Mavor hauls the pieces of bulette skin onto his shoulder as well, as much as he can carry.
As Denario remarks about the armour he snorts like Baer sometimes does.
"Leather armour? I would think this would make fine plated armour, perhaps even better than the regular steel version. It's waste in my opinion to not use these plates of it."
Mavor sets a brisk walking pace while carrying the bulette skin, hoping to not be too much encumbered by the weight.
Quorthos will also carry some of the bulette hide, as required. He munches some rations as he walks along, deep in thought.
You walks a couple more hours, until you decide to stop and set up camp. The night passes uneventful, and the next morning you continue your journey.
Halfway the day you reach the small town of Galdent. It consists of no more than twenty buildings, most of which are houses. You also notice an inn, a church, a few simple shops, and a smithy. You don't spot a place where Trinia can buy a horse, but asking around could help.
In the morning, Quorthos spends some time preparing different spells for the day. He casts a spell on himself after breakfast, and then avoids the group for a few minutes as his wounds slowly close.
Hello, Quorthos, as always I'm here to help...
I'm not listening, just do your job.
As you wish, sweetheart, as you wish.
Baer looks at Mavor and Denario.
"Which way now?" Baer asks after breakfast. "Do we need to load up on food now? Or see if there is an armorer who could take on the bullette work so we can pick it up later? They may be able to do quick work for a generous commission."
"The least we can do is inquire at the smithy if they can fashion us some bulette armour. And investigate if any people here got a horse for sale. Baer? You want to come with me to check out the smithy?"
Tural grabs some food from his bag for breakfast and chews away happily while watching the others wake up.
"I think we should wait with the armor till we are back in the city. Else we have to wait till he finishes with it."
He says between bites.
After finishing his breakfast he heads out into the town.
"Will go and ask around if anyone will sell me a horse."
The first villager Tural approaches seems incredibly wary of the walking tree that approaches him, but once Tural opens his mouth and starts talking the man instantly eases up. "We've got old Tom, at the edge of town. He's recently realized he's gotten too old to ride his horse, despite buying a young one not long ago. The old fool's gotten quite attached to her, though. Maybe, if you convince him you'll take good care of her, he'll be willing to let her go for a good price."
"Sounds promising," Trinia comments after hearing about the old man's horse. "I'm quite fond of animals. I think this may work out."
Baer goes with Mavor to check out the smithy, asking for directions as necessary. Before he goes, he will confirm how far away their destination is as to gauge how much time an armorer might have to produce the armor. She has no idea about such things.
"Mavor, feels good to be out in the country, does it not? Much more freedom out here than in the city. So much less noise too."
Baer and Mavor go to the smithy, and discover that it mainly produces farm tools and house held items.
"I've made a couple of sets of armor on occasion," the smithy, a short and broad man, tells you, "but I wouldn't know how to do it with bulette plates and hide. I advice you take it to Korvosa and find Edgar Vance. He specializes in crafting armor from special materials. Learned it from the dwarves themselves!"
From the smithy you also learn that, if you decide to accompany Trinia all the way to Harse, you'll reach it on the third day after you leave Galdent the next morning. Were Trinia to buy a horse, she'd reach it in one day after leaving the next morning.
Tural seeks out the man with the horse.
"Hey! I heard from some locals that you might have a horse for sale? We are in dire need of one and would like to barter with you if you were to sell it."
Tural taps his coin purse to let the man see he means business.
"It's for this lovely lady here. She is quite fond of animals and needs a quick ride at the moment."
"Edgar Vance eh? Thank you for your time and information sir." Mavor says as he gives a small greeting to the blacksmith.
"I guess I'll haul this all the way back to Korvosa then, might need a sack to carry it around though."
Denario had just silently followed the others, as the others did the talking.
The thought of Korvosa being a disease ridden capital didn't sit well with him.
Old Tom look Tural over, suspicion clear in his eyes. But when Tural starts talking the old man eases up. He eases up even more when he sees it's the young (human) lady that'll be riding the horse. "I tell you what, lad. I bought this horse for a hundred gold pieces. If she takes a liking to this young lady here when they meet, I'll sell her for the same amount."
The old man guides you to his backyard, where the horse is tied to a fence. Trinia approaches the horse, which sniffs her and pushes her head against Trinia. "What's her name, sir?"
The old man nods approvingly. "Her name's Mary. Seems like you'll get along just fine."
Trinia walks up to the man and gives him the gold. "Here you go, sir. Is the equipment included, or...?"
"Yeah, just take it. I have no use for it anyway. My old bones hurt when I sit on her. A real shame, but so be it."
Tural, Trinia, and those who went with them say goodbye to old Tom, taking Mary with them, and meet up with Baer and Mavor at the town square.
"I think it's best if I leave in the morning. It's probably not safe for me to start traveling this late in the afternoon," Trinia says. "Will you also stay here till tomorrow?"
Baer thanks the armorer for his knowledge. She leaves the armory disappointed, but not overly so.
