Round Two:
Invisible-Hiro draws Whispering Shrike as he moves to flank the sinspawn battling Eliaera. Without a sound, he slashes the wickedly sharp blade at the back of the creature's neck, blinking into visibility as the blade seeks its target.
Aiming carefully, Shalelu notches one arrow after another at the farthest sinspawn.
The farthest sinspawn drops, an arrow in its throat and one in its chest.
Looking to Amelius, she says "We must help Garridan. The rest can deal with the creature to the south."
Nodding frantically in agreement, Amelius draws familiar arcane gestures in the air before him, summoning a protective circle of energy to deflect any blows that threaten the sorcerer. Obeying Shalelu's suggestion, he then surges forward to the back side of the sinspawn engaged with Garridan, his spear raised before him in as threatening a posture as the scrawny young man can manage. As he approaches the loathsome beast, he calls out to Skitterfoot, not entirely sure of where the ratling is currently hiding, "Summon your rats on that one over there, Skitterfoot!" Amelius points the head of his spear towards the creature that remains beyond Garridan and his current foe.
Amelius moves next to Shalelu, clearly impressed with her prowess. He instructs Skitterfoot to summon a rat swarm, and he obliges, with a low 'hee hee.' as he does so.
Hiro and Eliaera flank the southernmost sinspawn. Eliaera's thrust goes wide, and Hiro just misses as the creature dodges the bard's blade and throws off his aim slightly.
Shalelu drops one of the sinspawn farthest from the group. There are two remaining.
vs. Garridan AC 19
vs. Eliaera AC 16
The bard is filled with thoughts of vengeance, pain, revenge and untempered wrath. Visions of horrific violence flash through her mind - charnel scenes of gore and suffering. A wrenching feeling in her gut and a pulsing headache make it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand...
The creatures now show they are not an idle threat - Garridan feels razor sharp claws rake across him, and Eliaera looks terrified as the creature slashes her with her claws and sinks its filthy teeth into her arm.
Garridan retaliates as he shouts out his battle cry, but it must take more than that to hit the creature. His sword swing misses by several inches.
Keeping a steady tempo, Ilir brought his weapon around at the beast once more. Vile things... Their claws looked sharp, and as the sinspawn lashed-out at his friends, Ilir returned the favor.
His blade grazed the creature, the strike not as well-made as before. The things were beginning to weird him, distracting him with their alien appearance.
Thin wisps of black hair begin to twitch and flail about almost of their own volition as Amelius hefts his spear once more; his laughably unsure posture seems to melt, replaced by a foreboding confidence, and is accompanied by a wicked scowl. Eyebrows suddenly seem fiercer and more pointed and a frown deeper than any that has been seen before flashes across his face. The air around the sorcerer's eyes seems to darken a bit as he spits through clenched teeth, "Verdiløs stakkarene bør kjenne sin plass! Rotte-ting; Skitterfoot den andre ikke hindrer oss eller du vil bli med dem i å bli flådd-sikre!." His speaking becomes booming and crude, certainly unbefitting the scrawny man they issue from.
Round Three:
Hiro blinks out of view for a second, only to reappear as he slices Whispering Shrike toward the sinspawn's neck.
Moving east Shalelu says quietly "Amelius, you damn fool. You're blocking my shot. He's a brave one, but so odd...
Seeing the sorcerer step in to flank, she shifts on her feet south and with her bow still in a firing position, takes advantage by firing off two arrows at the sinspawn.
"Rats!" she exclaims, though in the whirl of combat, it's not certain whether she is referring to the swarm of rodents that has appeared next to the sinspawn or the shot that missed.
The summoned rat swarm moves quickly, crawling over the sinspawn in between Garridan and Amelius. A cackle of glee can be heard over the din of combat...
"Hee hee! Swarm and devour, fear my power! Rats gnaw and chew, their meal is you! Hee hee!"
Eliaera cries out as the aberrant thing's teeth and claws rend into her flesh, sending sickening visions into her mind. She stumbles a half-step backwards, feeling an unnatural rage build inside of her, relishing in the visceral pleasure of bloody combat and furious hatred. She coughs back bile building in her throat and looks around wearily; she seemed to be seeing half her own vision and half that of a wrath-clouded veneer that dared her to join in.
