Sildur took notice of Hitomi's glow but decided not to make mention of it.
Thorn nods at the question and leads them to the blacksmith though he shrugs in response to Ionnia with a grin.
"We'll find out what's happening and get back to you Elder. Don't trust me but trust them. They're good."
While the rest goes to the blacksmith, Thorn waits outside, deciding to purchase some other arrows when the others are done. Pondering Yuln's story, he wonders if the fey are the harbringers of what to come.
You enter the smithy and it looks as many other you have seen. There is a large forge in the back of the building, with a roaring fire. Pieces of metal and large barrels of liquid are placed around the edges of the room. Central to the room is an iron anvil, which is being worked by a man in a thick leather apron. You hear a semi-rhythmic clang as the smith's hammer hits a piece of metal he is working with. Another person, a young lady, is working the bellows on the forge.
The right hand side of the shop (as viewed from the entrance) has a collection of tools, farm implements, and weapons hung on racks. There is a suit of banded armor displayed prominently on a mannequin.
As you enter, the smith looks up and says happily, "Welcome to Isker's Smithy. I'm Isker. What can I do for you visitors?"
Sildur takes in the various items on display, "Well met Isker, I am Sildur and these are my companions. We've come to see if you have any cold iron weapons squirreled away somewhere in these racks?"
Dru paces at the door to the smithy, clearly wary of the noise coming from within.
Isker furrows his brows and looks at you oddly, "That is not a request that I hear every day. Give me a few moments to look around."
Isker spends a few minutes digging around his shop and returns to you with an assortment of items. He puts them on a small counter near the front of the shop. Isker smiles and waves his hand over the counter, "It seems you are in luck, Sir. Cold iron is not exactly common but I have a few items left over from an order that I got shorted on a few months ago."
You see a dagger, short sword, and a battle axe. All of the edges or metal areas have the dull black look of cold iron.
Letting you see the 3 weapons, Isker than lays a small package on the table. "Those weapons are all common. They are well made, yes, but they have no special abilities. These, however, " he says as he unwraps the package, "are magical sling bullets, made of cold iron. They can be quite devastating against a vulnerable target."
"Do you like what you see? "he asks.
Rikael gives an approving Hmmmmm when he sees the weapons, and looks at the group around him.
Well made, no doubt about that. What are your prices? Surely weapons of this quality can't be cheap...
Sildur looks over the items with a slight frown, "Well, we're lucky to be afforded any options. I'll agree with the lady on the dagger, the other two are a little outside my expertise. I have no doubt the bullets would serve us well but I'm fairly certain such powerful weapons are beyond our means. It's a shame really, I can only imagine they would prove useful in rescuing the Lady Argentea..."
Urga nods approvingly at the weapons, "Someone should take the short sword and battle axe. I already have a cold iron dagger."
Isker looks a little bit dejected, "Surely you don't think me an opportunist. My prices are fair and the same for everybody. I am asking 4 gold for the dagger, 20 gold for the short sword or the battle axe, and 75 gold per sling bullet. I think you will find that as good as any across the country. "
My friend, I would love to buy it all, however, the life of a wandering adventurer isn't full of riches. I'll have to make do with what I have, and this sword from another man named Yuln. He was injured while defending the noble lady who was passing through, and tipped us off to the need of cold iron weapons. Seems that we'll need them while we try to rescue her.
Rikael gives the man his most charming smile, hoping to drop the price somewhat.
Isker shakes his head slightly, "I understand gold is precious, we all feel that way. I have people who depend on me as well. If you can't buy any of this stuff outright, I'd offer you a trade, if it helps your situation. For that sword, I'd trade you the dagger, either the short sword or the battle axe, and a quiver full of arrows or crossbow bolts. "
"Does that help you out at all?" he asks.
Sildur looks slightly confused, "You have other cold iron ammunition hidden about Isker? That would certainly improve our situation."
You mean Yuln's sword? I cannot trade it, for it is not mine to trade. He gave it to me only to exact vengeance on those who injured him and to rescue the noble lady.
He shakes his head sorrowfully.
However, trading it would benefit us as a whole. What do you guys think I should do?
He takes a swig of ale from his flask.
Sildur shakes his head, "I'm afraid master Ashenstone is correct. The sword is not ours to trade. I think we will have to satisfy ourselves with the dagger for the time being.
He produces the 4gp to pay for the dagger and hands it to Isker.
Sildur then looks at Agatha, "Would you mind if I took the dagger for the time being? I'm a fair hand with the right sort of weapons."