"Nothing more to do here. Let's get on."
"Best not travel by dust. Best to leave early in the morning. I think we will head back tomorrow to Korvosa. It takes us about six days to escort you all the way to your destination, the city might as well be completely taken by the time we return if we go with you."
Tural replies to Trinia.
"That is if everyone agrees to go back, though I believe some are very eager."
He smiles at the last bit.
"I think you will hold your own on the road?"
"I will," Trinia tells Tural. "You just head back. The city needs you more than I do."
Trinia still has some leftover money, and that evening you spend your time in Galdent's inn at Vencarlo's expenses. After a good meal you go to bed, and the next morning you meet up again for breakfast.
"I really should be leaving now," Trinia says as she finishes her meal. She gets up and looks a bit hesitant, but then gives all of you a hug.
"Thank you so much! I hope we'll get to meet again!"
Trinia hugs Quorthos last, and just a bit longer than the others. "Thanks for helping me that day, Quorthos... If not for you..."
Trinia quickly releases the hug and steps back. She waves at all of you as she exits the inn, and she's gone.
Baer, still loaded with bullette meat and her trail rations, buys very little.
"Goodbye, Trinia," Baer says, almost willing to forgive her for personally throwing Baer off a roof. "It was nice to meet you. Best."
Baer goes back to her breakfast at the inn, dipping her toast into Denario's egg yolks.
"We should get back now, huh?"
Tural waves Trinia off and sits back down with the others.
"Yes. I think we should head back. I would like to take the other path though. That way I can see my father, if only for a cup of tea."
He looks at the others hoping that they agree.
"I wish you a safe journey Trinia and all the best at your new home." Mavor says as he says goodbye to the bard and painter.
Mavor buys a few more rations, mostly ones including jerky.
He returns for a lte breakfast with a hardboiled egg after seeing Baer dip her toast in Denario's soft-boiled eggs.
"I wouldn't mind a slight detour Tural. If you can vouch for it not having an abundance of those landsharks I'm all up for it." Mavor says with a grin on his face.
Denario smiles, as Baer dips her toast.
"Here, help yourself.", as he shoves them to in front of Baer.
Let's see how she likes quadruple spice peppered eggs.
Eggs aren't my preference of breakfast anyway.
"Good luck Trinia,maybe when the hole mess has been sorted out, you can visit a renewed Korvosa."
"I'm glad things worked out," Quorthos responds to Trinia. "We could just as easily wound up sharing a gallows that day." Quorthos hugs Trinia back, and smiles. "Best of luck, Trinia. I hope our paths will cross again."
On discussing the route home, Quorthos seems a bit anxious about any talk of delay, but doesn't speak up. I can't begrudge him a visit with his father... but we'll have to make it quick.
Quorthos does purchase a potion of cure light wounds if such a thing is available in this place.
After your breakfast some of you buy a couple of items in some of the shops in Galdent.
Quorthos forgets that the people in the small town hate magic, and the shopkeeper he asks about the cure light wounds potion looks shocked when Quorthos asks for it. "Out of my shop, you heathen! Get lost! Only the clerics at the church are allowed to work the divine! Get out! Out!"
"Here, help yourself."
Baer helps, she helps herself!
"This reminds me of that nightmare I had a while back...back when I was eating bland, boring oatmeal for breakfast. Do you remember that, Denario?" Baer asks, putting the plate within even closer reach.
Baer is ready to go as she finishes breakfast(s).
Denario, pleased he was rid of the eggs, eats the toast , cheese and sausages that remained.
"You might have mentioned, but not in detail....why?"
Tural finishes his breakfast of some trial rations he brought and shoulders his pack, ready to go.
"It has been years since I have seen my father... Since I set out I have been from village to village, but never back."
He starts elaborating on the story with things he has done with his father when he was younger. And how good he was at hide and seek when he was just a kid.
Quorthos apologizes to the shopkeeper, and drops the issue. Someone has a wand or something... that'll have to do until we're back in Korvosa.
Or you could call me, Quorthos...
Shut up.
When you're all done eating and you have made your purchases, you start on your way back to Korvosa. Near the end of the day you pass a pile of bulette remains, and a couple of hours later you stop to rest. Tural estimates that you'll reach his home town at the end of the next day.
You set up your tents in the open field near the road, and when the evening comes you set up a watch.
During Quorthos's shift a group of twelve men on horseback passes by over the road. One of them notices Quorthos and your tents, and calls out to the others. The whole group stops shortly after, the horses are turned, and two men ride up to your tents. They both wear breastplates, and longswords on their hips. Denario and Mavor both wake up from the noise made by the advancing men.
"Evening," one of the men says as both come to a stop in front of Quorthos and he sizes the tiefling up. "May I ask you where you're headed?"
Mavor wakes up, gets out from under his blanket and grabs his greataxe as he goes.
He moves out of his tent and yawns loudly.
"So what's all the ruckus for!?" He shouts as to make more noise so the others might wake.