Moving up alongside Ilir, Eliaera grits her teeth against the sickening feeling welling in her stomach and tries her best to provide what strategic information she can to the rest of her allies: "It seems to make you see horrific, gory visions," she calls out. "Be careful of its attacks and cut it down quickly!"
As Hiro and Ilir both combat the southern most sinspawn they finally succeed in bringing it down, Hiro using the finely crafted Whispering Shrike to deal a fatal blow.
Amelius, meanwhile shows that being a spellcaster is no excuse to not get into the thick of things. He uses his amazingly accurate spear to impale the creature between him and Garridan, but it still keeps up the attack on the armored figure in front of it.
Its bizarre jaws clamp down on nothing but air, and wicked claws scrape across the fighter's armor but do not damage the stalwart militiaman.
Garridan grunts as the claws rake at him, before launching an attack combination of his own, swinging both sword and shield at the hideous monster.
As their swordsman was in combat with the last creature alive, Ilir saw fit to help his ally. Moving around to the final oppoenent as best he could, the paladin had his glaive at the ready.
Ilir moves quickly to aid the fighter, who manages to land a solid blow with his shield. Between the summoned swarm, Amelius's savvy spear work, and Shalelu's archery prowess, they combine to take the final monster down.
As you investigate the large mound that served as the lair for the group of sinspawn, what you see is disturbing. The flensed skulls of numerous victims have been arranged at seven points inside the mound, which is also strewn with detritus and offal from several once living victims. The remains are unidentifiable at this point, and a search only reveals a few gold pieces, a half dozen silver pieces and a few coppers.
However, the corpse the sinspawn were 'attending' to when you first encountered them has been strangely preserved by the peat soil of the swamp. A longsword still rests in a scabbard, of exquisite make and quality - also preserved remarkably well, and a dirty, yet functional shield of similar quality is still strapped to the deceased man's back. Judging from the preserved clothes and insignia, at least one of you recognizes that this man was one of means. A coin pouch is also preserved, and there are 3 pp and 42 gp within, as well as some gemstones - a blue sapphire, a golden yellow topaz, and a star rose quartz.
A journal, tightly wrapped in oiled canvas, is intact. It is written in Taldan (common), and the name on the inside cover, engraved on a brass plate reads "Ilwyn Barristan". There are a number of entries that detail his exploration of the environs near here, and the dates put the journal at nearly sixty years old. The last entry is of particular interest.
7 Calistril 4631
I have gone to find her. Our falling out has not affected my concern for her safety, and while she is perfectly happy hunting the creatures of the wild, I know only the comforts of city life. Our chance meeting may have meant nothing to her, but I was forever changed. So I set out into the swamps and rises of Varisia to track down the elf girl, if I can. She will call me a fool, to be certain. But perhaps she will see just how much I want to be with her. My life will have no meaning going forward unless she either accepts me or rejects me. I will find you, and we shall be together once more.
"Let me see that."
Reading the words of the journal, Shalelu looks blankly at the preserved corpse, then looks at it again, re-reading the entries.
Saying nothing, she turns from the body and walks away, the journal still held in her hand.
"That sword and shield are probably valuable, and most likely enchanted," she says, turning abruptly. "He has no use of them, he never did."
Softly, almost too quietly to hear, she says "Namari, quel esta."
Farewell, Rest well.
"Um, are you- are you alright?" Garridan asks Shalelu, his face concerned.
Not accustomed to hearing his father's tongue spoken, it took Ilir a moment to reconcile the Elven with its meaning. A girl then, she was? It seemed a small world.
It seemed they knew each other in some way before, and death couldn't be easy for her - regardless of how long she'd been around. When a kind life is cut short, the beauty of the world is lessened. Giving Shalelu a moment to respond to Garridan, Ilir suggested. "We should inform his parents if they are in the town, perhaps bring his remains there. A proper burial after the time he was missing may put them at ease."
