Epic Rise of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master nate lange

"Agreed. Victoria, would you care to join me for a bite to eat and a drink? Justinius asks, frustrated about trying to solve a puzzle with so few pieces. Weather she joins him or not, he returns to the common room and spends the next few hours there. On the way, he cleans up leftover damage with a lay hands. He has a few drinks, knowing they will be his last for a few days, and a small meal, picking Victorias brain about whats been going on.
lay hands: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 3, 5, 5) = 19

"Do you often head for bed around supper time?" she asks the Hellknight with a raised brow.

"Ah, see now, Justinius has the right idea. Dinner and drinks. Though we should wait for Jim before leaving. He said he went off to see about the magical items."

The attendant stops in his tracks when he sees Jim standing in the hallway and asks, "Can I help you, sir?"

"Me? No, I'm jus' dandy. Touring the facilities, as it were." Jim gives the attendant a reassuring smile. "Ye run a pretty tight ship, t' be sure, an' that's comin' from a hero o' Sandpoint.

"Keep up the good work, 'n I'll be sure I mention ye t' the father."

Jim walks off down the hall, peering into ceiling corners and running his finger across the top of a door jamb, inspecting it for dust. He gives the attendant an approving nod and a "thumbs up" before disappearing around a corner.

I'm itchin' t' see about this pantry portal, but if'n I'm gone too long one of' them do-rights'll be lookin' after me. Best save that fer another day.

Jim makes his way back to the church's entry hall, looking to see if any of his new partners still linger on the grounds.

"Speaking of Jim,"Justinius says as Jim rounds the corner"We're headed back to the Rusty Dragon for dinner and a few drinks."
and mabye a crackling fire to rid me of the chill from that crypt
"Care to join us? It may be a while before we have a bar to belly up to again."

Graverattler smiles at Jim's return, holding in a sigh at the prospect of yet more food. Do these people do nothing but eat and drink? I shall grow fat and soft if I linger too long in this town. Good thing to get back to unspoiled lands tomorrow.

"With good fortune, you will be correct, Justinius. The open sky calls my spirit. In that hope, I will subject myself to your revelries." She smiles wider, playing with the young man a bit.

Justinius is only too happy to return the smile, he is no stranger to being treated as the youngster and almost enjoys the role. "In our culture, the act of sharing a meal and drinks together helps to build bonds and friendships that become vital durring the chaos of combat. Also, I enjoy the pleasure of your company. If your example is any indication, your people are both genuine and passionate, and I would love to learn more about them."

With the group regathered again, Avaria sets off back out the main doors and into the streets. "No last minute stops on the way back to the inn?" she asks curiously.

Avaria herself, regardless of any stops the others make, will head right back to the inn on the off chance Ludo will show up for dinner.

"Not unless we see a turtle!"

The lights are on and the sounds of friendly voices and clinking glasses float out from the Rusty Dragon as the five adventurers make their way back to the inn. As the door swings open and they walk in everyone inside suddenly falls strangely silent. After one awkward moment some murmurs begin among those gathered there.

The same young barmaid who was there when they left scurries over and directs them to a large table that has been kept empty. As the heroes sit the barmaid anxiously, and with some embarrassment, asks, "What did you discover in the cemetery?"

Victoria walks into the common room, metal-clad feet thumping on the floor as she approaches the barmaid. She stops suddenly, perhaps a hand-span too close for comfort to the young lade, and looks down. "Something needed our attention. Sharing specifics would be the prerogative of Sheriff Hemlock or Father Zantus. I will honor their trust." Her voice, as always, is hollow and slightly muffled behind her helm. She stares for a moment. "Tea, please."

She ambles to a table and raps her polearm on the floor, causing it to shrink to the size of a dagger. She secures the baton to her side and takes a seat. "Please, Justinius, take a seat beside me. I typically eat lightly for dinner, but your company will be appreciated all the same. I sleep fitfully after a large meal. What did you want to know? I will answer what I can."

Jim ignores the barmaid’s question with a wave of his hand and a scowl, leaving the explanations to the Hellknight, and seats himself facing the inn’s entrance at a table next to the bar.