Though not clad in armour, the bulging muscles and the fierce greataxe Mavor holds is still quite an imposing sight.
Denario wakes to the sound of inquisitive talking.
He rubs his eyes.
I...doubt this will be very much friendly talk,....highway men?
Tural wakes and looks up. The moment he pops his head out he sees one of the riders trying to surround Quorthos.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
He points at the rider.
"Only by his color you should be able to tell the he uses fire."
Tural stands up and uses a ward on himself. The moment he does so he grows larger and looks fiercer.
Mavor's shout is loud enough to wake all of you up.
The man who tried to get behind Quorthos glances at the other when Tural addresses him.
"Don't," the man who addressed Quorthos tells him. "These gentleman don't seem to appreciate it."
The latter turns back to you, while looking at Tural in particular. "Please do forgive him. He used to be a town guard, and some habits die hard when dealing with strangers. Anyway, could you tell me where you're headed, if I may be so bold to ask?"
Though the man phrases his question friendly, he fails to give off a trustworthy impression.
"Your question sounds like a demand. If we know the reason you would like to know we might be more cooperative. Currently you seem very hostile towards us."
He glances behind them and looks back at them.
"Though the fact that you left most of your men behind makes the situation a little better. I am Tural by the way."
The man nods. "I apologize. I realize we make a rather bad impression."
"My name's Olivier. My companions and I are headed south. You also headed there, or did you come from that direction?"
"We came from the south several days earlier. We are heading back now." He glances up at the man.
"Would you mind dismounting? My neck is straining a bit."
No matter if the dismounts or not Tural continues talking.
"Be warned though. Last time we left Korvosa people were getting sick by the dozen. And that was only the start of the epidemic we understood."
"I see. Well we're heading south, but we may want to avoid Korvosa then."
Olivier starts turning his horse around. "I'm afraid I cannot stay any longer. It's about time we leave, and you probably want to rest some more. Have a nice day, when it comes!"
"Come," Olivier tells the other man, and they both return to their group. The group resumes their way south, Olivier at the front.
Those without shift return to bed and what remains of the night passes uneventfully. The next morning you all feel dandy as you wake up.
Baer gets out of bed and stretches while the others talk. She wonders about the rudeness of encroaching on campsites without being invited. Mostly she's just annoyed that someone would wake her up.
Then she settles back down to sleep, muttering some choice words about the jerks that just left.
In the morning, she is ready to continue on.
Mavor eats something and looks wary as the riders continue on southward.
"What do you suppose they were looking for? Trouble no doubt, but what kind specifically? They were not looking for Trinia I think, they would have been going the other way in that case. Anyone seen any crests or arms upon their armour?"
Mavor says while chewing on some hard tack and flushing it eventually with two large gulps of water.
"Maybe the ones who sent the ship, are aiming for more than just Korvosa?"
Denario's tone is somewhat a mix between a joke and a serious suggestion.
Baer shakes her head. Not only does she not know, she doesn't care.
Baer packs up her stuff.
Quorthos apparently doesn't react at all, but luckily his companions' light sleeping and lightning-quick reflexes take care of the situation without any need for him.
Tural wakes again in the morning and feels refreshed.
"They looked like ordinary highwaymen to me."
He makes some breakfast and also prepares some lunch for on the road. After that he shoulders his pack and is ready to leave.
"I hope they don't try to sneak up on us again."
As you continue your journey you notice the sky gets cloudier by the minute. It starts raining at noon, and you soon find yourselves in the middle of a storm. Considering you're in the middle of an open field you have little choice but to press on.
The range of your sight's drastically reduced by the weather, but when a bolt of lightning lights up the sky you see a carriage standing still about fifty feet in front of you. You're facing the back of the carriage. A lone figure stands next to the carriage, which appears to have slipped off the side of the road with one wheel, and pushes against its side.
Quorthos wipes the rain from his eyes and makes sure his companions have also seen the wagon. Nasty night to get stuck... I'll give him a hand." He advances to the carriage, and calls out to the figure. "Need some help?" he half-shouts over the wind and rain.
Baer nods, looking at Quorthos.
"You are right, Boy. We should help," Baer agrees, walking forward. Rain slickers off her hair and face. Stopping some measure away, she shouts to the figure, joining Quorthos in raised voice.
Tural seems to grow as he gets watered... No wait...?
"Yes we should help them. It looks like they could use some muscles."
He walks with the others towards the carriage.
"We mean no harm! We are here to help you."
He calls as they close the distance, whilst walking over there he tries to tap everyone to ward them against any attack.
Denario had put up the hood of his outfit, as it started raining.
When i thought of washing away brooding thoughts, i didn't think the weather would be mocking us.
"If between you three he hasn't heard, something's wrong with his hearing as well."
Denario approaches with the rest, but doesn't approach too much yet.
"Maybe he heard and doesn't want to hear us. Let's just see what is up and if they need help. Stay on your guard though Denario, I've seen my fair share of tricks being used to mug people."