"Well done, vermin. Now return to your perch, and disperse that unsightly knot of plagueborn menaces." Amelius catches himself after having given the command, and his brow furrows. He shakes his head twice, as if trying to disperse water from his unkempt, black hair. Dark, congealed blood remains caked on the tip of his spear, and Amelius sets to trying to remove the stains by swiping the spear tip on particularly thick tufts of grassy reeds and the muddy patches of bog around the sinspawn's lair. "That is, I... uh... if you want to, Mr. Skitterfoot." What on Golarion was that? The green-clad sorcerer glances his reflection in the stilling, muddy waters before him. He could almost swear the reflection was grinning back at him.
Though obviously aghast at whatever compulsion had conquered him during the thick of the fighting, Amelius' own panic is overtaken by concern for Shalelu. He takes a step forward as if to ofter a consoling word or two, but ultimately perishes the thought when he concludes he has nothing to offer. Words failing him, he can only choke out a half-hearted appraisal of Shalelu's prowess in the recently won fight. "Thanks for covering our tails back there. We... or I, maybe... just not sure it would have went as well without you here. Speaking of here, maybe we should stop being here and find a nice there to be instead."
As the rest of the group moves to investigate the sinspawn nest, Eliaera stumbles off to the side and empties the contents of her stomach in a brush somewhere; so much for breakfast! She appears rather pale-faced for some time thereafter, but at least feels the aching nausea soon fade away. She takes a long swig from her waterskin and leans up against the mound, breathing slowly as the others dig up a mysterious diary. Eliaera listens quietly as someone else reads it out, doing little but arch a brow at Shalelu's rather brusque reaction to it.
At Ilir's suggestion, Eliaera pipes up from her position on the far side of the mound. "Didn't you say it was written something like 60 years ago? His family is likely to have gone to the next life by this time... Although giving him a burial probably isn't a bad idea. Perhaps when we do the same for Tsutamu and his retinue?"
Once her sickness has finally quelled, Eliaera takes a look at the enchanted sword and shield they recovered, as well as the gemstones.
Turning to look at Garridan, Shalelu says "It's not something I want to talk about...at least not right now. We have a long journey ahead of us - perhaps I will tell you about it later. For now, it seems this threat has been dealt with. I think...I think some time away from Sandpoint would be a good idea."
"If you want to perform proper rites and burial, then I won't stop you. This man - Ilwyn - I did know him. He is from Magnimar. I do not know if he has any surviving kin."
Looking as though she might be at the breaking point of supressing her emotion, she turns once again and walks off.
Attending to the mysterious body that Shalelu seemed to know in life feels strange, especially with her choosing not to attend its burial. ONce that is done, you travel to the caverns with no incident, and are able to bury the bones of the crew and retainers of the Kaijitsu ships, hopefully to rest eternally.
As you return to the Lost Coast Road, you see Shalelu, sitting underneath a tree, staring off at the horizon. She gets up as she sees you approaching - it is now late afternoon.
"My friends, I want to apologize. I feel that even though I may not want to share the details of the...acquaintance of mine we discovered back there, I know that humans are curious by nature - and I owe my friends a little more."
"Ilwyn was a good person, but he didn't have any sense - neither did I, at that time. When my father was murdered, I went out looking for the assassin - myself. I was young, even by elf standards, and I was impetuous when I left my mother, Seathia, in Crying Leaf. I can only assume he went after me - followed me all the way to the coast. I made my way in the wilderness, learned how to fight, and the skills of the ranger, but Ilwyn did not have the inclination - he was a man of the city, and met his end here. I feel partly responsible, and guilty."
"My friends, don't ever risk your lives foolishly on my behalf. I have had more than my share of pain, and I don't need any more."
Looking at all of you in turn, she finally smiles. "You all have made me very proud, though. It would make me very happy to travel with all of you, as well as Ameiko, Sandru, and Koya. Once we return to town, we should plan for a long trip."
Feeling almost silly at his misrecollection of time, Ilir blushed a bit with embarassment after Eliara reminded them of the difference three score years could make. She has a better mind than I do, I guess. And voice.
Rescuing him from his returning envy was Shalelu with a bit of illumination of their discovery. While he felt bad for her, Ilir did not feel it best to try to offer condolences at the moment. The others had already, and not really knowing either member too well, he felt it would come across as shallow. Maybe on the trip, we will get to know each other better.