”I agree with ye, ‘Rattler – I’ll be happy t’ be back on the job t’morrow. Soft livin’ don’t agree with Zenovia ‘n’ me.”

Justinius takes the seat offered by Victoria, trying to ignore the uncomfortable attention. "Thank you" he says, ordering ale and game pheasant. "The lack of any possible leads seems strange to me. Justinius whispers.
"Father Tobyn seems to have had no enemies, yet there is suspicion surrounding the fire and no clues as to the theft of his body. I have limited experiance with crime like this, but then, there was an overabundance of suspects, not a lack of them. Father Zantus does not seem like a naive man, but for someone who should have the most pieces, he seems the most...puzzled. I was hoping you might have more dealings with things like this, and could spot a lead I may have missed."

"Indeed, Jim, it seems we have shared the open sky's mixed blessings in our separate travels. My limited understanding of sea voyages tells me the sea mirrors the sky's moods quite frequently. Such a life as you've lived undoubtedly makes a man harder." She smiles appreciatively.

To the staff, she says "Perhaps some tea and a bit of bread." as she seats herself. To the inquiring questions and looks, she shrugs with a referential wave towards the Hellknight. It seemed awkward enough the whole place was full of people who knew about the existence of something Zanthus apparently wanted kept quiet.

The barmaid blushes a deep purply-red when Victoria dismisses her and the others ignore her question completely. She stammers, "I'm sorry, I didn't... it's just, you were so outspoken about... I didn't mean to pry; pardon me please."

Some of the other patrons snicker at her obvious discomfort and she seems more than a little relieved when the orders come. "I'll bring a whole pot of tea and a plate of scones. I'm not sure if we have any pheasant but Ameiko made amazing yellow curry potatoes with onion and wild boar for the special if anyone would like to try that?" After Justinius replies, and the others have the option to if they desire, she scurries back to the kitchen.

Avaria glances around the gathered faces, trying to suppress a laugh. Seems the Hellknight's bossy manner was drawing unwanted attention to the matters the Priest had wanted under wraps.

And here i thought I was going to be the one to struggle to keep my mouth shut.

[b]"I'll hold off on supper to see if my guest arrives. If not, then in a few hours I'd adore such a meal.

"Do not worry yourself, my dear." Justinius says says when she returns, trying to sound comforting. "Father Zantus and Sheriff Hemlock are good and capable men. They will handle these issues as best as they are able"
Sense motive to see if she believes they are 'good men'.
sense motive: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
questions to follow if she has doubt about their abilities or motives

"You honor me, Sir Redarm. It is true that the Hellknights are investigators as much as they are defenders. I have led many investigations, questioned many suspects, and prosecuted many cases. Thought, to be honest, they were of a nature quite different than this situation. The Order of the Gate is charged with rooting out supernatural threats to civilization, and stamping out cabals of druid terrorists and doomsday cultists does not easily translate to our present case. However, the framework is the same. You have a crime. Crimes must be committed by an actor. That actor has motivations and goals. Physical evidence and witness testimony may reveal the actor. Identifying the benefit of the crime may reveal the actor. Intense scrutiny and questioning can elicit a confession Sometimes they resist and must be convinced..." Her eyes glaze somewhat and she stares at the table. After a beat, she sniffs and continues. "Confessions lead to resolution, or to other actors. In this case, our primary actor is unidentified. We have secondary actors -- the giants -- who do not have clear motive other than general looting. That is no reason to risk life and limb when outlying farms can provide provender and sport. No, something else convinced them to risk an attack on a large and well-defended city. Given the intrusion into the crypt below the cathedral and the theft of the body of Father Tobyn, we can deduce that the attack was a ruse to draw attention. Given that, we come to a portentous question -- What is so important about the body of Father Tobyn that it can lead to the uniting of disparate stone giant tribes, their coordinated assault on Sandpoint, and the sacrifice of one of their chief captains? Given the fact that other bodies in the crypt belonged to equally notable holy men, it must be that the theft involved the personage of Father Tobyn. This leads me to believe that someone involved in his mysterious death five years ago in the conflagration is also involved in the recent corpse theft, either as a primary or secondary actor. Why would our primary actor need the body of Father Tobyn? Is there some divine or arcane ritual that requires it? What will be accomplished by this ritual? There are very few uses for a dead body that do not involve its use as a ritual component."

