughter Mariann was well trained in all manner of weapons and armor, owing to her privileged youth in a very wealthy family. Some believe her spoiled, while others at times talk about her strong personality.
What fewer know is that she did not depart on entirely good terms with her parents, though you are unsure as to the exact nature of their dispute.
Miss Ashin responds, "I have nothing more to add save it be my gratitude for your aid in this." she pauses thinking, "I should be able to get a message to my agent in Akleta so that you are not required to return to Coran with the caravan, though you would of course be a welcome addition if you decide to."
When the group finally reaches a place to rest and recover, Amon addresses the group with his panther at his side. Greeting friends. We have not been properly introduced. As I said during the interrogation, I am Amon Pitati. I have been assigned to aid your group. He rubs the side of the big cat's neck as she nudges him. Beg my pardon Sekhmet. WE have been assigned to the group. I vow to protect each of you with my life. For the first time tonight, he smiles warmly as he walks to each member and shakes their hand making sure to look each companion in the eye.
The sand colored panther, Sekhmet, follows Amon around and sniffs each of the companions to learn their scent. She will rub against anyone who chooses to interact with her.
Mister Sorrin chuckles at Vayga's comment. "Please do not think I doubt your skill with a weapon Miss Glitterblade, but I'm afraid you'd be the student more than the teacher in that bout." There is a touch of pride to his voice as he speaks of his daughter. "And her mind is as ... ah, resilient as a dwarves when she has made up her mind on something. She never really took a liking to watching over a caravan."
He offers a smile, "I will however introduce you sometime if you'd like."
The following morning at the western gate you meet with Aima, a half-elven woman and a cleric of Abadar. Her beauty is such to catch a number of looks from men coming in through the gate, or passing out of it.
Aima leads a crew of twelve caravan guards and three wagons heavily laden with crates filled with bars of smelted ore. Most of the guards wear chain armor and are armed with short swords and shortbows. Two however are wearing breastplates and carry tower shields strapped to their backs.
Aima offers a friendly smile, her voice light with a hint of the musical quality common among elves. "We are ready to move out at your command." she bows her head slightly.
Amon bows to the elf as she approaches. Well met my lady. We are looking forward to traveling with you and your men. After months in the city, Amon heart pounds at the opportunity to be free once again and roam the country side. We will keep a close eye out.
He turns to his panther. Come Sekhmet. Let's prepare for our journey. As Amon walks off, he circles the caravan inspecting it. He pays careful attention to each man looking for signs of betrayal or fear in their eyes.
You can feign innocence and pretend that you do not understand why you were attacked, but we both know that is a lie. Your acts of intimidation and extortion will no longer be tolerated. Each attack against our merchants will be answered with force. We are working with the Mageocracy and will continue to legally defend the merchants and the economy of this city. We will not come after you again if you do not threaten the merchants guild or their employees. If we find that you are in violation of this edict we can and will find you. Life would be much easier for both of our guilds if we could find commonality.
I will need to leave town for a few weeks. I wanted to thank you for you cooperation in defending our Merchants and the economy of our great city, Coran. We are looking forward to working with you in the future. Please send word on what information you received from the thieving scum. I would like to question him again upon my return. Maybe we could meet and visit him in jail in a few weeks? Please leave your response with the Merchant's Guild. Sincerely ~Amon
Amon spends time talking with the other caravan members.
Aima carefully puts forth her hand to scratch Sekhmet behind the ears but pauses part way, "May I?" she inquires.
Some of the guards do not seem quite so comfortable with the big cat sniffing at them.
The guardsman are primarily human, though there is also one ifrit and three tieflings among the group.
The wagon drivers finish double checking the harnesses on the horses and making sure the ropes lashing the crates in are secure, though given the weight of the crates it seems unlikely they will bounce out of the wagons. One of the drivers looks back and forth between Sekhmet and the two horses for his team. "You'll keep her away from the horses yes?"