"A long trip indeed. For now, our road is short, and the tavern sounds warm. Shall we?"
"It's not foolish to risk yourself for your... friends,"" Garridan says, his face red. "And you don't need to worry about us -- we, um, we can take care of ourselves."
He gives her his most reassuring smile, his face still bright red.
As you return to Sandpoint, you find the familiar sight of the Rusty Dragon. It's a slow night, with only a few regulars.
You see Sandru, Ameiko and Koya sitting at a table, however.
"Ah, so the heroes return. I hope you had not too much trouble out in the marsh. Now, tonight, I plan on drinking less than usual - still probably too much, but hey! It is a bit of a melancholy occasion. Tonight we drink to health and fortune, and tomorrow we set off onto the dusty road and head north to Brinewall. I have put my caravan in order, and even bought a few new wagons and hired a wainwright. Bevelek and Vankor have agreed to drive two of the wagons, so that means if I drive one..." he counts on his fingers "we need a couple more, at least. Oh, plenty of room for traveling companions - we'll talk about what you would like to do as we travel tomorrow."
"Of course, you'll need a fortune teller for the fortune-teller's wagon."
"You are right, Sandru - while we drink to the prosperity of our journey, it is with some trepidation that we leave Sandpoint behind. I've been here all my life, and it's about time I finally left and saw the world. I'm not quite the young adventurer like all of you, but don't think I can't do my part - I might be getting on in years, but I can still cast spells with the best of them!"
The Varisian woman looks exuberant, and exudes an excitement that transcends her age.
"I've made some arrangements to have some of my best employees running the dragon - Rigel over at the Glassworks can certainly manage without me. As for the Kaijitsu estate, well...hopefully it won't fall into disrepair - I spend all my time here anyways."
"I'm ready to step outside of this comfortable little town and see what kind of a legacy might be out there concerning the Kaijitsu line. Who knows, maybe I'm an empress of Minkai or something!" she says, laughing.
Whatever we find, I'm happy that all of you are joining us," she says smiling. Eliaera, Hiro, Shalelu, Sandru, Koya...you have been great friends - and I'm looking forward to getting to know the rest of you better as well."
"You can count me in as well. I don't want to get in anyone's way, so I'll keep an eye out from a ways ahead, and check in from time to time. It's been nice to have friends in Sandpoint for all these years. I will miss this little town..."
As she speaks, tears form at the corners of her elven eyes, but she wipes them away quickly, and tends to her drink.
Not focused on Sandru for once, Ilir felt a bit out-of-touch at the table. The mood was strangely somber. He felt like he should be excited, expressing the disposition Koya was. Instead though, he empathized more with Shalelu, a tad sad to be leaving Sandpoint behind them. He's already said his good-bye to Ellion, but he would miss his father. The people he knew at the church, the ins-and-outs of this community would stay here. They would be out there - alone - for a good while.
But at least they had each other. As he ventured-off with his new companions these past few times, the paladin had come to know them a bit better. Amelius, however, seemed to remain much a mystery - he seemed to sound quite different in their encounter with the sinspawn. Perhaps Ilir was hearing things, or perhaps it was a trick Skitterfoot played. Ah, Skitterfoot. It was a charge of his faith to see the beauty in things, but that had been hard to do with Skitterfoot. The little Ratfolk had not betrayed them though, so Ilir would lend him his trust for now. He turned to Amelius, not in the moon for drink, more for talk. "You and Skitterfoot seem to've been getting on; do you normally do so well with rodents?" His jest was only so in part; Ilir did not know much about the mysterious man with odd mannerisms, so he did want to learn more about him. The others had a distinct culture or profession to pin themselves to - but the sorcerer? Not so much.
It was hard not to let Koya's enthused demeanor seep into him, so it began to around the edges. Only roughly acquainted with her, Ilir hadn't put much thought to her fortune telling until now. "Would you do us the good favor of reading the stars of our days ahead, Miss Mvashti?" He felt it better to be formal with her. "It would be wonderful to know if ruin or riches lay beyond us!" He'd rather ask her something else, but he wouldn't do so with the caravan leader present...