She takes a drink of the tea when it arrives. "In the morning, we must check and see if the priests have learned anything from the bodies of the giants. If not, then investigating the holds of the giants would be the next logical step. Perhaps capturing a scout alive and asking the right questions."

"Druid terrorists?" Graverattler mutters under a piece of bread as she stuffs it in her mouth. She listens to the rest, nodding her head in agreement, until after Victoria's drink.

"We have plans for tomorrow, in case you've forgotten. I'm sure Aldern will understand if we're not unreasonably delayed. And, if you want answers, you could start by helping me look for the turtle, who was actually involved in the attack, and may have more knowledge about the attack than a random scout from a nearby tribe. Of course, by now, the turtle could be anywhere, so maybe not." She shakes her head in frustration, then pounds a fist on the table "Druid terrorists?" she demands.

"Sir Redarm"? I'm no more a Knight then Graverattlers turtle....though I suppose I should get used to such formalities if I continue down this path.....
"Perhaps,in my youth, I am simply not giving the problem the patience it requires.

Jim glances at Graverattler at her outburst, then looks over at Victoria.

”It ain’t me job t’ be stickin’ me nose in the sheriff’s business. ‘Tis in fact me job t’ go huntin’ with Foxglove, on account o’ him plannin’ t’ pay me ‘n all. Now I don’t exactly know what it is a hellknight does, but if ye think I’m about t’ go steppin’ on the toes o’ the local law out o’ some sense o’ civic duty, ye’ve misread me disposition.

”Though if that’s yer plan, ye might want t’ start with talkin’ t’ that angry ol’ coot ye was tryin’ so hard t’ ignore b’fore – seems t’ me he was a li’l too angry at us fer savin’ this town, ‘n a li’l too anxious t’ be pullin’ up stakes ‘n movin’ on, given his standin’ 'round these parts.”

The barmaid does her very best to be unobtrusive when she sets down the tea and scones and scurries off while everyone is talking.

As tempers begin to flare up Ameiko seems completely willing to intrude. Arriving at the table with a large serving platter of curried potatoes and boar, and a pitcher of ale, she helps herself to an empty chair. "I know this is unnecessary," she begins with a wink to Jim, "but please allow me to finally be a gracious host and welcome you. I am Ameiko Kaijitsu and this Rusty Dragon is mine, free and clear. I know it's not much compared to some of the fine lodging houses of Magnimar, let alone Absalom, but it's warm and the food's good, and you are all most welcome here. Thank you for your service to our small city."

Lowering her voice as she ladles curry onto her own plate she continues, "The sheriff is a man of integrity and more than able to overcome nearly any threat that comes up here, but a coordinated giant attack like that would have been devastating if it wasn't for your help."

Handing off the ladle to whoever wants it, she returns to her normal speaking voice. "I apologize my father's outburst earlier. He was furious when I left the comforts of his home to take up adventuring, and when I came back and opened the inn instead of crawling back to him it pissed him off even more. He still wants to make all my decisions for me... sorry, I'm getting carried away, the point was I'm sorry you had to witness that. Though, he's always had that quick sour temper, that's not anything new since the attack."

"Now, you're all from out of town--some from further than others--what would you like to know about our fair city?"

"Thank you for joining us Ameiko,you honor us with your time, I know that you are very busy. Your fathers ire seemed very....punctuated last night. Was there some new development that caused the urgency of his outburst?
Justinius will try hard to be cautious and tactful, But, (having not had parents) he isnt sure about how that dynamic works.
"Did your father have a problem with the building of the new temple? Or perhaps the leadership of the town?

Ameiko frowns slightly when the conversation quickly turns back to her family. "My father is the town leadership... I mean, there's the mayor, yes, but mayors come and go but the four families and their heads always stay the same. He didn't have any objections to the Cathedral, though, he knew it would bring more commerce. More crowds too, I'm sure he wasn't excited about that but no, he probably could have stopped the whole thing if he really wanted to."

"Is there anything else you'd like to hear about?"