As the caravan leaves Coran behind the guards talk freely with one another and with the group, boasting of some of the sights they've seen on the roads between Issust Hold, Coran, Gumlat, and Akleta. One claims to have been hunted by werewolves in the woods north of Gumlat while another tries to one up him with a tale of fighting giant scorpions near the Hold. A third boasts of having once seen a beautiful maiden standing atop a cliff in the Chaggath pass on the road to Akleta.
Aima murmurs quietly, "I've spent time on the road with each of them at one time or another. The stories are the same as they've always told, though perhaps more grand this time around." she smiles.
In striking up conversations with individual members of the company Amon learns their background are quite varied. The tieflings and ifrit hail from Issust Hold while two woman are from the islands. Three are from Coran itself with two having been raised in the dregs (or slums). One claims Gumlat as their home and the last two were raised in the outlying villages scattered between Coran and Gumlat. "My pa wanted me to be a farmer" smirks one, "Feeding pigs and digging in the dirt."
All in all nothing seems out of place or unusual with the guardsmen.
As their boasting continues one calls out to Amon, "So tell us how you tamed the cat?"
Vayga surveys the caravan with a trained eye. Having spent the past decade recruiting, training, and supervising caravan guards she quickly organizes these into groups giving them their assignments. Vayga is suspicious of the people and the situation. Since she was not directly involved in the recruiting of the guards, or the assembling of the caravan wagons and drivers Vayga watches closely for any sign of things that may be out of place.
Amon nods to Aima. As she touches Sekhmet on the head, she leans into Aima and rubs her neck against her leg.
Amon grins as the cat takes a liking to the Caravan leader. That is a good sign.
To the driver:
Sekhmet doesn't like horse meat. It is too tough for her taste. By the way, be careful what you say around her. She understands the common tongue well.
To the one with the question:
I found her as a small abandoned cub while I was hunting in the desert. I didn't tame her...she tamed me. Amon chuckles at his words. She has been my best friend ever since.
You can feign innocence and pretend that you do not understand why you were attacked, but we both know that is a lie. Your acts of intimidation and extortion can no longer be tolerated. Each attack against our merchants must be answered with force. We are working with the Mageocracy and will continue to legally defend the merchants and the economy of this city. We will not come after you again if you do not threaten the merchants guild or their employees. If we find that you are in violation of this edict we will be forced to find you. Life would be much easier for both of our guilds if we could find commonality. We would parlay with you if you are willing to discuss terms for our common good. ~Merchants
We are leaving town for a few weeks on business, but wanted to thank you for you cooperation in defending our Merchants and the economy of our great city, Coran. We are looking forward to working with you in the future. Please send word on what information you received from the thieving scum. We would like to question him again upon our return. Maybe we could meet and visit him together in jail in a few weeks? Please leave your response with the Merchant's Guild. Sincerely ~Merchant's Guild
The days pass easily as the caravan rolls along the road through small villages and settlements. These become more sparse the closer to the mountain pass the trail gets. The guardsman take turns cooking meals and washing dishes, though the first few nights the evening meal is cooked by the irfrit, the others taking delight in watching him spread his fingers and a huge sheet of flame erupting from his fingertips as a means of starting the campfire. This practice ends though as the caravan starts the climb into the foothills. "Never know when you might need a trick like that out here the irfrit comments with an odd accent."
Winds from the pass blow across the caravan, bringing with it the chill of the snow capped peaks. Aima double checks the winter gear stowed in the lead wagon, it will be needed soon for the chilly nights.
Another day of travel and the rock walls of the Chaggath spine tower on either side of the road. The path varies between a narrow trail just wide enough for the wagons to moving along a cliff face while a wide open valley provides a scenic view on the other side.
Small streams and brooks are common and provide plenty to drink. A couple times a day you pass other travelers, many in groups of twenty or more on foot laden with backpacks. Peddlers and other craftsmen, frequently accompanied by a traveling bard who offers some evening entertainment the two times you run across them at the close of a day.