Garridan frowns, the somber mood of the gathering effecting him as well. He tries several times to start a conversation, but isn't sure what to say. In the end he orders a drink and nurses it for most of the evening, glancing at Shalelu shyly.
Hearing the elven ranger's story piques Eliaera's curiosity in an odd way. It seemed like a story that could be told by anyone--and yet she knew that the events being told were older than even her mother. Shalelu's childhood would have been at the same time as her grandmother's, or maybe even her great grandmother's. The scale of that life--the sadness that she would have had to experience--before Eliaera was even born... it boggled her mind. Briefly, she feels a bit apprehensive around the elf; however, Shalelu's smile warms her heart, and she feels a strange budding of respect for the woman.
"Friends always do what they can for their friends!" she says with a grin. "We won't wind up like this poor guy. Don't worry."
----------
The atmosphere in the tavern was a strange mix of melancholy and excitement, and it causes Eliaera to finally start to feel her own pangs of nervousness for what is to come. She would have to leave her mother, Lisella, behind--and it occurred to her that, in the worst case scenario, she might never see her again. A bird must always leave the nest and all, but it was still a sobering thought for the young Varisian woman.
Still... she glances up over her glass at Ameiko, cheerfully joking about being the empress of Minkai, just in time to see her smile at them all. Her heart flutters, perhaps reminded of the excitement of what is to come--or perhaps something else--and she returns the smile with one of her own, trying to focus on the positives rather than the negatives.
"I'll miss Sandpoint too," she says after Shalelu, nodding. "But I'm sure we'll find plenty of things to enjoy out there in the wider world too. And I'm sure we'll be able to come back one day and tell all the patrons of the Rusty Dragon the greatest story ever."
"... we'll come back, right?" Eliaera whispers quietly to no-one in particular, looking back down into her glass.
----------
At some point when not in the midst of conversation with someone else or otherwise feeling melancholy, Eliaera shuffles over beside Garridan and elbows him lightly in the side with a grin. "You're really bad at hiding those blushes of yours," she mutters quietly to him with a teasing voice. "Bet you're glad she's coming with us too, huh?"
If possible Garridan turns even redder, sinking down in his seat. "I think fighting goblins is somehow easier," he says with a self deprecating smile. [b]"Are you glad that anyone is coming along on this trip?"
Eliaera giggles evilly, enjoying witnessing the effect her gentle teasing was having on Garridan. She'd noticed his longing looks a while ago, but hadn't the chance to point it out... He's so adorable!
Garridan's counter-question causes the bard pause, however. She blinks a couple of times, trying to evaluate that loaded question. Did he mean like that? Like the way he was all blushy-blushy over Shalelu? No way... Although truth be told, most of her excitement was in going on a grand and fabulous adventure with Ameiko. For all she enjoyed the company of her new friends, if she was honest, she was mostly just glad that her good friend was able to come with them... and maybe juuust a little glad that Sandru didn't seem interested in her either (those rumours had reached her ears after all).
"Uh... Everyone, of course!" Eliaera's face remains completely straight as she says this and she belies none of those confusing inner sentiments. "It feels like we're going to be the heroes of some amazing adventure story! It's so exciting!"
"I love those stories," Garridan says, smiling. "When I was young, I read them over and over again, dreaming of ancient cities and- and lost treasures. To think, we'll soon be crossing the length and breadth of the world, starring in our own tale of heroism."
For the first time that evening Garridan begins to relax. "We may not come here for a long time, but we will be there, where we have always dreamed of. Tonight we should celebrate what is ahead, rather than mourn what we will be leaving behind!"
Raising an eyebrow to the paladin's suggestion, the Desnan cleric produces a Harrow deck. Sandru's attention immediately shifts, and everyone else grows quiet as Koya begins to shuffle the cards.
"Very well. A reading of the Harrow - relating to the success of our journey then - first, we must have The Choosing. As all Harrowings begin, the person seeking a reading must be ask a simple question."
"Will our journey be successful? Will we see great wealth and fortune?" asks the Varisian swashbuckler.