"After the fire that killed Father Tobyn, did anyone of note disappear? Has there been any cultish activity or accusations of black magic in the last 5 years? ...and why are there no game birds on the menu?....

...She shakes her head in frustration, then pounds a fist on the table "Druid terrorists?" she demands.

"Yes, terrorists, if you must know. I led a contingent of Armigers to the Backar Forest in southern Molthune. A circle of druids were targeting frontier settlements. They had sent warnings to loggers and farmers to stay away from their woods. That isn't unusual, being druids and all, but their methods set them apart. After their warnings were ignored, perhaps for a fortnight, they attacked. They came in the night. They descended on small villages, polymorphed the inhabitants into dumb beasts, and set fire to their buildings and fields. All of them. Men, women, and children. Some of the villagers, now animals, were used in haruspicy." Victoria's voice becomes quiet, and she flexes a fist as she recalls. "We caught one of them. A fat and slow little man. He was likely new to their circle and still had the soft body of a scholar. I'm sure he had joined them out of some misguided philosophical idealism. I broke him. I broke him as thoroughly as a man can be broken in a single night. We let him die of shock, tied to a tree. We used the information he gave us to find the rest of their circle. We did not take prisoners." She unclenches her fist. "We dispelled the enchantments on the villagers that we could find. The rest we buried. Five young men and women joined the Hellknights. Three made it through basic training. One died on a mission, and the other two are now Armigers. I think of that little village cemetary every time I see them."

She takes a drink of tea. "Did you have a problem with my choice of words?"

Ameiko frowns slightly when the conversation quickly turns back to her family. "My father is the town leadership... I mean, there's the mayor, yes, but mayors come and go but the four families and their heads always stay the same. He didn't have any objections to the Cathedral, though, he knew it would bring more commerce. More crowds too, I'm sure he wasn't excited about that but no, he probably could have stopped the whole thing if he really wanted to."

"Is there anything else you'd like to hear about?"

"Is Lord Foxglove always so... gregarious? Or is it these remarkable circumstances?"

"I am sorry for the painful circumstances you have had to endure Victoria. I am sure that you endevor to do the right thing durring these difficult times. Disputes over land can be very sticky when religion and livlyhood are at odds." Justinius says quietly, while trying to wrap his mind around the tale.
"The Hellknights seem like they are not slow to wrath. That can be a great asset in the face of injustice. But there are also other tools avaivable to the wise." Justinius continues.
"In the temple I grew up in (some years before I was born), there was a stable boy. Poor and slow to work, with little interest in the world around him. He had been in small bits of trouble before, but one night he stole some meat from a burnt offering. Temple leaders were infuriated, the boy would have been whipped and thrown out of the city if not for the quiet voice of one monk. It was decided that the monk would recieve the lashes while the boy watched. A price had to be paid for the theft. The monk then took the boy in and shared his room and meals with him."
Justinius pauses for a bite of his meal and to let Victoria think.
Then continues "When I first heard this story, I expected it to end with what the boy had become, what great deeds he had done. But no more is said of the boy. The point of the story is that mercy can be its own end, its own goal. The choice to be merciful is not right because of what happens next, the choice is right because it is mercy."
sorry, it was a shorter story in my head

Ameiko watches Graverattler and Victoria with some concern as the conversation turns back toward the volatile discourse which she had interrupted. Trying to aid Justinius in deflecting the two from their course toward discord she offers, "I suspect we've probably all seen undeserving people treated horribly by those we call our enemies..."

"Let's remember, and rejoice," she says raising her mug, "that there are no such enemies right here right now."

She seems relieved when the questions start up again. "No, there haven't been any signs of cults or dark magic since... well, since the late unpleasantness," she answers Justinius.

When Victoria asks about Aldern she lets out a little chuckle, "Always. That man knows how to make his presence felt. The boar he casually brought in? The locals called it Irontusk, it was something of a legend for some of the hunters who would exchange stories about how close they got to bringing him down. Aldern swaggered in here and dropped him off with hardly a word, knowing full well that word would get around. Meanwhile I'll be serving boar all week trying to use the thing up before it turns."