At the close of the fifth day Aima speaks to the group quietly after the evening meal. "We could reach the ambush sight tomorrow night if we pushed an extra hour for it. Whether or not it is wise to do so though and make camp there...." she trails off. "The ambush took place at the end of the long canyon, a two mile stretch with steep walls on either side, marked by the occasional narrow trail head leading off into unknown terrain. The main trail has barely enough room for two wagons to pass each other." She scratches in the dirt with a stick making a crude map. Prior to the spot she marks as the location of the lost wagon she denotes one of the open valleys, "The Tanen river flows through this valley here. Plenty of open space, though the presence of the river can also draw the attention of various mountain denizens looking to quench their thirst."
The Tanen river flows eastward through the mountains, ending some 60 miles to the east of your current location in a 400' drop into the ocean where the mountains meet the sea. A beautiful sight to behold from the deck of a ship.
Amon takes an arrow from his quiver to use as a pointer on Aima's map. He looks to the others and suggests. I think I would prefer to camp here in the open tomorrow night and then travel to the ambush site the following day. It would be wise to take a scouting party here on one of the cliffs before we travel through the canyon to look for possible ambushes. Since I am not familiar with the area, this may be too long of a trip though. He addresses his companions What are your thoughts?
Later that night, he addresses Aima alone:
Amon sends Sekhmet to watch over the horses as he cleans his dinner plate. He sees Aima walking towards a tent. Evening Aima. He bows slightly before continuing So how did you get involved in leading caravans daughter of Abadar? Your beauty and grace do not match your profession...if you do not mind me noticing...
Amon is genuinely being nice and inquisitive. Though he is attracted to the lady, he is not using the conversation to try and "pick her up". Instead, he is trying to build a friendship.
Vayga agrees with Amon that a scouting party should be sent in before traveling through the canyon. I have traveled this road many times with my father's caravans. I know the spot you speak of. It is never a good idea to walk into such an ambush site when we are tired from a day of travel. Better to camp first and arrive there fresh.She runs her fingers through her long hair and begins to braid it.
Cindy will ask around about Akleta. Are there certain wares that the party could buy to be sold there at a profit? A number of us have haversacks after all. And since we do not have to come back from Akleta with the wagon train, what might we do there for fun, profit, and the greater good after we have arrived? any other guild business that we might attend to there?
Cindy will ask each man who was with the ambushed caravan about their last trip, but will do so quietly over the first few days and away from anyone else. Please tell me about the ambush. Do not leave any details out. Was it goblins? Was it only goblins? She gives the man her full attention. After she can compare the stories to see if they differ.
Cindy will spend a few hours in the evenings of each day working on her mask, completing an enchantment.
Cindy agrees to the plan to arrive at the ambush site with plenty of daylight. Goblins see in the dark plenty good. Most of our lot do not.
Akleta is primarily agricultural. The city proper is surrounded by hundreds of small settlements and villages for many miles, most of it farmland and ranches. The south side of the greater region, bordering the Chaggath Spine, includes a number of mining towns. The mining towns do not produce sufficient ore to see to the regions needs though.
'Fun' in Akleta is pretty low key compared to Coran. The usual taverns exist, but late nights are rare other than holidays, and the drug trade is all but unknown in the city.
The inhabitants of Akleta is known for giving a cold shoulder to non-humans. While there are some dwarves, elves, and half-elves who live in the area, they are few and far between. Either to stubborn or to poor to move from the area.
Akleta welcomes the import of spices, fresh ocean fish (preserved through magic), and tropical fruit which they cannot grow in the colder climate. Also welcome are arcane magical items and trinkets. Nearly all mages of any significance live in Coran so such items are not readily available.
The six guards who were with the previous group recount much the same tale of the goblin attack. They consist of the two islanders, one of the tieflings, and three men from Coran.