"Sandru, that is two questions. Come now, you know how a Harrowing works." she says, a coy smile crosses her face to show that her stern tone is in jest.
"Very well, I will lay The Spread. The question is, 'Will our journey bring wealth and fortune?'"
Selecting just nine cards from the deck, Koya lays them out, face down.
"Both Sandru and Ilir may select a card. If it appears in The Spread, it applies most strongly to you...and your current place in the world, and the question at hand."
Selecting a card, Sandru looks pleased.
"The Foreign Trader! Now that is a good sign." he says, taking a sip from his cup.
"Ilir, what card did you draw?"
Not well-versed in the says of the Harrow, Ilir enjoyed having his curiosity sated. He draws one, turns it over, and holds it out for Koya. That one described Sandru exceptionally well. Maybe mine will be as fortunate!
Sighing, Koya seems a little irritated with Sandru's enthusiasm.
"The reading isn't complete yet, my boy. Patience."
The paladin, meanwhile, selects a card of his own. The Hidden Truth.
"Now, return the cards to me and we will perform The Spread," says Koya in a somewhat reverent tone. "Remember the cards you have selected, as these are your roles."
She lays out a spread of nine cards, face down in a three by three pattern.
As the diviner turns over the cards in the first column, she says "This is the past. You may think you know what has happened in the past, but the Harrow may tell a much different story." Turning the cards over one at a time, they reveal The Paladin, The Eclipse, and The Tyrant. "The Paladin and the Tyrant are a true match. The Paladin symbolizes standing strong in the face of adversity, and not backing down. It indicates that your path has been the correct one, even if it may have been very difficult. The Tyrant is a ruler who is a blight upon those they rule."
"The middle column is a glimpse of the present. Cards are The Marriage, The Foreign Trader, another true match...and The Winged Serpent. A bargain made under this card," she says pointing to the middle one that Sandru selected earlier, "always concludes true, but not always with true understanding of the implications."
"Finally, the future. The Empty Throne, aligned positive - The Courtesan, a true match, and The Crows, aligned negative." She seems to sigh heavily, and looks not only at Sandru and Ilir, but the rest of the group as well.
"The Empty Throne - as sense of great loss, but opportunity...diamaetrically opposed to the Tyrant as well, but slightly misaligned to chaos. This loss can be overcome through great hardship, and the removal of The Tyrant." Koya seems almost to be in a fortune-teller's trance of some sort at this point. "The Courtesan, a neutral party, but unpredictable, and ally or enemy? Perhaps both."
"Finally, The Crows. A malign influence on the legacy of those you hold dear. An adversary that will follow you, sight unseen. A strange plot, a distant....."
Coming out of her trance, the Desnan cleric drinks from her glass, as if incredibly thirsty all of the sudden. Beads of sweat have formed on her brow. "This reading was unusually strong, but frustratingly vague as far as these things go. Take the portents you hear and try to make the best sense of them - perhaps my Harrowing skills are not what they once were."
"If any of you would like me to do a Harrowing for you on our journey, please ask. For now though, I think I might retire - sometimes reading the cards can be taxing on one's psyche."
"I'm not sure how to react - a true match. Such things are beyond me, usually. And in the neutral alignment too. Come now mum, I'll see you off."
Sandru takes Koya by the arm and escorts her away from the table.
"We meet sometime in the morning tomorrow, my friends. Let us look forward to clear skies and the open road!"
Leaning in close to Eliaera, Ameiko says "I only had Koya do that for me once - and that was enough for me. I'd rather just take things as they come - sometimes knowing the future can make you second guess what you do in the here and now."
Turning to the rest of the group, the Tien woman smiles and raises her glass. "Whatever may come, at least we'll be in good company, aye!"
"Last round of the night. I don't know if I can even sleep tonight, this is very exciting. A farewell to Sandpoint, our home. We may yet return after this voyage has concluded, but who knows what might yet come to pass! I'll be ready for it!"
With that, she breaks into an upbeat song, and the rest of the group spends the night talking, drinking, and in some cases dancing and singing.
