West sounds cool.
The party return to the trading post, heads held high at the routing of the kobold horde and their intrepid explorational exploits. They present Svetlana with her radishes, and she is duly grateful, doling out fifteen gold to each of them and cooking up a storm that night with moon radish stew for Oleg and the radish hunters.
In their absence, a new visitor has arrived at the trading post. A morose-looking hunter called Jhod Kavken, he sits in the corner with his meal and makes little conversation.
Sefra whisphers to her companions. "I bet that rough looking guy over there could probably give us some information that could help us in our surveying."
"Well, let's introduce ourselves then, shall we?" Marc says cheerfully. He strides over to the table and gives a slight bow, smiling pleasantly.
"Good day sir! We could not help but notice that you are probably one who is familiar with this area. I was wondering if you had any insights or knowledge of the vicinity that you might be able to share with us? I would be more than happy to provide liquid refreshment for your time of course! Can't talk for long on a dry throat, what?" He smiles.
@Aubrey
The man eyes Marc warily.
@Aubrey ** spoiler omitted **
Sefra whisphers that he has some type of holy symbol to her group.
Rations at 90 then as we are in the midst of day 4 we will be at 84 at the end of the day unless we eat in town.
Heimoth wanders over to Marc and the stranger, giving both a flagon of beer to go with his own. "We don't want to intrude on your affairs. However, if you are so inclined, we would love to sit down and talk anytime. C'mon Marc, leave the man to his thoughts."
"It's OK. I probably spend too much time thinking as it is. Name's Kavken. You?"
Marc smiles at the man and procures another mug for to give to him before sitting down at his table.
"A pleasure to meet you Master Kavken, I am certain! I hight Marcus Wyvernspur, You've heard of the family no doubt? No? Alas, Ah well! That is one of the reasons that I came out here after all! These are my stalwart companions, whom I shall allow to introduce themselves, lest I embarrass myself by forgetting an honorific." he says, waving to the rest of the group present.
"We have been tasked by the crown to explore the area and assist bringing order and civilization to the region. And we have met with some, moderate, success, If I may say so myself. But we could use more detailed information about the area to assist us in our endeavors. You have the bearing of a man who knows his way around the wilderness. We were hoping that you might be able to enlighten us?"
Sefra nods at the stranger. "The names Sefra, well met."
"Hello, I'm Terra, I notice your symbol, I too am in service to the horned one in a manner of speaking..."
Heimoth shakes Kavken's hand. "Heimoth, from Tymon via New Stetven."
Hasren noticing his friends gathering around the hunter, joins them & cheerfully introduces himself.
"Hasren Gunnarrsson, lately of Rostland, at your service good sir!"
Noticing the man's preoccupation, Hasren inquires "Pardon my curiosity, but is there something we might help you with? I've found it sometimes helps to put a voice to your problems. The effort it takes to explain it sometimes makes the answer obvious. And if it doesn't, then you've now got six more people's experiences to draw on for a solution!"
Perception
religion
insight
Aleph eats his tasty soup.
Waves; "I'm Aleph; these are my droogies."
Kavken touches his medallion self-consciously. "Yes, I'm a follower of Erastil. Though.... But I'm new around here, and I'm not familiar with the area. But I am looking for.... Something." He tails off.
Marc guffaws in well-intentioned companionship.
"Looking for something? Are not we all my friend?! New to the area as well are you? ALas, no foul! Perhaps you saw something on your journey here? Something or someplace of interest perhaps? Come my friend! Have another drink and tell us of your journeys, and if you wish we shall regal you with tales of our own!" Marc declares, settling in for a drink, or three.
"What are you looking for, then?"
"Have you seen.... Any bears?"
"Bears?" Marc echoes. (Whatever it was he thought that the man might say, this obviously wasn't it.)
"Aw, No. No bears. Ran into a nest of Kobolds though, uncouth little vermin. No respect at all. Were you looking for a specific bear? Or just a type in general? Brown Bear? Black Bear? Grizzly Bear?"
"I'm sure we will see one eventually we run across all manner of beasts in the wild."
"I had..... A dream. Sent to me, I think. It was an old temple of the Stag Lord, and guarding it was a great bear. I... Knew, somehow, that it was here, in the Stolen Lands. Have you seen such a place?"
"I am sure we can find it, we mean to survey this land."
"In the forest? Up on a mountain? As Serfra says, we are mapping every square foot of these lands. However, it is a large area..."
Kavken looks irritated. "It was a dream, not an annotated map."
"Not to worry, Not to worry. The land will yield it's secrets to us. It's only a matter of time. If it exists, it's probably not that far away! I can hardly see my hand in front of my face once we enter the forest!" Marc says, happily working on his second, (or is it third?) drink.
"If, I should say WHEN, we find this temple, we will certainly let you know! Unless,... Would you like to accompany us as we search? If you recognize something from your dreams, it could mean that we are getting close. It may make finding this temple of yours easier!"
"Hey, all I'm asking is if you remember the terrain the temple was in."
"I had..... A dream. Sent to me, I think. It was an old temple of the Stag Lord, and guarding it was a great bear. I... Knew, somehow, that it was here, in the Stolen Lands. Have you seen such a place?"
"No, not in the explorations we've made so far. We've mostly been in the plains & made shallow explorations into the woods. Can you tell us a bit more about the dream? Which is more important to you? Finding the temple or finding the bear? If we should encounter either, what would you have us do?"
Terra glances at Sefra, "This may be the clue we are looking for, this may be what my God has sent me to do...We have to try and find the temple as we survey... Any details you can give? Tell us everything!"
"There.... Are trees. A wood. The temple is.... A ruin, guarded by a giant bear. The bear is.... Filled with anger. I cannot get past it." He shakes his head. "I felt a pull, drawing me here but.... Now there is nothing. It must be near."
"Well then, if it is nearby, A simple inquiry should point us in the right direction!" Marc declares with the surety of someone who is used to getting what wants by simply asking for it.
The dandy makes his way to Svetlana, (compliments her again on her soup), and asks;
"Excuse me my dear lady, but perchance have you heard stories or rumors of an older temple in the area? Mayhap in ruins? Perhaps the lair of a bear? I was wondering if perchance one of the trappers or hunters from the region had stumbled across such a place?"
Marc's enquiries draw a blank - no one is aware of a temple in the area.
"We'll find it as we continue our explorations. Let us know if you have any more dreams that can aid the search."
I'll go with south.
Lets do that. I agree.