"We were slow getting through the long canyon and darkness fell about a mile before we'd reached the southern side. With no place to camp in the canyon we lit up torches to make our way the last mile. The ambush happened as we reached the last bend in the canyon. Goblins from above rained down arrows and more engaged us in melee coming from the crevices and side canyons coming off the pass. Hard to say how many there were cause of the darkness but it seemed there must have been at least three score of the vermin. If not for the tight quarters we'd have been surrounded and overwhelmed."
The numbers recounted by the various guards vary from as little as two dozen to three score or more.
"The captain ordered the wagons forward while we defended the rear. Two of our men were cut down along with the horses for the one wagon. With no horses to pull it the wagon was a lost cause."
"Once the wagons hit the valley the drivers let the horses put on a little speed for a short time while we beat a hasty retreat from the pass. The gobs didn't give chase though, but stayed within the canyon."
"When the goblins first attacked I thought I saw a large hound or dog or wolf watching from the cliff tops. I only got a brief glimpse of it and it was the next time I looked. I can't help but think I may have imagined it."
"I was in the reare of the company. Just as the goblins struck I felt as though there were a great weight bearing down on me, paralyzing and slowing my reactions. We were badly outnumbered and I lost all hope of coming out alive. But Hinye", she looks to the other woman, "Grabbed me by the arm and pulled me from the middle of the fray. I've seen plenty of skirmishes, would be bandits trying to take what is not theirs. And I once stood face to face with a raging owlbear in the forests near Gumlat. But never before have I felt such utter hopelessness."
Cindy is going to try to purchase bulk spices to carry in her haversack to resell. What is reasonable - 200 gp? 400?
Speaking with the others Cindy concludes Something was leading these goblins. Is all but unheard of for them to be so organized and to take an entire wagon in a raid is rare bordering on legend. Could be that the woman feeling those paralyzing effects was just stressing under the fight, but I don't think so. The goblins have some type of caster with them. Maybe one that can take wolf form...
The caravan sets up camp some distance south of the canyon. The waterfall of the Tanen river providing a constant noise in the background of the encroaching night. A heavy cloud cover begins to form as the group completes the setup of camp and finishes the evening meal, leaving the night in darkness without the benefit of moonlight.
During the middle watch a soft drizzle of rain begins, and lighting can be seen flashing over distant peaks followed by the rolling peals of thunder. The rain makes being on watch duty a rather miserable affair.
All three watches pass uneventfully though and the rain has let up by morning. A few scattered crystals of ice dot the ground and plants in the valley, though these begin to melt with the coming of the sun and won't last long.
Aima comments, "Another three or four days into the mountains and we'd have had half a foot of snow to deal with this morning."
The animal handlers get the horses fed while breakfast is cooked. When all have been fed the teams are hooked up and the caravan begins to make its way up the road again.
Vayga decides to keep her day job.
After eating a good breakfast Vayga prepares to move up ahead of the wagons. She addresses her companions and Aima as she walks by.I'd like to get a look out from up above. I think I'll climb up from that canyon on the left. You should come.Without looking back she begins an easy job forward.
As Vayga moves into the side canyon her boots stick in the muddy terrain, slowing her movement somewhat. Before long though she is scaling the side of the cliff and soon is standing up top 20' over the roadway. Her position her gives her a better view of the surrounding area, allowing her to see a hundred yards or more in all directions.
The cliff tops have scattered weeds but are largely uneven and bare rock. Several small and narrow canyons can be seen coming off the main road.
The caravan halts while Vayga looks around, the guards completely quiet for once. Many drawing their bows with arrows loosely nocked.
Several broken arrow shafts can be seen atop the rocks here. The shafts are short and what is left of the arrows are crudely made.
Amon nocks an arrow and looks around. Sekhmet, guard Aima.
Sekhmet walks over to Aima and sets up to defend her. He lets out a small grumble as he brushes against her leg. Once positioned, he sniffs the air for trouble.