Isker takes the money and hands you the cold iron dagger in a used but well made and maintained sheath. "Pleasure doing business with you," he says. "If you change your mind, I suppose that the other weapons will be here."
Sildur nods in gratitude to both Isker and Agatha before looking to the others, "Well I think that about covers it. I think we'd best be on our way, don't you think?"
Thorn waits outside, mentally running through the rough layout of his home. The forest he hopes hasn't changed too much.
Rechecking his equipment and purchasing a set of arrows once the rest are out, making a quick entry and purchase before rejoining the party.
Rikael follows Thorn, an excited bounce in his step.
So, this is it then? Is everyone ready?
He looks at the group, a smile on his face and a shine in his eye.
Well, let us be off on an adventure, one like the stories you read to children!
Sildur adjusts his cloak, taking a deep breath of the fresh air now that he is back outside the smithy.
He looks over at Rikael's comment, "I'll admit I'm anxious to be off but judging from Yuln's injuries, I'm not certain this will be much like a children's story..."
I won't argue there, Sildur. I'm hoping the fey we run into won't be too difficult to overcome.
Urga shrugs at Rikael and Sildur, "As long as I get to smash some heads, I'm happy."
He then turns northward and sniffs the air,"The sky is darkening. I smell winter in the air. We had better be leaving soon."
"We good?"
Without much ado, Thorn leads the group off towards where Yuln said they were attacked. His instincts moving him away from the party by 10 feet, his senses on alert as the spirits give him space to do what he needs to do.
Sildur offers his skills to help Thorn with the tracking.
As does Rikael.
The group leaves Heldren with in Thorn the lead, following the tracks from the merchant wagons. Shortly after leaving town, the tracks from the wagons leave the road and continue in a south-westerly direction. The tracks are easy to follow, being new and having no other traffic to confuse things.
After an hour or more of traveling, Thorn comes across a large area of matted grass, footprints, and signs of activity. It looks like the wagon train stopped here for a short while and several people dismounted.
The tracks from the wagons head west. There is a smaller set of tracks, like those made by a single person, that head to the southeast.
It is noticeably cooler here than it was in Heldren.
Local time is about 300pm.
Temperature is in the mid-50's and wind is calm.
Urga looks for any signs of battle.
Perception:
"Could this have been Yuln splitting off?"
Sildur hunches low over the tracks, frowning, "I imagine this is where the merchants picked up Yuln. We should be able to follow his path back to the site of the attack."
There are no blood marks, pieces of broken equipment, or bodies. You do not think there has been a battle here.
I think you're right, Sildur. I don't think the battle was here. There would be blood, and bodies. I'm sure Yuln took a few fey with him. We should follow those tracks back to where he was attacked.
He draws his rapier, and straps his buckler to his arm. After taking a swig of his ale, he nods to Thorn and Sildur.
After you, friends.
"Yes, you are right Sildur. Let's follow the foot path."
Hitomi continues with the group, staying quiet while keeping an active watch out for anything of the ordinary after seeing the foot prints.
"Hmmm. Let me study this a moment."
Thorn leans over and studies the tracks but for a moment.
"Well friends, I think I got it. Should be right along this way."
Lifting up his head, senses alert, Thorns bounces off on the trial. Alert for any danger, silently makinghis way through the path.
Thorn continues to lead the way across the countryside, keeping ahead of the rest of the group. What you assume to be Yuln's path is easy to follow. There are many spots where he fell, only to get back up and continue in the direction he was going. As you travel south easterly, the air gets cooler and cooler.
After some travel, Yuln's path gets closer and closer to a road. You get to within a few hundred yards of the road and you can see what is a battle or massacre site. The area ahead is littered with debris and the corpses of slain humans and horses. A carriage stands in the roadway, its team of horses missing or cut free, while another overturned carriage lies sprawled and broken next to the tree line. To the south, more bodies have fallen around what appears to be a statue of ice. The area is covered with a light dusting of snow and snowy trail leads deeper into the forest.
Local time is about 400pm.
Temperature is in the low 40's and wind is calm.
Thorn strikes up a path and makes his way down to the site of battle, taking note of the way the bodies are lain and checking to see if any other dangers are around.
Urga scans the perimeter of the battle site looking for anything that may be hiding in the woods.
Perception:
He then checks the bodies for signs of life.
Perception:
If there are no signs of danger, he moves to carriage A, with his weapon ready, "Let's check the carriages for survivors."