"I love those stories," Garridan says, smiling. "When I was young, I read them over and over again, dreaming of ancient cities and- and lost treasures. To think, we'll soon be crossing the length and breadth of the world, starring in our own tale of heroism."
For the first time that evening Garridan begins to relax. "We may not come here for a long time, but we will be there, where we have always dreamed of. Tonight we should celebrate what is ahead, rather than mourn what we will be leaving behind!"
Eliaera nods in fervent agreement; she seems rather excited that someone else shared her love for adventure tales! "I always imagined what it would be like to be the agent in the Pathfinder Chronicles... the hero that slays the dragon and saves the princess... it's kind of scary to think about what comes next, but you're right, we shouldn't dwell on that. Let's just face things as they come!"
========
Leaning in close to Eliaera, Ameiko says "I only had Koya do that for me once - and that was enough for me. I'd rather just take things as they come - sometimes knowing the future can make you second guess what you do in the here and now."
The Harrow reading was quite the curiosity to Eliaera. She'd seen them performed before--growing up around Varisians, it was hard not to--but always felt a little conflicted as to how she felt about them. Though she did not doubt the powers of the elderly fortune-teller, the cryptic vagaries that made up the outcome always left her confused and wanting for more information.
Eliaera nods back at her friend. "I don't know where to begin with it... it seems like I'd have less concerns not knowing than knowing at all."
She waves to Sandru and Koya as they leave, bidding them good night, before joining in on the partying. She leaves the inn relatively early, professing a desire to get a good night's sleep in her own bed for the last time in quite a while, but actually mostly wants to spend as much time with her mother as she can before they leave...
"Well, it seemes my Hidden Truth card didn't show-up. I guess it's doing a fine job of staying hidden!" Ilir laughs to himself as the harrowing is finished. Sandru got his trader though - maybe the journey will bring riches after all. Koya's description didn't imply that - only that the bargain might come deceptively true - but Sandru would make a good deal, right?
*******
After Sandru whisked Koya off to rest, Ilir continued chatting with the group. Eliaera seemed to have larger aspirations than he; "Fighting dragons? Let's hope it doesn't come to that on our trip!" There was no doubt their teeth and scales could fetch a small fortune, but dragonslaying would be suicide. The creatures also had a certain majesty about them from the tales Ilir was told by his father. Killing them for coin would be wrong.
After the conversation died-down, Ilir went back to the church. In the morning, he'd participate in the dawn service - the last he'd have for some time. The excitement of the trip hovered over him though - he couldn't wait!
Wealday, 20th Pharast 4711
Sandpoint, Varisia – The Lost Coast
Lost Coast Road
As each of you resolve any unfinished business in Sandpoint this morning, you eventually meet just outside of the city gate, where five Varisian wagons are waiting. Sandru is beaming, and you are introduced to the drivers of the wagons - Bevelek, Vankor, Arturo and Kovnik, all ethnic Varisians. The wainwright is a stout dwarf in a leather cap who goes by the name of Rufus.
Koya, Ameiko, and Shalelu are there as well. Koya is working at painting a star motif on the fortune teller's wagon, Shalelu is looking rather bored, and Ameiko is talking to the drivers. Her attire has changed from what you usually see her wearing at the Rusty Dragon - a red leather doublet of wide woven strips, heavy boots, and a rapier slung at her side. An exotic looking instrument is strapped to her back - a samisen.
"Good morning! I was just talking to Vankor here about our journey. He doesn't really want to go to Brinewall, says most of the caravans avoid that route. Where's the fun in that?"
Giving Eliaera a hug, and grasping Hiro's hand, she nods to the rest of you, smiling. Pulling the Tien man around, she motions for the rest of you to follow and look at the caravan wagons in turn, talking all the while.
"Sandru says it will take a little more than two weeks to make the journey to where Brinewall used to be. We should have plenty of supplies, thanks to me, and the roads are good at least until we reach the Nolands. Better watch out up there, all kinds of bandits and riff raff."
"Sorry if I'm a chatterbox this morning. It's part excitement, and partly some kind of brewed drink from Mwangi that Bevelek bought from a smuggler. I certainly makes you...animated - especially when you've had three cups!"