Vayga looks carefully at the wet ground for signs of recent activity in the area. As quietly as she can she begins to move forward picking up a broken arrow shaft as she goes. Angling northeast Vayga continues carefully toward the edge of the canyon where she can see the road below curves. As she proceeds she also considers the arrow in her hand.
Aima gives Sekhmet a brief scratch behind the ears then moves up towards the mouth of the narrow canyon, her eyes scanning the area. "The attack happened a couple hundred feet further up" she murmurs.
The arrows, given their size and that goblins were known to have been here is almost certainly a match. Could be kobolds, but there have never been reports of kobolds in the Chaggath Spine that you are aware of.
Despite the rain and rocky ground you find several weeds that have been broken off. It would have had to have been very recent to have not dried out and blown away on the wind. There are a couple of minor scuff marks on the rocks next to it.
In the muddy ground near the edge of the road you find wolf prints heading eastward and slightly south, towards the base of the waterfall.
Aering had been dispatched a few days ago by the Hall. She was to scout out an area where some caravan had been attack. She was adjoined a rather interesting individual who as it turned out was a bard. Although the way he carried his weapon told her he was decent in a fight but just barely. She had let him talk mostly the only thing the give out was her name Aerin and that she was working for the "Mourat" consortium. She was dressed in dark but simple dress, Her dancing scarf tied around her waist like most belly dancer. Her rapier sat in her usual place but hadn't need to draw a weapon yet.
As she waited near the camp sight hidden she couldn't help but wonder what was going on at the moment in the capital.
The half orc witch, disguised as a man at arms, patrolled the back of the wagon train, quite alert and looking for signs of danger.
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Orcish... I know I told them Orcish. I don't speak Goblinoid, and they go and send me to deal with goblins. I'll never understand them sometimes. Dang it, need to renew the Message again.
A human stands up from his makeshift cover in subdued colors and cloak, with a raiper on his hip and a flute around his neck.
Cormick quietly asks, "Pssst... Aerin, I forgot where you were hiding again. I need to recast my message spell. Raise your hand or something, so I can see you."
Scanning the area Cindy spots Cormick atop the cliff near the wagon train as he stands up. Aerin remains hidden from her sight though.
Several of the caravan guards also notice the bard and he soon has the attention of every man and woman below. They await commands from Cindy or Aima.
Scanning the area Vayga looks for possible hiding places. Hmm, if I were to ambush a caravan here... where would I hide. She beginnings searching more closely for plausible places of cover. She wants to watch the caravan approach from one of these and also thinks that there might be additional signs of the attackers that might have remained. Protected despite the rain.
Hmmm... well I guess I messed that up. Now did they give us a pass phrase or something. I wish Aerin didn't hide so well.
Fumbling with copper cord that holds his flute to his neck, Cormick starts to point and count at 6 individuals.
1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6...
Comick whispers, "Hail Caravan. I seek a party to make camp here with tonight, as there is always greater protection in numbers. I am here to forge new alliances and offer no bars or hindrance to you."
"I seek a party that is traveling to this old camp site. I am here from a guild that works with numbers and protects thier own. The group I seek has new forge bars of ore."
Cindy, very familiar with this particular spell, receives the message and its full meaning. Relaxing just a bit she speaks to the guards around her. He's a friendly, or is good at acting like one. Stay on your guard, but he is not a threat until he proves otherwise. Then, through the message he responds We were not expecting friends on this path, but you are welcome indeed if you are a friend. Are you traveling alone? Come down and join us.
Cormick whispers, but loud enough for the anyone close to hear also, ”Can one ever really be alone when One travels through these majestic lands? Life provides the most unexpected surprises to bolster our resolve as we travel through it, as our chance meeting is a surprise indeed. I'll be down momentarily, once I have gathered my gear.”
“I travel with one other. We were sent ahead to watch out for any ambushes and provide support if needed. I’ll climb down once I figure out if my friend will be joining me.”