She takes a drink of tea. "Did you have a problem with my choice of words?"

***Immediate response***

"I have several problems, both with your choices and your words. You call these men and women terrorists, yet it is your people who invaded their lands, destroyed their property, ignored their peaceful attempts at dissuasion for weeks. And then when the consequences came to bear fruit, you were sent in to hunt, torture, and murder every one of them for defending their homes, properties, and rights. And you call this poor soul you tortured to death misguided. If your masters left anything human in you, I pity it." Graverattler's face contorts with disgust.

****Response to Justinius/Ameiko****

"No, you are correct, we are not enemies. There is a vast gulf between our world views, and our people are enemies. But this does not mean that Victoria and I must be enemies now." Graverattler forces her face to relax for the sake of the others at the table. "And I suppose, Ameiko, if it will aid in insuring that the great Irontusk did not die for mere showmanship, I will have some of whatever meal you have prepared from his remains today." She adds in with a half-felt smile.

Just to make sure we're all on the same page- there's no jumping back and forth in time here. Victoria and Graverattler are arguing in front of Ameiko (and threatening to derail her attempt to be helpful) while her and Justinius try futilely to diffuse the situation.

Jim looks over to Avaria as the argument breaks out. It was obvious the archer had meant to say something, but even she couldn't seem to find the room to squeeze a word in edgewise.

Maybe we'll be the only two still interested in this hunt t'morrow. His eyes wander back to the two women angrily exchanging words over Ameiko's prattling attempts to mollify them. Interested, unimprisoned, 'n above ground, leastways.

Resting his hand on Zenovia's pommel, Jim sits back and waits to see how the argument plays out.

Avaria looks back and forth between the Shoanti woman and the Hellknight. At this point, she couldn't help but feel like the Hellknight was intentionally stepping on every set of toes possible. Usually, Avaria would have something to say, but what the Hellknight was spweing out was so grotesquely wrong she felt no need to back up Graverattler.

The way that Hellknight thing speaks of torture, it sounds like she thinks its an acceptable thing to use against people defending their homes! Disgusting!

She leans back and gives Ameiko a nod for dinner, forgetting about ludo for the time being in favor of sitting next to Graverattler and nodding along with her points against the Hellknight's actions and positions on them.

When it looks like Graverattler winds things down, Avaria clears her throat and opens her mouth, then promptly closes it again. She was going to take Jim's lead on this one.

Victoria shakes her head in disbelief. "The villagers were there first, Graverattler. You cannot build hamlets in a day. They were there for several years building and clearing land. They couldn't very well abandon their livelihood in a fortnight. Murdering entire families in their sleep does not qualify as 'defending your home.' Ever. I can't believe I have to say this... you blanch at torture, but find disemboweling children to be morally defensible? Duly noted."

She leans forward a bit. "Tell me, Graverattler, which was here first? Sandpoint, or the giants? Do you know?"

Ameiko forces a smile as she rises from the table. "Well, thank you for indulging my sense of responsibility as a hostess but I should probably get back to work. If there's anything you'd like stored while you're out with Aldern feel free to drop it at the bar tomorrow." With that she gives a nod and hurries off with the speed and purposefulness of an escapee.

V and G, you can continue with RP/argument posts if you want. Everyone else, is there anything you want to do before meeting Aldern in the morning? Avaria, you do have a response coming but at this point it will have to wait until tomorrow (IRL) before I can write it up.

no further questions your honor

"Thank you, Ameiko." Victoria calls out as their hostess leaves the table. She gives Graverattler a heavy look. "The next time you object to something I say, perhaps you should wait until we are out of polite company before forcing a confrontation."

"To be fair, one cannot force an argument by themselves. All she did was repeat your own words incredulously with disbelief in what I perceived as a need for clarification from a woman where the likes of you are considered to be a terrorist. I don't believe asking her to elaborate on whether or not she liked your words was you working to put off the situation. Rocks glass houses... Blah blah," Avaria blurts out, finally finding a place to butt in. "Anyways, assuming your views of the situation were portrayed with accuracy, something I have doubts about considering Hellknights have branches that have the specific jobs of purging knowledge that may lead to ideas and values that don't align with their strict and usually infernal views and others who pride themselves on erraticating local natives and their cultures under skewed and slanted positions on what civilization means---" Avaria pauses to catch her breath. "What was I getting at? Ah yes. From the sounds of it, in that situation you just painted for us, you were as much a terrorist as the ones you deemed as such."

As her rant winds down, Avaria appears to look relieved, like something that had deflated after too much pressure had built up. Almost like a drug addict who had finally got their fix. The sound of her own voice paired a need to state her opinions and participate in every conversation being the drug in this scenario.

She may have a bit of a problem.

Dinner is delicious, though a bit awkward. As the conversation begins to heat up again the barmaid nervously approaches Avaria with a letter, "Hama came back with this while you were eating."

If nobody posts any desired actions for after dinner or in the morning, my next post will be meeting Aldern at breakfast... Those who wish to remain at the table and continue 'discussing' can feel free to do so until then.

"Very well put, Avaria. Victoria, you speak of me approving the murder of families in their sleep, yet in your original story you say that the villagers were transformed into 'dumb beasts'. Though you cannot see it, I believe these druids were giving the villagers a chance to experience the natural world, to see the damages their activities were causing to the forest first hand. You had mentioned that some of the villagers were used for haruspicy, only now noting that these were children. To my knowledge, haruspicy is a form of divination used on sacrificial animals, wherein the animal is usually killed before the disemboweling. Perhaps this was also not the case here. Tell me, did you transform these bodies back into people, or is it possible the animals you found disemboweled were actually just that-animals?" she takes a drink, speaking more calmly than before. "I have witnessed what a Hellknight considers acceptable means of 'breaking' a person, and I very much find it more objectionable than a quick death. You say you broke this man and left him to die of shock, and that is vile to me."

She smiles, adding "As to which was here first between Sandpoint and the giants, the giants were here first, but before them even, the Shoanti roamed these lands. The giants were brought in by the Azghat as slave laborers. You all trespass on lands sacred to my people. Your city of Korvosa profanes one of our most holy sites in memory. The Hellknights there seek the eradication of my people, and killed my mother because of it. So, I hope you understand that it takes some effort to not consider you an enemy, and would ask that in the future, you consider your words in front of 'polite company' more wisely, and perhaps give a bit of consideration to a point of view which does not generate from your 'training'."

Justinius stays in the common room until about 1am. Then retires to his room to sleep for 2 hrs, prays from 3am to 4am. Then he goes back down and waits for the others to arrive. (not at all suprised if he sees Jim already there)

Jim picks at his teeth with a fingernail of his off hand, unperturbed by the war of words between the (now) three women. Sensing none of the others are in a hurry to eat, he reaches over and slides the platter to himself, then begins picking out the boar meat while taking a swig from the pitcher of ale.

Time t’ see if this ol’ stomach o’ mine has still got what it takes. By the larder of Ol’ Deadeye himself, I’d forgotten how good crisped fat tastes.

Jim will remain in the common room, eating and drinking his fill as a “last hurrah” before starting his new, albeit temporary, employment. At the end of the evening he will cast keep watch on himself and stay awake, lurking in a corner seat of the common room in the dark, as is his habit when ashore.

"Then why even help defend this town? Your opinions are predictable, Graverattler. As I'm fairly certain mine are to you. I may seem hard and cruel, but my hardness and cruelness has been necessary to protect many innocents. A few of them even you would agree are innocent." Victoria finishes her tea with a last sip and places her mug down on the table. "I will retire for the evening. Justinius, I would be happy to discuss this case at a later time. Perhaps in other company. Right now I need to rest for our hunt tomorrow." She retires to her room.

"Why? Because I am seeking new ways to honor the past while moving into the future. My people have no future if all we do is cling to past hatreds. We are outnumbered, driven to smaller and smaller scraps of our homelands. We may gain ground by fighting, but we will gain more by finding commonality with our Varisian neighbors. In addition, some of my people have settled here, and perhaps it was they I defended. In any case, rest well tonight, Victoria Whitesmith. Tomorrow brings fresh opportunities to challenge each others' predictions."

Graveratller spends quite a bit more time with Jim in the commons before retiring for her two hours of needed rest somewhere around three in the a.m. She marvels at his ability to pack away the pig, encourages a few more ditties from him if she can, and teaches him a few of the bawdier Shoanti drinking songs,

It may only be the second morning since the equinox but the days are definitely getting shorter and quite a few people are up and about when Aldern arrives shortly after the sun has risen. He stops at the bar for a moment, where he drops off a bag of coin, and then comes and seats himself at the table Jim has called home for the past 12 hours. "Good morning," he says warmly to everyone who is gathered there, "I've taken the liberty of ordering us breakfast. It would be a shame to miss our last opportunity for a real meal before we hit the road." It doesn't take long before things start arriving at the table: pots of coffee and tea, fried potatoes with mushrooms and onions, crispy cured boar bacon, eggs scrambled with garlic and herbs, and a tray of fresh pastries.

Aldern isn't shy about digging in to the food as it arrives, and encourages everyone else to do the same. When everyone has eaten their fill he leads them out into the alley by the stable where two wagons and half a dozen horses are waiting, along with four men in red cloaks. The barmaid from last night is there too, helping to load some packages into one of the wagons.

"Help yourselves to horses," Aldern offers, "or, if you don't ride, there should be some room in the wagons; we're traveling pretty light with nearly all of the Crimson Foxes staying here. From here we'll ride through the town's north gate and follow the Lost Coast Road for a day to the fields on the far bank of the Thistle River where we'll camp before heading into the Nettlewood tomorrow. By midday today we'll be into giant country, so we'll have to be cautious. Any questions before we leave?"

"Thank you for all the hospitality, Lord Aldern. If its all the same, I'll take a spot on the wagons." Justinius says. While eating light, he certainly enjoys the variety.

Avaria's morning was pleasant. She had gone to bed at a reasonable hour, gotten a decent sleep, and had woken naturally bright and early that morning. She primped polished herself up, donning finely made clothes more suited for hunting than her outfit she had worn to the festival.

She sat on her bed with her spellbook laid out in front of her, perusing the pages for some spells that would be useful in a variety of situations. She was really going to have to keep an eye on her hunting companions to see what spells she may have that would compliment their particular skills and abilities. For now, she'd have to go generic.

It didn't take long to pack her belongings for the trip; she kept most everything ready to go in her backpack as it was. She left a silver coin on her pillow for whoever came to clean her room then tossed her bag over her shoulder and headed downstairs.

"Ah, Aldern, I see you've taken the liberty of ordering for us!" she exclaimed when she came down to a stream of food already being laid out for the hunting party. She set her bag down and slid into a chair, dishing herself up some of the good eats.

"So how far do you expect to make it today? Will we reach our destination within the day, or do expect a longer journey there?"

~ ~ ~

Once breakfast has finished and they are out at the stables, Avaria takes a look over the horses. She inspects their ankles, ears, coats, etc... But of course never their mouth. You never look a gift horse in the mouth. She picks out a strong looking horse with a buckskin coloring as her own.

"Sure, I got on: this one got a name?" Avaria asks, gesturing to the horse she's currently swinging herself up on to.

"I will take a horse. As long as we avoid stunt riding, I should be fine." She climbs on top of her temporary steed.

Jim skips breakfast, shaking his head at Aldern's generous fare. "I've et more the past two days than I 'ave in years," he explains. "It's like t' upset me delicate constitution."

Outside he doesn't give the horses a second glance. "I best be stickin' t' the wagons as well; me polished charm don't work on horses as well as it does people. At the first sign o' trouble it'd be off t' the races fer me." Jim climbs into the wagon beside Justinius.

Graverattler shakes off the offer of more food. "Not to be impolite, but, like Rimy Jim indicated, I am unused to such opulent fairs. If we are to journey, I need to maintain the discipline of my own ways."

She inspects the horses. "Fine animals. I shall enjoy running with them." she says as she admires them. Neither hoof nor buckboard will carry her. As always, she carries herself. "Aldern, you are a most generous host. I hope you are not offended, but my ways are rather ingrained at times."

As she prepares for the journey, she places her goggles and helmet back on. The helmet bears three faces.